Psalm 89:30-32 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
The conditional covenant established through Moses threatened punishments if the people did not keep their part of the covenant stipulations (if…then), which are summarized in the Ten Commandments. Of course, the sinful people broke God’s Law time and again in unbelief and rebellion. Therefore, the consequences will surely come into effect: the rod and stripes.
The people’s response to God’s promises in the covenant were disobedience and rebellion. Punishments naturally resulted: God’s people lost the city, the temple, and the nation in the Babylonian Captivity. And they lost God and His Life.
The same thing happens to us for our sinful response: we lose a connection to God, Heaven, and life, and we find ourselves in captivity to our spiritual enemies, sin death and the devil. The Lord’s response to our sin is the rod and stripes, separation and death. But the Lord’s greater response to us is love that sends His Son who lived an obedient life for us and granted us God’s righteousness in place of our sin. Our response to this Gospel is repentance and faith.