Yesterday, we started a  study of the book of Deuteronomy with, Day 1 of 34 – Blind Faith or Not? 

^“But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea”, Deuteronomy 1:40. 

Now, according to the instructions the Lord gave the children of Israel by Moses, in Deuteronomy 1:40, they were now by the Red Sea. Although the Lord was angry with them He he did not leave them. He was still leading them via Moses.

“Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days,” Deuteronomy 2:1.

 

This is what the Lord said to Moses:

a. turn northwards Deuteronomy 2:3.

b. tell the people you are going to pass through the borders of the country of the children of Esau.

Note carefully: 

    1. meddle not with them Deuteronomy 2:5.

    2. buy food and water from them Deuteronomy 2:6.

 

These people have not worked for about forty years but they were still  wealthy enough to buy food and water for over one million persons. This is how the LORD God works, this is the way of God.

“For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing”, Deuteronomy 2:7.

 

Imagine, if you can, over one million people living in a place without water and food for forty years and “lacked nothing”. Isn’t God awesome? Who is as great as the Lord God Almighty?

 

After passing the children of Esau without confrontation ” we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.”

 The Lord is still with them and giving Moses directions for He said:

    3. ”…Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession”, Deuteronomy 2:9.

 

    4. cross the river Zered, Deuteronomy 2:9.

 

The time that elapsed since the Lord spoke as according to Deuteronomy 1:40, to now, Deuteronomy 2:14 is thirty eight years. By now, all the older Israelites are dead Deuteronomy 2:16. It took them thirty eight years to travel from Kadeshbarnea to Zered. A journey, which normally takes eleven days because the hand of the Lord was against them Deuteronomy 2:15. Who can prosper when God’s hands are against him? 

 

    5. “…pass over through Ar”, today.

    6. don’t distress the children of Ammon.

    7. don’t meddle with the children of Ammon.

 

^“That the LORD spake unto me, saying, ¹⁸Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: ¹⁹And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession”, Deuteronomy 2:17-19.

 

Our God is a God of second chance. Somestime the LORD gives us a third opportunity, to make our way right with Him, that is the way of God. The children of Israel messed up badly, the first time the Lord told them,  ”go up and possess” the land, Deuteronomy 1:45. Now after repenting with much bitter tears they are eager to prove themselves to God. Such are we today. Many times, along our Christian walk, we stumble but our God gives us another chance (grace) to prove ourselves to Him.

 

This time, be assured, Israel will not make the same blunder as with the Amorites. This time, Moses, did not veered off course either, he was the perfect politician. He sent ambassadors to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace Deuteronomy 2:26.

 

Listen to his peace talk (treaty);

 a. let us pass through your country on foot. Deuteronomy 2:27.

 b. sell us food and water. Deuteronomy 2:28.

 

Now listen to Moses’ justifications for Sihon to allow passage:

 – the children of Esau and the Moabites did the same thing for us, they grant us passage across their country.

 – and the reason I want you to do all this is so we can cross “Jordan into the land which the Lord our God giveth us.” Deuteronomy  2:29.

 

Deuteronomy chapter two verse thirty Deuteronomy 2:30, is very important. It was to the children of Israel and is to the contemporary church. This verse of scripture informs us of a fundamental principle by which God operates, the way of God. By this principle the church is vindicated and the world is confused.

 

^“But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day,” Deuteronomy 2:30.

 

This was not the first time the Lord hardened a leader’s heart against the children of Israel. And it will not be the last. The Lord did this with Pharaoh(See Exodus 7:3;14:4,17;Joshua 11:20). The LORD is God, over all creation and over all other gods, this is His way to show us we cannot circumvent Him! Why would the Lord do this for who can resist God?

 

There are two main reasons that are apparent from scriptures: First, God wants to establish a difference in how he dispenses justice between those who forget Him and those who serve Him. Second, God wants to show those who worship Him, and show to the world, how He deals with those who forget Him. The end result of either  case is that He is glorified as LORD God Almighty. In other words, God ”will be honoured” that  every one ”may know that” He is ” the LORD”, this is the way of God.

 

Throughout the scriptures, God shows that He does not treat his covenanted people like He does those outside of His covenant. He will destroy an entire country, or people or nation or family or person for a covenanted person or persons. This reveals that He is always there for the covenanted. This build our faith in Him as we surmount one obstacle after another. He gets the glory because later when the stories are told He is glorified as Lord.

 

The difference the Lord has established between His own people and those who ignore Him is exemplified in this book, Deuteronomy. The children of Israel showed lack of faith, disobedience and rebellion against God in chapter one. They all suffered for their actions: many were killed  by their enemies. The children of Israel are never killed when they obey God’s command. Nothing  will  ever go wrong for us if we obey His words. But although He was angry with them, He did not forsake them. They repented and turn to Him and now we are about to witness how God differentiates between His people and the heathens. As long as we abide by His commands we are secure. We are secured from harm and secured from failure.

 

Finally, the Lord told Moses,”…Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land”, Deuteronomy 2: 31. Notice that Moses talked peace to Sihon but the latter is the one who initiated the battle   Deuteronomy 2:32. Although Moses spoke peace he was prepared for war because he knew what the Lord commanded him. But Moses need not move against Sihon until the Lord gives him the green light.

 

God is glorified. God is glorified when His people ascribe their success or achievements ONLY by His great powers and wisdom. This happens when we tell others that we have done well by His goodness, by His provision and by His favor. We have done well, in any area of life, but it was only by His mercies and love that we made it to this point.

Listen to how Israel gave God glory:”And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people”, speaking of Sihon and his kingdom Deuteronomy 2:33.

After Israel, defeated Sihon they wiped out all the other cities in that region too. This is what they said about their success in battle: “…there was not one city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us“, Deuteronomy 2:36. 

 ^“Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us” Deuteronomy 2:37.  All their success was contingent on their obedience to God’s commandments Deuteronomy 2:37 and so are are ours, that is the way of God.

Tomorrow we will examine, Day 3 of 34 – The Land Of Giants.

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