May 30, 2019: Day 33 – Deuteronomy 33

The blessing that Moses gives on the day of his death, or at least before he died, corresponds to the twelve tribes of Jacob, or the twelve tribes of Israel.  This number 12 is so important in Scripture.  It is also the number that we have of the disciples whom Jesus called.  Again, it represents the completeness of God’s people.  Notice, and this always gets me, one of those 12 betrays Jesus, but he is still considered one of the twelve.  

In this chapter each of the twelve tribes are covered and they are each given a legitimate blessing.   There is no sense of if you do not obey then you will receive nothing.  The assumption is that they will obey the commandments, it simply is not stated.  This is the approach that we ought to take with those with whom we come into contact.  We must give the benefit of the doubt to each person and then operate in a way that is expecting the best from them as we give the best to them.