Deuteronomy: Covenant Renewal Flashcards

Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy and Authorship

• General Classification: Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch.

• Core Content: The book contains three major speeches delivered by Moses to the new generation of Israelites. These individuals were members of the second generation who were born during the wilderness wanderings, rather than those who originally exited Egypt.

• Concluding Events:     * The Song of Moses (Chapter $32$).     * The Blessing of Moses (Chapter $33$).     * The transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua (Chapter $34$).

• Authorship Testimony:     * Internal evidence suggests Moses wrote the book, according to its own testimony in Deuteronomy $1:1$, $1:5$, and $32:22$.     * New Testament Corroboration: Jesus specifically referred to Moses as the author of Deuteronomy in the Gospel of Mark ($7:10$; $10:3-5$).     * Scholarly Perspectives: While many biblical scholars agree that Moses wrote the bulk of the book, some scholars believe certain sections may have been written by someone else (likely regarding the account of his death).

Historical Background and Setting

• Date of Composition: The book was likely written at the end of the wilderness wanderings on the "eve" of the conquest of Canaan, approximately $1406\,B.C.$

• Timing relative to Moses' Life: Most of the book was composed before the death of Moses, who passed away at the age of $120$ years.

• Temporal Scope: The book covers a specific period of $70$ days:     * It begins on the first day of the eleventh month of the $40^{th}$ year after the exodus from Egypt ($Deut.\,1:3$).     * It concludes with the crossing of the Jordan River on the $10^{th}$ day of the first month of the $41^{st}$ year after the exodus ($Josh.\,4:19$).

• Geographic Context: The entirety of the book's events occurred while the nation of Israel was encamped on the plains of Moab, situated just before the entrance into Canaan.

• Initial Audience: The primary audience was the second generation of Israelites who emerged from the wilderness wanderings awaiting the conquest of Canaan.

The Message and Purpose of Deuteronomy

• Primary Objective: Deuteronomy was written to invoke a "covenant renewal" among the second generation. This renewal was necessary for them to enter Canaan, successfully conquer the Canaanites, and experience subsequent peace and prosperity in the land.

• Moses' Strategy for Renewal:     * Reviewing History: Moses reviewed God’s past acts on behalf of Israel ($1-4:40$).     * Legal Instruction: He instructed the second generation to honor the Mosaic covenant ($4:41-26:19$).     * Future Explanations: He explained what God would do for Israel in the future (Chapters $27-34$).

• Promises Regarding Future Acts:     * God would bless or curse Israel based on their level of obedience or disobedience (Chapters $27-28$).     * God would ultimately restore Israel (Chapters $29-30$).     * God would provide a new leader for the nation (Chapters $31-34$).

• Required Response: Moses argued persuasively that the audience must "hear," "do," "keep," and "observe" God's commandments out of a heart of love.

• Historical Bridge: The book serves as a historical bridge linking the Israel of the wilderness wanderings to the Israel in Canaan, effectively connecting the giving of the law at Sinai to its practical application in the new land.

Organizational Structure: The Three Sermons

• Sermonic Nature: The book is organized into a threefold division consisting of three major sermons.

• The First Sermon (Chapters $1-4$):     * Nature: Retrospective and historical.     * Goal: To encourage Israel to remember God’s saving acts by reciting His past deeds on her behalf.

• The Second Sermon (Chapters $5-26$):     * Nature: Introspective, emotional, and legal.     * Goal: To call Israel to love God with all their heart, to reverence Him, and to serve Him. This involved an exposition of the principles of covenant law.

• The Third Sermon (Chapters $27-34$):     * Nature: Prospective and prophetic.     * Goal: To invoke hope by explaining God's future actions and providing a final summation of covenant demands.

Unique Features of the Book

• Focus on the Land: There are almost $200$ references to "the land" as the Israelites prepared to possess the Promised Land.

• Scriptural Influence: Deuteronomy is one of the most frequently quoted books throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

• Leadership and Legacy: The book instructs both the immediate audience and future leaders. It serves as Moses’ farewell address and is often viewed as his "last will and testament."

The First Sermon: Review of Israel’s History (Deut. $1-4$)

• Focus: Invoking covenant renewal for the second generation.

• Key Themes:     * Reminders of God's deeds and the discipline imposed on the first generation to prevent the repetition of past mistakes.     * Building confidence in God's future intervention by highlighting past saving acts.

• Journey Recounted:     * From Sinai to Kadesh ($1:6-18$).     * From Kadesh to Moab ($2:1-23$).

• Specific Commands: God commanded Israel NOT to disturb the Edomites, Moabites, or Ammonites because He had already granted land inheritances to those specific groups.

• Transjordan Conquest: Emphasis was placed on the conquest of the Transjordan region.

• Author's Note: Moses reminded the people of his own disinheritance (being barred from the land) to emphasize that obedience to the covenant is required of everyone, including leaders.

The Second Sermon: Principles, Priorities, and Practice (Deut. $5-26$)

• Focus: Transitioning from what God did for Israel to Israel’s obligations to God within the covenant relationship.

• Method: Expound how the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) applies to daily life in Canaan.

• Section 1: Principles of the Covenant (Chapters $5-11$):     * Recalls the summoning to Sinai (Horeb) and the receipt of the Ten Commandments.     * Notes the people’s initial response of reverence and receptivity.     * Essence: To love and obey the Lord with one's whole heart and totality of being. This includes the mandate to teach the covenant to children. This statement remains the core of Judaism (the Shema) and emphasizes that Old Testament religion was a matter of the heart.

• Section 2: Priorities of the Covenant (Chapters $12-25$):     * Application of the Ten Commandments to specific situations.     * Commands 1-4 (Honoring God): Requirements to destroy Canaanite places of worship, worshiping only in a centralized location, and avoiding pagan practices.     * Commands 5-10 (Social/Civil): Using the law as inward motivation for godly behavior in civil, social, and ceremonial contexts.

• Section 3: Practice of the Covenant (Chapter $26$):     * Exhortation to remember the covenant through physical actions.     * Evidence of commitment: Offering the first-fruits and the third-year tithe to the Lord ($26:1-15$).

The Third Sermon: Revelation of Israel’s Destiny (Deut. $27-34$)

• Focus: Forecasting destiny and the ratification of the covenant.

• Ratification Ceremony (Chapters $27-30$):     * To take place at Shechem upon entering Canaan.     * Requirement to build an altar and write the new laws upon it.     * Symbolic Tribal Placement:         * Six tribes on Mount Gerizim to represent covenant blessings for obedience.         * Six tribes on Mount Ebal to represent covenant curses for disobedience.     * Recitation of specific curses for particular sins.

• Promises of the Land Covenant: Moses announced that God’s past faithfulness would continue in the Promised Land based on His promises.

• Final Preparation (Chapters $31-34$):     * Introduction of Joshua as the new leader to guide the conquest.     * Prediction of future apostasy (rejection of God) by subsequent generations.     * Instruction to place the Law with the Ark of the Covenant.     * The End of Moses: Moses died on Mount Nebo (Chapter $32/34$), and Joshua successfully replaced him as leader (Chapter $34$).