Author: Moses (Deuteronomy 1:3,5;
31:9, 24)
Date: 1,400 B.C. (events that
happened within 2 weeks approximately ¡V Deuteronomy 1:3; 34:8; Joshua 4:19)
Place: The Plain of Moab (Deuteronomy
1:1, 5)
Purpose: In Greek, the word
Deuteronomy means ¡§reiterate¡¨ and a combination of ¡§the law¡¨ and
¡§commandments¡¨. That means that it records a reiteration of commandments, or a
further explanation of the essence of the law to a new generation, so that the
new generation will not forget. Moses knew that he would soon be leaving the
world himself, and wanted to remind the next generation of things that had
happened and the love of God for them, and also remind them how to be faithful
in life and behaviour to the God who loves and covenants with them.
Key words: ¡§hear¡¨, ¡§follow¡¨
(Deuteronomy 4:1)
Content: Deuteronomy is a recounting
of the covenant made by God with the Israelites, in order that the Israelites
would not think that the law was only established for their previous
generation, had passed its time and was of no consequence to them. Moses
reminded them again, ¡§It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this
covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today.¡¨ (5:3) Before the
Israelites entered into Canaan, Moses expounded to the people the relationship
between the law and covenant as their leader, so that the Israelites might live
reverential lives in the place given as their inheritance, separate from the
foreign tribes that worshipped idols, and become the holy chosen people of God.
To the Israelites, in their lives
Deuteronomy was the sanction of their behaviour, the source of their guidance,
the focus of their meditation and the pillar of their offspring¡¦s education. It
was not just the rules and laws between God and man, but also the shared
principle of human relationships, and the proper direction of life for the
chosen people.
Moses emphasized that the righteous
and faithful Lord would definitely grant the land of milk and honey to those
who hear and follow the law, just as Jehovah blessed their forefathers and
strengthened their inheritance. But God would surely punish those who are
faithless and break the covenant.
Looking at Deuteronomy after the
Israelites had established their kingdom, it can be said to be the
constitutional outline of God¡¦s reign. Its content also becomes the standard of
behaviour of believers today.
The main point of Deuteronomy is to
teach the people, guide their religious understanding and strengthen their
faithfulness towards God so that they will not forget their position and
responsibility as God¡¦s chosen people in grace.
The whole book stresses the covenant
between God and His people Israel. The essence of the covenant is the love and
loyalty of one party towards the other. This connection relates to the life and
death, blessings and curses of the Israelites (30:19).
This book also has elements of
prophesy, prophesizing the coming of the Messiah (18;15-19), the future
situation of the tribes of Israel (ch. 33), and the dispersal and revival of
the chosen people (28:25, 13: 30:3-4).
|
Main Point |
Past (ch.1-4) (God loves Man) |
Present (ch.5-26) (Loving God and Man) |
Future (27-34) (Heartfelt love) |
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|
Paragraph |
Remembering past events in the
period of wandering |
Contemplating God¡¦s law |
Ceremonies |
Civil War |
Social laws |
Making a covenant with God |
The death of Moses |
|
1-4 |
5-11 |
12-16 |
17-20 |
21-26 |
27-31 |
31-34 |
|
|
Theme |
Examining the past |
Hoping for the future |
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|
|
|
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|
Reviewing past history |
Reviewing the law |
Reviewing the decrees |
Final words and prophesies at
farewell |
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By: Esther Hung