Deuteronomy—hard questions



Deuteronomy—hard questions

1. Is it fair for the LORD to have hardened the heart of King Sihon and then punishing the king for his resulting actions (Deut. 2:30)?

2. If God is a God of mercy and love, how could He have commanded Israel to completely destroy the people who were living in the promised land, including the women and children (Deut. 2:34; 3:6; 7:1-2)?

3. What is the significance of the Sabbath Day? Is it biblical for Christians to observe the Sabbath on Sunday instead of on Saturday? Is this commandment even relevant today (Deut. 5:12-15)?

4. If the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God, why is the wording different in Deuteronomy than in Exodus (Deut. 5:12-16, 21; cf Ex. 20:8-12, 17)?

5. Did Aaron’s death occur on Moserah, as stated in Deuteronomy, or at Mount Hor, as stated in Numbers? Why don’t these passages agree (Deut. 10:6; cf. Num. 20:28; 33:38-39)?

6. Why does Deuteronomy 14:26 seem to permit using intoxicating drink when Lev. 10:8-9 prohibits the priests from drinking wine and Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35 warn all believers against the use of wine and strong drink?

7. If God promised to bless Israel so richly that there would be no poor people, why then does He make provisions for the care of the poor and then state that the poor will always be present (Deut. 15:4, 7, 11)?

8. Does the presence of laws governing slavery indicate that God approves of the practice (Deut. 15:12-18)?

9. Why aren’t the laws about slavery the same in Deuteronomy as they are in Exodus (Deut. 15:1-11 cf. Ex. 23:10-11; Deut. 15:12-18 cf. Ex. 21:26)?

10. Does the “law of the tooth” allow private retaliation when one is wronged (Deut. 19:21)?

11. Does the Old Testament condone Polygamy (Deut. 21:15-17)?

12. Wouldn’t the law to stone a rebellious son be a punishment for the parents as well as for their son? Is this kind of punishment justified or fair (Deut. 21:18-21)?

13. Does Deut. 22:5, “a woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment” pertain to today?

14. Do instructions not to charge interest still apply today? Isn’t this what our whole economic system is based on? How do we reconcile these instructions with our participation in a capitalist system (Deut. 23:19-20)?

15. Does Deut. 24:1-4 permit divorce for any reason? How do we reconcile this passage with other scriptures that speak clearly against divorce (cf. Malachi 2:16; Mt. 5:31-32; 19:7-9; Mk. 10:4-12; Lk. 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10-11; etc.)?

16. If children are not to be put to death for their parents’ sins according to Deut. 24:16, then why does David and Bathsheba’s son die because of their sin (2 Sam. 12:14-18)? What about Saul’s seven grandchildren who were put to death because of Saul’s sin (2 Sam. 21:5-9)? How can we reconcile this with Ex. 20:5 and Deut. 5:9 which say that the sins of the fathers will be visited upon the sons to the third and fourth generations?

17. If “to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear”, how can the Israelites be held responsible for their disobedience (Deut. 29:4)?

18. Do the phrases “you will rest with your fathers” and “you will be gathered to your people” refer to the afterlife (Deut. 31:16; 32:50)?

19. If Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy, how could he have recorded not only his death, but also the fact that the location of his grave was not known “to this day” (Deut. 34:5-8)?

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