To the Truth-hungry student of the Holy Bible one thing becomes apparent upon reading Genesis 1:26-31, Leviticus 26:1-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-14: GOD LOVES HIS MOST PRIZED CREATION (MAN) AND WANTS TO BLESS HIM WITH ALL MANNER OF BLESSINGS COVERING EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE. This has been His desire from the moment He formed Adam of the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. Let this Truth take control of your mind: FROM DAY ONE GOD HAS WANTED ONLY TO BLESS MANKIND. HE DOES NOT CHANGE. TODAY, AS YOU READ THIS BIBLE TRUTH, KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT HIS GREATEST DESIRE IS TO BLESS YOU. HE MAKES THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR IN THE THREE PASSAGES NOTED ABOVE.

The honest Bible student will also acknowledge that in order to receive God’s promised blessings one must meet His one and only requirement (caveat, condition): HE COMMANDS TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO ALL OF HIS TEN COMMANDMENT LAW AS HE TOLD THE SALVATION-SEEKING RICH MAN AS RECORDED IN LUKE 18:18-23. For the price Jesus would later pay for the man’s salvation, He had every right to demand total obedience from him. The same holds true for you and me. HE DEMANDS TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAW. PERIOD. There is no other way to attain the ultimate blessing. “Only believe” will accomplish nothing. Faith has its place. But without obedience, faith is useless. Read James 2:10,14,17,18,20,24,26 for proof that “WORKS”–LEGALISTIC, LAW-OBEYING WORKS–ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH GOD AND CHRIST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Though it is God’s ultimate desire to bless mankind, He will do the opposite if mankind fails to obey Him. This is the message transcribed in the first few verses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Contrary to popular opinion relative to man’s responsibility in the attainment of eternal life, MAN HAS WORKS TO DO–THE WORKS OF HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT CAN BE COMPLETED ONLY BY OBEYING GOD’S LAW. PERIOD. With those Truths established, let us look at another aspect of God’s Word and the Truth seeker’s approach to it.

While interpreting Pharoah’s two dreams (Gen. 41), Joseph explained to him that when the creator God says something two times it means that the message is sure–it WILL come to pass (vs 32). A double statement can also mean that something must be done in a certain way as noted in Isaiah 28:9-13. In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 we find the Almighty sending the Israelites the same message twice in almost identical language. What He gave them audibly through Moses in those passages was symbolically chiseled in spiritual stone as surely as He had earlier written the caveat related to those promises in physical stone with His finger. Both the positive and negative promises found in those two chapters, along with the stone-etched caveat for receiving them (obedience or disobedience to the Ten Commandments) were designed to exist until the end of the age which will take place upon the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom. With that in mind, note that He arranged for there to be FOUR recordings of what are called the “Gospels.” That tells us something.

Actually, the entire Bible is God’s Gospel. Recall that Christ, called “the Scripture (Word)” prior to His coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth, preached the Gospel to Abraham upon establishing him as the father of God’s chosen people–Israel (Gal. 3:8). The Gospel is as old as time and will be in effect until the end of time. Now let us turn to Deuteronomy 28:15 and look at the negative side of the obedience command–God’s curses on those who refuse to obey His Law. Notice that these curses are not things that just happen, they are deliberately placed on sinners by God Himself for the purpose of teaching man to obey Him–or else. Why? BECAUSE GOD LOVES MAN AND WANTS MAN TO OBEY HIM SON THAT HE CAN BLESS MAN IN THIS LIFE AND FOREVER. The blessings are sure, but man must qualify to receive them. God tells us that to fail to discipline our children when they do not obey us is a sin (Prov. 13:24), He Himself uses His “rod” (“voice”) to discipline man for his failure to obey His Law. Read The “Voices” of God” and Would God Do That? Key word–“Voices” and Would.

Note in verse 15 God’s emphasis on the Bible’s most powerful word–“IF.” Here He warns us that “… IF you do not OBEY the Lord your God by CAREFULLY FOLLOWING ALL OF HIS COMMANDS AND STATUTES … ALL THESE CURSES WILL COME UPON YOU AND OVERTAKE YOU.” In verse 20 we are told that to disobey God’s Law is, in His eyes, ABANDONING HIM. Note that verses 16-19 (the curses for disobedience) are the opposite of verses three through six (the blessings for obedience). Could He make it any more clear? These Truths are rejected by those who listen to Satan rather than to God. The remainder of the chapter reveals the inevitable outcome of man’s, including churchman’s, rebellion. Note that God places the curses on both the churched and the non-churched. The churched are the most guilty because they have God’s Holy Word to guide them but refuse to obey His clear instructions. Why?

Because they love darkness (Satan’s “truth”) more than light (God’s Truth). In John 3:20 Jesus says that those in darkness “hate the light” because it exposes their sins (transgressions of the Law–1 Jn. 3:4). On the spiritual level we are to have nothing to do with those who break God’s breakers (practice iniquity) because light has no relationship with darkness. This includes our immediate family, friends, etc. Read Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1 and Matthew 10:21,22,34-39. If the world accepts us, God does not. As Jesus said, the enemies of God’s true saints will include those within their own families. As I have said, only one member of my family on both sides accepts me spiritually. This comes as no surprise. Many years ago God showed me this Truth in TWO TIMES IN TWO IDENTICAL, LIVING COLOR DREAMS DURING THE SAME NIGHT. It was devastating. But God is sufficient.

Let us now categorize the different types of curses God promises to pour out on those who refuse to obey ALL of His commandments: mental and emotional curses; diseases and epidemics, drought , flooding and military defeat. Strangers will overrun their land and consume their possessions in their sight. Those who invade their land will rise up over them and rule them. Eventually, those who refuse to obey God’s Law will be taken prisoners to foreign lands where they will die wondering about the whereabouts of their children who will have been taken from them.

As the “Voices” and Would God Do That? series point out Scripturally, the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” have been riding for centuries, spreading their false religion, war, disease, famine, etc. throughout sinning man’s nations, homes and families. Why? BECAUSE MAN REFUSES TO OBEY GOD AND INSISTS ON OBEYING SATAN. There are curses mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 that the modern so-called “Christian nations” have not yet experienced. But they will during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. Read the series by that name. Key word–Great. I predict that those days will arrive within eight years, possibly sooner. As I prove in the series titled The Rapture, there will be no snatching away of “the church” before the Tribulation period begins. All sinners, including church sinners, will be cast into that cauldron of terror that will last for 3 1/2 years.

There is a way to escape such suffering. That is to obey God. If you are already doing so, stay the course. The fight will be hard as Satan will do everything in His power to pull you into or back into his Catholic/Protestant Church System. Only those who overcome his efforts will sit with Jesus on His throne in the Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21). Come, let us sit together with Him.

Why does God bless and curse? Deuteronomy 28 explains it so that anyone can understand. And yet, billions of Bible owners refuse to believe what is written therein. Why? NEVER UNDERESTIMATE SATAN’S POWER OVER THE CHURCH. L.J.