OUR DAYS ARE LIKE THOSE OF HEAVEN In the last chapter, he spoke of the blessings and gifts of the Lord; and of what God requires from His people, not referring to animal sacrifices and rites, but to the necessity of getting attached to Him and listening to His words. Then he ended it by referring to the exalted gift of the Lord; in that, the seventy persons who went down to Egypt, came out of it as the stars of heaven in multitude. In this chapter, he clarifies God’s reward to the faithful, to make their days, like the days of heavens above the earth ((21). That would motivate us to love God and to keep His commandments; to lay them in our hearts and souls, and bind them as a sign on our hands, in order to enjoy the blessings of obedience, namely, to enjoy the days of heavens on earth, instead of falling under the curse of rebellion, namely, going down to the days of hell. If the Israelites have been known for their rebellion (1-7), it is fitting for them to translate love into the language of obedience to God, the whole goodness and giving (8-25); in order to experience the heavenly life. Now, being about to enter the Promised Land, they have the chance to express their faithfulness to God, and to their covenant with Him (26-32). 1. You shall love the Lord whom You behold 1–7. 2. You shall keep His commandments, that you may prolong your days 8–12. 3. Worship Him with all your heart that you may be fulfilled 13–17. 4. You shall nail His commandments on your heart, to experience the days of heaven 18–25. 5. Enjoy the blessings of obedience, and avoid the curse of rebellion 26–32. 1. YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD WHOM YOU BEHOLD The last chapter ended with the words. “God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude” (Deut. 10:22). And the Lord has previously said to Abraham: “I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17). Here, He did not say “as the sand that is on the seashore,” but only, “as the stars of heaven;” He intended to set them like the luminous stars of heaven. As a reaction to this, the believers are committed to: “You shall love the Lord your God, therefore, and keep His charge, His decrees, His ordinances, and His commandments always” (Deut. 11:1) Looking at their congregation to see, how they increased from seventy persons when they came down into Egypt, to uncountable multitudes. And how they became, in the sight of God, twinkling like the stars of heaven, bearing the reflections of God’s splendor; The children of Israel are committed to pay the Lord back, love for His love; and diligently keep His commandments and ordinance, with the spirit of perfect obedience. I say the same thing concerning our families: If they grew in grace; and bore a splendid heavenly life, in which our Christ is transfigured, the new generations would be filled with love and obedience to God and His commandments. We often put the blame on the new generations; characterizing them as rebellious, murmurers, corrupt, and with dry feelings, whereas we should blame ourselves instead. The new generation, having been deprived of having us as role models, for the enjoyment of 7 the true heavenly church life in us; How could they be capable of giving love? And how can we expect them to acquire the spirit of obedience?! He sought from them to have love, before keeping His commandments or obeying His ordinances. He who loves, would find pleasure in obeying his beloved, whereas for him, who does not love, the commandment would become a burden, and even impossible to obey. The prophet Moses, in his farewell talks, concentrates on our love for God; saying: “You shall love the Lord your God” (1). Keeping the commandments of the Lord by heart, and testifying to the straightforward faith by the mouth, without love, is of no benefit to us, as even the demons, know God and confess His name, but with no love, so they were rebuked by the Lord Christ (Mark 1:25). St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine, express the same view1. Love is what makes our faith in God a living faith; by which we can keep the commandments. Without love, faith would be for judgment; the commandment would become impossible to observe; and we would benefit nothing. Compare between Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16, with the almost identical words uttered by the demons in Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24; and Luke 8:28… The difference is that Peter spoke with love; whereas the demons spoke out of fear… How could we recognize the true faith; if even the demons can believe and get terrified? It is only faith working in love, which is the (true) faith2. St. Augustine Faith is capable; Yet without love, it is of no benefit. The demons’ confession of Christ, because it is without love, gave them no gain… Therefore do not boast faith that makes you on the same level of the demons3. St. Augustine Both the demons and the believers confess Christ: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16; Mark 3:11)… Yet, in one confession, there is love; whereas in the other, there is only fear. Christ is beloved by the children, but is feared by others4. St. Augustine There is no word more favorite for Moses like ‘love.’ The essence of his message, delivered to him by God, is to receive the love of God, through our response to Him, with love. “Remember today that it was not your children (who have not known or seen the discipline of the Lord your God), but it is you who must acknowledge His greatness, His mighty hand, And His outstretched arm, His signs and His deeds that He did in Egypt to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to all his land; What He did to the Egyptian army, to their horses and chariots, how He made the water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued you, so that the Lord has destroyed them to this day; What He did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place; And what He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, sons of Reuben, how in the midst of all Israel the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and every living being in their company; for it is 1 Ancient Christian Comm. On Scripture, Mark, p. 21. 2 Sermons on the N.T. Lessons. 40:8. 3 On the Gospel of St. John, 6:21. 4 On the Psalms, 50:2. 8 your own eyes that have seen every great deed that the Lord did” (Deut. 11:2-7) Here, he demonstrates the extent of God’s care for the salvation of His people, and for their sanctification; presenting examples of His dealings, both with those outside, and those inside. Concerning those outside, God allowed for the destruction of some of the beautiful cities of Egypt, rich in their fruits, scientific and artistic possibilities; through the ten plagues; and allowed for the Pharaoh of Egypt to drown together with all his capable hosts; in order to save His beloved people from the bitter bondage. As for those inside, He allowed for the perdition of Dathan, Abiram, and others (Numbers 16:41); who acted with a spirit of rebellion against God and His prophet Moses, through using a strange fire. He is a loving, yet a firm God, who seeks the purity and the sanctity of His people; takes away the corruption, for the sake of the edification of the holy congregation. The extent of God’s care for sanctity, is revealed by what He did to the demon who truthfully testified to Him, saying: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?... I know who You are, the Holy One of God,’ Yet Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him’” (Mark 1:24). This is also revealed by what the apostle Paul did with the slave girl who had a spirit of divination, followed him, and kept crying out for many days, saying: “‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.’ Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her’” (Acts 16:17, 18). What the Lord Christ and His apostles want, is the sanctity of creation. The Lord Christ put a rein on the mouths of the demons, who cried out at Him from the graves. For although they uttered the truth, and did not lie when they said, “You are the Son of God;” “You are the Holy One of God” (Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24; Luke 8:28); yet He did not wish the truth to be uttered by an unclean mouth; especially from those who, under the pretence of truth, mix between deceit and truth1. St. Athanasius the Apostolic 2. YOU SHALL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: THAT YOU MAY PROLONG YOUR DAYS: The repeated commandment to the people; on entering the Promised Land, was not to be preoccupied by the new land, the gift of God, over the enjoyment of the divine commandment; presenting to them the following blessings of keeping the commandment: (1) “To possess”: “Keep then, this entire commandment that I am commanding you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and possess the land that you are crossing over to possess” (Deut. 11:8). They were entering into a series of wars against strong nations with military experience, fortified cities, and mighty possibilities, all of which they lacked. God’s work was to lead them, grant them strength, and conquest, in order to possess. He did not promise to give them military experience to use swords and arrows; but presented to them His divine presence, as the secret of their conquest and the enjoyment of possession. Keeping the divine commandment prepares them for the divine presence, and grants them every true success. God wishes us to possess, and even to become kings with authority. (2) “To live long”: “And so that you may live long in the land that the Lord 1 To the Bishops of Egypt, 3. 9 swore to your ancestors to give them and to their descendents, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deut. 11:9). We have previously seen this reward given to him who honors his father and mother. And here, he, who honors God as his heavenly Father, and the Church as his spiritual mother, would enjoy the same reward. We spoke before, about prolonging our days on earth; and how many; although having died young, yet their life in the sight of God, is still on earth, testifying to the work of God, and producing fruits in the life of many. As an example, we have the children of Bethlehem who were martyred following the birth of the Lord Christ; whose memory is still living here on earth; and they became a glorified procession that brings pleasure to God, to the heavenly creatures, and to all believers. Whoever honors the divine commandment through keeping it, will be glorified eternally. Some elders who lived long on earth; If their life is evaluated, it would not be worth a few days, probably few hours or minutes, or even nothing at all. The work of sin is to make man’s life shorter; or to turn it into death; whereas his keeping of the divine commandment, would make out of his days on earth, a pledge of the joyful and fruitful eternal life. (3) To have God’s blessing dwell in them: Some believe that the Egyptians having dwelt in the valley, close to the river Nile, do not depend upon the blessing of heaven, like those in the land of Canaan, who depend entirely on the rain water, which otherwise, is very rare in Egypt. “For the land that you are about to enter to occupy is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sow your seed and irrigate by foot like a vegetable garden. But the land that you are crossing over to occupy is a land of hills and valleys, watered by the rain of the sky, a land that the Lord your God looks after. The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deut. 11:10-12) God talks to His people, as though to little children who have not reached maturity yet, to whom He presents His blessings of fertile land, early and late rain, and divine care for all their worldly needs. All these bear symbolic concepts, enjoyed by the spiritually mature. Instead of the earth they see heaven within their hands. Instead of the rain, they receive the Holy Spirit of God to dwell in them. And instead of taking care of their material needs, God presents to them, Himself as a gift. The prophet Moses makes a comparison between the land of Egypt and that of Canaan. The land of Egypt, the land of bondage for the Jews, depends upon the Nile water and underground springs; whereas that of Canaan, the Promised Land, depends upon rainwater. The first is irrigated by water from underground, whereas the other is irrigated by water from the sky above. And as St. Jerome says: [Abraham made all those journeys to dwell in the Promised Land that are watered from above; and not like the land of Egypt that are watered from below… It is a land of hills and plains, elevated above the sea; with entirely no worldly pleasures; but great spiritual pleasures. St. Mary, the mother of God, forsook the lower land, and, once she received the message of the angel, and realized that she bore the Son of God inside her, she set forth to the higher hills (John 1:26-31, 39)1.] In Egypt, irrigation is the main problem; as canals and drains have to be prepared beforehand, for receiving the water of the Nile. Whereas in Canaan, irrigation is done through the grace of God; rain come down with no human labor. In 1 St. Jerome: Letters 46:2. 10 autumn, the early rain come down at the time of sowing the seeds; and in spring, the late rain come down at the harvest time (James 5:7). Irrigation in Canaan reminds us all the time of God’s ordained care; and gives an example of the life of the Christian whom God freely grants, what others labor hard to get. In the book of Zechariah, It is said:: “If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt do not go up and present themselves, then on them shall come the plague that the Lord inflicts on the nations that do not go up to keep the festival of booths” (Zechariah 14:17, 18). The expression, “irrigate by foot” (10), is understood by the primitive farmers in Egypt, who use their bare foot to move silt to let the water pour from a canal to another, to irrigate the land; then use it again to block it to protect the little plants from being over-flooded. This expression also bears the meaning that irrigation is wholly under human control. Whereas in Canaan, they stay at home, while God takes over the task of watering their land by the rainwater, known as “the rivers of God;” as according to the Psalmist: “You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water” (Psalm 65:9). Thus God directs our sight, not toward the earth (the River Nile), but toward heaven (the rainwater), to water our souls and bodies by the water of His heavenly Holy Spirit; realizing the divine promise to us: “I will be like dew to Israel:” (Hosea 14:5); and as said by Barnabas and Paul: “God has not left himself without a witness in doing good – giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy” (Acts 14:15). The greatest gift given to them is probably: “The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deut. 11:12). As we depend on God’s care; and direct our sight toward heaven, to anticipate the water of His love, we see His eyes on us from the beginning of the year to its end. God, in His love for His people, wishes them to lift their eyes toward Him, to encounter His own eyes. 3. “YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART THAT YOU MAY BE FULFILLED” Whoever desires by love to keep the commandment, will have his eyes lifted toward God, to see Him looking at him with exalted love, and to have fountains of water of the Holy Spirit flood over him to water the garden of his inner love. “If you will only heed His every commandment that I am commanding you today – loving the Lord your God, and serving Him with all your heart and with all your soul – then He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain” (Deut. 11:13, 14) What is the early rain, but the Holy Spirit who worked early in the Old Testament, when the seeds of the word of God were planted in the soil of man. Whereas, the later rain is the gift of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, that is why, after talking about the work of the resurrection of Christ in us, the prophet Hosea referred to the gift of the Holy Spirit as the later rain; saying: “After two days He will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before Him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; His appearing is as sure as the dawn; He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains (the later rain) that waters the earth” (Hosea 6; 2, 3). He grants man His Spirit; as a city enjoying rain, the gift of God; “I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city” (Amos 4:7). In the region of Judea, the early rain falls in November after preparing the 11 ground and putting the seeds in the soil. Whereas the later rain falls in April, when the wheat ripens and need the water to fill the heads of the grains. Without the early rain, it would not be possible to start agriculture; and without the later rain, it would not produce the proper crop. The soil that enjoys both the early and the later rain will produce the following crops: Crops for man: “You will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil” (14); and as the Psalmist says: “You cause… plants for the people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart” (Psalm 104:14, 15). By the Holy Spirit working in us, we would gather from the earth of our hearts, that is sanctified by Him, wheat to feed on the food of angels, would drink a spiritual wine to rejoice in the Lord, and would gain oil to be anointed kings and priests for the Lord. We would enjoy inner fulfillment, spiritual joy, and holy honor in the Lord. 2. Food for the livestock: “And He will give you grass in your fields for your livestock, and you will eat your fill” (15). God cares for the beasts and birds for the sake of man. The Psalmist says: “The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the conies” (Psalm 104:16-18). If God grants the soul fulfillment, joy, and honor (wheat, wine, and oil); He also satisfies the needs of the body; giving grass to the livestock. Whereas, he who diverts from love, and rejects the commandment, his life would become a wilderness, not a garden, and he would lose his life. “Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshipping them, for then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain and the land will yield no fruit, then you will perish quickly off the land that the Lord is giving you” (Deut. 11:16, 17) It is fitting for believers to be alert, lest they may be deceived by anyone, and their hearts may be diverted from the Lord their God; The fruit of this diversion would be: A. The wrath of God would befell them; and instead of having their eyes encounter those of the Lord, they would be deprived of having His compassionate eyes, look on them day and night, and of His presence that grants them all blessings. When the believer looks at the face of God; he would be attracted to His eyes; and would sing: “His eyes are like doves beside springs of water, bathed in milk, fitly set” (Song of Solomon); Whereas the wicked, on the other hand, would cry out and say: “His eyes were like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14). B. The sky would close its gates before them, and would be like bronze that offers no rain. The wicked, deprived of the rain of the Holy Spirit; their depths would turn into wilderness, and a dwelling place for the evil spirits and the sins, being like wild and fierce beasts. C. Their land would cease to produce fruit; and would find in it no trace of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; namely, love, joy, peace etc. It would become filled with nothing but thorns. D. They would soon perish, and would be deprived of life on the new land. After having gained the new life, and the possibilities of enjoying the heavenliness, they would be denied the enjoyment of all these divine graces 12 4. YOU SHALL NAIL HIS COMMANDMENTS ON YOUR HEART TO EXPERIENCE THE DAYS OF HEAVEN Granting us His Holy spirit, as the early and later rain, God turns our depths into a paradise filled with the fruits of the Spirit. From our side, by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we would sanctify everything we have, the account of the divine commandment: our heart, soul, senses; and even our lying down, and our rising up. a. Dedication of the heart to the divine commandment; “You shall put these words of Mine in your hearts” (18). As they are a precious treasure, dear to us, we would not trust to put them in outer stores, other than our hearts, with all the energies of love they embrace. There, we shall hide the commandment, and keep it safe with all our feelings and emotions; and be kept by it. b. Dedication of the soul to the divine commandment: “and soul” (18). Our dealing with it, would not be on the level of mere outer appearances. As, when the commandment become hidden in the soul, all our behavior would appear as natural fruit, and a reaction, of its dwelling in the soul; As it dwells in us, We would also dwell in it. c. Dedication of all our works and the touches of our hands to the commandment: “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand” (18). If we inscribe the commandment on our hands, God would inscribe our names on His hands: “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:16). As we previously said, we still have the custom of putting a sign on the hand or the finger, to remind us of something important we should do. Likewise, if we do the same thing with the commandment, we would not forget our commitment to God, to pay Him back His love with our love. d. Dedication of our sight to the commandment: “and fix them as an emblem on your forehead” (18). So, as not to see anyone or anything, except through it. By the commandment we would have a new sight of God, man, the world, the body, time, and everything around or inside us. e. Dedication of the tongue to the commandment: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home, and when you are away” (19). With those related and unrelated to us, we should not talk except the Word of God. f. Dedication of the time of sleep and awakening to the commandment: “When you lie down and when you rise” (19). a. Dedication of the dwelling place to the commandment: “Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (20). Then he reconfirms the blessings that would come over them through keeping the commandment: a. A fruitful, long, and blessed life: “So that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth” (Deut. 11:21) The commandment turns our days on earth into heavenly days. Every moment would have its value in the sight of God. As true believers, we are committed: To bear the heavenly Lord Jesus Christ, so that heaven would not be far from us, but would become nearer than anything around us. To bear Jesus Christ together with Simon the elder, on our inner arms, and go around the altar set by God inside us – the new heaven. Then, our heart would flare with longing for eternities, to sing saying: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2:29); To ascend together with Peter, James, and John, in the company of the Lord 13 Christ, on the Mount of transfiguration; to behold the heavenly glory of the Lord, and cry out saying: “Lord, it is good to be here.” To walk together with our heavenly Christ, risen from the dead, all along our life, and say together with the two disciples of Emaus, saying: “Were not our hearts burning within us, while He was talking to us on the road?” (Luke 24:32) And to have our life turning into an enjoyable debate with the heavenly One; to enjoy what the Samaritan woman, who forsook all what she possessed, her water jar, that symbolize everything temporal, to set forth to her people, to invite them to an encounter with the Heavenly One who told her everything she has ever done (John 4:29). In short, everything would be centered on the presence of the heavenly Christ, risen from the dead, in our world, who grants us His Holy Spirit to conform us into an icon of the Heavenly; and turns our heart of dust into a new heaven. Eternity would then become something to taste its pledge, and to touch in our actual life. And as St. Clement of Alexandria states that for the Gnostic (who seeks the spiritual knowledge), earth would be transformed into heaven1. You should seek heaven, and heavenly things, even before reaching there; He commands us to turn earth into heaven; and to act and to talk as though we are there, while being on earth. This should also be the goal of our prayers that we raise to the Lord. Even if we are still on earth; yet nothing can hinder our reaching the perfection of the higher powers. We can do everything here as though we are already dwelling up there2. He does everything possible to set us free of the un-necessary things; and of our emotions toward the earth. That is why He referred to the pagans, saying: “It is the Gentiles who strive for all these things” (Matthew 6:31); those who dedicate all their labor for the sake of the present life; and do not care for things to come, nor for any heavenly thought3. St. John Chrysostom When the will of God is realized by us, who are on earth; like it is, by those who are in heaven; we would become like them, “bearing the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:49). And we would inherit the kingdom of heavens (Matthew 25:34). And when we depart to be in heaven (in Paradise), those who will come after us, while still on earth, would pray to be like us4. Origen The Creator Himself is where man should be; yet not as a material place. He created him to make Himself a dwelling place for him. But, when man gave his ear to the tempter, he deserted his dwelling place; he deserted the love of his Creator. So, in order to save us, the Mighty One came to us by His incarnation; and I can say that He came after man who has deserted him, to get him back to Him as his own dwelling place5. Pope Gregory (the Great) b. A life of conquest, and an enjoyment of a greater inheritance: “If you will diligently observe this entire commandment that I am commanding you, loving 1 Cf the author: the Christian and passing to Heaven, Alexandria 1998, p. 19-20 (in Arabic). 2 In Matt. hom., 19:7. 3 In Matt. hom., 22:4. 4 On Prayer 26:1. 5Morals on Job 7:9,10. 14 the Lord your God, walking in all His ways, and holding fast to Him, then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and mightier than yourselves” (Deut. 11:22, 23). Over the enemy, despite their superiority in number, possibilities, and military might, God grants His children who observe, and actually practice all His commandments, the spirit of conquest and victory. He grants them many blessings, when they proclaim their love for the Lord. He seeks from them to attach themselves to Him, being His very dearly beloved children; or the heavenly bride to be united with Him as a heavenly Groom. The goal of the commandment is love that presents an exalted and amazing union between God and man. The Word of God counts Himself, as having become one body with the soul, more so than that between man and his own wife (Genesis 2:24). Who is more fitting to become one spirit with God, but the human soul, that unites with God, by love, to be said that it became with God as one Spirit1. Origen c. A life of perpetual growth: “Every place on which you set foot shall be yours. Your territory shall extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River to the river Euphrates, to the Western Sea” (Deut. 11:24). This was literally realized in the days of king Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:26); and is still being spiritually realized in the life of every believer. Whoever tread with the foot of his heart over love of the world, would enslave the world. Whereas he, who bows himself before the world, coveting its pleasures, riches, and dignities, the world would tread with its foot over him and enslave him. When we tread with our feet over love of the world, we shall have the barren wilderness and the fertile lands, full of fruits, submit to us; our authority would extend from east to west; and our territory would be so spacious to embrace, if possible, everyone. d. A life of honor and respect: “No one will be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the fear and dread of you on all the land on which you set foot, as He promised you” (Deut. 11:25). Whoever honors the commandment, and practices the fear of God, will get honor, and will be dreaded by all. 5. AN ENJOYMENT OF THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE, AND NOT THE CURSE OF REBELLION The prophet Moses summarized all his talks concerning keeping the divine commandment, obeying it and rebelling against it, in two words: “Bless and curse”: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse” (Deut. 11:26) God granted us the free will, to receive the blessing or the curse. It is within our authority to use this free will, either to get this or that,; through obeying God or rebelling against Him. We are not irrational creatures, to be moved by God against their will. But the Mighty One gave us the perfection of freedom; that if we, by His grace, walk in obedience, we would be crowned; and if we reject His work in us, we would be judged. “The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, that I am commanding you today; and the curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, to follow other gods that you have not known” (Deut. 11:27, 28) God presents both promises and threats. By the promises He does not acquire 1 De Principiis 2:6:3. 15 anything for Himself, but grants what He has to man. And His threats, harbor no emotion of revenge; but a loving advice against the natural fruit of rebellion, and what it might do to human life. The blessings He promises, and the curses He threats, are nothing hidden, but are serious things that He proclaimed before the congregation on Mounts Gerzim and Ebal, before they crossed over the Jordan (Deuteronomy 27:11); and after they have crossed over it (Joshua 8:33). “When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that you are entering to occupy, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerzim, and the curse on Mount Ebal” (Deut. 11:29) This was realized at the first regions into which ‘Abraham’ entered in Canaan, where he received a divine promise (Genesis 12:6, 7). It was realized before they entered into Canaan, to encourage them to have faith to enjoy the divine promises; and was also realized after they did enter into Canaan, to let them persist on obeying the commandment. Why did He choose Mount Gerzim and Mount Ebal? The word ‘Gerzim’ is derived from the Hebrew verb ‘gaaraz,’ meaning ‘to cut or to crop;’ as this mountain was rich in trees and fruits; hence was convenient when talking about blessing. Whereas ‘Ebal’ is most probably derived from the Hebrew word ‘Ebala,’ meaning ‘rough’ or ‘rejoicing1.’ Or probably from the word ‘ abalo,’ meaning white rocks, as this mountain is barren with no vegetation. “As you know, they are beyond the Jordan, some distance to the west, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the Oak of Moreh. When you cross the Jordan to go in to occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and when you occupy it, you must diligently observe all the statutes and ordinances that I am setting before you today” (Deut. 11:30-32) All people together with the ministers proclaimed their acceptance of the divine covenant, to earn the divine blessings proclaimed on Mount Gerzim, and to avoid the curses proclaimed on Mount Ebal, and that by practically observing the divine commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances. Now they are looking straight ahead toward the Promised Land to cross over to the Gilgal, where they intended to set an altar, and the tabernacle to accommodate the Ark of the Covenant, to cross over and enter into the Promised Land, to occupy the land given to them by the Lord their God. So, it is also fitting for us to cross over, through observing the commandment, into the heavenly Canaan; not to set there an altar of stone, nor a tabernacle, or an ark of covenant, but to enjoy the exalted divine presence; and to dwell as kings, together with the King of kings, with the spirit of conquest and victory. 1 Adam Clarke Commentary. 16 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Chapter 11) GRANT ME AND MY CHILDREN THE DAYS OF HEAVEN, HERE ON EARTH You brought Your people up to the Promised Land, A land that flows with milk and honey. That does not need the water of the Nile to irrigate it. As You irrigate it by the rain of heaven. How amazing is your care for your people! Your eyes are on them from the beginning of the year to its end. Grant me to experience the days of heaven, here on earth. Irrigate me with the rain of your exalted care. Your hands present me with the sweetness of heaven. I can then, present the new generations with it as an experience of life. To carry to them your words those are in my heart. My heart deposits them in theirs. Together with me, they would experience the blessings of the commandment. And would enjoy the blessed divine life. My sin deprived me of beholding Your eyes My sin closed before me the gates of heaven. That turned into bronze before my prayers. My sin made me loose the rains of your exalted love. Let your words work in my heart. Let its sight be lifted up to you. Let my eyes encounter your eyes. To make my heart dissolve with love. By Your word, my heart and soul are sanctified. By Your commandment, my hands and all my senses are sanctified. By Your commandment I become completely yours. Tasting the sweetness of your heavens; and turn into heaven for you to dwell in.
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