Published: June 29, 2025 | Speaker: D. Aaron Wells | Series: Deuteronomy - The Law Is Good, If One Uses It Lawfully 2 - Part 8 | Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:12-15
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Okay. So, this is the law is good if one uses it lawfully session 25. Um, last time we uh were in Deuteronomy 7 and sort of concluded that week with
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verse 15 with a litany of material blessings in detail that it is, I think, plainly obvious. And if you disagree
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that this is so, I I would like to know that. Um, but with with what is, I believe, plainly obvious that those material blessings are being promised as
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the fruit of their obedience to the law. Um, and I I wanted to pull that subject out into its own discussion this morning
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because I think that we'd be remiss if we didn't admit that most of us at some point uh ask ourselves, well, what about me? We experience either a great
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blessing in our lives or are withheld a blessing or experience affliction or continued affliction. Um, and at times the plain teaching of the law
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for the body politic of Israel has the capacity to give us trouble. I mean, I would love to know that if if y'all said, "Yeah, none of us are are really ever wrestling with that. That's just
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you, bud." I would be happy to know that. Um, but I I suspect that that is not the case. uh and that one way or another we all of us wrestle with the
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afflictions of the body and also with the material blessings uh of of the body um and and I want to talk about that today uh and have that be a discussion.
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So, I have a relative a relative uh lack of notes. Uh, and I do have some thoughts um to to put out there for discussion, but but I want to carefully
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carefully go through a discussion of what how we regard material blessings um with the witness of all of scripture and and be careful that with one another
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we don't especially this morning because I I do have a structured discussion in mind that first we look at the symptoms and and examine do we really struggle
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with these things and and what's the nature of those struggles without trying to profer a quick answer? Um, and and then discuss the the question of do do
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our material trials indicate to us God's displeasure or or our material blessings indicate God's pleasure to us to discuss that as a question and try not to do
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what I think we on such a difficult subject are often tempted to do is find a quick answer and and be away from it. Um, I don't think that's, as I said last
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week, I don't think that's what scripture presents to us uh as the the function of his word to give us easy answers. I think we need to learn to contemplate uh and ruminate together
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productively on on the scriptures in order that we may get a heart of wisdom. Um, and I think that also wisdom is incompatible with easy answers. Um again
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if you disagree with that I'm happy to happy to hear that in the course of our discussion. Um but then from from there from discussing the question begin to unfold some of the witness of the whole
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of scripture in what does it show us about the development of God's purposes across across the scriptural witness. So from a people in the wilderness who are called as a body politic and given a set
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of laws that Hebrews calls regulations for the bo for the body until the time of reformation. H getting getting from there rightly through the psalms and the
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prophets to we are a people born not of the flesh, not of the body, okay, but of the spirit. And what does that mean? Um
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so that's kind of the trajectory I'd like to to go on. Um, I think as far as uh well well we'll we'll look at the the text first just to refresh us uh on on
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what it says. This is roughly uh verses 12- 15 of chapter 7 of Deuteronomy. Um and this is what we heard last time. And because you listen to these rules and
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keep and do them, Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. He will love you, bless you,
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and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground, your grain, and your wine, and your oil, the increase of your
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herds, and the young of your flock in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be a male
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or female barren among you, or among your livestock. And Yahweh will take away from you all sickness. And none of the evil diseases of Egypt which you
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knew will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you.
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Okay. I couple opening thoughts as we as we get going. Um I think on the one hand I'm speaking from my experience here but on the one hand I've often felt uh burdened by the
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Old Testament witness because it is so plain. Um this is this is not difficult to understand but uh and and it it makes one wonder okay I'm not uh for example
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more wealthy than than all others u what does that mean or I've been afflicted with illness um maybe even long-term illness and does that mean anything as
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to whether or not I'm faithfully uh living and working before God um burdened by the Old Testament witness and on the other hand uh feeling that
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the New Testament witness doesn't adequately explain the old to us. Um the the the teaching of the apostles and of the Lord doesn't dwell over much on uh
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material blessings or or even often material things. Uh so how do we read them together uh if if the New Testament doesn't on its face seem to explain those things to us? Um, as far as
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symptoms, and I would love to know if you have more in mind, symptoms of what we assume is not thinking rightly about this. Um, tempted to pat ourselves on
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the back when prosperous. Okay. um wondering or complaining that we're not more prosperous, feeling tortured in conscience when
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we're afflicted with an illness or or some sort of setback. Um confused when comparing ourselves to others. Uh or even sitting in judgment on others.
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Um, I would and and all of those things for for me have tended to and I wonder if you feel the same way have tended to isolate me from other believers and
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prevent me from uh from common and corporate thanksgiving and also common and corporate grieving. I can't share my joys. We're not rejoicing together
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because I because I maybe I feel proud. Okay. And on the other hand, we're not grieving together because I feel like h this must be something I did and therefore it's how do I bring that in
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front of in front of the body? How do we mourn with one another? Um I'm interested to know if you have other thoughts as to the what you suspect are symptoms of not right thinking on this
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matter. Well, I think the discussion so far has highlighted the fundamental
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The poor shall always be among you. It's it's not about me.
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Well, I was going to say if you like the teaching then you can make your seed offerings out to any wells, right? Yeah. Yeah. Obviously God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and witty, right?
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Not so much. I I don't I don't think that we ever get anywhere with this whole topic of material affliction or material
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we call blessing. Although we read in the Psalms the wicked blessed Psalm 73 ASAP is lamenting the fact that the
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wicked is blessed. I'm definitely going to get there. Yeah. There's no objective with this test in terms of proportionality between
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blessing. Okay. Or so even thinking of not only thinking individualistically but also thinking of of it as a um as a like some sort of rigid um
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rigid rubric of some some kind, right?
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Western almost exclusively American Well, it's it's a problem and it's our problem, right? problem, right? You don't see this in European
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states. I' I'd be that's an interesting idea. Um, but since we all are here uh and and and present and people uh with us, what what else um possible ways of things
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you've experienced, struggles you've experienced with this with this topic?
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Sure. But even but even in in really feeling the pains of conscience in some way or another to another to and I don't know about the rest of you,
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again, I'm interested to hear, but I I think I think of something like that where okay, God is not a con cosmic vending machine. Is is even my having an anxiety a result of thinking that way or
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is it something else? And uh I I don't I don't want to I'm going to say this later, but you know the the ministry of the Holy Spirit among us is is certainly
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not to make us more guilty um or fearful. Um, and so I don't want to condemn uh a tenderness of conscience, and I don't want to condemn u even even
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something that may that you may later be convicted of for yourself is a sin. Um, it's not my purpose to uh come down on these pangs of conscience, which is why
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I listed five that are definitely all things that that afflict me on a regular basis. And I mean on a regular basis.
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Anybody not feel like that they have any sort of struggle with this subject?
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Okay. Right. Sounds terrible. Psalm 139. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us. God doesn't play games. He's noticious.
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He doesn't make his children behind the couch to find the answer. We have sinned. Holy Spirit given us to convict us.
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Search my heart. Know me. So the proverbs
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the proverbs I think teach us that you know he soil will not lack bread's what if what if a man does till the soil
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and yet lacks bread but if you look at the progression of the gospel through the world through history you see some incredible m
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The Dutch themselves in the Reformation were embarrassed by they they just simply worked with their hands used their brains and next thing you know they were rich was every
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as you go down that road. But but it is but it is where the question ends up lying. I mean I don't I don't What do you think the we start thinking about this
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individually what because asking question right answer okay but I but I'm I'm just suggesting that that okay if it's the wrong question then the wrong
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question is is very natural and um
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So seeing this as a as a pattern in light of the rest of the Old Testament. Um but as if we're if we start if we were new at this and starting at the law I mean I guess what I say when I say it's plainly obvious like we would we
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would take this straightforwardly uh if we were starting with the law and wouldn't get to some of these examples until until later. Um, so that that
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could present a struggle. Tim, did you have a
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Something happened to them. Right. Well, I think to opposite to your example about the tower of falling uh is when when he says that it's hard for rich not impossible for a rich man to
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enter the kingdom of God. They say who then can be saved. I think it emerges to us as you're saying as a natural wait how does this
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work again to your point like I I struggle sometimes a little bit with the idea of seeing things as plain I would give
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that to the exclusion of you understand what I'm saying like it's plain that he's saying sparrows. Okay. What do you mean? He only cares for
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Yeah. Yeah. Right. That's sort of the rigid rubric maybe and and sort of like you know wooden Yeah. Yeah. wooden uh
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scripture, right? So, you know, our our aim in in any study or teaching is to read scripture straightforwardly, not woodenly. So, I appreciate that that
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point your comment about start
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But then secondly, the reality of poverty is and complete. and complete. What do you do? Sure. Well, I mean, as
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you point out, it is somewhat opaque. Um, which which continues the difficulty. So, you have something very straightfor Well, yeah, but you have something very straightforward and then the explanation tends to be kind of
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opaque which I think at least the clearer part of it is you can't take this and interpret it on an individual basis. I I don't disagree. Um,
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as an individual. I learned to be that
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in all things he gives thanks and to me the key to all of this.
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Well, I h I haven't gotten there yet. Uh no, no, no. I I mean I mean Oh, in your teaching, right? I I I'm I'm saying like like I said, I I want I and may maybe this is just the essence of what needs to be said. She's gonna get there next
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week. No, I'm not gonna get there next week. I I I want Thank you for that. I I I want to resist the temptation to
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push an answer on something that is so close to home at that quickly. And it's not an answer. No. No, no, no, no, no. I
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say that the question that we're asking is the wrong question. No, but and yet we do ask those questions. Wrong or wrong questions be
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they we do ask them. And knowing that they're wrong or knowing that they're disorders of conscience doesn't really solve the difficulty for us yet. And and I want to explore that slowly with with
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a compassion toward the toward the fact that we may we may not be but we may be somewhat scattered in our understanding of this and and and learn to come
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together and cohhere in how we reason through these things um and and and find that the Lord guides us to much of what you are saying. Um,
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I'm again I agree with with much of what you're saying. I just want to be yeah compassionate toward
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toward the fact that these are these are real these are real struggles of of conscience. Um for us again I I I speak personally in this respect that that I I
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I would hope that um it it is evident that I have applied myself to the study of the word for a long time and yet I'm plainly
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admitting that in the middle of a familywide illness or um talking to a bunch of people at the swim competition who are very proud of their worldly
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accomplishments. um that that presents a that that pushes on me in an uncomfortable way like being backed into a corner or or or being, you know, in a airplane seat that's too
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Right. Ha. We're It's New Testament. Got it. No problem. Is is and it is not what anybody here is saying. I I'm just But it it is a tendency I think and I I really do think that that's another big
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that's another big one is is the um
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I think I think it's continuing the the question that was asked last week and and we've talked about just with regard to our obedience that how do we as a people not under law but under grace see in these things a picture of our
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lives in the spirit. Um,
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how do how do we as a spiritual people see these things in the law as a picture of our obedience? As a picture of our life in the spirit,
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which I mean, you've asked that question in a number of different ways, many times uh out out loud and and I'm eager to explore um those things. Again, I I I think my desire to to back this down and
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try to address it in stages may be somewhat um confusing. Let me let me move forward and see if that helps. Go, please go ahead. Yes.
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Yeah. Yeah. I I think bearing in mind the patience of God is a is is a is also a key uh in this um the the two main questions I had down again are are are
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material trials assigned to us of God's displeasure with us and then on the other hand should we expect material blessings from God on us as they could uh for obedience. Um, a couple thoughts
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on on that and and they're they've been somewhat already mentioned, but one that the people of Israel were commissioned as a I'm saying a coherent body politic in the midst of other nations. They they
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were a distinct clear nation with a physical national identity. Um, and that's important to realize that is not the case with us. Um, we are not a
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people born of the flesh but born of the spirit. Um, so first to to recognize the difference that really is there. That's not an easy pat difference, but but one that is very real and very uh clearly
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taught to us in scripture. But as far as they're concerned, their prosperity and their multiplication in the land was a sign to the nations and to them that God was indeed among them. On the other
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hand, the presence of disease, poor, defeat by their enemies uh was a sign to the nations that uh they had done wrong. Uh Deuteronomy 29 uh 24-28 says, "All
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the nations will say, why has Yahweh done this to this land?" What caused the heat of his great anger? Then people will say, "It's because they abandoned
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the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when they he brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known, and whom he had not allotted
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to them. Therefore, the anger of Yahweh was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book. and Yahweh uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great
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wrath and cast them into another land as they are this day. And and then Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:6 that these things were certainly written down as examples for us that we might not
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desire evil as they did. So certainly something we have to reckon with. Um, further that the that the Psalms
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show that neither the blessing of the righteous nor the indignant destruction of God on the ungodly was by any means immediate. Um, getting to some of again
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some of the things that Abigail was saying. Uh, but but and and this I think somebody mentioned Psalm 73 that the patience of God is often a source of
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confusion to us. And I don't mean that it's the source of confusion. What I mean is we find ourselves confused with the patience of God. And Psalm 73 certainly shows us that that God is patient even to the point of frustration
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of the godly. Why are the wicked prosperous? I don't understand. They're better off than I am. Um, and he does offer to us going to God with all of
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that intact to to go and see in the house of God the the end of the wicked uh and these things to to to reorient
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himself toward his God rather than continuing to orient himself toward material things. That's a wonderful psalm. If you haven't meditated on it, meditate on it. Psalm 73. Um
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uh and then Chuck you mentioned the the corporate nature of these things when when judgment another thing we need to bear in mind when judgment came upon Israel for their sin it came upon the
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whole nation or large chunks of it uh as as witnessed both in judges and in kings. Um these have a strong corporate application to them and I think the
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prophets show us that too. Daniel when he prayed prayed concerning the entire nation as did Nehemiah. So they understood the destruction that Israel
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had experienced as having very strong corporate overtones. corporate overtones. Alongside of that we do have to remember that the infrastructure of that body.
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Yes. None of those situations are my recollection associated with actual individual sin individual sin of the nation of the nation was not
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observing the right I guess what I'm trying to say is right there in the structure of the people of Israel there was
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there was a system whereby compassion would be exhibited
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giving selfgiving love to those who are not deserving perhaps but right of a Hebrew slave and then the forgiveness of all debt that's right there in the body politics right so
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I'm just saying I think we have to realize there's a powerful element of this whole economic paradigm not associated or attributed to
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individuals. So that so that this is so that this description is a description on balance of the nation. Uh yes that that the description in Deuteronomy that
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that we've just read is a description on balance of the nation not of each individual Israelite at at all times even if they were observing these things. I think it would be wrong to
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assume that the indentured servant was a disobedient Israelite because the Bible doesn't say that.
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I think Deuteronomy 15 is also a general
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Christ shows compassion, forgiveness, longsuffering that we are to display toward one another rather than in the prosperity gospel. Oh, you must not have enough
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faith. You lost your job. Therefore, God is mad at you. That's right. Right. right. Right. On the other hand, if I do everything
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right, I will have Mercedes in my
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Sure. We we're we're a little bit um pampered in in that respect. And I I say pampered because generally pampering leads to a certain weakness that is hard to see at
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the time because the body is comfortable. we're somewhat pampered by the abundance of information about the worldwide church. Um, your your point is
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well taken. One of the things I'd caution is that how exactly can we know the state of health of the church broadly? And and even if we think we
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know it, do we really? I I I would skeptically question. But again, I'm not trying to overturn your point. You're right. The the state of the state of the
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body in as far as we can see it right and and observe it is at issue here. But it's it I'd also want to say though that it's at issue within our own assembly.
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That our own assembly is going to show us more than anything where we are. Not necessarily partial observations of other assemblies, although those may be helpful, right?
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and and the and the the the full assembly of the people of God on earth right now is not going to be healthy when when individual assemblies are not themselves healthy. The the health of
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the the the structural integrity of the building comes from its pieces being structurally uh sound. Um Tim, you had your hand up for a while.
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Yeah, I think I I think I do. I I his um he his material prosperity may have been above and beyond even his own community.
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Um and and and it's said of him that he was upright in and and paid attention to the law. Um yeah um please I think we also read
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Deuteronomy 7 Deuteronomy 7 and 29 in light definition of What God is basically promising them is
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they will have their needs met. Throughout the history of Israel, the only time the nation came close to the prosperity of of the
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surrounding empires. surrounding empires. Yeah. No other time even even when they were blessed even when they were obedient did Israel rival theite empire
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the Babylonians the Egyptians later Romans in terms of material wealth I think we you know we've lived in the
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United States which is most prosperous people in human history on a relative basis and I think that does how we read certainly go
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certainly go It clouds regular humans. But it doesn't say own thousand hills. You know that he
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owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
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They never did. Interesting. So, so that that the history of Israel is is something that needs to be taken into account in this. And I I I've said this uh before that I really do see Deuteronomy as being the
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way of the way of life, the way of death, and the way it shall be. That that even Deuteronomy 15 is is a a realistic portrayal of the future.
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Um and I think it's right to see Deuteronomy as as that realistic portrayal of the future. Um, have a
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and and yet it is kind of what what at least I growing up heard people say even though they weren't reading Joel Ostein. Um it's it's it's a human tendency to to think and say these things, right?
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They shared a common table and it increased thanksgiving. Yeah.
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Sure. Yeah. I mean, the Psalms and the Proverbs witness to us that God's eyes are on the righteous and and that wisdom and diligence contain their own reward
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because they are what's right in his sight. I also want to point out what the Psalms say con concerning uh the the heritage of the people of God because I that the language in Psalm 119
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uh 33 is um I think helpful to us in in considering this broadly. Um says teach me oh Yahweh
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the way of your statutes. I will keep them as my reward. the the the the words themselves being kept as as the reward. So and and there
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are other places in the psalm where psalms where the psalmists refer to the word of god as riches um and as good food uh and and things which we
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understand in a material way. they they refer to the word of God that way and that should stand out to us so that when the so that when the the parables of the
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Lord and the teachings of the apost the apostles suggest that our hope of reward is to be realized as it was for Israel in the land that the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ has promised to
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bring us into. Okay. And that that we know then what they're saying is that the Lord will absolutely reward our patient endurance in our deeds. But there's not a discussion here of of mere
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physical blessings. Is it something that goes beyond that? And what will be in the age to come is residual from the blessedness in the spirit that what that the lesser stems from the greater and
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will do in its proper time. Um the then then the I mean and obviously that this is as well a reality that the New
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Testament indicates that both individuals and churches may experience a chastisement in their flesh as a result of sowing to the flesh. But that's kind of the that's kind of the opposite of well that's the proverbs say
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this too that that foolishness ends up having its own consequences and that wisdom and understanding are in fact their own reward. Um, and I I've also
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found it interesting too though that um, New Testament wise there there is this chastisement in the flesh as a result of sewing to the flesh. But there's I can't
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find any corresponding material repercussion spoken of for sewing to the spirit. In other words, it logically it would make no sense. You sow to the flesh.
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Okay, you're going to get from the flesh what the flesh can give, which is corruption. So do the spirit and then promising a bunch of material blessing is it makes no sense. It's so far below what you're discussing. Whereas in
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Ephesians Paul says, "Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." That that this is where the the
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Psalms and Proverbs start to orient our thinking. And then the the teaching of the Lord and of his apostles ends up making that much more sense. but upward,
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orienting our thinking toward our God, like I described of of Psalm 73, where he he returns to the house of God to orient his thinking towards his God and
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not continue to orient himself toward material things that they show that that the Psalms and the Proverbs and and the prophets show us the right trajectory
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so that we know where to look in in the in the teachings of the apostles. Um, furthermore, as far as our pains of conscience and as far as our trials and
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sicknesses, the Holy Spirit indicates through his apostles that now is the time for all men everywhere to repent, right? That that God has graciously fixed a day, but he has he is he is and
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is being patient uh with you, not willing that any of you should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Um, and so that the patience of God is turned to to grace towards his people.
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And so I guess part of what I was trying to get at uh earlier is that in experiencing a disordered thinking and pangs of conscience in this respect that God is
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that that that we we may approach God with boldness to find that he gives us more grace uh in those things to take those pains of conscience to him as the
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problem to recognize that they are the problem and not how much money we have necessar necessarily, but then to bring those things, too. Um, I I think I'd
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also I have these scriptures listed in your outline, but I'd also commend to you what uh Peter says in 1 Peter 4. Um, and and remembering along with that reading that Jesus experienced suffering
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and deserved none of it. You have a thought, James?
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they they are at times connected and and they are then at times not. Right. And John five and John 8 are are great. I think that's the right designation. You have you have one person who's afflicted whom Jesus tells go and sin no more that
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nothing worse may happen to you. And then the other he's asked oh okay who sinned this man or his parents? And he it's not this is this is for the glory of God. So you see both in in the same
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description of the Lord's ministry very similar and parallel accounts which you brought out in your John study that that the response is very different and and requires as I'm saying a heart of wisdom
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because there's no there's no uh what is it the the the vending machine type of rubric to get at
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Right. Yeah. Absolutely. I 100% agree that that and and I also had thought of um 1 Timothy 6 um him saying but but if we have food and clothing with these we will be content. Okay. But he goes on to
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say those who desire to be rich fall into temptation into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all
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kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But his warning is that is is that of a father to say that
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there's nothing down there that's good for you. Hey, be be content with what God has given to you. And and recognize that the that the desire for more is
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itself often the problem to bring to God. and to see that as that's the danger. Not that I don't have enough, but that I want I I want what I do not
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have. So that like when we looked at the 10 words, the do not covet is this strangely thought-bound command among others that you can see uh very plainly
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um and and it and it ends up encapsulating the the heart behind all the others. the others. You have final thought in terms of
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the words of Agore, the son of Yak, the oracle. Um, I I'm I'll uh I'll say I have other scripture references on your outline. I would encourage you to meditate on those things. And and part of where I had thought possibly to go
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with this is just to sort of define the spiritual prosperity for which we strive. What is the multiplication? what is the what is the abundance that we are looking for as the the quintessence of
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God's blessing uh on us and and you know I keep coming back to children who believe um but among the congregation not not even just merely in individual
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families um and and I had as one of my scion passages of that Isaiah 54 where he says that the that the barren one should rejoice
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should rejoice um and just the promises laid out in that and and the beauty that they are. But uh this is a proverb proverbs 30 is a is a good place to to stop. Um the
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words of Agore, the son of Yak, the oracle, the man declares, "I'm weary, oh God. I'm weary, oh God, and worn out. Surely
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I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I've not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven
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and come down? Who's gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters as in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What's his name? And what is his son's
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name? Surely you know. Every word of God proves true. He's a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke
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you and you be found a liar. Two things I ask of you. Deny them not to me before I die. Remove far from me falsehood and lying.
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Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is Yahweh?" or lest I be poor and
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steal and profane the name of my God. Let's pray.
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Father, I ask that you would take these poultry things and and render them a blessing for us and that you would be pleased to increase among us those blessings that we have in Christ. that
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that the word of God would dwell in us as Paul says richly and that we would see in your word what you have provided there for our
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multiplication and for our abundance and and for our sin and for our uh wrestlings with these things that that we would see abundant
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provision there as well as have a heart of thanksgiving which your which the Lord's apostles described as as so necessary and and the dividing
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line between the godly and the ungodly. Please give us a heart of thanksgiving and and eyes to see. We ask this in Jesus name.