In Deuteronomy, as in Exodus, the writer gives us a lot of preliminary material before he gets to the actual “rules and regulations” of the law. Please read through the first part of Deuteronomy (Chapters 1-15). What is there in this preliminary material you find particularly, interesting, important, or worth discussing in class? In what way does this material show Deuteronomy to be a particularly fine law code or something more than just a law code?
Friday, February 1, 2008
Deuteronomy--Discussion 1
In Deuteronomy, as in Exodus, the writer gives us a lot of preliminary material before he gets to the actual “rules and regulations” of the law. Please read through the first part of Deuteronomy (Chapters 1-15). What is there in this preliminary material you find particularly, interesting, important, or worth discussing in class? In what way does this material show Deuteronomy to be a particularly fine law code or something more than just a law code?
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The later half of the reading definitely is more of the law code that the Torah represents. The first half has many interesting stories that do prove this is something much more than a law code. Deuteronomy chapter three, verse 22: “Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you.” One can go out and be brave and stand up for what they believe in as long as they have faith, God will be in your corner.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandment of the Lord you God which I command you.” (Deu. Chap. 4: verse2) These are the rules God set before us. You cannot pick or choose the ones you want or do not want to follow, nor can you add. There is no uncertainty with this verse. These are the rules and you must follow them.
The idea of gratitude that was mentioned before is seen over and over. These people should be gracious and giving because God has not only delivered them from bondage, but has also been providing for them and will continue to provide for them. Happy Blogging!
In Deuteronomy, God is punishing Israelites in the wilderness and destroying the generation who disobeyed God's commandment. God's wrath is also shown to King Sihon whose people were destroyed. In light of God's justice, Moses urges obedience to divine ordinances and warns the Israelites against the danger of forsaking the God of their ancestors.
This overall scenario is interesting. These people are rescued out of Egypt, because of God. Without him their future would be entirely different. These people appear to think that their actions will not come without consequences; however this is not the case as God punishes them in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy seems to give us a view of the Lord that seems to be drastically different from today's view of the Lord. Today people see God as a forgiving and loving God. A Lord that accepts that we are flawed. Deuteronomy shows us a different God in my opinion.
Deuteronomy gives us the Lord's law code for us, including the Ten Commandments. But He is very strict about these laws. You are to follow them exactly for if you don't you WILL be punished. In today's culture we are encouraged to question our beliefs and ask why. The Israelites do not seem to have this opportunity. They are told to follow these laws without "adding to what I command you and do not subtract from it"
(4:2)
"For the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land." (6:15) In my opinion the Lord is being hypocritical with his later writings in Corinthians that "Love is not jealous." So if they were to question him He would become jealous and be enraged. To me that does not sound like the loving God that most see in 'today's' God. One that will eliminate you from the face of the earth if you don't blindly just accept his laws.
In the first 15 chapters of Deuteronomy we find several warnings or guidelines for the Hebrew people. Moses gives warnings to the people, and these warnings seem to be warnings about the nature and temptations of the human heart. In chap 4 verse 16 - 19 the people are warned not to corrupt themselves by creating graven images. No Gods are to be created and worshiped that resemble people, animals, or any other object like the moon or the sun.
In Chapter 9 there is a warning in verse 4 about the people becoming to full of pride. This seems to be a warning about a state of hubris that can arise in the hearts of mankind. Verse 4 says to the people that they should not believe the Lord is doing great things for them because of their righteousness. Verse 5 continues that not for the uprightness of thine heart do the people possess the land but because of the wickedness of the other nations. The Lord is driving out the wicked so the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob may perform the word of the Lord.
Chapter 13 also contains an interesting warning about prophets. Beginning in verse 1 to verse 4 of that chapter the people are warned that false prophets might attempt to guide the people toward other Gods. Verse 4 tells the people to walk with God, fear him, and keep his commandments. The fate of the false prophet will not be kind as in verse 5 the false prophet will be put to death. Verse 13 of the 13th chapter is also interesting, it talks about the children of Belial. In this verse it appears they are a people that has worshiped other Gods, I have also heard this word Belial associated with Satan or the Devil, and am not sure of the correlation of the children of Belial and Satan.
Deuteronomy is filled with laws and conditions of what God’s people are to do. Here Moses takes the 10 Commandments and explains them more in depth. One thing that I really liked was in Chapter 6 verse 6. Moses talks about how to teach children these messages. He says that the way a family can help each other learn is not to just talk about what you should do, but live it day to day, in everything you do.
Another story I find interesting is when Moses is not allowed to enter the promise land. Deuteronomy 3:23 talks about how Moses wanted to go with the people he helped deliver out of slavery to the promise land, but was forbidden by God. Earlier, God commanded Moses to strike a rock with a rod to produce water for the people. When Moses did this he took credit for it instead of praising God. This is why God was upset with him and chose to let Moses die on Mr. Nebo which overlooked the promise land. Even though Moses was like God’s go to guy, he still messed up and got punished for it.
I agree with what some of the others have had to say so far. The reason this has so much set-up before we get to the actual law is so that the Israelites can understand better why they have the laws. We see some of the wrong things that the Israelites do, including the things that Moses does wrong (Chapter 3:23-29) that makes it so he can no longer see the promised land.
It is in chapter 4 that we get some of the real laws, and in chapter 5 when we again see the Ten Commandments. I really found Chapter 6 to be quite important, however. It is here that Moses expands upon the commandments, giving the Israelites a general law/commandment that makes everything rather simple.
(6:4-5) "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength."
In addition to this, I like how Deuteronomy expands upon Exodus with a more detailed account of what the Israelites have done wrong, and what was taught to them of what not to do.
few things stood out to me for it being a law code. first one at deuteronomy 4:2 when he writes "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" gives a sence of that what is beign said cannot be changed it is what it is. and that makes it more important to follow becouse there is less grey area and less of a way for people to bend the law.
then the actual lawns theres alot of interesting ones like the clean and unclean food. but i belive the freeing servents one is the one that stands otu to me the most. becosue is says that on the 7th year of a servent serving you, you must then free them. but you dont send them empty handed you send them with enough that will keep them on there feet for a little while. this shows that god wants you to be mercifull, wants you to treat others the way he had treated you. its a good message of how people should react with one another.
In the first part of the book of Deuteronomy, it seems that an underlying theme is the importance of following God’s commandments. Of these, the one that stood out for me was ‘thou shall not put other gods before Me’.
There are too many things that can easily get in the way of our relationship with God. Technical advances have benefited our society greatly, but they have also given us many, many opportunities to become distracted. These distractions, television, the internet, fashion, monetary gains, etc, can take us away from that which is truly important.
Deuteronomy is good law code because it has the ten commandments (5:6-21) and shows the importance of elected leaders. When people elect their leaders they are more likely to respect that leader and follow the laws. Deuteronomy also shows what happens when the law is not followed. There is punishment for not following the law which will help bring fear and respect so people will not rebel against the law.
The one idea that was new and interesting to me was the idea of holy. God's intention was to set apart his people instead of perfecting the people. He wanted them to obey and gave them challenges after challenges.
This idea of holy gave a whole new perspective of the Bible and God. We as a people have the opportunity to become Christlike. Now that is a challenge and it will set us apart.
Primarily the first portion of Deuteronomy is setting up the situation, as i understand it. the second portion is more the codified laws that God sets out for people.
in the first part of Deuteronomy God gives the ultimate law, to keep his commandments. this is the first and foremost law.
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