Great Expectations

Summary

Expectations, their importance, their nature, etc. When they’re not met, we’re extremely disappointed.

We’re finishing our story of the Old Testament by taking one last look at the big picture, to try to see what sorts of expectations Israel would have had and why they would have had them. In other words, Israel had some idea of what God’s bigger agenda was, which gave them certain expectations, or hope. We touched on two of these agenda elements last week, but today we’re going to flesh things out a bit more.

Deut 30.1-9: 1 “When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the LORD your God has banished you. 2 Then if you and your descendants turn to the LORD your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, 3 the LORD your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. 4 Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. 6 The LORD your God will also cleanse your heart and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live. 7 Then the LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hate you and persecute you. 8 You will return and obey the LORD, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today. 9 The LORD your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the LORD your God will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors.