The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is ALWAYS faithful to His Word and fights on the side of His Covenant Believers…
It’s amazing however when you consider how much He is taken for granted, a pattern that we find throughout the Old Testament and also in the church today.
The same warning that Moses gave in Deuteronomy 8, to Israel, also applies to the church today:
Deuteronomy 8:11-17
New King James Version
11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;
13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;
16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
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We can readily see how this same pattern has developed in many of the churches in America today – just as Paul said to the Galatians church – describing how they, after beginning in the Spirit (in faith), they were now trying to finish by means of the flesh (Gal 3:3).
As we look at the last chapter (Deut 32), we read how,
(32:10-11) In his song, Moses uses powerful imagery from the natural world to help us grasp aspects of God’s character.
The Israelites had no excuse for abandoning God. He had shielded them like a kindly shepherd.
He had guarded them like a person protects his own eyes.
He had been the encircling protector, like a mother eagle who protects her young.
The Lord alone had led them. And He alone leads us.
Let us remember to trust in Him.
(v. 15) Over time the Israelites grew soft and entitled (sound familiar?) .
They enjoyed all the blessings showered on them by God, yet they made light of Him (lost their fear and reverence for God and took Him for granted).
They did not take Him seriously. The same can happen to us when life goes well and we are surrounded by material wealth or experiencing success.
The seed planted in us by God can get choked out by other distractions (Matthew 13:7, 22).
Sometimes God will use hardships in life to toughen us up again and strengthen our faith.
If you are experiencing blessings in life, be sure to be thankful to God and watch that you don’t allow a blessing you receive from Him to be the very thing that turns you away from Him.
(vv. 46-47) Moses urged the people to think about God’s Word and teach it to their children.
The Bible can sit on your bookshelf and gather dust, or you can make it a vital part of your life by regularly setting aside time to study it.
When you discover the wisdom of God’s message, you will want to apply it to your life and pass it on to your family and others.
The Bible is not merely good reading—it’s real help for real life.
Deuteronomy 33
Now as we moved into Deuteronomy 33, let us note the difference in blessings that God gave to each tribe.
To one he gave the best land, to another strength, to another safety.
The combined tribes, working together, had the potential to become a strong nation.
Too often we see someone with a particular blessing and think that God must love that person more than others.
Think rather that God draws out in all people their unique talents.
All these gifts are needed to complete His plan.
Don’t be envious of the gifts others have.
Instead, look for the gifts God has given you, resolve to do the tasks He has uniquely qualified you to do, and rejoice that He is calling you to play a unique role in accomplishing His plan on earth; and we must always remember that God ALONE is our Source in all things!
In Moses’ song, he declares that God is our refuge, our only true security.
Yet how often do we find ourselves entrusting our lives to other things—perhaps money, a career, relationships, a noble cause, or a lifelong dream.
But our only true refuge is the eternal God, who always holds out His arms to catch us when the shaky supports that we trust collapse and we fall.
No storm can destroy us when we take refuge in Him.
Those without God, however, must forever be cautious.
One mistake may wipe them out.
Living for God in this world may look like risky business, but it is the godless who are on shaky ground.
When God is our refuge, we are on firm ground, so we can dare to be bold.
Peter in the New Testament admonishes us to,
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remembering that your family of believers, all over the world, are going through the same kind of suffering as you (1 Peter 5:8-9).
And then James tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
In Deuteronomy 33:25-27 (AMP), we read about God’s watchful eye and protection over His Covenant people, and how even in spite of their faithlessness, in the end, God always keeps His promise.
God says to Israel, “Your castles and strongholds shall have bars of iron and bronze, and as your day, so shall your strength, your rest and security, be. There is none like God, O Jeshurun [Israel], who rides through the heavens to your help and in His majestic glory through the skies. The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He drove out the enemy before you and thrust them out, saying, Destroy!
In the closing verses of chapter 33, we celebrate the greatness of God as He acts on behalf of His people.
The God of Israel is unique in the heavens to help.
Millions have been fortified by these words in verse 27:
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
God’s future destruction of Israel’s enemies and the promise of safety, peace, prosperity, and victory close the Song of Moses.
Selah (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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