The Lord’s Judgment on Israel

Deuteronomy 32:15–33
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Keep in mind that when Moses composes this song, Israel is not yet in the promised land. It is prophetic as it is intended to challenge them to godliness. It shows how prosperity is more dangerous than adversity (v. 15). In adverse circumstances a believer is reminded of how desperate he is for God’s help, but in times of prosperity he may easily forget God.

This song predicts the coming judgment on Israel because of their apostasy (vv. 18-21). God saw Israel’s sin of idol worship and rejected it. There were two results of this rejection: first God would withdraw his favor from Israel; and second, He would chasten them according to His promises. He will use hunger, pestilence, wild beasts, poisonous serpents and war to carry out this destruction (vv. 22-28). The devastation will be so great that Israel would almost be annihilated (v. 26). Furthermore He says he will scatter them to the four corners of the earth. This means that He will remove them from the place He has given them. The enemies who bring God’s judgment on Israel were as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 32). This points out the depth of evil into which Israel had fallen.

Application

This is a warning to me as to how easy it is to forget God during times of prosperity. This is really what has happened in America during the last several years and now as a nation we are far from God.