Shoftim2013

B.Scott8/10/13

ThisTorahportion,Shoftim/Judges(Deuteronomy16:1821:9)establishesacommand thattobequitehonestthemajorityofthetimewehaventbeenbalancedwithinthe believingcommunity.Itseemsthatthependulumswingseithertothefarrightortothefar leftwhenfacedwiththeissueofbeingabletojudgewithinthehouse.Weeithercanbe foundwithinthecategorywhoconsideritourwholepurposeinlifetopointoutthefaults andtheshortcomingsofothers(torahpolice)yetfailtocheckthelogs/beamsinourown eyes.Theothercategorybecomesthedirectoppositeofthiswhereinordertonotrockthe boatanythingisallowedinthehouseandweusetheversefromMatthew7:1Judgenot thatyebenotjudgedinordertokeepourownpetsins,andsothebarofexpectationstays lowandthereforethematuritylevelstayslowaswell!YetwhatdoestheTorahreveal aboutthisroleofthosewhowouldsitasthejudgesandtheofficers? Deuteronomy16:18 *Thejudgesandofficersweretositatthegates.Whatisthepurposeofgates?Theyrethe pointsofaccess,usedforbothenteringandexiting.Whoevercontrolsthegatescontrols thecity(controlswhatsallowedinandwhatsallowedout),anditsalsofromthegates thatlegislationwasmadeandenforced.Notonlyisthistrueinthephysicalbutthe spiritualaswell!Theideaofbeingonewhositsasajudgeandanofficergoestothe deepestlevelsofguardingthegatewaysinourownpersonallives,inourhomes,and branchesouttothecommunityasawhole!

ShoftimveshotrimtitenlekhabekalsheareikaasherYHVHeloheikanotenlekha lishvateikhaveshaphtuEthaammishpattsedeq. *Thereare17wordsand64lettersinthisverse. 17= mouth,words&64=( #5465)stocks,shackles;thistermisalwaysusedin connectionwiththefeetbeingputintostocks;Feet:#7272regel foot;from#7270 ragal towalk,toteachtowalk,canalsomeantoslander,tobeatalebearer Couldthisbehintingatthefactthatourpositioninhowwechoosetofulfillthis roleasjudgesinourhomesandinthecamphasthepotentialtoeitherteach otherstowalk(aidintheirrelationshipwithYahweh)orourwordsofjudgmentcan becomestocksandshacklestotheirfeet,becomingwordsofslanderandharm instead! *Rootofregel/feetis= aheaporpileofrocks,incontextitcaneitherrefertoa pileofrocksthatsindicatingtheratificationofacovenantoritcanrefertoaheapof uninhabitableruins!Ourwordsofjudgmenteitherhavethepotentialtoconfirmthe covenantorcauseotherstobecomeuninhabitableruins!

 64isalsothevalueof#1809dalal tohang,tolanguish,tobelow,tobependulous;its therootofthenameDelilah doorway()todarkness/night()itsinterestingto notethatitwasinthelapofDelilahthatSamson(likethesun),thejudgeofIsrael,was lulledtosleep,Delilahputoutthelight!Thissamepictureconnectsustoourroleas judgesaswell,howwehandlethispositionandthewordsthatwespeakforthhavethe potentialaswelltoputoutthelight! Exactlywhatputsusintothecategoryofonethatwouldshackleandbringharm/putout thelight?Ragal canalsobetranslatedasspies;1streferenceisGen.42:9Ye[are] spies/ragal;toseethenakednessofthelandyearecome. Nakedness:Strongs#6172ervah nakedness,shame,filthiness;itsherethatYahweh beginstolayoutthesignificanceofthesejudges,ifourgoalistoexposetheshameandthe filthiness/exposethenakednessofthehousewefindourselvesactuallyfailinginthisrole andbringingmoreharmthangood! Judges:Strongs#8199shaphat tojudge,rule,govern,vindicate,punish; 2letterroot comesfromshuwph( #7779)tocrush,bruise,usedinGenesis3:15 AndIwillputenmitybetweentheeandthewoman,andbetweenthyseedandherseed;it shallbruise/shuwphthyhead,andthoushaltbruise/shuwphhisheel. *Theroleofthejudgesisonespecificallyinvolvedinthebattlebetweenthetwo seeds!Thisbattleislaunchedintomotionwhentheserpentexposes/uncoversthe nakedness.Inotherwords,whenweasthosewhoshouldbeabletositasjudges andofficersattempttoexposetheshameanduncover,weveactuallylinked ourselveswiththewrongsideinthisbattle! Theother2letterrootofshaphatis= stalemate,asituationinwhichfurtheractionis blocked,adeadlock,animpasse,apointwhereneitherplayercanwinorlose; *Couldthisbeourreminderthatifweallowourselvestofallintothiscategory, becomingonewhowouldattempttoexposetheshameofthehouseandonewho attemptstohinderthewalkofothersthatwereactuallycreatingadeadlock,and impasse,blockingallmovesandcreatingasituationinwhichnoonecangrow?! Sowhatexactlyistheroleofthosewhositinthegates? Shaphat isspelledwiththesameHebrewlettersasthetermshataph(#7857) to wash,rinse,overflow,engulf,washorrinseoff,tocleanse;itsusedinEzekiel16:9 specificallyreferringtoYahwehcleansingHisBride! Ezekiel16:9ThenwashedItheewithwater;yea,Ithroughlywashedaway/shataphthy bloodfromthee,andIanointedtheewithoil. *Theroleoftheshoftimwasactuallytoadministerthecleansingwaters,toaidinthe washingandcleansingofthosethatcametothegates! Anointed:#5480cuwk toanoint,topourinanointing;itsthesamerootletters asSukkah thebooth,temporaryshelter;weresupposedtoactasthe

 Gematriaofshaphat=389;thesameasthephrasehaarbaimbeinbetweenthe evenings,thetimeoftheofferingofthePassoverlambandtheeveningsacrifice;eveningis connectedtotherootarab(#6148) topledge,exchange,mortgage,togiveinpledge, ortobecomeasuretyfor;theroleofthoseatthegates(thejudges)wastoproclaimthat thelambhadbecomethesacrificeandwasgiveninpledge,becamethesuretyforHis adulterousbride!Theroleofthejudgesisnotaboutuncoveringtheshameofothers (whichishowwevesooftenapproachedit)butinsteaditwasaboutremindingthosewho hadfallenthattherewasonewillingtoredeemthem! Officers:Strongs#7860shoter official,officer;fromanunusedrootmeaningto write,ascribe *ItsonthegatesthattheWordsofYahweharetobewritten.Deuteronomy6:9And thoushaltwritethemuponthepostsofthyhouse,andonthygates. Thejudgesandtheofficerswereactuallytofunctionasthefacilitators,itwasthe Torahthatwaswrittenatthegatesthatwouldjudgeanddeterminewhatwould comeinandwhatwouldcomeout.Bysittinginthispositionitrequiredonetofirst judgethemselvesbyitsstandardsandtheninturnspeakitforthinthecamp! *The1streferenceofthistermisinExodus5,Pharaohplacedshoter/officersofthe peopleovertheIsraeliteswhiletheywereslaves.Theofficerswereconnectedwiththe Egyptiantaskmasters:#5065nagas topress,todrive,oppress,toexertdemanding pressure,forcingpersonstolabor Withoutthisunderstandingofthepurposeofhowweretojudgeandsitatthe gates,wehavethepotentialtofallintoadangerouscategoryofonethatwould oppress,forceotherstoourwayofthinking,justlikethetaskmastersofEgypt! Deuteronomy16:19 Respect:Strongs#5234nakar 1)torecognize,acknowledge,respect,discern,tomake oneselfknown2)toactortreatasaforeigner,strange,todisguise,tohideonesidentity,to misconstrue,topresentoneselfinsuchawayastofoolothers Persons:Strongs#6440paniym face *ThewaywehandlethisrolecaneithermakethePaniymofYahweh(Hisface)known, recognized,acknowledged,respectedorbyourownactionsandwordswecanactually turnpeopleawayfromHim,causingthemtobeforeignerstothePaniym,hidingHis identityandmisconstruingHischaracter. Thesetwopositions,thejudges(shoftim)andtheofficers(shotrim)sharethe samerootlettersinHebrewof( Strongs#7851)shittiymtheacacias;nameofone

temporaryshelterthatcoversthosethatfindthemselvesinneedofthecleansing waters! 1Peter4:8Andaboveallthingshaveferventloveamongyourselves:forlove shallcoverthemultitudeofsins.

ofthelocationswhereIsraelencampedontheexodusjourney;Numbers25:1AndIsrael abodeinShittim,andthepeoplebegantocommitwhoredomwiththedaughtersofMoab. *Theextralettersarethe ofshoftimandthe ofshotrim;togethertheyformtheterm thefruitofthelipsthewaywechoosetojudge,thefruitthatcomesforthfromourlips, actuallyrevealsusasonewhosfittositinthegates(onecapableofshiningthelight)oras onewhowillexposethehousecausingittobecompromisedjustliketheywere compromisedatShittim! From#7848shittah acaciatree/wood,thewoodusedtoconstructthe Tabernacle(theintimateplace);samelettersform#7847satah toturnaside, goaside,decline(toturnasidefromexpectedbehaviororfaithfulness,aswhena personcommitsadultery,thetermforadulteressisfromthisrootaswellsotah) *CoulditbethatourabilitytofirstjudgeourselveswiththeTorahandtheninturnto establishitasthestandardforourhomesandcommunity,thatthisiswhatenablesusto enterintotheintimateplace,todwellintheTabernacle,thattheexamplewesethasthe potentialtoleadothersinthisway?Andourfailuretodosoactuallyputsusinthe categoryofonewhoturnsaside/anadulteresswhoisunfaithful?

MonthofElul
Sooftenourviewofwhatitmeanstobeajudgewasofonewhopointedoutthefaultsof others,yetwefindtheroleofthejudgerequiresusfirsttolookatourownhearts,todothe selfexamination!ItsnoaccidentthatthisTorahportionisthefirstportionofthemonthof Elul(the6thmonthontheHebrewcalendar). Elulstartsthe40daycountleadinguptoYomKippur(theDayofAtonement),a timeearmarkedbyselfexamination,testing,andcleansinginpreparationforthe dayofjudgment! Elul:Strongs#435Eluwl nothingness;cognateof#434eluwl worthless, somethingworthless,ineffective *ThelettersofElulformtheacronym,AniLDodiVDodiLiIammybeloveds andmybelovedismine(Songs6:3) *= Iwill;= heart;= connector,joiner;= heartIwilljoin/connectheartto heart! canalsomeantogoad,incite,prodtowardssomething ItsinthemidstofthetrialsandtestingthatYahwehdeclareshisintenttojointhehearts togetherfulfillingthephraseAniLDodVDodiLi!Anditsthroughthetrialsthatweare beinggoadedtowards,incited,andproddedtowardswhateverwehavesetourheartupon! NowwecanunderstandhowthemeaningofElul,nothingness/ineffectiverelatesweare madeineffectivewhenwesetourheartsuponsomethingthatisworthless! *Thisiswhattheroleoftheshoftimbecomesconnectedwith!Itsourresponsibility toprodandgoadtheheartstowardsYahweh,toteachthethingsthatare

 Asweseektounderstandwhatitmeanstositasajudge(thisportionShoftim),werefaced withthecountdownforourowndayofjudgment(YomKippur),actuallytyingintherestof Matthew7,vs.2Forwithwhatjudgmentyejudge,yeshallbejudged:andwithwhat measureyemete,itshallbemeasuredtoyouagain. LetslookalittlefurtheratYomKippur/DayofAtonement! Atonement:Strongs#3725kippur atonement;from#3722kaphar tocover, purge,makeanatonement,makereconciliation,tooverspread;atthemostbasiclevel,the wordconveysthenotionofcovering,butnotinthesenseofmerelyconcealing.Instead,it suggeststheimposingofsomethingtochangeitsappearanceornature! *Thesinisnttolerated,buttheindividualisgiventhechancetobecovered/kaphar anditswithinthatcoveringthattheyceasetobewhotheywerebefore,thevery natureischanged!Andthisisthewaythatweretojudgeaswell,pointingtowards thecoveringthatchangesandpurges,butdoesnotexpose!

worthwhile(proclaimingTorahandtheredemptionavailable)incontrasttothe thingsthatwouldmakethehouseineffective!