Exposition of the Song of Moses (5) (Deut. 32:15-22)

Having spoken of His goodness to Israel God now speaks of Israel’s response to His goodness.  They did not use the goodness to serve Him but rather became fat on God’s blessing and used His blessing to worship other gods that were demons (v15-18).  Ezekiel also picked up on this same progression of evil in his song (Ezek. 16:15-34).  Ezekiel said that Israel trusted in her own beauty and used that beauty to engage in spiritual harlotry, the worship of other gods.  Turning from the true God and pursuing idols are the same two sins Jeremiah spoke of (Jer. 2:13).

·        32:15: Jeshurun is a nickname for Israel having at it’s root the idea of being upright.  It is used here, in Deut. 5,26; and then once in Isa. 44:2 suggesting that Isaiah had been studying the Song of Moses.

·        32:15,18:  Again we call attention to Israel’s God as the Rock.  He is the Rock of [Israel’s] salvation, and yet they treated Him scornfully.  He is the Rock who begot [Israel], and yet they came to forget Him.

·        106:37) and refers to lords or masters.  The Jews actually believed that to worship other gods was to worship demons.  Yet they failed to recognize it in themselves.

God’s response to Israel’s idolatry was to do what He promised.  He would hide His face from them and then see what their end would be (v19-22).  When God hides His face He is no longer watching over Israel for good.  They will not be blessed by God.  When this happens the end can be nothing but desolation. 

·        32:19: God spurned Israel because Israel provoked (Deut. 31:20; same Heb. word) Him, becoming fat on His goodness and turning to idols.  This is vengeance, the law of the harvest: what you reap, you sow.  Vengeance belongs to God and God alone.  See it also with the word provoke in 32:21.

·        32:21: The Apostle Paul saw the Gentile-dominated Church in this passage.  The Church became the people of God after the cross and resurrection of Christ, experiencing the blessings of the New Covenant promised to Israel.  Thus (cf. Rom. 10:19; 11:11-14) Paul’s hope was that some Jews would be provoked to jealousy by the Gentiles and would seek God.  (If you think this means the Church replaced Israel you need to read the rest of the Song of Moses as well as the rest of Romans 11.)

·        32:22: The fire kindled in God’s anger speaks of a special term that would become central to the message of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  There is God’s anger and wrath.  But in the latter days of Israel’s corruption another term fury is used to indicate God’s extreme anger.  Note this in your own study, beginning perhaps at Jer. 6:11.  Even in His anger God shows mercy.  But a time will come when the fire will burn to the lowest hell.

Remember, this is a song.  It is meant to be a testimony to God’s faithful word.  He will keep His promise of judgment as He keeps His promise of salvation.