Deuteronomy: At Journey's Endਨਮੂਨਾ

Singing truth

Continuing our walk through Moses’ Song, it is by no means easy to be sure how the remaining verses divide into sections. But taking our cue from two references to vengeance (vv. 35, 41), we can see that verses 28–33 bemoan the blindness of Israel to the work and ways of the Lord; verses 34– 42 predict that the Lord will take up the case of his people; and verse 43 looks forward to universal jubilation. 

In verses 28–33 a true wisdom would ponder the message of experience, and when the forces of the world triumph over the church, wisdom would know the reason why such a thing could happen. The answer is certainly not that our God has ceased to be ‘the Rock’, or that the pathetic ‘rocks’ of the world have suddenly become greater than the real Rock. Moses leaves the question hanging in the air. Even opponents would concede that it should not be so (v. 31); and on moral grounds the forces of the world cannot succeed, can they (vv. 32–33)? Are these not questions which cross the centuries to demand an answer today? 

The only solution to an impotent church and a triumphalist world is that the God of vengeance should exert himself on our side (vv. 34–42). He has all the resources to do so (vv. 34–35), and Moses predicts that the Lord will take up the case of (‘judge’, v. 36) his people, out of pity for them, so, literally, noting our reduction to helplessness, and the dismal outcome of our false choices (vv. 37–38). How very marvellous! Where he has every right to condemn, he steps in to save – and he, and he alone, has the right and the power to do so (v. 39). He is on oath to do so (v. 40) and no action ever perpetrated against his people will go unobserved and unrequited (vv. 41–42). 

The final twist in the story comes in verse 43: in his day of vengeance somehow (in ways Moses does not here describe) there will be an atonement in which his people will be joined with a worldwide gathering. Behind to ‘make atonement’ (v. 43) lies the verb ‘to cover’, not in the sense of hiding something out of sight, but in the same way as a sufficient price ‘covers’ and so cancels a debt.

Reflection

This hymn beautifully expresses the heart of Scripture regarding the coinciding of vengeance and atonement at the cross: 

‘In my place condemned he stood; sealed my pardon with his blood.’

(P.P. Bliss, ‘Hallelujah! What a saviour!’)