This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

After all the laws are given, the
people are told how to respond.

Once they enter the land, God wants
them to take some of the land’s first fruits

and bring it to the
temple and offer it to God.

Along with the offering, the worshipper
is to recite the story of their
deliverance from Egypt.

This ritual was to happen every three years,
as a constant reminder of what God had done

for them and what he
requires of them in his law.

Next, comes a long list of blessings
followed by a longer list of curses.

If Israel keeps the law, they will
receive all the blessings listed.

If they disobey the law, they
will receive all the curses.

The blessings make Israel’s future sound
like the perfect mix of the Garden of
Eden and the promises made to Abraham.

The land they live in will
produce all the food they need.

Their children will multiply and be healthy.

And they will rise in power
over every other nation,

extending the blessing they
receive to the whole world.

The curses, on the other hand, sound
like a deadly mix of the plagues from
Exodus and the punishments from Numbers.

If Israel doesn’t keep the
laws, they will experience

locusts, darkness, death, and
desolation like Egypt before them.

They will also receive intensified versions
of the punishments that came to their parents

as they traveled through the wilderness - fire,
disease, and wild animals will all devour them.

The longest and most
emphasized curse has to do with

a rival kingdom God will raise
up to come and punish them.

This kingdom, that does not worship
Yahweh, will take them captive

and force them to
worship their false gods.

And since Israel did not obey the
law, all these curses came true.

Israel was taken away by rival kingdoms like
Babylon and was exiled from the promised land.

This is our story as well.

We have broken God’s law and
will receive all these curses as well.

Some of us may escape them
in this life, but God is not a liar.

Justice will be done
against all who commit evil.

After reading all these curses, the Gospel
shines through as really good news.

All of these curses we deserved
Jesus bore in his flesh on the cross.

In fact, he became the curse for us.

Now, we can read the blessings promised
and look forward to them instead of
what we deserve.

We will inherit every blessing
promised in this text and more.

We will enter the new and final garden of
Eden in the new heavens and new earth.

We will be free from
death, disease, and pain.

Best of all, we will be with Jesus.

That’s what really makes the land good.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your
eyes to see the God who offers outlandish

and lavish blessings, but maintains
perfect and severe justice.

And that you would see Jesus as the one who
takes our severity and extends to us lavishness.