Tyndale Open Study NotesDeuteronomy 4

Moses gave a long speech to the Israelites because of their recent failures and what he thought would happen in Canaan.

The terms statutes and ordinances in Deuteronomy refer to the covenant rules and the detailed application of the main principles of God's law (for example, 4:5, 8, 14, 45; 5:1, 31; see also study note on 4:44).

Baal was the Canaanite god associated with the fertility of the soil and of human and animal life. Local pagan worship centers linked Baal with their own shrines and cultic rituals, as with the god of Peor (see 3:29).

Observe … wisdom and intelligence: Wisdom is linked to obedience. Obeying the Lord is the essence of wisdom (see 10:12–13; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). If God’s people were wise and careful enough to keep the Lord’s perfect covenant, the nations would see this and be amazed. Their obedience would display God’s wisdom to the world.

Israel's laws were righteous and fair because they came from God.

black clouds and deep darkness: These contrasting displays of God's presence (theophanies; see study note on 1:33) show how he revealed himself while also remaining hidden (see Exodus 19:16–19).

• The covenant is the main theological idea in Deuteronomy and perhaps in the whole Old Testament. A covenant was a legal agreement between two or more parties. Each side accepted clear and binding responsibilities. In other words, both sides agreed to keep certain promises.

  The covenant at Sinai gave written form to this relationship between the Lord and Israel (Exodus 20–23). In Deuteronomy, Moses explained and expanded this covenant for a new generation. This generation was about to enter, conquer, and live in the promised land.

• The Ten Commandments (literally the ten words, “decalogue”) are at the center of the covenant. Because of their importance, they are sometimes treated as equal to the covenant itself.

  The first four commandments guide Israel’s relationship with God. The last six commandments guide relationships between people.

• two tablets of stone: In the ancient world, people made copies of legal documents for all parties involved. Covenant documents followed this same pattern.

  God’s copy was written on two stone tablets. The tablets were placed inside the ark of the covenant in the sanctuary (see Exodus 25:16, 21; 31:18; 40:20; compare Deuteronomy 31:26). Israel’s copy was written in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy (Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:6–21).

form: No human-made image could fully show the glory and power of the invisible God (Nehemiah 9:20; Isaiah 63:10–14; Zechariah 4:6; John 4:24).

If people made a visible form of the Lord, they might worship that form instead of worshiping God himself.

idol: Idolatry limited the Lord to what a human artist could imagine and make. But the Lord is greater than anything a person can create.

Israel was not to make idols shaped like any of God’s creatures (4:17–18). This command protected the people from false worship.

Idols and images could lead people to worship created things instead of the Creator (5:8–9; Romans 1:23–25). Instead of honoring the God who made everything, they might honor something he made.

• host of heaven: This phrase refers to stars and other celestial bodies. People once thought they represented gods. Instead, they serve God, who named them to mark times and seasons (Genesis 1:14–19; Isaiah 40:26).

• The LORD your God has apportioned: Instead of worshiping these celestial bodies, God required the people of Israel to understand that God created them to serve humankind (Genesis 1:28).

• An iron-smelting furnace refines metal ores, separating pure metal from waste. Similarly, Israel's experiences in Egypt made the Israelites more spiritually and morally pure.

• the people of His inheritance: Israel was God's inheritance. As a result, the Israelites were ready to enter, conquer, and occupy the land (compare 1 Peter 2:9–12).

God does not have jealousy in the same way humans do. Human jealousy can be selfish or petty. That is not true of God.

The phrase a jealous God shows that God is unique and demands exclusive worship (6:15; Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 16:35). He alone is worthy of worship. He will not share his glory with idols or false gods.

The Hebrew word can mean “jealous” or “zealous” (strongly committed). It describes God’s deep commitment to his own honor and rule. God actively protects his reputation as the ruler over all.

Heaven and earth would testify against Israel if the people were unfaithful to the Lord. In a covenant partnership, both parties were accountable for their promises of loyalty and commitment. They promised in front of witnesses (Isaiah 1:2–7; Micah 6:1–8).

In Deuteronomy, nature serves as that witness (see also Deuteronomy 30:19).

scatter you: One of the curses of the covenant warned that God would scatter Israel among the nations if they broke the covenant (28:64). This meant the people would be forced to leave their land and live far away, even to distant parts of the earth.

This judgment happened more than once in Israel’s history:

• The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC.

• The Babylonians conquered Judah from 605 to 586 BC.

• Later, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.

in later days: Israel would one day return from exile and from being scattered among the nations (see 30:1–10; Leviticus 26:40–45; Jeremiah 31:27–34; Ezekiel 36:22–31).

a strong hand and an outstretched arm: These phrases describe God in human terms. This way of speaking is called anthropomorphism (using human features to describe God; see study note on 8:2).

These words do not mean that God has a physical body like a human. Instead, they show God’s great power. They point to his sovereign strength in rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt.

great fire: God revealed the covenant law at Mount Sinai with an amazing and terrifying display of power and glory. It was like the eruption of a great volcano (see study note on 1:33; see Exodus 3:1–4; 24:16–18).

The Lord is unique. There is no other God besides him.

This teaching repeats the first two commandments (5:6–8; Exodus 20:2–4). It also prepares the way for the Shema (a Hebrew word that means “Hear”). The Shema begins with the words, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5).

God’s uniqueness needed to be clearly stated. The nations around Israel worshiped many gods. Israel was called to worship the Lord alone.

live long: The promise of long life meant more than a long life for one individual. It described Israel’s continued stay in the promised land.

When Israel settled in Canaan and began living in cities, serious crimes such as homicide required legal decisions. Disputes could not be settled by private revenge. They needed judges to decide each case.

The law provided cities of refuge to protect people accused of killing someone. These cities gave safety from immediate revenge and allowed time for a fair trial. The first cities were set apart east of the Jordan River. Later, others were set apart in Canaan (see Numbers 35:9–28).

The laws about these cities appear again in Deuteronomy 19:1–13. They are mentioned here because Moses had just promised long and secure life in the land (4:40). Protecting the innocent from false accusations helped make that promise possible.

Moses was ready to present the covenant with full authority. He spoke as the Lord’s chosen leader and teacher.

This section connects two parts of Deuteronomy. First, Moses reviewed Israel’s past journey (1:6–4:40). Next, he began to explain the covenant itself in detail (5:1–26:19).

• Bezer is probably modern Umm al-‘Amad. Bezer was 1.6 kilometers (about six miles) east of Heshbon.

• Ramoth in Gilead was 56 kilometers (35 miles) east-southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

• The town of Golan was about 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Ramoth in Gilead.

law (Hebrew Torah): This word comes from the verb yarah, which means "to teach." Its basic meaning is "instruction." The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) translates this word as “law.” In this passage, the word introduces the main section of teaching that follows in Deuteronomy (see study note on 5:1–26:19).

Mount Siyion: The Sidonians used the name Siyion for Mount Hermon.

the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan and as far as the Sea of the Arabah: The word Arabah can mean “wilderness” or “dry wasteland.” It usually refers to the Great Rift Valley south of the Dead Sea. In Deuteronomy, it can also refer to the lower Jordan Valley (see 1:1; 3:17).