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Deuteronomy 7-11
We are in the Wisdom Stream reading from the New Living Translation.
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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis
Lord Jesus, thank you for making your plans for us to follow so clear. We want to be following you clearly and you have made the way very clear for us. Thank you. Amen.
This is a salient section of the grand pep-talk Moses is giving prior to entering Canaan.
7 – can a bride [wearing a wedding dress] work a shift on a commercial fishing vessel right before walking in to be married? Can she spend a day working on an oil rig (in her wedding dress!) and then head straight to the altar for her vows? Can she, wearing her white gown, help the guys pour a concrete courtyard (the rubber boots should keep her dress from dragging in it, right?!) and then be fresh for the ceremony? a 1,000 times “no!” Neither can the Israelites associate with the ghastly pagan peoples that inhabit Canaan – not in any way. Remove them or you will become them. And consequently, if you become them, God cannot use you..and you will be disposed of without a whimper. So after you remove the Canaanites, et al., flatten their world and structures as well. Do not be enamored with any of it.-dispose of it all. Following God is going to have comprehensive blessings for you and yours and everything you work with and everything you own. You will be utterly victorious at every turn, in farming, animal husbandry, and in battle. Follow ME and thrive!
8 -Moses recalls for all of them the fascinating, miraculous, and particular care the Israelites received during the sojourn through the desert. They were fed, clothed, watered, healed, shielded, doctored, protected, led, blessed and more. For 40 years without fail, God never even looked away. And God’s careful guidance would not leave them in the future, provided they obey. Any questions? No, skip it, He’s not fielding any questions on this.
9 – They were soon to be heading in across the Jordan to a wondrous land set up for them to readily occupy. Giants? Who’s afraid of giants? They will fall like severed reeds at God’s command. And as the Israelites go in they were not to think of themselves as paragon privileged prissies. God is using them because God is gracious. They needed to be forgiven of so much while in the desert. Their rebellion and penchant to stray was incorrigible. Never forget that and start acting like the snot-nose brat who is owed something. And they were to be grateful for Moses’ pastoral care standing in and pleading their pathetic cause after each sin. I.e., You are going into Canaan because God is good, not because you are good. So keep that in the fore of your thinking, and remain grateful.
10 – Next Moses recalled for them the ordeal at Sinai wherein the second set of Commandment Tablets was made for them. Yes, God isn’t the only one who is angry and disappointed with your rebellion! You remember the other sundry matters from those days, ok ok – the clincher is this: you know what God requires of you. Don’t act like you can’t read the map or find the map or that you cant’ remember that you even have a map to follow. You don’t get coupons or credit of any ribbons for playing stupid with God. YOU KNOW what God wants from you. Look at yourselves….there are millions of you now. You used to be a band of 70, yet I blessed you. And the huge army of Egypt before the Exodus? Where are they now? I sunk them. Take a hint here and don’t be stubborn with God. He can do whatever He wants with whomever He wants. And YOU KNOW how to stay on His good side.
11 – is a great chapter as is Deut. 6 & 28 that recites the blessings for obedience, devotion, and living by God’s Word. The blessings will be national as well as personal and detailed, provided the Law is followed. It must be followed deliberately, completely, and permanently. This not a nonchalant matter by any means. Don’t be deceived or grow lax. Evil could pounce in a moment if you stray. Your obedience will affect you, and the land, the harvest, the weather, your health and families, domestic tranquility, everything. There is blessing for following God. There is cursing for following another. And remember, no coupons are given out for playing stupid.
