Forever for Our Good: A Study of the Book of DeuteronomySample

What if I told you Old Testament laws continue to have a deep and lasting impact on your identity as a child of God?

In the book of Deuteronomy, we find God’s people at a point of decision, a point that would set the trajectory for their future. Poised to leave behind their years of wilderness wandering for the promised land, the Israelites stood on the precipice of success or failure. Of victory or defeat. Of inheritance or forfeiture. They would win or lose their battles the same way we win or lose ours: by faith-filled devotion to the Lord alone.

At the core of Deuteronomy is God’s Covenant Love. He set His love on the people of Israel and called them to an exclusive and unique relationship with Him. From that relationship He called Israel to love Him back. In fact, that’s what God’s law is really all about—love from God and love for God. That might sound contradictory—love and laws rarely seem to go together. But God’s law reflects God’s character, which is righteous, just, holy, merciful, truthful, and still no less loving. And God’s character is what Israel was called to reflect. Deuteronomy teaches God’s people how to love Him with a love marked, expressed, and proven by devotion. Devotion that chooses to worship the Lord exclusively, and exclusively on His terms.

Deuteronomy is also about God’s Righteousness. From laws about false prophets to laws about wandering oxen, we see His righteous character through His commands. In fact, the law reflects the heart of the Lawgiver. Because God is just, His law is also just. Because God is good, His law is also good. When we encounter God’s laws, we encounter true righteousness.

But there’s more! Deuteronomy is about God’s Faithfulness. The Lord had been faithful when Israel was faithless. And He would remain faithful even when He knew they would choose to be faithless in the future. Then and now, unfaithfulness to God comes at a cost, a cost He wants to spare us from inflicting upon ourselves. When God’s people are submitted to God’s ways, He works miracles on their behalf—the same God who can split open a sea and rain bread from the sky can change the trajectory of your future, break the strongholds of your sin, and make even the worst days of your life work together for your good (Rom. 8:28).

Finally, Deuteronomy shows God’s Sovereignty. It shows us the “why” behind our love-motivated obedience. The Lord not only chose to bless Israel, He chose them to be His messengers to the world. Their obedience to God’s laws would put the character of God on display to those who were enslaved to falsehood and idols. They weren’t just His children; they were His missionaries, set apart by Him to reach the nations.

Deuteronomy is the heart of God on display. Truly, His law is perfect, trustworthy, right, and pure (Ps. 19:7-8). His law is good and is forever for our good.

The book of Deuteronomy is often referred to as “the Second Law,” a term that comes from the Latin version of the Bible known as the Vulgate. Deutero means two, and nomos means law, giving it a name that nods to its place in the Bible after the books of Exodus and Leviticus, where God’s laws first appear. The New Testament quotes Deuteronomy approximately forty-four times, and it’s one of the Old Testament books Jesus quoted during His ministry. Clearly, the message of this book matters.

This book of the Bible contains rich theological depth and a framework to understand God’s redemptive acts. Despite what you may be thinking, this book of the law is about so much more than a list of rules.

Long before the Israelites became a nation of slaves in Egypt and escaped with Moses across the parted Red Sea, God made a promise to their forefather Abraham that they would become a great nation with their own special land (Gen. 12). Now, after forty years of wilderness wanderings and centuries of anticipation, God’s promises to His people were about to be fulfilled. But before they could put one foot into the promised land, the Lord spoke to Moses a message they needed to hear. Let’s orient ourselves with the beginning of this book.

Read Deuteronomy 1:1-5. As you read, take note of the following basic observations. 1) Who Moses is speaking to (v.1). 2) Where Moses is speaking from (vv. 1,5). 3) What message Moses is communicating (v. 3).

So, what is this “Second Law” all about? The book of Deuteronomy is about God’s covenant faithfulness to His people, with whom He has an exclusive relationship of all-redeeming, obstacle-overcoming, never-ending love, and from whom He desires loyal obedience. We can visualize it this way: Covenant—Relationship—Obedience.

Read Deuteronomy 7:9. Covenants are solemn oaths. They are mutual commitments that bind each party together. A covenant relationship depends on whether the mutual obligations of the covenant have been accepted and pledged by both sides of the commitment. The Lord was, and would continue to be, faithful to the covenant He made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), despite Israel’s persistent unfaithfulness. Centuries before Israel would experience the full consequences of their unfaithfulness, God committed to uphold His promises.

Because of Israel’s exclusive, covenant-established relationship, the Lord required Israel’s exclusive worship. They were to serve Him alone. Just as He would be faithful to them, they were to be faithful to Him. To break His commandment didn’t just break a rule; it disrupted a relationship of love and, consequently, broke the covenant. Don’t miss the order of this: first came the covenant, which established the relationship and was expressed by obedience. Obedience was a response to God’s promises, not an attempt to earn them. Reverse the order of that and you get every other religious system but the gospel of grace.

This demand for total obedience to Yahweh emphasizes how serious sin really is. Israel was called to absolute loyalty to the Lord in every aspect of their lives—their survival as a nation depended upon it. Their choices revealed loyalty that would bring life, or disloyalty that would bring death. There was no middle ground.

Reflection Questions:

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 and compare the relationship we have with the Lord through Jesus with the relationship Israel had with Him. What is the purpose of this relationship, according to verse 9?

Why is it good news for you today that God was faithful to His promises to Israel back then?

How does the pattern of Covenant—Relationship—Obedience impact your relationship with God? How does this pattern inform your view on obedience (and disobedience) to God’s commands?