Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as we walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14:

I read a book on habits last year. It was all about how to break bad habits and develop the habits you want that will make your life better. Habits are built on neurological processes. Your brain uses chemicals to prompt you to do certain things in certain situations. For instance, when it is late in the afternoon and you’re feeling that slump, your body is cued to eat some chocolate to help the slump. With the help of chemicals, this cue makes you crave the chocolate. The craving triggers a response in you: get some chocolate. When you eat the chocolate, you are rewarded with chemicals that make you feel satisfied. So tomorrow, when you feel that slump again, guess what will happen: cue, craving, response, reward. You will strengthen your habit loop.

In order to build habits, you have to establish patterns of behavior that are non-negotiable. If you to start exercising, then you can’t let your feelings dictate whether or not you will exercise today. No. It is non-negotiable. You exercise even if you don’t want to exercise. If you keep this up, then eventually, your body will develop a new habit loop. Getting home from work will cue you to put on your walking shoes. Putting on your walking shoes will make you desire the fresh air and happy feeling you get from walking, so you will head outdoors. Finishing your walk will be satisfying because you know you followed through with your goal. If ever you cave to not walking, then your habit loop may take longer to grow. That’s my problem. I cave. I give myself excuses. I don’t make things non-negotiable. Moses sets up some non-negotiables about tithes and offerings to the LORD in Deuteronomy 14.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 14:1-2.

Cutting yourself and shaving your forehead for the dead were pagan practices that God did not want the Israelites to make part of their worship. Even though they seemed innocent enough, they were not something God told them to do, therefore, they were to refrain from those practices.

Read Deuteronomy 14:3-21.

What were the two qualifications for a clean animal?

Give some examples of clean and unclean animals.

Verse 21 gives two directives. List them.

Boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk was part of a pagan fertility ritual. God forbade this sort of worship.

Read Deuteronomy 14:22-29.

What were the Israelites to tithe?
Where were the supposed to go with this tithe?

In whose presence were they to eat this tithe?

What was the “so that,” the reason for this tithe?

If the distance was too great, what were their instructions?

They were to remember the Levite in their own town? Why?

What do you remember about the inheritance of the Levite?

Who else are they called to remember?

What is the blessing given for observance of these things?

Love. Remember. Fear. Observe. Teach. Be blessed. We see this pattern God has established in these verses. He wanted them to be set apart from the other nations. He wanted them follow Him alone. This meant they were going to be different.

Being different is sometimes difficult. It is within our nature to want to be like those around us. Most people feel uncomfortable standing out. We tend to assimilate to whatever culture or sub-culture in which we are immersed. It would take intentionality for the Israelites to follow the LORD. It will take intentionality for us to follow Jesus as well. The cultural current will drown your identity in Christ. You must purposefully make decisions, develop routines, and live your life with focus.

I have a friend who is a model of intentional living for the Lord. For her, some things are non-negotiable: going to church each week, tithing, Bible study and prayer each morning, community group, giving back to her local community through outreach projects. She would have to be really, really sick or have some extreme circumstance to miss one of these activities. They are non-negotiable.

I need to be more like my friend, because sometimes I let little things get in the way. I’ve got lots of chores I didn’t finish, so I’ll skip church. I’m a little tired, so I’ll sleep in instead of getting up to do my Bible study and prayer. My list of excuses could go on. Truth be told, I’m setting myself up as my own idol when I do this. It’s what I want. I satisfy my own heart.

We don’t have a list of clean and unclean animals to eat as New Testament believers, or a list of specific tithes and specific places to give them. Read what Paul has to say in Romans.

Read Romans 14:17-19.

What pleases the Lord?

Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit are all found in Jesus.

Read Philippians 3:9.</b>

Where does our righteousness come from?

Why is it given to us?

Why do we have peace with God?

Read Romans 5:1-5.

How should this peace affect our lives?

This peace with God puts us in a place of assurance. We no longer strive to win His approval. We have it through Jesus. This frees us up to follow Him through hard times, persevering in our hope, building our character, and bringing glory to Him. Our peace is one that transcends the troubles of this world. Why? Because we know what is to come. Our inheritance awaits!
Our salvation brings great joy to the LORD. I love the words of Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” What a beautiful picture of our Lord rejoicing over our salvation, singing over us in joy. This is the reason Hebrews describes Jesus’s trip to the cross in the way it does.

>Read Hebrews 12:1-2.
What was set before Jesus as he endured the cross?

Joy! It was the joy of our salvation that made Jesus go to the cross. He went to the cross knowing how terrible it would be to face the wrath of Almighty God, but He did it knowing the joy in the completed work was worth it. Can you imagine? Jesus went to the cross out of joy for our salvation! Jesus is the Mighty Warrior who saves us and rejoices over us with singing.

We do not have a list of tithes or offerings to give, but with this in mind, shouldn’t we follow the Lord out of thankfulness? Shouldn’t we have some non-negotiables in our lives that speak of our love for Him? We should never go to church or read or Bible or tithe out of obligation. No. We do it out of thankfulness and love. It is our offering to Him, our Mighty Warrior who saves. Love. Remember. Fear. Observe. Teach. Be blessed – because of Jesus!

Lesson to Remember: Our salvation comes from our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A Way to Walk: Be thankful for what Jesus did for you on the cross. Take some times to set up some non-negotiables that honor the Lord and come from a heart full of joy.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as we walk to the Promised Land

CHAPTER 13:

We are in the middle of a pandemic, the likes of which the world has not seen in 100 years. Schools are closed. Work places are shutting down. Grocery store shelves are empty. People are told to stay inside to escape being exposed to the deadly virus. Stop the spread and flatten the curve is the mantra of the world. God warned the Israelites of a contagious disease long ago. A disease of the heart.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 13:1-5.

What is this passage telling the Israelites to do?

Read Deuteronomy 13:6-11.

What is this passage telling the Israelites to do?

What will be the effect of the punishment?

Read Deuteronomy 13:12-18.

What are they told to do in this passage?

What is the sin in all three scenarios presented in chapter 13?

How is this a matter of the heart?

What is God preventing with these commands?


Ouch! This is really hard to swallow. We wouldn’t do this today, of course. As New Testament believers, we are not called to do these things, but to think our God commanded this is really hard to defend in our modern world. Go against your own family and friends? Destroy a whole city? That sounds extreme to our modern ears. God is making a point, though. This kind of thinking, this kind of heart is extremely contagious. It will spread like a highly contagious virus infecting everyone if it isn’t stopped.

Imagine if no one followed the LORD, no one loved Him, and everyone worshipped some other god, or even themselves. What would the world be like then? I don’t even want to imagine the chaos and misery that would ensue. God is saying, “Stop the spread. Flatten the curve.” In the middle of this coronavirus chaos, I totally understand the concept in a way I never had before this crazy time. I’m not saying go out and destroy people who don’t follow Christ. No. I’m just saying I get it on a little different level now. Remember: the Old Testament is a physical picture of the spiritual lessons offered in the New Testament.

I think one of the hardest things to do is what God commanded in verses 6-11: call out your family members and close friends. “Don’t spare them. Don’t conceal them,” He says. I don’t know about you, but I tend to compromise when it comes to the people I love. I don’t want to hurt them. I don’t want them to think I don’t love them. I don’t want to ruin the relationship, so I often keep my mouth shut. But compromising God’s word always leads to corruption. If I make allowances for that person close to me, pretty soon I’m thinking, “Well that’s not too bad. Surely God will overlook that in everyone.” And when my viewpoint changes, then I stop reaching out with the truth, which is right where the enemy wants me to rest: blind and quiet.

Deuteronomy give us a physical picture of what is happening spiritually: the people don’t believe and are spreading their mindset. Friends, this is happening today. Apostasy, the falling away from God’s truth, is all around us. Jesus would not have us going out to kill our family or destroy an entire city physically. He would have us confronting unbelief with His truth that we are all sinners, and that He has redeemed us from our slavery to sin. Jesus would have us utterly destroying the lies that serving this world can fulfill us. We must share the Word of God with those around us, the people who don’t believe, who are stuck in sin and need His truth. We must share in love and with grace but not silence. Spiritual sickness leads to spiritual death . . . and we have the cure!

Hebrews 4:12 reveals our weapon: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Silence will spread the infection of disbelief and sin. Silence will lead to their spiritual death. We have the opportunity to stop the contagion and offer the cure found in God’s Word, but it will take effort. It will make us uncomfortable at times. Is it worth it? Yes, because sharing His truth will save lives and increase His people. It will make people spiritually healthy, and that brings honor and glory to Him. Is it worth it? Yes! Our God is worth all praise and honor and glory forever. Amen!

Who is on your mind right now? Who do you need to share God’s truth with?

Pray and ask that God will help you?

He is faithful. He will do it!

Lesson to Remember: God deserves our respect and worship.

A Way to Walk: You have the cure for the spiritually dead heart. Reach out and share God’s truth with those around you. It will bring glory and honor to Him.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as we walk to the Promised Land

CHAPTER 12:

As soon as I stepped onto the back porch, I knew something had gone terribly wrong. I do not have a screened-in porch at my home, but our little river house has one. I love it! I enjoy sitting there watching the river, appreciating the sights and sounds of outdoors from my comfy chair. However, my porch was a mess. There were white stains everywhere, which I later discovered was bird poop. The screens had all been sliced and poked with something sharp. What in the world had gone down in here? It didn’t take long form our neighbors to come over and fill us in. An owl had gotten onto our porch and couldn’t get out. They heard it banging around and helped it escape. It took a frantic moment of flapping and shooing, but eventually, the owl found its way out the door. I’m not sure how the owl got in. Maybe we left a screen door open; we just aren’t sure. It left quite a mess – one we haven’t totally fixed yet. My screen still has some slices and holes. Sometimes we let things in to our home accidentally.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 12:1-7.

What were the Israelites to destroy? Why?

Where were they supposed to seek the LORD?

Read Deuteronomy 12:8-12.


Moses tells them they cannot do what they’ve been doing, which was just doing what was right in their own eyes. In other words, they were being slack. He warns them to do what is right when they enter the Promised Land. They were supposed to bring their offerings and ________________ (verse 12) before the LORD. I’m not sure what they weren’t doing. Bringing the offering or rejoicing, but whatever it was, their heart was not fully committed to worshipping the LORD. This, of course, was going to bring them trouble later.

Read on to find out what they were and were not supposed to do with their offering.

Read Deuteronomy 12:13-32.

What were the 2 warnings given to them in verses 28 and 30?

What is the warning is verse 32?

Why do you think people are so easily led astray, so easily distracted?

What sorts of things distract us from the Lord today?

What is your greatest distraction?


This chapter has two messages: 1) beware of the pagan gods and avoid them; 2) worship God in the way He has established. God knew the danger of walking into a land where other worship was happening. He knew this worship would intrigue them; they would want to know more. Once seen, once learned, these ideas would make their way into the Israelite’s worship of Him, and eventually lead them far away.

Here’s the thing: once you’ve seen something, it is hard to get rid of that image, that idea. It might be gross or disturbing at first, but the more you are exposed, the more you become desensitized. This about TV. The mature scenarios that fill our screens today would have been unheard of fifty years ago. We’ve lost our innocence. And what’s worse is that those innocent scenes don’t entertain us anymore. We crave the explicit. A desensitized person with no filter will always be available for the next level. Compromise of our morals always leads to corruption.

It makes me wonder about myself. How desensitized am I? What have I compromised? What will I tolerate next? I don’t want to continue on this cultural curse. I hear God’s words directed at me: “Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God” (v. 28).

Maybe this requires a detox. You know how people do on those diets to detox their bodies? They refrain from eating most foods and they drink herbal supplements instead to help get rid of impurities in their body, or even cravings for food they don’t need. I think we need a mental detox, a heart detox. We need to go on a cultural diet, stay away from the places and things that fill our minds with ungodly ideas, unholy scenes. We need to supplement our daily thoughts with God’s word to fortify our minds and grow our spiritual selves. We need to rebuild our habits, filling our time with things that honor Him.
I can’t think of a better time than now during this pandemic stay-at-home command. It is the perfect opportunity to refocus our lives on Christ. When things reboot and the world starts moving once again, we can choose the activities to add back. We can cast away the things that have kept us from our Lord. With prayer and petition, the filter on our lives and homes can be reset. It is so easy to be unwittingly allow something into our heart and minds that is destructive. Like the owl on my porch, it can leave things in shambles. It’s time to grab hold of Jesus and never look back, “for you will be doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.”

Lesson to Remember: God is Lord over all.

A Way to Walk: Being lax in our worship will affect our walk with the Lord. Remember to worship by offering and rejoicing before the Lord.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land

CHAPTER 11:

I just got back from the grocery store. Armed with face masks, gloves, and alcohol spray, my husband and I faced the dangerous journey into a possible war zone. It went fairly well. I found all the things I needed except paper towels. Upon exiting, my husband alcohol sprayed us and I carefully took off my gloves in proper OSHA fashion. We made it. I guess! Actually, who knows? As we unloaded the groceries onto our kitchen floor, I couldn’t help but think, “This could be a germ factory right here on the floor.” Seriously, there is no way to know, and you can’t go through life stressing over it. You can follow all the commands of the CDC, and you can heed all the warnings, but you are not promised anything. Like our recent local news, chapter 11 of Deuteronomy is full of commands and warnings, but unlike our news, it also offers promises.

Let’s remember where we left off. Back up and read 10:20-22.

What were the Israelites to remember?

Now read Deuteronomy Chapter 11:1-7. Look for the therefore statement.

Who was Moses speaking to in this passage?

What was significantly different about these people as opposed to their children?

In one generation, the Israelites who witnessed God’s great works in the exodus from Egypt would be gone. Why would it be important to remember and teach their children about these awesome events?

What should you be teaching your children or grandchildren about God?

Read Deuteronomy 11:8-12.

How is the Promised Land described in this passage?

Read Deuteronomy 11:13-17.

This passage contains an if-then statement. The “if” contains two parts and is found in verse 13. What two things must they do?

Is this a new command or a reminder of one already given?


Why is it stated again, do you think?

What does the LORD promise to them if they love and serve Him?

What is the warning?

Read verses 18-21.

What things will they need to do to remember the LORD?

What is the promise given in verse 22?

Read verses 22-25.

What is the if-then statement given here?

Read verses 26-32.

The Israelites have two choices. What are they?

I don’t think the LORD could have made it any clearer. The Israelites had two choices: blessing or curse. He even made them physically place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. Nothing like a physical picture of something that isn’t tangible to make you understand. He wanted them to know He was serious and this was real. Blessing. Curse. Your choice.

Obviously, God wanted to bless them. He described it and gave specific directions. It’s the same thing He has been telling them throughout Deuteronomy: love, remember, fear, observe, teach, be blessed. That’s all He’s asking. It seems so simple, and yet . . . The Israelites had lived with the presence of God visibly in front of them. The pillar of cloud had been among their camp for forty years. They had seen what God could do, and yet . . . they had a hard time obeying. How much harder would it be for them in a land full of distractions, where they wouldn’t need to depend on the Lord, and when that generation who saw the miracles was gone?

Do you remember the disciple Thomas that walked with Jesus? He was the skeptical one, doubting that Jesus had risen from the grave. He boasted that he would not believe unless he could put his finger in the place of the nails and his hand in his side (John 20:25). When Jesus appeared to the disciples again and Thomas was present, Jesus offered his wounds for inspection. Thomas believed and declared, “My LORD, my God!” Jesus responded, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:28-29).

We have not had the privilege of the Israelites in living with the pillar of cloud in which the LORD Almighty dwells. We have not had the honor of walking with Jesus or inspecting his wounds like Thomas and the other disciples. And yet . . .there is evidence of our Lord all around – in creation, in the works of the Holy Spirit, in answered prayers. I think it is most fitting to consider John’s final words in chapter 20. I am sure it is the whole point in him writing this book: “Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20: 30-31).

Friend, these are turbulent times. Even if we follow all the commands of health officials, even if we heed every warning posted on the media, there are no guarantees. However, the promises of God are guaranteed. As promised, when we come to the end of our walk, we either have a blessing awaiting us or a curse. The choice is ours. But we must make that choice now. We cannot be like Thomas and boast that we won’t believe until we see it with our own eyes. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed! Will you place your faith in him as your able redeemer? Will you confess your sins and accept His gift of salvation? Will you follow Christ?

Lesson to Remember: God is faithful to His promises
A Way to Walk: Choose daily to walk by faith, following the Lord, for you know your blessing awaits!

Deuteronomy: lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land

CHAPTER 10:

My mom passed away almost 3 years ago at the time I’m writing this. She didn’t have much to leave her children: some household items we wanted, pictures, books, a little money in a bank account. My inheritance was not grand if you measure it by tangible items. But my mom did leave a legacy of other things: traditions, a sense of family, a spirit of adventure, and some really great mottos to live by. Such sayings included, “Everything should have a place . . . and it should be there” and “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” But the thing I am most grateful to have inherited from my mother is faith in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Despite all of her short-comings, my mom loved Jesus, and she wanted all of her kids to love Jesus as well.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 10:1-9.

What event does Moses recall for the Israelites in verses 1-5?

Which tribe was set apart and what was their job?

The Levites will not receive any land as an inheritance in the Promised Land. What do they receive instead?

Inheritance. What does that mean? Webster’s defines inheritance as “the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations.” The Israelites would not acquire any land, but instead would acquire the LORD. Like the Levites, there is nothing in this world that is our inheritance. Despite the fact that we may be left some possessions from a relative or even some quirky sayings, our spiritual inheritance is not bound to this earth. No. We have a different inheritance.

Read 1Peter 1:3-5.

Who has secured this inheritance for you?

What words describe this inheritance?

Where is your inheritance located?

Our inheritance is secured by Christ, granted to us by faith, and protected by God. It is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is a living hope given to us in great mercy. Our inheritance isn’t land or money or castles or anything like that. Our inheritance is our heavenly Father. We get Him! I can’t even imagine what that will be like, but just look around you. Look at the beautiful land and sky, the flowers and trees. Think about the forces of nature that keep our universe moving in perfect order. Consider the love and grace He extends to wretched sinners. It is all a reflection of Him, a reflection of our inheritance. When we leave this fading earth, we will be walking into a glorious inheritance beyond our imagining.

Read Romans 8:14-17.

Whose children are we?

Who are we co-heirs with?

Read Colossians 1:9-12.

Verse 12 says that believers have been “qualified” to this inheritance. The previous verses list things that we should do because of this great gift. What are some things we should do?


Our inheritance should put a spirit of gratitude in our hearts. It should cause to desire Him more and grow in our knowledge of Him through study and prayer. We should want to reach out to others with the good news of the gospel. Thankfulness should fill our hearts. That is the attitude we should hold about our inheritance.

Have you considered God as your inheritance? Why or why not?

What holds you back from growing in your knowledge of Him?

What holds you back from sharing Him with others?

Read Deuteronomy 10: 10-22.

What does Moses tell he Israelites to do in verse 16?

Why are they to do this? (Look in verse 17.)


I remember reading this verse with my mom one day. Her take on circumcising your heart? “That hurts!” she said. Mom was right. Cutting the things away that hold our heart back from the Lord does hurt. It requires that we take the time to survey our life, to dig deep at what is rooted in our hearts, and remove the things that don’t belong. And if digging deep isn’t hurtful enough, then you must break those habits and form new God-honoring ones. Cue. Craving. Response. Reward. You must rebuild your habit loop. That takes time, but I can say this: daily time studying scripture, filling your mind with Christ,and prayer can all seriously impact your habit loop. God can and will help you. You will find Him if you search for Him. And who knows, maybe circumcising your heart and rebuilding your habit loop is all a walk in the wilderness meant to bring you closer to the Lord, closer to your inheritance.

This circumcising your heart process is called sanctification. It is the act of making you more holy than you were. If you are continually seeking the LORD in this life, you will be continually in this process. There will always be something the LORD is working on in your heart. “Sanctify me through and through” is the plea of 1 Thessalonians 5:23. It should be our plea too. Walk on, my friend, and be sanctified, for that is God’s will for you.

Lesson to Remember: God is your inheritance.

A Way to Walk: Allow yourself to be sanctified by circumcising your heart and rebuilding your habit loop with God-honoring activities.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land

Chapter 9

My daddy loves his fireplace. As I write this, he is 91 and is still chopping wood and building fires. He is slower than he used to be, his fires aren’t as big and roaring, and sometimes he has a hard time getting one going, but he loves it. He will sit back in his recliner, feet up, and say, “This has been a good fireplace. I’ve really enjoyed it.” To him, a fire means home and relaxation, comfort and contentment. When I go home and sit in front of one of daddy’s fires, that’s what it means to me too. This is not the kind of fire mentioned in Deuteronomy 9.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 9:1-3.

How does God cross over before the Israelites?

Who will destroy and subdue the people in these cities?

Why is it important for the Israelites to know that it is God going before them that will bring their success?

God often gives us the image of a consuming fire when He speaks of His judgement. Deuteronomy 4:24 speaks of God being a consuming fire in His jealousy when His people worshipped other gods. Isaiah 30:27 and Isaiah 33:14 speak of God’s judgement as a “consuming fire.” Lest you think this image is only found in the Old Testament, the writer of Hebrews included it in chapter 12: “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (v. 28-29).

All of these images of consuming fire are found as a result of judgement, judgement of a people who did not follow God, who “trampled under foot the Son of God,” and “regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified,” and “insulted the Spirit of Grace” (Hebrews 10:29). It isn’t politically correct to speak of God’s judgement nowadays. Most don’t want to hear about the powerful consuming fire that says, “VENGEANCE IS MINE. I WILL REPAY. . . THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE” (Hebrews 10:30). And yes, my Bible had that verse in all caps! No, we don’t want that God. We want the one who loves us and forgives us and overlooks our sin. That’s the God we want. The problem is . . . that isn’t the God of the Bible, not Old Testament or New.

How do you feel about God as Judge?

Why is it important that He is a judge?

Would you expect a judge in a court of law today to punish those who had broken the law? Why?

What would our society be like if judges didn’t punish, if everyone knew they could do whatever and never be punished?

If it is important to have a just judge who upholds the law in our society, wouldn’t it be important to have a God who is just as well? Explain.

Why does God let us see Him as this consuming fire, this God of judgement that will repay evil? The answer is two-fold. First, He wants us to know that He is in control and He deserves respect. Fair enough. After all, He is the creator of everything. Second, He wants us to know Him. How could we understand His forgiveness and grace and mercy if we had nothing to be forgiven from? It is our need for forgiveness and grace and mercy that makes us understand these characteristics in God. Without the need, we would never understand in quite the same way. Let’s see what the Israelites needed in the rest of this chapter.

Read Deuteronomy 9:4-29.

Moses was well aware of his audience. He uses the rest of this chapter to remind the Israelites of how UNrighteous they have been. They were a stubborn, rebellious people. They provoked God to anger with the golden calf so much that Moses had to plead and reason with God not to destroy them. Over and over they rebelled. Over and over they provoked the LORD to wrath. Sounds a little like someone I know. Me.

Can you think of any time you have rebelled against the Lord? Explain.

Moses would come before the Lord and plead for the Israelites. How did you work out your rebellion with the Lord? If you didn’t, now is a good time. Pray and talk to Him.

I love that God makes it so clear in Deuteronomy 9 that He was not acting on their behalf because of anything they had done. They were stubborn and rebellious. God made it clear that He was acting because of His faithfulness and what He had already promised to do.

I think this is so important for us to understand. So many people think that God won’t forgive them because of their past. “I’m not good enough,” they think. God would tell you: No. You aren’t good enough. No one is good enough. He saves you because it’s what He promised to do if you reached out to Him.

The Bible word for this is justification. Imagine a court scene where you have broken the law and are on trial. You admit your guilt and confess your sorrow over the wrong-doing. The judge looks at what you’ve done and passes a death sentence as payment for your actions. You know you are guilty. You know you were wrong. You know you deserve death. You don’t want to die, but you know. You hang your head in defeat and anxiety. The court room is silent as the sentence settles on you and you feel its weight. Then someone stands up. Jesus. He says to his Father, the judge, “Here. Send me. I’ll take the punishment for her.” The judge agrees and you are set free as Jesus is taken back in your place. It wasn’t anything you did that set you free. It was what Jesus did on your behalf that set you free. Because of his actions, you have been justified before the Almighty judge. This, my friends, is grace.

Read Ephesians 2:8-9.

How are you saved?

Why is it not because of something you have done?

Read Deuteronomy 8:14 from yesterday’s lesson.

How are Deuteronomy 8:14 and Ephesians 2:8-9 similar?


You need salvation because you are a sinner. You don’t do anything to earn it. Salvation is a gift. All you have to do is realize you need it, confess this to the Lord, then reach out and take the free offering of forgiveness purchased for you by the work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus did this freely for you. Why? Because He desires for you to be with Him. He has already accomplished all the work, paid for all your sin, and justified you before the Father. Now he stands there holding out this free gift. Reach out. Take it. He is faithful. He will do what He has promised.

Lesson to Remember: God is faithful.
A Way to Walk: Walk in faithfulness and thankfulness before Jesus. He is worthy of all praise and honor and glory because he accomplished what you could not.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as we walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8:

Imagine a place where the distractions of the modernized world are minimized because you cannot go where you’d like. No market visits. No entertainment. No work away from home. You’re stuck in a land where supplies are limited, food is short, drink is scarce. Sound familiar? Now imagine that you are told God put you there to humble you, to test you, to reveal what was in your heart, to reveal whether you would follow Him or not. Imagine!

The subtitle in my Bible for Deuteronomy Chapter 8 is “God’s Gracious Dealings.” Even though the Israelites were in the wilderness under these circumstances for 40 years, God was gracious to them. Let’s read and find out why.

Read Deuteronomy Chapter 8:1-5.

Verse 1 gives a “so that” statement. The Israelites were to carefully follow all the commandments so that ___________________________.

Verse 2 uses an important verb – “led.” Who was leading them and why is it important to know this?

In verse 3, how did God humble the people?

How was He also gracious and provide for them?

God gave them manna to eat, a food not known to them or their forefathers. This food came by God’s command to keep them alive. But it was not the manna that kept them alive, it was the Word of God that kept them alive. He wanted them to know that He was their provider. They needed to learn to rely on Him, not on what was around them. In the land they were about to inhabit, it was imperative they knew to rely on the LORD.
In verse 5, what are they to “know in their heart?”

Read Deuteronomy 8:6-14.

God reminds them to remember what He has done and who they are. He is about to give them a lot of things, all the things they’ve lacked in the wilderness and much, much more. They are about to be rich. But with wealth comes distraction.

What is the danger of multiplied possessions? (verse 14)

How does this danger apply to us today?

Are you guilty of not relying on the Lord, or not giving Him credit for your possessions? If so, consider how you might give Him honor for the things He has done for you.

Read Deuteronomy 8:15-20.

What is the warning at the end of the chapter?

You can’t say they weren’t warned. God clearly reasoned with the Israelites. He reasons with us as well, right there in His Word. I love that God reasons with us. He has given us a brain to think things through. We don’t just “believe” in ignorant bliss. No. He created us to logically reason; that is part of the image of God given to us.

The problem is that we allow our emotions too much control. Even Aristotle, in his ancient work title “Rhetoric,” pointed out that when given the choice to use logic or emotion to make decisions, most people will decide based on emotion. I think Jeremiah 17:9 says it best though: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” That’s true. Emotions stimulate and distract us even when we don’t realize that is what is happening. Anger. Love. Desire. Hate. Envy. Longing. The need for approval. Dissatisfaction. We are overwhelmed, seek to soothe and satisfy, then forget all we know to be logical and true. Our hearts become self-seeking.

That’s when the LORD sends us on a walk in the wilderness, a place where we must rely on Him to be our provider, a place where we can refocus our hearts on who He is and who we are called to be as children of God. I can’t help but wonder if that is exactly what is happening in our world today. Are we on a walk in the wilderness to help us remember who is our provider and savior?

Do you see the Church today refocusing their hearts on God? If so, how?

How might this time in the wilderness change the Church?

On a personal level, I have been on some walks in the wilderness. Looking back, the strange thing to me is that I didn’t even know I needed a walk. I wasn’t obviously doing some outward thing that screamed I needed to reign in a certain sinful behavior. My walks were all about heart issues that I’m sure only the LORD noticed. He saw some pride in me and we walked through it. He noticed some areas where I was trying to be in control, and He forced me to let go and rest in Him.

While some of my walks have been difficult and several have been life changing, I would not trade my walks in the wilderness for all the silver and gold in the world. Why? Because the steadfast presence of the LORD is so very real to me now. The love and affection He has for me is almost tangible. I know Him in ways I could have never known otherwise. My walks have been for my good and His glory.

The caveat here is that I walked with Him. I sought Him out. I searched for Him . . . and He led me through the wilderness. I can’t imagine where I’d be if I had traveled alone. Not here, that’s for sure; not in the blessed place of it is well with my soul.

When have you ever walked through the wilderness?

What did you learn about God?

What did you learn about yourself?

Our walks are discipline from a loving Father. They are meant to help us remember who we are in Him, and remember that He is our provider. God is good. He will give us what we need, which is not always what we want. But like the Israelites, we must heed the warning: do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments lest you perish because you would not listen.

Love Him. Remember. Fear. Observe. Teach. Be blessed because of your walks.

Lesson to Remember: God is our provider.
A Way to Walk: Remember your walks through the wilderness and hold tight to the lessons you learned there.