Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 1:1–18

As we begin the 5^th year according to our Bible Reading Plan, we shall begin with the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy is the last of the five books that make up the Pentateuch, and derives its English name from the Greek translation of 17:18 which signifies a repetition or a “second law”. However, the original Hebrew title is “elleh hadd^ebarim” which are the first words of the first line of the book, “These are the words”. Strictly speaking, Deuteronomy is not a verbatim repetition of the laws of the previous three books, but a heart-felt reminder of some of the salient parts of the law as the people gathered at the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, ready to enter into the Promised Land. However, Moses would not be allowed to go with them for he would die where they were gathered. Apart from rehashing some of the important laws, Moses also adds others that were more relevant to their immediate setting (i.e. as they were about to enter into the land of Canaan) and Moses also spoke to appoint his successor, Joshua.

Luther points out that “those things which related to the priests and Levites are omitted” and thus we find no instructions concerning the sanctuary, the service of the priests and Levites, and the laws of sacrifice and purification. Only three annual feasts — Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles — were briefly noted.

The following table is helpful to our study as we reflect on the specific teachings of the book:

1:1 – 5 Introduction

1:6 – 4:43 Words of Moses: Historical Prologue

4:44 – 26:19 Words of Moses: The Law

4:44 – 49 Introduction to Declaration

5:1 – 11:32 Basic Commandments

12:1 – 26:15 Specific Legislations

26:16 – 19 Conclusion to Declaration

27:1 – 29:1 Words of Moses: Blessings and Curses

29:2 – 30:20 Words of Moses: The Final Charge

31:1 – 34:12 Death of Moses and Succession

1:2-5—The Setting

(1) The book of Numbers “narrates the guidance of Israel through the desert from Mount Sinai (or Horeb) to the border of Canaan by the river Jordan which covers the period from the 2^nd month of the 2^nd year after the exodus from Egypt to the 10^th month of the 40^th year” (K&D, 649):

a. When did Moses make his proclamation?

b. Where? (Note: The exact location of many of the names in v. 1 cannot be determined today, but Arabah denotes the “general region of Transjordan” and v. 5 seeks to clarify which part of Transjordan is meant.)

(2) What is the significance of pointing out that before they could finally reach this eastern border of Canaan, they had defeated the king Sihon and king Og in the Moabite region? (see the defeat of the two kings in Num. 21:21-35)

1:6-18—Recalling the Event in Horeb (Moses began his first address by recalling important events in their journey in the wilderness from 1:6–4:43 which we entitle the “Historical Prologue”.)

(3) The marching order at Horeb (vv. 6-8)

a. What were the significant events accomplished at Mount Sinai (i.e. Horeb)? (see Exod. 19:1-6; 20:1-7)

b. Now the Lord gave His marching order:

1. How large was the territory which they were supposed to possess as their Promised Land? (see Gen. 15:18 also)
2. How long did it take for them to finally get ready to enter into the Promised Land?
3. How long should it have taken? (v. 2)
4. Why did it take such a long time instead? (see Num. 13:25-33; 14:33-35)

(4) The appointment of leaders (vv. 9-18)

a. What precipitated the appointment of elders to share Moses’ burden? (Num. 11:11ff)

b. What did Moses charge the leaders with? (vv. 16-18)

c. Why, in your opinion, did Moses bring up this particular event to the people at this time?

(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 1:19–40

1:19-40—Recalling the Event in Kadesh-Barnea—In the recalling of the incident at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 13-14) it is obviously not a verbatim recount of the incident. It should be noted that the account given in Numbers is more forensic, while this recount in Deuteronomy is hortative in nature, or we may even take it as Moses’ interpretation of the event:

(1) Arriving at Kadesh Barnea — the southern border of the Promised Land (vv. 19-21)

a. How did Moses describe their journey to Kadesh Barnea? (v. 19) What was he trying to say?

b. On behalf of the Lord, Moses gave the marching order then (v. 21): Why did he ask the people not to be afraid?

(2) The sending of the spies (vv. 22-25)

a. While Numbers 13:1 says that it was the Lord who told Moses to spy on the land, but here he told the people that it was they (i.e. their fathers) who asked to send spies to the land ahead of them (v. 22)

1. Obviously both accounts were correct. How can you reconcile the two apparently different accounts?
2. What was the motive of the people in wanting to spy on the land first?

b. How did Moses take responsibility for the decision? (v. 23)

c. Why did he think spying on the land was a good idea?

d. How was this decision proved right initially? (v. 25)

(3) The rebellion of the people (vv. 26-40)

a. The fact in the bad report by the ten spies about the strength of the Anakites melted the hearts of the people (v. 28) which might be understandable: But why would it cause the people to grumble and even say “The Lord hates us”? (v. 27)

b. How would you describe such rebellion against the Lord?

c. What facts did Moses use to encourage the people that time? (vv. 29-31; 33)

d. Should these facts (personal experiences of miracles) be enough to turn them around? Why or why not?

e. What was God’s punishment, as a result? (vv. 34-36)

f. What should this recollection mean to the people as they saw (i) all their fathers die in the desert while (ii) Caleb stood right before their very eyes?

g. When did God prohibit Moses from entering the Promised Land? (Num. 20:9-12)

h. Why did Moses blame the people for God's prohibition and lump it together with the above incident? (vv. 37-38)

i. What should the recounting and the interpretation of the entire incident mean to the people?

(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 1:41–2:15

1:41-46—The End of the Event (failure) at Kadesh-Barnea

(1) Did their decision after the pronouncement of the horrible punishment of their rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (of forty years of wandering) indicate genuine repentance? Why or why not?

(2) What kind of sin did they commit?

(3) In retelling this story, what lesson did Moses hope that this next generation would learn?

2:1-8—Recalling the Departure from Kadesh-Barnea, Passing the Land of Edom

(4) While we have no idea how long the Israelites stayed in Kadesh-Barnea (see Note 1 below), what does their eventual departure signify?

(5) In that they were not to engage in war with Edom, what important lessons are associated with their dealing with them? Consider the following:

a. They were the descendants of their relative Esau. (v. 4) 

b. The Lord would not give them the land of Edom, though it was close by. (v. 5)

(6) As Moses began to sum up their journey from Seir (see Note 2 below) to where they were in the plains of Moab (1:1), consider the following:

a. What did Moses remind them of in particular? (v. 7)

b. How significant was this reminder?

c. How significant is this reminder to you?

2:9-15—Passing the Land of Moab

(7) What was the reason for sparing the Moabites? (v. 9)

(8) Together with v. 5b and v. 12, how do these verses reveal God’s involvement in the peoples of the earth, other than the Israelites? (See Note 3 below)

(9) Now Moses recalled their crossing of the Zered Valley (likely located at the southeastern end of the Dead Sea):

a. What historical significance did Moses attach to this event? (v. 14)

b. What significant lesson did Moses wish his hearers to learn?

(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Note 1:

Many Jewish rabbis interpret their stay at Kadesh-Barnea as “half of the thirty-eight years” (K&D, 861).

Note 2:

Seir was “a mountainous and extremely rugged country, about 100 miles long, extending S from Moab on both sides of the Arabah or the great depression connecting the southern part of the Dead Sea with the Gulf of Akabah.” (PCD, 766)

Note 3:

“This verse (2:5) is one of the several clues in Deuteronomy to the concept of the nature of God and the realm of His power over peoples and nations other than Israel.” (NICOT, 108)

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 2:16–37

2:16-23—Journey into Ammonites’ Territory—Defeat of King Sihon

(1) What was the reason for sparing the Ammonites? (v. 19)

(2) How were the Ammonites related to the Moabites? (see Gen. 19:36-38)

(3) Vv. 20-23 is an insert about the historical origins of the people who used to occupy the lands of the Ammonites, the Edomites and the Caphtorites. What is the spiritual significance of this insert?

(4) How differently was Israel to treat King Sihon who was an Amorite and bore no relation to the Israelites? (v. 24)

(5) What beginning did this different treatment of the Amorites signify? (v. 25)

(6) Do you think the promise of v. 25 really came to pass? (See Jos. 2:8-11)

(7) Since God appeared to be determined to cause fear among the nations beginning with His treatment of King Sihon, why then would He tell Moses to offer peace in the first place? (v. 26)

(8) Just as the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Exodus7:3), Moses said He also did it to the heart of King Sihon (v. 30). Why?

(9) What was the message Moses sought to convey to his hearers with the account of the complete destruction of King Sihon? (vv. 32-37; see Note below on v. 37)

(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Note:

“The statement of Jos. 13:25, that the half of the country of the Ammonites was given to the tribe of Gad, is not at variance with this: for the allusion there is to that portion of the land of the Ammonites which was between the Arnon and the Jabbok, and which had already been taken from the Ammonites by the Amorites under Sihon [cf. Jdg. 11:13ff]."
(K&D, 865)

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 3:1–29

3:1-11—Journey into Ammonites’ Territory—Defeat of King Og

(1) How complete was the victory over King Og? (vv. 3-7)

(2) What did the defeat of the two powerful kings of the Amorites mean to this second-generation Israelites who were about to enter into the Promised Land? (vv. 8-11)

3:12-22—Division of the Land so Captured

(3) Vv. 12-17 basically is a summary of the “kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan — the whole land with its cities and the territory around them” (Num. 32:33). To which tribes were these lands east of Jordan given?

(4) What was the reason these 2½ tribes asked to be allotted these lands? (Num. 32:1-5)

(5) As Moses eventually agreed to their request, what condition did he attach to the consent? (vv. 18-20)

(6) At this time, they obviously had no idea how long it would take for the rest of the 9½ tribes to take “over the land that the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan” (v. 20).

a. What was the purpose of the repetition of this condition to the 2½ tribes at the time?

b. Did they keep their promise? (See Jos. 22:1-4)

c. In what way(s) can you see their growth in spiritual maturity?

3:21-29—Moses Forbidden to Enter the Promised Land

(7) When did the Lord say He would not let Moses “bring this community into the land I give them”? (Num. 20:10-13)

(8) What was the reason given by the Lord? (Num. 20:12)

(9) Why did he plead with the Lord to basically change His mind? (v. 23)

(10) How did he try to sway the Lord? (vv. 24-25)

(11) Can you blame Moses for trying?

(12) What was God’s reply? (v. 26)

(13) Why did Moses say the reason for God’s refusal was “because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me”? Was he trying to blame the people for his own fault? Why or why not?

(14) What did the Lord ask him to do instead? (v. 27)

(15) Was it any consolation? Why or why not?

(16) How did he pass his baton to Joshua? (vv. 21-22)

(17) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 4:1–8

4:1-40 is a historical prologue which calls the people to obedience.—As Moses is ready to reiterate a good portion of the Law (from chapters 5-27), he now emphasizes to them the great importance of the Law:

4:1-8—God Unequalled, the Law Unparalleled

(1) How important is the Law to them in their possession of the Promised Land? (v. 1)

(2) The warning of changing the Law (v. 2)

a. What is meant by adding to or subtracting from the Law?

b. What might prompt them to add to the Law?

c. What might prompt them to subtract from the Law?

d. What will the consequence be of changing the Law? (Rev. 22:18-19) Why?

(3) The incident cited by Moses in vv. 3-4 was recorded in Numbers 25:

a. What happened at Shittim?

b. What did the Lord do to them? (Num. 25:9)

c. Why did Moses cite this particular incident to warn them? (v. 4)

(4) What does v. 5 teach about our attitude in studying the Word of God?

(5) Moses asked them to observe God’s decrees and laws carefully (vv. 6-8).

a. How will their observation show the nations their wisdom and understanding? (v. 6)

b. Will our observation of the Word of God show non-believers that we are “a wise and understanding people”? How so?

c. How near is God to His people? (v. 7)

d. Is that true of you?

e. How does God’s body of law distinguish itself from that of all other nations? (v. 8)

(6) Can you list the uniqueness and the superiority of the Bible over any of the religious "sacred books” of the world? Try to list at least five areas.

(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Deuteronomy 4:9–31

4:9-31—Historical Prologue—Call for Obedience: Do not Worship Idols

(1) Remember Horeb (vv. 9-14) — since they have an unequalled God and an unparalleled Law.

a. In order that they would be careful and watch themselves closely, they are not to forget what their eyes have seen and let their memory fade (v. 9):

1. Which incident is Moses referring to? (v. 10)
2. What did they see that was so unforgettable?
3. What did they hear that should not fade away?
4. What is the purpose of this epiphany? (v. 14)

b. In order that they would not forget, they are to “teach” and to “remember”.

1. What might be the relationship between teaching, remembering and not forgetting?
2. How may you apply this to your own life?

(2) Important lesson learned from Horeb (vv. 15-20)

a. What is the one thing that Moses seeks to emphasize from their experience at Horeb? (v. 15)

b. What then is its implication? (vv. 16-19)

c. What is the reason behind man making idols with their own hands and worshiping them?

d. Why would people worship the sun, moon and/or stars?

e. In this modern age, why are there so many people in the west who worship nature?

f. What are the two reasons that Moses gives in urging Israel to be different from these idol-worshipping pagans? (v. 20)

(3) Repeating the message against idol-worship (vv. 21-31)

a. Why does Moses use his death to urge them to not to forget God’s covenant with them?

b. Why does he single out idol-worship in his exhortation? (v. 23)

c. What is the warning he gives them concerning idol worship? (v. 24)

1. What might have caused Moses to anticipate that they would worship idols upon entering Canaan? (v. 25)
2. What will the punishment be? (vv. 26-28)
3. What should they do then? (vv. 29-30)
4. Why would God still be merciful to them? (v. 31)

(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?