Proper 15 (OTA)

Deuteronomy 27:9-26

⁹ Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”

¹¹ That day Moses charged the people, saying, ¹² “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³ And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴ And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:

¹⁵ “ ‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁶ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁷ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁸ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

¹⁹ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁰ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²¹ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²² “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²³ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁴ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁵ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

²⁶ “ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

There you go, cursed be anyone who does not confirm the Word of God. It seems to be just that simple. If you do not follow all these commands listed out for the people, you will be cursed. Some may wonder what it really means to be cursed. If life has already handed me lemons, how much worse could it get.

If life hands you lemons, you are supposed to make lemon aid. But the real lesson here is the list of rules and regulations. Why do we need to be reminded to confirm the words of this law? Why do I need to be told not to sleep with my sister? Why do I need to be told there is only one God? The truth is simple. These people needed to be told because they had already spent 40 years in the wilderness paying the curse for the last time people forgot. Their children will repeatedly pay the price for forgetting these commandments as well.

The Law of God should always be kept before our eyes. It is the Law of God that instructs us how we are supposed to live and act. Everyone who breaks these laws will be cursed. But lucky for you, Jesus Christ has been cursed in your place. What is worse than lemons, a cross with nails and thorns. Jesus Christ suffered the curse for our sins upon the cross, so that we may have life.