In the 1st chapter we see Moses talk to the people about the prior generations failure to be obedient to the leading of God and not entering into the promised land. At this point the Israelites should’ve been in the promised land but because of their disobedience, their entrance was delayed.
This should be a reminder to all of us that disobedience to God’s will can result in delayed or even a total loss of God’s plan for our lives. Of course we know that God can redeem our circumstances, but a full life lived in obedience to God shouldn’t always be carried out in this manner. We should be obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit at all times!
This first chapter is full of hard truths that we don’t really like to talk about. We like to talk about God’s grace and how God can take our messed up life and use it for His glory, and that is very true, but I’ve never heard a redemption story from a person who didn’t first turn from their previous lifestyle and dedicate themselves to following God.
Human nature tells us to follow our own plans then ask God to bless them, when in reality we should be obediently following the leading of the Holy Spirit at all times.
In this instance, not following God costs the Exodus generation their promised land. Their disobedience was tragic and was an irreversible loss. These people would die in the wilderness.
Now all that being said, take a look at 2:7, which says, “ For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.”
Even in the Israelites disobedience, God never left them alone.
Even in your disobedience, God has never left you alone. And He never will. Always pray and ask God for forgiveness, never forget that you can always return to the Father, because He has never left your side
