Va’etchanen – And I pleaded

Deut 3:23–7:11; Isa 40:1–26; John 10:1–42

This Shabbat is called by the special name of Shabbat Nachamu (Sabbath of Comfort) and is taken from our Haftarah in Isaiah 40:1: “Nachamu, nachamu ami, amar Elo-hey-chem …“Comfort, comfort, my people, says your God.” These words introduce a theme right through to chapter 66 of a future restoration, redemption, comfort, and hope for Israel. God’s words of comfort for the Jewish people is ongoing because He never ceases to be Israel’s God despite their rebellion and exile. This is something staggering regarding God’s faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness because of His covenant promises: “He remains faithful even when we are unfaithful because He cannot deny Himself, (I.e., He cannot go back on His word). (2Tim 2:13)

Who is the one who comforts other than God Himself; it is rhetorical in form. And Yeshua defines the manifestation of His comfort through the One who is our comforter – the Holy Spirit: John 14:6“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, who shall testify of me.”

And God calls all believers as His representatives to do likewise through the Comforter who dwells within us – to be a comforter to others and to Israel and the Jewish people because thesis His heartbeat.

The Haftarah from Isaiah 40 is the first of 7 weekly portions of consolation leading to Yom Teruah. God’s words of comfort to those in exile strikes a chord in our heart because it exposes a love that will not let us go even when we stray from the path:

“Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”  (1–2)

Shabbat Nachamu is a counterbalance to the Book of Lamentations which states that  “…there is no one to comfort her [referring to the consequence of Israel’s rebellion]” (Lam 1:2, 9), yet Isaiah reveals that there is a hope even in the midst of rebellion resonating with the words: “Comfort, comfort my people.” And a short while later, He adds, “The Lord gives strength to the weary,” and further on “…they who wait for Adonai will renew their strength. They will soar up with wings as eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isa 40:29, 31). 

Isaiah prophecies a future time when Israel’s punishment will be complete, their exile will be no more and their iniquity will be removed.(Isa 40:2; Zech. 12:10)

These words apply also to each one of us in the here-and-now. Whatever our background or situation, however much we may have sinned, however downcast we may be or however far away from God we may feel— our God is committed to restore, heal and keep us. He is able to do far exceedingly above all we can ever hope or imagine. No situation is unredeemable to the almighty, omnipotent God who rules over all creation! This is our comfort and our encouragement!

God’s redemption precedes our repentance – before there is even a need to repent, He has provided the means by which we can receive His forgiveness – “the cure before the disease” – all through Yeshua: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1John 4:10)

So, on Shabbat Nachamu, we lift our heads, because no matter what is happening around us, His mercy abounds and reaches out towards those whose hearts seek Him even in the storm when our hearts are overwhelmed. So, “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees” (Isa.35:3) for “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace. (Eph 1:7) and the Letter of Titus reminds us that He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (3:5)

Several of the best known passages of Scripture in the Tanakh are in this week’s Torah Portion, including the Ten Commandments and the Shema: “Shema, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad, V’ahav’ta et Adonai Elohecha b’khol le-vav’cha uve’chol naf’sh’cha uve’chol me’odecha. (Heart, soul strength).

These foundational  words of Scriptures are written on a parchment and religious Jews place it in a small box worn on the forehead called tefillin (phylacteries), and also in small containers (mezuzot) that are placed on the doorposts of homes. This is to fulfil the command to, “Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”  (Deut 6:8–9) 

In this week’s parasha we read about the extraordinary event where Moshe pleads with God to enter Canaan yet was refused. He himself shares openly about it:

“Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying: ‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’””  (Deut 3:23–24)

According to Jewish tradition Moshe begged God 515 times, (the gematria for the word va’etchanan). Until that moment, God had always granted Moshe’s requests except for this occasion. At first glance, it may appear to us as harsh: “Enough! Never speak to Me again of this matter!” 

Moshe’s life was one that impressed even God who spoke to him as one speaks to a friend (Ex.33:11). Throughout Scripture there was no one who had the same level of intimacy with God, so close that He spoke to him ‘face to face’ meaning they walked in harmony with each other, just as close friends do. More so, Scripture refers to Moshe as “…very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.”Num 12:3

Here, at the end of his life all Moshe wanted was to cross over the river Jordan to briefly enjoy the fruit of his labours before he died. Yet God refused.

Many commentaries seek to explain this from an earlier incident in Num.20. The Israelites were dying of thirst in the desert where there they could find no water. Remember, they were led by the Shekinah glory and relying on Him to supply their needs but now it appeared He had abandoned them. So often, rebellion comes as a panic reaction when all our resources have evaporated and one’s survival seems at stake. At this point the Israelites complained, “We are surely all going to perish, there is no hope. God who is in control has failed us and so have all His promises.” When we face extreme circumstances, this is an easy trap to fall into and capitulate as countless examples throughout Scripture provide from godly and ungodly people alike. It is a human dilemma. When our hearts are overwhelmed, who do we place our trust in? The recent riots in KwaZulu Natal bear ample witness to this. Yet, remarkably, instead of caving in to the crisis, on this occasion we instead chose to stand in unity and trusted God when everything else was collapsing around us! 

In the incident here in Num.20 however, Moshe stood alone. His mistake was that he should have called upon God to bring water from the rock rather than striking it in a moment of total frustration, as if he himself were the source of power. But, why would God pronounce such a devastating judgement denying him entry into Canaan? Maybe, it is connected to spiritual authority. When much has been given to us, much will be required.

We find in Jewish literature numerous attempts to decipher meaning from this baffling incident. But maybe it simply reflects something hidden about the character of God that is beyond our understanding because His ways are infinitely higher than our own.

And maybe anyway it is nothing about Divine judgement but rather an illustration confirming that our dreams in life may sometimes remain unfulfilled or circumvented for which we have no answers to; (eg. remaining single, broken marriages, being childless, a life threatening event, a sudden death or other tragedy etc). 

Even as Moshe died with unfinished business on the table, his life was nonetheless complete. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day —and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2Tim. 4:7-8)

When the destiny that God has placed over our lives has been completed, He will hand the baton on to the next person as occurred here with Moshe. And in the interim, we draw ever closer to Him in living, intimate relationship. And so, “…whatever we do, in word or deed, (we) do in the name of Yeshua, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colos 3:17) 

Doing things “in the name of Yeshua” was never intended to be some kind of mystical formula. In the Hebrew it was a rabbinic term meaning “in the authority or likeness of.”  In many Jewish writings disciples of a rabbi would minister or teach in the authority or likeness of their rabbi and perform charitable works “in the name of” their rabbi. Likewise, we are called to be lights in this world that is encapsulated in the Shema included in this week’s parasha – “to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds and strength,” and in Lev. 19:18“to love your neighbour as yourself.” By focusing upon first love, the disciples carried the heart of God to the world and allowed nothing to daunt them.

This is how we take possession of the land as Moshe instructed the Israelites: “Now, Israel, listen to the laws and rulings I am teaching you, in order to follow them, so that you will live; then you will go in and take possession of the land that Adonai, the God of your fathers, is giving you.”  (Deut 4:1)

May we too take full possession of the Land for Yeshua taking strength and confidence in His promise to equip, sustain and nourish us through every circumstance and challenge we face as He moulds and transforms us into something beautiful for His praise and glory.

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