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Sermon: Deep Peril, Deep Thanksgiving (Dt. 28:45-49)

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DEEP PERIL, DEEP THANKSGIVING

Douglas Wilson

Christ Church - Moscow, ID

A.D. November 22, 2009

INTRODUCTION:

We sometimes try to cultivate the right heart attitude by denying the obvious challenges and perils in the

world around us, and we sometimes try to pretend that we see the “real world” by adopting a cynical and

artistic posture toward it all. We think that in order to have an enjoyable thanksgiving, it would have to

be in an idyllic Norman Rockwell setting—a cartoon thanksgiving. And if we have attained to the

sophomoric wisdom of knowing that there is evil in the world, we think that we are justified in falling

back into the profound evil of ingratitude.

THE TEXT:

“Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be

destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his

commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and

for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness,

and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies

which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all

things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee” (Dt. 28:45-49).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT:

The 28th chapter of Deuteronomy contains a list of blessings for faithful obedience, and curses for

unfaithful disobedience. The words of the law that are set before the people of Israel then are actually

the words of the gospel, as Paul explains it (Rom. 10: ). They are words of gospel, that is, if we receive

them in faith. In the course of explaining these blessings and curses, Moses makes this comment on

what unfaithful disobedience actually looks like. The curses will chase down and overtake God’s people,

destroying them, because they could not be bothered to do what God had told them to do (v. 45). And

what was that? It was not because they had not gone around with pinched and pious faces. The problem

was the opposite problem. The curses would rest on them as a sign and a wonder, and upon their

children after them (v. 46). And why? Because they had not served the Lord their God with joyfulness,

with gladness of heart, for the abundance of their stuff (v. 47). And because they did not serve the Lord

with joy, then they might as well serve their enemies with no joy, since that is clearly more fitting (v.

48).

Dt. 28:45-49: DEEP PERIL, DEEP THANKSGIVING
Douglas Wilson
Christ Church - Moscow, ID
A.D. November 22, 2009

Watch Listen Outline

INTRODUCTION:

We sometimes try to cultivate the right heart attitude by denying the obvious challenges and perils in the world around us, and we sometimes try to pretend that we see the “real world” by adopting a cynical and artistic posture toward it all. We think that in order to have an enjoyable thanksgiving, it would have to be in an idyllic Norman Rockwell setting—a cartoon thanksgiving. And if we have attained to the sophomoric wisdom of knowing that there is evil in the world, we think that we are justified in falling back into the profound evil of ingratitude.

THE TEXT:

“Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee” (Dt. 28:45-49).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT:

The 28th chapter of Deuteronomy contains a list of blessings for faithful obedience, and curses for unfaithful disobedience. The words of the law that are set before the people of Israel then are actually the words of the gospel, as Paul explains it (Rom. 10: ). They are words of gospel, that is, if we receive them in faith. In the course of explaining these blessings and curses, Moses makes this comment on what unfaithful disobedience actually looks like. The curses will chase down and overtake God’s people, destroying them, because they could not be bothered to do what God had told them to do (v. 45). And what was that? It was not because they had not gone around with pinched and pious faces. The problem was the opposite problem. The curses would rest on them as a sign and a wonder, and upon their children after them (v. 46). And why? Because they had not served the Lord their God with joyfulness, with gladness of heart, for the abundance of their stuff (v. 47). And because they did not serve the Lord with joy, then they might as well serve their enemies with no joy, since that is clearly more fitting (v. 48).

Watch Listen Outline

Sermon: Deep Peril, Deep Thanksgiving (Dt. 28:45-49)

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