Thru the Bible - #179-Deuteronomy 27 - The Curses of Mount Ebal

Transcript

Welcome And Settle In

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Welcome to Bereen's Corner, the podcast where we go through books of the Bible chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Wherever you are in the world, thank you for joining. Grab a glass of water, a cup of coffee, a tea, and let's get into today's lesson.

Reading Deuteronomy 27 Aloud

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Alright, open your Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 27. The title of today's lesson is The Curses of Mount Ebal. Deuteronomy 27, and let's read.

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Deuteronomy 27. Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people keep all these commands that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them. Build the altar of the Lord your God with field stones, and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord your God. And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up. Then Moses and the priests who are Levites said to all Israel, Be silent, O Israel, and listen. You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today. On the same day, Moses commanded the people. Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice. Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol, a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of the craftsman's hands, and sets it up in secret. Then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother. Then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's boundary stone. Then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who leaves the blind astray on the road. Then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's men. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law. And then all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out. Then all the people shall say Amen.

Why Blessing Starts With Scripture

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The blessed life begins with God's word. Now, have you ever noticed that two people can go through very similar circumstances, yet one person walks through life with peace and joy, while the other seems consistently frustrated and defeated. The difference often isn't found in their circumstances, but it's found in their focus. Our world tells us that happiness comes from having more money, comes from having a better career, a bigger house, fewer problems. Yet we've all seen people who have gone through these things and still live miserable lives. The Bible teaches something very different, though. True joy isn't determined by what happens around us, it's determined by our relationship with God and our relationship with his word, which is why it's important that we stay in it. Moses comes near the end of his life. He has given Israel his final instructions before they enter the promised land. He knows he won't be going in with them. So he wants to leave them with the most important truth they can possibly remember. If they want God's blessings, if they want God's favor, if they want God's lasting joy, they must keep God's word at the center of their lives. That is the heart of this chapter. The main truth Moses communicates is this God's people experience his blessing when they continually focus on believe and obey his written word. Now, let's be clear here. Moses isn't teaching salvation by works. The sacrifices, the altar, and ultimately the New Testament all make it clear that a relationship with God begins by grace through faith. But once we belong to God, obedience to his word becomes a pathway to enjoying fellowship with him and experiencing his blessing in our daily lives. There is something beautiful that is summarized in Psalm chapter 1. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. Psalm chapter 1, verses 1 through 2. Notice that the blessed person is the one who delights in God's word. And that has never changed. Throughout history, great spiritual leaders have consistently pointed God's people back to his scripture. Moses did it, Joshua did it, Ezra did it, the prophets did it, Jesus did it, the apostles did it. And faithful pastors today should do the very same. They should still be pointing people to God's word. Our opinions don't change lives, they just don't. God's word does. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12 reminds us for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. Everything begins there. In this chapter, Moses gives Israel three major reminders that are just as important then as they are

Displaying God’s Word Publicly

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today. The first is God's word must be prominently displayed. Notice verses 1 through 4. Then Moses and the elders of Israel charge the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you today. So it shall be on the day when you shall cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones and coat them with lime, and write on them all the words of this law. When you cross over in order that you may enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord the God of your fathers promised you. So it shall 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 line. Drop down to verse 8. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly. Moses begins with a fascinating command. The very day Israel crossed the Jordan River into the promised land, they were to set up large stones, cover them with plaster, and write God's law on them. Imagine entering the promised land that God had promised for hundreds of years. Many people might expect the first priority to be building homes or maybe planting crops, maybe getting the military together and organizing that or establishing cities. Instead, God's first priority was his word. Now that says something very important. Before Israel built a nation, they needed to build their lives on scripture. Before they enjoy God's blessings, they needed to know God's truth. Before they made decisions, they needed God's direction. The same principle applies today. Before we build careers, before we build families, before we chase dreams, we need to build our lives upon God's word. Jesus illustrated this in Matthew chapter 7, verses 24 through 27. When he spoke of two builders, one built on the rock, the other built on sand. Both experienced storms. Only one remained standing, though. The difference wasn't the storm, the difference was the foundation. God's word is the only foundation that never fails. Notice several truths Moses emphasizes. First, God's word was to be public. The law wasn't hidden inside a tent, it wasn't reserved for scholars, it wasn't meant only for pastors, it was to be displayed where everyone could see it. God wanted his people consistently reminded of his truth. Today, we have a tremendous privilege. Many of us own multiple Bibles. We have Bible apps, audio Bibles, study Bibles. We even have you know commentaries. Yet having access to scripture doesn't necessarily mean we're allowing scripture to shape our lives. The goal isn't merely owning a Bible, the goal is allowing the Bible to own us. Second, God's word was to be permanent. Now, these were not temporary signs, these were large memorial stones. Every generation that passed will see them and remember God's covenant. One of the best illustrations I've ever heard came from a family who place scripture verses throughout their homes. And I'm saying that because I know multiple fans that do that, not as decorations, but as reminders. And I know lots of families who do this. A verse by the front door reminded them to represent Christ when they left the home, a verse in the kitchen reminding them to give thanks, a verse in the bedroom reminding them to pray. Those verses didn't make them spiritual, but they continually pointed their hearts back to God's truth. That's exactly what Moses wanted people to experience. He wanted Israel to experience this. That God's word should be visible in our lives, not just on ourselves. And I know my family is one who does that as well. I'm sure a lot of you do that as well, too. You have scriptures in certain places. Sometimes people even put them, put scriptures in their car to remind them of God's word and have it somewhere visible, which brings us to the third thing. The stones were set at Mount Ebal. Moses specifically instructed Israel to place these stones at Mount Ebal. Back in Deuteronomy chapter 11, Moses introduced two mountains: Mount Gerizim representing blessings, and Mount Ebal representing cursing. Soon the nation will stand between those mountains and hear both blessings and curses proclaimed. And the message was unmistakable. Every believer faces choices. One path leads towards fellowship and blessing, another path leads towards discipline and loss. See, God lovingly places his word before us so we know which direction leads to life. Proverbs chapter 3, verses 5 through 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and he will make your path straight. His word lights the right path, it always does. In Psalm 119 and verse 105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. You all hear me say that all the time. It is absolutely one of my favorite scriptures. Without God's words, we walk in darkness. With God's word, we walk in wisdom.

The Altar And Grace First

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Next, God's altar must remain central. Notice verses five through seven. Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. You shall not weld an iron tool on them. You shall build to all the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer it on burnt offerings to the Lord your God, and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God. After commanding Israel to display his word, God immediately instructed them to build an altar. That order is significant. The word of God reveals God's holiness. The altar reminds us how sinful people can approach a holy God. The altar was to be built from uncut stones. No human craftsmanship was to be uh was to use to improve it. No iron tools were to shape it. Why? Because salvation has never been accomplished by human effort. The altar pointed entirely to God's provision. The sacrifices placed upon an altar reminded Israel that sin required atonement. See, someone had to die, blood had to be shed. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 22 reminds us without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Every Old Testament sacrifice ultimately pointed forward to Jesus Christ. That's just what the Old Testament was. John the Baptist would later introduce him by saying, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John chapter 1, verse 29. The altar in Deuteronomy looked ahead to Calvary. It reminded Israel that obedience alone could never save them. They first needed forgiveness, they first needed reconciliation. They first needed God's grace. Only then could they walk in fellowship with Him. One of the dangers churches face today is emphasizing either truth without grace or grace without truth. God, he gives us both. Paul wrote, For Christ also died for sin once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God. 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 18. Everything begins there. Which brings us to number three.

Five Calls To Obey Fully

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God's people must listen to and obey his word. Verses 9 through 26. After Moses instructed the people to display God's word and build to alt and build the altar, he brought everything together with one final emphasis. Knowing God's word is not enough. Displaying God's word is not enough. Even offering sacrifices was not enough. God desired a people who would listen to his word and obey it. The truth is just as relevant today as it was on the plains of Moab. Many people on the Bible, many people attend church, many people know biblical facts, but God is looking for hearts that respond to his truth. James were, but prove yourself doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James chapter 1, verse 22. Jesus said, If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John chapter 13, verse 17. Obedience has always been the importance, excuse me, the evidence of genuine faith. Moses gives Israel five important instructions. First, be quiet and listen to God. Notice verse 9. Then Moses and Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, Be silent and listen, O Israel. This is the day you have become a people for the Lord your God. Moses and the Levitical priests called the people together and essentially said, Be silent and listen. That may sound simple, but it is one of the hardest disciplines to practice. You know, we live in a noisy world. Phones consistently vibrate, television stays on, music fills our cars, social media never stops, people are consistently talking, yet God often speaks most clearly when we are willing to become quiet before Him. Psalm chapter 46, verse 10 says, Be still and know that I am God. There is value in sitting quietly before the Lord with an open Bible and an open heart. Sometimes we're so busy telling God what we want that we never stop long enough to hear what he wants to say to us. See, listening isn't is an act of worship. You know, I do that sometimes in myself. You know, I try to go into what I call my prayer closet. Uh when I go to work in the morning, I read my as I'm going through the Bible uh yearly, I read my scriptures in the morning. And what I like to do is I like to get in a quiet place and go through my daily scriptures. When I'm at home, when I do get a chance to uh have a quiet house, I like to spend that time talking to the Lord, praying to the Lord without the TV on, without music playing, just me praying and talking to the Lord in his silence. And that is something that we all should practice because that's when God speaks. See, back in these in this time where we're at now with Moses and the Israelites, uh, it was darker back then. You know, there weren't lights. You know, there may be torches burning, uh, but there weren't street lights. There may be stars shining, but there weren't cars all over the place with lights going. It was dark, it was quiet, and they had time to have that quiet time with the Lord. We need to find that time and that space in the times of time we live in. Second, remember whose people you are. Verse 9 says, Then Moses and Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, Be silent and listen, O Israel. This day you have become a people for the Lord your God. Moses reminded Israel, Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. Now, Israel had been God's covenant people long before this day. So, what did Moses mean? He was emphasizing that they were entering a new chapter of God's plan. Crossing the Jordan marked a fresh beginning. They were stepping into the land God had promised their fathers centuries earlier. Their identity mattered. Everything they did from this point forward reflected upon what God had represented. The same is true for believers today. When we trusted Christ as our Savior, we became God's children. Paul writes, See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we would be called children of God. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 1. Think about that. You don't merely attend church, you belong to God, you represent Christ. Every conversation, every business decision, every relationship, every response to difficulty reflects upon the one whose name you bear. That truth should encourage us. It should also challenge us. Third, obey everything God has revered. Notice verse 10. You shall therefore, excuse me, you shall therefore obey the Lord your God and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today. Moses then says, You shall therefore obey the Lord your God and do his commandments and his statutes. Notice he doesn't limit obedience to just the ten commandments. He speaks of God's commandments and his statutes. In other words, Israel wasn't free to obey only the parts they liked. They were called to obey all that God had revered. That is still a temptation today. We have passages of scriptures that are easier to obey than others. See, it's easy to love verses about God's grace. It's harder to love verses about God's forgiveness when we've been hurt. It's easy to read about heaven, it's harder to read about loving our enemies. But selective obedience is still disobedience. You need to remember that. Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John chapter 14, verse 15. Obedience isn't about choosing our favorite commands, it's about submitting ourselves to God's authority because we trust his wisdom. And that is so true. There are commandments of the Lord that are easier to obey, but I notice that people, and I'm talking about real people I know, find it harder to do other things. See, it's easy to point out uh the fact that you want to go back to the Old Testament because you don't like pork. So you talk about how you don't want to eat pork. Well, that's an easy command to follow. A hard command to follow is don't do not commit adultery, do not commit fornication. But there's a lot of people who struggle with that. There's a lot of people who will ignore that, and they will have some type of excuse of why they can't follow that. But they love to talk about I keep the Sabbath and I don't eat pork. I'm gonna be very honest with you. Two of the easier commands to follow, but they neglect the harder things to follow. Loving your enemies, loving the God, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your uh strength and all your might. I I want to put that in your ear and I want you to remember that. Fourth, choose which direction your life will go. Notice verses 11 to 13. Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, When you cross the Jordan, these still stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And for the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulin, Dan, and Naphtali. Moses instructed six tribes to stand on Mount Gerizim and six tribes to stand on Mount Ebal. One mountain represented blessing, the other represented cursing. Imagine standing in that valley. One mountain on your left, one mountain on your right. The nation gathered together, the Levites proclaiming God's word, the people responded together. It was a powerful visual reminder. Every day, God's people make choices. We choose whether to obey or disobey. That's just what we do. We choose whether to trust God or to trust ourselves. We choose whether to walk in holiness or compromise. Our choices have consequences. Now we need to be careful here. For believers today, this does not mean that every hardship is a punishment from God or that every blessing means we've done everything right. Let's be clear with that. The New Testament makes it clear that faithful believers still experience suffering. 2 Timothy 3, verse 12, and James chapter 1, verses 2 through 4. But it is also true that obedience brings fellowship with God, while sin disrupts that fellowship and often carries painful consequences. God disciplined those he loves, tells us that in Hebrews chapter 12, verses 5 to 11. His discipline is never meant to destroy us, it is meant to restore us. Every day we are choosing which direction we will walk, will we move towards God's will or away from it? I know that's a that's a decision that I have to make every day. And uh I have struggled with that and ask the Lord to guide and lead me through it. Which brings us to uh the fifth, which is agree with God about sin.

Agreeing With God About Sin

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Verses 14 through 26. The Levi, the Levite shall then answer and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsmen, and sets it up in secret, and all the people shall answer and say amen. Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who moves his neighbor's boundary mark, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who misleads a blind person on the road, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who distorts the justice due to an alien, orphan, and widow, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who lies with his father's wife, because he uncovered his father's skirt, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who lies with any animal, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law, and all the people shall say amen. Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret, and all the people shall say amen. Curse is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person, and all the people shall say amen. Curse is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them, and all the people shall say amen. The Levites then stood before the nation and proclaimed twelve actions that brought God's curse under the Mosaic covenant. After each declaration, all the people were to respond, Amen. That word means so be it. It is true, I agree. Israel wasn't merely listening, they were publicly agreeing with God's assessment of sin. This is exactly what genuine repentance looks like. Repentance doesn't argue with God, it agrees with him. 1 John chapter 1, verse 9 says, if we confess our sins, the word confess literally means to say the same thing. We agree with God about our sin. We don't excuse it, we don't minimize it, we don't redefine it, we call it what God calls it. The 12 examples Moses gives cover every area of life. They remind us that God cares about every part of our conduct. He cares how we worship, he cares how we treat our parents, he cares how we treat our neighbors, he cares how we treat the vulnerable, he cares about sexual purity, he cares about justice, he cares about integrity. Our faith is never uh uh compartmentalized, excuse me. God is Lord over every area of life.

Twelve Curses Explained For Today

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Let's briefly consider these 12 warnings. First, God condemns idolatry. Anything that replaces God as first in our hearts becomes an idol. Today that may be a carved statue, it may be money, it may be success, sports, entertainment, relationships, or even ministry itself. God alone deserves our worship. Second, God condemns dishonoring parents. That command is deeper than outward obedience and includes treating parents with honor, respect, and dignity. Even as adults, we are called to honor our father and our mother. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 2 tells us that. Third, God condemns stealing from a neighbor. See, moving a boundary marker was an act of greed. God values honesty and respect for what belongs to others. In other words, don't try to move the property line to make your property bigger and lessen your neighbors. Fourth, God condemns taking advantage of the helpless. Leading a blind person astray demonstrated cruelty towards someone unable to protect themselves, you know, which is something that was not cool. Spiritually speaking, we should be helping people find the truth, not leading them farther from it. Fifth, God condemns perverting justice for the vulnerable. Moses specifically mentions the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. These were people who often had no influence, no wealth, and no one to defend them. It would have been easy for powerful people to exploit them. But God is never indifferent to injustice. He's just not. Throughout Scripture, we see God's heart for those who are vulnerable. Psalm chapter 146 and verse 9 says, The Lord protects the strangers, he supports the fatherless and the widow. God expects his people to reflect the same compassion. As believers, we should never use our position, our influence, or resources to take advantage of someone who cannot defend themselves. We should be known as people who show mercy while upholding the truth. 6. God condemns sexual immorality within the family. The next several curses deal with immoral sexual relationships that violated God's created order. The first involved sexual relationships with a father's wife. Whether referring to one's mother or it was a stepmother, God declares this to be sinful. From the very beginning, God established marriage as the lifelong covenant union between one man and one woman. We saw that back in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 24. Any sexual relationship outside of God's design dishonors him and it harms people. Our culture may redefine morality, but God never does. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 4 reminds us marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled. God's standards have not changed. They've never changed. Seventh, God condemns bestiality. Now, this was an abominable practice among some pagan cultures surrounding Israel. If you ever wondered why did God bring it up, that's why. Because the people around Israel, they were doing this. God completely rejected it. His people were to be distinct from the immoral practices of the nations around them. Sin always distorts God's design. The further people move away from God's truth, the more confused morality becomes. Romans 1 reminds us that when people reject God's truth, moral confession inevitably follows. God calls his people to holiness. God condemns incestuous relationships. Rather involving a full sister or a half-sister, these relationships violated God's created order and were forbidden under his law. Again, the principle is clear. God established boundaries for our good. His commands are never arbitrary. They protected individuals, they protect families, they protect future generations. Whenever God says no, it is because he knows what ultimately destroys people. I want you to remember that. I have had young people ask me, does God really care about this? Does God really care about that? And I have to always tell them that wherever God says no, it has a purpose and he knows that it will destroy you. Obey the Lord your God. Ninth, God condemns sexual relationships with a mother-in-law. Once again, God protects the sanctity of the family. As we read through these commandments, one thing becomes increasingly obvious. Sexual sin doesn't usually begin with an action, it begins with the heart. Jesus made that clear in Matthew chapter 5, verses 27 through 28, when he said that lust itself is the beginning of adultery. That's why we must guard what we allow into our minds. We must continually watch, we must continually listen to, we must continually dwell upon, and eventually shape our actions. Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23 wisely says, watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. Holiness begins long before behavior. It begins in the heart. And that is so true. The things that you put your eyes on, the things you put your thoughts on, it leads to adultery. That's why Jesus said it was already started in your heart, because that's where it began. 10. God condemns secretly murdering a neighbor. The emphasis here is on hidden violence. Someone may think they've committed the perfect crime. They may believe no one saw what happened, but no one hides anything from God. No one. Psalm 139 reminds us that there is nowhere we can go where God is not present. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 13 says, There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him. People, they may fool a courtroom, but you can never fool God. You can fool people, but you will never fool the Lord. One day every hidden deed will be exposed. That reality should cause us to walk with integrity, even when no one else is watching. Character is who you are when only God sees. You know, that is something that I have always said to my family. Character is who you are when no one is looking. And that's something that I always remind myself of. Your character is who you are when no one is looking. It's not who you are when the people see you and what they see, but it's when no one is looking. 11. God condemns taking a bribe to harm an innocent person. Justice was never to be bought, truth was never to be sold. God expected judges and leaders to act with integrity rather than personal gain. Proverbs chapter 17, verse 23 says, A wicked man receives a bride from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice. Whenever justice is corrupted, whenever truth is exchanged for personal profit, God sees it. His people should always stand for what is right, even when it costs them personally. 12. God condemns failing to uphold his entire law. Moses concludes with one sweeping statement. Once again, all the people answered, Amen. This final statement gathers everything together. God's standard isn't partial obedience, it's a perfect obedience, and that creates a problem. If we're honest, every one of us has failed. Every one of us. Perhaps we've never bowed before an idol made of stone. But we but have we ever allowed something to become more important than God? Perhaps we've never moved a property boundary, but we have converted, but we have coveted something that didn't belong to us, it belonged to someone else. Perhaps we've never committed murder. But Jesus said, hatred in the heart violates the spirit of God's command. Matthew chapter 5, verses 21 through 22. The deeper we study God's law, the more we realize we all fall short. What did it say in Romans chapter 3, verse 23? For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We conclude with

The Law Points To Jesus

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this. This chapter leaves us with two overwhelming truths. First, God's word matters, it deserves to be read, it deserves to be studied. That's what we do here at Barin's Corner. It deserves to be believed and obeyed. It is the foundation for a life that honors God. Second, God's law exposes our need for a savior. That's what this is all about. I've always told my kids, I've always told my wife and my family that the whole Bible is about Christ. It all points to Christ. The apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy chapter 27, verses 26, and he does that in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 10 to make exactly that point. That no one has perfectly kept God's law. If our hope rests on our obedience, then we all stand condemned because every one of us has broken God's commands. Every one of us. But Paul doesn't stop there. In Galatians chapter 3, verse 13, he gives us one of the greatest statements in the New Testament. When he says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a having become a curse for us. Think about that. The curse that you and I deserve, Jesus took it. The judgment that I earned, Jesus bore it. The penalty, our sin demanded, Jesus paid in full at the cross. Now that is the gospel. The law shows us our guilt. The cross shows us God's grace. The law tells us we cannot save ourselves. Jesus tells us it is finished. When he said that in John chapter 19,

Three Heart Check Questions

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verse 30. So as we close today, let me leave you with three questions to think about this week. The first is, is God's word the foundation? Excuse me. Is God's word the foundation of our daily life or has something else taken first place? Second, are there areas where you know God has spoken, but you've delayed obedience? Third, have you trusted in your own goodness or have you placed your faith completely in Jesus Christ, who became a curse for us so we could receive the blessing of eternal life? I want you to think about those three questions. Moses wanted Israel to understand that God's blessing is found in knowing and obeying his word. The New Testament teaches us that our ability to obey begins with a transformed heart through faith in Jesus Christ. When Christ saves us, he doesn't simply forgive our sins. He gives us a new heart, he gives us a new purpose, he gives us a new desire to obey, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to live for his glory. May we be people who treasure God's word. May we walk in humble obedience, love what God loves, reject what God rejects, and may we rejoice that our hope is not in our perfect obedience, but in our perfect Savior Jesus Christ. To him alone be all the glory. And just as Israel said at the end of these verses in Deuteronomy 27, Amen.

Closing Thoughts And Deuteronomy 28

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Alright, that brings us to the end of Deuteronomy chapter 27. Listen, I hope you got something out of that. I sure know I did. The Lord makes his word very plain to us when we read it in context. And when we get into this next chapter of Deuteronomy 28, there are some scriptures in it that people have taken way out of context. But if you have been with us here and you have started and you started back in Genesis chapter 1, and you made it all the way here to Deuteronomy 27, and we put this word in its context, it is so easy to understand. The Lord opens it up to us and he makes it very, very easy for us to understand what he's talking about. The whole time now we have been talking about Israel, how God has walked with Israel, how he has saved them from trouble, how he is giving them commands to keep them out of trouble, and how those things have related to us today. And when you keep it in this context, it will all make sense. Well, I thank you for going uh through this chapter with me as always. I ask you to pray for me. I ask that you pray that the Lord is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I ask that you pray that I stay in good health, the good spirits, and good of heart, and that I stay deep, knee deep in these scriptures, and we keep studying together. And I am praying for you as well. I appreciate it a great deal that you take time out of your morning, your afternoon, your evening to study and go through these scriptures with me. That you take time to listen to me go through these scriptures. I pray that I am doing a good job for you. Uh I I stay deep in prayer and ask the Lord to give me that good, clean word to bring to you. I appreciate you all a great deal. And as I always say, I may not see you on this side of eternity, but one day we will see each other when the Lord makes all things anew. Praying for you as well that you stay of good heart, that you stay in good spirit, that you have a great day, a great week. And I will see you when we continue this next time when we will be in Deuteronomy 28. Okay, that is all for now. God bless.

How To Connect And Support

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Thank you for listening to Berean's Corner. We appreciate you joining us as we dive into God's word and seek biblical truth together. If this episode encouraged or challenged you, be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. You can find Bereen's Corner on BuzzSprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and more. Let's stay connected. If you have questions, comments, or prayer requests, reach out to us at BereansCorner.buzzprout.com where you can follow along with show transcripts and leave a message in the fan mail slot. Also follow us on YouTube at Berean's Corner and don't forget to subscribe. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time, keep searching the scriptures like a Berean. Stay discerning, stay faithful, and God bless you.