…the message they heard was of no value to them,
because those who heard it did not combine it with faith.
“They,” in this case, are those who Moses led out of Egypt. In the previous chapter, the author shares what God said about that generation and how their refusal to trust in and obey Him resulted in them not being able to enter into the rest that God had promised to give them in Canaan. They heard the same message that the next generation heard, but they only heard it; they failed to mix the message with faith, with action.
Some think that faith is merely believing, that if they hear a message and believe that message, then they have mixed the message with faith, but the Bible speaks otherwise. A message mixed with faith results in action. In the case of the Israelites who had fled from Egypt, the action would have been the taking up of arms and conquering of Canaan. They only heard the message, however. They did not really believe. Their faith, such as it was, was dead, useless.
James reminds us…
2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
2:17 …faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead
2:20 …faith without deeds is useless…
2:26 …faith without deeds is dead.
I had to fight the temptation to copy all of James 2:14-26 here. It reveals so very clearly that faith and action absolutely must work hand-in-hand.
I do not want to miss out on that rest my God has promised me. I want all that He has set aside for me. I refuse to miss out!
Having made that decision, what is required of me now? Action! As I hear the message, if I do not want it to be of no value to me – do not want to be counted as no more worthy than that group of faithless Israelites – then I absolutely must combine the message with faith, faith that steps out and does whatever the message calls me to do.
It was that combining of message and faith that resulted in my salvation in the first place. Who knows how many times I’d heard the message previously? All those earlier hearings had been of limited value, however, because I did not act on them, did not combine them with faith. Yet on that one, specific day, while I probably heard the very same message spoken in much the same way, I reacted differently. I combined the message with faith and took a step toward the altar, I accepted all that Jesus did for me when He offered His life up as the sacrificial substitute for mine, and I was forever changed. Far from being of no value to me, that morning’s message was priceless.
Remembering this – the moment and the results of what happened in that moment – how can I fail to ensure that the message always is of value to me? Yet I do fail. There have been far too many times in my life when I’ve heard a message and done nothing with it, not even mixed it with a tiny bit of faith, a little bit of action. What have I missed as a result? What seeds did God try to plant that I let die before they bore fruit, killed by my own negligence, my own lack of faith-based action?
I can’t change the past. I can only repent and commit to a changed future…and I do.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
“Be diligent,” Paul says to Timothy. “Be diligent,” God says to us. Diligence requires action…sincere and consistent action. Again, we are reminded that it is completely unacceptable for us to sit and hear the word but do nothing with it.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God
Here, then, is our goal – our reason for being diligent. We desire, in truth we must have, our heavenly Father’s approval. How? What must we do? In what are we to be diligent?
…a worker who does not need to be ashamed…
So we are to be workers, and not just ordinary workers, but workers who are so good at what we do, so thorough, so careful, that we need never be ashamed of either ourselves or our work.
…rightly dividing the word of truth.
And this is why we, as these diligent workers, need not be ashamed. We are mature and learned in the Word. We do not ignore the Word – we cannot if we are to divide it. We do not take the Word and twist it into new meanings to suit ourselves. No, we are to be “correctly analyzing and accurately dividing – rightly handling and skillfully teaching – the Word of Truth.” (AMP) We are to diligently do this; and in this diligence we will receive God’s approval.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
In this letter, Paul speaks to the members of the church at Philippi. This Scripture, specifically, is a declaration he makes after referring to the financial support they have given him. As I am also a giver, and one who gives to missionary work like Paul’s, I have every right to claim this promise for myself. And, oh, the promise that is contained in this one verse!
And my God…
MY GOD! We’re not talking about man, here, but about God – the Creator of the universe, He who is all and has all, the Alpha and Omega… I AM.
…shall supply…
Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines supply as, “To fill up, as any deficiency happens, to furnish what is wanted; to afford or furnish a sufficiency.” I love this definition! As any deficiency happens, God will fill it up. He will furnish what is wanted or lacking. He furnishes a sufficiency or, put simply, “enough.”
…all your need…
My pastor is fond of saying, “All means ALL,” and through the years this truth has lodged in my spirit. Paul isn’t declaring here that God will supply some of what we need; he is saying God will supply ALL we need – all that is necessary for us to prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper (III John 2), all we need to accomplish whatever He calls us to do (Phil 4:13), all we require to become everything He wants us to be.
Oh…here’s an interesting thought. Paul says that God will supply all our needs; he does not say God will force them on us. God will give and keep on giving, but it is up to us to reach out and take all that is supplied.
…according to His riches in glory…
Meditate on this one for a while and you realize we really have no comprehension of everything God’s “all” does contain, of the measure that is used. Our comprehension is limited by the finite nature of the world that surrounds us, but God is not limited to this world and does not have to supply according to our riches here. No, His supply is according to His riches in glory; His supply is infinite! The most gold I’ve ever touched at one time was in a large necklace, but God has so much gold that He uses it as paving material. The largest pearl I’ve ever held rolled around in the palm of my hand, but the New Jerusalem’s twelve gates are pearls. Truly, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Cor 2:9) Yes, He is able to do exceedingly beyond anything we can ask or even think (Eph 3:20).
…by Christ Jesus.
I look at these words and hardly know what to write. “Christ Jesus” has got to be the two most beautiful words ever. “Christ” means “Anointed One” and when I remember this I remember also the passage Jesus read from Isaiah, the verses that spoke of Himself.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me…”
This is only the first part of Isaiah 61:1. Read on and you will be reminded of all the wonderful things Jesus was anointed to do. Truly, in Him and through Him…by Him…we have access to everything that matters.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Christ’s body, like our bodies, consists of many parts, and God created each part to serve a purpose; I Corinthians discusses this at length. A friend once told me that she had discovered what part she was – Christ’s nose hair. She said it laughingly, but a brief anatomy study reveals that, in a way, she was right. Nose hair acts as a filter, preventing that which is unacceptable from entering the body. This woman has tremendous discernment and walks in spiritual authority at a level beyond that to which most Christians would aspire. When demons have been known to tremble in your presence, you do help to protect the body from unwanted entry.
Each of us is called by God to serve a unique purpose, to fill a position in His body – in the local church. I Corinthians 12:18-20 says, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” There are many parts – many of us, the individuals who make up the body of Christ – and each part is both uniquely necessary and necessarily unique. Just as God did not create the human body with nothing but eyes, tongues and hands, He did not create the body of Christ with only pastors, choir members and ushers. No, the body of Christ (and each local church body) is made up of many parts, many people. Us.
But it is not enough to acknowledge that we are each a part of the body. No, we must also discover which part of the body we are. Note, I do not say we must decide which part we are. No indeed, for I Cor 12:18 states clearly that, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” (emphasis mine) God has a unique plan for each one of us and it is our responsibility to seek Him and find out what that plan is. If we presume to decide for ourselves what function we will fill in the body of Christ, we make a gross mistake. Just as an elbow does not have the option of deciding it would rather be a hand, we do not have the option of changing our God-given assignments.
Over the years, I have repeatedly witnessed the results of this very thing, people attempting to choose their own assignments rather than seeking God’s direction. The music ministry is typical; many people join the choir not because God has called them to that position, but because it is where they want to be. Fortunately, most of these misplaced members eventually realize they have put themselves into the wrong position and, hopefully, move on to the place of God’s calling. How much easier would church life have been on them if they had gone straight to God for their assignments instead of telling Him where they had chosen to place themselves? Indeed, how much better would it have been on the choir and music ministry if they had not put themselves where they were not called to be…and how much easier on the ministry that had anxiously awaited their arrival? An elbow that tried to be a hand would create a multitude of problems; one who is called to be an usher, yet tries to be a nursery worker, can do the same.
Yes, it is imperative that each of us, as members of the body of Christ in general and our local church bodies in particular, find out where God has called us to fit in and GET THERE. My place, for 28 years, was in the music ministry. I served wherever the head of my ministry asked me to serve, from choir loft to church office, and I will dare say that I filled my spot well. I have, in the past, likened myself to a ball bearing, the part that makes everything run smoothly while remaining, itself, unseen. Looking at my reference verse, I suppose I would say that I fell into the, “held together by every supporting ligament” category because ligaments are absolutely necessary for the proper running of the body, supporting everything from their unseen position. Interestingly enough, it occurs to me that they are also nurtured and sheltered there, protected by all the visible things that cover them.
Had I ever wanted to be one of those visible parts? Of course! I have an ego and fight pride like everyone else. Like many who love to sing and end up joining a church choir, I had my moments of wanting to be a front line member (one of those few who are on the main stage), but the main platform was not my called position. Understanding this, I chose to put down the flesh whenever it would raise this topic. Interestingly enough, long after I conquered my flesh in this area, God arranged for me to fill in as a front line member for one service. Had I cherished any lingering thoughts of the main platform they would have been squashed flat that night. Everyone said I did well enough, but like an elbow trying to be a hand I felt grossly out of place. Dear God, never again…please.
Today I am on staff at the church, so my position has changed dramatically. No longer in the music ministry, I run our coffee shop and Info Table instead, but I am still a supporting ligament, still just doing my best to keep things moving smoothly and with excellence. I love being where God has called me to be!
…grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Ephesians 4:14 begins, “Then we will no longer be infants…” and verse 15 says, “…we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” This whole passage, Eph 4:14-16, talks about us maturing, growing up and refusing to remain babies. Any pastor will tell you sadly that there are too many spiritual babies in the body of Christ, too many spiritual babies in his church. Verse 16 reveals one of the great evidences, an obvious indicator of whether one is a mature or immature (baby) Christian.
…grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
The emphasis, of course, is mine.
According to this Scripture, the growth, the maturity, the building up in love comes as each part does its work. Not only must each part of the body of Christ and, obviously, the local church body, work (which is a rare enough thing in most churches), but each must do its work – not that of another part (someone else’s work). Each of us is a part of the whole body and every one of us has God-given work assignments. Only when we walk in submission to Him and do the works that He assigns do we really grow and build ourselves up in love. Furthermore, only when we each do our own work does the body grow and build itself up in love. When we fail, the body fails; if I, as a supporting ligament, choose not to do my assigned work, all that I support is hindered, handicapped and slowed in its growth.
…walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.
This verse speaks to each of us. We are called to the body of Christ. We are called into a specific church. We are called to a ministry or ministries. God does nothing without purpose. He would not place me in a body without calling me to be an active part of that body. Indeed, Eph 4:16 says that we are to be as parts of a physical body, actively working, fulfilling our purposes so that all of the body’s needs are supplied.
So the question is not, “Am I called?” but rather, “Where am I called?” I am to seek the answer to that question and, having found it, I am to walk worthy of that calling.
But what does it mean to walk worthy? Perhaps the obvious answer is that I am, whenever I am in my place of ministry, to fill that place with godly excellence. Yet I am convinced that the intent here is the accomplishment of something far greater.
Consider the very phrase “walk worthy.” When I see these words I immediately think of God’s admonishment to us to teach our children as we “walk by the way” (Deut 6:7). In fact, the New International Version of the Bible expresses it in just this way. “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” It goes on, of course, to expound upon what this type of living entails.
So in truth I am to walk worthy of the calling at all times. As I walk into the grocery store, I am to walk as one who knows she has the call of God on her life. As I walk into the post office, I am to remember who I represent and walk worthy of His name. For years, I was called to demonstrate godly excellence in the choir loft, doing all in my power to become the best choir member I could be, but I am to demonstrate that same godly excellence in all I do…and that same godly attitude too!
And, too, this truth applies to all the callings God has placed upon my life. I am to walk worthy of my calling as wife, as mother, as blogger, as friend…
Though it might seem nice on occasion to set aside the label “Christian” and let self have its own way, I do not have that right. Even if I had no other call on my life, I have the highest call – that of a child of God – and above all else I must not fail to walk worthy of that calling.
And here is yet another thought. I had already finished this segment when I went back, reread the verse, and saw something more. (This is a common thing when meditating upon God’s Word!) We are commanded to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. Actually, even as I type, I see even more in the two words – THE CALLING.
First, we are called with a specific calling. I am not to walk worthy of someone else’s calling, but rather am to walk worthy of my own. My flesh may declare that it wants to work in the Children’s Church, thinking this would be a fun place to serve, but if God has called me to work in the nursery instead, I would be walking in disobedience if I headed in a Children’s Churchly direction. Since disobedience is sin…
But the thought that really stopped me in my tracks is this one. With what calling am I called? If I were called with the President’s calling – that is, if the President of the United States were to call on me to do something – I would not only do it, but would undoubtedly do it to the very best of my ability. There is no way I would even consider giving the President of the United States anything less than work of the highest quality! But we are not called with the President’s calling. No, we are not called with any mere man’s calling, but rather we are called with GOD’s calling. How is it, then, that we too often offer Him second or even third best…or nothing at all? Do we consider Him to be less important than the President? Do we subconsciously take advantage of His quickness to forgive? Do we find that, since we can’t see Him with our physical eyes, it is easier to ignore the fact that He is there and waiting for us to move, waiting for us to do (and do well) what He has called us to do?
“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:7)
…may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
And to know this love that passes knowledge… How can one know something that surpasses knowledge? Is He, perhaps, referring here to the difference between “to know” (the experience) and knowledge (the thing)? If I am rooted and established in love, then I am in the place where He can give me the power to know the love of Christ, to lose myself in it as a woman loses herself in her husband or a husband in his wife, becoming one… and not just me as an individual, but me and the rest of the body as one.
There is a difference between standing on the shore, merely looking at the ocean, and being out in a boat surrounded by the water. Only when in the water can you even begin to perceive how long and wide and deep it is. Only then can you experience it.
So we have to be rooted and established in love first, genuinely walking in it, before we can truly gain the power to move on out into LOVE – that being the love of Christ, the love that is God. And only when we know (are one with) the love of Christ can we “be filled with all the fullness of God.” When we truly know (experience and are one with) the love of Christ our prejudices will melt away. How can we be prejudiced against, look down upon, or count less worthy than ourselves, another of His creation…another part of His body…another whom we love? If we walk in the love of Christ we cannot, for those prejudices are outside of love and His love is too high, too long, too wide and too deep for us to be able to reach them.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are God’s workmanship!
We should never read these words so quickly that we miss them. God’s child is not the inferior product of the world he grew up in, nor is he an accident created by nature. God’s child is God’s creation – God’s workmanship – and God… does… not… make… junk.
We are created in Christ Jesus.
This truth alone could inspire a book of meditations. Repeatedly, God’s Word refers to us being “in Christ.” If this is so, how can we count ourselves as less than valuable, less than able, less than worthy, less than powerful…less than anything? If we are in Christ, we have as much worth, ability, worthiness, power…as any other part of His body does. The question is, what do we do with it?
We are to do good works.
When being encouraged to do good works, people often quote Eph 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Yes, we are saved by grace, through faith and not by our works; salvation is a gift. Now, if those who so enjoy quoting verses 8 and 9 would only continue to verse 10, they would see why God gave us the gift – “to do good works.” God doesn’t give useless gifts; He gives gifts with a purpose. Knowing this, we realize we are responsible to find out what His plans for us are, and to follow through and do.
God prepared these works in advance, expecting us to do them.
How much more clear can it get? God had a plan in mind, works lined out for each one of us to do, even before we accepted His gift of salvation. Now it’s our turn. Now it’s time for us to learn what those works are, pull ourselves together, and go get them done. This is not something we can do; it is something we must do if we are to be pleasing to Him. After all, His Word says repeatedly that faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 20, 26) and that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).
…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
This very same power is available for me! Why do I have such a hard time getting this revelation?
…the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe…
This final word is the key: believe. This exceedingly great power is available for us who believe – who believe in Him, in all He’s done, and in the fact that He will do it all for us. Believe. It’s so simple, or should be. Why, good grief! You’d think I would figure it out in my heart as well as my head that if this same all-powerful God gave His only son for me then I am important enough that, having expended so much power already on the “hard stuff,” He will be pleased when I give Him opportunity to share more.
It is clear that He looks for the times when I trust Him and open the door so He can, “…show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (II Chron 16:9) I love that portion of Scripture. In the New King James the verse reads, “For the eyes of the lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
My heart is loyal to my God. I may fail in the area of consistency, but I love Him and I will (I choose) to be faithful to Him. So He tells me in His Word – more than once – that His will, His choice, is to bless me… To bless ME! I hear Him speak it to my spirit over and over. I see Him in action time and time again. So why is it hard to remember that His will is to bless me? Why can it sometimes be so hard to believe that I am worthy of those blessings?
Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
This verse leapt out at me years ago, showing me responsibilities I’d not known I had. No longer could I merely sit in my nice, comfy pew and listen to the minister. No indeed, I must also share with that minister. Share what? I must share in all good things.
This means money, yes. It is rare for me to let the bucket pass untouched when the offering is being taken up for a guest minister – because I have a command from God to share in all good things, and money is a good thing.
I also had a self-appointed ministry for several years. Rather, I should say it was a God-appointed ministry. Any time a guest filled our pulpit I made a point of sending a thank you note soon afterwards. More than once, word got back to me that my simple notes had blessed the recipient and I knew I was, indeed, doing God’s work.
But guest ministers play only a small part in teaching me the Word. Few will ever speak into my life like my own pastor will, and here lies my greatest responsibility. Yes, my offerings help pay his salary, but this is only a tiny part of what I owe him. I owe him a share in all good things. I owe him my prayers. I owe him words of encouragement. I owe him whatever good gift God suggests I give him, be it an apple pie, cash, or a new car… (Okay, so at this point I only wish I could give him a new car.)
I love these words. In modern terms this means – “it WILL happen.” These words were spoken to the children of Israel, but since God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) they can also be spoken over us. Of course, there is one “little” condition; it follows the next word – the IF.
thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day
Now, Moses was speaking of a particular list of commandments, a rather long list. Jesus later simplified matters by giving two commandments that cover everything. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10:27) This really does cover it all. If we truly love God with all that we are, we will make it our business to seek out those things that please Him and bring honor to Him and, likewise, we will actively avoid anything that displeases or dishonors Him. If we truly love Him with all our hearts, we will listen intently for His voice because it is our favorite thing to hear, and we will do whatever He tells us to do. And of course, if we do all of this, loving our neighbors as ourselves will be easy.
the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth
Again, God is speaking to Israel, but we have been adopted into that family, having been made heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom 8:17).
The thought of one people group (“Nation” translates as “people group” rather than being a political or geographical descriptor.) being exalted above all other people groups of the earth can be an uncomfortable thing to consider, but God said it, so think about it we must.
2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
There’s that “if” again! Something will happen IF we hearken unto the voice of the Lord our God, IF we listen for it and pay attention to what it says. The Hebrew word used here is fairly pointed; it means “to hear intelligently” and often implies obedience.
Of course, if we are listening to His voice and doing what He says, we won’t be standing still; we’ll be busy about His work. And as we move forward with Him something will happen. He says that all (not some) of the blessings He is about to promise will come on us. As we move forward with Him, the blessings will come rushing up behind us and overtake us. How very opposite this picture is to the one mankind envisions. Most people feel the need to chase after the blessings, but God sees just the opposite – that it is Him we chase after and then the blessings chase after us. Matthew 6:33 comes to mind. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The “all these things” mentioned in this verse is discussed in the verses above; it refers to all the things the Gentiles (or those who don’t know Him) seek. Every one of those things is covered by the blessings mentioned in Deuteronomy 28. Once again, Jesus takes a lot of Scripture and condenses it down to the bare essentials. He’s still saying the same thing, but in a different way; I love it!
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
This verse covers a lot of ground – in the literal sense. Some translations say you will be blessed in the city and the country, which implies that no matter where you are, as long as it’s where God wants you to be, the blessings will overtake you. You can also see it as the city and the field being the two different places a person of that day would work, in which case it would be clear that wherever you work, as long as you’re listening to God’s voice and actively doing what He wants you to do, the blessings will find and overtake you.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body
Here is a promise any parent can appreciate! As long as I hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord my God, being faithful to pay attention to and do all He tells me to do, my children will be blessed. This one promise, alone, should be enough to motivate any parent to stay in the absolute center of God’s will!
Other translations present this promise slightly differently. The New Living Translation says that you will be blessed with many children. To people in an agrarian culture, which Israel was, “many children” does mean “great blessings.”
Regardless of translation, God obviously intends for our children to be blessed and a blessing.
and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
Again, God is speaking to an agrarian, or land-based, society here, so these were the primary areas in which a man made his wealth. He is saying in this portion of verse that whatever you do to make money, be it farming, ranching, sheep herding or anything else (as long as you are doing what He wants you to do), you will be blessed.
It is interesting to note that Proverbs 10:22 says, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it. The word translated as “blessed” in Deuteronomy 28 is the root of the word translated as “blessing” in Proverbs 10:22. Looking at the definition, it is clear that the implication is definitely “prosperity.” It is God’s intent that we prosper financially.
5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
Baskets were used for many things in Old Testament days. One of the ways in which a basket was used was carrying purchases home from the market. In some parts of the US today people still refer to those cards we push around inside grocery stores as baskets. I and many others walk in the knowledge of this Scripture when we go shopping, starting our shopping trips with, “Father, I thank You my basket is blessed.” I’m not the only one who has developed a reputation for finding bargains, and I’m convinced that our gift for bargain hunting is a result of our taking this particular blessing seriously.
As I said, baskets were used in many ways, and in any way a basket would be used God said it would be blessed.
The word “store” is interesting. Not only did they not have stores as we know them when this Word from God was given, but I have also seen the word translated as “kneading trough.” I went to my copy of Strong’s and found that kneading trough is, indeed, the more accurate translation.
Now, before anyone decides I’m questioning the accuracy of Scripture, let me point out that words change in meaning over time. How many words have we seen this happen to even in recent decades? (Look up the word “geek” in an older dictionary and you’ll see what I mean.) It is entirely possible that a kneading trough was called a “store” when King James had his translators work on producing a Bible that the common man could read.
Regardless, I appreciate the blessing on the kneading trough as much as I do the blessing on the basket. Not only are the efforts of one who goes out to work, to “earn a living,” blessed, but the work of the one who keeps the home is blessed as well. Bread was a huge part of the diet during Biblical times, so for the kneading trough to be blessed was a great thing. By implication, the bread made in that trough would also be blessed, and that blessed bread could only be a blessing to those who ate it.
6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
Whether you’re coming or going, you’re blessed as long as you meet the requirements of the blessing. Here again is a promise of blessing that is great enough to motivate the person who takes it seriously.
If one were guaranteed such a thing – that the blessing of the Lord (that causes you to prosper) would be on one every time one came in or went out – would it not make sense to fulfill the condition? The fact is, we are guaranteed that blessing!
7The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
There are many instances recorded in the Old Testament when both Israel as a whole and individuals experienced this promise in operation. This is not to say that Israel never had to fight, but in many cases she didn’t, and in many more instances God did the vast majority of the work Himself
Jericho fell without Israel lifting anything but her voice. Only after the walls fell did Israel enter battle. (Joshua 6)
Kings came from all parts of the country to attack Israel in Joshua 11, and in one day they were all destroyed. Their combined army was many times larger than Israel’s, but Israel was right with God and walking in His promise.
God enabled David and his mighty men to prevail in battle even when the entire Israelite army fled, leaving them to fight alone. My two favorite accounts are in II Samuel 23:9-12
Any time one enemy comes against the child of God who is walking as God commands, that enemy does not only come out against the child, but rather he comes out against the Father and his child. No matter what enemy we face, we have our Father’s promise that we do not face that enemy alone, and that if we will just stand firm our enemy will fall!
8The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses,
The emphasis here is awesome. God doesn’t merely bless you in your storehouses; He commands the blessing on you in your storehouses. The storehouse, of course, was where the wealth of the people was stored. Today it could be a savings account or any number of other things. Whatever your storehouse is, know that as long as you meet the requirements in verse 1, God commands a blessing on it.
and in all that thou settest thine hand unto
Remember we’re talking about a commanded blessing here, and look at where God is commanding the blessing. …all that thou settest thine hand unto.
I’ve spent a lot of time meditating on this verse over the years, but still need to spend more. The scope is downright astounding. God commands the blessing on me in all I set my hand to. As my pastor is so fond of saying, “all means ALL.” No matter what I set my hand to, as long as I fulfill the conditions in verse one, God commands the blessing on me in it. I realize, of course, that there are things I can do to negate that blessing – You are snared by the words of your mouth comes to mind. But looking at this blessing, and considering that as long as I do everything the way I’m supposed to, God commands it…that’s big. That’s enormous. That’s more than I can reduce to a few words on paper.
and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
This is a two-fold promise, spoken first to the nation of Israel and now to me. God promised to give Israel a land that was their own, a place they could call home where they would be able to raise their children and make their living with herds of cattle, farms, or whatever else they chose to put their hands to. God promised, too, that He would bless them there. He kept both promises. As long as Israel put Him first, they prospered in this new land God gave them. They prospered tremendously.
God’s promise holds true for us today as well. Our land may be a rented apartment, but as long as we follow Him and Him alone, not turning aside to serve other gods (money, work, etc.) He will give us that land and bless us in it.
9The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
Again, God is speaking to the people of Israel here. I see no problem, however, with taking this verse to mean Christians today. If we follow our Lord’s commandments and walk in His ways we are called by His name; we are called Christians. We have been established a holy people unto Him.
10And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
In the past, I gave little thought to this verse. In light of the events of recent years, however, I find them to be more than interesting. Christians and Jews around the world are under attack and both Israel and the United States, which many perceive to be a Christian nation, have been attacked in multiple ways. Much of this is just life, but I cannot help but wonder how much of the overall attack against Israel and Christianity is motivated by a simple fear of those who are called by the name of the Lord.
11And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
It is interesting that this list ends as it does. The implication, to me, is that these things will happen only as long as we are where God wants us to be – geographically speaking. He says He’ll do them in the land He swore to our fathers to give us, not anywhere else.
And what will He do? He’ll make us plenteous in goods – seeing to it that we have plenty of “good things.” He will also make us plenteous in the fruit of our bodies – giving us plenty of children. Finally, He promises to make us plenteous in both the fruit of our cattle and the fruit of our ground – increasing the number of our livestock (stock traders might want to take this one seriously) and giving us abundant crops.
He is, essentially, repeating the promises made in verse four, and any good student knows that when a teacher repeats himself it pays to give attention to what he is saying.
12The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand:
To farmers this is a true prosperity promise. You can plant all the seed you want to, but if the rain doesn’t come at the right time, in season, your crop will fail. (We’re setting modern irrigation aside for the moment) No matter how hard a farmer of this time period worked with his hands, he relied of God to open up the heavens and give rain to his land at the right time.
We may not be a nation of farmers anymore, but it isn’t hard to translate this to fit today’s ways of making wealth. We still work with our hands, if in myriad ways, and God still opens up His good treasure and pours out whatever is needed to cause the work of our hands to be blessed. Just as the farmer did all he knew to do and trusted God to bless it, so should we do all we know to do and trust God to bless it.
in his season
I clearly remember the day these three words exploded off the page for me. I was reading right along when it suddenly dawned on me that this is quite specific. I went immediately to God and asked Him what He meant.
The most obvious answer is that God’s season is not necessarily man’s season, and that I can’t tell God when to pour out His blessing on the work of my hands. I went to God with the question, though, because I felt this was only a partial answer at best, and I was right.
God’s season, put simply, is whenever He chooses for it to be. He is not bound by “seasons.” Any business man can understand this concept. Some businesses, perhaps most, are generally considered to be seasonal – be those seasons literal (summer, winter, etc.) or figurative (Christmas, tax season, etc.). A business man who operates under the standard assumptions of the business world may expect his business to do poorly during a specific season. God says differently. He says here that He will bless all the work of our hands as long as we meet His conditions, so He reserves the right to open His good treasure and give rain to your land in His season, even if that time is one during which the world would consider such a thing to be impossible.
and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
At a glance, this seems like a command, but we must remember that God is giving us promises here; the command has already been given. So this is a promise He is making to us, a promise that we shall prosper so greatly in every way that we will be able to lend to all sorts of people (many nations) and never have to borrow. How different this is from the manner in which modern man lives!
13And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath;
I particularly appreciate the first six words here – “And the Lord shall make thee.” I’ve tried doing it all on my own, advancing myself, promoting me; it’s a lot of work and doesn’t work anywhere near as well as one might expect. It is far better to let God handle the promotions, to let Him move you to the front of the line. Self promotion can only get one so far. When God makes you the head, you are the head.
Likewise, I appreciate His promise to make me above only and not beneath. There have been too many times in my life, when I tried to accomplish things on my own power, when I ended up on the bottom with a world of ‘stuff’ piled on top of me. This should be a completely unnatural position for the child of God. It is much better to do things His way so that He can keep me on top.
if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 14And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
Once again we see the conditions we must meet, and we see them expanded upon. We have to listen for God’s commandments, whether they come to us through His written word or spoken directly to our spirits. We must also both pay attention to them and do what He tells us to do.
And we must never go aside from His commandments, either. This is important. When walking a path towards a goal, if you veer to the left of the right even the tiniest bit, you will not reach your destination; you will end up somewhere else entirely. According to this Scripture, if we go aside from God’s will for us, veering to the left or the right even a little, our destination will be other gods and we will end up serving them.
That seems a strong thing to say, but I didn’t say it, God did. Christians do this very thing all of the time, veering off a little to the right to serve the god of self, veering off slightly to the left to serve the god of money. Whatever the god’s name, be it Little League or work, or even children or church (Anything, when placed before God on one’s list of priorities, becomes a god.), if we end up serving it first, it becomes our master and we are no longer serving GOD. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, no man can serve two masters.
And, consequently, for the one who has turned aside to serve another god, this first part of Deuteronomy 28 no longer applies. This person now falls into the category of people covered by the rest of the chapter, as Israel did more than once.
But thank God for His mercy, for just as Israel repeatedly repented and was delivered from the hands of her enemies, so might we also repent and be set free to walk the blessed path of His will once again.
