A Health matter.

Heed the Warnings or Pay the Consequences
Reading Deuteronomy 28.

Don’t drink alcohol and drive is the police warning. There are consequences.
This is a similar warning Moses gave in Deuteronomy/Leviticus.

Deuteronomy is 2nd reading of the Law first given 40years previous.
Why necessary? Numbers 14:20-24 The nation had the opportunity to possess the land. However a negative report by ten of the 12 spies swayed the people to refuse to trust God’s promise. It resulted in 38 years of wasted time as a generation missed out on entering the land.
In Leviticus 26 Moses spelt out consequences of unbelief and disobedience. Approximately 40 years later he repeats the message to the second generation in Deuteronomy 28. This has some more detail. Within both are particular issues of health.

The Warnings.
God sees the future. He warned the Nation what would happen if they persisted in unbelief and treason.
Is the Lord God to blame if the people ignore His warnings and judgement falls?

Dt.28:21-22; 27-28;35;59-61 list the health issue which would afflict the nation.
The Lord isn’t passive or indifferent when His people sin.

Solomon’s prayer based upon Deuteronomy 28-30.
The occasion was his dedication of the Temple. 1 Kings 8. 2 Chronicles 6-7.
Christians like to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 (or at least a part of it) and apply it to the Lord hearing our prayers for rain or other nationals matters. However this isn’t the Church’s prayer or the Gentile nations. It is Israel’s. Sure there are principles for us but we do not pray towards Jerusalem (Daniel did) There isn’t any temple on which to focus our attention. Our Mediator is in Heaven. He is Jesus our Great High Priest. The land of Israel alone has been promised such blessing or cursing as reward or judgement. (Do a study on ‘This land is my land says the Lord).

Solomon was reminding the Nation of their privileges and responsibilities as at the same time holding Yahweh to His promises. We are also able to do this but in the light of the New Testament teaching on repentance, faith and obedience.

The Prophets make their judgements from the standpoint of the Law and the warnings and rewards given under Moses and endorsed by God again at the dedication of the Temple.
Isaiah’s estimation of Israel’s spiritual condition is in ch.1:5-7. 5:24b-25. As you read these verses and similar ones from other prophets a strong impression begins to form. In matters of health and healing it isn’t a matter of individual sickness or sinfulness. References to sickness in various expressions reveal this fact. It is an estimation of the national rejection of God. As such they are spiritually and morally sick, deformed, corrupt and as such are offensive to God and powerless. The result…Isaiah 6:9-10. (Matt.13:13-15)
The people could see the visible affects of their unbelief and lawlessness but didn’t care. How could the Lord God deal with this breach of Covenant and preserve the nation and ensure the coming of the Messiah? That great, indeed, awesome passage of Isaiah 53 about the smitten, suffering and rising again Servant of Yahweh. This is why the prophets were able to foretell a future time when the Nation would realise their sin, sickness, corruption and offensive odour has been dealt with by Messiah Jesus on the cross.

This is why th prophet Hosea is able to say as he sees the future ‘I (Yahweh) will heal their backsliding (and its consequences). I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him.’
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