Hello, Friends.

I thought it might be nice to start with something pleasant, considering the rather negative content in chapter 27 – the curses.

It starts with instructions for when Israel crosses the Jordan. They are to go to the area of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.

It’s where the town of Shechem was back in Genesis. Shechem is where Jacob dug a well and homesteaded in Canaan. It’s where that unfortunate event with Dinah took place.

When Israel settles in the Promised land, Shechem will be one of the “cities of refuge.”

Shechem is called Sychar in the Gospel of John. Jesus met a woman at Jacob’s well in chapter 4. This region will be called “Samaria” in the NT. The Samaritans come from here.

The city is now known as Nablus. It is in what we call “The West Bank.”

So, LOTS of history here. I looked it up on Google Maps because I wasn’t sure how close the well or the town was to the mountains. It’s right between them!

Moses tells them that when they get there, they are to go up on Mount Ebal and set up large stones and plaster them with lime; basically whitewash them. And then write on them all the words of the Law. This is going to be their version of the National Archives. These are their founding documents. If ancient Israel had school field trips, then little Israelite schoolchildren would go see the stones with the Law of God written on them. And probably eat their sack lunches by Jacob’s well.

They are also to build an altar there and sacrifice offerings to the Lord. Notice the site on the map above called “The Altar of Mount Ebal.” That is an archeological site (uncovered in the 1980’s) that some believe to be THE altar Moses instructed them to build. This claim is contested. I have no idea and no opinion on it. I haven’t been there and really know very little about the arguments for or against. You can look it up online if you’re curious. There are plenty of pictures and articles.

Whether the altar was at that exact spot on Mount Ebal or not, it doesn’t change the fact that half of the 2 million(ish) people stood on the slopes of Ebal and half on Gerizim – kinda like 2 teams in the world’s largest stadium. And Team Gerizim is going to announce all the blessings pronounced in the Law, while Team Ebal calls out the curses. I’m not sure but I think Gerizim lost the toss because the curses come first. Then in chapter 28 there is a list of blessings followed by a bunch of curses so bad it’s basically like a hellfire and damnation preacher puttin’ the fear o’ God into ‘em.

This is a good spot to review what a curse is and what the word “Amen” means.

Amen means “so be it” or – for my Gen Z frens, #truth. We covered curses somewhere back in Genesis I think. If you missed that one or need a review…

A curse is a pronouncement of bad, either that someone is a bad person (like Shimei cursing David – so basically an insult), or that bad things will happen, like this:

Curses often begin with the word “May,” like, “May this or that bad thing happen to you.”

In chapter 27 the formula is basically:

Cursed = the one who does X, #truth.

In chapter 28 the blessings formula is:

Listen and obey = #blessed x ♾️

The biggie curse is this one:

“ ‘Cursed be the one who does not keep the words of this law, to observe them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭27‬:‭26‬ ‭LEB‬‬

It’s the catch all curse. And y’all, this isn’t just some quaint ceremony. This is REAL. These curses are spiritually, and eternally binding. And guess what. Everyone is under it because nobody – I repeat – NO BODY has ever kept all of the Law perfectly.

Except Jesus.

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s inspired commentary on this verse:

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Texas just passed a law requiring the 10 Commandments to displayed in every public school classroom. That’s great. I hope the outcome is more young people learning the difference between right and wrong. But the Law can’t make them do right. And anyone who thinks you can obtain right-standing with God by trying real hard to obey the Ten Commandments or observe Torah… well… Read the opening clause of that scripture above again.

Now how ‘bout this word from James?

“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The expectation is impossibly high. No one has ever done it. You will not be the first exception.

There is only one way to escape from this powerful binding curse of the Law that will be shouted from Mount Ebal and echo through every century. It is to trust in the One Who DID keep it perfectly – Jesus Christ. The person who stands before the Father in the righteous robes of Christ is identified as the Son and rightful heir just like Jacob wearing the clothes of Easu.

We are simply called to Repent and Believe the Gospel:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This was THE Gospel that Paul preached.

Jesus did not die as a political martyr or misunderstood mystic, He died for our sins. His blood is sufficient payment for our lack of keeping the Law. He didn’t swoon. He died. His dead body was buried. He didn’t rise “spiritually” from the grave. He rose bodily from the dead on the 3rd day.

This is the Good News. We get the bad news here in Deuteronomy with all the curses. What’s the purpose of all this? Let’s return to the 3rd chapter of Galatians… (and I’ll leave it here for your reflection)…

“Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Amen. #truth.