Va'etchanan (ןאתחנן) - Plea for Mercy - Audio Podcast Aug 20, 2022
Notes
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Introduction
Introduction
Torah Portion
This Torah Portion goes from Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
In our previous Torah portion we talked about Moses feeling tired, perhaps even angry
How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints?
Moses had to establish lines of command through the tribes to organize better
After having given the Law this second time, as we discussed in our last Torah Portion, Moses finds himself having to stay behind, and not cross the Jordan River.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
God has told him he will not go on to the promised land
My hope is that in this Torah Portion is that:
you will know that the mercy of God sometimes does not look the way we want
That He is merciful
That his mercy comes as a result to our responses and choices
That there is a correlation between experiencing His compassion and obeying
Presentation
Va’etchanan - Plea for Mercy
“Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying:
‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?
I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’
What is the response from the Lord?
“But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.
Is Adonai punishing Moses after 40 years of service?
Is Adonai not giving Moses mercy?
What is mercy ?
Two ways to define things: what they are and what they are not
Mercy
H2603–H2603a
2603a. חָנַן chanan (335d); a prim. root; to show favor, be gracious:—begged(1), dealt graciously(1), favor(1), feel pity(1), finds … favor(1), give them to us voluntarily(1), gracious(45), graciously(1), graciously given(1), graciously grant(1), groan(1), implore(1), implore his favor(1), implore the compassion(1), implore the mercy(1), implored(1), made(1), made supplication(2), make supplication(5), pity(2), pleaded(2)
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
mercy, an attribute of God and a virtue commended for human beings. Hebrew uses several words for “mercy,” including rakham (Exod. 34:6; Isa. 55:7), khanan (Deut. 4:31) and khesed (Neh. 9:32; nrsv: “steadfast love”). The
The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated) (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), 624.
Mercy is not grace
חֵן chen (Strongs HB 2580) ; favor, grace:
חֵן chen (336b); from 2603a; favor, grace:—adornment(1), charm(1), charm*(1), charming*(1), favor(51), grace(8), graceful(2), gracious(3), pleases*(1).
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
Mercy and Grace
Mercy - not to get what we deserve
Grace - to get what we do not deserve
mercy
Mercy (6686) A quality of compassion, especially as expressed in God’s forgiveness of human sin. Scripture stresses God’s forbearance towards sinners. In his mercy, God shields sinners from what they deserve and gives gifts that they do not deserve.
Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
After feeling tired and angry because of Israel’s lack of desire to obey God, is it possible God allowed it to be like this to show His compassion?
One of the ways God shows mercy is being compassionate and providing consolation
Trauma- offer words of consolation
Plans about the future
When you are down and under
When He gives us mercy and consolation, the problem is that it does not always look the way we want it
He comforts those who mourn;
The same way God offers mercy and consolation to us, He will offer consolation to Israel
7 Consolations
The Sabbath of Consolation
in the Halftoras
First Consolation - Ve’etchanan - Isa 40:1-26
Second - Ekev - Isa 49:14-51:3
Third - Re’eh - Isa 54:11-55:5
Fourth - Shoftim - Isa 51:12-52:12
Fifth - Ki Tetze - Isa 54:1-10
Sixth - Ki Tavo - Isa 60:1-22
Seventh - Nitzavim - Isa 61:10-63:9
Eg. Messiah starting his ministry to comfort Israel
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God.
“Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”
This is read every year after the 9th of Av - which was the Last Sabbath
On that day:
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple
Romans destroyed the temple 600 years later
When the Spies come back with a bad report in Numbers
This is reason for this Sabbath for comfort, especially Israel
You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who mourns
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Jeremiah laments the destruction of Jerusalem in his book of Lamentations.
Lamentation is also read every year on the 9th of Av. This is when Jeremiah is lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem
She= Jerusalem
to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the Lord their God.
“Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings.” “Indeed we do come to You, For You are the Lord our God.
The backsliding refers to the one who repents
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who repents
Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Back to our Torah Portion
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who listens to His statutes and judgements, and keeps His commandments as set forth by Adonai
“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who is in a covenant relationship with Him
Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to (cling) his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Strongs HB 1692. דָּבַק dabaq (179c); a prim. root; to cling, cleave, keep close:—cleaves(4), cling(14),
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
Cling
Deuteronomy 4:4 (NKJV)
But you who held fast to (cling) the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.
It is because of love that we keep His commandments
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Deuteronomy 4:5–8 (NKJV)
“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.
Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?
And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who keeps and works in the wisdom of God and His understanding
Difference between keep (protect) and do (work in wisdom and understanding)
Deuteronomy 4:9 (NKJV)
Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
Deuteronomy 4:27–31 (NKJV)
And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.
And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
When you are in distress (tribulation), and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice
(for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
Those who seek Him, especially in the End Times
Paul puts it this way
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who keeps all the commandments, including the Sabbath
you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who hears God and loves God
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Shema. Letter ע (ieen) for Hear the letter ד (dalet) in shama form the word עד which means (ed) light to see, to do, to be aware
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who seeks diligently to please Him
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
diligently - chew on it for you first. It’s not do as I say, not as I do
Who does Adonai show mercy and who does He comfort?
The one who fears the Lord
And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.
Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’
for our good- It’s not salvation, but rewarded
“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
to 1000 generations
A generation is 80 years
80 x 1000 = 80,000 years
The earth is only 6000 years old. We are not done yet
The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Deut 7:9
Shabbat Shalom