The verse is nearly frightening!

Where, in Deuteronomy 32, God is clearly explaining to Moses the reason for that good man’s soon-to-occur “premature” death! It was because of something Moses had said, long ago, during one of Israel’s crises. Or maybe better stated … something Moses had done.

Either way, he sinned against God … in an egregious manner.

It’s probably best that I simply use today’s Text verse now, its terminology. God has just announced to Moses his impending death! Then the reason is divinely given … “Because ye (Moses) trespassed against me (the Lord) among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.” Deuteronomy 32:51

The verb “trespass” is spelled “maal” in Hebrew, basically meaning “to act unfaithfully, to transgress,” nearly “to step across a forbidden line!”

Moses that dark day … when Israel was (again) without water … got impatient with the (grumbling) Jews!

Here’s the whole sad account, for those of you who may want to read it thoroughly. “Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. ² And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ³ And the people chode (“riyb” = the word often used of a “lawsuit”) with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! ⁴ And why have ye (you, Moses) brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? ⁵ And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. ⁶ And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. ⁷ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ⁸ Take the ROD, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and SPEAK YE TO THE ROCK before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. ⁹ And Moses took the ROD from before the LORD, as he commanded him. ¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, YE REBELS; must we fetch you water out of this rock? ¹¹ And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod HE SMOTE THE ROCK TWICE: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. ¹² And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, BECAUSE ye BELIEVED ME NOT, to SANCTIFY ME in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore YE SHALL NOT bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. ¹³ This is the water of Meribah (“strife, contention”); because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.” Numbers 20:1-13

Moses hit the rock twice … when God had simply commanded him to speak to it! Earlier in Israel’s journey (Exodus 17) a rock had already been smitten, with copious water flowing from it as a result … and that rock no doubt was a “picture” of Jesus dying on the Cross. Our Lord will only die (be smitten) once … not repeatedly. And when Moses a second time, yea even a third time, “hit” a rock in the eyes of Israel … He may have violated this precious, beautiful “Type!”

Furthermore, Moses called the people, God’s people “rebels!” (Something God can do … but not necessarily His men, not without expressly given authority!) I think this vocabulary “mishap” might have been part of Moses’ downfall because Psalm 106:33 says Moses’ sin consisted of “speaking unadvisedly with his lips!” Wow!)

So either way, hitting or speaking (both acts represent getting ahead of the Lord) … Moses … “sanctified me (the LORD) not in the midst of the children of Israel.”

Moses made God look bad!

Moses failed to honor God’s Holiness!

This, as I said, is disturbing.

How often do we Christians today fail in the same area?

In failing to honor God’s uniqueness?

Specialness?

Character?

Essence?

Person?

Back to where we began today … Moses died early … “because he trespassed against the Lord among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh … because he SANCTIFIED NOT God in the midst of the children of Israel.”

Make God look “good, holy, honorable” today … by the way you live!

What responsibility!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, Deuteronomy 32 again, the Book’s great antepenultimate chapter! The word means “next to the next to the last.” Here’s the etymology: “ante” means “before,” from Latin. “Pen” (“paene”), Latin again, meaning “almost.” Then a word we all know, “ultimate,” meaning “the last.”

Put it all together: the one “almost before the last!” Third from the last!

Don’t you enjoy vocabulary?

Today we’re noticing a line of thought from Deuteronomy 32, verses 48-50. Here’s the Holy Spirit’s inspired Narrative: “And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, GET THEE UP into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: AND DIE in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people.”

Wow!

Moses is now 120 years old.

Yet “strong” for his age.

Proof?

The verb “get (thee) up” in our Text is “alah,” meaning “to climb!” Twelve decades he’s been on earth, Moses, and he’s still a mountain climber! (Remember Sinai?)

Why is Moses to scale this mountain?

To die!

Yes: “Get thee up into this mountain … unto mount Nebo; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: AND DIE in the mount whither thou goest up.”

Based on this account, Moses died on command! (Deuteronomy 32:5 … “So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.” King James Version)

But more about that in a day or two.

Here’s today’s point. Though most of us age and weaken and then die, some stay strong and active … until the end (or virtually the end) of earthly life!

When Moses died, the Bible is clear: “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” Deuteronomy 34:7, meaning his eyesight was still 20/20 and his strength was still at a maximum!

Now … I am remembering a prayer, really a blessing I guess, God (through Moses) pronounced on the Jewish children of Asher, one of Jacob’s sons. “And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and AS THY DAYS, SO SHALL THY STRENGTH BE.” Deuteronomy 33:24-25, note the capital letters, that clause!

Strong … to the end!

Folks, I really believe Jesus died (on the Cross) in like fashion!

Matthew 27:50 … “When He had cried again WITH A LOUD VOICE, yielded up the ghost.” Men who have been nailed to crosses for (six) hours DO NOT normally have “loud voices!”

Our STRONG Lord!

Then Psalm 92 comes to mind, I trust being an encouragement to someone reading here today. “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in OLD AGE; they shall be fat and flourishing.” Psalm 92:12-15

Wow!

Old, like the majestic cedar trees, fragrant and strong and beneficial to its surroundings! For a century and a half anyway, 150 years plus! Old, like the (still) fruit bearing palm trees! Some of which are fruitful for 90-100 years! Sure beats a tomato plant!

Moses.

Jesus.

Asher.

Creation, trees anyway.

I am probably misapplying the verse right now. But I am thinking of John 10:10, which proves God can (and does) give life. But not just “life” … meaningful life, exuberant life, abundant life! As well as everlasting Life!

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10, Jesus speaking.

Today, no matter the number of our years … let’s ENJOY the life God has so graciously given us, and our strength too … no matter the level on which it exists.

Amen!

I’m going to eat (enjoy) breakfast now!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing!

 

This is another several hour travel day, and I’m writing you from the car as we drive through the beautiful North Carolina mountains.

I’ll be “on the road” today well over seven hours, I suspect!

But I’m happy to report the Lord abundantly blessed His Word again this year in Fletcher, North Carolina. Pastor Roy Waldroup there is an amazing man of God!

Deuteronomy … what a thrilling Book!

I love it (at least partly) because Jesus loved it so!

Each time the Devil attacked our Lord (during the 40 day wilderness temptation) Jesus refuted that old tempter via Scripture quoted directly from the book of Deuteronomy!

Precisely, Deuteronomy 6:13 and 6:16 and 8:3.

As if our Lord had enjoyed His Morning Devotions that day directly from Deuteronomy!

In fact, it appears our Lord quoted Deuteronomy a total of ten times (recorded in the New Testament) during His earthly Ministry! That’s a lot.

Yes, Deuteronomy is SPECIAL!

And the Lord willing, tomorrow NOT being a travel day … we shall study the Book (Deuteronomy) some more!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

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

 

What a lovely beginning to a song!

The Song of Moses (and Joshua), according to verse 44 of our chapter, Deuteronomy 32.

Its first three verses say: “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.” Deuteronomy 32:1-3

A song that serves as a Speech, a Lecture, a Sermon, and an Act of Worship, all simultaneously!

Note the addressees, both the heavens (from a Hebrew root verb meaning “to be lofty) and the earth (also from a Hebrew verb meaning “to be firm). Everyone!

The noun for “doctrine” is “leqach,” translated “learning” 4 of the nine times it’s found in the Bible. “Fair speech” once, it’s also rendered, in Proverbs 7:21 … where it’s applied to an immoral woman persuading an innocent young man into her house!

“Leqach” is derived from “laqach,” which is found 965 times in the Bible! A key verb meaning “to lay hold of, to grasp, to fetch!” In fact, it’s “married” four times in Scripture, that strong a bond!

Clearly the Word of God is supposed (that’s what Moses’ Doctrine was, in reality) to “grip” us like that! “Consumed” by the Word! “Taken” by the Bible!

Watch now the pleasant word pictures attributed to the Scripture. “Rain” and “dew!” Both gently arriving and then powerfully envigorating! (Also … both rain and dew are applied as symbols of the Holy Spirit, especially in the Old Testament!)

Growth!

Listen to Peter as well. “Desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye MAY GROW thereby.” 1st Peter 2:2, the same idea … with just a different metaphor!

Then Moses (and Joshua) pledge to “publish” this Word of God, this holy Doctrine! The verb here is “qara” in Hebrew, meaning “to speak out loud!” Also (in the King James Version) “to proclaim, to read audibly, to preach!”

Wow!

Then our beautiful little three-verse “triplet of truth” closes with a command!

The mandate is … “Ascribe ye greatness unto our God.”

“Ascribe” is “yahab” in Moses’ tongue, literally “to bring!” Plus, it’s “to give” 23 times in the Bible! In English “ascribe” carries the idea of making a record of His Greatness, writing it down somewhere!

The last few Services here (in the North Carolina Revival this week) I have been preaching through Psalm 104, verse by verse. See if you think its opening line ascribes greatness to God!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.”

Amen!

Next time you hear good preaching/teaching folks … se if you can spiritually “smell” and “hear” the gently falling rain, and dew, from Heaven!

It’s good!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today on our “Standing with the Bagwells” Page … you can see several pictures from this week’s Revival Meeting. If anyone is interested, that is.