In a long list that began at verse fifteen, the Lord continues to describe the curse that will fall on Israel if they fail to do the commands that He has given them in the law. This chapter has 14 verses of blessing and 54 verses of curses. Though we are not under the law today, we can learn much from this lesson about how much God hates disobedience to His word.

What Does It Say?

1. They will serve their enemies and the Lord will put a yoke of ________ on their neck.
2. Famine will drive the tender and __________ woman to the point where her eye shall be _________ toward her husband, son, and daughter.
3. The Lord will send them plagues and will bring upon them all the diseases of _________.
4. Whereas they were as the ________ of heaven for number, they shall be left few in number.
5. They shall be taken captive as prisoners to Egypt and sold to their enemies, but no man shall ________ them.

What Does It Mean?

1. Read Deuteronomy 28:53-57 [53] And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: [54] So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: [55] So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. [56] The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, [57] And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
   See All.... What terrible thing is happening in this passage? What is described as the fruit of their own body? What similarities does this passage have to Lamentations 4:4-10 [4] The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. [5] They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. [6] For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. [7] Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: [8] Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. [9] They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. [10] The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
   See All...?
2. Deuteronomy 28:58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
   See All... states that these harsh punishments will come on Israel “that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD.”  Describe your understanding of the fear of the Lord. Some say it is just a reverence or honor for Him, but this passage indicates that it is more. What is the difference between reverence for God and the fear of the Lord? How does the fear of the Lord coexist with the comfort we experience in His presence? Compare this with a good parent/child relationship.
3. In what ways can we see Deuteronomy 28:64-66 [64] And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. [65] And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: [66] And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:
   See All... fulfilled in the history of the Jewish people?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. In Deuteronomy 28:47Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
   See All..., we find that Israel would suffer all these afflictions because they served “not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.” In what ways do you fail to serve the Lord in this way? What do you think it means to serve Him with joyfulness and with gladness of heart? Give specific examples as to how this can be done.
2. Deuternomoy 28:67
   See All... describes their misery: “In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!” Describe the person who feels like this. What would your advice be to this person?