Preview of Deuteronomy In our study of this book, we soon discover that the title which means second law refers not to a new law but to a repeated giving of the former Law. The book is not, however, a mere repetition of the Law given at Sinai. Rather, it is a restating of the Law with a new emphasis and a new dimension to a new generation. The new emphasis is love, which is evident in the numerous usages of the word love, as well as in the overall Warmth of the book. Deuteronomy s message rings with God s matchless love for His chosen people. His calling is the calling of love (4:37; 7:7-8); His law is the law of love (10:12-13 for thy good ). His warnings are the warnings of love (30:19); His discipline is the discipline of love (32:11-12). Moses further emphasizes that man s wholehearted love for God is the only proper response to God and the only acceptable motivation for keeping His commandments. The new generation addressed was the offspring of the rebellious people who forty years earlier were at the borders of the same Promised Land. A large part of this generation was at Sinai when the Law was given but they had been too young to grasp the significance of that event. Therefore, they were in great need of having their fathers experience and the commandments of the Lord vividly and forcibly brought to their attention. Moses endeavored to fortify them against stumbling as they moved away from the miraculous and into the rigorous warfare in Canaan. Several basic concerns are repeated throughout the book: (l) the call to remember God s past dealings that they might profit from the experiences and lessons of the past; (2) the challenge not to forget God s requirements lest they should lose His blessing; (3) the command "lo observe and to do, or to obey that they might truly possess the land as God intended; (4) the need for a complete commitment to fear the Lord thy God that it might be well with them and with their children forever. The Book of Deuteronomy has a vital message for us today. Let us heed its precepts.
Lesson 1 10 February, 2019 Now... Hearken, O Israel Lesson Scope: Deuteronomy Chapters 1 to 11 References in brackets refer to Deuteronomy 1 to 11 unless otherwise noted. Lesson Focus The children of Israel stood at the edge of the Promised Land. Forty years earlier, their fathers had refused to cross this threshold because giants inhabited the land. God destroyed that generation because of their faithlessness. Moses was a spokesman for God to three generations. He delivered the Law to them. He now recounted the mighty works of God in delivering them. God overthrew the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, opened the earth that swallowed Dathan and Abiram, and destroyed the two kingdoms of the Amorites. Even Moses could not enter the Promised Land because of disobedience. Now, what would this generation do? Rise up in faith and possess the land or cower in fear as their fathers had done? We too have been offered a place of freedom and rest. We too face a formidable foe. We can by faith move in, with the power of God, and possess the land. Or we can cower in our own strength and fall in defeat to the god of this world. God s mercy and His compassion are evident in His working with mankind. They are especially in focus as He works with His people. The details of His working with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph in Egypt, and the children of Israel as they came out and journeyed to the Promised Land are a testimony to His mercy and love. Read Psalms 105 & 106 for a quick summary. Read Psalm 107 for a broader picture of how God draws mankind to Himself. How could they forget Him? How could they reject His love? How could they disobey? Read God s song in Isaiah 5:1 4. What more could He have done? The incentives God placed for them and for us are priceless. Our love, obedience, and worship are only reasonable service. We can never be worthy of the benefits bestowed upon us. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8).
God deserves and requires obedience. On the basis of His gracious provision, God calls His followers to move forward in obedience to His voice. Lesson Aim: To identify incentives for willing obedience. Theme Verse: Deuteronomy 4:6. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people Lesson Text: Keep the Whole Law Deuteronomy 4:1 1 (KJV) Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Deuteronomy 4:3-4 3 (KJV) Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. Deuteronomy 4:6 6 (KJV) Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Love the Lord With All Your Heart Deuteronomy 6:3-5 3 (KJV) Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 7:6-9 6 (KJV) For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8
But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; Teach Every Generation Deuteronomy 11:18-23 18 (KJV) Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Deuteronomy 11:26-28 26 (KJV) Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Questions for Study Keep the Whole Law 1. What lessons could the people learn from Moses rehearsal of their history? 2. How does the obedience of God s people affect the community they live in? 3. Does the command to keep therefore and do them remain in force today?
Love the Lord With All Your Heart 4. What does a land [flowing] with milk and honey imply? 5. Does God love us first, or do we love Him first? 6. What does it mean to be chosen? Teach Every Generation 7. What prerequisite is required of an effective teacher? 8. Who is to be taught? And when? 9. What gods may be enticing us today? Analyzing the Passage Baal-peor (4:3) was the Moabites god. Balak, their king, was afraid of Israel and hired Balaam to curse them. Balaam, instead, blessed Israel at the word of the Lord. But at Balaam s suggestion, Balak sent the women of Moab to seduce the men of Israel. The mixed marriages that resulted caused them to mingle in worship to Baal-peor. This scheme was so successful that over twenty thousand people needed to die to purge Israel of this sin. A thousand generations (7:9) spans a time much longer than we understand the earth to have existed. We understand this phrase to be figurative language assuring us that His covenant of mercy with those who love Him never ends. To bind them (11:18) illustrates the teaching of truth. Each time truth is repeated, it is like another wrap of the cord around our heart to bind the truth in us. The more times we hear the truth, the more difficult it is to forget and the harder our conscience will prick us if we disobey it. Constant repetition makes deep impressions on the minds of our youth that can never be totally forgotten. Since all of us are prone to forget what is out of sight, constant reminders help older minds retain truths that attempt to slip out the back door of our minds. Memorization is a good way to help bind truth into our hearts. Principles and Applications Keep the Whole Law 1. Obedience is a prerequisite for God s blessing (4:1). From Genesis to Revelation, God s blessing is conditioned by man s response. God asked Cain, If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Jesus says to the church of Laodicea, If any man hear my voice, and open the
door... That little word if sets a condition. Man s choice determines whether God can bless. 2. Identifying God s mighty works in the past promotes obedience to Him (4:3). Nothing impresses a man as deeply as what he sees with his own eyes. In the very recent past, these hearers saw judgment meted out upon those who worshiped Baal-peor. Those who fastened their faith on the God of heaven were spared. Does God mean what He says? These people believed it with all their hearts. Do we? 3. Spiritual life is dependent on obedience and loyalty to God (4:3 4). Jesus used the illustration of the vine and the branches. We cannot experience life unless we are attached to the vine. Any disobedience will sever our attachment to the vine. The gods of this world are dead vines that cannot provide spiritual life. The promise of life is a strong incentive to obey. 4. God s commandments impart wisdom and understanding to His people (4:6). His commands are not grievous. They are for our good and benefit. Man s reasoning can only go so far, but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The wisdom that is from above creates in us a new man and imparts wisdom that cannot be learned in the institutions of this world. Love the Lord With All Your Heart 5. God s promises are for those who obey Him (6:3). God loves to bless His people. He honors those who honor Him. God promises strength for each day. He promises a way of escape from temptation. He promises a home in heaven to those who do the Father s will. 6. Willing obedience is the fruit of an all-encompassing love for God (6:4-5). Children sometimes ask, Do I have to do it? A frequent answer is, Not if you want to. It is easy to obey someone we love. In fact, we will do anything to please that person. When we get a glimpse of God s great love for us in the sending of His only begotten Son and of Christ s great love in shedding His blood for us, it is but our reasonable service to obey Him. 7. God s marvelous love should produce full consecration in His people (7:6-8). A vision of God s love will cause us to unreservedly commit our lives to Him. We will not chafe under the guidelines the church establishes. All to Jesus I surrender, /All to Him I freely give; / I will ever love and trust Him, / In His presence daily live.
Teach Every Generation 8. Obedience is promoted by constant exposure to God s Word (11:18-20). Many of us have mottoes hanging on our walls that help to gain the exposure 11:20 teaches. Personal and family devotions contribute to keeping our thoughts directed heavenward. Singing hymns as we go about our daily pursuits helps us, and those who hear us, to be reminded of God. Thinking of verses to quote that fit the changing scenes of life draws our minds to the eternal Word. Our minds and our lips should never stray far from the truth of God s Word. 9. The Lord has promised victory to those who obey Him (11:22-23). What happened to the walls of Jericho? What happened when David met Goliath? What happened when the three Hebrews refused to bow to the idol? Are His promises less sure today? He provides a way to escape. Have we looked for it? Our God is able to deliver us. 10. We daily choose if our lives will warrant God s blessing (11:26-28). Choosing God s way is not a once-and-done accomplishment. It is a daily choice. Will I serve God today? We must surrender our will to His day by day, even hour by hour. Any failure we experience is due to our choice. Important Teachings 1. Obedience is a prerequisite for God s blessing (4:1). 2. Identifying God s mighty works in the past promotes obedience to Him (4:3). 3. Spiritual life is dependent on obedience and loyalty to God (4:3-4). 4. God s commandments impart Wisdom and understanding to His people (4:6). 5. God s promises are for those who obey Him (6:3). 6. Willing obedience is the fruit of an all-encompassing love for God (6:4-5). 7. God s marvelous love should produce full consecration in His people (7:6-8). 8. Obedience is promoted by constant exposure to God s Word (11:18-20) 9. The Lord has promised victory to those who obey Him (11:22-23). 10. We daily choose if our lives will warrant God s blessing (11:26-28).
Answers to Questions 1. What lessons could the people learn from Moses rehearsal of their history? They learned that their cooperation with God had brought His blessing but that their rebellion led to failure and defeat. They were also reminded that God was well able to defeat their enemies when they moved forward in faith and obedience. 2. How does the obedience of God s people affect the community they live in? It may cause our neighbors to stop working on Sunday. It may cause a shirtless man to put on his shirt. Most people will respect us enough to watch their language when we are present. We should not hesitate to be vocal about morally offensive activity. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. The influence of godly people is both a salt and a light in this present world. It also condemns sin and exalts righteousness. 3. Does the command to keep therefore and do them remain in force today? Yes, from the standpoint that what God commands we must keep and do to be under His blessing. No, from the standpoint that the Old Testament Law is fulfilled in Christ. Today we are under New Testament direction as found in the Sermon on the Mount, the Jerusalem Conference, and the Epistles. But it is just as important today to keep His commands and do them as it was for the children of Israel. 4. What does a land [flowing] with milk and honey imply? It implies rich soil that is capable of producing a plentiful harvest. Flowing gives the idea of an abundant supply that replenishes itself. Jesus invites us to come and share His rest, to dine at the table He has spread, and to experience the sufficiency of His grace in daily life. Paul refers to this abundance when he says, My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Truly it is a heavenly place here on earth. 5. Does God love us first, or do we love Him first? We love him, because he first loved us. God commended his love toward us, in that, While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The wonder of His love: that unworthy creatures of the dust, prone to sin and darkness could be the object of His love and mercy! May we in humble adoration give all our love and honor to Him who looked down
in pity upon us. 6. What does it mean to be chosen? To be chosen is to be loved by our heavenly Father. Think of the bride who feels special because she was chosen above all others. The bride of Christ is thus chosen. Being chosen brings responsibility and accountability. We are bought with a price, the blood of Jesus Christ it satisfied a debt that we could never pay. Let us always live worthy of our calling and remain faithful to Him who chose us. 7. What prerequisite is required of an effective teacher? The husbandman must first be partaker of the fruit. If the truth is not part of your heart and life, you will have difficulty imparting it to others. If it is part of your life, it will affect your thoughts and actions, and thus your example will be worthy to follow. If we do not find delight in God s Word and enjoy being among His people, it is not likely our children will either. If we say but do not do we will lose the respect of our children and our brethren. 8. Who is to be taught? And when? Our children are to be taught. Each generation must become familiar with God s Word and make it their own personal creed. Teaching others God s Word is neither just a Sunday activity, nor only a church activity. It is not just the preacher or Sunday school teacher s job. It is every Christian s job when we feel like it and when we do not! Every word and action should be compatible with our profession. 9. What gods may be enticing us today? The love of money, the desire to be someone important, or the latest fad are some gods that entice us today. It could be attire, but it might be technology, hunting, playing games, or even retirement. Frequent restaurant meals, expensive foods, and excessive health regimens are some of the excesses of this world. Wealth and spare time can quickly take us away from God. Summarizing the Lesson A sign recently proclaimed, There are no rewards or punishments, just consequences. This focuses on the fact that our choice determines the consequence. This is the law of sowing and reaping. But God s Word does promise many rewards to the obedient and details a fearful punishment for the disobedient. If this is not incentive enough to keep us in
His blessing, what more can God do? Research Guide 1. Read Numbers 25 to learn more about Baal-peor and the Israelites. 2. Compare 6:5 with Luke 10:27. 3. Compare 7:6-7 with 1 Peter 2:9-10. 4. Read Ephesians 6:1-4 and 2 Peter 1:3-16.