Recently I heard a sermon online about blessings and curses.  The pastor mentioned Deuteronomy 28, which led me on an exegesis (an in-depth study of the meaning behind this passage) of the chapter.  What leads to blessings and what leads to curses?  It all came down to one thing - obedience.  

“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.” - Deut. 28:1

At the beginning of this passage, the Lord tells the Israelites to obey the commands given to them and they will reap exceeding blessings.  What are those commands that need to be obeyed?  That would be the Ten Commandments.  Let’s take a step back in time to Exodus to know what those rules are:

And God spoke all these words, saying:  “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lordyour God, am a jealous God, visiting[c] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.  “You shall not murder.  “You shall not commit adultery.  “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” - Ex. 20:1-17

Part of the history of the Israelites is that once they were led out of slavery from Pharaoh (in Exodus), the LORD gave them the Ten Commandments to follow.  However, because of their disobedience, all except two of the Israelites were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.  

“Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.” - Num. 14:30

Joshua and Caleb believed what God had told them and followed the Lord in OBEDIENCE without question.  Their obedience brought them into the land promised to their ancestors.  Deuteronomy 28 is a reminder of those blessings that will occur if they continue to walk a path of righteousness.  It is also a reminder of what will happen if they take the way their ancestors did.

“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…” - Deut. 28:15

The Israelites are reminded throughout Deuteronomy 28 that they can obey God, which leads to BLESSING or disobey which leads to curses.  Some of the promises given for obedience are fruitful land, many children, an abundance of food, and an abundance of earthly blessings.  All of these are cursed in disobedience, however.

This all leads us to today.  Sometimes we forget that the Old Testament can still apply to today.  God uses the stories of the Old Testament for examples on how to live our lives today.  God still blesses obedience today.  He still calls us to follow the Ten Commandments.  Do we want to be like the Israelites of old - cursed in the wilderness, never fully surrendering in obedience to the Lord?  Or do we want to be Joshua and Caleb, fully surrendered walking in obedience and blessing because our identity is in the Lord and His promises?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alycia Marie is a free-spirited wanderer and follower of Christ. She spends her days exploring around the city with the unique family that God has given her. At this time, she is currently working with non-profits and churches to tackle rebuilding families in the city of Milwaukee. In her free time, she plays with preschoolers, writes in coffee shops, and travels the world.