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This week’s Torah portion is titled Re’eh or in English, “See”. Parasha Re’eh begins with an appeal from Moses, beginning in verse 26. He said, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”
The first thing that comes to mind is that the Lord gave the people of Israel freedom to choose either to follow or not follow His commandments. This can be understood as mankind’s God given, self-determining will.
It would be out of God’s character to force His will upon us. The fact that He gave Israel, and gives us, free moral choices is consistent with the fact that God did not use His power to keep sin out of the world. Remember, deliverance is not by compulsion; it’s up to us to choose whether to receive God’s mercy and wisdom or not. Let me say this: if God had not granted free will to His chosen nation to either obey or disobey, there would be no basis for a reward for obedience or a punishment for disobedience.
Also in chapter 11 we hear of two mountains, at one of which a blessing is to be placed, and at the other a curse. The two mountains selected were Gerizim and Ebal. No doubt these were chosen because they stood opposite each other, and are located very near the center of the Land, not only from west to east but also north to south. Ebal, the taller of the two, rises to almost 3,100 feet, and Gerizim about 2,900 feet.
Gerizim was selected for the reading aloud of the blessings, whereas Ebal would have the curses pronounced. Gerizim is also the mountain where the Samaritans worshiped God (even to this day!) and regarded it as the true location of Abraham’s offering of Isaac. This mountain is mentioned (though not by name) in John chapter 4 when Yeshua spoke to the Samaritan woman, and corrected her understanding of what constitutes true worship. On a personal level, the mountains represent the magnitude and consequences of life’s choices – to obey or disobey God, and the monumental outcomes.
Chapter 12 deals with the horrific Canaanite forms of worship and the locations of their altars. The Lord instructed Israel: “Destroy the places where they serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and, under every green tree.” God was preparing His people for the many obstacles they would face, primarily from the Canaanites and their death culture. History informs us that the Canaanite’s had vile forms of worship that included burning their children alive as sacrifices to Ba’al.
God further instructs Israel to destroy those altars, burn their wooden images with fire; cut down the carved images of their gods, and destroy their names from that place.” He wanted even the memory of the Canaanite atrocities committed there to be blotted out. This divine command was founded on the tendencies of human nature: “out of sight, out of mind”. The Lord wanted everything associated with Canaanite idolatry removed so that His chosen nation would not be tempted to revive and imitate it.
He instructed Israel as to the correct form and location of worship. For roughly 400 years this would be Shiloh, but the place Adonai ultimately chose to establish His name would be Jerusalem. He gave them specific instructions on how they were to offer sacrifices and worship Him. Every detail was in direct opposition to the pagan ways of the Canaanites.
One of the heathen practices forbidden God’s people was the eating or drinking of blood. In chapter 12 Adonai said, “Be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.” This echoes the words of Leviticus 17: “As for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I say to the sons of Israel, You are not to eat the blood of the flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.” In fact, this prohibition is reinforced and extended in verses 16, 23 and 24 to ban the despicable practices of eating something while it’s still alive and cannibalism.
The principle of the sacredness of blood and the strict prohibition against eating it extends into the New Covenant as well. In Acts chapter 15 it was one of just four requirements placed upon Gentile followers of the Messiah. And, of course, when we speak of blood as it pertains to the Scriptures, the most important aspect is that through the shed blood of Yeshua, the perfect Lamb of God, atonement was made once for all time for our sins and transgressions.
In chapter 13 the people are warned not to follow any so-called prophet or miracle worker who would entice them to follow other gods. The severest punishment was prescribed for this. Anyone guilty of this transgression; even your family member or closest friend, were to be put to death. Unfortunately, history is filled with false prophets and counterfeit signs and miracles. Sadly, I think this generation will see an escalation of this, leading even sincere believers astray. The hallmark of the Reformation, Sola Scriptura must be our standard. The Scriptures are our final authority.
Chapter 14 opens with God’s assurance that Israel is His possession, chosen from all the nations of the earth. The chapter goes on to list dietary restrictions God set before them; both the acceptable and the detestable. Examples of acceptable meats were ox, sheep and goats both wild and domestic: animals with the divided hoof and which chewed the cud. Forbidden and detestable were the camel, hare and, most notably, the pig. Even though the pig has a divided hoof, it doesn’t chew the cud. Birds of prey were forbidden as food, as were fish without scales, this to include shell fish and shrimp. These fish without scales and crustaceans were waste eaters. From a health perspective, God was safeguarding Israel from eating what was disease-ridden and even potentially fatal.
Chapter 15 describes the Sabbatical year. The Israelis were commanded to release debts every seventh year. Those who owed money were forgiven their debt. They were also to free their slaves after 6 years of service. No matter what the burden, this was to be done. However, if a slave had a very good master and a favorable situation, he could choose to stay. His ear would be pierced and he would serve his master for life.
Chapter 16 tells us that three times per year every Israeli man was to appear before God: on Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. They were to make the pilgrimage to the place of God’s choosing (ultimately Jerusalem), no matter where on earth they lived. And they were not to come empty-handed.
In closing let me say this:
Moses presented God’s instructions to a nation that was now free, having left behind a life of uncertainty in Egypt. Israel now enjoyed a firm, reliable relationship; one based on faith, not on their own cleverness or intellect.
For our purposes today, crossing over our own Jordan into the Promised Land means living our lives through faith. We need a transformation in our thoughts and deeds, so that we will choose Gerizim, as it were, the mount of obedience and blessing. I choose Gerizim, the one that faces the city of God. As a family of believers, we acknowledge and confess this new life daily through Messiah Yeshua.
Our rebirth beckons us all to become steadfast – pillars – ambassadors to our families and community; demonstrating the transforming power of Yeshua in our daily speech and conduct. Let us boldly and congenially share the Good News of our Mashiach with patience, compassion and authority. Our transformed life should be evident to those standing at the shores of their own Jordan River, wondering whether or where to cross over. God willing let us all be given the opportunity to lead them across as Joshua did.
We have been called to be a separate and distinct people, not carelessly following the pattern of this world. Through God’s grace we have been provided with all the sustenance of life to bring us safely to this season. We need to continually be in the Word, taking every opportunity to tell the Good News, pointing the lost to Yeshua. Life is short and precious; of this I was reminded on Wednesday morning when I was called to a meeting and learned that a coworker had taken his own life. I had witnessed to him on occasion; however I cannot confidently say I did my best. Life is short, don’t let opportunities to share your faith pass by.