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The Lord’s Chosen People

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BI-6630 Studies in the Pentateuch | Moody Theological Seminary

Dr. Ryan J. Cook, Ph.D. – Professor

May 7, 2019

Introduction:

The Book of Deuteronomy, Primary Narrative: the fifth book of the Torah, the closing of the Torah.

Primary Narrative: the fifth book of the Torah, the closing of the Torah.

Deuteronomic Narrative: center of the nine-book (Genesis-Exodus-Leviticus-Numders-Deuteronomy-Joshua-Judges-Samuel-Kings)

(Gnesis-Exodus-Leviticus-Numders-Deuteronomy-Joshua-Judges-Samuel-Kings)

English title - “second law”

English title - “second law”

- misleading translation name of (Dt17:18) in Greek Septuagint (LXX),

- a repetition of the book of Exodus ().

Jewish title – “these are the words:

- first Hebrew words of the book,

- meaning “these are the words.” ().

Purpose: Rather than a second law, Deuteronomy is better understood as a series of sermonic speeches on the law, in which Moses give to the nation of Israel to summarize and renew the covenant in preparation for just before they enter the promised land.

Rather than a second law, Deuteronomy is better understood as a series of sermonic speeches on the law, in which Moses give to the nation of Israel to summarize and renew the covenant in preparation for just before they enter the promised land.

Genre / Framework

- laws (spirit behind “The Ten Words” )

- narrative

- poetry

- The overall style and genre are hortatory and homiletical,

- Longacre genre primary analysis indicated “behavioral: hortatory”

- literary type as “instruction” for the passage under study ().

Authorship / Date:

- Moses: who is speaking on behalf of

- Yahweh: the spiritual author and these voices are organized by a frame

- narrator who is primarily responsible for the preface and conclusion (including the narration of Moses' death and burial) of the book.

- 1405 BC: just before they crossed the Jordan River into the promised land

primary a teaching to call Israel to covenant loyalty and obedience from this generation and to the generations to come, to remember to love the Lord wholeheartedly and God’s faithful promises and longs for relationship with His chosen people.

primary a teaching to call Israel to covenant loyalty and obedience from this generation and to the generations to come, to remember to love the Lord wholeheartedly and God’s faithful promises and longs for relationship with His chosen people.

Outline of the passage:

within the outlay structure context of exposition of the first Word:

“This is the command” (), “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” ().

Deuteronomy 6:1 ESV

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,

Deuteronomy 5:6–7 ESV

“ ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “ ‘You shall have no other gods before me.

A. The command for Israel to destroy the inhabitants of the land completely (7:1–5)

Verses 1-2c: Israel to destroy the inhabitants of the land

Verses 2d-5: No relationship with the Canaanites and their way of life

B. The exposition of the basis of the command as Israel belongs to Yahweh (7:6–11)

· Verses 6-8 Israel is Lord’s Chosen People and A Holy nation

· Verses 9-11 God is faithful in his covenant-love forever

The command for Israel to destroy the inhabitants of the land completely (1-5)

Command to annihilating the current occupants and tearing down any vestiges of their worship images, Israel would be more love God and live in obedience to the first commandment. This is a holy war.

Verses 1–2c Israel to destroy the inhabitants of the land:

These verses are in one sentence that we may read it all together as “The Lord your God is going to take you into the land that you will advance to possess. Seven nations that have more people and are stronger than you live in that land are: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. As you advance, God will drive them all out. The Lord your God will deliver them into your power, and you will defeat them, destroy them completely”.

People groups The nations in view are seven listed:

The nations in view are seven listed)

Hittites,

Girgashites,

Amorites,

Canaanites,

Perizzites,

Hivites

Jebusites

Question:

not listed of Amalek who living in the land of Canaan (; ),

many of the nations listed are not readily identifiable,

elsewhere the number varies from three to ten of the nations (cf. ; ).

number seven is commonly used to speak of totality, represent all the inhabitants of the land no matter their nationality or ethnic identity. Can be called “Canaanites”

In any event, either individually or collectively, “larger and stronger” than Israel () The point is that Israel was to destroy all the nations within the borders of Canaan.

Logos parallel passages study (see Appendix B) found the intertext relationship with NT () that apostle Paul mentioned the seven nations in Canaan which God overthrew are listed here (:1as an “allusion.

Challenge to destroy all the people, group currently occupying the land totally.

“Root Pairs” - then “you must devote” them “to complete destruction” (). Include men, women, and children, has often been challenged for the modern readers as unethical for a loving God.

First, all people are sinners - God’s judgement - Canaanite deserved to die (9:4–5);

Second, the context implies (7:10) - hatred of God neutrally – not toward of the God of Israel;

Third, God’s patient - hundreds of years - delayed the punishment till this time ().

(Note: The command to annihilate them is tied to this circumstance alone and should not be used as justification for any genocide)

Fourth, their pagan practices would be propagated by people of God;

Fifth, God’s allowing individual non-Jewish women (Rahab, Ruth) to enter the Messianic line.

Significance:

The command was literally to kill the all the Canaanites.

symbolic dimension: - Apostle Paul said, “not all who descended from Israel are Israel” (; cf. 11:3-5; ,,); Schnittjer claimed “not all descended from the Canaanites were Canaanites.”

· Apostle Paul said, “not all who descended from Israel are Israel” (; cf. 11:3-5; ,,).

· Schnittjer claimed “not all descended from the Canaanites were Canaanites.”

Here the problem was not being born Canaanite but embracing the Canaanite way of life and remain opposed to Yahweh and his word.

Example: The story of Rahab (), a Canaanite prostitute who had great faith in Lord and converted to Israel’s God and escaped destruction.

The story of Rahab (), a Canaanite prostitute who had great faith in Lord and converted to Israel’s God and escaped destruction.

Verse 2d-5: No relationship with the Canaanites and their way of life:

in addition to destroy the Canaanites in the land, the command continues ask Israel to keep no relationship with them. Therefore, Israel shall make no covenant with and show no mercy to Canaanites (, ); To extending annihilation to Canaanites children, indeed the totality of this destruction in connected here in the command for Israel to forbidding they children intermarry with Canaanites nations( ). Otherwise, they would turn away your children from God, as result, God’s wrath would come to you and destroy you() instead of them; The command() furthermore to destroy the idols image and places of worship of the peoples of Canaan.

Intermarriage: Ancient Near East cultural context of marriages, difficult to represent this cultural element in modern western.

Ancient Near East cultural context of marriages:

· Parents arranged

· The bride was the passive partner.

· A general statement forbidding intermarriage, to be satisfactory.

· It is the parent’s response to teach the next generation - “don’t let your sons and daughters marry any of Canaanites.”.

Reason: Ways to protect Israel – you shall have no other gods

· not because they are Canaanite nations, rather,

· would turn away your sons from following God.

· lead your children away from the Lord to worship,

· obedience to the laws and rules of the pagan religion. So “worship and serve other gods.”

Altars, pillars, Asherim and images:

There are different views in the ways of traditional counting the “ten Words”. Reformed view counts the prohibition against worshiping other gods (first command) and human-made images (of these listed in second command) as separated commands.

Whereas, other views the instruction against human-made images as elaboration on the first command, the instruction to have “no other gods” before Yahweh. it seems to me that the under-study passage here takes the late position.

Significance:

Israel, if you do, God’s wrath would be kindled against you instead of Canaanites, and quickly destroy you without delay. Therefore, you shall have no relationship with the Canaanites and way of their life.

The exposition of the basis of the command as Israel belongs to Yahweh (7:6-11)

This section provides main “theme of election”: God’s choice of a person or people group for a specific purpose, mission, or salvation. The theme of election is prominent in both the Old and New Testaments. The doctrine of election traditionally is related to the concepts of predestination, foreknowledge, and free will.

The theme of election is prominent in both the Old and New Testaments. The doctrine of election traditionally is related to the concepts of predestination, foreknowledge, and free will.

V. 6-8 Israel is Lord’s chosen people and a holy nation:

Flows from previous verses in context, there is no wonder that such a pagan system had to be eliminated along with its devotees, for Israel was called to be a people holy in the ways of life and faith.

Logos grammatical constructions study found the following “verbless clause” interesting, that is the Lord your God has “chosen” you, for:

· “you are a people holy to the Lord your God.” ()

· “you were the fewest of all people” ()

· “the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers” ().

In words reminiscent of their call at Sinai to be a covenant nation, Israel was told here again that they were a “holy” to the Lord, one chosen to be his from among all peoples of the earth, a “treasured possession” (v. 6; cf. ).

God has chosen you:

· the initiative is God’s, not Israel’s. The verb has the sense of choosing from among several options (see word study in Appendix).

· The focuses are on God’s choice of an individual such as: Abraham () or King David; Or a people group such as the nation of Israel.

· God’s decision to bless Abraham and his offspring sets the foundation for election in the Old Testament.

· the purpose to the election will be a blessing to the rest of the world through Abraham’s descendant Israel.

In ,

· Israel was a holy people to the Lord. He had chosen them to be a people for his own treasured possession out of all the people who are on the face of the earth ();

· Lord did not set His love on them because they were vast in number, for they were the fewest of all people ();

· This is Lord‘s sovereign faithful covenant love on one man Abraham, whose family size of 70 come to Egypt and then ultimately to the size as numerous as the stars. Yahweh’s love and keeping his oath with their forefathers and redeemed them from their slavery in Egypt by his mighty hand (; cf. 6:10, 23).

God also elect their leaders, such as Saul and David (; ), apart from any popular vote by the people as of contemporary. The word of “election” thus indicates God’s prerogative in deciding what shall happen, independent on human choice.

Significance:

· the danger of military might out of people of Israel could misjudge the reason for their being chosen by God or fail to trust him when faced with military challenge.

There is also a parallel passage () find in three New Testament passages (see Appendix C, also the section for passage used in NT) which share the same theme of “election” - God has chosen you.

V 9-11 God is faithful in his covenant-love forever:

“Know therefore”, remembering that Yahweh the God you worship is the only true and faithful God. If you love him and obey his commands, you can trust him always to keep his covenant-love with you forever. However, those who reject him will be quickly destroyed. While God’s faithfulness is sure and trustworthy, his judgement will be direct and swift. Therefore, be careful to keep the commandment, the statutes, and the rules.

Logos Exegetical study on found Tripartite Nominal Clause:

“the Lord your God is God, the faithful God”

parallel passages study found the intertext relationship with NT for the passage as allusion and “echo” respectively (; ) (see Appendix D)

Covenant (בְּרִית). A sacred kinship bond between two parties and ratified by an oath swearing. Covenant was used widely throughout the ANE and Graeco-Roman culture, serving as socio-political bonds between human individuals or groups. It was a way to create kinship ties between parties who were not genetically related, and to note that...at least to date...no other ANE example of a deity making a covenant with a human partner exists. God’s covenants are prominent in every period of salvation history. Divine covenants reveal God’s saving plan to establishing communion with Israel and the nations, ultimately fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Word study of “covenant” with new context against Deuteronomy can be found helpful.

A sacred kinship bond between two parties and ratified by an oath swearing. Covenant was used widely throughout the ANE and Graeco-Roman culture, serving as socio-political bonds between human individuals or groups. It was a way to create kinship ties between parties who were not genetically related, and to note that...at least to date...no other ANE example of a deity making a covenant with a human partner exists. God’s covenants are prominent in every period of salvation history. Divine covenants reveal God’s saving plan to establishing communion with Israel and the nations, ultimately fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Word study of “covenant” with new context against Deuteronomy can be found helpful.

Theology of the Passage

“Election”: God’s choice of a person or people group for a specific purpose, mission, or salvation. The Reformed (Augustine and Calvin) view “election” as God’s sovereign and unconditional love, this view affirms that God chooses individuals for salvation and to give them eternal life. Those whom had been elected did nothing to deserve it, but in God’s mercy and grace to save some. The God sent Jesus to be their Savior and the Holy Spirit regenerates and brings to faith through an “effectual calling” those whom has been elected. God’s Spirit persuades each of them according to the gospel and guaranteed for their eternal life.

The theme of election is prominent in both the Old and New Testaments. The doctrine of election traditionally is related to the concepts of predestination, foreknowledge, and free will. In the New Testament, the theme of “election” retains many emphases of the Old Testament texts, though new developments are present.

Israel is affirmed as God’s chosen people (), but the emphasis shifts to their rejection of the Messiah (). Paul (, ) develops the idea that, although most of Israel has rejected the Messiah, God is preserving a Jewish remnant and including the Gentiles in His redemptive community. Believers are described as “predestined” () and “chosen” people (; ; ).

The New Testament (, and ) intertext relationship with the Old Testament () as an “allusion”. In , God has appointed the disobedient to destruction, but on the contrary, believers are a “chosen people”, belong to God, has been elected and chosen by him. Peter introduced the theme of election to strengthen God’s people, saw these promises as fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and God’s elected nation is no longer coterminous with Israel but embraces the church of Jesus Christ, which is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. The privilege of belonging to God’s people is conveyed by Peter with several Old Testament allusions ().

Application

How this study of the passage of could be applied at my local church? Based on my current limited study and understanding, it is harder to hundred percent agree with one doctrine and another. It seems all have their point that I need to further study to overcome my confuse from some of the church teaching. However:

I do believe God’s sovereign and unconditional covenant love election, that has nothing to do with my own action, that is salvation by God’s grace alone, by faith alone and in Christ alone. At the same time, the Spirit over flows in me so that I have obligation to his calling, to act according to his will and to be fruitful and multiply. the “true” obedience of God’s instruction has nothing to do with earning anything by one’s work. Following God’s word is “act of faith”, that is, a function of God’s grace.

As God’s promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ, his elected nation is no longer coterminous with Israel but embraces the church of Jesus Christ, this is not to say that the church is replacement of the elected Israel but fulfilled, the church is composed of both Jews and Gentiles.

Believers are described as “predestined” and “chosen” people. As I study the entire bible retrospective, embrace the election doctrines through the Old and the New Testament all together, I am sure I will begin to experience more in my daily living that is pleasing to and glorifying God. Yes, and Amen!

Deuteronomy 7:11 ESV

You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today.

Question? May God Bless you !!!