Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Chapter 30
I command you to love the Lord, your God, and follow his ways. Observe his commandments, norms, and laws; you will live and increase, and the Lord will give you his blessing in the land you possess.
But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them,
I declare on this day that you shall perish. You shall not last in the land you will occupy on the other side of the Jordan.
Let the heavens and the earth listen, that they may be witnesses against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live,
loving the Lord, listening to his voice, and being one with him. In this is life for you and the length of days in the land which the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Commentaries
Conditions for Restoration and Blessing.
It should not be overlooked that, although Deuteronomy repeatedly highlights the people’s current situation, it uses this as a literary device to renew the old covenant made with God and mediated through Moses. The wording of this chapter, though it begins with the conditional phrase “When all these words are fulfilled in you” (1), actually refers to a time when all the future events described have already taken place. The historical background includes the fall of the southern kingdom, the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, and the deportation to Babylon (587 B.C.). The entire chapter addresses the questions and doubts caused by Judah’s fall. The Deuteronomist tradition (D) draws on the teachings of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, but it stays focused on the core message of the book of Deuteronomy, aiming to encourage Israelite believers to accept their current situation as the just punishment they deserve for turning away from the Lord.
The key is to restore faith and hope in God, who, even though he has punished them, is ready to forgive, to circumcise their hearts (6), and to bring them back to the land he swore to give their ancestors (20). All the people need to do is repent and return to the Lord with obedient hearts, trusting only in his mercy and power, which will once again lift Israel from the ruins and help their efforts succeed (9). Additionally, the Lord will punish all those who contributed to Israel’s suffering (7).
However, Israel will have no excuse for failing to follow the Lord’s commands, such as choosing life over death, good over evil (15), blessing over curse (19), because the Lord’s precepts are clear, understandable to everyone, accessible to all, and therefore can be practiced by everyone (11-16).