Deuteronomy: Moses' Deathbed Recap

In the book of Deuteronomy, I felt strong conviction of God's love for Israel. At times, I have felt that the judgement He promised them was unspeakably harsh, but... It's as though God's relationship with Israel is one of extremes. Miracle after miracle He performs for their provision and protection. He is consistently merciful in His consideration of their needy, poor, fatherless, widowed, etc, throughout all of His laws for them. But at Israel's rebellion He becomes like an iron hammer of punishment.
On another side note before I jump into Deuteronomy, a passage in chapter 8 includes God describing things which "the Promised Land" promises: Milk, honey, wheat, barley, pomegranates, copper, figs, olives, and vines (grapes). I did a little research on agricultural reports of present day Israel, only to discover that yes, indeed, all of these things are in blessed abundance in Israel.God says that Israel will produce it's own - and that other countries will borrow from Israel, but Israel will not borrow from them. True enough - Israel produces 95% of it's own food requirements. Israel is considered a world player in the wine industry, and is letting Mexican companies mine it's copper. Israel has it's own breed of disease resistant cow, even. And though the land is not naturally condusive to farming, and though farmers have been farming with 12 percent less water in the last ten years, they have had a 26% agricultural increase anyway. So my whole point here, at any rate, is that God wasn't joking.
Moses is getting on in years, and with Deuteronomy he provides a recap of Exodus, Levicitus and Numbers. He talks about appointing chiefs, leaders, etc. He speaks of Israel's rebellion, and going into the wilderness for 40 years. Of the battles which they won, Kings they overthrew. Moses laments the fact that he will not see the Promised Land, and talks about Joshua succeeding him. He pleads with Israel to follow God's laws, not to fall into idolatry. Moses designates the specific cities beyond the Jordan which will serve as the cities of refuge for the "manslayer." He goes over the Ten Commandments with them again.
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain. Observe the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. Honor your father and mother. Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's anything.
Moses tells Israel that as they work their way toward the Promised Land, they must devote everything and everyone to complete destruction. (leave no survivors). Again, more pleading to obey God's commands.
Half a chapter on dietary restrictions. You know, twice in the OT there is a command from God not to boil a goat in it's mother's milk. I am very curious about this. There is no explanation. When I get to heaven, I plan to ask about it. I mean, boiling a goat alive in anything would be cruel - I assume we are referring to a dead goat. But if the baby goat is dead, what difference does it make about the mother's milk?...
Moses goes over the holidays/dates which the Jews are to observe. Oh, I cannot believe how sad it is that this is even necessary for God to say - but He commands His people against burning their children. Way back when, there was a false god named Molech, and he was like this fire god or something, and people would sacrifice their babies to him, burning them alive.
God says that Israel may have a king if they so desire, but that the king should not acquire much of the following: horses, silver, gold, and wives.
An interesting legal command: If it is proven that someone bears false witness in court, they must suffer the punishment they intended to inflict on the person they falsely accused.
Then a string of random commands (some of which were not in the previous books) such as:

-- If you see your brother's ox or cattle gone astray, you must take it back to him.
-- If you come across a bird's nest, do not take the mother with the young
-- Do not plow with a donkey and an ox together
-- No one whose testicles are crushed or male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.
-- Chapter 23: 12 & 13 is a toileting command, oddly enough.
--After getting married, a man is free from the army and all public duty for one year, to stay home and be happy with his wife. (I like this one!!!!!)
--When you gather grapes/olives/whatnot from your field, leave what's fallen on the ground for the poor.
--Do not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.

Now here's a really amusing one. When a wife's husband dies, if the husband has a brother, he should marry the woman and provide for her. If he does not delight in her and wishes not to marry her, the woman must go up to the gates of the elders and tell them of this. Then the elders shall call him and speak to him. If he persists, then the woman shall pull his sandal off his foot and spit on his face. She shall answer and say, "So it shall be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house!". And the house will from then on be referred to as "The house of him who had his sandal pulled off."
The first 14 verses of chapter 28 refer to God's promise of blessing on Israel. He will bless their going in and their coming out, He will bless their wombs and their fields, and their baskets and their kneading bowls, etc, etc.... He leaves nothing out. They will be so showered in blessings, they won't know what to do with themselves.
But if they turn from God... Well... the curses God promises for that take us to verse 68. I cannot even write some of the things God promises in judgement, because they are brutal to the point of being incomprehensible to me.
Moses announces that he is 120 years old, and unable to do this work anymore. God tells Moses to fetch Joshua and come to the tent of meeting at the tabernacle. He obeys. God appears in a cloud to them and tells Moses that it is almost time for him to join his fathers before him. God says that Israel, in the Promised Land, will serve other gods and break their covenant with Him. He teaches Moses a song and commands Moses to teach it to Israel, who shall teach it to their future generation, as a witness against Israel's rebellion. Moses sings the song in front of Israel, and it's probably the longest song I have ever read. Then God tells Moses to go up onto Mount Nebo, look out over the Promised Land, and die. Moses obeys. Before he died, though, he put blessings on every tribe of Israel.
......And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him......

And so, sadly, we say goodbye to Moses, but look on to Joshua for the climactic entrance into the Promised Land....