Deuteronomy 28:1-2,7-8 (NKJV) Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:…. “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
All parents want the best for their children. God wants the same for us because He is a good Heavenly Father. In the Old Testament, God’s people operated under the Mosaic Covenant, a conditional covenant stipulating that if they obeyed God’s laws and commands, they would be blessed, but if they disregarded them, curses would befall them. This is why God asked them to heed His voice and Word.
Deuteronomy 28:15-68 contain a long list of curses. If the people violated the law or disobeyed God’s voice, curses would come upon them, affecting almost every aspect of their lives. For instance, they would be defeated by their enemies, experience no rest, and suffer from sicknesses, tumours, scabs, and boils; their ways would not be prosperous, nor would they achieve success.
On the other hand, the opening passage describes how God would prosper His people if they walked in His ways and refrained from following or worshipping other gods. God would fight for them, and they would witness how the enemies were brought into confusion. One would chase a thousand, and two Israelites would chase ten thousand when the Lord fought for them. They would have peace in the land.
Joshua 1:8 (NKJV) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8 says they would be prosperous and successful if they meditated on the Word and did what God taught them. There would be peace in the land when they walked with God; they would enjoy long lives without war, sickness or calamities, and blessings would overtake them because they obeyed God’s voice. They would be favoured by God and be held in high esteem by men because others could see that they were blessed. Indeed, when men’s ways please the Lord, even the enemies are at peace with them.
We, today’s believers, operate under the New Covenant, but that doesn’t mean we won’t reap what we have sown in the flesh. If we sow to the flesh, living independently from God, we will reap corruption and all accompanying consequences, but if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap the abundant life of love, joy, peace, and all that we need in life without any sorrows added to it.
Sermon Series: Wise Saying
通往祝福之路
申命记 28:1-2,7-8 你若留意听从耶和华你神的话，谨守遵行他的一切诫命，就是我今日所吩咐你的，他必使你超乎天下万民之上。你若听从耶和华你神的话，这以下的福必追随你，临到你身上，……仇敌起来攻击你，耶和华必使他们在你面前被你杀败。他们从一条路来攻击你，必从七条路逃跑。在你仓房里，并你手所办的一切事上，耶和华所命的福必临到你。耶和华你神也要在所给你的地上赐福与你。
所有的父母都希望他们的孩子得到最好的。 上帝也希望我们能如此，因为祂是良善的天父。 在旧约中，上帝的子民在摩西之约下生活。这是一条带条件的约，如果他们遵行上帝的律例和命令就会得到祝福；但如果他们无视这些律例和命令就会遭受咒诅。这是为什么上帝要他们留意听从祂的声音和话语。
申命记 28章15到68节记载了长长的咒诅清单。如果百姓违背律法或不听从神的声音，咒诅就会降临到他们身上，这几乎影响到他们生活的方方面面。例如，他们会被仇敌打败，无法安息，还会被疾病、痔疮、廯和疮攻击；他们的道路不会兴旺，也无法获得成功。
另一方面，前面的经文也描述了如果上帝的子民遵行祂的道路，不跟随或崇拜别神，上帝将会怎样使他们亨通。上帝会为他们争战，他们将见证敌人是如何被扰乱的。 当上帝为他们争战时，一人会追赶千人，两个以色列人会追赶万人。他们将在那地得享平安。
约书亚1:8 这律法书不可离开你的口，总要昼夜思想，好使你谨守遵行这书上所写的一切话。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事顺利。
约书亚记1章8节说，如果他们默想神的话语并遵行神所教导的，他们就会亨通和顺利。当他们与上帝同行时，这地就得享平安；他们将享受没有战争、疾病或灾难的长寿生命，因为他们听从上帝的声音，祝福将临到他们身上。他们将受到上帝的眷顾，并被世人尊敬，因为人们可以看到他们是蒙福的。事实上，当人的行为蒙上帝喜悦时，甚至敌人也会与他们和平相处。
我们作为今天的信徒，是在新约之下行事，但这并不意味着我们不会收取我们凭肉体所种下的果实。 如果我们顺着情欲撒种，不依靠上帝而活，我们就会收败坏和其一切伴随的后果，但如果我们顺着圣灵撒种，我们必收获爱、喜乐、和平以及生活中所需的一切，而不会加上任何忧愁。
讲章系列：智慧的言语
Image Source：pixabay.com