How does this verse connect with Deuteronomy 28 on blessings and curses? The Verse under the Microscope “This happened because they did not obey the LORD their God but violated His covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded—and they would neither listen nor obey.” (2 Kings 18:12) In a single sentence, the Holy Spirit pinpoints why the Northern Kingdom fell to Assyria: covenant disobedience. That line reaches straight back to Moses’ warning list in Deuteronomy 28. Deuteronomy 28 in Brief • Verses 1-14: obedience brings overflowing blessing—security, abundance, victory, influence. • Verses 15-68: disobedience triggers crushing curses—defeat, exile, famine, disease, mockery. Side-by-Side Connections 1. Military Defeat • Deuteronomy 28:25 “The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies.” • 2 Kings 18:12 follows 18:11, “the king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria.” 2. Exile to a Foreign Land • Deuteronomy 28:36 “The LORD will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you.” • 2 Kings 18:11 “They were settled in Halah, along the Habor… and in the cities of the Medes.” 3. Destruction of Fortified Cities • Deuteronomy 28:52 “They will besiege all the cities throughout your land… until the high fortified walls you trust in come down.” • 2 Kings 18:10 “Samaria was captured.” 4. Loss of Identity and Scattering • Deuteronomy 28:64 “The LORD will scatter you among all nations.” • Israel’s tribes disappear from the land after the Assyrian resettlement policy (2 Kings 17:24). 5. Reason Given: Disregard for Commandments • Deuteronomy 28:15 “If you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all His commands…” • 2 Kings 18:12 “…they did not obey the LORD their God… and would neither listen nor obey.” Blessings They Could Have Enjoyed Had Israel obeyed, Deuteronomy 28:7-13 promised: • Enemies fleeing. • Heaven-sent rain and abundant crops. • Establishment as “the head and not the tail.” Instead, every line was flipped on its head—proof that God’s Word is literally reliable. Other Scriptural Echoes • Leviticus 26 parallels Deuteronomy 28 and is fulfilled here. • Joshua 23:15-16 warned the same generation: obedience = blessing; violation = calamity. • 2 Kings 17:13-15 records repeated prophetic calls they ignored, confirming Deuteronomy 28:45 “all these curses will come upon you… because you did not obey.” Big Takeaways for Today • God’s covenant terms are non-negotiable; His promises—both positive and negative—stand. • Historical fulfillment (the fall of Samaria, 722 BC) underlines the trustworthiness of every promise He makes. • Obedience remains the pathway to divine favor; rebellion courts inevitable loss. 2 Kings 18:12 is not merely a historical footnote; it is living evidence that Deuteronomy 28 was, and still is, God’s settled word on blessings and curses. |
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