bb-TBC-20

bb-TBC-20 - a day in the life of Moses - Pt 2

So with the keeping of the covenant as a necessary part of the tenancy agreement, failing to keep the Covenant put the Covenant community, and the entire Covenant project into jeopardy. They face the prospect of losing everything. It was written into the 'deeds'. In spite of the nation's failure to keep the Covenant, God graciously permitted them to remain in the land and sent prophetic messengers to remind them of their obligations and of the penalty clauses written into the tenancy agreement.

• Deut 17:14-20; (BC-1491)

  ¶ “When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ [1 Sam 8:5,19,20; 10: c1095 BC - ie 400 years later] you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, “You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. [1 Kings 4 - Solomon, c1014 BC - 477 years after Moses] ¶ “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:14–20 NKJV)

  Deut 28:58, 61; 29:20–21, 27; 30:10; 31:24, 26

• The Ultimate Point of Reference

  • 31:24–29 ASV

    ¶ And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against Jehovah; and how much more after my death? Assemble unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. (Deuteronomy 31:24–29 ASV)

• Deuteronomy 31:30 NKJV

  ¶ Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were ended: (Deuteronomy 31:30 NKJV)

  the Song of Moses?

  Exod 15:1; Deut 31:22, 30; 32:44

• Deuteronomy 33:1–5 ASV

  ¶ And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, Jehovah came from Sinai, And rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, And He came from the ten thousands of holy ones: At His right hand was a fiery law for them. Yea, He loveth the people; All His saints are in thy hand: And they sat down at thy feet; Every one shall receive of thy words. Moses commanded us a law, An inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together. (Deuteronomy 33:1–5 ASV)

  • King: H4428 מֶלֶךְ melekh

    GK H4887 | S H4427 מָלַךְ mālaḵ 350x (Liddell & Scott) v.den. [root of: 3552?, 4867 4888, 4889, 4930, 4931]. Q to reign as king; H to make one a king, have a coronation; to be made a king. → reign; rule.

    Moses was never 'king'. He was deliverer, advocate, prophet, mediator, a friend of God...

    but never crowned and never king!

  • Jeshurun: Jeshurun H3484 יְשֻׁרוּן yeshurun

    GK H3843 | S H3484 יְשֻׁרוּן yᵉšurun (Liddell & Scott) n.pr.m. [3837]. Jeshurun, “upright”. (my upright one)

    1. “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15 NKJV)

    2. “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. (Deuteronomy 33:26 NKJV)

    3. Thus saith Jehovah that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. (Isaiah 44:2 ASV)

  • Charles Wesley - "None is like Jeshurun's God"

    • Hymns of Eternal Truth No 12

      1 None is like Jeshurun's God, So great, so strong, so high; Lo! He spreads His wings abroad, He rides upon the sky: Israel, His first-born son; God, the eternal God, is thine; See Him in thy help come down, The excellence Divine.

      2 Thee the great Jehovah deigns To succour and defend; Thee the eternal God sustains, Thy Maker and thy friend: Sinner, what hast thou to dread? Safe from all impending harms, God hath underneath thee spread His everlasting arms.

      3 God is thine; disdain to fear The enemy within: God shall in thy flesh appear, And make an end of sin; God the man of sin shall slay, Fill thee with triumphant joy; God shall thrust him out, and say, "Destroy them all, destroy!"

      4 All the struggle then is o'er, And wars and fightings cease, Israel then shall sin no more, But dwell in perfect peace; All his enemies are gone; Sin shall have in him no part; Israel now shall dwell alone, With Jesus in his heart.

      5 In a land of corn and wine His lot shall be below; Comforts there and blessings join, And milk and honey flow; Jacob's well is in his soul; Gracious dew his heavens distil, Fill his spirit already full, And shall for ever fill.

      6 Blest, O Israel, art thou! What people is like thee? Saved from sin by Jesus now Thou art, and still shalt be; Jesus is thy seven-fold shield, Jesus is thy flaming sword; Earth, and hell, and sin, shall yield To God's almighty Word.

      7 God's almighty Word shall stand Thine enemies shall fall, Fade away at His command, And sink and perish all: Liars shall they all be found, All who cried, "It cannot be, Sin should ever quit its ground, And have no place in thee."

      8 Christ shall make thee free indeed When He appears within; Thou on self and pride shalt tread, On all the strength of sin; Thou shalt more than conquer it; Thou shall see it all depart, See it dead beneath thy feet, No longer in thy heart.

      9 God, the gracious God and true, Hath spoke the faithful word: He the mighty work shall do; Our trust is in the Lord; He the mountain shall remove, He the sinner shall restore, He shall perfect me in love, And I shall sin no more.

• Deuteronomy 18:15–19 KJV

  ¶ “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ ¶ “And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:15–19 NKJV)

• Joshua/Jesus

  Joshua is a powerful type or shadow of the Christ himself and in the story of Joshua we discover many wonderful illustrations, but the first Joshua was not the complete fulfilment of Moses' prophecy

  • Joshua 1:1–3 ASV

    ¶ Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses. (Joshua 1:1–3 ASV)

  • Joshua 1:5-7

    There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:5–8 ASV)

  • Joshue 1:16-18

    ¶ So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.” (Joshua 1:16–18 NKJV)

• David

  Later, God entered into yet another Covenant with KIng David.

  As was prophesied, the time came in their continuing contrariness when they wanted a king. The story of how the nation became a monarchy is a tragedy that God transmuted into a blessing. We need to return to our starting point yet again to understand the implications of this. The Covenant community-nation was created to be different. They were not just one of the many people groups that would develop into nation-states; this nation was different, designed to be different. Its ultimate purpose was not to provide a living space or a promise of greatness; its purpose was to create a people for God's exclusive purposes. A nation whose purpose was to be a 'kingdom of priests' to serve God. Let's remind ourselves of that foundation;

  • Exodus 19:5–6 ASV

    Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:5–6 ASV)

  It would be good too to remind ourselves of how often that personal pronoun, me, my, mine is used in this small excerpt. It's a frequent human failing to interpret these accounts as 'man-centered. But the whole thrust of this Sinai Covenant was that this nation would become God's personal possession or treasure.

  This nation was designed to be different, very different. Their food laws and Sabbath observance would make them conspicuously different. What a tragedy then, the predicted loss of the vision statement that resulted in the demand "No, but we want to be like everyone else".

  • 1Samuel 8:19–20 ASV

    ¶ But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. (1Samuel 8:19–20 ASV)

  • Psalm 110:1–3 ASV

    ¶ Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people offer themselves willingly In the day of thy power, in holy array: Out of the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth. (Psalm 110:1–3 ASV)

  • 2Kings 22:13 ASV - Josiah's Reform

    Go ye, inquire of Jehovah for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Jehovah that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. (2Kings 22:13 ASV)

• John Baptist

  • The people of the Covenant were still looking for Moses' successor when the Word became flesh and dwelled among us.

    • John 1:21 NKJV

      ¶ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” ¶ He said, “I am not.” ¶ “Are you the Prophet?” ¶ And he answered, “No.” (John 1:21 NKJV)

    • John 1:45 NKJV

      Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45 NKJV)

• Christ

  • And the early Christians saw clearly from the beginning that Christ replaced Moses. A New Covenant was in sight with a New Mediator. And the religious leaders of his day saw it clearly too

    • John 9:26–28 NKJV

      ¶ Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ¶ He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” ¶ Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. (John 9:26–28 NKJV)

  • Acts 3:19–22 NKJV - Peter

    Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. (Acts 3:19–22 NKJV)

  • Acts 7:37-40 NKJV - Stephen

    ¶ “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ ¶ “This is he who was in the congregation [KJV church] in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, “Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ (Acts 7:37–40 NKJV)