Deuteronomy 31:9–13 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Before Israel enters the promised land, Moses rehearses with them all the rules that the Lord had given for them to live in a way that is pleasing to them. Of course, many of those who were present at Sinai when the Law was originally given had died, so it was clearly important to repeat the law for those who were not there and were about to enter the land.
But the Lord goes further than that in this passage, and adds a requirement that every seventh year, in the year of release (a time when debts were canceled) and during the Feast of Booths (when Israel would gather together in Jerusalem and build booths to live in, recalling how they lived when they came out of Egypt) the Law should be read in the hearing of all the people.
Also in today’s readings are some very well-known phrases from Psalm 119:
Psalm 119:97–99 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.
Psalm 119:105–106 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.
Sadly, it seems to be the case that reading God's Word has gone out of fashion for many 21st century believers. There are many reasons why this may be the case:
It may be thought of as a legalistic thing to commit to reading the Bible - and, as Old Testament Israel was commanded, to read it all the way through.
People may say they are not great readers and can get what they need from sermons.
It may be thought of as an Old Testament thing. Now we are under the New Covenant, with God’s Spirit living within us, the Bible really takes a backseat to more direct communication from God.
It is certainly a harder book to read from beginning to end than just about any other, for reasons I will mention below.
What shall we say in response to these difficulties? First, Jesus places a very high value on the Word of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Jesus prays that we may be sanctified (made more like Him) and clearly the Bible is central in that process. Paul also writes often about the power of the Word of God in the life of a believer, to save and to cause spiritual growth. For example:
2 Timothy 3:15–17 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The Scriptures still impart wisdom, just as they did to the Psalmist above. Wisdom for salvation - you won’t find it anywhere else! God uses His book to teach us, reprove us, correct us and train us in righteousness (i.e. to sanctify us). Paul adds:
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Now let’s address the difficulties above - in the opposite order to that in which I listed them:
If God’s Word makes us like Christ, makes us wise, guides us, comforts us through His promises and strengthens us, then our enemies (the world, the flesh and the Devil) will throw up every hindrance to keep us from reading it - that is why it is hard (but not impossible) to read!
Jesus and Paul (both speaking about believers) emphasize the importance of the Word in the New Testament in the passages above (I am sure there are others we quote). It’s not just an Old Testament thing! Note, too, that the Spirit doesn’t ordinarily sanctify us apart from the Word. Rather, in response to the prayer of Jesus above, it’s the main instrument through which He does it!
Sermons are extremely valuable, but listening to them is not the same as meditating on the Bible alone with the Lord. Also, it wouldn’t be easy to get through the whole Bible by listening to sermons - we must read it! Note that the Bereans (Acts 17:11) are commended for fact-checking Paul’s sermons against what God said in His Word!
Lastly, I hope it is clear by now that reading the Bible as a way to know God better and be more like Him is not legalism. We can reduce it to that level if we have different motives - priding ourselves on our reading and relegating it to the level of a box to be checked every day. But done with the right heart, God reveals Himself to us in His Word. He speaks to us through its pages.
A few closing thoughts:
How will the Spirit bring Scriptures to mind in times of need if we have never read them?
How will He sanctify us through the Word if we never spend time in it?
How will we test what preachers are telling us unless we can check it against the Word?
How will God guide us and give us wisdom, strength, comfort and grace if we never open up His Word and read? We cannot absorb it by osmosis!
Israel gathered to hear the whole Law read to them once every seven years, so they would not forget and their children would hear.
Since we participate in a better covenant, with a better Mediator and better promises (all revealed to us in the Bible), and since our ability to remember is every bit as fallible as Israel’s was, shouldn’t we read through the whole Bible often and with gladness? If we do it with hunger for the Lord, how can there be anything but blessing (and abundant blessing) for our souls in this?
