◄ Deuteronomy 9:26 ►
And I prayed to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, Your inheritance, whom You redeemed through Your greatness and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Study Bible
And I prayed to the LORD and said,
This phrase highlights Moses' role as an intercessor for the Israelites. Prayer is a central theme in the Bible, demonstrating a personal relationship with God. Moses' intercession is reminiscent of Abraham's prayers for Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33) and foreshadows Christ's intercessory role (Hebrews 7:25).

“O Lord GOD,
The use of "Lord GOD" emphasizes the sovereignty and authority of God. The Hebrew terms "Adonai" and "YHWH" reflect God's covenantal relationship with Israel. This dual title underscores the reverence and submission Moses has towards God, acknowledging His ultimate power and control.

do not destroy Your people,
Moses appeals to God's mercy, reminding Him of His covenant with Israel. This plea reflects the recurring theme of divine judgment and mercy throughout the Old Testament. It also parallels the New Testament message of salvation and grace through Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).

Your inheritance,
Israel is described as God's inheritance, indicating a special possession and relationship. This concept is rooted in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:7-8) and is echoed in the New Testament, where believers are considered God's inheritance through Christ (Ephesians 1:18).

whom You redeemed through Your greatness
The redemption of Israel from Egypt is a foundational event, symbolizing God's power and faithfulness. This act of deliverance prefigures the ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ, who redeems humanity from sin (1 Peter 1:18-19).

and brought out of Egypt
The Exodus is a pivotal moment in Israel's history, marking their transition from slavery to freedom. It serves as a type of Christ's deliverance of believers from the bondage of sin (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

with a mighty hand.
This phrase emphasizes God's omnipotence and the miraculous nature of the Exodus. The "mighty hand" signifies divine intervention and strength, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, culminating in the power of Christ's resurrection (Philippians 3:10).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who intercedes on behalf of the people, demonstrating his role as a mediator between God and Israel.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is appealed to by Moses for mercy and remembrance of His promises.

3. The Israelites
Referred to as God's people and inheritance, whom He redeemed from Egypt, highlighting their special status and relationship with God.

4. Egypt
The place of bondage from which the Israelites were delivered, symbolizing God's power and faithfulness in redemption.

5. The Wilderness
The setting of the Israelites' journey and testing, where Moses intercedes for them after their rebellion.
Teaching Points
The Power of Intercession
Moses' prayer demonstrates the importance and power of intercessory prayer. Believers are encouraged to pray for others, standing in the gap as Moses did.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
Moses appeals to God's past actions and promises, reminding us that God is faithful and His past faithfulness is a foundation for our trust in Him today.

The Importance of Remembrance
Moses reminds God of His actions in Egypt, teaching us the importance of remembering and recounting God's past deeds in our lives as a source of encouragement and faith.

The Role of a Mediator
Moses' role as a mediator points to the ultimate mediation of Christ. Believers can find assurance in Christ's intercession on their behalf.

God's Mercy and Patience
Despite Israel's rebellion, God's willingness to listen to Moses' plea highlights His mercy and patience, encouraging us to rely on His grace in times of failure.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Moses' intercession in Deuteronomy 9:26 inspire you to pray for others in your life?

2. In what ways can remembering God's past faithfulness help you in your current circumstances?

3. How does Moses' role as a mediator foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ as our ultimate intercessor?

4. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself and others of God's mighty works in your life?

5. How can understanding God's mercy and patience in this passage encourage you when you face personal failures or challenges?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 32
Moses' intercession for Israel after the golden calf incident parallels his plea in Deuteronomy 9:26, emphasizing his role as an intercessor.

Psalm 106
Reflects on Israel's history, including their rebellion and God's mercy, reinforcing the themes of intercession and divine patience.

1 Samuel 12
Samuel's intercession for Israel mirrors Moses' actions, showing a consistent biblical theme of leaders praying for God's mercy on His people.

Hebrews 7
Jesus as the ultimate intercessor, drawing a parallel to Moses' mediatory role but highlighting the superiority of Christ's eternal priesthood.
Sermons
Humiliating MemoriesR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 9:7-29
The Place of Human MediationD. Davies Deuteronomy 9:18-29
Moses' IntercessionJ. Orr Deuteronomy 9:24-29
A Covenant PeopleF. D. Maurice, M. A.Deuteronomy 9:26-29
Moses At the Highest Level of His MinistryAlbert Kyphe.Deuteronomy 9:26-29
People
Aaron, Anak, Anakites, Isaac, Jacob, Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb, Jordan River, Kadesh-barnea, Kibroth-hattaavah, Massah, Taberah
Topics
Destroy, Destruction, Egypt, Forth, Greatness, Hast, Heritage, Inheritance, Mighty, O, Power, Powerful, Prayed, Prayer, Ransomed, Redeemed, Salvation, Sovereign, Strength, Strong
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 9:26

     1060   God, greatness of
     1090   God, majesty of
     1105   God, power of
     1205   God, titles of
     1315   God, as redeemer
     4035   abundance
     6721   redemption, in life
     7141   people of God, OT

Deuteronomy 9:25-29

     8611   prayer, for others

Deuteronomy 9:26-29

     8640   calling upon God

Library
The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6

Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book.
"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said. Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou--wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray they, out of thy book which than hast written." In the preceding discourse we endeavored to show that the idea of being willing to be damned for the glory of God is not found in the text--that the sentiment is erroneous and absurd--then adduced the constructions which have been put on the text by sundry expositors, …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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