Deuteronomy 1: The Lord Hated Us

Deuteronomy is a series of speeches by Moses in the last two months of the forty year trip from Egypt to Canaan. The audience is the second generation of Israelites. In this first speech, Moses is reviewing the journey. In verse 27, he quotes the parents of his audience as saying, “The Lord hated us.” He immediately begins his review of “God in the wilderness.” The speech continues until the end of chapter 4. In 4:37, Moses contradicts the claim of their parents by saying that God did these things because He loved their fathers. As you read these chapters, honestly think about God: did He hate them, or did He love them?