Tag Archive | Deuteronomy

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 71

Mar12
Day 71.  Reading Deuteronomy 3 – 4. 
 

Read today’s scripture.

What do you learn NEW about God’s goodness?

Who can you share that with today?

Deuteronomy 3.

Here Moses gives more details in Israel’s fights with the kings east of the Jordan.  We discover that King Og of Bashan was a super-giant!  Wow.  King Og – oh, my goodness – was about 12-13 feet tall!!  No kidding.  His bed was made of iron, 6-feet wide and 13-feet long. (Remember that Goliath was just 9.5 feet tall.)  I can see why the earlier Israelis were spooked by these super big men in the land.

But, with our God, giants are as nothing. And as with Midian, Israel defeated this opponent with ease.  Moses then tells how they easily defeated the rest, and how Manasseh, Gad and Reuben settled into their territory. 

Moses also tells them how God had forbidden him to enter the Promised Land, and how he begged God to change His mind.  Rather than being moved, the LORD said, “Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. You can go up the mountain and SEE it with your eyes, but it will be Joshua who leads the people in.”

Moses three times blamed the people for this. “The LORD was angry with ME because of YOU, and would not listen.”  (Exodus 1:37, 3:26, and 4:21-22)

Deuteronomy 4.

Then Moses urges, commands, and charges Israel to LISTEN to, KEEP, OBEY, NOT FORGET, TEACH, and HOLD FAST to the statutes and rules and to the LORD, as he had taught them.   If they do, they will live, go into the land, and take possession of it. 

Also, they will be an example for the world.  “When the peoples hear all these statutes, they will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people,” For what great nation is there that has a God so near it as the LORD our God is us us, whenever we call upon him?  And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today.”

Moses urges them to teach their children the statutes of the LORD, that they might teach their children.  They are to watch themselves very carefully, lest they act corruptly with idolatry, for the LORD is a jealous (for them) God. 

And (you can almost hear him sigh here), when you have grown old and if you act corruptly by idolatry, and the LORD scatters you among the peoples…. IF YOU WILL SEEK THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOU WILL FIND HIM IF YOU SEARCH FOR HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL.  And the LORD will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them.

“For who is like the LORD our God?” Know and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on earth beneath; there is no other.”

Moses then sets apart three cities as Cities of Refuge in the areas of Manasseh, Gad, and Reuben, so a manslayer may escape to safety there.

Then he sets them up for a repeat telling of the Ten Commandments (in tomorrow’s study).

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 70

Mar11
Day 70.  Reading Deuteronomy 1 – 2. 
 

Read today’s scripture.

What do you learn NEW about God’s goodness?

Who can you share that with today?

Deuteronomy 1.

At the end of Moses’ life (forty years after he led the people out of Egypt) and before Israel enters the Promised Land, Moses reviews their history, bringing up the GOOD that God did and the mostly REBELLION that they did, challenging them to NOW obey and succeed. 

I love that he honored God and blessed them with, “The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven. May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as He has promised you!”

He reminded this new generation of people how (at his father-in-law’s suggestion and God’s approval) he chose leaders of their tribes to help him judge all of them. 

He also reminded them how they refused to enter the Land almost 40 years earlier because of fear and a rebellious heart, how God had condemned them to the wilderness again, and how they would not listen but rebelled against the command of the LORD and PRESUMPTUOUSLY went to fight the Amorites. How horribly they failed because the LORD was NOT with them.  

God was angry with them… and him (Moses).  

Deuteronomy 2.

Moses here recounts the years of wandering in the desert, until all that generation died (except Caleb and Joshua and their children). 

Finally, they came up again at the gates of the Promised Land. God told them NOT to invade Edom (descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother), NOR the Moabites, for they were descendants of Abraham’s nephew, Lot.  Likewise, they were not to harass the Ammonite people for they also descended from Lot.  (Blood truly IS thicker than water.)

However, they did fight and defeat the Midianites, who, through their kings and the false prophet, Balaam, had led them into idolatry and sexual sin.  That defeat was a foretaste of their battles when God was with them. Not one soldier died.  

….

to be continued.