“When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.”-Deuteronomy 11:29
We’re specifically told that the reaffirmation of the Mosaic covenant was to take place at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.
The road leading to Shechem cuts right between these two mountains with Mount Gerizim located to the south of the road and Mount Ebal located to the north.
You may be wondering…“why the heck are you giving me this specific geographical information?!”.
“Like, who cares?”
“I don’t need this boring information.”
If that’s what you’re thinking, well think again.
Because EVERY DETAIL in Scripture is important and has meaning.
Some parts may be more important than the others, but they are all important, or they wouldn’t be included in the Scripture.
Now pay close attention because I’ve got something mighty fascinating to share with you.
We’re told that the blessings of the Torah are to be proclaimed on Mount Gerizim AND…
…the curses of the covenant are to be proclaimed from the top of Mount Ebal.
Why?
Well…do you recall the spiritual significance of the direction east?
Or do you remember how the encampment of Israel was established so that certain tribes were grouped together and then assigned permanent camping locations based on the four major compass directions?
Remember, from God’s perspective, the direction EAST holds the highest status of all the four directions.
Now let me explain the logic and pattern behind God’s choice to have the blessings proclaimed from Mount Gerizim and the curses proclaimed from Mount Ebal.
When facing East, Mount Gerizim was to the right (the south side) and Mount Ebal was to the right (the north side).
Now here’s the thing.
In Scripture, the right side is always considered to be mightier and carries more authority than the left side.
That is why Mount Gerizim was given the privilege of having the covenant blessing proclaimed from it.
On the other hand, again when facing East, on the left-hand side was where Mount Ebal stood.
That is why the covenant curses were read from the top of Mount Ebal.
But having said that, understand there is nothing intrinsically evil about the direction left.
A left-handed person isn’t necessarily cursed or anything like that.
I’m just saying that Scripturally speaking, the right is considered to be superior to the left.
And there you have it.
That is why the blessings were read from the top of Mount Gerizim and the curses were read from the top of Mount Ebal.
Oh, one more thing.
These two mountains we’re talking about where the Mosaic covenant was reaffirmed, this just happens to be the EXACT SAME AREA the world calls the “disputed territory”.
That’s right.
This very area is the so-called West Bank.
I find this incredibly fascinating.
Not only is this area in dispute, but the validity of what was affirmed on these mountains, the Mosaic Covenant is also in dispute amongst believers all over the world today.
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER TWELVE
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