Together As One in God's Presence
Notes
Transcript
9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
Introduction
12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.
Deeteronomy 31:12
the law were given to both levitical priests and the elders of Israel. Who are these elders of Israel? why was the law given to them? Family?
35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
Transfiguration Sunday
1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.
Moses is here pictured as handing over the law of God in written form to the priests and elders so that Yahweh’s revelation might be preserved for posterity.
The year of canceling debts? how is this relevant to us believers today? a solemn ceremony of covenant renewal every seventh year
what happen here? Moses is here pictured as handing over the law of God in written form to the priests and elders so that Yahweh’s revelation might be preserved for posterity.
a solemn ceremony of covenant renewal every seventh year
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 317). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Festival of tabernacles? what is the equivalent to us today?
the purpose of giving the law is for them to read to all who gather - the men, the women and children, and even the foreigners in your town. it is for family purpose, and also for evangelistic purpose.
the purpose of giving the law is for them to read to all who gather - the men, the women and children, and even the foreigners in your town. it is for family purpose, and also for evangelistic purpose.
the purpose of giving the law is for them to read to all who gather - the men, the women and children, and even the foreigners in your town. it is for family purpose, and also for evangelistic purpose.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
main activity - reading of the law. what is this for us?
who are to involve - offspring that are young and not yet able to easily walk long distances, nor fully developed in their moral values. women and children, i.e., a class of persons that are not adult males, and so considered relatively helpless to defend oneself
1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. 4 Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. 5 After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. 6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.
7 Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Why worship together?
the law were given to both levitical priests and the elders of Israel. Who are these elders of Israel?leader of a community/ a person of old age. it refers to the elders of each tribe (family). they are the people who administer rule in the nation. why was the law given to them? so that they might see to its being observed by the people.
Who are the elders in the Family?
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Deuteronomy (p. 479). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.Family?
Moses “entrusted the reading to the priesthood and the college of elders, as the spiritual and secular rulers of the congregation; and hence the singular, Thou shalt read this Law to all Israel”. Both officers are necessary for the charge, ver. 10; the priests for the law, the elders for the people. Both the clergy and the laity. both are the custodians of Moses’ manuscripts. Moses not only gave the written law to the priests, that they might place it by the ark of the covenant, but also “to all the elders of Israel,” proves clearly enough that Moses did not intend at this time to give the law-book entirely out of his own hands, but that this handing over was merely an assignment of the law to the persons who were to take care, that in the future the written law should be kept before the people, as the rule of their life and conduct, and publicly read to them
“He gave it for them to teach and keep.” The law-book would only have been given to the priests, if the object had been simply that it should be placed by the ark of the covenant, or at the most, in the presence of the elders, but certainly not to all the elders, since they were not allowed to touch the ark. The correctness of this view is placed beyond all doubt by the contents of vv. 10ff. The main point in hand was not the writing out of the law, or the transfer of it to the priests and elders of the nation, but the command to read the law in the presence of the people at the feast of Tabernacles of the year of release
“He gave it for them to teach and keep.” The law-book would only have been given to the priests, if the object had been simply that it should be placed by the ark of the covenant, or at the most, in the presence of the elders, but certainly not to all the elders, since they were not allowed to touch the ark. The correctness of this view is placed beyond all doubt by the contents of vv. 10ff. The main point in hand was not the writing out of the law, or the transfer of it to the priests and elders of the nation, but the command to read the law in the presence of the people at the feast of Tabernacles of the year of release
Moses not only gave the written law to the priests, that they might place it by the ark of the covenant, but also “to all the elders of Israel,” proves clearly enough that Moses did not intend at this time to give the law-book entirely out of his own hands, but that this handing over was merely an assignment of the law to the persons who were to take care, that in the future the written law should be kept before the people, as the rule of their life and conduct, and publicly read to them
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Deuteronomy (pp. 479–480). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 979). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 979). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
Both officers are necessary for the charge, ver. 10; the priests for the law, the elders for the people. Both the clergy and the laity.
Both officers are necessary for the charge, ver. 10; the priests for the law, the elders for the people
The children as well as adults should be made sharers in the special study and blessing. The purpose of the arrangement was not only to publish truths as widely as possible among the adult portion of the population, but to interest also the children in the doctrines and discipline of the Church. Hence the meeting was to be an aggregation of families. It was to be “a gathering of the clans;” young as well as old were to hear the wonderful works of God and his gracious commandments. The special religious service, then, which the Churches should aim at, will be of the widest character. It should contemplate the presence of the young as well as the old, and be adapted to the revival of the Lord’s work in all sections of the Church. There is power in the aggregation of individuals for religious purposes. The children must be kept in view in every effort to extend the kingdom. The family must be lifted, if possible, all of a piece, as a unit of God’s own making, and in the elevation of families will come the elevation of nations.
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Deuteronomy (pp. 491–492). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
How to worship together?
The year of canceling debts? how is this relevant to us believers today? a solemn ceremony of covenant renewal every seventh year, at the set time of the year of release, at the feast of booths. The set time (mô‘ēd) was one of the regular appointed times of festivals. it was a fixed time, an occassion when all Israel comes to appear before Yahweh … at the place which he will choose.
The reading of this law before all Israel every seven years at the feast of tabernacles, in the year of release, was a special occasion to remind Israel of her covenant obligations. The pious Jews (it is very probable) read the laws daily in their families, and Moses of old time was read in the synagogue every sabbath day, . But once in seven years, that the law might be the more magnified and made honourable, it must be read in a general assembly. Though we read the word in private, we must not think it needless to hear it read in public. Now here he give direction,
at the set time of the year of release, at the feast of booths. The set time (mô‘ēd) was one of the regular appointed times of festivals
Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 318). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
how is this relevant to us believers today?
1. When this solemn reading of the law must be, that the time might add to the solemnity ; it must be done, (1.) In the year of release. In that year the land rested, so that they could the better spare time to attend this service.
1. When this solemn reading of the law must be, that the time might add to the solemnity
Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 318). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 318). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
; it must be done, (1.) In the year of release. In that year the land rested, so that they could the better spare time to attend this service.
2. At the feast of tabernacles in that year. In that feast they were particularly required to rejoice before God, . Therefore then they must read the law, both to qualify their mirth and keep it in due bounds, and to sanctify their mirth, that they might make the law of God the matter of their rejoicing, and might read it with pleasure and not as a task.
Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 278). Peabody: Hendrickson.
Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 278). Peabody: Hendrickson.
Festival of tabernacles? what is the equivalent to us today?
at Festival of tabernacles in the year of canceling debts? what is the equivalent to us today? there is specific time and specific occassion. Only the men were required to make the pilgrimage to the central sanctuary for the major feasts (cf. 16:16), though family members often went along. But even the women and children were to attend this special ceremony every seven years.
Deere, J. S. (1985). Deuteronomy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 316–317). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
The outcome of worship together?
not so much about learning, but to remind them of who they are as a chosen people of God. By the Law here is meant the Pentateuch; but it does not necessarily follow that the whole of the Pentateuch was to be thus read. As the reading was to be only once in seven years, it may be concluded that it was not so much for the information of the people that this was done, as for the purpose of publicly declaring, and by a solemn ceremony impressing on their minds the condition on which they held their position and privileges as the chosen people of the Lord; and for this the reading of select portions of the Torah would be sufficient
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Deuteronomy (p. 480). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.
- listen and learn to fear the Lord
listen and learn to fear the Lord (remembrance - remember who they are). One other value of such a covenant renewal ceremony was that the children, at least once during childhood years, and possibly twice, could stand with a considerable congregation and share in a great act of covenant renewal. Scholars have discovered many ancient agreements—known as ‘Suzerainty treaties’—which date from the Near East at this time. They list the terms and conditions, benefits and penalties which govern the relationships between masters and servants, lords and slaves. Such agreements were to be kept safely and read in public from time to time to remind them of the treaties.
Thompson, J. A. (1974). Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 318). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
follow all the words (Discipleship)
follow all the words
9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.
prepare for them to enter the land across Jordan (
30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.
34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
Conclusion
The law was given by Moses; so it is said, . He was not only entrusted to deliver it to that generation, but to transmit it to the generations to come; and here it appears that he was faithful to that trust.