Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.5MB)
The Torah reading for this week’s Parasha is entitled Va ye lech which means (He went), it is taken from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31:1-30.
On the very day that Moses turned 120 years of age. He went before the whole of Israel. And spoke these words, “I can no longer go out, or come in, Adonai has said to me, that I shall not cross over this Jordan.”
Though Moses was passing from the scene, Israel still had a great future ahead of them, Moses gave some promising statements to that effect.
‘Adonai your God will go before you into the land. He will destroy the nations before you. You will take their land away from them. The Lord has chosen, Joshua to lead you.”
‘’Israel was commanded, to destroy the nations. They were to be strong, and bold, they were not to be afraid nor fearful, because The Lord God of Israel was going before them.
Moses said to Israel that the Lord, He will neither fail you, nor abandon you. Moses then gave Joshua the same charge that he had just given the people: Be strong and courageous, Joshua was not to be afraid or discouraged. He was also assured that The Lord would be with him just as he had been with Moses.
Moses, the great lawgiver understood that his time was short, so he put the final touches to the books of the law, then he gave them to the priest, and demanded that they should be read in the ears of all the people, in the years of the Jubilee, every seven years, during the feast of Tabernacles.
The reading of the law was to teach the people what the Word says, and to exhort Israel to fear and reverence, so that they would obey The Lord’s commands.
Today, the de-emphasis on the Word in our churches is making people ignorant to God’s commands, diminishing our reverence and our fear of God. Our disobedience to His commands is having a corrupting effect on a great many.
“The Lord said to Moses, “Now the time is near for you to die. Get Joshua and come to the Meeting Tent. I will tell Joshua what he must do.”
So, Moses and Joshua went to the Tabernacle. “The Lord appeared in the pillar of a cloud; the cloud pillar stood over the door of the tabernacle.”
Adonai informed Moses of the future rebellion of Israel. This rebellion would occur after Moses had passed from the scene.
Israel would turn their hearts from Adonai and begin worshiping pagan idols and provoke The Lord to anger.
When God gets angry, judgment time has come. “Many evils and many troubles would confront Israel” the nation will be severely afflicted because Adonai is a jealous God.
Verse 20, Moses is ordered to write a song, this song will be a witness for the Lord, this song will testify against Israel”.
The Lord can use history, prophecies, proverbs, but here, a song is used to exhort and educate His people.
This song would be a witness against Israel and against our inexcusable evils.
Some closing thoughts, the inability of Moses “to not” go over the Jordan, and the ability of Joshua, should be “well” noticed.
If we look at Moses as typical of the law, and Joshua as typical of Yeshua and his gospel: then we would see how impossible it was for the law to bring souls to God,
And how suited alone Yeshua is to bring his people into eternal life. The law made nothing perfect; but a better hope did, by which we draw near unto Messiah Yeshua. Heb 7:19.
Moses and Joshua have passed from the scene, but the plan of God is eternal. Therefore, he has raised up an eternal deliverer, leader, profit, priest, king, and Savior, in the person of Yeshua The Messiah.
God may hide his face from us for a season. 2 Chron 15:2 says, The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you look for The Lord, you will find Him. But if you leave Him, He will leave you.
So, if we repent, turn from our wickedness, confess our sins, seek him with our whole heart, and only remember that,
The Father promised It, Moses testified to it, Joshua witnessed it, Yesuha said it, “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” and The Holy Spirit is the living proof of it. I will never leave you nor ever for sake you.