"And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?" {Deuteronomy 4:8} We are rapidly approaching the end of the study of the Pentateuch books. This word has a Greek meaning "five volumes." The Jews traditionally refer to this collection as the "Book of the Law."

"Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God..." {Nehemiah 8:18} "The king also appointed a portion of his possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of the LORD." {2 Chronicles 31:3}

The first five books of the Old Testament present a history of the beginning of man until the death of the great man Moses. These books give an account of the growth of the nation of Israel--God's chosen people. They have been delivered from human bondage, have prospered and grown into a mighty nation. The Pentateuch ends with the death of Moses and the children getting ready to enter the Promised land.

In the final book, Deuteronomy, Moses is pleading with God's people for them to not make the same mistakes as their forefathers. Moses continues to drive the point home--God will not accept anything less than obedience to His commandments. Obedience will make their life in Canaan a pleasant experience. Disobedience will place them at odds with God. The choice should be a simple one. They had watched the first generation die in the wilderness due to their unbelief. Surely, they will make a better choice.

God's law is just and fair. It is also possible to keep if they will only adhere to the stipulations God has placed on them. God will be their leader and lead them to victory over the people in the land. All He has asked of them in exchange for His rich blessings is their obedience and trust in Him. One of the lessons we can gain from the study of these books is God's attitude towards disobedience. Excuses will not be tolerated and God's patience does have a limit. How their lives in the new land will be depends greatly on if they learned from the lessons of the past. What will they choose?