Faith Daily Lectio Sunday, October 25, 2026 Old Testament
Sunday, October 25, 2026 · The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25), kept as Reformation Sunday; Dorcas (Tabitha), Lydia, and Phoebe, Faithful Women
Old Testament
Oratio (prayer)
Lord God, You made Israel Your people and wrote Your law plainly before them. Send Your Holy Spirit as I read Deuteronomy 27, that I may hear Your Law truly and flee to Your mercy in Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Deuteronomy 27:1-26
1And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
2And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:
3And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
4Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
5And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.
6Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:
7And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.
8And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.
9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
10Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
12These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:
13And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
15Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
16Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
17Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
18Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
19Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
20Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
21Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
22Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
23Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
24Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
25Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
26Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 27:9)
What other lines speak to you?
As Israel prepares to cross the Jordan, Moses tells them to set up great stones on mount Ebal, plaster them, and write all the words of the law on them. There they are to build an altar of whole stones, offer sacrifices, eat, and rejoice before the LORD. Half the tribes are to stand on mount Gerizim to bless, and half on mount Ebal to curse. The Levites then call out twelve curses, and after each one all the people answer, Amen.
The Law The curses are not about strangers. They name idols set up in secret, a father and mother set light by, a neighbour struck secretly, the stranger, fatherless and widow wronged. The last one gathers them all: "Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them" (v. 26). By that word no one stands, and when we say Amen to it, we are saying Amen to our own guilt.
The Gospel Before the curses comes a word of grace: "this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God" (v. 9). God made Israel His own before He asked anything of them. And on that same mountain stood an altar, where they would "offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God" (v. 7). Christ is the sacrifice who bore the curse of the law for you. In Him you are God's people, and you eat and rejoice at His altar, forgiven.
Prayer Lord God, I have not kept all the words of Your law, and I deserve its curse. Forgive me for Jesus' sake, who bore that curse for me. Keep me Your own, and let me rejoice before You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Some days the Law presses hard, and we see our sin written large and plain. Under trial it may help to remember that the stones of the law and the altar of sacrifice stood on the same hill, and to go from the Law straight to Christ, who has made you one of "the people of the LORD thy God" (v. 9).
Prayer Lord, when my sin is plain before me, lead me to the cross. Let me hear again that I am Yours. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
