We’re going to be moving quickly through the latter half of Deuteronomy Chapter 11
Let’s start by taking a look at verses 18-21.
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth“-Deuteronomy 11:18-21
These verses instruct the Israelites to properly utilize the several God-ordained visual reminders to ensure they don’t slip up and remain faithful to the Lord’s Ways.
I’m talking about the TEFILLIN, the MEZUZAH, access to the Priesthood and the Tabernacle as well as the constant teaching of God’s laws to the children.
These instructions remind me of a sermon I heard from a Japanese pastor many years ago.
He was explaining why he read the Bible every morning immediately upon awakening and every night immediately before dropping off to sleep.
His reasoning was that in this fallen world, we can’t help but be dirtied by all of the ungodly people and things we will be exposed to as we go about our day.
Therefore, in order to prepare for this inevitable onslaught of ungodliness, this pastor prepared his heart by starting the day off with Scripture…
…and then at bedtime, he cleansed his heart of all the filth that had accumulated by reading Scripture.
This makes good sense.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.
It is very, very difficult to overcome your immediate environment.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance to take control of what your mind, heart, and soul is exposed to on a daily basis.
In fact, as a follower of the living God, it is your uncompromising duty to do so.
And understand that this may even include the difficult decision to completely cut off certain friends and family.
Let’s move on.
The first thing that needs to happen in order for Israel to successfully possess Canaan is that the land needs to be emptied of its current inhabitants.
How will this happen?
Simple.
God promises that if Israel will demonstrate their love towards Him by obeying His Torah, then He Himself will go ahead and expel the Canaanites from the land.
Again, we encounter the same principle being hammered home over and over again.
Victory in taking the Promised Land is 100% dependent on obedience to the Mosaic Covenant or The Law.
Let’s take a look at verse 24.
“Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea.”
Okay, here we’re given a statement outlining the extent of the land holdings Israel was to receive.
This verse expresses God’s original plan in terms of the mass of land He had set aside for His Chosen People.
However, here’s the thing.
Since the ancient Hebrews started breaking the terms of the covenant almost immediately after crossing the Jordan river, two unfortunate things happened.
FIRST, God ended up not expelling all the Canaanites from the land.
SECOND, as result, Israel never ended up possessing all the land that God had set aside for them.
The closest Israel ever got to possessing all the land per the boundaries established in Scripture was when King David was on the throne.
He came mighty close but it never completely happened.
However, we do know who’s coming back to finish the job.
Let’s next move on to verses 26-28.
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”
The closing verses of Chapter 11 starting from verse 26 are all about the moment of decision for Israel to either accept or reject the terms and conditions of the covenant.
The covenant contains both blessings and curses and Israel has to make a decision to obey the covenant or experience God’s harsh hand of punishment.
And what is the first warning the Lord gives to Israel?
The first warning is to NOT bow down to the false gods of the Canaanites.
And what is the very last verse of this chapter.
Well, read it for yourself.
“…be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.”
Pretty darn clear, isn’t it?
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