tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post6658052582963482746..comments2024-03-24T09:31:01.300+00:00Comments on Shiny Ginger Thoughts: Law in DeuteronomyDaniel Blanchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15525641726889468099noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-77686293018134375432011-07-13T23:45:53.233+01:002011-07-13T23:45:53.233+01:00Hi Dan,
Sorry to have been away for a little bit....Hi Dan,<br /><br />Sorry to have been away for a little bit.<br /><br />It is an interesting exercise to count up the number of blessings and compare them to the number of curses. <br /><br />The flashes of light are mere flashes. In Moses' summary of the last 40yrs in Deut 29 he says "to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear". It is the curses that he predicts will come (29:27) and Exile seems to be a certainty in Deut 30. Pretty bleak about the law, even if there God himself offers them hope that the law with its blessings and curses earned does not.Dave Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07274586753770186840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-77633739800601164642011-07-12T07:39:55.194+01:002011-07-12T07:39:55.194+01:00Thanks for kinds comments, and apologies for keepi...Thanks for kinds comments, and apologies for keeping you waiting for a response.<br /><br />Dave, I do think Deuteronomy is pretty negative about the people, but there are flashes of light - they are praised for their fear of God when he speaks to them from Horeb, for example. On the curses, could one not equally well argue that the purpose is to give life, on the basis of the long list of blessings mentioned?<br /><br />Tom, I think seeing things with creation in the background is really helpful - and yes, I do think it begins to break down the law/gospel dichotomy. More on this to come.Daniel Blanchehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15525641726889468099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-60618390684778714532011-07-08T12:10:21.246+01:002011-07-08T12:10:21.246+01:00I really liked the post as well but maybe for oppo...I really liked the post as well but maybe for opposite reasons to Dave. I liked the positive slant on the role of law. I think its important to look back when understanding the law. When you look at the bits of Deut. 4 & 8 that Dan quoted in light of the creation account you get a picture of a new Eden where God's people will again image God to the world. So for me the law is partly a mandate for re-creation, for what Israel are able to be (see Deut. 30:11-14).<br /><br />I'm not sure if this is where Dan is going but if you start seeing the law as good and its role as a blueprint for re-creation I wonder if the Law/ Gospel distinction starts breaking down.<br /><br />Just a thought...<br /><br />Dan really enjoying this stuff do keep it coming.Tom Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12794590970845984579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-65450722814375233732011-07-08T09:53:12.502+01:002011-07-08T09:53:12.502+01:00I like and agree with all of that. I too had it i...I like and agree with all of that. I too had it impressed upon me to spend time in Deuteronomy when I was a young Christian. Think I remember being told Jesus quotes it more often than any other book (maybe after Psalms...)<br /><br />Anyway, only thing I'd add is that the law in Deuteronomy shows that it's purpose is to kill/curse by the extensive list of curses at the end of the book, coupled with the expectation you mention in pt.4. So I think it is a little more negative about the people than the overall feel of your post.<br />Through that death (exile), God will give the new life (restoration) that we receive in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Of course there is a lot of Gospel in Deut too, and I don't want to put it all in the category of 'law'!Dave Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07274586753770186840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-65224174385004046072011-07-08T09:20:36.884+01:002011-07-08T09:20:36.884+01:00I like your postsI like your postsFriends of the Coffee Bible Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675443043728398890noreply@blogger.com