And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
And Moses charged the people the same day, opening his instructions for a public covenant ceremony to be held after Israel crossed the Jordan. The charge marked the day Moses commanded concerning the blessings that would follow obedience to God's law and the curses that would follow disobedience. It belonged to the covenant ceremony at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.
The setting shows God's particular care over forgetful Israel on the day of crossing the Jordan, being very specific about what to do so His law would be made familiar and impressive. He told them just what to do, to plaster stones and write the commandments of God on them. He appointed two mounts for a repetition of the law from two prominent positions, one the mount of blessings and the other the mount of curses. Blessings for obedience were to be pronounced from Mount Gerizim upon the obedient, and curses for disobedience from Mount Ebal upon the disobedient, setting out the advantages of the blessing and the disadvantages and consequences of the curse.
After each declaration the congregation were to assent to the specifications, and by accepting the conditions they placed themselves under solemn responsibility to fulfil them. The surrounding directions set out God's requirements and commands whose blessings depended on obedience, expressing the principles of God's law and of the law of His kingdom made specific so minds would not be left in ignorance and uncertainty. The words charged are not the voice of man but the voice of Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, uttered with His own voice lest the people forget. Obedience to God's claims and commandments remains binding and is for present and future good, bringing prosperity, while disobedience results in a curse. The ceremony was meant to deter from transgression and encourage obedience, showing that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but takes greatest pleasure in those who turn from sin.
The chapter presents the never-ceasing obligation of all whom God has blessed with life and health and temporal and spiritual advantages to publicly acknowledge His special favor, so that God's name will be glorified as a testimony that His Word is verity and truth. The mountains of the ceremony later stood as witnesses to Israel's solemn vows. Joshua later assembled the people and rehearsed these blessings and curses along with the Ten Commandments and the other recorded laws. The vows were renewed at Shechem before Joshua's death.
And Moses charged the people the same day, opening his instructions for a public covenant ceremony to be held after Israel crossed the Jordan. The charge marked the day Moses commanded concerning the blessings that would follow obedience to God's law and the curses that would follow disobedience. It belonged to the covenant ceremony at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.
The setting shows God's particular care over forgetful Israel on the day of crossing the Jordan, being very specific about what to do so His law would be made familiar and impressive. He told them just what to do, to plaster stones and write the commandments of God on them. He appointed two mounts for a repetition of the law from two prominent positions, one the mount of blessings and the other the mount of curses. Blessings for obedience were to be pronounced from Mount Gerizim upon the obedient, and curses for disobedience from Mount Ebal upon the disobedient, setting out the advantages of the blessing and the disadvantages and consequences of the curse.
After each declaration the congregation were to assent to the specifications, and by accepting the conditions they placed themselves under solemn responsibility to fulfil them. The surrounding directions set out God's requirements and commands whose blessings depended on obedience, expressing the principles of God's law and of the law of His kingdom made specific so minds would not be left in ignorance and uncertainty. The words charged are not the voice of man but the voice of Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, uttered with His own voice lest the people forget. Obedience to God's claims and commandments remains binding and is for present and future good, bringing prosperity, while disobedience results in a curse. The ceremony was meant to deter from transgression and encourage obedience, showing that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but takes greatest pleasure in those who turn from sin.
The chapter presents the never-ceasing obligation of all whom God has blessed with life and health and temporal and spiritual advantages to publicly acknowledge His special favor, so that God's name will be glorified as a testimony that His Word is verity and truth. The mountains of the ceremony later stood as witnesses to Israel's solemn vows. Joshua later assembled the people and rehearsed these blessings and curses along with the Ten Commandments and the other recorded laws. The vows were renewed at Shechem before Joshua's death.