Moses tells the Israelite history

The book of Deuteronomy is written like a treaty between a king and his state of the second millenium B.C. It calls Israel to remember who God is and what he has done. Lacking faith, the old generation wandered 40 years and died in the wilderness. On the east bank of the river Jordan, Moses prepared the sons and daughters of that faithless generation to possess the land. Moses reviews the law and reinstates the covenant- God's contract with is people. Learning these lessons would prepare the new generation to possess the Promised Land.


Deuteronomy Chapter One and Two

This book records the words Moses spoke to the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River. Moses explained the law: that while they were camped at Mount Sinai the Lord God told him that the people had stayed long enough and it was time to break camp. Go to the Amorite land, God said, and to the neighboring regions and lands all the way to the Euphrates River. I am giving this land to you, go and occupy it for it is the land the Lord gave to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all their descendants.

Moses told the people that they were now as numerous as the stars and he had trouble settling all their quarrels and problems by himself, so the Lord had him choose men from each tribe who had wisdom and understanding and they were appointed leaders. They serve as judges and officials and were instructed by Moses to be fair at all times, to Israelites and also foreigners living among them.

Just as our Lord directed, Moses said, we left Mt. Sinai and traveled through a terrifying wilderness and headed toward the Amorites. I asked you, said Moses, to go and occupy it as the Lord directed and not be afraid. But instead you sent out scouts to explore the land and they came back and reported the land was good. But you Israelites rebelled against the Lord and refused to go into the land. You complained in your tents and were fearful of being slaughtered by the Amorites. The scouts reported giants living there.

Moses said he tried to tell the Israelites not to be afraid, that the Lord cared for them and would protect them like a father protects his children. But you refused listen or trust the Lord your God, who goes befoe you, guiding you by a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of cloud by day. And when God heard the complaining, he swore that not one Israelite from this wicked generation would see the promised land, except Caleb.

Moses said the Lord was also angry with him and he also would never enter the promised land. Instead he appointed Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. But the people were afraid and turned back, then confessed their sin and decided to go and fight. But it was too late and the Lord had the Amorites chase them away.

When the Israelites turned around, the Lord knew it would be 40 years before the people would be allowed to enter the promised land. When all the men of fighting age had finally died, the people went forth with God's command and defeated the Amorites and took their land and God made the Israelites terrified by all people.

Then the Lord had the people conquer the land of King Sihon and crush all his people and plunder all of value. The Lord helped the people conquer Aroer and Gilead. No town had walls too strong for the Israelites.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW that the Israelites had become so large a population, Moses needed help in conrolling the problems that arose. Moses was giving the Israelites both a pep talk and a summary of what the previous generation had done wrong by going against the will of the Lord.

How do these two chapters relate to us today? Often, like the Israelites, we make life's journey more difficult by disobedience. If we would accept God's love and follow his commandment, our lives would be more rewarding and less complicated.

By worldly standards the army of Israel probably wasn't intimidating, but they had one thing going in their favor-the backing of God almighty. In our daily lives, think of what we could accomplish with God backing us. Praise God!

Yours in Christ,
Mary