Deuteronomy 3:21-4:9
When the children of Israel had conquered these nations, with their walled cities and gates and bars (and many of the men were giants too), then the nations across the Jordan in Canaan were afraid, for no matter what great boasts men may make of their power, there is always a fear and trembling underneath it all. God told the children of Israel not to fear their enemies, for it was He who was giving them the victory. When we are walking to please God, the world is far more afraid of us than we ever need to be of them. Let us always fear God, but not men! “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”
At this time Moses requested that he might go over and see the goodly land of Canaan which God had promised to His people, but God would not allow him to do so because of his failure in losing his patience with the people at Meribah. It is a serious thing to lose one’s patience with the people of God, no matter how much they try us. They are God’s people and He loves them. Moses was told, however, to encourage and strengthen the hands of Joshua who was to be used of the Lord to lead the people into the land, and this he did. It is sweet to find one who has come under the government of God for failure, not smarting under it, but submitting, and still seeking to encourage others in the path. This was truly an evidence of the grace of God in Moses’ heart.
Full Obedience to God’s Word
Once again the Lord reminded the people of the need of full obedience to Him and His Word. Moses told them that they were not to add to the Word God had commanded, nor to take away from it, for God had already shown His solemn judgment upon those who did so. Of course we know that this is law and not grace, but a similar message is given in Revelation 22:18-19, warning of the solemnity of adding to or taking away from God’s Word. I do not believe any real Christian would do this, but if we fail to obey it, or add our own thoughts to it, are we not doing much the same thing? This is very searching, is it not? And so here, the children of Israel were told to keep and do the commandments of God. He also told them that this would be their wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations around, and it is indeed our wisdom to walk in obedience to the Word of God too. Even a child who walks in simple, unquestioning obedience to the Word of God is kept. He need not learn about all the evil things in the world in order to escape them, but by reading his Bible and just doing what God has said, he will be preserved.
How foolish the “prudence” of unbelief, for what is sweeter and more simple than to know that an all-wise Father, who loves us perfectly, has not left us to take one step according to our own wisdom. He who loved us enough to give His blessed Son to die in our guilty stead has not only provided for our eternal salvation through His shed blood, but has graciously marked out the pathway too.
God warned them of the different ways by which they might lose the Word which He had given them. They might add to it, or take from it, or they might willfully fail to walk in it. Then, too, they might forget it, or perhaps lose heart-interest in it. Moreover if they did not fail in these things themselves, they might neglect to teach them to their children and grandchildren. Alas how often this has been done!
Further Meditations
1. Why was Moses not allowed to enter the land of Canaan?
2. How do we escape the evil that is around us in the world?
3. Simple daily obedience is part of the secret to a happy Christian life. You can find more on the subject in The Secret to a Happy Fruitful Christian Life: Part 1 by B. Anstey.