I’m wrapping up a book that I am reading, I found it interesting that people look at the topic of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 in ways that seem to derive from their own perspective. In this book, the author states that the captivity of the sons of historical Israel was part of the curses of Deuteronomy 28. I agree with the fact that the children of Judah and the northern tribes of Israel going into captivity is one of the curses in Deuteronomy 28, I don’t agree with the designation that all the curses of Deuteronomy 28 fell on either of these tribes.

One reason I disagree is because Deuteronomy says this:

“And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.” Deuteronomy 28:37 KJV

The sons of Judah went into captivity to one nation, Babylon, but the curse in Deuteronomy states they would be an astonishment among all {the} nations whither the Lord shall lead them.

Another curse is before this one and says this:

“The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.” Deuteronomy 28:36

It is deceptive work to pretend that the sons of Israel had no knowledge of the Babylonians' existence. Therefore these curses in large part can not be referring to either the Northern Kingdom or the Southern Kingdom as prophecy of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 being fulfilled in them at the time God cut them off from the inheritance of what was promised having experienced some of what was promised to Abraham.

Lastly, these statement presented in Deuteronomy can in no way have been fulfilled in either the Northern or the Southern Kingdoms:

“Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.” Deuteronomy 28:45-46 KJV

A sign is mainly for other people to see. It is for other nations to know who these people are to whom God cursed. But these signs also serve as a reminder for a people who lost there identity. These signs will be the distinctive mark so show them that are (1) facing all of these things because they didn’t listen to God’s voice but God also knew that a people who masquerade as the sons of Jacob to who these curses fell having not one sign evident in their human existence. These signs were meant to show the world how a certain people became a astonishment by turning away from the one true God.

None of these curses are evident on any Jewish person, those claiming to be the genetic sons of Jacob or those who have converted becoming one with these people.

Every curse in Deuteronomy has a specific purpose and every curse fits a specific people. It is impossible for these signs in full to have fallen on the sons of Judah in the time of their captivity to the Babylonians. They neither forget who they were and they found some level of favor in Babylon by the king of Babylon:

“Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.” 2 Kings 25:27-30 NASB

If the curses of Deuteronomy 28 have all fallen on the sons of Judah than their experience must not have been that bad because the King had his meals prepared for him, received an allowance regularly, was released from prison, and had a portion for each day in the presence of the king. Oh yeah and did I mention he was sitting on a throne though in the land of his capacity? 

So when you read Deuteronomy 28, it’s imperative to place your thinking caps on because you will miss the point that Moses is making.

Shalom