Deuteronomy 32:34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?
35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
God has a good memory. He does not forget things that need to be dealt with. He is willing and able to forget sins that are forgiven. However, Revelation 20:11-15 tells us that when Jesus Christ sits on the great white throne, the dead will be brought before Him and the books will be opened and those books will reveal their works.
The Bible is clear that no one is saved by works. Thus the books will reveal to the lost why they are there. They trusted in their works and not in Jesus Christ. It will be a very sad day for the lost who are presently already in torment as well as all future lost who will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
God is just and true. He has to deal with unrepentant sinners. He would not be a God of love if He bent His justice to appease lost sinners. He would be just like our corrupt judicial system and many homes today. Look at the trouble in our country which in part is due to laws that are not enforced.
God is not like that. In verse 35 God reminds us that vengeance and recompence belongs to Him. Recompence is that justice that flows from righteous laws. Jesus Christ came to the earth to suffer and die on the cross of Calvary for our sins. The thief on the cross next to Jesus was a convicted thief. He deserved to be on that cross. He could not pay for his sins there, but he would not commit any more. Jesus Christ looked at Him when he asked Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus promised that man eternal life there on the cross. Jesus Christ took that man’s sin upon Himself because he repented and trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for his salvation.
It is important to be forgiven and saved. God would rather forgive repentant sinners than have rebellious sinners go to hell. In our text, God reminds us that there is a day of calamity for those who refuse to turn to Him in repentance. Lost people cannot just continue to live in rebellion against God. Even though they do not want to turn to Him, they will meet Him in a very tragic way.
In verse 36 God reminded Moses and the people that He shall judge His people. The word translated as “repent” in this verse means “to be sorry”. God does not repent as we need to. We need to turn to God, which means we are changing direction. We are looking to God rather than self. God does not need to change direction for something better. He is the best. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It grieves His heart to have to judge the wicked, but He must do so.
Man without God has no strength.
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
God knows we have no strength in ourselves. He makes that very clear throughout the Scriptures. Yet most people want to go on in their own strength. It is like the young child who wants to take the spoon and feed himself. He does not yet have the coordination needed and more food ends up around the mouth and everywhere else, than in the mouth.
Spiritually, we cannot walk aright without true Biblical salvation. In verse 37 God asked an important question. He knows the answer, but the nation of Israel and we as well need to admit there is no god that can save other than the true God. There is no rock that can be trusted and can stand firm other than the God of the Bible.
In verse 38 God challenged those false gods to stand up and prove themselves. They could not do that. Sadly that is were many are at today as well. Their religion is empty but they insist on following their false gods.
In verse 39 God reminded the people that He is the only true God. All others are of no value. Only God has the power to kill and to make alive. Eternal life is a gift of God. Everyone will die one day. Those who trust in the true God will never die.
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Jesus made that promise just before he called Lazarus out of his tomb. Jesus Christ is the giver of eternal life to all those who will trust in Him for salvation. Jesus also reminded us that the world might kill the body, but they cannot touch the soul.
Moses needed to remind the nation of Israel of this just prior to their entry into the land of Canaan. God had Moses write these words down so that all successive generations would be reminded of the Truth.
It is important to understand as well that when God pronounces His condemnation upon a soul, no man can deliver that person. In Luke 16 the rich man died and went to hell. No one could get him out of there and no one could go and offer him any comfort. It was too late for him. He sealed his destiny by rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is important to heed the Word of God. Don’t corrupt His Word to make a false account. That will not help you. Believe in God and know His peace and forgiveness. He offers true joy. That joy comes when a person repents toward God and trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Those who do that are forgiven and saved. Their lives are changed. They no longer desire their own way. They no longer want to live in sin. They desire God’s peace and they receive that as a gift of God. That peace does not come by avoiding the Truth, but rather by receiving the Truth and walking in it.
Pastor Bartel