In this chapter Moses recaps some of the peoples they encountered and lands through which they traveled as Israel journeyed through the wilderness.
” ‘You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward and command the people, “You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful. Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.” ‘ ” (v3-5)
Near the end of the chapter Moses mentions the first people they were commanded to defeat and dispossess, but he first lists several peoples they were to leave alone. When reading Exodus through Deuteronomy it’s pretty easy to look through the lens of the “good guys vs bad guys” dichotomy, where there is a clear protagonist (God and His people) and a clear antagonist (evil people against whom they must fight, such as the Egyptians). The problem is, it’s often not that black and white, and God loves all people, not just the Hebrews/Jews.
This chapter shows that God still blesses others who are not His chosen people. There were three peoples and lands mentioned in this chapter (including Esau’s descendants/inheritance mentioned above) who were under God’s protection and were not to be harmed or dispossessed by Israel.
God was looking after people groups other than the Hebrews, even though they were not His “chosen people”. Interesting. This seems to tie in really well when Jesus commands the disciples “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19) “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’ ” (Mk 16:15) Jesus commands us to love and care for all people (everyone is our neighbor), sharing the good news with them, because God loves all people, not just those who choose to follow Him.
God led Israel through the wilderness and gave them boundaries and permission as He saw fit. My challenge for today is to seek God’s will and guidance in all that we say and do, listening for permission He gives, and also respecting the “off limits” areas He says are not for us. If we listen closely for God’s permission and His boundaries, we are far less likely to miss out on opportunities He has for us and/or take advantage of an opportunity that was reserved for someone else.
Father God, O Holy Lord of Israel, all praise, honor and glory be to You. Please guide us today, and teach us to listen to Your voice. If we learn to listen and obey, then we can be safely led through the wilderness to the land of blessing You have for us, while respecting our neighbors. Father please show us the way You want us to go, and please embolden us to take hold of the opportunities You lay before us. In the name of Jesus we ask this, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training