“Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.” Deuteronomy 28:10
This is a renowned promise from the God of Israel – if the Israelites would obey Him, He will bless and prosper them. But there is a precondition to this prosperity: “Obey all His commands”.
The background of this story is set when Israel, a mighty army of former Egyptian slaves, crossed the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses. As they marched into their promised land – a land flowing with milk and honey, certain conditions were set for them to be blessed there.
Israel’s history of disobedience led to 40 years of wandering in the desert. Yet, God’s plan for their prosperity remained unchanged. Now, as they were prepared to inhabit the new land, God provided guidelines to ensure they didn’t revert to their old ways and lose His blessings.
Similarly, in our lives, before a season of long-awaited prosperity arrives, we often walk through a wandering season where God molds our character and shapes our souls. The same conditions given to Israel, apply to us today: will we obey the Lord our God and follow all His commands, or will we return to our old ways as soon as we receive the blessing?
Obeying Him is the precondition to all our blessings because He is our greatest blessing!