Alrighty, we’re gonna be picking up the pace here as we forward through Deuteronomy Chapter 27.
Let’s take a look at verse 22.
“‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his sister, no matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
This law lays down the basic definition of incest.
A man is forbidden to have sexual relations with his sister or stepsister.
Pretty straightforward I think.
Onward.
“‘A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’-Deuteronomy 27:24
Here we’re told a curse is to fall on the person who commits an act of violence against a fellow Israelite.
The violent act can be murder or it could be referring to an assault where the victim suffers physical injury.
Onward.
“‘A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’-Deuteronomy 27:25
Like many of God’s instructions, this verse possesses a dual meaning.
First, it can be a dire warning directed at a judge or witness in a court of law to NOT accept a bribe to help a murderer skip justice and go free.
Second, it can also be a warning against hiring an assassin to murder someone for you.
In that case, it wouldn’t matter that you hadn’t directly killed the person yourself, the bloodguilt would still rest upon your head.
Do you remember what we learned about bloodguilt?
If a murderer is not put to death per God’s Law, the bloodguilt (caused by the murder) remains upon the land.
In other words, the Lord will hold all of Israel guilty until justice is done and the murderer is put to death for his deed.
Onward.
“‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’-Deuteronomy 27:26
This 12th and final curse is a general curse that covers all the other teachings of the Torah and demands that ALL the Laws of Moses be followed lest one be cursed.
According to the great Rashi, what this boils down to is a solemn oath taken by each Israelite to obey the whole Torah.
Did you notice after the reading of each curse, all the people are to proclaim “Amen” in unison?
One who responds to a heavenly declaration in this manner is putting his or her life on the line and essentially saying “let it be so with me”.
The word “Amen” was used as verbal signature indicating agreement with the terms and condition of the Mosaic Covenant.
It was also used used as a shortcut for a Hebrew to publicly accept the terms of the Law.
What do I mean when I say “shortcut”?
What I mean is when we go back to the books of Exodus and Leviticus and examine the communication between God, Moses and the people, we’ll find quite a lengthy and tedious process.
God tells Moses what to say.
Then Moses delivers the message to the people.
Then the people repeat what Moses just told them…
…over and over and over again.
Do you wanna know why page after page after page in the Torah is basically a repeating of the same set of instructions two or even three times?
Take a guess.
The answer is because that’s just how it was done in the ancient Middle East (as with so many of the other things we find in the Torah).
However, Deuteronomy 27 marks a radical departure from this standard format and structure.
Here we see a heavenly declaration made…
…BUT instead of the people repeating that declaration, they just respond with the one word “Amen”…
Again, this was the verbal signature that they were accepting the terms of the covenant.
They had just signed on the dotted line of God’s heavenly contract.
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