Deuteronomy 29:13

29:10-21 The national covenant made with Israel, not only typified the covenant of grace made with true believers, but also represented the outward dispensation of the gospel. Those who have been enabled to consent to the Lord's new covenant of mercy and grace in Jesus Christ, and to give up themselves to be his people, should embrace every opportunity of renewing their open profession of relation to him, and their obligation to him, as the God of salvation, walking according thereto. The sinner is described as one whose heart turns away from his God; there the mischief begins, in the evil heart of unbelief, which inclines men to depart from the living God to dead idols. Even to this sin men are now tempted, when drawn aside by their own lusts and fancies. Such men are roots that bear gall and wormwood. They are weeds which, if let alone, overspread the whole field. Satan may for a time disguise this bitter morsel, so that thou shalt not have the natural taste of it, but at the last day, if not before, the true taste shall be discerned. Notice the sinner's security in sin. Though he hears the words of the curse, yet even then he thinks himself safe from the wrath of God. There is scarcely a threatening in all the book of God more dreadful than this. Oh that presumptuous sinners would read it, and tremble! for it is a real declaration of the wrath of God, against ungodliness and unrighteousness of man.

That be may establish thee this day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God,.... Which contains the sum and substance of the covenant; see Jeremiah 32:38 , as he hath said unto thee, and as he had sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; Deuteronomy 26:17.

Deuteronomy 29:13 . That he may establish thee — Here is the summary of that covenant whereof Moses was the mediator; and in the covenant relation between God and them, all the precepts and promises of the covenant are included. That they should be established for a people to him, to fear, love, obey, and be devoted to him, and that he should be to them a God, to make them holy and happy; and a due sense of the relation we stand in to God as our God, and the obligation we are under to him as his people, is enough to bring us to all the duties and all the comforts of the covenant. And does this covenant include nothing spiritual? nothing that refers to eternity?

(13) That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself. —It must be carefully observed that this is the aspect of the covenant which makes Jehovah responsible for the fulfilment of the whole. “He takes all this trouble for the sake of establishing thee in His presence for a people” (Rashi). The people’s part, as described in this verse, is only to accept the position. And thus the covenant of Deuteronomy 29 is brought into the closest similarity with that which is called the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 , Hebrews 8:8 ; the form of which is “I will” be to them a God, and “they shall” be to me a people. God undertakes for the people’s part of the covenant as well as His own. In Deuteronomy the first half of the New Covenant appears here in Deuteronomy 29, “that He may be unto thee a God.” The second part appears in Deuteronomy 30:6-8 , “The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart . . . to love the Lord thy God.”

The covenant was national, and therefore embraced all the elements which make up the nation. The "little ones" would of course be represented by their parents or guardians; the absent Deuteronomy 29:15 by those present; nor were the servants and proselytes to be excluded (compare Acts 2:39 ). The text is fairly alleged in justification of the Church's practice of admitting little ones into covenant with God by Baptism, and accepting promises made on their behalf by sponsors.

10-29. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God—The whole congregation of Israel, of all ages and conditions, all—young as well as old; menials as well as masters; native Israelites as well as naturalized strangers—all were assembled before the tabernacle to renew the Sinaitic covenant. None of them were allowed to consider themselves as exempt from the terms of that national compact, lest any lapsing into idolatry might prove a root of bitterness, spreading its noxious seed and corrupt influence all around (compare Heb 12:15). It was of the greatest consequence thus to reach the heart and conscience of everyone, for some might delude themselves with the vain idea that by taking the oath (De 29:12) by which they engaged themselves in covenant with God, they would surely secure its blessings. Then, even though they would not rigidly adhere to His worship and commands, but would follow the devices and inclinations of their own hearts, yet they would think that He would wink at such liberties and not punish them. It was of the greatest consequence to impress all with the strong and abiding conviction, that while the covenant of grace had special blessings belonging to it, it at the same time had curses in reserve for transgressors, the infliction of which would be as certain, as lasting and severe. This was the advantage contemplated in the law being rehearsed a second time.

The picture of a once rich and flourishing region, blasted and doomed in consequence of the sins of its inhabitants, is very striking, and calculated to awaken awe in every reflecting mind. Such is, and long has been, the desolate state of Palestine; and, in looking at its ruined cities, its blasted coast, its naked mountains, its sterile and parched soil—all the sad and unmistakable evidences of a land lying under a curse—numbers of travellers from Europe, America, and the Indies ("strangers from a far country," De 29:22) in the present day see that the Lord has executed His threatening. Who can resist the conclusion that it has been inflicted "because the inhabitants had forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers. … and the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book"?

13 . his covenant, which he commanded you ] Heb. berîth (prob. from a root = to bind ) meant any compact, contract or bargain: between friends, 1 Samuel 18:3 ; man and wife, Proverbs 2:17 ; master and servant, Job 41:4 ; king and people, 2 Samuel 5:3 ; former foes, whether individuals, id. Deuteronomy 3:12 f., or peoples, J, Exodus 23:32 ; Deuteronomy 7:2 (the only instance in D of its non-religious use); conqueror and conquered, 1 Samuel 11:1 . Berîth might apply either to the transaction or to the binding conditions on which it was based; the covenant or the terms of the covenant, i.e. ordinance or constitution. When the parties were of unequal power the terms were imposed by the stronger. So between God and Israel; His covenant which He commanded , here and Deuteronomy 29:1 . Used first in a religious sense by JE, Genesis 15:18 , etc. of God’s covenant with the patriarchs; Exodus 19:5 ; Exodus 24:7 ff. etc. with Israel at Ḥoreb; less used by the prophets, e.g. Hosea 6:7 ; Hosea 8:1 ; Jeremiah 11:10 ; Jeremiah 31:32 ; but very frequent in Deuteronomy 4:31 ; Deuteronomy 7:12 ; Deuteronomy 8:18 , etc., with patriarchs (cp. Deuteronomy 6:18 , Deuteronomy 9:5 , Deuteronomy 11:9 , etc.); Deuteronomy 4:13 ; Deuteronomy 4:23 , Deuteronomy 5:2 , Deuteronomy 9:9 ; Deuteronomy 9:11 ; Deuteronomy 9:15 , at Ḥoreb; Deuteronomy 17:2 (?), Deuteronomy 29:1 ; Deuteronomy 29:9 ; Deuteronomy 29:12 ; Deuteronomy 29:14 ; Deuteronomy 29:21 ; Deuteronomy 29:25 renewed in Mo‘ab.