Recap of Israel’s History (ch: 1-4)• The command to Leave Horeb (1:1-8) • The appointment of leaders (1:9 – 18) • 12 Spies on Canaan (1:19 – 25) • Rebellion against the Lord (1:26 – 46) • Wanderings in the Desert (2:1 – 23) • Defeat of Sihon, King of Heshbron (2:24 – 37)• Defeat of Og, King of Bashan (3:1-11) • Division of the land (3:12 – 20) • Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan (3:21-29)• Obedience Command and Idolatry Forbidden (4:1-31)• The Lord is God (4:32 – 40) • Cities of Refuge (4:41 – 43)

Stipulations of the Covenant (chapters 4 – 26)

•Moral Law (4:44 – 11:32)• Ceremonial Law (12:1 – 16:17) • Civil Law (16:18 – 26:19)

Introduction to the LAW

This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. These are the

testimonies, the statues, and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt…

(Deuteronomy 4:44 – 45)

Section A – Moral Law

• The Ten Commandments (ch 5) • Love the Lord Your God (ch. 6) • Driving out the nations (ch. 7) • Do not forget the LORD (ch. 8) • The Golden Calf (ch. 9) • The Law Tablets (ch. 10:1-11) • Fear the Lord (ch. 10:12 – 22) • Love and obey the LORD (ch. 11)

Section B – Ceremonial Law

• The one place of worship (ch 12) • Worshiping other gods (ch. 13) • Clean and Unclean food (ch. 14:1-21) • Tithes (ch. 14:22-29) • Year of canceling debts (ch. 15:1 - 11) • Freeing Servants and Firstborn (ch. 15:12 -23) • Passover (ch. 16:1 - 8) • Feast of Weeks and Booths (ch. 16:13 – 19)

These are the statues and rules that you shall be careful to do in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days

that you live on the earth – Deuteronomy 12:1

The Lord’s Place of Worship (ch. 12)

• Destroy all the PLACES where false worship takes place (v. 2 – 3)

• Don’t WORSHIP Yahweh in the way of the pagans• Only worship God where he tells you too (v. 5)• Bring to God your offerings, tithes, your

firstborn, and rejoice and give thanks in Worship to God. (v. 7)

• He gives instructions on their offerings, sacrifices, and food practices. (v. 8 – 27)

The Lord’s Place of Worship (ch. 12)

• The Lord calls His people to cleanse the land of all places of false worship

• He would provide for them a place to receive His presence in grace and blessing

• Today, God forbids us from worshiping Him in ways that seem good to us but that are contrary to His Word.

• God gives us His clear Word in Christ Jesus. • In His Word and Sacraments, we have rest in our

consciences, and we experience the deep joy that comes from having God’s forgiveness.

Warning Against Idolatry (ch. 13)• The BIG temptation when going into the

Promised Land is IDOLATRY• Don’t be ENSARED to follow them (12:30)• Don’t INQUIRE about their gods (12:30)• We inquire about how other people worship

and serve their “gods” (12:31)• Don’t WORSHIP Yahweh in the way of the

pagans• Don’t add or take away from what I have

commanded you (12:32)

Warning Against Idolatry (ch. 13)• Beware of FALSE PROPHETS, DREAMERS,

and miracle workers who encourage you to follow after other Gods (13:1 – 5) • Beware of FAMILY members who entire

you to “go and serve other gods” (13:6 -11)• Beware of WORTHLESS fellows who

draw away your neighbors to “go and serve other gods” (13:12 – 18)

Purge the Evil from

your midst (13:6)

But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him

to death…You shall stone him to death

with stones because he sought to draw you

away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of

Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (13:9 – 10)

Deuteronomy 13:17 – 18

None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the

fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he

swore to your fathers, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all his

commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the

LORD your God.

Sons of the Lord (14:1-2)

• In the OT, people of Israel were regarded as God own CHILDREN

• They were part of his household and subject to His rules

• In the NT, all Christians are described as members of God’s HOUSEHOLD

• See Ephesians 2:19• We are sons of God the Father (Romans 8:12 –

17)

TWO INSTRUCTIONS (ch. 14)• Don’t cut yourself (v. 1)• In Canaanite religion, people ritually cut

themselves until blood flowed. • Don’t pull your hair out (v. 1) • In Canaanite religion when somebody died,

mourners were tear out their hard from the front of their head (either out of despair or to arouse pity)

• Verse 2 – We are God’s HOLY people and you have been CHOSEN as his treasured possession.

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD (ch. 14)• This section deals with Food LAWS (Leviticus 11)• General Instruction: Don’t eat abominations(v.

3)• Just like the previous chapter about pagan

worship practices which are an abomination, now we get instructions about food that is also in a pagan culture considered an abomination.

• Instructions on animals that may be eaten and not be eaten (v. 4 – 21)

Why Clean and Unclean?

FOUR basic reasons for the FOOD laws: – The food was literally unclean and so unfit for

human consumption (during that time) – Strict diet laws distinguished God’s people from

other nations and discourage making their own– Human pride would be broken and a desire for

God’s mercy increased – In seeing what was UNCLEAN, God’s people would

be moved to love and gentleness

Harvest Tithe (14:22 – 29)• Tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the

FIELD year by year (14:22) • LEARN to fear and trust the LORD (14:23) • Support the WORK of the Levites (14:27) • At the end of every three years you bring out all the

tithe of your produce in the same year. • The Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the

widow shall come and eat and be filled. • The LORD your God may now BLESS all the work of

your hands too.

Luther once said that such a charitable

model of business would limit the amount

of litigation and disputes in a nation,

and that it would make creditors rightly more cautious in lending.

Israel and Poverty

• In the LAND the LORD was giving His people, there would always be PLENTY for everyone—old and young, sick and healthy.

• It was God’s will that His people would harvest and use the produce of the land in a charitable manner, and the people’s obedience to God’s commands would alleviate POVERTY.

Israel and Poverty

• It was SINFUL to ignore a brother in need. • This teaching is taken up in the NT –See Galatians 6:10 –See Timothy 5:8 –See James 1 and 2

Slavery and Poverty (15:12 – 23)• In order to find a way out of POVERTY,

God’s people in need could sell themselves to fellow Israelites.

• This, however, could only be for a LIMITED time (up to six years), and upon release, poor workers were to receive enough to sustain themselves independently (so as not to have to resell themselves into slavery).

Slavery and Poverty (15:12 – 23)• An Israelite could enter VOLUNTARILY

into a lifelong slavery, but only when a master and slave have established a mutuality beneficial (even caring) relationship.

• The master or mistress of the slave would be obliged to receive the person as a slave and so be responsible for their care and provision.

THREE ANNUAL RELGIOUS FESTIVEALS (16:1 - 17)

• All males were to appear at the Sanctuary for THREE annual pilgrim feasts: –Passover (vv. 1 – 8) –Feast of Weeks/Pentecost (vv. 9 – 12) –Feast of Boots (vv. 13 – 15)

• Each festival is to REMEMBER what God has done and to give thanks to the LORD!!!

• See Deuteronomy 16:17