Praise for the Torah Class Series

The Journey Through the Torah Class series by Tom Bradford is a real achievement. With each lesson,
you will be introduced to new Scripture-based revelations. Tom Bradford’s classes on the five books
of Moses have formed an online institution that has attracted tens of thousands of participants from
all around the nation and beyond. Tom’s objective is to return to the original language. His insights
are biblical, relevant, and inspiring. I am excited that he has now expanded these lessons to include a
personal study guide. These will be great resources for teachers or small groups, challenging you to
delve more deeply into the Holy Scriptures.
—Davis Bunn, Best-selling author

The Journey Through the Torah Class series provides a way for people of all ages to study the Old
Testament, so often systematically neglected by Christians. These lessons, which began as transcripts
of weekly Bible teaching by Tom Bradford, are an honest look at details of what the OT actually says,
verse by verse.
Unique within this curriculum are several sets of questions designed for Bible students on the
middle school and high school levels that encourage thinking and discussion as well as testing for
comprehension of specific information. In preparing his popular teaching, Bradford goes deep into
research to indemnify history and context of the text, and to explore difficult questions that arise and
are typically passed over.
While being careful to avoid making the OT say things that aren’t intended, proper place is given
to parts that foreshadow Yeshua (or Jesus) the Messiah, and underlie the faith of those who accept
him as Savior and Lord.
—John K napp ii, phD, former professor, sunY-oswego

Tom Bradford is one of the few men that I know who ponders long and hard over passages that most
would never consider teaching or preaching. Why does he do so? Because he knows that every pas-
sage of Scripture is given by G-d and inspired by the Holy Spirit and has relevance as much as any
other. Tom is committed to using proper hermeneutical methods, so what he teaches he gets right.
His teaching shows a proper understanding of the Living Word, the Messiah Yeshua, as well as the
written Word.
Tom is a strong supporter of Israel, not because of some affinity through a denomination or par-
ticular tradition, but because of the clear admonition of the Word of G-d. His Torah study series will
provide insight for every individual, regardless of whether they are a biblical scholar or a novice.

—r. Baruch, phD, Director of the nicoDemus institute in Jerusalem. a DJunct instructor
at the israeli
BiBle college. his area of expertise is comparative stuDY Between the greeK
septuagint anD the heBrew pentateuch.
Deuteronomy

Adult Textbook
 Other Torah Class Study Guides Available

Genesis: The Book of Foundations

Exodus: Toward Freedom and Redemption
Leviticus: Learning God’s Ways
Numbers: The Wilderness Experience
Deuteronomy
the promise is realizeD

Adult Textbook

tom BraDforD
seeD of aBraham ministries
 LICENSE AGREEMENT

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DEUTERONOMY: Adult Textbook

Copyright © 2014 by Seed of Abraham Ministries

All rights reserved under international and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this
book may reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information
storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing by the publisher, except by reviewers or
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Published in North America by Seed of Abraham Ministries

ISBN: 978-1-937373-74-0

Unless otherwise indicated, images are copyright of the author and are also subject to the same copy-
right restrictions as text.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David
H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers,
6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.
 Contents

How to Use This Book ix

About the Author xi

Introduction to Numbers xiii

Deuteronomy 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Deuteronomy 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Deuteronomy 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Deuteronomy 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Deuteronomy 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Deuteronomy 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Deuteronomy 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Deuteronomy 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Deuteronomy 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Deuteronomy 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Deuteronomy 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Deuteronomy 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Deuteronomy 13 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Deuteronomy 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Deuteronomy 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Deuteronomy 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Deuteronomy 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Deuteronomy 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Deuteronomy 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Deuteronomy 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Deuteronomy 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Deuteronomy 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Deuteronomy 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Deuteronomy 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Deuteronomy 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Deuteronomy 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

Deuteronomy 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

Deuteronomy 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Deuteronomy 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292

Deuteronomy 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Deuteronomy 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Deuteronomy 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

Deuteronomy 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Deuteronomy 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized ix

About the Author

Tom Bradford is the founder of Seed of Abraham Ministries and is the teacher
and pastor of Torah Class, a nondenominational congregation of Gentile and
Jewish believers in Christ located in Merritt Island, Florida.
Tom was educated at the University of California at Northridge, where he
first studied Egyptology and archaeology before settling on urban development
and business management. Later he accomplished advanced course work at Har-
vard.
A lifelong Christian, Tom studied the Hebrew Bible under Jewish rabbis and
scholars, both in Israel and in the United States of America. As the director of
adult Sunday school at a Baptist megachurch, Tom began to hone his teaching
skills and developed the technique of a multidiscipline approach to exegetical
Bible study that he continues to use today.
Before his transition into the ministry, Tom was a senior executive for an
S&P 500 corporation, running several high-tech companies in the United States
and Europe. After leaving the business world, Tom spent years studying count-
less volumes of the great works of Christian and Jewish scholars and historians,
learning biblical Hebrew, writing seminars on Bible history, and teaching on the
Middle East and Jewish/Christian history at a local college. It finally became
clear that his new path was to devote himself full-time to teaching the Holy
Scriptures, focusing on the Old Testament and the forgotten Hebrew nature and
culture from which it came. He has traveled extensively, including in the Middle
East and Egypt.

Seed of Abraham Ministries

925 N. Courtenay Parkway
Merritt Island, FL 32953
(321) 459-9887
www.torahclass.com

About the Author

 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized xi

How to Use this Book

The Journey Through the Torah Class study series can give exams orally, discuss as a group, or ask
is a unique chapter-by-chapter commentary on students to take them as written tests—it’s up
the books of the Old Testament that has been to you!
organized as educational curriculum especially
suitable for homeschool and Christian school
use. The language is personal, friendly, and
understandable. In addition to the textbook, Things You Should Know
discussion questions, reviews, and exams are Now, let me set up a few ground rules as the
included, along with a Teacher’s Guide that basis on which the Torah Class series will pro-
provides the answers to the review and exam ceed. First, I am not here to persuade anyone
questions. There are two study tracks contained about the truth of the Holy Scripture. While
in the book based on age and education level: seekers are most welcome here, this is not a
middle school and high school. seekers’ class whereby we attempt to prove that
In this study we will go deep into the the Bible is the Word of God. Our assumption
meaning of the Scriptures, at times looking at is that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is
the Hebrew words of the original text. Many true—all of it. If the Bible is not true, then we
false assumptions about the Bible will be chal- might as well all pack up and go home, because
lenged, and we will incorporate understanding we’re wasting our time.
of ancient Jewish culture and mind-set into this Second, we are going to read every single
study, because without it we lose much of the word of the Bible books that we study in the
context and inherent meaning of God’s Word Torah Class series. We’re not going to skip any-
to us. Each lesson in this book corresponds to thing, not a single verse. Before you start each
one chapter from the book of Deuteronomy. lesson, you will be instructed to read the cor-
The chapter will feature illustrations, charts, responding chapter in your Bible. This is an in-
and vocabulary. depth study that will teach you much, challenge
The companion Study Guide includes your thinking, and build your faith. But if you
Review Questions for each week (usually two skip over the Bible itself, you’ve missed the most
chapters from this book). These will cement important part of the lesson. Other than this
the information you’ve learned and prepare you book, a Bible is the only resource you’ll need.
for the exam to come. There are separate ques- However, we do have additional resources avail-
tions for middle school and high school stu- able for you on our website at www.TorahClass.
dents. After three weeks of study, you’ll come com—including all the illustrations and audio How to Use this Book
to an exam. Once again, the questions are orga- files of these lessons.
nized by middle school age and high school age. Third, I recommend you read out of the
This will cover all the material you’ve learned Complete Jewish Bible, although it’s not man-
since the last exam and should take an entire datory. One reason for this is that the CJB
class period to complete. The Teacher’s Guide is not the official Bible translation for any
includes answers to all the objective questions denomination that I’m aware of. That is inten-
in the book. As a teacher, you know your stu- tional. This curriculum is not about teaching
dents best. Go at the pace you feel is best for denominational traditions or doctrines. The
them. Be creative in your use of the discussion Complete Jewish Bible is taken mostly from the
questions, review questions, and exams. You Hebrew texts as opposed to many translations
 xii Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

today, which are taken from the Septuagint, a Sixth, we need to understand that the first
Greek translation of the Hebrew written more section of the Old Testament, which is called the
than two centuries before Christ was born. (If Torah, was given to us as a manual for living the
you don’t have a copy of the CJB translation, life that God intended for mankind to live. The
you can purchase one at a discounted price at three million or so Israelites whom Moses led
www.holylandmarketplace.com.) through the desert wilderness to the Promised
Fourth, at times I will teach you certain Land came from four centuries of life in Egypt.
words in Hebrew that will add a great deal to They were a rabble that had thoroughly opted
your understanding. Oftentimes I’ve found that for the ways of the Egyptians. By giving Moses
looking at the Hebrew is like going from a black- the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), God
and-white TV to color; what you see in black- explained to Israel the beginning of everything:
and-white is not wrong, it just doesn’t give you who He was, why the world had arrived at the
the depth that color does. You’ll soon learn that corrupt place it had, and how to live a righteous
Hebrew has certain words that simply don’t have life. What is a righteous life? It is you living in har-
nice, neat English equivalents. The word Torah is mony with God. These things have not changed.
itself a good example of that, as is the common Seventh, the Torah Class series will not
Hebrew expression Shalom. But those are just the answer every question you have about God.
tip of the iceberg. The other thing to realize is There are many matters in the Bible that are
that just as many important Hebrew words in the simply left open-ended. Some matters are not
Scriptures do not have a good English equivalent, addressed at all, and others are incomplete. I
neither do they have a good Greek equivalent. choose to let these mysteries remain mysteries
So when the Bible was translated from Hebrew for us. At times I’ll speculate, but it will be pre-
to Greek, then from Greek to Latin, then from sented as speculation or opinion, not as fact or
Latin to English, much depth and understanding absolute truth. Sometimes that speculation will
were lost. We’re going to do our best to try to be in the form of what the great Hebrew sages
recover some of that depth. of ancient times thought about a particular sub-
Fifth, my goal is that we have continu- ject; in fact, I’ll incorporate that kind of infor-
ity. When studied properly, the Old Testament mation on a number of occasions because, if
(OT) flows like a beautiful river. Too often the nothing else, it explains how the Hebrew mind
OT is presented as a series of mildly interesting operated during certain eras.
but unconnected stories, and it can be hard to Thank you for choosing the Journey
put it together. Actually, the OT is fascinating, Through the Torah Class series to guide you
colorful, and very much (though not entirely) in through your studies of the Old Testament. I
chronological order. A good way to look at the assure you that if you dedicate yourself to this
OT is as God presenting Himself to us through study—as part of a lifelong spiritual education
How to Use this Book

the history of Israel. The OT is a history lesson process—you will be rewarded immensely as
of sorts, but it is also much more. It’s the his- your knowledge and love for God increase.
tory of Israel and the Jews. And it is Christian
history, because it was out of the Hebrew Bible, Blessings and Shalom!
culture, and religion that Christianity came. Tom Bradford
Remember, Christ was a Jew. Born to Jewish
parents, raised in the Holy Lands, He was an
observant Jew in every way.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized xiii

Introduction to Deuteronomy

Congratulations! You’re beginning a study of the love of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and
final, the fifth, book of Torah, the book of Deu- Jacob—though this is a very broad and unspe-
teronomy. We have come a long way, have we cific cause of His selection.
not? To this point in Torah we have seen the cre- So far, the Lord has issued two major cov-
ation of the world and of mankind, the destruc- enants, both to Israel. The first covenant was
tion of the world (and all but eight humans) by to Abraham, that out of him would come the
a great flood, and then the earth’s very rapid Hebrew people (later called Israel) and that
repopulation. We have seen the creation of a they would receive a special allotment of land
people set apart for God because the world (after for their own. The second covenant, given on
the Flood) quickly became wicked once again Mount Sinai (the Law), was issued through
and turned away from Him. This automatically Moses to a nation of people now called Israel.
means that the world was divided and sepa- This second covenant set down exactly how
rated into two distinct groups: God’s people and Israel was to live the redeemed life that God
everybody else. God’s people are called Hebrews, intended; it consisted of civil, religious, and
everybody else are called Gentiles. moral ordinances and rules. These laws were
The Hebrews were not chosen based on to be obeyed explicitly and fully without ques-
any kind of merit on their part, nor were they tion, yet they were also an ideal that reflected
chosen because they were a mighty people (they the purity and pattern of heaven itself. Sadly,
were not). The exact reason they were chosen is Israel was never able to follow these laws and
not precisely stated in the Bible. In later times, their principles and patterns to any reasonable
God says that He chose Israel because of His degree.
Now, at the beginning of Deuteronomy,
Israel is a people without a country. They were

Introduction to Deuteronomy
formed and grew into a nation in the belly of the
beast, Egypt. God has rescued them from the
beast, redeemed them, and given them His laws
and commands so that they can know God’s
character and what pleases and displeases Him.
By obeying these laws and observing the spe-
cial holy occasions, harmony with God could be
achieved; disobedience and disregard for them
brought God’s wrath upon their heads. At this
point, Yehoveh has also established an elite, set-
apart group of people from among His overall
set apart people: this group is the tribe of Levi
who are His priests and servants and guardians
of the Lord’s holiness on earth.
At this moment, Israel (all 3 million of
them) is standing on the eastern edge of the
 xiv Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Jordan River, in Moab, not far from Jericho. of Moses. The Greek deuteronomian doesn’t mean
Moses is about to address them in a stirring “copy”; it means “second,” as in “another.” So
speech. It is this address that forms the basis while the Hebrew intends “copy,” the Greek
for Deuteronomy. intends “second.” But the purpose of this book
is not as a second set of laws (a second Torah).
It is simply a copy of what Moses taught earlier,
What to Expect in Deuteronomy slightly adjusted for the difference in circum-
I congratulate you all for hanging in there as we stance between wandering in the wilderness as
have gotten to this point in our study of Torah. Bedouins versus living a settled life in Canaan.
The good news is that unlike what many of you The oldest extant text of Deuteronomy goes
might have heard, or perhaps assumed, Deu- back to the ninth century and is part of the Mas-
teronomy is not at all a repeat of the first four oretic Text (which includes the entire Hebrew
books of Torah, nor is it a summary. So what Bible). However, the discovery and translation
can we expect in Deuteronomy? of the Dead Sea Scrolls (which date before the
Well first, let’s take a look at the name (Deu- Masoretic Text, to even before the time of Christ)
teronomy) itself. Deuto comes from the Greek contains many large fragments of Deuteronomy,
deuteronomion touto, which means “the second and examination has proven them to be nearly
law.” The process of translating the original identical with the Masoretic Text (except for
Hebrew into another language, Greek; and then minor spelling differences, copyist errors, or
from Greek to Latin; and then from Latin to grammar differences). So what we have available
English, is fraught with problems, as you can to us today is accurate to at least 100-200 BC.
imagine (and I’ve pointed up but a few during
our time together). We are not only dealing with
The Authenticity of
differing languages but also differing cultures;
Deuteronomy
what a word indicated in one language and cul-
ture did not always have a direct counterpart in Many modern scholars have an affinity for try-
another language and culture. This has led to ing to disprove the authenticity of the five books
hundreds of Bible versions in existence today, of Moses (and most of the Bible for that matter).
each of which has its advantages and disadvan- The primary method they use for that is called
tages for the serious Bible student. The title of Literary Criticism; another is called Textual
this fifth book of the Bible is a victim of these Criticism. The idea, in general, is to examine the
Introduction to Deuteronomy

language and cultural variations. ancient texts to determine if what was written
It’s important to know that the Hebrews down makes sense for the era in which it claims
did not name the books of the Torah. Rather to have been written. They look for signs that
they just spoke of them by using the first several perhaps more than one style of writing might
words that began each book. The first words of have been incorporated (indicating to them that
our new undertaking are “these are the words”; multiple writers were involved), and if what was
so the Hebrews at first simply referred to this said is appropriate for what is archeologically
book as elleh ha-devarim (“these are the words,” in known about that era. From these criticisms, it
Hebrew). The current popular name in Hebrew is now widely said among liberal scholars that
is sefer Devarim (“the book of these are the Deuteronomy was written in the eighth century
words”), and that is usually shortened to simply BC, not in the fourteenth or thirteenth century,
Devarim. about the time when Moses was leading Israel
The term Deuteronomy comes from an error out of Egypt.
in understanding the meaning of Deuteronomy Let me assure you, however, that there is
17:18, which says, “this is a copy of the teaching” no need to buy into this latest so-called scien-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized xv

tific finding that more closely approximates a that the first scholarly objections to the Torah
fad. First, it is anything but scientific. There are being authentic arose. It’s hard for me to put
no “tests” or “standards” by which to measure the arrogance and irrationality of this line of
whether or not these folks are right. This is all thinking into a severe enough mold. Academ-
about speculation that revolves around subjec- ics three thousand years after the fact want to
tive worldviews. This is not unlike the recent argue about what historians who were pres-
spate of Hollywood movies about cavemen and ent, or at least two thousand years closer to the
dinosaurs. These scholars refuse to acknowl- actual events, saw or didn’t see. And they’re
edge the accuracy of the ancient Hebrew docu- suggesting that they didn’t perceive correctly
ments because (for them) there are not sufficient the events that they, themselves, lived through.
written documents from other societies of that Such a viewpoint ought to be rejected outright.
era to verify the content of the Bible,
While it is very likely that redactions to all
the books of the Torah have occurred to some Moses’s “Sermon on the Mount”
degree over the centuries, the reality is that Deuteronomy is going to be a surprising book
every fragment of Torah ever found (from any to most of you. It’s going to surprise primar-
era) all closely match one another. The evidence ily in the concepts it so beautifully and articu-
is that Deuteronomy was partially penned by lately presents about God, the land of Canaan,
Moses (or more likely his scribe), as well as the Law, and other important subjects. In fact,
some other contributors, because part of Deu- I would submit to you that Deuteronomy is
teronomy records a time after Moses’s death. Moses’s version of Yeshua’s Sermon on the
Could some redaction have taken place in the Mount. Here’s why:
eighth century, the time at which some schol- Moses begins this book by recounting how
ars say Deuteronomy was actually first created? Israel got to where they are at this moment. In
Certainly and it is very likely; however, to say doing so, he expounds on at least 50 percent
that the main body of this book was first writ- of all the laws given at Mount Sinai. In other
ten five hundred years after the Exodus is noth- words, he reviews almost all of the Law, point
ing but the most blatant form of modern secular
or liberal Judeo-Christian intellectualism that
seeks to harmonize the Bible with whatever is
currently politically correct and popular in aca-

Introduction to Deuteronomy
demia.
In fact, in earliest Christianity there was
no concept of anything but a Torah written by
Moses; even in the far older religion of Juda-
ism there was no serious thought or dissent
against the common knowledge that the Torah
had been written by Moses. We find the likes
of Philo and Josephus, for instance, insisting on
a Moses-authored Torah. In the end it was not
until the late seventeenth and early eighteenth
centuries in Europe, during the period of the
Enlightenment (when secular humanism was
invented and religion was seen by these anti-
Semitic Enlightenment philosophers to be an
unintelligent activity of the uneducated masses)
 xvi Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

tor of God, Yeshua, expounding on the ideal of

the Law in the book of Matthew. The reason
and conditions for the first expounding of the
Law in the Bible, by Moses, was his coming
death and the subsequent entry of God’s peo-
ple into the Promised Land of Canaan, God’s
earthly kingdom. The reason and conditions for
the second expounding of the Law in the Bible
by Yeshua was His coming death and the sub-
sequent entry of God’s people into God’s king-
dom, a spiritual kingdom.
I hope this makes sense to you for a number
by point, and tells Israel what they are to con- of reasons. First, if you can understand the par-
clude is God’s purpose for this Law. allel I just drew for you, then you have a good
Moses takes the Law from its purely physical, basic context for understanding Deuteronomy.
theoretical level to a higher spiritual level of godly Second, this is but further dramatic proof of
principles that governs all things, anywhere, dur- God’s established patterns that begin in Gen-
ing any era. He’ll explain why certain rituals were esis and are never ending. They repeat over and
laid down the way they were, what their spiritual over again, but as we move through the Bible we
purpose is, the God-principles behind them, and see these patterns begin as mere dust and clay
why they are important and are to be obeyed. (physical) and progressively move into a higher
Therefore we’ll have Moses saying, “This is the spiritual plane until, at the end of the Bible, all
Law that was enacted back at Mount Sinai, forty the laws and patterns established by Yehoveh are
years ago, and this is the way the first generation at the absolute, ultimate spiritual perfection and
has practiced it up to now; however I’m going essence that Yehoveh has planned and ordained
to tell you what it all means as we prepare to for His creation. There will come a time when
enter the Promised Land. This is how we should the lines between heaven and earth start to blur
understand it and how we should execute God’s and eventually merge into one. Third, it helps
instructions when we settle there.” to establish that the “newness” of the so-called
In the New Testament counterpart of New Covenant (or New Testament) is not about
Moses’s speech we have Yeshua, in the book of a new set of principles, additional principles, or
Introduction to Deuteronomy

Matthew, doing basically the same thing. Moses principles (laws) that have been abolished and
took the Law from the primarily earthly/behav- replaced by different ones; rather the newness is
ioral to a spiritual plane in Deuteronomy; in the that the OT Messiah has finally come, and He
Sermon on the Mount Jesus takes the spiritual is Yeshua of Nazareth, and all that was prom-
element Moses gave to the Law in Deuteron- ised has come with Him or (in some cases) the
omy (much of which had been lost) and moves process has been advanced toward the ultimate
it to a yet higher and purer spiritual level. Jesus world to come. In other words, the constant
says, and I paraphrase, “Here is how your ances- drumbeat we have always heard in church about
tors thought of this command of God histori- love, grace, peace, mercy, and redemption as
cally, and this is how the traditions of men have being a new revelation that is the core of the
affected it, but I am here to tell you what it New Testament is simply not the case; it was
means from here forth and how it is in heaven.” first introduced in the Torah, and much of it
We have the first Mediator of God, Moses, right here in Deuteronomy.
expounding on the ideal of the Law in Deuter- Now let me comment about another aspect
onomy, and we have the second and best Media- of the Sermon on the Mount parallel in Moses’s
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized xvii

address in Moab to the people of Israel: this was Women, should you see yourselves as
more a sermon than a re-rendering of the code unclean during your period, remove your-
of Laws given as an oracle from God on Mount self from your husband during that time, and
Sinai. That is why the Sermon on the Mount is immerse in a Mikvah upon the end of the cycle?
called a sermon and not an oracle. It was Yeshua In Deuteronomy, Moses draws attention to the
preaching and teaching on the Law, not Yeshua fact that the issue he is addressing in Moab
creating a second or new law. It was the same on is not whether these laws and principles still
the mountain in Moab with Moses as the ora- exist, but rather how to apply them and reap-
tor: he was preaching about the existing law, not ply them in evolving societal conditions and
making new laws or changing old ones. So what in various geographical locations. Christ did
we will study in Deuteronomy will help to set essentially the same, but He was concerned in
the context not just for the books that immedi- His sermon with something that Moses didn’t
ately follow it (like Joshua and Judges), but for have to contend with; Moses didn’t have to tell
the New Testament as well. people that the Law would continue because
He was addressing the people of the Law and
any thought that the Law would be terminated
The Importance of the
was unthinkable. But thirteen hundred years
Old Testament Today
later on a hill overlooking the Galilee, Yeshua
Perhaps one of the most difficult things for a was speaking to a crowd of Jews and a sprin-
Christian who has come to understand the era kling of Gentiles, and He needed to make it
of restoration that we have entered, and the real- crystal clear that nothing He said should be
ity that Israel is in process of having the torch of construed as abolishing even the slightest
the gospel handed back to them by the Gentiles sliver of the Law, nor was He changing the
who took the lead on evangelizing for around pronouncements of the prophets. Indeed, not
nineteen hundred years, is how to approach that until heaven and earth passed away (He said)
section of the Bible that has been relegated to could such a thing even be contemplated.
the dust bin for so long: the Old Testament. We find that discourse in Matthew 5. There-
We who speak fondly of the Hebrew roots fore, pay very close attention to Deuteronomy
of our faith have struggled right along with the because we’ll see how this Israelite society has
rest of our brothers and sisters in Christ who evolved after four decades, and thus needed
form the larger and more mainstream portion change in the details of observing the Law to

Introduction to Deuteronomy
of the church about just how to deal with the account for their new condition. As Believers,
very ancient code of laws we find in the Torah. we’re in the same boat today.
How does a modern Christian keep Torah? Are Deuteronomy, like all other books of the
we to avoid wearing clothes of mixed cloth? Are Bible, was not written in a vacuum. It is not a
we to re-establish a society where males decide standalone book. Deuteronomy, like the New
everything? Are we only to eat food grown Testament, will be misunderstood and misap-
under the biblical Kosher ordinances? Should plied if one does not read and understand what
we re-establish cities of refuge for those who came before it as a foundation. Deuteronomy
kill accidentally? Are we to celebrate the biblical assumes (as Moses assumes) that many of the
festivals and observe the Jewish Sabbath? Men, things that will be discussed have been known
are we to adopt Rabbinical Jewish traditions and assimilated into the Hebrews’ everyday life
like wearing Kippahs and sporting full beards for quite some time. So Moses won’t define
and reading from Jewish prayer books? Should his terms because they were common knowl-
we insist that we sit apart from our wives and edge; he won’t fully repeat a law of Exodus or
daughters during congregational services? Leviticus or Numbers when he wants to preach
 xviii Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

on it; instead he’ll often refer to a certain law Monotheism

or command in abbreviated form because it’s
understood. Moses will draw on incidents like The highest and most fundamental princi-
the Golden Calf, and the Balaam and Balak ple that undergirds Deuteronomy is monothe-
affair, and will even speak of “what happened ism. While that doesn’t seem like such an earth-
to Miriam.” “What happened to Miriam” was shattering revelation to modern Christians and
so infamous and ingrained in the consciousness Jews, the principle of there being but one god
of the people that he didn’t need to explain the was almost incomprehensible to the mind of the
obvious (that she was punished with a divinely Hebrew and Gentile of Moses’s era.
caused skin disease for her rebellion and exiled The inescapable reality is that when the
from camp until her disease ended). OT says things like “gods,” and “God of gods
Deuteronomy had an enormous effect on and Lord of lords,” this was reflecting what
the development of Jewish Tradition that would every human culture believed: that there were
come far into the future. Even before that, the many gods and each nation had its own gods
prophets who brought God’s oracles to Israel on who presided over some particular territory.
His behalf would use the verbiage and imagery Further, that while Israel believed in one God,
that Moses used in this matchless book. Almost it was not that there was a sum total of one
two hundred of the original 613 Torah com- God in existence, rather in their peculiar case,
mands are found in Deuteronomy. The method their God only permitted them to have one
that Moses expounded on the Law is closer to god. He tolerated no competition. As a result,
how the Rabbis (at least at first) commented on to the Hebrews’ mind and to all those who
the Law, and so Rabbinical Halakah (Rabbini- surrounded the Hebrews, Israel was god-poor.
cal legal rulings) have a form and protocol more Having only one god was downright embar-
similar to Deuteronomy than to the four earlier rassing!
books of Torah. Until Deuteronomy, we really don’t find
Deuteronomy forms an important part Yehoveh (or anyone else for that matter) empha-
of ancient and modern day Jewish liturgy; for sizing the idea that, it’s not that Israel is allowed
instance the Shema (the Hear O Israel) of Deu- only one god, it’s that there is only one god in exis-
teronomy 6:4–9 holds a premium spot in Jewish tence and He is the god of everyone and every-
synagogue service. Other phrases from Deu- thing. Here Moses makes it clear that there is
teronomy are interspersed in standard Jewish but one god, period. It is a concept that is not
Introduction to Deuteronomy

prayers, such as the Amidah and the Aleinu. particularly well-received by the Israelites, nor is
it taken seriously as we see the people of Israel
move from apostasy to apostasy, worshipping
Groundwork for god after god, and suffering dearly for it.
Studying Deuteronomy
In order to best prepare you to study this
Loyalty
tremendous book, I would like to lay some
groundwork of the main premises that are dis- The next major theme we’ll find in Deu-
cussed so that you can be looking for them. J. teronomy is loyalty to Yehoveh. Loyalty goes
H. Tigay, a noted Hebrew scholar, has done a hand in hand with monotheism. The logic is
masterful job of assessing the primary themes that if there is only one God, and this God has
that form Deuteronomy, and since it would be decided to bless Israel above all other people,
hard for me to improve upon it, I’ll lay it out then the obvious response is absolute loyalty to
as he sees it. Him. In fact, Israel is not only not to revert to
worshipping other gods, they are to destroy the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized xix

temples, altars, and high places of these non- the relationship between God and Israel goes
gods all throughout the land of Canaan. well beyond emotional and spiritual (or spiritu-
alized) ties. Rather, Israel has specific definable
obligations to meet. Meeting these obligations
Concept of God
reflects both a proper attitude and demonstrates
Then we find that Moses discusses the Israel’s intent to be obedient to the way the Lord
entire concept of God. A man who had been has ordained many of these obligations to be
a Christian for at least fifty years told me that performed, and this is part and parcel of this
until he studied Torah he didn’t realize that he covenant relationship.
didn’t know who God is. And, I agree with him. There is much the modern church can learn
It is in the Torah, and primarily Deuteronomy, from this. This covenant theme goes to some
that we get a very majestic and succinct picture length to make it clear that action must accom-
of God’s attributes so that we can understand pany the faith of Israel. To try to separate the two
who He is more in depth than we can from only is folly. In other words, works are an indispensable
studying New Testament documents. part of a believer’s walk with God. Today, works
For instance, God’s nearness is further is practically a four letter word within the body
refined; God lives in heaven but it’s His pres- of believers. Everything has been spiritualized to
ence that dwells with Israel. God was not in the the point that what we do is completely second-
fire on the summit of Mount Sinai; it was the ary to what we feel; that once we have accepted
Lord’s kavod, His glory. The Lord hasn’t moved Yeshua as our Savior, we have no further obli-
from heaven into the tent sanctuary (the Wilder- gations to the Father—everything becomes
ness Tabernacle) but His shekinah is there hov- optional. The Lord has duties and obligations to
ering above the ark of the covenant. In other us but we have none to Him.
words, Moses takes the physical nature typically The NT book of James addresses this
represented in the world of false gods (often in misconception head on: “For just as the body
the forms of animals or a Pharaoh or an idol) without the spirit is dead, so also faith without
and makes it obsolete. Instead, Moses invokes works is dead” (James 2:26, NAS). This was
the spirituality and formlessness of Yehoveh as not a new idea; works coupled with faith was
His true essence. standard within Judaism because the concept is
Yet Yehoveh is a God with something akin found in the Torah and expounded upon here
to emotions; He is the God who loves, gets in Deuteronomy.

Introduction to Deuteronomy
angry, and even jealous. He is not a distant
being that sets the world in motion, gives man-
kind rules for living, and then takes a long vaca- Love
tion with a DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging It is going to take some of you by surprise
on his door. This is a God that craves intimacy that another major theme of Deuteronomy is
with people who love Him. love. The love that is discussed is primarily God’s
love toward Israel and, to a lesser degree, to all
mankind. This bond of love is also to be reflected
Covenant
in God’s people, not only toward God but also
Next, the theme of the covenant relation- toward one another and even to foreigners.
ship between God and Israel is affirmed. The
first two covenants are reviewed and discussed.
In chapter 26, Moses emphasizes that even Isr ael
though the covenant relationship has as its Who Israel is, in Yehoveh’s eyes, is also cen-
foundation both legal and religious elements, tral to Deuteronomy. Israel is a nation who’s
 xx Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

God and king is Yehoveh. Israel is as a son to And as is so central to both Judaism and
God, for He created them, redeemed them, Christianity today, the theme of humanitarian-
guided them through the wilderness, fought ism is focused upon in Deuteronomy. Orphans,
for them and protected them and chose Israel widows, the poor, the sick, slaves, foreigners
among all nations on earth for a special one-of- living among Israel, even animals and captured
a-kind relationship with Him. enemy soldiers are given attention as Israel is
exhorted to be humane is all their dealings with
God’s creatures.
Other Themes
So, despite the faulty rhetoric that has been
Other themes that will be discussed at some a mainstay of institutional Church doctrine for
length in Deuteronomy are the land that is now centuries—that in the Old Testament we are
Israel, as well as the Law and the need to stay presented the angry God, the vengeful God, the
safely within the boundaries of behavior and legalistic and bloodthirsty God but in the New
thought that the Lord has ordained for Israel. we see a changed God, the peaceful God, the
One of the most interesting themes we will merciful and self-sacrificing God, the God of
uncover is the process of centralizing the place grace and shalom—we quickly see when study-
of sacrificial worship. That is, once Israel is in ing Deuteronomy that this notion is completely
possession of the Promised Land, there will be untrue.
one common place where all are to bring their And that study will begin in earnest in the
sacrifices; this will be where the only authorized next chapter.
place of atonement resides.
Introduction to Deuteronomy
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 1

Deuteronomy 1

Make no mistake: the foundation for correctly ning with the Hebrew letter “heh” ‫ ה‬that is the
interpreting this fifth book of the Torah are last letter of Mosheh’s name, and then counting
the four books that came before it; each builds forty-eight letters, we come to the Hebrew letter
upon the other. However, in general, we need to “reysh” ‫ר‬. Forty-eight more letters and we get
view Deuteronomy as a sermon on the Law, and the Hebrew letter “Vav” ‫ ו‬, and forty-eight more
in the last chapter I drew a parallel for you to letters and we get the Hebrew letter “Tav” ‫ת‬.
the Sermon on the Mount, which was Yeshua’s That is, we get Torah spelled backwards.
sermon about the Law. But even more, what makes this so remark-
Deuteronomy picks up the journey of Israel able is that we see a similar pattern at the begin-
in Moab, with Moses giving his final addresses ning of the four books of Torah that come
to the people of Israel. The three addresses before Deuteronomy. In Genesis 1:1–5 we find
interlace history and law. Quite often the pre- a repeating pattern of the word Torah, spelled
cise facts of certain incidents on their forty-year forward (normally), with each letter forming
wilderness trek are not presented by Moses in the word spaced exactly forty-nine letters apart.
the same mold as we read them in the earlier This starting with the final Hebrew letter of
Torah books because he’s presenting them in the word “in the beginning” (bereshith), repeats
the light of hindsight as historical fact. every forty-ninth letter
So, as we begin reading the first chapter of The same thing happens in Exodus 1:1-
Deuteronomy, picture Moses as he stands on a 6. Starting with the final letter of the second
high hill in Moab, overlooking the Promised word (shemot) in the opening phrase “these are
Land that sits but a stone’s throw away on the the names,” we get the Hebrew letter Tav. Then
west bank of the Jordan River. He is addressing counting precisely 49 letters, we get a Vav, and
the leaders and elders of Israel, but his words so on, until it eventually forms the word Torah.
are intended for all of Israel to heed, for indeed In Leviticus it shifts a bit. In this priestly
there is no practical way that his voice could book, the divine name YHVH is spelled out
have been heard by more than a few hundred with the letters yud-hey-vav-hey ‘‫ הוה‬spaced
people at best. precisely seven letters apart. Beginning with the
Yud in the first word of Leviticus “and he sum-
moned,” and then counting every seventh let-
ter, we get God’s name, Yehoveh.
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 1.
In Numbers, the word Torah is spelled back-
Deuteronomy 1

wards in an exact interval, just as it is in Deu-

teronomy. Beginning with the first occurrence
of the word “Moses” in Numbers, we take the
Remark able Patterns
“heh” (the last letter of Mosheh’s name) and
in Scripture
then counting forty-nine letters the pattern
In the first five verses of Deuteronomy, there is repeats until Torah is spelled in reverse.
a repeating pattern of Hebrew letters that spells The forty-nine-letter spacing is key because
out the word “Torah” in a fixed sequence. Begin- it is the product of seven times seven. Of
 2 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

course, the divine number of God is seven, At this point, the wandering is about over;
which makes the spacing of the letters in God’s the people of Israel are near to possessing the
name in Leviticus quite astounding. land that had been officially set-aside for them
But the question is, why is the spacing in in the covenant of Abraham six centuries ear-
Deuteronomy one less than forty-nine? The fol- lier. But the possession of the land is not going
lowing is only my opinion. to come peacefully; the 600,000-man Hebrew
Deuteronomy is different than the first four army will take the land by force from a num-
books in that it is a sermon of Moses. The first ber of petty potentates and mighty kings and
four books consist, to one degree or another, of kingdoms who, when lumped together, are
direct oracles from God that are prefaced with called Canaanites simply because they live in
words like, “And, the Lord said.” Here in Deuter- the general region known as Canaan. None of
onomy it is different. This is about Moses saying these people have any intention of turning their
thus and so. Yes, Moses is God’s Mediator and He territory over to Israel just because Israel claims
speaks for God, but Moses is not God. Therefore that their national God has given it to them as
the value of Moses’s Torah (Moses’s instructions), their own.
as compared to the value of God’s Torah (God’s
instructions), is less—precisely one less.
We’ve all heard about the Bible Code, and Sermon vs. Or acle
there is no doubt that what I’ve presented to you This address by Moses is apparently made on
is not simply a mathematical anomaly or coinci- his own volition. Certainly, as God’s Media-
dence. It’s not an accident; it was intentionally tor, it is his place to address the people of God
put there that way. So I am one who sees some as he sees fit. Remember that it was ordained
degree of validity to the Bible Code. Where I back at the burning bush that whatever Moses
part company with that school of thought is spoke was as if God spoke it. But let’s address a
when all manner of letter sequences and letters couple of issues: first, what we are getting from
found on diagonals and so on are said to form Moses is not an oracle from the Father. At first
a “Bible Code” that tells us the future. With the blush that might be a little unnerving, but in
enormous number of words and letters in the fact, the vast bulk of the Bible consists, not of
Bible, there is no doubt that one could find spu- direct oracles from Yehoveh, but rather of his-
rious patterns if one looked hard enough. But I tory, stories, poems, songs, progressive revela-
don’t see them as divine. tion, and commentary about the Lord and His
On the other hand, what I have presented commandments.
to you is logical, rational, and miraculous — An oracle is a direct and unequivocal divine
completely in line with God’s principles. From statement directly attributed to the named
a practical standpoint, by incorporating this deity. In the Bible, the most direct oracles from
underlying pattern, copyists’ mistakes and God are in the Torah and are the laws given
redactions and forgeries could be spotted rather to Moses on Mount Sinai. The next most direct
easily, because a misspelling or a missing word oracles come from God’s Messiah, Yeshua, in
or a rearranged sentence would ruin the precise the NT, yet even the bulk of His NT oracles are
Deuteronomy 1

letter sequence and number count. I see the but repeats and reminders of what God spoke
amazing pattern that has been embedded in the through the OT prophets, or are commentary
first five verses of the opening of each of the on the Law as given long ago. Of course where
five books of Torah as God’s guarantee to us, a many believers get tripped up is that they think
kind of ancient “spell check” that it was indeed that what Yeshua offered and spoke was new,
the Great I Am who gave this Bible to us, and because they’ve neither read and seriously stud-
that it is valid and accurate. ied nor been taught the Torah and the OT.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 3

It’s rather easy to know when we encoun- in the new settled condition they are about to
ter a divine oracle as opposed to the speech of find themselves in. Much of the time Christ is
man because divine oracle usually begins with also speaking as God’s Mediator (albeit a higher
the words “Then God said” or “Yehoveh told Mediator than Moses), so He does not say that
Moses . . .” or something along those lines. In He is invoking new laws or changing old laws
other words, the name of God was invoked as either; rather He is providing clarification and
the One who had ordained that such and such motivation.
was to occur or that a new law had been enacted.
We rightly assume that Jesus’s words are an ora-
cle because He claims to be God, which is (of Isr ael’s “Holy War”
course) the entire basis of our Christianity. We must be careful not to get sucked in to a
Yet we cannot help but notice that there is a debate over whether the current holy war that
difference in how God the Father (or the Word the 21st century Muslims are raising against the
in the form of Spirit of God) presents His divine world (called jihad) is somehow similar to what
oracle in the Torah and how Yeshua spoke in God ordained in the Torah regarding the taking
the NT. Yeshua is this inscrutable hybrid of man of Canaan. This is one of those many instances
and God, high priest and mediator, commoner when the meaning of a small phrase changes
and king. So even though the modern Church over the years and takes on a different context,
generally believes that Jesus abolished the old but that small change in meaning can have large
Law and gave mankind a new Law, He plainly consequences. I have heard Muslim spokesmen,
says in Matthew 5:17-19 that this is not the case. news commentators, journalists, and even pas-
Rather, Yeshua went about separating God’s tors discuss the Muslim holy war as comparable
Laws (as given to Moses) from traditions that to the OT holy war that Moses and Joshua led
men (Israel’s religious leaders) had developed against Canaan.
over the centuries about those laws. Traditions The difference between the two is night and
had become the basis of Judaism (and much of it day. Islamic jihad is about forcibly converting
wrong-minded), and they were often set against the world to their religion. It is about the army
the spirit of the Torah. Messiah also explained of Islam violently establishing a worldwide
and expounded on the divinely intended mean- caliphate (that is, a one-world Islamic theoc-
ing of the Laws of Moses, and how many of the racy); it is about killing or enslaving those who
words of the prophets concerning the coming choose not to convert as a direct instruction
Messiah (now present in Himself) were fulfilled from the Koran (although the Koran does seem
in Him. to give an out to Jews and Christians in that
The point is that Moses (here in Deuter- their lives might be spared if they agree to be
onomy) is speaking as God’s official Mediator, ruled by Islam and submit fully to the Islamic
but Moses is using his own words (as inspired government).
as they are) and is making these addresses, not There is no thought in the Torah of conquer-
because there are new oracles coming from ing Canaan in order to spread the religion of the
God, but because Moses has decided that Hebrews to foreigners. This Israelite holy war
Deuteronomy 1

clarification and motivation are needed at this was not about converting pagan Canaanites to
point. Most of Moses’s words are a recounting the worship of Yehoveh and killing the hold-
of the wilderness journey and lengthy explana- outs. Rather, it was a war over land – a very spe-
tions of how the Law for this new generation of cifically identified piece of land. In fact, Moses
Hebrews, most of whom were either small chil- carefully recounts in coming verses how the
dren or not yet born when Moses first received Israelites avoided conflict with the Edomites
the Law almost forty years earlier, should apply and Moabites wherever possible because these
 4 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Gentiles rightfully owned the land they pos- God’s people in a battle for an earthly kingdom
sessed since the Lord had set it aside and located in a specific place. Yeshua has instructed
assigned it to them. His protégés (His worshippers), to lead God’s
Does it surprise you that God would ordain people in a battle for a spiritual kingdom. Joshua
certain territory for Gentiles, non-Israelites, (in Hebrew, Yehoshua) would lead a battle using
and then enforce their right to keep it? It really spears and swords; Jesus (in Hebrew, Yehoshua)
shouldn’t. Although we call Him the God of has instructed us to put down our spears and
Israel, Yehoveh makes plain that He is the God swords and to lead a battle using primarily our
of everyone and everything; that His reign faith, the gospel truth, and our loving deeds.
is supreme over the earth, the universe, and Yet when Yeshua returns, He will fight a bloody
beyond. He has predetermined who shall live physical war just as Joshua was about to do.
where, when, under what circumstances; that Finally, a holy war is not one that is led in
includes both Gentiles and Hebrews. The place the name of God, but one that is actually led by
He assigned for the Hebrews was Canaan. God. That is, God went ahead of Moses and
So we must never fall prey to the specious Joshua to defeat those whom He intended to be
argument that what Islam is currently doing is defeated. In essence, all that was left for Israel to
somehow akin to what the Hebrews were doing do in a holy war was to come in and pick up the
as they conquered Canaan. Nor should we pieces; God would deliver the enemy into their
imagine terrorism or the terrorist purpose and hands. It is made clear that God is the supreme
mindset as being akin to the OT conquering commander of the Israeli military, and it is also
of Canaan. God’s only earthly kingdom was to made clear that this holy war was ordained by
be within the well-defined boundaries of what direct oracle from God (it was not Moses’s or
was currently on record as the Land of Canaan, Israel’s determination).
not beyond. There was no command to convert One of the characteristics of biblical holy
Canaanites, nor was there a command to com- war is the incorporation of the Law of Herem.
mit genocide upon them. The goal was for the The Law of Herem says that captured booty
Gentiles of Canaan to be driven out; only those is to be destroyed because, since the Lord is
who chose to stay and fight to the death rather Supreme Commander, it all belongs to Him.
than leave were subject to death. In Hebrew thinking, the Lord God is quite lit-
Perhaps the oddest irony is that it is not erally a warrior. The destruction of the booty
the “OT God” who says to Canaan and other is a sacrifice to the Supreme Commander,
foreigners, “Convert or die,” as so many misin- Yehoveh, because biblical holy war has little to
formed Christians think. This is at the core of do with material gain. So holy wars in the Old
much Christian opinion on the OT, the Law, and Testament were not for the purpose of religious
the Jewish people. Rather, the only God-directed conversion, nor primarily for the extraction of
“convert or die” scenario in the Bible is in the riches and tribute from the vanquished, the
NT, in the book of Revelation, when Jesus Christ enslavement of the enemy, or even for the pur-
is leading the saints in holy war (usually called pose of determining a winner. The outcome
Armageddon) in which the only people who are has already been decided. Biblical holy wars
Deuteronomy 1

allowed to remain alive on the face of the planet were simply God’s way of giving His Promised
are those who accept Yeshua as Lord and Master. Land to His people.
Armageddon is a battle for the entire earth, not In modern history, however, so-called “holy
only for Canaan. There is nowhere for those who wars” are fought in the name of God despite the
are against the Lord to go. absolute lack of oracles from God instructing
Moses for a short time, and then his pro- His people to start such a conflict. These wars
tégé Joshua in the longer term, would lead are of an entirely different character than those
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 5

holy wars led by God in the Old Testament. and move on into the Promised Land He had so
Those wars fought “in the name of God” do, at long prepared for them.
times, look more like Islamic jihad. They are, at The point was not lost on this new genera-
times, about forced conversions, enslavement, tion of Israelites. They understood that they
and the taking of booty or paying of tribute by could have been born inside a land of milk
the enemy (the Crusades and the Inquisition and honey instead of inside a goatskin tent on
being two examples). a dusty trail next to a desert oasis if only their
In Deuteronomy1:3 we have the only date parents had been obedient. Israel should have
given to us in Deuteronomy: it was the first day already been settled in Canaan, enjoying the
of the eleventh month of the fortieth year. This fruits of the land, some thirty-eight or so years
does not mean that it has been forty years plus earlier. Let us not miss the point either—God
eleven months since they left Egypt, rather it was has already given us the victory, but He expects
almost the end of the fortieth year. Let me clarify: us to go forward in faith and claim it in deed
when we calculate a person’s age, for example, we and action.
say that a he or she is a one year old when they Israel was spiritually and physically dormant
are twelve to twenty-four months old. But in the for forty years because they lacked faith. They
Bible (and for archeologists) year “one” begins on marched in circles, marking time, merely existing.
the first day of the first year and ends on the last They weren’t any closer to the Promised Land in
day of the twelfth month of the first year. For year forty than they were just over a year after
example: when Israel had been gone from Egypt they left Egypt. Thirty-eight years earlier, rather
for just three months, it would have been called than entering into God’s promise as the Lord bid
the third month of the first year. There is no year them, they said, “No thanks, looks a little scary.
“zero.” Think we’ll just march back to our previous lives
Therefore, what we’re being told is that in Egypt.” The problem was that the first gen-
Israel has been gone from Egypt for thirty-nine eration believed in God, but they didn’t trust Him.
years and ten months (two more months and They constantly irritated Moses (and Yehoveh)
it will be forty years exactly). Additionally, we by asking the rhetorical question “Why did God
know that the wars with Midian and the Amor- bring us out here in the wilderness just to die?”
ites are behind them; Deuteronomy1:4 speaks They knew who Yehoveh was; they believed He
of the defeat of Sihon and Og. This is a good existed and that He was their God. But they
marker in time. didn’t trust in His ability to care for them or His
determination to protect and guide them. So it
took Israel forty years to gain what they could
Faith Requires Action
have had much earlier. James, brother of Jesus,
Deuteronomy1:6ff is a retrospective on Israel’s put it this way, “You believe that God is one. You
journey through the wilderness, and it includes a do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
reminder of the mighty acts that God performed But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fel-
in order that Israel would see Him as their God. low, that faith without works is useless?” (James
Not surprisingly, it begins with the first part of 2:19 NAS).
Deuteronomy 1

the journey and therefore is speaking, not about This God-principle of passive faith ver-
the generation of Israel now standing before sus active faithfulness remains. Acceptance of
Moses in Moab, but rather about the first gen- redemption is one thing; acting on the obliga-
eration of the Exodus (the generation before the tions we have to God as redeemed persons and
one he’s now addressing) who are now dead and on the commands of God that are really only
gone. Moses reminds them that Israel was told for the redeemed anyway, are another. Israel
by God that it was time to leave Mount Sinai was redeemed before God gave them His laws
 6 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

and commands. But, even as a redeemed people good works are what happens after redemption.
they were utterly useless to the Lord, His king- And without those good works, as James says,
dom, and His purposes for them until they were our faith is a dead faith.
ready to trust God and act on that trust.
I cannot stress enough that the current, per-
vasive passive attitude of Christianity is wrong The Land Isr ael Shall Take
and powerless. Our doctrines have literally In verses 6 and 7 Moses calls out the areas of
turned the God-principle expressed here on its land that Israel is supposed to take: first men-
head. We have made our acceptance of God’s tioned is the “hill country of the Amorites.”
redemption (our salvation) as the first and last This area is almost precisely what is today
obligation or act of obedience the Lord requires known as the West Bank. Of course, wouldn’t
in our walk with Him. No. No! First we accept you just know that the so-called Palestinians
our redemption (and as Paul says, that isn’t really claim this land and say the Jews have no right
to be considered a work or good deed on our to it? The hill country of the Amorites is men-
part). Then, once that occurs, we are expected tioned first because it will become the heartland
to act upon our trust in God. And guess what of Israel. Even after the time of King Solomon,
happens if we don’t act? We’re basically put into when Israel split into two kingdoms (Ephraim-
a state of dormancy. Want to get saved and then Israel to the north and Judah to the south), this
go into suspended animation? Fine. The Lord hill country overlapped into both kingdoms. It
has a name for that: it’s called “rebellion” and is mountainous, mild in climate, fertile, and has
“fruitlessness.” good water available. When the Lord speaks of
When we are redeemed and then are given
knowledge that every redeemed person has
obligations to meet and every person has a pur-
pose for being elected to the kingdom, to not
pursue those obligations is disobedience. Do
you wonder why you’ve been a Christian for ten
or twenty or more years and you don’t seem to
be much further in your walk than when you
first were saved? Do you feel like you’re walking
in circles like the Israelites and know in your
heart that there really isn’t any noticeable differ-
ence between you and the world? Then I have a
question for you: what are you doing? If you’re
not doing according to God’s will, then you are
exactly where Israel was for forty years. If you
don’t trust God but insist on sitting on the side-
lines that is disobedience. You’re wandering and
God is waiting, but He can wait a lot longer
Deuteronomy 1

than you can wander. Oh, how miserable is our

condition when we choose that route. How mis-
erable were those Israelites who couldn’t grasp
that believing in God is not the same thing as
trusting God sufficiently to live it out. Redemp-
tion is not a good work of man; redemption was
then, and is still today, a good work of God. Our
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 7

How the Promised Land Differs

in Ezekiel and Deuteronomy

In essence the difference is that in the Book of

Ezekiel the land extends farther east than what
is spoken of in the Torah. Ezekiel’s version takes
place during the Millennial Kingdom time. Had
Israel followed the Lord’s instructions as they
attempted their conquering of Canaan, they would
not be fighting over scraps of land like they are
today; they would possess all the land from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, and from
the edge of the Sinai Peninsula all the way up to
the southern border of Turkey, a substantial and
defensible hunk of real estate.

the mountains of Israel, the West Bank is the during David and Solomon’s reigns, this area
area that is being described. was indeed part of Israel (except for part of the
Next is the land of the Arabah, which is northern seacoast, which became Phoenicia).
mostly north of the Dead Sea. It includes the
Jordan Valley and the hills that surround it;
another highly rich, fertile, and beautiful area. Structure of Leadership
The Shephelah is that area of land that we in Deuteronomy
might term “foothills” that runs along the Med- In Deuteronomy1:9–18 Moses recounts how he
iterranean Seacoast. It is important because it organized Israel and how he set up its hierarchy
contained vital ports and harbors that allowed of government and leadership. It is informative
trade and travel by means of sea routes to the that this does not exactly follow what we saw in
islands of the Mediterranean, south to the Afri- the book of Numbers.
can continent and north to modern day areas For instance, in Numbers Moses’s father-
like Turkey. in-law, Yitro (Jethro), observed Moses act as
The Negeb is also included in the Promised the sole judge and arbitrator for Israel and the
Land. The Negeb is a general area south of the people standing in long lines from sunup to
mountain regions and goes all the way to the sundown waiting to have their matters heard. It
Sinai Peninsula. It is mostly desert and is where was Yitro who told Moses that he needed to del-
Beersheva and Kadesh-Barnea are located. egate authority and suggested a system to do so.
Finally please take notice that it speaks of In the Deuteronomy account, however, Moses
the “seacoast of the Canaanites” and of “Leba- says he grew frustrated and exhausted from the
non as far as the Great River.” The Great River judging process and told the tribal leaders that
Deuteronomy 1

is not the Nile River; it is the Euphrates. This he needed help. Therefore he instituted his sec-
makes sense. The Promised Land as defined ular justice/leadership hierarchy, which would
by the Lord goes farther north than we typi- have involved hundreds of men from every
cally think, and it includes modern-day Syria tribe. Additionally, in Numbers we have a hint
and Lebanon. Lebanon is sometimes referred that the people had a say in choosing those lead-
to in the Bible as Lebo-hamath. The Euphra- ers and judges, but here in verse 13 Moses says
tes River flows through Syria from Turkey and that he told the people to pick those who would
 8 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

verse 17 that really explains something that both

Jews and Christians have set aside, each for our
own reasons, producing tragic results: “Fear no
man, for judgment is God’s” (Deut. 1:17)
In other words, since God and God alone is
the lawgiver, these chosen leaders of Israel were
to follow God’s laws and apply the appropri-
ate repercussions ascribed for every violation.
The consequences of following God’s laws are
God’s to be concerned with, not these leaders’.
Men don’t have to decide what is right and what
is wrong; they simply must apply what God has
already told them is right and wrong in His eyes.
What is right and wrong in men’s eyes has little
to no bearing in the judgment process. There-
fore, the Law (the Torah) had to be given before
a system of government was established, other-
wise men could not properly administer justice.
God’s justice is completely wrapped up in His
laws. His laws aren’t a robotic system of do’s
and don’ts; they are the essence of the Lord’s
desire for mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness
among His people.
Today, the Jewish state of Israel is almost
completely secular and has little regard for
God’s Laws, so they have invented their own
be in authority over them. If ever there was a system and installed their own ideals accord-
solid description and example of a democratic ing to their own philosophies, and the results
(or, perhaps better, a representative) system of are apparent. Christianity has become divided
government in the Bible, this is it. into literally thousands of denominations;
Moses says he took tribal leaders (men unity and brotherhood are a distant memory.
who had inherited rights of authority among Some denominations even deny Jesus as Sav-
their own tribes), as well as wise and trustwor- ior, others deny His deity, and still others deny
thy men, whom the people had chosen, and that the Word of God is inerrant, contending
ordained them as the leaders. Moses had input it’s nothing more than myth and fable. Almost
in this process and likely suggested some men all Christians deny that God’s justice sys-
and rejected others as leaders. tem of the Torah exists anymore. And, there
It is further explained that these leaders at is the rub. By setting aside God’s law in the
every level (depending on their exact area of Church, we cannot “fear no man, for judgment
Deuteronomy 1

responsibility) were to be upright men who lis- is God’s.” Instead, our judgments are based
ten carefully and respectfully, then decide justly. on our particular denomination’s bylaws and
Further, they were not to favor an Israelite over a articles of faith, and we act according to what
foreigner or vice versa. They were not to regard seems right “to our hearts.” The results of set-
social status and not to favor the rich over the ting aside God’s laws in favor of what resides
poor. And, then there is little sentence buried in in “our hearts” are apparent.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 9

Why Isr ael Wandered So here we find out the reason the scouts
were sent is because the people (the leaders and
Deuteronomy1:19 begins Moses’s reminder elders) demanded that, instead of moving for-
to the people of Israel of why they have been ward without reservation (as they should have),
wandering as Bedouins in the desert regions of a dozen scouts were sent to check things out
the Arabian and Sinai Peninsulas rather than first.
being permanently settled. About thirty-eight Some commentators make it seem as
years earlier, when Israel first reached Kadesh- though Moses is embellishing the story here
Barnea (on the southern edge of the Land of (perhaps rewriting history a bit) to put his own
Canaan), Moses commanded that the people actions into a more favorable light. They argue
should begin their conquest of the Canaan- that Moses was essentially saying “it’s not my
ites, but the leaders balked and asked Moses to fault and I tried to do the right thing,” but that
send scouts to reconnoiter the land. This is new he succumbed to the will of the people by hesi-
information! In Numbers 13 there is no men- tating. I suspect there is some truth to this, as
tion of Moses telling the people to begin the Moses was a mild man, reluctant in his role and
holy war for Canaan. In fact, in many ways, the not a forceful leader. But I don’t think there is
Numbers account makes Moses compliant if any inaccuracy to what Moses is saying here; as
not complicit in the decision not to go take the humans we tend to remember the events that
Promised Land. are more favorable to us and we tend to bend

The Importance of Tense country of the Amorites to Israel. The idea is that
in Biblical Hebrew this is an ongoing process. The “giving” of the land
The biblical Hebrew language does not use past, pres- has already begun but is not yet completed. Some
ent, and future tenses as English does. In English translations say, “will give to us,” others say, “gives
something has happened before (past), is happen- to us,” and still others say, “is about to give to us.”
ing now (present), or will happen later (future). But These translations are setting the event of the giving
biblical Hebrew language uses what is called perfect of the land of Canaan to the Hebrews in time. This
and imperfect tenses. The perfect is roughly equiva- is a problem. These versions want to say it is either
lent to past and present together, and the imperfect happening now (present) or is going to happen later
is roughly equivalent to the future—but that rough but soon (future). This is incorrect. What is being
equivalency is very rough. expressed here is that the Hebrews are simply some-
Here’s the point: our modern language’s past, present where within a long process of possessing the Land
and future tenses are about when an action took place. of Canaan; exactly where they are along the timeline
The context is always set in time. (Did it occur in the is not implied.
past? Is it happening now? Will it happen at a later This problem with misunderstanding Hebrew
time?) That is not what is going on in biblical Hebrew. tenses has created all kinds of issues in trying to
In biblical Hebrew the tense denotes the state of the understand prophecies (which, by our definition, are
action. (Is the action completed or is it ongoing?) The almost always future to our way of thinking). Because
Deuteronomy 1

idea of when in time an action happened is inferred past, present and future are so imbedded in our West-
by the context of the overall statement, not directly ern languages, I usually try to explain the biblical
by the verb tense. prophecies by saying that they happened in the past
For example, let’s look at Deuteronomy 1:20, (like the return from exile of the Hebrews) but many
“You have come to the hill country of the Amorites will also happen again in the future. So technically
which the Lord God is giving to us” (emphasis mine). it’s not a past or a future matter: it is ongoing and
This verse says that the Lord “is giving” the hill someday it will be brought to its fullest completion.
 10 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

what we were thinking at the time to what actu- enter into the land He had set apart for His
ally happened. people. The evil generation was defined earlier
I have no doubt that Moses exhorted as men aged twenty years and older at the time
the people to be fearless and to march upon of this incident.
Canaan, but he also found himself in a quandary Here was a society in which, particularly
when the leaders he depended upon insisted on at this point in the journey, the tribal leaders
extreme caution. Leadership is a tricky thing. decided autocratically what would occur. The
People have to buy into your vision, yet lead- general population had little choice but to fol-
ership is ineffective if you’re simply conducting low or pack up and leave, although the leaders
people where they already want to go. This was knew their decisions had to be generally popular
Moses’s dilemma and one that many of us can and acceptable or they wouldn’t survive very long
identify with. as leaders. Yet the Lord held the general popu-
Moses recounts that the twelve scouts lation accountable for the actions and decisions
returned with some samples of the fruits of the and rebellion of their leadership, although He did
Land of Canaan along with the report that “it is assign more accountability to the leadership.
a good land” (1:21). But the people refused to go How much more must Yehoveh hold each
up and take the land as the Lord God had com- of us accountable for the decisions of our lead-
manded because they also reported that the task ership in a democratic nation in which we
would be difficult and dangerous. The inhabit- directly choose those who lead us and have a
ants were big, they were numerous, and there process to remove those who lead us poorly? As
were many well-defended walled cities. The much as we would like to, we cannot completely
people responded, “Yehoveh must hate us,” so separate ourselves from our secular government
they refused to take the land. leadership or from our church or synagogue
Let me remind you that the term “the peo- leadership. And neither can the leadership sepa-
ple” is almost always a reference to the leaders rate itself from the actions of those they gov-
of the people. This was a tribal society; the peo- ern. Moses did not enter the Promised Land;
ple didn’t vote, so the leadership was thought he stated on numerous occasions that it was on
of as being representative of the people. If the account of the people that he was barred. In
leadership of the tribe of Judah decided some- other words, the leader was ultimately respon-
thing, in the Bible it would say “the people of sible for the actions of the people.
Judah” decided thus and so. This is important Our salvation in Yeshua is certainly on an
to grasp because Moses is blaming the leader- individual basis, but our earthly fates are often
ship counsel for this action of rebellion that bound together as a group. The principle we see
proved so costly. in the Bible is that after the Lord’s first major
Moses says he did his best to convince the division of humans (into Hebrews and Gen-
leadership counsel to put aside their fears and tiles), the next division of people in God’s eyes
instead to trust and obey God. He reminded was as nations. Nations hold a corporate respon-
them that the fire-cloud they followed day and sibility before Yehoveh. Entire nations will be
night was proof that Yehoveh was with them judged for earthly calamity or blessing together
Deuteronomy 1

and that He had already gone ahead of them as a single group based on the decisions of its
and secured the victory. But despite the extraor- leadership and overall actions of the people.
dinarily powerful evidence of God’s love for His That several individuals are opposed to some
people and His ability to do whatever He says rebellious or ungodly action does not exempt
He will do, the leadership dug in their heels. As them from suffering the national judgment that
a result, the Lord declared that not one of this the Lord may (and Revelation indicates He will)
evil generation of refugees from Egypt would inflict. So it behooves us to fight tirelessly in our
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 11

families and communities to uphold the Lord’s 5. God calls this disagreement “rebellion” and
name and His commands for the sake of our pronounces judgment.
nation.
Moses then tells this new generation of 6. The people, upon hearing the judgment,
Hebrews what happened after their refusal to repent and say, “OK, we’ve changed our
go into the Promised Land; the leadership even- minds; we’ll do what you say.”
tually acknowledged that they were wrong. The
leadership certainly did not want to detour back 7. God says, “No, the time has passed and my
into the wilderness and didn’t want to be per- offer is revoked. My judgment stands and
manently barred from ever entering the Prom- the door is closed for you to enter.”
ised Land. It might sound as if they had contrite
hearts full of repentance for their rebellion, for Can you see where I’m going with this?
they said, “Now we will go up and fight just as Etch this God-principle in your minds and
Yehoveh commanded us” (Deut. 1:41). But the hearts, for our lives depend on it: it is not always
Lord said something that ought to shake us all possible to recoup an opportunity lost because of a fail-
up: “Do not go up and do not fight, since I am not ure of faith. Believers love to say: “Well, if God
in your midst” (1:42). closes a door, He’ll open a window.” While that
They were so anxious to regain merit in the certainly sounds nice, I say, “Not necessarily.”
Lord’s eyes, and all the more anxious to avoid The close-a-door open-a-window philosophy is
God’s pronouncement of judgment upon them, what these Israelites were counting on, and the
so the people again ignored the Lord and tried Lord said, “No.”
to take the Promised Land on their own with- As believers, we can’t sit on the sidelines
out His leadership or permission. The results and follow our own ways, but when the con-
were predictable and disastrous. Not taking the sequences of our rebellion become apparent to
land when they were commanded to was rebel- us, we determine to go back and recoup those
lion; taking the same land (only hours and days things that our lack of faith caused us to dis-
later) when they were commanded not to was miss. Considerably more often than not, those
also rebellion. The timing, just as much as the specific opportunities are permanently lost and
deed, belongs to the Lord. never to be recovered (at least not by us). Count-
less poems and epitaphs have been written over
the centuries describing how the past cannot be
Seeing This OT Pattern
regained.
in the NT and Today
It’s not that God won’t accept our repen-
Follow this sequence, because this pattern is tance and allow us joy and some other opportu-
no different in the New Testament and cer- nity to serve Him in His time, but who among
tainly no different in our modern era: us that has reached a mature age does not look
back at lost opportunity and mourn it to some
1. The Lord commands Israel to take the Prom- degree or another? And we mourn, not because
ised Land. our lives are ruined or without hope (they’re
Deuteronomy 1

not), but because much pain and needless suf-

2. The people become afraid and hesitate. fering (often involving innocent parties) was the
result. Or perhaps we see a great blessing that
3. The people decide to evaluate whether they we turned down and others took advantage of
agree with God on the matter or not. it with great success. Our lives could have been
so much more fruitful for the kingdom of God
4. They decide they disagree. if only we had trusted and obeyed.
 12 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Likewise, Israel could have been enjoying

God’s rest in God’s land just months after leav-
ing Egypt; instead, due to lack of faith, only the
offspring of those who left Egypt and suffered
in the desert would be permitted that rest. No
amount of repentance would change that real-
ity, not even for Moses himself.
Deuteronomy 1
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 13

Deuteronomy 2

generation knew they would live in God’s set-

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 2. apart land.

The results of the rebellion of the first genera- Nations Isr ael Should Avoid
tion are the subject of the first words of Deuter- Moses instructs Israel about certain people that
onomy 2. Israel was literally required to march the Lord wants them to avoid. This avoidance
in the opposite direction from the Promised is not about a fear within Israel nor a worry that
Land; they headed south, toward the Gulf of they might be defeated: rather it is that the ter-
Aqaba. What a dismal journey that must have ritories inhabited by these people were not to be
been; soundly defeated by the Amorites, under part of the Promised Land, and the ancestry
the sentence of death for all who were age of the people involved (at least the people who
twenty and older, and now relegated to living currently occupied each territory) was related to
in a bleak desert for an indeterminate period of Abraham in some way. Remember, this coming
time. holy war was not about conquering the world or
Chapter 2 shows the contrast of Israel gaining as much wealth and treasure as possible,
now to Israel in chapter 1. The first generation nor was it an attempt to force the worship of
rebelled but the second generation was being Yehoveh (conversion) on all the various inhabit-
obedient. The first generation was sent south- ants of the known world. This was about taking
ward but the second generation was ordered to a specific piece of land that the Lord declared as
march northward. The first generation was to His (not Israel’s); this was not the creation of a
enter the Promised Land from the southwest, Hebrew empire.
but the second generation was told to enter the
Promised Land from the southeast. The first
generation was told they had stayed at Mount Edom
Horeb long enough, but the second generation The first nation Israel is to avoid conflict
was told they had been skirting the Promised with is Edom. Edom is another name for Esau,
Land long enough. The first generation knew twin brother of Jacob (Israel), so there was a
they would die in the desert, but the second very close kinship between Edom and Israel.

First Generation of Israel Second Generation of Israel

Deuteronomy 2

Rebelled Obedient
Sent southward Sent northward
Would enter Canaan from southwest Would enter Canaan from southeast
Stayed at Mount Horeb long enough Skirted Canaan long enough
Would die in the desert Would live in Canaan (Promised Land)
 14 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. For the sake of the

patriarch Abraham who loved Lot, the Lord set
apart land for Lot’s descendants. Yehoveh made
it clear that this land was not for Israel. Therefore
they were to avoid territorial conflict with Moab.
In Deuteronomy 2:10 we have the interesting
detail that the people of the land of the Emim
(in Moab) were to be counted as Rephaim. A
few centuries after the Tower of Babel incident
with Nimrod (which took place about three
hundred years after the Great Flood), the world
was sufficiently repopulated. If a group of peo-
ple migrated into a new land, chances are they
either had to take that land from its previous
owners or they settled there and grew until they
eventually dominated that area.
When the descendants of Lot moved into
the area of Moab (and others of his descen-
dants into the area of Ammon), these territories
were already occupied. The people who lived in
Moab first were the Emim, and only later did
Lot’s descendants become the ruling people of
that territory.
This is not the first time we’ve encountered
The command from the Lord to Israel is to “be the term Rephaim. The Rephaim seem to be the
careful” with Seir (yet another name for the post-Flood version of the Nephilim, a race of
nation of Edom); “be careful” does not mean evil giants that existed before the Great Flood.
to be wary or afraid. In fact, the Lord says that There is precious little in the Bible about what
the Edomites will be very afraid of Israel. What
is not said was well understood in ancient times:
when a people you feared came too near, you
went out aggressively in battle to show that a God’s Divine Assignment of Land
treaty would be better than war (a treaty allowed for All
the king to retain his post). The idea here is that In Deuteronomy 2:12, we learn that the area
Moses and the leaders of Israel needed to do that Edom (Seir) and his descendants occupied
everything possible to make it clear to Edom was previously populated by a people called the
that they have no intention of taking their terri- Horites, but at some point the descendants of
tory, their food or their water. Therefore Israel Esau dispossessed them. Why? Because the Lord
skirted the land of Edom and continued north-
Deuteronomy 2

gave that land to Esau as an inheritance! So there

ward toward Arabah, in the region of Moab. is actually a precedent of Yehoveh assigning land
to Gentile nations, not just to Israel, and insisting
Moab that because He made a divine assignment of ter-
ritory it was to remain so. Let’s tuck that away in
The Moabites, too, had a kinship with Israel our memory banks as we go forward and realize
(although not as close one as they had with that the Lord is the Lord of all, not just of Israel.
Edom). The Moabites were the descendants
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 15

these Nephilim were, and the few verses we have chambers that contained the human remains of
are a bit ambiguous. Some see the Nephilim as men who were over nine feet tall. The Egyptians
an intermixing of the line of Seth with the line didn’t have a “giant” legend that we’re aware of,
of Cain (Seth being the line of good from Adam so it’s hard to assign this as counterfeit records
and Eve; Cain being the line of evil from Adam to support their mythology. Further, they found
and Eve). Others say that the Nephilim were these remains in the former Kingdom of Og,
a product of fallen angels who had sex with which is said to have come from the Rephaim.
human women, and the sons of this illicit mix- There are no easy answers, but this cannot be
ing were powerful, fierce, unusually large and easily dismissed as a fairy tale.
evil men. These men, these Nephilim, married
women and had children, and over time their
Ammon
dominance spread.
How the existence of the Nephilim bridged After passing through Moab, Israel would
the Flood is a mystery. If all humanity except next encounter Ammon. The same instruction
Noah’s family was wiped out in the Flood, how is given: don’t harass them because Ammon
did the Rephaim reappear after the Flood? Did
fallen angels re-propagate with Noah’s descen-
dants? Some suggest that unusually tall people
were labeled Nephilim (and eventually the name The First Gener ation Has Died
evolved to Rephaim) simply based on the mem- Deuteronomy 2:14 confirms that the time from
Deuteronomy 2

ory of the true Nephilim before the Flood. It’s the great rebellion of Israel’s leadership (the 12
not unlike us, today, seeing a very tall basketball spies incident) until the time Israel crossed the
player and calling him a “giant.” We don’t mean border to enter Moab was thirty-eight years. And
he’s literally a giant, like the giants in mythol- it was during this thirty-eight years that the first
ogy; we just mean that he is at the outer bound- generation of the Exodus died out, which was a
aries of human height. prerequisite for their children entering the Prom-
Even more mysterious, Egyptian records ised Land.
from around the time of Moses report burial
 16 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

represents descendants of Abraham by means about the various people Israel is not to go to
of Lot. We’re told that living among the Ammo- war with; now we get a list of the people they are
nites are some Rephaim (some of these evil to fight against, and of course it begins with the
giants); potentially this made it easier for Israel Amorites. Why do I say, “of course”? Because
to avoid fighting with these people. chapter 2 is a contrast of chapter 1, and chapter 1
Verse 20 tells us that the people the Ammo- ends with the people of Israel starting an unau-
nites displaced were called the Zamzummim. thorized holy war (an un-holy war if you will)
In a dynamic translation, this name means “the with the Amorites, in which they were soundly
people whose speech sounds like buzzing (of thumped. Now in chapter 2, the call is to attack
bees).” It means that their manner of speech (to the Amorites in a true holy war, therefore victory
the Hebrew ear) was odd and must have been a is not only assured, but from a spiritual point of
rather high-pitched vocalization. view the war has long been over.
The beginning of the war is interesting as it
greatly mirrors what happened with Pharaoh in
Avvim
Egypt. The King of Heshbon was offered peace.
The last group of people mentioned are the All he had to do was let Israel march through
Avvim; a people who first occupied an area we his land on the way to Canaan. Heshbon was on
currently call Gaza (an area that would eventu- the east side of the Jordan River and as such was
ally be occupied by the Philistines). not part of the land set aside for Israel. There-
fore by God’s general will there was no need
to conquer these people. However King Sihon
The Holy War Begins
refused the offer of peace and attacked Israel.
After all this genealogy and history, the order The result was the annihilation of the Amorites.
is given to Israel to “Charge!” Let the holy war Verse 30 explains that the Lord stiffened the
of the taking of Canaan begin! The first words will of King Sihon; this was just as the Lord had
of verse 24 are essentially a war cry: “Up!” or done with the pharaoh of the Exodus. The effect
“Arise!” A few words later it says, “Begin the of stiffening Sihon’s will is that God marked
occupation.” So far in Deuteronomy we’ve read Sihon for destruction (the die had been cast).
Let me point out another means to see
the difference between true biblical holy war

When There Is No Hope

There comes a time in the life of an unbeliever

that the offer of salvation is rescinded—at what
point before death, no man knows. The NT makes
it clear that a person who resists God’s provision
for redemption will (at God’s discretion) be per-
Deuteronomy 2

manently left to his wicked state (see Heb. 10:26-

27, Rom. 9:14-20, and 1 Cor. 6:9-10); the Lord will
no longer pursue that person. Whether the Lord
hardens the heart, or simply abandons the person
to eternal doom, it is only a matter of semantics,
because there is no longer hope.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 17

and the jihad of Islam. The judgments of God that the liver and kidneys were referred to as the
against Pharaoh and Egypt were actually a type seats of both positive and negative emotions in
of holy war. It was a war initiated by the Lord, almost all societies. The Hellenists transformed
not initiated by men in the Lord’s name. It was a the concept of love from a form of merciful and
war in which the Lord fought as a warrior (figu- beneficent action into an emotion. This is well-
ratively speaking), and the outcome was deter- documented literary and historic fact that the
mined, not by human generals and soldiers, but church has chosen to ignore for centuries. If
by the Lord’s actions. there is ever confusion about the Bible’s refer-
Even though the Lord ordered that the “sol- ence to the heart, just substitute the word mind
diers of Israel” (so to speak) were to strip Egypt and the meaning will be more clear.
of much gold and silver, the vast bulk of that Free will is the human version of God’s sov-
gold and silver was used to create the Wilderness ereignty. Free will is the amount of sovereignty
Tabernacle and all of its ritual instruments. The the Lord has turned over to humans to govern
Law of Herem (a central tenant of Holy War, our own lives; God’s divine sovereignty is above
see chapter 1) played a role, by which the spoils all things, therefore men’s free will is always
of war generally went to the Lord Himself and subject (and inferior) to His will.
were not to be for personal material gain for the We can see the limits of free will clearly
people or victorious soldiers. in the story of Jonah. Jonah’s will was to flee
from the presence of Yehoveh, but he found
out that God is present everywhere and there
The Limits of Free Will
is no escape. Denying Yehoveh’s sovereignty,
We like to say that God never interferes with even His existence, is no remedy for this willful
the free will of men; that’s a bit simplistic. In desire.
fact, we’re told on a number of occasions that There are conscious and unconscious forces
Yehoveh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and here that abound within human beings that are frus-
in Deuteronomy that the Lord hardened King tratingly mysterious. Paul writes about these
Sihon’s heart. In ancient Hebrew terms we forces in this way: “When I want to do right, I
must understand that the meaning of the term do evil. For I delight in the Laws of the Lord,
“heart” is completely unlike the meaning we’ve deep inside my inmost self; but I see in my body
assigned it today. parts another law that is at war with the laws of
The heart in ancient times (including NT my mind and making me captive to the law of
times) was not understood to be a place where sin which dwells in my flesh” (Romans 7 vari-
the spirit dwelled or where our will resided. The ous translations).
heart was also not a place where emotion came Paul is speaking, at least partly, of our free
from. The heart was believed to be the seat of will and how it seems so susceptible to the influ-
intellect, both conscious and unconscious. Just ence of other forces. Indeed, that is what we see
think of the words brain and mind; the ancients when we read of the Lord hardening men’s wills
thought of the heart in almost precisely the against Himself for the purpose of exacting the
same way we, today, think of the brain. The His justice. Pharaoh of the Exodus was not stu-
Deuteronomy 2

brain is the location of our mind. It is where our pid. After the almost complete destruction of
instincts live. It’s where we make well thought Egypt and the self-evident invincibility of the
out decisions, and it’s also where our knee-jerk God of the Hebrews, he still sought to do battle
reactions come from. with the Lord, which it resulted in the annihila-
Only later did the Roman Empire’s Helle- tion of Pharaoh’s army and a loss of world-class
nists start to transform the concept of the heart status for Egypt and for Pharaoh. King Sihon
into a place of erotic love and emotion. Prior to of Heshbon knew full well his army was no
 18 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

match for Israel’s. Forget any spiritual element; rospect there is an obviously pre-determined
Israel’s military outmanned Sihon’s probably a destiny being played out. But pre-determined by
hundred to one. It was suicide to take on Israel, whom? To what pre-ordained conclusion is his-
and King Sihon knew it. Yet in some inscrutable tory heading? And in the end, history is noth-
combination of Yehoveh delving into the king’s ing more than God working within the lives of
unconscious mind, combined with the king’s men, and somehow in concert with the working
own stubborn pride, the king did exactly what out of men’s will. And, it is all working toward
Yehoveh determined He wanted done. an end that He set in stone eons ago.
The Greeks well recognized this phenom- Despite the flowery statements and ear-
enon and wrote extensively about it in their tickling philosophies and religious doctrines
classic literature. The theme was that somehow men have created about how free will works,
history unfolded in a way that seems so full of our free will is not entirely free nor is it well
serendipity when it was happening, but in ret- understood.
Deuteronomy 2
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 19

Deuteronomy 3

over and walked through the Red Sea) was

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 3. dead. The majority of the generation Moses is
addressing in Deuteronomy were hearing a his-
tory lesson; they had either been born after the
great events he was speaking about or they were
Isr ael Defeats King Og young children when these things occurred and
The first third of Deuteronomy 3 is basically a didn’t comprehend the significance of all that
recounting of the Numbers 21 victory over Og had happened at the time. While the stories of
and what happened immediately thereafter. Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers are essentially
It appears that Moses is simply giving us a the same as what is being re-told in Deuteron-
repetition of events, but at this moment he was omy, some of the details, the points of empha-
speaking to the new generation of Hebrews, the sis, and the presentation is different because the
second generation since the Exodus. The first circumstances are now different.
generation (who had been eyewitnesses to the So, back to the story: Moses said Israel
ten plagues and had celebrated the first Pass- marched north, encountered King Og of Bashan,

Deuteronomy 3
 20 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

and defeated him. Bashan was an area of the Nephilim, a race of evil and very large men. Verse
Trans-Jordan to the east of the Jordan River and 11 speaks of King Og’s iron bed as being thirteen
slightly to the north and northeast of what would to fourteen feet long and six feet wide! Of course,
eventually be called Galilee. This area was highly a decent bed is always bigger than the man who
fertile, contained ideal pastureland, and was uses it, but it goes to show how tall King Og was.
well forested. There were sixty towns in Bashan This would have been in the Amman region of
(undoubtedly just a round number) all of which Jordan, but completely independent Egyptian
were either walled cities or fortified towns, along records from that same era also mention this
with an undisclosed (but larger) number of small, King’s enormous bed and the astounding finding
unprotected villages, all of which were seized by of several skeletal remains of men in the region of
Israel. Bashan who were about nine feet tall.
A walled city indicated the presence of a
sizeable number of people and a high degree of
urbanization. For there to be several of these Moses Gives Land to Gad
walled communities meant the existence of a Next, Moses recalls how he agreed to give much
robust government and good planning. This was of the area of the kingdom of Sihon to the tribe
no primitive or disorganized territory of Bed- of Gad. Other parts of this land he gave to a
ouin-like tribes; the towns of Bashan had metal group of clans who represented approximately
gates, roads, standing armies, as well as well- half of the population of the tribe of Manesseh.
defined laws and a sophisticated government. These people had determined that they did not
Beginning in verse 8 there is a summary of want to go into the Land of Canaan; instead
all the territory (on the east side of the Jordan they preferred the vast pasturelands of Sihon
River) seized by Israel. It begins as far north as because they had enormous herds of goats and
Mount Hermon. That area is known by the same sheep as their main economy.
name to this day, so we know exactly where it is. Moses explained further: the district known
Notice that Deuteronomy says that Mount Her- as Argob was assigned to Jair, son of Manesseh;
mon was also called Hermon, Sirion (in the Sido- the district known as Gilead was assigned to
nian language), and Senir (by the Amorites). In Makhir, son of Manessah. Jair and Makhir
the Bible we’ll frequently see places called by a were not specific men; they were the clans that
number of different names over time. There are descended from these two men. Jair and Makhir
two reasons for this. One, the name of the place were the two dominant clans of Manesseh who
actually changes. For example, Istanbul was decided they preferred the Trans-Jordan to
once called Constantinople; New York was once the Land of Canaan. Other clans of Manesseh
New Amsterdam. Secondly, the name might decided to cross the Jordan along with the other
be recorded in several different languages. For tribes of Israel.
example, the land we call Germany is called The term son (as in “Jair, son of Manesseh”)
Deutschland by the Germans and Alemania by is ben in Hebrew. The Hebrew meaning is that
Spaniards. this land was given to Ya’ir Ben Manesseh (Jair,
The conquered area referred to in verse 10 son of Manessah). Son is not always used the way
Deuteronomy 3

as the “tableland” means the Moabite plateau we typically think of it. In the Bible, the term ben
that eventually became the territory of Reuben, often refers to a grandchild or any male member
and it was where the namesake of the Book of of a clan. Only occasionally does son refer to a
Ruth was born. direct male offspring, such as Solomon son of
Now, we are told that King Og was the last David.
of the remnant of the Rephaim in his region. Verse 17 says that they took the region
The Rephaim were the post-Flood version of the beginning at Kinnareth all the way down to the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 21

Dead Sea. For those of you who have made pil- those called the Church, who have been spiritu-
grimage to Israel, you’ll perhaps recognize the ally joined to Israel.
name Kinnareth. It is an alternate (and much
more ancient) name for the Sea of Galilee, still
in use to this day.
Next Moses reminds the people that there Moses Asks God for Permission
was one condition for granting Reuben, Gad, to Enter the Promised Land
and those two clans of Manesseh the rights to In Deuteronomy 3:26, Moses begins an impas-
these conquered territories of the Trans-Jordan: sioned plea to God to change His mind on the
they had to send a large contingent of their harsh decision that Moses would not be allowed
tribal troops to go with the other Israelite tribes to enter the Promised Land. Moses had been
to conquer the Promised Land. Their women, given a bit of a break by at least being allowed
children, and livestock could remain behind to lead Israel in the conquering of the Trans-
(along with a sizeable army for the homeland Jordan region, and he was also allowed to see
defense), but these elite troops could not come the Promised Land from a distance.
back until the job of seizing Canaan was com- Here Moses once again says that he sinned
pleted. Many years later we find their release in such a way as to be barred from entering
from military service recorded in the book of Canaan because of the people of Israel. His
Joshua: argument is that Israel provoked him to behave
in a rash way, but this argument fell on deaf
Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the ears: the Lord says, “Enough! Never speak to
Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said to me of this matter again!” These are very power-
them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the ful and definite words of the Lord’s divine irri-
LORD commanded you, and have listened to my voice tation with Moses for trying to persuade Him
in all that I commanded you. You have not forsaken your to alter His just ruling in the matter of Moses’s
brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the rebellion. The justice of the situation is that just
charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. as those who sinned in the wilderness were sen-
And now the LORD your God has given rest to your tenced to die in the wilderness, so it had to be
brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go for Moses. Moses could not have been given
to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses special dispensation, for even though he was
the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan.” assigned a high position by God as His earthly
(Joshua 22:1 NAS) mediator to Israel, Moses was still but a flawed
man who sinned just as other men. Not even
So indeed these tribes met their obligation God’s mediator could be saved from the penalty
and Joshua eventually released them to return that was declared so long ago, during the time
to their homes on the east bank of the Jordan of Adam and Eve; all men would be appointed
River. to experience the grave.
There are certainly parallels between Moses
A hidden principle in this matter of the the mediator and Yeshua the Mediator in this
Deuteronomy 3

two and a half tribes sending troops with their regard, but there are also distinct dissimilari-
brethren is that in all respects, Israel was to act ties. Yeshua was a man (even though He was
as a cohesive group or congregation. They were also God) and therefore death for Jesus was as
to work together for a common cause under the unavoidable as it was for Moses. However the
leadership of Yehoveh. This God-principle is statement that Moses died “on account of the
central for all who think of themselves as God’s people” did not mean that Moses died in place
people whether it concerns physical Israelites or of the people or for their good; Moses was not
 22 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

a substitute of atonement, as Yeshua was. Like- they may.” Easier said than done as Moses (and
wise, Yeshua did not die as a result of being a all leaders in service to God) soon find out.
sinful or flawed man, as did Moses. Moses died Nonetheless, as expressed here in Deuteron-
because, as all men, he sinned; Jesus Christ died omy, the Lord’s requirements of His leaders are
because, unlike any other man, He was sinless. non-negotiable, just as is the penalty for sin and
Let us not bypass the God-principle rebellion.
expressed in the relationship between the leader So the ending to this chapter is bittersweet.
and those who were being led; they (and we) Moses says, in effect, “The reason I cannot lead
are inextricably bound up together. It is para- you into the Promised Land is my personal fail-
mount in God’s economy that a leader always ures. I am a sinner and so death is my reward.
do what is right in the eyes of the Lord regard- Therefore,” says Moses, “Joshua is now your
less of what other men may want him to do. The appointed leader (appointed by God) and he
consequences for standing firm with the Lord shall apportion the Land of Canaan among the
are legendary; the reward for unswerving alle- tribes.”
giance to Yehoveh is often martyrdom in one Joshua was not given Moses’s full author-
form or another. It is rare when one of God’s ity, but he simply became head of the Israeli
chosen leaders stands in good stead with ador- military. Joshua did not become a replacement
ing applause from the world. In fact if a man is mediator for Moses, nor was he to be a leader
being applauded and admired by the world, it is to whom the high priest was beholden. Israel
inevitable that he is not a God-led person. The would not have another mediator in the order
motto of one who decides to accept Yehoveh’s of Moses for almost thirteen hundred years,
offer to be a leader of His flock is: “Do what is and that Mediator would be God Himself in the
righteous and holy, and let the chips fall where form of Yeshua of Nazareth.
Deuteronomy 3
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 23

Deuteronomy 3

If you knew with certainty that your time on because those particular laws revolved around
earth was coming to close in a matter of days or agriculture (something the Israelites could not
weeks, what would you like to say to those you participate in while they were living in tents out
have loved, guided, and cared for? What has life in the wilderness).
taught you that is so valuable that in the lim- In verse 1 Moses says they should obey all
ited time you have remaining you desperately the laws given on Mount Sinai, “so that you
want those who will carry on after your death may live.” Moses says that life itself (at least
to know about it, take it to heart, and hopefully for God’s people) depends on obedience to
put it to work? the Lord, and obedience was demonstrated
That is the context of Deuteronomy 4. by observing His commandments. Israel (in
Moses was literally pleading with the generation general) took Moses’s advice as literally as he
that would succeed him to carry on with the meant it. In Proverbs 19:16 King Solomon
good work that the Lord has begun, but not to wrote, “He who has regard for his life pays
make the same mistakes that he and their par- regard to the commandments; he who is heed-
ents made. less of his ways will die.” The Hebrews firmly

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 4:1–4.

Moses exhorted the people to obey God’s

laws and then explained why they should obey
them. Interestingly Moses’s explanation revolves
around a history lesson. Moses says that Israel’s
somewhat recent historical experiences validate
and set in context the reasons and purposes for
the Lord handing down these rulings and com-
mands for Israel to live by. In other words, the
laws of Moses are not abstract, they are not ide-
Deuteronomy 3

alistic and unattainable, and they were not set

down in a vacuum. The Laws were, of course,
given in cultural terms of that era, in a specific
language (Hebrew), at a particular time in his-
tory, and the application of these laws were
demonstrated in a number of settings and cir-
cumstances. In fact, some of the laws were not
even to be observed until they entered Canaan
 24 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

believed that walking in the ways of the Lord counterpart hearken. In Medieval times, hearken
not only brought shalom (well-being in all of specifically meant to act on what you’re being
its aspects), it extended one’s life to the maxi- told to do.
mum human life span. Conversely, rebellion Additionally, when our Bibles say “believe
brought calamity and an earlier-than-normal in God,” we should mentally cross out the word
physical death. Moses was pleading with Israel believe and insert instead trust in order to align
to be obedient for their own sakes. the biblical sense of it with twenty-first century
In a historical context there were several vocabulary. Just as believe has become a weak
recorded instances during the wilderness jour- word that indicates a passive intellectual accep-
ney when rebellion brought death to God’s peo- tance of something, so has hear become a word
ple at God’s hand. In fact, when we consider that just means that our ears perceived some
that since it had only been thirty-eight years sounds and we intellectually comprehended
since Israel’s refusal to enter the Promised Land them. That is not at all, nor was it ever, the sense
(when God decreed that no man of an age of of the word Shema. It means that we hear and do.
accountability would be allowed to live long We are to act upon what we hear.
enough to enter Canaan) and that the age of
accountability began at about twenty years old,
that means that no one older than fifty-eight The Shema
or fifty-nine years old was now living among Let’s read the Shema in the sense it was always
the Israelites as they began their conquest. meant (and the sense in which the Hebrews
Rebellion brought instant death to some, lin- understood it) and just see if the changing of
gering death to others, and earlier than normal that one little word from hear to obey doesn’t put
death to the greater portion of the population. a whole new light on it:
Hebrews of that era typically lived well into
their seventies. Moses was not making some [Obey], O Israel! The LORD is our God, the
super-spiritualized statement about only the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your
heavenly value of being obedient to Yehoveh; God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
he was reminding the people that their own all your might. (Deut. 6:4 NAS)
recent history showed them the proof that
obedience to YHWH is life and rebellion is In Hebrew, the word translated as LORD
death. Therefore, choose obedience. is actually YHWH. The word heart was not (in
that era) the place where our emotions reside.
The heart was the equivalent of the brain. The
Understanding the Shema
heart was where our intellect resided. In our
The Hebrew word that is being translated as modern vocabulary we should cross out heart
“hear” or “observe” is Shema. This word has whenever we see it in the Bible (OT or NT) and
become a traditional name for a command- insert the word mind.
ment in Deuteronomy 6. It is also known as the Remember, Yeshua says that the Shema is
“Hear, O Israel.” In our modern English we the most foundational God-principle of them
Deuteronomy 3

make little distinction between the words hear all; the Ten Words (Ten Commandments) are
and hearken. We think that hearken is just a very based on the Shema, as are all the 613 laws. So it’s
formal, old English way of saying hear. Not true. important that we get the truest possible sense
Shema is an instruction to do something. It is of what God is communicating to us:
a call to action. So in our modern vocabulary,
“listen and obey” or “observe” better captures [Obey], O Israel! [Yehoveh] is our God, [Yehoveh]
the sense of the word shema or its old English is one! And you shall love [Yehoveh] your God with all
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 25

your [mind] and with all your soul and with all your cates for the Torah, the Old Testament, Israel,
might. (Deut. 6:4 NAS) the Jewish people, and the entire body of the
Holy Scriptures that we call the Bible. We shall
That puts it in a little different perspective do this in the spirit of Moses in Deuteronomy,
doesn’t it? Do you see the strength and passion who was not giving out new information for the
of this passage and do-ability of that statement? most part, but rather was reminding people of
This is a kingly decree that is not to be ignored. what they had already heard. Yet this informa-
The requirement is that we understand who tion was so critical that it must remain at the fore-
God is intellectually, and then let it envelope front of their thinking at all times and through-
our souls as well, and finally we act upon this out all their generations, and especially to this
understanding with every fiber of our physical second generation of the Exodus that he was
and spiritual being. Hear and hearken are power- addressing.
ful, not passive, biblical words. And we will find Sometimes as we go about our daily affairs
those same words, with the same meaning and we forget that the vast bulk of modern Christian
intent, in the NT as well. doctrine is, at its core, anti-Semitic and declares
straightaway that a) Israel has been replaced by
Gentile Christians, b) when God came to earth
The Value of the Old Testament
as Yeshua He changed most of His former rules
If we were forced to choose only ten chapters and principles and abolished His covenants, and
out of the almost twelve hundred chapters c) to even open the books of the Old Testament
that form our modern Bible that best define (let alone actually study them and take them
Yehoveh’s character, His plan, His justice, and seriously) is tantamount to discarding our Sav-
the God-principles that are most important to ior and returning to the Law.
the lives of His believers, Deuteronomy 4 would Nowhere, of course, does the Scripture say
be near the top of that list of ten. any such thing, but that’s the basic problem of
Therefore, before we go any further in this following doctrine (at least as far as doctrine is
monumental chapter, I want to remind you that defined in the modern usage of the word). Doc-
Yeshua meant what He said when He told His trine-based Christianity is often at odds with
listeners in Matthew 5 that He did not come to the original and ancient Scripture-based Chris-
abolish the Torah or the Prophets. With this tianity of the 1st century. We seem to under-
understanding it is clear that much of the Church stand that even though the Jews of Messiah’s
has strayed far from the Lord. Christianity has day claimed that their Traditions were good
become a replica of the Jewish religious society and proper Scriptural interpretation, in fact, too
in which Yeshua lived; a society that claims and much of it was Hebrew religious leaders espous-
proclaims for God, but at the same time gener- ing manmade philosophies that surrounded
ally prefers to observe manmade doctrines and political realities of the day and embodied their
traditions instead of the plain and straightfor- own personal agendas. This also enabled them
ward proclamations and instructions given to us to form separate groups loyal primarily to them-
in the Lord’s written Word. selves and often for reasons of personal gain.
Deuteronomy 3

I’m reminded by great biblical teachers of Ironically the Church has done essentially the
the past and present that, when you teach, you same thing for centuries, and rather than rec-
must restate some foundational principles and ognize it for what it is, it has been embraced
facts over and over, in varied contexts, so that as normal and good. Just as ancient Jews were
they can finally be comprehended and internal- encouraged to study Jewish Traditions (the Tal-
ized by students. Therefore, let’s take a few min- mud) and discouraged from studying all but a
utes to review why it is so critical to be advo- few select passages from the Torah that seemed
 26 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

In other words, very early on the newly

formed church had no choice but to retain the
OT because until just before the third century
there was no authorized Holy Scripture other
than the OT (the NT had not yet been created),
but in Harnack’s mind (and for most of nine-
teenth-century Europe) there was no excuse for
Protestants to retain any portion of the OT as
valid biblical text after the NT had been cre-
ated. He claimed that it was religious paralysis
that the Church did not finally and explicitly
state that the OT was an outdated document
that had no place in our Bibles or in modern
Christian lives whatsoever.
His argument was well received and became
accepted as the standard by which the Western
Church formed its theologies and doctrines, and
so the door has, since that time, been slammed
closed on the OT to Western Christianity.
Not all respected theologians fell prey to this
misguided but popular liberal mindset. About
one hundred years after Harnack’s remarks, one
such dissenter, Dr. Walter Kaiser, Jr., made this
statement that so eloquently and powerfully
sums up the current state of mainstream Chris-
Adolf Harnack tianity; a state and mindset from which we must
all endeavor to escape:

to validate their manmade Traditions, so are No matter how great the uniformity of opinion has
modern Christians encouraged to accept vari- been from the NT writers down to the Reformation, and
ous denominational doctrines without question no matter how great the difficulties in answering the for-
and discouraged from studying anything but mal and material questions posed here, the OT remains
select passages of the New Testament, primarily the most central and decisive problem for Christian theol-
those written by Paul. og y. How we respond to this problem will automatically
In one of the seminal Christian docu- set much of our Christian theolog y—whether we do so in
ments of the modern era, an eminent European a deliberate or in an unreflective fashion.
Church leader of the 1800s, Adolf Harnack, The implications of this move in theological construc-
said this: tion are massive. Our answers to this problem (of how we
think of the OT) will decide:
Deuteronomy 3

To reject the Old Testament in the second century . . . how we understand Jesus Christ in his historical
was a mistake the church rightly resisted; to retain it in character, his Jewish context, and his divine validation.
the sixteenth century was a fate from which the Reforma- . . . the church’s view of itself as the church of God,
tion could not escape; but still to preserve it (the OT) in as an element in the mysterion of God’s saving action in
the nineteenth century as one of the canonical documents history.
of Protestantism is the result of religious and ecclesiastical . . . our interpretation of the salvation given us in
paralysis. Jesus Christ . . .
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 27

. . . our estimate of earthly and temporal life . . . bringing to Israel in Deuteronomy. Moses asks:
. . . the relation of the church of Jesus Christ to the will you trust and do the entire Word of God,
chosen people of Israel. Our whole understanding of the Israel? Or will you return to manmade doctrines
kingdom of God—and therefore also of the universality of and the elemental spirits and worship nature as
the Christian faith, the Christian church, and Christian- you did back in Egypt? Will you listen to and
ity—is determined by what we think of the Old Testament obey the Lord, or will you merely condescend
and how we handle it. in order to gain the benefits of the society and
Thus, it is difficult to think of very many areas of culture to which you belong? Will you realize
Christian theolog y that are not affected in a major way, that the Lord’s wisdom is the ultimate truth, or
either by the inclusion or the deliberate omission of the will you choose to value your intellect (or the
OT data from its systematization. Moreover, when it is intellect of your leaders) as superior to that of
recalled that over three-fourths of the total Bible is found the divine? Moses says one of these two ways is
in the OT, it is enough to make one pause before cava- life and the other is death. So choose life.
lierly bypassing this most extensive record of God’s rev-
elation to mankind.1
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 4.
In other words, the OT is the formative
document out of which the NT came. The OT
is the context by which one must understand
Jesus, His mission of salvation, what salvation Moses Tells the People to
amounts to, what the church should look like, Follow God’s Laws
and even how we define the entity called “the After Moses explained that Israel was to obey
kingdom of God.” Kaiser says that how Chris- (for their own sakes) what was about to follow,
tians value the OT, or alternatively discard it as and that nothing should be added, removed, or
worthless, will determine every element of our altered from these instructions, he says in verse
belief system. 5 that these rules are to be obeyed inside of the
In our contemporary era (whether you are Promised Land (Canaan) that they will soon be
Jew or Gentile) there is no more decisive ques- living in.
tion for us to wrestle with than whether to Remember our discussion of perfect and imper-
accept all the Word of God or to sever away fect verb tenses in Hebrew? (Imperfect is an ongo-
everything given as Holy Writ before the book ing process while perfect is a process that has
of Matthew. Do we search out and act upon the been completed.) At the beginning of verse 5 we
actual oracles given directly from the Lord in get an example of this issue of verb tense and the
the Torah, or do we only consider small pas- problem it causes in interpretation; normally the
sages taken from certain books that serve to English translation of this verse is something like,
validate hundreds of years of theological philos- “See, I have imparted to you laws and rules.” The
ophies developed by the institutions claiming to past tense is employed, indicating that the laws
govern Christendom? and rules Moses is speaking about were given
Do we shrink our Bibles even further by in the past. But that is not the meaning of the
Deuteronomy 3

discarding the 50 percent of the NT passages Hebrew tense employed here. This is the imper-
that are direct OT quotes? Because if the OT fect (sometimes called the incomplete) tense,
is dead and gone and nailed to the cross, then indicating that Moses is speaking of an ongoing
how do we justify retaining the portion of its process. So a better translation might be, “I am
contents that forms more than half of the NT? imparting to you laws and rules.” Better, but still
This is the core of the message Moses is not precise because this is an ongoing process;
1
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward Rediscovering the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1987)
 28 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

The proof of your faith is the not accep-

tance of Christ. No. The sign of your accep-
tance of Christ (the sign of the New Covenant)
is the Holy Spirit in you, which, by the way, is
invisible so no one can see it, including your-
self. The proof of your faith (says Moses, and
later James) is in the fruit it produces, your
works. And works generally means good deeds
toward men and full obedience to the com-
mands of God.
It’s not that the Lord God needs to see your
works as the proof He’s looking for. He’s the
one who made the decision to give you the Holy
Spirit, so He’s already determined the status of
your faith. Rather the proof, in the form of vis-
ible and tangible works, is that so others may
benefit. As it says in Deut.4:6, “Observe them
[the laws] faithfully, for that will be proof of
your wisdom and discernment to other peoples,
who on hearing these laws will say, ‘Surely that
is a great nation.’”
While on the one hand the Hebrews did not
seek to proselytize or to convert, the living out
of their faith in full view of non-Hebrews would
this means that some laws were given and some be attractive to those foreigners. The most
are still being given. The continuing process of effective (and really, only) method of bringing
giving the Laws and defining their meaning and the Good News to the Jewish people of Israel
application has been occurring since Mount Sinai is to live out your faith and allow them to see
and it is not yet over. your love (or better, Yeshua’s love in you), not
An important principle that carries over to merely quote NT Bible passages to them. In
into the New Testament is presented in verse reality that is probably also the best and most
6: the proof of Israel’s loyalty to Yehoveh will be biblically authentic method to bring the gospel
that those who hear the Lord’s laws do His laws. to anyone.
Don’t confuse this proof to be the same Moses is drawing out two points: first, the
thing as a sign. The sign of Israel’s relationship giving of the Law specifically to Israel indicates
with the Lord is male circumcision (from Abra- the creation of an unprecedented relationship
ham’s covenant) and the observance of the Shab- between God and a particular nation of people
bat (from Moses’s covenant). The proof (that is, that has no parallel in history or in any other
the outward evidence) is in how well they act it society. Second, the Laws of the Lord are supe-
Deuteronomy 3

out. The NT version of this principle is found rior to all manmade laws and principles and the
in the book of James: “Even so faith, if it has justice inherent within His ordinances is per-
no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone fection. God’s laws are but a reflection of God.
may well say, ‘You have faith, and I have works; His character is made known and echoed in
show me your faith without the works, and I His laws. Do you really want to know who God
will show you my faith by my works’” (James is? Then learn His laws and commands and do
2:17-18 NAS). them.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 29

A Warning Against Idolatry ence with God: both the experience of our
faith fathers and our own personal experience.
The basis for the prohibition against making The Israelites actually heard God’s words, and
god-idols is explained in a little more detail believers of Yeshua have actually received the
here: since the Lord did not appear in any kind Lord’s Holy Spirit. Both of these experiences
of physical form to Israel at Mount Sinai, then are based on relationship. Never was the reli-
Israel should not try to manufacture any kind gion of the Jews based on some mechanical
of physical form to represent God. After all, following of a legal code, nor was it based on
if you’ve never seen what God looks like, how sacred god-symbols; it was based on a historical,
can you possibly make an accurate representa- experiential relationship with Yehoveh. Follow-
tion of Him? Rather, since God made His pres- ing those laws was merely the proper response
ence known to them in words (recall God spoke to this relationship, just as a modern believer’s
audibly to Israel at Mount Sinai), then Israel proper response to our salvation is obedience
should pass along the knowledge of Yehoveh to as well.
future generations in words and deeds and not “Therefore,” says Moses, “you (Israel) saw
in symbols and images as the heathen do. nothing of God at Mount Sinai but you did
This was a radical departure from the norms hear His words directly from His voice.” That
of all the world cultures of that era. The prevail- doesn’t mean there wasn’t a visual experience
ing thought of the time was that without an idol that went along with it. The Israelites saw fire
there was no way to worship a god. Idols were and smoke; the sky turned dark as night. The
handed down from generation to generation as idea is that the Lord’s presence made quite an
a means of instructing family members about unforgettable impact because it was designed to
the family gods. Yehoveh says, “Do not make do so. Nature itself was affected by God’s power
an image of Me, because I am not of this world and presence. It was supposed to elicit awe, rev-
and therefore nothing you could make could erence, and a healthy fear. It is foolish to say that
ever capture My essence.” since the advent of Christ we have no reason to
A. J. Herschel said beautifully: “The essence fear God anymore. There aren’t too many doc-
of Jewish religious thinking does not lie in trines more dangerous than that one. Just as the
entertaining the concept of God, but in the ability Apostles and the first Gentile Believers feared
to articulate a memory of moments of illumi- God, so should we.
nation by His presence. Israel is not a people It’s interesting that this particular command
of definers, but a people of witnesses.” In other and admonition not to make idols takes up so
words the people of Israel actually witnessed what much time on Moses’s agenda. It’s only right
God said directly to them and actually wit- since the failure to keep this command led to
nessed God’s great deeds on their behalf. That the death of scores of thousand of Israelites out
information was reliably passed on generation- in the Wilderness, and it would happen again
to-generation; it was by means of eyewitness and again with alarming regularity because the
proof from hundreds of thousands (even mil- people just didn’t take this warning seriously
lions) of ordinary people that God’s Torah is enough.
Deuteronomy 3

indeed a direct oracle from the Lord. As concerns God, idolatry is dangerous
Neither Judaism nor Christianity base reli- because it offends His holiness. As concerns
gion on speculative thought or grand religious men, idolatry is dangerous because God has
philosophies (although both have been infected ordained that it is a capitol offense. Idolatry
by this over the centuries, and part of our goal is dangerous on a number of levels; that’s the
is to distinguish between truth and tradition). problem with it. How do you suppose their
Rather, our faith is based on actual experi- idolatry began? Do you suppose that one day
 30 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the Israelites scrupulously made no god images eagle or a sheep or a brazen serpent. Rather, the
at all, and the very next day they woke up and eagle represented that the Lord soared above
started idol factories and turned them out by the them in the heavens; the snake represented that
thousands? That’s not how humans operate, is he was kind and gentile on one hand but could
it? We begin with a determination to obey but kill (or heal) as instantly as a snake could strike
in time we find a reason to make a very small on the other. The Lord says, “This is idol wor-
compromise here and there. We rationalize ship.”
and we debate what the meaning of is is, and Let’s look at an examples from our everyday
we slice the onion thinner and thinner to prove life. Take a look at verse 18. Another example of
our case, and pretty soon we take more liberty a tempting but prohibited object that might be
than we should. We look around and observe used as a god-symbol was . . . the fish! Hmmmm.
that God hasn’t struck us down yet, so we fig- That couldn’t possibly mean my fish, because I
ure everything’s OK and take the next small don’t worship my fish as an image of God. Now,
step. Israel went for centuries skating by and that other guy’s fish symbol might be wrong,
progressively impinging on God’s laws prohib- but my fish just reminds me of my faith. My fish
iting idolatry. Nothing bad had happened—at symbolizes the work of my Savior, who is God,
least not recently—so they took further liber- a Fisher of men. It just symbolizes an attribute.
ties. Suddenly, exile. What is interesting is that You all know the fish I’m talking about. Do
despite the warnings of the prophets to stop the you see the conundrum here? The issue is this:
idolatry or the Israelites would suffer the conse- We don’t always know when we have crossed
quences, the people generally responded with, over the divine line in the sand. That is because
“What idolatry?” They thought, Hey, we all love it is not us who draws the line or judges when it’s
and worship Yehoveh. We might have these little symbols been violated. Wearing a fish symbol is not idol
lying around, but that couldn’t be what those command- worship for the vast majority of Believers, but it
ments were about; they seem so harmless. But the min- can become idol worship if we drop our guard.
ute divine judgment struck, the people whined There weren’t very many Israelites around in
and cried and yelled out to the Lord, “We have Bible times who admitted to idol worship. When
sinned.” They instantly knew what they had the Prophets beseeched Israel to stop their idol
done. worship, most wouldn’t acknowledge it because
The truth is, we can see in the specific exam- they deceived themselves into believing they had
ples Moses gives the people that the Lord knew it all under control. What they were doing might
the Hebrews would be attracted to images, so have been close to the line but it wasn’t over the
He says, “Don’t go there.” Verse 16: “No image line. But without realizing it, they took one more
in any likeness whatsoever”. That seems pretty step and over the line they went. Judgment! And
definitive. A little later in that same verse: “No they all thought, I should have known better, I went too
image of a man or a woman.” That would cer- far. Too late.
tainly seem to limit religious statues. Verse 17: Next Moses warns against the Israelites
“No image of an animal that lives on the earth, attaching divine characteristics to the stars or
and no birds.” Got it. But, when the Hebrews the sun or moon. It’s not that these heavenly
Deuteronomy 3

did wind up making god-images of cows and objects weren’t divinely made for divine pur-
birds and all sorts of other things, did they poses (they were). But so were we and we are
really believe that this is what God looked like? certainly not divine! Are you into astrology? Be
No, they didn’t. The animals were commonly wise and drop it now; it is a slippery slope.
accepted symbolic representations of God’s An amazing statement is made in Deuter-
attributes, not His actual physical appearance. onomy 4:19-20; the Scriptures say that Israel
The Hebrews didn’t think God looked like an was not to bow down to the stars and the moon
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 31

because they were allotted for worship to the choice every human must make in his relation-
nations.(meaning the Gentile nations). The idea ship with the Lord is to select between God’s
is that it was natural, though wrong, for men Law and His grace. That to choose one way is
to be so awed by the celestial bodies that the right and the other is wrong; that Law and Grace
response could be little else but to bow down are mutually exclusive and have no connection
to them. If the Lord hadn’t given instruction to between them. To choose Law is to deny Christ
the contrary, and if He hadn’t given Himself as and to choose grace is to accept Him.
an object of worship, men would be drawn to Naturally since pagans or atheists have no
worship these objects like a moth to flame. But concept of either of these terms, this challenge
since He did set Israel apart, and since He did is rooted primarily as a Christian repudiation
take it upon Himself to give them something of the religion of the Jewish people. Or better,
that no other nation had (His Torah), then it fol- Gentile believers are to make a choice between
lowed that it was Israel’s duty to put away wor- the way of the Jews (the Law), and the way of
ship of these spectacular, but created, objects Christ (grace).
and to enjoy the privilege of knowing that the But is that really the choice that is set before
only thing worth worshipping was the self-exis- us? Is the Law the enemy of grace, and grace the
tent God, Yehoveh. opponent of the Law? I ran across a wonder-
fully articulate statement that puts this dichot-
omy of Law versus grace into perspective. What
God’s Law vs. God’s Gr ace
makes it all the more interesting is its source: I
It is so important that we recover the Word of am taking this out of one of the more progres-
God and stop relying on worn out or misguided sive, modern, scholarly, and admired commen-
doctrines and traditions of men that have dis- taries on the Bible, the World Bible Commen-
carded the Torah and Israel in favor of intel- tary. This multi-volume work is recommended
lectual philosophies and the preeminence of by most contemporary Evangelical seminaries
Gentiles. One of the most disturbing things and Bible colleges as perhaps the ultimate and
that has been taught by Christians since the most up-to-date Bible commentary in existence
time of Constantine (272-337 AD) is that the today, as it was first published little more than
attribute of God that Christians most rely on ten years ago.
(His grace) came about only at the time of the Duane Christensen, the editor of the Word
advent of Jesus Christ and that grace was not in Bible Commentary volume on Deuteronomy,
play before then; therefore grace is a strictly NT is anything but a conservative theologian or an
phenomenon or dispensation. apologist for Israel and the Jewish people; his
This belief shows up primarily in the firmly training is from MIT and Harvard, so I don’t
entrenched Church axiom that the greatest think I have to say much more. Professor Chris-
tensen speaks of an undeniable reality that the
Lord has shown him about the Old Testament,
and he wants other Christians and serious stu-
dents of the Bible to benefit from it:
Deuteronomy 3

The popular view that identifies Law with the OT

and gospel with the NT will certainly not stand up
against a careful reading of the book of Deuteronomy as
G. Braulik has shown. To understand Deuteronomy, one
must recognize God’s prior grace to sinners; that is, the
priority of the gospel (grace) over law in the OT as well
 32 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

as in the NT. Though Deuteronomy stresses that obedi- In a nutshell, it’s crucial to know that grace
ence to God’s Torah is essential, it even more strongly is at the center of the Law, that grace is indis-
emphasizes that such obedience is dependent on the grace pensable at all stages of God’s interaction with
of God.2 humans in any age and era. The laws contained
herein are organically connected to, and built
Let me say it another way: God’s grace is and dependent upon God’s grace. In God’s
contained in His Law, and the Law demon- economy, without grace there can be no effeca-
strates His grace. His Law and His grace are cious Law.
inseparable, and the proper spirit of carrying
out the Law is predicated on grace. Speaking of
one with out the other is like speaking of Yeshua No One Is Exempt from God’s Laws
and the Holy Spirit as being mutually exclusive. In Deuteronomy 4:21, Moses once again mourns
That Yeshua or the Holy Spirit could exist and the fact that even as the Lord’s mediator (one of
function without the other, or that the redemp- only two mediators that will ever exist), he is not
tive process is the exclusive work of one and not going to enjoy the fruits of the Promised Land
the other, is unthinkable and would defy every (as will his youthful audience, the second gen-
biblical tenet of who God is. Remove the work eration of the Exodus) because of the actions of
of the Holy Spirit and our salvation cannot be. the Israelites that prompted his own rash (sin-
Remove the work of Yeshua and our salvation ful) behavior. “Therefore,” says Moses, “take
cannot be. We can certainly speak of Yeshua notice of what is happening to me and take care
and the Holy Spirit separately, and we can study that you scrupulously obey every element of the
them and discuss them in isolated fashion and covenant the Lord has made with Israel so that
even apply different terms and characteristics, it doesn’t happen to you, too.” Since the Lord
but practically speaking they cannot actually be God is a consuming fire, it is not possible for
separated. God, over and over again, says that anything or anyone to withstand His judgment
He is echad, one, a divine unity that cannot be for wrongdoing. The Lord is no respecter of
broken apart. We are treading on dangerous persons, so socio-economic or political status
ground when our doctrines seek to emphasize won’t help you; not even Moses is exempt when
one above the other or even go so far as to say it comes to trespasses against Yehoveh.
that one could exist and operate and the other With idol worship still front and center as
cease to exist or no longer have a meaningful the cause for Moses’s words of caution to the
function. people in this chapter, he says to be careful not
So it is with Law and grace. We certainly to break this command against all forms of idol-
can, to a degree, identify the somewhat unique atry and therefore perish as a result. Note that
purposes and attributes inherent to each, but perish doesn’t mean “utterly destroyed”; it actu-
we can no more choose between Law and ally means “brought to ruin,” or “severely and
grace (or Law and gospel), as is almost univer- painfully punished and diminished.” In Leviti-
sally demanded of us by the Church, than we cus it was a God-ordained requirement that any
can choose between the Holy Spirit and Jesus judicial trial that involved a matter that could
Deuteronomy 3

Christ. The mainstream church has become so result in the death penalty had to rest on the
willing separate these two, that for a believer testimony of at least two witnesses. Such crimes
to simply determine that he or she will be obe- were, of course, always considered first and
dient to God’s commands, or even take them foremost as acts of disobedience toward God
seriously, is now called “legalism” or “a works and included the worst offenses, such as mur-
based faith” or even a desire to adopt Judaism. der, adultery, and idolatry.
2
Duane L. Christensen, Word Bible Commentary, Volume 6A (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001)
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 33

Although we’ll not follow the thread of the In general, this verse has been assumed
“two witnesses” principle here, I do want you to mean that the Hebrews will be persecuted
to recognize that the mysterious Two Witnesses and forcefully made to bow down to the gods
who will appear during the time of Tribulation of those nations. Historically speaking that has
in Jerusalem (the Two Witnesses of the Lord indeed happened in isolated cases (such as dem-
that the Anti-Christ will kill and leave in the onstrated in the story of Shadrach, Meshach,
streets of Jerusalem for all the world to see) are and Abednego and the fiery furnace when the
but an extension of the requirement that the Jews were exiled to Babylon), but in the vast
Lord set down that there must be at least two majority of cases the Hebrew were not forced to
witnesses to judge a man for destruction (the worship other gods because that simply was not
death penalty). the method of ancient Middle Eastern conquer-
Here in Deuteronomy Moses invites the ors of the biblical era.
two witnesses against Israel, should they com- Rather, the consequence was that the Isra-
mit idolatry, to be the heavens and the earth. elites will do what all people do: they’ll will-
This two-witnesses law was an absolute legal ingly assimilate to one degree or another into
must in the Lord’s justice system, one that God whatever culture they are exiled. Or, just as
even imposed on Himself (which is why in the ominous, they will not be permitted by that cul-
end-times Two Witnesses is a must, since He is ture’s government to openly continue with their
sentencing all unbelievers to physical and eter- well-established worship practices of Yehoveh
nal death). Since the punishment for idolatry (as outlined in Torah), so they’ll compromise so
was death, if Israel was to perish as a nation (be as to go unnoticed. Or, perhaps worse, because
catastrophically chastised) as a consequence for the Temple was the only place they could go to
their corporate idolatry, who could possibly be sacrifice and atone for their sins against God,
left to qualify as the two witnesses to testify their spiritual state outside of the Promised
against them? Moses says it will be the heavens Land was as if they were defiled and never able
and the earth, for they are subject to God in the to be cleansed. Worse, since they were defiled
same way humanity is. and impure, this automatically meant that they
were unable to commune with Yehoveh.
Let me put the horror of that in perspective:
The Gift of the Promised Land
it would be as though, as a Christian, you had
Can Be Reversed
your salvation yanked from you. You didn’t want
Moses says it is not if but when Israel started it removed, but it was anyway. You retained a
again worshipping idols that all the wonderful complete memory for it—you knew why it was
promises of land and security and peace will so critical for you to possess, you had a desire to
be reversed. In Deuteronomy 4:27 Moses says maintain it, and you didn’t intend to lose it, but
that Yehoveh will remove Israel from His land the consequences of your actions were so griev-
and scatter them into other nations (Gentile ous to God that He turned you over to the forces
nations, of course) and that while not all Isra- of evil and separated Himself from you. Can you
elites will be killed in those nations, many will, imagine such a thing? While we’ll not get into
Deuteronomy 3

and many more will simply assimilate and lose whether that is possible at all for a believer (and
their Hebrew identities. In fact, Moses says generally speaking it is not possible, so relax), just
only a few will survive the exile. Then he says imagine if it were! That is tantamount to what
something that I think has been somewhat Moses is saying will happen to Israel (and, in fact,
misconstrued; Moses says that in those Gen- did happen) should they rebel against God (and,
tile nations, Israel will serve man-made gods, by the way, the central trespass of this rebellion
false gods. was committing idolatry).
 34 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

God Provides a Way Lord says this same thing: He will never for-
get (invalidate) His covenant with Abraham.
While the Jews were in exile in Babylon, they Yeshua backs that up in Matthew 5:17 when He
were aware that their exile was not just from says that He did not come to invalidate, abol-
their homeland of Judah but from God Him- ish, or forget the Torah and its contents (where
self. They felt that the very air they breathed the covenants were established). To remember a
was defiled; the food that they ate was impure, promise or a covenant is to validate it, uphold it
not kosher; that they lived in a perpetual state and stick with its terms. Particularly as concerns
of uncleanness from which there was no escape. God, forgetting and remembering has nothing
The women couldn’t properly and legally to do with His memory or ability to recall.
cleanse themselves from their monthly cycles, While you and I just read this passage and
nor could the men cleanse themselves after sex- say, “OK, so God says that since He’s compas-
ual intimacy with their wives as was required sionate, wherever they are scattered He will
by the Law. They couldn’t obey the command- allow the Israelites to seek Him out.” That’s
ment to make the three pilgrimages each year to great,and pretty straightforward. Yet, it’s only
Jerusalem for the God-ordained festivals; they straightforward for us because we understand
couldn’t tithe; the priests couldn’t teach or per- that there exists only one God. The Hebrews
form their sacrificial rituals, so the Jews couldn’t of this era did not believe that. Just as you and
offer a sacrifice of atonement when they sinned. I wouldn’t ever argue the point that the world
They were in a kind of hell. consists of a multitude of various people groups:
Yet Moses said rescue and restoration was black people, brown people, white people, and
possible for God’s people! He said that if they so on, so would the Hebrews simply take as
would repent and seek God with all their heart common knowledge that the spiritual world
(mind) and soul, He would allow Israel to rekin- consists of a multitude of gods, each dedicated
dle their relationship with Him. This is possible to one or the other of the various people groups
because another attribute of God that operates and nations. The Hebrews understood Yehoveh
at the other end of the scale from His wrath is to be Israel’s particular god, but in Deuteron-
His compassion and mercy (Deut. 4:31). He says omy, Moses is beginning to make it crystal clear
that on a corporate or national level He will not that Yehoveh is the only God in existence, not
let Israel be wiped out as an identifiable people just Israel’s only god. Moses is telling Israel that
and that He will not forget His covenant prom- when they are scattered all over the earth for
ise that He made with Israel’s fathers. Oh, this the idolatry that they will commit, they can take
is so central to our overall understanding of the comfort in knowing that God will be wherever
Bible! they are. The Hebrews will not have to switch
First, saying “your fathers” is only another allegiance to the god or gods of wherever they
way of saying “the patriarchs,” meaning Abra- wind up in order to have a god’s help. Yehoveh’s
ham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yehoveh will not fail power and presence is everywhere on this earth
Israel nor will He let Israel (as a people) be com- and He is not restrained by territorial boundar-
pletely wiped out; He will not forget about the ies, as opposed to the non-existent gods of the
Deuteronomy 3

Abrahamic Covenant (the covenant made with pagan nations.

Abraham, then handed down to Isaac, then to This was probably as difficult a thing for
Jacob). Israel to accept as it is for new Christians to
Second, let’s understand what it means that accept that a divine attribute of God called “the
the Lord will not forget the Abrahamic Cov- Holy Spirit” has invisibly and otherwise unde-
enant: to forget a covenant means to abolish it, tectably taken up residence inside of us. On the
to invalidate it. Over and over in the OT, the one hand, reliable church authorities tell us that
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 35

this is the case, and we hope this is so, but on the When has there ever been a God who set apart a
other hand how do you prove or tangibly verify selected group of people from the world in gen-
such a thing? The only way is through time and eral, gave them a Law and a covenant, brought
experience with the Lord, which begins with down supernatural destruction on their oppres-
simple faith. So let’s try and grasp what a revo- sors (like Egypt), and led them by means of a
lutionary concept Moses was talking about here. visible cloud and pillar of fire that was available
Also let’s try and grasp that another part of what not just for Israel to see but for anyone within
Moses was saying was ominously prophetic: in close proximity to actually witness?
the future Israel would rebel against God by Do you know why Israel is looked upon as
means of idolatry; they would be ejected from so strange and weird and threatening from the
the land and scattered; they would be killed and moment of their sanctification and separation
put under subjugation in Gentile nations; they right on up until today? Moses is telling you in
would be put under societal pressures to wor- Deuteronomy: it’s because, in fact, they are dif-
ship other gods; and many (if not most) Israel- ferent, and they have had their path set upon
ites would succumb to one element or another an entirely unique history, morality, and prin-
of this. ciple that runs counter to any other society,
Really, Moses puts this in such general ever. Humans just can’t stand too much diver-
terms that only hindsight enables us to validate sity and difference despite the absurd and dis-
the truth in it. It’s not that Israel would do this ingenuous academic worship of it today. At the
on one occasion and God would respond with same moment the world calls for an acceptance
exile. This is a principle that would be repeated of diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism,
in regular cycles; Israel would rebel in idolatry significant effort is made to pressure people to
and God would, each time, respond the same conform and to be the same. At no other time
way with exile from their homeland. in history has there been the effort to erase the
As always, Moses brings a balance to the distinction between male and female, to pound
situation. Restoration will occur just as surely as everyone into the same mold, for everyone to
Israel will rebel. Beginning in verse 31, Moses accept the same philosophies and morals, to
says that the grounds for this hope of restora- have one dominating world body to govern all
tion is twofold: 1) Because the Lord loved the nations under the same rules and laws. And
patriarchs, and 2) because God is inherently anyone who refuses to submit to this is regarded
merciful. From here Moses gives a sermon as a renegade, unintelligent, a hater, something
about this radical concept that YHWH is the to be stomped on and eradicated like an unwel-
only God that exists. come cockroach.
Moses was claiming that no one has ever
been in Israel’s position, and no one has ever
YHWH Is the Only God
had such perfect laws and commands to live by
This sermon that introduces Israel to monothe- than what was presented by Yehoveh. What he
ism says that the proof that there is only one hasn’t said yet is that the world is going to hate
God and that His name is YHWH is contained Israel for this and that the world as led by their
Deuteronomy 3

in history itself. From the time that the earth own evil inclinations, at Satan’s direction, will
was formed until today, what society or culture never stop trying to rid itself of these strange
has ever had such things happen to it as had people, simply because they are different.
Israel? What society has ever actually heard the Well, wake up Christians; the Jews aren’t
voice of God? Not just some priests claiming alone anymore. You have become a target for
that they heard a god, but rather the general re-education or extermination. You are too dif-
population being eyewitnesses to it occurring. ferent to live side-by-side with everyone else.
 36 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

How has the Church responded to this chal-

lenge? Generally in the same way the Jews even-
tually did—to blend in, to look more like the
world than the world itself. The Jews worked to
dissolve the separation between them and the
other inhabitants of this planet. Jews who emi-
grated from Europe as early as the 1800s gave
up not only their Jewish identities but also their
family names so that they could vanish into a
sea of Gentiles. In our time, Christians by the
thousands, entire denominations en masse, are
giving up the virgin birth, the deity of Christ,
and any real vestige of separateness and dif-
ferentness from the world. Christians by the
millions are accepting and celebrating homo-
sexuality, same-sex marriage, and the freedom
to choose abortion. Christians often don’t want
our true faith history; we just want heavenly
fire insurance and a social group of friends and
activities that’s based around a church or syna-
gogue building. Of course, I’m speaking in gen-
eral and this is not every case, but it is, at the
least, quickly becoming the new norm.
The rush to abandon our Savior is at a fever
pitch in Europe and is bound to spread. Eng-
land is leading the way, as a group now offers
anti-Baptism certificates so that a Christian can
officially renounce all allegiance to God, have
his name officially removed from every kind of
list that identifies him as a Christian, and receive own selfish reasons that you will survive and
a certificate as legal proof of his repudiation of prosper,” Moses says, “don’t do this because
Christianity. In 2011 alone over one hundred God needs it; it’s because you need it. Don’t do
thousand people have done this. this because God benefits; rather it’s because
you benefit.”
Nothing has changed. Salvation is not and
So It Will Go Well With You
has never been for God’s benefit; it’s for ours.
In verse 39 Moses makes the definitive state- God doesn’t “lose” because so many fail to take
ment: “Know therefore this day and keep in advantage of His free gift; those who don’t see
mind that Yehoveh is God in heaven above and the truth are the ones who lose.
Deuteronomy 3

on earth below; there is no other.” This state-

ment marks a turning point in the history of
mankind. Moses says that the reason you want Cities of Refuge
to believe and observe this command is so that Moses ends this portion of his address to the
it will go well with you and your children and people by officially naming the cities of refuge
you can remain in God’s care on God’s land. “If (the sanctuary cities) that will be established on
for no other reason, Israel, obey God for you the east side of the Jordan River, in the terri-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 37

tory that Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Moses was about to say beginning in Deuter-
Manasseh will inhabit. These are cities that will onomy 4:44 and continuing for the next several
be owned and administered by the Levites for chapters. In other words, perhaps in modern
the sake of the tribes who have chosen to live jargon we could have Moses saying: “Now, after
and operate in the Trans-Jordan. Recall that a all that I have just given to you as a background,
city of refuge is a place where a man who has here is finally the teaching I want you to have.”
killed another man can reside and be safe; he So, indeed, I would agree with those who say
may not be harmed if he escapes to one of these that while the translation is perfectly fine, chap-
three cities. Also recall that this law does not ter 5 should have begun earlier, at what is cur-
cover the crime of murder and a murderer may rently designated as Deuteronomy 4:44.
not take up residence there. The primary crime Before you start accusing me of trying to
that these cities are set aside for is manslaughter, “change the Bible,” please just remember that
the unintended or accidental killing of a human. the Bible never had chapter marks, OT or NT.
It’s not that those who come to a city of ref- Scholars added them many centuries later,
uge are there to avoid prosecution, in fact they only for a means to help study and communi-
will be brought to a certain place for trial and cate the various passages. The same goes with
if they’re determined not to be guilty of mur- verse numbering; it was an arbitrary system.
der then they can go back to the city of refuge However because in modern literature para-
and remain there in safety. The inhabitants of graphs and chapters do have significant mean-
a sanctuary city were not in prison; they were ing (usually indicating that one scene ends and
being protected. In fact, they were free to leave new one begins, or one thought pattern ends
those cities any time they chose to. The prob- and a new one begins) it can have an impact if
lem is that they were being protected against we apply that same type of literary criteria to
the kinsman redeemer (go’el ha’dam) whose tradi- the Bible.
tional duty it was to avenge the death of a rela- What I’m telling you is: try not to read the
tive, even if it was accidental. But if the killer Bible according to paragraphs and chapters like
chose to live outside the protection of the sanc- we read a modern book. All too often a certain
tuary city they became fair game and the kins- train of thought simply continues from the last
man redeemer could extract his blood revenge verse of one chapter right on into the first verse
without consequence. of the next, but because it seems to be inter-
rupted due to a new paragraph or a new chapter
number, our minds tend to end the context of
Chapters and Verses
what has been said up to that point and create a
There is some disagreement as to whether verses whole new context from scratch. This is a major
44-49 ought to not be the end of chapter 4 but mistake and unfortunately this is probably the
rather should be included as the first words of way that the vast majority of believers, Bible stu-
chapter 5. It seems terribly redundant. dents, Sunday school teachers, and even Bible
I’d like to offer a different possibility: verses College professors actually read and teach the
1–43 were an introduction, a forward, to what Bible.
Deuteronomy 3
 38 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 5

We are now about 80 percent of the way through beginning of their wilderness journey. This is
the Torah and we have absorbed an enormous because the era of living in portable tents, eat-
amount of detail. As we begin our study of Deu- ing the manna that rained down from heaven
teronomy 5, let’s pause for just a few minutes to each day without fail, and moving from oasis
gather our thoughts and gain some perspective. to oasis was essentially at an end. Therefore,
Allow me to take a few minutes to draw a pic- Moses had to explain just how Israel was to
ture of some of the foundational premises of observe these same laws and commands since
Deuteronomy that we are expected to keep in Israel was about to become a settled, sedentary
mind at all times when studying this great book people and stop living as a massive population
and the Bible in general. of wandering Bedouins.
First, the context of Deuteronomy is that The context of their existence was changing
the laws being given to Israel (originally given for Israel, so Moses had to reframe some things,
at Mount Sinai and now repeated and somewhat but the reframing at all times stayed within the
expounded upon here in Moab) are from God. boundaries of the Law as given on Mount Sinai.
This notion of a set of laws coming from God This is a great principle that has been lost to us.
is rather easy for us to accept, but just as there It has been a common practice within Judeo-
being but one God in existence was a totally new Christianity to disregard the circumstances
concept to the world (and to Israel) so it was and the timeframe and the cultural norms of
equally as revolutionary that a god (instead of the the Bible era and to say that the words of the
nation’s king) would establish the laws and rules Bible have a mystical quality so that Scripture
that governed any particular human society. Up can be severed from historical context and rein-
to this point in history legal and criminal codes terpreted in any era.
were always created by kings. For Israel, how- Let me give you a brief example of what I
ever, the common understanding of the source mean. At the time of this writing, I’m in central
of societal laws would change forever. Florida, United States, and it’s the year 2013.
Second, as we’ve already established, these Our national attention is focused on the never-
people standing before him hearing him speak
the laws out loud were not present (except, per-
haps, those who were very young children at the
time) when the Law was first given almost forty
years earlier, because the first generation of the
Deuteronomy 5

Exodus were now dead and apparently had not

passed the teaching of it along to their children
as they should have.
Third, we will notice as we move along in
the coming chapters some slight variation in
how these laws are viewed and applied at this
point in Israel’s journey versus how they were
viewed and applied forty years prior, at the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 39

ending unrest in the Middle East, which almost our lives, all these circumstances and variables
always revolves around Israel and her neighbors. are the context by which we process that infor-
A global financial crisis has thrown millions out mation. The speaker or author doesn’t need to
of their jobs and homes over the last five years, reiterate all of these circumstances that define
and we’re just now starting to get back on our our era because they’re common knowledge; we
feet. Islamic Fascism is attempting to reassert live them out every day.
itself on a global level. Our economy and our But if you are living in England, Turkey,
national security dominate our every thought, Mexico, or Russia, the context is somewhat dif-
and Christian fundamentalists’ faith is under ferent, and when a leader in any of those places
attack worldwide. Jews and Christians are speaks he or she does so in a context relative
considered a threat to our government’s goals. to their culture and current circumstances.
You are certain that we are in the last days of American context is not only largely irrelevant
human history and that what is going on around to them, it is not even comprehensible to their
us is but the playing out of predetermined and minds unless they are somehow educated, famil-
unalterable prophetic events. But the Church iarized, and brought up to date about American
at large denies this—nearly one half of our values, language, history, and interests.
churches even deny the deity of Jesus Christ. It is no different with the Bible. That is why
About one fourth of American churches believe I spend so much time reminding you of that
in gay marriage and in ordaining homosexuals reality and painting a picture of the geography,
as pastors and bishops. Violence is increasing at the language evolution, what people were think-
every level of our society to unheard of levels, ing and concerned about, what certain words
and what would have been considered X-rated and phrases meant to them, what the major
pornography a mere twenty years ago is now issues and challenges of the times were, what
common fare on primetime television. was assumed common knowledge and what was
American society is primarily English completely unknown to them yet.
speaking, but increasingly Spanish has become a But just as it is with us today, society in the
common second language. Some want Spanish days of the Bible (at any given moment in time)
to become acceptable as an officially sanctioned was anything but uniform and monolithic;
alternative language of the US, while others vehe- everybody was not the same, nor were they all
mently insist that English remain the one and living under the same circumstances. For exam-
only official national tongue and to undermine ple, in the New Testament Paul spoke to pagan
that would be to undermine America’s very Gentiles in one of the new and progressive
social fabric. The USA is pretty evenly divided Roman cities using terms and illustrations they
between politically liberal- and conservative- were familiar with. He spoke to the Gentiles in
minded people, but the middle ground has all Greek, the language they used. When he ven-
but disappeared. tured back to the Holy Lands, he spoke to the
This is the historical context in which we unique culture of the Jews and the entirely dif-
live. This is the context from which all of our ferent Jewish society (incalculably separate from
daily dialogue takes place. This context is unique the Roman world) within the context of their
Deuteronomy 5

for our time; it has not existed before, and it will understanding, which even varied from Galilee
change as time moves along, into what we do to Samaria to Judea. As he spoke to the various
not know. Jewish groups, he addressed issues that were of
The point is that when America’s president concern to them in Hebrew and Aramaic, the
gives a speech, a new book is written about some language of the Jews living within the Holy
major event or issue of our era, or a preacher Land. Had Paul spoken to the Romans using
speaks to us about how to apply Scripture to Jewish cultural and religious terms, they would
 40 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

have been clueless as to what he was talking live on the outskirts of the enormous Israelite
about (and probably offended as well). Had he encampment because these aliens choose to be
spoken to the Jews in Roman cultural terms, the friends with Israel but not to join them as part
Jews would have turned their backs and walked of a Hebrew nation. Moses is speaking to all
away, or as happened on not just a few occa- of these people, not just to some, even though
sions, run him out of town. those who are actually hearing his voice are the
You see, the world does not now (has and people’s representatives: the tribal elders and
has not since immediately after the Great Flood) chieftains.
consisted of generic people living in generic With that as a backdrop let’s read Deuter-
societies under generic circumstances speaking onomy 5.
a single generic language. Rather, we can only
gain any meaningful information from the bib-
lical texts (Old Testament or New), whether it be Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 5.
from Paul, Jesus, or Moses, when we take it all
in the historical and cultural context it occurred
and then (in the ordinary sense it was meant at
that time) reapply it to our new global, national, Moses is reestablishing the basis for claiming
and local circumstances. that he is the sole and unique mediator between
Therefore, since Deuteronomy 5 is primar- God and Israel. He is saying bluntly, “These are
ily a restatement of the original Ten Command- the rules that I, Moses, proclaim to you” (in verse
ments (as given forty years earlier) let us take 1), but he then goes on to make it clear that he is
careful note that much time has passed, an repeating to them what the Lord told him and
entire generation has died out, and the context Israel in a frightening and thundering voice from
is substantially different from when it was first above. Moses is also reestablishing a basis (to this
declared. new generation) for why Yehoveh is Israel’s God
and why their loyalty should be only to Yehoveh.
This is stated in the first commandment: “I am
Moses’s Speech
YHWH your God who brought you out of the
It’s around 1300 BC. Abraham has been dead land of Egypt . . .” (vs. 6).
for around five hundred years. Moses is but days Over the centuries the original first com-
from his own death, and a new leader has been mandment (I am YHWH your God) has been
readied to replace him. He is standing on a hill ignored and the second commandment has been
in Moab and addressing the young generation broken apart into two commandments. This is
of eager warriors who are about to engage in a a significant alteration that has had much to do
holy war upon Canaan. The Law is well estab- with Christianity’s historic bent to disinherit the
lished and has been practiced now for nearly Jewish people of their rightful place as God’s
forty years. The priesthood is fully functioning, favored people. It has also led to an arrogant
the Wilderness Tabernacle is the recognized attitude of the Church toward Israel, the very
dwelling place of God on earth, and Joshua has people to whom God’s Word was entrusted, so
Deuteronomy 5

been introduced as Moses’s successor. that now the Hebrews feel alienated from their
Israel is currently a racially mixed nation own Jewish Messiah. They have been convinced
of about 3 million people, consisting of full- by Christians that if they should believe upon
blooded Hebrews, foreigners of several races Yeshua it would be tantamount to accepting a
who have officially joined Israel, half-breeds (the Gentile religion, validating the Church position
result of intermarriage with these foreigners), that the Jews have now been rejected by the
and non-Hebrew slaves. Thousands of aliens Lord and replaced with Gentiles and thereby
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 41

it was there. So when we see Paul explaining

that the Law was not able to save, he was sim-
ply telling his uninitiated Gentile listeners not
to go seeking out the Law as an alternative to
do what only the Messiah could do. Since Christ
was a Jew, and it was only within the religion
and covenants of the Jews that the advent of a
Messiah had any meaning at all, it was the natu-
ral assumption of converted Gentiles to mimic
what the Jews did: obey the outward rituals of
the Law (as well as following Tradition). The
problem is that Paul knew that if they were not
taught otherwise the Gentiles would mistakenly
think that it was those acts and behaviors that
brought them their salvation. And when Paul
was saying similar things to the Jews, he was
they would be turning their backs on their simply telling these Hebrews that while obedi-
special position given to them as His set-apart ence to the Law was good and important, the
people. Messiah was doing something that obedience to
So, says Moses, the reason Israel should the Law could never do.
look to Yehoveh and Yehoveh alone is because It’s not that in the NT we have Paul, or
Yehoveh (and not some other god) rescued Christ, or any other writer saying that Christians
Israel from Egypt through never-before-seen should be antinomian (a word meaning anti-
signs and wonders. Further, it is folly to bow Law). Rather it was that they should take advan-
down to other gods because they don’t really tage of Christ’s ministry for salvation rather
even exist. They are false gods, not in the sense than mistakenly assume they had an option B,
that Yehoveh is a better god, but in the sense which was to obey a series of rules and laws in
that they are figments of men’s foolish and evil order to accomplish the same thing.
inclinations. When we come to Christ we don’t stop
From a panoramic viewpoint we see that eating food. We don’t stop learning Scripture.
the Ten Commandments (the ten guiding Eating food doesn’t bring us salvation, but that
principles of the 603 laws that will follow) are doesn’t make eating a bad thing. Learning Scrip-
divided into two obvious groupings: the first ture doesn’t earn us salvation, but studying the
four commandments speak of man’s obligations Word doesn’t become outdated or unnecessary
to God, and the remaining six concern relation- once we have accepted salvation. Rather each
ships between men. of these activities has an ongoing purpose; we
eat because our physical bodies require physical
nourishment. We read Scripture so that once we
Salvation Is Not in the Law
have been redeemed by faith in Yeshua we give
Deuteronomy 5

Note: nowhere in the Ten Commandments (or our minds and souls spiritual nourishment, and
anywhere in the Law for that matter) does the so that we know what our expected response to
issue of salvation (as we think of it today) come God’s grace and favor toward us ought to be.
up. The Law simply doesn’t deal with it because Christ says He is the Bread of Life, but no
that was never its purpose or function. The one would seriously take that to mean that as
Hebrews did not look to the Law for salvation saved people we no longer need to eat bread
because it wasn’t there and they didn’t think (food). He also says that the Torah will be writ-
 42 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ten on our hearts, but that in no way means relationship with the Lord). In a marriage cer-
that we are to stop learning God’s ways from emony the question is asked to the bride, “Will
His written Word. In the same way when we, in you take this man to be your husband?” And to
faith, accept Yeshua as our Savior we don’t turn the bridegroom, “Will you take this woman to
against the very rules and ordinances that the be your wife?” Both sides must agree to freely
Lord set up to demonstrate His character and enter into this relationship. In the case of God
to instruct us on how to live the redeemed life. establishing that Israel will be His people and
in return He will be their God, and in the case
of human marriage, both parties must agree,
Summarizing the
both parties have obligations, and both parties
Commandments
have legal standing. If the Lord only said, “I’ll
The second commandment is re-stated in verses be your God” and Israel was given no choice
8-10, and it makes it clear that Israel is not to in the matter, then the quid-pro-quo is missing
attempt to establish a relationship with any and there is no relationship but servitude. If at
other god. That’s pretty straightforward and I’ll a marriage ceremony the man declared, “You
not comment further on that. What I do want will be my wife,” but the woman was not asked
to point out is the relationship nature of the if she wanted to be married to this man, then
Covenant of Moses between God and man. An there is no relationship only subjugation.
unscriptural and false dichotomy has been set The third commandment is that the Lord’s
up in modern Christianity that demands that we name is not to be misused. This may be the
see the OT as about the establishment of a legal most mischaracterized commandment of the
code and the NT as introducing grace to the ten. This command is primarily about one thing:
world for the first time. Part and parcel to this is not invoking the name of God as surety in an
the typical outlook that the OT was set up as a oath that is false or that you have no intention
dictator/king giving out impersonal orders that of keeping. This modern idea that this is speak-
had to be obeyed or else; alternately that the ing of accidental mispronunciation of His formal
NT is all about a relationship between God and name (YHWH) or refraining altogether from
man that sets no obligations upon us, the saved. saying His holy name is scripturally groundless.
We have all heard pastors correctly say that The Talmud makes it clear that the prohibition
Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. that the Jews eventually adopted (starting around
That has been true from the beginning. It is a 300 BC) of not uttering the holy name YHWH
fundamental biblical axiom that the covenants had nothing to do with this third command-
between God and man are relationship based. ment. Rather, it came to be considered a matter
Therefore we get the relationship formula in of proper reverence. There are various reasons
OT phrases like “I will take you to be My peo- stated in the Talmud, and also in writings by
ple, and I will be your God” (Exod. 6:7) or “I Philo and Josephus, as to why it came to be con-
will be your God and you shall be My people” sidered irreverent to say God’s formal name, and
(Lev. 26:12). Notice the equation: God says while there is no single definitive reason stated,
this is what I will be to you, and consequently in general it had to do with a Middle Eastern
Deuteronomy 5

this is what you will be to me. And while God custom that it was not respectful for a son or
offers this prospect of a harmonious relation- daughter to pronounce their parents’ names. By
ship, it is up to you to accept it or reject it. That extension it was carried over to the Lord’s name
is the very definition of a relationship, and it because the Lord was recognized as Abba, the
has the same basis to it as our human marriage Hebrews’ heavenly Father.
vows (that were always meant to be a physical In ancient times the invoking of vows and
and visible illustration of our spiritual and invisible oaths were common events; by definition a vow
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 43

or oath involved the use of the name of one god would not have the holy character YHWH has
or another. If a god’s name was not invoked, given it. Conversely any time we take a day off of
there was no legally binding oath or vow. The work . . . for whatever reason . . . it doesn’t make
primary intent of this third commandment is that day the Sabbath day. The pagan world had
that the Lord’s name was not to be invoked days off, and the government usually controls
carelessly or frivolously when making vows. In which day that might be. They had days off to
later books of the OT and the even later NT celebrate the winter and summer solstices; they
writings, advice is given that it is better not to had days off to celebrate the inauguration of
make vows and oaths at all (wherever possible) a new king; they had days off to celebrate and
because if a person does invoke Yehoveh’s name worship their numerous gods; they had days off
in a vow or an oath the Lord fully expects the to celebrate the end of the harvest season. They
terms to be completed, regardless of the content were rest days but they were not the Sabbath.
or intent. One of the most infamous stories in The Sabbath is a weekly observance to com-
the Bible is about a fellow named Jephthah who memorate the miracle of Creation.
made his own daughter a burnt sacrifice due to It is rightly quoted that Jesus said that the
a rash vow he had made to Yehoveh, not expect- Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
ing this horror as a result. Note: it was a vow Sabbath. The point is not that the sole purpose
Jephthah approached the Lord about and set of the Sabbath was so man would be able to take
the terms for; the Lord certainly didn’t ask for, off a day of work; it was so man could enjoy
nor does He condone, human life as a sacrifice. and refresh his relationship with God. The time
The fourth commandment is to observe the off was helpful for man and animal to physi-
Sabbath day. Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) is cally rejuvenate, but mostly it was so man could
the proper name of a specific day of the week. remember what the Lord has done for him by
In fact, in any good translation the wording is redeeming Him and creating everything around
“observe the Sabbath day.” While that is accept- man that sustains us. It does not do something
able, it misses the mark a tad because literally for God when we rest; it honors God that we
it reads, “Observe the Shabbat.” The point is, reflect upon Him and obey Him by observing
Shabbat is not just any day. It doesn’t mean to the day that He has removed from the common
just take a break once a week. It is a specific day days of the week and set it apart and blessed it
that the Lord has ordained as holy. It is defined as special.
biblically as the seventh day of the week, not the We’ve now reviewed the commandments
final day of any rolling seven-day period of our (1-4) that have to do with God’s expectation that
choosing. Further the holiness of the day is key. we as His worshippers acknowledge His name,
The Lord has set this particular day apart from His nature, His identity, and His holy day. With
all others and made it holy. Question: Who commandment five there is a shift to what the
makes something holy? Can you declare some- Lord demands of human-to-human oriented
thing to be holy? Can you take something ordi- relationships, and these will specifically cover the
nary and by the “power vested in you” make obligation of children to their parents and how
it holy? How about your pastor? Can he make one is to honor and protect the life, person, prop-
Deuteronomy 5

something common into something holy? Of erty and reputation of our neighbors and society
course not! Making something—anything— at large. One could reasonably say that these are
holy lies solely within the province of God. the humanitarian rules set down by the Lord.
We cannot choose any day we wish and then The fifth commandment describes our
by our own authority declare it to be holy. The proper relationship to the most important
Sabbath is far more than a day of rest. If it were humans in our life, our parents. In Leviticus 19
merely a day of physical rest then certainly it the priests are admonished to revere their par-
 44 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ents; likewise the Ten Commandments make commandment is that one should not ratsach.
it a duty not just for the priestly class but for Ratsach is Hebrew for “murder.” It does not
all who wish to be part of Israel to recognize mean “to kill.” One would not go hunting, for
that among human relationships obligations instance, and ratsach a deer. The purpose for
to one’s parents reigns supreme. Interestingly this commandment is very limited in scope
this command is usually used to gain the atten- and it specifically means that a man is not to
tion of school-aged children when it comes to unjustly kill another human being. Legal exe-
being obedient to their mothers and fathers, cutions are not a concern of this command.
but that isn’t how it was looked at during the Death in battle is not a concern of this com-
various biblical eras. Rather this is more about mand. Even manslaughter (no intention to kill,
how grown children were to care for their par- or death as the result of gross negligence) is not
ents when they needed it and about how grown a concern of this commandment. The keyword
children were to continue to show deference is “unjust.” And by the way, legal retribution
to their elders. It is interesting that this issue is by executing a person who has committed an
so high on God’s list that in Leviticus 19:3 He unjust killing is expected and demanded by the
essentially equates showing proper respect to Lord.
one’s parents as a human societal obligation on The seventh commandment is that one
the same level as observing Shabbat as a divine should not engage in adultery. Biblical adultery
obligation. For that verse says, “You shall each means consenting sexual relations between a
revere his mother and father and keep My Sab- married person and another person outside of
baths; I am YHWH your God.” Earthly par- that marriage. It could also mean a wife taking
ent and heavenly parent are to be honored and the side of a man against her husband in a seri-
obeyed. ous disagreement. The Middle Eastern societ-
Another interesting subtlety to note is ies of this era all generally held extra-marital
that quite often in Scripture the phrase used relations to be a very bad thing and most of
to denote one’s parents is “your mother and these same societies punished the perpetrator
father,” putting the word mother first. It’s not severely, usually with death. Laws similar to the
that the intent is ever to put mother above seventh commandment were customary among
father; rather it is to put mother and father on most societies in this era.
an equal footing in what was a male-dominated The eighth commandment is that one
society. Since God does not value one sex above should not steal. This means exactly what we
the other, neither should a child put the needs think of today; we should not take something
of one parent above the other. They are equal in from someone that doesn’t rightfully belong to
the Lord’s eyes and should therefore be equal in us. Some rabbis said that this commandment
the child’s eyes. The rabbis fully subscribed to included kidnapping (the unlawful taking of a
this view and much is written in the Talmud to human being), although that is a bit of stretch.
this effect. This is about personal property and the prohi-
It is also interesting to note that of all the bition against someone having their property
Ten Commandments, this one concerning the unjustly taken from them.
Deuteronomy 5

instruction to honor one’s parents is the only The ninth commandment is that one should
one that promises a reward for all who obey it; it not bear false witness against another. In our
says that by doing so one’s life will be prolonged modern vocabulary this is referring to perjury.
on earth and that one will “do well” or better, It does not generally mean to avoid telling a
“have well-being.” “lie” in a conversation. This is more about mak-
The next four commandments are very ing a false accusation of wrong doing against
brief and all contained in one verse. The sixth someone that could lead to a criminal penalty,
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 45

and it’s about not telling the truth in a court of to stop speaking to them and instead for Moses
law that could either acquit the guilty or convict to behave as their mediator.
the innocent. The next couple of verses, 25 and 26, add
The tenth commandment is somewhat some interesting information; they say that
unique because while all the others speak of Yehoveh actually commends Israel for their
concrete actions and outward behaviors, this attitude of preferring Moses to receive the Law
one that says that a person should not covet to their standing in God’s presence and hear-
something that belongs to someone else, so this ing the laws from the Lord Himself. This is
is all about a state of mind. Covet means to have important because the Lord didn’t see Israel as
secret desires to make something yours that you weak or superstitious or unworthy to hear His
have no right to. Such a state of mind could voice; rather He saw their request to get the laws
eventually be manifest into an action to wrongly through Moses as the proper response to His
acquire what is being coveted, but that’s not the awesomeness and the agreement that Moses
point of this commandment. was His authorized mediator. Israel had gained
The first thing you are not to covet is your a healthy fear and reverence for Yehoveh, and
neighbor’s wife; that is, you are not to look in as long as they retained it and obeyed the Torah
lust upon a married women and want her for commands then “it would go well with you and
your own. The next thing that is not to be your children, forever!”
craved is your neighbor’s house. This does There were a couple of fundamental God-
not mean your dwelling place: the tent or hut principles contained in that rather innocuous
or building one lives in. House, as used here, statement: first, the Lord would bless greatly
is in the sense of “household,” the people that those who determine to show Him proper
form your extended family. I’ve shared with you respect and follow Him in obedience. Second,
that it was the common mode of operation in man does have a choice; the Lord is not going to
most of the biblical eras for a clan or a tribe force anyone to obey or to serve Him. Generally
to increase their power and wealth by forcibly speaking the Lord does not control a man like
taking people, often entire households. We had a puppet, not a man’s mind or a man’s actions.
a direct example of this when Jacob’s sons did Since in verse 27 the people wanted Moses
this exact thing when they stayed for a time at to receive the remainder of the Torah in their
Shechem and they took people in retribution stead, Yehoveh told Moses to dismiss the people
for the rape of Jacob’s daughter, Dinah. This to go home to their tents. They were not sent
dramatically increased the size of Jacob’s tribe away except that they had asked to be released.
overnight because the Israelites acquired entire Also they were not put under some kind of
households of people. house arrest; they were not ordered to go and
The reiteration of the Ten Commandments stay in their tents while Moses received the Law.
was now complete, and Moses reminded the Rather the people were simply permitted to go
people that it was these ten laws that the people back to their desert abodes and not required to
heard directly from God, with their own ears. stay and hear God’s words.
The 603 laws that came afterword were given And of course along with the instruction
Deuteronomy 5

to Moses and then he passed them along to the for the people to be dismissed, Moses was told
people. Moses also reminded the people that to remain where he was so that the Lord could
God was willing (and Moses would have been finish what He started.
perfectly happy) to continue giving His Torah This portion of Moses’s address to the
directly to them from His own divine voice for people ends with the main point of this entire
all to hear, but their fear of the Lord’s awesome sermon: it is that what must be learned (and
presence drove them to beg Moses to ask God hopefully not repeated) from what happened
 46 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

at Mount Sinai, and then all the misadventures

that occurred afterward that caused the deaths
of scores of thousand of Hebrews, is that the
Torah that Moses is in process of teaching to
this new generation of Israelites must be fol-
lowed and obeyed or this new generation can
expect similar consequences as their parents
received.
Deuteronomy 5
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 47

Deuteronomy 6

And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing,

and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked
Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The
Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” (Mark
12:28–30 NAS)

Now, listen to Deuteronomy 6:4–5:

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the

LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your might. (NAS)

Yeshua was, of course, quoting the Shema;

He was quoting the Torah. To listen to most
Christian leaders today, one would think every-
thing Jesus did was to say, “Throw away every-
thing you ever knew. I’m going to give you
brand new laws and commands that replace all
that came before.” Further, notice that Jesus
The focus of Deuteronomy 6 centers on verses also doesn’t drop “Israel” from this state-
4–9, especially verses 4 and 5. These two verses ment, nor does He replace it with “church.”
are considered so important to the faith of It occurs to me that when we’re asked what
Yehoveh worship that it has been given its own the greatest command is, we have been well
title: the Shema. trained enough to know it; we immediately
The Shema goes by another name as well: respond with, “Love the Lord with all you
Hear O Israel. So fundamental to the basis of heart, mind, and strength.” Since we are quot-
the entire Torah (and to Christian principles) is ing Messiah, why is it that we intentionally mis-
Deuteronomy 6

the Shema that we’re going to examine it closely quote Him? Why do we start quoting halfway
today. For those who (mistakenly) say that Jesus through that statement? Why do we drop the
Christ came to distance Himself and His fol- “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord
lowers from the Torah (despite His forceful is One” that precedes it? Therefore, if Gen-
statement of Matthew 5:17-19 to the contrary), tile Christians are going to say that there are
listen to this passage from the Gospel of Mark commands that are for Israel, and that these
(also present in the other synoptic gospels): are separate from commands that are for “the
Church,” then along with disposing of the Ten
 48 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Commandments (which were given to Israel as Moses’s Sermon on the Mount—

part of the Law), intellectual honesty compels The Shema
us to also throw out this Torah command from
In chapters 1–5, Moses has been building up to
Christ to love God as the God of Israel.
this point: a restatement (perhaps even a rein-
Just so I’m not misunderstood: I am stat-
troduction) of the Laws and commands given
ing emphatically that there are not separate
to Israel by God from Mount Sinai. I can not
commands and gospels for Israel versus the
emphasize enough that the reason for Moses
Church, and that of course the Ten Command-
repeating these regulations that have already
ments and the Shema are for the Church just
been given to Israel some forty years earlier is
as they are for Israel. I am also stating that it
that they are being presented to an entire new
is heartbreaking and disappointing that for so
generation of Hebrews who had obviously not
many centuries institutional Christianity has
been taught these laws by their parents, the first
chosen to falsely declare the abolishment of
generation of the Exodus (all dead and bur-
Torah, supposedly to be replaced with Yeshua’s
ied in the desert sand). Further, he is giving it
establishment of a whole new religion com-
to the group that is about to accomplish what
pletely apart from the Hebrew faith. A reli-
their parents refused to do: conquer the Land of
gion by, of, and for Gentiles. We have been led
Canaan. These people are but days from enter-
down (and have easily accepted) a crooked path,
ing into a long-term battle (a holy war) that will
and the fruit of that acceptance is the enact-
cost thousands of them their lives.
ment of a series of false doctrines that have led
Moses affirms that what he is about to teach
to the Crusades, the Inquisition, the re-estab-
them is exactly what the Lord told him to give
lishment of secular humanism and the horror
to Israel the first time: nothing more and noth-
of the Holocaust. In our time, our beloved
ing less, and that these laws and rulings are
church has become powerless, self-absorbed,
to be scrupulously followed when they enter
and prosperity-oriented all while it ignores
the Promised Land. The reason Israel needs
the impact of the prophetic rebirth of Israel
to follow the Torah is so that things will go
and the return of Jerusalem to the control
well with Israel and that all the blessings that
of the Hebrews. We have seen the Christian
the Lord has ready for them will be realized.
institution move toward outsourced ministry,
The last half of verse 3 brings two thoughts
a watered down but diversely tolerant gospel,
together: first, what is being prepared for them
a Messiah who is separate from the Father, a
in Canaan is far more than mere survival, it is
denial of sin and evil, and the observance of
abundant life; that is the meaning of the phrase
paganized holidays, while ignoring those that
“a land flowing with milk and honey.” Second,
the Lord Himself has declared holy.
Israel is reminded that what is about to hap-
The Shema ought to be a wake-up call to
pen (the inheritance of a land of their own) is
God’s people—all of God’s people. This sixth
the fulfillment of the promise (the Abrahamic
chapter of Deuteronomy is inscrutably deep,
covenant) given to “their fathers” (Abraham,
and it exposes the molten core of Torah and
Isaac, and Jacob). Notice that the covenant
the Shema, which powers God’s Word just as the
Deuteronomy 6

established on Mount Sinai forty years earlier

molten core of our planet powers Earth’s vital
did not abolish or replace the covenant given
processes.
to Abraham six hundred years before Israel left
Egypt. Rather this covenant of Moses is for
another purpose; it is to set down rules and
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 6. standards for living the redeemed life that will
be enjoyed inside the land that was promised
in the first covenant.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 49

a set of strict legal rulings being held over their

heads by an all-powerful heavenly ruler. In that
era, every society had a legal code that a king
held as immutable, and at the same time these
kings had no obligation to explain to the people
his reasoning for the laws because all too often
those laws were self-serving to the royalty. The
implication is that these are the laws, and you
don’t need to know why; just do them or else.
But that was not the case with the Lord’s Torah.
Since Moses had already revisited several
laws (the Ten Commandments) with the new
generation and many more rulings were yet to
follow, God (through Moses) says, “Hold on a
second, My people, because I don’t want you to
get the wrong idea. Here is the context within
which you are to understand and carry out all
So here, standing on the foothills of Moab, of My laws.” Then Moses goes on to explain (in
Moses gives the original version of the Sermon what eventually came to be called the Shema) that
on the Mount that the Messiah will emulate Israel’s love of the Lord is the necessary context
thirteen hundred years later. Thus Moses is not for doing the Law. It is the Law that establishes
simply going to reiterate the Law; rather, he is the terms of the relationship between Yehoveh
going to expound upon it and do what he can to and Israel. The source of Israel’s obedience to
make clear the underlying principles (the spirit) Yehoveh was not to spring from barren and
behind these timeless commands. merciless legalism; rather it was to go forth
I wasn’t speaking figuratively or using from a response of love. Hear this: the Lord says
hyperbole when I compared Yeshua’s Sermon that obedience to Him is the response of love as
on the Mount to what we’re reading in Deu- He defines it. That to love Him is to be obedient
teronomy; the similarities are quite keen and as to Him.
time goes on I think you’ll see that this is the Generally speaking the Western Church
case. Yeshua was merely drawing on the pattern says that obedience and love are entirely differ-
laid down by his predecessor Moses. Notice that ent things, perhaps even mutually exclusive to
Moses has already (in chapter 5) begun recount- some degree. In fact it is usually implied that
ing the Law; in fact his address to the people love is preferable to obedience concerning our
really began back in chapter 1. So, already well relationship with Yehoveh. However, in the
into the retelling of the laws, he pauses to lay Holy Scriptures God says one is the evidence of
down the all-encompassing principle around the other. Obedience to Him is the act of loving
which all the Law rests; this principle is the one Him, and loving Him is embodied in our obedi-
with the title of “Shema.” ence to Him. We cannot disconnect obedience
Deuteronomy 6

Why do this? Why pause and inject this from love as involves our allegiance to, and rela-
spiritual principle at this point? If this is some- tionship with, God.
thing that everything that Moses has already Since Greco-Roman times, the concept of
taught stands upon, why wait to give it in the love moved away from being primarily an action
middle of his sermon instead of at the very to become primarily an emotion, a sensation
beginning? Simple: Moses did not want the of inner warmth. The biblical Hebrews would
people to see the laws he had already given as never have recognized the modern viewpoint
 50 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

of love as a warm, fuzzy feeling of compassion sermon so as to make sure his listeners were not
or affection toward another. I went to the Web- taking what He was saying in the wrong context
ster’s New World Dictionary, and in the nine dif- (as we all are tempted to do), Jesus essentially
ferent definitions they gave for the word love, says, “Hold on a second, because I don’t want
every one of them spoke of emotion and only you to get the wrong idea. Here is the context
emotion. Here are some examples: “tender feel- within which you are to understand what I’m
ings,” “affection,” “sexual passion,” “a feeling teaching you.” And then Yeshua says (starting
of brotherhood,” and “a strong liking.” To the in verse 17):
Hebrew (and to the Lord) love demands an out-
ward response, an action, or it is not love. The “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah
Lord says, “Don’t say you love Me and then turn or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to com-
around and deny My commandments; because I plete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth
say if you deny My commandments then you do pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass
not love Me.” from the Torah—not until everything that must hap-
pen has happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these
mitzvot (commands) and teaches others to do so will be
Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount
called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever
Let’s turn our attention for a moment to the obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the King-
more familiar (to Christians) Sermon on the dom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:17-19 CJB)
Mount of the New Testament. Matthew 5
begins this pivotal teaching that is the core of After making this dramatic and sweeping
the Christian faith. It begins by explaining that statement so that every hearer could not possibly
Christ stations Himself on a hilltop whereupon walk away thinking He has thrown Moses’s Law
He begins to teach. The first few of His glorious away for a new Law, or that He has declared that
teachings are what Christendom has titled “The Moses is no longer relevant, Messiah continues
Beatitudes.” Yeshua opens this sermon by list- with His sermon.
ing several positive statements of heavenly fact In Matthew 5:21 He begins again, “You
that have always been so, but were of late being have heard that the ancients were told . . .” and
repressed or misrepresented by religious leader- then lists several basic tenets of the Law. Within
ship. These heavenly facts had become so lost each one of those tenets Jesus expounds on
in a morass of men’s rulings and philosophies their meaning. Why? Because just as mindless
that they had all but been forgotten. Blessed are physical ritual had replaced spirit-filled obedi-
the poor in Spirit, says Yeshua, for they shall see ence based on the love of God, so had men’s
the kingdom of heaven; blessed are those who philosophies thoroughly corrupted the meaning
mourn, for they shall be comforted. Several and purpose of God’s commandments.
more of these crucial heavenly facts are listed And wouldn’t you know it: despite our Mes-
and then He says, “Blessed are you when men siah’s warning, just as the Israelite society had
cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say slowly forgotten their love of Yehoveh and sev-
all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account ered from the Law the grace and mercy that
Deuteronomy 6

of Me.” was its vital underpinning, so have Yeshua’s

He moves on and tells the people: “You are followers slowly forgotten our love of Him and
the salt of the earth; you are a light to the world.” severed obedience from our walk and worship.
Then suddenly, while He is deep into His ser- We have done the exact thing He told us not to
mon, Jesus the Mediator, the Second Moses, do. We have adopted the exact context of His
abruptly pauses to make an important interjec- ministry that He told us not to accept. Just as so
tion. Just as Moses momentarily suspended his much of Israel turned to a mechanical follow-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 51

ing of laws and traditions as their expression of approximate its essence. In other words if, for
faith, so much of the church turned to a dis- example, we traveled to an alien planet in a far-
play of emotions and a mechanical following of away galaxy and the inhabitants there asked us
church liturgy as our expressions of faith; both where we came from, we would say, “It’s place
ways often devoid of the one ingredient neces- called Earth.” They might then say, “What is
sary for either to have any meaning or relevance: earth?” We would respond with a whole list of
love of the Lord as evidenced by our obedience. earth’s attributes: it’s round, it revolves around a
star, the climate is temperate, it is mostly water
but there is also a lot of dry land, and so forth.
The Lord is One
Now if this happened to be an alien literary
Deuteronomy 6: 4 says, “Hear O Israel! The critic we were talking to, he might respond,
Lord is our God, the Lord is echad (the Lord “Well which one is it? Is it round, or does it
is one).” In Hebrew hear is shema. It does not have a lot of water, or is the climate temperate?”
mean passive listening, such as playing music That’s sort of how literary critics operate; there’s
and quietly enjoying it music. Nor does it mean not a lot of room for complex and multifaceted
to read the Gospels or the Psalms as a source of meanings for any given statement.
information or knowledge. Shema is an instruc- Of course, our reply to our alien literary critic
tion to take action; it means to hear and obey, to would probably be that our planet is all of these
listen to God’s instruction and do it! things and more, but there doesn’t seem to be
Next it says that, “YHWH is our God, and anything in that alien world to use as an illustra-
YHWH is one.” There are some minor differ- tion. Well, that’s the nature of “YHWH eloheinu,
ences among the Jewish sages over exactly what YHWH echad”; to analyze what that means and
“YHWH is one” is supposed to indicate to us. all the characteristics it entails cannot be simpli-
Some rabbis believe that this statement is merely fied by forming this into a doctrine of one char-
another way to make clear this revolutionary acteristic or the other. Nothing in our limited
notion that there is but one God in all existence. four-dimensional physical world, or finite human
Others believe that this is speaking of God’s mind, can be used to illustrate the vast spiritual
self-unity, a nature of oneness; that is, that he is reality that this principle embodies.
not like the other gods of that era that tended At the very least we can say it means that:
to divide themselves and to be associated with the Lord God is the only God that exists; He
various locations and shrines. Still others say is the only object of worship that is permitted
that this is an expression of the proper relation- for His believers; He is completely unified as
ship between YHWH and Israel; that YHWH there are not various pieces of Him that can
is Israel’s only god and that they are not to look be separated into “persons” (see the lessons in
to the others. Well, in my opinion, this is the Genesis 19 for further explanation), and He is
weakness of literary criticism, which tends to our God in the sense that He has established
tear every sentence apart and then scientifically a mutual relationship between Himself and all
determine how we should take it. Faith and who submit to Him in love. Further we know
spirituality are left out, and since the Bible is His formal name, YHWH, and we know from
Deuteronomy 6

a document based on faith and spirituality the the first two words of the shema Israel (Hear
point can be lost. O Israel) that this statement of His being and
As I look at the words YHWH eloheinu nature was directed to Israel, and by definition
YHWH echad (Yehoveh is our God, Yehoveh all those who would join themselves to Israel.
one), I see an enormous God-principle that There is more contained in this short statement
expresses a universal spiritual reality; therefore and the rabbis have contemplated this at great
it requires several human expressions to even length. Well beyond what the rabbis have con-
 52 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

cluded, there is more to those four simple words However true love of God does involve
that our limited human minds will never be able more than physical action. Love is a state of
to comprehend about this cosmic principle. mind as well as a physical response. The type
Notice something that cannot be coinci- of love that is godly also includes a state of our
dence: this central confession of faith consists spirit. Is there an emotional component to love?
of but four words, just as YHWH’s name con- Certainly there is. However I would say that the
sists of but four letters! emotion of love ought to be the final result of
all the other factors being in place first. Of all
the components that comprise godly biblical
You Shall Love the
love, emotion is certainly not the chief one or
Lord Your God
the guiding one.
The beginning of the second part of the Because there is no more important aspect
Shema is, “You shall love the Lord your God.” of our relationship to the Creator than to love
Or more literally, you shall love YHWH your Him, allow me to offer another way to look at
elohim. This is an excellent context to again this command to love God: love is the opposite
examine the word love, because if one decides of hate. Often in the Scriptures we are told to
that love is primarily an emotion or a state of hate things that God hates. Again, due to our
mind then we find that here the Lord is com- Western mindsets, we see hatred in the same
manding an emotion ( you shall love). Here’s the way as we see love—as primarily involving our
problem: of all the things that a man can do, emotions. In fact, the biblical meaning of hate is
conjuring up an emotion if we don’t actually closer to our English reject, or in a higher essence
feel it is a difficult task at best. We can often (especially as it concerns our relationship with
outwardly mimic an emotion; we can pretend, God), to demonstrate unfaithfulness. To hate
even bringing ourselves to real tears. But can God is to reject God and thus to be unfaithful
any man be ordered to have an emotion? Can to Him. To hate His Torah is to reject His Torah
a man order another man to feel a certain way? and to be unfaithful to its laws and commands.
What do we do when we are horribly sad and Conversely to love God is to accept Him and
then a dear friend or pastor exhorts us to “be display faithfulness. Of course, more than mere
joyful”? Let’s say a husband doesn’t want to acceptance or an outward display of loyalty is
deal with his wife’s depressed state and sug- involved (total submission is the highest essence
gests she “cheer up.” As much as she might of this acceptance). Yet is it not the common
want to (even if only to please her husband) call of the evangelist that a non-believer needs
usually she can’t, although some get awfully to “accept” Jesus Christ? And in a general sense
good at faking it. The point is, good luck in Christians know what “accepting” Yeshua
commanding an emotion (believe me, I’ve means. The Bible defines this type of accep-
tried!). So is God commanding us to have an tance as submission and obedience, which is the
emotion of love toward Him? Doubtful. evidence of “love” that the Lord is looking for.
When it comes to commanding a physical
action, that is a different issue. God can com-
Deuteronomy 6

mand us to avoid worshipping other gods, and With All Your Heart,
we certainly have the capacity to obey that. Soul, and Might
God can command us to celebrate a biblical In the last half of verse 5 we are told to embody
feast, and we can do it. In fact, we can disagree this love of Yehoveh with “all of our heart, our
inwardly with the Lord on these things or even soul, and our might.” In Hebrew the words are
feel indifferent about them, and still obey the levav (heart), nefesh (soul), and be-khol me’odekha
commandments. (might).
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 53

Heart is absolutely a correct rendering of the rather hazy nature of the word nefesh. Nefesh
levav; it was indeed referring to the organ inside carries with it a host of meanings, and there is
our chests that pumps blood. However, the prob- one preeminent or perfect definition. The Rab-
lem of understanding the Hebrews’ meaning of bis say that nefesh entails: life, our life essence,
the term levav (as it applies to what function the breath, the mysterious breath of life that God
heart performs beyond only pumping blood) is breathed into His created creatures to make
critical to our reading of the entire Word of God. them alive, the self, that unique quality that
So when we’re instructed to store away some- makes us at once human and yet also in God’s
thing in our hearts, or to not have hate for our image, the soul, and at times can even refer to
brother in our hearts, what does that mean? In our deepest inmost thoughts.
Western Culture (and in the church) we speak
of the heart as the seat of our emotions and our
morality, even our character. That is not what With All Your Might
the Hebrews thought or meant when they spoke The final part of that statement, usually trans-
the word heart, and therefore we must learn to lated as “with all your might,” is be-khol me-odekha.
think of it as they meant it. The Hebrews knew This a rare phrase in the Bible, but the rabbis say
of the heart as the seat of intellect and conscious it is approximately equal to the more usual bi-
thought— the place of our memory and where me’od me’od, which means “very, very much.” The
actions are contemplated and decisions are made. idea is that we are to put forth exceedingly great
This is not conjecture; Any competent Bible effort and conscious thought into loving God
scholar will agree with that because it’s well doc- (once again dispensing with the modern notion
umented historic fact. It was at a much later date that love is primarily a feeling, even though
(the late Hellenistic Period to the Medieval time) feeling is certainly a legitimate, though lesser,
that the function of the brain was finally under- element of love), and that loving Him is what
stood to be where the intellect and all thought the Lord expects from us.
processes reside. So to the heart was transferred Interestingly Deuteronomy is the first book
the function of emotion, desire, and passion to of the Torah to actually speak of loving God.
be in line with Greek thought on the matter. This Previous books spoke in terms of awe, rever-
redefining of the function of the heart did not ence and fear. Let me be clear: this in no way
occur until centuries after the Bible was closed means that Moses is now saying, “Forget awe
up and completed. and reverence and no longer fear God; instead
The point is that while translating the word replace that with love.” Rather, the idea is that
lev or levav to “heart” (the heart organ) is techni- awe and reverence to be in the context of love,
cally correct, the function it intends to commu- or with the correct biblical definition of what
nicate to us is not how we have typically been love is, awe and reverence to be in the context of
taught. Whether OT or NT, when we see the acceptance, loyalty and submission to the Lord.
word heart in the Bible we should simply scratch
it out and insert brain or mind.
The second part of this statement (“with all These Words Shall Be
Deuteronomy 6

of our soul”) is not so straightforward because On Your Heart

the Hebrew word being used, nefesh, is a little Now, get ready to have another long-standing
more difficult and has been translated a number doctrine challenged:
of ways. Most often it is translated as “soul,”
but other times it is translated as “being” and And these words, which I am commanding you
“essence.” None of these are necessarily wrong today, shall be on your heart. (Deut. 6:6 NAS)
or better than the others. The problem lies in
 54 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

The words God is commanding are just combined to present one overarching concept.
another way of saying, “His laws,” right? And For instance, in an earlier example of merism in
where does this verse say these laws of God Genesis we are told that God “created the heav-
are to be written? On our hearts! The laws of ens and the earth.” The idea is not that He cre-
Moses are to be written on the Israelites’ hearts? ated only something defined as “the heavens”
I thought it was only a NT manifestation that and then another thing that we call “the earth,
the Torah was to be written on our hearts. Isn’t the planet itself” and then we’re left to ponder
that what we’ve always been taught? Isn’t it a whether God did not create things other than
basic Christian axiom that the reason we must the heavens and the earth. Rather it simply
abandon the Torah is because it was a mechani- means that God created everything, because to
cal legal code, written on cold hard stone tab- the Hebrew the heavens represented the infi-
lets, and that it was a way to work (and thereby nite while the earth represented the finite. So
merit) our way to heaven? But that in the NT the statement about when to speak about the
we switch to a different system of new rules and Lord—when home or away, lying down or get-
commands from Messiah, and these are writ- ting up, etc.—simply means “at all times” or “in
ten on our hearts (rather than on stone), and by every situation.”
grace through faith we can have heaven opened
up to us. Amazing what truth emerges when we
explore the Torah and don’t just make assump- Tefillin and Mezuzah
tions about it. In verse 8 we encounter an instruction that
Just as with the NT, let’s recognize that what has created significant controversy inside the
this OT command means in modern English— Hebrew religion, but it has generally been
the Torah, God’s commands (Yeshua’s com-
mands) are to be held in our minds. Therefore
they can be known, contemplated, mulled over
and acted upon rather than just “felt.” The law
codes of the United States and other nations are
separate from us; some change, more are added,
others are dropped altogether. Our job (in secu-
lar society) is to keep track of them. In fact, we
even outsource that problem to attorneys, but
the essence of the notion that God’s laws are
to be written on our hearts (our minds) is that
His laws are to become part of our very being
and fiber, not compartmenatised as something
separate from us.

Moses says that the heads of the households

are to speak about the Lord and His commands
Deuteronomy 6

“when you are at home, when you are away,

when you lie down, and when you get up.” This
statement is a literary device that is not at all
confined to Hebrew culture, but it is one used a
great deal in the Bible; it is called merism. That
is, it is a poetic statement meant to convey an
idea; it is an expression that several parts are
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 55

ignored in Christianity—that we are to bind this tradition, and there is no evidence that this
these commands as a sign on our hand and tradition existed before about 250 BC. We do
as a symbol on our forehead. The controversy know from records that the Pharisees made the
among the Jews is whether this is a literal com- wearing of tefillin a strict part of their doctrines,
mand, in which some kind of ritual device is to and at some point took to wearing them not only
actually be fitted to the hand and the forehead, at morning prayer but at all times except when
or whether this is a metaphorical statement that sleeping. We also know that the Hebrews who
simply means that just as the Lord’s words are lived in Samaria did not observe this tradition,
to be constantly thought of and spoken, they are which of course was a great and intended insult
also to become part of us in some kind of physi- to the Jews of Judea. It appears that this was pri-
cal sense. The purpose is for one to constantly marily a custom of those Jews who lived in Judea
be reminded of Yehoveh and His Law. around the center of Jewish orthodoxy, Jerusa-
Well after the Law was given, a few groups lem. There is no record of any widespread use of
of Jews agreed that this was indeed meant to be tefillin in Galilee, where Yeshua lived.
taken literally, so the use of tefillin came into So, was it only Pharisees who wore tefil-
being. In Greek, and therefore in the NT, we’ll lin? Apparently not, because ancient tefillin
find direct mention of these ritual objects using were found among the artifacts of the Essenes
the word “phylacteries.” at Qumran, and they are mentioned within
Tefillin, or phylacteries, consisted of two the Community Documents of the Dead Sea
small, black leather boxes that contain four pas- Scrolls. Josephus also discusses tefillin and goes
sages of Scripture, and these are attached to on to explain that at times even the Ten Com-
black leather straps. One box is placed on the mandments were included among the writings
left arm by the biceps and the other is placed that were stored inside those miniature leather
on the forehead, by or on the hair. They are boxes. So we know that how they were worn
donned before and during morning prayers by and what was contained in them changed over
Orthodox Jews; however they are not used on time, and that different groups of Jews devel-
Sabbath and certain other holy days because it is oped different tefillin traditions.
considered that the observance of the holy day The head tefillah is placed in the center of
itself is a sign and no other is needed. the forehead with yet another prayer recited.
Before the tefillah (singular for tefillin) is The straps in the back are knotted so as to form
put on the arm, a prayer is offered. This prayer the Hebrew letter dalet, and the arm strap by
tells us that for the Orthodox Jew the wear- the hand is to be in the form of a yod. These
ing of tefillin is seen as a commandment from three Hebrew letters form the name Shaddai
God. They say in Hebrew: “Behold, in putting (Almighty). Alfred Edersheim, a tremendous
on tefillin I intend to fulfill the commandment Hebrew/Christian scholar writes of the Tefil-
of my Creator, Who has commanded us to put lin’s mystical significance:
on tefillin, as is written in His Torah.” And,
then Deuteronomy 6:8 is quoted: “Bind them For their value and importance in the eyes of the
as a sign upon your arm and let them be tefillin rabbis, it were impossible to exaggerate it. They were
Deuteronomy 6

between your eyes.” reverenced as highly as the Scriptures. It was said that
The reality, however, is that although this Moses had received the law of their observance from God
last sentence comes from Deuteronomy 6:8, the on Mount Sinai; that the tephillin were more sacred than
Hebrew word tefillin is not there; rather the word the golden plate on the forehead of the high-priest, since its
is totefet, which more correctly means “bands.” inscription embodied only once the sacred name of’ Yah-
Thus, what we have here in the wearing of tefillin veh, while the tefillin “contained it not less than twenty-
is tradition. However, not all Hebrews observed three times.”
 56 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

One of the most revered Jewish sages in his- So, is the wearing of tefillin necessarily wrong?
tory, the Rambam, also known as Maimonides No. But it is in no way a biblical command.
who lived during the twelfth century said this: The great Rambam and many other elite Jew-
ish sages say unequivocally that the statement to
The ancient sages said, “Whoever has tefillin on his “bind them as a sign on your arm and on your
head and arm, tsitsit on his garment, and a mezuzah on forehead” is a metaphor and not meant to be
his door may be presumed not to sin,” for he has many taken literally. But like every manmade tradition
reminders; and these are the “angels” that save him from or invention of a new symbol, there is danger.
sinning, as it is said, “The angel of the Lord camps We find that danger evident simply in the Greek
around those who revere Him and rescues them.” word used for tefillin, which is phylactery. Phylactery
is not a special Greek word invented to describe
The Rambam’s point is that the wearing of this unique Hebrew habit of some Jews wear-
tefillin and tsitsit and the fastening of a mezuzah ing leather boxes and straps with small scripture
to the doorpost of one’s home brings the Lord scrolls inside them. Rather, phylactery is a general
and His commands into constant reminder to Greek term that means “amulet.” An amulet is a
the Jew who does such a thing; therefore the magic charm. It is a small object said to possess
likelihood that such a person would knowingly healing powers or the ability to protect. As one
sin against Yehoveh is remote. might expect, among the many Jews who did
Alfred Edersheim also affirms that, decide to wear tefillin, some thought of them
although the Pharisees were scrupulous about as objects that possessed godly power. In fact,
wearing them: we have it expressly stated in an ancient Jew-
ish Targum (in Cant. 8:3), that the “tefillin pre-
The admission that neither the officiating priests, nor vented all hostile demons from doing injury to
the representatives of the people wore them in the Temple any Israelite.” That said, I don’t think we ought
(Zebach. 19 a,b), seems to imply that this practice was to be judgmental about the Jews’ use of this
not quite universal. ancient cultural tradition; however, emulating it
as Gentile believers is a stretch.
The Pharisees wanted to be noticed for The Bible does not prohibit every possible
their outward piousness, and as we recall, Jesus manufacture or use of symbols. We were cre-
criticized them for this and other actions, such ated as visual creatures and symbols are an
as having a trumpet blown whenever they con- important element in helping to remind us of
tributed money to the temple coffers. What is our position and allegiance to God Almighty.
key to notice is that Edersheim says that this However, there are strict rules and principles
practice of wearing tefillin “was not quite uni- governing the making or using symbols in
versal.” Translation: a minority of Jews did this. the Torah. Deuteronomy helps us to be very
Now, I have heard several Hebrew Roots cautious not to develop symbols that can be
teachers say that Jesus wore tefillin. That ranges used (or taken by others) in a wrong way. The
from highly unlikely to approaching not-a- Torah tends toward firmly prohibiting symbols
chance. Yeshua was a common peasant Jew that anthropomorphize Yehoveh; that is, it
Deuteronomy 6

from Galilee; he often displayed the typical speaks against something that would give God
Galilean attitude of disdain toward the inflated human-like qualities expressed in human-like
religious egos of the Jewish religious authorities forms. Therefore, there are to be no statues, no
of Jerusalem, and this included the Pharisees paintings, no carved images of any kind said
who were a vital part of that group. to depict Him. Truthfully, the skilled works of
Let me be clear: the wearing of tefillin is at Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel probably
the least a dubious interpretation of the Torah. ought never to have been done, because many
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 57

of them have God depicted as a bearded old In Christ’s era this was something that all
man floating around on the clouds. And this Jews—Judean, Galilean, even Samaritan and
kind of image that became so very popular Diaspora Jews—could agree on. Just how this
in the Renaissance period has unconsciously was to be done was not elaborated upon in Holy
(and in some cases consciously) pervaded the Scripture, so traditions developed to handle it.
Church and greatly distorted the image of who It appears that the practice we see today with
God is. It has caused us to think of Him as a this small oblong device that can be affixed to
superhuman, rather than as an infinitely supe- a doorway began in the Second Temple Period,
rior non-human. slightly before and during Yeshua’s time. Inside
We are also specifically prohibited from this device called a mezuzah were typically some
using any created thing (that is, created by God) Torah portions written using miniature letters
as a model for a symbol that identifies the Lord; on a tiny piece of parchment. Usually Deuter-
things like stars, the moon, animals, fish, or onomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 are what is written
any kind of sea creature. Conversely the Bible on this. Like with tefillin, mezuzahs were also
does give us certain God-ordained symbols we found at Qumran, and in addition to having
are divinely authorized to use, within limits. those particular verses within them, several of
Among these are tzitzit (fringe) and the object those ancient mezuzahs also included the Ten
that we are about to study next, the mezuzah. Commandments.
And notice that none of these things that are Sadly, just as with tefillin, even this God-
God-ordained violate the rules that the Lord ordained symbol at times took on the character-
sets down about symbols and images. istics of an amulet. We find that even the great
The mezuzah is a continuation of the Lord’s Jewish religious leader Rabbi Judah the Prince
extreme importance that He places on worship- sent a mezuzah to the Parthian King Ardavan
per’s act of remembering who He is and that with a message that if he would attach it to his
He is our God. This instruction in verse 9 to home’s doorposts it would protect him.
“write His Laws on the door-frames of your In the end, most of the details involving the
house and on your gates” is universally agreed use of mezuzahs are traditions, yet the principle
within Judaism to be a literal command to place of their use (as with tefillin) is definitely bibli-
Scripture on the entry to your home and on the cal. My advice is that if you want to employ a
gate into a village or city. However, it could also mezuzah to indicate your family’s allegiance to
reasonably be construed to be a metaphor about the God of Israel or to simply remind you of
honoring the Lord, especially in our own home. the Lord’s commands as you come and go, that
It was common in Moses’s era, as well as you at least follow standard Jewish traditions
before and after, to write some sort of mes- about placement primarily so as not to ruin the
sage or epithet honoring one’s god above the witness if a Jewish person comes to your home.
doorway; most societies did this in one form The main thing to know is that it is to be placed
or another. It was also the norm to have some in the upper third of the right door jam (if you’re
type of message at the main entrances into cit- standing outside and looking inside the home),
ies that pronounced the greatness of the king or with the top angled toward the home’s interior.
Deuteronomy 6

the god honored in that city; it was no less so in One more thing: while the doorposts are
Egypt, where the Israelites had come from. So referring to your personal home, the gates are
it is no wonder that the order to remember the referring to the city or village point of entry.
Lord, and to dedicate the premises to the Lord, The city gates functioned as the town square in
by means of writing His Scripture on entryways the Bible eras and even as the area where court
was completely understood to be a carrying on was held. It’s not unlike the practice that used
of that common Middle Eastern custom. to exist in America of posting the Ten Com-
 58 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

mandments in our courts of law to remind all in would probably be a fair word to use). I gave
attendance that it was these principles that form no thought to His ways and His laws, or even
the foundation for all of our laws. The Lord is to the reality of and my need for His presence.
looking down upon the proceedings and wants I certainly gave no thought to His holiness nor
His definition of justice and mercy adminis- did I give thanks for the blessings that He pro-
tered as much as is humanly possible. vided because I was much too busy congratulat-
ing myself for it all. Then came the fall. It was
a hard and painful lesson to learn that what the
Remembering Yehoveh’s Work
Lord says, He means, and it applies to everyone
In verse 10 the act of remembering takes on a without exception.
different kind of importance. Whether in pov- The Lord says, beginning in verse 10, that
erty or prosperity one is exhorted to look back once Israel finally possessed the land that had
in history (biblical history, salvation history, and been promised to Abraham six hundred years
even our own personal history) at the wondrous earlier, and once the Israelites began to benefit
things that Yehoveh has done for our sake. How- from all the preparations the Lord had made
ever make no mistake; the main thrust of these for them, that there were a few things that they
next passages is about our remembering His needed to keep in mind or they (like I did) would
sovereignty especially in the time of prosperity find themselves in a place they didn’t want to be
because it is man’s tendency to look more to our- with regard to their relationship with the Lord
selves and away from the Lord when things are and there would be severe and inescapable con-
going really well for us. This is the part of today’s sequences.
lesson where the rubber meets the road. So my dear brothers and sisters in Messiah,
The Lord says here in Deuteronomy 6, hear this warning: the Hebrews were told that
“Don’t allow abundance to make you forget all that they were about to receive, they did not
your God and turn to other gods.” Oh what build. All they were about to inherit, they did not
unheeded wisdom that warning has been earn with merit. The cities and houses they would
throughout mankind’s history, Israel’s history, live in were being forcibly taken from the various
the church’s history, and now like never before tribes and nations of Canaan who built them,
in Europe and America. It is so ironic that the and all of it was simply turned over to Israel for
one thing that causes most people to go astray Israel’s benefit by the Lord. The vineyards with
is the seeking and attainment of wealth. It is the luscious and enormous grapes they would
difficult to be dependent on the Lord when we enjoy, Israel neither planted nor tended. The
think we have all we need and more. I’m in no olive groves that would produce the all impor-
way glorifying poverty or criticizing abundance; tant oil needed for everything from cooking
I am simply saying that prosperity can be a dan- to fueling their oil lamps to being a necessary
gerous thing. ingredient for several of the ritual ceremonies
I have firsthand experience with this strug- the Lord ordained, were a ready-to-go gift that
gle. Many years ago in the middle portion of my others worked for (for generations) and Israel
corporate career, success brought a great fall for is receiving it all merely for showing up. Israel
Deuteronomy 6

me. It’s not that I ever doubted that Yeshua was is reminded that they didn’t elect themselves or
my Savior or that the Lord God was and is; I separate themselves to be God’s special people;
forgot about my relationship with Yehoveh and the Lord selected them and blessed them as His
I saw no need to consult Him on my daily life own. By the way, they didn’t rescue themselves
because I had more than I had ever hoped for. from Pharaoh, either; God did it all.
Everything I touched seemed to turn to gold. I Bottom line: everything that Israel needs
felt completely self-sufficient, prideful (arrogant the Lord was prepared to give to them. What
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 59

He wanted in return is their love and trust of Think about that for a second: the Israelites
Him. The fundamental truth about the king- inherited the Promised Land. Although the word
dom of heaven is that whatever we build with inheritance is usually only used in our society as
our own hands and that comes from our own something we receive when our parents die, in
minds will burn up when the end of history fact it carries with it an important underlying
arrives; that which the Lord builds through us, meaning. Inheriting means receiving some-
however, will survive. The lesson is that what thing of value that somebody else worked to
is worth anything of real value is willed and achieve. It is a thing that we have in no way
accomplished by the Lord and He deserves all earned; it is achieved only by birthright or by
the credit; we don’t. the grace of someone else.
That in no way indicates that we are to just sit
back passively and wait for good things to come
Do Not Follow Other Gods
our way. No; our lives are to be a co-operative
effort with the Lord. Yehoveh tells the Israelites Notice what happens as a result of following a
that He has prepared the battlefield ahead of plan or an agenda that is not truly of the Lord
them and assured the victory but they must still even though it may sure sound holy. Verse 14
fight the battle. They are to fight when He says says, “Do not follow other gods . . . any gods of
to fight, where He says to fight, and not how it the peoples about you.” We have seen a num-
seems good or foolish to them. They must put ber of times that the biblical term for follow-
their very lives on the line and be willing to give ing other gods is idolatry. We have also seen that
up everything dear to them. The lesson shown God clearly labels as idolatry the placing of any-
to us here is that action on our part is invari- thing ahead of Him. This definition of idolatry
ably required and demanded by God. What are is not allegory; this is the Lord’s actual biblical
the characteristics of the actions we are to take, definition of idolatry. Do we place our comfort-
and how do we know that it is the Lord that is able doctrines and personal habits and practices
leading and our attempts are not the misguided that please us ahead of His truth because His
mindset of an agenda-driven man? truth and His way is not so easy? Are we bound
Moses, the leader of Israel, personally sac- and determined to fight to the death to hold on
rificed everything for the Hebrew nation and to these dubious things because we like them
was constantly accountable to the Lord and to and so we rationalize them? That is idolatry in
the people. Moses didn’t live under one set of its purest sense. Israel denied their idolatry at
rules and demand that everyone else live under every step and only upon God’s wrath did they
another. The elders were accountable at every ever seem to recognize it for what it was.
step to Moses. Moses was no less apt to be pun- What is it that the world seeks and who
ished by the Lord for a sin or an act of rebellion is it that the world follows? By definition the
than any one of the 3 million anonymous citizens world seeks and follows things that either are
of Israel. The plans and goals, though difficult, not God or are more important than God; the
were for the good of the group and the kingdom world seeks other gods. The world seeks the god
of heaven and each step along the way was a ful- of prosperity. The god of inalienable rights. The
Deuteronomy 6

fillment of a God-ordained covenant or promise. god of sexual freedom. The god of happiness
The leader, Moses, never even got to economi- and pleasure. The god of geopolitical harmony.
cally or personally benefit from his forty-year When we believers of the God of Israel seek to
effort. Some or all of these characteristics play a use the same sorts of things that the world pre-
role in our determining whether it is men’s plans fers in order to attract new folks to us, only we
or God’s plans that we are being asked to buy add a religious element, then we are on a dan-
into. gerous path. Since we usually do these things
 60 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

in a Christian environment we often deceive anything else. I’d peg it to when we started to
ourselves into believing that we can avoid the move toward the world rather than keeping our
dangers of slipping into idolatry. standards high and intact. It’s interesting that
And what are the results of our cavalier the era of the megachurch, with its ability to
attitudes in this regard? Verse 15 says the anger provide awesome surroundings and a wide array
of the Lord will blaze up against us. To believe of activities and services for its congregation,
that our Father doesn’t get angry at His people began at this same time. We are essentially fol-
or would never punish us is apostasy and denial lowing the trend of Europe. Two hundred years
of plain Scriptural truth. We are not perfect in ago Europe was 90 percent Christian; today it is
His eyes; we are justified in His eyes. We have less than 3 percent. Churches are now becoming
seen the example of how the Lord deals His mosques or changed into storefronts or muse-
justice among His own set apart people. Israel ums. In America the most recent studies show
(redeemed Israel) was punished and disciplined without doubt that the number of people who
time and again, often with significant loss of attend church is dropping at the rate of about
life. We have reviewed the records of the tribes 1 percent per year since 1990. The number of
that were said to regularly go astray, and we find Americans who claim to be Christians is drop-
that in the case of Simeon and Dan they were ping at a faster rate.
decimated and their populations reduced by Folks, we need to face it: the Lord is not
half or even more. pleased with us. We have fiddled while Rome
Since 1965 church attendance in America burned. Christians have abandoned the simple
has dwindled. Why did our beloved church start loveliness of the gospel for slick marketing. We
to decline? I’d peg it to when the church goal have replaced teaching God’s Word with rous-
became growth and prosperity above almost ing sermons about everything from the need
to give more money to social justice to why we
should vote. We have come to believe that if we
present ourselves to the non-believing world by
packaging ourselves attractively, more will join
us. Of course, the packaging that appeals to
the world doesn’t look much like the laws and
commands of God, does it? And, of course, the
opposite of the hoped-for effect has occurred.
The books of Joshua and Judges chroni-
cle the fall of Israel into apostasy and disarray
because they decided that rather than follow
the Lord’s demand that they possess the land
He prepared for them, and to fight for what is
right in God’s eyes, they sought to appease their
pagan neighbors through diplomacy, compro-
mise, and treaty. Their hope was to obtain their
Deuteronomy 6

inheritance by peaceful means in a rational and

logical way similar to how the world had always
operated. Israel is still trying to do that, and
now so is the church. I’m not pointing fingers;
I’m accepting blame. Now that we have discov-
ered our folly and know where we have stum-
bled, let us join together to rekindle our love for
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 61

God, to recover His Word and cling steadfast God and not test Him. By means of demonstra-
to its principles, and to increase the outward tion and example, Moses points to an incident
ministry that has always been expected of us. that happened very early on in the Exodus, the
Let’s not scramble after comfort and prosperity, incident at Massah. The vast majority of the
rather let’s open ourselves to Him and see what people he was talking to did not have this expe-
service to Him He wants of us and what glorious rience at Massah, because they were either not
blessings He may have waiting for us if only we born or they were young children. Yet it must
will be obedient and not chase after other gods. be that this infamous happening had become
If we ponder it for a moment, we’ll see that part of the standard tales that parents told their
in a certain way the “worshipping of other gods” children, because Moses makes no attempt to
is kind of a biblical oxymoron. The worshipping reiterate the circumstances; the mere mention
of other gods is itself only an act of intent and of the name Massah was enough for his audi-
of the evil inner self, because in reality there are ence to fully understand his point.
no other gods. There are no other Yehoveh-like But for our sake let me jog your memories:
beings—not even any inferior ones—so we can Massah was the name given to a place where
send up the worship of these things all day long, the Israelites lacked water to drink and so they
but we are worshipping nothing. The problem is grumbled to Moses about it. Massah means “to
not that God is concerned that some other rival tempt,” and the idea is that the people doubted
spiritual being is getting the glory that He should God’s ability to provide for them. This verse in
rightly hold; it’s that our carnal and evil minds Deuteronomy says (integrating some Hebrew),
and hearts choose to disregard Him and make “Do not nassa God, as you did at the place called
something else, anything else, the ultimate (or Tempting.” Nassa (with an “n”) means to put
even shared) goal of our lives. Today when we Him on trial, as a person accused of a crime
hear the word idolatry and think of little wooden would be put on trial; it does not mean to “try”
idols or clay objects we miss the point. Anything God’s patience.
that holds a place as high as, or above the Lord Moses admonishes the people to not ever
God, Yehoveh calls idolatry. Our spouses, our be so audacious as to actually put God on trial
children, our wealth, our health, our retirement, as the first generation of the Exodus did (with
our jobs, our safety and security, our hobbies all themselves as His judge). Rather this new gen-
have the potential to become “gods.” And these eration should do what is called out in verse 17:
gods are indeed the gods of “other peoples.” they should obey God. The idea is that Israel
Moses says as redeemed people Israel is not to should not determine for themselves what is
adopt these gods; they are for the non-redeemed right and wrong, or whether God’s laws and
people. So it is with us; the chasing after money, commands are optional or even fair and just;
sex, pleasure, safety and security at any cost, and rather their job is not to question and decide but
so on are not for believers. It’s not that some to learn and follow those laws.
proper level of these things are prohibited; it’s This thought is fleshed out a little more when
that we must constantly examine ourselves to it says to always “do what is right in the sight of
see if we deny the Lord His due place in our the Lord” as opposed to doing what is right in
Deuteronomy 6

lives because these other things take preemi- their own sight. As we move along in both the
nence. OT and NT, we’re going to be exhorted on sev-
eral occasions to “do what is right in the sight
Starting in Deuteronomy 6:16 Moses tells of God.” Here in Deuteronomy 6 we get the
Israel what they should not do. After Moses had definition of what is right in God’s sight: obey
explained that the Lord will meet all of Israel’s Yehoveh’s laws and commands. It has nothing
needs, he now explains that Israel should obey to do with being nice or tolerant or pious look-
 62 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ing or happy according to our thoughts and phi- is what makes us so unique; as a result of this
losophies. history based on our relationship with Yehoveh,
There is a divine reward for obedience; we follow the ways of the One who separated us
Israel will possess the land and God will drive from all other peoples for Himself.
out Israel’s enemies, and thus things will go well Moses says that parents are to say that after
for Israel. Resuming now the thought he started God has established them as a separate and unique
with in verse 7 (that it was critically important people, and after God has redeemed them and
that the Law be taught to each succeeding gen- rescued them from slavery to an evil taskmas-
eration), Moses says that the Hebrew children ter, and after He sent them a land all their own,
will eventually be curious about Israel’s unique then the Lord commanded them to observe His
way of life and ask their parents why they should appointed times and festivals, to revere Him, and
follow such laws and commands. Typically a thus please Him. Therefore, says this great leader
child asks why something is done if they have of Israel, “It will be to our credit” if we do what
something else to compare it to (if there seems the Lord (who has done all these things for us)
to be another viable way). Why do we gather in has ordained that we do—all of it.
fellowship to worship God when all these other Let me point out here that Moses’s saying “to
kids don’t? Why do I have to eat my vegetables our credit” (or in other Bibles, “to our merit”)
when I’d rather just have a larger piece of that means that obedience brings about goodness
cake sitting over there? Why do we study Torah and well-being toward us as a gift from God.
and the OT with the NT when all my friends The things that He would like to give us He is
just read the gospel stories about Jesus? It’s the able to give to us because of our obedience. It is
obvious differences that make for curiosity. So the opposite when we disobey, trespass against
says Moses, when your children notice these Him, and thus incur guilt before God; in that
differences between what they are required to case His justice does not enable Him to give to
do versus what the pagans are required to do, us the shalom (the general well-being) that He
the Hebrew parents are to say the following to so greatly desires for us. Instead, His unmatched
them: “We were slaves in Egypt and our God holiness means He has no choice but to deny us
freed us from them.” In other words, our history and discipline us.
Deuteronomy 6
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 63

Deuteronomy 7

There is an important principle that we must pre-incarnate Christ when they were sacrific-
constantly refer back to when understanding ing their children to Ba’al? Were the Amorites
the instructions that Yehoveh has given (and merely worshipping Yehoveh when they per-
will give) concerning how Israel was to conduct formed ritual prostitution before the fertility
the coming holy war on Canaan. Israel was to goddess Ashtoreth? It’s just that they didn’t use
proceed knowing that God is the God of all his- the correct name?
tory, not just Israelite history. God is the God of Can you see the problem here? Part of the
all humanity, not just the Hebrews. Everyone issue is the misconception of the Hebrew word
other than Israel, by definition, worships false shem, which is translated in English to “name”
gods (the gods of their Gentile culture that are (as in God’s name). The word shem means far
non-existent) and therefore does not honor the more than simply the formal familial identity
true Creator God. given to someone. It means reputation, nature,
Two key lessons must be noted here: 1) God is or characteristics. To the Hebrews names held
indeed the God of everything; this does not mean great meaning because embodied within a
that honoring any false god is the same as actu- name was a set of attributes the person would
ally honoring Yehoveh. And 2), because Yehoveh be known by and would be expected to uphold.
is the God of everyone and everything, He has When the Lord is ordering Israel not to worship
the right and authority to make the decisions He other gods, it’s not only a matter of the Hebrews
chooses. Yehoveh has the right to dispossess the using an incorrect name to worship Him—the
Canaanites from their land and He has the right characteristics assigned to those false-gods are
to transfer that land to whomever He chooses, polar opposites from the characteristics that
because it is His land in the first place. define Yehoveh.
This also means that we modern-day believ-
ers have to be very careful when we define who
All “Gods” Are Not God
God is by assigning Him characteristics He
It has become increasingly popular in our day doesn’t have or take away those divine char-
(even among some Evangelicals) to say that it acteristics that we’d prefer He didn’t have. It is
doesn’t matter whether a person worships the a dangerous error to define God as one who
name of Buddha, Allah, Krishna, and so on winks at sin but takes no longer takes action,
because they’re actually all just worshipping or who accepts homosexuality and bestiality
Jesus since He’s the only real God. I don’t know because He loves everyone, or who disciplines
Deuteronomy 7

if it is from an insatiable desire for tolerance everybody except Christians. To do any of this
or peace at any cost, or just Scriptural igno- is to essentially define a God who doesn’t exist.
rance from which this notion is born, but that And then to attach the name YHWH to the
doctrine is so far from truth that it is hard to God who is created from our minds and fanci-
overlook or overstate it. If we accept that view, ful doctrines is the purest existing definition of
then we have to wonder whether such a thing idolatry that there might be.
as idolatry can exist at all in our present age. I once knew a man who had been a church-
Were the Canaanites actually worshipping the goer for decades (he was in my Sunday school
 64 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

class). He came up to me after one particular is no biblical injunction against this). Here in
lesson and said that he was offended and would America, or in Europe and throughout most of
never return. I had just spoken on the Lord’s jus- the world, the concept of a man owning a piece
tice and judgment, and he told me that His God, of property is not only legal and foundational,
Jesus, was a God of pure love and nothing else, but there is no Scriptural prohibition against
so we must be talking about two different gods. such a concept.
True to his word, he never came back to class. However this does not apply to one particu-
As we all love “love,” and we all recognize larly well-defined piece of land in the Middle
that perhaps the outstanding characteristic of East that the Bible calls Canaan, and then even-
Yehoveh is love, our understanding of love as tually is called Israel, because for that piece of
warm fuzzies hardly defines all of His charac- land the Lord is only willing to lease, not sell.
teristics. Among other things God is a God of The Lord retains all rights to revoke the lease on
light, of creation, salvation, mercy, judgment, that land at any time He determines. Therefore
wrath, fury, and gentleness. He is a God who Israel has no right to sell land to one another, let
is near, yet is also not of our world or universe alone to a foreigner. This land is special, holy,
or even of our dimension. He is not a man, not set apart and reserved for God as the headquar-
even a super human; rather He is an entirely dif- ters of His earthly kingdom.
ferent being, totally unique. He will spark new We find this concept of possession versus
life, preserve life, yet he is able to destroy life ownership at the forefront of the Laws of Jubilee
according to His sovereign will and purposes. where land that has been sold has to be returned
What I’m listing here is embarrassingly inad- to the original owner. This law only applies to
equate to define even a fraction of who God the Holy Land. In more correct terms, the use
is. The Lord has given us enough of His char- of the land that has been transferred to some-
acteristics by means of His written Word, and one else is eventually terminated, and the use
has shown how these characteristics are in per- of that land is ultimately restored to the person
fect proportion and balance, that for us to ever who was originally assigned it. In the Law, the
assign His name to another god whose charac- price a person charges for land is based only on
teristics are grossly different and infinitely infe- what the land can produce between the time he
rior is an abomination of the highest order. leases it and the occasion of the next Jubilee,
Therefore, verse 1 says that YHWH your because it is only the use of the land that can be
God is going to a) bring you (Israel) into temporarily transferred.
Canaan, and b) expel the current inhabitants I hope you see the rather significant differ-
in order that you (Israel) will possess it. Then ence between owning and possessing, and why
seven nations are named that will be removed when Israel was exiled from the land the Lord
from the land and replaced with Israel. was revoking Israel’s use of the land as disci-
Although we talked about this concept of pline, and also was only transferring the use of
“possessing” the land quite some time ago, let the land to Israel’s conquerors for a set time,
me remind you that to “possess” does not mean because these conquerors were God’s proxy for
“to own.” When it comes to the Land of Canaan, His punishment on His people. It is also why
Deuteronomy 7

the term possess is used because that land had this abomination called the Roadmap to Peace,
always been set apart for special use by the Lord or the defunct Oslo Accords, or any other so-
and always will be. The Torah and the remain- called peace plan for the governments of men
der of the Bible continue to inform us that to force the transfer of ownership of portions
Yehoveh is the sole and permanent owner of the of God’s land, or even to transfer possession
Land of Canaan. Mankind is certainly allowed of portions of that land from Israel to some-
to own, buy, and sell chunks of real estate (there one else, is disobedience and arrogance at the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 65

highest level and is daring God to react. For a could be further from either biblical or histori-
sizeable segment Christians (and not just a few cal reality. Hebrew men could not seem to resist
Jews) to back such plans is a painful thing for the charms of the foreign women and they con-
me to witness. stantly brought them home with them and inte-
grated them into Hebrew society. In the book of
Judges we see Samson marry a Philistine woman.
Isr ael’s Key to Survival
This, though, was just the tip of the iceberg. In
in the Promised Land
Middle Eastern cultures (Israel included), a girl
In Deuteronomy 7, Moses addresses a series of did not have much choice in whom she married.
very specific issues that the Israelites will face as Her father made that determination and often it
they invade Canaan. In addition to the issue of was based on how big a gift a man might offer the
land possession he discusses what to do about father in return for his daughter’s hand in mar-
the people who currently live there. In a nut- riage. That a father would offer his daughter to
shell, the Israelites are told that they are to grant the highest bidder is bad enough; that an Israelite
the Canaanites no terms and give them no quar- father would allow a non-Hebrew to be one of
ter. They are not to intermarry (this means no the bidders was forbidden, but it happened regu-
Hebrew sons marrying Canaanite women and larly and (eventually) often. The problem with a
no Hebrew daughters being given in marriage to Hebrew man marrying a foreign woman was that
Canaanite men). Further, whatever Canaanites (except in rare cases) she would bring with her
might remain in the land are to have their altars the pagan ways of her tribe. Alongside pagan
of sacrifice to their false gods torn down and traditions, she would bring family pressure and
destroyed, any kind of religious pillar or monu- influence from her kin for her Hebrew husband
ment to one of their gods is to be smashed, and to at least be tolerant and respectful of her (and
whatever idols or images of their gods that can their) beliefs. We will eventually see the revered
be discovered are to be thrown into a fire and King Solomon marry literally hundreds of for-
burned. eign wives, be openly tolerant of their worship of
Now what exactly does this all this amount pagan gods, and even arrange for heathen altars
to? Is this about merciless genocide? First, giving to be built so that they could sacrifice to those
the Canaanites no terms and no quarter means false gods.
that no agreements or treaties are to be made For a Hebrew woman to be married off to a
between Israel and the Canaanites that would foreign man was a terrible predicament for that
allow them to remain there as sovereign societ- woman because once she was wed to that for-
ies. It means that Israel is not to do what is always eigner she lost her status as an Israelite. Further
done in these situations—allow a foreign king to the children that she bore would now be Gentiles
remain king over his people in return for taxes, and apart from Israel. The redemption that she
tribute and labor paid to the conqueror (in this had as a birthright was gone, and the redemption
case, Israel). Those Canaanites who refuse to bow her children could have had as a birthright was
down to the God of Israel are not to be allowed also gone. So the effect of disobeying the com-
to remain in the land, rather they are to be forc- mand not to intermarry with anyone of these
Deuteronomy 7

ibly expelled, and if they instead insist on fighting seven named people groups was far reaching.
to the death, they are to be accommodated. Now as for these seven nations of peoples
Despite the thought that many rabbis would listed here, most of the tribes descended from
like to leave us with and the overly simplistic tales Canaan (Noah’s grandson). They could rightly
we may have heard about how the Hebrews did be lumped together and given the general iden-
not intermarry and for long stretches of time tity of Canaanites (as they often are) in the same
stayed very pure in their gene pool, nothing way that a man from the tribe of Judah or Reu-
 66 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ben or Benjamin could rightfully be called an to oppression from wicked Israelite Kings, and
Israelite because he was descended from Jacob even exile.
(called Israel). However that was not the case Moses explains a couple of facts: First, it is
for every nation of the seven that were specifi- important to remember that when Israel gains
cally mentioned; some of these names simply possession of the land, it isn’t their might, mili-
describe people from a certain region. tary acumen or overwhelmingly large numbers
What is important are the reasons for God’s of soldiers that will win the day. It is only because
call for drastic action (the prohibition against the Lord has favored Israel (and discriminated
peace treaties, against any form of tolerance, against the indigenous people of Canaan) that
and against intermarriage). There is danger that Israel is able to receive victory in such a monu-
the Israelite children (descendants) of future mental task. Second, this is all about the ful-
generations will be drawn away from Yehoveh fillment of a covenant that God made to the
and into idolatry. Please note: this statement is Patriarchs that Israel would receive Canaan as
a statement of fact, not an idle threat or a hypo- their sole possession. Moses warns them that all
thetical warning. The Lord is saying if you do of this can be reversed for a time if they fail to
any of these things, then it is 100 percent cer- observe the Lord’s commands.
tain that the result will be a falling away from Starting in verse 12 more reasons are given
the true religion and an adoption of paganism. for Israel to be obedient. Sometimes these pas-
Consider this: anyone who has lived long sages remind me of talks I’ve had with my chil-
enough has at one time or another succumbed dren when they were growing up. Most parents
to this reality. There is absolutely no way that will reminisce and speak of talking to their
we can marry a non-believer or buy into par- kids “until they’re blue in the face,” trying to
ticular ways of the non-believing world, while get a very important message across, of looking
trying not to get sucked in, without some tough into those blank, disinterested faces with their
consequences. I’ve heard so many Christians say far-away stares, saying the same thing in sev-
when they decide to venture down this danger- eral different ways in hopes that the nuances of
ous path, “Well, I know it’s dangerous, but I’m the message will finally hit home and that our
strong in the Lord so it’ll be OK.” Good luck. beloved offspring will heed some sage advice
The problem is that what we’re saying when we and avoid serious trouble. Somehow I picture
make that kind of statement is that we can do Moses looking into thousands of these faces
the very things the Lord says to not do but that knowing full well that almost as soon as the
He will somehow honor it and make sure none message is ended, the rebellion will begin.
of the bad consequences happen. Do we often The Lord lays out the mercy and abundance
go long periods of time where it seems we have that is awaiting Israel under the conditions He
gotten away with it? Only to breathe a sigh of has established. The women will be fertile.
relief but then suddenly have the shoe fall and Israel’s population will blossom. The soil will
then we recognize the unchanging nature of produce. The animals will thrive. Serious dis-
YHWH and the immutability of His laws? This ease and pestilence will not be allowed to injure
is what God is telling Israel and telling all who the Hebrews (but it will still strike down their
Deuteronomy 7

intend to rely on Him. enemies living right next door). The Lord will
In the end, the fundamental prerequisite cause Israel to be greatly victorious in battle, so
for Israel’s survival in Canaan was the exclusive long as the Israelite warriors show their foes no
worship of Yehoveh. Disobedience and idolatry pity. Ouch. That really goes against the Chris-
would automatically bring divine calamity; the tian grain, doesn’t it? Well, just refer back to the
nature of that calamity would range from con- God-principle I laid out at the beginning of this
stant harassment from foreigners, to famines, lesson: the Lord is the Lord of everyone and
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 67

everything. The Canaanites are His creations killed too quickly, and the land is purged of them
just as much as Israel and their fate is up to too fast, Israel won’t have the necessary time to
Him. We’ve been well schooled to think of the establish security and wild animals will move
concept of loss and calamity more in terms of in. Hmmmm. Does this sound a little like what
a shrinking bank account, a home being repos- we encountered in Iraq? What the Lord is doing
sessed, a job eliminated, or perhaps even a loved in the instructions for attacking Canaan is very
one dying from a terrible accident or fatal dis- practical, even though it goes against human ten-
ease; here the Lord is talking about wiping out dencies. In Iraq all now agree that although we
entire nations to accomplish His will of giving invaded and won rapidly in almost miraculous
the Land of Canaan, as He promised, to Israel. fashion, it was actually too fast. We didn’t take
This reality is what has led to this implied, if the time needed to conquer smaller zones and
not outright stated, doctrine that the God of the establish secure areas, and then move on and take
OT is of a quite different nature from the God another, do the same, and then another. We tried
of the NT. I remind you, though, that the God to swallow the elephant in one bite and it has
of the NT is going to continue His holy war come at great cost. The wild animals (Al Qaeda
upon people who are not His elect on a scale and other terrorist organizations) moved in.
unimaginable to our human minds. The battle God and Moses know that the people are
of Armageddon is going to be the bloodiest, going to be short sighted and impatient, so
most devastating ending to the holy war that Moses is preparing the people for what will hap-
began with Joshua at the helm, and hundreds pen. This is the reason our government decided
of millions are going to die with no apologies it could not go slow in taking Iraq because
from the Lord. And who is going to be leading Americans want fast results and instant gratifi-
that battle and causing the mega-death? Jesus. cation. The best and most fruitful way of attack-
Yeshua. Our Messiah. The God of the NT. It ing Iraq in Desert Storm would never have been
is going to make what went on in Canaan three accepted by an American (or world) public that
thousand years ago look like child’s play. wants a video-game conflict: over in an hour
and nobody is seen actually getting hurt.
However, says the Lord, don’t let the
Moses Addresses Isr ael’s Fears
slower speed of progress lead you to believe
Starting in verse 17 Moses addresses what he things aren’t going well; rather, I will deliver
knows the people are thinking. He saw the same the Canaanite kings up to you and throw the
thing about thirty-eight years earlier: the people Canaanite armies into complete panic so that
really like the idea of having a wonderful land of often they’ll just run away. The victory will be
their own but they don’t much like the part about so complete that, as it says in verse 24, not even
having to fight and losing their lives in battle in the names of the kings and military leaders will
order to get it. Thirty-eight years ago the people be remembered.
were so afraid of war that they betrayed Yehoveh Then Moses returns to the two aspects of
and the consequences are well known, so Moses idolatry that we’ve talked about on a few occa-
is trying to ward off the very natural fears this sions: don’t take their idols (because you’re liable
Deuteronomy 7

younger generation might have about conquering to worship them), and don’t even take the gold
Canaan. He tells Israel to bear in mind what God and silver they’re made of
did to Egypt and that He is going to do essen- In verse 26, the Lord says He utterly detests
tially the same thing to the Canaanites. anything that Israel (or we) might bring into
Moses tells them not to be concerned or His presence that rivals Him. Therefore, what-
upset when it takes a little longer than they hoped ever could be a rival to Him must be destroyed
to conquer Canaan; if too many Canaanites are because the danger to our relationship is so great.
 68 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 8

In the Jewish Publication Society Torah Com- Yeshua as Lord and Savior is the last work or act
mentary, the eminent Bible scholar Jeffry Tigay of obedience ever expected of us. While that is
makes this outstanding observation regarding indeed true regarding the attainment of our sal-
the opening words of Deuteronomy 8. He says: vation, it is not true when it comes to how we’re
to live our lives as saved people. Perhaps Deu-
Since his message is that Israel should always teronomy 8 and 9 will give us food for thought;
remember its dependence on God, it is noteworthy that I pray that it does because people are watch-
Moses begins with an appeal to observe the command- ing how we act out our faith as never before.
ments. This reflects the Biblical view that awareness of Because of the era in which we have arrived,
God and obedience are not separate phenomena . . . the Jews in particular are watching us (albeit usually
commandments are the practical expression of from a distance); they’re watching how Gentile
awareness of God and serve to foster it. and Jewish believers in Yeshua actually operate.
My wife and I had a Torah observant Jew
In Deuteronomy 8 and 9 Moses continues as one of our guests for Thanksgiving, and
with his sermon to the people of Israel. He because we had developed a relationship he
appeals, exhorts and fervently pleads with them felt free enough to talk a bit about Christianity
to remember who they are, who God is, and and ask us a couple of questions about the NT.
that observance of His commands is the proper In the end he stated that his primary problem
expression of allegiance to and love of Yehoveh. with the NT and the church is that it is all about
I exhort you in a similar manner to love emotion; that there is no substance. I told him
God by means of obedience to His command- that while what he has observed about some
ments. As outstanding a job as the Christian Christians may be accurate, the NT in no way
church has done over the centuries in spreading contemplates or defines a new religion based on
the good news of Christ to every corner of the emotionalism. Yet all he has to go by is how he
globe, this foundational God-principle of obe- observes people who claim to be living a New
dience to the Lord’s commands as the expected Testament life. What he told me that he sees is
expression of love toward Him (the expression that the NT life apparently represents a com-
that He seeks from us) has curiously been set plete disconnect of faith in God from any desire
aside and made less important than it ought to to be actively obedient to God’s commands.
be. It often has been argued that obedience to While this is in no way universal, of course,
His written commands is legalism and there- I am forced to admit that it is a rather com-
Deuteronomy 8

fore it is a “work,” and legalism and works are mon attitude in both the Western and Eastern
to be avoided. Many who hear this teaching Church.
still have some reluctance to accept this foun- If you think that’s not true, then note this:
dational God-principle of active obedience to twenty-five years ago a study showed what
the Lord’s laws and commands as the expected church officials instinctively knew—80 percent
and demanded practical expression of our love of all giving to the church was accomplished by
for God. Many believers still cling (consciously only 20 percent of the people who attended. Did
or unconsciously) to the notion that accepting you catch that? In the early 1980s only 2 out of
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 69

every 10 people who went to church provided heed the message to love the Lord in the way
almost all of the support. Today the Christian the Lord demanded: obedience to His com-
marketing and information gathering company mands. Unfortunately, the vast bulk of the peo-
Barna reports that number is rapidly shrinking ple would nod their head in silent agreement
toward only about 1 in 10 who provide the bulk and then decide they had a better way, their way,
of support. to go about supposedly living the redeemed life,
Well, you might say, that’s because some and it led to horrible consequences including
people have a lot more money than other peo- the loss of their precious land inheritance for
ple; this is due to a wide disparity in incomes. hundreds of years at a time.
There is some truth to that, but let me give you As disciples of Messiah, our ultimate inheri-
another fact that ought to temper that notion. A tance is the Lord. And we too are bound to do
few years I ago I was the business administra- the commands of God or we too are bound to
tor of a mega-church, so as part of my duties lose our inheritance. Our Lord and Savior had
I gathered all the financial reports and had to this to say about it:
make heads or tails out of them. One report
in particular caught my attention. To my sur- Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will
prise only about 40 percent of the people who enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will
attended our church during a year’s period of of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me
time gave anything at all. That’s right; out of on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your
every ten people who regularly attended this name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your
church, six contributed exactly nothing. As it name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare
turns out, that is actually rather typical accord- to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
ing to studies accomplished by Christianity Today practice lawlessness.” (Matt. 7:21-23 NAS)
in cooperation with the Barna group.
As unwelcome as that news is, volunteerism What lawlessness is Jesus speaking about?
also continues to diminish; the general number Breaking the Roman law? Breaking American
today for those who volunteer their time in any civil law? Of course not. He’s talking about
way is 5 percent of the church population: 1 in the only law that concerned a Jew. He’s talk-
20. What is it that Yeshua said? “The harvest ing about the Law that is biblical, universal, and
is plentiful but the workers are few.” There is eternal—the laws of Moses.
far more to a believer’s demonstration of obe-
dience to God’s commands than merely giving
money to your church or synagogue, or devot- Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 8.
ing your time to ministry. This is a quantifiable
measurement gathered over decades and it is
certainly a valid and real reflection of just what
our thoughts are about how seriously (or not) If it sounds like Moses is more or less
we manifest our faith in God when it comes to repeating himself, that’s because he is. He is say-
being actively obedient (or not) to His laws and ing similar things in different ways for the sake
Deuteronomy 8

commands. of emphasis. Verse 1 makes a strong statement:

Here in Deuteronomy, as Moses stared into there is a real and tangible reason for Israel to
the faces of all those Israelites whom he had led, obey the instruction (in Hebrew, torah) they are
cared for, fought for, mediated for, and sacri- hearing; it is so that they will thrive in the Land
ficed everything for (over the past forty years), of Canaan that is about to become their posses-
it was little different then than it is today within sion. This is one of those statements that is said
Christianity. A few among his listeners would so often and so concisely that it can blow right
 70 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

by us (as I’m sure it did those ancient Hebrews). of God may be adequate, equipped for every
There is a quid pro quo at work here: if you do good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NAS).
this, Israel, then I (the Lord) will do that for you. A couple of things about this passage:
In other words, Israel’s ability to stay rooted remember, the only Scripture Paul was refer-
in the Promised Land, as well as to thrive, is ring to was the OT, because there would be no
entirely conditional on Israel’s obedience to the other words of God written down and accepted
Lord’s commands. as inspired biblical canon until more than a
Note something: when the Bible speaks of century after his death. When the word “Scrip-
obedience to God, more often than not what ture” is used in the Bible (including in the NT)
is actually said is “obedience to God’s commands it refers only to the OT because that’s all that
or laws.” When the Bible says “obedience to existed. Paul, Peter, even the latest NT writer
God” it means “obedience to His written John the Revelator had no idea that about one
commands.” What else is there to be obedi- hundred years after Paul’s martyrdom some of
ent to? We have developed this doctrine over their letters would be seen by a portion of the
the centuries that everything we (as believers) Church as additions to Holy Scripture.
are to obey is somehow directly transmitted Paul points out that the source of teaching,
from God to us (as individuals) in some super- reproof, correction, learning, and righteousness
natural customized way, or it’s not for us. The is the written Word of God (Scriptures), the OT.
belief is that God’s written Word is subservi- Why do we need this learning? So that we are
ent to, or at variance with, some thought or well equipped to do what? To do good works.
instruction that the Lord puts in our minds by Uh-oh. There’s the W word again. Paul says
means of the Holy Spirit. Does the Lord put we’re to learn the Lord’s commands for the pur-
those mystical thoughts in our minds in this pose of doing good works. I guess Paul, according
way? Absolutely. Is that the regular, everyday to some modern doctrine that says works and
means of our understanding God’s purpose deeds are of no importance to our faith, is tell-
and boundaries and rules of conduct for our ing us to be legalistic and to put all our hope
lives? Absolutely not! The main way we dis- in works. Obviously I’m saying that tongue-
cover the Lord’s characteristics and justice sys- in-cheek, because the Bible never makes good
tem, which is spelled out by His laws and com- works out to be legalistic, nor does it tell believ-
mands, is by means of His written Word. In ers that we are to abandon obedience to God’s
fact, when we do get a thought of something commands and to works.
to do or not to do that we believe is from the My dearest brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Lord, we are to check it alongside His written please consider this: one of the most common
Word to see if it agrees. If it does not agree, or sayings among modern-day believers is to “fol-
if it against His written laws and commands, low your heart.” The belief is that within our
then we are to discard that thought as either hearts lays the truth. Remembering that when
a temptation from the Evil One, or perhaps the Bible says “heart,” in that era the thought
something derived from our own evil inclina- was of the heart as the organ where conscious
tions or even an overactive imagination. The thought, the intellect, the mind resided. There-
Deuteronomy 8

written Word is the standard by which all else fore we’re cautioned in the Word of God: “The
must be compared. The written Word of God heart (meaning the mind) is more deceitful than
is the believers’ spiritual constitution. Listen to all else and is desperately sick; Who can under-
this well-known and often quoted NT passage: stand it?” (Jer. 17:9 NAS).
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profit- Are our hearts (minds) no longer deceit-
able for teaching, for reproof, for correction, ful when we accept Yeshua as Savior? Listen to
for training in righteousness; that the man Paul again: “For that which I am doing, I do
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 71

not understand; for I am not practicing what I the people are learning are really more for use
would like to do, but I am doing the very thing inside the Promised Land than outside of it. In
I hate” (Rom. 7:15 NAS). fact, there are many laws and commands of the
This is the dilemma that Christians con- Lord’s Torah that don’t have application with-
tinue to face. The evil inclination in our minds out their possessing that land and living in it—
was not destroyed upon our salvation; we will laws regarding bringing in the first fruits of a
continue to struggle with it, give in to it at times, harvest, making a pilgrimage for three of the
and even occasionally believe it and obey it over biblical feasts, and the laws of Jubilee and fam-
God’s Word and His direction to us through the ily inheritance, for example. What I’m saying is
Ruach HaKodesh. So many great and worthwhile that the Hebrews weren’t redeemed, then given
evangelists, preachers, and teachers have taken God’s commands, and then told to disregard
great falls because they listened to a supposed all those laws and commands and follow their
“word from the Lord” that ran completely own minds and hearts just as they were about to
counter to the written Word of God, whether it enter the Promised Land.
was general wisdom or direct commandments. And so it is for us. We have not been
They believed that somehow what was “in their redeemed by Yeshua, shown God’s commands
hearts” was greater and more important than and learned to obey them, only to stand on
what was in the Lord’s written commands. This the brink of eternity and be told, “Once you
is why we must always look into the Word of get there, there will be no more laws and com-
God and be obedient to His commands and mands.” We’re to learn and live by those com-
suspicious of our own thoughts. mands now, during our earthly physical lives,
Next Moses tells the people to remember because we’re going to be living by those same
God’s acts of deliverance and of harsh judgment laws and commands at least through the Mil-
against them in their forty-year wilderness jour- lennium. Might they continue and have a some-
ney. These lessons are going to be all-important what different expression and application even
when they reach the Promised Land. They need into eternity as opposed to now? Probably to
to remember their dependence on God and His some degree, because the way the Law was prac-
mercy in supplying all their needs. They need ticed in times of old is expressed a little differ-
to be humble in remembering their rescue from ently today. In fact, part of Paul’s mission was
Egypt by God when no other means was pos- to explain some of the ways that the expression
sible and how they were ushered from slavery and application of the Law transformed at the
into a land of abundance by God when all roads advent of Yeshua HaMashiach.
seemed blocked. So everything was of divine God insists that Israel avoid becoming
providence given by the Great Provider; it was haughty and proud as they conquer Canaan.
not a result of their merit or human ability. Starting in verse 11, Moses goes on at length
It has always been recognized by the great repeating a warning about how all that they
Bible teachers that the recorded history of experienced in the wilderness was for a divine
Israel’s time in the wilderness was both real purpose; it was to teach them to trust God and
and literal as well as a prophetic shadow and to have fear and awe of Him at the same time.
Deuteronomy 8

illustration. It is completely analogous to the The climax is verse 17, “And you say to your-
process of our moving from slavery to sin to selves, ‘My own power and the might of my own
redemption in Christ, and then eventually on hand have won this wealth for me.’” To this
into the Promised Land of eternity with God. rhetorical miscalculation, Moses counters that
This is true particularly in the pattern that is the wealth they will have is from the Lord, and
demonstrated. Note that part of what is being it is because of a promise that Yehoveh made to
communicated by Moses here is that the laws the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and
 72 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

no other reason that Israel has won such favor full of humility. I have experienced this and
with God. If Israel does forget and it does get know firsthand. Even as a Christian I was
proud, destruction will come in similar form confident and bloated with self-assurance in
as is about to happen to the pagan nations and my corporate life, and I thought of myself as
tribes of Canaanites who will be dispossessed of invincible and fully deserving of my success.
their homes and land. It took a severe intervention by God to show
For a person to be a success in this world me otherwise. The lesson was among the most
and then turn around and give God the praise valuable in my life, but the pain of that time is
and glory for that success is only possible if also unforgettable. It really isn’t our knee-jerk
God intervenes in your life to show you the reaction to give God the credit for the good
truth. The act of being saved is not, of itself, things in our life; rather it’s to see ourselves as
sufficient to automatically make us grateful or full of merit.
Deuteronomy 8
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 73

Deuteronomy 9

against attack from Israel. Remember Israel’s

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 9:1–17. destination was no secret to the people of the
Middle East. Their route was a bit up in the
air, but Israel’s stated destination (Canaan) was
I told you when we started Deuteronomy that it always known. So you can be sure that the
was primarily a sermon of Moses, and as such great kings of the various Canaanite peoples
he would repeat many of Yehoveh’s laws and prepared in earnest for the coming invasion.
commands but equally he would expound on Among those who Israel would take on were
their meaning and intent and how they were to the Anakites; this was a legendarily big, tall, and
be applied in the Promised Land. Therefore the ferocious nation of warriors. Verse 2 says that a
form of what I’m teaching you in our Deuter- common saying among Middle Easterners was,
onomy study is sermon-like; it is unavoidable. “Who can stand up to the children of Anak?”
I’ve mentioned before that more than 50 per- But Israel was not to be concerned because the
cent of the NT is composed of OT quotations; Lord God is a consuming fire and no one (not
Deuteronomy is by far the most quoted book by even the fearsome descendants of Anak) can
Yeshua and the apostles. Most likely that is due stand against Yehoveh.
to its sermon nature and the focus on explain-
ing the laws rather than simply listing them.
It is the same reason that the Sermon on the God’s Righteousness and
Mount is perhaps the most studied part of the the Promised Land
NT by Christians; it is exactly that, a sermon We come now to a vital part of today’s lesson,
that expounds on the Law. Deuteronomy 9:4. The Lord says that when
It’s interesting that the first word of chapter Israel has subdued the Canaanites (actually
9 is one we looked at carefully a few chapters when God has subdued them) the Hebrews are
ago: Shema. The first two words of chapter 9 are not to think, “The Lord has enabled us to pos-
shema Israel, “hear, O Israel.” Recall that shema sess this land because of our virtues.” They’re
doesn’t mean to listen passively. It is a term that not to think that because they were an espe-
means to pay attention and to do what is said. cially meritorious people their God has enabled
I’ve often defined shema as meaning “hear and them to win. As the last part of verse 4 says,
obey.” It is a very forceful statement, a demand “It is rather because of the wickedness of those
really. nations that the Lord is dispossessing them,”
Deuteronomy 9

The entire point of chapter 9 is this: the and then goes on to repeat what has now been
Lord God, Yehoveh, will be the victor in the said a number of times, “. . . and in order to ful-
holy war against the Canaanites; Israel is only fill the oath that the Lord made to your fathers,
God’s agent (His human proxy) in this victory. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The Lord says that Israel is going to battle and Wow. If that doesn’t put the Hebrews in
dispossess nations who are stronger than they their place before the Lord, what will? God says
are and who are well entrenched—nations that Israel has never held any special or inherent
have had much time to prepare their defenses virtue that caused Him to want to do all these
 74 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

wonderful things for them. Israel has not been

born with, nor have their deeds earned them,
righteousness before the Lord; in fact, they are
inherently no better or worse than anybody
else living on planet earth. Just as in later times
when the Lord will use the Assyrians, the Baby-
lonians, and finally the Romans as His instru-
ments to wreak holy judgment upon His own
people, Israel, on account of their rebellion, so
is God about to use Israel as a tool to wreak His
holy judgment upon the Canaanite tribes for
their wickedness.
In reality only God possesses true righ-
teousness. Probably one of the most difficult
and contentious words in the entire Bible is the
word “righteousness” (in Hebrew, tzedek, or in
this form tzedekah). Like the word Shalom in the
OT or salvation in the NT, righteousness is not a
word that can be explained in dictionary fash-
ion; several of these biblical words carry deep
and often inscrutable elements to them.
Let me offer one particular aspect of this
term that you might not have heard— in addi-
tion to the more familiar aspects of righteousness
meaning “good,” or “standard,” or “normal,”
it also indicates a judicial legal standing. Legal
standing is everything in the Bible, because
God’s righteousness is based on His system
of justice and vice versa. So from a legal/judi-
cial standpoint, God’s righteousness means
that He is always “in the right.” In a court of
law, the basic understanding is that when two
people contend against one another in a civil
case, or when the government goes against an
individual for breaking a law, one side is essen-
tially judged as “in the right” and the other
side as “in the wrong.” A biblical principle is
that a person who has been tried in a court
of law and found innocent is seen as “in the
Deuteronomy 9

right” or as righteous. The holy war that the

Lord was ordering upon Canaan was to estab-
lish what was right in order to replace what was
wrong. Israel, who God says is being used as His
earthly representative of what is right, is His
proxy to overthrow those who are wrong (the
Canaanites and their wicked ways).
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 75

Now this may bother some of you a little There is not a nation or a tribe or a family any-
(particularly in a humanistic world of relative one can be born into that is inherently “in the
right and wrong) to call one entire people group right,” versus another person or family that was
“right” and to lump a whole other group of peo- born inherently “in the wrong.” Accidents of
ple into the category of “wrong.” But in a certain birth are of no interest to the Lord; one doesn’t
sense that is what is happening here. This par- win the heavenly lottery by being born a Jew
ticular usage of the word righteous also extends or by being born a Westerner; nor do they lose
to the concept that the Promised Land is cur- by being born an an Arab or an Easterner. You
rently inhabited with Canaanites, who in God’s see, Israel did not have inherent righteousness
plan do not belong there; rather, Israel belongs and neither do born again Christians. As part
there. So it is with no apologies that the Lord of redeemed Israel a Hebrew was simply elected
makes right what is currently wrong by ejecting as God’s agent in the working out of His tze-
the Canaanites and installing His people. dek, His righteousness; it wasn’t because that
I don’t want to belabor this (but I will) to particular Hebrew had some special kind of
make a point that certainly applies to the situ- righteousness that others didn’t. As part of the
ation in the Middle East today: what God was
doing in the takeover of Canaan by Israel was
not establishing Israel as a people who were
somehow inherently in the right by dispossess-
ing another people who were unlucky enough
to be born as a people inherently in the wrong. Are
you with me? Israel was not a “right people” and
the Canaanites a “wrong people” by their own
nature or merit. Israel was not “right” in and
of itself, and therefore fully deserving of having
that land that was currently in the hands of a
people who were “wrong” in and of themselves.
This was not even an issue of whether Israel was
righteous or not; this was the Lord working out
His own righteousness for His own purposes.3
In essence, Israel was the agent of God’s divine
righteousness to be used against a bunch of peo-
ple who chose to behave wickedly . . . the people
of Canaan. Israel was imputed with God’s righ-
teousness; none of it was of their own.
Let me take that one step further; there
is no human being born inherently righteous.
3
The Lord working out His righteousness means that He is using everything that defines His righteousness to mold and
Deuteronomy 9

shape and accomplish His will. The Lord working out His righteousness in you means that since His plan for mankind
involves forgiving you of your sins so that He can have an intimate relationship with you, introducing Himself to you,
putting faith-to-believe in you, and communing with you. It is literally God’s righteousness from on high overshadow-
ing and overriding our natural sinful natures. Therefore we can be tools in God’s hand as He goes about His work of
righteousness, but we can never look to our own righteousness (which none of us have) to help God out.
I readily confess that the phrase “God working out His righteousness” is inadequate to fully express either what
God’s righteousness is or how He mysteriously uses men’s free wills and inherent evil natures to carry out His plans. But
until I can find better words these are the ones I’ll use.
 76 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

body of disciples of Yeshua, you and I were sim- He chooses weak people, and people who
ply mysteriously elected as God’s agents in the are not. He chooses despised people, and peo-
working out of His tzedek, His righteousness on ple who are not. He chooses wise people, and
earth. people who are not. Election is a mystery, an
unsolvable Rubik’s Cube. There is no merit
involved, apparently no prerequisite that we’re
God’s Election
aware of, and as a result we ought to accept our
Here’s the dilemma: Why Israel, and why me? salvation in the deepest humility and perhaps
Why didn’t God choose the Egyptians, or with a good helping of fear. Paul had no idea
Osama Bin Laden? Why did God choose Israel why Israel was chosen (other than for the sake
to be His redeemed people, and why did God of the Patriarchs, which is hazy even to the rab-
choose you and I to be part of His redeemed bis), or even why Paul himself was chosen. But
according to faith in Yeshua and not some oth- chosen we are and chosen we will remain. God
ers? I don’t know. The Bible uses the term elec- chose Israel and it remains chosen, and so it will
tion (or often, called) on both counts, and that in be forever. We can agree or disagree with God’s
itself is a long subject. If election or called is the cor- choices, but it changes nothing.
rect term (and it probably is), it indicates choice
or selection as opposed to chance. It’s not by
cosmic chance, nor by Israel’s self-appointment, The Middle East Today
that Israel became God’s people. That’s why Just as it was for Moses, Joshua, and the Isra-
they’re called “God’s Chosen” in Holy Scripture. elites thirty-three hundred years ago, there is
It’s not by cosmic chance, nor self-appointment, nothing inherently “in the right” about today’s
that any human, since about 30 AD, who put Jews and inherently “in the wrong” about
their faith in Yeshua, was redeemed; it was by today’s Arabs. They’re all just people. However,
God’s choice. How does He make these choices; a long time ago the Lord made a choice; Israel
what are His criteria? We don’t know. Here is was chosen to be set apart as God’s servants,
what we do know: the selection has nothing and Israel was to possess a special tract of land
to do with who we are, where we were born, in the Middle East to fulfill God’s purposes, and
whether we’re male or female, what our skin no one else is authorized to hold that land. Israel
color is, what our social status is, nor does it (as foolish and stiff-necked as they are) remains
have to do with some type of “rightness” that a tool to punish the wicked nations who sur-
we possess naturally (genetically inborn) that round Israel. At the same time, those nations
others didn’t get. are God’s tool to bludgeon His people Israel
Therefore as Paul states it, here is how we to repentance because of their reticence to be
should look at the mystery of our election to obedient. Three times the Hebrews were exiled
salvation: by Gentile empires that the Lord authorized to
be His agents to discipline His people. But that
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were time has passed and it is abundantly clear in the
not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, Scriptures that the last time that exile will be
Deuteronomy 9

not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things used as punishment upon Israel happened two
of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the thousand years ago, at the hands of the Romans.
weak things of the world to shame the things which are Instead, in our era, the Israelis will return
strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, to their own land (which they have) and in
God has chosen, and the things that are not, that their homeland they will be attacked, bloodied,
He might nullify the things that are, that no man should hated, and murdered not just by their immedi-
boast before God. (1 Cor. 1:26-29, emphasis mine) ate neighbors, but also by every nation on earth.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 77

They will not be driven out but they will be court to re-interpret and even reinvent the Con-
decimated. However, before they are wiped out stitution relative to evolving societal needs as
completely Israel’s Messiah will return, the sur- they see it. Alternatively there are those Justices
viving remnant of Israel will be saved, and Mes- who see the Constitution as written in stone and
siah Yeshua will lead a war of complete anni- think it is the purpose of the court to ascertain
hilation against all the wicked nations of the what was in the minds of the Constitution’s cre-
earth, and this time God’s elect will be God’s ators and to faithfully apply that to the question
agents to wreak havoc upon the wicked. Yeshua at hand versus applying their own thoughts.
our Messiah will lead this holy war to end all That is, they should seek out the creators’ intent
wars at Armageddon. and apply that to each case brought before them.
Therefore, there is one thing and one thing Here in Deuteronomy Moses is revisit-
alone that Israel can stand upon as their claim ing the Law and the history of Israel so that
to being God’s especially chosen people: it was the succeeding generation (these, the children
God’s sovereign decision. They never earned it, of the first generation of the Exodus) receives
but they were never required to earn it. They in-depth instruction concerning God’s pur-
certainly don’t deserve it today any more than poses for the Law, and so that neither the Law’s
they did three thousand years ago, but they are meaning nor the events that constructed and
not required to deserve it. All they’re required to defined Israel could be misinterpreted. Note
do is to be obedient. No matter, God is “in the that it has been less than forty years since the
right” to make the divine choice that He wants Law was first given; further, notice that Moses
Israel there and that for the Palestinians (or any- was not giving Israel a new or evolving Law. He
one else for that matter) to occupy as their own was simply expounding on the existing Law and
state even one square foot of land designated how its underlying principles would operate in
for Israel is “wrong.” God is in the same process a different era in different circumstances once
today as Moses was so long ago; Moses was tell- Israel left behind their Bedouin tents and began
ing Israel that the Lord was the about to replace living a settled life in Canaan.
the wrong people with the right people. Hidden deep within the books of the Psalms
and the Prophets we’ll find the same goal: they
are constantly reminding Israel of her history,
Retelling History
her relationship with God, and what exactly the
It is a reality of the human condition that as Lord continues to expect of His set-apart peo-
time passes history gets re-written, re-inter- ple despite the ebbs and flows, up and downs,
preted, and sometimes it is lost altogether. It and constantly progressing technologies.
really doesn’t take a particularly long period of When we get to the NT, we’ll find Yeshua
time for this to happen; a decade is often more doing what Moses is doing as Messiah revisits
than enough for history to become distorted or the Law and God’s principles in light of the real-
discarded. ity of the era and its new circumstances. Christ
The US Constitution is a case in point. Our is reminding His followers that not the tiniest
Supreme Court’s job is to interpret and apply feature of the Law or the divine substance upon
Deuteronomy 9

the Constitution to our justice system in an which it rests has changed or (heaven forbid!)
ever-evolving society. This panel consists of been abolished. By Yeshua’s day an enormous
men and women who can be divided into two amount of time had passed since Moses, and so
distinct philosophies. The first philosophy is Hebrew society looked nothing like it did during
of those who believe that the Constitution is a the Exodus. Predictably, since the giving of the
living document that is meant to change with Law on Mount Sinai, there were many attempts
the times, and therefore it is the purpose of the by various Hebrew sages and religious authorities
 78 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

to re-write and re-interpret the Law and to remold because this was a new generation that needed
it to their own satisfaction. Jewish religious lead- to hear it, but because (as we will quickly see)
ers determined that they had the authority and these wandering Israelites had already begun to
elite intelligence to adjust the meaning behind re-write history and adopt strange ideas about
the Law and even to skew the foundational God- what their relationship with Yehoveh was. And
principles of Torah to reflect their personal agen- we’ll see why this distortion occurred in the first
das and changing times. Much of Jewish society place.
had accepted these relatively new ways of think-
ing (some of which ran completely counter to the
Creator’s intent) because Israel’s history had been Isr ael’s Idolatry
re-written a number of times outside of the Holy Moses has just finished explaining to Israel that
Scriptures. the only thing that separates them from every-
They had in their possession the ancient body else is that God chose them. He didn’t
records of their history and of the actual Word choose them because they had some kind of
of God as originally given: the Tanach, the OT. inherent righteousness that others didn’t or
But they preferred instead to go by the rulings because they did better works or had achieved
of the intellectuals of their day called sages and some higher spiritual plane by their own merit.
rabbis, and these rulings were eventually col- Rather, they were the fortunate recipients of the
lected into a work of prescribed traditions called Creator’s special love and attention for the sake
the Talmud. of the promise He made centuries earlier to the
It seems that fewer and fewer Americans Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
have read that rather short document that is the Beginning in verse 7 Moses recounts indis-
foundation of our entire society—the Constitu- putable historical evidence as proof to the peo-
tion. When I was in elementary school (a long ple that they had merited nothing, earned noth-
time ago) reading the Constitution and taking ing, and deserved nothing but God’s wrath, yet
an exam on it was mandatory. Over time the instead they received His greatest mercy and
Constitution has been relegated to something blessing.
that is unintelligible and nearing obsolescence, Moses says that they had barely stepped
so we prefer instead to let our elected represen- foot outside of Egypt before they rebelled
tatives (and often unelected judges) decide and against the Lord. Then they did it again at
tell us what that document intends and means. Horeb (an alternate name for Mount Sinai).
That is generally the way it was and remains Upon arrival at Mt. Sinai Moses was called by
with the Jewish people regarding the Torah Yehoveh to come up to the summit to receive
and the Law of Moses. They much prefer to the Law, but while he was up there in the midst
read the ordinances of Tradition and faithfully of cutting a covenant with God and receiv-
practice the rulings of sages and rabbis than to ing the terms of that covenant (the Law), the
refer directly to God’s Word and be obedient Hebrew people were down in the valley break-
to that. Not surprisingly, Christianity has pretty ing those same terms!
much followed the same track and many pre- While Moses was away the people built a
Deuteronomy 9

fer the doctrines laid down by our denomina- Golden Calf, a god symbol an outlawed graven
tion’s founders to what the Bible actually says, image. This was without doubt the Isis Bull, a
because although we may be redeemed, we are high Egyptian deity image that was common in
still all too human. their everyday life back in Egypt and something
So in Deuteronomy 9 we’re going to find with which they were greatly familiar. Let me
Moses reminding the people of things that hap- use this moment to remind you of something
pened only a handful of years earlier. It’s not just that is quite pertinent to the modern church
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 79

and at the same time terribly misunderstood: an the statues actually are Jesus or Mary or some
animal was often used as a symbol of deity in of those saints.
the ancient world. It was not (in general) that So when the Lord ordains in the second
they thought that some particular animal actu- commandment not to make a graven image of
ally was deity. Rather, certain animals were Him, and then goes on to describe all the things
chosen because they were associated with par- that should not be used to do such a thing, it
ticular attributes that were admired. Bulls were is not so much that people will think that that
big and strong and powerful, so it was the attri- graven image actually is Him, but that a cre-
butes of the god Isis’s strength and power that ated thing is being used to define or illustrate
were symbolized by the bull statues. Rabbits or symbolize a divine attribute or characteristic
were often used to symbolize fertility, so quite of Him. That is the direct danger we modern
often the fertility goddesses was pictured with Christians must always be cognizant of when
rabbit features. However, rabbits were not actu- we consider creating our religious icons and
ally thought to be goddesses. So in the ancient symbols and rationalize it all by thinking, Well,
world most idols and animal symbols were I don’t worship that symbol or actually think that it is
exactly that—symbols, representations—not God. Neither did the people of ancient times,
actual gods. While this varied a bit from culture but the Lord still called them idolaters.
to culture, it is no different than today within
some of the Eastern Orthodox Churches and in
the Catholic Church whereby statues represent Moses Terminates the
Jesus or Mary or some of the great saints of old, Covenant with God
but they do not think (generally speaking) that I have already touched on the scene whereby
Moses arrived at the bottom of the mountain,
saw the people dancing around the Golden Calf,
and smashed the stone tablets of the covenant
that he had only just received from YHWH.
Understand: at that moment, the days-old cove-
nant was undone. The covenant had not merely
been violated; it was now null and void. That
is the standard meaning in Middle Eastern of
smashing the tablets upon which the terms of
a covenant were written. Let me say that again:
the covenant of the Law that God had just given
to Moses was terminated at that moment.

God Threatens to Destroy Israel

Then Moses goes on to say that as a result of the
covenant being cancelled, there really was no
Deuteronomy 9

longer a need for Israel to exist! Israel was sup-

posed to be God’s earthly agent for carrying
out the covenant that would lead to mankind’s
redemption; now there was no covenant to be
carried out. Therefore God tells Moses that He is
going to destroy Israel and form a new covenant
people, all of them coming from Moses himself!
 80 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Note something else: Aaron, Moses’ God has appointed exactly two: Moses and
brother, who was the high priest, was also going Yeshua. Yet they are not on equal footing. For
to be destroyed. So even the priestly line would Moses was 100 percent man but Christ was 100
not continue. In Exodus we didn’t see Aaron percent man and 100 percent God.
being singled out for destruction due to his role Moses did not appeal on the grounds of
in the Golden Calf idolatry, but here we do. Israel’s own righteousness for them to be saved
Upon that threat Moses beseeches God not from God’s just wrath; rather he appealed on
to do such a thing, to forgive His people and the grounds of God’s righteousness. Yeshua
to restore them, and God relents. Here we see appealed in exactly the same way. I’ve said
perhaps the greatest moment of Moses’s inter- it before and with no apologies I say it again:
cession for Israel in all of the Torah—even your wickedness and mine did not cease upon
greater than being God’s instrument of mir- our redemption any more than Israel’s did. Yet
acles and wrath back in Egypt. For the only that redemption brings with it a special provi-
thing that saved even the high priest of Israel, sion before the Lord; the sins resulting from
let alone Israel itself, was that Moses was Israel’s our wickedness can be forgiven. Let me say that
appointed mediator. Only Moses could inter- again: only redemption brings with it the ability
cede between God and man. Moses prayed to for those sins to be forgiven. Anyone in days
the Lord and asked Him to remember that these of old outside of the nation of Israel had abso-
people had already been redeemed and that they lutely no means for their wickedness to be for-
were marked to be the Lord’s special people. given. None. Since the advent of Christ, no one
Moses asked YHWH to remember His promise outside of His followers has any means of their
to the patriarchs and to forgive the wickedness wicked deeds being forgiven. None. But don’t
of the people; it was the Lord Himself who did become arrogant or complacent, because there
all these great things for this people, and there- is a kind of sin called “blasphemy of the Holy
fore He would simply be going back on His holy Spirit” in the NT (Matt.12:22–32), and for that
promise and showing the rest of the world that not even Jesus’s blood is sufficient.
He was unable to follow through with His plan. As much as I love and support and advocate
Right here we get the pattern that would for the Jewish people, there is no means outside
eventually be demonstrated through Yeshua our of Yeshua for their trespasses to be forgiven.
Messiah. The only thing that can save any man There is not one plan of salvation for the Jews,
is the mediation of a divinely appointed man. and a separate plan of salvation for everyone
The Law says that to intentionally sin against else. The plan of salvation was always meant
God is a high-handed sin, and a high-handed for the Jewish people first; it’s just that the Lord
sin has no possibility of atonement. Who could provided for a way for the foreigner, the Gen-
stand between God and man in a dispute? Only tile, to be included in that plan as well. And that
a God-appointed mediator, and in all history, plan was faith in Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 9
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 81

Deuteronomy 10

made on Mount Sinai was cancelled, (the shat-

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 10. tering of the two tablets) what was to be done?
Because of Moses’s intercession, the Lord
decided to go ahead and keep Israel as His cov-
Because the plan of salvation is designed for enant people; however, that meant the covenant
humans, the Lord has to work with humans to (now terminated) would have to be cut again;
bring it about. Therefore all throughout human the covenant would have to be re-established.
history we see the Father working out His righ- What we witness beginning in 10:1 is the re-
teousness through human institutions and soci- establishment of that covenant; this action is
eties. It should come as no surprise that since expressed by the Lord instructing Moses to cut
covenants were created and cancelled in certain two new tablets of stone to replace the broken
customary ways in ancient times, the Lord uses ones, and to bring those blank tablets back up
those same ancient ways to create His covenant to Mount Sinai’s summit in order that the Lord
with Israel. It is said that if a speaker is unable to would restore the covenant and all of its terms.
get his message across to his audience then he
isn’t communicating, he’s just talking. The Lord
had little choice but to deal with dismally infe- The New Covenant
rior humans except in ways we can understand I want you to notice something here: the cov-
(otherwise we’d have no idea what to make of enant the Lord had made with Abraham (a dif-
what He was communicating). ferent covenant), and then passed down to Isaac
So because God communicates with us in and then to on Jacob, was never in jeopardy.
simplified ways that humans are more able to It was not that particular covenant that was
comprehend, and since the covenant that was the center of discussion here in Deuteronomy.
For one thing, Abraham’s covenant was only a
promise from God; there was no quid pro quo.
There was nothing mankind, or Israel, could do
to break that covenant and therefore bring its
cancellation. The covenant of Moses created on
Mount Sinai was not created to replace Abra-
ham’s covenant; it was created as a necessary
step to bring Abraham’s covenant about.
Deuteronomy 10

In verse 1 the Lord says, “Make me two

stone tablets like the first.” This language was
showing that the renewed covenant was to be
exactly the same as the one that got terminated.
J. A. Thompson, a contributor to Tyndale’s
commentary on the Bible, had this to say about
the termination and then the restoration of the
Mount Sinai covenant, and compared it to the
 82 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

so-called New Covenant in Christ that we com- That He created one law, then wadded it up
monly call the NT. We’ll read Jeremiah 31:31-34 and threw it away, and created a whole new one
before his comment: substantially different from the first? A new
law that says there is no further need for obedi-
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, ence? What meaning is there in a law if there
“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel is no requirement to follow it (then it is no law
and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which at all)? Did the Lord create a new law that says,
I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the “I want you to have your fire insurance in the
hand to bring them out of the land of Eg ypt, My covenant form of belief in Jesus, and then you can just go
which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” your merry way and I expect nothing further of
declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will you?” Do you recall that I showed you in the
make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Shema of Deuteronomy 6 that the original law
LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their of Mount Sinai was also specifically “written
heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they on the heart”? So to say that the way the Law
shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each is different is that the old was not written on
man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the heart but the new one was is simply Scrip-
the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of turally inaccurate. Are we therefore to respond
them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I only to what God might decide to show us “in
will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no our hearts,” as individuals (essentially each of
more.” (Jer. 31:31-34 NAS) us having our own custom, personal set of laws)
what is right and wrong? Again that is not Scrip-
Even in the great day of renewal envisaged by Jer- tural (and you’ve read it yourself); rather, it is
emiah (Je. 31:31-34) it is the same Law that is to be simply a philosophy that men prefer.
written on the heart, the eternal law of God. The sense Also notice a rather critical point: Who is
in which the law would be new in that day would be that this new covenant going to be made by and
it would be differently administered, it would have a dif- between? Between God and the House of Israel
ferent mediator, but it would fundamentally be the same and the House of Judah. Does it say anything
covenant . . .” (J. A. Thompson) about it being created by foreigners or Gentiles?
No. We’ll come back to that.
So even the conservative evangelical Tyn- In any case, verses 3-5 has Moses saying that
dale commentator readily sees that any thought he obeyed God’s instructions to him, making
that the Old Law (the OT, the Torah) being the ark of the covenant as he was told, and then
done away with and something entirely new he placed those new tablets inside of it. Then in
(meaning, by definition, different) being created verse 6 Israel leaves Mount Sinai and moves on;
just doesn’t hold water Scripturally either in the we see place names not heretofore mentioned in
OT or the NT. the Torah: Beeroth-bene-jaakan and Moserah.
Notice in Jeremiah 31:33 that the Lord says, It says that Aaron died at Moserah and Eleazar,
“I will put my law within them.” What Law? The his son, took over the post of high priest.
Deuteronomy 10

only Law there is or has ever been. How can

God put into a man something that no longer
exists? How can Law be dead and gone, but Who Wrote This Passage?
God is going to put that dead-and-gone thing Notice something that attentive Bible scholars
inside of us? Are we who claim that God never have always seen: verses 6–9 were not writ-
changes going to continue to maintain that ten by Moses. These verses were inserted after
He did change but that this particular (rather Moses was dead (when exactly, we aren’t sure).
enormous) change doesn’t count as changing? Everything for quite some time has been spo-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 83

ken in the first person (I, me). Suddenly at verse As a result of this special status given to the
6 the narrative switches to third person, (they, Levites to be attendants to Yehoveh, they were
meaning the Israelites). And just as abruptly at not permitted to share in the land inheritance
verse 10 it resumes; Moses is speaking in the that the rest of Israel received; instead this special
first person. status was in itself their inheritance. Contained
It has always been known that not all of the within these inserted verses (6-9) we get a very
Torah was written by Moses, even though it is important piece of information: the Levites have
sometimes referred to as the Law of Moses, or three principle functions to perform. First, they
the five books of Moses, or it is said in a general are to carry the ark of the covenant. Second, they
way that Moses wrote the Torah. We will have are to stand before the Lord in attendance to
several places where Moses obviously couldn’t Him. Third, they are to bless His holy name.
have written it because it discusses his death and The Levites are the only ones who can carry
what happened afterward. Here in these partic- the ark; anyone else who does that will be killed.
ular passages an editor thought an explanation However, even the Levites are only permitted
of why the Levites had received no land inheri- to touch the carrying poles that slide through
tance had to be inserted. This is not a problem rings molded into the ark for the purpose of
in any way; it is accurate and it precisely agrees transport.
with what we read in both Exodus and Num- To “stand before the Lord” is a Hebrew
bers on the subject. idiom that means to serve the Lord in an offi-
cial capacity. To bless His holy name means that
the Levite priests are the only ones permitted to
The Role of Levites
perform the sacrificial rituals to Yehoveh.
Just as God separated Israel from the rest of
the world to make them a separate people for
Him, so He separated the tribe of Levi from Isr ael Must Commit
the rest of Israel to be a separate priesthood for From this point forward (starting with verse
Him. In both cases the election of Israel and 12) Moses makes a call for the commitment of
then the tribe of Levi to be set apart was accom- the people of Israel to obey all that God has
plished by means of a declaration by God and demanded. Verse 12 begins with this rhetori-
had nothing to do with merit or a higher level of cal question: “And now, O Israel, what does
righteousness. Even though the Hebrews were Yehoveh your elohim demand of you?” Short
set apart from Gentiles, they didn’t stop being question, huge implications. The people are
human beings that lived on planet earth. They about to be asked to make a personal decision
were, however, given a different purpose, des- on the issue. The enormity of the decision was
tiny, and status and even a set apart land. Even this: to agree would be to apprehend the bless-
though the Levites were set apart from Israel ings laid out in Torah; to decline would be mean
they didn’t stop being Hebrews; they were sim- to experience the curses.
ply given a different purpose, destiny, and sta- Here is one the forgotten principles found
Deuteronomy 10

tus from the other twelve tribes. As believers in the Bible. God gives His people, in direct lan-
in Yeshua, we haven’t stopped being human nor guage, the requirement, not on how to become
are we to stop living in the world, but we have redeemed, but on how to live the redeemed life
been given a different purpose, destiny, and sta- in harmony with the Redeemer after we’ve been
tus than those who do not believe. This special redeemed. Let me ask you a rhetorical question:
purpose, destiny, and status is accomplished by do you want to live in harmony and peace with
means of a declaration of the Lord towards us God during the duration of your life? Or do you
and nothing else. only want to be assured of salvation and nothing
 84 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

more? If you only want to be sure of salvation, tions)? Have you decided that you can completely
this verse is not addressed to you. If you are separate your knowledge of what He has done
interested in knowing what the Lord expects of for you from your worship of Him and from
you as a saved person, then please pay attention. the way you live the rest of your life? Let me say
Moses answers. The people are to a) revere without hesitation or doubt: that precise implica-
Him, b) walk in His paths, c) love Him, d) serve tion is rife within the modern (especially modern
Him, and e) keep (obey) the Lord’s command- Evangelical) church and even brings into ques-
ments and laws. This is not for people who are tion whether any form of believers’ obedience to
not His. This is not for pagans. The Lord has the written Word is actually legalism, and thus
placed no demand upon non-believers to revere a bad thing. I speak in firm opposition to such
Him or obey Him , He has these five basic an ungodly doctrine whose basis is nothing more
demands of us. Let’s say them again: revere, than a desire to distance the Gentile church
walk, love, serve, obey (keep). from the Hebrew Torah and to make the life of
a Christian seem as though, from the moment of
our salvation, we have gained the right to retire
Love the Lord
from the duty to do any more than merely exist
Notice that “love” is not the only demand. Inter- as we await heaven. Moses says, “Redeemed of
estingly, even though earlier in Deuteronomy and Israel, you have things to do.” Modern Christian-
later in the NT we’ll be told that the Torah can ity says, “Redeemed of Christ, quit now and save
be summed up by “Love Yehoveh your God with your energy.”
all of your mind, soul, and strength . . .,” in other I will not rest until I have done all I can
verses we are told repeatedly what God’s defini- to persuade you that you do have obligations
tion of loving Him means. And this is where we to the Lord and that simply feeling love toward
get in trouble; we insist on deciding for ourselves Him will not suffice as the proper response to
how to love Him. His unmatchable gift of redemption. In some
First and foremost, the Lord says that the denominations it has become a rather standard
expression of love toward Him that He seeks doctrine that God seeks from us only a feeling
from each and every one of us is obedience to of love in our hearts and it’s not necessary to do
His commands. Yet, in another vein, these five much of anything other than to enjoy ourselves
demands that He places on us—to revere, walk, in the company of other Christians, and perhaps
love, serve, and obey—are all interrelated and to attend a worship service regularly. I remind
interwoven. We can’t pick the best three out of you: here in Deuteronomy God is giving all of
five and forget the rest. The man who loves God these instructions to a people that He already
will revere Him, walk in His ways, serve Him, redeemed; they were already in a redeemed state.
and keep His commandments. The man who This is the pattern of God that naturally flows
keeps His commandments loves God, reveres through to our era as do all of His patterns. First,
God, walks in His ways, and serves Him . . . we’re redeemed, and only then does He give
and so on. All of these attitudes are organically us His commands and instructions. His com-
Deuteronomy 10

interdependent. The underlying principle here mands and instructions are not for those who
is so very clear: our worship of God, and the are not already redeemed (“saved,” in Christian
way we live our lives, cannot be separated and jargon). Again: His commands and instructions
compartmentalized. (what the church derisively calls “the Law”) are
Do you truly believe that once you trust not for the purpose of redemption. Redemption
Yeshua our Messiah that you have utterly no fur- is a free gift, given to whomever God chooses
ther obligations to Him and there will be no con- to give it, and it has always been a free gift even
sequences for your decisions and actions (or inac- in the time of Moses. The laws of God are for
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 85

the purpose of instructing redeemed persons on And while that doesn’t mean the marriage will
how to live out the redeemed life. fail, the relationship certainly will not be as ful-
Further, the Lord demands that there is a filling as it could be or is intended to be.
way that He be shown reciprocal love. One of So it is in our relationship with God. He has
the standard questions that a marriage coun- unequivocally told us in very plain terms how
selor will ask a husband and a wife is: how do He wants to be shown love. He says that for
you want to be shown love? Many men struggle Him love begins with obedience to His laws and
with that question (often not even understand- commands. He says that revering Him, walk-
ing what that means), but most women instantly ing in the ways He has ordained, serving Him
have an answer. The marriage counselors I’m faithfully, and obeying Him show Him that we
acquainted with say that central to problems love Him in the way He wants to be loved. Can
within marriage is a spouse not being willing to we not even attempt to revere Him, not walk
show love to their partner in ways that partner in His ways, not serve Him, and not be obedi-
can recognize and accept as genuine love. ent to Him and still love Him to some degree?
The Bible does give us a generalization Perhaps from our side of the equation, but not
about this issue of love within human mar- from His. What kind of relationship does that
riage: it says that women should respect their say we have with the Lord if we are insisting we
husbands, and husbands should show love to love Him but He says we’re not?
their wives. God’s Word explains that a wife
submitting to her husband is how she shows
him respect, which is what equates to love for a Circumcised Hearts
man. Alternately, a husband shows his wife the After explaining what God requires of His
love she seeks by putting her above himself, by redeemed people, a strange statement is made in
demonstrating that he would give up his own verse 16 that we’ll find repeated at regular inter-
life to protect hers if need be, and by being kind vals in the remainder of the OT and in several
and gentle and cognizant of her needs and con- key places in the NT. It is that the Lord wants
cerns. Again, this is, of course, a generality, but circumcised hearts more than he wants circum-
I think I have not run across a married couple cised foreskins. Remember: cross out the word
that wouldn’t agree with that basic premise. heart (due to what heart means in our twenty-first
Of course, as individuals we each have century lingo) and insert the word mind, because
specific things that indicate “love” to us. For that is what heart meant to the people of the
women it can be her husband saying, “I love Bible era. So this is saying to “circumcise our
you,” verbally, on a fairly regular basis. For oth- will, thoughts, and mental processes.”
ers it might be a surprise remembrance like a To “circumcise the foreskin of your heart”
bunch of flowers or an unexpected gift. For a means to remove the protective (even impen-
man it may be his wife fixing meals for him that etrable) covering over your mind and decisions
she knows are his favorites, or doing a good job that keeps God from entering in. It means to
raising their children and caring for their home, stop being hard headed and thus blocking the
Deuteronomy 10

or regularly seeking his advice (or even permis- Word of God from taking root in your thoughts.
sion) on matters that even he doesn’t necessarily It is also a dualism; in addition to what I’ve
believe he ought to be the one who decides. just explained, it also illustrates that while the
But here’s the thing: for the woman who circumcision of the flesh is the God-ordained
craves to hear “I love you” but has a husband sign of the Abrahamic covenant to be worn by
who simply cannot or will not say it, she is not all Hebrew males, a circumcised heart (mind)
being loved in a way that she understands as should be the inward spiritual companion of
love (even though he does indeed love his wife). that outward fleshly operation.
 86 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Paul says the same thing some 1400 years circumcised minds brought about by an act of
after Moses first said it. In fact, Paul says that a God (so that they were capable of being obedi-
fleshly circumcision without the accompanying ent to Him), so do those who place their faith in
change of mind that moves us toward harmony Messiah Yeshua.
with God is essentially worthless.. Therefore in
typical Hebrew style, a literary couplet is writ-
ten because the next words are “so don’t be a God is Great
stiff-necked people.” Stiff-necked simply means Moses continues with his argument as to why
stubborn and unresponsive. Moses is saying to Israel should be obedient and pay attention to
Israel that by allowing your heart to be circum- Yehoveh, and it is that God is the greatest of
cised by the Holy Spirit you will no longer be a all beings. He uses words that were well under-
hardheaded person. Therefore, God’s people, do stood for that day: Lord of lords, God of gods.
not be a nation of stubborn people because you This language sounds like an acknowledgement
have refused the circumcision of your mind by of multiple gods (with one god, YHWH, higher
the Lord. than the other gods) even though it is actually
Hear this mystery: your faith in Christ does a statement of monotheism. Common language
not necessarily equal a circumcised heart. Your of the day, within the common understanding
redemption (meaning you have faith that Yeshua of the day, is what is needed and used to get
died for your sins) doesn’t mean you have the a point across and that is the sense of it here.
change of mind that can only come by means of But Yehoveh is a very unique God who doesn’t
an act of God, through the Holy Spirit, by mak- take bribes (customary for those times), and His
ing your mind responsive to Him. Listen to this justice insists that Israelite widows and orphans
passage from the Book of Hebrews: be tenderly cared for by Israelite society. Even
more, God loves those who aren’t legally part of
When the emissaries in Yerushalayim heard that Israel; therefore the stranger, the resident alien
Shomron had received the Word of God, they sent them that lives among Israel (the ger in Hebrew), must
Kefa and Yochanan, who came down and prayed for also have food and clothing provided if they
them, that they might receive the Ruach HaKodesh. For have no means to obtain it due to poverty or
until then he had not come upon any of them; they had circumstance. Because God is no respecter of
only been immersed into the name of the Lord Yeshua. individuals (He’s not impressed with aristocrats
Then, as Kefa and Yochanan placed their hands on them, or the intellectual elite), He wants equal justice
they received the Ruach HaKodesh. (Acts 8:14-17 CJB) for all. Therefore as the Lord’s earthly represen-
tatives, Israel is to love the ger in order to show
The Israelites were a redeemed people the them that the God of Israel loves the ger.
instant of the Passover in Egypt, but they had This should all sound pretty familiar to us
not received God’s laws and commands and as these are exactly the same principles that
did not yet have circumcised hearts that made Jesus taught. It also explains why the Lord
their minds responsive to him. Thus they did made a way for non-Hebrews (Gentiles) to be
Deuteronomy 10

great sins out in the Wilderness with thou- redeemed; He loves all humanity, not just those
sands of them dying and God determining born to a certain tribe or nation. Yet it is indeed
more than once to exterminate them all (saved only by means of divine covenants made with
only by Moses’s arbitration on their behalf with a certain people (the people spawned by Jacob)
God). As believers we are indeed redeemed the that foreigners can be redeemed; they (we) don’t
moment we have the simplest faith that Jesus get a separate Gentile covenant or a European
is Lord. However, just as the Israelites needed or Arab Messiah of our own apart from Israel’s.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 87

Deuteronomy 11

So far in Deuteronomy, Moses’s sermon has Yehoveh, then they will be subject to its bless-
been covering the broad and underlying (foun- ings and its curses. Blessings come from fol-
dational) God-principles of the Law rather that lowing the terms of the covenant (following its
specific ordinances. He’s reviewed Israel’s his- laws) and curses come from violating the terms
tory, God’s gracious election of them as His set- of the covenant (breaking its laws). However,
apart people, what happened to them out in the these blessings and curses only apply to those
Wilderness and how the Lord cared for them, with whom God has made the covenant; it’s not
and what their attitude should be about the for others. Israel’s acceptance of the covenant
proposition that has been set before them. That at Mount Sinai doesn’t necessarily put pagan,
is, Yehoveh has made Israel an offer that Israel Gentile Mesopotamia under the curses of the
can most certainly refuse. He has offered to be Law, for example.
their God, and in turn they will be His people. I tell you this for two reasons: 1) because it’s
He has offered to establish a special and unique a common misconception that those not under
relationship and union with Israel but only if the covenant automatically suffer the curses of
they want it. The way they must show God that the Law and those who are under it automati-
they indeed do want it is to ratify this new cov- cally receive the blessings of the Law, and 2)
enant that has been made at Mount Sinai by a) because this helps to further cement the reason
agreeing with it corporately, and b) by diligently that Paul went to such length (particularly in
following its terms. his letter to the Church at Rome) to explain that
Sometimes we miss a rather significant Gentiles get grafted into Israel (meaning into
point about Israel’s acceptance of this covenant Israel’s covenants with God) when they come
of Moses: it’s not that if Israel accepts it then to faith in Yeshua. If we didn’t get grafted into
they receive the blessings of that covenant, but Israel’s covenants, then we have no right to par-
rather that if they reject it then they receive the take of their terms. Gentile Christians, remem-
curses contained in the covenant. It’s that if they ber this: the covenant does have terms. And
choose not to accept the covenant, if they choose when you and I accepted Christ we accepted all
to refuse the offer of friendship with God, then of the covenant’s terms, not just those we prefer.
so be it. Israel is simply thrown back into the Recall that pivotal chapter,31 in Jeremiah,
generic pool of nations that forms all the earth’s which explains that the Lord is going to create
people (the pool from which they were taken a New Covenant (this is one that will later be
and made separate in the first place), and they called the New Covenant under Christ), but let’s
Deuteronomy 11

will be looked upon as no better or worse or remember with whom the covenant was being
different than any of the rest. They will not be created: “Behold, days are coming,” declares
eligible for special blessings contained in the the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant
Law, nor will they be subjected to special curses with the house of Israel and with the house of
of the Law more than any other of the millions Judah” (Jer. 31:31 NAS).
of people on planet Earth. Between the Lord and the House of Judah
But if they do accept the covenant, if they do and the House of Israel there was to be a new
enter into a special covenant relationship with covenant – essentially between exactly the same
 88 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

people as the Covenant of Moses. Therefore, posed contract or not. If they decide “no” then
the issue for Gentiles is how to gain access to there is nothing gained but there is also no
the wonderful provisions of that provision that inherent penalty that we’re aware of.
Christians call “the New Covenant” that was Back to the house analogy: if you do decide
given explicity and exclusively to Israel. The to accept the terms of that house contract and
answer to that issue is that faith in the Jewish sign the papers (indicating a free-will accep-
Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth, brings us into tance of its terms), then everything changes.
the fold. That is the one and only entry ticket If you follow through with the terms you get
allowed or needed for joining into the redemp- the enjoyment and security of a house that will
tion provided by Israel’s covenants. provide you with shelter, but if you violate the
contract’s terms you lose the house and there
are stiff penalties. That is what Israel is doing
What It Means to Love God
in Chapter 11; it is presumed that they have
Deuteronomy 11:1 opens with the basic foun- accepted the terms of the Mosaic Covenant,
dational rule for Israel that is also the attitude they have entered into the contract with God,
with which Israel is to enter into the covenant and so now they’re contemplating the results for
relationship with God: love Him! Notice that following through with the deal, as well as the
immediately upon saying, “love Him,” its mean- penalties for violating its terms.
ing is laid down: always obey His laws, rules, In verses 2–7 Moses explains that he is not
and commandments. asking Israel to take on mere faith the experi-
Now there is a subtle but important shift in ences from another generation, but many of them
the issue. In chapter 10 the issue is acceptance have themselves personally witnessed what he is
or rejection of the covenant relationship with calling to mind of their history. Certainly many
God; does Israel choose to enter into the cov- Hebrews who are now about sixty have seen even
enant that is being offered or not? In chapter 11 what happened in Egypt because they would have
the issue is that once that covenant is accepted, been about twenty when they left Egypt, and this
the next decision for Israel (both corporately is because (generally speaking) even though all
and as individuals) is obedience or disobedience the first generation of the Exodus had to die off
to the terms of the covenant and what the con- before God allowed them to enter into the Prom-
sequences for both are. ised Land, those affected were twenty years and
I want that difference to be well stamped older at the time of the Egyptian Passover; it was
onto our minds, so let me illustrate it. If you that age group (twenty years and older) that was
want to purchase a home and you find one you considered to be the age of personal accountabil-
like, a contract is drawn up. You look that con- ity. So, as you can imagine, all that happened in
tract over, see what the seller’s provisions and Egypt and then in the forty years of wilderness
terms are, and make a decision as to whether was quite vivid and real in the minds of those
you want to enter into that contract or not. If in their fifties. Not all of those standing before
you decide “no,” then there is nothing gained or Moses had personally experienced everything
Deuteronomy 11

lost except maybe a little time. You have no obli- Moses was speaking about; most of those alive
gations and there are no penalties at that point at this moment were born during this arduous
because there never was an agreed-to deal. That journey. However a great number of Hebrews
is the situation with Israel up to Deuteronomy experienced Egypt to some degree, so they had
10; the contract (the Mosaic Covenant) with all no reason to doubt Moses or to deny what they
of its terms (the blessings and the curses) has had personally seen.
been presented to Israel by God through Moses, Therefore, Moses says in verse 8, if you want
and now it’s up to Israel to enter into the pro- to experience the blessings of what the Lord
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 89

has waiting for you in Canaan, then obey God’s filled bucket up and dump it into an irrigation
commands. The bottom line: the fact that you channel. There was a lot of work involved here
were born as ethnic Hebrews is not sufficient because it is estimated that during the approxi-
for you to be blessed by the good things of the mately one hundred-day growing season in
land; rather you must also be obedient to the Egypt one thousand tons of water was needed
covenant you have just agreed to accept. You per acre to ensure a proper crop.
must behave as Hebrews. Obedience was the The system Egypt devised was amazing;
key to all that lay ahead for Israel. they used scores of thousands of shadufs and
hundreds of waterwheels and several other
clever methods for getting water into those
Egypt vs. Canaan
channels and out to the fields. Now don’t con-
The next several verses seem straightforward fuse this process with the natural overflow of
but there are some interesting insights that you the Nile during the flooding season that didn’t
might appreciate that add to their impact. The so much water the land as it provided rich nutri-
land of Egypt and the land of Canaan are hereby ents contained in the silt to fertilize the fields
compared and contrasted, and Moses says that before they were planted.
Canaan is not at all like Egypt because in Egypt Also understand that Egypt was for, the most
you had to work to get water to your fields. But part, a desert; practically no rainfall occurred
in Canaan God will water your fields for you. at all. The waters of the Nile came from deep
Egypt was a relatively flat land, but Canaan within another area of Africa, upstream, from
is generally hilly with the resulting valleys. melting mountain snow peaks. Egypt simply
Egypt was like any other land on earth in that it benefited from the river’s flow. So, with all this
became whatever its inhabitants made of it, but as a background it is easy to imagine how proud
in Canaan the Lord says in verse 12, He looks Egypt felt to have developed this elaborate irri-
after it and tends it. gation infrastructure and how they felt depen-
Let met share something with you that can dent only upon their own efforts to grow crops.
be a little bit hard to understand: in verse 10 That situation would be reversed in Canaan.
the CJB says that “there (Egypt) you would sow In Canaan the Lord says they won’t need
your seed and had to use your feet to operate human-powered irrigation systems. Instead He
its irrigation system.” This is called a dynamic would bring rain from the sky upon their crops.
translation and it is probably a good one in this And for this all they had to do was wait and be
case, because what is being described here is obedient and to keep their hearts (their minds)
indeed the ingenious manmade irrigation sys- firmly set upon Him. The rains would be suf-
tem so vital to Egypt’s agriculture; a system of ficient to provide grain for the people, grapes
canals, reservoirs, and channels were built to from the vines, fruit from the trees, and grass
water the fields using the water from the Nile for the herds. They wouldn’t even have to work
(essentially Egypt’s only substantial source of to have it.
water). However, warns Moses, don’t fall prey to
Deuteronomy 11

Human feet were used in several differ- your own human inclinations by giving praise
ent kinds of operations to make the irrigation for the rains and the good crops and the ease
system work. In some cases they used a kind at which they happen to one of the Canaanite
of waterwheel, which was usually human pow- gods. Of course, that is exactly what the Isra-
ered. They also employed a shaduf, a bucket on elites would eventually do. The temptation to
a rope with one end tied to a lever. A person misdirect their gratitude would have been great
would allow the bucket to dip into a reservoir because they were going to live among a people
of water and then using leverage would lift the who had long ago cleared the land and added
 90 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

fertilizers and made stone fences to both pen in the covenant they have accepted contains both,
the animals and keep them out of the crops. It so Israel must decide to abide by what they have
was a difficult task not to offer sacrifices to the agreed to or experience God’s severity. The first
gods of these peoples even if just trying to be thing God enjoins Israel from doing is bowing
tolerant in order to maintain peace. God says if down to the gods of the Canaanites.
you succumb to this evil then He will turn off However in verses 29-30 a different agenda
the rain and the ground will become hard and is discussed. Once they enter into the land
Israel will suffer and perhaps won’t survive. (with Joshua in the lead) they are to have a cer-
Therefore, counsels Moses in verses 18-21, emony that reaffirms the Mosaic Covenant to
employ the several God-ordained visual which they had agreed about a year after leaving
reminders to stay faithful to Yehoveh. Among Egypt. In Deuteronomy 27 this topic is taken
these reminders are the tefillin, the mezuzah, up in more detail, and in Joshua 8:35 we find the
the presence of the priesthood and the Taber- ceremony of reaffirmation actually occur.
nacle, and the constant teaching of God’s laws Why was this renewal (or reaffirmation) nec-
to the children. If Israel will do this then they essary? It is interesting that this will be the third
will possess the land forever. time the covenant of Moses has been ratified.
The first time was at Mount Sinai, the second is
what we just covered in the last couple of chap-
Moment of Decision for Isr ael
ters of Deuteronomy in the land of Moab, and
Step one of Israel possessing the land is for the third time will be after Israel has entered the
Canaan to be emptied of its current residents; Promised Land. At least one theory about this
the Lord says if Israel will demonstrate love series of reaffirmations is that it was customary
toward God in the form of obedience, then the of most covenants and treaties of that era. When
Lord Himself will expel those Canaanites and a leader with whom the treaty was made died,
enable Israel to succeed. Therefore the promise the new leader had to re-validate the covenant.
of victory over Canaan is entirely conditional This was accomplished with a ceremony. Moses
on Israel following through with the terms of died after the second agreement to affirm the
the Mosaic Covenant (those terms contained in covenant, so with Joshua as the new leader of
what we usually call the Law). Israel the third affirmation was required (at least
The extent of the land holdings that Israel in the eyes of these Middle Eastern people of
would receive is now outlined in verse 24 and that era).
only during King David’s time did Israel ever But (again, in the eyes of the people) it also
possess anything close to this wide range of probably had to do with leaving behind the spir-
territory. In essence, this is the heavenly ideal itual authority of one territory and entering into
for the mass of land set aside for Israel’s pos- spiritual sphere of influence of another. That is,
session; since the deal was conditional and the as Israel left Mount Sinai (the dwelling place of
Hebrews started breaking the terms of the cov- Yehoveh) and entered Moab (where another god
enant almost immediately after crossing the was thought to rule) it would have been custom-
Deuteronomy 11

Jordan River, the penalty (the curse) was that ary to reaffirm a treaty with the spiritual author-
God didn’t expel all the peoples that occupied ity over that land. Recall as we’ve discussed on
Canaan, so Israel never gained all that had been numerous occasions that the ancients thought
set aside for them. that various gods controlled various parcels of
Verse 26 to the end of this chapter speaks land. So since it was a basic necessity of all trea-
of the moment of decision for Israel. Now the ties that a vow was made, and that a vow by
decision to accept the covenant is foregone; definition meant invoking the name of a god,
what is meant here by curse and blessing is that and the name of the god invoked had to be the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 91

one who was in charge of the territory where

the treaty was made. If one were in Egypt, then
Egypt’s god would be invoked; but if one were
in Moab a different god would necessarily have
to be invoked. By reaffirming the Mosaic Cove-
nant in the land of Moab, the name of Yehoveh’s
authority was being attached to that territory. By
reaffirming the covenant yet again in Canaan,
Yehoveh’s authority was being extended to that
territory.
It is interesting that the place where this
covenant reaffirmation ceremony was to even-
tually take place was defined—Mount Gerizim
and Mount Ebal. The road to Shechem cuts in
between them with Gerizim to the south of the
road and Ebal to the north. Now what is inter-
esting is that it is on Mount Gerizim that the
blessings of the Torah are to be proclaimed, but
on Mount Ebal the curses of the Torah are to be
proclaimed. Believe it or not, there is logic and
pattern behind this choice.
Recall our study of the spiritual significance
of the direction east. Also recall in our study
of how the encampment of Israel was ordered
such that certain groups were assigned perma-
nent camping locations according to the four north was Mount Ebal. Left is not necessarily a
major compass directions. East is always pre- cursed direction, it’s just not as good or mighty
eminent. So when one faces east, what direction as the right. So the curses of the Law were pro-
is to the right? South. When facing east Mount nounced from Mount Ebal that was to the left
Gerizim was to the right, the south. Since the side, the north.
right side is the mightier and the more regal, By the way: these two mountains, the very
then Mount Gerizim was given the privilege of place where the covenant of Moses was reaf-
having the covenant blessings read from it. As firmed, now lies in what the world calls “dis-
one faces east, then to the left is north; to the puted territory,” the so-called West Bank.

Deuteronomy 11
 92 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy 1-11 were in essence the introduc- during both our natural life and our spiritual
tion to what is beginning in chapter 12. Schol- eternity.
ars have established the importance of this sec- There is a second part to that covenant pat-
tion of Scripture by giving it its own name: the tern: the acceptance of the Lord’s covenants
Code of Deuteronomy. brings with it its precious provisions along with
I think if we can come away with one terms and conditions. If a man decides not to
supreme theme, one overriding God-principle, enter into a covenant relationship with God, the
from Deuteronomy 11 it is that when the Lord terms of the covenant He has offered has no
offers us an opportunity to join in His cove- bearing on that man because he’s not part of the
nant offer we do have a choice; it is an offer that covenant people. However if one does decide to
we can refuse. The Lord asked Israel: “Do you accept the offer of a covenant relationship with
want to be My People and for Me to be your God, whoever does so indeed has an obligation
God? If you do then enter into My covenant to obey all the terms of that covenant. Just as
that I’ve set before you. If you don’t want My
covenant then reject it and walk away.” That is
the choice that is set before every man whom
Yehoveh approaches.
By the way, there would have been no calam-
itous penalty per se for Israel to choose to say
“no” to the offer of God’s covenant. Israel sim-
ply would have been denied special holy status
and instead be re-joined to the universal pool of
nations from which they were plucked. From a
heavenly and eternal standpoint it would have
been a grave mistake to refuse the Lord’s gra-
cious offer, but from a limited earthly viewpoint
they likely would have fared no better or worse
than any other nation or people. It is the same
for us today when we are given the opportu-
nity to join Israel’s covenant and the Messiah of
that covenant, Yeshua, Jesus Christ. By our own
Deuteronomy 12

free will we can say yes or no; the yes will for-
ever alter our eternal future for the better and
in some important ways enhance our earthly
experiences. A no will not necessarily damn us
to poverty or sickness or unhappiness during
our lifetimes but rather our “no” will exclude
us from a relationship with the Lord and the
primarily spiritual blessings that come from it
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 93

that was the case in Moses’s era, so it remains and ordinances and rituals by which even the
today and until heaven and earth pass away. ultimate ruler of the government was to be obe-
dient boggled the ancient mind. As happens in
such cases of radical departure from the norm,
Living Under Other Gods
it often doesn’t even feel real to most people.
It will be worth our while to take some time It seems rather like a fantasy or something that
to set the stage for what we’re about to study is far from their grasp (such as a dream or a
because some ideas and concepts that may seem vision), so it’s hard to put it into practice. It is
so normal and ordinary and self-evident to us also rather easy to misinterpret what was meant
(because it’s all we’ve ever known) are actu- because there was so little about many of these
ally quite revolutionary in their nature, so the new concepts that an Israelite could relate to;
impact of those ideas and concepts can get lost. often it was simply easier to mix in a few ele-
Previously, I used the American Constitution as ments of the Law of Moses with ways and cus-
an illustration of some principles and problems toms they had always practiced, or perhaps to
that men face when trying to govern our earthly look at what other cultures that surrounded
societies, so I’ll use the Constitution again to them did and modify things a bit.
make a point because we’re at least somewhat Up to the time of Moses (and it is still largely
familiar with its structure and intent. so within most religions of the world except for
The Constitution was based on an idea (or Judeo-Christianity) people were in constant
better, an ideal) of self-governance and self- search for what the various gods demanded of
responsibility. While the idea of democracy was them. Since they believed that most things that
revolutionary to some degree, various elements happened to them were the consequences of
of it were previously attempted by ancient Rome decisions by one god or another, the people des-
(in having a governmental body called the Senate perately wanted to know which god had inter-
that theoretically represented the people). Other vened in their life, why that god chose to do
elements of the Constitution were modeled after what he or she did, and if there was any way
the famous Magna Carta of the thirteenth cen- to appease or manipulate that god. But almost
tury, which limited the power of the king such universally, it was all for naught because it was
that he was supposed to obey established laws of understood that the gods and their desires were
the kingdom just as the common citizens had to. generally unknowable. Serendipity ruled; the
So the Constitution was really another (signifi- whims of the gods controlled everyone and
cant) step toward an ideal of democratic self-rule, everything, and there was little to no logic for
not a complete departure from everything that what these gods decided. Like a typical earthly
had ever been thought of or attempted. monarch, the motives were self-centered.
Yet as radical as the Constitution was seen by I tell you frankly that we have absolutely
many in the year of its establishment, it cannot no way to identify with this ancient mindset
begin to describe the unprecedented change of unless we’ve been deeply involved in a non-
direction taken by the covenant of Mount Sinai Judeo-Christian society. Since most of us have
Deuteronomy 12

from all that had been known up to this point in not been raised up in that kind of environment,
history, particularly as it pertains to social jus- let me tell you in a nutshell that life was always
tice. Up to this point there was only one source uneasy because hanging over your head was
of law and justice for any of the earth’s societies: knowledge that some god or another could dis-
the law and justice as declared by its king. The rupt your existence at any instant and you might
concept first introduced to the Israelites out in never know why or what you had done to bring
the Wilderness that a god (instead of a human that god’s wrath upon you. It was a truly terrible
king) would issue this amazing system of laws predicament.
 94 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

I recently ran across an ancient poem May the heart of my god be quieted toward
that dates back to about the time of Abraham me;
(roughly 2000 BC.). Segments of this poem May the heart of my goddess be quieted
have been incorporated into records of sev- toward me.
eral different ancient societies over a period of May my god and goddess be quieted toward
many centuries. It was so highly regarded that me.
it poignantly expressed the common plight of May the god [who has become angry with
the human race across all cultural boundar- me] be quieted toward me;
ies and eras. It soberly captures the dilemma May the goddess [who has become angry
that the entire known world faced (and much with me] be quieted toward me.
of it still does) who did not know the one true
God. My hope is that two things will be accom- [lines 11-18 cannot be restored with certainty]
plished by our looking at this four-thousand-
year-old piece. First, that it helps those study- In ignorance I have eaten that forbidden of
ing the Torah to understand the mindset and my god;
psyche of the ancient world that Moses and the In ignorance I have set foot on that prohib-
Hebrews of the Exodus inhabited;, a mindset ited by my goddess.
that infected their thinking with false beliefs. O Lord, my transgressions are many; great
It’s important to understand how difficult it was are my sins.
for these Hebrew refugees from Egypt to grasp O my god, (my) transgressions are many;
and assimilate that which Yehoveh was offer- great are (my) sins.
ing to Israel. Second, it is so you can see how O my goddess, (my) transgressions are many;
incredibly blessed and fortunate we are that great are (my) sins.
God has the character and attributes He does, O god, whom I know or do not know, (my)
and that He has graciously made Himself and transgressions are many; great are (my)
His laws and commands known to us. God pos- sins;
sesses a character with attributes that we accept O goddess, whom I know or do not know,
just very matter-of-fact and take for granted, but (my) transgressions are many; great are
these attributes were unthinkable and even con- (my) sins.
fusing for the people during the time the Torah The transgression that I have committed,
was being recorded because it was such a radical indeed I do not know;
departure from what they and the rest of the The sin that I have done, indeed I do not
world practiced and believed. know.
This four-thousand-year-old anonymous The forbidden thing that I have done, the
poem is called “The Prayer to Every God”: prohibited (place) on which I have set foot,
indeed I do not know.
May the fury of my lord’s heart be quieted The lord in the anger of his heart looked at
toward me. me;
Deuteronomy 12

May the god who is not known be quieted The god in the rage of his heart confronted
toward me; me;
May the goddess who is not known be qui- When the goddess was angry with me, she
eted toward me. made me become ill.
May the god whom I know or do not know The god whom I know or do not know has
be quieted toward me; oppressed me;
May the goddess whom I know or do not The goddess whom I know or do not know
know be quieted toward me. has placed suffering upon me.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 95

Although I am constantly looking for help, be quieted toward me;

no one takes me by the hand; Like a real mother (and) a real father may it
When I weep the gods and goddesses do not be quieted toward me.4
come to my side.
I utter laments, but no one hears me; This is both heartbreaking and depressing,
I am troubled; is it not? It expresses the utterly hopeless condi-
I am overwhelmed; tion of mankind and the pathetic condition of
I cannot see. the world’s religious systems past and present. It
O my god, merciful one, I address to you the was this condition that the Hebrews, as well as
prayer, everyone else on planet earth, were born into. It
”Ever incline to me”; expresses how all humanity looked at spiritual-
I kiss the feet of my goddess; ity in general and how they thought their lives
I crawl before you. were as worthless pawns for these gods.
Here comes along this god, this Yehoveh,
[lines 41-49 are mostly broken and cannot be restored and He throws the mother of all curve balls at
with certainty] the world through Moses and Israel. He tells
them exactly who He is, precisely what He
How long, O my goddess, whom I know or regards as good and evil, what He expects of
do not know, before your hostile heart will every man and woman who loves Him, and even
be quieted? commits Himself to operate within the bounds
Man is dumb; he knows nothing; of His own unchanging justice system that He
Mankind, everyone that exists—what does has established with Israel. He says there is no
he know? other god to even consider and therefore not to
Whether he is committing sin or doing good, bow down to or fear that which doesn’t exist;
he does not even know. that He expects obedience to Him to be done
O my lord, do not cast your servant down; out of love and gratitude, not fear and paranoia.
He is plunged into the waters of a swamp; Why? Because He loved mankind because He
take him by the hand. created us. He cares about the tiniest element
The sin that I have done, turn into goodness; of our lives and wants a personal relationship
The transgression that I have committed let with each of us. The Lord even says that these
the wind carry away; principles He has given to Israel form the foun-
My many misdeeds strip off like a garment. dation for the entire universe; they have always
O my god, (my) transgressions are seven been, they will always be, and they can count
times seven; remove my transgressions; on Him staying the same from eternity past to
O my goddess, (my) transgressions are seven eternity future.
times seven; remove my transgressions; Nothing could be further away from the
O god whom I know or do not know, (my) hopelessness of all mankind as expressed in that
transgressions are seven times seven; ancient poem than what the Lord God offered
Deuteronomy 12

remove my transgressions; to Israel.

O goddess whom I know or do not know, How does a society or even one lone indi-
(my) transgressions are seven times seven; vidual transition from the kind of dark desperate
remove my transgressions. thinking expressed within this poem (and uni-
Remove my transgressions (and) I will sing versally understood to be just the way things are)
your praise. to comprehending the laws , love, and peronsal
May your heart, like the heart of a real mother, concern of God, practically overnight? Answer:
4
Translation by Ferris J. Stephens, in Ancient Near Eastern Texts (Princeton, 1950), PP. 391-2
 96 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

you don’t and you can’t. Israel really didn’t get worldly, ways of the Lord. Is it any wonder that
it; it flew in the face of everything they knew. Saint Paul tells Gentiles not to boast because
They could hear the words, but it didn’t translate of their newfound relationship with God? A
to understanding. So they fouled up, backslid, relationship that comes as a result of our Jewish
repented, backslid some more, adopted ways that Messiah, whose advent came within the context
seemed right to them, committed apostasy, had of Hebrew history? Is it any wonder that Paul
reformations, and fell away again in a constant also tells us it is our duty and our debt as believ-
cycle that at one moment veered toward God and ers to repay the Jewish people in tangible ways
in the next moment moved away from Him.
Moses witnessed Israel at its best and at
its worst over four decades. It must have been Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 12.
daunting and frustrating for this anointed
leader, but before he died he spent what I’m sure
were several days, if not weeks, expounding in
this sermon we call Deuteronomy, spoken on for delivering to us the Word, both in stone and
the mountains of Moab about the astounding (if in flesh, as it was transmitted to them?
not downright unbelievable) covenant of rela- A major change is about to occur; Israel is
tionship that the Creator of all things, the King no longer going to be a cohesive (although large)
over all kings and Lord over all lords, had made group of people who live carefully arranged
with this rag-tag group of people who had done around a centralized sanctuary known as the
nothing to merit it. That is what we are reading Wilderness Tabernacle—a sanctuary that as they
in this 5th book of the Torah, and this is the relocate, goes with them. Instead, as they cross
condition of the Hebrew thinking and beliefs the Jordan River and take possession of the
that are trying to overcome. Promised Land they are going to be dispersed
Modern believers need to have the greatest according to tribe and clan over several thousand
empathy and understanding for the Hebrews square miles of Canaan (into assigned and sepa-
for what seems like their constant failures and rate districts). With this rather drastic change in
returns to wickedness that we read about in the their daily living conditions, the logical and prac-
Bible. We also need to understand why the peo- tical question that must be answered for the citi-
ple of Israel didn’t (and today’s Orthodox Jews zens of Israel is: where do we worship and sacri-
don’t) view these laws of God as a burden as fice? After all, if the requirement remained that
do most Christians; far from it. The Law was only one place is permitted for worship and sac-
and remains their greatest joy for (at last!) here rifice, then by definition that place will be nearby
is a God who revealed Himself, made clear His for some tribes of Israel and far away and a long
wonderful character, His demands and inten- journey for most of the others.
tions, and His rules and regulations. No more The subject of the central and single sanctu-
wondering about some unknown god that ary is the driving force behind the laws and the
might pop up to interfere in your life. No more precedents that will be set down in the next few
Deuteronomy 12

despair about what the world of the gods might chapters. Concern over the myriad of false gods
do to you, just for their own pleasure. Do you and their places of sacrifice scattered around
want a relationship with the real God? Well, Canaan has something to do with the decisions
says Moses, here is who God is and this is how that resulted in somewhat altered rules and reg-
you do it. And it won’t change tomorrow, or the ulations.
next day, or ever. And we, today, are the benefi- There is another major change that is in
ciaries of all Israel endured as they attempted process: Israel is no longer going to be a Bed-
to assimilate the awesome, seemingly other- ouin-type society that moves around from oasis
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 97

to oasis in the desert but is about to become a because its long been known that Akkadian
settled agrarian society just as the laws given and Ugarit were the languages out of which
through Moses on Mount Sinai anticipated. After the Hebrew language was born. Shaddai means
all, most of the biblical feasts are primarily agri- “mountain,” so El Shaddai means “God of the
cultural feasts (at least from an earthly, physical Mountain.” Naturally that fits with the mindset
point of view), which certainly are not central (or of all the world’s inhabitants in earliest biblical
even possible to observe) within a society of wan- times, and it also fits with the incident when
dering herdsmen. God introduces Himself to Jacob as El Shaddai
We need to take notice of this process while Jacob is walking through some mountains
because the reality of history is that societies on his way to Mesopotamia.
change and evolve with time; therefore we need A “high place” was a location that is “higher”
to understand the deep principles behind God’s (in altitude) than what surrounded it (in addition,
justice system so that we can be true to those of course, to being a place of worship of a god).
abiding principles within the circumstances that If a tribe resided on a flat desert plain, a high
each new generation faces. place for them could be simply a pile of earth
and stones no more than three or four feet higher
than the desert floor. If one was in an area of low
Cana anite Gods and Shrines
rolling hills, then the “high place” was the high-
The first verse of chapter 12 makes it clear that est of the nearby hills that was reasonably accessi-
the rulings that are about to come apply to Israel ble. If one was in a more mountainous area, than
taking possession of Canaan. Rule number one generally the high place had to be erected on the
is that all shrines and altars and temples and highest of the nearby peaks.
places of worship of the Canaanite gods must We find the Hebrews engaging in exactly
be destroyed. Although it zooms by us in only the same sort of practice. In the area of Jerusa-
two verses, there is a rather good description of lem for instance, Mount Moriah is generally the
the common characteristics of the places where high point of the city (technically the Mount of
the Canaanites worshipped. Verse 2 speaks of
high mountains, hills, and under trees. Then
verse 3 speaks of the kinds of items that marked
those places of worship: altars, standing stones,
sacred poles, and carved images (of their gods).
We’ve talked about the ancient pagan wor-
ship practices before, but since it is brought
before us front and center again let me take just
a moment to summarize and review. Wherever
possible, an altar of sacrifice was located upon
the highest local geographcial feature (even if
it was just a mound) because it was believed
Deuteronomy 12

that the gods generally preferred to reside on

mountaintops.
This leads us to the fact that the mystery of
the meaning of one the earliest biblical titles for
God (El Shaddai) has only recently been solved.
Due to some breakthroughs in deciphering the
Akkadian and Ugarit languages, several ancient
Hebrew terms are now more clearly defined
 98 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Olives is outside of Jerusalem), and so the temple

to God was erected there.
But we also see in verse 2 that altars were
erected under trees. It was common among the
pagan religions to build an altar of sacrifice in
a grove of evergreen trees, or they would even
plant a grove of trees around the altar. The
reason was quite simple: evergreen trees repre-
sented fertility, and sacrifices for fertility were
among the most common of all pagan sacri-
fices. A term we’ll occasionally run across in
the Bible is Asherah, and Asherah literally means
“grove,” like in an olive grove. Sometimes Ash-
erah is translated as “pole” but that is doubtful
except where it was not possible or practical
to have a tree planted there might have been
a grove of poles (wooden tree trunks, dead of
course) that represented the trees. Another
term we’ll run across is Ashteroth, which is the
formal name of the fertility goddess (as you
can readily see the two terms Asherah and
Ashteroth are related).
Around these Asherah (tree groves), in
addition to their altars of sacrifice, they would
at times place a carved pole. Simply envision
a totem pole. The totem poles we’re familiar
with are a little more elaborate than what was
typically carved in the ancient Middle East, but
their purpose was essentially the same. They
marked that particular place (and the altar built god in that stone and it was an object of wor-
there) as a place to sacrifice to the specific gods ship.
and goddesses represented in that carved pole. Anybody could build an altar or shrine to
The standing stones spoken of are also their god anywhere without divine authorization.
sometimes called pillars, but in our modern way The Land of Canaan was absolutely peppered
of thinking the word pillar gives us the wrong with altars and poles and sacred groves dedicated
impression. We tend to think of these marvel- to the various gods. Single families would build
ously tall, cylindrical, decorated stone pillars of their own private altars; towns would build pub-
a Roman building, but that’s not what this was. lic communal altars; kings would erect their own
Deuteronomy 12

A standing stone was literally a large flat stone, more elaborate royal altars. Naturally these altars
set upright, and at times with wording chis- would be constructed nearby for the sake of con-
eled onto it, but as often as not the stone had venience of the worshipper. The Israelites were
no markings. The stone generally was used in fully aware of all this because it was standard
its natural state; a stonecutter did not shape it. practice in the entire known world at that time.
Often it was a monument that simply says that The reason that God, through Moses, is going
something important took place at this spot. through all this detail about altars and shrines
Other pagan religions saw the symbol of their is because the Hebrews would have naturally
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 99

assumed (without giving it a second thought) procedure for that era: the co-location of a place
that they would do the same thing as everyone of worship and sacrifice of one god with the
else; they would have built altars and groves to place of worship and sacrifice to a different god.
Yehoveh at multiple locations nearest to (what An altar was not a place where one could bring a
would soon be) their many settlements. sacrifice and offer to just any god. Every pagan
altar and every high place was dedicated specifi-
cally to a certain named god or goddess. Build-
The Temple of the Lord
ing an altar was hard work and time consum-
Therefore in verse 4 Israel is instructed not to ing, so as people moved in and out of areas, and
worship Yehoveh in this manner (groves, trees, conquerors came and went and brought with
totem poles, etc.) Rather, says the Lord, there them their own set of gods, and as a local god’s
will be a certain place where worship of the popularity would rise and fall, an existing altar
Lord is to be located (meaning the place where or a high place was usually re-dedicated from
the Tabernacle is to be erected and sacrificing is one god to the next. Yehoveh says that Israel is
to occur) and nowhere else. Only at this single not to do that for Him.
central place are the twelve tribes of Israel to Just like in the Wilderness where there was
journey and bring their offerings, tithes, and one place for all Israel to sacrifice, so it is to be
sacrificial animals. in Canaan. But the reason for this is not given.
One of the things being legislated against It could be as simple as God wanting things
in this instruction was also standard operating to operate in the exact opposite of what all the
pagan religions did. What we do know for sure
is that the central sanctuary of the Israelites (the
Wilderness Tabernacle) got moved on several
occasions to different places in Israel and there
did not seem to be any direct objection by God
to these moves of the sacred tent sanctuary.

God’s Ideal
Israel was commanded to topple and destroy
all the high places of the Canaanite gods. This
command (though completely real and meant to
be carried out) has to fall into the same category
of being a heavenly “ideal,” just as the territo-
rial boundaries the Lord has laid out to encom-
pass all of His Holy Land were a heavenly ideal.
Israel, to this day, has never fully possessed all
of that “ideal” territory.
Deuteronomy 12

What’s an ideal? It’s the expression of per-

fection. It is the notion of the ultimate state
that something can attain. Ideals are, humanly
speaking, rarely ever achieved. God’s ideals,
however, will all be achieved.
In reality Israel never attained the ability
to exercise such control over Canaan that they
destroyed every pagan shrine, altar, and Ash-
 100 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

erah. Even during the powerful reigns of David locked away, and until Our King rules in glory
and his son Solomon (considered the zenith of and perfection and without tolerance for sin,
Israel’s national power), it was never accom- the ideals of God will never be fully realized
plished. We should not conclude that these ide- on earth.
als failed to occur because the Lord was unable Yet just as when the Lord laid out the Torah
or because the goal was not seriously attainable; for Israel and He told them it was not too hard
but rather it was because Yehoveh made Israel’s for them, neither is it too hard for us, His believ-
success in achieving these goals contingent on ers (at least in the ideal sense). We were created
their obedience to Him (we’ve been reading with the ability to physically accomplish all
about that, haven’t we?). As we’ll see in coming these commands and laws of the Lord. When
chapters and books of the OT, Israel stumbled our human father, Adam, fell into sin it sealed
greatly in that regard and therefore the fulfill- our fate as being a race of failed creatures that
ment of the ideals that God offered to them could not bring about God’s ideals. However,
have been deferred until Messiah comes again Messiah Yeshua can and will.
and rules over all the earth.
I point this out because if there is one major
reason for us desperately needing a Messiah to The “New” Covenant
carry out God’s plan; it is that the fullness of If Bible translation had been more accurate, we
realizing God’s ideals could not be brought in would today have a Bible consisting of the same
while depraved men still ruled the world. That documents, but going under a different title:
may sound like just another nice Christian plati- the Old and the Renewed Testaments. Think
tude, but the truth is that if mankind could about what an enormous difference that one
have followed all of God’s commands, then a (seemingly small) change would make. Imag-
Messiah would not be necessary. With the fall ine how that would completely alter the mind-
of Adam from his state of being created as the set of Gentile Christians toward Jews, Israel,
ideal man, a Messiah became the only route to redemption, the nature of our Messiah, and
the fulfillment of these heavenly ideals because our attitude toward the Bible in general. But it
man now knew evil . . . and liked it. most often reaches deaf ears and closed minds.
Understand this: God’s commands didn’t Why is that? If the institutional church were to
fail. God’s Word didn’t fall short. God’s crea- accept and correct this error, and to recognize
tures failed. The creatures I’m speaking of are all the self-evident reality that the Church cannot
humans (not just the Israelites); humans are the possibly be the replacement Israel if the original
only creatures with a free will that approximates Israel (as prophesied) has returned lock, stock,
the free will that the Lord possesses. Further, and barrel, it would fundamentally change the
the covenant of Moses wasn’t faulty; humans nature of the church and force many pastors
were faulty. Therefore with the advent of Mes- and denominational leaders to admit that much
siah two thousand years ago, that covenant was of the basis of their theology and traditions is
renewed (as Jeremiah 31 said), but the one who not accurate and needs to be amended.
Deuteronomy 12

administered the covenant shifted from Moses Jeremiah makes it clear that the fundamen-
to Jesus. Moses was a faulty man and therefore a tal difference between the original Mosaic Cov-
faulty mediator; Yeshua was a faultless man (the enant and its future renewal (by Messiah) is the
ideal man) and therefore a faultless Mediator. covenant’s Mediator. Further, the Lord Himself
Until the ideal man (the Messiah Yeshua) who is will put the Torah’s laws and regulations into
also God returns, and until He rids the world of one’s heart (meaning mind, thoughts) whereas
every human who opposes God, and until the it was a command upon the individual in the
Evil One who tempts and accuses mankind is original giving of the covenant that each per-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 101

son should put it into their own heart (mind) a physical temple and priesthood in Jerusalem
by means of self-discipline and an intent toward affects matters, and how we take into account
scrupulously following those divine regulations. that Yeshua has atoned for our sins as the once-
So for the modern believer, here’s the rub: and-for-all sacrifice.
what is the difference between the Mosaic Cov-
enant found in the Torah and what we typically
call the New Covenant in Christ? Very little, God Is Knowable
which is why Christ said so loud and clear in Another principle established in Deuteronomy
Matthew 5:17-19 that the Law and the Proph- is that God is knowable. We’ve discussed that
ets hadn’t passed away and won’t until heaven principle in depth because most of us have
and earth pass away. The essential difference grown up in a Western Judeo-Christian culture
lay only in a) who the mediator was (Moses vs. where the idea that God is knowable isn’t partic-
Yeshua) and b) how one agreed to be part of ularly surprising to us, but in Moses’s day such
that covenant. The way to accept the covenant a thought was debatable and it flew in the face
in Moses’s day was to become a legal citizen of everything universally understood about the
of the nation of Israel. For males that meant world of the gods. God has revealed Himself
submitting to a B’rit Milah, a circumcision cer- to us; He has given us His laws and regulations
emony. For females they either had to be born (which explains His justice system and His char-
into Israel, or declare their allegiance to Israel, acter), and made it clear that He cares about us,
or marry a Hebrew male. is available to those who love Him, and does not
Today the way to join God’s redeeming change or evolve. He is not a distant God nor
covenant with Israel is by means of faith in is He inherently ambiguous; He is present and
the works and person of Messiah Yeshua. The precise. Therefore, by definition, He is entirely
nature of that covenant and being a party to it different than the false pagan gods of the Baby-
(though grounded in the terms of the Mosaic lon mystery religions that the rest of the world
Covenant) is spiritual, but the spiritual cov- (other than Israel) worships.
enant of course continues the terms and condi- These God-principles led us to the next one:
tions that are basically those of the Covenant since Yehoveh is entirely different from all the
of Moses. How those terms and conditions pre- gods of the myriad of Babylon mystery religions
cisely manifest themselves may be a bit differ- then He is not to be worshipped in the same
ent (because they become culturally neutral and manner they are worshipped. Israel is not merely
are taken to a higher spiritual level in Messiah) to convert a pagan altar or shrine by rededicat-
but every last God-ordained principle of Torah ing it to Yehoveh (as was the common practice
remains the same. In fact, Paul spends a lot of of that era). Israel is not to mix the pure Torah
time speaking of the do’s and don’ts of the cov- instructions with familiar but impure pagan tra-
enant in his letters in culturally neutral terms. ditions in their worship of God Almighty. They
The point is that the requirement of the are to destroy whatever pagan altars and places
New (or better, Renewed) Covenant is not only of worship that exist within the land (the Land
Deuteronomy 12

to demonstrate love (as seems to be the sum total of Canaan) that God has given to them.
of the requirements for the believer in modern
Church doctrine), but also we are required to
obey and observe all the underlying principles Heavenly Ideals
of the Mosaic Covenant. We have obligations Finally we ended with a God-principle that,
to God as a result of our accepting Yeshua. The while essential to understanding mankind’s
trick, of course, is how we apply those principles current condition and future destiny, is mis-
in modern culture and times, how the lack of understood within most of Christianity. The
 102 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

terms and conditions of the covenants God has A true (theologically) conservative position, one that
offered to men are heavenly ideals; the terms preserves the values of our heritage, is a position that
and conditions are stated as expressions of per- stands between the extremes and preserves the tension
fection. Notwithstanding their ideal nature, between them. It is not enough to maintain that religion
physically speaking every law and command itself has changed constantly since the time of the wilder-
can and should be followed and obeyed. There ness experience of ancient Israel. Older practices may be
is nothing inherently impossible or too difficult outdated; but the values that produced those practices in
for humans about eating certain foods and not times past remain valid in the present. The pressing task
others; with making a pilgrimage to the temple is to find new forms that preserve those timeless values.
in Jerusalem (when it existed); with refraining
from telling a lie or committing adultery or kill- Moses is about to order new forms that pre-
ing a man unjustly; or with observing a seventh serve those same timeless values that God gave
day Sabbath. We are all capable of giving offer- to Israel on Mount Sinai. The first order of busi-
ings (even if it might give us a bit less to live on), ness has to do with just where God’s sanctu-
celebrating the biblical feasts, etc. The problem ary will be located, and whether or not it is to
has never been that man wasn’t created as able remain as the sole place where sacrificing is to
to fully obey God; it has been that our sinful occur; it is this place where Yehoveh’s “name”
natures and our evil inclinations (along with the will dwell. Now this is an important concept
resultant nature of corroded cultures we live in) to understand, because where ever His name
today make the full performance of all these dwells, there He is accessible. It’s also important
ideals a practical impossibility. In fact, the ideal because this drives home the point that God
result that God has in mind can no longer even Himself (meaning the sum of all that He is) will
happen without Messiah Yeshua making it hap- not be dwelling in the Tabernacle; He never has
pen; fallen and spiritually deformed is mankind. and He never will. The sum of all of who God
That, of course, does not mean that (as the Sav- is dwells in heaven, not on earth, and He cer-
ior’s disciples) we abandon trying to live up to tainly does not restrict Himself to some build-
those written ideals; we are to strive for them at ing made by men.
all times. In the NT Paul refers to the attempt This idea of His “name” dwelling there,
to do so as “perfecting the saints” and “running then, deserves some discussion. For us mod-
the good race.” ern Western Culture folks, the meaning of
a person’s name is simply a means to identify
that person from millions of other people. It’s
A New Life for Isr ael
not much different than a street address or a
Big changes are afoot: Israel is about to aban- social security number. But in Eastern culture,
don the ways of Bedouin desert wanderer that and particularly in Bible times, a name had a
they have experienced for the past forty years much broader and more significant sense to it.
and assume the life of a settled society based In Hebrew the word we translate as “name” is
around agriculture and herding in the Land shem, and it means “reputation,” and it denotes
Deuteronomy 12

of Canaan. Therefore these changing societal a set of attributes and characteristics of a per-
conditions mean that the ways they can (and son. So when the Lord’s name is established in
should) carry out God’s principles will also a place it means that His essence and nature is
have to change. attached in that some or all of His unique attri-
Duane L. Christensen, the author of the butes are present or represented there.
World Biblical Commentary on Deuteronomy, While the idea of His establishing His name
says this about the Israelites changing circum- somewhere is a mysterious thing no matter how
stances and how it relates to ours: we try to explain it or define it, one way to think
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 103

of it is in the same vein as His Holy Spirit liv- Ironically each one of the dozen or so
ing in us. Is the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh, Hebrew words that Bible scholars rather flip-
actually the totality of all the Lord is? Appar- pantly lump together and translate to praise is
ently it is not, or we who have the Ruach within in the original a description of a precise form
us would certainly not be instructed in the Bible of acceptable praise. So the Bible actually gives
to pray to Our Father who lives in a place called us many different forms of praising God, each
heaven; rather there is some essence or attribute of which is fairly specific in nature and appro-
of Him that dwells within the fleshly tents that priate under various circumstances. I won’t get
are His believers. It’s fair to say that in Moses’s into all of those today; I’m simply illustrating
era just as the Lord will establish His name at a point. In Deuteronomy 12:6 we get a list of
a location of His choosing (somewhere in the things that are almost always bundled together
Land of Canaan) for all Israel to sacrifice, He has using the general terms sacrifices and offerings.
also established His name within the believer. Yet each one of these things has a precise and
The Holy Spirit dwelling in the human disciple different meaning, so the Scriptures gives us a
of Jesus is roughly equivalent in days of old to fairly detailed range of just what is to be trans-
Yehoveh dwelling with His Israelite worship- ported to the central sanctuary and presented
pers by appearing above the Mercy Seat in the to Yehoveh and under what circumstance.
Wilderness Tabernacle (or later on, the temple). Let’s look at that list. Understand that there
And verse 6 says that it is at the one loca- is great disagreement as to the meaning of each
tion where Yehoveh has established His name of these words as they have no direct word-
that all of the tribes of Israel are to go and wor- for-word translation into any other language.
ship and sacrifice. For us the words worship and So every attempted translation is essentially an
sacrifice seem of themselves exacting enough educated guess at what the purpose of that par-
to define their meaning because somewhere ticular sacrifice was. First is the burnt offering:
along the way we have determined that we have in Hebrew ‘olah. ‘Olah is usually thought to mean
almost unlimited choice in determining what “near offering” or “that which goes up” and
worship and sacrifice amounts to. The prob- refers (at least partially) to the smoke emitted
lem is that while we do have some freedom in from the burning sacrifice. It is referring to the
that regard, we also have boundaries; the one animals that are killed and placed on the altar to
general boundary that this chapter puts forth be burned up. With this type of sacrificial offer-
first and foremost is that we must not employ ing none of the animal is to be left for either the
ways and forms that pagans commonly used to worshipper or the attending priest to consume
worship their false gods. for himself or herself.
Second is what is often rather sloppily trans-
lated as “other sacrifices.” The actual Hebrew
Offerings and Sacrifices
word used here is Zevah, which is a specialized
There are more than a dozen different words in kind of sacrifice that belongs to the Shelamim cat-
Hebrew used to describe various acts and aspects egory. Sometimes this is called a peace offering.
Deuteronomy 12

of honoring the Lord, all of which are typically Whatever the exact nature and purpose of the
reduced and translated into just one single Eng- Zevah, with this kind of sacrifice only some of it
lish term: praise. We may run around saying to is burned up on the altar and the remainder is
one another, What is a good and acceptable way shared between the worshipper and the priests.
to praise God? Can we raise our hands or must The third kind mentioned in this passage
we stand with our arms motionless at our sides? is the tithe; literally, “the tenth.” The primary
Can we shout with joy, or dance, or must we be function of the tithe was as support for the
somber and quiet? Tabernacle, and later the temple; included in
 104 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

that support was support of the Levite workers

who performed the various needed functions of
the Tabernacle. Most of that support was in the
form of farm produce and animals (again, not
as sacrifices per se but simply as means of direct
support for the Tabernacle workers). Over time
as the Hebrew culture evolved and a smaller
part of the society was agricultural based with
a growing demographic of traders, merchants,
craftsmen, and so on then money was given in
lieu of animals and produce.
Fourth is terumah, which means “contribu-
tions.” The Hebrew indicates giving something
that is taken from a larger amount. It refers
more to the firstfruits offerings and usually
is presented as that kind of offering with the
strange name of “heave offering.” It’s an offer- poses; to lump them altogether not only misses
ing that is presented by lifting it above your the point but fails to teach us much about what
shoulders and waving it around. And if you’re is expected of us as regards giving and sacri-
thinking, My gosh there’s lots of different kinds of giv- fices. We saw the same thing back in Leviticus
ing expected, you’re right. The tithe was only one when attached to a range of different atoning
form of giving; the contribution (equivalent to sacrifices where the specific kinds of sins were
the firstfruits offering) was yet another and a each designed to atone for something specific.
person was to give both. It starts to make apparent the very complex and
Next were the votive and freewill offerings, multifaceted nature of sin and atonement that
in Hebrew neder. These were sacrifices and gifts is otherwise obscured in the typical Christian
that were the results of vows that, if God would doctrine that a sin is a sin is a sin (no matter
do something for the person making the vow what the sin is).
(or even prevent something bad from happen-
ing), then this person would give some agreed to
amount or thing to God in return. Understand Biblical Feasts
that this neder was not the promised gift to God; Verse 7 makes it clear that the entire house-
rather it was what accompanied the vow ritual hold is to be involved with the giving of these
itself. On the other hand there was a kind of various sacrifices and offerings when it includes
neder in which a worshipper simply give some- feasting. One has to reach between the lines a
thing as an expression of gratitude or thanks- bit to get the overall understanding that is being
giving where nothing was vowed or promised; spoken here; this is referring to the three annual
it was just spontaneous giving. pilgrimage festivals whereby each family is to
Deuteronomy 12

Finally we have the designation of firstlings, come to the Tabernacle (later the temple) to
or bekorah in Hebrew. Another way of saying celebrate and sacrifice. Deuteronomy makes it
this is the firstborn. The idea is to give of the quite clear that indeed the whole family is to
firstborn of your flocks and herds to the Lord. come, not just the male head of house. These
So while firstfruits (terumah) involves produce, are feasts of joy; they are God’s appointed times,
firstlings (bekorah) involves living creatures. and so the family is to join in.
As you can see, there is quite a range of Let me remind you that between Exodus
offerings and sacrifices for several different pur- and Leviticus, seven biblical feasts were estab-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 105

lished; of them, three are called chag (or pilgrim- nor must we recite precise words, nor have one
age) festivals, meaning that the family makes particular order of service, nor are we restricted
a required pilgrimage to the central sanctuary to praying only at certain times and places, the
(most of the time that indicated Jerusalem). By Lord has given us dates and times and ways He
definition the other four feasts are not pilgrim- says we are to worship Him. To do otherwise is
age festivals, and therefore the family is to cele- not worship of Him at all no matter how much
brate those locally, wherever they live, although we insist that it is. Rather it’s merely religion just
if they chose to go to the Tabernacle or temple as the Canaanites were practicing; it’s religion
they certainly could. that the Lord (here in Deuteronomy) is ordering
Let me also make note that in very short destroyed.
order one certain non-pilgrimage biblical feast One of the most eminent conservative fun-
became combined with one of the required damental Bible scholars of our day is Walter
pilgrimage feasts, so the effect was that four Kaiser Jr., the now-retired academic dean at the
bible feasts were celebrated at the temple and famed Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His
three were not. Passover, Pesach, is not a pil- works have probably affected modern church
grimage feast, but the feast that starts the day doctrines and theologies of the Evangelical
after Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, movement as much as anyone currently alive.
is. Because those two feasts were held on con- Listen to the rather surprising things he has to
secutive days, and because just like church folks say about the OT and its rules and regulations
today who prefer to have celebrations held at a as it pertains to our modern Christian worship
church building on certain meaningful days like practices and worship doctrines:
Christmas and New Year, it was logical that the
Israelite families would prefer to have Passover In order to make up for the hiatus of instruction on
at the awesome temple complex in Jerusalem. all sorts of practical questions about how to deal with
Therefore they would just go ahead and cele- everyday problems such as “youth conflicts” and the like,
brate Passover in Jerusalem by arriving one day Evangelicals flock by the thousands in every major metro-
early before the start of the required pilgrim- politan area to special seminars as an open testimony to
age festival, the Feast of Matzah; they killed two their hunger for true biblical instruction on matters that
birds with one stone. were (actually) dealt with in the OT law. To be sure, most
Beginning in verse 8 the rules about of these seminars on youth problems, marriage enrich-
restricting sacrifice to only one place are fleshed ment, and business management techniques drew heav-
out a little further. In doing so we are intro- ily on the biblical Wisdom Books of the OT (especially
duced to yet another fundamental God-princi- Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon). But
ple: Yehoveh, not men, authorizes the way the what few have realized, and what still remains as one of
Lord is to be worshipped. The proper worship the best kept secrets to this very day, is that these same
of God consists of His ordained ceremonies Wisdom Books have as their fountainhead the Law of
that are to proceed in His ordained ways at His Moses. One need only take a marginally competent refer-
appointed times. This is another of those prin- ence Bible and notice how frequently the text of Proverbs,
Deuteronomy 12

ciples that most Christians will respond to with for example, directly quotes or alludes to the books of
a disinterested yawn and say, “Well, of course Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in its popular-
I worship how God wants me to. But c’mon, ized “bumper sticker” way of theologizing. Just these
this is the twenty-first century; I have complete few examples should be enough to warn the contempo-
freedom to worship when I want, where I want, rary pastor and teacher. We must overcome our inherited
how I want. There are no rules.” Folks, that is prejudice against the OT, especially as concerns the Law.
just not true. While we certainly are not obli- We must immediately move to balance the spiritual diet
gated to worship at a Wilderness Tabernacle, of God’s people. Few people today would espouse a junk-
 106 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

food nutritional plan as a regular plan of good eating; but the political correctness of the world or adher-
how many Christians prefer to eat only the “desert” as ing to the philosophical doctrines of manmade
found in the NT? In order to address this imbalance . . religion, but you have beeb doing it in My name
. we (must) begin to use the OT in a more balanced and and I don’t like it and I don’t accept it. When
holistic teaching ministry.5 has this “doing as every man sees as right in his
own eyes” been occurring? All during the Wil-
I realize that Torah Class members and lis- derness journey. As verse 9 says, now that you
teners have been drinking as if from a fire hose are entering the Land of Promise, stop doing
now for several years as we have worked our this. Instead (verse 10) when they cross the Jor-
way carefully through the Torah of God. What dan and enter the place of rest and security that
we must not do is think that just because these God has offered, obey these commands that
biblical books contain a lot of detail and history were given to you on Mount Sinai, and in doing
that these amount to a collection of interesting so you will rejoice in your inheritance with your
historical facts as pertains to an ancient people family, along with your slaves, and even with
because it has everything to do with us, Jew or the Levites before the presence of the Lord.
Gentile. In no way are believers free from obedi-
ence to the God-principles presented to us, nor
from observance of God’s appointed times, as Restrictions on Meat Eating
stated in the Law of Moses. Certainly these are Let me summarize this short section of Deuter-
not what bring us our redemption, nor were they onomy about what is being ordered here con-
ever at any time in history. These divine instruc- cerning worship and sacrifice: there is God’s
tions are (and remain) the principles for wor- acceptable way on one end of the spectrum
ship and right living (as redeemed people) that and then there is man’s unacceptable way at the
we are fully expected to follow. Since the body other end. There is no middle ground. There is
of Christ has determined for some time now to no happy medium. The Hebrew people cannot
abandon the laws and rules of God in favor of serve themselves and serve the God of Israel;
unfettered individual liberty, and instead fol- they cannot serve both Yehoveh and the gods of
lowing the transient nature of our own hearts, the Canaanites (not even if it’s primarily serving
we lament and complain that the Church seems God and just secondarily serving Ba’al). This
to have lost its way if not its spiritual power. Is same sentiment is put another way thirteen hun-
it any wonder? As both the OT and NT explain, dred years into the future by Yeshua: “No one
obedience to God and the experience of His can serve two masters; for either he will hate the
power are inexorably tied together as quid pro
quo. Therefore, as does Walter Kaiser, I ask you
to re-examine your worship practices and the
ways you celebrate and follow the Lord to see
if perhaps they are not in harmony with God’s
ordinances. Because if they are not, the next
Deuteronomy 12

questions to ask are: whose ways is it then, in

reality, that I am following and who am I trying
to please?
The Lord addresses that in verse 8. He says
that you are no longer to act as you act now
(every man as he pleases). Let me rephrase that:
you have been pleasing yourselves or following
5
Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Preaching and Teaching From The Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003)
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 107

one and love the other, or he will hold to one the ground occasionally for a brief rest. None of
and despise the other. You cannot serve God these meats were required to be a sacred offer-
and mammon” (Matt. 6:24 NAS). ing before they could be eaten.
Verse 15 introduces a necessary, practi- The new rule is that a line is being drawn
cal, and rather radical shift for the Israelites between the eating of meat to satisfy hunger
as they set up life in the Promised Land; it is and the offering of meat for sacred purposes.
that they are permitted to eat meat without it Because God operates as He does, and most
first being given as part of a sacrifice. Let me everything He ordains is not for His benefit but
remind you that up to this point (since the for mankind’s (even if at times we don’t yet see
Law was given at Mount Sinai) the ordinance or understand that benefit), one of the practical
was that all meat from domestic animals that benefits of the Lord ordaining only the eating
the Hebrews hoped to eat would first have to of animals from their herds and flocks during
be part of a sacrificial ritual accomplished by their Wilderness journey and only upon their
the priesthood at the Wilderness Tabernacle. being offered as a sacrifice is that it prevented
I emphasize domestic animals because it was their herds and flocks from being decimated. It
permitted for Israel to eat meat from undo- was a lot of trouble to take an animal to the
mesticated animals (such as deer) provided it Tabernacle to be ritually slaughtered and gener-
was kosher; that is, this undomesticated spe- ally the worshipper only received a portion of
cies chewed the cud and had a cloven hoof, it back as food. Can you imagine the long lines
among a couple of other requirements (there of people wanting to make sacrifices at the Tab-
were several animals specifically prohibited as ernacle, but the relatively limited facilities able
food as well). to accommodate them? Therefore meat, though
For all practical purposes, the animals that just as desirable to them as it is to us, was not
formed the typical flocks and herds that came eaten very often. Since meat spoiled in a matter
along with Israel on their exodus from Egypt of hours, whatever was slaughtered had to be
were classified as domestic animals, and there- cooked and eaten completely and immediately.
fore clean animals meaning that they were con- There was no doling it out over a period of sev-
sidered ritually pure and therefore acceptable for eral days. Yes, they had learned to dry meat to
altar sacrifices to Yehoveh. But even kosher wild preserve it, but they had to be at a place where
animals were not permitted to be sacrificed to that time consuming process could be set up
the Lord. So the rule was (as concerns domes- and even then the animals available were rela-
tic animals) whatever was suitable for sacrifice tively few.
was acceptable for food for the people, and the What we understand by the beginning verse
people could (generally speaking) only eat meat of this section of Deuteronomy 12 is that obvi-
of their domestic animals that had first been ously the people did not obey this rule. They
offered as a sacrifice. did what we tend to do: we obey some of what
Because of where they lived (mainly the God says and ignore the rest to our conve-
western end of the Arabian Peninsula and the nience. The people positively craved meat;
Deuteronomy 12

Sinai desert regions) there was precious little when we crave anything our natures take over
wild game. Venison, though acceptable, would and we’ll do things we ought not to do to have
have been a rare treat and most families likely what we crave. Now that Israel is about to enter
never had the privilege of even tasting it. Birds into a settled life with lots of grazing land and
would have been more available because even an ability to grow their herds and flocks to a
though the quail episode we read about was a much greater number, the risk of decimating
miraculous event, it was usual for enormous their flocks (that were necessarily limited in size
flocks of quail to fly over the Sinai and settle on due to limited grazing and water during their
 108 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Wilderness journey) was ending. Obviously But one major restriction on the slaughter
God had already approved eating meat (even if and consumption of meat remained unchanged:
it was a real inconvenience to do so due to the the blood in the animal could not be consumed
sacrificial requirement), so the Lord is now tell- it had to be disposed of. The prescribed way to
ing Israel to help themselves to as much as they dispose of it was to pour it on the ground. Let’s
wanted. talk about this new regulation as a whole.
But, there were some boundaries even to First we must understand that although
this new freedom. every one of the biblical feasts involved feasting
and eating meat as a corporate group activity
as of now only the three so-called pilgrimage
Fewer Restrictions festivals required that the meat eaten during the
on Slaughtering festival had to come from sacrificial slaughter
Beginning in verse 15 we get an easing of the at central sanctuary (currently the Tabernacle
restrictions on the slaughtering and eating of and later the temple). Therefore on the other
animals. Out in the Wilderness the domestic four feast occasions the celebrations were to be
animals (sheep, goats, cattle, etc.) had to be local (whatever town or village one belonged to)
slaughtered only at the tabernacle as part of an and the slaughter of the meat would therefore
official sacrificial rite. However at the same time be what the rabbis called shehitat hullin, secular
the Israelites were permitted to eat and slaughter slaughter (slaughter that was not part of a sacri-
wild game and no part of it had to be involved in ficial ritual).
a sacrificial procedure. Of course the game they However even in the secular slaughter pro-
chose had to adhere to the rules of ritual clean- cess the animal was to be killed as humanely as
liness for purposes of consumption. The only possible, with its throat quickly cut at the main
real restriction in eating meat, now, is based on artery with a super-sharp knife so as uncon-
one’s ability to raise an animal or afford to buy sciousness and death occurred quickly.
it from a herder. Second, the required ritual state of purity
How much this actually added to the avail- of the person that wishes to consume the meat
ability of meat for the average Israelite is hard no longer matters. In other words it was only a
to assess. In practice, meat was usually only person who was ritually clean that could offer a
eaten by the common Hebrew citizen on spe- sacrifice, and it follows that only a person who
cial occasions such as the required sacrifices, was ritually clean was permitted to eat the meat
the seven authorized biblical feasts, to honor of an animal that had been offered for sacrifice.
a special guest in one’s home, a wedding, and It was a rather severe catch-22 situation; in the
events of that nature. Animals were more gen- end it meant that only a person who was ritually
erally used for their sustainable products and clean could ever eat meat (except if that meat
their labor: milk from cows and goats that was the kinds of permitted wild game like quail
could be used for butter, cheese, and fresh and deer).
milk; oxen for pulling plows and wagons; With the new regulation that took effect
Deuteronomy 12

sheep for wool used to make clothing, bed- once Israel entered Canaan, there was no longer
ding, floor rugs, even tents. If one was fortu- a requirement that the commonly eaten meats
nate enough to own an ox or a cow or a couple (beef and mutton) be part of a sacrifice, so the
of sheep, the last thing you would do is kill one ritual state of purity for the consumer of meat
to have a day or two of meat to eat. So gener- no longer played a role. A person could be ritu-
ally only the well-to-do or more fortunate who ally impure having tzara’at (a skin disease), or a
possessed larger herds and flocks could afford woman could be impure from her monthly cycle
to have meat on a fairly regular basis. or having just given birth, or someone could
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 109

have recently come in contact with a dead body on the altar is basic to the understanding we
(a circumstance which renders that person ritu- must all eventually come to realize about how
ally unclean), and unlike before now they could holiness operates and it is this: holiness can be
still eat meat. The only meat an unclean person transmitted. Holiness is infectious.
was prohibited from eating was that which had We examined the mysterious and profound
indeed been offered as a sacrifice on the brazen nature of holiness in our study of Leviticus but
altar. since it’s been a while it is certainly not a waste of
Third was the critical matter of the blood. time to review it. And the first principle of holi-
The law of not eating blood went back to the ness that forms the nucleus of all the attributes
time of Adam and Eve. It is even one of the of holiness is that only God is inherently holy.
so-called seven Noachide Laws that rabbis Part of the reason this is so is because every-
(and some Christian denominations) say God thing else but God is a created thing. Absolutely
enjoined upon all human beings long before nothing else in existence (seen or unseen) is holy
the Law of Moses. So when secular slaughter in and of itself. The Lord declares and bestows holi-
occurs (that is, the non-sacrificial butchering of ness upon His created things (seen and unseen)
animals for food) the blood is to be poured out as He sees fit, and even then it is in accordance
onto the ground and not used for any purpose. with His immutable laws and principles. The
This is as opposed to sacred slaughter for ani- brazen altar of sacrifice was declared holy by the
mal sacrifices to the Lord whereby some of the Lord, as were all other instruments and furnish-
blood is to be splashed onto the altar and the ings that were part of the Tabernacle because
remainder disposed of. they were to be used very near to Him.
This is interesting I think. The reason that Holiness is so powerful and important that it
the blood from secular slaughter is to be poured must be carefully guarded because contact between
out on the ground and never consumed or used the holy and the common can cause the holiness
for any purpose is the biblical axiom that the effect to be inadvertently transmitted from a holy
life of any living creature is in the blood. It is thing to a common thing. Now a common thing
this axiom that, when carried out to its logical or person does not mean an unclean or impure
conclusion, is part and parcel of the reason that thing or person; it simply indicates that something
only blood can be the acceptable price to atone has not been divinely endowed with holiness; it
for mankind’s sins. Since life is in the blood a is not set apart (sanctified) for God although if
common every day Israelite has no business or God chose to do so the person or thing could be
divine authorization to use blood in any man- declared holy. Therefore what we find is that in
ner for anything. Since a priesthood had been the process of Yehoveh establishing holiness in
established for religious ritual on behalf of the this world He has declared that people are to be
entire congregation of Israel, only members of a divided into two general but distinct groups: those
single tribe (the Levites) could use the blood for who are holy and those who are common. The
any purpose whatsoever; so his only choice is to people He has selected as set apart for Himself,
return that “life” that is in the blood to the soil Israel, He has declared to be holy; thus all other
Deuteronomy 12

(in essence returning it to God) when he butch- people on planet earth are therefore common (not
ers an animal for food. ritually unclean, just not holy). So there are gener-
At the Tabernacle however, blood takes ally four spiritual states that a human being or any
on a different characteristic because there it is created thing can assume: holy, common, clean,
used in the process of atonement for the sins and unclean.
of God’s people. So the blood of the sacrificed Orthodox Judaism has, I think, made a sad
animal (some of it, not all) is splashed onto the mistake by tending to reduce human beings to
brazen altar. The reason for splashing the blood only three possible spiritual states: holy, clean,
 110 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

and unclean (leaving out the ritually neutral found in the NT, so the church hardly knows
“common” category). Judaism implies that all anything about holiness or impurity at all.
humans who are not Hebrews (Gentiles) are Here is an important principle to remem-
inherently unclean rather than common. Thus ber: animals that are sacrificed on the brazen
since Hebrews (correctly) understand that altar have no inherent holiness. Animals that
impurity can be transmitted, the assumption are not permitted for sacrifice or food (rab-
is that a Gentile automatically brings impurity bits, pigs) have no inherent uncleanness. One
upon any Hebrew who contacts him or perhaps animal is declared ritually clean and the other
is merely present in a Gentile’s home. Let me not simply by God’s choice, for reasons that
be clear that this belief varies greatly in degree are mysterious and that we do not fully under-
among today’s Jewish people. I have seen some stand. Some scholars have postulated that the
of the strictest Orthodox move to the other side meat from select animals is healthier than the
of the street to avoid Gentiles, and yet some of meat from other animals, or that a particular
the most religious have shaken my hand and animal’s function in nature is more edifying
even eaten in my home. than another, and so this is what God had in
Something that is ritually unclean, how- mind when He categorized clean and unclean.
ever, indeed can transmit its uncleanness to Over time every effort to categorize animals
something that is holy. That means that the in these human rational/logical ways has come
holy thing (or person) becomes defiled and to nothing because we’ll find major exceptions
must be cleansed, purified, in order to have the or examples that just don’t fit. Therefore the
contamination of defilement removed. This is purity status and atoning quality of animal
why God demands that holy things are to be blood has nothing to do with any inherent
carefully guarded: because holiness must never physical characteristic, nor does some magi-
be allowed to become defiled by coming into cal thing happen within that chosen sacrificial
contact with the unclean and the common must animal. Rather the atoning quality of the blood
never be allowed to inherit holiness by merely occurs when holiness is transferred to that ani-
coming into the contact with the holy. The one mal’s blood by means of it coming into con-
outstanding exception to that rule is that if God tact with the highly holy brazen altar. This is
ordains a common person or thing to contract important: the only way the sacrificial animal’s
holiness then it is divinely authorized and it blood takes on an atoning quality is by com-
should happen. ing into contact with the brazen altar, because
Let me interject that what I’m telling you the holiness of the altar infects the blood with
is not speculation or a contrived doctrine or its holiness. This is why priests capture at least
an opinion; this is directly from the Torah, the some of the blood of every sacrificed animal
Word of God. In fact, today most of Christian- in a pail because it must be splashed onto the
ity would object to this teaching on this subject sides of the altar; the altar, being itself holy,
because they either have heard nothing about it transmits its holiness to the animal blood,
or their church leadership finds this distasteful making that blood efficacious for atonement.
Deuteronomy 12

and has annulled it. Please understand that this This is a major reason that without a brazen
reality of holiness and commonness and impu- altar, the Hebrew people, when exiled from the
rity is as real (more real actually) than the walls land, had no means to atone. It did no good to
that surround you and the roof over your head. slaughter an animal as a sacrifice and use some
The Torah principles of holiness and impurity altar that they built wherever they now lived
are not a theory or a fantasy. This is precisely because that altar was not holy and so could
how holiness operates but the instruction man- not infect the animal blood with holiness. This
ual about the details of holiness is not to be is a major reason that when the Jews were in
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 111

Babylon that they turned to other means to try would ever contemplate drinking wine if it was
to atone that were borne by their own thoughts. symbolic of something you were never to sup-
Conversely, animal blood that is poured out posed to ingest: blood.
onto the ground has no atoning quality (it was Some of you might just be seeing where I’m
not imbued with holiness) because it has not going with this. Thirteen hundred years after
come into contact with any holy thing (namely Moses and the Law of Mount Sinai, someone
the brazen altar). Since there is no holy or aton- came along who instructed His flock of disci-
ing purpose at all for simply slaughtering an plines to drink wine as symbolic of His blood
animal in order to have meat to eat (as is now and to do this as the greatest memorial remem-
permissible), all the blood is therefore poured brance of Him! His name is Yeshua, it happened
out onto the ground as it is useless for the one at Passover, and the Church has made this cer-
single spiritual purpose God has deemed it for: emony into a separate sacrament called Com-
atonement of sins. munion.
Let’s recall the actual instruction in the NT
to drink wine as symbolic of Messiah’s blood:
Do Not Ingest Blood
“In the same way He (Jesus) took the cup also,
We just established that the “life is in the blood” after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new cov-
(an undisputed Christian doctrine) and since all enant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink
life belongs to God He will decide what is to be it, in remembrance of Me’” (1 Cor. 11:25 NAS).
done with it. One thing that the Lord says must Jesus instructed His disciples to symboli-
never happen under any circumstances (not for cally drink blood . . . His blood. Why? Because
an Israelite, not for a pagan, not for any human physical life is in the physical blood, but eter-
including a believer in Messiah Yeshua) is to nal life (un-ending spiritual life) is in Messi-
ingest blood for food. ah’s blood. By drinking wine that represents
Blood is special on a spiritual level. Blood His blood, we acknowledge that the atoning
is divinely set apart. Not only are we well aware quality of His blood is the only provision that
that on a physical level any living creature that Our Father has ever made that gives a man the
is drained of too much blood dies (the life that same kind of eternal life that He has. Under-
is in the blood flows out from the creature), but stand that this wine drunk in Messiah’s name
God has chosen to assign blood a unique spiri- is entirely symbolic; your communion cup of
tual quality that can be used only as He deems it grape wine does not magically turn into blood
to be used: for the purpose of atonement. Isra- (although the Catholic church says that it
elites were not even permitted to eat or drink does). This command of Christ to make wine
something that symbolically represented blood. symbolic of His blood and so to drink it is
I’ve often heard Christians say that wine unique in the entire Bible. For the first time in
used in Jewish ritual ceremony represents blood the history of mankind, ingesting something
and this absolutely not true. This is a myth that that even symbolized blood was being allowed
erupted due to the common biblical phrase that and encouraged by God. You and I can only
Deuteronomy 12

eventually was absorbed into the Gentile world imagine the startled and probably worried and
that referred to grape juice or grape wine as “the skeptical (if not downright disgusted) twelve
blood of the grape.” Biblically speaking, wine disciples sitting around that Pesach table as
symbolizes goodness and joy. An abundance of their Master told them to do that. Everything
wine is symbolic of prosperity. Offering wine to these Jewish men had ever been taught and
a guest in one’s home was represented a spirit every cultural and religious principle they had
of welcome, shalom and good will, but wine known told them not to do this. Can you also
did not represent blood. No observant Hebrew imagine how the local Jews who heard what
 112 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

these disciples of that carpenter’s son had done highest possible level and be declared guilty by
at the Passover table must have thought when God for doing such a thing.
they learned about them drinking wine as sym- But notice that this same God-principle
bolic of a man’s blood? This was apostasy at an operates in Moses’s day as it does now: there is
almost unimaginable level to them. nothing inherently holy about wine. It is that the
Does this help you see why a religious Jew Lord declares it symbolic of holiness and eternal
is utterly repulsed at the Christian tradition of life giving when we drink it in honor of our Sav-
communion? For them it is a combination of ior’s sacrifice. There is nothing magical about
cannibalism, idolatry, and a violation of the wine when drunk in honor of Yeshua; it is only
universal law against blood. So be aware of this meaningful for those who are already redeemed
when speaking to a Jewish person and their sen- because God simply declares it so.
sitivities in this matter of communion. Now let me peel this onion back one more
Sometime later (several years actually) after layer. God prohibited Adam and Eve from the
this mind-boggling instruction from Yeshua, eating of the fruit of the Tree of Life that grew
Paul had thought long and hard about what in the Garden of Eden. Why? Because if they did
the meaning of all this is. His conclusion was eat from that tree they would obtain eternal life.
not that Jesus had now given man permission What would have been wrong with them obtain-
to drink blood, nor could man now symbol- ing eternal life since it is apparent that God wants
ize wine as blood and drink it at various reli- people to have eternal life with Him? In fact, He
gious ceremonies. Rather, the only permissible has gone to the greatest lengths to make eternal
time and purpose at which a man could drink life with Him possible. The problem is that Adam
something symbolic of blood was when it was a and Eve were not redeemed. God first set up the
believer of Messiah drinking a tiny cup of wine principle of redemption, not with Moses and the
in solemn and sincere remembrance of His priesthood, but with Adam and Eve. Eternal
atoning act as the Passover Lamb. If a man did life is something the Lord wants for mankind
this for any other reason, honoring any other but it will always be restricted to those who are
man or for any other purpose than remember- redeemed according to the Lord’s definition and
ing Messiah Jesus and thus declaring our union method of redemption.
with, and eternal life in, Him then we’re right So just as Paul explained that the unwor-
back to square one whereby a person was break- thy could not drink of the communion cup, the
ing God’s command never to drink blood. idea ties back to the Tree of Life because Jesus is
Paul expressed it this way: “Therefore who- the spiritual Tree of Life. Messiah is the Tree of
ever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Life. Yeshua our Messiah is the means, the only
Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of means, to eternal life for humans. Therefore no
the body and the blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. man is permitted to eat of this new Tree of Life,
11:27 NAS). Yeshua, or “to drink of His blood” as symbol-
A person drinking it in an unworthy man- ized in the drinking of Paschal wine unless that
ner is a non-believer. It would appear from man is first redeemed. Eating the fruit of the
Deuteronomy 12

later passages that if a disciple of Yeshua has Tree of Life symbolized exactly the same thing
rebelled to such a degree as to be dangerously as drinking the wine that is symbolic of the cov-
distant from God, then this person also falls enant in Christ’s blood.
into the category of unworthy. If we are not in When we accept Christ we have eaten the fruit
union with Christ we are not worthy and have from the Tree of Life that the father and mother
no authority to partake of this enormous lone of all humanity could not. Oh, the inscrutable
exception to the rule of not drinking blood, not depths of the Lord’s mind and provision are
even symbolically. We will be sinning on the overwhelming, are they not?
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 113

Deuteronomy 12:20–25 gives some details Sacred Animal Slaughter

about this secular slaughter of animals for
food, most of which we’ve covered. Verse 21, Since the instructions we’ve just been given
though, seems to add a caveat to the slaughter- are the general rules on how to go about secular
ing and eating of animals for food; this applies slaughter of animals for food, now we’re going
to those who live “too far” away from the cen- to be told about the general rules for sacred
tral sanctuary. This instruction has been inter- slaughter of animals for sacrificial purposes.
preted a number of ways by Hebrew scholars These vow offerings and freewill offerings must
but is usually taken to mean that anywhere be taken to the central sanctuary (the Taberna-
outside the temple or Tabernacle Courtyard cle) and must not be offered at any other place.
was “too far.” Basically they say the meaning God is telling us that where the matter of eat-
is that if one was outside the sacred precinct ing meat has been relaxed out of sheer practical-
then this new law concerning eating meat was ity, that when it comes to matters of holiness
applicable. The Essenes of Qumran who wrote no relaxation of standards is possible. Here’s
the so-called Temple Scroll (found among the where it becomes important to understand all
Dead Sea Scrolls) defined “too far” as three the important differences among the various
days’ journey. That was a logical and practical kinds of sacrifices. Vow and free-will offerings
choice because it was slightly more than three- while connected to sacred ritual were the result
days’ journey from Qumran to Jerusalem. So of the worshipper’s own decisions and choices;
by such a ruling they were excluding them- they were at the discretion of individuals. Israel-
selves from the requirement to journey to the ites were not obligated to make vows or to give
temple and submit their animals to a priest- extra over and above the required tithes, and
hood that they considered corrupt and illegiti- firstfruits, and feast sacrifices. Vow and free-
mate. Other rabbis said that this really had to will offerings were purely voluntary and the
do more with the journeys to the Tabernacle Law gave the bulk of the meat from these kinds
as required by the three pilgrimage feasts, so of sacred sacrifices to the worshipper and to the
that some Jews who were “too far” away (in priesthood to use as food. Therefore, lest any-
the Diaspora) were not obligated to have their one think that since these were voluntary offer-
Passover Lambs slaughtered in the presence of ings to the Lord that they did not have to take
priests. them to the Tabernacle to sacrifice them there,
Verse 25 states what is always the object it is being made clear that such a thing is not to
of God’s laws and rituals: “That it may go well happen.
with you.” That is, despite what Christians have Further, part of the reason that these vol-
been generally taught for centuries, the key to untary offerings must not occur outside of the
the victorious Christian life (that things will go Tabernacle goes back to our understanding of
well for the believer) is total obedience to the blood and holiness. Without the blood of the
rules and ordinances the Lord has established, sacred offering being splashed upon the brazen
when accomplished in the spirit of the Law and altar, the blood cannot be infected with holi-
Deuteronomy 12

with a contrite heart. Prayer is part of it, but it ness; blood that is not made holy is good only
is not the key; going to church or synagogue is for pouring onto the ground. The Lord does not
part of it, but it is not the key; giving regularly in want anyone to think that they can perform a
hopes of having God rewarding you with more sacred ritual (like a vow or free-will sacrifice) on
wealth is not the key. Obedience to God’s com- their own terms or do it the way they prefer at the
mands is the key to shalom, divinely brought- place they prefer (usually out of convenience) and
about well being. think that it has any spiritual value whatsoever.
 114 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Worship at the Sanctuary The sense of “being lured into their ways”
is well captured in the CJB as it says, “being
Beginning in verse 29 we seem to come full circle; trapped into following them.” The idea is of
the Lord began this chapter with the admonition being caught in a snare and then not being able
not to worship Him in the same places or ways to extricate yourself. One example that is as
that the Canaanites worship their phony gods. prevalent now as it was then is marrying into
And here the point of worshipping only at God’s a different faith; today, more and more, we’re
sanctuary, which is to be placed only where God seeing Western women marrying Muslim men
instructs, is that to do otherwise is worshipping and finding that they are indeed trapped. Some-
Him as the pagans worship their gods. times the wife will be asked to go and meet the
family in some Arab country, and the laws of
that country make the woman a virtual slave
Don’t Even Inquire About whereby she is not permitted to come back
Other Religions home to a non-Muslim nation if the husband
An interesting instruction is added to this in decides to stay. Or if the couple has children,
verse 30: Hebrews are “not to inquire” about the woman is given permission to leave but the
how those other nations worship their gods. children must stay with their father. Certainly
That is, they are not to follow their curiosity the woman never envisioned such a thing when
and learn about the Ba’al cults or attend one of she dated this nice man, nor even when she mar-
the Canaanites worship ceremonies even if our ried him, paying little attention to his Islamic
purpose is not to seriously consider accepting beliefs. But by ignoring God’s laws about this
their beliefs. Hmmmm. That flies in the face of she was deceived, ensnared, and trapped. The
our modern mentality that thinks we should go price for being released probably will be her
find out all about other religions so that we can children or her life.
speak intelligently about them. We tend to think Such was the same case for Israelites. It was
that it is our obligation to know about them so not simply a matter of violating this law and
that we don’t accidentally demonize them or things “not going well for you” (that is, losing
appear at all intolerant of a religion that seems out on God’s blessings by mixing worship of
to have “good values.” Yehoveh with worship of some other Canaan-
While I respect different views on the sub- ite gods or goddesses). It was that, often as not,
ject, let me say just a couple of things about it. your Hebrew identity would be lost as well. You
First, this is not the same thing as exploring dif- would be ensnared and perhaps unwittingly
ferent Christian denominations or even exploring find yourself assimilated into a pagan culture.
Judaism because both are based on the worship This is anything but farfetched; Israel barely set
of Yehoveh and both are based on the founda- foot into Canaan before they started to do this
tion of the Holy Scriptures. Second, the con- by exploring the neighboring religions, their
cern is not about trying to keep God’s people women marrying into the pagan tribes, or most
ignorant; rather it is that many false religions typically adding a little of the local pagan belief
Deuteronomy 12

can be very enticing because they appeal to our system into their worship of God in order to
natural evil inclinations. As it says in verse 30 show tolerance and friendliness.
of many translations, “Beware of being lured
into their ways.” We certainly should not do
Child Sacrifice
what these other belief systems do, nor should
we add any element of their worship into the This chapter ends by the Lord saying unequivo-
authorized methods that the Lord has shown us cally that He finds these false worship practices
in His Word. detestable, and that many of those false reli-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 115

gions involve offering up their own children as returned from a critical battle, if the Lord would
human sacrifices to their gods. lead Jephthah to victory. Jephthah got the vic-
Let me briefly talk about the subject of child tory he prayed for, and when he returned home
sacrifice, because it comes up fairly often in the his only child, a daughter, ran out the door to
Scriptures. Child sacrifice was well known out- meet him. He followed through with his vow.
side of the Bible stories; it is written about by His intention certainly was not child sacri-
the classical writers. Generally a child would fice, was it? In fact, the girl was probably a teen-
be offered to a god if that family wanted some- ager. This whole thing was a horrible surprise
thing of great value from that god or if that god to him; an unexpected consequence. In the
would protect them from some great calamity Middle East, right up to this day in the more
or a defeat in battle or even from an epidemic. primitive regions, the farm animals live inside
There is a signifcant archeological evidence to the house right along with the people. In Bible
prove the rather widespread practice of child sac- times (up to and including Jesus’s day) this was
rifice because hundreds of urns containing the also the norm and people thought nothing of
thoroughly charred bones of very young children it. Certainly Jephthah expected one his prized
have been found in the areas where pagan altars animals, at random, to have come bounding out
were located. of his house when he came home with victory
An informative relief of Egyptian origin in hand. Although terribly distraught about it,
has been uncovered that tells the story of Egypt he still went ahead and killed his daughter and
attacking Canaanite walled cities around 1200 burned her up on an altar, doing it all in the
BC, and it shows the people inside those walls name of the Lord. Despite his intention to sim-
(Canaanites) holding a religious ceremony, pray- ply honor a very rash vow and not sin by backing
ing to the heavens and dropping the bodies of out, what he did was to commit human sacrifice
dead children over the walls. In other words the (so warped was his logic that he determined he
children had already been sacrificially killed, so was doing a good thing that was pleasing to
throwing them over the wall was part of indi- Yehoveh).
cating the purpose of those sacrifices. We know that even during Yeshua’s day
Why sacrifice children and not adults? child sacrifice occurred in the deep ravine that
Because the foundational belief of the pagans surrounded the southern and eastern corner
was that if they wanted something of great value of the Holy City, the Valley of Hinnom. It was
or importance from the gods they needed to used as both a waste dump and a place where
offer what is most precious to them in order to altars to Molech were erected, and their chil-
gain the gods’ favor. And most societies valued dren were sacrificed (presumably, of course, not
their children above all else. So we must not ever by Hebrews but by Gentiles).
think that these religions that murdered their Here’s the point: scholars have always recog-
sons and daughters as an appeasement to their nized that the prohibition of child sacrifice was
gods did so because they had plenty of kids or not the purpose of the final verse of chapter 12.
didn’t love them or care about them. Rather, it simply took perhaps the most extreme
Deuteronomy 12

As abhorrent as is this was to Yehoveh, and example of what can happen should Israel start
as clear as He made its prohibition to Israel, and to adopt ways of their pagan neighbors as they
as serious as the Hebrews generally took this honor their false gods. The idea is that for a
command, they were not entirely above engag- Hebrew to but sample or inquire about even the
ing in it themselves. I presented to you in an most mundane or seemingly harmless aspect of
earlier lesson the sad story of Jephthah making the Canaanites’ pagan religion will, with some
a vow to offer as a burnt offering the first thing Hebrews, be irresistible and end up with their
that came out his house to greet him when he committing the worst possible atrocities, and
 116 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

they’ll even do it in Yehoveh’s name. So they How could the church have gone so far off
should shun these religions with every fiber track? How could believers think such strange
of their being regardless of whether it insults, thoughts? Just as Jephthah did, too much of
offends, angers, or merely makes relations with Christianity has mixed the ways of Greek phi-
the Canaanites uneasy. losophy and intellectualism and various cultural
By the Church simply reducing everything traditions with the Lord’s ways in hopes of get-
the Lord expects of us to the word “love,” we ting along with the world. As society and the
have various denominations endorsing homo- church grows increasingly accepting of these
sexuality, gay marriage, abortion, and polygamy things, we all become numb to them and they
at the same time it wants to ban the execution become the new normal, so we declare to our-
of murderers, forgive sex crimes upon children, selves that these things must be good because
and declare that any god that is worshipped is they seem so comfortable to us. To do other-
really just Jesus. Why? Because the supposed wise would have us crossways with many of
“law of love” effectively invalidates all of the our friends, some of our family, and certainly at
Lord’s other commands. We cannot be against times with our own church or synagogue. After
homosexuality because that is not loving. We all, who wants to be labeled as belonging to a
cannot stand in the way of two males or two cult, or as a heretic, or as a fundamentalist intol-
females getting married to one another because erant unintelligent hater?
they love each other and, of course, God loves Well that’s the choice Yehoveh lays out to
love. We cannot execute a killer because instead Israel: Obey My every command, regardless of the
we should love him, rehabilitate him, and social consequences, so that I can bless you. The
besides, no loving god would ever take a human other choice is to commit idolatry by adopting
life as retribution. And we cannot stand with some of the ways of the world and thus pervert-
Israel, and necessarily against its enemy the Pal- ing the true worship of the true God in order to
estinians, because that is not evenhanded and blend in with your neighbors and have a form of
thus is not loving. peace. This results in the holding back of blessing.
Deuteronomy 12
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 117

Deuteronomy 13

Deuteronomy 13 is the natural extension of mixed and matched to please themselves, and
Deuteronomy 12, because it declares what is to to show tolerance to their pagan neighbors, and
happen to anyone who tries to reestablish the then declared that since it was in the name of
multiple god worship that Yehoveh was in pro- God Almighty then it was OK.
cess of stamping out.
Apostasy
There were a number of ways in which this
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 13.
abomination could come about and in chapter
13 we encounter a set of three ways individ-
ual Israelites might entice their brethren away
Verse 1 is a product warning label; it’s a from pure worship and towards apostasy. First
kind of a divine “mattress tag” that is never to is whereby a man claims allegiance to God,
be removed. The warning is plain and simple: publicly says he has received a word or visions
what I am telling you to do, do and don’t ever from the Lord, and is even able to give a visible
abolish any of these principles and don’t ever sign (that comes true) to prove that what he
add any more principles. The Lord God has prophesies is authentically from Yehoveh but
pronounced the several ways of worshipping advocates worship of pagan gods. Second is
Him that are acceptable. Should the Israelites the case of a close relative or friend (in essence
choose to add some of the pagan Canaanite a family member) who, in private and in secret,
worship practices to their worship of Yehoveh, tries to get other family members to accept
this amounts to disobedience and sin at forbidden gods. And third is where a man has
the highest level; it amounts to idolatry and prophesied something as from the Lord and
unfaithfulness. successfully gets the inhabitants of an entire
This short terse verse seems so repetitive village or city to adopt some form of pagan
and simplistic, yet in reality it is at the heart of traditions and/or some pagan gods.
what would plague Israel and eventually the This is not meant to exhaust all the possible
church to this very day. As we carefully read the ways for people to be led astray by false proph-
later books of the OT and learn of the idola- ets; it is the more common everyday ways that
trous practices of many Hebrews in mixing in are bound to occur with regular frequency in
the worship of other gods, it was rare that wor- such a large population as Israel that will be liv-
Deuteronomy 13

ship of Yehoveh was abandoned and replaced ing among several Canaanite nations who have
with these new gods. Rather it was more usual no intention of giving up their gods for Israel’s
that Israel simply added some pagan tradi- god. What is important to understand is that
tions to their worship of the Lord and (just as each of these cases applies to the modern body
usual) added the worship of some pagan gods of Messiah as much as to ancient Israel.
alongside the worship of Yehoveh. They simply
 118 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

A Prophet Whose Prophecy with the Lord and had these divine dreams, or
Doesn’t Align with God’s Word it could be a religious authority who received
a revelation from time to time in a dream. At
The first case starts in verse 2 and ends in times a prophet might receive his word from the
verse 6 or 7 depending on your Bible version. It Lord via a dream or vision. So these words are
tells of a person who is regarded as a prophet or simply lumping both possibilities together and
one who has visions (dreams), and who is diffi- saying do not listen to anyone, no matter how
cult to refute because he claims to be a prophet accurate their prophesies might be if they also
of Yehoveh and what he offers as proof (a sign) advocate worshipping other gods.
of his ability to see the future, as revealed by In verse 4 the Lord says the reason that He
the Lord, seems to come true. The problem is allows one of these false prophets to know the
that this person who claims allegiance to God future while that prophet is trying to lead the
says that God Himself has told him that Israel people astray is to test the Hebrews to see who
should bow down to other gods as well. Now will obey God and who won’t. The key here is
this may sound very odd to us, but to anyone that any prophet or dream interpreter who sug-
living in that era this was the norm. Recall that gests following other gods, or adopting some
one of the titles we’ll find in the OT for Yehoveh element of pagan worship, is not to be listened
is “El,” and El is a title that originated from to because the very suggestions that prophet is
the Canaanite mystery religions that denotes making are indications that he is evil. Instead
the chief god, the highest god, who rules over the people are to reject that prophet or dream
the pantheon of lesser gods and goddesses. It diviner and put him to death.
was common that a prophet of the El (in what- Notice something important: the test of
ever culture we might be talking about) would whether a prophet is false is not whether or
announce that El has decided that his people are not he is correct. It isn’t even whether or not he
to add a god or goddess to their worship. Since claims that he is a follower of God Almighty,
all the lesser gods and goddesses were under the but rather it is that what he prophesies is in tune
authority of the El, this was in no way abandon- with God’s written laws and commands. Think
ing worship of the El, the highest god; it was back to when we studied Moses confronting
simply saying that one of the countless numbers Pharaoh; God gave Moses a series of signs and
of lesser gods who reported to El was now to wonders to prove that he was the Lord’s spokes-
play a role in their worship practices. So the person. However, in many of those cases Pha-
idea is to follow other gods in addition to El; the raoh’s sorcerers were equally able to perform
Hebrews were very comfortable with that idea. similar signs. So who was to be believed? Cer-
Let’s be clear: God did communicate to His tainly in a head-to-head battle the Lord’s sign
people in ancient times by means of His proph- overcame the Egyptian magicians’ sign (such as
ets and through those who had visions. In gen- when Moses’s staff turned into a serpent, the
eral, these were two different categories; proph- magicians countered by turning their staffs into
ets were the professionals. Prophets were often serpents, but the serpent of Moses devoured the
Deuteronomy 13

ordained as prophets and even if they were not, other snakes) but the magicians’ signs were real,
they were recognized de facto as God’s proph- nonetheless. A false prophet can display super-
ets. They were even supported by the commu- natural ability, so we must be very discerning.
nity. It’s not as though a person would just pop How do we discern? Without knowing God’s
up and declare he was a prophet; rather it was a written Word it is impossible. That Word gives
recognized position. A person who had visions us the truth so that we can compare what we
generally was not a professional, but rather a experience against it in order to know what is
layperson. It could be a person who found favor and what is not of the Holy Spirit.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 119

In some ways this problem sounds ancient serve other gods “which you have not known.”
and primitive, but in fact it has corrupted Judeo- This is referring to a close family member who
Christianity to our core. It began with the false is doing the enticing, because we are given spe-
doctrine that the Torah was dead and gone and cific relations in descending order of impor-
that we should not look to it for God’s princi- tance (for that era, at least). First is the brother,
ples, patterns, and truth. What better way for the but because it was usual for a man to have more
enemy to deceive the church than to convince us than one wife (and a concubine or two as well),
to discard the very document given to us from and therefore for a son to have several half-
our Creator as our roadmap for harmonious and brothers, this makes clear that this is referring
victorious living, and instead have us turn to to a full brother (having the same mother and
pious sounding but error-filled doctrines? Many father), the closest sibling relationship possible.
Christians have done the very thing we were Second in importance is one’s son, and after
warned not to do: Do not subtract from nor add that one’s daughter, and after that one’s wife,
to the Word of God! Our Savior Yeshua warned and then a close and trusted friend. So the idea
us again during His Sermon on the Mount as is that when a close family member approaches
recorded in Matthew 5:17–19. But by the liberal another family member with the suggestion to
use of allegory and a stealthy infiltration of a include the worship of other gods, the family
somewhat disguised anti-Semitism over the cen- member that was approached with this illegal
turies it has happened and has caused confusion suggestion might just be tempted to ignore it or
and harm as it did to ancient Hebrew society. cover it up and not do what God has ordained
The consequence for being a false prophet be done: execute the instigator.
is pronounced in verse 6; he is to be executed. Therefore we’re told in verse 9 that in addi-
Is this execution punishment, per se? Actually it tion to not consenting to such a thing (not even
is less a matter of punishment and more a mat- if that family member is your own mother or
ter of what is said at the end of that same verse: someone in authority over you) you are not to
“This is how you are to rid your community of pity them, not to obey them, not to follow them,
wickedness.” The world’s supposedly developed nor are you to conceal them (that is protect them
and civilized and intellectualized societies have from what must rightfully be the consequence).
managed to turn this principle on its head. Get- Instead the family must kill that family member
ting rid of a person who commits heinously evil who is trying to entice the others into idolatry.
acts once and for all (evil as defined by God) The reason for this drastic action is stated in
is a benefit and protection for the commu- verse 12: “Then all Israel will hear about it and
nity at large because it rids that community of be afraid, so that they will stop doing such wick-
evil. Now the principle has been turned upside edness as this among themselves.”
down and the so-called “law of love” doctrine The means of executing that person is also
is wrongly applied and so murderers and violent prescribed: stoning. The idea of stoning a per-
offenders are often shown mercy and tolerance son to death is that everyone in the community
with the result that evil is allowed to remain is to participate. By everyone in the commu-
Deuteronomy 13

and infect others. Then we complain about how nity participating, it indicates the community’s
unsafe and violent our societies have become! consensual agreement to reject the evil and sin
that person committed. Therefore what is being
stated in these verses is not that (without trial)
The Man Who Leads His Family
a father is to take his son or his wife outside
Astr ay
the camp and then stone them to death if that
Next up is the case of a family member pri- son or wife suggests the family worship other
vately trying to entice another family member to gods; rather it is that they are to turn them in
 120 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

to the proper authorities, bring them up for false gods or adding paganism to their obser-
trial and act as a witness. Then, if that person vances. In fact, the case here in Deuteronomy 13
is convicted, they are to follow God’s law that is of an Israelite town where it had already hap-
the witness is to be the first to throw a stone of pened. It is interesting that the point I just made
execution and then the rest of the community about there necessarily being a trial to determine
joins in to finish the job. Pretty severe. the guilt or innocence of the accused idolater is
The God-principle is clear: our obliga- here raised. The consequence is that the entire
tion of obedience to God and His commands community who has succumbed to this apostasy
is above any allegiance to our closest family (not just the instigators) must be executed.
member (even our parents, children, or spouse). The fellows who started the trouble (the
When faced with the terrible choice of commit- CJB called them scoundrels, and in other ver-
ting blatant evil in God’s eyes or maintaining sions called base fellows) are literally in Hebrew
a relationship with that fallen family member, described as bene Belial, which means children,
one is to turn their back (if necessary) on the or sons, of Belial. Belial means “worthless or
family member in order to remain faithful to useless folks, like murderers and rapists that
the Lord. This, as all other Torah principles, do nothing but do harm and incite trouble,” so
was not abolished by Yeshua. Jesus says this, “If most literally this calls the instigators of this
anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own mass idolatry sons of worthlessness (so scoun-
father and mother and wife and children and drel is a good translation). There are a couple of
brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, places in the Bible where we’ll again run across
he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26 NAS). this word, Belial, and sometimes it is used as
Hopefully you can detect that just as in our a proper noun (a formal name). Satan, for
day teachers and preachers of God will use some instance, is often used as a formal name even
degree of hyperbole to bring home a point, that though it also simply means “adversary.” When
is what Christ was doing here. He was not sug- Belial is used as a proper name, it is much in
gesting that upon accepting Him that we are to the same way we might call the devil the “Evil
develop an active hatred for our families. He One.” The Evil One isn’t really another for-
is of course not stating that loving Him means mal name for the devil; its just a literary device
automatic rejection of our family. Rather it is whereby we take a general title and assign it to a
that if He calls upon us and our family says certain person who is said to bear that attribute,
we must choose between following Christ and and it becomes (in a kind of poetic fashion) an
remaining in good stead with the family, we alternative proper name.
are to choose to follow Him and let the chips We find the term Belial in the NT as well
fall where they may. I, fortunately, did not have as the old. “Or what harmony has Christ with
to make such a choice, but many have had to Belial, or what has a believer in common with an
make this heartbreaking, life changing decision, unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:15 NAS). So from the OT
including most Jews who have accepted their we now learn what this NT passage means: “or
own Jewish Messiah, Yeshua. what harmony has Christ with sons of worthless-
Deuteronomy 13

ness (scoundrels or antisocial criminals)”

The Prophet Who Coerces Others
to Worship False Gods The Final Judgment for Idolatry
The final example given is when a person As a final judgment for the crime of idolatry that
attempts to subvert an entire population by the entire community participated in, the town
encouraging them (as a community or congrega- itself (the buildings) is to be destroyed, and the
tion) to fall away from the Lord by worshipping ruins of the town are never to be built on again.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 121

The Hebrew word used here for the heap, or because the Lord ordered the destruction of the
ruins, of the town is tel. Those who have been town due to His divine wrath being poured out
to Israel have been to many a tel, because a tel is upon it, this was a sacred and holy act. There-
where a series of cities have been rebuilt each fore just as a sacrificial animal is to be completely
upon the ruins of the previous city . . . often burnt up on the altar and all of it given to God,
as many as fifteen or twenty times. In fact the so are the town’s spoils to be burnt up thereby
word heap or mound describes it well; although symbolically giving it all to God.
the original city was generally built on the same The last two verses explain that the reason
level as its surroundings, over the centuries the for destroying the town is that God’s anger is
cycle of destruction and rebuilding literally cre- against all Israel for the act of this one rebel-
ates a hill which grows with each successive lious town turning to apostasy; His anger will
round of construction to the point that some of not be satisfied until His instruction to destroy
these tel mounds are one hundred feet high and the town, the townspeople and everything in it
more, and to the uninitiated seem as though is accomplished. Only then will He bring His
they must have been a small hill jutting out of favor back upon the nation of Israel.
nowhere. Such is the seriousness of committing adul-
In addition to burning the buildings the tery against the Lord. There exists no higher
spoils of the city (the personal items that are usu- crime against His holiness than for one who
ally confiscated and given to the military com- purports to be in union with Him, to willingly
mander or king) are to be piled high and burnt come into union with evil . . . in this case, false
with fire. This is called herem and the idea is that gods.

Deuteronomy 13
 122 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 14

This chapter begins with a most personal com- does have a scar or burn or birth defect is not
ment from the Lord. The Bible makes it clear penalized by the Lord and is no less holy than
that in the eyes of God you are whoever you any other common Israelite for it, they certainly
identify yourself with. This was expressed in the are not to intentionally create a defect by scar-
previous chapter using the term bene Belial (sons ring or disfiguring themselves in any way.
of worthlessness), scoundrels who the Lord
identifies as evil people opposed to Him. At
the opposite end of the spectrum are the words Our Inclinations for
that begin Deuteronomy 14; there God says that Good vs. Evil
Israel is bene Yehoveh, sons of Yehoveh. The Lord With this short paragraph concerning holiness
identifies the Hebrews as a holy people attached in mourning completed, verse 3 begins a longer
to Him and says the Lord, as such you are not section dealing with diet (or better the required
to have mourning rituals like the Canaanite holiness of the Israelite diet). Central to this is
pagans (the bene Belial ) have. the definition of acceptable versus prohibited
We’re going to find that several specific foods and clean versus unclean. In fact from the
rituals and practices of the Canaanites are pro- Hebrew viewpoint, that which is prohibited is
hibited for Israel simply because the Canaanites not even considered food. In other words there is
do them; generally speaking that is why this food on the one hand and then there are edible
command against Israelites shaving their heads things on the other, but for Israel it is not food.
(males, of course) and slashing themselves so This is a type of thinking that is important for
that they bleed as a custom for mourning the us to grasp when reading the Bible (OT or NT)
dead is not allowed. These types of acts were as it concerns what a Hebrew can eat and what
known throughout the Middle East and most he can’t.
of the known world, but the Lord says His peo- The Hebrew sages point out that the con-
ple are not to do such things because they are a cept of the Lord putting boundaries around
holy people set apart for Him. One of the prin- what a Hebrew can eat as food begins in Gen-
ciples behind God’s holiness is that holy things esis 2 when Adam and Eve are told that they
must be without defect. Therefore animals that can eat the fruit of everything in the Garden of
are to be sacrificed to Him on the brazen altar Eden without restriction except fruit from the
must not have blemishes or scars or be sickly Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. I would
or weak; rather they must be the best, perfect, like to point out a principle revealed here that we
Deuteronomy 14

no defects. This also carries over to the priests haven’t talked about in quite some time but it’s
who serve the Lord; priests cannot serve if they worth reviewing; up until Yehoveh instructed
have a physical deformity like a missing finger Adam and Eve not to eat of that certain tree,
or a large scar or burn mark or are born with there were no rules laid down by God. Let me
some kind of birth defect. Thus it follows that say that again: when Adam and Eve were first
the common population of Israel is also under created, no moral laws or civil laws or rules of
this ideal holiness pattern of having no defor- any kind existed for them. It is instructive for
mities or defects; therefore while a Hebrew who us that the very first law that God ordained for
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 123

them, and for the world, concerned food. What tree, they had no moral choices to make. There-
this means in our modern vocabulary is that up fore sinning was a practical impossibility for
until the moment that Yehoveh said not to eat them. Can you see that? A human will is com-
that one fruit from that one tree, sinning was pletely inoperable if there are no moral choices
utterly impossible for the first couple. Without to make. God’s laws provide for those moral
a law from God to break—and breaking a law choices.
of God is the definition of sinning—how could In addition to moral choices, mankind
they commit a sin? They couldn’t. But once has a second and entirely different category
the Lord gave the command to Adam and Eve of choices available to us: preferences. Prefer-
restricting the eating of fruit from the Tree of ences are things like preferring red to yellow,
Knowledge of Good and Evil sin could occur. apples over bananas, chocolate over vanilla. Or
Why? Because there was finally a rule to break. choosing to drive a Buick instead of Honda, or
Adam and Eve essentially had a Torah that con- wearing a long-sleeved shirt instead of a short-
tained but one single law. And, guess what, they sleeved shirt. Preferences are things that allow
couldn’t wait to violate it. us freedoms whereby good and evil are not
I am convinced that until that law was set in involved and therefore obedience versus sin are
place Adam and Eve had no idea that there was not involved. The function of the human will is
such a thing as right and wrong, good and evil, not to make preferences; the human will is that
obedience to God and sin. The concepts of evil, part of us that makes moral choices.
wrong, and sin had no meaning and have no Here’s the thing I’d like you to try to envi-
meaning unless a line is drawn between some- sion: there are two realms (two categories) of
thing that is acceptable to Yehoveh and some- choice for mankind: moral choice and prefer-
thing that is not. ence. God has divided and separated these two
We are all born with two inclinations in our realms from each other as far as east is from the
souls: the good inclination and the evil inclina- west. In the realm of moral choice (the realm
tion; the propensity to do good, and the propen- that deals with our wills) the Lord has laid
sity to do evil. These two inclinations are what down detailed parameters and boundaries in
together form our will. Adam and Eve were cre- the Torah. Within the Torah are laws and com-
ated with the good inclination and evil inclina- mands (the things that detail those parameters
tion just as we are. If they weren’t formed with and boundaries). Usually they’re in the form of
those two inclinations then they would not have God’s do’s and don’ts; it is where good and evil,
had wills. They would have been as robots. What right and wrong are defined and set down for
is the purpose of the will? The will is that com- us so that we don’t have to guess. This is where
ponent of a human that makes moral choices. God’s sovereignty reigns and it is untouchable
What is a moral choice? Moral is defined in the and inalterable.
Bible as meaning “something that is in line with The Bible does not generally deal with pref-
God’s character and will,” so a choice is whereby erences other than to make it clear those choices
we choose to align our decisions for or against outside of moral choices falls into the realm of
Deuteronomy 14

God’s will. When we make a moral choice that preferences. The liberties and freedoms talked
is in line with God’s will, that is called obedience. about so much in the NT are in this realm
When we make a moral choice to go against God’s (or category) of preferences, not in the realm
will, that is called sin. of moral choices. We must never think that a)
Therefore, even though Adam and Eve there are no rules and laws for the believer, and
were created without sin, they were created with b) that everything for us is simply preference.
the ability to make a moral choice. But until God If we believe that, we’re saying that morality no
announced that they were not to eat of that one longer exists for the Disciple of Christ. That
 124 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Christians and Messianics currently live in the tolerance of sin, and confusion. Too often mod-
same state that Adam and Eve lived before God ern denominational doctrines have declared that
gave them the command not to eat of the Tree what salvation actually saves us from is the divine
of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is just plain Law itself. This is a terrible error; rather, salva-
Scriptural error to think that. tion saves us from the consequences of violating the
Here’s the rub: what mankind has done divine Law. And what other definition of sin is
forever, and is doing at an unprecedented rate there than the violation of the God’s laws and
today, is attempting to remove items from the commands? Further if Jesus came to abolish the
realm of moral choice and place them instead Law, then why would we be need to be saved
into the realm of preference. Remember, the from our sins since only with law can there be
realm of moral choice is governed by God’s will, sin? With law there is sin, without law there can
His laws and commands; the realm of prefer- be no sin since there is nothing to violate, right?
ence has been given for man to choose among; If Yeshua’s presence abolished the Law then there
things for which no divine law has been created was absolutely no need for Him to go to the cross
and therefore right and wrong do not come into because there wouldn’t be any sins necessary for
play. Him to atone for.
By way of example: God’s explicit command This principle that I am stating to you is
against homosexuality is being moved in West- fully validated by none other than Saint Paul,
ern society from the realm of a moral choice and it has been (for most people) one of the most
into to the realm of preference. We’re moving it cryptic and difficult statements of his many dif-
from the realm of morality, of right and wrong, ficult statements:
of good and evil, into the realm of human prefer-
ence, where right and wrong is of no issue. This For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants
sleight of hand is not only dangerous, it is rebel- that he would be heir of the world was not through the
lion against the Lord on the highest level. What Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those
authority has man to tell God that we hereby who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the
decide to downgrade that which He declares as promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but
a moral choice to a human preference? How where there is no law, neither is there violation.
dare we say that His definition of good and evil (Rom. 4:13-15 NAS, emphasis mine)
no longer applies to so many things in our lives
that He says it does! This movement of choices The first half of this statement is well under-
out of God’s realm of morality into man’s per- stood and I agree with the consensus meaning
mitted realm of preference is at the heart of of it: that no one is saved by means of the Law;
man’s rebellion against Him. rather salvation comes by means of faith in Mes-
I’m afraid that Believers are responsible for siah. The Law was never a document meant to
bringing this apostasy about and we must turn save anyone. That was not its purpose.
back. The day the church declared that there is I have, over the years, heard some of the
no Law is the day we prematurely abolished the most imaginative (to put it politely) sermons
Deuteronomy 14

realm of moral choice and transferred all choice on the second half of Paul’s statement that
into the realm of preference (our preference). The says, “For the Law brings about wrath, but
day that Christianity believed the lie of all ages where there is no law, neither is there viola-
and said that Yeshua came to abolish the Law tion.” Coupled with some other verses in other
(essentially abolishing the basis for moral choice) of Paul’s letters, this is one of the key passages
is the day the church declared total freedom from many Christian pastors have used to argue that
moral choice. This has led us down the garden a) the Law is inherently faulty, and b) therefore
path to a place of moral relativity, decadence, with the advent of Jesus Christ the Law is abol-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 125

ished and there are no laws for the Christian The Hebrew Diet
to follow. That is in no way what Paul is tell-
ing us; rather it is that the principle that I just The Lord originally used food to demonstrate
covered with you whereby the only way that that He makes distinctions; He divides and
sin (violation of the Law) ever ceases to exist is separates. The Lord defines boundaries for
when God’s laws cease to exist. Even if there mankind; He prohibits and He permits. Divid-
is but one law remaining, there will be viola- ing and separating is perhaps the primary char-
tion (just as Adam and Eve demonstrated by acteristic activity of God and it shows us what
violating their one law—don’t eat that fruit!). He approves and disapproves of. The act of
Goodness, the new believer instinctively salvation is precisely dividing and separating,
understands that regardless of one’s stance on because some will gain salvation and others
the Mosaic Law we Christians do have rules won’t, according to a line in the sand that the
and boundaries set down by God. Are we now Lord has drawn. Those who choose to stand on
free to murder? Are we now free to lie, and one side of the line gain redemption and eternal
steal, and cheat, and commit adultery? Even life, those on the other side don’t.
the most immature believers know that when God began dividing and separating when
we cross those boundaries and violate those He divided dry land from the waters of the
rules of God that we have sinned against the seas; when He divided night from day; when He
Lord. So maybe the better question for us is: divided good from evil. One could say He also
will that ever stop? divided the sexes, male from female. He eventu-
Well, I have good news for you, the Bible ally divided and separated mankind into tribes,
answers that question of when sin ceases to be then nations; then He divided and separated the
an issue. The answer to that question is also nation of Israel as a set apart nation from all
contained in that definitive statement of Jesus others. Then He divided and separated the tribe
Christ in Matthew 5:17-19, when He says, “For of Levi away from the other tribes of Israel, and
truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, divided Levi even further into priests and non-
not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away priests. But the Lord also divided things up in
from the Law, until all is accomplished (Matt. other ways, and food is one of those ways. He
5:18 NAS, emphasis mine). divided food up into the suitable and unsuitable;
This statement about heaven and earth the ritually clean and unclean, the acceptable
passing away is literal and it is the key. When and the unacceptable.
the existing heaven and earth pass away (as we Before we dive into the food section of
are told in the opening verse of Revelation 21 Deuteronomy 14, let me state something that I
that it will), and when the world is made com- am unequivocal and unyielding about: the sepa-
pletely anew at the end of the one-thousand- ration He makes between clean and unclean
year reign of Messiah, then conditions will be items for eating has nothing to do with any
similar to the state of Creation after Adam human concept of rational, logical, or hygienic
and Eve were created, but before Adam and reasons. That dietary health might enter the
Deuteronomy 14

Eve were given their very first rule—don’t eat equation in certain instances is completely sec-
fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good ondary and it is nothing that we should point
and Evil. So now we know; only when the to as the method the Lord used to create the
new heaven and new Earth are created will division between clean and unclean foods. In
the Torah and its laws cease to exist, just as fact, this notion entertained today by Jews and
Yeshua said. Only then will there be no laws, by a growing group of Christians that the foods
and therefore no moral choices, and therefore listed as clean are inherently healthier than the
no possibility of sin. list of unclean foods simply does not bear itself
 126 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

out in reality. That is not to say that in eating a spiritual principle: He declares what is holy (for
biblically kosher diet that there are not health His own mysterious reasons) and all else is not.
blessings bestowed upon us in a spiritual and Yet holy things are intended only for holy peo-
supernatural way as a divine blessing due to our ple. Therefore, it follows that a set apart people
obedience to the Word of God. But the foods should only eat food that has been set apart and
themselves don’t necessarily have direct, inher- declared acceptable to the Lord.
ent health benefit (and others direct inherent Nothing and no one but the Lord has self-
health negatives although it is certainly possible created holiness. Every procedure, ritual, animal,
that some might). The Japanese, for instance, instrument, object or law that God deems to be
are as equally famous for eating seafoods that holy is holy only because He deems it; it main-
are specifically banned as unclean as they are tains that holiness only when it is used in the
for living extraordinarily healthy and long lives. proper context. You, as a disciple of Yeshua, are
The Chinese and many other cultures eat ani- holy only because God has made a determination
mals that have paws (something specifically to give you a holy status and you accepted it; that
excluded as food) and there is no evidence that determination is that if you demonstrate your
they live shorter lives or less healthy lives than trust in Him by means of faith in His Son then
anyone else. The idea that the list of biblically He will consider your sins paid for, your relation-
clean foods was based on hygiene and health is ship with Him restored, and give you eternal
incorrect. That notion came from Jewish writers life. Could the Lord have chosen another way to
of the Middle Ages, many of whom had become determine holy status? I imagine He could have;
famous physicians; and it has been proven to given time we could probably all think of a num-
have little basis. ber of interesting ways the Lord could employ
Rather the Lord states emphatically that the as the criteria for a man to be saved and ways to
only reason for requiring Israel to eat kosher is then follow. But, He didn’t. Therefore one way is
that Israel is holy and following God’s dietary holy and another is not, and we are not given the
laws is one of the components of their maintain- option to choose other ways no matter how logi-
ing their holiness when accomplished within the cal or tolerant or traditional or comfortable that
proper context of trusting and loving Yehoveh. they might seem to us.
We will find sections of the OT whereby some Verse 3 sets the tone for what follows as
of the Canaanites actually decided to obey well as establishing a general rule: no Hebrew
some of Israel’s food laws, and even other laws is to eat anything disgusting, or better abomi-
concerning the care and maintenance of the nable. In Hebrew the word is to’evah; in English
fields used for crops because they saw a certain another good choice of words might be abhor-
value and advantage to it, but they didn’t trust rent. The idea is that to eat things that the Lord
Yehoveh, so what was holy for Israel was simply has not set apart as legitimate food is among the
mimicking the holy and was thus merely com- most displeasing things that one can do before
mon for them. The Canaanites certainly may God. To’evah is a strong Hebrew term reserved
have gained a physical advantage by letting their for things that are especially unclean, unholy,
Deuteronomy 14

fields rest every seven years, if they hadn’t done unlawful, and have absolutely no place in the
so before. But they did not gain the blessings life of one who calls the God of Israel their
of holiness from God (or the things that come God. Don’t be confused; this general rule of
with it) simply by obeying some of those com- to’evah is not separate or different from the list of
mands in mechanical fashion. unclean animals the Lord is pronouncing in the
By dividing and separating food into clean next few verses. Rather these unclean animals
and unclean the Lord is giving us yet another are to’evah, abhorrent, to the Lord and not to be
physical and visible demonstration of a heavenly used as food by Israel.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 127

Allow me to remind you of another interest- cally anything. I’ll never forget when I was just
ing principle that the rabbis have been so good a young boy, living in the farm communities
to observe: that which can technically be eaten and ranchlands of California, when I was stay-
and digested by a human does not make it legiti- ing the weekend with a friend out on his family
mate food. None of us would walk outside, dig farm. We went out to gather some eggs from the
in the dirt, and eat earthworms, because they chicken coup just in time to see a tiny mouse
are not food (even though it would probably attempt to scurry across the dirt floor only to
not harm us). In other words, none of us would be instantly caught and eaten by a chicken with
have earthworms on our shopping list when other chickens trying to join in the feast. And
we go to the supermarket. Worms might be chicken is a biblically kosher food.
technically edible but we do not classify them Further down is listed what kinds of sea
as food. It works the same way later on in the creatures can be used as food and in general the
Bible; unauthorized food is not even spoken of rule is they must have fins and scales; so things
or classified as “food.” If it is prohibited, even like eels, shellfish, lobsters, crab, squid, octopus
though it might technically be edible, it is not and whale were not authorized for food.
food. The term “food” is not applicable to those Some birds could be consumed as food as
items God has declared as unauthorized. was demonstrated in Exodus out in the Wil-
Note that in verses 4 and 5 that a number of derness when God sent quail as meat for the
different animals are listed as suitable for food and loudly complaining Israelites. Since there really
therefore “clean.” Only three of those animals are is no visible physical characteristic to easily dis-
domesticated animals and the rest are wild game. tinguish (and thereby classify) one bird from
Canaan had an abundant supply of wild game and another (as prohibited or permissible), general
Israelites would wind up eating much deer, ante- characteristics are not given. Instead we are
lope, and mountain goat and so on; all completely given a specific list of birds that are forbid-
acceptable as food. den; presumably all the others are ok for food.
Verse 6 gives us the general criteria on how Therefore the ever-popular chicken has always
to determine a clean animal that is not on this been considered a good and acceptable food for
list of ten specific animals; it must both chew Hebrews, and we’ll find it today at the center of
the cud and have a hoof that is separated into many meals during the Jewish holy days.
two. As verse 7 explains by means of example, In practice, because there are hundreds and
camels, hares and the coney (abundant and com- thousands of species of birds, the early Hebrew
mon in Canaan) do chew the cud but they don’t sages determined that certain behavioral char-
have a separated hoof, so these are not permis- acteristics of the birds listed here (prohibited
sible and must not be eaten. Then it goes on to birds) could be ascertained and applied to
say that the reason pigs are not authorized for other non-listed birds that displayed similar
Israel is because while a pig does have a sepa- behaviors in order to determine which should
rated hoof it does not chew the cud. Here is the be avoided. At the top of the list of of the for-
perfect example of what I spoke of earlier: a cow bidden bird behaviors are those who eat dead
Deuteronomy 14

is not necessarily more hygienic or healthier to flesh or are birds of prey. There are actually
eat than a pig, even though God classifies one some other technical characteristics that rabbis
as permissible and the other not. This idea that have determined make certain birds prohibted,
pigs eat bad things and therefore their meat is but we won’t get into that today because too
comparatively unhealthy doesn’t follow, because much explanation would be required. In gen-
many acceptable wild animals for Israel (even eral birds that primarily eat grains (even if they
domestic animals like the goat) will eat any- might occasionally supplement with insects)
thing. Goodness, even chickens will eat practi- are considered acceptable; though a list of pref-
 128 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

erable birds was also created. Birds like chick- Hebrew is therefore to either offer it as a gift to
ens, quail, doves, partridge, ducks and geese, the ger or is also just as free to sell it for money to
turkey, Cornish hens, and others of this ilk are the nokri.
standard fare for Jewish tables. This law that a Hebrew should not eat an
Verse 19 (at least in the English) seems a little animal that died from natural causes, but others
like double-talk. It seems to say that all winged can, is explained in the sentence that immedi-
swarming things are forbidden, and then turns ately follows: “For you are a people consecrated
around and says that some of them are permitted. (or in some versions, holy) to the Lord your
The key to understand this paragraph is the word God.” In other words (just as I have made a
“swarming” (in Hebrew sherets). Sherets refers to liv- point of repeating) Israel is to follow different
ing creatures that swarm or crawl: insects, or rats, food laws than other people as food is part of
or frogs, and certain sea creatures that walk on the what separates them from other cultures.
sea bottom (like lobsters and crabs among others). Before we move on to the next section of
The only clean winged creatures that are recog- Deuteronomy 14 that deals with different mat-
nized by the ancient Hebrews are certain winged ters, I would like to make a very brief comment
insects such as particular varieties of locusts that about kosher eating as it pertains to the NT and
leap and jump using two powerful back legs. modern Christians. It is clear in the Scriptures, in
Therefore ants, termites, grubs, and other similar Hebrew writings of that era, from the Commu-
creatures fall into the sherets category and are thus nity Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a
forbidden to be classified as food. from a warehouse full of other Jewish documents
In verse 21 we get some prohibitions about from before and after the time of Christ that rab-
when the permissible animals can be eaten, and bis had so expanded and inflated the rules of
it centers on the manner in which these living kosher eating that Moses himself probably would
creatures died. If they died of a natural death (age not have recognized them. If you were to look
or disease or accidental injury) generally they may at the several Talmudic tractates in which diet is
not be eaten. And to prove my point about the dealt with, and compare them to Leviticus and
concept that it is not necessarily a matter of inher- especially Deuteronomy (which simplified the
ent hygiene or nutrition that makes one animal requirements once Israel entered Canaan) you’d
authorized or another unauthorized, here we have have to wonder where in the world these Hebrew
an instruction that even though God’s set apart sages got their ideas to demand such detailed
people, the Israelites, are prohibited from eating procedures. Messiah spoke loud and clear on
an otherwise acceptable animal that has died from this subject and said that these and other tradi-
natural causes, an animal that has died from natu- tions had virtually replaced God’s Word and that
ral causes may be given to the ger or sold to the in the end it was never a matter of what went
nokri. This is not a case of God telling Israel to give into a person’s mouth (food) that rendered that
unsafe, unhealthy or poisonous food to non-Israelites. person clean or impure in God’s eyes, but what
A ger is a non-Hebrew who lives among Israel came out This certainly was not Jesus abandon-
and has agreed to be part of the Hebrew commu- ing the dietary laws of the Torah; He said Him-
Deuteronomy 14

nity and (for the most part) honors the God of self in Matthew 5:17-19 that not one jot or stroke
the Hebrews and the Laws of Moses. However, a of a pen would be removed from the Law until
ger is also a person who has not gone so far as to heaven and earth had passed away. And when we
join one of the Israelite tribes in an official capac- suppose to contrive doctrines that do the exact
ity. A nokri is one who does not dwell among the opposite of this (supposedly because of what Paul
Hebrews; rather, he dwells alongside the Hebrews said) be on notice that while most of the Church
and outside of their camp. He does not necessar- may not know any better, you studying the Torah
ily honor Yehoveh. If a Hebrew’s animal dies, the Class series do!
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 129

Peter’s “Sheet from Heaven” unclean. In time Peter took that understanding
to mean that when he was in the home of a Gen-
One of the sections of the NT in which an tile that if that Gentile offered him food that was
awful lot of mischief has been done by unin- not strictly kosher then Peter should eat that food
formed Christian scholars is in the book of Acts because the need for the understanding and fel-
when the sheet is let down from heaven and it lowship between Jewish and Gentile disciples of
is full of animals that are forbidden for eating. Yeshua trumped the food laws for that situation.
I’ll just quote Duane L. Christensen, the editor However that did not mean Peter ever thought
of the World Biblical Commentary (a conserva- those laws were abolished. Rather this was a
tive Evangelical Christian book) on the subject: demonstration of the principle of Kal V’homer
“Peter’s vision of a great sheet, let down by four (the principle of light and heavy) whereby when
corners upon the earth that contained all man- there is an obvious clash between two God-prin-
ner of unclean animals, was primarily a sym- ciples whereby both cannot be obeyed simultane-
bolic communication on the matter of includ- ously, then the one with the most weight must be
ing the Gentile man Cornelius with the people chosen.
of God.”
Let me expound just a bit: this vision of
Peter’s was a metaphor. It took what was per- Dealing Fairly with
haps the primary visible and known symbol of One Another
Judaism in that era, kosher eating, and used it The section on dietary law now ends, and
as a metaphor for the many Gentile peoples laws concerning giving and fair dealing begin
of the world whom God wanted included in in verse 22. This set of laws will continue on
His redemption plan. Judaism had developed into Deuteronomy 15 and 16 and it is really just
two doctrines, however, that went well beyond another aspect of the humanitarian focus Moses
Scriptural intent, and these doctrines created an is expounding upon in his sermon on the moun-
insurmountable wall between Jews and Gen- tains of Moab. It is an interesting phenomenon
tiles. First was that the Jews decided that Gen- that if one looks closely at traditional Judaism
tiles were not simply “common” (as opposed we see a great deal of concern for social justice
to holy) people, rather they were inherently and fairness, and it is Deuteronomy that drives
unclean. And for a Jew to come into too close this concern for them. Unfortunately as we who
of contact with a Gentile automatically defiled have ever belonged to one or more of the three
that Jew. Second was that the kosher dietary thousand or so Christian denominations have
laws made it a practical impossibility that a Jew observed, when we focus too tightly on one
could ever eat food that a Gentile had merely area of Scripture to the exclusion of another
prepared. In fact, to eat at the table of a Gentile, our doctrines, traditions and behavior becomes
or with a Gentile present (no matter who pre- unbalanced. This is why we have the emergence
pared the food), made every Jew present ritually of prosperity doctrines as the central tenants in
impure according to Tradition. some churches, or others believe handling poi-
Deuteronomy 14

Of course this was not only a popular but sonous snakes is a proof of true faith. Another
very unbalanced and non-Scriptural view, but more recent example of this unbalanced doc-
also it was more than just a little bit offensive to trinal Christianity is the so-called “laughing
gentile believers. So by means of a divine vision, church” that believes if we’ll just show more
Peter saw that the Lord did not hold with those joy by laughing a lot (particularly during wor-
manmade traditional beliefs and therefore told ship services) then we’ll be healed of diseases.
Peter that he certainly could be in the company More subtle are ones that make one compo-
of Gentiles because Gentiles were not inherently nent of the Trinity more important than the
 130 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

others (whether it be the Holy Spirit for some very authority rests on the biblical covenants
or Jesus for others) or perhaps whereby God is between God and Israel, cannot set aside God’s
the Father is strictly the OT God and therefore laws and principles at our convenience and
nearly irrelevant today, and so on and so forth whim. We cannot count on love and mercy as
(there are far too many rather dubious doctrines the universal humanistic solvent that dissolves
to address in this lesson). away the Lord’s specific commands not to mix
The Jews have historically become so overly our worship of Him with pagan worship prac-
focused on human social justice that they have tices; nor to celebrate pagan holy days or mix
allowed that concern to override both God’s those observances with ours; nor to tolerate the
other commandments and (just about as often) presence of pagan gods among us. That some
common sense has also taken a back seat. When congregations are now essentially pronouncing
we study Joshua and Judges we’re going to get that there is no difference between Yehoveh
many examples of exactly that propensity toward and Allah breaks the commandment to worship
unbalance that amounts to rather severe disobe- no other gods. We are most definitely to strive
dience. We’ll see that many of Israel’s leaders in for social justice, which we do much too little
the Promised Land will allow their human desire of, but never are we to do that in the context of
for fairness and compassion for foreigners to men’s philosophies and human relativism. The
drive them to do the very things the Lord has values and principles the Lord has given to us
been making such a point of prohibiting; namely are better than those of the world, even if the
making treaties with the Canaanites, allowing world doesn’t think so.
pagan worship to continue within their boundar- An annual tithe from the fruit of the land
ies, and even joining with some of the Canaanites was to be given to Yehoveh. He was, after all,
in marriage to show respect and tolerance and the owner of the land and therefore rightfully
hopefully gain a peaceful coexistence. had a portion of the land’s increase coming to
We find similar things happening in Israel Him. Even more than ownership it was He who
today. The Israeli government seems driven to gave the land its fertility and increase. The tithe
self-destruction (and cheered on, by the way, by (meaning one-tenth) is to be brought to the
the majority of the American Jewish popula- central sanctuary. Until King Solomon built a
tion) by doing everything it can to help advance permanent temple to God in Jerusalem in the
their enemies who make it known in no uncer- mid-900s BC, the location of the sacred tent,
tain terms that peace with Israel is an impos- the Wilderness Tabernacle, was moved a few
sibility. Be that as it may, it’s one thing for the times. Therefore we don’t see a specific place
pagan world to demand Israel to give up land, where the altar was located (it would, however,
sovereignty, even money and lives for the Pal- spend the majority of its time resting in Shiloh).
estinian cause; it’s quite another for the Jewish The purpose of the tithe as ordained by
people or members of the Israeli government to God was unusual for that era. A tithe (or some-
advocate virtually the same thing. thing like it) was generally, among the pagans,
This is exactly the mentality that Moses’s merely taxes paid to the king. But here that was
Deuteronomy 14

protégé, Joshua, and his successors fostered. not the case. The tithe was used to support the
All in the name of their human ideal of social maintenance of the Tabernacle and of all those
justice, and of love and mercy, they did many who were assigned to serve it: the priests and
things Yehoveh told them not to do with their the Levites.
foreign neighbors. Because Israel was going to live spread out
This principle applies not just to our Jew- over several thousand square miles in the Land
ish brothers and sisters and not just to Israel. of Canaan, the distance to bring their produce
We, upon accepting the Jewish Messiah whose to the central sanctuary as an offering was an
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 131

issue. In some cases it would simply spoil dur- priests, priests, and by calling those non-priest
ing the long journey. In other cases (if it was blue-collar workers Levites. The priests received
animals) likely a few would be lost to wild ani- most of their livelihoods from the portion of
mals or accidents along the way. And even more the ritual sacrifices that were due to them. The
practically, if one possessed substantial fields Levites generally did not receive a portion of
and thus owed a substantial tithe, it would have the ritual sacrifices, so it was from tithes and
taken many wagons and laborers to transport offerings that they received their support.
all that produce to the Tabernacle. Therefore Now an interesting curve ball is thrown
in verse 24 we get the principle that produce into the mix; every three years the annual
can be exchanged for money. That is, a value of tithes that were due were not to be taken to
money could be assigned to that produce and the central sanctuary, the Tabernacle; instead
the money could simply be given in its place. they were to be stored in whatever town or vil-
This has even led to the Jewish Tradition that lage one belonged to. This was the core of the
money can be looked at as frozen labor. In other Hebrew welfare system. It was from these com-
words, we work for wages and the money is rep- munal stores that the poor and the sick could
resentative of our labor time; then we give of draw food to survive. In addition, Levites were
our money and it is essentially the same thing as allowed to take from this storehouse of food.
the giving of our labor. And, the storehouse also included money since
Then in verse 27 is an admonition to be sure as of now produce could be exchanged for
not to neglect the Levites living among you. money and money given for tithes and offer-
Here’s the thing: the Levites were given forty- ings. Please also notice that the food warehouse
eight cities to live in throughout the twelve was to be made available to all disadvantaged
tribal territories. It was the duty of the tribes to folks—widows, orphans, even foreigners.
support those Levites and their cities. However The principle expressed here is that at all
the Levites being spoken of here are separate times the interests of the poor and needy stand
from the priests. Recall that only certain fami- before the Lord and He looks to His people above
lies among the tribe of Levi could be priests. all others to fill that need among men. While the
The remainder (the majority) were blue-collar needs of one’s family, and then his community
workers around the Tabernacle, and they essen- of believers might have some priority, it cannot
tially worked for the priests. The Scriptures be an excuse to ignore active charity wherever it
generally make this distinction by calling the is needed.

Deuteronomy 14
 132 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 15 continues with the Lord’s by means of faith in Messiah we gain release
laws concerning helping the poor and the dis- from our debt to God due to our sins against
advantaged. God’s character is such that He Him, and from our servitude to sin itself. It
places the needs of the poor as a high priority, is, of course, in the Torah where we find the
but He also places the responsibility of caring principle of release thoroughly discussed; the
for the poor on the shoulders of every indi- NT fully expects the reader to already under-
vidual in the community of those set-apart for stand it.
God (those having the most were expected to do Please also be reminded of what the Book
the most). of Deuteronomy actually is: it is Moses’s sermon
As we prepare to read chapter 15 take notice on the mount; it is Moses expounding on the
that the God-principle of “release” or “remis- law, preaching if you would. Therefore Deuter-
sion” is front and center; more specifically, onomy will take a stated principle or law (many
here in this chapter it is release from debt or of which we’ve encountered in earlier books of
bondage. We’re going to examine this concept Torah) and then go on to explain it’s meaning
very carefully because “release or remission” and intent, nuance it a bit further, and explain
is one of the principles upon which mankind’s how the principle behind the law should be car-
salvation rests. Release, shmittah in Hebrew, ried out. Sometimes how things are carried out
indicates a cancellation of one’s indebtedness is modified slightly because the situation of liv-
that often involved servitude in a very literal ing in tents out in the Wilderness was signifi-
way in ancient times. The NT emphasizes that cantly different than living a settled life in vil-
lages and cities in Canaan. Thus the underlying
subject is application of the Law under chang-
ing conditions.

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 15.

Care for the Poor and Needy

Deuteronomy 15

Within the first 18 verses we find a set of three

provisions of the Law that are designed to prop-
erly care for and protect the most vulnerable
and dependent of Israel’s society—the poor.
These laws deal with the things that vex the
most needy of every society: their inability to
obtain loans, and if they get a loan how to pay
off that loan, and then how this can often end
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 133

up in indentured servitude, which was often the seventh year. The fifty-year cycle of release is
only way a poor person had to pay back bor- called the Jubilee cycle, and the seven-year cycle
rowed money or even to make a living. of release is called the Sabbatical year cycle.
This is not the first time in Torah that Allow me to draw a picture of what kind of
we have run across these provisions concern- impact these laws have. If you can imagine the
ing servitude, debt, and release; we find ordi- scenario whereby you loan money to a poor per-
nances about this subject in Exodus 21-23, and son in need, but the law says that at a predeter-
in Leviticus 25. The Exodus and Deuteronomy mined point in time the entire loan must be for-
laws are very similar to one another, but the given and the debt cancelled, regardless of how
laws of Leviticus on this subject are a bit differ- much (if any) of the debt has been repaid, then
ent. The most outstanding differences involve you can also imagine that as the lender you’d
who are subject to these laws, and in what situ- certainly prefer that this forgiveness cycle only
ations the laws are to be applied. occurred every fiftieth year and not every sev-
Deuteronomy and Exodus are also con- enth. On the other hand, if you were the bor-
cerned with the welfare of individual persons, rower, you’d much prefer that your debts were
whereas Leviticus is more concerned with the forgiven every seventh year instead of every
corporate welfare of family units and the nation fiftieth. So as you can probably also imagine,
as a whole. Israel was a tribal society with its the sages and rabbis have had a field day since
structure consisting of family units called the Torah was written, trying to determine just
households, clans, and tribes. A household was how to reconcile the laws of release as stated in
the smallest unit and would equate to what we in Deuteronomy and Exodus (that were based on
modern Western society would call an extended a seven-year cycle), versus the laws of Leviticus
family. It usually consisted of three to four gen- (that were based on a fifty-year cycle), and which
erations of a single family living in a tightly knit law would prevail under what circumstances of
economic and social relationship. The next level indebtedness and servitude.
up was a clan that consisted of several branches Theologically speaking, the apparent dis-
of extended families that pointed to a common crepancy between the laws of release of Leviti-
ancestor going back many generations. The cus versus those of Deuteronomy and Exodus
level above the clan was the tribe; it consisted of presents us with a challenge to reconcile them.
a group of clans that could point back to a single The standard method to make all these laws
founder of the tribe. Households had the clos- come into harmony (rather than conflicting)
est blood relationships among the individuals; has generally been to say that what is intended
clans a little less so, and tribes the most distant. with the seven-year cycle of release is not com-
Therefore, while Leviticus is more con- plete cancellation of the debt, but rather only
cerned with the welfare and rights of entire that payments toward paying off that debt can-
clans and tribes, Deuteronomy and Exodus not be collected during the seventh year of each
are more concerned with the individuals that seven-year cycle; in other words, the payments
formed households. It’s in Leviticus that we get on the debt are just postponed for one year, but
Deuteronomy 15

the laws of Jubilee that every fifty years Hebrew then after that year the payments are once again
servants are to be completely released from ser- due. But after a series of seven of the seven-year
vice to their masters, land that has been sold Sabbatical cycles (forty-nine years), in the fol-
is to be returned (remitted) to its original his- lowing Jubilee year (which is the fiftieth year),
torical owner, and all monetary debts are to indeed debts are to be completely cancelled,
cancelled. Yet, here in Deuteronomy, we find not simply the payments postponed. The rea-
laws that cancel debts and release slaves from soning is that one of the laws of the Sabbatical
their servitude in a far shorter time cycle: every year (seven-year) cycle is that the ground is to
 134 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

be worked for six consecutive years and then in One of the issues we need to understand
the seventh year it is to lie fallow in order to rest is how (and for what purpose) the lending of
and rejuvenate. Since Israel would, especially money operated in those days. At first, particu-
when they first entered Canaan, be primarily a larly during the time of Moses and until about
farming society it follows that a peasant Hebrew the time of King David, lending money among
who owed money couldn’t possibly pay it back the Hebrews was usually directed toward the
during the year that he was, by law, forbidden poor and needy. It was rarely a business propo-
to grow a crop. It would be like making a law sition; usually it was an act of kindness, albeit
in the USA that every worker was to be given an act of kindness ordered by God. Loaning
a furlough without pay for one year in every money, often in the form of food or seed grain,
seven, but still be expected to maintain his was designed to ensure that peasants, widows,
debt payments. A reasonably well-to-do person orphans, and the sick could survive. Only later
could plan for such a regular event by putting did it become a business. When loaning money
away one-sixth of each year’s income so that in to the poor generally the law was that no interest
the seventh year he had sufficient amounts, but could be charged among Israelites. Of course,
a low income person who needs every penny to in order to make a profit charging interest was a
survive has no chance of saving up as much as given so methods were eventually developed to
would be needed. do this, but it was never meant to apply to what
The poorest of the poor who typically didn’t had always previously been a matter of charity
own land, and who had to glean their food from to the poor.
the corners of the fields belonging to others, So allow me to put this in the form of a
were in an even worse position; they had virtu- God-principle: lending money (from a biblical
ally nothing to start with, and therefore had no perspective) was not about making money or
means to store up grain and supplies (or save investing it; rather it was about the more well to
money) during the six years of divinely autho- do of Hebrew society assisting those dependent
rized field use so that they could draw from that people in Hebrew society (usually called breth-
storage (their savings account) during the sev- ren or kinsmen) who at times had no other way
enth year when growing was prohibited. Even to survive. Lending at no interest was the cor-
those desperately poor might borrow money nerstone of the Israelite welfare system. When
from time to time to survive; then as now the we fast-forward a few centuries in the Bible
poorest were the most sensitive to any kind we’ll find that indeed lending eventually did
of economic disruption. A forced stoppage of become a business. But generally speaking it
growing crops for a full year every fifty years was not Hebrews who were the bankers; rather
was bad enough; but a stoppage every seventh it was Hebrews who were the borrowers from
year was an enormous burden on Israel. There- foreign lenders. Lenders for profit were gener-
fore there is no record to demonstrate that ally looked down upon by the Israelites as dis-
Israel ever observed the Jubilee year according honest thieves; therefore it was the rare Hebrew
to God’s laws. Can you envision a time where who would become a banker (no matter how
Deuteronomy 15

in your country that all fields were to be given lucrative the opportunities) because he would
a year’s rest and all debts forgiven . . . and it also have become a pariah in his own society.
was to happen in the same year and throughout It generally remained that way within Israel
your country? Or that every kind of loan made until the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian
to people would be cancelled? The economic King Nebuchadnezzar in the early sixth century
consequences would be catastrophic, wouldn’t BC. In Babylon, Jewish culture changed dra-
they? However, the ancient Hebrew economic matically; one result was that (upon their release
system wasn’t like ours is today. and return to the Holy Land seventy years later)
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 135

many of the professions that had been looked sands are accounting records and business
down upon in prior times—including being transactions. So, as we have been learning,
money lenders—were now taken up by the Jews most of the things God was ordaining as law
and in time those professions became common for Israel (including the matter of social justice
mainstays of the new Jewish society. Therefore and release) concerned normal everyday matters
by the NT times it was usual for Hebrews to that were also long established norms among
be bankers so we’ll get stories about borrowing the world’s nations. Among the Mesopotamian
and lending as a money-making venture during cultures it was common for kings to release
Christ’s era. Just understand that the purpose some of their subjects from debt, from slavery,
of borrowing and lending in the Torah became and from their prison sentences as part of their
perverted by the time of Yeshua. As you can coronation celebration. Of course while it made
imagine the poor got the short end of the stick. the king look magnanimous the cost of it was
After all, if you were a lender seeking to make a on the shoulders of those who had paid sub-
profit would you rather loan money with inter- stantial sums for the slaves or lent the money;
est to a businessperson, or lend it at little or no it cost the king nothing. Later we’ll find the
interest to a needy person who had scant ability Greeks and Athenians release serfs from their
to pay it back? It’s not hard to guess which route land debt, even take the land from the rich and
those with money to lend chose to go. powerful who took it from them and return it to
Notice what the flavor of money lending is those it rightfully belonged, as a means of right-
in the world today. It is all about the wealthy ing decades of social wrongs.
controlling the money supply, about the rich It is interesting to note that these Laws of
getting richer by means of consumers having Moses concerning release, debt repayment, and
the need to buy goods produced by those same cancellation and so on only included Israelites;
wealthy businessmen. In the Western societies, foreigners had no obligations and received no
where getting money by means of home equity benefits from these laws. This is made all the
loans, car loans, personal loans, and the use of more clear in verse 3 because it separates the
credit cards at one time was rather easy for the treatment of foreigners from the kinsman (kins-
middle class it certainly was not so easy for the man meaning a member of Israel).
poorest. The system and purpose that the Lord Verse 4 is the crux of the matter; it is the
laid down for loaning and borrowing has been Lord’s ideal that there be no desperately poor
virtually turned on its head over the centuries; in Israel. The concept is that the Lord is giving
those who need money the most can’t get it Israel land for which they did not pay, vines they
and those who use the loans for making more did not plant, fields they did not clear, even cit-
money for themselves, or buying things that are ies they did not build. Therefore there is no rea-
far more wants than needs, have it easily avail- son at all for anyone to go without and everyone
able and often pay the least interest. should be provided for (by the way, this does not
Since I believe that understanding the include the lazy, foolish, criminal and rebellious
ancient cultures is central to properly under- as we’ll find out later). If only the Hebrews will
Deuteronomy 15

standing the words and intent of the Bible, let obey God’s laws about caring for the poor and
me add that borrowing and lending was (of releasing folks from debt and servitude as the
course) a common thing since time immemo- Lord commands, then in return He will bless
rial. We have cuneiform tablets dating to before Israel so abundantly that money and food won’t
Abraham that lay out laws from various kings be an issue, ever. In fact, as it says in the follow-
concerning borrowing, lending, and release. ing verses, the result will be that Israelites won’t
Most of the ancient Assyrian clay tablets that be borrowing money from foreigners; foreigners
have been discovered by the scores of thou- will be seeking to borrow money from Israelites.
 136 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Notice the final words of verse 6: you Paul’s letters as he uses the phrase “curse of the
(Israel) will dominate nations, they will not Law” on a few occasions and say that it means the
dominate you. This is connected with the few Law is inherently bad (the Law is a curse). This
words preceding it, which talk about lending is really rather easy to explain so let’s address it
money. The idea is that whatever person or soci- right here and now: every Law of God has two
ety who lends money to another has a measure sides to it—a curse if it’s disobeyed, and a bless-
of domination over the borrower. Let me tell ing if it’s obeyed. The curse involves several ele-
you a dirty little secret: the reason that United ments; first, the curse is the result of sin since
States is often hated in many areas around the disobedience to God’s laws is the definition of
world is not so much because of our spiritual sin. The ultimate spiritual curse of law breaking
beliefs as we’d like to think; it’s because we lend (of sin) is eternal death. The intermediate earthly
so much money to poverty stricken third world and physical result of sin ranges from a minor
nations and then demand repayment. They are penalty all the way up to being executed. The
poor, we are rich; they know we have so much curse of the Law is not the Law itself. The Law
and that they are in debt to us. They know is not being called a curse that must be ended.
that without our loans to them they probably Rather, the curse is the divine consequences of
wouldn’t survive. They know that this makes us breaking the law, while the blessing is the reward
dominant over them, even if we don’t make any that comes from God’s hand for being obedient
overt attempts at domination. They also know to His commands.
that if we would show mercy and release them What disciples of Yeshua are saved from
from their debt to us it would free them, lift an is the eternal spiritual consequence (the spiritual
impossible burden off their backs, and hardly curse) of breaking the Law. That consequence
put a dent in our economy. is eternal separation from God. We are not par-
Debt is enslaving. Debt creates social eco- doned from divine or civil discipline here on
nomic classes. Debt creates anxiety and bitter- earth, nor are we relieved from the requirement
ness and debt controls the debtor. This principle to be obedient to God’s commands. What we
of the lender being dominant over the borrower have just read here in the first few verses of Deu-
is at the heart of so many Proverbs and NT com- teronomy 15 makes a crystal clear case of how
mands for the one who trusts the Lord to avoid the Law works: obey it and receive the blessings,
borrowing except perhaps for sheer survival. be disobedient and receive the curses (meaning
The NT cautions us that debt is equivalent to the punitive consequences). If Israel acts out
slavery to the one who borrowed the money. It that part of God’s justice system designed to
does not make borrowing or lending a sin per alleviate the suffering of the poorest of society,
se; it is more a matter of wisdom versus foolish- that part called “release” or shmittah, then Israel
ness especially if the decision to take on debt is as a nation will be greatly blessed. If they do not,
to fulfill wants and not needs. the earthly physical penalty will be that they will
Let me expound a bit more on verse 4: find themselves fighting for their national lives
“There shall be no needy among you.” This is and dominated by other nations in every imag-
Deuteronomy 15

one of those classic “if-then” dynamics that’s at inable way. As I said earlier, there is no record
the center of the Mosaic Covenant. If Israel will of Israel ever being obedient to even one Jubi-
do thus and so, then God will bless them. One of lee. This disobedience automatically resulted in
the areas I think most neglected within Christ’s the stated consequence, the curse, coming into
Church, and perhaps the Synagogue, is an under- effect: they were under constant attack from
standing of just what the Bible means when it their enemies, they were driven into exile, they
speaks of the blessings and curses of the Law. had to borrow money and be indebted to for-
Evangelical Christians especially like to point to eigners, and even now with their return to the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 137

land they are holding on by their fingernails and the person who refused to lend the money will
wondering why. And this is to be understood as incur guilt. Further, the Lord says, get used to
being a divinely ordained consequence. it, this is how it’s always going to be because (vs.
Verse 9 takes on the thought that would be 11), “There will never cease to be needy ones in
most likely to enter the mind of a person who your land.”
had the wherewithal to be a lender to the poor Here’s the thing: we’ve talked a lot about
under the rules Yehoveh has just laid out. Since how the Torah and the Law are God’s heav-
every seventh year, whatever part of the debt that enly ideals put into writing. These laws repre-
had not been repaid had to be cancelled, and sent God’s ideal justice system. I underline the
since a Hebrew bond-servant who had enslaved word ideal because even though this is how God
himself to a master in order to either repay a debt intends things to be, and one day after Jesus
to that master or simply to have food and a roof returns it will be that way, mankind’s fall and
over his head was to be released from his bond- our current corrupted state makes the actual
age, as each seven-year cycle got nearer to its end carrying out of these ideals to their fullest
the lender stood to lose more money. You see extent a practical impossibility because sin is
this seven-year cycle was set in the Hebrew cal- just too rampant. This is reflected in the com-
endar; it was not like buying a car with a seven- ment that despite Yehoveh’s intention that there
year loan that began on the day you drove off be no poor in Israel (verse 4), in earthly reality
with the car and ended exactly seven years later. there will always be poor among them that will
Instead each seven -year cycle was a repeating need mercy and help (verse 11).
cycle of the Jewish religious calendar; it was not Naturally it is this same concept that Yeshua
tailored to each borrower or indentured servant. simply re-quotes in the NT when he tells his audi-
So if a person borrowed money five years before ence, “For the poor you always have with you, but
the next release year came, the lender collected you do not always have Me” (John 12:8 NAS).
money from that person for five years before any Verse 16 discusses the situation whereby an
remaining debt might be cancelled. If that same indentured servant (remember, these are Hebrew
borrower had borrowed that money three years servants in the service to other Hebrews) would
before the year of release came around, the lender prefer not to be released at the end of the Sabbati-
would only collect repayment for three years and cal cycle or Jubilee cycle of release, but to remain
then have to forgive the rest. What happened if in service to his master. This servant is loved and
one year before the year of release came and a happy and wants to remain with the family. This
person came to you seeking to borrow, but you servant does not have to be released; he may stay
knew that this person would have to pay it all at his own choosing. If he does stay, he is to have
back in one year or you would lose the remain- a special mark put on him indicating that his sta-
der? And that there was no way a typical peasant tus is no longer one of being a forced slave but
could ever pay back a sum of money in but one one of choosing to be in service to his master. I
year? The thought would be that at some point hope this subtle difference impacts you; there is
before that year of release came (whether on the an enormous difference between living in forced
Deuteronomy 15

seven-year cycle or the fifty) that lenders would servitude versus committing to offer your service
simply stop loaning money to the poor because voluntarily. The first is the condition we are told
they didn’t want to risk losing most of that money we have in relation to Satan before we are saved;
because the date of required debt cancellation the second is the condition the Scriptures tell us
was just around the corner. we have in relation to Yehoveh after we are saved.
In response to this the Lord says that if This mark of having freely chosen to be in
that happens that poor person (whom the Lord service to a master is a pierced ear. The ear is the
cares so much about) will cry out to Him and ancient symbol of obedience; the ear is a word
 138 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

picture of “listening” and being obedient to the mal that had to be offered. Further, in honor of
voice of your master. Recall as we’ve discussed the missive that the Lord had recently granted
before, when the Bible says “hearken” or “listen” allowing Israel to slaughter meat any time they
it is translating the Hebrew word shema. Shema wanted to for food, if a firstling was blemished
does not mean a kind of passive hearing, like and could not therefore be offered to God, then
enjoying the chirp of a bird or rhythmic splash it was allowable to use it as a food animal.
of a waterfall; rather it means to pay attention to People are people no matter what era. The
what your master is saying and to obey it! ancients were the same as you and I; they were
always on the lookout for a good loophole.
We say, well I know God says thus and so, but
Sacrificing Firstborn Cattle
does He really mean what He says? How about
The topics of chapter 15 take an abrupt turn if . . . and then we set forth a case of extraor-
beginning in verse 19 and deal with the required dinary circumstance full of twists and turns
and expected sacrifice of the firstborn cattle. and unique conditions figuring we can perhaps
This falls in the line with the regularly repeated qualify for a free pass on a technicality. This
demand that all firstlings belong to the Lord. is why after a new law is ordained, or an exist-
Firstlings include everything from farm ani- ing law is clarified and expounded upon, the
mals, to field crops, to the tree harvest, to sons Lord will throw in a reminder of His principles
born to a man. Only after these firstlings are because His principles never change. Therefore
offered to the Lord, thereby acknowledging in verse 22 Yehoveh reminds Israel that the laws
Him as the source and owner of all life, may of firstlings and the laws of secular slaughter for
the worshipper partake. This was only a more food He has just discussed did not negate other
detailed ordinance of one that existed going aspects of those laws just because He didn’t
back to the time of Adam and Eve; in Genesis repeat them. So He says, remember: defective
4 we find the story of Cain and Abel bringing animals that could have been used for sacri-
offerings to the Lord, with Abel bringing the fice if they hadn’t been defective are OK to be
firstlings of his flock. used as regular food. And, the ritually unclean
The basics are that once per year the first- among you are eligible to eat these disqualified
lings are to be brought to the central sanctuary animals just as are the ritually clean people. Also
(the Tabernacle and later the temple), where remember that in every circumstance the blood
they are to be made a sacrifice by the priests. from an animal used for food, even if from a
There, and only there, may the worshipper eat disqualified firstling, must be disposed of by
some of the meat of that sacrifice. In other being poured out onto the ground.
words a worshipper can’t claim to “sacrifice” I have often heard it said that if Christ didn’t
an animal to God in his hometown and eat it; specifically repeat an OT command then we
sacrifice is only available at the place the Lord have no obligation to it. That is simply wishful
chooses. This opportunity to sacrifice before thinking; no such principle exists in the Bible.
the Lord was given three times per year, as In fact, Jesus (being God) knowing how we
Deuteronomy 15

there had been three pilgrimage festivals sons and daughters of man think, stops right in
already ordained (Matza, Shavuot, Sukkot). the middle of His sermon on the mount where
Next, the sacrifice must be without physi- he was expounding on the Law (as was Moses
cal defect or blemish. This does not indicate in Deuteronomy) and says: by the way, “Do not
that the animal had to be 100 percent perfect, think I have come to abolish the Law and the
but rather that one could not offer an animal Prophets, I have come to fulfill them. Not one
of lesser value. It was the best animal the wor- jot and not one stroke will pass from the Law
shipper possessed; it was the most valuable ani- until heaven and earth pass away.”
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 139

Deuteronomy 16

Deuteronomy 16 is a rather expansive portion that it will not depart until the heavens and the
of the fifth book of Torah. It begins by describ- earth have passed away. What Moses is saying
ing the three major pilgrimage festivals, then applies to us, Messiah’s ecclesia, just as much as
moves into discussing the requirements and it does to the Hebrew people in general.
expectations of the civil and governmental lead-
ers, and finally renews instructions concerning
proper worship practices as well as reiterating
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 16.
banned ones.
As always, we must keep in mind the con-
text of this book in general, that Moses is mak-
ing his final address to the people of Israel only The Feasts of Israel are central, not only to
days before he will die. As he stands before Israel’s worship practices, but to establishing
Israel in the mountains of Moab that overlook their identity as people of God. The seven bib-
the Jordan Valley and the long hoped for per- lical feasts are among what the Lord calls His
manent home of God’s people, if there is one appointed times; these are cyclical events based
underlying theme that Moses is attempting to on the calendar that Yehoveh established in order
project it is probably best summed up by the that Israel would have cause to pause and reflect
words of one of Israel’s most notable kings: Sol- on who they are and who their God is. Of those
omon, son of David. seven feasts, three are especially important; their
In Ecclesiastes 12:13, King Solomon importance is emphasized by the command that
reaches this conclusion after his long essay on the Hebrews are to make a pilgrimage (a journey)
the meaning of life: “The end of the matter; all to the location of the central sanctuary in order
has been heard. Fear God, and keep his com- to present themselves before the Lord on those
mandments; for this is the whole duty of man” occasions. Since the Lord’s presence was seen as
(Ecc. 12:13 RSV). residing above the ark of the covenant, to present
The whole duty of man is obey the com- oneself to the Lord meant that one must come to
mandments of God. The word used for man in the location of the ark, which of course was the
Hebrew is adam, and it means “man” in general, Tabernacle and later the temple.
so this verse means mankind as a whole. This By law adult males were obligated to make
verse in no way limits its audience to Hebrews; it these pilgrimage journeys. Their home’s dis-
is referring to all (Gentile or Hebrew) that wor- tance from the sanctuary is generally no excuse
Deuteronomy 16

ship the God of Israel. I point this out because to forgo these three yearly festivals. We have
it has been the tendency of believers to want to already seen that all of these pilgrimage festi-
make some laws and commands only for Israel vals were family occasions, so the entire family
while others are only for Gentiles, and we tend was urged to come, but that was left to the pref-
to be pretty arbitrary about which is which. erence of each household. In reality, the family
Let us always remember that God’s written regularly accompanied the males because these
commands are contained in His Law and that were such special and anticipated celebrations
Yeshua says that the Law has never ceased and that all desired to be present.
 140 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

While so much of how Israel lived and redeemed Israel; He freed Israel from the
operated was quite similar to how their neigh- clutches of Egypt. If we were to point to one
bors did, the act of making a pilgrimage for a thing that most graphically identifies the people
religious festival to a god was not known. These of Israel as set apart for God, and which also
three pilgrimages marked the Hebrews as a dif- stirs the very depths of the souls of the Jewish
ferent people who worshipped a different God people, it must be Passover. It was that act of
in a different way from all other peoples and saving Israel from Egypt and setting them apart
nations. The Hebrew word for pilgrimage is as an identifiable people group with Yehoveh as
chag; some two thousand years after the Lord their God and king that established them as the
mandated these three yearly pilgrimages, a new nation of God.
and rival Middle Eastern religion was formed Aviv is the Hebrew name for the month that
that incorporated the same idea: Islam. In fact, Pesach is to be celebrated and it literally means,
Islam borrowed the Hebrew word for pilgrim- “new ears of grain.” The reference to grains
age, so in Arabic it is called haj. indicates the agricultural connection of this cel-
Although we’ve had several lessons on the ebration that moves in parallel with the Exo-
biblical feasts, we’re going to spend some time dus-from-Egypt connection. Aviv corresponds
with these three pilgrimage feasts of Deuter- to our modern months of March-April, so we’re
onomy as there are some aspects of them that dealing with the Spring season. Aviv is also
aren’t readily apparent (especially to Gentiles). the first month of the Hebrew religious calen-
Even more, since virtually every great happen- dar year. I mentioned last week that we should
ing in Christ’s life centered on one or another of not confuse the Hebrew religious calendar year
these pilgrimage feasts, we should immediately with the Hebrew civil calendar year that makes
suspect that the timing was no coincidence. Tishri its first month. In the religious calendar
year Tishri marks the seventh month (which is
the Fall season). So while Aviv begins anew the
The First Feast:
cycle of the religious calendar year, the first day
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
of Aviv is not New Year’s Day; rather the first
(Including Passover)
day of the month of Tishri is Jewish New Year.
So why does God ordain this separate reli-
gious calendar year with Aviv as its beginning?
Passover
Because it was the month of Aviv that marks
The first feast that is discussed in chapter 16 is the official beginning of Israel as a set-apart
Passover, or in Hebrew Pesach. In verse 1 Israel nation and the Lord as the God of that nation;
is told to observe the month of Aviv (same Aviv marks the beginning of Israel.
as Nisan) and to offer a Passover sacrifice to Let’s recall that the reason Passover is called
God because this was the night that Yehoveh Passover is because on a singularly dreadful and
Deuteronomy 16
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 141

yet wonderful night the Lord (Himself) passed ferent seven-day biblical feast called the Feast
through the whole land of Egypt and killed the of Unleavened Bread, or in Hebrew the Feast
firstborn males (animals and humans) of every of Matza. Then in the midst of the seven days
household except those folks who trusted Him of the Feast of Matza, yet another biblical festi-
and followed the instruction to sacrifice a year- val occurs in an overlapping fashion, Bikkurim
ling lamb and painted its blood on the door- (Firstfruits) which happens on Aviv 16. So in
posts of their homes. Those families who did rapid succession we have Passover on Aviv the
this as an act of obedience and submission to 14, the start of Matza on the 15th, and then
Yehoveh (these were primarily, but not uni- Firstfruits on the 16th. While Passover and
versally, Hebrew families) were not touched Firstfruits are one-day events, Matza goes on
by death on that night; this devastating divine for seven days and Firstfruits happens during
judgment caused Pharaoh to finally understand Matza.
that he could not maintain his grip on God’s Here’s the thing: because these three spring-
people any longer. The following morning Israel time biblical feasts are so tightly interwoven, and
massed together in the land of Goshen (the fer- because the feast that sits in the center of the
tile delta region of Egypt where most Israelites three is called the Feast of Matza, it has become
resided) and with Moses leading they marched standard practice to refer to the entire bundle
away from centuries of slavery and oppression. of three feasts as simply the Feast of Matza
While I’m sure that in English Passover will (Unleavened Bread). What makes the whole
always be called Passover, in reality the Hebrew thing even more problematic is that it became
word Pesach (that is translated as Passover) does just as common to call the same entire bundle
not mean “to pass over.” It comes from the verb of three feasts, Pesach (Passover), because the
pasach, which means “to protect.” Therefore, in Passover is so symbolic of Israel’s passage from
verse 2 where we read that, “you shall slaughter Egypt. Do not think that this is simply about
the Passover sacrifice,” what it says in Hebrew is our modern tendency toward bumper-sticker
that they shall slaughter the Zevah Pesach. Liter- theology or sloppy biblical scholarship; nor is
ally it means the “protective sacrifice,” referring it the result of Gentile errors in understanding
to the fact that Israel was protected from God’s the Hebrew language. Far from it; long before
final and deadly plague upon Egypt. It was only Christ’s era these two names (Passover and
the result of that protection that one could say Unleavened Bread) were used interchangeably
they were passed over; and that name, Passover, by the Hebrews. Therefore, not surprisingly,
has stuck since Jerome retranslated the Latin that is exactly the way the NT deals with the
Vulgate version of the Bible in the fifth century springtime biblical feasts. One time the gos-
AD and chose the term “passover” to translate pels will refer to the single day of Passover as
Pesach. Passover; another time it will refer to the entire
Rabbis have long recognized that there are bundle of three feasts as Passover; one time it
differences between the way the very first Pesach will call the first day of Matza plus the six fol-
was observed in Egypt and the way it was there- lowing days the Feast of Unleavened Bread and
Deuteronomy 16

after celebrated. Before I demonstrate some of then at other times it will call the entire bundle
those differences let me point out something of three feasts Matza (the Feast of Unleavened
that confuses Christian and Jew alike about the Bread). Confusing? You bet it is and that is why
Passover celebration. one must always look at Holy Scripture (OT
Pesach (Passover) is a one-day feast that is and NT) from a Hebrew mindset (especially
to occur every year on Aviv 14 (or as it was later the era those certain passages were written) or
called in the Babylonian tongue, Nisan 14). The we’ll wander off into the weeds thinking some-
following day, Aviv 15 begins another and dif- thing is simple and straightforward when in fact
 142 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the meaning is buried deep in Hebrew culture, observance the condition changed and now the
thought and tradition. Pesach sacrifice and the eating of the sacrificial
I’ll be giving you some examples of that lamb was to take place if possible at the cen-
momentarily, but first let’s get back to the dif- tralized sanctuary. That is the meaning of the
ferences of the way these three spring feasts words in verse 2 where it says the sacrifice is
were celebrated on their inauguration in Egypt to take place at the location where the “Lord
as opposed to how they would be observed out establishes His Name.” In addition, the Levite
in the Wilderness; and then how that would priests became the sole authorized officiators of
change again as they settled in Canaan; and sacrificial ritual and thus they replaced the first-
then how the observances evolved over the cen- born sons as the spiritual leaders of the families.
turies as the Jewish people dispersed into the The next difference between the original
Gentile nations of the world. Passover and those subsequent to it are that the
sacrifice can be an animal from the flock or the
herd. This means lambs, goats, and possibly
Differences Between Original
even cattle. The passages of the book of Exodus
Passover and Those
(when discussing the required animal) say that it
That Followed
must be of the flock (meaning a sheep or goat).
The original Passover in Egypt was The rabbis have had a difficult time with this
observed in the home. The firstborn of each and generally have simply decided that it would
household behaved more or less as the family be best to follow the original instruction, which
priest (although that firstborn son did not hold was to use a lamb. Some of the reasons stated for
the title of priest nor was he regarded as a priest) these differing instructions are that a sheep or a
and usually led the various rituals if he was old goat would be suitable for the amount of meat
enough. The firstborn appropriately slaughtered needed for a typical family of around ten or so
the lamb and painted its blood on the doorposts individuals. But once Israel settled in the Land
of his family’s home because a) it was his job, of Canaan it would be possible for a number of
and b) it was his life that would be protected by families to share one larger animal like a cow.
this act. Remember: the firstborn was the only Further the general evidence is that because
family member in danger because it was only Egyptians much preferred cattle to sheep, and
the firstborns (by definition, a family’s first since Hebrews (as far as we know) raised sheep
born son) who were being threatened by death and goats and not cattle at that time, it would
at the hand of God. have been necessary for a Hebrew to buy a cow
While Israel was in Egypt there was not as from an Egyptian for the sacrifice (something
yet an official priesthood established (this would that really wouldn’t have been appropriate for
happen at Mount Sinai, a couple of months after what was about to occur on that first Passover
they left Egypt). Yet many of those Hebrews in night).
Egypt had a distant memory of certain religious Be that as it may, the use of the lamb as the
rituals that were handed down from Abraham, sacrificial animal became the generally accepted
Deuteronomy 16

Isaac, and Jacob, and so followed the customs practice and the use of cattle was limited to
of that era by each family recognizing the first- other kinds of required sacrifices that usually
born male present within each household as the occurred at the Tabernacle and temple during
officiator over whatever traditional rituals they the same time as the biblical feasts were occur-
retained. ring. Verses 5-7 spell out the need for bringing
So while the original Pesach was to take the lamb to the central sanctuary for slaughter
place within the residence of each family, once but it also establishes the time of day on the 14th
the Law was given to celebrate it as an annual of Aviv/Nisan that the slaughtering is to occur;
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 143

14th,preferrably at the Tabernacle but before it

becomes dark enough that the new day begins.
Obviously if they waited too long to begin
slaughtering the thousands of lambs that would
involved the day would change over from the
14th to the 15th and the law would be broken.
Therefore when Israel settled in Canaan and
began regularly observing Passover, scores of
thousands of people would show up at the Tab-
ernacle/temple and wait until the end of the
day for their lambs to be slaughtered with the
help of a priest. In time the logistics of slaugh-
tering all those thousands of lambs in such a
it is in the evening at sundown. Now let’s be short time span at the end of the day became
clear as to just what this means because it will nearly impossible, so a shift in the definition of
lend much to our understanding of just what the meaning of the word sunset was instituted.
happened at Jesus’s death and resurrection. Since the Hebrews marked mid-day by the sun
“In the evening, at sundown” means toward reaching its zenith (its highest point in the sky
the end of the day but before darkness sets in. that we call noon), then from that point forward
The reason for this requirement is quite simple; the sun is beginning to set as it starts to head
first, this is how it was done in Egypt. Second downward. In Jesus’s day it was about three
the Hebrew twenty-four hour day is counted hours after the sun’s zenith (what we would call
differently than it is in the western culture. 3:00 p.m.) that the slaughtering of the lambs
In western culture a clock measures a day (we commenced on Aviv 14. Generally speaking,
don’t go by the position of the sun in the sky or it ended about 6:00 p.m. because since it was
whether it is darker or lighter outside). We long springtime the day would change to the new
ago arbitrarily established a time called mid- day somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00 pm by
night (twelve o’clock) as the moment at which the way we would calculate it today on a clock
one day ends and the next day commences, but (assuming we were in approximately the same
that is not a biblical day and it’s not when days latitude as Jerusalem).
ended and began in Israelite or Middle Eastern One other important difference in the cele-
culture in general. The Hebrew (and therefore brations between the very first one in Egypt and
biblical) day ended at sundown, which of course all the later ones is that the first Passover had no
is the moment at which a new day also began. connection to agriculture; it was all about the
Generally speaking it came to be defined as Exodus from Egypt. Later the element of agri-
that instant when the sun set over the horizon culture would be added.
and a certain group of three stars became vis- Let’s talk about that for just a moment,
ible in the evening sky because the sunlight had because when we discuss Shavuot I’ll fill in
Deuteronomy 16

diminished enough for them to been seen. So some additional information that will help bring
our problem is always to reconcile the western some pieces together. The agricultural element
day with the Hebrew day when reading about was added to the Passover bundle of feasts by
when certain things happened during the day the ordination of a feast called Firstfruits that
in the Bible. occurred the 2nd day after Passover. The usual
So the point of this passage in Deuteron- explanation for this is that the first of the barley
omy is that the Pesach lambs must be slaugh- harvest (the first type of grain to ripen in the
tered toward the end of the day on Aviv fields) was brought in on Firstfruits and then
 144 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

several weeks later there was another harvest

but this time it was the wheat (that ripened later
than barley) that was harvested. Technically
Firstfruits was not indicative of the beginning
of the Barley harvest. Rather the procedure was
that a sheaf of unripened Barley (green Barley)
was brought in to be waved by the priest at a
Tabernacle ceremony. Some days later when the
barley actually ripened and turned brown the
harvesting would commence. The exact day
that the actual harvesting commenced varied
from year to year; any farmer knows that you
can’t set a day of harvest by the calendar, you
have to wait until you observe that the grain or that is, we move from the Feast of Passover
fruit or grapes or whatever has actually achieved right into the Feast of Unleavened Bread with-
the exact point of ripening that is optimum and out a break in the passages. There it speaks of
of course that will vary randomly from year to continuing to eat unleavened bread during the
year. So the Firstfruits Feast Day observance on whole time of the feast. This gathering does not
Aviv 16th was really more of a pre-harvest fes- take place at the Tabernacle; it takes place in
tival; it was a day to anticipate the soon-coming small groups back in whatever village or town
barley harvest. It was not a time when the har- each family lived.
vest was actively occurring and so the first of the Let me back up and summarize just a bit
actual usable harvest was presented to the Lord. to get us re-leveled. Deuteronomy 16 is primary
In fact, the rabbis explain that by bringing the dealing with the three God-ordained pilgrimage
not-yet-ripened sheaf of barley before the Lord (chag) festivals: The Feast of Matza, the Feast of
they were beseeching Him to give them a good Weeks (Shavuot), and the Feast of Tabernacles
harvest. At this point they didn’t know yet what (Sukkot). The first is a springtime feast, the sec-
the result of the harvest would be. ond is a summer feast, and the last is a fall feast.
While I’ve listed some differences in how However I have been talking to you so far
the Passover feast was observed from the origi- only about the springtime feast of Matza. The
nal to later times, for the most part the ritual confusing part of this is that the springtime
has remained the same (at least for so long as feast of Unleavened Bread itself is part of a
the temple stood). For instance the lamb is to be three-feast bundle of feasts: Passover, Unleav-
roasted over a fire and no part of it is to be left ened Bread, and Firstfruits. So don’t mix up the
raw and none of its bones are to be broken. Per- name given to the bundle of three springtime
haps the most symbolic of the protocol that was feasts that occur in rapid succession with the
never altered is that only unleavened bread is to three rather spread-out pilgrimage feasts that
be eaten alongside the eating of the lamb and are the main thrust of this chapter. So far we’re
Deuteronomy 16

for the entire period of the combined feast days. only discussing the first of the three pilgrim-
age feasts, the springtime Pilgrimage Feast of
Matza.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Of this bundle of three springtime feasts it
On the day following Passover, the Feast is the Feast of Matza that is actually the pilgrim-
of Unleavened Bread, or Matza begins. Notice age feast; Passover is not technically a pilgrim-
how in Deuteronomy 16:8 we simply pass from age feast, nor is Firstfruits a pilgrimage feast.
Pesach to Matza (without it being highlighted); However since one is required to journey to be
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 145

at the Tabernacle for the Pilgrimage Feast of the biblical feasts. There were not only different
Matza, it follows that the Passover Lamb would kinds of Sabbaths but also what was prohibited
be slaughtered there (the day before Matza) as and what was permitted on each kind of Sab-
well, as much from a matter of practicality as bath varied. The seventh day Sabbath was an
anything. entirely different observance than these addi-
There is one more important element that tional special Sabbath days that were attached
explains why even though Passover is not a to the feasts, and they were created for differ-
pilgrimage feast that it was still a requirement ent purposes. The word Sabbath doesn’t so much
that the Passover lamb had to be slaughtered at mean to rest as it means to “cease.” It means to
the central sanctuary. God declared in Leviti- stop doing the work you normally do to make
cus that the first day of the Feast of Matza and your livelihood or to accomplish your regular
the last day of the Feast of Matza were Sabbath household chores. It means to stop your creative
days (not the Sabbath day, the seventh day Shab- efforts. It doesn’t mean that you have to lie on a
bat, but rather these were special days when no couch all day; it doesn’t mean you can’t play with
regular work was to be done so there could be your children or grandchildren. The seventh day
preparation for the feasts). Since the first day of Sabbath that occurs every week had the most
Matza was declared a Sabbath day, the law did stringent of all the Sabbath requirements that
not allow a Hebrew pilgrim to travel on that day. even included not preparing any meals because
Therefore the Israelites had to do their travel- that is how it was observed in the Wilderness
ing to the Tabernacle some days earlier than the when God fed Israel by means of manna. Recall
first day of Matza, which was Aviv 15th. That that on the sixth day of the week, the day before
means they automatically were at the Taberna- the Sabbath, Israel was to gather double the
cle or temple on Aviv 14th (Passover) or some amount of manna as normal and to cook it and
days earlier (to avoid traveling on the Sabbath prepare it however they chose in order that they
day of Aviv 15) thereby making it necessary to would eat that extra portion (without any fur-
slaughter the lambs at the Tabernacle anyway. ther preparation) on the seventh day Sabbath.
In other words, if it was necessary for you to These additional Sabbaths that were attached
travel to be somewhere on Wednesday morning, to the various feasts had different requirements;
but for some reason travel on Tuesday was an the requirements for some were more rigid than
impossibility, you would be forced to travel and for others. The requirements for the extra Sab-
arrive on Monday (or even earlier). For the Jews baths attached to the springtime feasts were that
that one day earlier was the Feast of Passover, so on these particular Sabbaths food preparation
there was no other choice but to slaughter and could continue. Gathering up animals that one
cook your lamb at the Temple. might bring on the journey and other prepara-
I told you this was complicated. But hang tions for travel in order to arrive at the temple in
in there with me because if you ever hope to time to sacrifice could continue. Some of these
understand what went on with Jesus Christ, the festival Sabbaths didn’t even begin and end at
Last Supper, His death and resurrection, you the normal start and stop times for a twenty-four
Deuteronomy 16

need to understand what it is we’re discussing. hour day; some might begin the moment the day
changed to the Festival Sabbath day, but end by
noon or a little thereafter part-way through the
Sabbath
day. At other times a particular festival Sabbath
Let’s talk about this Sabbath matter. Gener- might not start until noon or thereafter, so great
ally speaking there were two kinds of Sabbaths: was the variation.
the weekly seventh day Sabbath, and then the Let me again affirm that I’m not talking
various extra Sabbath days that were assigned to about the seventh-day Sabbath; its schedule and
 146 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ritual was fixed, firm, and did not change. These prophecy is properly fulfilled. But no matter
festival Sabbath days are additional days where how one attempts to get around this problem,
the work schedule was modified and limited if we have Jesus crucified on Friday afternoon,
and preparation for the coming biblical feast going into the grave before Friday night, and
to which they were attached were authorized arising about sunrise on Sunday morning, we
by the Lord to continue to varying degrees. It just can’t get past the obvious Friday night, Sat-
is important that we recognize that when the urday night, and then Sunday morning problem;
Scriptures are referring to the special feast Sab- we simply can’t cram three nights into this sce-
baths as opposed to the standard seventh-day nario, although there has been some pretty cre-
Sabbath. ative attempts at it.
Please notice: since Passover, which is a one This is where our understanding of how the
day event, and then the Feast of Matza, which feast days worked (and this is according to Scrip-
is a seven-day event, begin one right after the ture, not conjecture) and how the various kinds
other, we have an overall springtime feast period of Sabbaths worked helps us out. But there is
of eight days. This means that during this festi- one more important piece of information that
val period at least one seventh-day Sabbath was has been glossed over that is perhaps the key to
bound to occur, and depending on the year, the whole thing; it is that during Yeshua’s era
two seventh-day Sabbaths might come around. there were differing customs among the Jews
Therefore the festival Sabbath days (special on when and how to do Passover. In fact, there
Sabbaths established usually for the purpose of were exactly three different traditions all in
preparation) would be in addition to the one or operation at the same time.
two seventh-day Sabbaths that occurred during There was the Judean tradition, meaning
that eight-day feast period. the one that was observed by those who lived in
In the Gospels we find that Yeshua was and around Jerusalem in the kingdom of Judah
killed, put into the rocky tomb, and arose dur- (Judea in the Greek).
ing the springtime feast days. We are unequivo- Then there was the Samaritan tradition for
cally told that He died on Passover day and arose those who lived in Samaria, the central portion
on the first day of the week. We also know that of the Holy Lands. The Samaritan tradition
there was at least one Sabbath in between those revolved around their belief that Mount Ger-
times—the kind of Sabbath that is the regu- izim was the place where the temple to God
lar seventh-day Sabbath. Christian tradition is belonged, so the Samaritans broke loyalty with
that Passover in the year Yeshua died was on a the Judeans and built their own temple and
Friday, the sixth day of the week. Therefore we established their own separate priesthood. This
have established a Christian traditional obser- involved doing things just a little different than
vance that we call Good Friday and say that this what was the established protocol at the Jerusa-
was the day Christ was crucified. lem temple that we are far more familiar with.
There is a problem with that traditional And finally there was the Galilean tradition
Christian schedule; it is that the story of Jonah for those who lived in the Galilee, the north-
Deuteronomy 16

being in the belly of the fish for three days and ernmost area of the Holy Lands. The Galilean
three nights was supposed to be the pattern of traditions were almost identical to the Judean
the time period from Yeshua’s death until His traditions. The Galileans recognized the
resurrection. Christian and Jewish scholars and authority of the Jerusalem-based priesthood,
teachers, myself included, have attempted all and so recognized Herod’s temple in Jerusalem
kinds of ways to figure out how we can turn Fri- as the proper place of sacrifice. But the Gali-
day night and Saturday night in the tomb into leans had a problem. They were quite far from
three nights instead of only two so that Jonah’s Jerusalem, so traveling there was much more
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 147

difficult and took a much longer period of would have a meal to begin the day of Pass-
time than it did for those Hebrews who lived over (a dinner meal), and then fast for the next
in Judah. The Galileans had to begin prepa- twenty-four hours until it was time for the offi-
rations for the pilgrimage feasts earlier than cial Passover Seder (meal).
their Judean brothers. Therefore they tinkered Let me repeat so we’re all together: what I’m
a bit with the feast schedule, including when telling you is not conjecture or some new mod-
the festival Sabbaths began and ended and ern interpretation. This is to be found in the
what was permitted and prohibited on these ancient Hebrew Mishnah, fully recognized by
special feast Sabbaths. religious Jews. By the way, this added celebra-
Let me cut to the chase: Yeshua and His dis- tion of having a dinner meal to start out the day
ciples were Galileans. They naturally observed of Passover that is called seudah maphsehket liter-
the Galilean festival traditions (it would have ally translates to . . . the last supper! The last sup-
been unthinkable for them to do otherwise). per title for them meant that this would be the
The Judeans were somewhat understanding last supper for a firstborn Hebrew who lived in
about the distances that had to be traveled by either the Galilee or Samaria (they would fast)
the Galileans and allowed for their slightly dif- until he celebrated the Passover meal along with
ferent traditions to accommodate this difficulty, all other Hebrews. I hope some mental light
but they didn’t care for a couple of additions bulbs are starting to go off.
that both the Galileans and the Samaritans It has long been recognized that in antiquity
made to the Passover rituals that had little to there were two Passover seders—one the night
do with travel distances and times: they added before Passover and other the night of Passover.
in an extra ritual celebration that the Judeans It’s the one that occurs on the night of Passover
did not recognize. The celebration was called that Jews today celebrate and that Christians are
seudah maphsehket and it happened as the day was generally aware of. However, since the details
changing from Aviv 13 to Aviv 14. Remember, have been buried deep in the bowels of Jewish
now, Passover was on Aviv 14. Also remember historical documents, the realities of this dual
that the day changes at about 7:00 p.m. in the seder, how the two meals differed, who partici-
evening time at that time of year pated in them, why, and what was served has
In this celebration, the Galileans and the been overlooked.
Samaritans put an emphasis on the firstborn While I cannot (nor can anyone else) be
aspect of the Exodus, calling to mind that it 100 percent certain on the timeline I have pre-
was the firstborn Israelites who were protected sented to you, it does fit both the Scriptural
from death and the firstborn Egyptians who and the Traditional understanding for Jesus’s
were killed. So the Galileans declared that Aviv era. So while I am fully prepared to defend it,
14, the day of Passover, was to be a day of fast- understand that I am not saying it is impossi-
ing for firstborn sons of each family in honor ble for another scenario to be equally plausible.
of the Lord saving their lives. However, they However unless we completely throw out the
also added in a ritual meal that occurred at the “three nights in the tomb” statements, what is
Deuteronomy 16

beginning of Passover (Aviv 14) called seudah not possible is that Yeshua was crucified on the
maphsehket. Since the Hebrew day changes at sixth day of the week (Friday in modern ter-
sundown, the first meal of a new day for any minology). No matter how you slice it, Friday
Israelite would be dinner, their nighttime meal, nighttime plus Saturday nighttime, with the
right? For a Westerner, our first meal of the day absolute biblical assurance we have of a first
is breakfast, because it occurs at around sunrise, day of the week discovery of the missing body
which is the beginning of our day. So the first- (Sunday morning) does not add up to three
born sons of the Galileans (and the Samaritans) nights.
 148 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

There is one other scenario that is a slight Three days and three nights are required
possibility and it is that everything I lay out to fulfill, not some vague prophecy, but Jesus’s
to you today simply backs up by one day, but exact words of what was about to happen. The
I do not accept that because that possibility Good Friday scenario cannot be correct. Yeshua
only occurs if the protocols of Passover week could not have died on Friday during the day-
were done according to the traditions espoused time, spent Friday nighttime in the tomb, then
by the Pharisees. If things were done in accor- Saturday daytime and Saturday nighttime in the
dance with the strictest traditions of the Phari- tomb, and then arise Sunday morning, because
sees of that era, then my timeline would indeed try as anyone might (and there have been the
have to back up one day. That is very unlikely silliest attempts to do so) Friday night and Sat-
(and I say that it is as near to impossible as you urday night are only two nights, and Yeshua
can get) because the Sadducees controlled the says He’d be in the “heart of the earth” for
Priesthood in Jesus’s day and they followed the three nights. The only other possibility is that
Leviticus 23 injunction that Firstfruits was to the event Jesus spoke about (of laying three days
take place on the first day after the seventh Day and three nights in the heart of the earth) was
Sabbath. not about his death and lying in the tomb. But
But first, let’s look at where exactly Scrip- there is simply no other recorded event proph-
ture tells us that Christ will be in the ground esied, known, or carried out by Messiah that
for three days. The prophecy was established fulfills this scenario; as far as anything revealed
when the prophet Jonah was sent to Nineveh by by God to man it must be referring to His time
the Lord, but he balked because he didn’t think in that tomb.
these foreign people worthy of receiving God’s It is this misguided mentality of FIRST
Word. The result was that Jonah was temporar- establishing a doctrine in order to fulfill some
ily swallowed by a giant fish: “And the LORD kind of agenda, and then twisting and contort-
appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and ing the Scriptures to try and make it fit, that
Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and has often left the Church confused and afraid
three nights” (Jonah 1:17 RSV). at times to actually explore the Bible for fear of
It doesn’t matter which of the hundreds of what we might find out. What Christian (espe-
Bible translations one chooses; the three days cially of the Evangelical persuasion) doesn’t
and three nights schedule is established and it glowingly speak of taking the Bible literally,
fully agrees with the original Hebrew and the only to easily read around or discard that which
rabbinical commentary on the matter. doesn’t fit our traditions? Let me assure you
Second; where does the Bible say that this who are new to Torah Class: what you will find
event concerning Jonah was actually prophetic is that everything you ever counted on in Christ
of Jesus’s time in the grave? Or was this merely is fully established and validated in the Torah.
an assumption that could be reasonably chal- The result of studying Torah is that doubts will
lenged? diminish and faith will increase. The Word of
God (all, not just some of it) is alive and well,
Deuteronomy 16

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to accurate and reliable, and can be understood by
him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he us all if we’ll just take the time to learn it and
(Yeshua) answered them, “An evil and adulterous gen- open ourselves to the Holy Spirit as our guide
eration seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it and teacher.
except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was Now, let’s examine the momentous events
three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so that surrounded Christ’s death and how it would
will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the have played out on a timeline. I have arbitrarily
heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:38-40). chosen the time of 7:00 p.m. as the moment of
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 149

darkness when the old day ends and the new Jews and probably also by the Samaritan Jews
begins because in the springtime, in Israel, that but not Judean Jews), and then the next night
is about the time of sunset. Notice the dark bar the actual Passover meal. This same poor schol-
indicating that it is nighttime, then the gray arship also rather obscures what went on with
portion to indicate twilight, and then the white Jesus and His disciples on those fateful few
portion which represents the daylight hours. Of days. It ignores that the Judean Jews, and thus
course we’ll then encounter gray again as eve- the priesthood centered in Jerusalem did not
ning approaches and then finally darkness. It is join in that additional Passover Seder.
very difficult for us moderns to wrap our minds So on Aviv 13 (a Wednesday) the seudah maph-
around this ancient way of measuring time and sehket was prepared; however, it was not eaten
days because in essence the first meal of the on Aviv 13. After sundown (after the end of the
new day for any Hebrew (or anyone else as far day of Aviv 13) the meal was eaten. Therefore, it
as any records discovered would indicate) was was the first meal of the day of Thursday, Aviv
the evening or nighttime meal, dinner. So for 14 (remember, the beginning of a new day is just
a Hebrew the first meal of each new day was after sundown). So this special meal honoring
dinner, breakfast was the middle meal of the the firstborn (called last supper) was actually
day, and what we’d call lunch was the last meal eaten on Passover, but as the beginning meal of
of the current day-cycle. Here is what I believe Passover day, Aviv 14.
to be the correct timeline for Yeshua’s last sup- The meal called “last supper” is eaten in
per, arrest, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. the first hour of Passover, Aviv 14. It is here at
[[KATE: INSERT CHART from POWER- this meal that Yeshua instructs His disciples to
POINT HERE]] commemorate this day by drinking wine that
Aviv 13 is the day before Passover, which in symbolizes His blood that establishes the New
the year Christ died would have been a Wednes- Covenant, and by eating unleavened bread that
day. It was on Wednesday the thirteenth that symbolizes His body to which we become in
the disciples had the special meal prepared that union. NOTE: This was not the traditional
Christianity labels the Last Supper, or seudah Passover Seder; that was yet to come, because
maphsehket. This last supper was about remem- that meal is not eaten until the end of Passover
bering that it was indeed not all Hebrews who day.
were in danger from death at God’s hand in Therefore at the start of the day of Aviv
Egypt, but only the firstborn sons. So a special 14, Thursday (which is nighttime), Passover
nighttime meal was adopted, whereby this meal day, the Galilean “last supper” commemorat-
would be eaten and there would be a twenty- ing firstborns is eaten. The next event is that
four hour fast that followed (thus the name “last Judas betrays Messiah and shortly after mid-
supper”). Following the last supper and then night Our Lord is arrested. It is still Passover
the fast, the next meal to be eaten was the Pass- day. In the wee hours before daylight, He is tried
over meal. and convicted of blasphemy. It is still Passover
There have been a number of essays and Day. After his sentence is confirmed by Pontius
Deuteronomy 16

books that explain that it was known that there Pilate, Jesus is scourged and nailed to a Roman
were two Passover seders: one on Passover eve, cross by Roman soldiers. It is still Passover Day,
Aviv 13, (the day before Passover) and the offi- Thursday, Aviv 14.
cial Passover night meal on Aviv 14. Although, At about the moment He expires (roughly
this is not very good scholarship and it misses three o’clock in the afternoon on Passover Day)
the mark rather significantly. These so-called the slaughter of the Passover lambs begins in
two Passover seders were in fact the combina- the temple grounds. Somewhere around a quar-
tion of the last supper (celebrated by Galilean ter million sheep will be killed and their blood
 150 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

collected between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and their doorpost, the problem is that Zevah Pesach
6:00 p.m., the job completed as the sun nears does not mean “to pass over” it means “protec-
the horizon. It is still Passover Day. tive sacrifice.”
While this is occurring, the women are What occurred on Aviv 14 in Egypt was
hurrying to get the Roman soldiers to remove that the Pesach lamb was slaughtered and its
Jesus’s corpse from the cross; it is a requirement blood brushed onto the doorways of homes.
that they must get Him buried immediately It was the day the “protective sacrifice” of
because otherwise He would lay exposed for at the lamb, as ordered by God, took place. But,
least two days. Why two days? I’ll tell you in a it would not be until after dark (when the day
minute. Their prayers are answered and Yeshua changed to Aviv 15, the 1st day of Matza) that
is entombed before the sun sets. It is still Pass- late at night (around midnight) the Lord passed
over Day. through Egypt killing all the firstborns who
The butchered lambs are placed in the were not protected by the sacrifice of the lamb.
thousands of collective ovens located all around So Pesach, which is only the protective sacri-
Jerusalem so that the hundreds of thousands of fice of the lambs, happened on Aviv 14, but the
visiting pilgrims can roast their Passover lambs. Lord didn’t pass over the protected Hebrew
It is still Passover Day. Shortly after the three firstborns until the first hours of the next day,
stars become visible in the night sky, Passover Aviv 15. Then later after the meal was eaten and
Day (Aviv 14) officially ends. The first day of it turned into daytime (still the same day) the
Matza (Aviv 15) begins;, the first day of the Hebrews assembled together to be led by Moses
Feast of Unleavened Bread. as they left Egypt. It is the day they left Egypt
What, you say, where did the Passover meal (the same day that hours earlier they had eaten
go? Aren’t they supposed to eat it on Passover the Lamb as the first meal of the day) that is cel-
day? No! Much to many people’s surprise, the ebrated as the first day of the Feast of Unleav-
biblical injunction is that the Passover meal is ened Bread.
to be eaten after dark. This means the day has Now what did we learn earlier that was spe-
changed. The Passover lamb is to be slaugh- cial and different about the first day of Matza? It
tered and prepared on Passover Day, but that’s was a festival Sabbath day. Friday, Aviv 15, was
not when it’s eaten. Aviv 14 changed to Aviv 15, a special festival Sabbath day. It had some of the
the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, same requirements as the seventh-day Sabbath
the first meal of the new day on Matza is when in that handling a human corpse was prohibited
the Passover dinner is eaten. Why? Because on any kind of Sabbath. That is why we read in
that’s exactly as it was in Egypt. They were still the gospels that there was a frenzy to get Mes-
eating the Passover meal at around midnight siah buried before dark, when the day changed
on Aviv 15 when Yehoveh killed all the unpro- from Pesach (a regular day) to the first day of
tected firstborns throughout Egypt. Matza, which was a festival Sabbath day.
Last week I explained to you that Jerome Aviv 15 was an uneventful day; it was Fri-
in the fifth century AD translated the Hebrew day, the festival Sabbath to begin Matza. The
Deuteronomy 16

words Zevah Pesach and made it Pass-over, but day ended at sundown and now it is Saturday,
this is incorrect and misleading. Therefore we Aviv 16; this is the regular weekly seventh day
get this mental picture (along with millions of Sabbath. I already mentioned that while for the
sermons to back it up) that on Pesach the Lord past several centuries Firstfruits has been cel-
“passed over” the Hebrew firstborns, killing ebrated on Aviv 16 (as a permanent tradition),
only the Egyptian firstborns. While it is true in fact it was only the rabbis (who were Phari-
that the Lord passed over the firstborns who sees) who long ago ordered it done this way, as
obeyed the command to paint Lamb’s blood on opposed to the way it was done in Jesus’s day.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 151

This change occurred after the temple was barley harvest will actually happen. Technically,
destroyed and the priesthood became defunct and scripturally, the fifty-day period can move
in 70 AD. Remember that the Sadducees were around by about one week. Let me reiterate that
the high priests and in charge of the priesthood, even though Aviv 16th is called Firstfruits, and
so with the end of the temple it was essentially that the first sheaf of barley is waved, Firstfruits
the end of the priesthood.Therefore, the Sad- does not mark the beginning of the harvest;
ducees lost much of their control over matters rather, a sheaf of green (unripened) barley is cut
of ritual and tradition. As a result the Pharisees and presented to be waved by the priests at the
were able to get their way; they ordered that temple. Firstfruits (Bikkurim) is a pre-harvest
rather than Firstfruits moving around on the ceremony that is asking the Lord to make the
calendar it would henceforth always be Aviv 16 harvest a good one.
that Firstfruits would be celebrated on. We have learned that Firstfruits moves
Let me say again: in Christ’s day Firstfruits around on the calendar from year to year; there-
was the day after the seventh-day Sabbath no fore it makes sense that the summertime festival
matter what the calendar date. Therefore in of Shavuot does too, since it is dependent on
Jesus’s era Firstfruits was always the first day of when Firstfruits comes. Technically one counts
the week (Sunday in our modern terminology). fifty days from the day after the seventh-day
Notice that by this timeline Yeshua has Shabbat that occurs the day before Firstfruits.
been in the tomb for three days and three nights After the temple was destroyed and the rabbis
just as the prophecy of Jonah in the belly of the took over control of Judaism, they decided that
great fish explained. I hope you can see that if it was better for all concerned (especially those
a scholar is not a student of the Torah and Jew- far away in the Diaspora) to have fixed days on
ish Tradition, there is no way he can understand a calendar to celebrate Firstfruits and then Sha-
how the passion week of Yeshua’s death played vuot, and that’s how it is to this day.
out. After all, the NT that was written by Jews Another biblical reality is this: Shavuot is
assumed that anyone reading these documents another pilgrimage festival. It is the second of
would be familiar with the Jewish customs and the three annual feasts that requires all Hebrew
their nuances and the political circumstances of males to journey to the central sanctuary (start-
that day. ing with David’s reign, the sanctuary was located
in Jerusalem) to make a sacrifice. Since Hebrews
became scattered over thousands of square
The Second Festival: miles of the Holy Land, and later over millions
Shauvot, or The Feast of Weeks of square miles of Asia and then the Roman
Empire, a moving target for the day of Shavuot
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 16:9–12.
was nearly impossible to implement. Depend-
ing on where you lived, growing, ripening, and
harvesting would occur at widely varying times.
Therefore it was necessary (in their view) that
Deuteronomy 16

The festival of Shavuot comes seven weeks a firm day be decided upon as that fiftieth day
(hence the name Feast of Weeks) from the day from the first sheaf of barley being waved. So
of the ceremonial first cutting of the harvest the countdown to Shavuot began each year on
that comes sometime during the overall spring- the day of Bikkurim, Firstfruits; this was not
time festival of Passover/Matza/Firstfruits. Scripture, but it was rabbinical Tradition and it
The original instruction does not give a spe- is a practical solution to a tough problem.
cific day; there is some wiggle room because it is Christians know Shavuot better as Pente-
not known year to year when the first day of the cost; Pentecost is the Greek translation for Shavuot.
 152 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Pentecost is known to the Church as the day ing of the Holy Spirit. It is prophetic from Jer-
that the Holy Spirit of the Lord came to reside emiah that a day will come that God will write
within those who trusted Yeshua as Messiah. It His Laws on the hearts of those who love Him.
was the day that all those believing (Messianic) The NT confirms that it was on the day that the
Jews started speaking in tongues (foreign lan- Holy Spirit came (Pentecost, Shavuot) that God
guages). Pentecost was not a day that was cre- wrote His Laws on our hearts.
ated by Christians to commemorate the com- God told Moses when He gave them the Law
ing of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost was already a at Sinai that the people were to write the Law on
thirteen-hundred-year-old holy day by Yeshua’s their own hearts; this to be done by means of
time, and we’re reading about it here in Deuter- thinking on these laws night and day. Then in
onomy 16:9–12. Pentecost (Shavuot) was a pro- Jeremiah the Lord says prophetically that when
phetic foreshadow of the coming of the Holy He renews the giving of the Law this time He is
Spirit. Naturally, as all prophecy is 100 percent going to write those Laws on the hearts of His
accurate and flawless, that is exactly what hap- people. In both cases the Law was to be written
pened; the Holy Spirit did come on the sum- on the human heart; it’s just that in the first case
mertime Feast Day of Shavuot. the individual was to do it himself, and in the
While the descending of the Holy Spirit is second God would do it supernaturally.
the Christian reason for the observing the day What else is revealing about Shavuot (Pen-
as holy, the Jewish people see it as something tecost) is its uniquely inclusive nature; Israel is
else. In fact for the Jew it has a dual purpose; told to include males, females, slaves, free, Lev-
first is that from an agricultural standpoint ites, orphans, widows, even strangers (ger). Ger
the nearly two-month period from the time are non-Hebrews (Gentiles) who have decided
of Firstfruits until the time of Shavuot covers to bond themselves to Israel but are not circum-
the grain harvesting period of both the barley cised. That is, those who may be included in
and the wheat harvests. So while Firstfruits sig- the meaning of Shavuot do not have to become
nals that the harvesting of the barley will begin official Hebrews by means of the b’rit milah, the
within a few hours or days, Shavuot signals the circumcision ceremony.
end of harvesting wheat. That is, the barley har- Isn’t that an interesting parallel to the NT
vest begins around the time of Firstfruits and situation that those who wish to call Yeshua their
then ends around a month later. At the proper Lord can be Hebrews or non-Hebrews, but they
moment during the second half of that seven- must bond themselves to Israel (as Paul says, “be
week period the wheat harvesting begins, and grafted in”); yet that bonding does not mean that
then at Shavuot (the end of the seven-week a ger need a circumcision ceremony that makes
period) the wheat harvesting ends. them national Israelites or physical Hebrews.
The second meaning of Shavuot for We can remain Gentiles, and not be a citizen of
Hebrews is that it is celebrated as that time that national Israel, and yet still be part of Israel on a
Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. The spiritual level, just as the scenario is in the Torah.
Scriptures show us that it was around fifty days
Deuteronomy 16

after Israel fled Egypt that Moses received the

Law from God (however, the Scriptures do not Assignment: Re-read Deuteronomy 16:13–17.
actually verify that exact amount of time, rather
it is Tradition).
Something tells me that this Tradition is
probably accurate because note the amazing Sukkot
connection between Moses receiving the Law Each of the biblical festivals is known by a hand-
of God written on stone tablets and the com- ful of common names; the festival of Sukkot is
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 153

no different. Sukkot (Hebrew) is also called the the winemaking is ending, and the new wine
Feast of Booths, or the Feast of the Ingathering, is ready.
or the Feast of Tabernacles. Each of the seven And like Shavuot, those invited to partici-
festivals also reflects a certain tone, ranging pate and benefit from the Feast of Tabernacles
from somber to unbounded joy. As an example: include Hebrews and non-Hebrews from all
the Feast of Firstfruits reflects a certain anxiety classes of folks who have attached themselves
and anticipation; there is a bit of uncertainty in to Israel’s relationship with Yehoveh.
what the outcome of the current year’s harvest Let me close out this section of Deuter-
might be. The focus of Firstfruits is to wave a onomy 16 on the three pilgrimage festivals by
sheaf of green (not yet ripe) grain before God quickly showing you the parallel between the
asking Him to bring a good harvest. The Feast festivals mentioned and the prophetic minis-
of Weeks, Shavuot, reflects a tone of rest and tries of Jesus that they represented.
relief. The barley and wheat harvests are over
and the results (hopefully good) are known.
The feverish pace of the fieldwork to bring in Symbolism in the Festivals
the harvest before it spoils in the field relaxes Passover represented Messiah’s substitu-
for a time. tionary death, and His blood that protects from
Sukkot, though, is unmitigated joy! In fact, eternal death all who have faith in what He has
another name for this festival is “the time of done at the hand of the Father. He shed His
our rejoicing.” Let’s see why that is. blood on Passover day.
This Fall season festival is the third and The Feast of Unleavened Bread is that time
final of the three pilgrimage festivals; we’ve had when Christ went into the tomb, without sin
the Feast of Matza in the Spring, the Feast of (without leavening) and His body did not decay.
Shavuot in the Summer, and now the Feast of It was the day that His sacrificial death and
Tabernacles in the Fall whereby all the Hebrew burial brought the release of all His followers
males must make a journey to the central sanc- from the power of evil and sin. Christ was put
tuary for praise and worship of Yehoveh that into the tomb to begin the first day of Matza.
necessarily involves sacrifice. Just as the Feast of Firstfruits represents that day when the first
Matza begins on a regular and steady calendar of what would be harvested in the near future
date, so does Sukkot. Just as the Feast of Matza was lifted up and waved before the Father. It
is a seven-day feast, so is Sukkot. And just as is that day when with anxiety and anticipation
the first and last days of the Feast of Matza are Christ, as that green sheaf of barley who was
declared as festival Sabbaths, so are the first and cut from the field, was the hope and forerunner
last days of the Feast of Sukkot declared as fes- of a bountiful harvest of believers. Yet, He was
tival Sabbaths. not the first of the actual harvest; the harvest
The Feast of Tabernacles begins each year was yet to come. Christ arose on the Feast of
on Tishri 15. Tishri is the seventh month of Firstfruits.
the Hebrew religious calendar year. But Tishri This ought to give us all the chills. The
Deuteronomy 16

is also the first month of the Hebrew civil cal- entire sequence of His death, burial and resur-
endar year. Therefore the first day of Tishri is rection occurred precisely on the appropriate
Jewish New Year. biblical feast days. But that’s not all. Fifty days
This agriculture-based holy day celebrates later on Pentecost (the Feast of Shavuot) the
the end of the threshing of the grains. It marks Lord sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within men.
the time when the separation of the wheat from The Lord harvested His believers. They were
the chaff is coming to a close. It also marks the His, they were put away for safekeeping, where
time when the vineyard harvest is complete, no one and no thing could ever forcefully take
 154 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

them (us) away from Him. But there is more of hosts, and to keep the feast of booths. 17 And
harvesting to come. if any of the families of the earth do not go up
The high holy days of the Feast of Trumpets to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of
and of Yom Kippur (which we have discussed hosts, there will be no rain upon them” (Zech.
in other lessons) represent Yeshua HaMashiach 14:16 RSV).
coming for the second time, and this time in
great power and glory, bringing the world to its Starting in Deuteronomy 16:18, the subject
knees, cutting down the evil and laying low the matter takes a significant shift away from God-
rebels. ordained worship practices and the biblical
The Feast of Tabernacles (or more appropri- feasts and moves into the Lord’s expectations of
ately as it is also known, the Feast of Ingather- Israel’s civil and religious authorities. In other
ing) is the entry into the thousand year reign of words, what is about to come concerns every
Christ: the Millennium. I won’t go into all the level of human government and it matters not
details here, but let me just point out the amaz- whether it is on a civil level or on a religious
ing parallels between the focal point and grand level. Essentially the idea is that in God’s econ-
finale of the Feast of Sukkot: the Water Libation omy there is no such thing as a separation or
ceremony at the Altar of Burnt Offering. The compartmentalization of the spiritual from the
earthly purpose for this event was to ask God government. These laws apply to the religious
to bring rain to the land to water the crops. In leaders and to the government leaders. In Israel
the final moments of the final biblical feast of there was really no dividing line between the
each year, the closing event is that seven trum- two, anyway; civil and religious law were thor-
pets are blown three times for a total of twenty- oughly entwined.
one blasts of the trumpet, as a golden pitcher
of water from the spring of Siloam is brought
by the high priest through the Water Gate of Assignment: Re-read Deuteronomy 16:18–22.
the Temple Mount. Then the water is poured
out from that golden pitcher while the people
of Jerusalem say in unison, “God save us now!”
These twenty-one trumpet blasts represent the The subject of human government that
three series of seven final judgments that will begins here will continue well into chapter 21,
be rained down upon the world in man’s final and we find that there are four basic types of
hours. After these twenty-one judgments, it is human authorities discussed: kings, priests,
finished. The history of man as we know it is judges, and prophets. There really isn’t a good
over. Yeshua HaMashiach is now in total con- definition recorded in the Torah of what each
trol of a world that has not one single rebel; not of these offices and titles entails; it must have
one single person is alive who does not know been well understood and common knowledge
the Lord and bow down to Him. And so it will among the Middle Eastern cultures of that era.
remain for one thousand years. What we’ll find as a general rule is that it was
Deuteronomy 16

Even more, the commemoration of this not intended by God that these governmental
day will continue forever. For we are told in authorities were to represent elite social classes
Zechariah that every year for time unmeasured (above the normal working person on the socio-
the Feast of Sukkot will happen, including the economic scale), nor was it envisioned that these
culminating event: the water libation ceremony. government officials lord it over the citizens in
“Then every one that survives of all the nations an arrogant manner. Rather what we’ll study is
that have come against Jerusalem shall go up meant to set boundaries and limitations on how
year after year to worship the King, the LORD each of these four offices (king, priest, judge,
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 155

prophet) are to operate, and to demonstrate that the people; if the matter proved too difficult or
they are not above the scrutiny of the general serious in nature only then would Moses and the
public. high priest, Aaron, get involved. The difference
It is interesting that this section begins by is that under the system they were using out in
establishing the appointment of offices called the Wilderness, legal matters were not handled
judges and officials, because after only a couple tribe-by-tribe; that is, if a person belonged to
of verses our attention is turned toward a prohi- the tribe of Judah it was not just members of the
bition against Israel setting up sacred poles and tribe of Judah to which he answered. Rather it
pillars. Undoubtedly that is because throughout was via a centralized system that Moses set up
the Middle Eastern cultures of that day it was that a council of elders consisting of men from
usually the authorized government and reli- various tribes who sat in judgment of all.
gious officials (not the general public) who put Now however, on the mountains of Moab
up sacred poles and pillars (although at times just before entering into the Promised Land,
regular citizens did). Therefore Israel’s govern- this would change. Israel, while out in the Wil-
ment and religious officials were not to mimic derness, was a united nation operating under
the general practices of Israel’s pagan neighbors one leader, Moses. As they went into Canaan
that on the surface seemed so ordinary and to conquer it, the same tightly centralized
usual. organizational format most suited for the mili-
The first words of verse 18 are most liter- tary operation they were carrying out would
ally recorded as, “You shall appoint for your- remain with Joshua as the ultimate authority.
selves” judges. I point this out because the first Almost immediately following Joshua’s time of
question that any Israelite would have asked leadership, the central government weakened
is, “Who will appoint these judges?” And the and essentially dissolved. So these ordinances
answer is that the people do. Since tribal sys- in Deuteronomy about how the Israelite gov-
tems employ elders as the representatives of the ernment would operate really only take effect
people (elders were leaders who, while beholden after the Land of Canaan had been secured,
to their tribe, were not necessarily beholden to when the military-style administration and
the tribal chief), it was actually these elders who structure was no longer needed, and after each
were supposed to appoint the judges. of the twelve tribes had established a foothold
The Hebrew word for judge is shofet. Shortly in the district of land allotted to each of them.
after Israel conquered Canaan we enter the This envisioned the time when each tribe
250- to 300-year era of the judges who ruled, would be more autonomous, therefore each
led, and delivered Israel from foreign oppres- tribe would have its own set of judges and offi-
sion. We have an entire book of the Bible (one cials. The key is that while Israel would soon
of the most fascinating books in the Bible, by become a decentralized system of government
the way) that addresses this period, and it is in Canaan, the Lord still fully expected that
appropriately called the Book of Judges (the sep- each tribe operate under the same common set
her of the Shofetim). Yet it is here in Deuteronomy of principles: the Law of Moses, at times also
Deuteronomy 16

where the office of shofet is established. Now it’s called the Torah.
not that a system of authority figures who sat in Torah principle number one is stated at the
judgment of everyday civil matters was new for end of verse 18: these judges and officials are
Israel; we read in Exodus that at the encourage- to govern with righteous judgment; in Hebrew,
ment of Moses’s father-in-law, Yitro, Moses set mishpat tzadek. Verse 19 explains the fundamen-
up a legal system whereby some men of integrity tals of “righteous judgment” in God’s eyes—1)
(elders) were chosen to become a kind of lower the judgment must be fair, 2) there must be no
court to hear typical and mundane matters of favoritism, and 3) there shall not be the taking
 156 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

of bribes from one party or the other in a dis- Unacceptable Religious Practices
pute because that is liable to tilt the outcome
unjustly in the favor of the one who gave the gift. Now comes three completely unacceptable reli-
Now, I have a bit of a bone to pick with the gious practices that it is the responsibility of the
translation used in verse 20 by the CJB and all people to avoid, and the responsibility of the gov-
but a small handful of other Bible translations. ernment officials to ruthlessly stamp out. In verse
Verse 20 typically says “justice and only justice 21 the first is that Israel is not to set up a sacred
you must pursue . . .” Certainly this meaning post or any kind of pole next to the altar of God
is not outside of what God’s intent is within Almighty. In Hebrew it says they are not to set up
His justice system. However, in Hebrew the an Asherah. The definition of an Asherah is worth
words actually used are, “tzedek and only tzedek spending a few moments with; it simply means
you must pursue.” Tzedek means “righteous- any kind of wooden pole, tree, or tree-like object
ness,” not “justice.” So the admonition to the that is dedicated to a god. It’s not that the pagans
judges more accurately reads “righteousness looked upon these poles as gods or goddesses; it’s
and only righteousness you must pursue.” The that they were god-symbols that honored certain
significance is that righteousness is the basis gods. The Canaanites had long ago begun erect-
for God’s justice system, and therefore righ- ing two different kinds of objects to honor their
teousness is the goal for which the judging of two primary gods: Ba’al and Ashtoreth.
every case should aim. Since righteousness can Therefore at some point, long before Israel
only come from God, it is true that justice can began its conquest of Canaan, a fir tree or a
only come from God. The statement of verse wooden pole used for a religious purpose in
20, therefore, is not some fuzzy or emotionally the Land of Canaan became almost exclusively
charged order that the magistrates are to judge associated with the Canaanite goddess of fertil-
fairly; rather it is a commandment to institute ity, Ashtoreth.
the Lord’s system of righteousness and not some That is why in the next verse the matter
manmade judicial philosophy that will vary of the object used by the Canaanites to honor
according to circumstances and to who is cur- their chief god, Ba’al, was also prohibited. That
rently in charge. It is that system of mishpat tza- object is a stone pillar, sometimes translated as
dek, righteous justice, that the Law establishes “standing stone.” In Canaan a stone pillar was
and the Law must be scrupulously followed the common way of denoting an altar or shrine
at all times within Israel when deciding legal built in honor of the male god Ba’al, and a tree
matters. or wooden post was planted next to an altar or
In addition to administering God’s jus- shine built in honor of the female goddess Ash-
tice system faithfully as a logical and proper toreth, Baal’s wife.
response for the leaders of God’s people, there Naturally the Lord says don’t you dare use a
is a blessing that comes from doing so: Israel tree or pole or standing stone next to My altar as
shall thrive and occupy the land that God is giv- a means to dedicate that altar to Me, Yehoveh.
ing to them. This is not the first nor the last God doesn’t want something that is obviously
Deuteronomy 16

time that we will see Moses tell the people that symbolic of the Canaanites’ gods to simply
following Yehoveh’s commands and ordinances be reused and rededicated to Him. Such was
has a purpose beyond simple mechanical obedi- a usual practice when one society conquered
ence; living under righteous justice is indispens- another society’s sacred places. That is why
able if they expect to hang on to the land after we’ll see many laws against doing certain things
they conquer it, and if they expect the land to (like cooking a goat kid in its mother’s milk) in
produce in abundance. the Torah that on the surface don’t seem to be
inherently bad but are outlawed because they
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 157

were Canaanite worship practices and God thing (and the same goes for us).
didn’t want those injected into worship of Him. So an uncut stone stood up on its edge is not
If you’re paying attention you may be asking inherently evil. A tree or a pole that has been
why it is that if stone pillars, standing stones, formed from a tree trunk and sunk into the
are emphatically prohibited by the Lord, we find ground is not inherently wicked. But when these
Jacob erecting one to El Shaddai as he is on his things are used as a means to attempt to honor
journey from Canaan to Mesopotamia some the Lord God (at least this is so since the time of
five centuries earlier; or we have Abraham set- Moses and the giving of the Law) the Lord has
ting up an altar to El Shaddai under the Tama- prohibited it because it can easily become con-
risk tree at Beer-Sheva a hundred years before fused with well known pagan worship practices.
that. In fact Moses set up twelve of these stones The intent of the worshipper of God in doing
at Mount Sinai, and Joshua would set up an these things may not be to mix paganism with
enormous standing stone at Shechem (and all worship of Yehoveh, but the effect is that we have
of these to honor Yehoveh and not a hint that disobeyed the commandments of the Father and
Yehoveh objected to it). we have put our thoughts ahead of His because
While I cannot give you a completely sat- He has already firmly said, “Don’t do it.” Second,
isfactory answer to this (because I don’t know doing such things can cause confusion among
why, for sure, that the Lord didn’t come down those we are trying to teach within the body of
hard on this practice), I’m confident it has to believers, and misunderstanding among those
do with an understanding that is woven into we are trying to reach who are outside the com-
the fabric of the Torah and the Bible in gen- munity of God. The reality is that the ability for
eral. It is that no object or living creature is of humans to distinguish on our own between the
itself unclean or evil. Rather the issue is what an legitimate and the idolatrous can be just too dif-
object or creature is used for and who it is meant ficult. Therefore as we search for technicalities,
to identify, along with God’s declaration con- and loopholes, and exceptions and ways to inject
cerning the holy or unclean status He ascribes what we are convinced comes from the purer
to that object or living creature. That doesn’t state of our hearts into matters that the Law of
mean that Israel had the legitimate option to the Lord often says we’re are simply to avoid, we
take that which God prohibits and make it per- are going to fail far more often than we succeed
missible simply because (to their minds) they in upholding our righteousness that is only a gift
felt that they were doing a better or more loving of grace.

Deuteronomy 16
 158 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 17

The first thing we notice is that this edict

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 17. applies to men and women; the next is that to
worship other gods is a direct affront to Yehoveh
and it violates the covenant He has made with
The first instruction given in this chapter is that Israel. It is interesting that in verse 3 the Lord
only unblemished animals are to be offered to makes it clear that to send worship toward the
Yehoveh. To offer anything else is to show the sun, the moon, and the stars is something that
Lord our contempt. In fact God calls such a He has never commanded. This statement is
thing “abhorrent”(very strong language). Offer- designed to refute the idea that the heavenly
ing the Lord anything but a perfect sacrifice is bodies were made to be worshipped and that
wrong; He demands our best. When we know in earlier times the Lord commanded that such
that is what He expects and when we do oth- a thing was permissible. It is designed to deny
erwise, it is an attempt to deceive. In Acts 5 is what others have said, namely that it is OK to
the story of Ananias and his wife Sapphira who do this. The idea here is that, indeed, the lumi-
brought a gift of offering that on the surface naries of the sky are classified as some of those
seemed proper and acceptable, but they held “other gods” and they are a typical example of
some back (they deceived), and that decision the kinds of things that wind up being wor-
proved to be fatal. shipped by humans, but should not be.
The most fundamental commandment of Let’s be clear: the Lord God is aware that
the Mosaic Covenant is that Israel shall wor- there are “no other gods.” He knows that Ba’al
ship no other gods. Verse 2 explains what it and Ashtoreth and Marduk and Zeus and Allah
is that governmental officials are to do with and all the rest are figments of men’s fertile imag-
someone who is suspected of idolatry. While inations. Men have always thought otherwise.
it might seem obvious to us today, there are God is quite confident that the planets and stars
some basics established to define just what and moons that He created are just that: created
constitutes “worshipping other gods” as a things (balls of rock or gases) that have no souls ,
guide for judges who will be deciding on the animation or divine powers. But men often think
fate of the accused. Let me repeat that so that otherwise. I tell you this because even though
we can understand what is going on here: most “no other gods” exist in any kind of physical
of what we’ll find in chapters 17 through 21 are or spiritual form, they do exist within the evil
guidelines set down for the various magistrates inclinations of humans. So when your pastors
Deuteronomy 17

and officials who are being given the responsi- and rabbis remind you that Messiah and the
bility to adjudicate cases brought before them apostles warn that money, wealth, power, your
on any number of possible violations of the job, your status in society or anything that we
Law. The Lord expects these guidelines for put tremendous hope or stock in can be rather
the administration of His righteous justice to easily and unconsciously elevated to a position
be followed in every territory and settlement of “other gods,” this is not allegory. This is not
that Israel establishes (as it says in the first few divine hyperbole meant to be taken with a grain
words of verse 2). of salt. Money is no more inherently a god than
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 159

The words of this judicial procedure are

even more exacting than it might seem because
when it says, “And it is told to you or you hear
about” this crime, it means that whether a judge
hears about this possible violation by a direct
report from a responsible person or it is simply
a rumor floating around, there is to be an inves-
tigation. Please note: this is not the case with all
possible violations of the Law; the commission
of idolatry is so serious that even the rumor of
it occurring within Israel must be immediately
investigated. However since the only possible
punishment for idolatry is death, then at least
two (and ideally, more) witnesses must step
forward and testify. Let’s be clear: witnesses in
almost all cases were also the accusers. A wit-
ness isn’t like what we see today whereby a per-
son might testify as to DNA evidence, or the
make of a car, or the medical nature of certain
injuries. Witnesses in the Bible era were what
we today call “eye witnesses”; it was those who
claimed to have been present when the crime
the moon, or a standing stone, or a carved image. was committed and actually saw it happen.
But neither is money any different in its ability A witness in Bible times had an even greater
to corrupt and become elevated to a position of duty; a witness was also an executioner in a capi-
supreme importance than the moon, or a stand- tal case. As verse 7 says, those who are the wit-
ing stone, or a carved image. It’s all one big ball nesses and whose claims will cause the death
of wax and so we can all be tempted to com- of the accused must be the first to throw the
mit idolatry with any of those things and pretend stones at the criminal; then the remainder of the
that this actually a godly thing. Be very leery of community are required to join in.
the latest avenue of apostasy and idolatry within There is some excellent psychology behind
God’s church: the prosperity doctrine. this protocol. First, a witness who gives untruth-
ful testimony in a capital case that leads to the
execution of an innocent person now has blood
How to Confront Rebellion on his head. What that means is that he is now
After defining what “worshipping other gods” a murderer and is subject to execution himself.
amounts to, verse 4 begins an explanation of Just as anyone who is guilty of “blood” in the
exactly what the procedure of the judges and OT, he is permanently cut-off from God. This
Deuteronomy 17

officials should be when confronting someone means both physical and spiritual death. There-
accused of this serious act of rebellion. As soon fore there was a safeguard in place meant to dis-
as the local officials are informed of a possible courage rash or intentionally false testimony; by
violation of God’s Law, a thorough investiga- requiring several witnesses the testimony could
tion must be initiated. If it turns out that the be verified.
accused has indeed “worshipped other gods” Then after accusers/witnesses began the
then (whether male or female) that person is to execution process (by throwing the first stones)
be publicly executed by means of stoning. the entire community is to join in and finish the
 160 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

job. Can you imagine what an impression was lished in the land) were where matters were tried
made on everyone who picked up a stone and by the tribe to which a Hebrew belonged. Each
helped to kill that criminal? It was bloody and of the twelve tribes had its own territory and
graphic and awful. It wasn’t sanitary and out therefore its own lower courts, but if the lower
of public view like it is today. It didn’t have a court judges could not agree upon the case then
goal of being “painless” for the perpetrator nor it went to the higher court that usually consisted
painless for the community. God doesn’t enjoy of Levite priests. The priests were considered
death, even of the wicked, and neither should to be more sophisticated in their understand-
His people. By the entire community partici- ing of the Law and therefore the most quali-
pating in the execution, no one could say they fied to decide tougher cases. Further the priest-
didn’t know about it nor would they not have hood was in authority over all Israel so a panel
full realization of just how terrible an execution of priests had the duty to decide cases brought
is and how full of consequences sin can be. to them from any of the twelve Hebrew tribes.
In the end, though, this was also about the The “place where the Lord your God
entire community affirming God’s justice sys- chooses” was not necessarily the location of the
tem. It was an entire community acknowledging Tabernacle; rather it was any of the forty-eight
that highhanded evil had been committed (first Levitical cities scattered throughout the Holy
and foremost against Yehoveh) and it was their Land, and undoubtedly it was the closest one to
job to purge this wickedness from the society. where the lower court resided that was used in
This is the job of human government. any particular matter.
Verse 10 makes it clear that whatever the
board of Levitical priests decides, their deci-
The Higher Court
sion is final and it carries authority over any of
Just as in the Wilderness, when it was the job the twelve tribes. Therefore the punishment (if
of a board of elders to decide everyday cases, there is one) is to be carried out immediately
and if it was very serious or beyond their abil- and fully and without recourse. The instruc-
ity to decide they referred the matter upward tions go so far as to say that if the local authori-
to Moses; so it will be once Israel settles in the ties (meaning the local tribal leaders) refuse to
Promised Land. act in accordance with the ruling of the higher
Beginning in verse 8 government officials court then that tribal official (or group of offi-
are told to establish a “higher court” where mat- cials) shall be executed.
ters too difficult for the local courts are to be There were practical reasons for this threat
decided. Let me be explicit: this was not a court to be added. I have taught you before about
of appeals. This was not a situation whereby some of the nuances of the tribal system of
a lower court made a ruling and the accused societal organization; the bottom line is that
sought to have the judgment overturned. This loyalty to the tribe is everything. The goal of
was a matter of a case being more difficult or every tribe is to be the most dominant over all
serious than the lower court was capable of the other tribes. The idea of several tribal chiefs
Deuteronomy 17

handling or the elders simply couldn’t agree on or princes giving their personal loyalty or releas-
a verdict. There was no appeals system in the ing some of their personal power to a central
Law. If the lower court decided the matter, the authority ran against the grain. Out in the Wil-
result stood and that was the end of it. derness Moses was constantly dealing with this
The instruction that the case is to be brought reality and therefore he was in a never-ending
“to a place the Lord your God has chosen” battle with the twelve tribal chiefs of Israel to
means that it is being brought to a central tri- try and maintain some kind of national unity.
bunal. The lower courts (once Israel was estab- In their journey from Egypt it was understood
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 161

by most Israelites that their survival depended three hundred years after Moses) when this will
on mutual co-operation of the tribes. Once they happen, but it was certainly was not imminent.
had settled inside their own land allotments Some minimalist Bible scholars have argued
however, the perceived need for national unity that this mention of a king means that Deuter-
and mutual protection diminished and so each onomy (or at least this section of Deuteronomy)
tribal leader became the supreme authority over wasn’t even written until after the Babylonian
those who lived in his territory. exile, because by then Israel had had some pretty
Here is a key in understanding the role of the bad experiences with kings and so wanted to lay
Judges: the typical ones (those who formed the down rules to control these potential tyrants.
lower courts) only dealt with matters concern- There is no reason to read such a late date into
ing their own tribe. While we get this mental these passages; the entire known world had
picture of a judge sitting behind a bench ruling kings during Moses’s era, and Canaan was home
on legal issues, in fact many of Israel’s Judges to dozens (probably scores) of kings. What a
came to assume entirely different roles than king did, how he came into power, how he ruled
those ascribed (or possibly even envisioned) and more was well established since time imme-
here. Samson for instance, he of the superhu- morial and for a people not to have a king over
man strength, acted as a protector of his people them was almost unthinkable. Therefore it was
and an instrument of God’s wrath upon the human nature that Israel (despite God’s offer to
Philistines. He certainly did not sit as an arbi- be both their God and King) would eventually
trator of legal matters among his tribe of Dan. demand a visible human monarch to reign over
them just as their gentile neighbors had.
In God’s economy there is no separation of
The King church and state (so to speak). I’ll not debate the
Verse 14 begins to establish the next category USA or Europe-wide decision to go that route
of human authority: a King. This surprises a lot except to say that this is at the bottom of what
of people because most folks who know their ails the Western nations. Basically the govern-
Bibles think about when Samuel appointed ments have decided that God’s ways are fine for
King Saul and the generally negative attitude what goes on within the walls of a synagogue
of the narrative about this crowning of the first or a church, but they are to have no bearing
king of Israel. Yet here we have Yehoveh antici- at all anywhere else in the lives, communi-
pating the day that Israel will have a king and so ties, schools, or governments of the citizens.
lists the boundaries and philosophy that Israel’s I wonder: Have we actually reached a point
kings must operate under. whereby we are comfortable with that philoso-
It is informational that this section is the only phy and passively accept it? Do we effectively
place in the Torah that brings up the subject of live our lives as though God makes a distinc-
the possibility of there being a king over Israel. tion between what we think and do while we’re
The tone is one of such an occurrence being an in religious service versus what we think and
eventual concession to the wishes of the people, do in every other facet of our existence, even
Deuteronomy 17

not as something the Lord ideally wants for though if confronted with it we deny it? Here
Israel. Therefore there are restrictions: first is that in Deuteronomy the Lord makes it clear that
the king must be someone that Yehoveh chooses Israel’s leaders (of every kind, no exceptions)
(though it does not indicate how this choice are to first and foremost obey Him. The lead-
would be communicated), and second that this ers should (above all else) adhere to the Lord’s
king must be an Israelite and never a foreigner. laws and commands so that things will go well
This matter of a king being agreed to by the with them, the people they govern, and Israelite
Lord is prophetic; it speaks of a time (around society in general.
 162 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Kings Should Limit their Stables status to join the world’s league of nations and
partake of their wealth.
Deuteronomy 17:16-17 speak of the limi- Further, there is an interesting side com-
tations God puts upon Israel’s future kings in ment that Israel is not to turn to Egypt for
three different contexts. That is, three different more horses because, “You must not go back
spheres of influence that every king has sway that way again.” Lots of interesting exegesis has
over are covered: military, political, and eco- come from this passage, and its intent is not
nomic. The first injunction is that the king is thoroughly agreed upon. Keep in mind that this
not to amass too many horses. Since the finest is a warning to any future Israelite king; at the
and most well-trained horses came from Egypt, least it is that Israel is not to turn to their for-
Israel would be tempted to rebuild ties with mer masters for help or sustenance. Israel is not
their former oppresive master in order to attain necessarily to be at war with Egypt, but neither
these animals. are they to ally themselves to Egypt, or become
There is also a deeper sense of instruction dependent on Egypt for items the king deems
contained in this admonition; it is that for Isra- important to him. I think the wisdom of this,
el’s leadership to create a relationship of con- and its point, is probably best expressed as an
venience or personal benefit with an enemy of unequal yoking or an illicit mixture. What have
God is not something that ought to be pur- the people of God got to do with Egypt? God’s
sued by God’s redeemed. Today this admoni- answer: nothing.
tion of God is not only ignored by Israel and It is ironic that in the twenty-first century
the Church, it is considered wrong not to seek the very same people (Islam) that the Western
after such relationships. There are many logi- World is at war with are the same ones we have
cal reasons why this practice of worshippers of made ourselves dependent upon for a key ele-
Yehoveh co-mingling and even striking up an ment of our economy and our military. We have
alliance with God’s enemies is dangerous, but made a pact with the devil so to speak, and
the only reason that really ought to drive us to although it’s taken a while, the debt has come
obey is that God has prohibited it. When the due. What began as a Western debate on oil
Church buddies up to Islam in so-called love as it relates to warring against Islam, has now
and peace it is a direct violation of this com- turned to a debate on whether or not it is better
mand. When Israel trades with its sworn ene- to appease them than to continue to hold on to
mies and even gives them political concessions our traditional Judeo-Christian values. Recently
that is a direct violation of this command. the new approach to this seemingly intractable
It’s not that the Church ought to go around problem is essentially removing religion as an
killing Muslims or even necessarily shunning issue altogether by reforming the world as a uni-
them; it’s that whatever relationship is estab- versal secular humanist society that demands
lished should be all about evangelizing people tolerance of all gods and upholds none. I’m
who worship a false god and never about toler- afraid that everything that I see, and that the
ance or appeasement or personal gain or legiti- Bible prophesies, is that appeasement and sur-
Deuteronomy 17

mizing that which is abhorrent to Yehoveh. It’s render is well under way. It is this that leads
not that Israel ought to find reasons to aggravate to Armageddon; although the world is doing
or fight with their neighbors; whatever relations everything it humanly can to prevent it.
Israel has with their neighbors it is not to be This is what that verse of “not going back
for Israel to try to be more like them, or to give that way” is primarily about. If Israel’s kings
up any portion of their unique relationship with ever start looking to the same people who view
God and God’s land for the sake of geopolitical them as no more than escaped slaves for friend-
peace, or to essentially give up their set-apart ship and as a source of strategic military hard-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 163

ware or economic benefits, the price will be to concubines in his harem because the idea that
compromise or even abandon God’s principles seems to be prevalent among Christians is that
to achieve it. And, of course, that is exactly what Solomon was on some level a self-indulgent sex
the West and even a great portion of Church is maniac; rather the biblical story was meant to
in the process of doing as we speak. brag about the immense number of alliances he
In Moses’s day horses were for one primary had created throughout the region . . . and how
purpose: to pull chariots. And chariots were used wrong minded it was to make them.
for two things: as limos for the king and his Harems were not large palaces full only of
court, but more importantly as key armaments women; it was also where the children of these
for ancient warfare. The more chariots a king women resided. For a king to disgrace or show
had in his arsenal the more formidable he was disrespect to one of the wives among his harem
in battle. The kings of Israel were instructed to was tantamount to an international incident and
place their trust in Yehoveh, not in military arma- could even bring about war with the family that
ments. Their power was to be their faith in the wife represented. So the warning that comes
God of Israel, not in advanced weaponry. Even that a king’s “heart might go astray” should he
so God does not speak against Israel being well have a large harem means that this king would
armed and having a substantial military. Rather it be tempted to be more focused on keeping his
is that their hope of victory is the Lord, and obe- wives satisfied, and maintaining the alliances
dience to Him is the key to their survival. The they represent, than paying attention to God’s
source of their power and their ability to survive people and God’s commands. Let me also
certainly shouldn’t come from a people (Egypt) remind you that the use of the word “heart”
who could pull the plug on that power source at was, of course, referring to the king’s mind—
any time. Further, as has always been, kings who his intellect, what interested him and what he
taste great power are jealous to keep it and so felt was important, not his emotions.
they often turn their military against their own
people in order to maintain that power. Yehoveh
does not want Israel’s kings to be so strong and Kings Should Limit their Bank
arrogant as to be impervious to the will of the Accounts
civilian population. The final warning for the king was not to
go around amassing a personal fortune on the
backs of his subjects. And how would a king go
Kings Should Limit their
about doing that? By heavily taxing his people
Harem
and by confiscating wealth from those smaller
The command that Israel’s kings must not nations and city-states he has conquered and are
have many wives centers around a uniquely under his control. While all of that was stan-
Middle Eastern societal unit called a harem. dard operating procedure for Canaan’s kings,
Westerners tend to think of a harem as simply the Israelite king was only to gather wealth for
a pleasure palace full of beautiful women for the good of his nation in order to fund a proper
Deuteronomy 17

use by the king and his court. That is far from military, to care for the neediest of the society,
reality. Political power in the Bible era came as and for national building projects like roads that
much from forming strong alliances as it did truly benefited the people on a corporate level.
from exercising military might. Those alliances The biblical reality is that the story of David’s
almost always entailed intermarriage between son, King Solomon, is told in a fashion meant
the families of the kings that were involved. We to highlight that he violated all of these provi-
miss the point in the infamous story of Solo- sions of the law: to abstain from an overly large
mon and the enormous number of wives and military, to avoid having many wives and the
 164 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

alliances they represented, and to not store up First we see that the Hebrews had become
wealth for himself. Even with Israel having a just like their pagan neighbors when it came to
king, the law we are reading in Deuteronomy the attributes of the king and how he came into
was designed to retain God as the ultimate king power. We see secrecy; we see a power struggle;
of Israel, and the human king simply was God’s we see a political agenda, and we see the death
representative on earth accomplishing the of rivals.
Father’s will (even though much more imper- Second we see that as always happened
fectly than if Israel had not insisted on having a when a king came to power, instead of the king
human king). serving the people, the king quickly turned to
It is difficult in a short period of time to making the people his servants. What possible
explain why God’s definition of an earthly king wisdom and strength and leadership could a
as ordained in Deuteronomy is so opposite of seven-year-old child offer? None. It was his par-
mankind’s definition of a king. Suffice it to say ents and those who wanted to manipulate this
that earthly kings typically created the laws boy for their own personal power and gain who
for their people and just as typically exempted were actually in control.
themselves from their own laws. Since Israel’s Third, notice that the army was under the
Laws came from God Almighty, then Israel’s control of the ruling family and it was the
kings were to be as much under Yehoveh’s laws army’s job to keep the king and his family safe
as was any other Hebrew citizen. from the people!
Fourth, also notice the rather fleeting men-
tion in verse 12 of giving the king a copy of the
The First Duty of a King
From verse 18 to the end is one of the most
interesting instructions that brings a lump to my
throat whenever I read it. Upon his selection the
first duty of new king is to borrow the original
Torah scrolls from the priests of Israel and then
to write a copy of that document for Himself.
The King is not to have a scribe make a copy
for him, he is to take whatever time is needed
to write it word-for-word and then keep it close
by his side as that instrument that governs his
life and is the law of the land for governing the
people who look to him for leadership.

Assignment: Read 2 Kings 11:1–16.

Deuteronomy 17

There is only one detailed narrative of the

coronation of an Israelite king in the Bible, and
it is of the very young boy, Yoash, in 2 Kings
11. Yoash was only seven years old when he
became the king of the southern kingdom of
Judah.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 165

testimony (meaning the Law, the Torah). This king and later was murdered by his own servants.
was supposed to happen not as mere symbolism I can tell you as one who manuscripts every
as part of a coronation ceremony but rather as lesson I have ever taught, the act of fully writ-
something the king was to do in earnest after ing something out has a mysterious component
he was put into power. What was a seven-year- to it that allows one to remember it better and
old going to do with the Torah Scrolls? He had to contemplate it deeper. Back in the day before
no ability to copy them let alone carry out the the new progressive teaching methods that have
justice they contained. This was merely crass made reading, writing, and math secondary to
pomp and ceremony and a hollow gesture that learning secular human social agendas such as
had no real meaning; by this time it was some- tolerance, diversity, and anything-goes sexuality,
thing they did as a tradition and probably didn’t repetitive writing was used to facilitate memory
even remember why. and retention. It works; and here in Deuteron-
Yet later we’ll read that as this king grew omy the Lord orders the king of Israel to employ
older he did apparently take the Torah seriously muscle memory, if you will, for the purpose of
and turned to it for wisdom. On the other hand drinking in deeply and never forgetting the
he still ruled much like a typical Middle Eastern Lord’s commands upon the king and the laws
king; he even gave away some of the temple’s that he is to enforce upon those he serves. Few
sacred treasures to make peace with an Assyrian of Israel’s kings paid these laws any heed.

Deuteronomy 17
 166 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 18

other Middle Eastern cultures of that era for the

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 18. king to choose the highest priest and then the
highest priest would usually choose the lesser
priests. A new king usually meant a new batch
The previous chapter outlined the general of priests. The families these priests came from
boundaries and limitations for two of the four did play some role in their selection, but it was
classes of government leaders of Israel: judges far more a matter of political (and therefore eco-
and kings. This chapter now does the same for nomic) influence rather than some long-estab-
the remaining two classes: priests and prophets. lished hereditary right to their position.
Remember, until the Law was given on
Mount Sinai there was no official priesthood
The Priests for the Hebrews and certainly no priestly tribe
Verse 1 begins with the matter of the priests had been appointed. Rather the firstborns from
and reiterates that the official group of priests each family, from every tribe, tended to behave
of Israel comes only from the tribe of Levi. It is as a sort of family priest. This was a special sta-
noteworthy that since Exodus and the establish- tus relished by the firstborn of each family who
ment of the priesthood, the phrase “the Levitical held it. So when Moses told the twelve tribes
priests” is often included when matters concern- that God has ordered that this “firstborn” sys-
ing the clergy of Israel are raised. The reason is tem was to come to an end, to be replaced by
as simple on the one hand as it is complex on members of the tribe of Levi, it was naturally
the other. It is simple because while God has met with stiff resistance. As we’ve talked about
declared that only one tribe (Levi) is to provide mankind’s propensity to be in a never-ending
God’s authorized servants, only one clan within search for loopholes no matter what faith or
that tribe (Aaron’s) is to provide the priests; this religion he adheres to, the tribes of Israel did
was not something that the other tribes of Israel their best to punch holes in the laws concern-
found easy to accept. It was the norm for most ing who could be priests. Therefore we’ll find
the phrase “Levitical priests” used repeatedly
to make it abundantly clear that only Levites
formed the clergy for Israel.
Another reminder is contained within the
first verse: it is that while the Levites were
Deuteronomy 18

blessed with the higher-than-everyone-else

holiness status (needed to be God’s servants
and priests) they also paid a heavy price for
that election. They were not given hereditary
tribal land holdings in Israel as were the other
twelve tribes. Looking on a map from the days
of Joshua and for several hundred years after,
we’ll find fairly well defined districts that were
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 167

assigned as “forever” land holdings to each was to be destroyed, burned up completely until
tribe, but nowhere is there a territory of Levi. it was only ashes.
Instead the Levites were assigned forty-eight Three specific parts of the various sacrificial
cities scattered among the twelve tribal districts animals (when used as fire offerings) were to be
along with a few acres of pastureland just out- set aside as food for the priests and Levites: the
side the walls of those cities. shoulder (meaning the upper part of the right
It is this understanding of both the Lev- foreleg than goes from shoulder to knee), and
ites’ status and their lack of land that Israel is to that part of the stomach that is often called the
respond by means of their corporate duty to eco- “fourth stomach.” Also the clergy is to receive
nomically support the tribe of Levi in exchange the jowls and the tongue. For most moderns the
for the Levites duties to the central sanctuary, the last couple of items are considered as waste meat
local courts, and as teachers of the Law. but that was not the case in this era. These were
The focus of verses 3 to 5 is to address the good and desired portions of meat, and not just
livelihood of the priests and Levites, and we’re in the Hebrew culture.
told that this livelihood is to come primarily In verse 4 we’re told that in addition to
from the sacrifices of firstlings as offered by these meat portions, certain agricultural pro-
members of the other twelve tribes (meaning duce was to go to the priests. We’ve talked on
the firstborn animal sacrifices and the firstfruits several occasions about firstfruits offerings; it
from the field and the tree crops). As we covered was understood that all firstfruits were to go to
in Leviticus there were many specific classifica- the Levite clergy as their portion. And in addi-
tions of sacrifices, each with a different protocol tion to grain and fruit this included olive oil and
and purpose. Therefore back in verse 1 we’re told wine, and even wool from the sheerings of the
that a group of sacrifices (typically rendered in sheep among a rather lengthy list of other items.
English as “fire offerings” or something similar) Starting in verse 6 we get the cryptic state-
is to be the source of sacrificial offerings from ment that a Levite can go from any settlement
which the priests and Levites are to keep a por- within the land of Israel “to the place the Lord
tion for themselves. The Hebrew term for “fire has chosen,” and if that Levite desires, he can
offering” is ishsheh, and it is not the same thing as serve there. Here’s all this is getting at: most
that common term “the burnt offering,” which Levites lived in small towns and cities in remote
in Hebrew is ‘olah. Ishsheh represents a series of areas of the various Israelite tribal territories.
sacrifices that are designated as those that while It was in one of these forty-eight Levite towns
a portion is burned up on the Altar another and that they lived and served. Many Levites, how-
larger portion can be used for food for the clergy; ever, desired to serve at the awesome central
while ‘Olah indicates a class of sacrifice in which sanctuary, the seat of religious power, and not
the entire animal is burned up and none of the just at some local village dealing with mundane
meat can be used for food by anyone. everyday matters. Therefore the Lord makes it
Let me be clear: Was all the meat from the clear that all Levites are to be given an oppor-
sacrificed animal placed on the altar fire and tunity to participate at the Tabernacle if they so
Deuteronomy 18

then some of it removed for food when it was desire. And later we’ll see an interesting system
cooked? The answer is no; that which was to of “courses” devised whereby the Levites are
be held back for the clergy and the worship- organized into groups from various areas and
per was not put onto the altar fire. This wasn’t are given their turn (as a unit) to officiate and
like a backyard bar-b-que where the meat was serve at the temple in a set rotation. And as it
cooked on a communal grill and then everyone says in verse 8, they shall share and share alike
grabbed a rib or a burger. That altar was not a from the offerings and sacrifices; no one is to be
place where meat was cooked; rather the meat excluded or to get more than another.
 168 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

The Prophet in exchange for a favor of information, to divin-

ing, sorcery, and even attempting to talk with
Next, chapter 18 discusses the all-important the spirits of the dead. While this is not intended
office of prophet. It is interesting that the limi- to be an exhaustive list of every possible means
tations and warnings for judges and kings not of trying to apprehend the future, it does cover
to abuse their power, and then the instruction the most common and well-known methods.
for Israel to make provisions for priests and What is listed includes things like reading the
Levites, now turns to the duty of the people entrails of animals, talking with ghosts, looking
to pay close heed to the prophets. In this case at patterns of oil or blood dripped into bowls of
it is that all Israel is to listen to these proph- water, magic, and so on.
ets—including the judges, kings, and priests.. The Lord says that anyone who does these
Prophets represented an official office within things is abhorrent in His eyes. Let’s be clear: you
Israel. These people were not self-appointed. know those cute little psychic hotlines advertised
While priests were to observe and teach and in on TV? Tarot cards we can buy at bookstores?
some cases adjudicate the written Word of God Palm readers next to the tattoo parlors? We
(the Law, the Torah), the prophets were more might joke about them, but those folks are serious
Moses-like (or maybe more Samuel-like). The about what they do. And God is serious about it
prophets were those who had a legitimate line too. For God’s people to even get close to deal-
of communication directly with God. ing with folks who do such things (even as a lark)
Since prophets are God’s messengers to Israel puts us into a direct confrontation with Yehoveh.
and to Israel’s leaders, Israel is to obey the words Not a good idea. And the Lord says that this is the
of the prophets because they are God’s words. reason that He is kicking the Canaanites out of
Beginning in verse 9 a couple of scenarios their land and giving it to Israel. Therefore Israel
are laid out for Israel. First is what Israel’s atti- is not to do what the Canaanites have been doing
tude is to be toward the “abhorrent practices of in trying to divine the future.
the nations,” that is, pagan practices for com- Rather, says the Lord in verse 15, He will
municating with the gods. What pagans were raise up a prophet for Israel for this purpose;
usually doing in attempting to communicate that when it is God’s will that Israel know things
with the spirit world was to find out about the about the future God will anoint a prophet to
future. I’m not sure that there is a greater temp- tell them. And in that quote it is made crystal
tation among men than to find some way, any clear that when a prophet speaks, Israel is to
way, to find out about what the future holds believe and obey.
that might directly affect them. Nostradamus, But it also says in verse 20 that, if a prophet
Edgar Casey, and so many other psychics and speaks something that God didn’t tell him to
fortunetellers are held in high regard in every say, or speaks in the name of false gods, then
part of the world because it seems everyone has that prophet must be executed. This is a Hebrew
reason to want to know what lies ahead. God prophet that is being spoken of here.
has authorized exactly one source for us to So the first issue concerns pagan prophets,
Deuteronomy 18

know about the future: Himself. If it isn’t from but now the issue is Israelite prophets. And the
Him, we’re not to seek it. Further He says that question becomes a sticky one that has bedev-
the way He lets us know what part of the future iled Judaism and Christianity forever: how can
He deems He wants us to know is by means of we tell a false prophet from a true prophet of
His prophets and/or His written Word. Yehoveh, when both are claiming to be loyal
Verses 10 and 11 list a series of unauthor- believers of the God of Israel and both are
ized means to attempt to get at the future, and claiming that their word is directly from God
it ranges from offering a child sacrifice to a god and therefore trustworthy? The simple answer
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 169

lies in verse 22: when a prophet says he is speak- to the people. Part of the reason for this insecu-
ing a word from the Lord and what he predicts rity was that prophets were often beaten, jailed,
does not happen, that person is a false prophet and martyred, and at the least lived difficult and
and should not be listened to. Yet sometimes often isolated lives. This is because the mes-
the prophecy that is spoken is to occur so far sages from God were usually not ones that the
into the future, how will the people hearing it people particularly wanted to hear; you know
know which guy to believe? the old saying about how people seem always to
This opens up quite a can of worms as well want to kill the messenger of unwelcome news.
as a pet peeve of mine and it concerns those There was another facet to this predicament
who make a habit of saying to others, “I have as well: prophets understood God’s sovereignty
a word from the Lord for you.” In other words, to a point that we generally don’t. They knew full
they have declared themselves to be prophets. If well that God might send them with a message
you are tempted to put yourself in that position that if the people didn’t stop doing thus and so
(or you are convinced that the Lord has indeed and repent, that God was going to destroy them.
anointed you as a prophet) then I ask you to think The prophets also understood that it was God
long and hard about what we’re reading here in who would determine if the people complied;
Deuteronomy 18. God leaves no wiggle room at the Lord didn’t consider the views of humans
all; if you truly have a message from Him, it is who merely stood back and observed. So like
infallible and it must happen precisely as given. If the story of Jonah at Ninevah, Jonah was con-
it doesn’t happen then it wasn’t from Him, it was cerned that the people of Ninevah might actu-
from another source, and the prophet who spoke ally listen to God’s ultimatum, repent in their
it is false. A prophet can speak the truth ten times hearts (invisibly to humans but exactly what
and be right, but if he should get carried away and God was looking for) and avoid the prophesy of
say something one time that is not from God, destruction that Jonah pronounced upon them.
the consequences for delivering a false message The result would be that God would overturn
can be pretty severe, with the loss of credibility His decision to annihilate the city and withhold
among his peers being the least of it. His wrath. From Jonah’s standpoint, the proph-
Even God’s greatest prophets (the ones who ecy of destruction he preached then might not
have books of the Bible named for them) wor- occur and that would have made Him a false
ried constantly about whether to tell the people prophet in the people’s eyes; at the least his own
what they believed God told them. They often people would no longer hear him, and at worst
had doubts about whether they were correct; he might be executed for being a false prophet.
they wondered whether or not what had actually He was so concerned about this prospect that
entered their minds was indeed divine in origin. he fled and tried to hide from Yehoveh; God
Or was it their imaginations working overtime, had to retrieve him and threaten him to deliver
or even worse? God’s greatest prophets knew the message to the people of Ninevah. All of
that being chosen as His prophet didn’t mean this anxiety and trouble that Jonah faced was
they were incapable of being wrong, it only completely standard operating procedure for
Deuteronomy 18

meant that God was incapable of being wrong. God’s prophets in the Bible, and it’s my conten-
Therefore all of God’s prophets were by defini- tion that such a pattern never changes.
tion “reluctant” prophets in every sense, in that So let’s understand: while being a prophet is a
they weren’t seeking to be a prophet when God great and honorable thing, it is fraught with dan-
called them and they weren’t even sure they ger and difficulty. It’s not something to be sought
wanted the job when the Lord gave them the after. Telling someone what you believe to be a
message. They were usually full of doubts about word from the Lord is no trivial thing, and the
whether to actually deliver the Lord’s message Bible’s prophets are the greatest example of that.
 170 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 19

As we begin chapter 19 today, we enter a three- general of an army might promise his people
chapter section that will deal with matters that that he was going to lead the army into battle
fall under the control of these various govern- and see to it that their enemy was defeated, here
ment authorities. Yehoveh assumes the role as the one who leads
the Hebrew army into battle and states as much
by saying, “When the Lord your God (as the leader
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 19. of the army) has cut off (defeated) the nations.”
It is God who is making war, not the people of
Israel. Since a Holy God is initiating this war,
it is by definition a holy war. And, since it is
The chapter begins with the words, “When a holy war there are certain rules of holy war-
the Lord your God has cut off the nations fare that God lays down that are quite different
whose land the Lord your God is giving to from normal and typical human warfare such as
you.” This gives me an opportunity to remind we faced in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and now
you of something that we haven’t discussed for throughout the Middle East.
a while and it is critical to our understanding of But what is holy war? In our generation we
Deuteronomy. What this first verse is bringing think of a holy war as either something from
to mind is that even though it is the 600,000- nine hundred years in our past (the Crusades)
man army of Israel that is about to enter into or something that we are currently defending
battle to conquer the Land of Canaan, this is ourselves from: Islamic Jihad (Islamic holy war
actually the Lord’s war. Therefore, whereas a against Jews and Christians). Let me assure you
that neither represents the biblical standard for
true holy war. Real holy war is entirely biblical
and holy war is what Israel is about to wage on
God’s behalf as they approach the Promised
Land led by Moses and then later by his protégé
Joshua.
But let me also tell you what holy war is
not; holy war, from a biblical standpoint, is not
about spreading religion. It is not about forcing
those of a different belief system into adopt-
Deuteronomy 19

ing yours. One of the earliest principles of the

Hebrew religion was that submission to it was
to be completely voluntary, and thus the con-
cept of proselytizing (that has become so cen-
tral to Christianity) was not practiced by Israel.
We’ll talk about this some more at the
appropriate time, but please grasp that a holy
war is a war that God starts and finishes accord-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 171

me put this another way: Israel did not have

an inherent anger or hatred toward the people
of Canaan, and Canaan did not have a pent-up
anger or hatred toward the people of Israel; up
to now neither had harmed or threatened the
other.
This realization goes a long way in helping
us to understand both Israel’s reluctance to want
to go to war with the various peoples who lived
in Canaan in the first place, and Joshua’s bent
toward making peace treaties with the diverse
city-states of Canaan rather driving them out or
killing them if they refused to accept Israel’s rule
ing to His will. Our Revolutionary War was not over them and prohibition against continuing
a holy war; some folks who wanted to be free to worship their false gods (as God instructed
from a king started it. WWII was not a holy Israel to do).
war; the Japanese and the Germans began the Yehoveh says that once His holy war is con-
hostitilities and other nations responded. The cluded with victory and His chosen people Israel
Crusades was not actually a series of holy wars are living in those formerly Canaanite cities and
even though many called it so; some Catholic towns, the leaders of Israel are to set aside three
popes and some European noblemen started it of those captured cities as designated cities of
and simply attached God’s name to it (though, refuge (also called sanctuary cities). Here is yet
to be sure these were wars about religion). The another case of God dividing, electing, and
Bible only discusses two true holy wars and I’m separating (one of His fundamental divine prin-
assuming that these two are all there will ever ciples). Let’s be clear: some time earlier Moses
be in all of history: the holy war for the con- had been instructed to set up three cities of
quest of Canaan, and the holy war for planet refuge in the Transjordan region which Israel
earth that as late has come to be called the Bat- now possessed and from which Israel would
tle of Armageddon. Also understand that (so launch its attack on Canaan (the Transjordan is
far as we know) the men and women of Israel that land on the east side of the Jordan River).
didn’t have anything personally against any of These three cities mentioned here in verse 2 are
the Canaanite nations, and generally speaking to be established as the first three sanctuary cit-
none of the Canaanite nations had anything ies located on the west bank of the Jordan River
personal against Israel. Up to this point these and they are to be carefully chosen so that (as it
nations were not historical antagonists. This says in verse 3) they each serve about one third
whole thing was on God. The God of Israel of the Holy Land. The idea is that the sanctu-
declared that the residents of Canaan were His ary cities will be strategically located such that a
enemies, and that the land they occupied was Hebrew needing to go to one of these cities for
Deuteronomy 19

His land that He had set apart for occupation protection doesn’t have to travel too far and can
by His chosen people, Israel, and it was time get there quickly before the Blood Avenger can
for it to be turned it over to Israel. And that He catch him.
would achieve this goal by means of warfare if We have read in the past that forty-eight
need be (and it was). Israel’s army was but God’s Levitical cities are to be established throughout
earthly instrument of wrath and destruction the twelve tribal territories that make-up the
upon a people, Canaan, that the Lord concluded Israelite confederacy; these three cities on the
was wicked and deserving of annihilation. Let west side and the previously established three
 172 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

cities on the east side of the Jordan comprise man if he can get to him before he arrives at the
six of those planned forty-eight Levitical cities. city of refuge.
These six cities have a unique purpose; they are In verse 8 the time is contemplated when
a place where a person who has killed someone the Lord will enlarge Israel’s territorial holdings
might flee and avoid being killed in retribution and when He does three additional cities of ref-
by that dead person’s relatives. These six cities uge are to be established bringing the total to
were safe zones, and the killer would be pro- nine. By the way there is no evidence that the
tected by the Levites who owned and governed final three cities of refuge were ever put into
those cities. There was a caveat; the killer had operation. This ends the first case this chapter
to have killed without intention to kill. We call discusses, the case of the accidental killer.
this kind of act manslaughter. Verse 5 even goes The second case begins in verse 11 and it
so far as to give a definite example of the kind defines premeditated murder (intentional and
of killer that rightfully belongs within the walls unjust killing of a human). This killer has no
of a city of refuge; a man swings an axe to cut right to find safe haven in a city of refuge; rather
down a tree, the axe head accidentally comes the elders of the town he belongs to are to travel
loose and flies off, and an innocent bystander is to the city of refuge (if he has escaped there,
struck and killed. lied about the circumstances and so seeks ref-
The man who swung the axe is unlikely uge) and arrest him and turn him over to the
to receive understanding from the relatives of family goel, the blood avenger, who then legally
the mortally wounded innocent bystander. It executes the killer thus respecting the tradi-
was simply traditional Middle Eastern culture tions and customs of that era. Although it is not
of that day (and in many areas of the Middle stated, the reason that town elders are sent to
East it is still so) that a person who is respon- make the arrest is because they are the officials
sible for the death of another under any circum- who are authorized to investigate and try the
stance must in turn be hunted down and killed case; if they find it is indeed a case of murder,
by the deceased’s survivors. Not to do so meant then they will turn the murderer over to the
to heap shame on the life of the departed and blood avenger for justice or if they find the kill-
on the living relatives. The relative whose duty ing was accidental they will return the killer to
it is to find and kill the perpetrator is called a the sanctuary city.
blood avenger; in Hebrew he is the go’el, or bet- There are a couple of important principles
ter the goel hadam (the redeemer of the blood). from prior teachings that are at the heart of this
The six cities of refuge the Lord provided for system of cities of refuge and blood avengers.
Israel were an answer for this patently unfair First is the principle that intentional sins are
and unreasonable custom of blood revenge for not covered by the Levitical sacrificial system,
even accidental killing. The idea was that the and second is that any sin not covered by the
killer would immediately run for one of the sacrificial system requires the blood (the life) of
sanctuary cities upon killing somebody. If he the criminal trespasser as payment. I will sum-
made it; he was safe. Therefore we discussed marize this matter very briefly. If a sin can be
Deuteronomy 19

the concern that the six cities of refuge be fairly atoned for by means of an animal sacrifice (and
evenly spread out and accessible. However if the the Torah defines which can and cannot), then
blood avenger caught the killer before he made other than for some additional kind of personal
it to safe sanctuary it was perfectly legal for that reparations paid to the victim the perpetrator
blood avenger to kill him. Yes, it is an interest- can be forgiven by the Lord and by the com-
ing fact that while we find a law giving the unin- munity. But when there is a crime committed
tentional killer a safe haven we do not find a law whereby the Law of Moses requires the execu-
that restrains the blood avenger from killing the tion of the perpetrator, then you have a crime
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 173

for which no provision for substitutionary fices. Of course this atonement of sins is not
atonement is available. This crime falls outside automatic. One must declare with their mouth
the ability and purpose of the God-ordained and believe in their mind that Yeshua is Lord
sacrificial system to save you by means of atone- and Savior. In effect one is telling the Father
ment. Murder is such a crime as is idolatry. One that you are resting on the sacrifice of Yeshua to
cannot commit either of these crimes and then atone for your sins, intentional or unintentional.
atone for them by means of an animal sacrifice. Further there is another important requirement:
Instead the price is your own blood (that is, your you must confess and sincerely repent of your
own life). sins. One without the other is not effective.
Here’s a good rule to remember about blood: Interestingly this same requirement of sincere
only innocent blood can atone for sin. I’ve heard a repentance was needed for the OT sacrificial
few teach that in the Bible era when a murderer system to be effective for a sinner as well.
has his blood spilled that to the Lord this is a We reviewed these principles of blood and
form of atonement; not true. The blood of the sacrifice for this reason: the NT did not nullify
guilty can never atone. Blood spilling has two the teaching of the OT in regard to the blood
major aspects: one is that the blood of the guilty avenger. Listen to the writer of the NT book
is required by God as reparation, a price to be of Hebrews: “If we deliberately keep on sinning
paid to God for sin (the wages of sin is death). after we have received the knowledge of the
The other aspect is that the blood of the inno- truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fear-
cent is required to atone for sins that the Lord ful expectation of judgment and of raging fire
has decided can be atoned for (thereby allowing that will consume the enemies of God” (Heb
the guilty person to live). So in an animal sac- 10:26-27 NIV).
rifice the guilt of the human sinner is symboli- In the Levitical sacrificial system deliberate
cally transferred to, and laid upon, the sacrificial (intentional) sins had no means of atonement.
animal that is otherwise innocent. When that In the same pattern, even though Yeshua can
innocent animal’s blood is spilled it serves both rescue us even from deliberate sins (that the sac-
as a substitute for the required payment to God rificial system could not), there comes a point
of the blood (the life) of the guilty party, and it when the Father determines that since we know
is the spilled blood of the innocent that is the the truth (that Jesus is Savior and we need to be
means of atonement (that leads to forgiveness) saved), and we just keep right on sinning delib-
for the guilty party. erately, our repentance cannot be sincere and
The goel (the blood avenger) in God’s econ- therefore even Messiah’s blood cannot atone
omy is not doing anything wrong; he is simply for us. All that awaits us in that circumstance
acting as God’s earthly agent to satisfy God’s is judgment and the raging fire of our eternal
justice of taking the life of the murderer as repa- destruction. God has always been the ultimate
ration, but at the same time no atonement (no blood avenger.
forgiveness before the Lord) is possible because The forgiveness that Yeshua makes avail-
of the deliberate and high-handed nature of the able for us is of a spiritual nature. The idea is not
Deuteronomy 19

sin. The good news for us is that Messiah Yesh- that the earthly consequences for our actions
ua’s blood can (generally speaking) make atone- are now canceled. It is wonderful beyond words
ment even for the classification of sins called that a perpetrator of a heinous crime can see
“intentional sins” that the sacrificial system was their wrong, come to Messiah, repent and con-
not designed to atone for. Yeshua is a safe haven fess and change and trust God, but in no way
(He is a city of refuge) from the blood avenger does the Bible contemplate that this crimi-
even for the premeditated murderer. That is why nal avoids justice. A repentant Christian mur-
Christ’s sacrifice is superior to the animal sacri- derer must die for his or her crime otherwise,
 174 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the entire community remains in blood guilt his neighbor’s property so as to expand his own.
because the Lord’s justice was not carried out. What makes it so serious among Israel is that
The Lord’s justice system always has, and we have already had a law established that land
still does, consist of a spiritual and a physical was to remain within a family, clan, and tribe in
component. Yeshua’s sacrifice paid for the spiri- perpetuity. The laws of the Sabbath year, Jubi-
tual component of God’s justice. The physical lee, and the kinsman redeemer all had as their
component of God’s system of justice is sup- goal the return or retention of land to the orig-
posed to be carried out through human govern- inal Hebrew owner. So for someone to move
ment. Just as human government cannot pro- boundary markers (thereby taking a portion
vide spiritual atonement for a criminal, God’s of someone else’s land) was to defy the system
spiritual forgiveness does not provide for can- God had established. This was a crime against
celation of the physical punishment due that the Lord far more than it was a crime against an
same criminal no matter how spiritually repen- individual.
tant and forgiven he or she may be.
Two interesting things are said in verse 13
that concludes the matter of murder and the goel. Witnesses to Crimes
First is that the murderer is to be shown no pity, Verse 15 sets up a fail-safe system meant to pre-
and second is that by executing the murderer, vent wrongful conviction on the basis of either
the blood of the innocent victim will be purged little to no evidence or false or mistaken testi-
from Israel. The point of saying “no pity” is that mony. The testimony of a single witness is not
Yehoveh wants to make clear that a murderer is sufficient to convict the accused; two witnesses
never to be spared out of love or a feeling that are required, and this is not the ideal number
the penalty is too harsh for the crime. The Lord but the minimum. However reality is that it did
understands that the murderer probably has happen that a single witness would come for-
many people who love him. He further under- ward and make an accusation and this would
stands that such love by a family or a commu- spark an investigation and a trial. Witnesses
nity might cause them to have pity on him and performed several functions in the biblical jus-
commute his sentence; this is forbidden. Why? tice system: a witness often was the one who
Because of a never-changing God-principle brought the charges in the first place or a wit-
that we have encountered in numerous Torah ness could have been a person who had some
passages that the shedding of innocent blood pertinent knowledge about the case. Further,
(a murder victim) creates blood guilt upon the a witness in a capital case was often the prime
entire community; the blood guilt that rests executioner (whether they wanted to be or not).
upon the entire community is lifted only when These next several verses deal with the mat-
the perpetrator’s guilty blood is shed in repara- ter of a false witness. That is, a person who
tion. This provision has never been annulled; knowingly makes a false charge against some-
we live with it even today. What is at stake here one or gives deliberately false testimony against
is the proper carrying out of God’s justice sys- the accused for any number of reasons. If the
Deuteronomy 19

tem. court (which typically consists of priests and

appointed laymen) investigates and determines
that the witness intentionally gave false testi-
Boundary Markers
mony, then the false witness was to bear the
Since time immemorial, piles of stones were same punishment the accused person would
used to denote the boundary lines of real prop- have had to bear if he had been convicted on
erty; verse 14 makes it a serious moral offense that false testimony! How many maliciously
for a person to move the boundary markers of false police reports and lying witnesses do you
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 175

suppose we’d have today if the person who lied was an idiom. Mutilation as a punishment was
and caused an innocent person to go to jail had strictly forbidden in God’s Law, so if you poked
to serve the same amount of time in jail as the somebody’s eye out (even intentionally), never
crime they falsely reported required? This bib- in the Law of Moses was that person allowed
lical law went so far as to demand the death to poke your eye out in return. Rather it is a
penalty for a witness who falsely and knowingly statement that put boundaries on the severity of
accused someone of a capital crime. Let me state punishment, as well as limits on the commuta-
clearly that in general this false testimony was, tion of sentences. Basically the notion is that the
by definition, intentional lying, not mistaken punishment is to fit the crime; it is to be pro-
identity or simple error. portional. A person should not lose their land
The reason for this rather harsh consequence because they stole a goat. A person should not
for the false witness is that by doing to the false be beaten because he couldn’t pay a monetary
witness what he had schemed to do to his victim, debt. Most importantly a person should not lose
others will be too afraid to try the same thing, their life for a property crime or because they
thus such evil things will not happen within the harmed, but didn’t kill, another.
community any more! Wow, such common sense At the same time a person who committed
that today’s social engineers and criminal justice premeditated murder was not to escape execu-
system tries to tell us would never work. We’re tion by means of paying a fine. Nor was a person
told that harsh sentences for people who do such who had intentionally maimed someone else able
things only make society worse. God says no; to give the injured party a paltry payment and
humans (being what we are) need a healthy fear call it even.
to make us think twice about giving false testi- Here is something that we’ll come back to
mony, and His system works toward purging this later: the principle of lex talionis (eye for an eye)
kind of evil from society. was only meant to apply to civil and criminal
cases. This was not a principle of how humans
are to operate within our personal relation-
An Eye for an Eye
ships. How we treat one another and deal with
Chapter 19 ends with the formulation that schol- personal issues that did not involve criminality
ars call lex talionis. It is the classic eye-for-an- was totally outside this concept. The idea is (for
eye, tooth-for-a-tooth principle that has been so instance) not that if someone verbally insults
severely twisted and incorrectly applied for cen- you that you are free and justified in insulting
turies. Notice that in this instance the principle him back. Let me say that again: lex talionis is
is being directly applied to the crime of perjury; about God’s justice system, not interpersonal
this is all about what to do to the false witness. relationships or insults. Israel had a bad habit of
This formula was not to be taken literally, nor mixing the two up, Christians often get it con-
was it for the purpose of personal vengeance; it fused, and Yeshua had a lot to say about it.
Deuteronomy 19
 176 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 20

Israel, and it is God’s holy war in the first place,

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 20. Israel has nothing to fear from the vast armies
they will face.
Before the battle begins, God’s representa-
Deuteronomy 20 is about how Israel is to pre- tives (His servants) the priests will come for-
pare for war: holy war. I want to stress this again: ward and address the troops. Naturally because
while it would not be wrong to choose to use this is holy war, the holy priests are at the center
these instructions in preparation for most any of all that will happen. As I have mentioned in
kind of armed conflict, these particular instruc- the past, priests are present at the battles; part
tions are all about fighting a holy war that God of their jobs is to blow trumpets to both exhort
ordains. Men have no authority to declare a war God to help Israel and to deliver signals to the
as “holy,” even if they believe their cause is just troops. Unfortunately the English translations
and righteous. usually mask something that we need to pay
The Israelis, at the time they entered Canaan, attention to.
lived as nomads. They did not have chariots Do you recall our earlier study in Deuteron-
and the horses that pull them. For this era (the omy 6 about a section that has been titled “the
thirteenth or fourteenth centuries BC) chari- Shema”? Sometimes this is called the “Hear, O
ots were a fearsome technological advantage Israel.” Shema is a powerful Hebrew word that
because they were used against foot soldiers. means much more than to simply listen. It is
Chariots were the tanks of that era; they were anything but a formal beginning to a speech;
basically quick moving platforms from which it includes the command to obey. Here in verse
fairly standard weapons could be launched (in 3 the Lord says that before the various battles
that time it was spears and arrows). The use of of the holy war commence, the priest (meaning
chariots brought a tremendous advantage on the high priest) is to walk forward and declare:
the battlefield, but facilities and know-how were “Shema, Israel!” Hear O Israel! Hear and obey
needed to manufacture this device of war and what is about to be said.
Israel was in no position to do that (but many The first issue is about fear, so the Lord tells
of the Canaanites did have chariots). the Israelite troops through the high priest not
Therefore the Lord first deals with the men- to fear in four different ways: 1) don’t let your
tal (the psychological) side of warfare: fear. On heart (mind) be faint, 2) don’t be emotionally
the one hand the Lord acknowledges that Israel afraid (of the battle), 3) don’t be alarmed (don’t
Deuteronomy 20

will be going up against armed forces which are panic), and 4) don’t be frightened of the enemy
both larger than Israel’s and have technological soldiers (don’t be in dread of the Canaanites).
superiority. However, verse 1 tells Israel to recall The thing they can count on is that the Lord
what happened in Egypt. Israel not only had will lead them to victory.
no weapons, but it had no army. Israel had no After the priests have brought God’s mes-
ability to free or protect itself from Egypt; God sage to the troops, the officials now speak to the
simply brought a superior power to its knees in soldiers and the message concerns three possi-
supernatural ways. Therefore since God is with ble deferments from the coming battle that are
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 177

available to the younger members of the Israelite holy. To de-sacralize is to take something that is
army. These “officials” are not the army com- holy and make it common (not unclean or bad,
manders; they are civilian government authori- just not holy, not set apart for God anymore). So
ties. There is some thought that these might be what does this mean that the young man who
Levites who are interwoven into governmental has planted a new vineyard has not yet made his
and religious authority. In any case, they are not vineyard “not holy”?
army officers and they are not the priests who Whether it is fruit of the vine (grapes) or
gave the exhortation to “do not fear.” the fruit of the orchard, the law is that the fruit
The first possible reason to be excused from is not to be picked and eaten for the first three
the battle is that a young man might have a years after the vine or tree is planted. Only in
home that has not yet been officially dedicated, the fifth year after planting may the owner of
so if he dies in battle someone else might gain the fruit eat it. Where does this idea come from?
possession of it. I’ll tell you right up front that Listen to Leviticus 19:23-25: “When you come
there is much disagreement in the Bible aca- into the land and plant all kinds of trees for
demic community about just what this means. food, then you shall count their fruit as forbid-
There is no mention in the Hebrew Bible of the den; three years it shall be forbidden to you, it
dedicating of a house, or any ritual that might must not be eaten. And in the fourth year all
be associated with it, so it may not be indicat- their fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to
ing what is commonly thought. It might simply the LORD. But in the fifth year you may eat of
mean that he has recently established his own their fruit, that they may yield more richly for
new household (he has recently married) and so you: I am the LORD your God (RSV).
has yet to start a family. If his wife was widowed
before they had children, the household might
wind up in possession of another person and in
Middle Eastern tradition that is a serious mat-
ter. But these are but educated speculations.
The second possible reason for a military
deferral is that he has planted a new vineyard
but hasn’t yet partaken of the produce. Various
translations will say, “But he hasn’t harvested
it,” or as our CJB says, “He hasn’t eaten of it.”
Obviously this holy war is going to go on over
an extended period of time. This is speaking of
a time just around the corner for these Israel-
ites, after they’ve settled in Canaan, because the
nomadic Hebrews certainly have not stopped to
plant vineyards along the way. However, once
they enter Canaan they will take over already
Deuteronomy 20

established vineyards and they will add to them.

But here’s the thing: we need to understand the
Law of Moses if we’re going to understand the
reason for this particular deferral. The Hebrew
word typically translated as “harvested” or
“eaten” in this verse is hillelo, and it means “desa-
cralized it.” Don’t let that big word throw you:
to sacralize something is to make something
 178 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

For the first three years the fruit is forbid- It is the officials’ job to go around asking
den, meaning it can’t be used for any purpose the troops if anyone would like to take advan-
nor can it be offered to God. The next year, the tage of these deferrals, and if they do these offi-
fourth year, the fruit is declared holy (it is sacral- cials determine their eligibility. A young man
ized, set apart for God) and thus all the har- who was simply too frightened to fight qualified
vest belongs to God. In the fifth year the fruit for deferral as well, because such a man would
is no longer holy (it is de-sacralized, no longer be a discouragement to the other soldiers.
set apart for God) and so it can be eaten. The
idea of this particular cause for military deferral This lesson is one of the more difficult ones,
then is that the new vineyard must be five years because the overarching subject is holy war and
old, whereby the young man is finally able to I hope you understand that holy war is a war
make use of its produce. Otherwise this young started by God at His direct command and is
soldier can choose to not fight, but rather go overseen and ended by God at His direct com-
back home and wait until the fifth year arrives. mand. The fighting of the countless other wars
So this law actually even gives us a time frame during our lifetimes and the millennia preced-
to show that God is telling Israel that the holy ing our era may have had good and just causes
war for Canaan is going to go on for years and and many were fought using God’s holy name as
years such that new fields and vineyards and a supposed pretext. But as we have discussed on
orchards will be planted and mature during the numerous occasions, man has no authority to
time of the holy war on Canaan. declare anything as “holy” no matter how godly
The third possible deferral for a young sol- or righteous we might think it to be.
dier is stated in verse 7. A man who is engaged The Lord holds the sole right to declare
to be married but has not yet consummated the what is holy and what is common or unclean.
marriage does not have to fight, because if he To be sure, many wars are fought in the name of
dies then the price he paid for his bride would religion but that does not make them holy wars.
be wasted and another man would probably get Thus there are special rules that apply to holy
the benefit. Now, why this is so terribly impor- warfare, and that is at the heart of this chapter.
tant is debatable. We have records from Meso- It might not seem so at first glance, but the
potamian societies of that same era that basi- words of chapter 20 (especially verses 10 to the
cally offer the same thing to their young men, end) have far reaching effects. There are entire
and the reason for it has to do with superstitions books written on nothing but these 11 verses, so
and the belief that engaged (but not yet mar- profound is their impact on understanding the
ried) men were particularly subject to demonic book of Joshua in particular and also almost all
influences so it was best for all that they not the recorded and unrecorded history of Israel in
be part of the army. Another possibility is that the Promised Land.
it was believed among the Hebrews that what Of late a new realm of theological under-
passed for continued existence after death was standing is coming forward, all based on the
that a man’s life essence lived on in his off- God-ordained protocols of holy war. This
Deuteronomy 20

spring. So since married couples began having realm is what has come to be called “spiritual
children immediately, part of the goal of hav- warfare,” of which many books have now been
ing children was that if the man died, his life written (some good, some so fanciful and full
essence would not end but would be continued of witchcraft as to be dangerous). While war-
in his children. Therefore an engaged but not fare seems to be a strictly human endeavor (the
yet married Hebrew soldier risked having his result of colossal human failures, really), in the
life essence permanently terminated if he hadn’t Bible we even read of war in heaven. Therefore
yet had a chance to produce children. there can be no doubt that warfare among men
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 179

(at least holy warfare) has a definite and discern- fare is a confrontation with evil that has been
able spiritual component to it; in fact, in addi- authorized by God; all other warfare is not holy
tion to human warfare there is also a kind of warfare. Most of the wars we see in the Bible
warfare in the spirit world that is confined to represent unauthorized warfare; those wars
the spirit world. The subject of spiritual warfare were about men’s agendas and their disinterest
as is discussed in our modern era lies some- in following God’s laws and commands in Spirit
where in between these two extremes; spiritual and in truth.
warfare is a strange mix between the human J. Maxwell said this about warfare in order
and the spiritual. to help us understand that while holy war was
While in the holy war to conquer Canaan indeed an instrument of bringing divine pol-
we see men fighting men, behind the scenes icy, war itself (common war as determined by
Yehoveh was operating and orchestrating such men) does not carry with it the stamp of God’s
that the outcome was predetermined; at times approval:
supernatural things occurred to secure the vic-
tory for Israel (such as when the walls of Jericho Even in the OT, David is denied the privilege of
fell down). Strictly speaking this was not spiri- building the temple because his hands are stained with
tual warfare; rather the spiritual warfare that a blood. One of the features of the coming Messianic king-
few in the modern church are now recogniz- dom is the abolition of war. That our society today still
ing as something that is apparently meant for resorts to war proves nothing except that men are terribly
our era to experience is about flesh and blood resistant to the grace of God.
humans (believers in Messiah) coming into
direct confrontation with evil spirit beings. King David’s wars of conquest were not all
I only bring this up because the way spiritual necessarily holy wars. And when they were holy
warfare is to be prosecuted is primarily based on wars to some degree, he did not always prosecute
what it is we’re about to study. In other words them within the strict boundaries of God’s laws
the concept of warfare as a paradigm that God concerning holy war. A holy warrior doing things
uses to achieve His ultimate goal of “peace on God’s ways does not have to live with blood
earth and goodwill among all men” begins here guilt on his head; David bore blood guilt for the
in Deuteronomy where the subject is holy war. express reason that many of his decisions were
All throughout the Bible we find kings, carnal and self-serving in nature and the blood
prophets, and even NT writers using warfare he spilled was at times for personal reasons and
metaphors and illustrations to help explain what glory, and he paid a steep price for it.
God is doing, what Israel should do in response, That the Messianic Kingdom (the 1000-year
and what Christ’s mission is and therefore what reign of Messiah) will endure no war is true. Yet
our duties are as His followers. Saint Paul in (as is the irony that I’ve already stated earlier)
Ephesians and Corinthians used warfare met- it is the Battle at Armageddon, the war to end
aphors to motivate the followers of Yeshua to all wars, that will propel us into the age when
right living and to obedience to the Word of there will be no more war. Why? Because this
Deuteronomy 20

God: “put on the whole armor of God . . . wear is holy war, and Yeshua will carry it out the way
the helmet of salvation . . . wield the sword of Joshua should have; all of God’s enemies will
the Spirit . . . be fellow soldiers with Christ our be brought to destruction and so (at least for a
warrior leader in a battle against evil . . .” time) wickedness on earth will cease to exist.
Warfare was going to be the way the Lord Let me give you some other food for thought
brought all mankind under submission to Him on yet another difficult and controversial topic.
but not necessarily warfare as man thinks of The Torah principle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth
it, nor practiced as men practice it. Holy war- for a tooth” was meant to be used as a foundation
 180 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

for God’s civil and criminal justice system; it was not referring to someone who took a knife and
not a life principle to be used in personal relation- killed your child in an act of violence. Being
ships. We have a tendency in the world of Judeo- slapped on the cheek and your turning the other
Christianity to mix up those godly instructions is all about being unjustly berated or unfairly
meant for use in the legal context with those used dealt with and your refusing to take revenge and
within inter-personal relationships. And I men- to do the same right back. Slapping someone
tioned that Messiah spoke extensively on the dif- on the cheek was a Hebrew idiom for humili-
ference between the two. ating someone; it’s not about assault and bat-
Since holy warfare involves much destruc- tery. In the Middle East humiliating someone
tion of animals, property, and human life, here caused them to be shamed, and so it was usual
is another Torah principle that needs to be that revenge (even to the point of blood feuds
brought back into proper context. The holy war and murder) to regain honor was in order. So it’s
rules of engagement demonstrate absolute intol- not about the commission of a crime like mov-
erance and lack of mercy toward those whom ing a boundary marker hoping to steal land. In
the Lord has marked for destruction. So how one case there is a justice system set up to deal
do we square that God-principle with one of with those civil and criminal violations against
Christ’s most famous admonitions to “love your you, and in the other (love your enemies) these
enemies”? are personal issues left for you to deal with on a
I’ll tell you straightaway that a common personal level.
answer to that dilemma is this: the God of the You see there is an enormous gulf between
OT is different than the God of the NT. God, God’s enemies, and our enemies. Christ tells us
whose nature never changes, changed. to love our enemies; never does He tell us to
love God’s enemies. For us to love God’s ene-
mies is to dissolve any union with God. We are
Assignment: Read Matthew 5:38–48. never to accept that which God rejects. How
can we love what God hates and then call that
unity? Conversely, even though we may not
have anything personally against God’s ene-
Notice very carefully the context within mies we are not to accept them. We are to reject
which Yeshua spoke His words to “love your them just as God does. Now, let me be clear:
enemies.” It’s said in the context of being over someone who goes to a different congrega-
and against “an eye for an eye, and a tooth tion than you do and adheres to some different
for a tooth” because an eye for an eye was all set of doctrines is probably not God’s enemy.
about proper proportionality in the legal justice Someone you might view as a really bad per-
system. When Jesus spoke of loving your ene- son because of their immorality is not necessar-
mies, it was not about the reversal of the legal ily God’s enemy. God defines His enemies as
aspect of God’s justice system; it was about per- those who are in total rebellion against Him to
sonal relationships. “Your enemies” are those such a degree that they will not ever be eligible
Deuteronomy 20

acquaintances or relatives or anyone who have for redemption; it is those who He has marked
something against you (for good reason or not); for destruction because of their determined
it’s not referring to a thief who might come and bent against Him and who instead stand with
commit the crime of robbery against you. Your the Evil One against God’s people. Most of the
enemies (in this context) also refer to those in time we might not be able to discern which is
authority over you or someone who might be which from an earthly point of view, so we have
close to you who treats you unfairly, insults to be very careful in how we choose. We need
you, offends you, and hurts your feelings. It’s to err on the side of love and mercy. If ever the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 181

guidance of the Torah and the Spirit is needed leaders knew we should do but there was no
in our lives, it is with this issue. political will to do? For one thing, half of the
Also understand that from a biblical per- world’s Jewish population would not have been
spective (and I’ve covered this in depth in past murdered. A hundred million human lives from
lessons) to hate someone is not simply an enor- scores of nations probably would have been
mous emotional dislike as we tend to think of it. spared if only we would have taken the oppor-
It much more means to thoroughly reject some- tunity to stop a madman before he became so
thing or someone, or in some cases to reject powerful that the price to end his reign of terror
what that person believes or stands for. To love, would be a world war.
conversely, is to wholeheartedly accept, rather The world is a different place now (and not
than to simply like a person on a deeply emo- for the better I might add), and there is no going
tional level (and please, don’t think I’m saying back. The opportunity was missed.
that emotion is not part of the equation, it is; it is Joshua and Israel were about to be given an
just much less than what we typically ascribe to opportunity to exterminate unimaginable wick-
it, whereby love and hate are almost purely emo- edness in Canaan. It would have meant a large-
tional terms). A person that is “hated” by God scale destruction of human beings done in a
is rejected by God. A person who is “loved” by manner we consider so barbaric and ruthless as
God is accepted by God. That is the sense of to be almost unconscionable. Yet the world of
hate (and love) that we need to grasp as we read that era operated precisely in a way that warfare
the Holy Scriptures, and it is the sense that (as of that kind was the norm, not the exception.
believers) we need to emulate. It was awful, but it was usual. Everyone under-
stood the rules of tribal societies and the con-
stant warfare, how nations came and went, and
Eliminating Evil in the World
that people dying en masse was not abnormal.
We don’t have to become very old before we The Israelites indeed could have not only pushed
look back upon our lives and see that there were out the undesired from Canaan but could have
golden opportunities to do something impor- destroyed God’s enemies that He instructed
tant and worthwhile and lasting, but they were Israel to destroy if they chose to; instead they
missed. Often that opportunity never arises again chose to go another way. They allowed God’s
in quite that same impactful way. The reason is enemies to remain and found out the hard way
usually that a fork in the road of life has been that, if you are a friend of God, then eventu-
encountered, and one-way sets us on one track, ally God’s enemies will become your enemies
and the other way sets us on a different track. as well (like it or not). Let’s see if we can wade
Further, on a higher level, as societies through this section of Deuteronomy, eyes wide
evolve and change, some practices and customs open and ready to accept what God is teaching
become perceived as ancient and outdated and us without judging it.
(except in the most extreme cases) they are jet-
tisoned never to be seen again. Therefore what
Nations That Could Be Spared
Deuteronomy 20

was possible at one time in history (say, three

hundred years ago) is no longer possible today. First, in verse 10, for Israel to offer a town
Technology and civilization have moved on. “peace” before they attack it means they offer it
For instance: what would have happened favorable terms of surrender. This is not about
in the late 1930s had the world not decided to making them buddies. That town is given an
stick our collective heads in the sand and ignore opportunity to simply open their gates to Israel’s
what Hitler was doing in Europe? What if we army and submit. Ah, but it means even more. It
did what so many military leaders and world also inherently means that the leadership of that
 182 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

town agrees to become part of the community of war. Pretty harsh, but it’s about to get even
of Israel. The level of how integrated they will worse.
become into Israel depends on whether they Let’s understand a couple of important
are satisfied to be resident aliens (part of Israel, points. First, “all males” means all adult males.
living among Israel and subject to Israel’s laws) This generally refers to men twenty years of
but not becoming official Israelites. Resident age and up, although in this case it probably
aliens are those who wish to retain their foreign includes males in their later teens because most
identity while at the same time living within the Middle Eastern societies conscripted males for
community of God. The other extreme is that their military at age sixteen or seventeen. The
anyone, including those mentioned in verses term “little ones” (who are to be spared) means
10-15, who wishes to become an Israelite (to all children, male and female. So the Hebrews
reject their own gods, their own heritage, and to were not being ordered to exterminate young
have a circumcision ceremony) may freely do so. male children.
Just like in society today, back then there were Second, every town and village had another
shades of gray in between these two extremes choice that (while unpleasant) was always open
and this would determine their precise status in to them: they could simply pack up and leave
the Israelite community. before Israel attacked them. In other words, the
Those cities and villages who surrendered people of Canaan knew full well what Israel was
when the army of Israel approached were to be up to, and they were aware when the army of
spared. However, they were then to become Israel was approaching where they lived, and
a vassal to Israel in the sense that (as resident they knew what to expect when they arrived.
aliens) they could be forced to work on behalf So there was plenty of time to move out of the
of Israel and pay tribute to Israel. This was nor- Land of Canaan and start a new life somewhere
mal and usual terms of surrender to a mightier else with the only consequence being a loss of
force in those days, even though in most cases their land and probably a lot of heartache and
we’d find that behavior unacceptable today. You disruption.
shouldn’t necessarily envision horrible chain The Lord’s main interest was in emptying
gangs overseen by a cruel taskmaster and half- the land (His set apart land) of a wicked people
starved people with sunken eyes, wearing rags so as to establish the kingdom of God there.
and barely surviving when you think of those There is no instruction to chase down those
resident aliens as “forced labor.” The Law of who did not fight or to kill those who surren-
Moses goes to great length to demand humane dered without first making war.
treatment of slaves and to give rights to ser- Verse 15 makes it clear just which towns
vants. It’s mainly that the government of Israel and cities this particular treatment that I have
could call on them from time to time to do described pertains to: it is those cites and
work and they had no choice. No doubt some towns that are distant from the land God is
of those who surrendered were handed over to giving Israel. So, in general, this does not deal
individual families as servants, depending on with those locations within the boundaries of
Deuteronomy 20

the circumstances. what was understood to be Canaan, the land

Verse 12 says what to do if a village or city of Israel’s inheritance (the Promised Land).
refuses to surrender and instead decides to fight These particular towns and cities were outside
the army of Israel: that town is to be put under the Land of Canaan (in the Trans-Jordan for
siege, and when the city falls every male resident instance) and therefore were afforded a differ-
is to be executed and all the women and “lit- ent set of choices than for the inhabitants of
tle ones,” along with the livestock and all the Canaan.
people’s possessions, were to be taken as spoils
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 183

Nations to Eliminate and goddesses was not counted against them as

necessarily fatal, because back in Deuteronomy
Conversely the rather merciful instructions of 4 (and later in 32) we saw that God actually
verses 10-15 were not available to those who assigned worship of the stars, moon, and sun to
Deuteronomy 20 next discusses. And these are them. Rather the problem was the sexual per-
described as “the towns of these peoples.” In a version, the sacrifice of human children, drink-
general sense, “these peoples” are all Canaan- ing blood, and all other manner of infectious
ites. Specifically, there is a group of seven behaviors that the Lord could not tolerate to
nations that God wants eradicated. Unlike the exist anywhere near His set-apart people.
subject of the previous verses, these Canaanites
are not to be allowed to live; not males, females,
children, not even animals they have cultivated. Siege Warfare
This is where it all starts to get sticky. Since holy war had to be made upon these
There is a group of seven nations that the seven nations who lived within the Land of
Lord says are so evil that He doesn’t want them Canaan and their destruction was to be final
pushed out, He wants them dead. These nations and unequivocal, God made some other rules
are the Hittites, Emorites, Canaanites, Perriz- to deal with matters that would naturally occur
ites, Jebusites, Girgashites, and Amorites. Please in the process. One rule concerned how to treat
note what I just told you because it can get con- the trees that grew outside the walls of a walled
fusing. The term “Canaanites” is both a general Canaanite city.
name for anyone living in the Land of Canaan, Siege warfare was the standard method to
but more technically it is a tribe or nation of attack walled cities in that era. The idea was
direct descendants from Noah’s grandson that the invading army would surround the city,
Canaan, so from a genealogical and tribal stand- cut off food supplies and perhaps their water
point they are not necessarily related to those source, and then merely wait for starvation and
other six nations listed. dehydration to do its job upon the inhabitants.
Here’s the problem with those seven nations Some cities had enough wherewithal to build
who represent most of the inhabitants of the the city walls around their water supply to pro-
Land of Canaan: they worship false gods, have tect it, and also to build sufficient storehouses to
abominable practices, and stand firmly in oppo- have a substantial supply of food for the inhab-
sition to Yehoveh. Further, they represent a itants. So siege warfare could be a very long pro-
severe spiritual danger to Israel because Israel is cess that tied up the attacking army for months.
certain to adopt some of their wicked practices So to speed it up, various methods of attacking
if these pagan folks are allowed to survive and and breeching the formidable stone walls were
intermingle with God’s set apart people. developed.
In other words, these various Canaanite When we think of a siege we often picture
tribes would represent such a bad influence the Romans and their tall towers on wheels and
on the Hebrews that it was an unconditional their catapults and battering rams with protec-
Deuteronomy 20

requirement by God upon Israel to annihilate tive coverings and so on, but those were much
these people showing no mercy whatsoever. It later developments. Early siege warfare involved
is interesting to note (so that we don’t get the devices as simple as ladders to get the soldiers
wrong idea) that it was not the belief system of to the top of the walls. Or they might build a
the Canaanites that was the real problem; rather fire at the base of the wall, especially if the wall
it was their abominable ritual practices that God was made of limestone blocks because the mois-
so detested. That all of these seven nations wor- ture trapped inside the limestone would turn to
shipped the astronomical bodies as their gods steam because of the heat of the fire, and liter-
 184 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ally explode the rock, thereby creating a path for and severe that it seemed to conflict with their
the invaders to enter. (and our) views of repentance and the expressed
Invariably a siege involved the tactical use hope that someday everyone would turn to the
of wood to make the ladders and to stoke the Lord. In effect, modern Christian doctrines and
fires. The Lord instructs Israel that they are not Jewish Halakah have used interpretation and
to use fruit trees to make siege implements with, allegory to modify and tone down these com-
because those trees provide edible food and it mands of holy war in deference to other, more
would defy common sense to destroy fruit trees valued and preferred manmade principles.
that will soon be very valuable to Israel once the I have a friend who often reminds me
enemy is dispatched. Rather they are to use only that he would rather not discuss OT matters
the non-fruit bearing trees for their siege imple- because, even though he’s a believer, the blood
ments of war. spilling and killing and ruthlessness ascribed to
Now, Israel was not stupid; they well under- God makes him terribly uncomfortable. Like so
stood the value of fruit trees. So why did God many of my Christian friends, the only aspect
think He had to tell them not to destroy their of God that he really wants to think on is God’s
own food resources, as it were, by avoiding the love. I’ve stated many times that this is not only
destruction of those fruit trees? It was because dangerous to us, it also smacks of idolatry when
Israel was operating under the law of herem. we think that way, for we are shaping God into
Herem literally translates as “ban.” The Law of our image when we do that. God has multiple
Herem is not totally unique to Israel. The goal aspects to His nature, and when we keep the
for Israel, however, is that since this is a holy ones we like and prune away the ones we don’t
war, and God is Israel’s Holy Commander-in- we are redefining Almighty God. How can
Chief, then all spoils of the holy war belong to justice exist if there are no boundaries and no
Him. He will decide what is to be done with it. consequences for violating those boundaries?
Since God is not a man that needs gold or silver To deny God’s judgment and wrath as necessary
or exquisite jewelry, beautiful fabric, sumptuous aspects of His nature is to deny His sovereignty
foods, or slaves to do His bidding, then the only over us, His created creatures.
means to set aside these items as God’s alone is Here’s the thing that we can lose track of: in
to make them unavailable for use by anybody the very near future, the most horrible war ever
else. Since they are set-aside for the Lord, these to befall mankind will happen. It will be a war
items are considered to be holy and therefore no that most evangelicals claim to look forward to:
man can partake in what is holy to God. There- the War of Armageddon. In that war, all who
fore all of these things were destroyed because claim Yeshua as Savior will survive and all oth-
they belonged to Yehoveh. ers will be destroyed. No mercy. No white flags.
We can look at this principle and scratch our No exceptions. Already the Lord has identi-
heads and be terribly bothered by it. But this is fied non-believers as His enemies, but in His
God’s law. Don’t let it concern you too much if mercy has determined that some of these will
you don’t like it. Most Christian scholars don’t repent of and trust in Him, so He has withheld
Deuteronomy 20

like it either, and long ago Jewish sages and rab- final judgment for a time. But at the Battle of
bis found these instructions to be in conflict Armageddon that time is past. It won’t matter
with their own sensibilities, so they began to if millions throw their hands up to the heav-
write commentary that twisted and turned the ens and shout, “Oh we’ve been so wrong! Now
plain direct meaning of what has been said. that I see Messiah in His unbelievable glory, I
Christian scholars and Jewish rabbis alike have believe!” Too late. They will die to eternal sepa-
found these laws and commands on holy war ration from God knowing the truth but unable
so intolerant, so lacking in mercy, so very harsh to take advantage of it. Once the final holy war
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 185

is begun, the list of those who are defined as just as the law of Herem is to be carried out by
God’s enemies is etched in stone and closed up. Israel in Canaan, so will it also be carried out
The Battle of Armageddon will operate pre- by Yeshua and His army of saints and angels at
cisely on the rules of holy warfare as outlined in Armageddon. The spoils of this war—the peo-
Deuteronomy 20–21, because like the conquest ple, animals, everything—belong to God, the
of Canaan, the Battle of Armageddon is a holy leader of the war, and so in order that no man
war started by God and led by God and it will can utilize those spoils they must be destroyed.
be ended by God. Our meek and mild pacifist Therefore just as ordered for those seven
Messiah Jesus will be our leader in the annihi- Canaanite nations, so it will be for the whole
lation not of millions, but of billions. You see, world of rebels: total annihilation.

Deuteronomy 20
 186 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21 begins with a very odd ritual guilt) has been laid upon Israel as a result of this
that Jewish rabbis and ancient Hebrew sages unsolved murder.
have had a hard time explaining. Christian Let’s talk about blood and bloodguilt for a
scholars don’t even bother to try. We’ll explore little while, because believers (especially Western
that ritual and see what sense we can make of it. cultural Christians) know very little about what
This chapter is really divided into two parts: bloodguilt is and why blood is so important in
verses 1-9 discuss the problem of an unknown God’s system of justice and jurisprudence. In
assailant who murdered someone; the remain- a nutshell, bloodguilt is a serious condition of
der begins a four-chapter section that deals defilement and sin that is brought upon a person
with several miscellaneous laws for Israel. who violates God’s laws that concern blood.
The key to understanding the first part of I would like to begin by offering a rather
chapter 21 is that it revolves around the subject sweeping statement: blood lies at the center of
of bloodguilt. God’s justice system in the way that a fulcrum
lies at the center of a teeter-totter. As it swings
fully one direction there is one effect, and as
it swings back to other there is an opposite
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 21:1–9. effect. On one end of the spectrum the misuse
of blood is the cause for the Lord seeking retri-
bution from a man, but on the other end the
proper use of blood is the remedy for the blood-
The typical approach to this chapter of crime. Westerners living in a carefully sanitized
scholars and teachers is to focus on trying to society know almost nothing about the neces-
make meaning out of each of the ritual elements sity and role and centrality of blood in Scripture
involved in this mysterious breaking of the because it offends our ears, causes us to avert
neck of a heifer (a female cow) that is done in our eyes, and turns our stomachs to talk about
response to the problem of an unsolved murder it anymore than to sing a few Christian ditties
being committed in the local community. Cer- about our Savior’s blood that makes us white as
tainly we will do the same, however the much snow.
larger subject that we’ll begin with today deals Yet as we’ve studied the Torah, we find that
with the terribly serious negative spiritual effect the Bible has this fascination with blood and at
that unsolved murder has upon the town closest the same time holds the value and necessity
Deuteronomy 21

to the place where the victim’s body was found, of blood in the highest regard. Christians have
and more correctly how this affects Israel as a created scores of songs that both celebrate and
whole. lament “the precious blood of Jesus.” Non-
believers, particularly atheists, like to point
out what they regard as this gruesome and bar-
Blood in Scripture
baric thread of blood letting and blood spilling
The problem is that the sin of bloodguilt (or that runs from Genesis through Revelation.
better, the condition or status of having blood- Christians avoid the OT largely because of
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 187

the all the blood letting, and at the same time sensibility, nor did He determine that animal
somehow sort of mentally minimize the role skins were more durable; rather it was that the
of blood in the NT and especially in the book shame Adam and Eve felt was the result of their
of Revelation. guilt, and their guilt was the result of trespass-
When one studies the Bible carefully we find ing against the Lord. Trespassing against the
that blood is the main required element to make Lord can only be paid for with blood, never by
covenants, as well as to atone for trespasses. It plant life. Therefore, the Lord had Adam and
is forbidden to eat blood and it is forbidden to Eve wear the result of their offense; over their
take the blood (the life) of an innocent person. physical nakedness was the physical remains of
Blood causes defilement on the one hand, and the innocent animal whose blood was taken to
on the other it is the supreme purifier of defile- atone and pay for their sin. The blood of the
ment on earth. For the ancient Hebrews and for animal spiritually satisfied God’s demand for
most other ancient cultures as well, blood was justice.
central and indispensable in worship. However even though the sinful act was
The Bible wastes no time in bringing us to paid for, the entire nature of Adam and Havah
the subject of blood because in Genesis 3 the was now infected with sin; they had broken
Lord’s own hand brings about the first recorded God’s one and only commandment to them: do
death in history when he kills an animal and not eat of that fruit from the Tree of Knowl-
uses its skin to cover Adam and Havah’s naked- edge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve inher-
ness. Why did God kill an innocent animal in ently knew that their sin nature had to be
order to provide clothing when there were other covered; they tried to do it with plant life, but
possibilities such as leaves or wool? Because God said that was insufficient. Only blood can
from this point forward the case will be made cover sin. Of course Adam and Eve weren’t
that only blood can atone for sins against the consciously thinking in terms of sin; they only
Father. So God had a choice: He could take knew that they felt shame and thought that it
the life of the criminals (Adam and Eve) or He must be because of their physical nakedness.
could provide a substitute and accept that sub- So they sought a physical remedy by covering
stitute’s life as both reparation and atonement it up. Blood is physical, of course, and all flesh
for the criminals’ sins. requires blood to exist; however spiritual beings
Another God-principle concerning blood like angels and cherubim, even Satan and his
is also presented early on in the Scriptures: demons, do not require blood in order to exist.
organic life that is filled with blood is different Even so, physical blood does have a spiritual
than organic life that exists without blood. That effect and it is this spiritual effect that matters
is, animal life is wholly different than plant life. to God and so it ought to matter to us.
Plant life, though valuable, is of lesser value in The Bible uses a term to describe the ritual
God’s eyes than animal life. Plant life can be taking of the life of an animal as a substitute
offered to God for thanks and as an offering of for the death that is rightly due to the human
firstfruits, but never can plant life atone for sin. who has trespassed against God: sacrifice. I just
Deuteronomy 21

This is demonstrated in that when Adam and mentioned that early on in the Bible the blood
Even felt shame, they used plant life (fig leaves) principle was established that life with blood is
to cover themselves. From a physical rational distinct from life that exits without blood (ani-
point of view, those fig leaves worked perfectly mal versus plant life), and we find just as early
fine in its role as clothing. So why did God on that mankind (while recognizing the need to
replace those fig leaves with animal skins? God sacrifice to God) would usually rather do it in a
didn’t find those fig leaf garments unacceptable way each man prefers than to do it according to
because they somehow offended His fashion God’s principles. Thus we have the example of
 188 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Havel and Kayin (Abel and Cain) who are told hint of another negative aspect of bloodguilt.
to bring a sacrifice to God, and Abel brings an Bloodguilt defiles not only the perpetrator but
animal and Cain brings produce. The produce also it defiles the land on which it occurred; it
is, of course, rejected because this is apparently even defiles the community of people within
an offering that involves atonement and plant which it occurred. Read Genesis 4 as to one of
life is not acceptable for that purpose. This rule the unintended results of the murder of Abel:
so infuriates Kayin that he decides to kill Havel,
and thus we have the first recorded murder. Let And the LORD said, “What have you done? The
me put it in another sense; we have the first voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the
unlawful killing of a human by another human. ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which
The Bible also calls this act of murder the taking has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from
of blood. your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer
So we now have another principle about yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a
blood that is established: the unlawful, unjust wanderer on the earth.” (Gen. 4:10-12 RSV)
killing of a human being creates bloodguilt
upon the perpetrator. Bloodguilt is so serious Here we have perhaps the most well-known
that it can only be satisfied by the blood of the biblical case of bloodguilt, and the result is that
guilty party as reparation. Bloodguilt is such an the land itself is affected. It’s not that Abel’s
extreme defilement of the person who commit- blood necessarily “touched” the soil (although
ted the crime that it causes instant separation it certainly must have) so the contact between
between that person and God. Abel’s blood and the dirt caused that dirt to
To be clear, there are other sins involv- become contaminated with a curse. Rather, the
ing blood that also cause bloodguilt, and one guilt on the soil resulted from its proximity to
of them is for a human to ingest blood of any the act of murder. It produced a negative spiri-
kind. We find later on in the Bible that it wasn’t tual effect; bloodguilt brought with it both a
permissible until the time of Noah, after the physical and spiritual consequence. This murder
Great Flood, to take the life of an animal for had the spiritual effect of cursing the ground
food; up to then the only authorized source of because the land bore the effect of the blood-
food was plants. In other words until the time guilt that was committed upon it, thus causing
of the Great Flood, for a man to kill an animal the physical effect of the land to degrade and
and eat it was a crime against blood (a crime thus not produce crops as well (or as easy) as it
against God’s laws concerning blood), which did before the bloodguilt occurred.
incurred bloodguilt. Out of this also came the I cannot stress enough that this is not some
prohibition against eating blood, which is dif- ancient superstition recorded in the Bible. If the
ferent than eating meat. Eating blood means to laws of blood were nothing but the products of
either directly drink the blood of an animal or men’s fertile imaginations, then Yeshua’s sacri-
to kill an animal by strangulation or some other fice was totally unnecessary. So please under-
means that does not permit its blood to drain stand that while we may find these principles of
Deuteronomy 21

out, and then eating its flesh. Or it can mean to blood and bloodguilt strange, they are not only
use blood as an ingredient in food. still fully in effect, they are also the reason that
So then, simplistically speaking, bloodguilt the route of redemption history has proceeded
arises when a person violates any of the Lord’s along a very purposeful path. I have the deepest
laws regarding blood: from the eating of it, to regret that those of us in Messiah’s church who
the unjust killing of a human, to a misuse of it are responsible to teach you about this principle
(or the neglect to use it) in a ritual procedure. of blood have instead chosen to take the more
The story of Cain and Abel gives us a strong genteel approach and simply ignore speaking
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 189

the truth about the terrible consequences of is assigned the bloodguilt brought about by
bloodguilt that pile up on our shoulders hour the crime. Now let that sink in for a minute,
by hour. because this is not some procedure that Hebrew
With that understanding, let’s continue men thought up. This is the procedure that the
with Deuteronomy 21 and dissect those first 9 Lord has created. Notice how real and vital is
verses. The one and only case that is being dis- the principle that Yehoveh created human gov-
cussed here has to do with someone discover- ernment to administer His laws on earth, and
ing a murder victim but no one seems to know that their authority to determine where blood-
who committed this act. The assumption is that guilt lies is completely valid in His eyes. These
since the killer has not been identified, he can- governmental officials are being counted upon
not be punished according to the Law (which to determine, as God’s earthly agents, which
is that he be executed). Notice that the issue is community is going to be held responsible to
not about finding the killer and bringing him to deal with the bloodguilt caused by this unsolved
justice; rather it is about what to do about the murder. The town that was nearest not only
very serious problem of the bloodguilt that now bore the guilt, they became responsible to purge
rests upon the land and upon the people of the the guilt (to atone for it). If they did not do this,
local community. they remained in their bloodguilt before God in
Notice that this case is further defined as perpetuity.
having discovered the body “out in the open.” The ritual procedure to absolve this blood-
This corpse was found in a field or alongside a guilt begins in verse 3. The elders of the town
road. Technically this does not cover what to located nearest the crime scene are to provide
do in situation whereby someone was found a heifer that has never been used for fieldwork
dead inside of a city or a village. However, since or for any work purpose in general. They are
there is nothing in the Torah that specifically to bring the heifer to a nearby wadi and there
addresses that nuance, rabbis and sages have break its neck, killing it.
assumed that certain portions of this law could A wadi is a riverbed; one that is usually dry
be applied to an unsolved killing that took place part of the year and has flowing water at other
inside of a town. times. The instruction about the wadi is a little
Verse 2 speaks of elders and magistrates (the uncertain. The typical translation is that this
Hebrew is shofet, judges) who are to come to where must be a wadi “that is overflowing” or one
the victim was discovered and begin a legal pro- that is “flowing strong.” This is an oxymoron
cedure. Since this law envisions that era when in Israel because there are few known wadis
Israel is settled in the Land of Canaan and the that flow strongly at predictable times (it is very
land has been divided up into twelve territories rare in modern times). So the logical question
(one for each of the twelve tribes), these govern- is since the ceremony must be done nearby the
mental officials (elders and judges) are, of course, murder victim’s body, in local proximity to the
the ones who preside over matters in their own designated village and certainly within the con-
territory. So if the crime occurred within the ter- fines of the tribal territory, what happens in the
Deuteronomy 21

ritory of Judah then it would be the elders and most usual case where there is no wadi that is
judges who are members of the tribe of Judah strongly flowing? Most new scholarship agrees
who would officiate over the matter. that the translation of the Hebrew word ‘eitan as
Their first job is to carefully measure the “overflowing” or “strong flow” is not correct.
distance from the location of the body to the In other contexts in Scripture the word tends
nearby towns and determine which town was to indicate “strong” like in the sense of “hard.”
closest to the murder scene. Great care has to In the Bible for instance, when it speaks of a
be taken, because whichever town is closest king (or even the Lord) reining with a “strong
 190 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

hand” a better translation for the twenty-first already been established by God that a sacrifice
century sense of words would be a “hard hand.” can only occur at the Tabernacle (later the tem-
It means ruling without tolerance, unbend- ple), on holy ground, and of course this particu-
ing and unyielding. Therefore, this more likely lar ritual procedure we’re studying can occur at
refers to bringing the heifer to a typical Israelite any number of places. Further the priests do not
wadi, one that is unyielding, meaning it is so do the killing, there is no altar, and the animal is
rugged and rocky that it cannot be cultivated not burned up with fire. Therefore this is by no
and it does not provide any useful water. Those means a sacrifice and is something else.
who have been to Israel can picture this rather Next comes another curious aspect of the
easily. The wadis there are dry most of the year, ritual. The elders of the town assigned with the
and only occasionally have water in the form of bloodguilt wash their hands (with water) over
a momentary flash flood. You’ll find a line of the body of the heifer and they recite the decla-
scrub bushes and Acacias (in Hebrew, shittim) ration as outlined in verses 7 and 8. Many Bible
trees along these wadis, but they are also rock translators say that those words spoken by the
strewn and the soil is generally inorganic sand. elders are a vow to God; I disagree with that.
If you tried to remove the rocks to plant things, Not only is God’s name not invoked (an abso-
the next flash flood would simply bring more lute must in vow) but the structure of the sen-
rocks. If you planted a crop, a flash flood would tence does not employ the Hebrew participle ‘im
destroy it in a few seconds. Not only that, the at the beginning of the sentence, which makes it
water that is present beneath a wadi is usually a vow. In other words, with the ‘im included the
in the form of moist soil several feet down and translation becomes “I swear,” but without the
rarely is it suitable for a well. ‘im it is simply “I declare.” This verse in Deu-
So probably this is speaking about bringing teronomy 21 does not have the ‘im and so we
the heifer to a place that cannot and will not be have no reason to conclude that what the elders
used to grow crops or obtain water. It is there pronounced was a vow or and oath.
that the town’s elders are to break the heifer’s The hand washing is probably a symbolic
neck. Let me point out a couple of things about indication of the innocence of the elders in
this procedure. First of all, it is rather cruel. You the whole matter and that they are telling the
don’t easily break the neck of a cow. The process truth. They are saying that they shouldn’t bear
would be painful and it would take a little time. the bloodguilt because they were not involved
Second, this method of ritual killing is spoken with the killing, did not know the identity of
of in the book of Exodus (13 and 34) as the the killer, and could not reasonably have antici-
means to slaughter the firstborn of unclean ani- pated or prevented it. This hand washing was so
mals (animals that due to their species are not common in its meaning in the ancient Middle
suitable for sacrifice or they are disqualified for East that this is almost certainly what it meant.
sacrificial use because of imperfections). There Recall that a long time later the meaning of that
is nothing about this heifer used in this ritual hand washing gesture was still in existence as we
that would indicate it was not suitable for ritual read in the Gospel of Matthew of Pontius Pilate
Deuteronomy 21

sacrifice or that it was in any way impure. doing a similar thing in the kangaroo court con-
During this ritual we see that the priests vened to sentence Jesus to death, when (as he
come forward; we don’t know their role. They washes his hands) he says to the crowd, “I am
appear to be there mainly to officiate and assure innocent of this man’s blood.” To this very day
that the procedure is done properly. This brings it is a common saying almost everywhere in the
up a very important point: the killing of the world that we “wash our hands of the matter”
heifer in response to the discovery of an anon- indicating the end of our involvement or our
ymous murder victim is not a sacrifice. It has innocence.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 191

Now back to the town elders’ declaration of effect. Those OT Hebrews who followed the
innocence. Rather than a vow, their statement sacrificial system were indeed forgiven for their
amounts to a prayer to God. A declaration to trespasses; fully. If one is determined to stick
God that is not a vow is, by definition, a prayer. with the word “covered” in the OT (and there
In this prayer the elders are directly asking the is nothing wrong with that) then there is utterly
Lord to absolve them from bloodguilt caused no basis to suddenly change the meaning it to
by the death of the innocent person (the mur- “absolve, expiate, or forgiven” in the NT. This
der victim). Here’s the thing: since this ritual switch is done to try to prove, or disguise, an
procedure is not a sacrifice it can have no atoning agenda driven doctrine of men.
quality; its purpose can only be one of illustra- So what did Messiah’s sacrifice bring to the
tion and demonstration for the people, but also table that was different than what happened
of obedience to the Lord’s commands. The real- with the animal sacrifices? Well at the least
ity is that it was this prayer that was the key for His sacrifice was capable of atoning for things
forgiveness in this situation. The elders lean on the sacrificial system could not. His sacrifice
their redeemed status for absolution. It is quite could atone for a murderer. His sacrifice could
literally in the same mold that every believer asks atone for an idolater. There exists no such thing
God for forgiveness: we are redeemed by Christ within the Levitical sacrificial system as a ritual
and our redeemed status gives us the right to ask procedure to atone for a murderer or an idolater;
Our Father for forgiveness and mercy (the unre- such a person was simply permanently “karet”
deemed have no such thing available to them). (cut off). He was both physically executed and
Note the ending words of verse 8: “and they spiritually separated from God. However if one
will be absolved (forgiven) of bloodguilt.” truly confesses and repents and trusts Yeshua,
Forgive me for repeating something I have your guilt even for murder is atoned for. That
tried to emphasize so many times, but over and said you are not absolved from having your
over again in the Torah when the Lord lays out physical life taken to expiate the bloodguilt, nor
these atoning ritual procedures the passage do you escape earthly criminal justice; only your
ends with the Lord saying, “And they will be spiritual life is assured to continue.
forgiven.” This means exactly what it says; these Further the Levitical sacrificial system did
ritual sacrifices (and in our case today a prayer not create a path by which a human could have
spoken within a ritual procedure that is not a his evil nature exchanged for a new holy one.
sacrifice) bring actual, real, complete, unequivo- The effect of this is that no human could ever
cal forgiveness. Not partial forgiveness, not find his way to heaven. Instead in the OT times
something like forgiveness. I have heard so if he died in a righteous state, under the laws
many times preachers say that in the OT sins of Torah, then his soul or spirit went to a place
were “covered,” but they weren’t actually for- the Bible calls Abraham’s Bosom. Abraham’s
given—that real forgiveness only happens the Bosom was not heaven, because no man who
NT. That is completely false. This issue about has not had his nature exchanged for a new holy
“covered” sins versus “absolved” or “forgiven” one can be pure enough to enter heaven. True
Deuteronomy 21

sins is a red herring. There is no such concept enough, the ‘Olah and Minchah sacrifices did deal
as a sin covered but not forgiven in the Bible, with the sinful nature of men to the extent that
Old or New Testaments. Saying that a sin is cov- the sacrifice allowed a man to be in communica-
ered is just a colloquialism and is simply a word tion with God and at peace with Him, but these
chosen by a translator. Covered, absolved, and did not actually cleanse a man’s unclean nature.
forgiven means the same thing, and it trans- Christ’s sacrifice paved the way for a man’s nat-
lates the same Hebrew word (kipper or kaphar) ural sinful spirit (his nature) to be exchanged
and carries the same weight and has the same for a Holy Spirit (a new and holy nature). With
 192 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

this new holy nature we can stand before God call “communion” but he is unworthy of doing
in His heaven. so. By my best understanding of what unworthy
And of course, there was necessarily sacri- means in this context, I think that it means to
fice after sacrifice under the Levitical sacrificial be a) an unbeliever, and/or b) one who may pro-
system. Every new day required new sacrifices fess to be a believer but has fallen so far away
for the nation of Israel, and every new occur- from unity with God that Christ’s sacrifice is
rence of a sin required an additional atoning rit- not efficacious for him.
ual. However there was but one single sacrifice There is but one single exception in all the
by Yeshua (of Himself) that satisfied a multitude Scriptures that permits the symbolic drinking
of various sacrifices that concerned themselves of blood (or for that matter, symbolic eating
with sin and uncleanness within the sacrificial of human flesh), and that is at the Last Supper.
system. Plus His sacrifice acted in a way that Jesus’s Passover connection of drinking wine as
additional sacrifices are not needed should you symbolic of His blood has absolutely no parallel
sin again. in the Bible. Wine was always associated with
Lastly, His sacrifice could (generally speak- joy, never blood. Real or symbolic drinking of
ing) atone for intentional, high-handed sins, blood to a Hebrew was so horrible and repulsive
while the sacrificial system had no such provi- that I don’t think I have the words to express it.
sion. I remind those who have heard this from This revulsion at ingesting blood was ordered
me before that the word “unintentional” as and cultivated by Yehoveh, and it is explained
concerns unintentional sins isn’t precisely in all in His many laws about blood (several of which
its aspects the same as how we think (in mod- we have discussed today). The gravity of this
ern vocabulary) of the term unintentional; it’s situation as concerns eating blood escapes the
similar but there are subtle yet important dif- average Christian. There is a fascinating story in
ferences. the Gospel of John that might, now, make more
Those were the major differences between sense to you.
what the sacrifice of Yeshua did in contrast to
the sacrifice of bulls and sheep, but the com-
pleteness of forgiveness by God was the same
in both cases. Assignment: Read John 6:49–69.
Now back to other aspects of bloodguilt.
I hope you’re starting to receive a better pic-
ture of what blood means and what bloodguilt
amounts to and how serious it is. When I con- In verse 61, after Yeshua has pronounced the
duct the Passover “communion”, I always read a absolute necessity of eating His flesh and drink-
certain verse that Paul uttered in 1 Corinthians, ing His blood, He asks a rhetorical question as
and this verse deals with precisely what we’ve He watches many of His followers walk away
been discussing: bloodguilt. from Him (in disgust I might add). His ques-
tion is: “Does this offend you?” What “this”
Deuteronomy 21

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup is he referring to? Of course, it was this mes-
of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sage of drinking his symbolic blood that caused
profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man absolute revulsion among even those who had
examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the dedicated themselves to Him! Then He goes on
cup. (1 Cor. 11:27-28 RSV) to say that these words are “in spirit,” indicating
what we all inherently know, which is that in no
Notice that a man will be guilty of the blood way was He speaking of a literal, physical eating
of Christ if he partakes in what we have come to of flesh and drinking of blood; it was symbolic
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 193

of a spiritual decision to come into complete nations that have the death penalty have found
unity with Him and to voluntarily take on His innumerable reasons to spare the life of a pre-
attributes. meditated murderer. We all live today in a land
Long after Christ had died, Paul warns in soaked in bloodguilt, and the Lord will act.
1 Corinthians that those who are unworthy Again, there is only one prescribed method
should not drink of Yeshua’s blood (take com- for dealing with bloodguilt; execute the perpe-
munion) or else that person will bear blood- trator, otherwise the entire community bears
guilt. And what is the penalty for bloodguilt? the guilt right along with him.
If the perpetrator is known, his life must be A question that any Christian who has been
taken. A central rule of blood in God’s justice saved for even a few years should have by now
system is that when innocent blood is shed, the asked him or herself is: “Why is the coming Bat-
blood of the guilty is required by God as pay- tle of Armageddon, led by our Savior, so bloody
ment, no exceptions and no substitution. This and without mercy?” You see Armageddon is a
required blood of the guilty is not the blood of holy war of complete and absolute annihilation.
atonement; it is the blood of retribution. It is the In many ways it is very similar to Noah’s Flood
blood of a debt owed to God. where the only people spared were those on that
I want to end this lesson by pointing out ark. The only survivors of the War of Armaged-
some additional principles of bloodguilt. The don in the entire world will be those who pro-
reason for my pointing this out is as a challenge fessed Yeshua before the battle begins. Those
to us all. We live in a land that is so contami- who try to convert during the battle get the same
nated with bloodguilt that our national future is treatment as those who do not: destruction.
completely predictable: destruction right along Christ is called the Blood Avenger in the
with the rest of the world. How could we, a sup- Battle of Armageddon. Do you now understand
posed Christian nation, merit bloodguilt, and what that term means? The Lord has declared
where might our bloodguilt lie? It lies in our the entire world culpable of bloodguilt. All
refusal to take the life of murderers and instead of us are blood-guilty because (among other
saying it is better to simply jail them until they things) we’re part of a system that not only
die at the end of a relatively normal life span. doesn’t prosecute abortion doctors but actually
Much of the church (and much of Judaism) calls makes it legal and pronounces it good. We are
this humanitarian mercy. Consider that horrific blood-guilty because we have convicted mur-
case of a non-repentant Muslim terrorist who derers in our nations who are not having their
planned and executed the bombing of the air- lives taken to absolve our bloodguilt. Instead
plane that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, they are simply serving long prison sentences;
killing almost three hundred people, being set therefore since we won’t do what is required
free from prison on “humanitarian reasons.” to remove bloodguilt the Lord is sending His
Not only was his life not taken for this mas- Blood Avenger, Yeshua HaMashiach, to do
sacre, he was set free merely because he was ill what the law has always been: the blood of the
(based on some macabre and secular humanistic guilty is required for spilling the blood of the
Deuteronomy 21

philosophy of mercy and forgiveness). God says innocent. A community or society that refuses
such a thing is a refusal to obey His command- to take God’s justice upon the blood-guilty is
ments. Murder brings bloodguilt upon the land guilty by association.
and the community, not just the criminal. The Let me point out that this is neither a call
only way for that bloodguilt to be absolved is by nor an excuse for vigilantism. We have a justice
means of taking the life of the murderer. That is system, and we need to work hard to change it.
God’s law. Many Western nations have refused One of the prime reasons we need to study the
to do this, now, for decades in some cases. Even Word of God thoroughly and also to rush to
 194 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

accept what Jesus Christ has done for us is that under the rules He has laid down is justified
those of us who ought to bear the price of our and acceptable to Him, while all other is not.
bloodguilt had it paid for by Messiah. That only It is not murder if a person kills according to
applies to those who actually trust in who He is those rules and therefore the killer (the soldier)
and what He has done. remains at peace with God. Killing outside of
the rules of holy warfare God has ordained is
not justified and therefore brings the person,
Further Details on God’s Laws the community, and the land where it happened
We have started a rather well-delineated sec- under bloodguilt.
tion of Torah (beginning at 21:10 and continu-
ing through chapter 25) that many scholars
and teachers call a list of miscellaneous laws.
My only quarrel with that description is that it Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 21:10–23.
gives the impression that these laws are not laid
down in any concrete structural way nor do they
have a common theme, when in fact that is not
the case. Rather this four-chapter section deals While our previous two lessons dealt with
with four main issues: holy war, sex, and family, the responsibilities of Israelite public officials,
care for the poorest and most vulnerable, and this changes course and deals with private indi-
humanitarian concerns. viduals and families and their neighbors. The
I mentioned at the start of our study on the first issue deals with the human spoils of war.
book of Deuteronomy that what Moses is doing It was common in ancient times among most
is expounding on the laws that had been laid societies to take women and children as cap-
down almost forty years earlier at Mount Sinai. tives and make them slaves as part of the spoils
Moses is giving a sermon that has an interesting of war. When we read the Greek classics we find
parallel in the NT in Yeshua’s famous Sermon the same thing occurring. So many of the laws
on the Mount as found in the book of the Mat- we’ll see here are quite similar to laws found
thew. In both cases the purpose and focus is recorded in the Code of Hammurabi and in the
to take these ancient laws and invigorate them Mari law code documents, but there is one strik-
with deeper spiritual meaning in some cases, ing difference: the Hebrew laws give the women
and a better defined life application in others. prisoners of war the status of humans of value
So what we find when we back away and look and not simply chattel that equates with animals
at this section from a higher view is that these or furniture.
laws are but extensions of the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, Therefore the issue that is being dealt with
and 10th commandments. Therefore the sub- here is about a woman taken captive that a sol-
jects revolve around killing, adultery (including dier finds attractive, so he wants to make her his
the essence of adultery that is a combination wife. Let’s not miss the very important context
of unfaithfulness and unlawful mixture), theft, of this expose: we are speaking only of Hebrew
Deuteronomy 21

false witness, and coveting. soldiers taking foreign women (foreign captives)
This would be a good time for me to remind as wives. I pointed out way back in our study of
you that the subject of chapter 20, which was Genesis that to speak of genealogical purity as
holy war, continues on into chapter 21 and that regards Hebrews is really almost an oxymoron.
any kind of war, by definition, deals with the From the time God set Abraham apart as the
killing of humans. Here’s the thing to under- first Hebrew (thus meaning that all others on
stand, especially as it concerns God-ordained the planet were goyim, Gentiles, and therefore
and led warfare called holy war: killing done also ger, foreigners to Abraham’s clan) Yehoveh
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 195

defined a pathway for any ger, any foreigner, who

wanted to join Abraham’s clan to be able to do
so. By joining Abraham’s clan and his Hebrew
descendants’ tribes, this former Gentile for-
eigner is considered a Hebrew.
Let me give you a biblical example of for-
eigners joining Israel. When Abraham’s grand-
son, Jacob, came back to Canaan from his two
decades long stay up in Mesopotamia and settled
outside of Shechem, a tragic incident actually
led to the size of his own family multiplying vir-
tually overnight. When the King of Shechem’s
son raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah, her brothers
attacked the city of Shechem and killed every
adult male. Genesis tells us that Jacob’s sons,
the future tribal leaders of Israel, also took all
the women and children of Shechem to be their
slaves. In time almost all of these Canaanite
inhabitants of Shechem became part of one diluted. God’s concern was never the racial
Israelite clan or another. It was customary for a purity of His chosen people, only their spiritual
tribe or nation to take prisoners from another as purity and faithfulness to Him.
a means to increase the size of their community Before we go further concerning what is
while decreasing the size of the enemy’s com- to happen to this foreign female captive, and
munity. Wealth was partly measured by the size what rights are accorded to her, I want to point
of one’s family, clan, tribe, and nation. out something that is masked by English Bible
As a result of that raid on Shechem, Israel translations; it occurs in verse 10. The CJB says
became almost immediately an ethnically mixed (regarding the capture of these foreign women),
family composed of Hebrews descended from “. . . and when you take prisoners..” Other ver-
Abraham and of Canaanites who would in time sions say something like, “. . . and when you
become naturalized members of Israel. So before take some of them captive.” Well, literally it says
Jacob even took his family down into Egypt (to something that might be familiar to your ears;
remain there for four hundred years), Israel was it says, “when you take the captives captive.” If
roughly 50 percent genealogical Hebrews and you’re wondering where you might have heard
50 percent Gentiles. During their time down in that before, listen to Ephesians 4:8-9: “This is
Egypt we’re told that there was a tremendous why it says, ‘After he (Jesus) went up into the
amount of intermarriage between Jacob’s family heights, he led captivity captive and he gave
and Egyptians as well as with other foreigners gifts to mankind.’ Now this phrase, ‘He went
(because Egypt had a large foreign population up,’ what can it mean if not that he first went
Deuteronomy 21

living there). Even Moses (a Hebrew) married a down into the lower parts, that is, the earth?”
Midianite woman. We see that same trend con- (CJB).
tinue here in Deuteronomy with a set of laws
designed to make it legal for an Israelite soldier
to take a female foreign prisoner and make her Afterlife
his wife. By definition, upon the marriage cer- In both the OT and NT even before Jesus was
emony she became a Hebrew and thus the gene born there existed such people that we call
pool beginning with Abraham became further “saints”. These OT Hebrew saints were those
 196 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

who died trusting God and living in Torah, who Yeshua took those captives to heaven with Him,
had faithfully followed the sacrificial system Abraham’s Bosom became permanently vacant
so they died in a righteous state in God’s eyes. because all who trust God (by means of faith in
These OT saints did not go to heaven; rather Messiah Yeshua) now go directly to heaven and
they went to Abraham’s Bosom, the name of not to an intermediate place of waiting.
one of the two chambers for departed souls So a foreign woman is taken captive as result
that exists under the earth (the other being of war, an Israelite soldier takes a fancy to her
called Hades, a place of torments). Yeshua also and wants to marry her. The procedure is that
referred to Abraham’s Bosom as “Paradise.” he is to take her to his home for a period of one
These Hebrew saints of old remained cap- lunar month, thirty days: the foreign woman is
tive in Abraham’s Bosom (a place of joy and to shave her hair, cut her fingernails, and dis-
shalom) until Messiah had completed His card the clothing she was captured in. During
earthly ministry and then ascended at which this time these verses say she is also to mourn
time He took the inhabitants with Him to her parents.
heaven. The phrase in Ephesians 4 that speaks What does all that mean? What is actually
of how Yeshua “led captivity captive” is an odd happening here? While there is not a full con-
one that many have struggled to understand. sensus the meaning is becoming more gener-
However here’s another case whereby studying ally agreed upon by Bible scholars. By shaving
the Torah makes the question easily resolved. her hair (this does not mean shaving her head,
In Deuteronomy 21:10 we have essentially the it just means cutting her hair short), trimming
same phrase and it means the same thing as it her fingernails and changing into Hebrew gar-
means in the NT. This odd sounding phrase is ments (from her Canaanite garments) a process
simply a result of Hebrew word structure. Yes, of changing her identity from a Gentile to an
the NT documents (including Ephesians) were Israelite has begun. Each culture had a more or
written in Greek; however it is Hebrew thought, less unique hairstyle, clothing style, and just like
and Hebrew culture, and Hebrew phraseology today the women decorated their fingernails.
that are being transmitted. It was simply written By getting rid of all these things her ties with
down (accurately I might add) in Greek. her old life are symbolically left behind. This
Therefore what is meant in Ephesians 4:8 is further extends to the idea of her mourning
that those OT saints (called captives) who had her mother and father. It is not necessarily that
been held safely (held captive) inside Abraham’s her parents were killed (although undoubtedly
Bosom, Jesus now took with Him into heaven. that happened with some regularity as a result
So what we see in both Deuteronomy 21:10 and of war). Rather it is that she is being given an
Ephesians 4:8 is a change in status of those opportunity to “forget” her parents so to speak.
who are being affected. In Deuteronomy these To give up her natural familial associations that
Gentile women are having their status changed she was born into, theoretically in favor of new
from being free Canaanites, to being prisoners ones by means of her Hebrew husband and new
of Israel (some of the women will eventually Hebrew identity.
Deuteronomy 21

marry Hebrew men and lose all Canaanite iden- We get exactly the same picture in the NT
tity). for new believers:
In Ephesians 4:8, the captives of Abraham’s
Bosom are having their status changed by Mes- Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that there is no one who
siah. They are going from being citizens of a has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or
holding area that is not in heaven but is a godly fields, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News,
place, to being citizens of heaven in the very who will not receive a hundred times over, now, in the
presence of God. By the way, from the moment ‘olam hazeh, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 197

and lands—with persecutions!—and in the ‘olam haba, Polygamy

eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30 CJB)
Beginning in verse 15 the subject shifts to what
We also get the same instruction regarding happens in a polygamous family when one wife
marriage in that a couple is to leave their parents is more loved than the other by the husband.
(give up their primary identity as being part of Some translations say about this “when one
their parents’ household) and instead the couple wife is loved and the other is hated”; our CJB
is to cleave to one another (creating a new iden- calls one loved and the other unloved. Under-
tity as a married couple). stand that the meaning here is not a case of
So the concept in the OT is that this pris- intense “like” versus intense “dislike”; nor is it
oner woman leaves behind her Gentile identity complete devotion to one wife and utter disdain
with her original family (a Canaanite family) for for the other. Rather it is that one wife is more
a new one (an Israelite one); wouldn’t you just favored than the other. The reality is that this is
know it, that is exactly the spiritual sense in the at the root of why God does not want polygamy
NT of what Yeshua was communicating about among His people. Polygamy causes nothing
leaving behind your identity as a member of the but trouble. There is no way that a man can have
world (of Gentiles), in favor of being a member two wives and not have some preference of one
of the kingdom of God (Hebrews). over the other (even if the degree is small in his
Verse 13 makes it clear that only after this mind). And even if he is as evenhanded as is
one-month waiting period can the man marry humanly possible what woman is going to hon-
this woman and then consummate the mar- estly believe that she is being dealt with fairly
riage. Inherent in this is that if the woman is as compared to her rival? And what wife is not
miserable and staunchly resistant to her new going to try to become the more favored wife?
reality, a marriage won’t happen; likely because This exact scenario was played out several
if she is a miserable person to be around he is centuries prior to the Laws of Moses in the
not going to want to marry her! story of the life of Jacob. He was tricked into
Therefore, as says verse 14, if the man marrying Leah, and then had to agree to keep
changes his mind before the end of thirty days her as his wife in order to marry the one he
and decides he doesn’t want this foreigner to really intended to marry, Leah’s sister, Rachael.
be his wife, she must go free. Not as a slave to Talk about the worst of all worlds: this man has
another family, but as a free person. He can’t married sisters (natural rivals in most cases), and
change his mind and then sell her to someone one of them he didn’t even want to marry. Nat-
else; he can’t change his mind and simply make urally he loves Rachael more than Leah and this
her his unwilling slave. So we see the decency causes big problems in Jacob’s household. It’s
and great regard the Law has for women, even not that he didn’t love Leah but his affections
foreign women prisoners, expressed here. I well were far more toward Rachael (and it must have
understand that in modern Western society been obvious). Reuben, poor Leah’s son, even
even this is hardly considered a delightful pros- schemed with his mother to feed Jacob an aph-
Deuteronomy 21

pect for a woman, but understand that in this rodisiac (mandrakes) in hopes of making Leah
era every society was totally male dominated. more desirable to Jacob and thereby soothing
That God would make it a law for Hebrews to Leah’s constantly hurt feelings and insecurity.
give women rights and hold them up as valu- The issue of multiple wives gets more com-
able as men was quite a shift from normalcy. plicated once it gets to be time to pass on the
It would become a cornerstone of the Hebrew family inheritance to the next generation. The
way of life. next couple of verses envision a very typical
problem among a polygamous family; a father is
 198 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

instinctively going to want to give the firstborn ticularly hard case? You’re not alone; the rabbis
rights to the son of his favored wife over the son decided that the punishment was so severe that
of his less favored wife, even if the less favored they made rulings that required such an extreme
wife’s son was born first. Again the prime exam- and unlikely set of circumstances to unwind in
ple of what can happen is with Jacob; indeed his order for the rebellious son to be executed that
firstborn son was Reuben, the child of the less it never happened. In fact we won’t find a sin-
favored wife, Leah. So even though it was for gle case in all the Bible of parents turning their
what seems to be a legitimate reason, Reuben defiant son over to the elders to be executed.
was passed over and the firstborn rights were Basically this law was only used as a means to
given to Joseph, Jacob’s eleventh child, a son of strike fear into an incorrigible child.
his favored wife, Rachael; by custom and tradi- The noted biblical scholar J. C. Maxwell
tion it was a wrong thing to do. Here in verse 16 made this observation on this subject of rebel-
is the explicit statement that a father must not lion and disobedience:
pass over the eldest son even if he is the son of
the least favored wife, but Jacob did exactly that. When a person (a Christian) is confronted with his
We don’t have to work very hard to con- own disobedience to biblical commands, he or she is more
jure up a mental picture of all of this, do we? likely to ‘hear and sneer’ than to ‘hear and fear’. Why
In our era of divorces being common, and the is that? The church body lacks discipline. The greatest
standard inclusion of stepchildren in what soci- deterrent to sin in a society is that the people love God
ologists now call blended families, dividing up and fear (reverence) Him by means of obeying His com-
one’s attention among these children of differ- mands. Love without fear is but mush. Fear without love
ent fathers and mothers is tough enough, but is simply legalism. Only the two together in proper bal-
dividing up the inheritance is even harder. It is ance will bring about the obedience required by God.
nearly impossible to please all involved or for all
to feel that the division was fair. Notice that both parents must agree. The
mother has equal weight with the father is this
matter, showing just how unusually powerful a
A Wayward Son
mother was in a Hebrew family as compared to
Another connected subject is now dealt with most other societies in that era. Next, this is not
beginning in verse 18; it’s what to do in the mat- a matter that the parents have made a decision
ter of a wayward son. Put another way, what is that their child should die, and bring their son
to be done with a rebellious and defiant child? to the elders for execution. Execution is but the
The next few verses answer that question. First, maximum allowed sentence that can be imposed,
this rebellious son is defined as one who will and other remedies were typically available and
not obey his mother and father even after they preferred. The point is that the parents were not
have tried to discipline him in all the standard judge and jury. They simply brought a hard case
ways. Second it is that the mother and father to the town’s court, and the courts investigated
must agree that something very serious has to and made a judgment on the matter of how best
Deuteronomy 21

be done. Third, they essentially turn him over to deal with the problem child.
to the civil authorities. Further notice that it is the men of the town
If the civil authorities think that this son is a who (theoretically) will stone the rebellious
particularly worthless son (the Hebrew expres- child to death. The parents are not asked to be
sion for this is “a glutton and a drunk”), then involved, of course, due to many other princi-
he is stoned to death. Does this sound a tad ples set down by the Lord about what can be
severe to you? Would you consider execution as reasonably expected between parents and their
a viable option if you were trying to raise a par- offspring.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 199

We also see the Lord’s purpose behind this this: first of all, the term “hanging” in the Bible
harsh consequence that He orders in verse 21: did not mean strangulation by the neck at a gal-
“Thus you will sweep out evil from your midst; lows. The Hebrews did not employ hanging by
all Israel will hear and be afraid.” Totalitarian the neck as a means of execution. Second, more
societies know all too well how to utilize fear often than not the corpse had its arms tied to
to control people. Fear is the main tool used to a crossbeam, which was then mounted at the
one degree or another in virtually every soci- top of a pole that was located beside a roadway
ety to maintain order. From a biblical point of or some other very visible place. Impalement
view, fear of the consequences of doing wrong of the body was not the usual or customary
is not only a good and healthy thing; it is indis- method, though it did happen.
pensable. The difference between the type of Proper and respectful treatment of the dead
fear that God is ordering versus that brought (even of a criminal) was the norm for Middle
about by totalitarian societies is that in the one Eastern cultures (although what “proper and
case actual evil is being fought and purged from respectful” amounted to wasn’t always the
the community, and in the other evil is being same). Here the Lord does not try to deter the
wrought upon the community. The entire rea- practice of hanging the corpse of a criminal in
son that the Lord demands such harsh con-
sequences for evil rebellion against Him (by
trespassing against His most fundamental prin-
ciples) is for the benefit of everyone else. I’m
afraid that our modern progressive societies
have forgotten just how it is that evil must be
eradicated or it will affect and infect others;the
test of time has proved that evil certainly isn’t
effectively dealt with by means of education of
the criminal.
The final topic of Deuteronomy 21 has
many ramifications that I think most of you will
instantly recognize. It is that if a man is justifi-
ably executed for a capital offense, then if a part
of the procedure is to have his corpse impaled
on a stake he must be taken down before night-
fall. Where have we heard that principle before?
Of course; in the crucifixion story of Yeshua
HaMashiach.
It was the norm in Bible times that the body
of a dead criminal was put up on a pole or a
stake for public display; it was intended to act as
Deuteronomy 21

a rather gruesome reminder of what happens to

a trespasser of the Law. Sometimes the “stake”
was a large pointed pole upon which either the
man was actually impaled to kill him, or (usu-
ally) after he was dead he was impaled. However,
the “hung on a pole” or “stake” phrase does not
indicate that the means of his being placed there
was necessarily impalement. Two things about
 200 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

a public place; rather it is that at the end of the hung on a pole is because they were cursed by
first day of his death, enough is enough and he Yehoveh.
should be taken down and buried. Further the Death by execution was understood to be
criminal’s body can’t just be thrown over a cliff a legal, formal, and final separation of a person
or laid out to rot or for scavengers to do what from the community of God. With that under-
scavengers do. Rather the body must be buried standing, let’s look now at the well-known verse
at the end of the day of execution. in the NT that speaks of the state of a person
What this final verse tells us is that while who is hanged as it relates to Messiah: “Christ
respect for the dead is appropriate, there is a redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having
spiritual reason for this treatment of the corpse; become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed
it is that to not bury that body is an affront to is everyone who hangs on a tree’”—(Gal. 3:13
God. If the body is not buried the consequence NAS).
is that the land will be defiled. What does this First of all, when Paul says, “it is written,”
remind you of that we just studied this past he is referring to the Holy Scriptures, which was
week? Right; bloodguilt. of course what we call the OT because that’s
The principle I stated at the outset of our all there was in his day. In this case the passage
lesson is that to kill a human is not automati- he was quoting is the exact place in Torah that
cally wrong. But one is to follow God’s proce- we are studying today: Deuteronomy 21:23. The
dures to determine if death is appropriate or Jews of Paul’s day fully understood the dramatic
not, and if it is appropriate how the killing is and forceful statement that he was making, even
to be carried out. This instruction is all about if they didn’t fully understand all the spiritual
the treatment of the criminal’s dead body. If one and redemptive implications. Christ took upon
follows all of these instructions then this kill- himself the curse of the Law (which is the pen-
ing not only does not bring bloodguilt upon the alty of death in both the sense of physical death
people or the land, it actually purges the blood- and spiritual separation from the Father) as a
guilt that had been created by the criminal’s act. redemption payment for us so that we did not
If the instructions are not followed (even if the have to face that curse.
accused is fully guilty), then this justifiable kill- Please listen very carefully and store this
ing brings bloodguilt upon the community and away in your memories: when the NT speaks
the land. of the “curse of the law” it is speaking of one
Let’s finally look at this parallel between thing: death, complete death, physical and spiri-
the statements about Jesus’s death on the cross tual death. The curse of the Law is death. The
and these statements here about being hung on blessing of the Law is life. Another parallel term
a pole. First, let’s look at the statement here in for this in the NT is “the wages of sin is death.”
Deuteronomy 21:23. It says, “Because a per- You receive the curse of the Law (death) because
son who has been hanged has been cursed by your sin earned it. You merit, or earn death,
God.” By definition (and many translators add because of sinning. These statements about the
the words) being “hanged” means being hanged curse of the law and the wages of sin are simply
Deuteronomy 21

on a pole because, as I said earlier, there was two ways of dealing with the same thing.
no hanging by the neck until dead in Hebrew The Father cursed Christ (the proof of
society. Before we go to the NT verse let’s be which, says Paul, is that Yeshua was indeed
very clear about what this is saying. What it is hung on a stake). Jesus’s separation from the
not saying is that the result of being hung on a community of God (His physical death), and for
pole is that the person is cursed of God. Rather a few moments His separation from the Father
it does mean that the person is cursed of God [“At about three, Yeshua uttered a loud cry, ‘Eli!
therefore they are being hung on a pole; being Eli! L’mah sh’vaktani? (My God! My God! Why
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 201

have you deserted me?’” (Matt. 27:46 CJB)] was Deuteronomy 21:23, the land would have been
the sacrificial substitution for what should right- defiled with bloodguilt and the local community
fully happen to us. of Jerusalem (these women disciples included)
So by studying the Torah we can better see would have been saddled with bloodguilt.
what happened at Christ’s crucifixion. It was the It is a truly fascinating and a sad commen-
law of Deuteronomy 21 that any executed crim- tary on the depraved state of the Jewish reli-
inal had to be removed from the death stake by gious leadership of Yeshua’s era that the priests
nightfall. That the women hurried to get Yeshua who watched Him die didn’t seem to care a whit
taken off that cross and buried because the Sab- about God’s Law on this matter; they didn’t care
bath would be ushered in at sunset is true, but whether that Jewish man might hang on that
secondary to the fact that not to do so would pole overnight, thereby soaking everyone and
have broken the law of Deuteronomy 21. Even everything in the land in bloodguilt. Rather it
if the next day had not been a festival Sabbath, was the common Jewish folk who knew what
it was critical that Messiah’s body be taken off had to be done in order to obey God, and they
that pole and buried. What would have been the did it. Let us take that lesson to heart and always
result if they had not been able to persuade the do what is right in God’s eyes rather than assum-
Romans to cut Messiah down? As it says here in ing our leadership will always do what is right.

Deuteronomy 21
 202 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 22

This chapter is one of those places in the Bible any given moment before enough is enough and
that is akin to a major highway intersection it is time to move on; this chapter especially so.
because so much comes together at one place. In the study of this chapter we also have
A long road has been traveled in your study another challenge: how to deal with the con-
from Genesis to this point, much understand- tents of this part of Moses’s sermon in a way
ing has been developed, and perhaps now we that isn’t so offensive to our Western sensibili-
can address some of the more challenging ties that our ears are simply closed to it, because
underlying concepts that spread out and engulf at the molten core of this chapter, and much
sections of the Torah we’ve already studied. My more of the Bible than you might ever think,
challenge in teaching Torah has always been is the matter of human sexuality. The Gentile
how many layers of the onion to peel back at translators of the OT as we read it today were
Deuteronomy 22
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 203

refined urban Europeans and brought with them sions we read that are actually about sex (but we
a reserved and puritanical European Christian don’t recognize them as such), and the rather
mindset, as well as a not-so-hidden disdain for blatant attempt by the European Bible transla-
all things Jewish. Therefore much of the sexual tors to hide it altogether because they found it
content that is inherent in God’s Word is greatly offensive.
masked, and we miss it. Please understand that what we’ll be study-
In our day (in the West especially) the han- ing has nothing to do with “sex education” as
dling of sex resides for the most part at two ends it has come to be known in our public school
of a spectrum and there is little middle ground. systems. Rather it has to do with God’s creation
It is either dealt with in a sterile and purely prag- of mankind and the holy and sacred nature of
matic scientific/medical way or as something so God’s defined roles for males and females. It also
intensely sensitive and private (and therefore has to do with certain duties that one sex has to
uncomfortable) that most good Christians really the other, the concept of lawful and unlawful
want to simply work their way around the sub- unions, and how the underlying principles of
ject. Lately, of course, we have seen the progres- human sexuality play out in both a physical and
sive/secular movement normalize or even cel- a spiritual way in a much wider context than we
ebrate that which has historically, and biblically, typically think about it or even recognize.
been viewed as immoral, deviant and abhorrent
(to God) sexual practices.
The biblical reality is that the ancient cul- Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 22.
tures viewed sexuality quite differently than we
do; it was merely part of everyday life and not
hidden away. And because having large families
was critical to the survival of the clan and tribe, Deuteronomy 22:1-5 present us with some-
everything that surrounded human reproduc- thing that James, brother of Jesus, had much
tion was an open subject that children began to say about: true religion. He began by saying
to understand at the earliest age. Virtually that true religion is best illustrated in taking
every Hebrew family lived (quite literally) among care of widows and orphans. In Hebrew society
domesticated farm animals, so the function of widows and orphans represented the socially
sex was constantly visible and people were not disadvantaged of that era; those who were the
squeamish about it. weakest and most vulnerable. Further, practic-
Don’t get me wrong; in many ways people ing true religion kept one unstained by the ways
of that era were generally far more modest about of the world. James, Paul, and Yeshua explained
their sexuality in public than we are today. On that true religion is not about mechanical obedi-
the other hand, particularly as concerned large ence to laws but rather it is the spirit one adopts
families living in small one-room huts, or as when following those laws that matters. It is
nomads living crammed together in cloth and obedience to those laws accomplished within
animal skin tents, privacy was at a premium and the context of love and trust of the lawgiver
Deuteronomy 22

rarely was complete privacy possible. that produces the kind of righteousness that
Human sexuality and its role in Hebrew Yehoveh seeks from His worshippers. We have a
society was, therefore, woven into their language legal saying in America whereby we must guard
and culture; it pervades the OT from beginning against separating the letter of the law from
to end and is often used to present much larger the Spirit of the Law. When one seeks justice
spiritual pictures and principles, but at the same according to the letter but without the required
time it is largely hidden from our view in the spirit, love, mercy, and intent can be lost, and
Scriptures due to both the idiomatic expres- therefore justice can be lost. If that is true in our
 204 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

manmade justice system, it is far more so in the The concept is that indifference to the
God-ordained Torah system. need of another human (specially your ach, your
Therefore, especially as regards these first brother) is unacceptable to Yehoveh. Indiffer-
5 verses of Deuteronomy 22, the instructions ence to the need of another is the opposite of
revolve around the overall attitude of the wor- “love your neighbor.” This law is actually given
shipper. Here we don’t see the typical formula in its first form back in Exodus 23: “If you come
of the laws of criminality that we’re more used upon your enemy’s ox or donkey straying, you
to seeing in the Torah; we don’t see, “If you do must return it to him” (CJB).
this, then this is what will happen to you; to So these verses of Deuteronomy 22 elabo-
return to peace with God you have to atone by rate on the basic law of Exodus 23. Recall that
means of thus and so sacrifice.” Instead these I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions that
laws are done in the spirit of what Messiah says Deuteronomy is a sermon by Moses, and this
is the basis for all the Torah commands and laws: sermon is a predecessor and pattern that Yeshua
love the Lord your God with all your being, and would follow on His own in the Sermon on the
“love your neighbor as yourself.” Love your neigh- Mount. This sermon of Moses generally is in
bor is not a rule or regulation; it is not a law that the form of taking a basic law from Exodus and
has a direct consequence for violation; it is a call expounding upon it and often adding life appli-
to all who call Yehoveh their God to have a holy cations as examples of how one should properly
mindset. It is a reminder that striving for holi- apply a law.
ness is the goal of the Law and that this kind Therefore in verse 2 is the complicating sit-
of holiness is expressed on earth, in this age of uation of what to do if your brother is nowhere
human history, by loving your neighbor as your- around to claim the stray animal, or if he doesn’t
self. live close by, or if you have no idea who owns
The first illustration of how to love your the beast. Indifference is still not an option,
neighbor as yourself (in a practical applica- nor is it acceptable to go by the philosophy we
tion) regards what happens if your brother’s ox all learned as children: finder’s keepers, loser’s
or sheep go astray, and you happen to stumble weepers. Rather one must capture the animal,
across those animals. Notice the use of the term take it home and care for it as your own, and wait
brother in describing whom it is that is being for the owner to claim it and then give it back to
defined as one’s neighbor. In Hebrew the word him. Interestingly the phrase about bringing the
is ach, and it is technically referring to a kinsman. animal home literally instructs: “bring it inside
In the sense of it as meant here, it is a member your house!” And that is exactly what is meant
of your clan or tribe, and in a broader sense a because in that era (and in many parts of the
member of your nation, Israel. Later Yeshua Middle East to this very day) a person’s house
went on to explain that in the Lord’s eyes your was built around an outdoor courtyard, or the
“brother” extends to anyone in need and used home was constructed on two levels. Animals
the example of the Good Samaritan to demon- and humans together inhabited the first floor
strate his point. However in the strictest sense and the courtyard; animals were valuable so
Deuteronomy 22

this passage could easily read, “You are not to they needed to be protected from predators and
watch a fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying.” thieves and inclement weather just as much as
The Lord says that when you witness a family members did.
brother’s domestic animals straying you do not Moses (who as a leader of 3 million people)
have the option of inaction. One cannot turn must have learned to be quite the psychologist
his back on what he knows is a circumstance during his forty years as their leader because he
that demands his active help, even though this knew that this was not enough information and
help is not of personal benefit. that the search for loopholes would begin imme-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 205

diately, so he goes on to explain that this attitude

concerning finding someone’s lost property is
not limited only to the finding of oxen and sheep;
it pertains to a donkey, a coat, or anything else
for that matter that belongs to another. Please
notice something else that is emphasized here
that we’ve touched on a number of occasions in
this series: loving your neighbor isn’t having an
emotional “concern” or warm feeling for your
neighbor, it is jumping in to actively help your
neighbor in his time of need.
Next in verse 4 is a regulation that is related
to the one before it: if you see your brother’s
beast of burden collapse under the weight of its
load you are to assist the animal. The previous
regulation is about concern for the well-being of
your brother; this one is about concern for the
well-being of your brother’s animal. In neither
case is ignoring the situation the proper attitude
of a worshipper of the God of Israel.
The next law in verse 5 is one that has
caused substantial debate. Some of the debate
is, frankly, hollow academic nonsense and other Joan of Arc in men’s clothing.
of it helps to bring clarity. The words explain
that a man is not to wear things that a woman The hollow academic nonsense I spoke of
normally would, and vice versa. Most transla- centers around a raging debate over why God
tions say that this is referring to clothing; in doesn’t want one sex pretending to be the other.
fact the more accurate translation is not cloth- The reality is that the underlying reason for even
ing, but is the more broad “things pertaining having this debate is that progressive and liberal
to” being a man or a woman. Therefore, par- scholars would like to prove that God no lon-
ticularly in regards to that era, it could mean ger sees these sorts of deviant behaviors that the
weapons of war, or jewelry, or hairstyles, or (of Bible says (as it does here) are abhorrent before
course) garments. For sure transvestism is at the Lord, as still valid. Just as it has become
the center of this. For those of you who have prevalent in the church that homosexuality
led more sheltered lives than others, in our day should no longer be seen as a sin, so these par-
a transvestite is a person who wears the cloth- ticular scholars want to say that such behavior
ing of the opposite sex (men wearing women’s as transvestism was strictly confined to a certain
clothes or women wearing men’s clothes). But era, among a certain culture, and Christ’s new
Deuteronomy 22

that is only how we see it today; more correctly “law of love” means that any behavior that is
it is referring to a person of one sex intention- personal and doesn’t harm anyone else is OK in
ally taking on the characteristics of the opposite the Lord’s eyes. Or that the comment by Paul in
sex, whether it is appearance, roles, or clothing. Galatians 3 that under Yeshua “there is no male
This is not talking about sex-change operations, and no female” means that God has voided that
rather is it is about confusion and deception; it is whole concept of sexuality. Let me assure you
about pretending to be, or identifying yourself that that comment in Galatians simply meant
as, the sex you’re not. that the spiritual status of a human before the
 206 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Lord (whether a person was acceptable or unac- There are two main points to this law: the first
ceptable to Him) depended on his or her rela- is that it extends the humanitarian security blan-
tionship with Messiah, not on whether a person ket of concern for domestic animals (that we saw
was a male or female. with the regulation requiring assistance for the
On the other side of the coin it is interest- ox or donkey that has collapsed or fallen under
ing to see from a practical point of view where his load) over to wild animals (in this case a bird).
this idea first played a role in ancient societ- Part of the reason this needs to be stated is that a
ies. We have historical records that among the wild bird has little to no value when compared to
Mesopotamian cultures it was customary for a the sizable economic value of a sheep or a don-
male priest to don certain female garments, or key or an ox to an Israelite. Therefore the Lord
to wear expressly female jewelry, or even to be is demonstrating that the principle of humani-
painted using female cosmetics when the deity tarianism extends to all of God’s creatures, and
he was worshipping was a goddess. The idea their economic value is to be held as secondary.
was to “disguise” himself as a female to iden- Even more, just as James says that true religion is
tify with the feminine attributes of the female demonstrated in caring for the most vulnerable
god. and least valuable of human society, this same
Another well-attested circumstance of principle applies to the most vulnerable and least
ancient times was of men who would dress like valuable of the animal kingdom.
women and hide in plain sight in hopes they The second point is that the reverence to
wouldn’t be drafted into the military. Con- a parent-child relationship does not end with
versely, women cut their hair short, wore men’s humans. Rabbis often use this explanation as the
clothing and armor, and used man-sized weap- reason for the strange law of Deuteronomy 14:2
ons in hopes of being taken for a man so that that says a kid (a baby goat) is not to be boiled
they could fight in battles. in its mother’s milk. We can be sure of the link
I have no doubt that this law of verse 5 cov- between the mother bird and her children, and
ers these sorts of things and might have even humans and our children, because the author of
been used quite often to directly counter men Deuteronomy structured his narrative in a way
and women who attempted them, but the real that connects the two together in a familiar form.
purpose was more broad and deep than simply Recall the fifth commandment in Exodus
these examples I gave you. Some of that is clear 20:12: “Honor your father and mother, so that
when we see the context of the laws that sur- you may live long in the land which ADONAI
round this one in Deuteronomy 22. Once again, your God is giving you” (CJB).
this law against transvestism is speaking to atti- Here in Deuteronomy 22:7 it says: “You
tude and a condition of the heart; it speaks to must let the mother go, but you may take the
the spirit of obeying God’s laws and staying chicks for yourself; so that things will go well
true to the way He ordered the universe. Here, with you, and you will prolong your life” (CJB).
at least partly, it speaks to deception and confu- These are essentially the same thought in
sion that is always bad in the Lord’s economy. basically the same language; by showing proper
Deuteronomy 22

It also speaks of homosexuality, which is also a respect to the value of the parent and their rela-
matter of attitude and moral choice. We’ll look tionship with their offspring (sparing the life of
more at this outlawed sexual behavior later on. the mother bird) you will live long and things
These laws of “true religion” (which refer will go well with you (you will experience God’s
to the worshipper operating within the spirit of shalom as a blessing).
the law) continues with the admonition of verse The subject of an Israelite’s requirement
6 that prohibits the capture of the mother bird to be humanitarian in attitude and action now
along with her chicks. takes on another light in the requirement to
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 207

build a parapet around the roof of one’s home. It is a gross misuse of something that was cre-
Obviously this is looking forward to the time ated for a different purpose. The idea of these
that was a few months away, when Joshua would three forbidden mixtures we will be discussing
lead Israel to conquer Canaan and the Israelites (plus the one concerning transvestites) is that
would put away their tents and begin living in these are combinations that create unions that
permanent housing. must never be permitted. These various unions
A parapet is essentially a balcony railing that fly in the face of God’s order of creation and are
goes around the edge of the roof of a home. a severe form of rebellion. It’s not just the action
Its purpose is so someone would not acciden- that is the issue; it is the blasphemous attitude of
tally fall off. The typical Middle Eastern home the violator that is the crux of the matter.
was built using a flat roof, and the roof was The first of this group is found in verse 9:
essentially just another living area of the house a farmer is not to sow two kinds of seeds in
to be utilized like the ones below it. Stairs or the area of soil that is located between the rows
ladders were built so that the roof was always of grape vines in his vineyard. The second is
accessible. On the roof drying and storing pro- in verse 10: an ox and a donkey should not be
duce and fish would occur, as would socializ- yoked together to pull a plow. And the third
ing on a pleasant day or even sleeping during is verse 11: one is not to wear clothing made
the furnace-like summer months. Therefore it of two distinct kinds of thread that have been
was only common sense that a fence was built woven together: wool and linen.
around the roof’s edges so that a person would These 3 laws are repeats and extensions
not fall and be seriously injured or even killed. taken from Leviticus 19:19: “Observe my regu-
This is verified because the end of verse 8 lations. ‘Don’t let your livestock mate with those
declares that the spiritual reason this precaution of another kind, don’t sow your field with two
was necessary is that the danger was sufficient different kinds of grain, and don’t wear a gar-
enough that not to build that parapet constituted ment of cloth made with two different kinds of
criminal negligence. In other words, one could thread” (CJB).
reasonably expect that eventually somebody Any kind of mixture or union that is against
would fall off of that unprotected roof. Death as God’s law is called kilayim in Hebrew, which
the result of such wanton disregard for the wel- translates literally to “more than one kind.” So
fare of others would bring bloodguilt upon the seriously did the Hebrews regard violation of
home’s owner, the family that lived there, and the these laws that they dedicated an entire tractate
community whose government did not enforce in the Talmud to it; its name: Kilayim.
this law of God. By now you should understand Yet as serious a matter as they knew this to
the serious spiritual and physical consequence of be, just why God prohibited cross-dressing, two
bloodguilt: the responsible party must forfeit his kinds of seeds being planted together, wearing
life. A person who built a house without a guard- a garment made of two kinds of material, and a
rail on the roof was guilty of negligent homicide donkey and an ox to be yoked to the same plow
if someone died as a result. This was an unjust was a mystery to even the greatest rabbis. Rashi
Deuteronomy 22

death and the life of the responsible party would explains them as simply sovereign decrees of
be required as payment. God for which no reason need be given. While I
understand Rashi’s great humility in this matter
The next few verses give us three laws on in declining to delve into the why of these laws,
what is commonly called “illicit mixtures.” I think we might be able to add at least some
We’ve already been given one illicit mixture, but grist to the mill. So clear your heads and get
it was spoken of in a different context: transves- ready to see some amazing connections grow
tism. Illicit means unauthorized, not approved. right before your eyes.
 208 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

To begin: each of these four laws on illicit eyes? It was nearly impossible in the minds of
mixtures are associated with the seventh com- the great Hebrew sages to find any earthly fault
mandment—the law against adultery. Perhaps or inherent evil in wearing such a material. Yet,
that might seem odd to you, but soon I think there sits that law prohibiting it and it cannot
you’ll see that they can be nothing else. Let me be seen as a mistake or misinterpretation as it
say that again: these laws on unauthorized mix- is so explicit and straightforward. Therefore the
tures represent several aspects of adultery. prohibition was strictly mandated and strictly
Notice that from a purely practical, ratio- observed by the most pious Hebrews, right on
nal standpoint none of these laws of mixtures up to today.
causes serious harm to anyone or anything, and Is there really harm in yoking an ox and a
in fact there can be great benefit in a physical donkey to a plow? No; despite all the efforts of
sense from doing some of the things that are teachers and preachers to explain that the plow
prohibited. For instance it has long been known would always been turning to the direction of
and practiced that planting two different types the weaker animal or that the stronger animal
of seeds (plants, crops) together can bring all would harm the weaker one, or that it would
kinds of good results. This is called inter-crop- be terribly inefficient, in real life this is really
ping and has been employed especially in areas not so. In fact, such a thing as having two dif-
when farming in more primitive areas. Some- ferent kinds of animals pull a plow or wagon
times one kind of plant attracts a type of insect together was very common in the ancient world
that can be beneficial to both kinds of plants for as much because a man was quite fortunate if
purposes of pollination. In other instances one he owned one ox along with one donkey. An ox
kind of plant produces a nutrient that the other was better at pulling something than carrying
takes from the soil, thus slowing the depletion it, but it could carry things. A donkey was bet-
of the soil. On another level one can make max- ter designed to carry things than to pull things,
imum use of the arable land by planting two but it could do either. When a plow needed the
kinds of crops in the same space that are sym- horsepower that it took two animals to provide,
biotic and provide maximum food production the ancients saw nothing wrong with those
using a minimum amount of land. It can even two animals being a donkey and an ox work-
protect against crop failure by growing two dif- ing together; from an earthly sense, no lasting
ferent kinds of plants that are each susceptible harm came to either of those beasts of burden
to different hazards. just because they weren’t equal in strength.
The case of Deuteronomy 22:9 (of not I give great credit to the rabbis who at least
planting a crop of a different kind among the have been much more forthcoming about their
vineyards) is such that grape vines must be lack of understanding of the why of these laws
planted in rows that are spaced well apart so rather than creating the great allegorical expla-
that they can thrive. So what good purpose is nations that have pervaded Christianity and
served to let the significant amount of ground tend to lead us down highly questionable paths.
in between those rows go to waste? Goodness, At the same time it has always been the ten-
Deuteronomy 22

if the precious water that is used to water the dency of the rabbis to see the earthly physical
vines can be doubly used to water the vegeta- side of God’s laws and prophecies rather than
bles or grain that grow on the ground beneath their heavenly spiritual side. Let’s see if we can
those vines, is that not man being a good shep- look at all this, then, from a little different angle.
herd over limited environmental resources? Suffice it to say it is obvious that these laws
It is also a reality that weaving fine linen and of illicit mixture cannot have been ordained
wool together produces a high quality cloth of by God in order that by avoiding doing these
beauty and durability; so why is that bad in God’s things animals, plants, or men would benefit
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 209

from a physical standpoint. It is equally obvious Law were given to Israel after their redemp-
that there is nothing inherently evil by planting tion, not as a means of redemption. Thus, fol-
two different kinds of seeds in close proximity; lowing the Law Code of the Torah is not how
wickedness doesn’t spontaneously erupt when redemption is achieved, it is simply the proper
linen thread is mixed with wool; and it is not response that is expected by God as a result of
devilishly inhumane to attach a donkey and an the redemption He has given to us by grace as a
ox to the same plow yoke. free gift (first to Israel down in Egypt, and later
This reality should not surprise us. I have to all who trust in Messiah).
discussed with you that every attempt by bibli- Because cultures change and evolve over
cal scholars to explain why certain animals were time, it is the principles of these commands
designated by God as ritually clean while oth- that we must apprehend and reapply to our
ers as ritually unclean have become frustrated. present state. It is not always easy to determine
Every time they come up with a rational or sci- how to do that; reasonable debate and disagree-
entific system, something else in the Scriptures ment is to be expected. What is not debatable
shoots it down. Why are certain foods kosher, is that these laws and commands remain, just
but others not? Why is it OK to sacrifice a goat as Yeshua said they did in His Sermon on the
but not a pig? Why can a bull be offered to God, Mount as recorded in Matthew 5.
but a camel can’t? What about a not having a Let me make some connections and in so
cloven hoof or not chewing a cud makes that doing point out why we need to adopt Rashi’s
animal unsuitable for purposes of holiness? attitude toward obeying God’s commandments.
As Rashi says about the four laws of illicit First, in the laws of prohibiting wearing a gar-
mixture: God is sovereign, He decreed it, and ment of mixed linen and wool, this only applies
it is not necessary that we know why in order to certain individuals in the Israelite commu-
to observe these laws. In fact I maintain that nity, not all. Priests (who were on duty) were
the search for “why?” in the Bible is a boon- required to wear certain clothing items made
doggle of major proportions on most accounts. from a mixture of wool and linen. It was only
The issue for followers of God ought not to be lay people (non-priests) who could not wear
Why, but rather Which? Which pattern or law cloth of this sort. Further there is no law against
should be applied to any given circumstance is merely the weaving together of linen and wool;
what ought to matter, not why God ordained it’s only the wearing of it that presents the prob-
that law. lem. Theoretically one could make a grain sack
I further maintain that like the kosher food or even a tent out of such a mixed fabric. There-
laws and the laws of animals deemed suitable fore if it were that spontaneous evil erupted by
for sacrifice, these laws of illicit mixture illus- mixing linen and wool together there is no way
trate in a physical visible way some immutable that the Lord would have compelled His own
spiritual principles. It’s the illustration and what set-apart servants (priests) to wear it.
is learned from them that is the point. It’s not Interestingly there was an item to be worn
that the actions or materials or creatures them- by all Hebrews that did consist of this otherwise
Deuteronomy 22

selves are the principle; it’s what they demon- outlawed mixture of wool and linen: tzitzit.
strate that is the principle. Tassels. Deuteronomy 22:12 makes it a law for
These laws are a call to holiness and to Hebrews to wear these tassels. When we go
exhibit the spirit of the law rather than seek- back to Numbers 15 and study the most ancient
ing to mechanically perform the letter. The key works of the sages, we find out just how these
to always remember in our discussions of the tassels are to be constructed; they must be made
Torah and the Law is that this is only for those out of linen threads, with one wool thread (a
who are already redeemed. The Torah and the blue one) added. So traditional tzitzit are made
 210 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

out of a mixture of wool and linen that for other English we’ll hear of a juicy rumor like, “I hear
uses and purposes is prohibited for the laymen that your friend Steve is sleeping with that girl
of Israel (by the way, as one might expect, not all Connie.” Now of course we all know that what
sects of Judaism are in agreement on this issue). is being said is that Steve and Connie are hav-
The Hebrew word for cloth made of linen and ing sexual relations. But that is certainly not
wool is sha’atnez. Sha’atnez is usually translated as what the words say, is it? If one thousand years
“mixed material” and that is a pretty good trans- from now someone stumbled upon that state-
lation. It’s key to remember that these laws of ment, they’d wonder what the big deal was that
illicit mixing are all about the seventh command- Steve and Connie had each gone to sleep near
ment: adultery. Thus we find that while sha’atnez each other. Everybody has to sleep. Since when
most literally may mean mixed material, in fact is sleeping a bad thing? What possible harm or
the common usage and sense of that term carried evil could there be in them sleeping near each
a much different message. Sha’atnez is a Hebrew other? Not even a hundred years ago, in Amer-
idiom for prostitution. More specifically in the ica as elsewhere, it was completely common for
biblical era a prostitute wore sha’atnez (clothing men and women, unmarried and in some cases
made of mixed material). barely acquaintances, to sleep several to a bed.
Don’t let that confuse you but instead I said, sleep. It was no different than a bunch of
enlighten, because most every language does people sleeping in sleeping bags next to a camp-
the same thing; it says one thing but at times fire. But in our culture the literal words sleeping
a certain string of words used in a particular together don’t mean what they say, they indicate
circumstance means something else. We’re just something else entirely that people outside of
so immersed into our own language and cul- our culture probably wouldn’t catch, and even
ture with its own idioms we use unconsciously inside our own culture a mere century ago it
that we don’t even see them. For instance: in meant something else.
It’s the same idea with sha’atnez, mixed mate-
rial. The implication of the word sha’atnez was
understood among the ancient Hebrews. Liter-
ally what this law in verse 11 says is: “You shall
not wear sha’atnez, wool and linen together.”
Simple enough; just don’t wear mixed material
of wool and linen (for whatever God’s reason).
But that is not what it meant. What it meant to
the Israelites of the Bible era is that “you shall
not wear the clothes of a prostitute, which
are wool and linen together.” A prostitute in
ancient times wore lovely clothes and expensive
perfumes because it helped to entice her male
customers. The finest cloth in that era was often
Deuteronomy 22

a mixture of wool and linen; the wealthy pagans

routinely wore this material. Here is a direct
understanding among the ancient Hebrews
that mixing wool and linen for use as a gar-
ment among lay people was symbolic of prostitu-
tion because that’s actually what prostitutes of
that era generally wore. It was also symbolic of
what prostitution essentially is in a much deeper
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 211

sense. Prostitution is by definition a form of Folks, this is where Jews and Christians
adultery; adultery is effectively an unauthorized can get so far off the beam so easily. Jews can
union; an unauthorized union is an illicit mix- go astray by regularly setting aside Scripture in
ture; therefore any illicit mixture is simply an favor of Tradition that is primarily the commen-
act of adultery before the Lord. And that, my tary and rulings of rabbis and Jewish religious
friends, is a very important biblical principle for authorities. Christians can get off beam by regu-
us to grasp as we read the words of the Bible. larly setting aside Scripture (or even simply the
So what we see is that while a mixture of OT) in favor of doctrines and denominational
wool and linen is usually thought of as being customs set down by our religious leadership.
a cloth that God completely prohibits (and we We can get so focused on doing good things
make the wrong assumption that it is inherently that we forget the love and mercy with which we
evil to do so), that is simply not true to the words are expected to salt everything that we attempt.
and commands of Torah. The Scriptures make On the other hand we can get so focused on
it clear that God’s priests can and must wear love and mercy that we declare everyone and
some garments made of linen and wool mixture everything “good” (so as to be peaceful and tol-
(Exodus 28). In addition some items of priests’ erant) and wind up putting obedience to God’s
clothing are to be wool only and others of linen laws and principles on the shelf.
only. The example of the tzitzit shows us that Now I have a question for those of you who,
even laypeople can wear something made out of like me, consider the NT admonition that we (as
this mixed material even though a tzitzit cannot believers in Messiah Yeshua) are priests of the
be truly classified as a garment but rather as a Lord to be literally true and that God sees us as
symbol. His set-apart servants in this era. As His believ-
So what we see is that clean and unclean ers we’re to be the teachers of the Word as well
unions, acceptable and unacceptable mixtures as those who observe the Word. We’re also to
have not only to do with what the materials of give the Lord our sacrifices (which are our wills)
the mixture are, but the circumstance and even and we are to give Him a sacrifice of praise with
who is involved. Let me be clear: this does not our lips. Further we are to consider ourselves as
give us license to simply apply circumstance sort of lesser priests working for and taking our
willy-nilly in order to rationalize our behavior. direction from our High Priest Yeshua. We’re to
The Torah gives us a good deal of information anoint with oil and pray for the needs of others;
so that we can understand the purpose and all things that prior to Yeshua were reserved as a
spirit behind these laws. function of the Priesthood of Israel, as ordained
Many Orthodox Jews today, for instance, by Yehoveh.
do not include the blue woolen thread in their “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy
tzitzit. Instead they’ll make the tzitzit entirely nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may
from wool. They say it is because they aren’t proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of
sure what the exact color of blue to be used for darkness into His marvelous light” (NAS 1 Peter 2:9).
the thread ought to be, so they just leave it out Since Priests were not only allowed but also
Deuteronomy 22

altogether. Yet here we see in Deuteronomy 22 ORDERED to wear certain articles of clothing
that while the color of that woolen thread does that had a mixture of sha’atnez, linen and wool,
play a role the far bigger issue is in the mix- should we shun wearing it as many of the Jew-
ing of the wool and linen together; so in my ish Orthodox community do? Some believers
mind, to leave out the linen just because the today strongly believe that to wear a mixture of
exact shade of blue wool thread is not certain linen and wool garments is wrong; those who
misses the whole purpose and spirit of the law typically scoff at that idea almost unanimously
of tzitzit. say that the reason we don’t have to is because
 212 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the Law is dead and gone and we don’t have to not only adulterate the laws of God when we do
observe it. that but we also adulterate our personal relation-
I think that those at both ends of the spec- ship with God. I know that this is really tough,
trum need to reconsider. As a member of God’s but it’s not my rules that I’m telling you about.
royal priesthood I am fully authorized, by Torah It’s simply Scripture. With all my being I believe
and by the author of Torah, Yeshua our Mes- that what I’m telling you is fully the context and
siah, to wear a mixture of linen and wool. I rec- fully what is being communicated to us.
ognize that I’m far more of a spiritual priest of
God than I am an earthly priest in the sense that Well, we’ve lightly touched on the human
(as far as I know) I am not a physical descendant sexuality issues that I told you would challenge
of Jacob, let alone Aaron who formed the Israel- us, but now it starts to really heat up. Beginning
ite priesthood. Yet I (and you) do have physical in verse 13 are a few examples of relationships
earthly duties and my actions and attitude and (or better, unions) between men and women of
spirit ought to at all times reflect God’s view which some are right, some are wrong, and all
that I am His servant, His priest, set apart only affects those involved.
for Him. The first case is of a man who falsely
And since I am made holy and set-apart accuses a woman of being unchaste prior to
for Him, that means that what I join myself to, their being married. To put it more directly, a
what I mix myself with, who and what I come husband marries a woman and accuses her of
into union with, must be carefully considered. I having sexual relations with another man prior
could give you countless examples of this in the to their engagement. In Western society today
NT. What I am hoping is that as we continue that is virtually considered normal and generally
to discuss human sexuality, illicit mixtures and speaking is no reason for concern to the new
such, you will see that the principles for all of bridegroom. Today, a girl who has not had rela-
this are laid down in the Torah and that is where tions prior to engagement is seen by some as
we’ll gain our greatest understanding of illegal ignorant, prudish, and a bit backward (not at all
and legal unions. 1 Corinthians 6 is almost cool, to say the least). She is often made fun of
exclusively about proper versus improper mix- and scorned by her friends, considered strange
tures. As one tiny example, listen to Paul plead- and abnormal; in our time a girl like this might
ing in 1 Corinthians 6:16: “Don’t you know that actually keep her virginity a secret so that she is
a man who joins himself to a prostitute becomes not embarrassed. Nothing could be more oppo-
physically one with her? For the Tanakh says, site of God’s commands, biblical reality, and
‘The two will become one flesh’” (CJB). what was expected in early Israelite society.
Here he gives the prohibition against an Verse 13 says that the husband hates his
unlawful union between a person who has been wife, or rejects her for whatever reason. Since
made holy and clean with a person who is not the Law has only the narrowest of reasons for
holy and is unclean. Then in the very next verse, permitting a divorce, and apparently the hus-
he gives the rationale for this view in the posi- band doesn’t have one of those reasons to use,
Deuteronomy 22

tive form: “But the person who is joined to the he makes up a false accusation. If this accusa-
Lord is one spirit (with Him)” (1 Cor. 6:17 CJB). tion were actually true (in this case it was not),
In other words, as with all illicit mixtures, it indeed constitutes legal grounds to get rid
the concept is that a person who is set apart for of his wife. The husband’s reason for want-
God has no business coming into unions with ing a divorce is that he discovered that this
those things or with those people who are not. woman was not a virgin when he married her.
To do so is an unauthorized mixture; to do so He shames her, he announces publicly his com-
is essentially to adulterate what was pure. We plaint, and of course, this causes an enormous
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 213

loss of honor for both his wife and her family Before we go any further let’s define a cou-
(and especially for this girl’s father). ple of terms. First, we find the term virgin is used
A standard cultural solution to the problem often in the Bible. In the modern era the term
unwinds before us: to counter these charges refers to a woman who has never had sexual
the mother and father bring “proof” of the relations with a man. In the Bible it meant pri-
girl’s virginity prior to marriage to those who marily that this woman has never been mar-
are empowered to judge the matter, the city’s ried. Of course, what is part and parcel of a girl
elders. This verse speaks of the elders being never being married is that a) she has never had
located at the gate; court was usually held next sex, and b) she is still living at home under her
to the main entry gates of city (if it was a walled father’s authority. Because girls usually married
city). In that era the area next to the gates was by around the age of fifteen years, it also meant
where a town’s main courtyard was located. that these were young girls (only rarely might a
It was where businessmen would congregate, girl have reached her twenties and still be single
strangers would be stopped and questioned by and living with her parents).
law enforcement, marriage ceremonies might Second is the matter of the marriage cloth,
occur, and the local court met. The idea was in Hebrew called simlah. In Israelite culture and
that these were all things that were to be pub- according biblical Law the first step toward
licly witnessed. marriage was for it to be arranged between the
The father speaks and he says that this father and the potential bridegroom, and a price
dastardly man that he gave his daughter to has was paid to the father. Once the agreement
rejected her for no good reason and has made was reached and the money exchanged hands,
up false charges of fornication to divorce her. the couple was officially betrothed. The status
However indeed the father and mother do have of betrothed made the couple, for all practical
the required evidence to prove the girl’s virgin- purposes, married. Betrothal was not serious
ity prior to betrothal. The required evidence is dating. This was not a time when the parties
the “marriage cloth,” or marriage garment, or could reasonably change their minds. To break
some other term referring to a piece of cloth an engagement required a very good legal rea-
that had a very important role in the marriage son. Only one thing separated the betrothed
process. from the officially married—consummation.
It is difficult to overstate the seriousness of Usually a very simple and quick marriage cer-
this matter. A girl who has been found to have emony occurred on that day, then the man took
had sexual relations prior to betrothal can be his bride and they had sexual union. Only upon
stoned to death. The father is disgraced at such this act was the couple legally married.
a horrible act by the daughter because it was his During the wedding night, the consumma-
job to protect and supervise her until he turned tion was to occur while the couple lay together
the authority over her to another man, her hus- upon a clean cloth; in earlier times it was not
band; the shame is beyond enormous and will a cloth, like a sheet or a blanket, but simply a
affect the family for generations to come. Fur- new and clean undergarment that the new bride
Deuteronomy 22

ther, because it was customary for a substantial wore during consummation. Only later did it
monetary price to be paid by the suitor to the become usual to have a special cloth used for
father as a bride price, the father would have to this purpose. Before it’s intended use occurred,
give the money back. In most cases this could the cloth, or garment, was turned over to spe-
be a significant setback on the family’s finances. cially selected elder women to verify that it was
The jilted husband certainly wanted his money completely clean, unsoiled (and most impor-
back because he’d need it for another bride and tantly) unspotted with anything that could even
besides, he had been defrauded. remotely pass for blood, because this marriage
 214 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

cloth was about to become a permanent piece of As the coupe de grâce, not only can the man
legal evidence. not divorce the woman as he had planned, no
Because the girl was young and never had matter what happens in the future he can never
sexual relations before, it was expected that divorce her. It doesn’t matter what she does, he’s
some minor bleeding would normally occur. stuck with her until the day he or she dies.
The blood smear would appear on the clean Now let me add that it was recognized by
wedding cloth, and voila, we have proof that all that there are a number of circumstances
the girl was indeed a sexual virgin. Ahhhhh. whereby this wedding night scenario might not
But what happened if in the morning it was dis- go the way it was supposed to and there would
covered that there was no blood smear? To the have been no fault on anyone’s part. That is, a
husband of that era it was de facto proof that his blood smear might not appear on the cloth and
new wife had not remained pure prior to their there are anatomical reasons for that, which are
betrothal. Then the trouble started. normal. Therefore we will find rabbinical rul-
The following morning if all went as ings that might require a physical examination
planned, the girl would proudly present the upon the bride by elder women so that they can
blood-stained marriage cloth to her mother act as witnesses to help determine if there need
and father as proof that she had been a good be cause for alarm.
and faithful daughter. The parents would in The second case illustration begins in verse
turn proudly display the cloth in their home 20; it is basically the same except that it turns
and show all well-wishers and friends and fam- out that the husband’s allegations are true.
ily than an honorable marriage had occurred. Should the bride be found to have had sexual
Today we parents have wonderful 8 x 10 pho- relations before marriage, she is taken to the
tographs of beaming brides and grooms on our doorstep of her father’s house and there she is
walls as reminders of the wedding. In that day executed by stoning by the community (not her
the parents laid out the stained marriage cloth parents). I suppose we could argue that this is
as a marriage memento. This is strange to us but unfair and severe, but recall earlier in the pre-
was most important to the family in that era. vious chapter that a rebellious son faced basi-
After a time the cloth was carefully stored cally the same consequence. The primary way a
away as a kind of evidentiary document just in daughter is rebellious is by refusing her father’s
case such a thing as this particular case that is authority over her, cavorting with men he has
envisioned here in Deuteronomy 22 actually not betrothed her to, and thus bringing great
happened. That explains the need for the elder shame to his household. The ultimate girl-
women to confirm the unstained nature of cloth child rebellion is to have sexual relations before
before it was used so that if necessary they could betrothal. The ultimate boy-child rebellion is
testify to it. After all, the women knew full well to be no-account, a glutton, and a drunkard.
if she was a virgin or not, and might have pre- Therefore God’s justice is equal: death for both.
pared a pre-stained cloth for use in this case; at Again, in both cases the reason for this terrible
least that was the mindset. price is that “it shall purge evil from Israel.”
Deuteronomy 22

The cloth is all the proof that the elders The crime the girl committed is called
needed; the husband is judged a liar and his behaving as a zanah; it means behaving as a
punishment is appropriately severe. First, by whore, a prostitute. While we in the West give
definition his dishonesty and untrustworthi- this act the designation of fornication (and a lot
ness is exposed for all to see. Second, he is to be of Bibles translate it that way), in fact that word
publicly punished by being whipped. Next he covers over the point. The very meaning of the
is to pay the father a penalty of 100 silver shek- act of prostitution is about an illicit physical
els, a substantial amount of money for that era. sexual union. It is all about illicit mixture, an
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 215

unauthorized union, and all illicit unions are a However as it says in verse 25, when the
form of adultery. While we tend to make a dis- location of the same kind of crime is out in the
tinction in modern society between fornication countryside where houses might be a long way
and adultery it’s all contained under the same a part and the girl’s screams could very possibly
biblical God-principle and is part of the seventh never be heard, if she claims she was not will-
commandment. ingly participating then her word is taken for it.
Following this is the third example: that of a She is innocent and he is guilty and he shall be
man committing adultery with a married woman. executed.
The case is straightforward; if this proves to be The final case is of a man who has sex with
true, both are executed (no favoritism here!). a girl who is neither married nor betrothed and
The fourth example is contained in verses we see an interesting shift in the penalty; death
23 and 24. It is the case of a betrothed girl who is not prescribed for either. The best way to
has sex, not with the man she is betrothed to, compare this to modern times is that an unat-
but rather another. Again the penalty for both tached teenage girl, living at home, has a date
participants is death because, except for the with a guy and they decide to have sexual rela-
consummation between bride and bridegroom, tions. While this is anything but the ideal and
under the Law there is almost no difference this sexual union is not authorized, it does not
between betrothal and marriage. So the pen- carry the same weight as for a person who was
alty is same as for the married woman and man married, betrothed, or was raped. Two willing,
because this is, once again, essentially adultery. unmarried partners have set their course how-
Now there are some caveats in this case ever, and they have done wrong.
brought about by circumstance. This is a situ- The end result is that they must marry. Why?
ation that occurs in a city. Cities in ancient Because by God’s rules such a willing union by a
times were densely populated and the wall of man and woman as symbolic of marriage; a girl
one house was usually built incorporating the has decided she wants to have the authority over
wall of the neighboring house. Water and roads her transferred from her father to a husband.
determined as much as anything just where a The Lord says that a man who has sexual union
city might be built; so when a suitable place with a woman who is otherwise not committed
existed such that availability of water and the to another man has essentially created a marriage
security of having several families in one place bond and now he is responsible for her.
was important, there a town would grow. The Therefore, as it says in verse 29, the man
idea is that an attack upon a girl within the city must pay the father a bride price and it sets the
is practically impossible to go unnoticed. An price as fifty silver shekels. This is a high price,
unwilling woman would have cried out and probably higher than usual. Not as high as the
someone would have heard her, maybe to rescue penalty the husband paid for falsely accusing
her or maybe simply to later be able to testify his new wife of having not been a virgin when
that she did cry out. The crying out was an indi- they married. On the other hand, the man in
cation that this was a case of violation and not a this case has forever taken away this girl’s vir-
Deuteronomy 22

willing act of illicit sexual union. gin status; therefore there is very little chance
Without other evidence to the contrary, that that the father could ever marry this girl off in
no one heard her cry out means that she did not the future and that would mean he would never
protest sufficiently and therefore she was guilty receive money for a bride price.
of willing participation. This is adultery and her In addition to this man being required to
life (along with the man’s) is forfeit. The idea marry the girl he will never have the right to
here is one of reasonable resistance; if there was divorce her in the future, no matter how legiti-
no resistance then there is no excuse. mate the case or egregious the reason.
 216 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Let me end this lesson by pointing out but 3) We also need to see that while illicit
a few things: sexual behavior has its own consequences, Jesus
makes it clear that it all begins in our minds.
1) When we hold up the state of Western Our bodies are slaves to our minds, not the
culture in light of these laws we have utterly no other way around. Whether it is a girl deciding
grounds to stand on to plead that we should to treat her body as that of a prostitute, or a man
be treated differently, corporately, according to deciding to act as a rapist, or of two consent-
God’s justice because we might still maintain ing adults engaging in an illicit sexual union, it
that we are a so-called Christian nation brim- begins with the thought of it. Therefore that is
ming with churches and synagogues. We are, why Yeshua says that a man looking at a woman
as they say, “guilty as sin.” We’re as guilty as in lust (meaning he has formed the idea of his
if we were a nation of atheists; perhaps more intentions upon her in his mind and thus taken
so because we know the truth and choose to the first step) is already committing adultery.
ignore it.
4) While we have had the examples of ani-
2) A father has the duty to protect the mals yoked together, seeds planted together, two
women living under his roof. This is not some kinds of thread woven together, and the decep-
macho ideal or quaint societal demand; this is tion of a man disguising himself as a woman,
the role of men as ordained by the God who cre- no act of illicit mixture is as serious as the act
ated males. God has put these women under the of unlawful sexual union between a human male
authority of men, not as chattel or slaves but as and female. Paul argued that the physical body of
male responsibility for their welfare. The sexual a believer is to be considered as the temple of the
conduct of our children is not to be left to the Holy Spirit of God and thus it should be treated
school system to teach and dispense their pro- accordingly. To violate that temple is to violate
gressive and secular humanist viewpoint. I don’t God’s property and to defile His dwelling place.
know to what length a father and a mother should
go to protect against this, but anything inside the
laws of our society must be considered.
Deuteronomy 22
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 217

Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 22 took the concept of adultery there is nothing bad or evil with linen as a cloth
to a new level and explains it in the motif of or with wool as a cloth. One kind of thread is
“illicit mixtures.” We tend to think of adultery not inferior or less acceptable to God than the
in purely sexual terms, but in reality to com- other. When it comes to planting two different
mit adultery is to take anything pure or clean or kinds of seeds together, it’s not that one kind of
in its proper or pristine form and contaminate seed is a good seed producing good food and
it with something that corrupts it. It is a cor- the other kind is a bad seed producing bad food
rect use of the term “adulterate” to describe (for (both seeds are perfectly acceptable and each
instance) fresh water being contaminated with produces their own kind of good food). When
sea water, thereby making the resultant mixture it comes to human sexuality and the prohibi-
either unsuitable or less than desirable for satis- tion of intimate relations between two males or
fying thirst, it’s original intent and purpose. two females, it’s not that a male is inferior or
So while adultery is used most often to superior to a female (each is perfectly accept-
describe the crime of a one partner in a mar- able to God). The issue is that only proper use
riage relationship breaking faith by having a and union of God’s creations for the intent and
sexual relationship with another person who purpose He created them is authorized, and all
is not their spouse, it is in fact the forbidden else is not. Since the Creator knows the purpose
union of any two things (or more, I suppose) of each of His creations and how He carefully
that the Lord says are not to be mixed together. designed each to fit together perfectly in His
It can be in the sexual sphere, the work sphere universe, it is not our job or our right to chal-
(an ox and donkey yoked to the same plow), the lenge or to judge His divine rationale but simply
food sphere (eating unclean animals), the plant to discover and follow the plan and patterns as
sphere (two different kinds of seeds planted in He created them.
the same space), the clothing sphere (a garment Most certainly these laws on illicit mixtures
of sha’atnez, linen and wool woven together), were to be taken literally and were to be obeyed
and others. by Israel. Equally as certain, the mechanical
As we’ve seen in the Torah, the Lord has following of these ordinances without trust-
given many examples of unions that He says ing the Lord and comprehending the overrid-
ought not to be formed. Sometimes we cannot ing spiritual principles they are demonstrating
readily see His rationale for choosing the two misses the point. From the heavenly down to
components of the forbidden mix. In fact other the earthly, from the spiritual down to the phys-
Deuteronomy 23

than for a tangible illustration of a higher God- ical, from the unseen dimensions (beyond our
principle, there may not be any other reason for ability to sense them) down to the familiar four
His choices that we’ll ever be able to discern dimensions that comprise the universe we oper-
this side of heaven. ate in, the Lord created everything in a precise
More often than not the unauthorized union divine order and with perfect harmony. To use
of two things is not about mixing a “good” something in a manner that is not consistent
thing with a “bad thing.” In the example of with His order of things is perverse and cha-
weaving wool and linen together into a cloth otic; to take something meant for one purpose
 218 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

in His order and to fuse it together with some- mediator, was neither adding to the Law nor
thing that has an entirely different purpose in was he replacing the old with the new; he was
His order, the Lord calls “adultery.” So adultery explaining the applications and contexts and
has a far wider and deeper spiritual meaning nuances of what these laws and their underlying
than to have sexual relations outside of one’s principles meant and how the Father expected
marriage commitment. them to be carried out. An imminent change
At the outset of chapter 23 we will study in Israel’s physical circumstance (from being
the particular sphere of forbidden mixture that wanderers to being settled in Canaan) would
might be entitled “forbidden relationships.” mean that the details in how they carried out
the Law would necessarily be different in some
instances. This is a critical principle for us to
Varying Verse Order apprehend because the challenge that we are
constantly faced with is how we are to apply
Before you read Deuteronomy 23, know that your
the ancient Law to our contemporary circum-
Bible version (if it’s not the CJB or JPS) likely has
stances and modern cultures without essentially
a slightly modified order of verses. Most Eng-
trying to go back in time and live in a primitive
lish Bibles have the CJB’s Deuteronomy 23:1 as
manner.
Deuteronomy 22:30. So if you’re not reading in
Yeshua addressed essentially the same chal-
the CJB, start at the final verse of chapter 22.
lenge regarding the Law during His Sermon
This is simply the result of a difference of opin-
on the Mount. I stress this again and again
ion between Hebrew and Christian scholars as to
because the fact is that around four centuries
where to put an end to one chapter before begin-
after Messiah’s execution a new and erroneous
ning the next, which was generally arbitrary as
doctrine began to dominate within the Church;
there were no such things as chapter and verse
a doctrine that Christ was giving us new laws
markers in the original.
to replace old laws when He spoke His famous
sermon (as recorded in Matthew 5) there on
that beautiful natural amphitheatre overlooking
the blue waters of the Sea of Galilee. Rather,
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 23. Messiah addressed the situation as it currently
existed over and against what had always been
intended and what it was about to become. He
addressed the corrupted state of the doctrines
The first 9 verses of what we have read is of Judaism over and against the true religion
part of a series of seven laws (starting in the last that had always been intended and expected
chapter) that is a commentary by Moses on the by the Lord. In a very real sense of the word,
seventh commandment (adultery). The first five Christ was making profound commentary on
laws were in Chapter 22; the one contained in the Torah when He was giving His Sermon on
the first verse of chapter 23 is the sixth of the the Mount, not changing the founding princi-
Deuteronomy 23

series. This sixth law on the topic of adultery ples upon which it stood.
is that a son is not to marry his father’s former Your Bible probably doesn’t read like the
wife. CJB in Deuteronomy 23:1. Likely your Bible
I’m not sure how to get this important says something akin to, “A man shall not take
message across to you: Moses (or better, God his father’s wife so that he shall not uncover
through Moses) is not creating new law in Deu- his father’s skirt.” Uncover his father’s skirt?
teronomy apart from what was pronounced in What does that mean? That’s why the CJB and
Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Moses, the a few others will make this verse read what they
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 219

think it means rather than what it says word- on in the Bible, but it is generally hidden from
for-word. First understand that in biblical lan- our modern view due to Bible translations that
guage, and in this current context, to “take” a tend to sanitize things in order not to offend us.
woman means to “take a woman in marriage.” This is but another example.
Remember; in God’s economy the act of sexual Let’s quickly read that story of Reuben and
relations between a man and a woman is mar- the result.
riage (we’ll deal with that a little more in a few
minutes). Here’s what is happening in this first
verse: this is not speaking of a son marrying or Assignment: Read Genesis 35:19–23.
having sexual relations with his mother. That
would be incest and there are other laws that
deal with that. And it is also not speaking of a
son having sex with his father’s current wife (a We get several pieces of information in this
son’s stepmother) because that, too, is covered passage: Rachel died, Jacob was on the move
by other laws and would have been unthinkable and camping near Migdol-Eder, and Reuben
in pretty much every Middle Eastern culture. was Jacob’s firstborn son. Bilah was one of
Rather this is about a son having sex with Jacob’s concubines who had produced a num-
his former stepmother, who is not currently ber of sons for Jacob and she had also been a
married to his father. It also covers the matters servant to the now deceased Rachel. Reuben
of concubines who are currently in the father’s had sex with Bilah and Jacob found out about
household or concubines who belonged to it. Was this incident a minor family issue or a
the deceased father. While it may not seem so major problem? Read Genesis 49:1-4.
on the surface, this law has much to do with Here we see that there was a consequence (a
the laws of inheritance because several of the serious consequence) for Reuben having sexual
world’s known cultures of this era traditionally relations with Bilah. The facts are: Jacob was
passed along the wives and concubines of the on his deathbed. It was time for him to pro-
deceased father (as though they were some kind nounce the blessing upon his sons, which essen-
of possession) to the inheriting son. So in a situ- tially means to read the will. Upon his death the
ation like that a man’s stepmother literally did terms of the blessings of the will, the divvying
become his wife, and his father’s concubines up of property and power, take place. Reuben
now formed his harem, and all the usual sexual (acknowledged as Jacob’s firstborn) is not going
rights that went with these relationships were to receive what ought to be rightfully given to
included. The Lord says that while the Gentile the firstborn because he had sex with his father’s
world customarily does that, in Israel that is not concubine, Bilah.
to be the case. By having sex with Bilah, Reuben was sym-
There is another similar custom of that era bolically demonstrating that he was taking over
that is also being addressed and it shows up in all that belonged to his father. He was usurping
Genesis in the story of Reuben taking one of Jacob’s leadership. This was not some vague or
Deuteronomy 23

his father’s (Jacob’s) concubines. Customarily, if impulsive act with a subtle psychological mean-
a man intends on usurping the throne (whether ing; this is how things were done in the Middle
it is of a kingship, or of a tribal leader, or of his East. Everyone understood that there was really
own clan, or anything of that nature) he shows no difference between this act and Reuben liter-
his power and authority by having sexual rela- ally marching an army against his father or even
tions with the current or former leader’s wives attempting to assassinate him. It appears that
and concubines. I have mentioned the implicit in this case Jacob decided not to immediately
sexual references behind so much of what goes and openly confront Reuben. Rather he chose
 220 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

to let things play out and at the right moment Conversely just as to uncover nakedness
punish Reuben in the most humiliating and far- (remove a garment) means to have sex, to cover
reaching manner; Reuben would be denied the over with a garment means to betroth and then
birthright he naturally figured for himself—to marry. We see this particular scenario with Mes-
become the leader of the rapidly growing nation siah’s ancestor Ruth. Read Ruth 3.
of Israel. The act of Ruth saying to Boaz, “Cover over
This law of Deuteronomy verse 1 simply me with your skirt” (or garment or robe) means
takes a formerly “unwritten law” that God had “betroth to be married.” This is a great illus-
impressed upon humanity in the most ancient tration of why we have so many biblical trans-
of times (as demonstrated in the Reuben affair) lation problems that result in understanding
and codified it. problems. Most Gentile Christian Bible transla-
Now let’s talk about the original wording tors were excellent scholars of the Hebrew and/
of this verse, because there is an important or Greek languages but they knew nothing of
Hebrew idiom in it that will be helpful to rec- Hebrew culture. In many cases (Martin Luther,
ognize throughout the OT. That idiom is at the for instance) they intentionally avoided know-
end of the verse where it says that a son “shall ing about it (so anti-Jewish were their mindsets).
not uncover his father’s skirt.” Please follow The result was that they didn’t understand the
along with me closely. I’m going to give you an Hebrew mind or the common Hebrew idioms
insight into the minds of the biblical Hebrews, or the symbolic and customary nature of many
and how it also pertains to marriage. things that went on in the Holy Scriptures that
First we’ll see variations on this theme in seem straightforward to most folks. As I told
a number of places in the Bible; phrases such you awhile back, the symbolic use of Scriptural
as “uncovering nakedness” and “seeing some- vocabulary that revolves around clothing, sex
one’s nakedness” do not mean something like and marriage, and holy war is central to the
a boy running into the girls’ shower room at an Bible; it is woven and interspersed throughout.
opportune moment and getting an eyeful. It is We miss it at our own peril because so often
an idiom that means having sex relations. this vocabulary describes Yehoveh’s desired
Second, in idiomatic Hebrew symbolism, a relationship with us, and what our response is
man’s wife is his garment. Did you catch that? to be toward Him.
In thinking and in speech, in that era a man’s
wife was thought of and referred to as his cloth- OK, back to Deuteronomy. One of the
ing, or covering, or skirt (a standard men’s gar- things this law in verse 1 does is that it turns
ment). This is by no means a demeaning refer- on its head an everyday, universally recognized
ence. Rather it is the concept that a man’s wife cultural understanding at that time. God says
is so important and valuable and close to him that while everybody else in the world (Gen-
that it’s as if he wears her like a garment; she is a tiles) passes their wives and concubines along
kind of covering for him. Therefore for this son as part of the inheritance package, it is not to be
to “remove his father’s garment” is to steal what done in Israel.
Deuteronomy 23

is closest and most meaningful to his father (his Let’s take up another nuance that will be
father’s wives and concubines) and clothe him- helpful to grasp. We often see the biblical term
self in them. He is taking that which is meant “taking” as it regards a man with a woman. We
exclusively for the father within the unity of read that Reuben “took” Bilah or here in Deu-
marriage (the sexual relationship with his wives teronomy 23:1 that a son is not to “take” his
and concubines) and is illegally partaking in it. father’s former wife. “Take” actually has a dual
It is a forbidden mixture, an illicit union that the meaning in Bible-speak: it means both to have
son is seeking to form. sexual relations and it means to marry. In God’s
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 221

eyes having sex is marriage. Sex and marriage says that no male whose genitals are destroyed,
are inseparable. In the Law a man and woman altered, or removed may join the assembly of
are first betrothed. They are legally recognized Israel. Why is a eunuch or a sterile man being
as belonging to one another. The only thing barred from joining Israel? Because he is inca-
that remains to make this a completed mar- pable of siring offspring and thereby fulfilling
riage union is consummation. On earth, in the God’s covenant with Abraham (do you see how
era of man, consummation means sexual inter- this all starts folding together?).
course. Why is sexual intercourse so important This law of the eunuch (or a foreigner who
in the present era of mankind? Because it is the is sterile) begins a series of regulations that deals
beginning of creating a family; it is the first with restrictions on who can and cannot join
step in having children. It is also critical to the Israel. That subject is pretty interesting because
covenant of Abraham is fruitfulness and fertil- since the time of Abraham the Lord made it
ity. God expects all Israelites to be active par- clear that not only is the result of God’s plan
ticipants in Abraham’s covenant by multiplying through Abraham meant in some respects for
themselves via God’s plan of procreation. Thus the benefit of the whole world, but that Gentiles
marriage is not only a matter of a desirable and are to be allowed to join Israel as the means of
permitted union between a man and a women, expanding that benefit beyond the Hebrew race.
it is the starting line for every Hebrew’s duty Yet here we are meeting a series of exclusions
before YHWH: to participate in the Abrahamic that seems to alter that goal.
Covenant by being fruitful. In order to discuss this intelligently we first
With that understanding, a law in presented have to tackle something more basic: the mean-
to us in verse 2, and on the surface it seems to ing of the word assembly or better assembly of the
have little to do with sex and marriage; it that Lord (meaning Israel). Bibles vary greatly, not
only among versions, but within the same ver-
sion as to when to employ the word assembly or
congregation. The word that is being translated
is in Hebrew kahal. Most literally kahal sim-
ply means “gathering.” Yet we’ll find the word
assembly or the word congregation used for the
same word at various points in the Scriptures.
The context of its use is everything because it
can mean a religious gathering, which is usually
how we use the English word congregation, but
kahal can also mean a number of other things.
Kahal can mean Israel as a whole or it can mean
the governing body of Israel. It can indicate a
committee drawn together for an official pur-
pose (like the seventy elders that Moses selected
Deuteronomy 23

to help him govern Israel for a time) or it can

refer to the tribal leaders. It can even mean a
group of citizens that has been drawn together
to do public business or to make war.
Therefore it is highly unlikely that we should
use that term here in Deuteronomy 23:2, because
when the Torah refers to a gathering of religious
significance it is a group generally made up of
 222 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Levites and priests who are the set-apart religious of Israel, but is not a full-fledged citizen because
authorities over Israel. Therefore congregation is he has not taken the final step of circumcision.
not a good choice of word in this instance. A ger cannot be part of the kahal, the assembly,
Further when trying to discover just what either. A nokri could never be allowed to own
this section of Deuteronomy 23 means by kahal, land in Israel, a ger could own land under certain
it is also very unlikely that it can mean “all Israel” circumstances. On the other hand a native-born
in general. These restrictions probably cannot Israelite was a full-blown citizen who could own
be referring to certain people being prevented land, be in the military, marry a Hebrew girl,
from joining Israel without exception because make sacrifices at the Tabernacle and so on. It
of all the other laws that specifically invite for- was this class of person that was included in the
eigners to join. Not only that but we find that assembly, kahal, in this section of Deuteronomy.
(in reality) Israel itself has become enormously Therefore to put it in modern immigra-
genetically diverse going back hundreds of years tion terms, to say one was eligible to become
before the time of the conquering of Canaan. a member of the kahal Adonai, the Assembly of
One example of this is the absorption into Israel the Lord, the assembly of Israel, it meant that
of the Hivite women and children of Shechem they potentially had the qualifications for full
after Levi and Simeon led the slaughter of all the citizenship. If you are fortunate enough to get a
males of the city in retribution for the rape of Green Card to be in America you have all rights
their sister Dinah. It is unimaginable that very under our laws but you may not act as a member
many living Israelites of Moses’s era had geneti- of one of the broadest parts of the governing
cally pure blood leading back only to Abraham. body of America: full-fledged citizens, those
So what is the Hebrew term kahal getting at who vote for our governmental representatives,
in this context, and why can certain people not serve as judges and lawyers, and get elected to
be part of the kahal? Probably the best term to public office. So as a loose analogy: just as there
translate it in the current usage is assembly and is a difference between a person who is welcome
assembly should be taken to mean the broadest to come to America and participate to a degree
possible governing body of Israel in the sense of in our society versus an American citizen who
all who were citizens in full standing and given can participate at every level, so is there a differ-
all the rights belonging to such people. In Israel ence in this law of Deuteronomy between a for-
there were many exceptions and various social eigner who could participate in Israel’s society
groups that had varying degrees of privilege of to a degree versus a citizen of Israel who could
participation in Israel. For instance there was participate completely.
what we might call resident aliens (the Hebrew A foreign eunuch (or possibly even a ster-
term being nokri). Nokri were not allowed to be ile male foreigner) cannot become a citizen of
part of the assembly, the kahal. A nokri is a for- Israel. A person became a eunuch for a vari-
eigner who lives near Israel, in Israelite territory, ety of reasons; sometimes it was as a result of
under friendly terms, but who is not an official punishment. Other times pagan religious sects
member of Israel and one who has no inten- that worshipped female deities (goddesses)
Deuteronomy 23

tion of becoming an Israeli citizen. The nokri required emasculation of their priests. There
have elected to follow certain of the Torah laws were periods of time when voluntary castra-
as God requires of resident aliens; but they are tion was practiced as part of religious cere-
not worshippers of Yehoveh and therefore what mony. Yet at other times government officials
they can do in Israel is limited. were castrated and made part a special group
Then there is the ger; this is a kind of for- called saris.
eigner who does live among Israel, worships the It is not clear whether being a eunuch for
God of Israel, obeys the Torah laws of the God any reason was cause for exclusion from Israel,
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 223

or only in cases where it involved punishment when they were physically ill and promptly
for criminality or was more or less voluntary to slaughtered them. There was a consequence for
serve the purposes of a foreign government or this action. Read Genesis 49:5-7.
god. This probably did not include males born On his deathbed Jacob more or less laid a
with genital defects or were a result of disease curse on Simeon and Levi for this horrendous
or injury. Intention was likely at the center of act. Even though on the surface it was because
the exclusion. I know this may be confusing but of their murdering, they were mainly cursed
probably the simplest way to see it is that foreign because of their misuse of the sacred ritual of
men who were emasculated as a result of their circumcision.
paganism were the excluded class. So circumcision is the key in making espe-
Let me peel this onion back one more cially a foreigner a member of Israel. It must
layer. The problem with eunuchs is centered happen with the reproductive organ because
in their reproductive organs (or lack thereof). human fruitfulness is all about reproduction as
The requirement for citizenship into Israel (for ordained in the Abrahamic Covenant.
a foreigner) has an awful lot to do with their Read what Paul says in Romans 2:25-29 and
sexual organs because a male must be circum- then later in Colossians 2:9-11. Paul says that
cised to be considered a full-fledged member even though circumcision was a physical require-
of Israel and generally speaking must be capa- ment to be part of Israel, it always was a spiritual
ble of siring children. A eunuch has mutilated issue (and now more than ever with the advent of
his sexual organ such that it is no longer suit- Yeshua). Gentiles (as well as Jews) are to have cir-
able (and in some unfortunate cases not even cumcised hearts. By now it should be abundantly
available) for circumcision. We can scoff at the clear that circumcision is the only entry into the
idea of circumcision as a religious symbol but Assembly of the Lord (Israel), and that the cir-
the Lord takes it seriously. I’d like to give you cumcision illustration is most appropriate for a
an example of just how serious a subject this believer because part of being joined to God’s
is and how much it plays into God’s order and kingdom is our ability (and the expectation of the
plan of redemption. Lord) that we are fruitful. Of course it is spiritual
By means of the covenant of Abraham the fruitfulness that is most important, but physical
Lord gave circumcision a spiritual meaning; it fruitfulness is also a good thing.
indicated inclusion in His kingdom. To use it Now watch this: Simeon and Levi misused
for any other purpose is, therefore, perverse. circumcision for the purpose of denying the
Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi used circumcision male residents of Shechem from joining Israel
in an incorrect manner and were cursed for it. (a perverse thing because circumcision is only
Let’s look at this briefly: for the purpose of including someone in Israel).
Gentiles, I’m talking primarily to you now;
when you take your spiritual circumcision of
the heart and say you have not become a part
Assignment: Read Genesis 34:1–19, 25 –26.
of Israel (the earthly kingdom of God) you are
Deuteronomy 23

misusing that circumcision.

Gentiles, when we deny our grafting in
to Israel we misuse our spiritual circumcision
Here the sacred ritual of circumcision to in the same way as Simeon and Levi misused
join Israel was used only for deception; it was the purpose of circumcision. When we deny
used as an opportunity to commit revenge and our joining into Israel as the kingdom of God
murder. Levi and Simeon waited until three days (which is the sole purpose of circumcision), we
after the circumcision of all of Shechem’s males have misused the spiritual circumcision that
 224 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Christ has performed upon our hearts by deter- We should not be surprised at this concept
mining to exclude ourselves from the assembly. of an unequal range of rights for residents of
Rabbi Baruch published a superb article on Israel. As Westerners our laws create a number
the TorahClass.com website entitled “Jewish of distinctions in our society about what status
Identity and the Torah,”6 in which he deals with we hold as residents within our society. If you
just how modern day believers (Jewish and Gen- are a second- or third-generation American, you
tile) are to consider the application of the Torah are a full citizen with all the rights accorded. If
Law to our lives. He does a superb job with it. you are a new immigrant and have obtained a
He uses different terms than I typically use to Green Card as a means of legal residence but
explain, but the result is essentially the same. are not a citizen, then you have many rights and
Whereas I say “God-principles” that undergird duties of a citizen but not all; you may not par-
the laws, he will speak of the “spirit” of the Law ticipate in elections of public officials or in mili-
as opposed to the “letter.” Therefore, as we go tary defense of the USA, for instance. If you are
through Moses’s sermon on the mount (here in here without documentation (an illegal alien)
Moab), keep in mind that just as he was review- then even though you may in many ways benefit
ing and in some cases explaining the principles from (or in some manner contribute to) the eco-
behind these many commands. Israelite culture nomics of American society, you cannot vote,
was about to evolve from life as bedouin wan- get Social Security, and theoretically you can’t
derers to that of a settled people, so it is that even have a job. There is a status in between
we must adapt the principles behind these com- holding a Green Card and being an illegal
mands to the much more advanced era in which whereby you have some rights but not others.
we live. Yet it is always the spirit of the Law that Ancient Israel was quite similar in its structure,
matters most, and therefore it is only the Holy and the Torah explains that structure.
Spirit living within us who can guide us to carry Thus from the time Israel conquered
these out in a way that is in harmony with the Canaan, through the era of the judges, then the
Lord’s will. But as Yeshua said in His Sermon on brief period under David and Solomon when
the Mount (Matt. 5:17-20), adapting these new Israel was a single unified nation, to the period
laws to the evolving state of societies in order of the divided kingdom and the kings, then the
to retain the spirit of the Law never means that exiles to Assyria and Babylon, and finally to the
the letter of the law is dead and gone, abolished, NT era, the criteria for being admitted to Israel
or even changed. (as the kingdom of God) and bearing the status
Verse 2 began a list of who should be of a full citizen changed and evolved.
excluded from the kahal (the assembly) of Israel, At the earliest time there was no formal pro-
and we found that we should probably not take cedure for a foreigner to join Israel. There was no
the word assembly to mean “every element of committee, no paperwork, and no ritual for inclu-
Israelite society that together loosely forms the sion or conversion. How did a foreigner become
nation of Israel.” Rather it is more appropriate an Israelite? Primarily by assimilation. A man and
to see the meaning of assembly as full-fledged his family might move to one of the Israelite tribal
Deuteronomy 23

and wholehearted citizens of Israel. As you can territories, slowly adopt Israelite cultural, and in
imagine, over the centuries there was a great time gain acceptability as good people. Perhaps
and ongoing debate about just who could be they would join in some visceral way the biblical
included as a part of the “assembly” and who feasts, keep Shabbat, and stop openly worship-
could not. Who could have any and every right ping whatever god they brought with them.
afforded to an Israelite and who could only Their children might begin life know-
enjoy some (or none) of those rights? ing nothing but a Hebrew way of life, playing
6
http://www.torahclass.com/archived-articles/835-jewish-identity-and-the-torah-part-1-by-rabbi-baruch
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 225

with the Hebrew children, and simply blend- what is a mamzer? The generally accepted opin-
ing in. Maybe a Hebrew man would marry one ion among Jewish and Christian scholars is that
of these children and soon they would have while what we read in Deuteronomy may have
children who were now seen as more Israelite originally come from roughly the time of Moses
than anything else. Another generation passes (but more than likely from the time of his prede-
and no remnant of their foreign identity would cessor Joshua and shortly thereafter) the exam-
remain nor would the new generation have any ples given (along with precise nationalities) as to
conscious identity with their foreign ancestors. exactly who can join Israel and who can’t might
They were merely, now, Israelites. As a matter have come a little later and may have evolved a
of routine the third and fourth generation for- bit over time. Please understand: whether these
mer immigrants had their boy babies circum- scholars are right or wrong about the date the
cised (because that’s what everyone did) and underlying principle of this commandment can
by all outward appearances there was really no rather easily be extracted.
discernable difference between them and the Let me remind you of something that we
descendants of Jacob. sometimes prefer to ignore. Believers (especially
Later though, sages and rabbis began to see Evangelical Christians) say with conviction that
the admission of foreigners into Israel as more the Bible is infallible and literal and we should
of a legal matter that needed official supervi- take it exactly as it is because it is trustworthy. I
sion; therefore they came up with rigid guide- completely agree with that; however, what that
lines. For instance, a Hebrew man was permit- actually means and how it is manifested is a
ted to marry a foreign girl who lived in one of somewhat more complex matter. I suspect we
the Israelite tribal territories, and such a thing have at least a dozen different Bible versions
instantly made that girl an Israelite. But in gen- (translations) represented by the students of this
eral a Hebrew girl was discouraged from marry- Torah Class series. When you hold them up in
ing a foreign man (who lived in Israel) because parallel (and at times I’ll compare up to as many
this now made her less of a Hebrew and put as eight or ten versions simultaneously, even in
her on a possible path to giving up her Israel- various languages, for study purposes) there
ite identity. The product of their marriage, their can be some rather significant variations. So of
offspring, became more problematic. Who were these which is the infallible version?
these children in the sight of Israelite society— When comparing the original KJV to the
Hebrews or foreigners? more modern Life Application Bible or the NIV,
This dilemma (and how each generation of on the surface the differences can be almost
Israelites dealt with these problems of nation- alarming. In reality the issue is more in the way
ality, citizenship, ethnic identity, and so on) that the English language but at times transla-
explains the fuzziness of the term we encounter tors are attempting to assert entirely different
in Deuteronomy 23:3 where it typically says in meanings to the same passage. In other cases it’s
English that a “misbegotten” child (or in some that the names of nations or cities have changed
Bibles a “bastard”) may not become a part of over the centuries, the older name being a relic
Deuteronomy 23

the assembly of Israel. The word that is being and long since abandoned, so the latest name for
translated is the Hebrew mamzer. (You might the city or nation is inserted in place of the older
want to re-read Deuteronomy 23:3-19 here.) name that no longer is in use. Does that mean
Here’s the thing: scholars have a real prob- that the Bible has been fraudulently changed?.
lem dating the precise regulations listed in Deu- For the average person they’ll get much more
teronomy 23 for who can be excluded from meaning by calling Bethel, Bethel, instead of
Israel and who must be accepted. Among these it’s more ancient name, Luz. So it is natural that
regulations is the question of exactly who and as time went on, and the Bible was recopied,
 226 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

sometimes the place names would change to could not marry a male who became Jewish by
the more modern ones current in that day and means of conversion. If any of these regula-
the names of nations regarded as examples of tions were violated the resulting children were
evil nations might change because the nation as mamzerim but they certainly weren’t bastards.
mentioned might be extinct. Rather they just weren’t the products of unions
So with that concept in mind, what is this of people that the Hebrew religious authorities
mamzer who is excluded from Israel? Well I can deemed as Torah authorized. Therefore, as the
tell you for certain that it’s not at all about being children of religiously unauthorized unions the
a child born from unwed parents, a bastard. children were deemed to be mamzerim. Let me
Rather a mamzer is the product of an unlawful say that in another way: it’s not that the Hebrews
union (unlawful according to the Torah) of any decided that the marriage of, say, a Jewish girl to
kind. A mamzer is the result of some kind of a foreign man was illegal and therefore when
an illicit mixture. And as my detour hopefully they had children it would be as though the girl
explained, precisely what combination of people was pregnant out of wedlock. Rather it’s that
and circumstances defined a prohibited mixture this is viewed as a flawed union that should not
evolved over time. have occurred under the ideal that the Lord has
In later rulings by Hebrew religious authori- established and therefore the children of that
ties there were three presumptions that helped union cannot be assigned the status of full citi-
them in determining how to carry out this law zens of Israel. The children aren’t shunned; they
in its proper spiritual intent. Using these three just don’t have the rights of the other children
presumptions they made and modified their who are the products of authorized marriages.
various rulings about mamzerim (the plural of Therefore this law of the mamzer in verse
mamzer) over the ages: 3 connects with the law of verse 4 whereby no
foreigner from Moab or Ammon can become a
1. At the core of these verses is the assump- full citizen of Israel. Nor can any descendant of
tion that it is dealing with marriage. a Moabite or Ammonite become a full citizen of
Israel for ten generations. Why is this? Because
2. Any foreigner may covert to Judaism it is said that during the Exodus the Moabites
without exception. and Ammonites would not assist Israel with
food and water. Not only that but they hired
3. The “assembly” of Israel should be a sorcerer, Bil’am, to come and put a curse on
defined as full-fledged citizens of Israel who are Israel (which as it turned out, he didn’t do). In
citizens because they were native-born Israelites fact the Moabites and Ammonites are to be seen
who were the products of legitimate marriages. as people that Israel should have nothing to do
with. Israel shouldn’t necessarily go after them
As a result of these three presumptions, to harm them, but neither should they seek
the law concerning the definition of who was them as friends and allies and certainly not as
a mamzer and what their status in Israel could potential family members.
Deuteronomy 23

be went something like this: the men covered Let me say bluntly that these verses have
by the restriction may not marry a native-born created all kinds of problems. First is that most
Hebrew girl however they are permitted to scholars take the admonition that no Moabite
marry a girl who was formerly a foreigner but or Ammonite can become a citizen of Israel for
has converted to Judaism. Further a mamzer liv- ten generations to actually be a poetic way of
ing in Israel may marry another mamzer. saying forever. Apparently the ancient Hebrews
So a Jewish man could marry a foreign girl didn’t see it that way, because in time Moab and
provided that she was a convert, but a Jewish girl Ammon became friendly to Israel and intermar-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 227

riage was common. Second, if the ten means the need for perfection in order to be admitted
precisely ten (and not forever), when does the to the kingdom of God. The point the Father
count of ten generations begin? Does it count was always making was that it was trust in Him
when Israel conquers Canaan? Does it count and the acceptance of His grace that clothed us
when an Ammonite or Moabite first moves to in His perfection and it was this that made us
Israel as a resident alien? Another issue is about acceptable in His eyes. Even for the Israelites
Ammon and Moab not meeting the Israelites it was not righteous behavior that won accep-
with food and water. Does this mean that they tance into the kingdom of God, it was grace.
refused to sell these essentials to Israel or that But after you were “graced” into the kingdom,
they didn’t simply offer them as a gift? it was observing God’s laws and commands (in
It is better to look at the underlying prin- their spirit) that kept you in the kingdom and
ciples than to get involved in the precise names maintained your harmony with God. Upon
and numbers in this particular matter because the advent of Yeshua it is He that is to be our
we may never know exactly what this meant to unstained garment of righteousness that we put
the mind of the original writer. The first thing to on as a sign our acceptance into the kingdom.
understand is that (as the second of the three pre- Acceptance or rejection in the kingdom has at
sumptions) it is not that Ammonites and Moabites all times, and in all eras, been a spiritual issue
are to be excluded from living in Israel. There (despite terribly misconceived and false doc-
is no racial objection, nor are they to be treated trines to the contrary).
differently from any other resident alien living The reason for the Ammonites and
among the Hebrews in the Promised Land. It’s Moabites having this special restriction seems
only that their status is limited (at least for several to be historic in nature; when Israel needed help
generations). A general principle of Torah is that they didn’t given them any. Instead Ammon
resident aliens are to be treated with respect and refused to let Israel pass through and Moab
given full protection under the law. This went for tried to have Israel cursed. Further, they appar-
Moabites and Ammonites as well. ently sold Israel the essentials of life that they
Perhaps the bedrock level of understand- needed without offering it to them as the guests
ing why some foreigners are accepted into Israel they were. This was a great offense. Understand
and others are rejected is this: people who are that in the Bible era when a guest came to you
involved in illicit unions or are the product (and usually the guest was a stranger) it was the
of illicit unions or are not physically whole custom to offer them hospitality (food, drink,
(eunuchs are the example in this chapter) are shelter and protection) as a friend. Certainly the
rejected as candidates for joining Israel. Perfec- guest would have offered to pay for it as a cour-
tion (or wholeness) in God’s eyes is the require- teous response (and we actually see this offer by
ment for holiness in both the OT and the NT, Moses in the Torah to pay for food and water)
and holiness is bestowed by God upon all mem- but then a little Kabuki dance would have
bers of Israel. Priests were especially required to occurred in which these courtesies fly back and
be whole and without physical defects; a priest forth until the guest either appropriately accepts
Deuteronomy 23

who lost part of a finger in an accident or who the hospitality of the host or if there are too
had a limb shrivel up due to disease could no many guests (and it would be unfair to expect
longer officiate at the Tabernacle. Messiah says these strangers to give them needed supplies for
in the last verse of Matthew 5 during His Ser- free) the host reluctantly accepted money.
mon on the Mount: “Therefore, be perfect, just Ammon and Moab insulted the Lord’s peo-
as your Father in heaven is perfect.” ple and therefore the Lord. So the wonderful
The Lord God used these examples that we blessing of joining with Israel was held back
are reading about in the Torah as illustrations of from Moab and Ammon. Don’t ever think this
 228 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

idea, or this example, of what Yehoveh expects think is Yehoveh’s position on believers who
of Gentile nations toward Israel eventually left could care less about Israel or about the Jew-
Jewish thought or God’s thought. Listen to ish people and their fate? How might we expect
Jesus’s statement: to be received when we stand before Him in
Then the King will say to those on his right, heaven when we treat Israel essentially as did
“Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take the Moabites and Ammonites?
your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you Let’s get back to this subject of the mamzer
from the founding of the world. For I was hun- by pointing out something interesting: Ruth, an
gry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you ancestor of Messiah Yeshua, was a Moabite. And
gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and she married a Hebrew man, Boaz. Were their
you made me your guest.” (Matt. 25:34-35 CJB) children mamzerim? No, because she converted
You see, so many of the passages of the NT to the religion of the Hebrews (your God shall
and the sayings of Yeshua actually recall the be my God, she said to Na’omi) and because
ancient historic happenings of Israel’s past that it was permitted for a Hebrew man to marry a
remained embedded in Hebrew cultural fabric. foreign woman who converted to the Hebrew
Just as this statement of Messiah in the book belief. Ruth’s marriage to Boaz is proof that the
of Matthew so eloquently says, those who the ten generations of prohibition meant exactly
Father has blessed are welcome to come and that, and further that no nation was given a
take their inheritance (as part of Israel). What blanket exclusion from joining Israel. The key
are the criteria for being blessed? “I was hungry, to being allowed to join Israel is exactly as Ruth
you fed me; I was thirsty, you gave me drink; I pronounced to her Hebrew mother-in-law:
was a stranger, you welcomed me.” This is why “Your God shall be my God and your people
Torah Class and Seed of Abraham Ministries shall be my people.”
actively and constantly gives to, and cares for, As interesting is the exclusion of Ammon
God’s people in Israel: it is our duty (and joy) as and Moab from Israel is the inclusion of Edom
believers. Ammon and Moab did none of this and Egypt! There indeed is mentioned a rather
for God’s people, so they are excluded from short-term temporary exclusion of three gen-
joining God’s people and from participating erations of Egyptians and Edomites, but after-
in the inheritance reserved for God’s people, ward all restriction is removed. Though I’m sure
Israel. many Israelites of Moses’s era would argue with
Certainly Yeshua used this as an illustra- God’s rationale for this somewhat unexpected
tion of welcoming Him, but the point is that as acceptance of Edom and Egypt as candidates
Gentiles we will have much about our actions for joining Israel, His reasons are stated for us.
judged (especially on a nationalistic level) by As for Edom it is because, “He is your
how we treat Israel. I’ve said on numerous occa- brother.” How is Edom a brother of Israel?
sions that we can boil down the way the Lord Edom is another name for Esau. Edom means
will judge every man as based on two things: “the red,” which is a kind of nickname for Esau
our individual decision on Christ as our salva- (son of Isaac) who we are told had reddish hair
Deuteronomy 23

tion and on our national decision concerning and a ruddy complexion (generally much like
our treatment of Israel. King David would have). Esau’s twin brother
As we’ve studied the Torah now for quite was Jacob (whose name was later changed to
some time, carefully examining the Word of Israel). So indeed Edom and Israel are broth-
God in context, what (now) would you sup- ers (fraternal twins) and the Lord intended on
pose is the Lord’s stance on that portion of honoring this relationship.
the church who sides with the Arab and Mus- Further, even though what we generally
lim world against His people Israel? What do remember about Esau and Jacob is how Jacob
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 229

deceived Esau by taking his birthright, and then is God’s army convened for holy war. YHWH is
how Esau intended to kill Jacob for this fraud, the divine warrior leader and Israel is YHWH’s
they reconciled when Jacob returned to Canaan army. Since this is a war led by the Holy One the
from Mesopotamia with two wives and a num- camp itself must be held in sanctity; therefore
ber of children and servants in tow. The Lord we get some rules about just how to do that. The
had promised Isaac that He would bless Esau. general principle is stated at the end of verse 10:
Apparently this was sufficient for the nation of “You are to guard yourself against anything bad
Edom to be forgiven for doing essentially the (meaning evil).” This is referring to being sure
same thing to Israel that Ammon and Moab that all of God’s rules and ordinances are fol-
did; for Edom refused to let Israel pass through lowed scrupulously.
their land and forced them to march all the way The first rule is that of so-called nocturnal
around Edom on their way to the Promised emissions, an inadvertent flow of semen by a
Land. man. When this happens to a man, especially in
As for Egypt, as unlikely as it would all God’s war camp, he must leave the camp until
seem on the surface, the Lord has reserved a he is ritually purified. This is not some kind of
special place in His heart for Egypt. In the end strange superstition, rather it is illustrative of a
times Egypt will be viewed as somewhat better profound God-principle. I stated at the outset
than the nations who surround Israel and will of the last couple of lessons that human sexual-
be given certain rewards. This is because it was ity is at the heart of this section of Moses’s ser-
in Egypt where Israel sojourned. Apparently the mon and underlies the foundation of the entire
Lord is sort of balancing the great honor and Bible. Just as a woman is declared impure by the
respect that Egypt accorded Israel when it first onset of her monthly cycle in her reproductive
arrived (with Joseph as the Vizier of Egypt) and system, so is a man declared impure by an unin-
for about half of their stay there, versus the hard tended emission from his reproductive organ.
oppression Egypt eventually forced upon Israel In one case a human egg is rejected as not viable
(during the last half of their time in Egypt) that and in the other sperm is spontaneously ejected
led to Yehoveh rescuing them via Moses. but without an opportunity to create new life.
Now, without doubt, this decision about Impurity happens to both the male and
Egypt was a practical as well as ideal matter female in this case because of a misuse of God’s
because thousands of Egyptians had attached procreative system even if it’s unavoidable.
themselves to Israel as they fled Egypt (so Therefore this is not called sin. However, by
impressed were they with the God of Israel). definition, this failure of procreation whereby
What was to be their status, though? After not all eggs survive and not all sperm meant for
a couple of generations (and perhaps the first fertilization are put to their intended good use,
two generations of Egyptians were part of the is the result of mankind’s sinful nature and con-
Wilderness journey) the third generation can dition. Death of those ovum and sperm should
be admitted to Israel. Very likely the descen- never have been for they contain life, precious
dants of those Egyptians that accompanied life. Therefore verse 11 declares that this man
Deuteronomy 23

Israel from Egypt, and who produced children (this soldier) who had an emission must imme-
and then died, were almost instantly made full diately leave the camp and go to a designated
citizens upon the conquering of the Promised place (outside the camp). There he has what I
Land. call “a wash and a wait.” He must purify himself
The next several verses (10-15) switch top- by bathing in water and then wait until the sun
ics in order to deal with holy war. Specifically, it goes down to re-enter the camp. Recall that a
deals with the military camp, which is essentially Hebrew day ends at sundown, so essentially he
what Israel is at this point in history. Israel truly must wait for the current day to end and the new
 230 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

day to begin before he can return, be cleansed camp) where God “walks” is unthinkable. The
and restored. notion of God walking is used figuratively; it is
Sin would only occur if the soldier did not meant in the sense of God’s presence. In ancient
follow this procedure. This points out, again, times the owner of land “walks” his land as a
that while sin and impurity are related they are symbol of possession and this mental picture is
not exactly the same thing and therefore we find being expressed here.
the biblical principle that while water is used for Chapter 23 shifts gears yet again in verse
cleansing from impurity, only blood can atone 16 when it lays down the law of the fugitive
for sin. slave. Contrary to all known laws of the Middle
Please take notice of the principle of being East in Bible times, the Lord says that if a fugi-
sent away because of impurity but being allowed tive slave (by definition this would be a foreign
back once purified. Paul explains this principle slave who has run away from his foreign master)
of being separated but then being taken back comes into any of Israel’s tribal territories he is
by using a different metaphor, the Olive Tree to receive asylum. In a nutshell this is a law that
in Romans 11. He says that although much of bans forcefully returning slaves to their masters.
Israel became impure by not accepting Yeshua, The idea is that a person who was being held
should they change their minds they can be against his will by a slave master (which typifies
made pure and taken back. Turn to Romans 11 an evil force) but manages to escape and come
in your Bibles. This is a section that many of to the land set apart for God’s people, should
you are becoming more and more familiar with never be rejected nor forced to return.
because it completely refutes an all too com- What a beautiful picture and pattern is set
mon doctrine that God has rejected Israel and out before us. We as foreigners to God and His
replaced them with the Gentile church. Romans people escape our cruel slave master (Satan)
9, 10, and 11 especially deal with this issue. and run to our Jewish Savior for sanctuary in
His kingdom. The rule is that not only must we
be accepted but that the King of this kingdom
Assignment: Read Romans 11:16–24. will never force us to return to our former slave
master and that former condition. However we
can choose to by our own free will. Here in
Deuteronomy 23 that spiritual principle is laid
Just as the man with the nocturnal emission out in physical form so that we can understand
is removed from the camp of Israel because he it better.
is impure but can come back once he’s cleansed Even more these escaped slaves must live
in water, so it is for those branches (certain freely among Israel and are not to be told where
Hebrews) who were cut off the tree of Israel they can live and where they can’t. They must
because they refused to accept Messiah and were not be ill treated nor shunned. In God’s eyes
thus deemed impure; they can return once they they are just as valuable as those people who
are cleansed by being immersed in the purity of were natural-born free Israelites.
Deuteronomy 23

Yeshua and atoned for by accepting His blood. This next law in verse 18 is going to take
In Deuteronomy 23:13 is a law that is of some explaining because there is a lot of new
course both practical and a teaching tool. People understanding of what the primary subject
who need to relieve themselves are to go outside addresses: that which is usually translated as
the camp to do so. They are to take some kind a “cult prostitute.” The law is that whatever a
of a digging instrument, dig a hole, make their prostitute of either sex earns for their services is
deposit, and cover it up. To have exposed bodily never to be offered to God as a vow payment or
waste inside the area of sanctity (the holy war a sacrifice or a tithe. Such a thing is abhorrent
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 231

to God because it is another example of illicit of the incomparable Greek historian Herodo-
mixture. The money gained from this practice tus give graphic and rather detailed accounts
came from an unauthorized union; therefore of how and why this system operated, and that
the money (the fruit of that illegal union) is it was modeled after long standing customs of
tainted and unacceptable. the pagans. Basically there were two types of
We’ve talked before about how sex was temple or cult prostitution systems: first, there
often used in religious practices in pagan reli- indeed were houses of prostitution maintained
gions so let’s take a couple of minutes to under- by pagan temple authorities as income pro-
stand a little better just what that means. One of ducing businesses. The temple to the goddess
the reasons that the term temple prostitute or cult Aphrodite in Corinth was well known as hav-
prostitute is chosen as the English translation in ing a major portion of its income produced by
this verse is because the Hebrew word used is its string of brothels. The second type involved
kedeshah. Literally the word does not mean pros- young girls that were betrothed and required to
titute, rather it means “holy woman” or “priest- serve as prostitutes because it was honoring to
ess.” Yet in the Hebrew culture this word took the gods since what they were doing was pro-
on a very derogative meaning partly because ducing income for the god’s priests.
in Israel’s priesthood system only men could Because in most Middle Eastern cultures
be priests and because this pagan female holy (since time immemorial) prostitution was
woman was by definition serving a false god or indeed seen as “the world’s oldest profession”
goddess. Nothing could be more indicative of it was accepted as legitimate although not uni-
an illicit union in every way so kedeshah eventu- versally accepted. The temples saw it as an
ally became an idiom for “prostitute” (one who excellent opportunity to control a market that
engages in illicit unions for pay). was quite lucrative. Basically, the pagan temple
While to this point we have not found would attach a religious aura to a man spending
records from ancient times that explicitly say his money in a brothel operated by the temple
that some of the female priests committed rather than a “private” secular one operated
ritual sex for their gods, we do have plenty of down the street. A customer and the prostitute
pictographs that obviously indicate they did both actually were made to feel as though they
and some ancient narratives also heavily imply were doing something good.
this gross religious ritual. The most common With this overall understanding you can
pictograph is of a goddess mating with a god certainly see why God forbade such things for
for the purpose of creating a new god (their Israel, even to go so far as to say that the money
son) and there is every reason to assume that gained from any kind of prostitution under any
female priests would have sex with male priests circumstances was never to be used for a holy
as a kind of commemorative drama to reenact purpose like tithing or paying a vow price to the
that event. What is equally as disgusting (maybe temple of Yehoveh.
more) is that the evidence is that some male The problem is that there can be no more
priests would dress up as, and the take the role illicit mixture than taking gain that is ill gotten
Deuteronomy 23

of, females and perform this same ritual with in the Lord’s eyes and then turning around and
another male priest who took on the male role. offering it to Him as a holy thing. Further this
Thus we have the reference to the wages of a points out the problem of His people (whether
dog, which was a common idiom that meant a Jew or Christian) thinking that we can some-
homosexual male prostitute. how mix the things of the world with the things
We have significant written evidence about of the Lord and wind up with something that
the common connection between brothels and is good and righteous. Yeshua said to give unto
the various temples to the gods. The records Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to give
 232 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

unto God the things that are God’s. That is of money certainly had been established else-
simply the NT way of putting forth this idea where in the region and the loaning of money
of not trying to bring things that belong in the to the poor, for profit, was common and very
sphere of the world into union with anything expensive to the borrower. Records from Mes-
within the sphere of God’s kingdom. opotamian cultures show that interest of 25
percent on the loan of silver and 50 percent
This next law is part of that family of com- on the loan of grain was the norm. Such inter-
mandments I labeled as the laws of “true reli- est simply served to make the poor poorer and
gion” (in the same sense of Yeshua’s brother the wealthy wealthier. These nokri who lived in
James defined “true religion”). True religion Israel undoubtedly came from nations where
means to take the spirit of the Law, add a gener- they could borrow money if they wanted to, but
ous helping of mercy and love, and put it into at horrendous interest rates. The Lord says that
practical application with Holy Spirit guidance. Israel is not obligated to subsidize these foreign
This particular law has to do with making a businessmen by loaning them what they desire
loan to someone; the rule is that if the borrower at no interest. Yet Israel is obligated to loan to
is a brother (an Israelite, meaning a full citizen the poor Hebrews at no interest (and also the
of Israel), interest is not to be charged. However genuinely poor foreigner living among them)
to a foreigner (the CJB says “outsider”) charg- because it is an obligation among Israelites not
ing interest is acceptable. to profit at the misfortune of another.
The word being translated as “foreigner” It is a knee jerk reaction today to look at
or “stranger” or “outsider” (depending on your these laws and think to ourselves how awful
Bible version) is nokri. A nokri is the classifica- it is that loan companies make such fortunes
tion of foreigner who has no ties to Israel, does lending money to average citizens. Credit card
not identify himself with Israel, and generally companies charge 20 percent interest and more
speaking has no allegiance to Israel other than and car title loan companies and pawnshops
expressing some measure of gratitude for being charge even more interest than that, and it usu-
allowed to live in peace alongside Israel in the ally hits the socially disadvantaged in our soci-
land for one reason or another. Typically this ety the hardest. We have to be careful not to
law is considered to be referring to traveling equate apples and oranges. Too much, especially
merchants who are passing through from dis- in places like America, there are those who are
tant lands, or foreign merchants who have set labeled as “poor” because they have been ter-
up a business in Israel because they can make a ribly foolish with their money, or with their
living there. Therefore, to lend money or food credit, or they’re in a hurry to buy something
or generally anything of value to this kind of and don’t want to wait so they make a foolish
person had to do with a business proposition bargain. Perhaps they refuse to work or to get
as opposed to the underlying premise for one the education available to all to enable them
Hebrew lending to another Hebrew. And that to get a decent job. We also have those people
premise is that the Hebrew borrower was a poor who overindulge in alcohol or drugs and lose
Deuteronomy 23

person who was in dire straights and his health everything, and we tend to lump those in with
and welfare were in danger if he didn’t receive a “the poor” and disadvantaged. The Bible would
helping hand. generally not do so as personal responsibility;
Particularly in the days of Moses and Joshua, and bearing the consequences of one’s own
there is no evidence that a system of loaning decisions and actions is at the core Scripturally
money (that is, silver or gold) had been set up based living. We find numerous laws and prov-
in Israel; rather it was generally food in the erbs throughout the Word (NT as well) that
form of grain or produce that was lent. Lenders subjects the drunkard and worthless sons of
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 233

parents to execution; the lazy and foolish suffer promise, and b) perform it in a timely fashion.
their own fate even though it is heartbreaking To not keep that vow is itself a sin, regardless
to witness it. of the nature of that vow or how circumstances
God’s definition of poverty is that per- might have radically changed since you made
haps through bad health, or being intentionally the vow (even circumstances you could never
oppressed by society, or there not being work have reasonably imagined).
available, or because unanticipated death and Since it seems like practically every chapter in
disaster have befallen them, or any number of the Bible deals with people making or breaking
other conditions whereby through no fault of vows of one sort or another, let’s examine this a
their own they are unable to reasonably sup- bit so that we can wrap our minds around this
port themselves or their families. Poverty is not very ancient custom of vow-making to a god.
defined as overusing your credit and then hav- It is good in our current era to remember
ing your house repossessed, so now you have to that in times past the existence of gods and god-
live in a small rental apartment. Poverty is not desses (and other spirit beings as well) was as
taking a bus to work because you don’t own a universally accepted and believed as the neces-
car (even though taking the bus may be time sity for a human to breathe air and drink water
consuming and inconvenient). Poverty means if he wanted to live. It’s only since the period of
you don’t have enough to eat or you have no the Enlightenment in the early 1700s that cer-
roof over your head, or you have no warm tain philosophers like Kant, Voltaire, and Hume
coat to wear when it’s cold. In the biblical era challenged that universal belief and said that
women and children and especially widows only the unenlightened and ignorant accepted
and orphans could be found in life-threatening such superstitious nonsense that there is an
situations because they were unable to care for invisible all-powerful god, or that there were
themselves due to the way society traditionally angels or spirit beings, because this premise was
operated. The disabled and ill also fell into this not scientifically verifiable. Thus we have the
category, as did foreigners who came to Israel birth of atheism and secular humanism barely
to escape slavery from their foreign masters. three hundred years ago.
God says that all Israel is to help these folks My point is that prior to the 1700s, vow-
and ensure that they have enough to survive; making to the gods was as usual as eating a
otherwise they will call out to Him because of meal. It was no different for the Israelites than
the lack of mercy shown by God’s people (thus for the rest of the world except for one thing: it
breaking the Torah commandments of humani- is said of the pagan deities that they want their
tarianism); those who turned their backs on the followers to make those vows and pledges, but
most vulnerable of society will be committing the Lord God of Israel says He would just as
sin against the Lord and there will be conse- soon a person did not make vows and pledges
quences. Essentially this is a law about social to Him. Why did those pagan temples with
responsibility and inherent fairness. Yeshua had their pagan priests enthusiastically endorse vow
a lot to say on this subject. making? Because vow making meant bringing a
Deuteronomy 23

The next law is stated in verses 22 –24 and gift to that god. In the end, of course, that gift
it opens up a truly fascinating subject around wound up in the hands of the temple priests. It
which many doctrines of Judaism and Christi- was no different in Israel because when a per-
anity have been formed; it is the subject of mak- son made a vow it required a sacrifice and an
ing vows to Yehoveh. This law states that when offering to begin it and complete it, and many
you make a vow (which means that you make of those offerings were given to the priesthood.
a promise of some sort to the Lord and invoke In Israel the purposes for making a vow
His name as surety) that one is to a) keep that varied widely. In general a vow was a petition
 234 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

to the Lord for His assistance. Maybe a person making a vow but experiencing the most hor-
desperately wanted something to happen (or rific of unintended consequence is the story of
not happen); perhaps they needed relief from Jephthah. He wanted the Lord to bless him in
trouble. They may have sought victory in battle battle and so vowed that if the Lord would win
or healing from disease. The one who made the the victory for him he would offer as a burnt
vow customarily promised to do something for offering the first thing that walked through his
the Lord if He would acknowledge their need door when he returned home from his mili-
or desire. The payment or offering to the Lord tary campaign. Naturally expecting it would be
was usually something of value; in the case of a some kind of animal that would greet him, he
Nazarite vow however, the initial offering was was devastated when his only daughter excitedly
often to abstain from something that brought burst through the door to rush to him. Since the
personal pleasure (like wine). battle had indeed been won, he piously followed
In the pagan world vows were basically through with his vow. There are many lessons
designed as bribes. It was expected that the to this story that we won’t get into today; just
worshipper was literally purchasing the favor know that Jephthah followed through because
of some particular god or goddess by means of he fully understood that this law of Deuteron-
their vow offering. Yehoveh says that He doesn’t omy 23 has no exceptions. The only two things
need food or drink, and that He already is the I want to mention for now about what we can
owner of everything in existence, so to offer learn from this episode are that 1) God did not
Him some kind of money or valuable object in want nor ask for nor accept the human sacri-
exchange for His action has no influence upon fice of Jephthah’s daughter, and 2) God did not
Him. Further, He is sovereign and His will can- require a vow from Jephthah in order to provide
not be purchased. Although, that still didn’t the victory he had hoped for.
keep a significant portion of the Hebrew popu- I’m sure if he could speak from his grave
lation from trying, and the results were often Jephthah’s advice to all of us would be that
terrible. (other than for perhaps your wedding vows)
Though not encouraging vows, the Lord don’t make any because doing so is very danger-
also doesn’t say that there is anything wrong or ous, not just for you, but for others who may be
sinful with it. So in verse 23 it says that if one affected by your vow.
chooses not to ever make a vow to Yehoveh, it is
not sin. Christ goes so far as to say it is far better The final commandment of this chapter
to just make your yes, yes and your no, no and occurs in verses 25 and 26 and it concerns the
avoid the whole vow-making process to begin right to eat from a neighbor’s crops. The rule
with. Why? Because as it says in the next verse is that a person can pinch off some heads of
(and I paraphrase): “Whatever you promised to grain and eat them, or pluck some grapes and
Me you will perform it . . . or else.” eat them to satisfy their immediate hunger, but
You see it’s the unintended consequences of they can’t ask for a doggy bag. They can’t come
making a promise to the Lord that is the issue. and fill a basket, nor take a sickle and actually
Deuteronomy 23

We can’t see one second ahead into the future, harvest and take it away.
so how can we be sure we can follow through This really wasn’t about feeding the poor,
with something that we vow to do (or not do) because the laws of gleaning had already been
that might be weeks or months in the making, established for the poor. Indeed the poor weren’t
or involve someone else, or be something over restricted to only eating what they could consume
which we have little control? on the spot. Rather this particular law is for trav-
Perhaps the most tragic consequence in the elers. It was perfectly permissible in ancient times
entire Bible of having the best of intentions in to walk through someone’s field on a journey.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 235

Not everywhere one needed to travel had a well grain from a field they had been walking through
defined path or road. Sometimes it was necessary (in accordance with this law of travelers in Deu-
to simply head out in a general direction; since teronomy 23). The issue was not about stealing
fields were laid out everywhere it would have or taking advantage of a farmer; rather it was that
been much too arduous to walk around the edges this happened on a Sabbath and thus Yeshua was
of the fields to reach your destination. Plus there accused of defiling the Sabbath. Undoubtedly
were no rest stops or hostels along the way, and this was because he had walked more than the
most common folks traveled on foot and didn’t distance permitted on a Sabbath (as defined by
want to carry large loads. So as they were passing the Pharisees) in order to have been in the field
through a field or a vineyard and became hungry, outside of town and he was gathering grain to eat,
the law permitted them to eat the produce of that therefore that was also considered work accord-
field or vine in a limited way. ing to some Traditions. Yeshua didn’t seem to
We get an interesting picture of this exact think that the Laws He gave to Moses thirteen
situation in the NT in Matthew 12 when Yeshua hundred years earlier should be countermanded
and His disciples got into a dispute with some by the latest series of manmade doctrines that
Pharisees over they’re plucking and eating some Judaism had come up with.

Deuteronomy 23
 236 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 24

It is interesting that although we read often in scheme, whereby a man would marry and then
the Torah and the Bible about a Hebrew man by design divorce his wife, take on another for a
giving his wife a writ of divorce (a get in Hebrew) short-term tryst, remarry his first wife and repeat
in fact there are no direct and definitive laws of this process fairly often with other women. The
divorce in the Torah. In other words, while we idea was that by legally marrying and divorc-
do find laws about marriage and even re-mar- ing and marrying again and divorcing again he
riage, we don’t find procedures or rules about would be having his sexual lusts met with dif-
how or why divorce was accomplished. Appar- ferent women because technically he was mar-
ently, since divorce was customary and usual in ried to each woman, even if it was only for a
the Middle East the Hebrews generally took it few days. Therefore he would not be breaking
for granted; the reasons for divorce and the pro- the laws of adultery by having sex outside of
cedures they followed were only long standing his marriage or outside of wedlock. Like I’ve
customs. So long standing and of such common said, it seems whether Jew or Christian, we’re
knowledge was the divorce protocol that the always on the lookout for a good loophole. Let’s
explanation of them is not even written down be clear: the Lord does not condone divorce:
in the Bible. We only get hints and pieces in the “For I hate divorce,” says ADONAI the God of
Psalms, the Prophets, the Proverbs, and in a few Isra’el, “and him who covers his clothing with
of the biblical narrative stories. violence,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot. Therefore
The other thing we instantly recognize is take heed to your spirit, and don’t break faith”
that as common as divorce was in Moses’s era, (Mal. 2:16 CJB).
so was remarriage. Therefore just as with the Now, the reason stated here in Deuteron-
making of vows, whereby the only real set of omy for the first husband not being allowed to
rules that the Lord gives about a vow is that if remarry the ex-wife that he had divorced after
you make one your are to keep it or it is sin, so it she had remarried and divorced, is stated in
is that the Lord says that if you divorce there are verse 4: it says she is now defiled. Therefore if
some prohibitions concerning getting married that first husband did such a thing as to remarry
again. There is no written law per se that says an ex-wife under these circumstances he’d bring
you cannot divorce, yet the Lord makes it clear down that defilement upon the land of Israel,
that marriage was intended to be for a lifetime. and the land is too sanctified to allow it.
The prohibition concerning remarriage that Allow me to point out one thing before we
we find in the first few verses of chapter 24 is move on: where it says in verse 1 that the man
Deuteronomy 24

that if a man decides to divorce his wife, and divorces his wife because (depending on your
then she goes and gets remarried to another translation) he finds something obnoxious about
man; then her new husband either dies or he, her, or he hates her, or she displeases him, this
too, divorces this woman, she cannot remarry is not an attempt to create an exhaustive list of
her original husband. About eight hundred divinely acceptable reasons for a man to divorce
years ago the Rambam (Maimonides) said that his wife. This is simply a generality explaining
he believed the reason for this law was to stop that obviously the man doesn’t want her anymore
what was essentially a rampant wife swapping for whatever reason. It is also not saying that it’s
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 237

fine in God’s eyes and a man doesn’t really have . . .” It is the words new wife that are key because
to have a good reason to divorce. This law was this doesn’t apply to remarriage. That is it only
vague enough that we find Saint Paul comment- applies to a wife that a man has never before
ing on what he believes is the only good reasons been married to, therefore she is “new.”
for divorce, and even then the whole thing is very On the surface this just seems like a very
distasteful and ugly at best. It is instructive that nice thing to do (giving a new bride and groom
the Bible looks at divorce as primarily a failure a year to be together and enjoy each other’s
of marriage. That is, while marriage is an insti- company before he has to leave for war). But
tution, divorce is not an institution it is but an the “happiness” that the man brings his new
improperly broken union: wife has far more to do with her getting preg-
nant and giving birth than simply the pleasure
But if the unbelieving spouse separates himself, let and excitement typical of newlyweds (although
him be separated. In circumstances like these, the brother allowing time for that indeed is part of this law’s
or sister is not enslaved—God has called you to a life of purpose). Today it is in vogue (and is usually the
peace. (1 Cor. 7:15 CJB) parental advice) for a recently married couple
to put off having children until they have set-
Jesus also had some direct words about the tled into their married life and had a sufficient
subject: amount of time as just “a couple.” But in the
biblical era it was the greatest hope that on their
Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wedding night the new wife would become
wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and pregnant (and if not then, as soon as humanly
marries another woman commits adultery! (Matt. 19:9 possible). Having children (and hopefully a son)
CJB)[[end extract was everything for a new family; especially so in
the case where a man is leaving to fight in battle
Remember that in the Bible era it was men with the real possibility that he may die. Having
who did the divorcing. So we must not stretch a son meant that man’s life essence and blood-
this meaning to say that while a man can line would carry on; for the wife it meant that
divorce his wife for her adultery, a woman can she would not have to bear the shame of hav-
not divorce a man for his. ing been married but not producing children.
Now take note of this: at least according to Remember: for the Hebrews the primary duty
the law of Deuteronomy 23 there is NO objec- they bore in the Abrahamic Covenant was to be
tion to a man divorcing his wife (and techni- fruitful (to reproduce). For a man or woman to
cally vice versa) and then getting remarried to fail to procreate was a failure to live up to that
each other. The prohibition against remarriage covenant, and it was very serious matter that
is only as concerns one partner getting married brought great public shame.
to another person in the interim. The next laws contained in verses 6 and 7
Starting in verse 5 we begin to move away are much broader than it might seem at a casual
from the theme that has been the context for reading. These laws are about respect for life.
Deuteronomy 24

the past two chapters: the seventh command- The first one concerns what happens when a
ment prohibiting adultery. Now we enter a sec- person loans a very poor person some money
tion that focuses more on humanitarian issues. or food and wants some type of guarantee (col-
The first regulation is that a man who is just lateral) for his loan. And the example given is
married can be deferred from military service that the lender may not take the upper millstone
for a year in order to bring happiness to his wife. from the borrower as collateral.
Versions vary a bit, but literally what this A grain mill was an essential tool in every
says in verse 5 is: “When a man takes a new wife Middle Eastern family. These devices, though
 238 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

primitive, were expensive and difficult to make. vants, foreign or Hebrew, is banned. A good
They would be handed down from generation example of this was the Shechem incident when
to generation, and it was common that a grain Levi and Simeon massacred all the adult males,
mill would be used for hundreds of years before and the women and children of the city were
a new one was needed. It consisted of two taken “as slaves.” Basically this meant that they
parts, called the upper and lower millstones. were forcibly added to the population of Israel,
The lower part was a heavy flat stone surface yet at the same time they were not considered
where the grain would lay, and the upper was sub-human or people to use mercilessly for
the smaller part a person would hold in their cheap labor.
hand. The upper millstone was used to crush While the law of kidnapping didn’t neces-
the grain against the lower part. If the upper sarily pertain only to potential Israelite citizens
millstone was taken or lost, then the grain mill as the victims, the way it is phrased in verse 7
was essentially useless. means that this was the point of this particular
Grain was ground daily into meal or flour. regulation.
To take a family’s mill from them was to deny
them a means of sustenance; to deny a family a When we can finally internalize the amaz-
means of sustenance was to deny them life. And ing existence and nature of the patterns in
this is exactly the point of this law; also of the God’s Word, then we are finally in a position
next one that deals with kidnapping. to understand His Word more fully, and also
The principle is one that at times gets able to better untangle the prophecies that we
pushed to the rear in our wealth-oriented capi- all anxiously (and perhaps fearfully) wait to be
talistic society and it is this: no matter what the fulfilled in the near future.
situation might be, it is morally reprehensible to The Law of Moses is not only real and tan-
take from a person the only means they have gible, but it is at the same time a type and a
to make a living, especially when it is merely to shadow of things to come. It is not one or the
guarantee or satisfy a loan. other; the Law is both. It is a duality that exists
So it follows that a person must not steal and operates on at least two levels simultane-
another life (which is what kidnapping amounts ously. In some cases those shadowy “things to
to). In the Bible, kidnapping refers to taking come” have already happened as a result of the
someone for the purpose of enslaving them for advent of Messiah Yeshua. On the other hand
your personal use or selling them to another for the laws given through Moses on Mount Sinai
profit. It typically understood that mistreatment were not parables, nor glib sayings, nor were
was also involved; treating the victim more like they impossible ideals and therefore there was
an animal or chattel. The penalty for doing this no serious expectation by Yehoveh that they
is to be expected: a life for a life, execution of the would be obeyed.
criminal. When we consider what this means,
we have to take into account the way society However, all this will happen only if you pay atten-
operated at that time. In battle it was expected tion to what ADONAI your God says, so that you
Deuteronomy 24

for the victors to take people and use them as obey his mitzvot and regulations which are written in this
slaves. This was not considered kidnapping but book of the Torah, if you turn to ADONAI your God
rather the spoils of war. In addition, especially with all your heart and all your being. For this mitzvah
among Israel, it was usual that the women and which I am giving you today is not too hard for you, it is
children would be assimilated into Israelite not beyond your reach. (Deut. 30:10-11 CJB)
society rather than be viewed as “the property”
of some particular individual. We have seen in God fully intended that all of these rules and
earlier laws that mistreatment of slaves and ser- regulations of Torah Law be followed: He did
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 239

not give Moses “The Ten Suggestions” and then (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), those underlying
follow-up with 603 more “guidelines.” Yet we core God-principles (that are frankly not always
know that underlying all of these laws were foun- so easy to pull out and identify) are actually set-
dational principles on the one hand, and on the ting the stage for the many laws and command-
other the laws and commandments were a means ments that Moses will give at a later date on
to demonstrate these underlying principles and Mount Sinai to the people of Israel. As we read
ideals that would eventually be brought to an and learn about the Law (as we are in Deuter-
ultimate fruition by Messiah. It is no wonder that onomy) it is a worthwhile exercise to take some
folks for ages and ages have struggled with the of these laws, go back to the book of Genesis,
connection between the Law and Christ. and then watch the principles expressed in these
I took you here to tell you that the pattern laws appear and play out within these stories
of demonstrating God’s principles by embed- and see how it all connects. Principles we’ve
ding them in the many biblical narratives and never recognized before in these early Bible sto-
stories of whatever time period they took place, ries suddenly and plainly appear to us.
only to have those same principles become bet- Many twentieth- and twenty-first-century
ter understood and then more broadly applied Bible scholars have become so acutely aware
in the stories that took place in yet later genera- of these impossibly seamless and perfectly
tions, is not limited only to the giving of the Law interlaced connections that they can only con-
that was later realized in the life of Jesus Christ. clude that it was all manufactured and woven
Therefore as we look closer we see that the prin- together after the fact by some ingenious edi-
ciples embedded in the story of Creation were tors. It is now the position of many modern
expounded upon in the marvelous stories of academics that (for instance) the books of Exo-
the patriarchs. The principles embedded in the dus and Deuteronomy had to be written before
stories of the patriarchs were expanded upon the book of Genesis (or that Genesis had major
and made even more visible in the giving of the modifications to it at a later date). And that the
Law. The principles laid out in the Law were reason these anonymous editors perpetrated
taken to another level of intent and operation this sham was in order for the Laws of Mount
with the coming of Yeshua as He more fully Sinai to appear (in their underlying principles)
explained the spirit with which they were to be back in the stories about Abraham, Isaac, and
obeyed. The principles acted-out in Jesus’s life, Jacob that had occurred hundreds of years ear-
and spoken about in His parables, will become lier. They draw this assumption because while
even more refined and further realized as He their intellect is large their faith is small; they
rules and reigns in the Millennial Kingdom. just cannot accept that God’s principles could
So perfectly do all these God-principles be present so early in the Bible and then remain
connect that despite the thousands of years of utterly unchanged, consistent, and even grow-
progression in mankind’s history, and the amaz- ing in their depth as the centuries rolled by, all
ing changes and variations within human soci- the way through the book of Revelation.
eties, we will see the same principles employed Fellow believers, if you truly want to know
Deuteronomy 24

in the perfection of the Millennial Kingdom what God is going to do in the future, look to
that we did in the Creation Story. These Scrip- the patterns of the past. If someone says to you
tural God-principles are immutable; they never that an as yet unfulfilled biblical prophecy must
change. They even remain the same whether happen in a way that undoes prior God-princi-
applied in heaven or on Earth, or even on the ples in favor of new ones, be skeptical.
New Earth to come. An inscrutable truth of the Bible that is
When we read the fascinating stories in the not always easy to recognize is this: there is a
Torah that took place in the era of the patriarchs progression of patterns from the time of the
 240 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Creation all the way through the final words of The God-principles hidden within the story
the book of Revelation. This truth is, I think, of Creation were carried forward and mani-
perhaps the key that unlocks so many Bible fested at a little more obvious level in the nar-
mysteries that have escaped us. The mysteries ratives about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those
of course elicit the question, “why”. “Why” is God-principles that were deeply embedded in
what makes a mystery a mystery. Why does God the fascinating narratives of the patriarchs were
do what He does in any given situation? Why then extracted and clearly laid out in the Law
do bad things happen to good people? Why is it of Moses at Mount Sinai. The detailed God-
wrong to have sexual relations without the ben- principles given at Mount Sinai were next car-
efit of marriage? And the answer to every “why” ried forward and brought to fruition at a higher
is that it’s because God’s reaction and decision spiritual level in the life, sermons and parables
always follows a pre-established pattern. Those of Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Those God-principles
patterns are defined in the Torah. So the ques- will next be manifested at near perfection level
tion any devout believer who seriously wants to in the Millennial Kingdom, the one-thousand-
know what the Lord is up to (and their “why” year reign of Messiah. But understand: they
isn’t merely a veiled complaint) ought to be ask- are still all the same principles. Nothing has
ing is not “why,” but rather “which.” Which changed, only how they were revealed, mani-
God-pattern either reflects the outcome of a fested and transformed over time.
given situation, or also which pattern we ought
to apply to any particular issue or challenge that I like to read from the CJB because it will
faces us. use some of the original Hebrew words in place
This progression of God-patterns has gen- of English translations that are often well off
erally only been of interest to Bible scholars the mark or obscure the meaning of the original
(and precious few of those, truth be known), text. Most Bible versions in verse 8 will say that
and it not something discussed or widely known this passage is talking about leprosy, or perhaps
within the Christian community because it is it will say “skin disease” or something similar.
rare that the OT is ever taught in modern times. The Hebrew word is Tzara’at and it does not
Without knowing the Torah of the OT the basis mean leprosy. Tzara’at actually manifests itself in
for these patterns is never established in our a variety of conditions that while usually associ-
minds. I would liken this concept of patterns ated with the skin but it is also connected with
as the narrow strand upon which a necklace of impurities upon clothing, furniture, or even the
pearls is strung. Have you ever had the experi- walls of a house. Leviticus 13 and 14 more care-
ence of seeing a pearl necklace break, and those fully define Tzara’at and explain that only the
precious round balls fall to the floor and begin priesthood can deal with it because it is primar-
bouncing unpredictably in every direction? We ily a spiritual issue, and only to a lesser degree is
have scores of pearls of truth presented to us it a medical problem. In a nutshell Tzara’at is seen
in the Bible, but when the strand of “patterns” as the outward result of an inner state of ritual
is missing or broken, then those pearls (which defilement. Tzara’at is an outward illustration
Deuteronomy 24

are the many Bible stories, prophecies, proverbs, of how the Lord sees the inner spiritual condi-
commands and laws, and Yeshua’s own parables) tion of humans: diseased and corrupt. Unclean.
become disconnected, and it is nearly impos- Therefore when a Hebrew had an outbreak of
sible to see their orderly sequence and organic Tzara’at on their skin, they were separated from
relationship to one another. Instead we tend to the rest of Israel; they were forcibly put outside
look at those pearls of wisdom individually, on the camp if they balked at going out on their
a standalone basis, and such a thing can indeed own volition. Outside the camp they remained
cause us to look upward and plead “why?” until there was no further sign of Tzara’at; for
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 241

some Israelites that would be for the remainder worshippers; the undeniable evidence of that
of their lives. inward defilement has become evident and out-
As an example of both what the person with wardly observable. Since the advent of Messiah
Tzara’at can expect and why people are inflicted (and especially as it applies to Gentiles) we were
with the condition, verse 9 uses the incident born outside the camp (outside of the kingdom
with Miriam. Recall that some years earlier of God). We were born in a state of inner defile-
in the wilderness journey Aaron and Miriam ment (with Tzara’at if you would); this means
(Moses’s own brother and sister) spoke against that the living water of Messiah must cleanse us
Moses; Miriam was struck with Tzara’at as a con- and remove this awful defilement in order for
sequence for this sin. There are disagreements us to be brought into the camp from our natural
among Jewish and Christian scholars over the state of living outside the camp.
precise nature of Miriam’s offense, but if there The thing to notice as well about Miriam is
is a thread of consensus it is that this probably that being a full-blood sister to Moses changed
had to do with the crime of slanderous gossip, nothing. That she was an ethnic Hebrew
in Hebrew lashon hara. Essentially the problem changed nothing. That she is one of only five
was that Miriam had spoken against God’s women in the entire OT given the status of
anointed Mediator Moses. The reason she spoke “prophetess” changed nothing. She received no
against Moses was that she had become defiled special dispensation because of family ties or
in her spirit. The result was that God had her status. Christ’s brothers and sisters would not
wear this defilement on her skin, outwardly for be saved because they were related to Him; they
all to see, whereas otherwise it was but a hid- would only be saved by trusting in Him as Mes-
den inner condition. It wasn’t only so that oth- siah just like everybody else.
ers could see that she had broken peace with Now a word of caution; I have heard this
God; it was so that she could now recognize her very example of Lashon Hara used to explain
status in God’s eyes. A sinful condition that she why it is that a member of a congregation can
could have ignored and denied was as evident to never challenge or disagree with his or her
her as to others. rabbi, pastor, priest, elder, deacon, or whom-
This is a lesson that could be discussed over ever. While the crime of slanderous gossip is
and over because it has such a direct and vis- indeed generally defiling, the crime of Miriam
ible (and probably daily) influence in our rela- was directed against God’s appointed Mediator
tionship with God. Moses was God’s covenant of the covenant and that is the point. So while
Mediator on earth for a time. Yeshua was God’s unity within the body of Christ for the right rea-
greater covenant Mediator on earth for a time, sons is always desirable and best and a worthy
and He remains so in heaven. As God’s Media- goal, to shut down debate or deflect well-earned
tor, Yeshua’s every word, His person, and His criticism of a congregational leader has nothing
purpose should be joyfully accepted and never to do with the issue of Miriam and her contract-
spoken against. As Yehoveh said of Moses ing Tzara’at. This is not Lashon Hara. This is
(and how much more it applies to Jesus), what- not slanderous gossip.
Deuteronomy 24

ever he speaks is as if God spoke it, so much The next law as explained in verses 10 –13 is
authority do his words carry. The person who about taking and holding property that is being
speaks against Yeshua is by definition in a state used as collateral for a loan. This is of course
of spiritual defilement (just as was Miriam) related to the earlier law in this chapter about
because that person is disagreeing with (rebel- not seizing the upper millstone from some-
ling against) God. The result is that the defiled one as loan collateral (under any circumstance)
person is taken outside the camp, removed because this causes a person to lose their means
from fellowship with the Lord and with fellow of sustenance. Therefore to violate this law is to
 242 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

commit a crime against life. What this means is “merit.” The word being translated is tzedekah,
that collateral on a loan is a perfectly acceptable and it generally means righteousness or an act of
thing but there are conditions and limitations. righteousness. However this law about collateral
The first part of this law prohibits the credi- must also be understood to mean that to take as
tor from entering the debtor’s home and forc- a pledge anything that is basic to sustenance and
ibly taking the collateral. The rabbis explain that life is questionable at best and, generally speak-
to enter someone’s house without permission to ing, ought not to be done.
collect collateral is tantamount to home inva- Let’s look at this principle of “the pledge” in
sion. Not only is that wrong on the surface but action centuries before it became a discernable
it could lead to a fight, and life might be endan- and written law at the time of Moses. To get the
gered as a result. Rather the creditor must stand most out of this detour, though, remember that
outside and the debtor is to bring the collateral the Hebrew word abote is better rendered pledge
out to him. The Hebrew word being translated than collateral, because the God-principle of the
as collateral is abote; more scholarly works of pledge becomes much too narrowly applied
recent have decided to translate this to pledge when it is attached only to the idea of lending
as opposed to collateral, because pledge is a term and borrowing. The principle of the pledge
that can apply to more situations than to simply overlaps more areas of Bible instruction that
being a piece of physical property that is used to one might think.
secure a loan. We’re going to read the story of Rebecca
Further, in verses 12 and 13 if the debtor (Rivkah) being chosen as a wife for Abraham’s
is a poor person that pledge is to be returned son Isaac.
to him before the sun sets; in other words it
must be returned before the end of the day.
For a poor person, collateral is often the only
thing of value that they own: their coat. This
coat or cloak served as a blanket as well, which
is the reason for the words, “He needs to sleep
in it”; it’s what they slept in on colder nights.
For those of you who have been to Israel in the
winter months, you’ve received a taste of just
how cold it can be even in the desert, so this law
is certainly a practical and necessary one. I’ve
been snowed on in both the north and south of
Israel; a person in that environment must have
some warm clothing. The concept is that each
morning the debtor will return the pledged coat
to the creditor, and then get it back at night.
It is interesting that while most laws that are
Deuteronomy 24

about prohibition (the don’ts of the Law) speak

about a punishment for violation, this law about
not holding on to a poor man’s warm cloth-
ing gives a positive motivation to the lender to
obey—the lender will be blessed because to be
merciful in this way will be seen as righteous-
ness in the eye’s of God. In the CJB it says
“upright deed” and in other Bibles it might say
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 243

going in and taking. He is standing outside

Assignment: Read Genesis 24:1–14, 28 –32, of Mesopotamia, where his wife-to-be is liv-
and 54 –67. ing, because his father Abraham has ordered
that Isaac may not go inside Mesopotamia to
retrieve his pledge (Rebecca) even though he
Let’s examine the parallels and connections doesn’t know precisely who that pledge will be.
between what happened with this story in Gen- Rather the pledge must agree to come outside
esis and with the law of Deuteronomy (estab- her country to Canaan. Laban, the master of
lished some five centuries later) concerning the the house where the pledge resides, offers the
rule to not forcibly take the pledge of a man by pledge (Rebecca) to the old servant and she is
going into his house to seize it. willingly escorted outside (of Mesopotamia) to
In this story of Rebecca and Isaac in Gen- where Isaac is (in Canaan).
esis 24, Rebecca is the pledge (remember, don’t Near the end of this story starting in verse
think in terms of loans and collateral) and she 62 we find Isaac waiting back in Canaan for the
is to be obtained by Abraham’s representative pledge (Rivka) to arrive. Isaac was walking in a
(who goes only by the name of the “oldest ser- field. The original Hebrew most literally says it
vant” in the house). This nameless old servant was “before the going down of the sun” when
of Abraham travels from the Land of Canaan Isaac spotted the returning caravan led by his
north to Mesopotamia in order to get a wife for trusted servant, and Rebecca in tow. In the last
Isaac (Isaac, as Abraham’s firstborn, is also the verse, Isaac took Rebecca and made her his wife.
old servant’s master); he is to choose this wife As many connections as I’ve already shown
from among Abraham’s relatives. to you, notice something else that goes right by
We see in the story that the servant arrives us if we don’t understand the Hebrew mind-
in Mesopotamia, spots a good candidate at set of the biblical era regarding marriage: in
a water well, and observes her carefully for a Hebrew culture a wife was as a man’s “gar-
time. He decides that Rebecca is the one and ment.” Remember: this idiomatic symbolism
makes his move. He talks to the girl and gets that a wife was her husband’s garment was so
invited to stay with Rebecca’s family. commonly understood in Hebrew society that
In Genesis 24:31 the question is asked by there certainly was no need to thoroughly
Laban (Rebecca’s brother) of Abraham’s ser- explain it in the Bible anymore than it be neces-
vant: “Why are you standing outside?” This sary to explain that when a couple gets married
corresponds to the instruction of Deuteron- there is a wedding ring in our society; it’s just
omy 24:11 that the one who intends to collect a the way things are and everybody knows it. So
pledge must “stand outside” and not go into the with that understanding look again at Deuter-
house of the pledge’s owner to obtain it. Rather onomy 24:13. The law concerning pledges says
the pledge must be brought outside of the home that clothing, the garment, given as the pledge
willingly, and given to the master (if it’s to be must be remanded to the owner before sunset.
given at all). Rebecca, the pledge, is a garment to be worn
Deuteronomy 24

In this story it is the old servant who is by Isaac as a covering. Hence, here we find the
standing outside of the house waiting for the explanation that it was before sunset that Isaac
pledge (Rivka) to willingly be brought out to was out walking when Rebecca (his garment-to-
him, because it would be an offense against the be so to speak) arrived. He marries her, mean-
household and against God to go in and take ing he now wears his garment.
the pledge from her domain. In an even deeper Now I am sure that until we studied this
sense, it is Isaac, the future bridegroom, who law of pledges in Deuteronomy 24 it would be
is standing outside and waiting rather than nearly impossible for anyone to see these par-
 244 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ticular God-principles within the story of Isaac, the admonition that the return of the pledge
Rebecca, and the old servant. Frankly, without (the garment) to the owner shall be counted as
understanding some critical elements of ancient righteousness to the one who obeyed this law.
Hebrew culture and marriage customs it would Recall in the story of the establishment of the
also be nearly impossible to extract these time- Abrahamic Covenant, in Genesis 15:6 God tells
less God-principles from those narratives about Abraham that to trust God will be credited to
the patriarchs. The point is that these often told him as righteousness. Therefore this law of the
and beloved stories of the patriarchs in the book pledge connects directly to Abraham, the origi-
of Genesis were more than simply interesting or nal and first generation.
exciting stories of Bible heroes or the history of Now we see what the four prophesied gen-
how the nation of Israel came to be (although erations consisted of:
they serve that purpose as well). Embedded in
these stories, just under the surface, are some 1. Abraham
important God-principles. The people of that 2. Isaac
day probably didn’t realize that so much of what 3. Jacob (called Israel)
they were doing (what seemed to them to be 4. Jacob’s twelve sons, the twelve tribes of
custom) indeed reflected the Lord step-by-step Israel
bringing His divine principles to light. Yet with
the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, suddenly It would not be until the twelve tribes (the
those eternal God-principles no longer had to fourth generation from Abraham) were fully
be extrapolated from historic stories; now their established and brought to some God-desig-
application is laid out plainly and in detail. nated state of fruitfulness and maturity that
Which principle to apply to which situation is Yehoveh would liberate them from captivity
enumerated in the Law. and bring them to the land that he had prom-
I’m going to show you one more thing ised Abraham. So the four generations in this
before we move on because it helps to answer prophecy was not so much about a precisely
the often-debated question concerning God’s defined measurement of time as it was about the
communication to Abraham that his descen- event (the Exodus) occurring with the fourth
dants would be led into captivity and remain generation (the generation of the twelve tribes)
there for four generations. The usual framing as the participants.
of the question is: “How long is a generation?” This should cement within you the organic
I would submit that the question ought to be: inseparableness of the entire Word of God
“What is a generation?” and why it is such a devastating error that the
By demonstrating to you that the princi- Church has for eighteen hundred years deter-
ples behind the Law were exhibited far earlier mined to sever away the Torah and the OT
within the stories of the patriarchs, next we find from our understanding, knowledge, and doc-
that thus far in Deuteronomy 24 we have laws trines and say that it has utterly no bearing on
directly connected to each of the four genera- our faith. This is a message that every one of
Deuteronomy 24

tions of Abraham that I just mentioned. We have you who now know better must, in your own
the law of kidnapping, which is attributable to way, endeavor to communicate to your brothers
Joseph (one of the generations after Abraham), and sisters in the faith of Messiah Yeshua. Little
we have the law of Miriam’s tzara’at (the pres- could be of greater importance in our era.
ent generation of the time of the Exodus), we
have the law of the pledge for Isaac (the genera- Keeping in mind that all the words of Deu-
tion immediately following Abraham), and then teronomy amount to Moses making a sermon
in the same law regarding the pledge we have about the Law to the Israelites (expounding
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 245

upon the Law the way Yeshua would so many bution is decided on and carried out exclusively
centuries later), we witness an appeal to those by God. It is His prerogative to decide in what
who would be employers of the poor to pay situations to invoke the principal of vertical
them their wages daily, at the end of each day. retribution, or not. The law banning transgen-
Poor people then simply did not (and even today erational punishment, on the other hand, has to
usually do not) have the wherewithal to wait for do with humans carrying out the justice system
their money. Moses says they’ve worked for it, the Lord has established. If (for example) a son
they’ve earned it, and it is wrong to withhold committed a murder the father does not owe his
their earnings until a later time (presumably own life, so a court may not order a father to be
one that is more convenient for the employer). executed; only the perpetrator is liable for his
The word used for withholding these wages is capital offense.
abuse; it is the same word used in Leviticus 19 The final laws of Deuteronomy 24 again
for the law characterizing the crime of robbery. deal with humanitarianism; these rules that end
The employer is warned that while the abused the chapter deal with protecting foreigners liv-
employee may not have the power to force the ing in Israel, orphans, and widows. The concept
employer to do what is right and pay him, he of it being a duty of every Israelite to look after
can cry out to the Lord and the Lord will con- the welfare of orphans and widows is a theme
sider it sin and extract divine justice for this sin. that we find repeated throughout the entire
From this law on wages the sermon moves Bible. It’s important to understand that not only
on to banning transgenerational punishment. is there a divinely commanded duty to care for
That is, the parents may not be put to death for the disadvantaged class of people, but there is
something their children did, and vice versa. a prohibition against exploiting or mistreating
Notice that no particular crime is mentioned; them.
this is a universal law that cuts across all the Verse 17 begins by saying that the rights of
laws. There is a substantial difference between a stranger (a ger) are not to be subverted. This is
this law and a principle that I introduced to you talking about legal matters; a foreigner and an
some time ago, the principle of vertical retri- orphan are to be judged fairly in a court of law.
bution. Vertical retribution, in fact, can put the The next admonition is very much like the
punishment for trespassing against the Lord law of verse 10, the law of the pledge that we
upon descendants several generations removed connected to the ancient story of Isaac and
from when the trespass occurred. This is some- Rebecca. The difference between what we read
thing that might sound strange to us, but it was here and verse 10 is that while a creditor may use
real and practiced by the Hebrews. We occa- a poor person’s garment as collateral and must
sionally talk about generational curses that return it each night to the debtor, a widow’s gar-
are the result not of what the affected person ment cannot ever be used as collateral and thus
might have done, but of something that per- held away from her at any time. It is interesting
son’s father, or grandfather, or an even earlier that we find even more concern for the widow
ancestor might have done. There are those who than for the orphan and the foreigner in this
Deuteronomy 24

pray fervently on the behalf of others that these matter.

generational curses might be lifted. Many verses Jewish Tradition has taken this a step fur-
in the OT and the NT confirm the existence of ther and declared that none of the possessions
the spiritual law of vertical retribution. of a widow may be used as loan collateral.
The difference between the law against Moses then reminds Israel that they were slaves
transgenerational punishment and vertical ret- in Egypt and it is for remembrance of the mercy
ribution is that vertical retribution is not part that was withheld from them that they should
of the civil or criminal law code. Vertical retri- always show mercy to the least able in society
 246 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

as a way of expressing gratitude for God’s act of

redemption from such harsh conditions. This,
of course, exactly plays into Jesus’s reasoning
that by believers aiding those who are the least
in society it is as if we are aiding Him. It is a
case of our showing gratitude for our salvation
by showing mercy to those who Yeshua wants
looked-after and helped.
Verse 19 expounds upon the laws given in
Leviticus concerning leaving a portion of the
fields, vineyards, and tree crops for the foreigner,
widow, and orphan to eat from. The earlier and
similar law in Leviticus said that the “corners
of the fields” were to be left for the poor. These
rules in Deuteronomy further define what is to
be left so that the disadvantaged can have food.
The rabbis have concluded that the various
laws about gleaning can be categorized into four
groups based on what is to be left for the poor.
And it is these: First, the edges of the fields,
vineyards, and groves are to be left unhar-
vested. Second, that which is forgotten in fields,
vineyards, and groves is not to be reclaimed by tion, of course, seems to parallel the exhorta-
the owner. Third, those grains and grapes that tion we get in the NT that we always give our
fall to the ground during reaping are to be left tithes and offerings in the name of the Lord as
by the owner where they fall and not gathered. we should; the result of following this God-
Fourth, the smaller, immature (and therefore principle is that the Lord will bless our lives and
less desirable) clusters of grapes are to be left on efforts. But remember: here in Deuteronomy
the vines and not later harvested by the owner. this is not a case of people giving to the temple
Moses says that there is a reward for obedi- or to the Lord. This is a case of people directly
ence to these laws for the farmer and the field helping the poor.
owner: the Lord will bless all his undertakings. Our giving to the Lord for the work of the
The reason is that the farmer is being urged to Church or Synagogue is separate from helping
give up that which is legitimately his for the sake the less fortunate among us. Both are expected
of mercy toward another person. This admoni- of God’s people, without hesitation.
Deuteronomy 24
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 247

Deuteronomy 25

In Deuteronomy 25, there are five laws about when a man married a woman and then falsely
humanitarian and social concerns, followed accused her of having not been a virgin at the
by an instruction that Israelites are to always time of their betrothal and marital consumma-
remember what the Amalekites did to them and tion. The man was to be taken to the city gates
to despise them for it (and to eventually annihi- and whipped for this humiliation of his wife
late them). and assault on his father-in-law’s family honor.
As stated in the last words of verse 2, how-
ever, the number of lashes is to be commen-
surate with the gravity of the crime; this prin-
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 25.
ciple is itself another of those general principles
Yehoveh pronounced regarding punishment
and retribution that is summed up in the “eye-
for-an-eye” law that scholars call lex talionis.
Corpor al Punishment
We’re then told that the absolute maximum
The first law concerns administering corporal number of lashes that can be administered is
punishment upon a criminal, specifically flog- forty, and the reason for this is so that the crim-
ging. The idea is that two men have a legal dis- inal (an Israelite brother) will not be humiliated
pute between them and so they go to the Israelite or (in some versions) degraded. Why forty lashes
law system for it to be judged. This means that a and not thirty, or forty-five, or fifty? We’re not
formal court (at least formal for that era) is con- told, and there is much speculation as to why
vened; a magistrate hears the case and renders a this number was chosen by Moses. It probably
decision that by definition will be “for” one of had to do with it being a less severe amount
the litigants and “against” the other. The one than was typically prescribed by the pagan soci-
that is judged to have been in the wrong will be eties of the Middle East in that era. Ancient
flogged. The case presented here is very general records show that most Mesopotamian cultures
in nature and so no specific crime is even stated. specified the maximum number of lashes to be
First we need to see that flogging (obvi- one hundred.
ously) was not the penalty that every person As we’ve studied Torah and the Law of
found guilty of wrongdoing suffered. We have Moses, we’ve seen many laws that on the sur-
scores of laws in the Torah for which the pun- face seem strange as to why they even existed
ishment for violation is not specified; therefore or what logical purpose they could have served.
Deuteronomy 25

the penalty was often left in the hands of the Many Christians and Jews have attempted lofty
court to decide, and God was satisfied with this and largely allegorical explanations for these
because He had established general guidelines laws, and some of those reasons have become
involving punishment. After all, it is not pos- part of Tradition. More often than not, how-
sible to predict or address every possible viola- ever, those explanations are more fiction than
tion individually. fact and often make no sense when one under-
We are given one explicit case in the Law stands the culture. In reality many of the com-
whereby a person must be flogged: it was mandments of the Law are about some Canaan-
 248 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ite practice or ritual that the Lord despises and repent within the allotted forty days so the Lord
does not want the Israelites to mimic, so He did not destroy them.
takes that ritual or practice of the Canaanites Notice that inherent in this pattern and
and simply makes a law against it. One such God-principle is that when the forty days of
example is the prohibition against boiling a kid trial or preparation ends, Yehoveh provides
in its mother’s milk. deliverance of the righteous (or potentially
Here the decision is that it would be inhu- righteous) as opposed to final judgment. After
mane for a man to suffer more than forty lashes. forty, hope still remains; utter, complete and
The reason given about it being humiliating or final destruction for those who are the Lord’s is
degrading, though, does not mean that being stopped short and instead there is deliverance or
flogged is of itself degrading or inhumane. From redemption from the trouble.
a physical standpoint the idea is on the one hand Thus from a spiritual perspective the urgent
too many strokes of the whip could cause death, instruction of this law to not exceed forty lashes
or on other hand it could cause a man to cry and is because this is a trial for the criminal that
beg for mercy, or to break down and soil himself, is meant not only to punish but to change his
or some other unbecoming reaction that is de- behavior. It is not meant to kill him, it is not
humanizing. Any of these things would bring meant to bring him to destruction.
great dishonor upon him that would last much
longer than any remembrance of the crime and
its painful penalty. A person who is punished Muzzling an Ox
too much or unreasonably doesn’t gain by see- The next law concerns a prohibition against
ing their wrongness; rather they become cynical muzzling an ox while it is performing its job as a
and embittered. beast of burden; in this case the job is the thresh-
Naturally this same principle is repeated in ing of grain. While we can look at this regula-
the NT, “Fathers, don’t irritate your children tion and say to ourselves that this seems logical
and make them resentful; instead, raise them and the humane and a kind thing to do for the
with the Lord’s kind of discipline and guid- animal, in fact the logic would have seemed odd
ance” (Eph. 6:4 CJB). and even counter-productive to anyone of the
This law about limiting the number of biblical era. In fact, if one ever hoped to fin-
lashes to forty is one of the several elements that ish the threshing function in a timely manner
go into defining what “the Lord’s kind of disci- the ox had to be muzzled and/or whipped and
pline and guidance” is. goaded as well.
From a spiritual standpoint, however, we The threshing process was that an ox (though
must take into consideration the divine numer- it could be other animals as well) either trampled
ological meaning of “forty” and the pattern it on the stalks of grain with their hooves or they
presents. Forty is indicative of a time of trial pulled a kind of sled or threshing skid over the
and/or preparation. Jesus was forty days in the top of the grain stalks, thus causing the ripened
wilderness. The Great Flood involved forty kernels to separate from the heads. As oxen are
Deuteronomy 25

days and nights of rain. Moses went up to the grazers, it is their nature to bend their neck down
summit of Mount Sinai and was separated from and eat constantly during the threshing process.
his people for forty days while he learned God’s This law states that despite the need for produc-
Torah, but the people lost faith and turned to tivity, the ox is not to be muzzled but allowed to
idolatry in the absence of their mediator, Moses. graze and eat during the process. The problem
Jonah warned the people of Ninevah that they is that from a practical point of view this meant
had forty days to repent and receive deliverance, that to keep the animal moving it had to be con-
or to not repent and face destruction. They did stantly whipped or goaded.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 249

Therefore it became the norm of the time service to preach and teach, then during
Hebrews to muzzle the animal and then occa- that time the congregation should be sure that
sionally remove the muzzle for it to eat so that his reasonable needs were generally met. Most,
1) the spirit of the law of Deuteronomy 25 could like Paul, fell somewhere in between; his craft
be maintained and 2) so that the animal did not brought him some needed income but when
have to be whipped in order to keep it moving he left his craft (often for months at a time) to
if it were not muzzled and thus break the prin- travel and preach then he needed support to
ciples of humane treatment of beasts. This prin- make up for it.
ciple of not muzzling an ox while he is working The bottom line is that the rule that “an ox
is brought forward into the NT in an interesting should not be muzzled while he threshes” has
context. always been understood by the Hebrew sages to
be more proverb than law. A proverb is a wisdom
saying; it is not a command per se. A proverb is
Assignment: Read 1 Corinthians 9:1–14. a general rule of thumb for living a redeemed
life and making decisions in a way that aligns
you with the way God created the universe; it
is not a law the violation of which is necessarily
Paul directly quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 in a sin nor is it punishable. Muzzling an ox while
his response to a pressing issue: support for he threshes doesn’t make the violator a criminal
the apostles and disciples who travel to various subject to penalty, nor does a congregation not
congregations to preach and teach the Good sufficiently supporting a rabbi or a pastor make
News that Messiah has come and sins are for- them open for God’s wrath. However to do such
given. So the practice is that whether man or a thing is not wise, and it is not kind, and the
animal, any living creature that works and is blessings that God would often like to bestow
productive should be able to enjoy the fruits of upon you may well not come about either as a
his labor. This is, rightfully so, the reason that direct or natural consequence of ignoring this
pastors and rabbis should be paid for their work divine wisdom instruction.
because they’ve earned it. This does not answer
the question as to whether pastors and rabbis
should be paid less than the average congrega- Levir ate Marriage
tion member earns, nor be provided with an Beginning in verse 5 is the subject of what is
extravagant lifestyle. This also in no way says called levirate marriage. The term levirate marriage
that all tithes and offerings go to the pastor or will not be found in the Bible; it is a Latin term
local synagogue treasury. based on the Latin word levir that means “hus-
Let me also be clear about what was not band’s brother.” The case example used is of a
being stated here in Corinthians: this was not a man who dies and leaves no son, and so the wife
statement indicating that a pastor, teacher, rabbi of the dead man is obligated to marry within
or evangelist should at all times have all of his the husband’s family or as the verse states in the
Deuteronomy 25

personal needs (or wants) met by the congrega- negative, she may not marry a stranger. Further
tion; it depends on the situation. If the person in this case the deceased man has a brother and
in question had plenty of time to both hold a job it is the obligation of the living brother to marry
and preach or teach, then he should work but the dead brother’s widow.
also perhaps receive some wages (if he needed Since reproduction was always the first aim
them) for his time spent away for his job to serve of Hebrew marriage (as demonstrated by the
the congregation. This view is what most rabbis Abrahamic Covenant instruction that every
go by today. If the person was called to full- Israelite had a duty to be fruitful and multi-
 250 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ply), then the primary purpose of this more or stition and reality involved here; superstition in
less forced marriage was that the living brother that it was thought that by preserving memory
should impregnate the former widow. The first of a person’s name his spirit would remain in
son born to this woman shall be considered existence. Thus we have memorial monuments
the son of the deceased man. And as stated in built with a deceased person’s name inscribed
verse 6, the reason for this protocol is so that on them. This was the beginning of the more
the deceased man’s name will not be blotted out modern day idea of tombstones and grave mark-
from Israel. ers. So the notion was that if a corpse’s name
Let’s spend a little time with this because was still present, and his family still spoke it,
it plays a central role in a couple of key biblical then his spirit was still operating in some mys-
stories. terious way.
Josephus said that the understood purpose From a reality standpoint we find many bibli-
of this law of levirate marriage was to keep a cal names fully indicative of a mission or destiny
man’s family name from dying out and it was that person fulfilled: Yeshua, for instance . . . God
also to prevent his property from being passed saves.
on to relatives. Another purpose was so that the But what happened if a man died childless
widow would be properly cared for especially in (or more importantly to him, son-less)? If that
her elder years. The Bible says that the purpose happened, then there were no descendants to
is so that the man’s name is not blotted out. utter his name, carve it upon monuments, keep
A kind of ancestor worship was practiced by his life essence alive within their own bodies
the patriarchs, and the idea so central to Chris- of the succeeding generations, or tend to his
tianity of dying and going to heaven was virtu- afterlife needs. Therefore his afterlife existence
ally unknown in the Torah and was only vaguely ceased (a truly terrifying proposition).
implied in some of the psalms. Rather what We find these beliefs almost universal in
was nearly universally accepted in one form or nature in ancient times, and we find it even
another in the world of the OT was that the mentioned in the Bible. Both Jacob and his son
souls or spirits of the deceased continued living Joseph insisted that they be brought outside of
some sort of shadowy existence below ground Egypt and buried next to their deceased ances-
and that it was the solemn duty of their descen- tors so they could commune with them. We also
dants to tend to them. Part and parcel was the find this repeated phrase in the Bible: “He died
belief that a man’s life essence continued on in and went to be with his fathers.” This shows
his offspring; therefore without offspring (a son, us how much the Hebrews continued to believe
really) the man’s life essence came to an end. in some kind of ill-defined afterlife, in which
In addition to the ancient beliefs about
afterlife, we also have studied at some length
the concept of the term name (shem in Hebrew).
Briefly the term name meant much more, and
something different, in antiquity than it does
Deuteronomy 25

today. Quite literally the word shem meant both

“name” and “reputation”; this is because a man’s
name often was descriptive of his reputation.
In fact, many names given at birth were either
historic (in that the name described a circum-
stance surrounding the person’s birth) or it was
prophetic (by means of pronouncing that per-
sons’ destiny in advance). There is both super-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 251

not only could the dead commune with other principles are not pronounced as laws but rather
dead, but the living had obligations to the dead their practice is buried deep within the stories
so that their spirits could continue on. of the patriarchs. Only later did these embedded
Thus we have another critical reason for principles (many of which were more everyday
levirate marriage; it is all part of the same ball custom than well thought out rules) eventually
of wax to keep the spirit of the deceased exist- become well-defined laws (with consequences
ing. If a Hebrew man died without having a for disobedience to them) on the slopes of
son, his name would die out. Because he had no Mount Sinai. Here I have an opportunity to
male offspring to continue the family line, his show you another example.
life essence would not continue; he would have We find the concept of levirate marriage in
no descendant to attend to his afterlife needs, use among the patriarchs long before it was ever
but worse, his family name would end. This is a written law among the Hebrews. Later, well
essence of the statement in verse 6 where it says after the Law was given about levirate marriage
his name would be eliminated or blotted out we’ll find it expanded and brought to another
from Israel. The Lord found this issue impor- level during the time of the judges. But before
tant enough to do something about it thus the Moses, back in Genesis 38, we get the story of
rules that the brother of the deceased man was Judah and Tamar. Tamar was Judah’s daughter-
to marry the widow and give her children. Sim- in-law, but she became widowed when her hus-
ply marrying her was not the issue; giving her band (Judah’s son) suddenly died and left her
children (theoretically a son) was the issue. without children. Custom demanded that Onan,
I demonstrated to you in the last couple of Judah’s next son, marry Tamar and give her a
lessons how we find this amazing progression child. He reluctantly married her but refused to
in Holy Scripture whereby unchangeable God- impregnate her (choosing instead, as the Torah
puts it, to “spill his seed on the ground”).
Onan was evil in God’s eyes for not giving
Tamar children, so God killed him and Judah’s
youngest son had the duty to marry Tamar.
Notice that Onan did marry Tamar, but because
he refused to give her a son God found him
guilty. Judah did not want his youngest son to
marry Tamar because he had already lost two
sons, both who had married this woman and
died, so he refused to allow the marriage. Tamar
eventually tricked Judah into thinking she was
a prostitute; she became pregnant by him and
produced not one son but twins (one of whom
went on to become Yeshua’s ancestor).
Now the reason Tamar did this was not
Deuteronomy 25

as selfish as it might seem (and has often been

taught and preached as a selfish act). It was
common knowledge of that era that the woman
held the key to the afterlife of her husband. If
she didn’t produce children, his afterlife ended.
Therefore Tamar went to great length to do
something that was likely repugnant to her
(acting as a prostitute to lure Judah) in order to
 252 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

fulfill her duty to birth a son in her dead hus- This is interesting enough to spend a
band’s name, thus assuring the ongoing life of moment explaining the sandal removing ritual.
his spirit. Let me begin by reminding you that sexuality
This is also why God killed Onan; Onan was front and center in ancient cultures (includ-
did an evil thing (as it turns out) by refusing ing Hebrew culture) but is buried by well-mean-
to impregnate Tamar. Understand: Onan fully ing Bible translators so that we can hardly see
understood that (from the typical beliefs of that it in present day Scripture renderings. Sexuality
era) by not fulfilling his duty his brother’s life was not something seen as dirty or taboo, but
essence would cease. Thus in a spiritual sense, merely as much a part of life as breathing and
from the viewpoint of the ancients, Onan killed eating. Naturally there were rules about sexu-
the vital part of his brother, his spirit. In real- ality (laws against homosexuality, incest, adul-
ity God killed Onan for refusing to do his duty tery, and such), but it was these prohibited acts
so that his brother’s family line could continue that perverted what the Lord created as normal
rather than coming to an end. But it also meant and vital. Further, sexual illustrations and meta-
that this widow would be destitute without hav- phors and word pictures were part of everyday
ing a husband. And this is something that the language; again, not as tawdry or suggestive but
Lord created the laws of Levirate marriage to merely as a way to communicate in well-under-
prevent. stood and acceptable terms.
Fast-forward a few centuries to long after The point is that the ritual of pulling the
the time the law of levirate marriage was given sandal off the foot and spitting were sexual in
to Moses, to the time of Ruth. A man (Ruth’s their meaning. Recall how it is that in Hebrew
husband) died with no living brothers, so it fell thought when a man marries a woman he
to more distant relatives to marry Ruth and give essentially puts on his wife as an article of
her a son. That man was Boaz. It is true that clothing. She becomes a kind of covering for
the story of Ruth also involves the law of the him just as he provides a different type of cov-
kinsman redeemer but levirate marriage rules ering for her. Thus the Bible will at times refer
are also present and central to the story. So we to a wife as a “garment” for her husband (this
see how over the centuries the laws of Levirate is a beautiful and meaningful metaphor, not
marriage were practiced in different stages of demeaning). The sandal in our story (of the
Israel’s history and how people from different brother who won’t marry the widow) is repre-
eras understood the purpose. sentative of just this sort of imagery. Think of
But what happens if the deceased man’s the story of Judah and Tamar as I explain this
brother does not want to marry the widow? We to you: the sandal is the woman’s reproductive
find out beginning in Deuteronomy 25:7. The organ; the man’s foot represents his reproduc-
widow brings the recalcitrant brother to the tive organ. The man according to the levirate
city gates (where the elders who are usually the marriage rules is supposed to wear the wom-
town’s judges handle the legal matters) and she an’s reproductive organ but won’t; therefore in
declares that the responsible party refuses to the ritual the woman publicly removes the san-
Deuteronomy 25

do his duty. The elders of the town ask him if dal from his foot.
that is the case, and if he confirms it then she Next she spits, not in his face (as most ver-
walks up to him, pulls the sandal off of one his sions say), but before his presence; the spit rep-
feet, and spits. She also makes what amounts to resents his semen. Ancient sages say that the rit-
a curse saying what he has done to his brother ual was that the jilted widow spit in front of the
should happen to him, and that he shall be brother, onto the ground next to his bare foot.
known forever as the “unsandaled one,” a very This essentially re-enacts the narrative of Onan
odd-sounding epithet, don’t you think? and Tamar whereby the evil Onan would not
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 253

place his seed into Tamar but instead elected to physical in nature and dimension after the res-
“spill it onto the ground.” urrection (meaning the general resurrection, not
As the final insult on the brother, the His resurrection). Siring children and providing
widow declared that he would be known as the a deceased man with a son would have no more
“unsandaled one.” That is the one who refused meaning then. Laws dealing with widows and
to do his duty of levirate marriage—not the families and ways to avoid social injustices are
part about marrying but the part of giving the matters pertinent to the present physical world,
widow a male child. not to heaven and the future world-to-come.
As an interesting aside, let’s take a look at Further there won’t even be any marriage,
an episode in the NT where Jesus was arguing because our natures will more approximate
with some Sadducees and it involved the issue that of angels than of human beings. Thus the
of levirate marriage. example of marriage as a binding together of
spirits and of perfect faithfulness will no longer
be needed.
Assignment: Read Matthew 22:23–32.
Rules for Women Fighting and
Improper Weights
This next rather strange law is the one con-
Obviously levirate marriage was well known cerning the improper intervention of a woman
in Jesus’s day, and He in no way disputed its (a wife) in a fight her husband is engaged in
validity. However the argument He was engaged (Deut. 25:11-16). The case is that two men get
in was really about the resurrection. The Sad- into a fight with one another, and the wife of
ducees were citing their tradition to Yeshua one of the combatants decides to help her hus-
about resurrection and tried to use the law of band by grabbing the genitals of his foe. This
levirate marriage to prove that resurrection was law says she is not to do this thing, and if she
little more than Jewish law carried forward into does she is to have her hand cut off as a pen-
a new physical world ruled by a new physical alty. At least this is what it appears to say. I must
Jewish kingdom. They saw no heavenly, spiri- admit, the mental picture I get of this event is
tual element to resurrection (or to levirate mar- a bit hard to believe as something that might
riage); only the earthly and physical and political even occur; the rabbis agree with me on that.
aspects. Most of the laws we’ve read have been enacted
Therefore they used levirate marriage to to prohibit something that regularly happened
argue against Jesus’s position. They said that if a (but shouldn’t) and needed to be dealt with or
man died without children, and a succession of to establish something that needed to happen
his brothers married his widow and each died (but had not been). The likelihood of a woman
and each failed to sire a child with the widow, grabbing the private parts of a man who was in
and then the widow died, whose wife was she a fight with her husband is almost impossible to
Deuteronomy 25

after the resurrection? The implication, of imagine, and there is no record in Jewish litera-
course, was that the entire purpose of the levi- ture of such a thing. So what is this about?
rate marriage was not that the widow become a First, this is about a common civil fight, not
wife, but that she become a mother (the mother war. This fight is not on the battlefield; it’s about
of the son of the deceased man). two men (two Israelites) disagreeing a little too
Yeshua retorts that to argue this is pointless vigorously over something. Second, the pen-
because this will be of no issue in the world to alty of the offending woman grabbing a man’s
come; a world that will be more spiritual than genitals seems completely disproportionate to
 254 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the sentence of having her hand cut off. Third, your pouch. The admonition in the second law
the Torah reflects complete abhorrence at any is to give a fair amount when buying and selling
kind of bodily mutilation as a judicial penalty, according to one set of weights and measures.
so this really makes little sense in the context of So both laws come down to the issue of
the bigger picture. Therefore the great Hebrew fundamental fairness and the use of the words
sages knew they had to look under the surface “stones” and “pouch” are used to show the
to see what was intended. underlying connection between the law of the
The general consensus is that this law is improper intervention in a fight by the woman,
figurative, not literal, and that the underlying and the dishonest use of weights and measures
principle is fundamental fairness because fair- to cheat someone.
ness is a key ingredient to fundamental holiness.
A woman grabbing a man’s genitals would be a
horrible, humiliating experience in that era even Remember the Amalekites
more so that it would be now. Further, there is Immediately following those two laws is the law
nothing to indicate that the fight was causing of Deuteronomy 25:17. This law tells Israel to
great bodily harm to her husband. Therefore always remember that their archenemy is the
for a third party to intervene on behalf of one Amalekites, and when the time is right Israel is
combatant in this type of situation and to take to wipe out that wicked nation.
the strong action this woman figuratively takes, Who are the Amalekites that Yehoveh wants
is patently unfair; it’s cheating and unwarranted. Israel to never forget and to eventually destroy?
Yet it’s when we get ready to move on to the Well, if it weren’t for the Lord choosing to put
law that follows this, the law about using correct them front and center as the archetypical enemy
weights and measures, that we see something of Israel, they were actually a rather unremark-
really interesting. I won’t get into the technicali- able people about which little is known. Genesis
ties, but if you’ll remember back to your school tells us that the person of Amalek was a grand-
days in English grammar courses, just as Eng- son of Esau (Esau was the patriarch Jacob’s twin
lish literature has a rhythm and meter that varies brother), who was sired by Esau’s son Eliphaz.
with what kind of literature it is (prose, poetry, Therefore Amalek was related to Israel and was
narrative, etc.) so it is with Hebrew literature. a Semite, but because he was not Hebrew Ama-
What we find is that verse 13 (about not hav- lek (and the Amelikites) were Gentiles. Never-
ing alternate weights in your pouch) is really an theless, the people that Amalek spawned and
interconnecting bridge between the law of the grew into a nation that was especially wicked in
improper intervention in a fight and the law of God’s eyes. In fact, I contend that they are pre-
honest weights and measures. It is what writers sented in the Bible as a type, a pattern, probably
call a double entendre; it overlaps two thoughts even as the epitome of an enemy of Israel.
and the words have parallel meanings simulta- Notice in these verses that God says Israel
neously. is never to forget what Amalek did to them;
Notice that in verse 12 the issue is the male Amalek attacked Israel as they were struggling
Deuteronomy 25

genitalia, so what immediately follows is about to escape the grip of Pharaoh and journey to
weights in a pouch; more literally what is says the Promised Land. Amalek didn’t seem to have
is “stones” in a pouch (the reference is obvious any rational reason to hate and attack Israel, as
so I don’t need to become too graphic). Then Israel had done nothing to them that is recorded
in verse 14 it speaks of not having larger and in the Bible or any other known historical nar-
smaller weights (as measurement standards) in rative. Amalek hated them (so far as we know)
your house, which of course also connects to simply because they existed. They behaved as a
verse 13 about having a large and small stone in coward and without honor as their method was
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 255

to attack at the rear of the miles-long column of of him (to annihilate the Amalekites) but in
Israelites, where the weak and the elderly strug- the end admits that he has sinned against God
gled to keep up. (even though in his mind it was more a techni-
In other words, what they did was funda- cality than anything significant).
mentally unfair, and as you’ll recall, fundamen- Samuel orders that King Agag be brought
tal fairness was the issue of the previous few to him, whereupon he executes Agag and cuts
verses of this chapter. him up into pieces. This would be the last time
It would be a long time before God would that Samuel ever saw Sha’ul, the man he had
finally direct Israel to bring about the annihila- earlier personally anointed to be the first king
tion of the nation of Amalek. It was King Saul, of Israel.
about 250 years or so after the time of Moses, In verse 23 of this chapter the Lord com-
who was given the direct order by God to attack pares the sin of King Sha’ul with the sins of
the Amalekites and begin the process of ridding sorcery and idolatry and says that because Saul
them from the world. has done this evil that God now rejects Saul. It
Let’s take the time to read the story of King is important to remember that, of the few sins
Sha’ul and his battle with Amalek because it ties and crimes that automatically call for the death
together a couple of important principles that sentence (meaning there is no means of atone-
we have discussed in the past. ment provided for in the Law of Moses), two of
those are sorcery and idolatry. God is through
with King Sha’ul and will now separate Himself
Assignment: Read 1 Samuel 15. from Him; this is the ultimate death sentence.
Here’s the thing: what exactly did Saul do that
was so egregious so as he deserved such a harsh
judgment? Essentially the reason for Yehoveh’s
In a nutshell, God orders King Saul to kill severity is all wrapped up in the answer to this
everyone and everything associated with Ama- question: Who was it that ordered the war
lek. Saul immediately summons several thou- against Amalek? Answer: Yehoveh. Therefore
sand troops; they set up an ambush and largely this constitutes formal God-ordained holy war.
succeed in their efforts. Only the divine can order holy war. Men who
Before Israel attacks, however, they have engage in battle in the name of God (like in the
a parlay with some people identified as the Crusades) are not engaged in holy war despite
Kenites and warn them to leave the area oth- their claims. When we fight a war that God has
erwise they’ll become collateral damage. As not directly and unequivocally ordered, it may
was customary in battles of this era the king of well be the necessary and right thing to do and
Amalek, Agag, was captured by Saul and his life God may even be on our side (so-to-speak); but
was spared. The healthy animals that belonged that is not the definition of holy war.
to the Amalekites were taken as spoils of war There have been no holy wars since the close
by the Israelites. This act angered God to such of the Scriptures (at least so far as we know).
Deuteronomy 25

a degree that He openly stated how much He There will be no holy wars until Messiah returns
regretted making Saul king over Israel. to lead the next holy war that we typically dub
The prophet and former judge Samuel the Battle of Armageddon. That the Lord has
(Sh’mu’el in Hebrew) intervened and told Saul aided Israel at times in their several wars since
that he had disobeyed God and would now pay returning to the holy land doesn’t necessarily
the price of losing the legitimacy of his throne mean that Israel was fighting holy wars. Our
for it. Saul argued back that Samuel was mis- current fight to defend ourselves against Islam,
taken; that he had done what Yehoveh asked just as Israel’s fight to defend their nation, while
 256 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

completely justified, is not true holy war. I hope also took for himself (and allowed some of the
you can see this and accept it. Israelites to take for themselves) some of the
In holy war the Law of Herem comes into spoils of war. This was a direct affront upon
play, whereby the spoils of war belong exclusively God’s holiness as King Saul and those Israelites
to the Lord, not to the men who participated in had helped themselves to God’s holy property.
the battle. Since God is Spirit He has need of The affront was so serious that God’s
neither the captured cattle or human slaves nor prophet, Samuel, permanently separated him-
gold and silver nor the cities of the enemy. There- self from King Saul. This was completely
fore according to the rules of holy war (that we appropriate for what use was there for a prophet
studied in depth some time back) all the spoils of of God to give God’s Word to a man whom is
holy war are to be handed over to God unless He now separated (karet, cut-off) from God?
specifies otherwise; there are some exceptions on Before we get back to Deuteronomy I would
a case by case basis. These spoils are by their very like to mention a couple more things. Often in
nature God’s holy property. the Bible we’ll see statements that use the word
Under normal circumstances (such as the all. Or we’ll see statements that seem to indicate
offering of regular Levitical sacrifices) the items finality or full inclusion (or full exclusion for
designated as God’s holy property are turned that matter). Almost always those are general
over to the priesthood for disposition and statements. It would be like our getting bilked
most of the stuff (grains, fruit, wine, meat) is in some financial scheme and lamenting that we
divided up among the priests and Levite labor- have lost “all of our money.” While we may be
ers as their God-authorized means of support (a terribly damaged and indeed our wealth greatly
substantially smaller portion of the plants and diminished, we have not lost 100 percent of our
animals are burned up on the Brazen Altar). In money never to again have any money. So in our
contrast, in a holy war the items are generally story of the Amalekites where it says that Saul
not turned over to the priests for their distri- “completely destroyed the people (the Amale-
bution and use. Rather, the spoils of holy war kites),” that doesn’t in any way mean that every
are to be destroyed and/or burned up; they are last Amalekite was killed.
returned to their elements as a symbolic way of In fact it next fell to King David to again
giving them to Yehoveh. This also (as difficult deal with the Amalekites and he destroyed them
as it is to take) goes for the captured people. until there was almost nothing left. Centuries
God ordains what is to be done with them. In later King Hezekiah would order five hundred
some cases the men are to be executed and the men from the tribe of Simeon to go to Mount
women and children spared and added to Israel Seir (in the territory of Edom) to finally and
as servants (and invariably after a few genera- permanently eradicate the remnant of Amalek.
tions eventually assimilated as citizens). At The reason I went to this length to talk
other times (as with Amalek) all the people are about Amalek is because of what I told you at
to be executed: men, women, children, infants. the outset: Amalek was certainly real, and the
King Saul being the weak and selfish king stories of them true, but they also represent a
Deuteronomy 25

that he was, paid no attention to the holy war type; the type Amalek represents doesn’t only
laws. He decided he’d do things a little bit God’s pertain to biblical times.
way and a little bit his way. So while he did fol- When we dust off the history books and look
low God’s command to attack Amalek (and it closer we see that Amalek is also symbolic of the
appears that as of this time Amalek was not a spirit of the anti-Christ and of Satan. Satan, the
particularly threatening problem for Israel and great Evil One, the ultimate enemy of Israel and
Saul), and Sha’ul did execute all the people, he of mankind and of God. If you want to under-
did not kill the king of Amalek. In addition he stand God’s attitude toward Satan, and what our
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 257

attitude is to be toward Satan and his followers, us, or perhaps even tried to kill us—Christian
then study the stories of Amalek. God is in the or not. But we are not to love and accept those
process of total eradication of Satan, his follow- whom God has explicitly identified as marked
ers, and everything Satan possesses. He will do for destruction because they are His eternal
it in the pattern of His genocide upon Amalek. enemies who oppose His kingdom. Amalek was
Let’s recall something we discussed a few one of God’s enemies; Satan and his followers
weeks ago. There is this notion (a false notion) are another. Notice how the instruction of Deu-
among the modern Church that Jesus has teronomy 25:17 is to at all times “remember”
revised the face and character of God, away what Amalek did to Israel, and how God hates
from this OT God who will judge and destroy them (meaning God rejects them), and how His
His enemies to the NT God who winks at sin plan is to use Israel as His divine instrument
and wouldn’t harm a fly (so great is His mercy of final destruction upon Amalek. The modern
and so much does He love everyone and every- day believers of the God of Israel are equally to
thing). The concept is that Yehoveh has for- “remember Amalek”—the nation and people of
saken His attributes of wrath and justice, and Satan—and to be prepared for holy war against
now is 100 percent mercy and love. He is the them. That holy war is not far off and we better
ultimate pacifist deity who exists only for our be well into our preparation for it; it will begin
benefit. His new motto is: no harm, no foul. when God sends Messiah Yeshua back to earth
One of the primary sayings of Yeshua that is to be the divine warrior leader against Satan and
used to defend this modern position is that we his followers. But while long ago the prepara-
are to love our enemies and not hate them. We tion for Israel was spears and bows and swords,
ought to accept this instruction completely, but for us it is trust in Yeshua as our Savior and in
understand: there is a night-and-day difference the Word of God as God’s will for men.
between loving our enemies and loving God’s Notice also that while Israel was to be as
enemies. Just as there exists justifiable and ratio- separate as possible from Amalek, and was to
nal human war versus God-ordained holy war, have nothing to do with Amalek, and was to
so there is not necessarily a connection between defend themselves at all times from Amalek,
our personal enemies (people who have harmed that a holy war against Amalek was not to be
us or offended us as our neighbors) versus those attempted anytime Israel was feeling its oats. If
who God has declared as His eternal enemies Israel suddenly had some religious fervor grip
(enemies of the kingdom of God). them, the leaders got together and they decided
We indeed are to love and not hate that per- that now they were strong enough to attack
son who has perhaps defrauded us, or slandered Amalek, that was not holy war.

Deuteronomy 25
 258 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 26

This begins a four-chapter section that revolves words have another message. The concealed things, the
around the blessings and curses contained in esoteric knowledge with regard to the written text of the
the Law of Moses. We ended chapter 25 where Law, the sacred numerical structures, all these are for the
the subject was essentially fundamental fair- sacred benefit of God, to His glory. But . . . the text of
ness, and in this four-chapter section of Deuter- the Law in its straight, plain language is for the benefit
onomy that begins with chapter 26, the subject of the people. What we have is a coded message to the
of “true religion” will be briefly summarized ordinary people, the uninitiated, who do not know the
and examples will be given. At the end of the hidden intricacies of the text, so that they would obey the
section the often forgotten admonition of God law in its plain meaning. 7
that “this commandment that I command you
today is not too hard for you” is spoken. We You see, the content of the revealed truth
should all etch this divine statement in our (that part of the Torah that all men can under-
memories because too often the incorrect rea- stand without being scholars) is what is written
son given for the giving of the New Covenant is as part of Moses’s sermon and contained within
that the Law was too hard to be followed. that central core of the Law; it is those laws and
There is also a warning of future disasters commands presented to us in plain language in
for Israel if they fail to follow the terms of the Deuteronomy 12-26. But what we find in chap-
covenant of Moses, and we’ll see some cov- ters 26–30 begins to delve into the realm of the
enant renewal ceremonies to ensure that people deeper mysteries that only those who know and
understand that the Mosaic Covenant stands love and diligently seek the God of Israel can
forever; it didn’t end with their entry into the even begin to comprehend.
Promised Land.
But there is one more aspect of this section
that is also truly fascinating, and it is stated in Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 26.
the words of Deuteronomy 29:28. It is state in
the form of a riddle, a mystery, about Israel’s
duty to observe the Torah: “The secret things
belong to YHWH our God and the revealed One of the more interesting revelations of
things to us and to all our children forever; we this chapter is that here and here alone in the
are to DO all the words of this Torah.” entire Torah we find some precisely prescribed
I can do no better than to quote the emi- declarations that each lay worshipper is to recite
Deuteronomy 26

nent scholar C. J. Labuschagne in this regard: while doing the rituals of bringing their firstfruits
to the Tabernacle. In essence these declarations
The plain meaning of the text of Deuteronomy refers are God-designed “form prayer” for the ordinary
to its immediate context, which speaks of a national Israelites. In that sense this prayer is very simi-
disaster for Israel as a consequence of disobedience to lar in nature to the NT Lord’s Prayer. While the
YHWH’s commands. But, at the same time, those priests often have “form prayers” as part of their

7
C. J. Labuschagne, The Scriptures and the Scrolls (Brill Academic Publishers, 1992)
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 259

ritual liturgy, we really don’t find much in the way were known to some Middle Eastern cultures,
of “form prayers” in the Bible that are designed they probably were not known to the Israelites.
for the average person to speak. Details had to be given to these future farmers.
This law about bringing the firstfruits to the By now our studies have introduced us to
Tabernacle (and later to the temple) could not be two so-called Firstfruits ceremonies; that one
performed out in the wilderness. It was a prac- which in Hebrew is called Bikkurim (in asso-
tical matter; only after the Israelites had con- ciation with the spring festivals of Passover
quered and settled the Land of Canaan could and Unleavened Bread), and then another sum-
this be observed when the tribes had fields and mer festival of Firstfruits that is called Shavuot
orchards to harvest. (Christians call it Pentecost). There is actually a
It is interesting to me that one of the third “firstfruits” celebration that is held in con-
instructions for the Hebrew farmer is that he junction with the fall season festival called Suk-
is to place the portion of his harvest that he kot, or the Feast of Tabernacles. This last one
will bring to present to God into a basket. That is more technically known as the “final ingath-
Deuteronomy 26

seems like an awfully trivial detail until we real- ering,” meaning it is the end of the harvesting
ize that up to the point in Israel’s history where season as winter nears.
we are now in Deuteronomy, Israel knows lit- Each of these three festivals that dealt with
tle of farming. They were historically a shep- firstfruits was connected to the pilgrimage fes-
herding people; they raised animals. In Egypt tivals. Of the seven total biblical Feasts, three of
some were likely engaged in agriculture, but the them required that each worshipper (generally
larger portion were shepherds and construction meaning the males) journey to the location of the
workers. Therefore while firstfruits ceremonies Tabernacle with his offering of firstfruits. That
 260 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

is the meaning of the statement in verse 3 that self with the land as though he was the first one
ends with the words, “And go to the place where there. The Mishnah states regarding the Pass-
the Lord your God will choose to establish His over observances that “in every generation one
name.” That place would move a few times after must view oneself as if he personally came out
Israel first conquered Canaan (with Shiloh being of Egypt.” This is the source of that principle.
the most permanent location for the tent), and This concludes the first part of the First-
in time Israel would establish several compet- fruits ceremony. Next, after the priest has
ing sites, and eventually by the time of David taken the basket and sets it before the altar, the
(and then Solomon) it would become Jerusalem, Hebrew farmer is to make another declaration
where the temple was finally constructed. to the Lord. What makes it interesting is that
At each of these three-times-per-year jour- it essentially is a brief review of the history of
neys to the Tabernacle, the worshipper is to Israel. The worshipper acknowledges a number
hand his basket of produce to the priest who of things in this second prayerful declaration:
will officiate and perform the ceremony. Upon
turning his sacrifice of firstfruits over to the 1) Israel began as nothing special (“my
priest the layperson is then to declare the fol- father was a nomad from Aram”). The precise
lowing: “I acknowledge that this day, before the meaning of this has been haggled over a bit, but
Lord your God, that I have entered the land the underlying concept is rather simple. Abra-
that the Lord swore to our fathers to assign us.” ham, Isaac, and Jacob all identified more with
The meaning of that declaration is straight- the homeland of their ancestor Terach (Abra-
forward, but also monumental: it is the fulfill- ham’s father) than the place where they wan-
ment of the Abrahamic Covenant. The land dered (Canaan) before relocating to Egypt. One
that was promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, of the names for the region where Abraham
and Jacob so long ago has been given; it is fin- came from is “Aram alongside the river.” So
ished. It was not another land, it was this land. It this is quite correct to identify the patriarchs are
would not happen in another time, it was now. Aram-eans. Some Bible versions will translate
The connection with the giving of the firstfruits this as “a fugitive from Syria” because Damas-
of the field is that without the land they now cus, Syria, eventually became the stronghold for
possess there would be no firstfruits to give. the Arameans, but not until long after the time
Please, hear me: it grieves my heart to hear so of the patriarchs. All that said, each Israelite
many Church denominational leaders actually declares their association to the patriarchs who
question why it is that the Jews necessarily have were originally from Aram.
to be back in Israel; this is an issue because the
Jewish presence there supposedly has displaced 2) Next it is acknowledged that being
the Palestinians. While this is not the only place very small in number, Jacob’s clan (in no way
in the Bible that unequivocally states that God big enough to be seen as a “people” or as a
intended to give Canaan exclusively to Israel, “nation”) went down into Egypt where they
this event actually did occur and God even became a large nation.
Deuteronomy 26

required the Israelites to acknowledge that fact

in this prayerful declaration. 3) The condition of their stay in Egypt is
It is noteworthy that the declaration is that now stated; it was under harsh oppression that
“I” have entered the land of Canaan. That might they existed.
have seemed more appropriate of a declaration
for the very first generation of Israelites, those 4) It was from this condition of hard labor
who fought beside Joshua. Yet the Lord intends and slavery that the Lord rescued Israel and did
that every generation of Hebrew identify him- so in a miraculous and supernatural way.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 261

5) God moved Israel from a place where ber the uncomfortable circumstance of being
they were landless and without hope to the land a foreigner in a land not their own. Therefore
He had set aside for His people, as promised to they are to have mercy and compassion on for-
the patriarchs, where they would possess land, eigners, because the Lord does.
and the land would produce abundantly for
them. The nature of the Word of God is that it
consists of various levels of depth. The notion
6) And since it is God who owns all things, that God’s Word spans a range from the most
since He created all things, it is logical that plain and straightforward to the deepest and
things that grow from the soil of the Promised most mystical has been captured in an inter-
Land should be seen as God’s property. So a esting rabbinical principle of Scripture study.
portion of what grows—the first and the best— That principle says that there are essentially
is offered to Yehoveh in thanksgiving. four definable levels or dimensions of learn-
ing and Biblical examination: Pshat, Remez,
Hidden in all this is that Israel denies the Drash, and Sod. Pshat means the most straight-
Canaanites’ claim that Ba’al is the ruling god forward intended meaning, Remez is what you
over the land. It is Yehoveh that is supreme; He read between the lines, Drash is an interpretative
is behind all the wonders that have happened meaning that can include the allegorical, and
to Israel. Sod is the most mystical and esoteric.
Another interesting note is that biblically To be clear: it’s not that Scripture is actually
and historically (right up to this day), Jews see divided up such that some is Pshat, while other
biblical matters within the context of the nation Scripture is Remez, and so on; rather it is that
and people of the Jews, collectively, rather than all Scripture passages can be examined on each
as individuals. The Scriptures bear out this view of these four levels. It is also generally agreed
of collective identification as more important that all Scripture is not alike; some Scripture
than individuality. Therefore priests perform is inherently more straightforward and some is
the rituals on behalf of Israel, and the feasts inherently more mystical. Some is meant to be
are for Israel corporately. There are only a few taken more at face value and other is meant to
places in the Torah where the individual is high- be looked at far more deeply. Thus what can be
lighted, and it is this particular one that draws gained by examining the Word using each of
my attention, because it is all about redemp- these four levels will vary somewhat according
tion. Each Israelite must acknowledge his own to the relevant passage.
identification with the God of Israel, and the So the four chapter section beginning with
redemption that Yehoveh has given to him as an chapter 26 is dealing with passages that are more
individual. The firstfruits ceremonies are quite mystical and thus more conducive to yielding
personal in tone and purpose. their meaning when studied using the Sod level
The ceremony concludes with a joyous of examination.
feast. A festive meal eaten near the entry to the It has become common in the Church to
Deuteronomy 26

sanctuary is required of the worshipper. Since think that our total monetary obligation is to give
the Levites were busy tending to matters of a tithe of one-tenth of our income to the local
the Tabernacle, they generally were not able to church. By doing so, this fulfills any biblical duty
farm; so, the Levites were to be invited to share we might have to give of our own possessions
in the festive meal provided by the hundreds or prosperity. Even though the entire concept of
of thousands of worshippers who came to cel- tithing is introduced, explained and defined in
ebrate. Even the ger, foreigners, are to be invited the OT, because the standard Christian position
to participate because it helps Israel to remem- is that we are a NT church therefore there is no
 262 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

further obligation to give anything beyond that temple workers and infrastructure the giving of
10 percent. Another alternative church doctrine money for vows, and in addition there was to be
is that if we feel some kind of spiritual unction support for the poor and needy. This is hardly
within us to give, then we give according to the an exhaustive list of the several kinds and pur-
direction of that unction, but if we have no Spirit pose of giving obligations that were called for.
led unction to give at all, then we have no duty to Later when the apostles were out teach-
give anything at all. ing and preaching the gospel, Paul argued that
I can tell you with full confidence that none it was the duty of the Messianic Community
of these three common doctrines concerning to support these evangelists just as they sup-
giving are Scriptural. As we have seen in earlier ported the temple. Please notice that this was
books of the Torah, there were several kinds of not that they were to stop supporting the tem-
giving and tithing that all operated simultane- ple in order to support the bearers of the Good
ously. In other words, you didn’t select one or News; they were not to merely shift their giv-
two types (your favorites) from a list of possi- ing from one designated purpose to another. It
bilities; each type was to occur at its prescribed was to be in addition to all the other forms of
time for its prescribed purpose. One was to giving prescribed by the Torah. Giving to Paul,
offer sacrifices of animals and grains to God Peter, and the others did not negate the Torah
at the altar for various reasons, and then there requirements for giving to support the Temple
were the firstfruits ceremonies that occurred (naturally, once the temple was destroyed and
multiple times during the year. In addition the priesthood disbanded, certain types of giv-
to that there was support for the Tabernacle/ ing became impossible).
So our tithes and offerings and general giv-
ing is not so straightforward, neat, and clean
(and relatively inexpensive) as has become the
Western Church model.
What is described beginning in verse 12
is what came to be known as the “poor tithe.”
Every third year a Hebrew individual’s tithe was
to be set-aside in their local village as a means of
support for the poor. This particular tithe was
just one of several different kinds of giving and
the purpose of this specific one was to restock
warehouses from which the poor, needy, and
foreigners could draw from. Therefore instead
of the usual manner in which firstfruits were
taken to the temple and there the worshipper
would feast on some those firstfruits, every
third year those firstfruits were donated as a
Deuteronomy 26

poor-tithe.
Interestingly however, the reality is that
because Israel operated on the Sabbatical Year
system (a system of seven-year rolling cycles),
the schedule for this poor tithe was three-years,
three-years, and four-years. In other words in a
seven-year cycle, year three was the first poor-
tithe year, year six was the second poor-tithe
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 263

year, but since the seventh year was a year in piece of property they owned and give the pro-
which no crops were grown, no tithes of first- ceeds to the Messianic Community. However in
fruits were given whatsoever (not to the temple secret, they held some of those proceeds back
nor to anyone). So after giving the poor-tithe in for themselves. When questioned by the church
year six of the seven-year cycle, another poor leadership whether they had given all the pro-
tithe would not be due until year three of the ceeds, they answered that they had (a lie), and
next seven-year cycle; a span of four years hav- God instantly killed them.
ing gone by since the previous one. So you see from this declaration that the
The Israelites eventually grew tired of obey- farmer makes in Deuteronomy 26:13 (that
ing God in their financial matters and so they indeed he has held nothing back from the holy
modified (to their favor) the regulations of portion set-aside for God) it is precisely the
tithing and firstfruits. The temple in particu- same form used in the book of Acts to question
lar didn’t like the loss of some of their income Ananias and Sapphira. To hold back that which
every third year, nor did they like not having has been promised to Yehoveh is to misappro-
control over giving to the poor, so about a cen- priate holy property; it is to rob God.
tury before Yeshua was born the high priest The next portion of the declaration is that
John Hyrcannus (an illegitimate high priest the worshipper has donated the firstfruits as a
installed by the Hasmon family) declared the poor-tithe to fulfill all of God’s commandments
abolition of the poor tithe. The modern church concerning the giving of firstfruits, therefore
has picked up on this and many of the largest properly discharging his obligations as pre-
denominations require that all of its members’ scribed in the Law.
tithes and offerings be to their local church and Verse 14 begins a series of statements as
that church’s leadership will then decide how to part of this vow declaration to Yehoveh, in
dole it out. which the worshipper says he has handled this
When giving the poor-tithe the farmer is holy portion accordingly while it has been in his
to make a declaration to the Lord, more or less house. There is more to handling God’s holy
in the form of a vow. The farmer first states property than simply giving it up as called for;
that he has indeed offered up that portion of it can be defiled by misuse in the interim. Part
his produce set aside for God and has held of the reason for this vow-statement and some
nothing back. This may sound like a harmless of the others is that because this tithe was taken
nicety or a formality, but the reality is that this to the local storehouse instead of given to the
is all about the inherently dangerous situation of priests, there were fewer checks and balances.
dealing with God’s holy property. That which is When given to the temple in normal years,
set-aside for God is His even before it is physi- priests inspected the produce to be sure of both
cally given to Him in some kind of ceremony or quantity and quality. If the quality was not up
ritual. We see that principle developed early in to snuff or the quantity was suspect, the priest
Torah; at the moment a worshipper even men- would not accept it and he’d turn the worship-
tally selects a particular animal that he intends per away. But here with the poor-tithe, much
Deuteronomy 26

to be his sacrifice, the ownership of that ani- could be done in secret. You can imagine how
mal essentially transfers to Yehoveh. God’s holy easy it would be for a giver to give less than the
property is a sensitive matter to Him, and those best of his produce when he knew it was going
who try to misappropriate His holy property to the least valued people in their society and
often suffer the death sentence. This has not not to the temple (and likely no one would be
ended; we recently looked at the story in the NT any the wiser).
of Ananias and Sapphira, a believing husband The first of those statements he makes is
and wife who inwardly determined to sell a that he has not defiled the poor-tithe by eat-
 264 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ing a portion of it while in mourning. In other the Scriptures about death and what comes
words, a mourner who has been in the same after. I consider this one of those mysteries that
tent or house as a corpse becomes unclean. If God has determined He will hold for His own
a mourner (while he was in an unclean state) glory, and will share only that which He deems
eats a portion of the offering that had been set- man needs to know (and apparently what man
aside for God (even if in good faith he replaced needed to know was practically nothing in the
what had been eaten at a later time) then the days of the patriarchs, only slightly more in the
entire holy portion was now defiled and no lon- days of kings and the prophets, and eventually
ger suitable for tithing. Remember that contact a few more pieces of the puzzle were added in
from something unclean infects that which was the NT era).
formerly clean. Further this declaration indi- Archeologists have uncovered ancient
cates that apart from being unclean (tamei) due Hebrew gravesites that had strange holes (small
to nearness to (or contact with) a corpse, the diameter tubes or passageways) that went from
second statement is that the worshipper has ground level down to where the body lay in
not handled God’s holy property while he was repose. They were used to drop morsels of food
unclean for any reason. and beverage down to the corpse. Ancestor wor-
The next declaration by the giver is an odd ship was practiced differently among different
sounding one: he declares that he has not given cultures; indeed some did actually worship their
any of the holy portions to the dead. What does dead ancestors and even prayed to them. Other
that mean? I have shared with you on many cultures didn’t offer worship to them but simply
occasions that the Hebrews maintained many decided that some essence of that dead person
superstitions about death and the afterlife that lived on and so certainly they must need to eat.
were common among the various peoples and Or that they had ongoing needs for things like
cultures of the Middle East. I’ve also com- perfume, incense, and most of all they craved
mented that the evidence of it is sprinkled all communication with the living. So it was criti-
throughout both the NT and OT and is memo- cal that a person had children who would tend
rialized in archaic sayings and in practices that to his afterlife needs. During almost all of the
kind of fly right over our modern heads when biblical era a significant section of the Hebrew
we read them in Scripture passages. society practiced this custom in one way or
It can seem as though in the Bible era God another.
condoned and even allowed for these nearly With that bit of information, now you can
universal customs of ancestor worship and life- see why the worshipper in Deuteronomy 26:14
after-death beliefs among His own set-apart swears that he has not given any of this food
people. Yet at the same time He was giving Israel to the dead. It’s not that the normal practice of
very specific laws and information against such giving food to the dead was necessarily being
practices. I’d have to agree with that assessment. prohibited by God; it’s that any kind of contact
The matter of what happens after one dies is with a grave site automatically defiles the wor-
only briefly addressed in the NT and almost shipper, and so if the food dropped down that
Deuteronomy 26

not at all in the Old. There are vague biblical hole to the body came from God’s holy portion
references to Sheol, the dead going to be with then the powerful uncleanness that comes from
their fathers, the underground chambers of death would render whatever that worship-
Abraham’s Bosom, Paradise, Hades, and such. per had set-aside as his tithe as unworthy to be
The reason there are literally scores of varying given to the Lord.
doctrines within the Church about hell, heaven, In verse 15 the focus of the statement shifts
purgatory, resurrection, and so on is because from the individual to the nation. I’ve men-
we are simply not given much information in tioned on numerous occasions that while in
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 265

biblical Hebrew-ism the focus is more on the and Yehoveh by means of the Mosaic Covenant.
community of Israel as a whole, and the role Second, these verses finalize the acceptance of
of the individual is primarily as but a member the terms of the Covenant by both God and by
of that community, but in Christianity we tend Israel. Third, a summary of what, precisely, each
to focus almost entirely on the individual (the side has agreed to is presented.
community of God tends to play a lesser role). The Lord says that Israel has already agreed
In this mystical four-chapter segment of Deu- to the covenant, individual by individual, and
teronomy we see more attention paid to the that means that Israel will walk in His ways,
individual worshipper than anywhere else in the observe His laws and commands, and obey
Torah. Not surprisingly at the end of this series God. The key to understanding this is that
of declarations by and for the individual wor- Israel has agreed to more than an intellectual
shipper who is giving his offering, verse 15 gets assent to God’s rules; they have agreed to hold it
back to the more typical Torah format of plac- in their hearts in a way that brings about action.
ing the role of the whole congregation as above In return for Israel’s intellectual assent
that of an individual. So the worshipper finishes and action to demonstrate their faithfulness,
by asking God to bless all Israel as a result of Yehoveh covenants that as of this moment Israel
each individual displaying proper obedience to is His treasured people above every other peo-
God’s commands. ple and nation on earth. In God’s eyes Israel is
Next Moses states that the key to pleas- holy, not because they are inherently better than
ing God is to faithfully adhere to his rules and anybody else, but because they have submitted
regulations with “all of your heart and soul.” to His covenant offer He is now free to declare
This, of course, reminds us of the Great Com- them holy (which He has just done). Further,
mandment that supports all the other com- God has given Israel preeminence above all the
mandments: to love the Lord your God with other nations of the earth. It’s not that the rest
all your heart, with all your soul, and with all of humanity doesn’t matter to the Lord; rather
your strength. Remember: heart in the Bible era it is that He has given Israel priority status. It’s
means “mind.” The idea is that every aspect of just like the pattern demonstrated among the
our being is to submit to the direction of the tribes of Israel; all of Israel is holy, but the Lev-
Lord at all times. This certainly punctures the ites have been set-apart and made a step above
modern western notion of separation of church and thus a step holier than common Israel. Fur-
and state, or the compartmentalization of our ther, from the tribe of the Levites the clan of
human activities into the religious and the secu- the priests have been set-apart and declared a
lar (that is now accepted as politically correct). A bit more holy than the common Levites. And
person seeking elected office today has a litmus from among the clan of the Levitical priests the
test that he or she must be willing to separate family of the high priest has been set-apart and
their faith from their public duties. Even men- made the most holy of all the Israelites.
tioning God is cause for suspicion if not dis- I have such a bittersweet feeling about
qualification. Even the average synagogue or this declaration of Yehoveh. I know that He
Deuteronomy 26

church-goer today finds that life is much easier keeps His promises and though thousands of
if we only live-out our faith during Shabbat, or years pass, the return of the Jewish people to
from about nine to noon on Sundays, but put their homeland proves that He never changes,
that faith back on the shelf at all other times. and never forgets.I also have such trepidation
Verses 17, 18, and 19 are very powerful and heartsickness over my brothers and sisters
ones in my estimation. First, they fully demon- in the faith who are worse than blind to this
strate the mutual nature of covenant relation- never-ending promise of God that Israel is, and
ship that has been established between Israel shall remain, His precious treasure. Too many
 266 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

steadfastly insist that God has abandoned His is seeking is a personal relationship with men.
treasure Israel in favor of the church; a Gentile Obedience to the precepts and principles of His
church. Folks, if God can do that, why would commandments is His prescribed means of dem-
we think that He wouldn’t at some point, in onstrating our love for Him. At the same time
another newer revelation, abandon the church keeping those commandments is not the means
for someone else? to our own justification or the establishment of
But didn’t Jesus promises He’ll never aban- our own righteousness, any more than it was for
don us? Well that’s essentially the same prom- the Hebrews. Only when one follows God in a
ise the Father made to Israel and recorded it in heartfelt way; only when one makes our relation-
numerous places throughout the OT. So if we ship with Him the focus of our lives in love and
can find an excuse for the Father to permanently submission; and only when one is redeemed by
abandon Israel then we can certainly contem- the only Redeemer there will ever be, does doing
plate a situation whereby Jesus can permanently the commandments have any value.
abandon His followers. The good news is that Let me remind you that before the Law (the
neither has the Father given up on Israel nor Torah) was given, Israel was redeemed. God
will Yeshua give up on us. Let’s get that message didn’t say to Israel: let me give you the law, and
out to both the Jewish people of this earth and then we’ll see how you do. And, if you meet my
to the church. standard then, I’ll redeem you. The pattern is:
I want to end this chapter with this com- redemption first, obedience to the command-
ment: the entire tone and context of what we ments next. It was that way in the OT and it
have just concluded makes it clear that what God remains that way in the New.
Deuteronomy 26
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 267

Deuteronomy 27

to delve into a few aspects of the more com-

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 27. plex and mysterious things that moving swiftly
wouldn’t allow.
This is one of those places in the Bible that
Here in this section we move into some is a major bother to Torah scholars. It is a very
mystical aspects of God’s Torah whereby bless- curious chapter that some say must be out of
ings and curses are pronounced, prophecies place. Some claim that in the process of hand-
of future happenings regarding Israel are pre- ing down the Bible, and the various redactions
sented (though the people of Israel probably that happened over the centuries, somewhere
didn’t understand the prophetic nature of what along the line some things got out of order. I
was being said), deep and inscrutable spiritual suppose that’s possible, but also understand that
truths are implied, and straightforward admo- even if this chapter is out of order, everything it
nitions and warnings are laid out. As a result says is still true, no principles change, and there
of the extraordinary nature of this section we is no cause to be concerned. By the way, it is by
are going to rest here for a while and I’m going no means universally agreed upon that the per-
ceived problem of chapter order actually exists.
The major problem is in the form. Notice
that since the beginning of Deuteronomy we
have Moses speaking a sermon, primarily using
the present tense. The narrative uses a lot of
“I” and “we.” Then notice how this suddenly
changes and narration changes to the third
person; it is not Moses speaking but someone
speaking about what Moses said and did. It is in
the past tense. Later, it speaks of multiple cov-
enant renewal ceremonies that are each occur-
ring in different places, but the wording makes
it appear like they happen simultaneously.
I have no intention of delving deeply into
the relatively new academic discipline called
literary criticism, even though it is from that
Deuteronomy 27

academic discipline that these skepticisms arise.

Literary critics say that the grammar and the
form isn’t what they expect, therefore the con-
tent is suspect. I see little problem with the con-
tent other than a couple of very minor issues
that have little bearing except as a curiosity. I’ll
point those out when we get there.
 268 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Two (or Three) Ceremonies when the current leader is making speeches and
declarations. Moses is simply showing the elders
Chapter 27 documents ceremonies that mark the ropes and demonstrating to the people what
the arrival of Israel into the Promised Land, it’s going to look like when he’s not around. He
Canaan. The ceremonies are specifically to take wants no suspicion of foul play and no cause for
place at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. There rebellion and doubt. It’s going to fall to Joshua,
the curses and the blessings of the Covenant of the priests, and the elders to rule Israel in only
Moses will be pronounced. a matter of days from the time of this sermon.
In verse 1 an anomaly is uncovered: this is Moses will be no more.
the only place in the Torah where the elders join Here’s where we encounter another diffi-
Moses in commanding the people. Some schol- culty: verse 2 says that as soon as Israel crosses
ars think this is also some kind of late redac- over the Jordan River into Canaan they are to
tion, but to me it’s natural and makes all the erect large stones as memorial markers. The
sense in the world. Moses is about to die; he problem is that it says they’re to erect them at
is not going to enter the Promised Land (he’s Mount Ebal even though they crossed over
already been told that by the Lord). When one the Jordan near Jericho. Mount Ebal is a solid
is about to turn over authority to someone else, thirty miles north of Jericho as the crow flies,
it has always been typical to publicly display the but due to the ruggedness of the area it is prob-
legitimacy of this transition by including the ably at least a five day journey between the two
incoming authority figure at appropriate times points. So where it says, “On the day you have
crossed the Jordan” they are to set up the stones
on Ebal, it seems impossible to accomplish. In
light of what we read elsewhere about this his-
toric event, however, likely we should take this
phrase to mean, “Once you have crossed the
Jordan.” In other words it is just a common way
of speaking that means to do it expediently after
crossing the Jordan; it does not mean to do it
before the sun sets, thereby ending that day.
The Israelites are to coat these large flat
stones with plaster and inscribe into the wet
plaster the words of the Torah. First let’s recall
that while we tend to the use the word Torah as a
title for the first five books of the Bible, it is also
a generic word that means “teaching or instruc-
tion.” The command is not to write the entire
contents of the five books of Moses on these
plastered stones; rather it is to write the high
Deuteronomy 27

points of Moses’s sermon in Deuteronomy (pri-

marily the general list of blessings and curses).
Writing on plastered rocks was not some-
thing employed by all cultures, and certainly not
by nomads, but writing on plaster was a usual
and customary way of memorializing impor-
tant edicts and events in Egypt. This proce-
dure would have been familiar to the Israelites.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 269

Besides, the large amount of writing that was word, and even where it was written publicly
being called for could be accomplished in a only the priests could decipher it, then whatever
fraction of the time by scribing characters onto the priests said was truth and there could be no
wet plaster with a stylus as opposed to chiseling dissent. These plastered stones, plainly written
out letters on hardened rock. upon, were monuments to demonstrate that the
In addition to setting up these enormous Word of God was to be possessed by all Israel,
stones embossed with the words of Moses at not just a privileged class.
Mount Ebal, they were also to build an altar for Many of us have studied the European
sacrificing to Yehoveh. The stones were to be Inquisition in school; the heart of the matter of
carefully piled up to create a usable altar, but the early Inquisition was that certain people out-
they were not to be formed and chiseled into side of the Institutional Church authority began
perfect shapes using iron tools. The building to acquire copies of Scripture. Lay people wanted
material for the altar was to be only of natural to read the Word for themselves; in some cases it
stones, as found lying about on the ground. was because they no longer trusted the Church
Mount Ebal and its twin mountain, Ger- hierarchy. Those people were considered crimi-
izim, were located in the old stomping grounds nals as only the Church authority was allowed to
of the patriarch Abraham; no doubt that had have Scripture, because they were the only ones
something to do with why they were chosen for with the divine knowledge and authorization to
this historic covenant renewal ceremony. Mount interpret the divine Word. If the people at large
Ebal is about three miles north of Mount Ger- actually possessed Holy Scripture, then Church
izim, and the city and plain of Shechem (today control over the people would be far more diffi-
called Nablus) is in between the two. Mount cult. Thousands and thousands of believers were
Ebal rose to a height of about 1200 feet above burned at the stake for merely possessing a frag-
the city of Shechem so whatever would take ment of a page of the Bible.
place up there could be seen for miles in every While in time those laws against owning
direction. Scripture were abandoned, another transition
Verse 8 gives the instruction that the teach- began in more modern times whereby even
ings of Yehoveh through Moses that were to be though Bibles are cheap and plentiful, people
inscribed in the plaster were to be written ba’er lost interest in Scripture and have been encour-
heitev (literally “setting it out well”). In other aged to accept a denomination’s articles of faith
words it was to be prominent and easy to read. or doctrinal pillars instead of spending the time
The rabbis have done some excellent work on to study God’s Word. In that vein I would like
this subject and they point out that the intent of to include a quote from D. L. Christensen, a
this instruction is that the common man could highly acclaimed Christian Bible scholar:
read and understand the meaning. Since these
were the words of God, and since Israel had a One of the curious features of modern worship within
priesthood, it would have been rather expected the evangelical churches today is the absence of public reci-
in the religious mindset of that era that the tation of the Scriptures as an end in itself. Much time is
Deuteronomy 27

words would be of a “mystical” form that only given to singing songs of praise, many of which are simply
God’s direct servants, the priests, could render biblical texts put to music. But very little time is given to
correctly. This was the norm of most Middle hearing the Bible read, other than perhaps the typically
Eastern cultures; the priests of these non-gods very limited text on which the Pastor’s sermon is based.
were the only ones entitled to the “divine” words We need to find ways to expose our people to the whole
and the only ones who could comprehend them. of the Bible in public worship in the manner that ancient
The goal, of course, was control of the people. Israel experienced Deuteronomy on Mount Ebal.
After all, if only the priests possessed the divine
 270 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

The thing to understand is this: we are wit- priests in a covenant renewal ceremony (none of
nessing covenant renewal ceremonies. Even which squares with any other Scripture). Let’s
though the Mosaic Covenant was agreed to see if we can untangle this. What we are dealing
and handed down almost four decades earlier with are at least two and likely three different
out in the Wilderness, God was now (through covenant renewal ceremonies. When Moses is
Moses) calling on the people of Israel to renew identified as the one who is speaking, we can
their vows as regards their commitment to this know with certainty that this part of the oracle
covenant, and to remember how and why it was took place on the mountains of Moab just days
established in the first place. before he died (about a month later Israel would
I said that we are witnessing covenant renewal cross into Canaan). Therefore we have Moses
ceremonies . . . plural, more than one . . . even saying to Israel as they were listening to this
though it may not seem so at a casual reading. extended sermon (that is the bulk of Deuter-
How do I come to that conclusion? Let’s look at onomy) the words contained in verses 9 and 10.
the facts. Next we have in verses 11, 12, and 13 instruc-
Moses was speaking (at least part of the tions from Moses as to what the people are to
time); yet part of this admonition is that there is do later, after he is dead and after they are in
to be a ceremony after Israel crosses the Jordan Canaan. And then verse 14 says: “The Levites,
River and takes possession of Canaan. Further speaking loudly, will proclaim to every man of
verse 9 says that Moses together with the Levite Israel”; it says nothing of Moses joining in. That
priests spoke the words that were presented to seems at odds with the preceding verses that
the people; those two circumstances could not have Moses speaking with the Levites.
have happened at the same time because Moses So what we have is a change in location
died before Israel crossed over the Jordan. Not occurring between verses 13 and 14. In verse 13
allowing Moses into the Promised Land was a the location is still Moab where Moses is speak-
punishment imposed upon him by Yehoveh in ing; in verse 14 the location is inside Canaan
response to an incident whereby Moses struck a with the Levite priests pronouncing the bless-
rock to bring forth water instead of speaking to ings and curses.
it as God as instructed Him. In this passage the present situation was that
Further, we know that Israel crossed into the Hebrew people we gathered in Moab listen-
Canaan just above the northern tip of the Dead ing to Moses’s grand sermon. He is remind-
Sea at a place called Gilgal, only a stone’s throw ing them that as of today they have become
from the ancient city of Jericho. Yet in the verses Yehoveh’s people.
just preceding the ones we read today, it seems Wait: I thought they became God’s people
as though this covenant renewal ceremony is to back on Mount Sinai? What’s different about
be done on the one hand “immediately” upon today? The difference is that back on Sinai the
crossing the Jordan (which was at Gilgal), but land was still just a promise unfulfilled. This
on the other hand it is to be performed atop the congregational meeting in Moab, as the Israel-
twin mountain peaks of Ebal and Gerizim. The ites are looking across the Jordon to the Prom-
Deuteronomy 27

problem is that these two mountains are thirty ised Land, is essentially the Israelites’ gradua-
miles north of Gilgal and Jericho, and due to tion ceremony. The time in the Wilderness is
their location and the number of people that officially over and the time in their own land
would attend, it was a journey of probably close (in fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant) is
to a week. beginning. The crux is that many of the regu-
So on the surface it implies that we have lations of the Mosaic Covenant depended on
Moses in Canaan, at Mount Ebal, and immedi- Israel residing in their own land; they couldn’t
ately upon crossing the Jordan he is leading the do these things until the land was in their pos-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 271

session. They couldn’t use the required wine in history—that each individual should affirm the
ritual observances because they had no vine- Law as though it had just been given to him per-
yards. They couldn’t perform the firstfruits cer- sonally, and that his mindset is to be as though
emonies because they grew no crops and had no he or she personally marched out of Egypt and
harvest. They couldn’t eat as the Torah required stood at the foot of Mount Sinai—is demon-
because their primary food was still manna. strated here in Deuteronomy 27.
When the people of Israel are disconnected I mentioned that another aspect of the rea-
from the land of Israel, they are incomplete. son that Moses considered the occasion of his
While Israel was wandering in the Wilderness sermon in Moab as the day Israel became God’s
they could only do some of the Law, not all of it, people was that they were officially receiving
because there was no means to do certain speci- the land, and that the Hebrews without the
fied things that revolved around agriculture, as land are incomplete. It is ironic that today the
did (for instance) at least three (and arguably Hebrews finally do have that land again; yet in
five) of the seven biblical feasts. some ways they are still incomplete, at least that
Further, at the time they were receiving is the mindset of the most religious. And this is
this word from Moses, the first Exodus genera- because they don’t have a temple.
tion had died off. Those who were of the age My good friend Rabbi Baruch likes to say
of accountability upon leaving Egypt (defined that in our era the Torah is not enforce; he is right.
in the Torah as those old enough to serve in By that he means not that the Torah is dead and
the military) were the ones who personally gone, but that just as when the Hebrews were
witnessed the original giving of the Law on in the Wilderness, there was much of the Law
Mount Sinai. They were the ones who shouted they could not do. Yet the Exodus Hebrews did
in united affirmation that they would obey all experience the presence of the Tabernacle and
of the Torah’s terms, but that group was now the ark of the covenant. Today’s Jews do not
dead and gone (a divinely ordered consequence have God’s dwelling place among them even
of their disobedience to the Lord by refusing to though they’re back in the land. The temple is
enter the Promised Land decades earlier). a vital part of obedience to the Torah and thus
Thus it would be a new generation of Ezekiel prophesies not only a rebuilt temple but
Hebrews entering Canaan who were either that the sacrifices and other temple dependent
young children or not yet born at the time of the observances would begin once again.
giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. During this Please understand: most of the laws of ritual
time in the Wilderness it is clear that only parts purity and of atonement for sin depend on the
of the Law were followed; some couldn’t be fol- existence of a temple. Without the temple and
lowed while others were simply not followed. In the priests who perform the rituals, a critical
fact, male circumcision apparently didn’t occur link in the chain of Torah observance is miss-
in the Wilderness (or perhaps only a few did it), ing. Even Shabbat cannot fully meet Torah stan-
therefore a mass circumcision ceremony would dards because the Torah requires certain sacri-
occur right after entering the land. The Lord fices for the Sabbath, and these cannot be done
Deuteronomy 27

wanted the new generation who would enter without a temple, an altar, and a priesthood to
into the land that was promised to them so long perform the sacrifices. All-important Firstfruits
ago to both hear the Law with their own ears ceremonies cannot be done because there is no
and to personally accept the terms of the cov- temple or priesthood to whom the firstfruits can
enant. This is the reason for Moses’s words of be presented. Yom Kippur cannot be properly
verses 9 and 10 that today they are God’s people observed according to Torah standards because
(they are accepting His covenant). This still there is no high priest to go into a holy of holies
existent attitude of every Hebrew throughout and sprinkle blood onto an ark that has gone
 272 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

missing for twenty-five hundred years. I could of the moment of the actual and formal giving of
go on for quite some time giving you examples the Promised Land to Israel could Israel finally
of Torah laws and regulations that require temple fully perform its part of that mutual obligation
and priesthood participation. I could spend treaty they had established with God (called the
much time showing you how those required Covenant of Moses), which has so many facets
Torah rituals that cannot be performed affect and I have only lightly touched upon a few of
other aspects of Torah commands that on the those facets.
surface don’t seem to be attached to the temple, In verse 11 a fascinating aspect of the
but in fact they are (if only in an indirect way). renewal ceremony is to take place: Israel is
The Torah and the temple have always been and divided into two groups of six tribes each and
will always be, completely intertwined. one group is to go to Mount Ebal and the other
That doesn’t mean that it is wrong to to ascend Mount Gerizim. A very specific list-
observe some of these ceremonies, nor is it ing of the composition of each group of six is
wrong to follow the commands of Torah as far ordained, and while it is difficult to find any-
as one can as a demonstration of our personal thing particularly special about each group this
trust in Yehoveh, our desire to be in harmony much can be said: the group that is assigned the
with Him and His universe, and our intent to be task of pronouncing the blessings are made up
obedient out of gratitude. Some of the Laws can of the two sons of Rachel (Jacob’s favored wife),
be observed in Spirit only, but to use the Torah and four of Leah’s sons (technically Jacob’s first
laws as any sort of self-justification or attempt wife). The group that will pronounce the curses
at self-righteousness is more futile today than is made up mostly of the sons of Jacob’s concu-
when there was a temple. To pretend that we are bines, plus Reuben who (although being Jacob’s
keeping Torah in a pure way is folly, or to claim true firstborn son) was removed from that posi-
that we are “Torah observant” is hypocritical. tion due to having sex with one of Jacob’s con-
Without a temple and without a priesthood it is cubines, and finally the youngest son of Leah.
physically impossible to fully or correctly carry So perhaps this has something to do with the
out Torah as was originally intended because selection.
too many of the procedural elements are cur- What I find more interesting, though, is that
rently unavailable to us. the overall composition of the tribes of Israel has
All the elements must be in place for the changed back to its original, pre-Exodus make-
Torah to be fully observed: the people, the land, up. Recall that we had the original twelve sons
and the temple with its priesthood. It seems of Jacob, and then Jacob shockingly adopted two
as though Israel has been without at least one of the Egyptian sons of Joseph away from him
of these elements for most of their existence. (Ephraim and Manesseh) and included them
Therefore you’ll understand why it is that the as among the tribes of Jacob (now giving him
most religious and fervent Jews have such a fourteen sons, fourteen tribes). Then Joseph
zealous desire to have their temple rebuilt and was removed as a tribal name, bringing the total
the priesthood reestablished. They full well down to thirteen, and Levi was removed as a
Deuteronomy 27

understand their predicament. It is also fasci- regular tribe of Israel (in order to become God’s
nating to understand that in the near future all priests) bringing us back to twelve, but not the
three elements will once again exist and proper original twelve. This new tribal make-up is what
Torah observance will once again be possible, was used to divide the land and assign its ter-
yet only to a point. ritories. Here however we have the two sons
What I have been describing is just one of an of Joseph removed from the tribal listing, and
unknown number of mysterious aspects of this Joseph added back in; plus Levi is also counted
section of Deuteronomy. This idea that only as as among the regular twelve tribes. I’m not sure
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 273

why this happens, except I think it is likely pro- Eleven specific sins are elaborated, the com-
phetic; we know looking ahead in prophetic mission of which will call down a curse upon an
books like Ezekiel that the original tribal con- Israelite; and then a twelfth rather general tres-
figuration will be restored after Messiah returns. pass is called out. Each of these eleven specific
Notice this as well: we read in Exodus 39 sins has been dealt with already in the Law, and
that the ephod of the high priest has two large many of them have the curse of the death pen-
stones mounted onto the shoulder straps; one alty associated with them, so why the choice of
stone on each shoulder strap. Upon these stones these particular eleven sins? What is different or
are written the names of the tribes of Israel, special about these? First understand that this
six names on each stone. Can you picture the list of sins is representative and not exhaustive.
imagery of the two hilltops of Ebal and Ger- That is, the Torah has not now been reduced
izim as represented by the two stones on the to eleven (or twelve) sins that bring on a divine
high priest’s shoulders, with six tribes inscribed punishment. Rather these eleven are representa-
in each corresponding to the two hills upon tive of a type or category of sin: the type that
which six tribes are to present themselves? can be done in secret or are very difficult for
There has been a great deal of conjecture about their victims to publicize or prove their case. In
which tribes were listed together on each of the other words they are sins that more often than
shoulder-stones. I suspect that the logic behind not are known only to God, the criminal, and
which tribes were chosen to appear together on the victim. Earthly justice by means of the Law
each hill was taken from the way the shoulder- code is not likely to happen due to the secrecy
stones of the high priest were inscribed, but of the act.
that’s just my speculation. Second, the first two curses (brought about
by specific sins) concern two of the Ten Com-
mandments: making a god image and dishon-
Twelve Curses
oring one’s parents. Although we covered this
In verse 15 begins a series of twelve curses to at length back in Exodus, it is good to remem-
be pronounced by the priests. The Hebrew word ber that at all times the Hebrews have believed
for curse as used here is arur. The sense of the and practiced that the admonition against god-
word arur is one of divinely imposed misfortune. images refers both to pagan (false) gods and
The disaster that befalls you is perhaps because to Yehoveh. No god-images of any kind are to
the Lord sent the disaster upon you in His wrath, be manufactured by the Israelites. Needless to
or that He pulled His hand of blessing and pro- say, this may have been the single most violated
tection upon you and let evil from some source commandment of them all throughout Israelite
affect you, or that He could have intervened but history. I maintain that the modern Christian
decided not to. The great Hebrew sages say that denominational icons and images that we tend
the priests of the Exodus went to the mountain- to use so liberally today (with so little thought
tops of Ebal and Gerizim, along with the tribal and a very heavy helping of rationalization)
prince (and possibly the chief elders) of each either ride precariously along the razor’s edge of
Deuteronomy 27

tribe (divided into two groups of six, as we saw). what constitutes making god-images, or it falls
The remaining members of the associated tribes squarely on the side of idolatry. So I want to
congregated down in the large valley between throw that little caution in there.
Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, with one group of six As we move down the list of these clandes-
tribes facing toward their corresponding moun- tine sins, next in verse 17 we find that illegally
tain and the other group of six doing the same moving a neighbor’s property boundary marker
but in an opposite direction. From Mount Ebal is mentioned. I will point out from time to time
the curses would be pronounced. (as I have in the past) that many of these laws
 274 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

and sins are very common for the cultures of We now get a series of four laws involv-
that era. Babylonian boundary stones have been ing sexual behavior. Again these laws are not
found with similar curses written on them for exhaustive covering every unacceptable sexual
anyone who would move the boundaries, usu- practice; they are just representative of all. Verse
ally describing the severe punishment involved 20 speaks of a man who has sexual relations
that is a combination of what the king will do to with his stepmother, although technically it
you and a divine curse visited upon you by the could include his own biological mother. As sick
local god. as that sounds to us, we know that it does hap-
For the Hebrews though, this was more a pen. Interestingly the argument against doing
crime against God than against the legal land- such a thing isn’t so much the inherent incestu-
owner. God purposely divided up the land ous immorality of it all; rather it is because (as it
among the tribes of Israel in a certain fash- says literally), the son who would do that “has
ion, so for a man to try to change that divi- removed his father’s garment.” It is an affront
sion was a great affront to Yehoveh. Further against his father’s honor. Here again is that
the Lord owned the land of Israel so it was inference that a wife is seen metaphorically as
(and remains) His holy property. Messing the garment of her husband. Let me remind you
with God’s holy property usually brings the that this is in no way demeaning to the wife;
death sentence. We must always remember rather she is a kind of covering for her husband.
this important God-principle: the Israelites He wears her as a covering, as one would a gar-
do not own the Promised Land; they are just ment; therefore for a son to have sex with his
land tenants (the only authorized land tenants). own mother or stepmother is a violation of the
In the past they have been allowed to stay in father’s exclusive sexual rights.
the land only so long as they obeyed God, but Verse 21 speaks of bestiality. As strange a
when they crossed over some line in the sand practice as this may seem to us, it was rather
and their rebellion became too great for even common in ancient times (especially in more
God’s mercy, they were evicted for a time. Let rural areas). In fact, ancient Hittite laws pro-
me be clear, however, that no one other than hibited sex with some animals and permitted it
the Hebrews have any right to be there. God with others. We see in the pantheon of Middle
has not granted permission for foreigners to be and Near Eastern gods half human/half animal
there except as part of Israel. gods and goddesses; we read in Greek mythol-
Verse 18 says that no one is to cause a blind ogy of similar creatures and they are the result
person to lose his way. The idea is that no one is of sexual activity between humans and animals,
to take advantage of someone else’s ignorance or or divinity and animals. This activity was largely
disability by misleading them to your advantage acceptable in most societies to one degree or
or their detriment. This is central to the fairness another, but it was completely outlawed in every
doctrine that is so woven in to all of the Lord’s circumstance in Israel.
commands and certainly violates what both the One doesn’t have to look very far in the
OT and NT state as the underlying foundation Bible to find the God-pattern that makes bes-
Deuteronomy 27

behind all laws and commands: love the Lord tiality unthinkable; Adam and Eve is the repre-
God and love your neighbor as yourself. sentative “type” of human sexuality and mar-
Next is that no one is to interfere with the riage unions. Adam was given the opportunity
justice system for a foreigner, widow, or orphan. to have animals as domestic partners (not sexual
Obviously this is aimed at protecting the most partners) but decided that none were suitable.
vulnerable of society; the violation is really more Therefore the Lord created from him a female as
about a judge judging unfairly and not about a the only appropriate domestic and sexual part-
person’s social or economic status. ner for him. Let me be clear; God was not invit-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 275

ing Adam to have sex with animals but Adam this is simply how it was done in the ancient
refused. Rather it is that the Genesis narrative is Middle East. Here in Deuteronomy is a devia-
(at least partially) for the purpose of making it tion from this process; we see a declaration
clear that mankind is not to try to procreate or made or instruction given and rather than the
come into a union with lesser beings not of his people repeating everything the people simply
species, and that the only acceptable domestic responded “Amen” to what was said.
companion for a man is a human woman and The beginning of this chapter speaks of
vice versa. It is amazing that apparently this les- multiple covenant renewal ceremonies and no
son has to be re-taught over and over again, and doubt there were other covenant renewal cer-
that nation after nation eventually figures that emonies held at appropriate times. Why? Did
this law of God no longer applies. God need to have Israel keep reaffirming their
This is followed in verse 23 with another covenant with Him for His sake?
law that essentially defines incest; a man is not The reality is that this was a normal custom
to have relations with his sister or stepsister. and tradition in that era. We have Assyrian, Mes-
Next is a curse on the one who commits a opotamian, Hittite, Canaanite, and other law
violent act against another Israelite; it does not code documents that are very similar in form to
necessarily limit the acts of violence to murder, what we have read here in Deuteronomy. What
as it also refers to assault. we find is that repetition, or saying essentially
Verse 25 speaks of not accepting a bribe the same thing in the positive, and then later in
to help a murderer go free; this is speaking of the negative, or using multiple examples was the
a judge, a witness, or even hiring a person to norm in order to create emphasis. The curses
commit a murder for you. The unintended con- stated concerning any regulation were always
sequence of such an act is that the bloodguilt more numerous than the associated blessings.
caused by the unjustified killing will remain Repetition helps us to remember. The people
upon the land until the murderer has his own didn’t have scrolls or books with these instruc-
life taken from him. tions written down so they could easily refer to
The twelfth curse is that general one I told them, so saying them over and over imprinted
you about. It refers to all the other teachings of these laws in their minds. Never forget that
Torah and demands that all the Torah be fol- while Israel is God’s set apart people, they are
lowed or the person who breaks it will be cursed. first and foremost “people.” Consciously or not
Rashi says that it is essentially an oath taken by we all make decisions and communicate within
each Israelite to uphold the entire Torah. the context of our era and our culture and our
Notice that after every reading of a curse it language. We find out just how true that is when
is followed with an “Amen” from the people. we visit a foreign country and things that we
A person who responds to a prayer or a vow take for granted in our own nation are unknown
or in this case a covenant is saying: “let it be so to them. Something as simple as which side of
with me.” It was agreement with the terms of the road one drives on varies around the world.
the covenant and used as a kind of shortcut for It was no different for Israel. It was natural for
Deuteronomy 27

the person to publically accept the terms. Ear- them to communicate to God, and for God to
lier in Exodus and Leviticus we went through communicate with them, within the context of
this tedious process whereby God would tell their own culture (or better within the rather
Moses what to say, then we’d read about Moses extensive set of customs and traditions that
saying it to the people, and then we’d read about were common throughout the known world at
the people doing it. Page after page of the Torah that time). Therefore even though the Bible is
was essentially repeating the same instruction inspired, perhaps the larger miracle is that God’s
at least twice and often three times because divine perfection and truth can be expressed
 276 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

through the imperfect and somewhat arbitrary

customs and traditions of mere men that aren’t
always the most edifying in their nature. The
form of the Mosaic Covenant is not heavenly, it’s
earthbound, intended for men to follow; the way
it is structured would have been familiar to any
person of the Middle and Near East at in that era.
It’s the divine principles expressed in it that mat-
ter, not its form.
Deuteronomy 27
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 277

Deuteronomy 28

Deuteronomy 28 is the mid-point of this special For everyone who depends on legalistic observance
four-chapter section of Deuteronomy (that runs of Torah commands lives under a curse, since it is writ-
from chapters 26 through 30). These chapters ten, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing
are among the most studied and revered by the everything written in the Scroll of the Torah.” Now it is
Hebrew sages and rabbis, for the meaning and evident that no one comes to be declared righteous by God
impact of these passages is at once straightfor- through legalism, since “The person who is righteous will
ward and simultaneously deep and mystical. attain life by trusting and being faithful.” Furthermore,
We are going to encounter those passages legalism is not based on trusting and being faithful, but
that the Israelites undoubtedly saw as the most on [a misuse of] the text that says, “Anyone who does
serious threats against them should they dis- these things will attain life through them.” The Messiah
obey God and the terms of the covenant that redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the Torah by
this second generation of the Exodus from becoming cursed on our behalf; for the Tanakh says,
Egypt has resoundingly agreed to with their “Everyone who hangs from a stake comes under a curse.”
oaths, declarations, and ritual ceremonies. (Gal. 3:10-13 CJB)
These threats from God are generally
labeled as “curses.” As is the nature of Yehoveh’s Since we have been looking in Deuteron-
justice system, in addition to the curses for omy 27 at a list of “curses” upon those who
those in disobedience and who turn away from violate God’s laws, we have to be careful not
Yehoveh, there are blessings for those who stay to confuse the list of “curses” (meaning the pre-
near to God and demonstrate their trust and scribed punishments for the various acts of sin-
love for Him by means of their obedience. ning against God) with the phrase “the curse
Since curses are at the center of what we’re of the law.” Let me say that again: we have a
about to study, before we read Deuteronomy 28 whole series of “curses” (plural) for doing evil
(a very long chapter) I would like to demonstrate over and against the curse (singular). It is this
what Paul meant in Galatians 3 about Christ misunderstanding between “curses” and “the
becoming “a curse” for us (His disciples). It does curse” that has led to so many Christians walk-
not mean that somehow there is now a one-sided ing around blissfully expecting that a) they have
single dimensional relationship with the Lord by nothing to fear from our God no matter what
which all believers can ever expect from God is they do, and that is because b) nothing we can
His help and prosperity, and thus we are never ever do would cause Him to discipline us for
subject to any kind of discipline from Him when our actions. In other words, God would never
Deuteronomy 28

we sin and rebel and turn our backs on Him. punish a believer for sinning. So what is “the
In other words we have an important ques- curse of the Law” that Paul was talking about
tion that needs to be answered: What does Paul in Galatians? I think the best way for us to see
mean by the phrase “the curse of the law,” and that distinction is to examine a few Bible verses
since Christ has become “a curse for us” are we that employs the term “the curse” in a variety
are no longer subject to it? of contexts.
First let’s read that brief statement of Saint First, Isaiah 24:1-6: “Look! ADONAI is
Paul’s in Galatians: stripping and destroying the land, turning it
 278 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

upside down and scattering its inhabitants— CJB. The CJB tends to use what scholars call
cohen and commoner, slave and master, maid a “dynamic” translation rather than employing
and mistress, buyer and seller, lender and bor- a literal word-for-word translation. A dynamic
rower, creditor and debtor. The land will be translation attempts to put in modern terms
completely stripped, completely plundered, what the author concludes that those ancient
for ADONAI has spoken this word. The land Hebrew words MEANT. Therefore if we look
fades and withers, the world wilts and withers, at our CJB we’ll see that in place of translating
the exalted of the land languish. The land lies the Hebrew word qelalah in Jeremiah 42:18 as
defiled under its inhabitants; because they have “curse” (which is its common meaning), instead
transgressed the teachings, changed the law it says “the object of condemnation,” which is
and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore what a curse meant. This indicates that for the
a curse is devouring the land, and its inhabit- one who has “come under a curse” (as a result
ants are punished for their guilt. It is why those of rebellions against God) he is one who is “the
living there waste away, and the people left are object of God’s condemnation.”
few.” Let’s add another verse that gives us yet
Why does the text say that “a curse” (sin- another context for understanding what the
gular) is devouring the land, instead that God term “the curse” means, and we find it in Prov-
is simply enacting the large number of “curses” erbs 3:33: “ADONAI’s curse is in the house of
(plural) or punishments that come from break- the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righ-
ing the several laws the Israel is accused of teous.”
breaking? Is it that God is but invoking one par- So once again we see that God’s curse is
ticular curse out of a long list of possible curses? not quite the same thing as the various curses
No; and I’ll show you why. (punishments) one receives for breaking some
Let’s move next to Jeremiah 42: 15-18, “Then of His laws and commands. Rather the term
in that case listen to the word of the LORD, O “God’s curse” means God’s condemnation. If
remnant of Judah. Thus says the LORD of hosts, a Hebrew steals something, then he is placed
the God of Israel, ‘If you really set your mind under one of the appropriate specified curses
to enter Egypt, and go in to reside there, then it listed in the Law. So if he has injured a brother,
will come about that the sword, which you are and thus has broken fellowship with the Lord,
afraid of will overtake you there in the land of the Law says he must make restitution to the
Egypt; and the famine, about which you are anx- rightful owner, plus add a little more as a pen-
ious, will follow closely after you there in Egypt; alty, plus make a sacrifice of atonement to God
and you will die there. So all the men who set at the temple altar. Note that this thief was not
their mind to go to Egypt to reside there will die condemned because in the Bible (just like in our
by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; and society) condemned technically means to be
they will have no survivors or refugees from the put under the death sentence (unless the term is
calamity that I am going to bring on them.’ For just used poetically or as a metaphor). When the
thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Bible says a person is condemned it means that
Deuteronomy 28

‘As My anger and wrath have been poured out on person is due the death penalty. And that death
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be penalty can mean physical death, or it can mean
poured out on you when you enter Egypt. And spiritual death, or it can include both.
you will become a curse, an object of horror, an Let’s look at a verse we’ll be studying soon
imprecation, and a reproach; and you will see this in Deuteronomy 30 that starts to put even a
place no more’” (NAS). sharper point not only on the meaning of the
I chose to use the NAS translation of Jer- term “the curse” but also on the term “the
emiah because it is more literal than our usual blessing.” Just as a listing of curses is not the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 279

same thing as “the curse,” so is a listing of bless- Yeshua are spared from the eternal death pen-
ings not the same thing as “the blessing”: alty, spiritual condemnation, permanent separa-
tion from God—the curse.
“Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one The choice being offered here in Deuter-
hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil—in onomy to the twelve tribes of Israel by means
that I am ordering you today to love ADONAI your of the Mosaic Covenant, and the very similar
God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regula- choice that is offered by the renewed Covenant
tions and rulings; for if you do, you will live and increase in Yeshua our Messiah is between the bless-
your numbers; and ADONAI your God will bless you ing or the curse; or as the Bible has shown us,
in the land you are entering in order to take possession of between the blessing of Life and the curse of
it. But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if Death.
you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other
gods and serve them; I am announcing to you today that
you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 28.
you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess.” (Deut.
30:15-18)

This passage essentially defines what God

means by the terms “the blessing” and “the The first word of chapter 28 is if. If may be
curse” of the Law. The “blessing of the Law” the biggest word in the Bible in terms of spiri-
is life and good; “the curse of the law” is death tual impact. The proposition is that “if” Israel
and evil. Life and good versus death and evil. It will follow the terms of the covenant, then God
is a common expression among the Jews to say will bestow His blessings upon Israel.
that the Torah is life; this means that to follow The Mosaic Covenant is called a conditional
Torah brings the life that God wishes to give to covenant, whereas the Abrahamic Covenant is
all who trust in Him. Conversely to not follow an unconditional covenant. As Paul went to
Torah brings death, the opposite of life, because great length to explain, a good way to look at
that means the violator does not trust Him. an unconditional covenant (specifically the
When Yeshua died on the cross, He didn’t Abrahamic Covenant) is that it consists purely
take away God’s punishments upon His follow- of a promise. The covenant God made with
ers; He simply took away the condemnation of Abraham was not based on if Abraham will do
the eternal death. Christ certainly didn’t abol- something then God will respond by keeping
ish physical death for us (at least in the pres- His promise. Rather it was that God promised
ent world) as is self-evident. As we see in the a whole series of things to Abraham because
Tanach (the OT) the vast majority of the sins Yehoveh asked Abraham if he’d like to have
committed against the Lord had some sort of these things (all of these things were blessings)
punishment associated with each (curses), but and Abraham responded yes.
only a handful of those sins ever invoked the The Abrahamic Covenant is most typically
Deuteronomy 28

death penalty (the curse), so it is with modern thought of as a unilateral covenant; it’s a one-
day disciples of Jesus. Generally speaking we way bargain from God to man with God doing
can and will commit sins against the Lord, and everything and nothing is required from man
at times we will experience God’s hand of disci- in return. Therefore scholars typically describe
pline in the form of certain divine punishments the Mosaic Covenant as bilateral, in that it is a
upon us. However what we are spared from is covenant between God and man but with God
eternal separation from God as a result of those expecting something in return; both sides have
sins, which is what all men deserve. Disciples of obligations to the other.
 280 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

I want to slice that onion just a little thin- they received a certain dollar amount for every
ner because while I generally agree with those day they completed it before the due date; they
descriptions we can also get the wrong idea received a blessing. However, if they failed to
about the true nature of the covenant made on finish by the due date they were penalized a like
Mount Sinai with Moses as the mediator, and amount for every day past the due date; a curse.
just what “conditional” means. The Abrahamic Even if they failed to make the due date, the
Covenant is (I think we’d all agree) based on contract wasn’t cancelled; a built-in curse was
God’s grace. God simply gave it to Abraham as enacted if they didn’t do what they had agreed
a free gift just as He gave mankind salvation as to do. There were other penalties built in as well
a free gift; our duty is simply to accept it. How- for other kinds of situations but none voided
ever the same is also true of the Mosaic Cov- the contract.
enant. Let me explain: a pretty good analogy to If Israel brought God’s curses down upon
a covenant is a contract (it’s not precise but it’s itself (all of which were terms written into the
close enough for discussion). We all understand covenant, no small print and no surprises)
contracts; we have them when we buy a house the covenant was not voided; instead of bless-
or a car. Sometimes we have contracts with our ings that would have been bestowed on Israel
employers, especially in the entertainment or in response to obedience to the terms, there
sports professions. The idea is that the contract would be consequential curses for violating the
is essentially a series of mutual obligations. If terms. The covenant remained intact. The cov-
one side fails to live up to one or more of their enant was not voided because Israel didn’t have
contractual obligations then the usual result is to do anything to keep it intact. Rather, once
that the courts get involved. Rarely is the con- the divine gift of the covenant was ratified by
tract merely voided as the penalty for one side Israel (the whole congregation agreed to it just
or the other violating the contract’s terms. as Abraham ratified the covenant with him by
Here’s the point: the Mosaic Covenant was simply agreeing to it) then all that was left was
a gift to Israel, an act of divine grace. Once the for its terms to play out over time. The differ-
covenant was accepted by Israel the violation of ence between the two covenants of Abraham
the covenant did not mean that the covenant and Moses was that Abraham’s had no penal-
was voided; it only meant that certain penalties ties (no curses) because Abraham had no obliga-
kicked in (just like in most contracts). Essen- tions, but the Mosaic Covenant did have penal-
tially in exchange for the blessings that the Lord ties (curses) because Israel did have obligations.
offered, Israel declared that they were willing to The Mosaic Covenant is alive and well; in
accept certain consequences (called the curses) fact, the New Covenant in Christ is the Mosaic
if they failed to live up to their part of the deal. Covenant renewed and written on our minds
However, just as with almost all contracts, (hearts) with Yeshua as the source of both puri-
the Mosaic Covenant was not voided and fication and atonement for those who accept its
thrown in the trash because some of the terms terms; and with Jesus as the renewed covenant’s
were broken. Rather some penalties that were Mediator. Just as an Israelite was not perma-
Deuteronomy 28

written into the contract were activated (natu- nently removed from God’s grace for misbe-
rally the penalties were strictly on Israel’s side havior (except if it was the kind that essentially
because God never changes or goes back on His proved his lack of trust and submission to God),
word). so it is that no believer is permanently removed
Several years ago I had a home built for my (in general) from God’s grace for misbehavior.
family and as part of the contract I negotiated Think about this: under Messiah’s covenant we
a firm completion date. If the contractor com- do have obligations, don’t we? Most Christians
pleted the house earlier than the agreed to date still acknowledge our duty to adhere to the Ten
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 281

Commandments. Some think there are no more then replaces them with new ones object to
than the Ten Commandments over our heads, Mormons believing that this is exactly what
but I disagree. We have ten concrete obligations God did through Joseph Smith?
for every believer, each (obviously) capable of The answer to that rhetorical question is
being violated. So our New Covenant does have that God won’t spring a future covenant on us
obligations, and therefore it is not precisely in that abolishes (or even substantially modifies)
the mold of the covenant of Abraham. His prior ones because He doesn’t create for-
Consider this: if (as some say) the Mosaic ever covenants and then void them; that is sim-
Covenant replaced the Abrahamic Covenant, ply not His pattern. And the New Covenant has
and then the New Covenant came along and not voided either the Mosaic Covenant or the
replaced the Mosaic Covenant, why couldn’t Abrahamic Covenant as replacement theology
another future divine covenant (currently dictates.
unknown to us) supersede and replace the New The next thing we notice in verse 1 is that
Covenant? Certainly the Hebrew people knew the significant Hebrew word shema is used to
of no plan of God to make the Abrahamic Cov- gain Moses’s audience attention. In English
enant obsolete. Nor did they know of a plan to we read, “If you listen.” What it says is, “If you
make the Mosaic Covenant obsolete. They did shema.” Let me remind you that shema means to
know that the currently operating covenant was listen and obey. It does not mean only to hear,
to be renewed, transformed and put into their because in modern English the words listen and
hearts, but that’s about it. Whether it should hear are passive. We can sit right where we are
have been or not, the New Covenant in Jesus and listen or hear and feel no obligation to take
seemed like an unwelcome surprise to even the action. Shema means to hear what God has to
most learned of the Jews. say and then proceed to do it! I cannot stress
If we accept the false notion that God made enough that what I’m telling you is not allegory;
a number of covenants in the past and from time rather this is the meaning of the Hebrew shema.
to time suddenly sprung a newer one on His The Lord says that if Israel will obey Him
people that voided the previous one, why should and will faithfully observe His commandments,
we be so confident that Yehoveh won’t suddenly then the Lord will give Israel the greatest of
spring on us an even newer covenant in the near privileges; these are privileges above those
future that makes the New Covenant in Christ given to the rest of the people on Earth, whom
obsolete? Those who would validate such a thing He also loves. He says that He promises to give
have certainly said that to do so would be well these blessings to Israel as His part, if Israel will
within God’s proven pattern. By the way, that is do their part and obey Him. I stress as I did ear-
essentially what Islam says happened; they say lier, it does not say that if Israel disobeys God
they venerate Yeshua but that Mohammed was then the covenant itself gets revoked.
the bearer of an even newer message from God
than Jesus. According to Islam, it’s not at all that
Jesus’s message was false; it’s just that God has Six Blessings
Deuteronomy 28

now overruled Jesus and replaced His prophet There are six blessings in chapter 28 that focus
Jesus with Mohammed. on prosperity and fertility. Prosperity and fertil-
Mormonism says they have a covenant ity are at the heart of life and of good things.
newer than the NT brought to them by their Verse 3 says that by being faithful to the cov-
prophet Joseph Smith, called the Book of Mor- enant Israel will be blessed (in Hebrew, baruch)
mon, and that it supersedes the NT. Why should in the city and in the countryside. This is what
the same Christians who claim that God makes scholars call merism, which is a big word that
covenants, declares them to be forever, and simply indicates a Hebrew grammar structure
 282 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

designed to show that everything in between out. In its idiomatic sense it speaks of going out
the two extremes that are given is included. to battle, achieving victory, and coming back
So the idea is that whether it is in the largest home safely. It connects directly to verse 7
most sophisticated and most populous cities, or where it says that Yehoveh will go before the
out in the smallest simplest villages in the least army of Israel and win the battle against Israel’s
populated areas of the Land (and everything in enemies before it even begins. This is expressed
between) Israel in its entirety will be the receiv- in another Hebrew expression of how an enemy
ers of God’s blessing if they obey His laws and army will arrive in an orderly marching column
commands. (by a single road), but it will flee in all directions
Next is what is known as the three-fold in panic (flee by seven roads). The seven doesn’t
blessing of verse 4. The idea is that every kind mean a literal seven, it just means “in every way
of life that is good and useful and permitted possible.”
for use by the Hebrews will be blessed in Israel: In verse 8 the Lord will fill the barns full of
human life, domestic animal life, and plant life. produce and bless all of the Israelites’ undertak-
The Hebrew word that is usually translated in ings. The idea is that one’s labor (whatever it
this verse as cattle is behemah and it means all might be) will be productive, and whatever one
animals suitable for being domesticated (not is trying to produce will turn out well.
just cows). Typically it more specifically (but not Yet in the middle of Moses’s sermon about
in every case) refers to animals that are suitable all the wonderful blessings in store for Israel,
for food or suitable for sacrifice, or both. This he pauses for effect. He stops naming all the
is a good place to point out that Bibles typically wonderful blessings and reminds Israel of the
(and correctly) translate the three-fold bless- requirements and condition necessary for this
ing as “the fruit” of the womb, the cattle, and to happen: the Lord will declare Israel to be
the land (meaning earth or soil). I think a bet- His holy people if they keep the commandments of
ter translation is “issue” of womb, cattle, and God.
land because too often we take the word fruit Since Moses reminded those standing
to mean something good. In fact, the Hebrew before him, allow me to remind you: this is a
peri doesn’t necessarily make the fruit (meaning direct parallel and connection with Yeshua’s
what the parent human or animal or plant pro- Sermon on the Mount. If you can become com-
duces) to be of good quality or value. But in this fortable and familiar with this parallel then you
case the peri, the fruit, what results from Israel’s will have a most useful tool by which to show
people, animals, and land will be blessed based your family and friends just how connected are
on obedience to the Lord. the Torah and the NT writings.
Continuing in that vein, verse 5 says that as Let me demonstrate this joyful and eye-
a result of the blessed fruit of the land, the ves- opening pattern that we just read here in Deu-
sels used for gathering the produce will also be teronomy where we get a list of blessings, inter-
blessed (made full) and the kneading bowls used rupted by the covenant Mediator (Moses in
to make bread will be blessed (by always hav- Deuteronomy, Yeshua in Matthew) to remind
Deuteronomy 28

ing plenty of grain from which to make bread those in his audience that the blessings he is
dough). So the overall idea is an abundance of pronouncing do have a caveat: obedience to
food. God’s commands is required.
Verse 6 is really a Hebrew idiom. It says that
“your coming in and your going out” will be
blessed. It is actually a phrase that was used to Assignment: Read Matthew 5:1–20.
denote military activity. In the most literal sense
it is getting across the idea of entering and going
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 283

Notice in both cases how it is a recital of A good way to think of these curses is as divine
blessings, blessings, blessings, and then a preg- threats. In fact the ancient sages, and later the
nant pause with the Mediator interjecting that rabbis, have given a title to this list of curses
no one should misunderstand what he’s getting in Deuteronomy 28: Tokhehah, which means
at. Obedience to God’s commands is the price “warning.” The warning is this: as obedience
for joining this covenant and for remaining in brings a well-defined series of possible bless-
the blessings of the covenant. ings upon Israel, so disobedience brings a well-
As Paul says in Romans 11: defined series of possible curses, consequences,
upon Israel.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and I’ll warn you ahead of time that we are going
you—a wild olive—were grafted in among them and to crash headlong into some immutable God-
have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, principles that have been practically doctrinized
then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! away in our era; it may challenge some things
However, if you do boast, remember that you are not that you’ve always assumed didn’t apply to you.
supporting the root, the root is supporting you. So you Moses is re-teaching the laws of the Mount
will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be Sinai Covenant to the second Exodus genera-
grafted in.” True, but so what? They were broken off tion and expounding on those laws in a ser-
because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your mon-style. The first generation of the Exodus
place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on is now dead and buried as the result of a curse
the contrary, be terrified! For if God did not spare the from God upon them because they refused to
natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! So take go forward and take the Promised Land early
a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the on in their Wilderness Journey. It was that first
one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the generation who trembled as they saw the smoke
other hand, God’s kindness toward you- provided you billowing up from the summit of Mount Sinai,
maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too heard God’s thundering voice that made them
will be cut off! (vs. 17-22) instinctively drop to their knees and cry out
in fear, witnessed the giving of the covenant
Notice that just as in the Mosaic Covenant, to Moses, and unanimously declared that they
the watchword is if. If you maintain yourself in that would do all that God said. Thirty-eight years
kindness…otherwise you (we) will be cut off!! later Moses is presenting the terms of that same
I hope that you take the time to write this covenant to the second generation (the sons and
down, go over it, and show Deuteronomy 28 daughters of those who walked out of Egypt)
side-by-side with Matthew 5 to someone you and telling them that they need to vow to accept
know who still thinks that the OT is dead and its terms just as their fathers did.
gone and/or that obedience to God’s com- There is a great principle present here: we
mands is a thing of the past and supposedly are each redeemed not by what our fathers and
has no place in the life of a believer. Share it mothers agreed to and did, but by what we agree
with someone that believes that to obey God’s to and do. We can be raised in the most wonder-
Deuteronomy 28

written commands is legalism and thus to be ful believing Christian home, go to church with
avoided like the plague. That person is standing our parents, join in the congregational prayers
on a very slippery slope. and fellowships, and speak all the Christian
lingo, but that counts for exactly nothing when
it comes to our personal salvation. We must
Curses each declare our allegiance to the covenant that
The remainder of this chapter deals with the God has made available to us. If we do not then
opposite of blessings, which are called “curses.” we are not made a member of the covenant and
 284 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

we live outside of its terms. It was like that for ping God or acknowledging Yehoveh as the God
Israel, and it is still like that for us today. of Israel. We don’t find Israel saying, “There is
The first six curses are general in nature no God called Yehoveh” or “let’s go and dis-
and are the mirror opposites of the six bless- obey Him.” Instead over time they added a few
ings listed in verses 1-6. Verse 3 corresponds to other gods while hanging on to Yehoveh. They
vs. 16: whereas obedience to the covenant terms found reasons to twist the Mosaic laws and com-
that Israel has agreed to (the Mosaic Covenant) mands to suit their own pleasures and wants, or
brings blessings to you whether you are in the to obey the laws they liked and ignore the ones
city or countryside, disobedience brings curses that weren’t convenient. The point is that to for-
upon you in the city or the countryside. Verse 4 sake or abandon God doesn’t mean that a per-
corresponds to verse 18, the blessing of abun- son who at one time worshipped Him now fully
dance verses abundance being held back. Verse renounces Him. Rather it means that a person
5 corresponds to verse 17, and so on. What’s the who has agreed to the covenant terms is now
obvious lesson? Obedience and disobedience breaking those terms. Biblically speaking, to for-
brings opposite results. sake or abandon God only means to turn our
Starting in verse 20 the curses are expanded back on Him, to quit obeying and following His
upon and made more specific. Depending on ways. It means to wander away and do our own
your Bible translation, three descriptive words thing, to put the Lord on the shelf, and to dilute
are used for what God will do to defeat a rebel- our lives with things of the world that have no
lious Israelite (or a rebellious nation of Israel) in place in the life of one who has been redeemed.
everything they try to accomplish: the transla- That’s what it meant three thousand years ago,
tion of the list I most like to use is that Yehoveh and that’s what it still means for a believer.
will cause curse, cumbrance, and confusion. Starting in verse 21 we see three catego-
I like these three terms better than others is ries of curses emerge: those involving disease,
because they all start with the same letter (C). drought, and war. The first category Moses tells
This reflects exactly how the Hebrew reads, Israel about is pestilence, virulent disease. Three
because the list of the three descriptive words Hebrew words (shahefet, kaddahat, and dalleket)
in Hebrew also all begin with the same Hebrew are used to describe the human diseases, but the
letter (a mem); just like in English the purpose of fact is that no one really knows what the mod-
doing that is to make it more memorable. ern equivalents of these are; therefore we’ll see
The first consequence of the three is (in practically every Bible version have its own list.
Hebrew) me’erah, which means “curse” in the Whatever they are, they are painful and deadly.
sense of enduring a calamity. The second is The next couple of terms could refer to humans
mehumah and it means confusion and it refers or crops, and either means that humans “burn,”
to the panic and chaos typically caused by war undoubtedly referring to fever, or it could be
and intense social upheaval. The third is mig’eret; scorching heat that destroys crops.
it means cumbrance, a heavy burden. It carries Next in verse 23 it says that the sky (or heav-
with it the idea of frustration and an inability to ens) will be as brass and the earth as iron; this
Deuteronomy 28

make progress. What brings about these condi- is referring to the lack of rain and the result-
tions is that Israel has committed great evil by ing extreme dryness of the ground. Instead of
forsaking the Lord. the rain of moisture, there will be a rain of dust
What does that mean, to forsake the Lord? caused by the parched earth just as our nation
The CJB says that it means to abandon God. saw in the Dust Bowl crisis in America’s mid-
Yet what we find when we view Israel’s exiles west in the early part of the twentieth century
and punishments in retrospect is that in general and memorialized in Steinbeck’s great novel The
they did not (in their own minds) stop worship- Grapes of Wrath.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 285

The aspect of war is also added; the Lord, Unlike their parents, this second generation of
who has promised to rout Israel’s enemies if the Exodus did not witness the terrible blows
Israel is obedient, will now rout Israel at the that God visited upon Egypt. They certainly
hand of their enemies for disobedience. The heard about the eyewitness accounts of theses
phrase to “march in by a single road but flee on calamities as they sat around the campfires,
seven roads” is an idiom; it simply means that but here Moses is starting to paint a picture for
while they will show up for battle in a prop- them of those horrors that Egypt experienced,
erly organized battle line, they will scatter and and that while God separated Israel from Egypt
run for their lives in every direction when their and allowed only Egypt to suffer these terrors,
enemy overwhelms them. In fact, the defeat Israel will suffer those same terrors should they
will be so thorough that those who hear of it rebel against Yehoveh. The Lord says that they
will view Israel as a horror instead of with the can expect to suffer from those (primarily) skin
respectful fear God promises as a blessing back afflictions that you wish you could die from but
in verse 10. This reminds one of the cowardly instead cling to you without relief or hope all of
attack by Jacob’s sons upon the debilitated men your days. One of those skin afflictions is liter-
of Shechem as a wholly uncalled for reprisal in ally translated as “evil boils”; it should be noted
response to the king’s son raping Jacob’s daugh- that this is the same words used to describe that
ter Dinah. Jacob told his sons that as a result of devastating skin disease that God allowed to be
their actions he was now a stench in the nos- inflicted upon Job.
trils of the surrounding tribes and nations; it But purely physical and outward appear-
is only another way of saying “horror.” But in ing afflictions won’t be the end of it. God will
all candor, it also reminds one of the 2006 war curse people’s minds such that they suffer from
between Lebanon and Israel whereby Israel was dementia. The terms used are madness, blind-
defeated and humiliated and the great respect ness, and utter confusion. It is psychological
and fear throughout the Arab world for Israel’s torment, mental illness, that is being described
military capability has turned into a real con- here and where we see the word “blindness”
cern in the Western world of whether Israel can it does not mean the loss of eyesight. Rather it
actually defend itself any longer and be a useful means that one will not be able to discern or
ally in the war against terror. Israel is once again comprehend or to “see” the truth any longer.
on its way to becoming a “horror” to the world This is meant to remind them of Egypt when
(although it will have both ups and downs), and God brought a darkness upon Egypt that was
this will play a role in the end-times attack upon so thick that people literally lost their minds
Israel. and not just their way. It was an evil, spiritual
Yet Yehoveh says the curses against Israel darkness that descended upon Egypt such that
will get even worse. The number of dead Hebrew neither sunlight nor God’s enlightenment shone
soldiers will be so great that the survivors won’t upon them. Essentially it was the absence of
even be able to bury them before their corpses God’s presence that is being threatened. It is a
are subject to the scavenger birds and wild ani- very similar condition that non-believers will
Deuteronomy 28

mals. While this is a rather gross image to us, it face for an eternity.
pales in comparison to what the real issue was in Have you ever been in a situation or in a
the minds of the Hebrews: if they are not prop- place where you sensed abject evil? Have you
erly buried, then whatever afterlife their spirits experienced the sensation that caused the hair
might have enjoyed will never occur; their spiri- on the back of your neck to stand on end, yet
tual existence ceases. you couldn’t see anything or put your finger
Verse 27 begins a theme that will expand on what it was? Have you ever been in a place
during the remainder of this chapter: Egypt. where you felt that God’s light did not pen-
 286 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

etrate or illuminate, and instead there was only to a nation that was unknown to their fathers; a
a sensation of darkness and death? And all you nation that essentially did not exist in the days
wanted to do was run away from it? That is the of the patriarchs.
mental blindness that is being described here, As we know, the exile(s) of Israel to another
but the Lord says that running away won’t work land actually happened. We’ll find Isaiah and
because it will follow you wherever you go. Jeremiah especially quoting these curses of Deu-
Let me paraphrase verses 30 through 35 for teronomy 28 first to warn Israel to change their
you: nothing will make sense anymore. Confu- ways and then later to remind them just why
sion reigns. All the things you used to do that these calamities happened to them. It surprises
turned out well don’t anymore. Your worst fears some to learn that due to Israel’s disobedience
will be realized when the impossible to imag- and lack of faithfulness to YHWH they were
ine happens. Some unknown enemy will kill only a sovereign nation for about eighty years.
your sources of food and livelihood; your sons That’s right; the modern state of Israel that is
and daughters will wind up in foreign places barely over sixty years of age is not far from
where some will become slaves and others will approaching the sum total amount of time that
die. Logic and history says this will eventually Israel was a unified nation in all of their history.
end (as everything usually does), but this time Under Kings David and Solomon,Israel thrived
it doesn’t seem to. People will hate you but you and the twelve tribes lived under one banner.
don’t understand why. Everything you’ve ever Within three or four years after Solomon’s death
worked for and have come by honestly suddenly Israel fell into civil war and became divided into
becomes the property of another; you eventu- two kingdoms that are referred to in a number
ally have a nervous breakdown as a result of the of ways in the Bible; among these designations
stress of not being able to deal with the chaos are the Northern Kingdom and the Southern
and insanity of the situation. Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom was also
Understand that to this point everything called Ephraim-Israel, and the Southern King-
that Israel has been threatened with was going dom was called Judah. The Northern Kingdom
to happen within the land of Israel. The specter consisted of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel,
of these terrible things that God’s wrath might and it was the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim-
pour out upon the Israelites will happen while Israel that was exiled first. About 725 BC the
they are in their own land. But then, just when powerful Assyrian Empire (who had been
it can’t get any worse, the unthinkable happens: chipping away at Ephraim-Israel’s territory for
exile. about a decade) was used as a tool of judgment
Verse 36 is one of those mystery verses I upon the Hebrews by Yehoveh, and the Assyr-
spoke of at the beginning of this four-chapter ians completed their conquest of the Northern
section because the entire tone suddenly shifts Kingdom. Those ten tribes of Ephraim-Israel
from being hypothetical (“If you do this, then were removed from the land and scattered all
this is what will happen”) to being prophetic over the vast Assyrian Empire, and most of
and inevitable (“This is what is going to hap- those people were absorbed into the scores of
Deuteronomy 28

pen”). This turns from being a possibility to cultures that formed Assyria. This is where the
being an assurance; Israel will be removed from legend of the ten lost tribes began.
the land of promise because they will rebel About 135 years later there was a new bully
against Yehoveh and bring down these curses on the block: Babylon. The Southern Kingdom
upon themselves. Notice also that three hun- was all that remained of Israel until about 596
dred years before Israel ever had thoughts of BC when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
installing a king to rule over them, the Lord invaded Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and took a
says that He will drive the Israelites and their king great deal of the population (starting with the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 287

most learned and useful) to Babylon. This was across the border and entered another nation
the second exile. a different set of gods took over. As hard to
The third and final exile of God’s people is accept as it might be the biblical Hebrews con-
marked in time as AD 70, because that is when tinued to believe this (and it is well attested to
the Romans seized Jerusalem and burned the in Scripture) even though they had the Torah
temple. What we see today in the re-emergence and they had Yehoveh. Jonah had to learn the
of the modern state of Israel is the return from hard way that what the world claims as politi-
the Roman exile of the people of Judah, the cally correct and common knowledge isn’t nec-
Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom essarily the truth.
must, according to the prophecies, return as YHWH gave Jonah an assignment to go to
well, and to an increasing degree that is hap- Ninevah and tell them about the God of Israel;
pening. he didn’t want to go, so he decided he would
Back to Deuteronomy; in the place of their run away. He would leave the territory of Israel,
exile the Israelites will transform from being where Yehoveh had power, and go to Tarshish
superior hosts to being inferior aliens. They will where Yehoveh did not exist or at least had no
serve the needs of other gods and not Yehoveh. spiritual authority. Understand: Jonah was not
In this place of exile they will take up planting renouncing the God of Israel; he was just escap-
vineyards and sowing crops, but the locust shall ing from Yehoveh’s national jurisdiction (or so
destroy it all. Even the small joy they may have he thought).
gained by making and drinking wine is taken Jonah 2 tells of Jonah’s great realization that
from them. Again notice that the PLACE where you cannot escape God because He is every-
all these curses of God upon the Hebrews is where and His authority is universal. I guess
occurring has shifted; they were experiencing Jonah had never read Deuteronomy 28, because
all of these calamities in Israel but now they are it makes this point most emphatically. In Deu-
still experiencing them in some other land after teronomy 28 Yehoveh was making it clear that
their exile. Being kicked-out of the Promised wherever the Hebrews might go, the curses
Land was not the end of the curses; the curses would be with them because Yehoveh was still
followed them wherever they went. with them. There is no escaping God.
This demonstrates perhaps one the greatest In Deuteronomy 28:43 yet another aspect
lessons all of us can ever learn: there is no run- of the curses upon the lives of the Israelites is
ning from God, there is only running to Him. stepped upon by God: their finances. A com-
Jonah is a great example of this lesson brought plete role reversal is taking place; the foreign-
to life. ers (who came to Israel lowly and in need) now
become higher and wealthier than the Israelites.
Israel had been ordered by God to lend to for-
Assignment: Read Jonah 1–2.
eigners due to humanitarian concerns; now in
their accursed state, Israel will become the bor-
rower from those same foreigners. The humili-
Deuteronomy 28

ation is beyond the pale.

Remember it was considered common Beyond the diseases, psychological trauma,
knowledge that a god or gods occupied earthly and deprivation, the next series of divine threats
territory (or often the sky above it) just like man involves conquest by other nations. The result
does. In other words, every nation of people will be starvation, poverty, and servitude to
had their own gods and goddesses that operated these nations and their gods.
within, and whose powers were limited by, the The cause of this next group of curses is the
boundaries of that nation. When one wandered same as all the other categories of curses: Israel
 288 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

disobeyed God. Or more literally, Israel did they would once again be assigned to serve an
not shema God; Israel did not listen and obey. enemy as slaves, and they would forfeit the priv-
If I could wave a magic wand over the mod- ileged status of holiness that God had bestowed
ern church and change only one thing I think upon them, as well as the blessings that were
it would be to re-insert the word “obey” into there for the taking as expressed in the Mosaic
our faith. Somehow obedience is now seen as Covenant. What an incalculable tragedy.
irrelevant; we’ve bought our fire insurance so This also raises a terribly difficult issue that
who cares if we play with matches and burn the church has wrestled with for centuries and
the house down? I’ve had a number of people different segments of the church have come up
explain to me that they see obedience as legal- with different solutions. The issue is that once
ism because they believe that all we’re required we have been redeemed can we, today, return
to do since the advent of Christ is to love. They to Egypt so-to-speak. That is, can a person
think love has replaced obedience, just as the who accepts Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior
New Covenant has replaced the Old. Yet the renounce that allegiance and have his or her
Scriptures say that to love God is to be obedient own personal salvation history reversed? We’re
to Him. certainly not going to discover a new aspect of
Verse 46 brings us another reference to the that terribly difficult question that has caused
theme of “Egypt” (as I had told you to watch quite a bit of division within the body of Christ,
for as we worked our way through these curses). but on the other hand neither can I simply look
Moses says that these never ending national the other way when a definite pattern is laid out
calamities and reversals-of-fortune shall serve here in the Torah.
as a “sign and wonder” against Israel for all There is no denying that the NT is chock
time that they did not serve God. It is this same full with warnings and examples of people who
phrase that was used to explain the purpose of at one time declared their allegiance to Yeshua,
the ten plagues upon Egypt. and then either renounced it or walked away to
Let me pause here and see if this Egypt such an extent that they found themselves right
reference is becoming clearer; essentially what back in Egypt; the Lord released them back into
is happening is that Israel’s redemption from the servitude of an evil master.
Egypt is being undone. God is reversing the sta- Do you recall Yeshua’s parable of the seeds
tus and condition of Israel and returning them that was a metaphor for the gospel being taught
to Egypt and slavery because Israel is rejecting to people and that there were varying results?
the terms of the covenant by breaking the terms. “And those (seeds that fell) on the rocky soil
To receive the blessing of the Lord, and to are those who, when they hear, receive the word
have no joy in it; to receive redemption and not with joy; and these have no firm root; they
to be grateful by means of demonstrating obe- believe for a while, and in time of temptation
dience, is to invite God’s curses. What greater fall away” (Luke 8:13 NAS).
lesson is being demonstrated here if not that? There are two important elements to this
I cannot say it strongly enough that the passage. The first is to understand what the
Deuteronomy 28

curses upon Israel that we are reading about in phrase “fall away” means; it means that a person
Deuteronomy 28 are God threatening to reverse has become apostate. It means that someone
Israel’s salvation history. He brought them out no longer has sufficient trust to be counted as
of Egypt where they served the great enemy, among the followers of God. It is not referring
and then He redeemed them and gave them His to misbehavior or committing a sin. Second,
Word, the Torah. But because over time they too many modern church doctrines gloss-over
rejected His love and His commandments they this scripture and say that “those who believed
are essentially renouncing Yehoveh; therefore for awhile” didn’t actually ever believe; rather
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 289

they were pretenders. Not only is that not what is our enlightenment, and here He is threaten-
it says but you will find nowhere in the NT any ing to remove Himself from our midst. Now
reference to those who fell away from the faith listen to me very carefully because I do not want
as having never actually believed. By defini- to be misunderstood or misquoted: indeed no
tion you can’t “fall away” from something you human and no spiritual being of any kind can
never had. Fall away essentially means to leave ever forcefully and against your will remove
the faith in one way or another: “Behold then your salvation in Jesus Christ. But Yeshua Him-
the kindness and severity of God; to those who self (right here in Revelation) does take it away
fell away, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, from those who loved and believed at first, but
if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you stopped of their own volition, by their own will,
also will be cut off” (Rom. 11:22 NAS). and turned back to sin; they lost their love for
Notice here the good old Mosaic “if-then” Him.
conditional nature of the covenant. If you con-
tinue in His kindness then you’ll stay attached But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some
as a branch on the Olive Tree. Our New Cov- will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful
enant is a conditional covenant. The condition spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Tim. 4:1 NAS)
is not that we must behave perfectly; rather it is
that we must trust and continue to abide in the And here we have Paul saying bluntly that
faith or (if we renounce what we know to be in our era (the latter times) some believers
truth) we will be cut-off from the source of our will fall away from the faith. It is not only
faith, God. possible, it is inevitable that some Christians
“You who are trying to be declared righ- will fall away from what they had believed and
teous by God through legalism have severed instead put their faith in deceitful doctrines
yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen contrived by men. The idea that once we trust
away from God’s grace!” (Gal. 5:4 CJB). There in Messiah it is impossible for us to renounce
were those in Paul’s day (and there are those our faith, or to slowly transfer that faith to a
today) who think that obedience to the Law plus set of man-made doctrines, is refuted in the
trusting Messiah equals salvation. Not only is Scriptures. It is certainly true that no being,
this not true, one cancels the other. If we try to human or spiritual, can take you away from
mix together the self-justification of obedience Christ against your will . . . except if that
to the Law with Christ’s justification on our being is you. As long as we each remain in the
behalf, then we wind up with no justification at faith by means of trusting God we are safe
all. Do not confuse this with our being justified and protected. Misbehavior (committing sins)
by Yeshua and then our being obedient to all of is not renouncing our faith, it is not “falling
God’s Word as the appropriate response from away,” and that is not what is being expressed
every believer to such overwhelming grace. in these NT verses I have shown you. So don’t
finish this reading and worry that if you broke
But I have this against you: you have lost the love a commandment of God that you are in dan-
Deuteronomy 28

you had at first. Therefore, remember where you were ger of having your salvation stripped from
before you fell, turn from this sin, and do what you used you; you’re not. Rather the renouncing of our
to do before. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove faith means to expressly disavow our former
your menorah from its place—if you don’t turn from belief that Yeshua is Lord. These NT passages
your sin! (Rev. 2:4-5 CJB) we just read indicate that we are apparently
as completely free to renounce our faith as
To have your menorah (lamp stand) we were free to accept it. These NT warning
removed is to lose your enlightenment. Yeshua simply follow the pattern established in Deu-
 290 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

teronomy; amid all God has done for them Verse 49 of Deuteronomy continues with
Israel has turned away from God and so He the prophecy of the coming curses upon Israel
has given them back to Egypt. at their inevitable fall. A foreign nation will
Now the good news is that one who was swoop down upon Israel quickly, in strength
redeemed (in Deuteronomy this is Israel) and and speed, and show no mercy. Everything the
who renounces His faith can come to his senses; Israelites have worked centuries to achieve will
he can be led back to God. And when he does, be wiped out almost overnight. People will be
he can reclaim His redemption. We will of shut-up in their towns and face starvation and
course, see this same thing as pertains to Israel death; this is speaking of siege warfare, which
a little later in the OT, but in the NT we have of course is exactly what Israel faced against
the Apostle James explain: both the Babylonians and the Romans.
I don’t wish to be too graphic, but these final
My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, verses are quite gruesome, so let me explain
and someone causes him to return, you should know that what is being said. Verse 53 contemplates canni-
whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save balism. Some folks will become so hungry that
him from death and cover many sins. (5:19-20) they will eat their own children. In fact verse 54
makes a play on words and it explains that the
James, brother of Jesus, says that if a believer most finicky of eaters, and the most aristocratic
falls away He is in danger of death. What kind among the elite of Israel will not only stoop so
of death? Obviously eternal death because that’s low as to eat his children (and be glad for the
the context, and because everyone, saved or meal), he also will not want to share any with his
unsaved, is assigned to have their physical body own starving wife!
die once. James says that if someone helps a for- And to make the point even more pro-
mer believer to return to the faith, he will save foundly, the wife who is the most finicky of eat-
him from the eternal death. ers and of the aristocratic elite will actually eat
I’m not here today to confirm or deny what- the remains of birth. By the way, annuls from
ever doctrine you may accept on this difficult the two sieges on Jerusalem record that these
subject; but I will point out that the answer lies horrible things actually happened.
in the patterns. The final verses of this sickening imagery
are of the disease and wasting away that comes
as a result of the thousands of corpses that lay
stacked like firewood in the besieged city. In
verse 68 the reversal of Israel’s redemption is
completed. The Lord will send the survivors
(metaphorically) back to Egypt. In the past the
Egyptian overlords accepted Israel as slaves and
at least provided them a subsistence living, but
the Lord God says that this time Egypt won’t
Deuteronomy 28

even accept them as slaves (so despised have

they become).
Just so that there is no misunderstanding,
the last words of chapter 28 confirm that the
covenant given at Horeb (another name for
Sinai) and in Moab is one in the same covenant
so the Israelites shouldn’t be confused and think
that that things have changed.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 291

Just as the terms of the Mosaic Covenant “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah
didn’t change between Sinai and Moab, neither or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete.
did they change between Moab and Calvary. God Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass
didn’t give a “forever” covenant at Sinai, revoke away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the
it, and give a new “forever” one in Moab. Neither Torah—not until everything that must happen has hap-
did He give us what is commonly called the New pened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and
Covenant and revoke the previous. How can I teaches others to do so will be called the least in the King-
know this? Messiah says so: dom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will
be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt. 5:17-19)

Deuteronomy 28
 292 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 29

What we are about to read in Deuteronomy 29 ter how off the mark they were) as He devel-
is usually called “Moses’s Third Discourse” by oped Israel as His people. Therefore (from the
Bible academics. In other words, Deuteronomy standpoint of the Hebrews) Yehoveh was estab-
is largely a three-part message, a sermon by lishing Himself as the highest God in each of
Moses, given prior to Israel actually entering these territories that the Israelites entered. After
the land of promise. In each part of the three- all, since Israel (up to now) had no territory of
part message Moses has repeated, expanded, its own, Yehoveh had no territory to rule over;
and explained more in depth about the Torah, therefore God would (in their thinking) have to
the Law as given at Mount Sinai, and its intent confiscate a territory from some other gods and
and purpose. make it His own.
At the start of this chapter Israel is still in Each time they held a covenant ceremony,
the border state of Moab, awaiting God’s order the Hebrews saw the Lord as establishing Him-
to move forward and take the land. Moses has self not as the only god of that territory, but as
given the Law to the second generation of the the El (the highest god of that territory). It was
Exodus, the bulk of the first generation (but not the norm for Middle Eastern cultures to have
all) having died out in the Wilderness as a divine a god hierarchy with one of their gods as the
judgment of their refusal to go in and conquer highest god and the rest more or less under his
Canaan thirty-eight years earlier. Chapter 29 is authority. The term used in Canaan for “high-
essentially Moses asking this new generation to est god” was Il. The Canaanite word Il was
ratify the covenant just as their parents had. adopted and adapted into the Hebrew religion
It is quite enlightening when we see that and became the Hebrew word El, such as in El
Israel had covenant ratification ceremonies at Shaddai, El Roi, El Elyon and so on. But it still
three places: Mount Sinai, in Moab, and then meant the same thing and brought with it the
immediately upon crossing the Jordan and same mental picture: the highest god among the
entering the Promised Land. Three places, several gods of that territory. It’s just that for
three different territories, and three covenant the Israelites, Yehoveh was their EL (or Il). The
ceremonies: Midian, Moab, and Canaan. Part idea of monotheism hadn’t fully taken hold in
of the reason for this lies in the ancient beliefs their minds as yet.
that each identifiable territory had its own iden-
tifiable set of gods. Midian had its gods, Moab
its own, and Canaan yet another group of gods.
Deuteronomy 29

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 29.

Yehoveh was indigenous to none of these ter-
ritories. The Hebrews fully believed this. They
had no understanding whatsoever that there
was one God, Yehoveh, who was God of every-
thing and everywhere. We really don’t even The first thing Moses does is to remind
see the Lord press this issue too hard with the Israel of their redemption history. He reminds
Israelites; in fact, the Lord sort of went out of them that some in the crowd that stands before
His way to work within those beliefs (no mat- him were eyewitnesses to the awesome wonders
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 293

that Yehoveh struck Egypt with in order to free Thus we see this God-pattern emerge: the
and redeem His people. parents of an Israelite child who was not yet
Simple math tells us that the oldest living at the age of accountability could include their
Hebrews at this time (outside of Joshua, Caleb, child in the covenant provisions. In fact as we’ll
and Moses) were approaching sixty years old see, this concept plays forward in the sense that
(although a few older ones might have survived every future generation of Israelites that is born
but would die in a matter of a few more days). is considered to be automatically born under the
When Israel left Egypt the age of accountability covenant (with some caveats that we don’t need
was essentially the same as the youngest age a to get into). However once that child reaches the
male could serve in the military, and that was age of accountability, he and she must declare
about twenty years old. So when God con- for themselves their allegiance to the covenant
demned that accountable Exodus generation to or they are not considered as covenant mem-
die out in the Wilderness and never be allowed bers. In a broad sense that is the purpose of a
to enter Canaan, that only included people who Bar Mitzvah and a BatMitzvah ceremony (a tra-
were around twenty years of age and older at dition of Judaism, not a Torah commandment)
the time. and why reading from the Torah is a key ele-
Therefore many thousands of young Isra- ment of it. We could call this event when a child
elites (who were well into their late teens) reaches the age of accountability and declares
personally witnessed not only God’s plagues allegiance to God for him or her self a covenant
upon Egypt, but also the covenant given to renewal ceremony; that is exactly what we are
Moses at Mount Sinai. However since there seeing in Deuteronomy 26 – 30.
were not yet at an age of accountability they This notion is probably familiar to all who
could not personally accept the terms of the are listening. Depending on your upbringing,
covenant, but their parents could agree for whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, and which
them. That said, once each minor reached the denomination you are involved in, the matter of
age of accountability he or she had to per- whether a child is under the covenant protection
sonally agree (or not) to be a member of the of God, and at what age is considered the age of
covenant community. accountability varies. Yet the concept remains

Deuteronomy 29
 294 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

the same and Deuteronomy is the source. If this is not at all like a rabbi or pastor chastis-
one goes strictly according to Scripture then ing his congregation by telling them that they
the age of accountability is the age that military are spiritually blind. Rather this is Moses saying
conscription can occur. At the same time until that up to this point God had not given them
the age of accountability that child is under the the gift of spiritual awareness, but now He has,
same status as their parents. If the parents are and so they are finally ready to accept the cov-
under the covenant, then their child is under enant and to perform its terms in a much fuller
the covenant. If the parents are outside the cov- sense than by mere mechanical actions.
enant, then their child is outside the covenant. I told you as we entered chapter 26 (the first
It works the same way, of course, with the NT of this special four-chapter section) that there
unless the child makes a profession of faith on were great mysteries, prophecies, and unrevealed
their own. things in it that have confounded Hebrew sages
Moses says that many of you personally wit- and Christian scholars alike. The statement
nessed the wonders of Egypt and Mount Sinai, about God having not given His Hebrew peo-
but then in verse 3 he says that despite that the ple the minds to understand nor the eyes to see
Lord has not given you a mind to understand and ears to hear is one of those mysteries. Let’s
nor eyes to see nor ears to hear; meaning that face it; taken in its plainest sense this means that
they did not understand the meaning of it all. God must give each of us spiritual awareness or
Let me tell you, this is a powerful statement. we can’t begin to properly carry out His instruc-
There is an interesting play on words that tions. Or put another way, spiritual awareness
we kind of miss because of the English transla- can be withheld by God until (if ever) He deems
tion. It essentially says you have “seen” but you He wants you have it. Without this spiritual
don’t “see.” It also says that even though you awareness there is no hope of comprehending
have ears, you don’t “hear.” What it actually the significance of God’s laws and commands
says is that even though you have ears, you don’t and his redemption plan and process.
shema. You may eventually get a little tired of me I can recall in a visit with my father-in-law,
reminding you of this, but shema does not mean when my wife was witnessing to him, and he
merely to hear. Inherent in the word is that you insisted that try as he might he could make no
are to be obedient to what you have heard. It sense out of the Bible. He reads it but it is just
does not mean to hear or listen (as is the passive words that evade his ability to comprehend. This
sense of it that we think of it today). Without was an intelligent and educated man; a retired
doing what you heard, then you have not shema. school teacher who was frustrated because he
Anyone who has gone to church but for a few could see that the Bible was words, and sen-
months knows that there are many who come tences, paragraphs and chapters, but it had no
and hear; the sound of the words and sentences meaning to his mind.
goes into their ears and they understand the About six months before he passed away
words and sentences and they register but then he accepted Yeshua as His Savior and he spent
there is no response in their life. This is what much of his remaining days reading and enjoy-
Deuteronomy 29

Moses is getting at: you have ears (your sensory ing and finally comprehending the Holy Scrip-
organs are registering the sounds of the words tures. There is only one reasonable conclusion
that I am giving to you) but up to now you are I can come to: it takes divine intervention to
not doing what the words command you to do. give to us the perception necessary to under-
All together this verse that speaks of minds stand the divine Word of God. Yet, here were
that do not understand, eyes that do not see and His redeemed people, Israel, wandering out in
ears that do not hear describing spiritual blind- the desert, armed with the Laws of Moses, but
ness. Do not misunderstand this verse though; constantly finding themselves in trouble with
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 295

God for their disobedience. The implication is and to some extent even do them, but without
that while the Lord had given them the Law He the Holy Spirit we’ll never be able to understand
had not given them the ability to understand its them and their intent. Doing the Law with-
underlying meaning. out trusting God is a hollow and meaningless
The highly acclaimed Jewish Torah scholar endeavor that does not please the Lord. That is,
Jeffrey Tigay (who is not a believer), comes to in fact, the true definition of legalism.
this conclusion from what we read here in Deu- Verse 5 makes the comment that while out
teronomy: “This seems to imply that God does in the Wilderness the Israelites did not eat bread
give the heart the capacity for faith, but that He nor drink wine nor strong drink (and this was
does so only for those who seek it . . . man must so they might know the Lord). Look: this is not
have the desire to obey God and only then will a diatribe against wine and shekar (strong drink)
God help him to do so.” any more than it’s a diatribe against bread. It is
Faith, trusting God, was the key. The Law simply saying that rather than the staples of the
was given to Israel not because they were seek- Hebrew diet (bread and wine) they ate manna,
ing it or because they were faithful (they weren’t), quail, and drank water; all things that were pro-
but because God was faithful. Even the giving of vided supernaturally. Bread, lechem, is the prod-
the Law at Mount Sinai did not automatically uct of human endeavor. Wine is the product of a
relieve the Israelites of their spiritual blindness. human endeavor. Manna came ready to eat, and
Only those Hebrews who had faith and trusted it poured out from heaven. Quail was not raised
Yehoveh were given the “unlock code” to God’s and fed and bred and cared for; it came ready
Word. Only those who loved God and wanted to eat and literally fell from the sky. The water
to be obedient were given minds to understand, didn’t come from wells that were dug or canals
eyes to see, and ears to hear. that were dredged nor were cisterns to capture
Naturally this pattern is sent forward and is the flash flood waters constructed. Whenever
the basis for the NT and our modern lives, “I naturally available water from a spring wasn’t
want to know from you just this one thing: did available God simply provided it from the most
you receive the Spirit by legalistic observance absurd and improbable source: rocks. And all
of Torah commands or by trusting in what you of this was so no Israelite could take any credit
heard and being faithful to it?” (Gal 3:2). for the provisions of life and sustenance during
As Tigay discovered for himself, Moses was those forty years out in the wilderness, most of
saying that receiving the Law is a separate issue which amounted to an exile. Now that is mercy.
from receiving the ability to comprehend the A couple of things to take notice of: wine
Law. God has already given the gift of the Law and strong drink is perfectly allowable according
even to those who were not looking to receive to the Scriptures. There is nothing wrong with
it., but the gift of understanding it as divinely alcoholic beverages. Wine is the biblical symbol
intended only comes to those who personally and metaphor of joy. Yeshua turned water into
seek Him in trust and desire to be obedient to wine because weddings were to be joyful and
Him. Paul is saying precisely the same thing. the wedding he and his mother were attend-
Deuteronomy 29

When we determine by our wills to seek God, ing was running short of wine and therefore
and to be obedient to Him, and we understand joy. Why was wine associated with joy? Because
sufficiently to accept the Jewish Messiah Yeshua the people got a little tipsy. They forgot some
as our needed Redeemer, then we are given the of their cares and felt less pain in their bodies;
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the church era’s they laughed a little more and put some of their
unlock code to the Word of God. Without the worldly burdens asides for a short time. Wine
Holy Spirit we may certainly be able to read the tasted good and smelled good. Even strong
words of the Bible, memorize and recite them, drink (what today we might call hard liquor and
 296 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

beer) was acceptable (but of course not to the covenant with its sanctions.” These are correct
point of drunkenness and irresponsibility). but it misses the point; what this verse means
Notice the three “spheres” of existence is “a covenant with its curses.” The Hebrew is
that the sustenance of life for Israel came from: berit ve-‘alah, which most literally is “a covenant
manna came from heaven, quail from the sky guarded by curses.” In a sense this was a caution
(the heavens), and water from the earth. Heaven and a warning not to enter into this covenant
(the spiritual world), the sky (the heavens, what lightly because the repercussions from break-
we see when we look out at the stars at night), ing its terms could be fatal. Not surprisingly
and the earth we live on. God is sovereign and this same warning is found in the NT for those
He is Lord of all these areas that represent not who would enter into the Israelite covenant by
only our entire seen and knowable universe means of Yeshua’s sacrifice: “For as often as you
but also the invisible and unknowable spiritual eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim
realm. He provides for our needs from every the death of the Lord, until he comes. There-
one of these areas. Our God is indeed an awe- fore, whoever eats the Lord’s bread or drinks
some God!! the Lord’s cup in an unworthy manner will be
From verses 9 through 20 we witness the guilty of desecrating the body and blood of the
actual covenant ratification ceremony. The Lord!” (1 Cor. 11:26-27).
first words of this ceremony are: “You stand Yet “a covenant guarded by curses” was a
this day, all of you, before the Lord.” The word rather common phrase used throughout the
stand is significant. In Hebrew the word is nitsav Middle East to describe treaties made between
and it means that you are “presenting” your- a powerful king and the vassal cities and states
selves to the Lord. Recall that I mentioned that he ruled over. These treaties always had the pur-
the Hebrew language does not employ tenses pose and the terms spelled out; the obligations
(past, present, future) per se. Rather they both sides agreed to; and finally the curses that
employ something called perfect and imper- would happen to the vassal state if they should
fect or complete and incomplete. The idea is break the treaty. So the Israelites fully under-
that something has been established and is stood the sober and serious nature of what it
completed, or that something has been estab- was they were agreeing to. I wonder if we mod-
lished and it is ongoing but has not yet been ern believers take it as seriously?
completed. Here nitsav is used in the perfect; Then the Lord makes it abundantly clear
it is not saying that at this moment you are that Canaan was the land He had promised to
now presenting yourselves to the Lord rather it Israel; it had always been the Promised Land.
means that you have been presenting yourself It was not any suitable territory that the Isra-
to the Lord and continue to. The text goes to elites wandered into and preferred. It was not
great lengths to include every last person trav- left up to chance and serendipity or the vaga-
eling with and among Israel: leaders, men and ries of history or human politics. It is awfully
women, children, even foreigners. Woodchop- easy to see the land of Israel as just a place
per and water drawers are the lowliest of tasks, where the Jews live. Why is it so necessary that
Deuteronomy 29

so this means that no social group was left out; it be that particular spot? In fact much of the
all of these people are present at the covenant world, today, is asking that question. Since the
ratification ceremony. Muslims insist that the land the Jewish nation
The people were present to be given an sits upon should be theirs, why not just move
opportunity to become a member of the cov- the Jews to some other place that won’t cause
enant community or to reaffirm their member- such trouble? And in fact about a century ago
ship; a covenant that verse 12 says is “a cove- such a thing came within a hair’s breadth from
nant with its oaths,” or other versions say, “a happening.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 297

The father of Zionism, Theodore Hertzl, to all Hebrews of the future generations, just
about one hundred years ago was approaching as the New Covenant was offered to all future
various governments around the world to try generations of humanity and not only the one
and acquire a place for a Jewish homeland. He during which Yeshua came.
wanted Palestine of course, but the Arabs were Starting in verse 15 Moses cautions that
having none of it. Finally the British offered him the covenant community must keep their wits
a large colonial territory that they had lost inter- about them and be on watch for anyone who has
est in; today we know this place as the country taken the oath of the Mosaic Covenant but then
of Uganda. The World Zionist Congress had turns around and decides that now that they’ve
heated debates as to whether to accept the Brit- declared that they are part of the covenant (safe
ish offer and in a very close vote they rejected and sound and protected) they can just go live
Uganda as the new Jewish homeland. The rest, as they please without regard to the terms of the
as they say, is history. covenant. This is illustrated as a man or women
Even if they had voted to accept Uganda, it who would remember the nations that the horde
would not have represented their return from of 3 million Israelites wandered through on their
exile as promised by the prophets. The land of way to Canaan, and remember the gods of gold
Canaan is special to God for His own good rea- and silver that those nations worshipped, and
sons. The Promised Land is not any land suffi- choose to serve those false gods. Such a person
cient to house Israel; it is a very specific divinely is viewed as bitter poison and wormwood. In
ordained place. God was making that clear to other words they are dangerous to the commu-
the second Exodus generation, He made it clear nity at large because they might entice others to
by His divine providence in the late 1800s, and do as they have done.
He’s making it clearer still today. But does the Understand: as often as this exact scenario
Church have eyes to see, and ears to hear? The happened in Israel’s history (and we read about
world certainly doesn’t, and many Jews don’t it at length in Judges and all the books of the
either. Prophets), it was rare that a Hebrew would
The Lord says He is not only making this renounce Yehoveh and take up worshipping
covenant with those standing before Him today other gods in His place. Rather they would sim-
(in Moab), but with those “who are not here ply see Yehoveh as the El, the highest god in the
today.” Since the previous verses make it clear territory, and they would keep Him but add a
that every living Israelite was present to hear few of the “lesser” gods to their repertoire. This
Moses this is referring to all the descendants of felt perfectly reasonable to them; they’d go to
those present; the future generations. Interest- temple, they’d attend the biblical feasts, they’d
ingly the Midrash Tanhuma deals with this mat- bring in their tithes and they would sacrifice at
ter and says that the pre-incarnate souls of all the brazen altar, but then they would also have
future Hebrews were present at this covenant little wooden and stone idols of other gods in
ceremony, and so they, too, heard Moses and their homes and pay homage to them as well
became part of the covenant. We might want to (often in secret so that their neighbors didn’t
Deuteronomy 29

call that fanciful thinking but modern Christi- know). Needless to say they were shocked when
anity in general accepts a very similar doctrine God’s curses fell upon them with their usual
in that every soul that will ever live was created excuse being: but God, didn’t we call on your
in the beginning and is with God until He cre- Name? We read of this scenario over and over
ates that individual in a physical form and He ad nauseum in the books of the Prophets.
puts that eternal soul within him or her. Some of you know right where this is lead-
Even if you do not accept that interpreta- ing, don’t you? This pattern naturally presents
tion, at the least the covenant is being offered itself in the NT as well; the falling away and
 298 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

worshipping other gods may just be as preva- doctrines is to deal with the supposed problem
lent in the institutional church today as it was of legalism and works as a means to salvation.
with the Hebrews in the days of the evil kings That somehow or another to obey the written
of Israel. Scriptural commands of God is legalism; to do
Who has not heard the often repeated good and righteous deeds is to try to gain our
phrase of Jesus who said, “On that Day, many salvation through self-justifying works. I believe
will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we proph- it is time for the Church to repent of this and to
esy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in re-examine these issues before it’s too late for
your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles millions of churchgoers who honestly think
in your name?’ Then I will tell them to their that they are safely within the congregation of
faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, the Lord, and yet have no interest in His Word
you workers of lawlessness!’ (Matt. 7:22). or His ways.
Here in Deuteronomy 29 Yehoveh was warn- Verse 19 is downright terrifying. It says that
ing through Moses that while redemption and the Lord will not forgive those who fall away
signing on to the covenant were good things, in this manner and that the sum total of every
one had to continue in their trust and obedience curse of the Law will be upon that person, and
to maintain their position within the covenant that Yehoveh will blot out his name from under
community. Do you think that’s changed with heaven. I told you at the beginning of today’s les-
Jesus? I’m afraid the vast bulk of especially the son that we would find out what “blot out his
Evangelical wing of Christianity thinks so. As name” means. For most of you I think the mean-
with so many doctrines of this sort, the Holy ing has already become clear: it is speaking of
Scriptures tell us the opposite: “So you will say, eternal death. It is speaking of the curse of the
‘Branches were broken off so that I might be Law. It is absolute condemnation. One who signs
grafted in.’ True, but so what? They were bro- onto the covenant and then falls away will suf-
ken off because of their lack of trust. However, fer the same fate as those who worshipped the
you keep your place only because of your trust. Golden Calf. He will suffer the same fate as God
So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be ter- imposed on the Amelikites: the permanent wrath
rified! For if God did not spare the natural of God and permanent separation from Him.
branches, he certainly won’t spare you! So take Verse 20 explains that the Lord will single
a good look at God’s kindness and his sever- people out for this fate and it will be done in
ity: on the one hand, severity toward those who accordance to the terms of the covenant. The
fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness would-be apostate person should not think that
toward you—provided you maintain yourself in he could get “lost” and hide among the cove-
that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut nant community and escape his fate by going
off!” (Rom. 11:19-22) undetected. Nor should he think that all divine
It is very concerning to me that so many punishments and disciplines occur only at the
of us think we can get up from the pew and national level (experienced by the community as
walk the aisle, say the words, pray the sinners a whole). Rather the Lord will deal with cov-
Deuteronomy 29

prayer, and then figure we’ve completed our enant violators on a person-by-person basis
obligations to God. That now that we’ve joined and there is no hiding from God. One of the
the New Covenant community we have no purposes for Yehoveh condemning apostates
duties, we have no rules, and there are no con- individual by individual, and dealing with them
sequences for our actions and behavior. There in the most devastating and horrific way, is so
is not one Scripture in the OT or NT that even others who come later will see what happened
implies such a thing. The only reason this kind to them. The cursed will be a sign for future
of thought exists within far too many Christian generations not to test the Lord.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 299

I want to point out something interesting He will be like a tamarisk in the ‘Aravah- when
that sheds light on something of a puzzle that relief comes, it is unaffected; for it lives in the sun-baked
goes back to Genesis. These verses use the desert, in salty, uninhabited land. (Jer. 17:6)
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well
as the cities of Adamah and Zeboiim, as illus- You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes taste-
trations of the complete annihilation that those less, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good
who apostize can expect. It says that these cit- for anything except being thrown out for people to trample
ies were so completely devastated by sulfur and on. (Matt. 5:13)
salt that they were beyond any ability to produce
crops or even pasture land for wild or domestic It is a fact of history that since Israel’s con-
animals. These cities were essentially thrown quering of Canaan under Joshua, the only times
into the Lake of Fire and abandoned by God that the land of Israel was fertile and fruitful
and man forever. were when the Israelites lived there. Each time
Recall that Lot and his family were rescued they were exiled, the land went fallow. Israel,
by an angel from the evil city of Sodom and the people, without Israel, the land, is incom-
that as they fled they were instructed not to plete. The beautiful farms and greenhouses that
look back, but Lot’s wife disobeyed and she was dominate Israel’s landscape today only began to
turned into a pillar of salt. Of itself, salt is use- reappear in the early 1900s as Jews began to seek
ful and good. It can preserve and it can season. refuge from their plight in Europe. As more
Yet salt can also be destructive. The idea is that came, the land seemed to respond as a pneumo-
even though Lot’s wife was given the oppor- nia victim visibly responds to modern antibiot-
tunity to escape destruction (and, in fact, had ics. The malaria-ridden swamps were drained
escaped) she still didn’t trust (she fell away from and became farmland; the desert bloomed. The
God) and wound up suffering the same fate as hillsides became lush with olive and pistachio
she would have had she simply stayed in Sodom trees, and now even mangos and bananas.
with the pagans. She turned to salt; she became It might come as a surprise but the Gaza
the same agent of soil destroying poison (salt) Strip had become known as Israel’s Green-
that made Sodom and Gomorrah uninhabitable house. It produced about half of all kosher food
and unusable. products for Israel. In the short time since Israel
It was usual for a powerful king who had buckled to international pressure and has evac-
treaties with many smaller vassal cities to come uated it and given it over to the Palestinians,
and utterly destroy that city should they rebel the food production has dropped so drastically
against him. It would be a warning sign to his it can’t even feed the rather small Palestinian
other vassal cities not to follow their lead. In the population of Gaza.
process the king’s men would bring sulfur and We know from many of the ancient docu-
salt and spread it all over the arable land. The ments discovered in the Middle East that several
two chemicals combined made the land utterly nations employed this boilerplate format in their
unusable for anything; the sulfur created an treaties that laid out threats of what would hap-
Deuteronomy 29

unbearably foul odor and the salt poisoned the pen if the subjugated city or state violated the
soil and nothing would grow. treaty and thus brought upon them the wrath of
That Lot’s wife was a “pillar” of salt would the more powerful king who lorded over them.
be better translated as a “monument” of salt. They could get very graphic and specific about
That is she became a sign, a warning, a hazard the terrible outcome of rebellion, therefore we
marker to all who would turn back from their shouldn’t be surprised to see the same format
redemption and from their Redeemer. used here in relation to God, Israel, and the bless-
ings and curses of the covenant between them.
 300 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

The difference between the standard earthly as the Inquisition whereby the church burned
treaties established with the vassal states and thousands of people at the stake, imprisoned and
the empires that controlled them versus what is tortured countless thousands more, and sought
being pronounced in Deuteronomy is that the to push the Jews out of Europe, few within the
exact happenings envisioned for treaty viola- Church questioned whether or not what they
tion were prophetic for Israel. In those earthly were doing was godly. What could be more godly
treaties among nations there were exaggerated than to seek out and destroy heretics?
threats designed to elicit fear in hopes of keeping While today we don’t have anything quite
the subjugated in line. But in the case of Deu- like the Inquisition happening within the
teronomy this was God speaking to Israel, and church, we have slowly and surely adopted hab-
He does not make idle threats or retaliate with its and customs that bring us closer to the world
overly harsh unjust consequences as a means of (and by definition pushes us away from God);
control. We find that everything Yehoveh said the goal being to make the world more comfort-
Israel would do eventually they did; everything able with us. Often the only real outcry among
He would do to them in consequence of their the secular against the church is when one seg-
rebellion He did. ment of the church does something outrageous
These verses state that the level of devasta- like to dare to speak out against abortion on
tion upon Israel for their rebellion will be such demand, or to deny the legitimacy of homosex-
that foreigners who travel to Israel, and the next ual marriage, or to defend Israel as belonging
generation of Israelites who will bear the burden solely to the Jewish people. Even then the out-
of these curses, will ask what could have caused cry usually comes from another segment of the
this to happen. The reason for this amazement church that sides with Israel’s enemies and finds
at what happened to Israel is two-fold: first nothing particularly wrong with abortion and
because it became obvious to Israel’s neighbors embraces homosexuality as normal and Godly.
that the God of Israel was very powerful and Several NT Scriptures speak of the return of
that He had overwhelmingly blessed the land Messiah and the aftermath of that return; one of
with more fruitfulness than it had ever before the results is going to be that people (church goers
enjoyed. Second was that it made no sense that and others as well) will be surprised and confused
Israel’s God would then turn around and come as large numbers of seemingly nice and pious peo-
against His own people whom He had gone to ple, including many who fill the pews each Sun-
such great lengths to establish in Canaan. Thus day, find themselves directly in the crosshairs of
the question is begged: “What is the meaning of God’s wrath. The world (and much of the church
such frenzied, furious anger (by God)?” In other and synagogue) will ask the question posed rhetor-
words what could Israel have possibly done to ically in Deuteronomy 29:23: “What is the mean-
bring this wrath down upon their heads? Israel’s ing of the frenzied, furious, anger of God?” They
neighbors and descendants wouldn’t understand won’t understand; after all everything seems fine.
what Israel had done wrong. Yeshua has explained that His personal response
It’s interesting how rebellion against God to the masses who raise their hands to the heav-
Deuteronomy 29

usually happens; more often than not it isn’t ens and shout to God “Why?!” at all the com-
dramatic but rather subtle, and it all feels and ing calamity is this: “On that Day, many will say
appears to be perfectly normal. The rebellion to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your
can go unrecognized because at times the rebel- name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name?
lious activity seems to be even pious in nature Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’
as the majority of people agree with it and move Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew
blithely forward oblivious to their precarious you! Get away from me, you workers of lawless-
position. Even in the most extreme cases, such ness!’” (Matt. 7:22-23).
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 301

Yeshua’s answer was that those people who was for this reason that those who seemed out-
will be the utterly shocked objects of God’s wardly to be part of the community of believ-
wrath are the “workers of lawlessness.” What ers in good standing (in this case Israel) were
does that mean, “the workers of lawlessness”? removed from the Promised Land after they
Does that mean that people who steal cars are had been redeemed, after they had been given
going to hell? Does that mean that if someone the commandments, and after they had arrived
drives 10 mph over the speed limit that they in the land of the Lord’s rest and settled there.
are destined for wrath? After all, is it not the Since Israel’s exiles were always national and not
position of Christian leadership that once we’re individual judgments, all Hebrews were affected
saved there is no amount of lawlessness (sinful no matter what their personal and individual
behavior) that can bring God’s wrath upon us? status before God.
The answer is actually quite logical: when As Paul says to the new group of Gentile
the Bible speaks of law it is only speaking of the believers in Romans 11:19-22:
Torah Laws, the biblical commandments. The
only law that any Jew called “law” was God’s So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that
Law. While Yeshua certainly didn’t advocate the I might be grafted in.” True, but so what? They were
Jews thumbing their noses at the Roman law broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you
code, neither can we seriously think that if a Jew keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be
refused to follow the laws of the Roman Empire arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! For if God did not
(such as bowing down to Caesar or observing a spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you!
day of worship for Zeus, or not properly paying So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity:
their taxes) that this amounted to lawlessness. on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on
Christ’s statement wasn’t referring to the differ- the other hand, God’s kindness toward you—provided
ing civil or criminal national law codes of the you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you
various states and countries in the world then or too will be cut off!”
that would come in future times; it was referring
to the only law there was for a Jew: the Torah. Redemption was reversed because the
Are you hearing me? Yeshua’s worker of lawless- redeemed walked away from it on their own
ness is a worker of Torah-lessness. Jesus is talk- volition.
ing about law from God’s standpoint, not the
earthly standpoint. Yeshua is saying, “Get away The final verse of this chapter says that there
from me you who ignore God’s commandments are those revealed things of God that belong
but play all the fine games of going to synagogue to Israel and their children forever, and that is
or church without fail; or observing all the holy so that those things can be observed (followed,
days (or inventing your own) or behaving piously obeyed). Those revealed things are the Word
in congregation meetings but actually have no of God, the Torah (all Scripture for that mat-
relationship with the Lord at all. ter). Then again there are those hidden things
This NT answer is (not surprisingly) the that belong only to Adonai; they are for Him
Deuteronomy 29

same as the OT answer to, “What happened to know and Israel to wonder about. As we’re
to Israel?” because the OT established the pat- nearing the end of Moses’s sermons, I’m going
tern. Deuteronomy 29:24 says that God’s wrath to take this opportunity to sermonize a bit on
came upon Israel because they abandoned the a subject that I think is important for our time.
Mosaic Covenant; they went and served other There is so much that we can take from this
gods; they served things that were not assigned principle of things revealed so that man can
to them (things reserved for the world in gen- apprehend them, as opposed to things known
eral, but not for Yehoveh’s set-apart people). It only to God for His own good pleasure and
 302 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

purpose. One of the greatest tools we have as is directly addressed in the Bible or not). The
believers is the Torah because in it the founda- modern church lingo for these ready answers
tion for redemption is laid, and within the laws is “faith doctrines.”
and commands we find what pleases God and In our age Christianity has taken its eye off
what displeases Him. We find what is right and the ball and become infatuated with the future.
what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. We are all convinced to one level or another
Yet since about the beginning of the third cen- that we are living in the period of time the Bible
tury AD the Torah has been tossed aside by calls the “last days.” To satisfy this infatuation
the Gentile-oriented institutional church as not we have every sort of theological theory put
only irrelevant but abolished. The sad results are forth that purports to have most, if not all, the
self-evident for those who have the eyes to see. truth about what is going to happen in the near
Yet there are also those more subtle effects future. These theological theories go by all sorts
that can go unnoticed and unguarded even to of fancy names: post and pre-millennialism,
the vigilant. I would like to quote the noted mid and post-tribulation, pre-wrath rapture,
Bible scholar and author Thomas Scott as he and so on. The best selling book series Left
makes the point quite eloquently: Behind has profited from this fascination and
created a loyal following to the point that a large
Almost all the heresies and controversies, which have segment of the church gives great credence to
corrupted the purity or disturbed the peace of the church the speculations of the author’s end times fic-
in every age, have originated from disregard to this dis- tional story. I had a pastor of a mega-church tell
tinction: it is from vain attempts based on human reason- me to my face that if one did not believe in a
ings and church authorities, in order to fill up supposed mid-tribulation rapture timing that that person
chasms in God’s revelation; and to make it more appar- had no place in his congregation and that he
ently consistent and systematical than it pleased God to would have to question the authenticity of that
make it (in His Word to us). From deducing disputable person’s salvation experience.
consequences of God’s revelation Scriptures, or from trac- Sadly we have made it that if enough people
ing back the Word’s sacred mysteries to some unrevealed in authority, or who are famous or have impres-
cause, silence can be a more appropriate response in the sive credentials, agree on a certain path of a pro-
face of the ultimate mysteries.8 phetic future (even though the Scripture may
make no concrete mention of it) then it becomes
What Professor Scott is saying is that it is fact and often the basis of some denominations’
our penchant for wanting to know the whys pillars of faith. It also becomes a cause for deri-
and wherefores of everything in Scripture sion and exclusion to those who think other-
that leads us to fanciful imaginings of what wise.
God’s purposes might be, and this has created Somehow we must again become con-
the hopelessly divided body of Christ that we tent with the fact that is stated so plainly and
are today. Further, especially in the Western succinctly in Deuteronomy 29:28; the hidden
world, we have decided that God needs our things are God’s and the revealed things belong
Deuteronomy 29

help in the telling and structuring of His laws to us. Said in the negative, the hidden things are
and principles as if the Word is not complete. not for us to know. Because of our modern pre-
We have decided that our intellects are not suf- occupation with those hidden things (prophetic
ficiently satisfied if we cannot take the Bible things) we often pay scarce attention to the
and form it into a well defined system that has revealed things (the written Word, Holy Scrip-
a ready answer for every theological and social ture, with its clear directions and commands).
question (whether the answer to that question I suppose it is much easier to think about a
8
The works of the late Rev. Thomas Scott, rector of Ashton Sandford Bucks London, L. B. Seeley and son, 1823-1825.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 303

glorious and exciting future as envisioned by Jewish Savior from Nazareth simply didn’t fit
someone in authority than it is to abide by the the rigid mold of the erroneous man-made doc-
revealed laws and commands that can be incon- trines that the religious intellectuals and Jewish
venient and at times stifles our individualism. leadership had concocted and declared as unas-
But to think that we can discern with any real sailable truth. Thus all who thought otherwise
detail the unrevealed prophetic mysteries held were heretics.
by God is a very dangerous thing. Isaac Newton, a theologian long before he
The Jewish sages and religious authori- was a scientist, once said that the purpose of
ties of the decades leading up to the birth of biblical prophecy was not to give us a glimpse
Yeshua were anxiously awaiting the scriptur- of the future; it was so we could look back at the
ally prophesied coming of their Jewish Messiah. already fulfilled prophecies and see the immu-
Their untenable circumstances of being under table faithfulness of God to accomplish what
long-term oppression by Rome led many to a He has said he would.
preoccupation of hoping and planning for that Let’s be satisfied with what Yehoveh has
glorious advent of the Deliverer, sometime in already revealed to us, and with letting the
the near future. All manner of theories about unrevealed future play out as only He knows it
who he would be, and how and where he would will so that we’re not working at cross-purposes
appear and under what circumstances, and to the Lord or blind to divinely ordained events
when he would reveal himself led to a host of as they come about. Let us determine to focus
uncompromising doctrines that left little room our time and effort on the revealed things of
for disagreement. So convinced were the vari- God and let the mysteries of God remain that
ous religious authorities that the Lord had sup- way until they happen. Let us focus on His
posedly revealed to them secret insights on the Word, His Torah, His entire Bible and pray for
coming of the Jewish Messiah that heretofore discernment about what He has already plainly
had been publicly unrevealed to men, that when given to us and expects us to observe. There is
Messiah did come the bulk of the terribly mis- more there than we can swallow in a lifetime as
led Jewish population dismissed it entirely. The it stands.

Deuteronomy 29
 304 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 30

Moses expounds a bit on exactly what the terms

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 30. “the blessing” and “the curse” of the Law mean.
So God says that, while in exile, if Israel will
accept His verdict for what it is well deserved
Moses takes a short detour from his summon- divine judgment and realize that the cause of
ing of Israel to the renewal of the covenant in it was their rebellion, and if they would turn
Deuteronomy 30:1-10. If this chapter were to be back to the Lord by means of following His
given a name it would be “Return and Resto- commandments (the Torah), then the Lord will
ration.” The first few verses in fact employ a take them back in love and grace. Verse 2 says
repetition of various forms of the Hebrew word this repentance must be “with all our heart and
shuv that means to turn or to re-turn. So the soul,” meaning they must be sincere and fully
theme of at least the first half of chapter 30 is ready to start anew under the covenant terms.
that if the exiled Israelites will return to God, There is a substantial difference between
God will return them to the Promised Land. If repenting from our sinful ways and merely a
the Hebrews will turn from their apostasy, God conscious realization that we have been dis-
will turn from His wrath upon them. obeying the Lord, and thus wanting relief from
Please carefully note something in verse 1 a bad situation that our disobedience has caused
that I have previously made a point of empha- us. There is an even bigger difference between
sis: the verse employs the terms “the blessing” desiring a change in our entire being that reflects
and “the curse.” It says that God has set before a newfound relationship with God focusing on
Israel two different paths—one that leads to the obedience and simply wanting our difficult cir-
blessing of the Law, and the other that leads to cumstances to change. Of course, exiled Israel
the curse of the Law. The emphasis I have been wanted their circumstances of being unwanted
making is an attempt to undo an erroneous aliens in a foreign land under the subjugation
church doctrine that has fouled and polluted so of a pagan king to be changed (who wouldn’t?).
many other of our doctrines. The church advo- But that hope for change wouldn’t soften the
cates that when Paul says believers are no longer Lord’s stance on His people. Rather they had to
under the curse of the Law, he means that the turn away from the path of wickedness they had
Law itself is a curse and so we have no obliga- chosen, and return to Him.
tion to it. That is why the church has been so Moses says that if one of the exiled Hebrews
anxious for eighteen hundred years to denounce is at the ends of the earth (farthest away from
Deuteronomy 30

the Law as a bad and faulty thing that doesn’t the Promised Land) that even from there the
even exist anymore. Lord will go and bring that person back . . . if
It is my prayer that those of you who have they repent. We’ll see this theme echoed in the
been studying Torah now see that the curse of books of the Prophets as they prophesied that
the Law is well defined in the Bible as the con- the Lord will return Israel to the land and bring
sequence of breaking the Law, falling away from people home from the most remote reaches of
God, apostizing; the curse is not the Law itself. the planet. This same theme doesn’t end there;
In fact, as we work our way through this chapter, Jesus also employs it:
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 305

So he (Yeshua) told them this parable: “If one of 400), it was universally believed that the heart
you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, doesn’t he organ was where thought processes occurred.
leave the other ninety-nine in the desert and go after the In other words, whereas we know that the brain
lost one until he finds it? When he does find it, he joyfully organ is where thinking happens, the ancients
hoists it onto his shoulders; and when he gets home, he thought it was the heart muscle. The ancients
calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Come, thought that our minds were located inside our
celebrate with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ I chest, in the heart. So we’ll often seen the words
tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heart and mind used interchangeably. Wherever
heaven over one sinner who turns to God from his sins you see the word heart, replace it with mind and
than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need you’ll have the intended meaning.
to repent.” (Luke 15:3-7) God, therefore, says that He will deal with
the minds of those who return to Him and put
The Lord will return anyone to the kingdom love in their minds toward Him. Over and over
of God who turns from his or her sin. This is so pastors have correctly uttered the words, “Love
very central to every believer. We looked care- is a decision,” because love is a function of our
fully at both the OT pattern and the matching brains, our minds just as some have correctly
NT pattern that shows that while no human begun to point out that love is also an action.
or spiritual being can ever forcefully take one Love as a feeling is valid to a point, but it is as a
who is the Lord’s away from Him, a person result of love in our minds that we get this feel-
can choose to walk away from the Lord or to ing (emotion) of warmth and affection.
renounce Him as their God. At the same time, The point we should take away from this
if that person comes to his or her senses and verse is the divine intervention of God in the
repents and desires a new and sincere relation- minds of humans to give a full love of Him to
ship with God under the terms of the covenant those who desire Him. Now that is probably
then the Lord is keen to take them back. not at all a new principle to you because that
This is why James, brother of Jesus, says so is a foundational principle of NT Christianity.
poignantly that if a brother goes after a brother The thing is (as we have been learning) these
who has fallen away from the faith and brings principles that are almost universally portrayed
him back, it will be saving that fallen brother as being NT principles are, in fact, long estab-
from the eternal death. Just as the Lord sent His lished Torah principles brought forward.
judges and prophets to chastise His people as Moses also says that the Lord will now
they got closer and closer to that line in the sand inflict upon those nations who conquered
that is only visible to God (that line that once Israel and sent them into exile the same set of
crossed destroys our relationship with Him), curses that He has inflicted upon Israel. It is
after Israel inevitably crossed that line and were truly fascinating how God’s mind and actions
exiled the prophets also exhorted the people to operate. He raises up nations to use as His
repent and come back to God. hand of wrath against His own people; then
Beginning in verse 6 Moses says that it is when they inflict war and strife upon Israel He
Deuteronomy 30

God who will open up your heart and the hearts punishes them for it.
of your children to love the Lord completely. Truly this is one of those many mysteries of
Understand the sequence; first there is the sin- God. I can understand the rationale on a surface
cere desire for God, then He takes the action level, but I just can’t get underneath it because
of dealing with your heart. Let me remind you this is one of those hidden things that chapter
one more time: heart means mind. “Heart” is a 29 told us about; a hidden thing that by defini-
literal translation of the Hebrew lev. But in the tion belongs only to Yehoveh. I don’t know if
ancient times (in fact right on up to around AD it’s something He does not want us to know, or
 306 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

something that our very limited mental capaci- dom of God. The carrot is the gospel that Gen-
ties have no ability to know. tile Christians have only recently brought to the
What God has revealed is that in His divine Jewish people in a loving way. The stick is the
providence He allows nations to become wicked Gentile nations that have become anti-Semitic
and far away from Him. He allows nations to and driven the Jewish people out (and back) to
grow in irrational hatred or jealousy against the only place where they can live under a Jew-
Israel. At the same time He gives Israel the free ish government: The Promised Land, Israel.
will to choose the road to blessings or the road to The stick is also the Gentile nations that sur-
curses. When Israel chooses the road to curses, round Israel (Muslims) who want to annihilate
He uses that wicked nation to punish the apple Israel.
of His eye in order that Israel will repent and Yet as always the core of God’s salvation
return. But because that nation was evil, which is purpose is for the benefit of His people. There-
what gave them that satanically placed irrational fore as Paul says, “Romans don’t imagine you
hatred of Israel in them in the first place, God know more than you actually do, because it is
is perfectly justified to bring His wrath against in this way (of using Gentiles) that all Israel
them for treating His people so badly. will be saved.” Well, Gentile believers, if that
Let me remind you of something about doesn’t humble you and at the same time show
the Hebrew word for nations: it is goyim. Goyim you the immense value of the Jewish people to
indeed means “nations,” but it also means our Lord, I’m not sure what will.
“Gentiles”; it is never a word applied to Israel In verse 11 Moses gets back on track after
for one good reason: goyim are all people on explaining that return and restoration are pos-
earth except for Israel. For the sake of our get- sible when Israel falls away; they don’t have to
ting a better picture of the meaning and intent remain in permanent exile. He resumes by say-
of that word’s use in Holy Scripture we would ing something that completely refutes another
do well to always say “Gentile nations” instead rather common Christian doctrine that needs
of just “nations.” to be relegated to the waste bin. Moses says
My point is that by definition it is always that the terms of the covenant, the Torah, the
Gentiles who come against Israel. God is always Law is not too hard for Israel to do. The Torah
using Gentiles for His purpose of returning is not unintelligible, it is not inaccessible, and it
Israel to Him, for saving Israel. Therefore it is is not part of those hidden things of God. It is
always Gentiles who God is punishing for their revealed and thus we have it and are to obey it.
mistreatment of Israel at the same time He is In an earlier chapter Moses instructed that
punishing Israel by using the Gentiles. That has at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal enormous
never changed. Paul has this to say about that: flat stones, plastered and then scribed with the
words of the Torah, were to be erected and
For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth the words place upon them were to be plainly
which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so written. The idea expressed here is that while
that you won’t imagine you know more than you actually the priests and Levites are indeed teachers and
Deuteronomy 30

do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra’el, administrators of the Torah, they are not the
until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; and that it is source of the Law nor are they the only ones
in this way that all Isra’el will be saved. As the Tanakh capable of comprehending its meaning or cor-
says, “Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will rectly observing the laws and commands.
turn away ungodliness from Ya’akov.” (Rom. 11:25-26) So not only is the Torah knowable, it also is
at hand; it is doable and God fully expects it to
God is using Gentiles today as both a stick be done. How often have we heard that the rea-
and a carrot to bring Israel back into the king- son the New Covenant was instituted is because
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 307

the Mosaic Covenant was impossible to keep? When the time arrives that all these things have come
Wrong. Right here in verses 11-14 Yehoveh, upon you, both the blessing and the curse which I have
through Moses, says explicitly that the Law is presented to you; and you are there among the nations to
not too hard to be kept. Therefore, says verse 15, which ADONAI your God has driven you; then, at
here is the summation of all that Torah is about: last, you will start thinking about what has happened to
on the one hand life and prosperity, and on the you; and you will return to ADONAI your God and
other death and adversity. Life and prosperity pay attention to what he has said, which will be exactly
equals the blessing of the Law; death and adver- what I am ordering you to do today—you and your chil-
sity equals the curse of the Law. dren, with all your heart and all your being. At that
But (and here is the secret to living the Torah point, ADONAI your God will reverse your exile and
life as God intends), there are three ingredients show you mercy; he will return and gather you from all
necessary to maintain our relationship with the the peoples to which ADONAI your God scattered you.
Lord. Verse 16 says these three ingredients are:
1) love your God, 2) walk in His ways, and 3) God says when Israel has been exiled to
keep His commandments. pagan nations due to their disobedience and
Allow me to paraphrase this in more modern rebellion, if they will return to YHWH their
terms: 1) trust God (and of course that means God and pay attention to what He has said,
trusting His Messiah), 2) live your life accord- then God will reverse their exile and show them
ing to biblical principles, and 3) obey the Torah. mercy and return them to the Promised Land,
Trust, live, obey. To obey the commandments their inheritance.
without trusting God is worthless. To trust God First Israel must recognize why they are in
but to be disobedient is a fruitless life. To observe exile, second they must sincerely repent (mean-
the biblical commandments but not to trust God ing to turn from the ways they have been fol-
(have a personal relationship with Him) relegates lowing and thus to return to Yehoveh), third
us to permanent separation from Him. they must begin to obey YHWH again (not just
In verse 17 Moses again cautions that to know know His Word), and in response to these three
the Law, but to turn away from God means exile. things the Lord will bring them back to the
To mix in the worship of other gods with the land. This is the formula that His people must
worship of Yehoveh means exile. So, choose life. follow after they have fallen away if they have
This is what it means when it says in the NT that any hope of being taken back by God.
it is God’s will that all will be saved. He is saying And, of course, that is how it went when
please, choose life! It is God’s will that Israel, and Judah was taken to Babylon in 586 BC. While
we, choose life and the blessing of the covenant exiled in Babylon they admitted that they were
by means of trusting that Yeshua is Savior and wrong; the Jews heeded their prophets like Eze-
that Yeshua is God. But notice the three-part kiel and Daniel and they repented from their
commandment; in order to live the kind of life ways and so Yehoveh delivered them, took them
that a believer should, obedience to God’s com- back, reversed their exile, in a mere seventy
mandments is necessary. Disobedience draws years.
Deuteronomy 30

us closer and closer to that perilous line in the However, this happened because Judah
sand; disobedience taken to a high enough level (also known in the Hebrew Bible as the South-
(and only God knows where that level is) puts us ern Kingdom) reacted altogether differently
across that line and separates us from Him. than their brother kingdom of Ephraim-Israel
to the North did when they suffered their own
The classic “if, then” approach to the Law exile. Some 135 years earlier the ten tribes of
that is so characteristic of the Torah is found in Israel that formed the Northern Kingdom of
Deuteronomy 30:1-3: Ephraim-Israel were exiled from their land
 308 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

at the hand of the Assyrians, but they never that the saints of old would have given anything
returned. That is because they never admitted to see happen as we have. Sadly the vast bulk
their wrong, never repented from the apos- of Messiah’s church is so infatuated with the
tasy that caused their destruction, and never end times and looking ahead to the rapture and
determined to become obedient. In fact, they tribulation that they are blind to this incredible
received exactly what they overtly wanted; to be fulfillment of prophecy that is happening right
just like their Gentile neighbors. So God gave now.
them their free-will choice; the tribes of the
Northern Kingdom all but disappeared because
they didn’t follow the formula of Deuteronomy Assignment: Read Ezekiel 36:1–32.
30. On the other hand, the kingdom of Judah
almost one and a half centuries later did follow
the formula of repentance and renewed obedi-
ence and the God of Israel returned them to This is describing the return of the tribes of
the land. Israel from their Roman exile (and in a sense the
Several centuries later in the Roman exile ten northern tribes from their Assyrian Exile).
(after Jesus’s death), God said that He would This is describing the return of all the tribes of
do a new thing with His set-apart people. The Israel to their ancient homeland; a place that the
provision of Deuteronomy 30 was that while in world still insists on calling Palestine. What is so
exile the people would have to repent and return different about this return is especially exhibited
to God while they were still in a foreign place; when we read Ezekiel 36:22, which says, “What
only then He would return them to the land. I am about to do for you is not for your sake, so
Although that’s not what was to happen with don’t feel good about it.” Rather, the Lord says
the Jews of the Roman exile (and it is from the that He is going to do something that is for the
Roman exile that Judah has returned to form purpose of protecting His holy name.
modern Israel in 1948). In the most amazing twist of events, the
Isaac Newton is one of many wonderful Lord says that while it was Israel’s job as His
theologians who have done their best to pull set-apart people (even in their exile) to take
us back from our often misguided religious the Word of God to the nations (because He
zeal in trying to use the biblical prophecies as a set Israel apart to be the guardians of the Word
divining rod to see the future, by reminding us of God) instead they profaned God’s name in
that that was not the purpose of those unerring these foreign lands of their exile. They profaned
words of the prophets. Rather the holy proph- it to the point that the Gentiles said: “This is
ecies are so that when these prophetic things the people who are supposedly the people of
come about, then His people will know that it God?!” And is that not the general attitude of
was God who has changed the course of his- the world toward the Jewish people today?
tory, intervened on their behalf, and that His So God says that while His holy name should
prophetic Word is nothing less than an order have been raised high by the Jews while in their
Deuteronomy 30

to the universe to make it so; a divine order exile, instead the Jews profaned it so God must
than cannot be resisted, cannot be undone, and rescue His own holy name. The way He chose
any who would fight against it would be put to to do this was by bringing the Jews out of the
shame or be destroyed. nations where He scattered them and back to
Ezekiel 36 is an exciting chapter of proph- the Promised Land. In other words, since all the
ecy that, in our era, is more present than future. Jews were doing was misrepresenting Him, He
Actually it is something that we are eyewitnesses would take them out of the nations where He
to, though few Christians see it; it is something exiled them and bring them back to their home-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 309

land to stop it! He was going to do something so be obedient to Yehoveh into them. He would
amazing that His name would be set high again, put the Torah in their hearts.
despite the apostasy of His own people. Therefore we see this pattern of redemption
The Lord’s solution was not to do as He had developed that Christians have counted on for
done in the Babylonian exile and return; nor as centuries; the Lord woos whom He will, plants
He required in the Assyrian exile from where in those whom He elects the desire to come to
the ten tribes did not return. Rather, as it says in Him and the ability to obey Him, and this is
Ezekiel 36:24, first He will gather the Jews (just done by putting the Holy Spirit inside of people.
as they are) from the far reaches of the world I hope you understand the radical concept that
and bring them back to the Land, then He will Ezekiel speaks of; it’s no wonder that those Jew-
sprinkle clean water on them and cleanse them. ish exiles living in Babylon found what he had
Even though they would not reach out to Him, to say either laughable or incomprehensible. The
He would reach out to them. Lord had never put His Spirit inside an inher-
Do you see this amazing turn of events as ently sinful man up to that point. In fact, such a
compared to Deuteronomy 30? They will be thing would not be possible until Yeshua came,
brought back to the Promised Land while still atoned for man’s sins, and made us acceptable
in a state of rebellion, and it is there that the to God at a level never before attainable.
Lord shall (by an act of His divine will) begin to How can a modern day Church with all the
clean them up. No repentance was required by knowledge available to it read these words, see
the Jews; no returning to the ways of the Lord with our own eyes what the Lord has done, and
was needed for their homeland to be re-estab- still think that the Hebrews have been rejected
lished. Once the Israelites were back in the land by Him? Equally, how can so many Jews openly
the Lord would (as it says in Ezekiel 36:26-27) say that they are not chosen or set-apart for God
turn their stony hearts to flesh and put the Spirit (and really don’t want to be) after knowing what
of God inside of them. It would be this act of the Lord has done for them? Believers: we have
divine intervention that would put the desire to a lot of work ahead of us don’t we?

Deuteronomy 30
 310 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 31

from Middle Eastern societies that prove that

Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 31. it was not uncommon for people (Gentiles)
to live to 110 and even occasionally up to 140
years. But it is also interesting how the 120 years
We have exited that four-chapter section that assigned to Moses is so consistent with what
held (and still holds) so much mystery and God ordained back in Genesis 6:3: “ADONAI
intrigue, and now we enter the last four chap- said, ‘My Spirit will not live in human beings
ters of Deuteronomy that are an epilogue as well forever, for they too are flesh; therefore their
as a period of transition from Moses to Joshua. life span is to be 120 years.’”
Really it is an epilogue to the entire Torah, not Moses lived to the maximum ideal life span
just Deuteronomy. At the center is the story of that God ordained.
Moses’s last days on earth. Moses announces Moses says that the Lord will not permit
that his time is over, that Joshua is the new him to cross over the Jordan. Rather the Lord
God-ordained leader of Israel, and then Moses Himself will cross over ahead of Israel and then
dies on Mount Nebo in Moab. Joshua will lead Israel to cross over. Notice the
Moses says in verse 2 that he has become an multiple use of the term “cross over”; I think this
old man of 120 years. Further, despite what the is significant. When we were studying Genesis
CJB says, as does most versions, Moses declares I told you that the word “Hebrew” was thought
that he can no longer “go out and come in.” to be a derivative of the Akkadian word Ipuru,
Usually this is translated with the sense that which means “one who crossed over.” It was,
Moses is simply tired and feeble (pretty under- back then, referring to Abraham who crossed
standable at this advanced age); that he just can’t over the Great River (the Euphrates) in order to
get around anymore. That’s incorrect. As I’ve go to the land that God said He would show to
mentioned before, the phrase to “go out and Abraham. Now in this context it is referring to
come in” was a purely military term. It referred Moses being held back from crossing over, but
to an army gathering together for battle, going God crossing over ahead of Joshua and Israel
out and fighting, and then returning (hopefully into the Promised Land of Canaan.
victorious). Moses was not saying that he was This entire theme of “crossing over” is not
too old and infirm to lead Israel in battle; rather hard to grasp; crossing over means to leave one
he was saying that because the Lord had decided side and go to the other. It is a decisive moment
that Moses would not cross the Jordan River in time when a change in status occurs. Because
Deuteronomy 31

into the Promised Land that his meter had sim- the Torah operates more in the earthly realm
ply run out. His time was up, and a new leader (bringing heavenly principles into a physical
would lead the coming holy war upon Canaan. form), these great and fundamental God-prin-
By the way, you can believe that Moses was ciples it elucidates are always presented in a way
120 years old with no trouble. Even though we that man can see with his own eyes. Men literally
read reports that the average life span in that era and physically lived the experience of “crossing
was around thirty years (due to disease and war over.” They lived the reality of leaving behind
and high infant mortality), we also have records an old existence for a new one. They physically
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 311

experienced crossing over mountains and ter- derness and have the land brought to them; they
ritorial boundaries and rivers in order that a would, by their own choice, have to cross over
purpose is fulfilled even though they might not into it. We can’t remain in the Wilderness of
know that God was behind it all. this world and have the land of our rest, our
Today those who would be part of God’s shalom, brought to us; in a spiritual journey we,
people are still called to “cross over”—to cross too, must actively and purposely cross over in
over from unclean to clean. To cross over from order to possess our inheritance and leave the
common to holy. To cross over from eter- wilderness of the world behind.
nal death to eternal life. To be spiritual Ipuru, In verse 4 the Lord promises to do what He
Hebrews, ones who chose to cross over to did to those nations on the east side of the Jor-
God’s side. Instead of the need for us to enter dan River (in the area of the Transjordan where
into a new territory or to change nationality or Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manesseh
to travel a distance, it has become a spiritual settled) to the current inhabitants of Canaan
issue of trusting the One who created us and on the west bank of the Jordan: wipe them out.
provided for our redemption. Just as Israel had Joshua would replace Moses as the supreme
to cross over into the land of their rest, Canaan, military commander of Israel. The theme of
so we have to cross over into the land of our holy war is once again thrust forward. Verse
rest, Yeshua. Israel couldn’t just stay in the Wil- 6 paints the picture of God as a Holy Warrior
leading His people to a victory that is a foregone
conclusion.
If we’re going to apprehend the context of
Deuteronomy (and much of the Torah since
Exodus) we have to keep reminding ourselves
that at the center of it all (like it or not) is holy
war. Phase One of God’s holy war was the
escape from Egypt and the annihilation of the
kings Og and Bashon, who were Amorites.
Phase Two of the holy war is the conquest of
Canaan. I won’t spend much time here, but I
urge you to write it well into your memories that
so much of the language that we’ll encounter in
the book of Joshua will be holy war language.
This is important because God’s holy war has
strict rules of engagement and protocol; the
violation of which has severe consequences.
As I have lightly touched on before, we must
not ever suspect that God’s role as the warrior
leader of His army in holy war ended with the
Deuteronomy 31

close of the OT.

The greatest damage ever done to the
Church (a damage that is ongoing and woven
into the doctrine of the modern Institutional
Church) was when Christian leaders declared
(against Yeshua’s direct statement to the con-
trary in Matthew 5) that the old God of the OT
was no longer in control and that the new God
 312 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

of the NT has taken over. That the God Who of countless millions as the fiercest Warrior
Never Changes has changed in dramatic fash- the world has ever seen.
ion; that the attribute of the Lord as a divine Just as conquering the Transjordan was holy
Warrior King has been discarded in favor of a war phase 1, and conquering Canaan was holy
pacifist who wouldn’t harm a fly. The concept war phase 2, the looming Battle of Armaged-
of our Messiah as the Conquering Warrior who don and all the pouring out of God’s wrath on
will slay millions in holy war is true, but it runs the end-times world is holy war phase 3. Of
contrary to the image many Christians have of course, by definition it is God who orders it and
Him today. it is God (in phase 3 in His attribute as Messiah)
who leads His holy warriors to certain victory.
Verses 7 and 8 recount the official passing
of the torch from Moses to Joshua in a public
Assignment: Read Revelation 14.
ceremony for all to see that Joshua is now the
supreme human commander of Israel. I love the
exhortation in verse 8 where Moses tells Joshua
not to fear because “the Lord is with you.” This
Here we have it: God’s fury is poured out. is Emmanuel, meaning God is with us; a name
His agents of death are no less than the Lamb of that the Bible gives to Messiah.
God, and His warrior angels are essentially His Moses instructs Joshua that he is to appor-
army officers. The Lamb, sweeping His sickle tion the land among the people. But wait; I
and harvesting both the saved to glory and the though back in the book of Numbers Moses
unsaved to eternal damnation; blood flowing at had already done that, by the drawing of lots?
the hand of Christ as high as a horse’s bridle In fact we get an entire listing of the tribes and
in the valley of Armageddon is all present here. the regions they’ll occupy in Numbers 34.
Where is the pacifist God of the NT that knows What happened was this: Moses indeed
only personal sacrifice and mercy, love for all assigned general regions that were determined
men? The one who always turns the other cheek by the drawing of lots (drawing lots was seen as
and wouldn’t punish anyone? Do not ever think a way to let God decide the matter). However
that any of God’s attributes have been set aside; the exact dimensions of each region was to be
He bears them all at all times. Of course, there determined according to the population of each
are times when one attribute seems to be more tribe; the more people in the tribe, the larger
prevalent than others. that tribe’s territory. It would be Joshua who
In studying the Torah you watched a sub- would preside over that event.
tle principle evolve; agents of God operate in Beginning in verse 9 the matter of the
opposite ways simultaneously. Salt is an agent Torah itself as a holy document is addressed.
of God; it can be used to season and preserve Here we are told that Moses wrote it down and
and seal a covenant, or it can be used to poi- then gave it to the priests of the tribe of Levi.
son and end life when a covenant is broken. The term used here “this Torah” is referring
Deuteronomy 31

Blood is an agent of God; the unjust spilling specifically to Deuteronomy. The earlier Torah
of it can be the source of death or just and had been handed down orally. Sages tell us that
sacrificial spilling of it can be the source of while the finger of God had indeed written the
life. The Torah itself is an agent of God that Ten Commandments, the bulk of the laws and
brings curses on the one hand and blessings commands as given to Moses were memorized
on the other. Angels can rescue and they can and handed down by word of mouth. Only later
destroy. Jesus poured out His own blood as a were these oral transmissions written on scrolls.
meek Lamb, and He will soon spill the blood This idea unnerves some people in our mod-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 313

ern times, but one must understand that such a The instruction includes that the whole
thing was the norm for this era and actually had congregation of Israel is to assemble at the
its advantages. site God will choose (meaning wherever God
The tribal elders were always responsible to decided to put the central sanctuary, the temple)
maintain the integrity of the traditions that they on the occasion of Sukkot. Further, while the
taught to the following generation, and the next “whole congregation” usually means the male
generation taught them when it was their turn, representatives of each household, in this case
and so on; there were always living elders who verse 12 makes it clear that women, children,
knew the truths of the traditions. If the next and even foreigners were to present themselves
generation tried to change something, the older at the temple on the seventh year at Sukkot.
generation was there to refute it. Remember: Recall that Sukkot (the Feast of Taberna-
it is only in our modern era where respect for cles) is one of three God-prescribed pilgrimage
the knowledge and wisdom of the elderly has festivals that require the whole congregation of
become lost. This system of checks and bal- Israel to come to the temple. However “whole
ances on oral traditions works very well. In the congregation” usually only meant the adult
modern era of written documents, memoriza- males. In the seventh year that would expand
tion and the telling of the stories is generally a to mean that every Israelite, regardless of age or
lost medium of communicating a society’s his- sex, was ordered to come to the temple at Suk-
tory and ethics. Books and written records are kot. The reason was so that everyone could hear
now considered our best (and the only valid) the reading of the Torah (which was primarily
sources of reference, but make no mistake, they Deuteronomy). Unfortunately just as we never
can be corrupted and destroyed. When men read of the Hebrews obeying the law of Jubilee
want to radically change societies, the first thing (the fifty-year cycle), and we only read of two
they do is to denounce and destroy the records occasions when this law of reading the Torah on
and literature from the previous generation, the Sabbatical Year Feast of Tabernacles actu-
thus breaking the link. It is easier to do now, ally happened. One time was when King Josiah
since the system of oral tradition is no longer ordered it (2 Kings 23) and the other was when
operable in Western Culture. Ezra ordered the same at the return of the Jews
Moses gave the writings to the priests, to from the Babylonian exile (Neh.7-9).
the Levites who carried the ark, and to the Moses’s expounding on the laws given at
leaders of Israel because it was their duty to Sinai and his emphasis on the spirit of the law
faithfully transmit God’s Word to the follow- as the key element necessary for the proper
ing generations. Then we get a very interesting carrying out of the written laws makes Deuter-
instruction: the entire book of Deuteronomy onomy the important document that it is. It is
(this Torah) was to be read to all Israel every in this same vein that we should view Yeshua’s
seventh year during the Feast of Sukkot (also Sermon on the Mount. On the hillside above
called the Feast of Booths or Feast of Taber- the Sea of Galilee Messiah is sermonizing; He
nacles). The seven-year Sabbatical cycle was to is attempting to revive the spirit of the law that
Deuteronomy 31

be used to ensure that all generations of Israel Moses had spoken of because the religious lead-
knew the words of Torah. The seventh year of ers had since turned the Law into a mechanical
that cycle was known as the year of shmittah (the system of rules and regulations, spiced it with
year of release) because in that seventh year Traditions, and it had become a heavy bur-
Hebrew slaves were to be released, land taken den. Yeshua’s teachings are the essence of all
as collateral on loans was to be returned to the of the Word of God, just as Moses’s teachings
original owner, and debts of all kinds were to in Deuteronomy are the essence of the entire
be forgiven. Torah.
 314 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

A favorite and appropriate teaching of the Now comes that moment (in verse 14) where
modern Church comes from Galatians 3 when Yehoveh tells Moses that indeed the meter has
Paul says that there is no more male and female expired; Moses is going to die very soon. There-
and that all disciples of Yeshua are one new per- fore Moses is to gather up Joshua and come to
son. Paul is dealing with the principle that is the tent of meeting (the Tabernacle) where the
being established here in Deuteronomy 31: All Lord will be present. The Lord appeared as a
of God’s people, including women and children, cloud in front of the tent of meeting, above
are to be given equal access to His Word. Fur- the entrance, and gave Moses and Joshua their
ther, men and women (laypeople) are perfectly marching orders.
capable of understanding the Torah and of car- Notice that while Moses would go inside
rying out their appropriate Torah-defined roles. the tent and meet with the Lord, Joshua could
By Jesus’s day the religious authorities had not enter, so this meeting took place outside the
abolished this principle. They set up barriers tent. This was because Moses was a Levite and
in the temple between men and women. Today God’s mediator, so he was entitled to go inside
there are usually separate men and women’s sec- the sanctuary, but Joshua was of the tribe of
tions in synagogues. If you go to Israel there Ephraim and therefore was not permitted.
is even a men’s side and a women’s side with Yehoveh is recorded as having used the typi-
a barrier in between at the Wailing Wall, the cal vocabulary of that era, in that He tells Moses
Kotel. Young girls are given different mate- he is going to soon be with his ancestors (he is
rial to learn about Torah than young boys are. going to die). Ancestor worship concepts were
The concept of women as “lesser” and males as part of their language and, to a degree, their
“greater” was firmly entrenched in Judaism, and thinking; this of course does not mean it was
it was something that Yeshua, Paul, and others being validated by Yehoveh. We have things we
had to deal with delicately. This idea of women say that mean something totally separate from
as lower was not biblical, but it certainly suited their literal interpretation. Usually we don’t
the male-dominated Middle Eastern society even know where the expression comes from.
that had move far away from the Lord. Equally What does it mean, “That’s how the cookie
as certain, the Bible carefully defines different crumbles?” How about “letting the cat out of
roles for each sex, but the roles are viewed scrip- the bag?” Anybody have any idea where that
turally as of equal importance and the sexes as American idiom meaning “to divulge a secret”
of equal value. Since Paul found himself as an came about? We say it, and it certainly has noth-
emissary to the Gentiles of the Roman Empire, ing to do with cats or bags, but we do under-
but at times also dealt with Messianic Jews, he stand what we mean so we retain it. It’s kind of
had to not only deal with Jewish customs in like that with some of these sayings in the Bible;
this regard but also with the various customs of we have to ascertain more what that phrase
other nations as well. Some cultures didn’t mind communicated to the people of that era and less
women taking roles as teachers or priests, while what the words technically and literally mean.
others were vehemently against it; some wanted Then Yehoveh delivers some bad news: He
Deuteronomy 31

women to play a central role in their religious tells Moses and Joshua that after both of them
ritual, others wanted them to simply comply are dead and gone the Israelites will do all these
with whatever their husbands decided for them. things that God has warned against, which
In general, unless the customs were outlandishly amounts to breaking the terms of the covenant.
bigoted, Paul advised disciples of Yeshua to not As a consequence the Lord’s anger will flare
make it an issue (where possible) and to simply up against Israel and the Lord will “hide His
operate within it so as not to offend those to face” from them. In Hebrew the Lord will hide
whom the Good News was to be presented. His panim from them. Panim used in this way
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 315

means His Presence. God will pull away from for trying to guess how these future things will
the Hebrews. To be in someone’s panim, face, happen and then becoming so infatuated with
means more than merely being there, just as our own ideas on the subject that they become
shema means more than merely hearing some- indisputable fact (even doctrine), written in
thing. It implies that person’s favor and bless- stone. Much of the Church has been teach-
ing. So God says that because of this coming ing for centuries that 1) Gentile believers have
apostasy of Israel after Joshua’s death, He will replaced the Jewish people as God’s chosen and
remove Himself (and therefore His protection therefore all that was to happen through them
and blessing) from over the people of Israel. will now happen through us (better known as
The people will feign ignorance. They’ll ask Replacement Theology), and 2) that Israel was
the question that is asked in verse 17: “Haven’t not coming back to the land from their Roman
these calamities come upon us because our God Exile.
isn’t here with us?” In other words they realize Therefore when the Jews did come back and
that for some reason or another, the Lord has form a new Jewish nation barely sixty years ago,
removed Himself from their midst and there- it went almost undetected by a large portion of
fore all these terrible things are happening to the Church (and remains that way to this day). It
them. The Lord confirms it by saying indeed was seen as little more than a natural reaction to
it is so; He has removed Himself from them WWII, and put into place by the UN. Or worse
because of their evil of turning to other gods. yet, major portions of the Church deny that the
The Lord wants not to destroy but to disci- return of the Jewish nation is actually the fulfill-
pline His people. He wants them to learn and ment of prophecy; rather, it is that the Jews are
understand just what it is that they have done just intermediate caretakers of the Holy Lands
and what the remedy for their situation is. until the Church takes it over. This denial of
Therefore He instructs Moses to write a song fulfilled prophecy is because if the return of the
and to teach it to Israel right away so they can Jews were acknowledged, a significant portion
memorize it well before the rebellion they will of our cherished Christian doctrines and faith
commit actually comes about. pillars would have to be dropped or amended.
Foremost among these would be that the doc-
Due to our naturally curious minds (and in trine that everything promised to Israel has been
some part that curiosity is a skepticism brought stripped from them and given to the Church.
about by our inherent evil inclinations) we are Second to that would be that the OT prophesies
not satisfied with only knowing what God has regarding Israel returning to their homeland
plainly revealed to us; we also demand to know and once again becoming the focus of God’s
what God knows and keeps only for Himself. plan of redemption (as opposed to the Church
Since by definition those hidden things are being the focus), could no longer be considered
not knowable by us (at least until God sees fit irrelevant and abolished along with the rest of
to lift the veil) then you can be sure that our the Old Testament. Therefore, as you are all
speculations about things that are yet future to well aware, the subject of Israel is nowhere to
Deuteronomy 31

us, whereby the details were not written down be found on the radar screens of some major
for us, are not correct except in the most gen- Christian denominations.
eral sort of way. As the anecdote says, even a So be forewarned; we can (and should)
stopped clock is right twice per day. look forward to what is happening and what
Worshippers of Messiah have been terribly is about to happen in these the latter days. Do
guilty of laying the groundwork that could cause not become too enamored with a particular
many believers and unbelievers to miss the ful- denominational view or a particular author’s
fillment of God’s prophecies by our penchant vision on: the details of the Tribulation timing
 316 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

or sequence; at what exact moment the Rapture whereby we are often faced with having to decide
should happen; the details of the events lead- which of God’s many immutable principles have
ing up to Messiah’s return; or even how it will preeminence in a given situation; one criteria is
play out when the actual moment of His com- that the written things of God usually carry more
ing occurs. Otherwise you just might miss it; weight than the unwritten.
or worse, you just might deny it when it hap- Verse 19 says that the people are to memo-
pens, which will set you at cross-purposes to the rize this song. A song is essentially a poem set
Father. to music. It has always been that the combina-
Blindness to (or denial of) fulfilled proph- tion of words and musical notes lends itself to
ecy is the focus of what will engage Moses at long-term retention. Before the ability to write
the end of chapter 31 and then the rather long was fairly universal, rhymes and songs were
chapter 32 that is called The Song of Moses. used to transmit knowledge and history from
The words of Moses are also going to lead generation to generation, and it works very well.
us right into another difficult and challenging How often I have heard an adult sing the A-B-C
subject today: one that is touchy. That subject is: song under their breath as they try to remember
how did the two canons that form our Bible (the which letter comes before another in our alpha-
books of the Old and New Testaments) become bet (I’ve done it myself). Or how my wife will
decided upon and made official and come into sing a child’s song to one of our grandchildren;
being? Who made those decisions? And should a song that she has perhaps not sung for her
one canon carry more weight than the other? own delight in decades, yet she can remember
every word of it. And equally how quickly the
youngest toddlers will learn and recite a simple
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 31:19–30. song and remember it perhaps for the rest of
their lives.
This Song of Moses is being created so that
when the prophetic things God is telling Israel
This is the prologue to the Song of Moses about happen, Israel will know that it was of
found in chapter 31. No other section of Deu- God and not merely some natural, manmade or
teronomy has been more studied, written about, random event. In this way the people can learn
and revered than the Song of Moses. This is and have hope and not just put their heads in the
almost a canon within a canon; it reveals such hands, grieve, and wonder why a calamity hap-
depth in such relatively few words that we could pened and what will become of them. In this
camp here a long time. same way God’s wrath can be used for positive
God instructs Moses to write a song and discipline instead of negative destruction. Yet
teach it to the people before he dies. It is apparent even the end-effect of God’s wrath is up to each
that while Moses is the primary author, Joshua individual because each Israelite can choose to
was either eyewitness to the creation of this song remember this Song of Moses and apply it and
or may even have been Moses’s scribe. It is sig- gain from it, or they can choose to forget this
Deuteronomy 31

nificant that this song was to be written down song and deny what God has told them and suf-
and then taught orally to the people of Israel. fer nothing but loss.
Those things that are written down always seem Was there a time in your life when you really
to carry more weight than those things that are lived for the Lord? When the joy was overflow-
not. That does not in any way mean that God’s ing and the good fruit was growing? Was there
teachings that were transmitted orally were not a time when your first thought of every morn-
inspired or were less valid. It is just as in the rab- ing, and the last thought before your dreams
binical method called kal v’homer, light and heavy, overtook you, was of God’s love and mercy and
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 317

His principles and wisdom? But for some time that our lot in life is being caused by fate is to
the joy in your life has become subdued and the say that Almighty God is not in control – that
days seem long and pointless? When even pray- something else will determine our present and
ing has become a burden, and life has become our destiny. That is precisely what Israel is being
dry and confusing, and the hours race by so fast warned against and the Lord calls this lack of
and yet it is all so empty? trust “apostasy.”
Then the Song of Moses is for you because Verse 20 explains that the terms laid out
distancing yourself from God’s laws and com- in the Song of Moses will apply after Israel
mands will distance you from God. When you has entered the Land of Rest (Canaan). In that
distance yourself from God you distance your- wonderful land Israel becomes fat. Israel will
self from His blessings of life and shalom. If prosper and life will be relatively easy (that
what I have just proposed applies to you, then is the meaning of the Hebrew idiom “flow-
you are confronted with exactly the same choice ing with milk and honey”). Yet in the midst
(likely for exactly the same reasons) that Yehoveh of those peak years of prosperity and blessing
gave to the Hebrews through Moses because Israel will credit false gods for their bounty.
the same pattern still applies: you can recognize They’ll thank the false gods of the sky for sun-
that your situation and condition was caused by shine and for rain. They’ll thank Ashteroth,
your sin and your pulling away from the Lord, the Canaanite fertility goddess, for their boun-
and acknowledge that to Him by returning to tiful harvest and for their many children. In
the ways of light and truth and then accepting doing these things they are breaking the cov-
His discipline; you can deny it, thinking that it enant of Moses and therefore breaking faith
simply has to do with outside influences or a with YHWH.
run of bad luck, or the natural weight of life, or It is a fact of life (at least in the West) that
that people are persecuting you as your other with prosperity comes satisfaction and compla-
option. Choosing one way brings renewal and cency. That since all our needs are met we have
restoration; choosing the other brings ongo- no need for outside help. The more we get, the
ing despair and spiritual blindness. A long time more we reduce God’s role in our lives. After
from now, when we get to the stories of David all, it is our intellect that gets us college degrees
and Saul, this principle is at the heart of what and good jobs; our hard work and cleverness
happens to each of them. that builds our wealth; our wisdom to have
God is not having Moses write this song regular check-ups and our good fortune to live
and teach it to the people so that when calamity in a country awash in hospitals, doctors, and
befalls them He can say to them, “See, I told medications that keeps us healthy. And if we
you so.” It is for their benefit and it is for our pick wisely and choose a good spouse to boot,
benefit. what purpose is there for God in our lives? If
Please hear me: the Lord told Israel that He we have accomplished all these things on our
didn’t want the resulting consequences of their own, whom else do we have to thank but our
rebellion against Him to be credited to false teachers, our bosses, our loan officers, and our-
Deuteronomy 31

gods and serendipity. He wants Israel to know selves? God’s place becomes that one little left-
that He is causing the horrors they are facing; the over niche that the modern age labels “spiritual-
disaster is of divine origin. He’s telling them in ity.” One niche among many niches. It is a niche
advance what will happen just as the NT tells us that is neither more nor less (but is usually less)
in advance what will happen if we fall away from important than the others. It is a niche that can
Messiah. As Paul says in Romans 11: “You too be satisfied within us by means of an hour or so
will be cut-off.” Fate is a false god, just as much of our time on a Saturday or Sunday as we go to
as the false gods of the ancient world. Believing synagogue or church.
 318 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Prosperity taken out of context is a dan- was built on the principles of what was inside the
gerous thing. In the USA, even the Church ark. In another way the scroll of Deuteronomy
has drunk the Kool-Aid as they say. Too many was also subservient to those tablets written on
modern churches measure their success by by the finger of God.
means of their material prosperity. Too many I have shown you in earlier lessons that the
modern church leaders say that (as Jesus’s dis- God-principle of loving the Lord with all of
ciples) we can measure our spiritual success by our mind, soul, and strength (every part of our
means of our earthly prosperity. It is interest- being), and loving our neighbors as ourselves
ing that in Europe the opposite is the case. In forms the foundation of the ten dabar (the Ten
Europe, what little remains of the Church views Words) that we call the Ten Commandments.
the prosperity of its members with suspicion. The Ten Words are the basis for all of the other
Therefore the churches are often poor and most commands and rules and laws that the Lord
of their buildings in disrepair. would establish and that (in Deuteronomy)
Yehoveh says that in time Israel will take Moses would expound upon and teach.
their prosperity out of its context and become When Moses completed this work, and
very pleased with themselves and give credit when the Song was ready, he taught it to the
to other gods instead of understanding what people of Israel; Moses explained that he agrees
true prosperity is and thanking the only exist- with God that it is inevitable that after he dies
ing source of that kind of prosperity: the God Israel will begin the process of falling away from
of Israel. Since this perverse thinking pervades God. Why is Moses so certain of this? Because
God’s people, it will become the means of their if it happened while he was alive and still in his
end. It will be the Song of Moses that will tes- leadership role, how much more it will happen
tify to heaven and earth and to all future gener- when a person less venerated than he (Joshua)
ations that the Lord has warned them, and that tries to guide these stiff-necked people!
what will befall them will not be because He has Here is where I want to stop and take one
become unfaithful to them. Rather it is because on my infamous detours. The reason has to do
they have abandoned Him. In fact, says Ado- with God’s instruction in verse 26 that the Lev-
nai in verse 21, even now—even as they camp ites are to place the Torah next to the ark that
in Moab preparing to enter the Land of Prom- contains the Ten Commandments. As I said
ise—the seeds for this kind of thinking that earlier, one of our subjects will be the canon
will inevitably lead to their disastrous rebellion of the Bible, or the two canons that together
have already been sown in their minds and are form our modern Old and New Testaments as
taking root. This is not because of what they’ve we call them (gosh, I really dislike those terms).
been taught, but rather it is a result of their sin What this passage from Deuteronomy begs
natures that deny its truth and eternal nature. from us is to try and understand just how (or
Verse 24 explains that Moses wrote this if) we are to place the various books and writ-
song and included it into what we call the book ings of Holy Scripture into any kind of hierar-
of Deuteronomy. Moses was then to take the chy. The symbolism of placing Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 31

scroll and give it to the Levites, the priestly tribe. outside of the ark, but beside it, demonstrates
The Levites (who were in charge of carrying the a firm connection between the Ten Command-
Ark) were to take the scroll and place it beside ments and the book of Deuteronomy and also
the ark of the covenant. As of this time, the ark a clear hierarchy of merit. Never think that the
contained the two stone tablets of the Ten Com- Church does not view Scripture that same way
mandments, Aaron’s budding rod, and a jar of (of some books having more merit than others)
manna. Keeping the scroll of Deuteronomy next in our era. Torah Class exists because Christian-
to the ark is a symbolic way of showing that it ity has no issue with the concept of prioritizing
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 319

Scripture; today the priority is that the NT is all twenty-two books. While that doesn’t seem to
that a Christian ought to concern him or herself jibe with the modern count, one must grasp that
with. The Gospels hold the highest position in several books (including Chronicles and Kings)
the NT, usually followed by Paul’s Epistles, then have since been divided into two parts by Chris-
Peter’s and John’s, and then perhaps Revelation. tian editors as they were so lengthy, and some
The term canon simply means that the mate- books were divided out by literature type (like
rial that a collection of books contains has been Proverbs and Psalms).
agreed to as authorized by some religious body Going back even further, we know that the
or council. So how and when did the contents of Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (known
the Hebrew Bible (the OT) and the NT become as the Septuagint) occurred somewhere around
a canon? 250 B.C., and in it is every book of the OT that
Interestingly, even though it occurred at a we now study. Might there have been ongoing
much earlier time than the NT, the canon of the discussions about whether to keep it as it was, or
OT is a bit easier to trace (although not every- to add or subtract a book here or there? Abso-
one would agree with all the detailed conclu- lutely; in fact we have records of exactly that
sions about it). The modern Christian position thing happening, and it is in that same spirit
is that it happened about twenty years or a little that the meeting of the rabbis at Jamnia in AD
more after the time of the destruction of Jerusa- 90 took place.
lem by the Romans (placing it at about AD 90). So the books of the OT were in existence
At the little village of Jamnia (the story goes) and regarded as the inspired Word of God
some influential rabbis who had been keeping (Holy Scripture) by the Jewish people at some
a very low profile since the destruction of Jeru- time earlier than 250 B.C. However there were
salem met and decided upon the canon of the other Hebrew religious books as well that
OT. This is simply not true and frankly doesn’t were in existence at that time; these additional
even pass the smell test. Jewish writings explain books were not given quite the same merit as
that this council of rabbis met for a number the Tanakh but were placed “next to” it; they
of reasons, and the only real issue concerning were judged not to carry the same weight as
Scripture was whether to include the books of the Tanakh, but they were just as valid in their
Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Further, content. Just as Deuteronomy was placed “next
there is no decisive record or evidence that any to” but not in the ark with the Ten Command-
decision was even made on the matter of those ments, so were many books that are today popu-
two books; all we know for certain is that the larly known as the Apocrypha placed “next-to”
rabbis met and argued the merit of the books. the Holy OT by the Israelites but were judged
The discovery, reconstruction, and transla- not to be of equal weight to them. They were
tion of the Dead Sea Scrolls should have finally regarded as being divinely inspired, but not on
put the nail in the coffin of such a patently inac- a high enough level of inspiration to consider
curate assertion that it was not until after Christ them as “Holy Scripture.”
that the canon of the OT was established (but So how does this compare with the forma-
Deuteronomy 31

it has not). Old traditions and agendas die hard. tion of the NT canon, as we know it today?
The Dead Sea Scrolls were written around 100 Before I address that I want to point out some-
B.C.; and in them every book of the OT has thing that might be startling; before I do that
been discovered except for the books of Esther (so that I am not misconstrued) I want to state
and Nehemiah. No less a historian than Jose- that without equivocation I subscribe to the NT
phus explains that by his era (around the time of being the fully valid and inspired Word of God.
Christ and on to the destruction of the temple) The OT (at least most of it) is what I would
the canon of the Tanakh had long been fixed at call self-canonizing. That is the very words of
 320 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

those books claim Holy Scripture status. The its headquarters in Jerusalem. James was the
Torah claims to be the work and words of God, supreme leader of the church during Paul’s day.
and also claim in them that Moses was to write The final type of NT biblical literature is
them down. The prophets claimed in their writ- expressed in the book of John to some degree,
ings to be speaking the very words that the God but primarily in Revelation; it is called apocalyp-
of Israel instructed them to speak. Even several tic literature. It deals with the revealing of end-
of the psalms claim to be God-inspired at the times matters, so it is prophetic in its nature; it
least. concerned times future to its writer, John.
The NT on the other hand does no such The nature of the Gospels is also important
thing. No book of the NT is self-canonizing. for us to establish. First, understand that Mat-
No book of the NT makes the claim that its thew, Mark and Luke are not the names of the
contents rise to the status of God-breathed. I’ve writers of those books; their authors are anony-
stated a few times that the NT is primarily the mous. The Gospels are somewhat like a biog-
story of the fulfillment of the OT prophecies raphy of Jesus. Second, they were written at the
concerning a coming Messiah, and then com- earliest some twenty years or so after Yeshua’s
mentary on what this means for Jews on the one execution. And third, it was Jews who wrote
hand and Gentiles on the other. They explain them.
just who the Messiah turned out to be (Yeshua Here, though, is where the rubber starts
of Nazareth), what He did and commanded dur- to meet the road. Even though it is well docu-
ing His ministry, and how He came to be and mented that toward the end of the first century
how He died. The story of the life of Yeshua AD, the Gospels and some number of Paul’s
is contained in the books we call the Gospels. letters were being passed around between the
Matthew, Mark and Luke are a little different various church locations, they were not consid-
in nature than the Gospel of John; those three ered Holy Scripture; they were not even consid-
books are together called the Synoptic Gospels ered to be of a sufficiently inspired level to be
because they essentially tell the same stories equal in force to the OT Apocrypha. The let-
only sometimes in a slightly different order, giv- ters were certainly considered to be authorita-
ing slightly different emphasis, and often from tive, meaning that they were taken to be rules
somewhat different perspectives. and regulations about how to handle a variety of
The NT contains another type of literature matters within the church. They were seen no
called Epistles; an epistle is simply a letter writ- differently, however, than we view the bylaws
ten by a church leader. These epistles (mostly set down by any recognized Christian denomi-
written by Paul) deal with various disputes and nation. The records of the apostolic fathers
problems that arose at numerous church loca- (the generation of church leaders that imme-
tions around the Roman Empire. In reality most diately followed the apostles) show that under
of the letters are commentary and justification every circumstance their Bible was the Hebrew
for Paul’s conclusions. They are commentary on Bible (the Tanakh) and nothing else (even if it
OT passages and commentary on the theologi- were written in Greek). And this is no matter
Deuteronomy 31

cal consequences of Yeshua’s advent, death, and whether that leader was a Jew or a Gentile.
resurrection. Sometimes the commentary was Writings from Origen, Ignatius, Clement,
sorely needed because almost everything the Papias, and other early church leaders show us
Jewish religious authorities had decided a Mes- that by the first part of the second century AD
siah would be and do in no way resembled who some of the churches located out in the Roman
Yeshua was and what He did. Empire were starting to read portions of the
The epistles of James, half-brother of Jesus, Gospels and portions of the Epistles during
dealt primarily with matters of the church at church meetings. It was customary to read OT
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 321

Scripture during a church service (again, what the proper political connections the leader of
we today call the OT was for them “the Bible”) the church in each of those political capitals
and then also on occasions read some of those gained power, visibility, and validation. Thus
letters (epistles) and Gospels. It seems that we have the births of the Western Church and
while in no way did the first generation or two (separately) the Eastern Church. The Western
of the church that started this custom hold up Church, the portion of the Church with its lead-
the epistles or Gospels as God-inspired. Yet the ership based in Rome, eventually grew into the
fact that they were being read during a worship Roman Catholic Church. The Eastern Church
service more or less alongside the Holy Scrip- based in Byzantium went on to become the var-
tures led the following generations to give those ious Christian Orthodox denominations that
Gospels and letters more weight. we know today as the Greek Orthodox, Rus-
The first recorded attempt to actually con- sian Orthodox, Slavic, Coptic, and others. Prot-
sider Paul’s letters and the Gospels as “Holy estantism eventually grew out of the Western
Scripture” happened in AD 144. A European Church and most of us identify with one branch
named Marcion was the culprit. Marcion was a or another of either the Catholic or Protestant
recent Christian convert; a wealthy and powerful sub-branches. The Eastern Church is another
Gentile shipping magnate. He was not a church matter altogether. It does not have its birth or
leader but he did write a book that struck a cord current power structure connected to either the
among the now thoroughly Gentile-dominated Catholic or Protestant churches; it is entirely
church. In his book entitled Antithesis he put separate.
forth his personal theology and it began with I tell you all this because when we discuss
the proposition that all things of Jewish ori- the NT Canon there is no such thing as one
gin and flavor must be eliminated from the Church-wide universally agreed upon NT even
church. Therefore the church needed to create today (although the differences are not major).
a new Christian Bible; once it was created, they There certainly is not one Church-wide uni-
would declare the Hebrew Bible null and void versally agreed upon Bible among Christianity
for Christians. Further Marcion declared that even today (the main difference being the order
the Christian Bible should consist only of the of the books and where or if the Apocrypha is
Gospel of Luke plus certain of Paul’s epistles, included and if so how many of the original fif-
but even then it should not include the entire teen Apocryphal books are included).
Gospel of Luke; what amounts to the first four After around AD 200 when Marcion’s ideas
chapters were to be eliminated since they dealt evolved a bit, we begin to see that some of the
with the Jewish lineage of Christ. Gospels and Epistles were being elevated to the
Marcion was widely denounced but he did status of Holy Scripture. But whether any group
gain a substantial following. No known church accepted these as Holy Scripture depended
body adopted his proposition (at least not in entirely on not only which main branch of the
the form he suggested and not until many years church (Eastern or Western) but even which
passed). city the church was located in. Some churches
Deuteronomy 31

It’s now that the matter gets even more refused to recognize anything other than the
complicated. The Roman Empire was in tur- Hebrew Bible as Holy Scripture, and others
moil and even though it was not yet a divided chose which of the various Gospels and let-
empire, two power centers had emerged: Rome ters they viewed as having sufficient merit as to
and Byzantium (Byzantium later became be elevated to Scriptural status. In fact, by AD
known as Constantinople and today is called 200 many of the books of the Apocrypha were
Istanbul, Turkey). Naturally the power centers also in the mix as among those that the vari-
of the church also gravitated there because with ous churches chose as God-inspired. How did
 322 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

they choose? Church elders and bishops formed It was Martin Luther in the 1500s who first
councils and they voted with a majority-rules railed against any inclusion of the books of the
protocol. Apocrypha in a Gentile Christian Bible (even
So, it is that by around AD 220 we finally though it had been that way for over twelve
see 1) certain gospels and epistles being elevated centuries), especially since they were considered
to Holy Scripture status, and 2) therefore the Holy Scripture. As his writings plainly attest,
concept of a NT being formed. Do you grasp his primary objection was because he found the
that? It was not until well into the third century books of the Apocrypha (to quote him) to be
AD (not until about two hundred years after “too Jewish.” Upon the Protestant reformation,
the death of Christ) that even the concept of an some books of the Apocrypha were removed
additional body of Scripture (or as we think of it from the biblical canon, and with the Geneva
another “testament”) was seriously considered; Bible they were moved to a separate section of
even then it was only accepted in some parts of the Bible and given lesser weight than the Old
the church. Further, this newest testament was and NTs (very similar to what the Jews had
not at all conceived to be a replacement of (or to done with the Hebrew Bible and the Apocrypha
be held as above) the cherished Hebrew Bible. almost two thousand years earlier).
It would not be until the latter part of the Here’s the thing I’d like you to take from
fourth century, AD 367, that a NT canon was all this: it is so terribly ironic that in the last
recognized as official and even then it was only five hundred years the church has removed the
so within the Western branch of the Church. Apocrypha and then (for all practical purposes)
Interestingly every book of the Apocrypha the Old and original testament of God from the
(which the Jews revered but did not hold up as Bible. Oh, it’s still there, but in name only. The
Holy Scripture) became Holy Scripture along- Tanakh has been relegated to a similar status
side the Hebrew Bible and the newly canonized within the modern Church as the Jews first gave
NT. Let me repeat that: the first Gentile Chris- to the Apocrypha; a flawed testament of lesser
tian Bible was the Hebrew Bible right up until inspiration.
around AD 220. The first addition to the Gen- The irony is, of course, that it is only the
tile Christian Bible was the books of the Apoc- Torah and the Prophets that actually claim
rypha (ironically books revered by the Jews cen- divine inspiration. The NT does not. Further,
turies before Christianity emerged). Now that for us to seriously subscribe to the notion that
the Apocrypha was (for the first time) given the every reference to the term “Scripture” by a NT
status of Holy Scripture (by Gentile Christians, author is to include his own personal writings
of all people!) it would be a few more decades is simply nonsensical on its face because there
until a NT became a reality and it was included wouldn’t be any thought of elevating the sta-
to form the Christian Bible that we’re more tus of any of those writings to being “inspired
familiar with today. of God” for almost two centuries after those
In response, the Eastern Church adopted authors died. From the moment the Torah
their own NT that accepted some of the same and the prophets were created, they were self-
Deuteronomy 31

books that the Western did but dismissed oth- declared Holy Scripture. There is no evidence
ers and added some more not recognized by the whatsoever that a NT author thought that he
Roman Church (the book of Hebrews has been was writing something that would someday be
added, deleted, added again, deleted again, and considered as additional, or replacement, Holy
so on for centuries and is still a bone of conten- Scripture.
tion). It did the same thing with the Apocrypha; The purpose for this detour in this lesson is
the Eastern Church accepted some of the Apoc- not to in any way discount or question the divine
ryphal books as Holy Scripture and others as not. nature of the NT; rather it is to help us see that
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 323

the NT writers and the early church never for was in a real sense subservient to the ark’s con-
a moment doubted the continuing relevance, tents. Therefore I further suggest that just as the
validity and authority of the Hebrew Bible (the divine Torah is symbolically laid beside its foun-
OT). The Torah and the Hebrew Bible formed dation (the Ten Commandments that reside
the foundation for the Christian faith. Yeshua inside the ark), so should the divine NT be laid
was the fulfillment of the prophecies contained beside its foundation, the Torah. The Torah did
in the Hebrew Bible. It was only several groups not replace the Ten Commandments anymore
of Gentile church leaders who (centuries later) than the NT replaced the Hebrew Bible. For us
ordained manmade doctrines and rules (all vehe- to suggest that the Torah is subservient to the
mently anti-Jewish) that turned the Bible on its NT, or worse that the Newer has abolished the
head and made the original testament as ques- Older, is to break the command of our Savior
tionable and the newest testament as irrefutable. in perhaps His most important sermon to the
I would humbly suggest that just as Yeshua people:
is Messiah and is God, He is also subservient to
the Father. Jesus constantly prayed to the Father Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or
and asked for His will to be done; His famous the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete.
prayer that we call the Lord’s Prayer memorial- Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass
izes this principle. We are told that Yeshua is away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from
now in heaven placed next to (placed beside) the the Torah—not until everything that must happen has
Father, at His right hand. This mysterious rela- happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot
tionship among the Godhead sets the pattern and teaches others to do so will be called the least in
that we see in Deuteronomy whereby the Torah the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so
(which is the Word of God, just as Yeshua is teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
the Word of God) was laid next to the ark, but (Matt. 5:17-19)

Deuteronomy 31
 324 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Deuteronomy 32

In the last chapter we briefly discussed the his- Old in virtually every instance. But even more,
tory of the means by which the Bible that is in the general mode is to say that the OT must be
use today came about, including its progression read in light of the New; in essence, it implies
from the beginning books of Moses (called the we are to make the NT the foundation of the
Torah) up to what has been dubbed by believ- Old. The simplest solution for that is to declare
ers in Yeshua as the New Testament or B’rit the OT as irrelevant and abolished and there-
Hadashah. fore, for the believer, our Bible is the NT and
The purpose of our preparation was to nothing more.
examine how best to approach Scripture in the Here is a quote that confronts this challeng-
sense of prioritizing it . . . or even if we should ing subject of the creation and position of the
do such a thing. We learned that early on the NT:
Hebrew sages taught that it was necessary to
carefully consider which of God’s laws and The idea of a complete and clear-cut canon of the
principles might carry more weight than oth- NT existing from the beginning, that is from Apostolic
ers because inevitably there would be circum- times, has no foundation in history. The Canon of the
stances (as a regular course of living) when we’ll NT, like that of the Old, is the result of a development,
have to choose one over the other because both of a process at once stimulated by disputes with doubters,
laws or principles cannot be obeyed simultane- both within and without the Church, and retarded by
ously. The example I have used on a few occa- certain obscurities and natural hesitations, and which did
sions is the well-known WWII story of Corrie not reach its final term until the dogmatic definition of the
ten Boom, who hid Jews destined for the work Tridentine Council.9
camps and eventual extermination by the Nazis
but when asked if she knew the whereabouts of In addition to Christ’s own words from Mat-
these missing Jewish fugitives she was hiding, thew 5, in no way was the Tanakh (the Hebrew
she said she did not. By all that is holy, she lied Bible) abolished; therefore it is self-evident that
to her human governmental authorities. That is the NT must be taken in light of the Old. Just
a sin and God never permits lying under any as in Deuteronomy 30, whereby the Torah was
circumstances. Yet if she had not lied, those ceremonially laid beside the ark of the covenant
Jews that she was protecting would have been with the most precious artifact in it being the
arrested and killed, as would she as well. She Ten Commandments (showing that the Torah
chose to save innocent human life, and she was was indeed connected to, but also subservient
Deuteronomy 32

right to do so. God holds the principle of pre- to, those Ten Words of God as given to Moses),
serving human life higher than the principle of so it is that the NT’s position is that it must be
always being truthful. laid beside the Torah and the Older Testament.
In the modern era it has become the general The NT is fully connected to the Torah and the
mode of the Western Church (and much of the Tanakh but at the same time it is built upon its
Eastern Church) to prioritize the NT over the foundation. The foundation of the OT is the Ten

9
The Catholic Encyclopedia
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 325

Commandments, and the foundation of the NT precious firstborn son, thus Israel has a moral
is the Old. Indeed, the connection and pattern of obligation to respond with obedience reflecting
biblical authority and hierarchy is even demon- their loyalty (itself born from their gratitude).
strated in the person of Yeshua as He constantly Verse 1 says that the heavens and the earth
stressed that He did everything in the Father’s are to be witnesses to the facts of the case and
will (not His own) and that the Father was the to the charges to be leveled against Israel by
supreme authority even though that authority was Yehoveh. The term “heavens” is referring to the
also given to Him to wield. Who can ever forget sky and the objects that hang in it, not to God’s
those dramatic moments in the Garden of Geth- spiritual dwelling place, heaven. As created
semane, knowing that in only hours He would things the heavens and the earth are not asked
be tortured mercilessly and crucified, when Jesus to do anything but listen to the indictment; they
asked the Father “to take this cup from me, but have no role in carrying out punishment upon
may Your will be done.” Israel. We find prophets from later times (like
What we’re going to study in Deuteronomy Isaiah and Jeremiah) who invoke similar imag-
32 was (upon its completion) laid beside the ark ery of heavens and the earth as witnesses to
of the covenant, symbolizing that it was under Israel’s unfaithfulness to Yehoveh.
the authority of the Ten Commandments. This As I read this beautiful, powerful poem I
is “The Song of Moses.” In Hebrew it is called am reminded of the many talks I had (as have
Shirat Ha’azinu, which is the first two words of most fathers) with my sons when, at an early
the Song of Moses: “Give ear.” This song is age, they had trouble choosing what was right.
really a psalm; it is prophetic and it is a poem Invariably I would begin our talk in similar
set to music. It is considered so important in the fashion as Moses says in verse 2 (and I para-
history of the Jewish people and to Judaism that phrase): I hope you can hear me and see that my
it is set apart and recited at times of worship and purpose is only good for you, that what I offer
celebration. is wisdom that is like rain and it can meet either
with welcoming soil that drinks it in and pro-
duces good things, or as stony soil that resists
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 32. the moisture and it rolls off, lost and unwanted.
This song is an expression of hope; hope that
Israel will listen to the words of Moses and heed
those words before the inevitable happens. It is
The tone of this song is interesting; nowhere a hope that Israel will listen and remember all
in it are the covenants of Mount Sinai or of that the Lord has done for them, and thus not
Abraham mentioned. Many Bible critics, propo- subject themselves to a wrath that His justice
nents of the Suzerain Treaty theory, say that this demands but His mercy does not want to bring
Song of Moses is patterned after the terms of a upon them.
peace treaty as commonly used between a vassal And in verse 3 Moses makes it clear that this
state and the king of an empire that has con- song is in the name of God; it is not in Moses’s
Deuteronomy 32

quered them. Although, the usual legal jargon name, it is not even his idea, although people
and context is lacking,the lack of any mention will give it a title that bears his name later. What
of covenants shoots holes in the Suzerain Treaty the song presents is not Moses’s thoughts but
theory. Rather, the tone of Moses’s song is more rather the will of Yehoveh. To proclaim God’s
like that of a relationship between a father and name is to proclaim God’s attributes and char-
his rebellious son. The premise is that Yehoveh acter. The Hebrew word for name is shem; how
has created Israel and treated them with great I wish we could reclaim the real meaning of the
favor above all His other creations; Israel is His word “name” in our society. For us a name has
 326 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

no meaning beyond simple identification; one to men in the Bible: El Shaddai. Shaddai, as it
name is as good as another. Some names today turns out, is a language cognate of an Akka-
aren’t real words at all; it is just a group of let- dian word that means “mountain.” El Shaddai
ters that can be sounded out. A name means means God of the Mountain; this is the name
so little in Western Culture that when we apply of God that Jacob first knew. So we see the
for credit, our Social Security numbers are more close relationship between those two names for
proof of who we are than our names. But the God: tsur (rocky mountain or cliff) and Shaddai
real meaning of the word name goes beyond (mountain).
identification; it is meant to tell the world of our I hope you understand what these attri-
qualities and who we are as a person. One of my butes of God as listed in verse 4 actually are:
earliest childhood recollections is of my pater- they are the definition of divine love. From
nal grandmother saying to me, “You’re a Brad- God’s viewpoint His love as directed toward
ford. Behave like it.” She was a proud woman us is defined as perfection, justice, faithfulness,
who had worked hard for our family in very and truth. Therefore as we are the objects of
difficult circumstances; she had gained a good His love, as we are His special creations cre-
reputation in the community and she wanted us, ated in this image, He expects us to demon-
individually, to live up to that good reputation; strate these same attributes right back to Him
she wanted us to live up to our name. in obedience: perfection, justice, faithfulness,
Moses says that God’s qualities and reputa- and truth. To do otherwise is not loving God;
tion are that He is a rock; His deeds are abso- it is loving our own ways and desires. Loving
lute perfection and everything He does and God is not having a warm feeling toward Him.
ordains is just. He is faithful without fail; He is Loving God is not doing nice things that makes
the truth. In Hebrew the word for rock is tsur. us feel good about ourselves. Loving God is
Immediately most of you are thinking, I’m sure, not showing up for a worship service and sing-
that one of the wonderful names (attributes) ing a couple of songs and placing money in the
of Yeshua is our Rock. Yes the Lord being our plate. When we mouth the words and tell one
Rock was a Torah principle; it was not invented another that “God is love,” we need to visual-
in NT times. Calling Yeshua our Rock con- ize that what that means in God’s economy is
nected Him to God the Father in every Jew- that God is perfection, justice, faithfulness, and
ish mind, for Rock was a common epithet for truth. These are the qualities that, when taken
Yehoveh in that era. Referring to Jesus as the together, equals God’s love toward us because
Rock identified Him as the Lord in the flesh, these are the foundational qualities of God.
walking among us, and of course that didn’t set Let me also mention that each of those
well with the majority of the Jewish population. four qualities is based on Yehoveh’s ordained
Tsur is an interesting word; it doesn’t mean a systems of perfection, justice, faithfulness, and
rock like we might kick as we walk along a path. truth. It is His perfection, His justice, His faith-
It doesn’t even mean a boulder that might lie to fulness, and His truth that is being talked about.
the side of the path or jut from a hillside. Rather We can’t make it up as we go; we can’t substitute
Deuteronomy 32

it more correctly means cliff or mountain. It is a our own modern definitions for the Scriptural
high place, rooted firmly in the earth but reach- definitions nor do the definitions change as
ing toward the heavens. A tsur is solid, immov- societies evolve. If we think and behave other-
able, and majestically overlooks the plains and wise this is called disobedience and the result is
valleys and rivers of water that flow through what follows in verse 5. There Moses says that
them. God’s children have not demonstrated these
Referring to the Lord as a tsur also fits well qualities back toward Yehoveh, so they are not
with the first name (attribute) of God divulged worthy of Him. In other words, the problem
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 327

doesn’t lie with God; it lies with Israel. It is not and reconstructing them to their original sense
the Lord who is corrupt but rather the nation of exposes some fascinating results. Depending on
the Hebrews. your Bible version you could have some radi-
Now the tenor of the poem starts to heat cally different words for this verse as compared
up; after the gentle fatherly urging to pay atten- to other translations. And the variant has to
tion and profit from the advice the question is do with the source of the particular translation
raised, “Is this how you repay God for all that your Bible is based on. This is because the Mas-
He is and all He has done for you?” After all, as oretic Text (Hebrew Bible texts from the tenth
says verse 6, He is your Father who has created century AD), the Septuagint (Greek OT Bible
you. It is difficult to express just what a shock- texts from the first or second century AD), and
ing allegation has been leveled. Moses says Israel the Dead Sea Scrolls (from about 100 BC) all
must be dull and witless, otherwise it makes no treat verse 8 (and another verse that comes later)
sense that on the one hand they can fully know differently.
and recognize that Yehoveh has both created Here’s the crux of the matter: verse 8 in
them (as human beings) and brought them into most versions (including the CJB) says that God
existence (as His set-apart people), unique in all divided the human race and assigned them the
the world, but on the other hand treat the Lord boundaries of their nations “according to the
as though He were not their Father Creator in sons of Israel” or “according to Israel’s popula-
every sense of the word. tion” or something like that. The verse implies
Beginning in verse 7 the history of God’s that God created the same number of nations
blessings upon Israel is presented. These first (by definition these are Gentile nations), as
few words are not asking Israel to think back there were Israelites. And since tradition was
several hundred hazy years to Abraham, Isaac, that seventy Israelites went down to Egypt
and Jacob but merely back one generation to with Jacob, seventy is the number of nations
Egypt. Ask your fathers, Moses says, if you that God created. Now obviously the account
doubt me. Ask those who actually experienced of Yehoveh creating the nations by dividing the
God redeeming Israel from Pharaoh and lead- human population into people groups in Gene-
ing them to freedom and presenting them with sis 10 and 11 happened hundreds of years before
the Covenant of Mount Sinai. In fact, says Abraham (the first Hebrew) was born. So how
Moses, the foundation for that relatively recent can it be that God used the number of the sons
event (the Exodus) goes back to antiquity when of Israel to create the nations of the earth hun-
the Most High assigned the nations their places dreds of years before Israel ever existed? It is
(their territorial boundaries) on earth, and the this translation about the nations being created
Elders (who are the story-tellers, tradition keep- according to the number of Israelites that we
ers and leaders of Israel) are to be consulted on find in the Masoretic Hebrew Texts. But in the
matters of the distant past. According to the Septuagint and in the Dead Sea Scrolls we find
book of Genesis it was after the Great Flood different explanations; in both of these transla-
that the Lord divided the single race that was tions it says le-mispar benei elohim, which means,
Deuteronomy 32

mankind (a single race that spoke a single com- “Equal to the number of divine beings.”
mon language) into many nations and scattered So in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Sep-
them over the face of the globe (the aftermath tuagint we have God allotting the nations and
of the Tower of Babel). setting the boundaries of man according to the
This brings us to verse 8, an interesting number of divine beings, not the population of
place to take a mini-detour and camp for a few Israel. While Yehoveh assigned those nations
minutes. Here are some words that have been to the divine beings, He also set Israel apart
debated and massaged and changed over time for Himself. Some rabbis will say that a bet-
 328 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ter translation is “equal to the number of the oversee the other nations on earth, except for
sons of God.” Most Jewish and Christian schol- Israel (whom He keeps for Himself)? And if
ars currently acknowledge that at least during there are, what are they?
the era of Christ this indeed was the reading of Well, we do indeed find this same phrase
Deuteronomy 32:8 as found in the Torah. Since (benei elohim, sons of God) in use in other places
the original Septuagint was written even two in the Hebrew Bible. In Job 1 and 2 we see the
hundred years before that, the mention of the “sons of God” as a group who must time-to-
nations being divided according to the number time present themselves before the Lord to give
of divine beings was almost certainly the origi- an account of what they’ve been assigned to do
nal wording. on earth. One of those benei elohim, sons of God,
So what does this imply? If you’re paying mentioned in Job is even given a name: Satan. It
close attention it is difficult to get around the is explained in Job that it is this divine being’s
concept that the Bible tells us that there are job to roam around the earth, see what kind
other divine beings that rule over each nation of evil people are up to and then report it to
of the world (from a spiritual but real point of Yehoveh and try to convince God to take some
view). What divine beings are we talking about kind of destructive action against them; Satan
here? Angels? Other gods? Demons? What? was the official accuser of humanity.
To complicate matters is that the Hebrew word Oh, but that’s not all; we find that same
elohim is both a legitimate biblical title used to phrase in Psalms 29 and 97. In Exodus 15:11
denote the God of Israel and it also legitimately we are asked the rhetorical question, “Who is
means “gods,” many gods. And we also find this like you, O Yehoveh, among the sons of God?”
meaning used in the Bible in other contexts. (among the benei elohim). The Book of Daniel
When we realize that the Masoretic Hebrew
Text was the preferred Hebrew Bible in use in
the Middle Ages, it’s fairly easy to understand
the concern that the Jewish religious leaders
would have had over the temptation to interpret
benei elohim as “divine beings,” of Deuteronomy
32:8 as other gods. To acknowledge even the
possibility of other gods would lead to serious
theological problems within Judaism, especially
since it was a foundational Scriptural under-
standing that it was the worship of “other gods”
that was always getting Israel in trouble and
sent into exile. Yet in many places in Scripture,
in addition to Yehoveh calling the other gods
“false gods.” He also called them “non-gods” .
. . as in, non-existent. Were these non-gods and
Deuteronomy 32

false-gods the same things as the “sons of elo-

him,” the sons of God, also translated “divine
beings”? I hope you see the repercussions here
for all of us. This is a very thorny issue; there-
fore we can’t just dodge this matter as has been
customary for about one thousand years. The
question then is: are there actually other divine
beings (sons of God) that God has assigned to
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 329

also lends credence to the existence of these of Israel will misunderstand and see these sons of
divine beings that God assigned over the vari- God as either self-created or completely autono-
ous nations. mous beings, or as actual real gods that are usu-
ally referred to in Scripture as “false gods.”
Further, taken to an extreme, it could bring
Assignment: Read Daniel 10:4–14. a false credibility to the notion that every nation
had its own god (or set of gods). Remember how
it was thought among the ancients that each
nation had its own unique pantheon of gods
Here we have what is described as a prince and that the gods were territorial; their power
(we know it is a spiritual prince from the con- ended at the borders of that nation. The god of
text) that comes to Daniel; another spiritual Canaan had power there but generally nowhere
prince that was in charge of Persia held him up. else for example.
The only way the divine being that was talking Here’s what we can take from this with
to Daniel got free was when the chief prince some confidence: there are other divine beings
named Michael came and helped him out in his and they have some kind of spiritual power and
battle against the prince of Persia. control over the nations of the earth. These
are not self-created divine beings; they are
Yehoveh-created and Yehoveh-controlled. They
Assignment: Read Daniel 10:19–21. serve some kind of purpose in His plan of the
history of redemption. Satan, the Great Adver-
sary, is one of those divine beings. They were
paired with the various nations created by God
Now we have yet another divine being, as a result of the Tower of Babel, and there is no
one in charge over the nation of Greece, who reason to think they are not still exercising their
is going to come when this other benei elohim power today (albeit at the will of God). They are
leaves Daniel. The reason Daniel’s divine being not actually gods, but at times they have proba-
is going to hurry and leave is because he has to bly been worshipped as (and mistaken for) gods
go back and continue his fight with the divine all throughout history.
being of Persia (which, I guess, is his current Why do I bring this up? Because if these
assignment). Further, the only help he’s going to sons of God, benei elohim, (these princes, as Daniel
get (he says) will come from this one chief benei calls them) do indeed exist and are assigned to
elohim named Michael. the nations of this planet, as believers we had
There is little escaping the fact that the better know about it. Maybe it will help us to
Bible says rather straightforwardly that there are get a better handle on just what is going on in
other divine beings (sons of God), some who this world of ours that inexplicably seems to be
are in opposition and some who are on God’s tumbling out of control; where common sense
team, and that God has paired these benei elohim seems to have vanished in our leadership and a
Deuteronomy 32

up with each of the nations that He has created small part of the world is moving closer to God
and established on earth. and to Israel but the vast bulk is moving away
Let me be blunt: the reason you see most of from Him and His people.
this covered over and avoided (especially this
section about the benei elohim in Deuteronomy) Now that we understand that God gave
is because Jewish and Gentile theologians aren’t authority over the other nations of the earth
quite sure what to do with this. There is a genu- to subordinate spiritual beings, perhaps we
ine fear that the masses of followers of the God can better understand the great privilege He
 330 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

bestowed on Israel by saving it for Himself. This were looking into a curved mirror. What this
decision automatically made Israel different. verse literally says is that God protected Israel
This decision distinguishes Israel apart from like the “little man” in His eye. The little man
all others. And to think that some anti-Jewish, is the reflection of the man God is looking at.
anti-Scripture church leaders later declared that Notice how close you had to get to the person
God has reversed His decision and made the next to you to see that “little man,” who is you,
Gentile church for the purpose of replacing in his or her eye. This statement to end verse 10
Israel boggles the mind. is very intimate. Have you ever sat and just stared
So when we see the words that “Israel was adoringly at your spouse or your young child or
the Lord’s share (or portion),” we now know the grandchild (especially when they weren’t aware of
answer to the question, “His share of what?” It it); just reveling in their image and thinking how
is His share of the nations the rest of whom were you’d do anything, you’d give anything, to protect
given over to divine (but under the authority of them? You see this verse is not about God pro-
God) beings. Here, incidentally, we see Moses tecting the very sensitive pupil of His own eye;
call Israel “Jacob.” Remember that the patri- rather it is about God protecting the image that
arch Jacob had his name changed by God to is in His eye, and that image, that “little man” of
Israel, and so Jacob’s sons (Israel’s sons) formed His eye, is His people Israel.
the nation named for their father, Israel. All In verse 11 another vivid metaphor is used
throughout the Bible we’ll see the names Jacob to describe how God cares for His people. The
and Israel alternate. metaphor is of an eagle training it’s young to
Verse 10 reminds Israel that God found fly. It speaks of the eagle bearing the young on
them in the wilderness, or more literally, desert his back and taking them to the high places
regions. It was in the barren Sinai and Arabian along with him. This didn’t impact me until I
Peninsulas that the Israelites wandered, and it ran across something that helped me to under-
was there that they received the covenant with stand how it is that eagles train their eaglets.
God that made them His people and He their I never realized before that what is described
God. The usual translation that God “found” here in Deuteronomy 32:11 is actually quite lit-
Israel in the desert, though, misses the mark. eral and real in nature. Perhaps the godfather of
The verb means “to provide or to maintain.” North American Ornithology (bird watching)
The idea is that Yehoveh sustained Israel out is Arthur Cleveland Bent. In the early 1900s
in the Wilderness and watched carefully over A.C. Bent wrote this about his observation of
them, ensuring their security and survival. This an eagle teaching it’s young to fly. I’d ask you
is consistent with the earlier statements of God to become quiet for a moment, even close your
being Israel’s father, as well as in the next sev- eyes if you like, and just see if you can visualize
eral verses with the various illustrations and what I am about to quote to you:
metaphors used to characterize the loving care
Yehoveh bestowed upon His people. The mother started from the nest in the crags and,
The last words of verse 10 say that the Lord roughly handling the youngster, she allowed him to drop,
Deuteronomy 32

guarded over Israel as though it was the pupil of I should say, about ninety feet; then she would swoop
His eye. While the translation about the pupil of down under him, wings spread, and he would alight on
His eye is not wrong, it doesn’t carry with it the her back. She would soar to the top of the range with him
depth that it could if it were translated more liter- and repeat the process. Once, perhaps, she waited fifteen
ally. What you will see if you look very carefully minutes between flights. I should say the farthest she let
in the center of someone’s eye is a small image him fall was about a hundred and fifty feet. My father
of yourself reflecting back at you as though you and I watched him, spellbound, do this for over an hour.10
10
Howard I. Russock, Observations on the Behavior of Wintering Bald Eagles (Danbury: Western Connecticut State College)
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 331

Wow. What an image. The Lord takes Israel own purpose, and that purpose is to punish His
and teaches her in the same manner than an eagle people, the Hebrews. The irony is rich: the Lord
teaches his young to fly on their own. But the will punish these Gentile nations for this same
only way for Israel to learn is to take her to the wickedness and terrible treatment of Israel.
high places and release her. Early on, whether This presents me with a perfect opportunity
it is from lack of self-confidence, a lack of trust to explain what is happening today with Israel
in God, or not yet having learned the intricacies and the Middle East; it is nothing short of God
of winged flight, Israel would simply plummet working out His predetermined, pre-announced
straight toward the hard earth in a death spiral. plan of redemption. I am baffled each time I
But suddenly, down the Lord would swoop and view one of the countless news pieces or hear
in a nick of time catch her on His own back. another politician or statesman or pundit
Back to the summit the Lord takes Israel, only explain that the Middle East is chaotic but he
to repeat the process. Sometimes Israel would or she has a plan to salvage it that will work
be given time to rest and catch its breathe. But when none other has. Even a good portion of
when the Lord decided it was time, flight train- the church chooses to endlessly “work toward
ing started again. What great patience the Lord peace and reconciliation” between the Israelis
exhibits; it doesn’t matter how many times it is and fill-in-the-blank. So the general worldwide
needed or how long it takes. Israel may feel ter- belief is that it must be the Jews who are the
rified and (momentarily) alone and out of con- problem, and in a way entirely different from
trol, but the Lord is there, always, to catch her what they are thinking, they’re right!
on His own back as an eagle catches her young. Of course, for them the problem with the
And the purpose of it all is to teach Israel the Jews is that they have dared to exist; especially
ways of the Lord; to teach Israel how, one day, in a place that these Gentile nations don’t want
to soar above the high places. Make it so in our them: the ancient Jewish homeland of Israel.
lives, O God, Amen. We have watched every sort of plan designed
to bring peace to the region dissolve into car-
This song is a warning, a hope, a condem- nage in no time at all. The situation isn’t on
nation and a pathway to redemption for God’s its way to being solved; it’s just different than
people. It was written well in advance of its pre- it was five years ago. Every UN plan to parti-
dictions coming to pass so that the people of tion Israel or give away its land, compromise its
Israel would fully understand that their exile security, give more aid, impose its will militarily,
was not serendipity or fate. Israel abandoned or win the hearts and minds of the fractured
the Lord and what is happening to them is of Muslim religion to convince them that peace is
His direct intervention. Israel is suffering God’s a better choice leaves countless more dead in its
divine wrath even though it might appear on wake. Intractable is the word most often used to
the surface as though it was merely the evil deci- describe the Middle East; hopeless runs a close
sions of surrounding nations. second, and insane is probably next.
Let me point out that it has been and always The bottom line is this: outside of believ-
Deuteronomy 32

will be Gentile nations that do evil upon Israel. ing God’s Word, there is no context for under-
I’ve heard it implied that the Lord’s use of Gen- standing the Middle East. Outside of believing
tiles to punish Israel is proof that He values Yehoveh, who created the nations and set mys-
Gentiles (the Church, specifically) above Israel, terious divine beings (benei elohim) over them but
or that the rest of the world has been placed on set Israel apart from the nations for Himself,
a level playing field with Israel. In fact, as we’ll there is no way to comprehend the source of the
see in this song, it is the evil nature of these problem and how it will all play out. It is amaz-
Gentile nations that God is harnessing for His ing that with the hundreds of billions of dol-
 332 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

lars thrown at the problem, the millions of lives is wine compared to blood nor does it symbol-
sacrificed and destroyed, and the best minds on ize blood; wine is for joy, blood is for atone-
earth employed to strategize and formulate a ment. Foaming just enforces that what is being
solution, the one thing that no nation (includ- discussed is wine (alcoholic drink), not straight
ing Israel) will consult for a solution is the Word grape juice, because as grapes ferment into wine
of God. the vat foams and bubbles.
That pattern of mankind refusing to consult At verse 15 the focus shifts again; it leaves
the Creator on matters He alone controls and behind the theme of God’s blessing and care for
determines is an ancient one, and all through- Israel and instead speaks of Israel’s disloyalty
out history no one has been exempt from this toward such a good and benevolent God. Israel
temptation; a temptation that the God of Israel has grown fat and satisfied; they are quite self-
warns Israel to be aware of and to avoid. This assured, they feel they are without need, and in
warning is found in the Song of Moses. no time they forgot that the sole source of all
Starting in verse 12, after the Song has spo- their shalom and abundance was the Lord God.
ken so lovingly of God’s protection and nurtur- Yet instead of thanking Him for their wonder-
ing of Israel, this display of amazing divine love ful existence, they credit the various deities that
that makes Israel’s decision to give their wor- their neighbors bow down to (and were custom-
ship and adoration to other gods all the more ary for the era).
egregious, the Lord reminds them that it was How often have we heard sermons and par-
He who has been guiding them from the begin- ticipated in Bible studies where we encounter
ning and it certainly wasn’t with the assistance this destructive tendency of the Hebrews to
of some other divinity or god. As Hosea 13:4-5 divide their loyalties and include other gods;
says: “Still, I am ADONAI your God, from the and we shake our heads in mock disgust agree-
land of Egypt; and you don’t know any God but ing with the prophets who tell us of this apos-
me or, other than me, any Savior. I knew you in tasy. Too often we are told that this is why
the desert, in a land of terrible drought.” God abandoned and rejected His set-apart
In other words, there is no rational reason people and gave their inheritance to the Gen-
for Israel to even consider the help of an alterna- tile church. Let me set the record straight; first
tive spiritual source; the glory for Israel’s deliv- the Lord God has not rejected His people and
erance should be Yehoveh’s because they cer- instead given His attention and favor to the
tainly got no help from any of these other gods church. Second believers are almost universally
as they were rescued from Egypt and placed guilty of doing exactly the same thing that Israel
into a wonderful land. Verse 13 says that it was is being indicted for, are we not? Every time we
Yehoveh who set Israel upon the high places of pat ourselves on the back for our good fortune;
the earth (the high places refer to the central credit our excellent marketing plan or new facil-
highlands of Israel). It was Yehoveh who sus- ities for growing our synagogue or church; or
tained Israel and gave them all that they needed whenever we place our own desires and wants
even from the most unlikely sources like honey and traditions ahead of what we know full well
Deuteronomy 32

from the rocks and olive oil from the cracks in is God’s way, we divide our loyalties and give
the rocks. It was Yehoveh who caused Israel’s credit and glory to other gods.
flocks to grow and to produce milk and meat The strange word at the outset of verse
and who ordered the fields to overflow with the 15, Yeshurun, is Hebrew for “the upright”; it is
finest wheat and foaming wine for His people. an epithet for Israel. Israel forsook their Cre-
Actually what this phrase about wine says is ator and turned away from the Rock. But the
“foaming grape-blood.” Grape-blood or blood last couple of words of this verse are even more
of the grape is an idiom for wine. In no way interesting, and the English translations cover
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 333

over a fascinating use of Hebrew language. is celebrated with a religious festival that even
Most Bibles will say as our CJB says, “And he Messiah acknowledged (Hannukah) and that
(Israel) spurned the Rock of his salvation” or fact is recorded in the NT Gospels. Hannukah
“he (Israel) condemned the Rock of his sal- is also called the Feast of Dedication (or bet-
vation.” What it actually says in the original ter, re-dedication) because it was all about the
Hebrew is that “Israel spurned the Rock of rededication of the temple to the God of Israel.
Yeshua.” That’s right: the words “His salvation” The point is that while YHWH would save
(God’s salvation) are in Hebrew “Yeshua,” the Israel on several occasions in the centuries
given Hebrew name of our Messiah. If only the that followed, the Savior Yeshua would be yet
church would be willing to understand that the another manifestation of the prophesy about
name “Jesus” is an English translation of the Yeshurun contained within the Song of Moses.
Hebrew name Yeshua, so much more meaning Therefore we need to pay very close attention
would be added to Holy Scripture passages that to what is about to come in the next verses
are largely glossed over. of chapter 32 because it is all too easy for we
Yet when this startling and unexpected rev- modern-day believers (so far removed in time
elation happens here in verse 15 (whereby the from when this Song was written) to forget that
Rock is called Yeshua) then it opens up a can just as we are already redeemed by the grace
of worms that many theologians would just as of God, it was the same for Israel. This song
soon leave sealed. There is utterly no doubt was not written or intended for un-redeemed
that this is a reference to Jesus Christ, Messiah people; God was addressing it to the people
Yeshua, the Rock of our Salvation. Remember- He had redeemed from Egypt forty years ear-
ing that this speaks of a future time far from lier, and they remained redeemed. The Israel-
the time of Deuteronomy, we are told that Israel ites who would apostatize and fall away from
will spurn and even condemn the salvation that God in the coming years after Moses’s death
God provides for them. (as this song predicts) were also part of the
I’ve mentioned a few times that biblical redeemed. So please grasp that this song is not
prophesies are usually not one-time events. It talking to pagans or to seekers; it is speaking to
has long been recognized by Bible scholars that the redeemed of the Lord. In times past it was
most prophecies happen, and then happen again directed only toward Israel but as I have shown
at a later time. The simplest example is of Israel you, the biblical patterns and principles never
being exiled not once but three times. Israel fall- change. So since about AD 30 the redeemed
ing to idolatry, being restored, and then doing it of God include all the disciples of Jesus; you
all over again is infamous. Even the end-times and me.
saga of the anti-God (the anti-Christ) entering Verse 16 begins to explain with a little more
the holy temple and setting up an image of him- detail exactly what the concept of “abandon-
self and demanding that it be worshipped has ing God” amounts to, just as at the beginning
already happened in Israelite history; it will also of this song we got some detail of exactly what
happen again at a time even future to us. The “loving God” means in God’s eyes. Let me say
Deuteronomy 32

first time it was the Syrian Governor Antiochus it again so that there is no mistake: only those
Epiphanies around 167 BC; his army captured who have God can abandon God (you can’t let
Jerusalem and he established himself as a god go of something you’ve never had). Pagans and
in the holy temple. We read about this in the seekers are never accused of abandoning God
books of the Maccabees, and we also read of because they never had Him in the first place.
how the Jewish rebels led by Judah the Macca- Those who have God are the redeemed. The
bee retook the temple some years later, cleansed first step toward the abandoning of God is to
it, and relit the Golden Menorah. This event incorporate “alien things” in our lives: things
 334 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

that have no place in the redeemed lifestyle of is about the worst sort of consort with an evil
a believer. Here in verse 16 the reference was entity that can be imagined.
more specifically to the universal cultural prac- Let’s pause here for just a moment; the prac-
tices of that day that included burning incense tice of consulting the spirits of the dead is cur-
and praying to foreign gods, or owning wooden rently rampant and popular. We have entire TV
or stone idols, but that’s not all. It also says Israel programs, now, devoted to those who do all they
provoked Him (meaning they angered God) can to commune with the spirits of the dead,
with abominations. What are abominations? In and by all accounts some are successful. This
Hebrew the word is to’evah and it means consort- is exactly what is being talked about in verse 17
ing with any unusually unclean thing that the and it is not humorous and it is not to be under-
Torah has told the Israelites are not for them. It taken by believers. Don’t ever be involved with
is referring to the use of unclean foods, unclean such a thing as the Lord finds it among the most
sacrifices, unclean sexual activity, the improper offensive things you can do, and He counts it
mixing of seeds or animals, the improper mix- as your having abandoned Him in favor of that
ing of threads in a garment, homosexuality, and spirit of death.
so on. Recall that particularly in Exodus and The next term we encounter is “non-gods”
Leviticus (but in the other books of Torah as but it is more literally translated as “no-gods”
well) that there were certain sins that were con- (lo-elohim). This is referring to the figments of
sidered extraordinarily bad in Yehoveh’s eyes people’s fertile imaginations (or better, fertile
and these were labeled as abominations. evil inclinations). They think they’re dealing
The song goes on to explain that they also with a god or some kind of spiritual being but
sacrificed to demons, non-gods, and gods they they are not; they are simply confusing their
had not known; even new gods who had only own perverted thoughts with reality. Then
come recently (gods that Israel’s patriarchs there is a kind of spiritual entity with which the
and ancestors had not paid homage to). This is Hebrews might apostatize and worship called
not a list of parallel terms for false gods; this “gods they had never known”; these are foreign
is a list of alien things to which Israel wrongly gods that had nothing to do with Israel. And
made sacrifices. I find the list most informative finally, as one commentator put it, there is this
because it includes a number of kinds of gods kind of god who is recent, gods-come-lately.
(if you would). The list includes demons, which I’ll not pretend to know with absolute certainly
are certainly not figments of people’s imagina- all the grizzly details surrounding these spiri-
tions. The subject of demons is long and com- tual entities that are real, or the spiritual fan-
plex one and we’ll not address that just yet. But tasies that don’t actually exist. However as we
know that these are real spiritual entities that by have learned from Job, Daniel, and other pas-
definition oppose God. They are evil spiritual sages in the Bible, there are mysterious divine
entities, and we read of Yeshua Himself dealing beings (benei elohim) that have been created by
with these evil spirits on more than one occa- Yehoveh and placed in authority over the vari-
sion. Really, though, even the term “demon” is ous nations and their associated land holdings.
Deuteronomy 32

not quite right here. The Hebrew word used is Though they are not fully independent beings,
shed and it generally refers to spirits of the dead. nor are they self-created, some obviously have
We’ll find reference in the Bible to the shedim turned against God and do not do His will.
of Sheol, the spirits from the place of the dead. There is much thought going back thousands
I’m not suggesting that this only refers to evil of years among the Hebrew sages that some
spirits as being the spirits of dead people, but of these divine beings (who must have had
the whole idea is that since death is the ultimate tremendous power at their disposal) allowed
uncleanness, to deal with a spirit of the dead themselves to be taken for gods and wanted
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 335

to be worshipped; it would be easy to see how a redeemed people who have made the decision
pagans especially could view these “sons of to abandon their Redeemer, and in response
God” as actual gods rather than as subservient God’s decision is to turn them over to evil. Let
spiritual beings. me put that in more modern terms: they are
Yet there is also an implication of territo- walking away from their salvation. And let me
riality here and we know that it was common be very clear; this is a salvation that was already
among the ancients to think that all gods were theirs and one they were already enjoying. The
territorial; we’re told explicitly in Genesis that problem was that in the midst of their salvation
the Lord set “sons of God” (benei elohim) over they decided to share themselves with abomi-
the various nations (the lone exception being nations. In addition to their union with God
Israel). So while these divine beings are in they brought themselves into union with evil,
no way real gods they do exist, they are ter- unclean things. Did they honestly think that
ritorial by definition, and some of them may God would remain in union with them under
prey on superstitions and evil inclinations and such circumstances? Apparently so. And how
allow themselves to be worshipped as gods. many of us honestly believe that we can pray
We find several instances in the OT and NT the prayer of salvation, call on the name of the
of angels warning folks not to worship them Jesus, and then participate in all kinds of abom-
(even though their appearance and their pow- inations; that we can come into union with all
ers must have been awesome). Even the apostles sorts of unclean things that we know we should
warned against doing the same toward them not and that the Lord will but wink and look the
after they had performed some kind of miracle other way. “On that Day, many will say to me,
and people instinctively fell down before them ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name?
overwhelmed. So to think that one of these Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t
“sons of God” who presided over some nation we perform many miracles in your name?’ Then
or another preferred to be taken for the god of I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you!
that nation, rather than as a servant of the Lord, Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’
is not a stretch. (Matt. 7:22-23)
Then the song returns in verse 18 to accuse Verse 19 says it straightaway: for abandoning
Israel of a very unnatural thing: to forget the Me I will scorn my sons and daughters, says the
one who gave them life. It was the Rock who Father. I will hide my face from them. “Face”
created them and the Rock who brought them is panim in Hebrew, and it is an idiom; it means
to the Promised Land. It speaks of God who face in the sense of “presence.” God will remove
fathered them, but also God who gave them His presence from His people. Where is God’s
birth. It makes God the mother and the father face (His presence) in His people, today? We are
of Israel. Can you imagine forgetting who your told that the presence of God that is with us is
birth parents are? Can you imagine rejecting the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. If the Holy
them outright and giving the credit for your Spirit is in us then by definition God is present
very existence to someone else? Therefore in with us. If the Holy Spirit is not present in us
Deuteronomy 32

addition to everything else that Israel has done then by definition God is not present with us.
this means that the Israelites are also break- And He says now that I have removed my pres-
ing the commandment to honor their father ence from My people let’s just see what becomes
and mother (who from a spiritual standpoint is of them. This is a rhetorical statement, of course
Yehoveh). Recall that the penalty for dishonor- (God obviously knows what will happen). It
ing your parents is the most severe: death. means that since these people think that all their
Thus begins a section of the Song of Moses blessings have come from another source any-
with the most dreadful implications; it speaks of way, it’s going to be a rather large shock to them
 336 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

when God’s presence, protection, and bless- His jealousy) by abandoning Him and turning
ings that have become so taken for granted that their affections to lo-elohim (non-gods), He will
they are now worthless to them are pulled away. now vex them by removing His presence and
Of course this same pattern and idea is well turning them over to a lo-ammi (a non-people).
expressed in the NT verses I just read in Mat- In other words, God will punish Israel in like
thew 7 where the utterly shocked people (who kind. The gods Israel turned to were not spirit
were in their own minds safe-and-sound believ- beings loyal to Yehoveh, so He will turn Israel
ers) hear Yeshua tell them that despite the fact over to a conquering people who are not loyal
that they openly professed that He was Messiah, to Yehoveh. The term “non-people” is perhaps
even invoking His name to do some works, they better understood in our modern vernacular by
were actually “workers of lawlessness” (they saying, “A people not mine.” A non-people are
didn’t follow God’s laws) and therefore Yeshua Gentiles in this sense, especially in that era. The
disavowed them. Let me be clear: these people ammi (people) were the Israelites, while the lo-
thought that they could pray the prayer, talk the ammi (non-people) was everybody else. So it’s
talk, live among the community of believers but not necessarily a particular nation (like Edom,
then go along as they please with no regard to or Canaan, or the Hittites) were being referred
God’s commandments (that is the meaning, of to as the non-people in question, it’s just Gen-
course, of lawlessness). As we saw earlier such tiles in general.
a thing as this is regarded by God as abandon- It is in the writings of the prophets from
ing Him. Folks this isn’t allegory; it also isn’t my centuries later that we read of this prophetic
rules, it is merely what Holy Scripture says. It warning finally coming about.
doesn’t matter to Yehoveh that we don’t think
we abandoned Him when we added these evil
things to our lives, and when we decided to Assignment: Read Hosea 1:1–23.
come into union with unclean things that He
has declared forbidden for us. The Lord sets up
the definitions and boundaries; it’s not a mat-
ter of negotiation. Freedom in the Lord is not Hosea lived and wrote during the middle of
freedom to be disobedient or freedom to bring the eighth century BC. Israel had been a divided
His presence (that resides within us) into con- nation (since the death of King Solomon) for
tact with sin and defilement. To this matter the about 175 to 200 years. There were two king-
Apostle Paul speaks over and over. doms now where the tribes of Israel lived, the
As a consequence of Israel’s unfaithfulness Northern and the Southern. The Northern
to Yehoveh, God resolves to discipline Israel by Kingdom most Bibles call Israel, although that
removing His protection and subjecting them is really a little off the mark. It was actually
to attack from enemies and to all sorts of natu- called Ephraim or Ephraim-Israel because ten
ral disasters. The Lord is reversing the holy war Israelite tribes lived there and Ephraim was the
protocol. Instead of Israel attacking and win- ruling tribe. The Southern Kingdom was called
Deuteronomy 32

ning with God paving the way, they will be Judah because of the two tribes that lived there
attacked and lose because He isn’t in it. Instead (Benjamin and Judah), Judah was the larger and
of abiding in safety and shalom in the land of more powerful ruling tribe.
their rest, Israel will be sent back to the land of Ephraim-Israel was a political disaster area;
their servitude and placed under the authority it had a series of evil kings that led the people
of a cruel master. into every kind of apostasy. They even reached
Verse 21 makes a word play to make a point. the point where (much as it is with Israel today)
It says that since Israel vexed God (aroused a goodly portion of the population (and their
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 337

leadership) desired to no longer be a people set the reversal of their redemption is re-reversed
apart for God but instead to be a people that back to redemption.
looked and acted very much like their neigh-
bors. Judah was only moderately better; at least Back to Deuteronomy 32 . . . We get another
the dynasty of David had continued to rule and startling reference that is unmistakable; verse
in general Judah did display a desire to remain 22 says that a fire has flared in God’s wrath and
the people of God (despite their ongoing flirta- that this fire will burn down to the depths of
tions with idolatry). Sheol, down into the bowels of the earth, even
Hosea was warning the Hebrew people under the base of mountains and hills. Sheol is
(specifically the Northern Kingdom) that the the netherworld; it is the grave, and to a degree
Lord was going to finally bring about what what comes of the body and/or spirit once a
He had threatened in the Song of Moses. And person is dead and buried. This says that all
sure enough in the book of Hosea we see this those who God has turned away from (in this
illustration of God’s reasons for bringing His case Israel) will be sent to a grave (Sheol) that is
wrath upon Ephraim-Israel metaphorically full of fire that has come from His wrath. The
acted out in His instructions to His prophet imagery of an underworld full of fire ought to
Hosea to marry a whore (this equates to God’s be familiar to us all.
marriage-like union to Ephraim-Israel who was But have you ever considered where the fires
playing the whore with its pagan neighbors as of hell came from? Who started the fire? Who
the illegitimate lovers). Then this whore-wife of keeps it burning? What is the purpose of that
Hosea produces three children: Yizre’el (mean- fire? Hell is a place of torments and Satan and
ing God sows), Lo-Ruchamah (meaning no pity, his demons may be exiled there for a time, but
no mercy), and Lo-Ammi (meaning not my peo- it’s not Club Med for them; they hate it. They
ple). The idea is that in the Song of Moses God want to inhabit heaven. It was God who booted
says that the whoring of Israel will bring about Satan and his rebellious legions out of heaven, it
God sowing calamity among Israel (Yizre’el ), was God who kindled the fires of hell, and those
and that He will show no mercy on His people fires are a physical manifestation of His spiritual
(lo-ruchamah), and Ephraim-Israel will be turned wrath. The fires of hell (what lies beneath Sheol)
over to a non-people resulting in their becom- are stoked by the Lord God Almighty just as it
ing a non-people (lo-ammi) in the course of time. says here in Deuteronomy. The fire’s purpose is
In other words, they lose their identity as God’s to consume the unrighteous dead, and eventu-
people as a result of consorting with a non-peo- ally even the unrighteous spirit world; the fire is
ple. Of course, we just studied the meaning of for eternal destruction.
the source of that judgment here in the Song of
Moses in Deuteronomy 32. The Lord is turning The term “The Reality of Duality” illus-
Ephraim-Israel over to a non-people where the trates the mysterious connection and parallel-
members of Ephraim-Israel would also become ism between the spiritual world and the physical
a lo-ammi (a non-people) as they melded them- world, the heavenly and the earthly, the tangible
Deuteronomy 32

selves into the Gentile milieu of the Assyrian and the intangible, the seen and the unseen.
Empire. That parallelism is front and center within the
In Hosea 2 however (just as we’ll see later Song of Moses. From a broader view, what we
in the Song of Moses), for the protection of find is that physical history and God’s heavenly
His own holy name (meaning His reputation) plan are circular; there is a starting point where
Yehoveh will have mercy on Ephraim-Israel and everything was of the spiritual dimension only,
eventually He will once again call them ammi then out of that developed a physical dimen-
(My people), and ruchamah (pitied, given mercy); sion, and then from that time forward the two
 338 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

dimensions (the spiritual and the physical) par- rated from the spiritual; in fact, barriers were set
allel one another like the right and left sides of a up between the spiritual and the physical. Then
pair of railroad tracks. That is, both are needed, the spiritual Law as practiced in heaven was one
they run side-by-side, they are not physically day given to physical mankind on Mount Sinai
joined (rather they must by nature and function (the Torah). However, the Law on earth was
be distinct from each other) and yet they come practiced as primarily a series of physical rituals
from the same beginning, follow the same path, and traditional observances that only mimicked
and arrive at the same point at the same time for and illustrated their heavenly origin because at
the same ultimate goal. the time man had no capacity to do anything
What we also find is that while all exis- more than that.
tence began as purely spiritual (the Word was In God’s time the purpose of the Law for
with God before the beginning of the physical mankind began to be unveiled as it made a
universe), when mankind was simply a thought definite turn away from the purely physical and
in the Lord’s mind, and when His laws and earthly ways it was being practiced and toward
commands were divine ideals active only in a return to its original spiritual heavenly form
the spiritual world because as of yet there was upon the advent of the Messiah and shortly
not a physical world, eventually those spiritual thereafter the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in
ideals transformed into physical realities upon men. The monumental events of Yeshua bring-
Yehoveh’s creation of the universe. The idea of a ing the physical Law to a spiritual fulfillment
created population of beings who could choose and then the spirit of God indwelling physical
to love God or not were at one time only rep- man marked significant and recognizable mile-
resented by the angels (and perhaps some other stones in the as yet unfinished process of the
types of spiritual beings) of the spiritual world, spiritual and physical realms merging (at some
but then a parallel population of beings (called time in our future) into one united realm.
humans) were created, the first being Adam. The kingdom of God that we read of in the
However, humans were physical in essence, Bible and hope for in our hearts is actually that
so now we have a parallel set of beings: angels united physical and spiritual realm that is com-
of the spirit world and humans of the physical ing. Once the Holy Spirit became present in
world. Both populations exist simultaneously, men it was said that God’s kingdom (the united
both were created to serve God, and both were realm of the spiritual and the physical) was now
given enough freedom to choose to side with or present on earth (the wild-haired John the Bap-
against the Lord and to stay with Him or leave tist went around pronouncing that the kingdom
Him by their own wills. of God was at hand just prior to Yeshua’s mis-
But it gets even more mysterious because sion). Yet even today it is a kingdom that is not
just as angels could at times manifest a physical fully gestated; it is a kingdom that is becoming.
side (even though their natural state is as spirit It is a kingdom that is partially but not fully
beings) so does physical man have a spiritual formed and currently it is represented by physi-
side (even though our natural state is as physical cal humans (believers) who are in the process
Deuteronomy 32

beings). We find in God’s plan of redemption of being perfected by God so that we can fully
that while the spiritual and the physical realms merge with the perfect spiritual. It is a process
are infinitely different, over time the plan is that whereby our natural physical essence and being
in some mysterious way the two realms will are becoming more spiritual and less physical.
eventually merge. As we follow the Bible from In fact, Holy Scripture tells us of a time in the
Genesis to Revelation we see that in the begin- future when humans will have an altogether
ning all things were of the spiritual sphere, then different kind of body and essence than we
the physical sphere was added but kept sepa- have now; it will be a spiritual body (for lack
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 339

of a better term) that is impervious to time and be against God and instead has thrown in with
decay (similar to angels). It is a kind of body the satanically controlled anti-Christ (the Beast).
that will be able to travel around this (eventu- As the Song of Moses explains there will be piti-
ally) merged world of the physical and the spiri- less destruction for those who oppose God and
tual realms. As the circle of man’s history and His people, and there will be unlimited mercy
God’s redemptive history finally, after many and salvation for those who stand with God and
thousands of years, comes to its fullest meaning are His people. And ironically, God will use the
and completion we essentially arrive back to the wicked as a tool to punish His people in order that
starting point when all that existed was spiri- they return to Him and be saved; then He will
tual in nature, when there was a single realm destroy those same wicked for having harmed
that all beings existed in (not separate spiritual His people in the punishment process!
and physical realms), and before there were such It is a biblical fact that God’s prophecies
things as evil, sin, and death. happen and then they happen again (sometimes
I want you to think long and hard on what more than once). This is because of the circular
the Song of Moses is really all about. I want you nature of history that repeats itself. This Song
to understand why it is that some of the great- of Moses predicts the three exiles of Israel, but
est Christian and Jewish theological minds have as the process of God transforming the world
spent a lifetime of study centered on unveiling into the kingdom of God moves along in time,
the depths of only the last four chapters of Deu- so does the Song of Moses transform to deal not
teronomy. What fascinates me most, however, is only with physical Israel but with spiritual Israel
how the predictions of the Song of Moses cul- as well. The song of Moses explains not only
minate for us in the Book of Revelation. And I the destruction of those physical populations
say this not as uplifting sermon-rhetoric or as a (nations and people) who oppose God, but on
good analogy. another level it explains the destruction of those
populations of evil spirit beings (demons, fallen
angels) who oppose Him. We are also witness-
Assignment: Read Revelation 14:14–15:4. ing in the Song of Moses God’s discipline upon
His people and God allowing His people to
walk away from Him. This is also prophetic and
like the destruction of God’s enemies and the
What does Revelation 15:3 say is being sung exiles of Israel this will repeat and finally come
by those who are described as God’s armies as to a complete fulfillment at the end of days.
they defeat the beast, its image, and those who I hope you can receive this: we have often
took on the number of its name? Two songs: been taught that God will not punish His own
the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) and the nor will He allow His own to walk away from
Song of the Lamb. The idea of course is that Him. There is utterly no Scriptural backing to
God’s warriors are singing the Song of Moses as that claim; it is just a manmade doctrine and
a victory song and as a remembrance of God’s tradition that gives us false comfort. The Song
Deuteronomy 32

age-old promises of redemption and judgment of Moses makes us witnesses to redeemed peo-
that were made long before Moses passed away. ple becoming un-redeemed; it says so plainly.
So now we see that the Song of Moses is not We are warned over and over again in the NT
passé once Messiah came, or in our day, or even against our doing the same thing because the
at the time of Armageddon, or is it only for consequences will be the same. God punishes
Israel. Rather it applies to the whole world and those who have been His but have fallen away
at this event in Revelation 15 the Song of Moses in hope that His people will come back to
applies to the apostate world that has decided to Him when they have borne enough pain and
 340 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

finally understand their folly, but if they don’t, ring to spiritual eternal death, the death of the
they don’t. Their fate, even eternally, is sealed. unrighteous. We have in these words of James
It’s their choice; not even God’s own servants the example of a Christian brother who knew
become mindless robots that lose the freedom God’s truth but turned from it, thereby turning
of choice . . . any choice. Goodness, even the away from His redemption, and is on a path of
angels in heaven (who enjoy a modestly less spiritual death unless somehow another brother
amount of freedom than we do) had the choice can get him to come to his senses and return to
to serve God or to rebel, as is explained by the God. Nothing could be more straightforward.
existence of Satan and his armies. This wandering brother is doing exactly what is
Can anyone keep you from accepting Mes- spoken of and predicted in the Song of Moses.
siah? Can anyone or any demon or anything Certainly he has an opportunity to come back
block your path to salvation? The NT says no. to God; but he will die as a sinner with no hope
Conversely can anyone or anything force you unless he does, regardless of his previous status.
into accepting Messiah? No again. The choice,
either way, is always on the individual and no In Moses’s song (vs. 22-33) Yehoveh is
one else outside of that individual. As it says in declaring war upon His own redeemed people
the book of John, no one and no thing can take because they have now shunned their redemp-
you from God’s hand once you’re there, but you tion in favor of adding false gods and non-gods
do have the choice. Obviously the reference to to their worship. I don’t mean to be repetitive,
“no one” means somebody other than you in but we need to grasp that Israel did not com-
every circumstance. We love to talk about our pletely renounce God in the sense that they
freedom in Christ and our unfettered free will, said, “I don’t believe that Yehoveh is my God.”
but does that freedom and free will end when it Rather the usual route to apostasy was that they
comes to the ability of walking with Messiah or kept right on professing their allegiance to the
walking away from Him, as opposed to when God of Israel, even observing His festivals and
we first had the freedom to accept Him or deny sacrifices and ritual baths and so on to some
Him? degree, but at the same time they began incor-
Jesus’s brother James (the head of the porating other gods and non-authorized wor-
church before the temple was destroyed by the ship practices into their lives. They mixed and
Romans in AD 70) reiterates this principle in matched, a little of this and a little of that. Their
his only recorded letter to the church congrega- mindset was apparently not to burn any bridges;
tion of Jerusalem: “My brothers, if one of you let’s give the God of Israel and each of these
wanders from the truth, and someone causes other gods just enough of our allegiance so that
him to return, you should know that whoever we can keep our options open. Well the Lord
turns a sinner from his wandering path will save stymied that and said to do such a thing is to
him from death and cover many sins” (5:19-20). abandon Him in His eyes; He is the sole judge
The brothers in this passage are believers of who He accepts as righteous or not, so what
(that’s the only people being addressed in this each Israelite thought was their status before
Deuteronomy 32

entire letter). The one who wanders from truth Him was irrelevant.
had the truth at one time; after all you can’t wan- We would do well to remember that when
der away from somewhere you weren’t already the NT draws the distinction between Israel
at. The person who turns from God goes back and the world, between believers and the world,
to being a sinner (according to James), and the the world represents the wicked and apostate.
death he’s saved from is certainly not his physi- The world is those people and things that do not
cal death because saved or condemned all men belong to and do not obey God. We are warned
are appointed to die once. The death is refer- that a believer is no longer of this world even
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 341

though we are in this world. Because of that places in the Bible that the Lord makes clear
divine principle, we are not to join ourselves to that He will cause calamity to happen to those
things of this world but to stay separate and be who rebel against Him—worshipper and non-
joined exclusively to God. “The World” is the worshipper alike. Of course, here in the Song
NT way of saying “those who do not belong of Moses we get a listing of just what the Lord
to God” . . . or in Hebrew, lo-ammi, no people, will cause to happen, and it is even equated to
not my people. Therefore, as believers, when we the Lord using up all of His war arrows against
begin to mix and match our union in Messiah Israel. Shooting an arrow is not a naturally
with the ways of the “world,” we become lo- occurring disaster; it is done in anger and meant
ammi, not His people; we are abandoning God to harm. And God full well means to harm His
in God’s eyes. people when they fall away from Him to the
The most recent example of brazen apostasy degree and manner that Israel did.
of some believers is this new prosperity doctrine He says He will send horrible famines and
that is all the rage. There is nothing wrong with deadly plagues, and that Israel’s former Prom-
the world seeking wealth as its reason for exist- ised Land will be overrun with dangerous and
ing and its number one goal because they have poisonous creatures. In addition, their enemies
little else to hope for. But when a believer sets will attack them (that’s the idea of speaking
aside God’s laws and commands for the express about swords); the terror of it all will be so great
purpose of gaining wealth, that’s a problem. that everyone—infants, young people, unmar-
Worse, though, is for the institutional church to ried girls (that’s a maiden), and the elderly—will
make gaining wealth, not only a so-called holy literally die of fright and anxiety. We don’t have
endeavor, but also the scorecard for determin- time to go there right now, but check out the
ing spiritual health. In fact, the entire Bible from middle chapters of Revelation as the Beast does
beginning to end goes to great length to explain his dirty work and then as God pours out His
that while material wealth is not wrong in itself, wrath in the twenty-one judgments (7 seals, 7
that material wealth is not God’s definition bowls, and 7 trumpet judgments) and we get
of prosperity, nor are the wicked always poor exactly this same picture using nearly identical
and the righteous always materially rich. Every words.
aspect of prosperity doctrine that is preached in So here we have the downside to God’s jus-
our nation is virtually the opposite of biblical tice system. In the Song of Moses we have the
principles and we should shun it. curses of the Law playing out, just as in Revela-
tion we also see the curses of the Law running
Verse 23 makes plain, “I will heap disasters their course. Justice is not justice if there is no
on them.” Folks, here is another common doc- right and no wrong. If there is no reward for
trine to be re-examined. I have heard it said ad the righteous and no destruction of the wicked,
nauseum that God does not cause evil or calam- then there is no justice. If there is only mercy
ity to befall people. Rather it is Satan who does and never punishment, where’s the justice?
that because God is only a God of love. You Don’t ever think that God’s justice system has
Deuteronomy 32

won’t find that in the Holy Scripture. Another given way to a grandfatherly wink and nod at
standard doctrine is that when it comes to sin and rebellion, whether for believer or pagan.
God’s redeemed that His only punishment ever But at verse 26 we begin to see the other
might be to simply allow natural catastrophes to side of the justice coin; the side that is opposite
happen to us that He might have supernaturally of wrath. Verse 26 shows us that side of God
blocked if we weren’t being disciplined. Well, that we probably all wish was the only side of
again, that simply doesn’t reflect the biblical Him that there is: mercy and love. There we
writings. The Song of Moses is just one of many are told that God considered wiping Israel out
 342 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

entirely but decided not to because of His con- Up to this point in the Song of Moses the
cern that the enemy He sends after Israel will Lord has first stated what He has done for Israel,
give itself the credit for victory. In other words, next how they committed adultery against Him,
while mercy and love are being displayed to a and after that how He is going to cause great
degree, it happens more as a natural result of calamities upon Israel as a punishment. This
the Lord salvaging His reputation (a theme we punishment will include famines, wars, diseases,
see on numerous occasions in Scripture). As but crop failures, and finally exile from the Prom-
one example, 1 Samuel 12 says, “For the sake of ised Land at the hand of an attacking enemy.
His great name (reputation), He will never aban- Next the Song of Moses explained that the Lord
don His people.” The point of this is that the decided that for the sake of His own reputation
Lord has a dual purpose in visiting His wrath He wouldn’t do what Israel rightly deserved,
upon Israel: to punish His people, Israel, for which is to be wiped out entirely and never to
their unfaithfulness to Him with the hope that be considered a people again.
the discipline will cause them to return to righ- In verse 32, now that the enemies of Israel
teousness. And to demonstrate His power and have attacked them, mocked them, and boasted
omnipotence to the other nations of the earth; that it was by their own might that they have
if He allowed the attacking nation to take the conquered Israel, God decides to judge the
credit, then the fear is that other nations would enemy for being so merciless to His people and
not see that Israel’s demise was Yehoveh’s doing. so oblivious to the sovereignty of the God of
Thus the nations would think Him weak and the universe. So the Lord has determined that
unable to defend Israel (as their God) rather the enemy that He has used to strike Israel will
than powerful and almighty and able to wield suffer the same fate as the people of Sodom and
His power over all nations and all things. God’s Gomorrah did so many centuries earlier.
name and His holiness supersede all. It is interesting to me that what is being
Moses said that Israel no longer had any described in verses 32 through 34 is this: the
common sense or they wouldn’t have aban- same grapevines and fields in Canaan that pro-
doned God, and now in vs. 28 He applies the duced abundant and healthy food for Israel
same thing to Israel’s enemies. That if they had will now produce nothing but bad for the con-
any wisdom at all they would know that they quering horde. The poisonous grapes reference
were but a tool in Yehoveh’s hand. It is just is a metaphor, not literal (the grapevines were
as Moses warns Israel that when they prosper not literally going to produce snake poison).
because of the Lord’s blessings they should not It is a simple fact of history that after Joshua
congratulate themselves for their good fortune led Israel into Canaan, from that time forward
as though they are their own masters. whenever Israel was exiled the holy land dete-
Rather, says the Lord, these nations that riorated rapidly. The vines and orchards of
will feel pulled toward attacking Israel should the Promised Land stopped producing, the
ask themselves how it is that they could have fields became swamps in some areas and hard
accomplished such a thing when in reality Israel dry land in other areas, and the pasturelands
Deuteronomy 32

was bigger and stronger. The enemy should couldn’t support nearly as many cattle and
have suspected that Israel’s “Rock”, tsur, the sheep as they did for the Hebrews. The occu-
mountain of their salvation, Yehoveh, simply piers enjoyed the fine grapes, fruits, and olives
gave Israel up and turned them over to their and such that Israel had cultivated for awhile,
enemies. Why should they think that? Because but in no time at all the deterioration began
the enemy’s so-called “rock” (their god) is of no and Israel basically became a place suited only
equal to the God of Israel and by now it ought for nomads and merchants to wander through
to be self-evident. and later for armies to congregate because of
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 343

its strategic location between the African and fied God’s justice system for a specific purpose,
Asian Continents and as a trade route cross- and it was one of the many steps that form the
roads. overall process of mankind’s salvation history
One can see pictures going back to the mid (a process that is not yet completed). The term
1800s (when photography was first invented) of “satisfied” does not mean “abolished,” nor does
the lands of Israel that at one time were lovely it mean “brought to an end.” If someone robs a
and fruitful, but at the time of the photograph bank and is subsequently arrested, given a fair
the land was occupied mostly by Arabs and thus trial, convicted, and sent to prison, it is said that
it was nearly barren and lifeless. One can also our American justice system has been satisfied.
read accounts of the crusaders’ disappointment Obviously the convicted criminal ultimately
at the condition of the place upon their arrival going to jail (satisfying the justice system) does
and their struggle to make their individual plots not abolish the entire justice system. Rather, the
of land, given to them by the pope as a reward purpose of our justice system (the satisfaction of
for their participation in the Crusade, usable for the system) is brought about when the process
food production. produces its intended result.
After WWI as many Jews started emigrat- I tell you this because so many mainstream
ing to Palestine to start a new life away from church doctrines today loudly proclaim that
the rampant anti-Semitism of Europe they God’s justice system was abolished in favor of
arrived to a place where farming and ranching universal love and forgiveness due to Christ’s
were nearly impossible at first, but in a relatively passion upon the cross. Thus a believer can, for
short time the deserts bloomed, the swamps all practical purposes, do no wrong that would
became fields of wheat and barley, the orchards demand God’s discipline because God no lon-
and vineyards were replanted and tended, and ger dispenses justice, only mercy. Remember,
Israel has today become a net provider of food in Revelation 15 the people loyal to God were
to surrounding nations. In fact the Gaza Strip singing this very Song of Moses as a victory
that was not long ago turned over to the Pales- song and a remembrance of God’s promise
tinians was one of the prime farming areas in all of justice for His people, His ammim. A good
of Israel. But since that turnover, food now has alternate title for this song would be “The Ode
to be imported to Gaza for the Palestinians to to Yehoveh’s Justice” because in it we see both
survive because they can’t grow enough in the sides of justice being played out: God’s kindness
rapidly deteriorating fields and orchards. Natu- and severity, His salvation and destruction, the
rally the blame is laid at Israel’s feet, as illogical Lord’s blessings and curses, and our reward and
as that sounds, but in an ironic sort of way they punishment.
are right: when God’s people are not on God’s God’s justice system did not end as we
land, the land goes fallow for those who do not turned the page from the Book of Malachi (that
belong there. ends the OT) to the Book of Matthew (that
begins the New). Nor did God’s justice system
Before we continue, I want to summarize end at Calvary. In fact we are told unequivocally
Deuteronomy 32

a couple of divine principles that have been a in the NT that all men, including believers, will
work-in-progress since the book of Genesis. eventually be judged. Listen to 1 Peter:
These principles are at the forefront of what
is being declared and prophesied in the poetic If you are being insulted because you bear the name
words of the Song of Moses. of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit of
The glue that binds the Word of God together the Sh’khinah, that is, the Spirit of God, is resting on
from Genesis to Revelation is God’s justice sys- you! Let none of you suffer for being a murderer or a
tem. In Hebrew, justice is mishpat. Yeshua satis- thief or an evildoer or a meddler in other people’s affairs.
 344 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let him not be Judgment has come to mean something invariably
ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he negative; it is seen (at least within Judeo-Christi-
bears this name. For the time has come for the judgment anity) as synonymous with wrath or punishment
to begin. It begins with the household of God; and if it and this is not so. Thus, when we hear that the
starts with us, what will the outcome be for those who world is going to be judged, we usually assume
are disobeying God’s Good News? “If the righteous is it means the world will automatically bear God’s
barely delivered, where will the ungodly and sinful end wrath. Further, we cringe when we hear that
up?” (4:14-18) believers will be judged (or we come up with
some kind of allegorical apology to say that this
Even the household of God (those who isn’t what the Bible actually says) because we
accept Christ, the church) will stand before can get some strange mental pictures of what is
God in judgment. But on what basis will we be occurring when we run across the word judgment
judged? By what standard will we have to answer in our Bibles.
to our lives before our Creator? Well, it will not Interestingly the Hebrew word for justice
be based on whether or not we trust in Yeshua, (mishpat) can also be translated as judgment. Jus-
because by definition the family of God that tice and judgment are basically the same things.
Peter speaks of are believers. Rather, believers The biblical idea is that a person is placed before
will be judged based on God’s long-established the lawgiver to be scrutinized and then the ver-
justice system, the laws and commands of the dict is pronounced. There is no assumption
Torah that He set down at Mount Sinai. Now of guilt in the word mishpat. Therefore, when
the consequences of that judgment will be a believer stands before God in judgment we
entirely different for us than for those who are already know part of the verdict: we who trust
not believers. All those who do not believe will Him shall be declared innocent (due to the work
suffer eternal destruction. No believer will suf- of Yeshua on the cross). The remainder of the
fer destruction. We believers will have our lives verdict for a believer is then only what level
opened up to us, our deeds (or lack of deeds) (or perhaps absence) of reward is his or hers
exposed, the fruit of our lives counted by our beyond eternal life; that verdict will perhaps be
Lord, and those of us doing the least of the righ- accompanied with a tinge of sadness as we all
teous deeds and bearing little fruit will be given also see our failings to be obedient and faith-
the barest of rewards; those of us who accom- ful displayed before us (and the awful results it
plished a bounty of righteous deeds with much caused).
fruit will be given the greatest of rewards. So as we continue studying the Song of
Understand that all fruit that can be borne Moses, understand the words judgment and jus-
is the result of obedience to God. One does not tice in a more neutral way, which is the way they
produce good fruit through disobedience to the were intended. We will soon see the proper defi-
commandments of the Lord; so our deeds and nition of judgment also greatly affects biblical
our fruit are in some way the measure of obedi- passages that employ another commonly used
ence and love that will be used by Yehoveh to English word, vengeance.
Deuteronomy 32

judge us, His people. The fruit is not measured

by the size of our bank accounts or even the size
of our families or our congregations. Rather it is Assignment: Re-read Deuteronomy 32:30–43
that part of our lives that has produced endur-
ing good for the kingdom of God at the direc-
tion of the Holy Spirit.
The word judgment needs to be examined Earlier in this theological poem the topic
in order for us to grasp what it actually means. was Israel’s past. Beginning with verse 30, the
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 345

time reference begins a move toward the future. belong to a particular powerful person, so it is a
The Lord puts forth a rhetorical question: How warning for the unauthorized to stay away. But
can one warrior put to flight one thousand of the the seal is also a mark of ownership that identi-
opposition, and ten warriors defeat ten thousand fies just who the powerful person is that has the
opponents? In other words, how can a smaller sole right to the stored contents.
enemy defeat the stronger and more numer- We have numerous places in both the Old
ous Israelites (with their great God) unless the and New Testaments that speak of something
Israelites’ own God has given them up to that being “sealed up” by the Lord. The idea is that
enemy? Of course, the expected answer is that something that has been pronounced as a future
it can’t happen any other way, therefore this is event is a done deal and nothing can change it,
something that Israel should understand and and that only the Lord can decide the time and
Israel’s conquerors should also recognize so circumstance of its unveiling. Therefore in verse
that they don’t pat themselves on their collec- 35 the thought continues that at the moment of
tive backs or credit their inferior gods for their the Lord’s choosing He will open up His per-
military success against Israel. sonal storehouse that is full of stored-up wrath
Yet even though the Lord will use Israel’s and empty it out upon those who deserve it; this
enemies to crush His people as a divine pun- is because all vengeance and recompense are
ishment, so the Lord will also use it all for sal- His and His alone.
vation. Because the enemy will boast and brag Here we encounter the word vengeance that
and treat Israel harshly, the Lord will turn His is associated with justice and judgment, but
wrath away from Israel and toward the enemy. vengeance is a poor word choice for the original
The grapes of the Promised Land that once pro- Hebrew word nakah. It is from this passage that
duced such wonderful wine and joy for Israel we get the famous Christian phrase “vengeance
will be as poison and bitterness for the enemy is mine, saith the Lord.” Vengeance, of course,
as they try to enjoy what had been set aside means to exact revenge upon someone with
exclusively for God’s people. We’re told in verse great fury; you have offended me so now I will
34 that the Lord has stored away this poisoned exact a punishment upon you.
wine destined for the enemy, and that it has The context of this passage is usually that
been sealed up in the Father’s own storehouse. under God’s justice system the wicked enemy
Naturally the poisoned wine is figurative, a met- who has harmed His people Israel will be sub-
aphor for the punishment that will be inflicted jected to a God who is going to exact payback
upon Israel’s oppressors. for their evil ways (a kind of eye-for-an-eye ret-
These verses are explaining that a) this sce- ribution), and that it is His sole province to do
nario will happen and b) the outcome will occur so, but this misses the point.
as prophesied. Further c) the Lord has put His Nakah carries with it a different sense than
seal on it, meaning that it is certain and that “revenge.” Revenge was the usual method that
only He has access to the agent of His wrath an ancient Middle Eastern family dealt with
(the metaphor of the poison grapes) that will be someone who dishonored or harmed a family
Deuteronomy 32

deployed upon the enemy. member. The concept of revenge was based
The imagery of a storehouse being sealed up in tribalism and paganism and is the natural
by its owner was a familiar one to people of this result of a blood feud. A family was required
era. It was the practice of a landowner or a king by ancient custom to go after someone who
to seal the latches to his storage facilities with dishonored them or they would lose even more
clay or wax stamped with his signet ring. Obvi- honor. In the story of Jacob’s sons Simeon and
ously such a seal acts as a notice to someone Levi who led a murderous raid on the helpless
who might want to go inside that the contents city of Shechem, the raid was for the purpose
 346 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

of reaping revenge for the King of Shechem’s His creations) but they have chosen not to be
son having dishonored Jacob’s family by raping part of His people, and are therefore can be a
Dinah. Jacob not only immediately denounced threat to His people.
his sons for exacting this unjust revenge but Just as the Lord will do justice on the enemy,
also on his deathbed (decades later) he cursed He will do justice upon His people, but the ver-
Simeon and Levi rather than blessed them. This dict and consequences will be quite different.
demonstrated that God’s character does not Here is where our earlier mention of mishpat,
approve of revenge. The establishment of the justice and judgment, again comes into play. In
cities of refuge in the Promised Land even pro- verse 36 we’re introduced to a new term that is
vided a safe haven for those who might other- part of the process of God’s justice system: din.
wise be the victims of revenge. It means “to judge,” or it can mean “to plead a
The never-ending cycle of violence that we case.” It does not mean to judge in the sense of
see in the Middle East today is all about revenge God pouring out punishment (the typical but
and blood feuds among families, tribes, and reli- wrong meaning for judgment). It means to make
gious sects. Rather than nakah meaning “ven- a decision, to decide a case whether the verdict
geance,” Mendenhall says that it means, “The is for or against.
executive exercise of power by the highest legiti- It is applied here concerning Israel, but it is
mate authority for the protection of his own sub- the same term used for “judging” the enemy.
jects.” In other words, the action taken is for the When an accused person stands before a judge
purpose of defense, not offense. God will pour he can be declared guilty or innocent depending
out these calamities (the storehouse full of poi- on the evidence. So when God’s enemy is judged
soned wine) upon Israel’s conquerors so that they according to God’s justice system and found
will stop harming Israel and release them; thus guilty, there is punishment. When God’s people
Israel will survive and not be eradicated. The are judged according to God’s justice system
sense is of taking action against a wicked person and found innocent, there is protection. Thus
to keep them from doing further harm to one the CJB has excellent wording to best describe
of the king’s citizens. The issue is protection and what is happening here: “God will judge His
self-defense from an aggressor, not revenge on people, taking pity on His servants.” God will
a perpetrator. The larger purpose is to benefit consider the case against His people and will
the citizen as opposed to punishing the enemy judge (that is, He will determine) that He shall
(although punishment certainly plays a role). show them compassion. God will consider the
So perhaps we need to rethink our use of case against Israel’s enemy and will judge (He
that phrase that we like to use as a club, “ven- will determine) that He will harm them in order
geance is mine, saith the Lord.” In fact, the to protect His people.
Lord is not saying He takes revenge. It is His Let’s back up and re-establish our context;
prerogative to take whatever action He deems God says that Israel will abandon Him, so He
necessary to protect His own from people who will punish them by means of an enemy who
are not His. will conquer Israel and exile them from the
Deuteronomy 32

Let’s also apply this same concept to God’s Promised Land. At some point the Lord will see
justice system. God’s justice is that He will do that the punishment has achieved the hoped-
whatever it takes to protect His own from the for result and soon His people will be ready
wicked. He gets no joy from destroying the to repent and return to Him and reclaim their
wicked. The justice system that He established is redemption. So He stops punishing His people
based on protecting those who trust in the Lord and instead turns that wrath toward the enemy
even if it means harming or ultimately destroy- as a means of putting an end to Israel’s divinely
ing others who He may well love (all people are ordered punishment.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 347

How will God decide when it is time to other believers to go after him because if that
turn off His disciplinary action against Israel wandering brother died in that state, his fate of
and redirect it instead toward the enemy? Verse eternal separation from God was sealed.
36 continues, “When He (God) sees that their In verse 37 it has God saying (rather sarcas-
(Israel’s) strength is gone, and no one is left tically), so what good did those other gods you
slave or free.” Obviously the phrase “and no worshipped do you? Since they meant so much
one is left” of Israel cannot literally mean that to you, and since you had such little regard for
every last Israelite is gone or Israel would be Me that you reckoned they would be more ben-
extinct and there would be no one left to save. eficial for you, what happened and where are
Instead the term is yet another Hebrew idiom those gods now? Who was it that ate the fat of
that more or less means that whatever remnant your offerings and drank the libation offerings?
of Israel remains they have reached the end of In other words, when Israel started sacrificing
themselves; they have arrived at the point of to those pseudo-gods the sacrifices that should
total helplessness and of total dependence on have been for Yehoveh, did those gods show up
God. In fact the usual translation of “no one to bail you out when the enemy approached?
is left slave or free” has been challenged and They were supposed to be your shield, and they
several Hebrew language scholars now say the failed.
phrase should read, “And no one is left ruler Therefore, says the Lord, can you now see
and helper.” Thus the intent is that Israel is so that there is no god beside Me? I am the one
disheveled as to be without leadership; its rul- who rescued you from Egypt, gave you new life,
ers and their employees who led Israel into this brought you into to the Promised Land, and
predicament are now dead and gone, so Israel is then turned you over to your enemies when you
sailing as a rudderless ship in stormy seas. Thus became unfaithful to Me. No other gods have
they are finally ready to accept a new and holy either the authority or the power to do such
rudder: the leadership of Yehoveh their God. things for you, or against you, as does Yehoveh.
Israel (God’s redeemed) were all sent into And no other gods can ever stop Me from pro-
exile away from God, by God, because they had ceeding to take out My wrath on whomever I
effectively abandoned Him by means of their choose.
disobedience and idolatry. Those Hebrews who Please take note: obviously these statements
died in that foreign place (while in exile) with by God are figurative. God does not think in
their redemption canceled remain separated a serial fashion like men; He doesn’t find His
from God for all eternity. The fortunate ones moods swinging nor do His emotions vacillate.
who lived through the long ordeal and saw the God does not have a literal glittering sword or
error of their ways returned to God’s waiting a physical hand to carry it, as He is spirit and
arms to renew their redemption. On one hand does not have a fleshly body. But no truer words
this is a good illustration of people we all know could be spoken about the relationship between
who have not accepted God and die in that con- the Lord, Israel, and the pseudo-gods than what
dition versus those who were fortunate enough we just read.
Deuteronomy 32

to live just long enough to finally see their hope-

less situation and accept His salvation perhaps Let’s move down to verse 43. What you
only days or hours before their opportunity read in the CJB represents the vast majority
ended in death. of Bible translations. However the discovery
On the other hand this is also like the situa- and reconstruction of the Dead Sea Scrolls has
tion we talked about in James 5 where a brother added great intrigue to this final invocation of
in Christ (a believer) wandered away from the the Song of Moses that calls upon the nations
truth (of his own salvation) and James urged (remember, by definition we have to mentally
 348 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

add the word Gentile to nations) to rejoice in what believe that the Jewish scholars who penned the
God has done. The CJB like so many others Masoretic Texts were following a tradition that
uses the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scrip- had developed by removing all mention of benei
tures as its OT document source. The Maso- elohim in Holy Scripture because to consider
retic Text was created around 900 to 1000 AD . that there were other beings that could be wor-
The Septuagint (the very first Greek trans- shipped as gods (even though they were obvi-
lation of the Hebrew Bible) was created more ously not gods and they were under the control
than two centuries before Christ, and some of Yehoveh), was the basis for Israel constantly
Bible translations use it as their source docu- falling into idolatry.
ment. Of course, who is to say which source My opinion (and I emphasize opinion) is that
was more correct between the Masoretic Text the benei elohim (divine beings) that are spoken of
and the Septuagint (although the differences are in Genesis, divine beings that the Holy Scrip-
generally quite minor). The question for us is tures tell us that God assigned over each nation
which source document had the proper word- on earth, were and remain real and quite influ-
ing starting at verse 43? Well, fortunately the ential over each nation. Recall that we looked at
Dead Sea Scrolls broke the tie. The Dead Sea the book of Daniel whereby one of these benei
Scrolls match the Septuagint almost exactly. elohim that is also called the Prince of Persia had
And here is what the Dead Sea Scrolls say in blocked an angel of God from coming to Dan-
those last verses of the Song of Moses, and I ask iel in Babylon, and it was only the chief angelic
you to pay close attention: prince, Michael, who came and fought this spir-
itual Prince of Persia that enabled Daniel’s angel
O heavens, rejoice with Him, to get free from him. Another spirit being that
Bow to Him all sons of the divine. had authority over Greece is also mentioned in
O nations, rejoice with His people, the same passages.
And let all angels of the divine strengthen I think it is likely that over the centuries
themselves in Him. at least some these spiritual princes who have
Requite those who reject Him, authority over the Gentile nations (benei elo-
And He will cleanse His people’s land. him) allowed and enjoyed being worshipped
as “gods.” They were not gods, but they had
So as you can see there is quite a bit more such awesome power and appearance that it is
information in the texts written one thousand easy to imagine the people of the nation over
years earlier (the Dead Sea Scrolls) than in the which they have charge bowing down to them
Masoretic Text. Why are these verses deleted in and thinking of them as gods. After all we have
the Masoretic document? Although it is specu- numerous incidents in the Bible where an angel
lation, it was likely due to the very problematic of God makes an appearance and the instinctive
Hebrew phrase that appears in the original, but thing a witness does is to bow down before the
the Masorets removed: “Bow to Him all benei angel and begin to worship it (the angel quickly
elohim” (Bow to Him all sons of the divine). tells that person to stop it).
Deuteronomy 32

I find it so interesting that immediately fol- Therefore, here in the invocation that ends
lowing the verses in the Song of Moses where the Song of Moses in both the Septuagint and
the Lord God is terribly sarcastic in asking Israel in the Dead Sea Scroll of Deuteronomy, we find
what good those other gods had done them the instruction that the heavens, the benei elohim,
(gods that they preferred over Yehoveh), that we the angels, and the Gentiles (nations) should all
should find this rhetoric that says that the benei bow down to Yehoveh. In other words, not only
elohim (sons of the divine, divine beings) should Israel, but everyone should submit to the Lord. To
bow down to Yehoveh. In a nutshell many me these final words of the Song of Moses are
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 349

very likely a short summation of all the types of come to the point that it is often taught that to
intelligent beings that the Lord has created, and be obedient to God’s laws is essentially a bad
in a sort of victory celebration the Lord is tell- thing, and we have given it the negative conno-
ing all of His created beings, spirit and physical, tation of “legalism.” Imagine: we have become
that the proper response to what has just hap- so enamored with our own doctrines and ide-
pened (His rescuing Israel yet again) is for these als, so in love with our individuality and so
spiritual and human beings to remember their convinced of the goodness of our hearts, that
place in the celestial pecking order and there- to obey the Lord’s written commands is con-
fore to bow down to their Creator, Yehoveh, sidered as being in opposition to Christ! Here
who is above everyone and everything. the Lord through His mediator, Moses, says
Beginning is verse 44 we have a subscript that His laws, His Torah, is life for His people
to the poem. The custom of that era dictated and any other way is (by default) death for His
that when a king made a pronouncement it was people. I say to you my brothers and sisters in
written down, and then the historical records Messiah; you, who are also His people, choose
would confirm that the recorder of the pro- life! Choose to heed this warning. Choose to be
nouncement carried through and presented obedient to the Lord. In fact, Moses is about to
the pronouncement to the people as he had find out that even as the second greatest media-
been instructed. tor ever to exist (second only to Yeshua), he is
Since Joshua was in the process of taking also subject to this warning.
over leadership of Israel, he appeared together The proof of this is found in verse 48 when
with Moses to recite all the words (all the dabar Yehoveh instructs Moses to ascend Mount
given to him from God) to the people of Israel. Nebo and there he will breathe his last. Just as
Moses warns the people to take seriously “all Aaron died six months earlier to the day atop
these words” that he has spoken to them on Mount Hor, so shall Moses die on Mount Nebo.
Yehoveh’s behalf. “All these words” refer to There is much significance in dying upon a high
the entire teaching (all of what we call Deu- place. The high places, mountain peaks and
teronomy), not just the Song of Moses. Israel’s such, were thought by the ancients to be the
survival as a nation depends on God’s people habitation of the gods. Remember that the ear-
accepting these instructions and commands as liest title of God that is given to us in the Bible
truth and then obeying them. is El Shaddai, which means God of the Moun-
What a sober warning for we latter-day tain. Even the epithet for God that we all find
believers; a warning for those who now com- so endearing, the Rock, tsur in Hebrew, doesn’t
prise spiritual Israel is embedded in the last mean rock like a boulder; it means a rocky cliff
couple of verses of Deuteronomy 32. Moses that overlooks valleys and plains that spread out
tells the people that what he has spoken to below it. Altars to the gods were always placed
them is not trivial or empty. These dabar (“these on top of the highest possible geography of the
words”) should be seen by Israel as commands; area where a people lived. To die and be buried
the dabar are to be followed and not relegated on a high place is to die and be buried near God.
Deuteronomy 32

to suggestions or niceties or options. And the The Lord Himself called Moses to come to the
warning is that to trust the Lord and to follow high place of Mount Nebo because it was the
His commands is life itself. Remember that life highest peak in the area of Moab where Israel
and blessing are the positive purposes for the was now camping. It not only afforded Moses a
Law, while death and curses are the negatives. panoramic view of the Promised Land that he
The commandments of God have been would never enter, but it was a great honor to be
trivialized for century after century and never called up to the mountaintop by God to come
more so than in the last hundred years. We have and be near Him.
 350 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Both died before entering the Promised ilege of speaking to God face-to-face. Joshua
Land, a consequence of “breaking faith” with was never permitted into the holy of holies, as
the Lord according to verse 51. Jewish schol- were the high priest and Moses; even then the
ars and rabbis have debated the exact nature of high priest could only go in once per year on
Moses’s offense against God for three thousand Yom Kippur while Moses went before the ark
years. Recall that it stems from the time out in of the covenant with regularity.
the Wilderness when the Israelites needed water Yet God’s requirement for Moses was per-
and the Lord told Aaron and Moses to speak fection, and as Moses was a son of human par-
to a rock, commanding it to produce water. ents, carrying with him an evil inclination and
Instead Moses spoke to the people and struck sinful nature that came with the fall of Adam,
the rock. This wrongful act failed to confirm he could not meet the standard. The infraction
God’s sanctity, and the consequence was severe of striking the rock was sin. Even if we want
enough that even God’s first mediator, Moses, to call it the tiniest sin, sin it was. Even the
and first high priest, Aaron, would never get to tiniest sin disqualified Moses from being Isra-
enter the land of their rest, Canaan. el’s savior. So instead, a thirteen-hundred year
I wonder: could it be that the point of the wait ensued until a man was born who did not
terrible penalty against Moses and his brother have a human father; a man who was divinely
was that the only human mediator that could conceived and who could meet the standard
lead God’s people into God’s Promised Land for Yehoveh’s perfect Mediator. That man was
had to be the perfect Mediator. Perhaps we are Yeshua. He could be Israel’s savior because
meant to see that the exact nature of the infrac- He did something Moses could not do; Jesus
tion is entirely unimportant; rather it is that didn’t commit even the tiniest infraction, not
there was an infraction. To the average Israelite, the smallest sin. He was perfect. He followed
or to us today, or even to the finest theologi- the Law perfectly, in exactly the spirit it was
cal minds ever produced, the infractions that meant to be followed.
Moses and Aaron committed were compara- Moses is an example and an ideal that if any
tively minor; for the Lord to ordain such a harsh man alive today could attain even that same
punishment to such great men doesn’t seem to degree of perfection he would be looked upon
be proportional. It doesn’t seem to match the with awe, but even that isn’t sufficient to satisfy
act to the consequence. God’s justice system. That any man would think
Moses was a very special man. Even though that our hearts are so pure that we can ignore
the high priest is often referred to as a mediator, the tiniest of God’s laws without consequence,
and even Joshua was seen by some as Israel’s even though we are redeemed, or that we are
replacement mediator (replacing Moses), in fact so good and righteous we don’t need a Messiah
Moses was well above both of these. Neither to atone for our imperfection and our sin, that
Aaron nor Joshua had a position that approached man walks a sure path to confrontation with the
Moses’s position. Neither ever received the priv- Creator.
Deuteronomy 32
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 351

Deuteronomy 33

I am sure that many of you have fully grasped love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
just how important it is to set our faith’s foun- your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest
dation upon the Torah, and to set the NT that and first commandment. And a second is like it; ‘You
presents us with our Messiah on top of that. shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two com-
Yet I also know this has been anything but mandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
an easy path of discovery; at times it has been The Law (the Torah) and the Prophets, to which
painful to realize that we have often relied on Jesus referred on this occasion, make up fully one-half of
agenda-driven doctrines as the checkpoints of the Christian Bible, as we know it today. And all of it
our faith rather than the Word of God as it is built on these two primary teachings of Deuteronomy.
stands. We would do well to become more familiar with the words
Duane Christensen, editor of the highly of the Torah, as a guide to proper living in the very man-
respected (across all denominations) World ner in which Jesus lived and taught His disciples. What
Bible Commentary, says this: better way to do this than to include once again the sys-
tematic public reading of the Torah within the context of
Deuteronomy 33-34 are the traditional readings Christian worship?11
in the synagogue liturg y for Simchat Torah (the celebra-
tion that occurs among the Jews when the annual cycle of In this sloganized world we live in, Chris-
reading the Torah from beginning to end has come to a tians enjoy wearing wrist bands that ask the
close). Christians would do well to recover some of this question: WWJD—What Would Jesus Do? Dr.
“joy of the Torah” in public worship. Many have mis- Christensen answers that question in the most
read the teaching of Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount. fundamental way by saying that Jesus would
When Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to encourage us to live the Torah life and to teach
those of ancient times . . . but I say to you,” in the book the Torah principles. Rest assured,by taking
of Matthew, He was not replacing the Torah. He was the Torah seriously we are doing exactly that
merely challenging the manner in which the Torah was (imperfectly as it may be) and you are part of
being interpreted in rabbinic circles of His day. Jesus was nothing less than a latter-day revival within the
interpreting the text as it was written, for when properly Church to bring back the Word of God, all of it,
interpreted, there is nothing there that is contrary to His and make it the center of our lives and worship.
own gospel message . . . Yet it is also meant for us to learn to discern,
The Torah is a way of life and a source of meaning and then discard, all that is not of God but is
and joy to Jew and Christian alike. The Torah was not only of humankind. What it will take is a will-
Deuteronomy 33

intended to be something external to us, which only the ingness to be molded and shaped by the Lord.
highly trained specialists could understand. The Torah That divine shaping includes pruning; it means
was to be learned by every member of the community, and having things removed that are dead and dying
the message is exceedingly practical. Jesus summed up the from our lives (but oh so warm, familiar, and
matter well when He was asked, “Which commandment comforting) so that they can be replaced with
in the Torah is the greatest? He said to him, ‘You shall new and vibrant growth.

11
Duane L. Christensen, The World Biblical Commentary, vol 6B (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2002).
 352 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

As Dr. Christensen says so eloquently, what sided over the giving of the Torah and the car-
better way could there possibly be than for a rying out of the Law during that entire time,
believer to get into the Torah and see it for what using the stick far more than the carrot because
it is: the way of goodness and life as defined by the disposition of those stubborn people he gov-
the Creator. Make no mistake: the Torah is not erned required it. The people saw Moses as the
there to save us. Yeshua does that. Yet once we one who rebuked and instructed them. Just as
are saved and redeemed by His atoning blood, with our modern criminal law system, those in
what else could be our proper response than to charge of dispensing justice deal almost exclu-
serve Him through obedience? And where else sively with the prosecution and punishment side
can we find what obedience amounts other than of the equation; blessings that come from the
in His written Word? If we look to our own system of American jurisprudence manifests
hearts as the source of His will for our lives, or itself mainly as only the absence of punishment
search out men’s philosophies (no matter how and does not include reward for doing right.
outstanding they may sound) for the borders Most times God handed out the blessings,
and boundaries we should live within so that and Moses handed out the consequences for
we can dwell in harmony with Yehoveh, then misbehavior; God made the laws and Moses
we will be drinking from a thoroughly muddied enforced them. Is it any wonder that after years
water supply. in the desert leading this reticent nation of 3
million souls that Moses angrily struck a boul-
der to bring forth water instead of speaking to it
Assignment: Read Deuteronomy 33. when Israel was thirsty and far from any known
water source. Moses longed for a little credit
and gratitude for making these Hebrews’ lives
easier; instead he was the recipient of the daily
The Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 and griping and complaining for making Israel toe
the Blessing of Moses in chapter 33 together the line that was set up by the Lord, not Moses.
form what amounts to Moses’s last words to the It seems as if Moses was always the bearer
people of Israel. It cannot help but be noticed, of dire divine warnings and the agent of God’s
though, that there is a rather sharp contrast curses. He was always sober and serious as his
between the messages of those two poems. assignment and purpose was such a great burden
The Song of Moses is essentially the his- upon his all-too-human shoulders. So for him
tory of Israel’s redemption, and that redemption to be able to give a farewell address that finally
revolves around God’s justice system. It is full spoke only of hope and joy and blessing and a
of warnings and presents a dark future for Israel wonderful future was undoubtedly a great relief
if they follow the nearly inevitable path of idola- to him, and the people likely wondered who that
try and rebellion against Yehoveh. The Bless- man was that was speaking to them in such a
ing of Moses, however, presents the possibility way, now, after all this time. Moses had been the
and hope of a happy future with abundance and parent of Israel for the past forty years, and thus
Deuteronomy 33

godly prosperity; it does so within the frame- he had to act the part. But as Joshua was about to
work of a series of prophetic pronouncements pick up the baton of leadership and assume the
concerning each tribe of Israel separately. role of Israel’s stern father figure, Moses could
This encouraging and upbeat message pres- transform into Israel’s kindly grandfather and
ents a side of Moses that Israel likely never saw enjoy Israel for the last few hours of his life.
before this moment. He spent the last forty Those who are grandparents know exactly
years of his life trying to guide a people who what I’m speaking of; those who have not yet
resisted that leadership at every step. He pre- attained such a blessing from God might not.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 353

Parents are the heavies in a family; it is the par- chapter because it speaks of Moses in the third
ents’ responsibility to order structure and lay person, and it speaks of him in the past tense.
out boundaries for their children. Fathers and This is written like a person recalling the Get-
mothers must establish rules and follow through tysburg address after Lincoln had succumbed to
by being sure they are obeyed, but they must his wounds.
also be the ones who execute the punishments We find in this first verse an important (but
for violations. These rules are being laid down not heretofore used) title for Moses; he is called
to little people who inherently can’t wait to test “a man of God.” Some scholars say that this
them and typically don’t much like the rules no never-before-used title for Moses is proof that
matter what they might be. Unfortunately it is a Hebrew editor added Deuteronomy 33 a long
the norm (because of this dynamic) that parents time after Moses lived, but another explanation
must demand more respect than love from their is much simpler. A “man of God” is but another
offspring; usually in order to attain that respect way of saying “prophet,” and we’ll see several
the child must acquire a healthy measure of the prophets in the Bible specifically called “a man
fear of consequences for crossing paths with the of God.” Moses held the unique office of medi-
all-powerful lawgiver: dad. ator of Israel, but now that his time was over it
Grandparents, on the other hand, are more was appropriate to reveal another attribute of
relaxed about the whole process of dealing with Moses and his pronouncements; it is that the
bringing up children. We finally have a better words he spoke were often prophetic. Moses
handle on what matters and what doesn’t; we’ve indeed was a prophet, a man of God.
seen it all and our motto has become “This too The farewell address Moses was about to
will pass.” Grandparents don’t have to deal with speak looks very much like the great patriarch
establishing discipline or carrying it out, beyond Jacob’s deathbed blessing upon his sons, the
perhaps withholding that second chocolate bar. tribes of Israel, as recorded in Genesis. Like
We tend to take a rebellious grandchild who still Jacob’s blessing, Moses’s blessing takes on a
thinks he can flush an entire unfurled roll of toi- number of forms. Some of the blessings resem-
let paper down the commode (despite the same
results for the ninth consecutive time) and tell
them of the time that we washed a dozen our
father’s best white dress shirts along with the
two fountain pens we forgot to remove from
the pockets.
Or we will stand just around the corner
where they can’t hear us and adore the creativity
as they are hatching a plan to make a clubhouse,
complete with campfire, out of the interior of
grandma’s minivan. Grandparents have a differ-
ent perspective on life than a parent can afford
Deuteronomy 33

to have.
Moses was now the grandfather of Israel,
and for a very brief time he could look at Israel
through eyes filled with adoration and hope
and mercy and leave the worry and discipline to
someone else.
The first verse makes it clear that it was
not Moses who wrote down the words of this
 354 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ble an ordination of the firstborn as the new Kadesh (not of angels), since Kadesh is located
national authority; other blessings are hope for in the Wilderness of Paran, right at the border
a pleasant future. Most often these blessings are of Seir.
descriptions of the nature and character of the For the next several verses in Deuteron-
various tribes, as they would be in their assigned omy 33 the various Bible translations can look
territories of Canaan, and some were petitions substantially different from one another. This
to Yehoveh for their tribal destinies to be super- Blessing of Moses is filled with odd phrases that
naturally ensured and protected. have baffled the language scholars and there
Appropriately, before Moses begins to pro- are even a couple of Hebrew words that appear
nounce his deathbed blessing upon his people, nowhere else in the Bible, leaving their meaning
he gives credit where credit is due: to the glo- very much in doubt. Further some of the phrases
rious unmatchable God who formed Israel seem out of place and at times out of context,
and who has agreed to be their God and their so Bible translators and interpreters have had
redeemer. To best understand the purpose and a most difficult time here. We won’t get into all
context of the first several verses, we need to the possibilities of their interpretation because
see that what is being described is the approach even the ones that are the most accepted are just
of Yehoveh from the wilderness regions that a consensus of speculation. This is one of those
are primarily south of the Promised Land. The times when it seems that even the earliest Bible
picture painted for us is of Yehoveh coming documents at our disposal have had the text of
from the mountains of these southerly deserts these particular verses corrupted (albeit in some
in order to deliver Israel from the cruel hands of kind of minor way) such as a misspelling that
Egypt, and then to redeem them unto Himself went unnoticed for copy after copy; more likely
as His people. Therefore these passages speak it was a basic Hebrew translation problem and
of Sinai (the Sinai Peninsula and Mount Sinai), this is because the earliest Hebrew alphabet
Seir (the region and the mountain) in the land (what is sometimes called Proto-Hebrew) didn’t
of Edom, and despite the usual translation of even include some letters such as the aleph, heh,
“Mount Paran” it is the mountains of Paran that vav, and yod.
are being referenced (no specific mountain peak To help you understand what that means for
called Mount Paran has ever been identified). us, imagine if the King James Bible had been
Next there is a reference to a place called written using a 22-letter alphabet instead of the
Ribeboth-kodesh that appears in both the Dead modern twenty-six letters (this is not the case; its
Sea Scrolls and in the Septuagint (the first just an illustration to help us visualize the prob-
Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), but is lem). If someone attempted to convert the Eng-
not presented as a place in the Masoretic Texts lish words formed using only twenty-two letters
so we won’t find it characterized that way in and sounds into English words that employed
the CJB. Ribeboth means “myriads,” so the title twenty-six letters and sounds, much of the time
of the place is “myriads of Kodesh.” Thus the it would be reasonably doable and produce good
Masoretic Text takes the phrase ribeboth-kodesh results, at other times it would leave us with
Deuteronomy 33

and instead of making it a place, makes it into a strange words and phrases that would make little
literal phrase: “myriads of holy ones” (thus giv- sense to us. Thus while the conversion from the
ing us a mental picture of angelic beings). But most ancient Hebrew alphabet to the more mod-
this idea of God approaching the Promised ern took place perhaps three thousand years ago,
Land from myriads of angels when the entire the transliterated (but odd sounding) phrases we
passage is about the desert regions Israel trav- find here in Deuteronomy 33 would have had an
eled through to get to Canaan simply doesn’t fit. understandable meaning passed down by tradi-
Almost for sure this is speaking of an area near tion to the Hebrews of that age, but when tak-
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 355

ing it more literally (because the tradition of its Beginning with King Saul, and right up until
intended meaning has been lost) we have a hard the Romans conquered Israel, we read in the
time making sense of it. So we’ll not linger here. Bible of the litany of conspiracies and murders
I will make one brief comment however. In among the tribal leaders of Israel as they vied for
verse 5 we again run into this strange epithet power once they decided that they would rather
of Yeshurun, as it is referring to Israel; it liter- have a human king than a divine one. The world
ally means “the upright one.” The idea being is in turmoil today because it rejects the God
expressed in these verses (despite the many of Israel and instead wants to continue on our
variations of the precise wording) is that among rather unsuccessful path of governing ourselves
Yeshurun (Israel) a king arose, and it happened by means of flawed human leadership.
during a gathering of the leadership of Israel.
This cryptic comment is remembering the day
that God was made king of Israel by the tribal Moses’s Blessings for the Tribes
leaders of Israel at the covenant acceptance cer- Let’s move to verse 6 that begins the list of indi-
emony at Mount Sinai. Recall that the people vidual blessings Moses pronounces upon the
of the Exodus said that instead of Israel having tribes of Israel.
a human king as all their neighbors had, they
wanted God to be their king.
The reason for this collective decision was a Reuben
noble one in the hearts of some Israelites and not Interestingly, the very place Moses was
so noble in the hearts of others. Many Israelites standing at the time of this blessing was in Reu-
truly trusted Yehoveh, had at least some inkling
of His power and sovereignty, and sincerely
wanted the Lord to govern them through their
mediator, thinking it best. Others just didn’t
want any leader over them that had the power of
a king. They had just escaped from the king of
Egypt and the thought of setting another king
over them (more or less at their own doing) was
more than they could bear. Further, while the
Israelites may have accepted the concept of a
need for a human king, it is hard to imagine that
the leaders could have ever settled on which of
the twelve tribes would have the honor of pro-
viding that king. Tribalism looks to the welfare
of its own members above that of any other
tribe. Therefore, the tribe that the king comes
from always gets special care, additional protec-
Deuteronomy 33

tion, extra favors, and a greater share of power.

There is never-ending tribal maneuvering to be
the dominant tribe that produces the king or
ruler of the region. The wars we hear of today
in the Middle East and in Africa are essentially
tribal and/or sectarian. That is, they are Muslim
versus Muslim, or Muslim versus Christian, or
extended family versus extended family.
 356 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

ben’s territory. Rueben and Gad and approxi- a seashore that (as shipping evolved) became an
mately half of the clans who together formed ideal port as a major trade highway, so that tribe
tribe of Manasseh settled on the east side of the would become wealthy merchants. On the other
Jordan River (the so-called Trans-Jordan). On hand, a tribe (like Dan) could find itself living
the one hand it is logical that Reuben would be on the border of an aggressive people such
the first tribe mentioned because he was Jacob’s as the Philistines and be no match for them.
firstborn son. Yet nearly three centuries earlier Therefore a tribe’s fortunes would rise and fall,
Jacob removed the firstborn rights of inheri- and with it rode power and prestige or extinc-
tance traditionally due to Reuben because he tion. Not extinction in the sense that the genes
had sexual relations with Jacob’s concubine of that tribe were eradicated, but rather extinct
Bilah. Instead, that firstborn inheritance was as a separately identified tribal entity with its
split into two parts; one part went to Judah own government.
and the other to Joseph (technically, to his son A tribe, after all, is merely people that form
Ephraim). Judah was given the right to rule over a large extended family. When a tribe began to
Israel while Ephraim was given the double- lose its grip and the people of that tribe recog-
portion part of the firstborn blessing, meaning nized that there was no foreseeable hope that
wealth and abounding fruitfulness above all of their own tribe would remain viable, many
his other brothers. of its members would consider ways to solve
The blessing is in the form of a plea to the problem as it pertained to them person-
the Lord that the tribe of Reuben would “live ally. One way was for their daughters to marry
and not die,” meaning that Reuben would not into larger and more powerful tribes. Another
become extinct through absorption by another was for a family to simply migrate into another
tribe of Israel or by Reuben being conquered tribal territory and live there. Living there
and assimilated by a foreign culture. As we fol- didn’t automatically make them a member of
low the fortunes of the tribe of Reuben into the another tribe, but it did add to the economic
future, we’ll find that indeed it would survive as and military strength of the tribe whose terri-
a separate tribe well into the time of the judges, tory they now lived in simply by the addition
and it is also mentioned in the earliest era of the of more people, just as it lessened the economic
kings. Reuben becomes almost an afterthought and military strength of the migrating family’s
thereafter—it was insignificant as a tribal entity, own tribe and tribal region. Therefore a tribe
meaning that its population diminished greatly was usually quite amenable to accepting peace-
and thus lost any meaningful political power. ful newcomers.
Because we Westerners have such a meager We find this happening to the tribes of
conception of how tribalism operates, let me Israel. As opposed to other of the world’s tribes,
interject that what I have just described as hav- Israel’s tribes had their futures more or less pre-
ing happened to Reuben was a normal and usual destined by the Lord at the bedside of Jacob,
ebb and flow among tribal societies. Tribes and those destinies were reaffirmed here in
didn’t just “disappear”; typically their numbers Deuteronomy by Moses.
Deuteronomy 33

drained off into a rival tribe (more often than

not due to intermarriage). There was nothing
supernatural about a large tribe becoming small Judah
or a small tribe becoming large through some The next tribe addressed is Judah. Before
kind of political or economic circumstance. we discuss Judah, a logical question to ask
Perhaps a trade route that ran through their ter- is what the rationale is (or if there is one) for
ritory would become popular and they would the order of the tribal listing in the Blessing of
collect taxes and tolls. Or a tribe might control Moses. For this there is not a consensus, but it is
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 357

rather clear that neither military battle order (as Now the plea is that God would shema, hear and
illustrated by how the tribes were set in groups act, on Judah’s behalf when they call on Him
of three around the Wilderness Tabernacle) nor for help.
birth order was involved. Even though Reuben
is mentioned first, Judah is certainly not the
second child born to Jacob. And even though Levites
Leah’s first four children are mentioned first the Next the Levites are addressed. Since the
order gets confused thereafter. Levites are God’s own set-apart priests, the
Bible commentator Jeffrey Tigay says that blessing is focused around their role in society
one needs a map opened before us to under- as teachers of God’s Law and officiators of the
stand the order of the tribes as presented here, all-important rituals. For only the fourth time
and that the order has to do with geography and in the Bible the urim and thummim are men-
with the boundary lines assigned to each tribal tioned. These were two stones stored in a spe-
region. Beginning with Reuben (the territory cial pouch that was attached to the breastplate
where Moses is currently standing) the next tribe of Israel’s high priest, and they were used to
mentioned is Judah, where the Israelites would determine God’s will in certain matters. How,
first cross into the Promised Land. Then after exactly, they were used and how it is that they
Levi, the order of tribal blessings follow a path indicated the divine decision has been lost over
that heads northward through Benjamin, and the centuries. Even the precise meaning of the
then into the contiguous regions of Ephraim and words urim and rhummim are in doubt. Some
Manasseh (the Joseph tribes), next Zebulun and think that that the names are indicative of the
its neighbor to the east, Issachar. Continuing east first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
we watch the blessing order in Deuteronomy 33 What is self-evident is that the type of answer
cross back over the Jordan (into the Transjordan that the urim and rhummim gave was limited to
region) and into the territory of Gad, then north either a yes or a no.
to Dan, south from Dan to Naphtali, and finally Nevertheless, the plea from Moses is that
westward to Asher. Levi, which was given no ter- the honor of using the urim and the thummim
ritory, is dealt with between the blessings given would remain in the hands of the Levites (the
to Judah and Benjamin, undoubtedly because “faithful ones” of verse 8), and that God would
this was the area where Jerusalem would one day continue to reflect his will through the use of
exist and where the priests of Levi would serve at those two stones as appropriate.
the great temple. After the subject of the urim and thummim,
Judah, the ruling tribe out of which the Moses refers to the Levites as those who were
Messiah would come, is given a blessing that tested at Massah and Meribah. In other words
seems to foresee a time of war and the need for it makes the Levites as those who were the real
the Lord God to hear the prayers of Judah, aid objects of the Lord’s testing at the Wilderness
it in its battles, and bring the soldiers back home stops at Meribah and Massah. If we look at Exo-
to their families. The word used to describe the dus we see this:
Deuteronomy 33

way in which Judah beseeches the Lord and in

which the Lord hears Judah, is a familiar one The people grumbled against Moshe and asked,
to us: shema. Shema means to listen and obey, or “What are we to drink?” Moshe cried to ADONAI;
listen and take action. It does not indicate the and ADONAI showed him a certain piece of wood,
passive act of listening and only intellectually which, when he threw it into the water, made the water
understanding the plea but going no further. taste good. There ADONAI made laws and rules of life
Up to this point in the Torah the plea has been for them, and there he tested them. (15:24-25)
for Israel to shema, “to hear and obey,” God.
 358 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

So the idea is that while all Israel went through Never one to miss showing you a good
this ordeal, it was actually the Levites who were example of patterns being established in the
being measured by the Lord to see if they were Torah and reoccurring in the rest of the Bible, I
the right choice to be His personal priests. ask you to listen to Jesus in Luke 14.
As is more common than you might suspect
in the Bible, there are two word plays in verse Large crowds were traveling along with Yeshua.
8. Massah means “testing place” and Meribah Turning, he said to them, “If anyone comes to me and
means “challenge place.” So the words of this does not hate his father, his mother, his wife, his children,
part of the passage are: whom you tested at the his brothers and his sisters, yes, and his own life besides,
testing-place, and challenged at the challenge- he cannot be my talmid.” (14:25-26)
place. I only point this out so that you can begin
to see that the names of places and locations in Exodus 32 and Deuteronomy 33:8 form the
the Bible are almost always established by some- context for this verse. This is not about the com-
thing of significance that happened there or is mandment to “honor your mother and father”;
due to an outstanding feature of the place (Be’er it is not about establishing an exception to that
Sheva, seven wells). Therefore over the centu- foundational principle. So “hating you father
ries a place name might be changed as one cul- and mother” is not that we are to go out and kill
ture who has named the place for a significant our families if they commit idolatry or to leave
happening within their history, gives way to them if they don’t agree with our newfound
another and newer culture that has something faith; rather it is that we have to be willing to let
of a different significance happen at that same go of anyone and anything (at the Lord’s direc-
place, so they rename it appropriately. tion) if we are going to follow Messiah. It is that
Verse 10 is essentially the result of what hap- we might have to make some tough and heart-
pened with Levi as recounted in verse 9. It har- breaking choices. And Yeshua says to essentially
kens back to the Golden Calf incident of Exodus make the same choice (in principle) that Aaron,
32. Even though it was Aaron who actually led Moses, and those who allied themselves to them
the rebels in molding the graven image of the made back in the days of the Exodus.
calf, it was also Aaron and his family who (when Likewise, Deuteronomy 33:9 says: “Of his
confronted by Moses for this horrible sin) saw father and mother (the Levites) he said, ‘I don’t
their error and stood with Moses against those know them’; he didn’t acknowledge his brothers
who determined to continue worshipping the or children. For he observed your word, and he
calf. Moses and Aaron being Levites, it was natu- kept your covenant.”
ral that members of their tribe (Levi) would also This was referring back to the golden
come and stand with them, but not all Levites calf tragedy of Exodus 32. Can you imagine
did that. The result was that the Lord ordered the unpleasant task of those loyal to the Lord
Moses, Aaron, and the Levites who joined them Almighty to put to the sword the thousands
to go about killing all Israelites who continued of rebellious Hebrews who refused to turn
to bow down to the golden calf. This included from their idolatry? Can you imagine the tor-
Deuteronomy 33

putting to the sword many family members, ment of those who thrust their swords and
including their own mothers, fathers, sons, and daggers into the hearts of their own parents,
daughters. It was this act of repentance and their and in some cases their own sons and daugh-
willingness to forsake that which meant most to ters? Yet despite this pitiful and awful duty of
them on the face of this earth (their immediate those in allegiance to Yehoveh, it was not of
families) that merited them the honor of being their own minds but at Yehoveh’s order that
chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the they do it. They did not, of themselves, want to
Lord’s set-apart servant tribe. do it nor did they feel any animosity, let alone
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 359

hate, toward their families and friends. It was and mother”; it is in comparison to what hap-
a matter of obedience. It was God’s typical pened at the golden calf incident at the foot of
way, really, of meting out justice upon human Mount Sinai.
beings; He regularly uses human beings to By the way, don’t ever think that what was
bring His justice to fruition. required of God’s loyalists out in the Wilder-
Although Yeshua was not suggesting that ness is a thing of the past that you and I may
new disciples kill their relatives in Luke 14, or not be confronted with, because at the battle of
“hate” them in the common sense of the word Armageddon the line will be again drawn with
hate today, it does mean that these potential dis- those allied to Yehoveh on one side and those
ciples should “disregard” these relatives if they against on the other with no middle ground
stand in the way of turning their lives over to possible. And just as at one point it was all the
Messiah. The message is that if your family Israelites who joined together in the idolatry of
makes you choose between a relationship with the golden calf, but at the mediator’s call some
Christ and one with them, you must accept Him realized what they were doing and repented and
and reject them. stood again with God, so it is with every human
The Hebrew sense of what is commonly being who is a believer. Every one of us was
translated in English as “hate” is to reject or to born opposed to God, putting us in a similar
have no regard for, as opposed to our modern position to those Israelites who worshipped the
sense of the word hate, which is to have the most golden calf, and we had to at some point make a
intense level of dislike and disdain possible for conscious decision to accept God’s call to leave
somebody. So Jesus is not telling His would- the old way with its loyalties and instead to come
be disciples that they are to develop an almost and stand with Him. As the Book of Revelation
sociopathic animosity for their relatives; He’s makes brutally clear (in chapter 19), it will be our
telling them that they must show no regard for tragic duty (as those who choose to stand with
the wishes of these close family members if they Messiah Yeshua) to follow His orders to join
insist that the potential disciple is not to give Him in a holy war, and as holy warriors to go
loyalty to Yeshua as Lord and Savior. against and kill all those who are still opposed
Often this verse in Luke is held up (wrongly) to God; that will in some cases include our own
against the commandment to “honor your family members, just as it did for the Levites.
mother and father.” That is, Yeshua spoke a So if you have never found an urgency within
new command that abolished the former one. yourself to bring the Good News to your family
I know personally of cases, and others have members, you might want to consider that in
spoken to me of cases, where a young man or the not-too-distant future you may be standing
woman has decided that he or she wanted to before them, sword in hand, with no choice but
enter into Christian ministry and the parents to be the one who acts as God’s agent to end
have forbidden it. He or she goes ahead and their existence and send their dark souls into
does it anyway and this is considered as a ten- the everlasting fire. This is the human condition
sion between the Torah command of “hon- from which God is in the process of saving us;
Deuteronomy 33

oring your mother and father” and Christ’s this is the devastating consequence of sin.
command to “hate your mother and father” if Therefore, as a result of what the Levites
necessary in order to do the work of Our Sav- did in verse 9, they have been rewarded with the
ior. While this does not necessarily answer the privileges of verse 10; they will be the instruc-
question of just what that young person ought tors of the people of Israel in righteousness and
to do in this circumstance, the point is that holiness, and they will serve the Lord directly
Yeshua’s statement in Luke is not in contrast to by the various rituals set down in the Law.
the Torah commandment to “honor our father
 360 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

Benjamin Since months and seasons were measured by

the moons and their phases, this mention of the
The next tribe to receive Moses’s blessing bounty of the moon is (as are all previous ref-
was Benjamin. Benjamin would occupy a small erences) agricultural. The bounty of the moun-
territory as a sort of buffer region between the tains and hills were trees, wood, limestone,
two most powerful tribes: Ephraim and Judah. precious metals, and various kind of food. And
In fact, Jerusalem and the holy temple would then it is said that all this fruitfulness is to be
be built at the southern border of Benjamin’s on the head of Joseph, who is the prince among
allotted territory. I see in the Apostle Paul a his brothers.
kind of prophetic spiritual illustration of Benja- Let me remind you that until we under-
min’s geographical and political position; Saint stand the position of Joseph and his represen-
Paul was a Benjamite, and he was assigned to tative tribes of Ephraim and Manessah along
interface with Gentiles (he was to be a buffer with the position of Judah, we will misunder-
between the Jews of Judah and Gentiles). stand much prophecy and many NT passages.
Verse 12 says that Benjamin is “Adonai’s Joseph received half of the firstborn blessing of
beloved”; in other words, Benjamin was looked his father Jacob. The other half of that firstborn
upon with special favor and the Lord would rest blessing went to Judah. The traditional Hebrew
beside Benjamin. I think this is a direct refer- firstborn blessing consisted of two parts: one
ence to the Wilderness Tabernacle that would part was the transference of power and author-
rest for a long time in Benjamin’s territory, and ity over the tribe or nation to the firstborn son,
later the temple would be built in Benjamite and the other part was the giving of more mate-
Jerusalem. rial wealth to the firstborn than his brothers.
This latter part was called the “double por-
tion” blessing because, in general, the firstborn
Tribes of Joseph
received twice as much as any of his siblings.
Verse 13 deals with Joseph or better put, In a very unusual act that violated Middle East-
the Joseph tribes. The primary attributes of the ern custom, Jacob divided the firstborn blessing
Joseph tribes (who are represented by Ephraim and gave the authority over the nation to Judah,
and Manesseh) are fruitfulness and increase. and the double-portion of wealth to Joseph.
This fruitfulness is even expressed within Or better yet, the double-portion blessing was
the meanings of the names of Yosef (may he assigned to Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and
increase) and Ephraim (God has made me fer- Manasseh, who had been elevated into a status
tile). In that era the number one requirement on par with Jacob’s sons instead of their natural
for fruitfulness was rain and water; no rain position as Jacob’s grandchildren.
meant no crops and no pastureland, which is But then we get this strange epithet about
the meaning of the statement about dew from the Joseph tribes in verse 17 that says that he
the sky. is like a firstling bull in majesty and that he has
In the CJB, we see the six-fold use of the horns like a wild ox. A firstling bull is one of the
Deuteronomy 33

word best for what will come to the Joseph highest sacrifices that can be offered at the Tab-
tribes. The Hebrew word, though, is meged and ernacle, second only to the mature three-year-
it’s probably better translated as bounty or abun- old bull, and it denotes great strength. A wild ox
dance. The “bounty from the deep” is referring goring its enemies is symbolic of a strong war-
to springs and fountains from underground rior that is mighty in battle. So we go from the
water sources. The abundance of sun is needed Joseph tribes being fruitful to also being great
for crops, and in Israel there is so much sun that in numbers, possessing a great army, and being
they can generally produce four crops per year. good warriors.
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 361

The relative proportions of the Joseph tribes, tion. Gad was one of the three tribes that, all or
Ephraim and Manasseh, are spoken of in pro- in part, decided to accept territory outside of the
phetic terms: Ephraim will consist of myriads Promised Land as their portion. Gad received
(tens of thousands); Manesseh will consist of thou- perhaps the most outstanding pasture and crop
sands. This has proven to be accurate. Ephraim lands of any of the tribes. Gad was also known
eventually dominated the northern regions of for having highly trained troops, although not
Israel with nine other northern tribes (includ- necessarily the largest army, therefore the sym-
ing his brother tribe Manesseh) coming under its bolism of fierce warriors is used as the verse
dominance. They also eventually extended their says Gad lies there as a lion ready to attack.
reach to the ends of the earth, but it came in an Verse 21 brings up this matter of Gad choosing
ironic way: they were conquered by the Assyr- to stay outside the Promised Land when it says
ians and forcibly scattered throughout the vast he chose for himself the best. “The best” means
Asian continent. The bulk of the people of the prime, excellent land.
ten tribes that were scattered quickly became
Gentiles as they mixed so thoroughly with the
many Gentile races of Asia that they lost their Dan
Hebrew identity (this was prophesied by Hosea Dan, like Gad, is said to have lion-like
and Isaiah, and in the book of Hosea God said strength and battle ability. The tribe of Dan
that those ten tribes would become a lo-ammi, a was originally assigned lowlands that abutted
non-people, to Him). However, as we have only the infamous Philistines’ territory, and later
recently discovered, a representative remnant of (mainly as a result of being harassed by those
each and every one of those ten supposedly lost Philistines) migrated to the farthest northern
and extinct tribes has been found, intact, and reaches of Canaan. There they conquered the
each with a strong identity to its ancient Israelite cult city of Laish, changed its name to Dan, and
tribal name and heritage. Not surprisingly, one fell away from God and into terrible idolatry.
of the largest of those discovered “lost” tribes is
Manasseh, and many of them are now making
aliyah (immigration) to Israel. Naphtali
Naphtali was blessed with very fertile ter-
ritory that was located on the west shore of the
Zebulun and Issachar
Sea of Galilee. It was beautifully watered; the
Verse 18 tells the people of Zebulun to rejoice land was rich and the climate temperate. Hav-
in their journeys; Zebulun has always been known ing the advantage of the bounty of the sea plus
as trade merchants. Issachar is likewise told to the fertile land gave Naphtali an almost idyllic
rejoice in their tents; tents were the permanent location as anyone who has traveled to that area
homes for herders because they were mobile. Issa- knows. They were also given the privilege of
char has always been associated with herding and being the territory where the Messiah would be
ranching. A strong tradition about Issachar and raised in the town of Nazareth.
Deuteronomy 33

Zebulun is also echoed in verse 19; they formed a

solid partnership and allegiance with another that
Asher
brought prosperity to them both.
Asher is also blessed with fertility, for he
settled in the upper Galilee between Naphtali
Gad and the Mediterranean Sea. The phrase that
Gad receives his blessing in verse 20. says that Asher was the “favorite of the broth-
Enlarging Gad means to increase the popula- ers” is poorly translated; it means the “the most
 362 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized

favored” among the brothers in the sense that the memory of the family of Simeon continued
Asher was greatly blessed. Saying that Asher on and many Hebrews identified themselves as
would “dip his foot in oil” is not referring to having that tribal heritage even though it no lon-
petroleum; it means olive oil. And indeed that ger functioned as a tribe.
region was known for the high quality olive Here is what I find interesting: we have
oil it produced. Dipping his foot in the oil is Moses’s last words in Deuteronomy 33 as spo-
thought to mean that there was a great abun- ken to the twelve tribes, but one of the tribes
dance of olive oil in his territory. (Simeon) had been cursed and is left out, leav-
Since Asher occupied the area that a major ing just eleven tribes. It has always been noticed
trade route and military highway crossed, they that just as there were twelve original tribes of
had both the benefit and danger that came Israel, there were also twelve original disciples
because of it. Therefore Moses blesses Asher of Jesus. One of these disciples was an infamous
with the wisdom and strength to take advantage man named Judas Iscariot. There is some argu-
of the economic situation and to guard against ment over what “Iscariot” means; some say it is
foreign armies by building stout defenses for referring to a geographical region called K’riot.
security. Others say it is a play on the word sicarri. Recall
that Judas was a fundamentalist militant who
was trying to foment another Jewish rebel-
Simeon
lion against the Jews’ oppressor, Rome. Judas’s
Beginning in verse 26, having blessed each actions show just how radical he was in turning
tribe individually, Moses concludes by celebrat- Yeshua over to the authorities when he decided
ing the good fortune of Israel as a whole congre- that Yeshua was not going to be the Deliverer
gation to be under the watchful eye of Yehoveh. of Israel that Judas had hoped for, because Jesus
But before we go there, I wonder if anyone has simply was not a military leader with insurrec-
noticed that not every tribe has been mentioned tion on His mind.
in this blessing? One has been skipped: Simeon. Judas was a zealot; Zealots were a Jewish
Let’s talk about that for a moment. political party. They might be compared with
Simeon and Levi were the two sons of Jacob zionists today, people who feel that only Jews
who received what essentially amounted to curses should occupy or govern the holy lands. One
instead of blessings at Jacob’s deathbed. Some faction of the Zealot party was called the sicarri;
years later Levi showed great merit at the golden these men were out and out assassins who tried
calf incident and wound up being selected as the to enforce their brand of Judaism and patriotism
Lord’s designated priests despite Jacob’s curse on on everyone else by intimidation. Everything
them, which would manifest itself in other ways. considered, I tend to come down on the side
But what of Simeon? Simeon was cursed along of Iscariot being a word play of the term sicarri,
with Levi because together the two conspired and Judas was likely known as a Sicarri radical,
to attack the helpless residents of Shechem in because it fits the circumstances like a glove.
ages past, for family revenge. History proves that Where did Judas come from, and who was
Deuteronomy 33

Simeon wound up as a very small, non-influential his family? The other disciples were Galileans,
tribe and found itself completely surrounded by but not much is known about Judas; we do find
Judah’s territory, so it was pretty well doomed a very tantalizing piece of information: “Yeshua
from the get-go. Not terribly long after the tribes answered, ‘It’s the one to whom I give this piece
of Israel settled in Canaan, the tribe of Simeon of matzah after I dip it in the dish.’ So he dipped
was absorbed by Judah and they vanished as a the piece of matzah and gave it to Y’hudah Ben-
separate territory and as a separate self-governing Shim’on (Judas son of Simeon) from K’riot”
tribe. However, as was usual for tribal societies, (John 13:26).
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 363

What makes this tantalizing is that here we by Messiah Yeshua over the twelve disciples.
find that Judas is called the son of Simon, or The circumstances are eerily familiar: the fact
as here in the CJB, Shim’on. Here’s the thing: that Moses and Jesus were both blessing twelve
Simon, Shim’on, and Simeon (as in the tribe is the same, that it was immediately before their
of Simeon) are all the same Hebrew name, just deaths that is the same, that one of the twelve
transliterated into variant English spellings. It was removed is the same, and that the one who
was the norm in the Bible era to identify a per- was removed is associated with the tribe of
son by his tribe, so a Hebrew with the family Simeon, the cursed tribe, is the same.
name of Shim’on would usually be attached by In Deuteronomy 33 Moses addresses all
heritage to the tribe of Shim’on, Simeon. You the tribes as a group. He began his final words
wouldn’t, for example, name a person Levi if by acknowledging the greatness of the God of
they were of the tribe of Ephraim, or Manessah Israel, and he ends those words with the same
if they were from Dan. message as at the beginning. He pleads with Israel
So almost certainly Judas was from the tribe (Yeshurun, “upright one”) to understand that it is
of Simeon, long ago absorbed into the Judah pointless to ever fall into worshipping other gods
tribe, but still remembering its family heritage because none measures up to Yehoveh. From His
by retaining the family name Simeon. heavenly throne, Yehoveh helps Israel in time of
With that background, consider that Moses need, to be a refuge for them, and to support
was giving his final words to the twelve tribes Israel . . . to be a foundation and underpinning
only hours before his death. And in his final for Israel. And since God is from everlasting to
words (which amount to a series of individual everlasting, He will always be there for them.
prophetic blessings over the tribes) Moses mys- Moses reminds Israel that it was the Lord
teriously leaves out Simeon, who had been given who drives out the enemy before them.
a cursed prophetic future by Jacob. So the bless- It is the Lord who causes Israel to dwell in
ing of Moses was only upon eleven of the twelve safety and security.
tribes. It is the Lord who gives Israel abundant rain
Fast-forward thirteen centuries to the time that brings about plentiful grain and wine.
of Yeshua. The night before He is to die, Jesus is It is the Lord who has delivered Israel from
giving His final words to His disciples by means Egypt.
of offering blessings at the Passover table. All It is the Lord who constantly watches over
twelve disciples are there, but one, Judas, disap- Israel and protects them against the known and
pears and fetches the temple guard who arrests unknown dangers.
Yeshua and turns him over to the Romans to be And if they will be faithful to the Lord, the
tried and executed. Judas, who is from the tribe Lord will make Israel’s enemies cringe, fall on
of Simeon (as his family name implies), is cursed their faces before Israel, and Israel will put their
by his act and then commits suicide. Now there foot on their enemy’s back. This is a rather stan-
are only eleven disciples. dard image for that time; a victor pushes the
Knowing the power of God-patterns, it is vanquished to the ground and places his foot
Deuteronomy 33

difficult for me not to see the prophetic pattern on his upper back by his neck as an indication
established in the blessing of Moses over the that the former enemy is now fully under the
twelve tribes carried forward into the blessings victor’s control.
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Deuteronomy 34

Grandfather Moses, after blessing those he has have openly regretted it and never cease to try
cared for day and night for the past forty years to reverse that reality.
as God’s right hand man, and after having a few I have no intention of making a political
hours or perhaps a day or two to bask in the statement, but it is obvious that the Obama
glow of how far Israel had come and the tremen- administration, the Bush administration before
dous opportunity that lay ahead of them, now that, and the Clinton administration before it
ascends Mount Nebo to die. Verse 1 says that had and continue to have no interest in honor-
Nebo is in the Pisgah mountain range opposite ing the biblical holy lands for what they are—a
Jericho; Nebo is on the east bank and Jericho on holy place (like no other place on earth) that
the west bank of the Jordan River. Jericho, by belongs only to God and is set aside for a spe-
the way, is widely acknowledged even by secular cific people. It doesn’t matter how many photos
archeologists as the world’s oldest known city. there are of these presidents bowing their heads
From Mount Nebo Moses was shown, by praying, calling on the name of Jesus in public,
God, the Promised Land that Moses’s people or standing up and speaking of defending Israel
would inherit. The order of the tribes’ terri- and Israel’s right to exist. The Israel they wish to
tories called out here in Deuteronomy 34 is defend is an Israel they wish to define on their
as if Moses turned his head to the right and own terms. This is greatly offensive to the Lord,
then slowly swiveled it toward the left in a pan- and we will all pay an enormous price, sooner
orama. It’s as though his eyes were sweeping than later, for such arrogance by our elected
from the northernmost part of the land back leaders as to push for a Palestinian state in the
toward the west, and then to the south. And Promised Land, to declare that Islam should
says the Lord, this is the land I have sworn to have the legitimate right to maintain a pagan
your ancestors. shrine to a false god on the Temple Mount, and
I have made this point before, but let me for our indifference to their decisions. Nations
make it again as emphatically as I know how; and empires have arisen and fallen for underes-
the land of Canaan was the Promised Land timating or ignoring the Lord and trying to take
for Israel, and no other. There is no alterna- from His hand what belongs to Him alone.
tive place that the Lord has prepared for Israel, Could Moses have seen with his human eyes
and there is no alternative people who have a all the way from Dan in the north to Zebulun
right to occupy that land. There is no option in the west and Judah in the south? Of course
A or B. Over the centuries, and even within not. No mountain peak was of sufficient height
Deuteronomy 34

the last hundred years, there have been serious to allow that. But since Scripture says that “the
efforts by powerful men and national leaders to Lord showed him the whole land,” I suspect
establish a new Jewish homeland in Europe, in that Yehoveh enabled Moses to see in a super-
Africa, anywhere but in the place that the Lord natural way a land that could not otherwise be
set apart for the Hebrews. From the very day a viewed except from outer space or an orbiting
little over sixty years ago that the UN voted to satellite.
allow the Jewish people to have a Jewish nation Tradition is that Moses died six months to
in their ancient homeland, the world’s leaders the day after his brother Aaron, the high priest,
 Deuteronomy - The Promise Is Realized 365

died. It was in the month that would later be their new military and civil leader, Joshua. We
called Adar, which corresponds to late February are told that Joshua son of Nun was filled with
or early March. The Lord Himself buried Moses, the spirit of wisdom “because Moses had laid
and his actual burial place was kept secret. What hands upon him.” This is a widely misconstrued
could be the Lord’s purpose for doing this? verse. It sounds in plain English as though
Undoubtedly so that a shrine would not be built Moses somehow, supernaturally, put the spirit
aggrandizing Moses and so the place would not of wisdom into Joshua by means of ritually lay-
become one where armies fought in the name of ing his hands on him. In fact this is an idiomatic
one religion or another (as men have been wont expression that describes a common act involv-
to do ever since there were armies) over what ing the new and former leaders of a nation.
religious authorities would declare to be a holy The outgoing leader would lay his hands
place. I think it is significant that despite the upon the incoming leader in a public ceremony
amazing record of Jesus’s ministry and passion as a gesture and physical confirmation of trans-
on the cross there is no definitive map of where ferring authority over the nation. Nothing
His body was buried (entombed, actually) even supernatural is hinted at in that process. Rather
for that short three-day period of time. it is made clear in Scripture that God gives the
The Garden Tomb that one visits today in spirit of wisdom to all the leaders of Israel. So
Jerusalem is just a guess, and there is no evi- because Joshua became the leader of Israel (as
dence that this was Yeshua’s tomb, although it indicated by Moses laying hands on Joshua),
is very much like the tomb he actually was laid God gave Joshua a spirit of wisdom in order to
to rest in. How is it that such a widely witnessed properly lead His people.
and attested event would not have the precise Moses was never equaled by another prophet
location of that tomb identified? Because if it . . . until Yeshua of Nazareth thirteen hundred
were certain, there would be a shrine made years later. Jews, other than for Messianics,
there and people would worship the place would vehemently disagree with that statement,
instead of God. All one has to do is visit the Via of course. The reason for this statement of verse
Delarosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked 10 is to make it clear that as great and venerated
as he headed toward Calvary, to see the gaudy, and valid as the coming prophets like Isaiah,
overdone, gold encrusted churches and shrines Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and others were, they were
with their statues and their marble floors with not like Moses in status. Nothing they would
locations marked where Jesus supposedly stood, say could ever override what Moses said. Noth-
knelt, or bled. ing would be added to Scripture in the future
Verse 7 tells us that Moses was 120 years old by means of those words that God’s prophets
when he died and that he was in good health would utter that could override the principles
and his eyesight intact. When we go back to and laws contained in Moses’s words. And let
Genesis we find that the Lord pronounced that me tell you, if the prophets of God couldn’t
120 years was a life span for men, yet we also override Moses, neither can a pastor, a priest,
find that many lived lives well beyond that age, a pope, a bishop, or a rabbi, nor even a popular
Deuteronomy 34

and others much shorter. The age of 120 years televangelist. Let me also tell you in complete
is some type of idealized life span in the Lord’s confidence that neither did Yeshua’s words over-
mind, so it is no coincidence that Moses lived ride Moses’s words. I don’t have to speculate on
precisely that long. this because that’s exactly what Messiah said. I
Moses would be mourned for the standard refer you (this one last time before we complete
mourning period—thirty days. For that thirty our study of the Torah) to Yeshua’s own undis-
days Israel stayed at their camp in Moab, pre- puted words of Matthew 5:17–19:
paring to enter the Promised Land, to be led by
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Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or as thorough and sweeping of a statement that a
the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Jew could make on the subject.
Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass Now Christ was indeed a greater prophet and
away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from a greater Mediator than Moses. Yeshua was and
the Torah—not until everything that must happen has remains and always shall be the ultimate prophet
happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and Mediator because He is also our Redeemer.
and teaches others to do so will be called the least in But even He, with such absolute authority from
the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so Yehoveh that He said if you’ve seen me you’ve
teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. seen the Father, said outright that He did not
come to abolish, change, subtract from, add to or
Jesus brackets the subject of whether He even challenge the words of Moses.
came to do something or anything to the books So in the coming weeks, months and per-
of Torah and the Prophets in this way: He says haps years (as the Lord wills it), as you study
in these verses of Matthew that on the one hand more of the OT and incorporate the words of
He did not come to do away with them in their the NT, keep what I just told you as a touch-
entirety, and on the other that He didn’t come stone. For to stick to the Torah is life, to deviate
to change even one tiny letter of it. That’s about from it is death.
Deuteronomy 34