Monday 20 April 2015

Deuteronomy 2: Be Devoted to the Lord Daily by Ho King Swee dated 12.4.15



This sermon was based on Deuteronomy chapter2.  This is also the 5th Book of the Pentateuch. By this time, the new generation of Israelites had arrived.  They were being prepared to enter the Promised land.  Sadly Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised land by God.  This was also the last two months of Moses’ time before he died.
Israel journeyed from Kadesh Barnea to Moab (2:1-37)
 1. Israel's prohibition from pagan peoples (2:1-23) 
                a. The prohibition against Esau’s descendants at Seir (2:1-8) 
                b. The prohibition against Moabites (2:9-15) 
                c. The prohibition against Ammonites (2:16-23) 
2. Israel's conquest of pagan peoples (2:24-37)
                a. The conquest of King Sihon of Heshbon (Amorites) (2:24-37)


A Summary of the occupants and their locations:

     Land                           Former occupants                              Current occupants
 1  Land at Seir                Horites                                                 Descendants of Esau
 2  Land of Moab at Ar    Emim (like Anakim or Rephaim)          Descendants of Lot, Moabites
 3  Land of Ammon          Rephaim (called Zamzummim)           Descendants of Lot, Ammonites
 4  Land of Amorites        Amorites (King Sihon of Heshbon)     People of Israel

The LORD destroyed the former occupants and the current occupants dispossessed them.

The LORD determines all the land boundaries and periods for people to settle.
-from the stories in this chapter we can see that God determined the Israelites boundaries and the time period of their settlements.  It was not by their abilities.
Learn from the past examples and experiences
We can learn from these past examples and experiences.
Acts 17:24-27 – God is in control of everything.  The key is verse 26 “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,”
(Deu 32:8, Job 12:23, Jer 27:5-6)
Why did the LORD spare the descendants of Esau and Lot but not the Amorites?
Gen 15:13-16.  Key verse 16 “And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
Deu 9:4-5
Deu 9:6 “Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.”
The Promised Land give was based on God’s grace.
John 3:26-27. Key verse 27 “And John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it is given to him from Heaven.”
Application
1.       Always acknowledge God’s sovereignty, grace and faithfulness
              Serve the Lord faithfully with the grace given to us
1 Pet 4:10-11
2.       Learn from past examples and experiences
Deu 2:14-16
What were the sins committed by the Israelites who came out of Egypt?
Why did they sin and rebel repeatedly against the LORD God?
The Israelites were stiff-necked and wicked – Ex 32:9, 33:3, 5, Deu 9:6, 13,  10:16, Num 14:27, 35
Num 14:20-23
Only Joshua and Caleb were found wholehearted in following the LORD.
1 Cor 10:5-8, 1 Cor 10:9-11, Heb 3:7-8, 13:3
We must be committed or devoted to the Lord TODAY (Every Today)
-Do not harden our hearts (stiff-necked) and do not postpone to tomorrow