Deu 28:10 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter is about the government of God over His people. When there is faithfulness there is blessing for the whole people. When there is unfaithfulness there is curse and there are disasters and plagues for the whole people. The blessing contains only fourteen verses, while the curse is widely reported in no less than fifty-four verses. In a long speech Moses unfolds the blessing and curse: blessing when there is obedience to the law and curse when there is disobedience to the law. Here he takes up again the promises and threats of the law of Exodus 23 ( ) and Leviticus 26 ( ), summarizes them and expands them. In the history of Israel there is obedience and therefore blessing only in the time of David and Solomon. For the rest, their history is one of unfaithfulness and curse. The revivals under some faithful kings have not been able to turn the final curse, because they are only temporary revivals. Here blessing and curse are national and temporary, not eternal. God will bless the remnant of His people on the basis of the new covenant. Then he has written His law within them, and put away their sins ( ; ; ). All the conditions of the new covenant have been fulfilled by the Lord Jesus. In the history of Christianity as a whole, we do not see the people of God in a state of blessing, but of curse. That is the result of our unfaithfulness. In the Christianity, blessing and growth only occur in the beginning. Thereafter there is unfaithfulness and decline. Also in Christianity there are times of revival. But these too are phenomena without permanent effects. The general line is a descending one. We learn this from the description of church history presented to us in the seven letters in Revelation 2-3. At each new beginning only the first phase is a time of blessing, after that the decay comes. For Christianity, there is no final recovery. It ends in the great Babylon, about which the judgment is described in Revelation 17-18. The blessings that are presented to the people in these fourteen verses are subject to conditions. Only if these are met the blessing will remain. It is God’s desire to bless. He always has blessing on reserve, even if there is only limited recovery. Moses presents the blessings as powers that will follow the people closely and overtake them. The blessing concerns all areas of life ( ) and circumstances and situations of life ( ). . The blessing “in the city” represents the blessing that believers experience in the daily fellowship with each other (cf. ). By blessing “in the country” we can think of the activities each has in his own field of work. Blessed in “the offspring of your body”, points to the spiritual fruit that is there for God because of a state of faithfulness and devotion. “The produce of your ground” indicates (spiritual) food and “the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock” indicates (spiritual) sacrifices. The “basket”, in which the fruit of the land is put, and the “kneading bowl”, in which the daily bread is made, indicate that the blessing is processed into food for the heart. We can think of reading or listening to the explanation of the Word as food to the heart. The blessing “when you come in” and “when you go out” speaks of freedom in Christ ( ); the whole walk is under God’s blessing. . A people living in the blessing in this way need not fear any enemies. Their safety is guaranteed. There are enemies, but they can’t do anything. Their enemies are a prey to the LORD. He delivers them defeated to His people. All they have to do is to chase them away. This is also the case with our spiritual enemies. The enemy has been defeated. We can resist the devil if we have taken up “the full armor of God” ( ). Then the devil will flee ( ). The result is new blessing, an abundance of blessing, which is commanded by the LORD. “His good storehouse, the heavens” will open (cf. ). He delivers that blessing out of His own inexhaustible fullness. He will bless the work of their hands, indicating that blessing is obtained through work. On the one hand God gives the blessing, on the other hand we have to make it our own, which means that we have to work for it ( ). In addition to all the personal enjoyment of the blessing, His people will be a blessing to others. From their own fullness they will be able to give others. A people who are faithful and blessed, and who distribute that blessing, will command respect. All who see this people will acknowledge that the name of the LORD is proclaimed upon them. The Name of the LORD is the revelation of His glorious Being. The head of this people will be the head of all peoples. The blessing has no end, as long as they listen to the commandments the LORD has given. God is willing to give us also “the fulness of the blessing of Christ” ( ). That fulness of the blessing can be found in Christ Himself, “in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” ( ). God wants us, that is, “all the saints” ( ), to “be filled up to all the fullness of God” ( ). For this we may pray, for He “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” ( ). If only we are focused with all our hearts on the source of all blessings, on the Giver Himself, and if our only goal is to give Him “the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” ( ).

‏ Deuteronomy 28:10

Introduction

This chapter is about the government of God over His people. When there is faithfulness there is blessing for the whole people. When there is unfaithfulness there is curse and there are disasters and plagues for the whole people. The blessing contains only fourteen verses, while the curse is widely reported in no less than fifty-four verses. In a long speech Moses unfolds the blessing and curse: blessing when there is obedience to the law and curse when there is disobedience to the law. Here he takes up again the promises and threats of the law of Exodus 23 (Exo 23:20-33) and Leviticus 26 (Lev 26:1-39), summarizes them and expands them.

In the history of Israel there is obedience and therefore blessing only in the time of David and Solomon. For the rest, their history is one of unfaithfulness and curse. The revivals under some faithful kings have not been able to turn the final curse, because they are only temporary revivals. Here blessing and curse are national and temporary, not eternal.

God will bless the remnant of His people on the basis of the new covenant. Then he has written His law within them, and put away their sins (Jer 32:33; Eze 36:26; Heb 8:8-12). All the conditions of the new covenant have been fulfilled by the Lord Jesus.

In the history of Christianity as a whole, we do not see the people of God in a state of blessing, but of curse. That is the result of our unfaithfulness. In the Christianity, blessing and growth only occur in the beginning. Thereafter there is unfaithfulness and decline. Also in Christianity there are times of revival. But these too are phenomena without permanent effects. The general line is a descending one.

We learn this from the description of church history presented to us in the seven letters in Revelation 2-3. At each new beginning only the first phase is a time of blessing, after that the decay comes. For Christianity, there is no final recovery. It ends in the great Babylon, about which the judgment is described in Revelation 17-18.

The Blessing of Obedience

The blessings that are presented to the people in these fourteen verses are subject to conditions. Only if these are met the blessing will remain. It is God’s desire to bless. He always has blessing on reserve, even if there is only limited recovery. Moses presents the blessings as powers that will follow the people closely and overtake them. The blessing concerns all areas of life (Deu 28:3-6) and circumstances and situations of life (Deu 28:7-14).

Deu 28:3-6. The blessing “in the city” represents the blessing that believers experience in the daily fellowship with each other (cf. Psa 133:1-3). By blessing “in the country” we can think of the activities each has in his own field of work. Blessed in “the offspring of your body”, points to the spiritual fruit that is there for God because of a state of faithfulness and devotion. “The produce of your ground” indicates (spiritual) food and “the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock” indicates (spiritual) sacrifices.

The “basket”, in which the fruit of the land is put, and the “kneading bowl”, in which the daily bread is made, indicate that the blessing is processed into food for the heart. We can think of reading or listening to the explanation of the Word as food to the heart. The blessing “when you come in” and “when you go out” speaks of freedom in Christ (Jn 10:9); the whole walk is under God’s blessing.

Deu 28:7-14. A people living in the blessing in this way need not fear any enemies. Their safety is guaranteed. There are enemies, but they can’t do anything. Their enemies are a prey to the LORD. He delivers them defeated to His people. All they have to do is to chase them away. This is also the case with our spiritual enemies. The enemy has been defeated. We can resist the devil if we have taken up “the full armor of God” (Eph 6:13). Then the devil will flee (Jam 4:7).

The result is new blessing, an abundance of blessing, which is commanded by the LORD. “His good storehouse, the heavens” will open (cf. Job 38:22). He delivers that blessing out of His own inexhaustible fullness. He will bless the work of their hands, indicating that blessing is obtained through work. On the one hand God gives the blessing, on the other hand we have to make it our own, which means that we have to work for it (Pro 10:4).

In addition to all the personal enjoyment of the blessing, His people will be a blessing to others. From their own fullness they will be able to give others. A people who are faithful and blessed, and who distribute that blessing, will command respect. All who see this people will acknowledge that the name of the LORD is proclaimed upon them. The Name of the LORD is the revelation of His glorious Being. The head of this people will be the head of all peoples. The blessing has no end, as long as they listen to the commandments the LORD has given.

God is willing to give us also “the fulness of the blessing of Christ” (Rom 15:29). That fulness of the blessing can be found in Christ Himself, “in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). God wants us, that is, “all the saints” (Eph 3:18), to “be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:19). For this we may pray, for He “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph 3:20). If only we are focused with all our hearts on the source of all blessings, on the Giver Himself, and if our only goal is to give Him “the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” (Eph 3:21).