Sermon Tone Analysis

The song of Moses was given as a reminder to the Israelites that God is Faithful and True

Moses is about to die.

God has told him that when they are in the promised land the Israelites are going to rebel and come under His discipline.

The song that is written in Deuteronomy 32 serves as Moses’ parting words to the leaders and people of Israel.

His goal is to remind the Israelites that God is faithful and true, even when they are not.

In our time together this morning I want to anchor our sermon in the first few verses of the passage, Deuteronomy 32:1-4… but we will refer to much of the song to undergird the truths that we examine together.

Deuteronomy 32:1–43 (CSB)

Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words from my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.

3 For I will proclaim the Lord’s name.

Declare the greatness of our God! 4 The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just.

A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.

The Word of God is life giving and refreshing.

Moses writes in verse 2, “2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.”

Moses knew that the people needed to hear what he was saying.

He also knew from the Lord that Israel would rebel and fall away in the Promised Land.

They were younger and he knew they would need these words when they had fallen.

The life they had came from God, and Moses knew that any renewal would be grounded in the refreshing Word of God.

Psalm 119:25–32 (CSB) says,

25 My life is down in the dust; give me life through your word.

26 I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes.

27 Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders.

28 I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word.

29 Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction.

30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me.

31 I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame.

32 I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.

Dust refers to the human condition, the brokenness that stems from Adam’s fall.

The Psalmist cries out in the midst of his own struggle with sin for God to give him life through the Word.

Moses knew that in the midst of their future rebellion, in their brokenness, that God’s Word could refresh and renew the people of Israel.

Like the Psalmist said in verse 28, strength comes through God’s Word.

When God’s people are weak and struggling, life comes from the Word and renewal comes through the Gospel.

The Word corrects, refreshes, encourages, comforts, instructs, and even rebukes.

That’s why Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (CSB), “16 All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

God is the Rock

Deuteronomy 32:3, “3 For I will proclaim the Lord’s name.

Declare the greatness of our God! 4 The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just.

A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.”

The Rock is a description of God’s character and His relationship with His people.

Moses is reminding Israel that God is who they build their lives on and who they run too in their time of distress and sin.

The rock reminds them of the rock that brought them water in the desert.

God instructed to Moses to strike the rock with his staff.

When he did that water came from the rock and the people of Israel were able to drink.

God as the Rock symbolizes who God is and reminds them of what God has done.

God is the Rock: He is the foundation of all things and the fortress where we seek refuge.

Psalm 31:3 (CSB) 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; you lead and guide me for your name’s sake.

Psalm 71:3 (CSB) 3 Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go.

Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and fortress.

God is perfect and everything He does is upright and true.

Everything that God does is good and true because He is perfect.

His perfection isn’t the result of his actions or words.

His words and His actions are perfect because in His nature He is perfectly good.

God is dependable and without an hint of immorality, impurity, or injustice in who He is and what He does.

God is unbiased in his judgments and His actions.

He judges all sin and rewards all obedience.

This means that God will not show favoritism and excuse the sins of His people.

When they rebel and fall away from Him in the wilderness there will be consequences.

But, He is also dependable and will keep His covenant and Word that He has made with Israel.

His actions are pure and just, and He will be faithful to do all that He has commanded.

We will forget and sin against God

Moses writes what will happen later in the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 32:15-21 (CSB) says, “15 Then Jeshurun, became fat and rebelled—you became fat, bloated, and gorged.

He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.

16 They provoked his jealousy with different gods; they enraged him with detestable practices.

17 They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your ancestors did not fear.

18 You ignored the Rock who gave you birth; you forgot the God who gave birth to you.

19 When the Lord saw this, he despised them, angered by his sons and daughters.

20 He said, “I will hide my face from them; I will see what will become of them, for they are a perverse generation—unfaithful children.

21 They have provoked my jealousy with what is not a god; they have enraged me with their worthless idols.

So I will provoke their jealousy with what is not a people; I will enrage them with a foolish nation.”

This is the reality of our brokenness and sinful condition.

Even when we are redeemed and can testify to all the ways that God has worked in our lives sin is right there waiting for us.

Genesis 4:7 (CSB) says, "7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door.

Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

We sin because we are sinners.

You don’t become a sinner the first time you sin, you sin because you are a sinner.

And, the Bible teaches us over and over again that we are living in a spiritual battle and that our sin is fighting against the Word and the Spirit of God.

Sin is crouching at the door of your mind and heart all the time.

You must cling to the Word and obey the Word.

The way that you rule over sin and your flesh is through obedience and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Moses reminds us here that God is not the problem, He is the solution.

God doesn’t wander from us, we wander from Him.

And, when we wander we put ourselves closer to temptation and in a more exposed position to sin.

God is faithful to watch over us and help us.

He never goes back on His Word no matter how many times we go back on ours.

When we repent of our sin and return to God He is faithful to receive us.

God remains faithful and will vindicate His name

Moses concludes His song with the reminder of the end.

Deuteronomy 32:39–42 (CSB)

39 See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me.

I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal.

No one can rescue anyone from my power.

40 I raise my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, 41 when I sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold of judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.

42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood while my sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”

God is faithful in the midst of all of our unfaithfulness.

God is the Rock that is ruling over all creation and all nations.

God is the one who gives life and death.

He is the one who judges and rewards.

God promises that those who overtake the rebellious Israel will not have victory in the end.

God declares that in the end He will have the victory.