Devarim – Words, paleo-Hebrew: access to the inside of the Exalted Head, the Messiah:
D’varim (Deuteronomy) 1:1 – 3:22;
YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 1:1–27;Acts 9:1–21; I Timothy 3:1–7
When reading a book, aren’t we wanting to know what the author had in mind when it was written? Wouldn’t we then understand the book better? What about the last book of the Torah – Deuteronomy? What was on Abba’s mind when He had Moses write it?
Words Access the Inside of the Head
Let’s take a Paleo-Hebrew moment with the word – Devarim (Deuteronomy – Words):
Its root word ‘debar’ is spelled – dalet, bet, resh. Pictographically, the root word for ‘word’ is ‘to access (dalet/door) the inside (bet/house) of the exalted Head (resh).’
Don’t you want to know what the Head of the Body of Messiah is thinking?
Let’s start with the mindset that the words of the Book of Devarim give us access to the inside of the Messiah’s mind – His plan and His thoughts for His people. Pray that the Holy Spirit would open up the doors of our hearts to come to know better what’s on His mind and in His heart about His people today as we read.
Moses Speaks in Code to Israel
When it comes to what the Author of the Torah was thinking, Joe Snipes with Gates To Zion Ministries nailed it on the head in his commentary on this Torah portion. Here is a condensed version of an excerpt of Joe’s excellent commentary:Moshe (Moses) starts his instructions by reminding the people of Israel of where they have come from.
“These are the devarim (words) which Moshe spoke unto all Israel on the far side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Aravah [plain] opposite Suf [Red Sea] between Paran, and Tophel [smear/libel], and Lavan [white], and Chatzerot [courts/ settlements], and Di-Zahav [enough/too much gold].” Deuteronomy 1:1
These ‘words’ Moshe used are not just places or locations, but code words meant to jog the memory. They were where Israel committed their greatest sins:
- The wilderness- the place where Israel complained because there was no water to drink. They accused Moshe of bringing them up from Mitzrayim to die there.
- Aravah- the plain where Israel sinned with the daughters of Moab by joining themselves to Ba’al Peor.
- Suf/The Red Sea- here Israel cried out against Moshe because of Pharaoh’s army bearing down to destroy them.
- Paran- where Israel sinned a great sin by believing the evil report of the ten leaders, saying that they could not go in to possess the Land.
- Tophel and Lavan- there Israel scorned YHWH over the ‘loathsome’ bread called ‘manna’ and lusted after meat.
- Chatzerot- the place of Korach’s/Korah’s rebellion.
- Di-Zahav- the place where Israel sinned with the Golden Calf.
- Moshe follows this with these words. “There is eleven days journey from Chorev [Horeb/Mt. Sinai] unto Kadesh-Barnea by way of Mount Seir.” Deuteronomy 1:2
Can you imagine how those words must have stung? Moshe is pulling no punches here. He has spent forty years with these people. He knows and remembers all too well how stiff-necked and stubborn they can be. He wants them to remember it too! Why? Because he does not want the second generation, nor the ones to come such as ours, to make the same mistakes again! He wants Israel to think about where they’ve been and what they’ve done.
Beloved, teshuvah/repentance is NOT just a one-time experience. Teshuvah MUST become a lifestyle. YHWH is after the heart.
We must not forget from where we came. We should forget the condemnation of our sins, but we must not forget what was done.
A ‘broken spirit’, and a ‘broken and contrite heart’ is a treasure when walking in the ways of YHWH (Psalm 51:17). Moshe knows he will not be with them much longer, so he starts the repetition method of instructing Israel through the Torah.
Teshuvah/Repentance is at the heart of the Torah. At this very same location 1400 years later, another mighty prophet of YHWH cried out to Israel – John the Baptist.
His Message? Teshuvah – Repentance.
Now in those days, John of the baptism of repentance appears, preaching, crying out as a preacher in the wilderness of Judah, saying, “Make teshuva [repentance], for the Kingdom of the Heaven, has come near.” Matthew 3:1
Beloved, the Torah is unyielding when it comes to sin. It defines for us exactly what sin is. The reason that sin is so rampant in this day among most ‘believers’ is that there is no Torah! Everything is relative. I decide what’s right, or wrong for me. There are no absolutes. Nothing to the left of the Gospel of Matthew matters, because we live in the so-called ‘New Covenant’ land of grace.
‘Don’t put me under the Law’ is the anthem that is proclaimed. All the while, those who make that proclamation are blinded to the reality that it is just that kind of flawed theology that puts you there! To keep YHWH’s Torah, His righteous instructions for life keeps you from being placed under the judgment of the Torah that comes from breaking those commandments!
Let us remember the words of our blessed Master Yeshua,
“If you have ahavah [love] for Me, you will guard/keep regarding My commandments.” John 14:15
The Torah is all about ahavah (love). I challenge you to read our present book of Devarim and see how many times the word ‘love’ is used.
The Torah is NOT a ball and chain. It is the means of great freedom for those who understand it. The Torah was given on the ‘Mo’ed/Appointed Time’ of the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost, exactly fifty days after First Fruits. Fifty is the number of Yovel/Jubilee. The Yovel/Jubilee is a time of great freedom and release. Debts are canceled. Captives are set free.
The Torah indeed had a perceived weakness (Rom 8:3a). It could point sin out, but it could not give the power to overcome it. That’s where our Master Yeshua stepped in. He came to us in the ‘likeness of sinful flesh’, so that He might ‘condemn sin in the flesh’ (Rom 8:3b). What the ‘written Torah’ could not do, He, ‘The Living Torah’ did!
The animal offerings of Torah, instituted under the second renewal [Exodus 34] of the original covenant between YHWH and Israel at Mount Sinai [Exo 20], could only ‘atone/cover sin’. Yeshua HaMashiyach gave His life and His blood. That ‘perfect blood’ completely took away sin!
When He comes the second time, the entire process of salvation will be finally realized. It is then, that sin will not only be taken away (meaning its ability to accuse and condemn us for what we have done), it will be obliterated – forevermore removed from existence! (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 10:17)
Now, we get to keep the Torah without condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
The Torah Keeper (Messiah Yeshua) lives in us through the indwelling of the ‘Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness’. This is how the power of YHWH can manifest through us so that we can do all His Words! (Colossians 1:27; Philippians 4:13) All we have to do is continue to yield to Him, as He moves within our spirit in power.
Believing in His Words, His Promises
With the last words of Moses on our minds, we can learn from the mistakes of our forefathers, and do teshuvah without perishing in Kadesh-Barnea, the name meaning – a set apart camp in the burning desert. When we read the Torah, we must set apart our thoughts from other matters in life and concentrate on His words. May His words be like fire shut up in our bones (Jeremiah 20:9), refining and purifying our thoughts with His holy fire!
In these end times, we need the wholehearted spirit of Caleb and the courage of Joshua to follow our Commander Yeshua, Yah Who saves us from our giant enemies.
Yeshua is the Good Shepherd, Who has proven over and over that He keeps His promises and will bring His people back into the Promised Land. Yes, He promised that He would assuredly plant us in the land, where we will grow and prosper. It is up to us to believe this wonderfully awesome promise:
“Yes, I will delight in doing good for them, and with all My heart and all My soul I will in Truth plant them in this land.” Jeremiah 32:41
What a word! There is no other Scripture where YHWH promises He would put all His heart and soul into doing something for His people. He does delight in doing good things for us and He will plant us in the land someday!
His Word is true; He cannot lie. It’s in the very nature of God to do good for His children.
The question is – do we believe that this promise is for you and me in our day?
When YHWH said “I will in Truth plant them in this land,” I think He was speaking to the overcomer, those who have an ear to hear what the Spirit of Truth says to congregations.
Connected to this promise, Yeshua said:
“To the one overcoming, I will give to him to eat of the Tree of Life which is amid the Paradise of Elohim.” Revelation 2:7
That’s the destination He has in mind for us! Isn’t that something exceedingly good for the believer in the Messiah to look forward to Him doing for His people? By His mighty right hand, the Good Shepherd promises to bring His fold to nothing less than Paradise!
Most believers I know can’t see how they’ll ever make it through the Great Tribulation and enter the Promised Land. At this point, many can’t see their way past the coming police state, a FEMA camp, a guillotine, the sword, or how about World War III?
If we were truly honest, it would be for the same reasons that the first generation in the wilderness didn’t end up following Joshua and Caleb into the Promised Land.
Truth be told, we have a hard time believing His awesome Words and His faithful promises concerning His great love for us.
The same Hebrew word ‘debar’ translated as ‘word’ is also translated sometimes as ‘promise.’ To believe His promises is to believe His Word. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word (the promises) of Elohim. (Rom 10:17)
How important it is to be in His Word, hearing what the Spirit of Truth has to say to us!
The Root of Unbelief
What was the root of unbelief in the children of Israel in the wilderness?
Hear what Moshe had to say:
“And you murmured in your tents, and said, ‘Because YHWH hated us, He has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.’ “ Deuteronomy 1:27
What? Did they believe that He hated them? That He wanted to destroy them? Did they believe that their journey through the wilderness was just a cruel joke?
What about your life’s journey? When we enter into severe trials and tribulations, do we murmur in our hearts and think inside that He doesn’t love us and does not delight in doing good for us? Do we honestly believe, or do we seriously doubt, that He wants to take us to a better place – Paradise, the Promised Land?
What about all the curses we’ve brought upon ourselves because of our past sins? Do we trust that Yeshua paid the price and saved us from all our sins, redeeming us from the curse? There’s no greater love than that He laid His life down for us. (John 15:13)
The Love Factor of Faith
To be a righteous people of faith ready to enter the Promised Land, our faith must work by love:
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness, which is of faith. For in Messiah Yeshua, circumcision and uncircumcision are nothing, but faith is perfected through love. Galatians 5:5-6
He didn’t say that our faith is perfected through how we religiously walk out the Torah, as the circumcision metaphor implies. Our faith is perfected through loving YHWH and loving one another by His love working in and through us by trusting in His unfailing love.
To be a part of the remnant of the last generation, who enters into the Promised Land by faith, we are going to have to walk together in His love. We must return to our first love to be overcomers in the Great Tribulation to come. Even in the face of our enemies, love overcomes and casts out all fear of the giants in the land ahead of us.
And we have known and have believed the love which Elohim has in us. YHWH is love, and the one abiding in love abides in YHWH and YHWH in him. By this, love has been perfected with us, that we have confidence in the day of judgment, that as He is, we are also in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment, and the one fearing has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:16-18
Even keeping commandments out of love for Him does not originate with us; our love for Him originates with His love for us shed abroad by the Holy Spirit. That takes believing that He does love each one of us and wants to do us good because He favors us.
So what does that have to do with overcoming adversity and becoming “more than conquerors” in these last days?
The context of that powerful statement on who we are in Messiah is in His love for us:
But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him loving us. Romans 8:3
Reading and taking to heart the words of Romans Chapter 8 raises our faith in the great love that YHWH has for us and that no power on earth, nor the powers of darkness can ever separate us from His love. If we believe in His unfailing, faithful love for us, we will reject the words of the complainers who would say that YHWH hates us and are whining about why He exiled us in Babylon just to destroy us when it all falls in an hour.
May our thoughts abide in His love like a fiance’ is always thinking about her bridegroom and their wedding day to come. Yavoh! He is coming and coming soon! HalleluYah!
B’ahavah Yeshua Ha’Melek Yisra’el,
In the love of Yeshua, the King of Israel,
David Klug
