27:1 Moses is nearing the end of his speech to the children of Israel. He's speaking now with the elders of Israel to the children who have grown up during the 40 years in the wilderness. It has been a long journey of learning and growing spiritually; Moses is tying the entire journey up with a bow: this is where you were, this is where you are, this is where you are going. Moses speaks to the children of Israel at this fork in the road, and really this fork in the road is present at every point in our journey. As Moses spoke in Deuteronomy 11:26, one way is blessing and one way is curse.
Moses has been commanded by God to explain each way to the children of Israel and to you as you read now. To follow God is the walk the way of blessing. This Bible explains His entire philosophy of life; to follow God is to oppose corruption and death in all of its forms (literal and figurative). The elders of Israel serve as reinforcements who have personally witnessed and experienced the benefits of living by God's example.
27:2-4 Through Moses God commands the children of Israel to write this "law," this life philosophy boldly on stones as soon as they cross the Jordan into their promised land. The stones are to be whitewashed with lime so as to highlight the text. This philosophy needs to be prominent, clear, stark in their lives and in ours.
The children of Israel are commanded to set these stones with the written philosophy up on Mount Ebal. This calls us each to question where we have placed God's commandments. Have we made Him a priority? Have we faith-fenced-in our hearts, our lives and family with this philosophy? Is our love and trust in God prominently displayed and utilized?
We have to let God be the warrior of our lives. We have to set Him as our border. His temple is within us, 1 Corinthians 6:19; we have to vehemently declare to Him that we will allow Him to protect His own temple. We make that declaration by setting those stones of His philosophy on the mountain of our lives. We do that by letting His will preside over every atom and element of our lives.
27:5 Those stones are figurative. Stones do not protect a nation. Believing and trusting in what is written on those stones, believing and trusting in Who has created this philosophy is our protection. God therefore proclaims through Moses that belief and trust in God will protect His own temple. He is our salvation and protection. God will establish Himself in you, His holy kingdom in you... will you be a host?
27:6-8 Moses tells the children of Israel to built an altar from which to worship God. This altar is supposed to be simple, created from wild stones. These stones are not supposed to be crafted by an artist, rounded or cut for decoration. This altar is supposed to be a simple, natural, authentic place to praise deeply. The opulence in the love expressed there. The wealth and the beauty is in the reverence not the altar.
The quality of a place of worship is based on the love inside of it, the love for God and the love for each other. A true believer worshiping from a pile of stones or even a cardboard box is precious to God.
27:9-10 Steadfast faith is a characteristic of a true child of God. God has claimed you; if you have claimed Him, observe His commandments. Bring His philosophy to life. It is a blessed and honorable privilege to be chosen by God... to be called by God, to be anointed by God. We have that blessing, that honored privilege that propels us into and through the world with purpose. Life worthy of it. Live in steadfast faith.
27:11-13 So that all tribes understood the difference between the blessing and the curse, six of the tribes were to proclaim the blessing from one mountain and six tribes were to proclaim the curse from another.
Truly those who choose blessing, the love and will of God live on an entirely different mountain than those who oppose. Life and perspective is completely different for each.
27:14 The Levite tribe has the responsibility of shepherding the group and organizing them in faith. The following verses are a list of forbidden actions.
27:15 No idol worship. Pray and love God, our source, our home and our Creator. No thing will ever love or safe us the way that He will. We do not even know true joy until we invite Him in. No amount of material wealth, power, property or fame will even bring us contentment. We may not make carved images anymore but we do put our faith in things outside of Him. We believe that having a certain person or job or opportunity will bring us the delight we long for in our lives. Wrong. Only He deserves our worship because only He is lasting, abundant and capable.
27:16 No malicious treatment of parents.
27:17 No taking or tainting what does not belong to you. No disrupting others' lives.
27:18 No misdirecting people (literally or figuratively). As children of God, we have the responsibility of tending the flock. It is our blessed responsibility to help and lead when the people around us need and request assistance. We must never take advantage of or manipulate others.
We must emulate God's treatment of us. Although He is so much wiser, He does not mock us. He does not play malicious games with our lives or our minds. When we are weak, He is strong for us. When we are lost, He leads for us.
27:19 Society must care for the widow and the orphan.
27:20 No incest of this kind.
27:21 No corrupt relations with animals.
27:22 No incest of this kind.
27:23 No incest of this kind.
27:24 No malicious actions against neighbors.
27:25 No taking brides to harm others.
27:26 A reminder that to oppose God is to choose a life of difficulty and corruption. Why is that so? Because God's love and will navigates our journey through the wilderness and deposits us in a land of blessing and promise.
And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'
