Bar’chu et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH
ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch ata YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher
bachar banu m
’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu eht Torah-to.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Bless
YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the blessed One for all eternity.
Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us
from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you,
YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Second saying of Yahshua in the good news according to
Thomas – Yahshua said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they
find. and will rule over all."2When they find, they will be
disturbed. 3When they are disturbed, they will marvel….
When unity based on truth prevails in the Hebrew
community, YHVH will command a blessing… Psa 133:1 See how good and how pleasant
it is for brothers to dwell together in unity –
Psa 133:2 Like the precious oil on the head,
Running down on the beard, The beard of Aharon, Running down on the collar of
his robes –
Psa 133:3 Like the dew of Ḥermon, That comes down
on the mountains of Tsiyon. For there יהוה commanded the blessing, Life
forever!
Triennial Torah Portion
begins -
Deu 16:13 “Perform the
Festival of Sukkot[d] for seven days after the ingathering from your
threshing-floor and from your winepress, Footnote: [d]Booths.
Deu 16:14 and you shall
rejoice in your festival, you and your son and your daughter, and your male
servant and your female servant, and the Lěwite, and the stranger and the
fatherless and the widow who are within your gates.
Deu 16:15 “For seven
days you shall celebrate to יהוה your Elohim in the place which יהוה chooses,
because יהוה your Elohim does bless you in all your increase and in all the
work of your hands, and you shall be only rejoicing!
Deu 16:16 “Three times a
year all your males appear before יהוה
your Elohim in the place which He
chooses (Yerushalayim): at the Festival
of Matzot,[e] and at the Festival of
Shavuot,[c] and at the Festival of
Sukkot[d]. And none should appear before יהוה empty-handed, Footnotes:
cWeeks. dBooths. eUnleavened Bread.
Deu 16:17 but each one
with the gift of his hand, according to the blessing of יהוה your Elohim which
He has given you.
Parashat 48 –
“Shoftim
Deu 16:18 “Appoint
judges and officers within all your gates, which יהוה your Elohim is
giving you, according to your tribes. And they shall judge the people with
righteous right-ruling.
יח שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, תִּתֶּן-לְךָ
בְּכָל-שְׁעָרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ, לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ; וְשָׁפְטוּ
אֶת-הָעָם, מִשְׁפַּט-צֶדֶק.
In
modern Hebrew a magistrate is called a “shofet shalom” and a policeman is
called a “shoter.” We can therefore understand the first phrase of this Torah
portion as “appoint magistrates and policemen”
“Even
in the kingdom of YHVH people will need guidance and correction and not always
do what you expect but what you inspect.” (we need to be cautious of modern day
self -appointed-“Torah sheriffs”)
This
Torah portion-“Shoftim” or Judges- points us clearly to a time when YHVH will
once again appoint “shoftim and shotrim” – “Appoint judges and officers
within all your gates” to guide the lives of His Covenant people. In the “olam
ha ba” – the age to come – when no one will be permitted to do what is right in
their own eyes.
Even in this age – “olam ha ze” there is a growing remnant – His Bride
- that have a passion to walk as our Messiah walked and do what is right in the
Eyes of YHVH by observing and walking according to His Covenant – The Torah.
Many believers today are preparing for “heaven” – the Torah teaches us
to prepare for the coming Messianic rule on earth, where the citizens of the
Kingdom will be living and following the practical instruction of the Torah day
by day for 1000 years. (Is 2:2-4)
Judges and policemen (shotrim) will be appointed and anointed by the
Ruach Ha Kodesh to ensure that all the citizens of Yisrael are assisted to
abide fully within their covenant obligations towards YHVH and one another.
These men will operate in the gifts of the Ruach Ha Kodesh, with much wisdom and authority.
The nation of Yisrael will be
a “Ruach of YHVH”-led -and-functioning-community. It was always meant to be
this way. During the millennium the Judges and officers will ensure that all of
Yisrael function this way. Carnal self -seeking behavior contrary to Torah will
be corrected and not tolerated.
Deu 16:19 “Do not
distort right-ruling. Do not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe
blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
Deu 16:20 “Follow
righteousness, righteousness alone, so that you live and inherit the
land which יהוה your Elohim is
giving you.
Pursue righteousness for the sake of righteousness a
righteousness that primarily seeks to please our Heavenly Father.
Deu 16:21 “Do not
plant for yourself any tree as an Ashĕrah near the altar of יהוה your Elohim that you make for yourself.
Deu 16:22 “And do
not set up a pillar, which יהוה your Elohim
hates.
There is often a naivety regarding so called “innocent’’
symbols meant to guide and bring good fortune to man.
These
include “pillars” or phallic symbols which are associated with the worship of
the “queen of heaven” – modern day examples include church towers, obelisks set
up over graves and monuments. This is also often the evidence of the presence
of Free Masonry.
Deu 17:1 “Do not slaughter to יהוה your Elohim a
bull or sheep which has any blemish, any evil matter, for that is an
abomination to יהוה your Elohim.
Deu 17:2 “When
there is found in your midst, in any of your cities which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, a man or a
woman who does what is evil in the eyes of יהוה your Elohim,
in transgressing His covenant,
Deu 17:3 and has
gone and served other mighty ones and bowed down to them, or to the sun or to
the moon or to any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded,
Deu 17:4 and it
has been made known to you and you have heard, and has searched diligently.
Then see, if true: the matter is confirmed that such an abomination has been
done in Yisra’ĕl,
Deu 17:5 then you
shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil matter,
and you shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.
Deu 17:6 “At the
mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is to die be put to death. He is
not put to death by the mouth of one witness.
Deu 17:7 “The hand
of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and the hand
of all the people last. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Deu 17:8 “When any
matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between blood and blood,
between plea and plea, or between stroke and stroke – matters of strife within
your gates – then you shall rise and go up to the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses,
Deu 17:9 and shall
come to the priests, the Lĕwites, and to the judge who is in those days, and
shall inquire. And they shall declare to you the word of right-ruling,
Deu 17:10 and you
shall do according to the word which they declare to you from that place which יהוה chooses. And you shall guard to do
according to all that they instruct you.
Deu 17:11 “Do
according to the Torah in which they teach you, according to the right-ruling
which they say to you. You do not turn to the right or to the left from the
word which they declare to you.
Deu 17:12 “And the
man who acts arrogantly, so as not to listen to the priest who stands to serve
there before יהוה your Elohim,
or to the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Yisra’ĕl.
Deu 17:13 “And let
all the people hear and fear, and no longer do arrogantly.
Deu 17:14 “When
you come to the land which יהוה your Elohim is
giving you, and shall possess it and shall dwell in it, and you shall say, ‘Let
me set a sovereign over me like all the gentiles that are around me,’
Deu 17:15 you
shall certainly set a sovereign over you whom יהוה your Elohim
shall choose. Set a sovereign over you from among your brothers, you are not
allowed to set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
Deu 17:16 “Only,
he is not to increase horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to
Mitsrayim to increase horses,
for יהוה has said to
you, ‘Do not return that way again.’
Deu 17:17 “And he
is not to increase wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor is he to
greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
Deu 17:18 “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.
Deu 17:19 “And it
shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he
learns to fear יהוה his Elohim and
guard all the Words of this Torah and these laws, to do them,
Deu 17:20 so that
his heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and so as not to turn aside from
the command, right or left, so that he prolongs his days in his reign, he and
his children, in the midst of Yisra’ĕl.
According to the scripture it
appears that King David will rule over Israel again. This implies that David
will not have too many wives – according to the sages a king was allowed only
18 wives – it also implies that David will protect and uphold ALL of Torah
under the submission of Messiah King – Yahshua.
Jer 30:9 And they shall serve יהוה their
Elohim and Dawiḏ their sovereign, whom I raise up for them.
Hos 3:5 Afterward the children of Yisra’ěl
shall return, and seek יהוה their Elohim, and Dawiḏ their sovereign,
and fear יהוה and His
goodness, in the latter days.
Eze 37:23 “And they shall no longer defile
themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with
any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling
places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be
My people, and I be their Elohim,
Eze 37:24 while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one
shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do
them. (After
his resurrection Messiah is not referred to as a servant)
Eze 37:25 “And they shall dwell in the land
that I have given to Ya‛aqoḇ My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they
shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children,
forever, and My servant Dawiḏ be their prince forever.
Eze 37:26 “And I shall make a covenant of
peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place
them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst,
forever.
How do we come against the spirit of Asherah in our days?
I believe too much attention
has been given to the manifestations of this spirit – for example: all forms of
sexual perversion and seeking joy and meaning for life outside of YHVH’s
Covenant and His instructions given in the Torah. Man seems to be on the same spiritual
path of self- destruction as his first parents, choosing the Tree of the
knowledge of good and evil rather than the Tree of life. It is evident that
after almost 6000 years of redemptive history, man has shown themselves unable
to walk and live as we were intended to.
What is the alternative?
Obviously to walk and live as Yahshua. Speaking of Yahshua David says:
Psa 45:6 Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever; The sceptre of
Your reign Is a sceptre of straightness.
Psa 45:7 You have loved righteousness and hated wrongness;[a]
Therefore Elohim, Your Elohim, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more
than Your companions. Footnote: [a]Quoted in Heb_1:8-9 where the Greek
text has lawlessness instead of wrongness.
See Deut 16:21 – Asherah
Strongs 842 – this word comes from the word ‘’asher” Strongs 833 which is also
the name of one of Yakov and Zilpha’s
sons – ‘’Asher”’ Strongs 836 and means to ‘’be happy or glad”
Deu 33:24 And of Ashěr he said, “Ashěr is
most blessed of sons. Let him be accepted by his brothers, and dip his foot in
oil.
The anointing of the Ruach Ha
Kodesh brings joy (‘’asher’’ or ‘’contentment awaits’’).
The spirit of the evil one
brings a counterfeit joy (Asherah)
Favourable anticipation awaits (asherei) those who are poor of spirit;
those that mourn as a result of the revelation of their condition; which brings
about a meek (not weak) spirit. Favourable anticipation awaits those who hunger
and thirst after righteous truth. Contentment awaits the compassionate; clean
in heart; the peacemakers and those who are persecuted.
Mat 5:2 ויפתח את־פיו ויורם ויאמר׃
Mat 5:3 אשרי עניי הרוח כי להם מלכות השמים׃
Mat 5:4 אשרי האבלים כי־הם ינחמו׃
Mat 5:5 אשרי הענוים כי־המה יירשו ארץ׃
Mat 5:6 אשרי הרעבים והצמאים לצדקה כי־הם ישבעו׃
Mat 5:7 אשרי הרחמנים כי־הם ירחמו׃
Mat 5:8 אשרי ברי לבב כי־הם יחזו את־האלהים׃
Mat 5:9 אשרי רדפי שלום כי־בני אלהים יקרא להם׃
Mat 5:10 אשרי הנרדפים בגלל הצדקה כי להם מלכות השמים׃
Note the use the word ‘’asher’’
or joy and not blessed or “baruch”’at the beginning of each verse. Note also
the plural use of the word ‘’asher’’ – ‘’ashrei’’ referring to a Torah
observant messianic community – see vs 17-19.
This foundational sermon forms
the very corner stone of all the teaching of the Torah and of the Kingdom of
YHVH. YHVH’s ‘’asherei’’ is the antidote to the world’s ‘’asherah’’.
Five Major Discourses or Sermons in Matthew correspond to
the five books of Torah.
1. The Sermon on the Mount (5:1‑7:28) – Beresheet/ Gen –
Foundation of our redemptive history
2. The Missionary Discourse (10:1‑42)-Mat 10:2 ואלה שמות The same two words are used in the
opening chapter of Exodus – ve ele shemot – “these are the names”
3. The Parable Discourse (13:1‑53) – Parables of the Kingdom
of YHVH.
This sermon compares to the third book of the Torah
– Vayikra – “and he called” – a Kingdom of Priests.
4. The Community Discourse (17:22‑18:35) – Book of
Bmidbar/Numbers – our pilgrimage – life in the wilderness.
5. The Apocalyptic Discourse (24:1‑25:46) – Devarim the
goal of our redemptive history – return to the land and the perfecting of the
covenant.
There remains a priestly voice calling Yisrael out of the
pattern of this world (Asherah) to the good pleasing and perfect will of YHVH.
The foundation has been laid, we are called to build upon this foundation.
1Co
3:11 For no one is able to lay any other foundation except that which is
laid, which is יהושע
Messiah.
1Co
3:12 And if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, straw,
1Co
3:13 each one’s work shall be revealed, for the day shall show it up,
because it is revealed by fire. And the fire shall prove the work of each one,
what sort it is.
1Co
3:14 If anyone’s work remains, which he has built on, he shall receive a
reward.
1Co
3:15 If anyone’s work is burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself
shall be saved, but so as through fire.
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu,
Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu.
Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the
Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting
life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn