Intro to Deuteronomy


In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moses told the Israelites everything the LORD had commanded him to say to them. 
Deuteronomy 1:3 

The book of Deuteronomy is a book that has been somewhat misunderstood by the general population. It derives its name from the Latin Septuagint’s translation meaning a copy of the law or second law in the Greek. And so, some have misunderstood this book to simply be a second set of laws that are given to the people of Israel. But this book is not really a new set of laws, but more of an amplification of the laws that already had been given to the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai.

Additionally, secular academia has been misjudged this book as nothing more than an ancient treaty that followed the format of the Hittite (1400-1200 BC) or Assyrian (850-650 BC) treatises. This is partly due to the fact that this book has many parallels to its Ancient Near Eastern treaty traditions, but this book is far more than just a treaty. It is a covenant text that reinforces the law of God and calls for the people of God to be reminded of His law and His power.

It addresses the question of what does the people of God look like after they conquer and settle the land Promised to them. It truly is a foreshadowing of what the people of God will look like when we enter into our Promised eternity. The initial calling of this nation was to have obedience to God and to submit to His law, exercising complete faith in God. They were to be become what God had originally called them to be, “My kingdom of priests and My holy nation” (Exodus 19:4-6). These events foreshadow how God’s choosing of the Israelites point to a choosing of those who would believe in Christ and become “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

So, while Deuteronomy does not directly apply to us, it has practical implications for us in the sense that we are not above God’s law when we become His people. We still are called to submit to His rule and His reign. We also are reminded that God is faithful to deliver on His promises. And He will still deliver on His promises of eternal life. Thirdly, we are to remember always that there is only one God, Him. And since there is only God and He is that only true God, then all worship and praise must be oriented towards Him.

As you read through the book of Deuteronomy, keep in mind all of the wonderful things that God had done for His people and continues to do to this day. Be reminded that He is the only true God and is worthy of all praise. We will dig more into this next week when we consider Deuteronomy, but keep the following verse in mind as a sort of key verse while you engage in the text:

4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. d 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. j 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Alex

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