Deuteronomy 32:44
IT IS lovely to see that the last thing Moses did on earth was to sing a song of the goodness of God. How precious a theme! And how blest are we, as those taught by grace, if we are in this same happy spirit.
Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I’ll pursue;
The desert past, in glory bright,
The precious theme renew.
How often do we find the goodness of God celebrated in the Scriptures. The Spirit of God delights to dwell upon it and to occupy our minds with this same blessed theme.
David said: “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living"; “O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,... for He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Then in the New Testament we read that it is “the goodness of God” that leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4). They who have proved His goodness and grace are best suited to tell it out to others.
A dear brother, now with the Lord, used to remark that the last book of the Psalms is the backward look of Israel in a coming day; they are dwelling on all the gracious goodness of God toward them, and it is all praise. So with us, when at home in the glory with Christ we too will look back, and it will be all praise.
Moses spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people — he and Joshua. Both the old leader and the new guide are seen together here, for God would have Joshua also to fully enter into the meaning of this wonderful song. God’s greatness, His power and grace are brought out on the one hand, and man’s complete ruin on the other. God will intervene in power and grace just before the millennium; Israel’s blessing waits on this. All is over with the first Man; there is no blessing apart from Christ.
Moses told the people to set their hearts to do and to teach their children all the words of this law. Thus from first to last in this wonderful book he presses on them obedience to the Lord.
“For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life.” We are not under law; the thunders of Sinai are not sounding in our ears now since Jesus died. Nevertheless obedience and happiness go hand and hand all through our Christian life. Our whole duty is to walk in simple obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we now belong.
“Because it is your life.” What else is worth living for but Christ? May we know more of the blessedness of those words — “for to me to live is Christ.” Phil. 1:21.
ML-06/06/1976