Deuteronomy

Growing in Christ

"He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Luke 24:45

Overview of Old Testament or New Testament

Links to observations drawn from other other books of the Bible

Introduction: The Hebrew title of the book is taken from the first verse "words" referring to the words of Moses given to Israel on the plains of Moab before crossing the Jordan into Canaan. This is a crucial time for Israel. Moses is about to die. The people would face war and many changes afterwards as they settled as a nation in the land. Joshua's leadership was untested. The generation he would lead had not known Egypt, Yahweh's deliverance or self-revelation in the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. The Greek translation (Septuagint) titles the book "Deuteronomy" (Second law-giving) because it repeats laws from earlier in the Pentateuch. Moses desires stability and continuity for Israel in the new circumstances Israel will face.

Deuteronomy is a constitution for the theocracy of Israel. The structure of the book parallels the pattern of a typical near-eastern suzerainty treaty. Of the 27 books of the New Testament, 17 quote from Deuteronomy. In his wilderness temptation Jesus quoted only Deuteronomy.

Practical and Pastoral Observations on the Book of Deuteronomy (please read each chapter slowly and meditatively before reading observations below):

Deuteronomy 1

The Setting: The location where Moses speaks to the people is specified (v.1-2) along with the date (v.3). Moses speaks just after God's victory over the Amorites (v.4) and before the people cross the Jordan.

Israel's Promise and Problem: God's promise of Canaan had been made clear at Sinai (v.6) as well as God's command to go and possess the land (v.7-8). God also made clear how they should rule themselves under God's impartial law (v.12-18). Israel's problem however was they did not believe God.

The Cost of Unbelief: Moses tells the children of those who died in the desert why the tragedy happened. God placed the land before their fathers (v.21) but the majority account of the spies (v.22-24) focused on their opponents (v.28) rather than on the Lord's promise and track record. Because of their fathers' refusal to cross the Jordan (v.26), despite Moses's words of truth (v.29-33), God denied them the land (v.34-35) promising it instead to their children (v.39). When Israel, instead of accepting God's judgement, sought to battle the Amorites in their own strength (v.41-43), they were defeated (v.44). 

The Next Generation: The children of those who died in the desert needed to hear this sad story so as not to make the same mistake of unbelief and loss of courage. May we too learn from history rather than repeat its errors. Deut 1:11: "May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!" 

Personal Response: I will listen to the stories of my parents and of their mission history and change my behaviour accordingly.

My Prayer: Father, thank you that you promise and warn. Give me now to believe and obey. Your word is not to be taken lightly or spurned. Spare me from the consequences of unbelief.

Deuteronomy 2

38 Years: Moses first 40 years were in the privileged court of Pharoah, the 2nd 40 years until the burning bush, a simple shepherd, and the majority of his last 40 years are here summarized in a single verse (v.1): wandering in the wilderness around Mount Seir until the generation of fighting men, who refused to fight, had died (v.14-16).

Singular Focus: God had not given Israel any of the land of Esau's descendants, the Edomites (v. 2-8), or the land of the descendants of Lot; the Moabites (v.9) or the Ammonites (17). Israel was to maintain good relations with these neighbours, asking only to pass through, paying for food and water. Only the land of Canaanite tribes was given to Israel.

Heshbon was east of the Jordan so Israel made the same offer (v.26-29) but King Sidon attacked (v.32) and was destroyed fully (v.33-35).

History of occupation: World history to this day is the history of land being taken by one people from another. v.10-12 outlines Lot's descendants, the Moabites taking their land from the Emims, and the Edomites, Esau's descendent, taking their land from the Horims. v.20-23 describes the Ammonites, Lot's other branch of descendants, taking their land of the Rephaites, and the Caphtorites from Crete taking the land of Gaza from the Avvites. The Caphtorites in Gaza became known as Philistines. The Caphtorites, from Lower-Egypt, had taken Crete earlier and the Moabites had lost much of their land to Sihon.

Moses may have included this wider history in his summation to Israel to encourage them, having come from Egypt and backing away from Canaan 38 years earlier, that they too could occupy the land promised them by Yahweh, land currently occupied by worshippers of Chemosh who had taken the land from those before them. God chose the most wicked tribes of the area to be dispossessed by Israel.

Personal Response: I will be meek when called to be meek and courageous when the Lord calls me to courage.

My Prayer: Father, the history of violence to take land is long, continuing to this day, and painful to ponder. When Jesus returns, You will bring justice taking the earth from the wicked. Till then, Lord, I join in a prayer-song of my youth: ""In a troubled world, I pray the Lord to keep, Keep hatred from the mighty and the mighty from the small. Heaven help us all."