Deuteronomy 2

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The First Sermon to Moses, Continued

BACKGROUND NOTES


DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Moses reviewed Israel’s journey to Transjordan.

  2. Moses reviewed Israel’s conquest of Transjordan.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Remember the right way is sometimes the long way.

QUESTIONS

  1. How long was the Children of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land?

  2. What is notable about verses 10-12 and 20-23?

  3. What is Transjordan?

  4. Why did God route the Children of Israel through Transjordan to enter Canaan from the east, rather than going straight north from Kadesh Barnea?

  5. Why were the Israelites instructed to fight the Amorites in Transjordan but not the Edomites, the Moabites, or the Ammonites?

ANSWERS

  1. They spent a total of 40 years between Egypt and Canaan with 38 of those years actually wandering in the wilderness.

  2. These verses, possibly marked by parenthesis in your Bible, were likely added later by another inspired writer. This is not a problem for the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture. The doctrine of inspiration does not require every book of Scripture be written totally by one author.

  3. Transjordan is the east side of the Jordan River.

  4. One reason was so the Children of Israel would see the miracle of the Jordan River held back, since this generation had not seen the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. Another reason was so the Amorites on the east side would be defeated and would not come to the aid of the Amorites or Canaanites on the West side of the Jordan River during the conquest of Canaan.

  5. The Edmonites were descendants of Esau. And the Moabites and Ammonites were descendants of Lot. God had given these distant relatives of the Children of Israel the land where they dwelt to the east and southeast of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. God’s people were not to take what God had not given them – then or today.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. The fact that Israel was to leave no survivors in their conquest can be a hard concept to comprehend. It must be viewed from the divine viewpoint. Discuss the two points given regarding this instruction.

CHALLENGE

  1. For Israel, the right way into the Promised Land was the long way. The same may be true in your life as well. Does God seem to be taking you on a detour from your plan for your life? Remember the right way is sometimes the long way.

KEY VERSES

  • “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.” Deuteronomy 2:4-5

  • “And the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’” Deuteronomy 2:31

Deuteronomy, Old Testament, TalksRon ReidDEUTERONOMY 2