The Second Address:
The Specific Stipulations of the Covenant
12:1 to 26:19
This chapter is a turning point in the book of Deuteronomy. After eleven chapters of introduction and guidance, now Moses begins to give further details on the statutes and ordinances (4:1) of the Torah. It is interesting to note that frequently in the Scriptures, chapters 12 often marks an important turning point in the history of Isra’el. In Genesis 12 we have the Abrahamic Covenant, the beginning of the history of the nation. Exodus 12 marks the birth of the nation, where God gives Isra’el a new calendar with a new year. This was marked by the Passover, and the blood of the lamb, which saved the Israelites from judgment. In Joshua, the first 12 chapters recount the conquering of the Land. The remaining chapter details the distribution of the Land. The first 12 chapters of Isaiah deal with the sin of Isra’el. But starting with Isaiah 13, the prophet describes the sins of the Babylonians and all the surrounding nations. Matthew 12 marks the final rejection of Yeshua by the religious authorities. Matthew 13 begins the parables of the Kingdom of God. The first 12 chapters of Acts focus on Peter, but from Acts 13 the rest of the book focuses on Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Finally, Revelation 12 is a condensed history of Isra’el in the midst of the Great Tribulation. And here in Deuteronomy 12, and the next twenty-four chapters, statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) are given for the training of the Israelites for their new mission in the Promised Land.304
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