A direction to the judges in scourging malefactors, v. 1-3. 8. Deuteronomy 28:1-2, The promise of God in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 offers many powerful insights that we can learn from when we listen with our hearts and open ourselves to applying the wisdom of its mighty blessing to our lives with obedience. If their teachings and their lifestyles do not line up with God's word, stay far away from them! They served their purpose for the carnal, physical nation of Israel, but they have been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ Who has opened a new way to God the Father, based on personal responsibility and . Editorial: Reading Deuteronomy for Gods People Today. Indeed, at the end of the chapter, it says people in other cultures practiced these things and they were judged for them. These things are wrong in any culture. 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. L.Willows, Blessings on obedience, Commentary by David GuzikBlue Letter Bible / David Guzik Study Guide. In ch. [17] The promises of it, in like manner, show them God's approbation of obedience,and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof:[18]. Well, in view of what Christ has done in the New Testament, we make at least two changes. God also rewards obedience. 1. There are blessings and curses in the Mosaic Covenant meant for Israel. The important thing is that this is an agreement that God made with Israel. Stephen J. Wellum is Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and editor of Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. 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 any case, God's Word is the one true standard against which all activities show be judged. They seem to be universals and are therefore in the New Testament. Could Deut. We are also told that if we do trust in the Lord, then we will be blessed. 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. 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. It exalts Jesus Christ, crucified and raised as our only hope against sin. We need to be obedient to God's commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). They were Gods instruments to accomplish a plan of rescue for the world: God becoming man as a member of the Jewish race and dying on the cross for mans crimes against God. Our hearts are confident because of Gods Love, encouraged by the joy of His Loving Presence, gathered together by the enduring power of His Holy Spirit., Andif you faithfully obey the voice of the, If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD, That the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. . We put our confidence in Him, so we are chosen regarding salvation. Jesus didn't invent a new ethic of nonviolence. No command is incumbent upon me in virtue of being part of the law. How does he expect me to respond?". 2 Chronicles 7:14 is one such example.. Now he addresses their children and commands obedience in them (Deut 4). The Mosaic Law contained some universal moral principles that apply today because they transcend the old law, but arent applied in the same way judicially. As a nation, we can expect to be blessed with political stability, economic prosperity, and military success. The purpose of finding the greatest commandment was to focus on keeping that really well and not worry so much about the others. One way to know that is to see how its worded. Some argue that all laws related to sexual conduct carry over to the New Testament, but Leviticus also prohibits sex during a woman's menstrual period (Leviticus 18:19), which most Christians do not regard as sinful. 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. Deu 25:1-4. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of 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. God is vitally concerned for Israel and for all peoples and their well-being. Moses warned the Israelites about the false prophets who would encourage them to worship other gods and idols. Jesus is emphasizing the complete impossibility of self-justification, which is the fundamental difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Then, the lawyer who raised the question, seeking to justify himself, asks who is his neighbor. It is my prayer that the various articles and contributions in this issue of SBJT will lead us to a greater understanding of Deuteronomy and a renewed appreciation for our Lord Jesus Christ, the one whom the message of Deuteronomy ultimately points. Nothing that is in the Mosaic Law applies to me as a Gentile in virtue of it being in the Mosaic Law. The LORD had Moses instruct the Israelites that every man must attend the three special, religious festivals every year. As Adam alluded to, there is always application. It doesnt mean that. But even then, He is faithful to forgive us and restore us when we repent. This passage has significant implications for our spiritual lives today. It is out of this desire to please God that we do what he says. basically, it is a renewal of the covenant God made with them previously. Im not under the California statute, but I am under the Ohio statute. The book of Judges tells how the Israelites kept rejecting the Lord and worshiping idols. Today, we do not live under the Mosaic covenant. For the destroying of Amalek ( v. 17, etc. We need to obey Gods laws and statutes, so that we can experience His righteousness and peace (v. 30-32). When we obey the Lord and keep His commandments, we are blessed in every way. The blessings include material abundance, victory in battle, and protection from enemies. Deuteronomy, rightly understood and placed in its location in redemptive-history, is far more than an ancient history book of Israel. The Puritans is the shining example of what abrogation vs general equity means. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. 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. It is not a curse causeless, or for some light cause. 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. Second, we need to obey Gods commandments and keep His covenant. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. One example is Deuteronomy 28, which contains a number of blessings and curses. As a result, each of them experienced a downhill slide. Then he warned them about the extreme dangers associated with deviating from the plan. Others may be trying to trick us. They had to keep the terms of the covenant. The Mosaic Law of the Old Testament was written for the chosen people of Israel. Were on a mission to change that. By so doing they will become faithful sons, which wonderfully and gloriously, God promises to do in the future. 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 Does that mean we can go around murdering people because were not under the Mosaic Law? Deuteronomy is like a preflight check-list for one of the most important adventures in biblical history. God gave instructions to parents that they must first understand and internalize His laws and ways and then teach them to their own children. 1. A regular family devotions time enables us to systematically disciple our children in "the whole counsel of God" ( Acts 20 . We are picking and choosing, but we are not doing so arbitrarily. We need to keep our hearts focused on God, so that we can obey His commands and enjoy His blessings (v. 43-45). For example, love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself are in both the Old and New Testaments. They hesitated and by staying outside of the land, they were not obeying God's instructions. Israel was chosen for a purposeGenesis 12:13. 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. Faith in the finished work of the Cross of Christ is the Christian key to blessings in all aspects of life. We are told that if we do not trust in Him, then we will not be blessed. Are The Blessings and Curses in Deuteronomy 28 for Today? God changes a lot of different things. When we do, we can expect His blessings in our lives. This is something that we should all avoid. So to recap, I'm bumping into a question that has a different answer depending on one's embracing of a "theonomic" worldview? God doesnt change, but that does not mean the way He deals with mankind doesnt change. If we are obedient to Gods commands, we will experience His blessings. Confronting an enemy always causes a certain amount of fear, but with God, on our side, we can be confident of victory. These blessings are both spiritual and material, and they are promised to both individuals and the nation as a whole. Thank you for this brief but important rudiment of the simplicity of the gospel of Christ . 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. No. 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 dealt with Adam and Eve in one way, and He dealt with the Jews through Abraham with a different plan. There is no greater privilege for humans than to know, love, obey, and serve our glorious covenant Lord. It may not display this or other websites correctly. And the second curse is for those who break Gods covenant. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. Here is the first step: 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]. not by the works of the law, and then teach that the law and its curse still apply today to New Testament believers . God does not make one thing up today and make up something contradictory tomorrow. If the girl could prove her virginity, her husband would have to pay a large fine (cf. This was doubly important in biblical times because many of the pagan religions surrounding Israel made prostitution a regular part of their religious ceremonies. T. he subject of which Biblical laws apply today can be confusing for many Christians.. As Christians, we are called to obey Gods commands. Only God cannot be shaken when the earth seems to crumble beneath us. If we obey Gods laws, we will be blessed. Here is, I. Deuteronomy 28 Message To All Black Christians Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: It's been a long ride for our people, the so called black man and woman in this land of America. It is a life in which we are obedient to His commands and live in accordance with His will. He, however, has never broken a promise to his people. God forgave Moses because of his trust in God, but Moses missed one of the greatest goals of his life - living in the land God had promised the Israelites. When we think about the Old Testament, we often think of it as a book that contains a lot of laws and regulations. Part of it was in response to the Jews. 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. In either case, it was a new start for the people. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Leviticus 5:1516 says if anyone sins, he shall bring an offering, a ram as an offering. We are not under the Mosaic Law, but under the New Covenant. 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. 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. 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. Our obedience is looking unto Jesus, and faith in his completed works. In the ancient Near East it was customary for legal treaties to conclude with passages containing blessings upon those who observed the enactments, and curses upon those who did not. (Harrrison). Fine, try these two on for size. The book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible. Even if she was raised in a heathen/ pagan/ non-Christian ideology and belief system. 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. Our Creator wishes to make Himself known to us. 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. I find it necessary to tell you, @Goshen360, that I actually am aware that you are attacking an erroneous teaching in the Church. In Deuteronomy 28, Moses spells out the blessings that will come upon the Israelites if they obey Gods commands. We need to be reminded of that same truth many times today. Our gifts show how much we appreciate God's kindness. If they did, He would protect them, and if they didnt, He would forsake them(Deuteronomy 28). In Deuteronomy 28, we see that obedience is a key factor in experiencing the blessings or curses of God. A man must NOT treat his wife as a slave, even if she is a captured prisoner of war. Gentiles were never under the old contract. Does he hate some people and love others? 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. It is all over the book of Hebrews, but here is Hebrews 10:12 and 14: When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Sometimes the curse or judgment was pronounced by the servant of God as in Deuteronomy 27-28. They wouldnt be able toescapethe blessings. 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 God's image-bearers. ( Deu 28:1-2) Overtaken by blessing. That is my understanding of Romans 11. 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. 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. 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. There are a lot of rules that apply in any situation in any state. 2. Why would God command the Israelites to destroy their enemies without mercy? Here is an analogy: There is nothing in California law that applies to somebody living in Ohio. They had to keep the terms of the covenant. When we disobey Him, we open ourselves up to His curse. In this song of blessing, Moses reminded the Israelites that God was their only true, safe place of security. 2. Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? All rights reserved. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But even if we dont experience all of these blessings in our lifetime, we can take comfort in knowing that we are right with God and that we will ultimately inherit all of his promises. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. For instance, the first blessing is for those who obey Gods commandments. Both versions allot six days for laboring (Exodus 20:9; Deuteronomy 5:13). There were debates between them about which law was the greatest commandment, so they asked Jesus. When Jesus is talking about loving your neighbor he is not advancing it as a separate ethic. "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. He reminds them of how the previous generation died in the wilderness because they had disobeyed the LORD and turned aside to other gods. Note also in Ephesians 2 Paul talks about the role of the law. The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous. They are conditional on our obedience to God. The first curse, on the other hand, is for those who disobey Gods commandments. But he turned away from God after he had accumulated great wealth and built a huge army. 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. Whether or not Beeke lists it as his number one choice as a commentary is irrelevant. There are some laws which had a ceremonial or civil component, which have since passed away, but retain their moral component and still apply today . the covenant nation of God? (Stoning a murder is not necessary if you don't have stones nearby, you can hang him), A Model of Christian Charity --- by Gov. But what we may not realize is that many of these laws are still relevant to us today. On the other hand, the Israelites had promised to obey God. It was made between God and Moses and Israel. It was a dividing wall that kept the Gentiles and Jews separated. b. 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 . The Apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy twice regarding cursing in his letter to the Galatians. 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. But with this promise, he also gave a warning that we should remember. 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. 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. Explore our latest content and live stream the radio program with our mobile apps. The offence of the cross is the nullification of sacrifice and self effort in receiving God and receiving from God - that you no longer need obedience to the law to be justified and belong to the commonwealth of zion. so what is v. 5 saying and does it apply? How do we try to avoid facing the truth of our status in spiritual obedience. His command was also a dramatic warning to the nation of Israel that God's people should beware of being overcome by the evil practices of their enemies. The nation of Israel was obliged to obey the laws of their nation in order to reap Gods blessings or curses. If we are no longer under the Sinai covenant, how do we apply the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 to believers today? God gave the Israelites specific instructions for returning lost animals because they were valuable possessions. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. The obligation not to murder is universal and should be in any law. 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. Now, Jews and Gentiles alike who put their faith in Jesus are under the new contract. Abraham was saved by faith, not by works and he is the prime example of how everyone has always been saved. 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. 11 You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. Exodus 22:21-24. How can you show God you love him? "Be strong and courageous. We have no such promise in the Bible. A life blessed by God according to Deuteronomy 28 is one that is full of His goodness and love. Your email address will not be published. 5. We have a different covenant that applies to usthe new covenant with different obligations. 28 be applied to the United States? We should never take advantage of people in need. Moses . 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. If they did, He would protect them, and if they didn't, He would forsake them (Deuteronomy 28). Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? But if we disobey, we will be cursed. He expects His people to obey Him, and He will bless them when they do. But, I would rather you not attack errors with errors, especially worse ones. He promises to remove the curse if the Israelites obey Him, and He is faithful to His promises.