Lessons From the Past to Prepare for the Future

Deuteronomy 1 – 4
Here we have the last of the five books of Moses. Deuteronomy reviews the 40-year period of the nation’s walk with God, and previews the new relationship soon to begin in Canaan. Taking the form of series of sermons, the book addresses the new generation emerging from the wilderness march. Moses reminds them of the central importance of obedience and stresses holiness as a way of life. Everything—possession of the land, victory over enemies, prosperity, and enjoyment of life—depends on these valuable lessons.
The book opens with the first of Moses’ three sermons—a review of the nation’s history, with particular emphasis on God’s dealings with his people. Moses recalls Israel’s failure to claim the land because of the people’s unbelief, and the 40 years of judgment that followed. He reviews Israel’s history for the benefit of the new generation, which has already shown some distressing similarities to their parents. Finally, he reminds them of the primary lesson from Israel’s history. Obedience brings blessing. Rebellion brings ruin!
Have you ever read a 500-page novel that should have been a short story, or heard a speaker stretch a 5-minute talk into 45 minutes? If so, then you know how irritating it can be to drag out a task longer than necessary.
God’s plan for Israel’s conquest of Canaan was straightforward, a short march from Kadesh-barnea, a series of faith-inspired battles, and total victory. But Israel took God’s simple plan and through disobedience, turned an 11 day trip into a 40 year tragedy. Someone has well said “the Israelites were slow travelers because they were slow learners. It took them 40 years to learn a lesson they should have mastered in less than two weeks.
“It is no good to know more unless we do more with what we already know.”
Has God been trying to teach you a lesson in recent days that you have been resisting? Or do you have a task you need to do, but you have been putting it off, dragging it out because of a lack of faith or motivation? When God says “March” make short work of it.
Moses expounds on God’s law and prepares the new generation to enter Canaan. He explained to the people what they had to do to conquer the enemy, claim their promised inheritance and live successfully in their new home to the glory of God.
Moses wanted the new generation to succeed where their fathers had failed. A philosopher wrote, “ Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it!” So Moses first review and reminds the new generation who they were and how they got where they were. By knowing the past, the new generation could avoid repeating the sins of their fathers.
Rasp of history is important to every generation because it gives a sense of identity. If you know who you are and where you came from you will have an easier time discovering what you should be doing. Without identity and knowing your roots, we may become like tumbleweeds that are blown here and there and never arrive at our destination.
Many people ignore history or find it boring…thinking the past is unreal and unimportant with no bearing on life today. They are wrong. The mature Christian believer knows that Pierson was right when he said, “History is His story.” The Bible isn’t a boring museum where everything is dead. It is a living drama that teaches us about God and encourages us to obey Him and enjoy His blessings. No book is more contemporary than the Bible … each generation must learn this important lesson.
The nation went from Egypt to Mt. Sinai…there the Lord revealed Himself in power and great glory. He delivered the law to Moses who declared it to the people…they accepted the terms of the covenant. They left Mt. Sinai almost a year. There is where the tabernacle was constructed and the priests and the Levites were set apart to serve the Lord. The purpose of their stay included receiving God’s laws and learning how to worship. The Lord did not give the law to save them from their sins, because Gal 2:16 tells us “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Old Covenant people were saved by faith just as sinners are today. The law reveals the sinfulness of man and the holy character of God. The civil law allowed Israel to have an orderly and just society, and the religious laws enabled them to live as the people of God…also prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah.
As you will recall, the people resented the hardships of the journey…they forgot the distress of their years of slavery in Egypt and even wanted to turn around and go back. They took God’s care for them for granted…the manna supply. Moses got discouraged and cried out to the Lord. The Lord used Jethro – Moses father-in-law to design the plan to give Moses 70 elders to assist him in managing the affairs of the camp. This created a chain of command between Moses and the people so that he didn’t have to decide every minor dispute. He devoted himself to conversing with the Lord and helping to settle the most major problems. V.16-18…great direction for anyone in a place of authority. The emphasis is on character and justice and the realization that God is the judge and the final authority.
Fear and unbelief kept the people from the Promised land. Moses had said “Go up and take possession of it…do not be afraid; do not be discouraged… God’s commandment is always God’s enablement and to win the victory, His people need only trust and obey. BUT they didn’t.
They wanted to send the spy team into Canaan and the Lord allowed them to do so although He had already told them through Moses everything they needed to know about the land. There is a big difference between unbelief and rebellion. God seeks to encourage doubters and help them believe, but all He can do with rebels is bring judgment.
The Israelites tried to undo their sin in their own way … they said we have sinned … but it was a shallow confession that really meant “We are sorry for the consequences of our sin!” Regret rather than genuine repentance.
Their rebellious attitude had provoked Moses into doing what he did and saying what he said that kept him from the Promised Land. He had grieved often because of their complaining and disobedience…he lost temporarily his meekness and lost his temper. I Cor. 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall.”
Chapter 2 through 3:20 is a summary of the record given in Numbers 20 describing the people of Israel defeating nations and kings in their march to the Promised Land. During those years, Israel was out of God’s covenant favor…no record that they observed the Passover or even circumcised their sons…Joshua led them across the Jordan River and he took care of those responsibilities (Josh 5).
Moses was commanded by God not to declare war on the Edomites now take their land…they were Esau’s children. Edomites would not accept their relatives and offer brotherly love…repeated the feud between Jacob and Esau. Family disagreements are probably the most painful and hardest to solve…the Bible records MANY of them. Even in the Christ family, brothers and sisters in the local church don’t always love each other. Family feuds and church disagreements are at least somewhat confined, but when entire nations cultivate and sustain hatred for one another and wage war, many innocent people are hurt.
We might feel like called down fire from heaven on people who reject us, the it is best to follow the example of Moses and take another route!
God would give Israel all the land they needed without their having to go to war. If more individuals, families, and nations were content with the blessings God has given them, there would be less fighting among them.
The Moabites and Ammonites were spared because they were the descendants of Lot. However, the Lord had determined to destroy the Amorites v. 24-25 and v. 31 summarize the pattern Israel would follow in their conquest of the P. L. Go would tell Joshua what to do…he would assure the people of victory…he would go with them…victory was won and the news went before them to strike fear in the hearts of others.
Moses led to victory after victory … the cities they conquered were filled with indescribably wicked people…brutal people who sacrificed their own children to the false gods that they worshiped. Prostitution was a large part of their religion. These victories were preparation for the battles Israel would fight when they arrived in Canaan. The new generation was getting its first real taste of warfare and quickly discovering that Jehovah could be trusted to overcome every enemy.
The 2 ½ tribes that chose to live on the east side of the Jordan were to help win the victory. They were confident the Lord would give victory that He promised because they went KNOWing they could return to their land and families afterward.
Moses described victory as “the Lord giving rest 3:20. The book of Hebrews picks up that phrase and applies it to the spiritual rest we have in Christ because we have trusted His finished work on the cross. Canaan is not a picture of heaven; it is a picture of our spiritual riches in Christ, the inheritance that we have in Him.
Joshua is recognized publicly as the new leader by Moses. And Moses faced his not entering Canaan and that his departure was near.
The church today needs to catch up on the past and be reminded of all that the Lord has done for His people—and all that His people have done and not done in return for His blessing. If a new generation of believers are to march into the future in victory, they need to get back to their roots and learn again the basics of what it means to be the people of God.
The people of Israel were blessed above all nations on earth, for they belonged to the true and living God and were in covenant relationship with Him. They were now preparing to enter the land that God promised them when He called Abraham. Part of their preparation was listening carefully to a farewell speech by Moses, God’s prophet and their leader. After rehearsing the history of the nation, Moses reminded the people of the character of the God of Israel and how they should respond to Him. If we don’t know the character of the God we worship – how can we worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24)
Moses covers important aspects:
God speaks—hear Him 4:1-2
God is holy—fear Him 3-4
God is wise—learn from Him 5-9
God alone is God—worship Him 10-43
God is Lord of all—obey Him