The Book of Deuteronomy

the meaning behind the Book !

"Deuteronomy" redirects here. For other uses, see Deuteronomy (disambiguation).

The Book of Deuteronomy (literally "second law" from Greek δεύτερος deuteros + νόμος nomos[1]) is the fifth book of the Torah, where it is called Devarim (Hebrew: דְּבָרִים), "the words [of Moses]", and the fifth book of the Christian Old Testament, where it is also known as the Fifth Book of Moses.[2]

Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law. The second sermon reminds the Israelites of the need to follow Yahweh and the laws (or teachings) he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends. And the third sermon offers the comfort that, even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.[3]

The final four chapters (31–34) contain the Song of Moses, the Blessing of Moses, and the narratives recounting the passing of the mantle of leadership from Moses to Joshua and, finally, the death of Moses on Mount Nebo.

One of its most significant verses is Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema Yisrael, which has become the definitive statement of Jewish identity: "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one."[4] Verses 6:4–5 were also quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28–34 as the Great Commandment.

todays lesson

January 23 Lesson 8 (NIV)

JUSTICE, JUDGES, AND PRIESTS

DEVOTIONAL READING: Deuteronomy 16:18–21; 17:8–13

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 16:18–20; 17:8–13; 19:15–21

DEUTERONOMY 16:18–20 18 Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. 19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. 20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you. DEUTERONOMY 17:8–13 8 If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the LORD your God will choose. 9 Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. 10 You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. 11 Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. 12 Anyone who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the LORD your God is to be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. 13 All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.

I. General Goals (DEUTERONOMY 16:18-20

A. Responsible People (v. 18)

18. Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.

Moses prescribed two groups of leaders for the community. The judges were those leaders tasked with exacting decisions of justice for the people. These individuals were considered leaders of the community and, as such, were often mentioned alongside the priests (Deuteronomy 19:17) and the elders (21:2). Officials served the people of Israel in a different fashion than judges. These individuals assisted the judges in providing leadership and just decision making for the people of God as they presented themselves before God (Deuteronomy 31:28; Joshua 8:33; 24:1). The Hebrew word rendered fairly can also mean “righteous,” or the idea of pursuing a right relationship with God as well as right and fair relationships with other humans (see lesson 9 commentary on Deuteronomy 24:12–13; see also Leviticus 19:15, 36; Deuteronomy 1:16; 25:15; Job 8:3; Isaiah 51:5). For Israel, fair and righteous action was not a hypothetical to be wished for but tangible acts of following the just laws that God had set forth. Legal proceedings often took place at the gates of every town. These gates served as the center of the town’s public life and constituted the location where significant administrative and legal decisions were made (see Genesis 19:1; Deuteronomy 22:15; Ruth 4:1, 11; 1 Kings 22:10). In essence, the gates were a public forum in which accountability to God’s law was acknowledged by all.

THE FAIR JUDGE My brother and I are as different as brothers could be. He has a gentle demeanor and a laid-back attitude. I, on the other hand, have a tightly wound disposition and intense inclination. When we were younger, he always reminded me that he was bigger and older. These reminders spurred me to prove myself, often leading to backyard brawls between us. During one such brawl he hung me by my shirt collar on a coat rack. Our fights rarely resolved anything, leading us to seek an authority figure to adjudicate who was in the right and who was in the wrong. In most cases, this authority figure was our father. We agreed to his decisions because he was a good and trustworthy judge, bound to impartiality by his love for both his sons. For the nation of Israel, in matters too difficult to settle, the involved parties appeared before the priests and the judge. These leaders provided fair and just rulings. They gave voice to God’s people of God’s desire for just and fair treatment. Undoubtedly you have experienced conflicts too difficult or too heated for fair judgment. When these conflicts arise, how do you resolve them? Do you appeal to wise and loving individuals to provide insight?—W. L.

in each of our towns we have the same thing only we vote on them except the judges they are appointed , But the leaders are the ones we voted for which is probably better if we were to vote on than to have someone appoint them which if you ask me it seems like they are appointed because they are chosen to run for office by their parties Rep, or Dem.... now this thing about being treated fairly is now somewhat a concern should we worry that we are not being treated fairly YES. because not like back then they had to treat everyone fairly . and i do mean everyone especially in Gods eye. oh how i wish that these rules like that today...... because today God is not even in the pitcher…sooo sad......

if only we can have the right people in office that are chosen for the work and the laws of God , but they are not they try to keep religion out of the picture,

in my research i found this as i was thinking that i thought this country was for freedom of religion and from British rule.

CNN —

Was America founded as a Christian nation?

That question has served a variety of political causes since July 4, 1776, from legalizing persecution and aiding runaway slaves to fighting Nazis and Communists.

The scholars below have spent years reflecting on the intersection of American religion and nationalism. Their answers to the question invite us to examine the motivations behind the controversy: Why do so many people think the country’s Christian history is so important?

Amanda Porterfield is a professor of religion at Florida State University. Her most recent book is “Conceived in Doubt: Religion and Politics in the New American Nation.”

If we are talking about 13 colonies belonging to the British Empire, whose king presided over an imperial church, then yes, British citizens residing in those colonies lived under Christian rule.

Those colonies were founded as outposts of a Christian nation. With American independence, however, the British monarchy lost control over its American subjects. Champions of American liberty then celebrated their religious as well as political independence.

B. Reliable Principles

(vv. 19–20)

19a. Do not pervert justice.

To pervert refers to the act of twisting, skewing, withholding, or distorting. In this case, it affects one’s ability to practice right and fair justice. Later texts describe individuals who withhold justice as being “cursed” (Deuteronomy 27:19). The act of perverting justice was quite concerning for the needy individuals in the land, especially the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (Deuteronomy 24:17; see lesson 9).

don't take justice and try to make your own verson of it. if you are supposed to be a fair and just judge don't make the law your law stick to the law of God… ( which has not been the case for a long time) do we know any Judges that take the law into their own hands??????? the answer to that is yes . it would be nice if everything went back to the real laws of GOD .

19b. or show partiality.

Administrators of justice were not to show undue partiality based on the social standing of other individuals. Scripture declares that all people are equal before God and, therefore, he does not show partiality, or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). Therefore, the people of God are to demonstrate a life committed to showing impartial justice (Leviticus 19:15; 2 Chronicles 19:7).

like i said before there is nothing about the laws now that reflect to what God wants , i sure that a lot of these now day judges take the law how they see fit. if they know the family they are usually on their side , and they tend to forget that all are created equal in God s eye bring it back Gods laws.

19c. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.

Finally, administrators of justice must be wary of accepting a bribe, or a gift, lest their judgment become clouded. This is not the only instance where the people of God are called to avoid bribes. Moses warned Israel that “a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent” (Exodus 23:8). Bribes and influencing gifts distorted the leader’s ability to judge rightly in the manner God required. When this occurred, justice became a commodity that could be bought and sold. Such individuals were called “wicked” as they “pervert the course of justice” (Proverbs 17:23). Years later, the sons of Samuel would be appointed as Israel’s leaders (1 Samuel 8:1). However, the sons were more interested in receiving personal gain from the position they were in than the process of exacting justice among the people (8:3). see where it says years LATER these years later refere to nowdays i know that are judges out there that want nothing but to gain fame and taking bribes is what will make them liked more and the more he is liked the more bribes and gifts he will recive like i said before bring back Gods laws. man do we need them

20. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Just as reflected in the English translation, the Hebrew words behind the phrase justice and justice alone read as the repetition of the Hebrew word for “just” (see commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18, above). Repetition of a single word in this manner signifies the word’s magnitude and its importance for the reader or hearer. As a result, complete and absolute justice with no compromise must be the passion for all God’s people. As Israel and its leaders made efforts to follow the just living that God required, a positive consequence would be their continued residence in the land given to them by God. Their ability to live in and possess the promised land had nothing to do with their own virtue; it was a matter of making the Lord’s priorities their priorities. As Israel made justice a priority, God’s priorities for justice became Israel’s top priority.

I truly wish that we could use the laws of God but since we are only ponds on this chest board i guess all we can do is hope for justice and practice justice as we walk amongst this land so lets not not depend on our legal system lets reflect on Gods laws and read the laws of God all 600+ and hope that we can follow them accordingly.....and i do mean accordingly . you know lets follow the two great commandments that jesus talked about Matthew 22:37 -40 “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

SECOND HALF II. Specific Challenges

(DEUTERONOMY 17:8–13)

A. Difficult Instances(vv. 8–11)

8. If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the LORD your God will choose.

In especially challenging instances, Moses prescribed the steps and actions for those making judgment in legal cases. The use of your refers to local judges or courts who were unable to resolve a particularly controversial or challenging legal case. Such cases often involved an intent to kill (bloodshed), legal claims (lawsuits), or physical injury (assaults). In these situations, the involved parties were to take them to the location chosen by God. The exact identity of the involved parties is unclear and could include either the tribunal of judges or the parties of the dispute. Previous precedent suggests that it was the duty of the local judges to take this step and confer at the indicated location (compare Exodus 18:13–20). This place was mentioned previously in more detail as a place of sacredness—a place where the Lord would “put his Name” (Deuteronomy 12:5, 21). In that place, in what became a central sanctuary, the Israelites offered their sacrifices, tithes, special gifts, and vows (12:11). This location served Israel not only for its legal needs but also for its sacred and ceremonial needs.

sounds to me like it was a temple like the one that solomon built . but it was not as big but it was where God put his name . which made it sacred . and where God speaks from is sacred ground remember at the burning bush when Moses was told to take off his sandels for this is sacred ground. but now days if judges cant come to a conclusion they take it to a higher court like a supreme court . not where God presides we need to seek better advise when it comes to another persons life why not go to God . but with man its always about them and not God . because they make their own laws ,thats just my opion whats yours?????????

9. Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.

For these challenging cases, the Levitical priests and the judge provided the final ruling (see Deuteronomy 19:17). The exact identity of the judge is unknown. The person’s position likely came from a precedent made by Moses years before (see Lesson Context; Exodus 18:13–20). Priests were Levites, members of the tribe of Levi. These individuals guided the religious practice of Israel by officiating times of worship (Numbers 18:5–7), teaching the stipulations of the Law of Moses (Leviticus 10:8–11), and guiding the proper actions of life—even as related to health—within the community of God’s people (Deuteronomy 24:8). Unlike other tribes of Israel, Levites owned no land, but lived on properties donated by the Israelites (Numbers 18:20; Joshua 21:1–42). Visual for Lessons 7 & 8. While discussing verse 19, ask the class what role Christians should or do play in making sure that justice remains unbiased. The involvement of religious leaders with seemingly “nonreligious” judicial cases might seem inappropriate from a modern perspective. However, Old Testament Israel had the singular responsibility to follow God’s laws in every realm of life. Because of the all-encompassing nature of their covenant relationship with God (Deuteronomy 5:1b–3), there was no distinction between sacred and secular. The Levitical priests and the judge made their verdict based on their understanding of civil and criminal law, thereby acting as leaders of God’s covenant people. King Jehoshaphat of Judah (reigned 872–848 BC) served as an example of this text’s prescriptions. Jehoshaphat appointed judges and priests in Jerusalem for the administration of justice (2 Chronicles 19:5, 8). In following the words of Moses, the king warned the counsel to “judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery” (19:7; see commentary on Deuteronomy 16:19, above).

i may not be a lawyer or a judge but i do know one thing that we need to rely on Gods laws and not man made laws. so we can go to god to find out who can judge us like jesus can. thats who will be our judge ......

can yu imagne if everytime a law was broken now we would be able to god to someone that God has placeed to get judge by . not someone in a town like warrenton i know the judges there were only for themselves or their kind. but i wish we atemp to use gods laws for if we cant judge by the 600+ laws then we need not to be a judge. lets put a man or woman of God in the US supreme court and see what happens............

10. You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. Whatever sentences the judges and Levites render, the involved parties must abide by those decisions. Their decision was final! The reminder that their verdict occurred in the place the Lord will choose reinforces the sacredness of that location and, therefore, the decisions made there.

which meant what we say comes from God . and thats the end of it . no appeal no taking it it to a higher court nothing only what God has made clear to his judges .. right ?????

11. Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.

Moses emphasized strict obedience to what the Levites and the judge teach and the decisions they give. All parties involved were not to deviate from the decision rendered. Elsewhere, Moses described obedience to God’s law in similar terms, exhorting Israel to “be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). The pointed counsel prepared hearers for a solemn warning if they failed to adhere to Moses’ guidelines.

(What Do You Think? How does Deuteronomy 17:11 help you practically follow Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 7:13–14, if at all? Digging Deeper Are you in a position to judge wisely and help others remain on the straight path? Why or why not?)

i can tell you that i am trying to lead people to that narrow gate and not judge them which really is kinda hard to do especially when they have a hard head or a harden heart. how about you are you trying to lead people to Christ the one who can judge for you and get you to that narrow gate!!!!!!!!!!! so you can have eternal life in heaven.. ???????????

B. Defiant Individuals (vv. 12–13)

12. Anyone who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the LORD your God is to be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.

The individual who defied the ruling of the judge or the priest was described as acting out of contempt. The Hebrew word behind this term describes an individual acting out of pride or haughtiness of heart (compare Deuteronomy 17:12; Proverbs 11:2; Jeremiah 49:16). These defiant individuals acted pridefully as they disregarded the given judgment of the ordained leadership who stands ministering there to the Lord your God. Such defiance and contempt also brought harm to the community of Israel. Upon an initial inspection, that the defiant individual shall be put to death seems harsh or disproportionate to the initial act that brought them to this place. However, the following line indicates the measures the community was required to take to protect Israel from evil. Israel’s law described other instances that necessitated capital punishment (among others), such as a rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 13:5), a false prophet (18:20–22), or an insubordinate family member (21:18–21). In these instances, the primary concern was that the people of God maintained holiness in their covenant relationship and that evil no longer polluted the covenanted people.

What Do You Think? What about your witness of God’s holiness might cause others to act with greater respect toward him? Digging Deeper How will greater obedience strengthen your witness? so some times when i talk about the will of God to others at my job they act different towards me . some times they just get up and leave now i’m gonna try and give them some laws we need to go by . but some of those great leaders back in Jesus's day did not believe him either/ and look what they did to him. hmmmmmm but im gonna be a witness for christ always and no matter what happens . how many people do you know that show contemp to Gods laws????????????

DISCIPLINE AND TRUE FREEDOM My college football team was poised to play for a national championship. As we prepared for the occasion, three teammates violated team rules and skipped team workouts. Because of their contempt for the team rules, these teammates were kicked off the team, purged from our locker room. Such a harsh act was necessary. As a team, we were committed to one another, united in our goals, and dedicated to the values of the football program. We could not tolerate individuals showing disregard for these values. Only when we adhered, in love, to our values were we free to become the best version of our team. God’s people of all ages are called to live disciplined lives, following God’s expectations and mandates. In what aspects of your life do you need discipline in order to follow God’s expectations? What distractions do you need to purge from your life so that you might become a more disciplined follower of God? —W. L.

13. All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again. The harsh actions of the previous verse were revealed to have another, more communal function: as a deterrent to any further contemptuous behavior. That Israel will hear and be afraid of such punishment served as a powerful motivation for avoiding the conduct resulting in that degree of disciplinary action (see Deuteronomy 13:11; 17:13; 19:20). God required that his people live justly. He had strong consequences for those who refused to live in that manner or who distracted others from that same quest for justice. The Old Testament does record numerous examples of how justice became disregarded by those in power, a problem that the Lord’s prophets called attention to when they saw it happening. The prophet Amos indicted the people in his day were guilty of that disregard; Amos described them as those who “turn judgment into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground” (Amos 5:7). At times the innocent were punished and the guilty went free, as in the case of Naboth’s vineyard (see 1 Kings 21). When such conditions as these exist within a society, it is not long before people become accustomed to calling “evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Justice according to God’s standard becomes harder and harder to find in such a morally corrupt environment.

that is such a true statement on how a lot of Gods laws were turned around and turned upside down so for to live by Gods laws or at least try to live by them we must go back to the old testament where the book of laws are and try our best to live up to them we know there will be some nay Sayers and some that will argue with you but let us just do what we know is right which is Gods word that word that will stand forever and never die out. for our God said so and that's just the way it is Amen.

Conclusion A. Operation Greylord Revisited The 14-year period 1980–1994 was bittersweet for the American judicial system as Operation Greylord began and ended. Greylord was the name of an undercover FBI investigation into alleged corruption in the judicial system in Cook County, Illinois. The “bitter” part was that the allegations proved to be true. In the end, 15 judges were convicted on various counts of bribery, mail fraud, depth of the systemic corruption was underlined as dozens of others—including lawyers, deputy sheriffs, policemen, and court officials—were also convicted. The “sweet” part was that an accountability system existed to expose and correct such corruption. Despite that, we will never know how far and to whom the ripple effects of the corruption extended. Work toward a just system begins by acknowledging the need for four distinct kinds of justice: (1) distributive justice to ensure economic fairness (see Deuteronomy 24:14–15; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; James 5:4), (2) restorative justice to require restitution by an offender (see Exodus 22:1–15; Luke 12:58–59; 18:3–5; 19:8), (3) retributive justice to punish offenders because they deserve it (Deuteronomy 25:2; Romans 13:4–5), and (4) procedural justice for ensuring fairness in application of rules by due process (see Exodus 23:3 [lesson 7]; James 2:1–9). The fourth of these is the starting point, the one the other three depend on as a prerequisite. Humans have a duty to work for all four, but our work begins with the fourth. This obligation has been unchanged since today’s lesson text was penned. Our efforts here form part of the salt and light that Jesus commanded us to be (see Matthew 5:13–16). We do so as citizens of the kingdom that is “not of this world” (John 18:36), as we honor the ruler of that heavenly kingdom. Whereas previous lessons on justice have examined justice alongside various qualities such as kindness and righteousness, today’s lesson considers justice alongside some of those officials who were supposed to administer it in Old Testament Israel, namely, judges and priests.

( What Do You Think? What action have you been putting off that this lesson has given new urgency to? Digging Deeper What first step will you take toward that task?