Deuteronomy 28:28 –42 “The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind, so that at noon you will grope about like a blind man in the darkness. You will not prosper in your ways. Day after day you will be oppressed and plundered, with no one to save you.
You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house but will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but will not enjoy its fruit. Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will save you.
Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, while your eyes grow weary looking for them day after day, with no power in your hand. A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed. You will be driven mad by the sights you see.
The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.
The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone. You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it. You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but will neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout your territory but will never anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off. You will father sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will go into captivity. Swarms of locusts will consume all your trees and the produce of your land.”
If you thought yesterday’s list of curses was bad, today’s is worse! Madness, blindness, and blighted hopes of all kinds await those who refuse to serve God whole – heartedly. God is sparing no details in describing precisely how horrible things will be for those who refuse to follow His commands.
The recurring theme throughout today’s verses is that of frustration. God is warning the Israelites that if they refuse to serve Him, they are withdrawing themselves from His protection. The results will be catastrophic.
Why is it necessary for God to go on at such great lengths? God is hoping that by giving these detailed warnings, the Israelites will realize that He is not joking. Every fear that has ever tormented someone in the middle of the night will come true. And yet… And yet, the Israelites will settle in the Promised Land and within a few generations will begin suffering due to disobedience.
APPLICATION: Many people love the first part of the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy but skip over this part, feeling that these warnings can’t possibly apply to them. I have heard entire sermons preached on the “blessing” verses with pastors encouraging the congregation to claim each of the blessings as they read them aloud, shouting loud amens. But we ignore these verses at our own risk.
We live in a distracted age in which our minds and hearts are assailed by a plethora of images. If we allow ourselves to be caught up in social media and videos, we can postpone thinking about eternal matters; however, our lives are still winding down in the meantime. Looking at nations around the world, we can see many of the disasters described in these verses. God hasn’t changed; neither has human nature. If we want God’s blessings, we must serve Him and obey His commands. Recent natural disasters in several different locations have underscored the fact that the God who controls the weather is far more powerful than any other force in the universe.
We live in a fallen sinful world, so we can fall prey to diseases and accidents. But even in the midst of frustration and tragedy, God will still send blessings to those who love Him and serve Him. The saddest part of the curses is this: those who bring curses on themselves have removed themselves from God’s mercy and God’s hope.
What if you and God parted company a long time ago? Can you come back? Yes! There’s a joke about an old couple who were driving down the road. The wife was complaining that they used to sit closer together when they rode together. Finally, the husband quietly remarked, “Well, I haven’t moved.” God hasn’t moved. God is still there. Today, turn around and come back to the Heavenly Father who loves you far better than any earthly father ever could. God hasn’t moved, and He’s waiting for you.
Jesus told the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Verse 20 describes the response of the father once he spied the son coming down the road. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” Your father is waiting. Leave the curses behind and come!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Help everyone who reads these words to come to You, the perfect, loving Father for whom our hearts long. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment