# commentaries

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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Do you thus repay Yahweh, foolish people and unwise? Isn’t He your father who has bought you? He has created you and established you- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The appeal is to their salvation history<em>- </em>Israel's redemption (being "bought") from Egypt (<em><a href='B:20 15:16'>Exo 15:16</a></em>), their establishment in the land and creation as a nation at Sinai. So often, their experience&nbsp; of these things is alluded to in the law as a basis and reason for their loyalty to Yahweh's laws, and living in a culture of grace and kindness to others- given their own experience of grace. We too must never forget our own spiritual path and redemption by God's hand, active throughout our lives. Such personal reflection upon our life's path is therefore necessary if we are to continue to be awed by His grace to us.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father and he will show you, your elders and they will tell you- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>In our world, human history is generally felt to be bunk, irrelevant to this generation, of merely passing cultural fascination to the hurrying man of modern society. And in some ways, that may indeed be a legitimate take on secular history. But Biblical history is to be seen quite otherwise by God's people. It is a living word spoken to us, and the salvation acts which are there recorded happened to us. We are to learn from history, not as a merely fascinating exercise. But the Bible is history, and yet it is a living word to us. Israel were supposed to reason back from the actions of Egypt towards them, and their weakness spiritually at that time. And to respond personally to that grace. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:340 10:20-21'>Dan 10:20-21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 24:9-11'>Exo 24:9-11</a></em>. A total of 70 bulls were offered at the feast of ingathering. <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:5:9'>Rev 5:9</a></em> presents us with the picture of men and women redeemed from <em>every</em> kindred (tribe / clan), tongue (<em>glossa- </em>language), people (a group of people not necessarily of the same ethnicity) and nation (<em>ethnos</em>- ethnic group, lit. ‘those of the same customs’). This means that, e.g., not only redeemed ‘Yugoslavs’ will stand before the throne in the end; but Macedonians, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Montenegrans, Bosnians... every ethnic group, with every custom, will have representatives who will have believed the Truth and been saved. This idea is confirmed by considering how 70 bullocks had to be sacrificed at the feast of ingathering (<em><a href='B:40 29:1-40'>Num 29:1-40</a></em>), prophetic as it was of the final ingathering of the redeemed. But 70 is the number of all Gentile nations found in <em><a href='B:10 10:1-32'>Gen 10:1-32</a></em>. And it is written: “When he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel” (<em><a href='B:50 32:8'>Deu 32:8</a></em>). A total of 70 went down with Jacob into Egypt; and thus 70 seems an appropriate number to connect with the entire Gentile world. My point is, representatives of <em>all</em> of them will be finally ingathered. It could be that this conversion of all men occurs during the final tribulation (<em><a class='bible' href='#b66:14:6'>Rev 14:6</a></em>); but it seems to me that the context demands that people from every nation etc. are already redeemed in Christ and await His return.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The Canaanite explanation of the family of the gods was that it contained a total of 70 gods – Ugaritic Tablet II AB 6:46 speaks of the “seventy sons of Asherah”. This is re-focused by the record of <em><a href='B:10 10:1-32'>Gen 10:1-32</a></em> – which speaks of 70 nations of men. Likewise <em><a href='B:10 46:27'>Gen 46:27</a></em> and <em><a href='B:20 1:5'>Exo 1:5</a></em> speak of the 70 sons of Jacob – and <em><a href='B:50 32:8'>Deu 32:8</a></em> says that the number of the Gentile nations was fixed “according to the number of the sons of God” or, “Israel” (according to some texts). The belief in the 70 gods of the Canaanite pantheon is therefore re-focused down to earth – where there were 70 sons of Jacob, 70 nations in the world around Israel, and <em><a href='B:50 32:8'>Deu 32:8</a></em> may imply that each is cared for by a guardian Angel in Heaven.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>According to <em><a href='B:50 32:8-9'>Deu 32:8-9</a></em> LXX, humanity has been divided up “according to the number of the angels of God”; each nation has its Angelic representative in Heaven. These representative, all righteous Angels are spoken of as being ‘punished’ in the sense that their charges on earth are punished. Note the parallelism in <em><a href='B:290 24:21-22'>Isa 24:21-22</a></em>:</p>&nbsp;<p style='margin-left:1em'>“Yahweh will punish</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The host of heaven in heaven</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>And on earth the kings of the earth”.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This doesn’t mean that the representative Angels are themselves sinners; but they are identified in the court of Heaven with those on earth whom they represent. We think of Angels representing nations in Daniel and Zechariah.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For Yahweh’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>We are His inheritance, and we are His. An inheritance was of major significance to the Semitic mind. We see here how we are all things to Him, and He is to be all things to us, and no mere passing religious hobby. Israel were to be God's inheritance if they were obedient (<em><a href='B:20 19:5'>Exo 19:5</a></em>). They weren't, but His love was such that He still took them as His inheritance. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He embraced him, He cared for him-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>God’s search for man is a repeated theme of the prophets. “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree, I saw your fathers” (<em><a href='B:350 9:10'>Hos 9:10</a></em>). “He found him in a desert land… He encircled him, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of his eye” (<em><a href='B:50 32:10'>Deu 32:10</a></em>). “I said, Here am I, here am I… I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people… I called, no one answered” (<em><a href='B:290 50:2'>Isa 50:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 65:1-2'>Isa 65:1-2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 66:4'>Isa 66:4</a></em>). “I have found David my servant” (<em><a href='B:230 89:20'>Psa 89:20</a></em>). So it’s not us as it were reaching out to God; He is fervently reaching out to us, and we have to come to realize that. We don’t so much as find God, as realize that He already is earnestly with us. Every man and woman is somehow a life “bound in the bundle of living in the care of the Lord” (<em><a href='B:90 25:29'>1Sa 25:29</a></em>). We come to realize that before we were formed in the womb, God knew us (<em><a href='B:300 1:5'>Jer 1:5</a></em>). God hunts for us like a lion, Job came to realize; and in this "You show yourself wonderful to me" (<em><a href='B:220 10:16'>Job 10:16</a></em>). And we are searching for God. God is not indifferent to our searching for Him. Those awestruck moments of wonder, of radical amazement, are where God finds us at the time we are searching for Him. Both sides are seeking each other; and in those moments, they meet. As a Jewish poet put it: "And going out to meet thee / I found thee coming toward me". In those moments, heaven and earth kiss each other. There is a click, a flash, between Almighty God and us- as we stand at a bus stop, turn left into Acacia Avenue, lay there on our bed meditating. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He kept him as the apple of His eye-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>One of the most sensitive spots on the body. Anyone who even comes near God’s people stimulates a natural response from God, so sensitive is He to our pain in this life. We are the apple of God’s eye (<em><a href='B:230 17:8'>Psa 17:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:10'>Deu 32:10</a></em>), and His word must be as the apple of our eye (<em><a href='B:240 7:2'>Pro 7:2</a></em>). We dwell in God, and His word dwells in us (<em><a href='B:500 15:1-27'>Joh 15:1-27</a></em>).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>As an eagle that stirs up her nest and flutters over her young, He spread abroad his wings. He took them, He carried them on His feathers-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The way that Israel were intended to be a missionary nation is brought out very beautifully by the way that God speaks of carrying Israel on eagles' wings out of Egypt (<em><a href='B:50 32:11'>Deu 32:11</a></em>). Apparently, the eagle throws one of its young into the air and catches it, bearing it on its wings, until it learns to fly freely, and then the others learn from this how to fly. If this is the right track of interpretation, then we are left with the conclusion that it was God's intention that all the Gentile world were intended to be God's ultimate children, and that they would learn from the example of Israel. But Israel failed to fly as God intended, and thus they were not the intended example for others. Note in passing how God's intention is that we should fly freely- not merely be His initiative-less servants for the sake of it. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses is depressed by Israel complaining at how boring the manna was. He doubts God's earlier promises to him: " Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight (God said he had, in <em><a href='B:20 33:17'>Exo 33:17</a></em>)...have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto them, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child unto the land which thou swearest unto their fathers (not "our" - notice the uncharacteristic separation between Moses and Israel). Whence should I give flesh unto all this people...if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in the sight (as God had earlier promised him that he had)" (<em><a href='B:40 11:12'>Num 11:12</a></em>). God was the father and conceiver of Israel, the one who would carry them to the land (<em><a href='B:20 19:4'>Exo 19:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 33:15'>Exo 33:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:11-12'>Deu 32:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:350 11:1'>Hos 11:1</a></em>); it is as if Moses is saying: They're your children, you look after them, don't dump them on me. Although compare this with his earlier love for them, willing to sacrifice himself for them. God then says that He will provide more food for Israel. But Moses almost mocks God: "Shall the flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them?". And the Angel angrily replied: "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? thou shalt see whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not" . If he had faith, Moses surely would have realized that if God could provide manna, he could provide any food. Moses seems to have suffered from fits of depression and also high spirituality.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yahweh alone led him, there was no foreign god with Him-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Although there was no pagan god with Yahweh at the time of the exodus, there was with Israel- for they took the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea, carrying the tabernacle of Moloch with them for guidance as well as Yahweh's (<em><a href='B:510 7:43'>Act 7:43</a></em>), just as we are tempted to take the world with us through the waters of baptism rather than seeing it as cut off from us (<em><a href='B:330 20:7-8'>Eze 20:7-8</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Right at their birth by the Red Sea, the Almighty records that "the people feared Yahweh, and believed Yahweh, and His servant Moses" (<em><a href='B:20 14:23'>Exo 14:23</a></em>). No mention is made of the Egyptian idols they were still cuddling (we don't directly learn about them until <em><a href='B:330 20:1-49'>Eze 20:1-49</a></em>). Nor do we learn that this "belief" of theirs lasted a mere three days; nor of the fact that they rejected Moses, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. "There was no strange god" with Israel on their journey (<em><a href='B:50 32:12'>Deu 32:12</a></em> AV); but there were (<em><a href='B:370 5:26'>Amo 5:26</a></em>). The reconciliation is that God counted as Israel as devoted solely to Him. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The degree to which righteousness is imputed to us is hard to feel. <em><a href='B:50 32:12'>Deu 32:12</a></em> states that there was no strange God with Israel- but <em><a href='B:330 20:1-49'>Eze 20:1-49</a></em> says they took the idols of Egypt with them. God counted wayward Israel as righteous; at that time, as Balaam said, God did not see iniquity in Israel, nor behold the perversity that was in Jacob. Paul speaks of the fruits of righteousness, the same Greek word translated "justification" (<em>Php_1:11</em>). Justification by faith brings forth fruits of righteousness. When the disciples argued about who should be the greatest, the Lord replied that " it is not so among you: whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister" (<em><a href='B:480 10:43'>Mar 10:43</a></em> R.V.). He expected them to live up to the righteousness which He imputed to them. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He made him ride in victory on the high places of the earth and fed him with the increase of the field. He caused him to suck honey out of the rock, oil out of the flinty rock-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:230 81:16'>Psa 81:16</a></em>. The promised land was to flow with milk and honey to those who kept covenant. And yet Saul later precluded the people from experiencing the blessings of the covenant by petty legalism and a desire for personal control. The people were obedient to his word, but then totally disobeyed Yahweh's command about not eating blood as a result of it (<em><a href='B:90 14:25'>1Sa 14:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:90 14:33'>1Sa 14:33</a></em>). Tragically, Israel went back to those very “high places” to worship the local idols, as the prophets so often lament.</p>&nbsp;


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>butter of the herd and milk of the flock with fat of lambs, rams of the breed of Bashan and goats, with the finest of the wheat. Of the blood of the grape you drank wine- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Such agricultural abundance is all the stuff of the blessings for obedience. They were disobedient, but still God blessed them with the blessings for obedience- in the hope that such grace would elicit obedience and faithfulness to Him. But tragically it didn't. The very opposite (:15).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. You have grown fat. You have become covered with flesh. Then he forsook God who made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:50 31:9'>Deu 31:9</a></em>. Moses in Deuteronomy so many times warns that Israel would become unfaithful to God once they became prosperous. This is a major theme with him. Any request for material prosperity must be made knowing that really this is not for the best spiritually. And God must struggle with those requests as a parent does with a request for something which they want to give, because they love their child, but know that it will almost certainly be misused. It’s no surprise therefore that the majority of God’s people have been poor- it is the poor who respond to the Gospel (<em><a href='B:470 11:5'>Mat 11:5</a></em>), and the wealthy are a minority amongst us (<em><a href='B:530 1:26'>1Co 1:26</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Jeshurun" means 'the upright one'. But they were never upright, and were rebellious from the day Moses knew them. But this is how they were seen by God when He fell in love with the people in the wilderness, not seeing iniquity in Israel (<em><a href='B:40 23:21'>Num 23:21</a></em>). "Lightly esteemed" is s.w. "disgrace".</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They moved Him to jealousy with strange gods, they provoked Him to anger with abominations-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>God can be grieved (s.w. 'provoke to anger'). He has emotions, and His potential foreknowledge doesn't mean that these feelings are not legitimate. They are presented as occurring in human time, as responses to human behaviour. This is the degree to which He has accommodated Himself to human time-space limits, in order to fully enter relationship and experience with us. As He can limit His omnipotence, so God can limit His omniscience, in order to feel and respond along with us.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods that they didn’t know, to new gods that came up recently, which your fathers didn’t fear- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Demons are associated with idols, and they are not the gods which they are believed to be (:21; <em><a href='B:530 10:20'>1Co 10:20</a></em>). The language of demon possession we meet in the Gospel records is therefore the language of the day to describe healing of illnesses attributed to demons; but demons have no real existence because there is only one God.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Dale Martin in an article points out that there are six different Hebrew words which are all translated 'daimon' in the Septuagint Greek version of the Old Testament, and this is the term which the New Testament uses for 'demons'. He concludes: “Ancient Jews used <em>daimonion</em> to translate five or six different Hebrew words.&nbsp; In the ancient Near Eastern context, those words referred to different kinds of beings … What they have in common, nonetheless, is that they all were thought of as gods – in fact, as the gods other people falsely worship: the gods of the nations... we find no equation of fallen angels with Greek <em>daimons</em>” (pp. 662, 670). As an example, the Hebrew 'sedim' translated "demons" in <em><a href='B:50 32:17'>Deu 32:17</a></em> and <em><a href='B:230 106:37'>Psa 106:37</a></em> is defined by Martin as follows: "In the ancient Near Eastern context, the word sedim is related to the Assyrian sidu, which referred to the great bull statues in front of the Assyrian palaces, sometimes depicted with wings. According to some modern commentators, the word <em>adon</em> originally meant simply “lord” and served as a divine title like “Baal” or “Adonai”. It could, therefore, be taken to refer to ancient gods of Canaan and other surrounding people, who could have viewed them as good powers or gods". The connection between demons and idols is quite clear, both from context and linguistic analysis.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of the Rock who became your father you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:10 49:24'>Gen 49:24</a></em>. As discussed on :7, their problem was that they refused to accept the historical perspective on their lives. They were not awed by the way God had brought them by grace to their present location. Like spoilt children, they came to presume upon special grace as the norm, and failed to see the wonder of it. We note that we have here an example of where God likens Himself to a woman, something unusual in the religious thinking of the times. <em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yahweh saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Scripture repeatedly speaks as if God notices things and is then hurt by what He sees (<em><a href='B:390 3:10'>Jon 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:10 29:31'>Gen 29:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 3:4'>Exo 3:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:19'>Deu 32:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 23:13'>Eze 23:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 59:15'>Isa 59:15</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:490 7:13'>Luk 7:13</a></em>). If He knew in advance what they were going to do, this language is hard for me to understand. But God is therefore hurt and 'surprised' at sin- He saw Israel as the firstripe grapes, but they were worshipping Baal even then (<em><a href='B:350 9:9'>Hos 9:9</a></em>). Thus God can allow Himself to feel an element of surprise- and this was a shock to Jeremiah, who queried: "Why are You like a man who is caught by surprise...?" (<em><a href='B:300 14:9'>Jer 14:9</a></em>). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He said, I will hide My face from them. I will see what their end shall be, for they are a very perverse generation- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>God Himself knows the end from the beginning and need fear no man; but His Angels do not have ultimate knowledge or strength, and therefore such language is more suited to them. This ‘language of limitation’ may refer to the Angels rather than God personally. He <em>can</em> see all things, and yet in the time of Israel's apostacy He hides His face from them (<em><a href='B:400 3:4'>Mic 3:4</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:50 32:19-20'>Deu 32:19-20</a></em>). He enters fully into our humanity by as it were limiting His omniscience and omnipotence in order to relate with us in real time.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Children in whom is no loyalty-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Loyalty" is the word for "faith" or "trust". Such trust in the Father should have come naturally, but from babyhood they revolted against Him. <em>Pistis</em>, one of the NT words for 'faith' is used here in the LXX, and is translated in the LXX as both 'faith' (e.g. <em><a href='B:50 32:20'>Deu 32:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 12:22'>Pro 12:22</a></em>) and 'truth' (<em><a href='B:240 12:17'>Pro 12:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 14:22'>Pro 14:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 5:1'>Jer 5:1</a></em>). Indeed, another word used in the LXX is 119 times translated 'truth' and 26 times 'faith'. There <em>is</em> a connection between true knowledge of the Gospel and faith. And this faith is the basis for our works. We don't just learn the propositions of the one faith before baptism, and forget them. The triumphant spiritual life <em>lives them out</em>. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked Me to anger with their vanities-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>We read of God being slow to anger (<em><a href='B:20 34:6'>Exo 34:6</a></em>), at others, of Him not restraining His anger, or restraining it (<em><a href='B:230 78:38'>Psa 78:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 48:9'>Isa 48:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:310 2:8'>Lam 2:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 20:22'>Eze 20:22</a></em>), and holding His peace (<em><a href='B:290 57:11'>Isa 57:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 50:21'>Psa 50:21</a></em>), and being provoked to anger by the bad behaviour of His covenant people (<em><a href='B:50 32:21'>Deu 32:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 78:58'>Psa 78:58</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 65:3'>Isa 65:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 8:19'>Jer 8:19</a></em>). God clearly has emotions of a kind which are not unrelated to the emotions we experience, as beings made in His image. But those emotions involve a time factor in order to be emotions. We read of the anger of God "for a moment" (<em><a href='B:230 30:5'>Psa 30:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 54:7-8'>Isa 54:7-8</a></em>), and of His wrath coming and going, leaving Him "calm" and no longer angry (<em><a href='B:330 16:42'>Eze 16:42</a></em>). When we sin, we provoke God to anger- i.e. at a point in time, God sees our sin, and becomes angry. This is attested many times in Scripture. But it's meaningless if God is somehow outside of our time and emotions. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This is interpreted in the New Testament as referring to the conversion of the Gentiles (<em><a href='B:520 10:19'>Rom 10:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 2:10'>1Pe 2:10</a></em>). It was intended to provoke them firstly to jealousy, but then to accepting the same God of Israel which the Gentiles had accepted. Paul sees the Jewish anger at Gentile conversion to Christ as a reflection of their jealousy. If Gentiles became followers of some idol cult, the Jews would have been indifferent. But their jealousy was provoked by Israel accepting Jesus of Nazareth as God's Son and Saviour. This jealousy was and is surely a reflection of a bad conscience, just as subconsciously Joseph's brothers knew that Joseph was not dead but alive, and standing before them. It was Israel's 'knowledge' of the Gospel they had heard which is related by Paul to their anger and jealousy. And we see the same today in many who exhibit anger and jealousy over the faith of others. This is a function of their 'knowledge' which they are in denial of. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For a fire is kindled in My anger, which burns to the lowest Sheol. It devours the earth with its increase, and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Gilgamesh and the pagan myths presented whole groups of gods as responsible for and presiding over death and the underworld, and another, separate, pantheon of gods as involved in creation. The Biblical emphasis upon one God is significant and unusual; it is Yahweh who sends man back to the dust from which He created him, and the same Yahweh who is in total control of <em>sheol</em> (the grave or underworld), and in a sense even present there (<em><a href='B:50 32:22'>Deu 32:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:220 26:6'>Job 26:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 139:7-8'>Psa 139:7-8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 15:11'>Pro 15:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:370 9:2'>Amo 9:2</a></em>). The same God is in control of the earth, as taught here by God through Moses. The state of the dead is defined in Genesis as a return to dust, and later Scripture emphasizes that this means unconsciousness, for the righteous merely a sleep in hope of bodily resurrection. This was radically different to the ideas espoused by the peoples amongst whom Israel travelled and lived. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>I will heap evils on them. I will spend my arrows on them- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>These arrows are alluded to with reference to the Babylonian desolation (<em><a href='B:310 3:13'>Lam 3:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 5:16'>Eze 5:16</a></em>). "Evil arrows" were thought to be cast by displeased gods; but here Yahweh insists that there is no supernatural evil, and He is going to be the one who fires such arrows. His omnipotence meant that there was no place left for any understanding of "evil" as coming from some cosmic evil being, such as the "satan" of modern theology.<em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They shall be wasted with hunger and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The curses to come upon Israel as a result of the latter day invasions are described in terms which are extremely apposite to modern warfare. The plagues to come upon Israel as a result of the invasions are almost impossible to identify with anything presently known:&nbsp;"a consumption... a fever... an inflammation... an extreme burning... blasting... the burning ague that shall consume the eyes" (<em><a href='B:50 28:22'>Deu 28:22</a></em>;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:30 26:16'>Lev 26:16</a></em>) all seems to echo the language of nuclear fall-out.&nbsp;"They shall be burnt... and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction" (<em><a href='B:50 32:24'>Deu 32:24</a></em>) is similar. The release of complex chemical weapons, as well as nuclear detonation, would explain why rainfall patterns will be interrupted during this latter day tribulation (<em><a href='B:50 28:23'>Deu 28:23</a></em>).&nbsp;The fall-out from such weapons would create the murderous rain of dust upon the land which <em><a href='B:50 28:24'>Deu 28:24</a></em> speaks of:&nbsp;"The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed".&nbsp;It is twice emphasized that those in the land would suffer blindness (<em><a href='B:50 28:28-29'>Deu 28:28-29</a></em>), which may also be related to such nuclear or chemical fallout. This has not yet happened;&nbsp; the context invites us to read this as literal rather than figurative.&nbsp;We know that the latter day invaders who attack Jerusalem will both fight each other and have their eyes rot in their sockets (<em><a href='B:450 14:12'>Zec 14:12</a></em>), the implication being that they use their weaponry against each other as well as against Israel.&nbsp;Their earlier use of these weapons would account for this blindness coming upon Israel, and again we see the principle that what the attackers do to Israel will be inflicted upon them. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>I will send the teeth of animals on them and the poison of crawling things of the dust-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The whole record of Adam and Eve in Eden is alluded to multiple times in Moses' law. As they were given a command not to eat, so Israel were asked not to eat certain things. As there was a snake who was there in the 'land' of Eden, so there was the equivalent amongst Israel- the false teachers, the tribes who remained, etc., the "serpents of the dust" (<em><a href='B:50 32:24'>Deu 32:24</a></em> - an evident allusion to the language of the snake in Eden). </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em><a href='B:110 22:22'>1Ki 22:22</a></em> gives an insight into the workings of the court of Heaven, with an Angel told: "Go out and do so". This describes the Angels being sent out from the court of Heaven to do God’s word. So when we read of God sending lions (<em><a href='B:120 17:25-26'>2Ki 17:25-26</a></em>), sending wild beasts and famine (<em><a href='B:30 26:22'>Lev 26:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 5:17'>Eze 5:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:24'>Deu 32:24</a></em>), sending locusts (<em><a href='B:360 2:25'>Joe 2:25</a></em>), it would seem that Angels are sent forth from God’s throne in order to command animals to obey God’s word. And moreover, He sends an evil spirit between men (<em><a href='B:70 9:23'>Jdg 9:23</a></em>) and stubborn hearts are also sent from God (<em><a href='B:230 81:13'>Psa 81:13</a></em>). The same Angels who are sent to control the animals can also therefore work to give men certain attitudes of mind.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Outside, the sword shall bereave and inside, terror shall be on both young man and virgin, the nursing infant with the grey-haired man- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>During their latter day tribulation, Israel will experience intense "terror" (<em><a href='B:30 26:16'>Lev 26:16</a></em>), which would be enough to kill them (<em><a href='B:50 32:25'>Deu 32:25</a></em>).&nbsp;This extraordinary level of paranoia will be modelled upon that of Jacob as he faced Esau - representing Israel's confrontation with the Arabs in the last days (<em><a href='B:300 30:5'>Jer 30:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 30:7'>Jer 30:7</a></em>). This state of fear will result in many Jews going to live in Jerusalem, as happened during the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions (<em><a href='B:300 35:11'>Jer 35:11</a></em>).&nbsp;Ezekiel had prophesied of this time:&nbsp;"Terrors (an intensive plural - i.e. 'the one great terror') by reason of the sword shall be upon my people" (<em><a href='B:330 21:12'>Eze 21:12</a></em>).&nbsp;Likewise our Lord spoke of "fearful sights" being seen in latter-day Israel (<em><a href='B:490 21:11'>Luk 21:11</a></em>). This fear will be absolute paranoia:&nbsp; "I will make you a terror to yourself" (<em><a href='B:300 20:4'>Jer 20:4</a></em>) because of latter day Babylon's invasion;&nbsp;"ye shall flee when none pursueth you... I will send a faintness into their hearts... the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them" (<em><a href='B:30 26:17'>Lev 26:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 26:36'>Lev 26:36</a></em>). "I will bring the land into <em>desolation</em>" (<em><a href='B:30 26:32'>Lev 26:32</a></em>) uses a Hebrew word which can imply stupefaction by fear.&nbsp;This paranoia will be associated with a manic depression which will have its roots in a chronically bad conscience towards God, going back thousands of years to their national childhood:&nbsp;"I will... cause sorrow of heart... they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity... and also in the iniquity of their fathers shall they pine away" (<em><a href='B:30 26:16'>Lev 26:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 26:39'>Lev 26:39</a></em>). Note how the <em>land</em> will be brought into this mental desolation. Frequently the land of Israel is paralleled with the people (e.g. <em><a href='B:300 19:14'>Jer 19:14</a></em> cp. 26:17). The intense desolation of Jewry will be reflected physically in the state of their land. And the resolution of this psychological torment will only be through repentance and acceptance of the Saviour Messiah whom they crucified.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>I said I would scatter them afar, I would make their memory to cease from among men- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>But by grace, God never did this; He preserved their name / memory. Yahweh's Name, by contrast, was to be an eternal memory (<em><a href='B:20 3:15'>Exo 3:15</a></em>). He was to be remembered for how He had articulated His Name in how He had historically acted in saving the patriarchs, and He would be remembered for how He was going to act to save His people from Egypt. What was to be memorialized was therefore His actions, rather than simply the letters YHWH. It was His wonderful works which were to be remembered (<em><a href='B:230 111:4'>Psa 111:4</a></em>, s.w. "My memorial"). By contrast, the sinful works and persons of the wicked would not be remembered / memorialized, be they Amalek (s.w. <em><a href='B:20 17:14'>Exo 17:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 25:19'>Deu 25:19</a></em>), or God's apostate people (s.w. <em><a href='B:50 32:26'>Deu 32:26</a></em>).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>but I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted, Yahweh has not done all this’- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>But this was the argument used by Moses when God had threatened to destroy Israel and make of him a great nation instead. Now we see God as it were persuaded by Moses' argument, and adopting it as His own. We see here His remarkable humility and openness to influence by our prayers and reasoning before Him.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For they are a nation without wisdom; there is no understanding in them-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This could continue the quotation of the enemies in :27, but it seems to lead on rather to :29- their lack of understanding refers to their refusal to understand that one could have chased a thousand (:30). Wisdom and understanding is therefore effectively referring to faith, trust that the promises of God will be indeed fulfilled. Any wisdom or understanding that doesn't lead to this is useless. This is the fallacy of academic Bible study. It was and is the mistake of Judaism. <em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Faith is all about realizing that action and attitudes now will affect our eternal future. The way of the flesh is to just live for the present- and not consider the future, let alone the final end of all things at the day of judgment. In allusion to this verse, the same phrase is used of how Daniel understood the latter end of Israel (<em><a href='B:340 10:14'>Dan 10:14</a></em>), and how the final generation of repentant Israelites will "consider" at their "latter end" after they have experienced the wrath of God (<em><a href='B:300 23:20'>Jer 23:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 30:24'>Jer 30:24</a></em>). But they were to consider the "latter end" of things in this life, and not wait until condemnation at the last day before perceiving the ultimate truth of life and death. And we can do the same. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>How one could have chased a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight, had not their Rock sold them and Yahweh delivered them up!- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Verse<em>s </em>30-33 could refer to Israel, who "could have chased a thousand...", or to her enemies. Thus GNB "They fail to see why they were defeated; they cannot understand what happened.&nbsp;Why were a thousand defeated by one, and ten thousand by only two? The LORD, their God, had abandoned them; their mighty God had given them up.&nbsp;Their enemies know that their own gods are weak, not mighty like Israel's God.&nbsp;Their enemies, corrupt as Sodom and Gomorrah, are like vines that bear bitter and poisonous grapes...". <em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea may be that the Gentiles tacitly recognized that Yahweh was superior to their gods / rock. Or the lament may be that the Gentiles, like Israel, failed to perceive ultimate realities with the understanding of faith: "For their gods are not as our God, but our enemies are void of understanding" (LXX).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, of the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>GNB takes this as referring to Israel's enemies, but it could as well refer to Israel. For Moses has just stated that Israel are spiritually as Sodom and will be treated like Sodom (see on <em><a href='B:50 29:23'>Deu 29:23</a></em>). The idea would be that they were presently sowing seeds of attitudes which would come to fruition in the grapes of judgment. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Their wine is the poison of serpents, the deadly venom of asps- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Again, we could with GNB read this as referring to Israel's enemies, but it could as well refer to Israel. The grapes and wine of blessing could have their awful counterpart in the grapes of Divine wrath. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Isn’t this laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures?- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The reference is to the judgment of the last day (:35), which will be like being given a cup of bitter wine to drink (:32,33). God giving people wine to drink is a double symbol- either of condemnation (as here), or of blessing. It is why the communion service is a cause for self-examination, for we must ask ourselves whether we are drinking His cup to our eternal blessing or condemnation.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Vengeance is Mine and punishment, at the time when their foot slides; for the day of their calamity is at hand. The things that are to come on them shall make haste- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>We must remember that “Vengeance is <em>mine</em> (not ours, not the state’s), and requital" (<em><a href='B:50 32:35'>Deu 32:35</a></em>), and God will take that vengeance at the last day and not necessarily in this life (<em><a href='B:290 63:4'>Isa 63:4</a></em>). In another sense, that taking of vengeance, that requital, was worked out by God on the cross. There the Lord Jesus was clothed with the ‘garments of vengeance’ (<em><a href='B:290 59:17'>Isa 59:17</a></em>); the day of the crucifixion was “the day of vengeance" (<em><a href='B:290 63:4'>Isa 63:4</a></em>). This is one reason why God doesn’t operate a tit-for-tat requital of our sins upon our heads- because He dealt with sin and His vengeance for it in the cross, not by any other way. Hence David calls Yahweh the “God of revenge", the one <em>alone</em> to whom vengeance belongs (<em><a href='B:230 94:1'>Psa 94:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 94:3'>Psa 94:3</a></em>). Our response to all this is to believe that truly vengeance is God and therefore we will <em>not </em>avenge ourselves (<em><a href='B:520 12:19'>Rom 12:19</a></em>). I take this to apply to all the micro-level ‘takings of vengeance’ which we so easily do in our words, body language, attitudes etc., in response to the hurt received from others. The cross alone enables us to break the cycle. All the sins, all the grudges that called for revenge or "vengeance", were to be placed upon the scapegoat, and it was released into the desert (<em><a href='B:30 16:10'>Lev 16:10</a></em>). They could watch it scampering away into the bush. This is how we are to understand the placing of human sin- yes, the sins committed against you this day by others- upon the Lord as He hung on the cross.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>As Moses addressed the people at that point, these things were "at hand" and "make haste". There are several times when God warns that generation that they will not last many days in the land if they are disobedient. The scenario of judgment is implied to be coming upon that generation. But it didn't. God hung on with Israel for centuries. It was like the kind of relationship which we have often observed in life- one party passionately loves the other, but the other doesn't respond is constantly unfaithful to that love, of which they are completely not deserving. It's a Hosea and Gomer situation. And this is God's love for Israel. But just as such relationships usually come to an end at some point, even it takes decades, so in the end, Israel walked out of it with God and slew His own Son.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For Yahweh will judge His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their power is gone, that there is none remaining, shut up or left at large-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:50 31:9'>Deu 31:9</a></em>. Israel assembled before Moses really do represent us, for this is quoted in <em><a href='B:650 10:20'>Heb 10:20</a></em> as relevant to all of us coming before judgment. But our verse goes on to say that at this very time of judgment, He will have compassion upon His people. Which is a comforting thought to take with us to the judgment seat of Christ.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"For the Lord shall judge His people" is quoted in <em><a href='B:650 10:20'>Heb 10:20</a></em> concerning the judgement seat. But the context here is wonderful. Israel are hopeless sinners under judgment, and God on the basis of pure pity for them, rather than their obedience, relents of judgment. And His judgment of them is paralleled with His having compassion upon them. I don't wish to imply that convicted sinners are just waved through into the Kingdom because God feels sorry for people in the misery of their gnashing of teeth. But all the same, we must give the argument here its full wonderful weight. God's judgment is His compassion. And He will show that compassion on the basis of pure pity rather than obedience.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He will say, Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Yahweh was the rock of Israel, but it seems just as they sacrificed to Yahweh so they did to idols (:38); as they called Him their rock and refuge, so they did the idols. This verse explains the pity and compassion God will show to His condemned people (:37). He will look back, from that point of final judgment, to how all their lovers and gods had not helped them. And this only elicits His final compassion to them rather than solely His wrath. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>which ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>They offered the best of their sacrifices, the fat, to their idols. They are bidden now call upon all the things they have previously trusted in, be it missile systems or religion, and finally realize that in Yahweh and His Son alone can be their salvation. Those things are now effectively dead, and will not "rise up" in resurrection; for Yahweh alone is the God of resurrection. "Protection" is s.w. "hiding place". It is Messiah, the Lord Jesus, who will be Israel's latter day "covert (s.w.) from the tempest" of the invaders (<em><a href='B:290 32:2'>Isa 32:2</a></em>). See on :43. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>See now that I, even I, am He. There is no god with Me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of My hand- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The force of "See now" is that this is God speaking to Israel in their latter day condemnation (:36 = <em><a href='B:650 10:20'>Heb 10:20</a></em>), giving them the one last desperate chance which a remnant will accept. They are bidden accept Yahweh for the "I am" which He uniquely is, and finally quit idolatry and all other gods for all time. They are to recognize that He has slain them and can alone make alive; and <em><a href='B:330 37:1-28'>Eze 37:1-28</a></em> speaks of Israel's national death and resurrection.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For I lift up My hand to heaven and say, as surely as I live forever- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This is God's final oath that finally, judgment will not be further delayed and is about to fall (:41). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>if I whet My glittering sword and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My adversaries and will punish those who hate Me- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "I will sharpen my sword like lightning". As explained above, these things will come to full term in the very last days, when finally judgment will no longer be endlessly delayed, but Yahweh's sword will fall in judgment, He will take hold upon judgment and fulfil it.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>I will make My arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This devouring of the flesh of the slain enemies of Israel is specifically applied to the last days in <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:19:18'>Rev 19:18</a></em>; <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:19:21'>Rev 19:21</a></em>. "The head" is Hebrew <em>rosh</em> and may refer to the latter day <em>rosh</em> which invades Israel and is destroyed in <em><a href='B:330 38:1-23'>Eze 38:1-23</a></em>. The destruction of <em>rosh</em> in <em><a href='B:330 39:1-29'>Eze 39:1-29</a></em> is described in similar terms as used here.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Rejoice, you nations, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants. He will take vengeance on His adversaries and will make expiation for His land, for His people- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him". These words are interpreted in the New Testament as referring to the Lord Jesus being worshipped by the Angels when He is brought into the world at His second coming (<em><a href='B:650 1:6'>Heb 1:6</a></em>); and the Gentiles rejoicing with Israel in Jesus as Christ (<em><a href='B:520 15:10'>Rom 15:10</a></em>). The Messiah Jesus is in view as the final salvation for Israel (see on :38). But salvation in Him will be predicated upon Israel's final repentance and turning to Him whom they once slew. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This exactly corresponds to the command "write ye", you plural (<em><a href='B:50 31:9'>Deu 31:9</a></em>). Joshua was to assist Moses in doing this and he did so. We marvel at the internal correspondence within the Biblical record, which to me is the most powerful evidence of its Divine inspiration.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses, perhaps on the very last day of his life, assembled all Israel by their tribes, and with a voice no doubt cracking with emotion, <em>pleaded </em>with them to understand that <em>there's nothing like the God of Israel and His Truth</em>, and it must therefore be at the very centre, at the very <em>core</em>,&nbsp;of a man's soul: "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun...who is like unto thee, O people saved by Yahweh... Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day... for it is not a vain thing for you; <em>because it is your life</em>" (<em><a href='B:50 33:27-28'>Deu 33:27-28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:46-47'>Deu 32:46-47</a></em>). "The love of Christ constrains us".</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>he said to them, Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you this day, which you must command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The word so often used for "keeping" / "diligently observing" Yahweh's commandments is from the word meaning a thorn hedge; the idea originally was to hedge in. Taking this too literally led Judaism to all their endless fences around the law, i.e. forbidding this or that because it might lead to doing that or this, which in turn would then lead to breaking an actual commandment. And those various fences become elevated to the level of commandments. But this is not the idea. We are indeed to hedge ourselves in ("take heed to yourself", <em><a href='B:50 11:16'>Deu 11:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 12:13'>Deu 12:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 12:19'>Deu 12:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 12:30'>Deu 12:30</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 12:32'>Deu 12:32</a></em> s.w.), so that we may keep / hedge ourselves in to keep the commandments of God (<em><a href='B:30 18:4-5'>Lev 18:4-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 18:26'>Lev 18:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 18:30'>Lev 18:30</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 19:19'>Lev 19:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 19:37'>Lev 19:37</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 20:8'>Lev 20:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 20:22'>Lev 20:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 22:9'>Lev 22:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 22:31'>Lev 22:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 25:18'>Lev 25:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:30 26:3'>Lev 26:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 28:2'>Num 28:2</a></em>;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em><a href='B:50 7:11-12'>Deu 7:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 8:1'>Deu 8:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 8:11'>Deu 8:11</a></em> (s.w. "beware"); 10:13; 11:1,8,22,32; 12:1; 13:4,18; 15:5,9 ("beware"); 17:19; 19:9; 23:9 ("keep yourself"); 24:8; 26:16-18; 27:1; 28:1,9,13; 29:9; 30:10,16; 31:12; 32:46). And without falling into the legalism of Judaism, self discipline does require a degree of fencing ourselves in to the one way. Thus the man struggling with alcoholism avoids the supermarket where alcohol is pushed in front of the eyes of the shoppers; the married woman struggling with attraction to another man makes little laws for herself about avoiding his company. And if we do this, then the Lord will "keep" us, will hedge us in to keeping His way (s.w. <em><a href='B:40 6:24'>Num 6:24</a></em>).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For it is no vain thing for you, because it is your life- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Enter into the <em>passion</em> of it all. The man who was willing to give his eternal life for them, about to die for the sake of their provocation- singing a final song to them, giving a final speech, which showed that he knew perfectly well that they would turn away from what he was trying to do for them, and therefore the majority of them would not be saved. As he came to the end of his speech, he seems to have sensed they didn’t grasp the reality of it all: “It is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life” (<em><a href='B:50 32:47'>Deu 32:47</a></em>); and thus his speech rises to a crescendo of intensity of pleading with them, after the pattern of the Lord.&nbsp;</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea of not taking Yahweh's Name "in vain", 'vanity' (<em><a href='B:20 20:7'>Exo 20:7</a></em>), is often associated with idolatry. Israel never formerly rejected Yahweh, and never became atheists. They mixed Yahweh worship with idolatry on the basis that they claimed that they worshipped Yahweh through worshipping the idols. This is what emboldened them to later place idols in Yahweh's temple. They were taking Yahweh's Name as a form of vanity, "in vain", a kind of idol. Thus their relationship with Yahweh was not to be a "vain thing" (<em><a href='B:50 32:47'>Deu 32:47</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>And through this you shall prolong your days in the land, where you go over the Jordan to possess it- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Drive out" is s.w. "possess". We must note the difference between the&nbsp; Canaanite peoples and their kings being "struck" and their land "taken" by Joshua-Jesus; and the people of Israel permanently taking possession. This is the difference between the Lord's victory on the cross, and our taking possession of the Kingdom. Even though that possession has been "given" to us. The word used for "possession" is literally 'an inheritance'. The allusion is to the people, like us, being the seed of Abraham. The Kingdom was and is our possession, our inheritance- if we walk in the steps of Abraham. But it is one thing to be the seed of Abraham, another to take possession of the inheritance; and Israel generally did not take possession of all the land (<em><a href='B:60 11:23'>Jos 11:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 13:1'>Jos 13:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 16:10'>Jos 16:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 18:3'>Jos 18:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 23:4'>Jos 23:4</a></em>). The language of inheritance / possession is applied to us in the New Testament (<em><a href='B:560 1:11'>Eph 1:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:14'>Eph 1:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 3:24'>Col 3:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 20:32'>Act 20:32</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 26:18'>Act 26:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 1:4'>1Pe 1:4</a></em> etc.). Israel were promised: "You shall possess it" (<em><a href='B:50 30:5'>Deu 30:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 33:23'>Deu 33:23</a></em>). This was more of a command than a prophecy, for sadly they were "given" the land but did not "possess" it. They were constantly encouraged in the wilderness that they were on the path to possessing the land (<em><a href='B:50 30:16'>Deu 30:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 30:18'>Deu 30:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:3'>Deu 31:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:13'>Deu 31:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:47'>Deu 32:47</a></em>), but when they got there they didn't possess it fully. <em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yahweh spoke to Moses that same day saying- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>We note the continual emphasis upon "the same day" and "this day..." throughout Deuteronomy. A fair case could be made that all this happened on the last day of Moses' life; an intense final day of a very busy life. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab that is opposite Jericho, and see the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israel for a possession- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses seeing the Kingdom but being unable to enter it, nor himself lead God's people into it, points forward to how the law of Moses gave a vision of the Kingdom, but was unable to bring us into it. That required the work of Joshua / Jesus. "Abarim" means 'the regions beyond'. Moses and his law gave an insight into the Kingdom, the region beyond him. For the culture of grace and kindness, centered around the sacrificed future Messiah, the Lord Jesus, was the outcome of the law. But it was unattainable by weak men.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Die on the mountain and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses being gathered to his people by an Angel (<em><a href='B:50 32:50'>Deu 32:50</a></em>) may also refer to his spirit / Angel returning to where the guardian Angels of his ancestors were. This solves the considerable difficulty of his ancestors being physically dead and decayed, and being buried in a different place from where Moses died. LXX "be added to thy people" suggests God keeps a record of all Israel. The command to die suggests Moses was being asked to be willingly complicent with the idea of his death, just as Isaac was, and as the Lord Jesus was.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>In those hours as Moses stood there saying those words of Deuteronomy, and then as he sung that song of Moses to them of <em><a href='B:50 32:1-52'>Deu 32:1-52</a></em>, I think we see Moses at his finest. His voice would have been that of a young man, and yet with all the passion of meaning of his 120 years. And then he blesses those assembled tribes, the <em>love</em> of that man for Israel flowing out, with that same wondrous voice. "Yea, he <em>loved </em>the people". And then, no doubt with a lump in his throat, swallowing back the tears, he turned and walked away, up that mountain, higher and higher, with the blue mountains of Moab shimmering in the distance. "That selfsame day" Moses spoke Deuteronomy, God commanded him: "Get thee up into this mountain... and behold the land... and die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people" (<em><a href='B:50 32:50'>Deu 32:50</a></em>). Like the Lord Jesus, he received a commandment to die (<em><a href='B:500 10:18'>Joh 10:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 14:31'>Joh 14:31</a></em>), and yet he presumably did not know how to consciously fulfil it according to his own actions. He climbed the mountain alone, that same day he spoke Deuteronomy. Presumably he spoke Deuteronomy in the morning, sung the song of Moses, and then "that selfsame day" died. It would have taken him time to climb the mountain, to be met at the top by the Angel, who then showed him the land, kissed him (see later) and buried him. Presumably he died late in the day, watching the sun setting over the promised land-&nbsp; perhaps at the same hour Jesus died. The pathos of the scene is wondrous, the Song of Moses as it were can be heard still echoing. Yet in the sadness of it all, we see&nbsp; prefigured the death of Christ for us. It was for their sakes that Moses didn't enter the land, remember. That is the emphasis the Spirit gives. As he climbed, for it would have taken a while, perhaps he thought back to those years in Egypt, the struggle of his soul in those years. You may think I'm being over emotional, but it seems to me as he climbed he would have thought back to his dear mum to whom he owed his relationship with God, the mother he'd doubtless disowned for forty years, admitting that he was the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He would have reflected how at age 40 he was honest with himself, how he told the world who his real mother was (probably, tragically enough, after her death, sad that her son seemed to have rejected her for the pleasures of Egypt), how he had refused to be called any longer the son of Pharaoh's daughter. I mean, if we had say 24 hours to live, and we were told to go for a walk before we died, I guess we'd think back to our childhood for at least a moment, wouldn't we. And he was a man, just like you and me, with all a man's feelings, all a man's memories, all a man's humanity. I believe, although I can't prove it, that he wept all the way to the top, climbing farther and farther away from the people he loved, knowing that the majority simply didn't understand him and what he had suffered for them. And perhaps as he sung the song of Moses, he thought back to those weak years in Midian, to Zipporah, to the arguments with her, to the pain of the divorce, to the Ethiopian woman, to the long lonely days with the animals. And then to the wonder of the Red Sea, to the nervousness of meeting the Angel, to the joy of that communion in another mountain. He knew that Angel well, they spoke face to face as men who are friends speak to each other (<em><a href='B:20 33:11'>Exo 33:11</a></em>). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>because you trespassed against Me in the midst of the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you didn’t sanctify Me in the midst of the children of Israel-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses truly was made spiritually strong out of weakness. His faith fluctuated, until at last he came to a spiritual height at the end of his life. We have seen something of the intensity and passion of his love for Israel, to the point where he was willing to give his physical and eternal life for Israel's salvation. In a sense, his desire was heard. Because of the sin of a moment, caused by the provocation of the people he loved, God decreed that he could not enter the land of promise. For their sakes he was barred from the land; this is the emphasis of the Spirit (<em><a href='B:50 1:37'>Deu 1:37</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 3:26'>Deu 3:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 4:21'>Deu 4:21</a></em>); and <em><a href='B:230 106:32-33'>Psa 106:32-33</a></em> says that Moses was provoked to sin because Israel angered God, and that therefore "it went ill with Moses for their sakes". Truly, God works through sinful man to achieve His glory. <em><a href='B:330 20:38'>Eze 20:38</a></em> says that the rebels in the wilderness “shall not enter into the land”, with reference to how when Moses called the people “rebels” and beat the rock, he was disallowed entry into the land. Because he called them rebels, i.e. unworthy of entry to the Kingdom, he also was treated as a rebel. If we condemn others, we likewise will be condemned. On another level, he was simply barred for disobedience; and on yet another, his prayer to the effect that he didn’t want to be in the land if his people weren’t going to be there was being answered; and on yet another and higher level, his offer to be blotted out of the book of inheritance for Israel’s sake was also being heard. Thus God works within the same incident in so many ways! Thus Moses says that he must die “Because ye (plural) trespassed against me” (<em><a href='B:50 32:51'>Deu 32:51</a></em> AV). This all helps explain why Christ had to die, apart from the fact that he was mortal. He died the death of a sinner for our salvation, he felt all the emotions of the rejected, the full weight of God's curse; for "cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" in crucifixion (<em><a href='B:550 3:13'>Gal 3:13</a></em>). Moses was a superb and accurate type of the Lord Jesus. Therefore Moses in his time of dying must grant us insight into the death of our Lord, the prophet like him (<em><a href='B:50 18:18'>Deu 18:18</a></em>). See on :3.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This is laboured by God so many times. Moses had carefully omitted the reason why he could not enter the land when explaining it to Israel. He was now reminded of it; for God wanted him to die not in denial of his sin, but fully recognizing it. And He works likewise in our lives, leading us to a crescendo of humility by the time we die.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Man of God" refers to a prophet (<em><a href='B:90 9:6'>1Sa 9:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:110 12:22'>1Ki 12:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:110 13:14'>1Ki 13:14</a></em> etc.). What Moses now says is presented as reported speech directly inspired by God, presumably written down by Joshua after Moses' death.<em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He said, Yahweh came from Sinai and rose from Seir to them- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Most Rabbis are insistent that the Hebrew for "came from Sinai" effectively means "came down upon", referring to God's manifestation upon Sinai. The idea of John Thomas was that this verse refers to a 'march of the rainbowed Angel', the saved believers, from the judgment seat in Sinai, from whence they march to destroy various European nations in Israel. There are multiple problems with this view, not least that Moses here is recalling an incident in the past, when Yahweh "came" upon or from Sinai. Surely the theophany on Sinai is in view, perhaps the idea being that the Angels who 'came down' then continued to march with Israel through the wilderness. "Rose from Seir" uses the word for the rising of the sun; therefore He "shone forth" from Paran. It was as if the sun was arising on a new day; but Israel turned away from entering the Kingdom, even though it was made possible for them.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He shone forth from Mount Paran- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The significance of this is in that this was from where the 12 spies set out from in their faithless exploration of Canaan (<em><a href='B:40 13:3'>Num 13:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 13:26'>Num 13:26</a></em>). They failed to walk in step with the Spirit. There were ten thousands of Angels going with them in glory in order to give them the Kingdom, but they were faithless and turned back.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He came with ten thousands of holy ones. At His right hand was a fiery law for them-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Deborah alludes to this verse in saying that she has experienced the same in the victory over Sisera (<em><a href='B:70 5:4-5'>Jdg 5:4-5</a></em>). She feels as if she sees and feels "this Sinai" shaking, as if Deborah felt herself back there standing before Sinai witnessing the great theophany there, in that she has seen it before her eyes, as it were, in what God has now done in giving her victory against Sisera. This is the power of Biblical history. There is a living word which continues to speak to us; the historical victories of God are replicated, in essence, in our own experiences. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em><a href='B:50 33:2-3'>Deu 33:2-3</a></em> RVmg. bring out the solidarity between the Angels and Israel by describing them both as thousands of saints / holy ones. It would appear that all the people of Israel had a guardian Angel- this seems to be implied by <em><a href='B:20 7:4'>Exo 7:4</a></em> "(I will) bring forth Mine armies (of Angels), and My people the children of Israel", implying that there were two armies leaving Egypt- one of Angels, another of their charges. Thus we read in <em><a href='B:20 12:41'>Exo 12:41</a></em> "it came to pass that <em>all</em> the hosts of the LORD (a phrase often used about the Angels- but here concerning the Israelites too) went out from the land of Egypt". In the same way as the Angels were especially Israel's guardians in guiding them out of Egypt, it may be that the Angels minister in a guardian capacity to us especially in leading us out of the world to baptism (cp. the Red Sea). <em><a href='B:650 1:14'>Heb 1:14</a></em> offers tentative support in that the Angels are said to "minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation". At baptism we become heirs of salvation (<em><a href='B:520 4:13'>Rom 4:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 3:27-29'>Gal 3:27-29</a></em>)- those who "shall be heirs" are those as yet outside the promises of salvation. Confirmation of all this is provided by a careful reading of <em><a href='B:50 33:2-3'>Deu 33:2-3</a></em>. This describes God coming "unto them" (Israel) "with ten thousands of saints"- i.e. Angels- and giving them "a fiery Law". The next verse records: "Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in Thy Hand (Angelic language)... every one shall receive of Thy words". Here the saints appear to be the people, thus showing that God's love to Israel was shown by each of them having an Angel (thousands of saints for thousands of people), who individually taught them the word of God, albeit all at the same time. The Angels in the court of Heaven are watching us, almost with baited breath. We are made a theatre unto the Angels, as if they are in the audience as we act out our lives (<em><a href='B:530 4:9'>1Co 4:9</a></em> RVmg.).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yes, He loved the people- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "And he spared his people" could refer to God's sparing of the people after they declined to enter the Kingdom (see on :2), or the reference may be to how Moses spared the people through the love of his intercession and self sacrifice. This simple clause is one of the few which state so baldly the sublime truth- that God loves His people. But we could also read this as a parenthesis, added by the Divine inspiration of the editor of Deuteronomy, simply stating that Moses loved the people. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The word of his God was in Moses' heart, as he stood there before Israel, that people whom he loved, those for whom he wished to make atonement with his own life, even his eternal life. "Yes, he loved the people" is the Spirit's comment (<em><a href='B:50 33:3'>Deu 33:3</a></em> - the "he" in the context seems to be Moses). It could only be the Spirit which would write so concisely. "Yea, he loved the people... they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words". And then he pours out his heart to them, he reels off what we have as the book of Deuteronomy, written at the end point of the spiritual growth of Moses. But in reality that was the outpouring of his heart, pleading with Israel to be faithful to the covenant, encouraging them to be aware of their weakness,&nbsp; encouraging them to go forward and inherit the Kingdom. In those hours as he stood there saying those words, and then he sung that song to them of <em><a href='B:50 32:1-52'>Deu 32:1-52</a></em>, I think we see Moses at his finest. And then he blesses those assembled tribes, the <em>love</em> of that man for Israel flowing out, and then, no doubt with a lump in his throat, swallowing back the tears, he turned and walked away, up that mountain, higher and higher, with the blue mountains of Moab shimmering in the distance. Even before that, surely his voice had faltered, even broken down, when he spoke to them of the tragedy of their future apostasy, of how the gentle and sensitive woman among them would eat her own children. And how the days would come when they would awake in the morning and say ‘Would God it were evening’. As he foresaw in essence the horrors of the Nazi camps, and of so much else… he could only have said those words with tears and passion. For “he loved the people”. If ever there was an understatement…</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The pathos of the scene is wondrous. Yet in the sadness of it all, we see&nbsp; a type, more than a type, a superb image, of the death of Christ for us. It was for their sakes that Moses didn't enter the land, remember. That is the emphasis the Spirit gives. As he climbed, for it would have taken a while, perhaps he thought back to those years in Egypt, the struggle of his soul in those years. You may think I'm being over emotional, but it seems to me as he climbed he would have thought back to his dear mum to whom he owed his relationship with God, the mother he'd doubtless disowned for forty years, claiming that he was the son of Pharaoh's daughter; until at age 40 he was honest with himself, he told the world who his real mother was, he refused to be called any longer the son of Pharaoh's daughter. I mean, if we had say 24 hours to live, and we were told to go for a walk before we died, I guess we'd think back to our childhood for at least a moment, wouldn't we. And he was a man, just like any of us.&nbsp;</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>And perhaps he thought back to those weak years in Midian, to Zipporah, to the long lonely days with the animals. And then to the wonder of the Red Sea, to the nervousness of meeting the Angel, to the joy of that communion in another mountain. He knew that Angel well, they spoke face to face as men who are friends speak to each other (<em><a href='B:20 33:11'>Exo 33:11</a></em>). How fitting that at the top, he met that Angel again. The same love, the same open-faced friendship would have been there. The Angel showed him the Kingdom, opening his eyes to see to the very boundaries of the land. And then he buried him, laying him in the grave in hope of better days, when Christ would come and raise his people, when God's people would at last be obedient. What an end. Out of weakness, such weakness, he was made strong. His temperamental faith, with its flashes of devotion, turned into a solid rock, a real ongoing relationship with a loving Father. <em>Every one</em> of his human relationships had failed: with his brother and sister, with his wife, with his people. But finally that lonely man found his rest in Yahweh, Israel's God, he came to know Him as his friend and saviour. No wonder he is held up, by way of allusion throughout the New Testament, as our example.</p>&nbsp;<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>All His saints are in Your hand. They sat down at Your feet; each receives Your words-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "all his sanctified ones are under thy hands; and they are under thee; and he received of his words". This initially speaks of how Moses received God's words and shared them with Israel, who were placed in his hand. But it all looks forward to the Lord Jesus. The Lord told the Father that He had given the disciples His words, “and they have received them” (<em><a href='B:500 17:8'>Joh 17:8</a></em>). This is evident allusion to the editorial comment in <em><a href='B:50 33:3'>Deu 33:3</a></em> about how all Israel received God’s words through Moses. Likewise “I manifested Your name… they have kept Your word” (<em><a href='B:500 17:6'>Joh 17:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 17:26'>Joh 17:26</a></em>) = “I will proclaim the name of the Lord… they have observed thy word” (<em><a href='B:50 32:3'>Deu 32:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 33:9'>Deu 33:9</a></em>). One marvels at the way the Lord’s mind linked together so much Scripture in the artless, seamless way in which He did. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>It might help if we try to visualize the practical benefits of keeping the laws. "In keeping of them is great reward", David commented (<em><a href='B:230 19:11'>Psa 19:11</a></em>). Moses likewise: "The Lord commanded us to do all these statutes... <em>for our good always</em>" (<em><a href='B:50 6:24'>Deu 6:24</a></em>)- not for their irritation, or as a pointless test of obedience. Perhaps this is why the giving of the Law is described as an expression of God's <em>love</em> for Israel (<em><a href='B:50 33:2-4'>Deu 33:2-4</a></em>). It was the loving marriage contract between God and Israel. We must see the keeping of the law by the faithful Israelite as being done within a certain spiritual atmosphere. It would have been impossible to keep all those laws from a series of deliberate acts of the will. The truly obedient Israelite would have developed a way of life and thinking, a culture of kindness to others, which achieved obedience to them. This was surely how Jesus was able to perfectly fulfil the Law. "If a man do (the commands) he shall even live in them" (<em><a href='B:30 18:5'>Lev 18:5</a></em>) seems to refer to this atmosphere of obedience.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He was king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>God imputed righteousness to Israel at this time, seeing them as Jeshurun, the upright one, not perceiving iniquity in Israel (<em><a href='B:40 23:21'>Num 23:21</a></em>); because He so loved them. He fell in love with them in the desert. LXX "And he shall be prince with the beloved one, when the princes of the people are gathered together with the tribes of Israel". The thought in this case would be looking ahead to Messiah as the beloved one.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Let Reuben live, and not die, nor let his men be few-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Reuben was the firstborn but was demoted because of his sin. But he is mentioned here in first place. The request for him not to die, and to not have few descendants, may be a statement to the effect that Moses wished that the effect of all curses for disobedience would finally be removed. And that only will come true in the Kingdom of God when the Lord Jesus returns. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>At this point we would expect Simeon to be blessed, but he is apparently omitted. Although the Alexandrian LXX renders the last part of this verse as "Let Simeon be very numerous". At the census taken when they left Egypt, Simeon numbered 59,300, but only 22,000 at the census taken at the end of the wanderings. So Moses may therefore be wishing that Simeon would stop declining and grow. But we note that there are at least 24 lists of the 12 sons of Jacob / tribes of Israel. And they each slightly differ. The names are in different orders, and some are omitted- e.g. Levi is sometimes omitted, or the two sons of Joseph are sometimes listed, and sometimes not. Simeon and Levi were cursed because of how they had treated the Hivites (<em><a href='B:10 49:5-7'>Gen 49:5-7</a></em>). Levi had no allocation of land, and Simeon's small portion was carved out of that of Judah (<em><a href='B:60 19:1-9'>Jos 19:1-9</a></em>). Yet Levi were somehow justified because they had not allowed their cursed state to stop them serving Yahweh (<em><a href='B:50 33:8-11'>Deu 33:8-11</a></em>), whereas Simeon perhaps wallowed in his curse and didn't seek to rise above it. </p>&nbsp;<p style='margin-left:1em'><em></em></p>


text:
<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>This is for Judah. He said Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The implication was that Judah would be an intercessor with God who would be heard as Moses had been. And clearly the reference ultimately was to the Lord Jesus. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Bring him in to his people- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This could be read as a desire for the coming of this Messianic intercessor from the tribe of Judah.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>With his hands he contended for himself- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea is as in AV that his hands would be made strong, just as the hand of Joseph's were (<em><a href='B:10 49:24'>Gen 49:24</a></em> - another type of Christ). </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>You shall be a help against his adversaries- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The Messianic intercessor descendant of Judah was clearly to be strengthened for his task by Yahweh, just as happened with the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:230 80:17'>Psa 80:17</a></em>). </p>


text:
<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Levi he said- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Again we note that this is reported speech, written up under inspiration presumably by Joshua.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Your Thummim and your Urim are with your holy one whom You proved at Massah, with whom You strove at the waters of Meribah- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "whom they tempted in the temptation; they reviled him at the water of strife". It was this provocation which led Aaron to sin by striking the rock rather than speaking to it. Yet despite that sin, the Urim and Thummim remained on Aaron. They were the two stones on the breastplate which flashed out yes / no responses to prayers and questions. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Holy one" is 'consecrated one'. The Levites were consecrated in God's eyes by their zeal (motivated by the word) to rid Israel of apostacy; this is what constituted them Yahweh's "holy (sanctified) one" (<em><a href='B:50 33:8-9'>Deu 33:8-9</a></em>). The Lord alludes to this: "Sanctify them through (i.e. through obedience to) Your word" (<em><a href='B:500 17:17'>Joh 17:17</a></em>), as the Levites were sanctified (<em><a href='B:130 23:13'>1Ch 23:13</a></em> Heb.). Through His allusions to this, the Lord Jesus was telling the disciples not to be frightened to stand alone from the community they knew and respected.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>who said of his father and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him’. Neither did he acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own children; for they have observed Your word and keep Your covenant-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The loyal Levites were asked to kill their own brothers and neighbours in their tribal encampment area (<em><a href='B:20 32:27'>Exo 32:27</a></em>). The 3000 may have been the apostate amongst the tribe of Levi (<em><a href='B:20 32:28'>Exo 32:28</a></em>). So we are wrong to think that all the Levites were loyal to Moses and spurned the golden calf. Indeed it could be that those slain were the unfaithful amongst the tribe of Levi.<em></em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"The men which You gave me out of the (Jewish) world... they have kept Your word" (<em><a href='B:500 17:6'>Joh 17:6</a></em>) compares with the faithful Levites being "given" to Aaron / the priesthood out of Israel (<em><a href='B:40 3:9'>Num 3:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 8:19'>Num 8:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 18:6'>Num 18:6</a></em>); at the time of the golden calf they "observed Your word, and kept Your covenant" (<em><a href='B:50 33:9'>Deu 33:9</a></em>), as did the disciples. The relationship between Moses and the Levites was therefore that between Christ and the disciples- a sense of thankfulness that at least a minority were faithful. See on <em><a href='B:500 17:6'>Joh 17:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 17:17'>Joh 17:17</a></em>. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>These words are alluded to by the Lord Jesus in explaining why He felt closer to those who listened to His word than to His natural family (<em><a href='B:480 3:21'>Mar 3:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:480 3:31-35'>Mar 3:31-35</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 12:46-50'>Mat 12:46-50</a></em>). He read these same words that we do. To feel this closely to those who are, like us, God’s spiritual children, can seem an impossible challenge at times; especially in family-based societies where life is one endless social club.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They shall teach Jacob Your ordinances, and Israel Your law- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"They shall..." was a command more than a predictive prophecy. Much which appears to be prophecy, such as the passage about the rebuilding of the temple at the restoration in <em><a href='B:330 40:1-49'>Eze 40:1-49</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 41:1-26'>Eze 41:1-26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 42:1-20'>Eze 42:1-20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 43:1-27'>Eze 43:1-27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 44:1-31'>Eze 44:1-31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 45:1-25'>Eze 45:1-25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 46:1-24'>Eze 46:1-24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 47:1-23'>Eze 47:1-23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 48:1-35'>Eze 48:1-35</a></em>, is command more than prediction. For the priesthood failed to teach Israel as here envisioned. See on :11.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They shall put incense before You and whole burnt offering on Your altar- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "they shall place incense in the time of thy wrath continually upon thine altar". The idea, as in :7, is that just as Moses and Aaron had saved Israel by their intercession, so the future descendant of Judah and Levi would do so. And the ultimate fulfilment is in the Lord Jesus. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Revelation describes Angels rushing in response to human prayers, vials of judgment being poured out on earth as a result of the incense of prayer accumulating...this is the power of prayer. If prayer is like incense, we must give <em><a href='B:50 33:10'>Deu 33:10</a></em> RVmg. its full weight- that incense would come up "in your nostrils". This is how intimately we are invited to see our prayers being received by God; this is the power of prayer. The golden vials full of prayers of <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:5:8'>Rev 5:8</a></em> become the vials of judgments which are poured out on the land in <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:8:5'>Rev 8:5</a></em> - so close is the connection between the events that mould history, and the incense of prayer. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yahweh, bless his substance- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This request for material blessing was in the light of the fact they had no land inheritance, and lived on their share of the gifts given to Yahweh. So the fulfilment of this blessing was dependent upon Israel's obedience. See on :10.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Accept the work of his hands- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>That work was intercession for Israel; see on :10.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, so that they will not rise again- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The reference may be to the rising up against the established priesthood of <em><a href='B:40 16:1-50'>Num 16:1-50</a></em>. But the permanent, final crushing of those who rise up against Levi surely refers to the final latter day destruction of all opposition to the ultimate priest and intercessor, the Lord Jesus. The language is used about opposition to Him (<em><a href='B:230 69:24'>Psa 69:24</a></em>). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Yahweh shall dwell in safety by Him. He covers him all the day long-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The reference is clearly to the presence of Yahweh dwelling between the cherubim over the ark. The temple was to be built in Benjamin's territory in Jerusalem. But David, a man of Judah, often appropriates this language to himself. For the Psalms speak of him as being covered by the wings of the cherubim, as if he were located on the mercy seat or lid of the ark where the blood of atonement was scattered every year, covered by the wings of God's cherubic care. "The beloved of Yahweh" was Solomon, so there may be a hint here of the potential possible for Solomon. But he failed, and so the prophecy and potential came fully true in the Lord Jesus. I noted on :5 that the LXX there speaks of Messiah as the beloved of Yahweh, so this may be the reference here too. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He dwells between His shoulders- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This could mean that Yahweh dwelt between the shoulders of Benjamin, just as the breastplate of glory was between the shoulders of the high priest. It would be another indication that the special presence of God in the tabernacle and with the high priest was in essence and spirit possible for all God's people. This came to full term when the veil was torn down at the Lord's death, and Paul argues that all of us can like the high priest enter into the holiest with the Lord's blood of atonement.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Joseph he said, His land is blessed by Yahweh for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew, for the deep that couches beneath- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Ephraim and Manasseh demanded more land at the time of <em><a href='B:60 17:14'>Jos 17:14</a></em>, but their argument was weak because they had been given ample land, but they refused to drive out the Canaanites or clear the forests in it (<em><a href='B:60 17:15'>Jos 17:15</a></em>). They claimed they deserved it because they had been "blessed". By saying this they were twisting scriptures which speak of their blessing (<em><a href='B:10 48:20'>Gen 48:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:10 49:25-26'>Gen 49:25-26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 33:13-17'>Deu 33:13-17</a></em>), and therefore demanding more territory which was easier to live in. But the promised "blessing" didn't require they be given more land, and the other tribes were also "blessed". This is typical of how people take one verse here or there to justify their own secular claims. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The blessing of dew was withdrawn during the three and a half years of Elijah's ministry, as he pleaded with Israel to repent. And so it will happen in the latter day Elijah ministry. Only when Israel repent will these blessings be realized again. God "will not be unto the residue (remnant) of this people as in the former days... the heavens shall (now) give their dew;&nbsp; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things" (<em><a href='B:450 8:10-12'>Zec 8:10-12</a></em>). The dew will come upon the whole land, because only this righteous remnant of Israel will be left alive. We note that dew represents teaching in <em><a href='B:50 32:2'>Deu 32:2</a></em>, and the repentance of Israel and restoration of blessing will be due to their response to the teaching of the Elijah ministry.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, for the precious things of the growth of the moons- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>An allusion to the idea that on each new moon, a different type of fruit tree begins to ripen its fruit. This seems to me an example of where wrong scientific understandings are used without correction. But perhaps <em><a class='bible' href='#b66:22:2'>Rev 22:2</a></em> is the final fulfilment, when the forest of trees of life will bring forth fruits every month, i.e. at the monthly new moons. </p>


text:
<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>for the chief things of the ancient mountains, for the precious things of the everlasting hills- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "from the top of the ancient mountains, and from the top of the everlasting hills". The idea of abundant fruit (:14) on the very top of huge mountains is the language of the establishment of the Kingdom (<em><a href='B:230 72:16'>Psa 72:16</a></em>). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>for the precious things of the earth and its fullness, the good will of Him who was manifested in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "let the things pleasing to him that dwelt in the bush come on the head of Joseph". The will of the God who appeared to Moses in the burning bush was clearly the salvation of Israel. And that salvation would be associated with abundant fertility of the land in physical terms. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>On the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Just as Levi was separate from his brethren and commended for it (:9), so with Joseph. "Separated" is the word for Nazirite. He was literally 'Nazirited', consecrated, from among his brothers; this could be a reference to how he was the family priest, wearing the coat of many colours; and how he was clearly consecrated by God as well to be the family's saviour. Joseph's separation from his brethren, by their choice, was what separated him unto the things of God. And in so many lives, separation from the community of brethren, by their choice rather than pushing off in a huff from them, is what brings a person to special service toward God. And enables them to thereby save their brethren. Job would be a classic example, coming to full term in the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:650 7:26'>Heb 7:26</a></em>), who was separated from and by sinners that He might save sinners. See on :24.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>The firstborn of his herd, majesty is his. His horns are the horns of the wild ox; with them he shall push all the peoples to the ends of the land- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea may be that God would have potentially enabled Ephraim and Manasseh to do the bulk of the work in driving out the tribes. But half of Manasseh wanted to remain beyond Jordan, and there is no evidence they lived up to this potential at the time of the conquest. Just as so many are given the potential power to inherit the Kingdom, but refuse to use it. Moses ‘prophesied’ that Ephraim would “push the people (Gentile inhabitants of the land) together to the ends of the earth / land” (<em><a href='B:50 33:17'>Deu 33:17</a></em>). And yet <em><a href='B:350 7:8'>Hos 7:8</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:230 106:34-36'>Psa 106:34-36</a></em> criticize Ephraim for <em>failing</em> to push the people out of the land. Moses’ prophecies about the tribes sound like predictions; but they were actually commands which those tribes had the freewill to obey or not.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They are the ten thousands of Ephraim; they are the thousands of Manasseh-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>See on <em><a href='B:10 48:5'>Gen 48:5</a></em>. The way Jacob insisted on blessing Ephraim as the firstborn seems to show some kind of favouritism and a desire to see his grandson living out his own experience, i.e. the younger son who fought his way up and received the blessings as opposed to the rightful heir. Ephraim becomes a code-name for apostate Israel throughout the prophets. And yet God accepted Jacob's preferential blessing of Ephraim and repeated this in <em><a href='B:50 33:17'>Deu 33:17</a></em>.&nbsp;Jacob foresaw how Simeon and Levi would be especially responsible for 'houghing the ox' (<em><a href='B:10 49:6'>Gen 49:6</a></em> RV), or bullock (Concordant Version), i.e. Christ (<em><a href='B:50 33:17'>Deu 33:17</a></em> RV), the bullock of the sin offering (<em><a href='B:650 13:11-13'>Heb 13:11-13</a></em>). <em><a href='B:10 49:6'>Gen 49:6</a></em> can also be rendered, with evident Messianic reference, 'murdering the prince' (<em><a href='B:10 49:6'>Gen 49:6</a></em> Adam Clarke's Translation). </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea was that Zebulun would be blessed in her voyages by sea, in line with the blessing of <em><a href='B:10 49:13'>Gen 49:13</a></em> "Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon". But this didn't happen. Zebulun was to dwell along the sea coast (LXX), where ships unload (a "haven"), "beside the sea" (GNB), until Sidon. But this wasn't the case. The canton of Zebulun even in Ezekiel's prophecy of the restored Kingdom was to be nowhere near Sidon, and Zebulun never had a border unto Sidon. According to Josephus (Ant. 19:10,16), Zebulun was never even bounded by the sea, being cut off by Asher. So again we see a case of a potential Kingdom blessing which was never realized. And this must be the great tragedy for God, to see so much potential wasted in so many lives. What joy for Him when we at least seek to fulfil those potentials He has given us.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>And Issachar, in your tents- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Issachar was to have prosperous harvests so that they rejoiced in their homes ("tents", <em><a href='B:50 16:7'>Deu 16:7</a></em>). The contrast is with how Zebulun were intended to "go out" in trading and be blessed, and Issachar likewise in their more localized activities. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>They shall call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they shall draw out the abundance of the seas, the hidden treasures of the sand- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea is that they would invite the Gentiles to the mountain of God's inheritance, His Kingdom established in the land (<em><a href='B:20 15:17'>Exo 15:17</a></em>). And the grateful Gentiles would bring their offerings and gifts to the land in response. Hence LXX "for the wealth of the sea shall suckle thee, and so shall the marts of them that dwell by the sea-coast". This is all the language of the restored Kingdom of God in Israel (<em><a href='B:290 60:5-6'>Isa 60:5-6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 60:16'>Isa 60:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 66:11-12'>Isa 66:11-12</a></em>). The nations of the world were imagined as arriving at the sea ports in their territory. But instead, Israel retreated into mere religion rather than spirituality, and were not a light to the Gentile world as intended. Indeed instead of restoring the Kingdom as intended in those Isaiah passages, they instead became elitist and xenophobic towards Gentiles. And so the new Israel must learn from this.&nbsp;</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Gad he said, He who enlarges Gad is blessed- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>If Israel had been obedient, their borders could have been enlarged (<em><a href='B:50 12:2'>Deu 12:2</a></em>). It seems God would have done this especially for Gad, even for the sake of one faithful man. Yet there’s no evidence it ever happened; another potential set up which was left unfulfilled because of the chronic lack of vision and satisfied-with-what-I-have attitude of God’s people. Who knows the height and depth, length and breadth of what could have been for God’s people? And the same is true for us today. According to Israel’s perception of the land, so it was defined for them. </p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He dwells as a lioness and tears the arm, yes the crown of the head-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "as a lion he rested, having broken the arm and the ruler". The reference may specifically be to the destruction of the latter day invader of Israel, with Gad identified with the latter day lion of Judah, Messiah Jesus (<em><a href='B:10 49:9'>Gen 49:9</a></em>).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He provided the first part for himself, for there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "And he saw his first-fruits, that there the land of the princes gathered with the chiefs of the people was divided; the Lord wrought righteousness, and his judgment with Israel". The reference may be to how Gad was apparently the leader of the "heads of the people" of Gad, Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh who wanted to take their inheritance east of Jordan (<em><a href='B:40 32:2'>Num 32:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 32:6'>Num 32:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 32:25'>Num 32:25</a></em>). The idea therefore was that they were told by Moses to see the inheritance they were allowed east of Jordan as merely a firstfruit of greater inheritance. Just as we are invited to receive&nbsp; firstfruit of inheritance of the Kingdom through the gift and experience of the Holy Spirit. But as with so many today, the first fruit was treated as the full experience, with no spiritual ambition to inherit more. "He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel" would then be a very positive take on how the men of Gad apparently obeyed the agreement to go over Jordan and help their brethren inherit the Kingdom. </p>


text:
<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out of Bashan- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The reference may specifically be to the destruction of the latter day invader of Israel, with Dan identified with the latter day lion cub of Judah, Messiah Jesus (<em><a href='B:10 49:9'>Gen 49:9</a></em>). Bashan simply refers to the fact it was an area known for lions (<em><a href='B:260 4:8'>Son 4:8</a></em>). Or perhaps there will be some specific latter day fulfilment of this in the area of Bashan. There may have been a potential initial fulfilment in Samson who was from Dan.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Naphtali he said, Naphtali, satisfied with favour, full of the blessing of Yahweh, possess the west and the south- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Blessing is here associated with favour, or grace. The connection between blessing and forgiveness / salvation is widespread throughout Scripture: <em><a href='B:50 33:23'>Deu 33:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 5:12'>Psa 5:12</a></em> (blessing = grace) <em><a href='B:50 30:19'>Deu 30:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 3:8'>Psa 3:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 24:5'>Psa 24:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 28:9'>Psa 28:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 133:3'>Psa 133:3</a></em> (= salvation); <em><a href='B:20 12:32'>Exo 12:32</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 32:29'>Exo 32:29</a></em>; <em><a href='B:40 24:1'>Num 24:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:100 21:3'>2Sa 21:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 67:1'>Psa 67:1</a></em> (cp. context); <em><a href='B:490 6:28'>Luk 6:28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:26'>Act 3:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 4:7-8'>Rom 4:7-8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 10:16'>1Co 10:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 3:14'>Gal 3:14</a></em> (= forgiveness). So it seems Moses had in view the day when Naphtali would have spiritual blessings.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>"Drive out" is s.w. "possess". We must note the difference between the&nbsp; Canaanite peoples and their kings being "struck" and their land "taken" by Joshua-Jesus; and the people of Israel permanently taking possession. This is the difference between the Lord's victory on the cross, and our taking possession of the Kingdom. Even though that possession has been "given" to us. The word used for "possession" is literally 'an inheritance'. The allusion is to the people, like us, being the seed of Abraham. The Kingdom was and is our possession, our inheritance- if we walk in the steps of Abraham. But it is one thing to be the seed of Abraham, another to take possession of the inheritance; and Israel generally did not take possession of all the land (<em><a href='B:60 11:23'>Jos 11:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 13:1'>Jos 13:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 16:10'>Jos 16:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 18:3'>Jos 18:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:60 23:4'>Jos 23:4</a></em>). The language of inheritance / possession is applied to us in the New Testament (<em><a href='B:560 1:11'>Eph 1:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:14'>Eph 1:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 3:24'>Col 3:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 20:32'>Act 20:32</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 26:18'>Act 26:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 1:4'>1Pe 1:4</a></em> etc.). Israel were promised: "You shall possess it" (<em><a href='B:50 30:5'>Deu 30:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 33:23'>Deu 33:23</a></em>). This was more of a command than a prophecy, for sadly they were "given" the land but did not "possess" it. They were constantly encouraged in the wilderness that they were on the path to possessing the land (<em><a href='B:50 30:16'>Deu 30:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 30:18'>Deu 30:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:3'>Deu 31:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:13'>Deu 31:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 32:47'>Deu 32:47</a></em>), but when they got there they didn't possess it fully. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Of Asher he said, May Asher be blessed with children. Let him be acceptable to his brothers; let him dip his foot in oil- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>These blessings look ahead to a day when Joseph would no longer be separate from his brothers (:16) and Asher would no longer be despised by his brothers. One great joy of the Kingdom will be the ultimate reconciliation between brethren. The blessing of oil doesn't refer to the discovery of crude oil in Israel, but refers to agricultural blessing of olive oil as in <em><a href='B:220 29:6'>Job 29:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:10 49:20'>Gen 49:20</a></em>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Your bars shall be iron and brass- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "His sandal shall be iron and brass". The sandal or foot spoke of inheritance, so this may be a wish that Asher have iron and brass within their territorial inheritance (<em><a href='B:50 8:9'>Deu 8:9</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>As your days, so your strength will be- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea is as the Vulgate "let thine old age be as thy youth", wishing the blessing of Moses upon Asher. Again we see Moses set up as a realistic pattern to be followed, rather than to be as it were worshipped as an unapproachable icon, as Judaism effectively came to do. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>There is none like God, Jeshurun- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The appeal is to realize that their God is incomparable with any other god or idol.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Who rides on the heavens for your help, in His excellence on the skies-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Through it all we sense the great love of Yahweh, manifest in that Angel, for His servant. And this all typifies the tenderness of God for Jesus in his time of dying. As we think of the Angel lowering the body of Moses, with his arms around and underneath him, it seems no accident that the last words of Moses spoke of this very thing: "There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency in the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee... Israel then shall dwell in safety alone (language of the future Kingdom, <em><a href='B:330 39:26'>Eze 39:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 34:25'>Eze 34:25</a></em>):&nbsp; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by Yahweh... thine enemies shall be subdued unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places" , i.e. their idols (<em><a href='B:50 33:26-29'>Deu 33:26-29</a></em> AV). Surely these Moses' last words could not have been said without his voice cracking with emotion. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>The eternal God is your dwelling place- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "And the rule of God shall protect thee". This looks ahead to the Kingdom, when the rule of God will be openly upon earth.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrusts out the enemy from before you and said ‘Destroy!’- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "Perish!". And yet although the Canaanites were thrust out by God from before them, they refused to accept this potential power to inherit the Kingdom. Just as so many do today. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Israel shall dwell in safety alone- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "Israel shall dwell in confidence alone on the land of Jacob". They would not share the land with other tribes, they alone would be there, and the other tribes would become part of Israel.&nbsp; In <em><a href='B:230 4:8'>Psa 4:8</a></em> David spoke of how God alone "makes me dwell in safety alone". The very same Hebrew words occur in <em><a href='B:50 33:28'>Deu 33:28</a></em> – Israel will “dwell in safety alone” in the Kingdom. David felt that even in the midst of hardship, this time of Kingdom blessing had come for him internally, in the peace of his own mind. Likewise in our lives the essence of the Kingdom can come. We live the eternal life now.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>The fountain of Jacob in a land of grain and new wine. Yes, His heavens drop down dew-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Paul evidently disapproved of Jacob's attitude in falsely obtaining the physical blessing from Isaac (<em><a href='B:520 12:20'>Rom 12:20</a></em> surely alludes to it); but his evil deception of his father was used by God to grant him the physical blessing (<em><a href='B:10 27:28'>Gen 27:28</a></em> is confirmed by God in <em><a href='B:50 33:28'>Deu 33:28</a></em>), even though at the time he was dressed like a goat, connecting himself with fallen Adam and the rejected at the day of judgment; “Deceiving and being deceived” certainly rings bells with Jacob (<em><a href='B:620 3:13'>2Ti 3:13</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The passage in :26-29 speaks of God's dramatic intervention to permanently save Israel from their enemies in the last days, and associates this with the heavens dropping dew upon the land. Seeing this is a normal thing to happen, the implication must be that during the time of their enemies' domination the dew had not come. See on :13.&nbsp;</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>You are happy, Israel. Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh, the shield of your help, the sword of your excellence!- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "and his sword is thy boast". Israel would finally come to a point where they boasted not in their own strength (unlike today) but in Yahweh's saving work for them in giving them the Kingdom.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Your enemies shall submit themselves to you; you shall tread on their high places- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>LXX "Upon their neck". But "high places" would be a reference to the idolatrous “high places”, which the prophets lament were a spiritual snare to Israel. Moses’ final wish and knowledge was that ultimately, Israel would quit with idolatry and be Yahweh’s alone. Seeing that he had predicted their spiritual failures, Moses perhaps had his eye on the day when finally God’s people shall conquer all their temptations, even if only a minority of those with whom God works actually get there in the end, all the same, a minority will, and they will be God’s true Israel.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses’ books were helping the wilderness generation to see where they were coming from historically. Passages like <em><a href='B:10 12:6'>Gen 12:6</a></em> now take on special relevance: "The Canaanites were then in the land". Moses was saying this as his people were about to enter a Canaan likewise occupied by Canaanites. He was bidding the people see their connection with their father Abraham, who then lived with Canaanites also in the same land. <em><a href='B:10 15:1'>Gen 15:1</a></em> introduces us to Abraham as a man who had God as his "shield"; and <em><a href='B:50 33:29'>Deu 33:29</a></em> concludes the Pentateuch by saying that Israel as a nation should be happy because <em>they</em> have Yahweh as their "shield". </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, opposite from Jericho. Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead to Dan- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This presumably required supernatural vision, it was a vision of the Kingdom. This vision may not have just been literal, because in <em><a href='B:50 33:1-29'>Deu 33:1-29</a></em> the blessings of Moses imply his foresight also of their future experiences in that land, especially in the last days. It was from "Abarim" (<em><a href='B:50 32:49'>Deu 32:49</a></em>). Moses seeing the Kingdom but being unable to enter it, nor himself lead God's people into it, points forward to how the law of Moses gave a vision of the Kingdom, but was unable to bring us into it. That required the work of Joshua / Jesus. "Abarim" means 'the regions beyond'. Moses and his law gave an insight into the Kingdom, the region beyond him. For the culture of grace and kindness, centered around the sacrificed future Messiah, the Lord Jesus, was the outcome of the law. But it was unattainable by weak men.<em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>and all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah to the hinder sea- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>The idea is that he saw the western boundary, having seen the northern boundary in :1. The renowned Hebrew commentator Rashi claims "to the hinder sea" should be "unto the last day". As noted on :1, I suggest that the vision was not only geographical, but also of how things would be in the land over time, especially in the last days, as explained on <em><a href='B:50 33:1-29'>Deu 33:1-29</a></em>.<em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>and the South and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees to Zoar- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>If indeed (see on :1,2) Moses saw not only geographically but also over time, he would have seen the events around Jericho as the walls fell, and seen things like the casting of the temple items in <em><a href='B:110 7:46'>1Ki 7:46</a></em> - which was done in the plain of the valley of Jericho. The LXX puts this description in terms of the promises made to Abraham which will be alluded to in :4: "from the River of Egypt unto the Great River, the River Euphrates, and unto the Western Sea".</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Yahweh said to him, This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, saying ‘I will give it to your seed’. I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses' final experience was to view the land just as Abraham did, looking to all points of the compass and then receiving the promise that he would one day, not immediately, eternally inherit it (<em><a href='B:10 13:14-15'>Gen 13:14-15</a></em>). So Moses was comforted that he was indeed a seed of Abraham. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses died "by the mouth of the Lord (Heb.). "By the mouth of the Lord" can imply a kiss; as if the Angel kissed Moses, and this resulted in his death. Remember, the Angel was Moses <em>friend</em> (<em><a href='B:20 33:11'>Exo 33:11</a></em>). It was a reversal of how the Angel created Adam and breathed into his nose the Spirit; now the Angel kisses Moses and takes it away. And then he buried him, laying him in the grave in hope of better days, when Christ would come and raise his people, when God's people would at last be obedient. What an end. Moses seems to have foreseen this when he said that “We bring our years to an end with a sigh”, a final outbreathing (<em><a href='B:230 90:9'>Psa 90:9</a></em> RVmg.). And then the Angel built a sepulchre. Just picture that Angel perhaps digging, yes <em>digging</em> the grave, building the sepulchre of the rocks laying around in that cleft in the mountain. In the context of Moses leading Israel, we are told: "As a beast goeth down into the valley (tired at the end of a day, led there to drink by a loving owner), the Spirit (Angel) of the Lord caused him to rest" (<em><a href='B:290 63:14'>Isa 63:14</a></em>). Moses was buried by the Angel in a valley in the mountain (<em><a href='B:50 34:6'>Deu 34:6</a></em>). The Hebrew translated " rest" means both to physically lay down and to comfort. So we have the picture of the Angel comforting Moses with the hope of resurrection, kissing him goodnight as it were, and then laying him down in the grave. The softness of God at the death of Moses, the gentleness, prefigured above all the gentleness, in a sense, of the Father with His Son at the cross; and His gentleness with each of us in out time of dying. Let's remember this idea. For short of the second coming, we're all mortal. There's something wondrous about the death of Moses. It's as if God took Moses' funeral- and said in truth 'This is the best man I've yet known', as a man might say at the funeral of his best friend.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor, but no man knows of his tomb to this day-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>This was the very place where they camped after being rejected from entering the land (<em><a href='B:50 3:29'>Deu 3:29</a></em>). In his death, Moses was completely identified with his sinful people, as was the Lord Jesus. For those association with Him, sin itself is thereby no longer a barrier between God and man. <em><a href='B:290 63:14'>Isa 63:14</a></em> says that the Spirit (the Angel) caused Moses to rest as a man leads his animal to water in a valley. The way the Angel buried Moses is very touching. “According to the word of Yahweh” (:5) can bear the translation “By the kiss of Yahweh”, as if the Angel with whom Moses was used to speaking face to face, as a man speaks with his friend, kissed him and as it were reversed the kiss of life, took his breath / spirit away, and laid him down to rest there on the mountain, then carried the body down to the valley and buried him there, to rest until the resurrection. The softness, respect and gentleness of God with His beloved in their time of dying comes over very strongly here.</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>An alternative reconstruction of the death of Moses is possible. Rabbinical commentators claim that "he buried him" (<em><a href='B:50 34:6'>Deu 34:6</a></em>) is reflexive; it means that Moses buried himself. For confirmation of this, see S.R.Hirsch, <em>The Pentateuch</em>, Vol. 5 p:685 (New York: Judaica Press, 1971). It is the same Hebrew construction as in <em><a href='B:30 22:16'>Lev 22:16</a></em> and <em><a href='B:40 6:13'>Num 6:13</a></em>. In this case, the description of Christ as 'making his own grave' (<em><a href=B:290 53:9'>Isa 53:9</a></em>) could be read as an allusion to the death of Moses. Therefore the pattern of events was perhaps something like this: The Angel showed Moses the land;&nbsp;Moses, in the presence of the Angel, dug his own grave and lowered himself into it, as a conscious act of the will, in obedience to God's command (as the prototype of the Lord Jesus). The prophesy that Moses would <em>lie down</em> in death takes on a literal sense in this case (<em><a href='B:50 31:16'>Deu 31:16</a></em>). Then the Angel kissed him, and he died. The Angel then built up the sepulchre over his body. Personally I feel this was what happened, but I am cautious to strongly push&nbsp; ideas which rely on a fine point of Hebrew grammar.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his youth abated-</em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses was one of those old people who still had a ‘young’ attitude to life; not for him the cynicism which comes with old age; hence Deuteronomy is at times optimistic about people with what could be seen as an almost naive youthful optimism. One wonders whether he was therefore right to accept Jethro’s advice that he needed to arrange helpers lest he wear out (<em><a href='B:20 18:18'>Exo 18:18</a></em>), seeing that God had kept him so physically strong, and continued to do so. Strong defines those Hebrew words as meaning that his newness, his youth, had not been chased away (NEV "abated") by the years, as happens to most men. He had all the energy, intellectually and physically, of a 21 year old, yet with all the sadness and knowledge of God of his 120 years. All the times we read he "rose up early" to commune with God demonstrate his energy, his enthusiasm for the word of the God of Israel (<em><a href='B:20 8:20'>Exo 8:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 9:13'>Exo 9:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 24:4'>Exo 24:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 34:4'>Exo 34:4</a></em>).</p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Moses accepted Jethro's advice on the basis that he will "surely wear away" (<em><a href='B:20 18:18'>Exo 18:18</a></em>); even though his natural strength never abated (<em><a href='B:50 34:7'>Deu 34:7</a></em>), and God surely would not have asked him to do the impossible. Jethro at this time seems to have seen Yahweh as only one of many gods; he was a pagan priest. He prophesied that if Moses followed his advice, "all this people shall go to their place in peace" - which they didn't. <em><a href='B:40 10:31'>Num 10:31</a></em> suggests Moses saw Jethro's knowledge of the desert as better than the Angelic "eyes" of Yahweh (<em><a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 15:3'>Pro 15:3</a></em>) who were going ahead of the camp to find a resting place (<em><a href='B:40 10:33'>Num 10:33</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:20 33:14'>Exo 33:14</a></em> cp. <em><a href=B:290 63:9'>Isa 63:9</a></em>). It seems Moses recognized his error on the last day of his life, when he admits Yahweh, not Jethro's wisdom, had led them (<em><a href='B:50 1:33'>Deu 1:33</a></em>). Likewise Paul in his final communication comments on the way that Mark with whom he had once quarrelled was profitable to him (<em><a href='B:620 4:11'>2Ti 4:11</a></em>).</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'><em><a href='B:50 9:1'>Deu 9:1</a></em> records Moses' assumption that Israel would enter Canaan on the day that he died: "You are to pass over the Jordan this day". But they did not pass over that day because they mourned for Moses 30 days. It is possible that Moses felt so despised by them that he assumed there would be no period of mourning for him. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him, and the children of Israel listened to him and did as Yahweh commanded Moses- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>We must compare this with <em><a href='B:40 27:18'>Num 27:18</a></em>: "Yahweh said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him". Because Joshua had the Spirit, Moses was told to lay his hand on him. Yet <em><a href='B:50 34:9'>Deu 34:9</a></em> says that Moses laid his hand on him so that Joshua might receive the Spirit. Here we see the upward spiral of spirituality at work- those who are of the Spirit are made more spiritual. </p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>There has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Messiah was the prophet promised "like unto" Moses (<em><a href='B:50 18:15'>Deu 18:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 18:18'>Deu 18:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:22'>Act 3:22</a></em>). This may therefore be a note to the effect that the Messiah had not yet arisen at the time of writing. Gideon was bidden rise up to the example of Moses- for there were many similarities between his call by the Angel, and the Angelic calling which Moses received at the burning bush. Thus Gideon was called to follow the Angel in faith, "because Ehyeh is with you" (<em><a href='B:70 6:16'>Jdg 6:16</a></em>)- a direct quotation from the Angelic manifestation to Moses in <em><a href='B:20 3:12'>Exo 3:12</a></em>. And yet he responds: "Alas! For I have seen Yahweh's envoy face to face!" (<em><a href='B:70 6:22'>Jdg 6:22</a></em>). Gideon knew full well that Moses had seen the Angel "face to face" (<em><a href='B:50 34:10'>Deu 34:10</a></em>). Gideon's fear is therefore rooted in a sense that "No! I'm simply <em>not</em> Moses!". And it's the same with us. We can read of all these reasons to believe that Moses is really our pattern, and respond that "No! This ain't me...". But there, in the record of Gideon and his success, lies our challenge to rise up to the spirit of Moses.</p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>in all the signs and the wonders which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land- </em></p><p style='margin-left:1em'>Of all the miracles God has worked, those involved with the salvation of Israel from Egypt are repeatedly presented as the greatest ever done, and thereby Moses becomes the most spectacular Old Testament channel for the work of God's Spirit. And this reflects the personal wonder of the way God brought each of us out from the world onto the path to His Kingdom. For those raised Christian, this is so hard to perceive adequately enough.<em></em></p>


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<p style='margin-left:1em'><em>and in all the mighty hand and in all the great terror, which Moses worked in the sight of all Israel- </em></p>The idea is that the hand of Moses did these things, hence GNB "the great and terrifying things that Moses did in the sight of all Israel". But the "great terror" was done by the mighty hand of Yahweh (<em><a href='B:50 4:34'>Deu 4:34</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 26:8'>Deu 26:8</a></em>). The final accolade for Moses was that his hand was hand in hand with God's, he was a willing partner in the salvation of God's people. The same phrase "great terror" is used in <em><a href='B:300 32:20-21'>Jer 32:20-21</a></em>, but the point is made that this was an ongoing work "unto this day". This is the power of event in Biblical history. Those events are no mere past actions that are completed. God's word becomes a living word, as we perceive that the same hand which worked in those historical events is bringing about the essence of those events in our own lives.


