Moving a Boundary Stone
19: 14

Moving a boundary stone DIG: How were the portions of land determined once the Israelites conquered Canaan? How were their boundaries established? How could a dishonest person cheat his neighbor? Why would this be so devastating to the victim of this crime? Were the Jews the only ones who had this problem? What did this mitzvah have to do with the Ten Words?

REFLECT: How do people steal land, businesses, or property from the poor and the needy today? Do you think most thieves get caught today? If the courts can’t help, who do we turn to? Do you have the assurance that ultimately thieves aren’t getting away with anything (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Fo – The Great White Throne Judgment)?

Moving a boundary stone from its place was virtually an attack on the neighbor’s livelihood.

Deuteronomy 19:1 to 26:15 (to see link click Dl – The Social and Family Mitzvot) deals with individual mitzvot, and to today’s readers they might appear irrelevant at first, but the very principles behind these commandments were the ones that have brought dignity to mankind. We need to examine these mitzvot in depth to discover the spirit in which they were given, so that we can still live in obedience to God’s Word today. For example, in Numbers 18, the Israelites were to bring their tithes to the Tabernacle because the priests and Levites had no inheritance. But today we have no Temple and no priesthood; however, we bring our tithes to our place of worship. That is the spirit of the mitzvah.

You are not to move your neighbor’s boundary stone from the place where people put it long ago, in the inheritance soon to be yours in the Land ADONAI your God is giving you to possess (19:14).

After Isra’el conquered the land of Canaan, each tribe was assigned its territory and their borders accurately described. Joshua, Eleazar the high priest, and the heads of the twelve tribes cast lots and divided up the portions that Bnei-Yisra’el possessed (Joshua 14:1-2). Within the tribes, each family and clan would make its own claim and mark it out with boundary stones. In that day, they didn’t draw up detailed real estate maps. In the Near East, the fields of different owners are not marked by fences, but by posts, or by single stones. Everyone was expected to honor the boundary stone because to move the stones was to steal land from their neighbors and their descendants. This basically meant the economic survival for each family, and also the family’s tangible proof of membership in the covenant community. But it was easy for a dishonest man to move those landmarks, little by little each year, and thus gradually steal from his neighbor. Therefore, the mitzvah: Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers set up (Proverbs 22:28).⁴²³

Not only the Jews, but other ancient nations, especially the Romans, had tough laws against the removal of landmarks. In the British Museum are three very curious Babylonian monuments which are supposed to have been landmarks, covered with curses for those who would try to remove them. One of them is made up of marble, fashioned in the shape of a massive fish. On the head is the figure of a serpent, and various other characters; and on the other side, in arrow-headed letters, are the curses.⁴²⁴

Moving a boundary stone was a violation of the eighth mitzvah (see Bs – Do Not Steal), and as Micah 2:1-2 shows, it is also rooted in the tenth mitzvah as well (see Bu – Do Not Covet). In fact, as an attack on a covenant neighbor, striking at his share of the covenant land given to him by YHVH, theft was indirectly a crime against God. No wonder this crime was included among the curses announced from Mount Ebal. It comes high on the list, only after idolatry and dishonoring parents: “Cursed is the one who removes his neighbor’s boundary stone.” Then all the people are to say, “Amen” (27:17).⁴²⁵ Crimes in this list were committed in secret in the hope that the offender might never appear before a human court. But such people were committed to the judgment of Ha’Shem, who would carry out the curse. Elsewhere in the TaNaKh, both wisdom writers (Job 24:2-4; Proverbs 15:25 and 23:10-11), and the prophets (Isaiah 5:8 and Hosea 5:10) refer to land grabbing as part of their warning or rebuke.

But the prophetic and wisdom sayings also suggest that the mitzvah goes further, to include extortion, the deliberate taking over the land of the poor by the powerful, or the making of unjust mitzvot so they could rob the helpless: The people of the land have oppressively blackmailed, plundered in robbery, wronged the poor and the needy and abused the outsider unjustly (Ezeki’el 22:29). The story of Ahab and Naboth illustrates the motive behind the crime (First Kings 21). The prominent position of this mitzvah shows how closely the need to respect the life and means of others is bound up in Deuteronomy with the prohibition of murder itself (see Bq – Do Not Murder).⁴²⁶

Dear wonderful Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are so kind and loving! Praise You that Your concept of true religion is loving. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27). You are wonderful! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Six Cities of Refuge
19: 1-13

Six cities of refuge DIG: What are the cities of refuge? What was their function? Who were the ones who would judge these cases? Why was that important? What geographical guidelines were given for these cities? How were these cities an inheritance for everyone? Why distinguish between intentional and unintentional murder? Isn’t murder still murder? How do these cities honor God and human life? What promise and penalty is linked with the use and abuse of these cities? Was the murderer to be protected in these cities of refuge?

REFLECT: How many blessings of ADONAI do you think you have received because you have obeyed the teachings of the Scriptures? If you have missed out on some blessings in the past, you can change that today by reading, understanding, and following God’s Word. Has anger or hatred ever hindered your being conformed into the image of Messiah? How so? How did that work for you? How did it end? Has it ended? How do these cities of refuge point us to the Messiah? How did those cities illustrate our salvation by contrast?

Moses gives special attention to the issue of blood revenge since this was a common practice in the ancient nomadic societies.

Deuteronomy 19:1 to 26:15 (to see link click Dl – The Social and Family Mitzvot) deals with individual mitzvot, and to today’s readers they might appear irrelevant at first, but the very principles behind these commandments were the ones that have brought dignity to mankind. We need to examine these mitzvot in depth to discover the spirit in which they were given, so that we can still live in obedience to God’s Word today. For example, in Numbers 18, the Israelites were to bring their tithes to the Tabernacle because the priests and Levites had no inheritance. But today we have no Temple and no priesthood; however, we bring our tithes to our place of worship. That is the spirit of the mitzvah.

Therefore, after Chapter 18, where the Israelites were told about the Prophet to come (who would be the Messiah), here in Chapter 19, the Ten Words (see Bk – The Ten Words) are resumed, and Moses illustrates the sixth commandment (see Bq – Do Not Murder). But Moshe does it in a beautiful way. He does not begin with instructions about how to catch a murderer; or how to punish a murderer. He begins with a concern about the one who kills accidentally. Murder is a great tragedy, but because we do not live in Paradise, in an imperfect world where accidents happen, people can find themselves guilty of killing someone accidentally. ADONAI looked with grace upon such a one a gave Isra’el a remedy.⁴¹³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a wonderful and caring Father! Praise You for sacrificing the blood of Your Son Yeshua. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). He is our refuge that we run to from the awful punishment of death that each of us deserve for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Praise You that when we believe in Your Son and make Him our Lord, then you make us Your children and give us eternal life (John 1:12).

You have said that the important thing is not knowledge of Yeshua, or even doing good deeds of service in His name. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers” (Matthew 7:22-23)! What You do desire and what gets a person into heaven – is a heart that loves You first and foremost in their life. Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). We do love You and our greatest joy in heaven will be praising Your great name and spending time with You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The instituting of the cities of refuge seems to be an expansion of the simpler mitzvah contained in Exodus 21:12-14, where Ha’Shem appointed a place where one could run, presumably at the horns of the bronze altar, and offered protection to the manslayer, but not to the murderer (First Kings 2:28-35). As the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land, however, the Sanctuary and the horns of the bronze altar would be located far away from the majority of the population. Therefore, cities of refuge, strategically located throughout the Land, would replace this particular function of the Sanctuary and the horns of the bronze altar.⁴¹⁴

Numbers 35:9-28 provides for six cities of refuge, chosen from the 48 Levitical cities in both the Transjordan, and in the area west of the Jordan River, appointed by Isra’el when they had conquered the Promised Land. Three cities of refuge: Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan, have already been referred to briefly in Deuteronomy (see Bg – Three Cities of Refuge), in which they were set aside to serve those tribes residing east of the Jordan Valley. The present passage resumes that theme, and the picture is completed with Joshua 20:7-9, which incorporates elements from both Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 4 and 19.⁴¹⁵

The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries among the cities of the Levites is probably traceable to the idea that the Levites would be the most suitable and impartial judges, that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger. By their consecration as priests, the Levites were mediators between the Israelites and YHVH. As such, they would have been gifted to calmly mediate between the attacker and the victim’s family, ensuring that no further bloodshed would occur.⁴¹⁶

The cities (1-3): When ADONAI your God cuts off the nations whose land ADONAI your God is giving you, and you take their place and settle in their cities and houses, you are to set aside three additional cities for yourselves in your Land that ADONAI your God is giving you to possess. Divide the territory of your land, which ADONAI your God is having you inherit, into three parts; and prepare the roads, so that any killer can flee easily to these cities (19:1-3). Joshua later identified these cities as Kodesh in Galilee (in the northern region), Shechem in Ephraim (in the central region), and Hebron in Judah (in the southern region). The people are to make sure that these six cities are accessible to all Israelites in case a murder took place, so he could flee to one of those cities of refuge to escape the revenge of his next-of-kin. The sages teach that there were signs at all the crossroads pointing the way to the nearest city of refuge. ADONAI wanted to make it easier for the innocent manslayer to escape the vengeance of hateful people.

The accidental death (4-7): If someone kills another person accidentally (Hebrew: da’at), without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety (19:4 NLT). The killer is innocent, and thus, anyone who kills him spills innocent blood. ADONAI, watching from heaven, is primarily concerned with the human heart. If the killing was accidental, God considered the killer innocent.

An example would be if a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood and takes a stroke with the axe to fell a tree, but the head of the axe flies off the handle, hits his neighbor and kills him. Then he is to flee to one of these cities and live there. Otherwise, the next-of-kin avenger (Hebrew: go’el haddam), in the heat of his anger, may pursue the killer, overtake him because the distance [to the city of refuge] is long, and strike him dead – even though he didn’t deserve to die, inasmuch as he hadn’t hated him in the past. This is why I am ordering you to set aside for yourselves three more cities (19:5-7).

The accidental killer was to flee to the nearest city of refuge. There, he would be safe until all the facts of the case could be examined, and tempers could cool. He would wait until a trial was held to determine his guilt or innocence. If found innocent, he was allowed to live safely in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest in Jerusalem. So, even though he was declared innocent of murder, he still paid a steep price for accidently killing another human being. If he left the city of refuge before the high priest died, he could legally be killed by the next-of-kin of the victim and the elders of that Levitical city wouldn’t protect him (Numbers 35:27).

In judging the case, there was one thing that the Levitical judges needed to look for. Hate. If there was hate, the person was most likely guilty. Yeshua Himself linked murder to hatred in the Sermon on the Mount (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Da – The Sermon on the Mount): You have heard it said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever commits murder shall be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that everyone who is angry with [hates] his brothers shall be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca” shall be subject to the council; and whoever says, “You fool!” shall be subject to fiery Gehenna (Matthew 5:21-22). Here Yeshua brings us right to the core of the Torah and revels to us the source of murder, which is anger, which is hatred. This anger will grow into hatred, and when full grown, the person is convinced that murder is the only solution to the problem. It was that thing that the judges of Isra’el were asked to look for.⁴¹⁷

The murderer (19:8-13): If the Israelites had been faithful in following YHVH, then He would have expanded their territory to the boundaries promised to Abraham (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land). When ADONAI your God expands your territory, as He swore to your ancestors that He would, and gives you all the Land He promised to give to your ancestors – provided you keep and observe all these mitzvot I am giving you today, loving ADONAI your God and always following His ways – then you are to add three more cities for yourselves, besides these (19:9). But they missed out on the blessings of God because they did not follow the Scriptures. Isra’el would not have been the same, then or today, if she had pursued God’s Torah, His teaching.

So that innocent blood will not be shed in the land ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus blood guilt be on you (19:10). Here, Moses emphatically states that to allow a manslayer to be put to death, would be the same as the shedding of innocent blood by a premeditated murderer. The basic principle is thus stated: the innocent should not be punished, and the guilty should not go unpunished.⁴¹⁸

The murderer still might flee to one of the cities of refuge, but he would not be protected there. However, if someone hates his fellow member of the community, lies in wait for him, attacks him, strikes him a death blow, and then flees into one of these cities, the leaders of his own town are to bring him back from there and hand him over to the next-of-kin avenger to be put to death. You are not to pity him (see the commentary on Genesis Cz – Whoever Sheds Human Blood, by Humans Shall Their Blood Be Shed). Rather, you must put an end to the shedding of innocent blood in Isra’el. Then things will go well with you (19:11-13). The reason for the stern action was to remove the stain from the Land which resulted from the shedding of innocent blood; since the LORD was believed to dwell in the midst of His people, the Land was not to be defiled.⁴¹⁹

This is a major problem today. The law generally ignores the pain and suffering of the victims and their family, and worries more about the rights of the criminals. Today people say, “How does killing the murderer purge innocent blood?” The modern judgment seems to ask, “Who is the ‘innocent person’?” The victim is already dead, and the only one now left is this poor murderer who will now suffer in jail for 10 or 20 years, and be released. Let us help this poor murderer and not avenge the innocent blood that he shed on the ground. But when YHVH spoke to Cain, He said: What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. So now, cursed are you from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand (Genesis 4:10).

I realize that this is not so politically correct for the eyes and ears of the world today. Some people might say the language of the Word of God here is to be understood figuratively. However, as long as the murderer is not brought to justice, it is as if the blood of the victim is exposed to the ground. In other words, the ground does not accept it, and this blood is not covered. The blood that is not covered and not avenged continues to be a curse to the murderer and to the collective community, and the curse stays on the ground until it is avenged. Yeshua, Himself, demonstrated this principle (Matthew 23:34-36). Therefore, the Word of God says: You must show him no pity.⁴²⁰

The cities of refuge point us to the Messiah, in whom sinners find a refuge from the destroyer of our souls. Just as the guilty person sought refuge in the cities set up for that purpose, we flee to Yeshua for refuge from sin (Hebrews 6:18). We run to Messiah to escape the danger we are in from the curse and condemnation of Torah, from the wrath of God, and from an eternity in hell. Only the Lord provides refuge from these things, and it is to Him alone that we must run. Just as the cities were open to all who fled to them for safety, it is Messiah who provides safety to all who come to Him for refuge from sin and its punishment. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believers in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).⁴²¹

But just as those cities of refuge illustrate our salvation in Yeshua Messiah to whom we have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us (Hebrews 6:18), they also do so by contrast. The man who fled in Isra’el did so because he wasn’t guilty of premeditated murder, but we flee because we are guilty and deserve to be judged. Nobody has to investigate our case because we know we have sinned and deserve the punishment of Ha’Shem. In the case of the cities of refuge, the innocent man was allowed to live, but in our case, Yeshua Messiah, the innocent One, was condemned to die. The Israelite had to remain in the city of refuge, for if he left it, he might die at the hand of an avenger. The salvation we have in Messiah isn’t conditioned on our obedience, but depends wholly on His grace and promises. I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me, is greater than them all. And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:28:30). Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:1). The Israelite manslayer could legally leave the city of refuge after the death of the high priest, but our High Priest in heaven will never die and lives forever to make intercession for us, “Therefore, He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, always living to make intercession for us” (Hebrews 7:25).⁴²²

The Social and Family Mitzvot
19:1 to 26:15

Moses now speaks of the second part of the Ten Words (to see link click Bk – The Ten Words), our relationship with others. We can summarize what is said here by the words of Paul: For the whole Torah can be summed up in a single saying, ”Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). This means that a proper understanding of the Torah will bring people to love their neighbor as themselves. Any understanding of Torah without this great principle will make Torah harsh, legalistic, and therefore, hard to understand.

This section deals with individual mitzvot, and to today’s readers they might appear irrelevant at first, but the very principles behind these commandments were the ones that have brought dignity to mankind. We need to examine these mitzvot in depth to discover the spirit in which they were given, so that we can still live in obedience to the Word today. For example, in Numbers 18 the Israelites were to bring their tithes to the Tabernacle because the priests and Levites had no inheritance. But today we have no Temple and no priesthood, however, we bring our tithes to our place of worship. That is the spirit of the mitzvah.

These commandments form the basis for many of the laws that we live under in the western world today. As a result, they are a school of wisdom. It is as if we are sitting with, and learning from, our Great Judge who gently brings us from case to case. The key verse for this whole section can be found in Deuteronomy 23:14, “For ADONAI your God walks in the midst of your camp.” God is here. He is omnipresent. He walks in your midst. He is aware of every case. So, on the one hand, this whole section gives us a sense of comfort because it reminds us that God is aware of our plight. He knows our difficulties. He knows our pain, and there is absolutely nothing that evades His eye.⁴¹²

On the other hand, it is important to remember that these commandments were never meant to save, but to make the Israelites aware of their sin as clearly as possible. These commandments only pointed to their need of a Savior. As Paul teaches us in the book of Galatians, the guardian was not the teacher (see the commentary on Galatians Bm – The Torah Became our Guardian to Lead Us to Messiah), he only brought the student to the teacher. Therefore, just as the guardian brought the student to the teacher, the Torah brought the Jewish people to their Messiah.

Dear Great Heavenly Father, Praise Your wisdom in giving the mitzvot that we might see our sinfulness and need of a perfect Messiah to rescue us from our inability to be perfect. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.  So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.  Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (Galatians 3:23-25). You are a perfectly holy God and only those who have perfect righteousness can enter your holy home of heaven.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). We love, praise and worship You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

A Prophet Like Moses
18: 15-22

A prophet like Moses DIG: What provision does God make for Isra’el? What was the duty of the prophet, as compared with a priest? What kinds of prophets were the Israelites to avoid? How do you account for the miraculous signs performed by false prophets? What was the responsibility of the true prophet of God? Of the people? Who is this prophet? How is He like Moshe? And when will He come? Why is there no continuous revelation today?

REFLECT: What are the tests for the false prophets today? Do you think the gift of prophecy still functioning today? Or is the canon of Scripture closed? What would a prophet add to the Word of God? What does the book of Revelation say about that (Revelation 22:18)? How can you tell the false prophets of today? What happens today when a prophecy does not come true? Are there any consequences for the false prophet?

In contrast with the dark magic of Canaanite sorcerers, witches, soothsayers, fortune-tellers, and mediums, the Israelites were to listen to ADONAI’s prophets alone.

For the second time in Deuteronomy, we are warned about the false prophets and teachers. The first time was in Chapter 13 (to see link click Cv – Beware of Idolatry), right at the beginning of the specific stipulations of the Covenant. And here, also, it is very strategically placed. It is right after the description of God’s selected teachers of the Torah, the Levites, and right before a foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah.

At the time Moses spoke these words he was about 120 years old, and his death was imminent. YHVH had told him that he was not going to cross the Jordan River with the Israelites into the Promised Land (see Gj – The Death of Moses). That, of course, created a problem for them. What were they to do once Moshe was no longer with them? Who would be their mediator? Who would be able to speak to God on their behalf? Who would be able to pray for them? Moses had been very important to them, and his departure left a huge gap in Isra’el’s relationship with YHVH. But this passage speaks of a new Mediator who was coming, the only One who could truly intercede between God and mankind. ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him (18:15). This is the only passage in the entire Torah where Moshe explicitly identifies himself as a prophet. Just as the 613 commandments of the Torah were given to show that mankind could not live up to it and obey it, Moses was given the task of being a mediator, but his failures showed that no man could be the mediator when he himself needed mediation. In effect, Moshe succeeded in showing us the way to the Messiah. And just like John the Immerser, he understood the difference between himself, and the One who was to come.⁴⁰⁶

The ultimate Prophet like Moses is Yeshua Messiah – the One who spoke God’s words and who provides deliverance for His people. Not even Joshua could be compared to Moshe, for since Moses there has not risen again a prophet in Isra’el like him (34:10a), with such power before mankind and intimacy with YHVH. Moses set the standard for every future prophet. Each prophet was to do his best to live up to the example of Moses until the One came who would introduce the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace). During the first century AD the Pharisees and Sadducees were still looking for the fulfillment of Moses’ prediction (John 1:21). Peter said their search should have stopped with the Messiah (Acts 3:22-23).⁴⁰⁷

Just as when you were assembled at Horeb (which is the name used for Mount Sinai in Deuteronomy) and requested ADONAI your God, “Don’t let me hear the voice of ADONAI my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again, for if I do, I will die!” On that occasion ADONAI said to me, “They are right in what they have spoken.” I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their brothers. I will put My words in His mouth, and He will speak all that I command Him. Now whoever doesn’t listen to My words that this Prophet speaks in My Name, I Myself will call him to account (18:16-19).

Over the course of time, these verses concerning the prophet came to be recognized within Judaism as having a future and prophetic point of reference. The parallel between Yeshua and Moshe, expressed here prophetically, is striking. The prophet Moses, in his role as leader of the people and spokesman for YHVH, was instrumental in founding the first kingdom, the kingdom of Isra’el. Though he was followed by many genuine prophets in the history of that kingdom, none of them was comparable to him in the significance of his work under God’s direction. Likewise, Yeshua also marked the coming of a new Kingdom. It was not a political kingdom of this world, as was that of Moses, but the Kingdom of God. The prophet Moses mediated a covenant which was to be the constitution of the kingdom of Isra’el, whose true King was God. The prophet Jeremiah signaled the end of that age and pointed forward to a New Covenant (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – The Days are Coming, declares the LORD, When I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el) and a new kind of Kingdom. Those prophetic pointers in the past found their fulfillment in Yeshua.⁴⁰⁸

Here are thirty ways in which Yeshua Messiah resembled Moshe:

1. Just as there were 400 years of silence before YHVH sent Moses to deliver Isra’el from her bondage to Pharaoh, so there were 400 years of silence before He sent His one and only Son, Yeshua the Messiah, to utterly deliver Isra’el from her ultimate bondage to sin and death.

2. Both Moshe and Yeshua were sent from God (Exodus 3:1-10; John 8:42).

3. Both Moshe and Yeshua were Jews (Exodus 2:1-2; Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 1-2; Hebrews 7:14). This is significant, since Muslims claim that Muhammad is the prophet that Moshe referred to, which is impossible, since the Messiah must be a Jew (John 4:24).

4. Both had faithful Jewish parents (Exodus 2:2; Hebrews 11:23; Matthew 2:13-14).

5. Both were born under foreign domination, Moses under Egyptian domination and Yeshua under Roman domination (Exodus 1:8-14; Luke 2:1).

6. Both were threatened by wicked kings (Exodus 1:15-16; Matthew 2:16).

7. Both Moses and Yeshua spent their early years in Egypt, miraculously protected from those who sought to take their lives (Exodus 2:10; Matthew 2:16).

8. Both rejected the possibility of becoming rulers in this age. Moshe was raised as a son in the royal family and could have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle as a powerful ruler, but he chose differently (Hebrews 11:24); Satan offered Yeshua rule over the kingdoms of this world (Matthew 4:8-9), but He rejected that offer and chose to suffer and die for us.

9. Both Moshe and Yeshua were “sent from a mountain of God” to free Isra’el. Moses was sent from a physical Mount Sinai in Midian; Yeshua was sent from a spiritual Mount Zion in heaven (Hebrews 12:22).

10. Both were initially rejected by the Jews (Exodus 32:1; Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:21-22; Romans 11:25).

11. Both were accepted by the Gentiles: Moshe by the Midianites (Exodus 2:14-22); Yeshua by the world (Acts 10:45; First Timothy 3:16).

12. Both were criticized by their families (Numbers 12:1; Mark 3:20-21).

13. Both knew YHVH face to face. God spoke directly to both Moses and Yeshua (Exodus 3:1-10; Deuteronomy 34:10; Luke 9:934-36). All other prophets received their revelation by visions or dreams (Deuteronomy 34:10; John 1:18). Both were authoritative spokesmen for ADONAI.

14. Both were teachers (Deuteronomy 4:1-5; Matthew 22:16; John 3:2).

15. Both revealed God’s name (Exodus 3:13-14; John 17:6 and 11-12).

16. Both were faithful to ADONAI (Numbers 12:5-7; Hebrews 3:1-2).

17. Both gave the people bread from heaven (Exodus 16:14-15; Matthew 14:19-20) and performed miracles (Exodus 4:21-28; Deuteronomy 34:10-12; John 5:36, 12:37-38).

18. Both were appointed as saviors of Isra’el: Moshe, as Isra’el’s deliverer from the bondage to Pharaoh; Yeshua as Isra’el’s deliverer from the bondage to the Adversary.

19. Both were shepherds of Isra’el. Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 3:1; and the entire book of Numbers); Yeshua led those who believed in Him as the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-11; Matthew 9:36).

20. Both were humble servants of the LORD (Numbers 12:3; Luke 2:46-47; Philippians 2:8-9).

21. Both fasted in the wilderness for forty days (Exodus 34:28; Matthew 4:2).

22. Both were mediators of the covenant of blood: Moses of the TaNaKh (Exodus 24:7-8) and Yeshua of the B’rit Chadashah (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:26; Luke 22:20; Hebrew 9:11-5; First Corinthians 11:25; Second Corinthians 3:6).

23. Both offered to die on behalf of the people’s sins (Exodus 32:30-33; John 17).

24. Just as Moshe instituted the Passover on the 14th of Nisan as the means by which the Angel of Death would pass over those Israelites who trusted in God’s promise regarding the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12:11-12), so Yeshua offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

25. Just as Moses brought about the “resurrection” of the children of Isra’el as they passed through the Sea of Reeds; so Yeshua because the Firstfruits of resurrection as He rose from the dead.

26. Just as the Torah was given to Isra’el fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt on Shavu’ot, so Yeshua sent the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to form the Church fifty days after His resurrection.

27. Both of their faces shone with the glory of heaven – Moshe on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:34-35) and Yeshua on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2).

28. As Moshe lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness to heal the people (Numbers 17:11), so Yeshua was lifted up on the cross to heal all believers from their sin (John 12:32).

29. As Moses conquered the great enemy of Isra’el, the Amalekites with his upraised arms (Exodus 17:11), so Yeshua conqured our ultimate enemy of sin and death by His upraised arms on the cross (John 19:18).

30. As Moshe sent twelve spies to explore Canaan (Numbers 13), so Yeshua sent twelve apostles to reach the world (Matthew 10:1); and as Moses appointed seventy rulers over Isra’el (Numbers 11:16-7), so Yeshua anointed seventy disciples to teach the nations (Luke 10:1).

How was Yeshua a prophet like Moshe? Like Moshe, He was a Jew, a leader, a prophet, a lawgiver, a savior, a teacher a priest, an anointed one, a mediator between God and mankind – speaking the words of God – and like Moshe, He offered to die for the sins of the people.

The Prophet to come was to speak the Word of God, and only His Word (John 5:30, 12:49; Philippians 2:16). But He was not coming right away. In fact, some 1,500 years separated Moshe from Yeshua. So, what were the Israelites supposed to do in the meantime? Yes, there would be prophets to come: Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Joel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezeki’el, Dani’el, and others, but they were neither like Moses, nor like the Prophet to come. How can we separate the true prophets of God from the false prophets of the Adversary? Although Moses would leave after the Torah was completed, God never did. He was present with them in His Word. Therefore, the LORD gives us some further instruction that is still very practical for us today.⁴⁰⁹

Dear Mighty Heavenly Father, Praise Your mighty power, holiness and love. Heaven will be so wonderful that we can’t even imagine the great joy for all who love you and enter heaven as your children (John 1:12). Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, that have not entered the heart of mankind – these things God has prepared for those who love Him (First Corinthians 3:9 quotes Isaiah 64:4).

Praise You for wanting all to enter heaven and by Yeshua’s death and resurrection (Second Corinthians 5:21). You have opened the door to all who chose to love and to follow God (Romans 10:9-10). He is being patient toward you – not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9c). The choice of each person’s eternal destiny is decided by who their heart loves. God looks to see if they have repented from their selfish ways and chosen to love and follow Him. The beloved apostle John prophecies that terrible plagues that God will send in the last days to turn people to look upward to Him. Very sadly many will not choose repentance. People were scorched with fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God – the One who has power over these plagues. But they did not repent, to give Him glory (Revelation 16:9). It is a real choice of eternal life of great joy or suffering the wrath of God in eternal punishment. He who trusts in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). Father God, we love You and look forward to praising and worshiping You forever. Please do whatever it takes to open the hearts of my friends and family so they choose eternal life by loving You as first in their lives. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

False prophets: Given the serious nature of failure to obey the prophetic word, Moses now turns to the matter of distinguishing between true and false prophecy.⁴¹⁰ Now should you say in your heart, “How would we recognize the word that ADONAI has not spoken (18:21)? Two tests could be used to determine whether a prophet was speaking God’s words.

First, the prophet’s message had to be in accordance with God and His Word. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods – that prophet will die (18:20). As a result, anyone claimed to say a word from the LORD had to be right 100 percent of the time, and they needed to give shorter near historical prophecies to prove that they were, indeed, a prophet. Their life should be an open book for all to see, just like the elders in the B’rit Chadashah. The true prophetic office in the Dispensation of the Torah demanded 100 percent accuracy because they declared a new revelation from YHVH.

Second, his prophecy must come true. When a prophet speaks in the name of ADONAI, and the prediction does not come true — that is, the word is not fulfilled — then ADONAI did not speak that word. The prophet who said it spoke presumptuously; you have nothing to fear from him or any reprisals such a one might predict against them (18:22). There were no second chances. They must be put to death. By permitting these so-called “prophets” to mix error with messages supposedly “fresh from God’s lips,” the floodgate would be open to false teaching, confusion, error, fanaticism, and chaos.

How could a message genuinely inspired by YHVH be tainted with error or lies? True, inspired prophecy would have to line-up with Scripture. If they do not speak according to the Torah, it is because they have no light (Isaiah 8:20). It is the very Word of God. Every prophetic revelation implies, “This is what the LORD is saying” – if not explicitly, then implicitly. True prophecy is not the prophet’s opinion or speculation. It is not a mere impression in his mind. It is not a guess or a divination. It has nothing whatsoever to do with soothsaying. It is a word from ADONAI (First Samuel 3:1; Jeremiah 37:17). And since the prophet purports to speak for God Himself, he is held to the highest possible standard of accountability, and judged with the utmost severity if he prophesied falsely.⁴¹¹

No continuous revelation today: The gift of prophecy was still in use during the First Century (Romans 12:6; First Corinthians 12:10; Ephesians 4:11). There were prophets in B’rit Chadashah times: Agabus (Acts 11:27-28, 21:10-11); Ana the prophetess (luke 2:36-38); Barnabas, Simon called Niger and Lucius the Cyrene (Acts 13:17); Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32); the four daughters of Philip who prophesied (Acts 21:9); and the apostle John who prophesied in the book of Revelation. Prophets foretold either near historical events or far eschatological events. Once Revelation was completed, however, the canon of Scripture was closed at the end of the First Century. There was no need for any further revelation. The Ruach ha-Kodesh had equipped believers with everything they would need to live a victorious life, and the spiritual gift of prophecy passed away. Hence, there is no continuous revelation.

God Hates Sorcery
18: 9-14

God hates sorcery DIG: What was the gift that ADONAI gave Isra’el? What was the aim of false prophets, and the goal behind the abominations of other nations? What the purpose behind the practice of sorcery by the ancients? Why does God hate sorcery? Who else in the TaNaKh does God say was blameless? Are you surprised at any of those listed? Why?

REFLECT: How can you protect yourself from these evil practices today? How hard is it to be blameless or righteous in such an evil world that we live in today? How can you protect your family, especially your children (Proverbs 22:6)? Who, caught up in sorcery, can you pray for today? How else can you help them? Why does YHVH want you blameless?

The Land ADONAI was giving to the Israelites was a gift, in which God’s covenantal people were to conduct themselves as loyal citizens of His Kingdom.

For the second time in Deuteronomy we are warned about the false prophets and teaches. The first time was in Chapter 13 (to see link click Cv – Do Not Inquire or be Trapped by Foreign Gods), right at the beginning of the specific stipulations of the Covenant. And here, also, it is very strategically placed. It is right after the description of God’s selected teachers of the Torah, the Levites, and right before a foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah.

A. The Land (18:9): When you enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to learn to do the abominations of those nations living in Canaan (18:9). This section of scripture is framed, like to book ends, by the idea of God’s gift of the Land. This gift should not be abused. The whole person needed to be committed to YHVH, and not chasing after the gods and practices of the Canaanites, which would be spiritual adultery.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are so awesome and You have planned such a wonderful time in heaven for all who love You. Everyone wants to go to heaven, but there is only way to heaven – thru loving and following as Lord, Yeshua as the sacrificial death for our sins (Second Corinthians 5:21) and the resurrection to eternal life (Romans 10:9-10).We want keep our hearts focused on Your holy love and to follow you always. No idols allowed in our lives, even the idol of self. You are the most wonderful Father! Following You is the wisest! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

B. Detestable practices (18:10-12): The prophets of God were not called to talk about the personal business of individuals. Therefore, here we see the Enemies’ plan to pray on the weak by speaking of their personal dealings. Because the need to hear a word from their god(s) was universally felt in the ancient world a whole array of occultic arts and practices grew up. The magicians of Pharaoh (Exodus 7:11); the wise men of Nebuchadnezzar (Dani’el 2:2); and even the magi in the B’rit Chadashah (Matthew 2:1) echo that world thought. Ezeki’el also, has a mocking picture of the king of Babylon consulting his means of divination as he conducted a campaign of conquest. He shook his arrows at a fork in the road, consulted his idols, and looked at the liver of an animal (Ezeki’el 21:26). The sacrifices of these ancients were intended to prod their gods to do what they wanted. The epitome of playing God. Kings, in particular, resorted to such means in order to make important decisions, as in times of war. The list of forbidden activities covers a wide range of such practices.

1. There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire (18:10a): The context here indicates that the reference is not simply child sacrifice, but to the offering of a child with the specific purpose of discerning the outcome of events. This was practiced by the worshipers of Molech (Second Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35). The king of Mo’ab, losing ground in a battle against Isra’el, made a burnt offering of his son and heir, to try to persuade the deity by the act of self-sacrifice itself, or to discern how to turn the tide of events (Second Kings 3:26-27).⁴⁰¹

2. Or practice witchcraft (18:10b): The expression includes a participle and a noun both derived from the Hebrew root qesem. A variety of devices were used in various lands but all were designed to discern the will of the gods. When Balak, king of Mo’ab, hired the false prophet Balaam to curse Isra’el, when his curse turned into blessings, he said: There is no witchcraft effective against Jacob (Numbers 23:23); when King Sha’ul did not destroy Agag of Amalek as Ha’Shem had instructed him to do, Samuel said his action was rebellion against YHVH, like the sin of witchcraft (First Samuel 15:23).

3. Or a soothsayer (18:10c): It is derived either from the root anan, in which case it seems to refer to casting spells by reading clouds, or from a root with occurs in Arabic, meaning to make casual noises, croon, or hum, in which case it may refer to some kind of incarnation. It was practiced by the Philistines (Isaiah 2:6) and the apostate King Manasseh of Judah (Second Kings 21:6). It is the attempt to control people or circumstances through the power given by demons.

4. Or an omen reader or fortune-teller (18:10d): Like the horoscope readings of today, the ancients used various means to try to predict the future based on “signs” such as the movements of birds, fire, rain, or water. When Joseph pretended to practice divination with the silver bowl he had hidden in Benjamin’s sack, he said to his brothers when they returned to his house: Don’t you know that a man like me can discern by divination (Hebrew: nachash, meaning tell the future)? This is how those silver bowls were used. Clean water would be poured into such a bowl, then particles of gold, silver or precious stones would be dropped into the clean water. Then oil would be added to the clean water. Then depending on how light would shine between the oil and the particles, a prediction would be made.

5. Or a sorcerer (18:10e): This involved practicing magic, and derived from the Hebrew root kashaph, meaning to cut up, and may denote one who cuts up herbs and brews them for magical purposes. When Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and it became a snake, the sorcerers of Egypt did the same thing with their secret arts (Exodus 7:11). When King Nebuchadnezzar had troubling dreams, so he summoned his magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers in order to explain to the king his dreams (Dani’el 2:2).

6. Or one who casts spells (18:11a). In Psalm 85:3-5, David wrote: The wicked are strangers from the womb. Speaking lies, they go astray from birth. Their venom is like a serpent’s venom, like a deaf cobra shutting it ear – not hearing the voice of charmers, or one who casts spells (Hebrew root: chabar, meaning to unite, to be joined, to tie a magic knot or spell, to charm, thus one who binds other people by magical mutterings).

7. Or a medium, a spiritist, who calls up the dead (18:11b): The last secret art is communicating with the dead to predict future events, famously resorted to by King Sha’ul in the cave of a spiritist (see the commentary on the Life of David Bv – Sha’ul and the Medium at Endor). The medium supposedly communicates with the dead, but actually communicates with, and is controlled by, demons. Greek versions translate this term translate it engastgrimuthoi, meaning ventriloquists.

For whoever does these things is an abomination to ADONAI, and because of these abominations ADONAI your God is driving them out from before you (18:12). Not only are these practices an abomination to YHVH, but whoever practices them is likewise an abomination. They were forbidden in Isra’el precisely because they were a part of the reason for God’s judgment of the Canaanites, which would be seen in their being expelled from the Land. And if the Israelites adopted the same practices, they too would be expelled from the Land.⁴⁰²

All these practices were forbidden to the Israelites, as they are forbidden to us as well because they touch the demonic world. The aim of these false prophets was, and is, to drive a wedge between believers and ADONAI. It is not a coincidence that this precedes the section about the Messiah (see Dk – A Prophet Like Moses). These false prophets have the mission to blind people from the Savior and all that He has done for us.⁴⁰³

B. You are to be blameless (18:13): You are to be blameless before ADONAI your God. The essence of the covenant tradition appears once again. The LORD would give the Land to the Israelites as a gift, but the continuing possession of the Land would be dependent upon her faithfulness to her covenant obligations, namely, that her obedience to the mitzvot of ADONAI would make her blameless.⁴⁰⁴

The adjective blameless or righteous (Hebrew: tamim) occurs frequently to describe offerings that perfectly match the priestly requirements, in other words, they are whole, perfect, or blameless (Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 9:2, 22:21; Numbers 6:14, 28:19). It can also depict the serenity of a relationship between YHVH and the righteous of the TaNaKh that is without spot or blemish (Genesis 6:9, 17:1; Joshua 24:14). There are several people that ADONAI declares blameless, or perfect, in the TaNaKh. Noah was blameless (tamim) among the people of his time (Genesis 6:9); Abraham was to walk before ADONAI and be blameless (tamim) (Genesis 17:1); Job was a man who was blameless (tamim) and upright, he feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1); and Jacob was blameless! What? Can that be right? Most churches teach that Jacob was a supplanter who stole Esau’s birthright, but God blessed him anyway. However, the Bible doesn’t call Jacob a thief, it says Jacob was a blameless (tamim) man (see the commentary on Genesis Gn – Then Jacob Gave Esau Some Lentil Stew and Esau Despised His Birthright).

A. The Land (18:14): For these nations, which you are about to dispossess from the Land, listen to soothsayers and fortune-tellers, but as for you, ADONAI your God will not allow you to do so (18:14). Moses returns to where he began by reminding the Israelites of the fundamental issue before them. An exclusive relationship with YHVH leaves no room for any failed human attempts at discerning, or determining future human affairs. Ha’Shem is going to use His chosen people to evict the Canaanites (who were engaging in those detestable practices) from the Land they were occupying. God’s covenantal nation could trust ADONAI Himself was worthy of their absolute trust with regard to any future events.⁴⁰⁵

The Priests and Levites
18: 1-8

The priests and Levites DIG: Are all Levites priests? What was the difference between priests and Levites? What was the inheritance of the priests? Is their freedom from property and dependence on others a good thing? Why or why not? How would you characterize the offerings they live on: (a) left-overs? (b) luxuries? (c) just dues? What was the special provision made to Levites who went to serve at the Sanctuary in Jerusalem?

REFLECT: Should your Messianic rabbi or pastor put the congregation first, or vice versa? Why? How so? Are your tithes today going to support your Messianic rabbi or pastor? Why? Why not? What has God given you as an “inheritance?” How are you to share it with others? Paul restated the principle of supporting your Messianic rabbi or pastor in the B’rit Chadashah (First Corinthians 9:14; First Timothy 5:17-18). How are you doing with that?

All priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests; however, every member of the tribe of Levi had a right to share in the “proceeds” of the offering made at the bronze altar.

The tribe of Levi was divided into three families (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Bh – These Were the Heads of the Families of Moses and Aaron). Each division originally had different responsibilities regarding the Tabernacle (Numbers 3-4). The Kohathites were further divided into those who were descendants of Aaron and those who were not (Joshua 21:1-7).

Only the descendants of Aaron, the first high priest (see the commentary on Exodus Fv – The Selection of Aaron and His Sons as Priests), were permitted to serve as priests, to offer the sacrifices, care for the lamps and the bread of the Presence, and burn incense on the golden altar (Numbers 10). When you think priests – think Exodus. They are generally referred to as the sons of Aaron (Numbers 10:8). The rest of the tribe of Levi, those not serving at the Tabernacle or Temple, were designated as Levites. When you think Levites – think Genesis. Thus, the priests were in the minority in the tribe of Levi.

The Levites served as ministers to the priests (Numbers 18:1-7; First Chronicles 23:28-32), and in general as teachers of the Torah in Isra’el (Deuteronomy 33:10a; Second Chronicles 17:8-9). The priests officiated at the Tabernacle, and later at the Temple, and also had other duties. They served as judges (Deuteronomy 17:8-9; guardians of the Torah (17:18 and 31:9), teachers of the regulations concerning skin diseases (Deuteronomy 24:8), and assistants to Moses in the covenant renewal ceremony (Deuteronomy 27:9).³⁹⁸

A. All Levites (18:1-2): Unlike the other eleven tribes, none of the Levites, including the priests, were given a portion of land. However, forty-eight cities were set aside for the Levites (Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21:1-42). And since the Levites did not own a portion of land, they relied on YHVH alone, for He was their inheritance. This allowed them to focus more fully on their God-given ministry. The priests, who are Levites – indeed the whole tribe of Levi – are to have no portion or inheritance in Isra’el (18:1 NIV). They are to eat the offerings made to ADONAI by fire as His inheritance. Select parts of animals and agricultural produce brought to the Tabernacle or Temple as offerings would be given to the priests and Levites who assisted them. They will have no inheritance among their brothers for ADONAI is their inheritance, just as He promised them (18:2). The Levites who did not assist at the Tabernacle or Temple were to be sustained by the generosity of the people, who had already been urged not to forget or neglect them (Deuteronomy 12:18-19).

In the time of Nehemiah, the people didn’t faithfully bring their tithes and offerings to the Temple, and some of the Levites had to return to their lands in order to live (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Cr – Nehemiah’s Final Reforms: Financial support for the Temple had declined). Nehemiah had to urge the people to obey the Word and support their spiritual leaders, and they brought their tithes and offerings to be distributed to the Levites. It’s tragic the way professing believers fail to support their spiritual leaders by faithfully bringing their tithes and offerings, yet expect their Messianic congregations and churches to support them when they have needs.³⁹⁹

B. The priests (18:3-5): The people were responsible for supporting the priests who officiated at the Tabernacle or Temple. So, this will be the share due to the cohanim from the people – from those who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or sheep, they are to give the cohen the shoulders, two cheeks (“jowls”), and the stomach of the sacrificed animal. The firstfruits of your grain, of your new wine, of your oil, and the first wool of your sheep, you are to give to the members of the priestly tribe. Their distinctive position among their fellow Israelites derives from the fact that YHVH has chosen them for this role (Numbers 3:11-13, 8:12-26). For ADONAI your God has chosen him from all your tribes to stand and serve in the Name of ADONAI – him and his sons forever (18:3-5).

The B’rit Chadashah broadened the priesthood to include all believers: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (First Peter 2:9). The reason for this is that Yeshua Messiah, by virtue of His ministry, death, and resurrection, superseded the Aaronic priesthood of the Dispensation of Torah, and became the High Priest of the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Aw – Messiah is a Better Priest Than Aaron). Every believer has been adopted into the family of Yeshua (Hebrews 2:10-13), and is then grafted into Messiah’s priestly line.^400.

Dear Holy Heavenly Father, Praise You for grafting those who love and follow Messiah as their Lord and Savior, into Yeshua’s priestly line, making them – a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 2:5c). What a privilege to offer sacrifices to our great God who sacrificed so much for us. He is our wonderful Father who was willing to endure shame and great pain as the sacrifice for our sins. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). We love to offer sacrifices to You: our time, our money, and our hearts of praise. Through Yeshua then, let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15). It is a joy to praise You – at all times, even in the midst of trials – You are more than worthy of great praise!  For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). In Yeshua’s Holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

A. Levites in the Sanctuary (18:6-8): The Levites were scattered throughout all the tribes in the land of Isra’el, where they taught God’s people the Torah and facilitated their worship. But if a Levite wanted to go to Jerusalem and minister in the Sanctuary there, he was permitted to do so. Suppose a Levite comes from one of your towns, wherever he is living in all of Isra’el, and he comes whenever his soul desires to the place ADONAI chooses, and serves in the Name of ADONAI his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before ADONAI. They were not considered priests, but went there to assist the priests (First Chronicles 23:28-32). However, since they were performing the same duty as those normally ministering in the Sanctuary, they were to eat equal portions. The phrase: regardless of their fathers’ goods, refers to income derived from the sale of family possessions (Leviticus 25:32-34) before moving to Jerusalem (18:6-8).

The King
17: 14-20

The King DIG: What do you know about the time, anticipated by Moshe, when Isra’el would ask for a king (First Samuel 8:4-9)? Why should the king be an Israelite? What should he refrain from accumulating, and why? What king did this? Instead, how was the king to live? What should be his inspiration? How was Josiah and Ezra different then Solomon?

REFLECT: Isra’el desired a political king so they could be like other nations. In what area of your life are you tempted to imitate the world instead of trusting in the Lord? In which areas have you stopped imitating the world? What still tempts people in places of leadership? How does power often corrupt? How could this passage help your Messianic congregation or church avoid such corruption? How would application of this passage help prevent corruption? What part will you play in its application this week?

Moses anticipates a time when the people of Isra’el will ask for a king like all the other nations around them; ADONAI did not command a king, but allowed for one.

It may seem strange that this section of leadership in Isra’el (to see link click Df – The Appointment of Kingdom Leaders) comes second, rather at the head of those listed. The reason is that whereas sound judicial administration by impartial judges is at the very heart of Isra’el’s covenant theocracy, monarchy is not. The nation did survive without kings both before and after the centuries of actual rule by different kings, both good and bad. Sometimes a good king could be seen as the human embodiment of YHVH’s Kingship, this is not the point here. In Deuteronomy, the judge stands closer to divine functions in the Tabernacle and later the Temple; and as a result, is a truer successor to Moshe than a king.³⁸⁹

Moses anticipates Isra’el’s thought process once the Israelites became settled in the Land of Promise. He declared: When you have entered the Land ADONAI your God is giving you, have taken possession of it and are living there, you may say, “I want to have a king over me, like all the other nations around me” (17:14).

The qualifications of a king:

First, he must be a man chosen by YHVH: In that event, you must appoint as king the one whom ADONAI your God will choose (17:15a). During the time of the judges, the political and spiritual unity of the twelve tribes deteriorated greatly (Judges 17:6 and 21:25), and Isra’el was in constant danger of invasion by their enemies (First Samuel 9:16 and 12:12). Instead of trusting in God, the people wanted a king who would build an army and lead the nation to victory. Unfortunately, the spiritual leadership in Isra’el had decayed, and Samuel’s sons weren’t following the way of the LORD (First Samuel 8:1-5). But the main cause for Isra’el’s cry for a king was their desire to be like the other nations.³⁹⁰ Later history made it clear that prophets, speaking on God’s behalf, would declare His choice. Samuel supported Ha’Shem’s choice of Sha’ul (First Samuel 9-12), and then David (First Samuel 16). Nathan later supported the LORD’s choice of Solomon (First Kings 1).³⁹¹

Second, he must be an Israelite: He must be one of your kinsmen, this king you appoint over you – you are forbidden to appoint a foreigner over you who is not your kinsman (17:15b). An Israelite raised from childhood in the traditions and Torah of Isra’el would be a far better choice than a foreigner to protect the purity of their devotion to ADONAI, who would be more likely to introduce idolatry into the Land. This requirement did not mean that non-Hebrews were “second-class” citizens in Isra’el. Numerous passages make it clear that the Israelites are to treat foreigners with tender compassion (1:16 and 10:17).³⁹²

Imitating the world instead of trusting in the LORD has always been the great temptation of God’s people, and each time they have surrendered, they have suffered. During their wilderness wanderings, Isra’el compared everything that happened with what they had experienced in Egypt, and at Kadesh-barnea they even wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt (14:1-5). But the Church today, made up of Jews and Gentiles, is equally guilty of unbelief. When our spiritual leaders adopt methods and measurements of the world, then the Church has taken a giant step toward becoming like the world and losing its divine distinctiveness. Instead of trusting in the Word of God and prayer (Acts 6:4), we far too often depend on following the world’s wisdom, imitating the world’s methods, and catering to the world’s appetites, giving the people what they want instead of what they need. Believers today need to take to heart God’s reminder to Isra’el, “I am ADONAI your God, who has set you apart from the peoples around you” (Leviticus 20:24).³⁹³

Then, Moshe gave three restrictions relating to the behavior of a potential king. Isra’el might admire the kings of other nations, but the king they were to have was to be more unlike the kings of other nations as one could imagine.

Military power: However, he is not to acquire many horses for himself. The principle reason for acquiring horses was related to warfare, specifically chariot warfare. But the Israelite form of warfare lay not in the number or type of troops but in the strength and presence of their God. They had already experienced YHVH’s aid against an enemy equipped with horse-drawn chariots at the Sea of Reeds (see the commentary on Exodus Ci – The Waters Were Divided and the Israelites Went Through the Sea on Dry Land). In the days ahead, there would be similar occasions. For example, in Debra’s war (Judges 4-5), the Israelite forces were at a strong disadvantage in facing the chariot-equipped Canaanite forces, but once again victory was achieved through the intervention of Ha’Shem.³⁹⁴

Or have the people return to Egypt to obtain more horses, inasmuch as ADONAI told you never to go back that way again (17:16a). Since Egypt was the market for horses, Isra’el’s king was warned not to station his buyers there permanently – for permanent settling in Egypt was forbidden – in order to export horses from there to his country and elsewhere. King Solomon disregarded this mitzvah and had buyers living in Egypt who were engaged in exporting horses to various countries.

A large harem: Likewise, he is not to acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart will not turn away (17:16b). This would hurt the king’s relationship with ADONAI, for surely they would turn his heart away after other [foreign] gods (First Kings 11:1-4). The purpose in the acquisition of many wives would normally be political. A marriage to a foreign princess could add strength to a treaty with a neighboring state. But the danger in such a course of action would be to become unequally yoked (see Ca – Warning Against Idolatry). These political marriages would be at odds with Isra’el’s covenant with, and the king’s relationship with God.

King David violated this mitzvah. He had six sons born to him at Hebron to seven wives. Then he had thirteen sons born to him in Jerusalem, four from Bathsheba and nine from other wives. That’s seventeen wives and nineteen sons besides an unknown number of daughters born to his wives, and an unknown number of sons and daughters born by his concubines in Hebron, and ten known concubines in Jerusalem (who functioned and were protected as wives). Tamar is mentioned in the biblical account only because she was prominent in the story of the disintegration of David’s family. Therefore, could have easily had fifty to sixty children. And as a result: The sword never departed from his house (Second Samuel 12:10).

Great wealth: And he is not to acquire excessive quantities of silver and gold (17:17). The accumulation of great wealth would tend to give the king excessive personal power, so that he would become separated from the people he was supposed to be serving. But even more worrisome, this could become a consuming passion, which would divert his attention away from his relationship with ADONAI, and serving the people under his care. His attention should not be on himself, but on worshiping YHVH and serving the people.

King Solomon violated all three of these restrictions, and it led him and the nation into sin. He married an Egyptian princess (First Kings 3:1), the first of many political alliances he made taking foreign wives (First Kings 11:1-6). He went back to Egypt not only for a wife, but also for horses for his army, and built “chariot cities” in Isra’el where he stabled his horses and chariots (First Kings 10:26, 28-29). As for his wealth, it was fabulous and impossible to calculate (First Kings 10:14-25 and 27).³⁹⁵ In Isra’el, Solomon was the first king to go to such extremes, but others soon followed him. A fact that he recognized too late in life (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon Cb –  Finding Joy within the Frustrations of Life).

Clearly, the issue was not merely if Isra’el should have a king or not, but what kind of a king he should be. What matters fundamentally for Deuteronomy is whether or not the covenant people would remain wholly loyal to YHVH their God. The value of a king is judged solely by the extent to which he will help or hinder that loyalty. A king who would not trust God, but instead, trust in his own defenses (3:21-22); his own political alliances (7:3-6), or his own wealth would lead to snares of pride (8:13-18). Such a king would quickly lead his people in the same disastrous directions. Isra’el’s history proved this point with depressing regularity.³⁹⁶

The wisdom of a king: The most important qualification for the king was a personal relationship with ADONAI and knowledge of Deuteronomy. He was to have his own personal copy of Deuteronomy provided by the priests, to read it regularly, and to take it to heart (Joshua 1:7-8). When he has come to occupy the throne of his kingdom, he is to write a copy of Deuteronomy for himself in a scroll, from one of the cohanim. It is to remain with him, and he is to read in it every day, as long as he lives; so that he will learn to fear ADONAI his God and keep all the words of this book and these mitzvot and obey them; so that he will not think he is better than his kinsmen; and so that he will not turn aside either to the right or to the left from the mitzvot. In this way he will prolong his own reign and that of his children in Isra’el (17:18-20). The king’s study of Deuteronomy would help him to rule the people justly, but it would also reveal to him the character of God and encourage him to have the fear of ADONAI, and therefore, love Him more (Proverbs 4). The king’s submission to God and His mitzvot would keep him from getting proud and abusing the authority YHVH had given him. For him to think that he was better than the people he was serving, and privileged to live above God’s mitzvot would indicate that he wasn’t fit to lead the nation.³⁹⁷

Centuries later, in 622 BC, during Josiah’s eighteenth year, the scroll of Deuteronomy was found in the Temple after fifty-seven years of neglect by Manasseh and Amon (see the commentary on Jeremiah Ai – Josiah Ruled For 31 Years from 640 to 609 BC), and it started a revival in Isra’el (Second Kings 23:1-25). Still later in 458 BC, the scroll of Deuteronomy was honored when Ezra read it out loud from first light until midday, in the presence of all the men and women, and others who could understand, and this continued for a week (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Bm – Ezra Reads the Scroll of Deuteronomy). But when Solomon reigned from 970 to 930 BC, he did not read Deuteronomy every day, and that caused his downfall (First Kings 11:1-6). And the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, for it was his son, Rehoboam, that divided Isra’el (First Kings 12:1-25). Thus, the words of Moses came true.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise you for being so wonderful! Praise You that You are so loving and always want the best for Your children (John 1:12). Praise You also that You are holy and even when You discipline Your children, it is always done in love. My son, do not take lightly the discipline of ADONAI or lose heart when you are corrected by Him, because ADONAI disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He accepts (Hebrews 12:5). The goal is to help the child to get back on the right path. Now all discipline seems painful at the moment – not joyful. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11).

Thank You for giving us Your Word which can keep us on the right path as we read and meditate on it. Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water (Psalms 1:1-3a NIV). In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Judges
16:18 to 17:13

Judges DIG: Why the appointment of judges and officers? What were their five mandates? Why was their character so important? What does the word officers mean? What kind of sacrifices are you offering up to Ha’Shem? What qualifies a person for leadership in a local Messianic congregation or church? Why did the Jews keep turning back to idolatry? What was the lure? Why would false worship lead to potential death? What safeguards against false accusations are given here? What is the role of these courts of law?

REFLECT: What qualifies a person for local Messianic congregation or church leadership? What role does this text suggest believers should play in each other’s lives when one “breaks covenant” with God? In what ways do we bear false witness against each other? What guidelines for justice from these verses are still at work today in the governing bodies of church and state? How should believers respond to another’s contempt for the law?

Parashah 48: Shof’tim (Judges) 16:18-21:9
(To see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key Person: Moshe, speaking to all Isra’el.

The Scene: In the wilderness east of the Promised Land, ready to cross over the Jordan.

The Main Events: include more of Moses’ words about appointing judges for a just society, selecting a king, Levites’ inheritance, warning against pagan practices, weighing a prophet’s words, cities of refuge, two witnesses needed, rules of warfare, and redeeming bloodshed.³⁷⁷ In this parashah we see Messiah as our righteous Judge, Priest, Prophet and King, who is also our perfect Sacrifice.

Moses pointed out the basic offices and obligations of the government that ADONAI wanted Isra’el to establish in the Promised Land.

On the basis of this instruction of ADONAI, they synagogue was established, the court system (the Sanhedrin) was established, the whole rabbinical system was developed during the inter-testimonial period when Isra’el was in Babylon (see the commentary on Jeremiah, to see link click Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule). When the Israelites returned from the Exile under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, the Temple was in total disarray and disrepair. But once the scroll of Deuteronomy was discovered, the mitzvot written here were taken seriously (see Bm – Ezra Reads the Scroll of Deuteronomy) . 

Appointment of Judges and Officials: Moshe commanded the Israelites to enforce God’s mitzvot in every Jewish city of the Promised Land. Judges and officials were to be appointed in every city to decide cases of civil domestic, and even religious controversies. These judges wee to act with justice and righteousness and were to be entirely impartial in their findings. Moreover, the judges were vested with executive powers of state, so that they directed the enforcement of judicial matters (by means of the shoterim, the police of ancient Isra’el). The idea of judges derived from Jethro’s advice to appoint a hierarchy of God-fearing men over the people just after the Exodus from Egypt (see the commentary on Exodus Cy – Moses Chose Capable Men from All Isra’el).

In practical terms, this meant that every town in Isra’el was to have its own “house of judgment,” with its own police force. In smaller towns, a court was to have no less than 3 judges to render binding decisions; in larger towns 23 judges were required. Later in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lg – The Great Sanhedrin), a group of 70 judges and the high priest formed the Supreme Court of the nation. The idea of the Sanhedrin goes back to the 70 elders who are the covenant meal with Moshe at Mount Sinai (see the commentary on Exodus En – The Covenant Meal With the God of Isra’el).

All your gates (16:18): Judges and officers you are to appoint within all your gates that ADONAI your God is giving you, according to your tribes; and they are to judge the people with righteous judgment (16:18). As the city gate was a popular place to meet (see the commentary on Ruth Ba – Bo’az Obtains the Right of Redemption), it became a convenient place for the administration of justice. There courts were held, and disputes were settled. The fact that princes and judges thus sat at the gate in the discharge of teir official duties, the word gate becomes a synonym for power or authority.³⁷⁸ The word translated officers means writers or secretaries and refers to the men who kept the official records and genealogies, advised the judges, and carried out their decisions. God was the supreme Legislator in the Land, because He gave the mitzvot; the local judges formed the judicial branch of the government; and their efforts constituted the executive branch.³⁷⁹

Moshe gave these judges and officers five mandates (16:19-20):

1.  Israelite judges must render their decisions in accordance with God’s standards of justice, or the words of the righteous, literally judge a righteous judgment (16:19d). Probably these men were the chief elders in each tribe. Therefore, the judges appointed in each city were probably taken from that city’s council of elders (Deuteronomy 19:12).³⁸⁰

2. They were not to twist justice (16:19a), or, deprive a person of justice before the face of Elyon (Lamentations 3:35). This expression occurs in relation to partiality (Proverbs 18:5), and bribery (First Samuel 8:3; Proverbs 17:23), and normally affects the poor, the alien, and the fatherless (Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 24:17 and 27:19).

3. They were not to show partiality (16:19b). Just as Moshe did with the judges he appointed soon after Sinai, so here he encourages these judges not to show favor (literally, recognize the face of) based on a person’s statue or wealth (Deuteronomy 1:17; Job 34:19; Proverbs 24:23 and 28:21) because it is hostile to genuine justice.

4. Moses demanded that those judges refuse to take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the words of the righteous (16:19c). In other words, it chokes justice rather than achieving it! Taking a bribe violates Isra’el’s function as a banner nation given the responsibility of representing God’s character among the goyim (Exodus 19:4-6).³⁸¹

5. Finally, the sole purpose of those judges was the pursuit of justice above all else: Justice you must pursue, so that you may live and possess the land that ADONAI your God is giving you (16:20). Prosperous life could not continue in the Land if they abandoned YHVH. But likewise, it could not continue if judicial corruption set in like a cancer in their society.³⁸² Pirkei Avot, or Ethics of the Fathers, is a tractate of the Mishna that deals with morality, virtues, and righteousness. It teaches us many important rules, two of which are, “Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place” (Pirkei Avot 2:4), and “. . . judge every person as admirable, or good” (Pirkei Avot 1:6).

The decisions of judges affected not only the individuals on trial but on the entire nation. If the judges freed the guilty at the expense of the innocent, the Land would be defiled and Ha’Shem would eventually remove the nation from the Land. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened during the years after the fall of Isra’el to the Assyrians in 722 BC, and Judah to the Babylonians on Tisha B’Av in 586 BC (see the commentary on Jeremiah Ga – The Fall of Jerusalem). The courts became corrupt and allowed the rich to rob the poor and the needy, while the wealthy soon owned great estates and controlled the economy. Because the leaders didn’t obey the mitzvot about the Year of Release and the Year of Jubilee, the economy got out of balance and the land was stolen from its rightful owners. YHVH wouldn’t permit such flagrant disobedience to this Torah, so He punished the people severely by sending them into captivity (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule).

Leadership in the local Messianic congregation or church must only be given to those who are qualified (Acts 6:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Everything rises or falls on leadership. How tragic it is when Messianic congregations or churches choose unqualified and untried people to “fill” offices instead of using those offices for the buildup up of the congregation and the glory of God (First Timothy 3:10). In the leadership of the local congregation, spiritual character is far more important than a person’s popularity, personality, talent, or occupation.³⁸³

Devotion to ADONAI:

Worship ADONAI only (16:21-22): The first responsibility of the judges was to prevent impure worship practices in the Land. The Israelites had already been commanded to cut down their Asherah poles and smash their pillars (7:5). Now they were explicitly forbidden to plant for yourself an Asherah pole of any kind of wood beside the altar of ADONAI your God that you make for yourself. Idol temples and altars were surrounded by thick groves and trees, which became the place of idolatrous worship. For this reason, God forbid the planting of trees near His altar, lest His people become, or seem to be, like the pagans.³⁸⁴ Nor are you to set up a pillar for yourself – ADONAI your God hates this (16:22-22). These two claims deal primarily with YHVH’s claim on Isra’el’s exclusive loyalty (see Bl – Have No Other Gods).

Unclean animals (17:1): Just as setting up an Asherah pole or a pillar beside the altar of ADONAI defiled God’s sanctuary, the offering of defective sacrifices was also an abomination to Him. No animal with any kind of serious defect or flaw was fit for use in the worship of ADONAI. You are not to sacrifice to ADONAI your God a bull or a sheep that has a defect or anything bad – for that would be an abomination to ADONAI your God (17:1). As Malachi pointed out later, to offer a defective and less-than-best sacrifice would be detestable to Ha’Shem (Malachi 1:6-8). The act would undermine the very purpose of the sacrifice, for it would further widen the rift between the worshiper and the LORD, which the sacrifice was designed to bridge.³⁸⁵

Crime against the covenant (17:2-7): Moses describes a hypothetical situation in which an Israelite man or woman is caught worshiping other gods or celestial bodies. Suppose there is found in your midst – within one of your gates that ADONAI your God is giving you – a man or woman who does what is evil in the eyes of ADONAI your God by transgressing His covenant. This person goes and serves other gods and worships them – the sun or moon or any of the heavenly hosts, which I have not commanded (see the commentary on Genesis Lw – The Witness of the Stars). Upon hearing this, the judges in the vicinity must conduct a thorough examination to determine the accuracy of the charge. It is told to you and you have heard about it, and you investigate thoroughly and indeed it is true and the thing certain – this abomination has been done in Isra’el. Then you are to bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and stone that man or woman with stones to death (17:2-5).

There needed to be at least two witnesses for the charge to be proved true. By the word of two or three witnesses, (Second Corinthians 13:1; Hebrews 10:28) the one who is to die is to be put to death. No one is to be put to death by the word of one witness. The hand of the witnesses is to be first to put him to death (17:6-7a). They were the ones to throw the first stone (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gq – The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery). The witnesses, by throwing the first stone, accepted the burden of responsibility; in the event of further evidence establishing the innocence of the (now deceased) accused, and thereby the false testimony of the witnesses, they would then assume the responsibility for wrongful execution, in effect murder.³⁸⁶

And afterward the hand of all the people. The participation of the entire community emphasizes the far-reaching impact of the offense and the response. So, you are to purge the evil from your midst (17:7b). There is a phrase that we hear many times in the study of the Torah. One that is repeated seven times from Chapters 13 to 24, “You will purge the evil from your midst” (13:6, 17:7, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21, 22:24, 24:7).

The higher court (17:8-13): Moses made a provision for future judges in the Promised Land similar to the provided judges in the time of the wilderness wanderings (1:17). Suppose a matter arises that is too hard for you to judge. Three examples are given: over bloodshed, legal claims or assault – matters of controversy within your gates. The higher court was to be established in the place ADONAI your God chooses (the Tabernacle, or future Temple); thus, giving it the sacredness and authority of the presence and name of YHVH. Then you should come to the Levitical cohanim and the judge in charge at that time. And you will inquire, and they will tell you the sentence of judgment (17:8-9). It is likely that referred cases were dealt with in the higher court by both priests and judges; the particular function of the priests would be to legislate on matters of ceremonial mitzvot, and the judge would rule on matters of civil or criminal mitzvot.³⁸⁷

It is interesting that around 870-850 BC, King Jehoshaphat set up a higher court like this one. Part of his program of reform was that he personally traveled throughout Judah to encourage the people to turn back to ADONAI. He also appointed godly judges throughout the Land, arbiters whose task it was to judge without favoritism or bribery. He did the same in Jerusalem with a higher court charged with hearing matters referred to it throughout Judah. Over this higher court he selected Amariah the chief priest, judging in all matters pertaining to ADONAI, and Zebadiah, the ruler of the House of Judah, judging in all the matters pertaining to the king. Also, the Levites would serve as officials to implement the rulings of those two men (Second Chronicles 19:11).³⁸⁸

You are to act according to the sentence they tell you from that place ADONAI chooses, and take care to do all that they instruct you.  The decisions of the higher court would be final (see the Great Sanhedrin above). You are to act according to the instruction they teach you and the judgment they tell you – you must not turn aside from the sentence they tell you, to the right or to the left. Any rebellion against the higher court was considered a capital offense. The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the cohen who stands to serve there before ADONAI your God, or to the judge, that man must die. So, you are to purge the evil from Isra’el. This made the rule of justice supreme in the Land and helped prevent anarchy. Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and not act presumptuously again (17:10-13).

The Appointment of Kingdom Leaders
16:18 to 18:22

As Moses continued to prepare the new generation for life in the Promised Land, he not only instructed them about their past history and their obligations in worship, but he also explained to them the kind of government ADONAI wanted them to organize. When their ancestors were in Egypt, the Jews had minimal organization involving only elders (Exodus 3:18), and during the wilderness wanderings, Moshe had tribal officers who assisted him in solving the problems the people brought before them (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Cy – Moses Chose Capable Men From All Isra’el). Each tribe in Isra’el also had a leader (Numbers 1:5-16, 7:10-83), and there were seventy elders who assisted Moses in the spiritual oversight of the nation (Numbers 11:1-30).

This basic organization was adequate to govern a nomadic people following a gifted leader, but it wouldn’t do once the nation moved into the Land of Promise. For one thing, Moshe would no longer be with them to give messages directly from YHVH. Furthermore, each of the twelve tribes would be living in its own assigned territory, and Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh would be located on the other side of the Jordan River. How would they deal with tribal differences? Who would protect the people and enforce Ha’Shem’s mitzvot? God, in His grace, gave them the kind of government that would meet their needs.³⁷⁶

Keep the Feast Sukkot
Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-44; Exodus 23:14-17; Numbers 29:12-38;
Deuteronomy 16:13-17, 31:9-13; First Kings 12:25-33;
Second Chronicles 7:8-10; Ezra 3:4; Nehemiah 8:13-18
Zechariah 14:16-19; John 7:1-41

Keep the feast of Sukkot DIG: What was the purpose of the Sukkot celebration? What were the Israelites to remember about ADONAI? What was the biblical practice? What is the Jewish observance today? What do you think of all the specific rules and regulations concerning the building of the booth? What is the Messianic significance of Sukkot?

REFLECT: What do you do to remember your wilderness wanderings? How often do you do it? How long has it been since you have constructed your own “booth” of remembrance? Do you think once a year is enough? Or should you build your “booth” of remembrance more often than that? Should you remember the good part of your journey or the difficult part?

The Feast of Sukkot will be fulfilled by the thousand-year Messianic Kingdom.

Perhaps by now you are beginning to understand why the fall season is considered the time of the high holy days for the Jewish community. Three major holy days occur in the first nineteen days of the biblical month of Tishri (September-October). They are Rosh ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur and this holy day season ends with the eight days of Sukkot.

As with the other days, the name of this holy day tells its purpose. Essentially it is two-fold, the first being related to the fall harvest, the end of the harvest season. As Leviticus 23 teaches, Sukkot was to be a time of bringing the latter harvest. It is, in other words, the Jewish “Thanksgiving.” In fact, it is widely believed that the Puritan colonists who came to America, who were great students of the Hebrew Scriptures, based the first American Thanksgiving on Sukkot.

A secondary meaning of this holy day is found in the command to dwell in booths as a memorial of Isra’el’s wilderness wanderings. To expand the theme of this specific historical event, we might best summarize Sukkot with the word “habitation.” We know from the Torah that ADONAI dwelt with His people in their forty-year wilderness camping trip. Yet, as we camp in booths today, we should be reminded that this same faithful God watches over our lives. With such meaningful themes, no wonder Sukkot is known as Zman Simkhatenu (The Time of Our Rejoicing). The fact that YHVH provided for us and built His habitation with us is something to celebrate!

Dear wonderful and powerful Father, We love You! How glorious to know that the Feast of Sukkot will be fulfilled by your reigning for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-6). Just previous to that You will have returned as King of kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:11-21) and wiped out the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies – proving You are all powerful! That knowledge is both comforting for You are our Father, and it inspires us to be diligent in serving You with our whole heart and in sharing about You with others. We will have a limitless number of days in heaven enjoying the peace that You have won for us by your death on the cross (Second Corinthians 5:21), but now is the time to pray for and share with our family and friends Your holiness and love.

Please open their hearts to understand the urgency to move beyond just head knowledge of Your love. As it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15; Psalm 95:7c-8). God said, “So in My wrath I swore, ‘They shall never enter My rest”(Hebrews 4:3). May they choose to give up doing what they want to do and to trust You by surrendering control of their lives over to You. For we who have trusted are entering into that rest (Hebrews 4:3a). We love You and are earnestly seeking to use our time, our money, and our thoughts for Your glory. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Biblical Practice: The feast itself is seven days long. It was celebrated by building booths or tabernacles to commemorate the forty years of wilderness wanderings. The feast was to be celebrated with four species. The first species is the citron, a citrus type of fruit. Second, the branch of a palm tree. Third a branch of a myrtle tree, and fourth the branch of a willow tree. It marked the firstfruits of the fall harvest. Because Sukkot follows Yom Kippur, it is considered to be a time of rejoicing following the affliction of the Day of Atonement. The rabbis developed 326 rules and regulations concerning the four species.

There was the addition of an eighth day of solemn assembly immediately following the seventh day of Sukkot, which technically was not a part of the Feast of Booths. For seven days the Israelites were to live in booths, sleep in booths, eat in booths, to remember the wilderness wanderings. But the eighth day was also to be a day of Sabbath rest (Leviticus 23:39-39).

You are to keep the Feast of Sukkot for seven days (see John 7:2) after gathering in the produce from your threshing floor and winepress. So, you will rejoice in your feast – you, your son and daughter, slave and maid, Levite and outsider, orphan and widow within your gates. The joyful nature of the festival survived from the older agricultural festival, although the reason for the joy was now YHVH’s bountiful provision. Seven days you will feast to ADONAI your God in the place He chooses, because ADONAI your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hand, and you will be completely filled with joy. Three times a year all your males are to appear before ADONAI your God in the place He chooses – at the Feast of Matzot, the Feast of Shavuot, and the Feast of Sukkot. No one should appear before ADONAI empty-handed – the gift of each man’s hand according to the blessing ADONAI your God has given you (Deuteronomy 16:13-17).

The Jewish Observance: The Torah stipulates the fifteenth of the Jewish month of Tishri as the time when the Jewish people are to begin dwelling in the sukkah (singular for booth) and celebrating God’s provision. This holy day is so joyful, traditional Jews don’t even wait for the fifteenth of Tishri to construct their sukkah. Many began the construction five days earlier, immediately after the close of Yom Kippur.

The construction of the sukkah can be both challenging and fun for the whole family. The Bible gives us a rather general commandment to build a sukkah, but the rabbis spelled out ten specific rules and regulations concerning the building of the booth.

First, there must be the feeling of a temporary abode. So, it must be built in a somewhat flimsy way to emphasize the wilderness wanderings. The temporariness is not in the walls as such, but in the roof part of the sukkah.

Second, the material for the roof must possess three specific characteristics. First, it must come from the earth and this excludes making the roof from animal skins, metal or cloth. But wood can be used. Secondly, the roofing material must be cut down and no longer connected to the ground, which excludes using attached branches. They must be cut off. Thirdly, it must not be subject to ritual impurity so the roof cannot contain fruits and food that will spoil.

Third, the roof must always be put on after the walls are totally completed so that when it is constructed, the booth is complete.

Fourth, the roof must be sufficiently thick so that there is more shade than sun. No opening can be more than eleven inches and the stars should be visible on a clear night. Nevertheless, it should not be so thick as to keep rain out.

Fifth, any booth built inside or under an overhanging porch, balcony, or tree is invalid. The shade inside the booth must come only from the booth and nothing else.

Sixth, there are no restrictions on the materials for the walls, so they could be made of metal, wood, canvas, brick or stone.

Seventh, the sukkah must have at least two complete walls. It may have three and as many as four. The fourth may be left completely open. When it is built against a house outside, one or more walls of the house may be used as walls for the booth as well.

Eighth, there is no maximum size of the booth, but there is a minimum requirement. It must be big enough to hold one person and one table.

Ninth, the booth must be no lower than 37 inches and no higher than 36.5 feet because one must be aware that they are sitting in a booth. The rabbis, as they often did, decided in their infinite wisdom, that any higher than 36.5 feet, the person would no longer feel like they were sitting in a booth.

Tenth, decorations emphasized the esthetic. The walls may be decorated with pictures, tapestries, or flowers. The roof may be decorated (but not composed of) with fruits, nuts, apples, grapes, and pomegranates, but these are not to be eaten for the entire week.

Since Sukkot has so many rich spiritual lessons associated with it, we would expect to find some important reference to it in the B’rit Chadashah. Not far into the gospel accounts of the life of Yeshua, we find the first powerful reference to Tabernacles. As John relates the special background of Messiah, he openly declares the divine nature of Messiah. The Word was not only with God in the beginning, but this Word is the very manifestation of God Himself (John 1:1)! This Word, as John calls Him, was manifested to the world in a very special and tangible way: The Word became a human being and tabernacled among us, and we saw His Sh’khinah glory, the Sh’khinah or the Father’s one and only Son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Yeshua of Nazareth is more than just a good rabbi or an intriguing philosopher. According to the Bible, He is the visible manifestation of the God of creation! Yet, did you notice the metaphor John employs to describe this incarnation of Messiah? The Word tabernacled (Greek: skene) among His people. In other words, as John sought to describe the Messiah’s first coming to His people, the most obvious picture was the holy day of Sukkot, the holy day that celebrated the dwelling of God!

There were two key ceremonies associated with Sukkot during the Second Temple period. The first is the drawing out of the water. The source of this tradition is not in the Bible, but in the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law), although they tried to base it on Numbers 29:17-19 and Isaiah 12:3, which said: With joy you shall draw water. The location where the water was drawn was from the Pool of Siloam, and the place where the water was poured was on the southwest corner of the bronze altar because it is where the grooves which drained the blood of the sacrifices were located. The pouring out of the water in Judaism, was a symbol of the outpouring of the Ruach ha-Kodesh in the last days (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Go – Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Booths).

The second key ceremony is the lighting of the lights. There were huge lampstands, each one with four golden cups, set up in the Court of the Women. These lights would then be lit toward sundown and the rabbis taught that there was not a courtyard in all Jerusalem that was not lit by the lights emanating from the Temple Compound. The lighting of the lights was followed by dancing and juggling with fire torches. The Jews believed the lights were a symbol of God’s Sh’khinah glory (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Gr – I AM the Light of the World).

The Messianic Significance: Sukkot will be fulfilled by the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom (see the commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom). But during the life of Messiah there were two misapplications of Sukkot. The first time was at the Transfiguration (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Gb – Jesus took Peter, James and John Up a High Mountain where He was Transfigured). When Yeshua was transfigured, Peter suggested that he be allowed to build three booths: one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Yeshua. This was a proper response. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came, His Kingdom would begin. Knowing the TaNaKh very well, Peter also knew that the Messianic Kingdom was the fulfillment of Sukkot. The Bible says that the Dispensation of Grace (see my commentary on Acts Am – The Dispensation of Grace) was a mystery to the righteous of the TaNaKh (Ephesians 3:1-13; Colossians 1:26). In the Bible a mystery is something that was once hidden, but now is revealed. So, while Peter was correct in his theology, his timing was off. He did not know that the Feast of Passover must be fulfilled before Shavu’ot can be fulfilled. Peter did not understand that Messiah had to die before the Kingdom could be established. In other words, Passover had to be fulfilled before Sukkot could be fulfilled.

The second misapplication of the Feast Shavu’ot was during the Triumphal Entry (see my commentary on The Life of Christ It – Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb). The actions of the people both by what they said and by what they did showed that they also expected the Kingdom to be established at that time in fulfillment of the Feast of Sukkot. According to John 12:12-13, they broke off palm branches, which is in keeping with Sukkot, but not with the Passover, which is what they were celebrating. Furthermore, according to Matthew 21:8-9 and Mark 11:8-10, they cried out, Hosanna in the highest and Hosanna to the Son of David. Like Peter, they did not understand that Passover had to be fulfilled before Sukkot could be, and the Passover could only be fulfilled by the death of Messiah.

During the Messianic Kingdom it will be obligatory upon all the Gentile nations to send a delegation up to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavu’ot. In the Dispensation of Torah (see my commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of Torah), it was obligatory for Jews only, but during the Messianic Kingdom, for a thousand years, it will be obligatory for every Gentile nation. If a nation fails to send a delegation to observe this feast then they will be punished by drought (Zechariah 14:16-19).

Just as Sukkot was a time of rejoicing following the affliction of Yom Kippur, even so the Messianic Kingdom will be a time of rejoicing following the afflictions of the Great Tribulation. What a celebration there will be as the children of God, both Jews and Gentiles, celebrate this feast at that time. Amen. Come, Lord Yeshua!

The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by the sinlessness of His sacrifice, the Feast of Firstfruits was therefore fulfilled by the resurrection of Messiah, Shavu’ot was fulfilled by the birth of the Church, Rosh ha-Shanah will be fulfilled by the Rapture of the Church, the Day of Atonement will be fulfilled by the Great Tribulation, and the Festival of Booths points to the Messianic Kingdom.

A Practical Guide for Believers in Messiah: The central element for the celebration of this feast is the booth we call the sukkah. While you may want to use the rabbinic description as a guideline (see above), you should not forget the freedom to construct this booth as you want. As with all the biblical holy days and customs, the sukkah is a “shadow” of the greater lessons of the coming Messiah (Colossians 2:17).

Building the sukkah can be an exciting and educational family project. Whether it is a shack on the side of the house or a free-standing structure, the hut can be constructed by anyone who wants to help. The outer frame can be assembled from various materials that, in turn, can be fortified with the traditional palm branches or leaves. For this reason, Sukkot is a great time to trim up the yard as well! Children will love to add their cut-out paper fruit, leaves, or Bible verses.

As previously noted, traditional Jews begin constructing their sukkah immediately after breaking the fast of Yom Kippur. Many Messianic Jews and Gentiles follow this custom by inviting people over for a “Sukkah Decorating Party,” and planning for the upcoming holy days begins in earnest.

As the fifteenth day of Tishri begins, a holiday dinner is prepared. The table is set; although, being outside in the Sukkah, it will probably have a less formal atmosphere. Since this holiday is to be a reminder of the forty-year camping trip in the wilderness, the dinner will probably feel more like an outdoor picnic than a formal meal. But as with all the Jewish holidays, we start with the blessings over the fruit of the vine and challah bread.

A special emphasis will be the ha-Kavod (processionals), in which the people march around the sanctuary waving the lulav (closed fond of a date palm tree) and recounting the Hallel (Praise) Psalms 113-118.

These elements of the inner in the sukkah continue for eight days of the festival, while the synagogue services are usually convened only on the first two. To really get into the spirit of the holy day, the family might want to sleep in the sukkah under the stars, weather permitting.

As mentioned before, the seventh day of the festival has much spiritual significance for believers in Yeshua. However, as we reach the eighth day, we come to a special holiday, the Eighth Day of Assembly (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Gp – On the Last and Greatest Day of the Feast). As mentioned in Leviticus 23:26, this day is to be set aside as a Shabbat and a holy assembly.

As if all these festivities aren’t enough, the Jewish community has added an additional ninth day to Sukkot called Simchat Torah (Rejoicing of the Torah). As its name implies, this day celebrates the revelation of God as symbolized in the Torah scroll. It’s a time of tremendous joy, with dancing and lively music.

A central part of the service is the reading from the last chapters of Deuteronomy and the start of the yearly cycle of reading the parashah every Shabbat all over again with the first chapters of Genesis. Although rabbinic Judaism celebrated this holiday in the Middle Ages, believers in Yeshua can surely affirm the idea behind it. God’s Word is good and should be revered. It is even to be joyously celebrated! How much more so for believers of Yeshua Messiah.

With the close of Simchat Torah, we reach the end of the high-holy-day season. What wonderful truth is evident! What a complete picture of God’s plan for redeeming faithful Jews and Gentiles unto Himself. Sometime soon the shofar will sound and announce the regathering of believers from all over the world in the rapture. The seven-year Great Tribulation will follow this. But in the last three day of the Great Tribulation, the Jewish leadership will realize that they have rejected the Messiah and call out for His return. Then Yeshua Messiah will return for the second time to the earth. This, in turn, will lead all believers into the joyful celebration of the Kingdom of God at Sukkot. May we be ready to dwell in that holy habitation with our Kosher King.³⁷⁵

Haftarah Re’eh: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 54:11-55:5
(see Af – Parashah)

During Isaiah’s lifetime, ADONAI disciplines the northern kingdom of Isra’el through Assyria who eventually conquered her and imported various Assyria people groups to occupy the land, intermarry with the Jews, and assimilating them into their Assyrian culture. They became the hated Samaritans (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gw – The Parable of the Good Samaritan). This was the outworking of Isra’el’s disobedience that Moshe warned her about (see Cq – A Blessing and a Curse). They chose the path of cursing. But God’s plan is always to restore and redeem in order to keep promises. Thus, He reminds her of a future covenant renewal that would fulfill His promise to David out of the abundance of His love (Isaiah 55:3).

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah Re’eh: John 7:37-52

Yeshua fulfills God’s promises. Moses and Isaiah both warned of negative consequences for disobedience. They also pointed forward to the One who would fulfill the promises of YHVH for blessing. Yeshua stood up during Sukkot and said: Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them (John 7:37b-38). Following Yeshua will inevitably cause the world to say that you are ignorant and blinded. Which relationships in your life cause you to struggle with these kinds of judgments. Pray for those people and step out in faith to share God’s invitation for them to believe in Messiah and receive what they really need.

Also see: suggested readings for Parashat Re’eh:
First Corinthians 5:9-13; First Yochanan 4:1-6

Keep the Feast of Shavu’ot
Exodus 23:16, 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-21;
Numbers 28:26-31; Deuteronomy 16:9-12

Keep the feast of Shavu’ot DIG: If the universal, invisible Church started in Jerusalem with Jews, why is it that today it seems that Messianic believers are largely excluded from mainstream Christianity? What was the purpose of the Shavu’ot celebration? Why do you think ADONAI wanted different social classes, age groups, and ethnic groups to celebrate together? What was the emotional tone of the feast? Why? Why were the children included? What is the Messianic significance of Shavu’ot? How is Shavu’ot fulfilled?

REFLECT: Where do you “fit in,” to the Body of Messiah? What are your spiritual gifts? What ministry are you involved with? How much are you tithing? How many people have you won to Yeshua? How many people have you discipled? Who are you mentoring? These are all marks of a believer. If you were arrested and charged with being a believer, would there be enough evidence to convict? Or are you a closet believer, hiding your light under a bushel?

The Feast of Shavu’ot was fulfilled by the birth of the Church.

Today, the same feast is known as Pentecost or Weeks, which comes from the Greek word “fifty” because the feast is fifty days after Passover, beginning on the Feast of Unleavened bread. The Torah has other names for Shavu’ot: Yom ha-Birkurim, or the Day of First Fruits, as it appears in Numbers 28:26, and Hag ha-Katzir, or the Feast of the Harvest, as it appears in Exodus 23:16. Then you are to count from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the omer as a wave offering of barley, seven complete Shabbatot. Until the morrow after the seventh Shabbat, you are to count fifty days, and then present a grain offering to ADONAI (Leviticus 23:15-16). Because Shavu’ot marks the last of the first cycle of festivals, it became known as the “The Closing Feast.” It celebrated the latter firstfruits of the wheat harvest, whereas the Feast of Rasheet (First Fruits) celebrated the early firstfruits of the barley harvest. Although its origins are to be found in an ancient grain harvest feast, according to rabbinic tradition, this is the day on which the Torah was given, so most of the customs of the holiday relate to Torah teaching, its acceptance, and Torah study. It is customary to view Shavu’ot as the day on which the people of Isra’el were married to ADONAI – and the Torah as the “Ketuvah,” or marriage agreement, which establishes their relationship to YHVH.

Shavu’ot is designated as a time of thanksgiving for the spring harvest which increases the hopefulness for the abundant fall harvest, celebrated by the Sukkot (Booths). Giving thanks for the present provision leads to faith for future addition. What a wonderful God we have! He provides all our needs through His riches in glory in Messiah (Philippians 4:19).

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being so awesome! We are not worthy of such great love! For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:11-12). We give thanks for Your love by loving You back with our time, our money, our thoughts and with all of our hearts. You are worthy and wonderful beyond comprehension. Praise You for accepting our love and when we make the choice to follow You as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), You make us Your children (John 1:12). You are so wonderful! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Biblical Practice: This was a one-day festival and one of the three pilgrimage feasts. On this occasion two wheat loaves were to be placed on a single sheet and waved before ADONAI. It was waved, but not actually offered on the bronze altar (Leviticus 2:12). The loaves were to have leaven in them. This was unusual because this was the only feast where leaven was permitted as an offering. Leaven, when it is used in the Bible symbolically, is always a symbol of sin. The reason God permitted leaven to be used on this occasion was because those that this offering represented were sinners.

Seven weeks you are to count for yourself – from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you will begin to count seven weeks. Then you will keep the Feast of Shavu’ot to ADONAI your God with a measure of a freewill offering from your hand, which you are to give according to how ADONAI your God blesses you. So, you will rejoice before ADONAI your God in the place ADONAI your God chooses to make His Name dwell – you, your son and daughter, slave and maid, Levite and outsider, orphan and widow in your midst. You will remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you are to take care and do these statutes (Deuteronomy 16:9-12).

The Jewish Observance: Traditional Jewish observance of Shavu’ot is multifaceted and has evolved somewhat from biblical times. As recorded in the Torah, during the Second Temple period Shavu’ot consisted of being a harvest festival for farmers. Various firstfruits were brought as an offering: barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and honey. The farmers would parade to the Temple with these firstfruits and then offer them up in a special ceremony. People would follow them blowing flutes and other musical instruments. It was quite an elaborate observance as the farmers brought their firstfruits to the Temple.

Part of the wheat offering was baked into two loaves of leavened bread, a striking contrast to the matzah offered a few weeks before. These two loaves were brought to the Temple on a single sheet, and waved in every direction before the bronze altar twice. This act was a public statement of God’s provision for all His people.

The first time was before the slaughter of two sheep. The second time after the slaughter of the two sheep and they were waved with the breast and thigh of the sheep. Then the two loaves were eaten by the priests. One loaf was eaten by the high priest and the second loaf was divided among the other priests. It was eaten either on the very same day that it was waved or that night sometime before midnight. The rabbis asked the question, “Why was it necessary to have two loaves?” The answer they came up with is because Shavu’ot is the season for the fruit of the tree and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Bring Me two loaves on Shavu’ot so that the fruit of your trees may be blessed.” That was the rabbinic reason for the two loaves.

Since the destruction of the Temple below in 70 AD, the modern Jewish observance of Shavu’ot has changed. It is still a time to remember God’s faithfulness; however, an additional fascination has evolved. Since the Israelites came to Mount Sinai in the third month after Passover (Exodus 19:1), the rabbis teach that Shavu’ot was the day that Moses received the Torah or the Oral Law (see my commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ei – The Oral Law). Therefore, the modern observance includes celebrating the giving of the Torah. Messianic congregations, however, do not include the celebrating of the Oral Law.

There were eight other observances that started during the Second Temple period and have carried over to today.

1. There was no fasting. If Shavu’ot occurred on the Sabbath, the slaughter of the sacrifices were deferred until the following day, so it was not to be a day of fasting.

2. There was a tradition of three days of consecration (see my commentary on Exodus Df – Go to the People and Consecrate Them) that the Israelites underwent before receiving the Torah. Because of Jewish tradition, today many Jews observe three days of consecration in order to make themselves worthy of celebrating the Shavu’ot. Another special custom, Tikun Leil Shavu’ot (preparing for the arrival of Shavu’ot), developed from the Jewish people’s love for the Torah. Traditional Jews stay up the first night of this holy day studying the Torah. Many synagogues customarily hold confirmation services for teenagers during this season to recognize their culminating childhood studies of the Torah.

3. Certain scriptures are read especially on Shavu’ot. From the Torah of Moses, Exodus 19:1 through 20:17 (the giving of the Torah); Numbers 28:26-31 and Deuteronomy 5:19-30, 9:9-19, 10:1-5, 10, is read on the first day. Deuteronomy 15:19 through 16:17 is read on the second day along with the prophets Ezeki’el 1:1-28 (the prophet’s vision of God’s Sh’khinah glory) and Habakkuk 2:20 through 3:19 are read.

4. The book of Ruth is also read because her story takes place at harvest time as Shavu’ot does. Moreover, Ruth was a convert to the Torah and the Torah was given on Shavu’ot. The rabbis teach that just as Ruth suffered deprivation when she accepted the Torah, so we suffer deprivation when we accept the Torah. Furthermore, according to Jewish tradition, King David, who was a descendant of Ruth (see my commentary on Ruth Bd – Coda: The Genealogy of David), was born and died on Shavu’ot.

5. There are two special liturgies that are used during the synagogue service. The first is the singing of the Akdamut, which is an Aramaic hymn (composed about 1030 AD) that is a reference to the Ten Commandments and has as its theme God’s love for Isra’el and Isra’el’s faithfulness to the Torah of Moses. It is sung on the first day of Shavu’ot. The second is the Tikkun Leil Shavu’ot, which means the service on the night of Shavu’ot. This is an anthology of the first and last verses of every book in the TaNaKh and also the entire book of Ruth. The main emphasis of this second song is the indivisibility of the Torah and the Oral Law (see above) according to rabbinic teaching.

6. There is a special emphasis on eating milk products on Shavu’ot in order to remember that the Promised Land that Ha’Shem gave to Isra’el was supposed to be a land flowing with milk and honey. Also, according to Jewish tradition, on that day of the giving of the Torah, only dairy products were eaten. So, cheese is eaten because it is a product of the land reminding the Jews that it is a land of milk and honey. Cheese blintzes’, a special form of Jewish crepes filled with cheese, are also served to remind the Jews of the two tablets of the Ten Commandments (see my commentary on Exodus Dj – The Ten Commandments) brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses.

7. A second kind of special food is Challah, which is egg bread that has a yellow color because of the heavy use of the yoke of the eggs. Often two loaves of Challah are used to represent the two loaves that were once offered in the Temple compound. This bread is eaten every Friday night on the Jewish Shabbat, but on the Sabbath the bread is braided. However, on Shavu’ot the bread is not fixed in the braided form, it is fixed with a design of a ladder. The reason is that the rabbis teach that the Challah for the Feast of Shavu’ot should be different from the Challah that is used for the Sabbath. Furthermore, the rabbis teach that the ladder is used to remind the Jews that Moses used a ladder to climb up to heaven to receive the Torah.

8. A third type of food is kreplach, which is a form of Jewish ravioli but without the tomato sauce and it is fixed in a triangle rather than a square. It has three sides to represent the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to represent the three divisions of the TaNaKh: the Torah (Ta), the “Neviim,” or the Prophets (Na), and the Ketuvim (Kh), or the Sacred Writings.

The Messianic Significance: The Festival of Shavu’ot was fulfilled by the birth of the Church (see my commentary on Acts Al – The Ruach ha-Kodesh Comes at Shavu’ot). There were three thousand Jewish believers who were saved on that day, but the Gentiles were not saved until later (see my commentary on Acts Bg – Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius). Therefore, in a very special way, those Jewish believers were the firstfruits in fulfillment of Shavu’ot. James, in his book specifically written to Jewish believers (James 1:1), said: God chose to give us (spiritual) birth through (the preaching of the gospel) the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created (James 1:18). With all the spiritual meaning behind the holy day of Shavu’ot, believers in Yeshua can find great blessing in celebrating it. Much of the traditional Jewish observance can be followed. Yet, as believers add a Messianic perspective to this feast, it becomes even more meaningful.

The practical celebration of Shavu’ot begins when the Feast of Firstfruits ends. On the day before the start of Shavu’ot, a number of preparations should be made for the observance. The dinner table is set with the best linens and dishes. You may want to decorate the house with greenery or fresh flowers, as a reminder of the harvest aspect of the day. As the sun is setting on Erev Shavu’ot (evening of Shavu’ot), the family and friends gather around the festive table. The yom tov (holiday) candles are lit by the woman of the house. After the traditional blessings and prayer, blessings are first chanted over the cup of wine or kosher grape juice (kiddush): Barukh attah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen (Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine). Then the challah bread is blessed and shared by all: Barukh attah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min haaretz (Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth). On the first night of the holy day we add: Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam, she-he-khiyany v’kiya-manu v’higi-yanu lazman hazeh (Bless are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us and brought us into this season).

Next, the holiday dinner is served, which should include dairy dishes to help commemorate the milk, that is the Word of God, which becomes a special joy to believers in Yeshua because His Ruach ha-Kodesh enables us to follow His instructions. Many Messianic congregations hold Erev Shavu’ot services and morning services the next day. Corporate worship and fellowship are consistent with the intent of Shavu’ot. After the evening service, some ambitious believers might want to have their own Tikun Leil Shavu’ot (preparing for the arrival of Shavu’ot). As we learned earlier, this is the tradition of staying up late to study Torah. A Messianic group of believers might focus on the five books of Moses and the blessings of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. Whatever customs are incorporated, the holy day of Shavu’ot can be a true blessing for those who have the Spirit of God within them.

The Feast of Shavu’ot was fulfilled by the birth of the Church. This was a mystery to the righteous of the TaNaKh (Ephesians 5:32). And as a picture of the Church, being made of both Jews and Gentiles, it was the only time that leaven could be offered in one of the feasts (Leviticus 23:17). The preaching of the gospel began at Shavu’ot, something the whole nation of Isra’el was being prepared for, but, unfortunately, only a remnant obeyed, beginning with the twelve apostles

Keep the Passover
Exodus 12:1-2; Leviticus 23:5-8 and Deuteronomy 16:1-8

Keep the Passover DIG: What was the purpose of the Passover celebration? What were the Israelites to remember about ADONAI? When and where was the Passover to be celebrated? Why was that significant? What is the messianic significance of Pesach? How is Pesach fulfilled? What was the purpose of Hag ha-Matzah? When and where was it celebrated? How many days was it celebrated? After twilight on the fourteenth of Nisan, what special ceremony took place in the homes of observant Jewish families? How is the festival of Unleavened Bread fulfilled? What is the messianic significance of Hag ha-Matzah?

REFLECT: Why is it important to have the high holy days to remember God’s festivals? What holiday do you and your family celebrate that is the most important to you? Why? What does Pesach mean to you personally, and why? Why is it important that Messiah lived a sinless life? What does that mean to you? When YHVH looks at you, what does He see?

The Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by the sinlessness of His sacrifice.

Observe the month of Aviv (the first month of the Jewish religious calendar, later called Nisan, equivalent to March-April) and keep the Passover to ADONAI your God, for in the month of Aviv (see Matthew 26:17) ADONAI your God brought you out from Egypt by night (Deuteronomy 16:1). As Isra’el’s is a lunar year, which is eleven days shorter than the solar year, it is bound to bring about a shifting of its festivals from their proper seasons. To overcome this, it is commanded here that the Passover should always be celebrated in the month of Abib (literally the season of spring), the season in which Isra’el was liberated from Egypt. Later, Isra’el changed to the Babylonian calendar when the month of Abib was renamed Nissan.

The Biblical Practice: There were two key elements. The first was the killing of the lamb. You are to sacrifice the Passover (Hebrew: pesach) offering to ADONAI your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place ADONAI chooses to make His Name dwell (Deuteronomy 16:2). From the tenth to the fourteenth it was to be tested to make sure it was without spot or blemish. The lamb would be slaughtered at twilight on the fifteenth (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ix – The Examination of the Lamb), because the Jewish day starts at twilight, making sure no bones were broken. The next morning at 9:00 am the priests in the Temple would slaughter one lamb for the sins of the nation called the Chagigah offering. The second element was the eating of the lamb (Exodus 12:8) with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

Dear Holy Heavenly Father, You are Holy and pure and we must keep Your complete purity ever before our eyes. We are so used to thinking of Your great love, that sometimes we forget the awful pain and shame that You had to go through on our behalf as our sacrifice for sins. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). Praise You for Your willingness to take on human form and to suffer great shame and pain for us (Philippians 2:6-11). We bow in worship of Your great love and look forward to praising You forever. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

You may not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of your gates that ADONAI your God is giving you. Rather, at the place ADONAI your God chooses to make His Name dwell, there you will sacrifice the Passover offering in the evening at twilight (see Exodus 12:6) – the time of your coming out from Egypt. You are to cook and eat it at the place ADONAI your God chooses, then you will turn around in the morning and journey home (Deuteronomy 16:5-7).

The Jewish Observance: Again, there are two key elements. The first key element is unleavened bread. The Torah says the people should remove any leavened products from their households (Exodus 12:15). This was to remind them that they had to flee Egypt so quickly that the bread in their ovens did not have time to rise. Leaven is a symbol of sin so God would not permit the symbol of sin to be in the Jewish home. Not only that, according to Jewish mitzvah, a Jew may not even own leaven during the Passover season. It also had to be striped and pierced. A particularly intriguing element unwittingly added by the rabbis is called the afikomen (a Greek word meaning that which comes last) ceremony. Three matzahs are placed in a special Passover bag known as the matzah tash that is only one bag, but contains three pouches. A piece of unleavened bread is placed in each pouch. Before the Seder, the middle matzah is broken in two and the larger half is wrapped in a white linen cloth and hidden away to be used later for the afikomen or the desert. The smaller half is used for the special benediction over the matzah just before the Passover starts. After the story has been told and the Passover ceremony is over, and in conjunction with the third and fourth cups of wine, the children try to find it and then it is removed from its hiding place, unwrapped, broken into small pieces the size of an olive, and distributed for all to eat. Before 70 AD the rabbis taught that after the story has been told the Passover lamb was supposed to be the last thing eaten. But after 70 AD there were no longer any “Temple approved” lambs, so the afikomen became the symbolic reminder of the Passover lamb and for this reason, it must be the last thing eaten. The rabbis later added numerous other elements, including green vegetables, a roasted egg, and kharoset (apple/nut mix).

The second key element is the wine. Each person will drink four cups of wine. First, the cup of blessing; second, the cup of plagues; third, the cup of redemption; and fourth the cup of praise with which the family sings Psalm 113-118. Later in history, the rabbis added a fifth cup called the cup of Elijah (Malachi 4:5).

During the time of Messiah, the Jewish observance had changed somewhat. The slaughter of the lambs began at noon at the Temple on the fourteenth of Nisan (Exodus 12:6). Three Levites, standing over three lambs, lifted the jaws of the little animals and, with a single stroke, drew sharp knives across the three throats. By ritual, the killing had to be done in one stroke and the victim must not utter a sound. This would point to the Lamb of God who would be slaughtered that very next day and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

Inside the Nicanor Gate in the Court of the Women, the priests were lined up all the way up to the bronze altar. They stood in two rows, one row holding golden bowls and the other row the silver bowls. In these the blood of the Passover lambs, which each Israelite slew for himself (as representative of his family), was caught by one of the priests. The bowls were then passed from priest to priest until they reached the priest who was nearest to the bronze altar.³⁷¹ That priest took the bowl and sprinkled the blood in one motion at the base of the altar. He then received another full bowl of blood and returned the empty one back to be filled again. During this entire ceremony the Levites would keep chanting the Hallel, which is Psalms 113-118. They chanted until all the sacrifices for the first group were completed, and then went on to the second group, then on to the third until they all had their lambs sacrificed and the blood spilled at the base of the altar. It is estimated that up to 275,000 lambs were sacrificed in Jerusalem at the Passover during the time of Messiah. We can only imagine the stench, the blood and the flies.

Finally, warm water was poured over the sacrifices as they hung from racks and flayed in the court of the women. The wool was sheared carefully from the lambs. When this was done, the carcasses were examined by other priests for imperfections. If any were found to have moles, cysts, or discolorations of any kind on the skin they were rejected. Three priests signaled that the sacrifices were acceptable and, in an instant, the slaughtering Levites cut the bellies of the hanging lambs with a single downward stroke. They removed all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver and both kidneys with the fat on them (Exodus 29:13; Leviticus 3:4 and 9:10).

These internal organs were placed upon the bronze altar (48 feet square and 15 feet high) and the offering remained steaming and burning on the embers until it was consumed. Caiaphas, as befitting the presiding officer of the Sanhedrin, stood composed in his priestly robes loaned to him from the Roman governor. He saw the priests rub salt into the flesh of the lambs, and, in silence he saw them remove the shoulder, and the meat from the head of each animal as an offering to the priests of the Temple – for ADONAI said that is their inheritance among their fellow Israelites (Deuteronomy 18:3).³⁷²

The Messianic Significance: This feast was fulfilled by the death of Messiah. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 pictures the Messiah coming as a lamb to the slaughter. The New Covenant passages also clearly connect Messiah with the Passover Lamb (John 1:29, 35-36; First Peter 1:18-19 and Revelation 5:12). Not only is Yeshua identified with the lamb itself, Paul identifies Him with the whole Passover Feast (First Corinthians 5:7).

The afikomen ceremony also points to Messiah. In this ceremony the middle matzah is removed, a picture of the incarnation when the Second Person of the Trinity became man in the person of Yeshua. It is broken in two pictures. His death when Yeshua came to this part in the ceremony, he said: This is My body broken for you (Luke ). It is then wrapped in white linen. The gospels make it quite clear that when the body of Yeshua was removed from the cross he was wrapped in linen cloth. It is then hidden for a time, a picture of His burial. Then it is removed from its hiding place and unwrapped, a picture of the resurrection. Pieces are broken off and distributed to the members around the table, a picture of John 6 where Yeshua said we must all partake of His body. In that same chapter Yeshua clearly interprets the “eating” of His body as believing that He is the Messiah.

Furthermore, in the Jewish observance there are four cups of wine. Luke does not mention all four cups but does mention two. The first cup is in Luke 22:17-18, the cup of thanksgiving over which the Passover observance begins. The third cup is mentioned in Luke 22:20 and is called the cup of redemption. For Jews it symbolizes the physical redemption brought about by the blood of the Passover lamb in the Egyptian Passover. Now it symbolizes our spiritual redemption from the enslavement of sin. Yeshua clearly identified Himself in terms of the Jewish observance of the Passover.

A Practical Guide for Believers in Messiah: On the fourteenth of Nisan, final preparations for the Passover Seder must be made. A traditional Seder plate and ceremonial items will also be needed. The zeroah is a lamb shankbone representing the lamb sacrifice. If no lamb shankbone is available, a turkey or chicken bone that has been roasted by fire may be substituted. The baytzah is a roasted, hard-boiled egg representing the burnt offerings of the Temple period (see my commentary on Exodus Fe – The Burnt Offering). The maror (bitter herbs) is usually horseradish, which is a reminder of the bitterness of slavery to sin. The kharoset (the sweet apple/nut mix) is a wonderful reminder of the sweetness of our redemption, and the karpas (parsley), a green vegetable, speaks of life. A kiddush cup (goblet) for each person plus the cup of Elijah with its own place setting is also needed to prepare the Seder table. A matzah tash (afikomen bag) and a ceremonial washing bowl of water are also essential items.

Each reading participant will need a haggadah (Hebrew: the telling) for the Seder, which is a Jewish instructional guide that sets the order and commemorates the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. If the leader feels comfortable, it is possible to use a traditional haggadah available through any Jewish bookstore. Many believers, however, prefer to use a messianic Jewish haggadah. These contain most of the traditional reading, but are also accompanied by relevant New Covenant passages and explanations. One recourse I recommend to messianic believers is The Messianic Passover Haggadah by Lederer Messianic Ministries. It is a quality messianic haggadah. Lederer also has a very helpful preparation guide for the Seder.

Pesach officially begins as the sun sets on the fifteenth of Nisan. Since most of the Jewish communities outside Isra’el celebrate the first two nights of Passover with a traditional Seder, many messianic believers have different types of Seders each night. Many messianic congregations have a large community Seder the first night of Pesach for their members and to reach out to those who need to hear the message of redemption. The second night is usually spent at a smaller home Seder with family and close friends. But whatever your options, I encourage you to make plans to celebrate this wonderful festival.

The Seder is the focal point of the celebration of Passover, yet it is an eight-day holy day. The Torah says we are to remove the leaven from our homes and eat matzah during this time. For some, this might be the ultimate inconvenience. What? No bagels for eight days? Yet, when spiritually appraised, even something like eating matzah crackers for a week can be an uplifting experience.

Remember the symbolism. It is not just spring house cleaning; it is to remind us of our need for spiritual cleansing and repentance. Hence, every time we eat a matzah sandwich during Pesach, we are reminded of the meaning of the holy day. Every time we long for a leavened cookie we are reminded of this great spiritual truth!

It is my prayer that Pesach will become a source of joyful celebration as believers experience Messiah our Passover in an intimate and practical way. Therefore, celebrate the feast not with old hametz (leaven), the hametz of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread – the matzah of sincerity and truth (First Corinthians 5:8).³⁷³

But secondly, the festival of unleavened bread was to be celebrated for seven days after Pesach. The two feasts were considered as one lasting for a total of eight days.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread
or Hag ha-Matzah

Hag ha-Matzah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is recorded in Leviticus 23:6-8. This is the biblical name for this feast found in Exodus 23:15, and emphasizes the necessity of the absence of leaven (also see Matthew 26:17; Mark 1 and 12; Luke 22:7 and John 1:9).

The Biblical Practice: It is quite simple and two things should be noted. First, it is a feast that lasts for seven days immediately following Passover. The Passover was one day, followed immediately by the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Since they are back-to-back, there are actually eight holy days.

No leaven, or hametz, can be eaten for these seven days. You are not to eat chametz with it. For seven days you are to eat matzo with it, the bread of affliction – for you came out from the land of Egypt in haste. Do this so that all the days of your life you will remember the day when you came out from the land of Egypt. No chametz should be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, and none of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day may be left overnight until the morning (16:3-4).

Exodus 12:15-20 introduces the feast in conjunction with the Passover since the two festivals come back-to-back. Not only were they forbidden to eat any leaven, they were forbidden to have it in their homes. The punishment for anyone who ate leaven or failed to clean it from their homes must be cut off from Isra’el, meaning they should be executed!

Exodus 23:14-15 declares that this one of the three pilgrimage festivals.

Leviticus 23:6-8 declares that on the first and seventh day no regular work.

Numbers 28:17-25 emphasizes the various sacrifices and the special sacrifices which were mandatory for this feast.

Second Chronicles 39:23-27 records how King Hezekiah kept the feast.

Ezra 6:21-22 states that it was also kept in the days of Ezra.

Ezeki’el 45:21-24 prophecies that it will be observed during the Messianic Kingdom. Not all the festivals will be observed during the thousand-year reign of Messiah, but this one will. It is mentioned only one place in the B’rit Chadashah where Yeshua observed it: Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the Torah-teachers were scheming to find a way to arrest Yeshua and kill him (Mark 14:1).

The Jewish Observance: Two things should be noted. First, it follows the biblical practice of not eating leaven for seven days. For six days you are to eat matzot. On the seventh day there is to be a solemn gathering for ADONAI your God – on it you are to do no work (16:8). There are specially prepared foods made for this occasion containing unleavened bread. The first, sixth, and seventh days were considered more holy, and they would only cook as much food as was needed, not more. Secondly, there is a liturgy that is followed with specific scriptures to read each day.

The first day of Unleavened Bread (more holy), the full Hallel is said.
Leviticus 22:26-23:44 that deals with seven holy seasons
Numbers 28:16-25 that deals with the sacrifices
Second Kings 23:1-9 and 21-25 that deals with the Passover of Josiah

The second day of Unleavened Bread, the first intermediate day
Exodus 13:1-16 that deals with the mitzvot of unleavened bread and the first born
Numbers 28:19-15 and a shortened version of the Hallel is said.

The third day of Unleavened Bread, the second intermediate day
Numbers 28:19-25 and a shortened version of the Hallel is said.

The fourth day of Unleavened Bread, the third intermediate day
Numbers 28:19-25 and a shortened version of the Hallel is said.

The fifth day of Unleavened Bread, the fourth intermediate day
Numbers 28:19-25 and a shortened version of the Hallel is said.

The sixth day of Unleavened Bread (more holy),
Exodus 13:17-15:26, the crossing of the Sea of Reeds
Numbers 28:19-25

Second Samuel 22:1-51 (see my commentary on the Life of David Eh – David’s Song of Praise), and a shorter version of the Hallel is said.

The seventh day of Unleavened Bread (more holy),
Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17
Numbers 28:19-25
Isaiah 10:32-12:6 and a shorter version of the Hallel is said.

The Messianic Significance: Whenever the word leaven is used symbolically in Scripture it is always a symbol for sin. That is why God would not even allow this symbol of sin to be eaten by the Jewish people during this feast or to have it in their homes or to have it anywhere in the land of Isra’el.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is fulfilled by the offering of the sinless blood of Messiah. When Yeshua was offered up as a sacrifice and shed His sinless blood, the moment His blood was spilled outside His body, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled. Hebrews 9:11-10:18 emphasizes the sacrifice of the innocent, sinless blood. The point here is that the blood of goats and bulls could never take away sin, but required human blood that was innocent. Only one Person had sinless, innocent blood – Jesus Christ. And once you accept Messiah as your personal Lord and Savior, all the sinlessness of Yeshua, the righteousness of Christ, is transferred to your spiritual bank account. Therefore, when YHVH looks at you, He doesn’t see your sin . . . He sees His Son.

This blood needs to be applied and sprinkled somewhere. It could not be sprinkled in the Most Holy Place of earthly Tabernacle, or the Temple, for that was merely a copy of the original. The writer to the Hebrews says it was necessary to cleanse the heavenly Tabernacle. As a result, at some point, Yeshua sprinkled the heavenly Tabernacle for the purpose of cleansing it. Whereas the earthly Tabernacle could be cleansed with the blood of animals, the heavenly tabernacle required something more – sinless human blood. This accomplished three things. First, the heavenly Tabernacle was cleansed; secondly, the sins of the Righteous of the TaNaKh were removed before leading the captives to heaven (Ephesians 4:8); thirdly, the sins of the B’rit Chadashah believers are forgiven and removed permanently upon faith in Yeshua, we are justified.

Another implication of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is in First Corinthians 5:6-8 where it is stated that believers are to keep it by a holy walk. Believers should purge out the leaven in our lives because Messiah, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed for us. Again, leaven is a symbol of sin. Even believer’s sin, this leaven in our lives, must be purged. When a person accepts Jesus as his or her Passover sacrifice in fulfillment of the First Feast, and is at the moment born again (John 3:3), he or she experiences the regenerating work of the Ruach ha-Kodesh (the Spirit of God), is baptized into the body of Messiah, and placed into the family of God (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith). Once a believer is in the family he or she can never be disowned. However, fellowship within the family can be broken by sin or by leaven in the believer’s life. The means of purging out the leaven is confession: If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (First John 1:9b). By means of confession we can purge our lives of leaven. In that way, we can keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in its spiritual sense.

A Practical Guide for Believers in Messiah: Those who desire to enter into the full celebration of the holy day begin before the arrival of the Seder by cleansing all leaven from the house. Floors are swept, vacuumed and mopped. Cupboards are cleared of leavened products and cleaned. Pots and dishes are thoroughly washed to remove any possible fragments of leaven. The spirit of the Torah is to remove all leaven from our houses (Exodus 12:19-20). This is also symbolic of the spiritual cleansing of our hearts (First Corinthians 5:6:8).

My suggestion, in that spirit of freedom, is to adapt the preparation to a comfortable degree. For some, this may mean all of the above cleaning. For others, it may mean a cursory cleaning to merely symbolize the truth of the Passover. Let everyone be convinced in his or her own mind (Romans 14).

After the general cleaning in the first weeks of Nisan, the attention becomes more focused as the day of Pesach approaches. After twilight on the fourteenth of Nisan (Exodus 12:6), a special ceremony called bedikat khameytz (the search for the leaven) takes place in the home. The last little bits of leaven are found and removed. The details are intriguing. Since the house has previously been cleaned, the leader of the house must purposely hide some leaven (bits of cookie or bread) in various places. Then the leader takes a feather, a wooden spoon and a lighted candle, and the family begins searching for the final leaven. This can be a great time to get children or grandchildren involved because it’s a game like hide-and-seek.

The spiritual lessons are quite striking, however. The leaven (sin) must be cleansed from our dwellings (and hearts). The method itself is informative. The light of the candle (the Word of God) illumines our sin, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). The leaven is scooped onto the wooden spoon for removal (like the wooden cross of the Messiah). The following morning, this last bit of collected leaven is burnt outside the home (in a can or bag) to symbolize its final destruction. This symbolizes Messiah’s destroying sin outside the camp (Hebrews 13:12-13), and making freedom from the power of sin available for all who believe.

On the day of the fourteenth of Nisan, as the first day of Passover approaches, final preparations for the Seder must be made. By now, the preliminary arrangements, such as shopping for “Kosher for Passover” products (Matzah, wine or grape juice, and any other unleavened food substitutes) should be completed. These customs may seem strange to the uninitiated, but the deep spiritual truth will be evident to discerning believers in Yeshua. Even something as unusual as the search for the leaven can become a meaningful ceremony for those whose hearts have been cleansed by the Messiah.³⁷⁴

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals
16: 1-17

Along with the giving of tithes, celebrating the Year of Release, dedicating their firstborn animals to YHVH, these three feasts represent part of the worship due to ADONAI. These feasts were so important to Isra’el’s religious life that after the Diaspora some Jews living far from Palestine still attended one or more of these festivals whenever possible. Attending these festivals gave the Israelites opportunity to acknowledge the LORD as their Deliverer and Provider. It also gave them the opportunity to express their faith in Ha’Shem as they left their families in God’s care to journey to the sanctuary. These festivals demonstrated that worshiping YHVH should be a joyful experience in which the people gratefully shared in the bounty of His blessing (16:11 and 14-15, 12:7, 12 and 18, 14:26).³⁶⁹

Three times a year all your males are to appear before ADONAI your God in the place He chooses (Jerusalem) – at the Feast of [Pesach] Matzot, the Feast of Shavu’ot, and the Feast of Sukkot. No one should appear empty-handed, the gift of each man’s hand according to the blessing ADONAI your God has given you (16:1-17).

A. Each of these feasts’ points to the beginning of a new dispensation.

The festival of Pesach points to the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Da – The Dispensation of Torah).

The festival of Shavu’ot points to the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace).

And the festival of Sukkot points to the Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom (see the commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom).

B. Furthermore, these three feasts point to the three offices of the Messiah.

At His death at the festival of Pesach, Yeshua fulfilled the office of prophet ( see Dk – A Prophet Like Moses).

At the birth of the Church at the festival of Shavu’ot, Yeshua fulfilled the office of priest. The Spirit of God could only come after the Son of God was sitting at the right hand of the Father, fulfilling His role as our mediator. He is our Great High Priest forever (see the commentary on Hebrews Bc – We Have This Hope as an Anchor for the Soul).

During the Messianic Kingdom when the festival of Sukkot is celebrated, Yeshua will fulfill the office of King. During His thousand-year reign, Yeshua will rule and reign from the Most Holy Place in Jerusalem, fulfilling His office of King (see the commentary on Isaiah Db – The Nine Missing Articles in the Messiah’s Coming Temple).³⁷⁰

C. In addition, these three feasts are part of the seven feasts of Isra’el.

The first four feasts were fulfilled by the program of the First Coming of Christ and occur within fifty days of each other.

Passover or Pesach: This feast was fulfilled by the death of Messiah.

Unleavened Bread or Hag ha’Matzah: It was fulfilled by the sinlessness of His sacrifice.

First Fruits or Rasheet: This feast was fulfilled by Yeshua’s resurrection to life.

Pentecost or Shavu’ot: It was fulfilled by the birth of the Church.

Between the first four feasts and the last three feasts, there is a four-month interval mentioned in passing. When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigners residing among you. I am ADONAI Your God (Leviticus 23:22).

During the pause between the two sets of feasts, life is to continue as normal. This interval is pictured as a summertime of labor in the fields in preparation for the final harvest of the summer and before the fall harvest. This verse is not related to any feast. Unless one understands what is really happening, it almost seems like an unnecessary interruption. However, it is the pause between the feasts that fulfilled the program of the First Coming as opposed to the festivals to be fulfilled by the program of the Second Coming. This internal of four months does have a messianic implication.

The messianic implication is the insertion of the Dispensation of Grace interrupting the program of feasts of Isra’el. Indeed, the gleanings for the poor and the foreigner residing among you is a very good picture of the mission of the Church itself in gospel evangelism. For example, Jesus states: Look to the fields! They are ripe for harvest (John 4:35)! Thus, it becomes a fitting symbol of the obligation of the Church to do the work of gospel evangelism. Leviticus 23:22, being a parenthetical verse interrupting the discussion of the feasts of Isra’el, is significant in that it symbolizes the present age in which we now live and in which the program of the feasts of Isra’el has been temporarily interrupted.

The last three feasts in the second cycle of festivals also come close together, even closer than those of the first cycle of feasts. In fact, they all come within two weeks of each other. The last three feasts of the second cycle are to be fulfilled by the program of the Second Coming.

Trumpets or Rosh ha-Shanah: will be fulfilled by the Rapture of the Church.

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur: will be fulfilled by the future affliction of the Jews in the Great Tribulation.

Tabernacles or Sukkot: will be fulfilled by the thousand-year Messianic Kingdom.

Dear Great and Powerful Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are the Almighty King of kings and You will reign forever! You are greater than any power and You also have infinite love for Your children. Thank You for blessing us with these festivals. They remind us of Your greatness. Your holiness is shown at Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:26-32). Your great power is remembered on Sukkot. You are to live in sukkot for seven days. All the native-born in Isra’el are to live in sukkot, so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Adonai your God” (Leviticus 23:42-43).

Your greatness and power is shown by what you will do on these holidays in the future. After You rapture your church on a future Day of Rosh ha-Shanah, comes seven years when you seek to draw Isra’el back to loving You. They will be years of great affliction for Isra’el (Mark 13:5-25), but when she recognizes You as the Jewish Messiah (Isaiah 53) You return and rescue Isra’el. Then You will reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years in the Messianic Kingdom.

As sure as your death on Pseach and Your rising from the dead on Rasheet, will be the fulfillment of Your promises on the fall Jewish Festival days. We know You will return soon, though we do not know the year and so we set no dates. We have heavy hearts for our family, friends, and neighbors who though they are nice, have not yet chosen to bow the knee to worship you.  He is being patient toward you – not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9). We love you dearest Father, and we so desire You to work in the hearts of our family and friends that they see how wonderful You are and how short the time is for them to respond. Please let them know that they need a personal relationship with You to enter heaven. May they move from knowledge about You, to heart love for You. May we use these few years till You come being busy for You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Dedicate All the Firstborn Animals
15: 19-23

Dedicate all the firstborn animals DIG: Why are only the firstborn males set apart to be sacrificed if they are spotless according to Exodus 13:2 and Numbers 3:12-13? How are verses 19-23 linked with 12:4-14? What do both passages affirm about God? About Isra’el’s giving?

REFLECT: What have you dedicated to ADONAI? What have you set apart as holy to the LORD? How do you teach your children, or grandchildren, about YHVH? What great personal stories of victories in the LORD do you pass down to be followed?

All firstborn male animals without blemish are holy, and set apart for ADONAI.

This section links two ideas: it looks backward to the last of several provisions to protect the poor in Chapter 15; and it also looks forward as an introduction to the mitzvot regulating the three pilgrimage festivals (to see link click Db – The Three Pilgrimage Festivals).³⁶⁴ Sacrificing firstborn animals reminded the Israelites of their redemption from Egypt and when all the firstborn Egyptian sons died. It was thus an opportunity for the Israelites to teach their children about God’s redemption of their nation.³⁶⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, You are awesome! Each time we see a firstborn animal or firstborn child, may we remember Your marvelous redemption from Egypt of Your people Isra’el. We will praise You for Your great and mighty power that you showed in the ten plagues (Exodus 7-11) You sent upon the Egyptians and their gods. Therefore, say to Bnei-Yisrael: I am ADONAI, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. (Exodus 6:6). 

Also, Your power over life and death when You safely lead your people through the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, but all the Egyptians were drowned. Then Bnei-Yisrael went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, while the waters were like walls to them on their right and on their left. But the Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen. Now it came about during the morning watch that ADONAI looked at the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and caused the army of the Egyptians to panic.  He took off their chariot wheels and caused them to drive heavily, so that the Egyptians said, “Get away from the presence of Israel! For Adonai fights for them against the Egyptians!” Then Adonai said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters come back upon the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”  So, Moses stretched his hand out over the waters, and the sea returned to its strength at the break of dawn. The Egyptians were fleeing from it, but Adonai overthrew them in the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen and the entire army of Pharaoh that went after them into the sea. Not one of them remained (Exodus 14:22-28). Sometimes we get so caught up with the wonderful idea of heaven that we don’t think about the fact that many will not be allowed into heaven. Just as the only ones saved in Egypt were those who had the blood applied to the doorposts of their home, so only those who love Yeshua as their Messiah – have His blood applied to the door of their heart.

We lift up each of our relatives and beg you to move in their lives, doing anything that will help them to see with open eyes how wonderful you are. May they grasp that it is not good enough to just know about You – each one must make a choice to love and follow You with all their heart. Please work in their minds while they sleep to reveal the truth of Your love and holiness to them. Please also give them friends and situations that nourish them to grow stronger in you and to love You more and more. We would hate to get to heaven and find that family or friends did not love You – and so will spend eternity in hell. At the revelation of the Lord Yeshua from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, He will command judgment on those who do not know God and do not heed the Good News of our Lord Yeshua. They will pay the price of eternal ruin, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power (Second Thessalonians 1:7b-9). In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The same literary form is followed here as in the two preceding files (see Cy – The Year of Release) and (see Cz – The Hebrew Slave). The mitzvah is first stated in its simplest form, and then illustrated upon and explained.

The mitzvah stated: The question of the firstborn mentioned in 12:6-7 and 14:23 is now resumed. The firstborn was the first calf, lamb, and so on, to be produced during the bearing-life of an animal.³⁶⁶ All the firstborn males that are born in your herd and your flock you are to dedicate to ADONAI your God. This practice was a great opportunity to teach their children as the Israelites recalled the tenth plague Ha’Shem sent against the Egyptians, in which most of the Egyptian firstborn male children died, but YHVH spared the Israelite firstborn (see the commentary on Exodus At – At Midnight the LORD Struck Down all the Firstborn in Egypt), and ADONAI’s later demand that the Israelites dedicate all firstborn sons to Him (see the commentary on Exodus Cd – Consecrate to Me Every Firstborn).³⁶⁷ You are to do no secular work with the firstborn of your herd or shear the firstborn of your flock (15:19). Its owner received no economic benefit from the animal.

The mitzvah explained: You are to eat it before ADONAI your God year after year during one of the annual feasts in the place ADONAI chooses – His sanctuary – you and your household (15:20). They were to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering (see the commentary on Exodus Fg – The Peace Offering: the fellowship offering). Just as offering the firstfruits demonstrated YHVH’s ownership of and blessing on the Land (Leviticus 25:2; Deuteronomy 8:10-18), the sacrifice of the firstborn male animals represents the recognition of God’s ownership of and blessing on the herdsmen.³⁶⁸

But blemished animals were not acceptable as sacrifices. If it has any blemish – if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish – you are not to sacrifice it to ADONAI your God. You are to eat it within your gates, the unclean and the clean together, just as they eat the gazelle or deer. An imperfect firstborn male animal was not acceptable as a sacrifice, so it was to be treated like a game animal (12:15 and 14:4-5) and eaten at home (12:15 and 22). As stated earlier (12:16, 23-24), its blood you are not to eat – you must pour it out on the ground like water (15:21-23).