He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
Moses read the warning aloud to all Israel gathered before him from the book he had written, placing it before them together with the promises for obedience and the record of their past history. For disobedience Israel would lose lending power and leadership, falling under the curses that follow breaking God's commandments. Their prosperity or adversity depended on obedience to God's law, so that when they transgressed it other nations would rise above them, becoming the head while Israel became the tail. The reversal of fortunes, having to borrow instead of lending, belongs to the fearful results of disobeying God's commands set against the blessings that follow obedience.
Obedience brings prosperity and blessing while disobedience brings adversity and curse, and the chapter states these consequences of disobedience as the outcome of forsaking Him. God's promises were conditional, with Israel's blessings depending on obedience and loss of blessing coming through disobedience. In one setting this general condition of blessing through obedience and curse through disobedience is taught without explaining the specific picture of lending and of head and tail.
The chapter states the blessings of obedience plainly and gives directions expressing the principles of the law of God's kingdom, made specific so that minds are not left in ignorance and uncertainty. Its words are the voice of Christ from the enfolding pillar of cloud, commanding that His statutes and judgments be kept and done with all the heart and soul.
The chapter shows God's covenant of mercy that diligently hearkening to His voice and doing what is right and keeping His commandments and statutes would preserve Israel from disease. Transgressing His law breaks down the barriers He erected to keep them in health and holiness. It presents a never-ceasing obligation for all whom God has blessed with life and health and temporal and spiritual advantages, and its message has not grown weak with age. God's claims are just as binding now and just as fresh in importance as His gifts are fresh and continual.
Moses read the warning aloud to all Israel gathered before him from the book he had written, placing it before them together with the promises for obedience and the record of their past history. For disobedience Israel would lose lending power and leadership, falling under the curses that follow breaking God's commandments. Their prosperity or adversity depended on obedience to God's law, so that when they transgressed it other nations would rise above them, becoming the head while Israel became the tail. The reversal of fortunes, having to borrow instead of lending, belongs to the fearful results of disobeying God's commands set against the blessings that follow obedience.
Obedience brings prosperity and blessing while disobedience brings adversity and curse, and the chapter states these consequences of disobedience as the outcome of forsaking Him. God's promises were conditional, with Israel's blessings depending on obedience and loss of blessing coming through disobedience. In one setting this general condition of blessing through obedience and curse through disobedience is taught without explaining the specific picture of lending and of head and tail.
The chapter states the blessings of obedience plainly and gives directions expressing the principles of the law of God's kingdom, made specific so that minds are not left in ignorance and uncertainty. Its words are the voice of Christ from the enfolding pillar of cloud, commanding that His statutes and judgments be kept and done with all the heart and soul.
The chapter shows God's covenant of mercy that diligently hearkening to His voice and doing what is right and keeping His commandments and statutes would preserve Israel from disease. Transgressing His law breaks down the barriers He erected to keep them in health and holiness. It presents a never-ceasing obligation for all whom God has blessed with life and health and temporal and spiritual advantages, and its message has not grown weak with age. God's claims are just as binding now and just as fresh in importance as His gifts are fresh and continual.