Jo’s Place

​ The Lord’s Instructions to Moses about Israel’s Disobedience (Continued) That very day, Moses wrote down the words of the song ( that the Lord dictated to him ) …and he taught it to the Israelites.  Then, the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words:  “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel, into the land that I swore to give them.  I will be with you.”  After Moses had finished writing this entire body of instruction, in a book, …he gave this command to the Levites, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant:  “Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant, of the Lord your God, so it may remain there, as a witness against the people of Israel.  For I know how rebellious and stubborn Israel is.  Even now, while I am still alive …and I am here with you, …you have rebelled against the Lord.  How much more rebellious will you be after my death!  “Now, summon all the elders and...

​ The Lord Predicts Israel’s Disobedience The Lord said to Moses,  “The time has come for you to die.  Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tabernacle, so that I may commission him there.”  So, Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle.  And the Lord appeared to them, in a pillar of cloud, that stood at the entrance to the sacred tent.  The Lord said to Moses,  “You are about to die and join your ancestors.  After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going.  They will abandon Me …and break My covenant …the covenant that I have made with them.  Then, My anger will blaze forth against them.  I will abandon them, hiding My face from them, …and they will be devoured.  Terrible trouble will come down on them, …and on that day, they will say,  ‘These disasters have come down on us, because God is no longer among us!’  At that time, I will h...

The Final    Curses for Disobedience “If you refuse to obey all the words, of instruction,    that are written in this book, …and if you do not fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord, your God, …then the Lord will overwhelm you  and  your children, with indescribable plagues.  These plagues will be intense and without relief, making you miserable and unbearably sick.  He will afflict you, with all the diseases of Egypt that you feared so much, …and you will have no relief.  The Lord will afflict you with every sickness and plague, that there is, …even those not mentioned, in this Book of Instruction, …until you are destroyed.  Though you become as numerous as the stars in the sky, few of you will be left, because you would not listen to the Lord your God.  “Just as the Lord has found great pleasure, in causing you to prosper and multiply, …the Lord will display His justice by destroying you.  You will be torn from the l...

​ Still More Curses for Disobedience “The foreigners, who are living among you, will become stronger and stronger, while you become weaker and weaker.  They will lend money to you, but you will not lend to them.  They will be the head, and you will be the tail!  “If you refuse to listen to the Lord, your God… and to obey the commands and decrees, that He has given you, …all these curses will pursue you …and overtake you until you are destroyed.  These horrors will serve as a sign …and a warning among you …and your descendants, forever.  If you do not serve the Lord, your God, with joy and enthusiasm, for the abundant benefits, that you have received, …you will serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you.  You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, …and lacking in everything.  The Lord will put an iron yoke, on your neck, …oppressing you harshly, until He has destroyed you.  “The Lord will bring a distant nation against you,    ...

​ More Curses for Disobedience “You will be engaged to a woman,, but another man will sleep with her.  You will build a house, but someone else will live in it.  You will plant a vineyard, but you will never enjoy its fruit.  Your ox will be butchered, before your eyes, but you will not eat a single bite of the meat.  Your donkey will be taken from you, never to be returned.  Your sheep and goats will be given to your enemies, and no one will be there to help you.  You will watch, as your sons and daughters are taken away as slaves.  Your heart will break for them, but you won’t be able to help them.  A foreign nation, that you have never heard about, will eat the crops, that you worked so hard to grow.  You will suffer, under constant oppression and harsh treatment.  You will go mad, because of all the tragedy, that you see around you.  The Lord will cover your knees and legs, with incurable boils.  In fact, you will be covere...

Curses for Disobedience “But, if you refuse to listen, to the Lord your God, and do not obey all the commands and decrees, that I am giving to you today, …all these curses will come and overwhelm you:  Your towns and your fields  will be cursed.  Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be cursed.  Your children and your crops  will be cursed.  The offspring, of your herds and flocks, will be cursed.  Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed.  “The Lord Himself will send you curses, confusion, and frustration, in everything you do, …until at last, you are completely destroyed, for doing evil and abandoning the Lord, your God.  The Lord will afflict you, with diseases, until none of you are left, in the land, that you are about to enter and occupy.  The Lord will strike you, with wasting diseases, fever, and inflammation, …with scorching heat and drought, …and with blight and mildew.  These disasters will pursue you unt...

Caution Against Disobedience “So it shall be, when the Lord, your God, brings you into the land, of which He swore to your fathers, …to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, …to give you large and beautiful cities, which you did not build, …houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, …hewn-out wells which you did not dig, …vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant —when you have eaten and are full— then beware, lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.  You shall fear the Lord, your God, and serve Him, …and shall take oaths in His name.  You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples, who are all around you (for the Lord, your God, is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord, your God, be aroused against you …and destroy you, from the face of the earth. “You shall not    tempt the Lord, your God , as you    tempted Him in Massäh.  You shall    diligently kee...

​ Israel’s Disobedience with the Midianites Moses was furious, with all the generals and captains, who had returned from the battle.  “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.  “These are the very ones, who followed Balaam’s advice …and caused, the people of Israel, to rebel, against the Lord, at Mount Peor.  They are the ones, who caused the plague, to strike the Lord’s people.  So, kill all the boys …and all the women, who have had intercourse, with a man.  Only the young girls, who are virgins, may live; …you may keep them for yourselves.  And all of you, who have killed anyone …or touched a dead body, must stay outside the camp, for seven days.  You must purify yourselves …and your captives …on the third …and seventh days.  Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”  Then, Eleazar, the priest, said to the men, who were in the battle,  “The Lord has given Moses this legal requirement:...

More about Punishments for Disobedience “If in spite of all  (My punishment) , you still refuse to listen, and still remain hostile toward Me  (the Lord, your God) , I will give full vent to My hostility.  I, Myself, will punish you  (My people)  seven times over, for your sins.  Then, you will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.  I will destroy your pagan shrines, and knock down your places, of worship.  I will leave your lifeless corpses, piled on top of your lifeless idols, and I will despise you.  I will make your cities desolate, and destroy your places, of pagan worship.  I will take no pleasure, in your offerings, which should be a pleasing aroma to Me.  Yes, I myself will devastate your land, and your enemies, who come to occupy it, will be appalled, at what they see.  I will scatter you among the nations, and bring out My sword against you.  Your land will become desolate, and your cities will lie in rui...