JESUS CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
JESUS CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
February 25, 2025, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Lord Jesus please forgive me for any presumption that I could possibly cover any one of your great Books of Holy Writ in one session. Each Book of the Bible is deeper, wider, and higher than we your ministers can ever cover in our lifetime, though I sure do enjoy trying.
Deut. 32:34: Is this not laid up in store with Me, sealed up among my treasures?
This is from the prophetic song of Moses and establishes that God has sealed treasures. Locked up in His infinity is all history and time.
Moses began and ended his wilderness ministry with a song.
Deut 32:47: For it is not a futile things for you because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land…
What if the children of Israel had actually consumed the words of Moses’ song like Ezekiel did the little book? What if they had chosen to declare that all it said belonged to them and would be a vital part of their everyday life; of history and the future?
In Deut 32:46, Moses literally told the people to set their hearts or seal their hearts with the commandments given to the children of Israel. Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today. Taking the revealed and setting it as a seal is a vital part of “owning” the Word. Many people know the Word, few lay-hold to own it by decrees and action.
The reason for such action is profound …that He may establish you today as a people for Himself, and that He may be God to you, just as he has spoken to you…(Duet. 29:13).
Deut. 29: 14-15: Moses said, I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, but also with him who stands here with us today, before the Lord our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today (future generations).
The LORD GOD has initiated seven covenants in His Word:
1. Adamic – Genesis 1: 26-30 and for man’s redemption, Gen. 3:15.
2. Noahic – Never to destroy the earth again by flood. (Gen. 9:11)
3. Abrahamic – Promised God’s blessing upon Abraham, to make his name great and to make his progeny into a great nation. Blessing to those who blessed Abraham and cursing to those who cursed him. (Gen. 12: 1-3).
4. Palestinian – this is the one found in Deuteronomy 30: 1-40. This unconditional covenant noted God’s promise to scatter Israel if they disobeyed God, then to restore them at a later time to their land. This covenant has been fulfilled twice, with the Babylonian Captivity and subsequent rebuilding of Jerusalem under Cyrus the Great, and with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, followed by the reinstatement of the nation of Israel in 1948.
5. Mosaic – This conditional covenant found in Deuteronomy 11 and elsewhere, promised the Israelites a blessing for obedience and a curse for disobedience. Much of the Old Testament chronicles the fulfillment of this cycle of judgment for sin and later blessing when God’s people repented and returned to God.
6. Davidic Covenant – we will study in 2 Samuel.
7. New Covenant – Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Mt. 16:28; Heb. 9:15.
Deuteronomy is a review of the past with an eye to the future. It involves Israel’s relationship to the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Palestinian Covenants. The generation which came out of Egypt had rejected the land as promised in the Abrahamic Covenant and had died in the wilderness. Now the new generation coming out of the wilderness into that land is given the conditions of obtaining and maintaining it.
Deut. 1:3: Deuteronomy covers the 11th month of the 40th year in the wilderness.
Jesus used this book against Satan. He quoted from Deuteronomy more than any other Old Testament book.
Deuteronomy means “second law,” that is, the second giving of the law. The Law was given the first time at Mt. Sinai to the old generation before they entered the wilderness for 40 years. The Law was given the second time by Moses on the plains of Moab to the new generation before they entered God’s land of promise.
Jesus Christ is seen in the Book of Deuteronomy as:
1. The city of Refuge (Deut. 4: 41-43).
2. The Hornet. (Deut. 7:20; Josh. 24:12).
3. The Manna (Deut 8:3; Jn. 6:48).
4. The Rock of Flint (Deut. 8:15; 1 Cor. 10:4; also Deut, 32:4; 18, 31).
5. The Rain of Heaven (Deut. 11:11) Hos. 6: 1-3; Lk. 1:78).
6. The True Prophet (Deut. 18: 15-19; Acts 3:22).
7. The Salvation of Jehovah = Joshua (Deut. 34:9; Mt. 1:21).
Deuteronomy is not intended as a supplement to the other books of Moses, but rather as a closing appeal to Israel to keep the Covenant of the Lord in order to insure their continued blessing and well-being. With this purpose in view, Moses selects those facts in the history of Israel as well as already enacted legislation, moral law, civil law, and ceremonial law.
1. He brought you out of Egypt (the bondage of sin) (5:15).
2. He defeated Pharaoh for you. (7:18).
3. He led you through the wilderness. (8:2).
4. He gave you power to get wealth. (8:18).
5. He revealed His mercy unto you (9:7).
6. He made you a part of His Covenant family (9:27).
7. He redeemed you and now you belong to Him (15:15).
8. He suffered and was afflicted for you (16:3) (Bread of Affliction).
9. He gave you His word and His statutes (16:12).
10.He judges the rebellious in righteousness (24:9).
11.He always moves in righteous judgment (24:18).
12.He has compassion for the stranger, orphan, and widow (24:22).
13.He deals with the flesh (25:17).
14.He has always been faithful (32:7).
The review of past history is in chapters 1-4. The previous generation did not enter into God’s promise because of unbelief. These chapters give a review of the goodness and justice of God to encourage the Israelites to be obedient, and the Lord’s principle of remembrance:
1: 6-8: “Turn you and take your journey” – keep moving on – possess the land.
1:9-11: The Lord your God has promised to bless you.
1: 12-18: Keep strong leadership of wise men, and men of understanding.
1:20: Giants are the exaggeration of our difficulties, and the minimizing of the power of God (Amorites).
2:7: God is ever present in our wilderness experience.
2:24-25: This day I will begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
3:10-20: There are giants to subdue.
3:12-27: We must claim and occupy the land after we defeat the enemy.
3:24-29: God tempered mercy and judgment by allowing Moses to see the promised land. Moses appealed to the LORD asking to cross into the promised land: O Lord God, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your mighty hand for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might: I pray, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes and would not hear me; and the LORD said unto me Let is suffice you to speak no more unto me of this matter.
Chapter 4. Possession of the land depends upon God’s Word, obedience, Holiness, repentance, and faithfulness.
Chapter 5 is a review of the Ten Commandments. Moses was a mediator standing between Jehovah and Israel.
5:22: These words the LORD spoke upon all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more. He wrote them in two tables of stone and delivered them unto me. (24) Behold the LORD our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God does talk with man and he lives.
In Chapters 5-26, Moses rehearsed the Law revealing God’s nature as a loving Father. They must conquer their new homeland and cleanse it of the Canaanites. Israel was to live a unique and separated lifestyle.
SEVE-FOLD BLESSING: 7:12-16: If you hearken to these judgments and keep and do them, then the LORD your God shall keep unto you the covenant and the mercy which he swore unto your father. He will love you, and bless the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your land, your corn, and your wine, and your oil, the increase of your kine, and the flocks of your sheep, in the land when he swore unto your father to give you. You shall be blessed above all people; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. The LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will put none of the evil disease of Egypt, which you know upon you, but will lay them upon all of them that hate you.
7:20: The LORD YOUR God will send the hornet among them until they that are left who hide themselves from you are destroyed.
9:4: It will not be because of your righteousness the LORD will drive out the nations before you, but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD does drive them out before you.
The Lord promises the Israelites the spiritual blessing of the “rain of Heaven.” O’ Lord Jesus please rain upon the earth by your Spirit both the latter and former rain of Heaven. Let ii be Lord Jesus.
11: 11-15: The land where you go to possess is a land of hills and valleys, and drinks water of the rain of heaven. A land which the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. It shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently to my commandments to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil.
Chapter 13 deals with false prophets, false social influences, and false cities (cultural influences).
Chapter 14 is the principal of being a separated people and tithing.
14:28-29: At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates and the Levite, (because he has no part nor inheritance with you) and the stranger and the fatherless, and the widow which are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Chapter 15 is the principle of the sabbatical year and the annual feasts.
I am going to take a minute for Chapters 16-26 because of the division in the Body of Christ concerning the principle of the Law of Civil government being under the authority of the Church i.e., Kingdom government of the LORD GOD. The Lord established Moral, Civil and Ceremonial Law.
Deut. 16:18: Judges and officers shall you make thee in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes and you shall judge the people with just judgment.
In verse 20, leaders are not to respect person or take bribes. That is not only for civil servants, but also for ministers of the gospel. Our counsel, prayers and/or gifts should never be for sale. Yes, we are worthy of our hire, but we have to have the faith for the Lord to provide.
16:22 – Warning against worshiping any image.
17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death, but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
17: 8-13: Judgments concerning personal matters should be made by the local church not civil government.
17: 14-20: Qualifications of a King:
1. One from among the brethren (no stranger).
2. He shall not multiply horses.
3. He shall not multiply wives, or silver or gold.
4. He shall write him a copy of the Law.
5. He shall keep the Law with him to read and observe.
6. He shall do this and not be proud.
Chapter 18: 9-14 reveals nine practices of the occult.
The Prophet is Jesus in 18: 15-22: The LORD your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of the thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken…I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him…whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Deut. 20 are the rules of war:
20:1-4: Dread and fear is not allowed in wartime (neither defilement nor distraction) (23:9; 24:5).
Chapter 27, Moses commanded the people when they passed over Jordan, that the Law be written on great stones (rough and unhewn) and covered with plaster (gypsum, a hard white cement). This ceremony was to be inaugurated on Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim overlooking the city of Shechem (government). These stones were to be set up on Mount Ebal as a memorial and the curses of the Law pronounced. On Gerizim there were no stones engraved with the Law, nor curses pronounced, only blessings. Upon Ebal, in addition to the memorial stones, there was also an altar unto the LORD for burnt offerings and peace offerings (27:5-7).
The Altar of stones is a type of the Body of Christ, built of living stones (1 Pet. 2:5).
Chapters 27 and 28 list the curses and blessings of God.
Gal.3:13: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. Deut. 21: 22-23 – “for cursed is the man who hangs on a tree.” Jesus broke every curse of the Old Testament when he hung on the Cross. The blessings are still effective, but the curses are broken by Faith, the Holy Spirit, and the Blood of Jesus.
Deut 31 is Moses last charge to all Israel.
31:2: I am a 120 years old this day. I can no longer go out and come in. Also, the LORD has said to me, You shall not go over this Jordan.
Joshua is ordained to Leadership – when Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tabernacle, the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in pillar of a cloud; and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
The Lord spoke to Moses of the future failure and rebellion of the nation of Israel. God provided a two-fold witness against Israel – the Song of Moses and the Book of the Law placed in the Ark of the covenant as a perpetual witness.
When God commissioned the song, He prophesied:
Deut. 31:20: Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their seed, for I know the evil imaginations they have even now; even before I brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.
31:22 Moses wrote the song the same day and taught it to the children of Israel.
The Song of Moses is sung by the saints in Rev. 15:3: And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
God gave Joshua a charge to be strong and of a good courage for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them, and I will be with you.
Deut. 32:1-4: – The Song of Moses: Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak. Hear, O earth, he words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain. My speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass. For I proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock. His work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice. Righteous and Upright is He.
Then God sent Moses to Mount Abarim unto Mount Nebo in the land of Moab. On this mountain he would be gathered unto his people. Because he trespassed again the Lord among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, because he sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. (32:51).
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane
Richmond, TX
Scripture from K.J.V. and N.K.J.V. I entered into the labors of Kelly Varner, Principles of Present Truth on Deuteronomy. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Dr. Varner.