The Blessings And Curses Upon Our Surety

In Deuteronomy chapter 28, we will begin reading in verse 1 and read through verse 19. And let me say before we begin, I would like to read further. I would like to read the whole chapter, but for the sake of time, there's 60-something verses we will only read through verse 19.

Verse 28 of Deuteronomy, and it shall come to pass 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, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee. and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shalt thou be in the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of the ground, and the fruit of the cattle, the increase of thine kind, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shalt thou be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

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. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and all that thou settest thy hand unto. And he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself. And as he has sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, and in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, and in the land which the Lord swear unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open thee his good treasure, and the heaven to give the rain upon the land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand.

And thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail. And thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath. if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day to observe and to do them. And 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. But, verse 15, but it shall come to pass If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe, to do all his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee.

Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shalt thy basket and thy store, Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kind, and the flocks of thy sheep. Verse 19. Cursed shall thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shall thou be when thou comest out. Now I have five points. in the Bible study this morning, and I'm gonna give them to you briefly in hopes that'll help you follow me in this Bible study. Now, there's five things that I pray the Lord would help me to bring out.

The first point is this, the responsibility for keeping the law was given to the Lord Jesus Christ. The second point is that this covenant of the law was with Christ. And the third thing is the covenant blessing come through Christ, through his obedience. And then the fourth thing, the covenant curses that we just read. We read of the blessings, now the curses, the covenant curses that we just read, These curses were placed upon Christ. And then fifthly, we're gonna go to the cross and we're gonna see it, okay?

So, if you will, turn to Deuteronomy chapter 31 with me, and we will begin there. But briefly while you're turning there, I'm going to give you just a very quick, quick summary of Deuteronomy. Now, Deuteronomy, the book that we're in, is the last book of Moses. We are in verse 28 this morning, and know that there's only 31 chapters in Deuteronomy. We are at the end of the life of Moses. We're at the end of the ministry of Moses. Moses represents the law. Moses represents God's holy law. And we are approaching the end of that law.

Now, if you look at Deuteronomy, it begins in chapters 1 through 4, and we'll go briefly. But chapters 1 through 4 is this, is remember. He tells them, remember your journey, remember God's mercy and God's provisions and God's protection. He reminds them of how he brought them out of Egypt. And then in chapters 5 through 11, he says, remember the covenant relationship that I established with you. I chose you, I loved you, I redeemed you. You were called to have been obedience.

And then also in five through 11, he gives the basis for the obedience to God, who God is and what he has done. And then from chapters 12 to 26, in all this, in these chapters 12 to 26, you have Basically, one thing, the law is given. In 12 through 26, the law declares what you're to do and what you're not to do. That's 12 through 26. The Ten Commandments are restated, the requirements of the covenant are stated, and the practice of obedience is stated. Do, do, do, don't do. This is the law of works.

And then in chapter 27, we have instructions. Instructions for after you cross Jordan, where we are right now, we are with the law before death, before Jordan. We're still in the wilderness. And after you cross Jordan, there's instructions. You build an altar. You have a ceremony, you write these things in stone, and you publish it. It is the public confirmation of the law.

And then in verse 28, which is where we're reading right now, you have the consequences. You do these things, you'll be blessed. You don't do these things, you'll be cursed. So chapter 28 is the blessings and cursings of the law. That's where we're gonna be this morning.

And then in chapter 29, there's two parts. The people enter into the covenant with Moses. There is a formal covenant renewal between God and Israel. The people enter into a sworn covenant, and the covenant becomes full effect. That's the first part of chapter 29.

And then in the second part, Moses tells the people, you're going to fail. The law's given, the covenant's given, the consequences is given, the covenant is ratified, and then Moses says, you're gonna fail. And then, in verses 30, God tells him that I'm gonna save you, or Moses tells the people that God is gonna save you, and that that restoration is gonna come by the Lord Jesus Christ. God is going to save you first.

That's chapter 30. And then in chapter 31, we have that the law is finished. We have the conclusion of the whole law. This is the end of the law. And what happens in chapter 31 is this. Moses finishes writing the law. The work of Moses is done. The work of the law is done. And Moses, which represents the law, now commissions Joshua, whose name means savior. He commissions Joshua to deliver the people. And Moses does one other thing.

The law, or Moses takes this law and he gives it to the priest. Now, who are the priests? The priests are the mediators. The priest also represents our Lord Jesus Christ. So Moses, the law, is given to our Lord Jesus Christ as the deliverer and also as the mediator. So that's where we are this morning. That's our introduction. Now, we go quickly into our first point. Our first point being the blessings and curses upon our charity. Point number one, the responsibility for keeping the law was given to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, if you will, turn to Deuteronomy 31, verse seven. And as you turn there, remember that Moses is the law and Joshua's name means Savior. Deuteronomy chapter 31 verse 7 says, and Moses called unto Joshua, the law called unto our Lord Jesus Christ, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, be strong and of good courage. for thou shalt go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn unto thy fathers to give them, and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

Joshua is a picture of Christ. His name means Savior. Jordan, which they are about to cross, represents death. Canaan, the land in which they are about to cross into, represents heaven or being with our Lord. Moses can't go. He's the law. He has to stay on this side of Jordan. Only Joshua can go with them across Jordan. The law's job has been completed. What the law has done is that the law has brought the people to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, let me reference this. Galatians chapter three, and don't turn. Galatians chapter three, verse 24. The law was our schoolmaster to do what? To bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. As our scripture says, the law, Moses, brought us to Christ. Romans 3, Romans verse 8, 3 and 4, for what the law, what Moses could not do, in that it was weak to the flesh, God sent his own son, God sent a savior, Joshua, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, and condemned in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law, the obedience that was required by the law, The obedience that we read about in chapter 28 might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

Now, the second point. This covenant of the law was with Christ. This covenant was given to Christ. This covenant was made with Christ. Turn to Deuteronomy 29, verses 14 and 15. Deuteronomy 29, 14 and 15. Again, this covenant of the law was with Christ. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God. And look at this, and also with him and also with Christ. that is not here with us today. Let me represent it. Galatians chapter 4, verse 4. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of the woman, made under the law. This law applied to Christ. Therefore, the blessings and the curses of Deuteronomy chapter 28 applied to our Lord.

John 17 verse 4, I have glorified, and this is our Lord, I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work. I have obeyed the law, which thou gavest me to do. He gave it to him in that covenant. Now, the third point, the covenant blessings come through Christ. The covenant blessings that we read about in Deuteronomy 28 were his because of his obedience. If you obey, you can receive the blessings. If you disobey, you receive the curse. Our Lord obeyed. Our Lord received the blessings.

Turn to Deuteronomy 28, verses 1 and 2. Verse 1, and it shall come to pass 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, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high of all the nations of the earth. Verse two, all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

The covenant blessings come through Christ, through his obedience. Now let me reference Romans chapter 5, 19. By the obedience of one, by the obedience of Christ, shall many be made righteous. They shall be made righteous by the obedience of the law. By the obedience of one man, By the obedience of one man's obedience to the law, shall many be made righteous.

Now, our fourth point. The covenant curses were placed upon our Lord Jesus Christ. The disobedience. Look at verse 15, Deuteronomy 28. And it shall come to pass Thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. All these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee. Verse 16. Cursed shalt thou be, shalt thou be. Verse 17, cursed shalt thou be. Verse 18, cursed shalt thou be. Verse 19, cursed shalt thou be.

Verses 1 through 14, there's 14 blessings. But in verses 15 through 68, there's 53 verses of nothing but cursing. God cursing and placing a curse upon the obedience of breaking this law. Death. Curses. God's holy wrath is displayed in his hatred for sin. The holiness of God is made manifest in the law.

And there's one place There's one place that is going to be manifested and it's not going to be manifested in this people. They're going to be saved. Turn with me to Galatians chapter three. Galatians chapter three, verse 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

First, the word is written, cursed. is every one that hangeth on a tree. If you read Deuteronomy 21, 22, and 23. And if a man hath committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou shalt hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day. For he that hangeth is cursed of God. He that's hung on a tree is cursed of God.

Now let's go to the tree. Let's go to the tree and see. Turn back to Deuteronomy chapter 28. And I want you to watch and I want you to listen with me this morning. Now, I'm gonna read, I'll reference the scripture, and only read a referring passage. And we'll just let these scriptures interpret themselves. Deuteronomy 28, verse 23. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass. I will not hear you when you pray. Psalm 21, or, now let me reference Psalm 21, or 22, verse one. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me?

And from the words of my Roink. These words are also recorded in Matthew 27 and also in Mark 15. Now turn with me to Deuteronomy 28, verse 25. The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies. Now I'll read John 19, 32 and three. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on his head. And they put on him a purple robe. And they said, hail, king of the Jews, And they smote him with their hands. The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies.

Now look at verse 35. Deuteronomy 28, 35. The Lord shall smite thee. in the knees, and in the legs, and with a sore botch that cannot be healed, and from the sole of thy foot to the top of thy head. Now I'm gonna read to you Isaiah 52, 14. And as many were astounded at thee, his vestige, his appearance, his sight, were so marred, were so disfigured, more than any man, and his form, his shape, more than the sons of men. Now look with me at Deuteronomy 28, 37. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword.

Now I'm gonna read to you Matthew 27, 39 through 42. And they that passed by reviled him and wagged their heads. and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and the elders said, He saved others himself. He did not save. If Thou be King of Israel, If thou be King Israel, let now come down from the cross, and we'll believe him. Also, Psalm 22 7. And all that see me, this is the words of our Lord. And all that see me, laugh me to scorn, and they shoot out the lid. They shake their head again, and doubt shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword. And now, The fifth, Deuteronomy 28, 60 through 61.

Moreover, he will bring upon all, again, moreover, he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou hast prayed of. Thou shalt cleave, and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, And every plague which is not written in the book of the law, them will the Lord bring upon thee until thou be destroyed.

Let me read Matthew 8, 17. That in the fullness which was spoken of Elias the prophet saying, himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Those curses to the people, but our Lord Jesus Christ bared on himself. And then the last, Deuteronomy 28, verse 63.

And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoices over you to do good and to multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and to bring you to naught. Now let me read you Isaiah 53 verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief when thou shalt save the soul of the offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Again, it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoiceth over you to do good, and do you remember before his baptism, our Lord said, this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. So the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. I just scratched the surface. I just scratched it. There's so much here I can't cover it. But I pray that the Lord would bless us through you this morning. Amen.

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