The Principle of Fulfillment
THE CHOICE IS YOURS
Memory Verse: (Deuteronomy 30:19 HCSB) 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,
Scripture Reading: (Deuteronomy 28:1-15 HCSB)
1 "Now if you faithfully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth. (A) 2 All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed in the cityand blessed in the country.
4 Your descendants will be blessed,
and your soil's produce,
and the offspring of your livestock,
including the young of your herds
and the newborn of your flocks.
5 Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in
and blessed when you go out.
7 "The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you from one direction but flee from you in seven directions. 8 The LORD will grant you a blessing on your storehouses and on everything you do; He will bless you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 9 The LORD will establish you as His holy people, as He swore to you, if you obey the commands of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the LORD's name, and they will stand in awe of you. 11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly with children, the offspring of your livestock, and your soil's produce in the land the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The LORD will open for you His abundant storehouse, the sky, to give your land rain in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the LORD your God's commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow [them].14 Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them.
15 "But if you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you:
INTRODUCTION:
“Life is the sum of all your choices. “ ~Albert Camus
“Choices are the hinges of destiny.” Edwin Markham and Pythagoras
“When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.” ~William James
Proverbs 12:1 HCSB 1 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid.
Albert Einstein: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein
Septuagint title Deuteronomion, which means "second law."
(Deuteronomy 30:19 HCSB) 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,
Deuteronomy 27:10 HCSB. 10 Obey the LORD your God and follow His commands and statutes I am giving you today."
THE CHOICE IS YOURS
1. The Condition for Divine Blessing. Deut 28:1-2
Scriptures: (Deuteronomy 28:1-2 HCSB)
1 "Now if you faithfully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God:
Hebrew shama means to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience,)
“There is no escaping the blessings and favor of the Lord when a person is careful to obey Him.” HCSB Notes
Where our Captain bids us go,
'Tis not ours to murmur no;
He that gives the sword and shield
Chooses too the battlefield
Where we are to fight the foe.
Source Unknown.
2. The Common Pitfalls to Avoid. Deut 28:13-15, (Deuteronomy 28:16-68)
Scriptures: (Deuteronomy 28:13-15 HCSB)
13 The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the LORD your God's commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow [them].14 Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them. 15 "But if you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you:
Deuteronomy 28:58-59 "If you are not careful to obey all the words of this law, which are written in this scroll, by fearing this glorious and awesome name— Yahweh, your God— 59 He will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses.
Romans 1:18 For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,
2 Peter 3:9 HCSB
The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 HCSB.
15 See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are led astray to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish and will not live long in the land you are entering to possess across the Jordan.19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 love the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land the LORD swore to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Galatians 3:13 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
3. The Components of Divine Blessings. Deut 28:2-14
Scriptures: (Deuteronomy 28:1-15 HCSB)
2 All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed in the cityand blessed in the country.
4 Your descendants will be blessed,
and your soil's produce,
and the offspring of your livestock,
including the young of your herds
and the newborn of your flocks.
5 Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in
and blessed when you go out.
7 "The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you from one direction but flee from you in seven directions. 8 The LORD will grant you a blessing on your storehouses and on everything you do; He will bless you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 9 The LORD will establish you as His holy people, as He swore to you, if you obey the commands of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the LORD's name, and they will stand in awe of you. 11 The LORD will make you prosper abundantly with children, the offspring of your livestock, and your soil's produce in the land the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The LORD will open for you His abundant storehouse, the sky, to give your land rain in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. 13 The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the LORD your God's commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow [them].14 Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them.
Verse 13 The head determines in which direction the whole animal moves while the tail just follows along. Israel was brought into being as God's channel of blessing and hope to the world, to be the head of all the nations (Jer 31:7). Should they fail, however, they would become the tail (cp. Dt 28:44). Holman Christian Standard Bible notes
CONCLUSION:
John 3:16. 16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
(Deuteronomy 30:19 HCSB) 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,
