Israel’s history begins and ends with God. Deuteronomy instructs Israel and all subsequent readers on Yahweh’s absolute uniqueness (4:32–39; 6:4; 10:17; 32:39; 33:26), eternality (33:27), transcendence (7:21; 10:17; 32:3), holiness (32:51), justice and righteousness (32:4; cf. 10:18), passion (jealousy) for his covenant and his relationship with his people (4:24; 5:9; 6:15; 9:3; 32:21), faithfulness (7:9), presence (1:41; 4:7; 6:15; 7:21; 31:17), compassion (4:31), and especially his covenant love (4:37; 7:7, 8, 13; 10:15, 18; 23:5).
But in this book, none of these is a mere abstraction. Yahweh lives in relationship with human beings, which explains why Moses never tired of speaking of God’s grace. This grace was expressed in many different concrete actions toward Israel: his election of Abraham and his descendants (4:37; 7:6), his rescue of Israel from the bondage of Egypt (4:32–36), his establishment of Israel as his covenant people (4:9–31; 5:1–22; 26:16–19), his providential care (1:30–33; 8:15–16), his provision of a homeland (6:10–15; 8:7–14), his provision of leadership (16:18–18:22), and his provision of victory over their enemies (7:17–24).
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