Read Deuteronomy 28:1–14
Questions from the Scripture text: When would the following things come to pass (Deuteronomy 28:1)? How does verse 1 summarize all of the following blessings? What will the blessings do (Deuteronomy 28:2)? Why? Where will they be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:3)? What fruit will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:4)? What provision will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:5)? What goings will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:6)? What will happen to their enemies (Deuteronomy 28:7)? What efforts will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:8)? What sort of people will they be (Deuteronomy 28:9)? Who will see this (Deuteronomy 28:10)? With what effect? By what means will He do all this blessing (Deuteronomy 28:11-12)? How will they relate to the nations (Deuteronomy 28:12-13)? What must they do with His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:13)? What mustn’t they do (Deuteronomy 28:14)? What would any turning aside be tantamount to doing?
What are the obligations and benefits of covenant with God? Deuteronomy 28:1–14 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fourteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that covenant with God obligates us to obey Him Himself, and promises us the blessing of Him Himself.
In Israel’s national covenant with God, He promises to meet their obedience with blessing.
Obedience. The conditionality of this blessing is clear at the bookends of the passage. Obeying, they must obey YHWH’s voice as their covenant God (Deuteronomy 28:1a); and, keeping, they shall keep all His commandments (verse 1b). This obedience is to be personal (“voice,” “your”) and comprehensive (“all”). These blessings will not just come to them, but hunt them down, if they “obey the voice of YHWH your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2). This appears in the middle of the passage: “if you keep the commandments of YHWH your God and walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 28:9). And it appears again, at the other bookend: they are to heed the commandments of YHWH, their covenant God (Deuteronomy 28:13). This is personal, since turning from any of these words is the same as going after other gods (Deuteronomy 28:14). Whomever they obey, that is their God.
Who would your God be, by this measure? Your belly? Your amusement? Your wealth? God grant that it would be He. And may He do so by His Word. Moses emphasizes the personal encounter with God in His Word. Although this obedience, and its blessing, is especially tied to the land, He repeatedly emphasizing that right now, in the moment that He is preaching to them, the Lord is personally engaging them by this preaching. Note the words “today” (Deuteronomy 28:1), “today” (Deuteronomy 28:14a), and “this day” (verse 14b).
Material blessing. Material things are not bad. Here, as in Eden from the creation, and in the New Heavens and Earth in the age to come, the Lord blesses His people with material blessing. He uses opposites to show how complete this blessing is; He will bless them everywhere (in city and country, Deuteronomy 28:3), all the time (when they come in or go out, Deuteronomy 28:6). He will make their ground and cattle and flocks fruitful (Deuteronomy 28:4), so that their basket and kneading bowl are blessed (Deuteronomy 28:5), and their storehouses will be blessed with the fruit of the promised land (Deuteronomy 28:8). These are royal gifts from His own storehouse/treasury (Deuteronomy 28:11-12a). Though the Lord has not initiated such a covenant with our nation, yet when we enjoy these things, we also are receiving from His royal treasury, and looking forward to final and full material blessing.
Spiritual blessing. Greater than, but not separate from, the material blessing is the spiritual blessing that YHWH promises His people. They will be consecrated high above the rest of the earth (end of Deuteronomy 28:1, cf. Deuteronomy 28:13a). Their bodies will bear the fruit of multiplied image-bearers and saints (Deuteronomy 28:4a, Deuteronomy 28:11b). Their enemies will be defeated (Deuteronomy 28:7). The essence of this blessing is stated at the heart of the passage: “YHWH will establish you as a holy people to Himself” (Deuteronomy 28:9a).
This is the ultimate blessing, in all of these other blessings: having YHWH Himself, belonging to YHWH Himself. If you are understanding your other blessings well, dear Christian, then you know Him Himself to be your blessedness in each of them.
How are you receiving/hearing God’s commandments in a way that is very personal? What material blessings have you been enjoying? What material blessings do you have a sure hope of receiving/enjoying? What spiritual blessings have you been enjoying? What spiritual blessings do you have a sure hope of receiving/enjoying? How has your enjoyment of each blessing, and response to it, showed that the Lord Himself is your blessing in each of them?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for how we have not taken Your commandments personally, as delivered to us by Your voice. You have personally engaged us with Your Word; grant unto us to obey each and every thing that You say to us. You have give us so much, materially and spiritually, for which we have neglected to be thankful. And we have often enjoyed the material or spiritual blessing, while forgetting that You Yourself are the great blessing that You give, in each gift that You bestow upon us. Forgive us, through Christ, and make us to be like Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”
No comments:
Post a Comment