Unleashing the Beast

298 / U NLEASHING THE B EAST

would follow their nation and impact their families: And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out (Deuteronomy 28:1-6). We also see that if Israel failed to obey the laws of God and sinned against the covenant—worshiped idols, committed adultery and mistreated their fellow man—then God, in order to bring them to humility and repentance, would lift the favor and the blessing and allow great trouble and distress to strike the nation. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence