Deuteronomy 28

—This chapter is nearly allied to Lev. xxvi. 3—39: only it more largely insists upon the mercies, and especially the judgments that were to befall the Israelites after their entrance into Canaan till the end of the world. It is not to be considered as a mere sanction of the laws formerly declared, but also as a real prediction of future events. The first fourteen verses had their accomplishment in the various mercies which the Jews met with before their last dispersion by the Romans; particularly in the days of Joshua; chap. iii.—xxiv. in the Rests under the Judges; Judg. iii. 11, 30, 31. and viii. 28; and under Samuel

Deuteronomy 28:2

David; 2 Sam. v. x. 1 Chron. xii.—xxix. Solomon; 1 Kings i. x. 2 Chron. i.—ix. Asa; 1 Kings xv. 9—15. 2 Chron. xiii.—xvi. Jehoshaphat; 2 Chron. xvii.—xx. Joash; 2 Kings xi. xii. 2 Chron. xxiii. xxiv. Uzziah and Jotham; 2 Chron. xxvi. xxvii. Hezekiah; 2 Kings xviii. xix. Isa. xxxvi. xxxvii. 2 Chron. xxix. to xxxii. Josiah; 2 Kings xxii. xxiii. 2 Chron. xxxiv. xxxv.; and in the days of Ezra; i.—x. and of Esther; i.—x. and of Neh. i.—x; and under the Maccabees, Judas, Jonathan, Simon Hircanus, and Alexander Jannens, from about one hundred and sixty to about eighty years before Christ’s birth.—From ver. 15 to the end are delineated the various and manifold miseries which their sin should bring upon them, from their entrance into Canaan till their future restoration; i. e. for the space of three thousand three hundred years; particularly in the days of Joshua; Josh. vii. the Judges; Judg. i.—iii. iv. vi. ix. x. xii.—xxi. Samuel; 1 Sam. iv. xi. xiii. xiv. xvii. xxxi. David; 2 Sam. ii. iii. xv.—xxi. xxiv. Solomon; 1 Kings xi. Rekoboam, Abijah, Jehoshaphat; 1 Kings xii.—xvi. 2 Kings i.—vi. Jehoram, Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh; 2 Kings viii.—xxi. 2 Chron. xxi. xxii. xxv. xxviii. xxxii. xxxiii.; and Jehoakim, Jehoachim, Zelekiah, and in Babylon; 2 Kings xxiv. xxv. 2 Chron. xxxv. xxxvi. Jer. xiv.—xxix xxxiv to xliv The body of the ten tribes of Israel were gonerally miserable after the death of Solomon. They were carried captive and dispersed among the heathens, about seven hundred and twenty years before Christ, whence few of them ever returned to Canaan. Such of them, or of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who returned to their own land, by order from Cyrus, Ezra i. were not only harassed by the neighbouring nations of Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Arabians, Philistines, and others, but also by the Persian and Grecian emperors; but most terribly by Ochus the Persian, about three hundred and fifty; and Antiochus Epiphanes; Dan. viii. 23—25. and xl. 28—35, about one hundred and sixty years before Christ.—But their most fearful calamities began to come upon them, from the Romans, about sixty-five years after Christ. They invaded their country; and, after manifold calamities, about A. D. 70, rendered it a desolate wilderness, burning their cities, slaying the inhabitants, it is probable to the number of some millions, and selling such as remained to the Egyptians and others for slaves. About A. D. 136, the Romans repeated their terrible slaughter of such Jews as they found in Canaan, and even in other places of their empire; and annual fairs were held for the sale of the captives. Since which, hated of all nations in Europe, Asia, or Africa, among which they have been dispersed, and often deluded by pretenders to Messiahship, they have, for these seventeen hundred years, been distressed with the most fearful calamities, persecutions, and massacres, from the Persians, Saracens, Turks, and Christians; but chiefly the Greeks, Spaniards, French, English, and Germans. Thus every promise or threatening respecting the Jewish nation is but a repetition or enlargement of what we have in this chapter and the first part of the xxx. 1—9; and every event of providence respecting that nation, from their entrance into Canaan till the end of time, is the accomplishment thereof. See Introduction

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXVIII.—Behold, with affecting wonder, what numerous blessings a God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, can heap on sinful men!—What blessings on soul and body!—What blessings, in time and in eternity, his love can bestow! Let us therefore be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. In keeping his commandments there is a great and gracious reward. But who can stand before this holy, this jealous, this great and dreadful Lord God, if once he be angry! Deep and large is the cup of indignation that is in his right hand; the dregs of which the wicked must wring out and drink. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid. Let fearfulness surprise the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? who shall dwell with everlasting burnings? In this dreadful cluster of threatenings, let us observe that sin is the only deserving cause of trouble; and that God in innumerable forms can execute his vengeance on the bodies, the minds, the families, the nations, the property, of his opposers. Let the tremendous condition of the Jewish nation, when oppressed by Mesopotamians, Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, Ammonites, Philistines, Syrians, Persians, Greeks, and others; and when harassed, murdered, and carried into captivity, by the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Romans; and all the miseries which they have suffered in their present dispersion, of more than seventeen hundred years continuance; establish my faith in God’s word: and let it warn the British nation, and those connected with her, to take heed to themselves, lest their contempt of Christ, their breach of covenant with God, and other abounding wickedness, entail upon them similar judgments. 3