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Israel are looked upon in this second section as unclean: "A perverse and crooked
generation hath corrupted itself: to be no sons of His is their blemish" (Deut. 32: 5,
Companion Bible). (The Septuagint reads: "spotted children").
In the corresponding member, we read: "The LORD shut up His people." This word
("shut up") is used in connection with the cleansing of the leper (see Lev. 13: 4, 5, 11,
etc.). The LXX uses the word, translated "to give up" in Rom. 1: 24. And the words of
the apostle in Rom. 11: 32 (margin) refer directly to this clause in the Song:--
"For God hath shut them all up together in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all."
Israel are called a "perverse and crooked generation" in Deut. 32: 5-8, and likened
to Sodom and Gomorrah in verses 29-33. In their blessing, the bounds of the nations are
set in deference to Israel: "According to the number of the children of Israel." And in
their dispersion, the reference to numbers appears again:--
"How is it possible that one of the nations should chase a thousand of Israel, and two
put ten thousand to flight, except it be that their Rock had sold them?" (Deut. 32: 30).
Neither Pharaoh nor Nebuchadnezzar with all their hosts could have made bondmen
of Israel, unless the Lord had "sold them" and "shut them up".
The members C | 9 and C | 34-43 speak for themselves. Israel and their land
are the Lord's. However much the nations may be permitted to punish that people and
desolate that land, they have at the last to reckon with the Lord; and Israel and their land
shall eventually find mercy.
Member D | 10-14 and D | 15-25 have their own story to tell. The first term
of the covenant deals with idolatry; and this term was sadly broken by Israel again and
again. Prosperity found them out. They waxed fat, but did not gratefully recognize the
Lord Who "led" them and Who "fed" them (two words which speak of the Lord as their
Shepherd).
D | 15-25, the first member of the second half of the structure, is the first to deal
with Israel's punishment. The LORD abhorred them; the LORD shut up His people, and
sold them into captivity.
The last verses (34-43) takes us into the Day of the Lord; and are parallel with the
Book of the Revelation.
The Song that we have been considering in this article, with its emphasis upon His
perfect work, and His faithfulness and righteousness, is yet to be sung once more:--
"And they sing the Song of Moses, the servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb,
saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy
ways, Thou King of saints" (Rev. 15: 3).