How does Jeremiah 11:10 connect with Deuteronomy 28 on covenant blessings and curses? “They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to obey My words, and they have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their fathers.” Deuteronomy 28:1–2 “Now if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to carefully follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 28:15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” Setting the Covenant Framework • Deuteronomy 28 lays out the covenant terms: obedience brings blessing (vv. 1-14), disobedience brings curses (vv. 15-68). • Jeremiah, writing centuries later, assesses Israel’s history in light of those same terms. • Jeremiah 11:10 pinpoints the nation’s break with the covenant, directly invoking the language of Deuteronomy. Parallels Between Jeremiah 11:10 and Deuteronomy 28 • “Turned back” vs. “if you will not obey” – both emphasize a deliberate reversal from obedience to rebellion. • “Followed other gods” echoes Deuteronomy 28:14, where Moses warns, “do not turn aside… to follow other gods.” • “Broken the covenant” parallels Deuteronomy 28:15’s warning that curses follow failure to “carefully follow all His commandments.” Specific Curses Realized in Jeremiah’s Day Jeremiah’s prophecies and Israel’s experience mirror Deuteronomy 28’s curse section: • Deuteronomy 28:20 – confusion and rebuke ➜ Jeremiah 20:3-4, national disgrace and terror. • Deuteronomy 28:25 – defeat by enemies ➜ Jeremiah 21:2-10, Babylonian invasion. • Deuteronomy 28:36 – exile ➜ Jeremiah 24:5, 29:4-14, Judah carried to Babylon. • Deuteronomy 28:52-57 – siege and famine ➜ Jeremiah 19:9, cannibalistic desperation. • Deuteronomy 28:64 – scattering among nations ➜ Jeremiah 30:11, diaspora promised yet with future restoration. The “Echo Effect” in Prophetic Literature • Prophets like Jeremiah serve as covenant prosecutors, reminding the people of the original treaty (Deuteronomy). • Their indictments quote or allude to Deuteronomy to show that calamity is not random but covenantal. • By citing covenant language, Jeremiah underscores God’s consistency: He does exactly what He said He would do. Hope Threaded Through Judgment Jeremiah does not end with curses; he promises restoration (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Even this hope is rooted in Deuteronomy 30:1-6, where God foretells circumcising hearts after exile. The curse-blessing pattern moves from: 1. Covenant given (Deuteronomy 28). 2. Covenant broken (Jeremiah 11:10). 3. Curse enacted (Jeremiah 25; Lamentations 1). 4. Future renewal promised (Jeremiah 31; Deuteronomy 30). Takeaway Connections • Scripture interprets Scripture: Jeremiah’s historical context verifies Deuteronomy’s prophetic accuracy. • Covenant faithfulness remains God’s measuring rod; the blessings-curses paradigm still reveals His character (Hebrews 10:28-31). • The New Covenant fulfills the old terms through Christ (Galatians 3:13-14), offering rescue from the curse for all who believe. |
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