Deuteronomy 1

The people’s fear was rooted in unbelief. Because of their unbelief, they grumbled (verse 27), something the Israelites had been doing throughout their desert experience (see Exodus 15:22–24; Numbers 11:1–3 and comments).

Moses keeps saying to the new generation: “You grumbled; you rebelled”; but, of course, he is referring to their fathers. The new generation of Israelites needed to be reminded of the sins of their fathers so that they would not repeat them.

Here a question arises: What was the root sin that kept that first generation of Israelites from entering the promised land? Was it their refusal to obey God? Was it their rebellion? Their grumbling? No, it was their unbelief. Unbelief is at the root of all SIN. Every sin can be remedied except the sin of unbelief; unbelief blocks a person from seeking the remedy—which is forgiveness from God. Without FAITH, we cannot receive forgiveness; without faith, we cannot enter the “promised land.”

29–33 Moses had done his best to exhort the rebellious Israelites to put aside their fears and take possession of the land. He reminded them of all that God had done for them so far: He had delivered them from Egypt; He had carried them (verse 31) as a father carries his son (Exodus 19:4). The Lord had constantly been with them in the fire by night and the cloud by day (verse 33); why should the Lord abandon them now? (see Exodus 13:20–22; 40:3638; Numbers 9:15–23 and comments).

But Moses’ appeal had been to no avail; the people rebelled (see Numbers 14:1–5 and comment). Even Joshua and Caleb exhorted the people to trust God, saying that victory could be theirs (Numbers 14:6–9). But the people only thought about stoning them! (Numbers 14:10).

34–36 Then the Lord became angry with His people and vowed that no one over twenty years of age (except Joshua and Caleb) would ever set foot in the promised land (see Numbers 14:20–35 and comment). But the Lord promised Caleb that he would be given the land he had explored as a spy (verse 36), a promise that was fulfilled later on when the Israelites took possession of Canaan (Joshua 14:6–15).

37–40 Because of you . . . (verse 37). Here the “you” refers to the new generation of Israelites. Moses has skipped forward thirty-eight years in his narrative to tell his listeners of the time he himself disobeyed the Lord by striking a rock rather than speaking to it, and as a result was told he would not enter the promised land (see Numbers 20:1–13 and comment). So Moses asked God to appoint a successor who could lead the people into Canaan (Numbers 27:12–23), and God chose Joshua (verse 38).

Then, in verse 39, Moses resumes his narrative of the rebellion and repeats the Lord’s judgment that that first generation of Israelites over twenty would not enter Canaan; instead, they would have to turn around and head back to the desert (verse 40).

41–46 To be turned back from the promised land and condemned to die in the desert was too much for the Israelites to endure. They expressed remorse—“We have sinned” (verse 41)—but it was not real REPENTANCE, because immediately afterward they disobeyed the Lord again: He had told them to turn around, but now they were determined to go up and fight. When the Lord told them to go, they had refused; now when He told them not to go, they went!

Their plan was doomed to fail, because the Lord did not go with them (verse 42). Then Moses describes how those Israelites were driven back by the Amorites and utterly defeated (see Numbers 14:39–45 and comment).

The Israelites wept, but God turned a deaf ear to them (verse 45). If we won’t listen to God, He won’t listen to us. If we are out of God’s will, our prayers will not be heard; if we disobey God, He will not go with us. That first generation of Israelites learned that lesson too late; Moses wanted this new generation never to forget it.

The last line is saddest of all: And so you stayed in Kadesh many days (verse 46)—that is, thirty-eight long years.