Deuteronomy_9
Scripture
Deuteronomy 9: 25-27, 29 NIV-
I lay prostrate before the LORD those forty days and forty nights because the LORD had said he would destroy you. I prayed to the LORD and said, “Sovereign LORD, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin.....But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.”
Observation-What does it say?
Moses told the Israelites that they were about to possess land from the Anakites, a nation greater and stronger than they were, but their possession of the land had nothing to do with their righteousness or integrity. He reminded them of how the Lord was angry with them for worshipping idols and not putting Him first. He also called them out for being a “stiff necked people.” Moses made them aware of how he had to intercede to the Lord on their behalf to save them because God wanted to destroy them all for their sin.
Understanding-What does it mean?
The prayers of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16).
Moses was a very humble man as evident through His relationship with the Lord and his conversations with Him. The Word even says that He was the most humble man on the earth at that time (Numbers 12:3). The Lord wanted to destroy the rebellious Israelites, but Moses fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights on their behalf. He interceded for them by reminding God that they were His people and to overlook their sin and wickedness. God relented from his anger and desire to destroy them (which was completely justified and what they deserved from a holy God), but because of His humble and righteous servant’s plea for them, God didn’t give them what they deserved, but rather the opposite.
Here’s another example of Moses’ humility and love for people. It was in the story of his siblings Aaron and Miriam in Numbers 12. God had consequences for Miriam because she and Aaron were talking badly about Moses’ choice of wife and God was having none of it. He was very protective over his humble servant. Moses pleaded with the Lord to heal Miriam’s skin disease, which was a consequence of her sin, but God said no. The fact that Moses didn’t want Miriam to suffer for the wrong done against him personally, proved how humble a man of God that he was. Sounds very similar to another story to take place about 1500 years later, give or take a hundred years. (Year of writing obtained from gotquestions.org-Book of Deuteronomy).
Life Application
Through one man or woman’s faithfulness and obedience to Jesus, a whole nation can be saved. Let’s be that person and take ownership of that responsibility!
-Let’s strive for holiness and righteousness through the Holy Spirit and give God the ultimate authority to tell us what to do.
-Let’s pray for unchurched and rebellious people to return to Jesus and leave their idolatrous ways behind.
Dear Lord, I pray these 2 verses over us today that were also part of our reading this morning on Colossians. May we devote ourselves to prayer, always being watchful and thankful (Col. 4:2) and help us to be wise in the way we act toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity. May our conversations be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone (Col. 4:5-6). As a result, I pray that those who don’t know You seek and find You and may those who have turned away from You return to You again, their first love. In Your name we pray Jesus, Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi
Deuteronomy 9: 25-27, 29 NIV-
I lay prostrate before the LORD those forty days and forty nights because the LORD had said he would destroy you. I prayed to the LORD and said, “Sovereign LORD, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin.....But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.”
Observation-What does it say?
Moses told the Israelites that they were about to possess land from the Anakites, a nation greater and stronger than they were, but their possession of the land had nothing to do with their righteousness or integrity. He reminded them of how the Lord was angry with them for worshipping idols and not putting Him first. He also called them out for being a “stiff necked people.” Moses made them aware of how he had to intercede to the Lord on their behalf to save them because God wanted to destroy them all for their sin.
Understanding-What does it mean?
The prayers of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16).
Moses was a very humble man as evident through His relationship with the Lord and his conversations with Him. The Word even says that He was the most humble man on the earth at that time (Numbers 12:3). The Lord wanted to destroy the rebellious Israelites, but Moses fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights on their behalf. He interceded for them by reminding God that they were His people and to overlook their sin and wickedness. God relented from his anger and desire to destroy them (which was completely justified and what they deserved from a holy God), but because of His humble and righteous servant’s plea for them, God didn’t give them what they deserved, but rather the opposite.
Here’s another example of Moses’ humility and love for people. It was in the story of his siblings Aaron and Miriam in Numbers 12. God had consequences for Miriam because she and Aaron were talking badly about Moses’ choice of wife and God was having none of it. He was very protective over his humble servant. Moses pleaded with the Lord to heal Miriam’s skin disease, which was a consequence of her sin, but God said no. The fact that Moses didn’t want Miriam to suffer for the wrong done against him personally, proved how humble a man of God that he was. Sounds very similar to another story to take place about 1500 years later, give or take a hundred years. (Year of writing obtained from gotquestions.org-Book of Deuteronomy).
Life Application
Through one man or woman’s faithfulness and obedience to Jesus, a whole nation can be saved. Let’s be that person and take ownership of that responsibility!
-Let’s strive for holiness and righteousness through the Holy Spirit and give God the ultimate authority to tell us what to do.
-Let’s pray for unchurched and rebellious people to return to Jesus and leave their idolatrous ways behind.
Dear Lord, I pray these 2 verses over us today that were also part of our reading this morning on Colossians. May we devote ourselves to prayer, always being watchful and thankful (Col. 4:2) and help us to be wise in the way we act toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity. May our conversations be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone (Col. 4:5-6). As a result, I pray that those who don’t know You seek and find You and may those who have turned away from You return to You again, their first love. In Your name we pray Jesus, Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi