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Oct. 6, 2023
Rejoicing over the Word of God
The beautiful book of Deuteronomy, and the Torah, come to an end this week on a rather depressing note. But we know the rest of the story—what Moses and Joshua died not knowing. We admire their courage and faithfulness to God. We can also rejoice that the children of Israel are back in their homeland today and will realize all of God’s promises to their forefathers. So we rejoice over the Torah and the revelation of God and His ways found in it.
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Rejoicing over the Word of God (Out of Zion Episode #201)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Transcript
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,880
Well, this week the Torah and the beautiful book of Deuteronomy come to an end on a rather
2
00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:08,800
depressing note.
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:14,580
But we know the rest of the story, what Moses and Joshua died not knowing.
4
00:00:14,580 --> 00:00:18,760
So we admire their courage and their faithfulness to God.
5
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:24,300
We can also rejoice that the children of Israel are back in their homeland today and will
6
00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:28,400
realize all of God's promises to their forefathers.
7
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:35,700
So we rejoice over the Torah and the revelation of God and His ways found in it.
8
00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:41,240
So welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional when I seek to share a little inspiration
9
00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,940
and bring a little peace to the close of your very busy week.
10
00:00:45,940 --> 00:00:51,600
This is our final week of reading the Torah and we end the book of Deuteronomy, the chapters
11
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,340
33 and 34.
12
00:00:54,340 --> 00:01:00,200
And so we're going to join the Jewish community around the world to close it out with great
13
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,200
rejoicing.
14
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,520
But first, let's talk about what we're reading.
15
00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:10,880
But we have to admit, Deuteronomy ends on a very depressing note, actually three different
16
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,520
depressing notes.
17
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:19,020
First, here's Moses laid out this magnificent covenant and all of God's promises for either
18
00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:21,460
blessing or curses.
19
00:01:21,460 --> 00:01:27,920
And as a result, God tells Moses that the people are going to fail him one day and fail
20
00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,920
him utterly.
21
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,880
How depressing that must have been for Moses.
22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:38,880
I mean, the last 40 years of his life have been dedicated to preparing this people to
23
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,000
enter into their promised land and live in covenant with God.
24
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,280
And he ends his life knowing they're going to fail God.
25
00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:53,160
Then God tells Moses to write a song about it so Moses has to sing a song to the children
26
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,400
of Israel in which he talks about how they're going to betray their God.
27
00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,920
Put yourself in Moses shoes for just a minute.
28
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,800
Wow, what an ending to this his life's work.
29
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:14,080
Now second sad part is that Moses is not allowed to enter the promised land.
30
00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,560
He can view it from Mount Nebo, but he cannot enter it.
31
00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,400
Instead, he will die on Mount Nebo and no one knows where the grave is.
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,040
So that's kind of a sad ending.
33
00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,680
And then thirdly, let's think about Joshua.
34
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,280
He was told to be strong and of courage and he's to lead the children of Israel into their
35
00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:39,840
promised land, knowing that one day they're going to disobey and rebel and be exiled from
36
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:40,840
it.
37
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,440
Put yourself in Joshua shoes.
38
00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,560
What a commission, what a calling, called to a degree of failure.
39
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:55,460
But what a gracious God that he let them know these things ahead of time.
40
00:02:55,460 --> 00:02:59,820
The message is nothing is impossible with God.
41
00:02:59,820 --> 00:03:02,320
He sees the end from the beginning.
42
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:03,640
He's got the big picture.
43
00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:04,640
We don't.
44
00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:06,880
So get on with the call.
45
00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:13,400
One day God would draw his people back to their homeland and fulfill all of their promises,
46
00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,560
all of his promises to them.
47
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:22,120
Joshua just needed to play his part, which was to take this generation in to possess
48
00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:23,640
the land.
49
00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:25,640
And he did it.
50
00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:28,840
Now after all this sad news, let's look at the positive.
51
00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:36,120
Moses, who died in obscurity, became known as the greatest prophet of Judaism and the
52
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,440
greatest leader of the Jewish people ever.
53
00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:45,360
And he appeared with Jesus in the Transfiguration, in the promised land.
54
00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:50,440
Okay, so he made it there, just not in his physical life.
55
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,320
Now let's look at the children of Israel.
56
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:57,840
Yes, they sinned and they went into exile twice, but they're back, just as the Hebrew
57
00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,440
prophets predicted.
58
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:05,960
They are back in the promised land and the final chapter of all history is still to be
59
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,300
written.
60
00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:13,480
So on this note, we rejoice over the Torah and the amazing story that it tells.
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,880
On this final Shabbat of the year, the Jewish people close out Deuteronomy and then begin
62
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,440
reading the Torah all over again with Genesis 1.1.
63
00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,080
And they rejoice.
64
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,320
They take the Torah scrolls and dance through the aisles of the synagogue.
65
00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:34,160
And as the Torah passes you, they reach out and they kiss it.
66
00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:39,240
The love of Torah and the rejoicing of the gift of Torah.
67
00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:45,600
Well, when was the last time your church took the Bible and went dancing through the aisles?
68
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:50,240
When did they get so excited that they literally rejoiced over the Word of God?
69
00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,560
Well, now's the time.
70
00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,200
Try it this weekend.
71
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:59,760
Now I'm going to see you back here next week for some final thoughts as I bring our Shabbat
72
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,440
Shalom series to an end.
73
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,000
But for now, I wish you Shabbat Shalom.
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,880
Well, this week the Torah and the beautiful book of Deuteronomy come to an end on a rather
2
00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:08,800
depressing note.
3
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:14,580
But we know the rest of the story, what Moses and Joshua died not knowing.
4
00:00:14,580 --> 00:00:18,760
So we admire their courage and their faithfulness to God.
5
00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:24,300
We can also rejoice that the children of Israel are back in their homeland today and will
6
00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:28,400
realize all of God's promises to their forefathers.
7
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:35,700
So we rejoice over the Torah and the revelation of God and His ways found in it.
8
00:00:35,700 --> 00:00:41,240
So welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional when I seek to share a little inspiration
9
00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,940
and bring a little peace to the close of your very busy week.
10
00:00:45,940 --> 00:00:51,600
This is our final week of reading the Torah and we end the book of Deuteronomy, the chapters
11
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,340
33 and 34.
12
00:00:54,340 --> 00:01:00,200
And so we're going to join the Jewish community around the world to close it out with great
13
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,200
rejoicing.
14
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,520
But first, let's talk about what we're reading.
15
00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:10,880
But we have to admit, Deuteronomy ends on a very depressing note, actually three different
16
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,520
depressing notes.
17
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:19,020
First, here's Moses laid out this magnificent covenant and all of God's promises for either
18
00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:21,460
blessing or curses.
19
00:01:21,460 --> 00:01:27,920
And as a result, God tells Moses that the people are going to fail him one day and fail
20
00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,920
him utterly.
21
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,880
How depressing that must have been for Moses.
22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:38,880
I mean, the last 40 years of his life have been dedicated to preparing this people to
23
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,000
enter into their promised land and live in covenant with God.
24
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,280
And he ends his life knowing they're going to fail God.
25
00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:53,160
Then God tells Moses to write a song about it so Moses has to sing a song to the children
26
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,400
of Israel in which he talks about how they're going to betray their God.
27
00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,920
Put yourself in Moses shoes for just a minute.
28
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,800
Wow, what an ending to this his life's work.
29
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:14,080
Now second sad part is that Moses is not allowed to enter the promised land.
30
00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,560
He can view it from Mount Nebo, but he cannot enter it.
31
00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,400
Instead, he will die on Mount Nebo and no one knows where the grave is.
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,040
So that's kind of a sad ending.
33
00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,680
And then thirdly, let's think about Joshua.
34
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,280
He was told to be strong and of courage and he's to lead the children of Israel into their
35
00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:39,840
promised land, knowing that one day they're going to disobey and rebel and be exiled from
36
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:40,840
it.
37
00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,440
Put yourself in Joshua shoes.
38
00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,560
What a commission, what a calling, called to a degree of failure.
39
00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:55,460
But what a gracious God that he let them know these things ahead of time.
40
00:02:55,460 --> 00:02:59,820
The message is nothing is impossible with God.
41
00:02:59,820 --> 00:03:02,320
He sees the end from the beginning.
42
00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:03,640
He's got the big picture.
43
00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:04,640
We don't.
44
00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:06,880
So get on with the call.
45
00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:13,400
One day God would draw his people back to their homeland and fulfill all of their promises,
46
00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,560
all of his promises to them.
47
00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:22,120
Joshua just needed to play his part, which was to take this generation in to possess
48
00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:23,640
the land.
49
00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:25,640
And he did it.
50
00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:28,840
Now after all this sad news, let's look at the positive.
51
00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:36,120
Moses, who died in obscurity, became known as the greatest prophet of Judaism and the
52
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,440
greatest leader of the Jewish people ever.
53
00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:45,360
And he appeared with Jesus in the Transfiguration, in the promised land.
54
00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:50,440
Okay, so he made it there, just not in his physical life.
55
00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,320
Now let's look at the children of Israel.
56
00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:57,840
Yes, they sinned and they went into exile twice, but they're back, just as the Hebrew
57
00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,440
prophets predicted.
58
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:05,960
They are back in the promised land and the final chapter of all history is still to be
59
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,300
written.
60
00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:13,480
So on this note, we rejoice over the Torah and the amazing story that it tells.
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,880
On this final Shabbat of the year, the Jewish people close out Deuteronomy and then begin
62
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,440
reading the Torah all over again with Genesis 1.1.
63
00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,080
And they rejoice.
64
00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,320
They take the Torah scrolls and dance through the aisles of the synagogue.
65
00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:34,160
And as the Torah passes you, they reach out and they kiss it.
66
00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:39,240
The love of Torah and the rejoicing of the gift of Torah.
67
00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:45,600
Well, when was the last time your church took the Bible and went dancing through the aisles?
68
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:50,240
When did they get so excited that they literally rejoiced over the Word of God?
69
00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,560
Well, now's the time.
70
00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,200
Try it this weekend.
71
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:59,760
Now I'm going to see you back here next week for some final thoughts as I bring our Shabbat
72
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,440
Shalom series to an end.
73
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,000
But for now, I wish you Shabbat Shalom.
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