Deuteronomy 27:1-10 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 27:1-10. Let’s go!
Deuteronomy 27:1-10 (NIV)
1 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster.
5 Build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them.
6 Build the altar of the LORD your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God.
7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God.
8 And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up.”
9 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.
10 Obey the LORD your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”
On verses 1-10: Here Moses tells the Israelites that when they enter the Promised Land, they are to take some large stones (v1), bring them up to Mount Ebal, coat them with plaster (v2, 4) and write on them the words of the law (v3, 8). There they are also to build an altar of undressed stones to worship the Lord (v5) by offering burnt offerings (v6) and celebrate by offering fellowship offerings (v7). (Click HERE for what burnt offerings and fellowship offerings are.)
What can we learn from this?
1. Whenever you enter into a new environment (a new job, a new school, a new city, a new season), make it a point to worship God in that new environment. Say, “God, in this new environment, You’re the One I’m going to worship” and then take time to worship Him. This will help you in that new environment to focus on God’s purpose instead of getting distracted, to fight off temptation, and to be a blessing to others.
2. When I read this passage from Deuteronomy 27, I am reminded of 1 Peter 2:4-5 which says:
1 Peter 2:4-5 (NIV)
4 As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him–
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Just as in Deuteronomy 27 the Israelites were told to use stones to build an altar, 1 Peter 2:4-5 calls us living stones on which God is building His church, His altar.
Just as Deuteronomy 27 called for the altar to carry lambs as burnt offerings, so we — an altar of living stones — carry the Lamb of God who died for our sins, Jesus Christ.
Just as the stones surrounding the altar had the law written on them, so we have God’s Word written on our hearts by His Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:3).
Praise God! Together, you and I are an altar for God. That’s your “altar” ego!
Father, thank You for choosing us to be living stones which You are using to build a spiritual house of worship. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
