Deuteronomy 31:16-30 - Chapters 31-33. Summary

God's foresight of Israel's declension.

We learn—

I. THAT THE FUTURE IS PERFECTLY UNVEILED TO GOD . God claims this power as one of his prerogatives ( Isaiah 41:22 ; Isaiah 42:9 ; Isaiah 43:25 , Isaiah 43:26 ; Isaiah 45:20 , Isaiah 45:21 ). And no one can question but that these predictions have been strikingly fulfilled. The people did corrupt themselves and turn aside, and evil did befall them in the latter days ( Deuteronomy 31:29 ).

II. THAT THE PLAINEST WARNINGS ARE FREQUENTLY DISREGARDED . Israel was under no government of fate. Had the people repented, they would have been forgiven. The predictions are cast in absolute form, only because God saw that warning would not be taken. He would only too gladly have revoked his threatenings, had Israel, roused to alarm, turned from its evil (cf. the case of Nineveh). This, however, it did not do, but, with these woe-laden prophecies spread before it, rushed madly on, as if eager to fulfill them. How like sinners still. The plainest declarations, the most explicit warnings, the direst threatenings, are as little recked of as if no Word of God were in existence. Strange that God's Word should be so disregarded, and yet profession so often made of believing in it (cf. Jeremiah 36:1-32 .)!

III. THAT GOD 'S WORD HAS ITS USES EVEN THOUGH MEN PROVE DISOBEDIENT . It is to be spoken to them and taught them, "whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear' ( Ezekiel 2:7 ). It tells them the truth. It shows them their duty. It warns them of the consequences of disobedience. It upholds a witness for God in their apostasy ( Deuteronomy 31:19 ). It renders them inexcusable. A solemn responsibility thus attaches to us in the possession of God's Word.

IV. THAT A TIME WILL COME WHEN THE SINNER WILL BE FORCED TO CONFESS THAT GOD 'S WORDS AGAINST HIM HAVE ALL BECOME TRUE . ( Deuteronomy 31:17 .) Only that time may come too late ( Deuteronomy 31:18 ). "Missing God is not true repentance" (Keil).—J.O.

HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR