Paul Barker
Church Camp 6-8 Oct 2017
Talk 1 – Sat 10am
Deuteronomy 4:32-40
• Deuteronomy is full of “seeing”
• Our needs for the visual representation of the divine
• God asks, directs, us to listen – to heed.
• Hearing the voice of God appears to trump seeing him.
• God’s presence is to be engaged by listening to his word being read out to his people, not by experiences such as a pilgrimage.
• Israel’s listening, heeding, and obeying the law – God’s word – informs the rest of the world how to engage with God.
• Christian living needs to also inform the world how to engage with God
• His people keeping his laws should be an attraction to the world.
• “Take care and watch yourselves” (see 4:9) – obedience of his laws is hard. Disobedience comes much more easily.
• v32. God is incomparable – and he has spoken to his people.
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Paul Barker
Church Camp 6-8 Oct 2017
Talk 2 – Sat 11.45am
“What will the neighbours think?”
Deuteronomy 9:7-29
• We dislike injustice. But beware self righteousness in dealing with injustice
• Dilemma of justice and mercy
• God gave Israel the land not on merit. God kept his promise – the Abrahamic covenant – and executed his plans to bless the world through Israel.
• Even at Horeb (Mt Sinai) the awful sin – of idolatry- corrupted Israel.
• Where the covenant was to be consummated.
• God disowned Israel as a result of idolatry
• v26 – Moses’ prayer = model prayer. Seeking God’s promise to be kept. Pray according to God’s promises – know the promises (Scriptures) well.
• Success for Israel is hope for the world – driver for Moses’ prayer
• Let the neighbors see – through his people – that You are God, so prayed Moses.
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Paul Barker
Church Camp 6-8 Oct 2017
Talk 3 – Sun 10.30am
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Blessed to be a blessing
• Danger of passage being used for prosperity gospel
• Works theology – deeds to earn God’s favour
• Hearing and heeding God’s word in response to his grace
• Context – ancient Israel. “You Israelite” as a nation. Blessing to the nation of Israel
• Related to promises to Abraham. Through Israel being blessed by being under God’s law, others will see who God is, and fear him.
• Fertility- attack on fertility gods of Canaan
• Verses 15-68 however, talk about curses if Israel disobeys God
• Amos 4, famine yet Israel did not turn to God
• Famine = curses of the covenant set out in Deut 28:15ff
• Ignorance of God’s word leads to failure to repent
• How intersect with us here today
• We are children of Abraham, we are Israelites.
• But we don’t live in Canaan – what is our land? Heavenly inheritance. Hence blessings are heavenly.
• Language of blessing changes in the NT – about seeing God, about belonging to the kingdom of heaven. (E.g. Beatitudes in Matt 5ff)
• Curses – taken by Jesus on the cross
• Not works righteousness but God’s grace in Jesus
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Ante 