Parashat Re’eh begins with a dramatic appeal from the LORD to Israel to choose to obey His commandments. The children of Israel were still east of the Jordan and had not yet entered the Promised Land. It starts with Moses once again speaking to the Israelites.
Deu 11:26 See this day I set before you a blessing and curse
Deu 11:27 (beracha) blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I enjoin upon you this day:
Deu 11:28 and(kelalah) a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away from the path that I enjoin you this day, and follow other gods, whom you have not experienced.
The first thing that comes to mind is, the LORD had given the Israelites free will to choose to either obey or disobey. Mankind’s God given free will.
If God had not granted free will to the Israelites to either obey or disobey, this could not have afforded a reward for obedience or a punishment for disobedience.
He has given man a self-determining will. It would be out of God’s character to force His will upon us. The fact that God gave us free moral choices is consistent with the fact that He did not use His power to keep sin out of the world. Nor, does He save anyone by force, it is up to us to choose weather to abide tor not.
If we choose to obey, God will bestow upon us wisdom and blessings, equipping us to endure to the end in this life. After which, we will share eternity in communion with our LORD experiencing all the blessings and promises...
However, if we choose to disobey, refusing to take direction and abide in the LORD, we shall die an eternal death and separation from our creator for eternity. God is eternal and so are his judgments. There is nothing we can do to reverse a fatal decision, all reparations have ceased, and nothing of our own device can reverse this fate once we are dead.
In Deu 11:29 we hear of two mountains, one of which to have a blessing placed, and the other a curse.
The two mountains selected Gerizim and Ebal no doubt were chosen because they were opposite to one another. Both standing about 2500 feet high, in the very center of the land not only from west to east, but also from north to south.
Ebal stands to the north, Gerizim to the south. Gerizim was selected for the blessings because it was situated on the south, towards the region of the light.
Light represents the face of God in which comes blessing and life.
Gerizim means, “to cut down” signifying the fertility of the land and the abundance it will yield. Ebal on the other hand, means rough, rugged, and stony, signifying barrenness.
Upon showing obedience, The LORD would care and provide for the land so that its fertility would bless its inhabitants. However, the barrenness of the other mountain would be proof that his people would have disobeyed, and that a curse would follow.
Deu 11:31 For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you. And when you possess it and live in it,
Deu 11:32 you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.
The LORD was preparing the Israelites for the many obstacles they would be facing. Primarily the Canaanites.
Chapter 12: Deals with the Canaanite mode of worship and even their locations of worship. The LORD instructs them to “destroy the places where they served their gods on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
And you shall destroy their sacred altars, burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place.”
This divine command was founded on the tendencies of human nature- out of sight, out of mind. The LORD wanted everything associated with the idolatry removed so the Israelites would have no temptation.
He instructed the Israelites as to the correct form of worship and the location for it. For a brief period of time that would be Shiloh, but the place the Lord ultimately chose to establish his name was Jerusalem, as it still is today!
Deu 12:8 “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,
Deu 12:9 for you have not yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.
Deu 12:10 But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety,
Deu 12:11 then to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the LORD.
Here the Lord was separating them from the world, teaching and refining them for challenges that would soon be upon them.
The LORD said, they would be going to a land that was not like Egypt. This would be a land flowing with milk and honey, He would send rain in its season, and grass in the fields for the animals to graze upon. All this the LORD promised to provide, if they would obey Him. Nevertheless, even with all these blessings promised, there would still have challenges ahead and battles to fight.
Their problems were not over when they entered the Promised Land. God did not give them an uninhabited land with nothing to do but take the keys and move in!
Nor did He did tell them to move into the Promised Land next to their neighbors and tolerate their forms of worship and just go along with there traditions. He specifically warned them, there would be enemies, greater and mightier than themselves.
He instructed the Israelites to destroy their altars and places of worship. He gave them specific instructions on how they were to offer sacrifices and worship Him. Every detail was directly opposite to the pagan ways of the Canaanites.
They were warned at the beginning of Chapter 13 not to follow any so-called prophet or miracle worker, which would entice them to follow other gods. Severe punishment was specific for perusing them no matter who was guilty of this transgression, they would be punished severely.
Unfortunately, this has been occurring throughout history, sadly I think this generation will see an escalation of greater and grander false signs and wonders, that will lead sincere believers astray.
Chapter 14: God gives explicit instruction on types of meat to eat and not to eat” clean and unclean foods". Additionally, The Lord gives instruction on making tithes and offerings.
Chapter 15: speaks of the Sabbatical year. The Israelites were commanded to release debts, every seventh year. Those that owed them money were free from there debt. They were also to free all there slaves. No matter what the burden, this was to be done.
Chapter 16: Tells us 3 times a year, every Israeli man was to appear before God. Passover, Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) and at Shukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Moreover, they were not to come empty handed.
In closing let me leave you with these thoughts:
When we became believers in Yeshua, our problems weren’t over. When we came into the “Promised Land” of salvation and right relationship with our LORD, this did not mean we would not have giants to fight.
While living in this “world” amongst the Canaanites of our day, have we adapted some Canaanite culture or traditions?
Are there some altars or idols that we have erected in our hearts and lives that need to be destroyed?
Let me just say this as a final thought:
What we have heard today clearly gives a type or model of God's promise not only then, but for today as well. It's not that God says do it this way or else. Remember what He stated in Deuteronomy 11:26 See this day I set before you a blessing and curse.
We have been given freewill to abide or not.
The result of our decision to abide or not has already been written in stone. It's up to us to make the rightful decision based on our love for Him.
There are only two choices
1: eternal life with our creator or
2: eternal death darkness and separation.
The choice is yours.....
In Closing:
They were given life, saved from the bondage of Egypt by a merciful, sovereign and rightness God.
We have been saved from the bondage of sin by our merciful, sovereign and rightness Lord Yeshua HaMashiach.
They were promised eternal Paradise, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
We have been promised eternal life in Paradise.
They were given mansions to live in once they took ownership of their promised paradise.
(Remember the Canaanites were giants)
We have a promise in John 14:2 Where Yeshua said, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Amen !
May the Lord Bless You and Yours !
