I. Preamble | Dt. 1:1-5
II. Moses' First Speech: Historical Prologue | Dt. 1:6-4:43
III. Moses' Second Speech: Covenant Stipulations | Dt. 4:44-26:19
A. General Stipulations: Love and Faithfulness | Dt. 4:44-11:32
B. Specific Stipulations: Justice and Holiness | Dt. 12:1-26:19
IV. Moses' Third Speech: Covenant Renewal | Dt. 27:1-30:20
A. Blessings and Curses | Dt. 27:1-28:68
B. Covenant Ratification and Final Exhortation | Dt. 29:1-30:20
V. Moses' Concluding Speech: Israel's Future | Dt. 31:1-34:12
Deuteronomy 1–2
Encouraging the day after the election to see the utter and complete sovereignty of God over the nations of Israel. Move from circling Mount Seir (your time is now in my plan, Israel), honour deals made with the Edomites. Attack here because of the sinful hardness of the King of Shihon, and I’m giving you his land.
This should put our thoughts about Mark Carney, Pierre Pollievre and Jagmeet Singh into perspective.
On Sunday, we sang “Hallelujah Praise Jehovah” based on Ps. 146. These verses and lyrics resonate with me and give me comfort in the ups and downs of political life.
“…Put no confidence in princes,
Nor for help on man depend;
He shall die, to dust returning,
And his purposes shall end.
- Happy is the man that chooses
Israel’s God to be his aid;
He is blessed whose hope of blessing
On the Lord his God is stayed.
He has made the earth and heaven,
Seas and all that they contain;
He delivers from oppression,
Righteousness he will maintain.”
Deuteronomy 10:12 is what Micah was referring to in the famous Micah 6:8 passage, and 10:22 is a fulfillment of Genesis 15:5
Deuteronomy 12–13
Interesting and simple observation today that we see at the beginning of chapter 12, that repentance isn’t just about stopping sinning. It’s about laying waste to the sinful supporting infrastructure that facilitates our sin. We may not have Asherim to tear down, but maybe we have apps or websites we need to delete or block. Time wasters that impede time with the Lord. Our call, in many ways, is simple:
“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 13:4
Deuteronomy 16–17
It’s interesting how these instructions about the kingship come at a time when we’re about to have Kris preach on the death of Solomon.
Particularly, the instruction to make a second copy of the law (Deuteronomy in Greek) for the king to be reminded of what his duties are is fascinating. We were talking on Wednesday about the importance of duplication and repetition in the Scriptures for emphasis. Imagine being Solomon and writing about not having many wives, for they would lead him astray. Or too much gold. (Both v.17).
Considering the staggering wisdom gift that he received from God, it is humbling to consider how far he could fall.
Another fascinating thing is to think of what happened to that copy of the law that he and supposedly the other kings made each time a new one was crowned. Many scholars believe that the book of the law that was found by Josiah in 2 Kings 22 and led to a rediscovery of God's law and a new reformation in a dark period in Israel’s history was a copy of the book of Deuteronomy. I couldn’t help wondering this morning, as I read this, if the copy that was found was perhaps even one that a king like Solomon or perhaps even the very copy that Solomon had made for himself. The Lord works mysteriously and wondrously and sovereignly, His wonders to perform!
“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.” Deuteronomy 17:18
“And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.” 2 Kings 22:8
Deuteronomy 18–19
The Messianic prophecy about Jesus at the end of chapter 18 that we talked about last Wednesday night (in our Greatest Game in the World question) which frames a helpful chapter that underlines the biblical (and Reformation) doctrine of "Sola Scriptura" because it emphasizes that revelation comes not through superstition, mysticism or outside sources, but solely from the Word of God spoken/written by the chosen spokesmen of God in the timing God allows. The Word of God is authoritative, clear, and not mystical but clearly communicated through authorized sources. This is just as important for us today. We need to verify what "words" we live by. Is it God's word or man's? Whose words will guide your attitude, focus and energy this week? We need the input of God's word to direct our paths as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Deuteronomy 20–21
From Douglas Kelly’s commentary (Mentor Expository Commentary on Deuteronomy)
Rules for just war (20:10–20)
“A distinction is made between cities inside Canaan, and those outside it. God told Moses, Joshua, and the people of Israel to wipe out the cities inside Canaan. Archeology shows that this culture had reached a rare peak of rottenness, moral corruption, degradation, and filth that was offensive to God, far worse than the more restrained pagan lands around them.
Long before, God had spoken to Abraham, saying that one day the iniquity of the Amorites would be full and they would be wiped out. God gave the Canaanites a long time to repent! They wouldn’t repent, and even got worse. Finally, the iniquity of the Amorites was full and God said it was time to clean house.
Some might ask, does God have a right to do that? Psalm 24:1 says: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof’. Acts 17 says that He has appointed the various tribes, different boundaries in the world, by His providential direction. God has the right of judgment; He and He alone knows when a culture has been given so many opportunities, that in its unrepentant arrogance, it sends up such a stench to heaven, that the Lord needs to wipe it out.
That is what He does in the movement of the children of Israel. After forty years of wilderness wandering, it was time for divine judgment to fall on the tribes of Canaan. However, that was unique to the Old Testament period and was legitimate because God told them to do it. But the physical wiping out of a nation is never the task of the church.
The church’s task is one of warfare, but it is spiritual warfare. ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ is very different from a physical sword, or a neutron bomb, or whatever else. Christian soldiers go forward on their knees. Our kind of warfare is to win the lost to Christ; the call to battle is given by Jesus in Matthew 28:
Go ye therefore into all the world and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
The church at no time is called to wipe out a particular tribe or country. In His providence, God sometimes does that; He is the one who will make that decision. Our warfare is spiritual.
We tend to feel that spiritual weapons are not as good as physical ones. We fear that the spiritual approach is weak; maybe it is halfway unreal to us, so that it will not make any difference. I beg you to believe the Bible, which says spiritual weapons make far more lasting weapons than any physical weapons. They can accomplish things that physical weapons never could accomplish, and are given to the people of God as a church. ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)’ (2 Cor. 10:3–4).
When the blessing of God is upon them, spiritual weapons of Scripture and prayer will take you much further, far deeper, far higher than swords and hand grenades. They will be, instead of killing, resurrection-bringing. The spiritual weapons—the Word, the gospel, prayer, the Holy Spirit, will transform nations—carnal weapons can only wreak havoc.
In the Roman Empire, the early church, up to the time of Constantine the Great in the fourth century, had no weapons. They were persecuted, hated, lied about; but they were constantly increasing through the spiritual weapons of preaching the gospel, living holy lives, and suffering for Jesus with integrity, hope, and love. Eventually, Constantine declared that Christianity was the religion of the Roman Empire—which by and by collapsed. Then Christianity spread all over the world. Spiritual weapons, more powerful than the sword, overcame the world.”
Deut 21:23 is what Paul uses to cite in Gal 3:13
Deuteronomy 22–23
We are in a tough section of the Scripture to interpret rightly, so we need to be careful how we handle it. I’m sure some of you have questions about the application of this passage as you read the passage today, especially if you’re a woman. The tendency is to skip over these things and not wrestle and engage with them, but I think that is actually a mistake. While I wouldn’t endorse everything she says in this article, I think this is generally a very helpful article on the very sensitive topic of rape in Deuteronomy 22 and how it is addressed in this chapter. Does the Bible Blame Women for Rape? by Wendy Alsup
I would add that the earlier Reformers like John Calvin viewed these laws as extensions of God's protection for victims and punishments for men that didn’t exist before in the cultures and context surrounding Israel.
Sexual abuse of any kind is never right, and the principles in Scripture are that the perpetrators must face God's justice and the victims must be cared for. And I think that a general principle in these texts reveals the character of God in that God graciously works redemptively to bring both true justice and true mercy for all created in His image (male and female) in all cultures and times.
Deuteronomy 24–25
Interesting the different commands and how they are designed to protect the dignity and safety of the poor, like the pledge of the poor man (essentially a cloak which doubled as his bed) could not be taken from him overnight lest he freeze. It shows that moneylenders were meant to be gracious and kind and merciful. That it wasn’t about profit. Dt. 24:10-13
There’s a recurring theme, “remember where you came from in slavery…”- (see 24:18)
Today, this should govern our interactions too - remember the mercy shown to us so that we can be likewise merciful and kind reflectors of our merciful and kind God. May He help us so be!
Also, I have to point out something really cool and important to point out about Dt. 25:4 and biblical interpretation (otherwise known as the discipline of hermeneutics)
This verse, in addition to promoting animal welfare (take care of your oxen, people!), is used in the New Testament by Paul to apply to Gospel workers, too. Twice! 1 Cor. 9:9, 1 Timothy 5:18
In doing this we see that Paul also establishes a principle (often called the principle of general equity where he applies a general principle of the OT law (in this case for animal welfare) to human beings.
In other words, Paul makes the case that gospel ministers merit receiving financial support, similar to the way laborers (oxen in the OT law here) benefit from their work. Notice:
- He explains the principle, not merely the application to oxen as the surface interpretation.
- Paul does not disregard caring for animals. But he claims that the deeper meaning of the law captures a wider moral truth: people who labor should be compensated.
Now this law about oxen ended up being a requirement (i.e. enforceable law) when Israel ceased to be a political state entity in exile. So the question is, what do we do with portions of the OT law that were written to govern them? Well, Paul helps us here by introducing this principle of general equity, where we take the moral principle from behind the law and apply it. This is the “general equity” of the law. In this case, the moral principle is that “the worker is owed his wages and should be treated well.”
Our confession of faith talks about this in chapter 19, paragraph 4:
4. To them also He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any now by virtue of that institution; their general equity only being for moral use.
(i) 1 Cor 9:8-10”
Deuteronomy 29–30
Just a couple of things today that speak of the Lord's sovereignty:
1) God tells the Israelites that they don't understand the fullness of his grace to them (v.4) and then proceeds to tell them the wonders that He continued to show them anyway (v.5-6) so that they would know that He is Yahweh, their (Covenant keeping) God.
2) Deut. 29:29 is another sovereignty of God passage that helps us to see both His perfect, sovereign secret will exists and what His will for us to do in light of it. This is one of the most helpful verses in terms of spiritual guidance and the sovereignty of God in life and salvation and everything: "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
3) The verse about the circumcision of the heart in 30:6 also speaks to the sovereignty of God in salvation in that He is the one who circumcises. He is the one who will preserve His covenant people and call them to Himself. Nevertheless, the chapter ends with encouragement and warnings that our obedience to His law is not optional. The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man are put side by side. God ends the book with a divine invitation that assumes that we can respond while resting entirely within His sovereign covenantal purposes. He presents Israel (and by extension us) the way of life and death and calls on them to choose life and love ,and obedience to Him.
Deuteronomy 27
There was a question asked last night by our brother that I didn’t have an answer to, so this article helps us all to understand the Mount Gerazim/Ebal distinctions and geography. It’s a joy to journey and grow together in our understanding of the Scriptures.