Deuteronomy: Introduction

OT312 Book Study: Deuteronomy The Gospel according to Moses

Welcome to the gospel according to Moses

Today I am introducing the Book of Deuteronomy. Let us visualise the picture: Moses has led the people out of Egypt being used of God with signs and wonders that we read about in Exodus which culminated in the death of all the first-born of Egypt and the exodus of about 600,000 men besides women and children into the desert. Now they are encamped opposite the Jordan for the second time. Of the original 600,000 men of 20 years old and above only 3 remain: Moses, Joshua and Caleb. But soon there will be 2. Moses is about to pass into eternity and Joshua is going to take up the reigns and lead the armies of Israel into the Promised Land.

Moses, therefore gathers his congregation before him for his final words, the man who has been the ultimate pastor and teacher, for his last will and testament, just as when Jesus gathered His disciples in the upper room and said: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. This is what Moses is saying to his people.

The Bible Reader’s Companion Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy, sum up the central truths and basic principles Moses has come to understand through his many years of intimate relationship with the Lord. Speaking under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, Moses rehearses the history of God’s saving work for Israel. He explains the motives that lie behind God’s choice of Israel and God’s gift of the Law.

And the response to God’s favour in obedience.

He is saying that it is the gospel that drive people not the law, the gospel. This book is called the Gospel according to Moses for the gospel is on practically every page of this book. Moses is the author of Deuteronomy and it was written about 1400BC.

How does the Bible talk about Deuteronomy?

Before I go on when we think of a book we think of the kind we have today but they did not exist in the time of Moses. Rather it would be more right to translate book as document. but that being said, our English translators say book.

In the Old Testament it says:

The book of the Torah of Moses. The book of Moses. The Torah of Moses. The book of the Torah of the LORD by the hand of Moses. This book of the Torah. The words of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

In the New Testament it says:

The Torah of Moses. Moses’ Writings. The customs that Moses delivered to us.

Deuteronomy itself says in the opening words of the book: these are the words. Which is why an ancient Jewish practice of naming a book by its opening line simply call this book: Words.

What of the name of the book: Deuteronomy? What does this mean?

Deutero stands for the ‘second’ and nomos is law. Deuteronomy then, means ‘second law’. This comes from:

Deuteronomy 17:18 NKJV

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites.

Unfortunately the translators of Hebrew into Greek translated the word ‘copy’ as ‘second’ by mistake and it has come down to us in this way ever since. In many non-English speaking countries they call this book the fifth book of Moses.

Let me surprise you. Deuteronomy is not a legalistic book though Moses did warn of the necessity of keeping all of God’s law he makes clear that God was not exclusively concerned about legal observance. Rather, it is about their relationship with God as a special people.

Legalism did not come into effect during Moses time or David’s time or the prophets’ time. It came during the time between the Old and New Testament where there was no word from the Lord for 400 years. This legalism was based on a strict understanding of the law and the adding to it of minutia of various other laws built upon Moses’ law.

The word ‘Torah’ is recognised and most often translated as ‘law’. However this is not what Torah means in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is more in line with NT words for doctrine or teaching or instruction and Deuteronomy is more sermon than law. This is inline with what Moses considered himself:

Deuteronomy 18:15 NKJV

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,

A prophet is not only a foreteller of the future but actually it is more about proclaiming God’s Word as a teacher of the will of God.

The point is that He

Commentary on the Old Testament Heading and Introduction

laid Israel under the obligation to love, gratitude, and obedience

When we come to any new book of the bible there are a few principles that we need to put into effect for us to understand that Book.

The first principle is to hear the word

We are to listen to the words. It was standard practice that the Scriptures were to be read publicly both in Jewish times and in Christian times.

Deut 31:9-13 says: “you shall read this torah before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, little ones, the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and that they may learn, that they may fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this torah, and that their children, who have not known it previously, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.’ ”

Only yesterday with a Pastor I was discussing about the fact I was starting a series in Deuteronomy when he said that he did this once on Sundays a couple of years ago and a certain individual recommitted their life to God for they realised that God has serious and therefore he should also be serious about his life with God. This, you see, is a direct fulfilment of the words we have read. The Scriptures were read to be heard so that they would learn and fear and do.

All their responses to God was because of His great love and grace and favour showed to them delivering the Israelites from Egypt and the way God provided for them in the desert for those 40 years. The result of this should be devotion, allegiance and obedience to the covenant between themselves and God for it has been all of grace.

Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Deuteronomy and the Divine Torah

To live any other life was tantamount to a rejection of Yahweh’s gracious intentions for his people.

Our second principle is to recognise its setting geographically and within the rest of the canon of Scripture

They were in the desert it says in verse 2 before they crossed the Jordan.

Deuteronomy builds upon what has gone before and leads to Jesus codifying the whole law in a few words:

God’s will revealed in stages

(Book of the covenant Exodus 20-23)

Principle 3: Genre

Some have thought of Deuteronomy as a biography of Moses but, actually, all of Deuteronomy is about the Departure of Moses.

It is a Covenant Document similar to ancient documents

Preamble 1:1-5 Moses as intermediary

Historical Prologue 1:6-4:44 Story of Israel to how they got to here

Stipulations: 4:45-26:19 What is expected

Document clause: Deut 31:9-13 Treaty not to be changed

Blessing & curses: Deut 28-29:1

Witnesses: Deut 4:25-6, Deut 30:17-20

A Covenant is a sacred bond between two parties through the swearing of an oath. This was very common in Moses day down to the day of Jesus. God’s plan was in establishing communion with Israel and the nations which was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus and is still working itself out today.

Above all Deuteronomy is a farewell pastoral address

OT312 Book Study: Deuteronomy A Farewell Pastoral Address

• The first address (1:6–4:40)

• The second address (5:1–26:19, and then 28 is also part of it)

• The third address (chapters 29–30)

• Then the benediction song, the closing song of this service (chapter 32)

• And Moses’ final blessing and benediction of the people (chapter 33)

Fourth Principle: Deposit of eternal truth

What did it mean to the original audience (to the Ancient Near East) and what significance has this book in the Light of Christ. We want to hear it as Jesus Himself would want us to hear it when He used it Himself. Did you know that this book was His favourite book. He quoted from it more than any other.

Conclusion

This book is one of the most important in the Old Testament for us to get to grips with. The best way is to read the words out loud to ourselves. This book shows us how to live victoriously with God in response to His great love for us, His people. If we have been bogged down by Leviticus then this book will be a relief to us. This is the Gospel according to Moses. So, let us seriously come to this Book and next week, God willing, we will look at Chapter 1 which you will have read out loud again to yourself when we come back.

Bibliography

Barry, J. D., Bomar, D., Brown, D. R., Klippenstein, R., Mangum, D., Sinclair Wolcott, C., … Widder, W. (Eds.). (2016). In The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Block, D. I. (2018). OT312 Book Study: Deuteronomy. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (1996). Deuteronomy. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible reader’s companion (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Victor Books.

Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 07:55 18 April 2018.