Category: Deuteronomy

Reading

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SAA Notes

The parallel passages to read beside this short chapter are the Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount when Elijah and Moses came to talk with Him about His coming exodus, His death. Moses, by God’s grace, did have a more wonderful entry into the Promised Land than he could ever have dreamed of.

SJA Notes

We have today in this reading such a wonderful testament to Moses, prophet of the Lord!

And yet as we see throughout God’s word, there is a deeper pointer here to a greater prophet, our Lord Jesus.

Verses 10-12 say,

“And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”

This is a clear pointer to Jesus, the one who Moses (imperfectly, as with all and any of God’s people pointing people to Jesus) “typed”.

A prophet like no other. One who the Lord knew face to face. Signs. Wonders. Rescuing God’s people. Mighty power. Great deeds of terror/fear.

These are true of Moses, but they are immeasurably more true of Jesus.

He brought truth, spoke truth, He prophesied the truth.

He, one person of the three-person God, the Son, knew God intimately.

And we read again and again throughout the gospels of the signs and wonders He did, His mighty power, His great deeds.

His deeds brought about a fear of God, a reverent and holy fear (which is what happened too with the plagues, there were Egyptians who believed), as well as a fear generated in the leaders of Israel for the power they were seeing wash away in the power of the good news of the Christ.

Jesus rescued God’s people! What else to point to as a fearful and terrible deed as we see in the cross. God at His own expense saving His people, the sacrifice of a perfect lamb, one without fault or blemish, made curse and rejected by the Father, slain from before the foundation of the world – All to rescue us!

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Gracious Father God,

Thank You for Moses, that you spoke with face to face, who points us to Jesus.

Thank You that through Jesus we can speak with You face to face, because we meet with You, You dwell with us, Your Spirit in us as little tabernacles – Thank You Lord!

Father, Son and Spirit – We bring You thanks.

Amen.

Reading

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SAA Notes

Though Moses be the Judge of God’s people, the summation of his life and ministry is blessing. He is so like Jesus here. Think about the many and the few words for different tribes, about their faults and strengths. What do you pray for your family members and church?

SJA Notes

“The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

Moses is giving a last word to the people, first tribe by tribe, then together at the end.

That God is like no other – Remember!

That God is to be their dwelling place – Remember!

That God’s everlasting arms are their foundation, He lifts them up and carries them – Remember!.

Moses is right for us today too.

We can be exhorted here to remember our Lord, that His Spirit lives in us, little tabernacles / dwelling places, that He is the whole of our ability and strength, our walking along this road.

Praise God for who He is, a God like no other!

* Great God Above,

Please help us to remember You each day,

To remember who You are. That You are a God like no other, there is none like You.

We praise You Lord God, for Your everlasting arms are underneath us. You carry us, hold us, protect us Your people.

Amen.

Reading

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SAA Notes

Moses does not rebel against the Word of the Lord, though it might seem harsh and bitter. Moses has to die outside, just like all that rebellious generation who fought Moses for so long. Instead of complaints over unfairness, Moses teaches trust and obey.

SJA Notes

Moses’ time is coming to an end.

Here his song finishes, and it is a summary and reminder of all that has gone before, we read in verse 39 God saying,

“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me;”

A song that sang of Israel’s frailty and error, in verse 18 we read,

“You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.”

And once finished, Moses implores the people again to take all that the Lord had spoken to them through him, the word of life, in verse 47,

“For it is no empty word for you, but your very life,”

In his gospel John writes of these words, wonderful deep and powerful words that point us to Jesus, in verse 4 of chapter 1,

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

The word become flesh was life, the word of life!

Let us be encouraged to never forget that it was God who made us alive, through Him and Him alone we are born again. He has given us spiritual rebirth!

We can be convicted again each day of the necessity to believe that God’s word is life! That Jesus, through Him and by Him … Is life, and life to the full!

Jesus says it very clearly in John chapter 10 verse 10,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Amen to this, Hallelujah!

* Lord God,

Thank You that You give us life, life to the full!

Thank You for Your word that tells us and shows us this.

Thank You for Jesus, in whom we see the fullness of Your plans for us, of Your gift of life.

Lord please fix our eyes on Jesus.

Amen.