As with all other instructions of Mosheh, the central theme of this portion regards keeping Torah. This portion takes that theme and expounds upon what happens when Torah is obeyed or not. Twelve specific curses are detailed at the end of chapter 27. The first 14 verses of chapter 28 deal with specific blessings, while the remainder of the chapter deals with the seriousness of one's choice to disobey, devalue by way of just going through the motions, or making it null and void altogether.
I once heard a Christian pastor say to me, in defense of nullifying the Torah: "You don't actually think you can keep the Torah, do you?" The right answer to that question is a resounding "no". In concluding my answer to this pastor, I said, "But, that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to do the best of my ability". Sadly, this is what Christian pastors do and teach their followers when they disobey and disavow Torah. According to this portion,they incur curses for they and their flock. The twelfth curse listed in chapter 27 applies to them.
"Cursed is he who does not establish the Words of this Torah..." Deuteronomy 27: 26
The phrase "does not establish" presents a dual meaning. It describes a person that both refuses to obey Torah AND establish its eternal authority. The KJV says, "confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them." According to this meaning, EVERY person that believes the lie that Torah is no longer valid in our day and acts on that lie is CURSED.
I was personally well indoctrinated in Christianity for over 40 years. In that time, every teaching I remember regarding grace and Torah portrayed the implementation of Torahas coming before the age of grace. Such is a great lie. It is written of Noah that he "found grace in the eyes of the Lord". Abraham "believed God and it was counted for him as righteousness". Then, YHVH spoke directly to Mosheh on the mountain, beginning His Ten Commandments with "I AM the Lord your God (believe in Me)..." Clearly, Scripture says grace was securely in place even before the fall of Adam.
There is another curious matter concerning the law, and exemplified within this portion. Throughout Torah, there are specific sacrifices required for unintentional or accidental sin, while there is NOT ONE sacrifice prescribed for willful or premeditated sin. If a person commits the latter, death is certain--sooner with witnesses or later if done in secret. Consider vv. 15-26 of chapter 27 for a list of the 12 curses. Notice that, while each one can have witnesses, all of them have the common characteristic of beingdeliberate and/or in secret. In the absence of witnesses, YHVH will track the guilty evento the third and fourth generation so they won't go unpunished.
Even so, there is good news. From the foundation of the world, it was purposed that Yeshua would be the perfect sacrifice for ALL categories of sin--both willing and accidental. As Mosheh lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Yeshua was lifted up on His crucifixion stake. As those that were immediately healed of deadly serpent bites just by looking upon the brass image, we are instantly healed of the deadly "snake bite" of sin just for confessing ALL our sin to Him and receiving His gift of redemption.
Yeshua spoke harshly to the Pharisees (Baptists, Methodists, etc. of His day). In regards to the Torah of YHVH through Mosheh, the religious leaders of His day piously made cumbersome additions to the simplicity of what Mosheh taught. Our pious Christian leaders of today simply discard everything Mosheh said as invalid for us. The following words of Yeshua are as applicable for our ignorant and false modern leaders.
“Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Mosheh, in whom you have set your expectation. For if you believed Mosheh, you would have believed Me, since he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you believe My words?” John 5: 45-47
According to this Scripture, the expectation of the Pharisees was in Mosheh, yet, for esteem from their own fellow brethren, they perverted the true teaching of Mosheh. For their treachery, Yeshua said it would not be He, but Mosheh that would accuse them before the Father. The religious leaders of His day didn't believe the words of Mosheh that clearly wrote of Messiah and couldn't believe the words of Yeshua. Even more so, our false Christian teachers of today distort and lie about the words of Yeshua because they have discarded Mosheh altogether, and incur the accusation of Mosheh.
According to the instruction of YHVH through Mosheh, the blessings were put upon Mt. Gerizim while the curses were put upon Mt. Eybal. Of a fact, meticulous keeping of Torah will NEVER garner salvation. Yet, faithfully pursuing Torah from the heart will garner blessings as He sees fit upon His servant friends.
As the choice for blessings or curses were put upon these mountains (called"shoulders"), the choice is upon your shoulders--like the cartoon of the man with a little angel on one shoulder and a little devil on the other. One says blessings while the other lies about the curses and calls them blessings. The "ball is now in your court". What will you choose? Torah of YHVH through Mosheh (blessings), or the lies of Christianity (Curses)?
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