“Adonai will strike you down with the boils that broke out on the Egyptians, tumors, skin lesions and itching, all incurable. Adonai will strike you with insanity, blindness and utter confusion. You will grope about at noon like a blind person groping in the dark, unable to find your way.”-Deuteronomy 28:27-29
Verse 27 of Deuteronomy 28 introduces us to a theme that will stay with us until the end of the chapter: Egypt
Unlike their parents, this 2nd generation of the Exodus did not see with their own eyes the terrible plagues the Lord visited upon Egypt.
For sure, they heard a retelling of these events countless times during the after-dinner gatherings around the campfires.
Adding to this, what Moses is doing here is letting this young 2nd generation know in no uncertain terms that when God separated Israel from Egypt, it was only Egypt who suffered from the plagues of God.
However, it will be the reverse if Israel becomes disobedient.
For starters, the Lord warns they will suffer from skin diseases so disgusting and painful they will want to die.
And it won’t matter what they try to do to heal themselves.
Nothing will work and the skin diseases will cling to them until the end of their days.
Interestingly, one of the skin diseases listed is translated literally as “evil boils”…
…which is the exact same term used to describe the skin affliction that Job suffered.
Unfortunately, the physical suffering will be just the beginning.
The Lord will also attack the people’s minds and spirits until they descend into utter madness, confusion and spiritual blindness.
The “blindness” mentioned in these verses is not referring to losing one’s eyesight.
We’re talking about pure psychological torment here.
Israel will no longer be able to discern the truth anymore.
Again, this will be a total replay of what happened in Egypt when the Lord cast a darkness (CHOSHEK) upon Egypt that was so thick and chilling the Egyptians literally lost their minds.
I think it’s important to point out that the darkness that descended upon Egypt was not just a physical darkness.
It was also an evil and spiritual darkness that was so thick that neither the rays of sunlight nor the Lord’s enlightenment could penetrate.
This is the result of what happens when the Lord completely withdraws His presence.
This is also what happens to the person who is KARET or cut off from the Lord for all eternity.
I’ve never suffered from clinical depression but I can imagine the feelings and spiritual sensations are similar.
It’s feeling like there’s absolutely no hope in this world and that there is nothing you can do about it.
I imagine that’s how actor Robin Williams, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, and designer Kate Spade all felt when they decided to end their lives.
All of their wealth and fame meant absolutely nothing once they lost their mental and spiritual stability.
As I write these words, Yeshua’s words come back to haunt me with a resounding intensity.
“And what do you benefit
if you gain the whole world
but lose your own soul?
Is anything worth more than your soul?”
-Matthew 16:26
(New Living Translation)
That is precisely the type of mental blindness being described here.
HASHEM says that running away will not work because the depression will follow you wherever you go until you perish.
Onward.
Take a look at some of the horrors that will befall a rebellious Israel from verse 30.
-You will get engaged to a woman, but another man will marry her.
-You will build a house but not live in it.
-You will plant a vineyard but not use its fruit.
-Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you won’t eat any of its meat.
-Your donkey will be taken away from you by force as you watch, and you won’t get it back.
-Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and there will be no one to help you.
-Your sons and daughters will be handed over to another people; you will watch for them longingly all day but not see them; and there will be nothing you can do about it.
-A nation unknown to you will eat the fruit of your land and labor.
I can paraphrase all of the above via the following one phrase:
NOTHING WILL MAKE SENSE ANYMORE
Every notion of fair play and the way the world is supposed to work will be completely turned on its head.
All of your worst nightmares that you previously thought could never happen unbelievably and shockingly happen!
And just when you expect the bad circumstances to end, they don’t.
Things actually get worse.
Some unknown enemy from a foreign land will kill off all of your sources of food and economic livelihood.
Your sons and daughters will be sold into slavery.
Wherever you go, you will be hated and looked at with scorn but you won’t understand why.
Everything you worked for and all of your belongings will suddenly be taken away.
And finally, because of all the stress, chaos and insanity of the situation, you will have a complete nervous breakdown.
One final point.
Everything to this point that Israel is being warned about is what will happen while they are residing inside the land of Israel.
That’s right.
These things will happen while Israel is supposedly dwelling safely within the borders of the Promised Land.
But, then, just when things seem to hit rock bottom to the point where it literally could not get any worse.
The absolute unimaginable and unthinkable occurs.
Israel is exiled.
Leave a Reply