The Pentateuch | xxxvii
Deuteronomy Deuteronomy is both the summation of the Pentateuch and essentially the first book of prophecy. The book is basically Moses’ prophetic sermon, and it foretells Israel’ s disobedience, destruction and eventual restoration( Dt 29:22— 30:5). Deuteronomy 1 – 4 summarizes the story of Israel in the wilderness, and the bulk of Deuteronomy 5 – 26 restates, expands upon or modifies the laws given in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Deuteronomy 5:1 – 21, for example, restates the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:1 – 17. Deuteronomy is also the restatement of the Sinai Covenant between Yahweh and Israel. The book is similar to suzerain-vassal treaties from the fourteenth century BC. In these treaties, a superior“ suzerain” state makes a covenant with a subordinate“ vassal” state; this type of relationship is similar to Yahweh’ s covenant with Israel. Thus Deuteronomy is in some respect similar to these ancient treaties.
THE PENTATEUCH AND THE REST OF SCRIPTURE
Taken as a whole, the Pentateuch is a coherent and unified work. Together these books assert that people are estranged from Yahweh due to sin, but Yahweh chose Israel and gave them a unique identity and mission as his people in order to bring blessing to all the nations of the earth. In the histories and prophecies of the Old Testament, Israel, like the rest of the humanity, demonstrates its sinfulness; but the promise of salvation is sustained as prophets pointed Yahweh’ s people toward a new and marvelous work that he would do in the future. In the Messiah, Jesus, we see how Yahweh’ s covenant love finally overcomes human sin and discover that truly“ salvation is from the Jews”( Jn 4:22).
Duane Garrett