But, I would rather you not attack errors with errors, especially worse ones. Part of it was in response to the Jews. It should be an expression of intimacy between husband and wife within marriage. They hesitated and by staying outside of the land, they were not obeying God's instructions. When things are going well in family, career, or any other area of life, we are tempted to become proud. In the ancient Near East it was customary for legal treaties to conclude with passages containing blessings upon those who observed the enactments, and curses upon those who did not. (Harrrison). A commercial airline pilot about to take a 747 loaded with passengers from New York to Los Angeles talks his crew through a much more elaborate preflight ritual. Deuteronomy is Christian Scripture. How do we try to avoid facing the truth of our status in spiritual obedience. 16 Life Lessons and Commentary from The Book of Job | Job Bible Study, 14 Life Lessons from The Book of Joshua | Joshua Bible Study, 27 Life Lessons from The Book of Exodus | Exodus Bible Study, 29 Biblical Life Lessons from The Book of Genesis | Genesis Bible Study, 15 Life Lessons from The Book of 1 Samuel | 1 Samuel Bible Study, 14 Life Lessons from The Book of Numbers | Numbers Bible Study, 33 Life Lessons from The Book of Psalms | Psalms Bible Study, 5 Life Lessons from The Book of Ezra | Ezra Bible Study, 8 Life Lessons from The Book of Judges | Judges Bible Study, 15 Life Lessons from The Book of First Kings | 1 Kings Bible Study. He said that dividing wall has been torn down now so that the Jews and Gentiles can be combined into one new man on the New Covenant having been built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles in Christ Jesus the cornerstone. Let us highlight each of these areas in turn. basically, it is a renewal of the covenant God made with them previously. Leviticus 5:1516 says if anyone sins, he shall bring an offering, a ram as an offering. Fine, but having skimmed the longish introduction where Jordan tries to make his case is already a strike against it for me. What things can draw you away from the fundamentalvalues of life? Somehow, there seems to be a choice that is up to us, something or someone is knocking at the door with a message and a reason for our survival. We need to be careful to not take Gods blessings for granted (v. 17-19). Watch on. The word 'deuteronomy means "repetition of the law" after 40 years when the people were about to enter Canaan, and Moses was reminding them of their history: although he was . God is honored when we trust him to help us meet any situation. And, therefore, all the promises made to the circumcision, the true Israel, belong to us, Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus. 1. God doesnt change, but that does not mean the way He deals with mankind doesnt change. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Stubbornness is characteristic of human nature, but that doesn't mean God likes it. Years after Moses gave these instructions for kings, Israel's rulers refused to listen to this word of creation. What does it mean that the secret things belong to the Lord (Deuteronomy 29:29)? According to Leviticus 11, an animal is clean if it parts the hoof and chews the cord, if it lacks both or even one, it is unclean, it can't be offered as sacrifice and shouldn't even be eaten. Bible calls it the tree of the knowledge of good AND. Here's a slightly different slant: of course it applies to us! All rights reserved. Help us continue to equip Christians with knowledge, wisdom, and character. When we obey the Lord and keep His commandments, we are blessed in every way. He shall be forgiven. So, forgiveness is offered through the offering of a ram, and nowadays now, since Jesus he has replaced the work of that priest and the offering of that ram. God did punish the people several times for their disobedience, but he always remained faithful to them. 28 be applied to the United States? PSA 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. And there are different ways to explain why that is, and one is to realize that in spiritual union with the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, Christians are the messianic people, the true Israel, the heirs of everything promised to the true Israel. No human being could break a curse pronounced by God; he could only submit to it and repent under it. I cannot justify myself, Greg Koukl, based on the demands of those simple commandments. Our behavior reveals what we truly believe in our hearts. He was not pleased when the Israelites insisted on returning to their sinful practices. We will not be able to escape them! Even though the old and new generation have received innumerable blessings from the Lord, their hearts are hard. Posted Nov 28, 2016 by Michael L. Brown. In Deuteronomy 28, we see that obedience is a key factor in experiencing the blessings or curses of God. 19-21. Editorial: Reading Deuteronomy for Gods People Today. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a list of the blessings and curses that come as a result of obedience and disobedience. If we are no longer under the Sinai covenant, how do we apply the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 to believers today? Read through all of the awesome blessings listed in Deuteronomy 28. We need to be obedient to Gods commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). As a nation, we can expect to be blessed with political stability, economic prosperity, and military success. Just because someone can perform a "miracle" or predict the future doesn't make them authentic. Having the proper attitude helps keep us from becoming greedy and selfish. (1-2) Overtaken by blessing. A podcast listener, Joe from Boston, writes in with this question: Pastor John, I often struggle to interpret and apply portions of the Old Testament (specifically the prophetic books) where the word of God was being spoken to Gods people as the nation of Israel. Reformed theology teaches that Deuteronomy 28, and its parallel in Leviticus 26 teach us the blessings and curses which may be expected in this life for people who will either obey or disobey. 2. And, secondly, the reference to their land cleanse their land; heal their land does not apply to the land of the church, how much less the church in America, referring to the land of America. In this song of blessing, Moses reminded the Israelites that God was their only true, safe place of security. . He reminds them of how the previous generation died in the wilderness because they had disobeyed the LORD and turned aside to other gods. His command was also a dramatic warning to the nation of Israel that God's people should beware of being overcome by the evil practices of their enemies. No. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Deuteronomy in Scripture and Gods unfolding redemptive plan. Nothing that is in the Mosaic Law applies to me as a Gentile in virtue of it being in the Mosaic Law. and the threatenings of it [the law] serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. God's laws and commands are practical - he knows what can cause us to start trusting ourselves instead of him. The covenant God made with Israel contained three major features: Thelaw, thesacrifice, and thechoice. All rights reserved. We can remind ourselves of the many times he has helped us, our family, and our friends. God doesn't make us obey him - it is our choice. The Book of Deuteronomy records Moses' final sermon to the Israelites, which he gave just before he died and they went up to enter the Promised Land. Popular Bible Quotations For Memorization And Meditation Deuteronomy 31:8, Re: Deuteronomy 28 Is Not For Christians; Ephesians 1:3 Is Our Key To Blessings, About The High Rate Of Extramarital Sexual Affairs Today. In fact, given sins entrance into the world, Israels role in the world was not only to be the nation by which Messiah would come and reverse the effects of sin and death (see Gen 3:15; 12:1-3); they were also called to live as Adam and the entire human race was supposed to liveas obedient sons (Ex 4:22-23) and servant kingsin relationship to the Lord and the entire creation. The LORD wants us to obey him because we love him. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 give us the curses that would come upon Israel for disobedience. One can certainly see how people might find these . There are blessings and curses in the Mosaic Covenant meant for Israel. No. This exception does not apply to uncles (it is obviously impossible to apply to a Father's spouse because the Father by definition is not childless) because we have no basis for presuming the exception goes beyond what is expressly provided. Were on a mission to change that. Why would God command the Israelites to destroy their enemies without mercy? The obligation not to murder is universal and should be in any law. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. He will bless those who obey Him and curse those who disobey Him. If we are no longer under the Sinai covenant, how do we apply the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 to believers today? Because God does not change, the blessings He gave to people in the past apply to us as much as they have ever . Deuteronomy 31:6. It is important for us to have God's attitude about someone else's property, and not to allow the attitude of the world to rub off on us. Other things, like homosexuality are forbidden in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Scholarship that is driven by such an agenda is usually to be read with a critical eye. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. "Romans 7 talks about the Jesus of the law and Christ of the New Testament, the resurrected one", This is the Christ that represented the law in his, Another One, not the One that died in his BODY being representative of the law, The One who is not after the body of the One that died to the law in his body, this is, the resurrected One and not the same as the one represented in the law because that One is already DEAD, Deuteronomy 28 Is Not For Christians; Ephesians 1:3 Is Our Key To Blessings, Scriptures Expounded: About Wet Dreams And Human Wastes - Deuteronomy 23:10-14. We dont have the punishments proscribed in the law because that was for their judicial system in that nation. There is no balancing involved or necessary as far as I can see. There is a unique kind of plan that He has in the new covenant that's expressed through Jesus and what He did on the cross. That the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth: Therefore, if Israel would obey the LORD, He wouldsetthemhigh above all nations of the earth, and the blessings would be so powerful that they wouldcome upon you and overtake you. .this right here is the good news but also the 'offence of the cross', Galatians 5v11. 3. I know what I think but I'm waiting for the Covenant Theology "experts" to reply to this one. As he says when kicking off his Sermon on the Mount, he didn't come to abolish the law but to show its fullest sense. Your email address will not be published. 26 " When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 w you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall x go to the place that There has probably been a moment or two in 40 years that maybe Id love my neighbor as myself, but most of the time, no. We should think again! Thats another hint that these are universals and not just a peculiar law limited to the Jews, though the particular application of law was limited to their system of law. Deuteronomy 4:26. And the second blessing is for those who keep Gods covenant. Deuteronomy 28:1-2, The promise of God in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 offers many powerful insights that we can learn from when we listen with our hearts and open ourselves to applying the wisdom of its mighty blessing to our lives with obedience. By so doing they will become faithful sons, which wonderfully and gloriously, God promises to do in the future. This passage applies to us today because Gods character does not change. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's release, Deuteronomy 15:2; Deuteronomy 15:2. 28 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Their crops will fail, their flocks and herds will dwindle, and they will be cursed with few children. The Mosaic Law was limited to a time and nation, but morality was not. The idea behind thechoiceis that God was determined to reveal Himself to the world through Israel. In any case, God's Word is the one true standard against which all activities show be judged. What values do you need to maintain in life to be truly successful? God also rewards obedience. Well, the fact is that many of the things mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 are still relevant to us today. "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:" Second, we need to obey Gods commandments and keep His covenant. Possibly, Moses wanted to remind the new generation that had grown up during the desert wandering that they, too, were God's chosen people. The Lord's careful instructions to the Israelites about making and collecting loans show how concerned he is for those who are in need. 10 " When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. Now, Jews and Gentiles alike who put their faith in Jesus are under the new contract. Deuteronomy is like a preflight check-list for one of the most important adventures in biblical history. 12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. The Ten Commandments are recounted in ch. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. You want to justify yourself? Sometimes we think that a small bit of disobedience is no big deal to God, but sin always has consequences. Thank you for this brief but important rudiment of the simplicity of the gospel of Christ . Therefore, the application we make of this verse is not that if Christians will repent God will heal America. Moses Wrote The Book Of Deuteronomy. 2And all these blessings shall come upon you andovertake you, if you obey the voice of theLordyour God. We have no such promise in the Bible. Observe the justice of this curse. Deuteronomy 28:1-2: What is this requiring? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever because He is God. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. For now, a single person can expect to receive an average of $197 a . iii. The passage also includes a promise from God that these curses will be removed if the Israelites obey Him. Second, Moses in Deuteronomy does not pull any punches regarding the deep problem of the human heart. Do not ever think that God is too kind to do anything about sin. L.Willows, Blessings on obedience, Commentary by David GuzikBlue Letter Bible / David Guzik Study Guide. Similarly, God has already saved us from our worst enemy - slavery to sin. A regular family devotions time enables us to systematically disciple our children in "the whole counsel of God" ( Acts 20 . In all of this instruction, Israel had the supreme privilege of learning the fear of the Lord (Deut 31:12). 10. The astronauts flying a space shuttle mission endure days of preflight preparation. But Did He Also Write Chapter 34? 17:14-20 ). How men and women dress will change over time; otherwise, we would be wearing long outer garments without undergarments today. Deuteronomy 28 listed blessings and curses for by being obedience or disobedience and says do this (obey) or do that (disobey) and God does this (bless) or that (curse) - that's the religion of the law of Moses. 4 One of these is that they would be blessed in their cities ( v.3 ). Others may be trying to trick us. Deuteronomy 28:9-10 promises the people that "the Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself and all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord." . Does that mean that Leviticus 5:16 doesnt apply to us? The lawyer is interested in finding a way that he can work his own salvation out by himself. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Finally, after thirty-eight years of delay and the death of the previous generation due to their rebellion in the wilderness, Gods patriarchal promises are now finally being fulfilled as the people of Israel are on the verge of entering the land. Whether or not Beeke lists it as his number one choice as a commentary is irrelevant. [17] EZR 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? They were not chosen to be saved, rather they were chosen to be used to accomplish Gods plan of salvation. Our respectful behavior sets a good example for others. Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which points out even your enemies are your neighbor. These differences are evident in book iv chaper 20 pp. Christians may rightly embrace the promises of the Old Testament made to Israel, because in union with the Messiah, Jesus, we are Israel, we are the true Israel. *SMDH* GOSHEN DONE LED MORE PEOPLE INTO HELL FIRE THAN BEELZEBUB WITH THIS HIS DOCTRINE, 8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a. We need to be obedient to God's commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). I think the 'specifics' mentioned such as v8b and v68 show us that this passage is primarily directed towards OT Israel. Jesus didn't invent a new ethic of nonviolence. 1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, "Keep all the commandments which I command you today. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. We need to remember that obedience to God leads to life, while disobedience leads to death (v. 46-68). After all, he is speaking to the generation whose parents died in the wilderness due to their disobedience and rebellion (Deut 1-4). We have the same choice as God's followers. b. . In this way, Moses not only describes and predicts the future history of Israel, he also anticipates Gods future redemptive work by which he will circumcise the hearts of the entire community, thus creating a people who will be wholly devoted to him from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue. All of us need to listen to God's warnings about sex outside of marriage. Moses warned the Israelites about the false prophets who would encourage them to worship other gods and idols. If we obey God today, we can expect similar blessings in our lives. Job was a very rich man, and although he did not belong to the people of Israel, he worshiped the Lord and was a truly good person. So what does this have to do with us today? And let me give you one more example, because he asked about it. We need to be faithful to God and avoid idolatry (v. 20-24). 1. 2. Young people should be informed of the consequences that are sure to follow when God's instructions are ignored. Their crops will yield abundant harvests, their flocks and herds will increase, and they will be blessed with many children. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. Is it an over-simplification to say that the passages are directed toward a specific covenant God made with (ethnic) Israel but the principles contained therein have application to us today? However, if they disobey the Lord, they will be curse in every way. We are also told that if we do trust in the Lord, then we will be blessed. 1. Then theres a new generation that takes the land under Joshua. He promises to remove the curse if the Israelites obey Him, and He is faithful to His promises. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. In the New Testament, God doesn't bless us because of what we do but because of our faith in Christ and His finished works. 9. He received his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and he is the author of numerous essays and articles and the co-author of Kingdom through Covenant (Crossway, 2012).