Author: Jeff

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9: Learn to judge life & death righteously & mercifully

Even the Supreme Court will have to answer to a higher authority someday. Photo by Freeimages.com/David Lat

There are shadows of Messiah in the Torah passage שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim (“judges,” Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9), even down to the ceremony when a community is unable to bring a murderer to justice. There are levels of investigation and a careful pursuit of justice and a balance between the rights of the “avenger” and the rights of the accused.

In Shoftim, Moshe (Moses) elaborates on practical application of the Fifth and Sixth commandments. One lesson is that if you do not have respect for your parents, you lose respect for all kinds of authority, from the babysitters to teachers, employers, police officers, judges, prophets and priests. That disrespect will go all the way up the chain of authority to God Himself.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25: Stay with the One Who brought you this far

Two children holding hands by Elizabeth Collette posted to Flickr via Creative Commons license.

We are seeing the heart of God in the book of Deuteronomy. He makes promises and follows through with them. There are those who believe that the foundation of the modern state of Israel has nothing to do with God, because the current state of Israel is largely a secular state. But what does it mean about the LORD’s promises if He were to turn them off like a light switch? What would that mean for another great promise from the LORD, the grace given us through Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ)?

Continuing with the explanation of the First Commandment (Deuteronomy 6:1–11:32), the instructions in the Torah reading עקב Ekev or Eikev (“consequence,” Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) covers the following: Follow the LORD rather than the nations 
(Deuteronomy 7:1–26). Do not forget the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 8:1–20). Do not boast in your own righteousness 
(Deuteronomy 9:1–10:11). Fear the LORD (Deuteronomy 10:12–22). Keep the commands of the LORD (Deuteronomy 11:1–32).

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22: Growing in grace by every word from God

Patiently learning Torah from the Master. Photo from www.LumoProject.com, license exclusively by FreeBibleimages.com.

The roller-coaster ride of ancient Israel through trust in the LORD, apathy and rebellion mirrors the turmoil that swirls around our daily lives.

This week’s Torah reading, דברים Devarim (“words,” Deut. 1:1–3:22), starts a “second telling” — deuteronomy in Greek — to the post-Exodus generation of why Israel exists and what its mission is. The parallel reading in Isaiah 1:1-27 and the Sermon on the Mount teach us how our interpretation of and living out the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Torah can go terribly wrong if we don’t learn the why behind the what of God’s instructions.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 25:10-29:40: A ‘snake’ again becomes an icon of salvation

Snakes are cautious creatures but will strike with veracity if they feel threatened. Photo by Krys Squires/Freeimages.com under Creative Commons License

Serpents are quiet, cunning, quick to act when a threat is imminent. A serpent bought a curse on mankind (Genesis 3) and we now meet a “serpent” who boldly and decisively saved his people from those who would deceive them to destruction. Later, Eliyahu (Elijah) also learned that God’s preferred way to communicate with His people is not through thunder and lightning but a “still small voice.”

The Torah reading פינחס Pinchas (“Phinehas,” Numbers 25:10–29:40) starts with the culmination of the events in the prior portion (parashah). The culmination of Israel “playing the harlot” with idolatry ended when Pinchas (Phineas), Aaron’s grandson, speared a Shimonite chieftain and a Midianite chieftain’s daughter through with a spear. Both of them were mentioned by name so they were both people of reputation.

This event was so significant, it’s even spoken about in the book of Revelation (Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14). We can miss the why if we don’t understand the why of the original event.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 19–21: Life and salvation amid death and rebellion

Red, Cooper, Fire, Serpents and Seraphim. Photo from FreeImages.com/Josh Peltier. Creative Commons License.

A major message of the Bible is death is out of place in the order God created. In the Torah reading חֻקַּת‎ Chukat/Khuqat (“statute of”), we will learn more about Heaven’s antidote to death, foretold in the rituals of the red heifer and the bronze serpent. Both point to the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus).

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 13–15: Overcoming fear in doing the right thing

Photos by Freeimages.com/Christopher Bruno

We all have “pivot points” in life, times when a decision or circumstance dramatically changes our lives, sometimes irreversibly. A pivot toward lifestyle and character in step with the Kingdom of God leads to a fulfilling life, regardless of good times or bad times. A pivot away from the Creator can be “sin that leads to death,” unless we respond to Heaven’s warning “today” and “enter His rest” via the Passover Lamb, Yeshua (Jesus).

Such a huge pivot in the history of our ancestors in faith is recounted in the Torah reading שְׁלַח Shelakh (“send,” Numbers 13–15), when a “bad report” about Israel’s prospects for settling in a land of giant warriors, walls and grapes persuaded many of the generation of the first Passover, Red Sea crossing, etc. to abandon the LORD’s leadership.

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Discussions Torah

Numbers 4:21–7:89: Ambassadors for the gospel

Emblem at the Embassy (residence) of Israel in Prague, Czech Republic, 2007. Photo by Krokodyl, posted on https://commons.wikimedia.org/

In the Torah reading נשא Nasso (“take up” or “carry,” i.e., conduct), we witness a type of “harvest,” not of grapes or wheat but of people. The LORD’s Tabernacle is the embassy set up to receive them, and the priests and ultimately the people are the ambassadors sent out to proclaim His message.