HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE? 

• This resource has been designed to help you better retain the fruits of our Midweek Bible Study through this seminal book of the Old Testament.

• Use it as a quick reference for where we have been in the book, and the major themes we've covered so far.

• You can also download all of the worksheets from the sessions. 

11 January 2023

In the introduction session to the book of Deuteronomy, we sampled five different passages. This gave us a flavor of what to expect in this long and important book.

We discussed each of the following three questions for each sample:
1. What do you find most interesting in this passage?
2. What’s the biggest question you have about this passage?
2. What’s the biggest question you have about this passage?

SETTING THE SCENE • DEUTERONOMY 1.1-6

• This sets the scene for the whole book.
• Deuteronomy is essentially a compilation of sermons that explain the law that God gave to Israel at Mount Sinai. Moses is the preacher.
• Moses is preaching to the second generation of Israelites who have come out of the land of Egypt. They didn't see all the miracles that God did to deliver the people, but they are going to enjoy the promise of the land.
• This book is written so that they know how to live a life worthy of their savior, Yhwh, in the land that he is giving them. 

SAMPLE 1 • DEUTERONOMY 6.10-15

• Deuteronomy 6 shows them how gracious of a gift the land is for the people. 

SAMPLE 2 • DEUTERONOMY 24.17-22

• God looks out for the marginalized. 

SAMPLE 3 • DEUTERONOMY 28.1-6; 15-19; 61

• God says, if you obey me I will bless you beyond your wildest dreams. If you disobey me, I will curse you beyond your worst nightmares

SAMPLE 4 • DEUTERONOMY 34.1-8

• Moses death plays a prominent role in the whole book. The meekest of men has forfeited his right into the promised land on earth. But a better land is waiting for him through his faith in Yhwh.

25 January 2023

Sections:

• 1.1-8: Moses begins to speak | An explanation of the law of God  
• 1.9-18: God commands the people to inherit the promised land
• 1.19-46: The people refuse to enter the promised land 

Main point: The preaching of God's law is for a redeemed community.

• Notice that God chooses to use the exposition ('explanation') of his law as the means for helping his people into the land of promise as well as to help them in the land of promise.

Connecting to Christ: If the gospel is the power of God unto salvation that opens up eternal life in the new creation with Christ, then the proclamation of the gospel is the means God uses to get people to heaven. See the similar logic in 1 Corinthians 1-2.

Feb 8, 2023

The key question that underpins these two chapters is this: 'Why should the people be confident that they will possess the land?'
Sections:

• 2.1-23: Reason #1 - God gives land to non-covenant people
• 2.24-3.11: Reason #2 - God gives land to covenant nations 
• 3.12-22: Reason #3 - God continues to give land to covenant people: its division has begun 
• 3.23-29: Reason #4 - Moses is proof of the truthfulness of God. He receives no land. 

Main point: We have every reason to trust God on our journey to Paradise.
Connecting to Christ: Notice the enemies in Deuteronomy 2-3. God overcomes our enemies for us. This is ultimately true in Christ who defeats our greatest enemy: death. By his death, death is defeated. And we therefore have every reason to trust God  as we journey toward everlasting life (see Hebrews 2.14-15). 

Feb 22, 2023

Sections:

• 4.1-8: Obey for your sake, for the nations’ sake (evangelism) and for God’s sake (glorification)
• 4:9-14: Raise your kids in the covenant
• 4:15-24: The unseen God spoke to you, so don’t worship what’s seen
• 4:25-31: The purpose of exile: repentance
• 4.32-40: Yhwh alone is God
• 4.41-43: Sanctuary cities
• 4.44-49: The intro to the Ten Commandments

Main point: Obey for your sake, your kids sake, the nations sake, and God’s sake.
Connecting to Christ: See Hebrews 12.28-29 and Mark 12.32 

8 March 2023

Sections:

• 5.1-5: Face to face
• 5.6-15: First tablet
• 5.16-21: Second tablet
• 5.22-27: The people's response
• 5.28-32: God's response

Main point: We need a mediator in our endeavor to live according to God’s will.
Connecting to Christ: See Romans 5.19 — Philippians 2.8 — Hebrews 4.15

22 March 2023 

Sections:

• 6.1-3: Hear and do these commands 
• 6.4-9: Love God with everything... through obeying his law everywhere 
• 6.10-19: When you prosper, don't forget that it's all about God 
• 6.20-25: Catechize your kids in the gospel and law 

Main point: The good news is that good things are ahead for those who do good.
Connecting to Christ: What is the greatest commandment? Matthew 22:36-40  

Apr 12, 2023 

Sections:

• 7.1-5: How to treat the nations
• 7.6-11: Who you are as the people of God: holy, chosen, ...
• 7.12-16: How to get blessed beyond your wildest dreams
• 7.17-26: Fear--the greatest temptation + the opposite of faith

Main point: God will superabundantly bless + fight for his small + weak people who keep his covenant.
Connecting to Christ: 1 Corinthians 1.26-31

26 April 2023 

Sections:

• 8.1-10: Obey to prosper 
• 8.11-20: Obey to avoid perishing

Main point: Man both lives and thrives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Connecting to Christ: Matthew 4.1-4 

10 May 2023 

Sections:

• 9.1-3: There are giants in the land
• 9.4-5:  You're the underdog
• 9.6-29: In spite of this, you'll win. Here's why.

Main point: God’s faithfulness—not Israel’s righteousness—is why the will inherit the land.
Connecting to Christ: Philippians 3.7-11

24 May 2023 

Sections:

• 10.1-11: A second chance recalled
• 10.12-22: What does the Lord require of you?
• 11.1-17: The promised land is both inherently beautiful and also beautiful on account of God's faithfulness to his people 
• 11.18-32: Blessing and curse is set before you today

Main point: The God of gods ministers through his priest [Moses], priestly line [Levi] and priestly people [Israel].
Connecting to Christ: 1 Peter 2.9 

31 May 2023 

Sections:

• 12.1-7: The right PLACE to worship
• 12.8-14: The right PRACTICES in worship 
• 12.15-27: Private and public provisions. 
• 12.28-32: Obey ALL the commandments + avoid ALL temptation 

Main point: To know how to worship properly we need to know what improper worship looks like.
Connecting to Christ: John 4.23 | John 2.19 | Ephesians 2.19-22 

14 June 2023 

Sections:

• 13.1-5: The destructive influence of religious leaders
• 13.6-11: The destructive influence of family + friends 
• 13.12-18: The destructive influence of entire cities

Main point of chapter 13: Destroy false teaching before false teaching destroys you.
Connecting to Christ: Christ has strong words about false prophets in Matthew 24. False prophets are something most of the New Testament authors are concerned with. See the short letter of 2 John for a particular type of false teacher. Revelation 2.2-3 | Revelation 2.20-25 / 1 John 4.1 / Acts 20.29-31. Christ—the only prophet who has never had any deceit proceed from his mouth—takes on the punishment that only false prophets deserve. In his place we get his reward. 

12 July 2023 

Sections:

• 14.1-21: A set apart people 
• 14.22-29: A rejoicing people 

Main point of chapter 14: People set apart by God must set themselves apart.
Connecting to Christ: See 1 Peter 1.

26 July 2023 

Sections:

• 15.1-23: Kingdom economics 
• 16.1-8: The Passover
• 16.9-12: The Feast of Weeks 
• 16.13-15: The Feast of Booths 
• 16.16-17: A summary of the three feasts 

Main point of chapter 15: It's more blessed to give and free than to withhold and enslave.  
Main point of chapter 16: Redemption demands joyful feasting.
Connecting to Christ: See Galatians 5.1, Acts 2.45 

9 August 2023 

Sections:

• 16.18-17.7: The injustice of idolatry
• 17.8-13: The injustice of ignoring the word of God 
• 17.14-20: The king mastered by the word of God  

Main point: Idolatry and ignoring the word of God will lead to injustice.
Connecting to Christ: Matthew 7.1-6 — The justice and injustice done to Christ bring a restoring affect to the renewed justice of Christ’s church.

23 August 2023 

Sections:

• 18.1-8: Mediators of worship
• 18.9-22: Mediator if God's word 

Main point: We need Christ to mediate His word and our worship.
Connecting to Christ: See Hebrews 9.11-15. Christ is the perfect mediator of our worship and of God's word. Deuteronomy gives us a greater appreciation of Christ's work.

13 September 2023 

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 19: The guiltless society preserves innocent life
• Deuteronomy 20: The guiltless society enjoys the blessings of rest (even in conquest)

Main point: Justice that leads to life for the community should permeate all realms of the society.
Connecting to Christ: 1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God

27 September 2023 

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 21.1-9: Free from the guilt or unsolved homicide
• Deuteronomy 21.10-21: Free from the guilt of unkept human rights
• Deuteronomy 21.22-22.8: Free from the guilt of an unjust society

Main point: God raised the bar in the Ancient Near East and raised it higher in Christ.

11 October 2023 

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 22.9-30: A Holy Sexual Ethic 
• Deuteronomy 23.1-14: A Holy Assembly

Main point: The integrity of our sexuality testifies to the nature of our relationship with Yahweh  
Connecting to Christ: The covenant relationship between Yahweh and his people has always been understood as a marriage. Christ is the ultimate bridegroom who calls a people to be his spotless and faithful bride. See especially Ephesians 5 and Revelation 19.

15 October 2023 

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 23.15-25: Protect freedom in the economy
• Deuteronomy 24.1-7: Protect freedom in the family

Main point: God’s freed people will not turn each other back into slaves.
Connecting to Christ: For freedom Christ has set us free. Galatians 5.1 

8 November 2023 

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 24.8-9: Justice for leprous/outcasts
• Deuteronomy 24.10-13: Justice for debtors
• Deuteronomy 24.14-15: Justice for hired workers
• Deuteronomy 24.16: Justice for individuals
• Deuteronomy 24.17-22: Justice for weak/threefold poor
• Deuteronomy 25.1-3.: Justice for criminals 
• Deuteronomy 25.4: Justice for laborers 

Main point: God's mercy on us demands justice among us.
Connecting to Christ: The book of James focuses on what it means for the gospel to transform our relationships, especially regarding poor brothers and sisters. 

29 November 2023

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 25.5-12: Laws to protect a family name 
• Deuteronomy 25.13-16: Honest weights and measures
• Deuteronomy 25.17-19: Remembering Amalek 
• Deuteronomy 26.1-11: A liturgy for the offering of firstfruits 
• Deuteronomy 26.12-15: A liturgy for the tithe
• Deuteronomy 26.16-19: A summary of who God is and who the people of God are 

Main point: Redeemed people rehearse redemption through grateful liturgy.
Connecting to Christ: See the interaction of salvation and thanksgiving in Colossians 1.9–14

13 December 2023 

'First, Worship'

Sections:

• Deuteronomy 27.1-8: A commemorative worship service is the first act of obedience in the land  
• Deuteronomy 27.9-10:  Be quiet and listen: obey! 
• Deuteronomy 27.11-14: An antiphonal liturgy
• Deuteronomy 27.15-26: The threat of curses begin 

Main point: A redeemed people have a special worship service focused on future obedience.
Connecting to Christ: Galatians 3.10-13 

Note: If we keep in mind that obedience has played a central and prominent role in the book of Deuteronomy, then it becomes apparent that whatever precedes and outshines obedience must be of extraordinary importance. Indeed, there is no obedience apart from worship.

10 January 2024

Sections:

• 28.1-6: God's unbelievable blessing requires obedience
• 28.7-15: Our blessing begins with God making us His own

Main point: God's own obey Him for their flourishing.
Connecting to Christ: God made the people in Deuteronomy His own and poured out unimaginable blessings on them as long as they obeyed. In Christ, obedience is still required of the covenant people, but in Christ, we are more sure that God has made us His own. And in Christ, the blessings are longer lasting. See especially Ephesians 1:13-17

24 January 2024

Sections:  {From Eugene Merrill, Deuteronomy pp. 356-371}

• 28.15-19: Blessings Reversed 
• 28.20-24: Curses by Disease and Drought 
• 28.35-37: Curses by Disease and Deportation 
• 28.30-37: Enjoyments Frustrated 
• 28:38-44: More Domestic Futility 
• 28:45-57: Curse of Military Siege and Immigrant Takeover 
• 28.58-68: Covenant Jeopardized

Main point: Disobedience brings the greatest curses imaginable.
Connecting to Christ: Galatians 3.13-14 

14 February 2024

Sections:

• 29.1-9: How we got to today
• 29.10-15: What to do today: Enter in to the covenant 
• 29.16-29: Having entered into the covenant, now keep it
• 30.1-10: The gospel of repentance 
• 30.11-14: God draws near 
• 30.15-20: Choose life and good 

Main point: Being in covenant with God is the greatest privilege that demands a worthy life.
Connecting to Christ: Romans 10 leans heavily on these two chapters. 

28 February 2024

Sections:

• 31.1-6: Moses commissions the people
• 31.7-8: Moses commissions Joshua 
• 31.9-13: reading, doing, and propagating the whole law every 7 years 
• 31.14-15: Moses and Joshua appear in tent for Joshua's commissioning 
• 31.16-18:The faithlessness of the people detailed 
• 31.19-22:The song commissioned 
• 31.23: Joshua's commissioning 
• 31.24-29: Commands for the book of the law 

Main point: Fearless faithfulness should characterize the people of God as they inherit the land of promise. 
Connecting to Christ: Hebrews 13.5 // 1 John 2.28ff 

13 March 2024

Sections:

• 31.30-32.14: A great God vs. a senseless people
  
• 32.15-27: How the people treat God is how God treats his people
• 32.28-47: Why God acts – His glory (28-35) – His compassion (36-38) – His vengeance (39-43) – The people’s repentance (44-47)

Main point: God gives his people a warning song to keep their hearts from wandering.
Connecting to Christ: The songs of Revelation function as warning songs to God's people in the present to keep them from wandering into infidelity. 

27 March 2024

Sections:

• 32.48-33.5: Moses' virtual tour of the promise land, introduction to the blessing
  
• 33.6-25: Blessing the 11 tribes 
• 22.26-29: The ultimate blessing: Dwelling in the one true living and unique God 

Main point: The greatest blessing is to dwell in God.
Connecting to Christ: 

• God dwells in us through the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 3.16: Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?  
• Colossians 3.3: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 
• John 15.4-5: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

10 April 2024

Sections:

• 34.1-8: The death of Moses
  
• 34.9-12:The succession of Joshua 

Main point: Moses was great, but we need the GOAT.

Connecting to Christ: 

• Moses saw God face to face. We will see God face to face. 1 Corinthians 13.12. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
• Revelation 22.4. "They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads."