{"id":19449,"date":"2021-08-26T07:04:59","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T14:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=19449"},"modified":"2021-08-26T07:05:07","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T14:05:07","slug":"natans-notes-on-deuteronomy-27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2021\/08\/26\/natans-notes-on-deuteronomy-27\/","title":{"rendered":"Natan’s Notes on Deuteronomy 27"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Deuteronomy 27<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 27:2\u201310,<\/strong> Set up for yourselves.<\/em><\/strong> Immediately upon crossing the Jordan and upon entering the Promised Land, YHVH instructed the Israelites to set up a stone monument containing the Torah and to construct an altar for burnt sacrifices. What is the significance of these and why was it so important that this be Israel\u2019s first order of business upon entering the Land of Promise? Matthew Henry states in his commentary that the Word of YHVH (the Torah) and prayer (the altar) must always accompany each other. Discuss this and relate it to Psalms 51:16\u201319 and Hosea 6:6 and the believer\u2019s spiritual walk. Also, why did YHVH command the Israelites to construct the altar of uncut and whole stones? To whom does this prophetically point? (Read Dan 2:35, 45; Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Luke 20:17.) The stones of the altar were rough and uncut. To whom does this point who became our Living (spiritual) Altar and Sacrifice? (See Isa 53:2.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 27:2, 4, 8, Set up great stones.<\/em><\/strong> On Mount Ebal on whole, uncut stones, the Israelites were to write the Torah-law and then coat these stones with lime plaster. Elohim also told them to build an altar there where they were to make burnt and peace offerings. Why was the Torah written on stones on Mount Ebal\u2014the mountain of the curses? Why not on Mount Gerizim, the mountain of blessing? Certainly this cannot mean that the Torah is a curse, for Paul calls it kadosh <\/em>(holy), just and good in Romans 7:12. What could these stones represent symbolically?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, this symbology tells us that those who don\u2019t follow the Torah will come under a curse, for to violate it is sin (1 John 3:4), and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and every person has sinned (Rom 3:23). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Who<\/em> is the Chief Cornerstone, the Stone the builders rejected (Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11; Eph 2:20), and the stone cut without hands (Dan 2:34)? What was the purpose of these offerings and to whom do the burnt and peace offerings point? Could white lime plaster symbolically represent the saints, the bride of Messiah, being clothed in robes of righteousness (see Rev 19:7\u20138)? Who is the King of Righteousness through whom redeemed sinners become righteous? Who is clothed in robes of righteousness once their sins have been atoned for? (Read Heb 7:2, 20\u201328 cp. Rev 19:7\u20138 cp. 3:5, 18; Isa 61:10.) Who was wounded for our \u00adtransgressions and bruised for our iniquities, had laid on him the iniquities of us all, and was made an offering for sin (Isa 53:5, 6, 10)? Who was the Living Torah, the Word of Elohim made flesh (John 1:1, 14)? Who redeemed us from the curses of the law (Gal 3:13), which came upon us as a result of our sinning (sin is the violation of YHVH\u2019s law, 1\u2009John 3:4), and thus bringing a death penalty upon us (the wages of sin is death, Rom 6:23)? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mount Ebal<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Is it now making sense why the Torah and the altar were placed on Mount Ebal? This is another one of the many prophetic shadow pictures in the Torah pointing to the redemptive work of Yeshua at the cross. Let us give glory to Elohim who knows the beginning from the end and to Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim, who was slain from the foundation of the world for our salvation! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does this strengthen your faith that Yeshua is indeed the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim slain from the foundation of the earth? Who else could have fulfilled these prophecies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 27:11\u201328:68, Moses commanded the people.<\/em><\/strong>YHVH required the Israelites to recite a \u201cpledge of allegiance\u201d affirming their commitment to him before entering the Land. What can we learn from this? Is this something we should do from time to time in our own spiritual walk: recite pledges of commitment to YHVH and set up spiritual markers or reference points in our lives as tokens of our allegiance to him to which we can harken back when the going gets tough? These are acts of the will that when done can engage the heart and stir up feelings of love, devotion and remembrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 27:11\u201316, Freedom versus bondage.<\/strong> Christian author Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse points out something very interesting that none of the Jewish Torah commentaries I have read mention: The six tribes appointed to read the blessings from Mount Gerizim were all children of free women (Leah and Rachel). What are the spiritual implications of this? (Compare this with Paul\u2019s discussion of the free and bondwoman pertaining to Isaac and Ishmael in Galatians 4:21\u201331.) To which children do the promises of YHVH\u2019s material and spiritual blessing (namely, eternal life through Yeshua the Messiah) belong: those who are in bondage to or under the curses of the Torah-law because they walk in sin (which is the transgression of the law, see 1\u2009John 3:4), or to those who walk in obedience to the Torah (i.e. in sinlessness or who walk in YHVH\u2019s instructions and teachings in righteousness)? This brings up yet another issue. Is the purpose of the Torah simply to condemn people, as is taught in the mainstream church, and to bring people into spiritual bondage, and beyond that, the Torah\u2019s only purpose is to point people to the cross after which it is to be discarded like a dirty old rag? This may be what men\u2019s traditions and doctrines teach, but this is not<\/em> what the Word of Elohim declares. Selah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 27:11\u201326, Cursed.<\/em> <\/strong>What are the broader principles or remez <\/em>understanding behind each of these curses? Imagine how much better the world be if people obeyed these commandments and what they imply. The Creator gave man these laws to keep the civil peace and order in society. When violated, they result in social upheaval, wars, strife,\u00a0 conflicts, destruction and all sorts of evil consequences between individuals and people-groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n