Deuteronomy 1:34-36 Wholeheartedly or Halfheartedly

 34When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, 35“Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, 36except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

Psalm 95: 11So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”

“The only exceptions were Caleb and Joshua. These were the faithful two among the twelve spies which came back with the report from the Promised Land (Numbers 14:6-10).” (Guzik)

Wholeheartedly or Halfheartedly 

This evil generation were only halfheartedly following the Lord because with all He had done for them they couldn’t wholeheartedly put their trust in Him like Caleb and Joshua.

Christians have the same heart ❤️ condition and I’m guilty also, there are times we halfheartedly follow Jesus! We seek the approval of man over God!

Do you halfheartedly follow Jesus?

Blessings 

https://harvest.org/resources/gregs-blog/post/dont-be-a-halfhearted-christian/

Deuteronomy 1:29-33 Did Not Trust

 29So I said to you: “Do not be terrified or afraid of them! 30The LORD your God, who goes before you, will fight for you, just as you saw Him do for you in Egypt 31and in the wilderness, where the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way by which you traveled until you reached this place.”

32But in spite of all this, you did not trust the LORD your God, 33who went before you on the journey, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day, to seek out a place for you to camp and to show you the road to travel.

Did Not Trust

Just like the Israelites we have the same sinful disease! We did not trust the Lord. Instead we defend ourselves, we rely on our human instincts. Satan loves it we we are fallible and release his snare. My wife would always say, the Lord is my defender when a coworker would spread untruthful gossip. Eventually they will be found out for what they are.

Instead of not trusting in the Lord as our defender we should remind ourselves,

The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight on your behalf!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1:26-28 Nevertheless

 26But (Nevertheless KJV) you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. 27You grumbled in your tents and said, “Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be annihilated. 28Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’ ”

Nevertheless 

“Essentially, the ten spies and all Israel said, “We went into the land of Canaan and found it to be a wonderful land, just as the LORD said it would be. God’s word was true on that point. Nevertheless(essentially saying, ‘despite all that’), we don’t believe God when He says He will enable to overcome the enemies of the land and to possess it.” (Guzik)

Nevertheless: in spite (despite) of all that.

Nevertheless can describe us too, for by grace we’ve been saved. We received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Your number 1 mission, if you choose to accept it is to tell others about Jesus, Nevertheless……..

Blessings 

Luke 8: 38The man whom the demons had left begged to go with Jesus. But He sent him away, saying, 39“Return home and describe how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed all over the town how much Jesus had done for him.

Deuteronomy 1:24-25 Good Land

 24They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied out the land. 25They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands, carried it down to us, and brought us word: “It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.”

“Significantly, Moses didn’t mention the evil report of the unbelieving spies (Numbers 13:28-29). It is almost as if the memory was so painful that Moses wouldn’t even deal with it.” (Guzik)

Good Land

Verse 25, it’s a good land!

Numbers 13: 27And they gave this account to Moses: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit!

The Lord gave my wife and I a good land too with a roof over our heads to protect us from the elements. 

Are you thankful for what He gives you on a daily basis?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1:22-23 Regrets

 22“But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’

23“This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes.

Regrets

“As Moses remembered this suggestion, he looked back with regret. There really was no compelling reason to send forth spies into the Promised Land.

From reading only Numbers 13:2 it might seem that this plan to send spies into Canaan originated with God, not the people. But a careful look shows that Numbers 13:2 dealt mainly with the number of spies to send (12) and how they should be chosen (one from each tribe). So though the plan did not originate with God (Deuteronomy 1 indicates that it started with the people, and was approved by Moses), the LORD essentially said: “If you are going to send spies, send twelve, and have them represent the whole nation by sending one from each tribe.”

Perhaps in this God made certain that not all the spies brought a report of unbelief.” (Guzik)

Have you examined your life and had regrets due to unbelief? 

I have and if your honest with yourself, you have too.

If you study the Bible carefully, everyone in it has had moments of regret because of unbelief, it’s part of our sinful nature.

Blessings 

How to deal with regrets.

Deuteronomy 1:19-21 Moses and I Remember!

 19“Then, just as the LORD our God commanded us, we left Mount Sinai and traveled through the great and terrifying wilderness, as you yourselves remember, and headed toward the hill country of the Amorites. When we arrived at Kadesh-barnea, 20I said to you, ‘You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the LORD our God is giving us. 21Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’

Moses Remembers 

“After seeing God’s faithfulness in enabling them to cross the land of the Amorites, Moses was ready to lead the nation into Canaan.

This encouragement was important because this was the critical moment for Israel. They were a little more than a year out of Egypt and ready to go into the Promised Land. It was there before them, ready for them to take by faith if they would not fear or be discouraged.” (Guzik)

I remember, while hunting this past week as I’ve been sitting in a deer blind looking at trees, nature, squirrels, rain, snow, sleet, turkeys and whitetail deer, (doe’s). 

It’s given me time also like Moses to reflect and to remember my past failures (sin) and accomplishments. 

And it suddenly dawned on me, why haven’t I been praying 🙏? 

So I started praying! 

We also need to remember Gods faithfulness!

If you haven’t, I encourage you to start. Do not fear or be discouraged!

Blessings

Deuteronomy 1:16-18 Judges

 16At that time I charged your judges: “Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident. 17Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”

18And at that time I commanded you all the things you were to do.

In the news yesterday was the trial and the verdict of a young man who defended himself and was forced to kill two assailants and wound another. The judge was charged with keeping law and order in the courtroom which at times wasn’t easy.

I am reminded by 

Isiah 10: 1What sorrow awaits the unjust judges

and those who issue unfair laws.

2They deprive the poor of justice

and deny the rights of the needy among my people.

They prey on widows

and take advantage of orphans.

3What will you do when I punish you,

when I send disaster upon you from a distant land?

The same could be said of prosecutors that prosecute the innocent!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1:14-15 Chose the Elders

14And you answered me and said, “What you propose to do is good.”

15So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.

“Moses chose the elders of Israel by using a combination of approval by the congregation, and approval by Moses himself. Moses then instructed the elders in principles of righteous leadership, and thus relieved himself of many burdens.” (Guzik)

Good churches of Christ do the same thing, approval by the congregation in the election of elders for a specified term to serve in the functioning of the church and thus relieve the pastor of many burdens.

Does your church do that?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1 :9-13 Elders

 9At that time I said to you, “I cannot carry the burden for you alone. 10The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 11May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times over and bless you as He has promised. 12But how can I bear your troubles, burdens, and disputes all by myself? 13Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”

Elders

“Some think that the appointment of leaders described in Deuteronomy 1 referred to the appointment of Judges in Exodus 18. Some others believe it refers tp the appointment of elders described in Numbers 11. It could possibly be either, but from the flow of Moses’ context in Deuteronomy 1, it seems best to consider that it was the appointment of elders in Numbers 11.” (Guzik)

Our church has a group of elders that oversee the functions of the church and that the pastor teaches the word as written in the Bible. They are wise, understanding and respected men from our church community that are elected to their position by the church body.

Blessings

https://www.gotquestions.org/duties-elder-church.html

Deuteronomy 1 :6-8 Mount Sinai or the Promised Land?

 6The LORD our God said to us at Horeb: “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7Resume your journey and go to the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the foothills,c in the Negev, and along the seacoast to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great River Euphrates.

8See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess the land that the LORD swore He would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants after them.”

“Simply, God told Israel to move on. A year at Mount Sinai was enough; He did not bring them out of Egypt for them to live forever at Sinai. It was time to move on in faith and take the land of promise.” (Guzik)

“Galatians 4 and Hebrews 12 symbolically identify Mount Sinai with the Old Covenant of works and law. For the Christian today, it is important to spend some time under the law as a tutor (Galatians 3:24-25), so we know the holy character of God and our need for a Savior. But God never intended the Christian to live their spiritual life at Mount Sinai. The believer must move on in faith to the Promised Land.” (Guzik)

Where are you in your Christian faith, Mount Sinai or in the Promised Land?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1 :5 Explain, To Dig Deeply or to Mine

 5On the east side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying:

“This was one of the last things Moses did to prepare the people of Israel to finally enter into the Promised Land. Moses knew they needed to know the Word.” (Guzik)

“Moses will now serve as an expository teacher to Israel. The Hebrew word translated “explain” comes from the ideas “to dig deeply” or “to mine.” Moses will mine out the riches of God’s truth to the people, and prepare them to enter in.” (Guzik)

Moses needs to explain, to dig deeply or to mine out the riches of Gods truth to the people, and prepare them to enter in, because Moses cannot enter into the promised land.

Numbers 20: 12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1 :2-4 Victory!

2It is an eleven-day journey from Horeba to Kadesh-barnea by way of Mount Seir. 3In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded him concerning them. 4This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and then at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.

“Kadesh Barnea: This was the place where, in Numbers 13 and 14, Israel believed the report of the unfaithful spies and rebelled against God, refusing to go into the Promised Land.”

“The journey from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea only took eleven days. But from Kadesh Barnea (the threshold of the Promised Land) back to Kadesh Barnea (back to the threshold of the Promised Land) took forty years.” (Guzik)

The previous generation of Israelites were afraid of the Canaanite’s and rebelled against God, but their children trusted in Him and He gave them victory over the king of the Amorites and the king of Bashan!

I’ve studied the whole Bible and we’ve won the spiritual victory over death though Jesus Christ!

What can man do to you? Can they take your soul?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 1:1 Second Law

 1These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—in the Arabah opposite Suph—between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

Review: The Israelites are camped on the great plains of Moab on the east side of Jordan looking across into the Promised Land after a difficult journey from Egypt and after the unbelieving adult generation has died off.

“The name Deuteronomy means “second law.” It was the second giving of the Mosaic Law, the first being at Mount Sinai. Moses felt compelled to bring this reminder of the Law to Israel, because those ready to enter the Promised Land were only children - if born at all - when the Law was originally given at Mount Sinai.” (Guzik)

“Deuteronomy is one of the greatest books of the Old Testament. Its influence on the domestic and personal religion of all ages has not been surpassed by any other book in the Bible. It is quoted over eighty times in the New Testament and this it belongs to a small group of four Old Testament books [the others being Genesis, Psalms, and Isaiah] to which the early Christians made frequent reference.” (Thompson)

Do you study the Bible daily and understand His book of life?

Blessings 

Numbers 36:10-13 Did as the Lord Commanded

 10So the daughters of Zelophehad did as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to cousins on their father’s side. 12They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained within the tribe of their father’s clan.

13These are the commandments and ordinances that the LORD gave the Israelites through Moses on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

“In their case, not only did they marry within the tribe, but they were married to the sons of their father’s brothers - their cousins. This obviously kept the land inheritance within the tribe, and even within the larger family unit.” (Guzik)

“The Book of Numbers began in the wilderness (Numbers 1:1). It now finished as close to the Promised Land as you can get without actually being there.” (Guzik)

Do you do as the Lord commands?

Next we begin the Book of Deuteronomy!

Blessings

Numbers 36:5-9 Inheritance Continued!

 5So at the word of the LORD, Moses commanded the Israelites: “The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks correctly. 6This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father. 7No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8Every daughter who possesses an inheritance from any Israelite tribe must marry within a clan of the tribe of her father, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. 9No inheritance may be transferred from one tribe to another, for each tribe of Israel must retain its inheritance.”

Inheritance Continued!

“The solution is fairly simple - if a daughter in a family receives an inheritance of land, she must marry within the tribe. Since the tribes were large enough, this really was no burden.”

“Seemingly, if a daughter married outside the tribe, she had to forfeit the inheritance - because not only did she have inheritance rights, but the tribe did also. Her individual right of inheritance was not the only nor the greatest consideration. (Guzik)

When the vulture’s descend for the inheritance seek the Lord for godly advice, pray without ceasing until you get an answer. Then and only then, with the ❤️ of Jesus give your answer on the inheritance. But remember, the world doesn’t know Him and won’t understand your answer or reaction in love.

Blessings 

Numbers 36:3-4 Biblical Decisions and Inheritance

  3But if they marry any of the men from the other tribes of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the portion of our fathers and added to the tribe into which they marry. So our allotted inheritance would be taken away. 4And when the Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to the tribe into which they marry and taken away from the tribe of our fathers.”

“Solving the problem of Zelophehad’s daughters had created another problem - how to keep the property in a tribe through the generations. This illustrates an important principle - that there are rarely perfect solutions to problems; there are usually answers that are trade-offs in other areas. Maturity is able to make and accept the right decisions even when they aren’t perfect, “cost-free” solutions.” (Guzik)

Biblical Decisions and Inheritance 

The world teaches us to fight and take what you can get. Unfortunately many Christian’s don’t look to the Bible when dealing with family and inheritance. 

If only everyone had the love of Jesus in their heart ❤️ and trusted in the Lord completely.

Blessings 

Numbers 36:1-2 Inheritance

 1Now the family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the clans of Joseph, approached Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families and addressed them, 2saying, “When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, He also commanded him to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 

Inheritance 

“This passage is a reference back to Numbers 27:1-11, where the daughters of Zelophehad were concerned that their father’s inheritance would vanish, because there were no sons in their family.

God, through Moses, declared that if a father has no sons, the inheritance can then go to the daughters.” (Guzik)

I have a stained glass lamp that is over our dining table that was my fathers. He worked with a gentleman that made it for him out of oak and 100 year old stained glass from a church and in exchange my father made him an opal ring for his wife. I consider it my inheritance from my father.

Blessings 

Numbers 35:33-34 Bloodshed Polluted Land

 33Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell. For I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.”

Bloodshed Polluted Land

“One may say that because of the stain of so many unpunished murders, the United States of America is a defiled land. Across the country, many are murdered under many circumstances and few are brought to justice. The blood of the slain cries out before God.” (Guzik)

My wife is a Investigation ID channel junkie. I’ve enjoyed Joe Kenda in Homicide Hunter, he’s solved about 400 murders. What struck me was his last day as a detective. He started to investigate a child murder and the child was wearing the same pattern pajamas as his child had. The PTSD overwhelmed him and he went to his office, hand wrote a resignation letter and taped it his door and walked out. His mind couldn’t handle the bloodshed 🩸 polluted land anymore. Later he became a school bus driver for children. When he was approached about the television show his wife suggested he do it because it would help him mentally to talk and deal with everything he’s seen.

If your family has been a victim of a murder, I pray the Lord gives you comfort.

Romans 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

Blessings 

Numbers 35:31-32 Ransom

 31You are not to accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who deserves to die; he must surely be put to death. 32Nor should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to a city of refuge and allow him to return and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.

“If someone was guilty of murder, they could not make monetary restitution in the place of their life. The principle of Genesis 9:6 stands: Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.”

“This reflects an important principle; namely, that money cannot replace justice. Sometimes a monetary reward satisfies justice (as in Exodus 22:4, for example); but other times it does not and should not be used as a replacement for justice.” (Guzik)

Blessings