The important thing you need to understand about Deuteronomy Chapter 27 is that what we’re witnessing here are covenant renewal ceremonies.
While the Mosaic Covenant was delivered to the children of Israel about 40 years earlier in the wilderness, the Lord through Moses is now calling His people to renew their vows and bring to memory why they made their vows in the first place.
Again, note I said covenant renewal “ceremonies”…in the plural.
We’re talking about MORE THAN ONE ceremony taking place here.
At first casual reading, that may not some seem so apparent, but let’s examine the facts.
Moses is speaking here and part of his instructions is that there is to be a ceremony AFTER Israel crosses the Jordan River.
However, take a look at verse 9.
“Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel,
‘Be silent, Israel, and listen!
You have now become the people of the Lord your God.'”
-Deuteronomy 27:9
We can know for a certainty that verse 9 could NOT have taken place after Israel crossed the Jordan.
Why?
Because God forbade Moses from entering the Promised Land.
Recall the incident when Moses struck the rock to have it bring forth water instead of speaking to it as God had commanded him.
As a result, God told Moses he would not be allowed to enter into the Promised Land.
What else do we know?
We also know that when Israel crossed over into Canaan, they arrived just above the northern tip of the Dead Sea at an area called Gilgal (near the ancient city of Jericho).
Well, here’s the problem we face.
According to the previous verses, the covenant renewal ceremony was to be conducted immediately after crossing the Jordan (at Gilgal).
Yet, we’re also told the ceremony is to take place on top of the twin mountain peaks of Ebal and Gerizim.
Now here’s the kicker.
The two mountains of Ebal and Gerizim are located a whopping 30 miles north of Gilgal and Jericho.
We’re talking about a journey that would take at least a week.
Can you see how this is getting sticky?
On the surface, not only does it seem like we have Moses inside the Promised Land at Mount Ebal, but it also seems like he’s leading the Priests in a covenant renewal ceremony AFTER Israel crossed the Jordan.
What gives here?
We’ll again my answer is we’re dealing with MORE THAN ONE covenant renewal ceremony here homies.
We’ll continue to tackle this issue the next time we meet.
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