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lesson 5 DEUTERONOMY I. BACKGROUND 1. Author - Moses, the prophet: 31:24 2. Date - Around 1400 B.C., using 1Kings 6:1 as a reference point 3. Setting - God has removed the unfaithful warriors from Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and has brought them to the east side of the Jordan River, where they will again attempt to take possession of the promised land. II. PURPOSE OF THE BOOK 1. Key Verses: 1:5-8; 4:1-8; 11:26-32; 30:15-20 2.
Theme: God, through Moses, gave
instructions to complete Israel's preparations for taking the land promised
to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. If Israel
responds with faith's obedience, God will bless her. If she responds with unbelief and
disobedience, God will curse her. 1) God's promise was: a. Given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Gen. 12:1-3; 26;1-5; 28:13-16 b. Renewed with Moses and those who came out of Egypt: Numbers 13:1-3 c. Renewed with Joshua and the present generation: 4:1 2) God is gracious and desires to bless His children: a. As in the past 2:7 b. With honor, in a land flowing with milk and honey: 26:15; 18-19 c. With fruitfulness, good health, victory: 7:13-18; d. In all their work: 15:10 e. With forgiveness: 30:2-10 3) God is just and will, if necessary, curse His children a. With a lack of fruitfulness: 28:16-42; 29:23-28 b. With plagues, diseases: 28:21-61; 29:22 c. With emotional problems: 28:28-29 d. With military defeat: 28:25-57 e. With slavery and removal from the land: 28:64-68 f. With name blotted out from under heaven: 29:20 4) The history of God, His people Israel, and the nations as recorded in Joshua through Ester is the specific fulfillment of the general blessings and curses made by God in Deuteronomy, especially 27-30, thus showing His faithfulness through time. III. ABOUT THE MESSIAH 1. The Prophet - 18:15ff; John 6:14; Hebrews 1:1 2:4 2. There are many instances where people, events or rituals represented, long before He came, what the Christ would be. For example, Jesus as our refuge was represented long ago by the cities of refuge. 3. There are many instances of God being identified as something in Deuteronomy, then we see Jesus as that same thing in the New Testament. For instance, God is the rock in 32:15-18 and Jesus is called the rock in 1Corinthians 10. IV. APPLICATIONS - LESSONS 1. Yahweh is: 1) The only God - 6:4; 4:35 2) Lord - 10:17 3) Gracious - 2:7 4) Personal - 5:24; 20:4 5) Jealous - 4:24; 5;9 2. So keep the commandments concerning God: 1) Love God.....: 6:5 2) Worship and serve the Lord God only - 6:13 3) Make no idols, graven images - 4:15f 4) Circumcise your heart - 10:16 3. So keep the commandments concerning the natives of the land: 1) Make no covenant with them - 7:2 2) Do not intermarry with them - 7:3 3) Show no favor to them - 7:2 4) Destroy some, make peace with some - 20:10-18 4. So keep the commandments concerning widows, orphans, aliens: 1) Show them your love - 10:18-19 2) Help them - 24:19-22 5. So keep the commandments concerning: 1) Each other as a people - 5:17-21 2) Family - 5:16; 24:1f 3) Possessions - 25:4 4) Priests, Levites - ch. 17-18 6. Teach all these things to your children - 6:7; 4:9 7. Remember the past - ch.8; 7:17-19 DEUTRONOMY QUESTIONS 1. When Moses spoke the words recorded in Deuteronomy what were the Israelites getting ready to do? (ch. 1) 2. How did the material in the book prepare them for that work? 3. What can we learn from Deuteronomy to prepare us for spiritual warfare? 4. After reading this book, do you think God is just? 5. After reading this book, do you think God is gracious? Why? 6. Chapter 28 is a statement of the blessings and cursing available from God for Israel. Will God curse spiritual Israel today? (Compare also Romans 5:17-21; 8:1-4 and Hebrews 3 and 4). 7. Is it acceptable with God to worship the God of the Bible and the Hindu gods at the same time? Why or why not? 8. What should a Christian do if he has idols or other things from pre-Christian days that God opposes? 9. How should widows, orphans, and strangers be treated? |