Deuteronomy 11

CHAPTER 11THEME: The Promised Land unlike Egypt; principle of occupancy of the landGod talks to them here about the land they are about to enter. The Promised Land will not be at all like Egypt. And God will give them the principles required for occupancy of the land.

Deuteronomy 11:1

A CALL TO COMMITMENTThe response to the love of God is obedience.

Deuteronomy 11:8

They were accustomed to irrigated fields down in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 11:10

When I was in Egypt I was told that the rainfall there is less than one inch a year. Now that is not much rainfall! I’ve been to a place in the Hawaiian Islands where the rainfall is over 100 inches a year. That is quite a difference. Obviously, Egypt was dependent upon irrigation.

Deuteronomy 11:11

PRINCIPLE OF OCCUPANCY OF THE LANDThe land these people were going to enter would be a little difficult to irrigate because it was hilly. Of course they didn’t have the equipment for it in that day. The land would depend upon the rain from heaven. God did this purposely. He put them on a land that had to depend upon Him for rainfall. This would draw the people closer to God. The reason that land is desolate today, as we shall see in Deuteronomy, is because the judgment of God is upon it. The minute water is put into that soil, the desert blossoms as a rose. It is water that it needs, and they are having trouble with water there even today. God told them that they would be dependent upon rain. If they would obey Him, He would bless them with the former and latter rains; that is, the fall and spring rainfall. By looking at that land you can see the spiritual condition of the people. In an affluent society such as we live in today, where things come so easily, I am afraid that people assume God has nothing in the world to do with it. I do not understand why people think that if things come easily, they have done it; if things come with difficulty, then God must be in it. Well, God is the One who provides for all our physical needs. Whether things come to us easily or with difficulty, He still is the Provider.

Deuteronomy 11:22

The great principle of their occupancy of the land is given here.

Deuteronomy 11:23

You will notice that the land is a gift from God. He has given to them a land which is much greater than anything they have ever occupied. It was from the river Euphrates to the Mediterranean Sea, and from Lebanon all the way south into the desert that they had come through. This was approximately 300,000 square miles. They have never occupied more than about 30,000 square miles of it, even at the time when the kingdom reached its zenith under David and Solomon. “Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours.” It had been given to them by God and it was theirs, but they failed to walk upon it, claim it, and enjoy it. God told Joshua the same thing. He told him that the land was right there before them and that it belonged to Israel. But He told them they had to go in and walk up and down in the land. They had to possess it. Why is there such a difference in believers today? Some Christians are sitting on the side lines and are poverty stricken spiritually. Others are fabulously rich spiritually. God makes it clear that He has blessed all believers with spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. Some believers claim those blessings; some do not. Some believers enjoy those blessings; some do not. It is a matter of appropriating that which we already possess.

Deuteronomy 11:26

Israel was commanded to obey. Obedience was the very nub of the matter.

Deuteronomy 11:27

Obedience is something which has been dropped into the background today. I believe in the grace of God. I preach the grace of God. We are saved by grace, we are kept by grace, we grow by the grace of God. We are going to get to heaven by the grace of God. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, it will still be by the grace of God. But, my friend, there are great spiritual blessings today which you are going to miss if you are not obedient to Him. Jesus told us, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Joh_14:15). Obedience offers a personal, wonderful, glorious relationship with God. The opposite is also true. Disobedience brings with it a curse.

Deuteronomy 11:28

You will notice that the great issue over which God is pleading with Israel is idolatry. There was always the danger that they would turn from Jehovah, their God, and lapse back into idolatry.