REMEMBERING A LOST OPPORTUNITY – Deuteronomy 1:1-46

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on March 2, 2011 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; March 2, 2011

Deuteronomy 1:1-46

Theme: Theme: In this chapter, Moses reviews the first generation’s loss for having refused to the promised land at God’s command.

Deuteronomy is a book of remembrance. As the second generation was about to begin stepping in to take the land that God had promised them, Moses prepared himself to rehearse to them the law that God gave them (see Deuteronomy 5 and beyond). But before he does so—in chapters 1-4—he reviews their past to them.

And the very first thing that he reminds them of—a painful thing indeed to be reminded of!—was the loss that was brought upon them by their parents’ former refusal to enter into the promised land. Because of that refusal, the people of Israel hand wandered in the wilderness for the previous thirty-eight years until that first generation had completely died out. God’s grace still prevailed, and the second generation was now about to be called to go in and take the land that the first generation had rejected. But how important it is, in the light of God’s grace in the present, to learn from the failures of the past!

I. REVIEWING THE SETTING (vv. 1-5).

A. The words of the book of Deuteronomy were spoken to the people “on this side of the Jordan” (v. 1: see Numbers 30:50). This sets the book of Deuteronomy in the context that immediately preceded the conquests led by Joshua—on the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after their deliverance from Egypt.

B. Note that, in spite of the great ways that God had demonstrated Himself to the people in delivering them from Egypt, they nevertheless wandered in the wilderness for thirty- eight of those forty years in a region that could have only been traveled in eleven days (v. 2)! God’s provision of victory over the kings of the eastern regions, however (see v. 4; also Numbers 21), demonstrated His ability to provide further victory for the conquest of the remainder of the promised land if they would trust Him.

II. REAFFIRMING GOD’S CALL (vv. 6-18).

A. Moses begins by pointing the people’s attention back to the time when—as they stood before “Horeb” (that is, Mt. Sinai)—God called them to move forward to take the land of promise (vv. 6-7). The time spent at Mount Sinai involved the giving of the law in the latter half of Exodus, the giving of the entire content of the Book of Leviticus, and the first ten chapters of the Book of Numbers. The journey originally took them up northward through the wilderness of Paran to Kadesh Barnea on the western side of the Jordan.

B. Note that Moses tells the story (vv. 9-18) of the appointment of leaders over the people. This is described for us in Exodus 18; where Moses’ father-in-law Jethro advised him to delegate authority to leaders of the people, lest Moses should wear himself out. According to Exodus, this event occurred before the people arrived at Mount Sinai; but it seems that Moses reminds the people of that story at this time—in part, at least—in order to affirm the greatness of God’s blessing to them. They were “as the stars of heaven in multitude” (v. 10); and it was Moses’ prayer that God would multiply them even more (v. 11). But it may also have been to remind them that they were then given the commands of God (v. 18), and that they should not let themselves ignore what God has commanded.

III. RECALLING THE REFUSAL (vv. 19-33).

A. That first generation then departed; and God continued to prove His goodness by bringing them through “all that great and terrible wilderness” (v. 19). And, upon coming to the very doorstep of the promised land in Kadesh Barnea, and being encouraged to go forward and take the land (vv. 20-21), they suggested that spies first be sent in to view the land and bring back word of the way to go up and the nature of the cities to which they would come (vv. 22-25; see also Numbers 13-14). Here, it’s revealed to us that this plan was the people’s idea rather than Moses’; though it was a plan that Moses clearly approved

B. But what a fateful plan it proved to be! The spies returned only to discourage the people from entering. The people “rebelled against the command of the LORD” (v. 26), and complained that God hated them and sought to deliver them into their enemies (v. 27). Moses sought to remind the people once again of God’s already-proven abilities toward them (vv. 29-31, 33); yet, they wouldn’t believe Him (32).

IV. REMEMBERING THE LOSSES (vv. 34-46).

A. What sad results such disobedience brings about! Because of their refusal, the Lord was angry with them and declared that “not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers” (v. 35). Only Caleb and Joshua, from among that entire generation, would be allowed to enter (vv. 38-39). They suffered the loss of thirty-eight years; and it fell to their children to enter in their place. The Lord was also angry with Moses at Kadesh for his own act of disobedience. Because he didn’t hallow God in the sight of the people, he too failed to enter (v. 37; see also Numbers 20:1-13).

B. God commanded that first generation to turn around and take their journey into the wilderness “by the Way of the Red Sea” (see v. 40). But once again, the people didn’t obey. They foolishly presumed to go forth and attempt to take the land anyway; and they suffered even further loss (vv. 41-46; see also Numbers 14:39-45). They had forfeited their opportunity through disobedience; and now it would be given to their children instead.

* * * * * * * * * *

As Paul reminded the Corinthian believers, all the advantages that the Jewish people had of God’s self-disclosure to them at Sinai didn’t give them any advantage over their disobedience to His commands in Kadesh; because “with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:5).

May we learn from this opening chapter how important it is, in the light of God’s grace, to remember the failures of the past—and not repeat them in the present!