Deuteronomy 2:1-25
Yahweh Sans Frontiers

I. Where Are the Lord’s Borders?
1. Everybody needs to know their boundaries. They need to know what belongs to them, what doesn’t.
2. We assume God has boundaries, that there are some things God isn’t concerned with, like sports.
3. Is business none of God’s business? He will want to teach us to set our hearts on things above.
4. Some Chinese who practice Chinese religion in China, go to church in America, looking Christian.
5. If you went back to China, would you go back to being one of the people of the three religions?
6. But the Lord is not our national god, as though we’re Christians because we’re in His boundaries.
7. There are no boundaries behind which you can confine the true God. He is the God without boundaries.
II. The Edomites (2:1-8)
A. The Lord Is the God of the Edomites
1. Whether they know it or not, the Lord gave the Edomites (Esau) their land.
2. Don’t provoke them, “don’t contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land . . .”
3. The key word is “I”. The Lord speaking, They have that territory because the Lord gave it to them.
4. But they were not God’s chosen people. They were still under the Lord’s control.
B. The Lord is the God of Unbelieving Nations Too
1. When you pass through their land everything is theirs; so you have to pay.
2. The Lord is the King of all nations. Their boundaries and resources are given to them by the Lord.
3. He is the God of China too. Their people, gold or farmland or Yangtze River are given by the Lord.
4. Here we see that God’s provision for His people is supposed to make them free to spend and give.
5. Edom could put up a no trespassing sign on their boundaries. The Lord had given them that right.
III. The Moabites (2:9-12)
A. The Lord Is the God of the Moabites
1. Moab is off limits too. The Israelites were not marauding nomadic barbarians.
2. They are off limits not because God is not just the God of Israel. He gave them the land of Ar.
3. It doesn’t matter if the religion of Moab was the Chemosh worship. The Lord gave them their land.
4. It doesn’t matter if the Chinese Communist Party declares its commitment to atheistic materialism.
5. The Lord has given China to the Chinese, whether they know it or not.
6. The Lord is (in French) “Yahweh sans frontiers,” the Lord without borders.
B. History of Moab (and Edom)
1. The kingdom of “Emim” had possessed the land of Moab. They were giants too, like the Anakim,
2. The Moabites came against people as gigantic and formidable. The Lord still gave them that land.
3. It was all under His control. The Lord is not just the tribal deity of Israel, confined to Canaan.
IV. The Not Israelites (2:13-15)
A. They Cross a New Boundary: Zered
1. They cross a physical boundary and a generation gap. The unbelieving generation passes away.
2. Some people think God is the God of old age and childhood, but not of youth or middle age.
3. Just as the Lord is the God of all nations, He is also the God of all stages of life.
B. Not All Who Are of Israel Are of Israel (Romans 9:6)
1. To be a true Israelite is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit; faith in the true God (Romans 2:29).
2. If all one has is the physical descent from Israel, they’re not in the Spirit, part of the true Israel.
3. The rest are Not Israel, ‘Not My People’ Hosea called them.
4. Not Israel died off because the Lord was against them. The Lord was behind it all.
5. Some believe ‘Jesus is good for you. But He’s not for me.’ But He’s the Lord of everyone.
V. The Ammonites (2:16-23)
A. The Lord Is the God of the Ammonites
1. No trespassing, Israel. Ammon is not yours; you don’t have the right to take it. God gave them land.
2. They don’t know that; they don’t recognize it; they don’t praise Him for it. But it’s true any way.
3. Even their history is His story, the actions of the Lord in all the events of the earth.
4. Christians say ‘there is only one God and He is universally true.’ It is all the Lord’s doing.
B. If God Did That for Them . . .
1. If the Lord can give the giant Rephaim to the Ammonites, He can give the giants to you.
2. If He can give to unbelieving, immoral people, the secrets to success, He can give them to you.
3. He’s more interested in setting your mind on things above, weaning your affections off of luxuries.
4. Stop being distracted by the paltry things of this world. Overcome the enemies.
VI. Invitation: Rise Up!
Now, all your enemies will tremble because you can overcome them. He’ll do it for you. There is not one square inch of the world, of your business, not one second of your life, of your work or sports; not one cent of your money, one thought of your mind, not one breath that you take that God does not say, ‘That is Mine.’ Rise up and follow the Lord without borders.