Deuteronomy 28:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

While what was promised in a spiritual context was anticipated by the Jews in a material manner—temporary, dishonoring to God, and devoid of true benefit—they, as the chosen people, were meant to serve as a focal point of attention for all nations that had fallen into misguided and pitiable idolatry. The blessings from God, evidenced by the remarkable victories of the Israelites, which no other nation shared, and their earthly flourishing, unparalleled by others, served as an undeniable testimony to all the sensual nations of the world that the God revered by the Jews was indeed the one true God. Historical evidence shows that those nations who viewed the Jews through a lens of reason understood this clearly (Judith 5: 5-24).

The very moment God selected the Israelites as His chosen people aligned with the time when nations generally veered into idol worship. Through witnessing God's special Providence and omnipotence manifest among His chosen, all nations were prepared to unconditionally accept the Redeemer—the God-Man—who would be born among them as their Leader and King, as well as the Savior for all humankind. This God-Man, embodying the omnipotent and omnipresent nature of God, brought forth a universal blessing, an extraordinary gift of immeasurable value, worthy of the infinite Creator. The outcomes of this divine blessing were no longer to be superficial, material possessions, which, once given or received, are ultimately lost through death, or sometimes even before death due to the hardships of life. Instead, the fruits of the blessing bestowed by the God-Man upon humanity were reconciliation with God (Luke 2:14) and the sharing of divine nature with humanity (2 Pet. 1:4), thus merging the Creator’s essence with that of His created beings. This blessing enables humanity to be adopted as children of God: the Son of God embraced humanity to become the Son of Man and, in turn, elevates His human siblings to be sons of God. The result of this blessing is inalienable and eternal bliss, beyond comprehension and desire; rather than descending into the abyss of hell for everlasting torment, humanity is uplifted to heaven, entering paradise, surrounding the throne of God along with the cherubim and seraphim, where sits that Man, who, being divine, chose to take on humanity out of an unfathomable love for mankind.

What can temporary, earthly possessions mean in comparison to these eternal and divine gifts? They amount to nothing. If humanity assigns them any value, they risk sacrificing eternal treasures and inviting the dire fate that befell the Jews. The Jews received earthly goods merely as a shadow, a foreshadowing of true eternal gifts; they chose to cling to the shadow while rejecting that ultimate Good which, from Heaven, provided a stark contrast to the worldly pursuits, aiming to guide humanity toward Heaven. For this reason, the God-Man calls on humanity to reject temporal possessions. Furthermore, He insists that humanity recognizes its fallen state and lost nature, viewing earth merely as a temporary place of exile and punishment, a precursor to hell and everlasting suffering. He urges humanity to yearn for God and eternity, disregarding earthly life as a fleeting stopover or a doomed prison. He commands diligence in enduring the tribulations of temporal life, through which one can acknowledge their need for a Redeemer, honor the justice of God that disciplines them, and strive to be worthy of His mercy. This message did not resonate well with the Jews. The message of the cross was a stumbling block for those who cherished and sought after worldly success. They perceived their earthly condition as invaluable, the sole possession deserving of sacrifice, and rationalized their actions against the Divine Messenger by asserting their desire to preserve this state (John 11:49-50). In their spiritual blindness and misguided pursuit of earthly abundance and global dominance, as promised to the nation of Israel, they eventually revolted against the powerful Romans, the rulers of their time. The outcome of this defiance was war, resulting in the downfall of the rebels, the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the demise of countless Jews, and the captivity and dispersion of those who survived the calamity across the earth.