Perhaps I’m misunderstanding this author’s point but I cannot understand how one can read Deuteronomy and come to this conclusion. Certainly the pagan cultures of the time wouldn’t agree but God hasn’t changed. Perhaps if the author were to throw out the Revised Standard and get a more accurate translation he would see this. (I can’t find the words “Lord Jesus” in Deuteronomy in my version.) :O)
Please consider this lengthy but pointed piece of scripture :
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgements which I am commanding you today, to do them.” Deut 7:6-11
God is faithful and loving to His servants and those who seek to do His will. It was God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt against their will. There were two occasions in the Old Testament where God was going to destroy the Israelites and make a great nation of Moses. It was only because of God’s love of the Israelites’ forefathers (Abraham, etc) and Moses' humble pleads that He brought them into the promise land. And it wasn’t because of the Israelites’ righteousness that God gave them the promise land but it was because of the wickedness of the inhabitants.
We can take comfort in the thought that while we’re obedient to the Lord and do His statutes, He will provide for us. I would argue that God’s primary message through His servant Moses was not God's love to His people but God's desire for us to be faithful servants.
Your post seems to suggest that God somehow reacts to our actions. He loves those who seek to do his will. He loves those who keep his commandments. That he intended at one point to destroy the Israelites and then, BECAUSE of the pleas of Moses, he relented and allowed them into the Promised land.
Interesting.
We can take comfort in the thought that while we’re obedient to the Lord and do His statutes, He will provide for us.
God provided for the Israelites even when they weren't obedient and when they rebelled against his statutes.
In that sense I would disagree that "Love" is not the primary focus of Deuteronomy. Obviously it is. It is the theme of the entire Bible.
You point out how amazing is God's love for Moses and the forefathers.
Do you think He loves us as much?