Sunday, April 7 – Numbers 36 and Deuteronomy 1
1. On what occasion and place was the people of Israel when they received this exhortation message from Moses? Deuteronomy 1:2, 3
2. What was one of the phrases that Moses repeated most to the people in his message? Deuteronomy 1:17, 21, 29
3. What do you notice in the behavior of Israel when God tells them “go”, Deuteronomy 1:21, and then when God tells them “do not go”, in Deuteronomy 1:42?
The context of Numbers 36 and Deuteronomy 1 is a message of exhortation and encouragement to the people of Israel when they were very close to crossing the Jordan River and stepping into the promised land. It was the 40th year of their extensive pilgrimage, and the generation that had left Egypt was no longer there. Now Moses speaks to the young descendants of that previous generation and does his best to make them understand their history. If they forgot the history of 40 years ago, everything would repeat itself. This generation, unlike their ancestors, had to be brave and trust in God’s promise that the land would be granted to them.
“Before relinquishing his position as the visible leader of Israel, Moses was directed to rehearse to them the history of their deliverance from Egypt and their journeyings in the wilderness, and also to recapitulate the law spoken from Sinai. When the law was given, but few of the present congregation were old enough to comprehend the awful solemnity of the occasion. As they were soon to pass over Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land, God would present before them the claims of his law and enjoin upon them obedience as the condition of prosperity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 463
God’s message through Moses still resonates fresh for this new generation today, “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.” Deuteronomy 1:30