ESV Chronological Plan, Day 71 | Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 90

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Deuteronomy 31:30-34:12

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Today's readings finish off our time in the book of Deuteronomy, and in the first five books of the Bible -often called the Books of Moses, the Torah, the Law, or the Pentateuch- as a whole. To see the outline for Deuteronomy again, you can see the write-up for that in Day 62, here. For a free and modern, online commentary from a trustworthy and reputable resource, The Gospel Coalition Commentaries are once again a good resource--specifically this commentary written by J. Gary Millar.

(A) Who or what is Jeshurun? Several times in today's reading, a place or people named "Jeshurun" is referred to (Deuteronomy 32:15, 33:5, 33:26). This appears to be an alternate name for Israel, only used here and in Isaiah 44:2, where Israel is called "Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen."

(B) They sacrificed to demons that were no gods. Deuteronomy 32:17 predicts that Israel will abandon the "Rock," the firm foundation of a relationship with God, to chase after "demons that were no gods." With the possible exception of Leviticus 17:7, this is the first explicit reference to demons in the Bible. According to this, the gods of other religions are not just simply "fake" gods, but they are actually "false" gods--demonic influences that put themselves in the position of God in other people's lives. 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 echoes this as well, when Paul says "What do I imply then?... that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God." 

So according to Paul an idol is nothing, but the spiritual power that promises an alternate, earthly form of salvation through that idol is demonic. The statue set up in a pagan temple is nothing, but the system of rituals and beliefs that offers a different path to peace, or salvation, or blessing, is influenced and inhabited by demons. The promises of the world are nothing, but the call to abandon God for the things of the world is demonic. When we submit ourselves to the empty promises of "sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5), to the extent that we allow those things into our lives to become our idols, we are also inviting demonic spirits into our lives to assert their influence and control over our hearts and our homes. We are tempted continuously to invite the demonic into our lives and to neglect the things of God. The solution to this is to return to God, the Rock of our salvation, who seeks us out.

(C) The blessing of Moses and the coming of Jesus. These blessings of Deuteronomy 33 call back to Jacob's blessings over his sons in Genesis 49--where it was finally made clear that the Promised Deliverer would come through Judah. That promise was picked up again -by Balaam, of all people- in Numbers 24. Now, here, Moses calls back to Genesis 49 yet again, but the new development is that Judah doesn't get much attention. Gary Millar writes that "The blessing pronounced by Moses has only one parallel—that of Jacob himself, the father of the nation in Genesis 49. Moses’s benediction, however, does not follow birth order... The most striking feature, however, is the prominence of Levi and Joseph and the corresponding lack of attention paid to Judah." So it is true that the blessings of Moses call back to Genesis 49, but they emphasize the current reality on the ground at the time: the Promised Deliverer had not yet come, and Judah at this point was just another tribe of Israel--the leaders at that time came from the tribes of Levi (Moses) and Joseph (Joshua). And yet one of the few things said about Judah is the desire that God would "bring him in to his people" (Deuteronomy 33:7). Who is this referring to? The same person that was revealed in Genesis 49 and Numbers 24. Though the promise does not seem to be anywhere on the horizon, the Promised Deliverer is coming. And he will come to his people. He will return humanity to the peace of the garden. He will crush the head of the serpent. He will be born the seed of the woman. He will die in his effort, yet live on to rule over an eternal global kingdom. His name is Jesus. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is the Prophet Like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15, contrasted with 34:10-12). He is the true King and Savior of the people of God. And he is the point of the entire Old Testament.

RESPOND | WHAT IS OUR PART?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? In our worship, we can turn away from the false gods represented by the idols that draw our focus away from God. We can also cast our gaze upon God as he is revealed in the Promised Deliverer, who has now been revealed--upon "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). In our attitude, we can cultivate a heart of thankfulness. Like Eve in the garden of Eden, often we are drawn away from God by neglecting to remember God's many blessings, and instead focusing on what he has not given. In our actions, we can take our desires and hopes and dreams, and lay them at the feet of Jesus, committing ourselves to do as he modeled for us, saying "not my will, but yours be done."

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS LEAD US TO CONNECT WITH GOD?

Before you finish your time today, take these things to God in prayer. Ask him to reveal himself to you, to transform your heart, to show you truth, and to desire greater things.