duplicate

Deuteronomy 9:8 You infuriated Yahveh at Horeb, and he was angry enough with you to exterminate you.

Deuteronomy 9:9 When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant Yahveh established with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I did not eat food or drink water.

Deuteronomy 9:10 On the day of the collected assembly Yahveh gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by God’s finger. The exact words were on them, which Yahveh spoke to you from the fire on the mountain.

Deuteronomy 9:11 Yahveh gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant, at the end of the forty days and forty nights.

duplicate

Some scholars contend that the reason there were two stone tablets was that God gave two copies of the commandments to Moses. Generally, when we make contracts, we have a duplicate of the contract made so that both parties are aware of their responsibility in fulfilling it. Both copies were to go with the Israelites because God was promising to be in their midst.

When Jesus concluded his covenant with us, he gave us our standing orders: our mission to make disciples of all nations, and then he promised to be with us to the end of the age. As we come to the end of another year, we can be grateful that our Lord has been with us to help us stay true to our covenant with him.

Thank you for your presence among us, Lord, as we seek to obey all your commands and teach others to do so.