A New Review of History...(2 Points of Covenantalism)...Chapters / Lessons 1 thru 4
Chapter 1
At the end of this Chapter, there contains 14 study questions for you to answer. There exists no right or wrong answers. Just answer them to your best ability with Yahweh’s guidance and study material presented in front of you. Now, as we open our bibles to Deuteronomy Chapter 1, one must remember to pray first and give S.P.A.C.E...
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Geographical
Deuteronomy 1:1 – 2 and 4 - 5 “These are the words Moses spoke…in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.) This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab…”[1]
“In respect of the place indicated by [Deuteronomy 1:1a] as related to the final activity of Moses, [it is] rightly point[ed] [that] the text ... refer[s] to the camping of Israel in the valley opposite Beth-peor (3:29), which is also the unknown place of Moses' death and burial (34:6)...”[2]
It was at the very end of the Israelites 40-year journey through the Wilderness and all of that previous rebellious generation had perished, the Crossing of the Jordan was at hand, and the time of Moses’ upcoming death was when [Yahweh] spoke to him. Deuteronomy 1:1 denoted the location of the Israelites that starts at the border of Canaan. The reference to Suph is a vital element here. It remains widely uncertain where Suph is located. Some scholars identify it with Suphah in Numbers 21:14 –
“That is why The Book of the Wars of [Yahweh] says: “. . . Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon…”
as the probable location. While still others identify it with es-Sufah = Maaleh-acrabbim in Joshua 15:3 (KJV) –
“And it went out to the Southside to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the Southside unto Kadesh-Barnea: and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa.”
and yet still others with Zuph in 1 Samuel 9:5 –
“When they reached the district of Zuph...”
“It is most probable… this word is to be regarded as simply an abbreviation of Yam-suph, i.e., the "Red Sea."[3]
Covenantal
Shifting from geographical to covenantal, the center of The Book of Deuteronomy is The Deuteronomic Covenant. To deal with Deuteronomy, one must look at the form and complete construction of the Deuteronomic Covenant. The understanding of the context of The Covenant is Yahweh’s purpose in representing Himself as the Sovereign Redeemer, the Covenant-Maker, and Benefactor. One must also look at it legally, logically, and ethically, as well as theologically.
Within the covenant, there exists in Deuteronomy 5 points of covenantalism[4]:
1. True Transcendence (1:1 – 5, (Preamble))
2. Hierarchy (1:6 – 4, (Historical Prologue))
3. Ethics (5 – 26, (Stipulations))
4. Sanctions (27 – 30, (Covenant Ratification))
5. Continuity (31 – 34, (Covenant Continuity))
The first 2 points are located in the Preamble and the Historical Prologue, which consist of the first four Chapters (discussion of the next three will happen later). Within these two areas, there exist dots of light that examination in great depth is required.
The First Point of Covenantalism (True Transcendence)
With the first point of covenantalism, true transcendence (in Biblical sense) is an elementary difference between Creator and creature. In verse 3,
Deuteronomy 1:3 “…Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that [Yahweh] had commanded him concerning them.”
the writer of Deuteronomy states that the words Moses spoke are directly from Yahweh. He speaks what Yahweh has commanded him to speak. Thus, Yahweh is the Originator and Creator of The Deuteronomic Covenant. This same distinction can be found in Genesis 1:1 – 2 (Creation Covenant):
“In the beginning [Yahweh] created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of [Yahweh] was hovering over the waters.”
Just like the Deuteronomic Covenant was the spoken word of Yahweh, so was the Creation Covenant. Yahweh did not create The Deuteronomic Covenant out something already existing; it was null and void, formless in its beginning. Like the earth, it “was formless and empty”. Yahweh sometimes uses His transcendence to point out that He is Lord. In Isaiah 45:5 – 7, He states this firmly 3x’s:
“I am [Yahweh], and there is no other; apart from me there is no [Yahweh]. I am [Yahweh], and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness... I, [Yahweh], do all these things.”
Unlike The Deuteronomic and Creation Covenants, which were created out of nothing, Man was created out of something, [Yahweh]’s own image.
Genesis 1:26
"Then [Yahweh] said, “Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Since Yahweh created the world and sustains it, He is with the world at all times. This goes for Man as well. He created and sustained Man; He is also present with us. The name of this presence is “immanence”. This immanence of Yahweh is identical to the very feature of true transcendence. The combination of both of these, with the world and with Man, is the omnipresence. For Yahweh is here and everywhere.
With this in mind, look back at the opening verse (Deut. 1:3). It is declarative in nature. It means that the transcendence of The Covenant creates a legal declaration. In this type of declaration, imputed into the relationship was legal status. This status, called the doctrine of imputation, means applied to the account of.
“[Yahweh] told Adam that the day that he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die. He ate, yet he did not physical die... Then in what sense did he die? Some people try to explain his death as “spiritual”. [However], the Bible does not speak this way. A better explanation is that Adam’s death was covenantal, in that [Yahweh] imputed death to him. [Yahweh] counted him as dead because of the broken covenant. He would see the covenantal applications of death in history. Those manifestations of covenantal death would be all around him throughout his life. Imputation went from life to death: from Adam’s [entire] life...”[5]
In covenant theology, this means that our relationship with Yahweh relies on a transcendent declaration. A declaration that remains both legal and ethical. Nevertheless, there exists a problem with covenants; Man, not by Yahweh, can break them. A transcendent Yahweh enforces the law that man repeatedly breaks. Nevertheless, Man wanted to be just like Him, knowing and determining the difference between good and evil. So hence, the personal relationship died. The covenant was no longer.
“...because all of [Yahweh]’s personal relations with mankind are covenantal relations. They are not lawless relations. They are not random. They are personal because they are covenantal.”[6]
There is a principle that exits here and that is what officially created the relationship can also destroy that same relationship; it imputes the status of covenant life or death in the unification.
Imagine that you are talking to someone and he/she just drops dead right in front of you. Would you bury him/her? Hope not. He/she might be in a coma. You would first call someone of legal status, like a coroner. You would have him/her declared dead. This standard of declaring someone legally dead is the first point of covenantalism. At this point, you could say that life and death are covenantal.
This brings up something interesting. Can someone be covenantally dead and physically existing? Yes. Jesus said in Revelation 3:9:
“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars — I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.”
They exist physically, but remain covenantally dead. Their prayers, preachings, and worship exist for Satan. To Yahweh, this type of death is more true and pronounced than the physical. On the other side, the covenant can and must be re-newed and be resurrected. Israel had to re-new its covenant before she could continue as a nation.
2 Chronicles 7:14
“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This should serve as a reminder of why the destruction of nations happens when they fail to renew the covenant after they had broken it. However, where there is death there shall be life.
“Also, this transcendent and legal foundation of [a relationship] makes it more than just a human institution. [Yahweh] establishes [relationships]... Men do not [alone] (self-law) create [relationships], nor should they destroy them…Jesus says, ‘What [Yahweh] has joined together, a man should not put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). Only the covenantal principle of transcendence makes it possible to declare or impute such a [relationship].”[7]
By this means, with compliance from both parties, the relationship shall thrive. Yahweh imputes the law, we need to obey it. By the means of transcendence (distinction of being), Yahweh created the Deuteronomic Covenant and did it by means of a legal declaration.
Men want a transcendent Yahweh, but without the covenant, without the personal touch and closeness. He substitutes a distant [Yahweh] for the all-too-present Yahweh of The Bible. This type of anti-Biblical transcendence means distance, not Yahweh’s total power and authority. Therefore, without a true transcendent, unique, and covenantal Yahweh, men simply duplicate the sin of Adam. Who becomes Yahweh at this point? Man does.
“[In pantheism], this [type of] [Yahweh]… is immersed in his creation. He is the “true reality” of creation. [Nevertheless], in all...pantheistic religions, man is endowed by a ‘spark of divinity’, and man will ultimately experience union with [Yahweh]. This is the [Yahweh] of monism. [Yahweh] cannot be distinguished from the creation.”[8]
Again, who becomes Yahweh? You guessed it! Man! All these types of non-covenantal views exist with two things in common. They both teach union and essence. Yahweh and man’s existence run together and blend into one. This is wrong. Yahweh and man exist as two complete distinct different beings.
“False transcendence [defined earlier] totally removes [Yahweh] from any involvement with His creation, thereby making man his own “[Yahweh].” False immanence (pantheism) coalesces the nature of [Yahweh] and the nature of man, so that some kind of ‘spark of divinity in every man’ results. Man again ends up being a [Yahweh]. Theologically and practically speaking, both of these false views lead to man’s [exaltation] and [Yahweh]’s humanization.”[9]
In theology, there exists only two: covenantal and meta-physical. With covenantal, Yahweh is personal, close. With metaphysical, the union exists beyond the physical, which exists as the “chain of being”. This has a common denominator – a continuity of being. In Ray R. Sutton’s book, he gives a great example of this called “The Totem Pole Image”.
“Totem Pole Image” Or CHAIN OF BEING (ALL LIFE OF SAME ESSENCE TO GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE)
[Yahweh] at Top.....(Pure Being)
Left Side of Chain of Being.....Right Side of Chain of Being
Irrationalism.....Rationalism
(Mysticism=Pure Being).....Man in Middle (Less Being).....(Logic=Pure Being)
Eastern Man has tended more toward this expression.....Western Man has tended more toward this expression
Demons at Bottom.....(Non-Being)
“Each person of the Trinity is transcendent to each of the others; that is, each person is not one or both of the others. At the same time, in sharing the same essence co-equally and co-extensively, each person is [Yahweh]. To describe this relationship, theologians use the term perichoresis. [Neither is the] personal distinctions are not diminished, [nor is] the substance of the Godhead...divided. Thus, each person is fully involved in the existence and actions of each of the others, but remains a distinct individualization of the essence. The following diagram, which properly pictures the two aspects, dates from ancient times.” [10]
At the beginning of Genesis, the account of how the original hierarchy dissolved takes place in a matter of a few Chapters. It takes place in the Garden of Eden. Now the Abrahamic Covenant broke down in the ‘furnace of Egyptian affliction’[11]; but Yahweh created a new hierarchy by defeating pharaoh and renewing the covenant at Mount Sinai (Horeb).
Deuteronomy 1:6 “[Yahweh] our [Yahweh] said to us at Horeb, you have stayed long enough at this mountain.”
“Moses called Mt. Sinai Horeb almost exclusively in this book, ". . . in keeping with the rhetorical style of the book." The events in this section of verses took place before Israel left Horeb. The references to "the river Euphrates" (v. 7) and "the stars of heaven for multitude" (v. 10) hark back to [Yahweh]'s promises to Abraham.”[12]
Deuteronomy 1:12 - 17 “But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.” You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
The Second Point of Covenantalism (Hierarchy)
Here is where Yahweh established a series of courts, the second point of covenantalism (hierarchy), with delegated authorities over each level. This is one of the ways that Yahweh makes His transcendence known on earth. The suzerain identifies himself as Lord and then He proved it by setting up His authority in history. He also makes the newly occupied vassal a visible authority. This progressive movement from declaration of transcendence to the temporal demonstration of transcendence, from the verbal to the visible, is the very expression of Yahweh’s sovereignty. This type of progression exists throughout the Bible.
In the beginning, Yahweh created the world and visualized it. After which, He declared light. If the light had not come into existence, it would be safe to say that Yahweh could not declare light. This shows that whatever Yahweh declares, it happens.
Now, enter Satan. He offered divine authority to Adam over delegated authority. Adam would be able to know (determine) good and evil. To manifest Yahweh was not by knowing; but to rule by delegated authority. The repercussions for Man where catastrophic.
“[Yahweh] speaks, and man obeys. [Yahweh]’s authority is over man, and man’s authority is over the creation. Man mediates between [Yahweh] and the creation. But Satan comes, disguised as a creature which [is] below man...also speaks.”[13]
“The rest of the Bible tells the story of how [Yahweh] re-established not His sovereignty -He never lost it because it can’t be lost – but Adam’s hierarchical rule over the world. ...the true Son, Jesus Christ...was the only one who could truly manifest [Yahweh]’s visible sovereignty. He died, rose again, and put a new delegated hierarchy on the earth again, the Church.”[14]
This portion of the covenant existed for Israel as a representative for Yahweh. Israel remained priesthood. Not just by representing themselves from the inside; but representing the rest of the nation (a part for the whole). Representation remains an inescapable act. Yahweh “...has Mediators who bring the message of salvation, and they in turn have representatives, general and special, who rule under them. This creates [Yahweh]’s visible sovereignty on the earth, making submission or accountability extremely important.”[15]
Accountability
Accountability is something most people do not like hearing. No one wants anyone else to find out his or her personal vices. There should always be checks and balances done by someone else. Who knows, you may be too close to the forest to see the trees.
There are seven things to remember for accountability:
1. Disobedience / rebellion always leads to the wilderness wandering
Deuteronomy 1:26 “But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of [Yahweh] your [Yahweh].”
2. Here you encounter enemies you can’t defeat without submission to the hierarchy
Deuteronomy 1:41 - 42 “Then you replied, “We have sinned against [Yahweh]. We will go up and fight, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country. But [Yahweh] said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’ ”
3. Disobedience / rebellion destroys unity
4. Marching comes before fighting
Deuteronomy 2:14
“Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley.”
5. Submission comes before privilege
Deuteronomy 3:12
“Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.”
6. Ways of rebellion is removed slowly
Deuteronomy 1:35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors…”
7. Lack of accountability leads to idolatry
Deuteronomy 4:15 - 16
“You saw no form of any kind the day [Yahweh] spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman…”
History is covenantal. It is a story of application. The Deuteronomic History exists as a miniature picture of the relationship between history and covenant.
Redemptive History
Keep these Redemptive History overviews in mind: the hierarchy (Deut. 1:9 – 18), the fall of hierarchy (Deut. 1:19 – 46), the series of tests (Deut. 2:1 – 3:29), the judgments (Deut. 4:1 – 24), and the superior hierarchy (Deut. 4:25 – 49). Thus, we can picture 2 principles in this history. First, there is similarity between Deuteronomy and the New Covenant. This similarity is the covenantal structure. Just as everything encoded in humans starts in the first cells of our very existence, thus the beginnings of the covenant, in Genesis, remains formed in the very first seed. Secondly, there is dissimilarity between Moses and Joshua in their progression and development.
Looking back at verse 6 going thru 8, Moses reminds the Israelites of the promise that Yahweh had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The importance of this has two main points:
1. That covenant tradition of promise.
2. The experience of Yahweh working out in content this promise.
What Yahweh has done in the past and what He will do in the future exists as a presentation of a faithful Yahweh. He was ready to send them over to the Promise Land; however, something had to be done first. With all the burdens and disputes (vs. 12) Moses had to contend with, Yahweh appoints leaders to help carry these burdens of legal decisions that needed to be addressed with the giving of The Law. After all, Moses was only human.
Now fast-forward to Deuteronomy 1:19 – 31, something interesting was happening. The Calling of The Israelites to fight. This remained necessary; but they were not willing to participate. Here, Moses does something interesting. Almost like he was not only talking directly to the Israelites; but, maybe an individual sporadically (Joshua?), bouncing from the singular form of speaking to the plural form.
Deuteronomy 1:19 - 20 “Then, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
Deuteronomy 1:21 “See, [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 1:22 - 23 “Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe.”
Deuteronomy 1:29 - 30 “Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified...[Yahweh] your [Yahweh], who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes…”
Singular versus Plural
In verse 21, Moses speaks to the Israelites in a singular form; whereas in verses 29 – 30, Moses repeats the same exhortation but in a plural form. All three of these verses speak of fear, being terrified, and afraid. Right in the middle of this, Moses gives the insinuation that everything is going well. Verse 21 is also a repetition of a previous verse (vs. 8).
Deuteronomy 1:8 “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that [Yahweh] swore he would give to your fathers— to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”
Also in verses 19 – 20, Moses states that they have already reached Kadesh and the Hill Country of the Amorites when they are still being call up to go take the land.
Despite the encouragement from Moses, the Israelites still rebelled against Yahweh. Instead of going into the land that Yahweh promised them, they sent out spies in order to see for themselves whether they could take the land. They brought this idea to Moses and he himself thought it to be a good idea. This is when they messed up. The spies came back and stated that the people where taller than them, the cities where much too large, and the city walls reached to the sky and they where terrified. Yahweh heard them and swore that no one from this evil generation would see the Promise Land except for Caleb and Joshua. So, the Israelites where detoured the long way around.
Deuteronomy 1:31 “…There you saw how [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Deuteronomy 1:31 is another verse found in singular form. This verse is founded on the strength and support of Yahweh. Back in verse 30, Yahweh is described as a Warlord, a Conqueror; whereas 31, He is a Father, a Protector. These images are abnormal due to the fact that in verse 9,
Deuteronomy 1:9 “At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.”
the support of Yahweh was not there, but Moses support was. This is not a disagreement between verses, but a difference in point of view and expression of one person.
Leadership
Now, a good leader is an exceptionally wonderful gift for any country or community. Unfortunately, here in the 21st Century, we have had our fair share of appalling leaders. Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini are just a few. In Old Testament times, Israel also had their fair share of appalling leaders. Of all of them, Moses remains a glorious exception to the case. In Chapter 1, Moses displays 6 outstanding qualities for anyone that would like to obtain the status of great leadership.
1. Submissiveness
2. Realistic
3. Confidence
4. Sacrificial
5. Sharing
6. Vulnerability
In the opening paragraph, Moses exists as a submissive communicator of Yahweh’s word. A true leader must be subservant to the revealed Word of Yahweh. Pondering on three areas of truth remains necessary at this point.
1. His preaching was paramount.
2. The 11 days it took for the first part of the journey.
3. The 40 years it actually took.
Secondly, he frankly confesses his inner most insufficiency. Look at verse 9:
Deuteronomy 1:9 “At that time I said to you, You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.”
He had no reason to show off his capabilities. He remained and existed under the pure and total direction of Yahweh. This powerful spiritual leader exists as a genuine realist. Just keeping it real.
The third quality is confidence and that is not Moses. He did not put confidence in himself; but, on the other hand, he put it totally in Yahweh. After all, Moses had Yahweh’s promise to deliver Israel from Egypt into The Promise Land.
Fourthly, one must remain sacrificial. When called to leadership, one must remember that it will not be easy. It will take time (sometimes 40 years).
One must also be able to delegate the work amongst the people around him. It had to be a shared responsibility if it was to become a shared community.
Finally, one must see the vulnerability of the people around him. There lives great dangers in leadership that need mentioning: favoritism, fear, and loneliness. Look at verses 16 – 17:
Deuteronomy 1:16 - 17 “And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
After a 100-mile journey, the Israelites arrived at Kadesh Barnea. They where fatigued; but, before going on to The Promise Land, they had to go through the hazardous Amorite territory. It became a time of fear; but the future is not something to fear. It is His future, not ours. They feared that they would fall into the Amorites hands forgetting that Yahweh had already gotten them through the tough times before. Failing to remember what they had learned from the long days and nights in the desert. During this, the previous generation had lost the opportunity to go into The Promise Land and they where destroyed. The next generation had the opportunity to move on, but where uncertain about it. Out of this next generation, two men would rise up, Joshua and Caleb. It was Joshua (though) that Moses took under his wing and taught how to be a great leader. For, he did not forget the promises that Yahweh had made in the past nor His protective hands.
(TNIV) Chapter 1
The Command to Leave Horeb
1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.
2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)
3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that [Yahweh] had commanded him concerning them.
4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
5 East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:
6 [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates.
8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that [Yahweh] swore he would give to your fathers— to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”
The Appointment of Leaders
9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.
10 [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky.
11 May [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?
13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”
14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”
15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.
16 And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.
17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.
18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.
Spies Sent Out
19 Then, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea.
20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.
21 See, [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”
23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe.
24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol and explored it.
25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
Rebellion Against [Yahweh]
26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of [Yahweh] your [Yahweh].
27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “[Yahweh] hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us.
28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’ ”
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.
30 [Yahweh] your [Yahweh], who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes,
31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
32 In spite of this, you did not trust in [Yahweh] your [Yahweh],
33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.
34 When [Yahweh] heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore:
35“No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors,
36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed [Yahweh] wholeheartedly.”
37 Because of you [Yahweh] became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either.
38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.
39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. ”
41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against [Yahweh]. We will go up and fight, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.
42 But [Yahweh] said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’ ”
43 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against [Yahweh]’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country.
44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah.
45 You came back and wept before [Yahweh], but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you.
46 And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.
Footnotes:
[1]Today’s New International Version: Electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 2006), Deut. 1:1 (All scripture used in this paper will come for the TNIV unless otherwise stated and emphasize may be added throughout.).
[2] Zegharia Kallai, “Where did Moses Speak (Deuteronomy 1:1 – 5)?” Vetus Testamentum, 1995, 190.
[3] “Suph,” http://www.wikipedia.com (accessed December 31, 2008).
[4] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 16 – 17.
[5] Ibid. Pg. 28
[6] Ibid. Pg. 27
[7] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant, Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 31 – 32.
[8] Ibid. Pg. 34
[9] Ibid. Pg. 35
[10] Jack Willsey, Recovering Transcendence and Immanence, NARBC Pastors Conference, September 1, 2003.
[11] James B. Jordan, Covenant Sequence in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1989), 58.
[12] Dr. Thomas L. Constable, “Notes on Deuteronomy,” 2009, http://soniclight.com, (accessed 2008), 8.
[13] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 44.
[14] Ibid. Pg. 45.
[15] Ibid. Pg. 47.
Deuteronomy 1:1 – 2 and 4 - 5 “These are the words Moses spoke…in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.) This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab…”[1]
“In respect of the place indicated by [Deuteronomy 1:1a] as related to the final activity of Moses, [it is] rightly point[ed] [that] the text ... refer[s] to the camping of Israel in the valley opposite Beth-peor (3:29), which is also the unknown place of Moses' death and burial (34:6)...”[2]
It was at the very end of the Israelites 40-year journey through the Wilderness and all of that previous rebellious generation had perished, the Crossing of the Jordan was at hand, and the time of Moses’ upcoming death was when [Yahweh] spoke to him. Deuteronomy 1:1 denoted the location of the Israelites that starts at the border of Canaan. The reference to Suph is a vital element here. It remains widely uncertain where Suph is located. Some scholars identify it with Suphah in Numbers 21:14 –
“That is why The Book of the Wars of [Yahweh] says: “. . . Zahab in Suphah and the ravines, the Arnon…”
as the probable location. While still others identify it with es-Sufah = Maaleh-acrabbim in Joshua 15:3 (KJV) –
“And it went out to the Southside to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the Southside unto Kadesh-Barnea: and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa.”
and yet still others with Zuph in 1 Samuel 9:5 –
“When they reached the district of Zuph...”
“It is most probable… this word is to be regarded as simply an abbreviation of Yam-suph, i.e., the "Red Sea."[3]
Covenantal
Shifting from geographical to covenantal, the center of The Book of Deuteronomy is The Deuteronomic Covenant. To deal with Deuteronomy, one must look at the form and complete construction of the Deuteronomic Covenant. The understanding of the context of The Covenant is Yahweh’s purpose in representing Himself as the Sovereign Redeemer, the Covenant-Maker, and Benefactor. One must also look at it legally, logically, and ethically, as well as theologically.
Within the covenant, there exists in Deuteronomy 5 points of covenantalism[4]:
1. True Transcendence (1:1 – 5, (Preamble))
2. Hierarchy (1:6 – 4, (Historical Prologue))
3. Ethics (5 – 26, (Stipulations))
4. Sanctions (27 – 30, (Covenant Ratification))
5. Continuity (31 – 34, (Covenant Continuity))
The first 2 points are located in the Preamble and the Historical Prologue, which consist of the first four Chapters (discussion of the next three will happen later). Within these two areas, there exist dots of light that examination in great depth is required.
The First Point of Covenantalism (True Transcendence)
With the first point of covenantalism, true transcendence (in Biblical sense) is an elementary difference between Creator and creature. In verse 3,
Deuteronomy 1:3 “…Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that [Yahweh] had commanded him concerning them.”
the writer of Deuteronomy states that the words Moses spoke are directly from Yahweh. He speaks what Yahweh has commanded him to speak. Thus, Yahweh is the Originator and Creator of The Deuteronomic Covenant. This same distinction can be found in Genesis 1:1 – 2 (Creation Covenant):
“In the beginning [Yahweh] created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of [Yahweh] was hovering over the waters.”
Just like the Deuteronomic Covenant was the spoken word of Yahweh, so was the Creation Covenant. Yahweh did not create The Deuteronomic Covenant out something already existing; it was null and void, formless in its beginning. Like the earth, it “was formless and empty”. Yahweh sometimes uses His transcendence to point out that He is Lord. In Isaiah 45:5 – 7, He states this firmly 3x’s:
“I am [Yahweh], and there is no other; apart from me there is no [Yahweh]. I am [Yahweh], and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness... I, [Yahweh], do all these things.”
Unlike The Deuteronomic and Creation Covenants, which were created out of nothing, Man was created out of something, [Yahweh]’s own image.
Genesis 1:26
"Then [Yahweh] said, “Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Since Yahweh created the world and sustains it, He is with the world at all times. This goes for Man as well. He created and sustained Man; He is also present with us. The name of this presence is “immanence”. This immanence of Yahweh is identical to the very feature of true transcendence. The combination of both of these, with the world and with Man, is the omnipresence. For Yahweh is here and everywhere.
With this in mind, look back at the opening verse (Deut. 1:3). It is declarative in nature. It means that the transcendence of The Covenant creates a legal declaration. In this type of declaration, imputed into the relationship was legal status. This status, called the doctrine of imputation, means applied to the account of.
“[Yahweh] told Adam that the day that he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die. He ate, yet he did not physical die... Then in what sense did he die? Some people try to explain his death as “spiritual”. [However], the Bible does not speak this way. A better explanation is that Adam’s death was covenantal, in that [Yahweh] imputed death to him. [Yahweh] counted him as dead because of the broken covenant. He would see the covenantal applications of death in history. Those manifestations of covenantal death would be all around him throughout his life. Imputation went from life to death: from Adam’s [entire] life...”[5]
In covenant theology, this means that our relationship with Yahweh relies on a transcendent declaration. A declaration that remains both legal and ethical. Nevertheless, there exists a problem with covenants; Man, not by Yahweh, can break them. A transcendent Yahweh enforces the law that man repeatedly breaks. Nevertheless, Man wanted to be just like Him, knowing and determining the difference between good and evil. So hence, the personal relationship died. The covenant was no longer.
“...because all of [Yahweh]’s personal relations with mankind are covenantal relations. They are not lawless relations. They are not random. They are personal because they are covenantal.”[6]
There is a principle that exits here and that is what officially created the relationship can also destroy that same relationship; it imputes the status of covenant life or death in the unification.
Imagine that you are talking to someone and he/she just drops dead right in front of you. Would you bury him/her? Hope not. He/she might be in a coma. You would first call someone of legal status, like a coroner. You would have him/her declared dead. This standard of declaring someone legally dead is the first point of covenantalism. At this point, you could say that life and death are covenantal.
This brings up something interesting. Can someone be covenantally dead and physically existing? Yes. Jesus said in Revelation 3:9:
“I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars — I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.”
They exist physically, but remain covenantally dead. Their prayers, preachings, and worship exist for Satan. To Yahweh, this type of death is more true and pronounced than the physical. On the other side, the covenant can and must be re-newed and be resurrected. Israel had to re-new its covenant before she could continue as a nation.
2 Chronicles 7:14
“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This should serve as a reminder of why the destruction of nations happens when they fail to renew the covenant after they had broken it. However, where there is death there shall be life.
“Also, this transcendent and legal foundation of [a relationship] makes it more than just a human institution. [Yahweh] establishes [relationships]... Men do not [alone] (self-law) create [relationships], nor should they destroy them…Jesus says, ‘What [Yahweh] has joined together, a man should not put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). Only the covenantal principle of transcendence makes it possible to declare or impute such a [relationship].”[7]
By this means, with compliance from both parties, the relationship shall thrive. Yahweh imputes the law, we need to obey it. By the means of transcendence (distinction of being), Yahweh created the Deuteronomic Covenant and did it by means of a legal declaration.
Men want a transcendent Yahweh, but without the covenant, without the personal touch and closeness. He substitutes a distant [Yahweh] for the all-too-present Yahweh of The Bible. This type of anti-Biblical transcendence means distance, not Yahweh’s total power and authority. Therefore, without a true transcendent, unique, and covenantal Yahweh, men simply duplicate the sin of Adam. Who becomes Yahweh at this point? Man does.
“[In pantheism], this [type of] [Yahweh]… is immersed in his creation. He is the “true reality” of creation. [Nevertheless], in all...pantheistic religions, man is endowed by a ‘spark of divinity’, and man will ultimately experience union with [Yahweh]. This is the [Yahweh] of monism. [Yahweh] cannot be distinguished from the creation.”[8]
Again, who becomes Yahweh? You guessed it! Man! All these types of non-covenantal views exist with two things in common. They both teach union and essence. Yahweh and man’s existence run together and blend into one. This is wrong. Yahweh and man exist as two complete distinct different beings.
“False transcendence [defined earlier] totally removes [Yahweh] from any involvement with His creation, thereby making man his own “[Yahweh].” False immanence (pantheism) coalesces the nature of [Yahweh] and the nature of man, so that some kind of ‘spark of divinity in every man’ results. Man again ends up being a [Yahweh]. Theologically and practically speaking, both of these false views lead to man’s [exaltation] and [Yahweh]’s humanization.”[9]
In theology, there exists only two: covenantal and meta-physical. With covenantal, Yahweh is personal, close. With metaphysical, the union exists beyond the physical, which exists as the “chain of being”. This has a common denominator – a continuity of being. In Ray R. Sutton’s book, he gives a great example of this called “The Totem Pole Image”.
“Totem Pole Image” Or CHAIN OF BEING (ALL LIFE OF SAME ESSENCE TO GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE)
[Yahweh] at Top.....(Pure Being)
Left Side of Chain of Being.....Right Side of Chain of Being
Irrationalism.....Rationalism
(Mysticism=Pure Being).....Man in Middle (Less Being).....(Logic=Pure Being)
Eastern Man has tended more toward this expression.....Western Man has tended more toward this expression
Demons at Bottom.....(Non-Being)
“Each person of the Trinity is transcendent to each of the others; that is, each person is not one or both of the others. At the same time, in sharing the same essence co-equally and co-extensively, each person is [Yahweh]. To describe this relationship, theologians use the term perichoresis. [Neither is the] personal distinctions are not diminished, [nor is] the substance of the Godhead...divided. Thus, each person is fully involved in the existence and actions of each of the others, but remains a distinct individualization of the essence. The following diagram, which properly pictures the two aspects, dates from ancient times.” [10]
At the beginning of Genesis, the account of how the original hierarchy dissolved takes place in a matter of a few Chapters. It takes place in the Garden of Eden. Now the Abrahamic Covenant broke down in the ‘furnace of Egyptian affliction’[11]; but Yahweh created a new hierarchy by defeating pharaoh and renewing the covenant at Mount Sinai (Horeb).
Deuteronomy 1:6 “[Yahweh] our [Yahweh] said to us at Horeb, you have stayed long enough at this mountain.”
“Moses called Mt. Sinai Horeb almost exclusively in this book, ". . . in keeping with the rhetorical style of the book." The events in this section of verses took place before Israel left Horeb. The references to "the river Euphrates" (v. 7) and "the stars of heaven for multitude" (v. 10) hark back to [Yahweh]'s promises to Abraham.”[12]
Deuteronomy 1:12 - 17 “But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.” You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
The Second Point of Covenantalism (Hierarchy)
Here is where Yahweh established a series of courts, the second point of covenantalism (hierarchy), with delegated authorities over each level. This is one of the ways that Yahweh makes His transcendence known on earth. The suzerain identifies himself as Lord and then He proved it by setting up His authority in history. He also makes the newly occupied vassal a visible authority. This progressive movement from declaration of transcendence to the temporal demonstration of transcendence, from the verbal to the visible, is the very expression of Yahweh’s sovereignty. This type of progression exists throughout the Bible.
In the beginning, Yahweh created the world and visualized it. After which, He declared light. If the light had not come into existence, it would be safe to say that Yahweh could not declare light. This shows that whatever Yahweh declares, it happens.
Now, enter Satan. He offered divine authority to Adam over delegated authority. Adam would be able to know (determine) good and evil. To manifest Yahweh was not by knowing; but to rule by delegated authority. The repercussions for Man where catastrophic.
“[Yahweh] speaks, and man obeys. [Yahweh]’s authority is over man, and man’s authority is over the creation. Man mediates between [Yahweh] and the creation. But Satan comes, disguised as a creature which [is] below man...also speaks.”[13]
“The rest of the Bible tells the story of how [Yahweh] re-established not His sovereignty -He never lost it because it can’t be lost – but Adam’s hierarchical rule over the world. ...the true Son, Jesus Christ...was the only one who could truly manifest [Yahweh]’s visible sovereignty. He died, rose again, and put a new delegated hierarchy on the earth again, the Church.”[14]
This portion of the covenant existed for Israel as a representative for Yahweh. Israel remained priesthood. Not just by representing themselves from the inside; but representing the rest of the nation (a part for the whole). Representation remains an inescapable act. Yahweh “...has Mediators who bring the message of salvation, and they in turn have representatives, general and special, who rule under them. This creates [Yahweh]’s visible sovereignty on the earth, making submission or accountability extremely important.”[15]
Accountability
Accountability is something most people do not like hearing. No one wants anyone else to find out his or her personal vices. There should always be checks and balances done by someone else. Who knows, you may be too close to the forest to see the trees.
There are seven things to remember for accountability:
1. Disobedience / rebellion always leads to the wilderness wandering
Deuteronomy 1:26 “But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of [Yahweh] your [Yahweh].”
2. Here you encounter enemies you can’t defeat without submission to the hierarchy
Deuteronomy 1:41 - 42 “Then you replied, “We have sinned against [Yahweh]. We will go up and fight, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country. But [Yahweh] said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’ ”
3. Disobedience / rebellion destroys unity
4. Marching comes before fighting
Deuteronomy 2:14
“Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley.”
5. Submission comes before privilege
Deuteronomy 3:12
“Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.”
6. Ways of rebellion is removed slowly
Deuteronomy 1:35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors…”
7. Lack of accountability leads to idolatry
Deuteronomy 4:15 - 16
“You saw no form of any kind the day [Yahweh] spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman…”
History is covenantal. It is a story of application. The Deuteronomic History exists as a miniature picture of the relationship between history and covenant.
Redemptive History
Keep these Redemptive History overviews in mind: the hierarchy (Deut. 1:9 – 18), the fall of hierarchy (Deut. 1:19 – 46), the series of tests (Deut. 2:1 – 3:29), the judgments (Deut. 4:1 – 24), and the superior hierarchy (Deut. 4:25 – 49). Thus, we can picture 2 principles in this history. First, there is similarity between Deuteronomy and the New Covenant. This similarity is the covenantal structure. Just as everything encoded in humans starts in the first cells of our very existence, thus the beginnings of the covenant, in Genesis, remains formed in the very first seed. Secondly, there is dissimilarity between Moses and Joshua in their progression and development.
Looking back at verse 6 going thru 8, Moses reminds the Israelites of the promise that Yahweh had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The importance of this has two main points:
1. That covenant tradition of promise.
2. The experience of Yahweh working out in content this promise.
What Yahweh has done in the past and what He will do in the future exists as a presentation of a faithful Yahweh. He was ready to send them over to the Promise Land; however, something had to be done first. With all the burdens and disputes (vs. 12) Moses had to contend with, Yahweh appoints leaders to help carry these burdens of legal decisions that needed to be addressed with the giving of The Law. After all, Moses was only human.
Now fast-forward to Deuteronomy 1:19 – 31, something interesting was happening. The Calling of The Israelites to fight. This remained necessary; but they were not willing to participate. Here, Moses does something interesting. Almost like he was not only talking directly to the Israelites; but, maybe an individual sporadically (Joshua?), bouncing from the singular form of speaking to the plural form.
Deuteronomy 1:19 - 20 “Then, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
Deuteronomy 1:21 “See, [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 1:22 - 23 “Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.” The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe.”
Deuteronomy 1:29 - 30 “Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified...[Yahweh] your [Yahweh], who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes…”
Singular versus Plural
In verse 21, Moses speaks to the Israelites in a singular form; whereas in verses 29 – 30, Moses repeats the same exhortation but in a plural form. All three of these verses speak of fear, being terrified, and afraid. Right in the middle of this, Moses gives the insinuation that everything is going well. Verse 21 is also a repetition of a previous verse (vs. 8).
Deuteronomy 1:8 “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that [Yahweh] swore he would give to your fathers— to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”
Also in verses 19 – 20, Moses states that they have already reached Kadesh and the Hill Country of the Amorites when they are still being call up to go take the land.
Despite the encouragement from Moses, the Israelites still rebelled against Yahweh. Instead of going into the land that Yahweh promised them, they sent out spies in order to see for themselves whether they could take the land. They brought this idea to Moses and he himself thought it to be a good idea. This is when they messed up. The spies came back and stated that the people where taller than them, the cities where much too large, and the city walls reached to the sky and they where terrified. Yahweh heard them and swore that no one from this evil generation would see the Promise Land except for Caleb and Joshua. So, the Israelites where detoured the long way around.
Deuteronomy 1:31 “…There you saw how [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Deuteronomy 1:31 is another verse found in singular form. This verse is founded on the strength and support of Yahweh. Back in verse 30, Yahweh is described as a Warlord, a Conqueror; whereas 31, He is a Father, a Protector. These images are abnormal due to the fact that in verse 9,
Deuteronomy 1:9 “At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.”
the support of Yahweh was not there, but Moses support was. This is not a disagreement between verses, but a difference in point of view and expression of one person.
Leadership
Now, a good leader is an exceptionally wonderful gift for any country or community. Unfortunately, here in the 21st Century, we have had our fair share of appalling leaders. Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini are just a few. In Old Testament times, Israel also had their fair share of appalling leaders. Of all of them, Moses remains a glorious exception to the case. In Chapter 1, Moses displays 6 outstanding qualities for anyone that would like to obtain the status of great leadership.
1. Submissiveness
2. Realistic
3. Confidence
4. Sacrificial
5. Sharing
6. Vulnerability
In the opening paragraph, Moses exists as a submissive communicator of Yahweh’s word. A true leader must be subservant to the revealed Word of Yahweh. Pondering on three areas of truth remains necessary at this point.
1. His preaching was paramount.
2. The 11 days it took for the first part of the journey.
3. The 40 years it actually took.
Secondly, he frankly confesses his inner most insufficiency. Look at verse 9:
Deuteronomy 1:9 “At that time I said to you, You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.”
He had no reason to show off his capabilities. He remained and existed under the pure and total direction of Yahweh. This powerful spiritual leader exists as a genuine realist. Just keeping it real.
The third quality is confidence and that is not Moses. He did not put confidence in himself; but, on the other hand, he put it totally in Yahweh. After all, Moses had Yahweh’s promise to deliver Israel from Egypt into The Promise Land.
Fourthly, one must remain sacrificial. When called to leadership, one must remember that it will not be easy. It will take time (sometimes 40 years).
One must also be able to delegate the work amongst the people around him. It had to be a shared responsibility if it was to become a shared community.
Finally, one must see the vulnerability of the people around him. There lives great dangers in leadership that need mentioning: favoritism, fear, and loneliness. Look at verses 16 – 17:
Deuteronomy 1:16 - 17 “And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
After a 100-mile journey, the Israelites arrived at Kadesh Barnea. They where fatigued; but, before going on to The Promise Land, they had to go through the hazardous Amorite territory. It became a time of fear; but the future is not something to fear. It is His future, not ours. They feared that they would fall into the Amorites hands forgetting that Yahweh had already gotten them through the tough times before. Failing to remember what they had learned from the long days and nights in the desert. During this, the previous generation had lost the opportunity to go into The Promise Land and they where destroyed. The next generation had the opportunity to move on, but where uncertain about it. Out of this next generation, two men would rise up, Joshua and Caleb. It was Joshua (though) that Moses took under his wing and taught how to be a great leader. For, he did not forget the promises that Yahweh had made in the past nor His protective hands.
(TNIV) Chapter 1
The Command to Leave Horeb
1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.
2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)
3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that [Yahweh] had commanded him concerning them.
4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
5 East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:
6 [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates.
8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that [Yahweh] swore he would give to your fathers— to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”
The Appointment of Leaders
9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.
10 [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky.
11 May [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?
13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”
14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”
15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.
16 And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.
17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to [Yahweh]. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.
18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.
Spies Sent Out
19 Then, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea.
20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.
21 See, [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as [Yahweh], the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”
23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe.
24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol and explored it.
25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
Rebellion Against [Yahweh]
26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of [Yahweh] your [Yahweh].
27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “[Yahweh] hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us.
28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’ ”
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.
30 [Yahweh] your [Yahweh], who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes,
31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how [Yahweh] your [Yahweh] carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
32 In spite of this, you did not trust in [Yahweh] your [Yahweh],
33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.
34 When [Yahweh] heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore:
35“No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors,
36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed [Yahweh] wholeheartedly.”
37 Because of you [Yahweh] became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either.
38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.
39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. ”
41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against [Yahweh]. We will go up and fight, as [Yahweh] our [Yahweh] commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.
42 But [Yahweh] said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’ ”
43 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against [Yahweh]’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country.
44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah.
45 You came back and wept before [Yahweh], but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you.
46 And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.
Footnotes:
[1]Today’s New International Version: Electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 2006), Deut. 1:1 (All scripture used in this paper will come for the TNIV unless otherwise stated and emphasize may be added throughout.).
[2] Zegharia Kallai, “Where did Moses Speak (Deuteronomy 1:1 – 5)?” Vetus Testamentum, 1995, 190.
[3] “Suph,” http://www.wikipedia.com (accessed December 31, 2008).
[4] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 16 – 17.
[5] Ibid. Pg. 28
[6] Ibid. Pg. 27
[7] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant, Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 31 – 32.
[8] Ibid. Pg. 34
[9] Ibid. Pg. 35
[10] Jack Willsey, Recovering Transcendence and Immanence, NARBC Pastors Conference, September 1, 2003.
[11] James B. Jordan, Covenant Sequence in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1989), 58.
[12] Dr. Thomas L. Constable, “Notes on Deuteronomy,” 2009, http://soniclight.com, (accessed 2008), 8.
[13] Ray R. Sutton, That You May Prosper: Dominion by Covenant (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987), 44.
[14] Ibid. Pg. 45.
[15] Ibid. Pg. 47.
Study Questions for Chapter 1
On a blank piece of paper, try to answer the following questions. Remember, there exists no right or wrong answers.
1.) Describe the boundaries of the Promise Land.
2.) What form of government was set up?
3.) What happened at Kadesh Barnes?
4.) What complaint did the people have at this time?
5.) What was the penalty for their sin?
6.) [Yahweh]’s purpose for you…What is salvation? How does a person become a Christian?
7.) [Yahweh]’s plan for the Israelites…What are the three steps or stages in Israel’s early life?
a.
b.
c.
What are the three steps or stages of the spiritual life?
a.
b.
c.
8.) [Yahweh]’s program in Deuteronomy…What real danger does every believer face in his/her Christian experience?...What is the major emphasis of Deuteronomy?
9.) Why was The Book of Deuteronomy written?
10.) Who spoke the three messages that The Book of Deuteronomy contains?
a.
b.
c.
11.) Delivering the Israelites from Egypt was only part of [Yahweh]'s purpose for His chosen people. What was the other part of [Yahweh]'s purpose for them?
12.) A Neglected Challenge (Deut. 1:1-33)...In Deuteronomy 1:6-8, what had [Yahweh] indicated He wanted the Israelites to do?
13.) A Shut Door (Deut. 1:34-40)...What was the result of Israel's failure to go forward?
14.) A Late Desire (Deut. 1:41-46)...What happened when the Israelites tried to enter Canaan in their own strength?
1.) Describe the boundaries of the Promise Land.
2.) What form of government was set up?
3.) What happened at Kadesh Barnes?
4.) What complaint did the people have at this time?
5.) What was the penalty for their sin?
6.) [Yahweh]’s purpose for you…What is salvation? How does a person become a Christian?
7.) [Yahweh]’s plan for the Israelites…What are the three steps or stages in Israel’s early life?
a.
b.
c.
What are the three steps or stages of the spiritual life?
a.
b.
c.
8.) [Yahweh]’s program in Deuteronomy…What real danger does every believer face in his/her Christian experience?...What is the major emphasis of Deuteronomy?
9.) Why was The Book of Deuteronomy written?
10.) Who spoke the three messages that The Book of Deuteronomy contains?
a.
b.
c.
11.) Delivering the Israelites from Egypt was only part of [Yahweh]'s purpose for His chosen people. What was the other part of [Yahweh]'s purpose for them?
12.) A Neglected Challenge (Deut. 1:1-33)...In Deuteronomy 1:6-8, what had [Yahweh] indicated He wanted the Israelites to do?
13.) A Shut Door (Deut. 1:34-40)...What was the result of Israel's failure to go forward?
14.) A Late Desire (Deut. 1:41-46)...What happened when the Israelites tried to enter Canaan in their own strength?
Chapter 2
At the end of this Chapter, there contains 11 study questions for you to answer. There exists no right or wrong answers. Just answer them to your best ability with Yahweh’s guidance and study material presented in front of you. Now, as we open our bibles to Deuteronomy Chapter 2, one must remember to pray first and give S.P.A.C.E.
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Continuation of Chapter 1
Now, the transition from 1:46 to 2:1 would almost seem like Chapter 1 should not end there. Maybe it should end with verse 23. It is obvious that the Israelites remain in the process of punishment from rebelling against Yahweh back in verse 43 of Chapter 1.
Deuteronomy 1:46 and 2:1
“And so you stayed in Kadesh many days — all the time you spent there. Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.”
Deuteronomy 2:7 “The LORD your [Yahweh] has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your [Yahweh] has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.”
“[this] verse makes a good [continuation] to [verse 31] which considers [Yahweh] as a father to Israel in the desert.”[1]
Deuteronomy 2:14 - 16 “By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp… [and] …the LORD’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp. Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died…”
Verse 14 is a reminder that Yahweh said that He would kill of the entire generation of fighting men (See Numbers 14:29 – 35). He stayed against the Israelites until He had completely killed of that entire generation. This appeared to take an additional 2 years of tests. These particular three verses, however, do not appear to be neither singular nor plural form. Nevertheless, they do have one thing in common that is the repetition of “to come to an end”.
As a whole, Deuteronomy 2:5 - 19, the LORD reminds them of the covenant He made with Abraham. The first time is in verse 5. He tells them of Esau and his descendants that live in the hill country for they are not to be provoked them to war or harass them, not to even set foot onto their land. He has given it to them and they where to pay them with silver for food and water. The second time is in verse 9. He tells them of Lots descendants. The third time is in verse 19. Again, He tells them of Lots descendants and not to provoke them to war or harass them either.
Deuteronomy 2:24 “Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country...take possession of it and engage him in battle.”
A Call to Fight
Here is where a transition comes into play for it exists as a different scene, a different plot, a different thought. This should be the actual beginning of Chapter 2. The call to the Israelites for battle continues here. It exists in singular form. Sihon the Amorite is about to be “given into the hand” of the Israelite. Later, in verse 31, it repeats this same instruction again. Now, it does not appear that Sihon fears them;
Deuteronomy 2:32 “When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz…”
but, it is clearly stated back in verse 25 that they will be scared and frightened.
Deuteronomy 2:25 “This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
According to verse 30, Sihon was.
Deuteronomy 2:30 “For the LORD your [Yahweh] had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate …”
“… [this] divine hardening described in…vs. 30…was part of Yahweh’s sovereign judgment on a morally corrupt culture.” [2]
Mercy
Through this section, it shows that even though Yahweh had to discipline His people He would not abandon them. He remains a merciful. Discipline is not meant to last forever; it is merely a correction necessary to make happier and longer lives. Even though Israel was disobedient, Yahweh was very generous to them. He watched over them throughout their perilous journey and gave them provisions to sustain them. That is proof enough of His overwhelming generosity in not only Israel, but was also to other nations. They also deserved a home of their own, whether it is in heaven or hell. Giants are scarcely a hinder if they are located in coffins. Nearing the ends of their journey, Yahweh’s sovereignty remains a guarantee of safety and security for Israel.
This type of hardening, divine hardening, appears to develop made right in the faces of the Israelites. Finally, the Israelites made the right decision, fought Sihon, and defeated him. Therefore, despite Israel’s disobedience and rebellious ways, Yahweh still gave them parts of the “outskirts” of The Promise Land.
(TNIV) Chapter 2
Wanderings in the Wilderness
1 Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.
2 Then the LORD said to me,
3 “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.
4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.
5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.
6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’ ”
7 The LORD your [Yahweh] has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your [Yahweh] has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.
8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.
9 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”
10(The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites.
11 Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites.
12 Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the LORD gave them as their possession.)
13 And the LORD said, “Now get up and cross the Zered Valley.” So we crossed the valley.
14 Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.
15 The LORD’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.
16 Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died,
17 the LORD said to me,
18 “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar.
19 When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”
20(That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites.
21 They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.
22 The LORD had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day.
23 And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.)
Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon
24 “Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
25 This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
26 From the Desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying,
27 “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left.
28 Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot--
29 as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us—until we cross the Jordan into the land the LORD our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your [Yahweh] had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.
31 The LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”
32 When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz,
33 the LORD our [Yahweh] delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army.
34 At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors.
35 But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves.
36 From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The LORD our [Yahweh] gave us all of them.
37 But in accordance with the command of the LORD our [Yahweh], you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills.
Footnotes:
[1] Henri Cazelles. “Passages in the Singular within Discourse in the Plural of Deuteronomy 1 - 4.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, April 1967, 209.
[2] Robert B. Chisholm Jr., “Divine Hardening in the Old Testament.” Bibliotheca Sacra, October-December 1996, 430.
Now, the transition from 1:46 to 2:1 would almost seem like Chapter 1 should not end there. Maybe it should end with verse 23. It is obvious that the Israelites remain in the process of punishment from rebelling against Yahweh back in verse 43 of Chapter 1.
Deuteronomy 1:46 and 2:1
“And so you stayed in Kadesh many days — all the time you spent there. Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.”
Deuteronomy 2:7 “The LORD your [Yahweh] has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your [Yahweh] has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.”
“[this] verse makes a good [continuation] to [verse 31] which considers [Yahweh] as a father to Israel in the desert.”[1]
Deuteronomy 2:14 - 16 “By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp… [and] …the LORD’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp. Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died…”
Verse 14 is a reminder that Yahweh said that He would kill of the entire generation of fighting men (See Numbers 14:29 – 35). He stayed against the Israelites until He had completely killed of that entire generation. This appeared to take an additional 2 years of tests. These particular three verses, however, do not appear to be neither singular nor plural form. Nevertheless, they do have one thing in common that is the repetition of “to come to an end”.
As a whole, Deuteronomy 2:5 - 19, the LORD reminds them of the covenant He made with Abraham. The first time is in verse 5. He tells them of Esau and his descendants that live in the hill country for they are not to be provoked them to war or harass them, not to even set foot onto their land. He has given it to them and they where to pay them with silver for food and water. The second time is in verse 9. He tells them of Lots descendants. The third time is in verse 19. Again, He tells them of Lots descendants and not to provoke them to war or harass them either.
Deuteronomy 2:24 “Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country...take possession of it and engage him in battle.”
A Call to Fight
Here is where a transition comes into play for it exists as a different scene, a different plot, a different thought. This should be the actual beginning of Chapter 2. The call to the Israelites for battle continues here. It exists in singular form. Sihon the Amorite is about to be “given into the hand” of the Israelite. Later, in verse 31, it repeats this same instruction again. Now, it does not appear that Sihon fears them;
Deuteronomy 2:32 “When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz…”
but, it is clearly stated back in verse 25 that they will be scared and frightened.
Deuteronomy 2:25 “This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
According to verse 30, Sihon was.
Deuteronomy 2:30 “For the LORD your [Yahweh] had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate …”
“… [this] divine hardening described in…vs. 30…was part of Yahweh’s sovereign judgment on a morally corrupt culture.” [2]
Mercy
Through this section, it shows that even though Yahweh had to discipline His people He would not abandon them. He remains a merciful. Discipline is not meant to last forever; it is merely a correction necessary to make happier and longer lives. Even though Israel was disobedient, Yahweh was very generous to them. He watched over them throughout their perilous journey and gave them provisions to sustain them. That is proof enough of His overwhelming generosity in not only Israel, but was also to other nations. They also deserved a home of their own, whether it is in heaven or hell. Giants are scarcely a hinder if they are located in coffins. Nearing the ends of their journey, Yahweh’s sovereignty remains a guarantee of safety and security for Israel.
This type of hardening, divine hardening, appears to develop made right in the faces of the Israelites. Finally, the Israelites made the right decision, fought Sihon, and defeated him. Therefore, despite Israel’s disobedience and rebellious ways, Yahweh still gave them parts of the “outskirts” of The Promise Land.
(TNIV) Chapter 2
Wanderings in the Wilderness
1 Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the LORD had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir.
2 Then the LORD said to me,
3 “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.
4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful.
5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.
6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’ ”
7 The LORD your [Yahweh] has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your [Yahweh] has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.
8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and traveled along the desert road of Moab.
9 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.”
10(The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites.
11 Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites.
12 Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the LORD gave them as their possession.)
13 And the LORD said, “Now get up and cross the Zered Valley.” So we crossed the valley.
14 Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.
15 The LORD’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.
16 Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died,
17 the LORD said to me,
18 “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar.
19 When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”
20(That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites.
21 They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.
22 The LORD had done the same for the descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them. They drove them out and have lived in their place to this day.
23 And as for the Avvites who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites coming out from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.)
Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon
24 “Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
25 This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”
26 From the Desert of Kedemoth I sent messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon offering peace and saying,
27 “Let us pass through your country. We will stay on the main road; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left.
28 Sell us food to eat and water to drink for their price in silver. Only let us pass through on foot--
29 as the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar, did for us—until we cross the Jordan into the land the LORD our [Yahweh] is giving us.”
30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your [Yahweh] had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.
31 The LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”
32 When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz,
33 the LORD our [Yahweh] delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army.
34 At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors.
35 But the livestock and the plunder from the towns we had captured we carried off for ourselves.
36 From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The LORD our [Yahweh] gave us all of them.
37 But in accordance with the command of the LORD our [Yahweh], you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills.
Footnotes:
[1] Henri Cazelles. “Passages in the Singular within Discourse in the Plural of Deuteronomy 1 - 4.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, April 1967, 209.
[2] Robert B. Chisholm Jr., “Divine Hardening in the Old Testament.” Bibliotheca Sacra, October-December 1996, 430.
Study Questions for Chapter 2
On a blank piece of paper, try to answer the following questions. Remember, there exists no right or wrong answers.
1.) Who lived in Mount Seir? Who gave them that place?
2.) What were they told about the Moabites?
3.) Who was Sihon? What happened to him? Why?
4.) On what do tomorrow's opportunities depend?
5.) What were the three groups of people whom the Israelites came across in their journeys?
6.) What were the Israelites to do about these groups of people? Why?
7.) What should this teach us about our relations with other Christians?
8.) Are we to fight Christians who differ from us?
9.) How can you tell against which things you are to wage war and with which you are to peacefully coexist?
10.) Is the [Yahweh] of the Old Testament different from the [Yahweh] of the New Testament?
11.) Why were the Amorites utterly destroyed?
1.) Who lived in Mount Seir? Who gave them that place?
2.) What were they told about the Moabites?
3.) Who was Sihon? What happened to him? Why?
4.) On what do tomorrow's opportunities depend?
5.) What were the three groups of people whom the Israelites came across in their journeys?
6.) What were the Israelites to do about these groups of people? Why?
7.) What should this teach us about our relations with other Christians?
8.) Are we to fight Christians who differ from us?
9.) How can you tell against which things you are to wage war and with which you are to peacefully coexist?
10.) Is the [Yahweh] of the Old Testament different from the [Yahweh] of the New Testament?
11.) Why were the Amorites utterly destroyed?
Chapter 3
At the end of this Chapter, there contains 8 study questions for you to answer. There exists no right or wrong answers. Just answer them to your best ability with Yahweh’s guidance and study material presented in front of you. Now, as we open our bibles to Deuteronomy Chapter 3, one must remember to pray first and give S.P.A.C.E.
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Deuteronomy 3:1 “Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei.”
Deuteronomy 3:12 “Of the land...I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge...”
Even though Moses led the Israelite’s out of Egypt through The Wilderness towards The Promise Land, and interceded on behalf of them to keep the wrath of Yahweh from destroying them at Mount Sinai, in verse 26 and 27, Yahweh was upset with Moses’ disobedience and would not allow him to go over to the Promise Land.
Deuteronomy 3:26 - 27 “But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the LORD said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.”
Past blessings should serve as a reminder for future services. It is so possible that one can be so absorbed with doing their own work for Yahweh that it can be a hindrance for future fellowship with other believers. For the love of Yahweh is to be shared abundantly with others. This should cause one to exalt The Name of Yahweh. He is not only great, but also incomparable. Nobody can live entirely to himself or herself. Concern should be for others as well as us and that is the way to live. For it remains acceptable to serve others.
(TNIV) Chapter 3
Defeat of Og King of Bashan
1 Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei.
2 The LORD said to me, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.”
3 So the LORD our [Yahweh] also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.
4 At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—the whole region of Argob, Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
5 All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages.
6 We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city—men, women and children.
7 But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
8 So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon.
9 (Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.)
10 We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salekah and Edrei, towns of Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
11 (Og king of Bashan was the last of the Rephaites. His bed was decorated with iron and was more than nine cubits long and four cubits wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
Division of the Land
12 Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory
north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.
13 The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites.
14 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.)
15 And I gave Gilead to Makir.
16 But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.
17 Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
18 I commanded you at that time: “The LORD your [Yahweh] has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of the other Israelites.
19 However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you,
20 until the LORD gives rest to all your people as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your [Yahweh] is giving them across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you.”
Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan
21 At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the LORD your [Yahweh] has done to these two kings. The LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going.
22 Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your [Yahweh] himself will fight for you.”
23 At that time I pleaded with the LORD:
24 “Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what [Yahweh] is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?
25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan— that fine hill country and Lebanon.”
26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the LORD said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.
28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”
29 So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.
Deuteronomy 3:12 “Of the land...I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge...”
Even though Moses led the Israelite’s out of Egypt through The Wilderness towards The Promise Land, and interceded on behalf of them to keep the wrath of Yahweh from destroying them at Mount Sinai, in verse 26 and 27, Yahweh was upset with Moses’ disobedience and would not allow him to go over to the Promise Land.
Deuteronomy 3:26 - 27 “But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the LORD said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.”
Past blessings should serve as a reminder for future services. It is so possible that one can be so absorbed with doing their own work for Yahweh that it can be a hindrance for future fellowship with other believers. For the love of Yahweh is to be shared abundantly with others. This should cause one to exalt The Name of Yahweh. He is not only great, but also incomparable. Nobody can live entirely to himself or herself. Concern should be for others as well as us and that is the way to live. For it remains acceptable to serve others.
(TNIV) Chapter 3
Defeat of Og King of Bashan
1 Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei.
2 The LORD said to me, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.”
3 So the LORD our [Yahweh] also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.
4 At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—the whole region of Argob, Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
5 All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages.
6 We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city—men, women and children.
7 But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
8 So at that time we took from these two kings of the Amorites the territory east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far as Mount Hermon.
9 (Hermon is called Sirion by the Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.)
10 We took all the towns on the plateau, and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as Salekah and Edrei, towns of Og’s kingdom in Bashan.
11 (Og king of Bashan was the last of the Rephaites. His bed was decorated with iron and was more than nine cubits long and four cubits wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
Division of the Land
12 Of the land that we took over at that time, I gave the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory
north of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill country of Gilead, together with its towns.
13 The rest of Gilead and also all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The whole region of Argob in Bashan used to be known as a land of the Rephaites.
14 Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maakathites; it was named after him, so that to this day Bashan is called Havvoth Jair.)
15 And I gave Gilead to Makir.
16 But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.
17 Its western border was the Jordan in the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
18 I commanded you at that time: “The LORD your [Yahweh] has given you this land to take possession of it. But all your able-bodied men, armed for battle, must cross over ahead of the other Israelites.
19 However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you,
20 until the LORD gives rest to all your people as he has to you, and they too have taken over the land that the LORD your [Yahweh] is giving them across the Jordan. After that, each of you may go back to the possession I have given you.”
Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan
21 At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the LORD your [Yahweh] has done to these two kings. The LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going.
22 Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your [Yahweh] himself will fight for you.”
23 At that time I pleaded with the LORD:
24 “Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what [Yahweh] is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?
25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan— that fine hill country and Lebanon.”
26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the LORD said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.
27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.
28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”
29 So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.
Study Questions for Chapter 3
On a blank piece of paper, try to answer the following questions. Remember, there exists no right or wrong answers.
1.) What did Israel take from the kingdom of Og?
2.) What was given to the half tribe of Manasseh?
3.) Why was Moses not allowed to enter the Promised Land?
4.) Who was to take the place of Moses?
5.) What are some of the aspects of salvation?
6.) What responsibility do Christians, who have a good knowledge of the Bible, have for others?
7.) What were the tribes of Reuben and Gad commanded to do? Why?
1.) What did Israel take from the kingdom of Og?
2.) What was given to the half tribe of Manasseh?
3.) Why was Moses not allowed to enter the Promised Land?
4.) Who was to take the place of Moses?
5.) What are some of the aspects of salvation?
6.) What responsibility do Christians, who have a good knowledge of the Bible, have for others?
7.) What were the tribes of Reuben and Gad commanded to do? Why?
Chapter 4
At the end of this Chapter, there contains 17 study questions for you to answer. There exists no right or wrong answers. Just answer them to your best ability with Yahweh’s guidance and study material presented in front of you. Now, as we open our bibles to Deuteronomy Chapter 4, one must remember to pray first and give S.P.A.C.E.
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
Do you have a Sin to forsake?
Do you have a Promise to claim?
Do you have an Attitude to change?
Is there a Command to obey?
Is there an Example to follow?
More Singular and Plural
Now moving on to Chapter 4, there are even more passages written in singular, it can be deducted plural prevails in the first part of the Chapter and singular in the second part. Notice the passages below:[1]
1a: "Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. . . ." This is found [almost] word for word in 5,1a.
3b: "The LORD your [Yahweh] destroyed from among you…" Perhaps this is to be joined with the preceding verse: "…everyone who followed the Baal of Peor…"
9-10: "Only be careful . . . teach their children." There is a contrast with a former experience, preparing for an exhortation to the fear of [Yahweh] in the land where the Israelites have to pass.
19 on the astral cult. Only the second part of the verse is contrasted with the following verse 20 (plural).
21 in fine: "…enter the good land the LORD your [Yahweh] is giving you as your inheritance."
23 in fine: "…the Lord your [Yahweh] has forbidden." This is well connected with 24 and 25a, but badly connected syntactically with the remaining part of 23. Nevertheless, here the analysis is rendered more difficult because it is a question of succeeding generations: the plural can concern the Israel of Moses* time united with these later generations.
25 (KJV) in fine: "Which is evil in the sight of the Lord thy [Yahweh], to provoke him to anger."
29 (KJV): "Thou shalt seek (so in Sam, Vg; but plural in MT, LXX, Syr, Bodmer Coptic) from there the Lord thy [Yahweh] and thou shalt find (no suffix in MT) if thou search after him with all thy heart and all thy soul." We must note that the transition is not very good between the first verb (bqs) and the second, "if thou search" (drs).
30-40 (KJV) are singular, with the exception of 34b: "according to all that the Lord your [Yahweh] did for you in Egypt" (last word singular, "before thy eyes"). However, most expressions of 32b-34 have nothing in singular or plural save "as thou hast heard" (33b) and "before thy eyes" (34b); the theme is wisdom reflections like those of 5-8, Israel compared to the nations.
The previous 3 Chapters discussed “...the relationship between divine presence and the conquest of the land [are] fully articulated.”[2] Chapter 4 enters a completely new picture; it “... has long been recognized as a theologically dense Chapter. The driving rhetoric in no way hides a theological complexity and subtlety whose logic is not easily pursued.”[3] Here is where Moses digs in deep and starts teaching instead of leading.
Now, there is a definite distinction between Chapters 1 thru 3 and Chapter 4. The first notable change is that Chapters 1 thru 3 are considered historical narratives, where as Chapter 4 is a parenesis. A historical narrative exists as a story about historical events based on actual people and places, usually spoken by a single person. A parenesis is considered an exhortation, which is a complete different chain of events. Chapter 4 is a consistent covenant form. It is coherent with the remainder of the Deuteronomistic History. The plurality of forms that where discussed earlier are not convincing enough on their own as proof of multiple authorship. Secondly, Chapter 4 shows a consistent covenant form. Covenant forms have demonstrated less flexibility to analysis. Thirdly, connections between the events of Chapters 1 thru 3 and the exhortation of Chapter 4 remain unsubstantial. In addition, Chapter 4 refers to a completely different set of historical events. Fourthly, there exist noteworthy thematic differences between the two, like experiences and historical / archaeological references. Finally, they put together with theories about the composition and editing of the Deuteronomic History. Where Deuteronomy 3:29 can be connected with 31:1, Deuteronomy 4 can be linked with other sections of later history.
Points Made
In the first 8 verses of Chapter 4, Moses makes 3 valid points. Look at verses 1 and 2:
Deuteronomy 4:1 - 2 “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your [Yahweh] that I give you.”
The first point here is that the Torah is normative and canonical in teaching. There remain basic elements in the teaching of Yahweh’s Law that need not be added to nor subtracted from. Yahweh’s Law is unchanging in authority and application. The interpretation and application, however, is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit. “Total acceptance of the will of the divine Benefactor would be the correct and reasonable response.”[4] Now look at verses 3 and 4:
Deuteronomy 4:3 - 4 “You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your [Yahweh] destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the LORD your [Yahweh] are still alive today.”
The second point is that through obedience to the Torah was the key to life. The Israelites must cleave themselves to His Law. The word “cleave” is significant in its own right. There would be great penalties for their transgressions if they refused to obey.
“By contrast the people standing before Moses were alive because they "held fast" to the Lord, and were rewarded with life. They were living testimony to the importance of obedience as evidence of commitment to Him.”[5]
Verses 5 – 8:
Deuteronomy 4:5 - 8 “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my [Yahweh] commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their [Yahweh]s near them the way the LORD our [Yahweh] is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”
The third point contains the highest privilege imaginable. This would be the way to national greatness. They would be separated from other nations and superior in wisdom as well a superior hierarchy.
Now Summarize
However, with these 8 verses (the introduction), the first 4 summarize the relations between Israel and Yahweh. This summarization breaks down into three steps. The first step is that Yahweh gives the commandments through Moses to Israel. The second is that obedience leads to life. The third is disobedience leads to destruction. The second 4 glorifies Yahweh’s commandments.
“This is no oppressive burden that is placed upon her, but rather the LORD’s words are the enlightenment of her thinking and her guide for living well.”[6]
Moses does not state about the consequences of disobedience; but does give an example of Beth-peor. As the disobedient are destroyed and the obedient are kept alive, so shall it be. He offers no moral justification for Yahweh to neither command Israel nor justify the destruction of the disloyal. It is simply this; obey Yahweh ---- no alternatives.
Verses 9 – 31 (central teaching) formulize themselves into three different formal sections that simply state, “take care”. The first section (vs. 9 – 14), Israel is warned to “take care” lest ye forgets. That is the purpose for Moses in reminding them of Horeb. This purpose was to be planted in their hearts and to the generations to come. The second section (vs. 15 – 22) expands on the continuing implications of their relationship with a formless Yahweh. This in turn would prevent them from making idols in His image.
“...she is warned to take care lest she “act corruptly by making an idol” for herself (v. 16) and lest she look up to heaven, see the sun, moon, and stars, and be led astray, bow down to them and serve them (v. 19).”[7]
Deuteronomy 4:16 and 19 “…so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman...And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your [Yahweh] has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.”
Thirdly, (vs. 23 – 31), a scenario would be played out if they would forget. Israel is warned not to be disloyal to Yahweh. Moreover, what would their fate be? They would be destroyed. Therefore, Israel needed to “take care” lest they prove themselves disloyal.
In verses 32- 40 (the conclusion), Moses confesses his faith before the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 4:32 “Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day [Yahweh] created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?”
He says that the Yahweh that spoke in the past is the same one who is speaking now. Israel must learn what Yahweh wants them to be by recalling what He has done in the past. Telling of their testimony should not be out of curiosity but as to show the measure of Yahweh in history. To recall on what He has done in the past opens the way into the future. The Israelites where called to contemplate on the wonders of Yahweh at Sinai, the Exodus, and in conquest. Moses begins his confession with rhetorical questions to show that Yahweh remains superior because He alone can remove people from bondage and reveal divine will without destroying them. Finally, this hierarchy, this history in Deuteronomy entails a transformational progression of history in The Bible.
Deuteronomy 4:41 - 43 “Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.”
As part of the allotment located in The Book of Joshua, Cities of Refuge where set aside for a person who has committed murder can flee. In addition, if it where manslaughter not murder that brought the judging, then the slayer would remain in that particular city until the high priest passes.
All these Laws where repeated to the Israelites. It is only speculation that this section was inserted to balance out the Books of Moses. It also remains speculated that it was repeated to the 2nd generation of Israelites for they had no real knowledge of The Law. Yahweh had killed their parents away due to disobedience. So hence, they had to be told of The Law. Moses does elaborate at Horeb (Mount Sinai) to covenant for which Yahweh had made with them.
The previous 4 Chapters can be wrapped up in one statement:
“This is a confession of faith, written by a preacher who believes that the [Yahweh] who has spoken in the past is speaking still.”[8]
With the end of Chapter 4 begins the end of Moses journey with Yahweh. From this point, he would teach the Israelites everything that Yahweh had taught him. He would hand the reigns over to Joshua. This is probably something that Moses did not see coming. Nevertheless, through his disobedience and rebellious ways, he was denied to go over into the Promise Land.
To see who is invisible, remember The Word He gave, the land He provided, His initiative and uniqueness, the warnings that where given, and His merciful and incomparable personality.
(TNIV) Chapter 4
Obedience Commanded
1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
3 You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor,
4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.”
11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
13 He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets.
14 And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
Idolatry Forbidden
15 You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,
16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,
18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
20 But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
21 The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance.
22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.
23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.
24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God and arousing his anger,
26 I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.
27 The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you.
28 There you will worship gods of wood and stone made by human hands, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.
29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him.
31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
The Lord Is God
32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?
33 Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived?
34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other.
36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.
37 Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength
38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.
Cities of Refuge
41 Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan,
42 to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life.
43 The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
Introduction to the Law
44 This is the law Moses set before the Israelites.
45 These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt
46 and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt.
47 They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan.
48 This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Sirionb (that is, Hermon),
49 and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Dead Sea,below the slopes of Pisgah.
Footnotes:
[1] Henri Cazelles. “Passages in the Singular within Discourse in the Plural of Deuteronomy 1 - 4.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, April 1967, 214 - 215.
[2] N. MacDonald, “The Literary Criticism and Rhetorical Logic of Deuteronomy 1 – 4.” Vetus Testamentum 2006, 216.
[3] Ibid. Pg. 212.
[4] Daniel I. Block, “The Grace of Torah: The Mosaic Prescription for Life (Deuteronomy 4:1 - 8; 6:20 – 25).” Bibliotheca Sacra, January – March 2005, 8.
[5] Ibid. Pg. 9.
[6] Rob Barrett. “Deuteronomy 4 and the Coercion of Israel.” September 20, 2005, 6.
[7] Ibid. Pg.8
[8] Donald G. Dawe, “From Text to Sermon: Deuteronomy 4:32 – 40.” Interpretation, April 2, 1993, 159.
Now moving on to Chapter 4, there are even more passages written in singular, it can be deducted plural prevails in the first part of the Chapter and singular in the second part. Notice the passages below:[1]
1a: "Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. . . ." This is found [almost] word for word in 5,1a.
3b: "The LORD your [Yahweh] destroyed from among you…" Perhaps this is to be joined with the preceding verse: "…everyone who followed the Baal of Peor…"
9-10: "Only be careful . . . teach their children." There is a contrast with a former experience, preparing for an exhortation to the fear of [Yahweh] in the land where the Israelites have to pass.
19 on the astral cult. Only the second part of the verse is contrasted with the following verse 20 (plural).
21 in fine: "…enter the good land the LORD your [Yahweh] is giving you as your inheritance."
23 in fine: "…the Lord your [Yahweh] has forbidden." This is well connected with 24 and 25a, but badly connected syntactically with the remaining part of 23. Nevertheless, here the analysis is rendered more difficult because it is a question of succeeding generations: the plural can concern the Israel of Moses* time united with these later generations.
25 (KJV) in fine: "Which is evil in the sight of the Lord thy [Yahweh], to provoke him to anger."
29 (KJV): "Thou shalt seek (so in Sam, Vg; but plural in MT, LXX, Syr, Bodmer Coptic) from there the Lord thy [Yahweh] and thou shalt find (no suffix in MT) if thou search after him with all thy heart and all thy soul." We must note that the transition is not very good between the first verb (bqs) and the second, "if thou search" (drs).
30-40 (KJV) are singular, with the exception of 34b: "according to all that the Lord your [Yahweh] did for you in Egypt" (last word singular, "before thy eyes"). However, most expressions of 32b-34 have nothing in singular or plural save "as thou hast heard" (33b) and "before thy eyes" (34b); the theme is wisdom reflections like those of 5-8, Israel compared to the nations.
The previous 3 Chapters discussed “...the relationship between divine presence and the conquest of the land [are] fully articulated.”[2] Chapter 4 enters a completely new picture; it “... has long been recognized as a theologically dense Chapter. The driving rhetoric in no way hides a theological complexity and subtlety whose logic is not easily pursued.”[3] Here is where Moses digs in deep and starts teaching instead of leading.
Now, there is a definite distinction between Chapters 1 thru 3 and Chapter 4. The first notable change is that Chapters 1 thru 3 are considered historical narratives, where as Chapter 4 is a parenesis. A historical narrative exists as a story about historical events based on actual people and places, usually spoken by a single person. A parenesis is considered an exhortation, which is a complete different chain of events. Chapter 4 is a consistent covenant form. It is coherent with the remainder of the Deuteronomistic History. The plurality of forms that where discussed earlier are not convincing enough on their own as proof of multiple authorship. Secondly, Chapter 4 shows a consistent covenant form. Covenant forms have demonstrated less flexibility to analysis. Thirdly, connections between the events of Chapters 1 thru 3 and the exhortation of Chapter 4 remain unsubstantial. In addition, Chapter 4 refers to a completely different set of historical events. Fourthly, there exist noteworthy thematic differences between the two, like experiences and historical / archaeological references. Finally, they put together with theories about the composition and editing of the Deuteronomic History. Where Deuteronomy 3:29 can be connected with 31:1, Deuteronomy 4 can be linked with other sections of later history.
Points Made
In the first 8 verses of Chapter 4, Moses makes 3 valid points. Look at verses 1 and 2:
Deuteronomy 4:1 - 2 “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the [Yahweh] of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your [Yahweh] that I give you.”
The first point here is that the Torah is normative and canonical in teaching. There remain basic elements in the teaching of Yahweh’s Law that need not be added to nor subtracted from. Yahweh’s Law is unchanging in authority and application. The interpretation and application, however, is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit. “Total acceptance of the will of the divine Benefactor would be the correct and reasonable response.”[4] Now look at verses 3 and 4:
Deuteronomy 4:3 - 4 “You saw with your own eyes what the LORD did at Baal Peor. The LORD your [Yahweh] destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the LORD your [Yahweh] are still alive today.”
The second point is that through obedience to the Torah was the key to life. The Israelites must cleave themselves to His Law. The word “cleave” is significant in its own right. There would be great penalties for their transgressions if they refused to obey.
“By contrast the people standing before Moses were alive because they "held fast" to the Lord, and were rewarded with life. They were living testimony to the importance of obedience as evidence of commitment to Him.”[5]
Verses 5 – 8:
Deuteronomy 4:5 - 8 “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my [Yahweh] commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their [Yahweh]s near them the way the LORD our [Yahweh] is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”
The third point contains the highest privilege imaginable. This would be the way to national greatness. They would be separated from other nations and superior in wisdom as well a superior hierarchy.
Now Summarize
However, with these 8 verses (the introduction), the first 4 summarize the relations between Israel and Yahweh. This summarization breaks down into three steps. The first step is that Yahweh gives the commandments through Moses to Israel. The second is that obedience leads to life. The third is disobedience leads to destruction. The second 4 glorifies Yahweh’s commandments.
“This is no oppressive burden that is placed upon her, but rather the LORD’s words are the enlightenment of her thinking and her guide for living well.”[6]
Moses does not state about the consequences of disobedience; but does give an example of Beth-peor. As the disobedient are destroyed and the obedient are kept alive, so shall it be. He offers no moral justification for Yahweh to neither command Israel nor justify the destruction of the disloyal. It is simply this; obey Yahweh ---- no alternatives.
Verses 9 – 31 (central teaching) formulize themselves into three different formal sections that simply state, “take care”. The first section (vs. 9 – 14), Israel is warned to “take care” lest ye forgets. That is the purpose for Moses in reminding them of Horeb. This purpose was to be planted in their hearts and to the generations to come. The second section (vs. 15 – 22) expands on the continuing implications of their relationship with a formless Yahweh. This in turn would prevent them from making idols in His image.
“...she is warned to take care lest she “act corruptly by making an idol” for herself (v. 16) and lest she look up to heaven, see the sun, moon, and stars, and be led astray, bow down to them and serve them (v. 19).”[7]
Deuteronomy 4:16 and 19 “…so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman...And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your [Yahweh] has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.”
Thirdly, (vs. 23 – 31), a scenario would be played out if they would forget. Israel is warned not to be disloyal to Yahweh. Moreover, what would their fate be? They would be destroyed. Therefore, Israel needed to “take care” lest they prove themselves disloyal.
In verses 32- 40 (the conclusion), Moses confesses his faith before the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 4:32 “Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day [Yahweh] created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?”
He says that the Yahweh that spoke in the past is the same one who is speaking now. Israel must learn what Yahweh wants them to be by recalling what He has done in the past. Telling of their testimony should not be out of curiosity but as to show the measure of Yahweh in history. To recall on what He has done in the past opens the way into the future. The Israelites where called to contemplate on the wonders of Yahweh at Sinai, the Exodus, and in conquest. Moses begins his confession with rhetorical questions to show that Yahweh remains superior because He alone can remove people from bondage and reveal divine will without destroying them. Finally, this hierarchy, this history in Deuteronomy entails a transformational progression of history in The Bible.
Deuteronomy 4:41 - 43 “Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.”
As part of the allotment located in The Book of Joshua, Cities of Refuge where set aside for a person who has committed murder can flee. In addition, if it where manslaughter not murder that brought the judging, then the slayer would remain in that particular city until the high priest passes.
All these Laws where repeated to the Israelites. It is only speculation that this section was inserted to balance out the Books of Moses. It also remains speculated that it was repeated to the 2nd generation of Israelites for they had no real knowledge of The Law. Yahweh had killed their parents away due to disobedience. So hence, they had to be told of The Law. Moses does elaborate at Horeb (Mount Sinai) to covenant for which Yahweh had made with them.
The previous 4 Chapters can be wrapped up in one statement:
“This is a confession of faith, written by a preacher who believes that the [Yahweh] who has spoken in the past is speaking still.”[8]
With the end of Chapter 4 begins the end of Moses journey with Yahweh. From this point, he would teach the Israelites everything that Yahweh had taught him. He would hand the reigns over to Joshua. This is probably something that Moses did not see coming. Nevertheless, through his disobedience and rebellious ways, he was denied to go over into the Promise Land.
To see who is invisible, remember The Word He gave, the land He provided, His initiative and uniqueness, the warnings that where given, and His merciful and incomparable personality.
(TNIV) Chapter 4
Obedience Commanded
1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
3 You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor,
4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."
7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.”
11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
13 He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets.
14 And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
Idolatry Forbidden
15 You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,
16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,
18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
20 But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
21 The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance.
22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.
23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.
24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God and arousing his anger,
26 I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.
27 The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you.
28 There you will worship gods of wood and stone made by human hands, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.
29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him.
31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
The Lord Is God
32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?
33 Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived?
34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other.
36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.
37 Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength
38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.
39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.
Cities of Refuge
41 Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan,
42 to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life.
43 The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
Introduction to the Law
44 This is the law Moses set before the Israelites.
45 These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt
46 and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt.
47 They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan.
48 This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Sirionb (that is, Hermon),
49 and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Dead Sea,below the slopes of Pisgah.
Footnotes:
[1] Henri Cazelles. “Passages in the Singular within Discourse in the Plural of Deuteronomy 1 - 4.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, April 1967, 214 - 215.
[2] N. MacDonald, “The Literary Criticism and Rhetorical Logic of Deuteronomy 1 – 4.” Vetus Testamentum 2006, 216.
[3] Ibid. Pg. 212.
[4] Daniel I. Block, “The Grace of Torah: The Mosaic Prescription for Life (Deuteronomy 4:1 - 8; 6:20 – 25).” Bibliotheca Sacra, January – March 2005, 8.
[5] Ibid. Pg. 9.
[6] Rob Barrett. “Deuteronomy 4 and the Coercion of Israel.” September 20, 2005, 6.
[7] Ibid. Pg.8
[8] Donald G. Dawe, “From Text to Sermon: Deuteronomy 4:32 – 40.” Interpretation, April 2, 1993, 159.
Study Questions for Chapter 4
On a blank piece of paper, try to answer the following questions. Remember, there exist no right or wrong answers.
1.) How does Moses describe the day that Yahweh gave the Law?
2.) What warning was given in Deuteronomy 4:15 – 24?
3.) What was the stated consequence of violating this law?
4.) What cities on the east side of the Jordan were set aside? Why?
5.) What is the purpose of the Bible?
6.) What is the dynamic of Christian living?
7.) What is the direction of Christian living?
8.) How is it possible for us to add to or take away from Yahweh’s Word?
9.) According to verse 6, what is the result of our heeding Yahweh’s Word?
10.) How does faith grow?
11.) What does the Bible mean by "Believing in Jesus"?
12.) What did the Israelites see on Mount Sinai?
13.) What might happen if we dwell on the human elements?
14.) What had happened at Kadesh Barnea?
15.) What may be wrong if we are constantly living in spiritual defeat?
16.) After we do wrong, how can we find the way to return to Yahweh?
17.) What does verse 29 tell us about the way to find Yahweh?
1.) How does Moses describe the day that Yahweh gave the Law?
2.) What warning was given in Deuteronomy 4:15 – 24?
3.) What was the stated consequence of violating this law?
4.) What cities on the east side of the Jordan were set aside? Why?
5.) What is the purpose of the Bible?
6.) What is the dynamic of Christian living?
7.) What is the direction of Christian living?
8.) How is it possible for us to add to or take away from Yahweh’s Word?
9.) According to verse 6, what is the result of our heeding Yahweh’s Word?
10.) How does faith grow?
11.) What does the Bible mean by "Believing in Jesus"?
12.) What did the Israelites see on Mount Sinai?
13.) What might happen if we dwell on the human elements?
14.) What had happened at Kadesh Barnea?
15.) What may be wrong if we are constantly living in spiritual defeat?
16.) After we do wrong, how can we find the way to return to Yahweh?
17.) What does verse 29 tell us about the way to find Yahweh?