GreaterPurpose

     

Moses on Pisgah, by H. Copping, 1920

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-etchannan, meaning "And I besought." The reading portion begins in Deuteronomy Ch. 3. Deuteronomy, or D'varim in Hebrew, meaning "the Words," contains the final words of Moses to Israel before they cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land of Canaan. The words delivered by Moses contain reminders from the past, as well as commandments for the Israelites to observe once they have settled in the Promised Land, and even for the latter days. Regarding these final commands of Moses, he says, "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it (see also a similar warning in Rev. 22:18-20), that you may keep (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you...And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself...lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren..." (Deut. 4:1-9, excerpt).

     The d'varim words are given through Moses, but the Words are from the LORD to His people. As Moses said above, no other nation has ever had the Word of the LORD given to them in such a manner. These d'varim words have been given to this nation so that they may live (haya - breathing, live, revive from sickness, revive from death, restore to life, give life, be whole, flourish, to live again), so that they may go in (bo - enter, attain, carry in, bring in, gather), and so that they may possess (yaras - possess, inherit, occupy, to cause others to possess or inherit, to succeed utterly, to be an heir to), as stated above.

     As we can see from the Hebrew meanings above, those who know the Messiah/Christ Jesus, recognize how the three purposes that work through the d'varim words parallel the salvation message brought by Jesus to all who would believe Him, including life from the dead. The purpose of the d'varim words is not just to the individual, although that is wondrous enough, but by its innate divine quality and power it also causes others to possess and inherit as joint heirs with Messiah/Christ (see Rom. 8:16-17). In fact, the d'varim words are meant to save generation after generation until the end of the age of time. (Mt. 28:18-20). The d'varim words, the message from the LORD given to Moses for His people, have not been changed, nor have they been done away with, but they have been fulfilled through Messiah/Christ Jesus, as He said. (see Mt. 5:17-19). The Words still live and accomplish the purpose of God.

     Both the testimony of Israel and the believers in Jesus is the same - to be a witness to others of God's wisdom and understanding present with them. (see Deut. 4:6, and Acts 4:13-14). As Moses told the Israelites: "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?" (Deut. 4:7).

     After setting this short foundation of the importance of Moses' d'varim words given to the Israelites from the LORD, we will see how important God considered this in Moses' purpose, and how it relates to our own walk.

     Since the moment that the LORD spoke to Moses from within the burning bush on Mount Horeb, the mountain of God (Ex. 3:1-4), Moses had received the purpose of guiding the enslaved Israelites, which is estimated to have numbered from one to two million, out of their slavery in Egypt, and across the wilderness for forty years. He has seen an older generation pass away including his own sister Miriam, and his brother, Aaron the high priest. He had received the divine vision and overseen the construction of the tabernacle for the presence and atonement of God placed in the center of the tribes of Israel. He had interceded with God for His mercy when the people rebelled against God and His Word. He is at the point of this Sabbath reading portion of equipping the Israelites with the d'varim Words of the LORD that will ensure their survival and success in the new land, if they will obey them.

     However, at one point in their travel across the wilderness, Moses failed to do as Words of the LORD instructed him regarding the Rock that would supply them with their needed water. For this, the LORD told Moses that he would not be able to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. (see Num. 20:7-13).

     As the Israelites have come to the end of their forty years of wandering, and are poised at the edge of the Promised Land to enter into it, Moses besought/pleaded (hanan - mercy, gracious, merciful, supplication, favor, pity, have mercy on, implore favor) the LORD about being able to lead the Israelites into the Land: "Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying: "...I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains and Lebanon." (Deut. 3:23-25, excerpt). Moses' act of hanan pleading with the LORD is where the title of this Sabbath reading portion, Va'etchannan originates.

     The leading of the people is what Moses had known and done all of these years. The entrance into the Promised Land has been the goal of all of these years. However, Moses will discover that there is even a greater purpose waiting for him in the LORD's service, and that purpose will incorporate d'varim Words that will guide generations to come.

     When Moses besought or pleaded with the LORD in this matter, the LORD answered: "Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter. Go up (ala - ascend, raised, burnt offering, increase) to the top of Pisgah, and lift (nasa - lift up, bear up, carry, forgive, regard, exalt, obtained, rise up) your eyes (ayin - eye, sight, fountain, to flow out as water, presence, knowledge, in my opinion it seems) toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.' So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor." (Deut. 3:26-29).

     What did Moses "see" when he went to the top of Mount Pisgah? He saw more than he ever would have seen with his natural eyes upon entering the land as he had pleaded to do. The revelation is found in the phrase, "Enough of that!" or in the King James Version, "Let it suffice thee!" in v. 26. The Hebrew word used by the LORD in this phrase is the word rab/rabab, which means: great, greater, greater than, much, multitude, chief, captain, mighty, abounding in, more numerous than, exceedingly, vast, magnitude/are multiplied, increased, manifold, ten thousands, be or become great, increase, expand, spread, multiplied into myriads. This same meaning is also found in the Lord's answer to Paul when Paul prayed to be delivered by either a physical or spiritual "thorn": "My grace (charis/chairo - grace, joy, pleasure, delight, loveliness, good will, loving-kindness, favor, merciful kindness, benefit, bounty, recompense, reward, liberality, affection/rejoice exceedingly, well off, be glad) is sufficient (arkeo/airo - be possessed of unfailing strength, to defend, ward off/raise up, lift up, elevate, raise from the ground, to expiate sin [also see nasa above]) for you..." (see 2 Cor. 12:7-10). The "thorn" is puny compared to the sufficiency of the grace/ hanan of God.

     While Moses has his heart set on continuing to the end in the role that he has been doing for over forty years, the LORD says that that request is puny compared to what is about to be achieved through him as he relates what he will see by the supernatural revelation eyesight that was about to be given to him on Pisgah (pisga/pasag - cleft of the Rock/to pass between or within, cut in two, divide, accurately contemplate) from the LORD. The place of Pisgah is, spiritually speaking, the same place that Paul tells us to view the revelation of the LORD when he instructs us to be approved (dokimos/dokeo - approved, tried, accepted/think, suppose, be of opinion [see ayin above]) and to "rightly divide" (orthotomeo - to cut straight, dissect correctly, straight path, teach correctly) the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). I am sorry to say, but we sometimes may have made the Word of the LORD "puny" because we wanted to look at it from our position in the valley, instead of getting up to the heights of our spiritual Mount Pisgah. Perhaps the Lord has been shouting, "Enough of that! There is so much greater for you to see."

     As the LORD told Moses to get up to the top (ros - head, chief, top, excellent, first, forefront, beginning, ruler, captain, principal, the sum total, to shake a place, time or rank) of Pisgah and lift up his eyes and see, He is also bringing us this same message on this Sabbath. The view from the top, from the Captain and Ruler, is very different than the view from the bottom. We are not meant to see what everyone else sees, or even what we saw a year ago, ten years ago, or more. "Enough of that!" What the LORD has to show us is even greater and what we are to see will shake things up, and impact "myriads of thousands." In these end times of transition, a type of transition patterned after the Israelites' entrance into the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega land, the LORD is "taking it up a notch," and calling us all to His greater purpose. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (Jn. 14:12). There are greater works for us.

     So what did Moses "see" on the top of Pisgah? First of all, he was commanded to look in all four directions, even though Israel was approaching from the east already. What Moses saw was to be spoken of to his successor, Joshua ("Jehovah is Salvation"), as strengthening ('ames - establish, fortify, steadfastly minded, persist, obstinate, courageous, alert) and encouragement (hazak - strengthen, repair, prevail, courage, make strong, make bold, sustain) to enter and conquer Canaan. It is the "LORD of Salvation" who will be leading this transition to enact the salvation of man.

     Moses "saw" what shall be when the LORD brings them into the land of which He swore, that the Israelites would inhabit the big and beautiful cities "which you did not build," and houses full of all good things, "which you did not fill," wells "which you did not dig," vineyards and olive trees "which you did not plant."  (Deut. 6:10-11). Moses warned the Israelites, that as they were enjoying this great bounty that he had seen, not to forget the LORD who had brought them out of Egypt. (v. 12).

     Moses "saw" the Israelites fall away from their covenant with the LORD and, as a result, be scattered among the nations. (Deut. 4:25-27). He also "saw" the Israelites turn and seek (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD with all of their hearts and souls and obey His voice when they are in distress/tribulation "in the latter days." Moses promised them that the LORD would not forsake them, but He will remember His (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) covenant with them. (Deut. 4:29-31). Moses had seen on Pisgah thousands of years ahead into the latter days, to prepare, equip and warn Israel of the snare that had been set for them, and their subsequent salvation and rescue by the LORD.

     Moses gave the Israelites and all of us the prayer, dedication and revelation which is called The Shema: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD your God, the LORD is one! You shall love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) 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). Not only were these transformational d'varim words to be in their hearts and souls, but passed along to their children in all circumstances, and worn on their persons, and on the doorposts of their houses and on the gates of their homes and cities. (v. 7-9). The d'varim words were to be internalized within them as spiritual DNA, as well as displayed outwardly as a sign, as a mark (v. 8). 

     This special sight to which Moses was called to at the top of Mount Pisgah was not for him alone, as we might think. The prophet Isaiah wrote in another reading selection for this Va-etchannan Sabbath the LORD’s words to Zion and Jerusalem: “O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”…Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host (stars) by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.” (Isa. 40:9, 26). In this case, the LORD has a special vision for Zion and Jerusalem of glad tidings to see: “Behold, the LORD God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before 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. 10-11, see also Jn. 10:11-16). We recognize in these words our own Shepherd, Jesus.

     This command from the LORD in Isaiah is given to those who are to carry the good tidings, the message of salvation and the Messiah/Christ Jesus who fulfills it for all who believe in Him to save. (Lk. 2:8-14). This vision and this message is vital for all of us especially in these end times before the return of Christ.

     If you would like to walk in the sight on the top of the mountain of the Lord, and His greater purpose, you can pray with me: “Dearest LORD of my heart and soul, lead me in Your great purpose and lifted sight as You call me to rightly divide the d’varim Words of God as written in Your scriptures. Let my eyes be lifted up to see and my heart be open to receive Your knowledge and understanding. Your greater purpose is “enough” and powerful in the earth, full of good tidings for all who will come. Your Word became flesh as Jesus and walked among us to teach us the greater purpose that You have called Your people to fulfill in the world. I seek Your face and call upon Your name, not only for myself, but for all those who are meant to belong to You, Good Shepherd, and Shepherd of Israel. Guide my soul and spirit by the Holy Spirit who calls all things to my remembrance. I ask these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus. AMEN.”

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.