Moses' Second Song

Table Talk for Palm/Passion Sunday – March 31, 2013 

Deuteronomy 32:36-39 

“There is none that can deliver out of my hand” Vs. 39

Moses sings a second song. The first song of Moses was inspired by the Lord delivering Israel from the hand of the Pharaoh by the people’s safe passage through the Red Sea and the subsequent destruction of the Egyptian army. Moses sang: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously…” (Ex. 15:1-3) Moses’ second song (Ex. 32:1-43) came as the people were about to enter the Promised Land. Moses sang and on the same day received word from the Lord about how he was to die. In his second song Moses anticipates the peoples’ further unfaithfulness to their Lord: “His people have been unfaithful to him; they have not acted like his children – this is their sin. They are a perverse and deceitful generation.” (Dt. 32:5)

Such is the context of our text today: Moses prophesies the peoples’ future unfaithfulness and the Lord’s response to it. This anticipates the end of Joshua’s life when he, too, stood before the people remembering and anticipating their unfaithfulness (Josh. 24:14-23) and demanded: “Choose this day whom you will worship!” When your ears are tuned to hear it, there is repetition throughout the history of the people: 1) unfaithful rebellion by the people; 2) chastisement by the wrath of God; 3) lament and repentance by the people; 4) deliverance by the hand of their Lord.

Our text today connects with two great promises delivered to you through the history of God’s people. One comes in verse 36:“when he sees that their power is gone…” These words anticipate the Lord’s answer to the Apostle Paul when he prayed for the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) The second promise comes from our Lord Jesus himself: “My Father, who has given [the sheep] to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (Jn. 10:29) You, the sheep, hear his voice and rest on your Lord’s faithfulness, not your own.

Table Talk: Discuss faithfulness and hearing the word in obedience
Pray: Father, by your word, deliver to me a new and clean heart; amen

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