Chapter 33
Moses' final blessing on the people of Israel is in this chapter.
2023 - Jeshurun is a symbolic name for Israel, describing her ideal character, per the BLB note on Is 44:2.
2022 - This verse:
"5 Thus the LORD became king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together." [Deu 33:5 ESV]
Another verse that I totally do not understand. BLB says Jeshurun is a symbolic name for Israel. But the first place it appears in the Bible was in the previous chapter, in Moses' song. Do we distinguish between God as The Rock and God as King of Jeshurun? Or are those the same? MSB is no help at all. And he admits he doesn't know, and that there are a number of possible meanings. MSB refers back to 32:15, that first use of the word, and says it means "righteous", and is used sarcastically in that verse because Israel was NOT righteous. God's provision for them made them "fat, dumb, and happy", and rather than thank God for his provision, they rebelled against him. As they will rebel against the salvation inherent in Christ when he comes later. Or, really, as we all do even now. But why this special - but sarcastically derogatory - name for Israel at this time. Moses' song was to serve as a warning and a reminder of the sins of Israel. Its purpose was to keep them aware of previous failures, aware of the things God hated, and to remind them that it was He alone - the Rock alone - that provided. So...King in some symbolic sense, as the provider for the nation?
There is a blessing on each tribe, named specifically.
2022 - HERE IT IS AGAIN!!!!
"8 And of Levi he said, "Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah;" [Deu 33:8 ESV]. Moses is a Levite! Here are the two rocks again, Massah and Meribah! Tested and quarreled. Moses quarreled with God? He disagreed with God. That has to be the reason for his not entering Canaan. In vs 9, we are reminded about why the Levites have this elevated position of service to God. Because they killed their own families at Sinai over the worship of the golden calf. Those men put God ahead of the lives of their families, and received God's portion of the sacrifices once those were established. Yet, tested and quarreled are still in there...I do not understand this.
2022 - This about Benjamin:
"12 Of Benjamin he said, "The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders."" [Deu 33:12 ESV]. It was the Benjamites who figure prominently at the end of Judges, who are so awful that the rest of Israel decides to wipe them out as a tribe...and then commits some pretty horrible acts to make sure they survive as a tribe! Saul was a Benjamite! Beloved of the Lord?
Wow. These last chapters of Deuteronomy are really causing me problems.
These blessings would be good to refer back to in the dynamic situations that are coming as they take the land of Canaan, then go through the time of the judges and the kings. The tribes often have conflict, and there may be keys to how they handle conflict that are found in these blessings from Moses. It would also be interesting to compare these to the words Jacob used of each of his sons when he died.
2022 - And this is how the chapter ends:
"29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs."" [Deu 33:29 ESV]. God has saved them, defends them, run offense before them. God is their provider, beyond the physical, and including the spiritual.
BUT, this is the OT. And while we may see some Gentile application, after the fact and having the NT, can we truly say that Moses understood Christ in terms of anything but his Kingship over Israel in the Millennial? Wasn't this what Moses truly foresaw?