Sun.’s Devo - Moses’ Last Words

Read: Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3 Moses took gave the people his last speech before they were about to cross over into their land. This speech lasts through the whole book of Deuteronomy. He began by summing up their journey out of Egypt up till then. His assessment was that they were a rebellious people who had angered the Lord many times. The first was right after they had been delivered with such a mighty hand out of Egypt. They had come to Mt. Sinai and while he was up on the mountain receiving the stones with God’s laws written on them, they were down worshipping a golden calf. God wanted to destroy them then, but Moses interceded for them and saved them. Three other significant times they rebelled against the Lord and made him mad enough to want to do away with them. The first was at Taberah in Numbers 11. He called it the “place of burning” because the people lusted for the food of Egypt so God sent his fire and it burned among them. It consumed those on the outskirts of the camp. The second was right after the first. They still lusted for meat so God sent quail to satisfy their desire. Instead of bringing fulfillment it brought a plague which killed many. They named the place “graves of the longing”. Moses reminded them of the place called Massah where in Exodus 17 they had run out of water and the people complained too Moses. Moses was commanded to stand by the rock and strike the rock and out of the rock came water. It was known as the “place of temptation.” All three of those times Moses interceded with the Lord and saved them. Moses didn’t want the enemy nations to think that their god could not save them. God called Moses back up the mountain so He could write the commandments on stone tablets again. Moses was to make a wooden box to put the tablets in and go back up on the mountain. When he came down with the new tablets he was to put them in the wooden box called an altar. They traveled to Beeroth and Jaakan where Abraham had dug wells and then to Mosera which means “correction” where Aaron died. He was replaced by Eleazar, his son. When they got to the 12th encampment, the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to carry the ark and to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless his name. Twelve means government and the Levites were to be God’s government. God instructed Moses to take these people into his promised land and then he asked them this question: “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? God controls the heavens and the earth and yet he chose them to love and be his. He told them to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and to stop being stubborn. God had blessed their seed which came to Egypt with only 70 people and were now a multitude. In Luke, Jesus explained the parable of the seeds. The good ground was the hearts of the honest and good. They heard the word, kept it, and brought forth fruit with patience. Everything that is hidden will be brought to light. When Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, Jesus made the point that everyone who heard the word of God and did it was just as important as his own family. Lord, help us to fear You, walk in Your ways and love You with all our hearts.