Sermon Tone Analysis

*DEUTERONOMY 33:24-29  *

Deuteronomy is a covenant renewal document which in its total structure exhibits the classic legal form of the suzerainty treaties of the Mosaic age:

§  Preamble [1:1-5]; historical prologue [1:6-4:49]; stipulations [[5-26]; curses and blessings or covenant ratification [27-30]; succession arrangements or covenant continuity, in which are included the invocation of witnesses and directions for the disposition and public reading of the treaty [31-34].

Chs.31-34 are consistently concerned with the continuity and perpetuation of the covenant relationship.

§  Yahweh is the suzerain who gives the covenant to Moses his vicegerent and the covenant mediator: “/Moses spoke according to all that the Lord commanded him/…” [1:1-5].

Moses is Yahweh’s mediator-king of Israel (/The Treaty of the Great King/, 40).

In the ANE a dying father’s final blessings spoken to his sons were an irrevocable legal testament, accepted as decisive evidence in court disputes.

§  In the case of the biblical patriarchs the authority and potency of their last blessings derived from the Spirit of prophecy in them, speaking in the testamentary form.

For example, Isaac in Genesis 27 and Jacob in Genesis 49.

§  As spiritual and theocratic father of the twelve tribes, Moses pronounced his blessing on Israel: “/before his death/” [33:1].

Moses’ words constitute his testament.

§  In as far as Deuteronomy was a dynastic guarantee, Joshua as Moses’ successor was the heir of the covenant.

Moses’ poetic testament contains three parts:

§  An introduction, describing the glory of the Lord as he declared his kingship in giving of his theocratic covenant to Jeshurun [33:2-5].

§  The blessings of the tribes, these being in the form of prayers, doxologies, imperatives, and predictions [33:6-25].

§  A conclusion, extolling God, the majestic Protector of Jeshurun [33:26-29].

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*THE GLORY OF THE LORD [33:2-5] *

The final blessing of Moses: “/this is the blessing wherewith Moses/…” [33:1].

*1.        **The Heavenly Vision *

*a.       **The Descent *

The coming if God at Sinai is depicted as if it had been a sunrise: “/the Lord came from Sinai/…” [33:2].

§  יְהוָ֞ה - “/Lord/” [33:2], Israel’s covenant Saviour: “/I am that I am/…” [Exo.3:14].

§  בָּא֙ - “/came/” [33:2], qal perfect, ‘to arrive’; ‘to make linear motion to a particular reference point’;

§  מִסִּינַ֥י - “/Sinai/” [33:2], the name of the mountain before which Israel encamped as God through Moses entered into covenant with them [Ex 19–24].

§  Sinai is the place of revelation: “/the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai/…” [Exo.19:11-24].

*b.       **The Theophany  *

Yahweh’s progression with Israel is /theophonic/ because of the terms used.

*i.         **Seir*

There is the sunrise imagery: “/rose up from Seir/…” [33:2].

§  זָרַ֤ח – “/rose up/” [33:2], ‘sun rise’; ‘the ascending motion of the sun’; ‘to appear’; “/as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him/…” [Gen.32:31].

§  מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ - “/Seir/” [33:2],

§  Seir is the place of deliverance: “/Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore/” [Deu.2:4].

*ii.

**Paran *

There is the shining light imagery: “/he shined forth from mount Paran/” [33:2].

§  הוֹפִ֙יעַ - “/shined forth/” [33:2], hiphil perfect, ‘have presence of bright light’;

§  פָּארָ֔ן - “/Paran/” [33:2], a poetic name for Mount Sinai;

§  Paran is the place of rest and sustenance: “/the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran/…” [Num.10:12].

*2.        **  The Holy War *

The holy war imagery continues with Yahweh’s coming with his myriads of holy ones:

*a.       **The Heavenly Host *

The heavenly host: “/he came with ten thousands of saints/…” [33:2].

§  מֵרִבְבֹ֣ת - “/ten thousands/” [33:2], ‘from ten thousand’;

§  קֹ֑דֶשׁ - “/saints/” [33:2], ‘holy ones’;

*b.       **The Warriors *

God was accompanied by divine warriors: “/from his right hand a fiery law/…” [33:2].

§  מִֽימִינ֕וֹ - “/right hand/” [33:2], ‘right hand’; ‘south’;

§  אֵ֥שׁ֯דָּ֖ת - “/fiery law/” [33:2], ‘mountain slopes’; ‘lower part of a mountainous area’; ‘bottom’; ‘slope’; ‘foundation’;

§  לָֽמוֹ - “/for them/” [33:2], singular suffix, ‘to him’;

*i.         **Example Translations *

The following are examples of the different translations offered:

§  ESV - “/with flaming fire at his right hand/” [33:2].

§  NIV- “/from his mountain slopes/” [33:2].

§  NAS – “/there was flashing lightening for them/” [33:2].

§  McConville – “/angels at his right hand/” [33:2].

§  Keil and Delitzsch – ‘accompanied by thunder and lightening’.

*Application*

 

*3.

**The Lord’s Choice of Israel  *

*a.       **The Choice > Love of all Nations?

*

The Lord’s choice of Israel: “/he loved the people/...” [33:3].

§  אַ֚ף - “/yea/” [33:3], ‘also’;

§  חֹבֵ֣ב - “/loved/” [33:3], qal participle, “/The Lord did not love you because…but because he loved you/” [7:6-8].

§  עַמִּ֔ים - “/the people/” [33:3], the people of the world in general?

*b.       **Result *

*i.         **Protection *

The people belong to the Lord and enjoy his protection: “/all his saints in thy hands/…” [33:3].

§  כָּל־קְדֹשָׁ֖יו - “/his/ /saints/” [33:3], that is, the “/children of Israel/” [33:1]; 

§  בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ - “/in/ /thy/ /hands/” [33:3], that is ‘in the hands of the Lord’; “/no one is able to pluck them from my Father’s hand/” [Joh.10:29].

*ii.

**Submission *

The people bow in submission to him: “/they sat down at thy feet/…” [33:3].

§  תֻּכּ֣וּ - “/sat down/” [33:3], pual perfect, ‘pertaining to being in a prostrate position, with the associative meanings of being submissive and respectful of a superior’;

*iii.

**Hope *

The people were lifted by the Lord’s words: “/everyone shall receive of thy words/” [33:3].

§  יִשָּׂ֖א - “/receive/” [33:3], qal imperfect, ‘to lift up’;

§  מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ - “/thy/ /word/” [33:3], ‘cause’; ‘legal case presented to a judge’; reference to the covenant revelation: “/Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek/” [Psa.110:4].

*Application*

The Lord is the Warrior God: “/the Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name/” [Exo.15:3].

§  “/Thy right hand has become glorious in power, thy right hand, O Lord, has dashed in pieces the enemy/” [Exo.15:6];

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*THE COVENANT GOD OF ISRAEL *

*1.        **The Covenant Love  *

Yahweh distinguishes Israel in the presence of the divine counsel by giving them the law, and by assuming the status of King in Jeshurun.

*a.       **Moses the Mediator *

As Yahweh’s earthly representative, Moses gave his covenant with its kingdom promises to Israel: “/Moses commanded us a law/…” [33:4].

§  מֹשֶׁ֑ה - “/Moses/” [33:4], note the role given to Moses in [5:23-34].

*b.       **The Mediator of the Covenant *

The law received at Sinai was to be the constitution of the new state of Israel: “/commanded is a law/…” [33:4].

§  צִוָּה־לָ֖נוּ - “/commanded/” [33:4], piel perfect, ‘give direction or decree’; ‘state with force or authority’;

§  תּוֹרָ֥ה - “/law/” [33:4], ‘teaching or instruction’;

§  מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה - “/inheritance/” [33:4], ‘possession’; ‘an inheritance received’; ‘In Israel’s history the root takes on its double force, to inherit and to dispossess, in relationship to the covenant.

God made a covenant with Israel that they would become his own special people (e.g.

Ex 19:5f.).

A major benefit on Israel’s side was the promise of an inheritance, namely a land where they could develop into a holy nation (Gen 15:8; Ex 6:8)’;

*c.        **The Covenant Overlord – The King  *

The basis and culmination of this relationship is the Lord’s sovereignty: “/he was king in Jeshurun/…” [33:5].

§  מֶ֑לֶךְ - “/king/” [33:5], ‘governmental head’; ‘in ancient government the king embodied political, social, religious, and military authority’;

§  יְהִ֥י - “/was/” [33:5], qal imperfect, ‘to be’; ‘to become’;

*2.        **The Covenant People *

*a.       **Jeshurun *