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Love and Memory in Deuteronomy

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Love and Memory in Deuteronomy
Love and Memory in Deuteronomy, is the prompt for this weeks reflection paper. First, we must identify what each of those terms means to us in context to Deuteronomy and for me Love does not just mean love in the sense that we all know. Although you could easily write a reflection amount the many ways God displayed his love to his people, like when he parted the seas for them and crushed the Egyptians behind them, or when he was slow to anger when they chose to worship Baal while Moses was a top Mt. Sinai, but I choose to interpret love in Deuteronomy as God's continued faithfullness to his people.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations." (Deuteronomy 7:9, English Standard Version) Here God is described as a faithful God, and one who will always love those that love him, and follow his word. This is such a powerful verse and really speaks to the faithfullness of God to his people, here it shows that God is obligated to us, that he must love those that love him. I think it also shows that he is bound to look out for us because he is our "faithful" creator, and that as the creator he is obligated to look out for us, to satisfy us, and provide for us, and ultimately look out for us enough so that we may seek him out and follow him with out Faith. That creation of the Covenant is the ultimate example of God's faithfullness to us as it takes out all mystery and makes things most certain for us, and shows his commitment to us as a people, because of the covenant we know all the cornerstones of His divine government. The many 'I wills' in Deuteronomy cover everything that we as a people might need in both the past, present, and future. There is no avenue of life that we can venture to where we can not find God, and he has given us clear definition of His heart and intentions by his word and covenant. God's love in Deuteronomy can

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    Bibliography: Alexander, W.L. The Pulpit Commentary: Deuteronomy. Ed. H. D. M. Spence-Jones. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004. Cairns, Ian. Word and Presence : A Commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. International theological commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Edinburgh: W.B. Eerdmans; Handsel Press, 1992. Christensen, Duane L. Deuteronomy 1-21:9. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002. Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Treasures Old & New: Essays in the Theology of the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004 Biddle, Mark E. Deuteronomy, Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary. Macon, GA; Smyth and Helwys, 2003 Brueggemann, Walter. An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. Freedman, David Noel. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1996. Freeman, James M. and Harold J. Chadwick. Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed. North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998. Kaiser, Walter C. and Moisés Silva. An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994. Keil, Carl Friedrich and Franz Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002. Levin, Christopher. Prophets, Prophecy, and Prophetic texts in Second Temple Judaism, edited by Michael H. Floyd and Robert D. Haak. New York: T & T Clark, 2006. Nissinen, Martti. Prophets, Prophecy, and Prophetic texts in Second Temple Judaism, edited by Michael H. Floyd and Robert D. Haak. New York: T & T Clark, 2006. McConville, J. G. Deuteronomy, Apollos Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002 Merrill, Eugene H. Deuteronomy. electronic ed. Logos Library System; The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1994. Noth, M. The Deuteronomistic History, JSOTSup 15. Sheffield: JSOT., 1981. 16…

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