Deuteronomy 32:44-52, The Significance of Moses

I said we would not “cover” Deut. 32.  We still stand by that.  Since we are involved in a “survey” of Deuteronomy, we are going to outline the Song of Moses.

·       v1-4: God is great, the Rock of Israel.

·       v5-6: Israel is corrupt, foolish.

·       v7-9: God gave Israel the land they are about to enter.

·       v10-12: God alone brought Israel from the desert, made a nation.

·       v13-14: God alone sustained the nation.

·       v15-18: But Israel went after other gods.

·       v19-22: So God let them go their way, to reap the harvest.

·       v23-27: God Himself would “tighten the screws.”

·       v28-33: How could they be so stupid?

·       v34-38: God will judge them and ask, “where are your gods now?”

·       v39-42: the point: I am the One and Only God!

·       v43: Amazing. Gentiles rejoice.  Because in the end I will avenge Israel by taking vengeance on her enemies.  I WILL PROVIDE ATONEMENT!

We are not only coming to the end of Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch; we are coming to the end of the life of Moses.  To have worked through the Five Books of Moses has brought us into a close relationship with Moses.  We have seen him come from his own fleshly attempt to deliver Israel, to the desert when he had not only given up on delivering Israel: he didn’t want to deliver Israel and said that to God.  We have see God take the reluctant servant and make him an amazing shepherd of Israel.  Time and time again he interceded for Israel.  Rightfully, Moses is considered by many in Israel the greatest of all the prophets.

Having said that, how does Moses end his life.  First, he is made aware by God (as is all Israel) that this nation is not done with the stiff-necked rebellion that Moses witnessed over the forty years of his service.  Second, Moses has to climb a rugged and high mountain (about 2300 feet high, with the hike starting below sea level).  And third, he will be able to see the land and not enter it; in other words, he is reminded again of his sin against the LORD. 

All of this seems discouraging.  But consider two things.  First, living one’s life under the law, rather than under grace, is discouraging.  I’m not saying this is what Moses did; he longed to know God and His grace.  I am saying this is what Moses stands for (John 1:17).  Second, remember the opening words of Joshua: After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD.  This is the other way the Bible remembers Moses.  He was the definition of a servant of God.  This is how Joshua, a man who was mentored by Moses, who knew Moses better than any other person, this is how he described Moses, fourteen times in the book of Joshua.  Let us remember this.