God had made his laws very clear and understandable so the people could not claim they were impossible to obey - they simply had to decide what they would do. The Israelites are told that if they obey the Lord and keep His commandments, they will be blessed in every way. We need to obey Gods laws and statutes, so that we can experience His righteousness and peace (v. 30-32). It could be that since they were getting ready to enter the land God promised to them, Moses was announcing the formation of the nation of Israel. He says, For we are the circumcision and he is talking to his Gentile audience there in Philippi we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. And what he means when he says, we are the circumcision, is: We Gentiles who are united to the Jewish Messiah Jesus are the true circumcised people, the true Israel of God. T. he subject of which Biblical laws apply today can be confusing for many Christians.. It is easy to think that our hard work and ingenuity have gotten us where we are. No matter how much we give back to God, we should give it joyfully and thankfully. ii. How does he expect me to respond?". If we obey God today, we can expect similar blessings in our lives. Why would God command the Israelites to destroy their enemies without mercy? What things can draw you away from the fundamentalvalues of life? Positioned strategically at the end of the Pentateuch, concluding the incredible life and ministry of Moses, renewing and expanding the Sinai covenant for the post-wilderness generation, Deuteronomy serves as the covenant instruction (torah) for a new generation posed to enter the Promised Land. He was not pleased when the Israelites insisted on returning to their sinful practices. They wouldnt be able toescapethe blessings. 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." . Even if she was raised in a heathen/ pagan/ non-Christian ideology and belief system. Deuteronomy is Christian Scripture. 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. 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. Even though Christians are not under the law-covenant as a covenant, we need to be reminded of the incredible privilege it is to be Gods covenant people and take seriously Pauls admonition that all Scripture, including Deuteronomy, is for our instruction and admonition (2 Tim 3:15-17). Copyright 2023, Southern Equip. God gave instructions to parents that they must first understand and internalize His laws and ways and then teach them to their own children. Other things, like homosexuality are forbidden in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. 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. It's a hermeneutical problem; an undue flattening out of the covenantal administration. The purpose of finding the greatest commandment was to focus on keeping that really well and not worry so much about the others. 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. . The covenant God made with Israel contained three major features: Thelaw, thesacrifice, and thechoice. This question is answered in Deuteronomy 28:15. The passage also includes a promise from God that these curses will be removed if the Israelites obey Him. Many of those Jews took advantage of the mercy offered through that plan, and many went wayward. When we think about the Old Testament, we often think of it as a book that contains a lot of laws and regulations. When things are going well in family, career, or any other area of life, we are tempted to become proud. It is important for us to understand that God's love for us never ends. 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. 10 " When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. It exalts Jesus Christ, crucified and raised as our only hope against sin. 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. It was given to those people in that state for that period of time. Nairaland - Copyright 2005 - 2023 Oluwaseun Osewa. 28 be applied to the United States? God restored the Israelites even though they continued to turn against him. And He is still a just God who curses those who disobey Him. Universal moral obligations from the Mosaic Law are repeated in the New Testament. 8. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Rather, if Christians repent, turn from their wicked ways, humble themselves, and pray to God, he will do a mighty work in and through the church however he please. 1. I'd like to see where he does that anyway, since the work is no commentary in the true sense whatsoever, but rather a reprinting of Calvin's sermons with prefatory material added by a theonomist. 12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. First, my people if my people the people are no longer merely the Jewish, ethnic people of God, but the blood-bought people of the Messiah united to him by faith. How can we discern if warnings or promises directed towards Israel are applicable to other nations, the body of Christ in the global church, or even to ourselves as individuals? 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. Being the head would have a similar meaning. Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. No. Is the US. Then theres a new generation that takes the land under Joshua. The list is severe, and includes everything from being cursed in the city to being cursed in the field. When God pronounced a curse in the Bible, it was a divine judgment upon sin. It was based on their obedience. The short answer is, "No." He expects His people to obey Him, and He will bless them when they do. These verses have spiritual implications for us as well. The Mosaic Covenant is a treaty God made with the Jews, the nation of Israel. Exodus 22:21-24. This is because some claim a great many of the laws given to ancient Israel still apply today while others claim none of them do and that under the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-33) believers are only responsible for fulling the "law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2) or the "law of love" (Matthew 22:37-40 . This is because God is faithful to His promises. Editorial: Reading Deuteronomy for Gods People Today. When we chose to believe in God, we are also given a fresh start. 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. The LORD had Moses instruct the Israelites that every man must attend the three special, religious festivals every year. 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. The Israelites were given two choices: obey God's commands and live good lives, or disobey them and face death and disaster. They hesitated and by staying outside of the land, they were not obeying God's instructions. 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. We will also be blessed materially, with good health, financial stability, and strong relationships. Does that mean we can go around murdering people because were not under the Mosaic Law? This request is one we should follow, too. 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. 5. The spiritual implications of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 are far-reaching. The Mosaic law included universal moral rules and rules that were limited to the nation who lived under that contract. Anything we read from the Bible falls under 1 of these dispensations and it should not be carried or used in another dispensation practically. 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 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? Having the proper attitude helps keep us from becoming greedy and selfish. Similarly, God has already saved us from our worst enemy - slavery to sin. 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. There is no balancing involved or necessary as far as I can see. You are using an out of date browser. 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. If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD: The word if looms large. As such, we should begin to obey God's commands and follow his ways. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a list of the blessings and curses that come as a result of obedience and disobedience. 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 It is not enough to merely read the Bible or hear a sermon. In the previous verse, the lender has wealth and power while the borrower is subservient. In our own lives, we are subject to the same reveal of God. We need to trust in God and His promises, even when things are tough (v. 25-29). No. Its exactly like being in a separate state. 3. Paul says in Rom. 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. Here are some key points from the passage that we can apply to our lives: 1. We need to be careful to not take God's blessings for granted (v. 17-19). From the context of Deuteronomy 28:13, we know it is better to be the head than the tail. 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). God's command to destroy these nations was his judgment upon them for the wicked things they had done for many years. Everything from Exodus 20 through Deuteronomy. The extent and power of this curse. We need to be careful to not take Gods blessings for granted (v. 17-19). See Other Shows. 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. 14-16 of Institutes published before Calvin preached on Deuteronomy and it remains present in his Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses, written and published after Calvin preached on Deuteronomy. We are blessed in our relationships, our health, our work, and every area of our lives. Are The Blessings and Curses in Deuteronomy 28 for Today? For hundred of years we have been a people without our rightful identity. Moses Wrote The Book Of Deuteronomy. When we disobey, we can expect His curse. 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. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering. And here is the promise. We need to be careful to obey His commands so that we can experience His blessings in our lives. Yes, we should have respect for God and a healthy fear if his anger, but God is not honored when we do what he says simply because we are afraid to do otherwise. JavaScript is disabled. He wants us to turn back to him. ). Deuteronomy 28:28 - "The LORD will make you go crazy, . He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. Salvation in the OT (based on the Abrahamic Covenant) was always by faith, and never by works. 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. Exegesis (including that done by older Reformed writers) that does not first take fully into account the historical situation between God and Israel before jumping directly to the application of theological paradigms shouldn't be seen as exemplary. First, Deuteronomy beautifully describes the covenant relationship between God and his people. 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.". A man must NOT treat his wife as a person he can disrespect or demean. The moral lawsthose against lying, stealing . In Deuteronomy 28, we see that obedience is a key factor in experiencing the blessings or curses of God. Share Improve this answer Follow answered May 24, 2022 at 21:53 conceptualinertia 1,112 10 16 Add a comment All the commands in the Old Testament are obsolete. 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. 3. We can trust Him to lead us and provide for us, and we can be confident that He has our best interests at heart. Refusing to obey God's instructions always brings defeat. 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. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. How can you show God you love him? Observe the justice of this curse. 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. I know what I think but I'm waiting for the Covenant Theology "experts" to reply to this one. Tweet. When we disobey Him, we open ourselves up to His curse. We need to remember that obedience to God leads to life, while disobedience leads to death (v. 46-68). 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. The passage in Deuteronomy 23:2, and similar passages, are no longer valid today, nor can they be applied to the Church of God. Now he addresses their children and commands obedience in them (Deut 4). The holiness and splendor of God The overall goal of the book of Leviticus is to show the level of holiness God exists in. (1-2) Overtaken by blessing. God had promised the Israelites that if they obeyed his laws and teaching, he would bless them with food, shelter, and land. This passage is a reminder that we need to put our faith in God and not in ourselves. As a result, each of them experienced a downhill slide. Sometimes the curse or judgment was pronounced by the servant of God as in Deuteronomy 27-28. He is author of. 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. Moses warned the Israelites about staying away from prostitutes because immoral sex was strictly forbidden by God's law. For these celebrations, they were reminded to take a gift for God, according to what they had received from him. As members of the Church we find ourselves waiting and preparing to enter into the promise of the Kingdom of God. Deuteronomy 22:5 and 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 (wearing a veil) make it clear that men and women are not to purposely cross-dress. On the other hand, the Israelites had promised to obey God. It is not a curse causeless, or for some light cause. But what we may not realize is that many of these laws are still relevant to us today. Even though that generation knew the letter of the law, God instructed them to circumcise their hearts and write His laws there (10:16). He will bless those who obey Him and curse those who disobey Him. The rest of the bible of course shows us that the principles, blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience still apply, but as a matter of bible interpretation I don't see how this particular passage has direct application outside of Israel in the land. The book of Joshua tells how Israel settled in Canaan, the land God promised to give them. 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. In ch. 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. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. Jesus is emphasizing the complete impossibility of self-justification, which is the fundamental difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. 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. Let us highlight each of these areas in turn. 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. Moses let it be known that from this day on, the Israelites were God's people, so they needed to obey God's instructions. We have the same choice as God's followers. 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. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of The first curse, on the other hand, is for those who disobey Gods commandments. In this chapter, Moses exhorted the nation withchoice. 1. 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 are picking and choosing, but we are not doing so arbitrarily. It is meant to be a further burden on anyone that is seeking to justify himself, which is the case for the person who asked the question. In other words, when step one says that we are heirs of all the promises, we have to take into account that those promises may be fulfilled differently today because of the changes that have come into history through the words and the work of Jesus. We need to trust in Gods plan for our lives, even when it doesnt make sense to us (v. 40-42). This book is named after the main character of its second part. If their teachings and their lifestyles do not line up with God's word, stay far away from them! It is out of this desire to please God that we do what he says. Israels being chosen did not secure their salvation. Our Creator wishes to make Himself known to us. And let me give you one more example, because he asked about it. We need to have faith in God, even when we face difficult circumstances (v. 37-39). The new contract is a new enterprise. Today, we do not live under the Mosaic covenant. God's laws and commands are practical - he knows what can cause us to start trusting ourselves instead of him. I recognize this and know the error. There are a lot of rules that apply in any situation in any state. [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? However, there are some things stated in there that go beyond the law and are above the temporal role of the Mosaic Law. And in such an area, the curses of Deuteronomy 28 are brought to bear upon us. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted and printed on images and materials as a source of inspiration and comfort. 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). Seeing Jesus in Deuteronomy takes practice, but he is everywhere. But Deut. What does it mean that you are the head and not the tail in Deuteronomy 28:13? Well, in view of what Christ has done in the New Testament, we make at least two changes. We need to be obedient to Gods commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). We can read in the Bible how God has helped his people again and again with their problems. Again, this is something that we should all be striving to do. 4:3-5, ". I find it necessary to tell you, @Goshen360, that I actually am aware that you are attacking an erroneous teaching in the Church. This is His way of bringing us back to Himself and showing us that we need Him. Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which points out even your enemies are your neighbor. If we obey Gods laws, we will be blessed. Then, the lawyer who raised the question, seeking to justify himself, asks who is his neighbor. Part of it was in response to the Jews. Let me see if I can simplify some very complex issues and provide a two-step process that enables Joe and the rest of us Christians to appropriate the Old Testament, especially the promises for our use as Christians in the 21st century. In Leviticus it is being expressed clearly as a universal, right next to bestiality and child sacrifice. We dont have all the laws that pertain to dietary and sacrificial things because Jesus did away with those laws. It begins when you "love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength" (6.5). They had to keep the terms of the covenant. I cannot justify myself, Greg Koukl, based on the demands of those simple commandments. L.Willows, Your email address will not be published. But Deuteronomy gives us more than a mere recounting of this unique episode in Israels history. Their crops will fail, their flocks and herds will dwindle, and they will be cursed with few children. God dealt with Adam and Eve in one way, and He dealt with the Jews through Abraham with a different plan. That is my understanding of Romans 11. Well, the fact is that many of the things mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 are still relevant to us today. They seem to be universals and are therefore in the New Testament. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness.
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