Overview
This great Song of Witness, commissioned by God for Moses to compose as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, was to serve as a testimony to Israel’s future unfaithful generations. They were to learn these words, and memorization comes more easily through singing.
The song beautifully expresses God’s greatness, faithfulness, justice, and righteousness (vv.3-4). It begins and ends on a note of praise to God. It prophetically predicts the entire history of the nation: birth, development, perversity, judgment, and restoration. Throughout, God is pictured as a “Rock” (vv.4, 15, 18, 30-31, cf.37, 39), the symbol of faithfulness, stability, and strength. It represents His eternal power and unchanging nature. The rock also symbolized salvation (cf. Ex.17:6; Ps.95:1), a sure defense, and a reliable refuge.
The song teaches that Israel is to fear the Lord and to serve only Him. But because they unwisely served other gods, (vv.6, 28-29) “they have corrupted themselves”, becoming perverse and crooked (v.5). Did they forget the goodness and graciousness of their Father who redeemed them from bondage and made them into a nation (v.6b)? Who preserved and protected them “as the apple of His eye: (referring to the most sensitive part of the eye, the pupil – vv.10-12)? Who allotted for them the Promised Land (vv.8-9) and brought them in, blessing and prospering them (vv.13-14)? In the Promised Land even the rocks brought forth honey and oil (v.13). Often in the Holy Land bees make their nests in the rocky crags, and olive trees may grow in rocky places where there seems to be no soil.
Moses shows Israel, or Jeshurun – “the upright: (v.15, possibly called this so that they might live up to their name, cf. Isa.44:2), that their God-given prosperity is the very thing that gives occasion to rebel against Him (vv.15-17). How ungrateful! They turned from the only God and worshipped “what is not God: but “foolish idols” (v.21). They could no longer be called His children (vv.5a, 21, cf.14:1). They were Lo-Ammi - “no my people” (Hos.1:9); they were disowned. They were not to imagine that all the calamities came upon them because God was powerless. On the contrary, it proved the idols they were worshipping were powerless (vv.37-39). Israel was to understand that God had hidden His face from them (v.20) and His wrath was justly deserved because of their rebellion and wickedness.
The song closes, however, on a note of hope for lost Israel. God’s redemptive plan promised a renewal of His mercy when the time of judgment was fulfilled. At this time Lo-Ammi would again be called God’s people (v.43; Hos.1:10; 2:1, 23); those faithful ones, including Gentiles (cf. Rom.9:24-26), will rejoice together, for God will “provide atonement” (v.43).
Moses closed the recital with an earnest appeal for Israel to learn this song and pass it on to successive generations that they might remember God’s covenant and fear Him, for their very life depended upon it (v.47).
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