Three Old Testament books are most often quoted in the New Testament; they are Psalms, Isaiah and Deuteronomy. This fact alone should make the Christian interested to read this second giving of the law.

I.  Verse 3 indicates that these words were spoken at the end of Israel’s forty year wandering. We should not be surprised to find a lot of the most recent history retold, along with encouragements to trust God and to take the land which is before them (1-8).

II. Moses reminds the people that he was not able to govern them alone; and that representative elders had been appointed to oversee the affairs of the people (9-18).

III. Furthermore, they are reminded that the previous generation had rejected God when 10 spies gave an evil report, even though God had been taking care of them ever since the exodus from Egypt (19-33).

IV. God was angry with the unbelievers and sentenced them to die in the wilderness without ever reaching the promised land (34-40).

V. When the people thought to add presumption to their sin of rebellion, they lost a battle to the Amorites and they lost the ear of God, too (41-46).

Meditation Points:

• How much of your life can be recalled as so many accounts of God’s deliverance or judgment?
• Do you take too much responsibility and not delegate enough to others?
• Does the majority opinion influence you more than does the word of God?
• Have you ever been defeated because you were not in the will of God?

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I. 48 Levitical cities to be established throughout the land, including 6 cities of refuge (35:1-8)

See also Joshua 20:7-8)

II. The law concerning murder and manslaughter (9-34)

• refuge cities are to be spaced throughout the land, 6 on each side of the Jordan River
• a revenger of blood has the right to pursue and kill the man-slayer
• the man-slayer may flee to one of the refuge cities, where he will receive a fair trial
• murderers should be put to death
• unintentional, non-premeditated man-slayers may live without fear in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest
• the refuge is forfeited if the safety of the refuge city is abandoned for any reason
• the right to take the man-slayer’s life ends with the death of the high priest
• the same law applies to citizens, resident aliens, and foreigners

III. Clarification on the land rights of women (36:1-13)

• land will not pass from tribe to tribe through marriage
• women (with land rights) must marry within their tribe

Meditation Points:

1. Our refuge is in Christ our God (Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 6:18)
2. He is refuge for Jews and Gentiles.
3. As our High Priest, He never dies; therefore our refuge is eternal.
4. Outside of Christ there is no refuge.
5. In Him there is refuge for the innocent AND the guilty.

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The land boundaries are specified (1-12)
The land of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh are mentioned (13-15)
The representatives of the other 9 1/2 tribes are named (16-29)
The actual land appropriations are found in Joshua 15, 16, and 17.

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