CANDLEGLOW LESSON: KI’TETZE
(Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19) Week 49
In this portion of Deuteronomy, Moses expounds to the Nation of Israel the detailed life lessons which Adonai commanded Moses to teach the generation about to enter the Promised Land. At the time of their entry into Canaan, the new Nation would enter enemy territory. They would encounter seven different nations of barbaric social structures, which were profane societies boiling in idol worship, barbarism, and sexual perversion. It is important to remember this generation had never known the idol worship or pagan practices of Egypt, as had their parents who died in the Sinai desert.
Envision ADONAI with His right hand of righteousness pulling back the bow over His shoulder, and the Nation of Israel, His arrow, now released into the dark abyss of enemy territory on a mission from heaven. By releasing the new Nation like an arrow into the enemy territory of Canaan, the set apart path of God’s chosen Nation would be like a laser beam intersecting the perverse culture of the day, in a land supernaturally carved out for His holiness.
This is the Lesson of the Torah of Light. Torah means the way to go. Before the foundation of the world, the God of Creation designed His blueprint for the path to life. The Torah, His guide to light, life, and unity, leads us on this path. The cornerstone of Torah is the love of the Father in heaven. It was His love that breathed out, “Let there be light” (Yehi‘Or)! It was in love that He planted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Delight. It was His love which sought a perfect man, Noah, to save the remnant of his family and redeem creation. It was His love which took notice of Abraham, counting his faith as righteousness even before the law was given, to lead us into His light. It was His love which commanded Moses to be not only the deliverer of Israel, but a Scribe for the Lord and His law.
This is the Lesson of the Torah of Light. Because of the love of the Father for His creation, rivers of mercy and grace run freely into our lives from His word. It is by getting to know His character, in our immersion into Torah, that we fall deeply in love with Adonai. He invites us to get to know Him more, every morning as we awaken to each new day.
He loved us first! He reached down to touch us, for we could not reach up, all the way to His throne! His ways illuminate His love for each and every life. All created life makes eternal ripples upon the rivers that flow from His heavenly throne. Dear seeker, we become the waves of His love, while here on His beautiful blue planet, earth.
This is the Lesson of the Torah of Light. The admonishment against idol worship extends from the outward expression of our lives to the innermost, secret places in our hearts. We are not to make idols of God’s laws, but to see the deep love of the Father which motivated Him to create a way by which we might draw near. It was because He first loved us, that His mighty right hand reached down to touch our lives in the etchings of the commandments upon two sapphire tablets. May we see, dear seeker, His Torah for what it truly is. In the glow of the light of His love, see with the eyes of your heart, into the beating heart of Torah; the very heart of the Father, which shines on us!
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT:
Tonight, as we prepare our Shabbat table, lighting the two candles which illuminate the words, hear and obey, may we see the candles flicker as a reminder of the love of our Father in heaven. So amazing is His love for creation and mankind that He illuminates His blessed care for us by the giving of His word and His ways through Torah; for a world which needs His light for our path as much today as in any time in history!
We can rejoice and be glad because of the love of the Father for mankind. His faithfulness, extends from the Garden of Eden, through the recorded lives of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Bible and the historical weavings of His tapestry. The giving of Torah to His people has blessed the world, as promised. The living Torah is just as sharp as a two-edged sword today, as it was for the Nation of Israel as they entered the land of milk and honey.
We can enter our rest, because our God has proven His eternal character, as He speaks throughout the Bible to those who honor His word, preparing us for the outworking of history, from the Book of Genesis through the Book of the Revelation. The light of God shines brightly tonight, through the Light of the World, Jesus the Messiah. Receive your blessed rest and rejoice in the love of the Lord tonight in a special way.
Shabbat Shalom,
Sydney
Love this lesson. Life giving Love you and your writings
Thank you M. A.
The Lessons from the Wilderness are etched upon my heart! Since writing the book, teaching the lessons, and expounding upon each one each week in a video…I am more convinced than EVER BEFORE that our world, which spins into darkness and depravity, it missing the ONE THING that could slow everything down long enough to SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING AGAIN! TORAH!
THE WAY TO GO. The way to approach a Holy God, and how to treat each other according to His goodness and wisdom. Please help me, by writing an AMAZON review for the book. Help! Keep the book alive on the virtual shelves of AMAZON. Love and Light!