Deuteronomy 11:26 - Meaning and Application

Here Moses finishes his general calls to obey God. His way of teaching is very moving, and it should have fixed their hearts on God forever. It should have left a deep mark on them that would never fade.

He gathers all his reasons for obedience into two words, the blessing and the curse (Deuteronomy 11:26). That is, he points them to the rewards and punishments set out in God’s promises and warnings. These are the great supports of the law, because they reach the two main movements of the human heart, hope and fear.

Moses set the blessing and the curse before them in three ways. First, he explained them so they could understand them. He listed what belonged to each one, so they could clearly see how good the blessing was and how terrible the curse was. Second, he confirmed them so they would believe them. He proved, through the signs of his own calling, that the blessing was not a false hope and the curse was not a made-up threat, but a real statement of God’s purpose for them. Third, he called them to choose which they would have, and in this he dealt with them very fairly.

So they, and we, are plainly told what kind of terms we stand on with Almighty God. If we obey his laws, we can be sure of a blessing (Deuteronomy 11:27). But if we refuse to obey, we can be just as sure of a curse (Deuteronomy 11:28). Tell the righteous, for God has said it and no one can cancel it, that it will go well with them. But woe to the wicked, it will go badly for them.

Moses also ordered a public and solemn announcement of the blessing and the curse from Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 11:29, 30). More detailed directions for this ceremony are given later (Deuteronomy 27:11 and following), and the carrying out of it is recorded in Joshua 8:33 and following. It was to happen as soon as they entered Canaan, so that when they first took possession of the land, they would know the terms on which they held it.

Moses describes the place where this was to happen, though he never saw it himself. That is one of many signs that he was guided by God. It is said to be near the plain, or oaks, or meadows of Moreh, one of the first places Abraham reached in Canaan. By sending them there to hear the blessing and the curse, God reminded them of the promise he had made to Abraham in that very place (Genesis 12:6, 7).

This mention of the place also encouraged their faith in God’s promise that they would soon possess Canaan. Moses says to do it on the other side of Jordan (Deuteronomy 11:30), because they could be sure they would cross the Jordan (Deuteronomy 11:31). The command to hold this service in Canaan was itself proof that they would get there. It was like God’s word to Moses, “You will worship God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12).

It also pressed them to obey, so they might escape the curse and receive the blessing. Besides what they had already heard, they would soon hear the blessing and the curse publicly declared. So Moses warns them, “Be careful to do the statutes and judgments,” so that in that great ceremony they would not become witnesses against themselves (Deuteronomy 11:32).