Stubbornness is characteristic of human nature, but that doesn't mean God likes it. 9. He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. It doesnt refer to America, because the church bought by the blood of Jesus is a pilgrim people drawn from all the lands, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 4 One of these is that they would be blessed in their cities ( v.3 ). We are not obliged by everything in the Mosaic Law. The astronauts flying a space shuttle mission endure days of preflight preparation. Could Deut. The important thing is that this is an agreement that God made with Israel. 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. (1-2) Overtaken by blessing. Israels being chosen did not secure their salvation. The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous. 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 makes that point . It doesnt mean that. Before Moses dies he gives that same law again a second time in Deuteronomy to the new generation that is now meant to take the land and live according to this law as a nation. In Deuteronomy 28:1-13, God tells the Israelites that He would reward their obedience by giving them children, crops, livestock, and victory over their enemies, but He also tacks on fifty-four more verses describing the curses that would come upon the nation if they didn't obey Himincluding diseases, heat and drought, military defeat, boils, Your email address will not be published. The holiness and splendor of God The overall goal of the book of Leviticus is to show the level of holiness God exists in. 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. . Sometimes we think that a small bit of disobedience is no big deal to God, but sin always has consequences. The Puritans is the shining example of what abrogation vs general equity means. 8. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The same principles that applied to Israel's success in Canaan apply to us today. We need to remember that obedience to God leads to life, while disobedience leads to death (v. 46-68). This chapter shows that God is just and faithful to His promises. The first case ( Deuteronomy 22:13-19) is of a man who marries a woman and then falsely charges her with being a harlot (not being a virgin when he married her). What things can draw you away from the fundamentalvalues of life? Israel was chosen for a purposeGenesis 12:13. Refusing to obey God's instructions always brings defeat. 6. Nothing that is in the Mosaic Law applies to me as a Gentile in virtue of it being in the Mosaic Law. But Deuteronomy gives us more than a mere recounting of this unique episode in Israels history. The "curse of the law" is not the curses found in Deuteronomy 28 that was specifically for the nation Israel in the Mosaic Covenant. Their crops will fail, their flocks and herds will dwindle, and they will be cursed with few children. / RCCG Sells A Bag Of Rice At N9k To Their Members In Abuja, Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10). He is author of. Learn how your comment data is processed. 1. But he turned away from God after he had accumulated great wealth and built a huge army. *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. Faith in the finished work of the Cross of Christ is the Christian key to blessings in all aspects of life. We are not blessed because we do this or that in the New Testament, we are blessed because Christ already took away the curse of the law and we are ONLY left with blessings. The LORD wants us to obey him because we love him. 4 The purpose of finding the greatest commandment was to focus on keeping that really well and not worry so much about the others. God has these same concerns today, and he expects us to be not only fair but also kind and considerate in our dealings with those who seek our help. God did punish the people several times for their disobedience, but he always remained faithful to them. Indeed, at the end of the chapter, it says people in other cultures practiced these things and they were judged for them. 12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. 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. Moses warned the Israelites about the false prophets who would encourage them to worship other gods and idols. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a powerful passage that contains a lot of practical applications for our lives today. how far can a duck . Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a list of the blessings and curses that come as a result of obedience and disobedience. This article aimed to highlight the similarities between EST 56 and Deuteronomy 28 as regards syntax and vocabulary, interpret the previously unknown curses that astoundingly invoke deities. Now, how do Christians embrace and apply this today? The nation of Israel was obliged to obey the laws of their nation in order to reap Gods blessings or curses. Deu 25:1-4. It is all over the book of Hebrews, but here is Hebrews 10:12 and 14: When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. This book is named after the main character of its second part. For now, a single person can expect to receive an average of $197 a . Now here is the second step. 23 If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.". + 2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, + because you keep listening to the voice of Jehovah We are in a different state now. Fashion will change, and God does not prohibit that. Help us continue to equip Christians with knowledge, wisdom, and character. Through Moses' instruction, Deuteronomy also describes the future of the nation, which later biblical authors use as a template to interpret Israel's history and to hold out hope for a new and better covenant (see e.g., Deut 29-30).. how does deuteronomy 28 apply to us today. It was given to those people in that state for that period of time. All the commands in the Old Testament are obsolete. The spiritual implications of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 are far-reaching. 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. Israel is called to be an obedient son, yet they have failed and will fail. In fact, one of the purposed effects of giving the law to Israel was to reveal and intensify sinto show us clearly that apart from Gods grace and provision, we cannot change our hearts (Deut 30:6; cf. 1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice See Other Shows. God's Word is powerful. No doubt, we have to apply carefully the old covenant to us in light of Christ, yet we must never forget that it is applicable to us as Scripture and thus we need to learn anew what God is teaching us today through this wonderful book. From the context of Deuteronomy 28:13, we know it is better to be the head than the tail. They say it looks like were picking and choosing the Old Testament Law because were against homosexuality, but we dont follow these other details. We need to be humble before God and remember His goodness to us (v. 33-36). Deuteronomy 21:10-14 gives a law about divorce. Put up a link or something. Deuteronomy emphasizes the heart and feeling of the lawto love God with all your being and your neighbor as yourself. I cannot justify myself, Greg Koukl, based on the demands of those simple commandments. It is the manual for life! 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. Many of those Jews took advantage of the mercy offered through that plan, and many went wayward. He promises to remove the curse if the Israelites obey Him, and He is faithful to His promises. We are not under the Mosaic Law, but under the New Covenant. He was not pleased when the Israelites insisted on returning to their sinful practices. One way to know that is to see how its worded. Here is, I. And just as the LORD told the Israelites that he would notice if they did "the right thing," he notices us when we do the right thing. The verse reads: "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope," ( Jeremiah 29:11 ). Nairaland - Copyright 2005 - 2023 Oluwaseun Osewa. Sometimes curiosity and the attempt to learn more about evil things can harm our spiritual growth if those evil things become too attractive to us. Moses knew that he was about to die, so before he left the people he blessed them. "At that time I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself. One example is Deuteronomy 28, which contains a number of blessings and curses. Then, the lawyer who raised the question, seeking to justify himself, asks who is his neighbor. The Mosaic law included universal moral rules and rules that were limited to the nation who lived under that contract. And let me give you one more example, because he asked about it. He's the true king, who did not capitulate to the compromises of sin (contrast, for example, Solomon in 1 Kings 11 in light of Deut. Ultimately, of course, this is what the OT prophets and the NT announces occurs in the dawning of a new covenant secured by the life, death, and resurrection of Gods own obedient Son (Rom 3:21-31; cf. We need to be reminded of that same truth many times today. JavaScript is disabled. King Solomon, for example, was very successful at first. If they did, He would protect them, and if they didn't, He would forsake them (Deuteronomy 28). In this passage, Moses encouraged the people to make a real effort to consider their promise to God and to allow him to wash away their sins. Putting God first in our lives is the best preflight plan we can have. The New Testament says that the Old Testament law was intended "to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). God is our only true security- not the government, not our educational system, not money, power, or other people. If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). 2 Samuel 24:24) to her father and remain married to the girl. He was simply a really good interpreter of the Old Testament. Why would God command the Israelites to destroy their enemies without mercy? Second, Moses in Deuteronomy does not pull any punches regarding the deep problem of the human heart. (1-2) God humbled and tested Israel. Not only do them for once, but keep them for ever; not only set out in his ways, but walk in them to the end. There was a unique relationship God had with the nation of Israel as part of the execution of that plan. The ritual laws of sacrifice teach us that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22) and point us to Jesus on the cross. Bible calls it the tree of the knowledge of good AND. Tweet. But Did He Also Write Chapter 34? On the other hand, the Israelites had promised to obey God. They were not chosen to be saved, rather they were chosen to be used to accomplish Gods plan of salvation. Pilots gladly endure all of these precautions in order to fly and land safely at their destinations. Sometimes it should be recognized that exegetical and hermeneutical practice have made some good advances that have built upon the understanding of 16th/17th century methods. A man must NOT treat his wife as a person he can disrespect or demean. Watch on. For God to say to any people: "I am your God and you are my people" is the very reason and purpose for our existence as God's image-bearers. In the storyline of Scripture, Israel was privileged to be in this position, not because they were better or more numerous than the nations (Deut 7:7), but solely due to Gods sovereign choice and his covenant loyalty to Abraham (Ex 19:4; Deut 7:8). The book of Judges tells how the Israelites kept rejecting the Lord and worshiping idols. Rom 5:20-21; 7:13)a lesson we must never forget. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How can you show God you love him? Salvation in the OT (based on the Abrahamic Covenant) was always by faith, and never by works. In either case, it was a new start for the people. The tail should not be dictating the direction of the dogthe head should do that. Moses lays out the blessings which will result (Deut 28:1-14), but he also warns them that disobedience will result in judgment and exile from the land (Deut 28:15-68), which in fact, he predicts will occur. All of us need to listen to God's warnings about sex outside of marriage. The lawyer is interested in finding a way that he can work his own salvation out by himself. This passage has significant implications for our spiritual lives today. What benefit or dangers may there be in carrying over meaning from Israel to these other modern day audiences? The obligation not to murder is universal and should be in any law. Some people may be deceiving themselves. 2. There is no balancing involved or necessary as far as I can see. It secured a salvation plan for the world, and whether they individually participated in it or not was another question. Because he is holy and just, as well as merciful and loving, he must punish wrong actions and attitudes. T. he subject of which Biblical laws apply today can be confusing for many Christians.. Moses summed up his song by once again stressing to the people the importance of knowing God's Law, applying it to their lives, and teaching it to younger generations. The book recounts the teachings and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. This is something that we should all avoid. Old is usually quite good, but not necessarily above correction or improvement. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. Deuteronomy 28:1-2: What is this requiring? Sometimes the curse or judgment was pronounced by the servant of God as in Deuteronomy 27-28. These differences in hermeneutics lead to differences over which laws should apply today. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. Even if she was raised in a heathen/ pagan/ non-Christian ideology and belief system. It is not enough to merely read the Bible or hear a sermon. Seeing Jesus in Deuteronomy takes practice, but he is everywhere. He will bless those who obey Him and curse those who disobey Him. It's all a lot for a simple guy like myself to digest. 28 be applied to the United States? These verses have spiritual implications for us as well. Our behavior reveals what we truly believe in our hearts. The Apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy twice regarding cursing in his letter to the Galatians. (Read Deuteronomy 28:15-44) If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which includes all misery, as the blessing all happiness. There are certainly principles in that passage that show that any nation who thumbs its nose at God and goes into idolatry will be judged. ( Deu 28:1-2) Overtaken by blessing. I really appreciate all the answers. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a powerful passage that contains a lot of practical applications for our lives today. 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. We need to keep our hearts focused on God, so that we can obey His commands and enjoy His blessings (v. 43-45). When we disobey Him, we open ourselves up to His curse. Fine, but having skimmed the longish introduction where Jordan tries to make his case is already a strike against it for me. We need to be careful to not take Gods blessings for granted (v. 17-19). How to Apply Deuteronomy 6. He can make plans and play things out so that certain things apply in some cases and dont apply later, though His purpose is constant and unchanging. For the destroying of Amalek ( v. 17, etc. But with this promise, he also gave a warning that we should remember. First, Deuteronomy beautifully describes the covenant relationship between God and his people. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. 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. 10. The Mosaic contract is no longer in force. Explore our latest content and live stream the radio program with our mobile apps. Moses led Israel through everything they needed to know to live successfully in Canaan. God made it very clear to the Israelites that he did not want them to get mixed up in the false religious surrounding them. We, both as individuals and collectives find times and seasons of apparent fullness and lack, opportunity and trial- that it can seem that we are very blessed or not at all. We are not being arbitrary when we say homosexuality is forbidden. Yet, Deuteronomy 5:15 explains that the reason is because of God's redemptive act on Israel's behalf during the exodus experience rather than because God rested on the seventh day. wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? God is honored when we trust him to help us meet any situation. not by the works of the law, and then teach that the law and its curse still apply today to New Testament believers . In a six-part series, we explored family devotions the importance of it as well as ways to structure the time, to overcome obstacles, and to keep the gospel central. A man must NOT treat his wife as a slave, even if she is a captured prisoner of war. We are told that if we do not trust in Him, then we will not be blessed. However, if they disobey the Lord, they will be curse in every way. There are blessings and curses in the Mosaic Covenant meant for Israel. Even though the old and new generation have received innumerable blessings from the Lord, their hearts are hard. The question we have to ask ourselves as New Testament Christians in the New Covenant is, which commands or moral principles are obligatory and would apply regardless of the covenants, because they are universal morals that transcend the Mosaic Law?