Podcast Blessings and Curses 9-9-16
If Israel would diligently obey God, Moses as part of his farewell message, told them they would be blessed as a physical nation. However if they disobeyed God including becoming worshippers of false deities they would be cursed. Let us categorize and review these warning messages:
1. Prosperity regarding home and harvest was promised. This includes matters of cities, farms and livestock. Note verses Deut 28: 3, 5. For the curses see verses 16-17.
2. Birthrate blessings of children and livestock are promised. High birthrates among children and livestock were promised. This no doubt included the formation of young families at a high level. Note verses, Deut 28:4, 11. However curses brought forth the opposite. See verses 18.
3. Protection and military success was promised. Israel would flex military power and their enemies would flee before them in fear of them. Note Deut 28:7. However the curses for disobedience would include defeat and exile from the homeland. See verses 25, 33.
4. They would be a special and prominent nation and people if they obeyed God. If they obeyed God, he would set them on high above other nations. They would be feared and others would recognize that they were blessed of God. Note Deut 28:1, 9-10. However, if they disobeyed God, they would be viewed in a negative, pejorative manner. See verse 37.
5. They would be blessed with good physical and mental health for following God’s ways. See verse Duet 28:3, 8. The opposite would prevail if they disobeyed God. See verse 27-28, 34 where the curses drove Israelites into madness and mental illness. See also Lev 26:15-16.
6. Wonderful weather blessings was guaranteed to them when they obeyed. Bounty and our storehouse of food is so dependent on the weather. Note Deut 28:12. Rain in due season is so vital to prosperity. However the sky would be like iron if they disobeyed. See verses 23-24.
7. Financial blessings and global leadership were promised to an obedient nation. Note verses Deut. 28:11-13. The curses for defying God include being a debtor nation to foreigners even inside of the nation. See verses 33, 43-44.
God’s prophetic warning are inexorably fulfilled.
God words cannot fail. The northern ten tribes were the most pagan and ungodly and were the first to go into captivity. Four centuries later the southern kingdom of Judah also went into captivity.
America and Britain have been clearly blessed compared to other nations. Are we now starting to experience some of the curses for becoming such ungodly nations?
Power pts. 1. Blessings Deut 28: 3, 5 curses 16-17.
2. Blessing Duet 28: 4, 11, curses 18.
3. Blessings (B) Duet. 28:7, curses(C) 25, 33.
4. B Deut 28: 28:1, 9-10; C vs 37.
5. B Duet 28: 3, 8; C 27-28 and Lev 26:15-16.
6. B = blessings Deut 28:12, C=curses vs. 23-24.
7. B Deut 28: 11-13 & curses 33, 43-44.
