Moses Endorses Joshua At The Convention On The Border of the Promised Land and the Delegates Go Wild

God to Moses: "You shall not go across yonder Jordan" (Deut 31:2). Dismayed Delegates: We want Moses! #Mosesorbust! Moses to Delegates: "Joshua is the one who shall cross before you" (Deut 31:3).
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God to Moses: "You shall not go across yonder Jordan" (Deut 31:2).

Dismayed Delegates: We want Moses! #Mosesorbust!

Moses to Delegates: "Joshua is the one who shall cross before you" (Deut 31:3).

Awed Delegates: Wow, he really endorsed Joshua! Wow!

Moses to Delegates: "Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread" (Deut 31:6).

Sophisticated Delegates: Right! Some people are trying to make everyone afraid and angry. They say that things have been getting worse, even though things are actually much better. The economy is doing better. Poverty is down. Teen births are down. Violent crime is down....

Moses to Joshua: "Be strong and resolute, for it is you who shall go with this people into the Promised Land, and you who shall divide [opportunities] among them" (Deut 31:7).

Worried Delegates: But Joshua is beholden to Wall Street! He won't make things fairer. He won't make sure that everyone has a real chance to get ahead. He won't reduce income inequality or the influence of money in politics.

Moses to Delegates: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts...when all the People [go to the polls] you shall read this [party platform] before them" (Deut 31:10-11).

Reassured Delegates: OK, I guess Joshua will really work to reduce inequality (by cancelling some student debt, for example). After all, he knows that otherwise we won't support him in the next election.

God to Moses: "The people [may] go astray in the land that they are about to enter... Therefore write down this [platform] and teach to the people" (Deut 31:16-19).

Excited Delegates: Yes, we will have to promote the platform to the electorate. That is indeed our task. We will go door-to-door, man phone banks, and send direct mailings! We will talk it up to our relatives, coworkers, neighbors, and even FB friends!

God to Joshua: "Be strong and resolute, for thus shall you bring the people into the Promised Land" (Deut 31:23).

Serious Delegates: Yes Joshua, follow the platform. Follow the platform resolutely.

Moses to Levites: "Take this [platform] and place it beside the Ark." (Deut 31:26).
("beside the Ark" = a central place in everyone's life)

Excited Delegates: Yes, we will show the voters how our policy proposals will improve their lives. We can do it! We will do it!

Moses describing the platform in poetic terms to the Delegates: "God found them in a desert region, in an empty howling waste....He set them atop the highlands to feast on the yield of the earth,...milk of cows, best of lambs, and rams, and goats, with the very finest wheat and wine." (Deut 32:10-14).

Proud Delegates: Yes, America has indeed risen from a small group of humble settlers in the wilderness to become a Great Nation. Of course problems remain, but we are trying to solve the problems of our time, while some people close their eyes to these problems. We are trying to help the truly needy, while some people close their hearts to these people.

Moses to Delegates: "For a fire...will consume the earth and its harvests and eat down to the base of the hills." (Deut 32:22).

Puzzled Delegates to each other: Is he talking about global warming? To fight global warming, we will need to pass stricter environmental regulation, despite the bitter opposition of some people.

Moses to Delegates: "Wasting famine..." (Deut 32:24).

Thoughtful Delegates: To help the hungry and the unfortunate, we will need to raise the minimum wage, despite the bitter opposition of some people.

Moses to Delegates: "Ravaging plague, deadly pestilence" (Deut 32:24).

Thoughtful Delegates: To make healthcare more available, we will need to improve Obamacare, despite the bitter opposition of some people.

Moses to Delegates: "The sword may deal death without, as shall the terror within" (Deut 32:25).

Thoughtful Delegates: To reduce terrorist shootings and other gun deaths, we will need to pass stricter gun control laws, despite the bitter opposition of some people.

Moses to Delegates: "Take to heart all the words with which I have warned you this day. Enjoin them upon your children" (Deut 32:46).

Inspired Delegates: Yes! We will celebrate this historic convention with our families. It is groundbreaking! #glassceilingbreaking! It will inspire our daughters...and our sons, too.

Moses blessing the Delegates: "May Reubenites flourish, though they are a minority...May Judah be helped against his foes...Let Levi's enemies rise no more..." (Deut 33:6-11).

Delegates getting the idea: Yes! And may all of the other disadvantaged groups overcome the injustices practiced against them, too. #Blacklivesmatter! #Nomorewararagainstwomen! #GLBTmarriage!

Moses concluding his speech: "Your enemies shall come cringing before you, and you shall tread on their backs..." (Deut 33:29).

Confident Delegates: Yes! We will win an overwhelming victory! We will retake the Senate, and maybe even the House!

God to Moses: "This is the Promised Land...I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross there (Deut 34:4).

Sympathetic Delegates: You came so close, Moses. So close!

"The period of wailing and mourning for Moses came to an end. Now Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had [endorsed] him. So the Delegates listened to him" (Deut 34:8-9).

Fired Up Delegates: We want Joshua! Joshua for President!

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