Listen, Be Obedient, and Be Blessed! (Part 1)

Now I want to read a few verses from the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. These words were spoken by Moses to Israel just before they entered their inheritance in the land of Canaan. They were a kind of recapitulation of God’s requirements. And again, one of the things that’s most strongly emphasized is hearing God’s voice. This chapter sets forth two different things that could come up on Israel. The first are the blessings for obedience; the second are the curses for disobedience. And in each case, whether it’s to be a blessing or whether it’s to be a curse, it’s determined by whether they do or do not hear God’s voice. Listen to the first two verses.

“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.”

Notice it begins and ends with listening diligently to the voice of the Lord. And the result of listening diligently to God’s voice is “all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee.” A little further on in the same chapter, chapter 28, verse 15 the opposite side of the picture.

“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.”

Isn’t that very clear. How foolish if we neglect. If we hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord, all these blessings. But if we do not hearken to the voice of the Lord, all these curses. That is the continuing requirement of God from His people in all ages, all dispensations. Basically, it’s very simple. “If you want to be My people, if you want to enjoy My blessings, hearken diligently to My voice. Listen with both of your ears to My voice. But if you fail to listen, if you will not listen to Me, then it will not be blessings, but it will be curses, particularly in the matter of healing. If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

But also, beyond healing, to all other provisions and blessings of God, the key is, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God.”

Tomorrow, I’ll be explaining how this principle of hearing God’s voice applies also in the New Testament.