Gods Commands in the Old Testament - Essay Example

Hermeneutics: Response to Deuteronomy 6 9 By: of Hermeneutics: Response to Deuteronomy 6 9 Identification of the Genre The passage from Deuteronomy 6: 1-9 falls within the category of Law Books, also called the Torah. The unique characteristic of the Torah in general is that the books major contain events that are characterized by God’s instructions to humankind. Most part of the first five books of the Bible, of which Deuteronomy 6: 1-9 is a part, have to do with God’s instructions for mankind. They record the kind of relationship God was trying to establish with humankind based on decrees, commandments and laws. When reading and interpreting this particular genre, one must keep in mind that this is the Old Covenant. When Jesus introduces the New Covenant in the New Testament teachings, some aspects of the Torah as modified with so that grace and mercy are introduced as additional pillars to the law. Justification by law is transformed to justification by faith. Identification of the Author’s Overall Purpose for Writing The author of the Torah, of which Deuteronomy 6: 1-9 is a part, is usually taken to be Moses. Moses was the prophet that led God’s people, Israel, out of bondage in Egypt. Moses was born at a time when a decree had been issued by Pharaoh of Egypt that all males children born of Israelites to be killed. For this reason, he was hidden in a basket and left afloat on River Nile. The Kings daughter found him and adopted him as her son. However, when he grew up and he realized that he was a Hebrew, he got concerned with the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt. One day he killed an Egyptian and fled to Median when it became apparent. While tending to Jethro’s sheep, God appeared to him and sent him to liberate His people from Egypt. That marked his journey as the Lord’s servant. The author wrote this text (Deuteronomy 6: 1-9) as part of the decrees the Lord wanted His chosen people to follow. He wrote this text because he was instructed to do so by the Lord God Almighty. The themes of the book include, obedience, true worship, trust in the Lord, keeping oaths, consecration and blessings. The book is believed to have been written around 1406 BC. During this time, the Israelites were preparing to enter the promised land. The passage (Deuteronomy 6: 1-9) fits into the overall purpose of the author which was to guide the people of Israel on how to live in a Godly way, as it gives guidelines on how to serve the Lord God. It outlines in details how the Israelites were to show that they respected and loved their one and only God, Yahweh. The immediate context was the issuing of the Ten Commandments. Therefore, this passage fits into the immediate context by amplifying God’s decrees on how He wanted His chosen people to relate to him. The passage also fist into the historical background of that part of the Bible by the fact that its serves as a reminder on how to walk with God. It serves as a reminder of God’s law and as an example to the Israelites that they have an obligation to remind the latter generations of the laws of God and the mighty things He has done. Identifying the Audience At the time the Deuteronomy was being written, the audience was the Israelites. The listeners were the children of Israel who had walked with God up to the time Moses was reading the decrees of the Lord. The historical background that helps understand their circumstances is the fact that God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt using miracles and mighty powers through Moses. Their then circumstance was that they had to continue relying and walking right with God so that He would accomplish His promise to their father Abraham. They would have understood the passage to imply that God was looking for obedience from them so that all the promises made to them shall come to pass. Observation and Interpretation of Deuteronomy 6: 1-9 In the passage Deuteronomy 6: 1-9, verse 1 begins by a declaration by Moses that what he is about to teach share are laws, commandments and decrees that the Lord the God of Israel directed Him to teach the Israelites. He also says that the Lord God directed that they have to observe the given laws, decrees, and commandments. In this verse, one may observe that the Lord God makes it clear that whatever is given as laws, commands and decrees have to be observed in the land the Israelites are about to possess when they cross the Jordan.1 That one, one may note that the Lord God is warning them in advance that when they cross the Jordan and begin to interact with other communities, they should not copy their ways of life, but stick to the laws, decrees and commandments given by Moses.2 Culturally, the other communities with whom they were going to interact were idolaters. For this reason, the Lord God sought to warn them (Israelites) in advance not to copy the Canaanites’ pagan ways of life. In Deuteronomy 6: 2, Moses tells them if they observe the given commands, decrees and laws, then they and their descendants shall be deemed to fear the Lord. The Lord promises that as long as His fear remains in them, then He will give them a long life. In this verse, one may observe from historical insight of what later developed that the meaning of life is two-fold. First, the Lord God implies physical life, that when they live in fear of His name, their days on the earth will be long.3 Secondly, the fear of the Lord is seen to imply living in righteousness and holiness. Such kind of living calls for separation from the world. That is the very reason God is talking about life, that if they separate themselves from the pagan ways of life of the people of the land they are about to possess, they He (the Lord God) will grant them eternal life. By keeping the law, they will be a holy people whom the Lord God would allow to possess the Kingdom of heaven. One gets to understand this Jesus later equates himself with life when he said that he is “the way, the truth and the life.” Therefore, God is promising eternal life to all those who observe His decrees, laws and commandments. Deuteronomy 6: 3 is a warning, a reminder and an affirmation of the Lord’s promise. The Lord is essentially warning the Israelites that if they obey his commands, decrees and laws, then it will go well with them and they will prosper. The opposite is also true. If they depart from the Lord’s laws, decrees and commands, then it will not go well with them. God also remind them that the land is fertile and prosperous, and that Him the Lord has not forgotten the promise He makes to their fathers. However, what comes out here is that the Israelites are being reminded that they have to learn to obey the Lord God so that the promise to their fathers may be fulfilled in their lives.4 Deuteronomy 6: 4 is dedicated to reminding the Israelites that there is only one God whom they should serve. Analyzing this verse through cultural and historical prism of the time reveals that God was warning them against polytheism and idolatry.5 The land in which they were going had idolaters who worshipped many gods. God was asking them not to be like the Canaanites, but to stick with Him as their God. Their obedience to Him and His word would be shown by how they respect that decree. Deuteronomy 6:5 is committed to enlightening them on how they should serve the Lord. By loving the Lord with all their heart, soul and strength, God was seeking to establish physical and a spiritual relationship with them. Deuteronomy 6:6 emphasizes that their relationship should be more of a spiritual relationship. God does not have to be physically present in their midst for them to obey his commandments.6 Deuteronomy 6:7-9 all elaborate on how the Lord God wanted the Israelites to meditate upon His words. He emphasizes that they should worship Him everywhere everyday as a way of life. He also commands that everyone of them has the responsibility to teach their children the same fear of the Lord being imparted on them.7 Lectio Divina, Interpretation and Big Idea After engaging in lectio divina, I learn that this chapter is a revelation of God’s unending love for humankind. He is pleased with those who do His will. His qualities as a jealous God comes out, he also shows that He is faithful. The meditation on this passage enabled me to understand that God is still a faithful God, that if we are willing to obey His commandments and decrees, then He will never forsake us. Rather, He will reward us with life, which is eternity in this case. He cannot promise those who obey His commandments that they will live long and deny them eternal life. That is the long life He promises, as everything about God is spiritual. The big idea here is that “those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” as He is an able God who protects, provides for and constantly looks on the righteous. The author’s intended application is that the Israelites are supposed to stick to these decrees to the latter so that God can be on their side all the time and bless them. Application of the Passage An integration of what I have learned from the above passage into contemporary context mostly applies to Christian and Judaism faithful. It also applies to anyone who professes the name of the Lord God. Just as Israelites were commanded to obey the laws, decrees and commandments of the Lord God, Christians today are expected to be obedient. Some of the universal principles and legitimate applications that can be made for individuals or communities are as follows. There is only one God whom everyone should worship. He alone is God, and He is a God who blesses those who keep His commandments. From this understanding, contemporary Christians and those who fear God should understand that for them to grow spiritually, they should stop bowing down to images of gods. Carved images called gods are examples of paganism and indeed Satanism. Someone should understand the one true God is divine and not represented by carved images. He is not happy with those who worship images. He wants everyone to worship through the name of Jesus so that He can accept them as His children. Growth in the body of Christ means that one has to shun evil. Christ Jesus said that one should love God with all his heart, soul and strength, and love his/her neighbour as much as he/she loves himself or herself. Therefore, we also get from this passage that contemporary Christians are required to observe all the commands of God and have faith in Jesus Christ so that they may qualify to be God’s people. God’s people are those who hear God’s word and do it. As contemporary Christians, we can only grow in the body of Christ by listening to his teachings and doing as they say, just as God expected of the Israelites. To those who do not know the Lord, the passage teaches us that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) whom everyone should worship. Therefore, the contemporary society should come out of atheism and paganism and worship one true God through Christ Jesus. Reflection on Writing the Paper While writing this paper, one of the major challenges I found was how to make a connection between God’s commands in the Old Testament and how they were a forerunner to the new Covenant brought by Christ Jesus. I was also surprised to find out that the Lord God is always ready to reward anyone who obeys His words. Therefore, it is sin that separates us from God. I was also impressed to learn that the Lord God wants us to live a life separated from our environments so that we focus on Him alone. He promises that as long as those who claim to be His people honor his decrees, laws and commandments, He will be their God, provide for them and protect them. Bibliography Fuller, Russell T., and Kyoungwon Choi. Invitation to Biblical Hebrew: A Beginning Grammar. Invitation to Theological Studies Series. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2006. McConville, J. G. Deuteronomy. Vol. 5 of Apollos Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002. Miller, Patrick D. Deuteronomy. Interpretation. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990. Rofé, Alexander. Deuteronomy: Issues and Interpretation. New York: T&T Clark, 2002. Tigay, Jeffrey H. Deuteronomy. The JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1996. Read More