Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:9-30:20, Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 61-63, Luqa (Luke) 24

Shabbat Shalom everyone, welcome to this week’s Parasha Nitzavim. The title for this week is The Choice of Life and Death. Which is what we see in this Torah portion. We see that Yahweh presents His people with a choice. A choice to commit to life or death. Yahweh lays out the consequences of such choices. I believe it is a good reminder for all of us, that we would all remember that following Yeshua is a daily decision we must make. Understand this, our lives are comprised of the choices we make and the consequences that come after. Some consequences, of our decisions are good and some are bad.

Our Torah portion begins with Yahweh commanding the children of Israel to obey the terms of His covenant so that they would be prosperous in everything that they do. 

Deuteronomy says:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:9
9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

Well as we have discussed in several other studies, as straightforward and important as keeping Yahweh’s commandments are, this is about more than mere obedience to the commandments. In principle, Yahweh is warning His people, to not solely rely upon their own wisdom, regarding making their own decisions, but rather trust in Yahweh with all their heart and acknowledge Him in all their ways. 

Proverbs says:

Mishle (Proverbs) 3:5-6
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

This idea of leaning on Yahweh, and trusting Him to lead us in all our decision-making, is especially important for us to understand because the decisions we make in our own wisdom, do not always have the intended outcome we desire, and often the consequences are far more reaching than we realize.

For example, Hezekiah displayed all his wealth and his military power to the envoys of Babylon. However, I am sure he was not expecting Babylon to come against his kingdom. Now scripture does not specifically state that this was erroneous and foolish, nor does it even specifically state that what Hezekiah did gave the Babylonians any advantage in their conquest of Judah. However, we can infer from several passages in scripture, and some common sense, that this was not necessarily a wise move on his part, for reasons we will dive into.

The Book of Isaiah says:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 39:1-2
1 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
2 And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.

Now, from a militaristic and strategic standpoint, this was not a wise move for Hezekiah. By doing so, he made his kingdom a prime target, for enemies like Babylon to further incentivize themselves to come and conquer them. However, that’s not the main reason why Babylon conquered Judah.

The book of Isaiah continues by saying:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 39:5-6
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of Yahweh of hosts:
6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says Yahweh.

The main error in Hezekiah’s exhibition of his kingdom was his pride.

Consider what 2nd Chronicles has to say about Hezekiah’s decision to reveal everything to the Babylonians:

Diver HaYamim Bet (2 Chronicles) 32:31
31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, Elohim left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

Now, very much like we discussed last week, the condition of our hearts is of the utmost importance to Yahweh. And Yahweh tests all of us in various ways to determine what is in our hearts. Therefore, the principle in failing to acknowledge Yahweh in all our ways, and not just His commandments, is that inevitably if we do not acknowledge Yahweh in all our ways, we stumble and trip over our pride and foolishness. And with Hezekiah, several passages in scripture describe him as being full of pride, which would indicate that Hezekiah ultimately relied upon his wisdom and understanding to help him rule his kingdom. 

2nd Chronicles says this:

Diver HaYamim Bet (2 Chronicles) 32:25
25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

Hezekiah was a very blessed king, by Yahweh, however, he was not humble because of it, he was proud and thought very highly of himself. Now, although at various points in Hezekiah’s life, he humbled himself and acknowledged Yahweh in what he was doing, and acknowledged Yahweh for the many blessings.

Diver HaYamim Bet (2 Chronicles) 32:26
26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah’s pride ultimately would be part of the ruin that was brought upon the southern kingdom of Judah. And I say it this way because Hezekiah displayed all that he had from a heart of pride. And we might say that this is learned behavior, behavior that passed onto his descendants, with the exception of Josiah. And if his descendants continued to walk with proud hearts. Yahweh ultimately was not going to tolerate it. 

As scripture says in the book of James:

Yaakov (James) 4:6
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “Elohim opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Now, this is a stark contrast to someone like David, who acknowledged Yahweh in everything he did. Second Samuel is one of many examples where David referred to the wisdom of Yahweh in daily matters of his life and not just the commandments.

2 Samuel says:

Shemuel Bet (2 Samuel) 5:19
19 And David inquired of Yahweh, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

Now, when we understand that David was a warrior from a young age and that he lived amongst the Philistines for a year and a half. It would have been easy for David to decide for himself in his own wisdom based on his own experiences whether or not he should attack the Philistines and conquer them. However, as wise and experienced in battle as David was, and as familiar as he was with the Philistines. David still sought Yahweh’s advice. And this is what we should be striving to do in our lives.

This is an example of what it looks like to humble yourself and lean on Yahweh in all your decision-making. Now David is not the perfect example of what it looks like to acknowledge Yahweh in all our ways, but he is a great example. And this is why He was called a man after Yahweh’s heart.

The Book of Acts says:

Ma’asei (Acts) 13:22
22 And when He [Yahweh] had removed him [Saul], [Yahweh] He raised up David to be their king, of whom [Yahweh] He testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’

Now as great an example as David was, he was still flawed. And this is why we must constantly reference Yeshua as our cornerstone because He perfectly obeyed Yahweh and acknowledged Yahweh in all His deeds in life.

Now, as we go back to our Torah portion, Yahweh warns of the stubborn man. 

In Deuteronomy, He says:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:18-19
18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from Yahweh our Elohim to go and serve the elohim of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,
19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.

Principally, when we look at these two verses. What they are saying is, that if we call ourselves believers but walk in the stubbornness of our hearts, ultimately we are allowing pride to be the ruler of our life. And therefore, we are deceiving ourselves into thinking that we are “saved” because we call ourselves believers. It does us no good to profess with our mouths that we are believers, only to have our fruits tell otherwise. Yahweh says, that the believer who walks in the stubbornness of his heart, bears bitter and poisonous fruit. Instead of remaining humble and acknowledging Yahweh in all that we do, we are allowing our pride to be the thing that blocks our connection with the Spirit, and often we don’t even realize it.

Consider what Yeshua said, in the Book of Matthew: 

Mattityahu (Matthew) 12:31-32
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Set-Apart Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

And when we look at Yeshua’s words, and we look at Yahweh’s words in our Torah portion, They are saying the same thing. 

Deuteronomy chapter 29 verse 20 says:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:20
20 Yahweh will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of Yahweh and His jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under heaven. 

So who is that Yahweh won’t forgive? It’s the one who walks in the stubbornness of their own heart. And, the equivalent to the one walking in the stubbornness of their heart is the one who blasphemes the Spirit or rejects the Spirit. And why is it that Yahweh’s jealousy and anger will smoke against such a person? It’s because it’s a form of idolatry. And Yahweh hates idolatry.

The reason that blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven, is because as believers in Yeshua, the Spirit is not only our teacher, but it’s our connection to Elohim, and if we are rejecting the Spirit, we are effectively rejecting Elohim Himself, regardless if we profess with our mouths that we are believers. 

Consider what the book of Ephesians says, and what Yeshua said in the book of John: 

First, let’s look at the Book of John: 

Yochanan (John) 16:13
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, She will guide you into all the truth, for She will not speak on Her own authority, but whatever She hears She will speak, and She will declare to you the things that are to come.

Notice how the Spirit does not come to speak on Her own authority, rather She only will speak what She hears from The Father in heaven, and that which She hears from The Father in heaven is considered the truth.

Next, let’s look at the book of Ephesians:

Ephesim (Ephesians) 4:30
30 And do not grieve the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Paul warns us to not grieve or reject the Spirit, if we reject the Spirit, we are rejecting our connection to Elohim, if we reject Elohim, we reject eternal life itself.

Now as we saw earlier with the Spirit, Yeshua also did not come to speak His own words or teach His own message. Rather He came to preach the word of His Father. 

Yeshua said in John:

Yochanan (John) 7:16
16 So Yeshua answered them, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

Therefore when Yeshua says that if we love Him, then out of that love for Him, we will keep His commandments. What Yeshua is also saying is that if we love Him, then out of our love for Him, we will also have a love for His Father and a desire to keep His Father’s commandments. 

Yochanan (John) 14:15
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

And when we look at our Torah portion, we see the same thing said by Yahweh.

Deuteronomy says: 

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 29:14-15
14 It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant,
15 but with whoever is standing here with us today before Yahweh our Elohim, and with whoever is not here with us today.

Understand this, Yahweh’s covenant applies to everyone, both Jew and Gentile who professes faith in Him as the one true Elohim of Israel, and Yeshua His Son as The Messiah.

As we read further in our Torah portion, Yahweh says that after the scattering of His people, which is where we are currently. Yahweh says that when we humble ourselves and return in humble repentance and wholehearted obedience. He will then restore our fortunes and have mercy upon us, and then He will regather all of us, and bring us back to the land of Israel.

Let’s read some verses of Deuteronomy chapter 30:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 30:1-11
1 “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim has driven you,
2 and return to Yahweh your Elohim, you and your children, and obey His voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,
3 then Yahweh your Elohim will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and He will gather you again from all the peoples where Yahweh your Elohim has scattered you.
4 If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there Yahweh your Elohim will gather you, and from there He will take you.
5 And Yahweh your Elohim will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.
6 And Yahweh your Elohim will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
7 And Yahweh your Elohim will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you.
8 And you shall again obey the voice of Yahweh and keep all His commandments that I command you today.
9 Yahweh your Elohim will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For Yahweh will again take delight in prospering you, as He took delight in your fathers,
10 When you obey the voice of Yahweh your Elohim, to keep His commandments and His statutes that are written in this Book of the Torah, when you turn to Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.
11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.

The principle for today’s study is this, Yahweh has presented us all with a choice, and the decision we make will either put us on a path that leads to salvation and life, or a path that leads to destruction and death. Therefore, do not allow your pride to well up within you and resist the Spirit. 

Rather, acknowledge Yahweh is all your ways, not just the commandments, rather in all your dealings. Acknowledge Him in the most mundane of tasks, and acknowledge Him in the most exciting and extraordinary endeavors of your life. Acknowledge Him in the most painful and heartbreaking moments of your life, and acknowledge Him, in the most peaceful and enjoyable moments of your life. Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.

Shabbat Shalom.