DEUTORONOMY
All are familiar with the celebrated "finding" by the late lamented Joseph
Smith -- led thereto by the Angel Moroni -- of the wonderful golden plates
containing the text of the famous Book of Mormon, in nineteenth century United
States. History repeated itself. In 2 Kings xxii, is the relation of an
equally notorious discovery. In the eighteenth year of the "good King" of
Judah, Josia, while some repairs were being made in the Temple, Hilkiah, the
Priest of a sudden "found the Book of the Law of Yahveh given by Moses," and
by him ordered to be preserved in the Ark of the Covenant"
(Deuteronomy 31:24-26).
Hilkiah announced his "discovery" to Shaphan the Scribe, and they took the great
"find" to Josiah the King. This remarkable "discovery" was made in the year
623 B.C., or 828 years after the death of Moses. For 828 years nobody had
ever heard of this "Book of the Law", nor is it once mentioned in Hebrew Holy
Writ. Not surprisingly, everything found in this second (deutero)
giving of the Law (nomas) confirmed all the views of the prophets who
just happened to be in the midst of a major reformation struggle.
"Scholars have pointed out that the literary form of the convenant between YHWH and the
people of Israel in Deuteronomy is strikingly similar to that of early seventh-century
Assyrian vassal treaties that outline the rights and obligations of a subject people to
their sovereign (in this case, Israel and YHWH). Furthermore, as the biblical historian
Moshe Weinfeld has suggested, Deuteronomy shows similarities to early Greek literature, in
the genre of blessing and cursing, and in the ceremonies for the foundation of new
settlements. To sum up, there is little doubt that an original version of Deuteronomy is
the book of the Law mentioned in 2 Kings. Rather than being an old book that was suddenly
discovered, it seems safe to conclude that it was written in the seventh century BCE,
just before or during Josiah's reign."
Discovered hidden in the Temple of Jerusalem by King Josiah, who,
miraculously, in the midst of a major reformation struggle, found
in Deuteronomy confirmation of all his views.
[Carl Sagon, "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a candle in the dark" page 91.]
[Spong Fundamentalism pg. 50]
[Is it God's Word? pg. 152]
note dictatorial Moses, priestly monopoly.
kill anyone who disobeys, free alter food, high life.
