Deuteronomy Introduction

Introduction

The name of the last book of the Pentateuch (The five books of Moses) is a combination of two Greek words, "deuteros" meaning, second and "nomos" meaning, law. It has often been called, "An enlargement of the Old Law" or "Updating and detailing the Old Law." Sometimes it is referred to as a "Second Edition of the Law." It is a book of "transition". i.e.

1. An old generation to a new generation.
2. From processing nothing to processing much.
3. From experiences of slavery to the experience of freedom.
4. From revelation to practice.

It is a record of a series of farewell messages by Israel's 120-year-old leader, Moses. It was written to the "laymen" rather than to the Priests. It was written to the "new generation" exhorting them to have faith and be obedient.

Good spiritual truths need to be repeated over and over again. Paul says in Phil. 3, "It is not grievous to me to write these truths over and over again and it is good for you." The "Gospel" had been described as a "kind" of Deuteronomy, a second law. When Jesus was tempted of the Devil, He repeated over and over again, "It is written..." All that He quoted came from this book.

Most scholars believe that the original edition was the first book ever canonized as the "Word of God". The original edition was put together by Priests in Jerusalem who attributed it to Moses who mastered this tremendous transition. The "Book of the Law" found in the Temple in 622 BC. (II Kings 22:8) was part of this book. The book, as we know it, was not compiled completely until around 700 BC. It had many contributors over a period of 500 years, which accounts for its blend of theologies. Three influences are blended in the Book of Deuteronomy:

1. The Covenant Code (Ex. 20:22 to 23:19)
2. The teachings of the Prophets, i.e. Amos, Hosea, Isaiah and Micah, even though their writings were not yet in the form that we know them.
3. The original writers, Moses and others, who contributed to this transition from a wandering nation of people to an established nation with buildings, boundaries and responsibilities.

The Laws of the Deuteronomic Code pertain to religious practices, civil authorities, judicial procedure, military ethics, the family, chastity, exclusion and all human laws and ritual necessary for a settled and agriculture minded community in Canaan.

We are going to divide it into three parts:

1. The Introduction.
2. Looking Back, Chapters 1 through 11.
3. Looking Forward, Chapters 12 through 34.

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