“Adopt the Right Perspective”

1. “Adopt the Right Perspective” November 26th & 27th

3. Outline of the Passages • God Is Worthy - Deut. 32:1-4 • Humanity Is Willful - Deut. 32:5-9 • God’s Ways Are Wonderful - Deut. 32:36-39,43

4. Moses’ end of life Song center all of life in knowing and living under the greatness and graciousness of God What do we center our life on? Moses would instruct us to center our lives under the gracious and loving rule of God.

5. God is Worthy Deuteronomy 32:1-4 1 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. 3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

6. God Is Worthy • Setting the scene: • Moses had grown old and the end of his life is near. Moses also knew that when Israel crossed the Jordan they would need some type of reminder of the covenant they had made with God at Sinai. • So, God told Moses to write down this song and teach it to the people.

8. The Plains of Moab Today

9. The Plains of Moab Today

10. The Land in this Region 25 Miles 50 Miles Away 80 Miles Away

11. Judean Hill Country Jesus’ Boyhood home - Nazareth

12. God knew the people would worship other gods and break the covenant in much the same way that God knew Adam and Eve would sin. • But, by remembering the song, they would repent and seek forgiveness. • The song would give them the right perspective while living in a new land. • This is also something we need to help us live before a holy and gracious God.

13. Moses’ song is one of the most beautiful and eloquent in the Old Testament. • It describes Israel’s coming rejection of God; • But it also describes a God who will continue forgive and redeem. • The Song’s main purpose is to teach two points: • God, the great Rock, is entirely right in His treatment of Israel; • Israel, in contrast to God, is a devious and crooked generation;

14. In the song Moses calls upon the heavens and earth to listen … to [his] words. • The song follows Hebrew poetry in repeating the basic meaning of one line in the following line. This is called Hebrew Parallelism. When Moses says “pay attention” to the heavens and “listen” to the earth, the words “Pay attention” and “listen” are parallel ideas?

15. Moses also uses Poetic Similesto draw attention to the poem’s thought. For example, Moses says “the teachingof the song falls like rain, and the words settle like dew”.Anytime the word “like” is used in the Bible, it signals a simile. • Moses desired to proclaim the name of Yahweh and to declare His greatness. • He is The Rock! • God’s works (or deeds) are perfect (or unblemished). His ways are justice. • He is a reliable and faithful God; He can be trusted.

16. What is God life? • We cannot fully comprehend our infinite God, but He has revealed His character to us through Scripture. Here are several characteristics or adjectives of God. • Faithful • Compassionate • Truthful • Reliable • Trustworthy • In you quiet time this week, try to think of others characteristics of God.

17. Humanity is Willful Deuteronomy 32:5-9 5 They have acted corruptly toward him; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation. 6 Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?

18. Humanity is Willful 7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance…

19. Humanity is Willful …when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.

20. Humanity Is Willful • Moses picks up on the second great theme of the poem: in contrast to God’s faithfulness, Israel has acted like a devious and crooked generation. • The song reminds God’s people that they have already acted corruptly toward Him by worshiping the golden calf, murmuring and complaining, and challenging the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

21. The song points out that future Israel would also worship false gods, break the covenant at Sinai and turn their backs on the Lord, just like their forefathers did. “Strong-Willed Child?” I am a “sin-will child!” Aren’t you too?

22. What false gods do we have? God knew the Israelites would turn to false gods. What false “gods” do you see worshiped in your community? How about in your own life? ___ Fame ___ Self ___ Nature ___ Leisure ___ Family ___ Church ___ Power ___ Sex ___ Popularity ___ Money ___ Something Else? ________________

23. The Hebrew word translated warpedis difficult to translate. It’s kind of like people have a “default setting” that will automatically lead to sin. Israel and all people have a pre-disposition to reject God as Father and act as His disobedient children.

24. In the song Moses urged Israel to remember the days of old. He encouraged them to ask their fathers and elders to recount the history of their patriarchs and ancestors. But this was not just for nostalgia’s sake; Moses wanted them to understand how God had acted in the past and that God would continue to act with grace and mercy on behalf of His people in the future.

25. Moses uses the words “Most High”(Elyon) to describe God. For the Old Testament that usually designates Yahweh. • Out of all the peoples of this earth, this “Most High God” wanted Israel to be His own special people to belong to Him! Israel’s betrayal and corruption stands in stark contrast to this special designation of God. Can you believe it?

26. God’s Ways Are Wonderful Deuteronomy 32:36-39, 4336 The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. 37 He will say: "Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in, 38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings?

27. Let them rise up to help you! Let them give you shelter! 39 "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand… 43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.

28. God’s Ways Are Wonderful • The main purpose here is to establish God’s grace: despite Israel’s rebellion, God still loved His people. The Lord did not want to break the covenant with them and, would instead forgive them and restore them as His people. “God’s Ways Are VERY Wonderful.”

29. The Lord will judge Israel. But the Lord decided not to bring upon Israel the full force of their just punishment. Instead, He shows them compassion. • But God’s mercy would come only when Israel’s strength to rebel was gone. Israel’s own strength had to be used up before they would recognize their need of God’s power.

30. False gods were unable to rise up and help; they were useless in a crisis. These bogus imitations could offer no help or hope in life. • There is No God like our God. He alone is God. There is no God but Yahweh!

31. God’s hand held the power of death and life;towound and heal. No other god could exercise this kind of power. Yahweh alone is sovereign. • The final verse of the song boldly proclaims that the Lord will make atonement for both His landandHis peopleand we know that fulfillment will come in Christ Jesus.

32. 311 A.D. Copy of Deuteronomy 32

33. How to respond to God’s love? • God’s mercy and grace shine through in the final section of Moses’ song. Although the Israelites would rebel, God promised to forgive them. This same forgiveness is available to you! What commitment will you make in response to God’s love?

34. Because of God’s love…. ___ I will love Him in return. ___ I will live with a spirit of gratitude. ___ I will worship Him. ___ I will serve Him in all that I do. ___ I will obey His commands. ___ I can’t help but tell others!