Podcast

God is our creator, and ultimately holds life and death in His hands. It is His right to punish the Canaanites for their centuries of sin by ordering them to be wiped from the face of the earth by the Israelites. However, God is also beyond this earth. Jesus, after death, went down to the realm of the dead to preach to the spirits. Even those punished in this life may have hope in the next. Moses was forbidden from entering the Promised Land due to his sin, but as the Transfiguration shows, he was greatly rewarded by God.

Deuteronomy deserves continued study and meditation even beyond this course. Read it, think about it, pray on it, and teach it to your family. It is an accessible book to the disciple, and not just the scholar. It will reveal plain truths on how we can please God throughout your life.

This brings our study of Deuteronomy to a close. Thank you very much for listening, and stay tuned for the next course! If you profited from this study of this foundational book, please share it with friends and family who would likewise profit!

“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” This law seems like it is not applicable to those who do not have oxen.  However, this particular law can be a teaching moment for God’s people. It shows that it is wrong to deprive any working creature of their just reward for labor, whether they are an animal or human. Underpaying a worker out of greed is violating this law.

This episode discusses the form of Law. For example, some laws are meant to set the Jews apart from other peoples, and some laws are written with the hardness of men’s hearts in mind. Then there are pieces that call men higher to God himself, to call men to have a believing heart. The realization of some of this Law in the Gospel is discussed.

These next couple of lectures discuss Deuteronomy as a whole. First, the role of the Law in our relationship with God is discussed. Then the Shema Israel and the Ten Commandments, the cornerstone of the Law, is reviewed. God cannot be satisfied by our imperfect adherence to these Laws, but through His love and mercy our hearts will be circumcised to build a higher obedience.

Moses surveys the land of Canaan, and then passes away. The Lord Himself buries Moses, in a place that no-one knows. There is some speculation that Moses was assumed into Heaven as Elijah. No other prophet since has since known God face to face and performed such mighty deeds–except Jesus Christ.

Overall, Deuteronomy is an exhortation not just to know the Law of the Lord, but to follow it. Those who know the Law but do not follow it blaspheme the Lord to others. We must work to follow it with all our hearts, and graciously accept the mercy and grace of God when we fall short.

While this completes the chapter-by-chapter lectures of Deuteronomy, the next few episodes will continue the subject by addressing questions and further thoughts. Then we will move on to the next study.

This episode discusses the specific blessings Moses leaves to each tribe. These are comparable to the blessings Jacob leaves to his sons before his death. Many have implications for military ability or wealth and prosperity.

Through a poem, God brings forward a case against the Hebrew nation for their iniquity. He lays out the love, care, and guidance He provided to the Israelites. When they became prosperous, they forsook Him and served other gods. As a result, the Lord gives favor to Gentiles to provoke jealousy to the Jews. God pledges to turn his wrath toward the Jews for their sin, resulting in complete destruction. In the end, God will prove His sovereignty. Finally, God will make atonement for the sins of His people. After the song, Moses is once again reminded that he will not cross the Jordan as a consequence for his disobeying God in full view of the people. Moses, as a leader and example for his people was, as the book of Hebrews says, is “keeping watch over” the souls of the people they lead. Leaders and teachers will be judged on how they handle this responsibility.

Moses is very old, and will not cross the Jordan; but the Lord will cross the Jordan and crush the Canaanites, with Joshua leading the people. Every seven years, the Law will be taught to the people by the priests. It will also be taught by elders and public officials. The Lord appears to Moses, warning him that the Israelites will rebel against Him, incurring His wrath. He knew this would happen even before making the agreement with the Israelites. This is not a failure of the Law, but just part of a plan that will be fulfilled by Christ. The Lord tells Moses to teach the Hebrews a song as a reminder of the Law after they have forsaken it. If the Hebrews try to argue that the Lord has not held up His end of the bargain, this song is a rebuttal.

The Law of the Lord is not beyond our reach.  It is here, and accessible.  Therefore, we must decide to study it and follow it. We are given the choice of Life or Death, being For or Against the Lord. The New Testament repeats this message in reference to Christ. We have the freedom to choose either path, and while we live God’s mercy beckons us to turn to the path of Life.