Deut 1-7 includes a reminder that righteous Abraham who had a vision of Zion, the perfection of beauty, became YHWH’s friend by working righteousness, as we too are to do, in the Fear of God, if we are to die “the death of the righteous,” in covenant, in Christ (Gen 26:5; Is 51:1-11; Matt 8:11,12; Jn 15:3-15; Acts 10:35; Phil 2:12-15)
First, then, we should note that as YHWH’s “friend” (by proving his Fear of God – Gen 22), Abraham was “shown” and “was glad” and “rejoiced” at the prospect of the glorious consequence of his call AND of the Messiah, his Seed’s, call (Gen 18:19; Gal 3:16), described as Yeshua’s “Day” (Jn 8:56), namely, the outcome of His Crucifixion and Resurrection (“the sure mercies of David” – Is 55:1-5; Acts 13:32-39) being the restoration of the Kingdom (“former royal dominion”) to Israel (Micah 4:1-8; Acts 1:6,7; Mk 11:10) and His succession to the restored Monarchy of the dynasty of David (Ps 89; Is 9:6,7; Jer 33:14-26) for Zion’s eventual rise to undisputed pre-eminence as Capital of the purified Israel of God (Is 1:25-27; 4; 60-62; Zeph 3:7-20; Zech 9-14), and Hebrew Capital of the world under the Reign of Yeshua the Messiah over the entire world through the House of Jacob, FOREVER (Ps 2:7-12; 59:13; Is 24:23; 28:5; 62:7; Micah 7:8-20; Lk 1:32,23; Gal 6:16).
The correlation in Is 51:1-11 between Abram’s CALL as an heir of righteousness to be “the father of us all” (Rom 4:16), and the FUTURE HOPE OF ISRAEL as “chief of nations” through exaltation of Zion through their New Covenant (Is 33:17-24; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36; 32; 33), is strongly established in Is 51.
Zion NARROWLY defined, is Jerusalem, “the City of the Great King” destined, as Heaven’s touchstone, to be the stepping stone, as it were, to the “New Jerusalem” which will manifest integrating heaven and earth, at the end of the millennial Kingdom era (Is 33:20; Matt 5:35).
BROADLY defined, to cater to Zion’s presiding role over all the territory covenanted to the future House of Jacob (Gen 15:4-21), Zion logically includes the nation Israel, “the glory of all lands” (Ezek 20:6b), by virtue of Jerusalem being the “Footstool” of the Almighty (Lam 2:1) as the Eminent Place of the thrones of David (Ps 122:5) and thereby, the earthly Throne of the King of Kings as Son of David (Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32,33).
Deut 4:32-44, prophesied by the Almighty to Abram in Gen 15:13-16; Ex 6:3-8, and part-fulfilled in Ex 12:40-42 and 15:11-17, is the vision of Zion which is to be exalted as the perfection of the beauty of holiness (Deut 26:16-19; Ps 50:2; Is 51:1-11; 60-62), as the climax of YHWH’s miraculous New Covenant work of transfiguration and sanctification of “one new man” “from glory to glory,” into the Character of Christ through masteries of the righteousness of the Way of YHWH of which Abraham was a pioneer (Gen 18:18,19; 26:5; Is 35:8; Jn 10:16; Acts 24:14; Rom 3:31; 8:4-14; 29; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 2:15; 3:6; 2 Tim 2:5,11)
It bears mentioning here that whereas the great gift of our Torah heritage (which is the Constitution of Israel given at Sinai – Ex 19:5-8; Deut 4:5-8, for our detailed Instruction in truth and righteousness – Deut 33:2,4; Jn 5:46,47; Acts 24:14; 2 Tim 3:14-17) is the BEDROCK of the sanctification (in both senses: set apartness AND purification) of NATIONS, for “glorious liberty” to enjoy reflecting on, celebrating, being inspired by, building upon and being comforted and kept stable by a common cultural heritage, in covenant relation with the Israel of YaH as sheep nations (Matt 25; Rom 9-11; Gal 6:16) by “making affinity with” (being joined to) Israel as “chief of nations,” through their commonwealth (Ex 4:22,23; Deut 32:8,9,43; Is 14:1; 49:5-8; 55:5; Jer 31:7; Zech 2:8-12; Lk 1:33; Eph 2:11,12); GLOBALISM, on the other hand, is hell-bent on destroying the influence of the best of mankind’s history.
This is the diabolical anti-Christ formula for identity-theft by ‘cultural cleansing,’ by counter-cultural coup d’ etat (by any means, including forced illegal alien immigration), for dissolution and subjugation of nations to supra-national tyranny.
Globalism is the perversion of the Creation ethos.
It detests and is enraged by the Messianic millennial vision of restoration of Greater Israel (Gen 15:7-21; Deut 11:22-24), and of a constellation of sheep nations (Gen 35:11; Matt 25), willingly submitted to governance by the returning Messiah as Ruler forever of the more glorious latter House of Jacob, on David’s restored Throne (Is 9:6,7; Amos 9:11-15; Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32,33; Acts 15:14-17) as Proxy for “the Father of our LORD Yeshua the Messiah of Whom the whole family which is in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph 3:14,15), acknowledging their gift of life and their debt to Zion for salvation (Ps 14:7; Rom 15:27), proudly seeing themselves as radiating out from Zion, the hub of the millennial Kingdom, from the soon-to-be faithful “City of righteousness” on a hill (the epicentre and microcosm of the Kingdom of heaven on earth – Deut 11:18-25; Is 1:25-28), as salt and light, bathing the world in the light of Torah wisdom learnt at the feet of the Jewish Saviour (Is 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-8; Jn 4:22).
Everything we read of Israel’s example as a nation-in-training in Deut (Deut 4:33-40; 7:6-12), signifies the planned uniqueness of nationhood and servant-hearted, holy nationalism, through nation-building upon shared experience of the authenticity and efficacy of the virtues and values of Mono-Theistic, Judaeo-Christian heritage, and by having common cause with Zion, as a life-and-death covenant bond (Ps 129:5-8; 132:11-18; Is 24:23), as the inspired civilization that will bury all current efforts to destroy it.
Globalism’s intent is not just to mutilate and censor or embargo the Word of God, but to hollow-out all trace of righteousness from every culture on earth, to create an homogeneous idolatry, to sell out the entire world to satan.
For this reason, unless Jerusalem, YHWH’s Footstool (Lam 2:1), is cleansed to become “the perfection of beauty,” as the prime example on earth, of the holiness of God Himself (Ps 50:2; Is 4; 6:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13-17), the world cannot be saved to the uttermost; the EARTH cannot be REGENERATED; and the great potential in the unique purpose in predestination of every person and every nation, cannot be realized (Eph 1:11)
Only Torah, which created and established the Universe, can sustain it; and that’s Jerusalem’s principal role (Is 2:2-4; 24:3-6,23; 59:20,21; chapters 60-62)
Which is why the final revival, which has to be reformation-based, for the church to return completely to YHWH, is most likely to begin in Jerusalem, the ‘Eminent Place,’ according to the Joel 2:28-32/Acts 2 Shavuo’t/Pentecost pattern.
So we read the Torah to appreciate our heritage of miraculous potential for global unity in diversity within the kingdom-nation and commonwealth of Israel, ultimately to be expressed through fulfilment of the heavenly vision of “the mystery of Christ” as “one new man” (Jew and Gentile united in Israel’s Messiah by the one faith of old, renewed by the New Covenant of Judah and Israel, as the Nazarene branch of Judaism, called “the Way” which the Pharisees called a sect – Acts 24:5,14; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:1-10; 4:5), as “the Gospel preached beforehand to Abraham” and his dynasty (Gen 12:3b; 17:5,6; 35:9-15; 28:14; 35:11; Gal 3:8,9).
We are called to obediently feast on (be “nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine” in) the eternal Torah (1 Tim 4:6; 2 Tim 3:14-17) for our discernment of DISTINCTIONS great and small, to instantly recognize “seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 4:2,3) to be ever- increasingly refined until our “transfiguration from glory to glory,” to mirror the image of Christ, is complete (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).
Until then, Creation is at risk (Rom 8:18-22).
THAT discipline, is the basis of genuine discipleship.
We are so blessed to know how to navigate life, especially the perilous waters of inevitable endtime tribulations (Acts 14:22; Rev 1:1; 3:10) by recognizing the “narrow” path which is defined by what it means to be under Jesus’ “yoke” (of Kingship AND of the commandmenT to keep the commandmentS – 2 Jn vs 5&6), as our Master, counting Him worthy of honour by doing all the Father’s will so that the Name of His Father and His doctrine are not blasphemed, thereby saving us from the folly of worldly ignorance of vital distinctions (Mal 1:6; Matt 11:27-30; Col 4:12).
Matt 11:27-30 is so neglected – that the Heir of all things (“all things are delivered unto Me”) rightly DEMANDS (because our having His Spirit leaves us no excuse for not resisting error) that we honour and Fear Him (Mal 1:6) by not deviating from His doctrine, which includes many precepts from the past (see the terrible warning in 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11)
Amongst the wealth of wisdom hidden for us, especially in Deuteronomy, frequently quoted by Yeshua (Matt 13:41-45,52; Acts 24:14; 2 Tim 3:14-17), are the essential reminders in Deut 6:25 & 7:9-12, of the BILATERAL everlasting covenant of willing obedience, “to do and obey” the everlasting marriage contract equally binding upon us, as Israel’s inheritance in the House of Jacob, due to unanimous agreement with the Word, “returned to YHWH” (by Israel newly constituted as the holy nation of prophecy, our adopting nation), at Sinai (Ex 19:8), in obedience to YHWH’s instruction to Abraham, to do his part to help ensure that Torah would be honoured by his household AFTER HIM, in whose household of faith we are (Is 56:1-8; Gal 3:29), so that every promise prophesied to Abraham might be fulfilled (Gen 18:18,19; 26:4,5; Ex 19:5-8; 24:7,8; 29:12-15; Is 54:3; 56:1-8; Rom 3:31; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; Heb 13:20,21; 1 Peter 2:9,10).
Our every action is tried by that momentous agreement to the criteria for righteousness, to which we actively became party, when making our good confession before witnesses, when professing Yeshua (Jesus) as LORD and Master (Matt 5:19; 28:20; Rom 10:9-13)
Like Israel in antiquity, every one of us has a “pedigree” by virtue of our lineage and our contribution to (or detraction from) our heritage (Nu 1&2). In whatever way we enhance our heritage and legacy according to Scripture, is called ‘Kiddush HaShem,’ familiar to us as “Hallowed be Thy Name.”
This is how Israel was to enlarge the footprint of holiness on their landed inheritance, and we are to do the same in whatever country we call home, wherever we are domiciled.
The ultimate purpose of the Gospel is to reclaim the earth from its dreadful defilement and vitiation (corruption and impairment) by man’s sin (Is 24:3-6; Rom 8:4-23)
According to the pattern (Acts 1:8), it will be through resurgence of Jewish evangelism, that Jerusalem will again be the epicentre of the plan to purify a bride for the Lamb (Is 4), because the redemption of a remnant of mankind to inherit the world, hinges on the rebuilding in Christ, of “fallen virgin Israel” through their New Covenant (Jer 31:4,31-36; Rom 4:13,16), for a remnant bride from the nations to be joined to THEM as Israel’s inheritance (Is 54:3; Rom 11), and as joint-heirs by adoption as seed of Abraham, with Yeshua as Ruler of the House of Jacob, forever (Matt 25:10-12; Lk 1:33; Rom 8:16,17; Gal 3:8,9,29)
The purpose of translating Torah ideals into reality by obedience to the precepts of the law of truth (Ps 119:1,45; Is 28:9-12; Matt 5:19; Rom 3:31), is to “add excellent majesty,” not to OURSELVES (as king Nebuchadnezzar did, in Dan 4:36,37), but to the Kingdom of heaven, while further sanctifying ourselves and our households in pursuit of the perfection of holiness (2 Cor 7:1).
Bearing in mind that Deuteronomy is the recapitulation (broad summary) of the Torah, it’s highly significant for these latter days of Noah, marked by more rapid reversal of Second Exile (Is 11:10-12; Matt 24), that as we comb through Deut 1 through 7, we detect a marked increase in the pace and urgency of YaH’s summons to all who have ears to hear (as our Father again does throughout the New Testament), to LEARN to KEEP the Covenant requirements, to “reveal the righteousness” of God (passivity cancels sonship, since faith without works is dead) by purging and purifying themselves by submission to the Spirit, to overcome temptation to sin, to “be YE holy, because I am holy” (Lev 1 Peter 1:13-17; Rom 1:17; 2 Tim 2:20,21; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 3:7,10; Rev 2:5,26; 3:10-22)
This call (including the deadly serious warning, in Rev 18:4,5) is going out simultaneously to Jewry and to the Gentile church in the farthest reaches of the world (the Hebrew diaspora as Deut 4:27-31; 30:1-8 show), while within Israel, it is especially targeting our Father’s highest endtime priority, His Eternal City Jerusalem (Zion/Ariel/Princess of the Provinces – Ps 129:5-8; 137:5-7; Is 1:26,27; 4:1-6; 29:1-8; Lam 1:1; Matt 5:35), currently the horribly polluted (“spiritually called Sodom and Egypt” – Rev 11:18b) heart of the heartland of Israel (the “Land of Moriah,” later Judaea, in which according to Gen 22, Abraham proved his Fear of YaH by binding Isaac to an altar on Mnt Moriah), the Promised Land TWICE blood-covenanted to the House of Jacob (Gen 15:4-21; Rom 15:8), as the God of Jacob’s fundamental holy-nation-designate (Ex 19:4-8; Nu 23:9; Deut 32:8,9,43; Ps 105:8-11), on account of His unshakeable, unbreakable bond of love with the fathers (Deut 4:33-40; Rom 11:25-29).
Genesis 22
King James Version
22 v 1″And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the LAND OF MORIAH; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of”
No other faith but the “one faith” which is man’s highest vocation (Eph 4:1-5) can unite heaven and earth, because only “the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer 33:25; Matt 6:9,10; 1 Cor 11:1,2) that define relationship through Yeshua the Messiah, between the “God of the Hebrews” as Father of Creation (“God of the spirits of all flesh”), and mankind, HIS “offspring” (Acts 17:26-31; Eph 3:14,15), can ultimately forge a perpetual state of shalom-shalom
Every PHASE of warning in the Hebrew Scriptures in the forty year long Exodus, is applicable to us, by the law of parallels (1 Cor 10).
Here is a sample from Deut chapters 1-7 : Deut 4:1-24,33-40; 5:1-22,28-33; 6:1-19,24,25; 7:6-12.
What WE especially need to heed, is the fact that it is the COMBINATION of our will power (our willingness to be made willing) and the will and enabling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, that will make US overcomers of error unbelief and rebellion (Prov 7:1-3; Phil 2:12-15; Heb 10:16); and that every call to learn the Fear of God (Deut 4:10; 5:29; 6:13), to respect the grace which is available to help us be conscientious covenant- keepers (overcomers of sin which is transgression of the law – 1 Jn 3:3,4), is a call to repentance, to return to God in a particular area of disobedience (Is 44:22; Heb 5:9; 12:14,15,28; 2 Peter 3:9-18; Rev 14:6,7,12).
The golden rule is that REITERATION is not necessarily REPETITION.
Context usually makes that plain.
In other words, the onus (the burden of proof of repentance, through obedience to co-operate with the refining process of sanctification, by the Spirit), is not entirely upon the Holy Spirit, as many suppose (Acts 5:32; 26:18,20).
We have a direct and ever-present, immediate responsibility as a personal role in the reciprocal covenant agreement (Deut 7:9-12; 2 Chr 15:2), by which we are to “establish the laws of God, by (the obedience of) faith” (Rom 3:31; 16:26; Heb 13:20,21), as evidence of true conversion for full assurance of hope of EVERLASTING salvation as true sons (Is 45:17-25; Heb 6:1-12; 12: all), to attain the crown of life.
That requires that we attain the crown of righteousness by being righteous at all times (Ps 106:3; Deut 6:25; 2 Tim 4:3-8; 1 Jn 3:7,10), because consummation of salvation (“salvation to the uttermost”) is dependent upon being “accounted worthy” of final redemption (resurrection to life, to escape the second death) (Lk 20:35; Jn 5:24,28,29; Rom 2:6-13; 8:4-23; Rev 20:6).
This is why Deut 6:25 says:
King James Version
25 And it shall be our righteousness, IF we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us”
Many don’t like to hear that, because they’re unwilling to differentiate between salvation by grace, from sin & the power of sin; and the sacrifices necessary to be “wholly sanctified, spirit, soul and body,” to meet the criteria of Eph 1:4,5; 4:1,11-15,23,25; 5:26,27; Col 1:21-23,28,29; 2:6; 3:9,10; 4:12, to be a duly and acceptably prepared, spotless and holy bride (2 Cor 5:9-11; Rev 19:7-9)
They refuse it seems, to acknowledge the crucial distinction between free entry into the race, and the “counting of the cost” of the personal cross each of us has to bear, to FIND, navigate and endure the narrow path to the end, to enter eternal life (Matt 7:13-27; Lk 12-14; 1 Cor 9:24-27)
Tragically, through wilful ignorance (disinclination to want to know) which is synonomous with wilful disobedience (rebellion) (1 Sam 15:22,23), “many” refuse to see the relevance of Acts 7:51,53 to US, and commit the very sin (resisting the Holy Spirit and being at enmity with God) that caused Israel “not to continue in My covenant, so I regarded them not (gave them over to the curse)” (Rom 8:4,6-14; Heb 8:9b).
It is nonsense to claim that Israel did not have access to the Spirit. The Spirit of YHWH led Abraham (Gen 17:1) and Moses (Is 63:11-14).
There’s no difference between Deut 7:9-12, and the condition for meeting the test of the ‘Shema’ (Hear O Israel) in Mk 12:28-32. Namely, keeping the commandments that comprise Matt 22:36-39, because “all the Law and the Prophets (neither of which Jesus has abolished), “hangs” on the two umbrella SUMMARIES OF THE JOINT LOVE COMMAND, in the two paragraphs of the ‘Shema.’
As long as they hang like voluptuous low-hanging fruit, they’ll be pertinent to and decisive in the Spirit’s leading of true sons to abide in the Vine (Matt 5:17-19; Jn 15:3-15; Rom 8:4-14; 1 Jn 2:3-6)
All who belong to the House of Jacob through adoption, by justification by faith (Lk 1:33; Rom 4), are partakers of THEIR promises, which are CONDITIONAL (Deut 28:1-14).
Because the Gospel is concealed in the Torah, we shouldn’t be surprised that the Torah teaches that justification is by faith (weren’t Noah and Abram both “heirs of the righteousness which is of faith”?) (Rom 4; Heb 11:7), for sanctification (observance of the precepts of the “paths of righteousness” that comprise the Way) (Deut 6:25; Ps 23:3) to decide whose names will not be blotted out, but “remain forever” (1 Thess 5:23; Heb 12:14; 1 Jn 2:3-6,27,28,29; Rev 3:2-6).
The New Covenant Atonement (providing acquittal, absolution, cleansing and remission of sins, and the power to overcome sin) and faith in the Resurrection, provided the means to classify and separate wise from foolish virgins (Matt 25:10-12; Acts 13:32-39; 2 Cor 11:1,2)
Enjoy your exploration of the rest of the great Book of Deuteronomy.
There’s grace aplenty, for it to reveal secrets of wisdom to light our path (Deut 29:29; Ps 119:96-104; Heb 12:28).
Just ask, in faith (Jer 33:3)
