Today, I am reading and commenting on Deuteronomy 27-28.
This passage contains blessings and curses for the people of Israel: blessings if they obey the Laws God gave them through Moses, curses if they do not. While I believe the specific blessings and curses contained in this passage specifically apply to the Israelites, I believe the general principle of them applies to all people. If we follow God’s commands and desires, we will be blessed. If we violate God’s commands and desires, we will be cursed. Moses instructed the people to divide into two parts, one half of the people to stand on Mt Gerizim to pronounce the blessings, one half to stand on Mt Ebal to pronounce the curses. The purpose of this exercise was to reinforce the laws to the people and to give them a feeling of unity. If you have ever been part of a large group which has done such a responsive reading you will understand how powerful such a thing is.
I really get two things out of this passage. First, the closer a society keeps God’s commands, the more powerful and wealthy they will be. To me this means that the majority holds to values which reflect God’s will (even when many of those people may not actually worship God) and that those who rebel against God’s will are ostracized to one degree or another, such that they hide their rebellion from general knowledge. On the other hand, a society which openly embraces rebelling against God will become progressively weaker and poorer and will experience ever increasing suffering. To the greatest extent I believe this results from natural forces. I also believe that if we as individuals follow God’s will, we will be blessed, although not necessarily in ways which the world at large will recognize.
Every time I write about a passage like this, I come away feeling like I have failed to adequately communicate what it says to me. Today is no different.
I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.
ever consider this?? Ebal in Hebrew means “bare” or nakedness…. repeatedly the Bible describes unrighteousness or sin as being naked before YHVH….
to Adam He asked “who told you that you were naked?” ….so many see this in the physical alone and not as the person standing spiritually exposed to YHVH…
Next would be the concept of this nakedness or sin leaving one exposed to spiritual death. The same is addressed by Paul when he teach of the law of sin equaling death.
“Mount Ebal is approximately is composed primarily of limestone. The slopes of the mountain contain several large caverns which were probably originally quarries, and at the base towards the north are several tombs.”~ Wikipedia
In the last part of that verse the writer says to use ‘plaister’ or lime. The use of lime on dead bodies is a common practice during times of plague or war. This would have protected the area from the spread of disease among the people.
There seems to be a lot more going on here the just a little prosperity preaching….
Keep digging brother…