TK TORAH KEEPERS

Encouraging Believers in a Torah-Observant Life

 

Presents

 

A Leaven-Free Messianic Torah Commentary Based on the Ancient Triennial Torah Cycle

 

By Glenn McWilliams

www.tkTorahkeepers.com

 

DO NOT ADD DO NOT SUBTRACT

 

 

THE OVERVIEW

 

In the opening three chapters of the book of Devarim Moses encourages the children of Israel with a powerful historical discourse recalling the many miraculous and wonderful works of YHWH on their behalf and even on behalf of the heathen nations around them.  Moses describes YHWH as powerful, faithful, and merciful.  Moses also points out that the failure of the exodus generation to inherit the land was not a shortcoming on YHWH’S part; rather, it was due to Israel’s fear, unbelief, and rebellion.  In our portion this week Moses begins a forward-looking exhortation, encouraging the wilderness generation to cling tenaciously to YHWH in faith, to obediently keep His Word, to avoid idolatry, and to trust and love YHWH alone as their source of life, blessings, and success.

 

 

THE OUTLINE

 

• Deuteronomy 4:1-2              Exhortation to exact obedience
• Deuteronomy 4:3-4              Warning against disobedience
• Deuteronomy 4:5-8               Israel’s testimony
• Deuteronomy 4:9-13             Command to teach children about Horeb
• Deuteronomy 4:14-19           Prohibition against making images of YHWH
• Deuteronomy 4:20-22           Moses’ death outside the land a warning
• Deuteronomy 4:23-24           Prohibition against making/worshipping idols and images
• Deuteronomy 4:25-28           The fruit of idolatry
• Deuteronomy 4:29-31           The fruit of repentance
• Deuteronomy 4:32-40           The uniqueness of YHWH/the uniqueness of Israel
• Deuteronomy 4:41-43           Cities of refuge in the Transjordan
• Deuteronomy 4:44-49           The possession of the Transjordan

 

 

SUGGESTED STUDY QUESTIONS

 

1. What are chukkim?
2. What are mishpatim?
3. What are mitzvot?
4. What three things does Moses command the children of Israel to do in the opening verse of the portion?
5. What is the meaning of shema?
6. What is the meaning of shamar?
7. What is the meaning of asah?
8. What is the reward for fulfilling these three commands?
9. Why is it important to distinguish between the second person singular and the second person plural in this address?

10.  Who shall live?  By what shall they live?

11.  What twofold prohibition is Israel given in verse two?

12.  Does this mean that there can be no more revelation?

13.  What principle of Torah do we learn from this prohibition?

14.  What is protected by this prohibition?

15.  What negative historical event does Moses recall in this portion?

16.  What happened at Baalpeor?

17.  What was the difference between those who died and those who lived?

18.  Who killed those who died?

19.  Of what were they guilty?

20.  How is this connected to the twofold prohibition?

21.  How is adding or subtracting from the Torah similar to idolatry?

22.  How is obedience to the Torah a testimony to the nations?

23.  What blessings are found in obedience to the Torah?

24.  Where is the Torah to be located in Israel?

25.  What is faith based upon in Israel?

26.  What obligation is given to parents?

27.  What two significant and specific events are parents to teach their children?

28.  How are parents to teach their children?

29.  What happened at Horeb?

30.  What did the children of Israel see?

31.  What did they not see?

32.  What is the difference between the warning in 4:15-23 and that in 4:25-28?

33.  What is the fruit of disobedience?

34.  Why does Moses switch from second person plural to second person singular in verses 29-40?

35.  What is the fruit of repentance?

36.  Why does YHWH favor Israel?

 

 

THE TEXT

 

Devarim 4:1-49 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you.  ²Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you.  ³Your eyes have seen what YHWH did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, YHWH thy Elohim hath destroyed them from among you.   ⁴But ye that did cleave unto YHWH your Elohim are alive every one of you this day.  ⁵Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.  ⁶Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.  ⁷For what nation is there so great, who hath Elohim so nigh unto them, as YHWH our Elohim is in all things that we call upon Him for?  ⁸And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?  ⁹Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; ¹⁰specially the day that thou stoodest before YHWH thy Elohim in Horeb, when YHWH said unto me, Gather Me the people together, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.  ¹¹And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.  ¹²And YHWH spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.  ¹³And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.  ¹⁴And YHWH commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.  ¹⁵Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that YHWH spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: ¹⁶lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, ¹⁸the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: ¹⁹and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which YHWH thy Elohim hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.  ²⁰But YHWH hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.  ²¹Furthermore YHWH was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee for an inheritance: ²²but I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land.  ²³Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of YHWH your Elohim, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which YHWH thy Elohim hath forbidden thee.  ²⁴For YHWH thy Elohim is a consuming fire, even a jealous Elohim.  ²⁵When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of YHWH thy Elohim, to provoke Him to anger: ²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.  ²⁷And YHWH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither YHWH shall lead you.  ²⁸And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.  ²⁹But if from thence thou shalt seek YHWH thy Elohim, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.  ³⁰When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to YHWH thy Elohim, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; ³¹(for YHWH thy Elohim is a merciful Elohim;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.  ³²For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that Elohim created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?  ³³Did ever people hear the voice of Elohim speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?  ³⁴Or hath Elohim assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that YHWH your Elohim did for you in Egypt before your eyes?  ³⁵Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that YHWH He is Elohim; there is none else beside Him.  ³⁶Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee: and upon earth He shewed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire.  ³⁷And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt; ³⁸to drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.  ³⁹Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that YHWH He is Elohim in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.  ⁴⁰Thou shalt keep therefore His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, for ever.  ⁴¹Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; ⁴²that the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: ⁴³namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.  ⁴⁴And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel: ⁴⁵these are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt, ⁴⁶on this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: ⁴⁷and they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; ⁴⁸from Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, ⁴⁹and all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah. (Deuteronomy 4:1-49 KJV)

 

 

THE STUDY

 

To begin our study, let us look once more at the overall outline of the book of Devarim in order to understand the context of the portion.

 

I. Heading (1:1-5)

II. Prologue: First Discourse (1:6-4:43)

1. A.    Retrospective: The journey from Horeb to Moab (1:6-3:29)
2. B.    Exhortation to observe God’s laws (4:1-40)
3. Appendix: Selections  of asylum cities (4:41-43)

III. Second Discourse: The covenant made in Moab (4:44-Chap. 28)

1. Heading (4:44-49)
2. B.    Prologue: The theophany and covenant at Horeb (5)
3. C.    Preamble to the laws given in Moab (6:1-11:30)
4. D.    The laws given in Moab (11:31-26:15)
5. Conclusion to the laws (26:16-28:68)
   1. 1.    Mutual commitments between God and Israel (26:16-19)
   2. Digression: Ceremonies to reaffirm the covenant upon entering the promised land (27)
   3. 3.    Promises and warnings consequent upon fulfilling or violating the covenant (28:1-68)
   4. Subscription (28:69)

IV. Third Discourse: Exhortations to observe the covenant made in Moab (29-30)

V. Epilogue: Moses’ last days (31-34)

            A. Moses’ preparations of Israel for the future (31-32)

                  1. Preparatory acts (31)

                  2. Moses’ poem (32:1-43)

                  3. God’s final instructions to Moses (32:44-52)

            B. Moses’ farewell blessings of Israel (33)

C. Moses’ death (34)[1] 

 

 

Our portion marks the conclusion of Moses’ first discourse and transitions to the opening verses of the second discourse, which focuses upon the events at Horeb.  In the first three chapters Moses recounted for the wilderness generation the history of their journey from Egypt to Horeb and from Horeb to Moab.  The opening historical discourse was to serve two distinct purposes.  The first purpose was to explain how the exodus generation’s unbelief, fear, and rebellion against the commandments of YHWH were the cause of their failure to enter the promised land.  Moses wanted to assure the wilderness generation that the failure of the first generation was not because of the size, number, or might of the inhabitants of the land or because YHWH was somehow insufficient to deliver on His promises.  The second purpose of the historical opening discourse was to recall all of the many wonderful and mighty works YHWH did to assure that the current generation of Abraham’s descendants would have sufficient faith in YHWH to successfully enter and possess the land of promise.

 

This historical, faith-building theme continues in our portion with specific mention of such events as Baalpeor (4:3), the Horeb/Sinai experience (4: 10-13), and the exodus out of Egypt (4:20).  In this week’s portion, however, the historical focus of the previous three chapters of Devarim begins to transition from a recollection of past events to a present acceptance of the calling and covenant extended to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai.  In the concluding verses of this first discourse the children of Israel receive a power call to action and obedience that will assure and affect future events.  The idea that past events affect present actions which determine the future is a recurring theme in the book of Devarim.  The exhortations of chapter four are clearly a preparation for what will follow in Moses’ second discourse, where Moses expounds upon the covenant of Sinai in the hearing of the wilderness generation.  It is from this second recounting of the covenant at Sinai that the book of Devarim became known as “Deuteronomy” or “the second law.”

 

Even from the opening verse of the text we should sense the forward-looking nature of this transitional portion, which focuses upon that which Moses will discuss in chapter five.

 

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you. (Deuteronomy 4:1 KJV)

 

There are several Hebrew words we should take time to understand before we go any further in our study of the book of Devarim.  The first of these words is “Torah” (tav, vav, resh, hey).  It is extremely unfortunate that the word “Torah” came to be translated as “law” in English.  This English translation has led to a great deal of misunderstanding and horrendous teaching in the church.  The Hebrew word “Torah” is actually derived from the Hebrew verb yarah (yud, resh, hey) or yara (yud, resh, aleph),[2] which means “to flow,” “to throw,” or “to cast.”  By inference, the word Torah means “to teach.”  We may think of it in terms of throwing or pointing an arrow, as on a compass, which shows the way, or as seed being cast before animals to feed, nourish, and strengthen them.  Teachers cast out words and ideas to strengthen their students and show them the proper way to go.

 

While yarah means “to teach,” Torah is what is taught.  In the Hebrew, the connection between these two words is quite evident in the following verse.  Note that the connection is not at all obvious in the English translation.

 

And YHWH said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. (Exodus 24:12 KJV)

 

And YHWH said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and haTorah (the Torah), and hamitzvah (the commandment) which I have written; that thou mayest lehorotam (to teach them). (Exodus 24:12 KJV)

 

The passage is better translated as follows:

 

And YHWH said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and continue there (remain there): and I will give thee tables of stone, and the teaching, and the commandment which I have written for their instruction. (Exodus 24:12 KJV)

 

Let us also note that in the first English translation above it is simply “a law” (using the indefinite article), while in the Hebrew it is “the Torah” or “the teaching” (using the definite article and referring to YHWH’S Torah or teaching).  In this instance, therefore, the word “Torah” should be understood as a specific teaching, instruction, or revelation.  In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures), the Hebrew word “Torah” was translated into Greek as nomos, which literally means “to parcel out” (as in food).  Again, we see the notion of casting seed or food to nourish and strengthen the flock or fold.  Like the Hebrew word “Torah,” the Greek word nomos came to be understood as “teaching,” “instruction,” “prescription,” and, eventually, “regulation.”  In the Vulgate (the Latin version of the Bible), the Hebrew word “Torah” and the Greek word nomos were translated as lex, which means “law.”  It is, therefore, from the Greek and Latin that we received the translation of the word “Torah” as “law.”

 

While the Hebrew word “Torah” generally means “instruction,” “teaching,” or “revelation” when it is particularly applied to the revelation given to Moses and the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, we should understand it to specifically mean “the revelation and instruction” of YHWH, the Sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe and the suzerain partner in the covenant with the children of Israel.  Understanding that the Torah is the revelation of the image of YHWH is critical to understanding our role in the covenant.  What YHWH gave to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai amounts to YHWH’S self-portrait.  The character, nature, and image of YHWH are revealed within the various statutes, ordinances, commandments, judgments, rituals, and distinctions contained within the Torah.  When the children of Israel live the Torah, they embody the characteristics of the Sovereign Creator and manifest Him in the world.  Israel has been called to become the means by which YHWH will restore His image in the world – the image that was lost at the fall of Adam and Chava.  Let us recall that Adam was created to be the very image of YHWH.

 

And Elohim said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  ²⁷So Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim created He him; male and female created He them.  ²⁸And Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26-28 KJV)

 

After Adam and Chava ate of the fruit of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they became their own elohim (authority).  Their eyes were opened, and they began judging for themselves what seemed right and good to them.  Mixing the revelation knowledge received from the Spirit Creator with their own sensually gained knowledge, Adam and Chava corrupted themselves and desecrated and distorted the image of YHWH.  Adam and Chava no longer manifested the image of YHWH; rather, they manifested the image of fallen man.

 

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. (Genesis 5:3 KJV)

 

We will talk more of this concept in a moment.  For now, however, let us finish our task of defining a few additional Hebrew words in the text.

 

Throughout the book of Devarim Moses uses several other important words we should understand: statutes or chukkim (chet, kof, yud, mem), judgments or mishpatim (mem, shin, pey, tet, yud, mem), commandments or mitzvot (mem, tsade, vav, tav), and testimonies or edut (ayin, dalet, vav, tav).  Jeffrey H. Tigay gives very concise definitions of these important terms.

 

Hebrew chuqqim and mishpatim.  Moses refers to the commandments by several terms, usually two or more at a time.  In addition to these two, he uses mitzvah, “commandment” (v. 2) and ‘edot, rendered “decrees” (v. 45).  Etymologically, they all have distinct meanings.  Chuqqim is derived from the root ch-q-q, “engrave,” and is thought to refer to engraved laws or decrees; it might well be rendered as “prescriptions.”  Mishpatim are rules issued by a judge (shofet) or a ruler (also shofet).  Mitsvah, from ts-v-h, “command,” is literally a “command(ment)” (the translation often renders it as “instruction”). ‘Edot refers to the terms or stipulations of a treaty (‘edut) imposed by a suzerain on a vassal (the related term in Aramaic and Akkadian favors this interpretation over the view—homiletically attractive in its own right—that ‘edot means “testimonies” in the sense that the commandments are evidence of God’s covenant with Israel).  In actual usage, Moses employs the terms without distinction, just as English uses phrases like “rules and regulations” and “laws and ordinances.”

 

In traditional Jewish exegesis, chuqqim and mishpatim are understood as referring to two broad categories of commandments.  Mishpatim are thought to be laws whose purpose is evident and which people would have derived even if God had never commanded them, such as the prohibition on murder and theft.  Chuqqim are understood to be commandments like the dietary laws, for which the reason is not obvious, and which people tend to question; these must be obeyed as expressions of divine sovereignty.[3]

 

In many passages of Scripture these words are used poetically and, therefore, interchangeably without distinction.  Possibly of greater importance than the specific definition of each word is the purpose of its mention.  Moses uses these words in conjunction with three additional very specific words.

 

Now therefore hearken (shema), O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do (la’asot) them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you.  ²Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep (lishmor) the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2 KJV)

 

The first command Moses gives to Israel in our portion is “to hearken,” “to listen,” or “to hear” what YHWH is teaching them through the various statutes, ordinances, judgments, distinctions, commandments, and narratives given in the Torah.  This command “to hear” is not simply meant to call the assembly to passive or quiet attentiveness; rather, it is a call for Israel to take what is about to be said to heart.  “To listen” in the biblical sense of the word is to genuinely engage oneself in the act of active listening.  “To hear” in such a fashion is to open one’s heart, mind, and soul to receiving what is about to be given.  It is precisely this type of “hearing” that Yeshua referred to when he declared:

 

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 11:15 KJV)

 

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:9 KJV)

 

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:43 KJV)

 

To fulfill the commandment “to hear,” the believer must listen with the intent to take what is heard to heart, to do what is heard, and to allow the Word of YHWH to transform his or her life.  In his teaching on the commandment to sanctify the Sabbath, Martin Luther teaches that the Sabbath is sanctified by the reading and hearing of the Word of YHWH.  Luther laments, however, that so many in the church do not rightly “hear” the Word.  Luther writes:

 

Since so much depends on God’s Word that no holy day is sanctified without it, we must realize that God insists upon a strict observance of this commandment and will punish all who despise his Word and refuse to hear it and learn it, especially at the times appointed.  Therefore, this commandment is violated not only by those who grossly misuse and desecrate the holy day, like those who in their greed or frivolity neglect to hear God’s Word or lie around in taverns dead drunk like swine, but also by that multitude of others who listen to God’s Word as they would to any other entertainment, who only from force of habit go to hear preaching and depart again with as little knowledge of the Word at the end of the year as at the beginning.[4]

 

The children of Israel are not to mechanically hear Moses’ words as though listening to a weather report; rather, they are to make these words a part of the very fabric of their beings.  These words are, in fact, to be written upon their very hearts and souls and manifested in their every action.

 

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith YHWH, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:33 KJV)

 

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. (Psalm 51:6 KJV)

 

Therefore shall ye lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. (Deuteronomy 11:18 KJV)

 

Keep My commandments, and live; and My law as the apple of thine eye.  ³Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. (Proverbs 7:2-3 KJV)

 

Moses warns the children of Israel not to let these words depart from their hearts.

 

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons. (Deuteronomy 4:9 KJV)

 

To hear as Moses commands and YHWH desires is to be penetrated by the very Word – to allow the Word to cut us to the quick – to convict us, inspire us, and move us to obedience and love.

 

For the word of Elohim is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

 

Such genuine listening will always bear fruit.  The evidence of such listening will be seen in transformed lives and in obedience to the very Word that pierces to the heart and soul of the believer.  We should understand that the intent of such “hearing” is action or manifestation.  This intent of our listening is made evident in Moses’ command.

 

Now therefore hearken (shema), O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do (la’asot) them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you.  ²Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep (lishmor) the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2 KJV)

 

We are not merely to listen for the sake of hearing what YHWH has to say; we are also to listen for the sake of “doing” and becoming the Word.  The Hebrew word asah (ayin, sin, hey), in its broadest sense, means “to make” or “to do.”  As the apostles Shaul and James make very clear, we are not only to be “hearers” of the Word but also “doers” of the Word.

 

For not the hearers of the law are just before Elohim, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (Romans 2:13 KJV)

 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  ²³For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (James 1:22-24 KJV)

 

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?  Can faith save him?  ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:14-18 KJV)

 

Yeshua taught that what comes out of a man is proof of what is in his heart.

 

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  ²¹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²²thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: ²³all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23 KJV)

 

If we have genuinely “heard” the Word of YHWH and allowed the Spirit of the Holy One to write the Word upon our hearts, then what we “do” should be reflective of what is in our hearts.  Our actions will be consistent with and obedient to the Word of YHWH we have “heard.”  In his book Christ the Center, Dietrich Bonhoeffer talks of Messiah as the “counter-logos” or “counter-word” to the word of man.  Man can only speak or do one word; therefore, for one word to be spoken, the other word must be silenced.  Since Yeshua is the “Word made flesh,” Bonhoeffer writes:

 

There are only two ways possible of encountering Jesus: man must die or he must put Jesus to death.[5]

 

For Bonhoeffer, the whole story of Yeshua’s death and resurrection is explained by the conflict of these two words.  The crucifixion is man’s attempt to silence the Word of YHWH once and for all time.  The resurrection, however, is YHWH having the last and eternal Word!  In the resurrection of Messiah, the word of man is rendered impotent and silent.  In relation to our portion we should realize that to hear the Word of YHWH is to silence our own word, taking it to the cross in Messiah and allowing the Word of YHWH to be not only inscribed upon our hearts but also manifested in our lives and deeds.  When we “hear” and “do” in this manner, we become members of the body of Messiah, the very Word become flesh.  When we “hear” and “do,” we, as members of the body of Messiah, become the manifestation and embodiment of the image of YHWH in the world.

 

The last implied command given in the opening two verses of our portion is found in the Hebrew word shamar (shin, mem, resh).  The word shamar is often translated as “observe,” as in the following passages:

 

And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. (Genesis 37:11 KJV)

 

And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. (Exodus 12:17 KJV)

 

Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. (Exodus 34:11 KJV)

 

Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and My bread for My sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto Me, shall ye observe to offer unto Me in their due season. (Numbers 28:2 KJV)

 

Just as “hearing” is not a passive venture but an active one, so also is “observing.”  The covenant is not a spectator sport.  To “observe,” as it relates to the Hebrew word shamar, is better understood in the sense of a shepherd “observing” or “watching over” his flock to guard or protect it.  The shepherd could be described as “keeping” his flock.  This is the essence of Moses’ command to “keep” the commandments.  We are not only to “hear” the words and “do” them; we are also to “keep watch” over them and “protect” them from tampering, defilement, corruption, and mixture.  Moses states very clearly how we are to protect the Torah.

 

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you.  ²Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2 KJV)

 

From what are we to protect the Torah?  We are to protect the Torah from additions and subtractions.  The instructions of YHWH are not to be tampered with.  What YHWH revealed to Moses and the children of Israel at Mount Sinai is what He intended to reveal.  The terms and boundaries of the covenant are non-negotiable.  We are not to mix our sensually gained knowledge with that which we have received from the Spirit Creator.  We must protect the distinction between the Word of YHWH and the word of man, between what has been revealed by YHWH from what has been discerned, reasoned, and intuited by man.  There is a great difference between the Torah and the Talmud.  The Torah is the Word of YHWH.  The Talmud is a commentary of men’s reflections upon the Word of YHWH.  The children of Israel are to protect the Torah from such confusion, pollution, and mixture.  Neither pope nor priest nor preacher nor prophet has the authority to add to or take away from what YHWH has revealed.  This twofold prohibition against additions and subtractions is affirmed elsewhere in the Scriptures.

 

What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:32 KJV)

 

Thus saith YHWH; Stand in the court of YHWH’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in YHWH’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. (Jeremiah 26:2 KJV)

 

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, Elohim shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18 KJV)

 

Such prohibitions against tampering with the terms of a treaty or covenant were common in the literature of the Ancient Near East.  We observe a similar prohibition at the end of the Hammurabi law code.

 

I, Hammurabi, am the king of justice, to whom Shamash committed law.  My words are choice; my deeds have no equal; it is only to the fool that they are empty; to the wise they stand forth as an object of wonder.  If that man heeded my words which I wrote on my stela, and did not rescind my law, had not distorted my words, did not alter my statutes, may Shamash make that man reign as long as I, the king of justice; may he shepherd his people in justice!  If that man did not heed my words which I wrote on my stela, and disregarded my curses, and did not fear the curses of the elohim, but has abolished the law which I enacted, has distorted my words, has altered my statutes, effaced my name inscribed (thereon), and has written his own name, (or) he has commissioned another (to do so) because of the curses—as for that man, whether king or lord, or governor, or person of any rank, may mighty Anum, the father of the elohim, who proclaimed my reign, deprive him of the glory of sovereignty, may he break his scepter, may he curse his fate![6]

 

While such prohibitions are intended to protect the covenant boundaries, we need to understand clearly why YHWH has given this prohibition against adding to or subtracting from the Torah.  Scholars have long recognized that the Torah is not a complete legal system.  In other words, the Torah does not contain laws concerning every little detail of life.  There is nothing in the Torah concerning computers, microwaves, automobiles, and the like.  If we take these prohibitions against adding to and subtracting from the Torah in a narrow sense, any attempt to make application of the Torah to modern invention would be a violation of these prohibitions.  Concerning the nature of this prohibition, Peter C. Craigie writes:

 

In its immediate context, however, the injunction relates to the law which Moses was about to present to the people (not to the book of Deuteronomy per se).  It was the law, the gift of God at Horeb, that could not be supplemented or reduced.  This did not mean, however, that there could be no further revelation from God; the promise of a prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15-18) pointed forward beyond the present situation.[7]

 

Craigie likewise points out that this prohibition is speaking of the spirit or essence of the instruction and not the letter of the Torah.

 

Note too that the reference is to the essence of the law, not to the letter of the law.  For example, the Decalog, as presented in Deut. 5, is worded differently at several points from its presentation in Exod. 20, but the essence of the law is quite clear and the same in both chapters.  An example of how the law could be falsely adapted is shown clearly in the teaching of Yeshua (Mark 7:9-13).[8]

 

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of Elohim, that ye may keep your own tradition.  ¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: ¹¹but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.  ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³making the word of Elohim of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:9-13 KJV)

 

Here we should likewise note that the principle of the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law was part of keeping the Torah from the time of Moses.  The children of Israel have always been called to hear, do, and keep the spirit of the Torah rather than the letter.  Contrary to what many Christians have been taught, this does not mean, of course, that we totally disregard what is written.   It does mean, however, that we must look for the reason and purpose for which the Creator issued a certain judgment, statute, ordinance, commandment, or decree.  As is true for any legal library, there cannot possibly be a specific law or ruling for every potential situation and circumstance in life.  Therefore, we look for the essence of a particular law and then make application to various circumstances as it is appropriate.

 

The same is also true of the Torah.  We are always searching for the intent or heart of the Creator as it is revealed in the specific revelations of the Torah.  We then seek to make practical and appropriate applications of the essence or spirit of the Torah in our present circumstances.

 

Jeffrey H. Tigay likewise addresses this apparent contradiction in the prohibitions not to add to or subtract from the Torah.

 

As noted in the introduction, the laws of Deuteronomy, like those of the Torah as a whole, are not a complete code that could have sufficed to govern all areas of life.  Important subjects, such as commerce, civil damages, and marriage are covered insufficiently or not at all.  Further laws were obviously necessary.  In order to prevent paralysis and leave room for necessary legal innovations, Jewish legal exegesis had to subject this verse to very narrow interpretations, to the effect that no prophet may add laws claiming that they are in the Torah or that God has instructed him to do so, nor may private individuals add or subtract details in any of the commandments, nor may the total number of commandments recognized as biblical be changed.  By restricting the scope of the present verse, these interpretations left wide parameters for legislation and innovative interpretation.

 

Actually, the present verse does not seem intended to stymie legal innovation.  In context, Moses seems to have but a single issue in mind.  As noted above, when he speaks of “the exhortation, the laws, and the norms,” he often seems to be referring particularly to the commandments of accepting the Lord alone as God and worshipping no idols.  As noted by Hazzekuni, this seems to be the case with the prohibition of adding to or subtracting from the laws.  This prohibition appears twice in the biblical law, and in each case it is connected with warnings against the worship of other gods and other pagan practices.  In 13:1 (Eng. 12:32) it follows a warning not to imitate pagan practices and precedes a prohibition against following a prophet who claims that the Lord has commanded Israel to worship additional gods.  Here it precedes a reminder that all who worshipped another god perished.  Evidently, then, in both passages the prohibition is invoked to stress that one may not nullify the first commandment of the Decalogue by adding a commandment ordaining the worship of additional gods.[9]

 

While protecting the Torah from man’s innovations, additions, subtractions, and corruptions is important to the preservation of the continuity of faith throughout the generations of the children of Israel, these prohibitions also serve a much greater purpose.  Hazzekuni, as quoted by Tigay, gives a glimpse of this greater purpose.  Hazzekuni rightly points out that in the book of Deuteronomy, both instances of this protective prohibition are connected to idolatry and pagan worship.  In Deuteronomy 12 these verses conclude a larger prohibition against adopting pagan practices in the worship of YHWH.

 

When YHWH thy Elohim shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; ³⁰take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their elohim, saying, How did these nations serve their elohim?  Even so will I do likewise.  ³¹Thou shalt not do so unto YHWH thy Elohim: for every abomination to YHWH, which He hateth, have they done unto their elohim; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their elohim.  ³²What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32 KJV)

 

In our portion this protective prohibition precedes the recollection of Israel’s apostasy with Baalpeor, where the children of Israel violated the covenant with YHWH by committing whoredom with the women and elohim of Moab.

 

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you.  ³Your eyes have seen what YHWH did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, YHWH thy Elohim hath destroyed them from among you.  ⁴But ye that did cleave unto YHWH your Elohim are alive every one of you this day. (Deuteronomy 4:2-4 KJV)

 

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.  ²And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their elohim: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their elohim.  ³And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel. (Numbers 25:1-3 KJV)

 

The connection between the protective prohibition against adding or subtracting from the Torah and idolatrous pagan practices is no accident.  As we have already stated at the beginning of this study, the Torah is the self-revelation or self-portrait of YHWH.  Within the various statutes, ordinances, judgments, commandments, distinctions, and narratives, the will and character of YHWH are revealed.  When the children of Israel “hear,” “do,” and “keep” these statutes, ordinances, judgments, commandments, distinctions, and narratives, they embody in their lives the very image of YHWH.  In other words, by willingly, lovingly, and obediently embodying the words of the Torah, the children of Israel manifest YHWH in their world.  To add to or subtract from the revelation given to Moses and the children of Israel at Mount Sinai would be to add to or subtract from the very image of YHWH.  To alter the image of YHWH is to present a false image of YHWH in the world.  A false image, whether of stone, wood, metal, or flesh, is still a false image – an idol.

 

We should note that at the very heart of this portion is the repeated prohibition against making an idol or false image of YHWH.  Throughout the opening chapters of the book of Devarim, Moses’ discourse has been historical in nature.  In this portion Moses continues to recall the events of the past.  However, in recalling the events that took place at Mount Sinai, Moses emphasizes the fact that the children of Israel heard the voice of YHWH for themselves but did not see His image.

 

And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.  ¹²And YHWH spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. (Deuteronomy 4:11-12 KJV)

 

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that YHWH spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: ¹⁶lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, ¹⁸the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: ¹⁹and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which YHWH thy Elohim hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.  ²⁰But YHWH hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. (Deuteronomy 4:15-20 KJV)

 

And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because YHWH descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.  ¹⁹And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and Elohim answered him by a voice. (Exodus 19:18-19 KJV)

 

This dramatic scene had a very profound effect upon the children of Israel.

 

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.  ¹⁹And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.  ²⁰And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for Elohim is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. (Exodus 20:18-20 KJV)

 

Let us recall that when Adam and Chava were hiding in the Garden of Eden, they heard the voice of YHWH walking in the Garden, but they saw no image.

 

And they heard the voice of YHWH Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of YHWH Elohim amongst the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8 KJV)

 

In the story of the golden calf incident many of the children of Israel were guilty of violating this very prohibition against making any molten or graven image of YHWH.  Those who died in Moab were those who worshipped Baalpeor.  Likewise, those who died at Sinai were those who worshipped another elohim.  It is possible, however, that those who did not die at Sinai were those who sinned by making an image of YHWH.

 

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us elohim, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. (Exodus 32:1 KJV)

 

And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to YHWH. (Exodus 32:5 KJV)

 

Let us distinguish here between the prohibition against making an image of YHWH and the prohibition against worshipping the manufactured images of other false elohim.

 

When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of YHWH thy Elohim, to provoke Him to anger… (Deuteronomy 4:25 KJV)

 

And YHWH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither YHWH shall lead you.  ²⁸And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. (Deuteronomy 4:27-28 KJV)

 

We should note that it was YHWH who commanded the death of those who intended to worship other elohim in the story of the golden calf at Sinai, and it was YHWH who purged Israel of those who worshipped Baalpeor.

 

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on YHWH’S side?  Let him come unto me.  And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.  ²⁷And he said unto them, Thus saith YHWH Elohim of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.  ²⁸And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (Exodus 32:26-28 KJV)

 

Your eyes have seen what YHWH did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, YHWH thy Elohim hath destroyed them from among you. (Deuteronomy 4:3 KJV)

 

By removing the polluters from the body of Israel, YHWH protected His name and image.  By purging idolaters from among His people, YHWH protects the testimony of Israel to the nations.

 

While we often focus specifically upon the covenant relationship between Israel and YHWH, we must not lose sight of the fact that Israel’s calling is to be a witness to the nations.  By keeping the Torah, Israel is to be the manifest presence of the image of YHWH in the world.  The scope of YHWH’S interest is not only upon Israel; it is also upon the nations.  YHWH’S interest in Israel is for a greater purpose.

 

Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: ⁶and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.  These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:5-6 KJV)

 

In our portion Moses points to Israel’s calling to be a testimony to the nations.

 

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.  ⁷For what nation is there so great, who hath Elohim so nigh unto them, as YHWH our Elohim is in all things that we call upon Him for?  ⁸And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? (Deuteronomy 4:6-8 KJV)

 

These verses are to remind the children of Israel of their calling to be a light to the Gentiles.  By their obedience to the Torah, the nations are to be provoked to jealousy.  These verses are also designed to show Israel the wisdom and benefit of keeping the Torah and the futility of worshipping idols that cannot see, hear, speak, or help them.

 

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.  ⁵They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: ⁶they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: ⁷they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.  ⁸They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. (Psalm 115:4-8 KJV)

 

Moses repeatedly warns the children of Israel of the danger of forgetting YHWH, violating the covenant, and falling to the temptation of making idols of YHWH or, even worse, putting one’s faith in a mirage of impotent idols.

 

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that YHWH spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: ¹⁶lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, ¹⁸the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: ¹⁹and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which YHWH thy Elohim hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.  ²⁰But YHWH hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. (Deuteronomy 4:15-20 KJV)

 

Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of YHWH your Elohim, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which YHWH thy Elohim hath forbidden thee. (Deuteronomy 4:23 KJV)

 

When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of YHWH thy Elohim, to provoke Him to anger: ²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.  ²⁷And YHWH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither YHWH shall lead you.  ²⁸And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. (Deuteronomy 4:25-28 KJV)

 

The children of Israel saw no similitude of YHWH at Horeb; therefore, they are not to make for themselves an image of YHWH, nor are they to bow down and worship an image of another elohim.  Instead, Israel is to hear, do, and keep the Torah just as it was received at Horeb.  By obedience to the covenant, the children of Israel manifest the living image of the living Elohim in the world.

 

Moses makes it very clear that the reason Israel is being given the land of their inheritance is because of YHWH’S love for their fathers.

 

And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt; ³⁸to drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 4:37-38 KJV)

 

However, the children of Israel are being given the land so that they can live under YHWH’S reign, keep His covenant, and manifest His image in the world.

 

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you. (Deuteronomy 4:1 KJV)

 

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. (Deuteronomy 4:5 KJV)

 

And YHWH commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. (Deuteronomy 4:14 KJV)

 

Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that YHWH He is Elohim in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.  ⁴⁰Thou shalt keep therefore His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, for ever. (Deuteronomy 4:39-40 KJV)

 

While the reason for YHWH giving the land to the children of Israel is love, the purpose of the land is clearly for the keeping of the covenant and the manifesting of the image of YHWH.  While obedience to the covenant affords Israel the privilege of living in the land of promise, disobedience results in exile from the land of Torah.

 

When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of YHWH thy Elohim, to provoke Him to anger: ²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.  ²⁷And YHWH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither YHWH shall lead you.  ²⁸And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. (Deuteronomy 4:25-28 KJV)

 

Moses encourages the Israelites to a life of obedience in the land not only by showing the futility of worshipping empty and impotent idols and receiving the admiration of other nations but also by pointing to some very specific blessings as rewards for obedience.  Moses points out that if the children of Israel follow the protocol as revealed in the Torah, the Sovereign Creator of the universe is able to draw near to them and fellowship with them.  If the children of Israel keep the distinctions revealed in the Torah and live in a state of tahor (acceptable for being the image of YHWH), then they can draw near to the Holy One and call upon Him in time of need.

 

For what nation is there so great, who hath Elohim so nigh unto them, as YHWH our Elohim is in all things that we call upon Him for? (Deuteronomy 4:7 KJV)

 

Moses also points to the fact that the laws of YHWH are both righteous and just.  Where the Torah is kept, people live in and enjoy righteous justice.

 

And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? (Deuteronomy 4:8 KJV)

 

Moses also reminds the children of Israel that life is to be found in keeping the Torah.

 

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.  ¹⁵See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; ¹⁶in that I command thee this day to love YHWH thy Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and YHWH thy Elohim shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.  ¹⁷But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other elohim, and serve them; ¹⁸I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.  ¹⁹I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. (Deuteronomy 30:14-19 KJV)

 

And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.  ⁴⁷For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. (Deuteronomy 32:46-47 KJV)

 

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which YHWH Elohim of your fathers giveth you. (Deuteronomy 4:1 KJV)

 

Moses indicates clearly that Israel is to find her life in the Torah.  Note that in the first verse of our portion Moses is speaking to the whole community of Israel, as is indicated by the use of the second person plural pronoun “ye.”  Many people ask me what my favorite English Bible translation is.  I prefer the King James Version for several reasons.  One of the reasons I prefer this “archaic” translation is because it still distinguishes between the second person singular and the second person plural.  In modern English, “you” is used to indicate both the second person singular and plural.  Only the context hints at which is intended.  In the King James Version the pronouns that begin with “y” are plural, while the pronouns that begin with “t” are singular.  Ye, you, your, and yours are all plural.  Thee, thou, and thine are all singular.

 

In the opening verse of our portion it is important to recognize that Moses is speaking to the community of Israel, as is indicated by the pronoun “ye.”  Understanding this is critical to understanding what Moses is teaching when he says, “that YE may live.”  Contrary to what many have been taught, Moses is not teaching that one’s individual life and salvation are found in keeping the Torah.  Moses is teaching, however, that Israel’s life as a nation and a people is found in keeping the Torah.  As long as Israel is keeping the Torah, the people and nation of Israel shall live.  If Israel stops keeping the Torah and begins worshipping idols and other elohim, they will be scattered and assimilated among the nations and recognized no more.  Thus, Israel lives (individual Israelites) by keeping the Torah.

 

It is interesting to note that Moses uses the second person plural “ye” throughout Devarim 4:1-28.  In Devarim 4:29-40 we see that Moses switches to the second person singular “thou.”  This transition comes precisely after the passage discussing the children of Israel being scattered from the land because of their violation of the Torah.

 

And YHWH shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither YHWH shall lead you.  ²⁸And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.  ²⁹But if from thence thou shalt seek YHWH thy Elohim, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.  ³⁰When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to YHWH thy Elohim, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; ³¹(for YHWH thy Elohim is a merciful Elohim;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:27-31 KJV)

 

The reason for the change of pronouns is very evident in the text.  As long as the children of Israel are obedient to the covenant, they are a people and a nation serving together as the manifest presence of the image of YHWH in the world.  However, once they violate the covenant and are scattered, they are individual Israelites, no longer a nation or a people.  Again, let me emphasize that it is Israel as a nation and a people that lives by keeping the covenant.  The fruit of disobedience to the covenant is to be scattered among the nations, who worship idols and impotent objects.  If Israel as a nation and a people begins to live like the pagan nations, YHWH will simply scatter them among the nations to live.  If, however, these individual, scattered Israelites come to understanding while in exile, and if the individual, isolated Israelites repent and obey the voice of YHWH, then the Sovereign One will remember His covenant and show mercy to the children of Israel.

 

When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to YHWH thy Elohim, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; ³¹(for YHWH thy Elohim is a merciful Elohim;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:30-31 KJV)

 

Moses then calls upon those who may end up in exile to remember what YHWH did for their ancestors when they were in Egypt.  These words serve a dual purpose – remembering the past and looking forward to the future in a sense of promise.  If exiled Israel is willing to repent and obey the voice of YHWH, He is capable of delivering them from the lands of their exile and once more establishing them as a great nation.

 

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that Elohim created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?  ³³Did ever people hear the voice of Elohim speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?  ³⁴Or hath Elohim assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that YHWH your Elohim did for you in Egypt before your eyes?  ³⁵Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that YHWH He is Elohim; there is none else beside Him.  ³⁶Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee: and upon earth He shewed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out of the midst of the fire.  ³⁷And because He loved thy fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in His sight with His mighty power out of Egypt; ³⁸to drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.  ³⁹Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that YHWH He is Elohim in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.  ⁴⁰Thou shalt keep therefore His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, for ever. (Deuteronomy 4:32-40 KJV)

 

Israel’s faith is based upon experience.  It should not surprise us, therefore, that throughout this portion Moses recalls two extremely dominant experiences in the history of Israel – the Exodus from Egypt and the encounter with YHWH at Mount Sinai.  These two defining moments are not to be forgotten.  It was the exodus from Egypt that brought Israel out of the bondage of the pollution of Egypt with a great deliverance.  Through the plagues, miracles, and defeat of Pharaoh and his chariots, YHWH revealed His strength to the Israelites.  At Mount Sinai YHWH revealed His glory and holiness.  During the exodus YHWH revealed His love for Israel, and at Mount Sinai He bound Himself in love to those He had redeemed from bondage.  All that the children of Israel had experienced in the exodus, the wilderness journey, and at Mount Sinai was to build their faith to the point where it would be strong enough for them to enter and take possession of the land of promise and fulfill their calling to restore and manifest the image of YHWH in the world.

 

To this end Moses charges parents to teach their children this sacred history.  Every parent is responsible to teach the next generation lest they forget where they came from, how they came to be in the land of promise, and that Elohim is responsible for their existence.

 

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; ¹⁰specially the day that thou stoodest before YHWH thy Elohim in Horeb, when YHWH said unto me, Gather Me the people together, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. (Deuteronomy 4:9-10 KJV)

 

Just as Moses taught the children of Israel, so parents are to teach their children.  We should note that this command to teach is directly connected to Moses’ commands to “hear,” “do,” and “keep” the commandments.  In other words, we are to teach our children not merely by reading Bible stories to them but also by living out the Torah in their presence.  As we have observed many times throughout our study of the Torah, the mikra and moadim, the holy appointed rehearsals, are to be lived out in a yearly cycle so that every generation can experience the events they memorialize.  By celebrating Passover and Chag HaMatzot, each generation has the opportunity to experience the events of Israel’s great deliverance for themselves.  At Shavuot, the children of Israel recall the events at Sinai when YHWH gave the Torah and entered into the marriage covenant with the children of Israel.  Likewise, at Yom Teruah, the children of Israel recall the sound of the great shofars that sounded on Mount Sinai as YHWH drew near to them.  At Sukkot, the children of Israel once more build their sukkot and relive the wilderness crossing.  Faith is built not merely by reading ancient stories of what YHWH did for our ancestors but also by experiencing YHWH’S miraculous and loving reality in our lives today.  By recalling the past, we are able to know the character of YHWH and, therefore, more readily recognize Him in our lives today.  Parents, therefore, are responsible to help their children recognize YHWH’S living presence in their lives so that they may remain faithful to worship YHWH and YHWH alone.

 

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[1] The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy, Jeffrey H. Tigay, Jewish Publication Society, Pg. xii

[2] The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D., Thomas Nelson Publishers, Pg. 532

[3] The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy, Jeffrey H. Tigay, Jewish Publication Society, Pg. 43

[4] The book of Concord,  Theodore G. Tappert, Editor, “The Large Catechism,” Martin Luther, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Pg. 378

[5] Christ the Center, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, New York, Harper & Row, Pg. 35

[6] Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, Edited by James B. Pritchard, Princeton University Press, Pp. 178-179

[7] The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Deuteronomy, Peter C. Craigie, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Pp. 129-130

[8] Ibid., Pg. 130

[9] The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy, Jeffrey H. Tigay, Jewish Publication Society, Pp. 43-44