On the other hand, the Israelites had promised to obey God. If we are no longer under the Sinai covenant, how do we apply the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 to believers today? We need to be obedient to God's commands if we want to enjoy His blessings (v. 15-16). This is because God is faithful to His promises. 5. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering. And here is the promise. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 give us the curses that would come upon Israel for disobedience. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.". For God to say to any people: I am your God and you are my people is the very reason and purpose for our existence as Gods image-bearers. Moses reminded the Israelites that the same God who had rescued them from slavery in Egypt could help them defeat an enemy, no matter how strong their opponent was. (Read Deuteronomy 28:15-44) If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which includes all misery, as the blessing all happiness. The ritual laws of sacrifice teach us that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22) and point us to Jesus on the cross. The book of Judges tells how the Israelites kept rejecting the Lord and worshiping idols. Does that mean that Leviticus 5:16 doesnt apply to us? i. God is our only true security- not the government, not our educational system, not money, power, or other people. Deuteronomy 31:6. So what does this have to do with us today? Putting God first in our lives is the best preflight plan we can have. Today, we do not live under the Mosaic covenant. If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). I know what I think but I'm waiting for the Covenant Theology "experts" to reply to this one. Not everyone who claims to speak and act on God's behalf is truly doing so. This is something that we should all avoid. In our own lives, we are subject to the same reveal of God. What is needed is for the covenant Lord unilaterally to act and circumcise their hearts (Deut 30:6). How can we discern if warnings or promises directed towards Israel are applicable to other nations, the body of Christ in the global church, or even to ourselves as individuals? We put our confidence in Him, so we are chosen regarding salvation. As members of the Church we find ourselves waiting and preparing to enter into the promise of the Kingdom of God. However, if we disobey God, we will experience His curses. 3. ). 16 Life Lessons and Commentary from The Book of Job | Job Bible Study, 14 Life Lessons from The Book of Joshua | Joshua Bible Study, 27 Life Lessons from The Book of Exodus | Exodus Bible Study, 29 Biblical Life Lessons from The Book of Genesis | Genesis Bible Study, 15 Life Lessons from The Book of 1 Samuel | 1 Samuel Bible Study, 14 Life Lessons from The Book of Numbers | Numbers Bible Study, 33 Life Lessons from The Book of Psalms | Psalms Bible Study, 5 Life Lessons from The Book of Ezra | Ezra Bible Study, 8 Life Lessons from The Book of Judges | Judges Bible Study, 15 Life Lessons from The Book of First Kings | 1 Kings Bible Study. It is not an agreement God made with anyone else. Read through all of the awesome blessings listed in Deuteronomy 28. 4 One of these is that they would be blessed in their cities ( v.3 ). Its exactly like being in a separate state. The question we have to ask ourselves as New Testament Christians in the New Covenant is, which commands or moral principles are obligatory and would apply regardless of the covenants, because they are universal morals that transcend the Mosaic Law? We have no such promise in the Bible. These blessings and curses are based on obedience to Gods laws. Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. Abraham was saved by faith, not by works and he is the prime example of how everyone has always been saved. 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. Here is, I. It was given to those people in that state for that period of time. First and foremost, we need to realize that the Old Testament is still relevant to us today. When we do, we can expect His blessings in our lives. Jesus didn't invent a new ethic of nonviolence. Heb 2:5-18; 7-10). Having the proper attitude helps keep us from becoming greedy and selfish. Israel was to fulfill the role of Adam by living as a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:5-6), to serve as Gods son and representative and thus display to this poor, fallen world what it means to be truly human. Deuteronomy 8 - A Warning Against Pride A. God's work of building humility in Israel during the wilderness wanderings. If we obey God today, we can expect similar blessings in our lives. 1. We are blessed when we give with a cheerful heart. 492Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland. Through Moses instruction, Deuteronomy also describes the future of the nation, which later biblical authors use as a template to interpret Israels history and to hold out hope for a new and better covenant (see e.g., Deut 29-30). Paul says in Rom. 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. L.Willows, Your email address will not be published. We need to look at the passages in question and ask: Does this seem to express a moral obligation that transcends the Mosaic Law? not by the works of the law, and then teach that the law and its curse still apply today to New Testament believers . God granted Canaan to the Israelites and instructed them to take ownership of it. A man must NOT treat his wife as a person he can disrespect or demean. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice . The other part of the "first" use of the law is the enforcement mechanism that God builds into the law. Finally, this passage reminds us of Gods faithfulness. As Christians, we are called to obey Gods commands. He shall be forgiven. So, forgiveness is offered through the offering of a ram, and nowadays now, since Jesus he has replaced the work of that priest and the offering of that ram. God did punish the people several times for their disobedience, but he always remained faithful to them. It is God who gives us the ability to work and who blesses us with more than we need. So to recap, I'm bumping into a question that has a different answer depending on one's embracing of a "theonomic" worldview? 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The LORD wants us to obey him because we love him. Bible calls it the tree of the knowledge of good AND. Now, how do Christians embrace and apply this today? Possibly, Moses wanted to remind the new generation that had grown up during the desert wandering that they, too, were God's chosen people. Deuteronomy, rightly understood and placed in its location in redemptive-history, is far more than an ancient history book of Israel. / RCCG Sells A Bag Of Rice At N9k To Their Members In Abuja, Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10). 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 makes that point . I cannot justify myself, Greg Koukl, based on the demands of those simple commandments. Deuteronomy 28:1-2, The promise of God in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 offers many powerful insights that we can learn from when we listen with our hearts and open ourselves to applying the wisdom of its mighty blessing to our lives with obedience. As New Testament Christians in the New Covenant, which commands or moral principles are obligatory and would apply regardless of the covenants because they are universal morals that transcend the Mosaic Law? When we live a life blessed by God, we are truly living the best possible life. God's laws and commands are practical - he knows what can cause us to start trusting ourselves instead of him. But even then, He is faithful to forgive us and restore us when we repent. He is still a good God who blesses those who obey Him. By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That means that some of the promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled differently now than they were then. God's people are to have a much different view of sex. 23 If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.". Others may be trying to trick us. Here are some key points from the passage that we can apply to our lives: 1. Then, the lawyer who raised the question, seeking to justify himself, asks who is his neighbor. Second, it shows us the power of Gods curse. Many of those Jews took advantage of the mercy offered through that plan, and many went wayward. 28 "And if you will without fail listen to the voice of Jehovah your God by being careful to do all his commandments that I am commanding you today, Jehovah your God will certainly put you high above all other nations of the earth. God gave instructions to parents that they must first understand and internalize His laws and ways and then teach them to their own children. Deuteronomy is the second time the law is given. Copyright 2023, Southern Equip. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. 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. 2And all these blessings shall come upon you andovertake you, if you obey the voice of theLordyour God. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. Now, I think that means that in union with Christ, the Messiah, Christians become the heirs of all the promises in the Old Testament. These differences in hermeneutics lead to differences over which laws should apply today. You want to justify yourself? He expects His people to obey Him, and He will bless them when they do. The Mosaic Law contained some universal moral principles that apply today because they transcend the old law, but arent applied in the same way judicially. We need to obey Gods laws and statutes, so that we can experience His righteousness and peace (v. 30-32). The Israelites were given two choices: obey God's commands and live good lives, or disobey them and face death and disaster. Your email address will not be published. The Mosaic Covenant is a treaty God made with the Jews, the nation of Israel. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. It is all over the book of Hebrews, but here is Hebrews 10:12 and 14: When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 1. Their crops will fail, their flocks and herds will dwindle, and they will be cursed with few children. We need to be humble before God and remember His goodness to us (v. 33-36). What Does The Bible Say About Tattoos / Body Piercings? One example is Deuteronomy 28, which contains a number of blessings and curses. However, when we disobey the Lord, we experience His discipline and consequences. He's the true king, who did not capitulate to the compromises of sin (contrast, for example, Solomon in 1 Kings 11 in light of Deut. 1 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Deuteronomy 1. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." The passage in Deuteronomy 23:2, and similar passages, are no longer valid today, nor can they be applied to the Church of God. God is honored when we trust him to help us meet any situation. So what can we learn from all of this? 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. What benefit or dangers may there be in carrying over meaning from Israel to these other modern day audiences? But because they're the Ten Commandments, they don't apply to Christians, because that was part of the Old Covenant, and the writer of HebrewsHebrews 8:13says the Old Covenant is obsolete.