“Take heed to yourselves,” the Lord had admonished His people, “that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; and then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.” Deuteronomy 11:10-17. (PK 136.1) MC VC

“If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes,” the Israelites had been warned, “thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.” Deuteronomy 28:15, 23, 24. (PK 136.2) MC VC

These were among the wise counsels of Jehovah to ancient Israel. “Lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul,” He had commanded His chosen people, “and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 11:18, 19. Plain were these commands, yet as the centuries passed, and generation after generation lost sight of the provision made for their spiritual welfare, the ruinous influences of apostasy threatened to sweep aside every barrier of divine grace. (PK 136.3) MC VC