And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
Moses promised Israel that if they diligently obeyed God's commandments, loving and serving Him with all heart and soul, He would send seasonal rains to produce grain, wine, oil and grass in the fields so cattle would thrive and the people would eat to full satisfaction. This provision would come through a land watered by heaven's rain under God's care, not by laborious irrigation as in Egypt. If instead their hearts were deceived into worshiping other gods, heaven would be shut so the land yielded nothing and they would perish from the good land. To secure the blessing they were to treasure His words in heart and soul, bind them on hand and forehead, teach them diligently to children at all times, and write them on doorposts and gates. The same rule holds for God's people still, that obedience brings blessing and prosperity while disobedience brings curse and retribution, revealing the Lord as longsuffering and compassionate to the willing yet just in punishing persistent rebellion.
Setting and Conditional Promise
Moses gave this promise in his rehearsal to the people before they entered Canaan, and the chapter stands among the important parts of Deuteronomy to keep in mind.
The grass in the fields for cattle, that the people might eat and be full and satisfied, was pledged as a conditional blessing for obedience. If Israel would hearken diligently to God's commandments, love the Lord, and serve Him with all the heart and with all the soul, He would give the rain of the land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain. With that rain they would gather in corn and wine and oil, and He would send grass in their fields for their cattle. The land's provision for both people and animals belonged to that promised seasonal rain and agricultural abundance.
That provision would come through rain-fed growth and flourishing vegetation in Canaan, a land watered by rain from heaven and cared for by God. Unlike Egypt's fields, which required laborious irrigation from the river, Canaan depended on heaven-sent rain. By that means herds would thrive and the people would have enough to eat.
The opposite choice set before them was blessing if they obeyed the commandments and a curse if they would not obey. If the heart was deceived to turn aside to serve and worship other gods, the Lord's wrath would be kindled to shut up heaven so there would be no rain. Then the land would not yield its fruit, bringing retribution and a curse upon people, animals, and the earth's produce. And they would perish quickly from the good land the Lord had given them.
To secure the blessing they were to lay up His words in heart and soul, bind them for a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes. They were to teach them to their children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and when lying down and rising up. They were to write them upon the doorposts and gates, that their days might be multiplied as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Enduring Lessons for Today
The lessons of the chapter hold for God's people today as surely as they held for Israel, for obedience to God's commandments brings blessing and the prosperity of His people depends on obedience, while disobedience brings a curse, obedience bringing its reward and disobedience its retribution. Diligent hearkening to His commandments, loving the Lord, and serving Him with all the heart and soul brings rain in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, corn and wine and oil gathered in, and grass sent in the fields for cattle so that His people may eat and be full, while turning aside to serve and worship other gods brings retribution, the Lord's wrath, heaven shut so there is no rain, land not yielding fruit, and perishing from the good land.
The instruction found in Deuteronomy 4-11 is to be read prayerfully by all who would understand God's dealings with His people, and it means much to every soul carrying responsibilities in connection with sanitarium work. All the directions God has given there, from the greatest to that which may seem the least, are to be carefully observed. This lays grave responsibility on all who know the truth, for it is the work God requires through each successive age from Him with whom is no variableness.
The promise shows the Lord longsuffering and full of compassion and love in promising good to the willing and obedient, including provision in the fields for cattle so His people may eat and be full. Yet the same promise sets a boundary line, so that continued rebellion and obstinacy passing that line brings punishment upon the transgressor. It is instruction for parents and children, teaching that when God's people faithfully love and serve Him and obey His commandments He provides seasonal rain and grass for livestock so they have food and are satisfied, but neglecting God's plan and commandments brings drought and loss of His blessing.
Moses promised Israel that if they diligently obeyed God's commandments, loving and serving Him with all heart and soul, He would send seasonal rains to produce grain, wine, oil and grass in the fields so cattle would thrive and the people would eat to full satisfaction. This provision would come through a land watered by heaven's rain under God's care, not by laborious irrigation as in Egypt. If instead their hearts were deceived into worshiping other gods, heaven would be shut so the land yielded nothing and they would perish from the good land. To secure the blessing they were to treasure His words in heart and soul, bind them on hand and forehead, teach them diligently to children at all times, and write them on doorposts and gates. The same rule holds for God's people still, that obedience brings blessing and prosperity while disobedience brings curse and retribution, revealing the Lord as longsuffering and compassionate to the willing yet just in punishing persistent rebellion.
Setting and Conditional Promise
Moses gave this promise in his rehearsal to the people before they entered Canaan, and the chapter stands among the important parts of Deuteronomy to keep in mind.
The grass in the fields for cattle, that the people might eat and be full and satisfied, was pledged as a conditional blessing for obedience. If Israel would hearken diligently to God's commandments, love the Lord, and serve Him with all the heart and with all the soul, He would give the rain of the land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain. With that rain they would gather in corn and wine and oil, and He would send grass in their fields for their cattle. The land's provision for both people and animals belonged to that promised seasonal rain and agricultural abundance.
That provision would come through rain-fed growth and flourishing vegetation in Canaan, a land watered by rain from heaven and cared for by God. Unlike Egypt's fields, which required laborious irrigation from the river, Canaan depended on heaven-sent rain. By that means herds would thrive and the people would have enough to eat.
The opposite choice set before them was blessing if they obeyed the commandments and a curse if they would not obey. If the heart was deceived to turn aside to serve and worship other gods, the Lord's wrath would be kindled to shut up heaven so there would be no rain. Then the land would not yield its fruit, bringing retribution and a curse upon people, animals, and the earth's produce. And they would perish quickly from the good land the Lord had given them.
To secure the blessing they were to lay up His words in heart and soul, bind them for a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes. They were to teach them to their children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and when lying down and rising up. They were to write them upon the doorposts and gates, that their days might be multiplied as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Enduring Lessons for Today
The lessons of the chapter hold for God's people today as surely as they held for Israel, for obedience to God's commandments brings blessing and the prosperity of His people depends on obedience, while disobedience brings a curse, obedience bringing its reward and disobedience its retribution. Diligent hearkening to His commandments, loving the Lord, and serving Him with all the heart and soul brings rain in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, corn and wine and oil gathered in, and grass sent in the fields for cattle so that His people may eat and be full, while turning aside to serve and worship other gods brings retribution, the Lord's wrath, heaven shut so there is no rain, land not yielding fruit, and perishing from the good land.
The instruction found in Deuteronomy 4-11 is to be read prayerfully by all who would understand God's dealings with His people, and it means much to every soul carrying responsibilities in connection with sanitarium work. All the directions God has given there, from the greatest to that which may seem the least, are to be carefully observed. This lays grave responsibility on all who know the truth, for it is the work God requires through each successive age from Him with whom is no variableness.
The promise shows the Lord longsuffering and full of compassion and love in promising good to the willing and obedient, including provision in the fields for cattle so His people may eat and be full. Yet the same promise sets a boundary line, so that continued rebellion and obstinacy passing that line brings punishment upon the transgressor. It is instruction for parents and children, teaching that when God's people faithfully love and serve Him and obey His commandments He provides seasonal rain and grass for livestock so they have food and are satisfied, but neglecting God's plan and commandments brings drought and loss of His blessing.