Joshua Blessings and Curses
Israel is now in the land. It’s time to fulfill the command of Moses regarding the reading the blessings and curses before the two mountains. Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.
Israel now has a toehold in the territory. They have conquered Jericho and Ai. I’m not sure about Bethel because it isn’t exclusively mentioned, but the men of Bethel helped Ai in their battle. “Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.” (Joshua 8:17) So, I’m left wondering about Bethel.
That isn’t important for today’s reading though. What is important is that Joshua and the people are fulfilling a command of the Lord, given by Moses in the last days of this life. This command sets the tone for Israel as they enter the land. It is a recommitment to the Lord, now that they are standing in the promised land. Joshua is to read EVERY LAST WORD of the Law to the people; concluding with the blessings and curses for obedience or disobedience.
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It has been two days since the defeat of Ai and a week since Jericho fell. Joshua is ready for the task Moses had instructed the people to do. As soon as the morning sacrifice is burning on the altar, Joshua has the priests blow the trumpets for the people to assemble. It doesn’t take long at all for the area in front of the Tabernacle to fill with the people of Israel.
Rahab and her family have been moved inside the camp. They have placed their tents within the portion of Judah. This is Rahab’s first assembly. She was still an ‘outsider’ during the issue with Achan. She is excited to be among the people today to hear what Joshua has to say.
“Concecrate yourselves to the Lord today for tomorrow at dawn, we will complete Moses’ final instructions to the people. We will stand at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal to proclaim the Law. We will also build an altar there to the Lord, just as Moses instructed us to do.” Joshua looked around to ensure everyone was showing that they were following along. “Tomorrow morning when you hear the trumpets sound for moving out, do not bring anything with you. Come out in your order as if we were setting off, but leave everything behind in its place. We will return here once we have completed the task before us.”
With that said, Joshua dismissed the congregation. They all began making their way back to their tents. Rahab was still a little intimidated by being new to this people, so was hesitant to ask what it was she was supposed to do. Fortunately, her neighbor recognized Rahab’s wringing hands as a sign she needed guidance.
“Hi Rahab. I just wanted to check in with you and see if you had any questions about what Joshua told us to do today.”
“Oh Thank You Karen” Rahab said with great feeling. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. How do I ‘consecrate’ myself? And what is supposed to happen tomorrow?”
“Those are some very good questions. Thank you for allowing me to be of assistance to you. First of all, ‘consecrating yourself’ can mean a lot of different things. The most important part is to do nothing that would make one ceremonially unclean. That would include touching a dead body, engaging in intimate relations, touching anything that a woman who is going through her monthly cycle touched, being in your own monthly cycle, or touching someone who is unclean. There are other ways to become ‘unclean’, but none of those apply to you right now. Childbirth and skin diseases are big ones that you needn’t worry about.”
Rahab is nodding along, so her Karen continues. “Centering your thoughts on the Lord God is also a LARGE part of ‘consecrating’ oneself. Meditating on His wonderous works. Praising Him for His blessings in your life. Reading or listening to His words. These are all good ways to center your thoughts on him.”
Rahab appears to be thinking over her options as they were listed.
“Another thing that many people do during a time of consecrating themselves to the Lord is to bathe with deliberate care. Scrubbing the outside until it matches the inside. That presupposes that you are dealing with your ‘inside’ too” Karen says with a smile.
Rahab smiles back. “So, what is going to happen tomorrow that we need to be consecrating ourselves for?”
“Before Moses was taken from us, he went over the Law one more time; ALL of it. And he instructed us to go over it again after coming into the land the Lord had promised to give us. We are to build an altar of stone, that has not had any tools used on it, on Mount Ebal. The Levites will offer sacrifices to the Lord on that altar. Then we are to stand, half of us on Mount Ebal, and the other half on Mount Gerizim. From there, Joshua will read to us ALL the words of Moses again. Once he has done that, we will recite the blessings and curses Moses pronounced over the people for obedience to the Lord. The blessings will be recited by those on Mount Ebal and the curses from those on Mount Gerizim. Also, Joshua is to write ALL the words of the Law on a stone on Mount Ebal, and plaster it so it will last for a LONG time. It will remain there as a memorial to the Lord.”
“So what am I supposed to do during this time? I’m not a true Israelite.”
“This is for EVERYONE who is with us; Israelites and foreigners living among us. ALL are to be in attendance. It will be alright that you don’t know the words to say. But listen closely to them and ALL that Joshua says. They will be part of your life now. For to truly be one with us, you have to follow the Law that our Lord laid out for His people.”
“Where am I supposed to stand during this time?”
“The tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin will stand on Mount Gerizim’s side and pronounce the blessings for obedience to the Lord. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali will stand on Mount Ebal’s side and pronounce the curses for disobedience, forsaking, the Lord. As you are camped with the tribe of Judah, you will be on Mount Gerizim’s side; pronouncing the blessings.”
“Is there somewhere I can go to learn what the blessings and curses are? I would like to participate, if I can.”
“Let’s go and ask one of the Levites if he wouldn’t read it to us, or if he might let us make a copy of them.”
“I would like that very much. But can we do this during the time we are supposed to be consecrating ourselves to the Lord?”
“I can think of no better way to honor the Lord than to learn of His words to His people.”
Rahab and Karen quickly make their way to the Tabernacle. When they get there, Karen stops Rahab at the door. With sincere concern, she speaks to Rahab. “I’m sorry, but you aren’t allowed inside the courtyard. The Lord has said that no foreigners were allowed in, up to the tenth generation.”
Rahab hung her head in sorrow. Karen touched her shoulder to comfort her. “I will ask the Levite to come out to you.”
Rahab’s eyes brightened and she waited outside the Tabernacle while Karen went to bring out a Levite to Rahab. It wasn’t long before Karen was back with a Levite.
“Hello Rahab. I have heard much about you. I’m pleased to finally make your acquaintance. Karen tells me that you would like to know the blessings and curses that will be recited tomorrow. I think that is an admirable thing to do.”
“Yes please, and it’s nice meeting you too.”
“I cannot bring the Torah out of the Tabernacle but I can copy the section you are interested in for you, if you would like.”
“Oh that would be WONDERFUL” exclaimed Rahab.
“It will take me some time to do this. Can you come back in two hours? If not, I could read them to you from inside the doorway.”
“What language would you be using to write them in? I don’t read Hebrew very well, but I would like to learn. Maybe you should just read them to me for now.”
The Levite laughed. “I hadn’t thought of that. You have a good point. I will do both for you though. I will copy them for you today and then read them to you so you will know what is written. That way you can follow along as I read, and it may help you learn to read our language better.”
“You are very kind. Kinder than I deserve. Let it be as you have said. I will return in two hours; for my first reading lesson.”
Karen that the Levite both laugh at this. The two women set off to find something appropriate for this day as they wait out the time.
The two hours pass quickly for the two women as Karen retell stories of the miracles that have happened for Israel since Abraham was called out of Harran. Rahab is fascinated by the thread of promise that the Lord wove into the lives of His people. Rahab also has her own to add to the list from her own life.
The Levite is waiting at the Tabernacle entrance when the two women arrive.
“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting long” Rahab quickly offers when she sees him.
“No. You are right on time. I just came out a few minutes ago. Here, this is for you” he says as he hands Rahab a small scroll. “It contains the words of the blessings and the curses. I believe it is what you were asking for.”
“It is! Thank you very much for this. I will treasure it always!”
“Let’s read it together. Karen can help us too.”
“These are the blessings of obedience to the Lord our God.” The Levite lays out the scroll and begins reading it for Rahab as Karen follows along too.
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
“That is an AMAZING promise” exclaims Rahab.
“Yes. It is. But now, let’s look at the curses. As you can probably guess, they are the opposite of the blessings. Anything gained through obedience and walking with the Lord, can be undone through rebellion and disobedience. Here are the curses.” The Levite reads them to Rahab and Karen.
“But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.
“The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me. The Lord will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. The Lord will strike you with wasting disease and with fever, inflammation and fiery heat, and with drought and with blight and with mildew. They shall pursue you until you perish. And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron. The Lord will make the rain of your land powder. From heaven dust shall come down on you until you are destroyed.
“The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors and scabs and itch, of which you cannot be healed. The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind, and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you. You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall ravish her. You shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but you shall not enjoy its fruit. Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat any of it. Your donkey shall be seized before your face, but shall not be restored to you. Your sheep shall be given to your enemies, but there shall be no one to help you. Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and fail with longing for them all day long, but you shall be helpless. A nation that you have not known shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually, so that you are driven mad by the sights that your eyes see. The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.
“The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known. And there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone. And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you away. You shall carry much seed into the field and shall gather in little, for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm shall eat them. You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives shall drop off. You shall father sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours, for they shall go into captivity. The cricket shall possess all your trees and the fruit of your ground. The sojourner who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.” (Deuteronomy 28:15-44)
“WOW! That is some strong language! I don’t want to be on the Lord’s bad side EVER” whispered Rahab.
“There is one more section that I included, as it comes just before this and after Moses told us about Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. It is very specific reasons for becoming ‘cursed’ as an individual. It is written in a recitation format. I’m pretty certain we will be reciting this portion tomorrow. Let me read them to you.”
“‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” (Deuteronomy 27:15-26)
“This is a LOT to think about” Rahab says as the Levite rerolls the scroll and places it in her hands. “I will treasure this always.”
Rahab and Karen make their way back to their tents. They sit down together and begin going over the scroll again. Rahab invites her family members to listen in, as they too will be part of tomorrow’s ceremony.
“Israel’s God is a GREAT God” Rahab’s father says after hearing the words of the scroll. “There is much for us to learn of Him.”
Everyone agrees with his assessment.
“THE MOST important thing is to put Him FIRST and to have NO other gods. Not in your house or in your heart. Serve Him only. He will grow you from there. That is His FIRST commandment to His people.”
“We will endeavor to do this. It is not easy, having lived in a nation that has MANY gods.”
“All He asks it that we try, and He will give us the strength to do what is needed; IF we ask for His help” Karen promises them.
The next day has Karen standing beside Rahab, among the tribe of Judah, as the blessings and curses are recited by the people.
When Joshua has finished with all that Moses commanded be done, the people celebrate by sharing in a feast. Before leaving back for camp, Rahab walks as far up on Mount Ebal as she is allowed to go, so that she can see the plastered stone that contains the Law. One day she hopes to be allowed to come closer and actually read all that is written there. For today, she rests secure in the knowledge that the people are determined to follow the Lord their God. They are walking on the path of blessings. And she will walk on this path right beside them.
(to be continued)
I like that ALL the people were part of this event; even the foreigners among the camp. This would include Rahab and her family for certain, as well as any other foreigner who recognized that Israel was serving the True God and asked for space to serve Him too.
There was a day coming, far in the future, when the roles would be reversed. When the Jews would reject Jesus and the Gentiles would welcome Him in and follow Him. MANY Jews would recognize him afterwards and follow Him too. I will say that following Him puts whomever it is on the ‘blessing’ side of life. NOT that everything comes up rosy all the time, but that we have a SURE and ETERNAL hope in Him. No matter what ‘blessings’ or ‘problems’ happen here on earth for those who love Him; eternity with Him is worth EVERY MINUTE of the journey.
Father God, thank You for all the blessings You have brought into my life. Thank You for all the lessons you have allowed in my life too. They have brought me closer to You and taught me where my hope comes from; YOU alone! Keep me walking on Your side of the ‘blessings’. And thank You for letting me see this story in a little different way.
I’m curious. Did Rahab’s family choose to follow you too or did they go off on their own after being rescued? Just curious.
