People Who Are No-People

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 32:14-27     4/1/2018

Moses prophesied through his song that the people would gorge themselves on the goods of the land and then forget about the God who saved them. God will respond to the people’s faithlessness “in-kind”, as the people have turned to a god that is really a “no-god”, the most High will turn to a people that is “no-people” and bless them.

People Who Are “No-People“

Wealth creates leisure. Leisure creates the possibility of culture. It takes leisure time in order to be able to create cultural achievements. The “land flowing with milk and honey” was supposed to be a place where extraordinary cultural achievements occurred – in the light of the God of creation.

But the danger in leisure is that the people will forget God. Humans instinctively turn to God in times of distress, but when things are going well, one common delusion is to think that we created the possibility of leisure without the help of God.

That’s what “people who are no people” do. They fail to recognize God. They fail to recognize the common human heritage in God.  And so, they achieve for a while and then they are gone. This is the history of human civilizations from time immemorial.

That is, this is the course of human history with basically one exception – the Jewish people.

Paul Sees the Fulfillment

So who are the “people who are no people”? Paul says it is the elect – you and me. We are the people who are no people.

And so we bear this responsibility. “The stone the builders rejected, that has become the cornerstone.” And those who fall upon this stone become the church. And the church will lead all back to all.

Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous. Rom 11:11