Deuteronomy I. Introduction A. The Book of Deuteronomy 1. From the Greek deutero nomos, "second law" 2. Moses' final address to Israel B. A book of transitions 1. Moses dies; Joshua to lead the people 2. Israel about to cross the Jordan, possess the land, fulfill the promise 3. The end of the Pentateuch/Torah C. An enlightening book 1. The law put together with explanation 2. Helps us to understand God's intentions for Israel 3. Much for us as Christians to gain D. Let us consider Deuteronomy II. Deuteronomy: The Details A. Authorship 1. The speaker within Deuteronomy is Moses 2. Deuteronomy 31:24-26: Moses writes down the material of the book 3. Matthew 19:1-9, Deuteronomy 24:1-4: Jesus affirms that Moses spoke it 4. Editorial insertions, end of the book added by another author later B. Dating 1. From best textual evidence, Moses lives around 1450 BCE 2. Moses' address itself, writing of the book the last things he does before he dies 3. Deuteronomy itself covers no more than a week or two of time, possibly even one day 4. Final form of book perhaps in time of David, Solomon C. Audience 1. Original audience is Israel after the Wilderness 2. We can derive understanding and lessons from it D. Purpose 1. Another recounting of the Law for Israel to understand it 2. A recounting of history and explanation of God's intentions for Israel 3. Pointing the way to Christ and the new covenant III. Deuteronomy: The Story A. Main Sections 1. Israel from Sinai to Jordan (Deuteronomy 1-3) 2. General Exhortations (Deuteronomy 4-11) 3. Specific Legislation (Deuteronomy 12-26) 4. Blessings, Cursings, and the Covenant (Deuteronomy 27-30) 5. Moses' final blessings and death (Deuteronomy 31-34) B. Moses’ Speech: Recounting the Wilderness (Deuteronomy 1-3) 1. Introduction (Deuteronomy 1:1-4) 2. Appointment of leaders at Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:5-18) 3. The spies and the results of Israel's rebellion (Deuteronomy 1:19-46) 4. Passing by Edom and Moab (Deuteronomy 2:1-23) 5. Sihon and Og (Deuteronomy 2:24-3:11) 6. Reuben, Gad, half of Manasseh receive land in the Transjordan; their obligations (Deuteronomy 3:12-20) 7. Moses' futile plea before God; his sentence (Deuteronomy 3:21-29) C. Serve God and Keep His Law (Deuteronomy 4) 1. Introduction, not to transgress boundaries of law (Deuteronomy 4:1-2) 2. Baal-peor was a warning for Israel (Deuteronomy 4:3-5) 3. Superiority of Israel's laws (Deuteronomy 4:6-8) 4. Need for Israel to remember the circumstance of hearing God on Sinai; as they did not see a form, they are not to make an image of God, or worship any created thing (Deuteronomy 4:9-20) 5. Moses' sentence (Deuteronomy 4:21-22) 6. Do not forget God; later generations not to make images (Deuteronomy 4:23-31) 7. Uniqueness of Israel's deliverance, communication with God; Exodus a demonstration that YHWH is God (Deuteronomy 4:32-40) 8. Moses establishes cities of refuge in the Transjordan; conclusion; description of land of Israel in the Transjordan (Deuteronomy 4:41-49) D. Revisiting the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5) 1. God made covenant with Israel; restatement of Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:1-22) 2. People did not want to hear God's voice any longer; Moses intermediary between God and people (Deuteronomy 5:23-31) 3. Need to keep God's ways (Deuteronomy 5:32-33) E. What Israel Must Hear (Deuteronomy 6-8) 1. Israel to hear and follow God's instruction (Deuteronomy 6:1-3) 2. The shema; declaration of God's unity and the need to be devoted to Him (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) 3. Devotion to God's instruction: recitation, contemplation, instruction (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) 4. Do not forget God when in the land of Israel; condemnation of idolatry (Deuteronomy 6:10-15) 5. Do not test God; do what He says; dispossess nations (Deuteronomy 6:16-19) 6. Explanation to children regarding God's laws (Deuteronomy 6:20-25) 7. Destruction of Canaanites, not integration (Deuteronomy 7:1-6) 8. Israel chosen because of smallness, not greatness (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) 9. Do God's will; if Israel does so, they will be blessed (Deuteronomy 7:9-16) 10. No need to fear the nations; what God will do to them; their participation (Deuteronomy 7:17-26) 11. Forty years in the wilderness for discipline; God has provided for them (Deuteronomy 8:1-6) 12. The good land God is giving to Israel (Deuteronomy 8:7-10) 13. Warning to not forget God after being satisfied with the blessings of the land (Deuteronomy 8:11-20) F. Israel's Stubbornness (Deuteronomy 9) 1. God will accomplish the dispossession of nations (Deuteronomy 9:1-3) 2. Israel is gaining land not by their righteousness but because of Canaan's sinfulness and God's promises to the fathers (Deuteronomy 9:4-5) 3. Recounting of events surrounding the golden calf (Deuteronomy 9:6-21) 4. Later incidents of rebellion and stubbornness recounted (Deuteronomy 9:22-29) G. God's Statutes (Deuteronomy 10-11) 1. Recounting of recreation of tablets (Deuteronomy 10:1-5) 2. Parenthetical statement about the Ark and the Levites (Deuteronomy 10:6-9) 3. Charge to possess land recounted (Deuteronomy 10:10-11) 4. Summation of Israel's obligation to God (Deuteronomy 10:12-13) 5. Greatness of God; need to show love because of His love; Israel not to be stubborn (Deuteronomy 10:14-22) 6. Need to love God; Israel to consider what God did to Pharaoh, Dathan, and Abiram (Deuteronomy 11:1-7) 7. Keep the law to gain and keep land; description of land (Deuteronomy 11:8-12) 8. Blessings God will give if Israel is obedient (Deuteronomy 11:13-15) 9. Condemnation for idolatry (Deuteronomy 11:16-17) 10. Israel to keep law, meditate and speak upon it, teach it (Deuteronomy 11:18-21) 11. Israel gains land if they keep the law; its boundaries (Deuteronomy 11:22-25) 12. Blessings and cursings on mounts Ebal and Gerizim (Deuteronomy 11:26-32) H. A Holy and Separate Nation (Deuteronomy 12-15) 1. Destruction of pagan altars (Deuteronomy 12:1-4) 2. Sacrifices at the Tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:5-7) 3. Israel to go to Tabernacle to bring offerings and sacrifices (Deuteronomy 12:8-12) 4. Sacrifices nowhere else; meat can be eaten elsewhere; blood cannot be eaten (Deuteronomy 12:13-16; 20-25) 5. Tithes, freewill offerings, etc. to be brought, enjoyed in Tabernacle; care for the Levite (Deuteronomy 12:17-19; 26-28) 6. Do not seek out information about Canaanite deities to serve YHWH in similar ways; do not depart from God's way to the right or left (Deuteronomy 12:26-32) 7. Prophets not to be heeded who say to serve other gods; such are tests for Israel; such a prophet to be stoned (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) 8. Family members or close associates who incite to idolatry to be stoned; Israel to fear, not do such things (Deuteronomy 13:6-11) 9. A city in which some incite to idolatry to be investigated; if true, city to be devoted to destruction; need to do God's will (Deuteronomy 13:12-18) 10. Israel chosen: no cutting or intentional balding (Deuteronomy 14:1-2) 11. Clean and unclean foods (Deuteronomy 14:3-21) 12. Tithe of produce (Deuteronomy 14:22-26) 13. Care for Levite; every third year’s tithe for Levites and dispossessed (Deuteronomy 14:27-29) 14. The Sabbath year release (Deuteronomy 15:1-3) 15. Lack of poverty in land if people follow God (Deuteronomy 15:4-6) 16. Assisting fellow Israelites in need (Deuteronomy 15:7-11) 17. Care for Israelite debt slaves (Deuteronomy 15:12-18) 18. Dedication of the firstborn; eating it before God; must be unblemished; cannot eat its blood (Deuteronomy 15:19-23) I. Festivals (Deuteronomy 16) 1. Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:1-8) 2. Feast of Weeks (Deuteronomy 16:9-12) 3. Feast of Booths (Deuteronomy 16:13-15) 4. Presentation of males before YHWH thrice yearly (Deuteronomy 16:16-17) 5. Justice to be shown; no Asherahs (Deuteronomy 16:18-22) J. In the Land of Israel... (Deuteronomy 17-26) 1. Proper animals for sacrifice (Deuteronomy 17:1) 2. Stoning for idolaters (Deuteronomy 17:2-7) 3. Difficult homicide cases to be brought to Tabernacle for decision; decision rendered final (Deuteronomy 17:8-13) 4. Guidelines for a future king of Israel: limitations, should have a copy of the law, to remain humble (Deuteronomy 17:14-20) 5. The Levites and their portion (Deuteronomy 18:1-8) 6. Condemnation, destruction of abominations of Canaanites (Deuteronomy 18:9-14) 7. A prophet like Moses coming (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) 8. Validation of prophet: accomplishment of what he says (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) 9. Cities of refuge to be established in Israel; explanation of the manslayer, his situation, what is to be done (Deuteronomy 19:1-13) 10. Not to move landmark; not to allow only one witness (Deuteronomy 19:14-15) 11. False witness and its consequences (Deuteronomy 19:16-21) 12. Going out to war; who should and should not fight (Deuteronomy 20:1-9) 13. First offer peace; if refused, storm the city, kill all the men, take everything else (Deuteronomy 20:10-15) 14. Those in Canaan, however, to be entirely devoted to destruction so that Israel will not be tempted (Deuteronomy 20:16-18) 15. Trees for food not to be cut down in a siege (Deuteronomy 20:19-20) 16. Guidelines for handling a dead man found in a field (Deuteronomy 21:1-9) 17. Guidelines for taking a prisoner of war as wife (Deuteronomy 21:10-14) 18. Inheritance division for a bigamist (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) 19. Stoning for disobedient sons (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) 20. Provisions for people hung on trees for crimes (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) 21. Restoration of neighbor's property (Deuteronomy 22:1-4) 22. Women should not wear men's clothing, vice versa (Deuteronomy 22:5) 23. Do not eat mother and eggs of birds (Deuteronomy 22:6-7) 24. No intermixing of seeds, animals plowing, cloth types; tassels for garments (Deuteronomy 22:8-12) 25. Guidelines for a man questioning virginity of bride (Deuteronomy 22:13-21) 26. Condemnation, stoning of adulterers (Deuteronomy 22:22) 27. Guidelines for rape cases; no marriage to stepmother (Deuteronomy 22:23-30) 28. Those cut off from the assembly of YHWH (Deuteronomy 23:1-6) 29. Greater favor to Edom and Egypt (Deuteronomy 23:7-8) 30. Requirement of cleanliness of the camp (Deuteronomy 23:9-14) 31. Handling escaped slaves (Deuteronomy 23:15-16) 32. No cult prostitutes; no interest on loans to Israelites; charge interest to foreigners (Deuteronomy 23:17-20) 33. Fulfillment of vows (Deuteronomy 23:21-23) 34. Picking your neighbor’s grapes or grain (Deuteronomy 23:24-25) 35. Legislation regarding remarrying an ex-wife (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) 36. Newly married guideline (Deuteronomy 24:5) 37. Death for kidnappers (Deuteronomy 24:6) 38. Guidelines for skin diseases (Deuteronomy 24:7-9) 39. Pledges; fairness with hired persons; showing justice; benevolence to the dispossessed (Deuteronomy 24:10-22) 40. Punishments for wrongdoing; not muzzling ox (Deuteronomy 25:1-4) 41. Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) 42. Punishment for woman who puts hand on a man in an inappropriate place (Deuteronomy 25:11-12) 43. Fair balances (Deuteronomy 25:13-16) 44. Charge to exterminate Amalek (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) 45. Ritual guidelines for offering of firstfruits when Israel enters the land (Deuteronomy 26:1-11) 46. Ritual guidelines for tithe offering for dispossessed (Deuteronomy 26:12-15) 47. Israel should follow these rules; God has made them a treasured possession, a holy people (Deuteronomy 26:16-19) K. Blessings and Cursings (Deuteronomy 27-28) 1. Stones to be erected with the law written upon it (Deuteronomy 27:1-3) 2. Altar to be erected with offerings offered on it (Deuteronomy 27:4-8) 3. Dedication of Israel to God (Deuteronomy 27:9-10) 4. Blessings and cursings from mounts Gerizim and Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:11-14) 5. The cursings: call and response (Deuteronomy 27:15-26) 6. Blessings if Israel obeys God (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) 7. Cursings if Israel disobeys God (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) L. The Words of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 29-30) 1. Israel to remember what it saw, know YHWH is God; dispossession of Sihon and Og (Deuteronomy 29:1-9) 2. God making a covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 29:10-15) 3. Egypt an example of idolatry, Israel not to follow after them; take care against idolaters present, lest the nation be condemned (Deuteronomy 29:16-21) 4. The desolation caused will be a testament to the nations (Deuteronomy 29:22-28) 5. Secret things are of God; Israel to do His law (Deuteronomy 29:29) 6. Later restoration of the people to God; God renews the covenant and will bless them (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) 7. Nearness and ability to follow the commands (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) 8. Life and death set before Israel; Israel should choose life and follow the commandments (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) M. Moses' Final Words and Blessings (Deuteronomy 31-33) 1. Declaration of Moses' end at 120; Joshua will lead the people into the land; God will defeat their enemies (Deuteronomy 31:1-8) 2. Moses writes the law, gave it to Levites and elders (Deuteronomy 31:9) 3. Law to be read to all the people on the Feast of Booths of the Sabbath year (Deuteronomy 31:10-13) 4. God intends to commission Joshua; prediction of Israel's faithlessness; song to be taught as a witness against Israel (Deuteronomy 31:14-23) 5. Moses writes book of law, gives command to Levites; declaration of Israel's faithlessness and stubbornness; Moses speaks words of the song before all Israel (Deuteronomy 31:24-30) 6. The song of Moses: God's greatness, Israel's idolatry and stubbornness, disaster overtakes Israel (Deuteronomy 32:1-44) 7. Moses to go up on Nebo to see the land before he dies (Deuteronomy 32:45-52) 8. Moses' blessings to each tribe of Israel (Deuteronomy 33) N. Moses' Death (Deuteronomy 34) 1. Moses goes up on Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah; sees all the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 34:1-4) 2. Moses dies; buried by God in undisclosed location; strength of Moses; Israel mourns (Deuteronomy 34:5-8) 3. Joshua takes over; no prophet had been seen like Moses after him (Deuteronomy 34:9-12) IV. Deuteronomy: Important Passages A. Deuteronomy 4:2 1. Importance of following God according to His will 2. Not to go beyond either to the left or to the right! B. Deuteronomy 5:16 / Ephesians 6:1-3 C. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 1. Demonstration of unity of God 2. cf. Matthew 22:38-40 D. Deuteronomy 6:16 / Matthew 4:7 E. Deuteronomy 8:3 / Matthew 4:4 F. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 1. Devotion to the law 2. Something we should consider in regards to our covenant G. Deuteronomy 17:6 1. Principle of two or more witnesses 2. cf. Matthew 18:16 H. Deuteronomy 18:15-19: Moses predicts Jesus I. Deuteronomy 21:23 / Galatians 3:13-14 J. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 / Matthew 19:1-9 K. Deuteronomy 25:4 / 1 Corinthians 9:5-14, 1 Timothy 5:17-18 L. Deuteronomy 29:29 1. cf. Isaiah 55:9-10 2. Good to remember that we do not and cannot know everything! V. Conclusion A. Deuteronomy a very long and involved book B. God makes it clear that He desires Israel to follow His laws, to not get complacent and arrogant, and turn away from Him C. Such are good lessons for us also D. Let us strive to serve God in humility, always looking to Him! E. Invitation/songbook