Deuteronomy 2.
IT was not because they chose to, but “as the Lord spoke unto me,” as Moses told the people (verse 1.), that they had turned back into the wilder-
ness which was behind them. They had shown very plainly that they, as a people, —for there were exceptions, —were not fit to go into God’s land. Years had to pass, long years of waiting, and, it is to be hoped, of learning to trust God more, and themselves less, before the children of Israel should hear the call of God to cross the river and enter the land.
His eyes were on them (He never forgets those who are His, though He sends them trial after trial sometimes), and when the right time came, the word was,
“Ye have compassed this mountain long enough; turn you northward” (verse 3). They were reminded that they were only passing through, only travelers to a better land, a home God had prepared for his people, and so they must “take good heed to themselves”, not meddling with the world around, even their relatives that had not the hope set before them that this pilgrim people had.
They had lacked nothing, in all their wandering through that largely uninhabited, uncultivated land, because “the Lord thy God hath been with thee.” What kindness, what love, what mercy, they had experienced from His gracious hand all the way; yes, every day, of the journey through life! And God, in here reminding the children of Israel of their history, does not say a word about their murmuring and complaining; their speaking against Moses, and their many sins.
The strength they had trusted in, more than in God, “the men of war” (verses 14, 15, 16) had to be taken away, and then the forward march to Israel’s land, began in earnest. Then only was it, that dread and fear began among the nations (verse 25) at the report of their coming. Enemies were met; they did not seek them, but rather the enemies came out against them; and the enemies were destroyed.
We may wonder perhaps at God’s directing His people to put whole nations to death, but we must remember these were the nations which God had long before spoken of as to be judged; their day of mercy, long extended, was past.
ML 09/07/1924