Promised Blessing After Israel’s Repentance
April 28, 2022
Commentary
The actual Palestinian covenant is given that lays down the conditions under which Israel is to enter the promised land. You will notice there are no “ifs” in this covenant. It is an unconditional promise of future blessing. The little word “all” is used several times. God will send all His judgments among His people in all the nations (v. 1) so that with all their hearts and souls they will obey all He has commanded (v. 2). Israel did not keep their part of this covenant and God removed them from the land. Yet we find here that God makes promises that He will one day return them to the land and His eternal covenant with Israel will be fulfilled. There are seven great promises God makes here:
1. They will be dispersed among all the nations (v. 1).
2. There will be a future repentance of Israel in the dispersion (v. 2).
3. The Messiah will return (v. 3).
4. Israel is to be restored to the land (vv. 4-5).
5. There will be a national conversion (v. 6).
6. Israel’s enemies will be judged (vv. 7-8).
7. Israel will receive her full blessing (vv. 9-10).
In Ezekiel 3:24 the Lord states that He will bring Israel as a nation and gather them once more into the promised land. They will not be returned because of their obedience, but they will be obedient because of their return.
Application
No matter how far I wander from the Lord, He promises me a fresh beginning if I will turn to Him.
Deuteronomy 30:1– 14 (NET)
1 “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you. 2 Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, 3 the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. 4 Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart, and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live. 7 Then the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hate you and persecute you. 8 You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today. 9 The Lord your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the Lord will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.
11 “This commandment I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it too remote. 12 It is not in heaven, as though one must say, ‘Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ 13 And it is not across the sea, as though one must say, ‘Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ 14 For the thing is very near you—it is in your mouth and in your mind so that you can do it.