Keep all the commandments

(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

Sinking Sand

http://www.booksthataregood.com/Reference_Books.php

http://twitter.com/#!/jamesmcnaught 

http://www.youtube.com/user/jamesmcnaught1

Deuteronomy 27:1–10, “And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.  Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God. And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.”

This section actually begins the process of making the contract. Before this Moses had been telling Israel their obligations under the contract but now they are reminded that they must keep the commandments to fulfil their own obligations under the contract. The Lord was far more powerful than Israel and He had already delivered them from slavery in Egypt so He was in the position to define the covenant. After all, without the Lord Israel would be nothing but slaves and have nothing at all. If Israel wanted to maintain this relationship that they Lord had chosen to give them they had to accept His conditions. The first thing that the Lord required was that they establish stone monuments and cover the monuments so that they would be easily read and maintained. The commandments, that the Lord expected Israel to keep, were to be written in plain view so that they people could see them regularly and remember them. They were also to build an altar to the Lord according to the conditions set out by the Lord, that is the stones were not to be cut to shape. They were to offer and burnt offering. Every time an offering was made Israel was reminded that blood had been shed to save them from slavery. There were various offerings to be offered to solemnise the contract. By doing these things, Israel was signifying that they understood the terms of the contract and that they were willing to abide by those terms.