Deuteronomy 2
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Deuteronomy 2:14-15, Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. The Lord’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.
Moses continues his walk down memory lane, recounting to the Israelites more about their disobedience. He speaks specifically of the entire generation of men who died as a result of their disobedience to God's commands. With these two verses, Moses brings to a close the description of the desert wanderings. There is a definite shift. Now, he begins to speak of the victories that this new generation of Israelites experience as they make their way to the promised land. He makes it clear that all the victories belong to God. The people on their own are weak and would fail. God is the one who provided the victories that allowed them to take the land.
We can also count on God to provide victory in our own daily battles. This does NOT mean that God will rescue us from all unpleasant and undesirable situations. We will have to face hardship. But we can know that God will be with us and see us through the battle. He offered the Israelites physical victory in the middle of a swordfight. He provides us emotional and spiritual victories in the midst of our struggles and promises to make good come from them (Romans 8:28). Most importantly, because of Jesus' death and resurrection, he achieved victory over death and darkness. As a result, we also have the ultimate victory and can rest assured that we will spend eternity with Jesus.
Let's pray...Lord Jesus, Thank you for the victories you provide. Help us remember that you are always with us. God, I'm thinking right now there may be someone out there who is questioning you. I ask that you provide them assurance that you are with them to the end, providing small victories on earth and eventually the ultimate victory. Lord, help us focus more on the things of your Kingdom and less on the things of this world. In Your Name, Amen.