Deuteronomy chapter 28

vs 31

The rescue of sheep - an ongoing biblical metaphor. Salvation both for humanity and ovinity alike.

I think we lose something in not keeping livestock. I mean, the way they describe them almost sounds more like pets than tools and walking food barrels. Think about the story Nathan tells David when he's accusing him of adultery - the poor man with his beloved sheep.

I think about my dad's farm. He still named his cows, even though he knew he was going to eat them. It's an interesting thought. Perhaps if we named our cars and stuff, we would mourn them more when we lost them. But then, the point isn't to love our material goods more. The point is to not disobey God, or we will lose those things dear to us, name or no name.

vs 32

It doesn't say they'll never come home - just that you can't do anything to make it happen.

vs 33

It's not even as if this is anything new - it's only 40 odd years ago that they were suffering this in Egypt.

vs 34

I would imagine that the knowledge that they as a people had thrown away their relationship with God would also drive them mad, but people are a short-sighted bunch. It's their own suffering and stuff that probably drives them mad, perhaps with a mix that the God they would call out to for help is the one causing it in the first place.

vs 35

Can anybody say Job? Boils on the soles of your feet, erk.

vs 36

Now this right here is quite an interesting verse. The exile we focus on, the southern exile, doesn't end this way. Remember, when they end up in exile, Judah suddenly becomes all idolatry free (well, for the most part, anyway).

It could be, then, that these punishments being described are mostly for the northern kingdom - that which totally turned its back on God.

vs 37

I wonder how long that went on for? I mean, as many scholars point out, the exiled and scattered Israel don't even rate a mention today - they pretty much don't exist. But I can imagine that for ages they were ridiculed by those people they were forced to live amongst.

vs 38

Awesome, now we're back to being punished by plagues and stuff again. Instead of sickness, now locusts. The thing is, of course, that Israel got attacked by locusts (look at Joel). But the deal always was that if Israel turns back to God, the blessings return. Once they've been exiled and taken from their land, this won't happen anymore. They have to suffer locusts like the rest of the world's people.

vs 39

Grape worms. Deut 28:39 is not the verse you want to see on a wine bottle.

vs 40

I guess that's bad. They talk about beating olive trees with sticks to get the olives off, so I assume if they just come off by themselves that there's something wrong with them.