Introduction by The Fabulous Bentley Brothers.

Transcription

1

2 Introduction by The Fabulous Bentley Brothers

3 Deuteronomy has perhaps had more influence on the rest of the Biblical story, both OT and NT, than any other book of the Bible.

4 What drives Deuteronomy from beginning to end is an uncompromising monotheism coupled with an equally deep concern for Israel s loyalty to Yahweh. Everything is predicated on Yahweh s love and faithfulness and his actions that flow out of that love and faithfulness.

5 Deuteronomy s primary moment is the Shema. (6:4-5). Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. (NLT).

6 What is in Deuteronomy? It is a rehearsal of the covenant for a new generation of Israelites before the conquest of the Promised Land. It restates the 10 Commandments and the laws (and some new laws) surrounding them. It reminds the people of the oneness and uniqueness of Yahweh, the God of Israel, over against all other gods.

7 What is in Deuteronomy? Yahweh s covenant love for Israel in making them his people. Yahweh s universal sovereignty over all people. Israel as Yahweh s model for the nations. The significance of the central sanctuary where Yahweh is to be worshiped. Yahweh s concern for justice that his people reflect his character. The blessing of obedience and the curse of disobedience.

8 Three Themes 1. The constant reminder that Israel is about to possess the land (a word that occurs more than 100 times in Deuteronomy). God in his love is about to fulfill the oath he made to Abraham.

9 Three Themes 2. The relentless demand that, when entering the land, Israel s not only to avoid idolatry but to completely destroy all the places of Canaanite worship as well as all the Canaanite people. (2:34; 3:6; 7:1-6, 23-26; 12:1-3; 13:6-18; 16:21-17:7; 20:16-18; 31:3). We conquered all his towns and completely destroyed everyone men, women, and children. Not a single person was spared. (2:34, NLT)

10 Three Themes 3. The requirement that they regularly worship at one central sanctuary. (12:5, 11, 14, 18, 26: 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2-16; 17:8-10; 26:2). Since Yahweh is one Lord, not many as are the pagan gods he must not be worshiped at the high places where Baal and Ashtoreth were worshiped.

11 How Deuteronomy is organized Deuteronomy is patterned in the same style as the ancient Near Eastern treaties/covenants of the same time period. Preamble Prologue Stipulations Document clause Sanctions Witnesses

12 Preamble and Prologue Chapters 1-4 Deuteronomy begins by restating the covenant and looking both to the past and the future.

13 Stipulations Chapters 5-26 Chapter 5 begins with a restatement of the 10 Commandments and then continues with the stipulations of how to live them out. (Some of these laws are new for the new situation they are now entering into). The laws in chapters tend to follow the same vertical/horizontal order that we find in the 10 Commandments. God s people are often required to look after the poor and needy. (15:11; 24:14).

14 Document Clauses Chapters The reminder of the terms of the covenant are found mainly in these chapters and are immediately followed by a long list of blessings and curses.

15 Sanctions Chapters The kind of action that will be taken by God and his people in light of the covenant. This is written in the form of a song/poem.

16 Witnesses Three kinds: Heaven and earth. (4:26; 30:19-20). The Song of Moses. (31:19; 31:30-32:43). The words of the law itself. (31:26).

17 Conclusion Chapter The mysterious death of Moses. So Moses died there in the land of Moab. The LORD buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died. (34:5-7). 2. The succession of Joshua. Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. (34:9).

18 Conclusion Deuteronomy brings the Pentateuch to a conclusion with its constant reminders of God s faithful love despite his people s constant rebellion. The final word is one of hope that God will ultimately prevail with his people.