Message Theme & Verses: Deuteronomy
Memory Verse: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Happy Family Lesson:
Deuteronomy is the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch, written by Moses. It was probably finished by Joshua as the last chapter tells of Moses’ death and Israel’s acceptance of Joshua as their new leader. Deuteronomy means second law, but is probably better described as “copy of the law.” Moses preaches three sermons on the law and gives two prophetic poems about Israel’s future in Deuteronomy.
The purpose of this book is to prepare the people to enter the Promised Land. Moses helps the people to remember the times when they sinned and urges them to love and obey God. He knows that God is fulfilling His promise to the patriarchs to give them land. He also knows that if the people start to worship idols and fail to keep God’s law, they will be exiled from the land. Deuteronomy is a good transition book. It ends the law of Moses and sets up the coming historical books.
We can think of Deuteronomy as Moses’ farewell speech. He knows that he will die soon and will not go into the Promised Land. Moses is the lawgiver for Israel, God’s chosen mediator. He is calling the people to be faithful to their covenant with God.
Though many of the laws given are for very specific circumstances, they are still important to Christians today. We no longer follow the system of sacrifices because they were fulfilled in Christ on the cross, but the principles found there are still useful to us. God’s laws tell how to live the good life in peace or what the Bible calls Shalom. We are made in the image of God and God’s laws reflect His character. Deuteronomy constantly addresses the “heart” of the people and we have the same goal of being a holy people. Remember, holy means to be different or set apart and to live according to God’s ways, not the ways of the world.
Read Deuteronomy 6 and then show Tefillin video and explain works vs. heart change.
Barkadang Lesson:
Deuteronomy shows that God has to work in the hearts of the people if they are to truly live as God’s people. We are to show love in response to God’s love for us. Israel will fail to do this because the law cannot change hearts. The people must look forward to the day when Jesus perfectly keeps the law, dies for sins and sends the Holy Spirit so hearts are truly changed.
Deuteronomy points to the future when Israel will have a king and instructs the king to meditate daily on God’s teachings. Jesus, who is the Word of God, knew the law perfectly and used it to fight the temptation of Satan in the wilderness. Jesus is the heir of King David’s throne and the true King of not just physical Israel, but Abraham’s spiritual children, the Church, and even the whole world.
Moses is God’s chosen mediator for this Old Covenant, but Jesus, the Son of God, is the mediator of the New Covenant where God’s law is not written on stone, but on the hearts of the people. Jesus is both the Passover Lamb and the coming Prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy and is represented by every animal sacrifice. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood, but the blood of sheep and goats can never cleanse sin. Only the perfect, once and for all sacrifice of Jesus’ blood could take away the sins of the world. The Old Covenant would fail because people are weak and sinful. Finally, it was fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary and the New Covenant was instituted by the blood of Jesus.
Barkadang Questions
1. Who do you know who has the best memory?
2. Do you ever forget what your parents tell you to do?
3. Why do you think God had Moses give the law to the people many times?
4. Why is it important to teach God’s Word to kids?
5. Why do you think God is faithful to His covenant? (God is faithful because of who He is. He is not faithful to please people. God chose His people to glorify Jesus and to show how great a Savior He is. God is faithful so the world will see how great is His name.)
6. What themes did we learn through Deuteronomy 6? (In the Old Covenant, the people need to keep the law to stay in the land; There is only one God; Loving God is the most important commandment; God will write the law on the people’s hearts; We must teach God’s law to our children; God is faithful to His promises; God gives His people good things; God has already redeemed His people (from Egypt); Idolatry is forbidden; God punishes sin; Following God’s law is good for us; God can defeat Israel’s enemies; Repeats many of these at the end of the chapter.)
7. Would you wear a tefillin? Do you think it helps Jewish people get to heaven?
8. What are some other things that people do to try and keep God’s law?
9. Why couldn’t the people keep God’s law?
10. Why do we have an advantage over the people of Israel? (We live in a time after Jesus sacrificed Himself for sinner. Because of sin, the people of Israel could not keep the law. Jesus had no sin and kept the law perfectly. Even though He did not deserve punishment, Jesus took the punishment of God’s wrath poured out on Him. God’s wrath against sin was satisfied and because Jesus was punished, we do not need to be punished. If we have faith in Jesus, instead of seeing our sin, God sees Jesus’ goodness and instead of cursing us, God blesses us. God is no longer shamed to be with His people. Also, Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to heaven, proving that He is truly God. Next, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in His people. This means that if we are truly Christians, the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and helps us to know sin and to choose to love God and obey Him.)
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