(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 28:15-68)

As we see the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28, are we overwhelmed by the weight of curses, over the blessings? The blessings cover the first 14 verses, while the curses cover the last 54 verses. This overwhelming imbalance between blessings and curses then leads to the last verse of the chapter which is the ultimate indictment on Israel.

68 The Lord will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.

The Lord that delivered Israel from Egypt, when there is no more hope for them because of their disobedience and hardened hearts, will send them back to Egypt, back to where they came from. Although Israel will offer themselves for sale as slaves, not even Egypt will take them back as slaves.

The slavery that Israel experienced in Egypt, the life that they experienced there and cried out to the Lord for rescue from, not even that life will be available to them. Isn’t that the ultimate curse? Not just losing the ability to be the people of God, but not even being able to be slaves in Egypt either.

The overwhelming nature of these curses, perhaps leaves us feeling confused, helpless, and hopeless. But, aren’t they also an overwhelming reminder of what grace is? It is when there is no hope, no help, not even Egypt as an option, and yet God still provides.

One of the difficulties many people have regarding the Christian faith, is they don’t understand why they must believe and why Jesus is the only way. That is because at the core we still think we have a chance, an opportunity, a life without Christ, and that Christ is an option, and not the Savior.

That Christ is the Savior, that He is grace personified, means that there is no other way, that there is no life, no hope, no surviving without Him. When even Egypt is not an option for Israel, isn’t God the only way? When life is not an option, isn’t Christ the only way?

Without God, Israel was not good enough even for Egypt. Without Jesus, we are not good enough even for this world. If we don’t have a clear understanding of our current state, that all paths besides Christ lead to the same destination, not even being able to be a slave to the world, but death, then how can we truly understand the grace available to us in Jesus Christ?

Israel is an example for us, that God and Jesus isn’t just something we can choose or not choose, but rather it should help us to understand at the very core, the very nature of being human, is not safe, not secure, not invincible, not forever.

However, the grace of Christ means that in the danger, insecurity, and vulnerability, there is forever, and that forever is Christ Jesus, our Savior, King, and Lord.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy 28