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- Old Testament
Book of Deuteronomy
Pronunciation:
Authorship and Origin:
Deuteronomy is the fifth of the five Old Testament books ascribed to Moses. It completes
what is commonly called the 'Pentateuch', and finishes what Jewish people call the Law of
Moses. See Exodus for information on the origin and date of this work. This book is
frequently referred to as 'The Book of Covenant Life'.
Overview and Significant sections
The book contains three sermons by Moses to Israel, preached by Moses while the Israelites
were on the plains east of the Jordan river, just opposite the Promised Land. This takes
place after the exodus from Egypt, after the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai, and after the
40 years
of wandering in the wilderness. The Israelites are now ready to enter the promised land
of Canaan. For their new life in the promised land, God wants Israel to choose a life
of obediance to the Law. A new emphasis is placed on relationship; that is relationship
with God through the covenant of the law. The Law is to be practiced based on this
relationship, rather than just a series of rules that must be followed. This important
lesson is very valuable to us today. God has established a relationship, and we are to
acknowledge and live by it. Because this is a reemphasis of the law, much of the material
parallels the information in Exodus. But Deut. goes further in it's exhortation of the Law
to include application, again something from which we can learn today.
Significant sections:
- Sermon 1: What God has done for us.
- Sermon 2: Life under the Covenant of the Law
- Sermon 3: A Call for Committment
- The last days of Moses
31:1-34:12
For more detailed study:
Read Chapter 1. (the entire book is available starting here.)
The Concise Matthew Henry Commentary on this book.
bible.org introduction of this book.
the World Wide Study Bible has Dictionary, Commentary, Scripture and sermons available
on this book.
