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 – Ameyn
והיה
כי־תבוא –
‘’it will come to be when you enter…’’
This Torah
portion clearly addresses the issues and conditions that YHVH requires from His
people Israel before they can enter the land of Israel after their 40-year
wilderness journey. The same issues and conditions will be required from an end-time
generation – both Jew and Gentile for them to enter into the land of Israel and
the millennial reign of Messiah.
Offerings
of Firstfruits and Tithes
Deu 26:1 “And it shall be, when you come
into the land which יהוה
your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in
it,
Deu 26:2 that you shall take some of the first of all the fruits of the soil which you bring from your land that יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and shall put it in a basket and go to the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell there.
This Torah portion has a prophetic end time message. In Rev
14:4 – we read about the 144000 witnesses undefiled by human
religion ‘’being the first
fruits to Elohim and to the Lamb’’ –they prepare the redeemed of Israel to
secure their inheritance as they, the ‘’restored tribes of Israel enter into
the land of Israel to meet their Messiah and rule with Him during the millennium.
This prophetic pattern appears in Parashat ‘’Mattot’’ (Num 31) appointing of 12000 armed men to take vengeance on the Midianites.
Rom
11:16 Now if the first-fruit is set-apart, (the nation of Israel) the
lump is also. And if the root is set-apart, so are the branches.
The principle, as stated in Romans 11:16, is that if a first portion of dough (the "first fruits") is set apart, (and chosen only by YHVH – Jn 4:22) then the entire batch is set apart. Similarly, if the root of a tree (representing lineage) is set apart, then all the branches are set apart. This concept is used as an analogy to illustrate the connection between the Jewish people (the "root") and the Gentiles (the "branches") in YHVH's plan for salvation.
First
fruits represented a very small portion of the harvest - Isa 1:9 Unless יהוה of hosts had left to us a small remnant,
we would have become like Seḏom, we would have been made like Amorah. שׂריד כמעט
Strongs 8277 ‘’sarad’’ means to puncture - figuratively
through the idea of slipping out- to escape or survive --
remain.
In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Yahshua is referred to as the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep". This signifies that Yahshua' resurrection was the beginning of a larger resurrection that will come upon all (exception of the rapture) who have died in faith. It also points to the Torah practice of offering the first fruits of the harvest to YHVH’’, symbolizing the entire harvest to come.
The Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Land of Israel during the spring, specifically around the 10th of the Hebrew month of Nisan. This corresponds to the Passover season and the beginning of the harvest in the region. Joshua 3-4 describes the crossing, as having occurred on the first day of Passover.
Deu 26:3 “And you shall come to the one who is
priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I shall declare today to יהוה your Elohim that I
have come to the land which יהוה
swore to our fathers to give us.’
Deu 26:4 “And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and place it before the slaughter-place of יהוה your Elohim.
At the very outset I believe this Torah portion is posing
some very important questions to all believers, both Jew and Gentile:
A)
Doesn’t the ‘’rapture’’ (we believe the lifting
up in the clouds will take place at the end of the great tribulation) cancel
out these requirements?
B)
Do we really need to exactly follow all these
instructions before we can enter the promised land? Hasn’t Yahshua done away
with all these requirements?
After all, don’t we just need ‘’grace’’ for this future event, or maybe this portion is really about examining us to determine to if we desire to be obedient to YHVH in all matters – Mat 5:17-19
Deu 26:5 “And you shall answer and say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘My father was a perishing (homeless or lost) -Aramean, (Abraham) and he went down to Mitsrayim and sojourned there with few men. And there he became a nation, great, mighty, and numerous.
From the outset you are to declare your humble, yet
profound origins. If you think you are very smart or are racially superior to
other races – you are most probably disqualified to enter the promised land.
This would not be a good time to boast about your achievements or why you believe you are deserving to enter the Promised Land.
As usual YHVH is giving us detailed and specific instructions to follow.
Deu 26:6 But the Mitsrites (or religious world system) did evil to us,
and afflicted us, and imposed hard labour on us.
Deu 26:7 Then we cried out to יהוה Elohim of our fathers, and יהוה heard our voice and
saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression.
Deu 26:8 And יהוה brought us out of Mitsrayim with a strong
hand and with an outstretched arm, with great fear and with signs and
wonders.
Deu 26:9 And He brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
We acknowledge our challenges without complaining about the difficult, yet miraculous journey we have followed to come into our inheritance. We will recognize that all the difficulties have worked for our good – there will be an overwhelming attitude of gratitude - Rom 8:28 And we know that all matters work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Deu 26:10 And now, see, I have brought the
first-fruits of the land which You, O יהוה, have given me.’ Then you shall place it
before יהוה
your Elohim, and bow down before יהוה
your Elohim,
Deu 26:11 and shall rejoice in all the good which יהוה your Elohim has given to you and your house, you and the Lěwite and the stranger who is among you.
Now you place the portion of the increase before YHVH for your house and for the Levite and the stranger who is with you. It appears that Levites and strangers were exempt from this ritual but would benefit and enjoy the fruit of your offering to YHVH.
This pattern of ‘’first fruits’’ was not only an entry requirement for Israelites to enter into their inheritance – it would remain an integral part of Israelite life to maintain their inheritance in Israel. Ex 23: 16 &19 was a forever commandment for the offering of first fruits.
Deu 26:12 “When you have completed tithing all the
tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, and
have given it to the Lěwite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the
widow, and they have eaten within your gates and have been satisfied,
Deu 26:13 then you shall say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘I have
put away the set-apart portion from my house, and also have given it to
the Lěwite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow,
according to all Your command which You have commanded me. I have not
transgressed Your commands, nor have I forgotten.
Deu 26:14 I have not eaten any of it when in
mourning, nor have I removed any of it for any unclean use, nor given any of it
for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of יהוה my Elohim, I have done according to all
that You have commanded me. (3 different tithes – Kingdom taxes – we may
find ourselves in ‘’Egypt’’ where it is impossible to tithe, but we should give
in measure)
Deu 26:15 Look from Your set-apart dwelling place,
from the heavens, and bless Your people Yisra’ěl and the land which You have
given us, as You swore to our fathers, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
’
Deu 26:16 “Today היום הזה יהוה your Elohim is
commanding you to do these laws and right-rulings. And you shall guard and do
them with all your heart and with all your being.
Deu 26:17 “You have today caused יהוה to proclaim to be your Elohim, and to walk
in His ways and guard His laws, and His commands, and His right-rulings, and to
obey His voice.
Deu 26:18 “And יהוה has caused you to proclaim today to be His
people, a treasured possession, as He has spoken to you, and to guard all His
commands,
Deu 26:19 so as to set you high above all nations which He has made, for a praise, and for a name, and for esteem, and for you to be a set-apart people to יהוה your Elohim, as He has spoken.” (this principle of first fruits makes Israel a nation above all other nations – it is through Israel that all the nations of the earth will be blessed - Genesis 12:3 and 22:18)
The
Altar on Mount Ebal (Heb
‘’bare mountain – second ‘’matan ha Torah))
Deu 27:1 And Mosheh, with the elders of
Yisra’ěl, commanded the people, saying, “Guard all the commands which I am
commanding you today.
Deu 27:2 “And it shall be, on the day when you pass
over the Yarděn to the land which יהוה
your Elohim is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones,
and plaster them with plaster,
Deu 27:3 and write on them all the Words of this
Torah, when you have passed over, so that you go into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving
you, ’a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as יהוה Elohim of your fathers has spoken to
you.
Deu 27:4 “And it shall be, when you have passed
over the Yarděn, that on Mount Ěyḇal
you set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall plaster them
with plaster,
Deu 27:5 and build a slaughter-place to יהוה your Elohim there, a
slaughter-place of stones – do not use an iron tool on them. (The
Set Apart Spirit and not human hands fashions our service and worship to YHVH –
Jn 4:24 & Jn 5:19)
Deu 27:6 “Build the slaughter-place of יהוה your Elohim with
complete stones, and you shall offer ascending offerings on it to יהוה your Elohim,
Deu 27:7 and shall slaughter peace offerings,
and eat there, and rejoice before יהוה
your Elohim.
Deu 27:8 “And you shall write all the Words of this Torah on the stones – plainly and well.”
Curses from Mount Ebal
Deu 27:9 And Mosheh and the priests, the Lěwites,
spoke to all Yisra’ěl, saying, “Be silent and hear, O Yisra’ěl: This day היום הזה
you have become
the people of יהוה
your Elohim,
Deu 27:10 and you shall obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, and do
His commands and His laws which I command you today.”
Deu 27:11 And Mosheh commanded the people on that
day, saying,
Deu 27:12 “These are to stand on Mount Gerizim to
bless the people, when you have passed over the Yarděn: Shim‛on, and Lěwi, and
Yehuḏah, and Yissasḵar, and Yosěph, and
Binyamin.
Deu 27:13 “And these are to stand on Mount Ěyḇal to curse: Re’uḇěn, Gaḏ, and Ashěr, and Zeḇulun,
Dan, and Naphtali.
Deu 27:14 “And the Lěwites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Yisra’ěl:
The list of curses from Deut 27:15-26 (10 curses) are sometimes called the ‘’decalogue of Schechem’’ and can be compared to the 10 sayings or ‘’decalogue’’ of Ex 20:1-7 – for example the first curse is compared to the first saying – the second curse is compared to the fifth saying – etc. Failure to recognize and receive the ministry of the ‘’first fruits’’ will result in curses.
Deu 27:15 Cursed (Heb ‘’arar’’ to snare or to bind)
is the man who makes a carved or moulded image, an abomination to יהוה, the work of the
hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall
answer and say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:16 Cursed is he who makes light of his
father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:17 Cursed is he who moves his neighbour’s
boundary.’ And all the people shall say, ’Aměn!’
Deu 27:18 Cursed is he who misleads the blind in
the way.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:19 Cursed is he who twists the right-ruling
of the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ And all the people shall say,
‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:20 Cursed is he who lies with his father’s
wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say,
‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:21 Cursed is he who lies with any beast.’
And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:22 Cursed is he who lies with his sister,
the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people
shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:23 Cursed is he who lies with his
mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:24 Cursed is he who strikes his neighbour
secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:25 Cursed is he who takes a bribe to strike
an innocent being.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’
Deu 27:26 Cursed is he who does not establish the Words of this Torah.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Aměn!’ (Heb ‘’to confirm and establish)
We are
all guilty of doing ‘’violence’’ to the Torah and continue doing so - only the
Messiah can redeem us from the curse of the Torah – Gal 3:13 - Gal 3:14
in order that the blessing of Aḇraham might come upon the nations in Messiah יהושע, to receive the promise of
the Spirit through belief. Vs 15 says –‘’ a covenant …. yet if it is
confirmed, no one sets it aside, or adds to it’’. Yahshua establishes the
Torah, (the Covenant) he does not set it aside – Mat 5:17-19.
Deu
4:30 “In your distress, when all these words shall come upon you in the
latter days, then you shall return to יהוה your Elohim and shall obey His
voice.
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.