T
TrevorL
Guest
A theme in the early part of Deuteronomy is "Dealing with Giants". Despite the encouraging and faithful words of Joshua and Caleb 38 years previously, the report by the other 10 spies resulted in the failure by that generation, and a significant part of this was the fear of the Giants and the Walled Cities.
Moses gave his first speech and this speech is bookmarked by the following verses:
Deuteronomy 1:3–4 (KJV): 3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them; 4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:
Deuteronomy 4:45–49 (KJV): 45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt, 46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: 47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, 49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.
Moses was going to encourage Joshua and the children of Israel to cross the Jordan and enter the Land of Promise and defeat the Giants and possess the Land. What Moses with Divine guidance decided to do was to conquer two territories on the East of the Jordan as an example of how they could be successful with God's blessing when they entered the Land. This conquest of Sihon and Og and their territories becomes the basis for Moses' encouragement in his speech to Joshua and Israel. One example of this is in Deuteronomy 2:24-37 for the conquest of Sihon, and Deuteronomy 3:1-11 for the conquest of Og. It is also significant that the cities in this second reference concerning Og were High Walled Cities, and yet they had overcome them, and this is a reminder of one aspect of the evil report by the ten spies. The other aspect of the evil report is matched by the fact that they had also overcome Og, who was a Giant.
Another aspect of the theme is that when God purposes to give a land to a nation for an inheritance, Giants and City Walls are in no way an impossible impediment. When Israel journeyed up on the Eastern side of Jordan, they needed to pass through the Lands of Edom, Moab and Ammon. God had instructed Israel not to fight against these three nations, as God was not going to give Israel their Land. Hence it is God who decides who inherits a particular Land, and God had determined to give Israel the Land of Promise, known then as the Land of Canaan.
An interesting feature, and relevant to the theme conquering Giants and City Walls is the fact that many years prior to Israel's journeys God had given these lands to these three nations and they also had no trouble in overcoming the City Walls and the Giants who were in their future Land:
Deuteronomy 2:10–11 (KJV): 10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
Deuteronomy 2:20–22 (KJV): 20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: 22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
The following appears to be a summary of the theme of this section:
Deuteronomy 3:21–22 (KJV): 21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. 22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.
This lesson of “Dealing with Giants” is an example of how we can deal with Giants, that is large difficulties in our life and walk.
Kind regards
Trevor
Moses gave his first speech and this speech is bookmarked by the following verses:
Deuteronomy 1:3–4 (KJV): 3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them; 4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:
Deuteronomy 4:45–49 (KJV): 45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt, 46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: 47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, 49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.
Moses was going to encourage Joshua and the children of Israel to cross the Jordan and enter the Land of Promise and defeat the Giants and possess the Land. What Moses with Divine guidance decided to do was to conquer two territories on the East of the Jordan as an example of how they could be successful with God's blessing when they entered the Land. This conquest of Sihon and Og and their territories becomes the basis for Moses' encouragement in his speech to Joshua and Israel. One example of this is in Deuteronomy 2:24-37 for the conquest of Sihon, and Deuteronomy 3:1-11 for the conquest of Og. It is also significant that the cities in this second reference concerning Og were High Walled Cities, and yet they had overcome them, and this is a reminder of one aspect of the evil report by the ten spies. The other aspect of the evil report is matched by the fact that they had also overcome Og, who was a Giant.
Another aspect of the theme is that when God purposes to give a land to a nation for an inheritance, Giants and City Walls are in no way an impossible impediment. When Israel journeyed up on the Eastern side of Jordan, they needed to pass through the Lands of Edom, Moab and Ammon. God had instructed Israel not to fight against these three nations, as God was not going to give Israel their Land. Hence it is God who decides who inherits a particular Land, and God had determined to give Israel the Land of Promise, known then as the Land of Canaan.
An interesting feature, and relevant to the theme conquering Giants and City Walls is the fact that many years prior to Israel's journeys God had given these lands to these three nations and they also had no trouble in overcoming the City Walls and the Giants who were in their future Land:
Deuteronomy 2:10–11 (KJV): 10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
Deuteronomy 2:20–22 (KJV): 20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: 22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
The following appears to be a summary of the theme of this section:
Deuteronomy 3:21–22 (KJV): 21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. 22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.
This lesson of “Dealing with Giants” is an example of how we can deal with Giants, that is large difficulties in our life and walk.
Kind regards
Trevor
