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bloom or shrivel

Deuteronomy 32:1-4 (JDV)

Deuteronomy 32:1 Pay attention, sky, and I will speak; listen, land, to the words from my mouth.
Deuteronomy 32:2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.
Deuteronomy 32:3 You see, I will proclaim Yahveh’s name. Declare the greatness of our God!
Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock – his work is complete; all his ways are justice. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.

bloom or shrivel

Moses begins his song by calling on the sky and the land to listen to his words. Every time it rains it will be a testimony of God’s greatness and justice. The rain is the teaching of Moses, and that rain falls gently, like dew, and gushes like showers onto the new people planted in the land.

The song of Moses identifies the purpose of the Mosaic covenant: it was to continue proclaiming the name of Yahveh, and demonstrating his work, justice, faithfulness, righteousness, truth and greatness. By doing so, the covenant adherents were to draw others in the surrounding nations to this one God.

The Israelites had the choice to become a garden or a desert. They could take in the teaching and bloom, or ignore the teaching and shrivel.

Lord, give us the wisdom to take in your word and bloom.