THE VALLEY OF DECISION
Ken Graydon

 

 

When the Israelites approached the River Jordan Moses instructed them that, after the crossing, they were to take positions on the sides of Mount Gerazim and Mount Ebal. The tribes on Mount Gerazim were to call out the blessings of ETERNAL on the people. The tribes on Mount Ebal were to call out the curses of ETERNAL. [See Deuteronomy 27:12,13]

 

This was a ‘sermon in stone’ for the travellers – on one side of the valley the blessings. Cross to the other side – you get the curses.

ETERNAL does not leave us without guidance but we have to walk through the valley and decide which mountain is for us. {If you read the whole chapters 27 and 28 in Deuteronomy you will see the vast difference between the blessed or cursed life}.

 

The choices are stark between the way of life that ETERNAL wants for you and the ‘other life’ of disobedience. The consequences of the wrong decision are terrible to contemplate.

 

The Tanakh way of life offers hope, health and happiness. If this way of life needs a label I call it “follower of Abraham, servant of ETERNAL”.

It is an individual calling to obedience. Until the Levitical priesthood is restored there is no hierarchy – the highest position you could strive to attain is ‘servant’. It is not Judaism or any other ‘ism’- it’s you studying the Tanakh, making a decision to be obedient to the clearly expressed will of the CREATOR of the Universe and then doing it.

 

The other side of the ‘valley of decision’ – the cursed life, is just as easy to choose. In fact it’s probably easier because ‘everybody is doing it’. When you choose this life you set out to insult ETERNAL. If you choose ‘churchianity’ you have accepted an idea that ETERNAL did such a poor job in the process of creation that He needed to have a ‘son’ to try to help Him out. Then, the ‘son’ did such a poor job that he will have to come back some time [he did not come back in the time he said he would “before this generation passes away”] and have another go. The Tanakh clearly and repeatedly says ‘ETERNAL is the only One’.

 

If you do not worship on the Sabbath [sunset Friday to sunset Saturday] you are clearly disobedient to ETERNAL – He says that not keeping the Sabbath brings a death penalty. The Sunday people and the Friday people are in for a major disappointment!

 

The Tanakh “valley of decision” was also the place where Jotham, the son of Gideon, told his parable about choosing a king – another “choose this day who you will follow moment”. If someone does not like the faith and belief of ETERNAL they start their own religion. If the laws of ETERNAL are too hard – start something that has easy rules. [Just say these words and you’re in! Too easy!]

 

We must not take comfort from the fact that other people have made wrong choices. We have to make our own choices and live or die as a result of the choice.

 

This is your time in the “valley of decision”, why else would you be reading these words? Who do you choose? ETERNAL, the CREATOR of the Universe or the imitators? The truth of the Tanakh or the fiction of the other books?

 

Let me give you a challenge. Only you and ETERNAL will know, unless you tell others. Keep the next three Sabbaths [sunset Friday to sunset Saturday] in your own home as ETERNAL directs. Do no work. Prepare your meals in advance. Spend no money that day. Study the Tanakh, or the ‘Old Testament’. Pray, listen and rest. If you will do this, sincerely and well, your life will be changed. You will be able to measure the blessings because they will be obvious. Then you can make the choices in your “valley of decision”.

 

 

kennygee@bigpond.com