Deuteronomy
chapter 27 pictures the nation of Israel ready to cross the Jordan
into the Promised Land. Moses is at the end of his life and will not
cross over with them. How does the ‘Law Giver’ spend his final
days? Obviously, he continues sharing God’s commands. Moses and
the elders of Israel declare, “Keep
all these commands that I give to you today“.
The first thing they are instructed to do upon crossing into the
Promised Land, is to, “Set
up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all
the words of this law“.
For the same reason the secularists in our country do not want the
Ten Commandments on display, Moses commands them to be put on display
FIRST. Without a standard for righteousness, there cannot be anyone
unrighteous. Before I accepted Christ as my Savior, I thought I was
‘good’ compared to most people, but by comparing myself to God’s
perfect requirement of righteousness I saw my need for forgiveness.
Before we can ask for forgiveness, we have to recognize we have
fallen short of God’s standard (perfection).
Next
the people are told to, “Set
up these stones on Mount Ebal… build there an altar to the Lord…
do not use any iron tools upon them… build with field stones“.
Perhaps God did not want the craftsmanship of man to take away from
the message the law represented-sin is not pretty and will be judged
by God’s standards. They are then commanded to, “Offer
burnt offerings on it to the Lord”
and then, “Sacrifice
fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence
the Lord“.
Remember from Leviticus 3, the Burnt offering was for atonement
(payment) for sin, while the Fellowship offering was a celebration of
restoration, a thanksgiving that was divided between the altar, the
priest and the offerer. Always, the atonement must be made before we
can have fellowship with God. Finally the section ends, “Write
very clearly the words of the law on these stones“.
The altar was there, at the ready, complete with instruction for all
that would desire forgiveness.
Moses
instructed the people that after they cross over, they must divide
the tribes into two groups. The fist group “shall
stand on Mount Gerizim and bless the people: Simon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin“.
While the other group, “Shall
stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Rueben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun,
Dan and Naphtali“.
The Levites were then to recite the curses of disobedience to God
and all the people were to respond with “Amen“.
Amen, of course means, “So be it”, or “I agree”. When we
pray in groups, Amen, simply means we agree together with what was
prayed. The chapter ends with a list of, “Cursed
is the man who…“.
It is a long list, but the chapter has one wonderful sign of hope.
Remember where the altar was built? It was on Mount Ebal, the
mountain where the curses were pronounced! Our gracious God provides
a place of restoration for anyone who is willing. Galatians 3:10
reminds us, “Cursed
is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the
Book of the Law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law“.
So none of us can be good enough on our own. Again, God is so
merciful. Jesus said, “It
is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come
for the righteous, but the sinners”
(Mark 2:17). And I say, AMEN!