Assembly Testimony Bible Class

by J. Riddle (Cheshunt)

DEUTERONOMY

4) Reviewing the Journey: From Gilead to Beth-Peor

Read Chapter 3

In this chapter, Moses completes his review of Israel’s journey from Horeb, via Kadesh-barnea and the wilderness, to Beth-peor. "So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor," v29. It was in this area that Moses was buried by God, see 34.6. As in ch.1-2, he relates historical facts without comment. As we have already said, we cannot rightly understand what the Bible teaches, unless we know what the Bible actually says! In ch.4-11, Moses enlarges on the important lessons arising from their forty-year journey.

The chapter can be divided as follows:

(1) The defeat of Og, v1-11:

(2) The division of the land, v12-17:

(3) The directions for conquest, v18-22:

(4) The desire of Moses, v23-29.

1) THE DEFEAT OF OG, v1-11

Deuteronomy commences with reference to the defeat of "Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei," 1.4. They are often called, "the two kings of the Amorites," see 3.8. Og ruled territory to the north of Sihon, and his domain stretched as far as Hermon, see v9. The combined territories therefore lay between the Arnon in the south, and Hermon in the north, v8, and comprised Israel’s possession to the east of Jordan. As always in historical passages, there are valuable lessons here:

i) The victory promised, v1-2. "Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand." Israel went into battle with assurance of victory. John reminds us that when confronted with "the spirit of antichrist," we have superior resources: "ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world," 1Jn.5.5. We must not underestimate our spiritual opposition, and we must not underestimate the power of God for "if God be for us, who can be against us." Our forebodings and despondency are an affront to God’s power and provision for us.

ii) The people destroyed, v3. "So the Lord our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining." Our comments in connection with the defeat of Sihon, see 2.26-36, are equally applicable here. The defeat of enemies on the east and west of Jordan were acts of divine judgment on wicked people, rather than military conquests. The complete elimination of Sihon and Og and their peoples, also reminds us that we have to act ruthlessly in connection with a wicked enemy. Israel was commanded to extinguish the original life in these territories, and we are also commanded to deal with our ‘old life’ in the same way. See Col.3.5, "Mortify (put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

iii) The cities captured, v4-7. The initial battle was followed by possession of his territory, and this included cities which were "fenced with high walls, gates and bars," v5. Like Israel, we have to face enemy strongholds, see 2Cor.10.4. Paul defines them, as "imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God." The word, "imaginations," means ‘reasonings.’ As A. McShane observes: ‘Whether we think of the Greek philosopher, the Roman imperialist, or the Jewish ritualist, they each had this in common, that they resisted the message of the cross.’ (What the Bible Teaches - 2 Corinthians). Paul came to Corinth preaching "Christ crucified," 1Cor.1.22-24, and he calls this "the weapons of our warfare" which are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." It is only through the Gospel, that man’s rebellious thoughts are brought "into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Nothing else will be effective.

iv) The territory possessed, v8-10. "And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto Mount Hermon. (Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir). All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan." This is an important statement. There were no pockets of resistance left. It was a ‘clean sweep.’ Sadly, this did not continue, and Israel’s failure to completely occupy Canaan, to the west of Jordan, resulted in disaster. The warning in Num.33.55-56 went unheeded. Israel became past-masters at compromise, and it wasn’t long before they were worshipping the gods of the very people they should have destroyed. Does the Lord Jesus have pre-eminence in our hearts and lives?

v) The bed described, v11. "For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits (at least 13’6" or 4.11m) was the length thereof, and four cubits (at least 6' or 1.83m) the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man." Matthew Henry calls Og ‘a very formidable prince,’ and continues: he was ‘very strong, for he was of the remnant of the giants, v11; his personal strength was extraordinary, a monument of which was preserved by the Ammonites in his bedstead, which was shown as a rarity in their chief city. You might guess at his weight by the materials of his bedstead: it was iron, as if a bedstead of wood were too weak for him to trust to: and you might guess at his stature by the dimensions of it; it was nine cubits long and four cubits broad, which, supposing a cubit to be but half a yard or 46cms (and some learned men have made it appear to be somewhat more), was four yards and a half long, and two yards broad; (4.11x1.83m) and if we allowed his bedstead to be two cubits longer than himself, and that is as much as we need allow, he was three yards and a half high (3.2m), double the stature of an ordinary man, and every way proportionable, yet they smote him, v3. Note, when God pleads His people’s cause, He can deal with giants as well as grasshoppers. No man’s might can secure him against the Almighty.’ We need say no more!

2) THE DIVISION OF THE LAND, v12-17

Compare Num.32.33-42. The southern part of the conquered territory east of Jordan was allocated to Reuben and Gad, see v12, 16-17. This comprised the land from the Arnon in the south to mid-Gilead in the north. The eastern border was fixed by the Jabbok: the further side of the Jabbok, where it runs from south to north before turning west, was Ammonite territory, see 2.37. The western border was the Jordan, from Chinnereth in the north to the Dead Sea in the south. The words, "half of the valley," v16, probably indicate the southern section of this border. The northern part was occupied by "the half tribe of Manasseh." This comprised "the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan," see v13-15. Particular reference is made to the inheritance of Jair, v14, and Machir, v15, both sons of Manasseh, reminding us that the inheritance was for the collective and individual enjoyment. Both Jair and Machir were given what they had taken, see Num.32.39-41. A prosperous assembly is made up of saints who, like Gaius, 3Jn.2, have prosperous souls. This places a responsibility on us all to ‘possess our possessions.’ "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given you," Jos.1.3.

3) THE DIRECTIONS FOR CONQUEST, v18-22

In this section, Moses recalls his instructions to the two and a half tribes, and to Joshua, in connection with the invasion and conquest of Canaan.

i) Instructions to the tribes, v18-20. "And I commanded you at that time, saying, The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war," see Num.32.16-32. If they would not do this, then "be sure your sin will find you out," Num.32.23. The principle was one of equity: all Israel had helped them to subdue territory east of Jordan: it was therefore equitable that they should help their brethren to subdue the territory west of Jordan. This illustrates the fact that "there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another," 1Cor.12.25. It is called ‘fellowship.’

ii) Instructions to Joshua, v21-22. "And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the Lord do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God He shall fight for you," see Num.27.18 etc. Past victories gave assurance of future victories. We should remember too that Joshua was not ‘thrown in at the deep end.’ He had been trained for forty years, and his first lesson could be entitled ‘How to overcome the enemy.’ Read Ex.17.8-16.

4) THE DESIRE OF MOSES, v23-29

i) Moses’ request, v23-25. "And I besought the Lord at that time, saying, O Lord God, Thou hast begun to shew Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy might? I pray Thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon." He besought the Lord to live: Elijah besought the Lord to die! Centuries later they were both in the company of the Lord Jesus Who said, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore." Moses, and Elijah, had a remarkable ‘exodus,’ but the subject of conversation on the mount of transfiguration was the ‘exodus’ (AV "decease;" Greek ‘exodus’) of the Lord Jesus! See Lk.9.31.

ii) God’s reply, v26-28. "But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes (see also 1.37), and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter." It has been said that Moses was not allowed to enter Canaan because ‘he broke a type!’ It is far better to stay with the Scriptures, and note that under severe provocation, "he spake unadvisably with his lips," Ps.106.32-33. This refers to Num.20.10-12. No such charge could ever be levelled at the Lord Jesus. They said of Him, "Never man spake like this man."

Moses was allowed to see the "good land" from Pisgah. Like Abraham, Gen.13.14, he looked in all directions, but the responsibility for leading God’s people into Canaan was to rest on the shoulders of Joshua. "But (a) charge Joshua, and (b) encourage him, and (c) strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see." As he neared the end of his journey, Moses was to ensure that his successor was suitably prepared for leadership. The training and encouragement of future generations is emphasised in both Old and New Testaments. See, for example, Ps.71.17-18, Ps.78.5-6, 2Tim.2.2.

The review section of Deuteronomy ends where Numbers ends, see 36.13, with Israel encamped "in the valley over against Beth-peor," v27, which was "in the land of Moab," 34.6. In our next few studies, we will notice the lessons which Moses drew from this review of Israel’s history.

—to be continued (D.V.)