Sermons
Curses and Blessings Part 2
Curses and Blessings Part 2
Deut. 28:1-2
Introduction:
1. The Lord God is one to use dramatic presentations to impress His people with the awesomeness of serving Him.
2. This was certainly the case in Deut. 27 and 28.
3. The nation of Israel needed to learn the significance of the ways of the Lord.
4. All of His instructions were for their benefit, for their good, and for their survival (Deut. 6:3, 24). But they had to be observed carefully (Deut. 6:3; 28:1, 13). There was no room for a casual, lethargic response.
5. The drama of the scene involved blessings and curses. Six tribes stood on Mount Gerizim, six on Mount Ebal. Curses were pronounced from Mount Ebal, blessings from Mount Gerizim. The ceremony is described in Josh. 8:30-35.
6. Oh, how the mountains and valleys must have rung as the message of the Lord echoed in their hearing that day.
7. In the previous lesson we considered the twelve curses of chapter 27 and joined Israel’s voice with “AMEN,” agreeing and committing to obedience to the Lord’s demands.
8. In this study we will consider the blessings promised and the commitment of God’s benefits to be bestowed on those who listen and obey the Lord.
Discussion:
I. Chapter 28 naturally divides itself into two sections.
A. Verses 3-14 states the blessings.
B. Verses 15-68, in a much larger section, deals with the curses.
C. Verses 3-14 find their direct opposites in verses 16-19.
II. The blessings of God would extend to every sphere of Israel’s life.
A. Urban life and country life.
B. There would be fertility in man, in the ground, and in animals.
C. Food would be provided.
D. Daily activities would be blessed.
E. Because enemies are a threat to “the good life” of peace and prosperity God
would cause their enemies to be defeated.
III. It was God’s special relationship to them that was critical to all the “shaloam” kind of blessings that would be theirs (v. 9).
A. They could trust Him to make all the provision necessary for their well-being (10-
14).
B. Note . . .
1. The Lord will establish you (9).
2. The nations will recognize that you are called by the name of the Lord (10).
This was not based on their own merit.
3. The Lord will make you abound (11).
4. The Lord will open the heavens (12).
5. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail (13).
C. Conditioned on their responding to Him appropriately.
1. Listen.
2. Observe carefully.
3. Do not turn aside.
IV. While the curses have been interpreted as threats, this is not what is intended. It would be more appropriate to interpret them just as the blessings, as predictions of what would happen if they refused to follow the Lord’s instructions.
A. When people do right good things tend to happen.
B. If you want to be blessed, then you bless others. This is what the golden rule
implies. “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you,” (Lk. 6:31-38).
C. Of course, this is not always the case. There is not a one to one
correspondence here. Job lost everything but recovered. The righteous are
persecuted and yet receive the crown of life. Jesus was crucified but was
raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God. The message is:
“Give control to God. Do right and He will bless you.” So, both blessings and
curses call for trusting the Lord.
D. The recognition is that the Lord is in control.
1. Note verses 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 49: The Lord . . .
2. Ultimately Israel was taken into captivity, but the Lord was faithful bringing
forgiveness sacrificing Himself to grant us life.
E. It is often interpreted that obedience is the key to blessings, disobedience
results in curses, therefore we must obey or else. What we need to understand
is that God is asking us to trust Him and His goodness. When we trust Him we
will obey. Obedience is the result of dependency. It is the result of humility.
The dramatic events of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim call on Israel to trust the
Lord, to trust His word, to respond in obedience and experience the blessings
He intends to give. Failure to do this will result in calamity. So, don’t go after
other gods to serve them (28:14). You are the people of the Lord your God. You
shall therefore obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His
statutes (Deut. 27:9b-10).
Conclusion:
1. So, how do you interpret the blessings and curses of Scripture?
2. As a threat by an unfair God?
3. Or do you see the blessings and curses as an appeal to faithful trust in the God who predicts the results of allegiance to Him as opposed to the idols of the world?
