Deuteronomy 28:1, 2
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: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
Hearken DILIGENTLY: attentiveness (listen intently); to hear intelligently (pay attention, take what God is saying to us to heart (meditate on His Word), and obey His Word).
How do we know if we are blessed by God?
When we listen to His Word being spoken to us - whether it is we who read aloud in our own hearing or whether we hear The Word preached by another person - and when we obey The Word that is given to us daily. we are blessed by God. When we love to hear from God knowing He loves to hear from us, we are blessed by God. When we approach the throne of glory on which He is seated, knowing He hears the words we speak and the words we cannot, we are a blessed people. For our GOD HEARS US.
To Observe God's commandments is to read and study them out for ourselves: it is to study His Word daily: verse by verse when needed or chapter upon chapter. It is to pray His Holy Spirit apply The Word to our hearts that we might live in joyful obedience to Him. It is not just to read our Bibles and set them aside, forgetting what we have just read. It is not about how often we attend church, nor where we attend church, but about what we do with The Word that is preached in our hearing in these churches, regardless of denomination. For our GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS.
In this passage of Scripture it is not the stranger Moses is speaking to, but to God's people. And in this New Testament time of Grace in which we live, The Word speaks to the Christians, as well. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8.
