Deuteronomy 32

CHAPTER 32THEME: Moses’ final songThe Song of Moses is a great song, in fact, a magnificent song in many ways. The nation of Israel was to learn it. It was to be somewhat like their national anthem. It was a song given to them by God; every Israelite was to learn it and teach it to his children. As I indicated before, music is a very important factor in the life of a nation. Someone has said, “Let me write the music of a nation, and I do not care who writes the laws.” In other words, the songs have more influence than do the laws! If this is true, we today are in a sad predicament. Modern music has sunk to a level that is absolutely frightening. The first four verses of the Song of Moses are the introduction.

Deuteronomy 32:1

God calls heaven and earth to witness that these are the conditions under which He is putting Israel into the land. When He is ready to put Israel out of the land in judgment, Israel records this same call. In fact, that is the way the Book of Isaiah opens: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isa_1:1-2). When God put Israel into the land, He called heaven and earth to witness. When God is ready to put them out of the land, about seven hundred years later, He again calls heaven and earth to witness.

God is not doing this in a corner; this is not something which He does under cover. He is justified in putting them out of the land.

Deuteronomy 32:2

That is the way the Word of God is. The psalmist says, “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth” (Psa_72:6). I love that statement. A dear saint in Dallas, Texas, lost her husband whom she loved dearly. She told her pastor that now she understood the meaning of that verse in the Psalms. She was the mown grass, but God came to her through His Word like the gentle rain.

That is the way the Word of God should come down in our lives. Here in Southern California, we go through an entire summer without rain. Normally, in the fall we have quite a rain that begins the autumn season. The earth just opens up to receive it. It washes the leaves on the trees, and everything becomes clean and sharply clear. God desires that the Word of God should come down into our hearts and lives like this.

Deuteronomy 32:3

How little of our literature today promotes God or has anything good to say about Him! Usually His name is taken in vain if it is used at all.

Deuteronomy 32:4

This is the song about the Rock, you see. The word “Rock” is used about seven times in the song. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Rock. Christ is the chief Cornerstone of 1Pe_2:6. His work is perfect. Oh, how this song exalts God, and He needs to be exalted by us today.

Deuteronomy 32:5

God is the Father of Israel because of creationHe doesn’t mention redemption here. In one sense God is the Father of all mankind because He created all mankind. When God created Adam he was called a son of God, but Adam sinned. After that, none of the offspring of Adam are called the sons of God unless they have become sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. The whole human family may be pictured as a crooked generation, a foolish people. Now we have a wonderful stanza on the goodness of Godverses Deu_32:7-14.

Deuteronomy 32:7

Verse Deu_32:8 is most unusual. I have never yet heard a satisfactory explanation of it. The nations of the earth are measured according to the number of the children of Israel. In other words, the bounds that the nations have are arranged according to the number of Israelites. This is something that needs a great deal of study today. It explains why the Jew and his land are the most sensitive areas on the earth.

Deuteronomy 32:10

For forty years in that howling wilderness, that great and terrible wilderness, God led His people and kept them. Why? They were the apple of His eyea lovely expression. Now we have one of the great statements in Scripture:

Deuteronomy 32:11

At the time when the little eaglets ought to be out spreading their wings, they are perfectly willing to stay in the nest and let mama and papa bring them food all day long, then take care of them at night. The day comes when the mother eagle pushes those little ones off the cliff, and they have to stretch those wings. But suppose a little eaglet does not do very well. That mother, with those tremendous wings of hers, comes right up under the little eaglet, catches him on her wings, then lifts him back up to the rock and gives him a few more worms to eat for the next few days. Then she tries him out again. This is the way God watches over those who are His own. God pushes us out of the nest sometimes, not because He doesn’t love us but because He wants us to learn to flyHe wants us to learn to live for Him. This is a wonderful description of the goodness of Jehovah.

Deuteronomy 32:15

“Jeshurun” is another name for Israel. Israel waxed fat, and kicked! What a picture this is of the affluent society we have in America today. And what a bunch of complainers there areand the Christians join with them. “Thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick” means these folk were getting fat. In their prosperity, they didn’t think their Rock was important anymore.

Deuteronomy 32:16

In this next section (vv. Deu_32:19-25) we see the judgment of God upon His people.

Deuteronomy 32:19

God says that He will hide Himself from them. He will not manifest Himself to them. The next section, verses Deu_32:26-42, expresses God’s longing for His people.

Deuteronomy 32:26

God says He would scatter Israel into corners, were it not that He feared for them the wrath of the enemy. He says, “I don’t want them to hurt My people or destroy them, ‘Lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.’”

Deuteronomy 32:28

What a picture we have here! God has a longing for His people. He wants to redeem them. He wants to save them. Now we come to the final stanza of the song: the nations of the world will be blessed with Israel.

Deuteronomy 32:43

This concludes this magnificent Song of Moses.

Deuteronomy 32:44

“Hoshea” is Joshua, by the way.

Deuteronomy 32:46

THE FINAL EXHORTATIONAgain, their tenure in the land would depend on their obedience.

Deuteronomy 32:48

Moses, the representative of the Law, the lawgiver, cannot enter into the land. Legalism is actually a hindrance. The Law is a revealer, not a remover of sin. The Law cannot save. The Law could not bring Moses into the land. Neither can the Law bring us into the place of blessing.