Today I'm continuing the topic of fearing God by focussing on Deuteronomy 28. This Chapter outlines how God will bless the Israelites He rescued from slavery in Egypt if they keep His commandments. For example, God promised to open His treasury in heaven for them, to send them rain in season and to bless the work of their hands (Deut 28:12). However, God also warned them that curses will befall them if they should rebel against God and not follow His commandments. "The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion and frustration, in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your doings, because you have forsaken me" (Deut 28:20).
God is not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19). If He has promised a thing then we can be sure that it will happen. That is why fear of God is wisdom. Reading through the history of the Israelites, we see that they soon forgot the supernatural events that brought them out of slavery and into the Promised Land. They intermingled with the people where they settled and adopted their pagan traditions and false gods. True to His Word, God's Chosen people suffered droughts, famine, defeat in war and captivity on a number of occasions.
Now we may wonder, 'Are we not serving a God who is love and merciful?' The answer is that God loves us, ALL of us. God's blessings are available to us without work and without cost. However, we have to position ourselves in God and do what is required to enjoy the blessings available to us. In Psalm 91 we read "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near you tent" (Ps. 91:9-10). Today we can call upon God's protection at this time of darkness when we are faced with a worldwide plague, but only if we have accepted Him as Lord and Saviour of our lives. Through His commandments, God has laid down a standard for us to follow. Ongoing rebellion, however, opens us up to the curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28.
Today the call to all of us is to review our lives. Are we walking in the commandments of God? If not, then please repent today. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Hallelujah!
My Prayer
Father Yahuah, thank you for Your love and Your blessings available to us. Father, please forgive us our rebellion and for not always obeying Your commandments. Please continue to teach us Your way. We pray in Jesus' name. Aman.