Deuteronomy 32:1-3
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
ascribe greatness to our God!
Subject: The Method and Subject of Teaching about God
This chapter of Deuteronomy is the last song of Moses. God had told him that, because of his failure to follow in faith during the incident of the water coming out of the rock, he will not be allowed to go into the promise land. He is about to go up to the top of a mountain to die. The "song,"" as stated in the above verses is Moses' teaching. Notice that this is not "harsh" teaching. Moses wants his teaching to "drop as rain" and he wants his speech to "distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass." Teaching about God should not fall like bricks on people. Nor should it be like paint drying. It should be neither harsh nor boring. The word picture he gives us is that of refreshing and nurturing. Teaching about God should fall on people's ears in a way that wants them to drink it in. Why? The last line of the above verses tells us. Because he is proclaiming the "name of the Lord." Moses is about to "ascribe greatness to our God! If the method of our teaching is to be refreshing the subject of our teaching is to be exalting ... exalting the God of the universe. God is worthy of praise and exaltation and we should be lifting Him up in our teaching in a way that causes others to be refreshed.
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