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 Deuteronomy study questions on my History 413 Web page. Then read as much of you can from 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?
The Book of Deuteronomy really helps form an understanding of what the Hebrew law, or moral code, was intended to be. This book helps document a really important stage of growth for the people of Israel, both as a moral and cohesive society, as well as a nation.
ReplyDeleteI think that the laws and, especially, the punishments for breaking those laws are great indicators of what was really important to the Hebrew people. For example, many punishments were focused on getting those offenders out of the society. This makes me believe that being a part of their community and social circles was of the utmost importance. This way, God's laws and desires for his people to live a good and holy life, are striving to keep his people at the center of Israel.
The usage of the word heart is also important. The way that we are all to love god with all of our hearts really speaks to people. I mean, having laws and abiding them is one thing, but today we dont literally love our political figures who put those laws in place. Thus, this is more than just a set of laws, because we are to love God, as well as the immense knowledge he gave his people through the use of his prophets.
My first question is why the Anakims called Giants? It seems odd since God destroyed them with the flood, or at least the offspring of angels. It is not only them. There appears to be many a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteMany of these rules don't involve killing people. So exile must have been worse than death. Were they really against these other so much that they exiled instead of killing?
At the same time it is easy to see how they kept people loyal to their cause. If someone looked at it in a non-religious sense, one could see the use of God as a way to unite a nation. In 7 "God will defeat the nations" that go against them. It is a great way to unite a people.
7 For what anation is there so great, who hath God so bnigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
ReplyDelete8 And what nation is there so great, that hath astatutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
9 Only take aheed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou bforget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but cteach them thy dsons, and thy sons’ sons;
10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in aHoreb, when the Lord said unto me, bGather me the people together, and I will make them chear my words, that they may learn to dfear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their echildren.
11 And ye came near and stood aunder the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the avoice of the words, but saw no bsimilitude; only ye heard a voice.
13 And he declared unto you his acovenant, which he commanded you to perform, even bten ccommandments; and he dwrote them upon two etables of stone.
14 ¶And the Lord commanded me at that time to ateach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
---Sorry for the long length. I find that this passage embodies most of the ideas in Deuteronomy. Again, Moses explains that this is indeed law, but law from the very lips of god. He explains that it is not only their lives at stake, it is there very souls that they could loose if they do not follow the law. In addition, Moses is quick to sight the works of god in the creation of the laws. (Fire on the mountain) ect*
Tyler Munson
ReplyDeleteChapter 13 was interesting to me because oddly enough, God is giving precedewnt to kill a false prophet. Didn't he just tell us that killing is a sin? This response may be a little off topic but I couldn't help but notice the contradictory nature of the statement. God seems very spiteful to anyone who goes against him so is that jealosy is it selfish. That seems like a good question to me.
I feel that much of this shows how Deutoronomy can be a fine law code by showing the people how they should live. Reading through chapter 15 especially I get the sense that much of the early days of the Hebrew nation seemed to be built around a very 'giving' society, if not a socialistic one. Throughout this chapter it emphasizes how there should not be any poor among the people, and if there are then those who are better off should freely give to help their poorer brothers. Along with this there are limits to how long a person can hold on to a debt and how long a Hebrew could be a servant to another Hebrew. These rules seem to have the goal of making sure no one person or group grows to be above the rest. Instead they should all be as equal as can be. I think that this might have been a way to try and keep people's focus on God, rather than themselves or others. When people get so wrapped up in gaining wealth and power it is easy for them to forget where it comes from. But if everyone knows to look out for their brother, and freely gives what is theirs, the generosity they have may help them remember that it is God who gave them their possessions and by helping others they are showing love for God.
ReplyDeleteJohn Rawerts
The beginning of Deuteronomy is the most essential I believe, as it is the point at which the Isrealites had been wandering for forty years in the desert and have finally come back to Mt. Sinai to enter the promised land. While at Mt. Sinai Moses again explicitly tells the Isrealites the ten commandments and all the other laws God has given them throughout their story. The disobedience of these laws is imminent and God's wrath will be felt, but no matter what God is still merciful to the Isrealites. This happening over and over again throughout the Isrealite history shows the respect for the teachings God expects from his followers. Deuteronomy outlines that for the Isrealites for many years to come and shows how God although spiteful will reward them if they stay the path and obey the laws He has put before them. The laws are the main focus of Deuteronomy from a teachings stand point, used in order to understand the rest of the story in Deuteronomy as the Isrealites conquer the holy land.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how we talked about how the 10 commandments were so different and unique from most law codes, and that now we are reading and studying a law code that much more resembles ancient law codes. By this, I mean that it is more specific, while the 10 Commandments were very broad. Also, while the 10 Commandments transcend any time period, the laws we're reading are more in tune to the time period. There are certain laws that would be difficult to find relevant today. Also, I agree with Tyler that permissing to kill a false profit seems contradictory, especially when we just discussed how straightforward the 10 Commandments were. Despite these differences, the One who is giving the commands is the same, which is a little confusing. However, we are human and are in no way able to completely understand or follow God's laws, no matter how simple or straightforward.
ReplyDeleteI find one of the defining points of Deuteronomy is in Chapter 6, especially starting in verse 4. The Ten Commandments are stated again, but I think the following chapter, Love the Lord thy God, seems like a revolutionary concept. God isn't asking the people to just obey his commands in order for things to go well for them, but he asks for love. It seems like a mighty task compared to just simply following the laws he puts in place. The law doesn't just stop there either, but encouraged to be a part of their daily lives- putting it on the door frames, posts, even putting it upon their hands and forehead. It is encouraged to be discussed among them throughout their daily lives. Seems like a God who wants to do more than just lead them, give them laws, but has a desire to be a part of their daily lives. I like it!
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 4:7-8 "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?"
ReplyDeleteThese verses are important to show that the laws God has set for his people are more than just rules given out by an all powerful, distant ruler of the earth. The laws, instead, are the path to a righteous life guided by a god that is close to his people. A god that loves his people and is loved in return.
It's made apparent just how powerful and important these laws are, and why we should follow them. The first few chapters show us that the Israelites continued to, with the aid of God, destroy many cities that didn't worship God or follow his commandments. It's interesting to read what it says in chapter seven.
ReplyDelete(7:5)But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
And it says this several times throughout the chapter. Basically, if you don't follow God, you suffer his wrath. Even more interesting was in chapter 9:5-6.
5: Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
6: Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou [art] a stiffnecked people.
If you don't follow God's laws, you won't see the promised land, and you and your land will be destroyed. It goes on to discuss how many times the Israelites angered God and how many times Moses had to jump through hoops, so to speak, to bring them from the edge of annihilation.
These commandments are more than just a law code, but how you should live your life anyway, because you will ultimately be bless instead of destroyed.
Deuteronomy 12 - Is interesting to be because it is telling the people to not worship God like they worshiped the Gods of the old, and telling the people not to worship anybody else other than the Lord (God)and give you the steps on how to worship the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very interesting that the ten commandments along with the other laws God gave them when added up are not that many. They definitely didn't have as many rules/laws as we do today. On the other hand I guess back then whether they followed the rules or not was crucial; this is exemplified in Deut. 7:4
ReplyDelete"For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly."
Whereas today if we mess up we just have to repent and everything is good again. They just had to follow these rules and love God and in return He would bless them, take care of them and protect them.
I find the law code interesting in that it is very evened out and fair. If something is taken from someone they are given back something in return. Everything had a stipulation. It goes farther than that though. There are some things that God demands death for even though he says killing is bad but it is what is just for that crime. Everything has a stipulation or a hefty reimbursement. If something is given to you it can easily be taken away. -Zach Kuhlman
ReplyDeleteI think that the preliminary part of this book was important because it rehashed everything that God had done for them...it showed a loving God. While some might see only punishment...there is also numerous warnings of what would happen as a result of wrongful living and disobedience. You also see how many times God attempts to make himself known to his people out of love. Chapter 4:37 "Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength..." Like a good father and a good judge at the same time. He was protecting his children while being a just God. How could He be a good judge without there being consequences for disobeying? He knows what his people need. That is more than a law code.
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