Deuteronomy 31:19

19 "Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.

Can a song be as important as a person's life?

The Children of Israel had finally reached the Promised Land. They were just about ready to cross over into it as Moses gave his final words of advice to them and to their new leader, Joshua. Some very important and amazing facts are recorded by God in Deuteronomy 31:

1. Moses was 120 years old (v. 2)
   
2. God told Moses he would not cross over the Jordan River to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. (v. 2)
   
3. Joshua would be their new leader across the Jordan River. (v. 3)
   
4. God would deliver them from any opposing kings and armies if they did all that God commanded them to do. (vv. 4-5)
5. Moses told both the Children of Israel and Joshua to be strong and courageous because "the Lord himself" would go before them and be with them. (vv.6-7)
6. Moses wrote down the law that God gave to him on Mt. Sinai and gave it to the priests and Levites (v. 9)
7. Moses commanded the priests and Levites to read the entire law to all Israel (men, women, children, and aliens) every seven years when they all assemble during the Feast of Tabernacles (vv. 10-11)
8. God predicted that the Children of Israel would fall away from Him after they entered the Promised Land (vv. 16-17)
   
9. God wanted Moses to teach the Children of Israel a song that would not be forgotten by their descendants (v. 21) to be a witnesss against them (v. 19) and testify against them (v. 21) when they do reject Him and break His covenant (v. 20) in the Promised Land.

So what is this powerful song? The Song of Moses.

Read Deuteronomy 32 and think of every Bible story that you have been taught about the Children of Israel in the Promised Land. They didn't follow God's commands. They did as they saw fit. They worshiped false gods. They intermarried with the heathen. They didn't do all–ALL–that God commanded them to do. And the Song of Moses bears witness against them because it is God's prediction of their falling away, even before it happened.

Why don't we sing this song anymore? Why don't we read and teach God's Word from cover to cover, but instead pick and choose passages throughout the Bible, which are by themselves important, but, if only taken by themselves, lead to a confusion of the interconnectedness of God's story from beginning to end.

Why do we sing? To remember God's Words from generation to generation.