Parasha "Nitzavim" (When you are standing)

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

PARASHIOT; “Nitsavim” (you are standing) and “VaYelech” (and he went)                

DEUT 29:10-31:30……ISAIAH 61:10-63:9… JOHN 16:1-17:26

 

     We are coming up to the end of Moshe’s earthy ministry.  He has walked with God’s people for 40 years,  and has gone through a lot with them.  He received the Commandments from Elohim and taught the people HIS Word.  As we remember, YHVH gave the people the Ten Commandments directly and the rest of the 603 commandments were given to the people through Moshe, yet ALL the Torah comes from Adonai.  Moshe has intervened quite a few times to rescue Israel from destruction.  As you remember, YHVH wanted on a few occasions to destroy the whole nation because of their disobedience and unbelief, yet Moshe intervened on their behalf.

     The same thing happens today when we have an advocate in Heaven who pleads our case before our Heavenly Father.  Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Christ is that person who is our “mediator” and pleads our case and atones for our sins.  As long as we have the sin nature in our bodies, we need a redeemer, a Messiah who will stand before a Holy God, who sees us as “righteous” because we have accepted HIS righteousness by faith. 

     Moshes starts out saying…” You stand, All of you, before YHVH your God, your chiefs, tribes, elders, officers, men, women, children, etc.…”  He goes on to say “that you may enter into the covenant with YHVH your God.  He is making this covenant with you today in order that “He may establish you as HIS PEOPLE!

     How does that affect us?  Can we be part of “His People?”  YES, through Yeshua who gave his life as a ransom.

     We are counted as “Part of His People”.  We must turn (Shoov) from our wicked ways to follow Yeshua.  This scripture reading comes at a good time, the time of Yom Teruah, Rosh Hashanah.  The term “repent” is mentioned over 100 times in the Bible.  Accepting Yeshua as Messiah and LORD enters us in the “covenant”

     What is this covenant which Moshe talks about? It is the first covenant established by blood, the blood of rams, bulls, goats, and sheep, the establishment of the sacrificial system which lasted many, many years.  Yet about 1400 years later, Rav Shaul (Paul) writes that this covenant was changed to a “better covenant”, the “better covenant was NOT based on the blood of rams, bulls, sheep, and goats, rather based on the blood of YESHUA! The difference was that the sacrificial system continued for years, every day, day after day, and the blood of the animals only “Covered” sin for one year, and the covenant was renewed every “Yom Kippur”.

     The covenant of YESHUA, however, was a “one-time deal”.  His death on the cross was enough for ALL TIME.  His covenant wiped away the stain of sin, it “atoned” “got rid of” the curse of sin.  So, one might ask, what was the reason for the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament?  They were to “point” to Yeshua’s future sacrifice for sin.  The animal sacrifices pointed to what Yeshua would do and fulfill in the future.      People were still saved by faith, the only difference was that before Calvary, people looked “forward” to the cross, and after Calvary, we look “back” towards the cross.  One thing both covenants have in common; “The Blood!” 

    Moshe announces that “everyone” is involved and included, from the tribal chiefs to the simple water fetchers, everyone was included, and NO ONE was excluded.  He goes on to say; “I am making this covenant and this oath with those who are here today and with those who are NOT here today….” Who are the ones that were NOT here!  Why you and me of course! We weren’t around back then.  Who knows, perhaps we were just souls in heat      We are coming up to the end of Moshe’s earthly ministry.  He has walked with God’s people for 40 years and has gone through a lot with them.  He received the commandments from Elohim and taught the people the Word of Adonai.  As we remember, YHVH gave the people the Ten Commandments directly, and the rest of the 603 commandments were given to the people through Moshe, yet ALL the Torah comes from Adonai.  Moshe has intervened quite a few times to rescue Israel from destruction.  Why did God want to destroy Israel? Because of disobedience and unbelief. 

     When Moshe mentioned “all who are not here” he had us in mind, YHVH knew that one day, we would be here and this covenant would be for us too.  The “Covenant Renewed” is our covenant, a covenant of faith that is not based on the blood of animals but on the blood of Messiah Yeshua.  This “blood” covenant unites us with YHVH through Yeshua, which brings us YESHUAH (salvation).

          Now, does this do away with the Torah (instruction) of Adonai? Never! In Yeshua’s own words; “I come not to abolish the Torah, but to Fulfill the Torah” (or render a perfect interpretation of it) He fulfilled it with his own blood.  The commandments are for our edification and our blessings, the blood of Yeshua is for our “Salvation!”
     Moshe goes on to say that no one should ever think that one can live any way one pleases, sinning here and there, living like the devil himself and still say, “I have peace, everything is OK!” That is NEVER the case.   That Person will be reaping curses and destruction. 

     29:30 says; “The secret things belong to YHVH Eloheinu (Our God) but the things revealed belong to us and our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this Torah!” So, what are the “secret things?” perhaps things in Scripture that we haven’t figured out yet, things like, what were the “Urim and Thumim” really? One can suggest, but no one really knows for sure.  There are many more things that, to us, are “secret” (known

only to God) like things in the universe, far away galaxies, life out there in those galaxies that might have planets with life, where every single diamond, emerald, and ruby is located, where all the “buried treasure” is located,    

   Yet things that were considered “secret” hundreds of years ago, are now “known” But let us concern ourselves with the things that YHVH has revealed to us through HIS Word, and let us occupy ourselves in following HIS WORD and living a “Kadosh” lifestyle.

            Moshe also establishes “Yehoshuah” as his successor, He knows his death is near, and he knows that Israel will fall away from God, it has been revealed to him by God himself, there is no other explanation.  HOWEVER, he also says that “when they repent, YHVH will bring them back to the land” this is happening already, Israel was re-established as a nation in 1948, and His people are coming back! “Yehoshuah” is another way of spelling “Yeshua” It is fitting that “Yehoshuah” leads the people to the “promised land” just as our LORD and Savior “Yeshua HaMashiach” has lead us to the “salvation” experience, and is awaiting us in “His Promised Land” (The New Jerusalem) our heavenly home!

 

ISAIAH 61:10-63:9


The prophet Yeshayahu sees the future glory of Israel, “He has clothed me in garments of YESHUAH (salvation) and has wrapped me with a robe of “righteousness” (Tzedek). It is fitting that the two go together, when we accept Yeshua as our LORD and Savior, we receive “righteousness” through our faith in HIM. We come under a “right-relationship” with him now, where before we were “unrighteous” living in sin, now, we are in right-standing with Him, and therefore, we are “Tzadikim” (righteous ones). Even though we still have our sin nature, God still looks at us as “righteous.”

"As a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, your God will rejoice over you" 62:5

We, all believers, are part of HIS BRIDE, and when a lost sinner comes to God through Yeshua, HE rejoices over that person who is now part of the Bride of Messiah

“Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your YESHUAH comes” (62:11) Yeshua came to Zion, but many in Zion did not receive him, yet He will return in the future, and then, ALL Zion will receive him. The future is bright for Israel, and we will be a part of that future,

keep praying for the peace of Yerushalayim, but real, permanent peace will only come when Yeshua returns. He will return to his people to conquer his enemies, rescue his bride, and reign for one thousand years, and then more. Seems like a very good future.

JOHN 16:1-17:26


Yeshua promised his “Ruach HaKodesh” (his Holy Spirit) He was the “sent one” by the Father, yet he also promised another “sent one”. The difference between Yeshua and the Ruach HaKodesh is that when Yeshua was on earth, he could only be in one place at one time his is the “comforter” that was promised. Yes, his followers would be persecuted, cast out of churches and synagogues, and this continues today.

"I made your name known to the people you gave me out of this world" 17:6

Through Yeshua, the Name of God YHVH was made known, we might ask how? Here is one idea. The Hebrew letters Y H V H or "Yod Hey Vav Hey" in the ancient paleo-Hebrew symbolism, mean "Behold the nail, Behold the hand" or "The nail and hand revealed. So, The most holy name of God reveals the action of Yeshua on the cross, He extended forth his hands to receive the nails.

To be a believer is to be “persona non-grata” in some places. Can we endure this? Another title for the Holy Spirit is “Ruach HaEmet” (The Spirit of Truth) since it was also one of the titles of Yeshua, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Are we following the Spirit of Truth as he leads us through the Written Truth? He is here to guide us through. , while the Ruach HaKodesh, is EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

Yeshua says that he is leaving and going back to the Father, yet he will pray for those who are not there present as well as those present. This is true for today since we were not there present when He ascended to heaven, His blessings are upon ALL believers as well, as we are the generation of Faith.


Shalom