Transfer of Leadership

Transcript

GRS 58
10/16/1988
Transfer of Leadership
Deuteronomy 31-34
Gil Rugh

Deuteronomy Chapter 31 in you Bibles, Moses has concluded his exhortation to the nation with a strong challenge. You have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity; choose life that you may live. The responsibility placed upon the children of Israel. The closing four Chapters of the Book of Deuteronomy are involved with the death of Moses. It’s come time for him to experience physical death, he’s not permitted to lead the people into the land of Canaan and so these Chapters are preparation for the death of Moses which actually occurs in Chapter 34, but everything is build around that.

Chapter 31 gives some closing challenges in preparation for the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua. In the first six verses of Chapter 31, Moses challenges the people. So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. So the nation now is being addressed and he said to them "I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I am no longer able to come and go and the Lord has said to me you shall not cross this Jordan." Moses is one hundred and twenty years old, quite advanced in years and yet the Scripture indicate he’s still in remarkable health. Just turn over to Chapter 34 and verse 7.

Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim nor his vigor abated. So even though he’s 120 years of age God has sustained him and he has remarkable strength and vigor for a man his age, in fact he didn’t even need glasses at hundred and twenty years of age. So you can appreciate the good health he is in even though he probably doesn’t have the stamina and strength that he had when he was younger and that account for him saying in Chapter 31 verse 2, I’m no longer able to come and to go probably a reference to the fact he has slowed down but he’s not really experiencing any serious physical difficulties and he’s not experienced what you might expect in normal physical deterioration.

His cause of death will be the supernatural intervention of God in his life not just old age. And the reason he can’t go into the land is an experience that is recorded back in Numbers Chapter 20, when God told him to speak to the rock to have water come out to the rock, Moses rebelled against God and instead of speaking to the rock, he struck the rock with a rod. Water still came out, but God was offended and Moses is disciplined by God.

Verse 3, "It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you, he will destroy these nations before you and you shall disposes them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you," just as the Lord has spoken. Moses will not be the leader; God will be the leader. It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you but then note, he goes on to say, Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you. The Lord would go ahead of Israel but Joshua would be the physical leader. So there is a dual reminder here for Israel. God is their leader, he goes ahead of them that assures the victory but Joshua is God’s appointed leader for the people and he will go ahead of them humanly speaking to lead them into the land.

I thought it was interesting just because God is going ahead of Israel, does not negate the need for a physical leader to lead the nation as well and Joshua is the one appointed to do that. In verse 4, there is a reminder to the people; God has already demonstrated his power in delivering their enemies into their hand. "The Lord will do to them the nations across the Jordan Just as he did to Sihon and Og, the kinds of the Amorites, and to their land when he destroyed them." Back in Deuteronomy Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 you have recorded the victory of Israel over these two kings whose land and territory was on the east side of the Jordan River.

They conquered that whole area and there was an anticipation given of what God would do when they got into the land. Here you see what God is doing, he’s preparing the people and one of the things he does to prepare them is to remind them of what he’s done for them in the past that your faith can be strengthened to trust me for the future by recalling the great victories he’s given in the past. Verse 6 "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, he will not fail you or forsake you." The presence of the Lord was to give Israel full confidence and courage.

It was not their power, it was not their ability it was the presence of God that guaranteed this was going to be a successful venture. They would indeed conquer the land. "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them." Now it’s easy for us to read this now but here you have a nation ready to cross the Jordan into foreign land with warring people and here they have their families, their wives, their children and they are going to not experience the opposition of one nation but many people’s aligned against them.

And it’s easy to look at the enemy and be intimated God tells them not to tremble, not to be afraid why, he can’t fail them, he won’t fail them. Now verses 7 and 8, he gives a charge to Joshua and basically what he does is repeats to Joshua personally what he’s just told the people. Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel. So all Israel still gathered together, now Moses calls before him Joshua, his successor and addresses him be strong and courageous for you shall go with this people into the land. Verse 8 "And the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you, he will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.

Do not fear or be dismayed." So important for all the people to have this courage and it’s especially important for Joshua as their leader to manifest this courage. This is not the first time Joshua has been presented as the designated leader, back in Numbers Chapter 27, and you have to turn back there quickly. Numbers Chapter 27, God tells Moses that he’s not going to lead the people into the land and you appreciate the greatness of the character of Moses. Moses is not going to face death with the hope that now the people will learn how great and how important he really was to them that when he’s gone there will be a vacuum and the people at last will appreciate Moses in a way they never have. Now Moses’ real concern is if I am gone, who will lead the people.

So after God tells him that he’s not going to lead the people in the land, which he’d already told him but again he’s reminded. Verse 15 of Numbers 27 then Moses spoke to the Lord saying "May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man over the congregation who will go out and come in before them and who will lead them out and bring them in that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd." Moses realized how important that it was for Israel to have a man appointed by God to give them leadership and if he was not going to be there, the burden of his heart that would be that God would raise up someone else to do it in his place. So the Lord said to Moses "Take Joshua the Son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit and lay your hand on him."

Joshua was the man specially appointed and chosen by God and empowered and enabled by him so will come out later in these Chapters as well at the end of the Book, at the end of Deuteronomy. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest, before all the congregation and commission him in their sight and he goes on to further elaborate that. So what happens now in Deuteronomy is not a surprise to the people, they are already prepared. What happens now is we’ve come to the time for Joshua to takeover. Moses will be dead in a very short period of time.

You know what’s interesting to note, a good reminder for us back in Deuteronomy Chapter 31 that as we face the difficulty, opposition of the enemies to be afraid in the face of the enemy doesn’t say something about the power of the enemy it says something about my faith in the Lord and these exhortations are good for us as the people of God. If we are walking in obedience to God, if we are walking in submission to him according to his will for us what do we have to be afraid off. There is no enemy too great for our God. So really the fear that often overwhelms us find its route in a lack of confidence and trust in God and his ability to do what he is promised. So good for us as the people of God to be reminded that God goes with us and accomplishes his purposes.

Back in Deuteronomy 31 verses 9 to 13 there is a charge by Moses to the priests. The Priests and elders are the responsible once for preserving the Law as God has given it. And so a charge is given to them regarding their responsibility. In verse 10, they are told at the every seven years at the time of the year over mission of death at the Feat of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which he will chose you shall read this Law in front of all Israel. So every seven years, you remember the remission of deaths in Israel. Deuteronomy Chapter 15 of deaths were forgiven. All Israel came together for the Feat of Booths. This was a one of the three feasts that all were required to come to the appointed place which would be the temple.

Now on this occasion, the seventh year, everyone was to be assembled and the Law was to be read to them this concluded men, women, and children. So that they would have opportunity to hear firsthand what God had said. Keep in mind, some of the difficulties confronting these people, we have the difficult time waiting through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and keeping track if what is going on but none of these people have their own copy. They weren’t able to sit down and read it for themselves so they only had it by word of mouth.

And the parents would teach it to the children and the priest would reiterate it and so on but once every seven years everybody was to be assembled and it would be read to them verbatim that would help reinforce it in their minds would it claim the young people as it’s pointed out here so that the children can become acquainted with the Law and begin to learn very early what God has said. So very important, and you appreciate the difficulty wonder how many people would have, we said I want everybody to come together because I am going to read you the Mosaic Law.

Probably say well, I don’t think I can make it tonight but thanks for the invitation. Well, when God summoned Israel there were no refusals allowed. And everybody men, women, and children would come and stand in the presence of the Lord and listen while the Law was read and it was a privilege because they could here firsthand what God had to say to them as a people. In verses 14 to 23, interesting; Moses is confronting the reality of his death and there’s some sad things that have to be said about the people. God is not going to let him depart from this life and his responsibilities thinking how wonderful it will now be for the nation.

So God gives a special charge Moses and Joshua he summons them into his presence at the ten of meeting and the congregation may well have been there to observe Moses and Joshua going into the presence of God and now God will address Moses and Joshua personally and during this time then God will specifically and personally commissioned Joshua to take over for Moses. What he does in these verses is tell them that Israel is going to be unfaithful and as a result of their unfaithfulness, they are going to experience his fierce wrath. Verse 16 God said to Moses you are about to lie down with your fathers and this people will arise and play the harlot; they are going to be spiritually unfaithful with the strange God’s of the land in the midst to which they are going.

They will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them, then my anger will be kindled against them and destruction will take place. You think Moses may humanly speaking have had a thought I failed, what is this all been for? All the suffering, all the difficulty, all the hardships now here I am facing my death and God tells me I’m going to die and these people are going to turn away from him and he is going to have to lose his fierce anger on them. I appreciate the stature of the man Moses to stand and hear this and respond the way that he does.

Takes no offence, he’s not angry with God; there’s no arguing with God about the righteousness of what God is doing to do. He’s simply will go on and address the people as we’ll see in a moment. But he tells Moses and Joshua down in verse 19 "Therefore write this song for yourselves and teach it to the sons of Israel put it on their lips in order that this song maybe a witness for me against the sons of Israel." Verse 21 “Then it shall come about with many evils and troubles have come upon them that this song will testify before them as a witness for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants for I know their intent which they are developing today before I have brought them into the land which I swore."

What is going to happen is God is going to bring together in a song, a summary of what is going to happen to Israel in the judgment God will bring upon them and Israel will learn this song and as thus happen to us with song they get fixed in our mind and you find yourself singing them at different times and in different places. Well this is especially important for Israel because they couldn’t pick up the law and turn to a passage and say didn’t God say something about this. But they’ll have a song now that they can sing that will be fixed in their mind that in effect will be memorized by them as our song becomes because of the asset of the melodies and so on, the music.

And they’ll sing this song and then when God brings judgment into them they will recall the song and they’ll say that’s what we were singing. What we have sung has happened to us so the song really is a key teaching for Israel and good reminder of the importance of music and the way that God can use music. Use to teach God’s truth to fix it in our minds to enable us to roll it over, dwell on it through the week. How often the little courses that we learn that are catchy and you find yourself singing them through the week humming them.

You’ve heard people sing a song through the week and all of a sudden you find yourself singing and what you say now I won’t be able to get that song out of my head. Well, that can be a good thing if it’s the right kind of song with the right words and you’ll appreciate the good theology and the sound doctrine in the song that Moses has to write in Chapter 32. The problem is going to be too much blessing. Prosperity will be the ruin of God’s people. Verse 20, for when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey which I swore to their fathers and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous then they will turn to other God's and serve them and spurn them and break my covenant.

Wouldn’t you think that it will be just the opposite when I’ll bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, they’ve eaten they’re satisfied they’re prosperous then they will praise me. No, it’s not the way it works. When Israel gets into the land they begin to prosper they’re going to get caught up with their prosperity and they’ll have less and less time for God and that will cause them to get more and more involved into distractions of the world around them. I’ve shared with you before number of years ago when I was studying in California listening to a man who was pulling together materials from studies they had done around the world in different countries.

He was marking that the pattern in that we see repeated over and over and over in different countries is Christianity comes in and it usually starts to make it’s inroads in what we would call the lower classes, the poor those who have very little and it spreads amongst those people rapidly and then is those people are borne again come committed to Jesus Christ become more responsible then they begin to rise in the social status, in the income brackets and as they progressively rise to the upper classes Christianity progressively becomes weaker. That is interesting and that is the pattern that set down for Israel. The more they prosper the weaker their relationship with God became.

That happens to us as a society. We have a rather well to do Christianity in the United States but we would have to say we have a rather weak Christianity as well. We as people, the people of God have a rather weak commitment to our God. We are intimated by anything that even has an error of costliness or suffering associated with it. What’s hard for us to identify with that? We’re afraid even f what people think of us let alone actually suffering physical persecution.

We have to be concerned about what we have and how to maintain it and now not only what we have for today which is far more than we could ever use for today but also then for the tomorrows and the protecting of the tomorrows rather than trusting God and it just absorbs us and pretty soon I forget who gave me the power to get wealth as God warned Israel earlier. Now we need to learn from Israel. We have less excuse than them because we have their pattern into learn from.

These things are written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Just jot down we won’t turn there Deuteronomy Chapter 6 verses 10 to 12 and Deuteronomy Chapter 8 verses 10 to 19 especially Chapter 8 verses 10 to 19 because there God goes through in some detail the danger that will face Israel as they begin to prosper and their relationship with him also begins to weaken.

Down in verse 23, God gives a commission to Joshua and assures him of his presence. Then he commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said "Be strong and courageous for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them and I will be with you." Joshua will be able to carry out this overwhelming task because God is with him. It’s just that simple. One verse, verse 23 God sovereignly commissions Joshua to be the appointed leader over the hundreds of thousands perhaps millions of people that comprised the nation Israel and you’ll be adequate for the task because I will be with you.

Verses 24 to 29 tell us that the copy of the law was to be kept with the Ark of the Covenant. So this copy of the Law is to be kept with the Ark of the Covenant and then he tells the people of their coming rebellion. It’s going to be kept with the Ark of the Covenant they’re it will be a witness against the people all the blessings, all the curses. Verse 27 Moses says to them "For I know you rebellion and your stubbornness; behold while I am still alive with you today you’ve been rebellious against the Lord; how much more then after my death." Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, your officers that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them.

I know that after my death you’ll act corruptly. That sounds like sour grapes doesn’t it? Now you are not going into the lands so we’re bad people but keep in mind its God who has told him and the history of Israel bears out the truthfulness of it. Chapter 32 is the song of that God gave to Moses to write to teach the nation Israel. When the Israelites sang this song they’d be reminded of two things number one, their responsibility to obey the Lord. Number two, the righteousness of God’s judgment that they’ll experience for apostasy, those would be the two things that are called to their attention. Their responsibility to obey the Lord and their righteousness of God’s judgment when they apostasies.

The first three verses are introduction to the song. Again the heavens and the earth are called as witnesses to this agreement. Verse 3 the purpose of the song is to reveal the character of God in his greatness. "I proclaim the name of the Lord a scribe greatness to our God." So it’s about God and even the judgment that comes on them for apostasy reveals the righteousness of God. In verses 4 to 9 you have God's faithfulness and Israel’s corruption. God is faithful and Israel is corrupt and they stand in glaring contrast to one and another.

The name is used "The Rock" verse 4 "The Rock! His work is perfect for all his ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is he." The name Rock for God speaks of his unchanging character. There is a permanence and stability in him that is fond no place else. This name will be used of God four other times in the song of Moses verses 15, verse 18, verse 30 and verse 31. He is the Rock; he’s the one who does not change. As long as Israel held on to their Rock they had security and stability and protection, but woe be to them when they stood in opposition to their Rock.

In contrast to verse 4 you have verse 5, "They have acted corruptly toward him, they are not his children because of their defect, they are a perverse and crooked generation." And that part of the verse is used twice in the New Testament a perverse and crooked generation Jesus uses it Matthew 17:17, Paul uses it Philippians Chapter 2 verse 15 where we are to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Now here, even God’s people are so characterized. Verses 6 to 9 it was the sovereign God who graciously made Israel into a nation, he brought them out of Egypt, made them into a nation for himself, carried them safely through the wilderness to a promised land that is full of blessing.

Verses 15 to 18 their apostasy in their prosperity "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked, you are grown fat thick and sleek then he forsook God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation." Jeshurun is another name for Israel means the upright one, title used for Israel. Israel the upright one, they are the upright one, they are special before God but their prosperity, the prosperity that picked here grew fat, thick, sleek descriptive of the good life, is it not? Would we struggle with who have the good life keeping our weight under control? Well, I visited the part of the, some other parts of the world and some of those people aren’t struggling with the same thing? They don’t have the good life so to speak.

Now the picture here of the prosperity of Israel, then he forsook God who made him and scorned the rock of his salvation. What a tragedy, that prosperity should affect us in that way. You think it would be the other way, should we not be the most zealous, most committed, most enthusiastic Christians of any Christians on the face of the earth? Yet it’s not so, it’s hard to get us together as believers is it not? We were in China and they suffer for their faith, get out to get in the door of the church on a Sunday night can you imagine that, just different but we have so many things, we are so busy. Often do you hear tell that we’re so busy, our family is going a hundred different directions, prosperity does that.

Think back some of you who are as ancient as I am when you grow up in a family who didn’t even have a car, everybody didn’t run different directions because it was too much work to run there because you literally had to run to get there but you know you just can’t get by with two cars we’re struggling with three cars these days, somebody’s left the walk in a family of four drivers. That prosperity does something to us. And all of a sudden we can do this, we can do that, we can go here, we can go there and without necessarily planning it, I am worn out and have less energy and less time for the things of the Lord because I am busy nobody can argue with that but am I busy about the things that matter in life of eternity, that’s what happens to Israel.

With this comes disaster, verse 17 they sacrificed to demons who were not God, to God's to whom they have not known, new God's who come lately. I like the way that’s translated, we talk about Johnny-come-latelies in our society, well here is some new God's come lately, and you know what they are they are demons. These God's are the creations of the people of Canaan, the pagan nations that are to be destroyed. They have created their own God's, they are of recent vintage because the eternal God has been from here from all eternity and Israel, as they get weaker in their relationship with the living God, as they get absorbed with their prosperity will suddenly get tuned to the God's of this world and they will get involved in the worship of demons.

And you look what is happening to generation and then the next generation and then the next generation of Christians in our country and we’re not getting stronger, we’re getting weaker. You know what the complain is, we can’t hold our young people. What is happening to them, they are getting older, they are growing up, they are going out, but where are they, we’re losing. Great numbers of young people who are supposedly raised in Christian homes, you see what happens with the weakening, with the influence of the prosperity, we are more concerned as Christian parents today often but our kids getting a good education so that they’ll get a good job and be able to make lots of money and have a nice home than we are whether they walk with the Lord and they are poor.

And we have to choose poverty with children that are committed to Christ or rich is for those who are at best lukewarm. I am afraid we as believing parents in the way that we function have indicated our choices, prosperity has affected us. We want our kids to do well and are more concerned that they do well materially than I am that they do well spiritually and I am getting what I want because our kids are making more money than we ever dreamed of when we were young but they are also far weaker than we would have ever imagined spiritually.

So what God says about Israel, shocking they sacrificed to demons, say how could you do that? Look what happens to our young people, are they worshiping the true and living God everything else falls in the category of the worshiping of demons. You want to see how far this goes, look over in Psalm in the Book of Psalms. Psalm 106 verse 34 Israel did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them but they mingled with the nations, they learned their practices, they served their idols which became a snare to them, they even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, shedding some blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters who may sacrifice to the idols of Canaan.

You know how far they could go till you came with the generation that were so far removed from the living God that they were involved in sacrificing their own children to the pagan God's of the land which is the worship of demons. Just jot down, First Corinthians Chapter 10 and verse 20 this may be what is in Paul’s mind when he tells the Corinthians to watch out for a false worship because the things that the Gentiles, the unbelievers sacrificed they sacrificed to demons. And one of the things that happens as you prosper you want to fit in very badly and so you don’t want to be viewed as someone who is standing against.

So even the unbelieving neighbors with their godless churches well, it’s not so bad at least they go to church, at least they are religious. You know you want to put that into biblical terminology at least they worship someone demons. Is that better than worshipping nothing? No, so we end up to seeing our children drift into these kind of places and we say well at least they have a good youth program, at least there is this and somehow we become comfortable with some kind of mingling together. Talking to someone who told me well at least our son is marrying a good catholic girl. Don’t have anything against Catholics, nothing more than I have against Protestants only problem is that they are involved in demon worship.

I should be glad that my son or daughter will marry a good demon worshiper, I mean you put that in biblical terminology and say well at least they are a good demon worshiper all of the sudden we say wait a minute, well that’s a little harsh. And you see I want to fit in, I want to be accepted by these people, I want to blend into this society. And you saw more like Israel than I sometimes want to admit, I can read about Israel and say that’s repulsive, that’s disgusting, how could they be foolish, but I am really honest and sit and look, I can see ways that I find myself trying to make the same kind of adjustments they did and the result is the same, it’s devastating for us as God’s people.

Back in Deuteronomy verses 19 to 27 of Chapter 32 the Lord’s anger at Israel and his anger will be poured out as you can imagine as they depart from him. People don’t like to be told about the anger of God today; we like to hear about the love of God. We like to be positive, we like to be but you cannot be biblical and live on that level all the time and God’s anger is just as real as God’s love. In fact look verse 22 for a fire is kindled in my anger and burns to the lowest part of Sheol, and consumes the earth with its yield and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

You know what’s told here, that God’s anger is like God’s love it knows no limits. Remember Romans Chapter 8 verse 38 talk about the height, the depth the length the breadth of the love of God, you can talk that way about his anger. God's love knows no limits but neither does God’s anger, that’s what verse 22 were saying. We who have experienced his love in the salvation he provided in his son can testify there is no limit to the love of God but we need to be very sure that we also proclaim the fact there is no limit to the anger of God.

That’s why people will be able to suffer in hell for all eternity. Suffering that is more horrible than you and I can ever imagine and it will be unrelenting for all eternity just like God’s love toward those who have come to know him will be without limits for all eternity. We don’t take it seriously enough; the anger of God knows no limits just as the love of God knows no limits. Jot down Revelation 14:10 we won’t turn there, but there you see God’s anger and those who will suffer torment day and night forever and ever because what, they partake of the wrath of God unmixed, I believe that’s in verse 9, unmixed with anything.

No mercy, no grace pure wrath without limit. Awful concept, Israel didn’t take it seriously. Verses 28 to 33, Israel’s lack of understanding they are even going to fail to see the hand of God we talked about the discipline of God and how we as believers need to be sensitive to the discipline of God you become insensitive overtime in rebellion. And in verses 28 to 33 Israel will have no understanding, they are a nation lacking in counsel and there is no understanding in them. They won’t see the hand of God as things get difficult, as they begin to suffer defeat they won’t stop and think God is warning me, God is chastening me, they’ll be blind to the reality of it. Verses 34 to 43, God’s deliverance of Israel, you know there is grace.

The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable Romans 11:28 says. So when all said and done, God will restore the nation to himself. He will deliver them, how do we know there’s a future for Israel, because God promises in sections like this again and again even though his wrath will be unrelenting on those who experiences wrath, there will be a group in Israel that are sovereignly drawn to himself to experience his love as the Jewish people and these verses remind us of that. Verse 35 vengeance is mine and retribution. It’s quoted twice in the New Testament, Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 and that context in Hebrews 10:30 quoting this verse good reminder because they both tie with unbelievers those who are rejecting the grace of God.

Verse 39 God’s purpose in judging Israel wasn’t to destroy the nation but to bring the nation to understand that he alone is God. "See now that I am he, there is no God besides me, it’s I who put to death and give life. I wounded, it’s I who healed there’s no one who can deliver from my hand." This is what Israel is to learn, why do they have to go through such awful suffering to learn that he is the only God and so he must have their complete devotion but that’s what is going to take.

Israel’s still not there after all they’ve been through in the thousands of years, since Moses wrote this. They still have to anticipate to seven year tribulation suffering more than they have ever in all their history before they are finally going to come to realize yes, God alone is God, I must bow before him and claim him as my savior. I want to make a note, at the end of verse 42 'From the long-haired leaders of the enemy.' so that we don’t may be get carried away on the length of hair from this verse be a good hippy verse but that’s not probably what he’s talking about. The word long-haired may mean either heir or leader.

So New International version translates it the heads of the enemy leaders rather than the long-haired, the heads of the enemy leaders and that’s probably more accurate here. Verses 44 to 52 are the preparations from Moses’ death. They are to take Moses words to heart verse 46 take to your heart all the words which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully even all the words of this law for it is not an idol word for you indeed it is your life that’s what the word is, this is their life.

It hinges on their response to this word. Then he reminds them why he’s going to die on Mountain Nebo because of his rebellion in going back to Numbers Chapter 20. Deuteronomy 33, Moses blesses Israel. It was customary for a father as he anticipated his death to give a blessing to his children. Moses is like a father in Israel, in effect he was the human figure that God used to give birth to the nation in the analogy that he’s just used in Chapter 32 out of Egypt. Israel came out of Egypt now as a nation. Well, the human figure in that is Moses so now he’s going to give his blessing on the twelve tribes.

This is similar to what happens in Genesis Chapter 49 as Jacob anticipates his death, he gives a blessing on his twelve sons and for a thorough study he’d want to compare the blessing on each of the tribes in Genesis 49 with this in Chapter 33 of Deuteronomy but we won’t be taking time to do that. Levi is often omitted from the list of the tribes because they don’t get territory but here Levi is included because of their importance and Simeon is omitted.

The reason Simeon is omitted probably is because they are going to be absorbed in Judah. Judges 19 tells us that Simeon is given territory within Judah but Judah is such a large dominant tribe that they are absorbed into the tribe of Judah. So they are not listed, the twelve comes up because you have the two tribes of Joseph in some cases or here you have the tribe of Levi that is included. Opens up the first five verses talking about the majesty of the Lord, Moses declaring the greatness of God and just note in verse 2 the Lord came from Sinai dawned on them from Seir, he shone forth from Mount Paran, he came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones his right hand there was flashing lightening for them.

When God came on Sinai with all the thundering and lightening they were ten thousands of angels accompanying him. So then we don’t get a full picture of the impressiveness of that occasion. Here we’re told ten thousands of his angels or holy ones are with him. This has developed in the New Testament by telling us that angels gave the law to Moses who was the mediator of the Law.

So that helps you understand where did the New Testament get that, well passage like this in Deuteronomy 33 verse 2 when God came to Sinai he came with his angels and the angels in the New Testament were mediators of the Law. Acts Chapter 7 verse 38 Galatians Chapter 3 verse 19 Hebrews Chapter 2 verse 2 all talk about the law being given through angels to Moses and that’s what talked about here. God is called the king in verse 5 of Jeshurun. Here again Jeshurun, remember its Israel. He was king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people were gathered. That’s important God is the king of Israel because over in First Samuel Chapter 8 and verse 7 when the people say we want a king like the nations Moses says to Samuel they have rejected me from being king over them.

They’re saying we are not satisfied to have God as our king we want a human king. So this verse is a background for what will happen in Samuel. Then we go through the different tribes and we don’t have time to go through each of them individually. Starts with Reuben, Jacob’s first born son but Reuben will not be the prominent one because Reuben committed immorality with Jacob’s concubine. For that he lost his right of first born and will not be a dominant or significant tribe, be a small tribe with difficulties. Verse 7 is Judah; he’ll be the leader among the nations the prayer here is for military success. Levi and there is an extensive discussion of Levi in verses 8 to 11.

They’re given responsibilities for three areas. The Thummim and Urim and they were two stones used to determine the will of God particularly in difficult decisions. So here the Levites is going to be leaders in determining the will of God when decisions have to be made. Second, they are to teach Israel the law of God in verse 10 they shall teach thine ordinances to Jacob and their law to Israel. So the Levis’ should be responsible for teaching the law and also for the former worship in Israel in the last part of verse 10. Verse 12 is Benjamin.

Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and the well loved of Jacob he’s the well loved of God as well. Joseph, in verses 13 to 17 his blessings covers material prosperity in the land and military might that will give him victory and his two sons are talked about there Ephraim and Manasseh. We usually don’t think of the tribe of Joseph because Joseph replaces Reuben with the right of first born so he gets a double portion. So we use to talk about the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh because Joseph really gets two portions.

First Chronicles Chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 talk about the fact that Joseph got the right of first born in place of Reuben because of his sin. Verses 18 and 19, Zebulun and Issachar are mentioned together and they’re going to experience God’s blessings. Gad In verses 20 to 21 they already had received their land on the east side of the Jordon but they are going to be a great help in conquering the land of Canaan proper. Verse 22 talks about Dan who’d have great strength, such great strength that it would be able to aggressively move out from the portion of land that was given to him in the southern part of Palestine and take a foot hold in the northern part of Palestine in the region of Bashan.

And you can take your Bible map sometimes and just sit down and in the back they’ll give you a map and it will tell you where the different tribes settled and you’ll know Dan has its bulk of land in the southern part of Palestine but it’s got a little portion up in the north in the region of Bashan and that’s what this blessing pertains to as it leaps fourth from Bashan aggressively stretched out and took that portion as well. Naphtali, in verse 23 we’re familiar with this because it borders on the western side of the sea of Galilee, very important region as far as the ministry of Christ is concerned.

Asher in verses 24 and 25 his name means happy and he’s going to have military security pictured here with the locks of iron and bronze. Verses 26 to 29 the Chapter closes just like it opened ascribing praise to God and you note the name Jeshurun is used in verse 26 ties it with verse 5 at the beginning of the Chapter, that somewhat family name for Israel. Verse 27, verse that many of us are familiar with from the songs and so on "The eternal God is a dwelling place and underneath of the everlasting arms". The total security and comfort that Israel had, God is their dwelling place and they are enveloped by his eternal arms. Why would they ever want to leave that place, but they did. Why do we ever want to wonder off but we do? Amazing.

Verse 29, Israel’s relationship with God made them unique and invincible but they abandon that but as long as they maintain that relationship with God they had a position of uniqueness that made them invincible but they gave it up. Chapter 34 is the death of Moses. Very great Chapter because it’s the death of a very great servant of God. First four verses Moses is given a view of the land. God tells him to go up mountain Nebo and from there he is given a panorama of the land and you get a great view of Canaan from Mount Nebo across the Jordon, but this probably involves supernatural ability to see as well because Moses is able to see all the way to the Mediterranean and you can see that far from that mountain Range anywhere on that mountain range where Nebo must have been located.

But what happens is in the description here is beginning in the north and going counter clockwise Moses is given a view of Palestine and the description is it goes all the way down to the Negab down to the south comes backup and ends in the region of Jericho. Moses gets to look over the beautiful land that God had promised that’s as close as he gets. Verse 5 to 8 so Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buried him in the valley of the land of Moab opposite Beth-Peor and no man knows his burial place to this day. God had Moses buried.

Interesting illusion to this in the New Testament in Jude verse 9 "But Michael the Ark angel when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses did not dare for pronounce against him a railing judgment but said the Lord will be with you. Something not alluded to hear because it wasn’t told to the people in the Old Testament evidently. But what happened is God sent Michael the Ark angel to bury the body of Moses but the devil contested that, he wanted the body of Moses why we’re not told but there was a battle that took place there in the spiritual realm over the body of Moses.

Perhaps the devil wanted to use the body of Moses to discourage the people or whatever but at any rate it’s buried by God no one knows the burial place. I’m sure someone will write an article someday they find they find the bones of Moses in the valley of Beth-Peor don’t believe it.

Verse 7 is there we alluded to that earlier; just to remind you Moses didn’t die of old age even though he was a hundred and twenty because he’s still in good health. He died because of the discipline of the lord. If we weren’t told that we would have just thought he probably died of old age but we’re continually reminded it will be disciplined. We may not know do we get the glory why some of us died when we died and it may not be always those who died young but the discipline of the Lord works according to the plan of God.

Verse 9 Joshua takes over and he’s given supernatural wisdom. Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom and in Exodus Chapter 28 verse 3 those who are going to do work in the tabernacle are given the spirit of wisdom according to their trade. So here might be given the spirit of wisdom to be the leader that God wants him to be which is consistent with what we find in Old and New Testament. When God calls a person to responsibility he gives them the ability to do it. We call it spiritual gifts in the New Testament. God calls the man to the responsibility a woman to an area of ministry he gives the spirit of wisdom the ability to do that the gifts of the spirit are what enable you to carry that out.

Verses 10 to 12 talk about the uniqueness of Moses. Verse 10 since then no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses whom the Lord knew face to face. Unique characteristic of Moses he went in and talk with God directly. The other prophets got visions had dreams; Moses went in and talked with God face to face as friend with friend. Three areas that is unique number one, his relationship with God verse 10. Number two, the miracles he performed; for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt and so on and number three and the power he displayed in verse 12 he carried Israel through the wilderness, totally unique. In fact there won’t be anybody like him until God raises up a prophet like Moses.

Deuteronomy Chapter 18 verses 15 to 22, says that God will raise up a prophet like Moses. The New Testament Acts Chapter 3 verse 22 says that was Jesus Christ. And in the Book of Hebrews maybe you have to turn to Hebrews as we close Chapter 3. Moses was the mediator for the giving of the old covenant. Jesus Christ, the prophet raised up like under Moses is God’s instrument for the institution of the new covenant. That’s what the Book of Hebrews is about. And in Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 1 therefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling consider Jesus the apostle on high priest of our confession.

He was faithful to him who appointed him as Moses also was in all his house. You know encouraging to see that here Moses is called faithful. He died under the discipline of God but you note at the end of Deuteronomy, he is called the servant of God who died. So he hadn’t lost the uniqueness of relationship even though there is discipline, consequences to be carried out. There was forgiveness, God continued to use Moses but he still have to experience the chastening. Christ was faithful as Moses was faithful for he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone but he builder of all things is God.

Now Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which are to be spoken later but Christ was faithful as a son over his house who’s house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope for him un till the end. So here a comparison between Moses and Christ, Moses was unique there was no other prophet like him with the unique abilities. John the Baptist is the greatest of the prophets because he’s given the privilege of introducing Christ, but John the Baptist did not have the kind of unique privileges that Moses did to go and sit down and talk face to face with God, to do great and mighty miracles.

We don’t see miracles recorded in associated with the ministry of John the Baptist. To display the kind of power that Moses did but when Jesus Christ comes he comes to institute a new covenant and he is superior in every way to Moses. Watch again, drives home the point if Israel was so accountable and so responsible before God under the old covenant, mediated by a man inferior to Jesus Christ how much more accountable and responsible are we under the new covenant that has been founded in the blood of Jesus Christ, the mediator of this covenant. I trust that we’ll be a people motivated to obedience because we have every reason and more than Israel to function as God has called us to. Let’s pray together.