Message Notes

YOUTH WORSHIP SERVICE 27 September 2025

Text: Deuteronomy 2

Message: “The LORD God has blessed you”

INTRODUCTION

1. The book of Deuteronomy

a. Moses’ final collection of messages for the Israelites

b. Addressed to a new generation of Israelites after 40 years in the wilderness

c. Given before they made their way into the Promised Land

2. Deuteronomy 2 – Moses’ summary of their journey to the Promised Land

a. After they had skirted Mount Seir for many days (years)

b. God instructed Israel to turn northward, towards the Promised Land

c. They had to pass through a few nations to get to the Promised Land

3. What were the lessons God wanted them to learn as they made their journey?

CONSCIOUSNESS OF GOD’S BLESSINGS

“For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”

Deuteronomy 2:7

1. The Lord’s provision for Israel

a. He has blessed them in all the work of their hands

b. They had lacked nothing these 40 years!

i. Food (Manna, quail)

ii. Water

iii. Garments

2. The Lord’s presence with Israel

a. He knew their goings through the great wilderness

b. These forty years He has been with them!

i. Cloud by day

ii. Fire by night

3. Israel needed to be conscious of God’s blessings

a. To remember all that the Lord has done for them

b. To bear them in mind consistently

CONTENTMENT WITH GOD’S BLESSINGS

And command the people, saying, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.

Deuteronomy 2:4-5

Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’”

Deuteronomy 2:9

That the LORD spoke to me, saying: ‘This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab. And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’

Deuteronomy 2:17-19

1. Israel would have to pass through three nations related to them

a. Edomites

b. Moabites

c. Ammonites

2. God’s instructions for them

a. Not to meddle with them

b. Not to harass them

c. Not to contend with them in battle

3. Reason

a. God had given them their lands as a possession

b. Israel had to refrain from taking them for themselves

4. The deeper lesson for Israel to learn

a. They needed to be contented with God’s blessings for them

i. The provision that God has given to them these 40 years

ii. The Promised Land which God has prepared for them to possess

b. They are not to covet the possessions of these nations!

COMMITMENT TO FULFIL GOD’S WORD

‘Rise, take your journey, and cross over the River Arnon. Look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle. This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

Deuteronomy 2:24-25

1. The Amorites

a. Ruled by Sihon, king of Heshbon

b. They had struck fear in the first generation of Israelites cf. Deuteronomy 1:26-28

c. They came out against Israel and chased them back from Seir to Hormah
cf. Deuteronomy 1:44

2. God’s command to Israel concerning the Amorites

a. He had given the Amorites into the hands of Israel

b. Israel was to engage Sihon in battle and possess the land of Heshbon

c. God would put the dread and fear of Israel upon the other nations when they hear of Israel’s victory over the Amorites!

3. Israel’s part – to be committed to fulfil God’s command

a. Not to be afraid of engaging the Amorites

b. To find courage to fight them

4. The result

a. Israel defeated Sihon, his sons, and all his people (Deuteronomy 2:31-33)

b. They took all their cities and utterly destroyed everyone (Deuteronomy 2:34)

c. But they took care not to go into the land of Ammon, as God had forbidden (Deuteronomy 2:37)

LESSONS FOR US TO LEARN

1. To be conscious of God’s blessings

a. God has blessed us most wonderfully

i. As individuals

ii. As a church

b. We must remember all His blessings and not forget!

2. To be contented with God’s blessings

a. Not to covet what others have

b. Not to seek more for ourselves

3. To be committed to fulfil God’s word

a. To overcome our fears

b. To find courage to obey

4. May we seek to practise these lessons in our lives and live well for the Lord!