The Blessing of Moses

申命记第33章：1-29节
Sermon on Deuteronomy 33

One Baptist minister, George Truett, pastored a church at Dallas, Texas, for 40 years. Before he retired, the church board asked him, “What would you like? A house? A car? The pastor told the church leaders, “Just give me the privilege of praying for my people.”

During the last Sunday of his ministry, Pastor Truett spent over an hour to pray for the people, the leaders, and all the different ministries in the church. All who were there much blessed by that prayer.

In Deuteronomy 33 Moses wanted to say a final prayer for the people whom he had led for 40 years. So we read,
Verse 1: This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.

Now, whom should Moses pray for?

Moses prayed for the people tribe by tribe. If he were at Jubilee Church, he would pray for the cell groups, zone by zone.

What should Moses pray for? That will depend on what the people need most.

In the past 40 years, Moses led and guided the people – he fed food and water; he taught the people how to worship God the proper way, and he directed the people in battle and interceded for them.

Now, the people were about to enter the Promised Land, but without Moses. Joshua shall lead the people there instead. Some people might doubt, “Will Joshua be able to teach us, lead us and protect us the way Moses did?” We might hear some people saying, “Moses, whenever you lift up your arms, we will win the battle”; “But when Joshua lifts up his arms, (pause) we only smell bad odour”; “We almost died.” Then another might remark, “Joshua came close to inventing chemical weapons.”

In view of the people’s insecurity, the first thing Moses did was to assure them of God’s continual Presence and guidance with them, even when they move on without him. Moses assured the people that this same God whom they encountered at Mt Sinai, had been with them when they were at Seir (Edom) and the also at the wilderness of Paran.

Read verse 2-5

Firstly, Moses re-directs the people’s eyes from himself to YHWH. It was not Moses, but YHWH who had the people all along; and it would not be Joshua, but the same God who will continue to guide, provide and protect the people as they enter the Promised Land. The LORD is their true king and leader, not the prophet Moses or Joshua.

Towards the end of his blessings, Moses directs the Israelites’ attention to the LORD again. In the last four verses we read:

Read verse 26-28

Moses assures the people that the LORD will be their refuge. As the refuge he will help and protect them. The LORD will be their Divine Warrior. As the Warrior, the LORD will fight the battle for the people and drive out their enemies.

In other words, Moses was assuring the people, “Don’t worry! You will definitely survive without me.” The LORD’s presence shall go with you. You shall continue to excel”

You notice that Israel was called by the pet name ‘Jeshuran’. ‘Jeshuran’ means “the upright one.” That name expresses two things: 1) Israel’s intimate relationship with God – Israel is the LORD’s covenant-son and the LORD is their Covenant-Father. 2) The LORD expects His covenant-son to be like Him. God, as the Righteous One, would say, “Come, meet my son, “Jeshuran”. He reflects my righteousness. The name ‘Jeshuran’ paints a mental picture of a father and son taking a snapshot together, wearing the same T-Shirt: God, the Righteous Father, and Israel, the ‘Upright’ son. Jeshuran means “the upright one”

In verse 29 Moses exclaims: 29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places." (33:29)

Because “There is none like YHWH”; thus Moses exclaimed, “Who is like you, O Israel?” “Tell me, who is so lucky as you, Israel?” (v. 29a)

Because God is present with Israel, Moses can say with confidence “He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places."

Thus Moses loudly pronounced the blessing “Blessed are you, O Israel! … a people saved by the LORD?”

As the Israelites were anticipating Moses blessings, the different tribes might, at least, recall what their ancestor Jacob spoke to each of his sons at his deathbed (Gen. 49). Some of Jacob’s sons were well blessed; but some were not blessed at all. Instead, they were rebuked harshly. Reuben was, probably, the unhappiest among those sons who were not blessed. Speaking his last words, Jacob poured out his years of bottled-up feeling against Reuben,
3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it (Gen. 49:3-4)

In Genesis 49 Jacob utters his last words to his sons according to their birth-order. However, in Deuteronomy 33 Moses does not follow the birth-order when he blesses the 12 tribes. Moses chose to bless the tribe of Reuben first.

In his blessing Moses comforted Reuben,

6 "Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few." Those words appear to counter Jacob’s ‘curse’ “You will no longer excel.”
Jacob’s last words to Reuben: “You will no longer excel” (Gen 49:4b)
Moses’ blessing to the tribe of Reuben: “Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few” (Deut 33:6)

In Deuteronomy 33 all the tribes’ names are mentioned by Moses, except one – Simeon. It seems to the readers that Moses had forgotten to bless the tribe of Simeon. Not so. A number of Christian historians explained the reason why Simeon was not mentioned was that the tribe, Simeon, was assimilated into the tribe of Judah due to its low population. So, whatever blessings that apply to Judah, also apply to Simeon as well.

Three Common Elements in Moses’ Blessings of the 12 Tribes:

1. The Presence of the LORD with the People
2. Strength & Protection from the LORD against Enemies & Invaders
3. Abundant Material Provisions in the Land

1. The Presence of the LORD with the People

In the ancient near east, many nations worship a national god. They believe that the presence of a national god is restricted to their homeland. In other words, if you lived in Egypt, and you migrate to Phoenicia, your Egyptian gods will not follow you and protect you in Phoenicia. Somehow their “work permits” are not approved. One way to pay homage to your gods is to bring some homeland soil with you in your travel.

In 2 Kings 5, we read of the Syrian commander Naaman asking prophet Elisha to allow him carry some soil from Israel back to Syria, so that he might pay homage to YWHW.
17 "If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD (2 Kings 5:17)

Another way to have your god with you in foreign land is having your country conquer that land. When a king wins a war, it also means that his gods have defeated the gods of the conquered nation.

The Israelites are wrong to think that the LORD is restricted to Mt Sinai, or anywhere that He manifested himself, so Moses assured the Israelites, “the God of the Exodus will always be with you as you enter the Land.” Sadly, as we follow Israel into Canaan, we will learn that the people trusted more in the power of iconic objects, like the Ark of the Covenant, than the very Presence of God.

2. Strength & Protection from the LORD against Enemies & Invaders (Attackers)

You may ask, “If God had given the Land to Israel, why then do the people have to fight to posses the land? Why can’t they possess the land without fighting? If I had to fight to receive my gift, why kind of a present is that?

I hope you may understand the situation through this true story.

In the late 1990s, one primary one boy would receive $20 from his father to spend during school recess time every day. In other words, the father would give the boy $100 as pocket money during the 5 day week. One day that boy bought a piece of erase for $5 from a classmate. That girl went home to tell her parent proudly, “I bought the erase for 50cents and I sold it to one classmate for $5 today.” It was obvious that the boy did not know the buying power of $5. He did not know that the foreign maid in his house had to do a lot of works every hard just to earn $100 per week. So, what he did not work for, the boy does not know how to value or treasure.

Any wise parents who have great wealth to hand over would want to ensure that their children would not take the inheritance for granted and squander the wealth overnight.

Similarly for Israel, God’s people must learn how to treasure and take care of their land, especially, when the Land is a gift from God. If Israel does not know how to manage the land well, they might lose it easily.

The LORD wanted to educate His people to live right, besides wanting to bless them. There are many instances in Deuteronomy when God reminded the people “Remember, you were slaves in Egypt.” Because you were once slaves, so you will know how to treat your own slaves properly. You do not want to ill-treat your slaves. Because you have fought to inherit the land, so you know how to protect your gift.

In Moses’ blessing we will come across many metaphors and phrases that express the LORD’s provisions of strength and protection for the 12 tribes.

Judah Oh, be his help against his foes! (v. 7b)

Benjamin"…the LORD shields him all day long… (12a)

Joseph17 he is like a firstborn bull; he will gore the nations… (v.17)

Gad Gad … like a lion, tearing at arm or head (v. 20b)

Dan "Dan is a lion's cub, springing out of Bashan" (v.22)

Asher 25 your strength will equal your days (v. 25)

3. Abundant Material Provisions in the Land

Canaan was described as a land flowing with milk and honey.

That notion might lead us to think that the people drank milkshakes and ate pancakes dipped in honey syrup everyday. The Land, actually, had more than that. “Milk & Honey” is a figure-of-speech that represents the finest things in life in the Ancient Near East.

Why was Canaan known as a “land that flows with milk & honey”? A quick survey of the land would give us some understanding. Israel can be divided into 4 major regions:

1. The western coastal plain;
2. The central mountainous region;
3. The Jordan valley; and
4. The eastern plateau region.

The west coastal plain comprises flat lands. People living there would grow grapes olive trees and do bee-farming. From bee-farming, they could get a large supply of honey. The western plateau region has elevated grassland that are excellent for raising cows, sheep and goats. Obviously, there would not be shortage of milk there.

In his blessing Moses prayed that the people would enjoy God’s abundant material provisions:

The blessings of abundant provisions by the LORD appear to be in line with God’s promise to Abraham: 1 Go … to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing … in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen 12:1b-3)
Joseph; May the LORD bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below; 14 with the best the sun brings forth and the finest the moon can yield; 15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills … (vv. 13-15)

Zebulun & Issahar; they will feast on the abundance of the seas … (v. 19b)

Gad: 21 He chose the best land … the leader's portion was kept for him (v. 21)

Naphtali: Naphtali … is full of his blessing (v. 23b).

Asher: and let him bathe his feet in oil (v. 24b)

If that is so, then Israel’s material blessings are not meant to an end in themselves. The people in Israel are blessed so that they can be blessings to others, especially those who are in need.

Application:

We live in a world where wealth and poverty are unevenly distributed globally. As a result there exists a great gap between the rich and the poor. Food we feel sick of eating could be answer to families who have to pray “Give us this day our daily bread” at the start of each new day.

If you are blessed materially, you must not take affluent lifestyle for granted. You need to discover your God-given role to bless people who live in extreme poverty.

One Cambodian shared this:

Story of Western-Cakes
(something like “London Choco Roll”)

When I was a boy, I used to queue in long line with my friends to receive free “western cake” from missionaries. We did not know what western cake tastes like, so we would queue for hours to receive one. The western cake was the best food we’ve ever had. I could never forget the face of the man who gave us western cake everyday. The same organization that distributed “western cakes,” later found me “adoptive parents” who sponsored me for studies (Sponsor a Child Program). When I started school, I never saw the man who gave me “western cake” again. I did not even know his name. I wanted to tell him that I became a believer. Years passed, and I eventually graduated from a university abroad. That same organization helped me obtain scholarship for my education. I returned to Cambodia as a civil engineer, and I joined World Vision to spread the love of Jesus by engaging in social services. Then one year, I attended a onference where all the missionaries in World Vision International gathered. I was so excited when I recognized the face of the man who once gave me “western cakes”. I introduced myself to him as the street-kid who received western cakes from his hand and thanked him. God gave us a happy reunion after 15 years of separation. We are now serving Jesus Christ in the same mission organization.

“Contentment” to many people in developing countries is “eat good food, drink clean water and live in clean environment”

Finally, let us look at the blessing of the Levites. Moses blessed the Levites in his prayer:

Bless all his skills, O LORD, and be pleased with the work of his hands (v. 11)

Moses prayed for the Levites to be blessed with skills so that they may serve the LORD and the people better.

In his blessing, Moses also delineates three major responsibilities of the Levites: 1. Intercession: They are to intercede for the people

2. Education: They are to teach the people the Torah of God

3. Worship: They are to lead the people in worship.

It is interesting to note that the people Zebulun and Issachar were also charged with leading peoples to worship: 19 They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer sacrifices of righteousness … (v.19)

In this text we have a glimpse of God’s mission plan in calling Israel to be His people.

The Levites were called to lead the people of Israel in worship; and Israel, in turn, is called to lead the peoples of the nations to worship the Creator-God.

This picture helps us to understand the Apostles Peter and Paul’s emphasis of the church as the nation of priests in Jesus Christ.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (2 Peter 2:9)

The priesthood of the believers applies to people who are not of Jewish descent as well. It applies to all the believers who are in Christ.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (2:10)

The mission of the church as the priesthood of believers patterns after the mission of Israel:
Israel as a Nation of Priests vs The Church as a Nation of Priests
High Priest vs The Great High Priest Jesus Christ
Priests & Levites vs Pastors & Church Leaders
Israelites vs Believers
People of other nations vs People of all nations

Ministry Calling of Levitical Priests vs Ministry Calling of the Church as Priesthood of Believers
Intercession for the people vs Prayer Intercession for the World
Teach the Torah vs Teach/ Preach the Gospel (Christ’s teaching)
Lead people to worship the Creator-God in proper way vs Draw people to True worship

Because we are a nation of priests in Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to intercede for other people and various types of government in the world.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus … (1 Tim 2: 1-5).

When you are appointed to lead Intercessory Prayer during the worship service, set aside time to prepare your prayer carefully. You will be representing the church to intercede for the needs of the world. Do not begin thinking about what to prayer only on Sunday morning. Even if you start preparing your prayer contents on Saturday night, it might be a bit late. You would miss many issues that you ought to pray about. It is never too early to start preparing your intercessory prayer on the Mondays.

What shall we pray for when we intercede for people and the government in the world?

We may specifically pray for:

The needs for food & clothing for people living in extreme poverty

The deliverance from oppression for people living under corrupt government

The necessary aids, comforts and relief for people who became homeless because of natural disaster

The protection of families against moral evils that threaten to destroy family values, e.g. same-sex marriage, adultery social websites.

The vindication of justice for those who are helpless bullied and unfairly treated.

The Apostle Paul comments, “This is good, and please God our savior”
So, do give sufficient time to prepare your Intercessory Prayer well.

While the failure of Israel was idolatry; the failure of the Priesthood was the failure of many priests in teaching the Torah to the people

When the priests failed to teach the Torah, the people perished.

Without vision the people perished. The failure of the priests in teaching the people contributes to another major reason why Israel fell. They failed to teach the Torah to the people. Because of the Priests’ failure to teach, unrighteousness, injustice and oppression among fellow Israelites became prevalent in the land, in addition to the idolatry problem.

When we read Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no vision, the people perish: but they one who keep the law, happy are they.

The word “vision” in the context refers to God’s revelation – the LORD’s instructions for living that are revealed in the Torah. The text actually means “When the Torah is not properly taught, the people will not know how to live according to the LORD’s way. As a result, they will have no moral restraints – thus they perish.

The other half of the text says, “blessed is he who keeps the Torah.”
Teaching the Torah in Israel was done both the formal and informal ways.
In formal teaching, the priests would teach the Torah in class context
In informal teaching – The fathers of the family will teach their children in different types of life-setting.

On the Sabbath, children may ask, “Father, why are we not working today?” Then the father will tell the Creation Story. In 6 days God created the heaven and the earth, and on the 7th day He rested.

During the Passover, the children may ask, “Father, why do we eat this? Why do we do that?” Then the father will tell the Exodus story.

When offering an animal sacrifice, the children may ask, “Father, why do we have to kill the lamb?” Then the father will explain about God’s holiness and the human sinful condition.

Those are some examples of informal education.

We may also tell people about the gospel of Jesus by means our observation of sacraments and our celebration of the holy days.

Your baptism day or confirmation day can be an occasion to share with your non Christian relatives the meaning of baptism.

Christmas and Easter can be occasions where we may invite non Christian friends to celebrate with us and learn the true meaning of Christmas and about Easter. You may want to share your Salvation Story on special occasions, like your birthday, or your wedding day.

As a church we have the call to teach the people within our community about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

People will not be impressed by how much we know about the Bible, but they are more interested to see in what ways God is real in our personal lives and in our community living.

My colleague’s younger brother married a minister’s daughter. So, the bride’s parents invited the former Minister Mentor, the former Senior Minister, Prime Minister and all the other ministers to the Chinese Wedding Dinner. To the surprise of all who attended the dinner, the bridegroom shared his Salvation Story at the Wedding Dinner. The newly wedded couple chose to honor Jesus Christ before the VIPs.

Conclusion

In Moses’ blessings of the 12 Tribes, he assures the people that the LORD will protect them and provide for them abundantly. The Apostle Paul also assures the Christians that the same God will also provide for our needs when we suffer loss for the sake of Jesus Christ. “My God shall supply all your needs in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19)

Just as Moses assures the people that the LORD’s Presence will go with them when they enter the Land, Our Lord Jesus Christ also assures us of His Presence as we seek to serve Him and glory Him in the world
Behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)