Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says, “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” God established his covenant with the people of Israel but the conditions of that covenant were that Israel obey God. As long as they obeyed, God promised to bless them and give them peace.
We know, however, that obedience wasn’t their forte. Even when Moses was on the mountain receiving the ten commandments, the Israelites were making gods out of their golden jewelry. The conditions for blessing, prosperity, and peace were simple yet the Israelites rebelled and brought destruction on their own heads.
God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. When Jesus gave the great commission to his disciples, he told them to go into all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). The commandments came with a promise: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (vs. 21). Blessing is followed by obedience. As Christians, we are required to be obedient to God. When we are, blessing follows.