Deuteronomy 3:18-29

As I started putting this sermon together this week, I was I was

struggling just a bit. The words were not coming and I

went back to Exodus 4 where where God is calling Moses to go

and speak and I was identifying with Moses.

When he says this to the Lord, he says, he says, Lord, I have

never been eloquent, neither recently nor in times past nor

since you spoke to your servant. For I'm slow of speech and slow

of tongue. And I thought to myself, I read

on a little bit further and God gave him Aaron.

So I called Aaron when he didn't go to New York.

And I'm like, how do you feel about preaching this Sunday?

And he basically gave me the Houghton mantra, you know, suck

it up, buttercup, you'll be all right.

So, so here we are. So we come to Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 today, Chapter 3, you say, but we didn't make it to

chapter 3 last week. Yeah, we did just for a moment.

We'll be covering verses 18 through 29 today.

And I think it's it's, it's hopeful that is as we come to

our passage that we realize that we're stepping into the, into

the book of Deuteronomy in a, in a moment of transition.

There's a there's a threshold moment in the life of the nation

of Israel. The wilderness years are almost

over. The the Promised Land lies just

ahead, just across the river. But before Israel crosses the

Jordan, Moses pauses to rehearse the mighty acts of God that have

brought them to the place where they find themselves.

Deuteronomy is, it's not as a whole, just a, a mere history

book, but it's a book describing a period of covenant renewal.

Moses, Moses isn't just giving a history.

He's he's preaching to the people.

He's he's shepherding the hearts of a new generation, one that

may not have have previously experienced the exodus, one that

may have come along after that took place, but but now has to

live in light of of that. And so before issuing

instructions and commands to the people, Moses reminds them of

what God had done to bring them to this point in the previous 38

years. In chapters 2 and 3, Moses

recounts Israel's journey from a time of of wandering to a time

of warfare, from a time of discipline to a time where

deliverance is is begun. Deuteronomy chapter 2, we see

Deuteronomy 2 · chapter mention

that God governs even Israel's detours.

You know, for 38 years Israel wandered in the wilderness under

judgement because of unbelief. Yet even during that time of

judgement, God was not absent. He directed their paths and

their steps precisely. He told them where they could go

and where they could not go. They were told not to harass the

nations of Edom or Moab or Ammon because God had sovereignly

allotted those lands to others. This reminds us when we read

this, that that God was not merely the Lord of Israel, but

that He is the ruler of all nations, distributing lands and

boundaries according to His will.

And during those years, though a whole generation fell in the

wilderness, God sustained his people.

As Moses said, the Lord your God has blessed you.

You have lacked nothing. Even under discipline there was

mercy. Israel is commanded in chapter 2

to rise up and take possession of the land of the Amorites east

of the Jordan River, beginning with Sion, the king of Heshbon.

And here we're giving a a pretty striking theological insight and

and that Moses does not say say it's I'm sorry.

Moses says that Sihan did not allow Israel to pass through the

land because the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his

heart obstinate. What appears on on the surface

to be political resistance is in truth divine sovereignty at

work. God is.

God is not reacting, He is orchestrating.

He is. He is delivering the enemies of

His people into Israel's hands. As we read, we see Israel

defeats Sion completely. His cities are taking, His land

is given to Israel. The long years of waiting and

wandering are beginning to give way to fulfilment and profit and

promise. As we come to Deuteronomy 3, the

pattern continues with OG, king of Bashan.

He was a formidable enemy, a giant among men.

Humanly speaking, he would have been terrifying.

But the Lord's instruction to them was, do not fear him, for I

have given him into your hand. And again, we see that Israel

prevails against them not because of their own strength,

but because God fights for them. So by the time we reach

Deuteronomy chapter 3, verse 18, the land east of the Jordan

Deuteronomy 3:18

territory belonging to Cyhan and Ogg had already been fully

conquered and distributed to the tribes of Reuben, to Gad and the

half tribe of Manasseh. The time of inheritance had

begun. Israel is no longer wandering.

They're they're winning. They're no longer under

judgement. They're beginning to experience

the promised fulfilment. They're standing on land that's

already been conquered, looking ahead to a land yet to be

possessed. But they're not home yet.

And it is to that and the tension of of that that Moses

now speaks because, because the danger at the moment is, is not

just their fear of of enemies across the river, but it's but

it's a fear that they would forget God, the temptation to

settle for too little, too soon to divide that which God had

joined together or to presume on his promises without continued

obedience. So in our text today, verses 18

through 29 of chapter 3, Moses will do two things.

First of all, he will charge the tribes of Reuben of Gad and the

half tribe of NASA, the fight on behalf of their brothers.

And he reminds them that as all Israel had fought to subdue the

land that had become their portion, the portion that those

tribes had had received, they too were obligated to assist the

other tribes as they came into their their possession in the

promised land across the Jordan. And then secondly, he will

recount his own personal plea to enter the land and to recount

God's refusal in a way reminding Israel that even he stands under

the authority of God's word. So as we look at our passage

this morning, we'll we'll see that it brings together promise,

responsibility, leadership and submission.

And it ultimately it points us beyond Moses to to a greater

leader who will not merely see the promised land from a

distance, but one who will bring his people fully into it.

Let's read our text for today, beginning with verse 18, chapter

3. It reads, Then I commanded you

at that time, saying, The Lord your God has given you this land

to possess it. All you valiant men shall

crossover, armored before your brothers, the sons of Israel,

but your wives and your little ones, and your livestock, I know

that you have much livestock, shall remain in your cities,

which I have given to you, until the Lord gives rest to your

fully fellow countrymen as to you.

And they also possess the land which the Lord your God will

give them beyond the Jordan. Then you may return every man to

his possession which I have given you.

I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Your eyes have seen all

that the Lord your God has done to these two kings.

So the Lord shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are

about to cross. Do not fear them, for the Lord

your God is the one fighting for you.

I also pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, Oh Lord God,

you've begun to show your servant your greatness and your

strong hand, for what God is there in heaven or on earth who

can do such works and mighty acts as yours?

Let me, I pray, crossover and see the fair land that is beyond

the Jordan, that good Hill Country in Lebanon.

But the Lord was angry with me on your account and would not

listen to me. And the Lord said to me, enough,

speak to me no more of this matter.

Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes to the West,

and the north, and the South and east, and see it with your eyes.

For you shall not crossover this Jordan, but charge Joshua and

encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go ahead at

the head of the people. I'm sorry.

For he shall go across at the head of the people, and he will

give them an inheritance in the land which you shall see.

So we remained in the valley opposite Beth Pior.

Verses 18 through 20 recorded for us the words that Moses

spoke to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of

Manasseh. They had already received their

inheritance of land on the east side of the Jordan.

These tribes just in in the previous weeks and and months,

had come into possession of land formerly ruled by, as we read

earlier, Saihan, the king of Heshbon and Ogg, the king of

Bashan. And yet, as we read in Numbers

32, their inheritance of of these lands and their assurance

that they would receive this inheritance was was predicated

on on their commitment to accompany their brothers into

the promised land, to cross the Jordan and to fight with them

until all the remaining tribes came into their possession of

land until the Lord drove out their enemies from before them.

The reminder that that Moses gives to these tribes is as if

they're not done their position of a land to to call their own.

You know that that blessing that was given to them by by God does

does not cancel their responsibility to their fellow

Israelites. They are they are not free to

being in possession of these cities and lands to then sit

back and watch their brothers go forward and fight for their

inheritance. Rest is to wait until all have

come into possession of their lauded portions.

I think there's a a principle here that extends beyond the

relationship of these tribes that live either on the West or

the east side of the Jordan. A a principle that extends to

our life within the church. The the idea being that if that

if God has joined us together in in one body, that that no one

part of us can fail to to serve the common good of the church at

large. It's not as though one of us can

say, you know, let's exempt ourselves and let the rest fend

for themselves. But rather, every man ought to

work for the common good and the man who can fend for himself

should not refuse to assist his brethren in bearing a portion of

their burden. The Christian walk is not a

solitary walk. The the success you experience

in your walk is not is not meant to terminate in and on yourself.

I'm studying this week a little bit John Calvin and he writes

for for according to the ability that God gives, So does he bind

us to serve our neighbors therewith.

Let me repeat that it says, you know, for according to the

ability that God gives us, so does he bind us to serve our

neighbors therewith. You know, it's the same reminder

that Paul writes the church in Romans chapter 12, verses 3

Romans 12:3–6

through 6, where he wrote, you know, I say to everyone among

you, not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think,

but to think so as to have sound judgement as God allotted for

God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

For just as we have many members in one body, and all the members

do not have the same function, so we who are many are one body

in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to

us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly.

This commitment that that Moses exhorts these tribes to was was

no light thing when we read the book of Joshua and we and we

read of the conquest of of the land of of Canaan, the the

conquest that went on the western side of the Jordan.

We we read that that took seven years.

You know, it was it wasn't for seven long years until those

tribes that lived on the east side were released by Joshua to

return to their homes on a permanent basis.

Our commitment likewise should be so enduring there, there,

there are many in this room who are experiencing a, a measure

of, of stability and and blessing at this time.

But there are also those that are are weary, those that are

weak, those who need someone to come alongside and fight for

them for what God has promised for them.

And that is our responsibility. Moses turns verses 21 and 22

from addressing those tribes and he, he turns and he addresses

Joshua directly, you know, and he encourages him by by way of

remembrance of God's past actions on their behalf.

The reminder is, is not of Joshua's past victories or of

the people's past victories, but it's of God's past victories.

He says that you have seen it you and the people have seen it

with your own eyes impetus being or or the the logical conclusion

being that that you should allow that memory to fuel your courage

and your obedience as you crossover into the promised

land. You know it's it's the personal

experience of of having seen God work on on their behalf that

that is to animate his future endeavors as he leads the people

of Israelites into the promised land.

Much the same is is said in first John 11, where it says

what we have heard, what we have seen with her eyes, what we have

looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of

life. The life was manifested and we

have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal

life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us, which

we have seen and heard. We've proclaimed to you also so

that you too may have fellowship with us.

I mean, there's John telling the church that that, that his work

in the work of the apostles was something that was that was that

was animated and that was strengthened by having seen and

personally experienced time with, with with Christ.

I think, I think for us, we may not have been able to experience

that exact thing, but we do have personal experiences with God

ourselves. We have been saved.

We have experienced God's protection, his his provision

for our very needs and and as we look back on those times and and

places it provides reason and motivation to to trust and obey

continued instruction. The instruction of verse 22 is,

is not to fear those nations on the other side of the river.

You know, 38 years prior, fear of those nations had resulted

and they're wandering in the desert until an entire

generation died. I think as as we go, as we go

forward, we'll see that, you know, this time around the

people did not falter. They're they're said and he wish

to have faltered through through unbelief.

But but this time they they rested in the memory of what the

Lord had done, and they counted on Him to fulfill his promise to

them as they as they walked in obedience into the land.

The closing verses of our chapter recording Moses plea to

the Lord that he be allowed to cross over the Jordan and to set

foot on the Promised Land, and they include the Lord's refusal

to entertain his plea. The Hebrew phrasing of this

passage indicates that that Moses had had asked on more than

one occasion for permission to enter the land.

Rabbinic tradition notes that Moses begged God 515 times that

he'd be allowed to enter. I guess it begs the question,

you know, why exactly was it that Moses, that great prophet,

the mediator of the covenant, the leader of the people of

Israel for some 40 years, why was it that he was denied

entrance into Canaan? Numbers chapter 20 records the

Numbers 20 · chapter mention

story of how the the Israelite people rebelled against Moses in

the wilderness of Zen on account of there being no water.

It was there that the Lord spoke to Moses.

Lord said this to take the rod, and you and your brother Aaron

assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their

eyes, that it may yield its water.

You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock, and

let the congregation and their beasts drink.

So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as he had

commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the

assembly before the rock. And he said to them, Listen now,

you rebels, shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?

And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his

rod, And water came forth abundantly, and the congregation

and their beasts drank. The Lord said to Moses and

Aaron, Because you have not believed me to treat me as holy

in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not

bring this assembly into the land which I have given him.

Those were the waters of Meribah, because the sons of

Israel contended with the Lord, and he proved himself holy among

them. You see, the people's rebellion

did did not excuse disobedience on the part of Moses.

All too often we we point to to provocations endured or or

exigent circumstances to to excuse our lapses of obedience.

We, we, we, we, we played that. Perhaps, you know, it's not it's

not really my fault. Surely, surely the punishment

should not be as severe as as that there were things going on.

You know, there's there's contingencies that that should

be that should be under should be understood.

Yet that's not what we see. We see we see that the actions

of of of both Aaron and Moses in that in that instance resulted

in their being unable to enter the promised land.

You come to the end of of chapter 20 of of Numbers in it

and it records the death of. Of Aaron on on Mount Hor and it

and it talks about that the Moses is told to take Aaron up

there and to take his son and they they take the priestly

robes off of Aaron and they put him on his son.

There's a transference of the of the priesthood from from from

Aaron to to his son and his and Aaron dies on that mountain and

said the people you know, mourn for for 30 days.

In the text of Numbers, it says they were not able to enter

because of the rebellion that he and Moses had staged against the

Lord's command at Meribah. You know, it's a pretty harsh

word rebellion. It's it does it seems like a

harsh word to describe the actions of a frustrated man in

the face of some ungrateful people.

But it but it's the word that God uses to describe their

failure to follow his clear instructions.

I mean, instructions were talk to the rock.

It was not sock the rock, it was talk to the talk to the rock and

it will bring forth water. This is this is the same word

that's used in First Samuel 1618 to describe Saul's failure to

utterly destroy the Amalekites, where it says for rebellion is

as the sin of divination and insubordination is as iniquity

and idolatry, impurity. Because you've rejected the word

of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.

It's a reminder that that rebellion against the Lord's

instruction is no small thing. I mean, even in these accounts

that we've seen today, we've seen, we've seen a a prophet, a

priest and a king. The prophet and the priest

denied entrance into the land and the king denied a Kingdom.

The Kingdom was taken from him and given to another for

disobedience to the Lord's clear instruction.

Yet Moses begins his plea to the Lord.

He acknowledges God's marvelous work in the Exodus and most

recently in in the sustenance of Israel in those 38 years where

they've been wandering in the wilderness and the and the gods

driving out the Sai Han and and and Ogg in the land east of the

Jordan. But it but it seems that that

now he's looking forward. He says, you know, we're almost

to the climax for the story. We we are there, we have that

generation has died off. It's time to enter the promised

land. And, and the thought that he

would be unable to enter in, that he's unable to see the

fulfilment of that ancient prophecy or that ancient promise

that the people of, of God would be returned to the land of

Canaan was, was almost too much to accept without question.

You know, he speaks of the incomparable works of God, you

know, echoing the language of Exodus 1511 where it was sung.

Who is like you, O Lord among the gods, who is like you,

majestic and holiness, terrible and glorious deeds doing

wonders. You know, it was his, his

earnest request and desire that the Lord would relent and allow

him to crossover to see the good land that, that, that object of

all his efforts these last 40 years.

I mean, who would not say that that was a good desire?

I just want to, I want to take your people into the land, those

people that you have appointed me to lead these last 40 years.

How can it, how can it not? I mean, that's the end of the

Hallmark movie. That's, that's, that's where we,

that's where we, that's where we make it happen.

And yet, and yet we're told in our text that the Lord was angry

with Moses on account of the people and that he didn't

entertain his request. And we're given the impression

that he spoke just a little bit roughly to him, you know,

instructing him, you know, speak to me no more on this matter.

Calvin makes an interesting observation here that there

there comes a point when continued pleading is no longer

based in faith, but rather resistance to the revealed will

of God. And as such, it demonstrates a

lack of submission to God. Submission to God's revealed

will is something which must be practiced.

You know, and if and if it's ignored it, you know, it can

lead to catastrophic results. I mean, we, we need look no

further than to to R JS sermon last week.

You know, we're told that the people refused to enter the

promised land. They sent the spies over, They

came back, they got discouraged, said we don't want to go.

At which point God said, well, then let's put on your shoes.

We're going to go on a really long walk.

At which point they had a they had a rather rapid change of

heart. And so that's OK, We'll go,

we'll go. And it says they went into the

Hill Country and they attacked the Amorites.

And it says that they were. They were beaten badly and they

were chased as though they were chased by bees.

We see a different example in Second Samuel 10.

We look at King David. We find him a man that is

desirous of building a house for the Lord.

He says in effect in Chapter 7 that it didn't seem right to him

that he lived in a House of cedar while the ark dwelt within

curtains in a tent. He receives word from from

Nathan the prophet, but the building of that house was was

not something that he would be able to do.

And speaking to his son in chronicles, he he talks about

the fact that that he was a man who had shed too much blood and

that the temple would be built by a man of rest.

To his credit, we don't, we don't see David insisting on, on

building that house. What, what do we see him do?

We? We see David, it tells us in

chronicles that that he didn't, he didn't attempt to build the

temple, but he made provision for it.

That he brought up his son with the understanding that he would

be the one to do that. That he amassed a great

quantities of, of stone and silver and gold and bronze and

everything that would be needed for the building of that temple.

That he made provision for it, but that he didn't take that

step to actually build it himself.

There was there was a submission on his part to the revealed will

of God. We can go to the New Testament

and see the same type of things. When we read about Paul and 2nd

Corinthians 12, he speaks of imploring the Lord three times.

He says, listen, there's a there's a thorn in my flesh and

I would like it gone, only to be told by the Lord that my grace

is sufficient for you. For power is perfected in

weakness. And this and this revelation was

was met by mature submission on the part of Paul.

He says that he would rather boast about his weakness so that

the power of Christ might dwell in him.

It seems then as as we look at our text today, it is

emphasizing that that prayer is not, it's not just about

persistence, but it's about submission as well.

In my reading this week, as I was reading one of the early

reformers and he wrote this, he says God has shown me that it is

not proper for me to ask whatsoever I think good, but

that I must come and put myself into his hands with all

humbleness to receive what he thinks good and to hold all my

desires in obedience unto him. And seeing that He shows me

this, and it's in my best interest to Orient my heart

toward obedience and to take that to be best for me, which He

shall condescend to give me. I just didn't get what he

wanted. He was never allowed to cross

the river. He died on a mountain and God

buried him somewhere no one knows nowhere.

And yet while he was prohibited from crossing over the Jordan,

God, God graciously provided him an opportunity to view the

promised land, you know, for the mountain.

Please go. And unable to, unable to enter

himself, he was, he was able to view that land that had been so

long promised to his people. You know, I think it's, I think

that it, as Moses went, went up that mountain and, and was

provided a view, it probably wasn't just your normal 2020

view. I think that God probably

granted him something a little supernatural in that, in that

instance where he could see all that was there for for his for

his people, you know, and I think that it's, it's that view

that that he had of the land that that kind of animated that

we that which we see in the next 30 chapters of Deuteronomy as as

Moses come and he's and he lays before the people and he and he

preaches to the people and he prepares them for entrance into

that land of promise that he's seen what it is and what the

promise is that God has for them.

And he's and he's working to make sure that they are ready to

enter into that place. Verse 28 contains one last

instruction for Moses. And now says, But charge Joshua

and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at

the head of his people, and he will give them as an inheritance

to land, which you will see, I think we see here change.

Moses embraces this, this instruction at this time going

going forward, no longer as we go through Deuteronomy, are we

going to see Moses imploring the Lord that he be allowed to enter

the land. His his obedience is shown not

just by what he does, but by what he doesn't do.

You know, he, he knew he would not be allowed to enter the

land, but he was to appoint Joshua as his successor and to

encourage him and equip him to do the job which he most desired

to do. And yet as we, as we see Moses

and as we, as, as we see him in, in the, in the chapters to come,

we see that he's, he's not a man.

He didn't withdraw. He didn't grow bitter.

He didn't say, well, if I can't cross, then I won't help.

Instead, we see a man that that finishes well, a man who was who

was most concerned that the people be prepared, that they

had a faithful man to guide them into the Promised Land.

The chapters that follow in Deuteronomy record Moses's

instructions, both the Joshua and to the people.

And in Deuteronomy 3123, when commissioning Joshua for the

work, he exhorts him saying, Be strong and courageous for you

shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to

them, and I will be with you. It's a it's an incredibly

commendable thing to go from a place from wanting to be that

man to commissioning someone else to do that work in in your

stead. And I think we can say that the

the efficacy of of Moses instructions is is referenced in

chapter 34 nine, where it's written that Joshua, the son of

Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid his

hands on him and the sons of Israel listened to him and did

as the Lord had commanded Moses. It wasn't 1/2 hearted effort to

equip the people and God, the man that Moses devoted himself

to. As we as we conclude, I'd like

us to re examine the figures of of Moses and and David who we

mentioned earlier, just a little deeper.

We can make the comparison that they were both denied something

that they longed for. But but I think we can draw a

deeper, A deeper parallel and that in the case of both men,

neither entered into the fullness of God's rest during

their lifetime. You know, in the case of Moses,

he led the people out of Egypt. He bore the burdens of the

people. He received the law, He mediated

the law to the people. He shepherded the people through

the wilderness. He brought them to the very edge

of the Promised Land, and yet he did not enter.

He saw it, but he did not possess it.

David was a king after God's own heart.

He united the Kingdom of Israel. He defeated Israel's enemies, He

established Jerusalem as the political and spiritual center

of the nation, and Scripture even tells us that God gave him

a measure of rest from his enemies.

But the temple wasn't built yet. The dwelling place of God among

the people was not established in its fullness, and and David,

like Moses, would not live to complete the work which he

desired to do. He gathered materials and set

the stage, but he was unable to enter the fullness of what he

longed to see. In the case of both men, they

stood on the threshold, but neither fully entered.

I think when we look at this, this is, this is not accidental.

This is, this is a theological in nature.

Scripture is showing us something greater, that even the

greatest leaders in Israel, Moses the Lawgiver and David

King, do not bring God's people into their final rest.

This is where the New Testament picks up.

Hebrews 3 and and four remind us that on account of sin, an

entire generation perished in the wilderness and did not enter

God's rest. Joshua, even in leading the

people into the Promised Land, did not give them fullness of

rest. And Hebrews reminds us that a

promise of rest still remains for the people of God.

What this means for us is that the Promised Land, a place

presented in the Old Testament as a place of rest, a place of

settlement, of safety, of peace, that it was never intended to be

The final reality, the Kingdom carved out by David, was but a

partial fulfillment. What Moses could not do, what

David could not complete, Christ fulfills.

Jesus is greater than Moses. He does not merely lead us to

the promise, He brings us in, He says, greater than David.

He does not merely secure partial peace, but He

establishes eternal rest. It is he who says, you know,

come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give

you rest. Take my yoke upon you and lean

upon and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and

you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The rest that Jesus promises is, is not a land, it's not a

Kingdom, it's not a building. It's rest from sin with the

guilt of sin lifted. It's rest from striving, no

longer trying to earn or demerit God's favor.

It's rest in the presence of God.

And it's a rest that's both now and yet experience now, but to

be perfected in eternity. So as we look at our text today,

we stand here. We stand here with Moses atop

Mount Pig Son, with David before the temple he would never build.

And what and what do they teach us?

They teach us that faith is not about seeing everything

fulfilled, but trusting that God fulfills everything.

That while you and I may not see the end, Christ will.

And that is enough. Thanks for listening.

To learn more about Heritage Church or if you'd like to

respond to this sermon, visit our website at

www.heritageshawnee.org.