Deuteronomy

Copyright © 2003 Gene Brooks. All Rights Reserved.  HOME 
Powerpoint for this teaching here.
Page created October 3, 2003. Updated November 29, 2003

"Jesus Christ our True Prophet"

Moses spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10). Deuteronomy is the result of this intimacy and the experience of forty years in the wilderness. Moses codifies and highlights what to him is most important in a well-known format that this new generation of Israelites would understand - a Hittite suzerainty treaty. This type of treaty was not used after 1200BC, a fact which supports Mosaic authorship. Moses writes Deuteronomy as a national constitution, a binding agreement between God and His people. Moses knows that his death is imminent.

The Mosaic authorship of Deuteronomy has been strongly attacked by critics who claim that Moses only originated the traditions which were later codified into Deuteronomy. These critics usually hold that this book was written by anonymous priests just before 621 BC and used by King Josiah for religious reform. However, Deuteronomy contains about forty internal claims to Mosaic authorship. The writing, geographical, and historical details all indicate a firsthand knowledge of the period between the Exodus and the Conquest of Canaan, not the time of Josiah over 800 years later. The rest of the Old Testament attributes Deuteronomy and the rest of the Torah to Moses (Joshua 1:7; Judges 3:4; 1 Kings 2:3; Ezra 3:2; Psalm 103:7; Malachi 4:4). Jesus Christ Himself credited Moses with Deuteronomy (Matthew 19:7-9; John 5:45-47). Recent studies show that Deuteronomy follows the standard international legal format used primarily in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries BC - the Hittite suzerainty treaty.

Location & Date: February 1-March 5, 1423 BC

Deuteronomy is a series of eight sermons and songs Moses preached on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 1:1-3) from February 1-March 5, 1423 BC. Like Leviticus, Deuteronomy begins and ends at one place and time. There is no historical progression. In an incredible photo-op backdrop to Moses' messages, the Holy Land's wide open spaces loomed before them within full view. One can view almost the entire Holy Land from the summit of Mount Nebo.

Moses may have spoken the entire book in a seven days. There are eight orations, one of them a song (Deuteronomy 32). The generation which left Egypt has died in the desert, and a new generation receives now proper training to prepare for the invasion of Canaan. Moses reviews past victories and defeats, highlights features of the Law, reveals their future (Deuteronomy 29-30), gives them a new song, blesses the twelve tribes, and prepares to die. In Deuteronomy God sets before Israel His conditions for entering and holding the Land. After Moses' death on March 6, 1423 BC, the nation of Israel mourned thirty days (March 6, 1423 - April 5, 1422 BC). By April 6, Joshua had taken the reins and already had intelligence operations going on inside the Promised Land, especially Jericho (Joshua 2:1).

BOOK TITLE: The title Deuteronomy comes from the Greek Old Testament-Septuagint title Deuteronomion, meaning "second law," a mistranslation of Deuteronomy 17:18, "a copy of this law." There are four Hebrew titles for Deuteronomy: (1) Debarim - "These be theWords" or "The Words" Deuteronomy 1:1, (2) The Kith (Acquaintance) of the Fifth of the Law, (3) The Book of Reproofs, (4) The Iteration (Saying Over) of the Law.

Key Message / Verse: Deuteronomy 12:1

SECOND LAW: Deuteronomy means "second law," but this book is not simply a repetition of the Law given at Mount Sinai. Deuteronomy adapts and expands the original law given at Mount Sinai. It is the Law interpreted in light of forty years of experience in the wilderness. It includes application of the Law to issues that arose during the sojourn in the desert, e.g., the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27). Here laws that need emphasis are repeated and enlarged upon, e.g., the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5). Here we see an example of Hebrew spiral thinking and story-telling. Deuteronomy is a commentary on the Mosaic Law. It is a fascinating look at the Law through the mind of Moses who has meditated on it for 38 years. Deuteronomy gives the divine rather than the human view. Compare Deuteronomy 1 with Numbers 13-14.

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE - Remember is found 15 times. Deuteronomy 5:15; 15:15; 24:18, 22, etc.) Moses recounts God's Law and care to this new generation, unfamiliar with the events of the Passover, Mount Sinai, and the miracles in the desert. This new generation, unlike their fathers and mothers, "held fast to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 4:4). Moses focuses on preparing them to "cross over" to the Promised Land. No wonder Jesus found this to be his most quoted and apparently favorite book. He was Himself preparing a new generation of disciples to "cross over" to the New Covenant Promises which they would inherit at Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. Deuteronomy is quoted about 80 times in the New Testament.

TRUST & OBEY - This book teaches us to love and obey God. "Observe to do," says Moses, to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). The motivation for obedience is love (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). God's love for man is His motivation for His government and giving of laws.

Covenant: 24 times; Deuteronomy 4:2; 5:29; 6:2; 7:9, 11-12

Love - 22 times; Deuteronomy 4:37; 7:7-8, 13; 100:18-19; 23:5

Love For God - 11 times; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 7:9; 10:12; 13:3; 30:6, 16, 20

Obey - 18 times; Deuteronomy 4:30, 40; 5:1; 9:1;; 11:26-28; 20:3; 30:8-20

Obedience (Fear) & Love: 20 times; Deuteronomy 4:10; 10:12; 13:4; 17:19

HENRIETTA MEARS ON DEUTERONOMY: "Nothing in literature matches the majesty of [Deuteronomy's] eloquence; nothing in the Old Testament has any more powerful appeal for the spiritual life. No book in all the Word of God pictures better the life which is lived according to God's will, and the blessings showered upon the soul who comes into the richness and fullness of spiritual living along the rugged pathway of simple obedience. Jesus often quoted from Deuteronomy. In fact, it is almost invariably from this book that He quotes. He took Deuteronomy as His code of conduct (Luke 4:4, 8, 12). He answered the devil in the hour of temptation from its writings."- H. Mears, pp. 74-75.

Outline:

1- REVIEWING THE JOURNEY (Looking Back at what God has done) Deuteronomy 1-4

2- RESTATING THE LAW (Looking Up to what God expects) Deuteronomy 5-26

• Ten Commandments repeated, interpreted (Deuteronomy 5-7)
• (Ch. 5 is a miniature version of the book)
• History of God's faithfulness reviewed (Deuteronomy 8-11)
• Religious regulations (Deuteronomy 12-18)
•  One place to worship (12)
• No worship of other gods (13)
• Kosher diet (14)
• Debt & Bondage (15)
• Feasts (16)
• Judicial, Executive Law (17)
• Priests & Prophets (18)
• Civil law (Deuteronomy 19-21)
• Cities of Refuge (19)
• Going to War (20)
• Civil Law (21)
• Crime & Punishment to Protect the Home (Deuteronomy 22-26)

3- REGARDING THE FUTURE (Looking forward to what God will do) Deuteronomy 27-30

• Blessings & Curses (Deuteronomy 27-28)
• Renewal of Covenant (Covenant of Moab) (Deuteronomy 29-30)

4- REQUIEM TO MOSES Deuteronomy 31-34

EIGHT ORATIONS

First Oration Deuteronomy 1:6 - 4:40

Second Oration Deuteronomy 4:44 - 26:19

Third Oration Deuteronomy 27-28

Fourth Oration Deuteronomy 29-30

Fifth Oration Deuteronomy 31:1-13

Sixth Oration Song of Moses Deuteronomy 32

Seventh Oration Deuteronomy 33

Eighth Oration Deuteronomy 34

HITTITE SUZERAINTY TREATY - ISRAEL'S NATIONAL CONSITUTION

Historical Prologue Relationship of Ruler & people Deuteronomy 1:6 - 3:29

Basic Stipulations General principles guiding behavior Deuteronomy 5:1 - 11:32

Detailed Stipulations Specific rules to be followed Deuteronomy 12:1-26:19

Document Clause Citizens ratify constitution Deuteronomy 27:1-26

Blessings Benefits of relationship Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Curses Penalties for breaking the treaty Deuteronomy 28:15-68

Recapitulation Reviews & sums up treaty Deuteronomy 29:1 - 30:10

STRIKING FEATURES

• Old Testament's Greatest Doctrinal Statement Deuteronomy 6:4
• First Mention of Great Tribulation Deuteronomy 4:29-31
• Promise of a Coming Prophet Deuteronomy 18:15-19
• Test for False & True Prophets Deuteronomy 18:20-22
• Prewritten history of Israel in Land Deuteronomy 28-30
• Palestinian Covenant Deuteronomy 29:1 - 30:10
• Prophetic Song of Moses Deuteronomy 32
• Lonely & Strange Death of Moses Deuteronomy 34:5-8
• OUR SAVIOUR'S FAVORITE BOOK Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:16; 6:13; 10:20