A. Theme and Background

1. The name of the book comes from the Septuagint (LXX) title of the book meaning “second law”. The intent was that most of the book is not new laws but, a repeating a second time of that which the Lord gave to Moses in the earlier books. There are about 250 references in Deuteronomy to the previous four books of the Pentateuch, also called the Torah, and about 350 references to Deuteronomy in the Old Testament overall. It is referenced 95 times in the New Testament. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy more times than any of the other books of the Torah. The book covers a period of about one month at the end of Moses’s life (about 1405 BC), when Moses addresses a new generation of Israelites who were the children of those who came out of Egypt but perished in the Wilderness due to their unbelief and rebellion. The Israelites are on plains of Moab, the eastern side of the Jordan River across from Jericho and are poised to enter the Good Land. Moses is now 120 years old and has led his people for the past 40 years.
2. A key verse to the book is found in Deuteronomy 6:12: “ be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” The previous generation forgot what the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of Egypt, Moses does not wish that this generation do the same.
3. It can be said that Deuteronomy is a book of love in that the word “love” appears here 21 times. This is because they needed to love the Lord God and realize that it was not all about rules and regulations.

1. An example is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-6 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” This lacer verse comprises what is called the “Shema” meaning “hear” or “listen” and is considered to be the most essential prayer of Judaism today.
2. God’s intention has always been that we hide His Words in our hearts so that we do not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). The Hebrew word translated “one” here emphasizes monotheism in a pagan land of many gods but also conveys “unity”. The same word is used in Genesis 2:24 where a man shall cleave to his wife and they shall be “one” flesh. In this word, we can see the Trinity.

4. The book is comprised of three farewell speeches given by Moses. One looks to the past, one to the present and one to the future. In chapters 1-3, Moses reviews the past. In chapters 4-26 there are regulations for the present for obedience in love in 27 through 34, readiness for the future.

B. Chapters 1-3 are historical where Moses reminds the Children of Israel what God has done.

1. In verse 1:2, Moses notes that it is 11 days journey from Horeb (Mt Sinai) to Kadesh Barnea, the entrance point to the Good Land, to remind them that it took their parents 38 years due to their unbelief and rebellion.
2. In verses 1:6-8, Moses reminds them of what God said about staying long enough at Horeb, and to move forward and possess the land that He has given them. Some have calculated that the area promised by God to them was about 480,000 square kilometers. But at the pinnacle of Israel’s kingdom under David and Solomon, they only possessed 48,000 square miles or 1/10th of what God had promised them.
3. In verses 1:19-46 Moses reviews that spies were sent into the Good Land but that their parents rebelled against going in and were given a death curse. Estimates are that the children of Israel numbered over 1.2 million at that point and all but two died in the wilderness. Over 40 years, that would be about 80 deaths per day or a constant reminder that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

C. Chapters 2 and 3 record the places they had been and armies they had defeated.

D. Chapters 4 through 26 contain the second farewell speech of Moses, comprised of the regulations for the Israelites during the present. The transition is from the past remembrance to what is happening now for them.

1. Moses admonishes the Israelites not to add or take away from God’s commands (4:2). God does not want His Word to be changed or taken away (Revelation 22:18-19). Today, many pick out of the Bible verses that support a particular viewpoint of theirs and ignore the rest or twist them.
2. The Ten Commandments given in Exodus chapter 20 are reiterated and expanded upon in Deuteronomy chapters 5-11.
3. Chapters 12 -16:16 cover ceremonial law.
4. Chapters 16:17-20 cover civil law. In 18:15 is a prophecy of the Messiah: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your midst, from your brethren. You must listen to him.” Some Islamic clerics have accepted to tie this prophecy to Mohammad but note the verse says that this prophet will arise from among your brethren not from among the Arabs. In John 1:21, John the Baptist is asked if he is Elijah. When he denies it, they ask if he is the Prophet in reference to this passage in Deuteronomy. Philip testifies “we have found the one Moses writes about in the Law” (John 1:45) also referring to this same prophecy.
5. Chapter 21-26 pertain to social laws.

E. Chapter 27 to the end of the book is the last farewell address by Moses.

1. Chapter 27 records that Moses instructed the Israelites that after they entered the Good Land, tribes were to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curses and other tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim to pronounce the blessings written in this chapter. It is interesting that those tribes on Ebal included Dan which was the first tribe to lead Israel into idolatry. Dan is also not listed in Revelation chapter 7 with the other tribes. A recent archeological discovery taken from Mount Ebal is a folded lead scroll on which was written a curse dating from this period.
2. Chapter 28 opens with a big “if” you will fully obey your God, He will give you many blessings. The chapter closes with a warning against disobedience with curses and a prophetic word about the nation being taken away captive by Babylon. This was a conditional covenant based upon both parties meeting the demands.
3. Chapter 29 is a renewal of the covenant God made with the Israelites at Mt Sinai.
4. Chapter 30 is a promise that if they return to the Lord, He will bless them in the land He will give them.
5. Chapter 31 describes how Joshua is to be appointed leader after Moses dies.
6. Chapter 32 records the very long song of Moses and instructions for him to go to Mount Nebo to die.
7. Chapter 33 records Moses’ blessings to the tribes.
8. Chapter 34 records the death of Moses. God shows him the Good Land which is denied to him due to his disobedience. He dies and God buries him in a valley opposite Beth Peor but no one knows the location to this day. In the New Testament, the book of Jude verse 9 says that the archangel Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses. At the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-3) Moses and Elijah are there talking with Him. They represent the Law and the Prophets. Although Moses was denied entry into the Good Land at his death, he arrives here. It can be said that although the Law failed, Grace prevailed!

F. Discussion questions, application and passing it on.

1. Is there something in your past where you resisted or rebelled against God’s instruction to you? Have you been wandering in the wilderness? What are you going to do about it?
2. In chapter one the Lord tells them that they have been too long at Mount Horeb. Have you stayed too long at a certain place? Maybe not necessarily geographical but perhaps spiritually? Has He said to you that you have been subsisting too long on milk, it is time for solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2)?
3. The Israelites only appropriated 1/10th of what God had promised to them. Are you appropriating all of the exceeding great and precious promises God has given us in Scripture so that you can partake of His divine nature to escape the corruption of the world (2 Peter 1:4)?
4. Moses’ second farewell speech transitions from the past to the Israelites present. We too must remember the past of what God has done in our lives but, apply that to the present. Do you linger in your thoughts to what your early Christian life was, or the good experiences you may have had in church, or do you apply what you have learned to the present? Is your experience of Him as fresh and as vibrant today as it may have been in the past?
5. When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36)? He responded with Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength” and coupled it with the second from Leviticus 19:18: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus went on to say that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). Can you truthfully say that you are obeying these two commandments?

This Old Testament survey was provided by Joshua Nations (JoshuaNations.org)

A. Theme and Background.

1. Joshua is a bridge between the last four books which is Israel out of the land to the next seven books which is Israel in the land. The first five chapters of Joshua are Israel entering the land. Chapters six through twelve are the nation conquering the land inhabited by the Canaanites. The Canaanites were just one of the various people groups that inhabited the land but they have their name associated to the land of Canaan. Chapters 13 through 24 is the distribution of the land to the various tribes.
2. Joshua is the anglicized name of the Hebrew “Yehoshua” which means God is deliverance or salvation. It is the name of Jesus in the New Testament as translated from the Greek. It is from this that our mission organization, Joshua Nations, gets its name or “salvation to the nations.”
3. Although the book’s author is not named, it is most likely written by Joshua between 1400 and 1370 BC. The last portion of the book related to Joshua’s death was written by another person.
4. The book of Joshua was traditionally used as an analogy of Christians dying and going to heaven in that crossing the Jordan River was symbolic of death and entering into the Good Land of heaven. A better analogy is that crossing the Jordan is symbolic of our new birth and baptism and the Good Land as representative of our Christian life after salvation where we battle the Canaanites of self, sin, the flesh and Satan and his minions. But we eventually overcome and are victorious.

B. Key verses.

Joshua 1:6-9, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land, I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 24:14-15, “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

C. Chapters 1-3.

1. Chapter one: Joshua is installed as Israel’s leader and they prepare to enter the Good Land.
2. Chapter two: Joshua sends out two spies into Jericho in chapter two. They are hidden by Rahab who is called a harlot in both the Old and New Testament. They give her a scarlet cord to Be in the window of her home which is located on the wall of the city. When the Israeli army destroys Jericho, they will spare her and those in her house. The scarlet cord is symbolic of the shed blood of Christ and those in the house are spared death as were those whose houses in Egypt had the blood on the door posts. Rahab later marries an Israelite Salmon, and she becomes part of the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
3. Chapters three and four: the Israelites cross over the Jordon River. The priests carry the ark and step into the river first. As soon as they step into the river the waters pile up allowing Israel to pass on dry ground. This could be representative of hearing a command from the Lord and stepping out in faith and obedience but not receiving confirmation of the command until the first step is made.

D. Chapters 5-12.

1. In chapter five, the Israelites of the second generation are circumcised fulfilling the covenant of the Lord originally made with Abraham. It was an outward sign of an inward spiritual covenant made with God. In Deuteronomy (10:16) Moses tells Israel to “circumcise your hearts and be stiff-necked no longer. Stephen in Acts chapter seven tells the Jews just before they stone him “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!”
2. They eat some of the produce of the land and manna stops the next day. Joshua approaches Jericho and sees a man with a drawn sword. Joshua asks him if he is for them or against them. “Neither” responds the man “but as commander of the army I have now come.” Joshua falls on his face in reverence and is instructed to remove his sandals as this is holy ground. Although commentators are divided as to the man’s identity, this is most likely a Christophany or preincarnate appearing of Jesus. He gives instructions of how the city is to be taken.
3. The conquest of Jericho is described in chapter six. The walls collapse and the city is taken. Rahab and her household are spared. Instructions are given regarding gold, silver and other things which are to be devoted to the Lord. The city is burned. Excavations of the site of Jericho in the 20th century revealed that Jericho did have a wall that collapsed. Pottery with burned barley seeds were also found confirming that Jericho was burned at the time of the harvest as described in the Bible (3:15).
4. Chapter seven begins with Achan taking some of the things devoted to the Lord from Jericho. Due to that sin, the Israelites are defeated by the men of Ai. Achan’s sin is revealed and he, his household and possessions are stoned to death and the Lord’s anger is turned.
5. Chapters eight through twelve describe the various victories of the Israelites over the tribes of Cannan beginning with Ai. Thirty-one kings are listed as those Israel defeated in chapter twelve. The nation is then at rest (11:23).

E. Chapters 13 through the end of the book describe the distribution of the land to the various tribes, the cities of refuge, towns for the Levites, Joshua’s farewell and renewal of the covenant at Shechem. He sets up a large stone as a witness and then he dies at 110 years. It is interesting that today, you can go to Shechem and see a pillar reputed to be the remains of the one set up by Joshua as a witness.

F. Discussion questions, application and passing it on.

1. Joshua exhorts the people in 1:6-9 to “not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” Are you meditating daily on God’s Word? Are you hiding the Word in your heart so that you might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11)?
2. Are you serving other gods or idols such as possessions, relationships, entertainment, or have you declared like Joshua “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”?
3. Rahab married into the children of Israel. She is mentioned not only in Christ’s genealogy but also in the so-called faith chapter of Hebrews (11:31). This shows that anyone whose background is clouded by sin can be made righteous in Christ.
4. The story of Achan can be troubling especially when linked to the deception of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter five. Are you attempting to hide something from the Lord who, when He comes will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5)?
5. Practice sharing the gospel using the book of Joshua. Consider the imagery of crossing the Jordan and entering into a time where we face constant struggles in our lives but eventual rest. Use especially the story of Rahab and the scarlet cord.

This Old Testament survey was provided by Joshua Nations (JoshuaNations.org)

A. Theme and Background.

1. The book of Judges covers about a 350-year period in Israel’s history from the death of Joshua to King Saul or about 1300 BC to 1047 BC. The author is anonymous although Jewish tradition gives credit to Samuel. Governance of Israel goes from a strong central leadership under Joshua to decentralized leadership under various tribal leaders called Judges comprised of 12 men and one woman. Israel is not again united under a strong central leadership until King Saul.
2. The reoccurring theme is a continuing cycle of obedience of Israel to God followed by idolatry, followed by repentance due to oppression by Israel’s enemies and deliverance under the judges. The book can be organized as follows: Chapters 1-2 conquest; Chapters 3-16 compromise and Chapters 17-21 chaos.

B. Chapters one and two.

1. Chapter one begins with Israel fighting and conquering the remaining Canaanites. But some tribes like Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher and Naphtali were not able to completely drive out the Canaanites but lived among them. This would later become a snare to them.
2. Chapter two is essentially a summary of the entire book of Judges. The generation that saw what God had done for them under Joshua died and another generation grew up that neither knew the Lord nor what He had done for Israel. They fell into idolatry and apostacy and God gave them up their enemies that surrounded them. They cried out under the oppression and God raised up a judge who delivered them. But when that judge died, they returned to their idolatry.

C. Chapters three through sixteen detail the judges that ruled Israel during this 350-year period. Here are some highlights:

1. Chapters four and five is the story of Deborah who led Israel as a judge and was a prophetess. She tells Barak that the Lord commands him to take 10,000 men and attack the army of the King of the Canaanites under Sisera his general. Barak says he will go only if she goes with him. Deborah responds that because of this course of action, the honor of delivering Sisera will go to a woman. That is what happened: the Israelites defeat Sisera’s army and he flees on foot from his chariot. He hides in the tent of a woman who gives him milk to drink. He falls asleep and she drives a tent peg through his temple into the ground. Israel then had peace for forty years.
2. Chapters six through eight tell the story of Gideon. The Israelites did evil for seven years and the Lord gave them into the hand of the Midianites who invaded Israel, ruined their crops and killed their livestock. Due to their oppression, Israel would hide in caves and mountain shelters. We first see Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress. Normally, wheat is threshed on a hilltop where the chaff is separated from the grains of wheat by the wind. But a winepress is located at a lower elevation showing that Gideon was afraid of being seen by the Midianites.

1. The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and says “The Lord is with you mighty warrior.” This no doubt was a shocking greeting not only because of the angel’s appearance, but because Gideon was cowering at the foot of a hill and not on top where the Midianites would see him.
2. Gideon builds an altar to the Lord and tears down the alter of Baal and a pole dedicated to Asherah. He gathers an army to fight the Midianites. He tests God by putting out a fleece twice. Once where dew was only on the fleece and second time where the dew was only on the ground.
3. God has him reduce the army so that Gideon does not get the glory for the victory. Twenty-two thousand left who were fearful, leaving ten thousand. God told him that this was still too many. He told Gideon to take them to a river where only those who lapped out of their hands would go and fight. This reduced the army to 300.
4. Gideon’s 300 men take jars with torches inside and surround the camp at night. At the blowing of a trumpet, they break the jars and cry “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” In the confusion, the Lord caused the men in the camp to turn on each other. The army then flees from Gideon and a great victory is won.
5. But Gideon made a golden ephod from plunder taken which he placed in Ophrah his town and it became an idol to Israel. The Israelites had peace from their enemies for 40 years until Gideon died.

3. Chapters eleven and twelve relate the story of Jephthah, the son of a prostitute who gained a victory over the Ammonites. Jephthah made a vow that whatever comes out of his house upon his return, it would be the Lord’s and he would sacrifice it as a burnt offering. When he returns, his only child a virgin daughter, comes out dancing to the sound of timbrels. She surprisingly agrees to his vow but requests two months to roam the hills and grieve with her friends because she will never marry. After two months, she returns and he does to her what he vowed.
4. Chapter thirteen through sixteen recount the story of Sampson. He is the most immoral of the judges though he was raised as a Nazirite, someone who is supposed to be fully dedicated to God. He went to a prostitute and lusts after foreign women which, is his downfall. Eventually, he falls for a Philistine woman called Delilah, who eventually persuades him to tell her the secret of his strength which is his long hair. As a Nazirite is not supposed to have a razor taken to his head. The Philistines capture him, gouge out his eyes and have him grinding grain in prison. They hold a great feast in the temple of Dagon their god, and bring Sampson out to make sport of him. By this time, his hair has grown and he prays to the Lord for strength to push against the pillars to which he is chained. His prayer is answered and he brings the central pillars down upon a large gathering of the Philistines and himself, killing more in his death than when he was alive.

D. Chapters seventeen through twenty-one record how Israel descended into chaos. It is a period of evil and anarchy, and can be summarized by a phrase that appears twice in these chapters: ”In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (17:6; 21:25).

1. Chapter seventeen recounts how a man named Micah returned 1,100 shekels of silver which he had stolen from his mother. She makes an idol which was placed in a shrine in Micah’s house. A young Levite from Bethlehem comes by looking for a place to settle. Micah takes him in and pays him ten shekels a year to be his priest.
2. Chapter eighteen tells of the tribe of Dan which had not yet come into an inheritance in the land. They attack, conquer, and burn the city of Laish where a people were dwelling in safety and prosperity. On their way to Laish, they stop at Micah’s house and take his idol and household gods and persuade the Levite to go with them. They rename the rebuilt city Dan and set up Micah’s idol to worship there.
3. Chapter nineteen recounts that which is among the most horrible stories in the Bible of a Levite who had a concubine. She had left him and he goes and retrieves her from her parents’ home. On the way back to his home, he stops in Gibeah whose inhabitants were Benjamites. They take shelter in the home of a man for the night. The evil men of the city come and beat against the door, demanding that the Levite be given to them so that they can have sex with him. The homeowner offers his own virgin daughter and the concubine instead. The Levite takes his concubine and gives her to them. They rape and abuse her all night. In the morning she makes her way back to the house and collapses on the doorway. When the Levite opens the door, he tells her “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer as she was either unconscious or dead. He puts her on his donkey and goes home, where he cuts up her body into twelve pieces and sends a body part to each of the twelve tribes.
4. Chapter twenty tells of civil war of eleven tribes against the Benjamites due to the outrage over this incident. After several battles, the Benjamites are defeated and all are killed except 600 who flee to the wilderness. The men of Israel go back to the towns of Benjamin and destroy all of their cities, putting all to the sword. No wives or women are left for the Benjamites.
5. Due to an oath that the men of Israel had taken that no one would give their daughters to a Benjamite, the tribe was in danger of extinction. Israel took count of those who had assembled to fight against the Benjamites and found that no one from Jabesh Gilead had come. They sent twelve thousand fighting men to Jabesh Gilead and killed all the males and the women who were not virgins. But that only obtained 400 virgins as wives for the 600 surviving Benjamites. So, a scheme was hatched where the remaining Benjamites would go to an annual festival near Shiloh and abduct the women when they came out dancing. This was done, and the Benjamites carried off their abducted brides, rebuilt their towns and settled in them.
6. The book concludes with “In those days, Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in their own eyes” (vs. 21:25).

E. Discussion questions, application and passing it on.

1. Deborah is the only female judge to rule Israel. Some bible commentators have noted that when men do not step forward and assume leadership as was the case with Barak, the women often step in to fill the gap. Do you see this in the church? How can the men be encouraged to assume more of a leadership role?
2. Gideon had a direct encounter with the Angel of the Lord, yet he still needed further assurance through putting out a fleece. Have you ever done something similar to test what you believe the Lord is speaking to you to do? What might be more appropriate ways of discerning what the will of God is for you?
3. The story of Jephthah is especially tragic, as he made a vow resulting in the sacrifice of his only child. Two things we can learn from this account are that no matter the poor background from where we come (he was the son of a prostitute), God can still use us. Secondly, we should not make rash promises or commitments to God. God never required Jephthah to make such a vow. Have you made rash vows or commitments to God or others that you could not keep?
4. Most bible students are shocked at the story of the Levite and his concubine when encountering it for the first time. What were the root causes in the culture of Israel at that time that allowed this evil to occur?

This Old Testament survey was provided by Joshua Nations (JoshuaNations.org)