CANDLEGLOW LESSON: VA’ETCHANAN
(Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11)
Dear seekers, as we immerse deeply into Deuteronomy, the final Book of Torah, we are not only reminded of the historical journey of the New Nation of Israel, but of the leadership of Moses in the final 37 days of his life as her deliverer. We see Moses as the most obedient servant to The Most High (El Elyon). This was his holy work (Avodah) and mission in life; ministering and serving the God of Israel.
In recounting the significant, historical journey of the children of Israel, Moses uses prophetic warnings to embed the importance of remaining loyal to the covenant alignment with Adonai, lest the people fall away into sin and idol worship; as prophesied. Throughout this discourse of the hills and valleys of the forty-year journey up to this scene, just east of the Jordan River; the overriding theme is the magnanimous mercy of Adonai!
We relive, through the recounting of Moses, all the Lord has done to prove His powerful guiding hand to the nation in their wilderness journey. If we focus our attention too much on the Nation and their failings, we will fail to see the deepest part of the story. May our eyes stay on the unapproachable holiness of Adonai. May our eyes be laser focused on His faithfulness, as the heavenly Father teaches, leads, guides, disciplines, and ultimately ushers His children into their inheritance; which awaits their delight and His.
When we focus our minds and hearts on the God of the Bible, more than the Patriarchs of the Bible, we will be blessed to see the bigger picture; the heavenly side of the tapestry of Torah. When we focus too much on the failings of our spiritual ancestry, we view the underside of the tapestry of Torah. The underside of the design has the loose strings, skipped blueprint in need of reweaving, or stitches which appear uneven, lacking artistry in the woven design. Yes, this is what life can look like in the here and now, if we narrow our focus on the performance of one another, too much.
This is the Lesson of His Treasure. “Indeed, inquire about the past, before you were born; since the day God created human beings on the earth, from one end of heaven to the other, has there ever been anything as wonderful as this? Has anyone heard anything like it? Did any other people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and stay alive? Or has God ever tried to go and take for himself a nation from the very bowels of another nation, by means of ordeals, signs, wonders, war, a mighty hand, an outstretched arm and great terrors –like all that ADONAI your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?” (Deuteronomy 4:32:33 CJB)
Remember to remember, dear seeker, the deepest part of the story is the undeniable, jealous love of God for His treasured people; the Nation of Israel. We too are His treasure; His Wild Olive Branch; grafted in by way of the Messiah.
This is the Lesson of His Treasure. His story is recorded for all time and eternity to teach and to train; to help us remember His passionate love and loyalty to His chosen ones. May we rejoice in the sincerity of His truth. His faithful love (Chesed) is lifted above each story in Torah as an eternal, prevailing trust! Sincerity is described in the Hebrew as a Tapestry, revealing identical artistry when unfolded, perfectly formed inside and outside. Rejoice! There is nothing hidden with our God.
This is the Lesson of His Treasure. The fruitfulness of the love of God is so sweet, so fulfilling, and so desirable, as we inquire about our past. We may look back into the Old Covenant stories in Torah to see the results of the Nation who rejected Adonai throughout the hills and valleys of their journey. It was by their rejection that a compassionate way was made for all who would come to the table of Adonai, to feast on the fruitful bounty of His love and promise!
We see that Adonai invited the foreigner to participate with the chosen Nation of Israel, as they experienced the holy, designated times of the Lord. (Moedim) This is a door Adonai has flung wide open from heaven, inviting us in, as His adopted treasure of a people; His Wild Olive Branch.
(Romans 11:17-18)
Therefore rejoice! Therefore, pray lovingly for Israel as she journeys toward her Covenant alignment with Adonai. She will take her treasured place at His bountiful table, as His Treasured People. (Am Segulah) Rejoice, all you treasured people, and pray!
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT
As we watch the world spinning out of control with prophetic markers punctuating our days, such as signs in the heavens, severity in weather patterns, wars and rumors of wars, violence and hatred spreading out of control, the Covid 19 World Pandemic, economic upheaval, and political posturing toward a prophesied One World Order, we who love the Lord and His Bible can take comfort that we know exactly how this story will unfold, play out, and end.
The Lord God Almighty is still on His throne in heaven, and His eyes are continually on the Nation of Israel, and how world events play out around this tiny, coveted, war-torn parcel of Holy Land. We can watch world events, as we read the prophets of the Bible, as if it is a modern-day newspaper! On this Shabbat, we seek to find our Sabbath Rest in the Lord. We can reflect on the most powerful truth today; God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His word is alive and true, and we can trust it to be the lamp unto our feet. We can rest, because HIS – STORY is playing out according to His plan, and our tiny life-stitches on His Tapestry of Truth are ordained and holy to Him.
As His grafted in Wild Olive Branch, like Israel, we are His treasured people. We have an important part to play for the Kingdom, and have been destined to live in a time such as this. Rejoice oh treasured people, and sing! Find your Sabbath rest in the glorious unfolding of HIS-STORY, and your dusty footprints upon the landscape of this time in history. Praise His name! Baruch Ha Shem!
Shabbat Shalom,
Sydney