Board Thread:Monthly Bible Study/@comment-5175866-20170401191441

For April 2017 we will be going through the Book of Deuteronomy. Amazingly we have been reading/focusing on Pentateuch era content for 8 months (concluding this month)! We have been through Genesis, Job (which is not in the Pentateuch, but takes place chronologically before Exodus), Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers (several were split into two months based on length).

At the same time it is a bit disappointing that there hasn't been significantly more content development on that era. Progress has been made on several articles though. We will evaluate after this month the future of the Bible Study program.

Deuteronomy contains 34 chapters (about one chapter a day). Deuteronomy is mainly a recount of everything that has happened in Israel (mainly from Leviticus and Numbers) with many other details and insights alongside it. Compared to the other books of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy is written in first-person by Moses. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers were written by Moses in third-person, with many elements written by a secretary. Deuteronomy also has many new historical details (like Moses death) and obedience to specific commandments. Deuteronomy is mostly a speech at the end of Moses's life. Moses recounts the events that already happened and he makes many spiritual and typological conclusions, many which are reasons or purposes behind things happening. As a prophet Moses had direct insight from God that the other Israelites did not have.

While this book is repetitive in the historical narrative, it is certainly its own work. It contains many indirect allusions, explanations for previous events, added historical detail and most importantly specific reflections on God's work in Israel. When reading this book do not treat it as if you already know the events. Rather take time to appreciate the reflections the book makes and the context of Moses's speech. Deuteronomy certainly offers a lot that the other books in the Pentateuch do not.

In Christ, Superdadsuper, Bible Wiki Administrator and Bureaucrat 19:14, April 1, 2017 (UTC) 