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'Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause
thee to ride upon the high places of the earth' (Isa. 58:14 cf. Deut.
32:13).
'O Jacob, My Servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen' (Isa.
44:2 cf. Deut. 32:15).
'Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not
been mindful of the Rock of thy strength' (Isa. 17:10 cf. Deut.
32:15,18).
'The acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God',
'For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My
redeemed is come' (Isa. 61:2; 63:4 cf. Deut. 32:35,41,43).
A collection of all the citations from and allusions to this Song of
Moses would take us through a great deal of Scripture, and would provide a
most trustworthy commentary. We cannot do this in the present article. Some
readers, however, may be able to pursue the subject, and so check the
exposition that we give here. Taking a broad view of the Song, we see that
it shows the downward path that Israel trod, lightly esteeming the Lord their
Redeemer, abusing His gifts, being set aside by Him for a time, and then, in
the fulness of His mercy, being delivered when their power was gone and their
helpers proved to be vain. The whole is an exposition of the name Jehovah.
It illuminates the meaning of the name JHVH far more than all the critical
guesses that characterize the modernistic approach. Jehovah is a God of
truth and at the same time without iniquity; a God of truth in that He keeps
all His promises, a God Who is just and right, in that He does not pass over
sin as of no consequence yet a God of mercy 'when other helpers fail and
comforts flee'. The key to this Song is the recurring name 'Jehovah'. The
title comes eight times, a number that suggests resurrection, when Israel
shall indeed be a blessed people, and their land a delight.
The Song of Moses (Deut. 32)
Being a proclamation of the name Jehovah, the covenant -keeping God of
Israel, in His twofold character:
(1)
A God of truth; fulfilling His promises of blessing
A
1 -4. The name of the Lord proclaimed.
His work perfect. 'Work' = Heb. poal;
'perfect' = Heb. tamim (meaning 'complete').
B 5 -8. Do ye thus requite the Lord?
'Requite' = Heb. gamal (used of fruit -bearing).
Israel looked upon as unclean ('spot', 'corrupters').
Called a 'perverse and crooked generation'.
The number of Israel mentioned.
C
9.
The Lord the portion of His people, and
Jacob the lot of His inheritance.
D 10 -14.
The Lord alone led Israel
No strange God with Him.
Israel did eat of the increase of the fields.
Honey, oil, butter, milk, lambs, rams,
wheat and wine.
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Israel set aside
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(2) Without iniquity; not excusing His people's sins
D 15 -25.
The Lord abhorred Israel.
Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.