Day 79 – Deuteronomy 28-29

Talking Points

• God makes a great promise to Israel. He tells them that if they live in obedience, they will be “overtaken” by tremendous blessings in the new land. He will bless them as they “come in,” and as they “go out.” They will see abundance, health, and protection. It is an astounding promise, especially knowing the One making it.
• God also warns the Israelites. He tells them that disobedience will result unimaginable curses. He promises illness, poverty, famine, crime, and even death. The Hebrew word for cursed translates, “to be under a curse; bitterly cursed.” This is also an astounding promise, considering the One who is making it.
• As they are heading to a point of decision, they are reminded again of God’s provision, protection, and faithfulness in the past.

Thoughts

Maybe you’ve heard the old real estate adage, “Location is everything!” Well, as we continue reading through the Bible, be reminded: for us, “Context is everything!” To properly understand and apply Scripture, we must understand its context. And, just like a realtor might say, “Location! Location! Location!” to be a better student of God’s Word, we should echo “Context! Context! Context!”

Promise, pattern, or premise? As we read through the Bible, we see many promises. The great question is: are these promises for us, are they patterns to follow, or are they premises about God? For instance, in our verses today, if we follow in obedience, will God make our children abound and our crops flourish? And, if we do not, will enemy invaders take our kids away? In other places, if we are still, will God fight for us (Exodus 14:14)? Will any weapon formed against us truly fail (Isaiah 54:17)?

Misapplying promises meant for Israel or missing promises meant for us could surely be dangerous for our Christian walks. So, how do we know? Context is everything! As we read the verses, we must prayerfully consider the context, asking, “Is this a specific promise made to someone else, a promise for me, is it a pattern that God wants me to follow, or is this a premise about God that I should know?” It may require a deeper look at the chapter or even the entire book.

Lord, please help us in the practical matters of Bible study, that we might truly hear and understand what You are saying.