OT Lesson #21 - God will honor those who honor Him

OT Gospel Doctrine Lesson #21 - God will honor those who honor Him
1 Samuel 2-3, 8


The Child Samuel hearkens to the Lord’s Voice
http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-1/images/24-00.gif

Hannah’s hymn
1 Sam 2:1-11

Hannah’s hymn was probably added later by scribes. In verse 12 it mentions that the Lord will give strength to “his king.” Given Israel would not have a king for many decades to come, it is probable that this hymn was written during the reign of Saul, David or even later. The hymn also has a masculine form to its writing, very different from the hymns sung by Miriam or Deborah. Anciently, many would have the scribes of the tabernacle/temple write a hymn for them to celebrate an event. It is possible that Hannah’s hymn was commissioned by her, but then later updated to include the blessings to the king of Israel.

Sons of Eli/Sons of Belial
1 Sam 1:12-36

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord. “ Here we see an interesting play on words. The term “Eli” means “God” singular, or could mean “My God.” Eli the priest held the name of the Almighty. But his sons, who should not only have physically been sons of Eli, but spiritually should have been sons of El/God, were known as “sons of Belial.” Belial means “without worth” or “worthless”. Belial was one of the four crown princes of hell. So, instead of following God, they sought after the devil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belial).

As sons of the high priest, their responsibility would include offering the various sacrifices in the Tabernacle at Shiloh. The Law of Moses clearly established which portion of the sacrifice went to the priests, and which part was solely the Lord’s. However, the sons of Eli used their position for extortion. Those who wished to worship the Lord were forced to give up the finer pieces of the sacrifice for the priests to eat, including the fat (all of which was to go to the Lord).

Imagine attending Church and the bishop were to force you to give a portion of your tithes for his livelihood. Imagine if you had to pay him extra to partake of the Sacrament, be baptized, or receive a temple recommend. This is what the sons of Eli were doing.

Such wickedness in high places often forces people away from good works, and can lead people to worshiping elsewhere. Why go to Shiloh and the Tabernacle to worship, when one can just as easily sacrifice directly to the Lord at a wilderness altar (as Lehi would later do)? Why follow evil men? It was easier to worship Baal or another god, rather than follow a corrupted worship of Jehovah.

Sadly, Eli knew his sons were desecrating the tabernacle. Yet did little about it. To make matters worse, they introduced pagan rites into the tabernacle. Just as Baal worship included sexual rites with harlots, so too “they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation” (2:22). In the days of Moses, these priests would have been slain for “offering up strange incense” to the Lord (Exodus 30:9).

Prophet of Doom

A prophet arrives and tells Eli that his sons would die in one day for their sins, and that Eli’s house would be left vacant. Another priest would be selected to take the place of Eli and his sons. Some surmise this is Samuel, but it is not completely clear from the text whether Samuel was a Levite or not. In the scripture, his father Elkanah is noted as both a Levite (1 Chron. 6:3-15) and also an Ephraimite/Ephrathite (1 Sam 1). It is possible that he was a Levite that served among the tribe of Ephraim.

Samuel’s Calling
1 Sam 3

There “was no open vision” in Israel. Due to their sins, Israel had lost the ability of having visions from God. There had not been a worthy Judge in Israel in decades. Revelation was almost dead, except for the occasional traveling prophet, such as the one who warned Eli. But these never proclaimed visions nor saw the Lord, as prophets of old had.

Samuel grew up in Eli’s house, arriving shortly after being weaned. He was very circumspect, and would have spent his days studying the word of God in preparation for his life as a priest in the Tabernacle. Finally, at age 13 he would have arrived at the age of maturity. It would have been at this time when the Lord called him. Still young and inexperienced, Samuel first thought it was Eli calling for him. On the third time, Eli directed him to answer the Lord, which Samuel did.

Samuel answered, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (3:10). Imagine, of the many thousands of Israelites, including the high priest Eli and his sons, none else heard the voice of God but a 13 year old boy. Of course we can see the similarities in the 14 year old Joseph Smith, surrounded by men of religious knowledge, who had shut the heavens so that God’s voice could not be heard by them, either. Even today, Christians often miss out on the fullness of God’s word, because they are preoccupied by their worldliness or personal lifestyles. I would imagine that God calls out to each of us continually, but most of us are too distracted to hear.

“And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord” (3:20).

Israel had not had a prophet since Joshua. Among the Judges, there were few that spoke with God, and of those, even fewer who had much contact with God. Many of them were afraid (Gideon), rebellious (Samson), or rash (Jepthah). Only the prophetess Deborah seemed to be wholly in tune with the Lord. Now, Israel would have the last of the Judges and the first of the new prophets, Samuel. He would lead Israel out of bondage, and also be a mouthpiece for God.


The Fall of the House of Eli
1 Sam 4

The Philistines, a coastal Sea People originally from the islands near Greece, invaded Israel. They would be one of the strong warrior peoples in the area over the next several decades. After soundly defeating Israel in a battle, the Israelites felt they needed to return to battle with the ark of the covenant of God with them. Surely the ark’s power would allow them to destroy the Philistines.

The ark of the covenant sat inside the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle. Inside it were held Israel’s greatest treasures, including the stone tablets containing the 10 commandments, and Aaron’s budding rod. Upon the ark sat the mercy seat, where God would sit behind two golden cherubim in his holy house.

“5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.”

In winning the second battle, the Philistines had stolen Israel’s God! Or at least that is how the Philistines and many Israelites viewed it. With the invasion, Eli’s sons were slain. Eli knew his sons would die, as it was prophesied to him before. However, when he heard that the ark was taken, he fell backwards from his chair and died. Israel’s greatest artifact and holy shrine was gone.

One must consider the terminology in the event above. “these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians” tells us that according to the Philistines, Israel had more than one God! It is because Israel did worship more than one God. At this time Israel worshiped both Elohim and Jehovah, the Son of El.

Philistines get more than they bargain for
1 Sam 5


The Philistines take the Ark to Dagon’s Temple
http://bibleencyclopedia.com/picturesjpeg/Philistines_take_ark_to_Dagon%27s_house_1186-96.jpg

Where else does one put the sacred treasures of another nation, but in the temple of your own god? The ark of the covenant was put in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod. Dagon was the god of agriculture, his name literally meaning, “grain.” He was a major member of the Philistine pantheon, and dates back to 2500 BC as a god of the Amorites. Samson destroyed a major temple of Dagon, and later King Saul’s head would be on display at another Dagon temple fortress. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagon)

They set the ark in front of the statue of Dagon, so the idol could behold his conquest and the defeated God of Israel. Yet in the morning, the Philistines found Dagon’s statue fallen down, prostrating before the ark. The following morning after setting the idol back up, they again found him prostrate, only this time his head and palms had been cut off. The God of Israel may be captive, but he was still stronger than Dagon.

But it didn’t stop there. All the people of Ashdod began suffering from “emerods” or boils all over their skin. They sent away the ark to the larger city of Gath, but the people there were also struck with boils. They too attempted to send away the ark to the city of Ekron, but the Philistines there refused to take it. The lords of the Philistines gathered and decided to return the ark to Israel.

The Philistines restore the ark
1 Sam 6

The 5 lords of the Philistines return the ark with a trespass offering of golden emerods and mice. The ark was placed upon an oxen driven cart, and allowed to wander back into Israel’s lands.

The oxen went straight to the land of Bethshemesh in Israel. The people were glad to have the ark returned. They took the wood of the cart and offered up the oxen as a sacrifice. However, they attempted to look within it and more than 50 thousand were smitten.

Samuel restores Israel
1 Sam 7

The ark was taken to the larger city of Kirjath-Jearim, where a priest was ordained to minister before it. At this time, Israel now had two very holy places: Kirjath-Jearim where the ark of the covenant now rested, and Shiloh where the Tabernacle still offered sacrifice to God.

“Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only” (7:3-4).

Israel had long worshiped the Canaanite god Baal in his many aspects (Baalim is the plural form, “Lords”). Ashtaroth was Baal’s consort and wife, represented by fertility rituals in the Canaanite temples. Samuel was calling on Israel to live the 10 commandments, follow the law of Moses, and return to worshiping Jehovah as their only God. They were given a second chance at having God’s ark in their presence, but it would require their full commitment if they wished to force the Philistines out of their lands.

Israel conquered the Philistines, pushing them back to their prior lands. A stone is raised at the place of the battle. The stone would have been both a memorial and also an altar for worshiping God: “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us“ (1 Sam 7:12). One of the greatest hymns written contains the phrase, “here I raise my Ebenezer” which goes to this verse in scripture (”Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, by Robert Robinson), Ebenezer means “Stone of Help” (http://www.revneal.org/Writings/whatsan.htm)

The Lord would be described as the “rock of salvation” (2 Sam 22:47, Psalms 62:2-7, 89:26, etc). It is only after the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines that the stone is set up as a memorial. And they were rescued from their conquerors because they set aside their idols and gods, cleansed themselves, and focused their affections only on the Lord. It was with this faith and dedication that God became their stone of help, their rock of salvation, their Ebenezer. So too, in our lives, when we are struggling and in captivity to the world, we can put away our worldly things and gods, and return to the Stone of Help, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord.”

Samuel was a circuit prophet, going to the three major Israelite cities to judge cases and to resolve problems. But he always returned to his own home, where he also judged Israel. Moreover, he built an altar to God, where he could worship, perform sacrifice, and ponder the things of the house of the Lord, for wilderness altars and pillars were personal temples (Genesis 28:22). For us, we have temples established with altars to perform modern rites. Our home can also be as the temple, if we build a quiet place in it that can allow us to meditate and focus on our worship of the Lord.

Israel forsakes their King
1 Sam 8

In order to continue the tradition of Judges, the elderly Samuel set apart his sons as judges. However, as with the sons of Eli, they quickly fell into wickedness. They sought bribes and power that was not befitting a Judge of Israel.

The elders of Israel, knowing the struggles they had previously because of apostate priests and judges, went to Samuel to ask for a king. With judges, the Israelites were constantly in flux. There often was little unity among the tribes, and often there were long spaces of time between judges. The people did not have continuity, often leading to apostasy and invasion.

With a king, they reasoned they could maintain a standing army, become a truly united people like they were in the days of Moses (who was more like a king than a judge). They could defend their borders, build mightier cities, and be strong in the eyes of the neighboring nations.

Samuel was not pleased, as he felt they rejected him. But the Lord told him to give them a king, for they had rejected God, not Samuel. God had been their king, and would always be their king if they would have him. Instead, as in the days of Moses, Israel wanted an intermediary between them and God. God allowed it, but it brought about some undesired effects: such as many constricting rules in the Law of Moses. Instead of judging themselves and being free, the people would be yoked to an earthly king. They would have massive taxation, standing armies that would draft their sons to war, and regulations that would limit their freedoms.

But the Lord would not force himself upon the people. Their faith was not sufficient for them to live with such freedom. In being free from a central government, they ended up choosing to follow other gods and lifestyles that led them away from Jehovah. In their apostasy, they lost his blessings of protection, and they became ripe for invasion and chastisement at the hands of their enemies.

History has shown, and John Adams noted that only a righteous people can live free (such as under the US Constitution). When people have moved away from righteous living, they seek for others to take care of their problems for them. They wish to be lavished in their idleness. They leave their responsibilities for others. Jesus would later warn of the vineyard, whose watch tower was not manned nor guarded day and night. Eventually the enemy came in, with no warning sounded to those below.

Choosing a king would be the first step in Israel’s unity, but also the first in their apostasy from the truth.

King Mosiah II encouraged his people to do the opposite, going from kings to judges. He noted that if one could always have a righteous king, it was a good thing. However, evil kings, such as King Noah, had caused much suffering to occur.

“13 if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people—I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you....For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!
18 Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations, and also the wickedness and abominations of his people. Behold what great destruction did come upon them; and also because of their iniquities they were brought into bondage.
19 And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must unavoidably remain in bondage until now.
20 But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.
21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood” (Mosiah 29:13-21).

Note that King Noah lured his people into sin and then captivity under the Lamanites. It was the King Jehovah that rescued them from the Lamanites, once the Nephites repented and turned their focus and worship over to Christ. So would it be with Israel. They would occasionally have a righteous king, but many of the kings would lead them astray and into captivity, where only God as warrior king could rescue them.

Bibliography

Belial: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belial

Dagon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagon

What’s an Ebenezer? http://www.revneal.org/Writings/whatsan.htm

Lyrics to the tune “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, by Robert Robinson: http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns/c04.html
http://www.defordmusic.com/comethoufountomyfather.htm

OT Lesson #20 - All the City doth know thou art a Virtuous Woman

Lesson #20 - All the City...Doth Know Thou Art a Virtuous Woman
Ruth, 1 Samuel 1


http://www.sarabelleau.com/UserImages/11/11143/1/86210_mediumlarger.jpg

Background: It is near the end of the reign of the judges. Samuel will be the last of the Judges, and perhaps the most powerful on Israel ever had. Israel has failed to conquer most of the land, and has spent centuries in a cycle of righteousness and freedom, and wickedness and captivity.

In this time of weakness, where no one better than slouching Samson can be found as a Judge against the Philistines, and where Gideon must test the Lord to increase his faith time and again; we find a few good women of faith that stand head and shoulders above the rest. The prophetess Deborah is the first of the virtuous women we learn about, who stands in as the righteous and inspired leader of the people in a time when the men failed God.

The Land of Moab
Ruth 1

The land of Moab was east of Israel just over the River Jordan. During this period, the Moabite lands were partially in the hands of the Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. It is possible that the land in which Naomi dwelt was actually among the Israelites! She personally was from Bethlehem, and dwelt with her husband, who could have been from the one of the tribes east of the Jordan.

During the reign of the Judges, the control of the lands switched often, and could have gone from being controlled by Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh to the Moabites for a time. The Moabites worshiped the god Chemosh, who was similar to Baal in certain ways. Some scholars consider Chemosh and the Ammonite god Molech to be the same being. According to ancient tradition, the Moabites did not worship Chemosh faithfully, and so he turned them over to the Israelites for several centuries, until King Solomon built a sanctuary to Chemosh in Jerusalem. Included in the worship of Chemosh was human sacrifice, which appeased the god. If Chemosh was also Molech, then the worship would also include passing children through the fire and child sacrifice. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemosh)

Naomi’s Plight

With the death of her husband and sons, Naomi had a particularly difficult problem. She did not have any men or family to take care of her. In ancient times, women without male support could easily find themselves on the road to complete destitution and starvation. She had no choice but to return to her homeland and her tribe of Judah, near the town of Bethlehem.

Being without a man, she could no longer afford to manage her daughters-in-law, either. The kindest thing she could do is to send them back to their own families, where they would have a chance to remarry and to be cared for by their own people.

While Orpah returned to her own family, Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi. She would abandon the Moabite family of her childhood, the culture and their god.

Ruth Gleans the Fields
Ruth 2

Settled in Bethlehem, there is only one way for two single women to survive: gleaning grain from the fields. In the Law of Moses, we find that one requirement is that farmers do not pick all the fruit/grain from their fields, but leave behind the grain in the corners of the field. “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:22). This ensured the poor and needy had a way to feed themselves. It was the ancient welfare plan to provide for the poor.

Ruth found herself in the fields of Boaz. Boaz was a relative of Naomi, and when he found out who Ruth was, insisted she glean solely from his fields. In this manner he was able to ensure she could gather in sufficient grains to feed herself and the aging Naomi. When Naomi found out, she was pleased, and mentioned that Boaz was a “near kinsman” or a close relative. This fact will be very important to the story line.

Ruth Proposes Marriage
Ruth 3

Over time, Naomi determined to use the law of Levirate marriage to provide Ruth a husband and grandchildren for herself. She directs the girl to stealthily enter into Boaz’ bed chamber after dark, uncover his feet, and lay at his feet as a marriage proposal. Ruth does as she is told, and laid at Boaz’ feet until he discovered her at midnight. There is another possible thing that occurred here. In ancient Hebrew, to “cover one’s feet” or to uncover them also meant to cover/uncover one’s loins. So, when we read of seraphim with wings that cover their feet, it likely means they had a covering for their loins (Isaiah 6:2). It is possible that Ruth laid herself down on his lap, as a marriage proposal. At midnight, he awoke.

“9 And he (Boaz) said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.”

To spread one’s skirt or cloak over another is to offer them protection. Nephi prayed, “O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness!” (2 Ne 4:33), a perfect request of one who knew he needed a protector. Ruth sought a great protector in Boaz, who could care for her as a husband and provider. Boaz was surprised that she sought the proper Levirate marriage of marrying the next of kin, and not chasing after a young man. However, there was another closer relative that would get the first opportunity to marry the young woman.

That Ruth was able to slip into his room late at night, sleep at his “feet” and be considered a virtuous woman shows that her intentions in all she did was good. She followed proper protocol, even if it is different than what we would do today. She was virtuous, meaning chaste, hard working, honest, and dependable.

Boaz Gets a Bride
Ruth 4

The city gate was where all the men went to discuss the news of the city. At the gate, one could talk to travelers and find out the news in other places near and far. And it was where much business was concluded. It would not be long after Boaz sat down at the gate until he would encounter the next of kin.

The discussion was made as a business proposition. Naomi had a piece of land for sale. However, to reclaim the property, one would also have to marry Ruth according to Levirate law, and provide descendants for the family. The next of kin turned down the offer, and allowed Boaz to buy the land and marry Ruth. Interestingly, while Boaz’ main goal was to marry Ruth, he brought her up as part of a business arrangement for property. Perhaps his method was to make the deal seem less appealing to the kinsman. Regardless, it worked for Boaz.

Boaz and Ruth would bear a son, Obed, who would be the grandfather of King David.

Hannah Prays for a Son
1 Samuel 1

Elkanah the Ephraimite was married, but had a problem. He and his wife, Hannah, were old and without a child. Having children to carry on the family line was very important. Even more important was the ability to have a son, to pass on the inheritance and blessings of the forefathers.

For Hannah, it was difficult to see the other women with sons, bragging on their children, and seeing them play in the streets. She mourned, even though Elkanah tried to cheer her up: “why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? (1 Sam 1:8).

To try and help her, the couple prepared for the trip to Shiloh, where the Tabernacle of the Lord was. The Tabernacle is actually called the “temple of the Lord” in this story, even though a building was yet to be built. She prayed silently, expressing each word from her lips. The temple high priest, Eli, thought the woman was drunk, and sought to chastise her.

But Hannah explained her purpose. She was willing to give the child to God’s service, if she could just have her womb opened. Eli blessed her that her prayer would be answered, and the couple returned home. She did bear a son, Samuel.

Lent to the Lord

On bearing Samuel, Hannah cared for him for just a couple years. Once weaned, it was time to fulfill her promise: “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord (1 Sam 1:27-28).

Have we pleaded with God for something, and when received, not thought to return it to God? What have we received that we were then willing to “lend to the Lord” and God’s service? When our children are born, do we dedicate them to God” Or do we keep them for ourself? When God blesses us in business, material possession, a talent, or anything else, what do we do with it? Do we use them solely for our own personal gain, or do we give back to God?

For LDS, this concept of lending back to the Lord includes tithing. God provides us with so much, that we covenant to return 10 percent tithe to God and his Church. We are also asked to share our time, talents, and resources to building up God’s church and work on the earth. This may include assisting in the Church, serving in our communities, caring for the poor and needy, or sharing a talent to make the world a better place.

Hannah’s devotion would bring to Israel their greatest Judge and the beginning of the united kingdom of Israel. He would be a Seer, a Prophet, and a Priest. In lending her son to God, she opened the door for the entire nation to be blessed. Imagine the continued struggles Israel would have suffered had she kept Samuel to herself. Imagine the suffering that happens in the world around us, because we do not share our blessings, gifts and talents with others.


Bibliography

The god Chemosh: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemosh

Levirate Marriage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levirate_marriage

Gospel Doctrine Lesson #19 - The Reign of the Judges

Gospel Doctrine Lesson #19 - The Reign of the Judges
Judges 2; 4; 6–7; 13–16



Samson - Destroying the Philistine Temple

Background: Joshua led the children of Israel in their first forays and battles in the Promised Land. After several years of fighting, some land had been conquered, but it was far short of the lands God had promised Israel. The lands intended for Israel stretched to the river Euphrates, beyond the Hittite empire and into Assyria. However, at the death of Joshua, very little of the land had been conquered by Israel (see Joshua 13). Prior to Joshua’s death, much of the nearby land had been divided by lot to the Tribes of Israel, and those tribes were expected to drive out the inhabitants prior to inhabiting the lands. Joshua’s last warning and counsel was for Israel to choose God and follow him, and in doing so they would successfully conquer the land before them.

Israel Ignores Joshua’s Counsel
Judges 1

While some Israelites, such as Caleb were faithful in driving out the wicked inhabitants of the land, and possessing the inheritance completely, most of Israel failed to obey God’s command.

Presumably through the chief priest’s Urim and Thummim, Israel asks who should go against the Canaanites first to obtain their land. Judah is told to go to battle. Judah took the warriors of Simeon along. They slaughtered the Canaanites and Perizzites in the area, killing ten thousand men in the city of Bezek alone. In a Shakespearean irony, we find Judah capturing the local king, they cut off his thumbs and big toes, something this king was renowned for doing previously to 70 kings he had captured in battle. The story notes they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. According to Judges, Judah had taken the city and set it on fire. While the city was in Judah’s area, the tribe of Benjamin seems to have taken the city, allowing the Jebusites to remain therein (1:21). This differs from Joshua 15:63 that states Judah dwelt at Jerusalem with the Jebusites, whom they could not dislodge from the area.

Next, the house of Joseph, made of Ephraim and half the tribe of Manasseh, went into the mountains to gain their lands. They first went to claim the city of Bethel (House of God), where Abraham and Jacob both offered sacrifice, and Jacob built an outdoor temple to God.

Once the tribes had obtained some choice possession in their lands, they seemed content to stop and farm the land:

27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants ....but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants...but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants ...:
32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants.... became tributaries unto them.
34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

Why slay the people you conquer, when you can collect tributary taxes from them? Israel was expected to work the land for themselves, alone, and reap the harvest given of God. Instead, they chose to allow the Canaanites and others to dwell among them in order to enrich themselves from slave labor.

No sooner was Joshua dead, and Israel was already ignoring the path God commanded them. It seemed easier to make peace and accept the tribute from people who now feared them, than to make continual war for several years. Yet this would soon show to be short-sighted, as the enemy within is worse than the enemy without.

The Party’s Over
Judges 2


It took less than a generation for the problems to occur.

1 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.

Here we have an angel, not descending from heaven, but coming up from Gilgal! The word “angel” means messenger, and can equally mean a heavenly messenger as well as a mortal messenger. It seems that God sent a prophet to Israel to tell them they were now going to suffer the consequences of their poor choices.

The word, “Bochim” comes from the Hebrew “to weep”. Because they did not listen to God and destroy the inhabitants of the land, they would now suffer under the hands of those inhabitants.

The generation of Israel that entered into the land, who remembered Moses and Joshua, eventually died. The covenants that were made in crossing Jordan were now well in the past, and soon forgotten:

The Canaanite gods - Baalim
Judges 2

10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim.

Baalim is the plural form of the word Ba’al, which means Master or Lord. So Israel served the gods of the land. Ba’al was the main Canaanite god, who had various versions, depending on the locality. Previously, the Israelites struggled with Baal-Peor and went after the harlots at his temple. Now, well within Canaanite lands, they will discover the many faces of Ba’al, and find there is an enticing version for each Israelite to chase after.

Ba’al was originally a Phoenician god. The Phoenicians were believed to be Sea People that came to the area from the islands around Greece. By the time Israel showed up, Ba’al took upon himself other abilities. In previous lessons, we discussed the ancient Semitic belief that the chief god, El Elyon/Elohim had 70 divine sons, each given a land and people to rule over. Jehovah was given Israel as the most important kingdom. The Canaanites were originally ruled by a god named Yam. He was the god of oceans and rivers. However, Yam was eventually eliminated as a local god when the Phoenicians showed up and the worship of Ba’al replaced Yam. Later, Jehovah would note this radical change in gods among the Canaanites by stating:

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43) http://scriptures.lds.org/isa/43

It isn’t that there are no other gods, but that Jehovah is Israel’s one and only God. Never was there a God before him in Israel, and he would never be replaced, as we see in the case of Yam and Ba’al.

One key form Ba’al takes is that of the Canaanite god Hadad. Hadad was a son of El Elyon. According to Canaanite tradition, Hadad was the “the lord over the assembly of gods on the holy mount of Heaven” or in El Elyon’s divine council. He was to Canaan what Jehovah was to Israel - the chiefest and divine son of God, given the most important people on earth to lead and bless. In the book of Judges, we see the battle that goes on between the two gods, as each seems to gain strength from the devotion of their followers. Jehovah will not bless Israel when they sin. If they are worshiping Ba’al, then let Ba’al bless them! Instead, we find that their worship of Ba’al strips them of Jehovah’s blessings, and in the end Israel becomes enslaved not only to Ba’al but Baal’s people, as well.

Who is our Lord, Master, Baal?

Today with our modern outlook, we can sometimes think how stupid Israel was forgetting their own God, who provided such huge miracles as in Egypt, the Red Sea, and in providing them water and manna in the desert for forty years. Yet we often are as blind to the gods around us, who entice us to forget our God and his previous miracles in our lives.

I received my patriarchal blessing, a special personal revelation given by a patriarch of the LDS Church in 1976. The patriarchs give blessings, even as Jacob blessed his children, and as Moses blessed the tribes of Israel. In talking with my patriarch, prior to the blessing, he shared with me a life changing experience he had had as a young man. He was recently married and very strong. He reasoned that with his health, he could easily work two 8 hour a day jobs, make lots of money, and have a happy life. One night, as he slept, he said an angel came to him and told the young man to follow him. They walked through the wall, and into a land where all the homes were elegant and white. Everything was perfect, and (in his own words) “there was nothing out of place.” They entered a building and into a large room, where he noted several deceased people he knew in the background. The angel motioned towards two individuals standing on pedestals, and told him to choose between Jesus and Satan. At first, he thought it would be an easy thing to do. But as he looked, he saw they were indistinguishable. The more he looked, the less he was sure of himself. He heard someone in the background exclaim, “He doesn’t even know who Jesus is!” He sank to the floor, and awoke in his own bed. He was so weak from the experience that he did not get out of bed for several days. Immediately he changed his plans, and spent his life serving God.

The Baal or god in our life is whatever becomes our “Master.” Is Jesus Christ first in our lives, or is he secondary? What comes before Jesus in our lives? The same things that precedence in our lives instead of God, are the things that become “thorns” in our own sides. We are conquered from within, just as the Israelites were. Our little weaknesses start as tributaries to us, but eventually become the Master/Lord/Baal over us. Whether it is addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, sports or video games, most of these began as something people could control - only to find they eventually were the slave. It isn’t that having a Canaanite living in one’s backyard is necessarily evil, but allowing the Canaanite to then entice us to forget God and follow the lusts of the heart becomes the crime. We leave behind God in our search for other gods to satisfy the flesh. And those gods become our masters.


The Judges Introduced
Judges 2:16-20

God explains that Israel would receive Judges, people called of God to act in His stead to deliver Israel. The Judges symbolized the future Jesus Christ, who seeks to deliver us from our captivity. Each time we are rescued and fall again, Christ is in the wings, waiting for us to again be chastened and humbled, so he can step in and rescue us once more.

Israel’s First Trial and Judge
Judges 3

Intermarriage is a big problem for Israel. It won’t go away anytime soon, either. The same curse falling on Israel now will affect King Solomon centuries later. This is also the same danger that affected the sons of Adam prior to the Flood. When the sons of Adam married the daughters of men, the women led the men astray into worshiping other gods. In the New Testament, it is Salome, dancing before her step-father King Herod Agrippa that will lead to the beheading of John the Baptist. It makes me wonder how many young LDS men have chosen not to serve on missions, because they didn’t want to leave their girlfriends behind. The problem is not necessarily the women, but the weakness of the men, who did not seek to convert the daughters of men first to the worship of Jehovah, but rather indulged with them in following Baal and other gods.

In Judges 3, we find Othniel as the first of the Judges to deliver Israel from their own sin and stupidity. Not long afterward, though, they returned to sinning and God placed them in slavery for another 18 years under the Moabites.

Ehud is the second Judge sent by Jehovah. He is noteworthy because he is left-handed. Ehud goes before the Moabite king, Eglon, who is a very fat person. In meeting with the king alone, he takes a dagger and runs it into Eglon’s stomach. The king’s fat stomach engulfed the dagger so it could not be taken out. Ehud escaped and brought forth his army to slay a Moabite army of 10,000. Israel was free for eighty years.

Deborah, the Prophetess
Judges 4


The Prophetess Deborah


Upon Ehud’s death, Israel sinned again, falling this time into the hands of the Canaanite king, Jabin. Sadly, there seems to have been no men in Israel righteous enough to be a Judge, and God called Deborah as a prophetess and Judge over Israel. Judging from where she dwelt near Bethel, Deborah was probably from the tribe of Ephraim. She called forth Barak, a major military leader in israel, and told him that God commanded him to free Israel.

But Barak would not go without Deborah to fight the Canaanite general Sisera. He understood the importance of her being present in the war. She was the Judge of God. She was a prophetess, who could foresee what needed to be done in the battle. The people looked up to her for guidance and deliverance.

Sisera was confident in the ability of his many chariots. He would be able to route any foot soldiers easily on the plains. However, we read that God disrupted the chariots, perhaps bogging them down so they were unable to continue, and the Canaanites were forced to fight on foot. The Canaanites were quickly slain by Barak’s army.

Yet Sisera escaped on foot. He had a colleague nearby, and asked Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite to hide him. She offered to do so, had him lay down to rest, and while he slept, ran a nail through his temple. Jael clearly saw that the battle was on the Lord’s side, and to assist Sisera was to embrace ruin for her husband and household.

In Judges 5, Deborah and Barak compose and sing a battle song for Israel. Even as Moses and Miriam sang at the Red Sea to celebrate the defeat of the Egyptians, so we receive another memorial psalm or hymn that was suited for Israelite festivals and holy days.

The land had 40 years more of rest for Israel.

Gideon
Judges 6-8


Israel fell captive to the Midianites. The Midianites constantly destroyed the Israelite crops in order to keep them poor and stricken down, unable to rise up against their oppressors.

The Church lesson focuses on Gideon’s faith. Yet it may be better to discuss Gideon’s struggle with faith. For many of us, if an angel came to us and told us to perform a work for God, we would have enough faith to accomplish it. Gideon is full of doubt, but willing to serve God if he is able to do so in stealth. Gideon took ten men and destroyed the idol of Baal that his father built in the city, yet “because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. “

As Gideon later went forward to gather an army, he still feared. Even after seeing an angel, he insisted on proof. Laying a fleece of wool on the ground outside his tent, he first asked that the fleece be wet with dew and the ground dry. The next night, he switched the situation, dry fleece and wet ground, in order to verify God was really with him.

This is not a sign of strong faith. God normally did not have to prove himself to his prophets on such a tall order. Gideon was not like Deborah. However, God works with those who are available, as we’ll see again in the story of Samson. Gideon was the best God could get in Israel in this time period, and patiently worked to strengthen his faith. Often, God will work with us to strengthen our faith, prior to giving us a great task to accomplish. Eventually, though, the Lord expects us to obey and not require signs and proofs continually.

The Lord, wishing to prove He would deliver Israel and not the army of Gideon, had Gideon reduce his army down to 300 men. Given the thousands in the Midianite army, it was obvious they could not accomplish it alone. Seeking another sign, Gideon slipped quietly into the Midianite tent at night to listen in on conversations. Hearing the soldiers fearing the Israelite army and Jehovah’s power, he knew he could safely go to battle. Fear was the tactic used by God to discomfit the Midianite army, as trumpets and lanterns turned the area into mayhem. Midianites began fighting among one another, as others fled, leaving the field to Gideon in victory.

More Apostasy and Chaos
Judges 9-12

After Gideon’s death, his son Abimelech became king. However, it was done through treachery, as he slew his 70 brothers and installed himself as king in wickedness.
Abimelech sought to control more territory and had a series of battles with the people of Shechem. Eventually, in storming a tower, a woman dropped a millstone upon Abimelech’s head and slew him. Abimelech’s people stopped warring and returned to their own homes, tired of war.

Then came judges to rescue Israel from its continuing sins and captivity: Tola, Jair, and others. Yet Israel continued to sin, worshiping gods from many of the nations. Finally, the Lord said ‘enough’ and sent several nations to afflict various portions of Israel. When the nation cried to God for deliverance, the Lord responded, “Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation” (10:14).

Israel put away its gods, and brought its armies against the Ammonite army. Yet, they were uncertain what to do, as God had not chosen a Judge to lead them. The Lord chooses Jepthah to lead the armies of Israel in their battle against the Ammonites east of the river Jordan. Jepthah makes a rash vow, that if God will allow him to defeat the Ammonites, he will sacrifice to god the first living thing that he sees on his return home.

The Ammonites are thwarted, and on returning home, Jepthah sees his only daughter running and dancing to celebrate her father. Jepthah allowed his daughter two months of mourning, as she would die a virgin. The story ends there, with the anticipation that Jepthah fulfilled the grisly human sacrifice, and that Israel’s virgin daughters grieved her annually (Judges 11).

Judges 12 begins with a civil war among Israelites. Jepthah was from the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the river Jordan. When Ephraim found out that Manasseh had gone to war without the rest of Israel, they determined that Manasseh had seceded from the house of Israel. War fell between Ephraim and Manasseh. Jepthah and the men of Gilead slew many of the Ephraimites. As Ephraim attempted to flee, Gilead was able to determine who in the wilderness were from Ephraim from the dialect. Ephraimites could not say “shibboleth”, but said “sibboleth” instead. Those who failed the test were slain. 42,000 Ephraimites were slain in the civil war.

So Jepthah and a few others judged Israel.

Samson and Delilah
Judges 13-16

In Judges 13, we find Israel falling into sin again. This time the Philistines conquered Israel. The Philistines were a Sea People related to the Phoenicians. They originally came from the Greek Isles, and were known for their pottery and art of the period. They were culturally and aesthetically more advanced than Israel. Samson would prove to be a bigger “philistine” than the Philistines.

Manoah’s barren wife was told by an angel that she would bare a son to be a judge in Israel. This son would be a Nazarite: one set apart to God’s service, who was not to drink alcohol, eat unclean things, cut his hair, or touch the dead. Samson would disobey virtually all the Ten Commandments of God. As mentioned before, God used what was available in Israel to deliver Israel. Samson was the best available, but was not that great.

For Samson, his purpose was not to serve God, but was to fight the Philistines because they annoyed him. He sought to marry a Philistine woman. When riddles and bets with the Philistines were rigged, he destroyed their crops by sending hundreds of foxes with firebrands tied to their tails through the land. An army of Philistines attempt to stop Samson, and he slew them with the jawbone (Lehi) of an ass.

He slew a lion, and later found in the dead lion (unclean and dead) that bees made a honeycomb within it. Instead of avoid the dead, he ate of the honeycomb and took some home to his parents.

As with Israel, so it was with Samson. Things went well for them, and they fell into sin. Samson met Delilah, a beautiful Philistine woman. Once again, Samson was engaged with women outside of Israel. And the woman became his downfall. She continually went from enticing him to be with her, to enticing him to reveal the secret of his strength. Eventually, he revealed his secret, and lost the power of his great strength. As the Philistines blinded him, and made him work as an ox grinding the grain in the prison house.

At length, his hair grew back. The Philistines were celebrating a great festival of one of their gods, and wanted to bring in Samson to mock as a display of Israel’s failure. Samson now had his power restored, or part of it. In grasping two pillars to bring down the building and slay the princes of Philistia, he did not have God’s work in mind: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (16:28). Samson doesn’t want to rescue Israel, he wants revenge for being blind. Of all the sloppy and poor judges of Israel, he was the worst. Samson probably had the greatest ability to free Israel, but wasted his great strength on his own lusts instead.

The Levite Stories
Judges 17-21

In Midian, an Israelite man with wealth spent a large portion of his money (200 shekels) on creating idols, and tabernacle-like statues (ephod, teraphim) for his house. In the time of the Judges, a shekel was a weight, probably somewhere between 9 and 17 grams or about 1/2 an ounce. In today’s (2010) value, 100 ounces of bulk silver equals about two thousand ($2000) dollars. That amount in silver coins would be worth almost $3000 today. It seems creating a center for worship in one’s home was all the rage. He consecrated one of his sons to be priest over the idols. It is possible this also became a local shrine, where he could charge others to worship the gods he created, and giving him a nice income on the side.

A young Levite came into the area, and Micah knew that he needed a priest of Jehovah, to ensure he covered all the bases in worshiping all the gods in the area. Offering to pay and maintain the Levite at a decent wage, he consecrated him as his priest for the Lord. “Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest” (17:13).

In Judges 18, we find that the tribe of Dan still has not obtained an inheritance for themselves. Many dwelt along the coastline with the Phoenicians, and it is supposed by some scholars that most of the tribe of Dan disappeared, or was absorbed by the Phoenicians. They came and appropriated Micah’s ephod, teraphim and idols for themselves. The Levite priest was offered the job to be priest for a whole tribe, rather than just priest for one household. With the power of Jehovah’s Levite and symbols of the tabernacle, they took the coastline city of Laish for themselves. They set up the sacred items for their tribe in Laish/Dan, even though the Tabernacle was in the city of Shiloh.

The Desolation of Benjamin

The second story (Judges 19-21) tells of a Levite who found himself a concubine (a slave wife) in Bethlehem. After a short time, his wife was unfaithful and then ran away back to her father’s home. The Levite returned, spending several days with her father. Finally one evening, it was time to leave. They approached Jebus/Jerusalem, a few miles down the road, where his servants suggested they stop for the night. The Levite, however, would not rest in a city of the Jebusites, and so went on to Gibeah, a city of the tribe of Benjamin. For quite some time they waited in the streets to ask someone to lodge them. In finding an older man in the street, the Levite stated, “I am now going to the house of the Lord; and there is no man that receiveth me to house”. The Levite was on his way to Shiloh and the Tabernacle, and no one yet had opened their home to him. But the old man took him in and was a gracious host.

As the night progressed, many of the local men who worshiped Belial, known as one of the four crowned princes of hell, came to the old man’s house. As the men did at Sodom for Lot’s guests, the men of Benjamin insisted the Levite be sent out so they could “know him.” Instead, the concubine was sent outside. She was gang-raped until she died at dawn on the porch of the old man’s house.

.The Levite took the torn corpse with him. Cutting her into twelve pieces, he sent part of her to the princes of each of the twelve tribes. Incensed, Israel demanded that Benjamin turn over the men of Gibeah for punishment. The tribe of Benjamin refused. Once again, a civil war began in Israel. There were about 32, 000 men for Benjamin against 400,000 for the rest of Israel.

When they asked the Lord who should go first to battle, the Lord sent Judah went against Benjamin, but they were sorely defeated. Israel wept and then asked the Lord if they should go against Benjamin, and were told to go. Again they were defeated. 40,000 Israelite soldiers now were dead after two battles - one tenth of their armies! Benjamin still stood very strong with few dead on their side.

26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
27 And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

On the third try, Israel realized that it took more than just asking God to have God go with them into battle. It required going to the Tabernacle/Temple, fasting, praying, and offering sacrifices, prior to the Lord going with them in strength.

The next day, Israel defeated Benjamin soundly. All of its cities were burned, and the inhabitants destroyed. Six hundred men escaped and hid in nearby caves. When the fighting stopped, Israel realized they had virtually wiped out one of the tribes of God. With the desolation of Benjamin, they entreated the 600 men to rebuild the tribe, each of the other tribes giving them their daughters for wives.

In this second story, we see that even God’s people can become as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah. The devil gives great power to the wicked, and it often takes more than just asking God to be able to defeat evil. Often it takes weeping, prayer, fasting, temple attendance, and sacrifice of one’s heart and soul, in order to then go forth with God’s power. One man complained to Jesus that the apostles were unable to heal his child from demonic possession. After healing the child, the Savior told his disciples that some of these “But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

Bibliography


Ba’al: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal

The God Yam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_%28god%29

For more on the Divine Council, El Elyon/Elohim, Jehovah as king/God of Israel competing against other divine sons, etc, see my previous Old Testament Lessons (use key search word El Elyon): http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/

Gospel Doctrine Lesson #18 - Be Strong and of a Good Courage

Lesson #18 Be Strong & of a Good Courage
Joshua 1-6, 23-24

Background: Moses was the Lawgiver and Prophet over Israel for 40 years. Due to rebellion and sin of the former slaves, only the younger generation survived to enter the Promised Land. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, all of Israel is under 60 years of age.

With Moses' death, the children of Israel now looked to Joshua as their leader. "And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him and did as thc Lord commanded Moses" (Deut 34:9).

Preparing to Enter the Promised Land
Joshua 1


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Greater_Israel_map.jpg/800px-Greater_Israel_map.jpg


Upon the death of Moses and the requisite month of mourning, God immediately calls Joshua to take Israel over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The Lord describes the land, "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you" (1:3). This land would stretch from the southern Canaanite lands (near the beginning of the Sinai Peninsula) to the River Euphrates in Assyria!


Interestingly, God sees it necessary to tell Joshua three times to "Be strong and of a good courage" (1:6-9). As a condition of being strong and courageous is the reminder to keep the commandments faithfully, in order to have God's power and strength with Israel in their conquests. I wonder how often we need to be reminded of our duty and faith, as we go through our daily routines and struggles.

Joshua tells the 2 1/2 tribes remaining east of the River Jordan (Reuben, Gad and 1/2 of Manasseh) to prepare to keep their promise to assist Israel in gaining the land of promise. It isn't enough for each tribe to get what they want, and then abandon the work. They are no longer a bunch of confederated tribes, but are one nation and people. For the entire House of Israel to prosper means all must do their part. In building Zion today, it does not help if some wards excel, while others struggle to survive. Often it means we must step up and assist those who have not been well established yet.

Spies in Jericho
Joshua 2

Joshua sent two spies to find the weak places of the city Jericho. The city was not far from the banks of the Jordan River. Jericho had heard of the great miracles that Jehovah performed in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in defeating the Amorites and others. Jericho feared the Israelites. There was tension in the air, as the city knew the Israelites would soon be crossing over to invade. When the king heard there were spies afoot, he sent soldiers to kill them. However, the spies found sanctuary in the home of a harlot, Rahab. She promises to assist them and Israel in taking the city in exchange for protection for her family.

On their return, the spies told Joshua, " Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us (2:24)." These are the same peoples that Israel feared forty years before. They could not imagine how God could help them conquer the people of the Promised Land, and ignored the pleas of Joshua and Caleb regarding faith in God's power. Here, God has instilled fear in Israel's enemies. The war is essentially over before it has even begun.

We can also learn that we can't always tell who our friends are. For Israel, their friend in Jericho turned out to be a harlot. Many would have rejected her assistance, simply because her life was distasteful and against God's law. But in accepting the gifts offered by a sinner, Israel was even more blessed. Perhaps we can learn to focus more on the things we have in common with others, than on division, as the spies found with Rahab. In working with Rahab, Israel was blessed, and perhaps it allowed Rahab to receive the blessings of Israel, as well.

Crossing Jordan
Joshua 3

Joshua organizes Israel in crossing the Jordan River. First, the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolized the Presence of God, into the water. Where their feet touched the water, the river stopped moving forward. Israel crossed over on dry land, just as they did at the Red Sea.

In the Ancient Near East, tradition had it that God created the earth from chaos. Part of God's creation effort included slaying or controlling the Chaos Monster, Rahab the serpent. Isaiah looked back and noted, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?" (Is 51:9). The Psalmist proclaimed, "Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm."

The serpent was connected with the darkness and waters at the Creation; the darkness and waters representing Chaos being controlled and allowing God to order the land to be formed and separated from the waters, the light and darkness divided, etc. Interestingly, we see that the serpent's name is Rahab, which ties directly to Joshua's experience at Jericho. Joshua must drive the evil chaos out of the Promised Land.

This Creation story repeats itself as Moses causes darkness to fall upon the land of Egypt, causes the Nile to turn to blood, and finally in dividing or bringing order to the chaos of the Red Sea, in order to allow Israel to cross, escaping the chaos which is Egypt.

Again, we shall see the Creation theme occur, as Joshua leads Israel over the Jordan River. Israel leaves the chaos of the world and enters into its Promised Land. This is a land prepared and ordered by God, a land of milk and honey, a place where Israelite slaves can raise their children in Zion.

Paul will later note that each of us also experiences a passage through the chaos into an ordered life, as we are baptized.

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.(1 Corinthians 10).

The primeval chaos of water is overcome by the resurrection of Christ, who we follow in baptism. We also renew this action of moving from chaos into holy order when we partake of the Sacrament, as well. For Latter-day Saints, the story of Creation from chaos and moving from chaos in our own lives to holy and ordered lives is also a key theme of the temple experience.

In modern revelation, we read: "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 88:119). This is our call today to bring the world around us out of chaos, and assist God in bringing it into order. While much of the world does lay in chaos and disaster, the temple and hopefully our homes, become a place of order and light.

A Temple-Altar of Remembrance
Joshua 4

Upon crossing into the Promised Land, Israel's first object was to commemorate the event for future generations to remember. Israel did as the early Patriarchs did to establish a place to remember and honor. They built a temple in the wilderness. Anciently, temples were not always built with four walls. Israel carried the Tabernacle, a portable temple, with them in their journeys. Altars in the wilderness became solitary temples or places to worship God. Not all altars were built for sacrifice. Some were built as a memorial of a special experience or occasion, such as when Jacob saw God on his throne. Jacob saw the ladder or staircase leading to heaven with its many levels and steps. After his great theophany (seeing God), Jacob stated, "And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house" (Genesis 28:22).

Israel's first action in the Promised Land was to build a temple, a place for God's house.


The New Covenant of Circumcision
Joshua 5

Now that Israel was inside the land of promise, the men were circumcised. Circumcision was a necessary step to separate Israel from the rest of the land. Canaanites, Hittites and Philistines were not circumcised. They were now considered savage. In fact, the term "philistine" would come to be considered a term to call someone who was unclean, unkempt, uncouth. A philistine was someone who was not ordered by Jehovah, but who followed chaos.

Those born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. Entering into the land of promise, after being symbolically baptized by crossing the Jordan River, meant entering into a new covenant with God. This covenant would be one that would follow every Israelite male his entire life. Unlike the Canaanites, whose worship often included sexual rites, Israel would be pure. Sex would be limited to one's spouse and guided by rules given by Moses. Anything else was considered unclean and impure, threatening Israel with losing God's power.

We no longer require circumcision to enter the covenant. But covenants and rites are still as important in Christianity today as it ever was. We have baptism, Sacramental bread and water/wine, prayer, scripture study, marriage, and temple rites.

With the new covenant and being in the Promised Land, the manna and miracles that kept shoes from rotting in the wilderness ended. Israel would now still be blessed, but would have to provide and work in their own lands now.

Captain of Lord's Host
Joshua 5

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

The "Captain of the host of the Lord" is Jehovah. This is an equivalent term to the "Angel of the Lord's Presence" or the "Lord of Hosts (of the armies of God)". Joshua sees God, and has an experience similar to Moses on Sinai. Joshua is on sacred ground, a temple in the wilderness.

This experience was to show Joshua that Jehovah was indeed the Lord of the Promised Land, and that his heavenly armies would support the earthly army of Israel.

Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
Joshua 6

Here is one place where archaeology/history and the Bible do not exactly match. The story of Joshua at Jericho has Joshua causing the walls to crumble in a large earthquake, after which the city is easy pickings for Israel. Jericho may have been easy pickings for Israel, but according to archaeology, the walls did not come down for Joshua.

"Archaeological evidence indicates that in the latter half of the Middle Bronze Age (circa 1700 BCE), the city enjoyed some prosperity, its walls having been strengthened and expanded. The Canaanite city (Jericho City IV) was destroyed c.1550 BCE, and the site remained uninhabited until the city was refounded in the 9th century BCE." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho#Archaeology

Most scholars believe Joshua entered the area about the 12th century BC. This means Jericho's walls were destroyed about 250 years before Israel showed up. Why archaeology and the Bible are not in sync on such dates is unknown. Possible options include that another city with walls was indeed destroyed, and later stories combined the later invasion of Jericho with this other attack.

What is important is that Joshua and Israel did take over much of the land. Archaeology does show the beginnings of Israel in the land with pottery and 4 roomed houses that are uniquely of Israelite origin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_room_house

Israel, Jericho and the Commandments of God
Joshua 6-7

Jehovah commanded Israel that everything in Jericho would be destroyed, including the women, children, and animals. " And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword" (6:21). Some wonder why God would create the Ten Commandments, including the law "Thou Shalt Not Kill." We find the same conundrum in the story of Nephi being commanded to slay Laban. There is no contradiction, however. God gives a foundational commandment, which is to be obeyed except when God commands otherwise. They are God's commandments. He can choose at any time to change them, or give an exception to them.

Yes, it can seem cruel in our modern view to destroy even the small children and animals. However, Israel was creating a new and Promised Land. It had to be started with clean everything. It had to be purified. Anything that could possibly turn Israel from God would prevent them from receiving his blessings and from being a "nation of priests" and a "peculiar people."

In Joshua 7, we see this problem occur immediately. Israel goes forth to fight the people of Ai (Heap of Ruins). Israel is defeated. They cannot understand how God could suddenly reject them. In seeking God's will, Joshua finds that Israel has sinned: someone has taken treasure from Jericho. Achan and his household are brought forth with the booty. Greed overtook them. There is no choice. Israel must be purified if it seeks to continue into the Promised Land. Achan and his entire household are slain and the booty destroyed and buried as a memorial for Israel to remember to be exact in their covenants with God.

Israel Defeats Its Enemies
Joshua 8-22

In these chapters, we see Israel defeat the people of Ai. (Joshua 8)

The Gibeonites have seen Israel's power and seek to survive by deceit. They put on worn clothing, take rancid food with them, and walk to the camp of Israel, seeking their assistance. They claim to be from afar off, and were wandering in the land, poor and destitute. Israel allows them to stay with them, promising to give them protection. Later, upon finding they were deceived, Israel has no choice but to let them live. However, they enslave them. The Gibeonites decide that slavery to Israel was better than complete annhilation. (Joshua 9)

Israel fight the Amorites, who create a confederation of five nations to fight Israel together. As the battle draws on, Israel continues to win. The Amorites flee, but God pelts them with huge hailstones. However, the daylight began to wane. Joshua stood forth and commanded the Sun to stand still, as Israel finished destroying the Amorite army. The five kings hid in a cave, but were discovered. Joshua had them brought forth, where he obeyed God's command and slew all of them.

Israel destroyed Lachish and Gezer, Hebron and Debir. "So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded" (Joshua 10).

In Joshua 13, we find that there is still land to be conquered, and many of the original inhabitants remain in the land. We must remember, Israel was to encompass the land going all the way to the River Euphrates. This did not occur. Even in King David's reign, when Israel expanded its lands, it still only achieved a small portion of the promised land God intended for them.

The land that has been achieved in Joshua's time was divided by lot among the tribes of Israel. Caleb received the city of Hebron as an additional blessing to his family, due to his faithfulness (Joshua 14). Ephraim receives the hill country, where they must still drive out many Canaanites. The Tabernacle is set up at the place Shiloh (Joshua 18).

Finally, six more cities of refuge are set up. As explained in a previous lesson, these are cities for people to flee to, who have committed manslaughter. As long as the person remained inside the city, he could not be stoned to death for his actions. However, if he ever left the city, he was fair game for revenge by the family of the victim.

Joshua's Last Testament
Joshua 23

Joshua is now old. He would not lead Israel into any more battles. It was now time for him to give his last counsel and leave the guidance of Israel to the high priest, elders and judges of the people.

"Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left" (23:6).

This is similar to the words God gave Joshua at the beginning of the conquest. We find that God's teachings usually do not change much, but must be repeated over and over, as we tend to forget. A key teaching of Moses and the Book of Mormon is but one word, "Remember." Remember the commandments. Remember what happened to your ancestors at the Red Sea and Sinai. Remember the covenants with God.

Joshua again warns Israel to not mix and marry with the Canaanites. Israel has already shown a taste for other gods: those in Egypt with the flesh pots, and with Baal-Peor and his religious harlots. Such actions will cause Israel to forget the covenants, to forget the commandments, to forget Jehovah. And in forgetting comes sin, rebellion, and the loss of God's blessing and power. Israel could just as easily be swept off the land as were the peoples before them.

11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.
12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
13 Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you (Joshua 23).

Here is where we see just how much we love God. Do we fully follow him, or only insofar as it is convenient? The Nephites also were given such warnings. If they were faithful they would be blessed. However, they would be "scourged" by those unbelievers around them. And if they did not repent, they would eventually be destroyed.


Choose You This Day
Joshua 24

Joshua concluded his last testament to Israel:

14Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods.
17 For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
18 And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

Israel covenanted again to follow God. They would not follow the gods which evil men worshiped prior to the Flood. They would not follow the gods and flesh pots of Egypt. They would not worship the gods of the Amorites, whom they recently conquered. They would follow God.

21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.
22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.
24 And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

The importance of witnesses is important to God, especially concerning covenants. To covenant to put away other gods and to follow Jehovah is as important today as it was back then. Whatever we place as most important in our lives is our god. If that is not the Lord, then we have taken upon us strange gods to follow, whether it be money, work, family, celebrities, material goods, or sin. We cannot serve God and riches at the same time. Each of us must choose for ourselves whom we shall serve. Most of us like dealing in the gray areas of life, allowing for time with God, but also allowing for time with other gods and idols in our lives.

Eventually, it comes down to where we will place our entire heart, might, mind and soul.

Lesson # 17 - Beware Lest Thou Forget

Lesson #17 - Beware Lest Thou Forget
Deuteronomy 6; 8; 11; 32


Death of Moses


Background: Israel has spent its forty years in the wilderness. The old rebellious slaves from Egypt have died, leaving the young Israelite people to enter into the Promised Land with Eleazar the high priest, Joshua the prophet, and the faithful Caleb. Israel has destroyed the enemies east of the Jordan River, including some Canaanites, Moabites, and Amalekites. They are now ready to enter into the Promised Land, but first will be given final counsel by Moses, whose mission is now complete.

The Book of Deuteronomy

The Book of Deuteronomy contains the final words of Moses to Israel. While many believe that Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy, there is evidence that at least some of it comes to us second hand. For instance, chapter 34 tells us that God buried Moses in the mountain, and Joshua led Israel from that time forth. Clearly, Moses did not write such a line before his death.

The Documentary Hypothesis, discussed in previous lessons, suggests that the current book of Deuteronomy was not written by Moses, but by the Deuteronomists (known as "D"). These were the temple priests in the days of King Josiah, who found the "book of the law" in the temple as the temple was being restored ( http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_kgs/22 ). It is believed by many scholars that fragments of Deuteronomy were found, and that Hilkiah the priest and Shaphan the scribe rewrote it, based upon the current beliefs of the temple priests. This was the foundation for the Josian reforms, the reforms that occurred during King Josiah's reign. These included destroying all the altars and high places, not only to idols, but also those for Jehovah. All worship was then centered solely in the temple.

According to Old Testament scholar Margaret Barker, the Deuteronomists changed the temple ceremony. The First Temple originally had a Tree of Life, the belief in angels, prophesy, and miracles. These were discarded by the Deuteronomists, who sought to forcibly bring all worship to the temple in Jerusalem. This required enforcing the idea of strict monotheism. As we've seen in previous lessons, the early Hebrews and patriarchs did believe in many gods, but worshiped only Elohim and Jehovah. The Deuteronomists combined the two Gods into one, removed the ability of people to worship him outside the temple, and established their power base.

This reformation would later go against prophetic teachings of Jeremiah and Lehi, who would both praise the worship of God in the wilderness, the belief in miracles, current prophesy, and ideas like the Tree of Life. Jeremiah would bring in the Bedouin-like Rechabites as a perfect example of righteousness for Israel to follow ( http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jer/35 ). Lehi would build altars in the wilderness and offer sacrifice to God on them, contrary to the Deuteronomist insistence that sacrifices and worship only occur at the Temple.

Suffice it to say, Deuteronomy is highly focused upon the concepts of the Deuteronomists, but while they rejected many teachings, those included in the Book of Deuteronomy are valid and important to us today.

Moses recites Israel's short history
Deuteronomy 1-2

In these two chapters, Moses recites for Israel their 40 year history. It includes their successes and failures. Moses proclaims a partial fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. "The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude" (Deut 1:10). By this time, the tribes of Israel spread out for miles across the desert sands. From the view from Sinai's summit, they would definitely seem like a nation of ants, or as the stars of heaven.

Moses explained that because they were so numerous, he called Judges to help him manage the people. The Judges were chosen by the people themselves. The requirement of the job was, "Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you" (1:13). Wouldn't it be wonderful if we chose rulers today who were men/women of wisdom and understanding?

Stephen Covey remarked in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, that today we tend to focus more on personality than character in the people we elect and choose to focus on. We live in a nation where the person who looks best on television gets elected. Issues are not discussed, at least not in detail anymore. And an individual's character and past mean nothing to us as we consider who to elect. The Gadianton Robbers and other evil people among the Nephites gained power by flattery and deceiving the people (Jacob 7, Alma 30). They created personality cults for people to follow. In days past in America, these personality cults tended to be among small groups of people, but now spread across all parts of the nation through the Internet and media. Small town kids used to not worry about wearing the fancy styles of New York and Los Angeles. Now, those fashions and celebrity heroes are beamed into homes daily. We do not care anymore if our "heroes" are violent or unfaithful. We do not care if our sport stars are on drugs. We do not care if our politicians are in the pockets of groups we approve of, or pass laws on issues they do not comprehend, because they are men of flair and power, not wisdom.

Moses continues to share the history of Israel in the desert. He reminds them on how they sent spies into the land, who returned and said that they would be unable to overcome the inhabitants. Such disbelief after all the miracles given made them unworthy servants to enter into the land. Only a righteous people could cast the inhabitants of the land out of their strongholds. It would take the new generation of Israel, those not raised with the fleshpots of Egypt nor the mindset of slaves, to enter into the new land.

After conquering the nations east of the Jordan River, the Israelites were prepared to enter into the Land of Promise. Moses asked to go over and see the land before his death, but is denied by God. Instead, he is allowed to climb up Mount Pisgah, east of the Jordan River, and look upon the land from a distance.

With this only look, Moses is now ready to give guidance and direction to Joshua and Israel.

In Deuteronomy 4, Moses lays out the law to the people. He explains that it is because of the statutes and commandments that God has given them, Israel is now choice above all nations. However, this will remain true only so long as they keep the commandments given them by God.

"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.
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.
3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.
4 But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.
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.
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?
8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments 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."

Moses explained that the law which was given made them a "nation of priests" or a "city on a hill" for all other nations to see. These laws, especially the Ten Commandments, set Israel apart from all other nations. Other nations dwelt under the fear of a capricious local god, whose commands and whims could change at any time. Jehovah, on the other hand, was consistent. If the children of Israel kept the basic commandments, they would be greatly blessed in the land, and other nations would look up to them.

However, those that disobeyed did not have God's promise of blessing and protection. The Israelites who ran off to worship Baal-Peor and mingle with the harlots at the god's temple were all destroyed for their sinfulness. Yet, those Israelites who were faithful to Jehovah during that temptation were blessed, remained alive, and were then able to go forth and destroy King Balak's wicked nation.

Perhaps Moses' primary theme began here and throughout all of Deuteronomy is "Remember". This is a theme that we also see reoccur in the Book of Mormon. Nephi retrieved the plates of brass in order to keep his descendants from forgetting the commandments and promises of God (1 Nephi 3-4). Alma and other prophets frequently reviewed Nephite history to remind the people of the promises and blessings for the obedient, and the trials and destructions that fell upon the wicked (Alma 5).

"

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 image, 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" (Deut 4).

The Danger of Disobedience
Deut 4:25-40

Moses foresaw the day when Israel would ostensibly forget Jehovah and begin to go after other gods.

"25 When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, 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:
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.
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."

In other words, if Israel goes after other gods and corrupt themselves as some of them did with the god Baal-Peor, they would lose the blessing placed upon them by Jehovah. They would become weak and undefended by miracles. They would become fodder for other nations to overrun and to enslave. In effect, they would return to the conditions they experienced in Egypt.

Interestingly, Moses makes a distinction between Jehovah and the gods of other nations. These other gods are unable to see, hear, eat, nor smell. This is strong evidence that Jehovah is anthropomorphic: man-like. Many believers in the Bible have lost the understanding that man is literally made in God's image (Genesis 1:25-26). They do not understand what it means when the Bible says that Noah walked with God, Jacob saw God's face, or Moses spoke with God face to face. Some Christians today believe that God is without "body, parts or passions" as described in the Westminster Confession, chapter II, verse1 ( http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/ ). Clearly it would seem hard to explain how they could believe God is anything like the gods described by Moses, who cannot see, hear, eat, nor smell, because he has no body parts and is "immutable." Immutable means that he is "unable to be changed without exception" ( http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/immutable ). Such a being would be unable to truly eat, because eating would cause a necessary change. So would seeing, hearing, or smelling.

The Promise of Repentance/Obedience
Deut 4:29-40

On the other hand, God is quick to bless if we do our part:

"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.
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;
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"

It does not matter if we wallow in the fleshpots of Egypt as slaves, or as the Prodigal Son eat the feed tossed to the unclean swine, if we turn fully back to God with all our heart and soul, we will be accepted and restored. As the Savior's voice resounded from the heavens to the stricken Nephites:

"15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.
16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.
17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.
18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.
22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved (3 Nephi 9)."

The story had not changed from the time of Moses. While the lower laws given to Israel under the Law of Moses were now fulfilled by the resurrected Christ, yet they still had to bring forth an appropriate sacrifice: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. These are the same requirements given by Moses to Israel for them to be truly redeemed from their enemies. These enemies can be both physical and spiritual. Either can enslave us and keep us from reaping the true blessings and promises given to the children of God. Moses promised Israel physical liberation from the neighboring kingdoms. Jesus promised spiritual rewards that would liberate mankind from the enslaving sins that held them bound in chains.

Cities of Redemption
Deut 4:41-43

"41 Then Moses 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"

The conquered lands east of Jordan had been given to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and part of the tribe of Manasseh. Among these tribal states would be established 3 cities of protection. Others would later be established west of the Jordan. If a person were to commit manslaughter, he could flee to one of these cities. While he remained in that city, he would be safe from any recourse taken against him. It was a safe place for those who accidentally caused grievous sins. Those found guilty of murder would be dragged out of the city and given to the harmed person's family for proper judgment. However, we see again that God provided a way for handling major issues without requiring the life of every person who did wrong.

For those of us who do sin, either out of ignorance or purposely, there is a place we can go for spiritual safety. Christ can heal all pains and sins through the atonement. While we may have to face the music in front of judges for any crimes to society, Jesus offers us redemption still. These sins do not have to remain upon our souls throughout eternity. We can latch onto his mercy seat, and he will lift us up, protecting us from eternal hell and damnation.

The Deuteronomist's Ten Commandments
Deuteronomy 5

Here, Moses reviews the Ten Commandments originally given on Mount Sinai. While the commandments are essentially the same, there are some differences. For example, here Moses is reviewing the commandments, and so reminds Israel "remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day" (5:15). Again, one of Moses' main goals in Deuteronomy is to teach the people to remember Jehovah and his commandments.

The Lord Our God is One Lord
Deuteronomy 6:1-15


Frontlet or phylactery on forehead

What does it mean when Moses proclaims that God is "one Lord" (6:4)? Many take this verse and others and presume it means that Israel believed in strict monotheism. However, their history shows that they believed in several gods, including Elohim and Jehovah. Yet, Israel only worshiped Jehovah. Jesus is the one Lord and God over Israel. Unlike the nations they were about to conquer that worshiped many gods and idols, Israel was to worship only one. God commanded in chapter 5, "thou shalt have no other gods before me." This tells us that there were other gods, perhaps some that were recognized by Jehovah as valid and worthy gods. Yet he was to be preeminent.

"5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."

Israel was not only to love God, but to love him more than anything else. The word "all" means we cannot have room to worship or love any other. Not only was Israel to keep the Ten Commandments and love God completely, they were expected to teach it to their children. And they were expected to teach their children frequently, not just once a week at Family Home Evening. Parenting is a full time requirement, and teaching the children faith in the Lord and obedience to his word requires constant and consistent reminding.

Reminders are also part of the program. Frontlets, or miniature scrolls with scripture on them were actually placed as a bracelet on the wrist, or as a covering for the forehead. Scripture was also placed on the door posts and on the gates leading to their homes. In other words, there were reminders of God and obedience to his word everywhere you looked. You saw your friend's face, and you saw his frontlet. You looked at your hand, and saw the binding on the wrist. You went to any home or building and saw scripture displayed on the doors.

Today, our prophets encourage us to have similar reminders. Pictures of the Savior, the temple, scripture scenes, or the prophets are often found in LDS and Christian homes. Scriptures should be set out in a prominent place, a reminder to read them frequently. Some people use a "prayer stone" as a reminder to pray in the mornings and evenings. In the morning, the stone is placed on the pillow to remind one to pray at night, and in the evening is placed next to the bed in a slipper to remind one to pray in the morning. Each of these mnemonic devices can be remarkable in helping us to develop and maintain a good habit of prayer, scripture study, meditation, worship.

Do Not Forget Nor Tempt God
Deut 6:16-25

"16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah."

Clearly the Lord God is a jealous God, as he often repeats this concept to Israel. He does not stand by while the chosen people choose something else. God understands that true happiness and orderly society come about by obedience to certain laws and expectations. One cannot fly like an eagle while dwelling among turkeys. This meant that Israel could not accommodate their enemies, but must "cast out all thine enemies" from the land. At Massah, Israel went worshiping other gods, tempted by the harlots of Baal-Peor. They could not give all their heart, mind and strength to Jehovah, if they were carousing elsewhere. They could not create a righteous nation, if they did not remain righteous.

All of the symbols given, on doorposts, frontlets, etc., became a constant reminder to not forget and turn away from the Lord. "20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?

"21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
22 And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:
23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us."

Teaching our children to understand the purpose for the commandments is important. We should not teach them obedience, "because I said so." Rather, we should spend the time to help them see the wisdom in each commandment, and the blessings promised for obedience to each one. We should also explain that as we are disobedient, God's blessing is withdrawn, leaving us vulnerable to temptation and destruction.

As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee
Deut 8

The Lord continues to remind Israel of the importance of obedience, keeping themselves separate from the apostate nations they are to destroy, and to remember that God took care of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. God will continue taking care of Israel, as long as they are obedient. However, if they forget and turn from Jehovah, God would straighten them out with tough love.

" 11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."

Moses reminds Israel of all the dangers God protected them from. He fed them with manna, saved them from fiery serpents, and provided water in the desert. God can bring them great blessings and prosperity, if they will just continually remember Him.

"18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God."

God does not offer a middle ground to his covenant with Israel. You are either ripe to receive all God's blessings, or ripe to receive destruction. Anytime Israel founders in the middle of these two, God will chasten them. Once they ripen in iniquity, they will be destroyed, just like the nations that preceded them in the land.

More Reminders Why Israel Should Be Obedient
Deut 9-10

Moses continues to share the history of Israel with the people, explaining to them why God blessed or cursed them and other nations. It all came down to obedience to basic laws.

The stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments are placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, which becomes the place where the holiest national treasures are stored.

Why did Jehovah give Israel so many commandments? "Keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" (10:13).

While the other gods were local gods, we are reminded, "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is" (10:14).

Abraham was the first to perform circumcision of all males. This was a covenantal reminder that his people would set themselves apart from other nations. Now, the Lord adds a new twist: "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked" (10:15). Now they not only needed to physically be circumcised, but had to soften their hearts before God.

"17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward." There is more than one god and one lord. Both Jehovah and Moses recognize this. However, of all the gods, Jehovah is the mightiest upon the face of the earth, and the only one worthy of worship."

I Set Before you this day a Blessing and a Cursing
Deut 11

Moses continues to tell Israel why they should be obedient. He reminds the older survivors that they have had the blessing of seeing the miracles in Egypt. They could remember what it was like to be slaves in Egypt. In the deserts of Egypt, one planted and then had to water each plant by hand. However, in the Promised Land, as they were obedient to God, he would bring rain to water the plants.

"

13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
17 And then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you."

We will later see that as Israel falls into apostasy, drought and famine often follow. We can learn from this that as we are extremely obedient to God, he is quick to bless us with many of the things we need and desire. However, when we disobey, God withdraws his blessing, and suddenly we find ourselves at the mercy of the elements. The rains do not come as they would, because God does not command them to come. Nature settles back down into its regular form, which in the dry areas of the land means drought and suffering. Only with repentance and a full return to Jehovah are his blessings restored, and the land becomes a blessing unto Israel again.

"26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known."

It is entirely up to us whether we are blessed or cursed. As a church, a nation, a family, and individuals, we are free to decide whether to follow God or not. However, when we pick up one end of the stick, we of necessity pick up the other end. We cannot choose nor avoid the repercussions of our choices. We obey, or suffer the exact same curse that falls upon all the wicked around us.

False prophets, preachers and friends
Deut 13

We are told that there will come people into our lives, who will entice us to follow other paths. They will try logic, appeal to our natural senses, and even claim that it is the will of God! There is a standard that has been put into place. And that standard requires us to follow it always. Why are many LDS and Christians miserable? Often it is because they struggle between two masters, wanting to follow God, but also enticed by the world and other gods.

It isn't easy to attend Church when the Super Bowl, or Indy 500, or some other championship game is going on at the same time. Shouldn't it be okay to do a family outing on Sundays? Should we stay out of debt as the living prophets have told us to do, or go ahead and spend a "little" extra on a home, car, or vacation? Violence and sexual sin pervade our society, and many worship at the altars of pornography and violent video games.

It is easy to worship Christ one day a week. It is more difficult to choose to worship him daily, and to put God first in our hearts in everything. And the humanist and materialist prophets of today make it so difficult and distracting for us.

"

1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Even if a proclaimed prophet, a movie star, politician, or sports star, performs what seems to be a miracle, we are not to follow them to the depths of hell. Don't be like the teenager who came up to me decades ago stating, "Ozzy Osbourne worships the devil, and so I do too!" We also shouldn't be like today's teenagers who think it is okay to date or have sex at a young age, because that is what everyone else does. We are to be a holy nation.

Moses commands the people to stone to death any family member or friend who tempts them to go after other gods. And if a city follows after Belial:

"15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the Lord thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again."

Belial literally means "that which is without worth, worthless." So, if we follow after that which is of no worth, we set ourselves up for destruction. In order to prevent the cancer of apostasy from spreading, ancient Israel was commanded to destroy everything within the city. Only in this manner could they not only appease God, but ensure his blessing remained on the rest of them.

A Peculiar People
Deut 14-15

In Deuteronomy 14, we receive special instruction on the dietary law and other commandments. These laws are to keep Israel separate from everyone else, as well as seen as peculiar or different.

"1 Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
2 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth" (14:1-2).

He has chosen Israel as his children. They are not to harm themselves when mourning for the dead. They are to set themselves apart. In so doing, the Lord explains his dietary law to them. Some animals, birds and fishes are "clean" or acceptable to God for Israel to eat. Other animals are considered "unclean." These are not evil animals. They just are not set apart as holy and special, as is Israel.

Israel is commanded to tithe all their increase. This is to ensure the tabernacle (later the temple) and the poor are provided for. It also helps Israel to remember that God has given them everything, and only requires a tenth back.

Deuteronomy 15 teaches us the concept of debt forgiveness. Every seventh year, all debts and contracts end, and the debtor must release the person who owes. If an Israelite has contracted himself to serve a person in exchange for anything, the contract ends in the seventh year. This seventh year, or "year of release" is set. If one man sets a debt in year one, then he is released in the seventh year. And the person who sets up a contract in the sixth year, must also set the person free in the seventh year.

Imagine such a concept today. People would not be forced to forever be held under a debt, or forced to declare bankruptcy, voiding their credit, and causing the lender to lose all his investment. Instead, if a person is heavily under many debts, he would only be expected to work hard for no more than seven years, before the rest would be released. No bankruptcy necessary.

The firstling born of the flocks belongs to the Lord. They could not be sold, eaten, nor worked. Instead, they were to be given to the priests of the sanctuary. The best we have should always be given to God for his work.

Holy Days
Deut 16

There were three key festivals for the Israelites: Passover (Pesach)/Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of Weeks/Pentecost (Shavuot), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Let's look at each one of these. For these three festivals, all Israel was expected to make the pilgrimage to the Tabernacle or holy sanctuary, in order to celebrate.

Passover
Passover celebrated the release of Israel from Egypt's bondage. It is a 7-8 day festival, celebrated on the fifteenth day of Nisan, which is usually in March or April, and changes its exact date annually, based on the full moon's appearance. Among the things done in the celebration were to sacrifice a first born lamb, and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

In the story of the Exodus, as Egypt suffered through the Ten Plagues, the final plague was the destroying angel of God passing through, slaying the first born. The only homes saved were those who performed the Passover requirements, which included painting some of the lamb's blood on the doorposts of the home. In this manner, these homes were "passed over", hence Passover.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread usually began immediately after the Passover festival, and continued the celebration for another week. It was often considered part of the Passover celebration. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus however tells us:
"The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first "partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them, (Antiquities of the Jews Book 3, Chapter 10, Section 5)." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover)

Today's Jews leave a place at the Passover dinner for Elijah the Prophet, who the prophet Malachi foresaw would be a forerunner for the Messiah's coming. It was during the Passover that Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias and Elijah appeared one by one to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, giving necessary priesthood keys to prepare the world for the Second Coming (D&C 110 - http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/110).

Pentecost
Shavuot celebrates the day when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. It is celebrated in late May/early June. It is directly linked to the Passover, in that it is required to begin seven weeks after the second day of Passover, or a total of 50 days. This is why it is also called, Pentecost. They count down the days, showing anticipation of receiving the Law or Torah from God. This was the solemn assembly (Atzeret) that ended the holy days beginning with Passover.

Wikipedia states: "On Passover, the Jewish people were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh; on Shavuot they were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavuot )

It was on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts, when all the people were filled with the Spirit of the Lord and heard the apostles speaking in everyone's own language. ( http://scriptures.lds.org/en/acts/2)

In modern times, the LDS experienced their own Pentecost during the March 1836 dedication of the Kirtland Temple. Hundreds witnessed angels, spoke in tongues, and prophesied. Even people outside of the temple noted seeing beings in white walking on the roof of the temple, and some thought the temple was on fire.

Festival of Booths
Sukkot is the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Tents/Huts. It is also known as the Festival of Ingathering, a harvest festival. This celebration occurs in September or October.

The booths represented the fragile tents used by Israel through the forty years in the wilderness. Through the seven day festival, all Israel lives in the booths and eat their meals inside of them. It is believed by many Jews, and suggested in the book of Zechariah that the final Festival of Booths will usher in the Messiah's reign. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot )

The Festival of Ingathering foresaw the day when all Israel would be gathered together again, prior to receiving the coming Messiah. Interestingly, the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith during the Festival of Booths, symbolizing that the ushering in of the Lord's coming has begun in these last days.

More Rules for Israel
Deut 17-31

Deuteronomy 17 contains concepts that suggest at least part of this was written in the days of King Josiah, by Hilkiah the priest. We find rules for the future kings of Israel. Yet, from Moses down to Samuel, we find that the Lord did not allow kings, thinking it was a great evil, for Jehovah was their king! King Josiah was very young when he became king. His father was wicked, and sought after other gods. This was the chance for the temple priests to train up a king in righteousness. Josiah was trained by those seeking to follow God and worship in the temple. They were zealous to put away anything and everything that seemed to distract from that worship. It only made sense to provide a book to the king that included instructions especially for the king to study daily in the holy writings (Torah), and to remember that Jehovah is his king. The king is ordered not to "multiply wives" to himself, which in Josiah's day would have made a lot of sense, after the tragedies of David and Solomon regarding their harems.

In chapter 18, we read:

" 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

The prophet Moses did know about the coming Messiah. While many ignored or rejected Moses' words, anyone who rejected the words of the Messiah would have to stand before God and be judged. Why? Because we can be saved without the Mosaic Law, but we cannot be saved without faith and obedience to Christ.

In the following chapters, more rules and regulations are established. These included how to manage war and the armies, murder and manslaughter, rebellious children (put to death), marriage/divorce, clean/unclean, vows/covenants, leprosy, business, and property laws.

The Lord then tells them when they cross the Jordan River to build an altar for remembrance of their covenants with God as they entered into the Promised Land. Again, Moses explains that if they are obedient they will prosper, and if they rebel against God, they will be cursed. They are to be of good courage, and to read the Law (Book of Deuteronomy) in its entirety every seven years.

Jehovah's Inheritance
In Deuteronomy 32, we are told that Jehovah is the Rock. He is a solid foundation upon which Israel may build their kingdom.

" 7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
9 For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."

The King James Version of this text has an error in it. This error was made long ago, and other ancient copies of Deuteronomy show the original: instead of the most High separating the "sons of Adam", it states the "sons of God". The "Most High" is El Elyon or Elohim. Elohim divided the ancient nations, giving each of his sons an inheritance. The Lord Jehovah's portion is Israel. This has been discussed previously in the lessons, but shows again the Divine Council in Heaven, led by Elohim. Israel is the greatest of all nations, and given Jehovah, the greatest of God's sons, as its king and God.

In both the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), and the Dead Seas Scrolls Deuteronomy, we read this verse as follows:

"When the Most High [El Elyon] gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. For the LORD's [Jehovah's] portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance."

http://mormanity.blogspot.com/2005/10/deuteronomy-328-9-many-implications.html

Israel was very special. It was given specifically to Jehovah to be king and Lord over. In ancient Jewish tradition, Jehovah would eventually conquer the other nations of the earth, overcoming the inept sons of God who were assigned as kings of the other nations. Still, Israel still was the first inheritance for Jehovah, and the closest to his heart.

Moses Blesses the Tribes
Deut 33

In this chapter, Moses gives each tribe a special blessing. It is reminiscent of the blessing Jacob gave to each of his sons centuries earlier.

For Judah we read:

"7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies." While this is a blessing to the entire nation, it also foresees the coming Messiah. The Lord would be the "voice of Judah."

He would be brought to his people, and sadly, crucified by them. He would need strength to endure what he would suffer under his own tribe's cruelty, and would need God's help to overcome his enemies throughout the eternities.

For Levi, Moses focuses on his responsibility in the priesthood, and especially in using the Urim and Thummim properly. It guided them before at Massah and Meribah (finding water), and it would be needed in the future. The Urim and Thummim was the high priest's oracle to God. Through it, he received revelation.

For Joseph, we read:

"13 ¶ And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,
16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh."

Joseph is tied to the "everlasting hills" and the "ancient mountains." For Mormons, this is a prophesy fulfilled in that a few descendants of Joseph fled the destructions of Jerusalem in 600 BC, and were led to the Americas, where the hills and mountains of the Rockies/Andes are impressive and definitely appear to be everlasting.


"Death" of Moses
Deut 34

Moses goes to the top of Mount Horeb, where he sees the Promised Land. He then dies, and Joshua takes over the work for Israel. Latter day revelation suggests that Moses was translated, or his body was renewed so that he did not taste of death, and then was taken into heaven in this fashion.

"10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face" is evidence again, that the Book of Deuteronomy, or at least portions of it were written long after Moses. Otherwise, how would anyone know that no other prophet had seen the Lord face to face? We do know that prophets can see the Lord "face to face" according to the will of God. However, while many saw God in vision, few actually ever saw the Lord "face to face" as did Moses. Part of the reason is the "mystery of godliness" or knowing God is the key to the Melchizedek Priesthood (D&C 84:19-24). Only when the higher priesthood is present and the person is as righteous as Moses can man see God face to face and live.


Bibliography

Links to previous lessons that discussed the Documentary Hypothesis:
Lesson 15 : http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/04/gospel-doctrine-ot-lesson-15-look-to.html

Lesson 6: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/02/lds-gospel-doctrine-class-old-testament.html

Lesson 3: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/01/lds-gospel-doctrine-class-old-testament_12.html


Deuteronomists and the Temple Reform:
Margaret Barker on the Temple Reformation: http://www.thinlyveiled.com/barker/josiahsreform.htm

Kevin Christensen's review of Margaret Barker's Temple Reform: http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=2&id=344

Books by Margaret Barker on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Barker/e/B001IQWG34/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1272316370&sr=1-2-ent

Margaret Barker's web page: http://www.margaretbarker.com/

Other discussions on Deuteronomists and the Temple Reform:
http://depts.drew.edu/jhc/rpbarker.html
http://otagosh.tripod.com/deut.pdf
http://home.earthlink.net/~paulrack/id55.html

Stephen Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, pg 19: http://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/0743269519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272398936&sr=8-1

Belial: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belial

Jim F's discussion on Lesson #17: http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2010/04/ot-lesson-17-study-notes-deuteronomy-6-8-11-321-4-15-18-30-40-45-47/