SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 27
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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!’ [Deuteronomy 27:14-15] God has Moses set up white-washed (or plastered) stones with His Law written clearly on it. Then with a plain altar before the stone, the Levites declare the “blessings” and the “curses” for obedience or disobedience. Specific examples are mentioned, and the people signify their agreement by saying ‘Amen’ (or ‘this is true and certain!’).
This scene reminds me of an occasion when Jesus announces blessings and curses [Luke 6:20-26]. An another occasion where Jesus also uses white-washed stones to symbolically demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders: Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. [Matthew 23:27] Outward ritual or religion do not matter, but obedience from the heart. It’s not enough to say ‘Amen’ (or ‘I agree’), our lifestyle has to demonstrate it.
The curses described in this passage (or what Jesus describes with ‘Woe’) are not arbitrary punishments that God inflicts on those who dare to disobey Him. They are the natural consequences of going against God and good. All immoral acts, all rebellious behaviours, all sinful choices, have consequences. Sin and folly are its own punishment – like putting one’s hand in the fire, you will get burned. God graciously restrains the natural consequences of sin (we and the world would not be here if He did not), but His warning is that if we refuse to change our ways, we will eventually experience the curse and woe of disobedience.
You can’t spit in the wind without getting spit in your face. We reap what we sow. If we defy the natural created order of things, we will experience the consequences. God is not being mean or vengeful, He is not cruel and ready to snap at anyone who steps out of line. On the contrary, He protects us from our choices for a long time, He is patient with us, He warns us, and gives us plenty of opportunities to come to our senses. Only in the end, after stubborn refusal to change, does He relent and give us what we want. Someone has said that hell is the ultimate answered prayer – God finally giving people what they wanted.
PRAYER:
Lord, I know where I am spitting in the wind. You are convicting me, and I want to change. Help me change, help me surrender to You!