If you’ve read much of my writing, Bible exposition, for long … you’ve heard me say: “This is one of the GREAT Chapters of Scripture!” Debbie says I declare that fact about nearly every Text I preach!
Wow!
Then, please put Deuteron0my 32 on the list!
It is Poetry, a “Hymn” or “Song” really.
Written (under the Inspiration of God the Holy Spirit) by Moses … shortly before his death on Mount Nebo.
And in it verse 15 tells a sad story.
After all God’s multiple Blessings on His people Israel …
“But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” Deuteonomy 32:15, where “Jeshurun” (meaning “upright one”) is another Name (a term of endearment) for the Jewish people. For that people, that little Nation.
“Waxed fat” means she “grew heavy.” It’s symbolic language for sure, meaning that she was well-fed, had no needs, was lavishly cared for … by God in Heaven!
But instead of obeying God, following His Instructions, she “kicked.” Where “baat” in Hebrew means “kicked at!” She kicked her very Provider, Protector! The “time” sense of this verb indicates she kicked at God again and again and again, habitually!
She’s no longer “fit and trim,” eager to do anything God asked.
But heavy and lethargic … and stubborn, in essence much like the Laodicean Church of many years later. “Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17
Then … Israel “forsook” God!
“Natash,” the verb, means “to leave” someone. “To be loosed” from him or her! “To abandon” or “to desert” him! And it too inherently has the idea of repeated action, as a lifestyle really!
(Note Creation neatly “tucked” in the verse! “Then he forsook God which MADE him.” The verb “asah” means “designed, built, prepared, accomplished.”)
Now, to my “goal” for the whole Lesson!
Look what Israel did!
“and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.”
The verb “lighly esteemed” is spelled “nabel” in Hebrew. It means “to consider foolish!” (“Nabal” is one of the key nouns for “fool” indeed!) Or “to believe senseless!” Also “to dishonor.” And once in the King James Version, “to make vile!”
They essentially blasphemed Almighty God!
Oh, let none of us ever be guilty of such wicked behavior.
In fact, we should seek to do the opposite!
Instead of “lightly esteeming” God … we should seek to “highly honor” Him!
“Honor” in Hebrew is written as “kabod” … to count “heavy, weighty,” of great value!
Tonight in our current Revival Meeting (in North Carolina) the Text for this week (Psalm 104) ends with a paragraph greatly extolling our great God in heaven!
Worthy is His Name!
Never consider Him as “nothing,” rather let Him be your “Everything!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell