1. Post by Wendy Gonzalez
3 days agoRe: Week 5 | Discussion – Why Remember?
What is the place of Deuteronomy within the story of the Bible?
Deuteronomy within the story of the bible takes place when Moses sermons present Israel with a vision of society brought together under the authority of the Lord alone; a people bound to God by his covenant with them. (Bartholomew & Goheen, 2004) Moses tells the New generation of Israelites about the past and how the past generation of Israelites had broken the covenant with God, and because of this, They were not allowed to enter the promised land. Moses is teaching the new generation of Israelites to be obedient. Deuteronomy 4:1-4 “ So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. 3 You have seen for yourselves what the Lord did with regard to the Baal of Peor—how the Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, for while those of you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today”. (Attridge, Meeks & Bassler, 2006).
What purpose did it serve to the ancient Israelites?
I believe that for the ancient Israelites, the purpose of Deuteronomy was punishment. I say this because they rebelled against God and didn’t trust in him, so he let them stay on Mt. Sinai for one year, and they traveled through the wilderness for thirty-eight years. “Indeed, the Lord’s own hand was against them, to root them out from the camp, until all had perished.” (Deuteronomy 1:15). God was doing this so that they can perish because they doubted the Lord, and he didn’t want them to go to the promised land. Deuteronomy 1:34 says “When the Lord heard your words, he was wrathful and swore: 35 “Not one of these—not one of this evil generation—shall see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors, 36 except Caleb, son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and his descendants, I will give the land on which he set foot, because of his complete fidelity to the Lord.” (Attridge, Meeks & Bassler, 2006)
What purpose does it serve today?
Deuteronomy serves an excellent purpose for us today; it is for us to know, obey, love, and serve the Lord. The story of Deuteronomy is an excellent reminder of how loving and patient the Lord is, aside from that, it is a reminder that we must try our best to live by the laws in the covenant. “39 So acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40 Keep his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding you today for your own well-being and that of your descendants after you, so that you may long remain in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time” (“Deuteronomy – Bible Gateway,” 2019). I may be taking this out of context, but I do believe that the bible says we are all brothers and sisters, so wouldn’t we be a part of “descendants”?.
Do you see your life as connected to the biblical story? Why or why not?
I can see my life connected to the biblical story when I read Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise (Attridge, Meeks & Bassler, 2006). Although these are not the exact words we use, it is a prayer, and I have taught my children about God, we have prayed, and now I speak to them and tell them what I have learned from our readings. I try my best to teach my children because as I have said in the past, I do believe in God and the power of prayer. This is how I see my life connected to the biblical story, and I am happy that even though our world is very different from when Moses was alive, Prayer is something I feel many of us do we have faith and trust that the Lord will hear us.
References
Attridge, H., Meeks, W., & Bassler, J. (2006). The HarperCollins study Bible (pp. Deuteronomy 1-4). San Francisco, Calif.: HarperSanFrancisco.
Bartholomew, C., & Goheen, M. (2004). The Drama of Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI 4956-6287: Baker Academic.
Deuteronomy – Bible Gateway. (2019). Retrieved 30 July 2019, fromhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+2%3A15-17&version=N
2. by Sabrina Hilley
3 days agoInitial Response
Discussion Question: Why Remember
In Deuteronomy 1:1-6 it is the 40thyear in the wilderness. The Israelites are finally going to head towards the land that was promised. The book of Deuteronomy is covenant based. In the book, ‘The Drama of Scripture’,the author explains the place of Deuteronomy. “Israel’s vocation is given in a context of a covenant.”(Bartholomew, Gohen, 2014) The greater reason for this covenant doesn’t just end with them but is to be spread throughout the whole world, throughout the whole bible. “Thus, on a international scale, Israel is called to mediate between the Lord and all the nations.” (Bartholomew, Goheen, 2014). The purpose was for God to keep his promise and spread his love throughout the world. Today, it does not matter if you are from Israel or from South America. Because of what was done a long time ago, we can worship God and be a part of his kingdom.
Today, anyone can be a part of God’s ‘kingdom’ because of the ‘covenant’ that was kept long ago. Anyone who accepts Christ can now be a part of God’s family, not just Israelites. I do see my life being connected with this biblical story because I do see myself in connection with God and his people. I believe that the bible really is a historical document at the same time, I want to live by it.
References:
Bartholomew, C., Goheen, M. (2014). The Drama of Scripture. Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.
Deuteronomy -New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+2%3A15-17&version=N
3. by Lovette Gomez
3 days agoRe: Week 5 | Discussion – Why Remember?
What is the place of Deuteronomy within the story of the Bible?
The location of the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy takes place near the Jordan River. Although Deuteronomy is the reminder too of the promise land that awaits the Israelites. When you think about the actual location or setting of the book, the Israelites are in the desert, right before the Jordan River according to Biblical Foundations for Freedom’s Old Testament Geographical Historical Summary. The desert was not a pleasant dwelling for the Israelites. The desert brings to mind extreme heat, scorpions, and little to no water.
If we are speaking not of location but its meaning or placement in the bible, the book of Deuteronomy serves as a reminder of what awaits the Israelites. I agree with McConville (2002), the book of Deuteronomy is a “re-representation” of what God requires to be apart of his covenant. It’s a reminder of the covenant between God and the Israelites (McConville, 2002, article 1.1). God has a promise land for his people but if they do not obey God or his laws then they won’t make it there.
What purpose did it serve to the ancient Israelites?
God uses Deuteronomy and Moses, to be a warning and a reminder to the Israelites. A reminder to not only obey God’s laws but a reminder of his love. God wanted the Israelites to love him, to love the covenant; He wanted them to be obedient It could also be an example of how faithful God is by keeping His promises. God promised Abraham that He would give the land to his offspring (Genesis 12:7).
What purpose does it serve today?
“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long” (Deut 6:1-2 NRSV). Deuteronomy is a reminder for Christians today, to always love God and show it by being obedient to his laws.
Do you see your life as connected to the biblical story? Why or why not?
“The meaning of our whole world’s history has been most fully shown to us in the person of Jesus” (Bartholomew & Goheen, 2014, p.21). Like Jesus is the son of God, I am a child of God as well. We all have a history and will continue to create history but I hope that my history, like the history of Jesus, leaves a powerful and positive impact on my daughter’s life, as well as the other people in my life. With that being said, I do feel connected in the sense that Moses has to teach the people the laws of God (McConville, 2002) just as I have to teach them to my daughter. It is my job to tell others of the gospel. If I continue to follow God and his laws then my daughter will be more likely to do the same. In this sense, I do feel connected to the biblical story.
References
Bartholomew, C. G., & Goheen, M. W. (2014). The Drama of Scripture: Finding our Place in the Biblical Story(2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
BibleGateway. (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2019, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy 6&version=NRSV
Biblical Foundations for Freedom, 2. (n.d.). Old Testament Geographical Historical Summary. Retrieved July 30, 2019, from https://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/References/OT/OTSurvey/OT_Maps_Survey.html
McConville, J. G. (2002). Deuteronomy, book of. In D. W. Baker, & T. D. Alexander (Eds.), The IVP Bible Dictionary Series: Dictionary of the old testament: Pentateuch. Westmont, IL: InterVarsity Press. Retrieved from https://go.openathens.net/redirector/apu.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Fivpotp%2Fdeuteronomy_book_of%2F0%3FinstitutionId%3D822673 words
