March 20: Deuteronomy 28-29

March 20, Deuteronomy 28-29

Deuteronomy 28 is an entire chapter on blessings and curses. When you start reading, it almost sounds like utopia - a litany of fruitfulness and peace. The key word in the first 14 verses = IF. If they obey, then God will bless them and everything they do. But then we get an ever longer litany of curses IF they do not obey. There are 54 verses of curses vs only 14 vs of blessings, which is suggestive that Israel will not obey (which, sorry to spoil it for you, they don’t). A lot of the curses actually do come to pass, as we will read soon, all because they did not obey Yahweh. I think people today don't look at our God of the Bible as One who will give curses. But it is true. And since He can and will curse, we should realize that the blessings of God are far worth the obedience He demands of putting Him first. 

Deuteronomy 29 is referred to as Moses’ third speech, a final sermon if you will. When Moses made a covenant with the people at Horeb (Mt. Sinai, the first generation of Israelites), here he is renewing it with the next generation. Again, Moses is commanding them, through God, to keep the words of the Commandments, so that they may prosper. Again, Moses reminds them what God has done so powerfully and to purge the evil among them. Don’t be like the others that didn't pursue God, because not only will their hearts be drawn away from God, but the curses of God will plague them. Here Moses also reiterates the link to idolatry and the curses of the Lord Almighty. Then the close, even if they were to turn from the Lord, the Lord will curse them with disaster. Even the surrounding nations will know that they are cursed because they didn't obey God.

The chapter ends with one of my favorite verses, Deuteronomy 29:29 - the secret things belong to the Lord… Yes, there are things that even the greatest theologians don’t understand about God - He made it that way. What it comes down to - do you trust God in everything, even when you don’t fully understand what is going on?

To sum it all up:

• Don’t be like the others that didn't pursue God, because not only will their hearts be drawn away from God, but the curses of God will plague them. What it comes down to - do you trust God in everything, even when you don’t fully understand what is going on? Because - He is Sovereign and is working everything out, His way. Look at how far the Lord has brought you and what He has brought you through! Don’t doubt His goodness and faithfulness when things get tough or are even going extremely well…