Deuteronomy 1:6-8

A. THE EVENTS FROM SINAI TO THE PRESENT

(Deuteronomy 1:6 to Deuteronomy 3:29)

1 COMMAND TO LEAVE HOREB FOR THE

PROMISED LAND (Deuteronomy 1:6-8)

Deuteronomy 1:6 Jehovah our God spake unto us in Horeb saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountain: 7 turn you, and take your journey, and go to the hill-country of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh there-unto, in the Arabah, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and in the South, and by the sea-shore, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which Jehovah sware unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1:6-8

7.

Where is Horeb? Are we to understand that God asked them to conquer Canaan even before they left Sinai?

8.

Just what is involved in the act of faith i.e., what is God's part and what is man's part?

9.

Please locate on the map the following places: (1) Arabah, (2) the land of the Canaanites and Lebanon, (3) the great river.

10.

Read Numbers 34:1-29.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 1:6-8

6 The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, You have dwelt long enough on this mountain;
7 Turn and take up your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the lowland, in the South [the Negeb], and on the coast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.
8 Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and take possession of the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them.

COMMENT 1:6-8

Here we have the command to conquer given before Israel ever arrives at Kadesh. All they had to do was to believe and obeyto launch out in total faith and confidence in the promise and assurance of God. He had given a similar faith-demanding command some months before. When the Israelites attempted to cross the Red Sea, God had said to Moses speak unto the children of Israel, THAT THEY GO FORWARD. (Exodus 14:15) The command of God was heeded, and the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea (that took some faith, too) upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (Exodus 14:22) Israel's whole journey, whether crossing the Red Sea or the Jordan, whether fighting with fierce Canaanites or depending on Providence for food and water, was an operation of faith! Implicitly trusting God always meant eventual success; disbelief meant failure every single time. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. (Hebrews 11:29-30) How many times has God told us, Go in and possess the land and we have not! Opportunities to learn his will, to witness, to help, to encourage, to inspire, to strengthen, to serve, all too often go begging because we are content to wander in the deserts of doubt, distrust, hesitancy, and indecision. After Israel had received God's commands and instructions at Sinai, it was time to get going! Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountainYou have my law now; you know what to do; your tabernacle is now ready. Its time now to proceed, to do, to act, to obey. Once a man understands his Lord's commands, (and he needs to bend every effort toward that end) it becomes a matter of character, morality, and faithfulness that he now place himself in the hands of God and act on what he knows! But the righteous [note, the righteous]shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)