Standing Between the Choices
Deuteronomy 27:9–14 (ESV) Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.” 11 That day Moses charged the people, saying, 12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
We have a beautiful picture of the Gospel in Deuteronomy 27. The priests will stand in the valley between two mountains with half of Israel on either side. On Mount Ebal will stand the tribes who will hear the curses for disobedience. On Mount Gerizim will stand the tribes who will hear the blessings for covenant loyalty.
Why is this activity prescribed? There have been some who suggest Ebal was a barren representing the curse while Gerizim is fertile representing the blessings of obedience. We cannot be totally sure. However, we do know this - all Israel was to clearly see this: there are only two choices with God - to follow Him or to reject Him. The only ones who suffer or succeed as a result of this choice are His people.
In the middle of the mountains stood the priests. They would recite the law and the people would respond on their respective mountains with "Amen." The choice was made as clear.
Here we have a picture of the Church. I see the Church as the New Covenant Levitical priesthood making intercession for between heaven and earth. In this picture from Deuteronomy 27, we have the clearest image of our current reality. There are two choices - life with God in blessing or life without Him in terrible curse. In the middle calling out to both sides stands the Church - a beacon for the Word of God and the voice of God in every generation.
Now think of this as well, in the middle of the mountains - separating the two options - were the priests and the Ark of God. The Ark was the Old Covenant symbol of Christ - our true and final sacrifice for sins. I think about this: any Israelite would have seen it clearly that day. If you wanted to cross from death to life you had to pass through the priests and the Ark. The Ark by this time would have been covered in blood from the regular sprinklings of the High Priest for atonement. So the Israelite worshipper was being given a glimpse at the ultimate work of God for man. If we come to Christ acknowledging how our sins destroy us but following Him prospers us - we can pass from death to life by His once and for all blood sacrifice for sins.
Again, we have to see the picture here. Anyone who wanted to pass from death to life was first acknowledging the wages of sin - a curse and terror, but also the gift of God - blessing and prosperity. What makes the difference? The Ark of God. Jesus Christ is the dividing line of human history. He presents the world with two options. He also makes the way possible for all to come out of sins grip and into the goodness of God.
Amen!
We have a beautiful picture of the Gospel in Deuteronomy 27. The priests will stand in the valley between two mountains with half of Israel on either side. On Mount Ebal will stand the tribes who will hear the curses for disobedience. On Mount Gerizim will stand the tribes who will hear the blessings for covenant loyalty.
Why is this activity prescribed? There have been some who suggest Ebal was a barren representing the curse while Gerizim is fertile representing the blessings of obedience. We cannot be totally sure. However, we do know this - all Israel was to clearly see this: there are only two choices with God - to follow Him or to reject Him. The only ones who suffer or succeed as a result of this choice are His people.
In the middle of the mountains stood the priests. They would recite the law and the people would respond on their respective mountains with "Amen." The choice was made as clear.
Here we have a picture of the Church. I see the Church as the New Covenant Levitical priesthood making intercession for between heaven and earth. In this picture from Deuteronomy 27, we have the clearest image of our current reality. There are two choices - life with God in blessing or life without Him in terrible curse. In the middle calling out to both sides stands the Church - a beacon for the Word of God and the voice of God in every generation.
Now think of this as well, in the middle of the mountains - separating the two options - were the priests and the Ark of God. The Ark was the Old Covenant symbol of Christ - our true and final sacrifice for sins. I think about this: any Israelite would have seen it clearly that day. If you wanted to cross from death to life you had to pass through the priests and the Ark. The Ark by this time would have been covered in blood from the regular sprinklings of the High Priest for atonement. So the Israelite worshipper was being given a glimpse at the ultimate work of God for man. If we come to Christ acknowledging how our sins destroy us but following Him prospers us - we can pass from death to life by His once and for all blood sacrifice for sins.
Again, we have to see the picture here. Anyone who wanted to pass from death to life was first acknowledging the wages of sin - a curse and terror, but also the gift of God - blessing and prosperity. What makes the difference? The Ark of God. Jesus Christ is the dividing line of human history. He presents the world with two options. He also makes the way possible for all to come out of sins grip and into the goodness of God.
Amen!
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