Deuteronomy 28

INTRO

We looked at Deuteronomy 27 last time, which outlined the curses the Israelites would face if they did not obey God’s Law. To all 12 curses, the Israelites replied their agreement with, “Amen!” Deuteronomy 27:26 states that if they broke any one of the commands, they would be guilty of breaking them all. In Deuteronomy 27-28, a kind of “reprimand sandwich” was created, with the curses in chapter 27 (the top bun), the blessings for obedience in the beginning of chapter 28 (the meat part), and then more curses at the end of the chapter (the bottom bun). Usually we think of blessing/curse/blessing, but this is opposite. We’re starting in the “meat section” of Deuteronomy 28.

TEACHING

Deuteronomy 28:1: Verse 1 says if the Israelites follow the commands Moses gave them today (remember, “today” was the day when Moses gave them the laws and told them to write them all down, Deuteronomy 27), if they chose––and it was their choice–– to follow God and not themselves, God would put them far above all other nations in the world and pour out His blessings on them. Then, Moses began to name those blessings for them. God would put them above the nations of the earth, elevate them to praise, fame, and glory, and they would be a special holy people before God (Deuteronomy 26:19). But in Deuteronomy 8:1, God said that to get to this point, the Israelites had to follow His commands. Right now, as far as Israel being top dog, we don’t see this tangibly, but we know that Israel’s king is going to be the King of everyone, and His name is King Jesus (Romans 11:25-27). This is what is ultimately going to happen when Jesus comes back. The only way this will happen will be when the fullness of the Gentiles turns to the Lord. The Jews will become jealous, and that will usher in the return of the Messiah. Then Israel will be lifted up higher than any other nation.

Eventually the Jews are going to become the light for everyone (Isaiah 49:6). That eventually comes through the Messiah when He ushers in the kingdom, and it comes through the Jewish people. The Seed in Genesis will ultimately lead to God’s salvation and will be ushered in through Jesus and place Israel above all other nations. This is why the nation of Israel cannot be wiped off the earth because God has a salvation plan that comes through that country and through His people.

Deuteronomy 28:2-4: In this verse, all these blessings will come through obedience. We know there is a partial fulfillment of these blessings that will come. According to Joshua 21:45, “None of the good promises the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.” I said partial because the ushering in of the millennial reign hasn’t happened yet. Because they obeyed the law, they would be blessed. Verse 3, basically, is the Beatitudes of the Old Testament. They will be blessed in the city and in the country. Verse 4 states the descendants will be blessed, and everything that they touch will be blessed.

Deuteronomy 28:6-7: In verse 5, “the basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.” In Deuteronomy 28:17, the curse side of this verse is given. Verse 16 says they will be cursed in the city and the country. This is true over and over again. Verse 18 corresponds to verse 4. This is where the sandwich analogy is best seen––here’s the way you can be blessed or here’s the way you can be cursed. In verse 6, the blessing will happen in daily life, or, in verse 19, the curse will happen in daily life, depending upon what is chosen. We can’t control every decision in our lives, but we can control our decisions of how we respond to those scenarios. In verse 7, enemies who attack one who was blessed will flee in seven different directions.

Deuteronomy 28:8-10: In verse 8, the Lord will fill up the storehouses––fill them with abundance––and bless everything the obedient followers will do. In verse 9, God will establish the obedient followers as His holy people—when they choose to be faithful, obey His commands, and walk in His ways. All people of the earth will see the faithful followers and recognize God in their lives (v. 10). Israel becomes a witness to all the other nations. They become the light for everyone else, and in the last days, they become a witnessing nation.

Revelation 7:4-8 records this event, beginning with the words, “And I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the Israelites,” and then in verse 9, “There was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people,

and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” In verse 10 they cried out, “Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!” Guess who initiated this process? The Jewish people who served as a witness in the last days. So, at the end of Deuteronomy, the people were told to be a light, a witness to everyone, because that will carry on to the very end . . . to the last days. Scripture also says that Israel is going to be a witness during the actual time of the ushering in of the kingdom (Zechariah 8:1-12). Jerusalem will be known as the Faithful City and the mountain of the Lord will be known as the Holy Mountain (Zechariah 8:3). The reality is that Jerusalem will become the center hub, the key component of all of the kingdom of God, and everyone will see what God is doing there.

Deuteronomy 28:10 sums it up––people will see that you are called by the Lord God and will stand in awe you if you walk out the commands, if you obey what God has called you to do. For me, everything always points to the bigger picture. And it’s not about us; it’s all about Him.

Deuteronomy 28:11-14: The list of blessings continues in verse 11 and includes prosperity with children, livestock, and land. Verse 12 adds the blessing of His abundant storehouse, the sky, and the rains, because God is the one who brings the rains. Interestingly, it states that followers of God will have no need to borrow but will become the bank to the world. In verse 13, followers of God will only move upward, not downward––will be made the leaders––as long as they do not turn to the right or the left, away from Him, or worship other gods (v. 14). One commentator wrote, “Obedience is what builds godly character in people.” Verses 1-14 are actually a list of blessings Israel would receive: agricultural, family, financial, and military blessings. In fact, between chapters 27 and 28, there are four times more curses than blessings.

Deuteronomy 28:15-24: In verse 15, we see disobedience was cursed. Why would anyone choose curses instead of blessings? In verse 18, disobedience means the children will be cursed. In verse 20, “curses, confusion, and rebuke” are sent against the Israelites in everything they do because of disobedience. And the curses continue throughout the chapter. Do any of these still apply today? Some disobedience and sin can lead to consequences that we bring upon ourselves. The cool part is that Jesus can set us apart from all this.

Deuteronomy 28:25-68: In verses 25-26, we see that disobedience can lead to defeat in battle, and corpses will become food for birds. In verse 28, disobedience can lead to mental confusion. All of these become examples of what will happen in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 8:10; Zephaniah 1:13; Amos 5:11). When they stay in the state of disobedience, nothing seems to go right. So, Israel can be a horror or a light to the other nations in the world. In verse 64, God will scatter the people all over the earth. And they will even be taken back to Egypt but will be unwanted (v. 68). But they had a choice . . . to obey or disobey God’s commands. In the American church, we’re going more and more toward the path that moves away from God. Blessing or curse?

CLOSING

Luke 12:48 reminds us that, for believers, “much will be required of everyone who has been given much.” We’ve been entrusted with the gift of life, with the blessing of Jesus. We are God’s holy people. We too, as Gentiles, represent God to the world. Do we want the blessings or the curses? We are to advertise His godly virtues.

1 Peter 4:17 states: “For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?” We get to choose.