Read Deuteronomy 7 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew Paragraphs:
7:1-11 {p} YHVH has set His love upon Israel
7:12-16 {s} Obedience to YHVH’s commandments = life and blessing for Israel
7:17-26 {p} Disobedience to YHVH = death and destruction for the nations
Deu 7:1-11 completes the following Strong Theme …
6:4-9 {s} Listen to YHVH’s commandments
6:10-15 {s} Pay careful heed to YHVH’s commandments
6:16-19 {s} Observe YHVH’s commandments
6:20-25 {s} Teach YHVH’s commandments to your children
7:1-11 {p} YHVH has set His love upon Israel
… which makes this Chiastic Structure. The Teaching of the Strong Theme is that because YHVH loves His people with great love, He has given them His commandments. His commandments, if kept, open the window of blessing on a people. They have been given, not to provide Israel with eternal life, but to provide Israel with everything needed for peace, health, prosperity, and happiness in the natural life on this side of heaven.
Deu 7:12-26 completes the next Strong Theme …
7:12-16 {s} Obedience to YHVH’s commandments = life and blessing for Israel
7:17-26 {p} Disobedience to YHVH = death and destruction for the nations
… which makes this Chiastic Structure. What could the teaching be? It revolves around our obedience, or not, to His commandments. Obedience to His commandments is a New Testament doctrine!
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Yeshua, in Joh 14:15
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 Joh 5:2-3
I propose the teaching of the Strong Theme to be, because YHVH’s people love Him, we keep His commandments. Obedience is YHVH’s love language! But YHVH does not desire automatons who whose obedience is a rote obedience, but rather born from a heart of love for YHVH, as His heart is a heart of love for His people – a reciprocal relationship of love. Moses is teaching us how to Worship YHVH alone; how to walk in the First Commandment.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Deu 7:7, Set His love upon – Christine Miller
Deu 6:4-11:25, First Commandment Summary – Christine Miller
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