Blessings or cursings; the choice is yours

The Bible says, “Joshua built an altar to the Lord…in Mount Ebal…‘an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.’ And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord…Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal…He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings” (Joshua 8:30-31, 33-34 NKJV). There are two important lessons in this otherwise obscure Old Testament story. First, “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool” speaks of God’s unearned and unmerited grace toward us – no human effort involved. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV). Second, notice where this altar was built. When Israel listened to Joshua reading the blessings and cursings recorded in the Law of Moses, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal. Those in front of Mount Gerizim heard him read the blessings, and those in front of Mount Ebal heard him read the cursings. But the altar was not built on Gerizim, the mount of blessings, but on Ebal, the hill of cursing. The message is clear: even when you “blow it,” God extends His grace to you. C.S. Lewis said, “Obedience is the key that opens every door.” So even when you fail and disobey God, you can return to the altar of grace at Mount Ebal. It’s built for people like you.