Read Deuteronomy 1:19–46
Questions from the Scripture text: From where did they depart (v19)? Through where did they go? How was the route determined? To where did they come? How did Moses describe that hill country (v20)? What did he say was happening to it? What triple command did he give (v21, cf. v8)? Who did what in v22? What did they say to do? Of what were the men to bring back word? What did Moses think of this (v23)? Whom did he take? What did they do (v24)? What did they take and bring (v25)? What else did they bring? What did they say about the land? But what wouldn’t the people do (v26)? What did they do? Where did they complain (v27)? What did they say about YHWH? Why did they say He had brought them out of Egypt? What did they blame for their response (v28)? How did Moses answer (v29)? What is his answer (v30) to the question in v28? In addition to the power displayed in how He saved them from Egypt (v30), what else had YHWH displayed toward them in the wilderness (v31)? But how did they respond (v32)? Despite His having done what (v33)? Who heard their answer (v34)? How did He respond? What did He now swear, despite what He had previously sworn (v35)? Whom did YHWH except from this judgment (v36, cf. v38)? With whom was YHWH also angry (v37)? Whom did YHWH promise would enter and possess the land (v39)? But to where did He now direct the rebellious generation (v40)? What did they now tell whom that they had done (v41)? But which command do they now want to obey, by doing what? What does YHWH have to say to this (v42)? And what does Moses say to them (v43)? But what do they do to YHWH? And what do they try? With what results (v44)? And how did they respond to this defeat (v45)? But how does YHWH receive their weeping prayers? With what ongoing outcome (v46)?
Of what must each generation be reminded? Deuteronomy 1:19–46 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that every generation must be reminded of the dangers of unbelief and rebellion, and of our need of God’s grace to make us trusting, loving, submissive, and obedient.
Again, the text reminds us that, forty years ago, Israel was right on the cusp of entering the land (v21). The spy-mission plan pleases Moses (v23), and is permitted by the Lord, and indeed the report is good (v25). But their response is bad (v26). v27 gives us a subtle detail, easy to miss but important to learn from: the public rebellion began with what they told themselves in their tents. Let us beware of harboring unbelief and ingratitude in our hearts and our homes, lest they infect our church and bring God’s chastening down upon her!
The unbelief in v28 is worse than thinking too much of the Amorites. It is much, much worse to think too little of God (v30)! Do you consider that? That when you decide that you are going to be able to make it, you are either denying that God is with you, or that God is able, or both. But He had amply demonstrated His power (v30), love (v31) and faithfulness (v33) to them—just as He has to you, dear reader.
Note that although the generation being now addressed is the one named in v39, Moses still addresses them in the second person. They didn’t commit the rebellion of their fathers actively, but they were “in” their fathers when they did so, and their fathers’ rebellion is in them. They need to be reminded and warned against unbelief and rebellion. And so do we. We have all sinned in our first father, Adam. Unbelief and rebellion is in all of us.
A symptom of this rebellion is seen even in our “repentance,” sometimes. One wonders what Israel were thinking, complaining against going into the land. For, as soon as the Lord commands them back into the wilderness (v40), they are suddenly ready to go into the land (v41)! “We have sinned!” they cry—even as they re proposing to disobey again. The self-deception of the religious feelings in their tears (v45) is exposed by their persistence in disobedience and ingratitude. We know that this was not true contrition, for the Lord Who loves (and gives!) true contrition (cf. Ps 34:18, 51:17; Is 55:17, 66:2) rejects their cry.
What should we say, then? We should say what God was saying, as He is preparing them to hear the rest of this sermon: when we are commanded and convicted by His Word, we must respond by His grace. We must respond in faith, remembering Who He is, and making Him our chief consideration in every circumstance. We must respond in sincerity, that is both sentiment and obedience, “wholly following YHWH” (v36). We cannot afford to indulge doubting, grumbling, or rebellion. Not even “in our tents” (v27).
The Lord is still the same powerful, loving, faithful God to us now, as He was to them, then. In fact, He has made much greater demonstration of this in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And He is therefore worthy of all of our thanks, trust, love, and obedience. Indeed, He is able to give it to us, which He does by means of His Word and Spirit, which is why He has given you to worship Him through this passage just now, dear reader. Look to Him for that grace!
In what part of your life are you tempted to consider the obstacles that you face more than Him with Whom you face them? How do you guard against the assumption that your religious feelings are sincere? What has the renewed submission of true repentance looked like in your life? What is some of the history of God’s power and love and faithfulness in your own life? How do you combine that with the account of those things in Scripture, to form your understanding of Him and interaction with Him?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You and praise You for being the powerful God, Who brought Israel out of Egypt and have provided the righteousness and atonment of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank You and praise You for being the loving God, Who carried Israel like a man does His Son, and Who allows nothing to separate us from Your love, which is in Christ Jesus. And we thank You and praise You for being the faithful God, Who went in the way with Israel by cloud and fire, and Who never leaves us nor forsakes us, but constantly attends us by Your Holy Spirit. Grant, by Your same Spirit, that we would have truly contrite hearts before You, as demonstrated in lives of submission and obedience, by the grace of Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP51B “From My Sins, O Hide Your Face” or TPH394 “Eternal Spirit, God of Truth”
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