Exposition of the Song of Moses (2)

Read Deut. 31:14-29

Moses was about to die so God called for him and for Joshua to appear before Him.  What God said to them might have been quite discouraging for these men who had and would invest their lives in leading Israel.  But discouraged or not, they heard God’s word and both believed it.  God’s message was two-fold:

·        Israel would in future days go after other gods and would break the covenant they had made with God through Moses, v16.

·        God would respond in anger, as promised (Deut. 28) , and would hide His face from them, v17-18.

It was not a matter of if but how soon.  Moses had interceded on several occasions for Israel, saving them from God’s wrath.  Yet again and again Moses saw the bent towards evil present in Israel.  At the end of his life Joshua would repeat this same prophecy.  When the people promised to serve the Lord Joshua responded, You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God.  He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins (Josh. 24:19).

This is the essence of the Song of Moses.  Yes, it is a song predicting idolatry by Israel and corresponding judgment from God.  God tells Moses to write this Song as a witness for Me against the children of Israel (v19).  When many evils and troubles have come upon them … this song will testify against them as a witness … for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them (v21).

We think songs should be joyful.  But songs are used to teach and admonish (Col. 3:16).  This song is most solemn but it was necessary.  When the evil times would come Israel needed a reminder that the hard times were not mere coincidence or chance.  In the ministries of Jeremiah and Ezekiel this happened.  Their message that the hard times were from God, as God had promised, was a message rejected by the people.  And what is amazing is that both of those prophets borrowed significantly from this Song of Moses.  They both knew what was happening to Israel was the promise of God’s judgment being fulfilled.

So Moses wrote the song (v22), inaugurated Joshua as his successor (v23) and put a copy of Deuteronomy in the Ark also as a witness (v24-26).  He then made it clear that he believed God.  He reproved the people: I know your rebellion and your stiff neck (v27); I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt … and evil will befall you in the latter days (v29).

This song lays to rest, one would hope, the thought that God ever intended that the Law of Moses would make Israel holy.  When Paul teaches that, by the works of the Law, no flesh shall be justified, and that the Law only reveals sin and the need for the Savior, we should not be surprised.  Israel would not, Israel could not keep the covenant.  Their only hope would be in God’s provision of a Savior!