DEVARIM: Introduction

Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible, and the last book of the Torah (Pentateuch).

The name of this book comes from the combination of two Greek words:

“Deutero”: repetition

“Nomos”: law

In Hebrew, the title that each of the books of the Torah receives is based on the first words of the book. The fifth book is known as “Devarim”, which in Hebrew means: “Words”.

(Deut. 1:1) These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness…

Interestingly, the word “Devarim” summarizes the concept of the book, since in it we find the words that God spoke through Moses to the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land.

Another name that Jews give to the book of Devarim is: Mishne HaTorah, which literally means: the repetition of the Torah. This concept comes from the verse in which God instructs the king of Israel to make a “copy” (Heb. Mishne) of the Torah (Deut. 17:18-19).

God gave the Torah* to Israel on Mount Sinai; but he had done so forty years back. Not only had a lot of time passed, but the people now consisted of a new generation. As we already mentioned, the generation of adults that left Egypt died in the desert; those who entered the Promised Land were the New Generation, that is, those who left Egypt when they were children or those who were born in the desert.

* (Torah means: instruction. It is also known as: law. It refers to the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; in Hebrew: Bereshit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim).

THOSE WHO DID NOT ENTER

Why did the desert generation not enter the Promised Land?

We have to know for sure that it wasn’t because they “got lost” in the desert. They really could have arrived in a matter of days or weeks. They got to the doors of the Promised Land, but they could not enter for spiritual reasons. Let’s read the story to understand what happened…

(Numbers 32:8-13) our fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. (9) For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the LORD had given them. (10) And the LORD’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, (11) ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, (12) none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’ (13) And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was gone.

When they were right about to enter the Promised Land, they sent twelve emissaries to spy out the land. But instead of being glad about the report of a good land, they were afraid of its inhabitants and were discouraged.

(Numbers 13:25-29) At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. (26) And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. (27) And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. (28) However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. (29) The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

Ten gave a negative report; and only two, Joshua and Caleb, gave a positive report.

(Numbers 13:30-33) But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (31) Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” (32) So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. (33) And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Fear and lack of faith makes us see everything in a way that is not only negative, but also deformed and unreal. But even when we are looking at “real circumstances”, that doesn’t have to distract us from seeing the spiritual reality that is based on what God has said. [Note: spiritual reality is not what we “wish for”, but what God has said.]

I wonder how many times we have missed out on getting the good things God has for us (and his promises) because we haven’t believed in Him, but let ourselves get carried away by circumstances, and how many times we’ve been discouraged by the problems and the obstacles in the way. Lack of faith is the worst counselor; it leads us to make bad decisions that are contrary to God’s will.

(Numbers 14:1-4) Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. (2) And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! (3) Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (4) And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

The lack of faith led the Israelites to be discouraged, and they fell into grumbling. In the end, they deviated from the will of God and the purpose of their lives. After everything they had gone through, would they go back to Egypt?

Joshua and Caleb tried to make them see the spiritual reality…

(Numbers 14:6-9) And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes (7) and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. (8) If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. (9) Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” 

Reasoning:

* The Land is good – it is worth it

* The Lord promised it, and he will do it

* The Lord is with Israel, but he removed the protection of the enemy.

* The Lord is pleased with Israel – because of their obedience and faith.

* Warning: don’t rebel or be afraid… don’t lose faith

Unfortunately they did not believe, instead they let their fears and anxieties take over. Because of their lack of faith, that entire generation did not enter the Promised Land (except for Joshua and Caleb, the only ones who believed in God).

Many times God asks us to believe in Him BEFORE our eyes can see that reality.

(Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

(Hebrews 11:6) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Joshua and Caleb were not denying the reality… the difference is that they believed in God. They knew that God is all powerful and nothing is impossible for Him.

After all the miracles they had seen in the last two years, all of Israel should have believed. Unfortunately, they all focused on the obstacles and the circumstances instead of believing in what God had promised.

God’s answer to the unbelief of the people was the following…

(Numbers 14:26-31) And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, (27) “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. (28) Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: (29) your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, (30) not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. (31) But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected.

Those who believed entered the Promised Land; those who didn’t believe died in the desert. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to learn from this example, so that we won’t make the same mistake today…

(Hebrews 3:15-19) As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (16) For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? (17) And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? (18) And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? (19) So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

REPETING THE LAW

The generation of adults that left Egypt died in the desert; now it was the time for the New Generation to take the lead. But before entering the Promised Land, the New Generation had to know how to live according to God’s order. That is why it was necessary to “repeat the law”…

(Deut. 1:3) In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them

The repetition of the Law was not supposed to be done only once per generation, but it should be done more often, as we will see next…

READING EVERY 7 YEARS

In the end of Deuteronomy, the Lord made ALL the people listen to God’s Instruction (Heb. Torah). He connected that commandment with an appointment God made with his people every seven years:

(Deut. 31:10-13) And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, (11) when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. (12) Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, (13) and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

On the Sabbatical Year, ALL the people had to come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, not just to celebrate the feast but also to listen to the reading of the Torah (summarized in Devarim).

The Sabbatical year (Heb. Shemitah) was the year for the pardoning of debts in Israel (Deut. 15:1-2) It was the opportunity of starting over with a clean slate. And what better way to do that then learning how to live, according to God’s order, who gave us the commandments so that “all may go well with us” (this concept will appear over and over again all throughout Deuteronomy).

COVENANT BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE

More than a “legal code”, Devarim is a Covenant between God and his people. Every covenant has conditions, and these were outlined in the book. It defines what the people must do and what God is committing to give to them. This is the agreement that defines the relationship between God and his people Israel.

As with every covenant, it is not mandatory. The relationship is voluntary. But if we want to enter into a relationship with God, it is necessary to enter into His order.

(Exodus 19:5-8) Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; (6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” (7) So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. (8) All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. 

The conditions of the Covenant (Torah) are not to “limit” the people, but to bless them… so that all will go will with them:

(Deut. 4:39-40) know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. (40) Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.

More lessons on Deuteronomy: @ Devarim (Deut.)