Deuteronomy 11

Deuteronomy 11 continues Moses’ message to the Israelites, urging them to love and obey God. He reminds them of God's past actions, encourages them to follow His commandments, and highlights the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. Moses emphasizes the importance of teaching the next generation and remaining loyal to the covenant, as they are about to enter the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 11:1 (NKJV)
1 “Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.”

Moses calls the Israelites to a deep and lasting love for God, which is to be demonstrated through obedience to His commandments. Their relationship with God should not just be emotional but practical, involving the faithful observance of His laws. This continual obedience is expected to be a lifelong commitment that reflects their covenant with God.

Deuteronomy 11:2-3 (NKJV)
2 “Know today that I do not speak with your children, who have not known and who have not seen the chastening of the Lord your God, His greatness and His mighty hand and His outstretched arm—
3 His signs and His acts which He did in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to all his land;”

Moses addresses those who have personally witnessed God's miracles, reminding them of the power and greatness of God. They saw firsthand the miraculous events in Egypt, including the plagues and deliverance from Pharaoh. By recalling these events, Moses urges the people to remain faithful, as they had experienced God's direct intervention in their history.

Deuteronomy 11:4 (NKJV)
4 “what He did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and their chariots: how He made the waters of the Red Sea overflow them as they pursued you, and how the Lord has destroyed them to this day;”

Moses recounts how God decisively defeated the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The miraculous parting of the sea and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army were demonstrations of God's protective power over Israel. This event stands as a reminder that God fights for His people and delivers them from their enemies when they are faithful to Him.

Deuteronomy 11:5 (NKJV)
5 “what He did for you in the wilderness until you came to this place;”

Moses reminds the Israelites of God's provision and protection during their journey through the wilderness. Throughout their wandering, God sustained them, providing food, water, and guidance. This recollection serves to encourage them to trust in God's continued care as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 11:6 (NKJV)
6 “and what He did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel—”

Moses recalls the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who defied God's leadership. As a result, the earth swallowed them, serving as a powerful warning against rebellion. This event reinforced that disobedience to God leads to severe consequences, and the people must remain faithful to His commands.

Deuteronomy 11:7 (NKJV)
7 “but your eyes have seen every great act of the Lord which He did.”

Moses highlights that the current generation had witnessed these extraordinary acts of God firsthand. Their experiences were meant to solidify their faith and ensure their obedience. These memories were not just stories but lived realities that should inspire them to remain faithful to God.

Deuteronomy 11:8-9 (NKJV)
8 “Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess,
9 and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’”

Moses urges the Israelites to obey all of God's commandments to gain the strength and courage needed to enter and possess the Promised Land. Obedience will not only enable them to take the land but also to thrive and enjoy long life in it. The land is described as a bountiful place, rich in resources, fulfilling God's promise to their ancestors.

Deuteronomy 11:10-12 (NKJV)
10 “For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden;
11 but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven,
12 a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.”

Moses contrasts the Promised Land with Egypt. Unlike Egypt, which relied on manual irrigation, the Promised Land receives its water directly from the rain provided by God. This highlights God's ongoing care for the land and His people. God's watchful eye is always upon the land, emphasizing its divine blessing and the unique relationship between Israel and their God.

Deuteronomy 11:13-15 (NKJV)
13 “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.”

Moses sets forth the blessings of obedience: if the Israelites faithfully love and serve God, He will provide abundant rain at the right times, ensuring successful crops and livestock. This promise of provision and prosperity is directly linked to their devotion and obedience, showing that their well-being in the land is tied to their relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 11:16-17 (NKJV)
16 “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
17 lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you.”

Moses warns of the consequences of turning away from God. If they are deceived and begin worshiping other gods, God's anger will result in drought and famine. Their survival in the land is conditional upon their loyalty to God. By emphasizing the dire results of disobedience, Moses underscores the importance of staying faithful to the one true God.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (NKJV)
18 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of Mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,”

Moses commands the people to internalize God's words and make them a visible part of their lives. These words should be ever-present, not just for personal adherence but also to be taught diligently to their children. The instructions are practical: God's law should be discussed in everyday moments, becoming an integral part of daily life, visibly displayed as a reminder of their covenant with God.

Deuteronomy 11:21 (NKJV)
21 “that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.”

Moses promises that obedience will lead to long life and prosperity for both the current generation and their descendants. The blessings of a prolonged stay in the Promised Land are contingent on their faithfulness. Obedience not only secures blessings for the present but also ensures that future generations enjoy God’s promises.

Deuteronomy 11:22-23 (NKJV)
22 “For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do—to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him—
23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves.”

Moses reaffirms that continued faithfulness to God's commandments will result in God's support in conquering their enemies. Despite facing nations stronger than they are, God will empower Israel to drive them out. This promise assures the Israelites that their success in battle and possession of the land depends on their obedience and trust in God.

Deuteronomy 11:24-25 (NKJV)
24 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea, shall be your territory.
25 No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you.”

God promises the Israelites extensive territory, stretching from the wilderness to Lebanon, the Euphrates, and the Mediterranean Sea. This vast land is theirs for the taking, with no enemy being able to withstand them. God Himself will instill fear in the hearts of their enemies, ensuring their victories. This promise emphasizes God’s power and provision for His chosen people.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NKJV)
26 “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:
27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today;
28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.”

Moses sets a clear choice before the Israelites: blessings or curses. Blessings come through obedience to God's commandments, while curses follow disobedience and idolatry. This ultimatum reinforces the theme of free will and accountability. The Israelites must choose between life and prosperity or disaster and ruin, based on their faithfulness to God.

Deuteronomy 11:29-30 (NKJV)
29 “Now it shall be, when the Lord your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
30 Are they not on the other side of the Jordan, toward the setting sun, in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the plain opposite Gilgal, beside the terebinth trees of Moreh?”

Moses instructs the Israelites to perform a ceremony of blessings and curses when they enter the land, with Mount Gerizim representing blessings and Mount Ebal representing curses. These locations were symbolic and would serve as a reminder of the covenant they had with God. This act would reinforce the choices set before them and serve as a public declaration of their commitment.

Deuteronomy 11:31-32 (NKJV)
31 “For you will cross over the Jordan and go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and you will possess it and dwell in it.
32 And you shall be careful to observe all the statutes and judgments which I set before you today.”

Moses concludes by reminding the Israelites of their impending crossing of the Jordan River to take possession of the land God has promised them. He emphasizes once again the importance of careful obedience to God's laws. Their success and future in the land are directly linked to their faithfulness in observing the commandments given to them.