What does Deuteronomy 27:4 teach about the permanence of God's laws? Setting the Scene on Mount Ebal Deuteronomy 27:4: “And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and coat them with plaster.” Why Stones, Not Scrolls? • Stones endure in every climate; parchment or papyrus decays. • A public monument cannot be hidden away like a private scroll. • Mount Ebal stands opposite Mount Gerizim—cursing and blessing side by side—so the inscribed law becomes a visible reminder that obedience or disobedience brings real, lasting consequences (Deuteronomy 27:11–13). • God had earlier given “tablets of stone, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18), setting a pattern: what is engraved in stone is meant to outlast generations. Plastering and Inscribing: A Picture of Permanence • Plaster created a smooth surface so every word could be read clearly—no excuse for ignorance. • As the plaster hardened, the letters became sealed into the rock, symbolizing that God’s commands are fixed, not fluid. • The people themselves were to do the writing (27:3); participating in the engraving underscored communal responsibility to preserve and obey the law. Scriptural Echoes of an Unchanging Word • “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89) • “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) • “These words are to be placed beside the ark of the covenant…there as a witness against you.” (Deuteronomy 31:24–26) • “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets…until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot or tittle will by any means disappear from the Law.” (Matthew 5:17–18) Mount Ebal and the Unchanging Character of God • Physical permanence of stone mirrors the moral permanence of God—He does not revise His standards. • By commanding the inscription after crossing the Jordan, God shows that new surroundings do not nullify old truths; His law applies in every land and era. • The mountain of curses (Ebal) reminds Israel that changing moral lines invites judgment, while obedience brings steadfast blessing on Gerizim. New Testament Confirmation • Jesus cites Deuteronomy repeatedly (e.g., Matthew 4:4,7,10), treating it as eternally authoritative. • Paul affirms, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.” (Romans 7:12) • Revelation 20:12 pictures final judgment by “books” already written—another testimony that God’s standards are fixed long before the last day. Living Out the Lesson Today • Treasure Scripture as unalterable truth; test every cultural trend against it. • Memorialize God’s commands in visible ways—memorization, household displays, public testimony—so they are as unmistakable as stones on a mountain. • Remember that grace in Christ never cancels the moral clarity of the law; it fulfills and empowers obedience (Romans 8:3–4). |
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