Moses’ sermon #1

Author’s preface

1:1-5

• Moses spoke to Israel on Day 1, Month 11, Year 40 [of calendar begun in Ex 12:2],
• while they were across [east of] the Jordan river in [the Plains of] Moab [having arrived there in Num 22:1]

Part A: A short historical recap

1:6-8

• [Year 2]: God said, ‘Leave Horeb [a.k.a. Sinai] & enter the Promised Land’ [See Ex 33:1, Num 10:11-13]

1:9-18

• Moses had appointed judges to assist him [in settling legal disputes] [See Ex 18:25-26]

1:19-33

• At Kadesh: the Israelites spied on the Promised Land then refused to enter [See Num 13:1 – 14:10]

1:34-46

• God became angry; He stopped the Israelites from entering the Land [See Num 14:11-45]

2:1-8

• [Year 40]: After many days [& years] of journeying, God said, ‘Go past Edom, but do not fight Edomites (descendants of Esau)’ [brother of Jacob, Gen 25:24-26] [See Num 21:4]

2:9-12

• God said, ‘Do not fight Moabites (descendants of Lot)’ [Abraham’s nephew, Gen 11:27, 19:36-37]

2:13-16

• At Zered: All the fighting men [counted in Census A, Num 1:45-46] died in the last 38 years

[from Year 2 of the calendar (when, at Kadesh, they refused to enter the Land) to Year 40] [See Num 21:12]

2:17-23

• God said ‘Do not fight Ammonites (descendants of Lot)’ [Gen 19:36, v38] [See Num 21:13-15]

2:24-37

• The Israelites defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites & destroyed his cities [See Num 21:21-32]

3:1-11

• The Israelites defeated Og, king of Bashan & destroyed his cities [See Num 21:33-35]

3:12-20

• The land [east of the Jordan] was given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad & half of Manasseh on condition that they fight for the Promised Land [west of the Jordan, cf. Josh 22:1-9] [See Num ch. 32]

3:21-29

• Moses encouraged Joshua [as next leader]; Moses will not enter the Land [See Num 27:12-23]

Part B: An exhortation to keep God’s Law

4:1-4

• Hear the Law (neither add to it nor subtract from it) so you can stay alive & enter the Land;
• you saw idolaters of Baal-Peor killed [Num 25:3-9] & by holding to God you stayed alive

4:5-8

• Keep the Law, and other nations will recognise that you are wise & that God is with you

4:9

• Guard your [own, personal] soul from forgetting the Law, & teach it to your children (cf. 6:4-9)

4:10-20

• Remember at Horeb [a.k.a. Sinai], God was hidden from sight when He gave you the ten commandments [see Ex 20:1-23], so do not make an image [as a god] nor worship creation

4:21-31

• God had been angry with Moses, therefore Moses will not enter the Land [see Num 20:12];
• [therefore] do not provoke God to anger or you will be thrust out of the Land [into exile],
• [however] if you then seek God with all your heart [in repentance], He will show you mercy

4:32-40

• Consider: you heard God’s voice [Ex 19:9, 20:18-22] & you saw His saving power in Egypt [Ex ch. 7 – 12]; know that He alone is God, & keep His Law that things may go well with you

Interlude

The cities of refuge

4:41-43

• Moses assigns 3 cities as Cities of Refuge, east of the Jordan [cf. 19:1-13, Num 35:9-15, v22-28]

Lev / Num / DEUT / Josh / Jdg