Those of us who are following the readings of the Torah portions which are now coming to their annual cycle’s end, are always faced with the amazing prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 30. This whole chapter is very relevant in unveiling a mystery that has been hidden for three thousand years. In this case, the meaning of one Hebrew word can help to disclose the identity of YHVH’s ancient (and who were to become hidden) people. Such is, for example, verse 4: "If your outcasts (nadach) are at the ends of the earth, from there YHVH your Elohim will gather you, and from there He will bring you back” (Deuteronomy 30:4 emphasis added). In Isaiah 11:12 the same word is used again: “And He [YHVH] will lift up a standard for the nations, and will assemble the banished (nadach) ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah” (emphases added). Then verse 6 of Deuteronomy 30 is all about the promise that will be fulfilled in the New Covenant, as is recorded in Jeremiah 31:31. “Moreover YHVH your Elohim will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6).
The season before Yom Kippur is a time of introspection, but
we also have to look at it as a time to remember these words of Moses that
pertain to Israel as a whole. Our
history is of utmost importance in the overall witness of our covenant-keeping
Elohim and regarding the return of His redeemer son, Yeshua. We have been, and still are, His ensign throughout
all generations, especially now in the latter days (see Jeremiah 31).
I received today a link to a TBN interview with Jonathan Cahn
about his new book, Harbinger II, subtitled “the Shaking of America to its Core”. In some of his books Cahn speaks about the
judgements upon ancient Israel and then makes an application to the United
States and the Church. It always amazes
me that of all the mysteries that he speaks about, the one that he does not yet
see is the “mystery of the blindness of Israel” (ref. Romans 11: 25-26), the uncovering
of which could turn around the judgments of the Almighty upon a nation. The last chance before employing the curse, that
the prophets of old give is at the end of Malachi: "And he [Elijah]
will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children/sons, and the
hearts of the children/sons to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land
with a curse" (4:6).
What is hidden in Moses’ prophecy in Deuteronomy 30 is brought
to light at the end of the age, when this Elijah message reveals the
faithfulness of YHVH to the covenants that He made with Israel’s forefathers. The revealing of the Abrahamic faith in His
people, especially the lost sheep of the house of Joseph, is paramount to the
reversal of these end time curses. The
condition for overturning curses is laid out clearly in 2nd Chronicles
7:13-14, which also enumerates the curses that we are facing, "If I
shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust
to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My
name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land” (emphases added).
YHVH has been revealing in these last days who are His people. He
has conferred upon Jacob, and then Joseph and his two sons Ephraim and Menashe,
as well as upon both Houses of Israel (Ephraim and Judah) the same name as the
one by which He names the Messiah - “Israel” (ref. Isaiah 49:1-3). What has
been hidden is now being revealed in the very Gospel of the Kingdom which is being
restored to those to whom it belongs (Acts 1:6-8; 3:19-21).
Immediately upon embracing by faith Elohim’s resurrection of His
Son, (see Romans 3:23-25), newly-come believers should be told about the faith
of their father Abraham, who believed that Elohim could bring forth life
from a dead womb. The apostle makes a very strong case for the person who
believes this fact: “… those who are of the faith of Abraham, who
is the father of us all” (Romans 4:16). Then again in Galatians he
writes about those who are in Messiah, as having the faith of Abraham their
father “And if you belong to Messiah, therefore you are Abraham's
offspring, heirs according to promise” (3:29 “therefore” is in the original
Greek).
As long as there is a
denial of our identity as being the seed/sons of those covenanted forefathers,
the curses will continue to be in effect and most likely get worse.
This is an interesting train of thought. Much to ponder.
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