Two mountains

Deuteronomy 11:26-32 AMPC

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse- [27] The blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day; [28] And the curse if you will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day to go after other gods, which you have not known. [29] And when the Lord your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. [30] Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the road, where the sun goes down, in the land of the Canaanites living in the Arabah opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks or terebinths of Moreh? [31] For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you shall possess it and live in it. [32] And you shall be watchful to do all the statutes and ordinances which I set before you this day.

Two mountains, two choices with very different outcomes - blessing or curse.

One brings life and wellbeing and the other emptiness and calamity.

Of course we know that it isn't possible for any of us to perpetually obey the commandments. We all fall short.

So we all find ourselves spiritually on Mt Ebal - the curse mountain - it's an easy ascent!

In fact the Law was given in order to highlight our desperate need for a Saviour.

To conclude, without outside intervention, we all end up under the curse, because we all break one or other of what's required by the Lord.

Read Deuteronomy 28 to see the detail of what the blessing and the curse brings - it's very sobering in consequence.

Interestingly, Mt Gerazim is the mountain that the Samaritan lady refers to in John 4. The Samaritans worshipped on that mountain and the Jews in Jerusalem.

But Jesus overturns both traditions with a new kind of worship:

John 4:21-24 NKJV

Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. [22] You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. [23] But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. [24] God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Stand on whichever mountain you like, but God wants "heart worship" and a spiritual devotion - not one tied to a physical location.

When we each allow the Holy Spirit to engrave God's Word on our heart and let Him empower us to follow the Truth, we can be blessed in mountains or valleys!

Jesus came to remove the mountain of curse on the Cross.

Choose to come this Way and find peace and life everlasting.

Selah