September 24 / Zechariah 3-4

Zechariah has been given a message from God composed of eight visions. The first three focus on the whole community and are about the priority of rebuilding the Temple, as we have seen. The next two visions, in chapters 3 and 4, are focused on two key leaders: Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor. So the concern shifts here from the task itself to the human instruments God is using to complete it.

In chapter 3, Zechariah shares his vision of a courtroom trial about to begin. The defendant is Joshua the high priest and the prosecuting attorney is Satan, the Accuser. This is a serious matter because according the Law of Moses the high priest is the one person designated to represent the people in standing before holy God. In His presence, he would offer sacrifices of repentance and receive atonement of sin from God.

Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple, and this only once a year. In the vision, Joshua’s clothing is filthy, meaning that he is spiritually unfit for this role, which Satan the Accuser is only too happy to point out. Joshua represents the condition of all of us.

But then something unexpected and wonderful happens! God rejects Satan’s accusations and declares Joshua to be a saved man and righteous in His sight: “This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire” (Zechariah 3:2).

What happens to Joshua is important to understand because it reflects the heart of the biblical story: “See, I have taken away your sins, and now am giving you these fine new clothes.” This is what God’s grace does. It makes unworthy people righteous in His eyes.  But this also raises a question. Does God’s grace imply that our sins don’t matter?–that God simply ignores them and lets us go free? Not at all!

Verses 8 through 10 mention that our sins are removed by the agency of God’s servant, “the Branch.” This is a technical term for the Messiah, who would be the ideal future king of David’s line and who would remove sin. So God’s grace is offered to sinful people because God’s servant bears all sin.

Satan the accuser is right. Joshua, and all of us, are sinful and unworthy of standing before God. But by God’s grace, the force of his accusation is dismissed and we are set free.

In chapter 4 another vision is given. This time it is of a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. One olive tree stands on each side of the bowl.

The two olive trees represent Joshua and Zerubbabel. The lampstand represents the people. The olive oil in the bowl, which flows to the seven lamps, comes from the olive trees. Therefore, the vision reveals that Joshua and Zerubbabel are the leaders through whom the Lord will lead and nourish the community in their work of rebuilding.

The lampstand will be kept burning by Spirit-directed leadership. It is the way God always leads His people and does His work in the world. As the Lord famously says to Zerubbabel: “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6).

So the work of rebuilding begins again. A humble beginning perhaps, but we are cautioned: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10).

Prayer: Lord, thanks for reminding us that you do big and small things in the world through human agency. You have honored us by including us as your partners in bringing new life to a broken a world. We are unworthy for this task, but you have made us worthy through Christ. Thank you for your continuing mercies. Amen.

March 7 / Reflection

Moses is gone, and now so too is Joshua. Both of them were faithful servant/leaders through amazing times, who listened to God and cared about the people.

Since Genesis, we’ve covered a long period of salvation history, from God’s promise to Abraham to the successful occupation of the Promised Land.

Maybe you have noticed that one of the difficulties of reading the Old Testament is getting lost in the details and losing track of the bigger picture. It is not unlike starring at individual brush marks on the canvas of a famous painting. Up close it looks messy, incomprehensible—unless you are fascinated by brush marks! But step back and you see how all the brush marks, hues and values combine into a work of art.

That is how God works in the world; he is painting a great masterpiece called “Redemption” and he puts brush marks on the canvas of human history through people, events, processes and time. Perhaps watercolor painting is the best metaphor here because there is a measure of freedom and unpredictability about watercolor pigment as it is placed on wet paper.

The artist prepares his work by a careful initial drawing and then lets the brush, pigment, paper and water surprise him even as he shapes his work.

So far in our reading, we have met unusual people living in a world of strange cultural practices, unfamiliar to us. These details are the brush strokes. Yet, in the big picture we see people who are like us in their struggles and in their hopes and dreams. By putting ourselves, as much as possible, in their shoes we are able to see beyond the details and connect with who they are and what God is doing in their lives.

Theologically, everything we find in the New Testament is already present in the Old Testament, as God progressively reveals himself in ways that make sense within the ancient world. Even if the prevalent secularism of our day dims our perception a bit, we can still see the “Big Picture” of the one, true God who created the universe (and human beings in his image and likeness) out of the sheer joy of sharing his life-as-God with creatures capable of knowing him.

We recognize our own sinfulness in the fall of Adam and Eve, and the subsequent bad behavior of the Old Testament characters, including the heroes of our faith, such as Abraham and Moses.

We connect with our need of redemption and marvel at God’s gracious, patient commitment to make things right in the world, even when human sinfulness threatens to undermine God’s promise.

Think of the Old Testament as containing the seed of the gospel, planted in the soil of Israel, finally flowering in Christ, and now reproducing around the world as the Church announces the “good news.”

But our story, right now, continues with Israel planted in the Promised Land. What is coming next? Well, as you might suspect, based on what we’ve seen so far, what is coming next is more good stuff and more bad stuff.

Kind of like life now.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always speaking to us in ways we can understand—like a new mother speaks to her infant. We feel like children in our understanding and behavior. Continue to grow us up into mature faith, through the twists and turns of our lives, as you did with Israel. Amen

March 6 / Joshua 22-24

Our reading begins, in chapter 22, with the resolution of an apparent act of rebellion by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They had earlier requested to settle in an area back across the Jordan River, a request that could imply that they were not willing to enter in to the Promised Land proper.

Worse, they had built a large and imposing altar, which the other tribes took to be a violation of God’s instruction to worship only at the Tabernacle, and possibly a prequel to worshiping the Canaanite gods. This stirred up fear and anger. The people remembered earlier disobedience by fellow Israelites that had brought God’s judgment upon them all!

But a visit and conversation by a priestly delegation resolves the crisis. The others had misunderstood the motives and theological reasoning of the three tribes. They had built the altar, not as a statement of disobedience, but as witness of their faith in the Lord, God. The altar was a memorial, not a functioning altar. It was meant to remind future generations that though they were living across the Jordan River from their brothers, they too were Israelites who participated fully in the covenant relationship with the Lord.

The successful resolution to the crisis is a good reminder of how quick we are to judge others before understanding them, even in the church.

As the years pass by, the people enjoy “rest from all their enemies” in the land (Joshua 23:1). Joshua is very old now, and calls together the leaders of the tribes of Israel. He reminds them that though they are occupying the land, there is still much work to do in order to truly “possess” it. Spiritual vigilance and maintenance is required!

So Joshua challenges the leaders to continue following everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction: “Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now” (Joshua 23:6-8).

He warns them that if they assimilate with the nations they have driven out, by adopting their customs and intermarrying with them, those nations will become a “snare and a trap,” and the Israelites will vanish from the good land the Lord has given them.

Finally, in chapter 24, Joshua reviews the great story of Israel with the tribal leaders, from the ancient promise to Abraham up unto the present time. He concludes with a powerful personal challenge:

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

After this, Joshua, the faithful and courageous servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. His stirring challenge still resonates today: Who will we serve?

Prayer: Lord, we take to heart Joshua’s warning that our relationship with God must be maintained by constant vigilance. We know by experience that when we don’t, we easily drift into worldly ways of thinking and behaving. With Joshua, we want you to know that we will serve you with all our hearts! Amen.

March 5 / Joshua 18-21

Imagine the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel standing in a circle singing: “This land is your land, this land is my land, from Gath-rimmon to Shaalabbin…from Gibbethon to the land of El-te-keh, this land is made for you and me!”

Ok, that probably didn’t happen. But chapters 18-21 do review the regions and towns assigned to each of the tribes of Israel. Mind numbing to us, but exciting to the Israelites. Here is our land, at last!

Special arrangements are made for Joshua, for the Levites (who care for the Tabernacle) and for providing cities of refuge in each tribal region (Joshua 20). You may remember that cities of refuge allowed those who accidently kill others to be protected from irate family members seeking revenge. It is a wise provision given our emotional impulses, giving time for angry families to calm down, and do their grieving, before making the situation worse by committing homicide!

It is interesting to note that 600 years have passed since God first gave the promise of land and a great nation to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Why so long? Because God chooses to work through time, space and historical process. More importantly, God is pleased to use humans who trust him as his agents to bring about his purposes.

This is quite an honor! As followers of Jesus, we are called to help grow the kingdom of God by taking the gospel to the nations (Matthew 28:9-10) and by being partners with Christ in his sufferings (1 Peter 4:13). It seems also that we will reign with Christ in the New Creation: “If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.” (2 Timothy 2:11-12).

It is fun to imagine what this will involve, but needless to say it will be great. God’s gift of the Promised Land to inherit and occupy suggests that we are people made for the earth. It also points us to the expectation that our destiny is to spend eternity on a renewed earth, doing all the things we associate with a rich and satisfying life on this earth, except without sin and death

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the hope of eternal life as resurrected people in a new heavens and earth. Israel’s dwelling in the Promised Land, with you in their midst, excites our imagination about what is to come on that great day when we share your glory! Amen.

March 4 / Joshua 13-17

Israel has conquered the land in fulfillment of the covenant promise. But now they must also “move in” and get settled.

To be honest, these chapters are rather boring to read because they are merely an account of what land was given to which tribe. However, a careful reading reveals some interesting facts that shed further light on the wars of Israel.

To me, the most striking facts are that much land remains to be conquered (Joshua 13:1) by the individual tribes within their allotted divisions, and that there are still Canaanites everywhere. For example: Joshua 15:63 says, “But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.”

Why are these details important? They give us further clues about the use of hyperbolic language in describing victory in battle, which was common and understood to be just an exaggeration. We’ve suggested that phrases like “every man and woman, young and old” were destroyed was a common way of saying “everyone,” and that “everyone” probably meant combatants, not civilians.

We’ve seen already that Rahab and her family were spared from Jericho, and that the clever Gibeonites tricked their way into a peace agreement, and were allowed to live among the Israelites (Joshua 9:3-26). It’s clearly stated that the Jebusites, and others, continued to exist around them also—sometimes being a thorn in the Israelites flesh.

These qualifications are important to help us accept, if not fully understand, the wars of Israel. Again, they were directly connected to the redemptive promise of God to give Abraham’s descendants land of their own and make them into a great nation. They were directed against unrepentantly evil cultures whose moral and religious practices were not tolerable (think ISIS today). Even so, God gave them 400 years to forsake their evil, but they did not (Genesis 15:16).

God’s judgment was not against Canaanite people but Canaanite religion. And expulsion from the land is in view, not annihilation of the people. We have described Canaanite religion as evil and intolerable, but here is some further explanation by a professor of religious ethics:

“The Canaanite gods/goddesses engaged in all kinds of sexual acts including incest and bestiality. Not surprisingly, worshipers of these deities engaged in ritual prostitution — not to mention infant sacrifice and other deviant acts. In our sex-saturated culture, many people do not seem concerned about sexual immorality and the destruction it wreaks on individuals, families, and society. Our anger may flare up about racism or gender discrimination, but today’s society has jaded our moral instincts when it comes to other soul-destroying activities. God’s anger at a society’s moral and spiritual suicide mission — His saying “Enough!” —turns out to be a sign of moral concern.” (Paul Copan)

Prayer: Lord, life is messy business. Even Jesus told us that human history would be marked by wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, until the end. So although you are warrior for your people when you need to be, your great redemptive purpose is to make things right in the world—no more sin or sorrow or death or tears anymore. We long for that day! Amen.

March 3 / Joshua 9-12

The battle for Canaan continues. After Israel’s stunning victories over the two Amorite kings of Bashan and Sihon, and then the defeat of Jericho and Ai, the word gets around to the 29 other Canaanite kings that the Lord fights on behalf of his people.

One particular group, the people of Gibeon, see the handwriting on the wall and surrender by deception. They pretend that they are from outside the land God has given Israel. Then, out of fear of the Lord, trick Joshua into making a binding peace treaty.

When discovered, Joshua shows them mercy and allows them to live among the Israelites as woodcutters and water carriers for the community. Again we see that those, like Rahab the prostitute from Jericho, who humble themselves before the Lord, are saved from judgment.

Other kings were not so humble. In chapter 10, five Amorite kings join forces to attack Joshua, but are defeated by nature miracles. Joshua surprises the kings with a sneak attack, throwing the soldiers into a panic. As he chases the fleeing enemy “the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven…The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword.” (Joshua 10:11). At the same time, Joshua prayed for the Lord to give the Israelites a sign: “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon. So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies.” (Joshua 10:12-13)

The miraclous sign was remembered and recorded in the Book of Jashar: “The sun stayed in the middle of the sky and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel.” (Joshua 10:14)

In chapter 11, another, larger group of kings join forces to fight against Israel. “Their combined armies formed a vast horde. And with all their horses and chariots, they covered the landscape like the sand on the seashore.” (Joshua 11:4)

But again, God gave Israel victory over her enemies: “So Joshua took control of the entire land, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. He gave it to the people of Israel as their special possession, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally had rest from war.”

Israel was clearly “out-manned and out-gunned” in every battle, yet the Lord gave them victory. Chapter 12 lists the thirty-one kings that were defeated, a sobering testimony to the power of God.

As we have suggested before, Israel’s wars were against the proxy rebels of the powers of darkness. They were God’s wars and were temporary. They point towards the larger warfare that is going on in the Creation.

This becomes clearer in the New Testament when Jesus launches his ministry by being tempted by the devil. He then demonstrates the power of the Kingdom of God by casting out demons, not by taking up arms against Israel’s earthly enemies.

As the apostle Paul would later explain: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being strong on our behalf. We don’t have to be afraid of anything because nothing can separate us from your love. Indeed, you have already defeated our greatest enemies, sin and death, in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Help us to live with courage and hope! Amen.

March 2 / Joshua 1-5

With the book of Joshua, we move from the Pentateuch to the 12 books of history about Israel in the land. These books cover the struggles of conquering Canaan (approximately 1200 BC) as well as living under God’s authority in the land while resisting the lure of Canaanite idolatry, then a mostly disappointing kingdom period with occasional revivals, and later the dividing of the kingdom. Eventually, both kingdoms are conquered by superpowers and taken into exile because of their unfaithfulness to God.

The book of Joshua, as one person put it, is a “tale of war and peace.” With Moses dead, God now speaks to Joshua: “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.” (Joshua 1:7)

Joshua proves to be an able leader, leading the people in three military campaigns to conquer more than thirty enemy rulers. But Israel learns, from the familiar tales we shall read, that faith in God is a greater weapon than the enemies’ military might.

The first battle is the one of the most famous—the battle of Jericho. Spies are hidden by a pagan prostitute named Rahab, who expresses a beginning faith in the God of Israel:

“Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. ‘I know the Lord has given you this land,’ she told them. ‘We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.” (Joshua 2:8-11)

This is a remarkable example of pagans coming to faith in the God of Israel. Presumably many did, and Rahab’s faith is early evidence that God’s promise to bless the nations of the world is coming about through Israel’s story.

Rahab is later spared when Jericho is taken. Amazingly this woman—a pagan and a prostitute—is honored by being mentioned in the opening genealogy of the Messiah in the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:5).

Joshua chapters 2-5 recount the prelude to the battle of Jericho. The spies hidden by Rahab return and report to Joshua: “The Lord has given us the whole land,” they said, “for all the people in the land are terrified of us.” (Joshua 2:24)

The next morning, the Levitical priests are lined up to lead the army across the Jordan River. They carry the Ark of the Covenant with them, demonstrating that the Lord is leading them into battle. When the priests enter the river, the water backs up—just like the Red Sea—and the people crossed over!

There was great joy and amazement among the people. “That day the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.” (Joshua 4:14)

As the army positions itself on the far side of the Jordan, at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the young men who had not been circumcised (as the covenant sign of belonging to God) were circumcised and rested until they were healed. Then the Israelites celebrated Passover and awaited Joshua’s command.

Meanwhile, God reassures Joshua by appearing before him as “the commander of Lord’s army,” with sword in hand. He tells Joshua: “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy. And Joshua did as he was told.” (Joshua 5:15)

Always a good idea.

Prayer: Lord, you are warrior for your people. Thank you for fighting on our behalf, defeating the true enemies of our soul: sin, death and the demonic realm. We know that Israel’s wars were but an earthly manifestation of the spiritual warfare we are presently engaged in, but because of the victory of Christ, it is a war whose outcome has already been decided. Amen!

March 1 / Reflection

Before we jump into the book of Joshua, and the conquering of the Promised Land, let’s pause and think about the phenomena of “Israel.” As Moses reminded the people before he died: “How blessed are you, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?” Deuteronomy 33:29).

To put the meaning of “Israel” in context, remember that the first five books of the Bible (known as the Pentateuch) have taught us about creation (where did everything come from and why are we here?) fall (why is everything so messed up?) and redemption (what, if anything, can be done about it?).

Regarding the question of redemption, we have seen that God is indeed going to do something about it—in fact, from Genesis chapter 3 on, the entire Bible (Old and New Testaments) are about what God is doing about the problem of sin and death.

Of course, along the way, there are important references back to the importance of understanding the creation and fall relative to human nature, behavior, potential and destiny. But all of this is possible only because of what God has done, and is doing, to reconcile the world to himself.

What then, is “Israel?” When God spoke to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12, he revealed to him that he was going to bless all the nations of the world through the fruit of one special nation—Abraham’s descendants, Israel. He would give Israel its own land where they could live long and prosper, bearing witness through their worship and unique moral vision to the nations around them of the One True God, creator of the heavens and earth.

Therefore, Israel as God’s chosen people, delivered from slavery in Egypt by God’s mighty power, and now living among the nations, as God’s holy nation, and a “light to the Gentiles,” is a provisional expression of what will become the Church.

The connections are clearly made in the New Testament. Jesus, who establishes his Church, is a “son of Israel,” and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. What is pictured and foretold in Israel’s covenant with God—the commandments and laws, tabernacle (later Temple), priesthood, sacrifices, Promised Land, kings and prophets, are all fulfilled in Christ (our prophet, king, and great high priest) and then reimagined in the Church.

But the Church will not be a distinct nation or ethnic identity; it will be made up of people from all nations on earth, Jews and Gentiles alike. For this reason, we find the titles given to Old Testament Israel now applied to the New Testament Church. For example, writing to congregations made up of both Jews and Gentiles, the Apostle Peter writes: “…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.” (1 Peter 2:9).

Because “Israel” is the provisional expression of the Church, we as contemporary Christians, can learn much about who God is and what it means to be God’s holy people in the world by reading the Old Testament. (If you can’t wait until we get to the New Testament, you can read through the book of Hebrews to get an in-depth analysis of how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament!)

Prayer: Lord, we are amazed as we stand back and see the Great Story of Redemption, which you have patiently and faithfully brought to fulfillment in Christ. And yet, we know that the best is yet ahead, when all the promises will come to full bloom in the New Heavens and New Earth. Until then, we rejoice! Amen!

February 28 / Deuteronomy 31-34

Deuteronomy ends on a melancholy note. Moses is old and the time has come to transfer leadership to Joshua. In front of all the people Moses charges Joshua: “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you or abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:7,9).

However, the Lord tells Moses that he “knows the intentions of the people.” After Moses dies, the people will eventually break the covenant and begin worshipping the gods of the nations around them. The Lord will then hide his face from them “and they will be devoured,” meaning that they will suffer all the consequences stipulated in the covenant.

So the Lord directs Moses to write a song as a moral warning, and a witness against the people of what could happen (and as it turns out, will happen). The song of chapter 32 begins with a retelling of all that the Lord has done for Israel since the Exodus in bringing them to the Promised Land. It then becomes an eerie prediction of Israel’s apostasy and the terrible consequences which will follow.

What is notable about the song is its revelation of God’s emotion towards Israel. She has become his bride through the covenant promise, so her worship of other gods is like an act of adultery. When she abandons him, he feels the emotion of a jilted lover: “They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods; they provoked his fury with detestable deeds. They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before…” (Deuteronomy 32:16-17).

The song recalls the blessings and curses of the covenant and paints a vivid picture of Israel’s choice, and ours: faithfulness to God is a choice for a life of blessing and abundance; unfaithfulness is a choice for a living death.

The time draws near for Moses to die. He blesses each of the twelve tribes in chapter 33, and concludes with a strong word of exhortation: “How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?” (Deuteronomy 33:29).

Don’t blow it!

God gives Moses one final view of the Promised Land from Mount Nebo before he dies. The people mourn for him and promise to follow Joshua, whom Moses has anointed for leadership.

Deuteronomy ends with a fitting epitaph to one of the greatest and most influential human beings who has ever lived: “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for great leaders who faithfully call us to follow you so that we may experience the abundant life Christ promised. We ask you to raise up more leaders like Moses. Amen.

February 20 / Deuteronomy 1-4

Deuteronomy is considered to be one of the most theologically influential books of the Old Testament. The New Testament quotes it directly in seventeen of the twenty-seven books, and alludes to it more than eighty times. It doesn’t contain any new action, but instead reflects on what has already happened in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, and then what is coming ahead in the conquest and settlement of the land as told in the book of Joshua.

One important feature of Deuteronomy is its structure. It is widely believed that God’s covenant with Israel (as described in Exodus & Leviticus) is patterned after legal treaties known in the ancient world between kings and their vassals in a feudal system. Simply put, the king entered into a legal agreement whereby he offered land and other privileges in exchange for soldiering if necessary to help protect the kingdom.

God’s willingness to bind himself to Israel by means of a covenant, like a good earthly king to his subjects, would have made a deep impression on the surrounding pagan nations. “What god would do such a thing?” But Israel’s God did! He entered into relationship with his people, committing himself to bless them with his presence, his commandments & laws, and his provision. The people in turn, promised to honor God by keeping the terms of the covenant.

By adopting the pattern of the ancient king/vassal treaties, Deuteronomy bears witness, by word and structure, that the one true God, (who revealed himself to Abraham, delivered his ancestors from slavery in Egypt, and then gave them land to live in as a holy nation), is a God who desires to dwell with people and bless the world with his goodness and love. 

So, Deuteronomy begins (as the ancient treaties did) with a preamble. The preamble reviewed the king’s past relationship with the people. Accordingly, Moses reminds the people of God’s dealing with them in the events following their escape through the Red Sea from Egypt. When they arrived at Mt. Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were given and the covenant established, Moses notes that they were only a short distance away from where they are now. But forty years have passed! Why? Because of Israel’s constant bickering and unbelief (Deuteronomy 1:2-4).

Moses goes on to review, with commentary, in a single narrative, all the events surrounding Israel that we have covered so far. In chapter 4 (a great chapter) Moses delivers a stirring sermon to remind the people of God’s favor, their privilege to belong to him, and then challenges them to be faithful:

“Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes” (Deuteronomy 4:34).

“So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so that you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
(Deuteronomy 4:39-40).

Prayer: Lord, we praise you for wanting to be with us. We thank you for staying faithful to us even in the times and places that we have been unfaithful to you. We say, with Moses, “has anything as great as this ever been seen or heard before?” Amen!