Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 32-34
Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Even a product of the Georgia public school systems knows that if a word is capitalized, and is not the first word of a sentence, that word is a proper noun. A careful reading of today’s verse reveals that the word Rock is a proper noun. It is the name of a person. The verse just before this one Moses said: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. Then he goes on to publish the name of the Lord which is Rock. He is the Rock. “Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure." Yes indeed, He is the Rock.
In Deuteronomy 32 this word is used five times. The last is that famous saying in verse 31: For their rock is not as our Rock... Notice six characteristics of this Rock, our Rock.
His work is perfect. Not only is His person perfect, His work is perfect too. Meaning His work in your life is perfect.
All His ways are judgment. He has considered His ways, all His ways, and has judged the proper actions.
He is a God of truth. His truth is still marching on!
He is a God that is absolutely without iniquity.
He is just.
He is right.
The only other usage of this name in the Old Testament is found in II Samuel 23:3 wherein King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel’s last words are recorded. The only other time in the Bible this name is used is in 1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. This makes it very clear that the Rock that is mentioned in Deuteronomy is Christ. He is perfect, His ways are judgment, He is the God of truth, He is without iniquity, He is just, and He is right.
How true it is, those words of Moses; …their rock is not as our Rock. No wonder the hymnist wrote:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust in the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
Dr. William T. Howe