New Testament Explanation of Deuteronomy 30: Part 1
Deuteronomy 30:1-3 in the Light of the New Testament
INTRODUCTION
Deuteronomy 30:5 says, “And the LORD your God will bring you into the land your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prosper and multiply more than your fathers.”
Among Christians there are two different explanations of this verse. The first is that God will, in a future millennium bring Israel into the land that He promised to them in the Old Testament. Next is that God will resurrect Christ from the dead and bring Him into Heaven.
TABULAR VIEW OF THE FULFILLMENT DEUTERONOMY 30:5
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Dispensational View |
Biblical View |
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God will fulfill Deuteronomy 30:5 by bringing Israel back into the Promised Land just before a millennium. |
God is fulfilling Deuteronomy 30:5 now, during the Church Age. |
Our belief is that God did fulfill this return to the land as a literal, near, and partial fulfillment, yet He intended it to be about the return of His Only Begotten Son [and His people] back into Heaven from where He came. We learn this primarily from the New Testament.
When God gave the prophecies of the Old Testament, He was not yet ready to reveal all the intricate truths that He taught us in the New Testament. So, He prophesied them in terms that the people back then could understand.
As we read the New Testament Quotations of the Old Testament, we learn that the ultimate land is Heaven and the return of Israel to it is the return of Christ [and His people] to God after God had imputed our sins to Him and Jesus left them in the grave.
When a baby Christian first reads Deuteronomy 30:5 it is normal for him to learn it without considering the teaching of the New Testament about it.
Possibly that “babe in Christ” will proceed throughout his Christian life without the Holy Spirit teaching him the truth of Deuteronomy 30:5 from the New Testament.
By that, he will go to Heaven if God has saved his soul in Christ. But he will miss out on some eternal rewards that he would have received from God.
Many read Deuteronomy 30:5 and think they understand everything in it. But when we study the New Testament, we learn that the land is baby Heaven, and the ultimate return to the land is to God in repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Very few Christians would knowingly remove truth about Jesus from any Bible verse. But many believers remove Christ from Deuteronomy chapter 30 without awareness of the error they are making. They think it is about Israel instead of its ultimate meaning. It foretells Christ and His people.
God taught the land as Heaven, the captivity by God’s enemies as bondage to sin, and natural Israel as Christ and His people.
Remember that the Holy Spirit tells us to crave the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2).
1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,”
The milk of the word of God is in the whole Bible. But milk is especially in the New Testament, since God makes the doctrines of salvation clearer in the Testament that our Lord Jesus ratified.
First, we will with God’s help and your prayer, show that Deuteronomy 30:5 is part of the Deuteronomy chapters that teach the “blessing and cursing formula” of Deuteronomy chapter 28.
Then, God willing, we present the reader with a verse-by verse analysis of Deuteronomy chapter 30, explaining how each of its twenty verses fits in with the return of Israel.
During that analysis we prove by quotations and allusions to each verse of Deuteronomy 30:1-20 in the New Testament, that our Lord Jesus and His Apostles fulfilled its twenty verses.
As you read this, pay special attention to the quotations of Deuteronomy chapter 30 in the New Testament. From those quotes you will learn the ultimate meaning of the prophecy of Deuteronomy 30:5.
PROPHETIC CONTEXT OF DEUTERONOMY 30:5
There is a contextual connection of Deuteronomy 30 with the blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy chapter 28. It is important to learn this.
OUR LORD JESUS FULFILLED DEUTERONOMY 30:1.
Deuteronomy 30:1 says, “When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you…”
TABULAR VIEW SHOWING THAT DEUTERONOMY 30:1 IS IN THE SAME CONTEXT AS DEUTERONOMY 28:1
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Deuteronomy |
28:1 “Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” |
30:1 “When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you…” |
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Obey |
Must obey faithfully & carefully |
You must recall the duty to obey. |
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Duty |
Obey God’s commands in Deut. 28 |
Must remember to obey Deut. 30 |
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Context |
Blessings and curses |
Blessings and curses |
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Promise to obeyers |
Dispensationalists think God will set Jews on high above all nations of the earth during a millennium. |
Our Lord is the only One who obeyed the whole law perfectly (1 Peter 2:22). |
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Fulfillment |
Israel must obey to be blesser of all nations. National Israel never has and never will obey all God’s commands. |
Only one has ever inherited God’s blessings by obedience (1): Jesus obeyed unto death & blesses all nations with salvation (Phil 2:8-9).(2) Israel can never replace our Lord Jesus. |
DEUTERONOMY 30:1
Deuteronomy 30:1 says, “When all these things come upon you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you call them to mind in all the nations to which the LORD your God has banished you…”
“These things” are the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience from Deuteronomy 28:1 to this point.
When they come upon you is whenever God convicts you of your responsibility to obey God to receive His blessings and turn from sin to avoid the curse for sin.
“When you call them to mind” is the result of God convicting you of sin and His blessings.
“In all the nations to which God has banished you” is God’s convictions of your sins while you are in captivity due to God having banished you Israelites among the nations.
When our Lord Jesus came to this earth, the greatest spiritual light imaginable was here. As Matthew 4:16 says, “the people living in darkness have seen a great light.”
Jesus brought the New Testament and all its powers. He fulfilled the Old Testament. There are 855 quotations and allusions from the Old Testament in the New Testament. (3)
Our Lord Messiah brought the blessings and the cursings of Deuteronomy 30:1 to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles.
He brought blessings to the humble Israelites, to those who mourn for sin, to the meek, to those who crave righteousness, to the merciful, to the pure in heart, to peacemakers, and to those persecuted for righteousness’ sake (Matthew 5:3-12).
The blessings above are all spiritual. And all spiritual blessings are in Christ. So, in Him are all Spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.”
Notice that the spiritual blessings for Jew and Gentile Christians are in Christ. They fulfill Genesis 22:18.
There is a definite connection between the blessings and cursings of Deuteronomy chapters 28-30 and the New Testament. Proof of this is the obvious allusion to Genesis 22:18 that we find in Ephesians 1:3.
TABULAR VIEW COMPARING GENESIS 22:18 WITH EPHESIANS 1:3
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Genesis 22:18 |
Ephesians 1:3 |
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“And in your offspring [Christ] shall all the nations [Gentiles] of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” |
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us [Jews and Gentiles] in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.” |
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Genesis 22:18 is the unfulfilled prophecy of the blessing of the Gentiles in Christ. It shows that God will bless the Gentiles in Messiah. |
Ephesians 1:3 is the fulfilled prophecy. It praises God that He has blessed the Gentiles and Jews in Christ [Messiah]. |
And Galatians 3:14 fulfills God’s promise of blessing in Deuteronomy 30:1.
Galatians 3:14 says, “He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
According to Galatians 3:14 the blessing God promised to Abraham was the Holy Spirit.
The blessing promised to Abraham seems to be in Abraham, but the One who is in Abraham is his primary blesser, who is also the Son of God.
Genesis 12:3 states the blessing of Abraham as follows:
“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth [Gentiles] will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).
Thus Matthew 5:3-12, Ephesians 1:3, Galatians 3:14, Philippians 2:8-9 fulfill Deuteronomy 30:1, Genesis 12:3, and 22:18.
When we interpret Deuteronomy chapter 30, we cannot overlook the fact that Jesus Christ fulfilled it. It does not await future fulfillment. The Jews are not greater than our Lord!!!!!
The Gospel message has a promise of the blessing of salvation if we receive Christ. And being left under the curse is when we refuse to accept Him (John 3:15-19, 36).
When our Lord Jesus sent Paul to the nations, the Apostle went to the Jews of every city first. After a few Jews accepted Christ and most of them rejected Him, Paul then went to the Gentiles in that city (Acts 13:46).
Paul always offered them either blessing or cursing based upon whether they received Christ.
God adopted Jews and Gentiles as His sons and daughters. So, the Jew and Gentile converts, by adoption, became sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:29).
Galatians 3:29 says, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”
And the promise is in the same context as Galatians 3:29. It is Galatians 3:8.
Galatians 3:8 says, “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
The Gospel invitation is that there is blessing in Christ and cursing for failure to accept Christ.
Conclude that the Gospel invitation fulfills Deuteronomy 30:1.
So, Deuteronomy 30:1 does not foretell the blessing of the Gentiles by the Jews sometime in our future. It foretells the blessing by Christ upon the Jews and Gentiles that Scripture records in New Testament times.
It also foretells God’s cursing of all who reject our Lord Jesus Christ.
DEUTERONOMY 30:2
Deuteronomy 30:2 says, “And when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey His voice with all your heart and all your soul according to everything I am giving you today …”
The return to God in Deuteronomy 30:2 is not by national [unsaved] Israel. All Israelites are sinners like all Gentiles are sinners (Romans 3:22-23).
Romans 3:22-23 says, “There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
And God saves all Jews and Gentiles the same way, by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:11-12 says, “It is just as the Scripture says: ‘Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.’ 12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all and gives richly to all who call on Him.”
There is not one way of salvation for the Jews in a future millennium and yet another way of salvation for Jews and Gentiles during the time of the Church.
In the Old Testament people did not go to Heaven by offering animal sacrifices. God saved them by grace through faith in Yahweh Messiah Jesus (Hebrews 10:1-3).
There is only ever one way to God and that is via Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the true Israel (John 15:1). Only Jesus obeyed His Father with all His heart and soul. He alone fulfilled Deuteronomy 30:2. He is the only Israelite who ever returned to God with all His heart and soul. He is the only way to God, the only truth, and the only eternal life (John 14:6).
So, the “you” of Deuteronomy 30:2 can only refer to Christ. Our Lord Jesus the Messiah is the true Israel. He was in captivity. That is, God imputed the sins of all His people to Him. When He died on the cross, it was with those sins imputed to Him. When He resurrected from the dead and ascended into Heaven, He returned to His Father without those sins. By His death Jesus paid the price for sin.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that God justified Jesus. But He had no personal sins that required justification. God justified Him concerning all our sins with which He had charged Him. So, Jesus’ justification is also our justification. That is, when God justified Him, we were in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
In the Old Testament God designated His Only Begotten Son to be the Priest for His people (Psalm 110:4).
Psalm 110:4 says, “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
So, what Jesus did, He did not do only for Himself. He acted on behalf of the people whom His Father gave to Him (John 17:2).
CHRISTIAN JEWS AND GENTILES HAVE RETURNED TO MOUNT ZION ABOVE (HEBREWS 12:22; Deuteronomy 30:2).
Hebrews 12:22 says, “Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels.”
A doctrine that suggests that anyone other than Jesus can please God by his own righteousness is wrong.
God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us when we believe with saving faith. It is at the time that we believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead. To believe in our heart is to be sure that God raised Him from the dead.
God did what He threatened to do in Deuteronomy 9:14. He destroyed Israel and made of Christ a new nation.
In Deuteronomy 9:14 Yahweh says, “Leave Me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. Then I will make you [Moses] (4) into a nation mightier and greater than they are.”
The phrase in Deuteronomy 30:2 “and all your children return to the Lord your God,” refers, not to the natural children of Jews but to all Jesus’ children. He is the “Everlasting Father” of the new regenerate Israel.
Isaiah 9:6 says that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father.”
He is the everlasting father in that He is the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45).
1 Corinthians 15:45 says, “The first man Adam became a living being the last Adam [Christ] a life-giving spirit.”
As the last Adam, our Lord is the head of the new spiritual race of people. See also Romans 5:19. (5)
Our Lord Jesus inherited eternal life for His people whom His Father gave to Him before creation (Titus 1:2; John 17:2).
John 17:2 says, “For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.”
So, the prophecy of Deuteronomy 30:2 is about Jesus and His Church.
The returning of our Lord and of His spiritual children is returning to “Yahweh your God.” This shows that the return under our Lord Jesus is a return to God out of sin.
The captivity from which Jesus and His children return is the captivity by sin. And at the cross, our Lord Jesus made an end of sin. He abolished it (Daniel 9:24; Hebrews 9:26).
Hebrews 9:26 says, “…But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
Jesus abolished sin at His cross but He applies this abolition to us in stages.
Stage #1 is at our new birth. Stage #2 is during our Christian life on earth. Stage #3 is either at our death or at His second coming in the air, whichever comes first.
“According to everything I am giving you today” in Deuteronomy 30:2 refers to all the curses and blessings that God promised to the Israelites from Deuteronomy 28:1 to Deuteronomy 30:20.
He promised the blessings if the Israelites were to obey and never disobey. Jesus is the only Israelite who always obeyed and never disobeyed.
And only by Jesus’ obedience do all His people obey. He is the true vine, and we are the branches. We must remain in the vine. He, the vine, causes the growth and obedience of the branches. If we do not grow and produce fruit, we are dead branches.
So, the New Testament fulfills the returning to Yahweh by our Lord Jesus and His people, as prophesied in Deuteronomy 30:2. It is a returning to God by Jews and Gentiles per the Gospel invitation.
DEUTERONOMY 30:3
Deuteronomy 30:3 says, “Then He will restore you from captivity and have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you.”
“Then He will restore you from captivity.”
The meaning of Deuteronomy is “When you and your children return to the LORD your God” [Deuteronomy 30:2], “then He will restore you from captivity…”
The “then” in this text means “when you and your children return to the LORD,” It does not mean “afterward,” as if time elapses between returning to Yahweh and His work of restoration.
Yahweh will restore you from the ultimate captivity which is what had imprisoned you. It was indwelling sin. See Romans 7:7-14.
Deuteronomy 30:2 begins with the word “When.” Deuteronomy 30:3 begins with the word “then.” So, the sense is:
The Babylonian Captivity pictures the ultimate captivity, which is enslavement to sin (Romans 6:17-22). (6)
Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”
Romans 8:8 says, “Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.”
“And have compassion on you and gather you from all the nations to which the LORD your God has scattered you.”
Since God addressed the Book of Hebrews to Hebrews,
And since Hebrews chapters 3 & 4 teach that the ultimate land of the Jews is God’s rest,
And since God’s rest is salvation in Christ and eternity in Heaven with Him,
And since the land of Israel is immature-Heaven,
And since converted Jews and Gentiles live “in Heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3),
And since the New Testament clarifies the Old Testament,
And since it is difficult to understand the deeper meaning of the Old Testament without light from the New Testament.
And since the partial return of Jews from the Babylonian Captivity is a near fulfillment of the far fulfillment, which is in Jerusalem above, which is in Heaven,”
And since in Acts 15:16 James shows that the New Testament salvation of the Jews fulfills the prophecy of Amos 9:11 which says, “In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David. (7) I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.”
And since in Acts 15:17 James shows that the New Testament salvation of the Gentiles fulfills Amos 9:12.
Amos 9:12 says, “For they shall possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the LORD who does these things.” Lamsa Bible (8)
We conclude that God’s compassionate gathering of the Israelites from all the nations in Deuteronomy 30:3 is converting them and putting them “in Heavenly places” in Christ.
And the teaching of the New Testament compels us to conclude that the above is the ultimate meaning of Deuteronomy 30:3.
That is, God is fulfilling the prophecy of the return of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:3 in the coming of Christ and His calling of Jews and Gentiles to Himself.
NOTES:
(1) God promised Abraham that He would bless those who bless him (Genesis 12:2). But Christ was in the loins of Abraham when God made the promise to him. Were it not for Christ, God would not bless any human being in the world. And when we say that the Jews are the blesser nation, we forget that the source of all blessings is Christ.
(2) Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.”
(3) https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/pnt/pnt08.cfm
(4) God said this to Moses, but since Moses was a type of Christ, He fulfilled the verse in Christ.
(5) Romans 5:19 says, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”
(6) The pre-salvation state is a time of slavery to sin (Romans 6:17, 19, 20). The time of conversion is the time of being set free from sin (Romans 6:18). After conversion is a time of having been set free from sin (Romans 6:22).
(7) Thus, James says that our Lord Jesus is the one who restores the fallen tent of David. When we say that our literal method of interpreting the Bible keeps us from believing that, we are refusing to believe the New Testament’s interpretation of the Old Testament.
