Phone Call Bible Class Notes FOR THE LESSON ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020 (1/24/2020)

DEUTERONOMY 4:1-9* (based on NASB) “Honored” Deuteronomy 4:1-9 (BACKGROUND TEXT: Deuteronomy 1:1-4:49)

INTRODUCTION: • The Five Books of . o The first 5 books of the Bible are called the Books of the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Also called the Books of Moses or the Pentateuch, meaning, “Book of the Five.”  Extremely critical, foundational books for understanding the Word of God.  Origin of all things  Understanding of our worldview o The Fourth Book of the Books of the Law is called Numbers  The title comes from the two “numberings” or censuses taken among Israel which are recorded in the Book. o Authorship of the Books of the Law  Technically, by modern definitions, the , along with the other books of the Pentateuch are anonymous.  In recent years, conservative scholars have done much to defend Mosaic authorship has for a number of good reasons. • Background for Numbers: o Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt under the great power of God (in Exodus) o They made their way to Sinai, where they received the . o Over the next year, God gave the people many instructions through Moses. o After a year, God had Moses take a census of the people, and they prepared to leave Sinai for the . This is the beginning of the narrative of Numbers. • General Outline of Numbers: o Israel’s Consecration at Sinai (Numbers 1:1–10:10) o Israel’s Apostasy and Forty Years in the Wilderness (Numbers 10:11–25:17) o Israel’s New Generation Arises (Numbers 26–30) o Israel’s Final Arrangements before Conquest (Numbers 31–36) • General Outline of Deuteronomy: (for our lessons) o • Background for today’s Lesson: o In previous lessons we learned about God’s constant presence by the cloud and fire, and the faithlessness shown by the when they doubted God’s promise to lead them to conquer the Promised Land. God exercised discipline but also showed compassion in leading the Israelites through the 40 years. o In previous lessons we learned how God gave Moses command to prepare to see the land from atop Mt. Nebo and to arrange for Joshua to be commissioned as the new leader. o We also learned Joshua, although the new leader of the Israelites, was not given the full authority which Moses held before God, rather with assistance or collaboration with Eleazer, the High Priest seeking approval from God by the Urim and Thummim. o In last week’s lesson we learn about the request made by the tribes of Gad and Reuben to build cities for their families east of the Jordan yet assemble their fighting men to go with Israel into to help them conquer the Promised Land. o Last week we learned about the commandment against killing, revenge and sanctuary cities. Moses expresses the rules and reasons for establishing safe areas to which those who have committed “innocent murder.” We will see how Moses summarizes the Lord’s expectation of His people. o This week we will learn that God is honored when we (His people) listen, follow, and teach His Word. Honoring God involves more than attending church, doing good deeds, and praying over a meal. To honor means to esteem, respect, or revere. These three verbs require action and focus. We esteem God by intentionally learning all we can about Him and His commands so we can know Him intimately and follow Him closely. Helping others in their spiritual development also honors God.

 KEY CONCEPTS:  One God, one people, one sanctuary and one law  God’s law impacts every area of life, and all law is rooted in the Ten Commandments (Him).  Obedience is only the beginning of what is expected of God’s people – he wants his people to be in relationship with Him, love Him, respect Him, honor Him.  God’s people are to love him

Preliminary passages in background text:

Deuteronomy is a series of essentially 3 speeches through which Moses conveys his farewell to the nation he has lead out of Egypt and to whom he has been leader. Moses appeals to Israel to keep the covenant between them and God. Moses restates many of the Laws already given in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers as they apply to the nation as a whole, sometimes in specifics, oft times in summary.

Deuteronomy 1:19-26 reminds Israel of the previous generation’s failure to enter the “Promised Land” and the consequences administered for that rebellion. Deuteronomy 1:27-46 rebellion against the Lord Deuteronomy 2:1- 23 Wanderings in the Desert Deuteronomy 2:24-37 Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon Deuteronomy 3:1-11 Defeat of Og King of Bashon Deuteronomy 3:12-20 Division of the Land and explains why two tribes will fight with the other tribes but live outside the promised land. Deuteronomy 3:21-29 Moses forbidden to cross the Jordan . To “honor” means to esteem, respect, or revere. Each verb requires action and focus.

LISTEN (Deuteronomy 4:1-5) The first general appeal to the Tribes of Israel to receive and keep God’s laws.

Verse 1: • Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, o To know and understand God and His ways is to ‘listen’ to what He says ▪ “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human angers does not accomplish God’s righteousness.” (James 1:19-20) o Moses is still the conduit through which God is providing instruction to His peoples ▪ More than just taking in information becoming knowledgeable of God we must have an attitude of humility, admitting how little we know. • so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. o In each of these verses Moses provides the explanation or reasoning of the importance of the instruction given or the statement made.

Verse 2: • You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, o This command or caution is reiterated several places throughout the Scriptures. ▪ Deuteronomy 12:32 repeats the command; ▪ Ecclesiastes 3:14; Revelation 22:18-19; 1 Corinthians 4:6; • so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you. o Adding to or taking away from can occur in several different forms. ▪ Literally and directly by adding words to the commands ▪ Critical scholars do so with statements that some parts have “secondary” origin – added to after the original writer by someone else ▪ Mormons, for example, have massively added to the Bible by claiming that the “Book of Mormon” is the Word of God. ▪ “Cherry picking” a verse here and a verse there but ignoring others in order to prove a point is an unfortunate means by which some Christians and others seek to change (add to or take from) the Word of God o Any guilt of such diversion interferes with the ability to keep the commands of the Lord.

Verse 3: • Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at -, o With the events of the battle at Baal-peor still in the experience of the people this passage could also be expressed as “you see” o Because the people fell into the pagan practices of Baal and sinned against the Laws of God – idolatry, prostitution, defiant opposition to Moses’ leadership • for the Lord your God destroyed every one of you who followed Baal of Peor. o God’s justice is imposed on the rebels ▪ Leaders of the idolatrous rebellion – executed ▪ Involved peoples eliminated by a plague which takes 24,000 lives

Verse 4: • But you who have remained faithful to the Lord your God o Those of the people who remained faithful to the Laws as God had given them, to Moses as the leader appointed by God, obeyed and followed what God had provisioned are rewarded • are all alive today. o These are they who remain and stand under the blessing of God preparing to take possession of the land

Verse 5: • Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God has commanded me, o “Look,” your eyes see, you understand • so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to possess. o Moses is stressing the importance of being obedient having reiterated previously the activities that brought about the consequences of disobedience. o “Follow them” in land stresses that the Israelites are required / admonished to be obedient in everything their lives touch – especially into the ‘PROMISE’ of God.

HONOR (Deuteronomy 4:6-7)

Verse 6: • Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. • When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, “This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people. o Other nations, contemporary and predating Israel’s receiving of the Laws of God, the laws of the Pentateuch, had what could be considered similar laws ▪ Hammurabi (1740 BC): [From Babylon] record topics including false accusation, robbery, slavery, military obligations, agricultural issues, debts, marriage, family law, sexual offenses, inheritance, and liability (much of the same issue coverage as the Mosaic laws) ▪ Laws of Ur=Nammu (from the city of Ur dating around 2100 BC) – laws regarding violence, slavery, sexual offenses, perjury, and other matters. ▪ Middle Assyrian Laws (dating 1076 BC) = similar laws o The above may be similar but scholars of these times indicate that the Biblical laws, in comparison, are morally superior. The others had some good intent – (if a farmer lost his fields due to an act of God [rather their god of storm, Adad] the farmer was free from payments and from interest charges during that year. – Hammurabi rules). o What will make other nations say “this great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.” (Let’s look on to v7-8).

Verse 7: • For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? o Pagans had only ritualistic means of approaching one of their ‘gods’ for intervention o Pagans did not have continual. unrestricted access to their God as the Israelites did “whenever we call on him” o Pagan cultures realized and revered this close relationship of man to God. o Israel’s laws were not only or even primarily about justice in society; they were about Israel’s relationship to God. ▪ was near the His people and answered when the called upon Him.

Verse 8: • And what great nation has righteous statues and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today? o Although some nations did have laws and ordinances that appear to administer moral features only Israel’s Biblical Laws were consistently moral, righteous and consistent . o No other nation possessed such laws in whole o The laws of these other nations did not belong to the people, as God had given to the Israelites, but were for the possession and execution of that nation’s king. o The laws being not of or for the people allowed for no appeal to the judgement of the king, the owner / possessor of the laws. o The Laws were not meant for a single man or group rather given to the entire nation and each individual had the same access and protection of it. Although it came through a mediator, Moses, it was for everyone and offered the same instruction to all making Israel wise and understanding. • Two types of laws exist: Casuistic and apodictic o Casuistic laws simplified are those imposes on man by man – are for the governing of human-to-human interactions. ▪ Of the format “if a man does X, then Y.” like “if a man strikes and kills his neighbor, then that man shall be put to death.” ▪ Some of the Israelite laws could be in this classification but these are not their major laws, and do resemble those of other nations. o Apodictic laws are those of the relationship of “human-to-God,” and do not fundamentally concern human society but the obligations Israel, under the covenant, had toward God. ▪ The direct relationship to God of the apodictic laws is what set these laws apart from the pagans which do not hold any relationship with (their) god(s)..

TEACH (Deuteronomy 4:9)

Verse 9: • “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, • so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and • so that they don’t slip from your mind as long as you live. • Teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” o Instruction to be diligent in two areas: ▪ Go to great lengths to remember and observe the laws ▪ Teach them to each generation o Implication is that we have within us a deceptive heart ready to trip us up and do what we don’t want to do. (Jeremiah 17:9 and Romans 7:11) o Watch yourselves to guard against the perverse bent of the heart to, although knowing wrong, do what it does not want to ▪ Persevere (to obey these laws) ▪ Be faithful to the Lord our God ▪ Daily prayer which invites the Holy Spirit to strengthen our hearts ▪ Have fellow believers encourage while maintain accountability

Succeeding passage in background text:

* The following study Bibles are sometimes used to obtain information for these notes:

The NIV Study Bible, Revised. Kenneth L. Barker, editor. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985. ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2008. HCSB Study Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010. NIV Zondervan Study Bible, D. A. Carson, editor. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016.