The fifth and last book in the Pentateuch is Deuteronomy. Like Numbers it covers 38 of the 40 years of Israel wandering in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 1.3 gives us the time frame for this book, "Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to him."

The name Deuteronomy means the second telling of the law. Deut – means two, two people singing together is a duet. This is the second telling of the law or a repetition of the law. God brought the children of Israel from Egypt to Mount Sinai and gave them the law. From there they traveled to Kadesh Barnea. Deuteronomy 2 briefly goes over the events at this place. Numbers 13 gives a more detailed account. The twelve spies were sent into Canaan for 40 days. They scouted out the land and reported back to Israel while two spoke of the good land, ten spoke discouragingly of their ability to take the it. Thus they rebelled against God and refused to enter Canaan at Kadesh Barnea. Due to their rebellion God said no one under twenty years of age would enter Canaan except two spies, Joshua and Caleb, for they wanted to take the land. Over the next 38 years a generation died off and left their children to enter the Promised Land.

In Deuteronomy Moses gives this generation a history lesson in order to prepare them for the future. They are told to obey God and reframe from worshipping idols, chapter 4. The Ten Commandments are repeated in chapter 5. One important admonition is given in chapter 6. Parents are told to teach their children God’s Law. They were not to leave this task to the priest, their neighbors, their tribe, or the nation. It was their job to instruct their children when they went to bed, when they got up, as they left the house, and upon their return, Deuteronomy 6.7. We would do well to take heed to this admonition. A few years ago a book was written, "It Takes a Village" to rear children.

Any parent that leaves their job up to the teachers at school, their peers, the television, the preacher, or even congregational elders, is shirking their responsibility. Unfortunately many parents are failing their families because they were not taught the word of God as they were growing up. Thus a dangerous cycle develops where parents are ignorant of God’s word and likewise their children. In return the generations to come will also. If you know the word of God you must teach your children so they can teach their children. If you do not know God’s word you must break this cycle and learn it so you can teach.

Another reason parents fail to teach their children is because they are busy. They are busy working, cleaning, recreating, watching television, and have a host of other interests. Teaching takes time and notice Deuteronomy says to teach your children. They are to teach as they get up in the morning, so they will hear God’s word before they leave the house. They are to teach as their children get ready to go to sleep, so the last thing their children heard each day is the word of God. They are to teach in the house and out of the house. Teaching is to be a part of their daily lives. What task could be more important than taking care of your children’s soul?

Moses continued to recount various events and statutes in the law. Chapter 29 they renewed the covenant with God, "Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do" verse 9. At Mount Sinai Israel promised to keep all the law but they failed. Obedience, like faithfulness, is not something we can do when we feel like it or when it is convenient. Israel obeyed God some of the time in the wilderness but not all the time. God punished them by killing the lawbreakers. He allowed a generation to die in the wilderness due to their lack of faith. Later Israel was carried off into captivity due to idolatry and other sins. Yet even then they did keep part of the law.