Faith (Deuteronomy 2 - 3); Theme of 14 chapters

Dt 2:1-329; Key Verse: Dt 2:7

"The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything."

Theme: Sin brings devastation (chap. 1), but faith expressed by obedience to God (chap. 2-3) brings blessing, success and victory.

The wages of sin. Chapter 1 recounts how sin caused the first generation of the people of God to be set back for 38 years until all of them died in the desert (Dt 2:14-15). Their sin was inexcusable, because they had personally experienced the power of God in delivering from slavery in Egypt (Dt 1:30-31).
The blessing of faith expressed by obedience. But just as sin and disobedience brings devastation, faith expressed by obedience brings blessing. Chapters 2 - 3 continues Moses' account of the faith of the second generation of the people of God that enabled them to begin the conquest of the promised land. Broadly speaking their faith in God was expressed when God said:

1. Pass by [Edom, Moab, Ammon] (Dt 2:1-23).
2. Strike [Sihon, king of Hesbon and Og, king of Bashan] (Dt 2:24-3:11).
3. Allocate [the land] (Dt 3:12-20).
4. No [to Moses] and Yes [to the commissioning of Joshua] (Dt 3:21-29).

With the theme of faith (in God), let us consider how to work out our faith in the following situations:

1. For and Against us: God being with his people (Dt 2:7) and against them (Dt 2:15) at the same time.
2. Promise and Obedience: God promises victory (Dt 2:24, 31; 3:2-3a) and we obey/work hard (Dt 2:33; 3:3b).
3. Gifts and Responsibility: God gives us possessions and we act responsibly (Dt 3:18-20).
4. No and Yes: God says "No" to you, and "Yes" to someone else (Dt 3:21-29).

Before entering the promised land. In Deuteronomy 2-3 Moses deals with a new generation--the children of the faithless exodus generation that died in the desert wilderness (Dt 1:35; 2:14-15). After many days (Dt 1:46), the people turned around (Dt 1:40) and set out toward the desert wilderness (Dt 2:1) and departed from Kadesh Barnea. After 38 years God directed them before they entered the promised land by dealing successively with the Edomites (Dt 2:2-8a), Moabites (Dt 2:8b-15) and the Ammonites (Dt 2:16-24). After 38 years of aimlessly circling the desert, Israel was on the march, passing through the territorial possessions of Edom (descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob), Moab and Ammon (the descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot by his 2 daughters [Gen 19:30-38; Dt 2:9, 19]). They were not to attack them or engage them in battle, but only pass through.

The Theology of Remembrance. This may be a major theme of Deuteronomy: When the people of God remember the grace of God that redeemed them from slavery, they will want to obey him wholeheartedly. Ajith Fernando titles his sermons of Dueteronomy as "Loving Obedience to a Loving God." When we remember how much God loves us in saving us from sin, we want to lovingly (rather than grudgingly) obey him.

Questions:

1. Recall and recap what happened because of the people's sin (Dt 1:34-40; 2:14-15; Num 14:32-35). What is the sober take home lesson (Rom 6:23a; Gal 5:7)?
2. How would you reconcile God being with his people and against them at the same time (Dt 2:7, 15)? What warning does this give to God's people (1 Cor 9:27; 10:6, 11-12)?
3. Why does God's promise of victory require our obedience to his commands (Dt 2:24, 31-34; 3:2-4; Phil 2:12-13; Eph 6:12)? How was it possible to defeat foes far stronger than they?
4. What does God's permission (and enablement) to conquer some people and not others teach us about God (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Jn 3:8)?
5. Although God gives us possessions freely, why do we still need to act responsibly (Dt 3:18-20)?
6. Moses earnestly wanted to enter the promised land but God said "No" (Dt 3:23-26). How might you deal with God saying "No" to your earnest plea? As Moses blessed and encouraged Joshua to succeed him (Dt 3:21-22, 28), can you bless another person to receive what you want (Rom 12:15)?

The theme of each chapter. Though there is much overlap and repetition throughout the book of Deuteronomy, the following may be identified as the single predominant theme of the initial chapters (in brackets):

1. Sin (1)
2. Leadership (1a)
3. Faith (2-3)
4. Obedience (4)
5. Law (5) - Commandments
6. One (6) - Love
7. Testing (chap. 7-8). [War (7). Remembrance (8)]
8. Self-Righteousness (9)
9. Devotion (10) - Circumcision
10. Land (11)
11. Worship (12)
12. Testing (13)
13. Food (14)
14. Charity (15)