Deuteronomy 11:13, commentary and pictures

Moses rehearsed this instruction before Israel entered Canaan, making blessing conditional on diligently hearkening to God's commandments, loving the Lord, and serving Him with all the heart and with all the soul. To love and serve Him in this way is to listen carefully and obey diligently from the greatest commandment to what may seem least, giving Him the whole heart in humble walking in His revealed will and continual trust. Kept, the condition brings the rain in its due season, the first rain and the latter rain upon a land of hills and valleys that drinks water from heaven and is ever under God's care, so that corn and wine and oil are gathered in, with grass for cattle, and man and beast eat and are full. Turned aside with deceived heart to serve other gods, His wrath shuts heaven so there is no rain and the land does not yield, heaven becoming brass and earth iron until His people perish quickly from the good land, as was terribly fulfilled in three rainless years in Elijah's day. Obedience still brings blessing and disobedience retribution, laying grave responsibility on those who know the truth to lay up God's words in heart and soul and teach them to their children at home and by the way, while God bears long in compassion and love yet sets a boundary to forbearance beyond which punishment vindicates the honor of His law.

Obedience and Promised Blessing

Moses rehearsed this instruction to Israel before they entered Canaan, making blessing conditional on diligently hearkening to the commandments commanded that day. The condition is to love the Lord and to serve Him with all the heart and with all the soul, listening carefully and obeying faithfully. Kept open, that obedience opens a promise of rain and provision for the land. Undivided devotion stands against the danger of idolatry as the condition for God's promised blessings.

To love and serve God with the whole heart and soul means to hearken diligently to His commandments. Love is shown by diligently obeying, serving wholeheartedly, and keeping His charge, statutes, judgments, and commandments. God's directions are to be observed carefully, from the greatest to what may seem least. Serving God means giving Him the whole heart, walking humbly in His revealed will and trusting Him continually.

Kept, the condition brings the rain of the land in its due season, the first rain and the latter rain. Then Israel gathers in corn and wine and oil, with grass in the fields for cattle. The crops and livestock flourish, pasture is sufficient for need, and His people eat and are full.

The promise belongs to a land of hills and valleys that drinks water of the rain of heaven. It is unlike Egypt, watered by foot as a garden of herbs. It is a land God cares for, with His eyes always upon it from the beginning to the end of the year.

Israel's prosperity depended on this diligently obedient, loving, wholehearted service. Faithfulness connects obedience with the fruitfulness of the land for people and animals, in abundant crops and pasture for livestock. With it went special privileges and victory over enemies.

Warning, Judgment, and Application

The condition carries its warning to take heed lest the heart be deceived and turn aside to serve and worship other gods, for then the Lord's wrath is kindled to shut up heaven so there is no rain and the land does not yield her fruit, until His people perish quickly from off the good land which He gives them. Heaven becomes brass and earth iron, and the rain is turned to powder and dust when the covenant is broken in this way. The promise of blessing and this threat of withering drought and loss of the land's fruit stand together, the one following diligent hearkening and the other following turning to other gods.

In Elijah's day that curse met terrible fulfillment in three years with no rain as God's severest judgment for apostasy. Obedience brings its reward of blessing and disobedience its retribution of curse. What the chapter teaches applied as much to people now as to Israel, obedience bringing blessing while refusing His commandments and turning to other gods brings a curse.

Its requirement lays grave responsibility on those who know the truth to lay up God's words in heart and soul, keep them constantly before them, teach them to children at home and by the way, and display them on the house, so days are multiplied as days of heaven upon earth. It is the work God requires of His people through each successive age, and its words carry full weight because they come from One with whom is no variableness. God bears with disobedience in longsuffering, compassion, and love, but His forbearance has a boundary line, and when rebellion and obstinacy continue past it punishment will follow the transgressor. Wickedness and defiance grow broader and deeper until the Lord soon comes to vindicate the honor of His law. As a people God has chosen for Himself, especially those carrying sacred responsibilities, their conduct and service are to honor God, observing His directions carefully from the greatest to what may seem least.