Deu 32:13-14 | KingComments | STEP | The attitude of the people is one of the greatest folly. In this attitude God cannot acknowledge them as His sons (cf. ). A good son is just like his father, but in this people God does not recognize anything of Himself. He calls His people “a perverse and crooked generation” ( ). Paul uses these same words when he speaks of the world ( ). This indicates that God’s people have become equal to the world. The same we see in Christianity. Being conformed to this world is the major evil we suffer. This is reflected in the way we talk and interact with each other and the things we strive for. If we behave in this way, God cannot recognize us as His children ( ). God’s indictment of His people is presented as a question. This must appeal to their conscience and lead them to think about it. For that purpose, God more often asks questions to man ( ) or to His people ( ). speaks of God as Father. This happens only a few times in the Old Testament ( ; ). It is always about the relationship with His people as a whole, of which He is presented as the Creator, the origin. He formed that people. From the foundation of the world He has been dealing with that people. That is a big difference with God as Father in the New Testament for the believers of the church. There it is emphatically about the personal relationship of the believer to God. We may address Him as ‘Abba, Father’. This is unthinkable for the individual Israelite. This has only become possible after the death, resurrection and return of the Lord Jesus to heaven, after which the Spirit of sonship has come to earth ( ; ; ). The people are called to think back to the past, to what God did for His people. They just have to ask their father and their elders. They will be able to testify of God’s mighty deeds in Egypt and His care for them in the wilderness. They are already in God’s thoughts when He, through the confusion of tongues at Babylon, expels the peoples to their own territory. He has set the limits of each people ( ) and has done so as Moses says here “according to the number of the sons of Israel” ( ). There is no question of that people at the time of the confusion of language, but it already exists in God’s counsel. And what exists in God’s counsel is as true to God as if the people already exist in reality. In His wonderful election and grace the LORD has chosen this people for His own inheritance ( ). To Him belongs “the world …, and all it contains” ( ), but Israel is His property in a special way. That people are His “garden locked” ( ) to which He has given His love in a special way and from which He may expect a special love. This election originates exclusively from Himself. There is nothing in that people that has given Him an additional incentive to do so ( ). And He knows what He has begun. God in Christ has this special bond in this time with the church. He has chosen the members of the church with an election that is from “before the foundation of the world” ( ). He saved them “from the domain of darkness, and transferred” them “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” ( ). To fulfill His purpose, His election, the LORD has delivered them from Egypt. Then He took care of them in the wilderness. He taught them how to behave in all kinds of circumstances ( ). For this He has given them His good statutes. They are to Him as the most sore and sensitive “pupil of the eye” ( ; ; ), whom He will protect from every painful touch. Every time they threaten to stumble, He is with them to catch them like an eagle protects his young when they learn to fly ( ; cf. ). God is not dependent on the help of anyone else for this protection and preservation. He has all the possibilities in Himself to express His love and care for His people. Thus He has acted completely independent and in His own power. This is also an argument to keep Israel from resorting to other gods. Then Moses places himself in the spirit behind the entering into the land and looks back on God’s actions. He recounts how the LORD has made the people to ride at their heights, that is to say has made them to overcome mighty enemies. Furthermore, they enjoy an abundance of blessings. Their part is the very best that soil, cattle and land can produce. The richest fruit, honey and oil, comes as proof of God’s working of the most barren soil that is impossible for man to cultivate. The cattle are healthy and produce the best milk, from which the purest curds can be made. The cattle also provide the best meat. The wheat is of the finest and most nutritious kind, every year the wine is of the best quality. It is all evidence of God’s goodness that is given to them by grace. What is their answer? The same applies to the church, which may also enjoy abundantly the spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The most glorious blessings are for them. Their blessings exceed those of all the other generations. What is their answer?

‏ Deuteronomy 32:13-14

God’s Care for His People

The attitude of the people is one of the greatest folly. In this attitude God cannot acknowledge them as His sons (cf. Deu 14:1). A good son is just like his father, but in this people God does not recognize anything of Himself. He calls His people “a perverse and crooked generation” (Deu 32:5). Paul uses these same words when he speaks of the world (Phil 2:15). This indicates that God’s people have become equal to the world.

The same we see in Christianity. Being conformed to this world is the major evil we suffer. This is reflected in the way we talk and interact with each other and the things we strive for. If we behave in this way, God cannot recognize us as His children (2Cor 6:17-18).

God’s indictment of His people is presented as a question. This must appeal to their conscience and lead them to think about it. For that purpose, God more often asks questions to man (Gen 3:9 ; Gen 4:9) or to His people (Mic 6:3-4).

Deu 32:6 speaks of God as Father. This happens only a few times in the Old Testament (Isa 63:16 ; Isa 64:8; Mal 2:10). It is always about the relationship with His people as a whole, of which He is presented as the Creator, the origin. He formed that people. From the foundation of the world He has been dealing with that people.

That is a big difference with God as Father in the New Testament for the believers of the church. There it is emphatically about the personal relationship of the believer to God. We may address Him as ‘Abba, Father’. This is unthinkable for the individual Israelite. This has only become possible after the death, resurrection and return of the Lord Jesus to heaven, after which the Spirit of sonship has come to earth (Jn 20:17; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5).

The people are called to think back to the past, to what God did for His people. They just have to ask their father and their elders. They will be able to testify of God’s mighty deeds in Egypt and His care for them in the wilderness.

They are already in God’s thoughts when He, through the confusion of tongues at Babylon, expels the peoples to their own territory. He has set the limits of each people (Acts 17:26) and has done so as Moses says here “according to the number of the sons of Israel” (Deu 32:8). There is no question of that people at the time of the confusion of language, but it already exists in God’s counsel. And what exists in God’s counsel is as true to God as if the people already exist in reality.

In His wonderful election and grace the LORD has chosen this people for His own inheritance (Psa 33:12). To Him belongs “the world …, and all it contains” (Psa 50:12b), but Israel is His property in a special way. That people are His “garden locked” (Song 4:12) to which He has given His love in a special way and from which He may expect a special love. This election originates exclusively from Himself. There is nothing in that people that has given Him an additional incentive to do so (Deu 7:7). And He knows what He has begun.

God in Christ has this special bond in this time with the church. He has chosen the members of the church with an election that is from “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4 ; Eph 3:9). He saved them “from the domain of darkness, and transferred” them “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

To fulfill His purpose, His election, the LORD has delivered them from Egypt. Then He took care of them in the wilderness. He taught them how to behave in all kinds of circumstances (Hos 11:1-4). For this He has given them His good statutes. They are to Him as the most sore and sensitive “pupil of the eye” (Deu 32:10; Zec 2:8; Psa 17:8), whom He will protect from every painful touch. Every time they threaten to stumble, He is with them to catch them like an eagle protects his young when they learn to fly (Deu 32:11; cf. Exo 19:4).

God is not dependent on the help of anyone else for this protection and preservation. He has all the possibilities in Himself to express His love and care for His people. Thus He has acted completely independent and in His own power. This is also an argument to keep Israel from resorting to other gods.

Then Moses places himself in the spirit behind the entering into the land and looks back on God’s actions. He recounts how the LORD has made the people to ride at their heights, that is to say has made them to overcome mighty enemies. Furthermore, they enjoy an abundance of blessings. Their part is the very best that soil, cattle and land can produce.

The richest fruit, honey and oil, comes as proof of God’s working of the most barren soil that is impossible for man to cultivate. The cattle are healthy and produce the best milk, from which the purest curds can be made. The cattle also provide the best meat. The wheat is of the finest and most nutritious kind, every year the wine is of the best quality. It is all evidence of God’s goodness that is given to them by grace. What is their answer?

The same applies to the church, which may also enjoy abundantly the spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The most glorious blessings are for them. Their blessings exceed those of all the other generations. What is their answer?