Dueteronomy 26:1-27:26

Do you ever think what it might have been like to be among the Israelites during the giving of the Law?  To be one of those Israelites standing on the edge of the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering and to hear it given again, and to be exhorted to keep it "with all your heart and all your soul" (26:16).  What might it have been like to be among those that were divided between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal to hear the curses for those who did this or that (lie with their father's wife, mislead a blind man on the road, striking down a neighbor in secret, setting up a carven image in secret)?  To hear these curses and say, "Amen, amen, amen!"  Do you think it's possible that so many listened to each curse and said "amen" easily, perhaps believing that they would never do such a thing anyways.  Until the last curse is given: "Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them." (27:26)  That is a large number of words to fail to confirm, a large number of things in which to possible fail, and bring a curse on your own head. 

It brings me back to the command to do the law with all your heart and soul: to fulfill it with gusto and passion.  Really, the Lord intended Israel to obey out of love.  He later admonishes them that their sacrifices He doesn't care much for, but rather their hearts (Psalm 40:6, Psalm 51:16-19, Hosea 6:6).  There were consequences to not following the Law: we know that the wages of sin is death, and that the Law pointed out sin; it would always point out Israel's sin, especially if they failed to offer sacrifices before the Lord in a worthy manner.  And the same is true of us, isn't there?  There are consequences of just going through the motions of church life.  Those consequences may not be death or eternal separation from God, but loss of fellowship with Him, loss of opportunity for reward, certainly.  What if we simply pursue this Christian life without our hearts and souls invested?  Without passion?  Without desire?  What do we lose then?  Tomorrow we read the blessings for obeying the Law.  Would we not also see blessings for seeking Christ?

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-68