Movatterモバイル変換

Deuteronomy 28:28,68
The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: …

Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Jeremiah 25:15,16
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it…

by the sights
The "sights" refer to the devastating events and conditions that the Israelites would witness as a result of their disobedience. This includes invasion by foreign nations, destruction of their land, and suffering among their people. The imagery here is vivid and meant to evoke a sense of horror and helplessness. In the broader biblical narrative, similar language is used in prophetic books like Jeremiah and Lamentations, where the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people are described in graphic detail.

you see
The emphasis on "you see" highlights the personal and direct experience of these calamities. It is not just hearsay or distant news; it is something witnessed firsthand. This personal witnessing of devastation serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the reality of God's judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem inMatthew 24, where He warns of the coming tribulations that would be seen by that generation. This connection underscores the continuity of God's message about the consequences of disobedience throughout the Bible.

– This address is personal and direct, aimed at every individual within Israel, making the curse impossible to dismiss as “someone else’s problem.”

– Moses speaks as God’s mouthpiece (Deuteronomy 28:1, 15), so the “you” comes with divine authority.

– Cross references: “I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction” (Deuteronomy 30:15); “Each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

– The wording shows passive movement under an active Hand: God allows relentless circumstances to press the people forward.

– The force is moral and psychological, not merely geographical, emphasizing the inevitability of divine judgment (Leviticus 26:17;Psalm 32:4).

– Bullet points of what “drives” them in the chapter:

• Foreign invasion (v. 49)

• Lost crops and livestock (v. 31)

• Disease and drought (vv. 21-24)

– Mental collapse—confusion, despair, panic—comes when everything stable is stripped away (Deuteronomy 28:28).

– Scripture often links sin’s consequences with mental anguish: Saul’s tormenting spirit (1 Samuel 16:14); Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity (Daniel 4:33).

– This is literal: God warned that unrepentant sin would touch mind as well as body.

– Tragedy is not abstract; it is seen, felt, tasted.

– Examples Moses has just listed:

• Children taken captive (v. 32)

• Cities besieged (v. 52)

• Starvation so severe parents eat their own offspring (vv. 53-57;2 Kings 6:28-29).

– Seeing covenant blessings crumble adds a tormenting contrast (Deuteronomy 8:7-10).

– Vision becomes accountability: they cannot claim ignorance.

– Jesus later wept over Jerusalem for the same reason—impending ruin plainly visible (Luke 19:41-44).

– What they witness is meant to call them back to repentance (Jeremiah 3:12-13), proving God’s justice and mercy even amid judgment.

Deuteronomy 28:34 is a sobering promise: personal, irresistible, mind-breaking judgment produced by devastating, visible events. God warns that persistent disobedience will bring mental anguish as surely as physical loss. The verse calls every reader to remember that sin’s consequences touch every part of life, yet even these judgments are meant to awaken repentance and renewed trust in the Lord who longs to bless those who obey Him.

Parallel Commentaries ...