Read Deuteronomy 3
Highlights:
Og, King of Bashan; division of the land; Moses' prayer to enter Canaan; his view of the promised land; his plea for national obedience; warning against idolatry; cities of refuge chosen.
And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt (Deut. 4:37).
The new generation of Israelites that grew up in the wilderness experienced many changes. The desert "wanderings" ceased as they settled within the promised land of Canaan. Houses replaced the tents, produce from the land replaced the manna.
Not only did Moses declare the Law of God to this new generation, but most precious of all, they experienced a new revelation of God — the revelation of His love!
From the time of creation in Genesis through the Book of Numbers — almost 3,000 years — nothing is said about the love of God. But in the Book of Deuteronomy, it is repeated four times: The Lord . . . loved thy fathers (4:35-37); the Lord loved you (7:8); The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them (10:15); the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee (23:5).
This added revelation was to strengthen the new generation's faith in Him to lead them into the promised land. But the supreme manifestation of the love of God was yet to be revealed.
Yes, God loved Israel, and He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). As many as received Him (Jesus) . . . gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (1:12-13).
Jesus further explained how and why we receive this new nature of God: Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (3:5-7).
Believe and receive the love-gift of eternal life and let Jesus express His will through you. He said: He that hath My Commandments, and keepth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him (14:21).
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (1 John 4:11).
Thought for Today:
It is easy to say that we love God, but the true test is: Do we show that love to the people we see daily?
Christ Portrayed:
By Joshua who led the Israelites into their inheritance (Deut. 3:28). Through Jesus we receive His promised inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in Me (Acts 26:18).
Word Studies:
3:7 spoil, plunder; prey, prize of the war; 3:18 meet, fit; 3:28 charge, commission (also 31:14); 4:2 diminish ought, take away anything; 4:10 fear, have reverential heartfelt submission to and respect for (also 14:23; 28:58; Josh. 22:5); 4:13 covenant, binding agreement with all qualifications given by God (also 5:2; 33:9); 4:14 possess, live in; 4:19 divided, allotted; 4:27 heathen, Gentile people; 4:30 tribulation, distress, suffering; 4:34 assayed, ever tried; 4:41 severed, separated; 4:42 unawares, accidentally.
Prayer Suggestion: Wives, ask the Lord to give you a submissive spirit to your husbands as if it were to the Lord (Eph. 5:22).
Optional Reading: Luke 17
Memory Verse for the Week: Ephesians 3:20
