No doubt-- they are Jews. It's essentially a God of their making-- well Moses did the heavy lifting, but they've been shining the image ever since. They are speaking of their God-- the God of Israel, and this is a command of Moses, that he said- Yahweh told him to tell the people.
It's the original Prosperity Gospel--- isn't it? It's something you'd hear sitting in a T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, or Joel Osteen service.... many soak it in, but I find it stomach-turning....
Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number —as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.
A great many Christians today reject such notions and the pastors who promote such ideas. And so did Jesus, specifically and directly- in the case of the man born blind, the 18 people who died in a tower collapse, and the blood of Galileans mixed with Pilate's sacrifices.
Again, from our translations-- which I agree, you'd likely never hear read in Jewish synagogues---
Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You must love the LORD your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.
It's- Hear O Israel: Yahweh/Jehovah is our elohim, Yahweh is Chief. You must love Yahweh, your elohim with your whole mind. your whole being, and all your strength.
You have to understand their perspective- where they perceived a world in which all the nations had their own God-- and where they viewed their God-- Yahweh- the God of Israel to be preeminently over the gods of all the other nations. When they would go and battle and win- it was because Yahweh strengthened them to defeat a lessor God. When they lost-- it was because God allowed it, usually because he was punishing them for some offense.
Does this really sound like the Father, Jesus came and described to us? Does it really???
