May 19, 2021
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Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 32 (NIV)
1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
Deuteronomy 30-32
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.””
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/deu.31.8.niv
Bea Seavey gave this verse to my Mom when she was in her final days. It was a comfort to both of us.
While heartbreaking that Moses died unable to enter the promised land due to his disobedience at Meribah Kadesh it is a physical example of God’s truth…God keeps His word! Moses in this song tells of God’s power and love, His kindness and His wrath and now Moses will see the land he worked so hard to get the Israelites to but will not enter because God keeps His promises and is a consistent Father who does what He says.
Deuteronomy 32
I don’t think we would hear this song on any of the music charts, but the Israelites were commanded to sing it and hear it and for it to be a testimony against them. The song reflects on the power, provision and care that God has for His people. He is creator, sovereign, judge, father, righteous and faithful. But His people will be faithless. They will disobey and follow other gods and God will deal harshly with them because of it. Both His love and His judgements should be reasons to follow Him, but His people will forsake Him so the best thing He can do is forsake them as well. He is not a fool and is not to be trifled with. He will judge His people for their rejection of Him as well as the nations who come against His people. But at any point His people return and are humbled by their circumstances, He will restore them and heal.
Moses departs with a song.
God commends Moses to Aaron and Miriam in Numbers 12:
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
Not so with My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.
I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”
Yet, even Moses was unable to enter the promised land because of his actions at Meribah.
I am so thankful for Jesus who enables us to enter heaven by His righteousness.
44Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”