As believers in the Messiah we have discovered the richness
of the wisdom of the sages of
Israel. These men, who devoted themselves to the
study of the Torah, have left us a rich heritage. Part of that heritage is a unique method
of learning and interpreting the Scriptures. It’s called thematic analysis. In thematic analysis we search for the
underlying theme/topic of each passage of Scripture. By studying Scriptures related by a
common theme, line upon line and precept upon precept, the Scriptures open up to
us in a unique manner that is clearly inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh. Passages that seemed obscure begin to
make sense, and numerous levels of wisdom and understanding unfold before
us.
Thematic analysis of Scripture is based on the following
premises. 1) Moses wrote the Torah
as five separate books as the Ruach HaKodesh
inspired him. 2) Since Adonai had
him separate those words into five separate books, we surmise that each book has
a unique message or theme. 3)
Within each book, the words are written with two paragraph-like divisions[7]
interrupting the flow of the words.
4) Since Adonai commanded Moshe to separate the individual books into
smaller paragraph-like sections or Parshiot, we surmise that each
Parsha was written as a separate unit because each of those Parshiot is trying
to convey a unique thought, theme, concept or understanding. Therefore, since Adonai inspired these
divisions, we think they are VERY important. We use these God-breathed divisions as
the basis of our thematic analysis of Scripture. Once you begin to interpret the
Scriptures thematically, you will immediately SEE that Adonai wrote His words in a
manner consistent with the intent that they be interpreted thematically.
Here is an
example of what the Parsha divisions look like …
s—Parsha Stumah (plural, stumot)—A
paragraph-like break inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, still preserved on kosher
Torah Scrolls, where there are at least nine blank spaces between a word and the
next word, all on the same line of text.
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
p—Parsha P'tuchah (plural,
p'tuchot)—A paragraph-like break inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, still preserved
on kosher Torah Scrolls, where there are blank spaces extending to the end of a
line of text and the subsequent text does not begin until the next line. (Hebrew is read from right to left)
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
Our study is fun and interactive. Everyone contributes to the
discussion. The lesson will
incorporate information for children.
They are responsible for answering questions and completing a WordSearch or some other fun, written activity. Children are naturals at midrashing and connecting Scriptures thematically!
After the Beit Midrash, we will say good-bye to the Shabbat
with a traditional Havdalah gathering.
So come join with us as we participate in the discussion that was started
centuries ago! We feel we are
privileged to participate in this ancient discussion, which has practical
application for us today. These
weekly teachings presuppose that you understand many Hebraic thought
concepts. If you are unfamiliar
with Torah study, please start by reading the five introductory articles
pertaining to these weekly studies.
You can find them at…
http://devoted.to/torah
Then, just click on
the link entitled, Mishpachah Beit Midrash’s Parashat HaShavuah!
This lesson is presented in a self-study format with lots of
questions. To view my answers to
the questions, simply mouse-over the word Nitzavim at the end of the questions
(HTML) or the highlighted question marks (WORD). If you are viewing this in a regular
e-mail format, the mouse-over function will not work; therefore, answers are
also provided as footnotes so that you can print the article with answers. This article may also be found at the
following link, which will also allow you to see my answers simply by using the
mouse-over feature.
http://home.att.net/~mbmyeshiva/wsb/MBMNitzavimVayeilekh.htm
1
Devarim 29:9-28 s
2
Devarim 30:1-10 s
3
Devarim 30:11-14 s
4
Devarim 30:15-20 p
1
Devarim 31:1-6 s
2
Devarim 31:7-13 p
3
Devarim 31:14-30 p
This lesson is presented in a self-study format with lots of
questions. To view my answers to
the questions, simply mouse-over the word Nitzavim at the end of the questions
(HTML) or the highlighted question marks (WORD). If you are viewing this in a regular
e-mail format, the mouse-over function will not work; therefore, answers are
also provided as footnotes so that you can print the article with answers. This article may also be found at the
following link, which will also allow you to see my answers simply by using the
mouse-over feature.
http://home.att.net/~mbmyeshiva/wsb/MBMNitzavimVayeilekh.htm
Understanding the Book of Devarim
Objective—Understand the literary structure of the
book of Devarim.
I.
In this week's lesson, we will see how this
understanding will blossom into one of the most awesome revelations ever. But first, let's review some facts
concerning the book of Devarim. The
book of Devarim is a collection of four speeches Moses gave to Am Yisrael (the
people of
Israel) during
the last five weeks of his life.
The basic outline of the book is as follows:
|
Scripture
Reference |
Topic |
|
Devarim 1-4 |
Introductory Speech |
|
Devarim 5-26 |
Main Speech |
|
Devarim
27-28 |
Tochacha
(Admonition) |
|
Devarim
29-30 |
Teshuvah
(Repentance) |
And how do we know this book
consists of four speeches? For the
most part, the other books of the Torah are written in third person, or
narrative style. However, Devarim
is unique in that it is mainly written in first person! By simply reading the book and noting
when the narrative switches between first and third person, one can determine
that Moses actually gave four separate and distinct discourses. We have already seen many examples of
this phenomenon. We are currently
at the beginning of Moses' fourth and final speech. This last speech actually begins in
Devarim 29:1, the last part of Parashat Ki Tavo. Since this speech only consists of five
Parshiot, let's look at each one separately to see what we can learn.
A. Read Devarim
29:1-8 p—Why does
Devarim 29:1 seem to be chronologically incorrect?[8] Do you remember any other place in
Devarim where Moses spoke to this second generation as if they had actually come
out of Egypt?[9] Read Devarim
5:1-3. What is Moses assuming
in this passage?[10] The fact that Moses addresses them as if
they were actually present at the Exodus is very intriguing. We'll have more to say about this
later. In Devarim 29:1-7, Moses
recounts three time periods in Am Yisrael's history. In Devarim 29:8 he tells them to obey
the covenant so that they will succeed.
What message is he trying to convey?[11]
B. Read Devarim
29:9-28 s—What is the
general topic of Devarim 29:9-14?[12] We've already seen in Devarim 29:1-8
that Moses spoke as if this generation had been at the original covenant
ceremony. Now he states that Adonai
is renewing the covenant. Doesn't
this sound contradictory? To clear
this up, read Devarim
29:13-15. What does this
passage teach us concerning Adonai's covenant with Am Yisrael?[13] Do you see the importance of this
teaching? The covenant of
Mount Sinai is a covenant that binds EVERY FUTURE
GENERATION OF ISRAELITES! In other
words, every Israelite born until this day (the day you read this article) and
every Israelite born after this day must obey the Mosaic covenant. Remember, Moses stated that the covenant
was also with those who weren't standing there at that time. What does this teach us concerning the
longevity of the Torah?[14] The Torah is binding upon all
generations; therefore, it could not have been abrogated or abolished by
Yeshua! If this isn't enough proof
for you, then please continue reading.
Moses will make this point even more emphatic as we proceed.
1.
In the remainder of this Parsha, Moses prophesies that
Am Yisrael will eventually apostatize, resulting in their dispersion into all
the nations of the earth. Remember,
in last week's sidra (Torah portion), we learned that dispersion into all the
nations of the world would be Am Yisrael's ultimate punishment if they forsook
the covenant (Devarim 28:15-69).
C. Devarim
30:1-10 s—Pay very close attention to Devarim
30:1. Devarim 30:2-10 concerns
events that will occur AFTER Devarim 30:1, i.e., after all
of the blessings and curses. When
did Am Yisrael experience their greatest extent of the blessings for obedience?[15] When did Am Yisrael experience the
greatest extent of the curses—including worldwide dispersion?[16] One cannot help but realize that Devarim
28:15-69 has been an amazingly accurate picture of the history of Am Yisrael
over the past 2,000 years.
According to Devarim 30:1 (which is after Am Yisrael has experienced the
blessings and curses of the Torah), what will happen while Am Yisrael is
scattered in the nations?[17] Therefore, their repentance will occur
while they are scattered. According
to Devarim 30:3, how will the Holy One respond to Am Yisrael's repentance?[18] Let's look at what we now know.
·
The curses of the covenant have been in effect
for the past 2,000 years.
·
The nation of
Israel would one
day repent while dispersed in all nations.
·
Adonai would bring them back to the land.
We know
that Am Yisrael was re-gathered from the nations and re-established as a nation
in 1948 after 2,000 years of exile.
Therefore, we can easily deduce the following.
·
Obviously, Am Yisrael repented prior to 1948
while they were dispersed into the nations!
·
The reestablishment of
Israel as a
nation was a direct (partial) fulfillment of Devarim 30:3!
D. So what does all of this teach us? It teaches us that Moses was prophesying
of the days we live in right now!!!
Do you see it??? Adonai
responded to the repentance of those Israelites in exile by re-gathering them to
form a nation in 1948, as a direct fulfillment of Moses' prophecy. This re-gathering continues to this very
day! Adonai is in the process of
re-gathering Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael (the
land of
Israel) at this very moment.
II.
The (ongoing) fulfillment of Devarim 30:1-10
is occurring as you read this lesson. Now, here's the billion-dollar
question. Was the Torah abolished
after Yeshua’s death and resurrection?
Was the Torah only for the “Jews” until the time of the Messiah? Has the Torah been set aside
because of the blood of Yeshua?
Read Devarim
30:1-2. Also read Devarim
4:27-30, another passage thematically connected to Devarim 30:1-2. As you can see,
Devarim 4:27-30 is a prophecy of the latter days, the period of time in which we currently
live. Let’s key in on
the phrase, “obey His voice,” from both of these passages. It is important that we understand the
idiom, “obey His voice.” According
to Devarim
13:4; 26:17;
27:10; 28:1, 15; and 30:10, what does the idiom, “obey His voice,” mean?[19]
In case you haven’t noticed it, Moses prophesied that in the latter
days—specifically the time we live in now—exiled Israelites would return to the
Holy One in repentance and obey the Torah (obey His voice)! Could the Scriptures be any
clearer? Some may still balk at
this. Moses was very specific when
he stated how Am Yisrael would return in the latter days. Read Devarim
30:2. Which Torah will Am
Yisrael obey in the latter days after the fulfillment of the blessings and
curses? The Torah “that I command you TODAY!” Do you see that? Awesome!!! Moses prophesied that in the latter
days, Israelites in all the nations of the world would return to the same Torah he originally gave at
Mount
Sinai! This answers
anyone who would say the Torah was abolished after Yeshua’s death and
resurrection. Moses clearly stated
that the Torah given to him would be the vehicle of Am Yisrael’s return to
Adonai in the last days—i.e., right now!
Read Devarim 30:8 and 10!
Two more times Moses states that people in our generation would obey the
same Torah originally given to him!
A. I don’t have time to go into a discussion of the Two
Houses of Israel; however, those of you familiar with that doctrine know that
Moses was prophesying concerning both Houses of Israel, not just the House of
Judah (Jews). Now you know why so
many people (especially non-Jewish) are returning to the Torah in
this generation. Now you
know why you, as a non-Jewish believer, have been drawn to the Torah. The reason is simply this; Moses said
you would. ☺☺☺
The Fundamental Function/Purpose of the Torah
Objective—Learn how to 1) interpret the main theme of
a Parsha, 2) make thematic connections to that Parsha and 3) learn how to gain
greater understanding of the Parsha under consideration through its thematic
connections to other portions of Scripture.
The Torah is More Than You May Think
I.
I have made the following assertion many times
throughout our study of Devarim. The fundamental function/purpose of the
Torah (at the Pashat level) is to secure/ensure/give physical LIFE to those who
keep it. See also Devarim
4:1, 4 and 10, Devarim
5:33, Devarim
6:24, Devarim
8:1 and 3, Devarim 30:19, Leviticus
26:3-13, Ezekiel
20:11, 13, 21 and 25, and more!
I'm sure after studying the next section, you will agree with that
assertion 100%. ☺
II.
Read Devarim
30:15-20. This passage is the
grand finale of Moses’ teaching on the Torah. We have already seen that Moses has gone
out of his way to teach Am Yisrael the primary function/purpose of the
Torah. And what is that primary
purpose/function according to Devarim 30:15-16?[20] During our study of Devarim, we have
already studied and understood Moses’ foundational teaching concerning the two
functions of the Torah. It gives
LIFE to those who obey it and it brings DEATH to those who disobey it. Let’s see how Moses summarizes this
concept.
A. According to Devarim 30:15-16, what will happen to those
who obey the Torah?[21]
According to Devarim 30:17-18, what will happen to those who disobey the Torah?[22] Devarim 30:19 is a summary of all we’ve
learned. Moses called heaven and
earth as witnesses against Am Yisrael.
They are witnesses to two central facts; obedience to Torah leads to LIFE, while disobedience leads to DEATH.
III.
Let's use thematic analysis to plumb the depths of this
foundational teaching. Notice the
words used in Devarim 30:19—life, death, good and evil. Can you think of another place in the
Torah were someone was given a choice between life and death, good and
evil—hint; think of the book of Genesis?[23] Note the thematic parallels between the
choices given to Adam and Chava and Am Yisrael. Both were given the choice between life
and death, good and evil. Through
obedience, all would receive life.
Through disobedience all would receive death. Therefore, we see that this central
teaching of the Torah concerning its two functions is actually taught in Genesis
3.
A. Do you see any other thematic connection between Devarim
30:15-20 and Genesis 1-3?[24] Just as the heavens and earth witnessed
the fall of Adam and Chava, note how the heavens and earth are called upon to be
witnesses against Am Yisrael should they disobey the Torah.
B. How is the Torah thematically
linked to Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden)?[25] How awesome!!! Through thematic analysis, we see that
the Torah is equated with the tree of life in Gan Eden! In case you doubted the validity of the
thesis that the primary function/purpose of the Torah is to be a source of LIFE to all who obey it, do you now
see how this concept has been strengthened? Torah = tree of life. ☺
C. How is Am Yisrael's ultimate
punishment thematically related to the story of Genesis 3?[26] Wow! The thematic connections just keep
on coming. How is
Eretz Yisrael thematically connected to the story of Genesis 3?[27] This thematic connection is the basis
for my belief that Gan Eden was originally in Eretz Yisrael, not
Babylon as most suppose. IN fact, the sages of
Israel also
believed Gan Eden was in Eretz Yisrael.
III.
In Parashat B'chukkotai, we saw numerous thematic
connections between Gan Eden and the extent of blessing Adonai would shower upon
Am Yisrael if they would walk in the ways of the Torah. Read Leviticus
26:3-13. Note, these verses
state that Am Yisrael would receive bountiful blessings if they obeyed the
statutes (chukim) and commandments (mitzvot). In other words, obedience to Torah would
lead to life and blessing.
Leviticus 26:3-13 contains the first of a series of profound thematic
connections to Gan Eden.
A. Read Leviticus
26:4. In what two ways will the
earth respond to rain sent from Adonai?[28] Can you think of the earliest reference
in Scripture that is thematically connected to these two specific entities?[29] That’s right! This verse is clearly thematically
connected to the creation account in Genesis. In Genesis, Adonai blessed the land so
that it would produce vegetation.
Furthermore, He blessed the trees to produce fruit. These will be the two primary sources of
blessing for Am Yisrael, should they obey Adonai’s statutes and judgments.
B. Read Leviticus
26:6-9. How is Leviticus 26:6 thematically related to Gan Eden?[30] It seems as if the Torah is trying to
draw our attention to the peaceful relations that existed between man, God, the
animals and the creation before the entrance of sin! The Torah is painting a picture of the
possibilities for Am Yisrael. If
they obey Adonai’s statutes and judgments, their land will be similar to Gan
Eden, where peace and harmony existed throughout the creation!
C. How is Leviticus
26:9 thematically connected to Gan Eden?[31]
D. Read Leviticus
26:12. How is
this verse thematically connected to Gan Eden?[32] Once again, the Torah alludes to Gan
Eden by using the phrase, “I will walk among you.”
E.
Read Leviticus
26:6, especially noting the phrase concerning the sword. Moses warned Am Yisrael numerous times
that they would experience curses for disobedience. One of the curses is that the sword will come after Am
Yisrael (Leviticus 26:33). What is
the thematic connection between the curse of the sword (for disobedience) and
Gan Eden?[33] Wow!
F.
Concerning the cherubs, where else do we read of cherubs
in the Torah?[34] What other significant article was
placed in the ark near the cherubs?[35] We've seen numerous times that the Ten
Commandments (mitzvot) are a picture of the entire Torah. Therefore, knowing that the cherubs in
Genesis 3 brandished swords to protect the tree of life, what would you suggest
was the function of the cherubs in the Holy of Holies?[36] So, as you can see, the strong thematic
connection between the cherubs guarding the tree of life and the cherubs
surrounding the Torah in the ark, further strengthens
our revelation that the Torah is the tree of life!
In summary, we have seen numerous
themes connecting Am Yisrael's obedience to Torah (in Eretz Yisrael) to the life
in Gan Eden. These thematic
connections are purposeful. They
are given to teach us the following.
·
The Holy One desired for Am Yisrael to experience
the extent of blessing and life found in Gan Eden! Why?[37]
·
Obedience to the Torah is thematically equivalent
to partaking of the tree of life.
·
The story of Adam and Chava in Gan Eden (Genesis
3) is the story of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.
Now we can understand Proverbs
3:18, which states that wisdom (the
Torah; see Proverbs 3:18) is a tree
of life. Yes, the Torah is the tree
of life! ☺
Searching the Parshiot
Objective—Learn how to 1) uncover the theme of a
passage, 2) relate it to other passages and 3) gain new insight on how to
interpret the original passage based on its thematic connection to those other
passages.
Why Read the Torah
Every Seven Years?
I.
Read Devarim
31:7-13. Note that Moses
commanded Am Yisrael to gather and listen to the Torah every seven years (the
Shemittah cycle) during Succoth.
Historically, the entire nation gathered at the
Temple in
Jerusalem to listen to the King read
selected passages from the Torah.
Why did Adonai command Am Yisrael to do this? In order to answer this question, we
will use our proven thematic analysis tools. We will look words, phrases and themes
that connect different passages together.
A. Can you think of another event thematically linked to
the concept of the entire nation of
Israel gathering
to hear the Torah?[38] That's right. In fact, there are other thematic
connections between this Parsha and the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah). Note the phrase, "Gather together the
people" in Devarim 31:12. How is
this thematically related to Matan Torah?[39]
B. What is the goal of gathering the people to hear the
Torah every seven years?[40] Is this thematically related to Matan
Torah?[41] Note the usage of the words learn and
fear in Devarim 4:10, the passage describing Matan Torah! See the connection? Note that Devarim 4:36 states that Adonai purposed to teach Am Yisrael by causing them to
hear His words. This is
thematically related to the reading of the Torah every seven years where Am
Yisrael are to gather to learn (Devarim 31:12). Also note the thematic connection
concerning gathering the children also—compare Devarim 4:10 and 31:12.
So far, we can see that the reading of the Torah every seven years is
thematically related to the experience of Matan Torah, the original giving of
the Torah!
II.
Now let's put on our thematic eyes and look at Parashat
Vayeilekh as a whole and compare and contrast it to the giving of the Torah.
A. Read Devarim
31:1-8. What imminent event is
about to occur which caused Moses to discuss the topics
covered in these verses?[42] How is this thematically related to
Matan Torah?[43] When the people realized that Moses was
"dead," they made gods so that they could "go before them." How is this
thematically related to Devarim 31:1-8?[44] Do you think this connection exists on
accident?
B. Note the following linguistic parallels between Parashat
Vayeilekh and Ki Tissa;
·
Exodus 32:6—And they rose
up to play. Devarim
31:16—And this nation will rise
up and stray after gods.
·
Exodus 32:7-8—Your
people…have become corrupt. They have quickly strayed. Devarim 31:29—You will surely act corruptly and you will stray from the path.
·
Exodus 32:10—Let my anger burn against them. Devarim 31:17—My
anger will burn against them.
In the account in Exodus, Adonai separates Himself from Am
Yisrael. In Devarim, He said He
would hide His face from them.
Once again, we see amazing
linguistic parallels connecting this week's sidra (Torah portion) to the events
surrounding Matan Torah. As most of
you may well know by now, this is not a coincidence. The Torah purposefully does this so that
we will make the connections and learn from them.
In summary, Parashat Vayeilekh has
many thematic connections to the original giving of the Torah. Most importantly, the reading of the
Torah at each Shemittah (seven years) is thematically equivalent to Matan
Torah. Why? The reading of the Torah every seven
years is meant to enable every generation to experience the giving of the Torah
even though they weren't there.
Each generation must experience hearing the Holy One's voice at the
mountain. This reading of the Torah
each Shemittah facilitates this process.
The people will gather, hear, learn and fear Adonai just as the original
generation gathered, heard, learned and feared Adonai. This is also the reason why Adonai spoke
to the second generation as if they had been at Mount
Sinai! Each seven years
Am Yisrael is given a chance to renew their dedication to the Torah as if they
themselves were at Mount Sinai.
Making the Connection Between the Parashat
HaShavuah and the Haftara
Objective—Learn
how to relate Scriptures thematically, thereby learning how to think Hebraically.
Become rooted in the importance of thematic analysis by seeing it in
action as you relate the Torah portion to the Haftarah
portion.
The
Haftara reading is found in Isaiah
61:10-63:9. I will list some
verses from the Haftarah reading.
Your job will be to relate them thematically to the Parashat HaShavuah
reading. Much of this Haftara
reading is Messianic in nature; therefore, I will deal more extensively with it
in the next section, Messiah
in the Parsha.
I.
How is Isaiah 62:1-5 related to
this week's sidra (Torah portion)?[45]
Messiah in the Parsha
Objective—Learn how the Torah teaches about the life
and ministry of Yeshua HaMashiach.
Yeshua said that Moses wrote about Him[46]. Since the Torah never even mentions the
word Messiah, this section will help you see the Messiah in the Torah. This is primarily done using thematic
analysis and midrash.
Yeshua in the
Sidra
I.
Read Devarim
30:1-4, especially verse four. We have already learned that this
portion of Scripture occurs in the last days. Earlier, I stated that the gathering
began in the twentieth century, culminating in the birth of the nation of
Israel in 1948
after almost 2,000 years of exile.
I was careful to state that the current gathering of Israelites to
Israel is part
of the continual fulfillment of Devarim 30:1-4. Why continual? Because, as with so many other
prophesies, this passage has more than one level of fulfillment. Remember, all Scripture is
prophecy. Therefore, it can have a
literal historical fulfillment or it can have a midrashic fulfillment. It can have a prophetic-historical
fulfillment and it can have a Messianic fulfillment. Nowadays, most believers are barely able
to show specific references to Messiah Yeshua and His work of redemption from
the Torah. This is mainly because
they haven't been taught to study the Scriptures thematically. Thematic Analysis is the key to seeing
pictures of Messiah Yeshua and His work of redemption in the Torah. Suppose I told you that this passage
actually pertains to the second coming of Yeshua? Think that's far-fetched? Well, let's see.
A. What word describes the action Adonai will perform on
behalf of Am Yisrael in Devarim 30:4?[47] From where will He gather them? This is a trick question. You may immediately assume "from the
nations where He has scattered them." However, only base your answer on Devarim
30:4. Again, from where will He
gather them?[48] What? From the end of the heavens? Yes, the Hebrew uses the word
heavens, not earth. Some
translations replace the Hebrew word, heavens with earth.[49] In the minds of the translators, it
doesn't make sense for Adonai to say He will gather dispersed Am Yisrael from
the heavens. So, they try to smooth
things out in the translation. The
only problem is this: Moses meant
what he said and said what he meant.
As you'll see below, if you substitute the word earth for heavens, you'll miss Moses' teaching on
one of the most awesome and longed-for doctrines of the B'rit Chadasha (New
Covenant Scriptures). Now I ask
you, what would people be doing in the heavens? Some of you may know where I'm going
already. But for those of you who
don't see it yet…do you realize this is a prophecy of the second coming of the
Messiah when the dead in Messiah will be raised and we who remain will be
changed? How do I know this is the
correct interpretation?
B. Read Matthew
24:29-31, especially verse
thirty-one. What one
word describes the action the angels will perform on behalf of the righteous?[50] From where will the angels gather them?[51] Guess what. Moses prophesied of the second coming of
the Messiah in Devarim 30:4!
Thematic analysis helps you to see it. Now we know why Moses stated that Adonai
would gather Am Yisrael from the heavens. Why? If you think it’s because Moses was
prophesying concerning the second coming when the dead would be raised and those
who remain would be changed, afterwards, both groups will be caught up in the
sky (gathered, if you will), then You’ve Got It!
C. Digging Deeper—Let’s look at
this translation issue a little closer. First, let me give you direct quotes from
the Artscroll Chumash and the New King James Version of the Scriptures for
comparison sake.
Devarim 30:4 (Artscroll
Chumash)—If your dispersed will be at the ends of heaven, from there
HASHEM, your God, will gather you in
and from there He will take you.
Devarim 30:4 (NKJV)— If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the
LORD your God will gather you, and
from there He will bring you.
In section IA of Messiah in the
Parsha I told you that most English translations try to tidy up the Hebrew,
which to them doesn't make sense, since it says that Adonai will gather Am
Yisrael from the heavens instead of the earth. Some translations replace the Hebrew
word, heavens with earth.
(Translations that do this include the New
American Standard Bible, the New Living Translation, the Contemporary English
Version, and the New International Version
UK
Edition (where it states, "most distant land under the heavens").
In the minds of the translators,
it doesn't make sense for Adonai to say He will gather dispersed Am Yisrael from the heavens since the context of
Devarim 30:4 is that they are scattered in the nations. So, they try to smooth things out in the
translation. The only problem is
this. Moses meant what he said and
said what he meant.
Here's the revelation. When I read Devarim 30:4 in the NKJV, I
noticed that it was different from the Artscroll Chumash. Notice that the NKJV uses the phrase under the heavens, whereas the Chumash
uses the phrase at the ends of
heaven. This makes a
difference. If the translation is
under the heavens, then my arguments
wouldn't make any sense because under the heaven IS the earth. However, my argument that Moses was
prophesying of the second coming and the resurrection does make since if it in
fact says at the ends of heaven.
Well, guess what? I looked at the Hebrew in my Chumash and
the Hebrew of that prepositional phrase is thus…
~iy'm'V;h hec.qiB
The Hebrew word, ~iy'm'V;h, is literally
the heavens. The Hebrew word for hec.qiB, is literally in/on the end/edge. The Hebrew word for end/edge is h,c'q.
The B
in front is the preposition in.
Therefore, that prepositional phrase is literally, in/on the end/edge of the
heavens!!! So what
does this mean? It means that even
though the NKVJ translators kept the word heavens, as it is in the Hebrew, they
still didn't think it made sense, so they changed the prepositional phrase in/on the end/edge, to under heaven! As you can see, the Artscroll Chumash
Got It Right!
Now, let's look at Matthew 24:31
again.
Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV)—And He will
send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other.
Now let's make thematic
connections between Devarim 30:4 and Matthew 24:31.
·
Both passages use the word gather.
·
Both passages use the same prepositional phrase
meaning from one end of the heavens to the other!
There you have it. Moses definitely prophesied of the
second coming of the Messiah and the resurrection (what the church calls the
rapture) all in one breath! As you
can see, a little Hebrew goes a long way.
☺☺☺
Just as an aside, now we know that
the literal Hebrew states in/on the end/edge of the
heavens. Let's look at
a few translations of Deuteronomy 30:4 and see how the translators grapple with
the translation. Remember, why they
are struggling. They don't
understand how Adonai would gather the scattered people of
Israel from
heaven.
¨
NIV— under[wrong] the heavens
¨
NASB— at the ends of the earth[wrong]
¨
The Message— No matter how far away you end
up[wrong]
¨
Amplified— in the uttermost parts of the heavens
[Eureka!! They got it right]
¨
New Living Translation— at the ends of the
earth[wrong]
¨
English Standard Version— in the uttermost parts
of heaven [Eureka!! They got it right]
¨
Contemporary English Version—to the farthest
countries on earth[wrong]
¨
NKJV—to the farthest parts under
heaven[wrong]
¨
21st Century NKJV—out unto the outmost parts of
heaven [Eureka!! They got it right]
¨
ASV—in the uttermost parts of heaven
[Eureka!! They got it right]
¨
Darby—out unto the end of the heavens
[Eureka!! They got it right]
¨
NIV UK Version—to the most distant land under the
heavens[wrong]
D. One of the main reasons the rapture doctrine is false is
because it has no basis in the Torah.
You see, the entire Tanakh speaks clearly of the re-gathering of Am
Yisrael. The emphasis on all of the
re-gathering Scriptures is clearly concerning the re-gathering of scattered Am
Yisrael to the nation of
Israel. We now know that the re-gathering is
synonymous with the second coming of Messiah (along with the resurrection and
changing in the twinkling of an eye).
Therefore, the re-gathering (erroneously called the rapture) has nothing
to do with the rapture of the “Church” while the "Jews" suffer through the
tribulation. One of my goals in
writing this series of lessons is to impress upon you the necessity of basing
all that you believe on the foundation of the Torah. If the Torah doesn't teach about a
rapture of the "Church," then guess what?
You shouldn't believe it.
However, if the Torah teaches about the re-gathering of Am Yisrael from
the nations into the heavens, then guess what? You can bank on that!
II.
Read Devarim
31:10-11. As stated earlier,
traditionally, the King read the Torah.
Do you know what will be the first Holy Day to be celebrated when Yeshua
returns?[52]
When Yeshua returns, what role will be fulfilling?[53] Based on 1) Devarim 30:10-11, the fact
that Yeshua will be returning as King and 2) the fact that Succoth will be the
first Holy Day we will celebrate in the Kingdom to come, what will Messiah
Yeshua be doing on that Succoth?[54]
Yeshua in the
Haftara
I.
We have already seen that the Torah portion contains one
of the most staggering prophecies concerning the second coming of Messiah
Yeshua. Therefore, it shouldn't be
surprising that the Haftara portion also contains Scriptures of Messianic
significance.
A. Read Isaiah
61:10. How will Am Yisrael be
dressed?[55] How does Isaiah portray Am Yisrael?[56] Can you thematically relate these two
concepts to the second coming of Yeshua?[57]
1.
Read Isaiah
62:5. How does Adonai rejoice
over Am Yisrael?[58] My point here is that all of the B'rit
Chadasha doctrines concerning our robes of righteousness and the bride of the
Messiah have their foundation in the Tanakh. Furthermore, these two doctrines are
associated with the second coming of the Messiah.
II.
Read Isaiah
62:10-11. Can you think of a
verse from the B'rit Chadasha thematically related to this passage?[59] Do you see the connection?
A. Read Revelation
11:18. How is
this verse thematically related to Isaiah 62:10-11?[60]
B. Isaiah 62:11 states, "your
salvation has come." Yeshua's name
in Hebrew is I;[Wv.y. The words, "your salvation," in the
phrase "your salvation has come," are derived from the Hebrew word for salvation, and the suffix showing
possession, as in your %e[.viy. This verse is literally stating: Your
salvation (Yeshua) is coming!
III.
Read Isaiah
63:1-6. Let me share with you
the commentary from the Artscroll Chumash concerning these verses. “Its closing passage describes
Adonai metaphorically as a Warrior coming from battle, his garments splattered with the blood of
Edom the
offspring of Esau, ancestor of the Roman Empire, which
brought about the current exile”.
As you can see, this passage does speak of YHVH as if He were a human
being. Can you think of any passage
thematically related to this one from the B’rit Chadasha?[61] How awesome. As you can see, this is clearly a
Messianic prophecy. Notice that the
commentators of the Artscroll Chumash are sooo close
to the truth when they interpret that Adonai is spoken of as a man. In fact, YHVH does return as a man,
Yeshua HaMashiach! Note the
thematic connections.
- In Isaiah 63:2-6,
YHVH is pictured as returning in a bloodstained garment. In Revelation 19:13, Yeshua returns
with a vesture dipped in blood.
- In Isaiah 63:2-6,
YHVH is pictured as the one treading the winepress in wrath. In Revelation 19:15-17, Yeshua treads
the winepress of the wrath of Almighty Elohim.
- Isaiah 63:8 states
that YHVH became their Savior. The Hebrew word translated
Savior is ;[yivAm,
which is very similar to the word for Mashiach (Messiah), ;xyivAm.
The word Mashiach means the Anointed One. We all know that Yeshua is the Savior
of the world!
- Note that Isaiah
63:17 is a prayer for YHVH to return! This entire passage is a Messianic
prophecy of the return of Yeshua.
A.
The passages quoted above also teach the Divinity
of Yeshua. Many of the
prophecies of the Tanakh concerning YHVH find their fulfillment in Yeshua
because He is one (echad) with the Father. He’s not the Father. He is echad
with the Father. This is a
mystery.
B.
Earlier we saw how Yeshua’s second return in
Revelation was thematically connected to Isaiah 63 through the garment dipped in
blood. There are two figures in the
Torah who are the most vivid pictures of Messiah Yeshua—Joseph and Moses. The thematic connections and
allusions between Joseph and Messiah Yeshua are so bountiful that they are a
topic in and of themselves. For
example, note how the Torah uses Joseph's coat two times as an object to
identify him. The first time is
in Genesis 37:29-35 when, after dipping Joseph's coat in goat's blood, his
brothers present the blood-stained coat to Jacob asking him, "see if it is your
son's coat or not." Jacob
immediately recognizes that the coat belongs to his son Joseph. The second time is in Genesis 39:7-18
when Potiphar's wife used Joseph's coat/garment to falsely identify him as one
who had tried to rape her. Why does
the Torah draw our attention to Joseph's garments by continually using
them as a means of identifying him?
I think the reason is to help us make the connection between Joseph and
the Messiah. For we read in
Revelation 19:13 that when Messiah Yeshua
returns, He will be clothed "with a vesture dipped in blood." In other words, that which identified
Joseph to His father will be that which will identify Yeshua to us—a vesture dipped in blood.
IV.
Note how Devarim
30:3 states that YHVH will return and gather us. Now we know that this is a prophecy of
Yeshua’s second advent, when He will
return! Remember,
YHVH and Yeshua are echad. In this manner, we see that many of the
Torah’s prophecies of YHVH find their fulfillment through Yeshua!
Miscellaneous Connections
I.
Read Revelation
11:15-19, especially verses 18-19.
Note, Revelation 11:18 states that it is time for Adonai to reward His
saints and judge those who destroy the earth. The next verse states that the ark of
the testimony could be seen. Why
are these verses placed next to each other—hint, what’s
in the ark?[62] This is thematically connected to
Matthew 5:17-21 where Yeshua plainly stated that our future standing in the
Kingdom would depend on whether or not we obey and teach the Torah (Law).☺
II.
Earlier we saw that the strongest correlation between
the Torah and the tree of life was made in Devarim 30:15, the end of Moses’
speeches. Amazing that the Torah
would begin with a story concerning the tree of life and end in the same
manner. So likewise, Revelation
22:2 (the end of the Scriptures) recaptures the image of the tree of life,
bringing us back to Genesis.
III.
Lastly, note the thematic parallel between Moses and
Yeshua, in that both of them gave prophecies concerning the second coming of the
Messiah just before their deaths!
For Your Little Ones
Hidden
Message Word Search—This is a word search for older
children that contains a hidden message within it. After circling all of the words, begin
using the un-circled letters to fill in the hidden message character
spaces. All of the words (25-30)
are taken from this week’s sidra (portion). Important—Adjust the text size of your browser so that
the entire puzzle and hidden message prints on one page. The software at Discovery has a tendency
to print the wrong number of character spaces (in the hidden message) when it
needs to print on two pages.
Word
Search for Little Ones— This is a word search for
younger children. All of the words
(9-12) are taken from this week’s sidra (portion).
Calvary
Chapel's Children's Site—This site has pictures,
word searches, criss-crosses, true-false question and
answers, fill-in-the-blanks etc. It
has all of these for some of the major stories of the Scriptures!
Shabbat
Shalom!
[1]
Shabbat is Hebrew for Sabbath.
[2]
In its most limited form, the Torah comprises the first five books of Moses.
[7]
This paragraph-like division is called a Parsha (Parshiot, plural).
[8]
Moses is talking to the second generation, who for the most part, weren't alive
during the Exodus! Remember, most
of the generation that left
Egypt died in
the wilderness.
[9]
Yes, see Devarim 5:1-3.
[10]
He is assuming that the entire second generation was present at the original
covenant ceremony at Mount Sinai!
[11]
He spoke of the Exodus to remind them that Adonai was faithful to the promises
made to the Patriarchs (that He would deliver them from an impossible
situation). He spoke of their
wilderness journeys to remind them that Adonai is able to supply all of their
physical needs. He spoke of the
initial conquest of the Kings to remind them that He can and will deliver the
remaining nations into Am Yisrael's hands.
Devarim 29:8 is written at the conclusion of this Parsha, as if to say,
"Seeing how the Holy One can do everything He's promised to you, make sure you
obey the covenant so that your success will be guaranteed!"
[12]
Renewal of the Sinai covenant.
[13]
This passage teaches us that the covenant was not only with those present at
that moment. The covenant was with
all those present and those who were to be born in future generations!
[14]
As long as Israelites are born, the Torah is in effect.
[15]
During the reign of King Solomon when Am Yisrael was the
superpower in the Middle
East.
[16]
Over the past 2,000 years. Full
force of the curses began in 70 CE when
Rome destroyed
Jerusalem. In 135 CE Rome dispersed Am Yisrael into
all the nations of the earth. For
the past 2,000 years, Am Yisrael has suffered the full brunt of the curses of
the covenant.
[17]
They will look back at their history—the blessings and curses—and they will do
teshuvah (repent).
[18]
He will bring them back to the land!
[19]
It clearly and emphatically means to obey the words of Torah!
[20]
The primary function/purpose of the Torah is to ensure/give/secure LIFE for Am
Yisrael.
[21]
They will have LIFE.
[22]
They will surely reap DEATH—“you will not lengthen your
days upon the land.”
[23]
Yes, Adam and Chava (Eve) in Genesis 3!
[24]
Yes, the heavens and the earth play a prominent role in both stories.
[25]
Just as the Torah is a source of life to those who embraced it, so likewise, the
tree of life was to be a source of life to Adam and Chava if they would partake
of it (Proverbs 3:18).
[26]
Am Yisrael's ultimate punishment for forsaking the
Torah would be exile from Eretz Yisrael.
So likewise, Adam and Chava's ultimate punishment was banishment from Gan
Eden!
[27]
In our thematic correlations, Eretz Yisrael is equivalent to Gan Eden!
[28]
The land will give of its produce and the trees will produce their fruit.
[29]
Yes! In Genesis 1:9-13, the first
living things, plants that grow from the earth/land, and trees that produce fruit, were
created!
[30]
Adonai promises peace in Eretz Yisrael.
This peace is between Am Yisrael and other nations and between Am Yisrael
and the wild beasts. In Gan Eden,
man enjoyed peaceful relations (Adam and Chava) and there was peace between man
and the animals.
[31]
The phrase, “I will make you fruitful and increase you” is a clear reference
back to the Garden when Adonai blessed the plants, animals and man, commanding
them to be fruitful and multiply…
[32]
In Genesis 3:8, it states that Adonai walked in Gan Eden!
[33]
After Adam and Chava (Eve) sinned, Adonai placed cherubs with flaming SWORDS at
the east of Gan Eden to prevent man from returning to eat from the tree of
life!
[34]
They are over the mercy seat and they cover the curtain separating the
Holy Place from the Holy of
Holies.
[35]
The Ten Commandments (mitzvot).
[36]
Considering we've already seen the thematic connection between the Torah and the
Tree of Life, it seems that the cherubs over the mercy seat and on the curtain
were placed there to guard the Torah!
[37]
So that they would be His witnesses of the One and only True
Elohim (God).
[38]
Yes, the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) on Mount
Sinai!
[39]
When the Torah was originally given, Moses was commanded by Adonai to "Gather
the people to Me and I shall let them hear My
words…"—Devarim 4:10.
[40]
According to Devarim 31:12-13, the purpose of gathering every
seven years to hear the Torah is so that the people will learn and fear
Adonai.
[41]
Yes! According to
Devarim 4:10, when the Torah was originally given, Adonai stated that the people
were to gather to hear His words so that "they shall learn to fear me."
[43]
The people thought that Moses had died.
[44]
Moses encouraged the people that Adonai would "go before them."
[45]
This week's sidra (Torah portion) spoke of a time period when Am Yisrael would
be scattered into the nations and Eretz Yisrael would be desolate. However, it also spoke of a time towards
the end of the age when Am Yisrael would repent. At that time, Adonai would re-gather
them to Eretz Yisrael and pour profound blessings upon them and the land. The Haftara passage is thematically
related to this time period of blessing AFTER the period of desolation and
exile.
[46]
Yeshua said in John 5:46 that Moses spoke about him. Psalm 40:6-8, speaking of the Messiah
said that the book is written about Him.
Paul said that all of the feasts were prophetic shadows of Messiah
Yeshua.
[48]
From the end of the heavens.
[49]
Translations that do this include the New American
Standard Bible, the New Living Translation, the Contemporary English Version,
and the New International Version UK Edition (where it states, "most distant
land under the heavens").
[50]
They will GATHER the righteous!
[51]
From the "four winds, from one end of heaven to the other"!!! ☺☺☺
[54]
Teaching us the Torah. For the Torah of the Lord will go forth
from Tziyon!
[55]
In robes of righteousness.
[57]
The robes of righteousness are the robes given to the saints in Revelation 6:11,
7:9, 13, 14; and 19:7-8.
Ephesians 5:22-33 teaches us that Yeshua will come back for a bride.
[58]
As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
[59]
Yes, Revelation 22:12, where Yeshua
states that His reward is with Him.
[60]
Both passages speak of Deity meting out rewards and punishment.
[61]
Yes. Revelation 19:7-21 speaks of
Yeshua’s return. This passage uses
the same language as Isaiah’s prophecy—a vesture dipped
in blood, warfare against Am Yisrael’s enemies and treading of the winepress of
the wrath of Almighty Elohim.
[62]
The topics of Revelation 11:18 are
placed next to Revelation 11:19 because the Torah (which was in the ark) is the
basis for judgment and reward.
Remember, the Torah has not been abolished and it will be the basis of
reward and punishment.
