Seder 161: Deuteronomy 32---A Pedagogical Song

 One of Moses' final actions was to teach the Israelites a special song.  Learning this song and heeding its message would be vital to their future (Dt 32:44-47).  

The song is recorded in Deuteronomy 32:1-43.  Its words are directed to the entire cosmos (verse 1).  Scholars have classified it as a "covenant lawsuit."  One of its purposes was to be a witness against the Israelites (Dt 31:19).  

It also has a pedagogical purpose. "May my teaching drop as the rain," Moses begins in verse 2.  One leading lesson of the song is that God is the Rock---strong, reliable, providing protection (vv 3-4).  

Human beings, on the other hand, are fickle.  Although the Israelites have and will receive many blessings, they have a tendency to forget the source of their blessings (vv 5-18).  

Chief among those blessings is the special place that Israel has among the nations.  When God set up the nations and directed them to spread out over the earth (Gen 10-11), he set members of his divine council over the other nations but decided to supervise Israel directly (vv 8-9).  

There is a textual question surrounding verse 8.  The NASB, reflecting the MT, translates it: "When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of mankind, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel."

On the other hand, the ESV has "according to the number of the sons of God" instead of "according to the number of the sons of Israel," reflecting the LXX, DSS, and other witnesses.  The NLT clarifies with "according to the number in his heavenly court."  

What could "according to the number of the sons of Israel" mean in this context?  One tradition says that the number in view here is twelve.  In Gen 10:15-19, where the names of the Canaanite peoples are given (12 names in all if we count Canaan), boundaries of their territory are delineated carefully.  But the Canaanites, this tradition says, are just occupying this territory temporarily until it is time for the Israelites to take over.  It's to that fact, presumably, that the final phrase in Deuteronomy 32:8 refers.  

Another view says that the relevant number is 70, the number listed in Genesis 46 and the traditional number of the nations. In this reading, it's Israel mission to the nations that is referenced at the end of Deuteronomy 32:8.  

One problem with the "sons of Israel" version of verse 8, though, is that at Babel there weren't any Israelites yet.  The "heavenly court" version makes more sense in context, in addition to being well-attested textually.  

There are hints elsewhere in the Bible that back up the "heavenly court" version.  At Babel in Gen 11, God was working in consultation with the heavenly court.  We see this in Ge 11:7 when he tells then, "Come, let us go down and there confuse their language ...."  We also see it in Deut 29:26, with its warning about Israel's likelihood of worshiping "gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them."  The elohim referred to here are presumably members of the heavenly court that had been placed over other nations.

There are further hints that God had placed heavenly beings over the nations in Psalm 82, where those beings are reprimanded; and in Dan 10:13, with its reference to a heavenly "prince of the kingdom of Persia."

The arrangement described in verses 8-9, with God supervising Israel more directly and delegating the supervision of other nations to subordinates, has been called the "Deuteronomy 32 worldview" by Michael Heiser.  This view is prominent in both Jewish and Christian traditions.  Gerald McDermott demonstrates its prevalence in patristic thought in his book God's Rivals. 

The song goes on to relate that if Israel abandons God, he will allow them to suffer the covenant curses and go into exile.  However, to protect his reputation and not give other nations the wrong impression, he ultimately will bring about Israel's restoration.  In the end, all nations will worship him together. 

 Here is the song's conclusion in the LES:  " Delight, O heavens, with him and worship him, you sons of God. Delight, O nations, with his people and prevail with him, all you angels of God. For he will avenge the blood of his sons, and he will avenge and he will repay the enemies with vengeance, and he will repay those who hate, and the Lord will cleanse out the land of his people."

Paul quotes verse 43 in Rom 15:10 in discussing God's plan for all nations.  Deuteronomy 32 seems to have been a great help to Paul in understanding that plan.  He grieved the fact that a number of his fellow Jews were not receptive to the Gospel, but he was confident that God would ultimately bring many to faith in the Messiah, based on Deuteronomy 32.  In Romans 11:11, he declared, "So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall?  By no means!  Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous."  Here he alluded to Deuteronomy 32:21,  

Seder 160: Deuteronomy 31:14-30---Commissioning Joshua; Preparing a Song

 At the end of his life Moses has a few last things to accomplish.  God has him appear with Joshua at the tent of meeting for Joshua's commissioning (v 14).  God encourages Joshua:  "Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them.  I will be with you" (v 23).  

On the other hand, God has discouraging words for Moses.  The Israelites, he says, will eventually fall into apostasy.  To head this off, Moses is to present a special song to the people that will act as a witness against them.  (Commentator Daniel Block refers to this song as Israel's national anthem.)

There is some tension between the encouraging words to Joshua and the disouraging words to Moses.  There is a tradition that God gave the discouraging words to Moses privately, since letting Joshua hear them might have been counterproductive.  

As a whole, Deuteronomy lays out what Block calls "the gospel according to Moses."  Deuteronomy also belongs to a genre that has been called a "death narrative." a presentation of Moses' last words before his death.  Can there be good news in a death narrative?  Rob Wilson explored this question in a sermon at Church of the Messiah on September 9. 2023.   

Seder 159: Deuteronomy 30-31---Moses' Final Tasks

 In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Moses reaches the climax of his final sermon.  He lays out again the two paths the Israelites can take in the future, with the consequences of each.  

Moses emphasizes that the task set before them is something that they are capable of accomplishing---walking in loyalty to God.  (Note that they are not required to be sinless.)  Far from being an impossible burden, the instruction he has given them is something they can comprehend.  It is not something esoteric.  They won't need to climb a mountain in Tibet seeking enlightenment (or seek out the "Wise Ass on the Hill" like the pig in the Pearls Before Swine comic strip).  

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30 to make a similar point about salvation by faith in Jesus the Messiah (Rom 10:6-13).  Although Jesus is not with us physically, he is present with us and will aid us in following him.  

Having reached the end of his life, Moses wants to be sure the Israelites are fully prepared to cross the Jordan and take the Promised Land.  He encourages Joshua, his successor, and the people to go forward in faith and courage  (Dt 31:1-8).  

Moses writes down the instruction he has given in his final sermons, and he specifies that it be read to the people every seven years at the Feast of Tabernacles (vv 9=13).  This will be yet another opportunity for covenant renewal, so that each generation can feel connected to God and keep Israel's mission in mind.  

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on September 2, 2023, Kyle Kettering began in Psalm 148, which calls on all the universe to praise God because 

• he is our Creator;
• he establishes a pattern for everything;
• he is our King;
• he has provided protection/salvation to his people, who are near to him.

This last point ties in with Deuteronomy 30 and Romans 10, which also emphasize that God is near to his people.  

Seder 143/144: Deuteronomy 12---Worship Central and Local

 In Deuteronomy 12-26, Moses urges the children of Israel to seek righteousness (16:20) in all areas of life.  His instruction shows how the Israelites can carry out the principles of the Decalogue in their time and context.  Roughly speaking, he addresses the points of the Decalogue in order.  

Daniel Block sees Daniel 12 as organized into two sections:

• 12:2-14--an invitation to joy and satisfaction in God's presence.
• 12:15-27--an invitation to joy and satisfaction at home.

The first section begins with a charge to destroy all traces of Canaanite religion, which was pervasive in the land.  Pillars representing Baal and poles representing Asherah were to be destroyed.  Names of towns were to be changed if they had been named after deities.  And pagan worship practices like cult prostitution and child sacrifice were not to be emulated by the Israelites.  

Instead, Israelites were to worship at an as-yet-unidentified place that would be 

• chosen by God.
• located within the tribal allotments of land.
• stamped with God's name. 
• a destination of pilgrimages.

This would be a place for many activities, including

1. seeing the face of God.
2. public reading of Scripture--31:11.
3. learning to fear God.
4. celebrating before God.
5. eating meals hosted by God.
6. presenting sacrifices.
7. keeping the festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
8. settling legal disputes--17:8-13.
9. service of the Levites
10. presenting firstfruits and thanking God--26:1-11.
11. giving charity to the needy.
12. demonstrating community solidarity by including everyone.

God would choose the place once the nation is established in the land (vv 10-11).  The fact that Moses issues a double invitation in verses 5-12 is indicative of God's great desire to fellowship with his people.

Block notes that our English translations tend to use language connoting a law or command in these verses.  But Deuteronomy 12 actually gives an invitation to exciting opportunities to celebrate in God's presence, worshiping as he authorizes.  

We know that the place ultimately chosen for Israel's worship was Jerusalem (2 Sam 7).  

The central sanctuary was intended to unite Israel as God's people, rehearsing their history and God's mighty deeds on their behalf.  From this place God's rule and blessing would extend throughout the land and, ultimately, throughout the earth.  The central sanctuary would also highlight the king's role as patron of national worship.

The establishment of this central worship location did not preclude worship at other locations.  After all, Levites would live throughout the land and were to fulfill a pastoral role. Any consumption of meat was an occasion to thank God, in a broad sense a form of sacrifice.  There was local worship as well as national worship.  

Moses in Deuteronomy 16:21  seems to be assuming that other altars would be built.  The altar at Mt Ebal in Deuteronomy 27:5-7 is one example of a legitimate altar not connected with the tabernacle.  A number of others are mentioned:

• Judges 6:24-27--Gideon was told to pull down an altar of Ba'al and build one to Yahweh at Ophrah.
• 1 Sam 7:17---Samuel built an altar at Ramah.
• 1 Sam 16:5--Samuel celebrated a religious festival at Bethlehem.
• 2 Sam 24:18-25---David built an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah.
• 1 Kings 18:30---Elijah rebuilt "the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down."

There are also, of course, references to illegitimate altars in the historical books, like the ones Jeroboam had built at Bethel and Dan (I Kings 12-13), and the ones used to Ahaz (2 Kings 16:4) and Manasseh.

Another thing that would not occur exclusively at the central sanctuary was consumption of meat--Dt 12:15, 20-21.  Block notes that the word for "slaughter" in Dt 12:15 is zabach, a word that usually means "to sacrifice."  (Some exceptions are 1 Sam 28:24-25; 2 Chron 18:1-2; Ezek 34:2-3.)  In some sense, Block says, any meal at which meat was consumed was a sacred event, a sacrificial moment.  The modern division of life into sacred and secular components is artificial.  

Moses gave lots of leeway to the Israelites in the matter of eating meat at home.  The major restrictrion was the familiar command to not eat blood (Dt 12:23-25; Lev 17:10-15).  This is a universal taboo (Gen 9:3-4), upheld in the New Testament (Acts 15:19-20).