Commentary on Deut 26-34, an Endtime Perspective
Topic: Deuteronomy, the backdrop to the NEW COVENANT PROMISE to Israel, of Deut 33:26-29
Deuteronomy contains much SOBERING INFORMATION for Israel and the church (the “general assembly and church of the firstborn (Jacob)” belongs to Israel, of course, as its Kahal/Ekklesia, it being the Abrahamic household of God – Lk 1:33; Acts 7:38; Eph 2:11,12,19; 5:26,27), particularly the warning sounded through the Song of Moses (Deut 31:19 – 43:44) and confirmed by all the Prophets, that Israel’s (and therefore the church’s) WORST DAYS are ahead (for the refinement of their and our faith and character by purging and purification by fire, like gold and silver, for our perfection through trials of the heart producing proof of experience in the practice of “obedience to righteousness” as testimony – Rom 6:12-22; 2 Cor 3:14-16) as the Beast system is allowed to emerge and BRIEFLY PREVAIL (since we’re assured “the gates of hell SHALL NOT PREVAIL” (Gen 22:17b; Dan 11:28-45; 12:1,7-10; Jer 30:6-11; Zech 13:8,9; Matt 16:18; Rev 11&12).
Briefly prevail, until the “sign of the Son of Man,” the Messiah, “appears in heaven,” announcing the Return, to the Mnt of Olives, of Yeshua, satan’s dreaded Nemesis, “all the tribes of the earth seeing Him coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” “in thy (Israel’s) help (for Israel’s final redemption)” as Immanu El (God with us), this time triumphant as Incarnate “God of Yeshurun” (God of PROVEN VIRGIN ISRAEL), to receive the former kingdom of Israel as His inheritance (Deut 33:26; Dan 7:13; Micah 4:1-8; 7:8-20; Matt 24:30; Acts 1:6,7), “as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West” (Matt 24:27), by 1) gathering His spotless, holy and blameless bride into the “Refuge” of His “everlasting arms,” “even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings” (Deut 33:27; Matt 23:37; 25:10-12); 2) “thrusting out the enemy before thee (Israel)” as “the Shield of thy help” and “the Sword of thy excellency,” destroying the nations laying siege to Jerusalem, to defeat “the Father of lies” at Armageddon (for Israel’s enemies to “be found liars unto thee” – Deut 33:27,29; Zech 14); 3) casting both beast and the false prophet alive into the lake of fire; and 4) chaining satan in the Abyss (bottomless pit), sealed by a thousand year sentence (Rev 19:11-21; 20:1-3), before completing Israel’s consolation for Second Exile, by “raising up the fallen Sukkah of David” (Amos 9:11-15; Acts 15:14-17), by restoring Jerusalem’s crown (the fallen monarchy of the dynasty of David) and therefore the nation, to its greatest ever moral authority, precedence and power, as “chief of nations,” as a global Theocracy, by His ascent to the Throne as Son of David to rule the House of Jacob, the “heirs of the world,” forever, with the nations as their inheritance (Ps 2:7-12; 59:13; 122:5; Is 9:6,7; Jer 31:7; 33:14-23; Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32,33; Rom 4:13,16).
And so, within the ever-closer-at-hand millennial frame of Davidic kingdom time (Mk 11:10; Rev 11:15), AFTER YHWH has “poured all His fierce anger upon the nations and kingdoms which He will have gathered and assembled” (Zeph 3:8) by putting “hooks in their jaws” (Ezek 38:4) to judge their attitude and posture towards Zion/Ariel (Ps 129:5-8; Is 29:7,8; 30:27-33; Zech 14), by allowing satan to dare them to annihilate “the rod of His inheritance” (Deut 32:8,9; Is 51:22,23; 60:12; Jer 10:16; Rev 16:12-16), Israel will “THEN live in safety, ALONE…” (Nu 23:9; Deut 33:28), significantly downsized by radical purging (“I will take out of the midst of thee” – Zeph 3:11) of anything idolatrous, blasphemous, abominable, contemptible and defiling (amongst the criteria for exclusion from the New Jerusalem – Rev 21:27), including anything anti Semitic, anti Torah and anti Zionist, as the most decisive object lesson there’ll EVER BE, that “loving one’s neighbour as oneself” is NOT a political policy sanctioning open borders for indiscriminate influx (which is illegal migration under Divine law) of unqualified foreign nationals with no apparent compatibility and intention of assimilating and preserving the prevailing domestic national heritage, an untouchable historically curated culture which is an axiom (comprising faith, family, community, language, shared history and nationality) of identity and stability, a Creation principle underpinning GENUINE DIVERSITY of nationhood and patriotism (Jer 12:14-17; Zeph 3:11-20)
Before that can happen, the HARD LESSON of the Song of Moses, which testifies against Jerusalem and Israel to this day (Deut 31:19-22; Rev 11:8b), demanding the return to God of a repentant remnant “devoted to the fear of God” as their “treasure,” in full consecration (Deut 31:19-22; Ps 119:38; Is 8:13,14,16,20; 33:2,6,14-24; 44:22; Mal 1:6), MUST BE LEARNT.
Following on from that, another sobering fact is that the Messiah is returning to CONFIRM SALVATION in those who “have NOT SEEN (Yeshua), yet have LOVED and BELIEVED in Him, with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8) and who have therefore ALREADY returned to God by faith, in perfect repentance through the Name of His Son, for “reconciliation with the Father for iniquity” (because as Heb 9:28 states, He’s “not returning to deal with sin,” but to receive and establish His bride, to “anoint the Most Holy” [i.e. commission a Temple for Himself] and receive the Davidic Kingdom of Israel, to reign over the House of Jacob forever – Is 9:6,7; 60:13; Jer 33:14-26; Ezek 43-48; Dan 9:24; Lk 1:32,33); and who, sealed with the firstfruits of the “Holy Spirit of promise” as the “down-payment on their redemption as a purchased possession,” for entrance into the eternal inheritance of the Everlasting Kingdom, for having believed and “worked the righteousness” of the truth of the Gospel (Acts 10:35; Eph 1:13,14; 2 Peter 1:3-15), are “looking for Him and His mercy unto eternal life” by “keeping themselves in the love of God” on the narrow path by being occupied learning the Way, by receiving “instruction in righteousness” to FAITHFULLY KEEP COVENANT as the apple of their eye (Prov 7:1-3; Matt 5:19,48; 12:50; Lk 17:9,10; 19:13; 2 Tim 4:13-17; Rev 12:17; 14:6,7,12).
It is an irrevocable, absolute condition, that for Yeshua to be released from the Right Hand of the Majesty (His Father), necessitates His Father hearing the voice of THEIR (the redeemed’s) pleas for His return (Matt 23:39; Heb 11:3) to vindicate the birthright of, and bring redemption to the physical nation of Israel, His vineyard (Ps 80:7-19), through physical deliverance from all their enemies (Lk 1:68-79; Zech 14; Rev 19:11-18), for THEM (whose names are found written in the Book of Life on His return – Dan 12:1) to be the nation’s true heirs (the “other [Messianic] husbandmen” of Matt 21:41,43,44), as true sons, tested and proven worthy of escape from the second death, to be “heirs of the world” (Is 59:20,21; 43:25; 44:22; Matt 21:38-44; Lk 20:35; 26:31; Rom 2:13; 3:31; 4:13,16; Acts 20:21; Heb 9:28; 12:4-29; Jude vs 21; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Jn 2:28,29; Rev 20:6).
In short, the LORD Yeshua as Immanu El (“God and Saviour” Incarnate – Is 45:17-25; Titus 2:13; 1 Jn 5:20) is returning to take a surviving remnant of Israel from Whom YHWH, their Husband at Sinai (Jer 2:2), had been separated by their iniquities, but who will have been reconciled and made complete in Yeshua by a true conversion to “the Way of YHWH” pioneered by Abraham (Gen 18:18,19; Acts 24:14; Col 2:10-12) through their own Besorah Tovah (Glad Tidings), as His ‘rebuilt fallen virgin Israel,’ His longed-for reconciled bride (Is 43:24-28; 44:21-26; 54:5-8; 55:1-13), to whom an ingrafted bridal remnant FROM THE NATIONS, will be JOINED (Is 14:1; Jer 31:4,31-36; Matt 25:10-12).
The RELATIVE SMALLNESS of the final remnant of Israel, reiterated so often in the Gospels, because of the tall cost of genuine discipleship (Is 1:9; Lk 14:16-35; Rom 9:27-29; 11:5,14), is a PROPHETIC CERTAINTY, which is why the curse of ‘Israelitis’ (absorption with Israel without reference to the hard facts and cold impartiality of covenant reality) is a mortal threat to Israel, “for they are not ALL Israel, who are OF Israel” (Rom 9:6,7) because the redemptive line (salvation genealogy) is definitively consummated in Yeshua as the singular “Seed” of Abraham (Gen 13:15; 17:8; Gal 3:16), the “Shepherd and (Corner)Stone of Israel” Whom most of Israel has “disallowed” as both “Prince and Saviour” (Acts 5:31; 1 Peter 2:6-8), PREFERRING their own conception of the identity and office of the Son of David by stoutly denying the Sacramental nature of His Sacrificial journey to the Cross, necessitated by being delivered up to Crucifixion for Israel’s and the world’s offences as Propitiation (Appeasement as our Substitute) for our sins, to be raised for our justification (Rom 4:25; 1 Jn 2:2), thereby insisting, AGAINST MOSES AND THE PROPHETS (Acts 26:22,23), on what the Messiah was NOT predestined to be, for Israel and the world, thereby disqualifying themselves from the promise given at Sinai, by “judging themselves unworthy of the promise of everlasting life” (Gen 49:24; Acts 13:45,46; Ex 19:6/1 Peter 2:9,10).
The New Covenant promise of Deut 33:26-29
DEUTERONOMY, the constant reminder to every generation, to be tightly “bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God” (1 Sam 25:29) “as a girdle (belt) cleaveth to the loins of a man” (Jer 13:11), meaning, to actively “enter into covenant” by being FAITHFUL to keep covenant, in order to “enter into the oath” (“meet the condition”) to be regarded as His special treasure (Ex 19:5,6; Ps 50:5; Deut 28:1,2,9,10; 29:12-15; Mal 3:16-18; Heb 5:9; 10:36; 1 Jn 2:17), “cleaving” to the Almighty by walking in obedience, to show we both know and love Him (Deut 11:22; 30:20; Jn 14:21-23; 15:10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 5:3), is the major backdrop to the NEW COVENANT PROMISE to Israel, of DEUT 33:26-29 (related to Balaam’s visions in Nu 23:9,10,23,24; 24:4-9,16-23) so distinctively framed in triumphal language, because for Jacob to be the perfection of “JUDGMENT (judicious decisions and behaviour) and MERCY” (two core attributes of holiness, along with “truth and righteousness,” identified with the letters of the syllables YH and WH respectively, which together ‘unify’ the Memorial Name [the Tetragrammaton], YHWH) as POETIC “YESHURUN” (the idealized House of Jacob, in Deut 33 verse 26, corresponding to “the Israel of God” in Gal 6:16), to rise to “latter house” glory in exemplary sonship, for pre-eminence as the “great and mighty” holy nation prophesied in Gen 12:2; Ex 4:22,23; 19:5-8 and Deut 26:5 along with its capital Jerusalem (the coming Hebrew capital of the world, “the praise of all the earth” as “Princess of the Provinces” (Deut 4:5-8; Is 60-62; Haggai 2:7-9; Lam 1:1), there must be acceptance of the Blood of the salvation-rescue provision of the Glad Tidings (Is 52:6-15; 53:1-12), and of the corresponding terms and conditions of the more stringent call to sanctification (the highest ever bar of holiness) enjoined (prescribed) to us under the New Covenant of the House of Judah and the House of Israel (i.e. the House of Jacob), through acceptance of Yeshua the Messiah as both LORD (Prince, Master/Teacher) and Saviour (Acts 5:31), for the “pouring out of His Spirit upon the seed of Jacob, and His blessing on Jacob’s offspring,” through the baptism of repentance in His Name for the remission of sins (Acts 4:12; 5:31; 17:26-31) and belief in His Resurrection as “the sure mercies of David” (Ps 85:9,10; Is 44:1-8; 55:1-5; Ezek 36; Mk 16:16; Acts 13:32-39)
The HOLY IDEAL that “Yeshurun” in Deut 33:26 represents, as Scriptural code for “Zion” as “the perfection of the beauty (of holiness),” for the completeness of whose well-being we pray (Ps 50:2; 122:5-9; Heb 12:14; 3 Jn 2), is not merely an APPROXIMATION of the image of the Messiah which is the goal of the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:9), but the high call to FULLY RETURN to God by leaving no stone unturned to recover and retain our original innocence (imputed to us as the righteousness of God), by EXACTLY REPLICATING HIS IMAGE (Rom 8:29) in ourselves, through our ongoing sanctification by the Spirit through obedience to all the truth in word and in deed, in reverence and Godly Fear, to be “offerings acceptable to God” (Gen 1:26; Acts 10:35; 20:25-32; Rom 15:16-18; Col 1:28,29; 4:12; Heb 12:14,28).
Which is why it is dead-accurate to say that “the IMAGE and LIKENESS of God” which we are to become, in Christ, by “putting on Christ” by Him being fully “formed in us” by the Spirit, through our precisely following His example (Gal 4:19; Eph 5:10,15-17), is a PORTRAIT of “the Way” (comprising “the paths of the righteousness”) (Ps 23:3; 1 Jn 2:3-6), which is why it is so damaging to our “hope of glory” (full assurance of which requires “going on to perfection” of our walk to “finish the race” by “keeping the faith” – Rom 2:6-1; 1 Cor 9:24-27; Col 1:21-23,27-29; 2 Tim 4:3-8; Heb 6:1-12), when we fail to find the narrow path, and “go out of the Way” by wandering onto the destructive broad path, and “fail grace” by failing to repent and amend our ways, to be holy (Heb 12:14,15). Deuteronomy constantly emphasizes the need to pay attention to this process of sanctification.
The goal of the Gospel is for a remnant of humanity to grasp the fact that because VIRTUE in its many forms (traits, the building blocks of character) is ACQUIRED FROM BEING DOERS and not just hearers of the precepts of God, which we need to seek, to “walk at liberty,” “undefiled, in the Way” (Ps 119:45; Is 28:9-12; Rom 2:13; Heb 5:11-14; James 1:22-25), “the image and likeness of the Godhead” (the Divine Nature) of which the Messiah is the “express image” (Gen 1:26; Heb 11:1-3; 2 Peter 1:1-15), is the perfect composite of the effect of aiming to be “a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-14) through Spirit-led application of the “holy, just, good, spiritual laws of God,” which is essential to make our individual contributions to “the unity of the faith,” which “delighting in” “after the inward man,” for His laws to be written on our hearts, will PROVE invaluable in turning us “from darkness to light, from the power of satan to God, “from disobedience, to the wisdom of the just,” if we’re “to receive an inheritance amongst those who are sanctified by faith which is in Me (Yeshua)” (Acts 26:18-20; Rom 7:7-16,22,25; 2 Tim 3:14-17; Heb 5:11-14; 8:8-12; 10:16).
The CLIMAX of Deuteronomy, which develops all the way FROM CHAPTER 26 with the reiteration in verses 16-19 of the solemn Ex 19:5-8 pledge at Sinai of covenant allegiance to the Kingship and yoke of heaven’s decrees, THROUGH various dire prophetic warnings between chapters 28 and 32 (which include descriptions of the Holocaust, caused by fatal indifference towards YHWH’s vision of Zion – ‘Berlin is our Jerusalem’), about Israel’s end-days’ diminution due to curses for continued backsliding (about which Israel and the church are in denial), TO Chapter 34’s hidden prophetic reference, in JOSHUA’S succession to Moses, to YESHUA’s Rulership of the final remnant, forever, draws us inexorably (as a logical necessity) toward the description in Deut 33:26-29, of Israel’s FINAL STATUS as a Messianic remnant nation.
So with Sukkot (Tabernacles, the Bridal Feast in the millennium) imminent, this is perhaps the best time to offer to help crystallize understanding of the TIGHT RELATIONSHIP that exists (ultimately for YHWH’s “friend” Abraham’s sake, please note – see Gen 18:18,19) between “the several MYSTERIES of the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” of which we are all “stewards,” as “ministers of Christ” (Matt 13:11; 1 Cor 4:1,2), as is so powerfully illustrated by the connection between
1) the MYSTERY of “the GOSPEL PREACHED BEFOREHAND TO ABRAHAM” (Gen 12:3; Gal 3:8,9), which is that Gentiles, justified by faith, would bless Israel and find blessing ingrafted amongst the remnant of the Tribes of the House of Jacob as seed of “Abram the Hebrew” (Gen 14:13) by adoption by the God of Jacob as Hebrews, in Christ, with full rights AND OBLIGATIONS of sonship as joint-citizens of heaven (Is 45:4; Matt 6:9,10; Gal 3:29; Eph 1:3-6);
2) the MYSTERY of the “ONE NEW MAN” (Jew and Gentile united in the Messiah, jointly upholding their integrity by keeping the “one faith,” of one mind and judgment, fully knowing doctrine as Paul did, to preserve “the unity of the faith” by being in agreement upon sound doctrine – 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:1,5,11-14; 2 Tim 3:10,14-17; 4:3-8) in “the SAME body (the “people of inheritance” dating back to Deut 4:20),” namely, the eternal House of Jacob – Is 56:1-8; Lk 1:33, to which the “mixed multitude” of Egyptian and other Gentile exiles assimilated in the wilderness, on Exodus – Ex 12:38), of which a “Nazarene” branch, thought of by many as being a “sect,” but actually, the true extension (into eternity, through the Redemption in the Blood of the Messiah Whose “Day” Abraham as prophet, rejoiced to “see” – Jn 8:56,58) of the dynastic household of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, called “the Way” (which Abraham’s “Seed,” the Messiah, would both embody and teach to perfection – Gen 18:19; Lk 20:21; Gal 3:16) renewed through the new birth through the Hebrew New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34) typified as the “good, natural olive tree” – Lk 1:33; Acts 7:38; 24:5,14; Rom 11:17-29; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6), to
3) fulfil “the FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY of the Messiah” (Gal 3:8,9; Eph 3:4-6; Col 1:26-29), Israel’s prophesied expansion by the grafting-in of a Gentile demographic, primarily to “provoke the Jew to jealousy” as a debt of mercy (Deut 32:21b; Rom 11:11,31) by our willingness and obedience not only to explain Christ Crucified when opportunity arises, but to adopt the universal Hebrew heritage of Torah (Instruction in the Way of righteousness) as the apple of our eye (Prov 7:1-3; Heb 10:16) to display skill in the Word of righteousness made possible as an easy yoke, by the Spirit (Deut 33:2,4; Is 2:2-4; Matt 11:29,30; Rom 2:14-26; 3:31; 11:11; 2 Tim 3:14-17; 1 Jn 5:3), thereby
4) fulfilling the MYSTERY of “ZION, the perfection of beauty (of holiness),” by “Christ (“remaining forever”) in us” by our walking after the Spirit, following after righteousness, by walking in the steps of HIS obedience, to likewise “establish Torah by faith” – Rom 3:31 to “keep the Way of YHWH” (Gen 18:19; Lk 20:21; Acts 24:14), for “the righteousness of the law to be fulfilled in us” – Rom 8:4-14; Heb 5:8,9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29) to produce the sanctification by the Spirit (perfection of character, precept-upon-precept, “from glory to glory,” through purification of our souls by obedience, to mirror the image of Christ) necessary to “do nothing AGAINST the truth” (which would divide the household of God and rob the blessing of Ps 133) for Him (in us) to be “the Hope of glory” of the “latter House” of Jacob (Is 46:13; Haggai 2:7-9; Lk 1:33; 2:32; 2 Cor 3:18; 7:1; Eph 2:11,12,19; Col 1:25-29; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13-15; Heb 12:14,28; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17,22).
The “Mystery of the Messiah” in Eph 3 and Col 1 explains the paradox of the alarming Is 1:9; Zech 13:8,9 and Matt 7:13,14 and 25:10-12 range of projections of Israel’s final remnant being “very small,” or “few,” while Jeremiah’s prophecy in Jer 30:19 seems contradictory: “…I will multiply them and they WILL NOT BE FEW; and I will also glorify them, and they shall NOT BE SMALL”
So which is it?
We have all under-estimated the coming toll of misery, ruin and death, which will be caused by broken fences inviting the curse, through prejudice, presumption, dissent, compromise, complacency, ill-manners and rebellion, all most likely, the consequences of refusal of correction, by the stubbornness of wilful ignorance.
In Jer 30:19, the prophet is describing the NET RESULT of AGGREGATING the Israelite and Gentile remnants, the harvest of salvation being the combination of “little Israel” and its inheritance of a considerably larger remnant from amongst the vast multitudes in the nations (Deut 1:11; Is 54:3), which disguises the make-up of the final demographics which would validate Matt 7:13,14’s warning that only “few” will find the narrow path which leads to life.
Israel’s greatest gift TO THE FATHER is belief in His promise that “the Hope of (the greater) glory” of Israel as the “latter House of Jacob” through “the Messiah Yeshua in THEM” (Is 46:13; Haggai 2:7-9; Lk 1:33; 2:32; Col 1:27) will catapult Israel to pre-eminence and shalom-shalom by sealing the world’s submission to His One and only true Mono-Theism (Deut 6:4,5; Ps 67; Is 45:21-23; Zech 14:9; 1 Tim 1:16; 6:15,16), which makes their MOST CRITICAL NEED, to have the greatest possible defence against harm in these perilous latter days of Noah (Rev 3:10), as well as assurance of hope of a future in the millennial kingdom and on the New Earth, their acknowledgment of the eternal life which is theirs in Yeshua (1 Jn 5:11,12) as their “everlasting salvation,” through the spotless Blood of His Jerusalem Passover Sacrifice as their Korban Pesach (the “Messiah their Passover” Lamb of God) providing them the transformational New Covenant Mikvah (baptism) of repentance for the remission of their sins, for the “washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (making their complete sanctification possible by the washing of the water of the Word – Eph 5:26,27; 1 Thess 5:23), for “the face of the earth to be renewed” (tikkun ha olam) by their manifestation to Creation as ‘benei B’rit,’ true sons of the everlasting covenant (Heb 12; 13:20,21), by “transfiguration of their human nature from glory to glory” into the image of the Son of God, all of which was foreshadowed by the first Passover and their baptism into Moses, in the Sea (Ps 104:30; Is 45:21-23; Rom 8:18-22; 1 Cor 5:7,8; 10:1-4; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Jn 5).
It is only to those who accept the witness of Scripture, that “Christ (fully) formed in us” (Gal 3:27; 4:19) is the ULTIMATE REALITY, that the promise of Deut 33:26-29 (that Israel will “dwell in safety alone,” “the heavens dropping dew,” and their birthright massively vindicated with merciless Divine force, so that “thine enemies (be) found liars unto thee”), is made.
Matthew and Revelation (11&12) confirm that Israel’s spiritual condition is no better today than it was before Yeshua’s birth; during His ministry; or between His Ascension and the destruction in 70AD of the Second Temple and the nation’s dispersion in Second Exile.
It’s a fallacy that because Messiah has visited them, that an as-yet unsaved Jew is not bound by the Abrahamic covenant (which the New Covenant confirms), to desire a pure heart and clean hands, to serve God in truth and righteousness, in the quest for true holiness (Ps 24; Eph 5:23,24)
Stephen’s rebuke in Acts 7:51,53, for their resistance of the Holy Spirit and departure from the Way of YHWH in rebellion against YHWH’s instruction to them through Abraham (Gen 18:18,19; Jn 8:39); and Yeshua’s own indictments against Israel’s backsliding (Matt 23; Jn 5:45-47; 7:19), STAND TODAY.
There is no evading an “irrevocable call” to be light to the nations (Deut 4:5-8; Is 2:2-24; 49:5-8; Rom 11:11-15,25-29).
Return from Exile (voluntary or forces) is brought to pass with great grace (easily misconstrued), but always without relaxation of the obligation to cleave to and honour the ways of God, upon which life itself depends (Ps 119:77; Deut 4:4-8,39,40; 30:1-6; 32:46,47).
The Exiles of seventy and then two thousand years, like the four decades of Exodus, are apprenticeships in the Way, to possess, have dominion, and thrive IN SAFETY, in the Land.
Israel’s suffering is never gratuitous.
Deuteronomy is the summary of the Torah pattern for favour with God and man, in His Land.
Given Israel’s mission of sanctity as Torah Or (Light) to the world, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that honouring the call to repentance, is their lifeblood (Matt 3:2,8-10).
Their New Covenant promises them greater accomplishment of holiness, to be “as their Master,” Yeshua, by the Spirit, to “be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt 5:19,48; Lk 6:40), but until their personal day of salvation dawns, they will be held accountable to the faith they profess, through the teachings on sanctification of the Judaism which is their tradition, by default.
To a man, the Torah nation (Ex 19:5-8; Deut 4:5-8) must mend fences and cease profaning the everlasting covenant, by returning wholeheartedly to Torah (in the light they have) until receiving Yeshua, its Foundation and “the Fountain of Living Waters,” as their Firstlove, “the Hope of Israel,” to fully know doctrine by honouring Yeshua Who ‘fully preached Torah’ (filled Torah to the full’), as Moses’ successor as Teacher (Deut 4:27-40; 18:18,19; 30:1-14; Jer 17:13; Matt 5:17-19; Acts 21:20; 1 Cor 3:11).
As people reborn of water and of the Spirit who ideally, by NOT showing partiality in the law (i.e. by considering all God’s precepts of equal value, to establish all His will, by faith – Matt 5:19; Rom 3:31), ought to be “quick of understanding” (Is 11:1-3; Jn 3:5,6; 1 Cor 2:6-16), Deuteronomy is an invitation to consider the fearsomeness of what the implications for Israel and the world would be, of NOT TAKING the NEW COVENANT seriously, by noticing how every observation made in the Book of Deuteronomy (which is written to continually tilt us towards full consecration – Deut 4:39,40; 6:23-25; 7:9-15; 32:46,47) is based on the premiss that Israel (which will never cease to be a nation, albeit in greatly reduced numbers, as 2 Sam 7:23-29; Is 1:9,25-28; Jer 31:31-36; Zech 13:8 – 14:11 and Rom 9:27-29 foresee) WILL recognize and accept the Gospel call to become “heirs of the righteousness which is of faith,” by justification by the Blood, to perfect their personal sanctification through covenant-keeping under grace (by the Spirit, under the covering of the Blood) (Rom 11:23-29; Heb 12:14,28,29) to honour the vision of Zion (the matrix of holiness as the fulcrum of the identity of all true sons, “all of whose springs are in thee”) as “the perfection of beauty” (Ps 50:2,5,23; 87:1-7), to graduate to the more glorious ministry of the Spirit, to transition into their eternal, exalted custodial role as “chief of nations” as the glorious latter House of Jacob (Deut 26:16-19; 28:1-14; Jer 31:7,10,17,31-36; Haggai 2:7-9; 2 Cor 3:8-18; Jn 17:17,19) through the restoration, to Jerusalem, of the throne of the monarchy of the dynasty of David to his seed, the risen Yeshua, their Messiah, “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the RESURRECTION from the dead” as “the SURE MERCIES of David” (Ps 2:7-12; Rom 1:3,4), as David’s LORD (Ps 110; Acts 13:32-39).
Our prayer therefore is that their “Glad Tidings” (Is 52:5-15; 53:1-12) will “have free and full course and be glorified” (2 Thess 3:1) by more than merely “some” (Rom 11:14) or a “few” (Is 1:9; Matt 7:13,14; Rom 9:27-29) being “accounted worthy” of eternal life (Lk 20:35), because of the impact of the revelation that RECONCILIATION BY JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN GOD (by which their father Abraham was reckoned righteous, to THEN “walk before YHWH and be perfect” – Gen 17:1; 26:5) through the repentance and forgiveness given to them in Yeshua as their Ransom from sin, to facilitate and ACCELERATE their ages-old pursuit of the perfection of holiness to fulfil their love for Torah (Instruction in righteousness), through the POWER OVER SIN which His Death and mikvah (immersion) of regeneration by water and spirit provide, to overcome the challenges of refinement by “salting by fire” (Matt 1:21; 3:11,12; Mk 9:49,50; Acts 5:31; Rom 6:6,7; 8:2-4; 1 Peter 1:2-9,13-22; 4:12-18), is the MOTHERLODE (main, golden vein) of “the promise of life (and immortality)” (2 Tim 1:1,10) through “the call to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3-15) which should rightly inspire multitudes of YHWH’s people to leap to accept the offer of full assurance of “the hope of glory” (personal and national) of which “the Messiah in them,” the “mystery of the Messiah” (Col 1:26-29), will be surety, by the “seal of His Holy Spirit of promise,” as they “abide in the Vine” by the power of His Spirit (which they historically resisted – Acts 7:51,53), to “remain forever” inscribed for Life (Jn 15:3-15; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29) to be sure to attain final redemption as His purchased possession (Eph 1:13,14; Heb 6:1-12), to usher in “everlasting righteousness,” in fulfilment of their elect nation’s Torah mission of sanctity (of individuals, nations and the earth) as YHWH’s witnesses to truth and righteousness, to “seal up vision and prophecy” (Deut 4:5-8; Is 2:2-4; 43:1-11; 44:1-8; Dan 9:24)
Moses ends his life at 120 years, with this final counsel (Deut 32:45-52). Yeshua, Who taught Moses by His Spirit (Is 63:11-14; 1 Cor 10:1-4), and was sent to magnify Torah by preaching it ‘to the full’ (Is 42:21; Matt 5:17-19), paraphrases Deut 32:47 in Matt 19:16,17; 28:20; Lk 10:25-28 leaving no-one an excuse for “failing grace,” by failing to satisfactorily “come out and be separate,” by sanctification by the commandments, to be holy, in order for their names to “remain forever” written in the Book (Acts 10:35; 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 12:14,15,28; 1 Peter 1:13-22; 1 Jn 2:3-6,17,28,29)
For all this, to YaH be the glory, in Yeshua’s Name.
