My daily Torah study foray took me to D’varim (aka: Deuteronomy) 3:1-22. Here Moshe continues to summarize Yisrael’s conquest of the promised land in detail. By now, Moshe is 120-years old. The generation of Israelis that left Egypt in the great Exodus had all but died out–dead in the great wilderness that would and should have served as their refinery to prepare them to take over the land of Canaan and serve the world as priests to Yehovah. Instead, it became a solemn graveyard for 10’s of thousands throughout the 40-years of wandering. At this juncture of the story, the generation belonging to the original Exodus generation, were being shaped and prepared to enter the promised land. Unfortunately, the nation forfeited their chance to become the holy priests that Yehovah had planned for them to become–Exodus 19:6, having broken the covenant at the base of Mount Sinai–Exodus 32. All that was left at this juncture was for Israel to be a kingdom of people who would live according to Torah, having Yehovah as their one and only God, and produce into the world the Lamb of Yehovah “…which taketh away the sin of the world.” (Joh 1:29 KJV)
This early section of Deuteronomy provides us with a retrospective of Yehovah’s dealings with Israel throughout the Exodus (Chapters 1 and in to 2) and through the Sinai desert. In this particular passage she has reconnected with the Creator via the second generation of Israelites after the Exodus and now she has moved forward to claim her promise and inheritance. The primary and overriding theme here of course is Yehovah’s undeniable and irresistible provision and protection of His chosen if they are obedient to His directions and laws. Here the writer details Israel’s exploits in conquering East Jordan. When Israel was obedient to Yah’s commandments, Yah would remind them that He was with them; they did not need to fear; He would fight for them (reference: Exodus 14:14; Deut. 1:30, 3:22; 20:4). Interestingly enough, conquering the land of promise and overcoming their enemies required Israel to simply do as Yehovah directed. The battles were not won by Israel, despite what many secular and liberal Biblical scholars may teach regarding Israel’s conquest of Canaan. Indeed, Yehovah was quite clear in Deuteronomy 3:22 that He would “lacham,” fight for Israel. Not in part. Not in some convenient way as to afford Israel some easy circumstantial wins, but Yah actually fought the battles on behalf of Israel (cf. Josh. 10:14, 42; Neh. 4:14; 2 Chron. 20:29). This is not to say that Israel simply marched in to the land and collected the spoils of war left over by the destructive work of Yehovah. No sir. Israel had her role to play. She had to fight alongside Yehovah, although it was Yehovah who typically softened up the enemy to such a state that Israel more or less simply had to take advantage of the enemy’s dire confusion and mop and clean up. Bauemfeind comments: “Nevertheless, neither their equipment (Jud 7:2ff; 1Sam 14:6; 1Sam 17:45, 47) nor their numbers (Jud 7; 2Sam 24:lff; Exo 30:12) turned the scale. It was Yahweh who went before them (Jud 4:14; Deut 20:4; 2Sam 5:24), gave them courage (1Sam 30:6) and took it from their foes (Exo 15:15-16; Exo 23:27ff) by miracles (Josh 10:11; Josh 24:7; Jud 5:20; by terror, 1Sam 14:15). To him and him alone belonged the praise (Exo 14:4, 18; Zech 4:6)” (TDNT, VI, p. 508).
Why did Yehovah provide such a ready means by which Israel could overtake the land? So that no one Israelite (or for that matter no one in the world) could ever say that it was by the cunning hand and might of Israel that Israel conquered Canaan. No indeed. Every witness of these conquests on Israel’s side and on the side of the enemy knew without a doubt that it was Yehovah that won battles for Israel and that it was no one or set of men to be praised, but it was Yehovah Yireh whom all praise and glory and honor must be given. Even in recent history, Yehovah has fought for Israel. History records that Israel in its early years as a modern nation, stood out-numbered and out-gunned by the nations surrounding her and those who have sought to do her great harm. Time after time, Yehovah has shown that He stands for Israel, despite Israel’s reprobate and almost Godless existence. When will she ever learn that her ultimate destiny is found only in the hands of the Almighty God of the Universe? The Bible does seem to suggest that there is coming a day when Israel’s blindness and stiff-neck nature will be lifted and she will finally come to know Yehovah and His chosen son Yeshua HaMashiach as her one and only True God and Messiah respectively.
When I reflect on this journey as I had been so blessed to follow in my continuing studies of this Torah, I am somewhat heartbroken over the epic failures of the first generation of these people of promise. The unbelievable things of Yehovah that they witnessed as they trekked across the desert would never be seen by human eyes ever again. Despite these awesome wonders and the perpetual providence of Yehovah for His beloved, this original generation constantly turned their backs to the Father. Oh how that must have hurt the Father to His very core. How unimaginable it is to think that for a people to have witnessed such things over the course of time in the wilderness, they still did not willingly and humbly and lovingly bow the kne to the will of the Most High.
Yet, are we no different? I can only attest to my failures as a spiritual Israeli, trekking through this wilderness of modern day, 21st century America. Although I have not experienced the wonders that nascent Israel had under the leadership of Moshe, I’ve experienced a number of wonders throughout my walk with Messiah. If not for anything else, my miraculous receiving and acceptance of the True Faith once delivered should be sufficient evidence enough of the mighty hand of Yehovah in my life. I was hell bent on proving my spouse and brother-in-law wrong about their new understanding of the Faith. Neither of them could sway me over to their understanding of Scripture and the Faith, despite the clarity of these truths that screamed at me from the pages of my Bible. Yet it was the grace of Yehovah that patiently, over time, opened my eyes and mind and heart to the truth. That stoniness that accompanies every orthodox Christian believer who is indoctrinated into the Christian Faith, after so many cracks were inflicted against that wall that had developed in my life, finally broke into pieces. I was finally freed from the bondage of religion that had for so many years held me prisoner. Yet despite this and other wonders, I continue (in many cases even today), to doubt the Father’s leading over my life; or I simply get too caught up in the cares of this life to fully give my all to Him as we are all called to do. I guess the good news in all of this is that I am working on it and the Ruach Kodesh is helping clear the cobwebs in my mind and glazed over my spiritual eyes so that I may see clearly my role in conquering the land–that is making it in to the Kingdom of Yehovah. Yes, there is some trepidation and doubt that remains and often usurps authority over my mind. But I have the assurance of the Father that He will be with me to conquer the inhabitants of my carnal nature–that is those impediments that keep me from fulfilling my purpose in Messiah. Fortunately, we have the great shadow picture of Israel here in our Bibles. Even though the original generation failed in their Yah-given purpose, they succeeded in revealing to each of us lessons and shadow-pictures of the life that we must lead. They succeeded in showing us–showing me–that we–I–need not be afraid or hesitant to go forth and do the will of Yehovah. Why, because Yah, as He revealed to Moshe and through him, the second generation of wilderness travelers, that Yehovah our God–our Elohim–will fight for us! Hallelujah. With that, may you be most blessed fellow Saints in training.