Deuteronomy and Ephesians
Deuteronomy 11:26-28
“See, I am setting before you a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside form the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.”
Ephesians 1:3 and 6
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
Beauty is often found in contrast. The more striking the contrast, the more arresting the beauty. The milky way is breathtaking when seen against the backdrop of the velvety, dark space that surrounds each tiny speck of light. The same is true of the old and new covenants. While both display the beauty of God, each one focuses on a different aspect of God’s beauty. The old covenant, with its commandments, displays the awesome holiness of a righteous judge, and the blessing that comes from serving and loving him, made more striking by the curse of disobediance. The new covenant, however, operates on a completely different paradigm. There is only blessing, and that to the praise of his grace. It’s not there isn’t a curse, its just that the curse has been absorbed by Christ. The commandments have been fulfilled in him, the curse has been taken care of for our disobedience, and all that is left is blessing. I am reminded of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11
“Now if the ministgry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exeed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.”
