Are The Blessings and Curses in Deuteronomy 28 for 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 . Our Creator wishes to make Himself known to us. Because of this identity crisis, our people have become very confused. He is author of. We are told that if we do not trust in Him, then we will not be blessed. 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. God loves us even when we do things that go against his commands. Do we try to build status elsewhere? 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. The blessings include material abundance, victory in battle, and protection from enemies. 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. 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. We understand the Old Testament law was given as a contract to Moses and was therefore very unique and particular for the nation of Israel. 6, God gives Moses instructions to give to Israel. How Do We As Christians Apply the Old Testament to Our Lives? | Titus 2 Samuel 24:24) to her father and remain married to the girl. Because of Solomon's disobedience, Israel became a divided nation, and many of the Israelites turned away from God. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. The same principles that applied to Israel's success in Canaan apply to us today. 4:3-5, ". 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. (Stoning a murder is not necessary if you don't have stones nearby, you can hang him), A Model of Christian Charity --- by Gov. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. It is not an agreement God made with anyone else. God doesnt change, but that does not mean the way He deals with mankind doesnt change. Idolatry-the worship of handmade statues or images - was everywhere in the 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. Their crops will fail, their flocks and herds will dwindle, and they will be cursed with few children. 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. And in such an area, the curses of Deuteronomy 28 are brought to bear upon us. 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. We need to keep our hearts focused on God, so that we can obey His commands and enjoy His blessings (v. 43-45). I can't give a satisfactory explanation of why Deuteronomy 20 should be in our Bibles. He is to exhort the Israelites regarding God's law. 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. It is first given in Exodus when Moses is at Mount Sinai. Divorce in Deuteronomy 21 gives dignity and rights to the woman Being the head would have a similar meaning. Young people should be informed of the consequences that are sure to follow when God's instructions are ignored. If the girl could prove her virginity, her husband would have to pay a large fine (cf. Let us highlight each of these areas in turn. In the previous verse, the lender has wealth and power while the borrower is subservient. Which Old-Testament Promises Apply to Me? | Desiring God How to Apply Deuteronomy 6 - BJU Press Blog 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. For the destroying of Amalek ( v. 17, etc. But with this promise, he also gave a warning that we should remember. Possibly, Moses wanted to remind the new generation that had grown up during the desert wandering that they, too, were God's chosen people. So what can we learn from all of this? Because God does not change, the blessings He gave to people in the past apply to us as much as they have ever . "At that time I said to you, 'I am not able to bear you by myself. 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. The LORD had Moses instruct the Israelites that every man must attend the three special, religious festivals every year. The Mosaic law included universal moral rules and rules that were limited to the nation who lived under that contract. The first curse, on the other hand, is for those who disobey Gods commandments. How Do the Blessings in the Scriptures Apply to us Today? Anything we read from the Bible falls under 1 of these dispensations and it should not be carried or used in another dispensation practically. 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. There is no balancing involved or necessary as far as I can see. Second, we need to obey Gods commandments and keep His covenant. Virtually every one of the Ten Commandments, save the Sabbath, is also expressed in some way or another in the New Testament as morally obligatory. 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. 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. How Do the Blessings in the Scriptures Apply to Us Today? | Meridian Q. Is Deuteronomy 24:1-4 still applicable today - Eternal God Our gifts show how much we appreciate God's kindness. That was a set of civil obligations that were applicable to those people in that nation. See How To Advertise. 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. As Christians, we are called to obey Gods commands. Here is the first step: 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]. Others may be trying to trick us. Could Deut. When Jesus is talking about loving your neighbor he is not advancing it as a separate ethic. These blessings are both spiritual and material, and they are promised to both individuals and the nation as a whole. The moral lawsthose against lying, stealing . This book is named after the main character of its second part. We need to remember that obedience to God leads to life, while disobedience leads to death (v. 46-68). The Mosaic covenant is like a state law. God also rewards obedience. There are a lot of rules that apply in any situation in any state. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 give us the curses that would come upon Israel for disobedience. We should constantly ask, "What is God saying to me through this? Does Deut 28 apply to us? | The Puritan Board They hesitated and by staying outside of the land, they were not obeying God's instructions. Do the Old Testament Promises of Prosperity Apply to God's People Today 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. 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 . Fine, but having skimmed the longish introduction where Jordan tries to make his case is already a strike against it for me. The imagery of having blessings run after us and overtake us with their joyful power is wonderous! Do Only Old Testament Laws Repeated in the New Testament Apply Today 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. We must always give God the credit for our health, riches, and well-being. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Deuteronomy Chapter 28 The reasons of this law are, 1. Deuteronomy 28 1 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. 492Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland. Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:12-15 - Working Preacher The people are to keep the Sabbath in remembrance of their enslavement in Egypt. The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous. Deuteronomy 28 Is Not For Christians; Ephesians 1:3 Is Our - Nairaland How much we give to God is not what matters. This was Jesuspoint. Editorial: Reading Deuteronomy for Gods People Today. 13 When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he . Deuteronomy 28:28 - "The LORD will make you go crazy, . No matter how much we give back to God, we should give it joyfully and thankfully. 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. 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. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 2. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is a powerful passage that contains a lot of practical applications for our lives today. When we chose to believe in God, we are also given a fresh start. However, if we disobey God, we will experience His curses. Editorial: Reading Deuteronomy for Gods People Today. We need to be obedient to God's commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). He can make plans and play things out so that certain things apply in some cases and dont apply later, though His purpose is constant and unchanging. See Other Shows. Second, Moses in Deuteronomy does not pull any punches regarding the deep problem of the human heart. Moses led Israel through everything they needed to know to live successfully in Canaan. So, that is step one. Deuteronomy 27 | Bible.org 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. They seem to be universals and are therefore in the New Testament. All rights reserved. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's release, Deuteronomy 15:2; Deuteronomy 15:2. 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. We need to look at the passages in question and ask: Does this seem to express a moral obligation that transcends the Mosaic Law? Read more Explain verse Share Copy Show footnotes A A 2# Short Commentary & Lesson From Deuteronomy 5.28-30. I have been unable until now to address the issue of the relationship between the Old Covenant and the Christian. We should think again! How to Apply Deuteronomy 6. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Rom 5:20-21; 7:13)a lesson we must never forget. This request is one we should follow, too. He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. God restored the Israelites even though they continued to turn against him. 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 makes that point . 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. 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 out of this desire to please God that we do what he says. Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted and printed on images and materials as a source of inspiration and comfort. Deuteronomy 28:1-2: What is this requiring? Here are some key points from the passage that we can apply to our lives: 1. We can remind ourselves of the many times he has helped us, our family, and our friends. There is no greater privilege for humans than to know, love, obey, and serve our glorious covenant Lord. Here's a slightly different slant: of course it applies to us! The head is the leader, the one who . Defeating Giants - Part 4. 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. iii. Well, the fact is that many of the things mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 are still relevant to us today. It's a hermeneutical problem; an undue flattening out of the covenantal administration. . God told Moses he was pleased when the Israelites obeyed him because they wanted to, not because they had to. According to Leviticus 11, an animal is clean if it parts the hoof and chews the cord, if it lacks both or even one, it is unclean, it can't be offered as sacrifice and shouldn't even be eaten. Share Improve this answer Follow answered May 24, 2022 at 21:53 conceptualinertia 1,112 10 16 Add a comment And let me give you one more example, because he asked about it. It tells us what we need to know about God and how he wants us to live. We dont have all the laws that pertain to dietary and sacrificial things because Jesus did away with those laws. The "curse of the law" is not the curses found in Deuteronomy 28 that was specifically for the nation Israel in the Mosaic Covenant. It is a life in which we are obedient to His commands and live in accordance with His will. 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. 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). 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. We are not obliged by everything in the Mosaic Law. We should never take advantage of people in need. God never changes, so we can always depend on him. John Winthrop, 1630. 22 "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. Sometimes we are faced with big problems or strong opposition. 6. 28 be applied to the United States? 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. 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. "Teach Them Diligently" - A Sermon on Deuteronomy 6 TEACH DILIGENTLY If we obey Gods laws, we will be blessed. Under the law of Moses the Gentiles can never be saved. Here is an analogy: There is nothing in California law that applies to somebody living in Ohio. Therefore, the application we make of this verse is not that if Christians will repent God will heal America. I find it necessary to tell you, @Goshen360, that I actually am aware that you are attacking an erroneous teaching in the Church. 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. No. The Lord's careful instructions to the Israelites about making and collecting loans show how concerned he is for those who are in need. Universal moral obligations from the Mosaic Law are repeated in the New Testament. Now here is the second step. We need to trust in God and His promises, even when things are tough (v. 25-29). These verses have spiritual implications for us as well. 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. Here are some key points from the passage that we can apply to our lives: 1. L.Willows, Your email address will not be published. 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. Deuteronomy 28 listed blessings and curses for by being obedience or disobedience and says do this (obey) or do that (disobey) and God does this (bless) or that (curse) - that's the religion of the law of Moses. And there are different ways to explain why that is, and one is to realize that in spiritual union with the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, Christians are the messianic people, the true Israel, the heirs of everything promised to the true Israel. But Did He Also Write Chapter 34? Because he is holy and just, as well as merciful and loving, he must punish wrong actions and attitudes. Old is usually quite good, but not necessarily above correction or improvement. The aim of The BELOVED is to awaken Christian Unity, embolden Fellowship and inspire Hope. The Puritans is the shining example of what abrogation vs general equity means. Why would God command the Israelites to destroy their enemies without mercy? 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. Im not under the California statute, but I am under the Ohio statute. 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. 3 He quotes Deut 27.26: All who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." That is my understanding of Romans 11. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. In Deuteronomy 28:1-13, God tells the Israelites that He would reward their obedience by giving them children, crops, livestock, and victory over their enemies, but He also tacks on fifty-four more verses describing the curses that would come upon the nation if they didn't obey Himincluding diseases, heat and drought, military defeat, boils, Whether or not Beeke lists it as his number one choice as a commentary is irrelevant. God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. 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. Note also in Ephesians 2 Paul talks about the role of the law. how does deuteronomy 28 apply to us today. It was hard to keep all the laws, so they decided, lets keep the most important one. Jesus: The Key to Living in the Blessings of Deut. 28 1. This allows us to answer a lot of challenges that people might make regarding the old law. God made it very clear to the Israelites that he did not want them to get mixed up in the false religious surrounding them. 1. Required fields are marked *. We dont have the punishments proscribed in the law because that was for their judicial system in that nation. Deuteronomy 22 is entirely about instructions what to do and what not to do. Faith in the finished work of the Cross of Christ is the Christian key to blessings in all aspects of life. Moses knew that he was about to die, so before he left the people he blessed them. The book recounts the teachings and events of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. In all of this instruction, Israel had the supreme privilege of learning the fear of the Lord (Deut 31:12). When we disobey God, he will forgive us if we turn away from our sin and turn back to him. No human being could break a curse pronounced by God; he could only submit to it and repent under it. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. T. he subject of which Biblical laws apply today can be confusing for many Christians.. The nation of Israel was obliged to obey the laws of their nation in order to reap Gods blessings or curses. Does that mean since Im not in California its okay for me to murder in Ohio? Moses warned the Israelites about the false prophets who would encourage them to worship other gods and idols. Which of the hundreds of Old Testament laws are applicable to us as 1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, "Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 19-21. No, God is loving and merciful, but he is also just so he doesn't permit evil to continue without being punished and corrected. Therefore, you cant justify yourself. In ch. . This passage contains a list of curses that will befall the Israelites if they disobey God. 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. How does he expect me to respond?". Does Jeremiah 29:11 apply to Christians today? | carm.org We have to distinguish between these as we consider how we relate to the Mosaic covenant now. 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. A direction to the judges in scourging malefactors, v. 1-3. Scholarship that is driven by such an agenda is usually to be read with a critical eye. Today, we do not live under the Mosaic covenant. Unfortunately, the Israelites broke their promise to God. "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. No command is incumbent upon me in virtue of being part of the law. The Israelites are told that if they obey the Lord and keep His commandments, they will be blessed in every way. 2. 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. 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 . They had to keep the terms of the covenant. Were on a mission to change that. Well, in view of what Christ has done in the New Testament, we make at least two changes. He was not pleased when the Israelites insisted on returning to their sinful practices. The spiritual implications of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 are far-reaching. God gave the Israelites specific instructions for returning lost animals because they were valuable possessions. The other part of the "first" use of the law is the enforcement mechanism that God builds into the law. Learn how to stand up to the enemy and enjoy your life! Deu 25:1-4. 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. It was made between God and Moses and Israel. When a pilot wants to take his private plane up for a ride on a sunny afternoon, he goes throughapre-flight check-list. First and foremost, we need to realize that the Old Testament is still relevant to us today. They were not chosen to be saved, rather they were chosen to be used to accomplish Gods plan of salvation. The passage also includes a promise from God that these curses will be removed if the Israelites obey Him. 9. "Dad, why does Deuteronomy 20 talk about killing the boys and girls?" Sometimes, when God presents us with opportunities we shrink back because we have doubts. Ohio has its own statutes. All the rules, regulations, preparation and sacrifices are meant to translate for us to the most realistic form what is at stake to be as holy as God. The new contract is a new enterprise. Now, Jews and Gentiles alike who put their faith in Jesus are under the new contract.