Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Deuteronomy 8 is the first place we read “People do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  This is the scripture that Jesus quoted to Satan when He was tempted to turn stones into bread.  God will discipline them and us just as parents discipline their children.

Jehovah will provide a good life for them.  That will also be a problem.  A life of plenty will lead them to believe they are entitled and deserve everything they have.  That is our problem, in the United States today.  We are affluent and believe affluenza is an excuse for our children disobeying.  Yahweh tells us it is not.

In Deuteronomy 9 the Lord tells the Israelites that they will soon go into Canaan and conquer the Anakites and all the other people groups no matter their strength, power, or protection of the cities.  When this happens, they should not believe that God did this for them because they are better than others.  The reason they are given the land is because of the wickedness of the current inhabitants.

Moses reminds them of the times they have failed Jehovah and he has had to plead on their behalf.  The Jews were like we are.  We say we will follow Yahweh, but constantly break His laws in some of the worst ways possible.

Deuteronomy 10 rehearses the origin of the Ark of the Covenant and the separation of the Levites. This is necessary because for the last forty years those who witnessed this have died.  Their children and grandchildren are now ready to enter the promised land.  They are reminded of what their ancestors knew and had done.

The Jews are again commanded to obey The Lord’s laws and statutes.  They are instructed to take care of widows and orphans and to be kind to the foreigners that come to their land.  They were strangers in a land not their own.  Israel should set the example of what a truly holy people can be like.  Jesus told His followers to become what the Jews could never accomplish.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger