We have established that Deuteronomy is an important book. But, you may still be wondering why Deuteronomy was necessary – most of it seems to be a repeat of the law!

If you think about a timeline of what has happened, when Deuteronomy is given it has been 40 years (at least) since the Exodus. 40 years since they formed this unique covenant relationship with God. 40 years of wandering in a desert, eating manna for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sacrifices, coming to God at the tabernacle, and waiting for the unbelieving generation to die off. It’s been a long 40 years.

On top of that, this is a different generation! They did not see the Red Sea part or the miracles in Egypt (or they were very young), understanding first hand the uniqueness, sovereignty, and supremacy of Yahweh – the One who remembered them and kept His promises. They are not the ones who had that blood sprinkled on them at the base of the mountain and understood the solemnity of the covenant they were forming with a holy God.

So, Moses gathers them together – they must understand their contract with God. They must understand their history, God’s faithfulness to them, and the requirements associated with being a nation set apart unto Him. Deuteronomy is their “complete constitution” – the most concise statement of who they were and what made their nation unique.

This book follows the format of a “Suzerain/Vassal treaty.” (Pull that out at your next Bible study – you’ll sound so smart.) This was the kind of treaty that two nations in the ancient world would make when one (the suzerain) conquered the other (the vassal).

They would write down:
the history of what got them to that point [Deuteronomy 1:1-4:43],
general and specific rules for the conquered nation [4:44-26:19],
consequences (both good and bad) which would come from keeping or breaking the conditions of the treaty [27:1-29:68],
record the witnesses present [29:1-30:20],
and provide a way of safekeeping for the treaty document [31:9].

Now, you are probably asking, “Kristi, why do I care about a Suzerain/Vassal Treaty?” Honestly, you probably don’t! But, this was a format that was very familiar to the people at the time – this was how international foreign policy was handled! And because they were familiar with the format, God was giving them a very clear picture of their relationship: I am your Supreme commander. You owe me your life. You have conditions in this relationship that you must keep. If you do, I will bless you abundantly. If you do not, I will bring negative consequences in order to bring you back into submission.

Obviously we have a different relationship with God than ancient Israel did – we are not in a theocracy, we aren’t under the law. However, we know that there are many things that we are commanded to do or not to do. [review "Be Holy for I am Holy" if you're rusty on how the OT law ties in with us...]

In our human nature, we tend to chafe at God’s authority. We feel restricted, resentful, rebellious. Why must I bow the knee?

Guess what, friends? God is our Supreme commander.
He created us. Period.
He, not our feelings or experiences, sets the standard for what is right and what is wrong.
We violated His character, earned death and separation from Him, and yet He redeemed us out of our sin and formed a relationship with us.

I owe Him my all. What I have earned, what I deserve, is hell. In his grace, I was given life in Him. If that doesn’t resonate deep in our souls and compel us to obey, I think we must examine the authenticity of our relationship with Him.

I believe that many, many people in our churches today are somewhat like the Israelites at the end of the 40 year desert experience. Back the line in their families, there were people who had an authentic relationship with God – they believed Him, they saw Him work firsthand. Everything sounds familiar to them – it’s been part of their family culture. Going through the motions of church, following rules, being “good.”

It’s all well and good until someone starts to step on their toes with the Bible. “Now wait a minute. If God is love…” “If God is good…” and then they start questioning why God, in His goodness, would want to restrict them or make them unhappy in some way.

He is the creator, the holy one, the sovereign God of the universe. Even if you do not fully understand Him and His ways, not bowing the knee is not an option. And one day, all will be set right – whether people want to admit it or not, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Just like the Israelites reviewing their history and their covenant relationship with God, we all need to take a serious look at our lives and make sure our faith is genuine and personal, rather than cultural. Do I really believe, or am I riding on the coattails of those before me? Have I personally bowed the knee to my Creator and Lord?

…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:10-11