As Christians, there are things we can do in life which make it appear that we are fully devoted followers of Jesus even when our inner loyalties lie elsewhere. The same was true of Israel. Many precepts of the Mosaic Law involved physical acts. It was possible to do those acts without actually caring about Yahweh. In today’s Scripture reading, we will read a warning to Israel to obey God with all their heart and soul. That is a warning we should heed as well.
When we stopped reading yesterday, Moses had just instructed Israel to bring the tithe of their produce to Yahweh after they possessed the land of Canaan. Part of that instruction included giving a portion to the Levites, sojourners, orphans, and widows.
Deut. 26:16 ¶ “This day Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and judgments. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Look at the words “all your heart” and “all your soul”. It was not enough to just physically go through the motions. The point of bringing the produce was to demonstrate obedience to Yahweh. However, Moses did not want them to bring the produce while their heart and soul were not also committed to following all of Yahweh’s commands.
After Israel conquered the Promised Land, when Joshua released the two and a half tribes to go back to their possession on the east side of the Jordan River, he implored them to serve Yahweh with all their heart and soul (see Joshua 22:5). After the Israelites asked Samuel to appoint a king, Samuel implored Israel to serve Yahweh with all their heart (see 1 Samuel 12:19-25). After the scroll of the law was rediscovered in the days of King Josiah, King Josiah made a covenant to obey Yahweh with all his heart and soul (see 2 Kings 23).
Through the prophet Isaiah, Yahweh criticized Israel for honoring Him with their lips, but removing their heart far away from Him (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus quoted Isaiah and leveled the same accusation against the first-century Jews (see Mark 7:6).
When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, which does not merely say to love God. It says love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (see Matthew 22:37). When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, He said the true worshiper worships in spirit (see John 4:23). God does not merely want us to physically do what He commands us. He wants our hearts, minds, and souls to submit to Him.
Deut. 26:17 You have today declared Yahweh to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and listen to His voice.
Deut. 26:18 And Yahweh has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments;
Deut. 26:19 and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, a name, and beauty; and that you shall be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as He has spoken.”
Notice the end quote at the end of verse 19. This is the conclusion of a monologue that started in Deuteronomy 5.
Deut. 27:1 ¶ Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep the entire commandment which I am commanding you today.
Deut. 27:2 So it will be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime
Deut. 27:3 and write on them all the words of this law when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, promised you.
Deut. 27:4 So it will be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime.
Deut. 27:5 Moreover, you shall build there an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield an iron tool on them.
Take note of the words “shall not wield an iron tool on them”.
Deut. 27:6 You shall build the altar of Yahweh your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to Yahweh your God;
Notice the word “uncut”. Yahweh was very specific about the type of stone that could be used to build this altar.
There was nothing inherently wrong with cut stone. In some ways, cut stone makes a much more beautiful altar. However, Yahweh said it was wrong to use cut stone; thus, it would have been wrong.
This is similar to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat from a certain tree. There was nothing inherently wrong with the fruit of that tree. In fact, one of the reasons Eve ate from that tree was because she saw that the fruit of that tree was good (see Genesis 3:6). However, since Yahweh said it was wrong to eat from that one tree, then it was wrong.
There are many commands in the Bible which do not make sense to us. It is easy for us to come up with many reasons why we don’t need to obey them today. However, if God said a certain activity is wrong, then it is wrong, even if His command seems illogical to us.
Deut. 27:7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there and be glad before Yahweh your God.
Deut. 27:8 And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly.”
Deut. 27:9 ¶ Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for Yahweh your God.
Deut. 27:10 You shall therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh your God and do His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”
Deut. 27:11 ¶ Moses also commanded the people on that day, saying,
Deut. 27:12 “When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
Notice the word “bless”. Half of the tribes would stand on one mountain to declare blessings.
Deut. 27:13 For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
Notice the word “curse”. The other half of the tribes would stand on another mountain to declare curses.
Map
Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal were north of Jerusalem.
Deut. 27:14 The Levites shall then answer and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
Deut. 27:15 ¶ ‘Cursed is the man who makes a graven image or a molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:16 ¶ ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:17 ¶ ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary mark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:18 ¶ ‘Cursed is he who leads a blind person astray on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
It is easy to go through the motions of being a Christian without really being devoted to Him. However, God knows our hearts. God is not deceived by outward actions. He is not pleased with mere external obedience. God wants our hearts, minds, and souls to be devoted to serving and obeying Him.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”