Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Lessons for Restoring God’s Ten Blessings for the Nations and for Believers
When obedience is the fruit of a nation or a person’s faith, God promises His blessings1
Introduction: Deuteronomy Chapter 28 lists the consequences for a society’s decision to follow or reject God’s Ten Commandments. We know that Moses was referring to the Ten Commandments because he had just instructed his people to write down this Law on uncut stones in one altar (Dt. 27:2-5). It would have been difficult for the Jews to have fit every statute listed in the Torah on an uncut stone altar. But the more important question for believers today is whether these blessings and curses still apply? If a believer is saved by faith, does a believer automatically receive all these blessings and avoid these curses?
The Ten Commandments, while not a test for salvation, are a test for God’s blessings. Jesus never raised any question about whether the Ten Commandments applied. He told His followers that if they loved Him that would keep His Commandments (Jo. 14:15). He is the great “I AM” who gave the Ten Commandments to Moses (Jo. 8:58; Ex. 3:14). He later gave the two “greatest” Commandments as a means for people to make obedience to His Ten Commandments something that would naturally follow from the heart and not out of obligation (Matt. 22:36-40). Many of His teachings also raised the standard of conduct for these Ten Commandments. For example, He raised the standard for adultery to include lustful looks (Matt. 5:28). He also raised the standard for murder to include hatred (Matt. 5:22). He further taught people that a true Sabbath included helping others and healing the sick (Matt. 12:10).
For most of the Church’s history, it has been understood that the Ten Commandments still apply as a code for moral conduct and as a test for God’s blessings, but not as a test for salvation. In the past, the Church also used its influence to make these Ten Commandments part of civil society. Although the Sabbath was never understood as a test for salvation (Col. 2:16-17), the Church ensured that every state in the United States set up “blue laws” that limited business hours and the sale of alcohol on Sundays. Yet, in the modern era, a new teaching has emerged that the Ten Commandments are no longer a test for God’s blessings or curses. Anyone who would admonish another about skipping church for sports or work is called a “legalist.” Many churches simply avoid speaking on controversial things or things that might offend members about their personal choices. Rather than elevating a person’s conduct to God’s holiness, this preaching celebrates bringing the Church down to the level where the people are located.
But something has happened as the Church has preached no condemnation, society has accepted it in most contexts. Laws that used to require stores to close on Sundays disappeared. Jesus’ name became a swear word. The idols of the flesh, including pornography, narcissism, and money, became the focus of people’s lives. Adultery became rampant. In certain communities, most children are now born to parents out of wedlock. People turned to prescription drugs, illegal narcotics, and alcohol to self-medicate their pain. The divorce rate within the Church began to equal that of society. Churches accepted this news with disbelief and confusion.
This Bible study asserts that the reasons for these problems are not a mystery. The Church and society have paid a heavy cost as they have moved away from preaching the Ten Commandments as a code for living. Life within the Ten Commandments, while never a test for salvation, contains the protective barrier where God can pour out His blessings on the Church, society, and individuals. To understand this, we must first understand the difference between unconditional and conditional blessings and the blessings of the Old and New Testaments.
Blessings that are based upon faith and not conduct. There are two kinds of blessings in the Bible; those that are unearned and those that are earned. Salvation is an example of a blessing that cannot be earned. You cannot earn your salvation by being obedient. Instead, you are saved by your faith alone (Ro. 7:6; 8:3). If salvation could be earned by keeping the Law, Jesus would have died needlessly at the cross (Gal. 2:21). As another example, by your faith alone you are blessed to become part of Abraham’s family and an adopted child of God: “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.” (Gal. 3:9). “For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Ro. 4:13). As a third example, when you accept Jesus by faith, God seals you with the Holy Spirit as an eternal pledge or a down-payment on your salvation (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:14). Even when you break the Law, God promises that His Spirit will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5; Dt. 31:6). These are just three examples.
New Testament blessings based upon conduct. While it is clear that conduct is not a test for salvation, Jesus also made clear that conduct can be a test for certain kinds of spiritual blessings. For example, He promised various conditional blessings in the beatitudes. People who stay true to their faith in Him in the face of persecution will be “blessed” and receive “rewards” in heaven (Matt. 5:11). As another example, He promised “rewards” for those who store up their treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20). These are just two examples of conditional blessings that are unrelated to your salvation. There are many similar examples in the New Testament.
Old Testament blessings based upon conduct. The Old Testament also contains conditional blessings. But the blessings of the Old and New Testaments differ in two important areas. First, Old Testament blessings largely focus on a person’s material needs while alive. “In the New Testament, however, the emphasis is more on spiritual rather than on material blessings.” (Brown, William, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology, 1996 Baker Books). Second, the material blessings and curses of the Torah are directly tied to the conduct of the society as a whole. In contrast, Jesus’ spiritual blessings are largely focused on the individual.
21 specific blessings in the Torah for those who are faithful and obedient to God. In the four books of the Law, God reveals at least 21 specific blessings for those who are faithful and obedient to Him. These blessings are unrelated to Jesus’ blessings of eternal salvation. In Exodus, God revealed at least three conditional blessings that come from faithful obedience. These include: (1) protection from diseases (Ex. 15:26); (2) a prolonged life (Ex. 20:12; Dt. 5:16; 5:32-33; 4:40; 6:1-2; 12:28; 22:6-7; 25:13-16; Lev. 18:5; Eph. 6:2-3); and (3) God’s holy presence (Ex. 40:34-35). In Leviticus, God revealed seven other conditional blessings that He may use to bless a person or a nation for obedience. These include: (1) provision (Lev. 26:3-5); (2) peace (Lev. 26:6); (3) protection (Lev. 26:7-8; Ex. 23:22); (4) fertility (Lev. 26:9); (5) abundance from giving (Lev. 26:10; Ps. 92:12-14; Mal. 3:10-12); (6) guidance (Lev. 26:11-12; Ps. 32:8); and (7) freedom (Lev. 26:13; Ex. 20:2). In Deuteronomy, He revealed 10 other conditional blessings. These include: (1) exaltation for the nation (Dt. 28:1-2); (2) exaltation for the individual within the nation (Dt. 28:1-3); (3) growth (Dt. 28:4); (4) food (Dt. 28:5); (5) success (Dt. 28:6); (6) the defeat of your enemies (Dt. 28:7); (7) prosperity (Dt. 28:8); (8) holiness (Dt. 28:9); (9) respect (Dt. 28:10); and (10) the fullness of God’s blessings (Dt. 28:11-14). Finally, in books of the Law from Exodus through Deuteronomy, God reveals the blessing of forgiveness from the blood sacrifices (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). Jesus became the final one-time sacrifice to fulfill the Old Testament sacrificial laws (Heb. 10:12). The only act of obedience required to receive this blessing today is to believe that He died for your sins and that He is both your Lord and Savior (Ro. 10:13; Acts 2:21; Jo. 3:16; 1 Jo. 1:9).
Jesus spoke about providing for your material needs. But He gave two tests to receive your material needs: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). What is the standard for God’s “righteousness”? It is His First Covenant of the Ten Commandments. This is the marriage contract between God and His Church. When you live within this Covenant, He promises to shower you with these blessings while you are alive. When you stand outside the protections of life within the Ten Commandments, you stand in the open elements unprotected from the “curses” of the enemy’s attacks. For example, your salvation is not tied to observing a Sabbath (Col. 2:16). But if you don’t devote a day of rest and devotion to God, He may not bless you with the rest and peace.
God does not change (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). Every Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). Thus, the blessings and curses listed in Deuteronomy apply today for individuals, the Church, and the nations.
Count your blessings: Deuteronomy 28 contains 68 verses. To help people remember the blessings and curses, people have tried to count them. Although scholars use the same Hebrew transcripts, they may count the number of blessings and curses differently depending upon whether verses with similar subjects are grouped together and whether verses with different subjects in the same verse are split apart. If you break apart each verse as a separate blessing or curse, there are 14 blessings and 54 curses. This study organizes the blessings and curses by common subject matter with some verses grouped together. Taking this approach, God offers 10 blessings and 40 curses. The number 10 in the Bible corresponds to the 10 Commandments. It also symbolizes the fullness of God’s revelation. The number 40 in the Bible symbolizes God’s testing. The Jews wandered in the wilderness for 40 years (Nu. 32:13). They were in captivity for approximately 400 years (Gen. 15:13). Jesus was also tested during His 40 days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). Adding the blessings and curses organized by subject matter brings the total number to 50. The number 50 in the Bible also stands for the fullness of God’s revelation. The Jews marched for 50 days from Egypt until God gave them the Ten Commandments as His wedding Covenant with them. He also measured the Tabernacle in increments of 50 (Ex. 26:5-6, 10-11). Every 50 years was also the Jubilee year (Lev. 25:8-12). The number 50 in the New Testament also has special meaning. A total of 50 days passed between the day Jesus died and the day that the Holy Spirit came upon us (Acts 2:1-41). At that time, God wrote the Ten Commandments onto our hearts (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; 10:16).
These 10 blessings are available to any nation or individual who is obedient to the Ten Commandments. When you fall short (as everyone does), repent and return to obedience (1 Jo. 1:9). Only when a nation or you deliberately stand outside these standards will the blessings disappear. Finally, nations and individuals must be wary of Satan’s counterfeit blessings that he offers for a counterfeit lifestyle. He shows you the thrill, but he never shows you the bill.
The ten blessings of obedience in Deuteronomy. Dt. 28:1-14.
(1) An obedient nation will be exalted over other nations.
If a country is obedient to God, He promises to exalt that country above other nations. “1 Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God:” (Dt. 28:1-2). With obedience to His Commandments, “He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the LORD your God, as He has spoken.” (Dt. 26:19). When David was obedient to God, God blessed his entire kingdom by exalting it above the nations: “And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted, for the sake of His people Israel.” (1 Chron. 14:2). As a result of the obedience that came from his faith, God also turned Abraham’s descendants into a great nation: “And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:2).
The lesson for the Church. God calls upon the Church to be the salt in the wound of sin and the light of truth in the world (Matt. 5:13-14). When America was a God-fearing nation, it was an example to all the nations of the Earth. It used to be a major exporter of missionaries. Today, it is the largest exporter of pornography, weapons and junk food. It is also the largest debtor nation in the world, and its foreign policy is hated in many parts of the world. To restore its blessing, the Church must again rally America behind the “standard” of what is right. But if the Church teaches its own people that there is no fixed standard of conduct, how can it preach that message to America? Judgment begins within the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). Once the Church returns to Jesus’ Ten Commandments as the fixed and clear standard for moral living, it can seek to restore America’s obedience and its purity. Is your church silent about the sin in the world around you? Does your pastor exhort members to follow all of the Ten Commandments as a standard for holy living and not as a path to salvation?
(2) An obedient individual will be exalted within the nation.
God will also exalt an obedient person above others within his or her country and nation. “3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.” (Dt. 28:3). “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (Jam. 4:10). Joseph’s faith even as a slave caused him to be obedient. As a result, God’s blessed Joseph and the entire Egyptian household that he managed: “It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.” (Gen. 39:5). Joseph showed that he was faithful and obedient in the face of the temptations of Potiphar’s wife. He was again faithful and obedient to God, even when he was thrown in jail on false charges and then forgotten. Because he showed that he was obedient and faithful in small things, God blessed him by elevating him to have power second only to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:40-41).
The lesson for you. God’s many blessings throughout the Bible shows that He wants to bless you. When you sin (not if you sin), He is faithful to forgive you when you repent of your sins (1 Jo. 1:9). The devil is your accuser and will try to make you feel unworthy of serving God after you sin (Rev. 12:10). Yet, when you repent, you are no longer subject to any condemnation (Ro. 8:1). Nevertheless, if you ignore God’s Ten Commandments that were meant for your protection, you make it more unlikely that He will bless you. If you abstain from the idols of the flesh, He will bless you. If you observe a voluntary Sabbath (not necessarily on Sunday) where you give thanks and worship God, He will bless you with rest and peace. Like Joseph, if you prove yourself obedient in small things, He will bless you with great things. Is there any sin that you need to repent of? Are you living a life that makes it easy for God to bless you and elevate you to become a mighty servant for Him within your city and country?
(3) An obedient nation will be blessed with a high fertility rate.
God will also bless an obedient nation with a high fertility rate: “4 Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.” (Dt. 28:4). With obedience: “He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, . . .” (Dt. 7:12-13). If you keep the Commandments, “you may live and multiply . . .” (Dt. 30:16). The Jews first left Israel as a clan of 70 people (Gen. 46:27). They spent approximately 400 years in captivity (Gen. 15:13- “400”; Ex. 12:40-“430”). After spending two years in the wilderness, God told Moses to assemble and count the men of fighting age who would invade the Promised Land (Nu. 1:1). At that time, the men of fighting age totaled 603,550 (Num. 1:46). Although the Jews stagnated during their forty years in the wilderness, the tribes that were obedient still managed to grow. For example, the Manasseh tribe began with 32,200 fighting men (Nu. 1:35). By the end of their 38-year-journey, their fighting men totaled 52,700 (Nu. 26:34). This was an increase of 20,500 or 63.66%. A person can also be blessed with fertility when they are obedient. Hannah is one example (1 Sam. 1:27).
The lesson for the nation. As a God-fearing nation, the United States leads the developed world in its fertility rate. A high fertility rate is important for ensuring economic growth and money to pay for elderly and sick individuals. If the U.S. does not return to God, its blessing of fertility will disappear as has already happened in most of Europe.
(4) An obedient nation will be blessed with God’s healthy food.
God will also bless an obedient nation with healthy food: “5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.” (Dt. 28:5). If the Jews followed God’s Law, He promised rain for the produce to grow (Dt. 11:10-17; 32:1-3; 1 Ki. 8:34-35; 18:41-46). With obedience, He also promised that the Jews would have no food insecurity within the land (Lev. 26:3-5). Isaiah also promised that obedience would bring God’s blessings to the land: “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land;” (Is. 1:19). We see an example of this type of blessing with Isaac. Because of Isaac’s faith, he was obedient. Because of his obedience, God blessed his harvest 100 fold: “Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him,” (Gen. 26:12).
The lesson for the nation. For most of its existence, America has been a God-fearing country. It has been richly blessed with healthy food. It also has been a major exporter of food to the rest of the world. Yet, for every blessing that God has, Satan has a counterfeit blessing to deceive us. Before the flood, God told mankind that He had given them the produce of the land as food (Gen. 1:29; 3:18-19). After the Flood, He added animals to the list of clean things to eat (Gen. 9:1-3). Today, America finds itself in a strange paradox. It has never produced more food. Yet, it has never had as many food diseases and allergies. Obesity is an epidemic. Diseases caused by poor diets are also epidemic. America has suffered as it has substituted the blessings of God’s natural foods for counterfeit, processed junk food. The Church must again be a light to the rest of the world to bring the nation back to the source of God’s real blessings. Yet, the Church must first be ready to challenge their people in their personal lifestyles.
(5) An obedient nation will be blessed with success.
God will bless an obedient nation in all that it does: “6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” (Dt. 28:6). The words “when you come in” and “when you go out” is a literary expression called a “merism.” By stating that the Jews will be blessed when they come in and when they go out, God was promising to bless them in all that they did. For example, as a result of the obedience that came from Abraham’s faith, he was blessed with success in everything he did, this was true even in his old age (Gen. 24:1). Likewise, as a result of his faith and obedience during his testing, God rewarded Job by allowing him to live to be 140 (Job 42:16).
The lesson for the nation. For most of its existence, the United States has been a God-fearing nation. As a result, God has blessed it economically. It exported cars and manufactured goods all around the world. But as the society has become more secular and hostile to the teachings of the Bible, it is paying the consequence for a life outside the protections of the Ten Commandments. Income inequality is at an all-time high. Manufacturing continues in America. Yet, it employs only a fraction of the population that it used to employ. While America was once a world lender, it is now the world’s largest debtor. These trends largely started in the 1960 when America began to remove God from schools and from most public discourse. The Church again must be the light to the country. Yet, if it is unwilling to tell its own members that there are fixed and objective standards of conduct to follow, how can it preach that to others?
(6) An obedient nation will be blessed with protection.
God will also bless an obedient nation with protection against their enemies: “7 The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.” (Dt. 28:7). When the Jews followed God’s Law, He also promised victory (Lev. 26:7-8; Ex. 23:22; Nu 10:9, 35; Isa. 54:17; Gen. 22:17). For those who are obedient and take refuge in God in the face of the enemy, He promises to be a shield against the enemy’s fiery darts: “He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” (Prov. 30:5(b); 2 Sam. 22:31). With God’s help, Jonathon killed 20 enemy soldiers (1 Sam. 14:14). Likewise, it was God’s blessing that allowed David to kill Goliath (1 Sam. 17:50-58). God also used Gideon’s small army of only 300 soldiers to kill 120,000 enemy Midianites (Jdgs. 7:16-22; 8:10). Another type of protection that God offers is protection from the enemy’s attacks on your health: “And He said, ‘If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.’” (Ex. 15:26; Dt. 7:15).
A obedience nation will enjoy God’s blessing of protection2
The lesson for the nation. For most of its nation, God rewarded America for its obedience with protection from its enemies. God allowed the Americans to defeat the more powerful British in the revolutionary war and the war of 1812. He allowed the Union army that was fighting the righteous cause of freeing the slaves to win the Civil War. He also allowed America to rise to defeat the enemy forces during World War I and II. God also blessed America to allow it to win the Cold War. America is still the strongest military power on Earth. Yet, a life outside the Ten Commandments will mean that America will face its next enemy without God’s help.
(7) An obedient nation will be blessed with prosperity.
In addition to the fifth blessing of success, God can bless an obedient nation with prosperity: “8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” (Dt. 28:8). Throughout the Bible, God reveals that prosperity comes to those with faith who give to the poor: “You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.” (Dt. 15:10). “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:25; 3:10). “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” (Prov. 22:9). “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed.” (Prov. 19:17). Giving is also the one area where God invites you to test Him: ‘“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” (Mal. 3:10). God’s promises are repeated in the New Testament: “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Cor. 9:6). As a result of his faith and obedience, God richly blessed Abraham.” (Gen. 13:2; 12:16). Likewise, as a result of his faith and obedience during his trials, God also richly blessed Job by doubling what he had before his trials (Job: 42:10-17). The one exception to this rule is if you are giving with the wrong motives. The love of money is evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Greed is also evil (Ro. 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:10-11; 6:10; Eph. 5:5). Thus, God will not bless you with money if you are giving out of a desire to become rich.
The lesson for the nation. America has also been historically one of the most generous nations in terms of the amount of money that individuals give to charity. As a result, God has blessed the country for its generosity. Yet, as America has turned on God, it has stagnated economically. If the Church will preach God’s conditional blessings to its own members, it can then teach them to society as a whole.
(8) An obedient nation will be blessed with holiness.
God will also bless an obedient nation or individual with holiness: “9 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.” (Dt. 28:9). ‘“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” (Ex. 19:5-6(a)). “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
The lesson for the nation. The Church was meant to be God’s light to the unsaved world (Matt. 5:14). But what kind of light can the Church be if its own members are consumed with sin? The Church must realize that it is not faced with an “either” “or” test between the Ten Commandments and grace. People must both live as is it is written and love as it is written. Live by the Ten Commandments as a holy example to others. At the same time, show God’s love out of gratitude for your unearned salvation.
(9) An obedient nation will be blessed with respect.
God will also bless an obedient nation with fear or respect from its enemies: “10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.” (Dt. 28:10). When God was protecting His people, we see many examples of where other nations feared them. For example, Pharaoh feared God’s wrath when he almost took Abraham’s wife Sarah as his wife (Gen. 12:17-20). As another example, as the Jews prepared to invade the Promised Land, Rahab told Joshua’s two spies that the Canaanites feared the Jews and their God because God defeated Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea and the armies of two different Amorite kings in Jordan (Josh. 2:10-11). After defeating the Amorites, the Jews traveled back to the plains of Moab where they stayed until God gave the word for Joshua to take them into the Promised Land (Nu. 22:1). There, the Moabites feared the Jews (Nu. 22:3-4). Their fear caused the Moabite King Balak to hire the sorcerer Balaam in an unsuccessful attempt to cast a spell on Israel (Nu. 22:7). The kings of Canaan again feared the Jews and their God when they invaded. The Canaanites “heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.” (Josh. 5:1). “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; the leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; by the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; until Your people pass over, O LORD, until the people pass over whom You have purchased.” (Ex. 15:15-16). All who oppose Israel are subject to the curse that God promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:3). Today, the nations that surround Israel again fear it because God has blessed it.
The lesson for the nation. America’s enemies have also feared it because of its God-given strength. Yet, America must also be a humble and a God-fearing nation. If America continues to walk away from its faith, God could always rise up a great power like China to defeat it. If God was willing to allow the Babylonians to defeat the Jews, America should not be so arrogant to think that God will always bless and protect it.
(10) An obedient nation will receive the fullness of God’s blessings.
Finally, God will bless an obedient nation with the fullness of His blessings: “11 The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” (Dt. 28:11-14).
Jesus wants to pour out His blessings when your faith leads to obedience3
The lesson for the nation. A blessed nation lends to many nations but does not borrow (Dt. 28:12). It is the “head” in the sense that it is not controlled by foreign creditors or nations. America was once blessed as a lender to the nations. Its currency has been the reserve currency of the world. This has allowed Americans to be blessed with low interest rates. The fact that America is now the largest debtor on Earth shows that God’s blessings are slowly being removed from this country. Foreign creditors could cause financial ruin if they refused to buy America’s government bonds, which fuel its endless borrowing. America’s blessings can be restored. Yet, it must repent and return to the Ten Commandments to enjoy the fullness of God’s blessings: “[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14; Dt. 4:1; 7:1). The Church must lead the way in this revival. It must bring America back to the fixed standards of the Ten Commandments.
