Sabbath, April 20 – Deuteronomy 26, 27 – Commentary, “Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 46, “The Blessings and the Curses”
Study Questions:
1. Once they had entered the promised land, what portion of the fruits of the land were they to bring before the Lord as an offering? Deuteronomy 26:2
2. On which mountain were the Levites to proclaim the curses? Deuteronomy 27:13
Commentary and Reflection:
God commanded the people to bring the offering of first fruits to the Sanctuary in recognition of every blessing coming from Him. They would receive the land from God, as well as its produce. We must bring the first to God, not the last, not what remains, but the first fruits.
The ceremony prescribed for the offering of first fruits is full of meaning:
When bringing the offering of first fruits, the worshipper was to declare before the priest, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.” Deuteronomy 26:3
Then the priest would take the basket with the offering and place it before the altar of the Lord.
Next, the worshipper was to say, “My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and [c]dwelt there, few in number;… He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”; 10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.’” Deuteronomy 26:5, 9,10
After leaving the offering before the altar, they were to worship the Lord.
Then they were to rejoice, “So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.” Deuteronomy 26:11
It is important to note the significance of ceremonies in worship. They serve as a memorial and to confirm faith.
In this ceremony, the worshipper repeated the history of Israel as their personal testimony. It is healthy and good for us to repeat our story as a testimony. “My father was a Syrian, … the LORD delivered us…, I have brought the firstfruits… the LORD has given me,” repeating it many times so that it is known, so that it is engraved in the mind, so that it is passed on to generations. Who we were and how the Lord delivered us and how He has blessed us. This is a practice that is good for us to engage in. Repeating the testimony is an offering, it is praise, and it is part of worship. That is why the repetition of this story is common in biblical discourse. God commanded it, Moses did it, Stephen did it, Peter did it, Paul did it, and many others did it.
It is obvious that the Lord was concerned about His people forgetting their heritage and losing in the process their identity, He commanded that, once they crossed into the promised land, they were to setup large stones whitewashed with lime, and the commandments were to be written on them. Then the people were to stand in the valley between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim. From Mount Ebal, curses were to be pronounced. The people were to respond “Amen” to each of them. Like Israel, we do well to always remember the curses disobedience brings and the blessings obedience brings.
May God grant you a day full of blessings.
Pastor Abel Paulin