The Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32)

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​​The Song of Moses – This chapter records the Song of Moses. This song was given to Moses by the Lord (Deuteronomy 31:19). He wrote it down for all generations to learn and remember and then taught it to the people. The purpose of this song was to remind the people of God’s goodness, as well as their own failings. It was like a mirror reminding them of their sin, showing them how far they fell short of the law. Therefore it served as a call to wake up and repent.

You will seldom hear a church singing such a convicting song these days. Many songs instead focus on our faithfulness, devotion, and love for God. While it is not comforting or enjoyable to sing this song from Deuteronomy, such lyrics would give us a dose of humility. We can learn a lesson from this song. It can be very beneficial to review our history, including our shortcomings and mistakes. Doing this should drive us to our knees to seek help from the Lord. The good news is that when we come to the throne of mercy, He willingly gives it.  If a person does not know he is lost, he will not seek help. Similarly, if people think they are good, they will pridefully trust themselves. This chapter is a microcosm of the Old Testament. That teaches us three things. God is perfect. We are not. We need help. The Song of Moses was not a pity party. The purpose was not to practice self-loathing. The application was not self-torture, mutilation, or despair. Rather, it was a wake-up call to repent and turn to a merciful God for salvation.

 

a) Good teaching is like rain and dew upon the grass – Moses’ words nurtured and brought life as rain and dew bring life to the soil. Every person needs to be nourished. The Words of God give life (Psalm 1). Reflect – Are you receiving the nourishment you need to grow? What are some practical ways you can be “watered” spiritually daily? This verse also reminds us of the importance of placing ourselves under godly teaching. The best place to find that is in a Bible-practicing local church.

 

b) God is the Rock – What are the characteristics of a rock? A rock is firm, stable, and secure. It doesn’t erode or change (not quickly, anyway) due to water or wind. A strong rock can serve as a foundation, a refuge, or a fortress. It protects from the elements. It stands strong in the face of danger. Weapons that come against it are shattered by it.  

God will do all of this for us and more. He is someone we can lean on. He is someone we can anchor ourselves to for support. When you are in trouble, who is the first person you will turn to for help? When in trouble, we look for someone with a listening ear, someone emotionally stable whom we can depend on. God is the Rock on whom we can build our lives. Let us set the habit of turning to Him first.

 

II. The Lord nurtured His people (5-14)

 

a) Verses 5-6 set the tone for the song – This would not be a feel-good song. It would reflect the harsh truth in black and white. While God was the Rock, faithful, true, and just, the Israelites were corrupt, fickle, crooked, and twisted. They were like quicksand, dangerous, shifty, and unreliable. They are described as “foolish” and “senseless.” Those labels would be earned. The following verses show us that their riches came from God. Yet, instead of graciously receiving prosperity from His hand and responding appropriately, they bit the hand that fed them, turning to powerless idols.

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b) The Lord nurtured them – Verses 7-14 describe God’s tender care for His people. Here are some of the things it

says about Him.

• He was a Father to them.
• He created them.
• He established them.
• He gave them land.
• He found them in the desert.
• He encircled them.
• He cared for them.
• He treasured them.
• He looked after them like a mother eagle.
• He gave wonderful gifts to them, including luxurious foods such as curds, milk, the finest wheat, and fine wine.

God did not give them the minimum necessary. He went above and beyond. That is His nature. That is who He is.

He delights in lavishing us with good gifts.

 

III. The people rebelled against the Lord (15-18)

 

a) Jeshurun grew fat and forsook God – The word Jeshurun is derived from “upright.” It can also mean “blessed one.” This word appears four times in the Bible. In each of these four times, it refers to either Israel or Jacob. The word is a reminder that Israel was called to be upright. It is a term of endearment, a sign of the close relationship God desired with His people.

The people who were called to be upright were not upright anymore. The people who were blessed by God would not receive this blessing anymore.  Instead, Israel “grew fat… stout, and sleek. They “kicked” against God, forsook Him, and even

scoffed at Him.  Israel became rich and prosperous but did not give God glory. Their riches went to their heads. Becoming prideful, turned away from the Lord who had given them these good things and instead went after demons.

IV. The Lord will recompense them for their deeds (19-43)

 

a) The Lord saw – There is nothing He does not see.

 

b) The Lord spurned them – This entire section of the song deals with God’s judgment against them because of their rebellion. In short, it confirms that the Lord will send them the curses as have been mentioned in the past few chapters. They would not escape.

 

c)The Lord was jealous – The Israelites chased after false gods and that made God jealous. (ex - A daughter forgetting about their father who cared for them and raised them,  should make a father feel jealous).  God’s jealousy is always pure and holy. He desires to protect us. He wants our undivided attention. That is good for us and serves to glorify Him.

 

d) The Lord was angry – God was very angry with Israel. There are also two types of anger. One is righteous anger. This is the type that God felt. We saw it in Jesus when He overturned the money-changing tables at the temple. It is a strong emotional response to sin and injustice. God is not apathetic or ambivalent regarding our sins. When His chosen people, whom He had nurtured so tenderly, rebelled against Him and went after demons, it made Him furious. That wrath drove Him to take action. The action was judgment and it was just.

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e) There is no understanding in them –  It is not logical to bite the hand that feeds you. It made no sense to abandon their relationship with God Almighty, who wanted to build them up and try to court demons who wanted to destroy them. Sin is irrational and so are they.

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f) Their grapes are grapes of poison –  God took Israel from Egypt and planted them in the Promised Land. It was His desire that they become fruitful and prosperous there. Yet as their hearts became poisoned, so did the fruit they bore.

V. An exhortation to obey (44-47)

 

a) Take to heart, command them to your children, and obey – This was the trifold purpose of the song. It was meant to warn the people about the disastrous effects of idolatry and rebellion. Cultural rot and apostasy were always only one generation away. Because of that, they needed to faithfully teach the next generation the truth.

The goal was that God’s people would carefully obey Him. Thus, from start to finish, the theme of Deuteronomy is obedience.

VI. Moses’ death foretold (48-52)

Moses’ death was at hand – Moses lived to a ripe old age of one hundred twenty. Yet he died earlier than he might have if he had not disobeyed God at Meribah-Kadesh.

Moses would only be permitted to see the Promised Land. He would not be able to enter it or take possession. Thus, the last eighty years of his life were spent in the wilderness. It is a sad reminder that sin is not without consequences. Even when God fully forgives, there may be some temporal consequences to sin while we are on earth.

Resource : (Jason Dexter - Study and Obey)