Tzemach Institute for Biblical Studies

Understanding the Scriptures for Times Such as These

Bible Study: Deuteronomy 32

Torah

This week section of the Bible includes what is called the “Song of Moses”.  In this “song”, Moses recounts the past and predicts Israel’s future.  In last week’s section we discussed how God spoke directly about Israel’s unfaithfulness and coming dispersion into the nations.  Moses repeated the same prediction.  It would be almost 800 years before this prophecy concerning dispersion was fulfilled.  Today we have the advantage of the insight provided by history and realize that the entire prophecy has been, for the most part, fulfilled.  

In the “Song of Moses” he again foresees the future fate of his people.

  1. God chose Israel and blessed her.
  2. In God’s blessing, Israel became “fat” and forgot God who blessed her.
  3. Israel chased after “other gods”.
  4. God used a “foolish nation” to discipline His people.
  5. Ultimately, God will judge the “foolish nation” and vindicate His people.

Again, I will make the point that the judgment of Israel resulting in their dispersion did not signify that God had “cut off” His people.  The covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17) which was expanded at Mt. Sinai is eternal.  The addendum to the covenant (Deuteronomy 29) spelled out the requirements for Israel to possess their land.  Their unfaithfulness would lead to dispersion but this would not mean that the original covenant had been abrogated.

Also, included in this section is the account of the end of the ministry of Moses (at least in this age).  God commanded Moses to go up on Mt. Nebo and die there.

“Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.  Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.”  (Deuteronomy 32:49-50)

Moses was not permitted to enter the land because of the incident at Meribah where Moses failed to treat God as holy, i.e., he did not carry out God’s command as directed and became negative toward God’s people.  Joshua ben Nun would be the one who would lead Israel into the land of their inheritance.

One final note concerning this week.  We just celebrated the beginning of the seventh month on the Biblical calendar.  In the Bible, the number seven denotes “completion”.  If we say that the redemption process began in the first month with Passover, then the seventh month should be understood as signifying the completion of that redemption process.  The Lord declared that this event should be heralded by the “Teruah”, the sounding of the Shofar.  The Bible speaks of the “Great Trumpet” and the “Last Trumpet”.  We believe that this is what that has been foreshadowed over the years as the “Shofar” has been sounded on the first day of the seventh month.

Bible Study: Deuteronomy 29-31

Current Events, Torah

The final words of Moses to Israel reveal that he understood what would happen in their future.  Obviously, God revealed to Moses these things.  God knew that Israel would act unfaithfully after they had entered the land that He was giving them (Deuteronomy 31:16-18).  We know now, due to hindsight, that this would lead to Israel being dispersed from the land.  This happened about 800 years after the days of Moses.  Jeremiah was the prophet who functioned at the time when Israel was being judged leading to their dispersion.  He declared the reason for the judgment:

“The Lord said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice nor walked according to it” (Jeremiah 9:13).

As a result, God’s people were driven from the land.

Long before the dispersion, God gave the promise of the ingathering of the people of Israel to the land of Israel.  If and when Israel repented, God declared,

“Then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.  If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.  And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.”  (Deuteronomy 30:3-5)

Even if Israel didn’t repent in the manner prescribed above, God declared that He would bring them back to possess the land for God’s own name sake.  (See Ezekiel 36:22-28).

We have previously summarized our position concerning the addendum to the Sinai covenant announced by God at Mt. Nebo.  This is sometimes referred to as the “Covenant in Moab” or “the Palestinian Covenant”.  This latter label is absurd but is commonly used.  The Covenant made at Mt. Sinai dealt with the relationship between God and His people.  This was an extension of the previous covenant made with Abraham and is eternal (Genesis 17:19).  The covenant addendum made at Mt. Nebo established what would be required of Israel to occupy and continuously possess the land of Israel.  This was Israel’s work of ministry and was conditional upon their faithfulness.  If they were unfaithful, they would be judged.  The ultimate judgment if they continued in unfaithfulness would be their exile from the land.   When Israel failed with regard to this addendum, God did not want anyone to conclude that He had cut off His people.  Jeremiah understood this.  He declared at the time of the dispersion:

“Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name; “If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the Lord, “Then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever,  Thus says the Lord, “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out below; Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 31:35-37)

Note that Jeremiah is referring to the relationship aspect of the covenant.

Paul, in his letter to the church at Rome, declared the same message.  He wrote, 

“I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He?  May it never be!  (Romans 11:1a), and “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they?  May it never be! (Romans 11:11a).

Clearly, Paul understood the distinction between the relationship aspects of Israel’s covenant and the ministry aspects of it.  It is unfortunate that the Church Fathers of subsequent centuries did not grasp what Paul understood.  They concluded that God revoked His relationship with Israel and replaced them with the Church.  This is the unscriptural doctrine of “Replacement Theology” common in Christian thought today.

God is calling real, committed believers to recognize the simple truth of Israel’s election and to identify with Israel rather than with the “universal church” and to function alongside of Israel in the quest for the Kingdom of God coming to planet earth.  A famous rabbi once prayed:

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven….” Matthew 6:10)

Another common misconception in Christian teaching is exposed in this section.  You have heard it said that Christians aren’t responsible for the “Law” (Jesus fulfilled it) and that the “Law” was only for the Jewish people (Christians relate to God through grace).  Furthermore it is said that no one can keep the law.  Moses disputed this position.

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.”  (Deuteronomy 30:11)

Actually the “Law” is simply Biblical lifestyle to which most serious Christians adhere to with notable exceptions (festivals and kosher food).  Contrary to popular thought, the “Law” was never given as a means of justification before God.  Justification has always been by grace never by adherence to the “Law”.  Serious Christians need to rethink their position relative to the “Law”.

Just a few days ago, Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a university in Utah. Obviously, Mr. Kirk was awakening to the false doctrine of “replacement theology”.  His death is incredibly unfortunate on many levels. He exerted much influence over the youth of the nation. Hopefully, the new generation of believers will follow him in properly relating to Israel.

Bible Study: Deuteronomy 26-29

Hebraic Roots, History, Portals Series, Torah

Israel’s journey had brought them to Mt. Nebo.  The land of Israel was visible across the Jordan River.  It has been almost 40 years since they left Egypt.  They were finally prepared to possess the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  It is at this point (on Mt. Nebo) that God specified the requirements for Israel to possess and keep the “Promised Land”.  God issued an addendum to the covenant cut at Mt. Sinai.  

 “These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb”.  (Deuteronomy 29:1) 

God’s intentions for Israel had been stated earlier.  

“And the Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord, your God, as He has spoken”.  (Deuteronomy 26:18-19)

God would fulfill His intentions toward His people if they obeyed His commandments.  If they did not obey than the opposite would happen.  These are the statements of the “blessings and the curses”.  The people of Israel were to assembly on Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (near the city of Shechem) and rehearse these requirements.  The ultimate consequence if Israel disobeyed was expulsion from the land (Deuteronomy 28:64).

There is a very important point that must be made as we consider this addendum to the Sinai covenant.  The Sinai covenant had to do with the relationship of God to His people, Israel.  The addendum had to do with the requirements for the people of Israel to possess and hold the land of Israel, i.e., their mission or ministry.  The obvious question is why were these two parts of the covenant separated.  The answer appears quite simple.  God knew that Israel would fall into sin and ultimately be expelled from the land.  When this occurred, God did not want there to be any question relative to His relationship with the people of Israel. 

Failure to understand this has led Christian theologians to conclude that due to their expulsion from the land that God has cut off His people.  This line of thought is foundational to replacement theology common in Christianity even though Israel’s elect position is clearly maintained in the New Testament (See Romans 11).  I want to cite three references from my book, “Hebraic Roots” to demonstrate this point.  The first is from Tertullian (~200 AD/CE)

“In former times the Jews enjoyed much of God’s favour, when the fathers of their race were noted for their righteousness and faith…But how deeply they have sinned, puffed up to their fall with a false trust in their noble ancestors, turning from God’s way into a way of sheer impiety, though they themselves should refuse to admit it, their present national ruin would afford sufficient proof.  Scattered abroad, a race of wanderers, exiles from their own land and clime, they roam over the whole world without either a human or a heavenly king, not possessing even the stranger’s right to set so much as a simple footstep in their native country.  The sacred writers withal, in giving previous warning of these things, all with equal clearness ever declared that, in the last days of the world, God would, out of every nation, and people, and country, choose for Himself more faithful worshippers, upon whom He would bestow His grace, and that indeed in ampler measure, in keeping with the enlarged capacities of a nobler dispensation.”

Obviously, Tertullian was speaking of Christianity as being the “more faithful worshippers”.

At about the same time another Church Father, Origin, wrote,

“One fact, then which proves that Jesus was something divine and sacred, is this, that Jews should have suffered on His account now for a lengthened time calamities of such severity.  And we say with confidence that they will never be restored to their former condition.  For they committed a crime of the most unhallowed kind, in conspiring against the Saviour of the human race in that city where they offered up to God a worship containing the symbols of mighty mysteries.  It accordingly behooved that city where Jesus underwent these sufferings to perish utterly, and the Jewish nation to be overthrown, and the invitation to happiness offered them by God to pass to others, – the Christians.”

And somewhat later (~250AD/CE) another Church Father, Cyprian, declared,

“First of all, favour with God was given to the Jews.  Thus they of old were righteous…But subsequently becoming neglectful of discipline, proud, and puffed up with confidence in their fathers, they despised the divine precepts, and lost the favour conferred upon them” and, “God would gather to Himself from every nation, and people, and place, worshippers much better in obedience and stronger in faith, who would draw from the divine gift that mercy which the Jews had received and lost by despising their religious ordinances.”

Replacement theology became a foundational doctrine of Christianity from very early times.  The dispersion of the Jewish people seemed to present overwhelming evidence of the truth of this doctrine.  But by drawing this conclusion, the Church Fathers ignored the reason that God chose to separate the two aspects of His covenant with Israel (Mt. Sinai with relationship and Mt. Nebo with purpose).

Why should there be stringent requirements for the people of Israel to possess the land of Israel?  God’s will for Israel is for them to possess and to live in the land of Israel.  This is their most important act of righteousness.  There is great opposition to every aspect of God’s will.  This is especially true concerning Israel.  Therefore, Israel must “obey God and keep His commandments” if they are to possess the land.  This is their protection.  As they do so God’s blessing remains on them and they will prosper.  This is, by the way, the prevailing philosophy of the Israeli settlers today.  It is for this reason that real, Christian believers should ally themselves with the settlement movement.  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and also for the peace of Shechem (Kedumim and Elon Moreh) and Hevron (Kiryat Arba).

Please see my book “Israel – God’s Interdimensional Portal” available at Amazon for a more detailed discussion of the reason for the struggle over Israel.

Bible Study: Deuteronomy 21-25

Torah

This section of the Bible contains many commandments of differing nature.  We might call it a section which includes miscellaneous statutes.  We will attempt to discuss a few of these statutes.

The first subject that I would like to address has to do with male and female roles.  That seems particularly significant today when there is “gender ambiguity” in our society.  The Lord said,

“A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.”  (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Obviously the style of clothing changes with each culture so what might be considered male clothing in one culture could be considered female clothing in another.  The idea here appears to be that men should be men and women should be women.  Their clothing should reflect this.  “Gender ambiguity” and “cross-dressing” is to be avoided.  You are what God designed you to be.  To reject this is to reject God who designed you.

Another controversial statute included in this section concerns illegitimate birth.  

“No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord.”  (Deuteronomy 23:2)

This statute appears to be particularly brutal since it applies to an individual who did nothing on his own to receive such harsh punishment.  So we must ask the question, why would the Lord issue such a commandment?  In order to understand the basis for this commandment, we must consider the impact of illegitimacy on a society.  It seems obvious that the statute is aimed at maintaining the nuclear family consisting of a committed father and mother raising children.  For mature, committed parents, nothing could be more devastating than to have your child ostracized by being excluded from the community.  Therefore, in order to avoid such ostracism, mature God-fearing individuals would bring forth children only as a family unit.  

These Torah commandments apply first and foremost to God’s people Israel.  However, the truth inherent in the commandments applies to all.  In light of this truth, it is a humbling exercise to consider contemporary American society where in some ethic groups ¾ of the children are illegitimate.  As I understand it, close to half of the children born in the U.S. are illegitimate.

In the book of Romans, Paul wrote that the “wrath” of God is revealed in that He simply turns a rebellious individual or a society over to their own inclinations in order for them to be destroyed (See Romans 1:18-32).  This applies specifically to an individual or a society which has received the revelation of God but chooses to ignore it.  This is true of the United States of America.  How long do you think that the U.S. can avoid ultimate destruction?

Finally, we will consider the issue of divorce.  The Lord spoke through Moses,

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house….”  (Deuteronomy 24:1)

Messiah Jesus commented on this verse saying that Moses permitted divorce.  Later, Paul expanded the discussion as recorded in his first letter to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 7:1-16).  Basically, Paul declared that real believers (those living for the Kingdom of God) should not seek a divorce.  If a believer were married to an unbeliever who wants a divorce, grant it and let the unbeliever go.  The believer should not seek a divorce.  Today there are many (perhaps most) Christians who are Christians by tradition rather than from a whole-hearted commitment to the Kingdom of God. The application of Scriptural principle for such “in name only” Christians would be the same as Moses permitted Israel, hence, divorce is permitted even though not recommended.

Bible Study: Deuteronomy 17-20

Torah

One of the most popular Biblical topics is prophecy. Often overlooked is prophecy which has already been fulfilled. One such prophecy occurs in this week’s section. Moses prophesied that when Israel entered the land that they would demand a “king” in order to be like all the other nations (Deuteronomy 17:14). Almost 400 years later in the days of Samuel, Israel made this demand. God told Samuel that Israel had not rejected him (Samuel) but had rejected God.

It took Israel almost 400 years to begin to see themselves as a nation like others. This, I believe, is a function of the fact that Israel had been slaves for an extended period in Egypt. Slavery destroys self confidence in the individual and in the community at large.
Also, in this section, Moses specifically prohibited some activities by a future king.

“Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, “You shall never again return that way.” Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.” (Deuteronomy 17:16-17)

Solomon violated all these prohibited acts. Solomon is said to have been the wisest man, but his wisdom somehow didn’t envelop Moses’ exhortation.
Finally, this future king would be required to personally write the law and read it continually.

“Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left; in order that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

Do you suppose it would be wisdom for the U.S. to require the president to personally hand write the constitution and to review it continually? Perhaps it would be wise if the Israeli Prime Minister was required to write out the commandments.

A famous rabbi once declared that “God is spirit” (John 4:24). This means that God must be discerned spiritually not through our natural senses (ancient idolatry) or through intellectual deduction (modern idolatry). With Israel, God began revealing Himself through a record of communications between Himself and specifically chosen vessels within Israel who apparently had the capacity to discern God’s voice. We presume that this capacity was due to a gift given to the individual by God Himself.

At Mt. Sinai, the people of Israel chose to have a “prophet” to function between themselves and God because they were terrified at the awesome manifestation of God (Exodus 20:18-21). This prophet was, of course, Moses. Moses interacted directly with God. He heard God’s voice and communicated His word to Israel. Moses declared that Israel

“heard the sound of words, but you saw no form—only a voice” (Deuteronomy 4:12).

Later, the prophet Elijah described this “voice” as a “small, silent voice” (I Kings 19:12). In addition, the prophet stood in a very special position to intercede (speak to God) on behalf of God’s people. So, a two-way communication link was established between God and His people through a specially chosen vessel. The Bible came into existence is this way. Moses declared that another was coming after him who would function in this same capacity. This is, we believe, the Messiah.

Since God’s voice and presence must be discerned spiritually, God prohibited a number of practices which could lead to confusion in the process of discerning His voice. These practices include: (a) causing sons and daughters to pass through the fire (practiced in the worship of Moleck), (b) divination, (c) witchcraft, (d) interpreting omens, (e) practice of sorcery, (f) casting spells, (g) functioning as a medium, (h) functioning as a spiritist, and (i) calling up the dead (Deuteronomy 18:9-13). Many of these practices seem to overlap but all deal with probing into the unseen spiritual universe attempting to establish communications with some entity there. We believe that the primary reason why these practices were forbidden by God is that they serve as counterfeits of real communication with God.

My experience tells me that any person who has been deeply involved in these practices will have a very difficult time discerning the voice of the Lord. Often, we “wait on the Lord” with fasting and praying to enhance our ability to “hear from God” concerning a matter. The person accustomed to occult practices will be doubled minded is such efforts and is easily deceived. Frequently, spiritual pride accompanies occult experience. Therefore, God prohibited these practices because He was separating a people who would “hear and obey” His word without occult interference. God is still looking for people for the same reason.

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