TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 1:26-33
The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you. - Deuteronomy 1:30
TODAY IN THE WORD
The great British pastor and author Charles Spurgeon wrote: 'How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into the company of JesusÑbut can then give their hearts to the world all the day? This is poor living; we should always be with Him, treading in His steps and doing His will.'

Spurgeon's reference to being in God's presence each morning and evening reminds us of Israel's experience in the desert. God faithfully led them 'in fire by night and in a cloud by day' (v. 32), unmistakable signs of His gracious presence.

But in the end, the Israelites reacted like the Christians of whom Spurgeon spoke. That is, the nation gave its heart to the world and went its own way the rest of the day.

We're back to the narrative portion of our Old Testament documentary. Moses stood before the children of the generation that came out of Egypt to rehearse how their parents had rebelled against God. Moses said the people grumbled in their tents, as if they were whispering so God couldn't hear them.

Not only did God hear their grumbling, but His heart must have been pierced to hear His people accuse Him of hating them and setting them up for annihilation (v. 27). Moses tried to refresh the Israelites' memory by recalling the great victory God had given them over Egypt. But that was old news to these grumblers. 'What have you done for me lately?' was their motto.

These verses drip with irony. The deliverance from Egypt wasn't something Israel just heard about. God did it 'before their very eyes' (v. 30), but now they were acting as if they had not seen God do anything great.

There's more irony in Moses' word picture of God's carrying the nation 'as a father carries his son' (v. 31). The people said God hated them, when in reality He was pouring out His blessings on them like a loving father.

That's not all. Through the cloud and the fire, God led Israel safely from campsite to campsite on the way to CanaanÑbut the people accused Him of leading them into a trap. So they turned back in disobedience, leaving God's blessing untouched.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many of the people listening to Moses in Deuteronomy would have been small children when the events of Numbers 13 and 14 happened.

Imagine several little sets of ears hearing Dad and Mom in their tents, grumbling about the lousy deal God had given them and how they were going to die right there in the desert. This probably didn't do a whole lot for the children's faith!

We wouldn't sit around our own dinner tables and grumble about God's dealings with us, would we? That's an important question to answer, since we do have a profound impact on how both the children and others in our lives view God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 14:1-10
The Lord is slow to anger. . . . Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished. - numbers 14:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
Whenever the subject of our society's growing violence comes up, it is usually suggested that one way to solve the problem is to start holding people accountable for their actions. What's amazing in these discussions is that this seems like a radically new idea to some peopleÑsomething they had never thought of before.

Well, holding people accountable for their actions may be a novel idea in the 1990s, but it's the only program that God has ever had. It follows that if obedience to God brings blessing, then disobedience brings punishment. That's the inescapable lesson of Numbers 14, summarized in today's key verse.

Yesterday we read Moses' recap of the way Israel reacted to the fear-producing report of the ten spies. The great lawgiver had pulled no punches, portraying the people as unwilling, rebellious, grumbling, accusing, fearful, and completely lacking in trust. It was not a pretty picture.

There is nothing in Numbers 14 to contradict Moses' judgment. The people bewailed their terrible fate, grumbling against God and His representatives Moses and Aaron. And when Caleb and Joshua tried to rally the nation to believe God and go forward, the people held a quick committee meeting and took a vote to stone those courageous men!

It seems that this threat was the last bitter taste of rebellion and unbelief God would endure. Immediately, He appeared at the tabernacle in His glory, a signal that it was time to settle some accounts.

Tomorrow and Sunday we will see how God's fierce anger was poured out on Israel. All of the rebellious grumblers would be punished for their astonishing lack of faith in the God who had delivered them from Egypt. Not one guilty party would escape.

One key portion of this generation's judgment came from the people's own lips. They fretted over the fact that their children would fall prey to their enemies because God had brought them to the edge of Canaan only to let them die (v. 3).

So God said in effect: 'Are you afraid I will let your children become captives? Then I will show My power by preserving your little ones while you perish in the desert.'
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Studies on the results of disobedience are not usually pleasant or comforting. But they can have positive benefits if we will hear and heed the message.

One thing that got the Israelites into trouble was their faulty, and incredibly short, spiritual memory. Somehow they forgot what God had done for them, so their trust in Him faded quickly. Why not refresh your spiritual memory today by rehearsing God's goodness to you during this year? Better yet, share these thoughts with your family, friends, or roommates.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 1:34-40
We should not test the Lord, as some of them did. - 1 Corinthians 10:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Generations of faithful parents have spent a good deal of time and energy teaching their children this simple fact about disobedience: it isn't worth the effort. That is, it doesn't help the child to get what he or she wants. Disobedience from those under their care rarely causes parents or other authority figures to change their program. It doesn't bring the rebellious person the desired result, and it ends only in discipline and disappointment.

Anyone who doubts this fact should read Deuteronomy 1 alongside Numbers 14. Looking back almost forty years to Israel's dramatic rebellion on the threshold of Canaan, Moses clearly recalled the sad consequences of the people's rebellion.

Not only was the desert littered with the graves of the rebels, but the cantankerous Israelites had caused Moses to blow a fuse and angrily disobey God. Moses referred to the incident here, but it actually happened later in the desert wanderings (we will explore this further in the August 12 study).

The generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt had grumbled in their tents (Deut. 1:27), but the all-knowing God heard their words and looked into their hearts. Provoked to anger by the people's unbelief, God pronounced a solemn judgment on every rebel in the nation. They would not enter the land of blessing, as He had previously planned for them.

But Israel's disobedience did not change God's plan one iota. Even in declaring judgment, God reminded Israel that He had sworn to their forefathers to give them the Promised Land.

This was another reference to God's covenant with Abraham, which was still in force. God was not about to let the unbelief of one generation void His oath. The rebels would pay for their sin, but God's promise would be fulfilled in the lives of their children.

If the people who had rebelled against God had any hope that He might change His mind, verse 40 answered that. These have to be some of the saddest words in Scripture.

Imagine standing at the very door of God's promises, yet being turned away because of your own lack of faith. God commanded the generation Moses led out of Egypt to turn back toward the desertÑback toward judgment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God has given us a wonderful Book that teaches us this foundational truth: disobedience toward Him isn't worth the effort, but obedience brings tremendous blessing. The lessons are there to be learned.

This is one reason we send Today in the Word your way each month. We urge you to open God's Word every day to discover the blessings He has for those who follow Him. If you've missed part of this study, why not go back to pick it up this weekend? And if you're right on target, keep up the good work!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 14:11-16, 26-38
Without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
When families get together on long summer evenings, it's not unusual for someone to start telling stories. Children like to hear about how their parents and grandparents got into trouble when they were young. Somehow, acts of mischief from forty or fifty years ago don't sound so bad around a family cookout in the backyard. Such stories can even be funny if told the right way.

Moses probably spent some long evenings with the Israelites there on the east side of the Jordan River, delivering the messages that form the Book of Deuteronomy. He had a story to tell the people about their parents, but it wasn't a harmless tale of youthful mischief. The exodus generation had provoked the anger of Almighty God.

We're back to the historical section of this biblical documentary focusing on obedience and blessing. Yesterday we read Moses' brief summary of God's anger toward Israel. Today's verses take us back to the scene itself forty years earlier.

Israel's great liberator and lawgiver had said, 'When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry' (Deut. 1:34).

How angry was God? Angry enough to consider wiping Israel off the map and beginning over again with Moses! Angry enough to declare that an entire generation would fall in the desert. And angry enough to judge the ten spies who brought back the report that caused the people to cower in fear on the edge of Canaan.

These are the consequences of disobedienceÑthe very opposite of the blessings that come from obedience. God said that Israel would learn what it was like to have Him against them (Num. 14:34), an experience none of us would want to repeat.

But we can't leave this passage without also noting that God mentioned Caleb and Joshua by nameÑtwo men who obeyed and reaped God's blessing.

You have to love what God said about Caleb. This man had 'a different spirit' and followed God 'wholeheartedly' (v. 24). God promised Caleb his place in the Promised Land, and Caleb's descendants also benefited from his obedience and faith. Two men out of an entire nation was not a very good percentage, but God never overlooks those who please Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In verse 30, God said He had sworn 'with uplifted hand' to give the land of Canaan to His people. He would simply give it to a later generation, since the earlier one had proved unworthy.

Here's that truth we talked about yesterday: Human disobedience and lack of faith do not alter God's eternal plan. Think about that for a few minutes, and you'll want to praise God for His sovereign purpose and power. He is still firmly in control of His creation. On this Lord's day, let's thank Him for that reassuring truth.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 14:39-45; Deuteronomy 1:41-46
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 14:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
As supreme commander of the Allied invasion of Europe during World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower was faced with a decision that held potentially overwhelming consequences. He had to decide whether to change the date of the D-Day invasion at the last minute or to let it proceed. Of the decision, Eisenhower later wrote: 'I knew I did not have the required wisdom. . . . I asked God to give me the wisdom. I yielded myself to Him. I surrendered myself. And He gave me clear guidance. He gave me insight to see what was right, and He gave me courage to make my decision.'

The Israelites could have benefited from a similar attitude of humility on the part of their military commander(s). Someone made the decision to go into battle in the hill country of southern Canaan in defiance of the LordÑand the nation paid the price of defeat and humiliation.

Today we're considering both this historical account and Moses' later reflection on it. This is a classic case of rebellion and disobedience, and then the insincere repentance that marks those who want to avoid the results of their actions.

We know Israel's bitter weeping wasn't coming from repentant hearts for two reasons. First, the people admitted their sin only after God had rejected them. Second, the Lord turned a deaf ear to their criesÑHe never turns away those who come to Him in sincerity and genuine brokenness.

The two accounts we read today give different details of the story, although either one is enough to tell us what happened and why. Moses said the people refused to listen and acted in 'arrogance' in trying to undo the damage of their disobedience (Deut. 1:43).

There are two key elements in Numbers 14 that tell us that the army of Israel was heading into a disaster. 'Neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord's covenant moved from the camp' (v. 44). Both God's appointed leader and the symbol of His presence and covenant promises were absent when the troops went up to fight.

The people came back again beaten and in tears, but God once more turned a deaf ear. Their rebellion had crossed the line, and God had pronounced judgment. This is a lesson we can't afford to forget if we want God's blessing.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many people say 'I'm sorry' after they get into trouble. This kind of after-the-fact confession is a trademark of our culture.

But God honors only one kind of confession: sincere sorrow and repentance for sin. Trying to do 'damage control' doesn't get us anywhere with Him. Has the Holy Spirit brought to your attention a need for confession? Seek God's promised forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9), and you'll put yourself in line for His blessing by your obedience.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 20:1-13
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. - Luke 12:48
TODAY IN THE WORD
Among the many legends that surround the life of Abraham Lincoln is

the story of how Lincoln, as a young attorney, was defending a man accused of murder. Lincoln's defense was that the man had been provoked and that under enough strain any person could be driven to a desperate act. The prosecutor disdained Lincoln's suggestion, but the story holds that during the trial Lincoln so severely goaded his opponent that in a rage, the prosecutor grabbed the unloaded gun on exhibit and tried to shoot Lincoln.

True or not, the story illustrates a point. Part of our sinful humanity is our proneness to react angrily when provoked. This is sinful because we are still responsible for what we do, even when provoked. Still, most of us know what it's like to be pushed beyond our endurance.

Moses succumbed to the same pressure the day he struck a rock at Kadesh and provided water for the grumbling Israelites whom he had led for forty years.

It may not be obvious from the text, but this story takes place not at the beginning of Israel's forty-year trek in the desert, but near the end. The 'first month' was the first month of the fortieth year after the nation had refused to enter Canaan and was commanded by God to turn back into the desert.

This means the event we read about today and Moses' mention of it in Deut. 1:37 were not that far apart. On this occasion the nation again passed through Kadesh, which was normally a well-watered area. But it was dry now, and so a familiar scene began to unfold. The people complained, Moses went before the Lord, and the Lord provided an answer.

But in the process of dealing with God's people, Moses lost his temper. He called them rebels and furiously struck the rock twice, although God had told him to speak to the rock. The water came out anyway because God is gracious, but Moses lost the blessing he had anticipated for many yearsÑentrance into Canaan.

Why the harsh sentence? Today's verse helps to explain the Lord's response. Moses was the leader of the covenant community. He carried the Lord's authority, so when Moses angrily asked, 'Must we [Moses and Aaron] bring you water out of this rock?' (Num. 20:10), he dishonored God in the sight of His people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Moses' failure at Kadesh reminds us that our ultimate confidence must be in God, not in people.

We can praise God for every spiritual leader He puts in our lives. But we cannot expect anyone else to carry us spiritually, even though our tendency sometimes is to cling too tightly to those who are around us. Are you depending on someone you admire for the spiritual strength that only God can give you? This is worth thinking about.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 2:1-8
These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked
anything. - Deuteronomy 2:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
How long would you put up with someone who often threw your goodness back in your face and accused you of trying to do harm whenever you did something gracious? How long would your patience last if you had to deal with a whole nation full of people like this?

It's a good thing most of us don't have to answer that question, because there's a good chance our patience would have run out a lot sooner than did God's patience with Israel in

the desert.

On several occasions we have talked about Israel's disobedience and resulting judgment. But the fact that God banned the exodus generation from entering the Promised Land does not mean He completely abandoned them in

the desert.

On the contrary, the Lord testified through Moses to the younger generation of the gracious way He had supplied their ancestors' needs. The nation lacked nothing on its travels around the desert. And since many of the people listening to Moses had experienced a part of that provision, they knew first hand of God's blessing.

As he continued his sermon to this new generation of Israelites Moses summed up those forty years in the phrase 'for a long time' (v. 1. He and the people had obeyed God's order to turn south and head toward Seir, or Edom, the home of Esau's descendants, a mountainous area south of the Dead Sea.

In tomorrow's study we will relive that journey, for the fact is that the king of Edom refused Israel passage through his land. But his refusal was not the point the Lord wanted to make here in Deuteronomy.

Instead, the emphasis is on God's unfailing, even miraculous, provision for Israel on their 'journey through this vast desert' (v. 7). The people were not to take even a sip of water from the Edomites without paying for it. And under no conditions were they to provoke the people into a fight.

Do you see the picture God wanted Israel to see? They were His people, and He was responsible for their care. They did not need to look elsewhere or try to make it on their own. Sounds like a good lesson for us to take to heart today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God's provision did not mean the Israelites never became hungry or thirsty.

The people did get hungry and thirsty at times, but God was there to supply what was needed. Our problem is often that when we are in need, it's easy for us to forget God's promise to supply. When we do that, we start trying to make something happen on our own. Maybe you're being tempted to improvise right now, to go outside of God's boundaries to meet a need. If so, pray for the patience to wait for His answer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 20:14-21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. - Romans 12:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
It takes a lot of grace to restrain ourselves when provoked or threatened for no reason at all. The human desire for revenge is so strong that the ability to show restraint is one indication that God is at work in a person's life.

The people of God showed remarkable restraint when the king of Edom refused a request from 'brother Israel' to pass through his land. God had warned Moses that the Edomites would be afraid when Israel showed up (Deut. 2:4).

Perhaps the leader of Esau's descendants feared that the Israelites would deplete their water supply. That area was not known for an abundance of rainfall. Or maybe he figured that, given the history of Esau's animosity toward Jacob, the Israelites' request was merely an excuse for them to invade and conquer Edom.

For whatever reason, Israel's offer to stay on the main road through Edom and pay for anything the people ate or drank was refused in a pretty nasty way. Edom's defiance must have been hard to take after Moses had sent messengers to the king with a plea for permission based on Israel's former slavery in Egypt and decades of hardship in the desert.

But Edom's king was not moved by the Israelites' troubles. After he issued a warning along with a show of force, Israel backed off in obedience to God's command (Deut. 2:5).

It's true God had already warned Israel that any attack against Edom would be unsuccessful. But that does not negate the nation's obedience in turning away from Edom's provocation, even though Edom's denial of permission to pass through had made Israel's journey a little harder.

Besides, it wasn't as if the Israelites were about to die in the desert without Edom's help. The people had an infinitely greater Helper on their side, the Lord Almighty.

By yielding in the face of Edom's armed defiance, Moses and the people were demonstrating their reliance upon God. When God is our Provider and Protector, we don't have to respond to every provocation or annoyance that comes our way.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul says we need to forego revenge because vengeance is God's job, not ours (Rom. 12:19).

However, that doesn't mean we may step aside and say, 'OK, God, let him have it!' Paul said we are to do good toward our enemies so that they may be brought to repentance by our acts of love (Rom. 12:20). Our calling is to overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21). Is there someone at work, at home, or in your church, who needs your kindnessÑeven if such kindness is undeserved? You may not be able to pull that off by yourself, but God can give you the grace to do it. Talk to Him about it, and then obey!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 2:9-15
The word of our God stands forever. - Isaiah 40:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Countless numbers of believers have claimed the great promise of today's verse as they have sought God's help or blessing.

That faith is well-placed. The psalmist said God's Word is 'eternal,' and that it 'stands firm in the heavens' (Ps. 119:89). When we take God at His Word and obey Him, blessing follows.

But God's Word cuts both ways. He is also utterly faithful to execute the warnings and judgments contained in His Word. We rejoice when obedience brings blessing, but too many times we expect God simply to overlook or to discount our lapses.

The death of the exodus generation in the desert outside of Canaan helps lay to rest the notion that God is merely an indulgent deity who looks the other way when we disobey.

Moses could not have said it more clearly. Every fighting man of his generation who cowered before the Canaanites and refused to believe God perished over a period of thirty-eight years. God was utterly faithful to His word of judgment.

Let's recall again that the people listening to the sermons of Moses as given in Deuteronomy were not simply passive spectators. They were the sons, daughters, and grandchildren of the men whom the Lord had judged for their unbelief and disobedience.

The painful reminder that an entire generation had died needlessly was a powerful object lesson for the survivors: God demands and rewards obedience.

Even at the last, God gave His people another reminder of what they should have done to the Canaanites almost four decades earlier. The point of Deuteronomy 2:10-12 seems to be that if the Moabites (descendants of Abraham's relative Lot, v. 9) could drive out a people variously called the Emites or the Rephaites, Israel should have been able to conquer Canaan under God's sure promise of

victory.

The Emites were known for their strength and stature, but the Moabites defeated them and took their land. The Edomites also had their own victory to point to, since they had defeated a people known as the Horites.

Lest anyone think these fighting men of Israel just happened to die in the natural course of things, Moses made a strong statement to the contrary (v. 15). God sets Himself against those who set themselves against Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
James 4:6 says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'

There's no rocket science involved in deciding which side of this equation we want to be on. The nature of pride is to push God away and say, 'I can do it myself.' But there is much grace in store for those who come before God with humility. Let's take a reading on our pride level today and be ready to humble ourselves if God reveals the presence of an arrogant attitude.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 2:16-23
When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance . . .
he set up boundaries for the peoples. - Deuteronomy 32:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Magazine articles filled with ideas on how to express love for special people are very popular these days. They usually show up under such titles as 'Fifty Ways to Say ÔI Love You'' or 'Twenty-Five Ways to Make Your Child Feel Special.' The idea, of course, is that true love is shown by actions as well as by words.

The sermons of Deuteronomy in which Moses recalled God's dealings with Israel are a stunning catalog of the ways God show His love and care for His people.

It's true that Israel's disobedience and lack of faith are a part of the story. But when we step back to look at the big picture, the nation's forty-year trek through the desert is a testimonial to God's patience and overruling love. Even Israel's failures become the backdrop for God's grace in sustaining the people He chooses as His own.

In fact, Moses testified to God's care for the nations that bordered the Promised Land. Today's reading includes an editorial note (vv. 20-23) which reveals the way God enabled the Ammonites, another group who descended from Lot, to conquer the same intimidating race of giant warriors the Moabites had defeated.

Together with the Edomites, the people of Esau, this made three sets of 'in-laws' whose borders the Israelites were commanded to respect. Why? Because God had set their boundaries, giving these people the strength to overcome their enemies and establish their nations in security.

The fact that those nations later turned against Israel in various ways and came under God's judgment does not negate His care for them in the days of Moses.

Why did Moses take the time to remind his listeners of these historical details? As we suggested earlier, the existence of Edom, Moab, and Ammon was an object lesson to Israel of God's power in bringing about His purpose for a nation.

The Ammonites, for example, did not have the promises of victory that Israel had. Yet the Lord enabled the Ammonites to conquer a fearsome foe. Since God showed His care for Ammon in this way, what greater thing would He do for His chosen people if they would only obey Him?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The question of what God would do in response to obedience is not merely historical. It is a question we can ask of ourselves.

The Bible testifies to God's providential, daily care for all of His creation. Jesus said the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt. 5:45). Since God has already proven His love for us in so many material ways, what greater spiritual thing would He do for us if we would only obey Him? The answer is exciting and challenging for us to consider!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 21:21-35
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. - Proverbs 21:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
John Huss was a Czech reformer who died more than 100 years before Martin

Luther and the Protestant Reformation. Huss pastored in Prague and spoke out against church abuses while faithfully preaching God's Word. A council was called to deal with the issues at hand, and Huss attended with a letter promising his safety. But when Huss arrived he was arrested, tried, convicted as a heretic, and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415.

In reality, though, John Huss was the victor and not the victim. His courageous stand for truth later inspired Luther to carry out many of the reforms for which Huss had given his life. Since God has the last word in the affairs of nations, the final verdict on a situation isn't always immediately obvious. When God moves His hand those who appear to be the winners can end up the losers.

Consider the Amorite king named Sihon. He had attacked and defeated Moab, stealing the land of these descendants of Lot. That act of aggression tells us all we need to know about Sihon, because God had established the borders of Moab and had warned Israel not to antagonize the people.

The Amorites had even composed a poem celebrating Sihon's victory (vv. 27-29)Ñan arrogant ode that Moses then turned against Sihon after Israel had defeated and destroyed his kingdom.

The defeat of Sihon and then of Og, king of Bashan, were important milestones in the history of Israel. Tomorrow we will study Moses's review of these battles in Deuteronomy chapters 2 and 3.

But today we make our final trip back into the Book of Numbers to read the historical account. Israel was making its way along the east side of the Jordan River in preparation for the invasion and conquest of Canaan. As the nation approached Amorite country, Israel made Sihon the same peaceful offer it had made to Edom and Moab.

But Sihon arrogantly refused passage to Israel. When he attacked God's people without reason, he was destroyed. Og had no better sense, doing the same thing and suffering the same fate. Sihon thought he was in control when he defeated Moab, and he figured it would be no problem to add Israel to his 'trophy room.' But God overruled this pagan ruler.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's lesson teaches us that while obeying God brings blessing, the

blessing may not always be immediately apparent. Even though Israel was being attacked for seemingly no reason, God in His sovereignty gave Israel victory in battle.

That's why it is always too early to give up or to become discouraged in your Christian life. God can turn what seem like blisters into blessings. The writer of Hebrews says: 'You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised' (Heb. 10:36). Why not commit this important verse to memory today?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 2:24-37
If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31
TODAY IN THE WORD
After V-E Day brought an end to World War II in Europe, General George Patton gave a brief speech in which he referred to the utter defeat of the enemy, including, he said, 'towns whose names I can't pronounce, but whose palaces I have removed.'

Humanly speaking, Moses and the Israelites were in much the same position as they faced an unknown enemy. Chances are that Israel had never heard of Sihon or Og before they approached these kings' borders and tried to negotiate safe passage.

God's people were still on the side of the Jordan River opposite CanaanÑthe eastern side of the river called the Transjordan. The forty years of discipline were now complete; the last members of the disbelieving generation having died in the desert (Deut. 2:16). God was readying His people for the invasion and conquest of the Promised Land.

To those awaiting God's command to cross the Jordan, Moses told the story of how Israel had defeated an Amorite king who arrogantly defied God. Sihon's kingdom lay on Israel's path, but it was Sihon who put himself in Israel's way. There's a big difference between those

two situations.

Moses's retelling of Sihon's defeat includes some details we didn't see in Numbers. Since Deuteronomy was written from more of a theological vantage point, God's activity in Israel's affairs is prominent. Moses reveals here that God had put the 'terror and fear' of Israel upon every nation His people would have to face (v. 25).

In today's passage Sihon's refusal is also seen against a new background. He had set himself against God, so God saw to it that the consequences of the king's stubbornness were played out completely. Israel won the battle because God delivered Sihon into their hands.

The complete destruction of the Amorites was part of God's judgment against the nations that had fallen into idolatry. Judgment such as this often seems harsh to us because, even as believers, we can get a little fuzzy on the absolute holiness and justice of God.

But if the greatest form of disobedience is to turn away from the true and living God to worship idols, then the greatest form of judgment must follow.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Being obedient to God doesn't mean that the enemy will simply disappear. On the contrary, the enemy makes sure to get in our way when we are determined to follow God.

So if you are encountering opposition, it may be a signal for you to keep moving forward. But you may say, 'I'm not sure if I should proceed or not.' Times like these are when God promises His wisdom to those who will ask Him in faith, with a believing heart (James 1:5-6). Bring your battle to the Lord, and seek His direction.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 3:1-11
You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. - Psalm 61:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Generations of leaders have known that one of the best ways to motivate the troops on the eve of a big battle is to remind them of their past victories.

Moses followed that tradition. He may even have helped to invent it! His retelling of Israel's victories over Sihon and Og gave the people important encouragement as they faced their biggest battle of allÑthe conquest of Canaan.

King Og was worth only a few verses in Numbers 21 (vv. 33-35), but here in Deuteronomy Moses devotes more space to the story. The extra detail was important for these Israelites to know because the defeat of Og was another example of God's faithfulness.

'Do not be afraid of him,' God told His people concerning Og (Deut. 3:2)Ñand they weren't. What a difference it would have made if, about forty years earlier, the exodus generation had moved out as confidently as this one in response to God's promise.

But to Israel's credit, the troops moved out here and enjoyed the victory God had already prepared for them. It didn't hurt that the victory over Sihon was still very fresh on the people's minds. God made sure they didn't forget by using Sihon as an encouragement to do the same in Bashan.

Og and his people suffered annihilation, the same fate that befell their fellow Amorites. People may debate the morality of God's command for the destruction of a people, but the reality of the command is undeniable. Moses made this truth explicit in the case of the Canaanites (see Deut. 7). God's reasons were grounded in His holiness.

The summary of Israel's conquests in the Transjordan had to be another source of encouragement. The extent of their land holdings in this region secured them from attack by other enemies as they turned west to enter Canaan.

But Moses was not quite finished with this story. It turns out that Og was a Rephaite, the race of giants we read about earlier. Israel's cousins, the Edomites and the Ammonites, had defeated those giants with God's help. Now Israel too could point to victory over an intimidating enemy as proof of God's blessing.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Maybe the enemy we talked about yesterday looks like a giant from where you stand.

Because Satan knows that most of us are afraid of things that seem bigger than we are, he has a way of making problems appear to be gigantic. One way for us to bring that problem down to size is to do what Moses didÑrecall a previous victory God has given us in this area. Whether our need is strength in temptation, patience with a difficult person, or faithfulness in serving God, reviewing yesterday's victory can encourage us to trust God for today's triumph.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 3:12-20
Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work. - Hebrews 4:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
It's a truism in sports that a team's success is more important than the statistics of

individual players. Even the jargon of sports reflects this thinking. Baseball has the sacrifice bunt. And a batter who deliberately makes an out to move a runner along is said to 'give himself up.' This collective effort is called teamworkÑand few teams win without it.

Teamwork was indispensable for the Israelites too. After the defeat of the Amorite kings who held large portions of the Transjordan, Israel was in the position to invade Canaan. The goal of the battle was victory so that every Israelite could enjoy rest in the land God had promised His people.

But before Israel crossed the Jordan, Moses had to deal with a request by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, along with half of ManassehÑa tribe that was divided between those who worked the land and those who raised livestock. It was the latter group that joined the other two tribes in asking Moses for permission to settle east of the Jordan, land ideal for grazing their herds (Num. 32:1-5).

Moses was angry at first, since it appeared that these Israelites were content to settle in comfortably and let their brothers fight the Canaanites. So Moses insisted that the armed men of these tribes go with the rest of Israel into Canaan until the whole nation was at rest. The men involved readily agreed to these terms (Num. 32:18).

What would be the blessing for these tribes' obedience to God in this matter? First, the families and livestock they had left behind east of the Jordan would be safe while they were away.

Second, the land they claimed would also be held for them. Since God had given this land to them as their possession they didn't need to worry about losing their homes while they were serving in the Israelite army.

Someone has said that there is no safer place for anyone on earth than in the will of God. The tribes who settled in the Transjordan certainly discovered that truth. When the time came to sacrifice for their brothers, they left home as they had promised. Their families and herds were never safer than when these warriors were helping their fellow Israelites enter into God's rest.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The writer of Hebrews uses Israel's rest in Canaan as a picture of the greater rest we have in ChristÑthe cessation of our attempts to please God and reach heaven on our own merits.

Do you know someone today who is still struggling and working hard to earn God's favor? The best thing you can do for this friend or family member is to reach out in love and share the good news of God's grace in Christ. Why not pray that God will give you a special opportunity to talk to that person?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 3:21-29
Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you. - Deuteronomy 3:22
TODAY IN THE WORD
There is a definite note of sadness in today's story. Moses reminded the

people of God's judgment on his disobedience at Meribah (Num. 20:12-13), which resulted in his being banned from Canaan. Bible commentator Dr. Jack Deere says that Moses's conversation with God 'reveals something of the intimacy of Moses's relationship with God. It also heightens the feeling of tragedy in the experience of a man who devoted his life to fulfilling God's promise for Israel but knew he would never see its completion.'

Yet despite his own deep disappointment and knowing that his life was drawing to a close, Moses did not lose sight of the larger objective before Israel. The nation had conquered Sihon and Og, two powerful Amorite kings, and was ready for greater conquests in Canaan. Joshua was at Moses's side as God's appointed commander to lead the people into the Promised Land.

Look at the way Moses encouraged his young successor. Verses 21-22 of Deuteronomy 3 provide a classic biblical formula for encouragement. Moses told Joshua, in effect: 'Look at all

that God has done for you in the past. There is nothing you will face in the future that He cannot handle, because He is the same God today.'

Then Moses turned from speaking with Joshua to speaking with the Lord. It's not hard to imagine the anguish in Moses's voice as he stood on the very doorstep of the land he had spent forty years trying to reach. He must have been hopeful that God would relent and allow him to enter Canaan.

The text indicates that Moses kept on asking God to change His mind. But God became angry with MosesÑquite angry, according to the original language. He did allow Moses to go to the top of a mountain called Pisgah from where he could view the Promised Land from a distance. But that was the end of the issue.

Even though Moses had to stay in the Transjordan, he still had an important work to do. Joshua would need all the strength and courage he could muster for the task ahead of him.

God was ready to supply Joshua's need, but He also wanted to make sure that Israel's new leader had Moses's blessing. So Moses commissioned Joshua, signaling that Joshua was God's choice.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
With God the future is never up for grabs, because 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever' (Heb. 13:.

What an encouraging word of hope! Is there anything you have encountered to this point that was too big for the Lord? Since He was faithful yesterday, you can trust Him for today. And because He never changes, your tomorrow is already secure in Him. That's worth taking time to praise God for right now. Your praise delights Him!