In the twenty-third chapter we find people of some other countries mentioned: Ammonites and Moabites, Edomites and Egyptians all come in for mention, and we notice that God does not forget the past. The children of Ammon and those of Moab might come to live among the people of God for many years, yet they were not allowed to join God’s people in their meetings; the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of these strangers, even though they were born in the country, were just as much shut out when the people of God came together to speak to Him. Ten generations is a long time, —at least 200 years. If left to ourselves, without the Word of God, in a question like this, you and I would, in a very short time, say, “It is a long while ago that this trouble happened; we might as well forget it, and admit that we have made mistakes too; we must not be too severe”, but since God’s Word is to be the Christian’s guide. we must look to learn what is His mind. Not only here in this 23rd of Deuteronomy do we find instruction on this subject, but in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, verse 15, we get these words: “God requireth that which is past.”
Verse 14 is another important one to guard God’s people against everything not suitable to His presence. Shall His keen eyes, as He “walks” among them, see any unclean thing in them? Let nothing he left unjudged, and not put away, that the Bible condemns.