RIGHTS OF OTHERS. Deuteronomy 2 God's care and miraculous provision for Israel during forty years in the wilderness have inspired and encouraged God’s people throughout history. Those who receive from God's fullness with grateful hearts will find that it is enough, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be. Those who complain may never recognize the blessings given to them by our kind and benevolent Lord.
The reason for the thirty-eight extra years spent in the wilderness was due to the fault of the Israelites themselves, not the opposition of those living around them. They were not supposed to pick fights with their ancient relatives, the children of Esau or the children of Lot. In fact, they were to pay for everything they used as they traveled through the territory of Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Common sense tells us that when we cross from one country to another or need to pass through someone else's property, we must get their permission and obey their laws and rights.
Even if people do things differently than we do or have expectations of us that seem extreme, it is our duty to adapt to their wishes. We do have choices: we can go back, take a different path, or accept their demands. Their rights are in place, and we are responsible for understanding those restrictions. In the past, people have caused problems over issues like which side of a fence the boards should be nailed or how close to the property line a driveway should go. For the sake of personal peace and Christian witness, we must respect the rights of our neighbors. Sometimes, their expectations will be unreasonable. In those moments, we need to decide if a project is important enough in the long term to pursue further.
Broken relationships can sometimes be repaired when a respectful attitude toward others' rights is shown, even if it seems unreasonable or silly to us. Often, there are extenuating circumstances in someone else's life that we know nothing about. Because of these, their reaction to what appears to be a simple and straightforward matter is a major issue for them. By acting fairly, relationships can be preserved or repaired, if necessary, in a sensible way, even if closeness may never develop.
There will be valleys to cross in our lives that cause us to pause and seek an alternative path. In the case of Israel's journey, the Lord directed them to cross the valley. They were assured before they started down the valley that they would cross and come up on the other side. Some of the valley experiences of the people of God are very hard to bear. There may be significant losses to us in the darkness of a valley crossing. Pain, sorrow, and tears are often experienced at such times in our lives. Others, too, will have similar times, and we may wonder if we should go to them at such times or just pray and leave them to God. As a general rule, the valley experiences of others call for our actual presence. Maybe not our words so much, but our compassion is needed. People have a right to expect that of us.
It is possible for God's people to view others as enemies simply because they are different from us. The descendants of Esau were to be left alone by the descendants of Jacob, and they were to be fully compensated for any benefits they received from the Edomites. They were to steer clear of the descendants of Moab and be cautious as they passed through the land of the Ammonites, both of whom descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew. Despite Israel’s lack of faith and the resulting consequences, God still guided them. The Israelites wandered for thirty-eight years due to their own disobedience, so they had no right to act independently regarding others and their God-given rights.
God still cared for His people; they could have lived in the promised land if they had faith in Him. That entire generation died in disobedience and was buried in the wilderness dust. When God said those over twenty years old would not enter the promised land because of unbelief, He was not making twenty the age of accountability but of responsibility. He disqualified those who should have been mature enough to fight their enemies. They didn’t fight when they should have and fought when they were told not to. Confidence in our own ability to accomplish God’s will leads to failure. Any claim of repentance that involves further disobedience is not sincere.
We know well that not everyone who calls themselves "Christians" are true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, it is not right for us to intentionally provoke them. When preaching the Gospel, many who claim to be Christians will oppose a clear call to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Such provocation should stem from their reaction to God's truth being presented, not from our attitude toward them. A straightforward message about the warnings and consequences of sin and salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ may provoke resentful feelings. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, not a reaction caused by people.
A faithful message delivered in the power of the Spirit by a gracious person, with kindness and earnestness, cannot be justly condemned. The listener's rights are not violated, but at the same time, the listeners are called to act on the rights of God "in whom they live and move, and have their being." According to our understanding, God can save those who seem very unlikely to be saved.
Our lives as believers will be what they should be when we submit to God's will as each situation in life arises. We rebelled against God's authority. We resisted His commands. We willfully went our own way. We made our lives complicated. So, we don't have the right to condemn others for what they do because we did the same things. But we are responsible for showing them what God says in His Word. When we act consciously aware of God's will, our lives become less complicated, and we will understand when to draw near to others and when to avoid unnecessary contact. We will know what to defend and what to claim for ourselves. We will understand what to give and what to take.
The Israelites, led by Moses, avoided some intertribal conflicts because God explained their rights and the reasons for them. In the case of Sihon, king of Hesbon, the punishment for his resistance came from God. God directed the children of Israel on what to do. It was God who granted victory through His people. He prepared them before they crossed into the promised land for what He would expect from them in the future, and He showed them what He would do through them. The “reports of you” among the nations were a work of God. Divine help for Israel defeated nations that relied on their gods to save them from the God of Israel. Those who were stubborn and obstinate against Israel had to face the consequences of their choices. To resist God is to lose.
We lack the power within ourselves to overcome the enemies around us that are unseen and unknown. We can make our journey through life harder by disobeying God. Simply doing what we know God wants and doing it gladly transforms our lives completely. To follow Him wholeheartedly brings joy despite facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Our discernment is insufficient regarding the hidden motives of those who want nothing to do with God and His Gospel. Some opponents may be seeking peace but don't know where to find it. Others might appear friendly but are subtle and aim to undermine and defeat God's work. All we need to do is obey what we know is God's will, and we are instructed to do so by divine authority. We can leave the outcome of these matters to God, for He knows the end from the beginning.
It is our responsibility to follow Him with our whole hearts and minds, being aware that He is going ahead of us. Circumstances may change our plans. Sometimes, wise advice from those closer to a situation or place will be God's way of guiding our actions. In our agreement with God—where we have died to ourselves and live for Him—it’s important to understand who leads and who follows. His plans are the ones we should act on. It’s His divine purposes that will be fulfilled. He allows us to share in His work now, and later, He will share His glory with us.