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Moses went, and he spoke. He went, or haw-lak is the Hebrew
word from Strongs #1980. And as a verb it means 'to walk'; as a noun it
means 'a message'. Benner defines the Lamed-Kaf connection to
translate as a 'staff in the palm' because 'a nomad traveled on foot with
a staff in his hand to provide support in walking as well as a weapon to
defend against predators or thieves'. So much has lead up to this
moment as the last few portions return to this same location with the
same familiar tone, it is a critical one. It doesn't sit well with some of us
because it deals with us handily. It doesn't stroke our feathers or
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whisper in our ears what we like to hear. It tells us that we are about to
lose our leader.
Remember, it was Moses who stood up for his Israelite brothers,
refusing to sit by idly and intervened to deliver one being beaten by an
Egyptian taskmaster. And it was YHVH who told Moses at the burning
bush that He too had heard and continually observed Israel's affliction.
I believe it was YHVH's and Moses' mutual burden for Israel that
brought Moses to becoming The Father's choice instrument to rally a
brow-beaten defeated broke-down people, and inspire them to believe
there was a destiny beyond the cracked and muddy stubble their
forefathers had trod for hundreds of years before they themselves.
Moses had The story. A life destined to fail, reluctantly cast into the
hopeless abyss that the Nile symbolized; a watery graveyard consuming
and mocking YHVH's flailing and lamentable lot, only to be rescued and
raised in the private chambers of pharaoh himself. Demonstrating
uncommon courage, he forfeited a life of decadence and false religion for
love of his people, casting his whole lot with them, joining in their
struggle to endure. Moses gave it all.
In Hebrew the Lamed symbolized the shepherd's staff and so it
was recognized as the instrument of the shepherd's authority. The Kaf
pictographically symbolized an open hand with which Moses gripped
and supported his life and the lives of all of Israel with the authority of
the THE Shepherd who is the Living Torah, Yeshua. But he did
something else. Perhaps some of us fail to see it in others because were
too busy pointing out the other things about them we don't like. I say it
beloved because I am guilty. We squirm and debate but we war against
principalities and can quickly find ourselves criticizing someone we
originally began complimenting. What Moses did, and quite beautifully
was not only did he depend upon Torah to be the guiding force in his
life, but he lived by it. If I may again use a figure, he lived by 'The code'.
Not a glamourized cliche', but a deeply engraved code upon his heart
that guided his steps--and everyone observed it. You see, the Lamed
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also means 'to teach' while the Kaf also means 'to bless'. Beloved, when
Israel observed Moses, and make no mistakethey did, Moses modeled,
rather through his steps, taught and carried to pilgrims the blessings of
Yehovah.
Remember those leading you, who spoke the Word of Elohim to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their belief.
(Heb.13:7)
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I think we should spend less time being concerned about what
others think...and spend a lot more time about walking out the message
by being a blessing to others. We will cross people who are not walking
parallel to us from time to time, and it may be a distraction, but YHVH
said in Dev. 5:32 "Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your
God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or
to the left." How do we examine ourselves? Moses asked YHVH to feed
His people. He fed them. He asked YHVH not to let His people die of
thirst, He brought them drink. Yeshua addressed Kefa, Peter, over
some fish. He said, Peter, feed my lambs. Paul said
"in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God..." (2 Cor.6:4)
That word 'approving' in the Greek is from Strongs #4921, the word
soon-is-tah'-an'-o, a compound word rooted in Strongs #s G4862 and
G2476; the first of which is the Greek preposition soon and denotes
union, with or together. The second comes from his'-tay-mee, a
prolonged form of the primary word stao, meaning 'to stand'and it
also means to abide, to appoint, to continue, establish, to hold up, and
covenant. It is found in the Septuagint to be the same word we studied
just recently--Nitzavim. Read together, it means Standing in Covenant
Together. Look at us as followers of YHVH. We murmur over our being
ineffective, but look at us. Across the globe and within our own
congregations, are we truly standing together?
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Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses tells us to Be Strong and of Good
Courage. Being strong is not referring to physical strength necessarily.
Taken from Strongs #2388, the word is pronounced khaw-zak' and it
means to fasten upon, to seize, be obstinate, bind & conquer. Moses is
instructing Joshua to take hold of something but what is it? We find our
answer in the previous verse. Verse 5 reads "And the LORD shall give
them up before your face that ye may do unto them according unto all
the commandments which I have commanded you." So Moshe's
instructing Joshua and all of Israel to cling to Torah because it is
according to Torah that all the nations will be delivered up to them as
they go into the land to inherit it! Now, to be of 'good courage' comes
from the word aw-mats meaning to be alert, physically (on foot) or
mentally (in courage): confirm, be steadfastly minded. I want to ask you
to consider that our mind is where battles are won and lost.
B Bi in nd di in ng g t th he e S St tr ro on ng g M Ma an n
We read in Matthew 12:29 "Or else how can one enter into a strong
man's house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?
and then he will spoil his house." In our Torah portion this week Israel
is entering a house of sorts, Canaan--The Promised Land, but there's
some bad rascals in there that have to be removed first. When we look
at the word for nations as it is used in context with the portion, they
represent those who have rejected YHVH's covenant and are inhabiting
the land YHVH has promised to the descendants of Avraham, Yitsak
and Ya'akov. These are nations that YHVH has promised the Etz
Hayim translators say, 'for the LORD your God Himself marches with
you: He will not fail you or forsake you. (Deut.31:6)" The word for
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nations most already knows in the Hebrew as 'Goy'. But what many
may not be familiar with is its root word which is gev, a Gimel and a
Vav. Interestingly, this two-letter root word connected to 'nations' has a
much deeper meaning. Gimel meaning 'foot' also means to lift up, and
pride. Vav meaning to join and secure, also means 'to add'. Taken
together they mean 'to join or add pride'. It's also related to Gimel-Alef
which means pride, and 'strong lifting'. So if we're speaking in the
context of pride, what is being strongly elevated here? Pride, the lifting
up of oneself, which is what the nations YHVH had promised Israel He
would go before them and drive out of the land.
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But consider this on a personal level. Didn't Israel struggle with
pride as well? Do we consider ourselves better than they? Beloved we
need to get this in our spirit. 1 John 1:10 says
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is
not in us."
We know Yeshua has come to take up residence in us, but truth be told
our conduct and thoughts witness against us at times and that calls for
real self-examination. How fitting that this time of year we are dealing
with trusting in YHVH's Word during these Ten Days of Awe. This is a
period of reflection, soul searching and seeking out those we have
offended and striving to restore, to forgive, and to be forgiven so that we
have made careful inventory and taken action "to the extent that it
depends on you to live at peace with all men (Ro. 12:18)" so that He is
going with us and before us to drive out these idolatrous things that
have sought to create a root of bitterness in us. It means we need to get
real with ourselves and recognize that none of us have arrived, but
thank YHVH He has given us the authority and ability as Matittyahu
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12:29 says, 'bind the strong man'. The reality is, YHVH desires to take
us across each of our personal Jordans into His promises, but our heart,
our mind, our words, our actions do not always square with YHVH's
truth because sometimes we foolishly revert back to old Egyptian
practices. We choose to not take hold of YHVH's promise that He will be
faithful and never abandon us. Beloved, consider all that you go
through in a day. YHVH has told you from the beginning to fear not (do
not yaw-ray', which is to be put in awe of their appearance in size or
number), not to be afraid (aw-rats', which is to be frightened, or
terrified, or to dread them), and for you to not become dismayed (verse
8, khaw-thath', to prostrate, to break down, to become confused &
discouraged).
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Towards the end of the parsha Moshe' is preparing to teach all of Israel
a song that they and their descendants will sing that will witness
against them of their wickedness after having been blessed in the land.
Sidenote: notice that Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years to learn
how to 'get it right', and even after all the teaching and learning and
finally entering into the promises Israel still struggles with pride and
idolatry? What gives? The point of this observation is that as flawed as
we are, YHVH knows us, as Yeshua spoke to the Scribes and P'rushim,
"and , knowing their thoughts, answering, said to them, Why are
you reasoning in your hearts?" (Lk.5:22). But Devarim 31:29 reads
"For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and
turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will
befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."
If we take a look at Webster's 1828 Dictionary, used to translate
the Hebrew and Greek to English, we recognize the word 'corrupt' in
that verse means 'literally,
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CORRUPT: to break, separate or dissolve.' Keep
this in mind as we make the big push to wrap up.
The haftarah reading this week is absolutely stunning, and it's
connection to this week's parasha is nothing short of miraculous. Look
with me at Devarim 31:16 in which we read,


"And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of
the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will
forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them."


Key in on the phrase 'break my covenant'. Now, if we look for the word
'break' it is Strongs #6565, the word paw-rar', to break up, violate,
frustrate, and to break, as to throw something on the ground and break
it by trampling.
In our haftarah reading in the book of Hosea, chapter 14, we read
verses one and two,
"O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by
thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say
unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so
will we render the calves of our lips."
When in exile after the temple was destroyed, there was no longer
a way to properly bring the animal sacrifices, and so Hosea the prophet
draws the distinction that now, in such a situation where there is no
physical altar, Israel's acceptable sacrifice or offering unto YHVH is the
'calves' of our lips. He says 'take with you words'. And so we look at that
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word 'calves' in the Hebrew and it is from Strongs #6499, pawr,
meaning a bullock, apparently as breaking forth in wild strength.
However, its primitive root is found back in Strongs #6565, the same
word we drew from in Devarim 31:16 for the word 'break'! The
explanation is found in the Paleo Hebrew root word which is a Peh-Resh
root word meaning 'to tread', 'bull', and 'to be fruitful', which makes
sense because Ephraim means 'doubly fruitful' and has the Peh-Resh
root word in the middle. Back to the root word found in the Peh-Resh
connection, pictographically it means the 'opening of the head' as we
read in Benner's lexicon that 'the heads of grains are scattered on the
threshing floor, a smooth, hard and level surface. An ox is lead around
the floor crushing the heads, opening them to reveal the seed inside.'

So we can either corrupt the covenant by breaking it, but we can also be
restored in covenant with YHVH by having a heart of reverent and
genuine repentance, bringing the 'calves' of our lips unto The Father. I
hope we all see that.

In the book of Joel chapter 2, the prophet is calling for every
Israelite pilgrim to stop what they're doing, and for the cohanim to
gather as it says in verse 17, 'Let the priests, the ministers of the
LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare
thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the
heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the
people, Where is their God?" This location is sacred. In fact it is
unaccessible to the pilgrim, save on one Feast day--Firstfruits. On
firstfruits as we read in Devarim 26
"and it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD
thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest
therein; That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth,
which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee,
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and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD
thy God shall choose to place his name there. And thou shalt go unto the
priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day
unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the
LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. And the priest shall take the
basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD
thy God. And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A
Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and
sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty,
and populous: And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and
laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the LORD God of
our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and
our labour, and our oppression: And the LORD brought us forth out of
Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with
great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: And he hath
brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that
floweth with milk and honey. And now, behold, I have brought the
firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou
shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy
God:"
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Here, between the porch and the altar, between the entrance into
the tabernacle and the brass altar of sacrifice gathers the entire
community of Israel bringing their firstfruits after they've moved into
the land of Promise. But now, after having transgressed, the cohanim
are called to return to this sacred place where they met with faithful
pilgrims bringing in their firstfruits, and the prophet implores them to
weep there and pray and say spare thy people O LORD and give not
thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them. If
examined in the Hebrew the word we read in the words the cohanim are
to pray, the word for spare is taken from Strongs #2347, or chus. Of all
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things it means, 'to cover'. In the Paleo it means 'to cover', and 'To give
refuge to another.' Is this not what we discussed at the outset of our
journey when we began our study? Beloved this is absolutely to
what it is all about. If we are ever going to be effective for YHVH's
kingdom the division must come to an end and we must 'cover' each
other and be a refuge for one another. We are a royal priesthood and
therefore let us take these words, the calves of our lips and offer them to
YHVH that we would demonstrate the love of Messiah as we lay our lives
down for one another.
Now, one last connection before we close. In Micah chapter 7 we
receive a beautiful key in that YHVH pardons our iniquity and 'passeth
by the transgression of the remnant'. Israel is poised. They are about to
take a giant leap of faith and cross over the Jordan and enter the land,
without Moshe might I add. I can only imagine much of the shock and
brokenness over the fact that this man who has been so instrumental in
their and their parents' lives will not only not be able to continue with
them into the promised land, but they are going to have a funeral before
they cross over. The beauty in all this however begins as Moses speaks
that 'The LORD thy GOD, He will go over before thee, and He will
destroy these nations from before thee' (Dev.31:3). The word he uses here
for 'go over' is Strongs #5674, aw-bar', meaning to cross over, and
specifically...to cover. It's where we get our word Ivrim, and Overcomer,
which is who you are. This is the same word we find in the book of
Micah chapter 7 for the word 'passeth by the transgression of the
remnant'! YHVH crosses over, or COVERS over our transgressions! Isn't
that beautiful? So what we learn here is that YHVH will receive us as
we turn and repent of our sin, we bring the calves of our lips, the
overflow from a heart of repentance, and He will COVER our sins. Let
us remember beloved we serve a Great Elohim who does not hold onto
anger forever for our having corrupted the covenant, rather He delights
in mercy and will receive us again, having compassion upon us and
casting our sins into the depths of the sea.
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As we celebrate this Fall season's feasts, let us make a fearless
inventory of our offenses within, and without and as far as it depends
upon us seek forgiveness and shalom with all men, that we can be a
refuge one to another. Blessings to you and your family this Sabbath as
we gather together under the covering of our Messiah and King, Yeshua
our Redeemer. Shabbat Shalom.