by Paul Apple | Apr 5, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COVENANT BLESSINGS ATTACH TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD CONDITIONED ON OBEDIENCE INTRODUCTION: Peter Craigie: The blessings are stated first (28:1–14) and then are followed by a much larger section dealing with the curses (28:15–68). In both parts of ch. 28, the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 5, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COVENANT RENEWAL CEREMONY UPON ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND TO CHARGE ISRAEL WITH CONTINUED OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW WHILE RECITING SPECIFIC CURSES FOR DISOBEDIENCE INTRODUCTION: Gerald Gerbrandt: Summary Outline Covenant Renewal at Shechem, 27:1–26 27:1–8A...
by Paul Apple | Apr 4, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COVENANT RENEWAL REINFORCES ISRAEL’S COMMITMENT AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE TO OBEY GOD’S LAWS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: The significance of this short paragraph within the flow of Deuteronomy is out of all proportion to its length. These four verses summarize...
by Paul Apple | Apr 3, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE INITIAL PRESENTATION OF FIRST-FRUITS AND OF THE THIRD-YEAR TITHE CELEBRATED GOD’S PAST FAITHFULNESS AND CALLED FOR CONTINUED BLESSING AS THE PEOPLE FULFILLED THEIR COVENANT OBLIGATIONS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Moses concludes his exposition on the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: MISCELLANEOUS LAWS REQUIRE ISRAEL TO ENFORCE GOD’S FAIR STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHILE INFLICTING SHAME ON THOSE WHO OFFEND INTRODUCTION: Duane Christensen: The laws in Deut 25 are in two parts of unequal length: a group of five laws on humanitarian...
by Paul Apple | Mar 30, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: YOUR HISTORY OF BEING REDEEMED FROM SLAVERY IN EGYPT SHOULD MOTIVATE YOU TO SHOW COMPASSION, DIGNITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE POOR AND VULNERABLE INTRODUCTION: Albert Barnes: In this and the next chapter certain particular rights and duties, domestic,...
by Paul Apple | Mar 30, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROHIBITION OF REMARRIAGE IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS PROTECTS THE DIGNITY OF THE FORMERLY REJECTED WIFE INTRODUCTION: Gerald Gerbrandt: The passage takes the practice of divorce for granted and is attempting to regulate a particular variation of it. Divorce...
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S LAWS ENSURE THAT ISRAEL REMAINS DISTINCT FROM HER SURROUNDING PAGAN NEIGHBORS IN TERMS OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Verses 15–25 consist of various instructions whose arrangement appears random....
by Paul Apple | Mar 28, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PRESENCE AND FAVOR OF A HOLY GOD DEMAND THAT ISRAEL GUARD THE SANCTITY OF THE WORSHIP ASSEMBLY AND THE MILITARY CAMP INTRODUCTION: Keil: From the sanctification of the house and the domestic relation, to which the laws of marriage and chastity in the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 26, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE EXAMINATION OF FIVE CASES THAT PROMOTE SEXUAL FIDELITY AND PROTECT AGAINST ABUSE INTRODUCTION: Eugene Merrill: It is commonplace in the Old Testament to find the Lord’s covenant with Israel compared to the marriage relationship between husband and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE COVENANT PEOPLE OF GOD MUST MAINTAIN THEIR HOLY DISTINCTIVENESS AND FUNCTION AS LOVING NEIGHBORS AS THEY LIVE OUT GOD’S PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Although each segment here represented a specific application of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 24, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: POTENTIALLY COMPLEX OR TROUBLESOME SITUATIONS REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF GOD’S WISDOM TO MAINTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE PROMISED LAND INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Deuteronomy 21 consists of five short pieces: verses 1–9, 10–14, 15–17, 18–21, and 22–23. These...
by Paul Apple | Mar 23, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE DEFILEMENT OF GOD’S HOLY LAND BY AN UNSOLVED MURDER MUST BE ADDRESSED VIA RITUAL ATONEMENT INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Deuteronomy 21 consists of five short pieces: verses 1–9, 10–14, 15–17, 18–21, and 22–23. These sections are held together by...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S WARS MUST BE FOUGHT: – IN DEPENDENCE UPON GOD’S STRENGTH, – WITH COURAGE AND NO DISTRACTIONS, – ACCORDING TO GOD’S RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AND – WITHOUT COLLATERAL DAMAGE INTRODUCTION: Daniel Block: Having dealt with personal...
by Paul Apple | Mar 21, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE LAW ENSURES BOTH PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE INTEGRITY OF JUDICIAL WITNESSESINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: These guidelines regarding witnesses in judicial proceedings flesh out the eighth command of the Decalogue (cf. 5:20; cf. 17:6). The text divides...
by Paul Apple | Mar 21, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REFUGE MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE IN CASES OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER BUT PREMEDITATED MURDER REQUIRES CAPITAL PUNISHMENTINTRODUCTION:Gerald Gerbrandt: Cities of refuge are one way in which Deuteronomy protects due process and arrests the spiral of vengeance...
by Paul Apple | Mar 18, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PEOPLE MUST RESPOND TO DIVINELY APPOINTED LEADERS WITH MATERIAL SUPPORT AND SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENTINTRODUCTION:Meredith Kline: Responsibility was laid upon Israel for the support of the priestly ministers of God whose administrative assignments are...
by Paul Apple | Mar 12, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: TRANSITION TO A MONARCHY WILL LEAD TO ABUSE OF POWER UNLESS THE KING SUBMITS TO THE SUPREME AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORDINTRODUCTION:Duane Christensen: The law of the king (17:14–20), together with the law of the prophets (18:9–22), stands at the structural...
by Paul Apple | Mar 11, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RIGHTEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF JUDGMENT PURGES THE EVIL FROM THE COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESSINTRODUCTION:Duane Christensen: The brief section on judges, and the concern for justice (16:18–20) forms an inclusion with the section on the high court of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 10, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS SACRIFICES AND ANNUAL CELEBRATORY FEASTS REFLECTED THEIR JOY IN GOD’S DELIVERANCE, PROVISION AND ABIDING PRESENCEINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: Whereas chapter 16 will deal with scheduled celebrations in the presence of Yahweh, 15:19–23...
