1 00:00:10,230 --> 00:00:14,330 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming 2 00:00:14,410 --> 00:00:18,790 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:18,890 --> 00:00:21,669 Speaker 1: with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:24,630 --> 00:00:27,390 Speaker 1: Right after the short word from our sponsors, we will 5 00:00:27,430 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: reflect on tonight's scripture for From Deuteronomy chapter 31. Our 6 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,419 Speaker 1: evening reflection is written by Amanda Eidelman and read by 7 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:53,310 Speaker 1: Kyle Norman. Deuteronomy chapter 31. Then Moses went out and 8 00:00:53,350 --> 00:00:56,910 Speaker 1: spoke these words to all Israel. I am now a 9 00:00:56,970 --> 00:00:59,740 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty years old. and I am no longer 10 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, 11 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,250 Speaker 1: You shall not cross the Jordan. The Lord your God 12 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,690 Speaker 1: himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy 13 00:01:09,730 --> 00:01:12,730 Speaker 1: these nations before you, and you will take possession of 14 00:01:12,770 --> 00:01:17,190 Speaker 1: their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, 15 00:01:17,750 --> 00:01:20,690 Speaker 1: as the Lord said. And the Lord will do to 16 00:01:20,750 --> 00:01:23,450 Speaker 1: them what he did to Sihon and Og, and the 17 00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:27,250 Speaker 1: king of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. 18 00:01:28,390 --> 00:01:31,410 Speaker 1: The Lord will deliver you. And you must do to 19 00:01:31,470 --> 00:01:35,190 Speaker 1: them all that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. 20 00:01:35,990 --> 00:01:39,300 Speaker 1: Do not be afraid or terrified because of them. For 21 00:01:39,310 --> 00:01:42,180 Speaker 1: the Lord your God goes with you. He will never 22 00:01:42,260 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: leave you nor forsake you. Then Moses summoned Joshua and 23 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: said to him, In the presence of all Israel, be 24 00:01:50,420 --> 00:01:54,100 Speaker 1: strong and courageous. For you must go with this people 25 00:01:54,180 --> 00:01:56,820 Speaker 1: into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors 26 00:01:56,860 --> 00:01:59,780 Speaker 1: to give them, and you must divide it among them 27 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,780 Speaker 1: as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and 28 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: will be with you. He will never leave you nor 29 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. 30 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,620 Speaker 1: So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to 31 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,780 Speaker 1: the Levitical priests, who carried the Ark of the Covenant 32 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,490 Speaker 1: of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 33 00:02:21,710 --> 00:02:25,810 Speaker 1: Then Moses commanded them, At the end of every seven years... 34 00:02:26,389 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: In the year for cancelling debts during the festival of tabernacles, 35 00:02:30,310 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your 36 00:02:32,900 --> 00:02:36,340 Speaker 1: God at the place he will choose, you shall read 37 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: this law before them in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, 38 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,100 Speaker 1: and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns, so 39 00:02:45,139 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your 40 00:02:47,860 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 41 00:02:52,220 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: Their children, who do not know this law, must hear 42 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: it and learn to fear the Lord your God as 43 00:02:58,100 --> 00:03:00,389 Speaker 1: long as you live in the land you were crossing 44 00:03:00,430 --> 00:03:05,530 Speaker 1: the Jordan to possess. The Lord said to Moses, Now 45 00:03:05,610 --> 00:03:09,190 Speaker 1: the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and 46 00:03:09,230 --> 00:03:12,209 Speaker 1: present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will 47 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:17,010 Speaker 1: commission him. So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves 48 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,620 Speaker 1: at the tent of meeting. Then the Lord appeared at 49 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,389 Speaker 1: the tent in a pillar of cloud. and the clouds 50 00:03:24,430 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: stood over the entrance to the tent. And the Lord 51 00:03:27,740 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: said to Moses, You are going to rest with your ancestors, 52 00:03:32,139 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign 53 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: gods of the land that they are entering. They will 54 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,490 Speaker 1: forsake me and break the covenant that I made with them, 55 00:03:41,510 --> 00:03:44,230 Speaker 1: and in that day I will become angry with them 56 00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:47,430 Speaker 1: and forsake them. I will hide my face from them, 57 00:03:47,790 --> 00:03:51,590 Speaker 1: and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will 58 00:03:51,610 --> 00:03:54,060 Speaker 1: come on them, And in that day they will ask, 59 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: Have not these disasters come on us because our God 60 00:03:57,420 --> 00:04:01,500 Speaker 1: is not with us? I will certainly hide my face 61 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,660 Speaker 1: in that day because of all their wickedness and turning 62 00:04:04,700 --> 00:04:08,780 Speaker 1: to other gods. Now write down this song and teach 63 00:04:08,820 --> 00:04:12,190 Speaker 1: it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so 64 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:14,810 Speaker 1: that it might be a witness for me against them. 65 00:04:15,970 --> 00:04:18,090 Speaker 1: When I have brought them into the land flowing with 66 00:04:18,130 --> 00:04:21,230 Speaker 1: milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to 67 00:04:21,250 --> 00:04:24,750 Speaker 1: their ancestors, And when they eat their fill and thrive, 68 00:04:25,190 --> 00:04:28,470 Speaker 1: they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting 69 00:04:28,529 --> 00:04:31,990 Speaker 1: me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and 70 00:04:32,029 --> 00:04:35,570 Speaker 1: calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, 71 00:04:36,690 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I 72 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: know what they are disposed to do, even before I 73 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,300 Speaker 1: bring them into the land that I promised them on oath. 74 00:04:47,900 --> 00:04:50,490 Speaker 1: So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught 75 00:04:50,529 --> 00:04:55,100 Speaker 1: it to the Israelites. The Lord gave this command to Joshua, 76 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,540 Speaker 1: son of Nun. Be strong and courageous, for you will 77 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, 78 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: and I myself will be with you. After Moses finished 79 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,339 Speaker 1: writing in a book the words of this law from 80 00:05:10,380 --> 00:05:13,539 Speaker 1: beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites 81 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,700 Speaker 1: who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. 82 00:05:16,700 --> 00:05:19,500 Speaker 1: Take this book of the law and place it beside 83 00:05:19,550 --> 00:05:21,580 Speaker 1: the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God. 84 00:05:22,540 --> 00:05:26,460 Speaker 1: There it will remain as a witness against you. For 85 00:05:26,540 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you 86 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still 87 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,930 Speaker 1: alive and with you, how much more will you rebel 88 00:05:36,050 --> 00:05:39,950 Speaker 1: after I die? Assemble before me all the elders of 89 00:05:39,990 --> 00:05:42,750 Speaker 1: your tribes and all your officials so that I can 90 00:05:42,830 --> 00:05:45,909 Speaker 1: speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens 91 00:05:46,010 --> 00:05:50,010 Speaker 1: and the earth to testify against them. For I know 92 00:05:50,070 --> 00:05:53,710 Speaker 1: that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt, 93 00:05:54,170 --> 00:05:56,870 Speaker 1: to turn away from the way that I have commanded you. 94 00:05:58,370 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: In days to come, disaster will fall on you because 95 00:06:01,710 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: you will do evil in the sight of the Lord 96 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,940 Speaker 1: and arouse his anger by what your hands have made. 97 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,380 Speaker 1: And Moses recited the words of the song from beginning 98 00:06:11,420 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel. 99 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:23,339 Speaker 1: Life often offers us more than our fair share of 100 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:31,219 Speaker 1: opportunities to be strong and courageous. There are events, seasons, performances, appointments, milestones, 101 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,700 Speaker 1: life changes, and more that we face that are scary. 102 00:06:36,210 --> 00:06:38,550 Speaker 1: It would be so much easier to just hide and 103 00:06:38,610 --> 00:06:42,410 Speaker 1: stop doing life instead of moving forward through a scary 104 00:06:42,470 --> 00:06:47,330 Speaker 1: and unknown future. The Israelites faced one of those dreaded 105 00:06:47,410 --> 00:06:51,050 Speaker 1: scary life changes. Moses was old and his time of 106 00:06:51,110 --> 00:06:54,740 Speaker 1: leading them was coming to an end. After years of 107 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,099 Speaker 1: relying on Moses' instruction and connection with God, the people 108 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: had to say goodbye, embrace a new leader, and finally 109 00:07:03,380 --> 00:07:07,450 Speaker 1: move into the promised land. Knowing their fear and apprehension, 110 00:07:07,950 --> 00:07:11,830 Speaker 1: Moses charged them to be strong and courageous. He reminded 111 00:07:11,890 --> 00:07:15,350 Speaker 1: them that God was with them and ultimately God was 112 00:07:15,370 --> 00:07:20,540 Speaker 1: their true leader, not Moses. This passage is one I've 113 00:07:20,580 --> 00:07:24,500 Speaker 1: returned to many times, receiving these words of encouragement just 114 00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: as the Israelites did so long ago. I am reminded 115 00:07:29,020 --> 00:07:31,220 Speaker 1: that God does not desire me to live in fear. 116 00:07:32,140 --> 00:07:35,410 Speaker 1: He wants me to go boldly into the future, trusting 117 00:07:35,470 --> 00:07:38,170 Speaker 1: him to walk with me through all of my days. 118 00:07:39,370 --> 00:07:44,350 Speaker 1: This passage reminds me that new seasons are not necessarily 119 00:07:44,450 --> 00:07:48,650 Speaker 1: bad seasons. Change may feel uncomfortable, but it's part of 120 00:07:48,690 --> 00:07:53,850 Speaker 1: God's plan. We grow through change and challenges. What I 121 00:07:53,930 --> 00:07:57,710 Speaker 1: perceive as a difficulty, God might be using as an 122 00:07:57,810 --> 00:08:03,060 Speaker 1: opportunity to grow a more rooted faith. As you end 123 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: the day, meditate on Moses' encouragement. You do not have 124 00:08:08,500 --> 00:08:12,140 Speaker 1: to be afraid of the day ahead. God has gone 125 00:08:12,180 --> 00:08:15,490 Speaker 1: before you, and you can let go of your anxieties 126 00:08:16,130 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: trusting that a day or a new challenge or season 127 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: can be navigated with peace and bravery. Father, I thank 128 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: you for going before me and always being with me. 129 00:08:34,420 --> 00:08:37,829 Speaker 1: Help me follow the instructions that Moses gave to be 130 00:08:37,929 --> 00:08:41,490 Speaker 1: strong and courageous. I am telling my soul to be 131 00:08:41,550 --> 00:08:44,630 Speaker 1: brave and to trust you. Help me to let go 132 00:08:44,730 --> 00:08:48,050 Speaker 1: of all my anxiety and walk with peace. Let your 133 00:08:48,090 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: grace be sufficient for tomorrow. I will not worry about 134 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: tomorrow because I know your mercies are new every morning. Amen. 135 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,910 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 136 00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:15,330 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion. Thank you for 137 00:09:15,390 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from 138 00:09:20,150 --> 00:09:27,580 Speaker 1: the New International Version by Biblica. All rights reserved. Be 139 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: sure to follow our sister show, Your Daily Bible Verse, 140 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: on Apple or Spotify. By following Your Daily Bible Verse 141 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be sure that your 142 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:44,939 Speaker 1: day begins and ends today. centered on the Word of God. 143 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:57,460 Speaker 1: Thank you.