INTRODUCTION TO THE BLESSING OF MOSES A...

www.biblestudyworkshop.org 1

Commentary and Questions by John C. Sewell; Answers by Wayne Harlan

Landmark Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 160018, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

INTRODUCTION TO THE BLESSING OF MOSES

A HISTORICAL REVIEW BLESSING ON REUBEN BLESSING ON JUDAH BLESSING ON LEVI

BLESSING ON BENJAMIN BLESSING ON JOSEPH

BLESSING ON ZEBULUN AND ISSACHAR BLESSING ON GAD BLESSING ON DAN

BLESSING ON NAPHTALI BLESSING ON ASHER

GENERAL PRAISE AND BLESSING

DEUTERONOMY 33:1-29




INTRODUCTION TO THE BLESSING OF MOSES

A HISTORICAL REVIEW BLESSING ON REUBEN BLESSING ON JUDAH BLESSING ON LEVI

BLESSING ON BENJAMIN BLESSING ON JOSEPH

BLESSING ON ZEBULUN AND ISSACHAR BLESSING ON GAD BLESSING ON DAN

BLESSING ON NAPHTALI BLESSING ON ASHER

GENERAL PRAISE AND BLESSING

Text: Deuteronomy 33:1-29, 1. This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. 2. He said: The Lord came from Sinai and revealed himself to Israel from Seir. He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran, and came forth with ten thousand holy ones. With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them. 3. Surely he loves the people; all your holy ones are in your power. And they sit at your feet, each receiving your words. 4. Moses delivered to us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.




5. The Lord was king over Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together. 6. May Reuben live and not die, and may his people multiply. 7. And this is the blessing to Judah. He said, Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice, and bring him to his people. May his power be great, and may you help him against his foes. 8. Of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your godly one, whose authority you challenged at Massah, and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah. 9. He said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him,” and he did not acknowledge his own brothers or know his own children, for they kept your word, and guarded your covenant. 10. They will teach Jacob your ordinances and Israel your law; they will offer incense as a pleasant odor, and a whole offering on your altar. 11. Bless, O Lord, his goods, and be pleased with his efforts; undercut the legs of any who attack him, and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand. 12. Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him; he protects him all the time, and the Lord places him on his chest. 13. Of Joseph he said: May the Lord bless his land with the harvest produced by the sky, by the dew, and by the depths crouching beneath; 14. with the harvest produced by the daylight and by the moonlight; 15. with the best of the ancient mountains and the harvest produced by the age-old hills;




16. with the harvest of the earth and its fullness and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush. May blessing rest on Joseph’s head, and on the top of the head of the one set apart from his brothers. 17. May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor, and may his horns be those of a wild ox; with them may he gore all peoples, all the far reaches of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. 18. Of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside, and Issachar, when you are in your tents. 19. They will summon peoples to the mountain, there they will sacrifice proper sacrifices; for they will enjoy the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the shores. 20. Of Gad he said: Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad. Like a lioness he will dwell; he will tear at an arm—indeed, a scalp. 21. He has selected the best part for himself, for the portion of the ruler is set aside there; he came with the leaders of the people, he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord and his ordinances with Israel. 22. Of Dan he said: Dan is a lion’s cub; he will leap forth from Bashan. 23. Of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, overflowing with favor, and full of the Lord’s blessing, possess the west and south. 24. Of Asher he said: Asher is blessed with children, may he be favored by his brothers and may he dip his foot in olive oil. 25. The bars of your gates will be made of iron and bronze, and may you have lifelong strength.




26. There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the sky to help you, on the clouds in majesty. 27. The everlasting God is a refuge, and underneath you are his eternal arms; he has driven out enemies before you, and has said, “Destroy!” 28. Israel lives in safety, the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, in a land of grain and new wine; indeed, its heavens rain down dew. 29. You have joy, Israel! Who is like you? You are a people delivered by the Lord, your protective shield and your exalted sword. May your enemies cringe before you; may you trample on their backs. (NET) Introduction: I. We speak of the twelve tribes of Israel because Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons from whom tribes descended.

A. However, two tribes actually descended from Joseph; that is, Ephraim and Manasseh, bringing the total number of tribes to thirteen (13).

B. The thirteen (13) tribes of Israel in alphabetical order were: Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Ephraim (Joseph), Gad, Issachar, Judah, Levi, Manasseh (Joseph), Nephtali, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun.

C. Simeon is not mentioned in Deuteronomy 33. Why was Simeon not listed among the tribes here blessed by Moses. This at least kept the number of tribes mentioned to twelve (12).




1. “The tribe of Simeon is absent which seems to reflect a time after it had been absorbed into Judah,” Hall wrote.

a. Joshua 15:26-32, 42, Amam, Shema, Moladah, Hazar Gaddah, Heshbon, Beth Pelet, Hazar Shual, Beer Sheba, Biziothiah, Baalah, Iim, Ezem, Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns. Libnah, Ether, Ashan, (NET)

b. Joshua 19:1-8, The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. Their assigned land included Beer Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen—a total of thirteen cities and their towns, Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—a total of four cities and their towns, as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. (NET)

II. Other similar blessings are found in Scripture among which Genesis 49:1-27 is cited by Hamilton: . . .

A. Genesis 49:1-27, Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen




to you in the future. “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father. Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. You are destructive like water and will not excel, for you got on your father’s bed, then you defiled it—he got on my couch! Simeon and Levi are brothers, weapons of violence are their knives! O my soul, do not come into their council, do not be united to their assembly, my heart, for in their anger they have killed men, and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel! Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down before you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah, from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches and lies down like a lion; like a lioness—who will rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him. Binding his foal to the vine, and his colt to the choicest vine, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be dark from wine, and his teeth white from milk. Zebulun will live by the haven of the sea and become a haven for ships; his border will extend to Sidon. Issachar is a strong-boned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. When he sees a good resting place, and the pleasant land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and become a slave laborer. Dan will judge his people as




one of the tribes of Israel. May Dan be a snake beside the road, a viper by the path, that bites the heels of the horse so that its rider falls backward. I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. Gad will be raided by marauding bands, but he will attack them at their heels. Asher’s food will be rich, and he will provide delicacies to royalty. Naphtali is a free running doe, he speaks delightful words. Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough near a spring whose branches climb over the wall. The archers will attack him, they will shoot at him and oppose him. But his bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of the God of your father, who will help you, because of the sovereign God, who will bless you with blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and womb. The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the eternal mountains or the desirable things of the age-old hills. They will be on the head of Joseph and on the brow of the prince of his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning devouring the prey, and in the evening dividing the plunder.” (NET)

B. Smith wrote that Moses is pictured as the statesman in Deuteronomy 31, as the singer in Deuteronomy 32 and now as the seer (prophet) in Deuteronomy 33




1. Numbers 49 contains certain judgmental elements while in Deuteronomy the thrust is almost entirely positive. (See Smith.)

C. Hall observed that in this chapter Moses assumed the role of father to Israel and, as was the custom of fathers before their deaths, blessed the tribes.

1. Genesis 27:27-29, So Jacob went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent of his clothing, he blessed him, saying, “Yes, my son smells like the scent of an open field which the Lord has blessed. May God give you the dew of the sky and the richness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.” (NET)

2. Genesis 49:1-28, Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in the future. “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father. Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. You are destructive like water and will not excel, for you got on your father’s bed, then you defiled it—he got on my couch! Simeon and Levi are brothers, weapons of violence are their knives! O my soul,




do not come into their council, do not be united to their assembly, my heart, for in their anger they have killed men, and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel! Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down before you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah, from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches and lies down like a lion; like a lioness—who will rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him. Binding his foal to the vine, and his colt to the choicest vine, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be dark from wine, and his teeth white from milk. Zebulun will live by the haven of the sea and become a haven for ships; his border will extend to Sidon. Issachar is a strong-boned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. When he sees a good resting place, and the pleasant land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and become a slave laborer. Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. May Dan be a snake beside the road, a viper by the path, that bites the heels of the horse so that its rider falls backward. I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. Gad will be raided by marauding bands, but he will attack them at




their heels. Asher’s food will be rich, and he will provide delicacies to royalty. Naphtali is a free running doe, he speaks delightful words. Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough near a spring whose branches climb over the wall. The archers will attack him, they will shoot at him and oppose him. But his bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of the God of your father, who will help you, because of the sovereign God, who will bless you with blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and womb. The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the eternal mountains or the desirable things of the age-old hills. They will be on the head of Joseph and on the brow of the prince of his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning devouring the prey, and in the evening dividing the plunder.” These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing. (NET)

3. Deuteronomy 28:1-14, “If you indeed obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God: You




will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who attack you to be struck down before you; they will attack you from one direction but flee from you in seven different directions. The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you. The Lord will designate you as his holy people just as he promised you, if you keep his commandments and obey him. Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you belong to the Lord, and they will respect you. The Lord will greatly multiply your children, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your soil in the land which he promised your ancestors he would give you. The Lord will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do. But you must not turn away from all the commandments




I am giving you today, to either the right or left, nor pursue other gods and worship them. (NET)

III. The order in which the tribes are listed, Hall noted, reflects their mothers and territorial geographical locations. IV. Coffman observed that Deuteronomy 33 contains the final blessing of Moses upon the Twelve Tribes of the Chosen People.

A. “Such final blessings by important men were treasured, honored, and considered to be power-laden documents affecting the destiny of those mentioned,” Coffman continued.

B. These blessings, Moses’ Last Will and Testament, appear in the chapter immediately preceding the record of his death, a most logical place for these blessings to appear, and in keeping with the traditions set by Isaac and Jacob. (See Coffman.)

V. The Pulpit Commentary outlines Deuteronomy 33 as follows: . . .

A. Introduction (verses 1-5), . . .

B. Blessings on the individual tribes (verses 6-25), and . . .

C. Conclusion (verses 26-29). VI. This parting charge of Moses to Israel reminds us of the parting charge of Jesus to his disciples prior to his ascension.




A. Matthew 28:16-20, So the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (NET)

B. Mark 16:14-20, Then he appeared to the eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs. (NET)




C. Luke 24:44-53, Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. Now during the blessing he departed and was taken up into heaven. So they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple courts blessing God. (NET)

NOTE: All of Deuteronomy 33 is written as poetry except for verse 1. Commentary:

Introduction to the Blessing of Moses Deuteronomy 33:1-2a, This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. He said: The Lord came from Sinai and revealed himself to Israel from Seir. (NET)




I. This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. He said: . . .

A. The “Introduction to the Blessing of Moses” and the concluding “General Praise and Blessing” section of this chapter reflect each other in reverse order, Hall wrote.

1. Verses 2 and 29 are parallel as are verses 3-4 and verses 27-28 and verse 5 and verse 26.

2. In verses 1-5 the names of Lord, Israel and Jeshurun appear in this order while in verses 26-29 the same names appear, but in reverse order; that is, Jeshurun, Israel and Lord. (See Hall.)

B. This chapter contains the final benediction, blessing upon the Israelites pronounced by Moses, the man of God. (See Hall.)

1. Verses 1-5 contain an introduction to the main body of the blessings found in verses 6-25. The chapter concludes with a final hymn of praise found in verses 26-29. (See Coffman.)

C. Moses is designated “the man of God” which indicates one highly favored by the Lord.

1. 1 Samuel 9:6, But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.” (NET)




2. Joshua 14:6, The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea. (NET)

3. Psalm 90 is entitled, “A prayer of Moses, the man of God.”

A Historical Review Deuteronomy 33:2b-5, The Lord came from Sinai and revealed himself to Israel from Seir. He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran, and came forth with ten thousand holy ones. With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them. Surely he loves the people; all your holy ones are in your power. And they sit at your feet, each receiving your words. Moses delivered to us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. The Lord was king over Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together. (NET) I. (Verse 2b) The Lord came from Sinai and revealed himself* to Israel from Seir.

A. *NET Footnote: Or – and rose like the sun.

B. All Bible students are well aware of God’s revealing himself to Israel on Mount Sinai.




C. Seir, “the hilly flanks of Edomite territory and southward from the land of Israel,” is another matter.

1. The Edomites descended from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, with whom the Israelites were often in conflict.

2. Seir is the mountain land of Edom to the east of Sinai. (The Pulpit Commentary)

3. It is said the Lord Jehovah revealed himself to Israel from Seir, a land of their enemies.

a. How could this be?

i. Judges 5:4-5, O Lord, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain. The mountains trembled before the Lord, the God of Sinai; before the Lord God of Israel. (NET)

b. It is saying God left, forsook Seir?

II. He appeared in splendor* from Mount Paran, and came forth with ten thousand holy ones.

A. *NET Footnote: Or – He shone forth.

B. Mount Paran is located near the modern border between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. (See Hamilton.)




1. Habakkuk 3:3, God comes from Teman, the sovereign one from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the skies, his glory fills the earth. (NET)

2. Mount Paran is probably the range of lofty hills which form the southern boundary of the Promised Land. (The Pulpit Commentary)

C. Hamilton wrote, “But all these texts agree in finding God outside the land of Israel and to its southeast, probably reflecting the origins of worship of Yahweh in that area (also known as Midian).

1. The places indicate the extent to which God’s manifestation at Sinai reached. (The Pulpit Commentary)

D. Hall well wrote that God revealed himself to Israel at Mount Sinai and remained with them by Seir and Mount Paran and was ready to deliver Canaan to Israel by his mighty power.

1. Psalm 80:1-3, O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor! In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal your power! Come and deliver us! O God, restore us! Smile on us! Then we will be delivered! (NET)




2. Judges 5:4-5, O Lord, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain. The mountains trembled before the Lord, the God of Sinai; before the Lord God of Israel. (NET)

3. Habakkuk 3:3-6, God comes from Teman, the sovereign one from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the skies, his glory fills the earth. He is as bright as lightning; a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand. This is the outward display of his power. Plague goes before him; pestilence marches right behind him. He takes his battle position and shakes the earth; with a mere look he frightens the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrate; the primeval hills are flattened. He travels on the ancient roads. (NET)

4. Psalm 68:7-8, O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah) the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. (NET)

E. Clarke via Coffman described Sinai, Seir and Paran as places where God manifested his glory in fiery appearances to proclaim his special providence and care over Israel.

F. God appeared in splendor to Israel and came with ten thousand of his holy ones.




G. Clarke wrote quoting Kennicott that Moses had every right to bless Israel because: . . .

1. God had blessed Israel at Mount Sinai, . . .

2. God manifested his glory at Mount Seir, . . .

1. Judges 5:4, O Lord, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain. (NET)

3. God’s glory appeared in Paran, and . . .

1. Numbers 14:10, However, the whole community threatened to stone them. But the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting. (NET)

4. The phrase, “ten thousand of his holy ones”, Clarke wrote quoting Kennicott, can be translated Meribah-Kadesh.

a. Numbers 20:1-13, Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. The people contended with Moses,




saying, “If only we had died when our brothers died before the Lord! Why have you brought up the Lord’s community into this wilderness? So that we and our cattle should die here? Why have you brought us up from Egypt only to bring us to this dreadful place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink!” So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They then threw themselves down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Take the staff and assemble the community, you and Aaron your brother, and then speak to the rock before their eyes. It will pour forth its water, and you will bring water out of the rock for them, and so you will give the community and their beasts water to drink.” So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, just as he commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock, and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Then Moses raised his hand, and struck the rock twice with his staff. And water came out abundantly. So the community drank, and their beasts drank too. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me




enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, because the Israelites contended with the Lord, and his holiness was maintained among them. (NET)

H. God came to Sinai from his heavenly throne surrounded by myriads of angels. (The Pulpit Commentary)

1. 1 Kings 22:19, Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. (NET)

2. Job 1:6, Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them. (NET)

3. Daniel 7:10, A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened and the books were opened. (NET)

4. Genesis 28:12, and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it (NET)




5. Genesis 32:2-3, When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. Jacob sent messengers on ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region of Edom. (NET)

6. Psalm 103:21, Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, you servants of his who carry out his desires! (NET)

7. Psalm 68:17, God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor. (NET)

III. (Verse 2) With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them.

A. Clarke observed that Sinai, Seir, Paran and Meribah-Kadesh, “mentioned by Moses in the text, are the identical places where God manifested his glory in a fiery appearance, the more illustriously to proclaim his special providence over and care of Israel.”

1. Exodus 19:16-19, On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, and




the whole mountain shook violently. When the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking and God was answering him with a voice. (NET)

2. Habakkuk 3:4, He is as bright as lightning; a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand. This is the outward display of his power. (NET)

IV. (Verse 3) Surely he loves the people; all your holy ones are in your power.

A. God certainly had shown his love for Israel leading Moses to conclude that the righteous, holy ones among the Israelites were under divine protection, power.

1. Genesis 28:3, May the sovereign God bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! Then you will become a large nation. (NET)

2. Judges 5:14, They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, they follow after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers. From Makir leaders came down, from Zebulun came the ones who march carrying an officer’s staff. (NET)

3. Isaiah 3:13, The Lord takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people. (NET)




4. Hosea 10:14, The roar of battle will rise against your people; all your fortresses will be devastated, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children. (NET)

5. Zechariah 11:10, Then I took my staff “Pleasantness” and cut it in two to annul my covenant that I had made with all the people. (NET)

V. (Verse 3) And they sit at your feet, each receiving your words.

A. On occasion this did occur, but as a rule Israel was all too often in rebellion against God.

1. One most significant occasion when this did occur was at Mount Sinai at the giving of the law.

2. On that occasion they sat in awesome wonder at what they were witnessing on Mount Sinai.

VI. (Verse 4) Moses delivered to us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

A. The law of Moses was central to the Israelites’ life as God’s gift to the nation. (See Hamilton.)

B. God loved the Israelites and gave them the law to instruct them on how to live in obedience to him. (See Hall.)




1. Judges 5:12, Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners of war, son of Abinoam! (NET)

2. Habakkuk 3:19, The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He gives me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain. (This prayer is for the song leader. It is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.) (NET)

VII. (Verse 5) The Lord was king over Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together.

A. The Lord, Jehovah, was king over Israel, Jeshurun. (See Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.)

1. Deuteronomy 32:15, But Jeshurun became fat and kicked, you got fat, thick, and stuffed! Then he deserted the God who made him, and treated the Rock who saved him with contempt. (NET)

2. Isaiah 44:2, This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says—the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen! (NET)

3. Hebrews 3:5, Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. (NET)




4. Exodus 15:18, The Lord will reign forever and ever! (NET)

5. Psalm 47:6-7, Sing to God! Sing! Sing to our king! Sing! For God is king of the whole earth! Sing a well-written song! (NET)

B. God, as Israel’s king, had given them victories and laws to govern them for their good. (See Hall.)

1. Exodus 15:18, The Lord will reign forever and ever! (NET)

2. Numbers 23:21, He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them. (NET)

3. Psalm 97:1, The Lord reigns! Let the earth be happy! Let the many coastlands rejoice! (NET)

4. Psalm 99:1, The Lord reigns! The nations tremble. He sits enthroned above the winged angels; the earth shakes. (NET)

C. The leaders gathered the people together and pledged themselves to be loyal to God, their head of state, and his word as their constitution from which they were not to deviate. (See Craigie via Coffman.)




Blessings on the Tribes

Blessing on Reuben

Deuteronomy 33:6, May Reuben live and not die, and may his people multiply. (NET) I. May Reuben live and not die, and may his people multiply.

A. Smith understood this to mean Reuben would continue, but the tribe would never be numerically strong. B. Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son and, as such had the rights of primogeniture, but, because of his sin, forfeited the rights of the firstborn son. He was the first listed in Genesis 49:3-4, Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. You are destructive like water and will not excel, for you got on your father’s bed, then you defiled it—he got on my couch! (NET) (See Hall.)

1. Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob, born to Leah in Padan Aram. (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

2. Here Moses asks for Reuben’s longevity and increase in number (See Hall.) in spite of his sins. 3. Reuben had sinned by committing adultery with his father’s (Jacob’s) concubine.

INTRODUCTION TO THE BLESSING OF MOSES A...

Documents

Transcript of INTRODUCTION TO THE BLESSING OF MOSES A...