Deuteronomy

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)

This is the text for Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon, Sinners in the hands of an angry God. He first preached this sermon at a place called Enfield on July 8, 1741. The response was electrifying. Revival broke out and a remarkable period of awakening began. What interests me in this verse spoken to Israel in the Old Testament is the subject of backsliding. God is threatening vengeance upon disobedient unbelieving Israelites. All unbelief should raise the fear of God’s reaction. He will react always. If we place ourselves in a dangerous, slippery place, we will be exposed to falling. This was Edwards’ point. This but it also exposes someone to sudden destruction. You will fall because of the slippery place and you may fall at any moment. Danger is all around and destruction is imminent. Edwards further says that these people would fall of themselves. They don’t require help or aid to fall. It is all their doing. Their own weight will push them down.

The most startling thing is that they haven’t fallen down yet because God’s appointed time for them to fall has not yet come. When that time arrives, their feet shall slip. God will not hold them up. He will let them slide to destruction. Isn’t that a terrifying thought? This is why backsliding is so dangerous. [Read more…] about Their Foot Shall Slip

Deuteronomy 12:1-32

The book of Deuteronomy written by Moses is one of those books that are often neglected by Christians for a number of reasons. There is constant repetition of important truths and there is the length of the book – it requires hard work to read, understand and digest, but the benefits are worth it. In our English Bibles we refer to this book as “Deuteronomy” because of a mistranslation of Deut. 17:18 where that verse speaks of the future king of Israel sitting on this throne over his kingdom, writing for himself in a book “a copy of this law”. This is often referred to as “second law”, hence the name Deuteronomy. The Hebrew title begins with the opening words of the book in Deut. 1:1 – “these are the words.”

The book of Deuteronomy generally follows the structural pattern of an ancient vassal treaty, but this should not be pushed too far. It is preferable to see the book as the last words of Moses to the nation prior to their preparations to enter the land under Joshua. Ancient kings often entered into treaties or pacts with vassal countries, and those treaties contained a certain structure. There was an introduction, a historical overview (the king’s dealings with the vassal), a general call to allegiance, a specific call to allegiance, the witnessing of the treaty by divine gods, blessings and cursings for obedience or disobedience. [Read more…] about The Law Of Worship