Moses was about 120 years old. He had just led Israel in successful campaigns against the Midianites and Amorites. Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh had claimed their territory there. One more assignment lay ahead for Moses. He was going to climb Mount Nebo, gaze upon Canaan, then lie down and die.

But he wasn’t going to leave without saying goodbye. Final words are very important and Moses had a lot to say to Israel.

Deuteronomy means “second telling.” Moses took this opportunity to re-tell the history of Israel since the exodus, and to re-state the laws God had given them on the way.

Introduction to the Story

Moses skipped over the escape from Egypt and the encounter with God at Horeb (Mt. Sinai), and went straight to the promise he made as they set out for the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 1:6-7 Moses quoted God’s offer to give Israel all of the land north of the Negev desert and south of Lebanon, and from the Mediterranean coast in the west to the Euphrates River in the east.

“See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers – to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and to their descendants after them.” Deuteronomy 1:8

A beautiful land lay ahead for Israel, if they would have it.

Getting Organized

The administration of the nation of Israel was too much for one man. As Moses said,

“May the Lord, the God of your ancestors increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised! But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes by myself?” Deuteronomy 1:11-12

God helped Moses appoint wise, respected men from each tribe to serve as commanders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens of people. This became Israel’s judicial system that handled disputes in the camp.

Moses told them, “Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God.” Deuteronomy 1:17

With this organization in place, Israel was ready to move on.

Balking at the Border

God led Israel from Horeb through the “vast and dreadful wilderness” until they reached Kadesh Barnea, the access point to Canaan.

“Then I said to you, ‘You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 1:20-21

The Israelites asked for a preview of Canaan before they went in, so Moses sent a scout from each of the tribes into the land. They gave mixed reviews when they returned, but Moses was ready to take Israel into Canaan anyway.

Crisis Reveals Distrust

The people, however, listened to the negative reports, rebelled and accused God of treachery against them.

 “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us.” Deuteronomy 1:27

But Moses knew God better than his people did and he spoke to them the way a father might speak to his frightened children.

 ^“Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:29-31

God had carried Israel safely through the wilderness, but how quickly they reframed that experience with God! They turned from celebrating his love to suspecting that he hated them.

Sentenced to Wandering

As a result of their distrust and disobedience, the Israelites went back into the desert for forty years and those who had rebelled against God slowly died out.

God could have taken their lives right away, but he let the people live and raise their children, who grew up under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. God patiently shaped a new generation that would do what their parents had failed to do.

Edom, Moab, and Ammon

In Deuteronomy 2:1-25 we learn that Israel was not the only nation to whom God promised land. He told Israel not to violate the sovereignty of Edom, Moab or Ammon.

“Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.” Deuteronomy 2:4-6

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.” Deuteronomy 2:9

“Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any of the land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.” Deuteronomy 2:18

God had enabled the descendants of Esau and Lot to drive out the Anakites and Horites and settle in their lands while Israel was still in Egypt. He made Edom, Moab and Ammon promises that he kept.

This is a picture of how God works in places and with people we may not even be aware of. God is always reaching out to people on the earth.

Israel Captures the Land of the Amorites

The Amorites had a different relationship with God, however. After four hundred years of contending with them, he was ready to replace them with Israelites.

“When Sihon [the Amorite king] and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the Lord our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army.” Deuteronomy 2:32-33

Israel did the same thing to King Og when he came out to fight them, and they ended up with all of the land of the Amorites. The tribe of Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh settled there.

Sticking Together 

The land was good on the east side of the Jordan River where Reuben, Gad and Manasseh settled. They kind of wanted to send the rest of Israel on their way into Canaan and get on with life, but God and Moses wouldn’t let them.

Israel had to stick together until the Promised Land was conquered. Moses reminded the three eastern tribes about this.

“I commanded you at that time: ‘The Lord your God has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of the other Israelites . . . until the Lord gives rest to your fellow Israelites as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you.’” Deuteronomy 3:18-20

There were going to be seven long years of war before the eastern tribes got to go back home to stay.

God Wants Unity

Every time God did anything with Israel he included all of the tribes. They were equally represented by their community leaders and by their participation in the military. To emphasize how much the eastern tribes remained part of the rest of Israel, God sent them ahead of everyone else into Canaan. There was no way for them to drop out and go home; they were at the head of the line.

Jesus prayed for this kind of unity in his body, the Church, in John 17. He wanted all believers to be one with him and with each other. As he prayed for his disciples he said,

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21

The best way for God’s people to represent him in the world is to stick together. Let’s join Jesus in praying for the unity of his body around the world and do all we can to contribute to it.