The Blessing and The Curse
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 9-11; Psalm 70
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal." Deuteronomy 11:30
As Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land, Moses commanded them to proclaim blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal. This dramatic moment served as a visual reminder of the covenant they had entered with God—obedience would bring blessing, but disobedience would lead to curse.
The contrast between these two mountains was striking. Gerizim, lush and fertile, symbolized the abundance of God’s favor. Ebal, more barren, stood as a stark warning of the consequences of turning away from Him. The people had to make a choice—life or death, blessing or curse (Deuteronomy 30:19). The two mountains were a visual representation of what life would be like depending on the choices they made in regard to obedience to God’s word.
This same choice echoes throughout Scripture. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve faced the decision to trust God’s word or seek their own way (Genesis 2-3). Israel repeatedly chose rebellion over faithfulness, leading to exile and hardship. Even today, we are confronted with the choice of walking in obedience to Christ or following our own desires.
If that is all we had, we would men most miserable because we have all failed miserably. We have all fallen short and continue to do so. Obedience to the law holds out the wonderful promise of Gerizim, but we are always wandering over to Ebal and standing on its barren heights and looking at Gerizim in the distance.
But we are not without hope: Jesus took the curse upon Himself. Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." At the cross, Jesus stood on the “Mount Ebal” of our sin and bore its full weight so that we could inherit the blessing of new life in Him. Through His sacrifice, we no longer stand between two mountains trying to earn God’s favor—we stand firmly in His grace.
Father, thank You for setting before me the way of life. I confess that I often wander, but I am grateful that in Christ, You have borne the curse I deserve. Help me to walk in the blessing of obedience, not out of fear, but out of love for You. Strengthen me to choose life today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
