This small group Deuteronomy 3 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 3 Bible Study Guide – Defeat of King Og and Moses’ Sin
Outline
I. Defeat of King Og (1-11)
II. Some tribes receive their land allotments (12-22)
III. Moses is denied entry into the land (23-29)
I. Defeat of King Og (1-11)
Discussion Questions
• What command did God give them in verse 2?
• Why might they have been afraid?
• Why should they not fear?
• In what situation might you feel afraid? How can this passage encourage you?
• Where does victory come from?
• What victories or achievements has God given you?
• What type of opposition did they face?
• What opposition do we face today?
Cross-References
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Proverbs 29:25 – The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Proverbs 28:1 – The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
1 Corinthians 15:57 – But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Do not fear him for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand – It would have been natural to be afraid. They were facing a formidable foe with strong defenses. Yet the strongest kings of the earth are no match for God. The Lord had decided to give this land to the Israelites. Therefore, if they obeyed Him, victory was a foregone conclusion.
Psalms 2:1-4 – Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
God is not fazed by large armies, fierce warriors, or thick walls. He created the heavens and the earth. His side is the winning side.
Application – When you join God’s side, you need not fear. His side is the winning side. At the end of the day, God wins. What is the scariest thing you are facing in your life right now? Take it to God in prayer. Remember that He is on the throne. He has good plans for you. No weapon formed against His people will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
On the other hand, if you are not on God’s side, you have every reason to fear. King Og and his armies were on the wrong side. They were fighting against the Living God. That is a very bad idea and did not end well.
Many people today are also fighting against God. They want nothing to do with Him. Such people should fear. That fear should cause them to run to Him in repentance. Instead, many have false bravado. The very same people that are now cursing and blaspheming God will be scared out of their minds when they actually meet Him.
Join His team. Do not fear.
2. All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars – It was not a walk in the park. The opposition they faced was very real and very strong.
Israel was not a warfaring people at this point in history. Having lived in the wilderness for forty years, they likely did not have impressive weapons or siege equipment. They were not war machines like Rome or Greece would be. Powerful armies generally need a strong economy to supply them. Israel did not have such an economy. Victory was not achieved through their own wit or military might. It was possible because God’s hand was with them.
Today we face opposition of a different kind, but it is nonetheless formidable.
Reflect – What type of warfare do believers need to wage today?
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
At the moment of salvation, every believer enters a new battlefield. He has new enemies, Satan and his legions of demons. And he has a new advocate, Jesus Christ.
The Christian life is like a war.
Reflect – What does the word “war” imply about the Christian walk?
War is a serious thing. In a war, there are extremely high stakes. To lose means death. One has to be constantly alert against attacks from the enemy: including frontal assaults, sabotage missions, traps, and even propaganda. The soldier has to train, readying his body and mind for battle. And a soldier must fight. The choices are fight or lose.
That is what the Christian enters into when he comes to the Lord. There is no middle ground. The enemy will not show quarter.
The believer must not give ground or retreat. Instead, he “wages war.”
Application – You are in a battle. Are you trying to be a spectator, or are you waging war?
Satan is supernatural, as are his demons. What is Satan’s goal? He wants your mind and soul. He wants you to sin and fall away from the Lord.
1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
To fight successfully against a superior adversary, we need some help. And God gives that help to us. He is by our side, supporting and sustaining us. The first step in a successful battle plan is to come to God and say, “I need help. I can’t win by myself. I am weak and I need you.”
That is the heart of what it means to not fight in our own flesh. We don’t trust in ourselves. Instead, we come to the only one who can give us the victory. Day after day, we come back to the cross, asking for His deliverance.
We are not called to sit. We are called upon to fight against and destroy the strongholds in our society which set themselves up against the truth of God.
Here are a few examples of mainstream arguments that set themselves against God:
• Evolution
• Hedonism
• Live and let live
• Universalism
• All religions are good as long as you are sincere
• God is harsh and capricious
• Look out for number one
• You are a self-made man
• Traditional family values are outdated
• People are basically good
• You can choose your own sex; God’s design is irrelevant.
These are only a few of the many heinous belief systems that reverberate around the globe.
What is our role when we face these arguments?
We are warriors in His army. That means we have to fight these ideas while praying for people’s souls to be set free from their grip. Using the truth of God’s Word, we face these ideas and defeat them. We don’t retreat or compromise. We fight head-on. As we do, we are bold because we know that we are on the winning side.
The Israelites had their fight. We have ours. As God was with them, He will be with us. Do not fear.
3. Devoted to destruction every person in the cities – See notes on Deuteronomy 2.
4. Og was a giant descended from the Rephaim – His bed was 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) long. If his bed was in typical proportion to his height, he might have been 9 to 13 feet (2.7 to 4 m) tall.
II. Some tribes receive their land allotments (12-22)
Discussion Questions
• When was the land promised to Israel?
• How much time had passed since God promised it to them?
• What does this show us about God’s character?
• What does this show us about His promises?
• How does this relate to other promises, such as Jesus’ second coming?
Cross-References
Galatians 3:18 – For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
Genesis 17:4-8 – “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 – For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
Joshua 23:14 – And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Moses allotted the inheritance to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh – These two-and-a-half tribes settled on the east side of the Jordan. After defeating the two Amorite kings, the leaders of these tribes approached Moses and asked that they be allowed to settle in those lands rather than cross the Jordan.
Moses gave them permission with one condition. They were required to enter Canaan and support their brothers in battle first. Only after helping the other tribes take possession of the Promised Land were they allowed to return and settle.
2. God’s promises were fulfilled – God had promised this land to Abraham’s descendants at least five hundred years before this. Now those promises were finally being fulfilled.
Every single promise God has ever made will be fulfilled as He said; the only question is time. For them, it was a very long time. And yet, the wait had a purpose.
Reflect – Why might God have had the nation wait for 500 years before possessing the land?
Five hundred years before, Israel was not yet a nation! They were a small family. It took time for them to grow and multiply to become like the sand of the sea and the stars in the sky. Rome was not built in a day and neither was the nation of Israel.
In addition, all of their experiences in and eventual deliverance from Egypt defined who they were as a people. They learned of God’s power. They experienced His presence in a very personal way. Their history was their foundation. In the Psalms, the writers frequently referred back to their time in Egypt. God used the object lessons there to teach His people about Himself. The seeming delay was used to accomplish His perfect purposes.
None of His plans are fruitless. He had reasons for the long wait in fulfilling His promises to the Israelites and He likewise has reasons whenever we need to wait today.
2 Peter 3:8-9 – But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
The fact that God did not forget and fulfilled every word (Joshua 23:14) of His promise reminds us that Jesus’ promised second coming is also guaranteed.
III. Moses is denied entry into the land (23-29)
Discussion Questions
• For what reason was Moses denied entry into the land?
• What does this teach us about God?
• What does Moses’ disobedience in striking the rock teach us about people?
• How did Moses feel about the discipline?
• Why did he say this happened because “the Lord was angry with me because of you?”
• What request did Moses make?
• Did God grant him his request?
• What mercy did He show Moses?
• Will God discipline His children today? Why?
• Why was this example important for all the Israelites and for us today to see?
• What lesson should Christian leaders take from this?
Cross-References
Numbers 20:7-12 – And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
Proverbs 12:1 – Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Revelation 3:19 – Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Moses was not allowed into the Promised Land because of disobedience – God told Moses to speak to the rock so that water would come out of it. However, in his anger at the people, Moses hit the rock. The Lord graciously still caused water to come out of the rock so that Moses’ standing as leader would not be affected.
However, God disciplined Moses by forbidding his entrance to Canaan.
Accounts like this remind us that even Bible “all-stars” sinned. Not one of Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, etc., was perfect. Their sins remind us of God’s grace. He used imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will. They were forgiven on the basis of their faith, just like we are.
Also, these accounts provide strong evidence that the Bible is credible. Authors with an agenda will gloss over their faults. When the writers include the ugly details of their own sin, it shows that they are writing objective truth without altering the story.
2. God does not show favoritism – God is just. Moses did not escape God’s judgment just because of his status as leader. Sin is sin, no matter who commits it.
Application – Leaders should not expect that they will avoid discipline because they are leaders. God is the one on the throne. He is the one who sets the standards. No one is above Him. Part of Moses’ problem was likely a growing ego because of the miracles performed on his watch. We need to remember that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Let us humble ourselves under His mighty hand.
3. He disciplines those He loves – The Lord did not discipline Moses capriciously. He did it out of love.
Hebrews 12:6 – For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
It was an important lesson to teach Moses humility. At the same time, it is an example for us as well. If Moses could not escape discipline, how about you?
Reflect – In what way is discipline loving? How does God discipline believers today?
4. Moses’ petition is rejected – Moses pleaded with God to allow him into the land. His request was polite and straightforward.
Deuteronomy 3:25 – Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’
It was a good request. The petition came from a motivation of faith. Moses believed that God was going to do something great for His people. He wanted to go in and see more of God’s blessings firsthand.
But God rejected his appeal.
Deuteronomy 3:26 – Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.
Evidently, Moses had presented the same prayer to God many times. This time, God’s answer had a ring of finality to it.
The account reminds us that God does not always give us what we ask for in prayer. Sometimes his answer is “no.” We should bring our requests. Jesus told us that persistence in prayer is important (Luke 18:1-8). But at the end of the day, the Lord is sovereign. He is the King of Kings. It is his sole right to grant or reject our petitions. Prayer is more about changing our own attitude than changing God’s mind.
Application – Are you as willing to accept a “no” answer from God as a “yes?” One important aspect of faith is submitting ourselves to Him and saying, “Not my will, but your will be done.”
5. His justice and mercy are intertwined – God did not punish Moses immediately after he sinned. He still honored Moses in front of the people by performing the miracle and bringing water from the rock. Moses remained as the leader for many years. In this passage, the Lord asked Moses to go to the top of a hill and look into the Promised Land.
It must have been a bittersweet moment for Moses. On the one hand, he saw with his own eyes the good land that God was giving to His people. On the other hand, he knew that he could not enter as a result of his sin. God’s justice and mercy are often intertwined together.
Sin comes with consequences. But for those who place their faith in the Lord, those consequences will not last forever. Moses appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9), showing us clearly that he had eternal life and was completely forgiven by the Lord.
6. Moses was to encourage and strengthen Joshua – Joshua would be the next leader of the nation. Moses’ job was to support him and ensure a smooth transition. He did this well. There was no sign of jealousy or infighting. Moses did not begrudge Joshua. He graciously equipped, trained, and appointed him as the next leader.
No position of leadership in this world is permanent and no leader is bigger than the office he holds. The job of the leader is to be a good steward for God and to prepare the next leader to take his place one day.
Application – If you are a teacher, pastor, elder, boss, or parent, you are a leader. Are you actively training up more leaders? Will you willingly encourage and strengthen the next one who will take this job after you?
God’s model for expansion in the kingdom is reproduction. We are to be part of that process, passing on whatever we have learned to the next generation.
2 Timothy 2:2 – And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
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