The Need for a Monument, an Altar, Silence, and Obedience -- Deuteronomy 27:1-10

[photo: dkfindout.com -- check them out; no, this monument was not what God wanted]

Having Heard God's Laws Isn't Enough -- Deuteronomy 27:1-10

In this 27th chapter of the book of Deuteronomy Moses is joined by the "elders of Israel" in what they charge the Israelites with. Moses had done his job. The elders were convinced and now it was a team project from here on in.

To begin with (verse 1), the people are told to "Keep all the commandments." Now, that's quite an assignment.  According to tradition, there are only 613 O.T. laws and commandments that needed to be kept. Boy, did Israel ever need someone to save them from this drudgery as well.  (And they got someone who could and did complete that task about 2,000 years or so later in the person of Jesus Christ.) But for now, they thought Egypt was bad, but having to observe 613 commandments -- that's hard. Nevertheless that is the assignment that God through Moses and the elders had placed on the Israelites and by extension for anyone who would call Him Lord at that time.

Secondly in verses 2-3, we see that the people had to set up for themselves large stones, coat them with lime, and write on them "all the words of this law".  That's a lot of words.  And actually verse 8 says this writing needs to be clear, i.e. "very distinctly" written. Secondly, they had to do this "in order that you may enter the land your God gives you . . .  as promised."

Why the lime? David Guzik suggests the following:

"So the words could be easily seen, they were to whitewash them with lime. Anything we can do to make God's word more accessible to others is a good thing, as long as the integrity of God's word is preserved.Any time God's word is presented, it must be presented very plainly. Every preacher and teacher must endeavor to make the Word of God plain."

Verse 4 tells us that these stones would be set up on Mount Ebal. In addition to that, verses 5-6 indicate they had to build there "an altar of stones not using any iron tool on it, using uncut stones, and there make your offerings to the Lord." Can you believe all the details that God was still providing? There is no way that anyone today can argue successfuly that God does not care about the details in our lives. Period. Full stop. We have so much evidence in the Torah to the contrary.

Chuck Smith on God's instructions at this point:

[God desired] "that the place that they make for the worship of God be simple and natural. God did not want them building ornate places of worship. Why? Because when you come into an ornate place of worship your mind is drawn to the ornateness of the place. And you begin to glory in its architecture or in the fine carvings or in the beauty of the place itself. But God wants you when you come to worship Him not to be distracted. To stand in awe of gorgeous architecture or whatever but that your place of worship be just a simple place, that does not attract attention to itself but allows you to give your full attention unto the Lord to worship Him."

Robert Jamieson adds, "The stones were to be in their natural state, as if a chisel would communicate pollution to them. The stony pile was to be so large as to contain all the conditions of the covenant, so elevated as to be visible to the whole congregation of Israel."

Verse 7 says that site is also where they were to make their peace offerings, where they would eat and rejoice before God. That's part of both remembering and worshipping. We tend to forget that in many of our churches. Instead, when restaurants were open (pre-Covid) we remembered the eating part and then headed out to our different restaurants, usually by ourselves as couples or small families, as soon as the benediction is given. 

Now what was the difference between the erection of the stones and the separate altar? Why both? Only Matthew Henry addresses this directly. The first very large (nay, humongous) structure was to be a monument by which they would remember what God did for them and the Laws He gave them. The second structure, the altar, was a means by which they and God would communicate and relate with each other.  They would sacrifice to Him and give Him glory, and He would accept their sacrifices.

Finally in verses 9-10, the Israelites were told to "Be silent and listen!" That's the day they would become a people for the Lord their God. And that was to be followed by obedience to God's commands.

As I read this verse today I thought of what is going on in our world. Many politicians today tell us the same thing "be silent, listen, and obey". They do it with respect to the Great Reset the Global Economic Forum elites want for the world, the lockdowns and restrictions that our leaders want because of the virus, the culture cancels that are taking place because minorities don't like us, the silencing of free speech where it does not meet the agenda of the progressives, and so much more.

Should we just be silent, listen, and obey? I'm sure our answers will differ. Some of my friends say we should.  Others say only if it does not contradict the Word of God. Of course the problem arises in coming to a joint or common understanding of what kind of orders from governments and others contradict the Word of God today.  That can be tricky.  Let me give you an example.

The government says churches cannot hold services because of the virus. Yes, obey your government. What they are saying does not directly contradict the Word of God as I read it. The reason being you can still worship God on-line or alone in your home. Agreed. Now, your pastor, after much prayer with his elder group decides that God wants the church to be open; He wants His people to stand up to this introduction of tyranny as mild as it may seem at this point. There are lots of verses and passages in Scripture that say we are to heed the words of our "shepherds and pastors" as they have been appointed by God and have a grave responsibility in their leadership of us. In fact, the very passage we are studying today supports that to a certain extent. So now what do you do?  Do you show up Sunday morning?

It isn't a problem with a slam-dunk solution. Many would struggle if put in that spot. I have decided I would show up. The pastor and the elders are not telling us to do anything contrary to God's will for us as His people. And I do believe in the safety of numbers.  I've traditionally gone to a big church -- so I believe the chances of throwing two thousand of us in jail all at once are slim.  Even if they issue us tickets and we all refuse to pay them -- prosecuting all 2,000 of us would be difficult.

The only thing going against the pastor and leadership team in this case (from a Scriptural perspective) is that they may be advising us to go against the local government -- and Jesus did say "render unto Caesar the things that are his and unto God the things that are His".  So, where are we?

You can see the problem.  There's no easy solution. But there is a course of action that needs to be taken and that is this: Each and every one of us must do what is right for him or herself as he or she believes God would want them to react or act. That's all I can offer in this case. We need to be right with God individually.  And the Holy Spirit has a way of being able to relate whether we are or not -- if we listen and seek Him.  Perhaps some of our readers have another or a better solution.

Bottom Line For Us -- God wants us to remember. God wants us to worship. God wants us to be silent, listen, and obey. What the outcomes of that remembering, worshipping, being silent, listening, and obeying look like for you dear sister or brother may be different from what it looks like for someone else. But I can unequivocally say two things:  First, if we are really listening and obeying what each of us is called to do will be in God's will for us.  Secondly, as long as we are consistent with Scriptures, we need answer to no other authority. Getting to that point with humility and in total dependence on God is the hard part. 

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