Tag: Deuteronomy 16

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9: Judge shopping and other travesties of justice the LORD hates

Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) said, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30 NASB). But how do we learn the will of the Father by which Yeshua judges?

As Yeshua lived by “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deut. 8:3), so can we. The Torah passage שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim (“judges,” Deut. 16:18–21:9) is all about how judges and officers of justice should conduct themselves. 

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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 11:26–16:17: Learning to live a blessed life

Decisions (Photo by FreeImages.com/Paul de Bruin)

Blessing and cursing are very important Biblical principles. There are two ways of life, either under God’s blessing or under His curse. Emphasized in the Torah reading כי רְאֵה Re’eh (“see,” Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17) is we want to live under His blessing.

We live under God’s blessing when we read and apply Torah. When we screw up, we still apply Torah to deal with our screwups. We are under God’s curse when we refuse to follow Torah. We all have experienced how bad life is when we refuse to obey God and walk in Torah. God can’t bless us when we are walking in sin. He can only bless obedience. He teaches us like we teach our own children.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9: Shadows of ‘the Prophet’ and death of the Messiah

Yeshua chose 12 Apostles to be His closest students and confidants. After His Ascension, they also became His ambassadors. All who believe in Yeshua believe because of them. (Photo by www.LumoProject.com)

Shadows of the prophet status and crucifixion of the Messiah appear in the Torah passage שֹׁפְטִים Shoftim (“judges”), covering Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9. In a section of the Bible focused on codes of justice still used in modern society, there also is hope for the greatest mercy the world has ever seen, in Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17: Dancing around whole-hearted devotion to the LORD

God wants to see our praise and He wants us to see Him. (Photo by Freeimages.com/Gabriel Pico)

In the Book of Deuteronomy, God, through Moses, asks His people to give Him their unwavering devotion and praise. Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) teaches us to do the same.

In this study of the Torah reading רְאֵה Re’eh (“see,” Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17), the LORD wants us to see what’s intended by the Second, Third and Fourth of the Ten Commandments.

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Discussions Torah

Deuteronomy 15-16: God teaches complete freedom via cycles of seven

Seven shows up repeatedly in Scripture. It appears first with the seventh day of creation, threads through God’s cycles of appointments with mankind, and foreshadows the timing of Messiah Yeshua’s arrival as the Word become flesh and culminates with many of the symbols of the Day of the Lord.