Vayeilech (and went) Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:1-30

This week’s portion begins with “And went Moshe and spoke all these words to all Israel.” I hope you’re hungry for Torah this week because Elohim has packed a lot into this portion. Some obvious, some not so obvious.

Every Seven Years

All of Israel goes up to hear the Torah read aloud every seven years, in the shmitta year. Men, women, children and the sojourners in Israel. All of them will hear the instructions, so none of them can say they don’t know what is right and wrong in Elohim’s eyes.

Not a Condemnation, a Warning

It is difficult to imagine that Elohim tells the people that they will sin against Him and turn away in verse 20. When we look at the Hebrew, the sense is not so much “then” as in He knows they will turn away, but “and” as in if you do. 

This makes so much more sense. He is warning them, if you do these things, not telling them ahead of time they are going to. It would be like telling your child, “I’m going to let you go to the movie, but I know you are going to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and take drugs, and since you are going to, here’s what I’m going to do to punish you after you have taken the drugs.” What a way to set up your child for failure. Telling him up front that he is going to fail. It makes more sense in the Hebrew that Elohim tells them about the problem and says, 'if you do these things.'

Against? Maybe Not.

In verse 19 our english translation uses the phrase, “...a witness for me against the children of Israel.” In looking at the Hebrew, the phrase is actually “...a witness in the children of Israel.” The Torah is placed in the side of the aron, the ark, and the ark is in the center of the camp. It will eventually be in the center of the nation, in the temple in Jerusalem. It is literally in the children of Israel. I think the word “against” was included by translators to make the english agree with church doctrine derived from an erroneous understanding of the New Testament verse,

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (Colossians 2:14 KJV)

We can see part of the problem if we look at the Literal Version translation.

“Blotting out the handwriting in the ordinances against us, which was contrary to us, even He has taken it out of the midst, nailing it to the cross;” (Colossians 2:14 LITV)

Notice the subtle difference between the two translations? In the KJV, the verse speaks of the “handwriting of ordinances,” referring to the ordinances themselves as being against us, and Yeshua taking it, the “handwriting of ordinances” out of the way and nailing it to the cross. This is one of the proof texts that Yeshua did away with the Torah.

But if we look at the LITV translation, we can see it is not the ordinances, but something external to the ordinances. This reads, “handwriting in the ordinances.”

We are looking at the english sentence structure here, but the translators were dealing with english sentence structure when they wrote this verse. In context, if the KJV translation was correct, the structure would dictate the last part of the verse should read “and took them out of the way, nailing them to the cross.” Handwriting of ordinances is plural; the reference to them should also be plural.

In the LITV, the reference is to the handwriting, not the ordinances, “handwriting in the ordinances.” The reference “taking it (the handwriting) out of the way makes sense. So there is something external to the ordinances. The external handwriting is the accusations against us, the charges of our violating the Torah.

Who did Messiah Triumph Over

Paul, in speaking of Messiah, said;

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)

The Accuser

Now let’s consider a few things. Who accuses us? And who are the principalities and powers, (or rulers and authorities as translated in the LITV) Yeshua triumphed over?

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:9-10)

The accuser is Satan. That’s who Messiah triumphed over.

The Principalities and Powers

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Most of you will recognize that Paul is speaking of spiritual powers and darkness, that’s why he says, “not against flesh and blood.” So going back to Colossians 2:14-15 we can see that Messiah Yeshua triumphed over Satan and spiritual dark powers.

Should we connect the Torah given by Yehovah with Satan? I would say no. 

 It is not the Torah and commandments that Paul refers to as being, “Holy, just and true”(Romans 7:12) that are nailed to the cross, but the adversary’s accusations. Paul is using a reference to the handwritten charges or accusations that are hung above a prisoner’s cell door, and over the head of a crucified criminal.

The Accusations

In Yeshua’s case, the accusation read Yeshua of Natzeret king of the Jews. That accusatory charge of a violation of the Torah is the handwriting in the ordinances that is charged against the condemned. In our case, the handwriting would contain all of the violations we have sinned against Torah.

If we accept the covenant offered to us, Yehovah will forgive us our trespasses and sins. Taking this back to Devarim 31:19, the witness of the Torah is in our midst. We have no excuse for disobedience, just as in our last portion we discussed that all of us, from the water bearer to the chiefs of the tribes, every man woman and child heard the words. In this portion, Yehovah tells Moshe to teach the people the song written in our next portion. Yet another method so none of us will be able to say we don’t know what Elohim expects.

Since Elohim instructs us clearly what not to do He is well within the bounds of justice and mercy to carry out the discipline He lays out IF we choose to turn away from Him and turn to other gods.

Back to Devarim

Again, in verse 31:20 we have the affirmative “Then they will” making it appear that Elohim is prophesying about their unavoidable falling away. But in the Hebrew, the thought is “and”;

“For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore unto their fathers, that flows with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then (AND not THEN) they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.” (Devarim 31:20)

The Hebrew sentence construction is consistent throughout the verse, and they eat, and get fat, and turn to other gods.

Bottom line, Elohim is warning them to avoid the pitfalls and saying, don’t do these things. He isn’t setting them up for failure by telling them they are going to do them.

One-Hundred Twenty

“And he said to them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also Yehovah said to me, you shall not go over this Jordan. (Deuteronomy 31:2)

I have talked to people who look at Moshe’s age and think he was a decrepit old man who could no longer do his job. They equate his years with people today who reach close to one twenty. But perhaps we need to look more closely at what it going on here.

Devarim 34:7 says, “And Moshe was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” So what is going on? This says he was strong and vigorous when he died. What does he mean that he can’t go out or come back in?

We know the people are preparing to cross the Jordan and take the land. We also know that Elohim has forbidden Moshe to cross the Jordan. Elohim gives instructions that Yehoshua (Joshua) is to take over the leadership of the nation and lead them across the Jordan. So Moshe has been forbidden to go out and come in because he can’t be where the people are going to be.

It is difficult enough for a new leader to take over the reins of command from a popular leader. Even more difficult if the previous leader was in charge for forty years. If Moshe remained behind while the people crossed over, there would always be a problem of who the people consulted and followed.

With Moshe’s death, Yehoshua would be the leader. There would be no turning back to Moshe for advice for the people or for Yehoshua. The people would look to Yehoshua and he would look to Yehovah.

Don’t Assume too much

We should be careful in assuming that because Elohim promised to be with Yehoshua and the people as they entered and possessed the land that He will do the same for us no matter what the endeavor. Not to say that He won’t be with you and fight your battles, just that we may err if we assume He will do so.

We also remember that Israel was to possess the land. An active taking, and dispossessing the inhabitants that were already there. One of the difficulties people face is that they ask for something and sit back and wait. But the instructions given here and elsewhere in the Torah and the TaNaKh (the Torah, Naviim (prophets), the Ketuvim (writings)) is that we are to fight for what we ask for.

Elohim will give us the victory, but just as Israel, we need to pick up our weapons and fight the good fight.

Celebrate Yehovah’s Festivals

The next few weeks I encourage you to celebrate the Day of the Atonements, and the festival of Tabernacles. I hope you had a meaningful Day of Trumpets and that you have been able to strengthen your relationship with Yehovah. Be attentive to what He will give to you this year on His appointed times, He is the consummate professional, He set these appointed times and He will be there to meet with you. The only question is, will you show up for your appointment.

Our portion today gave us background and warning as an introduction to the Song of Moshe that we will read in next week’s portion, Ha’azinu (Give ear, hearken), Devarim 32:1-52. Please come back hungry for Torah next week.

Until then, Shalom.