How God works? Naturally and Miraculously - Deuteronomy 3

How God works? He works logically and miraculously. God usually works logically and through men. Miraculous work is less often and is done with special purpose. So it is very easy for us to fall into two kinds of mistakes. Mistake 1 is to think God did not work because everything is done naturally without any supernatural effects. Mistake 2 is to think God does no miracle. We can see the working of God with the Israelites in Deu 3.

God's Plan for Conquering the Promised Land - Working through Men 
God works in ways that He can teach men and men can learn wisdom from God. In conquering the promised land, God gave the Israelites easy victories and used the conquered land as a base camp. He gave them the land of the King Sihon in the previous chapter and of King Og (Deu 3:1-11). This is the preparatory wars for future conquest. It taught them that the Lord's promises were true and they experience them first hand. Their faith was being built up.

The lands were allotted to Reubenites, half tribe of Manasseh and Gadites (Deu 3:12-17). This was to be a base camp. Their wives and children and livestock were kept here safely while the men were to go on to war. (Deu 318-20).

God works through men.
The defeats of the 2 kings of giants (Og and Sihon) show how God did mighty work through weaker Israelites men.  The men knew it was a miracle because they were relatively smaller in size and strength (Deu 3:21-24).

Succession Planning
God asked Moses to hand over the leadership to Joshua. Moses blamed his men for God not allowing him to enter the promised land. Actually, it was Moses himself not being able to control his temper that caused him to be rejected. Moses disobeyed a direct command from God. God had commanded Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock with his staff (Numbers 20:12). Even so, God brought Moses up to Mt Pisgah to have a view of the land (Deu 3:27). It was a comforting touch from God.

Moses was to help develop Joshua to take over his leadership and lead people into the promised land. Deu 3:29.

Lessons Learned:
God works naturally and supernaturally. He works through men to accomplish mighty work. We cannot and should not judge whether God is working or not by natural or supernatural means. God is always with us to accomplish His work and enable us to share and enjoyed the fruit of His work. All that we need is obedient and also with wisdom. We see the wisdom of God here in the following ways:

1. Building up of faith and experience in the battles over the 2 kings.
2. Setting up of a base camp to support the long-term and bigger mission in conquering the promised land.
3. Succession Planning and handling over of leadership.

We can see God want us to live victoriously by natural means, to use our mind and body to live well on earth.  Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”  

Even so, God is the living power behind our living and if need be, God will intervene supernaturally as we shall continue to see in this journey into promised land. God and men work together.

Lim Liat (c) 18 Feb 2017