Deuteronomy
The Contract between God and Israel
Central Teaching
The book of Deuteronomy is a contract between God and Israel. It defines the terms by which Israel can live in the promised land with God in their midst and be blessed by him.
Memory Verses
Setting
The book of Numbers relates the unthinkable story of how the Israelites reject the promised land and how that generation is sent back into the wilderness to wander for forty years until they die.
In Deuteronomy the new generation of Israelites is at the entryway to the promised land. They are camped on the plains of Moab and are just about to cross over the Jordan and conquer the promised land.
A Canaanite god, probably El. Idolatry was the most serious covenant violation.
Message
Deuteronomy is made up of a series of speeches given by Moses just as Israel is about to enter the promised land, the land that was promised to their forefather Abraham. In a nutshell, the book of Deuteronomy defines the terms by which the Israelites can live in the promised land with God in their midst and be blessed by him. This is a gracious offer by God, based on his deep love for his people. Yet God is very specific about how his people will relate to him and receive these overwhelming blessings. God clearly states that he (as Creator, Provider, and King) is the one who dictates the terms of the relationship. God is also extremely clear and unambiguous about how serious he is that they worship him alone. Likewise, he is very clear about how important it is to him how his people relate to each other in their community. If God’s people keep these terms (i.e., the laws in Deuteronomy), then tremendous blessings will come upon them. On the other hand, God warns that if they disregard and disobey Deuteronomy, thus abandoning the covenant relationship they have with God, terrible consequences will follow, including the loss of the promised land (Deut. 28).
Outline
Mount Nebo. Moses viewed the promised land from this mountain (Deut. 34:1).
Interesting Features
- Deuteronomy is one of the most frequently quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament.
- Deuteronomy contains the Ten Commandments.
- Deuteronomy stresses the importance of worshiping God alone.
- Deuteronomy demands that the people of God love and care for everyone in the community, especially those who can’t care for themselves.
Portions of thirty manuscripts of Deuteronomy were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Connections
Deuteronomy turns our gaze forward to the prophets and to the New Testament, presenting us with the sobering reality that the Israelites (and we too) are simply unable to keep God’s law; thus, they find themselves under God’s judgment. The Israelites’ only hope lies in God’s grace and God’s faithfulness to his promise to Abraham, as well as his promise of a new and better system in the future. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul explains this very clearly, underscoring that Deuteronomy demonstrates the need for Jesus and his death and resurrection.