RSEA.D. Notes Week 150

Torah Study Notes for Week 150 of the Torah Reading Cycle

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

  • Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1-29
  • Prophets (P): Joshua 1:1-18
  • Apostolic (A): John 17:1-26
  • Additional (ADD): Tobit 14:1-15

Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

  1. Even though the first five books of the Bible are attributed to Moses as author through a cursory reading of the Torah, it’s fairly clear from a careful reading of chapters 33 and 34 of Deuteronomy that Moses did not pen the first 5 books of the Bible. the continual use of the term “he said” shows that someone else is writing.
    1. Acts 7:53 You received the Torah as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
    2. Galatians 3:19 Then why is there the Torah? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
      1. διατάσσω diatásso (G1299) means to enjoin, order, decree, bid, dictate, or ordain. The KJV translates διατάσσω diatásso in the following manner: command (7x), appoint (4x), ordain (3x), set in order (1x), give order (1x).
      2. Thus, the Torah was commanded, appointed, ordained, and set in order by angels, not Moses.
        1. The Book of Jubilees makes this very clear. Jubilees 2:1 “And the angel of the face spake to Moses according to the word of the Lord, saying…”
        2. Genesis 1:26 Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”
        3. Genesis 11:6-7 [Elohim](mss) said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7 Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
        4. Clearly, angels in the Bible, also called elohim or sons of Elohim, are able to make decisions and have free will. This makes sense because man was created in the image of Elohim (cf. Genesis 1:26) and man has free will and the ability to choose life or death. However, in modern Pharisaic Judaism, angels are said to have no free will or the ability to rebel or sin. “In other words, only man has been endowed with the inclination for both good and bad. And only man has been given free choice to choose either one. An angel, on the other hand, has no evil inclination and therefore no free choice. This would seem to mean that an angel is something like a robot, which cannot rebel or sin.” (https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1055341/jewish/Can-Angels-Sin.htm)
        5. This doctrine is in direct contradiction to Genesis 6:1-2; “When the man began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2 The sons of [the Elohim](MTT) saw that daughters of the man were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.”
  2. 33:1 This is the blessing with which Moses the man of Elohim blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 He said, “YHWH came from Sinai, and rose from Seir [upon us].(LXX) He shone from Mount Paran. He came from the ten thousands of [Kadesh; on his right hand were his angels with him].(LXX)
    1. 33:2 is where the Masoretic Text is missing an entire line which has been restored with the Septuagint translation of the original Hebrew to Greek around 250 B.C. Without the Septuagint (LXX), one would think Jude 1:14, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones…” is directly quoting Deuteronomy 33:2, which is actually a prevailing argument against the Book of Enoch. However, Jude 1:14-15 is clearly and directly quoting Enoch 1:9 and not Moses, “And behold! He comes with ten thousand Holy Ones; to execute judgment upon them and to destroy the impious, and to contend with all flesh concerning everything that the sinners and the impious have done and wrought against Him.”
    2. In Deuteronomy 33:2, we see the angels were at the right hand of YHWH. This is mentioned multiple times in Scripture. In the Bible, the right hand is often used as a symbol of strength, protection, and power. For example, the name בִּנְיָמִין Benyamin (Benjamin) means “son of the right hand” as the strength of Jacob’s old age and his protection from YHWH is given in Moses’ blessing in Deuteronomy 33:12, About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of YHWH will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”
    3. Furthermore, the right hand as a symbol of power is shown in multiple verses and ultimately given to Yeshua. This will be discussed more during the Exhortation.
  3. 33:3 Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words. 4 Moses commanded us a Torah, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. 5 He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
    1. 33:6 “Let Reuben live, and not die; Nor let his men be few.”
    2. 33:7 This is for Judah. He said, “Listen, YHWH, [to](DSS) the voice of Judah. Bring him in to his people. With his hands he contended for himself. You will be [for him](DSS) a help against his adversaries.”
    3. 33:8 About Levi he said, “[Give to Levi his](LXX) Tummim and [his](LXX) Urim to the [the sacred man],(LXX) whom you proved at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah. 9 He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’ He didn’t acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own sons; for they have observed your word, and keep your covenant. 10 They will teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your Torah. They will put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar. 11 YHWH, bless his skills. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”
      1. אוּרִים Urim (H224) means “lights” and is the masculine plural of אִיר or (cf. Genesis 1:15). תֻּמִּים Tummim (H8550) means “perfections” and is further defined as something that is whole, complete or full. תֻּמִּים Tummim is the masculine plural of תָם tam meaning maturity; someone who is mature and upright as one who is whole. In the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint or LXX) the phrase הָאוּרִים וְאֶת הַתֻּמִּים ha’urim we’et ha’tummim is translated as την δήλωσιν και την αλήθειαν tin dílosin kai tin alítheian “the manifestation and the truth” where Urim = δήλωσιν dílosin (G1213 cf. 1 Corinthians 1:11) and Tummim = αλήθειαν alítheian (G225).
    4. 33:12 About Benjamin he said, “The beloved of YHWH will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.”
    5. 33:13 About Joseph he said, “His land is blessed by YHWH, for the precious things of the heavens, for the dew, for the deep that couches beneath, 14 for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, for the precious things that the moon can yield, 15 for the best things of the ancient mountains, for the precious things of the everlasting hills, 16 for the precious things of the land and its fullness, the good will of him who lived in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers. 17 [A firstborn](LXX) bull, majesty is his. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of the land. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim. They are the thousands of Manasseh.”
    6. 33:18 About Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and Issachar, in your tents. 19 They will call the peoples to the mountain. There they will offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they will draw out the abundance of the seas, the hidden treasures of the sand.”
    7. 33:20 About Gad he said, “He who enlarges Gad is blessed. He dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head. 21 He saw the beginning for himself, given that there the parcel of the inscriber is boarded up, and he arrived with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of YHWH, His judgments with Israel.”
    8. 33:22 About Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps out of Bashan.”
    9. 33:23 About Naphtali he said, “Naphtali, satisfied with favor, full of YHWH’s blessing, Possess the west and the south.”
    10. 33:24 About Asher he said, “Asher is blessed with sons. Let him be acceptable to his brothers. Let him dip his foot in oil. 25 Your bars will be iron and bronze. As your days, so your strength will be.

*It is unclear why Moses did not bless Shimon with the sons of Israel. In Genesis 49:5 Jacob called his sons together to tell them what would happen to them in the days to come and said, “Shimon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence. 6 My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their will they hamstrung cattle. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” Did Jacob’s words regarding Shimon have anything to do with Moses’ choice to not include him? Levi, however, was included so we cannot be sure.

33:26 “There is no one like Elohim, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his pride on the heavens. 27 The eternal Elohim is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He thrust out the enemy from before you, and said, ‘Destroy!’ 28 Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens drop down dew. 29 You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by YHWH, the shield of your help, the sword of your pride! Your enemies will submit themselves to you. You will tread on their high places.”

Exhortation
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)

  1. Deuteronomy 33:8 About Levi he said, “[Give to Levi his](LXX) Tummim and [his](LXX) Urim to the [the sacred man],(LXX) whom you proved at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah. 9 He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’ He didn’t acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own sons; for they have observed your word, and keep your covenant. 10 They will teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your Torah. They will put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar. 11 YHWH, bless his skills. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”
    1. Tummim and Urim = “Perfections and lights” from Hebrew and “the truth and the manifestation” from Greek.
      1. Enoch 62:5-8 And one half of them will look at the other, and they will be terrified, and will cast down their faces, and pain will take hold of them when they see that Son of Man sitting on the throne of His Glory. 6 And the mighty kings, and all those who possess the land, will praise and bless and exalt Him who rules everything that is hidden. 7 For from the beginning that Son of Man was hidden, and the Most High kept him in the presence of His power, and revealed him only to the chosen. 8 And the community of the Holy and the chosen will be sown and all the chosen will stand before him on that day. 9 And all the mighty kings, and the exalted, and those who rule the dry ground, will fall down before him, on their faces, and worship; and they will set their hopes on that Son of Man, and will entreat him, and will petition for mercy from him.
    2. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Messiah. 5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” (cf. Exodus 32:6) 8 Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9 Let’s not test Messiah (some ancient manuscripts say “the Lord” instead of Messiah), as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. 10 Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.
    3. Hebrews 3:12 – 4:3 Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there might be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Messiah, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end, 15 while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” (cf. Psalms 95:7-8) 16 For who, when they heard, rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief. 4 Let’s fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest…
    4. Hebrews 7:1-17 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all, being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best plunder. 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the Torah, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, 6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10 for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people have received the law, what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life; 17 for it is witnessed, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (cf. Psalms 110:4)
    5. Hebrews 8:1-4 Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the Torah
  2. Deuteronomy 33:1 This is the blessing with which Moses the man of Elohim blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 He said, “YHWH came from Sinai, and rose from Seir [upon us].(LXX) He shone from Mount Paran. He came from the ten thousands of [Kadesh; on his right hand were his angels with him].(LXX) The right hand as a symbol of power is shown in multiple verses and ultimately given to Yeshua.
    1. Hebrews 1:13 But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” Yeshua, not any of the angels, sits at the right hand of YHWH.
    2. Luke 22:68-70 But Yeshua said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe, 68 and if I ask, you will in no way answer me or let me go. 69 From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say it, because I am.”
    3. Acts 5:29-32 But Peter and the emissaries answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. 32 We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
    4. 1 Peter 3:18-22 Because Messiah also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, 19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noaḥ while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 This is a symbol of immersion, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
  3. 17:1 Yeshua said these things, then lifting up his eyes to the heavens, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
    1. Yeshua speaks in the third person and refers to himself in the third person by his name, Yeshua the Messiah, 17:2 even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true Elohim, and him whom you sent, Yeshua the Messiah.
    2. Yeshua goes back to speaking in the first person, 17:4 I glorified you on the land. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed. 6 “I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, 8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them; and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, guard them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world,(mss) I kept them in your name whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled (cf. Psalm 41:9). 13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would guard them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in your(mss) truth. Your word is truth. (cf. Psalms 119:142) 18 As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one(mss) in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one, 23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know that you sent me and loved them, even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Does anyone have specific questions or need any clarification from what was said during the Summary or Exhortation?

Application & Discussion
Living the Word and following Yeshua (Acts 2:37; Romans 2:13)
Questions, input, and sharpening (Proverbs 27:17; Luke 2:46)

Romans 2:13 For it isn’t the hearers of the Torah who are righteous before Elohim, but the doers of the Torah will be justified.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

    1. What questions or comments came up during your family’s discussion of this week’s study?
    2. “What other related Scriptures did you find during your study of this week’s portion?”
    3. Have you ever experienced something from this study or something related to it?
    4. “What changes do you need to make in your life to align with what you learned during this week’s Torah Study?”
Additional Study Notes