662. [verse 3] 'And they were singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb' signifies a confession out of charity, thus out of a life in accordance with the precepts of the Law which is the Decalogue, and out of faith concerning the Divinity of the Lord's Human. That 'to sing a new song' is to confess out of joy of heart and affection that the Only Lord is the Saviour, Redeemer, and God of heaven and earth, may be seen above (n. 279, 617). Here, however, it is not termed 'a new song' but 'the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb'; and by 'the song of Moses' is signified confession out of a life in accordance with the precepts of the Law which is the Decalogue, thus out of charity; and by 'the song of the Lamb' confession out of faith concerning the Divinity of the Lord's Human. For by 'the Lamb' is understood the Lord as to the Divine Human (n. 269, 291, 595); and by 'Moses' is understood in a wide sense all the Law written in his five books, and in a restricted sense the Law that is called the Decalogue. And because the latter is of service to a man for life it is termed 'the song of Moses the servant of God', for by 'a servant' in the Word is understood a person or thing that is of service (n. 380), here for life. [2] The reason why by 'Moses' in a wide sense is understood the Law is because his five books are called 'the Law'. That all the precepts, judgments and statutes given through him in his five books are termed 'the Law' may be seen above (n. 417). That everything written in those books is termed 'the Law of Moses', and also 'Moses', can be established from these passages:-
[Philip] said [to] Nathanael, We have found Jesus, of Whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write John i 45.
In the Law Moses commanded the stoning of such John viii 5.
The days of their purification according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled Luke ii 22.
All the things must be fulfilled that were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets concerning Me Luke xxiv 27, 44.
Did not Moses give you the Law? Moses gave circumcision that the Law of Moses may not be broken John vii 19, 22, 23.
Abraham said to the rich man in hell, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them; if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rose from the dead Luke xvi 29, 31.
The curse has been poured upon us, and the oath that was written in the Law of Moses the servant of God: as it was written in the Law of Moses, every evil has come upon us Dan. ix 11, 13.
Remember the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him Mat. iv 4 [H.B. iii 22].
Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, I will come unto you in the midst of a cloud, that the people may hear when I speak to thee, and may also believe thee for ever Exod. xix 9.
[3] From these passages it can be established that by 'Moses' in a wide sense is understood the Word that was written by him, which is called 'the Law'. It follows from this that by 'Moses' is understood the Law which is the Decalogue, and the more so because Moses hewed out the tables [on which this was written] after he had broken the former ones (Exod. xxxiv 1, 4); and when he carried them down his face shone (Exod. xxxiv 29 to the end). Therefore in paintings Moses is depicted holding those tables in his hand. It is also said in Mark:-
Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother Mark vii 10.
Also:-
Joshua wrote a copy of the Law of Moses upon the stones of an altar Josh. viii 32.
That 'Law' was the Decalogue. From these considerations it can be seen that here by 'the song of Moses the servant of God' nothing else is understood but a confession out of charity, thus out of a life in accordance with the precepts of the Law, which is the Decalogue.
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