deuteronomy 27-28

Read Deuteronomy 27-28 at Bible Gateway.

Deu 27:1 begins a new speech, which ends with Deu 28:68 at the close quote. Israel is to write all the words of this Law on whitewashed stones at the entrance to the land, on the day they enter the land. This puts me in mind of Deu 6:9, where Israel is to write the words of this Law on their doorposts and gates. Doorposts are at the entrance to the house. Gates are at the entrance to the city. And whitewashed stones are at the entrance to the land.

Why this command to write the law at entrances? I believe it is to say, that this Law and this conduct applies to all who enter here, whether to those entering the land, those entering the cities, or those entering the home.

The admonition to remember this Law that has now been explained, continues with a repeat of take heed, listen, and observe (Deu 27:9-10), which we saw also in Deu 4, Deu 5:22-6:3, and Deu 6:4-9 (listen), Deu 6:10-15 (take heed), and Deu 6:16-19 (observe). And then the blessings which follow obedience are wrapped in curses which follow disobedience. We will have to see in tomorrow’s reading whether the blessings form the central axis of a chiastic structure.

The topic of this speech is the admonition to obey. God is serious about being obeyed. I know it has been taught by men that obedience to the Law has passed away. I do not believe it. You will find no prophet of the Old Testament who teaches that. You will not find Jesus teaching that:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Mat 5:17-19

You will not find Paul teaching that, as we just read:

“Do we then make void the law through faith [i.e., because we have been justified by faith apart from works of the law, vs. 20-30]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Rom 3:31

You will not find the apostles teaching that:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves, for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Jam 1:22-25

It is man who has assumed that God’s Law is not the Law of liberty that James was talking about, but some other law. James is in fact repeating today’s admonition in this brief paragraph (hear, take heed, and observe, to be blessed in your observing!)

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 Joh 2:3-4

“Blessed are they who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates of into the city.” Rev 22:14

Do you see? God’s message has been unchanging from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation. He who does His commandments will be blessed.

For further study: Do the curses for disobedience apply to this life in the physical world or to the next life in the spiritual world? Do the blessings for obedience apply to this life in the physical world, or to the next life in the spiritual world? Look at every blessing, and every curse, and answer that question. Then answer this question: Why does God want us to carefully obey all His commandments?

Finding Messiah:

“Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this Law.” Deu 27:26

“For as many as are of 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.” … Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us.” Gal 3:10, 13

When we get to Galatians in our study, we will see that those who are of the works of the Law, are those who are trying to achieve salvation or justification by obedience to the Law rather than by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are in Him, the list of our transgressions of the Law has been nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). And if we are truly in Him, as John teaches, we will not use our forgiveness as an excuse to now ignore His commandments, but because we love Him and know Him, we will also obey Him!