5. Deuteronomy

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5. DEUTERONOMY

I. OUTLINE-BRIEF

1. First Address of Moses. 1-4.

2. Second Address of Moses. 5-28.

3. Third Address of Moses. 29,30.

4. Farewell of Moses. 31-33.

5. Death of Moses. 34.

II. OUTLINE-COMPLETE

1. First Address. 1:1-4:43.

A. Introduction. 1:1-5.

B. What God Has Done. 1:6-3:29.

C. Inferences of God's Acts. 4:1-40.

D. Cities of Refuge. 4:41-43.

2. Second Address. 4:44-28:68.

A. Introduction. 4:44-49.

B. The Covenant Faith. 5:1-11:32.

C. The Law. 12:1-26:19.

D. Ceremony at Shechem. 27:1-26.

E. Blessings and Curses. 28:1-68.

3. Third Address. 29:1-30:20.

A. Exhortations. 29:1-15.

B. Punishments. 29:16-29.

C. Repentance and Forgiveness. 30:1-10.

D. Nearness of the Word. 30:11-14.

E. Life and Death. 30:15-20.

4. Appendices. 31:1-34:12.

A. Parting Words of Moses. 31:1-8.

B. Seventh Year Ceremony. 31:9-13.

C. Charge to Moses and Joshua. 31:14-23.

D. Law for the Ark. 31:24-29.

E. Song of Moses. 31:30-32:47.

F. Preparation for Death. 32:48-52.

G. Blessing of Moses. 33:1-29.

H. Death of Moses. 34:1-12.

III. AUTHORSHIP

1. The original core of the book was by J and E.

2. The D contribution. The author of the book as we have it today was D, an educated and eloquent member of the Deuteronomic cult, which sought to harmonize and co-ordinate the teachings of the priests and the prophets.

3. P. The overall conflation of the book was by the exile priests, but their contribution was of minor importance.

IV. CHARACTER AND SIGNIFICANCE

1. The addresses of Moses are no doubt based on authentic traditions.

2. This book is a declaration of the faith of Israel. It is unique among all the books of the Old Testament.

3. Deuteronomy is a book of sober, earnest, and moving eloquence. Nothing in Jewish literature can compare with it, except the writings of the Second Isaiah.

4. In this book are found those positive forms for the commandments as stated by Jesus: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart." 6:5.

5. Deuteronomy possesses an evangelical tone that resembles the gospel ring of the New Testament.

6. Religion in this book far transcends the legalistic ceremonials of Exodus and Leviticus.

7. Deuteronomy is quoted 83 times in the New Testament and alluded to many times. Only six New Testament books fail to mention Deuteronomy.

8. Deuteronomy may be a "Law book" but it is also a book of "preaching." The D author was a "Preaching lawyer."

9. Deuteronomy is the first Bible book that teaches-"We Love God because he first loved us."

10. It deals with both cultic and economic affairs-but with a theologic background.

11. Egypt taught a perfect creation and that Pharaoh was an incarnate God. Mesopotamia taught a prolonged and violent creation, and the king as a mortal ruler chosen by God.

12. Israel taught a new concept-a perfected creation by a personal God, who also chose his people and their rulers.

13. Israel taught that God started man out with a monogamous family. The doctrine of the "fall of man" was unique in Jewish philosophy.

14. Deuteronomy first clearly presents Yahweh as a redeemer-a savior. It is the Old Testament gospel.

V. DEUTERONOMY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

JESUS NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS

Matt 4:4. Deut 8:3 Acts 3:22. Deut 18:15,18.

Matt 4:7. Deut 6:16. 1 Cor 9:9. Deut 25:4.

Matt 4:10. Deut 6:13. 2 Cor 13:1. Deut 19:15.

Matt 5:31. Deut 24:1. Gal 3:13. Deut 21:23.

Mark 12:30. Deut 6:5. Rom 10:6-8. Deut 30:12,14.

VI. STRUCTURE AND STYLE

1. The second sermon is the core of the book. The first and third addresses, together with the appendices, were added later.

2. Moses is the expounder. "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel.'" In only one case does God speak directly to Aaron.

3. Deuteronomy covers the whole life of Israel-and ends up with the blessings and curses-depending on obedience or disobedience.

4. Deuteronomy is the best organized of all the Old Testament writings. It represents the over-all editorship of one man.

5. Of all Old Testament books Deuteronomy presents a homogeneity of style. It is a new style of flowing and impressive oratory.

6. There is no end of well balanced clauses, sustained rhythm. But it is never monotonous or prolix.

7. Among characteristic words or expressions, attention may be called to:

A. Love. God's concern for his people. Love as used by Hosea and in the Psalms.

B. "Hear, O Israel."

C. "The Lord, the God of your fathers."

D. "To go after other gods."

E. "To hearken to the voice of the Lord."

F. "To walk in God's ways."

G. "That it may be well with thee."

H. "Which I command thee this day."

I. "That the Lord may bless thee."

J. "Uses Horeb instead of Sinai.

8. In some places Deuteronomy sounds like the style of Jeremiah.

9. In many ways the style of Deuteronomy is more like that of E than of J.

VII. THE REFORMS OF KING JOSIAH

1. In 2 Kings 22 and 23 we learn that when King Josiah was repairing the temple his workmen found a "book of the law." This was in 621 B.C.

2. This new-found "book of the law" was some portion of the present book of Deuteronomy.

3. Josiah used this new-found book as the basis of his reforms, destroying all places of sacrifice outside of Jerusalem. There were many sites of paganism throughout Pslestine.

4. Many priests and Levites were left stranded. A few went to Jerusalem.

5. The king had Deuteronomy read to the people-believing it to be the work of Moses.

6. This was about the time of the death of Asshurbanipal-Assyria was passing, Egypt was weak, and Josiah was able to stop paying tribute and assert his independence.

7. Josiah destroyed the idols and overthrew the altars. But his reforms were not long-lasting.

8. About one hundred years before Josiah's reforms, Hezekiah had carried out similar reforms.

9. These were the times when Jews all over Palestine were granted permission to slaughter animals for food, without the services of the Levites at the altars.

10. Up to this time, all animals were first offered as sacrifices, and then portions eaten for food.

11. Deuteronomy was something new in sacred writings. It exalted the priesthood and upheld the temple in Jerusalem as the only place for sacrificial worship. At the same time it rang with the tone of the prophets-albeit, Moses was its central figure.

VIII. THEOLOGY

1. The primary demand of Deuteronomy is-"Loyalty to Yahweh.

2. "The Lord is God; there is no other besides him." 4:35.

3. Never before did a God take a "nation for himself." 4:32-34.

4. Yahweh is not only a gracious and loving God-but also a jealous God.

5. The land belonged to God. They must obey God "that their days may be long in the land."

6. The reasons for choosing Israel were mysterious-only that Yahweh had promised the Patriarchs.

7. The second major thought in Deuteronomy is that God has directed the destinies of Israel. "When they did wrong, he punished them. when they did right, he delivered them.

8. God made use of even secular nations as his agents in dealing with Israel.

9. Throughout Deuteronomy we are taught that "God directs history."

10. Deuteronomy teaches us that war-when instigated and directed by Yahweh- is a holy war.

11. There is a somber and terrible earnestness about the book of Deuteronomy.

12. There is a humanitarian aspect to many of the social laws of Deuteronomy. Revenge was ruled out.

13. The greatest of all sins was idolatry. The worship of other gods destroyed the concept of Israel as "a peculiar people."

IX. SELECTED TEXTS

1. Total killings. "'We captured all his cities...and utterly destroyed every city, men, women, and children.'" 2:34.

2. Moses views the land. "'Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes... and behold it...for you shall not go over this Jordan.'" 3:27.

3. Finding God. "'You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.'" 4:29.

4. The Ten Commandments. 5:6-21.

5. The great commandment. "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.'" 6:5.

6. The chosen people. "'You are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you.'" 7:6.

7. Blessing and curse. "'I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments...and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments.'" 11:26-28.

8. Eating blood. "'You shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out upon the earth like water.'" 12:16.

9. False prophets. "'If a prophet arises among you...and gives you a sign... and the sign...comes to pass, and if he says, "Let us go after other gods" ...you shall not listen to the words of that prophet.'" 13:1-3.

10. Seven-year release. "'Every seven years you shall grant a release...Every creditor shall release what he has lent his neighbor.'" 15:1,2.

11. The poor. "'The poor will never cease out of the land; therefore...you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor.'" 15:11.

12. Newlyweds. "'When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, to be happy with his wife.'" 24:5.

13. Muzzling the ox. "'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.'" 25:4.

14. Secret things. "'The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children.'" 29:29.

15. Joshua's commission. "The Lord commissioned Joshua...and said, 'Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to give them: I will be with you.'" 31:23.

16. Primitive ideas. "'"I...am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand."'" 32:39.