WordCovenant

In last week's entry titled "Words/Vision", we saw how the cultic practices of the Canaanites, who would be dispossessed from the Promised Land by the Israelites, used idols and false gods in their grasping of wealth and security. This Sabbath's reading titled Va-etchannan, or "And I besought (the LORD)", is from Deuteronomy Chapters 3 through 6. In this reading portion, Moses told the Israelites that their lives, their sustenance and much more was available to God's people by knowing and loving Him and observing His Word. God Himself delivered His Word to them in an awesome appearance on Mt. Sinai in the wilderness. This giving of His Word to His people formed a covenant unlike any covenant that had been known to their fathers before them. Moses said: "The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb (location of Mt. Sinai). The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire." (Deut. 5:2-4). As Moses reminded the Israelites in these few verses of the circumstances involved in the giving of the Word-covenant by God to His people, the awesome power of this Word-covenant is revealed in the Hebrew words and meanings used here. First of all, the Word-covenant was delivered to them in Horeb. Horeb means "desert, dried up, kill, destroyer, waste, slay, decayed, absence of water, to fight". This Word-covenant was given right in the middle of a place of death, that is unable to sustain life, which was the territory of the destroyer. It was given to those who are "alive", or hay/haya/hava in Hebrew, meaning "live, life, creature, living thing, sustenance, maintenance, flowing fresh water, revival, renewal/save, revive, recover, live, live forever, sustain life, live prosperously, be restored to life or health, to revive from death, faintness, or discouragement, to preserve alive, nourish, be whole/declare, make known, to breathe". God's Word-covenant speaks life, including eternal life, even in the habitation of the destroyer and death. God delivered this covenant to His people face to face, in the midst of fire (es - supernatural fire accompanying the visible manifestation of God to humankind; altar fire). Perhaps God delivered this Word-covenant, which was unlike any other previous covenant, in such an earthshaking display of never-to-be-forgotten power and personal presence because, at a later time, His Word would become flesh and dwell among us, full of grace and truth in the form of His only begotten Son, Jesus, our Savior and Messiah (Jn. 1:14). Jesus also said to those questioning Him: "You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (Jn. 5:39). The Canaanite idols, and the world's current idols of wealth, military and political security and power, and dependence upon men's knowledge and understanding are laughable when contrasted with the kind of power imbedded in God's Word-covenant, which He delivered face to face with His people from the midst of fire. Moses told the Israelites to know and observe God's commands and statutes "that you may live" (see also Jn. 6:63, Ps. 119:25), and "take possession of the land" (Deut. 4:1). He also said: "...be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes", and as a result determine that Israel is a great nation not only because of that wisdom and understanding, but because God is so near to it. (Deut. 4:6-7). Do we have this same Word-covenant with God that causes others to see wisdom and understanding in us? to see the nearness of God to us? There were other benefits from this Word-covenant with God. Moses said that the observance of this Word-covenant would prolong their days (see also Prov. 3:1-2), and they would be multiplied greatly (Deut. 6:2-3). They would dwell in large and beautiful cities that they had not built (see also Heb. 11:10). In addition, the observers of the Word-covenant would have "houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant..."> (Deut. 6:11). These are blessings not achieved by human effort, but out of the bountifulness of God's Word-covenant with His people. However, His people, as they were filled and prospered, were not to forget the LORD Who delivered them out of Egypt, and out of bondage (v. 12). In prosperity and fullness, it is easy to fall into the trap of forgetting Who has given us everything that we have (see Rev. 3:14-19). In these chapters from Deuteronomy, Moses restated the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-21). These same Ten Commandments are being removed from public display in our nation because of the fear of some people's complaints. It seems, based upon what we have read above, that it would be far better to offend people with the truth, than to offend the LORD God Who appears to us face to face from the midst of fire. Moses (and Jesus) also told the congregation this: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." (Deut. 6:4-6, Mt. 22:37-38). It is not enough to read the Words, or even to speak the Words, but they must become part of our hearts in order for us to observe them, and for them to produce life in us. The Word-covenant was also to be worn as a sign (ot - appearing, mark, banner, warning, evidence, proof, miracles, both past and future, consent or agreement) on the forehead, the hand, the doorposts of their houses, and on their gates of entrance. (Deut. 6:8-9). We are to be so joined to the Word-covenant with bindings, that we are identified by it. With concern and caring for the salvation and welfare of the children and the grandchildren of His people, the LORD commanded that the young ones also be taught the Word of God diligently in every daily situation (Deut. 4:9-10, 6:7). As we found out above, the Word-covenant was given by God to His people in the middle of the place of the destroyer, desolation and death. We will see this again in another section from this week's Sabbath reading. The reading is from Isaiah 40, which is always read on the Sabbath called Nachamu, or "Comfort", which follows Tisha B'Av. Tisha B'Av, meaning the ninth day of the month of Av, commemorates the destruction of the two Jewish temples, which occurred on the same date but hundreds of years apart, as well as other devastating events in history for the Jews. Tisha B'Av is remembered with a day of mourning and repentance, but also with hope in the redemption of God. Out of the place of desolation, once again God delivers His Word of life, revival, and healing. In this Nachamu reading portion, the LORD has just delivered a prophecy to King Hezekiah of Judah through His prophet Isaiah. The LORD prophesied that the king's accumulated wealth, and his sons, (as well as the people of Judah) would be carried away into captivity to Babylon, leaving nothing left (Isa. 39:5-7). However, the LORD also prophesied a Word of reviving consolation: "Comfort (naham), yes, comfort (naham) My people!' says your God. Speak (dabar) comfort (leb) to Jerusalem and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned." (Isa. 40:1-2). The first two appearances of the Word "comfort", or naham, in verse 1, according to the Hebrew meaning, refers to the comfort, pity, Comforter, consolation and compassion that God pours out on His people as they sincerely regret and repent of their iniquities before Him. The second use of the Word "comfort", or the Hebrew word leb, used in verse 2, is a different word and has a completely different meaning from the first mentions of "comfort". As the LORD says: "Speak comfort...", it means to promise, declare, speak, sing, command to the understanding, emotions or desires, and the inclination or will of Jerusalem - in other words, to speak directly into to the soul(s) of Jerusalem from the soul of God. The LORD then prophesies the Words that will be repeated at the appearance of John the Baptist, the prophet who would come to identify the Messiah, the Christ, to the people many centuries later: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD...The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (v. 3-5, see also Jn. 1:23, Mk. 1:2-5). Then the LORD says to the cities of Judah: "Behold your God!...Behold, His reward is with Him...He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young." (v.9-11. excerpt, see also Jn. 10:11-18, Rev. 22:12-13). Isaiah 40 is full of consolation and encouragement, reminding His people that all creation is small compared to His greatness. Isaiah 40 ends with this Word-covenant promise: "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength...But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (v. 29, 31). Even in the place of desolation, the Word-covenant of God, His Living Word, Jesus, speaks life, renewal, healing and restoration for those who are partakers of that covenant with Him. If you would like to learn about the Word-covenant of life even in the place of desolation and destruction, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You delivered Your Word-covenant with awesome signs and wonders, face to face with Your people. You filled Your Word-covenant with life, even eternal life, revival, fresh water, and healing for us. You speak consolation and salvation into our souls when we are in a place of mourning and repentance before You. You sent Your Son, Jesus, as the Word Who became flesh, so we could all see His glory, grace, and truth. Fill me with Your Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to revive me, so that I can know and observe Your Word-covenant of life. I pray for this same revival for my nation. I ask these things in Jesus' name, AMEN."