"These clearly are not laws or commandments as such but primarily series of parenetic homilies in which Moses exhorted the people to certain courses of action in light of the upcoming conquest and occupation of Canaan. Within these sections, however, are specific and explicit injunctions based upon the Decalogue and anticipatory of further elaboration in the large section of detailed stipulations that follows (12:1-26:15)."112
This chapter is a logical development of what Moses said in chapters 5 and 6. God had called on His people to acknowledge that He is the only true God and to be completely loyal to Him. In Canaan they would encounter temptations that might divert them from their fidelity (cf. 6:14). Now we have a full explanation of how the Israelites were to deal with these temptations. These instructions amplify the second commandment (5:8-10).
7:1-11 Moses mentioned seven nations that resided in Canaan here (v. 1), but as many as 10 appear in other passages (cf. Gen. 15:19-22; Exod. 34:11; Num. 13:28-29; Judg. 3:5). Perhaps Moses named seven here for rhetorical purposes seven being a number that indicates completion or fullness. One reason for the total extermination of these idolaters was the evil effect their corrupt worship would have on the Israelites and their relationship with Yahweh (v. 4).113They deserved to die for their sins (9:4-5) and for their persistent hatred of God (v. 10; cf. Gen. 9:25-26; 10:15-18; Exod. 23:23).
"Thus he is not speaking of those Canaanites who actually forsook their idols and followed the Lord [such as Rahab]."114
Israel was to be different from other nations (i.e., holy) because God had chosen to bless her (v. 6). Likewise Christians today should deal ruthlessly with sin in our lives (cf. 1 Cor. 5:6). Israel's election was not due to anything in Israel that merited God's favor, but only to the free choice of God to bless whom He would bless.
"Israel had a priestly tribe, the tribe of Levi, but the nation as a whole was also to be a priesthood. The historical function of a priest was to represent man to God. The tribe of Levi represented Israel before God; and the nation Israel was to represent the Gentile nations before God."115
God's promises to the Israelites' forefathers and His deliverance of Israel out of Egypt were demonstrations of the love that lay behind God's election. The motive of love comes through clearly. The reason for this love was not that its recipients were attractive but that its giver is loving.
7:12-26 Obedience would bring blessing. Moses enumerated the blessings for remaining completely devoted to God and refusing to practice idolatry (vv. 13-16). Grain, wine, and oil (v. 13) represent the three principle food products of Canaan.116The Israelites could obtain encouragement in battle by remembering God's past faithfulness (vv. 17-21). God told the Israelites He would drive out the Canaanites gradually (v. 22). He would not allow them to destroy the Canaanites totally until they had grown large enough numerically to care for the land adequately (cf. Exod. 23:27-33). This gradual extermination would be hard for the Israelites in that the temptations to idolatry would abound on every hand. Nevertheless it would be better for them than sudden annihilation of their enemies because in that case the land would become wild and unmanageable. The Israelites were not to take the gold and silver from the Canaanite idols (v. 25). The whole idol was under the ban (Heb. herem), and they were to destroy it and give the precious metals to God for His use.
Believers should not make defiling alliances with unbelievers who are pursuing lives of rebellion against God but should oppose their actions (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14-18).
"Two important lessons from the past are now referred to. First, the experience of God's care in the wilderness period, when the people of Israel were unable to help themselves, taught them the lesson of humility through the Lord's providential discipline. The memory of that experience should keep them from pride in their own achievements amid the security and prosperity of the new land (8:1-20)."117
The Israelites were not only in danger of compromising with the Canaanites (ch. 7). They were also in danger of becoming too self-reliant when they entered the land (ch. 8).
Note the double themes of remembering and forgetting, and the wilderness and the Promised Land in this chapter. They lead to the warning in verses 19-20.
8:1-6 God humbled the Israelites in the sense that He sought to teach them to have a realistic awareness of their dependence on Himself for all their needs. This is true humility. God's provision of manna to eat and clothing to wear should have taught the people that they were dependent on His provision for all their needs, not just food and clothing.
What proceeds from God's mouth (v. 3) does not refer to the spoken revelations of God exclusively but more comprehensively to all that comes from God to man.118
"The third means of divine self-disclosure in the context of the Deuteronomic covenant [in addition to historical event and theophany] was by word. It is important to note, however, that in the ancient Near East and in the Old Testament there is no essential distinction between act and word, for the act is produced by the word and the word is never without effective purpose. It is dynamic, entelic, purposeful, creative, powerful (cf. Gen. 1:3, etc.). It does not exist (as in Greek philosophy, for example) as a theoretical or neutral abstraction. In terms of revelation, and especially in Deuteronomy, it is necessary to see the powerful word as a covenant instrument; the word of the Sovereign commands and communicates, but it also effects, empowers, and creates."119
The contrast intended is not between physical bread and the special revelation of God in Scripture. It is more generally between what man provides for himself and what God provides for him. God was warning the Israelites against excessive self-reliance (cf. Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4).
"Just as the Genesis narratives used God's act of providing clothing for Adam and Eve to demonstrate his care for humankind after they were cast out of the Garden (Ge 3:21), so God's care for Israel in the wilderness is pictured here in his providing for their clothing (Dt 8:4). Moreover, the same picture of God as a loving father, which permeates the early chapters of Genesis . . ., is recalled again here: As a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you' (Dt 8:5; cf. 32:6)."120
8:7-20 Moses applied the lesson to Israel's future in this section. When the people settled in the land and experienced God's blessing of material wealth, they would face temptation to think they were responsible for it rather than God (v. 17). The prophylactic to this spiritual delusion was to remember what God had taught them in the past. It had been He, not themselves, that had been responsible for their prosperity.121
As God's people move toward the realization of the inheritance that He has promised us, we need to remember His faithful provision in the past. If we do not, we may turn aside and stop following Him faithfully in the present. Failure to remember and follow faithfully will result in God's punishment in the future (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12-15).
"Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed your way,
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day."122
This section has great application value for Christians who enjoy material prosperity. God clearly revealed the essence of pride and humility here as well as the way to maintain a realistic outlook on material blessings.
"From a literary standpoint Deut 9:1-10:11 is a travel narrative much like Deut 1:6-3:29, with which, in fact, it shares much in common. For example, both are introduced (1:1-5; 9:1-6) and concluded (3:29; 10:11) by a setting in the plains of Moab in anticipation of the conquest of Canaan."123
This pericope contains the second important lesson from the past.
"Secondly, any success they might enjoy in the coming conquest was not to be interpreted as a mark of divine approval for their own righteousness (9:1-6). In fact, both in the incident of the golden calf (9:7-21) and in a number of other incidents (9:22, 23), Israel had proved herself stubborn and rebellious. She was delivered only after the intercession of Moses (9:24-29). Past experience should remind the people that they needed discipline for their rebellious ways. Yet through all their recalcitrance Yahweh remained faithful, even to the extent of granting them two more tables of stone when the first ones were broken (10:1-11; cf. Ex. 32:19; 34:1-4). All the experiences of the past would underline the fact that Israel was dependent on Yahweh for divine care, provision, protection, and forgiveness. To forget these facts was to display base ingratitude and self-deifying pride."124
"Besides the more vulgar pride which entirely forgets God, and attributes success and prosperity to its own power and exertion, there is one of a more refined character, which very easily spreads--namely, pride which acknowledges the blessings of God; but instead of receiving them gratefully, as unmerited gifts of the grace of the Lord, sees in them nothing but proofs of its own righteousness and virtue. Moses therefore warned the Israelites more particularly of this dangerous enemy of the soul, by first of all declaring without reserve, that the Lord was not about to give them Canaan because of their own righteousness, but that He would exterminate the Canaanites for their own wickedness (vers. 1-6); and then showing them for their humiliation, by proofs drawn from the immediate past, how they had brought upon themselves the anger of the Lord, by their apostasy and rebellion against their God, directly after the conclusion of the covenant at Sinai; and that in such a way, that it was only by his earnest intercession that he had been able to prevent the destruction of the people (vers. 7-24), and to secure a further renewal of the pledges of the covenant (ver. 25--chap. x. 11)."125
9:1-6 Moses explained the reasons God was giving Canaan to the Israelites. In addition to God's promises to the patriarchs (v. 5), God was using Israel as a broom to sweep away the spiritually and morally polluted Canaanites. Israel was His instrument of judgment. The people of God should not conclude that their righteousness was what merited God's blessing. Essentially they were a stubborn people (v. 6), unresponsive to God's will as the Canaanites had been. The expression "stiff-necked"pictures unwillingness to submit to the yolk of God's sovereignty (cf. Exod. 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Isa. 48:4). God's choice to bless them was not due to their righteousness. Their righteousness was not essentially superior to that of the Canaanites. God's choice rested on His purposes in electing Israel (v. 5; cf. Eph. 1:4).
9:7-24 Moses provided ample evidence of Israel's stubbornness. Again he called the Israelites to remember their past (v. 7). He gave their rebellion at Horeb extended attention in this address because it was a very serious offense. They followed reception of God's greatest blessing, the revelation of Himself and His will, with immediate apostasy.
"To blot out the name' [v. 14] is, in the context of covenant disloyalty, tantamount to the Lord's termination of his relationship with his people."126
Moses fasted for 40 days and nights following the Golden Calf incident neither eating bread nor drinking water (v. 18), which reflects his total dependence on God. Then Moses alluded to the failures at Taberah, Massah, Kibbroth-hattaavah, and Kadesh (vv. 22-32). He did not name these in chronological order but in the order of their importance proceeding from the lesser to the greater offenses. This presentation should have had great rhetorical and persuasive impact on Moses' original audience. Moses also referred to God's faithfulness to His people in their failures that further demonstrated how wicked these sins really were.
9:25-29 Moses returned in these verses to the rebellion at Sinai to illustrate further how Israel had no basis for boasting of her own righteousness before God. God had preserved Israel only because of His mercy and covenant faithfulness.
10:1-11 God renewed the broken covenant with Israel because of Moses' intercession, not because Israel deserved this. Moses made the ark (v. 3) in the sense that he directed Bezalel to make it (cf. Exod. 25:10).127Other evidences of God's grace were His appointment of another high priest when Aaron died (v. 6) and His provision of water in the wilderness (v. 7).128He also set apart the tribe of Levi as priests even though the nation had failed in its calling as a kingdom of priests (vv. 8-9). Furthermore He permitted the disobedient people to proceed on to the Promised Land (v. 11). Again the order of events is logical rather than chronological.
Excessive self-reliance (ch. 8) and self-importance (9:1-10:11) would destroy Israel's concept of God. The people would regard God as less than He was. This is a violation of the third commandment (5:11) that aims at keeping man's view of God's reputation (name) consistent with His character.
Having recited what God had done for the Israelites, Moses now called on them to respond and make a commitment to Him.
"The structure of the passage reveals an enveloping pattern in which injunctions to obey God (vv. 12-13; 20-22) embrace the corollary command to exhibit proper care and concern for other people, especially the socially and economically disadvantaged (vv. 14-19). The motive clause and that which binds the whole together is v. 17, a confession of the sovereignty of God and of his justice."129
10:12-13 In view of His past grace to His people, what did God require of them? Moses summarized Israel's responsibility: fear, walk, love, serve, and keep. God expected total allegiance to Himself and obedience to His covenant.
"These are the central ideas not only of Deuteronomy but of the whole Pentateuch in its final shape."130
The fear of the Lord (v. 12) includes the response that springs from one's knowledge of his personal sinfulness as he realizes that he stands before a holy God.
"Reverence, obedience, total commitment are the ingredients of the fear of the Lord."131
10:14-19 The rationale behind this response was that as God had demonstrated love for her so Israel was to demonstrate love for God (vv. 14-15). The phrase "highest heavens"(v. 14) is a Hebrew idiom indicating the totality of heaven; it does not mean that there are multiple levels of heaven.132
"Above all, therefore, they were to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, i.e., to lay aside all insensibility of heart to impressions from the love of God (cf. Lev. xxvi. 41; and on the spiritual signification of circumcision, see vol. i. p. 227), and not stiffen their necks any more, i.e., not persist in their obstinacy, or obstinate resistance to God (cf. chap. ix. 6, 13). Without circumcision of heart, true fear of God and true love of God are both impossible. As a reason for this admonition, Moses adduces in vers. 17 sqq. the nature and acts of God."133
"God chose Israel to be an elect nation, not true of any other nation in this world. However, national election does not guarantee the salvation of every individual member of that nation. Individual salvation is based on individual election on God's part and faith on man's part. In verse 16, individual members of the elect nation are encouraged to circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart.' Whereas circumcision of the flesh is a sign of one's membership in the elect nation, circumcision of the heart is a sign of individual election."134
10:20-22 ". . . Moses emphasized a vital relationship with God as fundamental to all other issues in life. Second to this was a genuine love relationship with fellow-man."135
The section of Deuteronomy dealing with general stipulations of the covenant ends as it began, with an exhortation to covenant loyalty (5:1-5; cf. 4:32-40).
"This chapter is to be understood as a re-emphasis of these principles [that were to govern Israel's life] before the detailed laws of the so-called Deuteronomic Code (12:1-26:19) are presented."136
11:1-12 In these verses Moses developed the requirement of love for God more fully. God's acts toward Israel had been discipline (v. 2), not punishment.
The force of the comparison of Egypt and Canaan in verses 10-11 is that irrigation was necessary in Egypt. However in Canaan the people would not need it because God sent rain from heaven on Canaan. Most farmers would prefer the rich land of the Nile region to land that depended on rain that might or might not come. Perhaps Moses was ironically comparing Egypt to a small green garden irrigated by dirty water with the extensive farmlands of Canaan that God watered with clean rain.137
11:13-21 Moses held out the blessings for obeying God as an additional motivation. God would send rain on the land (v. 14) that would result in productivity (v. 15).
"The first priority is . . . given to Scripture as the means of teaching the greatness and grace of God [to the next generation, vv. 18-19]."138
11:22-32 God would drive out all the Canaanites (v. 23) and give Israel all the land that He had promised to Abraham (v. 24; cf. Gen. 15:18).
Verses 26-28 are a concluding summary. The decision Israel faced would result in either blessing or cursing.
"One of the most frequently used words in Deuteronomy is today.' It occurs almost a hundred times, most frequently in the phrase the commandment that I am commanding you today.' This usage is of great significance for the theological understanding of the book. Basically it is used to indicate the crucial nature of the moment at which the covenant at Horeb is established and the people are summoned to obedience."139
God commanded that when the Israelites entered the land they should assemble beside the oaks of Moreh (v. 30, near Shechem140) where Abraham had received the promise of the land (Gen. 12:6-7). This site was near the geographic center of Canaan. There the people were to recite the blessings and curses from the two mountains on either side of the site (i.e., Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal; cf. chs. 27-28; Josh. 8:33; 24:1-28). This ceremony would repeat and reinforce the instructions Moses gave here after Israel had entered the land.
Peter Craigie pointed out the chiastic structure of the major blessing and curse references in Deuteronomy as follows.
AThe blessing and curse in the present covenant renewal (11:26-28)
BThe blessing and curse in the future covenant renewal (11:29-32)
CThe specific legislation (12:1-26:19)
B'The blessing and curse in the future covenant renewal (27:1-26)
A'The blessing and curse in the present covenant renewal (28:1-29:1).141
This arrangement stresses the consequences of obedience and disobedience in the present and the future.
This first part of Moses' second address concludes with an exhortation to obey God's covenant (v. 32). In this part of his speech to the Israelites, Moses explained and emphasized the essence of the Law. His words expounded the meaning of the first three commandments in the Decalogue and urged Israel to be absolutely faithful to God. Because He had loved His people they should love Him.
"The basic stipulation of covenant, then, (1) lays a foundation for the specific stipulations, a foundation that consists of a recognition of Yahweh's election of Israel by love and grace, (2) forms a recapitulation of and commentary on that fundamental principle of covenant as seen in the Ten Words and the Shema, the latter in turn being an adumbration of the former, and (3) urges (as seen in the historical review and hortatory sections) compliance with the covenant mandate of the Ten Words and with the specific stipulations that follow."142
