11 NovemberDeuteronomy 1

You have stayed too long at this mountain.

Deuteronomy 1:6 NIV) “The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain”.

The mountain was a place where the people were getting ready. God did not want them to become content with staying there. At Horeb, God gave the Israelites the law to prepare them for the land of Canaan. Their time at the mountain was also a learning experience for Moses. After receiving the laws from God while on the mountain, Moses was supposed to teach the Israelites what he had learned. He said, in Deuteronomy 6:1 (NIV) ”These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

At Horeb, it had been a time of building. While the Israelites were at the mountain, God instructed them to build the Tabernacle.

It had been a time of training. The Levites were taught how to carry out their duties for the people of Israel and take care of the tabernacle.

It had also been a time of organising. When the Israelites left Egypt, they had no structure. Organising the people was an essential part of their preparation. During this time, Moses followed his father-in-law's advice, Jethro, and appointed men to help him judge and manage the people.

The Israelites had stayed at Horeb for about a while, and now it was time to start implementing God’s law. Israel was ready to move forward and become doers of God's word. Deuteronomy 1:6 (NIV), where God says, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain," is a powerful reminder for our lives today. It teaches us that we cannot remain in one place—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—forever. God calls us to grow and move forward into the "promised land," representing the vision, purpose, or destiny He has for us.

In our personal lives, this might mean stepping out of our comfort zone, which can hold us back from growth. We may get too comfortable in certain situations—whether in our jobs, relationships or faith—and hesitate to move forward because of fear or uncertainty. However, God encourages us not to stay stuck. Just like the Israelites had to leave the mountain to reach the land He promised them, we must also push past fear and embrace the next stage of our journey.

This verse challenges us to trust God's timing and direction, even when moving forward feels uncertain or uncomfortable. It's a call to have faith in God's plan and to act toward the vision He has set before us. Staying too long in a comfortable place can prevent us from experiencing the fullness of what God has prepared for us.

*See the land that I have given you.*

Deuteronomy 1:8 (NIV) “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to their descendants after them”.

The goal, mission, and purpose were to possess the land that God had promised to Israel. In Deuteronomy 1:8 (NIV), God says, "See, I have given you this land." At that point, this was a promise, something not yet fully realised, as the Israelites had not yet taken possession of the land. However, the instruction was explicit: they were to "see" the promise before them. This act of "seeing" wasn’t just about physical sight, but about envisioning and believing in the fulfilment of what God had promised. Similarly, in our own lives, we can sometimes get stuck because we don’t see the vision or the promise that God has placed before us. Without this vision, we may struggle to move forward.

Hebrews 11:1 (AMP) helps clarify the concept of faith: "Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]". This means faith is like holding the title deed to something that has been promised but not yet physically experienced. It’s the confirmation and conviction that what God has promised is already ours, even if we can't see it yet with our natural eyes.

To truly possess the vision or promise, we need faith. Faith allows us to see beyond the present circumstances and trust in the reality of what God has promised, even when it's not visible to our physical senses. This faith becomes our "title deed," our confirmation that the promise is genuine and ours to claim.

We are called to "see" by faith. Just as the Israelites were instructed to see the land God had given them before they possessed it, we are to see the promises and vision God has for us through faith, trusting that they are real and waiting for us to step into them. Faith gives us the confidence to move forward, knowing that God's promises are guaranteed, even if we can't yet see them with our physical eyes.

*Go in and take possession.*

It's fascinating that in scripture, God often presents two things that seem to contradict each other at first glance. For example, in Deuteronomy 1:8, God says, “I have given you this land,” and then immediately commands, “Go in and take possession of the land.” These two statements may seem contradictory, but they complement one another.

The promise, “I have given you this land,” represents God's assurance that He has already secured the land for His people. It’s a reminder that God’s provision and promise are already in place. However, the command to “Go in and take possession of the land” shows that the people still have a role to play. They can’t be passive, waiting for everything to fall into their laps. They must actively step forward in faith to receive what has already been promised. Both the promise and the command are essential for success.

This dynamic between God’s promises and our responsibility is a common theme throughout the Bible. God often provides the promise, but it requires action on our part to see it come to fruition. The Israelites had the assurance that God had already given them the land, but they needed to go and possess it physically. It’s the same in our lives—God may provide us with promises, dreams, or visions, but it requires our faith, obedience, and action to take hold of them.

We see this illustrated in Genesis 13:17 (NLT), where God tells Abraham, “Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” The land was already promised to Abraham, but he still had to walk through it, explore it, and experience it as part of the fulfilment of the promise.

Similarly, in Exodus 23:20 (NLT), God says, “See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.” Here again, we see that God is making the way, providing protection and guidance, but the Israelites still had to walk the journey, trusting that God was leading them to the promised destination”.

In Exodus 33:14 (NLT), God also reassures Moses, “I will personally go with you, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” While God promises His presence and peace, Moses and the Israelites still needed to take the steps forward into the unknown, trusting in that promise”.

In Isaiah 45:2 (NLT), God promises Cyrus, “I will go before you and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.” Here again, God promises to clear the obstacles and smooth the path, but Cyrus would need to take action and move forward, trusting that God was making the way for him”.

In the New Testament, we see Abraham’s example of faith and obedience in Hebrews 11:8 (NLT): “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.” Abraham didn’t know exactly how the promise would be fulfilled, but he stepped out in faith and took action, trusting that God’s promise would come true.

In all these examples, the principle is clear: God’s promises require our active faith and obedience. It’s not enough to receive a promise; we must act on it, trusting that God is with us, guiding us, and preparing the way. When God promises something, it’s not a passive guarantee but an invitation to partner with Him through faith and action. We cannot just sit back and wait for everything to happen on its own—we need to step out in faith, trusting that God’s promise is sure, and move forward with the confidence that He is with us every step.

In conclusion, the message from Deuteronomy 1:6,8 is clear: God gives us both a promise and a command. His promise assures us that He has already prepared the way for us, but His command calls us to act and step into that promise. We cannot remain at the "mountain" of comfort, fear, or inaction. God calls us to move forward in faith, trusting that what He has promised is already ours, but it is our responsibility to go and take possession of it.

Just as the Israelites needed to leave Horeb and move toward the promised land, we, too, must step out of our comfort zones and embrace the vision and purpose God has for us. The journey may seem daunting, and obstacles may arise, but we are assured of God’s presence with us, guiding us along the way. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that faith is the conviction of things not yet seen. Faith is what allows us to "see" beyond our current circumstances and trust in the reality of God's promises.

Ultimately, God’s promises require not only belief but also action. We must be willing to step out in faith, just as Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites did. Our faith becomes the key that unlocks the promises, and our obedience allows us to fully experience the fulfilment of what God has prepared for us. So, let us not stay too long at our “mountain.” Let us move forward, trusting that God goes before us, levelling mountains and preparing the way as we take hold of the promises He has given.