Our Torah Reading: Deuteronomy 9:1-29—Humility-Pride-Remembering-God’s Grace and Faithfulness—Parashah 133

 

Father’s Faithfulness Stands Despite Our Debased Nature

 

How are we to understand Father’s faithfulness towards us despite our incessant propensity to give into our debased nature and characteristics such as selfishness, arrogance, stubbornness?

 

What I believe we see illustrated in these 29 verses, along with the Haftorah and Apostolic readings for this week is a portrait of many of us today. That portrait reveals to us that despite our debased nature and character, even our breaking covenant with Him, Abba remains faithful to His covenant promises.

 

Our Past Often Gets in the Way of Our Walk With Messiah

 

Each of us received the call to enter covenant [relationship] with the Creator of the Universe. Unfortunately, a significant number of us enter this covenant relationship with a great amount of spiritual, emotional and psychological baggage. And unless that baggage is effectively dealt with, it has the potential of creating stumbling blocks in our walk with Messiah.

 

We Often Create Challenges for Father

 

Despite our ready acceptance of the terms of that covenant relationship we enter, few of us are willing to do what it takes to make the changes in our lives that are necessary to facilitate an upright walk.

 

Thus, so much like our ancient Hebrew cousins, we unwittingly create challenges for Father. In many cases we possess and exercise the same debased characteristics as our ancient (for that matter modern) Hebrew cousins: stubbornness and our propensity towards spiritual apostasy or adultery. Yet, again, like our ancient Hebrew cousins, Abba remains Faithful towards us.

 

Many of Us Suffer Hardships Because of our Debased Character

 

To me, there’s little wonder why so many of us in our Faith Community perpetually suffer hardships and less than the promised abundant life that our Master promised. And I believe the reason for the hardships and the absence of the abundant life is because we, in many cases, have failed to learn the lessons Yah placed in Torah for our spiritual benefits.

We Have An Advantage Over our Hebrew Cousins

 

In a great many ways, we have it made (spiritually and even physically speaking) over our ancient Hebrew cousins as it relates to our covenant relationship and walk with YHVH. For our ancient Hebrew cousins had to live on the fly and learn from the school of hard knocks. What I mean by that is that they often suffered severely, in many cases right on the spot, because of their stubbornness and spiritual adultery. These did not have written, historical examples to refer to and learn from to get their spiritual and physical lives in proper covenant order, so to speak.

 

And sadly, most never learned from their mistakes, especially those of the generation that came out of Mitsrayim (aka Egypt). That entire generation ended up dying in the Sinai Wilderness, save two—Caleb and Y’shua—because of their stubbornness and idolatrous ways.

 

We are most blessed to have their story written out for us in Torah. Thus, we have the benefit of heeding and learning from their varied and many mistakes. Unfortunately, most folks aren’t interested in getting rid of their baggage; with coming to terms their debased character; in working through and overcoming their stubborn steak and resisting the urge to go a-whoring after false gods and such.

 

Moshe’s Warnings Often Went Unheeded by the People

 

Despite Moshe’s best efforts to warn us not to do this and that but do this other thing instead; or simply to teach us Yah’s ways, we resisted Moshe’s warnings and teachings. And to add insult to injury, we even dabbled in paganality whenever the opportunities presented themselves. It’s not that we didn’t know the consequences for our stubbornness and spiritual adultery. We knew the penalty was always going to be, in one form or another, death and separation from YHVH our Elohim. But we simply could not escape our debased nature and character.

 

Yet, despite our contrary, wayward, and adulterous manner; and despite our breaking Father’s heart and frustrating Him on so many turns—breaking the terms of the covenant over and over again (cf. Exodus 19-24), Yah remained faithful to us. He fed us; kept us; led us; protected us; provided for us.

 

The Hebrews Lived on the Fly and Had to Learn From the School of Hard Knocks

 

Learning on the fly and from the school of hard knocks is never an easy path for one to take in life. There are numerous pitfalls along one’s way. And when one falls, it’s usually pretty painful and frustrating.

 

For the first generation coming out of Mitsrayim, their walking in covenant with YHVH was like a baby learning how to walk.

 

A baby’s struggles with learning how to walk are made easier if they have a loving and caring parent who is always there by their side, encouraging and correcting them as needed throughout their journey. If the child has come to fully trust—to fully believe in their parent, their challenges in learning to walk (even learning to talk; potty training, riding a bicycle; etc.) are made easier, especially if they heed their parents’ teachings.

 

Babylon Reign in the Hebrews’ Members

 

Similarly, YHVH was always there with the first generation, guiding them each step along the way. But they sadly never learned to walk. They never made it easy on themselves. For they never learned from their mistakes. Their falls and failures were made all the more frustrating for both Father and themselves because they did not believe YHVH. They refused to believe Him for a handful of reasons, the most glaring being the baggage they brought with them from Mitsrayim (Egypt). They could not shake Babylon from their systems. Their hearts remained in Egypt. They craved that which Egypt offered them in abundance—the food; the demigods; even their way of life to some degree.

 

Yah’s Way or Yah’s Way

 

But in the new life—the covenant life they agreed to walk in (Exodus 19) with YHVH as their Elohim—the things that Babylon formerly provided them were no longer theirs to possess. Yah set the rules; Yah would be their provider; Yah’s Way of life would be their way of life.

 

But true to human form, the first-generation Hebrews wanted what we wanted. They wanted to do things their way; they preferred Babylon’s Way of life over the Life of Freedom that YHVH was offering them. And so, there was this constant warring between YHVH the nation: Yah says to them, you’re going to do things My way, while the nation insisted on doing things their way. But we know how the story goes: They were either going to do things Yah’s Way or they were going to do things Yah’s Way.

 

The Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

 

Thus, that generation’s baggage—their stubbornness and love of Babylon—stood in the way of them learning from their mistakes, their missteps, and their falls throughout much of their wilderness sojourn. They even developed a twisted impression of what Yah was aiming to do with us, believing that He somehow had it in for them; that He was toying with them and that He had plans to harm them in the end (Num. 20:4; 21:5).

 

But Abba made it clear that He only had plans for their good; plans for their success; plans to prosper and bless them—certainly not to harm them whatsoever (Jer. 29:11).

 

And because they bought so heavily into the enemy’s lie—the lie that YHVH had brought them into the wilderness to destroy them—well Abba allowed for their delusion to become a self-fulfilling prophesy (Num. 26:65).

 

So, they ended up killing themselves; they summarily deprived themselves of the abundant blessings and favored status that were promised to them if they were to simply keep their end of the covenant bargain and allow Yah to work in their lives in accordance with His Plans and Will for them (Exo. 19:5).

 

 

A New Generation of Spiritually Conscious Hebrews Emerges

 

Despite the first generation failing to meet the qualifications for entering the Land of Promise, Yah remained true to the promises He made to the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitschaq and Ya’achov. The second generation came to truly fear YHVH. These no longer had Babylon embedded within them as their parents did.

 

Finally, Yah had a people He could work with.

 

That Fine Line

 

However, Abba realized that this generation would be walking a fine line between succeeding and failing in their covenant walk. And the greatest threat to their succeeding was, ironically, their obedient-covenant walk in the Ways of YHVH.

 

How so?

 

Pride Goes Before Destruction

 

Laying in the wake of most successful human endeavors is “pride.”

 

What was it that the writer of Proverbs wrote regarding this:

 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pro 16:18 NET)

 

Father recognized the spiritual dangers facing this second generation. These succeeded where their parents utterly failed. And in order that there not be a repeat of the first generation’s horrendous missteps, Abba, through Moshe, required them to remain humble and to resist the tendency to become prideful in their becoming a blessed and favored nation before YHVH, especially once they succeeded in conquering the inhabitants of the Land of Promise. For they were about to embark on an amazing adventure that involved the take-down, not just of established, military-experienced nations, but also nations of giants (Read Deu. 9:1-4).

 

Moshe Warns the New Generation to Resist Pride

 

The point behind Moshe warning this new generation of the potential of becoming prideful in their impending YHVH-given successes, was not to take away any joy or exuberance that would come because of their conquering the nations of Canaan through YHVH’s strong and mighty arm. The point was to place all of those successes into proper perspective in their hearts and minds.

 

Putting It All into Proper Perspective

 

It was indeed a given that Yah would fight on behalf of His people and deliver on His promises. This promise is recorded in at least 4-places in Deuteronomy (1:30, 42; 3:22; 20:4). Thus, the conquest of the Land would come about solely by the strong arm of the Almighty. The conquest would not be of the nation’s personal doing.

 

The other thing that Moshe could not overlook in his warning to the people was that the nation did NOT deserve to be put into any favored status with YHVH, despite that fact that YHVH was going to do the fighting for them; and despite their succeeding in walking in covenant with the Eternal where their parents failed.

 

The Role Grace and Mercy Plays in the Elects’ Successes

 

The perspective they needed to possess, and embrace was that every good thing that has and would come to this generation, came about because of YHVH’s grace and mercy.

 

Like salvation, Yah’s elect can never earn Yah’s blessings and mercies. These will always come about because of Yah’s unmerited favor—His grace.

 

Of course, one may naturally reason within his/herself the point behind walking in obedient covenant with YHVH if in fact all blessings and salvation comes about because of Yah’s grace and faithfulness. Isn’t this essentially the mindset of Evangelical Christianity and their grace-perversion mindset? Indeed it is.

 

Well, walking in obedient covenant relationship with YHVH is essential to the would-be child of the Most High because there are rewards and incentives to be had when one lives in accordance with Yah’s Ways (Deu. 28—the blessings versus the curses); Yah sets the rules and has told us to walk in His Ways and not walk in the ways of Babylon; and walking in his Ways is simply the right thing to do. When Yah’s people reject or neglect to walk in Yah’s Ways, but instead choose to walk in ways that seem good to them, they end up reaping what they’ve sown, it’s just that simple (Gal. 6:7).

 

The Natural Tendency

 

Nevertheless, when Yah’s elect reap the blessings of walking in obedient covenant with YHVH, the natural tendency of some is to become haughty, judgmental, self-absorbed and such. Recall, we discussed this very thing in our Question of One’s Jewishness Series, “You Are a Jew” installment to be specific. In that post, we examined the characteristics of Shaul’s rhetorical, religious Jew who took great pride in his Jewishness—his heritage, culture, biology, his possession and knowledge of Torah and such. These believed they had it made with YHVH because of their Jewishness, all the while their hearts remained in an uncircumcised state. These were contrary and hypocritical in their ways. The non-Jewish nations naturally recognized their hypocritical ways and blasphemed the Name-the sovereignty-the Person-the character-the holiness and righteousness of YHVH their Elohim.

 

The Scourge of Religiosity

 

What we’re talking about here beloved is religiosity. Religiosity as I see it is that an individual’s focus and sense of fulfillment and purpose is based on his/her own religious endeavors, efforts, perspectives and such. It tends to be self-focused (hey, look at me—see what my pious ways have resulted in—I’m favored of God because I did blah, blah, blah). Religiosity is never Yah-focused; it is not covenant relationship focused. So then, one’s boasting is not based on the fact that he/she knows Yah and that he/she has a true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Instead, their boasting is based on themselves and what they perceived they’ve done to earn Yah’s grace; on their accumulation of knowledge; what they’ve achieved for their Faith Community and such.

 

The Insidious Nature of Pride

 

What we’re talking about on more precise grounds here is “pride.” Pride. And it’s no secret that we have a great many folks in our Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith Community today that sadly fall in the realm of religiosity and or pride.

 

Folks, religiosity or pride for that matter, is dangerous and can, if steps aren’t taken to prevent it in one’s covenant walk, lead to blasphemy of Yah’s Name and then on to physical and spiritual destruction. I guess one could label pride as the gateway spiritual drug, if you will, that leads to a great fall and destruction (Pro. 16:18).

 

Moshe sought to prevent such a scourge among this new generation. And so, we find here in our reading, that he sets out to put the people in their place. Thus, Moshe calls them out for who and what they truly were: a “stiffnecked people”—that is, a rebellious people (vs. 6). And he then proceeds to speak history to them: their parents’ history. And Moshe reminds them that they “infuriated YHVH their Elohim in the wilderness from the very day they came out of the land of Mitsrayim until they came to this place” (vs. 7).

 

Moshe Recites the Nation’s History

 

And so from verses 8 through 29, we see Moshe reciting the nation’s adulterous and rebellious history to the 2nd generation Hebrews who were about to go in and take possession of the Land of Promise. And throughout this whole rehearsing of the nation’s wilderness history, Moshe admonishes his people to “remember.” Remember (Read).

 

Moshe knew, through Yah’s Spirit (I.e., Ruach)—Yah’s wisdom, that the nation was at a somewhat precarious place in their history: They were walking in Yah’s favor and in covenant relationship with the Almighty. Furthermore, they were about to do something so amazing, through Yah’s mighty outstretched arm, that it would boggle the minds, hearts and imaginations of historians for centuries to come. The small nation of Yisra’el, comparatively speaking that is, was about to take on the powerhouse nations that were inhabiting Canaan at that time. Part of those inhabitants were the sons or offspring of the Anakyim and Rephayim—giants, whose biological line can be traced back to the union of the watchers-the sons of Yah—and human women (Genesis 6). These were marked or devoted for destruction (Deuteronomy 7). There was to be no mercy shown to them—because of who they were and what they were known to do—their wickedness and worship practices.

 

Because of their biology-being giants—they would be formidable military opponents, and nothing short of the miraculous would result in their defeat. Consequently, because we’re talking about YHVH defeating these creatures on His people’s behalf, Moshe framed the giants’ defeat as an already done deal.

 

So, Moshe tells the 2nd generation Hebrews preparing to conquer the Land: YHVH’s got you (He’s got your back, your side, your front). Just be warned: don’t get big-headed; haughty; arrogant; full of yourselves because these unbelievable things are about to happen to you. For none of it is happening because you earned it. All that is about to happen in the miraculous, is happening on your behalf because of Yah’s boundless grace. And oh, by the way, you did nothing whatsoever to earn Yah’s favor in their lives. In fact, all that was about to happen in their sight was about YHVH: His holiness, righteousness and Will would be behind the judgment and justice that would be brought down upon the Canaanites. Furthermore, Yah was intent on remaining faithfulness to the promises He made to Avraham, Yitchaq and Ya’achov.

 

Remember from Whence You’ve Come

 

And it is here that Moshe admonishes the people to remember from whence they’ve come. And in that remembering, to remain humble. In fact, these were to humble themselves before YHVH by remembering who and what they were and all that has and will occur on their behalf. For the bottom line of it all was: It’s all about YHVH: not about them.

 

A Clarion Call to Us—Yah’s Elect

 

Moshe’s admonishment to the 2nd Generation Hebrews is a clarion call to us today. For he is warning us to resist the urge to become prideful or haughty because of any perceived favored status that may come to our minds and hearts. For at the end of the day, we are no better than any other human on the planet. Yah is no respecter of person (Act. 10:34; Rom. 2:11). We are His workmanship, chosen to perform good works in Mashiyach (Eph. 2:10). Yah chose us in accordance with His perfect will and purpose. Thus, we are called to humble ourselves before Yah:

 

The Apostle Peter wrote:

 

“…you juniors submit yourselves (humble yourselves) to your seniors; and clothe yourselves, stringently, with lowliness of mind one towards another; because Elohim resists them who exalt themselves, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the powerful hand of Elohim: and He will exalt you in due time. And cast all your anxiety upon Elohim; for He cares for you. Be sober and guarded because hasatan, like a lion, roars and goes about and seeks whom he may devour. Therefore, resist him, being steadfast in the Faith: and know that the same sufferings befall your brothers that are in the world” (I Pet. 5:5-9; AENT).

 

Similarly, the biological brother of our Master Y’shua wrote:

 

“Our Master (Y’shua) has given us more grace. Therefore He said: Master YHVH brings low the arrogant and gives grace to the humble. Subject yourselves therefore to Elohim; and stand firm against the accuser and he will flee from you. Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners: sanctify your hearts, you who are divided in mind (I.e., indecisive ones). Humble yourselves and mourn: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into grief. Humble yourselves before Master YHVH and He will exalt you (Jam. 4:6-10; AENT).

 

How Do We Humble Ourselves Before YHVH?

 

So, there are a couple ways we go about humbling ourselves. One of the first things we need to do is to “die to self.” In other words, we give ourselves over to the Will of YHVH. We dump—we discard the baggage we brought over into Faith with us from Babylon and we take on the nature of the new man/woman (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Rev. 18:4).

 

As it relates to dying to self, Shaul wrote to the Galatian Messianics:

 

“For by Torah I am dead, that I might live to Elohim. And I am executed on a stake with Mashiyach, so it is not I that live but Mashiiyach lives in me; and the life I live now in the flesh in faith of the Son of Elohim who loves me and give His life/soul for me. And I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim, for if righteousness came by Torah, then Mashiyach died for nothing” (Gal. 2:19-21; AENT).

 

We do not achieve righteousness nor Yah’s favor—His Salvation and grace-through walking in Torah. Torah and our Master Yeshua Messiah shows us what righteousness looks like. YHVH’s grace—He being our Righteousness—through the work of Yeshua Messiah and the Ruach HaKodesh, makes us righteous before a holy Elohim. When we choose to walk in Torah and in covenant relationship with YHVH our Elohim, as Yah’s Word is embedded in our hearts and minds, we receive Yah’s purifying and salvific grace and we then walk in Yah’s righteousness.

 

But we must first and foremost, deny ourselves—that is die to self, pick-up our respective execution stakes and follow Master Yahoshua HaMashiyach (Mat. 16:24).

 

Pray without ceasing that Yah remove the stony heart and nature that resides in us—left overs from Babylon. Focus on Him and His Ways. Believe Yah. Trust Yah. If we draw near to Him, He will surely draw near to us.

 

The other things we need to do to avoid falling into the trap of becoming jaded and proud, which inevitably leads to falls and destruction, is to remember; to learn from the example of those who came before us, such as in the story of the Hebrews in the wilderness. Learn from their example. Do not repeat or imitate the mistakes they made. With our circumcised hearts, fear YHVH and walk exclusively, solely in His Ways, knowing that everything comes from Him and Him alone.

 

It doesn’t hurt to also remember from whence we came: examine our past; who we were before we came to Faith; the successes and the failures; identifying our weaknesses and our strengths. Assess the integrity of our present spiritual mettle. And based upon that assessment, walk out our Faith accordingly:

 

“Therefore my beloved, as you have at all times obeyed, not only when I was near to you but now when I am far from you, push through the work of your life more abundantly, with fear and with trembling. For our Elohim is operating in you, both to purpose and also to perform that which you desire” (Phi. 2:12-13; AENT).

 

In other words, we must take nothing for granted whatsoever in our Faith Walk. It falls upon us to recognize from “whence cometh our help” (Psm. 121:1). For we have a great work ahead of us as we continue on in these perilous and end times. We have our fair share of giants to slay by the mighty Arm of YHVH our Elohim. For we can be confident that the battle is already won. But we cannot become prideful or haughty in our own accord. All of our successes come from and through YHVH Elohim.