Deuteronomy identifies the book’s content with Moses: “These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel” (1:1). “Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests” (31:9) may well refer to his writing of the entire book as well. Moses’ name appears nearly forty times in the volume, and the book clearly reflects Moses’ personality. The first person pronoun used freely throughout its pages further supports Mosaic authorship.
Both Jewish and Samaritan tradition are unanimous in identifying Moses as the author. Christ expressly acknowledges Moses as the author of the book’s content as do Peter and Stephen (Matt. 19:7, 8; Mark 10:3, 4; Acts 3:22; 7:37).
The last chapter, which contains the account of Moses’ death, was probably written by his intimate friend Joshua.
The last chapter, which contains the account of Moses’ death, was probably written by his intimate friend Joshua.
Moses and the Israelites began the Exodus from Egypt about 1440 b.c. They arrived on the plains of Moab where Deuteronomy was likely written about 1400 b.c. on the occasion of the speaking of its content to the people “in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month,” of the fortieth year of their wilderness wandering (1:3). This was just before Moses’ death and Joshua’s leading of the Israelites into Canaan. Deuteronomy therefore covers less than a two-month period, which includes the thirty days of mourning for Moses’ death.
Moses was now 120 years old and the Promised Land lay ahead. He had led the Israelites out of captivity from Egypt and through the wilderness to receive God’s Law at Mount Sinai. Because of Israel’s disobedience in refusing to enter the land of Canaan, which God had promised them, they had wandered aimlessly in the desert for thirty-eight years. Now they were camped on the eastern border of Canaan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor in the uplands of Moab overlooking Jericho and the plain of Jordan. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, they faced a turning point in their history—new foes, new temptations, and new leadership. Moses called the people together to remind them of the Lord’s faithfulness and to challenge them to be faithful and obedient to their God as they possessed the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy is a series of farewell addresses by Moses to the Israelites as he prepares to die and as they make ready to enter the Promised Land. Although God had forbidden him to enter Canaan, Moses experiences a strong sense of anticipation for the people. What God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries before is about to come true. Deuteronomy is the proclamation of a second chance for Israel. Israel’s lack of faith and disloyalty had prevented the conquest of Canaan earlier. The majority of the people with Moses at the threshold of the Promised Land had not witnessed the scenes at Sinai; they had been born and reared in the wilderness. Thus Moses exhorts them thirty-five times to “go in and possess” the land. Thirty-four times he reminds them that this is the land that the Lord is giving them.
As this new generation of Israelites poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses vividly recalls with them God’s faithfulness throughout their history and reminds them of their unique covenant relationship with the Lord. Moses realizes that the Israelites’ greatest temptation in the new land will be to forsake God and to take up the worship of the Canaanite idols. Thus he is concerned for the perpetuation of the covenant relationship. To prepare the nation for life in the new land, Moses expounds the commandments and statutes God had given in His covenant. Obedience to God is equated with life, blessing, health, and prosperity. Disobedience is equated with death, cursing, disease, and poverty. The covenant showed God’s children the way to live in fellowship with Him and with each other. So powerful is Deuteronomy’s message that it is quoted over eighty times in the New Testament.
Deuteronomy is characterized by a strong sense of urgency. Even to the contemporary reader the challenge is decisive: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (30:19). The decision is ours.
Deuteronomy teaches that the relation of God to His people is far more than law. The indispensable conditions of our covenant relationship with God are obedience and loyalty. Our love, affection, and devotion to the Lord must be the true foundation of all our actions. Loyalty to God is the essence of true piety and holiness. Success, victory, prosperity, and happiness all depend upon our obedience to the Father. The book is a plea for our obedience to God based upon the motives of love and fear. “What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes” (10:12, 13).
Moses was the first to prophesy the coming of the Messiah, a Prophet like Moses himself (18:15). Notably, Moses is the only person with whom Jesus ever compared Himself. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46, 47). Jesus often quoted from Deuteronomy. When asked to name the most important commandment, He responded with Deuteronomy 6:5. When confronted by Satan at His temptation, He quoted exclusively from Deuteronomy (8:3; 6:16; 6:13; and 10:20). How significant that Christ, who was perfectly obedient to the Father, even unto death, used this book on obedience to demonstrate His submission to the Father’s will.
The unifying theme throughout the Bible is the redemptive activity of God. Deuteronomy reminds the people that the Spirit of God had been with them from the time of their deliverance from Egypt to the present and that He would continue to guide and protect them if only they would be obedient to the stipulations of the covenant.
Second Peter 1:21 clearly describes Moses, “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” As a spokesman for God, Moses demonstrated the presence of the Holy Spirit as he prophesied to the people. Several of his most significant prophecies included the coming of the Messiah (18:15), the dispersion of Israel (30:1), the repentance (30:2) and restoration (30:5) of Israel, Israel’s future national restoration and conversion (30:5, 6), and Israel’s national prosperity (30:9).
May Adonai, the God of your ancestors, increase you yet a thousandfold and bless you, as he has promised you! (Deuteronomy 1:11 CJB)
May Adonai, the God of your ancestors, increase you yet a thousandfold and bless you, as he has promised you! (Deuteronomy 1:11 CJB)
~New Spirit-Filled Life Bible
