Deuteronomy 12:10, commentary and pictures

Moses spoke this just before Israel reached Canaan as part of his rehearsal of the law, among its gracious promises that they would go over the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord gave them to inherit. The promised rest means being established in that inheritance and dwelling in peace and safety, freed from oppression and from all enemies round about, which was as much a part of the promise as the land itself in fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that his seed would possess the gate of his enemies. This rest of land possession is distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath. It was given through Joshua when Israel possessed the land and no enemy stood before them, and it was the rest the rebellious wilderness generation was sworn not to possess. That rest under Joshua was only a temporary, physical respite from warfare and not the full lasting spiritual rest from sin, because it was not received through faith, and it stood as a figure and type of the greater heavenly Canaan and inheritance still remaining for God's faithful people. The rest and safety is joined to the place the Lord would choose to cause His name to dwell there, which was Jerusalem and the temple, where after settling He would meet Israel and they were to bring offerings and tithes including for those who ministered there.

Promised Land and Rest

Moses spoke these words just before Israel reached Canaan, as Israel was about to enter the promised land, rehearsing the law for those about to cross the Jordan. The chapter stands within the first fourteen chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses' repetition and emphasis of the law, and the verse belongs among the gracious promises in the law. The promise was that after leaving Egypt Israel would go over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord their God gives to inherit, settling there as their home.

That dwelling meant being established in the inheritance and possessing the land in peace and safety. Rest was freedom from oppression and from all enemies round about, so that no enemy stood to hinder secure possession. This rest was also called the inheritance, received when Israel possessed the land. Deliverance from enemies was as much a part of the promise as the inheritance of the land itself, carrying out the promise to Abraham that his seed would possess the gate of his enemies.

This rest of land possession is distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath, for it is the coming to the rest and to the inheritance beyond Jordan, after which God would appoint a place for worship. The chapter's general permission to eat what is desired covers only the kinds of food allowed by God's word. It is limited by specific commands forbidding unclean animals.

Foreshadowed Rest and Worship

The promised rest was given through Joshua when Israel possessed the land and no enemy stood before them. It was the same rest God swore the rebellious wilderness generation should not possess, and it was not entered by those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness. Coming over Jordan and dwelling in the inherited land, with rest from all enemies round about so as to dwell in safety, was coming to the rest and to the inheritance.

That rest under Joshua was a temporary, physical respite and rest from warfare. It was not the full, lasting spiritual rest from sin that God intended. The reason was that Israel did not receive it through faith.

The land rest and inheritance, also called the inheritance and received under Joshua, was a historical figure and type. It foreshadowed the heavenly Canaan and the greater, lasting rest and inheritance remaining for God's people and for Abraham's faithful descendants. That true rest and inheritance remains to be possessed by the people of God, which Joshua did not finally provide.

The rest and safety is joined to the place the Lord would choose to cause His name to dwell there, after which God would appoint a place for worship. Jerusalem was the chosen city, and the temple was the specific place where God's name would dwell. This divine direction lay behind David's choice of Jerusalem as the capital.

The verse belongs to the instruction that Israel was to worship at God's appointed sanctuary after crossing the Jordan and settling in the land. There He would meet them, and there they were to bring offerings and tithes. The things used to support those who ministered at the temple included tithes. The rule requiring regular worship and sacrifices at the chosen sanctuary in the land was not considered binding on Jews living outside Palestine, so the Jews at Elephantine maintained a temple and sought permission to rebuild it.

The settled, secure life in the land is accompanied by God's blessings, including the harvest. It calls for gratitude to Him. The people gather for an ingathering service and offer thanks before partaking of the harvest.