Journey to the Promised Land

INTRO

We have gone through four books of the Pentateuch, and Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book that was written by Moses. Deuteronomy means “Second Law.” Deuteronomy 17:18 says, “When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.” Moses was supposed to make a second copy of the book of laws as his will or obituary. He was not going with them because of striking the rock in anger. Moses painted a picture over and over that God was with the Israelites, He was still with them, and He will be with them.

In our paintings, we have one word for each book of the Bible: Genesis—Seed, Exodus—Deliverer, Leviticus—Atonement, and Numbers—Rock. For Deuteronomy, the word is Prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15 says, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”

Jesus is that Prophet that Moses was talking about. “For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. Now every house is built by someone, but the One who built everything is God. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope” (Hebrews 3:3-6). Jesus quoted from every book in the Pentateuch, from eight of the prophets, and from the book of Deuteronomy 16 times.

TEACHING

Deuteronomy 1:6-46: The beginning of this chapter explained how God was going to honor His promises and bring forth leadership to make these things unfold (vv. 6-18). The Israelites’ disobedience at Kadesh-barnea was covered in verses 19-46.

Deuteronomy 2: The Israelites journeyed through the trans-Jordan area, along the east side of the Jordan River.

Deuteronomy 3:1-7: Moses released his first sermon, reliving what had already happened on the journey. As they went up the road to Bashan, Og, king of Bashan, came out against the whole army (v. 1). The Lord had already said not to fear King Og because He had already given him over to the Israelites. The Lord also told the Israelites to do to King Og the same as they had done to King Sihon (v. 2). The Lord handed over Og king of Bashan and the whole army to the Israelites, and there were no survivors (v. 6). The cities were all captured at one time–– 60 in all (v. 4). Despite being fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, and a large number of rural villages (v. 5), all the cities were completely destroyed, along with the men, women, and children, as it had been done in Sihon (v. 6). Bashan was famous for their oaks (Isaiah 2:13) and livestock (Isaiah 32:14). All was subject to plunder (v. 7). Warren Wiersbe described the victories over Og and Sihon as “preparation for the battles they would fight when they arrived in Canaan.”1

Deuteronomy 3:8-11: The Israelites then took the land from across the Jordan from Amon Valley to Mount Hermon (vv. 8-10). All the cities of the plateau were Gilead, Bashan, Salecah and Edrei (v. 10). “Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed was made of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It is 13 feet six inches long and six feet wide by a standard measure” (v. 11).

Deuteronomy 3:12-20: The Israelites took possession of the land, settled it, and gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manassah (vv. 12-13), who wanted the land for their livestock (v. 19). Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, renamed Bashan to Jair’s Villages, after himself (v. 14). Moses told them they must cross over and help fight with the Israelites for their land, and lead the way (v. 18):

Deuteronomy 12:10: “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all the enemies around you and you live in security . . .”

They would find rest when there was victory.

Deuteronomy 25:19: “When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance . . .”

Deuteronomy 3:21-29: Wiersbe explained that the Israelites first had to prepare for more battles, begin to settle into the land, and then begin the transfer of leadership from Moses to Joshua (vv. 21-22).2 Joshua had already seen everything the Lord had done and knew that the Lord would do the same to all the kingdoms they entered.

Numbers 27:18: “The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.’”

In Exodus 33, we saw how Joshua was a servant to Moses. He had been trained in every way possible, ownership had been transferred, and now Joshua was ready to run. Moses begged the Lord to let him cross over to the Promised Land, but the Lord answered that He was angry with Moses because he would not listen. According to verse 26, the Lord told Moses, “Do not speak to Me about this matter.” The Lord did allow Moses to look over into the Promised Land from the top of Mount Pisgah (v. 27). After Moses viewed the Promised Land, he was instructed to commission Joshua (v. 28).

CLOSING

Moses prepared the people by telling them that a Prophet was coming, and he also prepared Joshua to lead the charge. In the New Testament, I think of John the Baptist preparing the way for someone greater, who was coming. John baptized Jesus, and it was like a transfer of “here we go.”

Deuteronomy 1 starts with a review about how the Lord was going to honor His promises. Then, there was the peoples’ rebellion at Kadesh-barnea because they didn’t trust God. In Deuteronomy 2, we saw the journey through the trans-Jordan and how the Lord gave the Israelites victory over Sihon and Og. Finally, in Deuteronomy 3 we saw the battles with the inhabitants of the land before going into the Promised Land. Then, Moses turned his leadership over to Joshua, but God allowed him to see the Promised Land.