S4: Week 18 Day 1: Annotating Deuteronomy 11:26-32 - A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace

Summary

Podcast Summary: A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace Episode: Season 4, Week 18, Day 1: Annotating Deuteronomy 11:26-32
Release Date: April 28, 2025
Host/Author: The Daily Grace Co.

Introduction to the Study

In this episode of "A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace," hosts Beth and Alexa guide listeners through Season 4 of their "Christ in All of Scripture" reading plan. This season focuses on unpacking the intricate connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament, highlighting how every part of the Bible points to Jesus Christ.

Focus of the Episode

Week 18, Day 1 centers on annotating Deuteronomy 11:26-32, a pivotal passage where Moses sets before the Israelites a choice between blessings and curses based on their obedience to God’s commandments.

Detailed Discussion and Insights

Annotating Deuteronomy 11:26-32

Beth begins the session by reading and explaining the selected verses:

"Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse. There will be a blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I'm giving you today. And a curse if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path..."
[00:37] Beth

She emphasizes the importance of understanding the geographical and historical context, mentioning Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal as locations where blessings and curses are proclaimed, symbolizing the covenantal relationship between God and the Israelites.

Alexa’s Annotation and Christological Connections

Alexa shares her approach to annotating the passage, highlighting key terms that resonate with Christian theology:

"I highlighted 'blessing' and 'curse' in verse 26 because I thought about how Jesus's sacrifice on the cross is a blessing to us and that he took on the curse of sin on the cross for our sake."
[01:38] Alexa

She further notes:

Obedience to God’s Commands:

"I highlighted in verse 27, 'obey the commands of the Lord your God,' because I was reminded how Jesus obeyed God's commands perfectly."
[01:38] Alexa
Following Statutes and Ordinances:

"And then also verse 23, 'be careful to follow all the statutes and ordinances,' because Jesus did that; he was careful to always abide by God's law and commands."
[01:38] Alexa

Exploring God's Attributes Through the Passage

Continuing her insights, Alexa delves into the portrayal of God's character:

"I think his graciousness is on display through the blessing that he promises to give the Israelites for their obedience. And then with that, his justice is on display through the curse he says he will give the Israelites for their disobedience."
[02:36] Alexa

She further elaborates on God’s faithfulness:

"In verse 29, 'when the Lord your God brings you into the land,' that just shows that God will be faithful to bring the people to the promised land. And that faithfulness is seen again in verse 31 because it shows us that by God's faithfulness, the Israelites will take possession of the land and settle into it."
[02:36] Alexa

Beth builds upon these observations:

"Definitely you get a wide variety of ways that God demonstrates His character to his people through the promises that are in this passage."
[03:22] Beth

She also connects back to previous discussions about Jesus being the perfect example of obedience to God’s commands:

"Jesus was the only one who perfectly followed God's commands of loving God and loving neighbor."
[02:25] Beth

Key Takeaways

Covenantal Choice: The passage in Deuteronomy presents a clear choice between blessings and curses based on obedience, illustrating the foundational covenant between God and His people.
Christological Interpretation: Alexa effectively connects Old Testament concepts of blessing and curse to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice—His righteousness brings us blessings, and He bears the curses for our sins.
God’s Attributes Highlighted:
- Graciousness: Through the blessings promised for obedience.
- Justice: Through the curses for disobedience.
- Faithfulness: Demonstrated by God's unwavering commitment to fulfill His promises, guiding the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Exemplary Obedience of Christ: Jesus serves as the ultimate model of obedience, fulfilling all of God's commands perfectly, and thereby enabling believers to receive God's blessings.

Conclusion and Invitation

Beth wraps up the episode by expressing enthusiasm for the ongoing study:

"I cannot wait to learn more about this as we go throughout this week."
[03:22] Beth

Alexa encourages listeners to engage with the available resources and continue their journey through Scripture:

"We're looking forward to studying God's Word with you again tomorrow. Bye friends."
[03:42] Alexa

Listeners are invited to explore additional materials and follow Daily Grace Co. on Instagram for further Bible study resources and encouragement.

Resources Mentioned:

Daily Grace Co. Website: thedailygraceco.com
(For studies, journals, and other resources to deepen your love for God and His Word.)

Note: This episode is part of Season 4 of the "Christ in All of Scripture" reading plan. For those following different studies:

Story of Redemption Study: Listen to Season 1
Eden To Eternity: The Chronological Story of Scripture: Listen to Season 2
Behold: A Study of the New Testament: Listen to Season 3

This episode offers a profound exploration of Deuteronomy 11:26-32, illustrating the seamless tapestry of the Bible that points to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promises. Through thoughtful annotation and insightful discussion, Beth and Alexa provide listeners with a deeper understanding of scripture and its relevance to their faith journey.

Transcript

Beth (0:00)

Welcome to A Year in the Bible with daily grace. This year we want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through our study Christ in All of Scripture. Each week we will dive deeply into two passages of scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the new, seeing how they connect and point to Jesus.

Alexa (0:17)

Whether you are doing the study yourself or just following along with us here, we are hopeful that through studying these passages each week, you will see how Christ is not only present throughout the entire Biblical story, but the center of it. Hey friends. Hello friends. Welcome back to another week of Year in the Bible. I'm Alexa and I'm here with my co host Beth.

Beth (0:37)

Hi everyone. Today we are going to be discussing the annotation day on Deuteronomy 11:26, 32. And so that says, look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse. There will be a blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I'm giving you today. And a curse if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God. And and you turn aside from the path. I command you today by following other gods you have not known. When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing at Mount Gerizim and the curse at Mount Ebal. Aren't these mountains across the Jordan beyond the western road in the land of the Canaanites who live in Arabah, opposite Gilgal, near the oaks of Moreh? For you are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you possess it and settle it, be careful to follow all the statutes and ordinances I set before you today. So Alexa, how did this annotation go for you?

Alexa (1:38)

Yeah, you know, I found this particular passage a little tricky to annotate, especially when it came to highlighting any words or phrases that point to Christ. But I took a stab at it. So I went ahead and highlighted blessing and curse in verse 26 because I thought about how Jesus's sacrifice on the cross is a blessing to us and that he took on the curse of sin on the cross for our sake. I also highlighted in verse 27, obey the commands of the Lord your God. Because I was reminded how Jesus obeyed God's commands perfectly. And then also verse 23, be careful to follow all the statues and ordinances. Because Jesus did that, he was careful to always abide by God's law and commands.

Beth (2:25)

Yeah, that reminds me of what we talked about last week. Actually, Jesus was the only one who perfectly followed God's commands of loving God and loving neighbor. So did you have any other observations you wanted to share?