Lecture on Deuteronomy 7-10

Introduction

Begin with Deuteronomy 7-10
Emphasis on listening attentively and keeping personal thoughts in check
Questions can be directed to the IUIC classroom page

Verse 1-2: The Lord promises to bring the Israelites into a new land and destroy many nations (Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites - Hamitic nations) - no covenant or mercy with them.
Verse 3-4: Prohibition against interracial marriages to avoid leading the Israelites away from God. Precept: Tobit 4:12-13 - emphasizes marrying within the 12 tribes of Israel.
Verse 5: Destroy pagan altars and images.
Verse 6: Israelites are a holy and chosen people, special unto God.
Verses 7-8: God's choice based on love and keeping His oath.
Verses 9-11: Emphasis on keeping commandments.
Verses 12-15: Blessings for obedience - fertility, health, prosperity.
Verses 16-26: The Israelites must fully destroy other nations' gods and cultural influences.

Verse 1: Keep commandments for life and prosperity.
Verses 2-3: God tests the Israelites in the wilderness to humble them and teach reliance on God's word.
Verses 4-5: God disciplined them as a father disciplines his children.
Verses 6-10: Command to keep God's commandments and description of a prosperous promised land.
Verses 11-17: Warning against pride and forgetting God when prosperous.
Verse 18: Recognize that all wealth comes from God.
Verses 19-20: Disobedience and turning to other gods will lead to destruction.

Verses 1-3: God will lead the Israelites to defeat mightier nations.
Verses 4-6: Not because of righteousness, but because of other nations' wickedness.
Verses 7-29: Recounts Israel's rebellion in the wilderness (golden calf incident) and Moses' intercession for them. Highlights the importance of Moses as an intercessor.

Verses 1-5: Second set of tablets with the Ten Commandments.
Verses 6-9: Details about the Levites' inheritance
Verses 10-11: Moses' second 40-day stay on the mount to receive the commandments.
Verses 12-13: Summary of Israel's required behavior: fear, walk in God's ways, love, and serve Him, and keep His commandments.
Verses 14-15: Emphasizes God's love and choice of Israel.
Verses 16-22: Call for circumcision of the heart and obedience to God, remembrance of God's acts, commandments to love the stranger, and recount of Israel's growth from 70 people.

Obedience to God's Commandments: Central to Israel’s relationship with God.
God’s Faithfulness: Emphasized by His love and choice of Israel, not based on merit but His oath.
Consequences of Disobedience: Severe punishment and destruction for turning away from God.
Intercession and Leadership of Moses: Critical role in mediating between God and Israel.
God's Exclusive Relationship with Israel: Describes Israel’s unique status as God’s chosen people.
Symbolism of Fidelity: Marriage within 12 tribes as an expression of communal identity and faithfulness to God.