Confessional Lutheran Ministerium

Deuteronomy 5:23-33 NJKV ²³ “So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. ²⁴ And you said: ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. ²⁵ Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. ²⁶ For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ²⁷ You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.’

²⁸ “Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. ²⁹ Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! ³⁰ Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” ³¹ But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’

³² “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. ³³ You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

“For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?” (vs. 25-26).

The Israelites certainly understood the fear of the Lord. They considered Him a righteous, consuming God. How very sad that a majority of them never got to know the Gospel. There is an apologetics (defense of the faith) training device that helps to open up dialogue regarding God and it goes like this: “What good is it to know that there is God, unless He reveals Himself as being ‘for you’? Meaning, people can look around at all of creation and conclude, “Something grand or a great higher being created all of this, including humanity.” But the next conclusion would have to be “If it is such a great higher being, that can create, how do I know how it is disposed toward me? How do I know that it doesn’t want to destroy me? From the Law written within my heart I know myself to be a sinner, so, perhaps the great higher being is, indeed, going to consume me at any moment.”

Sounds, very much, like the Israelites, right? Well, here is how God reveals Himself to be ‘for you’ — by sending His Son to be the sufficient ransom payment for all of your sins! “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

If the Israelites would have had this beautiful Gospel news come to their remembrance (from the promise given at Genesis 3:15), they would have, rightly, confessed to their iniquity (and deserved damnation) — but, by the grace of God, they would have also called upon the mercy of the Lord through Him who was made the Mercy Seat to whom all can flee.

Let us pray: O Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to be for us through the fully atoning merits of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 5:1-22 NKJV

5 And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. ² The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. ³ The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. ⁴ The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. ⁵ I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:

⁶ ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

⁷ ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.

⁸ ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁹ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ¹⁰ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

¹¹ ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

¹² ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. ¹³ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁴ but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. ¹⁵ And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

¹⁶ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

¹⁷ ‘You shall not murder.

¹⁸ ‘You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁹ ‘You shall not steal.

²⁰ ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

²¹ ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

²² “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

As you know by now Deuteronomy is a repeater of what was conveyed by God in the books that preceded it. This section repeats the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:7-20. How appropriate to be reminded of what was conveyed in that devotion back in December. So… understanding the Commandments in their biblical and historical context matters.

The first thing to note is that the Ten Commandments were not dropped down from heaven to all men; they were given specifically to the nation of Israel in the context of their recent delivery from slavery in Egypt. Those are actually the first words spoken by God to the people gathered in fear and awe at the foot of Mt. Sinai: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Certain parts of the Ten Commandments applied only to Old Testament Israel, while large parts reflect the eternal, unchanging will of God for all mankind. Studying the Law of Moses involves distinguishing between God’s eternal will for all men (often referred to as the “moral law”) and His temporary commands for Israel only (referred to as “ceremonial law” and “civil law”).

The second thing to note is that, as Jesus makes clear in the Sermon on the Mount, that the Ten Commandments govern not only our actions but also our words and the thoughts and desires of our hearts. Those that forbid coveting make this especially clear. God commands not only outward obedience that flows from genuine love for God and for our neighbor.

Third, note that the Ten Commandments never empower obedience. Many of the same people who heard God thunder down His commandments would soon flagrantly disobey the very first one. Such disobedience reveals the utter depravity of sinful man and the need for sinners to be saved in a different way than by keeping the commandments, namely, through faith in the fully atoning merits of Christ Jesus (who is the way)!

Let us pray: Lord, grant that we who trust in Jesus alone for salvation may walk in the way of Your commandments. Amen.

Psalm 120:1-7 NKJV

120 In my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
² Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.

³ What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
⁴ Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!

⁵ Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
⁶ My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
⁷ I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.

In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me.

Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips

And from a deceitful tongue…

My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace.

I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.

The psalmist cries out from a place of deep distress, surrounded not by swords and spears, but by lies and hostility. The pain of living among those who twist words and stir conflict is no less real than the pain of physical danger. Yet the first line reveals the anchor of the believer: “In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me.”

The world has always had its Meshechs and Kedars—distant lands, foreign in their ways, where peace is not valued and truth is cheap. For the child of God, life in such places is not merely uncomfortable. It is sorrowful. It is like a long exile. The psalmist’s words could be ours as we navigate a culture that despises what is good and true, and scorns those who seek to live quietly in faithfulness.

Even in such places, prayer remains. God does not shut His ears to His children. The psalmist does not begin by fighting lies with louder lies or meeting hatred with greater hate. He cries out to the Lord. He entrusts his pain to the One who sees, hears, and judges with perfect justice.

There is no romanticism here—only the sober confession that peace is elusive in a world at war with the truth. “I am for peace,” he says, “but when I speak, they are for war.” The longing for peace is not a longing for silence or compromise, but for the kind of peace that comes with truth, righteousness, and the fear of God.

We live now in the tents of this world, often misunderstood and misrepresented. But the Lord who hears us in distress is the same Lord who gives peace that the world cannot give. Let us pray: Lord, deliver us from falsehood and hostility, and grant us courage to speak truth with love. Hear us in our distress, and keep our eyes fixed on You. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:25-49 NKJV

²⁵ “When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger, ²⁶ I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷ And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. ²⁸ And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. ²⁹ But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

³² “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. ³³ Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? ³⁴ Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? ³⁵ To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. ³⁶ Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. ³⁷ And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power, ³⁸ driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day. ³⁹ Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. ⁴⁰ You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

⁴¹ Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, ⁴² that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live: ⁴³ Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

⁴⁴ Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. ⁴⁵ These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt, ⁴⁶ on this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt. ⁴⁷ And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, ⁴⁸ from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), ⁴⁹ and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

“For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?” (vss. 32-34)

When you ponder this section of words assigned for today — namely, how many ways that the Lord was responsible for Israel’s deliverance — it not only brings one to rightly acknowledge that their deliverance was absolutely unique in historical annuls, but it should also bring one to stop and ponder how the Lord has sustained and delivered yourself. Do you really think that any portion of your life has taken place apart from the will of God? For that to happen, it would mean that God is not sovereign — but Holy Scripture does not reveal that!

Rather, just as God’s deliverance of Israel is, undoubtedly, unique, so is yours! Not only has He given you your body and soul, eyes, ears, and all of your members, your reason  and all of your senses, and still takes care of them; He also richly and daily provides you with clothing and shoes, house and yard, spouse and children, land, animals, and all that you have. But the ultimate deliverance He gives you — without any merit or worthiness in you — is forgiveness of sins, escape from death and eternal life by bringing you to repentance and belief in the fully atoning merits of His Son. Thanks be to God, indeed! Let us pray: O Lord, bring me to recognize how You have so graciously worked in my life and give You thanks. Amen.

Psalm 119:81-96 NKJV

כ KAPH

⁸¹ My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
⁸² My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
⁸⁵ The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
⁸⁶ All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
⁸⁷ They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
⁸⁸ Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

ל LAMED

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
⁹¹ They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
⁹² Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
⁹³ I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
⁹⁵ The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
⁹⁶ I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Each section of Psalm 119 (proceeding chronologically) was given a specific Hebrew letter — and each verse, then, was to begin with that same letter (one would have to view the Hebrew to truly see the challenge). Although this presents an interesting poetic challenge to the inspired writer — the arrangement, nonetheless, also serves an important theological purpose.

Psalm 119 is concerned entirely with the Law of God (also called the Torah) and its structural use of the alphabet serves here the purpose of asserting that the Law of God is the inner core and essential substance of human language. It’s a very deep reflection. But, which ones aren’t, right?

Language is, clearly, a gift from God. Its primary function is not so that we may simply talk to each other (although that is obviously important), but, according to God’s Word, it is the formation of thought in accord with reality — and the world’s deepest reality is God! The eternal Law of God, the Torah, reflects in turn the very being of God, and language leads man’s thoughts to the knowledge of God.

The eternal Law is derived from God’s eternal thought and that thought is His Word, the same Word that for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. The Torah, then, speaks of Christ, the Law of God points to Christ and is fulfilled in Christ, so the ultimate purpose of language is that men may know Christ. All through this psalm, then, the Law of God is described as the path to knowledge of the truth. The Law “is a lamp unto my feet” (119:105), that “gives light to my eyes” (19:8), “my meditation all the day” (119:97) “sweeter than honey to my mouth” (119:103) and “better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” (119:72)

As a way of remaining focused on Christ, one may pray this psalm as the prayer of Jesus to His Father, filled with the resolve to do in all things the Father’s will, the faithful servant of God, obedient unto death; the model and author of our faith.

Let us pray: O Lord, ever-keep us Christ-focused. Amen.

Psalm 119:65-80 NKJV

ט TETH

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁹ The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
⁷² The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י YOD

⁷³ Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
⁷⁴ Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
⁷⁷ Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.ט TETH

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁹ The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
⁷² The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

י YOD

⁷³ Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
⁷⁴ Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
⁷⁷ Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

Psalm 119 is a deep meditation on God’s Word, and in verses 65–80, the psalmist reflects on how God’s goodness and faithfulness are revealed—even through suffering. He begins with gratitude: “You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to your word” (v. 65). This isn’t blind optimism. It’s a confession of faith. God is good not because life is always easy, but because His Word is always true. The psalmist doesn’t deny hardship. In fact, he speaks plainly: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word” (v. 67), and “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes” (v. 71).

This is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian life: affliction, though painful, can be a gift. In suffering, God often strips away our pride and self-reliance, drawing us back to His promises. In Luther’s own theology, Anfechtung—spiritual struggle—was seen not as a sign of God’s absence, but as a tool God uses to drive us to Christ. The Christian life is marked by both cross and comfort. We do not seek suffering, but we trust that God is at work through it. The psalmist’s suffering did not destroy his faith—it deepened it. Why? Because the foundation was not his strength or virtue, but God’s Word.

As the reading concludes, the psalmist prays: “Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may not be ashamed.”  This is our prayer, too—not that we would be perfect in ourselves, but that our hearts would be rooted in God’s Word and sustained by His grace. And in Christ, we are never put to shame. He took our shame upon Himself and clothed us with His righteousness. Let this be our comfort: God’s Word holds us fast, especially in affliction. He is faithful, and His promises never fail.

      Let us pray: Gracious Lord, You are good and faithful in all Your ways. Even in our affliction, You are working for our good. Forgive us for the times we stray and resist Your will. Draw us back through Your Word, and teach us to delight in Your mercy. When trials come, help us to trust that You are refining us—not rejecting us. Let Your steadfast love be our comfort, and keep our hearts rooted in Christ, who bore our grief and conquered sin and death. In His holy name we pray. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:1-24 NKJV

4 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. ² You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. ³ Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. ⁴ But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.

⁵ “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. ⁶ Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

⁷ “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? ⁸ And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? ⁹ Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, ¹⁰ especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’

¹¹ “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. ¹² And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice. ¹³ So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. ¹⁴ And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.

¹⁵ “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, ¹⁶ lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷ the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸ the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. ¹⁹ And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. ²⁰ But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. ²¹ Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. ²² But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land. ²³ Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. ²⁴ For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

In our reading for today, Moses calls God’s people to remember His Word and His works. He urges Israel to obey God’s statutes, not to add or subtract from them, and not to forget what they had seen at Mount Horeb (Sinai), where God spoke from the fire.

Moses’ words are a striking call to reverent obedience—to take God seriously. His jealousy is not petty or insecure. It’s holy and righteous, born of love. He made us for Himself. And He knows that idols—whether made of gold, wood, or human ambition—lead only to death.

As Confessional Lutherans, we know this weight of the law. We hear Moses’ warning and recognize our guilt. We, too, are forgetful. We, too, chase after created things. God’s law exposes our hearts—but it also drives us to the cross.

We confess with Luther that the law is good and necessary—it reveals our sin and need for a Savior. But it is Christ who fulfills the law on our behalf. It is Christ who stands between the holy fire of God and our trembling hearts. The same God who thundered from the mountain is the One who speaks mercy from the cross.

And so, while Deuteronomy 4 urges faithfulness, it also prepares our hearts for the gospel. It shows us that we need more than warnings—we need grace. And in Christ, we have it fully. He is our righteousness, our peace, our refuge. In Him, we are free to return to God again and again—not in fear, but in repentance and trust.

Let us remember the Lord—not to earn His favor, but because we already have it in Christ. Let us teach our children not just what God has done, but who He is: a God of justice and mercy, law and gospel, truth and grace.

Let us pray: Almighty and merciful God, You are holy, and Your Word is true. We confess that we often forget Your commands and chase after the things of this world. Have mercy on us. Thank You for sending Jesus to fulfill the law for us and to redeem us with His blood. Help us to hold fast to Your Word, to treasure Your commands, and to teach them to the next generation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Deuteronomy 3:12-29 NKJV

¹² “And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, and half the mountains of Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites. ¹³ The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. (All the region of Argob, with all Bashan, was called the land of the giants. ¹⁴ Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and called Bashan after his own name, Havoth Jair, to this day.)

¹⁵ “Also I gave Gilead to Machir. ¹⁶ And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead as far as the River Arnon, the middle of the river as the border, as far as the River Jabbok, the border of the people of Ammon; ¹⁷ the plain also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the east side of the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.

¹⁸ “Then I commanded you at that time, saying: ‘The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All you men of valor shall cross over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel. ¹⁹ But your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall stay in your cities which I have given you, ²⁰ until the Lord has given rest to your brethren as to you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.’

²¹ “And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. ²² You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you.’

²³ “Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying: ²⁴ ‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? ²⁵ I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’

²⁶ “But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter. ²⁷ Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. ²⁸ But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’

²⁹ “So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.

In today’s word, Moses recounts a personal and painful moment. After leading the people of Israel for decades—through Egypt, the Red Sea, the wilderness, and rebellion—he asks God for one final request: “Let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan” (v. 25). But God says no. It’s a surprising answer. If anyone “deserved” to enter the Promised Land, it was Moses. Yet God reminds Moses that leadership doesn’t earn exemption from obedience. Instead, Moses is told to climb Mount Pisgah and view the land from afar, and to commission Joshua to lead the people forward.

This story reminds us of a powerful truth: God’s plans are not always the same as our desires—even good desires. We can be faithful and still not receive the things we long for in this life. And yet, God’s “no” is never cruel. It’s purposeful. Even in denial, there is mercy. Moses sees the land. He prepares the next generation. His role may shift, but his significance doesn’t diminish.

God is still with Moses, still speaking to him, still using him. We can understand this tension. There are prayers we lift with open hands and aching hearts—prayers for healing, reconciliation, or fulfillment. And sometimes, God’s answer is a painful “not yet” or “no.” But even then, He is still good.

The ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise is found in Christ. What Moses glimpsed from the mountain, Jesus has secured for us through His cross and resurrection. Because of Jesus, we know that even when earthly hopes go unfulfilled, eternal joy awaits. The journey may take turns we don’t expect, but the destination is secure. Moses didn’t enter the Promised Land during his lifetime—but centuries later, he would stand in it beside Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration. God’s promises were not broken. They were just bigger than Moses could imagine. And so it is for us. When God says no, we can still trust that He is working out something better, something eternal.

Let us pray: Lord God, give us hearts to obey, eyes to see Your grace, and faith to follow You even when the path is different than we hoped. Amen.

Deuteronomy 2:26-37; 3:1-11 NKJV ²⁶ “And I sent messengers from the Wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, ²⁷ ‘Let me pass through your land; I will keep strictly to the road, and I will turn neither to the right nor to the left. ²⁸ You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot, ²⁹ just as the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did for me, until I cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord our God is giving us.’

³⁰ “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.

³¹ “And the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’ ³² Then Sihon and all his people came out against us to fight at Jahaz. ³³ And the Lord our God delivered him over to us; so we defeated him, his sons, and all his people. ³⁴ We took all his cities at that time, and we utterly destroyed the men, women, and little ones of every city; we left none remaining. ³⁵ We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves, with the spoil of the cities which we took. ³⁶ From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and from the city that is in the ravine, as far as Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us; the Lord our God delivered all to us. ³⁷ Only you did not go near the land of the people of Ammon—anywhere along the River Jabbok, or to the cities of the mountains, or wherever the Lord our God had forbidden us.

3 “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. ² And the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’

³ “So the Lord our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, with all his people, and we attacked him until he had no survivors remaining. ⁴ And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ⁵ All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many rural towns. ⁶ And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city. ⁷ But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.

⁸ “And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon ⁹ (the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir), ¹⁰ all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salcah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

¹¹ “For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.

In today’s word, Moses recounts how God led Israel to victory over two powerful kings: Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan. These were not random enemies—they were deeply feared, well-armed, and, in Og’s case, even legendary. The size of his iron bed alone is noted as if to say, “This was no small opponent.”

But what’s striking isn’t the strength of the enemy—it’s the absolute clarity that the victory belonged to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 2:33, Moses says, “And the Lord our God delivered him over to us…” Again in 3:2, God tells His people, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand…” The Lord is the one who grants victory. It’s not Israel’s strength, strategy, or superiority that wins the day—it’s God’s promise and power. He is the warrior who goes before His people.

      As Confessional Lutherans, we confess the same truth in our own lives of faith: salvation and victory are God’s work from start to finish. Just as Israel could not conquer these enemies on their own, we cannot defeat sin, death, or the devil by our own strength. But thanks be to God—He has already won the battle for us in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is our greater champion, who stepped onto the battlefield of this world, faced every temptation, bore every sin, and conquered death through the cross and resurrection. We are saved not by our own doing, but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

And so, when we face spiritual giants—whether they be fear, guilt, grief, or temptation—we do not stand alone. We stand in the victory of Christ. God still says, “Do not fear.” He is faithful to His promises. He fights for His people. He leads, He provides, and He delivers—not because we are worthy, but because He is merciful.

      Let us pray: Lord God, You are our mighty fortress and our victorious King. When we feel weak, remind us that Christ has already won the victory for us through His cross. Keep us in the true faith, and strengthen us to trust not in ourselves, but in Your mercy and power, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Deuteronomy 2:1-25 NKJV

2 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness of the Way of the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and we skirted Mount Seir for many days.

² “And the Lord spoke to me, saying: ³ ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward. ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.

⁷ “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.” ’

⁸ “And when we passed beyond our brethren, the descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir, away from the road of the plain, away from Elath and Ezion Geber, we turned and passed by way of the Wilderness of Moab. ⁹ 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.’ ”

¹⁰ (The Emim had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. ¹¹ They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim. ¹² The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the Lord gave them.)

¹³ “ ‘Now rise and cross over the Valley of the Zered.’ So we crossed over the Valley of the Zered. ¹⁴ And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as the Lord had sworn to them. ¹⁵ For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp until they were consumed.

¹⁶ “So it was, when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, ¹⁷ that the Lord spoke to me, saying: ¹⁸ ‘This day you are to cross over at Ar, the boundary of Moab. ¹⁹ 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.’ ”

²⁰ (That was also regarded as a land of giants; giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, ²¹ a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the Lord destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, ²² just as He had done for the descendants of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, even to this day. ²³ And the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza—the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and dwelt in their place.)

²⁴ “ ‘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. ²⁵ 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.’

It’s often the case that our sense of timing and purpose must concede to the greater timing, plan, and purpose of the Lord. In our reading for today from Deuteronomy 2:1–25, Moses continues recounting Israel’s wilderness journey, highlighting God’s providence and guidance. After years of wandering, the time finally comes for Israel to move forward. But God is not just directing them to conquest—He is also teaching them patience, respect, and trust.

            God commands Israel not to harass Edom, Moab, or Ammon—nations with historical ties to them through Esau and Lot. Though these nations had their flaws, God had given them their land, and Israel was not to take it. In this, we see God’s sovereignty and His faithfulness to all His promises—not just to Israel, but to other peoples as well.

            Then, in verses 24–25, God signals a turning point: “Begin to possess it.” The long season of waiting is ending. Now, God will cause fear to fall upon Israel’s enemies. Victory is coming—but on God’s terms, in His timing.

            We see in this passage a picture of God’s providential care and purposeful delay. God shapes us in the wilderness just as He shaped Israel—teaching us to live by every word that comes from His mouth. We don’t always understand the waiting or the detours, but we trust in the One who leads us. We often find ourselves in seasons of waiting—wandering through hard places, asking when God will act. But this passage reminds us that delays are not denials. God is not absent in the wilderness. He is preparing, teaching, and leading—even when we can’t see the full picture.

            We also see in this passage a foreshadowing of Christ, who fulfilled the law and led His people not into an earthly territory, but into an eternal kingdom. Through His cross and resurrection, Jesus conquered our true enemies—sin, death, and the devil—and now leads us in the triumph of Easter joy.

            Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of time and history. Forgive us when we grow impatient in the wilderness seasons of our lives. Teach us to trust in Your perfect timing and to walk humbly with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.