Deuteronomy 28 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Deuteronomy 28 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Moses’ speech, recorded in the opening chapters of Deuteronomy, occurred immediately following the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  

• The Israelites were in the wilderness from approximately 1490-1450 B.C.

• The Book of Deuteronomy opens on the 1st day of the 11th month in the 40th year (Deu 1:3) following the Israelites departure from Egypt (approximately 1450 B.C.).

CHARACTERS:

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt. Leading up to the book of Deuteronomy, the Israelites had spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness as they made their way to Canaan, the land God promised to give them as a home.

• Moses – Moses was selected by God to lead the Israelites to Canaan. God spoke directly to Moses and Moses communicated God’s words and laws to the people.    

WHERE:

• Deuteronomy 1:5 tells us Moses spoke the words recorded in Deuteronomy while in Moab, probably on the plains of Moab near Pisgah (Numbers 22:1).

• Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim are highlighted in this chapter. These two mountains were very close to each other, and the Israelites were told to visit them when they crossed the Jordan River.

OUTLINE:

• THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE (28:1-14):

  • If the Israelites respected God’s law, He promised to elevate them above the surrounding nations.

  • He promised to bless their cities, fields, fertility, and livestock.  

  • He told them they would have victories over their enemies, and a treasury full of gold.

• THE CURSES OF DISOBEDIENCE (28:15-68):

  • If the Israelites failed to respect God’s law, God told them their cities, fields, fertility, and livestock would be cursed.

  • He told them He would introduce confusion and frustration into everything they undertook.

  • Disease would be permitted to run rampant in their land.

  • Israel’s enemies would defeat them in battle, they would be oppressed continually, and foreign kings would rule over them.

  • If Israel would not serve the Lord, the Lord would make them serve wicked men.

  • Their children would be taken captive.

    Rather than being known as God’s honored people, the Israelites would be shamed, and they would become a “horror, a proverb, and a byword” among the nations.

  • If Israel got wicked enough, God would send armies to besiege their cities. The sieges would be so bad, the Israelites would abandon civility and resort cannibalism.

  • Continued rebellion would result in “extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting” (28:59).

  • If the people persisted in evil, God would take the Promised Land away from them and scatter them throughout the nations.
    

APPLICATION:

• Be careful before you try to apply promises given to other people to yourself.

• Some preachers will read verses like Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and tell their audience God will make them rich and prosperous if they follow His commands.

• But those verses and those promises weren’t meant for the modern disciples of Jesus, they were exclusively given to the Israelite nation during a unique period of history.

• The reward of following Jesus is fellowship with God and eventually Heaven, but we aren’t guaranteed earthly prosperity.

• It would be one thing if Jesus repeated similar promises to His followers, but we don’t see Jesus promising prestige and riches in the New Testament.