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Day 64 – Thru the Bible
Today we wrap up Deuteronomy — Congrats on completing another book! We will also continue in Psalms.
Video – Torah: Deuteronomy
Here’s a reminder of all the ground we’ve covered in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 32 – The Song of Moses has a predominantly negative tone. It speaks of Israel’s sin against the backdrop of God’s goodness, and it speaks of God’s judgment of Israel by means of the nations. But at the heart of the Song is the compassion of God that leads to the vindication of His people, when He sees that they are helpless (see Psalm 135:14). Because He is the only true God, He will vindicate His people, bring cleansing, and fulfill the patriarchal promise—which will be not only for His people’s sake, but also for the sake of the nations (Romans 15:10).
This same compassion for the helpless motivated Jesus to instruct his disciples to pray earnestly for laborers to be sent into the harvest (Matthew 9:36–38).
How are we part of the answer to this prayer?
Deuteronomy 33 – Moses’ final words, recorded in the next to the last chapter of Deuteronomy, were not words of judgment but of blessing. Jacob’s final words, in the next to the last chapter of the book of Genesis, were also not words of judgment but of blessing. Thus the first book and the last book in the Pentateuch end with blessing.
How do these final blessings point us to Jesus and His very last action before His ascension? Hint: Luke 24:50–51.
All of these final blessings are a reflex of the very first thing God did after creating the human race: he blessed them (Genesis 1:28; 5:1–2).
This chapter reflects the heart of God revealed throughout the Bible from beginning to end: the God of the Scriptures is a God of blessing.
Deuteronomy 34 – Deuteronomy ends with a record of Moses’ death and his eulogy. Moses was eulogized as unique: “there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses” and there was “none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do . . . and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” There were truly none like Moses.
Until Jesus! “For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses . . .” (Hebrews 3:3). Whereas Moses was a servant, Jesus is a son (Hebrews 3:5–6). Jesus is the Son who was slain and who was raised, so that the grace of God might flow backward to Israel, qualifying them to enter the Promised Land, and might flow forward to the church, qualifying her to enter the eternal rest. Because Jesus was slain and raised, Moses together with the church throughout the ages will be raised, so that together we might enjoy the kingdom of God, to the glory of God (1 Cor. 15:20–26).
How does knowing that as a believer your are qualified to enjoy God’s rest give you peace for today and for tomorrow?
Psalm 64 – There are few places in Scripture where the destructive power of the tongue is more vividly described than here. Accusations conjured up in a sinister plot to ruin a righteous man’s reputation are deadly to the soul and directly attack the image of God (Romans 3:13; James 3:9). But the one who finds his refuge in God’s justice rather than in taking revenge will be comforted to know that God will someday judge in such a way as to vindicate His children before the whole world (Matthew 24:30). Reviled believers are invited to rejoice that they have the privilege of carrying on the line of the prophets, and of being so identified with Jesus that they suffer for His name (Matthew 5:11–12).
In the meantime, how do we exercise patience following in the footsteps of Jesus and not allowing our speech to fall to the level of our tormentors? Hint: James 5:7–12; 1 Peter 2:23.
What other thoughts or questions does today’s reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
Videos produced by www.TheGospelProject.com.
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