DBG - March 2 - Deuteronomy 3-5

In this chapter we have a review of recent events and the appointment of Joshua to succeed Moses.

vs. 1-11 – Moses retells the story of the defeat of Og in Numbers 21:31-35.

vs. 12-22 – Moses recounts the land east of Jordan given to the Reuben and Gad.

vs. 23-26 – Moses retells of his sin and God forbidding him to enter Canaan in Numbers 20:10-13.

vs. 27-29 – He are the instructions with which Moses will end his ministry, by seeing Canaan from Mt. Pisgah and appointing Joshua to be his successor.

In this chapter Moses exhorts the nation of Israel to follow the commands of the Law.

vs. 1-8 – Moses exhorts Israel to keep the commandments and Law that God had given them, reminding them of the judgment of God at Baalpeor in Numbers 25:1-9.

vs. 9-14 – Moses appeals to the day at Sinai in Exodus 19 and 20 when the Ten Commandments.

vs. 15-24 – Moses exhorts Israel to remember the commands of God to reject idolatry and serve God alone.

vs. 25-31 – Moses reminds Israel of the judgment that will befall them if they reject God and turn to idolatry.

vs. 32-40 – Moses reminds Israel of the unprecedented nature of God’s providential choosing of them and saving them from Egypt.  God had never worked with a nation like this at any other time.

vs. 41-43 – Moses establishes the three cities of refuge that were east of Jordan as commanded in Numbers 35:14-15.

vs. 44-49 – This passage serves as an introduction for the review of the Law in Chapters 5 through 16.  It has a similar set up to what we saw in chapter 1.

In this chapter Moses begins his rehearsal of the Law with the Ten Commandments.

vs. 1-5 – Moses sets the stage for retelling the Ten Commandments by reviewing the setting of Exodus 20.

vs. 6-21 – Moses repeats the Ten Commands and their preamble from Exodus 20.

vs. 22-33 – Moses expands the reaction of Israel and God’s response in Exodus 20:18-21.  Here is emphasized the place of Moses and intercessor between Israel and God.

The first appearance of a recurring theme is found in 4:9-10.  It is the command to teach and train the next generation in their youth.  Solomon put it this way in Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  We must never hoard the truth or the blessings of God, but should readily share both with those who follow us to strengthen them for whatever the Lord has in store for them.

Our hymn today was written by Isaac Watts in 1719 and based on the opening section of Psalm 78.  The original heading is “Providences of God recorded; or, pious Education and Instruction of Children”.  It repeats the exhortation of 4:9-10 to train our children in the ways of the Lord.

Let Children hear the mighty Deeds
Which GOD perform'd of old;
Which in our younger Years we saw,
And which our Fathers told.

He bids us make his Glories known;
His Works of Pow'r and Grace;
And we'll convey his Wonders down
Through ev'ry rising Race.

Our Lips shall tell them to our Sons,
And they again to theirs,
That Generations yet unborn
May teach them to their Heirs.

Thus shall they learn, in GOD alone
Their Hope securely stands,
That they may ne'er forget his Works,
But practise his Commands.