Sabbath: Deuteronomy in the Later Writings
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Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Kings 22:1-20,Nehemiah 9:6, Jeremiah 7:1-7, Psalm 148:4, Jeremiah 29:13, Micah 6:1-8, Daniel 9:1-19.
Memory Text: “The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them: and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 10:15).
One of the fascinating things about the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is how often it refers or alludes to itself; that is, later writers in the Old Testament refer to earlier ones, using them and their writings to make their point.
Psalm 81, for example, goes back to the book of Exodus and then almost quotes verbatim from the preamble of the Ten Commandments when the psalmist wrote: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Psalm 81:10).
All through the Old Testament, Genesis — especially the Creation story — is referred to, such as in “I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; and the heavens, they had no light” (Jeremiah 4:23; see also Genesis 1:2).
And yes, many times the later writers of the Old Testament, such as the prophets, referred back to the book of Deuteronomy, which played such a central role in the covenantal life of early Israel. This week we will focus on how the book was used by later writers. What parts of Deuteronomy did they use, and what points were they making that have relevance for us today?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 11.
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Academic papers typically use a lot of references. When we write a paper, we cite other authors to give our arguments credibility. The choice of a reference is not just a matter of googling a few words and citing what comes up. (like some students I know!) There is a set of criteria that must be satisfied before you can use a reference meaningfully.
Who wrote it?
Where was it published?
When was it written?
Who does it cite?
Who are the other authors who cite the reference?
Why do other authors cite the reference?
... and there are a lot more.
It is important to consider, not just that fact that Deuteronomy is cited by other Biblical authors. We would expect that, given that the Bible is essentially a Hebrew history. But we need to consider why it was quoted or referred to. Are the quotes there merely to maintain the status quo, or is there a more pertinent argument going on? And perhaps we need to ask ourselves the question too: Why are we studying Deuteronomy?
This is very thought-provoking topic, my Brother Maurice.
I can only say to your last question, that in my opinion, we are like the children of Israel, God's chosen people for this time. Also, like the children of Israel as they were about to cross over into the Promised Land, Moses wanted to make sure that they knew what was important for them as they took possession of the Promised Land.
There's so much in Deuteronomy that I had not thought about in years; that is not good, because we are God's people, whom are about to enter into the Promised Land of Eternity. There are things that God wants us to know. Are we listening?
As I have told my Sabbath School class (it is a privilege and an honor to teach God's word that I do not take for granted) several times this quarter that the Bible says "God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever"; therefore, His Law is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. We can not get around His Law, we can't throw away His Law, even though many have tried. However, God is such a loving God that He allows us to choose to do His will and obey His Laws and statures, or to disobey. It's our choice.
I've really enjoyed this Quarter lessons, and as always, I am saddened that we only have 3 more lessons on Deuteronomy for this quarter. But I've decided that I will to continue to study the book of Deuteronomy on my own.
God's blessings to you all.
Today's lesson states:
In reflecting upon both the questions asked in this statement and the lesson's title for this quarter - Present Truth in Deuteronomy - Pilate's question to Jesus comes to mind: "What is truth?" (John 18:38).
Whether you are aware of it or not, your mind has assembled (and is continuing to assemble) your unique 'mental map' that it uses to guide your every perception of everything you encounter every moment of every day - and your every response and reaction to everything you encounter. And that mental map is essentially your mind's answer to the question "what is truth?"
This is what I find Bible writers to also have been trying to identify, clarify and otherwise unpack - within the context of the time/s they were writing to/for. The interesting thing is that what was truth for a particular time within the biblical timeline/timeframe is not necessarily truth for the present time or context in exactly the same way it was truth 'back then'. Perhaps another way I can say that is that while the surface (more immediately and easily visible) truth of the time 'back then' is not automatically the present truth for now, there is a deeper underpinning truth that is equally and eternally applicable to both then and now. Jesus illustrated this principle quite a bit in his 'sermon on the mount' (eg Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 31-32; etc).
I would propose that there is much truth within Deuteronomy that is not present truth for today - and there is much truth within Deuteronomy that is present truth for today. Hence Holy Spirit discernment is vitally necessary in your search to identify and distinguish present truth application of past truth experience (John 16:13).
Phil, I agree with your description of how one processes information in their mind and the conclusion they may reach as being their, “truth” but it may not be, “the truth”. There is perceived truth and there is real truth and the two may not be one and the same.
It is important that we study carefully the first five Books in our Bibles. The statutes and judgments contain information we need. The ceremonial law is no longer binding. It taught the Jews the plan of salvation, it pointed to coming of Jesus and the cross. The civil laws given through Moses are not binding today. Israel was a theocracy. There is no theocracy in the world today. The nation of Israel is no longer of God. It was cut off three and half years after Jesus was crucified when they murdered Stephen. The moral laws are still binding. Many consider the ten commandments the extent of God's commandments, but this is not so. We understand that the health message in Scripture is still binding. Many fail to understand to what extent, but most understand that we are not to eat unclean food. That is a moral law to be obeyed today. In the Old Testament, and in the first five Books we will come to understand more particularly the statutes and judgments given to Abraham on the Mount at the same time he was given the ten commandments carved in stone by the hand of God. The other laws were placed in a pocket on the outside of the ark in which were the tables of stone written upon by God.