Numbers 30, 32, 34; Deuteronomy 1-4

30.
There is a stress on the seriousness we should give to our vows to God.

32.
Following the Lord should be done wholeheartedly: this is exactly why Caleb and Joshua were blessed and were invested with God’s power, authority, and the land.

34.
Although God had given a certain inheritance to the Israelites, they never possessed it to the full extent, even during the Age of the Kings. Our inheritance is the promised eternal inheritance which can never perish, spoil, or fade.

Deuteronomy

1.
God faithfully keeps His promises. He had promised the land to the fathers, and not only does He do it, He has also multiplied them. Because of His faithfulness and integrity, we shouldn’t fear, neither be discouraged.

God is just. In fact, He tells the Israelites not to be respecters of persons, and that the large and the small should be treated equally.

In the case of the Israelites, God guided them through the wilderness, just like a father taking care of his son. He went before them, showing the way and finding the perfect and comfortable places to pitch their tents. Even in the wilderness, the Israelites lacked nothing because of God, who had also blessed the works of their hands. Yet, they repeatedly disobeyed and rebelled against God and His advices, with disastrous consequences. The fact remains that God knows the best way and we should obey Him wholeheartedly.

Sometimes, God’s will includes fighting with enemies- but we do so with His obvious encouragement, and thus we should never be discouraged or fearful. But in the Israelites’ dealings with the people of Seir, God advises them not to meddle with them and not to covet their lands, but to buy food and drink.

2.
We might expect a bed of roses with God on our side. It’s a far cry from that. We may expect to make friends and have people rejoice upon seeing us. But there are many who fear and tremble, and thus might try to sting us.

3.
Even when we have fearsome enemies and daunting problems, we needn’t fear- for the Lord will take care of us! This advice is given to Joshua who is told not to fear his mighty opponents, but to realise that the Lord will fight for them.
Now, having God fighting for us doesn’t mean sitting on an armchair and relaxing while He did the fighting- no, Joshua fought and the Lord worked His power through him.

4.
We are a chosen and great nation- for we have God close to us, we have the authority to call upon Him at any time, and we follow righteous commandments instituted by God.

Life (both physical and eternal) and the ability to possess and sustain blessings are ensured by following God’s commandments, taking care of our soul, and cleaving to Him. We shouldn’t amend the commandments according to our whims and fancies. God’s word is wisdom and understanding.

We shouldn’t make and worship graven images. Although this might not be generally applicable in the literal sense in the western world, this also means that we shouldn’t worship the modern graven images such as wealth, fame, power, and the like.

God has brought us out of the captivity of sin so that we will worship Him and claim inheritance. He has constantly appeared in our life so that we will believe in Him. If we seek the Lord, with all our heart and with all our soul, we will find Him. Even in times of trouble and persecution, if we remain obedient and turn to God (instead of turning to solutions which the human mind would ordinarily devise), He being merciful, will not forsake or destroy us, or forget the promise which He made to us. He is with us, so that we can overcome our problems and claim our rightful inheritance.