In this last section of the song of Moses, Moses contrasted the Rock of Israel with the rock of the other nations. God also promised to revenge His people. Moses closed the song with a plea to observe God’s commandments. The law is not a vain thing. It is your life by which you prolong your days in the land. The same day, the Lord told Moses to ascend Mount Nebo where he would see the Promised Land before he died.

What Does It Say?

1. For their rock is not as our _________, even our enemies themselves being __________.
2. Their wine is the poison of _________, and the cruel venom of _________.
3. God will render vengeance to his ____________, and will be merciful unto his ________, and to his people.
4. The law is not a ________ thing for you because it is your ________.
5. Moses was told to get up into mount Abarim, unto mount ________, which is in the land of __________.

What Does It Mean?

1. Verse 40 states, “For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.” Who is speaking? What is the significance of the lifting up of the hand (see Genesis 14:22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
   See All...)? How can this speaker declare, “I live for ever?” How does this verse fit in with verse 39?
2. In verse 50, the Lord told Moses that he will “die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people.” Several times in the Old Testament, the Bible refers to someone who died and was gathered unto his people (Genesis 25:8Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
   See All..., 17; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:33; Numbers 20:24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
   See All...; Numbers 27:13). Many people think this phrase simply refers to the burial of the body in the family graveside. However, this cannot be. Of Moses, the Bible says that the Lord “buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day” (Deuteronomy 34:6And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
   See All...). Genesis 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
   See All... speaks of the coming of Shiloh (another name for the Messiah) and then states, “unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” In light of these verses, what does it mean to be gathered unto the people. To what is Genesis 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
   See All... referring?
3. Moses is reminded again why he and Aaron were not allowed to enter the Promised Land: “because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel” (v.51). To sanctify means to set apart as sacred or holy. This passage refers to the disobedience of Moses and Aaron in bringing water from the rock by smiting it when God told them to speak to it (Numbers 20:7-13 [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 unto 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; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
   See All...). Their sins include unbelief (Numbers 20:12And 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.
   See All...), rebellion against God’s word (Numbers 20:24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
   See All...), speaking unadvisedly (Psalm 106:32-33 [32] They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: [33] Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
   See All...), and not sanctifying God (Deuteronomy 32:51Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
   See All...). Compare this with Leviticus 10:3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
   See All... where God said, “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” Consider these passages and tell what you think it means to not sanctify the Lord in the midst of Israel. Can people commit this sin today? How?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. In verse 29, the Lord laments concerning Israel, “O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” Evidently, one part of wisdom is to consider the latter end of something. What does this mean? How can people show wisdom by considering their latter end? Try to give a personal application.
2. The Lord declared, “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence” (v.35; see also v.43). This lines up with the teaching of Paul: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
   See All...). What is vengeance? How do people try to avenge themselves? What does God want us to do? Give an example of how we can apply this principle to our lives.

Suggested Memory Verses

Deuteronomy 32:29O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
See All..., 31, 39, 40, 46, 47