These Are the Words

Deuteronomy  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  1:49:05
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Deuteronomy from a deeper perspective

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Before we start the study on Deuteronomy, I’d like to begin by making a helicopter approach to the five books of the law from a Hebrew perspective and the meaning of their names:
Genesis - In the Beginning
Exodus - these are the names
Leviticus - the Lord called out ones
Numbers - in the wilderness
Deuteronomy - these are the words he spoke

Introduction

Deuteronomy: these are the words (DEVARIM) Moses spoke in Hebrew
In the Greek - Second Law - It is a summary of the law; a briefing Moses gives to Israel on the Law of God before he dies.
It is written in the third person. For example the introduction starts with: “These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel.”
Someone must have written both the introduction and the end of the book. Some speculate Joshua wrote it.
The most used words in Deuteronomy are:
Covenant = 27x
love = 25x
Remember =14x (9x = don’t forget)
Hear (Shema)= 40x
Covenant:
Deuteronomy 29:14–15 NKJV
“I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, but with him who stands here with us today before the Lord our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today
Love
Deuteronomy 33:3 NKJV
Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.
Remember
Deuteronomy 16:12 NKJV
And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
Hear (Shema)
Deuteronomy 6:4–6 NKJV
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
Words are important
John 1:1 NKJV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Psalm 34:13 NKJV
Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Deuteronomy 1:34–35 NKJV
“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 generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,
Words have power
Words have power - especially the Word of God - Use it to fight temptation - and to deny the flesh and be an overcomer.
Jesus quoted from this book more than any other book
He uses Deuteronomy to fight the temptation of the enemy in
Take for example:
Luke 4:4 NKJV
But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”
This is a quote from:
Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
Let us study the words of Deuteronomy

Bible Study Scripture

Our Bible study is based on Deuteronomy 1:1-3:11

Presentation

Deuteronomy 1:1–3 NKJV
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, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh 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,
Moses spoke the words the Lord had given him
It should have been an 11 day journey, but became a 40 year-one
They stopped at many other places, but only a few places are mentioned in verse 1
The places listed - some believed a major event happened at the these places listed, for example:
Suph
A place near where the law was given (Strong’s 5489)
Paran
Spies are sent - Numbers 12:16
Some other commentaries say these were the place where they were prompt to sin, and to rebel against the Lord.
The names are the REMINDER of what they have gone through, trying to exhort them not to do it again- the same as their forefathers
Break the chain, the generational curses, the strongholds, let’s be holy and refined
Deuteronomy 1:4 NKJV
after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.
These are giants
Man of renown - who caused fear to the 12 spies
But, Moses wishes to remind them of God’s faithfulness in his address
Deuteronomy 1:5–7 NKJV
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 seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.
Moses explains the law, as he expands on what was said
The land mentioned is the promise to Abraham
The Euphrates river is in the North - Israel has never possessed all the land up to this river. The promise is to possess the land from the Euphrates all the way down to the Nile.
Deuteronomy 1:8 NKJV
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.’
Deuteronomy 1:9–12 NKJV
“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?
Moses seems to acknowledge the need for the Lord to help him in carrying Israel
It’s been 40 years since Moses has been leading the Israelites and facing the same issues with the next generation
One thing is being responsible to man- another one is being responsible to God
Let us imagine “problems, burdens and complains” for 40 years - exhausting!
Deuteronomy 1:14–15 NKJV
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.
Characteristics of a leader:
Wise
חָכָם (ḥā·ḵām): adj.; ≡ Str 2450;
a. wise, shrewd, i.e., a capacity for understanding and discernment (Pr 10:8);
b. skilled, i.e., pertaining to the knowledge of a craftsman in some technical work Jeremiah 10:9
חָכָם (ḥā·ḵām): n.masc.; ≡ Str 2450; TWOT 647b—1. LN 32.24–32.41 learned sage, wise man, i.e., a class of persons that interp divinations, prophecies, manic or enthusiastic events, etc. (Isa 44:25); 2. LN 32.24–32.41 wise man, i.e., one who has a fear of the Lord and a capacity for understanding that leads to a blessed, prosperous life Psalm 1:5-30
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
2. Knowledgeable
בִּין bin (106c); a prim. root; to discern:—acted wisely(1), cared(1), clever(1), consider(8)
Thomas, R. L. (1998). New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc.
3. Head
ראֹשׁ rosh (910c); a prim. root; head:—bands(1), beginning(11), beheaded*(1), best(1), best things(1), bodyguard*(1), captains(3), census(7), chief(35), chief men(6)
Thomas, R. L. (1998). New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc.
Deuteronomy 1:16–18 NKJV
“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.
Judges
9149 שָׁפַט (šā·p̄ǎṭ): v.; ≡ Str 8199; TWOT 2443—1. LN 56.20–56.34 (qal) judge, decide, i.e., adjudicate a matter between two parties in a court or a less formal setting, implying both the authority to punish and finality of the decision
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Mosses assigned 70 judges in Numbers 11:16
Judges Characteristics
Judge righteously
Judge without partiality
Hear all arguments - big or small
Attention to detail
Hear for facts
No fear of man
If case too hard, look for help
Deuteronomy 1:19 NKJV
“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.
From where they sent the spies
Deuteronomy 1:20–21 NKJV
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.’
Fear and Discouragement (unbelief) get on the way of possessing what the Lord has given us, and our spiritual growth:
Victory
Blessing
The Word
Freedom
Wisdom
Deuteronomy 1:32 NKJV
Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God,
Continue reading:
Deuteronomy 1:22–24 NKJV
“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 twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out.
They approached him
The plan sounded good to Moses
Moses did not consult with the Lord
The word “spied it out” in verse 24 refers to “slander” as we previously studied
Deuteronomy 1:25–27 NKJV
They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands 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.
“The Lord hates us”
The Lord provided: freedom, defeated the Egyptians, provided manna, protection, water. They still believe the Lord does not care or love them. Reminds me of the servants in the talents parable:
Matthew 25:24 NKJV
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
The judgement of a Fearful heart, and a discouraged sinful person will point their finger back to the one who is showing love, to the one who is helping them because they cannot conceive people are different from what they are, and the way they think.
Deuteronomy 1:28 NKJV
Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, 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.” ’
The words we speak have an impact not only on us, our brother but also with God.
Negative speaking does not edify but gives fear and discouragement
Moses as a leader comes back to encouragement by reminding them who the Lord is:
Deuteronomy 1:29–33 NKJV
“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, in 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.
Like a father carrying a son, the Lord carried them through all the troubles.
The issue is not the Lord - The issue is that they did “not believe
575 אֱמוּנָה (ʾěmû·nā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 530; TWOT 116e—1. LN 31.82–31.101 faithfulness, trustworthiness, steadiness, entrusted, i.e., a state or condition of being dependable to a person or standard (Dt 32:4; 1Sa 26:23; 2Ki 22:7; 1Ch 9:22, 26, 31; 2Ch 19:9; 31:12, 15, 18; 34:12; Ps 33:4; 36:6[EB 5]; 40:11[EB 10]; 88:12[EB 11]; 89:2[EB 1],3[EB 2],6[EB 5],9[EB 8],25[EB 24],34[EB 33],50[EB 49]; 92:3[EB 2]; 98:3; 100:5; 119:75, 86, 90,138; 143:1; Pr 28:20; Isa 11:5; 25:1; 33:6; La 3:23; Hos 2:22[EB 20]; Hab 2:4+); 2. LN 17 steadiness, i.e., pertaining to a state which has no linear or non-linear movement (Ex 17:12+); 3. LN 88.39–88.45 honesty, i.e., a state of being completely truthful (2Ki 12:16[EB 15]; Pr 12:17, 22; Isa 59:4+); 4. LN 21.9–21.13 security, safety, i.e., a state which is free from danger (Ps 37:3+); 5. LN 70 truth, i.e., that which conforms to reality, and the standard it represents (Ps 96:13; 119:30; Jer 5:1, 3; 7:28; 9:2[EB 3]+), see also domain LN 72
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

What builds ʾěmû·nā(h) in us?

Exodus 4:31 NKJV
So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
(A)
When they heard He was watching and cares for our suffering - EMPATHY
He sees our suffering
Exodus 14:31 NKJV
Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.
(B)
They saw His great works - HIS WORK /POWER
When we realize He is God, that He is powerful
He can be trusted - just like a Dad
He uses His power for your good, not to harm you
Exodus 19:9 NKJV
And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.
(C)
His WORD
Like a teacher- teaching you His ways
His Word builds our understanding of who He is- this builds trust
A Hebrew person will say His Torah (teachings) will build our faith
Words really matter. They teach us
Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

In trials and tribulations we must stand in ʾěmû·nā(h)

This is when it is tested
The root of the word emunah is the same as the word Amen
Deuteronomy 1:34–41 NKJV
“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 generation 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 sakes, 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 everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain.
They words continued to be negative
They did not follow Him
Only two wholly followed Him: Caleb and Joshua
They continue to see themselves as victims
The way you see yourself will determine WHICH WORDS YOU USE ABOUT YOURSELF
They sinned and took matters in their own hands
They separated from God
Deuteronomy 1:42–45 NKJV
“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.
If we do not obey His instruction, He is not going to listen to us
Proverbs 28:9 NKJV
One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.
James 5:16 NKJV
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Then they had to go back via a different route- North the dead Sea
Deuteronomy 2:1–11 NKJV
“Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days. “And the Lord spoke to me, saying: ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink. “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” ’ “And when we passed beyond our brethren, the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir, away from the road of the plain, away from Elath and Ezion Geber, we turned and passed by way of the Wilderness of Moab. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’ ” (The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim.
Deuteronomy 3:1 NKJV
“Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
Deuteronomy 3:11 NKJV
“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.
Bed: 13’ length and 6’ wide
Offsprings of Giants
Different terms for giants:
They appear in Genesis 6:4
The great giants
Nephilim (a little shorter) (Anakim derived from them)
Eloah
Emim (verse 10)
CLUE: im
After the flood - these giants came from Ham’s wife
4 sons:
Genesis 10:6 NKJV
The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
Genesis 10:13–14 NKJV
Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim).
All enemies of God

Summary

Words have power
It was so important for God to communicate His word to us through His law that He had to repeat it a number of times
We tend to forget the words that have been spoken to us, but they continue to have power
There is a call in our reading today to be Wise, Knowledgeable and to be the Head
To judge rightously
Unbelief is what gets on the way for us to find trust
To overcome unbelief we must work on our EMUNAH
A paradigm shift needs to happen:
To see God as Empathetic
To see His Power and His works
To heed His Word
Trials and tribulations will make us develop our EMUNAH and change the way we see ourselves
Obedience makes God lend an ear to us
Our enemies are not giants to God
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