Deu 29:22 And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick— the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath— all the nations will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? What caused the heat of this great anger?’ Then people will say, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses written in this book, and the LORD uprooted them from their land in anger and fury and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as they are this day.’
Future generations and foreign visitants, seeing the calamities with which the rebels had been visited, nay, all nations, should ask, in astonishment and horror, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? It is evident from this that Moses contemplates, and in fact here predicts, a defection, not of individuals or families merely, but of the nation as a whole from the Lord, and the punishment which came in consequence upon the nation. (Unknown)
The secret and presumptuous nation who deceives its self that all is well and will be well with them, since they follow their own devices and they seemingly prosper. (Barnes)
This case supposes a general departure from the worship of God to the service of self-reliance; otherwise single individuals are punished in their own persons. (Gill)
How thoroughly Moses was filled with the thought, that not only individuals, but whole families, and in fact the greater portion of the nation, would fall into idolatry, is evident from the further expansion of the threat which follows, and in which he foresees in the Spirit, and foretells, the extermination of whole families, and the devastation of the land. (Keil)
There is an obvious reason to punish the covenant-breaker for his own sake. But God has a purpose beyond the reason of individual covenant. God’s purpose in bringing judgment against a covenant-breaking Israel was also for the sake of the coming generation of your children… and the foreigner. When they see the devastation that comes from breaking God’s covenant, when they see what happens to the land which the LORD overthrew in His anger and wrath, they will be warned to obedience. We can also learn from the calamity that comes on the lives of others when they break God’s covenant. We can learn that the price of disobedience is not worth it. We can learn that the commands of God are good, and protective in our lives. God’s purpose in bringing judgment against a covenant-breaking Israel was also for the sake of all nations. When they see what happens to a nation who forsakes the LORD, they will be warned to obedience. (Guzik)
It is good for us to read and study God’s Word for the benefit of our hearts, minds, and souls. Examples of God’s merciful and grace filled blessings and His wrath and anger filled judgements and punishment. Though we like to read of God’s blessings and give little thought to his wrath and anger it limits our understanding of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of mankind.
Time in God’s Word is never wasted time. It will bring forth much fruit satisfying the hearts, minds, and souls of those who cherish that time.