Today, we will read about events that took place in the last year or so of the Israelite sojourn in the wilderness. The author of Deuteronomy included some details which remind us that Yahweh is in control and orchestrating all world events.
The events recorded in the book of Deuteronomy took place on the east bank of the Jordan River, in the last year before Israel finally entered the Promised Land. The 2nd chapter is part of a speech in which Moses reviewed how Israel had arrived at the banks of the Jordan.
When we stopped reading yesterday, Moses had finished summarizing the Israelites’ wanderings through the wilderness. It had been 38 years since they left Kadesh-Barnea. The 38 years had allowed time for all the Israelite men who disobeyed Yahweh at Kadesh-Barnea to die off.
Israel was about to cross the Brook Zered. Yahweh had instructed Israel not to harass Edom or Moab because those lands were given to the sons of Esau and the sons of Lot. Those people groups were related to the Israelites.
Deut. 2:16 ¶ “So it happened when all the men of war had come to an end in death from among the people,
Deut. 2:17 that Yahweh spoke to me, saying,
Deut. 2:18 ‘Today you are about to cross over Ar, the border of Moab.
Deut. 2:19 And you will come opposite the sons of Ammon. Do not harass them nor provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession because I have given it to the sons of Lot as a possession.’
Just as Yahweh was not going to give Edom or Moab to Israel, He was not going to give Ammon to Israel either.
Notice the parentheses around the following verses, verses 20-23. These verses were not part of Moses’ speech to Israel. Instead, they are details included by the author of Deuteronomy to give the geo-political context in which Israel operated when they entered the area.
Deut. 2:20 (It is also regarded as the land of the Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin,
Deut. 2:21 a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but Yahweh destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place,
The first pronoun “them” refers to Rephaim. The second occurrence of the pronoun “them” refers to the Ammonites. Yahweh destroyed the Rephaim so that the Ammonites could take their land.
Deut. 2:22 just as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day.
Yahweh destroyed the Horites so that the sons of Esau could dispossess the Horites and live in their land.
Deut. 2:23 And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.)
The Avvim used to live near Gaza, but the Caphtorim came from Caphtor, destroyed the Avvim, and lived in their places near Gaza.
The author of Deuteronomy very intentionally explained how Yahweh had intervened in human affairs and controlled who conquered whom and which people groups lived in certain areas. This reminds us that Yahweh is in control.
When we observe world politics today, it is easy for us to get focused on which country has the better army, the most resources, and/or the easiest territory to defend, and make conclusions about who will win certain conflicts based on those factors. We often forget that Yahweh is in control. Yahweh can give victory or defeat to anyone, at any time of His choosing. Yahweh may use resources, military skill, or geography to accomplish His ends, but we must not forget that He is the One orchestrating all things.
Deut. 2:24 ‘Arise, set out, and pass through the valley of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession and provoke him to battle.
Look at the word “provoke”. Yahweh wanted Israel to provoke Sihon into battle. Yahweh had determined that Israel would conquer Sihon, and this was His way of starting the conquest.
The Arnon River was the border between Sihon and Moab.
Deut. 2:25 This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be in anguish because of you.’
Yahweh wanted Israel to conquer Sihon of Heshbon because the conquest would demonstrate Yahweh’s power, which would cause all nations to fear Israel.
Deut. 2:26 ¶ “So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying,
Moses’ method of provoking Sihon was to ask for peace.
Deut. 2:27 ‘Let me pass through your land, I will go only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Deut. 2:28 You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot,
Deut. 2:29 just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which Yahweh our God is giving to us.’
Deut. 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land, for Yahweh your God stiffened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to give him over into your hand, as he is today.
Take note of the words “stiffened” and “obstinate”. Just as Yahweh had hardened the heart of Pharaoh which led to the destruction of Egypt, so too Yahweh stiffened the spirit of Sihon so that he would resist Israel and be defeated.
Deut. 2:31 And Yahweh said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess, so that you may fully possess his land.’
Deut. 2:32 ¶ “Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz.
Deut. 2:33 But Yahweh our God gave him over to us, and we struck him down with his sons and all his people.
Deut. 2:34 So we captured all his cities at that time and devoted to destruction the men, women, and little ones of every city. We left no survivor remaining.
When we observe current events in the 21st century, we often overlook the role God plays in human affairs and assume that the country with the best army and the most resources will win any conflict. The author of Deuteronomy very intentionally informed us that certain people groups possessed certain areas because Yahweh had given them those areas. This reminds us that Yahweh is in control, even today. Yes, the country with the best army and most resources usually wins today, but we need to keep in mind that Yahweh is the One who gave them the best army and the most resources in the first place.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”