There's A Terrible Price for Not Obeying God

There’s A Terrible Price for Not Obeying God

Bill Brinkworth

Prior to Deuteronomy 28, Moses detailed many of God’s laws to Israel. He made the people aware that they would be blessed by God, if they would follow them; and that He would curse their properties, efforts, and lives if they did not honor His commandments.

Although recited more than 1,450 years before the birth of Christ, God’s warnings should still be heeded today. God does not change. Although our salvation is not related to good works, we should know that what pleased Him then, still pleases Him. What brought His wrath then will bring it upon people today. No one gets away with iniquity, and disobedience is sin.

“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:” Deut. 28:1
In Deut. 28:1, Moses told his people that if they would follow all God’s commandments, He would bless them in 18 different ways (Duet. 28:1-13). Some of those areas in which God would bless them included: making them superior over other nations, their cities and other lands would be blessed by the Creator, and what grew would prosper. They would be successful in battle. They would be a holy people. Enemies would fear their godly reputation. God would bless the earth for their needs. They would be lenders not borrowers, and they would be leaders and not followers. The ways God would bless them covered most facets of their lives. His promises would give them a wonderful life, but to obtain it they had to be obedient to God’s commandments.

We can also have God’s hand of blessings on our lives, if we will follow God’s commandments. The only difference between now and then is that to be His child, we must first be saved. Once that occurs, we should then obey all that He shows us in His preserved Word, the Bible, to receive His blessings.

“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:” Deut. 28:15
If the saved obey, they will be blessed; but there are tremendous consequences if they do not obey what God expects of them. There are approximately 101 curses put on those that chose not to obey them. The price of rebelling against God is extremely high. Some of the shows of God’s wrath against those that chose to rebel against Him include: what they could have been blessed with will be the same areas they will have God’s hand of wrath upon them (vss. 16-19), His rebuke, destruction of what was built or achieved, diseases, problems with weather and the earth, defeats in battles and problems with enemies, mental problems, no prosperity, marital failures, loss of property, family failures, immigration problems, false religions misleading them, loss of respect from other nations, pestilences, crop failures, freedoms lost, men and woman weakening and not living up to their responsibilities, disappearance of natural affection and love, loss of peace, a scattered nation, and overcome by fears.

There are 89 cursings mentioned in Deut. 28:16-68, however, 12 more curses were mentioned in Deut. 27:15-26. Some of those curses include: idolatry, hatred of parents, dishonesty, sexual sins, and murders.

Many say that if we do not stop sinning, God’s hand of wrath will be upon us. Since much of the world is not obeying the Word of God, His wrath is on us now! Israel did not get by with their sin, neither will anyone! An informed person can see many of God’s curses are occurring today.

However, as wicked as the world has become and as much as it has angered God, we can be different individually. We can choose to obey and serve the Lord today, and please Him rather than anger Him. There are great blessings in serving and obeying the Lord. A content and God-blessed life is far better than a life without His blessings.
The full Bible study can be read at: http://openthoumineeyes.com/views18/Obeying-God.pdf

“Almighty God has posted His ‘No Trespassing’ signs everywhere, but in spite of His warnings men deliberately go their own way!” — Oliver Green

This article was featured in the Bible View #662.