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EIKEV “On the heels of”
31 July 2010
Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
Isaiah 49:14-51:3
Romans 8:31-39
This weekend is the second of seven consolations before the High Holy
Days. This portion begins with the words, “If you do obey these rules
and observe them carefully, the L-rd your G-d will maintain for you the
covenant that He made on oath with your fathers.”
In a forward in the book Sola Scriptura, the author Michael
Horton writes, “It was a time of prosperity and ease, with peace on the
often-troubled borders, as the surrounding nations that had built
threatening empires fell into internal decay and lethargy. Attracted by
the idols of the nations, G-d’s people again fell into false worship,
and this ‘truth decay’ led to incredible depths of social injustice and
immorality.”
In Devarim/Deuteronomy 7:12, the word if is used. In Hebrew, the
word literally means on the heels of or as consequence of.
In verse 13 Moses tells the people that the promises that have been
given to the patriarchs are also for them because G-d loves them and
favors them, as well.
These blessings are now to be received when they enter the land after a
long forty years of wanderings after Egypt. There are some interesting
words in Deuteronomy 7:13: He will favor you and bless you and multiply
you; He will bless the issue of your womb and the produce of your soil,
your new grain and wine and oil, the calving of your herd and the
lambing of your flock, in the land that He swore to your fathers to
assign to you.
Israel experienced the wrath of G-d when they allowed themselves to be
seduced by the Moabites (Numbers 25). Now they were entering the
Promised Land where they would be surrounded by pagan worship. G-d said
there would be no compromise, they were not to be defiled by the sins of
the Canaanites, so as not to jeopardize their relationship with G-d and
the blessings that He has for them.
Israel had to be a separated people if they were to be used to bring a
blessing to the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). The question for us is
the same as it was for the ancient Israelites. To be faithful and
maintain a separated position (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) we must be in the
world but not of it. Then we can be a blessing to the whole world by
bringing the good news that the world needs. In that day, the
strongholds of the idols (our enemy), which keep our people from knowing
G-d, will be demolished (2 Corinthians 10:1-6).
Shavuah Tov
Rabbi Z.
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