Does he hate some people and love others? Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.". 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 are blessed in our relationships, our health, our work, and every area of our lives. Best Answer. Our Creator wishes to make Himself known to us. We need to remember that obedience to God leads to life, while disobedience leads to death (v. 46-68). So to recap, I'm bumping into a question that has a different answer depending on one's embracing of a "theonomic" worldview? His blessings are poured out on us abundantly, and we enjoy His favour and protection. 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. He will also cause us to fail in everything we try to do. What does "I set before you life and death" mean in Deuteronomy 30:19? We need to have faith in God, even when we face difficult circumstances (v. 37-39). 3. 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. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's release, Deuteronomy 15:2; Deuteronomy 15:2. Applying this principle to Deuteronomy 24:1-4, if husband and wife divorced because the wife is or became an unbeliever and departed from the marriage (which might be indicated, in principle, by the fact that the husband found "some uncleanness in her"), then the husband is free to remarry (The same would apply, of course, to a wife, that . God made a promise to the Israelites - he would be their God, take care of them, and bless them. But Did He Also Write Chapter 34? God made it very clear to the Israelites that he did not want them to get mixed up in the false religious surrounding them. But because they're the Ten Commandments, they don't apply to Christians, because that was part of the Old Covenant, and the writer of HebrewsHebrews 8:13says the Old Covenant is obsolete. i. Because of this identity crisis, our people have become very confused. In the previous verse, the lender has wealth and power while the borrower is subservient. We need to look at the passages in question and ask: Does this seem to express a moral obligation that transcends the Mosaic Law? 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. . No doubt, it was very easy to be lured into practices that appeared to be harmless on the surface but were deadly in the end. 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. Does the Covenant of Works Have 2 Aspects to it. A direction to the judges in scourging malefactors, v. 1-3. 1 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Deuteronomy 1. First, Deuteronomy beautifully describes the covenant relationship between God and his people. being referred to and other "gotcha" laws which might be mentioned fall into one of the first two bins and no longer apply to us today. 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 . We are dedicated to our historic Creeds and Confessions because we believe they are faithful to the Scriptures. The book recounts the teachings and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. We must always give God the credit for our health, riches, and well-being. As a literary form, this chapter is similar to ancient treaties between a king and his people; this is God the King, making a covenant with His people, Israel. Copy. 28 is specifically about the covenant relationship between God and Israel. As a Christian for 40 years, I have not had a split second of my life as a follower of Christ when I loved the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. This passage is a reminder that we need to put our faith in God and not in ourselves. Moses let it be known that from this day on, the Israelites were God's people, so they needed to obey God's instructions. RCCG Sells A Bag Of Rice At N9k To Their Members In Abuja. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Deuteronomy in Scripture and Gods unfolding redemptive plan. In our own lives, we are subject to the same reveal of God. Nothing that is in the Mosaic Law applies to me as a Gentile in virtue of it being in the Mosaic Law. The coming of Jesus, the Messiah, into the world and his atoning work on the cross and his resurrection and his reign in heaven and his authoritative teaching like in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 57 all of that together alter the way some of the promises and the teachings of the Old Testament are to be inherited and applied. 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. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. 1. L.Willows, Blessings on obedience, Commentary by David GuzikBlue Letter Bible / David Guzik Study Guide. There were debates between them about which law was the greatest commandment, so they asked Jesus. For now, a single person can expect to receive an average of $197 a . We need to trust in God and His promises, even when things are tough (v. 25-29). 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. 10. In this regard, Deuteronomys exposition of the law-covenant must be viewed as wholly positive: torah from the living covenant Lord who speaks and relates to his people on how to live life in the land and know Gods blessing in their lives and in all of their relationships. Moses . The first Kings is the first half of a single book that was divided into two parts, 1 and 2 Kings because together they were too long to 19 Life Lessons from The Book of Deuteronomy | Deuteronomy Bible Study. The people are to keep the Sabbath in remembrance of their enslavement in Egypt. Because God does not change, the blessings He gave to people in the past apply to us as much as they have ever . They hesitated and by staying outside of the land, they were not obeying God's instructions. Upon condition that they observe and do all his commandments (and in order to obedience there is need of observation) and that they keep the commandments of God ( v. 9) and walk in his ways. 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. The imagery of having blessings run after us and overtake us with their joyful power is wonderous! 5. 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. They served their purpose for the carnal, physical nation of Israel, but they have been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ Who has opened a new way to God the Father, based on personal responsibility and . 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 can read in the Bible how God has helped his people again and again with their problems. We can remind ourselves of the many times he has helped us, our family, and our friends. When Jesus is talking about loving your neighbor he is not advancing it as a separate ethic. 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. This passage applies to us today because Gods character does not change. We have the commands against homosexuality in Corinthians and Romans, so it becomes clear that this is a universal and it is not just simply a provision of the Old Testament Law, while the punishment is limited to that old system and not applicable in the New Testament. This was Jesuspoint. 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). So what can we learn from all of this? The short answer is, "No." No. The Mosaic contract is no longer in force. 1. It should be an expression of intimacy between husband and wife within marriage. Deuteronomy is like a preflight check-list for one of the most important adventures in biblical history. However, when we disobey the Lord, we experience His discipline and consequences. 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. Refusing to obey God's instructions always brings defeat. Mar 2, 2023: When we make mistakes, the enemy wants us to feel miserable.but God wants us to bounce back. Jesus is emphasizing the complete impossibility of self-justification, which is the fundamental difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Watch on. Well, in view of what Christ has done in the New Testament, we make at least two changes. We can trust Him to lead us and provide for us, and we can be confident that He has our best interests at heart. It secured a salvation plan for the world, and whether they individually participated in it or not was another question. What benefit or dangers may there be in carrying over meaning from Israel to these other modern day audiences? 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. How do we try to avoid facing the truth of our status in spiritual obedience. Prayer: 10 Minutes: If there is any situation in your life that needs prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to pray through you for that situation. Their crops will yield abundant harvests, their flocks and herds will increase, and they will be blessed with many children. Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 4 What does it mean to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19)? Only God cannot be shaken when the earth seems to crumble beneath us. The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous. There are blessings and curses in the Mosaic Covenant meant for Israel. 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. Let me make a distinction between how the Israelites were chosen then and how we as Christians are chosen now because it relates to the purpose of the Law and how we apply it today. Required fields are marked *. God's command to destroy these nations was his judgment upon them for the wicked things they had done for many years. basically, it is a renewal of the covenant God made with them previously. When God pronounced a curse in the Bible, it was a divine judgment upon sin. The list of curses in this passage is exhaustive, and demonstrates the severity of Gods curse. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a list of the blessings and curses that come as a result of obedience and disobedience. They are conditional on our obedience to God. If we are slaves to sin we choose to go our own way; but when we become God's followers, he gives us the freedom, as well as the strength and courage, to follow God's way. We still must live with the consequences of that sin, though. 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. Everything from Exodus 20 through Deuteronomy. Then theres a new generation that takes the land under Joshua. And, therefore, all the promises made to the circumcision, the true Israel, belong to us, Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus. "At that time I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself. I find it necessary to tell you, @Goshen360, that I actually am aware that you are attacking an erroneous teaching in the Church. The things that no longer apply to us are not repeated in the New Testament. He was simply a really good interpreter of the Old Testament. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Deuteronomy 22 is entirely about instructions what to do and what not to do. But that is the good news. 4:3-5, ". God's people are to have a much different view of sex. They had to keep the terms of the covenant. Exodus 22:21-24. This truth was very offensive to some jewish christians as it is now offensive to religious gentile christians. JavaScript is disabled. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I wouldn't trust any editing job on Calvin's sermons that was done by a theonomist with the specific intent of proving that Calvin himself was in fact a theonomist. Well, the fact is that many of the things mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 are still relevant to us today. We put our confidence in Him, so we are chosen regarding salvation. The idea behind thechoiceis that God was determined to reveal Himself to the world through Israel. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering. And here is the promise. We need to be reminded of that same truth many times today. 13 When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he . What is needed is for the covenant Lord unilaterally to act and circumcise their hearts (Deut 30:6). Third, even though Moses predicts the future rebellion of this new generation and their children, he holds out hope, not due to them, but solely due to Gods unilateral action to redeem. Deuteronomy 21:10-14 gives a law about divorce. The LORD had Moses instruct the Israelites that every man must attend the three special, religious festivals every year. He wants us to turn back to him. Learn how your comment data is processed. They seem to be universals and are therefore in the New Testament. He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. In truth, it is a Gospel book which describes beautifully the covenant relationship between Yahweh and his people, the deep and abiding problem of the human heart, and the only remedy for uncircumcised hearts, namely, Gods sovereign and gracious action to redeem by the provision of a greater and better Israel, the true obedient Son and servant King. He is author of. A. Being the head would have a similar meaning. Heb 2:5-18; 7-10). The blessings include material abundance, victory in battle, and protection from enemies. When things are going well in family, career, or any other area of life, we are tempted to become proud. 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 makes that point . That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. Now, I think that means that in union with Christ, the Messiah, Christians become the heirs of all the promises in the Old Testament. Deu 25:1-4. But with this promise, he also gave a warning that we should remember. We are not under the Mosaic Law, but under the New Covenant. My bad -- technically he preaches on Deut 28:1-34 and 45-63. When we chose to believe in God, we are also given a fresh start. Unfortunately, the Israelites broke their promise to God. If youre seeking to justify yourself, then you have to treat your neighbor this way, and youre not going to be able to consistently treat your neighbor this way. Note also in Ephesians 2 Paul talks about the role of the law. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice . Just as the punishments for laws in other states dont apply to us in California (even if we have the same law), we dont apply those punishments since we arent under that system of laws. Under the law of Moses the Gentiles can never be saved. 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). 2 Chronicles 7:14 is one such example.. King Solomon, for example, was very successful at first. We are citizens of a new nation, a heavenly kingdom. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. First and foremost, we need to realize that the Old Testament is still relevant to us today. The covenant God made with Israel contained three major features: Thelaw, thesacrifice, and thechoice. Jesus says, you dont have to worry about the rest of the commandments if you can fulfill these: Love your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. 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. Deuteronomy 28: 1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. This allows us to answer a lot of challenges that people might make regarding the old law. 4. Here is another example. That was Gods year for their land, as . For instance, the first blessing is for those who obey Gods commandments. A. Israel was chosen for a purposeGenesis 12:13. This is a summary statement in the New Testament. I cannot justify myself, Greg Koukl, based on the demands of those simple commandments. 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). 11 You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. 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. If we do these things, we will be blessed. 6. Second, we need to obey Gods commandments and keep His covenant. A life blessed by God according to Deuteronomy 28 is one that is full of His goodness and love. Just as our law does, the Mosaic Law included universal moral principles. Now, a side note: This does not exclude a real future for present day ethnic Israel in Gods purposes, because they will one day profess faith in Messiah Jesus and be grafted back in to become part of the true Israel along with all other Christians who are part of Jesus Christ. It was made between God and Moses and Israel. And I think if Joe takes these two steps and these two illustrations that I have given from Leviticus 5 and 2 Chronicles 7, he will be well on his way of appropriating the Old Testament for good Christian use. The following commentary by David Guzik is a lead to deeper understanding. Sometimes, when God presents us with opportunities we shrink back because we have doubts. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. iii. "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. The moral lawsthose against lying, stealing . The passage also includes a promise from God that these curses will be removed if the Israelites obey Him. God is vitally concerned for Israel and for all peoples and their well-being. We are told that if we do not trust in Him, then we will not be blessed. If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD: The word if looms large. Again, this is something that we should all be striving to do. All of us need to listen to God's warnings about sex outside of marriage. We have a different covenant that applies to usthe new covenant with different obligations. Leviticus 5:1516 says if anyone sins, he shall bring an offering, a ram as an offering. It is easy to think that our hard work and ingenuity have gotten us where we are. When we do, we can expect His blessings in our lives. [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? Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted and printed on images and materials as a source of inspiration and comfort. ( Deu 28:1-2) Overtaken by blessing. General Equity would be a contradiction if you assume Abrogated as used by the divines means totally nullified in its entirety. What are the results of disobedience to the laws (commands in the old and new testament) of God? L.Willows, Your email address will not be published. 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. We need to be obedient to Gods commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). how far can a duck . A husband must NOT treat his wife brutally. God is honored when we trust him to help us meet any situation. It was made between God and Moses and Israel. Aside from that, though, God's people should have an attitude of wantings to help others instead of trying to take advantage of someone else's loss. Deuteronomy 4:26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day Should they be guilty of such a sin, since they were so strongly and publicly cautioned against it; and even the heaven and the earth were called upon as witnesses of the law being set before them, which so expressly forbids it, ( Deuteronomy 30:19) that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go The reasons of this law are, 1. For example, love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself are in both the Old and New Testaments. All rights reserved. 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 told Moses he was pleased when the Israelites obeyed him because they wanted to, not because they had to. We need to obey Gods laws and statutes, so that we can experience His righteousness and peace (v. 30-32). Through Moses instruction, Deuteronomy also describes the future of the nation, which later biblical authors use as a template to interpret Israels history and to hold out hope for a new and better covenant (see e.g., Deut 29-30). Just as one finds curses for disobedience in the Old Testament and Book of Mormon, Deuteronomy 28 contains a list of blessings that Israel would receive when they were obedient. Jesus didn't invent a new ethic of nonviolence. This passage has significant implications for our spiritual lives today. 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? Christians are the chosen in the sense that those who are in Christ, putting their trust in Him, are the ones that benefited from that plan of salvation God was working out through Israel. 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. The new contract is a new enterprise. By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That means that some of the promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled differently now than they were then. Gentiles were never under the old contract. When we obey the Lord and keep His commandments, we are blessed in every way. Pilots gladly endure all of these precautions in order to fly and land safely at their destinations. That includes the prefatory material and its interpretation of the sermons. When we disobey Him, we open ourselves up to His curse. We need to be careful to obey His commands so that we can experience His blessings in our lives.