Deuteronomy 3-4    Listen

King Og was huge! (Deuteronomy 3:1-22)

1 “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
2 And the LORD said to me, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’
3 ¶ “So the LORD our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, with all his people, and we attacked him until he had no survivors remaining.
4 And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
5 All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many rural towns.
6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city.
7 But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.
8 ¶ “And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon
9 (the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir),
10 all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salcah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
11 ¶ “For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.
12 ¶ “And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, and half the mountains of Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites.
13 The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. (All the region of Argob, with all Bashan, was called the land of the giants.
14 Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and called Bashan after his own name, Havoth Jair, to this day.)
15 ¶ “Also I gave Gilead to Machir.
16 And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead as far as the River Arnon, the middle of the river as the border, as far as the River Jabbok, the border of the people of Ammon;
17 the plain also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the east side of the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
18 ¶ “Then I commanded you at that time, saying: ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All you men of valor shall cross over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel.
19 But your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall stay in your cities which I have given you,
20 until the LORD has given rest to your brethren as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God is giving them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.’
21 ¶ “And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms through which you pass.
22 You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.’

Still encamped along the east side of the Jordan River, ready to go into Canaan, Moses recalls for the Hebrews the recent battle against King Og in the near vicinity of their current location. Remember? He's the big man with the little name (Numbers 21:33-35, see notes). They captured the big man's bed (he was finished with it) and put it on display. HOW HUGE WAS OG? Don't know, but the bed he slept in was 13.5 feet by 6 feet...and it was made of iron. The conquered territory was subsequently given to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (verses 12-13) at their request. This transaction was negotiated with Moses in Numbers 32 (see notes). The other half of Manasseh settled on the west side of the Jordan River with the remaining tribes. Other references to Og are Deuteronomy 1:4; 4:47; 31:4; Joshua 2:10; 9:10; 13:12,30). The memory of this great conquest was a monumental victory all through the national history of Israel, as is the case hundreds of years later in Psalms 135:11 and 136:20. When times were tough for the Jews, they would look back to God's miraculous provision on that day.

Please allow me to interrupt this history lesson by Moses (which began in Deuteronomy 1, see notes) to make an observation and an application for New Testament Believers. As the Hebrews are poised on the east side of the Jordan River ready to go into Canaan and realize the victory God had promised them all the way back to Abraham, Moses is intent on recalling, for the sake of a memorial, how they got where they are. His record serves to show them what it was like when they rebelled against God, followed by how glorious it is to obey God. These milestones in Israel's history were memorials of God's provisions - reflecting both good times and bad times. New Testament Believers would do well to remember the milestones in their Christian lives, beginning with their very salvation experience, accompanied by the victories God has provided since that time. When circumstances are discouraging and it seems that Satan has you on the run, reflect back on God's grace and those milestone provisions. When you're discouraged and your negative emotions begin to get the best of you, go to Philippians 4:1-9 (see notes) for a refresher course on God's provisions. When it seems hopeless, THINK GOD!

Moses recalls some bad news (Deuteronomy 3:23-29)

23 ¶ “Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying:
24 “O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?
25 I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’
26 ¶ “But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.
27 Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan.
28 But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’
29 ¶ “So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.

While Moses is reflecting, may as well remind them of this: Moses won't be making the final leg of the journey. As he tells the Hebrews why, he does remind them that it was THEIR FAULT he would not be accompanying them (verse 26). Now keep in mind, this incident about which Moses is reflecting did not happen because of their fathers 38 years ago; this is a recent occurrence (Numbers 20:1-13, see notes). He's not finished bringing that point up - says it again in 4:21 (see below). However, Moses does get to SEE the new real estate from the top of Mount Pisgah (aka Nebo) in the mountain range of Abarim. It's going to be Joshua to lead them in.

Here's the answer to a Bible trivia question in verse 29, "Where was Moses buried?" Answer: Beth Peor, on the east side of the Jordan River.

Your Law makes the difference (Deuteronomy 4:1-14)

1 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.
2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor.
4 But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you.
5 ¶ “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.
6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
7 ¶ “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?
8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
10 especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, “Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’
11 ¶ “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.
12 And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.
13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.

Chapter 4 still finds Moses addressing the Hebrews, but he begins this section with a solemn reminder in verse 1, "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you." Incentive (verse 3): If you don't keep it, you will die - even makes reference to the Baalpeor incident in Numbers 25 (see notes) and the deaths as a result of their idolatry to make his point. That leads to the comment in verse 4 where he points out that they are alive today because they kept the law. We see in verses 7-8 that Israel is distinguished both by its God and by its law. These two realities are inseparable. Here's the deal: No other nation was ever given the Law of God as Israel was; it's the key to their success.

This is a whole new generation than those who left Egypt with Moses 38+ years ago. In verses 9-14, Moses recounts the revelation from God at Mount Horeb (Sinai) in order to instruct the present generation, who did not experience it. Look at the principle Moses drives home to these Hebrews: The Law God has given the Hebrews, the covenant represented by the Ten Commandments (verse 13), makes the Israelites unique among all the nations of the world. God never blessed another nation in such a manner.

The reference there to Horeb is significant. That's the mountain range where Israel set up camp for the first year out of Egypt - where they received the tablets containing the Ten Commandments of God (verse 13). One of its summits was called Sinai. That's also where Moses had kept sheep for his father-in-law previous to the whole Exodus experience - the location of the burning bush (Exodus 3, see notes). Moses reminds them that Israel stood at the foot of the mountain as God gave the Law to Moses (Exodus 19-21, see notes). Remember the smoke and fire on the mountain as Israel stood at the bottom (Exodus 19:18)?

Making idols is baaaaaad - real baaaaaaad! (Deuteronomy 4:15-24)

15 ¶ “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
16 lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,
17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.
19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
20 But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.
21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
22 But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land.
23 Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Moses again issues the prohibition against making any image that might be used as an idol. Egypt had been filled with such images, and the Egyptians worshipped them. Such was also the case with the heathen nations Israel would be displacing in Canaan. The temptation was so great to make these images the object of worship, they were just banned...period! Incidentally, Israel was infested with idol worship for much of their history until their final demise in 586 B.C. Because the other nations around them were into idol worship, Israel just kept going back to it themselves - so much for the advantages of being part of a global community!

Now Moses isn't bitter, but here it is again - a reminder in verses 21-22 that he was not getting the big payoff (entry into Canaan, see above) BECAUSE OF THEM! Do the right thing and God will bless you. God gives them a formula for success as they enter the new land: Serving God will bring success; turning from God will bring failure.

Is this a prophecy or just a warning? (Deuteronomy 4:25-31)

25 ¶ “When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger,
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.
27 And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you.
28 And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice
31 (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

It's almost as though Moses is certain that future generations of Hebrews will fall into idolatry and subsequently fall as a nation. It's difficult to know whether Moses is speaking from prophetic knowledge or whether he is just giving a warning here, but he accurately conveys what will happen to Israel in their future. When the day comes that Israel will become idolaters, "the LORD shall scatter you among the peoples." In fact, that did happen, and the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell for just that reason in 721 B.C. (II Kings 17, see notes) and the Southern Kingdom in 586 B.C. (II Kings 24, see notes). But wait! There's a promise of restoration in verse 30, "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice." And why will Israel be restored? There it is in verse 31, "(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them." That return is recorded in the Book of Ezra (see notes).

Do you want to live longer? (Deuteronomy 4:32-40)

32 ¶ “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard.
33 Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?
34 Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.
36 Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.
37 And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power,
38 driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day.
39 Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
40 You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”

Learn a lesson from your ancestors; keep the law! Here's the guarantee for the future ventures in Deuteronomy 4:40, "You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time."

In making his point, Moses recalls the miracles which Israel had witnessed unlike any other nation on earth in verses 33-35, "Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him." And...why did God do all of this? It's back to verse 31 (see above), because of "the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."

Where can you run when you committed a big No No? (Deuteronomy 4:41-43)

41 ¶ Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,
42 that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:
43 Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

We are told that if a man were slain, eastern culture considered the duty of avenging him was the obligation of his nearest relative. Genesis 9:6 (see notes) specifies the reality of capital punishment where it states, "Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man." The regulations concerning the Cities of Refuge are found in Numbers 35:9-34 (see notes); Deuteronomy 19:1-13 (see notes); Joshua 20 (see notes). We see here the designation of the three cities that were established on the east side of the Jordan. These were only safe havens if your killing was accidental. You still had to have a trial, and if you were found guilty, the Cities of Refuge were no longer safe havens for you. These three are named (on the east side of the Jordan River) in verse 43, "Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites." A table listing all six cities of refuge may be viewed in the notes accompanying Joshua 20 (see notes).

Moses introduces the law...again! (Deuteronomy 4:44-49)

44 ¶ Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.
45 These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt,
46 on this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt.
47 And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,
48 from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),
49 and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

Must be important - we're getting ready to cover the Law all again. Moses wants to be clear about the provisions of God's Law with these Israelites before they head over the Jordan into Canaan. Since their success in battle rests upon keeping the law, we're going to make sure they understand the whole thing...thoroughly. In these verses we see the big introduction of the restating of the whole law to follow in the subsequent chapters. We should remember, however, that the first giving of the law was done in the presence of their parents 39 years ago. The Ten Commandments are restated in Deuteronomy 5 (see notes).