May 30, 2020
What does it say?
The Israelites were given a series of great blessings and serious warnings.
What does it mean?
God takes disobedience very seriously. He gave this exhaustive list of terrible curses to help Israel take sin seriously, too. God wanted them to understand the dire consequences of disobeying His commands. There are 14 verses of blessings and 54 verses of curses. Many of the curses are exact, word-for-word opposites of the blessings. Israel had a choice: obey and live in God’s blessing or disobey and receive the opposite – God’s chastisement.
How should I respond?
Does this chapter leave you feeling that God is harsh and unkind? He is none of those things. Because He is God, He sees sin as it actually is. He never excuses or marginalizes our sin. We do. If God, who knows all things, gave 54 verses of terrible warnings, then read them as if they are the most loving way He could possibly handle sin. God is the perfect Father. He knows that disobedience will ultimately harm you and put distance in your relationship with Him. What attitude or habit is standing between you and your heavenly Father? You have the same choice as Israel: obey and live in God’s blessing or disobey and receive His discipline.