It’s starting to come full circle!

Several weeks ago we started this course by examining the Writings, including examples from the wisdom literature. As we more closely study the Deuteronomistic narrative and theology we are better able to appreciate the context and content for much of the Wisdom writings, particularly that categorized as conventional wisdom. A very simple rendering of this theology follows a very basic pattern: follow YHWH → reap blessings; stray from YHWH → suffer consequences. These blessings and consequences were seen not only personally, but primarily on a large scale sociopolitical level.

Deuteronomy 28:1-68  This chapter, like the theological tradition to which it belongs, outlines the dichotomous possibilities for Israel based upon their response to YHWH’s commandments. It all hinges on whether or not they “obey and faithfully observe the commandments of the LORD…and do not…worship other gods” (vs 13-14).

Blessings shall be showered upon the people, their land, their livestock, and their habitation (vs 3-6); as a nation they will be prosperous and autonomous (vs 11-13).

OR

Curses shall be enacted upon the people, their land, their livestock, and their habitation (vs 16-19); they will be subject to disease, plagues, hunger, death, pillage, destruction, and exile (vs 20-36; 59-63). Furthermore, as a result of this destitution there will be a total destruction of the normal social order as the people themselves turn on each other, forsake the needs of their families, and even resort to cannibalism (vs 52-57). Even worse, those who survive to be dispersed will live forever in terror, despondency, and without worth (vs 65-68).

I am intrigued by the relatively brief description of benefits. Essentially Moses is saying, “you will be prosperous if you follow YHWH.” I suppose for a people who have spent four decades wandering around the wilderness it wouldn’t take much beyond the promise of prosperity to motivate them. By contrast, the curses are graphically described at length (over half the chapter). Again, the people may be tempted to think, “how much worse could things get?” By this account…much worse! [It reminds me of television commercials for medicines: the simple depiction of happy people living happy lives while the long list of terrible side effects scrolls across the screen or is read by an auctioneer]. Of course, if Deuteronomy was indeed written around the time or shortly after the destruction of the northern kingdom (Bandstra 182/3), then perhaps the blessings were a distant memory and the curses all too real in the mind(s) of the author(s).

Joshua 23:1-16  Joshua reminds Israel that they have prospered, conquered many nations, and become the fear of those nations because they have obeyed YHWH’s commands (vs 1-10, with verse 8 affirming their adherence to the YHWH). YHWH has been on their side throughout these events, faithfully fighting for them because of their devotion. However, they are warned that YHWH can just as easily withdraw His support if they turn away, disobey His commands, and serve other gods (vs 12-16). Their success is covenantially linked to their theological ethic.

1 Samuel 12:1-25  This is the inauguration of the monarchy. Samuel describes the history of the people in terms of the Deuteronomic theme (sin, punishment, repentance, deliverance) and even places them in the context of it during the inauguration. He insists that their request for a king was a wicked thing and as a result YHWH sent thunder and rains (which during harvest time was both rare and would harm the crop (Jewish Study Bible liner notes)) as punishment. The people respond by acknowledging their sins, although not overtly repenting. The passage concludes with the exhortation to revere and faithfully serve YHWH, for failure to do so would result in “both you and your king [being] swept away” (vs 25).

2 Kings 17:5-18  The northern kingdom of Israel is overtaken by Assyria and its inhabitants deported. “This happened because the Israelites sinned against the LORD their God” (vs 7). They worshipped other gods and syncretistically incorporated other customs into their YHWH worship. They were given adequate warning by the prophets and seers and yet still “stiffened their neck” and did this evil thing. It is very clear in this passage that it is the people themselves, and not their leaders per se who are responsible for this punishment. The sin of the people led to the destruction of the nation.

 2 Chronicles 36:11-21  In contrast to the Deuteronomist’s description of the fall of the northern kingdom as a result of the people’s sin, the Chronicler attributes the fall of Judah to the sin of both the people and their king (Zedekiah). Like their northern counterparts over a century earlier, the people of Judah failed to heed the words of the prophets calling them to repentance. (vs 12, 15-16 Their worship of YHWH was also syncretistic, and desecrated the temple. For their sin they were awarded destruction and exile. Fascinatingly, the corresponding narrative in Kings assigns no culpability to the people, instead placing the entire responsibility upon the kings themselves, particularly Manasseh and Zedekiah.

 

The message in all of these passages is consistent and very clear: failure to follow YHWH results in destruction (the converse is also stated but much more attention is given to the negative consequences). Is it credible? Perhaps. There is obvious correlation between Israel’s unfaithfulness to YHWH and their destruction and dispersion.   Certainly correlation does not equal causation, and concluding that one led to the other cannot be definitive. However, for the Jews living in exile, and in particular those who composed and edited the books of the Deuteronomic history, this was a reality, or at least a way to make sense of their sufferings (Stanley, pg 258).

These are not the only examples of such theology in the Bible. As I mentioned at the outset, examples from the Writings, particularly those found in Proverbs, follow the same formula. I will not here speculate on the apparent coincidence of a character from the Deuteronomistic history possessing a wisdom ethic in line with that theology. Although not in the Hebrew Bible, passages like John 3:36 and 1 John 5:12 share similar dualistic language.

One of the challenges of reading ancient texts as our sacred scripture is finding if and how they apply to modern life and thinking. Do we see examples of this today? Some would say we do. There are those that argue that our national American heritage was a result of a Judeo-Christian grounding, and that the increasing liberalization and de-moralization of our society will lead (or is leading) to our national demise. For them, these passages will certainly resound. It has even been argued that the ongoing threat to the state of Israel and continued persecution of the Jews is the result of their ancestors’ sin (“you will find no peace” Deut. 28:65).

Finally, is the Deuteronomic theology moral? Talk about developing a tautology! The word moral is defined as being concerned with the goodness/badness of human character and right or wrong behavior. By that definition, this theology is moral; or at the very least it is a moral code.  Let’s put it another way: Was it wrong for a group of people to recount history in a manner that emphasized devotion to YHWH? If the intent was self-serving in terms of personal interests or placed unneeded blame on the people for their demise when the leadership was responsible for bad judgment (which is also a feature of this literature), then perhaps this can be seen as immoral. But then again, my understanding of morality is firmly grounded in the very history I am asked to assess.

If it was immoral, then we are left to conclude that either the writers were wrong, our understanding of morality is wrong, YHWH is wrong, or YHWH had nothing to do with any of it.  The implications, though, are serious.  This is very much the core if Israel’s history, and if this core is immoral (again, by what standards as this is essentially developing a moral standard), then the very foundation of Judaism (and consequently Christianity and Islam) is a sham.  If that’s the case, I just wasted about 6 hours!