Day 13: Numbers 32:20-Deuteronomy 7:26 - 90 Day Challenge

Beginning the Book of Deuteronomy 

A New Perspective



In today's reading, we finished up the book of Numbers and marched on into Deuteronomy. Conveniently, Numbers 33 summed up quite a bit of the Israelite's travels on their journey to the promised land, so much for me summing that up myself! 

Numbers finishes up by listing the boundaries the Israelites are to obey when they're in the promised land, some of the laws they are to follow, and by God stating "Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites," in Numbers 35:34. After a follow-up of Zelophehad's daughters, we are led into the book of Deuteronomy. 

Was this book as refreshing of a perspective for you all as it was for me?? Hearing a recap from Moses's perspective in the first person made it feel more like history was being told to me, and less like I  was reading from a thousands-of-years-old book. I found it made it much more readable and I was able to get through it quicker. 

There were a number of verses I loved from today's Deuteronomy reading, which I will list below. (Are there any you loved that I left out? Let me know!)
  1. Deuteronomy 1:17-18
  2. Deuteronomy 1:29-31
  3. Deuteronomy 4:27-31
  4. Deuteronomy 4:39-40
  5. Deuteronomy 6:4-12
(There were a few others I had highlighted as well, theses ones just truly spoke to me.)


Deuteronomy is a recap of everything from Exodus to Numbers, without all of the "distractions" so we can truly see what a merciful, loving God we have. 

What did you think of the perspective shift?? Did you find it refreshing or just disorienting?

Have a wonderful weekend!
Tomorrow's reading will be Deuteronomy 8:1-Deuteronomy 23:11.

Jill Jafarace
Director of Student Ministry
New Leaf UMC



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