Even though there are sizable aggregates in the Church Universal that either laud Hebrew and Hebrew texts to an unhealthy degree on the one hand, and those that walk with anti-Semitic threads in teaching Scripture on the other hand, I remain committed to teaching and Exegeting the two segments of Holy Writ as one.
I have also dealt with several individuals that think not a few unsavory things about the Greek language of the New Testament (see the stream of thought that the Greek language is less than Hebrew *GROAN* and other oversimplified views).
Anyway, what follows are my thoughts on some text in Deuteronomy that gripped me (my spirit) the last couple of days.
The Song of Moses That Witnesses Against Israel
The text reads:
“Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the L-RD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”
Then Moses spoke the words of this song until they were finished, in the ears of all the assembly of Israel:
(Deuteronomy 31:28–30 ESVi)
And the song that witnesses against runs through the lion’s share of chapter 32.
I am not going to cite the whole thing because it’s 44 verses.
But basically, to sum up, the L-RD blessed His people in the land, they grew “fat” and in abundance, and then chose to rebel.
See, too many people read through Deuteronomy 32, the hot-button verse in 39 that says:
“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”
…and then they assume a quick, two-dimensional Calivinist theology of the sovereignty of the G-d of Caprice,
…without seeing 32:39 in the context of G-d’s deeply personal investment in his people (making them alive and healing them: cross-reference Exodus 15:26: I am the L-RD that healeth thee),
…followed by their growing fat in the land, followed by their rebellion, FOLLOWED BY His declaration that the destruction that comes from Him, no matter the vehicle, is in cool-headed response to their deliberate pattern of stubbornness….
Too many people need to slow their roll when it comes to exegesis and not leap towards the simple, easy, and wrong solution to the nature of G-d.
And Moses is giving this this song as a warning about what is to come if they turn from the King. And one of the lessons we can gather from the text is that “justice and retribution for repeated patterns of stubbornness will come”).
Be blessed, gang. And May your evenings be full of the King׳s kindness.
Truly, this song is an expression of the merciful heart of a loving G-d. Dear eres d DC C