Deuteronomy 9

God Will Drive Out the Enemy Nations

1 Moses said, “Listen up, Israel! Today you all about to cross the Jordan and take over a land full of nations bigger and stronger than you, with cities that have walls reaching the sky!”

2 “These people are tall and powerful, the Anakites (giants)! You heard folks say, ‘Nobody is ever beat them!’”

3 “But know this: The Lord your God is going ahead of you like a consuming fire! He will destroy them, and you all will drive them out FAST, just like He promised.”

Do Not Get It Twisted, You Are Not Getting This Land Because You Are Righteous

4 “After God drives them out, do not start thinking, ‘We got this land because we are so righteous.’ Nah! It is because those other nations were wicked.”

5 “It is not because you all are good! It is because of their evil, and because of the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

6 “So understand this, you all are some stubborn, hardheaded people! It is not because you all holy that God is blessing you!”

Remember How You All Kept Acting Up,

7 “Do not forget how you all kept making the Lord mad in the wilderness! From the day you all left Egypt, you have been rebelling!”

8 “At Mount Sinai, you all made God so mad He was ready to destroy you!”

9 “When I went up the mountain to get the Ten Commandments, I stayed there 40 days and nights, no food, no water.”

10 “God gave me the stone tablets, written by His own hand, with the commandments He spoke from the fire on the mountain.”

11 “After those 40 days, God gave me the two stone tablets of the covenant.”

The Golden Calf Incident, You All Almost Got Wiped Out!

12 “But then God told me, ‘Moses, go back down! These people have already messed up! They turned away from My commands real quick! They made an idol for themselves!’”

13 “‘I see how stubborn these people are.’”

14 “‘Step aside, Moses! I am about to wipe them out and start over with you!’”

15 “So I came down the mountain, carrying the two stone tablets, and the mountain was still burning with fire.”

16 “Then I saw it, you all had made a golden calf! You all turned away from God quick!”

17 “So I threw the tablets down and broke them in front of you all.”

18 “Then I fell before the Lord for 40 days and nights, no food, no water, begging Him not to destroy you all!”

19 “God was SO mad, I thought He was really about to wipe you all out! But I prayed hard, and He heard me.”

20 “Even Aaron was about to get wiped out! But I prayed for him too.”

21 “Then I took that golden calf you all made, burned it up, crushed it, and threw the ashes into the stream!”

You All Kept Testing God Over & Over Again

22 “At Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah, you all kept making the Lord mad!”

23 “When He told you all to go take the land, you all refused. Instead, you all got scared and did not trust Him!”

24 “You all been rebelling against God since the day I met you all!”

Moses’ Prayer Saved Israel

25 “I laid face down before God for 40 days and nights, begging Him not to destroy you all.”

26 “I prayed, ‘Lord, You brought these people out of Egypt with Your mighty hand, do not destroy them now!’”

27 “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, do not focus on how stubborn, wicked, and sinful these people are!”

28 “‘If You destroy them, the Egyptians will say, “God could not bring them into the land, so He killed them instead!”’”

29 “But Lord, these people are Yours! You brought them out with Your power and strength!”