COVENANT RELATIONSHIP
Deuteronomy 28:1–6, 15–19
Deuteronomy 28 contains one of the most solemn covenant chapters in the Old Testament. It outlines the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience to the covenant law. The blessings (vv. 1–14) are abundant, comprehensive and life giving, while the curses (vv. 15–68) are equally detailed and devastating.
A covenant is a formal, solemn agreement or contract that creates a binding relationship between two or more parties. Covenants establish terms, promises and obligations that each party pledges to uphold.
God’s blessings were not automatic or unconditional. They were based on Israel’s obedience to His commands.
If Israel obeys, God promises prosperity, protection, victory, fruitfulness and honor among nations. However, if Israel disobeys, the reverse will come — defeat, disease, famine, oppression, exile and shame. God’s blessings always find God’s people when they remain faithful to Him.
Faithfulness (1–6)
The idea of a blessing or being blessed occurs seven times in verses 2–6. The promise was that God’s blessings would actively pursue His people. However, God’s blessings would be realized only as they obeyed Him.
God’s blessings are conditional upon wholehearted obedience to His commandments. Israel’s status as God’s people was secure, but their experience of blessing in the land depended on their covenant loyalty. Obedience was to be comprehensive, not partial.
These blessings are described as actively pursuing those who are obedient. They are not accidental or earned by human effort alone but flow naturally from God’s favor. The image of blessings “overtaking” suggests abundance and the inevitability for those aligned with God’s will.
The blessings described in this passage would cover all of life’s spheres — urban and rural, work and home. God’s favor would not be confined to just sacred spaces but would permeate all of life.
Not only would the covenant blessings affect their livelihood, but daily provision was included. From harvest (“basket”) to preparation (“kneading bowl”), God ensures sustenance and abundance.
Disobedience (15–19)
In these verses curses are shown as the mirror opposite of the blessings: poverty, defeat, fear, broken relationships and ultimately, exile. They reveal the seriousness of covenant-breaking and rebellion against God.
Just as blessings flow from obedience, curses flow from disobedience. Israel’s relationship with God carried responsibilities. Ignoring God’s commands reversed the blessings into curses.
Instead of flourishing in all contexts, disobedience would lead to futility and failure in every aspect of life.
Likewise, daily provision would also be reversed; scarcity would replace abundance. Food — the most basic necessity — would become a source of struggle. Fertility and productivity would also turn to barrenness and loss. Family, agriculture and livestock — signs of God’s covenant blessing — would become fragile under the curses.
Just as blessing encompasses the whole of life, so does the curse. Disobedience brings hardship, insecurity and frustration.
By Darrell Nimmo
Retired Baptist pastor living in Goodlettsville, Tennessee
