Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.
The
introductory verses (vv. 1-5) of Deuteronomy is set out in the form of a
chiastic structure:
A. What-Where: Words of
Moshe; in the Desert (1:1)
B. When: Fortieth year,
first day, eleventh month (1:1-2)
C. Key theme: ALL YHVH
COMMANDED MOSHE (1:3b)
B'. When: After Og and
Sihon were defeated (1:4)
A'. Where-What: East of the Jordan; this Torah (1:5)
“Chapter 1:6-46 also forms a classis chiastic pattern and example in history for Israel's trajectory of failure, fuelled by her incorrigible unbelief and rebellious ways.”
http://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1440&context=asburyjournal
A. go in and possess the land (vv. 6-8) – Jn 3:3-6 &36; Mat 7:21
B. triumphs and
multiplication of Israel (vv. 9-12) Mat 6:33 & Rom 14:17
C. wise leaders chosen
(vv. 13-18)- Eph 4:11-13
D. go up and possess the
land (vv. 19-21a) – Mat 16:19
E. do not fear the peoples
(v. 21b) – Prov 29:25
F. request for spies (vv.
22-24) – I Cor 3:1-15; 2 Tim 4:3,4
G. good report of spies
(v. 25) – – Jer 17:5; Mat 16:24-26
H.“BUT
you would not go up and rebelled against the mouth of יהוה your Elohim –
26-28
G'. evil report of spies
(v. 28)
F'. rejection of the spies
(v. 28)
E'. expressed fear of the
peoples (v. 28) –
D'. land is withheld, and
given to others (vv. 34-40) –
C'. foolish choice by the
leaders (v. 41) –
B'. defeats and decrease
of Israel (vv. 42-44)
A'. do not go in and possess the land (vv. 42, 45, 46)
This chais may sadly be an end time scenario for most of YHVH’s people. Where there will possibly be only a very small remnant that will eventually enter into the millennium rule and reign of Messiah. This small remnant will however become a great multitude - Isa 60:22 “The little shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation1. I, יהוה, shall hasten it in its time.” Footnote: 1See 41:14, Dan. 2:34-44.
Even though Israel did eventually enter the promised land they soon rebelled and were eventually cast out the land again and again.
Moshe’s sad parting words to his beloved people deepen this sad reality:
Deu
31:27 for I myself know your rebellion and your stiff neck. See, while I
am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against יהוה, then how
much more after my death?
Deu
31:28 “Assemble unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers,
so that I speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth
to witness against them.
Deu
31:29 “For I know that after my death you shall do very corruptly and
turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil shall come to you
in the latter days, because you do what is evil in the eyes of יהוה, to
provoke Him through the work of your hands.”
Deu 1:1
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,
The
first two words of the book of Devarim are “these are the words” or in Hebrew
“eleh ha devarim.”
We
assume at some future time when the restored tribes of Israel return to the
land that the same pattern will follow – before
the remnant of Israel can return to the land they too must hear and receive all
the words of Torah as it applies and as it is being fulfilled in the last days.
1Co 10:11
And all these came upon them as examples, and they were written as a
warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come,
1Co 10:12
so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall.
The prophecy from
the haftarah may help us to better understand the context of vs 1.
Jer 30:24 The burning displeasure of יהוה shall not turn back until He has done and established the
purposes of His heart. In the latter days you shall understand it1.
Footnote: 1See 23:20.
Passuk Echad (vs 1) says these
words were spoken to ALL Yisrael – “el kol Yisrael” includes last day remnant.
Rashi and others teach that
the place names in vs 1 and 2 are code words for sins.
“Wilderness” – The Yisraelites continually complained about the wilderness because this
was an uncomfortable place to be. Surely if YHVH saves us from Egypt we should
experience peace and happiness. Today few believers ever seem to accept the
fact that when we are delivered from sin and bondage, we are then challenged to
a life of obedience to YHVH’s Torah. We are not delivered from experiencing
hard times. The Torah is given and best
understood in our wilderness journey of life.
The
desert plain – Jewish commentators say this is where the
Yisraelite men were seduced by the Midianite woman. The Hebrew word for “desert
plain” is “aravah” (ayin,reish,veit) This Hebrew word has several different
meanings and can also mean “mixture.” When there is “mixture” in our covenant
with YHVH there will also be mixture in our covenants with one another. Nowhere
is this more evident than in our marriage relationships. Mixture always brings
defilement. “Mixture” is the trademark of all religion.
“Opposite
the sea of reeds” when the Yisraelites were hemmed in between
the Egyptians and the sea, they complained “were there no graves in Egypt” (Ex
14:11). Maybe this tells us that it’s better to die in the desert embracing
Torah that to die in Egypt embracing pagan mixture. It’s better to be a “water walker” and almost drown, than to be a
“dry boat sitter” and not respond to the call of the Master – Matt 14:22-33.
“Paran” – this
was where the 10 spies were sent from. According to the sages this was in the
ninth of Av – a day in Yisraels history where both temples were destroyed, and
many other tragedies occurred in Jewish history. “Paran” reminds us that
ongoing disobedience can have devasting consequences. The sin of the 10 spies
was likely the last sin that “broke the camel’s back” – that caused YHVH to act
with extreme harshness to their ongoing rebellion and disobedience. We all have
an appointment with destiny – if we miss it, we may never get a second chance.
The
continual rejection and disobedience to Torah can have sudden catastrophic
consequences.
“Tophel and Laban” Rashi quotes R Yochanan – “We have reviewed all of scripture but have
not found any place named “Tophel or Laban” both words refer to complaints
about the manna (Num 10:12;11:6) Tophel can be rendered “calumny” and “Laban”
white, these refer to the nature and colour of the manna.
Manna has deep symbolic ties
to the Torah and to Yahshua – believers in YHVH have a very sad history of
misrepresenting and displaying contempt and deep lack of appreciation for
YHVH’s provision for mankinds redemption – The Torah and the Messiah. Once
again you can “miss it” and not even know it.
“Chatzeroth”
The sages quote Num 12:1-16 as the place where
Miriam and Korach rebelled against Moshe and as a result of Korach’s rebellion
resulted in many Yisraelites that also rebelling against YHVH. History clearly
portrays a long list of Korach’s and Miriam’s followers. When the messenger of Torah is rejected so is the instruction of Torah
rejected and the result is that many will be led astray.
“Di
Zahav” means an abundance of gold. YHVH blessed Yisrael
with an abundance of gold and they used it to make a golden calf and worship
it. YHVH wanted the gold to be used for the tabernacle, to worship the only
YHVH of Yisrael and to bring blessing to all nations. Yisrael used the gold for
a false religion. Wealth can either cause Torah to be established or Torah to
be rejected.
Deu
1:2 eleven days’ journey from Ḥorĕḇ by way of Mount Sĕʽir to Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa.
All of Yisraels sins
can be linked to disobedience of YHVH’s Torah.
1Jn 3:4
Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
The journey from Egypt
to the promised land was only an 11 day journey, yet it took the Yisraelites 40
years.
Deu
1:3 And it came to be in the fortieth
year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Mosheh spoke
to the children of Yisra’ĕl according to all that יהוה had commanded
him concerning them,
Deu 1:4 after he had smitten Siḥon
sovereign of the Amorites, who dwelt in Ḥeshbon,
and Oḡ sovereign of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Eḏreʽi.
These were the then “Middle East Giants” and this was an
extremely important victory which enabled Yisrael to cross over the Yarden.
Will this happen again someday in the future?
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/gigantes/GiantsMidEast13.html
Deu 1:5 Beyond the Yardĕn, in the land of Mo’aḇ,
Mosheh undertook to declare this Torah, saying,
The sages believe that five weeks later on the 7th
Adar Moshe died. This means that the whole book of Devarim took about five
weeks to complete.
Deu 1:6 “יהוה our Elohim
spoke to us in Ḥorĕḇ, saying, ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.
Deu 1:7 ‘Turn and set out on your way, and go into
the mountains of the Amorites, and to all the neighbouring places in the desert
plain, in the mountains and in the low country, and in the Negeḇ and
on the seacoast, to the land of the Kenaʽanites
and to Leḇanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.
Deu 1:8 ‘See, I have set the land before you. Go in
and possess the land which יהוה swore to your
fathers, to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq,
and to Yaʽaqoḇ, to give to them and their seed after them.’
Deu 1:9 “And I spoke to you at that time, saying, ‘I
am unable to bear you by myself.
Deu 1:10 ‘יהוה your Elohim
has increased you, and see, you are today as numerous as the stars of the
heavens.
Deu 1:11 ‘יהוה Elohim 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!
Deu 1:12 ‘How do I
bear your pressure and your burden and your strife, by myself?
Moshe
uses similar words in his final address to Yisrael:
Deu
33:1 And this is the blessing with which Mosheh the man of Elohim blessed
the children of Yisra’ěl before his death.
Deu
33:2 And he said, “יהוה came from Sinai, and rose from Sě‛ir for them. He shone forth
from Mount Paran, and came with ten thousands of set-apart ones – at His right
hand a law of fire for them.
Deu
33:3 Indeed, He loves the peoples, all His set-apart ones are in Your
hand. And they, they sat down at Your feet, receiving Your Words.
Deu
33:4 Mosheh commanded us a Torah, an inheritance of the assembly of
Ya‛aqoḇ.
Heb 13:17 Obey those leading you, and be subject to
them, for they watch for your lives, as having to give
account. Let them do so with joy and not groaning, for that would be of no
advantage to you.
Deu 1:13 ‘Choose men, wise and understanding, and
known to your tribes, and let me appoint them as your heads.’
Deu 1:14 “And you answered me and said, ‘The word
which you have spoken to us to do is good.’
Deu 1:15 “And I took the heads of your tribes, wise
men and known, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, and leaders
of hundreds, and leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens, and officers for your
tribes.
Deu 1:16 “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.
Deu 1:17 ‘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.’
Even the choice men of these leaders led Yisrael astray.
Deu 1:18 “And I commanded you at that time all the
words which you should do.
Deu 1:19 “Then we set out from Ḥorĕḇ, and
went through all that great and awesome wilderness which you saw on the way to
the mountains of the Amorites, as יהוה our Elohim had
commanded us. And we came to Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa.
Deu 1:20 “And I said to you, ‘You have come to the
mountains of the Amorites, which יהוה our Elohim is
giving us.
Deu 1:21 ‘See, יהוה your Elohim
has set the land before you. Go up and possess it, as יהוה Elohim of your fathers has spoken to you.
Do not fear, nor be discouraged.’
Deu 1:22 “And all
of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them
search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we
should go up, and of the cities into which we would come.’
Deu 1:23 “And the matter was good in my eyes, so I
took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe.
Deu 1:24 “And they turned and went up into the
mountains, and came to the wadi Eshkol, and spied it out.
Deu 1:25 “And they took some of the fruit of the land
in their hands and brought it down to us. And they brought back word to us,
saying, ‘The land which יהוה our Elohim is
giving us is good.’
Deu 1:26 “But you
would not go up and rebelled against the mouth Elohim, of יהוה your
Deu 1:27 and grumbled in your tents, and said,
‘Because יהוה was hating us, He has brought us out of
the land of Mitsrayim to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
Deu 1:28 ‘Where are we going to? Our brothers have
made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we, the
cities are great and walled up to the heavens, and we saw the sons of the
Anaqim there too.” ’
Deu 1:29 “Then I said to you, ‘Have no dread or fear
of them.
Deu 1:30 ‘יהוה your Elohim,
who is going before you, He does fight for you, according to all He did for you
in Mitsrayim before your eyes,
Deu 1:31 and in the wilderness, where you saw how יהוה your Elohim has borne you, as a man bears
his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’
Deu 1:32 “Yet in this matter you are putting no trust
in יהוה your Elohim,
Deu 1:33 who is going before you in the way to seek
out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in
fire by night and in a cloud by day.
Deu 1:34 “And יהוה heard the
voice of your words, and was wroth, and took an oath, saying,
Deu 1:35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation
shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,
Deu 1:36 except Kalĕḇ son
of Yephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and his children I give the land on
which he walked, because he followed יהוה completely.’
Deu 1:37 “And יהוה was enraged
with me for your sakes, saying, ‘You do not go in there, either.
Deu 1:38 ‘Yehoshua the son of Nun, who stands before
you, he shall go in there. Strengthen him, for he shall cause Yisra’ĕl to
inherit.
Deu 1:39 ‘And your little ones and your children, who
you say are for a prey, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they are
going in there. And to them I give it, and they are to possess it.
Deu 1:40 ‘But you, turn and take your journey into the
wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.’
Deu 1:41 “Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have
sinned against יהוה. We ourselves
are going up, and we shall fight, as יהוה our Elohim
commanded us.’ And when each one of you had girded on his battle gear, you were
ready to go up into the mountain.
Deu 1:42 “And יהוה said to me,
‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not in your midst, lest you be
smitten before your enemies.” ’
Deu 1:43 “So I spoke to you, but you would not listen
and rebelled against the mouth of יהוה, and acted
proudly, and went up into the mountain.
Deu 1:44 “Then the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain
came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Sĕʽir to
Ḥormah.
Deu 1:45 “And you returned and wept before יהוה, but יהוה would not
listen to your voice nor give ear to you.
Deu 1:46 “So you dwelt in Qaḏĕsh
many days, according to the days that you dwelt.
Jer 3:11 And יהוה said to
me, “Backsliding Yisra’ěl has shown herself more righteous than treacherous
Yehuḏah.
Jer 3:12 “Go and
proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, O backsliding
Yisra’ěl,’ declares יהוה, ‘I shall not look on you in displeasure,
for I am lovingly-committed,’ declares יהוה, ’and I
do not bear a grudge forever.
Jer 3:13 Only, acknowledge
your crookedness, because you have transgressed against יהוה your
Elohim, and have scattered your ways to strangers under every green tree, and
you have not obeyed My voice,’ declares יהוה.
Jer 3:14 “Return, O
backsliding children,” declares יהוה, “for I shall rule over you, and shall
take you, one from a city and two from a clan,a and shall bring you to Tsiyon.
Footnote: aSee Isa_27:12.
Jer 3:15 “And I shall
give you shepherds according to My heart, and they shall feed you with
knowledge and understanding.
Jer 3:16 “And it shall
be, when you have increased, and shall be fruitful in the land in those days,”
declares יהוה, “that
they no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of יהוה.’
Neither would it come to heart, nor would they remember it, nor would they
visit it, nor would it be made again.
Jer 3:17 “At that time
Yerushalayim shall be called the throne of יהוה, and all
the nations shall be gathered to it, to the Name of יהוה, to
Yerushalayim, and no longer walk after the stubbornness of their evil
heart.
Jer 3:18 “In those days
the house of Yehuḏah shall go to the house of Yisra’ěl, and they shall come
together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an
inheritance to your fathers.
Jer 3:19 “But I said,
‘How would I put you among the children and give you a pleasant land, a
splendid inheritance of the hosts of nations?’ “And I said, ‘Call Me, “My
Father,” and do not turn away from Me.’
Isa 27:12 And in that
day it shall be that יהוה threshes, from the channel of the River to
the wadi of Mitsrayim. And you shall be gathered one by one,a O children of
Yisra’ěl. Footnote: a Jer_3:14-15.
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