Scriptures

Deuteronomy 3:23 to 7:11
Isaiah 40:1-26
Matthew 4:1-11
Mark 12:1-44
1 Timothy 2:4-6

We continue from the previous study (Devarim - Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 found at www.sheepfoldgleanings.com) with Scripture’s account of the last days of Moses and his final words of encouragement to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The Children of Israel were taught to follow the Words YHVH passed on to them from Mount Sinai, and how to enter the Promised Land and live in peace.

Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that YHVH the Elohim of your fathers, is giving you (Deuteronomy 4:1).

The words ‘decrees’ and ‘laws’, which we studied last week, signify YHVH’s signs and wonders. With signs and wonders He will teach us, so we may follow and live and take possession of the land. Looking at Deuteronomy 4:1 from a Septuagint/Greek, abstract/legalistic translation of the Torah in conjunction with the bracketed Hebrew conceptual amplified form gives a fuller understanding to Deuteronomy 4:1.

"Hear (to hear; listen; obey) now (today), O Israel (descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), listen (do and obey) to the statutes (lasting impressions; marks, signs and wonders; written on the palm of one’s hand; staff or engrave) and the judgments (YHVH’s Deliverer, YHVH’s Delivery, and YHVH’s Power) which I teach (called the gospel - to learn; to teach; to be taught; be trained) you to observe/do (making; forming; doing; pressing; observing; fulfilling; causing to grow; developing), that you may live (and have everlasting life - live by virtue of YHVH’s thoughts; to hear, listen, be obedient), and go in (coming to a place where one belongs; bringing; harvesting; intimacy (as in marriage); setting; going down; appearing in strength; gaining entrance; bringing grain home; gathering in) and possess (dispossess, remove, take possession, expel from the land, possess completely; net for catching and holding; initial juice pressed from grapes) the land (solidify basic needs; stable earth producing many elements; country, nationality; physical essentials for existence; focus decisively; strike fear; knead; root firmly; scrape, cut sharply; demolish; cradle; squeeze) which YHVH the Elohim of your fathers is giving you” (Deuteronomy 4:1). (For reference to Hebrew words see endnotes.)

"Hear" is Strong’s # 8085 shema, which means to hear, to listen, and to obey the gospel. Many people today are hearing but not many are listening, because if we were listening we would obey and do the Words YHVH taught. We do not truly hear because we lack understanding of the Words spoken. If we comprehended the words taught, we would be in the Land today and the Land would rest in peace. We are coming to understand that when one hears, it means to do. Hearing speaks of the faith to act upon what one has heard. What do we hear? When we read scripture, we “hear” all the Words YHVH spoke to Moses in the Wilderness at Mount Sinai. Once we hear we have faith in Yeshua’s Faithfulness to do all He has said and to help us walk in His ways; in this way we pursue the gospel in obedience. That which our ancestors obeyed is our inheritance. YHVH’s instructions reveal how to be His bride. The Words spoken at Mount Sinai are the bride’s ketubah, her marriage covenant.

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Yeshua had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Yeshua,"is this: 'Hear, O Israel, YHVH our Elohim, the YHVH is One. Love the YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." [Yeshua answered them with the Shema and The Royal Law] (John 13:34-15:17).

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right (James 2:8).

The “Royal Law” found in Scripture are the Words that were spoken at Mount Sinai to the Children of Israel by Yeshua called the gospel; Israel’s betrothal covenant.

It was revealed to them [the Prophets] that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel [the words YHVH gave Moses at Mount Sinai] to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven (1 Peter 1:12).

A centurion approached Yeshua asking for help for one of his men. Yeshua offered to go to him, but the centurion replied that he was not worthy of having Yeshua in his home and asked Yeshua instead to "just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Yeshua heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith" (Matthew 8:5-10 ).

Faith is obedience to doing His Word. Who is Israel today? Those who identify themselves with the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and who walk in His ways.

Understand, then, that those who believe [the Word spoken at Mount Sinai by the voice of YHVH and fulfilled by the Word who became flesh; Yeshua] are children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7 ref. John 1:1,14).

If we are part of Israel, then this Word YHVH spoken to Moses is for us today.

The beginning of the gospel of Yeshua Ha Mashiach, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."  "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of YHVH; Make His paths straight' " (Mark 1:1-3).

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:46-47).

The historical stories of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are very important today. Abraham passed on the Covenant of YHVH – called the promise – with all its inheritance to his descendant Isaac. Isaac passed on the same Covenant of YHVH and inheritance to his descendant Jacob/Israel. The Covenant then passed through Jacob to his sons. They became the Twelve Tribes of Israel who came out of Egypt to be partakers of that same Covenant with Jacob. In Deuteronomy we read about the "next" generation of children receiving this same Covenant that their ancestors had. Moses followed the pattern and taught the children how to be disciples of YHVH – to live and walk in YHVH’s Kingdom and be His people. We are the seed and heirs of that promise!

If you belong to Yeshua, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 2:29).

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise (Galatians 4:28).

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off (Acts 2:39).

By faith he [Abraham] made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise (Hebrews 11:9).

The Covenant given to Abraham that he imparted to his offspring is the pattern we are to follow. We are to share this same blessed experience with our children and grandchildren, as we pass down the same legacy to our descendants.

The Covenant gave us a promise of a land, a people and a blessing – our heritage, our identity and our redemption. Without understanding the gospel of the Covenant we have no identity and we became a lost people. YHVH showed us "His" ways through our ancestors and their walks. The history of Genesis is prophetic imagery. So too is the great story of Moses in Exodus. Moses taught the first generation and the “next” generation (future tense – us) how to come out of slavery. But not all who came out of Egypt with Moses obeyed the ways of YHVH; only a remnant of two from the first generation continued on into the Promised Land. The Promise is for their children – us!

Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says YHVH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says YHVH. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says YHVH: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Hebrews 8:8-10 ref. Jeremiah 31:31-33).

The inheritance of the Covenant was passed on to the generations. The purpose and fulfillment of the Covenant is Yeshua. He is indeed the purpose, goal and fulfillment of the Torah, YHVH’s Word (Romans 10:4).  We who believe and walk in His ways are His firstfruits. Our identity is in Yeshua, the physical manifestation of the Word (John 1:1; 14). He is the Covenant made with Abraham. The Word and Covenant lives in us today, giving us a desire to walk in and obey it. We find our identity in Yeshua, the Living Word, as it is He who fulfills the Covenant with us. It is because we are in agreement with Him that we find our desire to keep this Covenant of love. Yeshua is the author of the Word and the guarantor of the Covenant. He is faithful to fulfill it in our lives. That is why He, the gospel, is the goal of the Torah.

The model of Yeshua as the Bridegroom together with Israel, called His bride, is all through Scripture. We are in a bridal/betrothal relationship with Yeshua today. YHVH has provided a ketubah, the marriage covenant called the Torah, with all the instructions (from Mount Sinai) for the wedding and subsequent life with our Bridegroom.

Yeshua the Bridegroom had gone to prepare a place for His Bride. The place He had prepared for her was called the Land. The house was big and beautifully decorated with everything she would ever need. This was where they were to live together forever. The bride sends a bridal party to go and check out the house that her Bridegroom prepared for her. They come back with the report and the bride says, "I’m not moving in! It’s in the wrong part of town. The neighbors are giants! I don’t think you are big enough to protect us from our neighbors. So, I’m just going to stay here in this little shack in the middle of nowhere because I’m really scared of the neighbors." YHVH says, "Do not fear, I’ve carried you though the wilderness and I will look after you in the Land." Yet the people continue in unbelief. Yeshua says, "OK, you live there. I’m going to wait till you die and I’m going to raise up the next generation to marry, who will cherish this house."

Once the Bride is in the house the scene changes and the bride says, "I’ve been living in this house and I’m really scared of our neighbors and I think they should just move in with us. Let’s just give them a couple of rooms. I know you built it for me but let the neighbors move in with us because I just don’t think you’re strong enough."

YHVH’s call is to believe in the words He spoke, to hear and obey the words He gave to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Israelites where a type and shadow for us – of us (Hebrews 10:1). Today, we are that second generation from the rebirth of the Land. Will we return to the words of Moses and obey the call of YHVH? Today we have an opportunity to inherit the land, our bridal home, the gift from Yeshua our Bridegroom, as it was declared to us so long ago. His Word still stands, and the way into the Land is still the same. All we have to do is listen to His Word – and act.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22).

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of YHVH (1 Peter 1:22-23).

Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of YHVH your Elohim that I give you (Deuteronomy 4:2).

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, YHVH will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, YHVH will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Revelation 22:18).

The Two Houses of Israel: House of Judah, the Jewish people and those associated with them, and House of Israel, many from a church background and those associated with them, have unfortunately acted opposite to YHVH’s teaching.

A Look At History – Torah: Law or Grace?

With the hellenization of the Hebrew text under Alexander the Great, Torah, as the educational model, was mistranslated into nomos/law, and became the judgmental model. People from both Houses could no longer see "true" grace, YHVH’s provision and redemption in the Bible (see the last parsha, Devarim - Deuteronomy 1:1 to 3:22 www.sheepfoldgleanings.com).

From a Jewish standpoint at that time, the Talmud and other Jewish writings had taken on a higher importance than the Torah. Alexander the Great and his Greek army took the law and made them live by it. They literally shoved "law" at them, “striking the sheep” with it. The Jewish people lived in fear of persecution and so built fences called Halaktic laws around YHVH’s Word to protect themselves from trespassing against it in order to help save their lives. It was during this time the Torah, YHVH’s Book of Love that was to bring them life, became to them a book of laws, that when not kept often led to death. One example was the Sabbath, the commandment that had only two directives in the Torah pertaining to it (rest and be joyful, and do not profit) grew to over 1,350 manmade commands under Halaktic law.

From a church standpoint, man’s traditions were given a higher importance than YHVH’s ways. YHVH’s teaching and instruction, His Sabbath and feast days were no longer valued or honored, and a kind of "lawlessness" called "grace" prevailed. The combination of grace teaching and tolerated lawlessness far outweighed that of YHVH’s teaching that brought life. This type of grace caused the people to no longer hunger after YHVH’s Torah. Nor could they discern the difference between clean and unclean, holy and unholy. They did not live according to Yeshua's principles, as they no longer followed or desired them for their life.

Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving [of other food]; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" (Numbers 11:4-6).

Two Separate Gods?

The early church father Marcion taught that the “Yeshua of the New Testament” came to set the church free from the “the God of wrath” of the “Old Testament,” laying the way for a two-deity principle. Because of the Greek word nomos (law) the people were taught that the Torah itself was done away when in truth it was the law of sin and death that we are set free from not the law of life. If the Torah were done away, most of the Brit Chadasha/New Testament would disappear, as eighty-five percent of the Brit Chadasha/New Testament is quotes from the Torah. If the Torah were done away with, then Yeshua’s Words would disappear from the Brit Chadasha/New Testament. Even Paul kept YHVH’s Torah, Sabbath and feast days thirty years after Yeshua rose to life, and the disciple John kept the Torah of Life fifty to sixty years after Yeshua ministry on earth (Acts 20; 24:14; Revelation 1:10,14).

Both the House of Judah and the House of Israel have faltered through ignorance and lack of knowledge. They had been eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. One House has added to the Words of YHVH and the other House has subtracted from YHVH’s Words. Both Houses have suffered the consequences of man’s legalism, and the majority of people who call themselves Israel are outside the Land today. The Land is not stable, nor is Israel in control of the Land. As a result many nations control Israel.

As His bride, we may need to go down our checklist and re-evaluate our perspective according to YHVH’s Word. Are we out of Godly alignment? Are we seeing YHVH’s Word through the eyes of man’s law or through the eyes of YHVH and His Royal Law called the gospel that gives life? What does the Word of YHVH say? Are we listening? Does our walk reflect the Glory of the truth of YHVH? Are we walking in Covenant relationship with our Bridegroom and keeping His appointed feasts? What is holding us back from this incredible inheritance in the Land? Where is our identity and inheritance? Isn’t it in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 The Shema

These are the commands, decrees and laws YHVH directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the YHVH as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as YHVH, the Elohim of your fathers, promised you.

Sh’ma, Yisra’el! YHVH Eloheinu, YHVH echad.

Hear, Israel! YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one. Love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The Jewish people have made the Shema an ancient prayer. The Shema is actually a declaration of belief. When recited as a prayer, it is a vow and oath stating the believer’s intent to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Shema is called the watchword of our faith. It is part of the morning and evening prayer of the observant. It is the opening expression of the greatest commandment called the Royal Law. "Hear, O Israel, YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is One. Love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this, Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:29b-31a). This declaration is full of meaning that speaks of great truths from the past and blessed hope of the future. It speaks of YHVH when He spoke from the mountain; it speaks of the Torah; it speaks of the Messiah and His Kingdom. It also contains a hidden treasure and mystery about us. (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Luke 10:27; Mark 12:31-33; Galatians 5:14; Romans 13:9-10)

By praying the words, "Hear (Shema) O Israel," we echo the teaching of the Torah and Moses. We remind one another and ourselves to "hear and participate" with our ancestors in the event at the base of the mountain. We prepare our hearts to receive YHVH’s instructions and prepare our hearts to obey Him (Deuteronomy 5:22-27).

The Children of Israel put forth a declaration: "We will listen and we will obey" (Exodus 24:7; Deuteronomy 5:27). YHVH accepted their proposal, saying to Moses, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good" (Deuteronomy 5:28).

We are bound by this today through the Covenant YHVH gave Abraham. By saying the Shema we are repeating the vow we made at Mount Sinai: to hear YHVH’s voice from the mountain, to hear the instruction given by Moses and to obey YHVH’s Covenant. As the descendants of those who were at Mount Sinai, we have been bound to hear what YHVH said and by what He instructed Moses to teach us. But the agreement goes further.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me (Yeshua); for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:46-47).

Yeshua the Messiah is that prophet Moses spoke about. Yeshua is the One raised up among us that is YHVH. He is the One who has come from the mountain (heaven). "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:38).

The Shema is prayed in conjunction with the Amida, or, the Shemoneh Esreh daily prayers. The Amida prayers are “standing” prayers (also called “silent” prayers) of eighteen benedictions that have been prayed three times a day (at one point, in the Temple) since before Yeshua’s time. We see that Daniel prayed three times a day, as did David, Peter and Cornelius (Daniel 6:11-14; Psalms 55:17; 145; Mark 1:35; Acts 3:1; Acts 10:1-3).

It is said that these morning and evening prayers served other purposes. When one prays the Shema, he is accepting the yoke of the Kingship of heaven, the rule and Covenant of YHVH, and thus making himself a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. YHVH, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, has put the sun, moon and earth in their proper orbits (rule). Each morning and evening, at the sunrise and setting, we see the rule of YHVH, the rule of the Heavens; therefore, it said that the Shema is the most personal form of bowing one’s mind and heart before YHVH and His Kingship. It is also said that this simple prayer is the act of putting the yoke of Heaven on oneself.

Where is the Kingdom of YHVH today? Yeshua said, "The kingdom of YHVH does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of YHVH is within you" (Luke 17:20-21).

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14).

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light (Matthew 11:29-30).

By praying the Shema, an exchange takes place between the believer and YHVH. The believer takes on the yoke of Heaven and YHVH accepts the burden of the believer. According to the Messiah, the Shema is easy and the load is light as compared with life’s burdens. The transfer of yokes enables the believer to carry out the commandments of YHVH (the Covenant of YHVH, His loving teaching and instruction). Therefore, it should not surprise anyone to discover that the words of the Shema introduce the greatest commandment of YHVH. Messiah Yeshua was questioned on this point directly.

We cannot keep any commandment, especially the greatest commandment, until we submit ourselves to the rule of YHVH and lay aside our own rule of our life. Only then can our heart, soul, mind and strength be directed toward YHVH.

If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

You who bring good tidings [the gospel] to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings (the gospel) to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your Elohim!" See, the Sovereign YHVH comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him (Isaiah 40:9-10).

This passage is all about the second coming of the Messiah. According to the sages of Israel, it is also tied to the Shema. The lifting of arms toward Jerusalem is the traditional way of saying the Shema. Now that the Tabernacle lives in us, we face fellow believers as we share the Shema.

The "hidden" meaning in the Shema is written on a Torah scroll. The first word, Shema, and last word, Echad (One), in Deuteronomy 6:4 are written differently. The last letter of Shema in Hebrew is the letter Ayin. The last letter of the word Echad (One) is the Hebrew letter Dalet. What is unusual is that both letters are written in capitals. The "two" letters together form another word out of the Shema and that word is "witness".

If we believe in Yeshua, we are His witnesses because He lives in us; thus we become the manifestation of His presence on Earth.

"YHVH Your Elohim Is One"

As mentioned earlier, Marcion introduced the two-deity principle of Jesus and God as being two separate people/gods. Scripture says that YHVH became flesh and dwelled among us (John 1:1,14). Yeshua is the physical embodiment of the One True God. They are ONE.

Sh’ma, Yisra’el! YHVH Eloheinu, YHVH echad.

Any person who prays the Shema is a witness of YHVH. The letter Ayin means eye, while the letter Dalet means door. A witness is a person who stands at the door and looks out with his eyes. A person who says the Shema is a witness of the Living God. By saying the Shema with others we confirm the truth of YHVH by the evidence of two or three witnesses in agreement.

The two letters represent two people groups, the House of Judah and the House of Israel. Together they are the two witnesses of the Messiah. United they declare the greater Living Torah, Yeshua (Ezekiel 37:15-28; Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8-10).

The Two Houses became Yeshua’s witnesses for the start of the reunification of ALL Israel, all twelve tribes, when the Ruach HaChodesh fell on them in Acts 2 during the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost. The Two Houses witnessed the truth of Yeshua as the Living “Greater” Torah and began to share the Good News throughout all Jerusalem. This was the same day in history that YHVH spoke to the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai. The mouth/voice of YHVH is Yeshua (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 24; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:6; 2:1).

By praying the Shema, a believer identifies with the voice at the mountain and the gift of Yeshua evidenced by the Holy Spirit for the reunification of ALL Israel. As a result, we become His witnesses in Spirit and Truth. Acts 1:8 Yeshua said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Acts 3:22-26 Peter Speaks to the Men of Israel

Just after the great infilling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost/Shavuot Peter spoke to the “men of Israel”, saying, "For Moses said, 'YHVH your Elohim will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen (do) to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’ Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When YHVH raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

It would seem there are choices before us. May YHVH not find us ignorant to His Word. May we be a people who have the faith to obey and walk in it. May we not end up being another generation that disobeys and lies scattered throughout the Nations (Wilderness). There is an inheritance to be claimed, and the Land is waiting for its time of peace. May our generation be the generation of Children who enter the Land in full obedience to YHVH. If we are the people and the witness of YHVH, then these words of Moses will bless us. If not, these words will reveal our true [heart] position and keep us outside the Land. To walk in the Covenant we made with YHVH is everything. There are choices. May we choose to love YHVH with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Selah.

Observe them [YHVH’s decrees and laws] carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before YHVH your Elohim at Horeb...

If you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the YHVH and provoking him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. YHVH will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which YHVH will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek YHVH, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the YHVH and obey him. For YHVH is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the YHVH your Elohim gives you for all time (Deuteronomy 4:6-40).

And if we are careful to obey all this law (with heart and soul, in Spirit and Truth) before the YHVH our Elohim, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:25).

To be continued...
Shabbat Shalom,
Carl and Julie Parker

Notes:
Reference to our expanded and enhanced definitions of the words in Deuteronomy 4:1 can be found in:

ED: Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew, Feldheim Publishers|

TWOT: Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody Press

Strongs Concordance. Hear: Strong’s #8085 shama (TWOT); Israel: Strong’s #3478 Yisra’el (ED, TWOT); Statutes: Strong’s #2706 choq (TWOT); Judgements: Strong’s #4941 mishpat (ED, TWOT); Teach: Strong’s #3935 lamad; Do: Strong’s #6213 asah (ED); Live: Strong’s #2421/238 chayah (ED); Go in: Strong’s #935 bow (ED); Possess: Strong’s #3423 yarash (ED); Land: Strong’s #776 erets (ED)

References:
Redeemed Israel by Batya Wootten www.messianicisrael.com

The Gospel: Sheepfold Gleanings: Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 www.sheepfoldgleanings.com

ED: Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew based on commentaries of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch / Matityahu Clark. Imprint Jerusalem: Feldheim 1999.

Greek Versus Hebrew Understanding and Allegory STBM www.torah.tv

Marcion: Law/Nomos versus Torah/Life. Torah 201: STBM www.torah.tv

Webster’s New World Hebrew Dictionary

Call of Torah by R. Munk

Past Parshot: www.messianicisrael.com/sheepfold-gleanings/
Sheepfold Gleanings written by Carl and Julie Parker: www.sheepfoldgleanings.com
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