"And it shall come to pass; when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal." (Deuteronomy 11:29)

The Word of God confirms itself over and over and over again. One only has to study to quickly see that there are hidden treasures awaiting those who will dare to seek for them! The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:162 . . . "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil."

Today's verse has such a hidden treasure found in it. The blessing found upon Mount Gerizim . . . the curse upon Mount Ebal! Let's look for just a moment . . .

A blessing on Mount Gerizim! That sounds somewhat curious . . . there must be something else found here. The Hebrew word for "Gerizim" comes from a root word which literally means to "cut off" or to be "separate" or "a piece of"! The blessing is found where we are separate from the world. 2 Corinthians 6:17 tells us, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" . . . the blessing of being a child of God is found as we are cut off from the world and separate ourselves from those things which are unholy!

Now look where the curse is . . . on Mount Ebal. The Hebrew word for "Ebal" literally means "bald or bare" and comes from a root word meaning "ruin or a heap" . . . "do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, do wickedly, do wrong."

There is a stark difference between that which is blessed of God and that which is cursed!

On which mount do you want to live in? Mount Gerizim wherein is found the blessing from being cut off and separate from the world, or Mount Ebal where there is nothing but ruin, perverseness, and barrenness? Remember, we cannot live on both mountains . . . you cannot "drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils, you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils." (1 Corinthians 10:21)

The answer is easy . . . we want to live where the blessing is found!

But the question must be asked . . . Are we willing to pay the price?

Father, as I once again consider the richness of Your Word, I am confronted with my sin of compromise. So often I find myself still longing for the food at the "table of devils" while the rich manna from heaven is proportioned to my exact need at the "Lord's table"! Forgive me, Father, for not being "cut off"! Lord, shine a spotlight on the areas of my life that are found to be compromising my commitment to You. Let me see in the mirror of Your Word the areas of my life that come from Mount Ebal and help me to totally align myself with Mount Gerizim wherein is found the blessing of the Lord! Teach me Your ways, lead me and guide me as I "come out from among them and be separate"! In Jesus' precious name, amen and amen!

"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:2)

© 2008 Jan Ross
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