Dt. 28: Do you want a happy God or a vengeful God?

Deuteronomy 28:65-66 "Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life."

God sure is creative. And He is just as creative at destruction as he is with creation. with curses as blessings. So...I was reading through chapter 28, and I thought it was bad enough in Leviticus 26. The horror is brought to a whole new level here.

I can't help but think how serious this warning is. The people simply had to be mindful of God's decrees and commands after this, right? As enticing as sin is, something like eating your own afterbirth during another nation's siege on your land would be horrific enough to make me think twice about worshiping another god made of wood or stone. And as a side note...I found church kinda boring as a kid...as most kids do. And then the idea of worshiping a god I knew was fake would be even more mind numbing...temple prostitutes or not.

Just about every terrible thing that could happen to a people is warned about here for turning away from God. The land wouldn't work. The uterus wouldn't work. Crops wouldn't work. The body's immune system wouldn't work. Justice will not work. Nothing would be as it was intended. The things that brought joy would bring fear and terror.

So why would a loving God even conceive of these tortures? Go ahead, read them. Was there no way out once Israel was in? Israel shouldn't be there to begin with. They have received their warning. They know what to expect for idolatry, immorality, disobedience and ignoring God's covenant. God made a covenant, and will hold Israel to it.

I thought about reacting to every crazy thing that would beset Israel, but I think I would have missed the bigger point. Life in God, walking in His ways will ensure his blessings. Life ignoring God and in disobedience will lead to trouble...eventually.