This is what we are doing this Feast—we are reading and expounding on Deuteronomy. God wanted the nation to be refreshed by what was in the law every seven years, so it would be imprinted on each generation. He wanted them to be reminded of their history, as well as what they were responsible for.
In this passage, we find not only the instructions to read the law at the Feast every seven years, but also the basic reasons for doing so. This command is not arbitrary at all. Like everything God inspires, there are excellent reasons for it. Notice in verse 12 that the command is for the whole congregation, including the little ones. This is for them as well, or we might even say, especially for them. And the reason is “that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God.” God’s intent here goes well beyond the heads of families, but includes their children, and beyond that even to the children’s children, as it says. These instructions have the future in mind.
This is talking about generational instruction, which is found throughout Deuteronomy. There are many references to teaching children, or to doing the right things so that it will be well for the children and even the grandchildren. This aspect of teaching children goes back to Abraham, the father of the faithful. God says He knew Abraham "in order that he may command his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19). It doesn’t say that God chose Abraham because He knew Abraham would teach his children. That would give Abraham something to boast of. Instead, God called Abraham, and intervened in his life, for the express purpose of Abraham then commanding his children. That’s why God initiated the relationship—so that Abraham would then be able to thoroughly instruct those who came after him.
God wanted a family line, and that meant each generation had to teach the next one how to live His way, and particularly to fear Him, and we will talk more about that fear later. So, these instructions to read the law in the presence of even the little ones for the sake of learning to fear God is an echo of what God started with Abraham. He wants a family, a nation, that fears Him. This mention of the future children of the little ones shows that God’s will is for His way to be passed on to each generation.
