OBSERVING THE COMMANDMENT TOGETHER WITH OFFERING THE SACRIFICE A PREPARATION FOR THE CROSSING OVER In preparation of the people with all their leaderships for the crossing over to the Promised Land, God concentrated several times on observing the commandment, as a sign of faithfulness in receiving the divine covenant; and on the sacrifice, as a sign of the need for the blood for atonement of the sin. Speaking of the commandment and its connection to worship, he confirms “today,” although reminding them of the past events, and lifting up their sight with the spirit of hope toward the future. Thus, in our faith, we look both to the past and the future, as though they are the present. The past, does not only bear past memories, but bears for us an experience we should live in our present day. And the future for us, is not just theoretical thoughts, but we are enjoying the pledge of the future; especially, the eternity, in our present day. So, the believer lives in a past, a present, and a future, living and active in him. The proclamation of the blessings and the curses of the covenant was connected to setting an altar of stone, on which were offered burnt offerings for the renewal of the covenant (1-8). One half of the people stood on Mount Ebal, and the other half on Mount Gerizim, to confirm the blessings and the curses of the covenant. Whoever disobeys or break the covenant would submit to the curse (9-14). He gave a list of the curses, which would befall those who break the covenant with God (15-26). 1. Writing the Law on stones whitewashed with lime 1–4. 2. Building an altar of whole stones 5–10. 3. Two groups: One to utter the blessings, and another to utter the curses 11–13. 4. The curses uttered on Mount Ebal 14–26. 1. WRITING THE LAW ON STONES WHITEWASHED WITH LIME “Then Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying, ‘Keep all the commandments which I command you today. And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. You shall write on them all the words of this Law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you. Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime” (Deut. 27:1-4) Here, Moses did not proclaim the commandments alone, but proclaimed them together with the elders of Israel, so that the people would not assume that, it was just Moses, the old man who was approaching his last days, who cared for those commandments. As a successful leader, he let others partake of his ministry; and did not refer everything to himself alone. For the same reason, the apostle Paul often included in his epistles, the names of those ministering with him, like Silvanus, Timothy, Barnabas, Mark, and Silas etc. He commanded them to inscribe the Law on large whitewashed stones on the 8 day they cross over the Jordan, as they could not enjoy the Promised Land and the divine promises, unless they keep the divine commandment. Writing or inscribing on stones, stone or metal pillars, has been the way to declare the statutes and laws. Lysias quoted a law from a pillar at Areopagus in Athens1. At Eleusis, pillars with inscription of laws were excavated2. Plato spoke of pillars set in public places on which traffic laws were inscribed3. And Polybius used the word ‘pillar’ to mean a law or a condition of alliance4. The number of stones in that episode was not indicated; but they had to be numerous to accommodate all the words of the law. Whitewashing them with lime was to make them smooth, and for the writing to be very plain. Some scholars believe that the words of the Law were first written on the stones, and then were covered to protect them, the way followed by the ancient Egyptians in writing on the walls of their temples. But it is more logic to assume that the stones were first covered with a layer of lime, on which the words were then written, as it would be easier to write on lime than directly on the stone. Thomson states that he saw stones covered with lime, with writings that go back to about 2000 years5. Writing the Law on large whitewashed stones, and in plain inscription, was to remove any excuse by man. God did not let man depend on the natural law, and when He provided him with the Law, He did not confine it to the safes of the priests and teachers, but proclaimed it publicly to anyone who seeks the truth; and to become at the same time, a testimony against any rebel to the divine commandment. What does he mean by saying “the words of this Law”? Some believe them to mean the curses, which were uttered on Mount Ebal, mentioned in this chapter. Whereas others believe that they mean all the statutes and the judgments mentioned in chapters 12 to 26 of this book. A third group believes that they are the Ten Commandments that the prophet Moses received from God on Mount Sinai. Some scholars believe that the number of the commandments presented by Moses and inscribed on the stones were 6136. The valley at the foot of Mounts Ebal and Gerizim constituted a magnificent natural stage that was proper for that episode, as Mount Ebal was easy to see from the location where Moses gave his speech. 2. BUILDING AN ALTAR WITH WHOLE STONES Beside the large stones on which the commandments were written, an altar was built to the Lord, of whole stones on which no iron tool was used (Exodus 20:22); on that altar, burnt peace offerings and sacrifices were offered. “There you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use any iron tool on them. You shall build with whole stones the altar of the Lord your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there and rejoice before the Lord your God. And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this Law” (Deut. 27:5-8). The altar is to be built with whole stones on which no iron tool is used. The stone here refers to the Lord Christ, on whom the prophet Daniel prophesied; “a stone cut without hands… that became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” 1 Eratos th, 31:12. 2 Polluk 10:97. 3 De Legg. 11., p. 916E. 4 Hist. 24:4,12, 26:1,4. 5 Thomson: Land and the Book, ii, p. 204. 6 Pulpit Commentary, Deuteronomy, p. 419. 9 (Daniel 2:34-35); the stone that was rejected by the builders, because it “had no form or comeliness,” as described by ( Isaiah 53) . Yet it was accepted by God, and became the Cornerstone. No iron tool should be used on the stones of the altar; namely, not to be touched by human hand. Our salvation is not to be realized by human hand, but through true divine work; namely, that of the cross. Introducing an eulogy for his father, the elder St. Gregory, in the year 374 AD, St. Gregory of Nazianzus spoke about the role of his mother St. Nuna, who drew him to the exalted life of faith, that made out of him a successful Bishop. He says that It is a great thing, not to use an iron tool on the stones of the altar (5); as everything dedicated to God has to be natural, with nothing artificial. So it is certainly counted a great thing how she honored the temple by her silence. How she never gave her back to the honored table, nor made controversy along the divine path. How she did not partake of any unclean or unholy table. How she could not bear to pass by, or even to look at a corrupt house. How she did not allow her ears that used to receive the divine things, or her tongue, that used to utter the divine words, to become unclean by Greek stories or stage songs1. On the altar, burnt offerings to the Lord are offered; where the Lord Christ offers Himself a perfect burnt offering of love before God the Father, on behalf of mankind. On it peace offerings are offered (7); as by the crucified Christ, the reconciliation is realized between God the Father and mankind; and in Him, the believer gains his inner peace. There, the believer eats (7); as the sacrifices were connected to food; as a sign of fellowship. The believer rejoices before the Lord his God (7); enjoys the shadow of heaven, bears its icon; and proclaims his joy for the divine covenant, and the joy of his soul for being attached to it. We are invited to a joyful banquet; God Himself rejoicing and finding pleasure in the obedience of His children, their love, and their heartily worship, invites them to rejoice together with Him, and to share with Him His pleasure in them. “And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this Law” (8). Offering the sacrifice or practicing the worship, being connected to keeping the divine commandment, he repeated the commandment pertaining to writing the words of this Law on the stones in the same chapter; confirming that the writing should be “very plainly” (in the Septuagint version); as the goal of writing them is to proclaim them to the whole congregation, in an easy way to read; according to the command of the Lord to the prophet Habakkuk “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it” (Habakkuk 2:2). The word of God should be well inscribed, plainly written, for all – priests and congregation – to be able to read and understand; and no voice should be louder than that of the divine word. As our Bible is the backbone of our faith, of the church tradition and life, any law that does not bear the spirit of Holy Bible, would be vain. Our Bible is the divine Book that leads our life, and bears us to the bosom of God Himself. Writing the word on stones in a clear way, and publicly displaying it, reveal the responsibility of the church to present the word as it is to the whole congregation, for all to enjoy. 1 On the Death of His Father, 10. 10 The altar and the stones with the inscribed words of the Law are to be set on Mount Ebal, in order that those who fall under the curse of disobedience would find a chance to return to God through the holy sacrifice; and the connection to the divine word. The stones were set on Mount Ebal, where the curses were uttered, for everyone to realize that the Law was helpless, neither to remove the curse, nor to grant life. It just provides knowledge about sin, and reveals man’s need for someone to justify him (Romans 3:19-20; 7:9-14). The suitable place for the Law is the Mount of the curses and not of the blessings. By the same way, the altar was set on the Mount of curses, for the believers to realize their need for the unique sacrifice, capable of lifting the curses up from them – the sacrifice of Christ. The Law requested the animal sacrifices from them; but as these sacrifices were only a shadow and a symbol, they are unable to sanctify the conscience, to purify the depths, and to grant righteousness. “Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, ‘Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today” (Deut. 27:9, 10) By saying, “Take heed and listen,” he proclaims the people’s need, as well as every believer’s, to silence and alertness, as the voice of the world around and in us, often overpasses the divine voice. Every now and then, we are in need of an interval of tranquility, in which the ears of the inner man get inclined to the voice of the Lord, to listen to Him with all respect. “You have become the people of the Lord your God”: The people of the Lord, because of His choice and call, are always His possession. Yet, they will indeed become as such, when they accept His word and observe His Law (John 1:12). God always reminds us of the call to which we are called, to become the people of God, so that, as He is holy, so we become holy in Him. It is a call to get attached to Him, and be referred to Him; to become His people; namely, to enjoy having the royal and heavenly features; Then, all the storehouses of heaven, its blessings and its possibilities, will be within our hands. 3- TWO GROUPS: ONE TO UTTER THE BLESSINGS, AND ANOTHER TO UTTER THE CURSES: “And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, ‘These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice, and say to all the men of Israel…” (Deut. 27:11-14) Mount Ebal is on the west bank of the River Jordan, very close to Shechem, where the Sanctuary of the Lord has been for some time (Joshua 24:1). The tribes chosen to say the blessing, were the sons of Leah and Rachel; whereas those chosen to proclaim the curse on Mount Ebal, were the tribes of Gad, Asher, sons of Zilpah, the maidservant of Leah; Dan, and Naphtali, sons of Belhah, the maidservant of Rachel; and Zebulun and Reuben, sons of Leah. The Levites (namely the priests and not the whole tribe of Levi), most probably stood in a region intermediate between the two Mounts (Joshua 8:33); to repeat with a loud voice the blessings and curses, for all to hear. Here, he mentioned only the curses, whereas some Jews believe that he uttered 11 the curse, then the corresponding blessing1. Some find it difficult for the voice of each group to be heard by the whole people, when they proclaim the blessings and the curses. But by contemporary experiment, it was proved that the voice is easily and clearly heard; especially that it was uttered by a large group of people, and not by one single individual. 4- THE CURSES UTTERED ON MOUNT EBAL: As the time was near for the people to cross over the Jordan, they had to get to know an important fact; that the land they were going to possess and inherit was the Lord’s. God is its owner; and that the price was obedience. By such obedience, they were not only to abide on the land of the Lord, but they would also have a portion in the new land; namely, in the high Jerusalem. The curses for disobeying, or for breaking one of the Ten Commandments; and the blessings for obeying the commandment; were like a key for the people to enjoy the land; and to be filled with hope in heaven itself. The curses came, starting by the sins directed against God Himself, like idolatry (15); then against the parents (16); against social justice (17); then against the handicapped and the needy (18-19). Namely, it started by God, then the parents, the society as a whole, and lastly the needy. That was followed by the curses against purity and chastity (20-23); then that against murder (24-25); and lastly he gave a general commandment concerning the observance of commandments. It is noticed that the book introduced the words of the curses in detail, and not the words of the blessings; And that the words of the curses were read first, then followed by those of the blessings; every item by itself; the curse then the blessing, in order to confirm that no one will escape from the curse, except him who resorts to the Savior; according to the words: “If You, Lord, will mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). “For as many as are the works of the Law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them’” (Galatians 3:10); “They have all gone out of the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12). Proclaiming the curses first, then the blessings, confirms the need for humanity to be threatened first by punishment, and once they become mature, they would appreciate the sweetness of blessings. Thus, and as we previously saw, curse is but a natural fruit of man’s separation from God, the source of blessings. Blessings are the entrance into blessed life, and the enjoyment of fellowship with God. While sin bears its chastisement in itself, as it separates man from the source of his life; obedience, on the other hand, bears its blessings; as it brings us to God, the Source of life, and the fulfillment. “Cursed is the one who makes any carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord; the work of the hand of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, 1 Talmud Bab. Sotah, c.7; Targum Hierosp in lot; Surenhus, mishna, 3:262. 12 and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen’” (Deut. 27:15-26) The number of curses is twelve, the same number of the tribes. In them, it is noticed: a. The word “all” is repeated, for man to realize that no one is above the commandment: the priest or the laic; the rich or the poor; the man or the woman; all the members of the congregation, both leaders and subjects, are committed to observe the commandment. b. At the end of every item, all shall say, ‘Amen;’ a sign that all are committed to observe and to respond to the commandment. It also bears the following meanings: 1. A confirmation of the knowledge by every member of the congregation, that the fruit of sin is the curse. 2. Man through breaking any of the commandments of the Law; and not through breaking all the commandments together; or through breaking certain commandments acquires this fruit, but as the apostle James says, “For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now, if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law” (James 2:10, 11). 3. It bears the feeling of guilt by everyone. No one should justify himself. 4. It is a confession by everyone that the Law is good, and the fault is his alone. 5. The religious man needs to say the word ‘Amen’ more than anyone else; as because he sometimes may become clothed with the garment of hypocrisy, he is committed to be frank with himself; and to proclaim to himself that falling into disobedience would put him under the curses. I may say that the whole people were submitted to this curse; as there is no one who has observed the Law all the time. But Christ added to these curses another one, saying, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’ (Galatians 3:13), by which the curse fell on everyone who is hanged on a tree; and who disobeyed the Law. And as it was necessary for Him who intends to liberate from the curse, to become, He free of it, Christ took upon Himself the other curse, to set us free of the first one. It is like when an innocent man consented to receive the verdict of death in place of another, to spare him of the punishment. Christ took upon Himself, not the curse of disobedience, but the other curse, to take away the original curse from others. He, “who committed no sin; nor was guile found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22), by His death, He saved the mortals from death; and by bearing the curse, He saved them from 13 it1. St. John Chrysostom “Secretly”(24); As all the mentioned sins could be secretly committed; the warning was directed to the conscience of the individual; and God calls the whole congregation to publicly condemn those sins. “All the words of this Law” (26): The people connected to the covenant through entering into a curse (and an oath); a way well known in the East (Acts 23:12); was followed by Nehemiah (10:29); mentioned by Paul (Galatians 3:10); And Christ put the curse upon Himself Galatians 3:13) to set His people free from it. c. With every proclamation of a curse, the people said ‘Amen.’ But as the One capable of bearing the curse on our behalf, has come; We can say together with the apostle Paul: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). d. Together with every cry-out ‘Amen,’ every true believer feels the inability of the Law, not only to offer blessing, but even to offer life. As everyone has fallen under death; the believer anticipates the coming of the Savior Messiah, who alone can bear the curse on our behalf; and grant us His blessed life “We were kept under guard by the Law, kept for the faith who would afterward be revealed; the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:23, 24). 1 Commentary on Galatians 3:13. 14 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Chapter 27) SET OF MY HEART TWO TABLETS OF THE LAW AND MAKE IT AN ALTAR FOR YOURSELF My heart is in Your hands; By Your fiery Spirit, inscribe on it Your commandment. Set of it two tablets of the Law; To bear the work of Your divine finger. Whoever takes Your commandment away from me, is taking away my heart. And is depriving me of my life. Your commandment will stay inside me until I cross over the new land. It is my treasure and my heavenly deposit. Make out of my heart a holy altar for You. On which burnt offerings of love are offered; as my whole being burns by my love for You. On which I offer a sacrifice of peace; As You are the Source of my reconciliation with Your holy Father. You are the Grantor of true peace. Set in my heart a banquet of love, offered on Your altar. Where You enter to dine with me, and me with You. Turn my heart into a banquet of joy; to bring back to me the joy of Your salvation. My ear rejoices by Your commandment; and is fulfilled by Your altar. It contemplates on Your blessings that You incessantly proclaim The curses will have no place in it. Stand in my heart; and stretch Your hand with blessing. You are the true Source of blessing.
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