And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God – Deuteronomy 28:13
This was God’s promise to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. But what does it mean? What was Moses, the author of Deuteronomy saying?
Let’s begin by looking at the physical positions of head and tail. The head is on top or in front, and the tail at the bottom or behind. The Israelites came out of a place of slavery. They therefore carried a slave identity even though God had set them free. Their identity or the way they saw themselves was likely one of being “the tail”, on the bottom end, below or beneath as slaves.
So, Moses was telling the Israelites that God would place them on top, or “above only” as His chosen people. He was saying that they would no longer be on the bottom end or beneath if they obeyed God’s commandments.
So, how does this apply to us today?
When we first accept Jesus Christ and become born again, many of us still carry a “slave identity” even though God has given us a new beginning. Some of us are still bound by the past – past mistakes, grievances, and hurts. Others by failure, inferiority, fear, lack, inability (I can’t), and other impeding mindsets.
But when we become born again, we become children of God – The Most High. Sons or daughters of the Most High therefore becomes our new identity. And with that new identity comes a new position… That of being the head and not the tail, of being above only and not beneath.
If we are the head, that means we are on top or in a position of authority. In secular life, one can be the head of the household or head of the sales division, etc. On the simplest level, from a biblical perspective, being the head or on top, means that God has placed us above our fears (Isaiah 41:10), failures (Psalm 73:26), inabilities (Philippians 4:13), difficulties, and challenges (1 John 4:4). He has given us the power or authority as born again believers to overcome them. We will be above them and not be subjugated by or be beneath them if we obey God’s commandments.
God has also given us authority over the power of the enemy (Satan) according to Luke 10:19. This means that as born-again believers in Christ we can rise above every obstacle the enemy throws at us because Jesus has already done the work and overcome Satan (Colossians 2:15).
As children of the Most High we have authority over our homes, workplaces, and neighbourhoods because we can pray for our families, colleagues, and neighbours (1 Timothy 2:1). We can pray for family members and colleagues to come to know Jesus, or for peace, safety, and transformation in our neighbourhoods.
Being the head and not the tail, being above only and not beneath is part and parcel of our identity in Christ.