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THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT
http://www.messianicbible.com
HEAR O ISRAEL
www.hearoisrael.org
SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER
www.sheepfoldgleanings.com
MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE
http://www.messianicisrael.com
AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM
GREENBAUM
http://www.azamra.org
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TORAH: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22
HAFTORAH: Isaiah 1:1-27
B’RIT CHADASHAH: 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9; Ephesians 2:20; 4:11–14;
1 Corinthians 6:1–5; James 2:1–9; Acts 7:38–45; 13:18; Hebrews 3:7–4:11; 2 Timothy 1:7;
1 John 4:18; Luke 9:1; 10:19; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Ephesians 6:10–18;
James 4:7
All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted
The Torah portion for this week is normally read during the last week
of the three weeks of mourning between 17th of Tammuz and the 9th
of Av. The 9th of Av is said to be the saddest day in history. It is the day
the 10 spies gave their bad report of the land leading to ‫יהוה‬decree
that the first generation of Israelites would not enter the Promised
Land. It is the day that the First Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C.E.
and the day the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E and many
more.
One of the most unknown principals in the worship of ‫ יהוה‬is that one
should repent of one’s sins, and the sins of one’s forefathers before
drawing near to the Almighty. This double repentance is also what
brings about ‫’יהוה‬s action concerning His promise of the Land:
‘But if they confess their crookedness and the crookedness of their
fathers, with their trespass in which they trespassed against Me, and
that they also have walked contrary to Me ... if their uncircumcised
heart is then humbled, and they accept the punishment of their
crookedness, then I shall remember My covenant with Yaʽaqoḇ, and
also My covenant with Yitsḥaq, and also remember My covenant with4
Aḇraham, and remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42
Moses saw and spoke to the Word of ‫ יהוה‬face to face and this enabled
Moses to follow the pattern given him. He was intimate with the Word
‫ יהושע‬and wrote down His teaching and instructions for His Bride
known as her ketubah, the Hebrew word for marriage covenant.
Other Hebrew idioms for the ketubah are "the promise", "the
message", "the gospel", "the good news", "good tidings" and "the
word of truth".
The interpreters of the New Testament put all these expressions
together into one word namely nomos (Strong’s # G3551), translated
simply as "the law”.
Unfortunately this Greek word nomos is more negative and legalistic
through the lens of a Greek to English mindset, than positive. Using
the word nomos has literally severed the bride’s identity.
Whenever we read the word law in the English New, it is from the
Greek rendering nomos.
The result is that when we read ‫’יהוה‬s Word today we do not know
whether the word law/nomos in the passage is referring to:
• ‫’יהוה‬s teaching and instruction of how to receive the blessings of His
Word with the moral and ethical code of conduct for a holy walk that
governs His kingdom? OR
• The law of sin and death that which causes our flesh to be governed
by what brings about curses in our lives when we walk outside ‫’יהוה‬s
blessings via unholy thoughts, attitude, speech or physical behaviour
that ‫ יהושע‬set us free from? OR
• One of the Five Books of Moses or all Five Books of Moses? OR
• The Ten Commandments, known as precepts, statements, categories
or principles that govern ‫’יהושע‬s Kingdom? OR
• The Covenants put into effect by the Holy Spirit to direct our lives (i.e.
the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic, Renewed Covenants). OR
• ‫’יהושע‬s commandments?
The Hebrew language cannot be translated linguistically word for word
into English. From the 3rd to 2nd century, three major changes took
place in the Hebrew culture.
1. Judah (or the Jews) began to strictly follow the oral tradition
(Talmud) alongside of the Torah, especially the suppression of the
sacred name of ‫יהוה‬.
2. A massive campaign of Greek Hellenization began (Alexander the
Great) with the purpose of uniting the Greek Empire, including
Israel, under one common religious heritage.
3. The LXX (an acronym meaning Septuagint, the Greek translation of
the Hebrew Torah) was commissioned and eventually adopted as
Scripture for non-Hebrew speaking Jews. The subsequent
translations of the Old Testament were commissioned from the
Greek LXX translation of the Old Testament and not the original
Hebrew language.
Greek understanding is more abstract and legalistic in thought, while
Hebrew understanding is more conceptual in thought.
In English the Greek word ‘statues’ is used instead of the meaning of
the original Hebrew word ‘chukim’ which means that ‫ יהוה‬delivered
the Children of Israel by His great Power and by showing them His
lasting impressions, marks, signs and wonders.
The Greek to English word ‘judgments’, the translators misrepresented
the original Hebrew word ‘mishpatim’. The purpose of the Torah, and
‫’יהוה‬s guidance of the Children of Israel through the Wilderness was to
show them His Mishpatim - His loving kindness in being their Deliverer
and delivering them by His great Power. The original purpose in the
Hebrew language is overlooked and distorted the love and care of ‫יהוה‬
into dry legalism.
The Hebrew word ‘mitzvot’ meaning ‫’יהוה‬s loving teaching and
instruction guided the Children of Israel through the Wilderness and
enabled them to enter in and posses the land He was giving them as
being translated using the Greek word ‘commandments’, ‘decrees’ and
‘laws’.
The Septuagint is the oldest Greek translation of the Bible. Legend
contained in the apocryphal letter of Aristeas, according to 72 elders of
Israel, six from each tribe, translated the LAW (Torah) into Greek, in
Alexandria, during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-244 BCE).
The Greek translation was for the growing Hellenistic non-Jewish
population at the time. The Septuagint was laced with subtle changes.
The Hebrew meanings were changed into Greek/Hellenistic meanings.
For instance, Yahweh’s Name was changed over 7,010 times to Lord,
God, and Adonai (Greek names for their gods). The fact that the word
Torah was translated as nomos/law opened the way for anti-Torah in
early Christianity and an adoption of many Greek pagan ways. A very
subtle introduction of pagan idolatry had slipped into the Holy
Scriptures. Finally, the designation Septuagint was extended to the rest
of the Bible and non-canonical books that were translated into Greek
during the following two centuries.
Today, many are taught that ‫’יהוה‬s teaching and instruction for LIFE,
mistranslated in ages past as nomos/law, is done away with now that
we are under grace in ‫יהושע‬. This is not true. The grace in Torah is
‫’יהוה‬s provision of forgiveness and redemption back to Him through
the grace and mercy offered us in ‫יהושע‬, a gift that we did not deserve.
‫ יהושע‬fulfilled the purpose of the law which was to direct us to Him.
He is the goal of Torah. The ‘law’ was like a shadow of ‫יהושע‬, a loving
tutor meant to expose sin in our lives; it was never meant as a means
of salvation. Only ‫יהושע‬, the author of the Torah, can save us. ‫’יהושע‬s
words (at Mount Sinai, His teaching and instruction) will never
disappear any more than He can disappear; they are filled with the
Spirit and will always be our guide!
“The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words [ALL
Scripture from Genesis to Revelation] shall by no means pass away.
(Matthew 24:35)
Deuteronomy 11:1 from the LXX or Greek Septuagint: Therefore you
shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His
judgments, and His commandments always.
Deuteronomy 11:1 from the Original Hebrew: Therefore you shall love
the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His lasting impressions,
marks, signs and wonders- (Chukim), His loving kindness in being your
Deliverer and delivering you by His great Power (Mishpatim), and His
loving principles - teaching and instruction to guide and direct the you
through the Wilderness and enabled you to enter in and posses the
land He has given you (Mitzvot) always.
We are instructed to teach our children and those returning to ‫יהוה‬
‘the message/the gospel/the teachings’ of ‫ יהוה‬that bring Life. When
the Children of Israel 3,500 years ago stumbled over/disobeyed over
the message (of Moses), they miss the fullness of the Messiah and His
blessings in His Word/Torah. Moses was very careful to share the Word
with the Children of Israel in present tense, meaning this message of
the gospel, was for those in the future (us) (Hebrews 3 & 4).
“For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot
or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.
(Matthew 5:18)
The Greek language does not have characters called jots or tittles!
‫ יהושע‬is teaching us today that it is the HEBREW that constitutes the
final court of appeal regarding what is right and what is wrong! Eightyfive percent of the New Testament is made up of quotations from the
Hebrew Tanakh (Old Testament)! The New Testament could be
considered a commentary and fulfilment of the Tanakh. They should
be thought of and taught as one complete book.
You who follow Torah know we are in a time of the last days. Moses
has been sent to the people. You need to understand why Torah is
becoming so prevalent now. Because we are in the same time …as in
Pharaoh’s day, there’s deliverance coming forth. So whom does God
send? Moses, that’s why you’re learning MOSES now to get the people
ready to cross over. Come out of Egypt, into the Promised Land! You are
walking out a Torah cycle in your own life (Appointed Times (STBM):
Charlotte Fludd).
Concerning this deliverance the prophets have sought out and searched
out, prophesying concerning the favour for you, searching to know
what, or what sort of time, the Spirit which was in them was pointing
out concerning Messiah, when it was bearing witness beforehand the
sufferings of Messiah, and the esteems that would follow, to whom it
was revealed that they were serving, not themselves, but you, in these
matters which now have been announced to you through those who
brought the Good News to you by the Set-apart Spirit sent from heaven
– into which messengers long to look into.
(1 Peter 1:10-12)
This message from Moses was given in prophetic language and
empowered by the Holy Spirit/Ruach Ha Kodesh for us today. The
words ‫ יהוה‬passed on to Moses have been hotly contested all through
history, or "His-story," because it is ultimately about ‫ יהושע‬the Messiah.
For He is our Elohim, And we are the people of His pasture, And the
sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice: “Do not harden
your hearts as in Meriḇah, And as in the day of Massah in the
wilderness, “When your fathers tried Me, Have proved Me, though
they saw My work. “For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do
not know My ways.’ “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they enter into My
rest...’ ” (Psalms 95:7-11)
Let ‘US’, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest [by obeying His
Chukim - His lasting impressions, marks, signs and wonders, His
Mishpatim - His loving kindness, and His Mitzvot - His loving principles,
teaching and instruction to guide and direct the you through the
Wilderness and enabled you to enter in and posses the land He has
given you], so that no one will fall by following their example of
disobedience.“
“For if you believed Mosheh, you would have believed Me, since he
wrote about Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you
believe My words?” (John 5:46-47)
"There are hundreds of commands in the New Testament meant as
much for Gentiles as for Jews. Nor should it be thought that the New
Covenant does away with moral, civil, ceremonial or any other
category of law. There are New Testament commands for Jews and
Gentiles in all of these categories. To give but a few examples, Romans
13:1-7 and Acts 5:29 touch on civil obedience and disobedience,
Matthew 28:19 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-6:7, 14:26-40, 2 Corinthians 2:511 and Matthew 18:15-17 deal with order in the Messianic Community,
and there are so many moral, ethical and spiritual commands that
there is no need to cite them. We conclude that under the New
Covenant the Torah remains in force and is as much for Gentiles as for
Jews…" (End of quote.)
Deuteronomy is the powerhouse book that holds the vision and
mandate for the Priesthood of ‫יהושע‬. This book is the culmination of
the teaching found in the first four Books of Torah. For those who
choose to walk humbly and uprightly before ‫יהוה‬, walking in His
precepts, the book of Deuteronomy becomes a type and shadow of
the mantle of anointing that Elijah passed on to Elisha. For ‫’יהוה‬s
Priesthood, Deuteronomy is for them a place of anointing, of
righteousness and empowerment in the Spirit of ‫( יהושע‬John 5: 46-47).
Those of Israel who listened to the instructions and took them to heart
would be carried into victory. These principles lifted even the weakest
man to become the strongest and carried many beyond their own
abilities, giving vision to the poor of heart, humbling the oppressor and
crushing the enemy. For those who walked in the words of ‫יהוה‬, it
became their very life.
The book of Deuteronomy was quoted by Messiah ‫ יהושע‬more times
than any other book of the Tanakh. It is also the most quoted book of
the New Testament with some eighty different references being
attributed to it.
Rabbis teach that the Book of Debarim is the Torah's "mouth",
summarizing all that has gone before in the "main body" of the Torah.
As Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum writes, “Debarim calls to the inner ear
of the soul of Yisra’el to hear the essential message of the Torah. Each
of the twelve months of the year is integrally connected with one of the
twelve tribes and one of the twelve basic human faculties, according to
Hebrew thought. This month, the month of Av, the fifth month,
corresponds to the Tribe of Shim’on and the faculty of hearing as noted
in B’reshith / Genesis 29:33, speaking of how Shim’on’s name is related
to ‘sh’ma’. It is significant that the phrase "Sh’ma Yisra’el! Hear, O
Israel!" recurs in four key passages in the book of Debarim.”
Deuteronomy is not just a repetition of the Torah Law for of
Deuteronomy’s 100 mitzvot 70 are new, having not been previously
mentioned in the other books of the Torah. The book is broken up in
the following way:
• Chapters 1 - 4 Introductory Speech and Historical review
• Chapters 5 – 26 Main dissertation – Laws given at Sinai with
warnings and exhortations
• Chapters 27 – 28 Covenant – Blessings and Cursing for Obedience
and Disobedience
• Chapters 29 -30 Warnings, Promised Blessings, Repentance
Restoration
• Chapters 31 through 34 revert to the narrative style in the books
conclusion of Moses' final Acts, Words, Prophecies, and record of
death.
Deuteronomy literally means “Second Law.” This is not to imply that a
“First” Law is being replaced by a “Second”. What is happening here is
Moses is “repeating” Torah principles to the children of the generation
that rejected the Promised Land and ended up dying in the wilderness.
The rabbis call this book Mishneh haTorah :
you shall certainly set a sovereign over you whom ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim
shall choose. .... “Only, he is not to increase horses for himself, ...’ “And
he is not to increase wives for himself, ... nor is he to greatly increase
silver and gold for himself. “And it shall be, when he sits on the throne
of his reign, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah in a
book, from the one before the priests, the Lĕwites.
(Deuteronomy 17:15-18)
The same man who said, “I am slow of speech” (words) now takes up a
whole book with “these are the words”
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These are the words which Mosheh spoke to all Yisra’ĕl beyond the
Yardĕn in the wilderness, in the desert plain opposite Suph, between
Paran and Tophel, and Laḇan, and Ḥatsĕroth, and Di Zahaḇ,
(Deuteronomy 1:1)
Jewish sages take as code words for the main sins, which Israel had
committed during its time in the wilderness. (See ArtScroll Stone
Edition Chumash, p. 939, notes on verse 1.) These are the seven most
egregious sins, which resulted in Israel being condemned to wander
the wilderness for 40 years.
And let us be concerned for one another in order to stir up love and
good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is
the habit of some, but encouraging, and so much more as you see the
Day coming near. For if we sin purposely after we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughter offering
for sins, (Hebrews 10:24-26)
In Deuteronomy 1:1, Moses lists seven place names. The meanings of
the names and what happened there is significant since they give us
clues to Israel’s spiritually stumbling’s in the wilderness en route to the
Promised Land.
1. Wilderness of Sin (meaning “thorns,” located near Mount Sinai) Here Israel complained about lack of food (Exodus 16:1–3). The
Israelites Lacked Trust or Faith in ‫יהוה‬.
2. The Plain or Arabah (meaning “desert plain, sterility, wilderness”) Here Israel was seduced by Midianite women (Num 36:13).
Spiritual and Physical Whoredoms.
3. Opposite the Red Sea - Here Israel complains that they’re going to
die. They manifest sarcasm and cynicism against Elohim in their
statement against Moses: “… because there were no graves in
Egypt…?!” (Exod 14:11). Fear, Faithlessness, False Accusation and
Discontentment.
4. Between Paran (meaning “beauty”) – The incident where the
twelve went in to spy out the Promised Land. (Num 13–14) Walking By Sight and Not By Faith
5. Tophel (meaning “calumny,” a reference to the false charges or
misrepresentation to damage another’s reputation) and Laban
(meaning “white,” the color of manna [Exod 16:14]) - Scripture
does not record any geographical locations by these names where
Israel camped. To answer this dilemma, the rabbis teach us that
these names are references to Israel complaining twice about
manna (Num 10:12; 21:5; 11:6). Lust, Ungratefulness and False
Accusation
6. Hazeroth (meaning “enclosures”) - This is a reference to Miriam’s
and Korah’s rebellion (Num 12:1–16 and 16:1–50). Rebellion
Against Elohim-Ordained Authority
7. Di-zahab (meaning “gold”) - ‫ יהוה‬blessed Israel with an abundance
of gold when they left Egypt and they used his gracious gifts (their
wages for servitude in Egypt) to make the golden calf. Riches Lead
to Idolatry
These are the words which Mosheh spoke to all Yisra’ĕl beyond the
Yardĕn in the wilderness, in the desert ... (Deuteronomy 1:1)
Now, the Jordan River itself is very significant. It has four sources:
1. Mount Hermon – comes through a spring at Banias
2. The Hasbani stream which flows from Lebanon
3. The Dan springs whose source is also Mount Heron
4. The Iyon stream which flows from Lebanon
The river drops rapidly in a 75 kilometre run to the Hula Lake which is
slightly below sea level in the Galilee area. Then it drops much more to
690 feet below sea level at the Sea of Galilee. The river continues out
of the Sea of Galilee and falls till it reaches the Dead Sea which is 1,290
feet below sea level (lowest place on earth) and has no outlet. You
should take note that this River has run the gamut from the clear,
clean mountain water to the dead and lifeless water ending at the
Dead Sea.
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Jordan originates from the verb “yarad” meaning “to descend”. Thus
the meaning of the Jordan becomes “the descender”. There is an
inherent emotion in the word of moving from a place of prominence
to one of lesser importance. For example “to go down to Egypt” has
the overtone of leaving the Promised Land to dwell among people
outside the covenant:
Woe to those who go down to Mitsrayim for help, and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because
they are very strong, but who do not look to the Set-apart One of
Yisra’ĕl, nor seek ‫( !יהוה‬Isaiah 31:1)
Conversely, “to go up” or “to ascend”, was to “alah”. Today people who
immigrate to Israel are said to make “aliyah”. In the Scriptures, we see
it in reference to “going up to Jerusalem”:
Who is among you of all His people? His Elohim be with him! And let
him go up to Yerushalayim, which is in Yehuḏah, and build the House of
‫ יהוה‬Elohim of Yisra’ĕl – He is Elohim – which is in Yerushalayim. (Ezra
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1:3)
If Jordan means descending why are descending? The last part of the
Hebrew word for Jordan is “dan” which means “judgment.” Could the
Jordan River symbolize a river that “descends with judgment?” Also:
One of the sources of the river itself is from springs in Dan.
The Jordan River in our Torah reading posed a barrier from entering
the Promised Land. How would they be able to stop the flow of
judgments? The only way was to stop the flow of the Jordan River! In
the book of Joshua, ‫ יהוה‬stopped the flow of the River at a place called
Adam. The city of Adam is 18 miles upstream of where the people are
waiting to cross.
that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose
in a heap very far away at Aḏam, the city that is beside Tsarethan. And
the waters going down into the Sea of the Araḇah, the Salt Sea, were
completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Yeriḥo.
(Joshua 3:16)
Literally declaring the Almighty has chosen to stop the flow of
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judgment going all the way back to the first man!
To take part in the promises and the inheritance of ‫יהוה‬, the flow of
judgment has to end. This happened through ‫ יהושע‬the Messiah and it
is no coincidence that the one to take the Israelites across the River
Jordan was Joshua, whose name means “Yah is Salvation!”.
Now we need to be reminded that those who were disobedient were
not permitted entrance into the Land. Many of the second generation
had already died through the various events that took place prior to
our reading in Devarim. Only the obedient ones who wholeheartedly
acknowledged ‫ יהוה‬as their God would enter in and receive their
inheritance.
“Blessed are those doing His commands,2 so that the authority shall be
theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.
Footnotes: “But outside are the dogs and those who enchant with
drugs, and those who whore, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and
all who love and do falsehood. (Revelation 22:14-15)
2Long before the books were compiled to form “The New Testament,”
Rev. 22:14 was quoted, as it is here given, by Tertullian (CE 208), and by
Cyprian (CE 251) – see the well-known Antenicene Fathers.
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“Mikveh” is where we derive the English word Baptism. The phrase:
“mikveh mayim” literally, means a “gathering of waters”.
And Elohim said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered
together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it came to be
so. And Elohim called the dry land ‘earth,’ and the collection of the
waters He called ‘seas.’ And Elohim saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:910)
It is through these waters that one is brought to purity, which is a
requirement to fellowship with ‫יהוה‬. Purity of heart is also a
requirement to dwell with Elohim in the renewed Garden of Eden in
the future:
Who does go up into the mountain of ‫ ?יהוה‬And who does stand in His
set-apart place? He who has innocent hands and a clean heart, Who
did not bring his life to naught, And did not swear deceivingly. He
receives a blessing from ‫יהוה‬, And righteousness from the Elohim of his
deliverance. This is the generation of those who seek Him; Yaʽaqoḇ,
who seek Your face. Selah. (Psalms 24:3-6)
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Another meaning ascribed to the word Jordan comes from a
contraction of the Hebrew meaning “descending from Eden”. It
was a spring-fed stream of living water that flowed out from
Eden to water the earth…and flowing into every river on earth.
And a river went out of Ěḏen to water the garden, and from
there it divided and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:10 )
The Mishneh (Jewish oral commentary on the Torah written
down in 200 C.E.) speaks of six levels of immersion by mikvaot
(plural for mikveh). Each is for a particular kind of ritual
purification, required at specific times. John the baptizer was
only involved with the baptism of repentance which is also the
highest level of mikveh:
And he went into all the neighbourhood of the Yardĕn,
proclaiming an immersion of repentance for the forgiveness of
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sins, (Luke 3:3)
Now in our Parasha in Devarim, Moses is relating to the people their
past, implying the need for corporate repentance due to the sins of
their forefathers. Then very shortly, they will walk through the Jordan
River. This is the same area where hundreds of years later, John will be
baptizing for repentance!
This took place in Bĕyth Anyah beyond the Yardĕn, where Yoḥanan was
immersing. (John 1:28)
John is baptizing Israelites in the Jordan….in the same area where we
have the children of Israel about to walk through the Jordan River to
enter into the Promised Land! This is a repeat of the very footsteps of
those following Joshua into the Promised Land! Notice another
similarity. When Joshua took them through the Jordan, look what was
in the middle of the river:
And the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of ‫ יהוה‬stood firm on
dry ground in the midst of the Yardĕn. And all Yisra’ĕl passed over on
dry ground, until all the nation had completely passed over the Yardĕn.
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(Joshua 3:17)
Just as the Ark of the Covenant containing the written Word of ‫יהוה‬
stood in the midst of the Jordan, so the Living Word also stood in the
midst of the living waters of the Jordan as the people who were
repentant, followed in His footsteps by being immersed:
Then ‫ יהושע‬came from Galil to Yoḥanan at the Yardĕn to be immersed
by him. (Matthew 3:13 )
The Pharisees also understood this identification with the Jordan,
repentance, and entry into the Promised Land. John was immersing
the repentant multitudes who had come to him in preparation for the
Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.
The Pharisees sent priests and Levites to question John as to whether
he was the Messiah, the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15) or Elijah (John
1:19-26) because the Israelites had a tradition that no one could
perform immersion in the Jordan River except one of those individuals.
Immersion in the Jordan was a sign of the coming of the Messiah.
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Just as the Israelites had crossed over into the Promised Land with
Joshua, the tradition held that the Promised Land would not be fully
occupied and enjoyed by the Israelites until the Messiah came to rule
and reign on the earth. Now, with this understanding of their
traditions, you can see why they asked John the Baptizer the questions
that they did:
Now this was the witness of Yoḥanan when the Yehuḏim sent from
Yerushalayim priests and Lĕwites to ask him, “Who are you?” And he
confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”
And they asked him, “What then, are you Ěliyahu?” So he said, “I am
not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Therefore they
said to him, “Who are you, so that we give an answer to those who
sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am a voice of
one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of ‫יהוה‬,’ as the
prophet Yeshayahu said.” And those sent were of the Pharisees, and
they asked him, saying, “Why then do you immerse if you are not the
Messiah, nor Ěliyahu, nor the Prophet?” Yoḥanan answered them,
saying, “I immerse in water, but in your midst stands One whom you do31
not know, (John 1:19-26)
John’s immersion was an outward sign of a mysterious inward change
that enabled repentant individuals to enter an elevated state of purity.
The one immersed would be ready to receive the Spirit of Elohim so
that he could enter the Kingdom of Yah.
‫ יהושע‬answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he is unable to enter into the reign of Elohim. (John 3:5)
Keeping the reoccurring subject of repentance in mind we must note
the midrash (ancient commentary, interpretation) ‫ יהושע‬made, when
He compared John the Baptizer to Elijah:
“For this is he of whom it was written, ‘See, I send My messenger
before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’ (Matthew
11:10)
‫ יהושע‬was quoting from Malachi:
“See, I am sending My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
Me. Then suddenly the Master you are seeking comes to His Hĕḵal,
even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. See, He is
coming,” said ‫ יהוה‬of hosts. (Malachi 3:1 )
32
In the first century, there were no chapter numbers or verses in the
Hebrew Scriptures. If a person wanted to reference Scripture, he
would quote a phrase. For those who were educated in the Hebrew
Scriptures, they would understand a quote to mean not only the
phrase, but everything in context with that phrase. Therefore, ‫יהושע‬
was not only speaking of Malachi 3:1, but also what surrounds it.
“For I am ‫יהוה‬, I shall not change, and you, O sons of Yaʽaqoḇ, shall not
come to an end. “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside
from My laws and did not guard them. Turn back to Me, and I shall
turn back to you,” ...Then shall those who fear ‫ יהוה‬speak to one
another, and ‫ יהוה‬listen and hear, and a book of remembrance be
written before Him, of those who fear ‫יהוה‬, and those who think upon
His Name. “And they shall be Mine,” said ‫ יהוה‬of hosts, “on the day that
I prepare a treasured possession. And I shall spare them as a man
spares his own son who serves him. “Then you shall again see the
difference between the righteous and the wrong, between one who
serves Elohim and one who does not serve Him... “Remember the Torah
of Mosheh, My servant, .. laws and right-rulings. (Malachi 3:6-4:6)
33
Elijah also parted the Jordan River in the same location as that of our
Torah portion. Elijah was a prophet who understood that the nation of
Israel had a mission to preserve its religious system – the worship of
the one true Elohim – in a pure form without any mixture with idol
worship. He taught Israel’s responsibility for total commitment. In 2
Kings we read of Elijah passing on his ministry to Elisha. In the same
location, Elijah is taken by chariot up to heaven. We also see that Elisha
begins his ministry with his first miracle….the parting of the Jordan
River:
And Ěliyahu took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the water. And
it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them passed over
on dry ground. ..... And it came to be, as they continued on and spoke,
that see, a chariot of fire with horses of fire which separated the two of
them. And Ěliyahu went up by a whirlwind into the heavens. ... And he
took up the mantle of Ěliyahu that had fallen from him, and went back
and stood by the bank of the Yardĕn. And he took the mantle of Ěliyahu
that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is
‫ יהוה‬Elohim of Ěliyahu?” And he struck the water, and it was divided
34
this way and that, and Elisha passed over. (2 Kings 2:8-14)
And a river went out of Ěḏen to water the garden ... (Genesis 2:10)
Now what was in the middle of the garden being watered by a river?
And out of the ground ‫ יהוה‬Elohim made every tree grow that is
pleasant to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the
midst of the garden .. (Genesis 2:9)
Adam was able to eat of the Tree of Life, but commanded not to eat of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was the custom of ‫יהוה‬
Elohim to walk with Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the day.
However, after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, they were no longer blessed with His Presence:
And they heard the sound of ‫ יהוה‬Elohim walking about in the garden
in the cool of the day, and Aḏam and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of ‫ יהוה‬Elohim among the trees of the garden. .. And now, lest
he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live
forever...” so ‫ יהוה‬Elohim sent him out of the garden of Ěḏen to till the
35
ground from which he was taken, (Genesis 3:8-23)
“And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their
midst. (Exodus 25:8 )
The sages taught that the tabernacle was a miniature Garden of Eden,
totally devoted to the service of Yah. The tabernacle was to be a place
of purity and holiness and anything to do with man’s fallen state was
to be excluded. Those who had become defiled by contracting certain
diseases, having various fluid discharges, association with a corpse,
etc., were required to be immersed in a mikveh…in living water…
before entering. The picture is that of one losing his contamination
from the world of sin, through the living water that flows from the
Garden of Eden, so that he might once more have fellowship with
Elohim.
Later, the heavenly pattern for the Temple to be built in Jerusalem was
given. ‫ יהושע‬ascended into the heavens to prepare a place for us. That
prepared place, after which the Tabernacle and the Temple were
patterned after, will come down from the heavens to a renewed earth.
It will be called the New Jerusalem and it will be a return to Eden. There
36
we will again eat of the Tree of Life and drink of the living water!
And I saw a renewed heaven and a renewed earth, for the former
heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more.
And I, Yoḥanan, saw the set-apart city, renewed Yerushalayim, coming
down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See,
the Booth of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and
they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be
their Elohim. (Revelation 21:1-3 )
And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from
the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and
on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits,
each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations. And no longer shall there be any curse,
and the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His
37
servants shall serve Him. (Revelation 22:1-3)
So, as you can see, we have made the full circle from Eden to Eden.
Maybe what was not so obvious in these verses from Genesis to
Revelation was that the completed circle depended on repentance i.e.,
return to Torah. Impurity that requires an immersion by mikvah
(baptism) primarily involves the soul. All sin, all death and imperfection
is a result of the sin of Adam. To be “born again” represents being
immersed in the living waters of Eden. By the physical, we picture the
spiritual….being born again through the water of the Word, which is
the Spirit of the Messiah:
‫ יהושע‬answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is
born from above, he is unable to see the reign of Elohim.” Naḵdimon
said to Him, “How is a man able to be born when he is old? Is he able
to enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” ‫יהושע‬
answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he is unable to enter into the reign of Elohim. “That which has
been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the
38
Spirit is spirit. (John 3:3-6 )
The immersion by mikveh represents both the womb and the grave. In
an immersion, the individual enters the world of the non-living
(grave/womb) since he ceases to breathe under the water. Then he
emerges from the grave (womb), his soul having been overwhelmed by
the Spirit of Yah:
And having been immersed, ‫ יהושע‬went up immediately from the
water, and see, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of
Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him, (Matthew 3:16 )
His ascending out of the waters represents His resurrection. When we
identify with Him, we also resurrect and leave behind that body of sin.
The level of purity that we have attained enables us to keep the Torah
and enter into the Kingdom of fellowship with Him:
What, then, shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, to let favour
increase? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or
do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Messiah
‫ יהושע‬were immersed into His death? We were therefore buried with
Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from
the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in 39
newness of life. ... (Romans 6:1-6 )
Since these verses say that we are done with sin, let’s make sure we
know what sin is:
Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. (1
John 3:4)
• We are called to immerse ourselves into the Word and allow the
Word to wash us clean.
• We are called to lay down our old thought patterns and ways and
follow new ways.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and wellpleasing and perfect desire of Elohim. (Romans 12:2)
• We are called to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice for life in
‫ יהושע‬as our reasonable worship.
I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim,
to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to
Elohim – your reasonable worship. (Romans 12:1 )
40
And ‫ יהוה‬shall go forth, and He shall fight against those gentiles, as He
fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet shall stand upon the
Mount of Olives, which faces Yerushalayim on the east. And the Mount
of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, a very great valley,
and half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it
toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of My mountain – for
the valley of the mountains reaches to Atsal. And you shall flee as you
fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziyah sovereign of Yehuḏah.
And ‫ יהוה‬my Elohim shall come – all the set-apart ones with You. And in
that day it shall be: there is no light, it is dark. And it shall be one day
which is known to ‫יהוה‬, neither day nor night, but at evening time
there shall be light. And in that day it shall be that living waters flow
from Yerushalayim, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of
them toward the western sea, in summer as well as in winter.
41
(Zechariah 14:3-8)
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's day was in the
area south of what is presently the Dead Sea. The Bible's mention of a
rain of fire and brimstone from heaven on those wicked cities (Genesis
19:24-29) indicates that the Divine judgment came from sudden
volcanic/tectonic activity in a "plain" area which is now the submerged
floor of the Dead Sea. There is evidence that the Age of the Dead Sea
is only about as old as the time of Abraham.
In the days of the Garden of Eden, there was no Dead Sea in that spot,
but a river flowed through the rift zone southwards towards the area
that is presently the Red Sea. In Zecheriah 14:3-8 we see that a day is
coming that the River of Judgement and purification is going flow again
to the whole earth.
42
.. Mosheh undertook to declair this Torah, saying, (Deuteronomy 1:5 )
The Torah does not set an impossible standard by which to live. We
must ask ourselves this important question: would a righteous and just
Creator and a loving Heavenly Father give to his chosen people and
children a set of standards that were humanly impossible to perform,
and then curse them for their inability to meet these standards?
“For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too
hard for you, nor is it far off. “It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall
ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear
it, so that we do it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go
over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that
we do it?’ “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your
heart – to do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 )
Torah reacts according to human action. Those who obey it are blessed
and those who disobey it are cursed. David Stern in his Jewish New
Testament Commentary lists both some of the “negative” and some of
the positive functions of the Torah.
On the “negative” side:
• The Torah “has the capacity to stir up sin in an individual… beneficial
to a believer living by faith, is an instrument of death to those
controlled by their sinful nature” (p. 375).
• “The Torah can still produce guilt feelings in a believer … as his
behaviour falls short of the standard [Elohim] sets in the Torah.
• The Torah also provides a framework of justice by which Elohim, will
judge the actions of men.
• Because of the righteous standards the Torah sets out, for the sinner
it points out the fact that they have sinned and how far they have
fallen short of the glory of ‫( יהוה‬Rom 3:23) and hence their need for
a Saviour or Redeemer.
1. The Torah provides a framework of grace in which one can live
2. The Torah, as understood and applied through the Spirit, thereby
gives life in union with Messiah (Stern, p. 381) who is the Living
Torah, or Word of Elohim incarnate (in human or flesh form).
3. Obeying the Torah brings us eternal rewards (not eternal life, which
is by grace through faith alone, see Eph 2:8) in the world to come
(Matt 5:19).
4. Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship
with ‫יהוה‬-‫ יהושע‬and helps us to abide in ‫( יהושע‬John 14:15; 1 John
2:3–6).
5. Obeying the Torah helps us to stay spiritually pure (1 John 3:3–6).
6. Obeying the Torah (i.e., not sinning, which is the violation the
Torah, see 1 John 3:4) protects us from the influence of the devil
(1 John 3:8).
7. Obeying the Torah-Word of ‫ יהוה‬helps to perfect ‫יהוה‬-‫’ יהושע‬s love
in us (1 John 2:5).
‘‫ יהוה‬your Elohim has increased you, and see, you are today as
numerous as the stars of the heavens. ‘‫ יהוה‬Elohim of your fathers is
going to add to you a thousand times more than you are, and bless you
as He has spoken to you! (Deuteronomy 1:10-11)
You are as the stars of heaven (Gen 22:17).. ‫ יהוה‬has promised He will
bless you and make you a thousand times as many more as ye are..! If
the children of Israel numbered between two and three million, then
when was this prophetic promise of ‫ יהוה‬ever fulfilled in Israel's
history? Where are the two to three billion Israelites (1000 times two
to three million) today?
“Yisra’ĕl has been swallowed up. They have now become among the
nations as a vessel in which is no pleasure. (Hosea 8:8)
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,
(Ephesians 2:19)
‘Choose men, wise and understanding, and known to your tribes, and
let me appoint them as your heads.’ “And you answered me and said,
‘The word which you have spoken to us to do is good.’ (Deuteronomy
1:13-14)
The word understanding (Strong's H995) means "discerning,
perceptive, discreet, intelligent, observant and prudent." The chosen
leaders did not demonstrate that quality when it came to following the
instructions of the Lord and they lead their people into a wilderness
walk. True understanding of spiritual things requires faith and trust in
‫?יהוה‬
For indeed the Good News was brought to us as well as to them, but
the word which they heard did not profit them, not having been mixed
with belief in those who heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)
“And I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘When hearing
between your brothers, judge righteously between a man and his
brother or the stranger who is with him. ‘Do not show partiality in
right-ruling, hear the small as well as the great. Do not be afraid of
anyone’s face, for the right-ruling belongs to Elohim. And the case
which is too hard for you, bring it to me, and I shall hear it.’
(Deuteronomy 1:16-17)
No longer are our laws based upon biblical doctrines, but rather the
errant decisions of judges with non-biblical, libertarian, and humanistic
philosophies. Under the guise of equality for every individual, the
courts have perverted the very justice for which they were established.
Minority groups with perverted morals and special agendas build upon
judicial loopholes and case law precedent (versus biblical foundations)
to give liberty to the guilty and burden the righteous. The voice of
righteousness is being drowned out by the volume of the noise from
special interests who have the money or influence to be heard
Deuteronomy 1:26-28 We may reflect upon the lack of belief of Israel
in not originally possessing the land as they were commanded, but we
must also see the application to our lives. There are many times in our
spiritual walk when we are just at the point of spiritual breakthrough
when we receive an evil report. Instead of believing God and going
forth, our resolve vanishes. If we could just see what the future holds
for us we think that it would be much easier for us to go forward!
‫ יהושע‬said to him, “T’oma, because you have seen Me, you have
believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
(John 20:29)
And the book of Hebrews says, And belief is the substance of what is
expected, the proof of what is not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Thus, walking
in faith is not walking in that which we can see or rationalize, because
faith involves things NOT SEEN. We must be able to hear his voice with
our spirit and resolve to walk in obedience when he tells us, "This is
the way, walk you in it," (Isaiah 30:21).
Deuteronomy 2:1-9 As Israel was opposed by Edom (Esau, Jacob's
brother) as well as Moab and Ammon (Lot's sons), so too are we often
hindered by relatives in our spiritual walk. ‫ יהוה‬instructed Israel how to
relate to them, He told them that as they passed by they should not
make war with their brethren, but rather pay for food, water and not
to damage crops. We should not quarrel (especially over beliefs) and
not indebt ourselves in any way.
In contrast, Israel was instructed to make war with those who were not
relatives and were in the way of ‫'יהוה‬s promised territory. We are also
instructed to do battle and overcome the enemies of our promised
spiritual inheritance. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not fight according to the flesh.
(2 Corinthians 10:3)
Our enemies are those which
am." They include things like:
• The World
• Lust
• Malice
• Guile
• Hypocrisies
• Envies
• Evil speaking
• Impatience
• Pride
• Prejudice
-
we often rationalize "are just the way I
1 John 2:15–17;
2 Peter 2:10;
1 Peter 5:8;
2 Corinthians 11:3
Galatians 2:13
Job 5:2
Proverbs 15:28
James 5:7
1 Titus 3:6
1 Titus 5:21
Deuteronomy 2:31 Although Moses offered Zihon, king of Heshbon,
the same payment consideration as given to Israel's relatives, (Moab
and Esau), he (a non relative) refused. His heart was hardened by ‫יהוה‬
so that his cities and possessions could be delivered into the hands of
the inheritor, Israel.
Have you ever thought that Elohim brings forth the
hindrance/resistance in order that you can receive your promised
inheritance? Resistance can either make us strong or break us
depending upon our faith in ‫'יהוה‬s instructions "to begin to possess"
the land.
As Israel began to possess the land, it was city by city, kingdom by
kingdom. We too must take our spiritual ground piece by piece with
great persistence and perseverance in spiritual warfare. Israel used
physical weapons. We must learn to wield our spiritual weapons: (2
Corinthians 10:4-6)
The sinful activities of men since Isaiah’s time.
1:2 ... they have transgressed against Me.
1:3 An ox knows its owner .. The ox knows its owner. One forgets one’s
spiritual heritage and relationship with their Creator, and becomes, in
a sense, worse than an animal. (See 2 Pet 2:12 and Jude 1:10.)
1:4 .. sinning nation. The word nation is the Hebrew word goy (Strong’s
H1471) meaning “gentile”. This is not the only place in Scripture where
Israel is referred to as gentile.
1:4 They have forsaken ‫יהוה‬
1:5–6 All the head is sick ... no soundness in it – wounds and bruises
and open sores. The state of the political and spiritual leadership?
1:7 Your land ... as overthrown by strangers. A hallmark of a sinful
nation.
1:10 you rulers of Seḏom; give ear to the Torah
1:14 “My being hates your New Moons and your appointed times, they
are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. The Christian church
exchanged ‫’יהוה‬s biblical feasts for man-made celebration.
1:15 Your hands have become filled with blood. Abortion and various
birth control methods.
1:17 reprove the oppressor
1:18 Though your sins are like scarlet. The message of ‫’יהוה‬s grace and
forgiveness
1:19–20 “If you submit and obey … refuse and rebel. Our choice
1:21 How the steadfast city has become a whore! Other gods
1:22 Your silver has become dross [waste, refuse, impurity]. Silver is the
Hebrew word kesef (Strong’s H3701) meaning “money.” Deuteronomy
28:44 states that indebtedness (and by inference, economic inflation)
would be the result of the nation which turns away from ‫’יהוה‬s
righteous biblical standards.
1:23 Your rulers are stubborn. Political leaders and judges do not live
and govern according to principles found in the Word of ‫יהוה‬.
1:24–27 The state of the nation was not hopeless.