Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Give ear is a call for heaven and earth to listen as witnesses to the message given to Israel, a solemn address to all creation. It opens the sacred song that stands as Moses' closing testimony at the end of the book of the law, made at the command of Christ as Israel's invisible Leader from the record of God's dealings with His people. The song publishes the name and greatness of the Lord as the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, truth, justice and righteousness without iniquity. It is a prophetic summary that recounts the past and rehearses the future, setting forth both the encouragements promised to obedience and the judgments that follow departure from God. It was to be taught, memorized, repeated and sung by young and old in worship, journeying and daily work, so that as a continuing sermon of praise and instruction it would warn, restrain, reprove and encourage, and urge all to heed God's teaching, trust Jesus, obey His words and depend on the Lord the Rock for safety.
Heaven, Earth and Song
The opening call summons heaven and earth to hear the words spoken, setting them as witnesses to the message given to Israel. It is a solemn address to all creation, calling the heavens and the earth to attend to what God speaks. The first four verses are to be often repeated as a reminder of that universal summons.
The verse opens Moses' sacred song, his closing testimony spoken in the hearing of all Israel at the close of the book of the law. Christ as Israel's invisible Leader commanded him to make it from the events of God's dealings with His people. That song recounts those dealings in the past and rehearses what is to come.
It was to be taught, memorized, repeated, and sung by the whole nation, young and old, so its teachings would become familiar and remain in memory. Children and later generations were to learn it, and it was sung in worship, used on the wilderness journey, and repeated during daily work. By that constant learning and singing the people kept heaven's precepts before them, making them familiar rather than strange. As thus learned by children and adults, the song served as praise and instruction and as a continuing sermon that warned, restrained, reproved, and encouraged.
God's Character and Care
The call to heaven and earth to hear opens Moses' song, which was given to Israel as a witness for God and was to be taught to the people. Its teaching publishes the Lord's name and calls for ascribing greatness to Him. He is declared to be the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, truth, justice and righteousness without iniquity.
That opening begins a prophetic summary of God's dealings with Israel, setting out both His character and care for His people and the judgments that would follow rebellion. It places His perfect and truthful ways in contrast with the corruption of those who do not show the character of His children. In this it reveals His love for His people and His abhorrence of sin, with plain warning of swift judgment upon those who persist in rebellion.
The doctrine that follows is pictured as rain and dew that refresh growing plants, giving life to those who receive it. Israel's unfaithfulness would bring the warned consequences, fulfilled when Israel departed from God and the Temple was destroyed with the ceasing of its sacrifices and Levitical priesthood. The song then urges remembering the days of old and past generations. It recounts how the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance and set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel, took Jacob as the Lord's portion and lot of His inheritance, and found him in desert land and waste wilderness, led him about, instructed him, and kept him as the apple of His eye.
Christ as Israel's invisible Leader commanded Moses to make this song from the events of God's dealings with His people, so that Israel would teach its children this history. By it the memory of God's providential care, power, deliverance, goodness and mercy would remain and not seem strange. The passage belongs to the principles God plainly defined through His Word from the pillar of cloud to show how His people are to live. When people in responsible positions act against those principles, they insult God and misrepresent His character.
Prophecy, Warning and Obedience
The opening call summons heaven and earth as witnesses to hear the words spoken, introducing God's own teaching to Israel. It stands at the close of the book of the law, spoken in the hearing of all Israel as a prophetic summary of God's dealings with His people. That summary recounts the past and rehearses future events, setting out both His character and what would follow if His people rebelled. It makes doubly plain the encouragements promised as the reward of obedience and the prophecies of judgments against the disobedient for departure from God.
Its warning is plain and unmistakable that the day of calamity would follow swiftly with no remedy for those who persist in rebellion. It reveals God's love for His people and His abhorrence of sin, while declaring that unfaithfulness brings the consequences He has warned of. The language pictured conditions like those existing in the kingdom when the king heard the inspired words. The words were fulfilled when Israel departed from God, the Temple was destroyed, and its sacrifices and Levitical priesthood ceased.
The song also foreshadows farther future events, including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory. The opening call therefore urges heeding God's teaching and recognizing His authority. It joins that heed to trusting Jesus and obeying His words, since all must stand before Him in judgment with the character cultivated in life. The first four verses are to be often repeated as a reminder that safety rests in the Lord the Rock, and that His people should obey His commands and depend on Him rather than on human wisdom or methods.
In the work of reaching cities, the call to heaven and earth to listen shows the message is to be carried by people wholly prepared to bear the truth. Each discourse is to lift up Jesus and magnify the Lord's word and works. The word itself is to be the power that draws people, so preaching does not need to create excitement. Humility learned from Christ's methods commends the messenger.
Give ear is a call for heaven and earth to listen as witnesses to the message given to Israel, a solemn address to all creation. It opens the sacred song that stands as Moses' closing testimony at the end of the book of the law, made at the command of Christ as Israel's invisible Leader from the record of God's dealings with His people. The song publishes the name and greatness of the Lord as the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, truth, justice and righteousness without iniquity. It is a prophetic summary that recounts the past and rehearses the future, setting forth both the encouragements promised to obedience and the judgments that follow departure from God. It was to be taught, memorized, repeated and sung by young and old in worship, journeying and daily work, so that as a continuing sermon of praise and instruction it would warn, restrain, reprove and encourage, and urge all to heed God's teaching, trust Jesus, obey His words and depend on the Lord the Rock for safety.
Heaven, Earth and Song
The opening call summons heaven and earth to hear the words spoken, setting them as witnesses to the message given to Israel. It is a solemn address to all creation, calling the heavens and the earth to attend to what God speaks. The first four verses are to be often repeated as a reminder of that universal summons.
The verse opens Moses' sacred song, his closing testimony spoken in the hearing of all Israel at the close of the book of the law. Christ as Israel's invisible Leader commanded him to make it from the events of God's dealings with His people. That song recounts those dealings in the past and rehearses what is to come.
It was to be taught, memorized, repeated, and sung by the whole nation, young and old, so its teachings would become familiar and remain in memory. Children and later generations were to learn it, and it was sung in worship, used on the wilderness journey, and repeated during daily work. By that constant learning and singing the people kept heaven's precepts before them, making them familiar rather than strange. As thus learned by children and adults, the song served as praise and instruction and as a continuing sermon that warned, restrained, reproved, and encouraged.
God's Character and Care
The call to heaven and earth to hear opens Moses' song, which was given to Israel as a witness for God and was to be taught to the people. Its teaching publishes the Lord's name and calls for ascribing greatness to Him. He is declared to be the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, truth, justice and righteousness without iniquity.
That opening begins a prophetic summary of God's dealings with Israel, setting out both His character and care for His people and the judgments that would follow rebellion. It places His perfect and truthful ways in contrast with the corruption of those who do not show the character of His children. In this it reveals His love for His people and His abhorrence of sin, with plain warning of swift judgment upon those who persist in rebellion.
The doctrine that follows is pictured as rain and dew that refresh growing plants, giving life to those who receive it. Israel's unfaithfulness would bring the warned consequences, fulfilled when Israel departed from God and the Temple was destroyed with the ceasing of its sacrifices and Levitical priesthood. The song then urges remembering the days of old and past generations. It recounts how the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance and set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel, took Jacob as the Lord's portion and lot of His inheritance, and found him in desert land and waste wilderness, led him about, instructed him, and kept him as the apple of His eye.
Christ as Israel's invisible Leader commanded Moses to make this song from the events of God's dealings with His people, so that Israel would teach its children this history. By it the memory of God's providential care, power, deliverance, goodness and mercy would remain and not seem strange. The passage belongs to the principles God plainly defined through His Word from the pillar of cloud to show how His people are to live. When people in responsible positions act against those principles, they insult God and misrepresent His character.
Prophecy, Warning and Obedience
The opening call summons heaven and earth as witnesses to hear the words spoken, introducing God's own teaching to Israel. It stands at the close of the book of the law, spoken in the hearing of all Israel as a prophetic summary of God's dealings with His people. That summary recounts the past and rehearses future events, setting out both His character and what would follow if His people rebelled. It makes doubly plain the encouragements promised as the reward of obedience and the prophecies of judgments against the disobedient for departure from God.
Its warning is plain and unmistakable that the day of calamity would follow swiftly with no remedy for those who persist in rebellion. It reveals God's love for His people and His abhorrence of sin, while declaring that unfaithfulness brings the consequences He has warned of. The language pictured conditions like those existing in the kingdom when the king heard the inspired words. The words were fulfilled when Israel departed from God, the Temple was destroyed, and its sacrifices and Levitical priesthood ceased.
The song also foreshadows farther future events, including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory. The opening call therefore urges heeding God's teaching and recognizing His authority. It joins that heed to trusting Jesus and obeying His words, since all must stand before Him in judgment with the character cultivated in life. The first four verses are to be often repeated as a reminder that safety rests in the Lord the Rock, and that His people should obey His commands and depend on Him rather than on human wisdom or methods.
In the work of reaching cities, the call to heaven and earth to listen shows the message is to be carried by people wholly prepared to bear the truth. Each discourse is to lift up Jesus and magnify the Lord's word and works. The word itself is to be the power that draws people, so preaching does not need to create excitement. Humility learned from Christ's methods commends the messenger.