Can a 120-year-old preacher hold our attention? Absolutely -- if you're Moses and inspired by God Himself.

An Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy

Today we begin our study of the 5th book of Moses -- Deuteronomy. Each installment of this study helps us find the hidden gems that we otherwise might miss.  Don't miss any of it. Here's an intro to the book itself.

(I am indebted here to the publishers of the New American Standard Bible for the following comments on this, the fifth book of Moses.)

This book consists of a series of farewell messages by Moses, Israel’s 120-year-old leader. I venture to say that is older than anyone reading this right now. It is addressed to those that were quite young when the Israelites left Egypt or who were born during the 40 years of roaming in the wilderness but were now ready to possess the promised land.

There’s a lot of legal detail, but unlike the book of Numbers, the emphasis is on the ordinary people and not the priests. Moses’ key message is “if you don’t want to repeat the mistakes of your parents, obey God”.

The book of Deuteronomy is an adaptation and expansion of much of the original law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The book is also referred to as the “Book of Remembrance”.

There is controversy over the authorship of the book. But there is sufficient internal (in the book’s content) and external evidence (historical) to support the Mosaic authorship, and that it was not a later account of oral tradition.

It is estimated that the book was written at the end of a 40-year period after the people of Israel left Egypt.  So, it is placed at c. 1405 B.C.

Christ is made reference to in Deuteronomy 18:15 where we read, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like (Moses) from among you (the Israelites), from your countrymen, you shall listen to Him.”

Key Word: Covenant. The book is about the renewal of the covenant established at Mount Sinai and being renewed on the plains of Moab, before the children of Israel take the promised land.

Key Verses: These deal with what the children are expected to do with respect to God as well as that doing so is a matter of life and death.  We will say more about these key verses when we reach these references in our study.

Key Chapter: Chapter 27 – when the formal ratification of the covenant occus which makes Israel “a people for the Lord your God”.

Deuteronomy is divided into three main sermons: 1:1 to 4:3 (a review of the past); 4:4 to 26:19 (a review of the law required for a right relationship with God); and 27:1 to 34:12 (writing the history of Israel in advance).

Stay with us throughout this study. You can sign up to get an email notice when the next installment is published. Just go to the right-hand column on the website page and go the box that says, “Subscribe via Email”, fill in your email, and click “Subscribe”.

Looking forward to studying with you.

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