Deuteronomy 32

v1-4: “God is the rock, for he is unchangeable and immovable in himself. He is an impregnable shelter to everyone who seeks him and runs to him. He is an everlasting foundation for all who trust in him.” He is also a God of truth, which means we can “accept his word and rely on it, for the One who is faithful to all his promises cannot lie, and neither will his threats fall empty to the ground.” And because He is just and upright, “he will make sure that no one will lose by him.” Here are great reasons “to love him and fear him, to live a life of delight in him, dependence on him, and devotion to him!”

v7-14: God did not take His people straight to Canaan but made them go through the hardships of the desert in order to test their “faith, patience, and dependence on God.” Time in the desert is used to get us ready for the heavenly Canaan.

v15-18: What does God think of idols? “He is jealous of them because they are his rivals for the throne of the heart. He hates them, because they are enemies of his rule and government. He is, and will be, very angry with those who respect or like them.”

v19-25: It is an offence against God’s greatness and goodness when those who profess to be His people turn to idols. It is also foolishness because they offer “no protection from God’s judgments.”

v26-38: “It is very wise and it will contribute much to sinners returning to God, if they seriously consider what will happen to them in the end, in the future state.”

v39-43: There is still time for “sinners to repent and make their peace with God.”

v44-52: Moses was excluded from the earthly Canaan because of his sin, but not from the better country to come. Even though there may be sins that we often remember, if our hope is in Christ, we may know the comfort and security of eternal life beyond death.