09/04/2026
Nitzavim/Standing-Vayelech/And He Went
Deut.29:9(10)-31:30, Is.61:10-63:9, Mat.16:1-12.
This week’s double portion is nearing the end of Moses’ life and ministry and some of what he felt were the most important word he could leave for them to remember. The message was not for them only but is also for us today. Moses refers back to the covenant made at Mt. Sini and picks back up on his statement in Deu. 5:2-3 “Yah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. “Yah did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. An eternal covenant, With the living from generation to generation and all inclusive. Native born and grafted alike, the leaders to the servants included. The covenant is not with the dead but with the living, generation to generation. As each generation passes, the covenant does not die with them but is perpetually renewed with the present generation. As Moses continues It seems that he is suggesting the purpose for going through the nations was to see that their immorality displeased Yah so that they would not repeat it. But people are people, and God knows it, so he addresses the human nature. “so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’. The thinking is that one might misappropriate the dialog between Abraham and God to assume he will still benefit from the righteous in the community and be blessed even though he sins. “It rains on the just and the unjust.” It could also be understood to be implying that it takes only one unrighteous person to bring down a society. Bad company corrupts good morals. The chapter closes with a cryptic verse. “The secret things belong to Yah our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. It is thought that this could be understood as hidden sins are for God to deal with but those that are exposed are for us to handle. The first portion closes with an interesting declaration that defies modern thinking about the word of God called “the Law”. Yah your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love Yah your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. And you shall again obey the voice of Yah and keep all his commandments that I command you today. “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. In all the commanding to keep the covenant law of God, it is never said that it is what brings eternal life, but it is the substance of this life. So it is not to gain life from the dead but to be alive and not dead spiritually in this life. Preparation/practice for the world to come when the Kingdom is reestablished on this Earth as it is in Heaven. Shaul/Paul affirms this. Rom 10:5-8. Jeramiah prophesied about the “New Covenant”, rather the “Renewal” of this same covenant with the promised circumcised heart from this portion. Jer.31:31-33.
In the second portion Moses is passing on the work of the ministry to Joshua before he leaves for his own graduation. The Kingdom was never meant for one man to carry, nor was it for just a short time that few generations could complete it. Only God is the constant participant from generation to generation. We serve for a time and then hand off to another to continue in partnership with God to bring his Kingdom to this world. Even in the world to come, we serve in a position for a time and pass it on to others. Like the Priesthood had 24 courses and each served their time in their course in rotation giving opportunity for full participation. Too often successive generations loose the commitment to the service and relationship in favor of self-desire and pleasures. God knowing our human nature addresses this tendency to wander from the way. When this happens God then brings punishment for rebellion and spiritual adultery. But God does not allow this to destroy his people but to bring about their repentance. Like a father disciplines his son to correct his behavior. Because this is our human nature we have repeated this falling away and will, till we die to self and live for our God and King in glorified bodies as Messiah is. It is this unfortunate reality that closes this portion when God informs Moses that when he is gone, the people will invoke the wrath of God for their rebellion against him. Not the most pleasant thought for Moses to depart on, but not one that would be uncommon. Paul and John (among others) would face the same news. Today things are no different. False doctrine, Replacement theology, Antisemitism, even seemingly a little can lead to great compromises and idolatry. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. What begins with small tweaks and “modernizing”, will become full rebellion given time and opportunity. We, not wanting to offend people, have allowed the adversary time and opportunity to spread falsehood, deception and lies. It’s time to return to the service of our God and King speaking truth against arguments and opinions raised against the truth, the word of God, where ever we have opportunity. Just because something is believed doesn’t make it the truth. And if the truth offends I’m sorry, but if it leads to repentance, for that I’m not sorry. 2Co 7:8-10
Mat 16:1-4 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
They asked for a sign, but he had given may signs and they could not or would not discern whom he represented from those signs. Could it be that they wanted an evidentiary sign that he endorsed one or the other of their group’s theology. Or to do as they do and show a sign that promoted himself and his own unique doctrine. They have shown respect for others who taught their own brand of what Torah observance looked like. Yeshua was not like them, creating his own interpretations and traditions, but he rather came to say what the father said and do what the father did. Nothing of his own initiative and will, except for one thing he was given authority to do on his own. Too mirror the sign of Jonah, Dyeing for three days and returning again to life. All other works were the copy of what God had done before for the nation and he taught God’s words unchanged because he came to restore covenant loyalty, neither adding to nor taking away from what God had said because it was perfect.
Mat 16:5-12 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Unfortunately today we have a longer list of denominational false doctrines to beware of, but if we continue in God’s word and spirit we will be equipped to recognize the lies of the adversaries.
