Sunday 24th August
Read Deuteronomy 27
“Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: ‘Keep all these commands that I give you today. 2 When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. 5 Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool on them. 6 Build the altar of the Lord your God with stones from the field and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord your God. 8 And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up.’
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, ‘Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.’
11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:
12 When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin. 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
14 The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15 ‘Cursed is anyone who makes an idol – a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of skilled hands – and sets it up in secret.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
16 ‘Cursed is anyone who dishonours their father or mother.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
17 ‘Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbour’s boundary stone.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
18 ‘Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
19 ‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
20 ‘Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonours his father’s bed.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
21 ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
22 ‘Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
23 ‘Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
24 ‘Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbour secretly.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
25 ‘Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
26 ‘Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.’
Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’” (NIVUK)
This chapter is a call to keep and remember the commands given by God when Israel enters the promised land. A reminder written on a plaster covered stone alter, it is a temporary alter for sacrifice of burnt and fellowship offerings and seems to be a kind of ratification of the covenant agreement made some 40 years previous. Then comes a list of do-nots (curses) to be recited by the Levites and ‘accepted (amen)’ by the people. Possibly the list is chosen because they are related to practices of peoples around them and affirm that the people of God will be different by obeying the laws given by God. Curses listed are on idolatry, injustice in ownership, injustice toward the poor and needy, sexual sin and murder, clearly all are related to the Sinai laws. The final overarching statement (v26), a curse on anyone who does anything to break the covenant agreement, is a reminder that disobedience in one is disobedience in all. Paul in Gal 3:10 cites this verse as a reminder that relying on our own obedience to have a right relationship with God is doomed to fail. There is only one man, Jesus, who has been obedient in all things and became the sacrifice to take away the penalty(curse) for mankind’s disobedience. I seem to hear this message repeatedly and wonder if the repetition is necessary! Then I realise that it is my pride that makes me think that it might be possible for me to be consistently obedient and that I don’t need a reminder, it is only through faith in Jesus that relationship with God can/is restored, not my aspirations to obedience that are so inconsistent.
Geoff Hinch
