Deuteronomy 4:3030When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

In context, this passage refers clearly to the time when the Israelites, due to their idolatrous departure from the true and living God, were to be sent into captivity. The whole context beginning with 'if' would indicate, as is mentioned in plenty of other places, that almighty God would hear their prayer for help and it.

This as a double prophecy was fulfilled in the captivity of Judah in Babylon and their subsequent return seventy years later. The latter days, is a reference to the time towards the end of the period of the monarchy, when Israel was 'ripe for judgment'. Similar thoughts are expressed in the following verse:

2 Chronicles 7:1414If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.In a Longer Term View:It could also be said that these verses apply equally as well to the dispersion which occurred after AD70, especially when one considers that verse 27 mentions 'the nations' whereas Israel was only sent to Babylon. Thus the prophecy could be seen as having a double application and a fulfillment when the Jews returned to their land in recent times and the modern state of Israel was established.

In this latter context it is worth looking at the whole of the passage in question, in which the original (4:30) is contained. The reference to idolatry would seem to make it most applicable to the earlier time frame, although some would see the Jews rejection of their Messiah as then resulting in idolatry of a different kind and so making the passage applicable.

Deuteronomy 4:23-3323Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.

24For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

25When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:

26I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

27And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.

28And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

29But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

30When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

31(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

32For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?

33Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?

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