The Bible and Truth - Deut 32:4

Deuteronomy 32:4 -

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He." (NKJV)

"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." (KJV)

"The Rock, his work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He." (ESV)

WHO?

Moses, to the Hebrews

TIME?

c. 1456 - Based on McGee research.
Right before the death of Moses; 40 years since the Exodus.

CULTURE?

They are nomadic, poor, and reliant on God for everything. They have no home of their own yet.

SITUATION?

Having been wandering in the wilderness, they had met many instances in which God showed His power and faithfulness. (i.e. the crossing of the Red Sea, the events of Mount Sinai...) Now they are on the brink of entering the Promise Land. They know God's Law, and have every reason to trust and obey. Joshua has been given leadership over the people.

COVENANT?

Old Covenant. The Hebrew people were saved by faith in the One to Come (who was foreshadowed by their sacrifices and holidays), and turned away from the ways of the world in repentance, devoting their life to the Lord. God is making His will known supernaturally, through Moses. We are now lead by Scripture. (Sola Scriptura)

STATEMENT?

Moses is singing a song of warning. He is warning that in the future, in Canaan, the people will rebel and turn from God. (Deuteronomy 31:14-29 is the set up.) In verse 4 of chapter 32, he is singing of God's right to judge, and that it is good for God to do so.

--The phrases surrounding "a God of truth" point to Moses' usage of the word, "truth." What is Moses saying about God's ways, exactly?

• "He is the Rock", (vs 4a) God is called "the Rock" 5 times in this chapter. This characteristic of God is really being focused on by Moses. MacArthur comments:
  
  
• "His work is perfect;" (vs 4b) Everything God does is perfect! Ideal, whole, faultless, complete, sinless, holy, blameless, excellent, pure, flawless!
  

• "For all His ways are justice," (vs 4c) All of His ways are just. They are without error. He does not let any wrong-doing go without punishment. He is complete in His judgement, making no mistakes as He is the All-Knowing Judge.
  

• "a God of truth and without injustice;" (vs 4d) these two segments of 4d are linked by "and"; therefore they shant be separated. Justice is the theme of the verse, and the word "truth" seems to affirming God's perfect judgements. In this phrase, the Heverew word, 'emuwnah,' is translated as "truth." (530 in Strong's Lexicon):

• Righteous and upright is He." (vs 4e) in the KJV it is translated "just and right is He."

CONCLUSION?

God's justice is really stressed in this verse. Since Moses' song is about God's coming judgement, it makes sense. He's explaining to the children of Israel the judgment that God passes on a people for rebellion has no room to be questioned. His justice is perfect. He is not mistaken, nor unjustly angry, nor corrupt. He is upright. All of his ways are just. He is a God of truth! He has a judgment based on the moral fidelity of one's actons to the standard of righteousness. How? He is The Standard of righteousness. Therefore, God (being the most Supreme, All-Knowing Being), is the Absolute Truth! To be true, something must have fidelity to His Word.