Do you want the promised land? S29e6 Dt2:16

Be careful what you ask for.  Everybody THINKS they want to go to and enter the promised land.  But it does require something of you. We often think that we are the heroes of the Bible stories. If you want to enter, there'll be some obedience; some following and maybe even some fighting. 

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Transcript

Do you want the promised land? S29e6 Dt2:16

100,000 OF MEN of war perish in the wilderness as a discipline for not wholeheartedly believing in the provision of the Lord. Presumably, this would also include the similarly aged women. Seems to hold the MEN under particular responsibility—just like he did of Adam in garden

Who are the men of war.

20 year olds are included in the census. 20 yo pay an adult temple tax. 20 year olds go to war. 20 is the age of accountability. “Everyone of the age of accountability is going to die off in the desert”

         Of interest , doesn’t smite them.

         They have basically said, we don’t want your promised land

         He gives them what they want: no promised land.

Those before the age of accountability, 19 yo., have grown. The nation of Israel is now aged 0-49, all the older, rebellious, disbelieving have died off 

16 “So as soon as all the men of war had perished and were dead from among the people, 17 the Lord said to me, 18 ‘Today you are to cross the border of Moab at Ar. 19 And when you approach the territory of the people of Ammon, do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.’ 20 (It is also counted as a land of Rephaim. Rephaim formerly lived there—but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim— 21 a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; but the Lord destroyed them before the Ammonites, and they dispossessed them and settled in their place, 22 as he did for the people of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them and they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day. 23 As for the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.) 24 ‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. 25 This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’ 

Don’t mess with the MOABITES—descendants of LOT

Don’t mess with the EDOMITES—descendants of ESAU

Both of these guys were knuckleheads. I am being kind to them for my own reasons. 

You hear about them, and you wonder why God is so good to them

100s of years later, God still has them in the apple of His eye

Both are undeserving…REALLY undeserving. They didn’t receive God’s goodness because of THEIR GOODNESS. They received GODS GOODNESS because of the GOODNESS of GOD

God’s goodness to each of them was based on the overall sovereign plan.

God does not forget after a year or two

They didn’t MERIT it by their wonderfulness, neither does Israel

Being in the kind favor of God is a desirable place to be

He is faithful. Hesed. Ongoing, steadfast, unwavering, kindness, faithfulness of God to undeserving, knuckleheaded humans.

This is the story of the Bible.Hesed. God’s faithfulness to unfaithful people.

If we could have fixed this by ourselves, there would be no reason for God’s rescue operation. 

Want the right things: Do you want the promised land? Metaphorically?

         Easy to sit here and criticize the Israelites. “I would have gone in”

         Requires: Ongoing relationship. Listening. Obeying when you hear

         He’s chosen some to go in. Why? Because of their shininess?

         No one is shiny enough for God. Not me. Not moses. Not you.

         We are gonna need some help. Favor. Obeying. 

Let’s be careful on where we insert ourselves into the story.Moses, Joshua

         If there is a role for a knucklehead, start there. That’s prob. You.

         We probably don’t star in this show. 

We probably are going to require the undeserved mercy of God. 

         We probably should come humbly and gratefully.

         We probably should obey the Lord when He says RISE UP SET OUT I have giveninto YOUR HAND. Beging to take possession of what I have given you possession of. 

         I am working. I am working FOR YOU. I am working IN YOU.

         Coordinate  two actions of God by Obeying, moving. Rise up. Set out 

Sovereignty of God’s action, and the dignity of allowing our action

God is sometimes kind to the undeserving (LOT) based on a relationship of another undeserving person(ABRAHAM). Thinking of this occasional principle of God, that If God was similarly disposed to be kind to you, who would you ask God to ALSO be kind to? I do not think it inappropriate to ask/beg God for similar kindness. Perhaps they are young. Children before the age of accountability. Perhaps they are old and rebellious and undeserving—these are those who God specializes in. 

Humbly ask for ourselves. Why are you. So good to me?

Humbly ask for others: Who would You also have in your kingdom

Do you want the promised land? Who do you want it for?