The Book Of Deuteronomy Essay

The book of Deuteronomy is a sequel to the book of Numbers. In this book are three speeches and to poems spoken by Moses in Moab before the crossing of Jordan. He gives the Ten Commandments to the chosen people, which are the children of Israel. A minor narrative in three of the chapters tells us of the last days of Moses.

In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites of their history and God’s laws.  With a name meaning “second law”, Deuteronomy records Moses’ final words as the Israelites prepare to enter the promised land. Forty years had passed since God handed down his laws on mount Sinai, and the entire generation that experience these events have died.   Moses reminds the new generation of God’s commandments and of their national history. The invasion of the promised land will occur under Joshua, as Moses will only see the promised land from on top of a mountain. 

In this book we continue to see God’s promises and how he really wants the children of Israel to obey all of his commandments in order to enter the promised land.  We can clearly imagine their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. We see that God never left them and was always by their side.  He instructed them, he lead them about, he gave them food from heaven and gave them water out of a rock.  However, we still see the children of Israel complaining and grumbling at Moses; subsequently, complaining and grumbling at God. 

Although God handed down over 600 statutes, commandments, and judgments to the children of Israel, the first Ten Commandments are again discussed in more detail. We also read how we should diligently teach our children to fear the Lord and to love the Lord with all your mind, heart and soul, so that he might preserve us alive. We read that we are to destroy the things that God hates, such as graven images and symbols of other gods, and anything that is not of God, in order for your house to stand on a solid foundation rather than on a rocky one.

We also see God’s warnings to the people of the many curses that he would put upon the Children of Israel if they do not obey his commandments, statutes and judgments. God states that he would scatter them from the four corners of the earth; thus, letting them be slaves in a land that is not their own. Being slaves among their enemies and never seeing the promised land.

Again, we see when the Passover and the other Feasts are to take place according to God’s laws. We learn what should be done during each festive event and how one should act, and all strangers and/or guests whom are in their home during such events. We read about the laws for worship, the laws for tithing, laws for sin, laws as serving as a priest, food laws, and the seventh year release laws.

In reading the book of Deuteronomy, I often wondered how different society would be today if we just lived according to God’s laws and not man’s laws. God’s laws as outlined in Deuteronomy are so simple and so straight-forward. God knows what we need, what is good for us and what isn’t good for us. He knows how confusion and strife comes about when living according to man’s laws. He knows that man’s laws are only fitting to man and are not fitting to God.

Deuteronomy 31:19 reads, “Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.” The song of Moses is in Deuteronomy 32. This is one of my favorite and memorized chapters of the Bible. The song of Moses, written before Moses death, is one of the most important chapters of the first five books of the Old Testament. It briefly tells us the life of the children of Israel. We can imagine how they wandered in the wilderness always complaining, no matter what happened, no matter how much God provided for them, no matter what his promises were, which were all fulfilled, they still complained. God gave them water, honey, and oil out of a rock, and they still complained. The chapter tells us of the many pitfalls that the children of Israel experienced such as the worshiping of other gods, whom they knew not, the disobeying of the commandments, provoking God to jealousy and anger. We also read about God’s warnings and the curses that they would endure for not keeping his commandments, statutes and judgments.

The Song of Moses is truly one chapter that all the children of Israel through all the many generations, and all of God’s children should seal in their forehead and in their heart. It is a song that comes to life in just 43 verses. It is clearly a song that whenever one is in doubt they can recall those words of God’s love, grace, mercy, and instructions on living their life accordingly. It is also a song to bring to mind when tribulations occur, reminding oneself that God is and always will be in control.

In closing, the book of Deuteronomy fully discloses God never leaving the children of Israel.  He remained with them as a cloud by day, in a shape of a pillar, and a flaming fire by night.  He protected them he nurtured them, he guided them, he gave them food from heaven and water from a rock. And yet the children of Israel were never satisfied. They truly were a foolish and stiff-necked nation.