God Is Faithful

KEY VERSE: “Happy art thou, O Israel: Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord.” —Deuteronomy 33:29

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 31:1-9

THE Book of Deuteronomy is chiefly composed of addresses by Moses to the Israelites, reminding them of the lessons they had received from the Lord, expounding to them the divine law, and their duty to God and man. In simply recounting these experiences the Israelites had ample proof of God’s faithfulness to his promises; and on the basis of this, they also had every reason to believe the promises held out to them for the future.

Moses is one of the grand characters of the Bible. He was the personification of obedience and loyalty as a servant of God, and in this he was a picture of the “greater than Moses”—the Messiah. Moses himself wrote of the one who was to be like him, only greater. “The Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.—Deut. 18:17-19

The Heavenly Father, in his wisdom and foreknowledge, knew that the Israelites would not be faithful to the laws then being propounded to them. (See the Song of Moses—Deut. 32:1-43.) So he promised that in his due time he would provide a better arrangement. This promise of a better arrangement had long before been made with Abraham when God said, “In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18) Before this promise could be fulfilled it was expedient that it be conclusively demonstrated that no one but Jesus could keep his perfect laws. Israel’s long centuries of endeavor under the Law are summed up by the Apostle Paul, saying, “By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.”—Rom. 3:20

When Messiah came it marked a change in the work that God was doing. Jesus came to provide a ransom for Adam and to do away with the curse of the Law, in order that those natural Israelites who were of the right heart attitude might be his disciples. They were called to share in Jesus’ suffering and death, and to be made partakers of his glory in the kingdom. These elect, or select ones, from Israel and all nations, together with Jesus, are to constitute the anti-typical Moses. To this end they were called or raised up from among their brethren, as Moses prophesied. Since not enough such “Israelites indeed” were found, others from the Gentiles were called from every kindred, nation, people and tongue to fill up the required number.

Thus God has been preparing the great Prophet, Priest, King, and Judge, who under the new arrangement of Messiah’s kingdom will be the mediator between God and all who desire to draw near to him and receive his blessing. These will be related to the repentant world as the priests of Israel were related to their nation. There will be a difference, however; the work of the Messiah will be efficacious, and not a failure, because their work is based on better sacrifices, and better promises.—Heb. 8:6-13

The Messiah whom God is thus preparing, is composed of Jesus as the Head, and all the elect, both Israelites and Gentiles, as the antitypical body. They will, like the type—Moses—be very faithful, loyal, and loving toward God and the people. Indeed, it is one of the tests of these that they shall be willing to lay down their lives for the brethren and be faithful to the principles of the divine character even unto death.

The Apostle Peter in Acts 3:21-26 speaks of this wonderful time when blessings again shall flow to the nation of Israel and to the world, as “times of restitution of all things.” It is a time of restitution because the opportunity for life will be restored. Life was lost in the Garden of Eden, but will be restored in the kingdom. One of the features of the Law was that life was promised to any of the nation of Israel who could keep its precepts perfectly. (Lev. 18:5) But none were able to keep it. The Apostle Peter then quotes the prophecy by Moses (Deut. 18:18,19) and states further, speaking of the Jews: “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:25,26) Even though the Israelites were unfaithful, God has been and will continue to be, faithful to his promises.

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