Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Day 58 Deuteronomy 28-30 Supplemental Note

Deuteronomy Chapter 28
There are two sources of the blessings that will come when people live according to God's Way. The first is the natural good that will result when one does things in a way that works. The other is the additional blessing that The Lord will give to those who truly seek to obey Him.
The Word of God
"And if you obey the voice of The Lord your God, being careful to do all His Commandments which I command you this day, The Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of The Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; and he will bless you in the land which The Lord your God gives you." (Deuteronomy 28:1-8 RSV)
Conversely, those who reject The Way of The Lord will reap the failure and misery that they sow for themselves.

"But if you will not obey the voice of The Lord your God or be careful to do all His Commandments and His statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and frustration, in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your doings, because you have forsaken Me." (Deuteronomy 28:15-20 RSV)
Deuteronomy Chapter 29
The Ten Commandments did not originate with the Israelites at Mount Sinai; God's Law that was codified as The Ten Commandments existed right from the time that The Lord (see the Fact Finder question below to understand who that was) created the first humans. The covenant with the physical Israelites was given to Moses however with a specific prophetic purpose for all of those who would choose to be God's people (see Physical and Spiritual Israel).
Earth
"These are the words of the covenant which The Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he had made with them at Horeb." (Deuteronomy 29:1 RSV). "Therefore be careful to do the words of this covenant, that you may prosper in all that you do. You stand this day all of you before The Lord your God; the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, both he who hews your wood and he who draws your water, that you may enter into the sworn covenant of The Lord your God, which The Lord your God makes with you this day; that he may establish you this day as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Nor is it with you only that I make this sworn covenant, but with him who is not here with us this day as well as with him who stands here with us this day before The Lord our God." (Deuteronomy 29:9-15 RSV).
Deuteronomy Chapter 30
Living according to God's Way is a journey toward a destination (see Born Again, How and When?), a trek that will itself be blessed for those who choose life.
The Way
"For this commandment which I command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it." (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 RSV) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving The Lord your God, obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which The Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 RSV)

No comments:

Post a Comment