Deuteronomy 9:7-24

Moses provided ample evidence of Israel’s stubbornness. Again he called the Israelites to remember their past (Deuteronomy 9:7). He gave their rebellion at Horeb extended attention in this address because it was a very serious offense. They followed reception of God’s greatest blessing, the revelation of Himself and His will, with immediate apostasy.

"The very finger of God [Deuteronomy 9:10]. This is a double figure of speech (1) in which God is ascribed human features (anthropomorphism) and (2) in which a part stands for the whole (synecdoche). That is, God, as Spirit, has no literal finger nor, if he had, would he write with his finger. Rather, the sense is that God himself-not Moses in any way-was responsible for the composition of the Ten Commandments (cf. Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:16; Exodus 34:1)." [Note: The NET Bible note on 9:10.]

"To ’blot out the name’ [Deuteronomy 9:14] is, in the context of covenant disloyalty, tantamount to the Lord’s termination of his relationship with his people." [Note: Merrill, Deuteronomy, p. 193. Cf. Thompson, p. 140.]

Moses fasted for 40 days and nights following the Golden Calf incident, neither eating bread nor drinking water (Deuteronomy 9:18), which reflects his total dependence on God. Then Moses alluded to the failures at Taberah, Massah, Kibbroth-hattaavah, and Kadesh (Deuteronomy 9:22-29). He did not name these in chronological order but in the order of their importance, proceeding from the lesser to the greater offenses. This presentation should have had great rhetorical and persuasive impact on Moses’ original audience, and it should have the same effect on us. Moses also referred to God’s faithfulness to His people in their failures that further demonstrated how wicked these sins really were.