Deu 31:16 | KingComments | STEP | The days of Moses are numbered by the LORD ( ). Now He is going to confirm the succession of Moses through Joshua. Moses has already openly called Joshua to be his successor ( ) and appointed him ( ). Moses and Joshua stand together at “the tent of meeting”. Then the LORD appears to them in the pillar of cloud. This is the only appearance in this book. It is also the only time that the tent of meeting is mentioned. True leadership always begins with a special look at the Lord Jesus, in the sanctuary, near to the Lord. Only then can leaders go outside to perform the task given to them. When deeply impressed by the glory of the Lord, they will serve the people as leaders in the right mind. What the LORD says is not encouraging. He foretells in no uncertain terms that the people will turn away from Him. He does not speak of the possibility of this, but puts it as certainty. After the impression of His glory He now gives them a thorough impression of who the people are. Both impressions are necessary in order to serve in the right way. Something similar we see when Elijah takes his successor Elisha by the hand and leads him along a few places ( ). They stop at every place. This is to be impressed on the one hand by God’s vision on them and on the other hand by what man has made of it. At some point the people will see that the disasters hit them because the LORD is not among them. But God will continue to hide His face from them, for their feeling of God’s absence is not yet true conversion. The LORD hides His face from them by withdrawing from the temple the symbol of His favor and protection, the shechinah , the cloud as the dwelling of His glory ( ). It has not returned to the rebuilt temple in the days of Ezra. This will only happen when the people, that is to say a remnant, have repented.

‏ Deuteronomy 31:16

The Apostacy of Israel Foretold

The days of Moses are numbered by the LORD (Job 14:5). Now He is going to confirm the succession of Moses through Joshua. Moses has already openly called Joshua to be his successor (Num 27:22-23) and appointed him (Deu 31:7). Moses and Joshua stand together at “the tent of meeting”. Then the LORD appears to them in the pillar of cloud. This is the only appearance in this book. It is also the only time that the tent of meeting is mentioned.

True leadership always begins with a special look at the Lord Jesus, in the sanctuary, near to the Lord. Only then can leaders go outside to perform the task given to them. When deeply impressed by the glory of the Lord, they will serve the people as leaders in the right mind.

What the LORD says is not encouraging. He foretells in no uncertain terms that the people will turn away from Him. He does not speak of the possibility of this, but puts it as certainty. After the impression of His glory He now gives them a thorough impression of who the people are. Both impressions are necessary in order to serve in the right way. Something similar we see when Elijah takes his successor Elisha by the hand and leads him along a few places (2Kgs 2:1-11). They stop at every place. This is to be impressed on the one hand by God’s vision on them and on the other hand by what man has made of it.

At some point the people will see that the disasters hit them because the LORD is not among them. But God will continue to hide His face from them, for their feeling of God’s absence is not yet true conversion. The LORD hides His face from them by withdrawing from the temple the symbol of His favor and protection, the shechinah, the cloud as the dwelling of His glory (Eze 9:3a ; Eze 10:18-19 ; Eze 11:22-23). It has not returned to the rebuilt temple in the days of Ezra. This will only happen when the people, that is to say a remnant, have repented.