← Back to sermon library

Deuteronomy chapter one, it's a long chapter, but we'll take the whole thing, we'll break it down, and it does review much of what we've seen already in the book of Deuteronomy. Remember that this is about 40 years after the Exodus, so the time frame is about 1405 B.C. They're poised on the plains of Moab, getting ready to go into the promised land under Joshua to conquer what God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

So the bulk of the book is made up of three exhortations, or speeches, or addresses by Moses. The first is a historical review. We have that in chapters 1, verse 5, to chapter 4, verse 43. The second one is the exhortation to pursue covenant loyalty. That's from chapter 4, verses 44, all the way to chapter 28, to verse 68. And then summary and conclusion in chapter 29, verse 1, to chapter 30, and verse 20. After that, you've got the succession of Joshua, rather, in chapter 31, and then the death of Moses in chapters 32 to 34. So Moses' last events, and then his death.

And as one man, Meredith Klein, says, in the Sinaitic Covenant, the theocracy was established with Moses as earthly representative of Yahweh's kingship over Israel. Then when the rebellious Exodus generation had perished in the wilderness and Moses' own death was imminent, it was necessary to renew the covenant to the second generation. So that's essentially what's going on in the book of Deuteronomy. So it's a renewal, it is a reminder, it is exhortation to the children of Israel that as they enter into that promised land, they are to be faithful to the God who had called them by His grace out of the land of Egypt. So I'll begin reading in Deuteronomy 1 at verse 1.

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazaroth, and Disahab. It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass in the 40th year, in the 11th month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them, after he had killed Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashteroth in Edre. On this side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying, The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.

Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the south and on the sea coast, to the land of the Canaanites, and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. See, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and their descendants after them.

And I spoke to you at that time saying, I alone am not able to bear you. The Lord your God has multiplied you and here you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude. May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are and bless you as he has promised you. How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints?

Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. And you answered me and said, the thing which you have told us to do is good. So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes. Then I commanded your judges at that time saying, hear the cases between your brethren and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment. You shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid in any man's presence for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me and I will hear it. And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.

So we departed from Horeb and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea. And I said to you, you have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up and possess it as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you. Do not fear or be discouraged.

And every one of you came near to me and said, let us send men before us and let them search out the land for us and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up and of the cities into which we shall come. The plan pleased me well. So I took 12 of your men, one man from each tribe, and they departed and went up into the mountains and came to the Valley of Eshkol and spied it out.

They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it and brought it down to us. And they brought back word to us saying, it is a good land, which the Lord our God is giving us. Nevertheless, you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord, your God. And you complained 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 destroy us.

Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our heart saying the people are greater "'and taller than we. "'The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. "'Moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there. "'Then I said to you, "'Do not be terrified or afraid of them.

"'The Lord your God who goes before you, "'he will fight for you according to all he did for you "'in Egypt before your eyes. "'And in the wilderness where you saw "'how the Lord your God carried you "'as a man carries his son, "'and all the way that you went "'until you came to this place. Yet for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

And the Lord heard the sound of your words and was angry and took an oath saying, Surely not one of these men of this evil generations shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it. And to him and his children, I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord. The Lord was also angry with me for your sake, saying, even you shall not go in there. Joshua, the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover, your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there. To them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.' Then you answered and said to me, "'We have sinned against the Lord. "'We will go up and fight, "'just as the Lord our God commanded us. "'And when every one of you had girded on his weapons of war, "'you were ready to go up into the mountain. "'And the Lord said to me, "'Tell them, do not go up nor fight, "'for I am not among you, "'lest you be defeated before your enemies.

"'So I spoke to you, yet you would not listen, "'but rebelled against the command of the Lord, "'and presumptuously went up into the mountain. And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah. Then you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. So you remained in Kadesh many days according to the days that you spent there.

Amen. Well, just by way of reminder from last week, last week we introduced the book, terms of the historical introduction specifically with reference to verses one to four, note that it's the words of Moses as the mediator of the living God. So verse one says, these are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness. So they're on the eastern side of the River Jordan, they're going to ultimately cross under General Joshua and sack, first of all, Jericho. But notice in verse 3, now it came to pass in the 40th year, in the 11th month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them. So Moses is a mediator.

He is not originating this word. He is not developing these things. It is not his law code. It is not his exhortation to covenant loyalty on the part of Israel to Moses, but with reference to God. So he functions here as the mediator in the old covenant to call attention to the law that God had revealed.

In terms of the particular situation, the audience is the second generation, which is made clear in chapter 5, verses 2 and 3. It's made clear in the book of Numbers as we see the first generation die off as a result of their grumbling and their complaining and their whining. As well, it's written for subsequent generations, so it's not just that particular group of people on the plains of Moab, but it would be inscripturated by Moses through the power of the Holy Spirit, and it would be that for which God would encourage, strengthen, and hold his people to account going forward. And of course the connection to the book of Numbers is very obvious, we'll see much of Numbers here in Deuteronomy chapter 1. As mentioned last week, the emphasis in the book, the book is a reminder. This is a historical review, this whole first exhortation functions as a historical review, so the book is a reminder as to where they had been and where they have now come to be. Secondly, the book is a transition from the other books in the Pentateuch to the actual book of Joshua, which initiates the conquest and Israel's tenor in the land. And one man by the name of Red, that's his last name, I don't know what his first name is, says there are several questions assumed by the book that Moses is addressing.

First, will the Lord go with them in the conquest?

Can they rely on him to deliver the land to them? How should they treat nations in the land? What about nations outside of the land? How might they live productive lives in the land, avoiding the discipline their parents experienced in the wilderness? What can they expect from the covenant with the Lord in the future?

I think those are all good assumptions in terms of questions that are being addressed and answered in this particular book. The emphasis does not lay with them and their righteousness or their power or their sovereignty. The victory in terms of the conquest of the promised land isn't going to come as a result of their military ability or savvy. They've picked up some lessons along the way, but it's ultimately going to depend upon the power of God, and then it's going to call into question their loyalty and faithfulness to that God. As well, the book contains several exhortations, as already mentioned.

Law, covenant, blessings and cursings, and then Deuteronomy chapter 30 gives us a promise concerning the new covenant. The language new covenant isn't applied there, but when you compare Deuteronomy 30, 1 to 10, with Jeremiah 31, 31 to 34, you'll realize that Jeremiah wasn't doing new things, prophesying a new covenant. And then the book as instruction. We learn a lot more about God In the book of Deuteronomy, we learn a lot of his promise.

The land specifically is central and a focus here in Deuteronomy and on through Joshua and Judges. And then as well, the worship of God, the sanctuary, central sanctuary of Deuteronomy chapter 12, and several emphases along the way on the worship of God.

It must be pure. It must be according to the law that he had revealed. through the authorized priesthood, through the authorized sacrificial system. The children of God are supposed to worship Him in a manner that is consistent with His revealed will.

So then that brings us to this first exhortation, just part one. So chapter one will be part one, chapter two will be part two. Chapter 3 will probably be part 3. So we're going to kind of go that way with this first speech or address or exhortation. And basically, there's four sections here.

First, you've got the journey, verses 5 to 8. Secondly, the leadership in verses 9 to 18.

Third, the rebellion in verses 19 to 33. And then finally, the punishment in verses 34 to 46.

So a rehearsal of their history, how they got to where they're at, and what it is they had learned or should have learned along the way. Now note the purpose of Moses is specified in verse 5. On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law saying. So it is an explanation of God's law. Now he had already given it in Genesis to Numbers. There is some amplification, there is some expansion, there's some further details and applications that we find in the book of Deuteronomy. But if you look back from Deuteronomy to other books in the Pentateuch, you will find, at least in seed form, the various things that we'll see covered in Deuteronomy. Peter Craigie says, this law which Moses was to expound is probably to be understood as all that the Lord had commanded. It was this that formed the basis of the covenant relationship between the Lord and His people.

And then he goes on to say, success in possessing the promised land lay not in military prowess and strength, but in an unbroken covenant relationship with the Lord, who alone could bring further victories like those over Sihon and Og. So when God bests Sihon and Og, it is to show the children of Israel His faithfulness and His power and His ability. They learn some skills along the way, skills that they're going to need when they enter into the Promised Land, because when they were in bondage, they didn't learn military savvy. They didn't learn how to use weaponry. They did that on the way, but ultimately the power is of God, and that was the lesson they were supposed to retain.

As well, with reference to the journey section in verses 5 to 8, we've got the reminder of God's revelation in verse 6. The Lord, our God, spoke to us in Horeb. Horeb is another name for Sinai. When you see Horeb in the Old Testament, it is interchangeable with Sinai. So he is referring to that Sinai revelation that begins at Exodus chapter 19, after deliverance out of bondage in Egypt, they gather together at the base of Sinai, and from there God commands them. That's where they are present throughout the book of Leviticus, into the book of Numbers, in Numbers chapter 10, they depart from Sinai to then move on through the wilderness to the promised land. So the Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, you have dwelt long enough at this mountain. So that's the revelation of God at Sinai.

And then there's this reminder concerning God in verses 7 and 8. Turn and take your journey and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the south and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. and a reminder concerning His promise.

They're not doing this, again, because they had a wise plan that they're going to go ahead and march over to this land called Canaan and dispossess the land of the Canaanites and take over all their stuff. No, this was because God was faithful in terms of His promise that He gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So that's rehearsed in verse 8. See, I have set the land before you, go in and possess the land to which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and their descendants after them."

So this whole venture, this whole endeavor, this whole project is grounded upon not their whims, not their desires, not their yearnings, not their hopes, but rather it is grounded in the sure word of the living God. His promise is faithful and that's a recurring emphasis here in Deuteronomy chapter 1 as it picks up what we see all throughout Genesis to Numbers. God is faithful to the promise that he makes to the patriarchs, and he is bringing it to fruition in this particular section.

So then notice, secondly, in terms of leadership, in verses 9 to 18, the people of Israel are going to need human leaders. God is sovereign. It's a theocracy. God rules directly through the mediation of Moses, but Moses is going to die, and so Moses' successor has already been named, Joshua, But Joshua is not going to be able to bear the burden on his own alone. And so that's the gist of this particular section in verses 9 to 18. Note his challenge in verses 9 to 12.

It's basically the promise of God. It's the blessing of God. The promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob included two things, actually three things. It included land, it included seed, and it included blessing. And so Moses rehearses God's promise, or God's faithfulness to that promise, in that the seed promise has come to fruition.

There's a lot of people. In fact, he goes on, I hope that God multiplies us. Much to the chagrin of the globalists who want to reduce the number of people, Moses is actually praying that God multiplies and blesses them a thousand times more numerous than you are. God's word is be fruitful and multiply, not stagnate, not destroy the human race. Rather, it is to fill the land in which God is giving you.

So in verse 9, I spoke to you at that time saying, I alone am not able to bear you. This isn't the first time we meet with this in the Pentateuch. In Exodus chapter 18, you remember Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, said, if you keep doing what you're doing, You're going to die. You cannot orchestrate and legislate and look after all the particular situations going on amongst the people. You need to appoint men. You need to appoint 70 to assist you and help you.

In Numbers chapter 11, we see Moses cry out to God in a very vivid prayer. In fact, you can turn there to Numbers chapter 11 after the children of Israel start complaining because they want food. They don't want the food that God's given them, they want the food they had in Egypt. It wasn't an issue, food versus no food. It was, we don't like the food that God is giving us.

So as a result of this, the people were weeping throughout their families, according to 1110. Everyone at the door of his tent, and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused. Moses also was displeased. So Moses said to the Lord, Why have you afflicted your servant?

And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that you should say to me, Carry them in your bosom as a guardian carries a nursing child to the land which you swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? for they weep all over me, saying, Give us meat that we may eat. I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.

If you treat me like this, please kill me here and now, if I have found favor in your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness." A type of prayer that I mentioned before, we don't typically pray. And we might even think that Moses is being a little bit uppity in that particular prayer, but God answers the prayer. God ordains or brings to him 70 men to assist him in leadership. So he says specifically in verse 14, I'm not able to bear all these people alone because the burden is too heavy for me. And then in verses 16 and following, we find God bring men to Moses to help him and assist him in leading the people.

So it's a similar issue in this particular instance, as they are poised to go into the promised land. Moses knows that Joshua is his successor, but Moses knows that Joshua cannot do it alone. In other words, Joshua is going to need the higher courts, the lower courts, and all the things that are set up in the theocracy of Old Covenant Israel.

In terms of the emphasis on Joshua, notice in Deuteronomy 1.38, Deuteronomy 1.38, Joshua the son of Nun who stands before you, he shall go in there, encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Chapter 3 in the book of Deuteronomy, an emphasis on Joshua once again. 321, and I commanded Joshua at that time saying, your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kingdoms, so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. And then again in verse 28, but command Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him for he shall go over before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see. So back to our section in chapter 1 verses 9 to 18, Moses has a challenge. Moses cannot do it on his own. Moses understands that Joshua is going to succeed him, but Joshua cannot do it on his own. And so the people, as a body politic, need the sorts of leadership that is presented here.

There's going to be issues, there's going to be sins, there's going to be crimes, there's going to be all these things that are going to happen when the children of Israel are gathered together in the promised land. As they've wandered through the wilderness, they've needed that. When Moses goes up to the mountain in Exodus chapter 24, the gist of the passage is that there are still going to be issues that take place down at the base of the mountain with the children of Israel. We'd like to think that all the children of Israel just sat hopefully and waitingly and patiently while Moses was away from them, but they probably stole from each other, they committed adultery, they did the sorts of things that sinners do.

And so in order for this body politic to function under the direct power and authority of God, this was mediated through the leadership of Moses, then Joshua, and then to these other men that are appointed by the people. So note then the request by Moses to the people in verses 13 and 14.

Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. That harkens back to Jethro's advice in chapter 18 of Exodus in verse 21. You don't just pick any old kind of guy. You pick the kinds of guys that are faithful. You're picking the kinds of guys that can handle this. They've got the proper instincts. They know how to deal. They know how to lead. They know how to manage. They know how to engage in politics in a way that is to the glory of God and in a way that is good for the people.

So choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. And when we think in New Testament terms, we can see why, with reference to elders and deacons, the process is similar to what we find here. It's similar because it's an efficient method. It's similar because it's divine in origin. The people of God look out amongst them.

They find qualified men. They submit those men to the existing leadership. And then those men get appointed to serve in their particular capacity. So here in the Old Covenant, we see that sort of a process. In the New Covenant, we see that with reference to church leadership. So there are particular qualifications imposed upon the men that they must bear in order for them to lead.

I think it would be unconscionable to think that an ignorant man, a non-knowledgeable man, a foolish man, a man of excess, a man of rashness, a man of harshness, would have ever made it in terms of leadership in Moses' economy here. It's simply untenable. I'm sure a few crept in. I'm sure that a few haphazardly found their way in.

If the modern scene is any indicator, people tend to gravitate toward picking the worst among us instead of the best among us. But nevertheless, the reality is that there's qualifications, therefore a reason. And both the Old Covenant polity of the Commonwealth of Israel and the New Covenant Church must take those qualifications seriously. And we must make sure that men must be those things that Paul specifies in 1 Timothy 3, 1 to 7 for elders, 1 Timothy 3, verses 8 to 13 for deacons. Titus 1, verses 5 to 9, 1 Peter 5, several passages in the Book of Acts. all indicate that you don't just pick a guy who can breathe and say Jesus to function as a leader in the church of the Lord Jesus. He must be qualified for that particular task, just like these men were to be qualified for their particular tasks.

Notice the response of the people. It was pleasing to them. You answered me and said, verse 14, the thing which you have told us to do is good. It makes sense. Moses can't do it all. We can't expect Moses to do it all and we certainly can't whine that Moses can't do it all. If this is the plan, then this is the plan.

We'll seek these men out, we'll find these men, and we'll appoint them to function in this particular capacity. Now notice that brings within the leadership a division of labor in verses 15 to 18. So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.

So within that distribution, you see that not one man has power over the entirety of the body politic, but it's divvied up. The division of labor is crucial. Not every man can do everything. In fact, no man can do everything, and most men can't do a lot of things. So we need to make sure that we put men in a particular place, such that they can function according to their capacity in a responsible and reasonable way for the governing of that body politic. So it's a division of labor.

And then in terms of the instruction of these men, note their specific role according to verse 16. Then I commanded your judges at that time saying, here are the cases. Here are the cases. These men functioned in a judicial capacity. These weren't men designed to go cook your food. These weren't men that were designed to make sure you knew how to walk and chew gum.

There's a very specific function here. The Bible, in terms of its overarching approach to government, if I can use that overarching phrase, is simple. Self-government is the most crucial. You need to know how to walk and chew gum on your own. You need to know how to tie your shoe. You need to know how to cook an egg. You need to know how to work. You need to know how to function in your home.

That is not the function of these men. They function in a judicial capacity for when something goes awry in the body politic and then they come and speak to that. We have quite the opposite today. We have an overarching government that wants to try to tell you exactly what you're supposed to do in your home, in your workplace, in your church. Wherever you find yourself, you've got Big Brother there trying to command and take care of every jot and tittle of your life.

True men, understanding self-government first and foremost, ought to not want that sort of an approach. In other words, it ought to be hands off, leave me alone. If I don't break the law or commit a crime, then you shouldn't have any dealings with me.

So I commanded your judges at that time saying, here are the cases. That's the emphasis. It's not every jot and tittle, micromanaging every particular detail in your life. The judge's function was not to do that. Conversely, the people's function was not to cry out to the judges to do that.

You gotta learn. You gotta live. You gotta make it. You gotta get out of bed on time. You gotta make it to work. You gotta comb your hair. You can't smell. You can't repel people. You have to actually produce. And if you don't, that's your problem. That's your issue.

We need a good dose of that once again in our body politic. And then notice, in terms of the specifics, in terms of the specifics, they were to carry out equal protection under the law, both citizen and stranger. Verse 16 again, here are the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, or the stranger who is with him. Strangers could come in to the body politic. But guess what?

They had to comply with the laws in that body politic. They didn't get to bring the laws of the Philistines. They didn't get to bring the laws of the Amorites. They didn't get to bring the laws of all the other Hittites or all the other Hittites into that body politic and corrupt it from within. No, they were subject, but by virtue of their subjection to it, they were protected under it such that if a crime was committed against them, even though they were a stranger in the land, they had redress to those judges to get adjudication for their particular issues. There was to be no partiality. There was to be no discrimination in terms of the cases. If it's a small case, they'll hear it. If it's a big case, they'll hear it.

As well, they needed courage. They needed courage. Why? Because telling people stuff they don't want to hear takes courage on the part of the one telling them that. You can't tell everybody everything they always want to hear. You can't do government that way. You've got to say the hard things from time to time. You have to actually admit, yep, we're broke. Yep, we're way in debt. Yep, we've messed up. Again, that's not something we're used to because we've probably never ever seen it in our own lifetimes, but these men were supposed to be responsible in that way.

They needed courage, they needed to depend on God, and there was a lower court, supreme court, sort of a structure in place. Notice what Moses says in verse 17, the case that is too hard for you, bring to me and I will hear it. If the lower courts can't give a verdict, if they can't settle the issue, then it goes up the chain, right to Moses, and as the Supreme Court, Moses will render the verdict. And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do. So this is not suggestion, this is not perhaps if you'd like to, but this is the command of God for the structure of the body politic.

That brings us then to a rehearsal of their rebellion in verses 19 to 33. Again, we've seen this in numbers very recently. So they depart from Horeb in obedience to God, according to verse 19. They're doing so in accordance with the promise of God, according to verse 20. And they are obeying the command of God in verse 21.

And then that brings us to that incident that is recorded in Numbers 13 and 14. In fact, you can turn there, for those perhaps who were not here, or those perhaps who have forgotten that study, Numbers 13 and 14. So Moses is rehearsing that specifically in verses 22 to 25. So in 22 to 25, he says, you came to me, you asked for spies to be sent into the land, to recon the land, and I thought that was a good plan, so we sent out the spies. So Moses takes one man per tribe and sends them out on a reconnaissance mission.

And these are not, you know, the lowest levels in society. These are chief men. These are high-ranking men. Joshua and Caleb were amongst their numbers. So basically, they're briefed, they're told what they're supposed to do, and then they give a report. So notice, specifically in Numbers 13, in verses 26 to 29. Essentially, all of the spies say, it's a good land, but there's big people in the land that may present a problem. It's a good land, but there are some big people.

The Anakim are there, and they might present a problem. So after that, in verses 26 to 29, notice what Caleb says. Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it. Caleb says, I don't care that there's big people. I don't care that there's Anakim. I don't care that there's giants. I don't care what kind of weaponry they have. Let us go up at once. In fact, in the book of Joshua, when the land is being divided, Caleb takes a portion that is inhabited by the Anakim. He's not afraid of Anakim. He's got God on his side.

Remember, chapter 13, verse 2, reminds the reader and reminds the children of Israel about the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Send men to spy out the land of Cain, in which I am giving to the children of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them. This wasn't up for grabs, this was the promise and purpose of God.

So Caleb quiets the people and says, let us go up at once and take possession, verse 30 again, for we are well able to overcome it. Now note the revision of the report in the hands of the 10 men. So there's two faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb, and then 10 unfaithful spies, the rest of them. So verse 31, they revised their report. What Caleb essentially says is, good land, big people, but bigger God. Verse 31, but the men who had gone up with him said, we are not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we.

And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants, the descendants of Anak, came from the giants, and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." So you see that revision? Bad land, bad people, no chance. Bad land, bad people, no chance. That's a big revision from good land, big people, to we're not sure. And then Caleb says, let's go at once. So they revise the plan.

Now, as we saw back in Numbers chapter 14 in our study there, it wouldn't take much to try and convince you that it wasn't the two faithful spies that the congregation listens to. It's the 10 whining, complaining, revised report spies that the congregation listens to.

And that is indicative of our hearts, brethren. Oftentimes, we are prone to wander, prone to leave the God that we love. We have sure promise. We've got a faithful prophet and a man like Caleb. And we listen to the false prophets who say, there's no way. I mean, look at their language.

The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants? Really? What's it, quicksand everywhere? Swampy pits everywhere? Fire comes out of the sky? They're probably referring to the giants in the land, but the language makes it sound as if the land itself is dangerous to even step on.

We go there, we're going to die. So as I said, the congregation, verse 14-1, or if only we had died in this wilderness? Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, let us select a leader and return to Egypt. Wow, that's a bad response to a gracious God and a very good promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob being brought to fruition rather through their wilderness wandering.

So at the end, notice in verse 10, all the congregation said to stone them with stones. I take this as Moses, Aaron, and Joshua, and Galileo. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel. So this is what Moses is rehearsing here on the plains of Moab in the book of Deuteronomy in terms of their historical review.

Where did we come from? How did we get here? Well, this is why. Because you lacked belief. Verse 32 in Deuteronomy 1 puts the onus on that. It's because you did not believe. It was unbelief that provoked all of these responses in terms of whining and grumbling and complaining.

So Moses rehearses this to them. So the request and response and the mission and its fruit. And then the rebellion of Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 1, verses 26 to 33. They refused and they complained, according to verses 26 to 28. He says essentially what we have in Numbers 13 and 14. Not only do they refuse, well, there's a quote I want to read from John Gilf. You look at verse 27 in Deuteronomy chapter 1. And you complained 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 destroy us.

Now, that's outlandish. It genuinely and really is. In fact, listen to John Gill here. He says, a strange expression indeed, when it was such a plain, amazing instance of his love to them, as could not but be seen by them, being done in such a remarkable and extraordinary manner, by inflicting judgments on their enemies in a miraculous way, giving them favor in their eyes, to lend them their clothes and jewels, and bringing them out with such an high hand openly and publicly in the sight of them where they had been in the most wretched slavery for many years. Yet this is interpreted and hatred of them and as done with an ill design upon them. So notice how they've interpreted these things.

Verse 26, nevertheless, you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you complained 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 destroy us. They were afraid of liberty. They were afraid of freedom. They would rather be slaves in Egypt and have the meals that were provided to them than to be free men under God going to the promised land that he had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And before we get all judgmental, and, oh, these horrible Israelites, they can't believe these wretched Jews.

Don't we kind of do that sometimes? You complained in your tents and said, because the Lord hates us. We may not go that far. We may not be that honest or that candid, but don't we get suspicious of God when things don't always go our way? Don't we get a little questioning about God's good motives toward us when things don't go exactly the way that we think they ought to go?

So while this is brazen and arrogant and full of chutzpah and using the most drastic language in the most drastic way, there's a subtlety that creeps into our hearts that if there's any wrench thrown into our machine, we start to get suspicious about God's rule over us. Doesn't He know it's me? Doesn't He know this is displeasing to me? Doesn't He know that this is disfavorable to me? Well, yeah, He knows that, but He's conforming you to the image of His beloved Son.

And if the Son learned obedience through suffering, then most likely at some point, snowflakes that we are, we're gonna have to engage in a little bit of suffering, a little bit of difficulty. So before we scoff at the Israelites in verse 27, I mean, it is terrible. And the language that they use, because the Lord hates us, he brought us out of the land of Egypt, terrible. But we do have that in us to complain when things don't go the way that we think. So then notice in verses 29 to 31, Moses gives command and encouragement. He prohibits them from fearing. Verse 29 is glorious. Then I said to you, do not be terrified or afraid of them.

What are Anakim in the presence of the Most High? What is a land full of bad guys in the presence of the Most High? Paul picks up this theme in Romans 8. If God is for us, what can man do? Brethren, the church today needs a great big dose of Deuteronomy 129. Do not be terrified or afraid of them. We need to go out in faith and serve our God in the manner in which He commands us. Notice, He then encourages them concerning God in verse 30.

The Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes. In other words, if he faithfully delivered you from bondage in Egypt through violent means, I mean, the 10 plagues, the 10th plague culminates the wrath and fury and judgment of God in the death of the Egyptian firstborn. If God is going to do that in Egypt to get you out of bondage, and he's going to do it to Sihon and Og on the way to the promised land, when you get to the promised land, do you think he's going to abandon you?

That's Paul's point in Romans 8, 32. God, who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? In other words, if he's done the greater, the death of his son, he's going to do the lesser, the grace you need on Thursday. That's always God's way, and that's why Moses is rehearsing this. The Lord your God who goes before you, he will fight for you according to all he did for you in Egypt before your eyes.

Turn to Joshua chapter 10. Joshua chapter 10, where you see some evidence of this fleshed out. I think it's Joshua, yeah, Joshua chapter 10. Joshua 10, beginning in verse 7. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal. He and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not a man of them shall stand before you.

We just jumped into a place, right? We just jumped into another place. I mean, it was in my mind, wasn't in the notes, just thought of it, thought this would be a good display of God's fighting for his people. We just jumped into a place, and what do we get?

Don't fear. Don't fear, for I have delivered them into your hand. How many times in the scriptures are we told, don't fear? We looked at that before we started the book of Deuteronomy in Matthew chapter 6. Do not worry. Do not worry. Do not worry. Do not worry.

Over and over and over and over again in the scriptures we're called upon to trust God, to believe in God, to realize that God's got us. He's going to care for us. He's going to take care of us. He's going to make sure that no harm comes our way unless it is unto His glory and our ultimate departure from this world, which bring it on by the grace of God. So notice what he says. So the Lord, notice, He's the subject of all the verbs in verse 10. God is the subject of all the verbs in verse 10.

It's literally, Yahweh threw them into a panic, verse 10. So the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

That's the God that Moses is reminding the people they serve. And then back to Deuteronomy chapter 1, it's not only this prohibition against fear, this encouragement concerning God, but the reminder concerning God in terms of his paternal care for them. Notice in verse 31, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son in all the way you went until you came to this place. It truly is a glorious description of the wilderness wanderings.

As I've said before, they didn't interpret it that way. They whined, they grumbled, they complained. They're being carried in the arms of their father and all the while whining, grumbling, and complaining. I mean, most of us had to carry our kids at some point in their life. Well, I think we probably carried them more than at some point in their life. It's been a while. We're watching two of the grandkids this week. It's a great reminder of when our kids were little, both of them look exactly like my daughter. But you carry your kids a lot, right? You carry your kids. I don't ever remember carrying them. Maybe there were some times when there were some rebel tendencies in their heart.

They didn't whine, complain, and grumble because I was carrying them from point A to point B. Children of Israel whined and complained and grumbled when God was carrying them from point A to point B. That language of verse 31 is truly glorious. And in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son and all the way that you went until you came to this place.

And then note the problem is identified in verse 32, yet for all that you did not believe the Lord your God. Don't miss that. That's kind of the point. Yet for all that you did not believe the Lord your God. All the whining, all the grumbling, all the complaining, all the rebellion has as its taproot unbelief, a failure to take God at his word and live in light of that reality. And that God who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go in the fire by night and in the cloud by day. Now I would suggest that this exacerbates, or this rather demonstrates and amplifies the goodness of God.

That we're even here, continuing on, after this shows the goodness and glory and grace of God. He could have just said, forget it. You're done. He does with the first generation, and that's what the next section deals with, but he could have equally just exterminated the whole lot of them for this rebellion and sin. So their sin amplifies God's graciousness and goodness in that we're on the plains of Moab, getting ready to go into the promised land, even though day in and day out they've only expressed unbelief and shown it through their whining, grumbling, complaining, and rebellion against His law. So the last section deals with punishment.

Notice in verses 34 to 46, with reference to these things, you've got the response of the Lord in verses 34 to 40, and then the response of Israel in verses 41 to 46. God's angry. The anger of the Lord, verse 34, reflection of His justice, revelation of His justice and of His righteousness. The oath of the Lord, and this is in Numbers 14, 26 to 38.

So after that, Reconnaissance mission, after the reception on the part of the congregation to the 10 false prophets, the 10 bad spies that gave the revised report, there was judgment. God threatened judgment. He said there's going to be punishment. This oath he made that the first generation would not enter into the promised land.

Then the anger of the Lord specifically toward Moses, verses 37 to 38. Moses records this a lot in the scriptures, and he doesn't do it like, oh poor woe is me. It's a matter of fact, it is what it is. I sinned against God, I rebelled, I did wrong, and I'm not going to enter into the promised land either. I'm part of that first generation, just like Aaron and just like Miriam. And then the mercy of God toward the second generation is expressed in verses 39 and 40. And then the response of Israel, remorse and presumption. And this picks up at the end of Numbers 14. Remember, after the scene, after the situation, they say, well, let's go ahead and go conquer the land.

And Moses says, don't do that. You're not authorized. God's not with you on this. No, no, we can do it. We want to make up for all the problems that we've caused. No, that's not what happened. They go in, they get bested, and they get chased out by Amorites.

And that's how this section of this historical review ends. And I would suggest in terms of a couple of lessons, I think the purpose of history I think Dale Ralph Davis in his commentary on 1 Samuel makes this comment, and I think it's gold. He says, we stand in the present, but we dwell on the past in order that we may be steadfast for the future. That's why the historical review here. We stand in the present. We dwell on the past in order that we may be steadfast for the future.

We're supposed to learn from history. We're supposed to review it and say, you know what? They did this, and it didn't go right. They didn't believe, and it went bad here. So in this new covenant era, we've got all this history. We've got all these reports. We've got all this data. We've got all this testimony. And yet, lo and behold, more often than not, we continue to duplicate the very things that we see in the history. We're not supposed to do that. We're supposed to take that history, we're to dwell on it, and so that we may be steadfast in the future. And from a chapter like this, we can take the fact that God's promises are yea and amen.

In terms of the unbelief of Israel, verse 32 is the underlying problem of their rebellion complaints and refusal to follow the Lord. One commentator, Christopher Wright, says, You were unwilling. You rebelled. You grumbled. You were afraid. You saw, but you did not trust. You thought it easy. You would not listen. You rebelled. You came back. You wept. You stayed.

That's what we're supposed to see here. Don't be like Old Covenant Israel. We're supposed to get that from this historical review. And then in terms of God's goodness, the repeated emphasis on the promise of God. I've got it at verse 8, verses 20 and 21, verse 25, verses 30 and 31, and verse 33. Why do you think Moses rehearses the faithful promises of God? so that the people understand that he's trustworthy and they don't have to operate from that place of unbelief vis-a-vis verse 32. As well, you've got the glorious declaration of the warfare waged by God in verses 29 and 30.

Do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes. Brethren, I gotta say, if I'm standing on the plains of Moab, and I've got a spear in my hand or a sword on my thigh, and I'm getting ready to follow Joshua into battle on the other side of the river Jordan, this is exactly what I wanna hear. This is exactly what I want to hear. Moses, under God, is giving them the speeches that are calculated to promote in them confidence in God. The Lord, your God, who goes before you, he will fight for you according to all he did for you in Egypt before your eyes. He's tried and proven and faithful on the field of battle. Just look back at Egypt. Look back at what you've come from. So don't be afraid to follow Joshua under God into the land of promise and to start dispossessing that land of the Canaanites.

I would suggest the goodness of God is gloriously displayed in that paternal description in verse 31. He carried you like a man carries his son in all the way that you went until you came to this place. and then ultimately it is a magnificent display of the grace of God. Klein says, That's just obvious. That we're here and that we're going forward is proof of the grace of God here in Deuteronomy 1.

Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this historical review and for what you've done in terms of the people of God throughout the ages. And certainly from our New Covenant vantage point, we not only have the finished records of the apostles of our Lord and what Christ has accomplished, but we have all of the Old Testament data and all of your faithfulness portrayed page after page on how you were there for your people, you fought for your people, you've kept your people, and in this we greatly rejoice and pray that you would help us to not be fearful, help us to have that bold confidence in our God that you are able to do what you have promised, and to always live in light of that blessed reality that Christ is with his church even to the end of the age. We ask that you would go with us. Please watch over all the brothers and sisters in our church and all of the association churches. We pray that you would be glorified in the preaching of the word and the conduct of the saints and the salvation of sinners. And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Well, any questions or comments? Yes, sir. And that just brings up the question of when we look at God, is God a rat? There are some people who see that as a really orthodox thing, is God a rat? Because they think he is that. Yeah, that's a good point. That's right. I would suggest we read all the Bible and we realize that God is his attributes. He is love. He is righteous. He is just. He is angry with the wicked every day, Psalm 711.

But when we speak of God, what I think is a tendency, there are those who only capitalize on God's wrath and anger and fury. I think the last generation or two, the church maybe has defaulted to God is only love. I think whenever we focus solely on one attribute or perfection to the neglect of others, then we've got problems. But I do think that's a good comparison. The man with the one talent, I need to be a hard man. I judged you to be something that I thought you were, and you're right.

There they're saying God hated us. It wasn't hatred that brought them out of the land of Egypt. It was love and kindness and goodness. As a result, I think the ultimate expression of that wrath or anger based on the context is their lack of faith and their episode there in the reconnaissance mission and their rejection of God's promise.

I mean, that's a reality as you move through, especially the Pentateuch, as you move through the Old Testament, as you move into the New Testament, you know, the reality is that... and I don't think... I don't want to get too far afield or too confusing here. When the Bible says that God has wrath, wrath suggests a change in God, some movement from one state to another.

I think it's what's called an improper predication. It's spoken in the manner of men. It's accommodated language to us. It shows us the response of a holy and a righteous God. to a human disaster, and that response, as we understand it, is a wrathful outburst of judgment.

But that's not—God doesn't move from one state to another. He doesn't wake up on Tuesday and say, I can't believe Israel's conducting itself that way. I'm going to let them have it. Now, this is all according to God's decree, His purpose, His plan.

Scripture is written in the manner of man. It's written for us as men to understand truth about God. And from the wrath of God, we need to get that He is righteous and that He is just and He is holy. And He has called these people to live and function in a covenant with Him. And when they're unfaithful in that covenant with Him, the response by him is one of righteousness, it's one of justice, it's one of chastisement or even punishment or penalty as a result of what they've done. Yes sir. when Abraham split the body parts of the animals. Yes. And that he walked through there and that it would appear that a deep darkness came over Abraham and he was absolutely terrified. Yeah.

And my understanding is that when Because, you know, when we talk about God, He is immutable, He's unchangeable, He's not like us. And that sometimes when I'll talk to people is that Scripture gives us the example of the wrath of God. When an unrighteous creature experienced perfection of a thrice holy God, it comes across as an absolutely terrifying thing. Even though God is not necessarily emotional like this, expressing It's like when God says to Job, where were you when I laid the foundations of the world?

Or the prophet in the presence of the Holy God in Isaiah 6, woe is me for I am undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. Remember hearing Sproul on that. The prophet's lips were his bread and butter. And that's what he bemoans in terms of his own sinfulness in the presence of God.

Or the men at Beth Shemesh that opened the Ark of the Covenant. and God killed them. So I think we shouldn't be imbalanced. Well, I'm only going to think about love, or I'm only going to think about wrath. All of God is presented to us in the Bible, and those responses of God are appropriate in the particular context. The fact that they rebelled and rejected and had sworn fidelity to him invokes his response in righteousness and justice. But all that still as backdrop to grace.

He could have obliterated the entire thing at that point. He could have just finished it all. Said, you know what? You guys aren't going to make it. But he continues to carry that. Oh yeah, oh yeah, you don't love me. The little one the other day says to Rebecca, you're being rude. And all she was, Rebecca was just correcting her, you're being rude. Yeah, yeah, there's the interpretation that we impose upon the master.