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Preaching the Word
Deuteronomy: Loving Obedience to a Loving God
The book of Deuteronomy is a call to obedience—the proper response to God’s faithfulness and love. Consisting primarily of speeches that Moses gave to the Israelites shortly before they entered the Promised Land, Moses’ words proclaimed God’s covenant faithfulness in hopes of motivating the Israelites to obey God despite the coming temptation to conform to the Canaanite culture. The challenges they faced then are remarkably parallel to those facing Christians today as we grapple with the issue of obedience in a world that offers other attractive ways of life. We wonder: How can we be faithful to God? And how do we help our children and the people we lead to be faithful? This book tells us how Moses tackled these challenges and, as Paul confirms in the New Testament, Deuteronomy serves “as an example…written down for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11). Ajith Fernando unpacks the relevance of Deuteronomy and captivates us with rich anecdotes from his thirty-five years of ministry to first-generation Christians in Sri Lanka. He offers concrete examples of how the truths contained in Deuteronomy can be applied, and he teaches us that obedience is the necessary response to the God who loves and saves us. Part of the Preaching the Word series.
768 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2012
19 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Ajith Fernando
70 books21 followersAjith Fernando serves as Teaching Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after being National Director for 35 years. Ajith is a visiting lecturer and Council President of Colombo Theological Seminary and also serves as Visiting Scholar at Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto. He has written 15 books and his books have been published in 19 different languages. The Call to Joy and Pain was awarded the Christianity Today Book of the Year Award for church and pastoral leadership.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 13, 2019
Useful enough, less theologically driven and more practically driven. I found it moved too quick to application without considering fully the place of Deuteronomy in redemptive history. Yet many good lessons in it.
2.5 stars on the goodreads scale.
2.5 stars on the goodreads scale.
September 26, 2014
Deuteronomy is one of those books that many find themselves bogged down in as they work their way through their yearly Bible reading plan. All of the laws, regulations, and endless chapters of do’s and don’ts seem very far removed from 21st century Christianity. Furthermore, finding a commentary that you can connect to and for that matter, one that demonstrates with great clarity the underlying message of the book of Deuteronomy is itself a challenge. Ajith Fernando’s effort on Deuteronomy aptly subtitled Loving Obedience to a Loving God which is part of the excellent Preaching the Word commentary series, is theologically deep while at the same time providing the reader with the necessary connections to the fundamental message God is declaring in Deuteronomy to believers throughout history.
A book of the Bible such as Deuteronomy can be confusing and admittedly boring to read unless one grasps what God is saying. Ajith Fernando rightly notes at the outset of this commentary that Deuteronomy emphasizes “The importance of constantly being aware of the holiness of God and how it influences a faithful life. In fact, in the Old Testament the life of faith is often described as walking in the fear of the Lord, an emphasis that may be needed today when people tend to be careless about sticking to Christian principles in every sphere of life.” Such a statement helps the reader better understand that Deuteronomy is far more than a collection of antiquated rules. It is a book about what obedience and holiness looks like and how we are to respond to God’s grace extended towards us.
Fernando first establishes some needed background information on Deuteronomy, noting matters of authorship, historical, and geographical importance noting the reality that “The fact that Deuteronomy was written to a specific context adds a freshness and relevance to it.” I appreciated the focus Fernando gave to helping preachers, who are after all the target audience for this commentary, understand and relate to the manner by which Moses shared God’s commands and word with the people of Israel. It is important to realize Moses understood the need to “give the people the word of God that will mediate to the people the health and stability they need in order to face their challenges successfully.” After establishing these vital foundational matters for engaging Deuteronomy, Fernando then begins his exegesis of the text. Since this is a rather lengthy commentary that is replete with salient insight, I will focus the remainder of this review on a couple of notable highlights.
In his analysis of Deuteronomy 1:19-33, Fernando aptly discusses the issue of fear versus faith. The people of Israel are camped at Horeb and have been given the command by God to depart in order to finally enter the Promised Land. One can only imagine the tense feelings that permeated the hearts and minds of the people during this time of uncertainty. Recognizing that element of fear, Moses reminded the people the Promised Land is the place “which the Lord our God is giving us”, demonstrating in that statement the certainty of the outcome. The first step towards entering the land of promise was faith in God and His promises. Fernando rightly notes “This passage shows us that fear is a reality that we should combat with our belief in the sovereignty of God. And to encourage us to believe, we have a whole history of God’s glorious dealings with his people. Fear is a reality, but it does not need to overcome us and lead to defeat. We can overcome it with our faith in God’s sovereignty.” Such a concept is something pastors can and should include in their sermons and Fernando does an excellent job of relating how the situation facing the people of Israel and their penchant for fear is nothing new. Such fear can only be defeated by faith in our sovereign God.
Another excellent portion of this commentary is Fernando’s discussion of Deuteronomy 5:18, namely the command “And you shall not commit adultery.” In an age where sexual promiscuity truly permeates all of secular society and unfortunately even within the church, it is as important as ever to declare from the pulpit God’s commands for righteousness when it comes to matters of sex and purity. Fernando correctly states “The seriousness of adultery lay in the fact that the family was an absolutely vital aspect of the covenant relationship of God with the community of Israel.” He further avers “The Bible takes the principle of commitment that lies behind God’s covenant relationship with humans and the covenant relationship between a man and his wife very seriously.” A violation of that covenant is a violation of God’s commands which of course is outright sin. Throughout Scripture, God continually demonstrates His abhorrence of adultery. Whether it was in the life of King David or Paul’s command to the Corinthian Church to flee sexual immorality, the covenant of marriage is something God takes very seriously meaning it is something His people should take with the utmost seriousness as well. There is no wiggle room with adultery. In order to combat the temptation of sexual sin, Fernando rightly reminds the reader to find an accountability partner and to “always remain on guard against the enemy. It is dangerous for anyone to think that he is above temptation in this area.”
A final aspect of this commentary I enjoyed was Fernando’s discussion of the pilgrimage festivals outlined in Deuteronomy 16:1-17. I have long found the Feasts of the Lord to be a fascinating study of God’s faithfulness to His people. They are far more than simply dates on the Jewish calendar or something completely unimportant for believers today to read and understand. As Fernando rightly states, “They were occasions of great joy and of affirming truths that bonded the community together.” Furthermore, these feasts carry great importance in God’s salvation history calendar as the spring feasts have been fulfilled by Christ and the fall feasts in large part have yet to find their complete fulfillment. In fact, when we partake of communion for example, we are remembering Jesus as the Passover Lamb. The Feast of Pentecost was fulfilled with the giving of the Holy Spirit of God in Acts 2. The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles reminds us of God dwelling with His people. Ultimately, these feasts speak of God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and the need for community. They remind us of God moving throughout history on behalf of His people and Fernando does a great job of explaining that very truth.
I highly recommend this commentary for all believers but especially for pastors. The outstanding exegesis, valuable application, and recommendations contained throughout on how pastors can share the underlying message found in Deuteronomy of loving obedience to a loving God is what makes this volume well worth the read. It will become a valuable tool for developing sermons not just on Deuteronomy itself, but also in regards to the many topics Deuteronomy touches on that are repeated throughout Scripture.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
A book of the Bible such as Deuteronomy can be confusing and admittedly boring to read unless one grasps what God is saying. Ajith Fernando rightly notes at the outset of this commentary that Deuteronomy emphasizes “The importance of constantly being aware of the holiness of God and how it influences a faithful life. In fact, in the Old Testament the life of faith is often described as walking in the fear of the Lord, an emphasis that may be needed today when people tend to be careless about sticking to Christian principles in every sphere of life.” Such a statement helps the reader better understand that Deuteronomy is far more than a collection of antiquated rules. It is a book about what obedience and holiness looks like and how we are to respond to God’s grace extended towards us.
Fernando first establishes some needed background information on Deuteronomy, noting matters of authorship, historical, and geographical importance noting the reality that “The fact that Deuteronomy was written to a specific context adds a freshness and relevance to it.” I appreciated the focus Fernando gave to helping preachers, who are after all the target audience for this commentary, understand and relate to the manner by which Moses shared God’s commands and word with the people of Israel. It is important to realize Moses understood the need to “give the people the word of God that will mediate to the people the health and stability they need in order to face their challenges successfully.” After establishing these vital foundational matters for engaging Deuteronomy, Fernando then begins his exegesis of the text. Since this is a rather lengthy commentary that is replete with salient insight, I will focus the remainder of this review on a couple of notable highlights.
In his analysis of Deuteronomy 1:19-33, Fernando aptly discusses the issue of fear versus faith. The people of Israel are camped at Horeb and have been given the command by God to depart in order to finally enter the Promised Land. One can only imagine the tense feelings that permeated the hearts and minds of the people during this time of uncertainty. Recognizing that element of fear, Moses reminded the people the Promised Land is the place “which the Lord our God is giving us”, demonstrating in that statement the certainty of the outcome. The first step towards entering the land of promise was faith in God and His promises. Fernando rightly notes “This passage shows us that fear is a reality that we should combat with our belief in the sovereignty of God. And to encourage us to believe, we have a whole history of God’s glorious dealings with his people. Fear is a reality, but it does not need to overcome us and lead to defeat. We can overcome it with our faith in God’s sovereignty.” Such a concept is something pastors can and should include in their sermons and Fernando does an excellent job of relating how the situation facing the people of Israel and their penchant for fear is nothing new. Such fear can only be defeated by faith in our sovereign God.
Another excellent portion of this commentary is Fernando’s discussion of Deuteronomy 5:18, namely the command “And you shall not commit adultery.” In an age where sexual promiscuity truly permeates all of secular society and unfortunately even within the church, it is as important as ever to declare from the pulpit God’s commands for righteousness when it comes to matters of sex and purity. Fernando correctly states “The seriousness of adultery lay in the fact that the family was an absolutely vital aspect of the covenant relationship of God with the community of Israel.” He further avers “The Bible takes the principle of commitment that lies behind God’s covenant relationship with humans and the covenant relationship between a man and his wife very seriously.” A violation of that covenant is a violation of God’s commands which of course is outright sin. Throughout Scripture, God continually demonstrates His abhorrence of adultery. Whether it was in the life of King David or Paul’s command to the Corinthian Church to flee sexual immorality, the covenant of marriage is something God takes very seriously meaning it is something His people should take with the utmost seriousness as well. There is no wiggle room with adultery. In order to combat the temptation of sexual sin, Fernando rightly reminds the reader to find an accountability partner and to “always remain on guard against the enemy. It is dangerous for anyone to think that he is above temptation in this area.”
A final aspect of this commentary I enjoyed was Fernando’s discussion of the pilgrimage festivals outlined in Deuteronomy 16:1-17. I have long found the Feasts of the Lord to be a fascinating study of God’s faithfulness to His people. They are far more than simply dates on the Jewish calendar or something completely unimportant for believers today to read and understand. As Fernando rightly states, “They were occasions of great joy and of affirming truths that bonded the community together.” Furthermore, these feasts carry great importance in God’s salvation history calendar as the spring feasts have been fulfilled by Christ and the fall feasts in large part have yet to find their complete fulfillment. In fact, when we partake of communion for example, we are remembering Jesus as the Passover Lamb. The Feast of Pentecost was fulfilled with the giving of the Holy Spirit of God in Acts 2. The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles reminds us of God dwelling with His people. Ultimately, these feasts speak of God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, and the need for community. They remind us of God moving throughout history on behalf of His people and Fernando does a great job of explaining that very truth.
I highly recommend this commentary for all believers but especially for pastors. The outstanding exegesis, valuable application, and recommendations contained throughout on how pastors can share the underlying message found in Deuteronomy of loving obedience to a loving God is what makes this volume well worth the read. It will become a valuable tool for developing sermons not just on Deuteronomy itself, but also in regards to the many topics Deuteronomy touches on that are repeated throughout Scripture.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 11, 2024
First sentence: The book of Deuteronomy consists primarily of speeches that Moses gave to the Israelites shortly before he handed over the leadership to Joshua.
This book is part of Crossway's commentary series, Preaching the Word. I have read and reviewed a handful of books in this series.
This commentary doesn't cover every single verse in every single chapter. It doesn't go through the book line by line, phrase by phrase. It is more a thematic overview with focus on relevance and application. I do think the book is intended for preachers, but, I don't think it is exclusively focused on preaching or teaching. I think theology can be for everyone. This one definitely has a more global feel to it; the author lives abroad in Sri Lanka. So his takes are perhaps more unique than typical. He doesn't approach Christianity from an American or "Western" viewpoint.
The book is by necessity LONG. There are over sixty book chapters covering thirty-four chapters of Deuteronomy. I tried to read about eight to ten chapters per week. Because this is a book that I read for almost two months, my memories on the contents isn't the best. On the one hand, I don't remember frustration, disappointment, aggravation, irritation. I don't remember disagreeing with his theology. On the other hand, I don't remember specific chapters or passages that I loved. I did make a few highlights.
I bought this book eleven years ago and am just now getting to it. There's always hope, I suppose, that I will get to all the books.
Quotes:
How can we remain faithful to God? How can we avoid compromise when the lure of the society around us is so powerful? And how can we help our children and the people we lead to be faithful? Deuteronomy tells us how Moses tackled these challenges.
When will we learn that our great responsibility as leaders is to get our people into the Word? That is what will help them successfully tackle the challenges they face. I think one reason for the woeful statistics, showing that Christians are not behaving very differently from non-Christians today, is that the church has focused much on keeping the people entertained and much less on making them strong through the Word. In this marketing-oriented era we have concentrated on providing people a program they will like and have neglected our responsibility to give them “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
The promises of God are to a righteous nation. I think this should influence the way we look at modern Israel. I am convinced from passages like Romans 9—11 that even though the church is now the representative of the kingdom of God, God has a plan for Israel, especially for a large number of its people turning to Christ.
We need to develop the habit of reading the Bible with a view to learning more about obedience. Bible knowledge is worthless without obedience. Someone has said, “The only part of the Bible you truly believe is the part you obey.”
One way to develop this habit is to keep a devotional journal where you record what God taught you from your reading of the Bible.
Let me reiterate here that the Bible presents an awesome approach to God’s revelation that is missing in the attitude of present-day Christians toward the Bible. We would do well to ask ourselves what this awesomeness should do to the way we handle God’s Word. Thoughts that come to me are: care in studying it, so that we can understand what it truly means; care in obeying what it says; conscientious preparation before communicating its truth to others, so that it will be accurately and effectively communicated; not claiming Scriptural authority for ideas if we are not certain they are clearly taught in the Scriptures; care in not using Scripture to make wild conjectures that may not be implied by what the text says; not rejecting things in the Bible that we find difficult to accept.
This book is part of Crossway's commentary series, Preaching the Word. I have read and reviewed a handful of books in this series.
This commentary doesn't cover every single verse in every single chapter. It doesn't go through the book line by line, phrase by phrase. It is more a thematic overview with focus on relevance and application. I do think the book is intended for preachers, but, I don't think it is exclusively focused on preaching or teaching. I think theology can be for everyone. This one definitely has a more global feel to it; the author lives abroad in Sri Lanka. So his takes are perhaps more unique than typical. He doesn't approach Christianity from an American or "Western" viewpoint.
The book is by necessity LONG. There are over sixty book chapters covering thirty-four chapters of Deuteronomy. I tried to read about eight to ten chapters per week. Because this is a book that I read for almost two months, my memories on the contents isn't the best. On the one hand, I don't remember frustration, disappointment, aggravation, irritation. I don't remember disagreeing with his theology. On the other hand, I don't remember specific chapters or passages that I loved. I did make a few highlights.
I bought this book eleven years ago and am just now getting to it. There's always hope, I suppose, that I will get to all the books.
Quotes:
How can we remain faithful to God? How can we avoid compromise when the lure of the society around us is so powerful? And how can we help our children and the people we lead to be faithful? Deuteronomy tells us how Moses tackled these challenges.
When will we learn that our great responsibility as leaders is to get our people into the Word? That is what will help them successfully tackle the challenges they face. I think one reason for the woeful statistics, showing that Christians are not behaving very differently from non-Christians today, is that the church has focused much on keeping the people entertained and much less on making them strong through the Word. In this marketing-oriented era we have concentrated on providing people a program they will like and have neglected our responsibility to give them “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
The promises of God are to a righteous nation. I think this should influence the way we look at modern Israel. I am convinced from passages like Romans 9—11 that even though the church is now the representative of the kingdom of God, God has a plan for Israel, especially for a large number of its people turning to Christ.
We need to develop the habit of reading the Bible with a view to learning more about obedience. Bible knowledge is worthless without obedience. Someone has said, “The only part of the Bible you truly believe is the part you obey.”
One way to develop this habit is to keep a devotional journal where you record what God taught you from your reading of the Bible.
Let me reiterate here that the Bible presents an awesome approach to God’s revelation that is missing in the attitude of present-day Christians toward the Bible. We would do well to ask ourselves what this awesomeness should do to the way we handle God’s Word. Thoughts that come to me are: care in studying it, so that we can understand what it truly means; care in obeying what it says; conscientious preparation before communicating its truth to others, so that it will be accurately and effectively communicated; not claiming Scriptural authority for ideas if we are not certain they are clearly taught in the Scriptures; care in not using Scripture to make wild conjectures that may not be implied by what the text says; not rejecting things in the Bible that we find difficult to accept.
November 3, 2024
Ajith writes this commentary as if someone wasn’t going to read it all the way through. He repeats the same examples throughout the book.
I got the gist that Ajith believes that you can lose your salvation based on lack of obedience. I wasn’t a fan of that but overall you could sense that he was convinced on the importance of giving to the poor and on being above reproach.
I love the book of Deueteronmy and I did feel like Ajith did the book justice. He is one of my favorite authors, so I’m a little biased.
I got the gist that Ajith believes that you can lose your salvation based on lack of obedience. I wasn’t a fan of that but overall you could sense that he was convinced on the importance of giving to the poor and on being above reproach.
I love the book of Deueteronmy and I did feel like Ajith did the book justice. He is one of my favorite authors, so I’m a little biased.
March 13, 2017
Very practical and theologically sound commentary
I was teaching an adult Sunday school class in Deuteronomy and found this commentary very useful! It greatly helped me find ways for help students to see the relevance of this book for today's Christians.
I was teaching an adult Sunday school class in Deuteronomy and found this commentary very useful! It greatly helped me find ways for help students to see the relevance of this book for today's Christians.
June 30, 2019
Great Study
This has been one of the most helpful tool in studying the Bible. It very relevant toward the issues of today. I highly recommend this to any student of the Word of God.
This has been one of the most helpful tool in studying the Bible. It very relevant toward the issues of today. I highly recommend this to any student of the Word of God.
February 18, 2021
A really helpful commentary on Deuteronomy pays close attention to the text and helpfully applies it. Useful as a devotional and for deeper study.
August 23, 2023
This is a large book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews