Deuteronomy Study Guide

Old Testament Studies 1

Deuteronomy Study Guide

Question: What did Deuteronomy reveal about Yahweh and what did Yahweh require of Israel?

I.The Sovereign King Yahweh’s Renewal of His Treaty with His Servant Nation Israel

A.Moses recounts Yahweh’s right to rule His servant nation Israel because of Yahweh’s past promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; His redemption of Israel from slavery in Egypt; and His protection, provision, and forgiveness throughout Israel’s wilderness wanderings. (1-4)

B.Moses calls the servant Israel to obey the principles of an exclusive relationship to their King Yahweh driven by loyal love because Yahweh alone is worthy of worship and is beneficent toward Israel. Yahweh desires that Israel demonstrate its love by loving others. (5-11)

C.Moses explains how the King Yahweh’s ten covenant principles are to be concretely lived out in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because Yahweh deserves loyal love and worship expressed in the details of daily living in the land. (12-26)

D.Moses exhorts Israel to covenant loyalty by explaining King Yahweh’s blessings to His servant nation for faithfulness and curses for treachery. Yahweh desires Israel to inherit the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant through obedience to the Mosaic covenant. (27-28)

II.The Promise and Peril for Israel’s Future Covenant Relationship

A.Yahweh is righteously jealous for Israel’s affections and warns them of the consequences of covenant treachery. (29)

B.Yahweh is compassionate and will forgive and restore Israel if they repent of their sin and seek Him with their whole heart. Yahweh desires Israel’s good and calls on them to choose life by loving and obeying Him. (30)

C.Yahweh is omniscient and foretells that Israel will forsake Him in the future yet graciously provides Joshua to give them the land of Canaan. (31-32)

D.Yahweh is generous by pronouncing blessing on each of the twelve tribes through Moses and by honoring His servant Moses with a view of the promised land in spite of Moses’ sin that dishonored Yahweh. (33-34)

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