Page 339 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_04_MacArthur_Bible_April.qxd 8/8/03 15:04 Page 320

APRIL 3
43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit,
44
nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For
every tree is known by its own fruit. For men
do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they 6:46 you call Me ‘Lord,Lord.’ It is not sufficient
45
gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good to give lip service to Christ’s lordship. Genuine
man out of the good treasure of his heart faith produces obedience.A tree is known by its
brings forth good; and an evil man out of the fruits (v.44).See Matthew 7:21–23.
evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.
For out of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaks. flood arose, the stream beat vehemently
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and against that house, and could not shake it, for it
49
47
not do the things which I say? Whoever was founded on the rock. But he who heard
comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does and did nothing is like a man who built a house
48
them, I will show you whom he is like: He is on the earth without a foundation, against
like a man building a house, who dug deep and which the stream beat vehemently; and immedi-
laid the foundation on the rock. And when the ately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
DAY 2:What did God promise would happen to Israel if they disobeyed the law?
Their obedience centers around “this glorious and awesome name,THE LORD YOUR GOD,”as
described in Deuteronomy 28:58 and would lead to fearing the Lord, whose “name”represents His
presence and character.The title “LORD (Yahweh)” revealed the glory and greatness of God (see Ex.
3:15). Significantly, the phrase “the LORD your God” is used approximately 280 times in the Book of
Deuteronomy.The full measure of the divine curse would come on Israel when its disobedience had
been hardened into disregard for the glorious and awesome character of God. In vv. 15,45, Moses
described curses for disobedience; hence, the worst of the curses come when disobedience is hard-
ened into failure to fear God. Only God’s grace would save a small remnant (v. 62), thus keeping
Israel from being annihilated (see Mal.2:2).In contrast to the promise made to Abraham in Genesis
15:5,the physical seed of Abraham under God’s curse would be reduced.As God had multiplied the
seed of the patriarchs in Egypt (see Ex. 1:7), He would decimate their numbers to make them as
nothing until His restoration of the nation in a future day (see 30:5).
In v.64, it warns that “the LORD will scatter you.”The Jews remaining after the curses fall would
be dispersed by the Lord ultimately to serve false gods, restlessly and fearfully throughout all the
nations of the earth (see Neh. 1:8,9; Jer. 30:11; Ezek. 11:16).This dispersion began with the captivity
of the northern kingdom, Israel (722 B.C.), then the southern kingdom, Judah (586 B.C.), and is still a
reality today.In the future earthly kingdom of Messiah,Israel will experience its regathering in faith,
salvation, and righteousness. (See Is. 59:19–21; Jer. 31:31–34; Ezek. 36:8–37:14; Zech. 12:10–14:21.)
In fact, Israel would be so abandoned by God that she would not even be able to sell herself
into slavery (v. 68). The curse of God would bring Israel into a seemingly hopeless condition (see
Hos. 8:13; 9:3).The specific mention of Egypt could be symbolic for any lands where the Jews have
been taken into bondage or sold as slaves. But it is true that after the destruction of Jerusalem in
A.D. 70, which was a judgment on the apostasy of Israel and their rejection and execution of the
Messiah, this prophecy was actually fulfilled. The Roman general Titus, who conquered Jerusalem
and Israel, sent 17,000 adult Jews to Egypt to perform hard labor there and had those who were
under 17 years old publicly sold.Under the Roman emperor Hadrian,countless Jews were sold and
suffered such bondage and cruelty.

2
Now Moses called all Israel and said to
them: “You have seen all that the LORD did
April 3 before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to
Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his
land— the great trials which your eyes have
3
Deuteronomy 29:1–30:20
seen, the signs, and those great wonders. Yet
4
These are the words of the covenant the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive
29 which the LORD commanded Moses to and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very
5
make with the children of Israel in the land of day. And I have led you forty years in the
Moab, besides the covenant which He made wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on
with them in Horeb. you, and your sandals have not worn out on
320