Renewal of the Covenant

Deuteronomy 27: 1-26

The Great Covenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Max A Forsythe

Introduction: This chapter begins the next division of the Suzerain Covenant between the Lord and His peculiar people – Israel.  The standard formula for these treaties would include the blessings and curses, as we shall see in the next few weeks.  The twenty-sixth chapter, which we finished last week formed “a conclusion to the stipulations [and also introduced] the element of covenant ratification, the nucleus around which the curses and blessings of chapters twenty-seven through thirty cluster.”  Thus and so, does Meridith Klien outline these brief chapters.  Further, we may understand that the transfer procedure outlined here was the “customary procedure in securing the throne succession to the appointed royal heir” in the surrounding culture.  “Hence the succession of Joshua, which symbolized the continuing lordship of Yahweh, was ensured by the oath elicited from Israel before Moses died, and again later by a ratificatory ceremony after Joshua’s accession.”

Dr Brown further outlines our text in this manner:  “Moses is told to write out the agreement, and hold a special festival at which offerings are presented to the Lord of the covenant.  He is to require Israel’s people to make a decisive commitment either for or against the treaty, understanding their options, blessing or curse.”  These options are two further chapters in length and flow largely from any future failure to obey the law of God.  Obey and live, disobey and die!  Very simple – too simple for far too many people who would rather keep their options open.

Before we continue, we need to clarify the local geography where Israel is poised on the border of the Promised Land.  Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim figure prominently in this chapter and those following.  According to multiple reports “the formation of the sides of the valley at the narrowest part, and the acoustics, which have been tested more than once, leave no reasonable doubt” to the probability of the scenes described here in this chapter.  Thus, when we read that six tribes are situated on either mountain, for this covenantal ceremony – we can know how Moses used the natural lay of the land to speak to the large crowd of people gathered to answer their allegiance to the national covenant. 

This particular place is hugely symbolic as Dr Craigie tells us:  “The site for renewal … was no doubt deliberately chosen, for it had particular associations for the Hebrews.  Abraham had built an altar there and the place had been associated from the time of the patriarchs with the Lord’s promise of the gift of the land; hence it was a particularly appropriate place at which to renew the covenant for the first time within the Promised Land.”

If you have ever been to a historic site, you can almost sense the grand moment.  There they were standing where Abraham had stood, worshipping Abraham’s God and Father – just waiting to cross over and claim the land promised so many centuries ago.

This is a rare moment in history, when an entire nation is gathered together to affirm their founding principles.  Imagine if you will – the whole population of the thirteen colonies gathered in one place to hear the Declaration of Independence read for their agreement and assent.  Let us consider carefully the words that brought the people of Israel together on this grand and glorious occasion.

Old Covenant Milieu:  Our text may be conveniently divided into four sections.  Verses one to four, plus eight, concern the publication of this law in one of the busiest throughways in the area. Of course, we have no way of knowing how large and extensive these whitewashed stones were, but to the people of that era – the landmark would be at least as visible as the painted plywood HOLLYWOOD image is to our culture.  Thankfully, the People for the American Way, the American Civil Liberties Union and other modern organizations were not around to protest!

Verses five to seven concern the building of an altar, and the rest of this chapter (nine through twenty-six challenge the people to individually and collectively to make a verbal response.  I remember when I joined the US Army in 1965, and we had to pledge allegiance to protect the Constitution of the United States.  It wasn’t as grand as the ceremony we are reading about, but the officers and non-coms did a credible job of making that simple oath impressive and memorable.

Last week Joe told me that he had been reading ahead and the particular phrase that describes the Egyptian methodology of writing on whitewashed stones impressed him greatly, and as we should all note in our Geneva Study Bibles, this written fact confirms the Egyptian roots for Moses’ court and diplomatic education.

Dr Brown in his commentary is impressed with the perceptive command from an educational viewpoint, since “we remember far more of what we see than what we hear.  The word translated “very clearly” focuses on the necessary legibility of the law.”  That note reminds me of a new trend in medicine, where the medical offices call you repeatedly to remind you of your upcoming appointment.  Evidentially, our population is becoming less literate and need the verbal reminders.  All that habit does for me is confuse me.  I never ever missed an appointment until the doctors began this new habit!  Somehow or another, it interferes with the visible appointment card right on my keyboard.  A few weeks ago, my dentist’s assistant called and left a note on the answering machine, all I heard was two and arrived fifteen till, no one was in the office, I waited around until twenty after, asked the office next door what was going on and then left.  Later, I called in to find out what had happened – and discovered they take a 1:30 to 2:30 lunch – strange to me at least!  Similarly, when Ligonier ministries called a few weeks ago to offer me an audiocassette – I begged off because I am used to reading everything.  In fact – when someone loaned me a cassette to listen to a few months ago, it wasn’t until I rented a car that I was even able to listen to it.

But, more importantly than the national written monument is the admonition to go on and complete the obligations outlined upon the stones.

The next section concerns the usual habit of the era – to worship the gods of all the participants to any treaty!  This is why the Hebrews were forbidden to enter into foreign alliances because that would be a violation of the first commandment.  This portion of the Israelite understanding would lead to continual problems down through the ages – even to the time of Christ and after.  The Romans at least, had enough common sense to exempt the Judeans from the ordinary terms of subjugation, a technical point under which the Christians were able to get established before a general persecution set in under later Emperors, who took their supposed “deity” far too seriously.

In the Hebrew context, the ratification of the treaty is celebrated religiously because the people well knew that these were the words spoken by the Creator God through His prophet Moses.  Offerings are made and a type of covenant meal is eaten in the presence of the Lord.

The final section for today describes the choral response to the questions put to the people by the Levites.  Dr Craigie notes: “The division of the tribes seems to be based on their maternal relationship to the patriarch Jacob.  The tribes descended from Leah and Rachel, Jacob’s legitimate wives, represented the blessing; those descended from Zilpah and Bilhah, together with the tribes of Reuben and Zebulun, represented the curse.”

Now, we have to be careful to understand that what we read is not taken from a Sunday Bulletin which in our modern times can pretty well be definitive as to what happened in what order on any certain day.  I have upstairs fourteen notebooks with almost all of the bulletins we have published for our weekly use since 1988.  At home, I have another nine volumes covering my ministry back to the fall of 1970.  Of course, remember, in antiquity only the really important stuff was committed to writing and what we read here a report of the essential elements, some of which are repeated for emphasis.  We read here in this chapter only a list of curses, Dr Thompson observes:  “The absence of a list of blessings may simply mean that they were omitted, since they would have corresponded with the curses except that they negatived every one in turn.  Those who were blessed did not offend in the areas which those were cursed did.”

Let me try to make this essential point clearer.  We are all familiar with the Ten Commandments with the very familiar refrain “Thou shalt not”.  I remember listening in Seminary to a group discussion about making the commandments more positive and uplifting – so as to encourage good behavior instead of always condemning the bad.  No, I don’t agree with that assessment, in fact what Dr Thompson is saying is that given the obnoxious quality of the purposeful “taboo”, if I may use that primitive worldly word – the true blessing would come to those who retained a good conscience from their obedient behavior before the Lord.  The curses listed here are particularly obnoxious in the context of the general principles of the law.  And a careful reading of the twelve condemnations gives us a good sense that the majority of the commandments are covered.

Verses fourteen and fifteen concern what many moderns would call the first tablet of the Law, those four commandments related to the worship and honor of our Holy God.  Of the other six, especially heinous would be the violation of the fifth commandment (which we see mentioned in verse sixteen), especially if godly parents would fulfill their covenant obligations of passing along the precious faith given through their witness and God’s revealed word.

Verse seventeen is related to the eighth, ninth and tenth commandments concerning property and its rightful possession.  Verse eighteen relates to the ninth commandment directly and of course to the sixth indirectly.  Verse nineteen, while related directly to the ninth commandment also has roots in the other social issues as well. 

Verses twenty through twenty-three highlights the vitally important seventh commandment.   The reason for this involves the ongoing Bride and Groom image regarding the great love of the Lord for His people.  Remembering of course that spiritual adultery is considered the worst offence because that sin also is against the first four commandments as well.  Always remember this and take it to regular account, if your beloved spouse cannot trust you, neither will the Creator God of heaven and earth!

Verses twenty-four and five relate to the sixth commandment against hatred and murder.  And thus we see that all of the commandments are well covered in coarse language to make it plain that the people truly did understand the implications of the ten principles!

To each in turn, the congregation or their representatives are required to affirm their obedience by saying “So be it” if we should commit the despicable crime you have set before us.  Now before you think I have missed a verse, let us look carefully at verse twenty-six.  “Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.”  I have seen cartoons about people who felt that four, five or six of the commandments were reasonable and I once had a man tell me that he could live with eight of them, but he felt that at least two were none of the Lord’s business.  Evidently he had not read this account!  I am sorry, but if anyone in the crowd was thinking that they would just skip a question – here they are found out!

Another point we have to remember, is that:  as sinners, atheists have a greater integrity than many people who will say almost anything to get along and go along.  This larger group, are the ones who never take anything seriously, those who never think too deeply, those who do not look carefully at any contract before they sign on the dotted line. This is one reason that we withhold participation in the Lord’s Supper until our children are old enough to appreciate the necessity of Christ’s death for the reality and totality of their sins.  “Let a man examine himself”, the apostle charges us to make certain that the issues of faith are given a grave and serious consideration before one stands up in front of the church and affirms their possession, through the Holy Spirit, of God’s elective love, mercy and grace.

New Covenant Continuum: Let us turn to Paul’s letter to the Galatians for an application of the last verse in this chapter.  Galatians 3: 10 is the key verse of course, where Deuteronomy 27: 26 is quoted.  But, let us read verses ten through twenty-nine at the end of the chapter.  (Read Galatians 3: 10-29)  Let us make certain we understand the implications of this chapter. 

One commentator on our Deuteronomy text suggests that most of the particular sins listed in our text would be considered secret sins – generally kept as quiet as possible because of the absolutely scandalous nature of the majority.  I remember once hearing of a young man in school who admitted to a relationship with a stepsister.  According to his legalistic mind, it really wasn’t incest – however, you should have seen and heard the rage expressed by the entire feminine portion of the class.  I had to excuse the young man from class for his own safety!  Later, when I talked with him, he was still unwilling to admit to wrongdoing, but as our commentators would allow – he properly understood the absolute scandalous nature of what he had done.  The only wrong he would admit to, was mentioning the opportunity publicly. Things were a little chilly for a while, but eventually the problem was forgotten by the girls – but not of course by our Creator God!

So, if we have this commentary of Paul correct, he wrote in Romans a great and awesome truth: “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  But, the Lord in working out His providential plan and purpose through the millennia took great care in setting up the law as a commentary on our sins and thereby leaving the greater blessing of Christ to be read between the lines once the law was finally fulfilled in and through Him.  Therefore as we should understand from Galatians 3: 19 & 24:  “What purpose then does the law serve? … the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Contemporary Application:  Certainly, we understand that the fruits of the Spirit given to those who have faith, will mirror the just admonitions of the law and thus bring us the blessing of obedience that the Lord our God truly loves and encourages.  However, obedience is not the means of salvation – only the thankful reaction worked out in the daily lives of the saints who love and adore Jesus Christ.  Our freedom in the law is not from the clear instructions of that law.  I am sorry, but the American Board of Psychologists, or whatever they call themselves – do not have the authority to absolve every sin by changing all of the usual deviant behaviors into allowable alternatives.  The listings that we read in the Great Covenant and the other books of the law do indeed detail all of the sinful acts for which the greater majority will spend eternity in hell for.  Why?  Because, the law clearly tells us that those who do these things are cursed for all time!

May we all gathered here today and within the virtual sounding or reading of my voice appreciate the commentary of Paul on the revelations of Moses.  Grace, grace and more grace is the admonition of the New Covenant administration of Jesus Christ.  Remember, Jesus is One greater than Moses, and just as He is the second Adam, so too was His ministry defined by miracles in such overwhelming numbers that the closest comparison to the miracles of Christ, is in the coming out from Egypt, when God also began a great work, which in the fullness of time would lead to a greater work in Jesus Christ.

Therefore we can, as Paul affirms it, truly claim by faith the promises given through Abraham to the seed of those who stood on the mountain of blessing instead on the mountain of cursing.  Of course – we well know the symbolic nature of some actions in Scripture – the opposition of those who stood on opposite mountains did not mean that literally half the tribes had any hope in God – no indeed!  Eventually the people of God learned that salvation could not be counted genealogically but spiritually.  And therein is our hope, that we the spiritual children of Abraham are truly the spiritual children of God.  Praise be the Lord our God.  Amen.

Resources Used:   

  Copyright (C) 2002                    Christ Covenant Reformed (Presbyterian Church in America)                                     

      17 March 2002                         Box 13926 - Columbus, Ohio 43213-8049

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