So, that is step one. Do we try to build status elsewhere? But if we disobey, we will be cursed. 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 aim of The BELOVED is to awaken Christian Unity, embolden Fellowship and inspire Hope. A man must NOT treat his wife as a person he can disrespect or demean. Some people may be deceiving themselves. When we obey the Lord and keep His commandments, we are blessed in every way. They wouldnt be able toescapethe blessings. 7. One example is Deuteronomy 28, which contains a number of blessings and curses. God gave the Israelites specific instructions for returning lost animals because they were valuable possessions. There are a lot of rules that apply in any situation in any state. To add a lil. There are also laws and rules that are unique to a particular states situation. 2. Here is, I. The covenant God made with Israel contained three major features: Thelaw, thesacrifice, and thechoice. 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 Gods image-bearers. This is a summary statement in the New Testament. 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? For example, love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself are in both the Old and New Testaments. We need to have faith in God, even when we face difficult circumstances (v. 37-39). Deuteronomy 28:28 - "The LORD will make you go crazy, . He is author of. He received his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and he is the author of numerous essays and articles and the co-author of Kingdom through Covenant (Crossway, 2012). I have been unable until now to address the issue of the relationship between the Old Covenant and the Christian. The tail should not be dictating the direction of the dogthe head should do that. Blessings Will Run After Us Deuteronomy 28:1-2 commentary by David Guzik, notes with L.Willows, Blue Letter Bible / David Guzik Study Guide, Songs of The Dawn, a worship poem from L.Willows (Hope in God, Heart Prayer, Faith), Praying for People of Every Tribe, Tongue and Nation, from Precept Austin (Redemption, Pray without Ceasing), Faith; Rejoicing in Grace, from Martin Lloyd Jones (Overcome, Trusting God, True Courage), Repent Unto Life, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Eternal Life in Christ, Divine Mercy of God, Resources). It was made between God and Moses and Israel. Fine, but having skimmed the longish introduction where Jordan tries to make his case is already a strike against it for me. General Equity would be a contradiction if you assume Abrogated as used by the divines means totally nullified in its entirety. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. All rights reserved. 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. What values do you need to maintain in life to be truly successful? Moses warned the Israelites about staying away from prostitutes because immoral sex was strictly forbidden by God's law. Confess them over you life and let the blessings of God literally run you down and overtake you. God told Moses he was pleased when the Israelites obeyed him because they wanted to, not because they had to. Then, the lawyer who raised the question, seeking to justify himself, asks who is his neighbor. Required fields are marked *. We should think again! If we do these things, we will be blessed. 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 ). We get a lot of questions in the inbox about how to interpret the Old Testament as a Christian, trying to understand which promises apply to us and which ones dont. "Be strong and courageous. Faith in the finished work of the Cross of Christ is the Christian key to blessings in all aspects of life. God made a promise to the Israelites - he would be their God, take care of them, and bless them. 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. 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 . not by the works of the law, and then teach that the law and its curse still apply today to New Testament believers . God also rewards obedience. Watch on. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 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. The nation of Israel was obliged to obey the laws of their nation in order to reap Gods blessings or curses. The Mosaic Covenant is a treaty God made with the Jews, the nation of Israel. The idea behind thechoiceis that God was determined to reveal Himself to the world through Israel. I think the 'specifics' mentioned such as v8b and v68 show us that this passage is primarily directed towards OT Israel. Im not under the California statute, but I am under the Ohio statute. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. My bad -- technically he preaches on Deut 28:1-34 and 45-63. 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 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. Note also in Ephesians 2 Paul talks about the role of the law. 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. This truth was very offensive to some jewish christians as it is now offensive to religious gentile christians. A regular family devotions time enables us to systematically disciple our children in "the whole counsel of God" ( Acts 20 . 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. We will not be able to escape them! The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous. 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. Under the law of Moses the Gentiles can never be saved. The people are to keep the Sabbath in remembrance of their enslavement in Egypt. Possibly, Moses wanted to remind the new generation that had grown up during the desert wandering that they, too, were God's chosen people. Our behavior reveals what we truly believe in our hearts. This book is named after the main character of its second part. This allows us to answer a lot of challenges that people might make regarding the old law. He also requires us to be good caretakers of what we have been given. Fine, try these two on for size. We must always give God the credit for our health, riches, and well-being. This passage is a reminder that we need to put our faith in God and not in ourselves. "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:" These blessings and curses are based on obedience to Gods laws. The extent and power of this curse. The things that no longer apply to us are not repeated in the New Testament. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering. And here is the promise. 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. Moses led Israel through everything they needed to know to live successfully in Canaan. Their crops will yield abundant harvests, their flocks and herds will increase, and they will be blessed with many children. 1. 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. Christians may rightly embrace the promises of the Old Testament made to Israel, because in union with the Messiah, Jesus, we are Israel, we are the true Israel. It is a life in which we are obedient to His commands and live in accordance with His will. 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. The Ten Commandments are recounted in ch. the covenant nation of God? 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. Just as our law does, the Mosaic Law included universal moral principles. If we obey God today, we can expect similar blessings in our lives. God's command to destroy these nations was his judgment upon them for the wicked things they had done for many years. 8. This request is one we should follow, too. "Christians become the heirs of all the promises in the Old Testament through union with Christ." Here is the first step: 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]. 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. Confronting an enemy always causes a certain amount of fear, but with God, on our side, we can be confident of victory. Here's a slightly different slant: of course it applies to us! 2 So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime 3 and write on them all the words of this law, when you So to recap, I'm bumping into a question that has a different answer depending on one's embracing of a "theonomic" worldview? We are blessed when we give with a cheerful heart. No command is incumbent upon me in virtue of being part of the law. The Lord's careful instructions to the Israelites about making and collecting loans show how concerned he is for those who are in need. 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. 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. Not everyone who claims to speak and act on God's behalf is truly doing so. 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). 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 . They seem to be universals and are therefore in the New Testament. . These differences are evident in book iv chaper 20 pp. The lawyer is interested in finding a way that he can work his own salvation out by himself. If Beeke actually lists it as his #1 commentary, as you claim, I'd have to say that's a pretty poor choice, since it technically is not a commentary. It doesnt mean that. The list of curses in this passage is exhaustive, and demonstrates the severity of Gods curse. The Puritans is the shining example of what abrogation vs general equity means. Deuteronomy 28:1 English Standard Version Blessings for Obedience 28 "And qif you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you rhigh above all the nations of the earth. As a result, each of them experienced a downhill slide. For now, a single person can expect to receive an average of $197 a . 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. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. If we are obedient to Gods commands, we will experience His blessings. Similarly, God has already saved us from our worst enemy - slavery to sin. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Well, the fact is that many of the things mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 are still relevant to us today. Here is another example. 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." . 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. We dont have the punishments proscribed in the law because that was for their judicial system in that nation. 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. That includes the prefatory material and its interpretation of the sermons. Deuteronomy is Christian Scripture. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is one such example.. The church has no homeland except heaven and eventually the new earth. Abraham was saved by faith, not by works and he is the prime example of how everyone has always been saved. Deuteronomy emphasizes the heart and feeling of the lawto love God with all your being and your neighbor as yourself. Read through all of the awesome blessings listed in Deuteronomy 28. 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. Share Improve this answer Follow answered May 24, 2022 at 21:53 conceptualinertia 1,112 10 16 Add a comment This chapter shows that God is just and faithful to His promises. 2. God doesnt change, but that does not mean the way He deals with mankind doesnt change. 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. ( Deu 28:1-2) Overtaken by blessing. Sometimes we think that a small bit of disobedience is no big deal to God, but sin always has consequences. The list is severe, and includes everything from being cursed in the city to being cursed in the field. But Deuteronomy gives us more than a mere recounting of this unique episode in Israels history. Even though that generation knew the letter of the law, God instructed them to circumcise their hearts and write His laws there (10:16). How does Deuteronomy 281-14 apply to us today, How does Deuteronomy 2815-68 apply to us today, What are the spiritual implications of Deuteronomy 281-14, What are the spiritual implications of Deuteronomy 2815-68, How can we practically apply Deuteronomy 281-14 to our lives today, How can we practically apply Deuteronomy 2815-68 to our lives today, What does it mean to live a life blessed by God according to Deuteronomy 28, What does it mean to live a life cursed by God according to Deuteronomy 28, What role does obedience play in experiencing the blessings or curses of Deuteronomy 28, What can we learn from Deuteronomy 28 about Gods character and His expectations for His people, How Much Does Steroid Injection Increase Settlement, How Much Does A Dental Bridge Cost With Insurance, How Much Do Estheticians Make With Their Own Business, How Many Valence Electrons Does Zinc Have, How Many Valence Electrons Does Barium Have, How Many Episodes Does One Piece Have 2022, How Long Does Royal Honey Take To Kick In Reddit, How Long Does It Take To Get A Cavity Filled, How Long Does It Take To Change Spark Plugs, How Long Does Delta 10 Stay In Your Urine, How Long Does Brandy Melville Take To Ship, How Long Does A Dog Bleed After Giving Birth, How Long Can A Sea Turtle Hold Its Breath. 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.". And, therefore, all the promises made to the circumcision, the true Israel, belong to us, Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus. 3. T. he subject of which Biblical laws apply today can be confusing for many Christians.. [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? This passage has significant implications for our spiritual lives today. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. In our own lives, we are subject to the same reveal of God. But if we disobey, we will be cursed. Put up a link or something. A. How do we try to avoid facing the truth of our status in spiritual obedience. Theres 40 years of wandering and the first generation dies away. Then theres a new generation that takes the land under Joshua. 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. So we are obligated to follow those moral rules, not in virtue of them being in the Mosaic law, but because they are universal for all people. Defeating Giants - Part 4. 28 be applied to the United States? Moses let it be known that from this day on, the Israelites were God's people, so they needed to obey God's instructions. He is to exhort the Israelites regarding God's law. It was given to those people in that state for that period of time. Now, how do Christians embrace and apply this today? The important thing is that this is an agreement that God made with Israel. 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 Mosaic law included universal moral rules and rules that were limited to the nation who lived under that contract. In any case, God's Word is the one true standard against which all activities show be judged. Even if she was raised in a heathen/ pagan/ non-Christian ideology and belief system. 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. 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? 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. For these celebrations, they were reminded to take a gift for God, according to what they had received from him. Unfortunately, the Israelites broke their promise to God. 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 makes that point . God doesn't make us obey him - it is our choice. how far can a duck . PSA 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. The LORD wants us to obey him because we love him. 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. What does "I set before you life and death" mean in Deuteronomy 30:19? The choice was up to Israel. 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. See How To Advertise. ii. Mar 2, 2023: When we make mistakes, the enemy wants us to feel miserable.but God wants us to bounce back. Today, we do not live under the Mosaic covenant. We need to be obedient to God's commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). When we think about the Old Testament, we often think of it as a book that contains a lot of laws and regulations. Help us continue to equip Christians with knowledge, wisdom, and character. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's release, Deuteronomy 15:2; Deuteronomy 15:2. 22 "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice . Deuteronomy is like a preflight check-list for one of the most important adventures in biblical history. We need to be faithful to God and avoid idolatry (v. 20-24). Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. 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. Of course, these blessings are not guaranteed. Does the Covenant of Works Have 2 Aspects to it. After all, he is speaking to the generation whose parents died in the wilderness due to their disobedience and rebellion (Deut 1-4). In Deuteronomy 28, Moses spells out the blessings that will come upon the Israelites if they obey Gods commands. First and foremost, we need to realize that the Old Testament is still relevant to us today. These verses have spiritual implications for us as well. Deuteronomy 22 is entirely about instructions what to do and what not to do. The curses include sickness, defeat, and exile. 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. June 9, 2015 by Karin. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. Here is an analogy: There is nothing in California law that applies to somebody living in Ohio. We need to rely on His strength and not our own. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. 492Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland. We need to be reminded of that same truth many times today. 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. 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. Moses warned the Israelites about the false prophets who would encourage them to worship other gods and idols. Leviticus 5:1516 says if anyone sins, he shall bring an offering, a ram as an offering. Moses . What was the point of the book of Deuteronomy? In either case, it was a new start for the people. Idolatry-the worship of handmade statues or images - was everywhere in the land. Second, Moses in Deuteronomy does not pull any punches regarding the deep problem of the human heart. I can't give a satisfactory explanation of why Deuteronomy 20 should be in our Bibles. If we are no longer under the Sinai covenant, how do we apply the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 to believers today? 13 When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he . But what we may not realize is that many of these laws are still relevant to us today. God gave instructions to parents that they must first understand and internalize His laws and ways and then teach them to their own children. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It is first given in Exodus when Moses is at Mount Sinai. We are told that if we do not trust in Him, then we will not be blessed. Copy. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. 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. Well, in view of what Christ has done in the New Testament, we make at least two changes. William Twisse on Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28, and the covenant of works. The passage also includes a promise from God that these curses will be removed if the Israelites obey Him. The Puritan Board is a forum dedicated to the discussion of Christian theology in a Confessionally Reformed context. This exception does not apply to uncles (it is obviously impossible to apply to a Father's spouse because the Father by definition is not childless) because we have no basis for presuming the exception goes beyond what is expressly provided. The short answer is, "No." Deuteronomy is one long sermon given by Moses before his death. 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. Jesus didn't invent a new ethic of nonviolence. 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. As such, we should begin to obey God's commands and follow his ways. It was a dividing wall that kept the Gentiles and Jews separated. Rom 5:20-21; 7:13)a lesson we must never forget. You are using an out of date browser. "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.