February 28, 2026 - Deuteronomy 28-30

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today . . . “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you” (28:1-7).  Of course, many other blessings are given to those who obey the Lord, but it is certainly good to know that our God fights for us, particularly against Satan and against sin.  John saw the defeat and end of Satan and of sin and death:  “And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations . . .  and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur . . . [and] Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:7-14).  Of course, even that is not the end of John’s vision:  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4).  Our hymn, this morning?  It has to be Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God!”

A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he, amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

does seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

our striving would be losing,

were not the right Man on our side,

the Man of God's own choosing.

You ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth his name,

from age to age the same;

and he must win the battle.   --Martin Luther (1529)