Exposition of the Song of Moses (3)

Read Deuteronomy 32:1-6

The Song of Moses begins by laying out the principle truths of the Song:

·        The Lord is righteous, v1-4.

·        Israel is corrupt, v5-6.

It is critical to understand that God is just and righteous.  In every situation, especially those that are difficult, this is the truth men must acknowledge.  Our Lord Jesus made this point from the cross.  Jesus refers to Psalm 22 from the cross with the words “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” (Psalm 22:1).  He prays the prayer of the afflicted saint, crying out “why” is this happening.  But in Psalm 22:3 the Messiah’s words make it clear that He is not questioning His Father’s wisdom or judgment.  He affirms, “But you are holy!”  

In times of affliction men are prone to question God.  If there is a tornado or earthquake today that takes lives and creates difficulty, many people will chafe at the thought that God is at work in the event.  They will ask, “What kind of God is it that would cause such suffering?”  The answer to the question is simple: He is the Rock.  His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.  

This was the problem in Israel.  When Jeremiah prophesied Israel’s demise and the removal from the land, the people were incredulous.  This is hopeless they said; we will walk according to our own plans (Jer. 18:12).  They attacked Jeremiah, saying the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet (Jer. 18:18).  At the same time Ezekiel was prophesying to the Israelites already captive in Babylon, preaching the same message.  They all wanted to hear Ezekiel, but they treated his preaching as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument.  But while they heard, they did not do as Ezekiel said; they would not repent (Ezek. 33:30-33).  Why did Israel respond in this way?  Because they denied the twin truths that are the foundation of Moses’ Song: they denied their own culpability (their own corruption) and thus they denied God’s justice.  How we need to understand this today.  We are not the good or well-meaning people we claim to be.  God’s afflictions are absolutely just and righteous.

One additional note from this passage is the reference to God as the Rock (v4; and also 32:15,18,30,31).  This is a key reference to God in the Song and is the first reference to God in this way.  He is contrasted to the rocks in which the nations trusted and in which the people of Israel came to trust (32:31, 37).  This term for God is used often in the Psalms (e.g. Ps. 18:2,31,46ab) and by Isaiah (e.g. Isa. 44:8).  It each case it likely is a reference back to this Song.  In other words God’s men were aware of the testimony to God in Deut. 32!  May we also learn to trust in our Rock, God our refuge and strength, the Mighty One of Israel.