Deuteronomy 4

• Deuteronomy 4:1-14 – You need to obey!
• Deuteronomy 4:15-31 – Idolatry
• Deuteronomy 4:32-40 – God (end of first speech)
• Deuteronomy 4:41-43 – Interlude (eastern cities of refuge)
• Deuteronomy 4:44-49 – Introduction to Moses’ second speech.

Deuteronomy 5

• Deuteronomy 5:1-5 – God made this covenant with us.
• Deuteronomy 5:6-21 – Repeating the 10 commandments
• Deuteronomy 5:22-33 – The people were afraid.

Introduction

• Revelation 2:1-7

Casually stray to a different authority

Give up hope and optimism

Introduction

• We’ll be studying some things in the Bible that are not discussed as often.
• We’ll look primarily at the Bible, also pulling in other sources for additional information as necessary.

Naaman

• Text: II Kings 5:1-19

What do we know about Naaman?

• His position? Head gui of Syrian army under the King of Aram (Syria)
  • Not a captain?
  • Translation could mean captain, general, ruler, prince, etc.
  • Context indicates a top military officer.
• King considered him to be a great man
• Highly respected
• God chose to give Aram victory through Naaman (I Kings 22:29-40)
• Valiant warrior
• Leper
• Laws of leprosy (Leviticus 13-14)
  • Lepers were unclean
  • Prophet’s purity?

What can we guess about Naaman?

• Inspiring leader
• He and his wife communicated with each other
• Very good relationship with his king (Hadadezer – generous gifts to take and a letter)
  • Talent of silver: A weight of 75 pounds. Ten talents is work about $654,480 today.
  • Shekel of gold: A weight of about 0.4 ounces. Six thousand shekels would be worth about $5,759,520 today.
• Believed that Israelite prophets were subject to their king in what they did as prophets.
  • John 11:48
• His actions scared the king (Jehoram) into thinking he was trying to start a war.
• Given to ceremony (arrived with chariots and horses, expected ceremony from Elisha)
• Short temper (furious over Elisha’s failure to reciprocate ceremony and command to wash in the Jordan River)
• Willing to listen (took correction from his servants)
• Had loving concern from those who served him (servant girl, other servants)
• Willing to humble himself (obeyed and dipped in the Jordan seven times)

Some things we can learn

• God’s favor doesn’t imply faultlessness on our part.
• Was faith a requirement for Naaman’s healing?
• Kindness to your servants can pay off, even if you don’t deserve it.
  • Servants took a risk correcting the boss
  • Servant girl may just have remembered Proverbs 24:17; 25:21-22
    • Same principle at work between God and Elisha
    • II Kings 6:21-23 – God’s reward to her?
  • Servant girl was likely a faithful Israelite at a time of great unfaithfulness
    • Jehoram was king at the time.
    • He was an evil king who led Israel to sin.
    • Put away pillar of Baal (where his brother was murdered by his parents)
    • Continued all the rest of his parents’ sins

Introduction

• Proverbs 22:24-25

Like it or not, the way I behave is affecting people.

I may be having a bad influence.

• Matthew 18:4-6
• Romans 14:13
• I Corinthians 5:6-8 – One sinner can have a tremendous effect on the entire congregation.
• Even if I think I am hiding my sin, my influence on others is not as good as it should be.
• I Corinthians 8:9
• II Timothy 2:14 – Wrangling with words could ruin others.

But there is enormous potential for good influence!

• Matthew 5:13-16
• Philippians 4:8-9 – Can I tell other people to copy what they’ve seen me do?

Three areas to think about …

Joy

• Acts 13:47-49
• Often, we can do our best teaching when we are at the lowest point in our lives.

Humility

• I Peter 5:5
• Proverbs 11:2
• Acts 26:1, 9, 15, 19 – Paul humbly admitted his previous mistakes.
• I Peter 2:12, 15

Healthy relationships

• I Timothy 3:4-5 – How did the man manage his family relationships?
• Ephesians 6:1
• Proverbs 17:17; 18:24

“Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Introduction

• The book of Deuteronomy contains speeches that Moses gave to the people of Israel before they crossed over to the promised land.
• The three promises to Abram (Genesis 12)
  • “I will make you a great nation” – Fulfilled in Exodus 1:7
  • “To your descendants I will give this land” – Fulfilled in Joshua 21:43
  • “In you all the nations of the earth will be blessed” – Acts 3:26

Deuteronomy 1

• Deuteronomy 1:1-5 – Opening
  • It was only an eleven day journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea yet it took them forty years because of their disobedience.
• Deuteronomy 1:6-8 – Moses begins his first speech
• Deuteronomy 1:9-18 – Moses appointed leaders
  • Deuteronomy 1:10 – Moses needed help because of the enormous size of the group.
• Deuteronomy 1:19-46 – Spies and rebellion
  • Moses retells the history of spying out the land and the rebellion.
  • Deuteronomy 1:32 – They did not trust God.

Deuteronomy 2

• Deuteronomy 2:1-23 – Wandering in the wilderness
  • Israel tried to pass through Edom, but Edom refused.
  • Deuteronomy 2:7 – God provided for them – they didn’t lack anything.
  • Deuteronomy 2:14 – It took them thirty-eight years to cross the Zered River. All the previous generation had died off.
• Deuteronomy 2:24-37 – Victory over Sihon, king of Heshbon
  • See Numbers 21.

Deuteronomy 3

• Deuteronomy 3:1-11 – Victory over Og, King of Bashan
• Deuteronomy 3:12-20 – Two and a half tribes
  • See Numbers 32.
• Deuteronomy 3:21-29 – Moses pleads with God.
  • Deuteronomy 3:22 – God is the one fighting for you! Compare Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:30. They still had to go and fight, even through God was giving them the victory. Similarly, just because salvation is a gift of God doesn’t mean we don’t have to do anything to receive it.
• Deuteronomy 3:23-27 – Moses pleaded with God to go into the land but God said no, and God was just in His decision.