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March 12th
The Bible reading for today is in Deuteronomy chapters 3,4.
The text today reveals a few more gracious acts of God prior to Israel’s going up to possess Canaan.
First, God gives the soldiers of Israel a visual aid to inspire their faith one more time. “God fights for you.” Together with God, Israel’s army defeated the giants of Bashan...soundly...all 60 walled cities and many more unwalled villages.
This region...besides the many fortresses, was extremely fertile pasture lands for cattle, sheep, and goats...east of the Jordan River.
They dedicated the cities and villages to God by destroying them, including every man, woman, and child. Israel’s army kept livestock and plunder for the nation. This was a big win. Bashan’s warriors averaged 10 1/2 feet tall...twice the average size of an Israeli soldier... and they had the advantage of fighting from elevated positions on their fortified fortress walls.
God powerfully, graciously gave them a boost in their confidence...their faith in God...as One who always tells the truth and keeps His promises.
Moses continues to preach.
This preaching point reminds Joshua of what God is going to do through him as successor to Moses’ leadership of the nation. Joshua would have a huge job. So Moses commanded him to TRUST GOD. “You have seen that God keeps His Word...by the fruit of victory over Canaanite rulers, in Heshbon and Bashan...very formidable foes. He will continue to “fight for you” as you fight with Him to take possession of the land. “So dont fear God’s enemies, ever...!”
“Friends, God is talking to us too.” The only justifiable fear we have long term is the “fear of the Lord”...not the fear of His enemies...He will handle them...and remember that the fear and awe of God is the beginning of wisdom and understanding...which leads to spiritually fruitful lives to the glory of God.
Continuing in the text...we read how Moses exhorted Israel to obey God...every time...no matter what...when God says it...He is not only giving you “heart ears” to hear Him, but He will also help you to believe and obey...
Moses taught the people one more time that their lives depended upon their enthusiastic obedience to God. And Moses used his personal testimony to nail that point down. He preached how his stubborn, prideful disobedience to God cost him personally a life in the land of promise.
Obedience to God was and still is the proof of one's loving relationship with God.
NOW...Believers on their own will not perfectly keep God’s commands. But the Holy Spirit Who is in us, since our new birth, will prod, convict and faithfully move us toward eager obedience to our Lord as we grow in Him.
By the way, when we get into the Psalms, we will listen to David’s songs where he thanks God for the spiritual tutoring that God had given him from His laws. And we will hear his praise to God for giving him the desire...the want to...to obey the word.
That’s who we are, friends...friends in Christ. God gives us a hungering and thirsting for Him...and it is there that we find our greatest love, and joy, and peace.
Thank You, Jesus...You not only lived out the discipline of obedience to the Father all the way to the cross...You loved Him every moment of it.
Help us to do the same...in life as well as in dying.
Have a great day
