Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Torah Portion

This Torah Portion goes from Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

Devarim defined in different ways.

Consider 3

1- Devarim = These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel

2- English: Deuteronomy

Deuteronomion, whence it came to the Latin Vulgate and then to English as “Deuteronomy

Jeffrey H. Tigay, Deuteronomy, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1996), xi.

Misunderstanding of the verse

where the phrase first appears but actually means “a copy of the Teaching.”

Nevertheless, it is an apt designation for the book, which recapitulates the teachings of Genesis through Numbers.

Jeffrey H. Tigay, Deuteronomy, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1996), xi.

3- The Law of Moses

Meaning Moses gave the laws to Israel in a more expanded way.

The law was given at mount Sinai and then again 40 years after they came out of Egypt.

The law is widely know as the Law of Moses:

Luke 24:44 (NKJV)

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

In our Torah Portion, I hope to address a few things regarding “the giving of the law”

Is it the Law of Moses or the Law of God?

The purposes of the Law in the Wilderness

Presentation

Is it the Law of Moses or the Law of God?

Deuteronomy 1:1–7 (NKJV)

These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea.

Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him as commandments to them,

after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.

On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying,

“The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.

Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.

There are some who believe that only the 10 Commandments came from God, everything else was given to Moses for Israel in a specific time period.

See examples

There are other examples

But look at the following contrast

Are the Law of Moses and the Law different?

Was the Law of Moses never intended to be the law of God?

Only for Israel?

Only for the time given to them?

Moses was the messenger

How about Numbers 29 all the chapter is about the Fall Feast

Who commanded them?

God/ Not Moses

Nehemiah 8:1 (NKJV)

Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.

Nehemiah 8:8–9 (NKJV)

So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.”

For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:17–18 (NKJV)

So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so.

And there was very great gladness.

Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God.

And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

The Law of God includes the Feast of Sukkot as detailed in Leviticus 23 and it was mentioned earlier in Numbers 29

How is it possible that the Law of God is only the 10 commandments and that we should not keep the feasts?

MOSES WAS THE MESSENGER (who foreshadows the angels of end times)

Why is “the giving of law of God” so important?

Purposes of the Law in the Wilderness:

1- The law describes who He is more tangible in the Wilderness, on this side of Journey

Characteristics of the Law of God

God is The Law is

Lk 18:19 Good Rom 7:12

Isa 5:16 Holy Rom 7:12

Deut 32:4 Just Rom 7:12

Matt 5:48 Perfect Ps 19:7

1 Jn 4:8 Love Rom 13:10

Exodus 9:27 Righteous Ps 19:9

Deut 32:4.

Truth.

Ps 119:142; 151

1 John 3:3 Pure.

Ps 19:8

John 4:24.

Spiritual.

Rom 7:14

Malachi 3:6.

Unchangeable.

Matt 5:18

Gen 21:33.

Eternal.

Ps 111:7-8

2- The Law reassures us of His covenant more in the Wilderness and on this side of the Jordan

Consider again Genesis 13-16

Genesis 13:16 (NKJV)

And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.

To multiply them AS the stars - not as the dust

Wilderness dust is rubbish

It is just ashes

In fact, the serpent was call to eat this dust

How is it possible that God is promising Abraham that He is going to make his descendants “DUST” that will be eaten by the serpent?

Is God saying He is done with Abraham and His descendants when the Lord reminds us of His Gospel of Promise to Abraham?

He gives His Law in the Wilderness not only to show us who He is, or to reassure us of His promise, but also to prepare us to receive His promise.

This word DUST is in the Hebrew: AFAR

Afar

עָפָר (109 ×): cs.

עֲפַר, sf.

עֲפָרוֹ; pl.

cs.