Introduction. Deuteronomy is the last of the five books written by Moses commonly referred to as the Pentateuch. From the book of Exodus through to the end of Deuteronomy, we see how God in a miraculous way, under the leadership of Moses delivered the children of Israel out of the slavery of the Egyptians, and to spend 40 years wandering in the desert. Yet it took the Israelites 40 years of wanderings in the desert, before God was ready to take them on into the Promised Land. As is often quoted - “It took one day to deliver Israel out of the land of Egypt, but it took 40 years to get Egypt out of the Israelites”. The Israelites were not fit to go into the land promised by God. It needed a new generation and a return to following Him, before they could enter. The book shows us where they wandered and takes us through the different experiences Israel had, both good and bad, in order to make them ready and fit for the land.
In the opening chapter of the book, we see a fine example of the type of spirit that was in the children of Israel. Sadly the majority did not yield to Gods laws, with him having to say in Deuteronomy 1:verses 35 to 39:- "Not a man of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your forefathers,
36:except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly."
37:Because of you the LORD became angry with me (Moses) also and said, "You shall not enter it, either.
38:But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.
39:And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad - they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
God reminded the people how much He loved them and had cared for them during their time in the wilderness. He encouraged them by saying if you obey and follow me then you will come into the Promised land I promised you, with much blessing to follow. In Deuteronomy 8: verses 1 to 10 we read - Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers.
2:Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
3:He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
4:Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.
5:Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
6:Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him.
7:For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land - a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills;
8:a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig-trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;
9:a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10:When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
God also reminded them that He always keeps His promises but, if we break our allegiance to Him, those promises can be reversed. Moses reminds the Israelites in Deuteronomy 9 verses 4 to 6 - 4 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
Further writing will be given to the book at a later date.
