The Story of the Bible from Creation to the Cross to Eternal Glory
In 72 daily readings, we will examine the overall story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, seeking to get the big picture of God's work through Jesus Christ in this sinful world.
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 27-28
Through the Bible Readings: Numbers 8-10, Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 29:8-11, Proverbs 7:6-9
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Context
It is a distinction that is hard to understand, hard to keep clear, but essential to the Christian life.
1. Your relationship with God is based on the work of Christ, not your works. You are right with God because of Christ's righteousness, not your own. It is all of grace and none of works.
2. Your relationship with God necessitates that you make wise choices and walk in obedience. The life you live daily is a product of the choices you make. There are blessings for obedience and there is discipline for disobedience.
Am I saying two opposite things? Perhaps, but I don't think so. I am saved by grace, not by works, and my relationship with God is founded on the work of Christ. But that does not mean that my choices or my lifestyle are insignificant.
In both Leviticus 26 and in today's reading in Deuteronomy, God sets forth the blessings and curses that Israel would face if they obeyed or disobeyed. The fact is that the curses in Deuteronomy, unfortunately, became a prophetic history of Israel.
Devotional: Choose You This Day
Life is a journey in the valley between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.
In Deuteronomy 27, Moses gave instructions to Israel for a ceremony that would take place after they had conquered the land of Canaan. They were to go to the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. Half of the people would stand on Mt. Gerizim and half on Mt. Ebal. The Levites would stand between them and call out the blessings that would come from obedience to God’s Law and the curses that would come from disobedience. Gerizim represented the blessing of God and Ebal represented the discipline of God against disobedience.
In Deuteronomy 27, Moses gave instructions to Israel for a ceremony that would take place after they had conquered the land of Canaan. They were to go to the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. Half of the people would stand on Mt. Gerizim and half on Mt. Ebal. The Levites would stand between them and call out the blessings that would come from obedience to God’s Law and the curses that would come from disobedience. Gerizim represented the blessing of God and Ebal represented the discipline of God against disobedience.
It was a moment of choice, of decision. Would Israel walk in the ways of God and experience all the blessings that he would give them because of that; the positive consequences of their choices? Or would Israel wander from God’s Word and go their own way? Would they ignore what God commanded, live as they pleased, and experience the consequences of their own sin?
Unfortunately, for most of the Old Testament era, Israel chose disobedience and brought one curse (the awful consequences of disobeying God) after another upon themselves, culminating in the utter destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. On rare occasions, they chose the way of God and experienced those blessings that attended that choice.
Walking in obedience to God is not a guarantee that all of life will go well. Those who love Jesus and serve him still have accidents, tragedies, illnesses, struggles, and heartaches. But those who walk in obedience never have to suffer the awful consequences of their own sin. They do not have to reap the terrible harvest they have sowed because they refused to sow the seeds of sin. Those who live in obedience are blessed by that. Again, they do not have a guarantee to live free of life’s storms, but they walk under the presence and power of God and in his blessings.
We must daily choose those things that lead to blessing and to the glory of God. We are constantly being confronted with moral choices in which we must decide whether we will walk in the ways of God or choose our own rebellious path.
What will we do? Which way will we choose? Blessing? Discipline?
Father, I thank you that Jesus Christ died for my sin and failure. I thank you that he rose and lives in me by the Holy Spirit. I thank you that he will give me power when I choose Gerizim and will strengthen me to avoid Ebal. You are so good!
Think and Pray:
Look at your life. Does your life more resemble that of the one blessed by God or the one under God's discipline?
Are you daily choosing to obey God and walk in his ways? Are you choosing Gerizim or Ebal?
Are you daily choosing to obey God and walk in his ways? Are you choosing Gerizim or Ebal?
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