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...
by Paul Apple | Mar 8, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE SABBATICAL DEBT AND INDENTURED SERVANT RELEASES GRANT A NEW START FOR ISRAELITES WHO HAVE FALLEN ON HARD TIMESINTRODUCTION:Gerald Gerbrandt: The distinctive thrust of the Deuteronomic release provisions becomes more striking when read within its larger...
by Paul Apple | Mar 8, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: OFFERING TITHES AFFORDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOYFULLY CELEBRATE A COMMUNAL FEAST IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORDINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: Deuteronomy 14:22–29 is transitional, bringing to a conclusion a chapter on eating in the presence of Yahweh and introducing...
by Paul Apple | Mar 7, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PEOPLE MUST MANIFEST THEIR DISTINCTIVE OF HOLINESS IN AREAS OF DAILY LIVING (e.g. DIETARY LAWS)INTRODUCTION:Michael Grisanti: This pericope begins and ends with a focus on Israel’s identity as God’s “children” (14:1), a people “holy to the LORD” (14:2,...
by Paul Apple | Mar 6, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THREE HYPOTHETICAL ATTEMPTS AT SPIRITUAL SEDUCTION DENOUNCED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN COVENANT LOYALTYINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: The unity of Deuteronomy 13 is evident in the form with which Moses presents the three seditious scenarios. Each is divided into...
by Paul Apple | Mar 4, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND PROVIDES THE TRANSITION TO CENTRALIZED WORSHIP ALONG WITH THE FREEDOM TO EAT MEAT LOCALLYINTRODUCTION:Patrick Miller: Placement of the instruction about worship at the sanctuary in first position indicates clearly its priority for...
by Paul Apple | Mar 3, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CHOOSING OBEDIENCE, LOVE AND LOYALTY TO GOD ENSURES THE BLESSING OF POSSESSING THE PROMISED LANDINTRODUCTION:David Whitcomb: Now that we know we must love God first and foremost, we can learn with Israel that our LORD expects us to keep His rules. Once we...
by Paul Apple | Mar 1, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: TIMES OF TRANSITION REQUIRE A RENEWED PLEDGE TO TOTAL ALLEGIANCE TO THE GOD OF THE COVENANTINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: The elevated style of Deuteronomy 10:12–11:1 suggests that Moses’ second address is nearing a climax. As in chapter 4, Moses signals the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 1, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE ISRAEL’S HISTORY OF PROVOKING THE LORD TO ANGER, COVENANT PRIVILEGES PERSISTINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: Deuteronomy 9:1–10:11 is a self-contained literary subunit whose boundaries are marked by Moses’ anticipation of crossing the Jordan and claiming...
by Paul Apple | Feb 27, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REMEMBERING GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IN TOUGH TIMES (THE WILDERNESS) SHOULD GUARD AGAINST FORGETTING GOD IN PROSPEROUS TIMES SO THAT WE OBEY RATHER THAN PERISHINTRODUCTION:Michael Grisanti: Looking back at God’s faithfulness to Israel as they wandered in the...
by Paul Apple | Feb 26, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ELECTION DEFINES OUR IDENTITY AS GOD’S TREASURED POSSESSION (INVOLVING COUNTLESS BLESSINGS) AND ORIENTS US TOWARDS HOLINESS (REQUIRING THE PURGING OF GOD’S ENEMIES)INTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: Deuteronomy 7 opens with series of temporal clauses that set the...
by Paul Apple | Feb 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BOTH PROSPERITY AND HARDSHIP CAN TEMPT GOD’S PEOPLE TO FORGET THE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE OF REDEMPTION –SO PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH HISTORICAL INSTRUCTIONINTRODUCTION:Daniel Block: While 6:4–5 embodies the central idea, in the rest of chapters 6–8...
by Paul Apple | Feb 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COVENANT COMMITMENT MUST BE WHOLEHEARTEDLY LIVED OUT AND PROPAGATED TO FUTURE GENERATIONSINTRODUCTION:Duane Christensen: The continuity of faith within the context of a religious community depends on the observance of that faith within the context of...
