Is the God of Israel different from the God of today?
The God of Israel is not different from the God of today. The context warns against assuming any difference. Deuteronomy pronounces curses on graven or molten images and sets blessings on condition that Israel hearkens diligently, showing the same divine standards and expectations for His people.
Les teaches that you cannot take for granted that the God of Israel is any different than the God of today. He points back to Deuteronomy 27, beginning with verse 15, where God says, "Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, putting it in a secret place." All the people answer and say, "Amen," agreeing to it. Then Deuteronomy 28 opens with "if," a conditional word. God leaves it up to the nation of Israel and their free will; He does not make robots out of them, but says, "if thou shalt hearken diligently." The setting is Israel ready to go in and occupy the land of Canaan under Joshua. Les also notes that Moses writes his own obituary while still alive, as if it were past, because God leads every word by inspiration. The same God holds the same standards.