“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse…” (Deuteronomy 11:26 NIV)
“When the Lord your God has brought you to the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim in Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.” (Deuteronomy 11:29 NIV)
Moses was laying out God-instructions for a moment still to come. Joshua would lead his people into the Promised Land and at the heart of it, they would discover two mountains perched side by side. Gerizim – lush and fruitful and Ebal – rocky and barren. These mountains still stand today as visual reminders of God’s favor and abandonment.
When the Israelites entered the land and found the mountains, the tribes would divide; six would ascend Gerizim and six up to Ebal. There they would pronounce these blessings from Gerizim and curses from Ebal. This way the people could not claim ignorance, they were complicit in God’s plan from initial possession of the land. Deuteronomy 27-28 very clearly outline the exact details of both blessings and curses.
God had built choice into the landscape of Canaan. Follow God’s commands, do good: be blessed. Disobey God’s commands, doo evil: be cursed. The inhabitants of this new territory could literally look out their living room window and be reminded of their option each and every day. They would see the fruitfulness of Gerizim and the grimness of Ebal. The Israelites would make their choices day after day, as we do.
On this two hundred and forty-third Independence Day, I wonder what choices we’ve made as a nation. Was it as clear before our forefathers as it was the Israelites? We honor God, we receive blessing. We deny Him, we curse ourselves completely. The choice is a national one, but it also still looms over the individual. Are we electing to follow His commandments or ignoring them altogether? Are we declaring divine dependance or forging our own way and forcing His hand?
America’s birthday is a fine time to reconsider our history and give thought toward our future. We may very well be in the valley of decision right now, determining our next blessing or curse.
Lord, we look to Your Word for guidance and You make the right path very clear. Give us the courage to keep repenting on behalf of our nation. May a few righteous souls turn the heart of our nation back toward our gracious God. Help us understand the eternal weight of our choices and lead us back around to You. Amen.