Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 32
Overview:
The song of
Moses.
(1,2) The character of
God, The character
of
Israel.
(3-6) The great things
God had done for
Israel.
(7-14) The wickedness of
Israel.
(19-25) The judgments which
would come upon them for their sins.
(15-18) Deserved vengeance
withheld.
(26-38) God's deliverance for his people.
(39-43) The
exhortation with which the song was delivered.
(44-47) Moses to
go up
Mount Nebo to die.
(48-52)
1,2 Moses begins with a solemn
Appeal to
Heaven and
Earth,
concerning the
Truth and importance of what he was about to say.
His doctrine is the
Gospel, the speech of
God, the doctrine of
Christ; the doctrine of
Grace and
Mercy through him, and of
Life
and
Salvation By him.
3-6 "He is a
Rock." This is the first time
God is called
So in
Scripture. The expression denotes that the Divine power,
faithfulness, and
Love, as revealed in
Christ and the
Gospel,
form a foundation which cannot be changed or moved,
On which we
may build our hopes of happiness. And under his protection we
may find
Refuge from all our enemies, and in all our troubles;
as the rocks in those countries sheltered from the burning rays
of the
Sun, and from tempests, or were fortresses from the
enemy. "His work is perfect:" that of
Redemption and
Salvation,
in which there is a display of all the Divine
Perfection,
complete in all its parts. All
God's dealings with his creatures
are regulated
By Wisdom which cannot err, and perfect
Justice.
He is indeed just and right; he takes care that none shall lose
By him. A high charge is exhibited against
Israel. Even
God's
children have their spots, while in this imperfect state; for if
we say we have
No Sin,
No spot, we deceive ourselves. But the
Sin of
Israel was not habitual, notorious, unrepented
Sin; which
is a certain
Mark of the children of
Satan. They were fools to
forsake their mercies for lying vanities. All wilful sinners,
especially sinners in
Israel, are unwise and ungrateful.
7-14 Moses gives particular instances of
God's kindness and
concern for them. The
Eagle's care for her young is a beautiful
emblem of
Christ's
Love, who came between Divine
Justice and our
guilty souls, and bare our sins in his own body
On the tree. And
By the preached
Gospel, and the influences of the Holy
Spirit,
He stirs up and prevails upon sinners to leave
Satan's
Bondage.
In ver. 13,14, are emblems of the conquest believers have over
their spiritual enemies,
Sin,
Satan, and the world, in and
through
Christ. Also of their safety and triumph in him; of
their happy frames of soul, when they are above the world, and
the things of it. This will be the blessed case of spiritual
Israel in every sense in the latter
Day.
15-18 Here are two instances of the wickedness of
Israel, each
was apostasy from
God. These people were called
Jeshurun, "an
upright people,"
So some; "a seeing people,"
So others: but they
soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their
Righteousness. They indulged their appetites, as if they had
nothing to do but to make provision for the
Flesh to fulfil the
lusts of it. Those who make a
God of themselves, and a
God of
their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and cannot
Bear to be
told of it, thereby forsake
God, and show they esteem him
lightly. There is but one way of a sinner's acceptance and
Sanctification, however different modes of irreligion, or false
religion, may show that favourable regard for other ways, which
is often miscalled candid. How mad are idolaters, who forsake
the
Rock of
Salvation, to run themselves upon the
Rock of
perdition!
19-25 The revolt of
Israel was described in the foregoing
verses, and here follow the resolves of Divine
Justice as to
them. We deceive ourselves, if we think that
God will be mocked
By a faithless people.
Sin makes us hateful in the sight of the
holy
God. See what mischief
Sin does, and reckon those to be
fools that mock at it.
26-38 The
Idolatry and rebellions of
Israel deserved, and the
Justice of God seemed to demand, that they should be rooted out.
But He spared
Israel, and continues them still to be living
witnesses of the
Truth of the
Bible, and to silence unbelievers.
They are preserved for
Wise and holy purposes and the prophecies
give us some idea what those purposes are. The
Lord will never
disgrace the
Throne of his
Glory. It is great
Wisdom, and will
help much to the return of sinners to
God, seriously to consider
their latter
End, or the future state. It is here meant
particularly of what
God foretold
By Moses, about this people in
the latter days; but it may be applied generally. Oh that men
would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they
will certainly plunge into, if they go
On in their trespasses!
What will be in the
End thereof? Jer 5:31. For the
Lord will
in due time bring down the enemies of the
Church, in displeasure
against their wickedness. When sinners deem themselves most
secure, they suddenly fall into
Destruction. And
God's time to
appear for the deliverance of his people, is when things are at
the worst with them. But those who trust to any
Rock but
God,
will find it fail them when they most need it. The rejection of
the
Messiah By the Jewish nation, is the continuance of their
ancient
Idolatry, apostasy, and rebellion. They shall be brought
to humble themselves before the
Lord, to repent of their sins,
and to trust in their long-rejected
Mediator for
Salvation. Then
he will deliver them, and make their prosperity great.
39-43 This conclusion of the song speaks, 1.
Glory to
God.
No
escape can be made from his power. 2. It speaks terror to his
enemies. Terror indeed to those who hate him. The wrath of
God
is here revealed from
Heaven against them. 3. It speaks comfort
to his own people. The song concludes with words of joy.
Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go
Well
with the people of
God.
44-47 Here is the solemn delivery of this song to
Israel, with
a charge to mind all the good words
Moses had said unto them. It
is not a trifle, but a matter of
Life and
Death: mind it, and
you are made for ever; neglect it, and you are for ever undone.
Oh that men were fully persuaded that religion is their
Life,
even the
Life of their souls!
48-52 Now
Moses had done his work, why should he desire to live
a
Day longer?
God reminds him of the
Sin of which he had been
guilty, for which he was kept from entering
Canaan. It is good
for the best of men to die repenting the infirmities of which
they are conscious. But those may die with comfort and ease,
whenever
God calls for them, notwithstanding the sins they
remember against themselves, who have a believing prospect, and
a
Well-grounded
Hope of eternal
Life Beyond Death.