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Question

What is the full structure of the Deuteronomic blessing-curse covenant (Deut 27-30), what are the conditions that trigger the curse, and what is the Deuteronomic mechanism for curse-reversal (Deut 30:1-10)?

Topics

CURSE

  • Denounced:
  • Against the serpent (Gen 3:14-15)
  • Against Adam and Eve (Gen 3:15-19)
  • Against the ground (Gen 3:17-18)
  • Against Cain (Gen 4:11-16)
  • Against Canaan (Gen 9:24-27)
  • Against Meroz (Judg 5:23)
  • Against Gehazi (2 Ki 5:27)
  • Barak commands Balaam to curse Israel (Num 22:6; 23:11)
  • CURSES OF THE MOSAIC LAW: Deut 27:1-26; Josh 8:30-34

BLESSING

  • RESPONSIVE BLESSINGS OF THE LAW: Deut 28:1-14
  • CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE: Exo 15:26; 19:5; 20:6; 23:22; Lev 26:3-43; Deut 4:1,40; 5:10,29; 7:9,12-15; 11:26-28; 12:28; 15:4,5; 28:1-14; 29:9; 30:1-10,15-20; Josh 1:8; 1 Ki 2:3,4; 3:14; 8:23; 9:3-9; 1 Chr 22:13; 28:7,8; 2 Chr 7:17-22; 26:5; 27:6; 30:9; 31:10; Job 36:11; Pro 3:1; 16:7; Isa 1:19; Jer 7:3-7,23; 11:1-5; 12:16; 15:19-21; 17:24-27; 22:4,5,15,16; Zec 3:7; Mal 3:10-12; Mat 10:22; 24:13; Mrk 13:13; Col 1:22,23; Heb 3:6,14; 6:11,12; 10:36; Rev 2:10
  • SPIRITUAL, FROM GOD: [extensive list — Gen 49:24 through Jude 1:24]
  • TEMPORAL, FROM GOD: [extensive list — Gen 1:30 through 2 Pet 2:7-9]

COVENANT

  • Sacred (Josh 9:18-21; Gal 3:15)
  • Binding (Josh 9:18-20; Jer 34:8-21; Ezek 17:14-18; Gal 3:15)
  • Binding on represented parties (Deut 29:14,15)
  • Blood of (Exo 24:8)
  • Book of (Exo 24:7)
  • The Mosaic law called a covenant (Exo 34:28)
  • OF GOD WITH MEN:
  • Confirmed with oath: Gen 22:16; 26:3; 50:24; Psa 89:35; 105:9; Luk 1:73; Heb 6:13,17,18
  • Binding: Lev 26; Jer 11:2,3; Gal 3:15
  • Everlasting: Gen 8:20-22; 9:1-17; Psa 105:8,10; Isa 54:10; 61:8
  • God faithful to: Lev 26:44,45; Deut 4:31; 7:8,9; Judg 2:1; 1 Ki 8:23; Psa 105:8-11; 106:45; 111:5; Mic 7:20
  • Broken by the Jews: Jer 22:9; Ezek 16:59; Heb 8:9
  • Punishments for breaking: Lev 26:25-46
  • INSTANCES:
  • Of the sabbath (Exo 31:16)
  • Of the Ten Commandments (Exo 34:28; Deut 5:2,3; 9:9)
  • With Adam (Gen 2:16,17)
  • Noah (Gen 8:16; 9:8-17)
  • Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; 15; 17:1-22; Exo 6:4-8; Psa 105:8-11; Rom 9:7-13; Gal 3)
  • With Israel, at Horeb (Deut 5:2,3)
  • In Moab (Deut 29:1-15) — distinct from the Horeb covenant
  • With David (2 Sam 7:12-16; 1 Chr 17:11-14; 2 Chr 6:16; Psa 89:20-37; Jer 33:21)
  • THE SECOND COVENANT: Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:4-13; 12:18-24; 13:20

CIRCUMCISION

  • Institution: Gen 17:10-14; Lev 12:3; Jhn 7:22; Acts 7:8; Rom 4:11
  • A seal of righteousness: Rom 2:25-29; 4:11
  • Performed on all males on the eighth day: Gen 17:12,13; Lev 12:3; Php 3:5
  • Covenant promises of: Gen 17:4-14; Acts 7:8; Rom 3:1; 4:11; 9:7-13; Gal 5:3
  • Abrogated: Acts 15:5-29; Rom 3:30; 4:9-11; 1 Cor 7:18,19; Gal 2:3,4; 5:2-11; 6:12; Eph 2:11,15; Col 2:11; 3:11
  • FIGURATIVE: Exo 6:12; Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; 6:10; 9:26; Rom 2:28,29; 15:8; Php 3:3; Col 2:11; 3:11

HEART

  • RENEWED: Deut 30:6; Psa 51:10; Ezek 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Rom 2:29; Eph 4:23; Col 3:10
  • Graciously affected of God: 1 Sam 10:26; 1 Chr 29:18; Ezr 6:22; 7:27; Pro 16:1; 21:1; Jer 20:9; Acts 16:14
  • It should render to God obedience: Deut 10:12; 11:13; 26:16; 1 Ki 2:4; Psa 119:112; Eph 6:6
  • Repentant: Deut 30:2; Psa 34:18; 51:17
  • THE UNREGENERATE: Full of iniquity (Gen 6:5; 8:21; Jer 17:9); Is hard (Psa 76:5; Ezek 2:4; 3:7; 11:19; 36:26; Rom 2:5)
  • KNOWN TO GOD: Deut 31:21; 1 Sam 16:7; Jer 17:10; Ezek 11:5,19-21; 36:25,26

REPENTANCE

  • Condition of God's favor: Lev 26:40-42; 2 Chr 7:14
  • UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES: Lev 26:40-42; Deut 4:29-31; 10:16; 30:1-3,8-10; 32:29; 1 Ki 8:33-50; 2 Chr 6:36-39; 7:14; 30:6-9; Neh 1:9; Job 11:13-15; Psa 22:27; Isa 55:6,7; Jer 3:4,12-14; 4:1-4; 24:7; 31:9,18,19; Ezek 11:18-20; 18:21-23,30-32; 36:31; Hos 6:1; 14:1-3; Joel 2:12,13; Zec 1:3; Mal 3:7

OBEDIENCE

  • ENJOINED: Gen 17:9; Exo 23:22; Lev 26:3-13; Deut 4:1-40; 5:1-33; 6:1-25; 8:1-6; 10:12,13; 11:1-28; 26:16-18; 27:1-10; 28:1-68; 32:46; Gal 3:10,12; 5:3

CAPTIVITY

  • Of the Israelites foretold: Lev 26:33; Deut 28:36
  • Of the ten tribes: 2 Ki 17:6,23,24; 18:9-12
  • Of Judah in Babylon, prophecy of: Isa 39:6; Jer 13:19; 20:4; 25:2-11; 32:28
  • Jews return from: Ezr 2; 3; 8
  • Israelites in, promises to: Neh 1:9
  • As a judgment: Ezr 5:12; 9:7; Isa 5:13; Jer 29:17-19; Lam 1:3-5; Ezek 39:23,24
  • PUNISHMENT — Modes of Execution — Hanging: Gen 40:22; Deut 21:22,23; Josh 8:29
  • COMMANDMENTS: Deut 4:5,9,10; 5:6-21; 6:4-9; 11:18-21; Josh 8:30-35