1-3 Introduction: "Give ear, o heavens" and the whole world...for "I will...ascribe greatness to our God!"
4-9 The people of God (the Rock, faithful God, the LORD, your father, the Most High) have forsaken him.
10-18 God sustained his people (Jacob), but "you forgot the God who gave you birth."
19-27 "The LORD saw it, and was jealous" and spurned his people, promising to make their lives miserable, but not to blot them out, because then their enemies would think they had caused it, and not God.
28-33 "They are a nation void of sense...." Otherwise, it would have been obvious that God was fighting for them, and that "their enemies are fools."
34-38 "Their doom comes swiftly" and when their power is gone, God will "vindicate his people, have compassion on his servants."
39-42 "...there is no god besides me, I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal....I will take vengeance on my adversaries...."
43 "...Worship him, all you gods, for he will avenge the blood of his children...and cleanse the land for his people." The previous warnings are for his people, this one is for the pagans in the new land.
Note: I wrote an article in 2004 on this Song of Moses, mentioned in Revelation with the "Song of the Lamb." The subject of the article was the Song of Moses of Exodus 15, sung after the Israelites' rescue from Egypt. I didn't realize at the time that there were two "Songs of Moses." This last "Song of Moses" emphasizes revenge for the disobedience of God's people. Gratitude for salvation in the first song has evolved into a warning against ingratitude to the point of abandoning God altogether. So to which Song does Revelation 15 refer? Maybe neither. Maybe it just points to a consistent theme of the Bible, as stated in Revelation 15:3-4, to wit: the omnipotence and omniscience of our Creator.
44-47 After the song, Moses to the people: "Take to heart these words...this is no trifling matter for you, but rather your very life; through it you may live long in the land that you are crossing over the Jordan to possess."
48-52 God to Moses: Go up to Mount Nebo, for you shall die there without entering the promised land, "because you [and Aaron] broke faith with me...by failing to maintain my holiness among the Israelites."
Deuteronomy 33 Moses' Final Blessing on Israel
1-5 The birth of the nation
6-11 Blessings on Reuben, Judah and Levi Note: The most lavish of all these blessings is on Joseph and speaks of "the myriads of Ephraim, the thousands of Manasseh" (Joseph's sons). The character of Joseph seems to have extended to his descendants- or at least his blessings have.
12-18 Blessings on Benjamin, Joseph, Zebulun and Issachar
19-25 Blessings on Gad, Dan, Naphtali. He blesses only 11 tribes. I don't see Simeon's name here. Back in Genesis 49, which records Jacob's last words to his sons, nothing good is said about Simeon. Jacob says of him and Levi, "Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." Both tribes are scattered. Levi, of course, because they are chosen to be the priests. But what has happened to Simeon? One clue: when the sizes of tribes are listed in Numbers 26, Simeon is the smallest one.
26-29 "There is none like God, O Jeshurun (a poetic reference to Israel)...he drove out the enemy before you....Happy are you...Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD...." And the same could be said for Christians today. He has driven out the enemy -- sin -- and saved us.
Deuteronomy 34 Death and Burial of Moses
- Moses goes up to Mount Nebo, where God shows him the whole land, including Ephraim and Manasseh, from the Western Sea, to the valley of Jericho.
- At 120 years old, although "his sight is unimpaired and vigor has not abated," he dies and is buried there in Moab, but no one knows where.
- The Israelites weep for him for 30 days.T
- he Israelites follow Joshua, who is "full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him."
- 10-12 Touching tribute to Moses, "whom the LORD knew face to face, unequaled."
Psalm 50:7-23
After the psalmist declares God's right to judge in the first 6 verses, God himself speaks to his people.
- It's not for me you offer sacrifices; everything is mine already.Call on me, and I will deliver you.You who are wicked, you have no right to speak of me nor my covenant
- Because I've been silent, you think I'm just like you.
- If you forget God, I will tear you apart.
- But -- if you bring thanksgiving as your sacrifice, I will show you salvation.
1 Corinthians 2
1-5 The power of Christ is not in fancy words, but is as simple as this: Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
6-13 World-wisdom versus Spirit-wisdom
- Those who possess only the wisdom of this world can't comprehend the things revealed by the Spirit.
- Just as one human can't read another's mind; so we can't read God's mind.
- But he has chosen to reveal it to us through His Spirit.
- We have the mind of Christ. What a privilege.
No comments:
Post a Comment