B.R.I—Deuteronomy
1. Identify
what Author, wrote for which Original Readers, and When
a. Author/Compiler
of Deuteronomy
i.
Internal
1.
Deuteronomy
31:9-‘Then Moses wrote down this law...’
2.
Luke
24:44-‘...everything written about me in
the Law of Moses...’
3.
Joshua
8:32-‘...Joshua wrote on the stones a
copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.’
4.
Joshua
24:26-‘Joshua wrote these words in the
book of the law of God...’
ii.
External
1.
Cliff Davis said that Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy. (lecture)
2.
“Conservative
Bible students are united in their conviction that Moses wrote this book. But
many liberal scholars theorize that Deuteronomy was written several centuries
after Moses’ time by an unknown author...” (Nelson’s)
3.
Although
technically anonymous, most of the book consists of discourses attributed to
Moses, who is regarded by tradition as the author of the Pentateuch.”
(Zondervan’s)
iii.
Conclusion
My
opinion is that Moses wrote all but the last chapter (34) of Deuteronomy,
because the rest of the Bible would be void and make no sense if he hadn’t
written it. Jesus and Paul constantly refer to the Torah as ‘Moses’ Teachings’
or ‘Moses’ Law.’ Chapter 34 obviously could not have been written by Moses, as
it is about his death. In Deuteronomy, and some parts of Numbers, we see that
Joshua appears to be close to Moses, leading me to believe that Joshua wrote of
Moses death, becoming chapter 34.
b. Written
To
i.
Internal
1.
Deuteronomy
1:1- ‘These are the words that Moses
spoke to the Israelites....’
2.
Deuteronomy
4:1-‘So now, Israel, give heed...’
3.
Deuteronomy
5:1-‘Moses convened all Israel and said
to them...’
ii.
External
1.
The
Israelites (Nelson’s)
2.
The
second generation of Israelites (Zondervan’s)
3.
Cliff Davis said that Deuteronomy was written to the second generation of the Israelites.
(lecture)
iii.
Conclusion
In
my opinion, Deuteronomy was written for the second generation of the Israelites.
I think it’s pretty obvious that it was the second generation because Moses refers back to the group that came
out of Egypt, telling them the story of what God did. He was also preparing
them for the land that God promised to them. We know that the first generation was not allowed to go
into the Promised Land, because of their rebellion, leading me to believe that
it is the second generation that
Moses is speaking to.
c. Written/Compiled
When/Where
i.
Internal
1.
When
a.
Deuteronomy
1:3- ‘In the fortieth year...’
b.
1
Kings 6:1-‘In the four hundred eightieth year
after the Israelites come out of the land of Egypt...’
2.
Where
a.
Deuteronomy
1:1- ‘these are the words that Moses
spoke...beyond the Jordan—in the wilderness...’
ii.
External
1.
When
a.
Mosaic
Period (ISBE)
b.
1440
BC (Nelson’s)
c.
1440
or 1250 BC, depending on the date of Exodus (Zondervan’s)
d.
Cliff Davis said that it was written by Moses, thus Deuteronomy was written in the Mosaic
Period. (lecture)
2.
Where
a.
East
of the Jordan. (Zondervan’s)
iii.
Conclusion
I
believe that Deuteronomy was written at the end of the Mosaic Period, around
1440 BC, before the Israelites went into the Promised Land, because of chapter
34. If it was written in another time, the details of the death of Moses may
not have been included, because it wouldn’t have been relevant to the time. It
might have simply said, “Moses was not
allowed to enter into the land that God had promised...Moses died outside the
land that had been promised.”
2. Research
the Background of the Author, Original Audience, and Readers
a. Author’s
Background
Moses
was a ‘Hebrew prophet’ who was called by God to lead the Israelites out of 400
years of slavery in Egypt. He was born in Egypt, to Hebrew parents, but raised
by Pharaoh’s daughter. After killing an Egyptian taskmaster, he fled to Midian,
where he married the daughter of a Midianite priest, and where he was called by
God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in the land of Egypt. He faithfully
followed and obeyed God, with the exception of one incident in the wilderness,
when he struck a rock to bring forth water, rather than trust God and speak to
it, as God had commanded him. He died in the wilderness in the last moth of the
forty years of wandering, because God did not allow him to enter the Promised
Land because of Moses’ distrust. He was, however, allowed to see the Promised
Land from the top of Mount Nebo.
b. Original
Audience’s Background
The
OA, the second generation of Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, until the entire first
generation, with the exception of the Joshua and Caleb, had died.
c. Original
Reader’s Background
The
OR, the second generation of Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, wandered in the desert for 40 years. They were the generation after the
generation that came out of Egypt. These were the people who entered the
Promised Land.
3. Reasons
Written
a.
To
renew the covenant between the Israelites and God.
4. Author’s
Literary Tools
a. Kind
of Writing
i.
Prose
ii.
Poetry
1.
32:1-43
2.
33:2-29
b. Type
of Literature
i.
Narrative
ii.
Law
c. Structure
i.
Biographical
ii.
Topical
d. Composition
Tools
i.
Cruciality
5. Main
Ideas
a.
If
the OA obeys God and follows his commandments, they will be blessed and
prosper.
6. Final
Book Overview
a. Reason
Written Summary
i.
God
wants to renew the covenant that he had made with the first generation for the
second generation. This covenant would allow them to live in the land that he
had promised to Abraham, with him dwelling in their midst.
b. Main
Idea Summary
i.
If
the OA obeys God and follows his commandments, they will be blessed and
prosper.
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