Deuteronomy 6
KingCommentsDeuteronomy 6:1
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:2
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:3
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:4
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:5
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:6
The Anger of the LORD
The reaction of the LORD is in line with the rebellion of the people. Do they refuse to enter the land? The LORD swears in His wrath that no one of that generation will come there. Of the two exceptions, Joshua and Caleb, only Caleb is mentioned here. Joshua occupies a special place. He will succeed Moses as the leader of the people. In Caleb we have an ‘ordinary’ Israelite, someone to whom we can mirror ourselves.
His heart is full of the love of God. His name means ‘wholeheartedly’. He has not spoken of a God Who hates. He was convinced of the love and goodness of God to bring His people into the land of promise. In Joshua 14 he refers to his account of the land (Joshua 14:7). Even then he is still full of the land. He knew the pleasure of the LORD and deeply appreciated the inheritance of God. He has taken it in possession, while the others have perished in the wilderness.
God’s love was active in his life. He had to go with the people through the wilderness, but in his heart that love worked, by which he persisted in following the LORD with an eye on the goal. Do we belong to the generation of Caleb? That is the case when our heart is directed toward Christ. Just as the heart of Caleb was directed toward the blessing of the land, for us the blessing of the land is Christ Jesus. If our hearts are full of the goodness and love of God through the Holy Spirit, our desire will also be to follow the Lord fully.
The Holy Spirit is also called ‘pledge’ (Ephesians 1:14). That He is the pledge means that we do not yet possess the inheritance. A pledge is a kind of guarantee provided with a down-payment as an inviolable indication of future receipt of what we do not yet have. The fact that the Holy Spirit is called ‘pledge’ only has to do with the certainty that the rest will follow. As He has been given to us we can already enjoy the inheritance, although we cannot as yet actually take possession of it.
The anger of the LORD also came upon Moses for their sake. This is reminiscent of the Lord Jesus Who underwent the anger of God for the sake of His people. Moses does not speak here about his own failure, but about the cause of the anger. It was with the people. This did not happen when the people first reached the border, but only forty years later. Moses is not concerned with chronology, but he connects God’s anger over himself with God’s anger over the people in order to underline the holiness of God’s judgment.
Moses points to Joshua as the new leader. Joshua was in his service. Here we see the picture of the Lord Jesus Who sent the Holy Spirit, that He may lead us into all the truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit does not lead the old man, but the new man, just as Joshua does not bring the old generation, but the new generation into the land.
The new generation is referred to here as “your little ones …, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil”. It is those who will never reach the land by their own power, who depend on the help of others and who are ignorant. They are not informed about the land, but they want to be taught about it and about the conditions for getting there and living in it.
So it is with the things that God makes known: He does so to little children, not to those who rely on their minds (Matthew 11:25-27). The mind of a child is necessary to enjoy the blessings for us in the heavenly places of Christ.
Deuteronomy 6:7
The Presumption of the People
The old generation is commanded to turn around and set out for the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea. For man there is only one possibility to participate in God’s blessings: to go to the place that speaks of salvation from the power of satan, that is the cross. There the old man is judged (Romans 6:6).
In stubborn rebellion, the old generation again went against what God had said. The flesh “does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so]” (Romans 8:7). If the confession “we have sinned” sounds from their mouths, it is only by rote with no real meaning. Thus it is found elsewhere in the Bible, for example with Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas (Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:16; 1 Samuel 15:24; Matthew 27:3-4). When they call to the LORD in this frame of mind, He does not listen (James 4:3).
Deuteronomy 6:8
The Presumption of the People
The old generation is commanded to turn around and set out for the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea. For man there is only one possibility to participate in God’s blessings: to go to the place that speaks of salvation from the power of satan, that is the cross. There the old man is judged (Romans 6:6).
In stubborn rebellion, the old generation again went against what God had said. The flesh “does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so]” (Romans 8:7). If the confession “we have sinned” sounds from their mouths, it is only by rote with no real meaning. Thus it is found elsewhere in the Bible, for example with Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas (Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:16; 1 Samuel 15:24; Matthew 27:3-4). When they call to the LORD in this frame of mind, He does not listen (James 4:3).
Deuteronomy 6:9
The Presumption of the People
The old generation is commanded to turn around and set out for the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea. For man there is only one possibility to participate in God’s blessings: to go to the place that speaks of salvation from the power of satan, that is the cross. There the old man is judged (Romans 6:6).
In stubborn rebellion, the old generation again went against what God had said. The flesh “does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so]” (Romans 8:7). If the confession “we have sinned” sounds from their mouths, it is only by rote with no real meaning. Thus it is found elsewhere in the Bible, for example with Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas (Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:16; 1 Samuel 15:24; Matthew 27:3-4). When they call to the LORD in this frame of mind, He does not listen (James 4:3).
Deuteronomy 6:10
The Presumption of the People
The old generation is commanded to turn around and set out for the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea. For man there is only one possibility to participate in God’s blessings: to go to the place that speaks of salvation from the power of satan, that is the cross. There the old man is judged (Romans 6:6).
In stubborn rebellion, the old generation again went against what God had said. The flesh “does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so]” (Romans 8:7). If the confession “we have sinned” sounds from their mouths, it is only by rote with no real meaning. Thus it is found elsewhere in the Bible, for example with Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas (Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:16; 1 Samuel 15:24; Matthew 27:3-4). When they call to the LORD in this frame of mind, He does not listen (James 4:3).
Deuteronomy 6:11
The People Crushingly Defeated
The inheritance is despised by the people; the confession is not sincere – the inheritance is taken away from them. They also despised God’s government, for they acted against His command not to go up. God then gave them up into the hand of the enemies. These are pictures of satanic powers (Ephesians 6:12). They have been crushed by them. As a result, they had to spend thirty-eight years in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy 6:12
The People Crushingly Defeated
The inheritance is despised by the people; the confession is not sincere – the inheritance is taken away from them. They also despised God’s government, for they acted against His command not to go up. God then gave them up into the hand of the enemies. These are pictures of satanic powers (Ephesians 6:12). They have been crushed by them. As a result, they had to spend thirty-eight years in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy 6:13
The People Crushingly Defeated
The inheritance is despised by the people; the confession is not sincere – the inheritance is taken away from them. They also despised God’s government, for they acted against His command not to go up. God then gave them up into the hand of the enemies. These are pictures of satanic powers (Ephesians 6:12). They have been crushed by them. As a result, they had to spend thirty-eight years in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy 6:15
Introduction
Deuteronomy 2-3 show what the land is not. The people – and we – must learn to distinguish between what God’s land is and what is not. Of additional importance is knowing how they – and we – should deal with it. Our land, our inheritance, is heavenly. The life of the land is the eternal life and that is already our part. This will be elaborated further on in the book. We can already enjoy its richness in our hearts. But then we should not despise or confuse that heavenly land with other countries.
First they go along the countries of Edom – descendants of Esau – and of Moab and Ammon – both descendants of Lot. They are not allowed to attack them. Then come the kingdoms of Sihon (Gilead) and Og (Bashan). They must attack them and begin to inherit them, even if that is not yet the promised land. Both kinds of countries do not represent the heavenly blessings. From this there are lessons to be learned for our dealing with things on earth, how they relate to heavenly things. Some things we have to accept as they are, other things we have to conquer, subject them to ourselves, because they are a danger to the enjoyment of our heavenly blessings.
Edom, Moab and Ammon are related peoples. God’s providence has occupied itself with these peoples and has destined an inheritance for them that He has given them. Israel was not allowed to interfere with them, even if they would treat them as enemies.
Gilead and Bashan are hostile peoples. They are not part of the promised land, but they are close by. They are a constant danger and therefore they had to be overcome first, so that they would no longer be a danger to the enjoyment in the land. The immediate surroundings of the land have thus come under the rule of God’s people.
Command to Set out from Seir
By speaking in Deuteronomy 2:1 about “we”, Moses includes himself in this. Due to the unbelief of others, all of them, including Joshua and Caleb and Moses, had to ‘turn’. The unfaithfulness of the whole has consequences for everyone who is faithful to conform to what the LORD gives. Grumbling is not good, nor are outbursts of criticism. That’s why they have to roam the wilderness for thirty-eight years. In a single sentence, this is indicated: they circled Mountain Seir “for many days” – every day of the thirty-eight years is felt. Until the LORD deems it sufficient time (cf. Deuteronomy 1:6).
This circling is not only a punishment for disobedience; it is also a preparation for entry into the land. This preparation meant the death of the whole old generation who refused to enter the land. A new generation is about to enter the land. This new generation has also spent a certain time in the wilderness. When this preparation is ready in God’s eye, He commands to set course to the north.
Deuteronomy 6:16
Introduction
Deuteronomy 2-3 show what the land is not. The people – and we – must learn to distinguish between what God’s land is and what is not. Of additional importance is knowing how they – and we – should deal with it. Our land, our inheritance, is heavenly. The life of the land is the eternal life and that is already our part. This will be elaborated further on in the book. We can already enjoy its richness in our hearts. But then we should not despise or confuse that heavenly land with other countries.
First they go along the countries of Edom – descendants of Esau – and of Moab and Ammon – both descendants of Lot. They are not allowed to attack them. Then come the kingdoms of Sihon (Gilead) and Og (Bashan). They must attack them and begin to inherit them, even if that is not yet the promised land. Both kinds of countries do not represent the heavenly blessings. From this there are lessons to be learned for our dealing with things on earth, how they relate to heavenly things. Some things we have to accept as they are, other things we have to conquer, subject them to ourselves, because they are a danger to the enjoyment of our heavenly blessings.
Edom, Moab and Ammon are related peoples. God’s providence has occupied itself with these peoples and has destined an inheritance for them that He has given them. Israel was not allowed to interfere with them, even if they would treat them as enemies.
Gilead and Bashan are hostile peoples. They are not part of the promised land, but they are close by. They are a constant danger and therefore they had to be overcome first, so that they would no longer be a danger to the enjoyment in the land. The immediate surroundings of the land have thus come under the rule of God’s people.
Command to Set out from Seir
By speaking in Deuteronomy 2:1 about “we”, Moses includes himself in this. Due to the unbelief of others, all of them, including Joshua and Caleb and Moses, had to ‘turn’. The unfaithfulness of the whole has consequences for everyone who is faithful to conform to what the LORD gives. Grumbling is not good, nor are outbursts of criticism. That’s why they have to roam the wilderness for thirty-eight years. In a single sentence, this is indicated: they circled Mountain Seir “for many days” – every day of the thirty-eight years is felt. Until the LORD deems it sufficient time (cf. Deuteronomy 1:6).
This circling is not only a punishment for disobedience; it is also a preparation for entry into the land. This preparation meant the death of the whole old generation who refused to enter the land. A new generation is about to enter the land. This new generation has also spent a certain time in the wilderness. When this preparation is ready in God’s eye, He commands to set course to the north.
Deuteronomy 6:17
Introduction
Deuteronomy 2-3 show what the land is not. The people – and we – must learn to distinguish between what God’s land is and what is not. Of additional importance is knowing how they – and we – should deal with it. Our land, our inheritance, is heavenly. The life of the land is the eternal life and that is already our part. This will be elaborated further on in the book. We can already enjoy its richness in our hearts. But then we should not despise or confuse that heavenly land with other countries.
First they go along the countries of Edom – descendants of Esau – and of Moab and Ammon – both descendants of Lot. They are not allowed to attack them. Then come the kingdoms of Sihon (Gilead) and Og (Bashan). They must attack them and begin to inherit them, even if that is not yet the promised land. Both kinds of countries do not represent the heavenly blessings. From this there are lessons to be learned for our dealing with things on earth, how they relate to heavenly things. Some things we have to accept as they are, other things we have to conquer, subject them to ourselves, because they are a danger to the enjoyment of our heavenly blessings.
Edom, Moab and Ammon are related peoples. God’s providence has occupied itself with these peoples and has destined an inheritance for them that He has given them. Israel was not allowed to interfere with them, even if they would treat them as enemies.
Gilead and Bashan are hostile peoples. They are not part of the promised land, but they are close by. They are a constant danger and therefore they had to be overcome first, so that they would no longer be a danger to the enjoyment in the land. The immediate surroundings of the land have thus come under the rule of God’s people.
Command to Set out from Seir
By speaking in Deuteronomy 2:1 about “we”, Moses includes himself in this. Due to the unbelief of others, all of them, including Joshua and Caleb and Moses, had to ‘turn’. The unfaithfulness of the whole has consequences for everyone who is faithful to conform to what the LORD gives. Grumbling is not good, nor are outbursts of criticism. That’s why they have to roam the wilderness for thirty-eight years. In a single sentence, this is indicated: they circled Mountain Seir “for many days” – every day of the thirty-eight years is felt. Until the LORD deems it sufficient time (cf. Deuteronomy 1:6).
This circling is not only a punishment for disobedience; it is also a preparation for entry into the land. This preparation meant the death of the whole old generation who refused to enter the land. A new generation is about to enter the land. This new generation has also spent a certain time in the wilderness. When this preparation is ready in God’s eye, He commands to set course to the north.
Deuteronomy 6:18
Attitude Toward Esau
Moses had to inform the people about the route to follow. They had to pass through the area of the sons of Esau. Moses also told the people how to behave toward these relatives. They were not allowed to take possession of this land, for the LORD had committed it to Esau .
For us, this means that there are relationships that are established by God and that we have to acknowledge as established by Him. Even if people treat this in a totally wrong way, it does not change God’s intention. When a man and a woman marry, for whatever reason, an institution of God is met. We have to acknowledge that. A believer should never insist on its dissolution, for then he touches something of which God has said: “Let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
If Israel were to ask Esau’s favor, they should not beg for it, but pay for it. They were amply able to do so. In spite of all the grumbling and complaint, God had been with them, and they did not lack anything (Luke 22:35). If we look back on our journey through the wilderness, we can only say that the Lord has fulfilled His promise that He is with us (Matthew 28:20).
Israel is a people interested in the land of promise. In this way it is distinct from other peoples who do not have this interest. But this must not exalt the people of God above the other peoples. God also has His involvement with these other peoples. He also gave the nations land (Deuteronomy 2:9; 19). So God is not only concerned with Israel. Israel has to respect what God has given others.
If by grace we may be among those who have understood anything of heavenly blessings, we must not look down upon or behave in an overbearing manner toward other believers. God has also given something to others, even though they do not know for example (spiritual) sacrifice service. In professing Christianity one meets regularly to listen to God’s Word, but the priesthood of all believers is hardly exercised. God gave a lot through the Reformation. Certain truths came to the fore at the time, such as the justification based on faith alone. Still, the heavenly part of that truth which can be enjoyed by believers here and now – the blessing of eternal life – was only later (at the beginning of the nineteenth century) again put forward as a truth.
In certain circumstances, the people could be dependent on related nations. They asked if they could use their land, not to live there, but to go through it. The call for a favor did not make them charge a debt on themselves. God’s people, on their way to the blessing of the land, are a rich people. They can use their wealth to give something back for what related nations have given them. If we may benefit from believers who do not know the heavenly blessings, we in turn may give them of the riches God has given us in knowing the things of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6:19
Attitude Toward Esau
Moses had to inform the people about the route to follow. They had to pass through the area of the sons of Esau. Moses also told the people how to behave toward these relatives. They were not allowed to take possession of this land, for the LORD had committed it to Esau .
For us, this means that there are relationships that are established by God and that we have to acknowledge as established by Him. Even if people treat this in a totally wrong way, it does not change God’s intention. When a man and a woman marry, for whatever reason, an institution of God is met. We have to acknowledge that. A believer should never insist on its dissolution, for then he touches something of which God has said: “Let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
If Israel were to ask Esau’s favor, they should not beg for it, but pay for it. They were amply able to do so. In spite of all the grumbling and complaint, God had been with them, and they did not lack anything (Luke 22:35). If we look back on our journey through the wilderness, we can only say that the Lord has fulfilled His promise that He is with us (Matthew 28:20).
Israel is a people interested in the land of promise. In this way it is distinct from other peoples who do not have this interest. But this must not exalt the people of God above the other peoples. God also has His involvement with these other peoples. He also gave the nations land (Deuteronomy 2:9; 19). So God is not only concerned with Israel. Israel has to respect what God has given others.
If by grace we may be among those who have understood anything of heavenly blessings, we must not look down upon or behave in an overbearing manner toward other believers. God has also given something to others, even though they do not know for example (spiritual) sacrifice service. In professing Christianity one meets regularly to listen to God’s Word, but the priesthood of all believers is hardly exercised. God gave a lot through the Reformation. Certain truths came to the fore at the time, such as the justification based on faith alone. Still, the heavenly part of that truth which can be enjoyed by believers here and now – the blessing of eternal life – was only later (at the beginning of the nineteenth century) again put forward as a truth.
In certain circumstances, the people could be dependent on related nations. They asked if they could use their land, not to live there, but to go through it. The call for a favor did not make them charge a debt on themselves. God’s people, on their way to the blessing of the land, are a rich people. They can use their wealth to give something back for what related nations have given them. If we may benefit from believers who do not know the heavenly blessings, we in turn may give them of the riches God has given us in knowing the things of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6:20
Attitude Toward Esau
Moses had to inform the people about the route to follow. They had to pass through the area of the sons of Esau. Moses also told the people how to behave toward these relatives. They were not allowed to take possession of this land, for the LORD had committed it to Esau .
For us, this means that there are relationships that are established by God and that we have to acknowledge as established by Him. Even if people treat this in a totally wrong way, it does not change God’s intention. When a man and a woman marry, for whatever reason, an institution of God is met. We have to acknowledge that. A believer should never insist on its dissolution, for then he touches something of which God has said: “Let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
If Israel were to ask Esau’s favor, they should not beg for it, but pay for it. They were amply able to do so. In spite of all the grumbling and complaint, God had been with them, and they did not lack anything (Luke 22:35). If we look back on our journey through the wilderness, we can only say that the Lord has fulfilled His promise that He is with us (Matthew 28:20).
Israel is a people interested in the land of promise. In this way it is distinct from other peoples who do not have this interest. But this must not exalt the people of God above the other peoples. God also has His involvement with these other peoples. He also gave the nations land (Deuteronomy 2:9; 19). So God is not only concerned with Israel. Israel has to respect what God has given others.
If by grace we may be among those who have understood anything of heavenly blessings, we must not look down upon or behave in an overbearing manner toward other believers. God has also given something to others, even though they do not know for example (spiritual) sacrifice service. In professing Christianity one meets regularly to listen to God’s Word, but the priesthood of all believers is hardly exercised. God gave a lot through the Reformation. Certain truths came to the fore at the time, such as the justification based on faith alone. Still, the heavenly part of that truth which can be enjoyed by believers here and now – the blessing of eternal life – was only later (at the beginning of the nineteenth century) again put forward as a truth.
In certain circumstances, the people could be dependent on related nations. They asked if they could use their land, not to live there, but to go through it. The call for a favor did not make them charge a debt on themselves. God’s people, on their way to the blessing of the land, are a rich people. They can use their wealth to give something back for what related nations have given them. If we may benefit from believers who do not know the heavenly blessings, we in turn may give them of the riches God has given us in knowing the things of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6:21
Attitude Toward Esau
Moses had to inform the people about the route to follow. They had to pass through the area of the sons of Esau. Moses also told the people how to behave toward these relatives. They were not allowed to take possession of this land, for the LORD had committed it to Esau .
For us, this means that there are relationships that are established by God and that we have to acknowledge as established by Him. Even if people treat this in a totally wrong way, it does not change God’s intention. When a man and a woman marry, for whatever reason, an institution of God is met. We have to acknowledge that. A believer should never insist on its dissolution, for then he touches something of which God has said: “Let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
If Israel were to ask Esau’s favor, they should not beg for it, but pay for it. They were amply able to do so. In spite of all the grumbling and complaint, God had been with them, and they did not lack anything (Luke 22:35). If we look back on our journey through the wilderness, we can only say that the Lord has fulfilled His promise that He is with us (Matthew 28:20).
Israel is a people interested in the land of promise. In this way it is distinct from other peoples who do not have this interest. But this must not exalt the people of God above the other peoples. God also has His involvement with these other peoples. He also gave the nations land (Deuteronomy 2:9; 19). So God is not only concerned with Israel. Israel has to respect what God has given others.
If by grace we may be among those who have understood anything of heavenly blessings, we must not look down upon or behave in an overbearing manner toward other believers. God has also given something to others, even though they do not know for example (spiritual) sacrifice service. In professing Christianity one meets regularly to listen to God’s Word, but the priesthood of all believers is hardly exercised. God gave a lot through the Reformation. Certain truths came to the fore at the time, such as the justification based on faith alone. Still, the heavenly part of that truth which can be enjoyed by believers here and now – the blessing of eternal life – was only later (at the beginning of the nineteenth century) again put forward as a truth.
In certain circumstances, the people could be dependent on related nations. They asked if they could use their land, not to live there, but to go through it. The call for a favor did not make them charge a debt on themselves. God’s people, on their way to the blessing of the land, are a rich people. They can use their wealth to give something back for what related nations have given them. If we may benefit from believers who do not know the heavenly blessings, we in turn may give them of the riches God has given us in knowing the things of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6:22
Attitude Toward Esau
Moses had to inform the people about the route to follow. They had to pass through the area of the sons of Esau. Moses also told the people how to behave toward these relatives. They were not allowed to take possession of this land, for the LORD had committed it to Esau .
For us, this means that there are relationships that are established by God and that we have to acknowledge as established by Him. Even if people treat this in a totally wrong way, it does not change God’s intention. When a man and a woman marry, for whatever reason, an institution of God is met. We have to acknowledge that. A believer should never insist on its dissolution, for then he touches something of which God has said: “Let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6).
If Israel were to ask Esau’s favor, they should not beg for it, but pay for it. They were amply able to do so. In spite of all the grumbling and complaint, God had been with them, and they did not lack anything (Luke 22:35). If we look back on our journey through the wilderness, we can only say that the Lord has fulfilled His promise that He is with us (Matthew 28:20).
Israel is a people interested in the land of promise. In this way it is distinct from other peoples who do not have this interest. But this must not exalt the people of God above the other peoples. God also has His involvement with these other peoples. He also gave the nations land (Deuteronomy 2:9; 19). So God is not only concerned with Israel. Israel has to respect what God has given others.
If by grace we may be among those who have understood anything of heavenly blessings, we must not look down upon or behave in an overbearing manner toward other believers. God has also given something to others, even though they do not know for example (spiritual) sacrifice service. In professing Christianity one meets regularly to listen to God’s Word, but the priesthood of all believers is hardly exercised. God gave a lot through the Reformation. Certain truths came to the fore at the time, such as the justification based on faith alone. Still, the heavenly part of that truth which can be enjoyed by believers here and now – the blessing of eternal life – was only later (at the beginning of the nineteenth century) again put forward as a truth.
In certain circumstances, the people could be dependent on related nations. They asked if they could use their land, not to live there, but to go through it. The call for a favor did not make them charge a debt on themselves. God’s people, on their way to the blessing of the land, are a rich people. They can use their wealth to give something back for what related nations have given them. If we may benefit from believers who do not know the heavenly blessings, we in turn may give them of the riches God has given us in knowing the things of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6:23
Attitude Toward Moab
Israel’s attitude toward Moab should be like that toward Esau. Moab was also a related nation. The LORD reminds of their origin by calling them “the sons of Lot”.
Deuteronomy 6:24
The Emim and the Horites
Here Israel is informed about the original inhabitants of the area where the Moabites and Edomites now live. From this they can see that God governs everything and gives each nation its own place to live (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26).
The Moabites called the inhabitants “Emim”, which means “terrible” or “frightening”. They were a formidable foe to be deeply impressed by. The fact that these terrifying peoples had been driven out of the land should have been an encouragement to Israel. As God had helped Israel’s relatives to expel large and numerous nations, so He would help Israel do the same. Unfortunately, it underscores Israel’s cowardice of forty years ago, because even with God’s help they were afraid of these enemies (Deuteronomy 1:28; Numbers 13:28; 33). Now, however, they get a new opportunity.
He also used these conquests as a chastisement for the original inhabitants. The lesson is that God takes away a blessing in the event of unfaithfulness and can give it to another who then must undergo testing too. Additionally highlighted here is that acquired property is of a temporary nature.
Deuteronomy 6:25
The Emim and the Horites
Here Israel is informed about the original inhabitants of the area where the Moabites and Edomites now live. From this they can see that God governs everything and gives each nation its own place to live (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26).
The Moabites called the inhabitants “Emim”, which means “terrible” or “frightening”. They were a formidable foe to be deeply impressed by. The fact that these terrifying peoples had been driven out of the land should have been an encouragement to Israel. As God had helped Israel’s relatives to expel large and numerous nations, so He would help Israel do the same. Unfortunately, it underscores Israel’s cowardice of forty years ago, because even with God’s help they were afraid of these enemies (Deuteronomy 1:28; Numbers 13:28; 33). Now, however, they get a new opportunity.
He also used these conquests as a chastisement for the original inhabitants. The lesson is that God takes away a blessing in the event of unfaithfulness and can give it to another who then must undergo testing too. Additionally highlighted here is that acquired property is of a temporary nature.