In this week's Torah portion, in the 27th chapter of Deuteronomy, we find an astonishing picture:
"Moses and the elders of Israel cmmanded the people: 'Keep all these commands that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this Torah when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you; a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord the God of your fathers, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mt. Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with white plaster." Moses continues in verse 8: "And you shall write very clearly all the words of this Torah on these stones you have set up."
Why Mt. Ebal? Why white plaster? Why would they need to write Torah (God's commandments and instructions) again on these stones and use them to build an altar there?
Back in Deut. 11:29 Moses tells the Israelites: "When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are to possess, you are to proclaim on Mt. Gerazim the blessings, and on Mt. Ebal the curses." So, from this passage we understand that Mt. Ebal represents the mountain of curses (which means proclaiming all the curses that will come upon the Israelites if they disobey their God and turn away from Him).
We too are Israelites. We too lie under the curses of Yahweh for our disobedience. But let's return to today's portion in Deuteronomy 29. There we see the Israelites "white-washing" some stones, writing Torah on them, and using these stones to COVER over the mountain of curses! Beloved, do you see the beautiful, astonishing prophetic picture they are painting? It is a picture of YOU who are in Messiah!
Revelation 2:17: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."
A white stone with a new name written on it! This is a picture of the RENEWED COVENANT - RENEWED IN MESSIAH YESHUA! In Joshua chapter 8 the Israelites fulfill this command (Joshua 8:30): "then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded the Israelites." On top of the "mountain of curses" they placed white-washed stones with a new name written on them. What was this new name? Who wrote the Torah with His finger upon stone and gave it to the children of Israel on Mt. Sinai? Who IS the incarnate Torah, who came to earth in human form and lived it perfectly, teaching us to follow His example? Who IS the only One who covers (literally atones for) our sins, covers over the curses on us, washes us white in His blood, and then writes His Torah and His Name upon our hearts? YESHUA! HalleluYah!
I pray that as we come very close to the Fall Feasts - the day of Yom Teruah (blowing of the shofars), followed closely by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) that you will stay in God's Word, and meditate upon this awesome picture of your atonement - the Covenant Yahweh made with His people, and then gloriously renewed through Messiah Yeshua. I pray that you will allow Him to do a cleansing work in you during this season of repentance and renewal. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal your sin to you, white-wash you with His cleansing blood, and then write His Torah (your new name!) on your heart! (See Ezekiel 36:26).
You stand as a white-washed stone with a mountain of curses UNDER YOUR FEET! Rejoice!
