In this message we will consider the final exhortations and charges. Although Moses had spoken so many things in the foregoing chapters, in chapter thirty-one he, as an elderly father concerned for his children, still had something more to say. Because he was so concerned for the children of Israel, he spoke some of the same things again and again.
In 31:1-6 we have Moses' exhortation to the people.
The words Moses spoke in these verses were spoken to all Israel (v. 1).
Moses told the people that he was a hundred and twenty years old and could no longer go out and come in, and that Jehovah had told him that he could not cross over the Jordan (v. 2). This was a sad word, for Moses wanted to cross over the Jordan but was not allowed to do so.
In verse 3 Moses told the children of Israel that it was Jehovah their God who was crossing over before them and who would destroy the nations before them, and they would dispossess the nations. In this verse Moses also said that Joshua was the one who was crossing over before them, as Jehovah had spoken. Moses' word here was an expression of the concern in his heart for Israel.
In verses 4 and 5 Moses said that Jehovah would do to the nations even as He did to Sihon and Og and to their land. He would deliver the nations up before the children of Israel. God's victory over Sihon and Og was to be an assurance to the people that He would defeat all the kings in Canaan, take over their land, and give it to the children of Israel as their inheritance.
Finally, in verse 6 Moses encouraged all Israel to be strong and take courage, to fear not, neither to be terrified of the nations, for Jehovah their God went with them and He would not fail them nor forsake them.