Hear, Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. Know therefore today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. The reader anticipates: Israel will surely succeed. But then Moses tells them something shocking. Then Moses recounts the golden calf incident. He reminds them of their rebellion. He details their sin. He says: I'm about to tell you why you could have been destroyed. The golden calf was a radical betrayal. Israel made an idol while Moses was receiving the law. While God was revealing himself as holy and undivided, the people were melting down their jewelry to fashion a false god. And they deserved to be wiped out. But Moses interceded. Moses broke the tablets of the law because the breaking was less shameful than the law coexisting with idolatry. Moses went back up the mountain and secured forgiveness. In other words: the only reason you're standing here about to cross Jordan is because someone interceded for you. Someone broke the law on your behalf. Someone faced God's anger so you wouldn't have to. That's grace. Raw grace. Undeserved grace. The kind that makes you weep.
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