Deuteronomy 27 - On One Condition

Negotiating with siblings is an artform. As I look back at the clever and ever careful mental dueling with my two older brothers, I should have received an honorary doctorate. Maybe an PhD in Complex Negotiation Theory and Strategic Thought Process. Yeah, that sounds good. How do I go about getting an honorary doctorate anyway, do I just apply online? The brotherly negotiations that took place on the soil of 178 Nelms Road were legendary. Whether it be for a candy bar, a swap of chores or the precious use of a treasured item, the bargaining and negotiating could reach levels that would have Atticus Finch sitting in awe. And since I was the youngest, I had to be even sharper. Those two older minds were always out to get me. And I quickly learned that I had to watch out for the one verbal contractual rider that always sat carefully buried in their fine print. On one condition.

When two parties enter into a contract it’s a serious deal. Today we have contracts a mile long and even multiple contracts for major purchases like homes. Often, they’re so long and so lawyered up, you have no idea what you’re signing. (hello Apple terms and conditions) But if you don’t sign you don’t get. It might surprise you, but God is no different. When it comes to very important matters with His people God has contracts as well. In His Word He calls them covenants. A Biblical covenant is defined as “an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people.” God can make covenants with a people group (as we will see today) but most often He makes a covenant with a single person because He can see the quality of their heart and thereby know that the covenant will be received, honored and passed along. God made covenants with Abraham, Noah, Moses and David. And God’s covenants can be separated into two categories, conditional and unconditional.

A covenant that is unconditional is guaranteed solely by the promisor, that is, the one making the promise. When God made a covenant with Abraham it was unconditional. God promised to bless His lineage and that was a guarantee. Abraham had to do nothing to secure this covenant, God did all the work. But as far as dealing with my crafty brothers, very little fell into this category.

A covenant that is conditional finds the promisor expecting something to be done by the promisee in order to secure and fulfill the covenant. God uses both of these in His Word and it’s important to distinguish between the two. For instance, the Ten Commandments which God gave to Moses was conditional.

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine” Exodus 19:5

Did you see that big “if” there at the beginning? That is a condition. If the people kept the commandments of God, they would receive His blessing. But if they did not, they would receive His rebuke and loving correction. You see, it rests on one condition. And this is where the caveat fell in dealing with my siblings. God is fair and just so His conditions are always for our good, but watch out for conditions with other parties, we humans have a small tendency to be selfish and greedy, if you haven’t noticed. I wish I had a dollar for every brotherly deal that was carefully laid out and looked to be a pretty sweet arrangement, only to have “on one condition” dropped in indiscriminately at the end. Uh-oh, the hook was set. And believe you me, we brothers had some pretty crazy conditions thrown into our contracts.

Today in Deuteronomy 27 we see God, through Moses, begin with an unconditional covenant that deals with Israel’s future in the Promised Land. God is unconditionally giving them this land for eternity. (Gen 15, 26, 28) God’s unconditional covenants are promises directly from God and are solidly built upon the foundation of God. But once within the land God has many conditional covenants with the people. That means the land will always belong to the Israelites but if one generation disobeys God’s conditional covenant, they can be put out of the land. You see, they didn’t lose the land, that was unconditional, but because they broke the “one condition” of God’s terms, they will endure the rebuke and correction of God.

In verses 15-26 we see 12 conditions from God and in most Bible translations they start out with the word cursed. They read almost like the ten commandments as they are a list of what God expects of His people as they inhabit the land He has given them. Let’s take a quick peek at the conditions God deemed important enough to add into His conditional covenant with the Israelites.

Do not worship false idols. Do not alter your neighbors property line. Do not mistreat the blind (handicapped). Do not mistreat widows, orphans or a foreigner in your land. Do not have sexual relations with your mother, your sister, your brother, your mother-in-law or any animal. Do not murder. Do not take bribes. Do not shed innocent blood.

As we consider God’s unconditional and conditional covenants, they still apply to us today. If you have called upon Jesus as your Lord and Savior that is an unconditional covenant. It is a promise from God and cannot be altered or changed. Once God makes an unconditional promise, it stands until the end of time. You can call also call the unconditional salvation process, justification, also known as imputation or the great exchange. The moment Jesus uttered “it is finished” and took His last breath on that Cross, the single biggest miracle that has ever occurred took place. All of your sin was transferred to Jesus and all of His righteousness was transferred to you. The amazing grace of God indeed.

Another big church world is sanctification. This is an ongoing process of purification wherein we strive to become more like Jesus through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we live out sanctification though, God’s conditionals come into play. You see, God has very specific laws, rules, commands and statutes He desires His children to live within and adhere to. These are created by God to protect us from our own sin nature, the evils of this world, the attacks of satan and even other people in this world. If we obey the laws and rules of God, He blesses our obedience to Him just as a parent might pat little Timmy on the head in appreciation of Him being a good boy. But if we ignore God’s laws and rules and instead decide to go our own way and do what we decide is right, well, there’s “one condition.” As a result of each of us going our own way, as we all have (Isaiah 53:6) we will violate God’s conditional covenant and receive a rebuke and a correction. Just as if little Timmy was openly defiant of his parent’s rules and gets a spanking and a talking to for his disobedience.

Something weird happens when we achieve adulthood. As kids we have the loving and caring hands of our parents to guide us, protect us and correct us when we are wrong. But as adults we lose this presence and attempt to fill the role ourselves. Folks, you can’t do this for yourself. You flesh will lead you astray every time. You need the loving hand of God to guide you, teach you, protect you and correct you as an adult. Rules still apply to your life as you grow up, it’s just not your parent’s household rules anymore, it’s the righteous ways of Almighty God.

As you walk this world today, revel in the goodness of God’s unconditional love, mercy, grace and salvation. It is a never-ending gift to His children. And as you do, respect the conditional laws He gives you to protect you, guide you and offer you a life that is abundantly full of joy, peace and freedom.

Thank you Jesus for your love.