“At that time” referred to the preceding verses in Deuteronomy 9:25-29, when Moses lay prostrate for forty days and nights, interceding for Israel. Why did Moses have to intercede for Israel? Because while he first went up the mountain to receive the tablets of covenant, the forefathers of the current Israelites had made for themselves a golden calf. The Israelites had rebelled against Yahweh, and when Moses broke the tablets before the Israelites, it symbolically showed that they had broken the covenant with God.

Yahweh was angry and displeased with the Israelites, and it was then that Moses interceded for Israel. And it was at that time that the Lord told Moses to cut two tablets of stone like the first.

Do we see how gracious our Lord is?

Moses himself said that the Israelites had been rebellious against the Lord from the day he knew them (9:24), and even while the Lord is giving His Word to Moses, the Israelites turned aside quickly from the Lord. In spite of all these rebellion which would have warranted their immediate death, Yahweh, instead, turned towards them and was gracious to them. 

Yahweh had offered to start over with Moses, the new tablets were duplicates of the originals, “like the first” (verse 1), and Yahweh will himself write on the new tablets, the words that were on the first tablets (verse 2). The covenant that the Lord had made, the Lord maintains, and this same covenant ensures Israel’s future, even after judgement. 

Furthermore, Moses said in verses 10-11 that when the Lord had given the commandments a second time, he was also with the Lord on the mountain for forty days and nights. After that, the Lord told him to go quickly on his journey to lead the Israelites into the land the Lord had promised. Here, the reminder of the promise of land to the forefathers of the Israelites, is yet another clear proof that the covenantal relationship with God was fully restored. 

Does the knowledge of this bring us to our knees in deep gratitude? The restoration of the covenantal relationship was entirely Yahweh’s mercy and grace. He had not given any lesser from the first, and he had not taken any away from the promises he made to the forefathers of Israel. Lest we think that we are any better than the Israelites today, we are constantly in a rebellious state. But God patiently waits for us to return to Him, and He restores us. He had given us Christ, that we may be saved from the dire state of our sins. He had taken the first step in our relationship with Him, and He always keeps His side of the relationship. 

May we turn away from our sins and turn towards God, the maker and perfecter of our faith. 

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy, reminding me of my rebellion, forgiving me of my sins, and restoring me in relationship with you. I want to be faithful to you always. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.