April 26, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 9 (NIV)
Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness
1Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”.......Continue Reading
When I read the retelling of all the times God’s people rebelled in the wilderness I think how frustrating that must have been for God to be caring so closely for HIs people and around every turn for them to still show such unbelief! However, how different are we??? So quickly we get caught up in our own head and forget God. So many times that I doubt God’s timing and try to take the wheel from Jesus when I need to wait and trust! Lord help my unbelief…amen!
Good morning everyone. I need to get into reading more regularly.
This morning’s reading also reminded me of why God’s salvation has to be a work of grace and mercy on God’s part because we are stubborn people. In Deuteronomy 9:6 God reminds the people that they are not possessing the land because of their righteousness but because of God’s. I could hear the words of Paul in Romans saying that there is none righteous, no not one.
Good to have you posting here, Dan!
This account of the golden calf reminded me to wait on the Lord and trust him instead of making an idol for myself to replace God in my life.
Deuteronomy 9
Deuteronomy 8-9
A reminder of how badly they behaved by not trusting and turning their backs on God, they were rebellious against the Lord. The Israelites didn’t believe God would be able to help them in spite of all God had shown them and done.
In chapter 8 Moses reminds them of God’s faithfulness in the past to motivate obedience in the future. Here he reminds them of their unfaithfulness in the past to humble them and remind them it is not because of their righteousness that He is giving them the promised land. The present occupants are evil and that is why God is driving them out and using the Israelites to do it. Moses brings them through the utter disobedience they expressed at Sinai. It is interesting that Moses says you did it when he is talking about the past generation. But this new generation needs to realize that they share in the past generations disobedience and therefore they are not to let a pride and superiority get in their heads. It would be another way for them to forget God if they thought it was their greatness that made this all happen. That is why it is always important for us to be oriented to the grace of God, and recognize the things flowing to us is about His goodness and mercy as opposed to God blessing us for what we deserve. Pride and superiority is a dangerous thing to have in us that God’s grace can easily drive out….
Moses tells the Israelites that it isn’t because of their righteousness that he is driving out these other nations, but because of those nations’ wickedness. He is sure to remind them that they are no better! How often do we get caught up in our own self-righteousness when we look on the wickedness of the world? There is the struggle to stand for righteousness and truth, but still have feet fitted with the gospel of peace to draw people to Christ. More and more I see how the armor of God fits to prepare us for battle.
4After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. 5It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.