Devarim 2023: The Requirements For Entry Into YHVH’s Kingdom

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NOTE: The transcript is not the same as the recording.

If you’re going to Heaven, don’t worry about the Law of Moses. It doesn’t apply to you since no one is going there, anyway. But if you are planning to enter Yeshua’s Kingdom on earth, there are Laws to govern you and the land which your King is giving you. Moses explains this in his final speech to Israel. He explains how we are to behave toward and in YHVH’s “royal land grant”, and also explained is that the King keeps all authority over the behaviors of the people who live there. His authority is also explained to us in His Law called “the Law of Moses”. Join us to find out what Moses had to say!

Deu 1:1  These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah over against Suf, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 

Moses’ last speech

He will be last of the first generation to die.

The location is about 1.5 hours driving by car south of us. Israel was a very large population covering these areas. From here, all Israel would move a little further north to cross the Jordan river.

This tells us that this is the launching into Israel area when Yeshua returns. He gives us patterns in scripture besides explaining His Kingdom to us in His Law. If you want to know what living in Yeshua’s, God’s and our King’s, Kingdom will be like, then study the Law of YHVH AKA as the Law of Moses.

Deuteronomy is Moses teaching us YHVH’s instructions and His requirements for living in His royal land grant, His land.

Some new laws; most are repeats; not all laws are repeated.

Some people talk like it is the people who will govern the land. This is particularly prevalent in Judaism. Those people fail to know their King, fail to know they HAVE a King and that He remains in full charge, control and authority over His land. He chose this land, He is choosing a people and He will reign over his land and His people. This defines Israel – a King, a land and a people.

WHY ARE THERE LAWS FOR BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE LIVING IN THE LAND?    

Yeshua gave a royal land grant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob so they and their descendants can live in the land.

This land is the center of the earth; the earth is headquarters or central to the universe.

There are requirements for being able to enter and continue living there.

Like subdivision CCRs. If you don’t like the rules, don’t move in.

You stand at the gate and knock. The King lets you in and gives you a clean slate. That is salvation.

After you get inside His Kingdom, now you find out there are laws.

These arrangements in the ANEC always are reciprocal. In a client/patron relationship, the patron does you a service or favor but there is always something expected in return.

Exo_20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Deu_5:10  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Joh_14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh_14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

The lie in Christianity is that confession with the mouth that Jesus is the Messiah is all that it takes to enter His Kingdom. They read Romans 10:5-10 and nothing else in the entire book. And they also believe, because they are being taught, that the OT and the NT are to be separated. A man told me a couple of weeks ago that I should not bring the OT into my understanding of the NT. Whether Christians will admit it or not, and even whether they understand it or not, the doctrine and underlying sentiment of Christianity is that the OT is irrelevant, done away, and all the remains is the NT.

But Yeshua said we are to keep His commandments.

Mat_19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Entering into the Kingdom, into eternal life, requires commandment keeping, law keeping. People just don’t like to hear that.

1Jn_5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Rev_12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Deu 1:2  It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. 

Kadesh Barnea is a 2 hour car drive to the south of our current location which is in Moab.

So here we are. We have lived in both places, and like the first generation who lived longer in Kadesh Barnea than in Moab, according to Deuteronomy 1:46. We were tested there as many of you know and, apparently, we passed the test because YHVH us to Moab just like the second generation where we, like them, await our further instructions knowing that Yeshua will lead us across the Jordan river just as Joshua did all those millennia ago.

Deu 1:3  In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that Yahweh had given him in commandment to them; 

Two month before Passover.

Deu 1:4  after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei. 

Deu 1:5  Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses began to declare this law, saying, 

Following Moses’ established pattern, it will be once again in the land of Moab where we will receive our instructions and marching orders from Yeshua.

Deu 1:8  Behold, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.’” 

YHVH is a God who keeps His promises. And how do we know YHVH has now kept His promise?

Deu 1:10  Yahweh your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the sky for multitude. 

To Abraham: Gen 15:5  Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring be.”

To Abraham at Isaac’s binding: Gen 22:16  and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 
Gen 22:17  that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens… 

To Isaac: Gen 26:4  I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring will all the nations of the earth be blessed, 
Gen 26:5  because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” 

YHVH has kept His promise to Abraham and Isaac at this point. But what about Jacob? Didn’t Jacob get a promise? Yes, but it was a different promise.

To Jacob: Gen_32:12  You said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which can’t be counted because there are so many.’”

At this point, at the time of the second generation crossing over into the land of their King which is also the land of their inheritance that was promised to Abraham and Isaac, they were only as many as the stars in the sky. By the way, Isaac had also received the blessing that his descandants would be as the sand of the sea.

Gen_22:17  that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens…

And now comes the rest of Abraham’s blessing:

…and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.

YHVH gave Abraham 2 blessings. First, his offspring would be like the stars of the sky in number, then they would become like the sand of the sea. This is because these are two prophecies about Abraham’s descendants. There would be 2 groups of descendants. This first group is the one that numbers as many as the stars of the sky. The future descendants will number as many as the sands of the sea.

Abraham’s future descendants from Jacob do not include Edomites. It is only Israel, descendants of Jacob, who are numbered as the sand of the sea, but in this second generation who is now about to cross over the Jordan river to take the land of Abraham’s inheritance, they fulfill the first promise to Abraham and Isaac to be numbered as the stars of the sky.

I have heard it said that the naked human eye can see about 600,000 stars. At this stage in the Kingdom’s history, we still await the number of Abraham’s and Jacob’s descendants to be as the sands of the sea.

Deuteronomy 1:13-18 explains how Moses set leaders over the congregation. One of the hardest concepts to learn is YHVH’s government – His Law – and that there is a hierarchy in place and it starts with these leaders and the line of Aaron.

Moses continues describing Israel’s history with the rejection of the land by the first generation. This second generation, which their parents said would die in that awful wilderness, are now going to do what their parents would not. They are going to take the land, and this mention of the history of Israel NOT taking the land is the start of Moses’ instructions. “Don’t do that again”, he is saying.

I told you earlier that our little congregation has followed the path of the Israelites in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy 2:9 and 19 gives us instructions on what to do here.

Deu 2:9  Yahweh said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.” 

Deu 2:19  When you come near the border of the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession; because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession.” 

We are here as good residents of Jordan, not in battle trying to take their land. We are making every effort to be self-sufficient and an asset to the people around us. Our farm, Return to Eden Farm, is dedicated to YHVH’s Kingdom, and He told us not to contend with these people. We don’t.

From Deuteronomy 2:26-37, we are told to not be afraid of any giants. Now, we don’t have physical giants in the land here but we do have self-important and so-called “big” people here just like everywhere in the world which we refuse to be afraid of. We know that no weapon formed against us can prosper and we are not respecters of persons, either. We also know that the enemy has to ask permission to test us but he can only go so far as YHVH allows him.

And isn’t that a strange thing? Satan still have to obey his Creator even though he is in 100% rebellion against his Creator’s Law, the Law of YHVH AKA as the Law of Moses.

Chapter 3 has more of the history to remind the second generation of the troubles they’d seen and it ends with Moses’ lament about not being allowed to enter the land because of his sin in beating Yeshua, the rock, in front of the people, after which water came out living water but only because of YHVH’s mercy. At that moment, Moses taught everyone that you need to beat the rock to get the living water. No! You need only speak to the rock to get the living water.

Moses striking the rock is why Yeshua then had to be beaten. Moses taught the people that you get salvation when you beat the rock, when you beat Yeshua. It was a horrible lesson to teach and Moses paid a price for it. We know, however, that Moses will be in the Kingdom as he was seen by the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses is still very much alive and awaiting the resurrection.

Our Haftarah, Isaiah 1:1-27, relates to Deuteronomy 1-3 because of Moses talking about the spiritual sickness of the first generation by relating the history of their failures.

Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. 

Isa 1:5  Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 

YHVH chastised His people for their wickedness but the prophets now say that there is nothing more that can be done.

Isa 1:6  From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it: wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, neither bandaged, neither soothed with oil. 

Nothing more can be done for Israel. He is like a man who is covered with wounds, welts and open sores that have not healed nor have been bandaged or soothed with oil, the work of YHVH the healer. Israel rejects his own King, the only King that can heal him. Only at Yeshua’s death and resurrection was this Israel man raised completely healed with Yeshua.

Rom 6:5  For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 
Rom 6:6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

And what came out of the grave with Yeshua? Revived and renewed Israel! The Israel that was at Mount Sinai and the Israel who by the time of Isaiah was nothing more than a sick and dying entity came out of the grave with Yeshua. Israel was resurrected with Him! Hallelujah!

Ephesians 2:15 and 4:24, and Colossians 3:10 is where Paul speaks of the NEW man and how Yeshua’s death created this new man.

What does Matthew 24 have to do with this Torah Portion? Moses begins his speech to the Israelites by reminding them of what has transpired, encouraging them for the wars ahead by reminding them of how they defeated Kings Og and Sihon, and reminding them that they did not defeat these kings themselves. It was YHVH Elohim who went before them in battle and delivered Og and Sihon into their hands.

In Matthew 24, Yeshua gives us a motivational speech, as well. It is prophecy and instruction to do what Moses instructed the second generation to do which is NOT be afraid. Yeshua tells us what is going to happen before He returns. We are to remember, we are to go through the Torah Portions every year to get our motivation from YHVH Elohim for how He constantly cared for and delivered Israel in battle. We should also read the Book of Joshua for valuable lessons on what to do and what not to do.

Mat 24:13  But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. 

And Yeshua instructs us on what to do when we see the trouble coming.

Mat 24:15  “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 

Mat 24:16  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 

Mat 24:17  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house. 

Mat 24:18  Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes. 

Mat 24:19  But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days! 

Mat 24:20  Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath, 

Mat 24:21  for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be. 

Do as Yeshua says. Flee from Judea if that is where you live, and remember that those who are not in Judea will also be ingathered. YHVH will send messengers, angels, to get you to bring to the place where this little group of people are preparing as much as we can … for your arrival.

And then Yeshua said,

Mat 24:22  Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. 

Luk_21:36  Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”