A New Song

O. T. #431  "A New Song"
January 2, 2015
Deuteronomy 32
Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them.  Deuteronomy 31:19 NIV

LET IT GLOW

Do you sing praise songs, written from the Psalms, to God? He inhabits the praise of His people. There are times I even make up a new song during my private worship. It reflects my heart rejoicing in my God and Savior. Moses was told to write a new song for Israel to learn to sing. This chapter gives us the words.

In the previous chapter, we read where God called Moses and Joshua to the tabernacle. Moses was given a charge to write a song, as Joshua witnessed it. The children of Israel were to sing it during their daily activities. It shows the impact of music.

The song God commanded Moses to write describes:

• the faithfulness of God,
• He would surely bless His people, although they would reject His love,
• the feelings of God using pictures, metaphors, and poetic expressions,
• the disobedient nation who was blesses far above all the other nations of the earth,
• the prophecy of future judgments,
• Moses asking heaven and earth to listen to the words of the song, in honor of its Creator and because they would be affected by the judgment coming due to Israel's faithlessness,
• the greatness of God, as Moses wants all to join him in praising God,
• God as the Rock of Israel, which means strong, strength, mighty God, which represents the stability, permanence, and unchangeableness of God, (verse 4)
• God as a defense for His people and a refuge in trouble,
• Israel's Father who brought Israel forth and formed them into a nation, (verse 6)
• God as The Most High, sovereign and authority over all nations, (verse 8)
• Israel as the apple of His eye, as the pupil, which is essential for vision and closely protected, so God closely protected Israel, (verse 10)
• His loving care of Israel as the mother eagle hovers over her young, (verse 11)
• their receiving honey and oil from barren places, (verse 13)
• God is pictured as Israel's Redeemer who purchased the people. (verse 6)

Are we thankful and obedient people toward our God?

LET IT GROW

It is sad to say, but Israel would experience God's judgment because of their:

• provoking God to jealousy, sacrificing to idols and devils, (verse 16-17)
• unmindful and forgotten God, (verse 18)
• taught their children to pursue other gods, (verse 19)
• provoking God to wrathful judgment, using hunger, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, poisonous serpents, and war, (verses 22-28)
• sinfulness of Israel, vengeance and recompense, the manner of timing and repayment belonged to God, (verse 35) Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 affirms this principle in the New Testament.

[References: The MacArthur Bible Commentary, Liberty Bible Commentary, Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament]

One day God will avenge Israel and restore her to the place where the nations will rejoice with her (verse 43). One day Israel will turn to her Rock and discover that He is Jesus Christ whom she crucified!  (Wiersbe)

Who are we pursuing? Are we remaining faithful to only worship God? Are we letting idols to creep into our life, taking God's place? If so, we need to repent and replace them with God on the throne of our heart and life.

LET IT GO

Remove anything that is more important or takes more of my thoughts and time than what God does.

Turn to the Rock, my God.

Be thankful for His blessings.