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The Scriptorium

Idolators Cursed

A little performance art for believers. Deuteronomy 27.11-15

A Hedge of Curses: Deuteronomy 27 (3)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 115.1-3
Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.

Psalm 115.1-3

(Plainfield: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus)
Not to us, O God, not us, but unto Your Name give glory!
For Your love and faithfulness, ever to Your Name be glory!
Why should the nations cry, "Where is their God on high?"
You rule us, Lord, on high: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Today’s Text: Deuteronomy 27.11-15

Preparation
1. What was to be cursed according to these verses?

2. How did Moses set it up for all the people to agree in this curse?

Meditation
An idol is anything we desire, delight in, trust, or long for more than God. God is our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Lord, and King. We must have no other gods besides Him, and that means anything imagined or any created thing. Clinging to idols will cut us off from God and His promises and leave us to the ravages of self and sin. Already in Deuteronomy we have seen over and over how Moses instructed the people to guard themselves against idols.

Now he begins to erect a hedge of curses around the people, to protect them from veering from the path of God. And the place he naturally begins is idolatry.

We saw in the first part of this chapter how Moses used an example of public art to remind the people of God’s Law and to symbolize the Law as the gateway to His promises. What we see here might be considered as a kind of performance art. Throughout the next several verses, the people are to arrange themselves in a kind of antiphonal choir, facing one another before the Law and around the alter, once they have entered the land (vv. 11-13).

In that setting, the Levites call out together the curses God threatens to bring upon His people for disobedience to His Law. There are twelve curses in all – one for each tribe? – and they represent various aspects of the Law of God.

Beginning with the threat of cursing for violations of the second commandment (vv. 14, 15). The Levites will cry out as one the nature of the curse, and the people are to respond in unison, “Amen!” Try to imagine that setting: in a valley between two mountains. How loud would it have been when the Levites as one called out the curses God threatened against His people? Very loud, indeed! And how much louder would it have been as all the people cried, “Amen!”

No one who was there would have been likely to forget that experience easily. And that was precisely the point.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“And Moses commanded the people on the same day” (Deut. 27.11) because God wanted His people to know and remember the serious nature of their decision. He had just told them, “This day you have become the people of the LORD your God” (v. 9). And to be visually helpful, the curses came from the same Mount Ebal where “you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law” (v. 8). For us, when we heard the Gospel, and for us, as we share the Gospel, these good news/bad news truths should be more evident. We, too, need to grasp the serious nature of the decision we have made to follow Christ. We hear with interest and acceptance, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3.23). Amen! “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6.23). Amen! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3.16). Amen! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5.8). Amen! “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. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also walk just as He walked” (1 Jn. 2.3-6). Wait. What? This is part of it too? Indeed. It was shouted from Mount Ebal just as surely to our ears as to theirs: “Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them” (Deut. 27.26). The joy of our salvation, and assurance of eternal life, come in our obedience and thankful “Amen!” to all of the words of the Law.

Reflection

1. By keeping the Law of God, we do not earn our salvation; we prove and improve it. Explain.

2. Meditate on Hebrews 12.3-11. Does God still issue threats today? Why?

3. How can we recognize when an idol is beginning to get a foothold in our lives? What should we do then?

In order that both the promises and threats might have more efficacy in affecting the minds of all, God enjoined not only that they should be proclaimed in a solemn rite, but also that they should be approved by the people in a loud voice, and sealed, as it were, by their consent.
John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Deuteronomy 27.11-15

Thank You, Lord, that in Jesus Christ You have made me holy, so that I…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 115.4-18
An idol is anything we delight in, trust in, or desire more than the Lord. Let the Spirit search you in silent prayer, to show you any idols lingering or developing in your soul. Confess and repent.

Psalm 115.4-18
(Plainfield: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus)
Idols made by men's own hand – ever to Your Name be glory –
see nor hear nor understand – ever to Your Name be glory!
They neither feel nor walk, nor can they speak or talk;
all those who serve them fall, but unto Your Name be glory!

All who trust in Jesus yield – ever to His Name be glory! –
find in Him their help and shield – ever to Your Name be glory!
O Israel, trust the Lord!  He helps us evermore!
Fear Him obey His Word: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Blessings from our gracious Lord – ever to Your Name be glory –
will attend us evermore – ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless all who fear You, Lord, all who obey Your Word,
all who Your Name adore: Ever to Your Name be glory!

Grant us, Savior, great increase – ever to Your Name be glory!
Bless us with eternal peace – ever to Your Name be glory!
Heaven and earth are Yours; let every soul adore
and bless You evermore: Ever to Your Name be glory!

T. M. and Susie Moore

Listen to our summary of last week’s study in Deuteronomy by clicking here. You can download all the studies in the series by clicking here. And check out our current ReVision series on encouragement.

Want to learn more about worship? Our workbook/study guide, The Highest Thing, follows the pattern of sound worship as God reveals it in His Word. It’s on sale this month by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy: Ancient Christian Commentary Series III, Joseph T. Lienhard, S. J. ed. in collaboration with Ronnie J. Rombs, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001). All quotations from John Calvin from John Calvin, Commentaries on The Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Order of A Harmony, Rev. Charles William Bingham M. A., tr. and ed. (Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1863. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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