September 7, 2020
The message of Deuteronomy is one that the church desperately needs to hear today. These final words of Moses given to the children of Israel as they prepared to enter into the Promised Land serve as a warning, an encouragement, and a charge. Through them, God exposes the idolatry of our hearts and calls us to give all of our love, worship, and devotion to Him alone in every area of our lives! Moses warns the people that when they enter the land there will be things that compete with God for their attention, their affections and their worship. We, too, have hundreds of things that compete for our hearts each and every day. In this book, God teaches us how to properly respond to the amazing grace He has given us by giving Him our undivided allegiance, our whole hearts and our whole lives. Over the next 34 days, let’s seek this ancient way together as a church!
As he comes to the ending of his explanation of the law, Moses begins in this chapter to lay out the covenant curses that the people were to recite from Mount Ebal. These curses were to serve as a reminder towards those who did not obey the terms of the covenant, the commands and statutes of the Lord. Almost all of them have been explained by Moses at one point or another throughout the book; this would serve to remind the people of the law and the grave consequences for disobeying it.
Something significant about these curses is that, in the recitation, all the people of Israel were to say “amen” to each one. The Levitical priests would call down the curse on those who disobeyed, and the people were to all state their agreement with it, thereby calling down a curse upon themselves should they disobey! It may seem strange to us to call down a curse on ourselves were we to disobey God, but the Israelites had received such grace and had been given God’s perfect law, and in worshipful response they were to acknowledge the seriousness of disobedience in this way!
Of course, in spite of all the measures they took to be reminded of God’s immense grace towards them, of the dire consequences of disobedience and of the blessing and life that would come by obedience, the people of Israel still rebelled and transgressed the covenant. Like us, they needed something more than the right set of standards to live by; they needed to be transformed from the inside out!
Galatians 3:13 says that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us”. It is in Jesus alone that we experience this transformation of heart that produces obedient lives! Praise Him that He took on the curse for us and vanquished it forever in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, and that in Him we can now obey the law from the heart!
Deuteronomy 27
The Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep the whole commandment that I command you today. 2 And on the day you cross over the Jordan to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them with plaster. 3 And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4 And when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.5 And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them; 6 you shall build an altar to the Lord your God of uncut stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and shall eat there, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.”
Curses from Mount Ebal
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God.10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”
11 That day Moses charged the people, saying, 12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
15 “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
16 “‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
17 “‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
18 “‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
19 “‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
20 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
21 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
22 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
23 “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
24 “‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
25 “‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
26 “‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- The “amens” that the people were to recite was essentially a way of expressing their agreement with God’s assessment of the punishment that disobedience and sin deserved. Why is it so important that we agree with God’s assessment of these things?
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Blessed Words to live by, to make us holy and accepted to you! Continue to guard us against evil and sin of this world, and again thank you for many Blessing. amen
Gracias padre por tú palabra gracias porque tú nos enseñas La Verdad el camino que debemos continuar para seguir tus pasos y ser bendecido por ti agradarte delante de tus ojos y no ser tropiezo para otros sino luz para que todo aquel que en ti crea no se pierda úsame como un granito de sal en la tierra para tú gloria bendita y ayúdame a ser mejor cada día padre bendice toda mi familia amistades y todo aquel que te busca en espíritu y verdad que para ti sea la gloria por los siglos de los siglos amén ?
I will be silent and listen. Amen!!
Thank you for the ability and joy to read Your Word and learn more of You, my Savior and my Lord!
AMEN and HALLELUJA!!! Dear Lord, Keep me away from sin and evil. I am so blessed to be a child of God. I read your word everyday. I am so happy to be ? to worshop you and to honor you. You are .y Lord and Savior. In Jesus name I Pray. Amen
Father,
What is next for me? What is next for my family? What is next for our country?
Father, I do not have the answers, but LORD, I desire to do your will.
Guide me this day. Enable me this day through your Holy Spirit. Help me to serve you, my family and my country.
Help me to see evil and to run from it so as not to cause you or others pain.
Now, let’s be going to serve and to seek the lost in Jesus name.
Amen
Thank you Lord for guiding me by your Holy Spirit and your Word The Holy Bible that I am able to follow what you want of me.
Dear Heavenly Father,
As many feel, what is next for us? What is happening to our lives and country , oh Lord ? Please guide us and help us, I pray. So many things are out of control and I feel helpless. All we can do is stay in the Word and wait on You. Please heal our land, our homes and our lives. With You, all things are possible. We are waiting on You Lord to show us the way. Lead on. In Jesus’ name , I pray. Amen.
God cares enough about us that he’s willing to set limits, making us aware of what is best for us and blessing that. God also names what is not best for us, cursing that. When we disobey God, we reject God’s blessing, and instead we curse ourselves.
One is a legalist when he strictly keeps these laws and imposes them on others. But he shall lose his rewards in heaven when he ignores them, claiming liberty. There is a fine line between being a legalist and a libertine. Seek the mind of Christ and have the abundant life.