Day 449: Remember to rejoice - Deuteronomy 27 vs 1 - 13

1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, “Keep every command I am giving you today.  2-3 When you cross the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up large stones and cover them with plaster. Write all the words of this law on the stones after you cross to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. 

4-7 When you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to cover them with plaster. Build an altar of stones there to the Lord your God - do not use any iron tool on them. Use uncut stones to build the altar of the Lord your God and offer burnt offerings to the Lord your God on it. 8 There you are to sacrifice fellowship offerings, eat, and rejoice in the presence of the  Lord your God. Write clearly all the words of this law on the plastered stones.”

9-10 Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and statutes I am giving you today.” 11-13 On that day Moses commanded the people: “When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.  Deuteronomy 27:1-13 Christian Standard Bible

It seems that Moses spoke these words not long before God was going to take the Israelites across the Jordan river and into the land He had promised to Abraham so many years earlier. The construction of the altar of stones and the words of the law was going to be a memorial to remind them of the wonderful day and manner in which they had entered the land. The book of Deuteronomy is followed by the book of Joshua, and that book tells us how God made the Jordan River to stop flowing so that the nation could cross over. We read that “when all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 'Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. Tell them to take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’” (Joshua 4:1-3)

The people did that and Joshua said: “We'll use these stones to build a memorial. And in the future when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:6-7) Now I'm not sure if those were the same stones that were also covered in plaster and the words of God's commandments, but we see that God set in motion things that would help the people REMEMBER the wonderful miracles by which He had rescued them out of Egypt. But, apart from remembering these things, what else were the people to do when they had crossed the Jordan? (vs 8)

They were to offer up a sacrifice and to REJOICE in God's presence. God's people are not called to be miserable. The apostle Paul urged Christians to rejoice in the Lord always, especially as we remember the miracle of our rescue from sin. Jesus Christ died for us and was raised from the tomb. Just as the Jordan river was stopped so the people could pass over, so Jesus has stopped the power of death so we can enter heaven. But Israel wasn't only called to remember their wonderful rescue – what else were the stones to be a reminder of? (vs 2-3, 9-10)

They would remind them of God's commandments which they were to obey if they wanted to live long in the land God was giving them. Rejoicing and obedience are two sides of a coin. Verses 11-13 describe another ceremony God gave to help them to remember to obey. God willing, we'll look at that next week. Jesus said: “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.” (John 15:10-11)