Reconciliation in Deuteronomy

Abstract

The Book of Deuteronomy holds a central position in the Old Testament, and indeed in the Bible as a whole. It provides a summary of what the faith of Israel in the Old Testament is all about. It speaks about the covenant God made between himself and his people, about faithfulness to that covenant and of the implications of breaking the covenant. This covenant had implications not only for the way the people of Israel had to live as God's people in God's land, but also for the relationship among the members of the covenant. This article discusses the structure of the book of Deuteronomy, and then the way in which reconciliation appears in each of the different parts. The theme of reconciliation is not dealt with explicitly in all the passages discussed, but it does form a part of the subtext of the book of Deuteronomy. The people could only experience the Lord's blessings in the promised land after He had brought about reconciliation between Himself and them. To keep on experiencing the Lord's blessings, they had to remain faithfull to Him, obey his commandments and live within the boundaries He prescribed.