Deuteronomy 27-28 – If You Do … If You Don’t
The concept of consequences
(watch short video)
Where we have been so far.
Standing stones
huge standing stones
fellowship offerings
Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal (show picture)
If you don’t obey
Deut 27:15-26 – curses
Deut 28:15-68
If you do obey
Deut 28:1-14 – Blessings
For us today
God’s blessings in the OT and the NT
Wrong understanding – “If you obey God fully (either as a nation or a church or an individual Christian) then God will bless you with great wealth”.
Firstly, In the OT the Israelite people never obey God fully.
Secondly, they fail to see the context of theses blessings.
Finally, the huge change there is between OT blessings from God and NT blessings.
– In the NT the people of God is the Christian church (not one denomination).
– In the NT the blessings of God is lifted from ‘any land or any place’ to heaven.
– In the NT there is a complete absence of any talk of material prosperity related obedience to God
We are also saved by God’s grace. – Eph 2:8-10
… because are people who cannot ever fully obey his laws. Romans 3:20-26
… God’s laws never save us … they simply point out the fact we need to be saved.
… we are still called to take obedience to God’s word seriously. James 1:22 – do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves do what it says.
NT warning on missing out on eternity with God (Col 1:21-23, letter to seven churches in Rev 1-3, Hebrews + 10:28-31)
Qu: Do we take obedience to God’s word and his commands seriously?
What laws and commands do we still need to take seriously?
… all God’s laws are important but some of them have been fulfilled.
… the nature and character of God has not changed
God still requires obedience under the New covenant