Study Focus: Gen. 12:1–3; Gen. 15:6, 18; Exod. 2:24; Deuteronomy 4; Deuteronomy 5; Rom. 4:1–5.
Part I: Overview
As already indicated in the introductory lesson, the structure of the book of Deuteronomy is patterned after the structure of the ancient covenant treaties. This is a clear indication that the main theological intention of Moses’ last lesson is about God’s covenant with His people. Although the notion of covenant is ancient—the word berit, “covenant,” is used for the first time in Noah’s narrative to refer to God’s universal covenant with humankind (Gen. 6:18; compare Gen. 9:13)—it is only with Abraham that the word is used for the first time to refer to God’s particular covenant with His people (Gen. 15:18). In the book of Deuteronomy, the word “covenant” occurs 27 times and is used for the first time there in chapter 4 (Deut. 4:13). Because God is eternal, the primary quality of His covenant is that it is “an everlasting covenant” (Gen. 17:7). Our study of the “covenant” during this week will help us understand God’s relationship with His people.
Lesson Themes:
• The God of life. The Lord established His covenant with Israel, not because of them and who they were, but because of Himself and who He is—the God of life.
• The chosen people. Because of God’s faithfulness to the fathers, He has chosen Israel to be His covenant people.
• A holy people. Called by the God of life to be the covenant people, they are to be a holy people, as well.
Part II: Commentary
After having reminded the people of past events in the wilderness, Moses proceeds to demonstrate that it is now in their interest to stick to God and remain faithful to the clauses of their covenant with God “today.” For that purpose, Moses uses two arguments. First, the people must remain faithful because of who God is “today”—He is the God of life. Second, the people must remain loyal to God because of who they are “today”—His chosen people and, therefore, His holy people.
The God of Life
God’s covenant begins with God, who is the One who initiated the covenant with His people, not because of who they were, not because of their values, but because of who He is. This is why the covenant is established primarily on the basis of God’s actions of salvation in behalf of His people: “ ‘ “Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done” ’ ” (Deut. 3:21, NKJV). It is a covenant of grace. God saved Israel not because of what they did—they were an unworthy and rebellious people—but because of His grace. It is interesting and significant that the same phrase is used again in the next chapter (Deut. 4:3) to remind Israel of what God did against those who followed Baal Peor. (Compare with Num. 25:1–9.) The primary lesson that is inferred from these two cases is that the only way to survive is to cleave to God alone and to “ ‘listen’ ” and “ ‘teach’ ” His instructions “ ‘that you may live’ ” (Deut. 4:1, NKJV). This principle is explicitly enunciated in Leviticus 18:5: “ ‘ “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord” ’ ” (NKJV). The immediate implication of this principle is to refrain from idolatry, a warning that takes most of the chapter (Deut. 4:15–40). Idolatry is the very mechanism whereby God’s people would move away from God and therefore away from life. Moses describes idolatry as a process that originates in ourselves; for the worship of idols is the worship of what we do, of who we are. This is why Moses counsels: “ ‘take careful heed to yourselves’ ” (Deut. 4:15, NKJV). This is why the first commandment that is derived from the affirmation of God’s act of salvation (Deut. 5:6) is the commandment that enjoins monotheism (Deut. 5:7), which is followed by the commandment that forbids idolatry (Deut. 5:8). This also is why in the same context, the commandment to keep the Sabbath is justified by God’s act of salvation (Deut. 5:15)—and why the repetition of the Ten Commandments is followed by the call to love God (Deut. 6:1–9), which implies the same exclusive relationship (see next lesson).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Read Proverbs 3:1, 2. Why is the law of God good for our life? In what way does the law of God save us from death? Why does the commandment of the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5:15 refer to the salvation of Israel instead of to the Creation of the world (compare with Exod. 20:11)?
The Chosen People
Moses’ other argument to convince his people to keep the commandments of God concerns the people themselves because they have been chosen by God (Deut. 7:6). Immediately, Moses specifies that God chose this people, not because they are better than the other peoples, but simply because of His faithfulness to the oath He made with their fathers (Deut. 7:8) and because He loves them (Deut. 7:8). And because He loves His people, God is jealous (Deut. 4:24; Deut. 6:15) and will not tolerate the division of the hearts of His people between Him and their love for other gods. The reference to “jealousy” in connection to God may be shocking to some people because “jealousy” is generally associated with crime and human sinfulness. But this description of God as “jealous” is paradoxically reassuring. The biblical author refers to that human quality to suggest God’s passionate and exclusive love for His people. Just as God is described as “One,” unique, He considers His people unique, because He loves them.
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why was it necessary for God to choose only one particular people, Israel, to be His receptacle for the transmission of the truth about universal salvation? Why is God’s particular love for one people, Israel, corporately not incompatible with God’s particular love for me? What is the danger of thinking that God loves me more than others? And yet, to what extent is this thinking correct?
The Holy People
On the other hand, just as God acted and saved the people of Israel and chose them because He loved them, it was expected that the Israelites would respond and out of love choose Him over all the other gods. Consequently, that choice involves allegiance only to Him and to the “different” way of life this choice entails. It is significant that the definition of “chosen people” relates to the qualification “holy people” (Deut. 7:6). The Hebrew word qadosh, “holy,” means to be “set apart”; that is, to be different, unique, just as God is unique: “ ‘ “You shall be holy; for I am holy” ’ ” (Lev. 11:44, NKJV; compare with Lev. 11:45).
To be “holy” does not refer to a static quality, to be perfect as God is perfect, and to be a “saint.” By calling His people to be qadosh, “holy,” God calls Israel to be His people, to be separated from the other peoples for a special relationship with Him (compare Exod. 19:6). The Hebrew preposition le, which is attached to God (leYHWH), expresses this idea of particular belonging to God. To be “holy” means to be separated for a special relationship with God: “ ‘You are a holy people to the Lord [leYHWH] your God’ ” (Deut. 7:6, NKJV). And the reason for this separation is that “ ‘the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself’ ” (Deut. 7:6, NKJV). To be “holy” is therefore an important element in the covenant. And because it is not a static quality, it is dynamic and always present and relevant. To be “holy” is not something we inherit from the past because of our patriarchs or our pioneers. This actuality of the covenant is emphasized in the definition of the covenant: “ ‘The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive’ ” (Deut. 5:3, NKJV). To be “holy” is a demand that concerns the present, “us today.” This present truth is repeated again and again in the book of Deuteronomy precisely because we are called to be “today . . . His special people” (Deut. 26:18, NKJV). Another passage is even more explicit and includes future people in that covenant: “ ‘I make this covenant . . . not with you alone, but . . . with him who is not here with us today’ ” (Deut. 29:14, 15, NKJV). A few lines later the biblical passage specifies that this covenant also refers to “our children forever” (Deut. 29:29, NKJV). It is because this covenant is always “present truth” that we need to make it “present”; thus, we always need to “remember” it and keep teaching it (Deut. 6:7; Deut. 8:2, 18; Deut. 9:7).
Discussion and Thought Questions: How can we, as inherently sinful people, nevertheless be holy? What does the biblical demand to be “holy”—that is, different and separate from the world—teach us about how we should interact with the present world?
Part III: Life Application
Jewish philosopher Abraham Heschel described the biblical answer to the question “What is living?” as “the secret of being human and holy.”—Abraham Joshua Heschel, I Asked for Wonder (New York: Crossroad, 1983), p. 80. Consider the Bible examples of people who were both “human”—that is, in touch with the present reality of the world—and “holy.” List the qualities of these holy people: What made them human, and what made them holy? In the light of these biblical models, how can you apply this principle of “being human and holy” in the various situations that follow?
• You are invited to a friend’s house. Your friend, who is not an Adventist, serves you a meal with pork that she has prepared. How can you be “human”—that is, loving and respectful of her hospitality—and yet be holy, as in not transgressing God’s prohibition against unclean foods?
• You are in the church, and behind you a group of youth are laughing and talking. How will you teach them to be reverent and to respect the sacred character of the sanctuary (“being holy”) in a way that still inspires a positive relationship with them?
• How can you explain the truth of prophecy to a group of nonbelievers and still be clear, interesting, and relevant to them?
• You are a leader in a church that is divided into two groups. One group likes to emphasize social justice, brotherly love, and the importance of grace, while the other group emphasizes judgment and the law. How do you propose to manage the tension between both groups?
Notes
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Key Text: Genesis 17:7
Study Focus: Gen. 12:1–3; Gen. 15:6, 18; Exod. 2:24; Deuteronomy 4; Deuteronomy 5; Rom. 4:1–5.
Part I: Overview
As already indicated in the introductory lesson, the structure of the book of Deuteronomy is patterned after the structure of the ancient covenant treaties. This is a clear indication that the main theological intention of Moses’ last lesson is about God’s covenant with His people. Although the notion of covenant is ancient—the word berit, “covenant,” is used for the first time in Noah’s narrative to refer to God’s universal covenant with humankind (Gen. 6:18; compare Gen. 9:13)—it is only with Abraham that the word is used for the first time to refer to God’s particular covenant with His people (Gen. 15:18). In the book of Deuteronomy, the word “covenant” occurs 27 times and is used for the first time there in chapter 4 (Deut. 4:13). Because God is eternal, the primary quality of His covenant is that it is “an everlasting covenant” (Gen. 17:7). Our study of the “covenant” during this week will help us understand God’s relationship with His people.
Lesson Themes:
• The God of life. The Lord established His covenant with Israel, not because of them and who they were, but because of Himself and who He is—the God of life.
• The chosen people. Because of God’s faithfulness to the fathers, He has chosen Israel to be His covenant people.
• A holy people. Called by the God of life to be the covenant people, they are to be a holy people, as well.
Part II: Commentary
After having reminded the people of past events in the wilderness, Moses proceeds to demonstrate that it is now in their interest to stick to God and remain faithful to the clauses of their covenant with God “today.” For that purpose, Moses uses two arguments. First, the people must remain faithful because of who God is “today”—He is the God of life. Second, the people must remain loyal to God because of who they are “today”—His chosen people and, therefore, His holy people.
The God of Life
God’s covenant begins with God, who is the One who initiated the covenant with His people, not because of who they were, not because of their values, but because of who He is. This is why the covenant is established primarily on the basis of God’s actions of salvation in behalf of His people: “ ‘ “Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done” ’ ” (Deut. 3:21, NKJV). It is a covenant of grace. God saved Israel not because of what they did—they were an unworthy and rebellious people—but because of His grace. It is interesting and significant that the same phrase is used again in the next chapter (Deut. 4:3) to remind Israel of what God did against those who followed Baal Peor. (Compare with Num. 25:1–9.) The primary lesson that is inferred from these two cases is that the only way to survive is to cleave to God alone and to “ ‘listen’ ” and “ ‘teach’ ” His instructions “ ‘that you may live’ ” (Deut. 4:1, NKJV). This principle is explicitly enunciated in Leviticus 18:5: “ ‘ “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord” ’ ” (NKJV). The immediate implication of this principle is to refrain from idolatry, a warning that takes most of the chapter (Deut. 4:15–40). Idolatry is the very mechanism whereby God’s people would move away from God and therefore away from life. Moses describes idolatry as a process that originates in ourselves; for the worship of idols is the worship of what we do, of who we are. This is why Moses counsels: “ ‘take careful heed to yourselves’ ” (Deut. 4:15, NKJV). This is why the first commandment that is derived from the affirmation of God’s act of salvation (Deut. 5:6) is the commandment that enjoins monotheism (Deut. 5:7), which is followed by the commandment that forbids idolatry (Deut. 5:8). This also is why in the same context, the commandment to keep the Sabbath is justified by God’s act of salvation (Deut. 5:15)—and why the repetition of the Ten Commandments is followed by the call to love God (Deut. 6:1–9), which implies the same exclusive relationship (see next lesson).
Discussion and Thought Questions: Read Proverbs 3:1, 2. Why is the law of God good for our life? In what way does the law of God save us from death? Why does the commandment of the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5:15 refer to the salvation of Israel instead of to the Creation of the world (compare with Exod. 20:11)?
The Chosen People
Moses’ other argument to convince his people to keep the commandments of God concerns the people themselves because they have been chosen by God (Deut. 7:6). Immediately, Moses specifies that God chose this people, not because they are better than the other peoples, but simply because of His faithfulness to the oath He made with their fathers (Deut. 7:8) and because He loves them (Deut. 7:8). And because He loves His people, God is jealous (Deut. 4:24; Deut. 6:15) and will not tolerate the division of the hearts of His people between Him and their love for other gods. The reference to “jealousy” in connection to God may be shocking to some people because “jealousy” is generally associated with crime and human sinfulness. But this description of God as “jealous” is paradoxically reassuring. The biblical author refers to that human quality to suggest God’s passionate and exclusive love for His people. Just as God is described as “One,” unique, He considers His people unique, because He loves them.
Discussion and Thought Questions: Why was it necessary for God to choose only one particular people, Israel, to be His receptacle for the transmission of the truth about universal salvation? Why is God’s particular love for one people, Israel, corporately not incompatible with God’s particular love for me? What is the danger of thinking that God loves me more than others? And yet, to what extent is this thinking correct?
The Holy People
On the other hand, just as God acted and saved the people of Israel and chose them because He loved them, it was expected that the Israelites would respond and out of love choose Him over all the other gods. Consequently, that choice involves allegiance only to Him and to the “different” way of life this choice entails. It is significant that the definition of “chosen people” relates to the qualification “holy people” (Deut. 7:6). The Hebrew word qadosh, “holy,” means to be “set apart”; that is, to be different, unique, just as God is unique: “ ‘ “You shall be holy; for I am holy” ’ ” (Lev. 11:44, NKJV; compare with Lev. 11:45).
To be “holy” does not refer to a static quality, to be perfect as God is perfect, and to be a “saint.” By calling His people to be qadosh, “holy,” God calls Israel to be His people, to be separated from the other peoples for a special relationship with Him (compare Exod. 19:6). The Hebrew preposition le, which is attached to God (leYHWH), expresses this idea of particular belonging to God. To be “holy” means to be separated for a special relationship with God: “ ‘You are a holy people to the Lord [leYHWH] your God’ ” (Deut. 7:6, NKJV). And the reason for this separation is that “ ‘the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself’ ” (Deut. 7:6, NKJV). To be “holy” is therefore an important element in the covenant. And because it is not a static quality, it is dynamic and always present and relevant. To be “holy” is not something we inherit from the past because of our patriarchs or our pioneers. This actuality of the covenant is emphasized in the definition of the covenant: “ ‘The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive’ ” (Deut. 5:3, NKJV). To be “holy” is a demand that concerns the present, “us today.” This present truth is repeated again and again in the book of Deuteronomy precisely because we are called to be “today . . . His special people” (Deut. 26:18, NKJV). Another passage is even more explicit and includes future people in that covenant: “ ‘I make this covenant . . . not with you alone, but . . . with him who is not here with us today’ ” (Deut. 29:14, 15, NKJV). A few lines later the biblical passage specifies that this covenant also refers to “our children forever” (Deut. 29:29, NKJV). It is because this covenant is always “present truth” that we need to make it “present”; thus, we always need to “remember” it and keep teaching it (Deut. 6:7; Deut. 8:2, 18; Deut. 9:7).
Discussion and Thought Questions: How can we, as inherently sinful people, nevertheless be holy? What does the biblical demand to be “holy”—that is, different and separate from the world—teach us about how we should interact with the present world?
Part III: Life Application
Jewish philosopher Abraham Heschel described the biblical answer to the question “What is living?” as “the secret of being human and holy.”—Abraham Joshua Heschel, I Asked for Wonder (New York: Crossroad, 1983), p. 80. Consider the Bible examples of people who were both “human”—that is, in touch with the present reality of the world—and “holy.” List the qualities of these holy people: What made them human, and what made them holy? In the light of these biblical models, how can you apply this principle of “being human and holy” in the various situations that follow?
• You are invited to a friend’s house. Your friend, who is not an Adventist, serves you a meal with pork that she has prepared. How can you be “human”—that is, loving and respectful of her hospitality—and yet be holy, as in not transgressing God’s prohibition against unclean foods?
• You are in the church, and behind you a group of youth are laughing and talking. How will you teach them to be reverent and to respect the sacred character of the sanctuary (“being holy”) in a way that still inspires a positive relationship with them?
• How can you explain the truth of prophecy to a group of nonbelievers and still be clear, interesting, and relevant to them?
• You are a leader in a church that is divided into two groups. One group likes to emphasize social justice, brotherly love, and the importance of grace, while the other group emphasizes judgment and the law. How do you propose to manage the tension between both groups?
Notes