Part 1: Blessings for Obedience

This is the second post in a row directly inspired by my Dad! Last week, we were discussing the state of our country via email, and he encouraged me to take a look at Deuteronomy 28. Curious, I looked it up and found a treasure trove of promises from God to His People, immediately followed by a stern warning against disobedience.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14:

“And if 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 high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of theLord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 8 The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lordyour God is giving you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. 10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.11 And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, 14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Wow! What a set of promises. This hits me on a personal level as well. Many times the decisions that we make are what determine the paths we take. I believe each decision is crucial--especially the seemingly small, everyday ones. The Bible calls us to be faithful in even the small matters. Ultimately, the small decisions will affect larger decisions.

So, the blessings section of this chapter is wonderful 14 verses. Guess how many verses warn against disobedience? 15- 68...so 53. Whew. Stay tuned...that's coming tomorrow!