As his final act before he dies, Moses pronounces a blessing on (almost) each of the twelve tribes of Israel. In making this his last act, he hearkens back to the blessing Jacob – on his death bed – gave to each of his sons over four hundred years ago. Moses blesses each of the […]
After 120 years (assuming the number is literal) of an amazing life, Moses reaches the end. God told him he would die before Israel entered the land, and the time to enter the land is here. He has instructed the people and blessed them and commissioned their new leader, so there is nothing more he […]
Israel as a nation has been around since the birth of Isaac over 500 years ago, but only one man has ever officially been its leader. Moses has led the nation for the last 40 years and has been the channel through which the people have received their laws, their structure of governance, and their […]
In the remainder of Moses’ second sermon – which began at 5:1 – he continues to apply and clarify the Law. In these chapters he adds flesh to the skeleton of the Law with statutes that apply to specific situations. This study will highlight certain statutes and seek to explain their historical-cultural context. Some of […]
Moses reaches the end of his discussion of the importance of the Law that he began in 5:1. In this chapter he repeats many of the themes and warnings he has discussed throughout this address. It is critical that the people love God and obey Him as they enter and conquer the land. They must […]
Moses begins to conclude this portion of his second sermon (which began in 5:1) by explaining how the incidents he has described affect the people going forward. His concluding remarks will lead into the specific application of the Law which begins in 12:1. Along with 30:15-19, this is one of the key passages in Deuteronomy. […]
In these verses (along with verses 18-19) Moses records his response to the people’s sin with the golden calf. After rebuking them and making them realize the seriousness of their actions he rushes back to God and appeals to Him to spare the people. What drives him are God’s words in verse 14 – “Let […]
No one earns Canaan. No one deserves the Promised Land. This is the message Moses wants to convey to the people with this part of his sermon in Chapter 9. He goes to great lengths to make sure they know their upcoming conquest has nothing to do with them. It is all about purging the […]
The first six verses of this chapter discussed trials and discipline. In those verses Moses explained the purposes of the rough times the people experienced over the last forty years. What at first appeared to be harsh treatment at the hands of God was actually a measure of His grace and love. God used the […]
How are we to respond to trials? How do we know when God is behind a trial? What does God want us to learn through a trial? What is the proper response to prosperity and blessing? How do we know when our prosperity is from God? What brings us closer to God – trial or […]
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