August 12, 2020
The message of Deuteronomy is one that the church desperately needs to hear today. These final words of Moses given to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter into the Promised Land serve as a warning, an encouragement, and a charge. Through them, God exposes the idolatry of our hearts and calls us to give all of our love, worship, and devotion to Him alone in every area of our lives! Moses warns the people that when they enter the land there will be things that compete with God for their attention, their affections and their worship. We, too, have hundreds of things that compete for our hearts each and every day. In this book, God teaches us how to properly respond to the amazing grace He has given us by giving Him our undivided allegiance, our whole hearts and our whole lives. Over the next 34 days, let’s seek this ancient way together as a church!
Moses begins his address to the children of Israel by recounting the events after their covenant with God at Mt. Sinai leading up to their current situation. Moses is addressing the second generation of Israelites who left Egypt in the exodus event, and here he begins to explain why the first generation did not receive the promises God had made to them.
Moses begins by explaining how he had set up judges over the people in order to take the load of the people’s problems off of him a bit. The way that Moses instructed the judges to carry out their duty is reflective of the fact that they were to reflect God’s character in their judgments (righteous, impartial, hearing the small and the great and not being intimidated). This demonstrated the principle at play when God gave His people the Law in the first place: the point is that they would shine as bright lights in the darkness, being distinct in their living from the surrounding nations and reflecting the character of God to the rest of the world!
From there Moses goes on to explain how the first generation of the exodus failed to take hold of God’s promises. When God gave them opportunity to enter the Promised Land, they shrank back in fear, refusing to trust and believe in God’s power and promises towards them. Because of this, God swore in His anger that not one of them would enter the land.
Moses speaks these words to the children of those who refused to enter, the second generation, and he speaks this as a warning to them not to be like their parents! They failed to follow God, failed to put His glory and character on display through their lives, and failed to attain what He had promised them, all because they did not believe Him as they should have.
For us, the message is clear: God’s promises are ours for the taking, but we must move forward in faith. If we don’t believe God, how should we expect to receive anything from Him?
Deuteronomy 1
The Command to Leave Horeb
1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2 It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. 3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment to them, 4 after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and in Edrei. 5 Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to explain this law, saying, 6 “The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Turn and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negeb and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.’
Leaders Appointed
9 “At that time I said to you, ‘I am not able to bear you by myself. 10 The Lordyour God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven. 11 May the Lord, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!12 How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?13 Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ 14 And you answered me, ‘The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.’ 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes. 16 And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. 17 You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ 18 And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.
Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land
19 “Then we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrifying wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us. And we came to Kadesh-barnea. 20 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ 23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe. 24 And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out. 25 And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.’
26 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lordyour God. 27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lordhated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ 29 Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’32 Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.
The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion
34 “And the Lord heard your words and was angered, and he swore, 35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!’ 37 Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there. 38 Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39 And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn, and journey into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.’
41 “Then you answered me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord. We ourselves will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And every one of you fastened on his weapons of war and thought it easy to go up into the hill country. 42 And the Lord said to me, ‘Say to them, Do not go up or fight, for I am not in your midst, lest you be defeated before your enemies.’43 So I spoke to you, and you would not listen; but you rebelled against the command of the Lord and presumptuously went up into the hill country.44 Then the Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah. 45 And you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord did not listen to your voice or give ear to you. 46 So you remained at Kadesh many days, the days that you remained there.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- What can we learn from the story of the first exodus generation’s failure and unbelief? What steps can we take so as to not make the same mistakes?
Dear Heavenly Father,
I have learned that we must obey You and trust You with all of our hearts and lean not onto our own understanding. For you are all mighty and wise and know what is best for us. I will not make the mistake of the first generation Israelites. Please lead me daily in the direction I should go. I promise to focus on You and trust in You always. In Jesus ‘ name. Amen.
what a great lesson if we disobey God! it is no difference today Trust and Obey our Lord Jesus!
Father, you alone are my God. Teach me this day your ways so that I may not sin against you. May my mind be focused on you. As I walk and work and sit and stand, may your Son’s bright light shine through me guiding others and leading some to your throne room where they will surrender to you. Father, I praise your Holy Name for I was such a sinner and you forgave me. You washed me in the blood of Lamb. He took his own blood and wrote my name in His Book. As I rise this morning, please go with me while we search for one more lost soul. For it is for and by and with Jesus that I prepare to assault the gates of Hell today. Tonight, Father, may angels be celebrating for the new followers we find today. Amen.
Help m,e to always consult you first and then to follow.
I will not fear or be dismayed.
Believe in Him and have faith that He keeps His promises!
Dear Lord, I obey you and listen to every word. I will not sin. I know to always have faith and obedience to your word. I have to trust in everything you do and say. I must keep reading the word of God. I read two devotional ‘s every day. I want to be close to you in my walk with you. I pray this every day. I ask this in Jesus name Amen.
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. When we walk with the Lord, in the light His word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do his good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.”
God we were turned down twice from notaries because of my husbands ability with his short term memory to have his X on a special POA that you are allowing us to refinance our home and needed desperately. I admit for a second I lost it but when I calmed down and while driving back home I prayed a way I have never done before and told you please take over the situation if we not find someone the loan is dead I have done everything now God you take control of the situation. Well I drove up my niece who is the secretary for the closing company said Nanny we are not giving up we are going to pray and I am going to fine someone for you. Praise God first phone call is a Christian lady who knows the Lord had a stroke drove the first time to meet us notarized the paper closing on the loan Friday. How can people say there is no God.
Amen and God is working miracles in 2020. We just have to have the faith to trust in him and lean not on our own understanding. I love how God works and I am so happy that he used you to share your story to encourage others. Praise God.
Thank you Jesus for continuing to give us hope, love and blessings during this chaotic times. Your power rule and will always rule and help us keep our eyes on the one who controls everything. In Jesus name. Amen
Amen! To God be the Glory for his provision and loving care. Praise you for the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. Please continue your provision and blessings on this family!
Trust and obey for there’s no other way. Believe God’s promises and be comforted.
Father, give me the faith and courage to walk into where you are sending me. Give me the humility to be lead, and the boldness to lead others.
Amen! Lord please use me to influence and lead the college students on my path today. Please use my words as I share and pour into each student. Protect me and guide me today. Please Lord bless our nation as we move towards returning to a routine of school for our families. Please guide and protect the teachers and students. Please dear Lord remove and defeat this virus! You are the almighty and powerful Lord. To you be the glory! Amen.
To Trust and Obey for there’s no other way!