Few observations about history have become as familiar as George Santayana’s famous warning: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” His words have found their way into classrooms, museums, memorials, and political speeches around the world. They remind us that forgetting comes at a price.

Santayana was right. But as I reread the opening chapters of the Book of Deuteronomy this week, I found myself wondering whether Moses might gently respond, “Yes… but remembering is only the beginning.” Standing on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, Moses knows that his own journey is coming to an end. The generation before him is preparing to cross into the Promised Land without him. If there were ever a moment to introduce new laws or deliver final instructions, this would seem to be it. Instead, Moses tells stories.

He recalls the appointment of judges, the failure of the spies, years of wandering, moments of rebellion, disappointment, perseverance, and unexpected grace. At first glance, it sounds like a history lesson. It is something far deeper. Moses is not........

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