Deuteronomy 3

Today she told me about the message she heard on Sunday:

The word "fear not" appears 365 times in the Bible...the words "fear not" are the most frequent command in the Bible, more than "love one another" and "be holy."

This shows me that God is concerned about our needs. For us to be holy, and to love is what He desires, but He also has compassion on us and that is why He is a loving God, and cares for us. He doesn't want us to fear. In today's reading, it says not to fear twice.

"Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand (v. 2)"

"Then I commanded you at that time, saying, 'The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it (v. 18)"

"Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.' (v. 22)"

"'Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. (v. 27)"

The other things that struck me are that He has things for us. In this chapter He gave land to His people. He also showed what was in store, by showing Moses (?) from the top of Mount Pisgah what was going to belong to the people of the Lord. God is a God of encouragement. He shows us and reveals things to us. I hope this will be true in our lives and our relationship. Yet he showed to Moses what was going to belong to His people, but it was not for Moses. I can't imagine the frustration Moses must have felt. After being faithful for more than 40 years and being the leader and leading his people right up to the promised land--he was not allowed. Why was he not allowed?

"But 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 them." (Numbers 20:12)

Because of unbelief. Contributing to this was the fact that the Israelites were complaining and that must have upset Moses. And that may have caused him to disobey. God asked him to speak to the rock yet Moses hit it with a rod. But the water did flow out. So the other lesson is that God can work through us for His glory even when we complain and are disobedient. But the caveat is that we still have to be held responsible for our actions. And also, we will have to face the consequence of our actions. What wonderful relevant lessons from an account that is thousands of years old. It is still relevant!