W. Robert Godfrey

Verse 4 of chapter 9 is so important.

I think key in a lot of ways to understanding what's going on in Deuteronomy.

Do not say in your heart, Deuteronomy 9 verse 4, after the Lord your God has thrust the nations out before you, it is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me to possess this land.

Whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you.

Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess the land, but because of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord our God is driving them out from before you, that he may confirm the word that he swore unto our fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Know therefore that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.

Anyone who wants to argue that Israel is inheriting the land because of its righteousness, because of its obedience, because the Lord is rewarding them for their goodness, Moses says that's absolutely the opposite of the truth.

He's giving you the land despite who you are, despite what you've been, despite what you're going to be.

He is rescuing a stubborn people.

He is not rewarding a righteous people.

And I think we have to keep that in mind when we think about ourselves as well, that we

We indeed have been the recipients of grace, not because we've deserved it, but because of the sovereign mercy of God beyond all deserving.

It's the wonder of grace that we possess in him and through him.

Then Moses goes on to offer a few more examples of their disobedience in the wilderness.

Verses 22 through 24 of chapter 9.

He offers these examples and particularly I think verse 23 is important here.

And when the Lord sent you from Kadesh Barnea saying, go up and take possession of the land that I have given you, then you rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God and did not believe him or obey his voice.

Then he goes on to say, you have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you.

This is not the cheeriest farewell sermon ever preached, but it's really bringing home to the people their spiritual need.

But I think what's interesting here is to see his statement, you neither believed the Lord nor obeyed him.