Deuteronomy 33.
MOSES, who was just about to die, thinks according to God of his beloved people, and tells of his desires for them as almost entering the land, their home. In Genesis 49, we have noticed Jacob’s blessing of the people as expressing their history from first to last, but Deuteronomy 33 is not a complete history; rather like all of this fifth book of the Bible, preparing Israel for entering the home long awaiting them.
Verses 2-5: God was their ruler; He gave them the law—not only, as we have before noticed, the ten commandments, but an entire system whereby a people might go on in relationship with Him. Moses was their visible king, ruling under God.
Verse 6: Reuben had led in sin of old, and God requires that which is past, though in grace He records, “Let Reuben live, and not die; and let his men be few.” (Omit “not” which is in italics).
Verse 7: Judah is the tribe of which Christ came according to the flesh; He it is that is referred to. He will be brought to His people in the day of His power.
Verse 8: Levi is to be blessed on account of faithfulness before, —for example in Numbers 25. God had proved the nation at Massah and Meribah (Exodus 17 and Numbers 20), and they had failed both in themselves as a whole, and in their priest and king (Numbers 20). The children of Levi had however stood for God at Sinai (Exodus 32:26-2926Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. 28And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. (Exodus 32:26‑29)), disregarding the closest natural relationship to obey the Word of God (verse 9). It is however only in Christ that perfection is seen; He alone set God first in all His thoughts and ways from beginning to end of His life here below, and verses 10 and 11 surely will have their greatest fulfilment in Him when He comes to earth again to reign.
Verse 12: Benjamin comes next. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, covered, dwelling between His shoulders. Notice that all depends on nearness to the Lord: this is the only place of safety, —the place of God’s favor. Literally it is Jerusalem, the city of Gods earthly dwelling place; figuratively again it speaks of Christ, the true Benjamin, Son of the right hand (Genesis 35:1818And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. (Genesis 35:18)).
Verses 13-17: Joseph, type of Christ, as we have considered him before, in Genesis, both in his history and in his father’s blessing (Genesis 49:22-2622Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 26The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. (Genesis 49:22‑26)): the fulness of blessing is expressed here in Moses’ words.
Verses 18-24 seem to be blessings for the most part yet future.
Verses 25-29: these inspiring words form the closing benediction on the nation. Strength for each day is promised to the people of God; He is their succorer, their refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will, when that day dawns, destroy their enemies, and they shall dwell in safety alone. Happy people!
The tribe of Simeon is not mentioned by name in this chapter; there appear to be two or more reasons for the omission: one, that both Joseph and his sons should be named: another, that Simeon’s character described in Genesis 49:5-75Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. (Genesis 49:5‑7) was unchanged, while Levi had taken a firm stand for God.
ML 04/26/1925