Andrew Stepp | Deuteronomy | Session Six 2 Kings 22-23 2 Chronicles 34-35 ▪ What book did they find? ▪ Why was it important? ▪ How did they lose it???? ▪ …and for HOW LONG????? ▪ The aim of Torah is to create a righteous community, establish and form a people of God. ▪ “Deut. should be seen, in the context of the ancient world, as a radical blueprint for the life of a people, at the same time spiritual and political, and running counter to every other social political-religious programme.” - McConville ▪ Last book of the Pentateuch ▪ Brings to a close the formative events of Israel’s history ▪ It is a 34 chapter teaching moment between the end of Numbers and the beginning of Joshua ▪ Looking back on what God has done for them and looking forward to how to not blow it! Ancient Near Eastern Vassal Covenants/Treaties 1. Preamble, announcing the treaty and the participating parties 2. Historical Prologue, rehearsing the previous relations between the parties 3. Stipulations (Laws) 4. Deposition of the document for the purpose of periodic public reading 5. Witnesses 6. Blessings and Curses 1. Preamble (Deut. 1:1-5) 2. Historical Prologue (1:6-4:49) 3. Stipulations (5-26) General Stipulations (5-11) Specific Stipulations (12-26) 4. Document Clause (27:1-10; 31:9-29) 5. Witnesses (32) 6. Blessings and Curses (27:12-26; 28)
God takes a familiar form of communication and uses it to build a relationship between God and people. It is completely familiar but at the same time unique and independent.
▪ This is more than rules and regulations; it is about the heart!!! ▪ “Heart” = 18x in these 8 chapters ▪ See 5:28-29 ▪ See 10:12-26 CHOICE
▪ 11:26-32 – “See I am setting before you a blessing and a curse…” ▪ This sets up what is to follow in chapter 12ff. ▪ “Andrew, there’s no grace or forgiveness in this book! …God is ready to get ticked off smite them!” ▪ 1-3 – A Look Back ▪ 4-11 – The Great Exhortation
▪ 12-26 – Covenant Requirements
▪ 27-30 – The Covenant Renewal Ceremony
▪ 31-34 – A Look Forward “…a single harmonious concept, designed to organize the whole life of Israel under the authority of the one God Yahweh.” Deut. 29:16-21 You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. 17 You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. 18 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison. ▪ The rubric through which the rest of the OT operates ▪ Natural Consequences! ▪ Similarities and Differences with the ANE Treaties: Hittites and Assyrians ▪ Vivid Vocab and Imagery!!!
Promise/Command → 31:6,7,8,23 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (31:6) ▪ “Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” 31:13
▪ See Judges 2:6-13 Now let me teach you a song… ▪ See Numbers 20:1-13 How many tribes? 13 or 11? Now just hold on a minute!
See Gen. 34 – Dinah and the Shechemites (Levi and Simeon’s curse)
See Exodus 32 – The Golden Calf (the Levites’ Redemption) Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (34:10-12) Deuteronomy 1-34 – Seven chapters per day
Class will resume on Jan. 5. Merry Christmas!