In 21st-century western civilization, hostility against born and unborn children is common. In today’s passage, we will see that Moses warned Israel of a scenario in which they would be hostile toward their own children. However, Moses predicted the hostility would happen in a time of desperation. The hostility against children in our society is happening during an era of wealth and prosperity. This should prompt us to think deeply about our perception of children and our society.
When we stopped reading yesterday, Moses was warning Israel that, if they failed to obey Yahweh, then Yahweh would bring a distant nation to oppress Israel. This nation would not respect their children or the elderly. It would consume their animals and crops. It would besiege the fortified cities of Israel.
Deut. 28:53 Then you shall eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom Yahweh your God has given you, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you.
There is a saying, “Desperate times demand desperate measures”. Today’s passage describes desperate measures Israel would employ when they got desperate for food as a result of the siege imposed by a distant nation.
Deut. 28:54 The man who is refined and very delicate among you shall be hostile toward his brother and toward the wife he cherishes and toward the rest of his children who remain,
Notice the contrast between “refined” and “hostile”. A refined man would become hostile.
Deut. 28:55 so that he will not give even one of them any of the flesh of his children which he will eat, since he has nothing else remaining, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you in all your gates.
The siege would cause selfishness.
Deut. 28:56 The refined and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and refinement, shall be hostile toward the husband she cherishes and toward her son and daughter,
Once again, notice the contrast between “delicate” and “hostile”. A delicate woman would become hostile.
We see this happening in our world today. Abortion is hostility against children. Some governments have made it legal to kill children after they are born. Mothers who abort unborn or born children are exerting violence and hostility against their own offspring.
Moses predicted this would happen when Israelites became desperate for food. It is happening today in an era of unprecedented wealth and prosperity. Does this mean we are not as prosperous today as we think we are? Or does it show the depth of our depravity?
Deut. 28:57 and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her legs and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you in your gates.
Deut. 28:58 ¶ “If you are not careful to do all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this glorious and fearsome name, Yahweh your God,
Notice the word “if”. Verse 58 is an “if” statement.
Don’t miss the word “fear”. Failure to fear Yahweh leads to consequences.
Deut. 28:59 then Yahweh will bring wondrous plagues on you and plagues on those who are your seed, even great and enduring plagues, and miserable and enduring sicknesses.
Notice the word “then”. Verse 59 is the “then” statement.
This is the umpteenth repetition of the warning that if Israel did not obey Yahweh, then something bad would happen.
Deut. 28:60 And He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you.
Here we see the word “afraid”. When Israel was in Egypt, they feared the diseases of Egypt. If Israel did not fear Yahweh, then they would once again have a reason to fear the diseases of Egypt. In other words, Israel would fear something. Either they would fear Yahweh or they would fear disease.
Deut. 28:61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, Yahweh will bring on you until you are destroyed.
Deut. 28:62 Then you shall remain few in number, whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
Deut. 28:63 And it will be that as Yahweh delighted over you to prosper you and multiply you, so Yahweh will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it.
Deut. 28:64 Moreover, Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.
Look at the words “scatter”, “among all peoples”, and “end of the earth.
When Moses was speaking to Israel, all the Israelites were gathered on the east bank of the Jordan River. They were slated to cross the river, conquer the Promised Land, and take possession of it. The intent was that all Israel would live in close proximity to each other as a nation.
However, Moses warned them that if they failed to obey Yahweh, then they would be scattered. They would end up living all over the earth.
That is indeed what happened. After Israel entered and conquered the Promised Land, they had consistent problems with idolatry and disobedience. Eventually, Yahweh exiled them to Assyria and Babylon (this is recorded in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles).
Today, Jews live in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. They are scattered to the ends of the earth.
Deut. 28:65 Moreover, among those nations you shall find no relief, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there Yahweh will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul.
Over the past several thousand years, Jews have been endlessly persecuted all over the globe. They frequently live in fear. The Holocaust in Nazi Germany was not a unique problem. It was unique in scale and efficiency.
Deut. 28:66 So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day and shall not have any faith in your life.
This is a good description of Jewish existence over the past 2,000 years. It is also a good description of how many Jews feel today. The nation of Israel itself is surrounded by enemies. The inhabitants of Israel are constantly in fear of rocket and terrorist attacks. Many Jewish communities outside the nation of Israel frequently endure discrimination and ostracism.
Deut. 28:67 In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and because of the sight of your eyes which you will see.
Deut. 28:68 And Yahweh will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”
Ponder the phrase “there will be no buyer”. Whether a person can’t get hired for a job, or is not wanted at a slave auction, being unwanted is one of the worst, most discouraging feelings.
Moses predicted that Israel would become hostile to their children when their cities were besieged and they became desperate for food. We see hostility to children in our modern world. However, we live in a time of abundance. Why is this hostility happening when we have plenty of food to go around? Are we impoverished in other ways that are causing desperation? Or is this simply a sign of our sinfulness and depravity?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”