Key Texts: 1 John 4:8, Deuteronomy 4:37, Deuteronomy 6:5
Study Focus: Isa. 14:12–14, Ezek. 28:12–17, Gen. 3:1–7, Gen. 12:1–3, Acts 7:20–36, Exod. 19:4–8, Deut. 1:34.
Part I: Overview
Introduction: The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth and last book of the Pentateuch, and it contains Moses’ farewell address to Israel before entering the Promised Land. As such, this book is marked by a sense of urgency. Moses is about to die and to leave his people, and the purpose of his last words is, therefore, to remind them of the most important teachings of God. This book is, thus, an exposition of the Israelite faith—the textbook for the leaders of the people in order to keep them on the right track.
Lesson Themes:
• The God of history. As Moses addresses his people, he reminds them of the past events of history in which God saved them from slavery and took them out of Egypt through the hardships of the desert.
• The God of love. Because God is love, He reaches out to His people and fights for them. In response, God’s people will learn to love their God.
• God’s covenant. This reciprocal relationship between God and His people takes the form of a contract, a covenant between God and Israel.
• God’s people. Israel is the people of the covenant. By no means does this designation in any way suggest that they are superior to other peoples. This covenant, which was initiated with Abraham, implies Israel’s holiness, and their commitment through love to fear God and obey His commandments.
Part II: Commentary
“All Israel”
This book is designated to “all Israel” (Deut. 1:1), an expression that refers to the totality of the people just before their entry to the Promised Land (Deut. 34:12; Deut. 27:9; Deut. 31:1, 7). The apostle Paul uses this expression in an eschatological sense to refer to the totality of the saved people (including Jews and Gentiles): “and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26, NKJV). Although the phrase “all Israel” in Daniel’s prayer may refer to the exiled people in Babylon, implying the hope of restoration, it is clear that it has a universalistic scope, encompassing “ ‘those near and those far off in all the countries’ ” (Dan. 9:7, NKJV).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why does the book of Deuteronomy speak to the people of Israel as a corporate people? Why are the messages of this book better understood when the whole people are assembled? How does the adage “no man is an island” apply to the church today?
Deuteronomy
The word “Deuteronomy,” the title of the book, is derived from the Greek translation (the Septuagint) of a phrase found in Deuteronomy 17:18, “a copy of this law,” which means literally “a second [i.e., a repetition] of this law.” The Hebrew word for “law” is torah, which refers to more than our word “law” in a juridical sense; it means “teaching” in the general sense of the term and includes all God’s instructions. The phrase in Deuteronomy, “this second law,” does indeed describe the content of the book (Deut. 28:61, Deut. 29:21, etc.), not only because it is the repetition of the law that was originally given on Mount Sinai, but also because it is a review of God’s teachings. Significantly, the Hebrew title of the book, Debarim, “words” or “these are the words” (Deut. 1:1, NKJV), refers to the prophetic words of Moses, “according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them” (Deut. 1:3, NKJV). This echoes the last words of the book of Numbers, which read “these are the commandments” (Num. 36:13; compare Deut. 1:6).
Thought Question: Why did Moses need to repeat the Law?
Four Speeches
Moses addresses his people in four great speeches, each of which are introduced by the same phrase “these are the words” or its equivalent (Deut. 1:1, Deut. 4:44, Deut. 29:1, Deut. 31:1). The first speech is a historical prologue (Deuteronomy 1–4) wherein Moses retraces the past journey of Israel from Sinai to Canaan (Deuteronomy 1–3). The second speech is a review of the Law (Deut. 4:44–Deut. 28:68). The third speech is an appeal to keep the covenant (Deuteronomy 29–30). And the fourth speech is a final call to read and remember the Law, followed by the Song of Moses and his blessing and farewell before he dies (Deuteronomy 31–34).
Covenant
A more careful analysis of the structure of the book of Deuteronomy in the light of ancient Near Eastern literature has revealed a sophisticated organization that follows the pattern of ancient covenant treaties between the suzerain and his vassal (Egyptian and especially Hittite, from the second millennium b.c.), which displayed the following features:
• Preamble (Deut. 1:1–5)
• Historical prologue (Deut. 1:6–4:49)
• Stipulations: general (Deuteronomy 5–11); specific (Deuteronomy 12–26)
• Blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 27, Deuteronomy 28)
• Covenant loyalty and witnesses (Deuteronomy 29, Deuteronomy 30)
God in History
This covenant structure, which confirms the antiquity of the book and its Mosaic authorship, suggests the intention to emphasize God’s covenant with His people. The historical events, a reminder of God’s works of salvation in behalf of His people, precede and lay the foundation of the covenant from Abraham and Egypt to the present time. These events suggest a biblical theology of history that is essentially different from our modern Western conceptions of history. For the Bible, history is not the mechanical flow of cause-and-effect events; rather, it is the result of God’s continuous presence and actions. God initiates the covenant by His action in history. He is the First who moves and acts. And these acts in history are the basis of the covenant. God makes the covenant with His people (Deut. 5:3) because He is the Lord who brought them out of the land of Egypt (Deut. 5:6). The Hebrew word debarim, “words,” the Hebrew title of the book of Deuteronomy, also means “events” and refers to the sacred history of God’s works of salvation. The book of Chronicles, which recounts that history in the Old Testament, is called in Hebrew dibrey hayammim, meaning “the words of the days.” The words of God also are to be read through these events of history.
Discussion and Thought Question: What lessons about God could we learn from the fact that the same Hebrew word dabar means “word” and “history”?
The Principle of Love
The fundamental principle of God’s covenant with His people is love. The verb “love” occurs often in the book, not only to refer to the love of God for His people (Deut. 4:37, Deut. 7:8, Deut. 10:15, Deut. 23:5, etc.) but also to the love of Israel in response to God (Deut. 6:5, Deut. 7:9, Deut. 10:12). In the book of Deuteronomy, the divine love is not described just as a sentimental emotion. God’s love is intense and infinite and is manifested through events that express the intensity, the authenticity, and the infinite nature of His love. Because of this love, which created the heavens and the earth (Deut. 10:14, Deut. 4:35, etc.), God also entered the arena of human events and saved His people (Deut. 1:27–31, Deut. 4:20). In response to the divine love, Israel, the people of the covenant, are urged by God: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength’ ” (Deut. 6:5, NKJV). Love implies, then, that they should remember God (Deut. 7:18, Deut. 9:7, Deut. 24:9, etc.), hear Him, strive to understand and obey His words (Deut. 4:1, Deut. 6:4, Deut. 20:3, etc.), fear Him (Deut. 4:10, Deut. 5:29, Deuteronomy 17, Deuteronomy 19, Deut. 31:12, etc.), and serve Him (Deut. 6:13; Deut. 28:47, 48, etc.).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why is love more than a passing emotion? Why are the commandments of God “an expression of the principle of love”?—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 607.
Call to Study
The book of Deuteronomy is a powerful call to study and teach the words of God (Deut. 6:7), a book that has been esteemed in both Jewish and Christian communities as one of the greatest books of their Holy Scriptures. This is the book that contains the Shema Israel, “Hear, O Israel” (Deut. 6:4), which shaped Jewish religious identity. This also is one of the most present Old Testament books in the New Testament, wherein it is quoted 80 times. As such, it is one of the most important books of the Bible. It is a book of contemporary relevance for God’s people at the end of time as they are about to enter the Promised Land that the Lord has prepared for them (John 14:2). “The book of Deuteronomy should be carefully studied by those living on the earth today.”—Ellen G. White, in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 31, 1903.
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why should Bible study be an important component of spiritual life for Seventh-day Adventists? Find in the Bible examples of people who emphasized the value of studying as a religious duty.
Part III: Life Application
It is not enough to hear and study the words of God. We have to live according to what we have heard and understood. When I was a child, I (Jacques Doukhan) heard from my rabbi an oral legend about a man who found a miraculous trumpet in the market. The salesman boasted of its magic qualities: “This trumpet,” he said, “has a wonderful power. If you blow into it, the fire of the house will be immediately mastered.” As soon as the man arrived home, he wanted to test the power of the trumpet. He set his house on fire and then started to blow the trumpet. And the more he blew into the trumpet, the more the fire grew and burned his house. The man got angry at the person who sold him the trumpet and ran back to the market to complain about it. The salesman explained then that the function of the trumpet was not to extinguish the fire but to alert the people of the city, who would then come and extinguish it.
One of the most important differences between God and humans is that when God speaks, things happen. Find cases in the Bible that illustrate this principle. In comparison, find in history, in political life, and in your own existence cases that illustrate the discrepancies between words and actions.
Notes
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Key Texts: 1 John 4:8, Deuteronomy 4:37, Deuteronomy 6:5
Study Focus: Isa. 14:12–14, Ezek. 28:12–17, Gen. 3:1–7, Gen. 12:1–3, Acts 7:20–36, Exod. 19:4–8, Deut. 1:34.
Part I: Overview
Introduction: The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth and last book of the Pentateuch, and it contains Moses’ farewell address to Israel before entering the Promised Land. As such, this book is marked by a sense of urgency. Moses is about to die and to leave his people, and the purpose of his last words is, therefore, to remind them of the most important teachings of God. This book is, thus, an exposition of the Israelite faith—the textbook for the leaders of the people in order to keep them on the right track.
Lesson Themes:
• The God of history. As Moses addresses his people, he reminds them of the past events of history in which God saved them from slavery and took them out of Egypt through the hardships of the desert.
• The God of love. Because God is love, He reaches out to His people and fights for them. In response, God’s people will learn to love their God.
• God’s covenant. This reciprocal relationship between God and His people takes the form of a contract, a covenant between God and Israel.
• God’s people. Israel is the people of the covenant. By no means does this designation in any way suggest that they are superior to other peoples. This covenant, which was initiated with Abraham, implies Israel’s holiness, and their commitment through love to fear God and obey His commandments.
Part II: Commentary
“All Israel”
This book is designated to “all Israel” (Deut. 1:1), an expression that refers to the totality of the people just before their entry to the Promised Land (Deut. 34:12; Deut. 27:9; Deut. 31:1, 7). The apostle Paul uses this expression in an eschatological sense to refer to the totality of the saved people (including Jews and Gentiles): “and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26, NKJV). Although the phrase “all Israel” in Daniel’s prayer may refer to the exiled people in Babylon, implying the hope of restoration, it is clear that it has a universalistic scope, encompassing “ ‘those near and those far off in all the countries’ ” (Dan. 9:7, NKJV).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why does the book of Deuteronomy speak to the people of Israel as a corporate people? Why are the messages of this book better understood when the whole people are assembled? How does the adage “no man is an island” apply to the church today?
Deuteronomy
The word “Deuteronomy,” the title of the book, is derived from the Greek translation (the Septuagint) of a phrase found in Deuteronomy 17:18, “a copy of this law,” which means literally “a second [i.e., a repetition] of this law.” The Hebrew word for “law” is torah, which refers to more than our word “law” in a juridical sense; it means “teaching” in the general sense of the term and includes all God’s instructions. The phrase in Deuteronomy, “this second law,” does indeed describe the content of the book (Deut. 28:61, Deut. 29:21, etc.), not only because it is the repetition of the law that was originally given on Mount Sinai, but also because it is a review of God’s teachings. Significantly, the Hebrew title of the book, Debarim, “words” or “these are the words” (Deut. 1:1, NKJV), refers to the prophetic words of Moses, “according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them” (Deut. 1:3, NKJV). This echoes the last words of the book of Numbers, which read “these are the commandments” (Num. 36:13; compare Deut. 1:6).
Thought Question: Why did Moses need to repeat the Law?
Four Speeches
Moses addresses his people in four great speeches, each of which are introduced by the same phrase “these are the words” or its equivalent (Deut. 1:1, Deut. 4:44, Deut. 29:1, Deut. 31:1). The first speech is a historical prologue (Deuteronomy 1–4) wherein Moses retraces the past journey of Israel from Sinai to Canaan (Deuteronomy 1–3). The second speech is a review of the Law (Deut. 4:44–Deut. 28:68). The third speech is an appeal to keep the covenant (Deuteronomy 29–30). And the fourth speech is a final call to read and remember the Law, followed by the Song of Moses and his blessing and farewell before he dies (Deuteronomy 31–34).
Covenant
A more careful analysis of the structure of the book of Deuteronomy in the light of ancient Near Eastern literature has revealed a sophisticated organization that follows the pattern of ancient covenant treaties between the suzerain and his vassal (Egyptian and especially Hittite, from the second millennium b.c.), which displayed the following features:
• Preamble (Deut. 1:1–5)
• Historical prologue (Deut. 1:6–4:49)
• Stipulations: general (Deuteronomy 5–11); specific (Deuteronomy 12–26)
• Blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 27, Deuteronomy 28)
• Covenant loyalty and witnesses (Deuteronomy 29, Deuteronomy 30)
God in History
This covenant structure, which confirms the antiquity of the book and its Mosaic authorship, suggests the intention to emphasize God’s covenant with His people. The historical events, a reminder of God’s works of salvation in behalf of His people, precede and lay the foundation of the covenant from Abraham and Egypt to the present time. These events suggest a biblical theology of history that is essentially different from our modern Western conceptions of history. For the Bible, history is not the mechanical flow of cause-and-effect events; rather, it is the result of God’s continuous presence and actions. God initiates the covenant by His action in history. He is the First who moves and acts. And these acts in history are the basis of the covenant. God makes the covenant with His people (Deut. 5:3) because He is the Lord who brought them out of the land of Egypt (Deut. 5:6). The Hebrew word debarim, “words,” the Hebrew title of the book of Deuteronomy, also means “events” and refers to the sacred history of God’s works of salvation. The book of Chronicles, which recounts that history in the Old Testament, is called in Hebrew dibrey hayammim, meaning “the words of the days.” The words of God also are to be read through these events of history.
Discussion and Thought Question: What lessons about God could we learn from the fact that the same Hebrew word dabar means “word” and “history”?
The Principle of Love
The fundamental principle of God’s covenant with His people is love. The verb “love” occurs often in the book, not only to refer to the love of God for His people (Deut. 4:37, Deut. 7:8, Deut. 10:15, Deut. 23:5, etc.) but also to the love of Israel in response to God (Deut. 6:5, Deut. 7:9, Deut. 10:12). In the book of Deuteronomy, the divine love is not described just as a sentimental emotion. God’s love is intense and infinite and is manifested through events that express the intensity, the authenticity, and the infinite nature of His love. Because of this love, which created the heavens and the earth (Deut. 10:14, Deut. 4:35, etc.), God also entered the arena of human events and saved His people (Deut. 1:27–31, Deut. 4:20). In response to the divine love, Israel, the people of the covenant, are urged by God: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength’ ” (Deut. 6:5, NKJV). Love implies, then, that they should remember God (Deut. 7:18, Deut. 9:7, Deut. 24:9, etc.), hear Him, strive to understand and obey His words (Deut. 4:1, Deut. 6:4, Deut. 20:3, etc.), fear Him (Deut. 4:10, Deut. 5:29, Deuteronomy 17, Deuteronomy 19, Deut. 31:12, etc.), and serve Him (Deut. 6:13; Deut. 28:47, 48, etc.).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why is love more than a passing emotion? Why are the commandments of God “an expression of the principle of love”?—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 607.
Call to Study
The book of Deuteronomy is a powerful call to study and teach the words of God (Deut. 6:7), a book that has been esteemed in both Jewish and Christian communities as one of the greatest books of their Holy Scriptures. This is the book that contains the Shema Israel, “Hear, O Israel” (Deut. 6:4), which shaped Jewish religious identity. This also is one of the most present Old Testament books in the New Testament, wherein it is quoted 80 times. As such, it is one of the most important books of the Bible. It is a book of contemporary relevance for God’s people at the end of time as they are about to enter the Promised Land that the Lord has prepared for them (John 14:2). “The book of Deuteronomy should be carefully studied by those living on the earth today.”—Ellen G. White, in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 31, 1903.
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why should Bible study be an important component of spiritual life for Seventh-day Adventists? Find in the Bible examples of people who emphasized the value of studying as a religious duty.
Part III: Life Application
It is not enough to hear and study the words of God. We have to live according to what we have heard and understood. When I was a child, I (Jacques Doukhan) heard from my rabbi an oral legend about a man who found a miraculous trumpet in the market. The salesman boasted of its magic qualities: “This trumpet,” he said, “has a wonderful power. If you blow into it, the fire of the house will be immediately mastered.” As soon as the man arrived home, he wanted to test the power of the trumpet. He set his house on fire and then started to blow the trumpet. And the more he blew into the trumpet, the more the fire grew and burned his house. The man got angry at the person who sold him the trumpet and ran back to the market to complain about it. The salesman explained then that the function of the trumpet was not to extinguish the fire but to alert the people of the city, who would then come and extinguish it.
One of the most important differences between God and humans is that when God speaks, things happen. Find cases in the Bible that illustrate this principle. In comparison, find in history, in political life, and in your own existence cases that illustrate the discrepancies between words and actions.
Notes