Blessings with Obedience / Curses with Disobedience
From Eco-Bible 1
These are notes for an incomplete "Concept" page.
- Information is being added as the Bible Pages are added. In the end, everything will be compiled, further information added (as necessary), broken links connected, etc.
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There are also separate pages for Blessings (and Their Nature) and Curses (and Their Nature).
- How does God do this? Part of the answer is related to: Providence.
- See also: Prosperity.
In this sinful world, we need to also consider the issue of Injustice. Though a temporary problem (ending at the Day of Justice), it is a real issue!
- For blessings that the wicked receive (temporarily) from God, see: God's Kindness to the Wicked.
Scripture Pages that Link to Here
- In choosing against God, Adam chose against the blessings that are associated with obedience to God. This resulted in the curse: physical changes that affected all of creation - all the "very good" blessings (Genesis 1:31) that came from God.
- No water at Marah. This was a test (from God - v. 25-26) which showed the nature of the people. It also showed them what to expect in the future. There would be many instances in which they would have to choose which way they would go: the way of obedience (with blessing) or the way of disobedience (with judgment).
- You must do what God commands (not turning to either side). Then things will go well with you.
- Not pardoned for disobedience; but for obedience... wicked people driven out of the land; ... and blessed with food, water, health, families, long life; feared by enemies.
- If you obey God's commands (regarding the Jubilee): If you obey God in this matter (not planting/harvesting), he will bless you with an abundance of food, and with safety.
- A description of the blessings/curses which they can expect.
- Obey God, fear him, etc., that all may go well with you.
- Deu 6:24-25 - Yahweh commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day. It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us.
- Deu 6:14-15 - You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you; ... lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
- The results of obedience... Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers: he will love you, and bless you with fruitfulness (you, your crops, your animals) and health.
- Obey God's commands, so things will continue to go well with you in a land of plenty. (Or disobey and receive the judgments.)
- If you obey, blessings will overtake you (extended description of the blessings).
- If you refuse to obey, curses will overtake you (extended description of the curses).
- Those that turn from the true God and go after false ones... "Yahweh will not pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky (v. 20)."
- After the judgments of chapter 29, if they turn back to God and obey him, God will turn back to them and restore them to the land.
1 Kings 9:1-9 & 2 Chronicles 7:12-22
- If God sends drought/locusts/pestilence (because of their wickedness) and the people humble themselves/pray/repent, God will forgive and heal the land.
- Job - blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil. God blessed the work of his hands, and (because of that) Job's possessions spread throughout the land. (But Satan would claim those blessings were like a bribe, to get Job to follow God! What follows - the misfortunes of Job - would prove Satan wrong.)
- It is the wicked, not the upright, who perish. "You reap what you sow"; you get what you deserve. (This "half" of the issue was being stated by Job's friends and misapplied to him. In Job's case, the real issue was: Injustice.)
- "Accept God's correction and you will be blessed!" (This statement was being misapplied to Job. In Job's case, the real issue was: Injustice.)
- A basic theme throughout the chapter. The wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land.
- Psa 106:3 Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
- The only appropriate response to the above fact? "May I be one of those who do what is right!"
- Covenants often came with blessings (for obedience) and curses (for disobedience). The "curse" of verse 6 is a reference to the results that will come because of the human race's violation of the "everlasting covenant" (verse 5). What happens is the consequence of human sin.
Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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