Sermon Tone Analysis

Notes

Deuteronomy 27 has the hallmarks of an ancient Near-Eastern land grant in which the king gives land to a people.

27:1-4

a ceremony to ratify the covenant

The altar was to be constructed from stone covered with lime-plaster, the white of which providing a sharp contrast with the black of the law that was to be written on the altar.

The writing of the law was clear and distinct.

Readable.

No blurring.

No confusion.

God’s people knew what was expected of them because God’s Law was clear.

27:5-8

The altar was to be constructed by uncut stone.

This was in agreement with Exodus 20:25 “If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it.”

This set apart the altar from pagan altars, which were primarily constructed of cut, finished stone.

This prohibition also protected Israel from committing idolatry by carving idols of stone as they carved an altar of stones.

Sacrifices of burnt offerings and peace offerings and a celebratory meal following were also found in the ratification of the covenant at Mt. Sinai.

Final verse repeats vv.

1-4 for emphasis.

The words of the Law were to be written “very plainly.”

(in this context all the Law would’ve been Deuteronomy 5-26)

27:9-10

“Be silent!

Listen!” = a message of grave importance

The message = Israel is now the people of God.

Have the Law

About to enter the Promised Land

Renewing the Mosaic Covenant right now

YHWH is their God and they are His people.

27:11-13

Fulfillment of Deuteronomy 11:29

Actual event in Joshua 8:30-35

On the division of tribes between Mt.

Gerizim and Mt.

Ebal

Perhaps along maternal lines - Gerizim tribes descended from Leah and Rachel; Ebal tribes descended from their handmaids and the first and last-born of Leah

Perhaps along geographical lines - Gerizim tribes roughly to the south in the PL; Ebal tribes roughly to the north

We just can’t say for sure.

27:14-15

The Talmud (early Jewish rabbinical teaching) says that answering, “Amen,” after an oath is the same as declaring the oath yourself.

27:15-26

12 sins that will bring curses; the Dodecalogue (as opposed to the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments); all relates to secret violations of the law

thus, the covenant agreement covers public and private sins; either will bring curses on God’s people

v. 15 is a violation of the first table of the Decalogue; v. 16 is a violation of the second table of the Decalogue with specifics examples following

vv.

20-23 deal with sexual sins; 7th Commandment

these all dealt with more extensively in other places in the Law

Beastiality forbidden upon pain of death in the Mosaic Law, but was generally accepted in the ancient Near East.

Only the Hittites restricted but even then it was permitted with a horse or a mule.

vv.

24-26

first two curses a violation of the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not murder.”

final verse is a summary statement against all those who will not take obedience to God’s Law seriously

application of Deuteronomy 27...

all must

obey

uphold

God’s law concerning man’s relationship with God

God’s law concerning man’s relationship with man

if not, curse

and all the people said, “Amen.”

That all are responsible to obey God’s Law results in all being condemned for their value to obey God’s Law.

impossible to obey and uphold all the law of God

Jesus bore the curse that was due His people for their disobedience.

Notes on Deuteronomy 28…

the listing of blessings was a feature of ancient Near Eastern covenants.

For example,

in the treaty between Suppiluliumas (the suzerain) and Mattiwaza (the vassal), the king promises the prince the following blessings if he keeps his side of the pact: ‘If [on the other hand] you, Mattiwaza, the prince, and [you], the Hurrians, fulfil this treaty and [this] oath, may these gods protect you, Mattiwaza, together with your wife, the daughter of the Hatti land, her children and her children’s children, and also [you], the Hurrians, together with your wives, your children, and your children’s children and together with your country.

May the Mitanni country return to the place which it occupied before, may it thrive and expand.

May you, from the daughter of the Great King of the Hatti land, and [you], the Hurrians, exercise kingship for ever.

May the throne of your father persist, may the Mitanni country persist.’

YHWH is the suzerain

Israel is the vassal

Blessing for Israel from YHWH if Israel obeys the Covenant

28:1-2

OVERTAKE - verb used of someone running down the object he is pursuing; the blessings will pursue and track down the obedient!

28:3-6

‘blessed’ repeated six times; these blessings will be overwhelming!

“city/field” and “entering/exiting” communicate that Israel will be blessed in everything everywhere

these six blessings contrast with the six curses upcoming in vv.

16-19

28:7-8

blessings in external relations/ internal conditions

7 denotes fullness, completion

barns (grainaries) filled

28:9-10

God’s choosing of Israel is what makes Israel holy, set apart to Him in terms of the covenant

“as he swore to you” - God fulfilling His promise

“name of YHWH proclaimed over you” - Israelites will be literally be called by His name

28:11-12

Caananite pagans attempted to manipulate their idols into providing fertility—fertile womb, fertile animals, fertile land.

Their child sacrifices and temple prostitution were an attempt to manipulate the goodwill of false gods.

Israel isn’t to do such things in their worship of YHWH.

They are only to obey His word.

YHWH cannot be manipulated.

28:13-14

“the head and not the tail/top and not the bottom” - idiom used in Isaiah 9:15 to differentiate a honorable leader from a false one

Israel will be

prince of nations

leader of peopls

crown of the earth

But Israel must obey

the greatest danger to the covenant by which all these blessings comes is idolatry, which will be reflected in Israel’s disobedience.

application of Deuteronomy 28:1-14…

A story is told of an officer in the army of Wellington.

He received his orders directly from Wellington, but he complained to the commander saying that the orders were impossible to execute.

Wellington replied, ‘I did not ask your opinion; I gave you my orders, and expect them to be obeyed.’

Implicit obedience is required of every soldier of Jesus Christ.

And, indeed, we have been given God’s Word, and we must obey it.

If we obey, we will be blessed

perhaps not materially

but by becoming more like Christ

but by causing others to consider the way of Christ

but by living for the glory of God

Are these not the better blessings?