This small group Deuteronomy 11 Bible study guide contains commentary, discussion questions, cross-references, and application to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Deuteronomy 11 Bible Study And Discussion Questions – The Blessings Of Obedience
Outline
I. Consider God’s work in your history (1-7)
II. Obey God and He will take care of you in the land (8-17)
III. Remember and pass on God’s commands (18-25)
IV. A blessing or curse (26-32)
I. Consider God’s work in your history (1-7)
Discussion Questions
• What is the therefore in verse 1 there for?
• Why are four different words for commandments used in verse 1? Are they the same thing or something different?
• How would it help them to “consider” the discipline of the Lord?
• Do you ever stop and consider God’s discipline in your life? Why would this be helpful to do?
• What happened to Pharaoh and Egypt? Why?
• What happened to Dathan and Abiram? Why?
• What great works of the Lord have your eyes seen?
Cross-References
Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Numbers 16:1-3 – Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
Numbers 16:32-33 – And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
1 Peter 1:17 – And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Therefore – It is also helpful to remember that the original Scriptures did not contain chapters or verses. The previous verse said, “Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.”
God’s blessings in their past, specifically the blessing of multiplying them into a great nation, should motivate them to serve Him.
2. Love God and keep His commands – These are the key themes of the book of Deuteronomy and are repeated throughout the book. If people were more faithful and had better memories, perhaps God wouldn’t find it necessary to remind us so many times to obey His commands. But because of our forgetfulness, frequent reminders are necessary.
If you have children, you understand how this works. It is likely that you gave them the same reminders (clean your room, make your bed, etc.) many times. It is equally likely that their response is often “I forgot.”
Reflect – What are some practical ways to keep yourself from forgetting God’s commands?
3. Consider God’s discipline –
Deuteronomy 11:2 – And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm.
The word “consider” is mentioned two times in verse 2. The word “consider” shows the active role that the people were to take to think about what God had done. They were to intentionally spend time meditating on what they had seen God do historically. As they considered this, they should think about what this could teach them about His character. Lessons learned from God’s actions in history could also be instructive on how He would act in the future.
The command to consider is a reminder that we are to control our thoughts and not allow them to control us. We are to take charge of our minds by purposefully thinking about good and important things. You can do this by engaging in an internal dialogue with yourself. Ask yourself questions and then answer those questions. Here are a few starter questions to help you consider what God is doing in your life.
• What has God done in your life this year?
• How has He blessed you?
• How has He disciplined you?
• How has He answered prayer?
• If His answer to prayer was “no” or “wait,” why might that be?
• Have you faced any trials?
• What does He want to teach you through those trials?
We are not to be passive passengers taken for a wild ride by every whim and fanciful thought that comes into our minds. Instead, we are to exercise mental discipline and direct our thoughts toward what is right.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Application – Most spiritual battles we face start in our minds. We can sanctify our minds by meditating on God, His character, and His deeds. Don’t allow your mind to be blank or distracted while reading Scripture or attending church. Instead, be mentally disciplined. Think over what you are reading or hearing.
4. God’s judgment on Pharaoh, Dathan, Abiram, and Israel itself – As they prepared to enter the land, Moses asked them to think about God’s judgment in the past. Pharaoh was God’s enemy. He disobeyed God’s commands and faced dire consequences. This story is well known.
Dathan and Abiram are less well-known. Numbers 16 records what happened to them. These men were part of a rebellion against Moses. Rejecting his God-given authority, they wanted more power for themselves. The Lord opened a giant hole in the ground, which swallowed them up, along with all of those who sided with them. Dathan and Abiram were professing believers. They were within God’s camp. Yet they still did not escape judgment.
Israel as a nation also experienced discipline from God, being exiled in the wilderness for forty years.
Moses reminded them that the enemies of God, those within His camp, and the camp itself faced consequences for their sins.
Moses encouraged them to think about these things. As they did, it would motivate them to obey God so that they could avoid facing similar judgment.
5. See the great work God has done –
Here is a beautiful verse.
Deuteronomy 11:7 – For your eyes have seen all the great work of the Lord that he did.
Israel had seen many supernatural works of God. The Lord does not always work as visibly as He did at that time, but He is still working. We need to open our eyes and see what He is doing in the world today. That means we have to look for it. At the same time, we should pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give us spiritual sight and understanding. He is working and we don’t want to miss it.
II. Obey God and He will take care of you in the land (8-17)
Discussion Questions
• What would the results of obedience be?
• Is it wrong for us to be motivated to obey by the rewards or blessings that come because of obedience?
• What are some of the various different motivations for obedience?
• Are some of these better than others?
• What does it mean that the land would be flowing with milk and honey?
• Do you live in a land that is flowing with milk and honey?
• What do verses 12-17 tell us about God’s relationship with nature?
• How would their obedience or disobedience affect nature?
• What are some examples in Scripture of God intervening in nature either positively or negatively in response to human actions?
• Does God still intervene in nature today?
Cross-References
Numbers 13:27 – And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
1 Kings 17:1 – Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”
Job 12:7-10 – “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
Psalms 95:4-5 – In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. The blessings of obedience – Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, Moses continually stressed that obedience to God’s commands would result in blessing. Some of the blessings mentioned here include taking possession of the land, long life, plentiful rain, and abundant harvests.
Reflect – Is it wrong for us to be motivated to obey by the rewards or blessings that come because of obedience?
Some have suggested that it is selfish for us to be motivated to do what is right because of a promised reward. If, for example, you are offered $5,000 to jump into a river and save a person who is drowning, is it wrong to do it for the cash?
If thinking of the rewards of obeying God was wrong, God would not promise these continually throughout Scripture. The fact is, He often uses promises of blessing to motivate His people. However, we should remember that this is only one motivating factor. People are motivated by many things. Here are some things that motivate us to serve God. This list is basically positive, though there are other things not on the list that are not, such as money or pride.
• Rewards or blessing (Colossians 3:23-24)
• Fear of judgment and hell (Matthew 10:28)
• Love for others (Romans 9:3)
• Feelings or sense of achievement (Proverbs 13:19)
• The glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)
• A response to his love (1 John 4:19)
• Love for God (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Reflect – Are some of these motivations more pure than others?
2. A land flowing with milk and honey – The Promised Land is often described as a land “flowing with milk and honey.” It is a picture of the abundance they would experience in the land. Milk and honey were valuable commodities in those days. Famine and hunger were common in the ancient world. Having enough water and bread to eat would have already been a great blessing. Milk and honey were luxuries that most people would only rarely have the privilege to enjoy. God would make these luxuries common. Even the poorest of the land could enjoy them.
We should take a moment to consider how blessed we are today. My oldest son loves to drink milk. He drinks it like water. We almost always have it. Any time of day, he can open the refrigerator and pour for himself a large cup of fresh, cold milk. We enjoy many other delicacies that the people of Israel never would have imagined. I told my son that our home is flowing with milk and honey. We can purchase almost any item online and within a day or two it will be delivered right to our door.
Application – Be thankful. Our lives are filled with modern conveniences and luxuries that most people throughout the history of the world would be astounded to see. And yet, we still complain? Let us not take God’s blessings for granted in our lives today.
3. God and nature – Nature is not a total arbitrary force. While God has set up many natural laws which govern nature, He can also intervene according to His sovereign purposes. Moses told Israel that God would send them rain and bless the fruit of the ground if they would obey Him. God created this world and every aspect of it is under His control.
There are many examples in Scripture of God’s sovereign control over nature. In the time of Elijah, he caused a three-year drought. Only after the people repented and Elijah prayed did it rain again (1 Kings 17). He sent the rain to cause a worldwide flood during the time of Noah (Genesis). A storm raged when Jonah ran away from God. Jesus calmed the sea and the storm (Mark 4:35-41).
Do not think that God stopped working in nature when the Bible was completed. He uses all kinds of ways to bring about His plans, including the weather.
One modern example took place at Dunkirk. Perhaps you have seen the movie or read the story. Germany had launched a fast, sweeping attack against the Allied British and French army, driving them to the coast. The Allied army of over 350,000 soldiers was trapped in Dunkirk and faced the possibility of total annihilation or surrender. Transport ships were too large to bring to shore to evacuate the army. So, an amazing rescue attempt was launched, Operation Dynamo, on May 27, 1940. Eight hundred sixty-one small vessels, fishing boats, and motor boats, etc., were used to ferry the men from shore out to the transport ships. It was an amazing rescue and 330,000 soldiers were saved and lived to fight another day.
This is the part of the story you probably know. What you may not know is that on May 26, England had a national day of prayer, one of only two they had during the whole war. It was requested by King George VI. People responded and churches overflowed with people praying. Long lines were outside as people came out to pray. They not only prayed for deliverance. But they confessed their sins, nationally and individually.
God answered. The German army inexplicably stopped pressing the attack and, for three days, stood by, giving time for the evacuation attempt. The Creator of the heavens and earth caused the weather to help the British forces complete the rescue. Extensive cloud cover prevented the German air force from attacking. Calm seas eased the cross-channel boat trip and aided the rescue attempt. Many of these same soldiers would come back and liberate Europe four years later.
Was the weather a coincidence? No. God orchestrated the weather in such a way as to save the British army, a key event that eventually helped stop Hitler and save the Jews from total extinction.
Application – Here is a simple application. Don’t complain about the weather because God controls it!
III. Remember and pass on God’s commands (18-25)
Discussion Questions
• How can you “lay up” God’s Words in your heart and soul?
• Are you satisfied with your Scripture memory plan? If not, how can you improve?
• How does memorizing Scripture help you in your day-to-day life?
• How could a single person apply verse 19?
• What does it mean to talk of these things when you “walk,” “lie down,” and “rise?”
• What would be the results of teaching and talking about these things?
• Do you do this in your families?
• If so, how has regularly talking about the Word helped your family? Give practical examples.
Cross-References
Psalms 119:11 – I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 – You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Psalms 37:31 – The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul – Moses stressed again the importance of remembering God’s commands. The theme of Deuteronomy is to remember, obey, and pass on God’s instructions. The first step is to remember them. One way to do that was by memorizing Scripture.
Memorizing Scripture is always important for believers, but was especially vital for that time. They didn’t have smartphones with Bibles. Except for the priests, almost no one would have even had access to Scripture.
They needed a strong oral tradition to remember God’s commands and share them with each other. The first step was to pay careful attention to Moses’ sermons. Having the right attitude was key. If they loved God’s Word, they would listen attentively, repeat it to their families, and live by it.
Our attitude toward the Word is also paramount.
We are to long for it like babies desire milk.
1 Peter 2:2 – Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.
When we have the right attitude, the right actions will follow. We will listen to sermons carefully. Rather than being absent-minded, we will meditate on the Scriptures we are reading during our devotions. We will also memorize Scripture.
Reflect – Why is memorizing Scripture important?
Here are ten reasons to memorize Scripture.
• Jesus memorized it.
• God commands it.
• It equips us against temptation.
• It helps us quickly identify false teaching.
• It renews our mind.
• It fills our minds with pure things.
• It prepares us to share with unbelievers and answer their questions.
• It strengthens and encourages you during times of testing.
• It prepares you for a possible time when you don’t have access to the Bible.
• It helps transform our attitude and behavior.
Application – Do you have a Scripture memorizing plan? Spend some time to evaluate your Scripture memorizing habits. If you don’t have a plan, make one. Set an initial goal for the number of verses to memorize per week. If you do already have a plan, how can it be improved?
2. Verses 18-21 – These instructions are repeated from Deuteronomy 6:7-9. See our notes there.
3. God would bless their obedience – Over and over again in Deuteronomy, we see God’s promise to bless the people if they would obey Him. Here, He promises to bless them with long life, victory over their enemies, and land to possess.
He would even instill in their enemies a dread and a fear of them. This would give them an advantage in battle.
IV. A blessing or curse (26-32)
Discussion Questions
• Which is more effective, the carrot or the stick?
• Should authorities such as teachers or parents use the carrot and the stick to motivate those in their charge?
• What does it to set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal?
• According to verse 32, how were they to treat God’s rules?
Cross-References
Luke 11:28 – But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Joshua 8:30-34 – At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. I am setting before you a blessing and a curse – God gave them a clear choice. They could faithfully obey Him. If they did, He would bless them abundantly. Or they could disobey and turn to idols. If they did, they would be cursed. Two choices would bring about two very distinct results.
Even though God made this choice very clear to them, the very next generation went after idols and took the curse.
God has designed many things like this, both in the natural and spiritual realms.
Galatians 6:7-8 – Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Here are some examples of clear choices that people face.
• Smoking. Cigarettes are known to have bad health consequences, including cancer.
• Heavy drinking. It is known that heavy drinking is unhealthy both physically and to one’s life and relationships.
• Promiscuity. It is known that immorality increases risks such as sexually transmitted diseases.
• Junk food. It is known that sodas, sugars, and artificial foods are poisonous.
These offer an A or B choice. The curse is known on the front side. People know what they are getting into. They also know that abstaining from these harmful habits is wholesome and healthy.
Reflect – Since the “curse” is known, what causes people to keep reaching for the bottle or the burger?
The answer is that, as sinful beings, we desire instant gratification. We often choose short-term “highs” over long-term health and joy.
God gave the people of Israel a clear choice between blessing and curse. When Joshua entered the land, the people physically acted out this choice on the two mountains of Ebal and Gerizim (Joshua 8). The choice was made visible and obvious.
God gives us this choice because He is merciful. Like a good doctor warning his patients, He warns us of the results of our decisions ahead of time. That takes away any possible claims of ignorance. It also shows that people have personal responsibility. When people make the wrong choice and knowingly take the curse, they cannot blame others or deflect responsibility. If you knowingly look at choices A and B and take the curse, the result is on you.
Application – God mercifully tells us the results of sinful choices ahead of time. Do not choose instant gratification over God’s good plan for you. Next time you are confronted with a choice between a blessing or a curse, think through the long-term ramifications of your decision. Pray for strength. Make the right choice!
2. The carrot and the stick – God often uses the promise of blessings or the warning of judgment to motivate His people. He does this repeatedly in this passage and throughout the book of Deuteronomy. It seems that He invented the carrot and the stick.
Reflect – Which is more effective, the carrot or the stick?
Some studies have shown that the stick can be effective in certain instances. One study showed that the threat of losing money was a greater motivator than the promise of reward.
Both the carrot and the stick can be powerful motivators. Some people respond more to one than the other. Parents, teachers, and authorities should be wise and discerning in their use of motivational methods.
A proper balance is essential. A parent who always threatens discipline and never gives rewards or praise will likely embitter his children. On the other hand, a lax parent who never disciplines his child but motivates compliance through rewards will likely be tuned out and raise a spoiled child.
Modern psychologists may speak out against the stick. But our Creator God designed it and used it first. What is more, He commands us to do the same.
Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
Application – Parents should make use of various methods to motivate their children to do what is right, including the carrot and the stick. We should be both loving and firm. We should praise and reward good behavior and discourage bad behavior.
3. Be careful to obey –
Deuteronomy 11:32 – You shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.
The reminder to be careful to obey is repeated again.
Application – What do you need to do this week to obey what you have learned in this chapter?
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