I realize the blessings enumerated in Deuteronomy 28 are conditional. Israel MUST obey God for these benefits to accrue. But still … verses like number seven of that chapter are phenomenal!

“The 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.” Deuteronomy 28:7

They (the enemies of God’s people) might attack from ONE direction!

But God will scatter them in SEVEN directions!

That’s quite a promise!

I love the way God does math!

Deuteronomy 32:30 (not yet studied in our series) gives another example of God’s mathematics in action! Again, to an “obedient, godly” people.

“How should ONE chase a thousand, and two put TEN THOUSAND to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?”

Seems like one chasing a thousand (pretty good fighting ability) … would equate to two soldiers chasing two thousand. But no, two can now handle ten thousand enemies!

Wow!

Seems like God being on one’s “side” exponentially increases that side’s ability to be overcomers!

As in Leviticus 26:8. “And FIVE of you shall chase an HUNDRED, and an HUNDRED of you shall put TEN THOUSAND to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.”

All I’m saying today is this: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Actually the Apostle Paul said it first, in Romans 8:31b.

Christian friends, rejoice today in the fact that God can be our Protector!

And Refuge.

He can empower us to be victorious!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Not two messages.

But two parts to the same message.

Two “options” from God … in reference to His Word, to His commands.

As Israel is about to enter her Land, God asks her to confirm, ratify, swear to obey … the Legislation given Moses several years earlier. Well, a “generation” ago actually!

Deuteronomy 27:11-13 records: “And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin … and these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.”

Some to pronounce blessings upon those who obey.

Some to pronounce curses on those who do not obey!

Yes, this is classic “retribution theology.”

And it represents the very heart of the Book of Deuteronomy.

Every Jew alive, each of the twelve tribes is involved, must participate!

“To bless” doing what God says.

“To curse” not doing what God says!

This reminds me of preaching the Word of God yet today.

Paul to Timothy, a charge indeed: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2

Part of pulpit ministry today is positive. Emphasize God’s blessing upon obedience, “exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Tell of God’s approval!

Yet at the same time, part of pulpit ministry today must be negative. Emphasizing God’s curses upon disobedience, clearly warning-filled! “Reprove, rebuke,” as necessary!

God has not changed.

Here’s Deuteronomy 30:15 encapsulated: “See, I (the Lord) have set before thee (the Israelites) this day life and good, and death and evil.” Wow!

Oh, what resolve we need.

To obey the Word of God.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

“And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.” Our Text this morning, Deuteronomy 26:18-19.

God’s promise to Israel, as a nation of holy people.

Well, as an “obedient” people too.

Several words in these verses are of paramount importance.

The verb translated “hath avouched” is simply spelled “amar” in Hebrew. Its meaning … “God has spoken, has said, has uttered.” This refers to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. God (historically) spoke then.

A “peculiar” people (“segullah”) means those who are “shut up” unto God, His special possession! His “jewels,” His “treasure,” says the King James Bible.

Wow!

The verb “shouldest keep” is “shamar,” used a total of 468 times in the Old Testament! It means “to heed, preserve, watch,” hence “to obey.”

And here everything does hinge on Israel’s being the kind of people God wanted her to be! Even the noun “people” (“am” in Hebrew) hints at relationship, kinship!

Then watch God bless His little “possession.”

“And to make thee high (elyon) above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour,” pretty special! (Israel is far from this today, though still God’s little “pet” nation!)

But some day in the future, after Jesus comes again to earth … she will be this and a whole lot more! (I’m preparing a series of Sermons on Isaiah chapter 62 right now. There is described Israel’s future glory, in some detail.)

God’s express “passion” for His people, His followers? “That thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God.”

Where “holy” (“qadosh”) implies “set apart, consecrated, dedicated, pure.”

What a beautiful Passage about God’s “heart” for Israel.

And our jobs as saved Gentiles?

Pray for these truths to be actualized in the life of God’s “Israel.”

Praying for the salvation of “the Apple of God’s Eye!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Zechariah 2:8, God to Israel: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts … he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”

 

My Dad would have called it just plain old “honesty.”

A “way of life” for him, I might add.

God, through Moses, taught Israel this standard of business practice. “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy 25:13-16

A Bible believing Hebrew scholar explains the above Text in this manner. It may (or may not) help you to better understand it. “You shall not have in your bag inaccurate weights, a heavy and a light (so you can cheat others). You shall not have in your house inaccurate measures (like yardsticks), a large and a small. You shall have a perfect (full) and just weight, and a perfect and just measure, so that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you. For everyone who does such things, everyone who acts unjustly (without integrity) is utterly repulsive to the Lord your God.”

The evil practice here being condemned would be like the local gasoline station “tampering” with their pumps so that you THOUGHT you were buying ten gallons of fuel (for which you paid) … but actually the pump only dispensed eight gallons! The “calibration” has been changed, illegally.

God forbids such sales measures.

BE HONEST PEOPLE!

By the way, such deceitful business practices made the rich richer, and the poor poorer!

(There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy IF the profit has been legitimately earned. Nor is there necessarily anything shameful about being poor … IF one has not been lazy in his lifestyle. If one has done his or her best to earn a living.)

But … is this “technicality” that important?

Long life (longevity) may depend on it! Obey these laws … “that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

I’d call that important.

Second reason to obey.

Such integrity pleases God! Crookedness does not!  “All that do unrighteously, are an abomination (disgusting, sickening) unto the LORD thy God.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Text today reminds me of the Book of Ruth!

And of God’s care for the “poor” of the land.

Remember, this is a Law.

For Israel.

“When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.” Deuteronomy 24:19-21

Leave something behind, when you are harvesting your crops!

Don’t strip the field, the tree, or the vine bare!

Yes, this involves grain, olives, and grapes.

And presumably every other kind of edible vegetation.

So those who are “needy” will have bread to eat. Oil (from olives) to light their homes. And grapes for both juice and sweetening purposes.

Do notice that these commodities are to be “left” laying in the fields, or  “still growing” on the trees or vines. In other words … do not pick these things for the poor people. Do not be stingy … but they must exert enough effort to come and retrieve what God has provided them!

This discouraged slothfulness!

And did you see that one line about God “blessing” those who are this generous, who obey with a sweet spirit? “That the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.”

Wow!

But now let’s see who qualifies for this largesse.

King James Version: “for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.”

The noun “stranger” is “ger,” meaning a “foreigner.”

“Fatherless” is “yathom,” meaning “lonely person.” It’s translated “orphan” once in the Bible, but expresses particularly the idea of one having a dead Father, 41 times! (It is only used 42 times, total.)

Then “widow” is “almanah,” meaning “one who is desolate,” thus a woman who has lost her husband, often her sole provider back in those days.

Yes, God loves the needy!

Listen to Solomon in Proverbs concerning the “poor.” By the way, that word (“poor”) is used nearly 40 times in the Book of Proverbs! “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Proverbs 19:17

Wow, there’s that idea of “reward, blessing” again!

Folks, if society functioned like this yet today, bathed in such prevalent generosity, the so-called “entitlement” programs of a country’s budget could be greatly reduced, or maybe even eliminated!

But alas, even Israel does not obey such a command any more.

Still, the principle remains.

Be generous to those who have valid issues of “poverty.”

After all, God sure has been gracious to us!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

In fact, after giving today’s legislation (Deuteronomy 24:19-21) … look what God said next. “Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman (slave) in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.” To give to the poor!

Wow!