Year 1, Week 20, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 20, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Deuteronomy 2.

Today’s reading continues the retelling of the journey of the first generation of Israelites. Deuteronomy 2 retells Israel’s thirty-eight year wandering through the wilderness. Deuteronomy 2, along with Deuteronomy 1 and 3 looks back. This retelling of the history of the first generation is told in such a way so as to serve as a motivation for Israel to seek the LORD. While today’s reading is a part of a look back, Deuteronomy 31-34 serves as a look ahead, as Moses orients the Israelites to their near future in the Promised Land. In addition to a look back and a look ahead, Deuteronomy 4-30 takes a look at Israel’s present need to rely upon the LORD and obey the terms of the covenant that the LORD would renew with the Israelites. The outer chapters of Deuteronomy 4-30 (4-11 and 27-30) provide motivation for covenant faithfulness, while the center chapters (12-26) present an exposition of the Ten Commandments, similar to what was stated in Exodus 20-23.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the LORD’s clarity that He would secure victory for His people as they trusted in Him: “He it was who…struck down many nations and killed mighty kings, Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel.” (Psalm 135:8,10-12). As Moses reviews the various other nations that Israel passed through or around on their journeys, the LORD underscored that their standing before these nations changed after the first generation died off: “This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.” (Deuteronomy 2:25). The nations whom Israel feared would now fear Israel, for the LORD had put the fear of Israel in them. 

The LORD provided for Israel’s every need: “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.” (Deuteronomy 2:7). The LORD had guided the Israelites through the wilderness, instructing them on which nations they were to leave alone and which nations they were to do battle against. One such nation that the LORD ordered the Israelites to destroy was Heshbon, and its king, Sihon: “But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day.” (Deuteronomy 2:30). The imagery provided here is reminiscent of how the LORD purposed to destroy Pharaoh: “And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.” (Exodus 14:4). Just as the LORD gave His people victory over Pharaoh and released them from Egyptian captivity, so now the LORD worked again on behalf of His people: “And the LORD our God gave him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and all his people.” (Deuteronomy 2:33).

But the retelling of Israel’s journey through the wilderness not only touches on the LORD’s faithfulness, but also their own unfaithfulness: “And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished.” (Deuteronomy 2:14-15). The LORD was against His people as they rebelled against Him. Their lack of trust brought about their destruction. The challenge before the Israelites would never be the external threats that they faced from the nations around them. The LORD was mightier than any nation. The real threat to Israel would come from within. Would Israel acknowledge the LORD and obey Him?

From the previous day’s reading, the retelling of the process for appointing leaders who would judge righteously underscored the need for Israel to acknowledge the LORD and obey His Word: “And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.” (Deuteronomy 1:16). Their very existence as a nation was predicated upon living justly. The leaders would need to set the tone for justice by governing justly and without partiality: “You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God's. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.” (Deuteronomy 1:17). Thus, even in the retelling of their history, Israel was being given a moral imperative to obey: “And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.” (Deuteronomy 1:18).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe