God’s Redeemed Community Living out His Intentions for Life

What is Deuteronomy and its importance?

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses seeks to set Israel up to live successfully under God in the Promised Land. After 40 years in the wilderness, Israel are finally about to cross the River Jordan and enter the land. And so, Moses freshly expounds the law to inspire God’s people to be devoted to God, walk in his ways and be the kind of people that reflect him.

It is hard to overestimate the significance of Deuteronomy. After Psalms and Isaiah, Deuteronomy is the most quoted book in the New Testament (44 times). It contains the Great Commandment (6:4-5), where God’s people are to love the LORD with all their heart, soul and strength. It teaches covenant faithfulness, by urging them to remember what God has done and to respond with obedience and love. It points forwards to Christ, particularly in chapter 18 which speaks of a future prophet like Moses. Jesus himself relied on it, not least in quoting from it (6:13, 16 and 8:3) to overcome Satan’s temptations in the wilderness. And it teaches the heart behind obedience, which should flow from love for God, rather than mere rule-keeping.

What kind of community does Deuteronomy envisage?

The laws that are proclaimed are for Israel’s spiritual and social formation. First, Israel are to be a covenant community, who live their corporate life in loyalty to the One God. They are to be a distinct people whose identity is rooted in covenant loyalty rather than ethnicity. Second, the community is structured around kinship, where households form the basic unit of society and people live as extended families. Men, women, children and older people are all significant and are to be treated with respect and honour. Third, the book envisions an inclusive people, where the vulnerable – the outsider, the fatherless and the widow – are integrated into communal life and cared for. Fourth, the society is to be economically just, with proper provision made for debt release, fair labour and protection of the poor. Fifth, they are to be people formed by God’s Word with leaders and parents responsible for passing on the great story of what God has done and instructing children in his ways. Sixth, the community is enabled to address the problems it faces with laws that regulate deviance and preserve identity. So, the book promotes a holistic vision for the community where close devotion to God, nurture of the family, equitable economics, merciful justice, care of the land and right worship are woven into one coherent communal world where life can be enjoyed by all.

And what is the impact?

Such a community will be noticed by others! Deuteronomy 4:6-8 says, “The nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 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?”

And if God’s people follow through on their commitment, they have the promise, “Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you” (28:10-11).

Such a life-filled and all-embracing vision is an inspiration for us. When lived out, it radiates to others!

Our Series:

September 6 - God’s Word at the Boundary (1:1-3:29)

September 20 - Commit to the LORD and move on (4:1-43)

September 27 - Keep the Ten Commandments (4:44-5:33)

October 4 - Love the LORD your God (6:1-25)

October 11 - Obey in response to God’s grace (7:1-16)

October 18 - Remember God (8:1-20)

October 25 - Reflect God’s heart to the vulnerable (10:12-22)

November 1 - Worship God alone and give to him (12:1-32)

November 8 - Demonstrate a different kind of society (15:1-18)

November 15 - Lead under God (17:14-18:22)

November 22 - Choose Life (29:1-30:20) Renewing our own commitment to God

November 29 - Prepare for the future with God (31:1-32:47)