THOUGHTS ON DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 1
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of Moses from Genesis.
In this chapter one, Moses reminded the people of Israel of all that God commanded them to observe so that it might be well with them.
According to history, it took them three months to get to Sinai (Horeb) which is still in Egypt. As recorded in Verse 2,”There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Se’-ir unto Kadeshbarnea.” So the journey of the Israelites to where God wanted them to be would have taken them 11days. They spent 11deys from Horeb to Kadeshbarnea. At Kadeshbarnea they began to wander in the wilderness for 40years. The journey that could have lasted 40days for them to get to the Promisedland then lasted 40years because of unbelief.
According to Verses 19 and 20, Kadeshbarnea is in the land of the Amorites which the Lord has promised to give to the Israelites.
They had a successful trip to the Promisedland but just at the point of entry into the villages, towns and cities that they fumbled when they sat down to negotiate, calculate and plan how they will enter whereas, God has already told them to move in , encompass and possess the land. Sending out people to spy the land was an act of fear and unbelief.
After searching out the land some of the spies brought a negative report which instilled fear in the minds of the people and they murmured. They said in Verse 27,”Because the Lord hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.” The Lord was displeased by the voice of their word and He swore that none of those evil reporters will see the Promised land.
They repented and asked Moses to forgive them. God has already decided to destroy them in the wilderness.
The Lord told them not to go up to possess the land again. They insisted and went to fight the Amorites to take over their land . The Amorites came against them and destroyed many of the Israelites.
The people returned and wept before the Lord but the Lord did not answer them because of their disobedience. That was how that generation wandered in the wilderness for 40years until all those who brought the evil report of the land were wasted in the wilderness because of disobedience.
LESSONS LEARNT
1. God does not take it kindly when anyone does not trust Him and does not take Him at His word.
2. God hates disobedience! He asked Moses to tell the Israelites that they should not go up to fight the Amorites that He is not with them but they ignored God’s instructions and still went. The outcome was massive destruction!
3. People of God, let us believe the word of God that it may be well with us!
May God help us to always have faith in His word in Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name! Amen!
As shared by Sis Peace Edet
