HEAVEN AND EARTH SPEAK

TEXT: Deuteronomy 32:1 (NKJV)

32 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;

And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

INTRO: Does heaven and earth testify against us when we disobey God’s commands?

In the text we’re going to read it’s interesting that the speaker speaks to the heavens and the earth to give attention to what he is about to say.

I believe the answer is yes they do testify against us when we obey and when we disobey God’s word.

I. THE TESTIMONY OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

A. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR

1. Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV)

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

EXAMPLE: Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:17–18 (NKJV)

17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;

In toil you shall eat of it

All the days of your life.

18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,

And you shall eat the herb of the field.

2. We see throughout the bible that when the people of God disobeyed him the heavens gave no rain and the earth produced no fruit. Haggai 1:10 (LEB)

10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth has withheld its produce.

a.) What God is saying to us is that our decisions will determine if we will experience God’s blessing in our lives or the curse of disobedience.

1. When God’s people obeyed God they experienced abundant blessing but when they disobeyed everything went wrong for them.

2. The same goes for us today, when we disobey God nothing will go right. Haggai 1:11 (LEB)

11 I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and wild animals, and on ⌊all their labor⌋.’ ”

Deuteronomy 11:13–15 (GW)

13 If you faithfully obey the commands that I’m giving you today, love the Lord your God, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 I will send rain on your land at the right time, both in the fall and in the spring. Then you will gather your own grain, new wine, and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your animals, and you will be able to eat all you want.

3. The rain represents the blessing of God, the W.O.G. and the Spirit of God.

And the produce represents fruitfulness in our lives.

II. YOUR HEAVEN AND YOUR EARTH

A. HOW DOES YOUR LIFE LOOK, ARE YOU EXPERIENCING THE BLESSING OR THE CURSE?

ILL: In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon reaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand, every obstacle is really an opportunity in disguise.

1. God’s commands are not a burden but opportunities for him to bless you.

1 John 5:3 (GW)

3 To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn’t difficult

2. Interesting that this principle of obedience and disobedience plays out in all of life. In your marriage, in parenting, in health, in work, in finance, in your coming and going… In all you do! Joshua 1:8 (GW)

8 Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.

3. Many times the reason Christians struggle and are frustrated, filled with stress and anxiety is because of their disobedience towards God. EX: King Saul, he was filled with distress and tormented in his mind because he disobeyed God. 1 Samuel 16:14–16 (GW)

David Plays the Lyre for Saul

14 Now, the Lord’s Spirit had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 Saul’s officials told him, “An evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Your Majesty, why don’t you command us to look for a man who can play the lyre well? When the evil spirit from God comes to you, he’ll strum a tune, and you’ll feel better.”

a.) It’s interesting that God would give Saul relief when David played music for him even though he was in disobedience. God gave Saul relief in hopes that he would repent!

1. Sometimes in your torment you may experience times of relief because is being merciful to you so you can repent of your disobedience! I.e. There are times when all seems good even though you know you’re in disobedience. That’s because God is being merciful to you so you can repent.

2. Many Christians mistake God’s mercy for his blessing. They say things like, “God still blesses me even though I’m disobedient.”

B. SACRIFICE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE

1. Samuel confronts Saul. 1 Samuel 15:13–15 (GW)

13 Samuel came to Saul, who said, “The Lord bless you. I carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

14 However, Samuel asked,

“But what is this sound of sheep in my ears

and this sound of cows that I hear?”

15 Saul answered, “The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to the Lord your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed.”

2. People who disobey God overemphasize sacrifice. They do this in Tithing, they say, “I bought this or that for the church,” but they are not honoring God through tithing. Many got stimulus checks and didn’t tithe, God blesses them with a way to make extra money and they don’t tithe.

- They do this in marriage, offer sacrifice because they neglect, then want to make up by doing something special instead loving as God commanded...

- They do this with parenting and friendships instead of loving like God commands!

III. THE BLESSING OF OBEDIENCE

A. WALKING WITH GOD

ILL: At age 16 Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian's personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann. 

When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "My son," he said, "when I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, 'Take good care of this kiss--it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.' I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserve it."

1. Unlike the blessing of the pianist, God isn't looking for that someone special who doesn’t make mistakes who is perfect to give the blessing to. No, God’s blessing is available to all who simply will obey Him.

2. God loves you and he wants nothing more than to bless you in every area of your life. Matthew 7:11 (The New Testament in Modern Speech: An Idiomatic Translation into Everyday English from the Text of “The Resultant Greek Testament”)

11 If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Luke 11:13 (The New Testament in Modern Speech: An Idiomatic Translation into Everyday English from the Text of “The Resultant Greek Testament”)

13 If you then, with all your human frailty, know how to give your children gifts that are good for them, how much more certainly will your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

James 1:17 (The New Testament in Modern Speech: An Idiomatic Translation into Everyday English from the Text of “The Resultant Greek Testament”)

17 every gift which is good, and every perfect boon, is from above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all Light. In Him there is no variation nor the slightest suggestion of change.

B. REPENTANCE AND HEALING

1. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2. Maybe today your land needs healing , your family, your finances, your children, your work, your marriage, your mind, whatever it may be God wants to bring healing and blessing to your life once again.

a.) God promises to heal and restore all that you have lost to disobedience. Joel 2:25–26 (NKJV)

25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,

The consuming locust,

And the chewing locust,

My great army which I sent among you.

26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

And praise the name of the Lord your God,

Who has dealt wondrously with you;

And My people shall never be put to shame.