Today’s passage continues to take us back to the last Old Testament Book we went through as a body last summer: Numbers. And with Kim yesterday we started to read through Moses’ recollection and reflection of where and how Yahweh moved amidst the Israelites’ journey throughout Numbers, which was the journey leading up to where they were at this point in Deuteronomy 1.

I am reminded of Numbers 33, where we get this seemingly long, drawn out list of where they camped over the decades--and frankly, it really isn’t all that fun to read through. But, it's powerful because it is in that chapter, towards the end of their journey, that Moses is able to recall and reflect on those years--the good, as well as the bad--and truly come to grips with how real and near God was to them. He was learning about and growing closer with the character and nature of God that was exemplified in his life, and the lives of those within his community. And they intentionally set aside time to do this, because it mattered and it strengthened them.

Here today though, we read that Moses was face-to-face with another aspect of the Lord’s faithfulness: His promised discipline. Now, I am sure this was something that Moses could have certainly forgotten over the years, as I can’t imagine this was an enjoyable promise to think about and relay to the following generations. But he obviously knew that there was an important reason for this discipline. And he knew that Yahweh’s overall promise of the Promised Land--the Messiah’s coming--was so much greater than himself, and that it was going to happen regardless of where he was in the timeline.

Maranatha.

[Deuteronomy 1.34-46]

34 “And the Lord heard your words and was angered, and he swore, 35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!’ 37 Even with me the Lord was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there. 38 Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39 And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn, and journey into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.’

41 “Then you answered me, ‘We have sinned against the Lord. We ourselves will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.’ And every one of you fastened on his weapons of war and thought it easy to go up into the hill country. 42 And the Lord said to me, ‘Say to them, Do not go up or fight, for I am not in your midst, lest you be defeated before your enemies.’ 43 So I spoke to you, and you would not listen; but you rebelled against the command of the Lord and presumptuously went up into the hill country. 44 Then the Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah. 45 And you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord did not listen to your voice or give ear to you. 46 So you remained at Kadesh many days, the days that you remained there.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What was the story of Caleb and Joshua amongst the other 10 spies? [Numbers 14]

+ Why did Moses reflect on their journey? Why did he document everything, including the good and the bad? What does this show about Moses’ view of God?

+ What does Caleb mean?

+ What does Joshua mean? Who else has the name Joshua? [Hint: Yeshua :) ]

+ Why is this such an important thing to note when we are told that only Joshua and Caleb are to enter the Promised Land? How can you bring this into relevance with the New Testament?

+ Can a tremendously hard experience be worth the time to reflect and process through? [Read Hebrews 12.4-13, with emphasis on verse 11]

+ What does this passage today teach us about having this mentality of just mowing through life and avoiding introspection/self-examining?

+ Who does this passage show to be in control of time? Is that comforting? Or is this something you need to wrestle with? It’s a good thing to wrestle sometimes….

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Do I sit, recall, and reflect on the seasons that God brings me through? Even if they are hard to process, do I find myself coming out of those times of reflection in praise and thanksgiving to the One we call ‘Faithful and True’? What is the importance in this name for Jesus? [Revelation 19.11]

+ If I don’t intentionally recall and reflect, then what holds me back?

+ What characteristics of God come to mind when you reflect over seasons of your life? Which are your favorite?

+ When I reflect on the hardships/disciplines of the Lord, where do I find my hope?

+ Do I live by every word that God says? Even the ones that might be hard to swallow?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Who might be going through a hard time in my life that I can share this Old Testament glimpse of Jesus with for encouragement?

+ Do I walk through seasons of reflection with those in my family, community, etc?