The Lord will not Fail

August 30, 2009

Lesson: Deuteronomy 31:1-8, 34:7-12

Key Verse: Deuteronomy 31:8

Introduction

“Be strong and of a good courage” are not just words to inspire or provoke obedience in time of distress, but are sustained by the strength and faithfulness of the Lord. We are to be strong and of good courage, not by our efforts, but by the strength of the Lord who is very present with his people.

John Calvin likens the providence of God to his Creation: By the warmth of the sun, “trees and vines bud, and put forth first their leaves, then their blossom, then their fruit. And the Lord that he might claim the entire glory of these things as his own, was pleased that light should exist, and that the earth should be replenished with all kinds of herbs and fruits before he made the sun. No pious man, therefore, will make the sun either the necessary or principal cause of those things which existed before the creation of the sun, but only the instrument which God employs, because he so pleases; though he can lay it aside, and act equally well by himself: Again, when we read, that at the prayer of Joshua the sun was stayed in its course, (Joshua 10:13;) that as a favor to Hezekiah, its shadow receded ten degrees, (2 Kings 20:11;) by these miracles God declared that the sun does not daily rise and set by a blind instinct of nature, but is governed by Him in its course, that he may renew the remembrance of his paternal favor toward us.”

Therefore, our Lord will not fail us, nor will he forsake us. We are encouraged to live righteously, being content with what we have, because the Lord has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Heb. 13:5-6). Our Lord confirms our salvation, saying, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

Discussion: Can we, then, truly believe and know that our Lord will never fail?

Before the Nations –Deuteronomy 31:1-5

The Lord has renewed his covenant with Moses. The covenant is with us today, a covenant of life and death; for our life is in the Savior who gives us eternal life. Thus the Lord said to Moses, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice … for he is thy life” (Deut. 30:19-20).

These words Moses spoke to all the people. Moses claims his inability to go in an out as he used to, for he was “a hundred and twenty years old.” The Lord had also told him that he would not go over the Jordan to the Promised Land, because of the disobedience of the people. However, his work, for which was chosen, was completed. His last task was to turn over the leadership to Joshua, who would captain his people into the land of Canaan. Not only would the Lord appoint Joshua to walk before his people, but the Lord would be the one to bring victory over the enemy: “The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou halt possess them.”

Moses brings to remembrance what the Lord did to Sihon (Num. 21). The Lord shall destroy the nations of Canaan as he did “to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.” The Lord would accomplish the destruction of the evil nations of Canaan, as well lead them into his people into the Promised Land. The Lord would accomplish this through the people. Thus they are, in choosing life, obey his commands explicitly; for the Lord would give the enemy up before their face, “that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.”

Zechariah spoke of The Branch who would “build the temple of the Lord” (Zech. 6:12). The Lord is building his Church today, as he promised. Zechariah spoke also of the physical temple, saying that there would be many coming to build it. And to this promise of a temple, Zechariah adds these words, “And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” In his precious temple, his Church, our Lord is adding living stones. And they are to show that they belong to him by their loving obedience to his commands.

Discussion: How would the Lord accomplish the giving of Canaan to His people?

Be Strong and of Good Courage –Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Because the Lord is the one who will give, by grace, the land of Canaan to his people, they are to, “Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” We are to be strong, of good courage, fear not, and be not afraid; the four characteristics of a child of God whose rest is in him who is their Lord and God. Their Lord’s covenant has established his presence with them. Thus he will personally care for them, never fail them, and never forsake them.

To be strong means to attach oneself to the task without wavering, to conquer, to be valiant. To be of “good” courage speaks of that which is pleasant, fruitful, precious and righteous. The quality of our courage rests in our moral goodness (i.e. the righteousness of Christ in us). As the Psalmist spoke, “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (34:14). The word, fear, indicates the feeling one has when something may go wrong. Thus the child of God, who knows the personal presence of the Lord, will testify, “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me” (Psa. 56:4). To be afraid is to be terrified. We have the same promise of God’s victory over our fears, as well as our enemies, in Deut. 20:3-3, “Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

With the same admonition to be “strong and of good courage,” Moses calls Joshua to go “with his people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.” We must walk in that same faith that Joshua and his people were called to walk, boldly, without fear, in the strength of the Lord, and with good courage. The motivation to walk so, is the same for us as for Joshua, “And the Lord,” it is he who goes before us, “he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed (broken, alarmed).”

Discussion: How are we able to walk in the midst of evil with strength and courage?

By His Mighty Hand –Deuteronomy 34:7-12

We move to chapter 34 to follow up on our theme that our Lord will not fail us. From the time the people left Egypt to the crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land, the Lord did not fail his people. He kept his covenant.

Moses died at the age of one hundred and twenty. He did not die in weakness, but in strength, “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” His Lord preserved his mental and physical strength and spiritual vigor to the very end; Yea, even beyond the end. For Moses, like Enoch and Elijah, did not taste the horror of death. Thus it is recorded that “there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Christ Jesus confirms his servant Moses at the time of his transfiguration; for it was then that Christ revealed his divine position in the Godhead, in the presence of his servants: “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him” (Matt. 17:2).

The Lord led Moses beyond the eyes of his people. Moses was one who was faithful in the house of the Lord, whom he spoke with by his mouth (Num. 12:7-8). It was the devil that was rebuked when he disputed about the body of Moses before Michael the archangel (Jude 9). Moses belonged to the Lord. As the Lord preserved Moses from corruption, so will he grant us a new resurrected body (1 Cor. 15:52-54).

Joshua “was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him.” The people followed and listened to Joshua, “and did as the Lord commanded Moses.” There arose not a prophet like unto Moses. The people were to know this, and remember “all the signs and the wonders,” which the Lord did through Moses in Egypt. The Lord revealed himself to his people through his servant, Moses, “in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.” Joshua would follow Moses with great wonders and signs, but they would remind the people of God’s servant Moses. And we are to see the wonders to remind us of the only greater prophet, Christ Jesus, the Divine Son of God, “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, who is placed as the Son over the house of God, in which Moses was found faithful as a servant, Jesus Christ, the founder and mediator of the new and everlasting covenant” (Keil & Delitzsch).