Israel Marching (Deu. 1:1-18)

The book of Deuteronomy is one of the most important books in the OT as it bridges the gap between when Israel is done marching around the wilderness for forty years to them just ready to go into the Promised Land to take possession of it.  Jesus quoted the book of Deuteronomy when He was being tempted by the Devil as seen in Mark chapter one and Luke chapter four and also Matthew chapter four.

If the children of Israel would not have sinned against the Lord by not trusting Him to conquer there enemies there would not have been a book of Deuteronomy, which means the renewing of the Law.  Moses wrote this book in order to remind the second generation of what was in the Law.

 

 

 

 

3/5/2009 8:13 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Israel marching

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Deuteronomy 1:1-18

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and 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 children of Israel, according to all that the LORD had commanded him to give 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 Edrei. 5  Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law, saying, 6  "The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7  ‘Turn and set 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 Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8  ‘See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.’

    9 ¶  "I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. 10  ‘The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number. 11  ‘May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has promised you! 12  ‘How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife? 13  ‘Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ 14  "You answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have said to do is good.’ 15  "So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes. 16  "Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 17  ‘You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ 18  "I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.”

            Today I begin my journey through the wonderful book of Deuteronomy and I begin with the first eighteen verses.  The background for this book is that after the first generation of the children of Israel who left Egypt had all died off because of the nations sin at Kadesh-Barnea the new generation was poised to go into the Promised Land to conquer it and to live in it as God wanted them to do.  Moses would not go into the Promised Land because of his sin, but he was preparing this next generation to go there by reviewing the Law that was given them at Mt. Sinai, and that is what Deuteronomy means, the renewing of the Law.

            The first five verses gives the who, what, where, when and why of this event that Moses is reporting.  The who is the nation of Israel, the what is that they are about to go into the Promised Land, the when is right before they enter the land, and the why is that they will need to understand this Law if they are to succeed in the Promised Land.

            In verses six through eighteen Moses gives this second generation a brief history of their march and how they got to where they are now.  Moses also tells them of the history of how he appointed the leaders in each tribe who would judge the children of Israel because the burden of that was too difficult for Moses.  This idea was actually given to him by his father-in-law. 

            Warren Wiersbe comments on history and how great history is to teach a new generation where they came from and what is going on.  The Bible has books of history in it, and there is history in the books that are not under the category of history.  The OT is relevant for all believers to study, to understand the mistakes that were made so that they will not be repeated.  “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  (Romans 15:4)  “1 ¶  For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2  and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3  and all ate the same spiritual food; 4  and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5  Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

    6 ¶  Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. 7  Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY." 8  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9  Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10  Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11  Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”  (1 Cor. 10:1-12)

           

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There are a couple of things that I have a passion for, and the Bible is the first, and history is also a passion of mine and history in the Bible brings these two passions together.  I can learn from the mistakes that Israel had made as reported in the Bible and try and not make those same mistakes and that is why history and the Bible are so important to me.  God has given me a great desire to study His Word and therefore it is great enjoyment for me.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Continue to study God’s Word each day.
2. Learn contentment.
3. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service today.
4. Trust that the Lord will guide my path.

 

3/5/2009 8:53 AM