But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
After Israel refused to enter the promised land, God commanded the people to turn back and take their journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. That command meant that the adult generation that had left Egypt, the adults of the army, would not be brought into the promised land but would wander until that generation was consumed. Caleb and Joshua were exceptions, because they wholly followed the Lord. The chapter thus proves that God's promises are upon condition of obedience, so that disobedience causes Him to alter His purpose toward Israel.
The verse is a word of the Lord for people living now, written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come, and as part of Deuteronomy 1 it is to be read with Deuteronomy 7 and 8. It calls for following the Lord's guidance fully rather than following only up to the point that agrees with human judgment and then holding to one's own ideas and refusing to be molded. Everything must be viewed in the light of the example of Christ, who is the truth and the true light enlightening every person and is to be copied in self-denial and self-sacrifice, with glory of character sought from His merits by those who live not to please themselves, because human standards are feeble reeds and the Lord's standard is perfection of character.
After Israel refused to enter the promised land, God commanded the people to turn back and take their journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. That command meant that the adult generation that had left Egypt, the adults of the army, would not be brought into the promised land but would wander until that generation was consumed. Caleb and Joshua were exceptions, because they wholly followed the Lord. The chapter thus proves that God's promises are upon condition of obedience, so that disobedience causes Him to alter His purpose toward Israel.
The verse is a word of the Lord for people living now, written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come, and as part of Deuteronomy 1 it is to be read with Deuteronomy 7 and 8. It calls for following the Lord's guidance fully rather than following only up to the point that agrees with human judgment and then holding to one's own ideas and refusing to be molded. Everything must be viewed in the light of the example of Christ, who is the truth and the true light enlightening every person and is to be copied in self-denial and self-sacrifice, with glory of character sought from His merits by those who live not to please themselves, because human standards are feeble reeds and the Lord's standard is perfection of character.