Observation: As Moses tells Israel all the curses that may befall them in the future if they disobey the Lord's commands and precepts and do not follow Yahweh, he begins talking about future situations that seem impossible. He mentions people they do not know, and later he talks about a great people who speak a language they've never heard. Israel has wandered everywhere, and before that their forefathers wandered in other places, so they know about all people-groups in the entire middle east. Moses also tells Israel that their king will be captured by one of these nations. This is impossible because Israel is not to have a king, for they have priests and judges with the Lord as their ruler.
We now know that, several hundred years in the future, Israel will appoint a king over themselves - in fact the battle for that kingship will cause Israel to split in two - and then an empire that doesn't even exist at the time of Moses will drag one of those kings as prisoner into a different land, along with all surviving Jews, where they will be forced to integrate into a new society that worships idols.
Through Moses, the Lord told the Jews that, if they fail to obey, that terrible things will happen through impossible circumstances. I might have been easy to brush off the punishment since the scenario couldn't exist. Therefore, several hundred years, when the scenario DOES exist, the Jews won't be fearful enough of the punishment to correct themselves.
Application: It is interesting to think about this in the context of prophesy. We often think prophesy cannot be true because it describes improbably events within the context of impossible scenarios. Therefore, when those impossible scenarios actually become reality, we better be paying attention.
This is why so many Christians believe we are near the end times ... the impossible scenarios are now all around us in our daily lives. I am one of those who believe this, though I also know 'near' may not be my lifetime. However, between social attitudes and modern technology, fantastical and impossible ideas described two to three thousand years ago are now here and happening. We better be paying attention.
Prayer: Lord, today I run to you and want to fill the holes in my life with meditation on your word, prayer, and worship. Help me crowd out the negative and sinful elements of my life. I choose to pay attention to you. Amen.
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