Deut 27-28 Curses from Mount Ebal
Proverbs 20
This is one of the most vital sections of the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses' third oration. It belongs to the next major section of the book which is regarding the future in the land. This is the third main section of the book and extends from chapter 27–30 (Today and Tomorrow). In it we find the so–called Palestinian covenant which God made with the nation Israel.
Deuteronomy 28–30 is the pre–written history of Israel in the land before they enter the land. The section from Deuteronomy 29–30:10 is the Palestinian covenant.
As we begin this new section, we ought to think about covenant. That word has occurred several times already. There are different kinds of covenants. We find that individuals make covenants with each other. There are covenants of this kind mentioned in the Bible. Then there are nations that make covenants, and some of them are mentioned in the Bible. Then there are the covenants which God made with His people and with all humanity in the Old Testament. We have already studied the Adamic covenant, the Noahic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, and the Mosaic covenant. Now we have come to the Palestinian covenant.
The covenants which God makes are divided into two different classifications: conditional and unconditional. We could call them eternal covenants and temporary covenants. The eternal covenant is a permanent covenant and it is unconditional. The temporary covenant is a conditional covenant. It is important to distinguish between the two.
The covenant which God made with Abraham was an unconditional covenant. The covenant God made with Moses, the Ten Commandments, was a conditional covenant—“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then …” (Exo 19:5). The Palestinian covenant which God made in the chapters we are about to study is an unconditional covenant.
This covenant has to do with Israel's future. We understand that these people are now standing on the east bank of the Jordan River. They are preparing to enter the land. This is the new generation; the old generation has died in the wilderness. Moses himself will not enter into the land. We shall see that this book closes with a requiem to Moses. He dies, but the people enter the land under a new leader. Now this particular section is prophetic and has to do with their future in the land which they are about to enter. We find here some of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Word of God.
And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster:
And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee [Deu 27:1-3].
They were told that when they crossed over into the land, the Ten Commandments were to be written in stone and displayed. Their tenure in the land, their dwelling there, would be determined by their obedience to God. That was a conditional arrangement. But the land was given to them with no conditions attached whatsoever. God has given that land to Israel, and that is an unconditional covenant. God will bring Israel back into that land because it belongs to them. That is something very important for us to realize at the present time.
Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.
And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.
Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:
And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.
And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly [Deu 27:4-8].
God's Law was to be prominently displayed. In fact, it was to be put in front of them wherever they went—even on the doorposts of their homes.
And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin [Deu 27:9-12].
When they get into the Promised Land, the blessing of the people is to be declared from Mount Gerizim. He mentions the tribes who will do the blessing.
And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali [Deu 27:13].
The tribes who are to declare the curses are to go over to Mount Ebal. These mountains are in the area where the Samaritan woman was at the well. That well is still there today. The blessings were from Mount Gerizim and the curses from Mount Ebal.
Now a list of the curses is given. After they are in the land, their tenure there is on a condition. We might say that each generation is a tenant and it is to pay rent. God is the land owner, and that rent is obedience to God. Actually, the nation is more than a tenant because God has given Israel that land as an eternal possession. However, when a generation would not obey God, that generation would be put out of the land, even though the land remained theirs as an eternal inheritance. This is the reason that that piece of real estate is the most sensitive spot on the topside of this globe. It is the belief of a great many people that right now a world war could be triggered by what takes place in that land, and certainly this is true.
There are twelve curses given here, and I am not going into detail about them as they are self–explanatory.
Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen [Deu 27:15].
This has to do with the first two of the Ten Commandments.
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen [Deu 27:16].
This deals with the fifth of the Ten Commandments.
Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen [Deu 27:26].
As you read all the verses in this chapter, you will see that they all deal with the breaking of the Ten Commandments.
Tomorrow, the Palestinian Covenant
Jay