HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 553
DEUTER ONOM Y 28
page 183
the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin must stand on Mount Gerizim to proclaim a blessing over the people.
13 And the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali must stand on Mount
Ebal to proclaim a curse.
14 “Then the Levites will shout to all the
people of Israel:
3
15 ‘Cursed
6
is anyone who carves or casts an idol
and secretly sets it up. These idols, the work
of craftsmen, are detestable to the Lord.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
16 ‘Cursed
is anyone who dishonors father or
mother.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
17 ‘Cursed
is anyone who steals property from
a neighbor by moving a boundary marker.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
18 ‘Cursed
is anyone who leads a blind person
astray on the road.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
is anyone who denies justice to
foreigners, orphans, or widows.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
4
5
Your towns and your fields
will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
you will be blessed.
7 “The Lord will conquer your enemies when
they attack you. They will attack you from one
direction, but they will scatter from you in
seven!
8 “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on
everything you do and will fill your storehouses
with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in
the land he is giving you.
9 “If you obey the commands of the Lord your
God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would
do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see
19 ‘Cursed
20 ‘Cursed
is anyone who has sexual intercourse
with one of his father’s wives, for he has
violated his father.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
21 ‘Cursed
is anyone who has sexual intercourse
with an animal.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
22 ‘Cursed
is anyone who has sexual intercourse
with his sister, whether she is the daughter
of his father or his mother.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
23 ‘Cursed
is anyone who has sexual intercourse
with his mother-in-law.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
24 ‘Cursed
is anyone who attacks a neighbor
in secret.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
25 ‘Cursed
is anyone who accepts payment to
kill an innocent person.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
26 ‘Cursed
is anyone who does not affirm and
obey the terms of these instructions.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
Blessings for Obedience
“If you fully obey the Lord your God
and carefully keep all his commands
that I am giving you today, the Lord your God
will set you high above all the nations of the
world. 2 You will experience all these blessings
if you obey the Lord your God:
28
• Blessings
DE U TE R ON OM Y 28:10
Moses is reciting all the blessings that
will come to Israel if they are faithful in
obeying the Lord. Obedience brings
blessings—not always physical prosperity
such as that which God promised the
Israelites, but blessings that are rich
and satisfying. One of these blessings
is acceptance by God—the blessing of
belonging. One of the greatest blessings
in the world is the sense of safety and
security a young child feels by belonging
to a loving family or the union of spirit a
new husband and wife feel because they
belong to each other. Even greater should
be our sense of awe and peace and joy
in having the God of the universe say
that we belong to him. Children, married
couples, and believers alike tend to lose
this sense of awe over time and begin
taking these precious relationships for
granted. When this happens, obedience
and submission to one another fade into
neglect and ultimately into disobedience,
a breaking of trust. Beginning in verse 15,
God gives a list of the consequences of
disobedience.
A sense of belonging is indeed one
of the most powerful and satisfying of
all blessings. The opposite of belonging
is loneliness. If you are feeling lonely, it
may be an indication that some of your
relationships need repair.