Moses Went
31: 1-8

Moses went DIG: What events are about to take place? Who will cross the Jordan before Isra’el? What does that mean in context? Why would the people be afraid here? Where would Isra’el get the strength and courage to go on without Moshe? How will Joshua follow in his steps?

REFLECT: Would you be afraid or discouraged in a situation like this? For what do you need strength and courage in your life today? Where will you find it? Who has been your mentor? What have you learned? Enough to succeed him or her? Explain.

Parashah 52: vaYelekh (He Went) 31:1-30
(In regular years read with Parashah 51, in leap years read separately)
(To see link click Af – Parashah)

The Key People: Moshe, speaking to all Isra’el and Joshua.

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

The Main Events: include the 120-year-old Moses going out to continue his words to Isra’el to be strong and of good courage; Joshua’s role as Isra’el’s new leader; Moshe writing down Torah to be read every seven years so all could hear and learn to obey; Moses and Joshua at the Tent of Meeting with YHVH; the LORD telling about Moshe’s death and the people’s rebellion; a new song for Moses to write down and teach as a witness against the people; command for the Levites to carry the Torah in the ark; and people gathering to hear the Ha’azinu song.⁶⁵⁵

The approaching death of Moshe, which had already been anticipated, now becomes the central focus for the remaining chapters of the book.

The day before Moses died.

Chapter 31 begins a brief account of the concluding stages of Moshe’s life. A significant feature of these closing chapters is that they too exhibit some traces of the treaty pattern (to see link click Ah – Treaty of the Great King). Accordingly, they are instructed to keep a copy of the covenant in the ark (31:24-29), a reference to the appointment of Joshua as the visible head of the covenant community (31:1-8 and 14-23), a promise of the blessings to be enjoyed by the tribes (Chapter 33), and a fascinating chapter that reminds us of the standard indictment document issued to an erring vassal (Chapter 32). The book concludes with a touching account of the death of Moses (Chapter 34).⁶⁵⁶

As Moses approached death, he gave a series of instructions to the people (31:1-6), to Joshua (31:7-8), and to the priests (31:9-13), each concerned in some way with the maintenance of the covenant. Here, we see the instructions to the people and Joshua.

According to Jewish tradition, it was now the seventh day of Adar, and the Heavenly Voice called out to Moshe, “This is your last day on earth.” Moses then went to speak with the children of Isra’el and to bid them farewell.

Instructions to the people (31:1-6): Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Isra’el. He said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in.” Although he still had all his strength (34:7), it was time for him to depart and make room for another to lead the nation. ADONAI has said to me, ‘You are not to cross over this Jordan’ (31:1-2). His advanced age may have limited his effectiveness to lead the nation into war, which was just around the corner for them. More significantly, however, was YHVH’s refusal to allow Moshe to enter the Promised Land (3:23-29).

The transfer of leadership is a critical time for any country. The Bible actually focuses on the issue quite frequently: Samuel to Sha’ul, David to Solomon, Elijah to Elisha, Yeshua to His apostles, and even Paul to Timothy. Moshe’s capacity for leadership[ may have diminished, but YHVH was still their Commander-in-Chief (1:30, 3:18-21, 7:1-2 and 17-24, 9:3-4, 20:1-4), who would lead their army, destroy the Canaanites, and deliver the Land to His chosen people. That reality did not change when Moses passed from the scene.

ADONAI your God – He will cross over before you. The people could be free from anxiety. God would neither desert them after the death of Moses, nor leave them without a human leader. He will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua will cross over before you, just as ADONAI has promised. What God did in their past, He would do in their near future. ADONAI will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. ADONAI will give them over to you, and you are to do to them according to all the mitzvot that I commanded you (3-5).⁶⁵⁷ With full confidence in the presence of God in their midst, the army of the LORD could not fail to be victorious in the conquest, and soon the Land which had been promised so long ago would become their possession in reality.

Since the accomplishment of this daunting task rested on YHVH alone, Isra’el had no need to fear. Chazak! Be courageous! Do not be afraid or tremble before them. For ADONAI your God – He is the One who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you (31:6a). These words were not merely for a psychological boost. They were based on two great truths. First, the Israelites were those whose very existence proved the faithfulness of God (31:7b). ADONAI had invested His Word and His Name in the future of His people and, therefore, the ultimate responsibility for them was, and is, YHVH’s – a fact which Moshe used so effectively in his intercession (see Cl – Cut Two Tablets of Stone). Secondly, whoever led the people could count on the unfailing presence of God. What was true for the people, “I will not fail you or abandon you” (31:6b), would be no less true for their leader, “I will never leave you, I will never forsake you” (31:8a).⁶⁵⁸

Dear Heavenly Father, What a comfort You are-stronger than all the armies of the world (Revelation 19:11-21), and yet also the loving Father (John 1:12) of all who have chosen to love and to follow You (Romans 10:9-10)! Praise You for always being with Your children so we can always run into Your arms for safety: For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” so that with confidence we say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What will man do to me” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)? We also want to bless and love You, “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You”  (John21:15b, 16b). In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection Amen

Instructions to Joshua (31:7-8): Just as David had been anointed three times to lead the nation (First Samuel 16:1-3, Second Samuel 2:1-7 and 5:1-5), and his son Solomon was anointed three times to lead the Israelites after his father’s death (First Kings 1:28-53; First Chronicles 17:1-15 and 29:21-25), Joshua was also anointed three times. He had already been set apart by Moses before Eleazar the high priest and the congregation to assume leadership after his death (Numbers 27:18-23). Then here, Moses summoned Joshua the people and said to him in the sight of all Isra’el (31:7a). Finally, YHVH commissioned Joshua privately in the Tent of Meeting (31:14).

The concept of the Holy War (see Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh) lies very close to the surface in these words to Joshua. “Be strong! Be courageous! For you are to go with this people into the land ADONAI has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you are to enable them to inherit it. ADONAI – He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you” (see the commentary on Hebrews De – Believer’s Behavior in Relation to Ourselves). Hence there was no need to fear or be discouraged (31:7b-8).

The Continuity of the Covenant
31:1 to 34:12

Most believe that the Israelites were encamped on the edge of the Promised Land for about three months. It had probably been over seven months since they began their final approach to the Land. The events that occurred during that seven month time may have proceeded as follows: the peaceful passing through Edom, Mo’ab, and Ammon; the conquest of Sihon and Og; the beginning of settling into the inheritance by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manassah, while the rest of the tribes set up camp across the Jordan River from Jericho; Moses’ completion of the book of Deuteronomy and presentation of it to the people; the transfer of authority from Moses to Joshua; Moshe’s death; the mourning of God’s people for him; the preparation of God’s people for entrance into Canaan.⁶⁵⁴

We now come to the closing statements of Deuteronomy. After all the miracles, prophecies, warnings, encouragements, and after forty long years, the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. Here Moses, still standing strong (34:7), gives us his last concluding remarks and advice, full of experience and wisdom.

Choose Life
30: 11-20

Choose life DIG: Is the Torah a means of salvation, or our blueprint for living? Explain. Where can Isra’el find God’s Word? What choices does Moses set before Isra’el? How will Isra’el show the choice they’ve made? Who witnesses Isra’el’s choice? What deciding factor does verse 20 provide for anyone still wavering between the two choices?

REFLECT: What modern objections have you heard or used, which sound like the ones in verses 11-13? From this passage, would you be able to recognize genuine faith when you see it? How so? By what clues? By what action verbs? How can you live out the verbs of verse 20? Why would anyone choose death and cursing over life and blessing?

Obedience to the Torah was not the means of achieving salvation, but the response to a salvation that the righteous of the TaNaKh had already experienced.

The day before Moses died.

Because we’re created in the image of God, we have minds to think with, hearts to feel with, and wills to decide with, and ADONAI calls us to make the proper decisions. We’re not robots; we can hear God’s Word, learn God’s will, and decide for ourselves either to obey or disobey. Moshe made it clear that making the proper decision isn’t a difficult task. After all, we have the revealed truth of God in His Word, and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to teach and guide us. We don’t need to go up to heaven to find the Word, or even across the sea to a different nation, because YHVH has brought His Word to us.⁶⁴⁸

God’s covenant is accessible to all (30:11-14): The emphasis returns once again to the present, the renewal ceremony being enacted on the plains of Mo’ab. Moses declared: For this mitzvah that I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you to understand, nor is it beyond your reach (30:11). This belief is reflected in the B’rit Chadashah: We know that we love God’s children by this – when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God – that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (First John 5:1-3)?

The mitzvah that ADONAI was commanding B’nai Isra’el to follow was not in the heavens, that they should say: Who will go up for us to the heavens and get it for us, and have us hear it so we may do it? Nor is it across the sea, that you should say: Who will cross over for us to the other side of the sea and get it for us, and have us hear it so we may do it? No, the word is very near to you – you can speak it because it is in your mouth and you know it because it is in your heart to do it (Deuteronomy 30:12-14; Romans 10:6-8).

In other words, the Torah is not among those things that the humble person does not bother with (Psalm 131:1) or that even the wise find beyond their understanding (Proverbs 30:18). It is not, therefore, impossibly idealistic, unrealistic, or unachievable. Torah is a balance between ideal standards and earthly realities. The idea that God deliberately made the Torah so demanding that nobody could live by it belongs to a distorted theology that tries to make the gospel look better by putting the Torah down. The frequent claims by various psalmists who have lived by God’s Torah are neither exaggerated nor exceptional. They arise from the natural assumption that ordinary people can indeed live in a way that is generally pleasing and faithful to ADONAI in His stream of blessing, so to speak.

And the Israelites could find joy and delight in doing so: Happy is the one who has not walked in the advice of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the Torah of ADONAI, and on His Torah he meditates night and day. He will be like a planted tree over streams of water, a stream of blessing, producing its fruit during its season. Its leaf never drops – but in all he does, he succeeds (Psalm 1:1-3).

This is neither self-righteousness, nor a claim of sinless perfection, for the same psalmists are equally quick to confess their sins and failings, fully realizing that only the grace that could forgive and cleanse them would likewise enable them to live again in the covenant of obedience.⁶⁴⁹ Theoretically, then, the Torah was an impossible standard to live up to, but practically, it was achievable in the same way that the Sermon on the Mount is theoretically an impossible standard, but practically, very achievable. Likewise, just as good works in the B’rit Chadashah are not the means of salvation, but the evidence of salvation (James 2:21-26), obedience to the Torah was not the means of achieving salvation, but the response to a salvation that the righteous of the TaNaKh had already experienced.

The call to choose (30: 14-20): Moses never taught the Israelites that they were saved by good works, by obeying the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Early in his first book he stated that Abram was justified by faith (see the commentary on Genesis, to see link click Et – Abram Believed the LORD and He Credited It to Him as Righteousness). However, here in Deuteronomy, Moshe spoke to the people about fellowship, not justification. When we obey the Torah, we enter into God’s stream of blessing; it is our blueprint for living (see the commentary on Exodus Dh – Moses and Torah). If, however, we live in the world (First John 2:15-16), we enter into God’s s of cursing. That was, and is, the choice . . . spiritual life or spiritual death.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are such a wonderful Father! Praise You that when You tell us to obey You, it is out of a heart that is looking out for our best and wants us to be full of joy. The choice of our loving obedience to You bringing spiritual life or our living for ourselves bringing spiritual death is not just for this world but for all eternity. It is not worth it to sin by half-hearted “obedience.” Joyful immediate obedience brings eternal joy. Sometimes it may seem easier and more pleasurable to go our own way, but the momentary pleasure will be over in a blink compared to the everlasting joy when we choose lovingly obedience. 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). I love You and delight in pleasing You with all my heart. In the name of Yeshua, Your holy Son and His power of resurrection. Amen

In stark clarity, Moses presents the Israelites with the choices before them: fellowship with YHVH and long life in the Land, or death and destruction. See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil. What I am commanding you today is to love ADONAI your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His mitzvot, statutes and ordinances. Then you will live and multiply, and ADONAI your God will bless you in the land you are going in to possess (30:15-16). God’s ability to make good on the promises of the covenant were not for one moment in question; the responsibility now rested with the people.⁶⁵⁰

Those people who decide to disobey ADONAI and commit spiritual adultery will perish and will forfeit abundant life in the Promised Land. Covenantal treachery will bring about the exact opposite of the marvelous blessings YHVH wanted to bestow on His people. But if your heart turns away and you do not listen, you could easily enter the stream of cursing and be drawn away and bow down to other gods and worship them, I tell you today that you will certainly perish! You will not prolong your days on the land, where you are about to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess (30:17-18). To emphasize the importance of this demand, Moshe for the third time uses the expression “today” (30:15 and 18).

Heaven and earth are called as witnesses to the decision set before them. I call the heavens and the earth to witness about you today, that I have set before you: life and death, the blessing and the curse. For the final time, Moses solemnly urged B’nai Isra’el to make the proper choice. Therefore, choose life so that you and your descendants may live, by loving ADONAI your God, listening to His voice, and clinging to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell on the land that ADONAI swore to your fathers – to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob – to give them (30:19-20). Moses concluded this section by affirming that YHVH, Isra’el’s covenantal LORD (see Ah – Treaty of the Great King), would give them long tenure in the Land if they lived as loyal citizens. For He is your life! Choosing life, for them and their descendants, was equated a wholehearted commitment to a genuine relationship with YHVH.⁶⁵¹

This marks the end of Moshe’s farewell address, the review of the Torah, and the renewal of the covenant. He still has more to say, and what he says is very important. Then Moses will die, and ADONAI will bury him where nobody can find his body. Joshua will then take over and lead Isra’el to triumph in the Land of Promise.⁶⁵²

Haftarah Nitzavim: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 61:10-63:9
(see Af – Parashah)

This haftarah is the last of seven Haftaroth of Consolation following Tisha B’Av (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mt – The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple on Tisha B’Av in 70 AD). Jerusalem is responding to the words of comfort begun during Sabbat Nachamu (The Shabbat of comfort, the first of these seven Haftaroth of Consolation, Isaiah 40:1-2). Isra’el is comforted by being clothed in garments of righteousness, which produces Godly praise upon the whole earth (Isaiah 61:10-11), and encouraging the righteous of the TaNaKh not to rest, nor give God rest in prayer, until He fulfills His promise (Isaiah 61:6b-7). Those Israelites who were standing before Moses in our Torah portion above received promises of the covenant. In 62:8-12, God’s promises are reiterated for Isra’el’s blessing. Finally, we can be comforted by the return of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ).

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah Nitzavim:
Romans 9:30-10:13; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 12:14-15; John 15:1-11

Scripture often likens Isra’el to God’s vineyard (Psalm 80:8-9; Isaiah 5:1-2 and 7). Yeshua , the Kosher King, declares that He is the true vine (John 15:1). As the perfect Gardner, the Father cuts off every branch that bears no fruit and prunes the live branches, to maintain a flow of life that produces fruitfulness instead of unnecessary wood (John 15:2 and 4). The one who abides in the vine courses with life and bears fruit; in fact, there is no place for an unfruitful disciple (John 15:5; Matthew 7:20). Obedience is the cause of fruitfulness, and joy is the result of fruitfulness. Bearing fruit brings glory to God (John 15:8). It requires obedience and prayer to remain connected to the vine (John 15:7 and 10). The love which unites the Father and Son also unites us with the vine. Yeshua concludes: These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full (John 15:11).⁶⁵³

Restoration After Repentance
30: 1-10

Restoration after repentance DIG: How does Isra’el come full circle in verse 1-3? What does it mean to return to ADONAI (see verses 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10)? What promises from God make this repentance possible (see verses 3, 5, 7, and 9)? How does verse 6 fit with 29:4? What in a “circumcised heart” enables one to see with spiritual understanding?

REFLECT: Has God ever restored you? How so? What does it mean for you to “return to the Lord?” How often do you “return?” Why? How has ADONAI changed your heart? Is there any area of your life where you need “heart surgery?” What can you do? What in these verses encourages you? Why? Who can you encourage this week?

A new heart would be an essential feature of the B’rit Chadashah, which will not be fulfilled for Isra’el as a nation until the return of Yeshua Messiah.

The day before Moses died.

So often in Scripture, the thundering voice of judgment is followed by the loving voice of hope. Unfortunately, Isra’el did commit spiritual adultery and follow after other gods, and Ha’Shem did bring on His people the curses stated in His covenant. No nation in history has suffered as much as the nation of Isra’el, and yet no nation has given so much spiritual wealth to the world. In this chapter, Moshe looked down through centuries and saw the future restoration of their Land and under the blessing of God.⁶⁴²

Restoration (30:1-3): After the dire curses of Chapter 28 and the compressed warnings of 29:22-28, this section comes like an oxygen mask to revive hope . . . God will not be defeated by Isra’el’s response, nor bound and imprisoned by the past. Now when all these things come upon you – the blessing and the curse that I have set before you – and you take them to heart in all the nations where ADONAI your God has banished you, and you return (Hebrew: shuwb, to return, or to turn back) to ADONAI your God and listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you today – you and your children – with all your heart and with all your soul, then ADONAI your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you, and He will return (Hebrew: shuwb) and gather you from all the peoples where ADONAI your God has scattered you (30:1-3).

Notice the language of God’s Word in this text that is spoken by the mouth of Moses! Moses does not say, “If you sin and God sends you out of your country into exile, and you receive the curses of the Torah upon yourself.” As a prophet of God, Moses says: When all these things come upon you. In other words, this is going to happen to you, you will sin and you will bring upon yourselves God’s curses, the curses of the Torah, and you will be scattered among the nations because you didn’t obey the LORD. Isra’el’s repentance would not obligate YHVH to act, but He chose to restore His people to a place of favor. He will turn from sending judgment on them to showing favor to them and to gathering them to the Land He promised them.⁶⁴³

To some extent the near historical gathering occurred after the Babylonian exile (see the commentary on Jeremiah, to see link click Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule), when a believing remnant returned to the Land and rebuilt the Temple (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah As – Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple). But the far eschatological fulfillment of this promise will not take place until the Lord returns (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah). But first, a spiritual “operation” must take place, the circumcision of their hearts so that they will receive their Messiah, love their Lord, and experience the spiritual life that He promised.⁶⁴⁴

Repentance (30:5-7): A new heart is an essential feature of the B’rit Chadashah (Ezeki’el 36:24-32), which will not be fulfilled for Isra’el as a nation until the return of Yeshua Messiah. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the heavens, from there ADONAI your God will gather you (see the commentary on Isaiah De – God Is My Salvation, I Will Trust and Not Be Afraid), and from there He will bring you. ADONAI your God will bring you into the Land that your fathers possessed, and you will possess all of it (see the commentary on Isaiah Kp – My Chosen People Will Inherit My Mountains); and He will do you good and multiply you more than your fathers. Also, ADONAI your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. ADONAI your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you (30:5-7). The total picture is quite different from the one we see in modern Isra’el, where there is little evidence of repentance and where great numbers of people are agnostic.

This is what is called progressive revelation: from Genesis (se the commentary on Genesis En – For Generations to Come Every Male Who is Eight Days Old Must be Circumcised), to here in Deuteronomy, to Jeremiah (see my commentary on Jeremiah (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 then to Colossians 2:1-3. In each step along the way God gives us more clarity about what it means to circumcise our hearts.

Reflection: How do 10:16 and 30:6 harmonize? How should one explain the “tension” between YHVH’s demand that Isra’el circumcise their hearts in 10:16, and His own promise to circumcise their hearts in 30:6? The emphasis is quite different in each context. In 10:26 the circumcision of the heart is a part of the appeal to obedience. It was something required of the people that they were capable of doing. Here in 30:6, however, it is seen to be an act of God, and therefore indicates the B’rit Chadashah, when the LORD would in His grace deal with mankind’s basic spiritual problem.⁶⁴⁵

Restoration (30:8-10): After making it clear that YHVH alone can remake Isra’el’s heart, Moshe returns to God’s expectations of His covenantal people. This message, however, was not just for some distant generation of Israelites. The emphatic pronoun that begins the next verse applies the need for covenantal renewal to Moses’ own audience as well.⁶⁴⁶ But as for you – you will return (Hebrew: shuwb) and listen to the voice of ADONAI and do all His mitzvot that I am commanding you today. The outcome of obedience is blessing. ADONAI your God will make you prosper in all the work of your hand – in the fruit of your womb, and the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your soil – for good. The future blessing would still be contingent upon obedience, an obedience springing out of love for God in His continuing mercy and grace.⁶⁴⁷ For ADONAI will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your fathers – when you listen to the voice of ADONAI your God, to keep His mitzvot and His statutes that are written in this scroll of the Torah, when you turn to ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul (30:8-10). Repentance and obedience are necessary for everyone to come back to God.

Dear Loving Heavenly Father, How marvelous Your willingness to forgive and to restore! I worship You! Your merciful and gracious love is fantastic; but Your love is not a free ticket to do as we please. You are holy. You offer salvation to all who “believe.” For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Repentance which results in obedience is how true love/belief is shown. Believing in one’s heart is an action belief. The mind may believe something is true, but do nothing about it; but when the heart believes – then the call to action is heard and is heeded.

If someone says to You a million times they love You, but go their own way – what good is it? But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror – – for once he looks at himself and goes away, he immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect Torah, the Torah that gives freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts – he shall be blessed in what he does (James 1:22-25).

Praise You for accepting our repentance when we turn back to You. Praise You that when Your child repents, You forgive even when the sin is as big as adultery and murder as in King David’s repentance and Your forgiveness of him. He said: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned. Blessed is the one whose guilt ADONAI does not count, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalms 32:1-2). You are a wonderful Father! In Your holy Son Yeshua’s name and the power of His resurrection. Amen

Do Not Worship Other Gods
29: 16-29

Do not worship other gods DIG: What did Moses see in the future? Explain how spiritual adultery would become like a root of bitterness for Isra’el. What responsibilities of the revealed things of Torah place on the Israelites and their children? Was the threat of devastation inevitable? Why? Why not?

REFLECT: How does God hold you personally responsible for your secret sin? Can you spot a spiritual imposter? Are you on the lookout for false doctrine within the Church today? On a scale of one to ten, how much do you trust God when disaster strikes in your life? If you don’t like your answer, how can you change that?

Isra’el’s obedient or disobedient conduct would determine exactly what they received from God’s hand. In other words, the threat of devastation was possible, but not inevitable.

The day before Moses died.

Moses describes the painful consequences, for the individual and for the nation, of failing to obey the covenantal stipulations (to see link click Bi – The Stipulations of the Covenant). His warning here suggests that God’s chosen people had been tempted by idolatry and had committed spiritual idolatry in the past. That reality adds weight to Moshe’s concern that Isra’el might do the same thing in the future. Thus, Moses looks to the future from the perspective of his time (29:16-21) and then looks back hypothetically from some future day (29:22-28).⁶³⁴ These verses echo Moshe’s earlier warning that Isra’el should worship ADONAI alone (see Cv – Beware of Idolatry).

From Moshe’s perspective, looking to the future (29:16-21): This short section contains several of the elements of the Near Eastern treaty pattern (see Ah – Treaty of the Great King), namely, the historical prologue (verses 16-17), a statement of the general principle (verse 18), and the threat of the curse falling on the disobedient person (verses 19-21).

Moses reminded the people of the gross idolatry they witnessed while enslaved in Egypt and then while traveling through the wilderness. You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold (29:16-17). This is what happens when you forsake the Word of God. It is human nature to worship something. Even if it is only themselves. However, to worship anything or anyone other than the one true God is idolatry. Therefore, Moshe asks the Israelites to be diligent in this regard.

Moshe warns individual Israelites against thinking that since the nation was involved in a covenantal relationship with YHVH that their own personal conduct was not essential to the fate of the nation.⁶³⁵ Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from ADONAI our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison (29:18). Here we see the same zeal that Paul had. Both of these men were so very protective of the flock that ADONAI had entrusted to them. The sin of idolatry spreads from person to house to clan, as the poisonous branch with bitter fruit infects the whole tree, like the spreading of a false teaching within the body of Messiah. Later, Paul would have the same concern: Now the Ruach clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, following deceitful spirits and the teaching of demons (First Timothy 4:1).⁶³⁶

The danger of the people’s harboring an unfaithful group or individual is now seen. Such a person or persons would not be able to hide from the effect of the curse, Ha’Shem would hold each person accountable.⁶³⁷ When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry (29:19). This expression appears to be a proverbial observation employing a figure of speech called a merism, which suggests the totality by referring to two polar elements. Not only will the judgment fall on the covenantal rebel, but also on the whole nation because they allowed themselves to be swept away by idolatry. Like their father the Adversary, they are arrogant narcissists. They remove all true blessings and bring destruction.

To highlight the severity of the divine judgment this person will experience, Moses makes several powerful statements. ADONAI takes this very seriously, and will never be willing to forgive them; His wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and ADONAI will blot out their names from under heaven. ADONAI will single them out from all the tribes of Isra’el for disaster, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this scroll of the Torah (29:20-21). John would echo the same sentiment at the end of his book (see the commentary on Revelation Gd – If Anyone Adds to the Words of this Book, God Will Add to Them the Plagues Described). Moses already understood those words and warned Isra’el about the sanctity of the Scriptures.

From a distant future perspective, looking back (29:22-28): Moses believed that the curses described in Chapters 27 and 28 would fall on Isra’el. Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which ADONAI has afflicted it. The whole Land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur – nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. The Land flowing with milk and honey (6:3) will be stripped of any evidence of fertility and abundance – a reversal of God’s provision for the Promised Land.⁶³⁸ It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their allies Admah and Zeboyim, which ADONAI overthrew in fierce anger. Because of Isra’el’s future spiritual adultery, YHVH will bring such severe judgment against His people that future Israelites and pagans will ask in bewilderment: Why has ADONAI done this to this Land? Why this fierce, burning anger (29:22-24)?

And the goyim will answer: It is because this people abandoned the covenant of ADONAI, the God of their ancestors, the covenant he made with them when he brought them out of Egypt. They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them. Even though the incomparable God, the only God of the universe, chose to establish a covenantal relationship with the nation of Isra’el, His chosen people abandoned that unique relationship and pursued gods that had done nothing for them. Therefore, ADONAI’s anger burned against this Land, so that he brought on it all the curses written in this book. In furious anger and in great wrath ADONAI uprooted them from their land and thrust them into another land, as it is now (29:25-28). All this for the opportunity to worship lifeless and powerless pieces of wood and stone.⁶³⁹

Reflection: Although Chapters 28 and 29 are clearly forward-looking, it would be incorrect to regard them as near historical prophecy in the strictest sense of the term. They represent the threat of covenantal curse and in this last section in particular (29:22-28), a hypothetical future scenario. Will Isra’el’s experience of covenantal curse result in every disease or calamity listed in Chapter 29? Will the Land of Promise be absolutely void of vegetation? No. Isra’el’s experience in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles certainly did not bring about those disastrous results to the degree envisioned in these passages. It seems that this last section of Chapter 29 presents what might happen to Isra’el, not what would happen inevitably. Isra’el’s obedient or disobedient conduct would determine exactly what they received from God’s hand. In other words, the threat of devastation was not a sure thing. It was possible, but not inevitable.⁶⁴⁰

Live faithfully in the light of God’s revelation (29:29): Then Moses rests his case. He doesn’t really know exactly what will happen in the future to Isra’el, but he does what every godly person should do. He or she should completely rely on God. The secret things belong to ADONAI our God, but the words revealed to us in the Torah belong “to us and to our children,” that we may follow them forever (29:29). YHVH is the ultimate judge; God knows the heart of each individual. This verse interrupts the flow of the text. It comes suddenly, and it seems that ADONAI allows the human writer, Moses, to express his deep feelings, and his faith as he gives it all to God. For who has known the mind of ADONAI (Romans 11:33-34)? As Job would say: Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15 NKJV).⁶⁴¹

There are 10 places in the Hebrew Bible that have dots above the letters, and Deuteronomy 29:29 where we read, “to us and to our children,” is one of these places. These are, according to ancient Jewish tradition, places that hold secrets within these words. “Secrets” means that in the plain meaning of these words not all that is intended is revealed or visible. This principle is true about any coded texts, but they are not often marked with a specific mark, like dots above the letters. So, this idea is not new in any context and in any texts. Yeshua was teaching in parables precisely for the same reason. This is what Yeshua told His apostles when they asked Him why He was using parables to teach: He answered, saying: Because it has been given to you to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it has not been given to them (Matthew 13:10-11). Yes, God has secret things, things that He chose not to reveal to us. But why do we, as finite, limited, and weak humans want to enter into the secrets when we don’t even understand the revealed things of God that are explicitly written for our instruction and faith?

Why do we, who don’t even know the basics, want to delve into what God forbids us, and into something that has no practical daily application for us? Why enter into the dark, unclear, unexaminable dangerous field full of landmines? It is important to leave the things that are not clearly delineated and clearly spelled out in the Word of God. To leave them until the LORD reveals His secrets loud and clear. However, YHVH did not leave Moshe in the valley of despair at that time. Next, God gave him the hope of the restoration of the wayward nation (see Fp – Restoration After Repentance).

Dear Great Heavenly Father, We praise You for You are Awesome! Praise You that when life looks bleak, lonely and sad – there is a hope that is sure! Your Word is that hope. Yeshua is Your Word and He is in heaven preparing an eternal home for all who love Him. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be (John 14:2-3).

We love You and long for the day when we will join the living creatures and elders in heaven in praising and worshiping You– for You are so worthy! And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they throw their crowns down before the throne, chanting, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:9-11a). In Yeshua’s holy name and His power of resurrection. Amen

All of You Are Standing
29: 10-15

All of you are standing DIG: Why was the renewal of the covenant necessary? What people attended this covenant ceremony? Who were the foreigners who chopped their word and carried their water? Who else was it their duty to inform? Upon whom did the covenant depend? Why? What does this show about the covenant? Why wasn’t this covenant limited with the passage of time? What was their enjoyment of the covenant dependent on?

REFLECT: “Today” echos down through the ages every time these words are read. For every new generation, the challenge of the covenant would always be “today” (see Psalm 95:7b-11), just as for every generation of believers, the Lord’s coming is always “soon.” The Church today has much to learn from this social and trans-generational inclusiveness of Isra’el in the days of Moshe and Deuteronomy.

Parashah 50: Nitzavim (Standing) 29:10-30:20
(In regular years read with Parashah 52, in leap years read separately)
(To see link click Af – Parashah)

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

The Scene: In the wilderness east of the Promised Land, standing across the Jordan River opposite Jericho. Moshe formally gathered the people to deliver a final solemn message to uphold God’s covenant with them. The people stood before Moshe, from the greatest to the least, in order to enter into a sworn covenant with ADONAI in fulfillment of the promise He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This covenant ceremony marked the climax of Moshe’s earlier appeals in Deuteronomy.

The Main Events: include all Isra’el standing before ADONAI to enter His covenant; Moshe warning that idolatry will defile the Land and scatter the people; the choice between blessing and cursing, life and death; God’s promise to regather the Jewish people; the reminder that Torah is in their mouths and hearts, not too hard to obey; the command to choose life and listen to the voice of YHVH; so that b’nai-Israel will live long in the Land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.⁶³⁰

These verses remind us of the final stages of the covenant ceremony before the oath was taken. The covenant community was assembled and the nature of the event is explained.

The day before Moses died.

A. You are taking your stand with those today (29:10-11): An entirely new generation gathered to take an “oath-of-loyalty” to ADONAI. The fact that they were all standing implies some sort of formal ceremony. It was an incredibly leveling experience for everyone assembled. All of you are standing today in the presence of ADONAI your God without reference to social, economic, gender, or age differences: Your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Isra’el, together with your children and your wives, and the foreigners living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water (29:10-11). The wood chopper was no less a member of the covenant community than the king. The foreigners were from the mixed multitude which joined the Israelites on their departure from Egypt (Exodus 12:38).

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your awesome love which offers salvation to all, including Gentiles, who covenant with You as their Lord and Savior. Praise You for Your Messiah who gives light to all. I, Adonai, called You in righteousness, I will take hold of Your hand, I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6). Praise your great power over death. Because I live, you also will live (John 14:19c). How wonderful is Your encouraging fellowship as You live in believers.  The Spirit of truth . . . you know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you (John 14:17a, c). How wonderful to focus my eyes on the future eternal glory and joy in heaven, instead of on life’s problems, which will soon be over. 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). I love You and look forward to praising You forever! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

B. I am making a covenant (29:12): Each individual of the community made an oath of personal allegiance. You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with ADONAI your God, a covenant ADONAI is making with you this day and sealing it with an oath (29:12). The loyalty to the covenant was guarded by curses (to see link click Ff – Curses for Disobedience). This verse reads literally, your crossing over into the covenant of YHVH your God . . . and into His curse. The noun curse refers to the curses of the covenant.⁶³¹

C. Renew the covenant made at Mount Sinai (29:13): The purpose of the assembly is now declared. The primary function of this assembly was to renew the covenant that the LORD originally made with Isra’el at Mount Sinai (see the commentary on Exodus De – You Will be For Me a Kingdom of Priests). The covenant was made with the nation that very day as His people, that He would be their God as He promised them and as He swore to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (29:13). The core of this section is the core of the covenant itself, the mutual commitment of the people to God and God to the people.

B. I am making a covenant (29:14): I am cutting (Hebrew koret, meaning to cut off or to cut down) this Covenant with an oath. The cutting of a covenant involved the shedding of blood. It was a blood covenant. The implication was that the party who failed to keep the covenant would become like the slain animals that were sacrificed as substitutes for the two parties making the covenant. Once the covenant was made and the two parties walked between the dead animals, the terms of the covenant could not be changed (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land). So, this ceremony was not reenacted here, but renewed the original covenant the Israelites cut with YHVH at Mount Sinai. It was important to understand that the covenant He made with their fathers and mothers would stand forever, but their enjoyment of its promises depended on their obedience to the mitzvot (29:14).⁶³²

A. You are taking your stand for future generations (29:15): In this passage Moshe looks forward instead of backward. He stresses the continuity of this covenant from the present audience to all future generations, not because YHVH’s covenant mercies are an inherited family right, but because God is faithful to His promise to extend His blessing to all who love Him and obey His mitzvot.⁶³³ I am not only cutting this covenant with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of ADONAI our God, but also with those who are not here today. The community was not limited by the passage of time or race. This text is very important because it states clearly that the covenant of God with Isra’el is not exclusively for Isra’el, but for everyone who is standing with Isra’el. Not only those of the first generation of Isra’el standing there with Moses, but with those Gentiles who were not there at that historical moment. Each new generation, Jew or Gentile must renew the covenant for itself and take its stand before YHVH as did the Isra’el of old. And in the following verses, Moshe warns them of the alternative. If they forsake the Word of Truth and worship false gods, they will end up like the other idolatrous nations around them (see Fo – Do Not Worship Other Gods).

Renewal of the Covenant
29: 1-9

Renewal of the covenant DIG: What do the words, “In addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb” mean? What did Moshe remind the people of? What does each story demonstrate? Was Isra’el able to do what YHVH required of them? Why? Why not? What is the gift of God? When was it given? When will it ultimately be fulfilled for the nation?

REFLECT: What memories help keep you faithful to God? Today, when a crisis of transition comes upon us, we also need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness and of our responsibility to obey Him. Do you have a short memory of the blessings that God has given to you?

The covenant in Deuteronomy wasn’t different from the covenant given in Exodus; rather, it was an explanation and application of that covenant to a new generation ready to enter the Land.

The day before Moses died.

The renewal of the covenant between ADONAI and His people is an integral part of Deuteronomy, for it sets out the terms of the relationship between YHVH and Isra’el. This covenant was the constitution of the theocracy. God was King and had claimed His people for Himself out of Egypt; the people, who owed everything to God, were required to submit to Him in a covenant that was based on love. The approaching death of Moses provided the initial basis for this renewal.

The opening is very similar to 1:1, “These are the words . . . of the covenant the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Mo’ab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb” (which is the name used for Mount Sinai in Deuteronomy) (29:1). Like bookends, this shows us that we are entering the conclusion of the book. Both Chapter 1 and Chapter 29 remind the Israelites of their victory over two kings. When you reached this place, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to fight against us, but we defeated them. We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh (29:7-8). Why these two kings and why this reminder? As we saw in Chapter 1 both of those kings were Amorites (31:4). This brings us back to God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:16, where God gave Abraham the dimensions of the Promised Land. At that time, the sin of the Amorites had not reached its fullness. However, ADONAI had promised that in the fourth generation the Israelites would return to the Promised Land. Therefore, from the time of Abraham to the time of Moses in Deuteronomy 29, the sin of the Amorites had reached its fullness, and the children of Abraham were about to enter the Promised Land.

He is at work for our benefit at all times. Had they forgotten all that He had done for them? ADONAI would remind them of two miracles. First, during the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. Secondly, you ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God (29:5-6). It is interesting that Yeshua brought out the same two points in His sermon on the mount (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Da – The Sermon on the Mount). First: Therefore, do not worry, saying, “What will we eat? Or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear” (Matthew 6:31)? Secondly: It is written, “Man shall not eat by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).⁶²⁶

What does Moshe mean when he writes that his speeches to Isra’el on the plains of Mo’ab are in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb, or Mount Sinai (29:1)? The covenant declared in Deuteronomy wasn’t different from the covenant given at Mount Sinai (see the commentary on Exodus Ek – The Ratification of the Sinai Covenant). Rather, it was an explanation and application of that covenant to the new generation and their new situation in the Land of Promise. If what Moses taught in Deuteronomy had been a separate covenant, he would have offered blood sacrifices to seal the covenant as he did at Sinai (Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:18-22). Many of the people who accepted the covenant at Sinai had perished in the wilderness, but the ratification of that covenant was made with the entire nation (see the commentary on Exodus De – You Will be For Me a Kingdom of Priests). Therefore, this current generation of Israelites was still held accountable to the LORD to obey that covenant (see Bi – The Stipulations of the Covenant).⁶²⁷

The Hebrew for make a covenant is literally cut a covenant, in which the treaty or covenant was ratified in a ceremony where animals were slain (see the commentary on Genesis Eg – I am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Give You This Land). It seems very likely that some kind of covenant ceremony is implied in the events recorded here by Moses (see Fn – All of You Are Standing). As the Israelites were about to start a new chapter in the life of the nation, they were about to face many enemies, fight many wars, and undergo many trials. Here, Moshe gives them some sound advice. And he speaks to all of us as well when we face difficult situations. We need to remember what God has done for us.⁶²⁸

Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:

Moshe never seemed to tire of reminding the people of the grace and mercy of God given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. With your own eyes you saw those great trials, so remember all those signs and great wonders (29:2-3). This historical summary served as a motivation for action. Those signs and great wonders refer to Isra’el’s pilgrimage from the time of their departure from Egypt to their present encampment at Mo’ab. The repetition of the Hebrew verb raah, meaning to see, and the reference to the eyes emphasized that God’s people had personally witnessed what YHVH had done on their behalf. Those to whom ADONAI calls into covenant relationship, those from whom the LORD demands covenant obedience, are those whom He has already acted to save. God’s love has previously been demonstrated . . . ours is anticipated.

If God’s historically proven grace can, in a sense be taken for granted, the human response certainly cannot. Verse 4 injects a surprisingly paradoxical note, yet one that is consistent with Moshe’s stark realism elsewhere. He knows that the eyes that had witnessed the Exodus had not become eyes of faith (1:30-32). The ears that heard the thunder of Mount Sinai did not become ears of obedience, in spite of good intentions (5:26ff). The hearts that learned the message from these events, namely, that YHVH alone was God, were still capable of turning away and worshipping other gods.

It is this persistent fickleness of human nature, even among the people of God, that creates the apparent contradiction between 29:2, “Your eyes have seen . . . your own eyes you saw,” and 29:4, “ADONAI has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.” People can see the very works of God, hear the very voice of God, and yet still neither trust nor obey Him. This awful fact trailed the footsteps of Yeshua Himself, broke His heart, and caused Him to declare: You will keep on hearing but will never understand; you will keep looking, but will never see. For the heart of this people has become dull, their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts. Then they would turn back, and I would heal them (Matthew 13:14-15). Paul also reflected on this verse in his interpretation of the rejection of Messiah by some of his contemporary Jews, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to see and ears not to hear until this very day” (Romans 11:8), and in a broader context (Romans Chapters 9-11) heavily influenced by these verses in Deuteronomy.

Dear Heavenly Father, How wonderful that You call Your children those who chose to believe in you as Lord and Savior (John 1:12). You are not calling into a mere friendship; but into a covenant relationship that agrees to put you first as the one we love most and seek to please in all we do. You take us as Your child and put Your robe of righteousness on us so we can enter your holy 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). It cost You so much to come from heaven (John 6:41) and bear the shame, great pain and agony of Your death on the cross. The pains and trials that I go through here on earth will soon be forgotten when I spend eternity with You in Your holy heaven. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). I love and worship You! In Yeshua’s holy name and His power of resurrection. Amen

Returning to our text, we must face the question of what is meant by the words: ADONAI has not given you (29:4) . . . On the surface, it may appear to suggest that Isra’el’s failure to understand, trust, and obey was somehow God’s fault! Such a suggestion, however, is at odds with the whole thrust of the book of Deuteronomy which rebukes the Israelites for their own personal failure, and challenges them instead to respond properly to YHVH. Nor can this verse mean that somehow Isra’el was incapable of faith and obedience. Such a thought is rejected in this very speech (30:11-14). The urgent appeal to choose life (see Fq – Choose Life) would be merely a sham if Ha’Shem had somehow determined in advance that Isra’el could not respond to His mitzvot. It seems, therefore, that this phrase reflects a feature of the Hebrew language and thought in which events and processes that today would be expressed as consequences of human choice are attributed to YHVH’s active will. The sovereignty of God includes even those who oppose Him.

But the words also express a deeper truth, namely, that hearts understand, eyes see, and ears hear only through the gift of ADONAI. Knowledge of God, faith in God (Ephesians 2:8), and obedience to God are themselves gifts of grace, at the same time they are matters of human choice and response. In some sense, however hard it is for us to understand in our finite minds, the persistence and wholly responsible failure of Isra’el to make the right response to YHVH and to live accordingly, was indeed because the gift had not yet been fully given to the nation of Isra’el as a whole.⁶²⁹

Thus, the words of Moshe at the edge of the Promised Land can also be seen as being fulfilled in the far eschatological future. Jeremiah would point to a day when ADONAI would indeed “give” the people hearts to know and obey, in the context of not merely a renewed covenant, but a B’rit Chadashah altogether (see the commentary on Jeremiah Eo – I Will Make a New Covenant with the People of Isra’el). Hosea 6:1-3 tells us that in the last three days of the Great Tribulation (see the commentary on Revelation Cg – The Great Tribulation) all Isra’el will be saved (Romans 11:26). At that time, God will declare: I will put My Torah within them. Yes, I will write it on their heart. I will be their God and they will be My people. No longer will each teach his neighbor or each his brother, saying: Know ADONAI, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more (Jeremiah 31:32b-33).

Therefore, so keep the words of this Covenant and do them, so that you may prosper in everything you do (29:9). On the day before his death, Moses assembled all Isra’el to initiate them into the covenant with YHVH. The whole nation was standing before Moshe who had previously summoned them to assemble (29:1).

Haftarah Ki Tavo: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22
(to see link click Af – Parashah)

Isaiah’s vision of Isra’el’s far eschatological future springs from a hope to console anyone who loves God and desires His fame and glory to abound throughout the earth! Compare Isaiah 60:11 and 19-20 with Revelation 21:23-26 and find the similarities between what Isaiah saw and what John saw. ADONAI is doing an amazing thing through the righteous of the TaNaKh in preparation for all Isra’el being saved (Romans 11:26). YHVH is doing an amazing thing through His body, the Church, as more and more churches are supporting Messianic congregations. Prayerfully seek God about how He wants you to invest yourself in making disciples of Yeshua Messiah among Isra’el and the nations.

B’rit Chadashah suggested readings for Parashah Ki Tavo:
Mattityahu (Matthew) 13:1-23; Acts 28:17-31; Romans 11:1-15; Luke 21:1-4

In the Torah portion, Moshe is standing in Mo’ab and instructing the nation proclaiming, Ki Tavo (When you come into) the Land, you must give ADONAI your firstfruits and your tithes (26:1-2). In the B’rit Chadashah portion, Yeshua is standing in the Temple courts observing the giving of the tithes and instructing the apostles that giving when it hurts has more value than giving out of the overflow of abundance (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Je – The Widow’s Offering). How can this be true? To the world, value is determined materially, more money equals more value. But in God’s economy, however, value is determined spiritually, more faith equals more value. Where was the widow’s faith? In what, or whom was she trusting? Is money your idol? Are you trusting in your own ability to bring in material resources to provide for you and your family, or is the LORD receiving all the glory as the Great Provider? How can you step out in faith to obey YHVH and thus store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)?

Summary of the Covenant Demand
29:1 to 30:20

Moses begins this section by reminding the children of Isra’el of YHVH’s faithfulness to them in bringing them from Egypt to the plains of Mo’ab, as well as of the covenantal relationship into which they are entering with God – a relationship that promises cursing for disobedience and blessing for obedience. In the light of those realities, Moshe challenges Isra’el to renew this covenant and choose life and blessing rather than death and cursing.

Chapter 29 is a summons to the covenant oath which is finally taken in Chapter 30. It reflects the overall pattern of the Near Eastern Treaty (to see link click Ah – Treaty of the Great King), with a review of ADONAI’s past works and deliverance (see Fm – Renewal of the Covenant), a call to enter into the covenant (see Fn – All of You Are Standing), a warning that the curses of the covenant will fall on the rebels (see Fo – Do Not Worship Other Gods), although ultimate restoration is intended (see Fp – Restoration After Repentance), and finally a call to the firm decision to accept the covenant (see Fq – Choose Life). So, this whole section is a kind of summary of the total covenant demand.⁶²⁴

This section picks up and summarizes much of the earlier material, condensing the message of the whole book in two chapters. It concludes with almost evangelical fervor, and it’s not surprising that the second half of Chapter 30 finds echoes in the teaching of both Yeshua and Paul.⁶²⁵

The Diaspora
28: 58-68

The diaspora DIG: What would be the cause of Isra’el’s divine judgment? Why is this eleventh curse the worst of all? What meaning does this chapter give to the “glorious and awesome name” of ADONAI your God? How could such a great God be so merciless? Why do the Jews suffer when the wicked Gentile nations escape suffering?

REFLECT: How many people with a trembling heart and failing eyes turn to the LORD for help? How would being “afraid night and day, and having no assurance for their lives” serve a similar purpose? How have you been disciplined in your lifetime by ADONAI, and what did you learn from it? What is the message today for the Church in these scriptures?

Moshe then elaborated on the specific conditional curses in verses 28:16-19, which were an elaboration of the specific conditional blessings of 28:3-6. In 28:20-68, Moses pronounced eleven curses that Isra’el would suffer if she did not live wholeheartedly in accordance with God’s mitzvot (to see link click Ez – Statutes, Mitzvot, and Ordinances). Each individual judgment essentially had one goal: to turn Isra’el from disobedience.⁶²⁰

The fundamental cause for this divine judgment does involve Isra’el’s conduct, but it also involved their attitude of heart – an adamant refusal to revere God’s lofty character.

In the eleventh curse, Moses summarizes the curse of YHVH, the terrible details of the preceding verses give way to a broader picture; the effect of this final section, however, is no less terrifying, for little by little Moshe unfolds to his audience the manner in which every blessing God’s covenant of love for His people could be reversed.

Dear kind and loving heavenly Father, I worship You! You are completely holy and totally love at the same time. The question of how a loving God could promise harsh punishments is answered when I look at the reason behind the giving of each of these judgements. Your loving desire is to turn Isra’el away from the wrong path of disobedience and onto the right path of eternal joy in loving relationship with You. You love each of Your children dearly. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children (John 1:12) of God (First John 3:1a)! You never want anything to hurt Your children, but You use discipline as a tool to bring Your child back onto the right road. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son” (Hebrews 12:5b-6). How important it is to listen to Your small discipline. Then You will not have to discipline more. If the discipline is ignored, then You must make the punishment harsher. How wonderful to have learned lessons in the past and know that discipline for that error is done for the lesson is learned. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Praise Your patience in training Your children to be holy like you. Sometimes You use discipline when there is wrong and sometimes You use trials to purge out impurities. But You never discipline harsher than is needed, nor are You too soft. You know exactly how much pressure to use to form the character of Your child into a beautiful vessel for You.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. You are a wonderful Father! I love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen 

11. The diaspora (28:58-68): The two worst curses were saved until the conclusion of Moshe’s address on curses for disobedience, and then specifically illustrated: the siege (see Fj – Military Siege) and the scattering.

The action on the part of the Israelites: If . . . you do not take care to do all the words of this Torah, the things written in this scroll, to fear this glorious and awesome Name, ADONAI your God there would be consequences (28:58). Once again, this mitzvah is not threatening loss of salvation, but loss of blessings.

The action on the part of YHVH: Then . . . ADONAI will make your plagues and the plagues of your descendants extraordinary – terrible and prolonged plagues, severe and prolonged illnesses (28:59). The potential curses described in the verses below are not the fickle acts of an unknown or vindictive deity; they are the just acts of a righteous God whose covenant of love would have been rejected by His own people.

a. He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt that you were afraid of. Also, every illness and plague that is not written in the scroll of this Torah, ADONAI will bring on you, until you are destroyed. In the redemption from Isra’el diseases were heaped on her enemies, but because of the curse of covenantal treachery, diseases will cling to Isra’el (28:60-61). The statement until you are destroyed occurs six times in this chapter (here, verses 24, 45, 48, 51, 61) like repeated hammer blows. This experience of covenantal cursing would bring Isra’el to the brink of extinction, and provides a sad contrast to what God intended for His chosen people. The fact that YHVH did not exterminate Isra’el when he drove them out of the Promised Land (covenantal curse) later in her history (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule) indicates that this verb is somewhat overstated. The strength of the language, however, prevents one from minimizing the full extent of this threat.⁶²¹

b. You will be left few in number, now less than one percent of the world population, instead of being like the stars of the sky in number (Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4; Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:10, 7:7, 10:22) – because you did not listen to the voice of ADONAI your God. Now just as ADONAI rejoiced over you to do you good and to multiply you, so ADONAI will rejoice over you to ruin and destroy you; and you will be uprooted from the land that you are going in to possess. Even though they were once enslaved in Egypt, the Hebrews greatly multiplied in numbers, now however, because of her future rebellion she will be left few in number (28:62-63).

c. ADONAI will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other. Through the patriarchs the Jews anticipated living in the Land of Promise, yet now, because of her mutiny against her Creator, she would be evicted from the Land (28:64a).

d. And there you will serve other gods – wood and stone – that you and your fathers have not known. While living in Egypt, the Israelites found fulness of life in serving YHVH, but because of her spiritual adultery she would live the empty life of worshipping false gods (28:64b);

e. Among these nations you will find no rest, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot. But there ADONAI will give you a trembling heart and failing eyes, and a despairing spirit. The rest from enemies that came with possession of the Land would then become restlessness in a foreign land. The reference to three anatomical and psychological terms – mind, eyes and heart – emphasizes the internal and far-reaching nature of this distress. Their lives will be so consumed by instability that they will have absolutely no confidence in the future.⁶²² In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and at evening you will say, “If only it were morning!” – from the fear of your heart that you will fear and the sight of your eyes that you will see. During the conquest of the Transjordan the Gentile nations feared Isra’el, but after her revolt against her Protector, she will be overwhelmed by fear (28:65 and 67).

f. Your life will hang in the balance before you; you will be afraid night and day, and you will have no assurance of your life. The dread and fear that the goyim would feel at the approach of Isra’el (2:25 and 11:25), would then be on her. Isra’el had been promised long life in the Promised Land, but because of their rebellious heart, they would have no assurance of life (28:66). Their lives would be as if hanging from a thread, which threatens every moment to break.⁶²³

g. As a final step of covenantal reversal, the Israelites will come full circle. YHVH will send His chosen people back to Egypt, where they came into existence as a nation. ADONAI will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way that I said to you, “You will not see it again.” There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as slaves and maids, but there will be no buyer (28:68). The ships may have been Phoenician, engaged in slave traffic (Ezeki’el 27:13; Joel 3:6; Amos 1:9). Forty years ago, Isra’el had been freed from slavery in Egypt, but refusal to be loyal to the covenant would mean that she would return to a state of bondage. But even in Egypt no one would buy such slaves. It is a vivid climax to a continuous picture of unspeakable suffering. Thus, her history will be annulled. Such will be the end of Isra’el if she failed to observe all the words of this Torah, the things written in this scroll, and to fear this glorious and awesome Name, ADONAI your God (28:58).

The Jews were not only a disciplined people, they were also a dispersed people (Second Kings 17:6 and 25:21). After the Babylonian captivity (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule), they were permitted to return to their Land, rebuild Jerusalem and restore the Temple (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Ag – The First Return). Isra’el had their Temple, their priesthood, and a nation, until the Roman invasion in 70 AD. After that, they were, once again, a scattered people, found in almost every nation on the earth. They had no homeland, no Temple, and no priesthood. Yet, not matter in what nations they settled, then never lost their national identity. It would not be until May 14, 1948, that Isra’el would once again become a nation in the Land.

During those times of severe suffering, more than one Jew asked ADONAI, “Why do Your people suffer when the wicked Gentile nations escape suffering? How can a holy God use godless goyim to discipline His people?” This is one of the themes of the book of Habakkuk, and it is discussed in several psalms (Psalm 37, 73-74, 77, 79-80). But the fact that Isra’el is God’s chosen people and the apple of His eye (32:10) explains why He disciplines her, for the greater the privilege, the greater the responsibility. Only you have I known from among all the families of the earth. Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities (Amos 3:2). Divine election isn’t an excuse for human rebellion. From everyone given much, much will be required (Luke 12:48b).

There is a sobering message here for the Church (made up of Jews and Gentiles as in Ephesians 2:14) in today’s world. Like Isra’el of old, we are God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (First Peter 2:9-10). We are here to declare the virtues of the Lord and declare the Good News of the gospel. If we fail to glorify God and obey His Word, He will discipline us just as He disciplined Isra’el (see the commentary on Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children). For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God. If judgment begins with us first, what will be the end for those who disobey the Good News of God (First Peter 4:17)? If God disciplines His own people for their sins, what will He do to those who don’t belong to the family and have resisted His will? But judgment will begin in God’s family, and the only way we can avoid it is to turn from our sins and obey His will.

The church that thought it was rich, Yeshua said was poor (see the commentary on Revelation Bf – The Church at Laodicea), and the church that thought it was poor, Messiah said was rich (see the commentary on Revelation Ba – The Church at Smyrna). What will our Lord reveal about our churches when the fire of discipline falls?

Military Siege
28: 45-57

Military siege DIG: Who will carry out this judgment? Why would God use the goyim to discipline His people? What will be the net effect of the enemy laying siege to the cities of Isra’el? What does the eagle symbolize? What new perspective is introduced here? What are tongues (foreign languages) a sign of? Why do you think the Ruach Ha’Kodesh saved the two worst curses until the end? How were the horrors of the military siege carried out by the Arameans, the Babylonians, and the Romans?

REFLECT: Do you have an iron yoke around your neck in the affairs of this world? Are you serving yourself? Who are you serving? Do you need a new perspective on your life? Do you feel like you are under siege? From who? Do you need to repent of something? Where do you begin? With Whom do you begin? How can you turn your life into a blessing?

Moshe then elaborated on the specific conditional curses in verses 28:16-19, which were an elaboration of the specific conditional blessings of 28:3-6. In 28:20-68, Moses pronounced eleven curses that Isra’el would suffer if she did not live wholeheartedly in accordance with God’s mitzvot (to see link click Ez – Statutes, Mitzvot, and Ordinances). Each individual judgment essentially had one goal: to turn Isra’el from disobedience.⁶¹³

9. The reason for the curses (28:45-48): All these curses will come upon you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed. The statement until you are destroyed occurs six times in this chapter (here, verses 24, 45, 48, 51, 61) like repeated hammer blows. This experience of covenantal cursing would bring Isra’el to the brink of extinction, and provides a sad contrast to what God intended for His chosen people. The fact that YHVH did not exterminate Isra’el when He drove them out of the Promised Land (covenantal curse) later in her history (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule) indicates that this verb is somewhat overstated. The strength of the language, however, prevents one from minimizing the full extent of this threat.⁶¹⁴

With these verses it is as though Moshe had reached a plateau in his presentation of covenantal curses. He has made it abundantly clear that the experience will be horrific and agonizing. He provides here a summary in the heart of his long presentation of curses. Moses pauses to provide the theological rationale for these terrible curses once again, namely, to punish Isra’el for her disobedience of the agreed-upon covenantal stipulations to serve as a warning to all future generations. He summarizes the impact of the curses, hunger, thirst, nakedness, and poverty, then he describes the gruesome details of the military siege.

These verses also introduce a new perspective. It no longer seems as though the covenantal curses are a mere possibility – now the fate appears to be a foregone conclusion. Not because YHVH wanted it or willed it, but that the people were determined to rebel against Him and so they had brought the destruction down upon their own heads.

The defeat envisioned by these verses is total. Using language similar to that found earlier in 28:2 and 15, Moshe declares that those curses will pursue Isra’el like a relentless predator. You will be destroyed because you did not listen to the voice of ADONAI your God, to keep His mitzvot and statutes that He commanded you. They will be a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever. In Isra’el’s exodus experience, the ten plagues had served as exciting signs and wonders. What a reversal in Isra’el’s fate this experience of judgment represents. Instead of serving ADONAI your God with joy and goodness of heart, out of the abundance of everything, you will serve your enemies, whom ADONAI will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lacking everything. That service to pagan nations will be like an iron yoke. And YHVH will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you (28:45-48). Notice the sad progression from Isra’el’s conduct to her fate. Instead of serving ADONAI . . . they will serve their enemies. This fate represents a reversal of the Exodus, in other words, a return to bondage. One wonders why God’s people, then and now, cannot understand that it is only eternal values that have ultimate worth. As the late missionary Jim Elliot said so powerfully, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”⁶¹⁵

Dear Wonderful Heavenly Father, All Your promises are totally trustworthy. They are all “Yes” and “Amen” (Second Corinthians 1:20). It is exciting to think of Your promised blessings; but just as real are Your promised curses. 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). Though many point at Isra’el and her sins, it is so much wiser to look inward.

Praise you dear Father that entrance to Your holy heaven is not based on a person’s looks, family line nor on good deeds, but on the heart that loves You as Lord. But ADONAI said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have already refused him. For He does not see a man as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks into the heart” (First Samuel 16:7). Praise You that You see the heart motives behind the actions. You discern if the action is done out of pride for others to see or out of loving humility in service and honor for You. Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord!” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23)! I love You and desire to lovingly serve You, no matter what it costs me now, for I will spend all eternity with You in complete peace and great joy.  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

10. The horrors of the military siege (28:49-52): The two worst curses were saved until the conclusion of Moshe’s speech, and then specifically illustrated: the military siege and the scattering of the Jews to the Gentile nations (see Fk – The Diaspora). The central concept throughout this inventory of covenantal curses is the catastrophe of serving one’s enemies rather than serving YHVH. The description of military conquest at the hands of a foreign power represents the total reversal of all that God had done for Isra’el: no land, no cities, no possessions, no crops, no herds or flocks, and no loved ones. Ha’Shem will rise up against His chosen people, a fierce enemy who will epitomize covenantal curse.

ADONAI will raise up a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, just as the eagle swoops down (28:49a). The comparison of this attacking nation to an eagle’s swooping down signifies the suddenness, speed and power of the attack. In Scripture, the image of the eagle is often used to describe military invasion by different nations, including Babylon (Jeremiah 48:40, 49:22; Ezeki’el 17:3), Egypt (Ezeki’el 28:7); and Assyria (Hosea 8:1). The Assyrians captured the northern kingdom of Isra’el in 722 BC, and the Babylonians invaded the southern kingdom of Judah in 606 BC and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gb – The Destruction of Solomon’s Temple on Tisha B’Av in 586 BC). Many thousands of Jews were taken captive to Babylon and forced to live in the land of idols. That cured them of idol worship once-and-for-all! Perhaps the image here in Deuteronomy was meant to cover all the invasions that brought chastening to the Jewish people, including the Roman invasion of 70 AD. The things described here in verses 49-57 certainly happened during both the Babylonian and the Roman sieges of Jerusalem.⁶¹⁶

A nation whose language you will not understand (28:49b). Centuries later, Isaiah would declare that the hearing of the Assyrian tongue would be a sign of their own unbelief. Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues (Hebrew: uvelashovn, meaning languages) God will speak to this people (Isaiah 28:11). This passage is referred to in the B’rit Chadashah where Paul quotes from Isaiah and says: Tongues (Greek: glossai, meaning languages), then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers, specifically unbelieving Jews, the unbelievers of this people (First Corinthians 14:21-22). The purpose of tongues, or languages, in a Messianic congregation or church was not to bring unbelievers to faith. It had the same purpose it had in Isaiah 28. It is a sign of Jewish unbelief. It was not to bring them to Messiah, because Paul, quoting from this verse says that even then they will not listen (First Corinthians 14:21b). Therefore, tongues are a sign of cursing because of Jewish unbelief, a sign of blessing because the Church Age had begun, and a sign of authority (from apostles, prophets, or a nation, authenticating that it was God who was speaking). Peter, for example, had the keys to the Kingdom and would be responsible for ushering in the three major ethnic groups to the faith in the first century, Jews, Samaritans, and the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46).

This sign would be the same for the Babylonians and the Romans as it was for the Assyrians. As a result, just as Isra’el’s disobedience in Deuteronomy led to the use of tongues as a sign of Jewish unbelief in the Land, so Isra’el’s unbelief in the rejection of Messiah led to the use of tongues as a sign of Jewish unbelief in the first century Church.⁶¹⁷

Moses demonstrates how the nation of Isra’el, which had been offered great glory by YHVH will experience the horrors of destruction by military siege. A brazen-faced nation that will not respect the old or be gracious to the young. They will devour the cattle and the crops, leaving nothing behind for Isra’el to eat. It will devour the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your soil, until you are destroyed. It will not leave behind for you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your herds or the young of your flock, until it ruins you. It will besiege you within all your town gates throughout your land, until your high and fortified walls – that you trusted in – come down. It will besiege you within all your gates throughout your land that ADONAI your God has given you (28:50-52).

This last indictment, in fortified walls that you trusted in, was Isra’el’s fundamental problem. YHVH repeatedly demanded that His covenantal nation trust Him, have faith in Him, believe in Him. He demonstrated His stupendous power and willingness to intervene on their behalf numerous times. Nevertheless, on too many occasions the chosen nation turned her back on ADONAI (Numbers 13-14), mistakenly placing her confidence in political alliances or false gods. Their refusal to trust the LORD led to their rebellion, idolatry, and eventually to experiencing these covenantal curses.⁶¹⁸

The horrors of the siege would come to a head in cannibalism. The enemy would devour the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your soil (28:51), but the Israelites would eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and daughters that ADONAI your God has given you, in the siege and stress with which your enemies will distress you (28:53). The two illustrations that follow make the cannibalism seem even more terrible because it is mentioned almost casually.

The most tender and delicate man among you – his eye will become evil against his brother and the wife of his bosom and the rest of his children that he has left. He will not give to a single one of them from his children’s flesh that he will eat, because nothing else is left for him in the siege and stress with which your enemy will distress you within all your town gates (28:54-55).

The tender and delicate woman among you, who never ventured to set the sole of her foot on the ground out of delicateness and tenderness – her eye will become evil against the husband of her bosom and her son and daughter. For in secret, she will eat her afterbirth that issues from between her legs and the children she bears, for lack of anything else in the siege and stress with which your enemy will distress you within all your gates (28:56-57). This curse was literally fulfilled when the Arameans besieged Samaria (Second Kings 6:24-29), when the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem in 586 BC (Lamentations 2:20 and 4:10),⁶¹⁹ and when the Romans besieged Jerusalem in 70 AD (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mt – The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple on Tisha B’Av in 70 AD: Atrocities in the City).

Deprivation and Dominance
28: 38-44

Deprivation and dominance DIG: What does this curse focus on? Why will the people have little to show for their efforts? Why won’t their children be able to help them with their crops? Why will there be a reversal of fortunes with the resident foreigner?

REFLECT: God’s sheer power, as shown in this chapter, makes reverence for Him the logical conclusion. Are you genuinely awed by YHVH’s power? Where in your life this week does reverence for Ha’Shem need to be seen? How can you help this week to see His power?

Moshe then elaborated on the specific conditional curses in verses 28:16-19, which were an elaboration of the specific conditional blessings of 28:3-6. In 28:20-68, Moses pronounced eleven curses that Isra’el would suffer if she did not live wholeheartedly in accordance with God’s mitzvot (to see link click Ez – Statutes, Mitzvot, and Ordinances). Each individual judgment essentially had one goal: to turn Isra’el from disobedience.⁶¹⁰

8: Crop failure (28:38-42): This curse concentrates on the economy of the country. The three staple crops of Isra’el – grain, wine, and oil – commonly served as clear indicators of God’s blessing on His servant-nation (Leviticus 26:20; Deuteronomy 6:11, 8:8; Isaiah 5:10; Jeremiah 12:13; Micah 6:15). Both in her agriculture and in her commerce, Isra’el would fail. Her people would work hard but would have little to show for it.

Moses declared: You will carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, because locusts will devour it. You will plant vineyards and dress them but neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. The locusts and worms would obey the sovereign LORD even if Isra’el would not. You will have olive trees throughout your territory but not anoint yourself with the oil, because your olives will fall off unripe. Children, normally used for work on the farms, would be ripped away from their parents. You will father sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you, because they will go into captivity. The bugs will inherit all your trees and the produce of your land (28:38-42 CJB).

The curse of YHVH would affect every area of Isra’el’s life, so the people would enter upon a path of steady decline, sinking even lower than the most underprivileged of their own community.⁶¹¹ Whereas, earlier Moses compared Isra’el to other nations outside the Land of Promise (28:1, 12-13, 36-37), here, he contrasts the Israelites with resident foreigners who lived in their midst. During the plagues of Egypt (see the commentary on Exodus Bj – The Ten Plagues of Egypt), ADONAI made a clear distinction between the Egyptians and Israelites and protected the Israelites from the disasters that fell on Egypt. The reverse would be true in this curse for the resident foreigner, who would normally be the lowest level in Jewish society, would profit at Isra’el’s expense, becoming a creditor, or the head. The foreigner living with you will rise higher and higher while you sink lower and lower and become debtors. Therefore, the crop failure envisioned in 28:38-42 would lead to an economic collapse so significant that the poor foreigners would be among Isra’el’s creditors. He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head and you the tail (28:43-44 CJB).⁶¹²

Dear Heavenly Father, Your love has promised curses/discipline, “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 12:5-6) as a way to bring the sinner back into the joy of walking in God’s ways. This world will always have illness and sin, but praise You that Yeshua is preparing a home in heaven (John 14:3) for those who love Him. He is the Victorious King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). These illnesses and trials will soon be over. 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). Heaven’s joy and peace is for all eternity. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Praise You for Your love that reaches out to bring the sinner back into a loving relationship with You. Praise You for accepting a heart repentance. For the grief that God wills brings a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret (Second Corinthians 7:10a-b). You are so loving! I worship You! In Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Defeat and Deportation
28: 25-37

Defeat and deportation DIG: How do these curses affect the blessings mentioned earlier in 28:1-14? What would cause these curses? Did Isra’el have control of the outcome? Why? Why not? What five statements make it clear that YHVH is orchestrating these events? What was ironic about Isra’el’s defeat in battle? Why wouldn’t anyone be able to save her?

REFLECT: What do these verses teach you about the exceptional ways God treats His people? Looking back on your life, when were you disciplined for living in the world and refusing to glorify God? Have you recovered? What caused you to repent, turn around, and go in a different direction? What did you learn from that experience?

If Isra’el refused to serve the living God, she would be cast into a strange land to serve lifeless gods of wood and stone.

Moshe then elaborated on the specific conditional curses in verses 28:16-19, which were an elaboration of the specific conditional blessings of 28:3-6. In 28:20-68, Moses pronounced eleven curses that would Isra’el would suffer if she did not live wholeheartedly in accordance with God’s mitzvot (to see link click Ez – Statutes, Mitzvot, and Ordinances). Each individual judgment essentially had one goal: to turn Isra’el from disobedience.⁶⁰¹

As with the previous file (see Fg – Disease and Drought), the basic thesis of this section is that God’s rebellious nation will not enjoy covenantal blessings. While the preceding file concerned disasters of a domestic nature, this section gives attention to the calamities caused by invading armies. Five statements in this section make it clear that YHVH is orchestrating these events. He causes Isra’el’s defeat (28:25, 35), strikes her with boils (28:27), afflicts her with madness and blindness (28:28), and drives her to an unknown nation (28:36).⁶⁰²

4. Defeat in battle (28:25-26): Unlike the absolute victory YHVH promised in 28:7 (see Fd – Blessings for Obedience), where the enemy flees in total disarray, Isra’el will approach their enemy as a unified force but flee away, totally shattered, in seven groups. She will become a land filled with corpses, a banquet for various scavengers. ADONAI will bring you to defeat before your enemies. You will go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. You will become a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. Your carcass will be food for every bird of the heavens and beast of the earth, the ultimate dishonor. Denial of burial in the ancient Near East was a misfortune more fearful even than death (Jeremiah 7:33, 16:4, 36:30; Psalm 141:7; Ecclesiastes 6:3).⁶⁰³ And there will be no one to frighten them away (28:25-26). One cannot escape the irony here: Isra’el, a nation YHVH intended to feed from the Land He had promised them, would become the food supply for a variety of carnivorous beasts if they committed spiritual adultery and worshiped other gods.

5. Physical and mental diseases from Egypt (28:27-29): Depicting a reversal of the Exodus, YHVH promises that Isra’el will experience some of the agony of the “ten-plague-like” curses paralleling those that Egypt faced. In the same way that the Exodus symbolized Ha’Shem’s power and His intention to redeem His chosen people, it will also serve as an example of His overwhelming judgment. ADONAI will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with hemorrhoids, with scabs and with itching, from which you cannot be healed. ADONAI will strike you with madness, with blindness, and with confusion of heart. All three of these terms occur in Zechariah 12:4 to describe horses and their riders struck by panic when in battle. You will grope at noon as the blind person gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways. You will be only oppressed and robbed all the time, and there will be no one to save you (28:27-29). In such a disorganized state, they will be unsuccessful in their own efforts and will be easy prey for robbers. Once again, no one will be able to rescue them.⁶⁰⁴

6: Oppressed and Robbed (28:30-35): There follows a series of curses which would come as a result of defeat in battle. The protections guaranteed by obedience to the Torah would break down and you will become engaged to a woman, but another man will sleep with her. You will build a house, but you will not dwell in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not put it to use. Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it. Your donkey will be stolen in front of you, and it will not be returned to you. When YHVH is no longer protecting the Israelite army, your sheep will be given to your enemies, and you will have no one to save you. Your sons and daughters will be sold into slavery and given to another people while your eyes look on, longing for them all day long – but your hand will be powerless. A people you do not know will eat up the produce of your soil and all your labor, and you will be only oppressed and crushed all the time.⁶⁰⁵ In the ancient Near East, stealing someone’s ox or donkey was a proverbial example of oppression. If the Israelites would abandon their God, they would know nothing but oppression, and the experience of their traumatic losses would drive many to insanity.⁶⁰⁶ You will be driven mad by the sight that your eyes will see. Then Moses returns to the threat of horrible skin conditions. ADONAI will strike you on the knees and thighs with severe boils, from which you cannot be healed – from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head (28:30-35).

7. Exile (28:36-37): For the first time in the curse section (see Ff – Curses for Disobedience), Moses refers to the threat of conquest by a foreign power and deportation to some unknown land, away from those things and places they knew and loved. Some of the Israelites who were gathered on the plains of Mo’ab could still remember their slavery in Egypt, and now the threat of a similar experience is held before them again. Disobedience to the covenant could lead to the curse of deportation from the Promised Land; the covenant with YHVH would be exchanged for slavery to an earthly power.⁶⁰⁷ Rather than Isra’el’s being a prominent nation, respected by the surrounding goyim (26:18-19 and 28:1-3), ADONAI would bring them and the king set over them to a nation they and their fathers had not known – and there they would serve other lifeless gods of wood and stone. YHVH would cause Isra’el to become a horror (Jeremiah 18:16 and 49:17), a proverb (First Kings 9:7), an object of gossip and ridicule among all the peoples where ADONAI would drive her (28:36-37).⁶⁰⁸ The Babylonian exile is not in view here (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule). Captivity was a regular feature of warfare in the ancient Near East. Isra’el had suffered deportation from the Egyptians, Syrians, and Assyrians long before the Babylonians had ever appeared. In any case, the Hittite treaties of the fourteenth century BC included deportation among the curses.⁶⁰⁹

Dear Heavenly Father, You are both awesome and holy. How it must have broken Your heart to have to send Your first-born Isra’el (Exodus 4:22) into Assyrian captivity (Second Kings 17:6-18) and then to exile the Southern Kingdom of Judah for 70 years in Babylon. They were disciplined because of sin. We must remember that though You are merciful and gracious (Ephesians 2:8-9) and forgive our sins, You do not close Your eye to the sin nor ignore it. It is when we repent from our sin that You forgive.  Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Acts 22:38).

Your gift of forgiveness is very real for all who choose to love and follow You. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God.  It is not based on deeds, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is loving You, following Your way and repenting from wrongs. Also, Your wrath is very real for all who ignore You. 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). You look for a heart of love, not a number of good deeds done. The heart is so much more important than the action. Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord!” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23)! I praise You for being so perfect and the best Father! In Yeshua’s holy name and in His power of His resurrection. Amen