I am He!

Deuteronomy 32:1-47

Key Verse 32:39

This passage is the prophecy Moses left for the people Israel as a spiritual gift for them, that as they fully digest it and secure understanding of it, they would stick to the purpose the Lord God had for them and thereby be blessed. Indeed later on his descendants like the Apostle Paul learned of it, capitalized on it, and bore fruit among the Gentiles as well as some Jews. 

This prophecy sees God’s work of redemption from day one of the Israelites entrance to the last day covering the end times of Jesus’ second coming and beyond. Like many prophecies of the Old Testament, this prophecy does not elaborate on the work among the Gentiles; it makes a passing remark, for it was largely irrelevant to the subject of the discussion he had at that particular moment for his audience were the Israelites. He mentions it only to the extent necessary. 

Read verses 1-4. What does this passage tell us about the LORD? Why is it important to know the Lord the way the passage reveals?

** Mainly the Lord is called the Rock indicating that he is the one for us to rely upon (on which to build our life security – even the security that lasts forever.)

** The Lord is the source of our life security. 

Skim through verses 5-20. What does verse 8 show us about the plan the Lord established for his children? What did he do to fulfill his plan for his children? (10-14)? Yet what did his children do to the Lord? (15-20) What applications can we find here for our walk in the Lord?

** The Lord planned to give the people of the nations to his children, so his children would all serve all peoples on earth so that they would be saved into his kingdom. God’s plan was to redeem all peoples in and through the Israelites.

** God came up with the provision for this purpose, that is, to regulate the course of the world according to the needs of God’s people. (Ramban) Verse 8 has to do with the dispersion of nations in Genesis 10,11 [The number in v. 8 = 70 sons who went down to Egypt, corresponding to 70 nations envisaged in Genesis 10:32.]

** They forsook the Lord and went their own ways.

** We should appreciate the value of God’s calling as God’s children, knowing the privileges and responsibilities that come with the calling as God’s children. When we appreciate this value and remain thankful we can live worthy of this cherished purpose of God. Read also Exodus 19:5-6; John 1:12

Read verse 21-22, and compare this passage with what the Apostle Paul says in Romans Chapters 9-11 (especially in Romans 11:11). What warnings are there for us to heed in our walk in the Lord? 

** If we lose a thankful heart and ignore the blessedness of the purpose of God’s calling, sleep on it, we will also fall, inviting troubles after troubles, forfeiting all the blessings that come with the calling. 

Read verses 23-25. In the meantime what will happen to those who forsook the Lord? 

** Disasters are going to hit them.

Skim through verses 26-35. What will the Lord eventually do to the enemies of his children? Why would the Lord do this to their enemies? 

** The Lord will punish them. 

** To let everyone know that the Lord himself is the only true God who is in control.

Read verses 36-43. Who are his people? His servants? What does verse 39 reveal about the Lord? What does the word “atonement” (in verse 43) mean? 

** The Israelites

** The prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.

** This refers to the second coming of Jesus, whereupon the Lord God will redeem the Israelites back to the blessed state. 

Read verses 44-47. What does verse 47 teach us about the reason why Moses made this prophecy?  

** He taught us as a preemptive measure, so we/they would not be uninformed about the course of God’s redemptive history. It is like a spiritual Thomas Guidebook showing the web of the human history. Or it is like a roll of a movie giving us the panoramic view of the world history to come. Isaiah 46:10; Rev 22:13

The end

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