August 25, 2017
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Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 2 (ESV)
“Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as the Lord told me. And for many days we traveled around Mount Seir.2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 ‘You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward 4 and command the people, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful. 5 Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 You shall purchase food from them with money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink. 7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”’ 8 So we went on, away from our brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road from Elath and Ezion-geber.’… Continue Reading
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Reading Deuteronomy 2, I was reminded of recent messages in Pastor Peter’s Numbers series. “Wait a minute, I feel like I’ve been here recently…these names and situation are so familiar.” I used Bible Gateway to find cross-references, and yep, there they were!!
Moses is looking back and recounting to the Israelites everything that’s happened along their journey to this day, reminding them of God’s care and provision for them, His guidance, and His promises kept. They need not fear anything (or anyone) so long as they obey His commands.
Fear is always an opportunity to have our faith in God tested as well! “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
Wisdom ~> “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:10
Foolishness ~> “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
interesting how specific the instructions were to interacting with relatives
7For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”
It is very interesting the regard God gives to family here. Don’t attack the descendants of Esau and Lot. I will not give you any of their land. In fact, I have expanded their land the same way I am going to do it for you in Canaan. What an expression of grace considering what Esau and Lot did. And what an example given of what God will do for them. That is probably why the size of these people is mentioned. God helped them defeat a mighty people so don’t you be afraid of the size of the people in Canaan. God has provided greatly for that past, disobedient generation. How much more so will He do for you if you obey.
What lessons do we learn from what God has done in the past? How does that cause us to trust Him now?