Read: Deut. 26-29:1
When they entered the land they were to bring their first fruits to the Lord. Notice all they were to say to the priest. They were to proclaim with their own mouth all that God had done for them and what he had delivered them from. Then they were to go and celebrate all the good things the Lord has given to you and your household.
In the third year they were to give a special offering just for the Levites, foreigners, orphans and widows and make a declaration over it. God wanted the people to communicate with them. He still does.
When they crossed the Jordan they were to whitewash some stones and write the instructions of God on them so that anyone that came into their land would see the laws and know what they were.
Israel was to be a nation that was holy to the Lord that all the earth could look at and see how God deals with his people and how his people love him. Sadly, they rarely did this. We, as Christians, are to be an example to the world of how a child of God responds to their Lord and how he blesses and disciplines us.
Once they arrived in the promised land they were to split the tribes and half of them were to stand on Mt. Gerizim and respond with an “Amen” to all the blessings as Joshua stood in the valley and read them. The other half of the tribes were to stand on Mt. Elba and respond with an “Amen” every time Joshua read the curses. In this way they were agreeing with the covenant God was giving them.
All they had to do was to obey the commands of the Lord and walk in His ways and they would live in prosperity in every sense of the word. If we walk in God’s commands and choose his ways, we will live in these blessings also. Walking in God’s blessings does not mean that we will not have trials and temptations. James tells us that we can expect them and welcome them because they make us perfect.
Lord, we choose to walk in the blessings and not the curses. Help us to hide your word in our hearts.
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