Deuteronomy 1:5 informs us that the book of Deuteronomy is a record of those things that Moses delivered to the people who were about to enter into God’s promised land - the land of Canaan.  These people are being reminded of the Law that God had established with them at Mt. Sinai.  Moses exhorts them to follow God’s Law, informs them of the blessings that they would receive as a result and warns them of the consequences of turning away from it.  Moses reminds the people that they were in a covenant relationship with God.  In other words, they had entered into a contract with Him. 

     The Freed-Hardeman University lectureship that I attended about a month ago focused on the book of Deuteronomy.  As a part of that lectureship Clyde Woods presented an overview of that marvelous book.  So, I would like to share with you some information from his presentation - information that I thought was rather interesting and informative. 

     “When kings conquered a territory, they frequently offered their new subjects...a treaty  in order to describe the nature of the new relationship and to inform the captured peoples of their responsibilities and opportunities in the kingdom...It is clear that conquered peoples (or in Israel’s case, a liberated nation) were in no position to refuse.”*  Brother Woods then went on to point out that these treaties usually contained specific elements:  “...(1) a preamble identifying the suzerain [the individual leader and/or nation in control]; (2) a historical prologue describing the benevolence to the vassal people; (3) covenant stipulations both in general and in detail; (4) recognition of divine witnesses to the covenant; and (5) statement of blessings and curses, especially the latter, as covenant sanctions.  Further, such treaties often contained provision for periodic public recitation of the covenant.  How closely Deuteronomy approximates this structure seems impressively significant for understanding both the book and its background and origin.”*

     Clyde Woods then divided the book of Deuteronomy into the following sections:  (1) preamble - Deut 1:1-5; (2) historical prologue - the first of Moses’ three discourses - Deut 1:6-4:43; (3) covenant stipulations - Moses’ second sermon which constitutes the bulk of the book - Deut 5:1-26:19; (4) In regards to the recognition of witnesses, the Book of Deuteronomy invokes the created world (Deut 31:28, 32:1) and the other nations (Deut 9:28) as witnesses; (5) In Moses’ third sermon (Deut 27:1-34:12), the “...treaty provision for periodic public recitation of the covenant finds expression in a special renewal ceremony in which the vassal, here Israel, invoked curses upon himself in the event he should prove disloyal by violating the covenant stipulations.”*  This third sermon listed the blessings for obedience and curses resulting from rebellion.

     So, not only in the information within the Book of Deuteronomy, but also by its arrangement, these people would have understood that they had entered into a contract with God.  

*Freed-Hardeman 2007 Lectureship Book, Deuteronomy At A Glance, Clyde Woods, pgs 534-536