Be Warned If You Don’t Walk With God - Deuteronomy 32-34

Deuteronomy 32:44-47 (ESV)

Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

What were the words that Moses recited before the people via a song?   Chapter 32 of this section is the last testament of Moses.  He is telling the nation what is about to happen to them as they enter the Promised Land.   The message he gave them is not good.  He is now not speaking as their leader.  He is speaking to them as their prophet.   He is forewarning them as to their plight because of their failure to walk in faith after they enter the Promised Land.  A main summary of his long song/poem is:

Deuteronomy 32:18-20 (ESV)

You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you,

and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

“The LORD saw it and spurned them,

because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.

And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them;

I will see what their end will be,

for they are a perverse generation,

children in whom is no faithfulness.

Moses’ song/poem was not an inspirational you are going to do so great speech.  No, it was a you are going to fail miserably and God is going to see it and punish you speech.   The people heard it.  Joshua, their next leader of Israel, heard it.  This had to be disheartening. Moses was fearful they would ignore it.  Hence the above closing statement.  He may have gone back and recited some of the Law, as well.  Israel was in a place where if they obeyed the Law they would have blessing.  But if they didn’t they would have cursing.  Their obedience to the Law as the key to their outcome in the land.   Moses prophesied that they would not keep the law and suffer the curses.  We know this to be the outcome of their journey in the Promised Land.   The same holds true today.  Although our obedience is in faith to Christ, our lack of faith in Christ and our lack of walking by faith in the Spirit, will result in the same ills befalling us.  Notice Paul’s words:

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Romans 7:15-18 (ESV)

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Without the Spirit of God working in us we have not power to walk in the Spirit with Him.  The warning of Moses carries forward today:  Without God working in us, we have not power to walk with Him.