The book of Deuteronomy is one of the most significant books in the Bible. Its content helped shape the theology of both the Old and New Testaments. In Book Study: Deuteronomy distinguished Old Testament scholar Dr. Daniel Block provides an in-depth look at look at this important book. Dr. Block walks through the text of what he calls “the Gospel according to Moses.” You’ll gain a better understanding of Deuteronomy and a fresh appreciation of how the book reveals the brilliance of God’s grace.
“How shall we hear the message of Deuteronomy? We need to recognize its pastoral and rhetorical intent. We begin by reading that we may hear, that we may learn, that we may fear, that we may obey, that we may live. This is the goal of the book of Deuteronomy. The torah of Deuteronomy does not kill; the torah of Deuteronomy gives life.” (source)
“For above all, Moses is concerned to emphasize that it must be the gospel that drives the people—not law, gospel. Don’t forget the gospel, and so on every page, we will hear him proclaiming God’s good news to Israel.” (source)
“The Hebrew word that is translated ‘book’ actually means ‘document.’ So when we talk about the book of the torah of Moses, we are not talking about a book as we know it; we are talking about a document, a written copy of Moses’ oral preaching—the book of the torah of Moses.” (source)
“First, when God offers a gift, even if it seems impossible, receive it in faith.” (source)
“When we get to the nt, we find that Jesus reduces all the Law and the Prophets to a simple statement: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your being and with all your resources.’ And then He adds the second command; it’s just like the first: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Well, as it turns out, that is an exact distillation of the revealed will of God that we have beginning with the Decalogue, then the book of the covenant, then the instructions of holiness, and now in the book of Deuteronomy. The book of Deuteronomy is all about loving the Lord your God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. This is that to which Moses calls his people.” (source)