Date: Thu, 1 Dec 1994 16:54:10 CET Reply-To: Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: Deuteronomy 4 Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Introduction 2. Explanation 3. Questions 1. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is an issue of a continuous explanation of the Bible-book Dvarim, that is Deuteronomy. If something is unclear in the explanation (they are not easy), you are free to ask me. The explanations of the previous three chapters were given out under the title "The Scriptures opened", the numbers 2, 4 and 6. From now on, the explanations will appear under the title "Deuteronomy ". The Bible-text is taken from the King James version. Deuteronomy 4. Title: Stimulation to obedience. Cities of refuge. Ten Commandments Short contents: Moshe urges the nation to keep God's commandments. They may not add to or take away something from these. He describes also the punishments for the disobedient people, and the blessings for the obedient. He reminds the nation of the legislation on the Sinai. He forbids them to go to serve the idols, by strong threats and blessing promises. To bring them to obedience, Moshe reminds them of God's great benefactions. He points out the cities of refuge on this side Jordan. He begins with the repetition of God's commandments. 2. Explanation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Moshe (Moses) wants that the people will listen well to God's statutes. He wants that they will serve God. Not according to their own will, but according to God's commandments. The divine laws are the only good guide- lines, according to which the nation has to live. When they serve God, than this has much benefit. Moshe adds the promise of the promised land. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. The nation is taught to keep God's Word as the only guideline. They may not add anything to the clear doctrine. No false apparent good invention, to serve God in human way. Nor may they subtract anything from it. They may not think that God is satisfied with less. They may not add and not subtract something. But they must well keep the commandments, as they are given, and do them. 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destro- yed them from among you. Moshe had just commanded that they should keep the commandments of God totally. Now he presents the nation an example. He shows what has hap- pened with the disobedient people. A part of the people committed idola- try with Baalpeor. And what was the result of that? "And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel," Bemidbar/Numbers 25:3. The anger of God killed the idolaters. As Moshe says, everyone has seen it, because they were hung public. "And the LORD said unto Moshe, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel", Bemidbar/Numbers 25:4. Moshe represents this frightening example to the eyes of the people. It is to hope that they keep this in their minds, and do not dare to transgress God's com- mandments. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. Moshe does not only represent the death, but also the life. They, who transgressed, were killed. But they, who were not joined to Baalpeor, and not committed idolatry, they kept alive. So Moshe represents both the death and the life. "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 30:15. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Moshe recommends the maintenance of God's commandments. He does this, so that the people will voluntarily keep the commandments. That is pleasant for God. Moshe says that they will be called wise and understanding, when they keep God's commandments. And this is the truth. Who keeps God's commandments, it will go well with him. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? Moshe raises the Jewish nation far above the heathen. And justly. For as many as the nation called unto God, as often He showed His help to them. It is true that the heathens think to have gods, but these are dumb images, more not. However the God of Israel is a living God, Who helps in distress. 8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judg- ments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Moshe again urges the people to forget not all what they have seen. People are inclined to forget rapidly some things. Especially when it concerns the service of God. Moshe again reminds them of this. They may not forget it. Also, their children and their grandchildren must hear these things. Moshe tells here that these things may not depart from their heart. And truly this is needed. To some people, the deeds of God are known only in their mind. They have not a living impression of it. This is without force, and it gives no benefit. It must be otherwise. The things must be in the heart. This means that these things make deep impression on the man. That impression has to stay always. They must not tell the happened things neutrally to their children. They must tell with noticeable impression. Only on this way, the children will sense the truth of that. 10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Chorev, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. The nation stood at Chorev, and heard God's law there. Why has God given that law? The goal of the law is, as is said here, to fear God. "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling," Thilliem/Psalm 2:11. 11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. This nation has seen something of God's holiness. They stood under the mountain, and the burning fire, and the darkness, and the thunderstorm. There was the sound of the trumpet, and the voice that spoke words. 12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. They have seen no similitude. That is why they may not make images. Each serving of images is censured here. For God is spiritual, and cannot be seen by physical eyes. They saw no similitude, but heard the words. From this results that God wants to teach us only by His Word, not by images. 13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. 14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. God's law is not given to be heard only, but above all the doing is important. The LORD wants to be served in the practice of our life. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Chorev out of the midst of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, Moshe calls the matter with the right name. Making images is not only a free activity. No, it is a corruption of yourself. Moshe justly calls this so. For the later nation Israel has committed idolatry, and has corrupted himself with that. "And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Jehudah and Jerusalem for this their trespass," Divre Hajamiem B/2 Chronicles 24:18. 17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. Moshe warns also against worshipping of the stars and the other celestial bodies. Later, the nation has done also this. But by God's grace, now and then a king rose, who exterminated the idolatry, as for example Joshie- jahu. "And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Jehudah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Jehudah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven," Mlachiem B/2 Kings 23:5. 20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of in- heritance, as ye are this day. The service in Egypt has been so hard, that it is called an iron furnace. But the LORD has rescued them of that. Therefore the nation has the duty to serve the LORD, their Saviour, with their whole heart. They may not be so ungodly ungratefully, that they reject their Saviour. Moshe points out God's great grace to the nation. They have done nothing by themselves here. They have not gone out of Egypt by themselves, but "the children of Israel went out with an high hand," Shmot 14:8. 21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: 22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Moshe tells again that he sinned because of the behaviour of the nation. And that he, because of that, not was allowed to enter Kenaan. Why does he tell this again now? He wants them make feel the better that they have received a great grace from God. They made sin Moshe; nevertheless, they can go into Kenaan. And Moshe not. Moshe wants to humble the nation by this. They must feel what a great, undeserved grace they receive. This has to keep them humble. They must see that they receive all from God, in undeserved grace. 23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven ima- ge, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. 24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. God is a jealous God, Who not tolerates other gods besides Him. "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me," Jeshajah/Isaiah 45:5. Moshe wants in all manners to keep the nation from idolatry. Here he does it by fear. The LORD God cannot allow sins. There will come a fire out of Him, which consumes the sinner. "Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Yaakov unto the ends of the earth." Thilliem/Psalm 59:13. Moshe says that God is a consuming fire. For God has a terrible hatred and wrath against both the sin and the sinner. When the sinner does not repent himself, then God punishes him with temporal and eternal punishments. These pu- nishments are like a burning fire, which consumes all. With this com- parison Moshe wants to keep the nation back from sin. The future has pointed out if the nation really has been kept from idolatry. 25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yoursel- ves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: When someone lives somewhere during a longer time, then he settles down. He feels himself at home in his house, and begins thinking that nothing can happen to him. The same has happened to the nation Israel. The danger could exist that they would deviate from God after a long time. Therefore Moshe warns not only the present people, but also when they have become old. He also mentions their children and their grandchildren. He warns them against idolatry. 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. When they will commit idolatry, than, as sure as heaven and earth are visible, and as sure as they exist, sure they will perish. With this, Moshe warns them with more impression. Each time when they would see the heaven and the earth, they had to think about the punishment on their idolatry. This means simply that they must always be warned against idolatry. 27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. 28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. When the nation would commit idolatry with wood and stone, then God shall scatter them among the heathens. Would they commit idolatry in Kenaan? Now they will be obliged to serve the idols, but in the land of the heathen. Would they not have to do with a God, Who sees and hears all? Did they prefer the blind, deaf and dead gods? Now they will be obliged to serve the blind, deaf and dumb idols. So, a just punishment. They will receive what they searched. 29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Moshe is not a hard person, who only speaks about punishments. The LORD is also merciful. After He has beaten them, He will heal them. Moshe does not want that the people shall be depressed by too much fear for God. God is merciful and He forgives. Nevertheless, Moshe adds something. The LORD does not accept halfhearted repent. The people are inclined, when they are in problems, to pray to God. But when the problems are solved, they again forget God. This is not more then pretence. The LORD will only be found when one seeks Him with his whole heart and in sincerity. Moshe does not say that they have to serve God without any fault. For there is nobody who can do that. But when there is a sincere heart, God will accept that in grace. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; The punishments of God have for this nation still another goal. They must be brought in fear. So that they will seek the LORD and return to Him. When the people bear the punishment, only as punishment for the sins, then they would be hardened by that. But when they know that it will bring forth a good fruit, then they can bear it in humility. All this will happen in the last of the days. Then they will return to the LORD, their God. Also, Hoshea/Hosea speaks about this return in the last of the days. "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and Davied their king; and shall fear the LORD and his good- ness in the latter days," Hoshea/Hosea 3:5. The general prophecy of return is sometimes fulfilled in the history. But this prophecy, of return in the latter days, has still to be fulfilled. And it will be fulfilled, because God is faithful. 31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. God is merciful. Has the nation left Him? God will not leave His nation. Nation Israel, when you "shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 4:25, God will not destroy you. For He is merciful. What does Moshe say more? Why is God gracious? Is God gracious only because He is merciful? Not only because of that, but also because He is faithful to the covenant that He has sworn unto the fathers. "He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Avraham, and his oath unto Yitschak. And confirmed the same unto Yaakov for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Kenaan, the lot of your inheritance," Thilliem/Psalm 105:8-11. 32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Moshe reminds them of the legislation at the mountain Sinai. This legis- lation was very holy, terrible and excellent. This has never happened before. One can seek through the whole world, and from the one end of the sky to the other end. Nowhere has been such a thing, and never is heard this. From this is clear the extraordinary holiness of God, and of His Commandments. 33 Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? This is something totally else then the pagan fables. It is true that the heathens tell stories about their gods, but nobody has seen them. With Israel it is totally else. The whole nation saw the fire of God, and heard His voice. 34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? The people have not only seen the fire at the Sinai, but they also have seen God's plagues in Egypt. They also have seen the extermination of the Egyptian army in the Red sea, when the LORD had saved them. "Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore," Shmot 14:30. 35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. Why showed God the miracles? Has He done that so that the nation would see it, fear it, but further do nothing with it? Not therefore. It is, so that they know that there is only one LORD, and nobody more. "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God," Jeshajah/Isaiah 44:6. 36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might in- struct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; Why had God brought the nation out of Egypt? Has He perhaps done it because the nation was so good? Or because the nation loved God? No, it is not because of this. It has been free grace. God loved the forefathers and has chosen their seed. That is the reason of the release of Israel. Moshe emphasizes this. They must know well that there is no good in them, which can exist before God. All the favour comes one-sided from God. 38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an in- heritance, as it is this day. 39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. The intention of God's signs and wonders is clearly said here. There is only one God, both in heaven and on the earth. 40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. God has showed Himself very excellently. The nation has seen this. This is a spur for them. They must keep God's laws. Who not does that is not to be pardoned. Now God has showed Himself so clearly and powerful. Who still does not have respect for that high God, he is totally blind. One must keep God's commandments. This serving of God, will that be difficult or harmful? No, far from that. It is very useful for them. "Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 12:28. 41 Then Moshe severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 42 That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 43 Namely, Betser in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilad, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassiem. 44 And this is the law which Moshe set before the children of Israel: 45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moshe spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt, 46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Siechon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Cheshbon, whom Moshe and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: 47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Tsion, which is Chermon, 49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah. Moshe again repeats the benefactions of God, which He had given to the nation Israel. These benefactions should spur on the people, to keep God's commandments all the more. In this part are written several things, which are instructive for us. In verse two, Moshe says that we may add nothing to God's Word. And that we nothing may subtract something from it. This means that Tanach, as the Word of God, is our only standard for all things. When we read also human writings besides Tanach, then we have to compare these with God's Word. When there are differences between them, then Tanach is right, but the human writing is wrong. Then we reject that writing. Student, perhaps you know people in your neighbourhood, who put several human writings above Tanach. They add words, or take words away. Just if Moshe had not forbid- den that. What says Tanach about this sort of people? "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar," Mish- lee/Proverbs 30:6. Tanach warns us not to add to God's words. When some- body still does it, he will be punished. Tanach calls such a man a liar. So, when someone tells us that a human writing has more authority then Tanach, we have to consider him as a liar. Stay far from this sort of liars. They are dangerous, and keep us from God. Tanach only has autho- rity. There is still more instructive stuff in this chapter. There is written: "For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God," Dvariem/- Deuteronomy 4:24. Does this mean that He is a consuming fire? It means that this holy God cannot go together with the profane sinner. The sinner is consumed by God's fire. This is also said on another place in Tanach. "Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them," Thilliem/Psalm 21:8,9. This is the destiny of the disobedient sinners. The LORD promises to devour them. And God will surely do what He promises. From this, the nation has seen a good exam- ple. God promised to bring them in Kenaan, and He has until now fulfilled His promise. For the nation is now situated before the borders. There- fore, as is said, God does what He promises. God promised to devour the sinners, and He will surely do it. That nation in the desert, was it not wicked? Surely, very wicked. "Remember, and forget not, how thou provo- kedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 9:7. We also are sinners, because at another place Tanach says that there is none who does well. "God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one," Thilliem/Psalm 53:3,4. We learn from this that both that nation and we must be consumed by the anger of God. But now we notice something remarkable. It is true that the nation stood at that mountain, but it is not devoured. How is this possible? Is this ever heard before? "For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it." "Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?" Dvariem/Deuteronomy 4:32,33. How is this possible? God promised to devour the sinners, but they stayed alive. Is it not true that God always does that, what He promised? Yes, He does it always. But how is this possible then? His anger is truly kindled. But His anger is kindled against somebody else. Against whom? Against Moshe? No, because also Moshe was not devoured. Against whom then? Against whom the anger is kindled, that is not written in this chapter. It is written in other parts of Tanach. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed," Jeshajah/Isaiah 53:5. Against this, who is mentioned here, Gods anger is kindled. Who is he? It is the Ser- vant of the LORD, the Righteous. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities," Jeshajah/Isaiah 53:11. It is possible that you know about yourself that you cannot exist before God. Because of your sins. When this is so, then you must know that redemption is possible. Pray the LORD and ask if this Righteous may pay also for your sins. So that you become free from guilt. When you are free from guilt, then you can exist before God. Read now verse 37. In this verse is written why the nation Israel is brought out of Egypt to the land Kenaan. Is it because they have done their best? Is it because of their obedience? Because of their serving of God? Nothing from this all. That the people not have done their best, we know that from their behaviour in the desert. Also from this we know their disobedience and idolatry. But why is it that God had delivered them? "Because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 4:37. Here we have the answer. Moshe has said it. It is because of God's love to the fathers. And it is because of the election of the people. The people do not receive Kenaan because of their merits. For they had no merit. But they receive the land in grace. What applied to Israel then, applies still now. The state Israel exists. Is it because of their serving of God? No, because they serve God not at all. Why do they receive the land? Also, this has happened in the grace of God. How is it with us? We also receive daily all things from God. We still live. We have still food and accommodation. Is it because of our merit? No, only in grace. The LORD, Who gives all things so abundantly to us, is worthy to be served. Is this serving a hard labour? For the unwil- ling people it is. But not for them, who are made willing. Listen to what Moshe says from it. "Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever," Dvariem/Deuteronomy 4:40. 3. Questions ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you want to gain more benefit from the explanation, you could consider to answer the questions and do the tasks. You can send these to the editor. He will look at it, and return them to you with his comments. Questions. 1 What happens with those, who transgress the commandments of God? 2 The mountain burned of fire. What does this fire mean? 3 Because of which reason may we make no idols? 4 All, on which we rely besides God, are idols. a. Do you rely on something, besides God? b. If so, are these idols? c. What will God do with the idolaters? 5 Moshe was not allowed to enter the land Kenaan. What was the reason? 6 The Jewish nation has been scattered among the heathens during many centuries. Now, many are still scattered. What was the reason of this Diaspora? 7 The LORD is merciful, see verse 29, 30 en 31. a. Why is He merciful, according to verse 31? b. For who is He mercifully, according to verse 29 en 30? 8 a. Is the prophecy of Hoshea/Hosea 3:5 already fulfilled one day? b. Why or why not? 9 Read verse 37. a. Why has God brought Israel out of Egypt? b. Which have to be the results for the nation, according to verse 40? 10 One may not put human writings above God's Word. a. Do you know human writings, which are put above the Word? b. If so, do you award authority to those writings? 11 a. What will God do with the stiffnecked sinners? b. How can you escape from the punishment? 12 Does the present state Israel exist because the present inhabitants obey God so well? Tasks. 1 Moshe forbids in verse two to change something in God's Word. Seek the same in Dvariem/Deuteronomy 12. 2 The LORD, our God, is a consuming fire, according verse 24. Seek other places, where the same is written. Seek in Dvariem/Deuteronomy 9, Jeshajah/Isaiah 33, Jirmejah/Jeremiah 21, Nachum/Nahum 1, Tsfan- jah/Zephaniah 1. 3 The LORD, our God, is a merciful God, see verse 31. Seek the same in Shemot/Exodus 34, Nchemjah/Nehemiah 9, Thilliem/Psalm 86, Thil- liem/Psalm 145, Jonah 4, Michah/Micah 7. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chr-Exp, a Christian explanation of the Tanach and the New Testament Editor: Teus Benschop No copyrights on this publication Translated by a Dutchman Institution Practical Bible-education, the Netherlands .