Deuteronomy Intro

The people of Isreal were about to leave the wilderness. They had been in there 40 years. The Lord deemed that they had been there long enough, the time was coming where they were going to inherit the land the Lord had promised them. V8 is an assurance of that land, and promise.

Along the way they were going to appoint leaders.

The people of Israel had grown into a great multitude of people, and Moses said he could no longer bear the weight of leading all the people himself.

So he commands them to choose wise, understanding, and experienced men that Moses will appoint as their heads. He did this is such a way to delegate some of them men over thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens, and officers.

Why would he do it like this? because when power is seperated things are judged more faithfully.

He also commanded judges to hear cases between brothers, and to judge righteously between man and his brother or the alien who is with him. He didn’t want the judges to be partial in judgement. God is not a God of partiality.

He said to them to hear all cases great and small. And to not be afraid because the judgement is God’s. But if a case is to hard for them they were to bring it to Moses who was given the Law directly by God.

Why Did God decide to use seperation in leadership, and seperation in judgement?

How are things to be judged today?

Israel Refused.

Now they were to in fact go into the land the Lord had given them.

He said to them see the land your God has set before you. Go up and take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (21)

I want to pause here for just a moment. Notice what the Lord said to them Go up, take possession, as the Lord the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

The easy, and right thing for Israel to do would be to just do what God has said, but they wanted to send men first, and let them know how the land was, even though the men said it was good what God was giving them they would not go up, and rebelled against God, not only did they rebel, but they murmured against God, saying The Lord Hated them, that the Lord brought them out of EGYPT just to destroy them, they were afraid that the enemy was too big, the cities were to great. Even if that was the case they forgot who their God was. He was the God who brought them out of Egypt, that caused the powerful plagues on them, and who was going to fight for them. Yet they did not have the faith, to believe that God would do it again. When God makes a promise he keeps it?

What can we learn from Israel and thier response?

The Penalty for Israels Rebellion

The Lord was angry that they would not trust him, and follow him in faith, and they paid the price for it, None of the men that evil generation would see the land that was promised to them. Except Caleb, because he believed the Lord.

Also Joshua was able to go into the land, Joshua was the who would succeed Moses.

And the promise that God made to the people of Isreal, was now for their children, the ones who they said God would say they were like prey.

and after the Lord said they things they said wait I will do what you ask, and the Lord said if you go and fight these people you will perish, you will be defeated.

Read43-46 again what happened?

What can we learn from Isreal in chapter 1?