Baruch atah, YHVH Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
Blessed are You,
YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His
commandments and commanded us to engross ourselves in the words of the Torah.
Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah – Amein.
שׁפטים ושׁטרים
Deu
16:18 “Appoint (תתן־לך) 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.
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, צדק צדק so that you live and inherit the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you. (no
Robin Hoods)
The
pursuit of righteousness must always follow the path He has prescribed, and
none other.
In modern
Hebrew a magistrate is called a “shofet shalom” (justice of the peace) and a
policeman is called a “shoter’’
“Even in
the millennial kingdom of YHVH people will need guidance and correction and not
always do what you expect but what you inspect.” Why? His people will always have the
responsibility to choose between right and wrong – always always always.
Forbidden Forms of Worship
Deu
16:21 “Do not plant for yourself any tree as an Ashěrah near the
slaughter-place of יהוה your
Elohim that you make for yourself.
Deu
16:22 “And do not set up a pillar, which יהוה your
Elohim hates.
‘’To plant an Asherah tree/pole beside the altar
of YHVH meant that pagan worship was going to be combined with the
worship of YHVH. This was tantamount to associating pagan fertility symbols
with the worship of the one true Elohim. This was strictly prohibited, and if
the priests failed to prevent this type of syncretism (mixing of religions),
the judges and officials were tasked to enforce the law. Paganism often
promoted through religious rituals and philosophies sought to establish an
accompanying spiritual and moral authority to ‘’assist’’ YHVH – it often served
as an alternative way of obtaining power, pleasure and prosperity in violation of
YHVH’s instructions – often at the expense of others.
By setting this provision in this location, Moses seems
to underscore the fundamental incompatibility between paganism and YHVH's
governing system. This is likely because of the underlying goal of each system.
Paganism fundamentally revolves around each person seeking to have their
appetites and desires fulfilled at the expense of another. The deities' purpose
is to provide a moral authority for human manipulation and exploitation. For
example, the extreme sexual exploitation listed in Leviticus 18 was,
in many cases, an integral part of pagan worship.’’
Some
rabbis believe corrupt judges and police can be compared to ‘’Asherah or
phallic” symbols.
This is
a rather interesting association and deserves further consideration.
If one
considers the history and evolution of religion and politics – there can be no
doubt as to how corruption and evil have infiltrated and even dominated these
two domains. The resultant destruction and defilement are clearly evident in
societies and communities all over the world – promoted by secret societies and
patronage networks.
To gain
a deeper understanding to the context and application of this Torah portion we
will quote an edited description by a Christian theologian of what life will be
like during the millennium:
‘’During the Millennium, the glorified saints, with immortal bodies
(1 Corinthians 15:53), will rule and reign over the nations with an iron scepter
(Revelation 2:26,27), along with Jesus (Yeh (Psalm 2:9), after they return with
Him from heaven back to earth. (rapture)
Just prior to the onset of the Millennium, during
God's day of vengeance, there will be a considerable reduction of
the world's population, mainly due to the terrible Judgments found in the book
of Revelation. But people who
enter the Millennium will reproduce just as people do now.
Without the wars and continual deaths of people that take place now, the
population of the earth will increase rapidly and substantially.
Many believe that there will be no sin during the
Millennium. I completely disagree. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and
death will be the final enemy to be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). Not
until the end of the Millennium will death be eliminated
(Revelation 20:14).
During the Millennium, all rebellion and evil will be
exposed and punished by Jesus and the glorified saints. Therefore, at that
time, there will be much less motivation to sin—and, as a result, much less
death—than there is in the world now.
Generally, the world will be a utopia. People all over
the earth will go to the millennial Temple and Holy Mountain in Jerusalem to worship Jesus, and His Law will go out
from Jerusalem throughout the whole world (Isaiah 2:2,3). All who
acknowledge and embrace the rule of Jesus on His throne as King over the earth
(Jeremiah 3:17; Zechariah 14:9), and who accept and obey His commandments, will
be greatly blessed and prosperous. They will get along with each other just as
the animals will (Isaiah 11:6-9). Throughout the earth, there will be great
love for Jesus and for His wonderful compassion and benevolence.
Not everyone will love Him, though. Many will continue to
have prideful hearts and will hate the Law and Word of the Lord that will go
out from Zion/Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3). It is people like these who will be
deceived by Satan when he is released at the end of the Millennium; they will
engage in a great rebellion but will be destroyed with fire from heaven
(Revelation 20:7-9).’’ End quote.
NOTE: I personally do not agree with all that is stated
in this article - but I think it is noteworthy that Christians display some
amazing insight into last days events.
https://www.tedmontgomery.com/bblovrvw/emails/Millennium2.html
So, where did things start going wrong?
To
better understand where human beings went wrong and lost their way in this
world – we need to go back to the beginning of time.
Gen
3:15 “And I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed
and her Seed.
Note
YHVH states the Eve’s seed and not Adam’s seed – scholars believe this is a
clear indication of the virgin birth of Messiah. (not Adams seed, but Eve’s
seed)
The same
verse then also implies that Satan would also have ‘’seed’’ or offspring that
will clash and even try to destroy Eve’s offspring. See Gen 6:1-8
A more
important question would be – why did things go wrong?
Adam
and Eve were given a choice to either be in a covenant with Life or a covenant
with death.
This
covenant with death persists to this day and is clearly evident in the world
around us.
Adam
and Eve did not have to enter into a covenant of death – but they did – and so
did we.
Even
after mans tragic fall YHVH still offers man a way back into His presence.
Mat
7:13 “Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and
the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in
through it.
Mat
7:14 “Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed[a] which
leads to life, and there are few who find it. Footnote: aOr the way is
afflicted.
Why? –
see the teaching of this Torah portion.
You
cannot mix truth with lies and at some time
you will have to come out of religion.
Rev
18:4 And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, "Come out of
her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her
plagues.[a\ Footnote: a Jer_51:6, Jer_51:9, Jer_51:45.
Also see Jer_50:8, Jer_50:13, Jer_50:28.
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. (give YHVH only your best)
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 have searched diligently. Then see, if true: the matter is
confirmed that such an abomination has been done in Yisra’ěl,
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.
Legal Decisions by
Priests and Judges
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
Lěwites, 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’ěl.
Deu 17:13 “And let all the people hear and fear,
and no longer do arrogantly.
Laws Concerning
Israel's Kings
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
nations 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.
When
YHVH’s leaders fail to obey His instructions evil prevails over His people and
over His Land.
Jos
11:22 There were none of the giants left in the land of the sons of
Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod there remained some.
‘’The territorial spirit has never been deposed in that
area.” In other words, while much of the ancient world was cleansed of these
beings, Gaza stayed under the influence of what he calls a
“demonic Nephilim spirit.”
This helps explain why forces have been at war with
Israel since the nation’s reestablishment in 1948.’’ End quite (Even Yoshua/Joshua
failed to obey YHVH)
We need a scriptural world view to escape the insanity and devastation
that is about to come upon all mankind in these last days. We also need to
understand and repent of our involvement in this coming destruction – no one is
innocent. Where did it all go wrong?
An evil and perverse spirit accompanied by man’s desire to determine his
own destiny in life is at the core of mankind’s downfall. HaSatan successfully
convinced man that he could live a blessed life on earth without being in a
dedicated covenant with YHVH alone. In fact, man has always been encouraged to
seek ‘’additional’’ sources of blessings, pleasure and prosperity outside of a
single devoted covenant with YHVH. Human religion and alignment with false
teachers and evil spirits have always provided a rich supply of such
opportunities – which all of mankind have eagerly and enthusiastically embraced
– you and I included.
Jer 2:4 Hear the word of יהוה, O house of Ya‛aqoḇ and all the clans of the
house of Yisra’ěl.
Jer 2:5 Thus said יהוה, “What
unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
Jer 2:13 “For My people have done two evils: they
have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,[c] to hew out for themselves
cisterns, cracked cisterns, which do not hold water. Footnote: cSee Jer_17:13.
Jer 5:30 “An astounding and horrible matter has
come to be in the land:
Jer 5:31 The prophets have prophesied falsely, and
the priests rule by their own hand, and My people have loved it so. And what
are you going to do at the end of it?
שׁפטים ושׁטרים
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.
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, צדק צדק so that you live and
inherit the land which יהוה your
Elohim is giving you.
Blessed are you
YHVH, 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 – Amein.