FINALLY ISRAEL CONQUERS AI, Dr. Samuel Lee
THE ALTAR AND THE WORD OF GOD
Passage: Joshua 8:30~35  
Key verse: 34,35
The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal
30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal(A) an altar(B) to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool(C) had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.(D) 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses.(E) 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical(F) priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born(G) were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal,(H) as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.
34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.(I) 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.(J)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. The altar that became a Bible (30-32)
Joshua built an altar according to the specifications of the Law of Moses. After offering blood sacrifices to atone for sin, Joshua copied on the stones of the altar the blessings and the curses written in the Law of Moses. The altar became a Bible.
2. A solemn promise before God (33-35)
Half of the people stood in front of Mount Ebal, and half stood in front of Mount Gerizim. The ark of the covenant was between them. Joshua read to them the words of the Law--the blessings and the curses. When he read the curses, the people standing on Mount Ebal shouted, 'Amen.' When he read the blessings, those standing on Mount Gerizim shouted 'Amen.' This ceremony marked the new beginning that had been made in the promised land. God's people are a people of the Book. The Bible is our only rule of faith and practice. It tells us what the life of blessing is, and what the life of curse is. When we believe God's promises and obey his commands, he blesses us, and we are truly blessed.
Prayer: Lord, help me to obey your word so that I may live under your blessing.
One Word: Obey God's word and be blessed