Portion Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:9

 Who wouldn’t want that?

 

“And it will be, if you shall listen carefully to the voice of Yehovah your El, to guard and to do all His commandments which I command you today, Yehovah your El will set you on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deu 28:1)

 

It’s a simple instruction; listen to what Elohim instructs us to do, guard His instructions, and actually do what He tells us to do, and an entire list of blessings will follow.

 

“You shall be blessed in the city, and be blessed in the field. The fruit of your body shall be blessed, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your cows, and the flocks of your sheep. Your basket and your store shall be blessed. You shall be blessed when you come in, and blessed when you go out. Yehovah shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be stricken before your face. They shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. Yehovah shall command the blessing on you in your storehouses, and all that you set your hand to. And He shall bless you in the land which Yehovah your El gives you. Yehovah shall establish you a holy people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of Yehovah your El and walk in His ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Yehovah, and they shall be afraid of you. And Yehovah shall prosper you in goods, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yehovah swore to your fathers to give you. Yehovah shall open to you His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall loan to many nations, and you shall not borrow.” (Deu 28:3-12)

 

Who wouldn’t want those blessings?

 

The first criteria is listen carefully, shema, to what Elohim says. This isn’t the, in one ear and out the other, kind of listening. It’s the kind where dad sits you down and says “LISTEN to me!” It’s the kind where if you “listen” and then don’t do what he tells you to do, you didn’t really listen in the first place, you might have heard, but you didn’t listen.

 

The second criteria is to guard, shomer, the instructions. Notice the root of both shema and shomer are a shin and a mem. In Hebrew, when words have common roots, they have common meanings. To guard the instructions means to keep them from being changed by adding to them or subtracting from them, and from changing their original intent. One example is changing “You shall not incline after the majority to do evil,” to “You shall incline after the majority,” which the rabbis did change.

 

The third criteria is to do, asah, His instructions. This means to actually do what we are told to do. If Elohim says “Keep the Sabbath Day holy,” that’s what he wants us to do. He doesn’t expect us to make up loopholes so we can do what we want on the day He has set apart. We learn in the Torah and the Prophets some of what not to do, buy and sell, work, engage in commerce.

 

Unfortunately, looking at history, too many people who claim to follow the God of the Bible ignore many of His instructions so they can live their lives the way they want to live them. As committed followers of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Yeshua, our calling is to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and that includes doing what He says, the way He says to do it, and finding joy in doing so. 

Torah portion Shemini and Renewing the Fear of God

Torah Portion Shemini; Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47, its accompanying Haftarah 2 Samuel 6:1 - 7:17 and New Testament reading Mark 9:2 - 9:13. As I pondered the connection between the three readings, one feature stood out.

At first I saw that all three contained reference to Yehovah's dwelling among men. With Moses, he dwelt in the tabernacle, although from the text, it is clear that though he dwelt in the temporary structure of the tabernacle His desire is to dwell inside of us.

"These words shall be in your heart." Devarim 6:6.

If the words of Torah are in your heart, and Yeshua is the living Torah, by extension, once the words in your heart take on life by your obedience, Yeshua is in your heart.

The tabernacle was a temporary dwelling. The permanent dwelling is in our hearts.

David's experience in the 2 Samuel Haftarah reveals a problem that we still find. David was troubled that he lived in a house of cedar while Elohim lived in a tent. First problem. Elohim lived in a tent because that is where He told Moses and the Children of Israel the ark was supposed to be housed. Elohim never said He wanted a more permanent structure.

I think David missed the point that the permanent dwelling was to be in the heart.

David looked at the housing situation and came up with a logical, but worldly solution. Build a house as good or better than his own. I think David knew where Elohim wanted to dwell. The Psalms are replete with references to the indwelling of the Word, and the Spirit.

The second message of Shemini, and perhaps even more important is installing the fear of God.

Many modern believers have replaced the fear of God with the love of God. God is love, but He is also a Judge, a Man of War, and a jealous God. All three readings emphasize that the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a fearful God. Nadab and Abihu were consumed for not following Yehovah's instructions. Uzzah was killed because he touched the ark. While Nadab and Abihu's motives are unclear, Uzzah's intent was to keep the ark from falling. Intent didn't matter. Action did. And Uzzah died.

Pater was afraid when he saw Yeshua, Moses and Elijah together.

Fear of God keeps us on the straight path when other motivations fail us. In times of trial and temptation, a healthy fear of what God will do to us for disobedience can keep up from giving in even more than our love for Him.

It is the same type of fear we have for a good earthly father.

It is not that we are constantly fearful of abuse, but that we understand there are rules, and if we break the rules, we will suffer punishment. I think the idea that Christ took our punishment so we are now free to sin as much as we want without any consequences is misplaced. "Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? God forbid."

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:13-23)

The word translated as iniquity is anomia, without law. Yeshua is addressing people who prophesied in his name, cast out devils, and did wonderful works, but they were without law, the Torah. Sounds like a lot of our brothers and sisters who come into covenant with Elohim, and then turn their backs on His instructions in the Torah.

It is time to renew the fear of God among those who have made a covenant with Him. It is for their own good. Fear is a motivator to obedience. Eternal life is a gift, obedience is a way of life, and it takes work. That is why we are cautioned to "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."

HaBerachah (The Blessing) Devarim 33:1-34:12

“And this is the blessing that Moshe the man of Elohim blessed the Children of Israel before he died.” If you are hungry for Torah, you are really going to want to know what Moshe’s final blessing to Israel is.

He has led Israel through the wilderness for forty years. He has been with them day and night. Suffered when they suffered...and when they rebelled, he rejoiced when they rejoiced.

The Good News and the Bad

Imagine, the reason Moshe was sent to lead Israel, was because of Elohim’s commitment to the children of Jacob. Moshe had the opportunity to experience all of the things he saw because of the Israelites. He stood on Sinai and saw Elohim pass by. He had regular face to face encounters with Elohim. He saw miracles...and was the instrument Elohim used to make them happen. All because he was chosen to lead Israel.

“Because of you.” Moshe blamed the children of Israel for not being able to enter the Promised Land, but it was also because of them that he was so intimate with Elohim for so many years. It seems to me like a good news/bad news situation. ‘Hey, I can’t enter the land, but what a ride it’s been these past forty years.’

Remember What You Saw

Moshe begins his blessing with a brief recitation of what Israel experienced in receiving the Torah.

“And he said, Yehovah came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of holy ones: from his right hand went a fiery law (dat) for them. You loved the people; all holy ones are in your hand: and they sat down at your feet; every one shall receive of your words.” (Devarim 33:2-3)

Now and Later

I see two sides to this statement. A fulfilled and a prophetic. Yehovah did come to the Children of Israel in the wilderness at Sinai and give them a law from the midst of fire and smoke. He gave them the ten words. The prophetic side is keyed to the statement, “from his right hand.”

In many places in the Psalms, David refers to Yehovah’s right hand in a manner that makes it clear it refers to Yeshua. Devarim 33:2-3 may be saying that it was Yeshua who brought the law to Israel, and it may show that one day Israel would sit at the feet of Yeshua in the flesh and receive His words. We have record of a partial fulfillment of this in the Gospels.

Elohim warned Israel through Moshe, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Devarim 18:18-19)

You probably recognize this passage refers to Yeshua. Peter attached this prophecy to Yeshua;

“And he shall send Yeshua haMashiach, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which Elohim has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moshe truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall Yehovah your Elohim raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." (Acts 3:20-24)

The Law, The Torah, and Yeshua

So we have Yeshua giving the law at Sinai, and being the prophet like Moshe that we better listen to and do what he says. Then Moshe says something that may seem curious to some new students of the Torah.

“Moshe commanded us a Torah, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.” (Devarim 33:4)

Notice the shifts here. Moshe doesn’t call the recipients Israel, he calls them the ‘congregation of Jacob’, and he calls the Torah, the 'inheritance,' not the ‘law,’ as in the previous verses.

Inheritance and Heritage

Some rabbinic commentary explain that while the Hebrew word morasha is translated here as inheritance, it is translated in Shemot (Exodus) as heritage;

“And I will bring you into the land, concerning which I swore to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for an heritage: I am Yehovah.” (Exodus 6:8)

The commentary explains the difference between inheritance and heritage as this. An heir has the right to spend, waste, and leave nothing behind of an inheritance. But a heritage is for the use of the direct heir, and the heir must maintain the heritage for the future generation intact, whole and pure for their use as well. The future generations must also preserve the heritage to pass on to their future generations in perpetuity.

The shift from Israel to Jacob shows the expansion of the heirs from the born descendants of Israelite parents to any who are grafted in and accept the covenant of Yehovah Elohim. If you have come into covenant with Elohim by accepting His offer, the Torah is your heritage, to listen to, to obey and to pass on pure and unchanged.

This is for You

Your responsibility becomes clearer as you read the words of the Shema. “These words which I command you today shall be on your heart, teach them diligently to your children, speak of them when you lie down and rise up, when you sit in your house and when you travel on the road.”

“...And he was king in Yeshurun, in the gathering of the heads of the people together with the tribes of Israel.” (Devarim 33:5 my modification to the text based on the Hebrew)

Allow us to take a short rabbi trail-

If the “heads of the people” refers to the people of the seventy nations, and they are gathered together with the tribes of Israel, then we are looking at a time in the future when the blessings invoked on the tribes of Israel will come to pass. As we look at the blessings, we can’t look back and see them fulfilled at any time so far. So we may be looking at a prophecy tied to Yeshua’s return, and perhaps to the time when all the nations of the earth must come up to Jerusalem for the feast of Sukkoth or they will receive no rain.

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, Yehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Yehovah of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” (Zechariah 14:16-17)

Which, prophetically enough, we are celebrating the feast of tabernacles (Sukkoth) as you read this.

Yeshurun?

Who is Yeshurun? By definition, it is the straight or upright ones. The root is the word yasher, straight. If you question the honesty of a person and you ask “Is it yasher?”, you are implying you don’t trust them and you want to know if they are being honest. It is currently a somewhat offensive way of asking, but perhaps that demonstrates the moral decline of society that someone would be offended by being asked if they are dealing honestly.

Look around.

Is Yehovah Elohim the king of everyone?

No. But He is King of those who honestly accept Him as their Sovereign and willingly come under His covenant to live the Torah with all their heart all their mind and with all their strength. For the rest of the world, He is not King. Many who don’t believe in Him and follow Him actively oppose Him. Others are passively opposed to Him.

If you are reading this, especially if you have been here at Hungry for Torah before and came back, I imagine you have a desire to follow Yehovah, Elohim of Israel. If you have accepted His Kingship, then you have also obligated yourself to obey His Torah and pass it on to the next generation as your heritage and theirs. Take this responsibility seriously, He does.

This is Serious

If you have any doubt about how seriously Elohim takes your responsibility, look at the warnings He enumerates in our last portion, in the Song of Moshe, Devarim chapter 32:1-44. As a born or grafted-in member of the congregation of Jacob, these warnings are all for you.

As Moshe cautioned us at the end of the song;

“Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this Torah. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither you go over Jordan to possess it.” (Devarim 32:46-47)

May you have a blessed festival of Sukkoth. Remember, this is an appointed time, and Elohim will keep His appointment. If you are celebrating this time with Him, listen intently to hear what He will share with you this year. Keep the festival with the expectation that He will show you something. Why else set up an appointment?

Please take a few moments to share in the comments box below what Elohim gives you this year. As we share together our pieces of the puzzle, we grow in our understanding of Elohim's overall plan. And come back again next week hungry for Torah.

Chag sameach Sukkoth (Rejoice in the festival of Sukkoth), Shalom.

Ha Azinu (Listen) Devarim 32:1-52

The name of our portion is, as usual, derived from the first word of the portion, "ha azinu ha shamayim v’d’berah," listen heavens and I will speak. This portion is so rich and calorie laden, I hope you are hungry for Torah this week.

The Song of Moshe, the Song of the Lamb

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and who gained victory over the beast, over his image, over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of Elohim. And they sing the Song of Moshe the servant of Elohim, and the Song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.” (Revelation 15:2-3)

Those who sing in the book of Revelation sing two songs, the Song of Moshe, and the Song of the Lamb. Since John (Yochanan) is a Jewish writer, who traveled with Yeshua during his ministry, it is most likely that John was referring to this Song of Moshe in verses 1-43 of our portion.

The chapters and verses we use today were not included in the Scriptures during Yochanan’s time. They were added much later. According to Bible.org, “Stephen Langton, in the 12th century, added what we use today as the chapter divisions.” As an Israelite Yochanan would have referred to a portion of Scripture by a name.

Since in our last portion we are told, “Moshe therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel,” (Devarim 31:22) it would be natural for Torah readers to refer to this as the Song of Moses, we still do.

But where is the second song, the Song of the Lamb? Some say it is in our text in Revelation; “Great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.”

Connecting the Songs

The two songs are connected with the phrase, “Righteous and true are your ways” in Revelation, and “Righteous and straight is He,” in Devarim.

Why the difference between “true” in Revelation and “Straight” in Devarim?

Perhaps because in Devarim the events Moshe sings about have not yet happened. The emphasis is on the straightness and honesty of Yehovah. He is just, fair, and impartial in judgment. We have faith that what He says, He will do. And when He does it, it will be because those who received either blessing or discipline will deserve what they receive.

By the time we get to the event prophesied in Revelation, we will all look back and see that just as Elohim said He would do, He did, and we can with authority say that all that He said is true.

The song of the Lamb is very short, if this is it, and perhaps that is because after all that has happened we will be amazed, shocked, and emotionally drained. All that is left to be said is the short, “Great and marvelous are your works, Adonai Yehovah Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, King of saints.”

Tidbits in the Text

If you don’t have a Hebrew copy of the text of our portion there are a few things you will not be able to see, but that are important to our understanding. The first is apparent, even if you can’t read a letter of Hebrew.

The song is divided into columns in the text. The first verse in the right column (remember Hebrew in the Scriptures in read right to left) reads, “Listen heavens and I will speak” Then there is a break of several spaces        and the left column reads, “And may hear the earth the speech of my mouth.”

This columnar break in the text continues throughout the song.

Two more interesting tidbits are immediately available to the hungry in the Hebrew Torah. At the beginning of verse 6 the first letter is a hey, and it is enlarged. The English translation is “To.” “To Yehovah do you repay this?”

The second anomaly is that in verse 18 there is a small yod in the word translated as ignored or unmindful. “The Rock that birthed you, you ignored, and have forgotten El that formed you.” (Devarim 32:18)

Every Word that Proceeds from Elohim’s Mouth

We have learned that each word in the Torah is significant, and there are no unnecessary words. So what does it mean that these letters are of different size from the rest of the text?

The numerical value of the letter hey is five, and as such is a picture of the Torah. The letter hey is also a breath of air as it is spoken, it has no sound as such except what its attached vowel provides, hey is the sound of a sigh.

The written Torah is the word of Elohim. As the written word is breathed into us by the Ruach ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit, and we put the Torah into action through our life, the written word becomes a living word. If we live life in obedience to the Torah, we become living words of Torah.

The large hey is part of the phrase, “Is it to Yehovah.” Two meanings come from this. The Ruach leads us to Yehovah and the breath of the hey represents the breathing of the Ruach into us and drawing us to Elohim.

A second meaning comes from Psalm 33:6, “By the word of Yehovah The heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” The hey represents the breath by which Elohim made all things, He spoke, and they were created. It is an affront that the creation should act against its creator the way Israel would act against Elohim. Yet He does not respond in kind against them. He remains fair and just.

Paul says, “For we know that all the creation groans (sighs) together and travails together until now.” (Romans 8:22) Moshe is in the middle of expressing the corruption and evil of the people. What an appropriate moment for Elohim to sigh as a show of His patient longsuffering through their transgressions.

Their Rock is not Like Our Rock

The small yod tells us another side to the issue of Elohim’s longsuffering. It shows up in the phrase “The rock who gave you birth you ignored.”

Back in verse four Moshe reminded Israel, “He is the Rock; His work is perfect. For all His ways are just, a God of faithfulness, and without evil; just and upright is He.” Now Moshe contrasts the attributes of Elohim with the attributes that Israel is going to display. While Elohim is faithful, without evil, just and upright, Israel will prove to be rebellious, wicked, unjust and crooked.

The diminutive yod perhaps signifies that although Elohim is aware of Israel’s rebellions, as a righteous parent He understands that a child must be disciplined, yet He is embarrassed because of what the child does. In verse 20 it says, “I shall hide my face from them.”

The yod represents the hand. Here it is small, perhaps to show that even though Elohim could be heavy handed because of Israel’s sin, He chooses to show mercy and use a light hand in punishment. He could have decreed the destruction of Israel, but chose not to do so.

The overall message of the song is that because of Israel’s unfaithfulness they would be subjected to discipline. When the victors in the time prophesied in Revelation sing, they will acknowledge that Yehovah was just in all that He did because Israel rebelled just as He said they would.

Live Torah

A message for us is that we should be careful to heed Elohim’s instructions and live them. The message of the song concludes with the vindication of Israel as Yehovah takes vengeance against those who did evil against His People Israel and “Atones (kepher) for His ground and His people.”

We look forward to the day when Elohim will again show Himself mighty for His people. Until then, we live Torah.

Shalom, and blessings in this appointed time of Yom Kippur. May the righteous Judge of all find you clean of all sin through your repentance, turn from sin and turn to righteousness and may your name be written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Please join me next week hungry for Torah when we will study portion ha berachah, the blessing, Devarim 33:1-11, and as is customary to link the end with the beginning, Beresheit (Genesis) 1:1. Until then, Shalom, and Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim.

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.