Moses Giving the Israelites Behavior TED Talks: The Book of Deuteronomy

Sooo I just finished the book of Deuteronomy and it is simply a book of TED talk from Moses to the Israelites.

In the first chapter, Moses gives recaps of their seasons in the wilderness. “Lemme tell y’all how we got here and why it took us 40 years to get you to the Promised Land and why even though I was begging for y’all knuckleheads, I’m not even gonna get to see it with you… Y’all played in God’s face TOO MANY TIMES and you threw me under the bus…” Because when God told him to speak to the rock so water could pour out, because the Israelites had gotten on his nerves so bad, he hit the rock instead. That’s why he didn’t end up making it to the Promised Land.

I was reading it and shaking my head because I feel for Moses. The Israelites were outta pocket so many times. Now look. 😭

In Deuteronomy 9 and Moses is still UPSET about the golden calf debauchery (as he should be). I’m still mad at Aaron myself. 😡 Moses said “lemme remind you for when y’all get to the Lit Land where milk and honey flows. THIS WAS NOT YOUR DOING. GOD DID, cuz y’all are the LEAST raggedy of all people. But you still raggedy.” He called them “stiff-necked.” 🤣🤣🤣 So yeah, know where your credit lies. Give God the praise. THAT is what it means to be humble.

He reminded them that God wiped the previous generation and made sure none of them made it to the Promised Land because of their sinful ways. That’s how much He ain’t playing with them.

Moses spends MOST of the chapters giving them God’s laws and decrees, basically telling them how to act like they have home training when they make it to the Promised Land. He’s like “Pleaseee don’t make God crash out because you forget what He told you do to.” He told them to put the commandments on their doors. Moses is like “I’m not gon be there to chaperone so please get some behavior about yourselves.” He just KNEWWWW they couldn’t be trusted. 😭

When I got to Deuteronomy 28, and read that book, I clutched my whole pearls. That whole chapter is a literal curse out. Mon dieu! It’s Moses letting the Israelites know how hard God is gonna crash out on them if they disobey his decrees and I’m tryna cover my eyes because WHY WOULD Y’ALL WANT THIS SMOKE?!?! How do you hear ALL THAT and still go “I choose debauchery?”

So basically, long story short on the book of Deuteronomy:

It is Moses telling the Israelites that they are about to cross into Canaan, the land of Milk and Honey, and that they need to have broughtupsy otherwise Sky Daddy is gonna be pissed. Deuteronomy is basically the day of the field trip, when your teacher gets on a bus and is like,

“Before y’all get to this museum, let me remind you: walk in a straight line and don’t touch nothing! You were gonna be banned from coming to the museum at all, based on how y’all acted last time you went. But I begged to make sure y’all could go again. They said yes, but I can’t walk in the museum with you. My assistant principal is gonna chaperone you on that. But when you get in that museum, don’t you touch nothing! And treat that place with respect, and like someone cares about you.

Because if you act a fool in there, we are canceling all other field trips. And I ain’t gonna be able to help you. So act like y’all got some sense. Do not embarrass me!”

And then Moses was “gathered to his people” once God let him set eyes on the Promised Land from a mountaintop. And no other prophet ever had that level of power or access, to be able to see or talk to God face-to-face. RIP to my main man, Moses, God’s fave. 😭

And that’s basically the cliff notes on the book of Deuteronomy. Whole book is an SOP for Act Right. Yet and still… 😩😑

On the book of Joshua, Moses’ mentee who is now charged with managing them Israelites. Whew. And they are going to continue to be a ridiculous people (like us humans still). Soooo… (speaking of TED Talks 😏)