Six Weeks Before we leave!
Open your Trip Bible, mark it with your
trip highlighter, Deuteronomy 11:1-32
A Personal Bible Study: two weeks before...
"Trust and Obey"
Find a quiet place and a few minutes.
Open your Trip Bible to Deuteronomy 11:1-32
Let's look at... "The Land of Israel - God's Testing Ground of Faith"
A.God's Expectations (Read Deuteronomy 11:1-12)
1. God has demonstrated His faithfulness in the past and present. He
rightly expects us to love and obey Him as Lord. (11:1-7)
God reviews Israel's history from their bondage in Egypt, through their
deliverance at the Red Sea . . . to their judgment in the wilderness.
2. God further expects us to trust & obey Him because of His promises
to us for the future (11:8-12) To the Israelites who hadn't seen it yet, He
vividly describes the Promised Land;
a. It's a land of blessing (v.9)
b. It's a land unlike anything they've experienced before (v. 10)
c. It's a land under God's personal care (vv. 11-12)
B. God's Response (Read Deuteronomy 11:13-21)
1. God will bless those who trust and obey (11:13-15)
a. God will provide the needed RAIN (vv. 13-14a)
In the winter of 2010, the Sea of Galilee level was very low. Citizens of Israel rejoiced in an unusually
rainy month of January. Even though Israel's "rainy season" runs from late November to early March,
January rains are rare. The "early rain" and "latter rain" usually refer to springtime rains and autumn
rains. Additionally, they signal abundant rainfall, filling of the Sea of Galilee, early greening of the
Galilee area and two good harvests!
b. God says He will provide needed FOOD for the people and for their animals (verses 14b-15)
"Grain" refers to wheat and barley, Israel's main food source. The "wine" comes from the vineyards,
and the "oil" from the olive trees. These are four of the seven main products of the land that God
promised Israel (see the list in Deuteronomy 8:7-8)
2. God will judge those who turn away from Him (11:16-21)
a. God's warning against turning from Him (vv. 16-17)
b. God's remedy for turning from Him (vv.18-21)
1. Know His Word (v. 18)
You will see Orthodox Jews wrapping Scripture boxes on their arms & foreheads while praying.
2. Teach His Word (v. 19)
3. Exalt His Word at home & in the city (vv. 20-21) Orthodox Jews take this literally too, placing a
mezuzah (small box containing a portion of God's Word) on the door frames of their homes, their
businesses and on the gates of the city of Jerusalem. You'll notice them on your hotel room door.
C. God's Reminder (Read Deuteronomy 11:22-32)
1. God reminded the people of His promises before they entered the land. Good idea for us! (22-25)
a. Obedience brings us victory over opposition (vv. 22-23)
b. Obedience brings us victory over limitations (v. 24)
c. Obedience brings us victory over obstacles (v. 25)
2. God commanded the people to remember His promises after they entered the land (11:26-32)
Israel fulfilled this command in Joshua 8:30-35.
Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim today stand guard over the Arab city of Nablus.
The Bottom Line:
The land of Israel was God's "testing ground of faith" for His people. From Moses’ and Joshua’s day, God expected His people to move ahead by faith, do their part to take the land He had promised them, and by His power, achieve the victory and celebrate His faithfulness!
But their walk of faith was not to end once they entered, or even conquered the Land. Throughout
history and even today, God wants His children to live out His command to "trust and obey."
As the Bible shows and the hymn-writer knows, “there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.”
On our trip through Israel/Jordan the Book and the Faith can also be a journey of personal faith for you.
Place after place, site after site will remind us of the wisdom of trusting and obeying God.
[My thanks to the unknown author from whom I've drawn some ideas for this study. -David]
