Deuteronomy 32:30, commentary and pictures

One chasing a thousand and two putting ten thousand to flight is God's judgment on His unfaithful people, happening only because their true Rock has sold them and shut them up for rebellion rather than by any strength of their enemies. That very defeat proves the enemies' rock is powerless and in no way greater than Israel's Rock who had given them protection. Turned to the faithful, the same proportion measures what God can do through a small company walking rightly with Him, so that success depends not on numbers or human strength but on fitness for the work and right relation to God. That multiplied strength comes through perfect trust and unity with Christ, full surrender, living by faith, and dependence on God's blessing and Spirit rather than on self. One who has the truth therefore has mighty power to win many souls to Christ and prepare them for the Lord's coming, and workers so united in faith and focused on Christ cannot be withstood by the powers of darkness when they seek God's counsel and work in cooperation with Him.

Judgment in Moses' Song

Such a rout, where a single pursuer drives a thousand and two drive ten thousand, can happen only because their Rock has sold them and the Lord has shut them up. It is not decided by military strength or numbers but by God handing His people over in judgment for unfaithfulness, rebellion, and turning from Him. When vastly superior numbers are routed by a much smaller force, it means the Rock has abandoned them and confined them to defeat. Their loss does not prove the enemies' rock is greater, for that rock is powerless and false beside Israel's true Rock who had given protection, a difference even enemies themselves can judge.

God Himself then hands them over to hunger, burning heat and bitter destruction, heaping mischiefs upon them and spending His arrows upon them. This comes because they are a nation void of counsel and without understanding, who will not consider their latter end. The prophecy that such judgment would fall revealed abhorrence of sin joined with love for His people.

The verse belongs to the song Moses was commanded to frame from God's dealings with ancient Israel, lest the history be forgotten. That song recounts rebellion and forgetfulness of the Rock that formed them, together with God's response to that unfaithfulness. It was given so parents might teach it to children and so the people would remember. God set up waymarks in His dealings and commanded the events to be put into song, and commanded memorials to be gathered up, laid up in sight, and specially preserved, so that when children inquired the whole story of providential dealings, marked goodness and mercy, care and deliverance could be repeated and kept in mind. He is the Fountain of life and power who can make the wilderness a fruitful field for the glory of His name, and He desires His obedient commandment-keeping children to claim His blessing and come before Him with praise and thanksgiving, showing they know they have reason for joy and gladness, though it grieves Him that so little praise is offered and His goodness should be often recounted before young and old.

That same song which recounts God's dealings also foreshadows future events, including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory. Applied to the Northern army, the verse means its leaders' failure to trust in God left it vulnerable to defeat by a much smaller force, yet God would not let it be utterly destroyed by its enemies.

Power for Faithful Workers

With God's power a small company of devoted people walking with God can overcome forces far greater than themselves, so that one can chase a thousand and two can put ten thousand to flight. Success in this work depends not on numbers or human strength but on fitness for the work and a right relation to God. Fully devoted, self-denying Christians empowered by God can advance the salvation of souls, and trusting wholly in Him brings peace and rest without fear of failure.

That multiplied strength comes through perfect trust and unity with Christ, full surrender to Jesus, and living by faith in Him. It depends on God's blessing and Spirit rather than self, pride or stubbornness, and belongs to one who puts away all doubt and fear. It belongs to one who shares Paul's experience of being crucified with Christ while Christ lives within, and who has the life hid with Christ in God. Every advance step toward becoming a good and useful worker must be a step of faith, and every talent, skill and eloquence effects nothing unless consecrated to God. God works great things through weak human instruments who surrender everything to Christ.

One person who is right with God can accomplish what a larger group that is wrong cannot. When someone becomes proud and trusts in his own ability the Spirit of God is withdrawn. Reliance on his own strength leads to his eventual overthrow. Success in God's work depends on recognizing dependence on Him and His blessing and Spirit.

One who has the truth can chase a thousand and two can put ten thousand to flight. This is the measure of the victory open to the Laodiceans, and of the mighty effort of those who have the truth with its prospect of victory. It is the power of those who stand for present truth amid the effort of the nominal, or first-day, Adventists. With God's help one worker taking hold of His strength and working in cooperation with Him can win many souls to Christ and two can reach even more, advancing the salvation of souls and preparing people for the coming of the Lord.

Spirit-led workers united in faith and focused on Christ cannot be withstood by the powers of darkness, for God and the angels who do His will sustain them. The powers of darkness cannot prevent success when God's servants seek His counsel and help and work in cooperation with Him. Two ministers who rely on God and work together can be as powerful as a host in helping His people. God's people are to stand firmly for truth and righteousness rather than lend their influence to unholy alliances with worldly efforts that weaken or wrong them.