READ: Deut. 32:26-38: …’I will dash them in pieces, I will make the memory of them to cease from among men,’ had I not feared the wrath of the enemy, … Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; … For the Lord will judge His people And have compassion on His servants, When He sees that their power is gone …
The LORD punishes His people with exile, but He does not completely destroy them. His wrath is great, but He does not want the heathen to attribute their power to themselves. They easily defeated Israel, but it was not their work or that of their idols, but of the LORD (v.30). Israel’s enemies are no less wicked than the Israelites (v.32). The LORD remembers this: “Vengeance is Mine” also applies to the heathen nations. In addition to anger toward the heathen nations, there is also compassion for the needs of His own people.
Together, this moves Him to redeem His people. God will judge and give justice to His people. They were in great need due to God’s just punishment, but also due to unjust oppression by their enemies. His people were about to collapse completely. Therefore, God is going to intervene and challenge the enemies to oppose Him. Where are your (false) gods now? Will they help you?
Thus God encourages His own people to rely on Him alone in times of need. What does God’s “repentance” over His servants (vs.36) mean? It is a human way of speaking to indicate that God responds to His people. If they cry out to Him in their distress, He will provide deliverance (30:1ff).
God’s repentance does not mean that God has done wrong, or that He did not foresee it, but that He is a listener to prayer and a gracious God. Compare this with Nineveh. This also is a great comfort to us when we see wars and epidemics as God’s judgments.
For what purpose would God still spare His Old Testament people?
Singing: Ps. 107:5,7