Israel Preparing (Deu. 3:12-29)

3/12/2009 9:45 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Israel preparing

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference: Deuteronomy 3:12-29

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 ¶  "So we took possession of this land at that time. From Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead and its cities I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites. 13  "The rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh, all the region of Argob (concerning all Bashan, it is called the land of Rephaim. 14  Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called it, that is, Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth-jair, as it is to this day.) 15  "To Machir I gave Gilead. 16  "To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even as far as the valley of Arnon, the middle of the valley as a border and as far as the river Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; 17  the Arabah also, with the Jordan as a border, from Chinnereth even as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah on the east. 18  "Then I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it; all you valiant men shall cross over armed before your brothers, the sons of Israel. 19  ‘But your wives and your little ones and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in your cities which I have given you, 20  until the LORD gives rest to your fellow countrymen as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God will give them beyond the Jordan. Then you may return every man to his possession which I have given you.’

    21 ¶  "I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so the LORD shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. 22  ‘Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.’ 23  "I also pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying, 24  ‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours? 25  ‘Let me, I pray, cross over and see the fair land that is beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ 26  "But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; and the LORD said to me, ‘Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter. 27  ‘Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. 28  ‘But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’ 29  "So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.”

            Moses talks about three things that will encourage this second generation of Israel to go into the land and to take possession of it.  First he speaks of how the Lord gave victory to them as they fought the kings on the East side of the Jordan River and that land was given to two and a half tribes of Israel.  The next step of preparation was to have these two and a half tribes to settle in this land East of the Jordan River, for they had to build pens for their animals and make sure that their wives and children were safe while they went off to fight with their brothers on the other side of the Jordan River.  Moses calls this inheritance that the Lord had given these two and a half tribes as rest, “the LORD gives rest to your fellow countrymen as to you.”  This quote is from verse twenty of chapter three, and is shows that the inheritance of this land was the giving of rest from the Lord.  The first generation did not acquire this rest because they wanted to go back to Egypt and not go in and conquer this land through the strength of the Lord.  As a believer in Jesus Christ I have an inheritance in Him and it can be seen in the many verses in the NT that have the words “in Christ” in them and there are many of these in the first four chapters of the letter to the Ephesians that Paul wrote to them.  The writer of the Hebrews also picks up on this when he writes a lot about “rest” in his book.  (Hebrews 3:11, 18; 4:1-11) 

            The third step of preparation that Moses speaks of is the appointment of Joshua to succeed Moses as the next leader of the nation of Israel, for Moses was not allowed to go into the land because of his striking of the rock instead of talking to it.

            Israel was a privileged people and Moses reminds them of this and that there will be great victories for them in the Promised Land victories that will come through the power of God.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I walk with the Lord in today’s world I can claim my inheritance as I look at all of the verses that tell me what I have “in Christ,” and these are promises to claim just as this second generation claimed their inheritance by going into the Promised Land in the power of God and conquered it.  There is a spiritual connection to them and to me.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Begin to remember and claim my inheritance and live like I have it.
2. Learn contentment.
3. Give myself to the Lord for service and worship today.
4. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.

 

Memory verses for the week:                                  Ephesians 1:3-4a

 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

 

3/12/2009 10:19 AM