Deuteronomy 9:4-6 Righteousness

 4When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” Rather, the LORD is driving out these nations before you because of their wickedness.

5It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise 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.

Righteousness

“This is a preview of salvation by grace through faith, in which we cannot think that it is our righteousness that has obtained it. Instead, it is the righteousness we have received in Jesus Christ.” (Guzik)

Stiff-necked “is a figurative expression for stubborn, intractable, obdurate, and hardheaded.” (Kalland)

Do you understand what David Guzik says, “This is a preview of salvation by grace through faith”? There is nothing we can do to earn salvation! It is by grace through faith, because of the righteousness we have “received” in Jesus Christ!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 9:1-3 Strength, ours or His?

 1Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens. 2The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?” 3But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them swiftly, as the LORD has promised you.

Strength, ours or His?

On their own the Israelites couldn’t stand up to the sons of Anak but the Lord was a consuming fire 🔥 that will destroy them and subdue them! 

Without the Lord the Israelites wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

The same is with us also, without the Lord Jesus how do we get through another day in this world? He heals the broken hearted, makes the weak strong and supplies grace that isn’t deserved or earned.

What is your source for strength?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 8:19-20 Pride

 19If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. 20Like the nations that the LORD has destroyed before you, so you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God.

“Israel would be tempted to look at the nations being judged in front of them, and to think, “We’re better than them, so we are safe. God would never deal with us that way.” But God would deal with them that way if they rose up in pride against Him.”

“Pride is the greatest danger in the Christian life. It is the most Satanic of sins because it was by pride that Satan himself fell. Satan prizes a proud believer over the most notorious sinner, because he looks at the proud believer and says, “Now there’s a man just like me!”

“Pride of face is obnoxious; pride of race is vulgar; but the worst pride is the pride of grace.” (Guzik)

Are you a proud believer?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 Abundance

 17You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.” 18But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.

“In times of abundance, it is easy to forget the LORD, or to at least no longer seek Him with the urgency we once had.” (Guzik)

I recall a story about a visitor from another country who went into a supermarket and walked down a pet food isle and broke down crying 😢. When asked what upset him, he stated we had more pet food available than they had people food in their markets back home.

We still live in a land of abundance, have you been praying for it?

“the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant”

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 8:15-16 Venomous Snakes and Scorpions!

 15He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint. 16He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.

“venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land”

Reminds me of Tucson, venomous snakes were all around our home and the fire department would relocate them, remove them from your yard and move them elsewhere. I had to scorpion proof our home by checking all door seals and using wire screen on all the roof vents. They would find their way into the shower and it was good practice to look before you leaped. Where’s there’s one you’ll always find another! 

Can you imagine living in the wilderness for forty years in a tent? I can only imagine the Israelites were a hard rugged people!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 Your heart will become proud!

 11Be careful not to forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. 12Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell, 13and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all that you have is multiplied, 14then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“your heart will become proud”

“When everything is fine and our lives are filled with abundance, it is not hard to have our hearts lifted up. We can easily forget the LORD Himself and forget it was all His work on our behalf.”(Guzik)

Do you see the warning about your ❤️?

Unfortunately it’s true! We will begin to believe we did it and become proud!

Humble yourself before the Lord and thank Him for your blessings! 

Stay focused on Him, stay in the word and don’t forget the Lord!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 LOOK 👀 UP!

 7For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills; 8a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; 9a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills are ready to be mined for copper. 10When you eat and are satisfied, you are to bless the LORD your God for the good land that He has given you.

“The reference to iron and copper in the hills is remarkably exact. Ancient copper mines and smelters have been discovered in recent years in the Arabah below the Dead Sea, and geological survey has demonstrated the presence of ores of copper and iron in the nearby hills.” (Thompson)

LOOK 👀 UP!

Do you see a correlation between verse 10 and this verse?

Matthew 6: 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Brethren, when you eat and are satisfied, you are to bless the LORD your God for everything you have, giving thanks to Him.

Seek first the kingdom of God! And all these things will be added unto you.

Do you bless Him for His blessings or take everything He gives you for granted?

Blessings