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Re’eih

See
“Choices and Tests”

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Isaiah 54:11-55:5

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume I

Re’eih continues where Ekev left off. Moses was persistent in encouraging the Israelites to obey the Lord with due faithfulness, so that they could prosper in the Land He was going to give them. If Israel chose to listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord, then blessings would emanate from Him. On the other hand, if Israel chose to disobey the commandments of the Lord, then curses would manifest themselves. Once again, the bottom line for Ancient Israel was how their choices—positive or negative—would affect them when they dwelt in the Promised Land. Would Israel choose to follow Moses’ Teaching? Or would Israel choose to abandon it? Re’eih opens with a rather critical admonition:

“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away out of the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28, WMB).

It is not difficult to compute how obedience to the Lord will result in people being blessed by Him, and how disobedience to the Lord will at least result in some kind of penalties being dispensed. If people desire to obey the Lord, then such obedience is a manifestation of one’s love and loyalty to Him. What does it say of those who do not desire to obey Him?

In Re’eih this week, we are introduced to a variety of tests which the Lord would use to ascertain whether His people will truly choose to follow Him. The tests which are given are fairly challenging, as they will come not only in the form of false prophets, but even one’s close personal relatives. False prophets, in particular, are said to be allowed to perform signs and wonders which come true:

“and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let’s go after other gods’ (which you have not known) ‘and let’s serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice. You shall serve him, and cling to him. That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 13:2-5, WMB).

These visible and/or tangible signs and wonders have the intention of drawing people away to worship and serve other gods—especially when the signs or wonders the false prophets claim will occur, come true. But, because false prophets have every intention of leading people away from God’s commandments, Israel was instructed to execute them:

“That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 13:5, WMB).

As serious as detecting a false prophet may be, even more hard-hitting is the fact that spiritual tests may come via one’s own kin:

“If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let’s go and serve other gods’—which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth—you shall not consent to him nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him” (Deuteronomy 13:6-8, WMB).

At this point, Moses warned Israel that siblings, children, best friends, and even wives could be used as vessels of temptation to get people to deny the Lord. God knew how intimate relationships with people who are unfaithful toward Him, could easily draw His people away from Him. For Ancient Israel, at least, the answer was to similarly see that those close people would be put to death. And, the one who was tempted by a fellow family member, was the first one who had to throw stones:

“but you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more wickedness like this among you” (Deuteronomy 13:9-11, WMB).

This was a difficult test. After your loved one had been accused and convicted of enticing you away from serving the One God of Israel, you were required to be the first to cast a stone to initiate the capital punishment. Thankfully, we now live in an era when Yeshua’s sacrifice has absorbed such capital punishment (Colossians 2:14). Yet, even if we might not stone false prophets or relatives who worship other gods—we still have to be very mindful of the deceptive influences present in our world. We have to avoid them and not listen to them! Each of us has to make the conscious choice to fully love and serve the Lord—or pursue other things which take us away from Him and His promised blessings. Such has always been the age-old question for the followers of the God of Israel.

During the ministry of Yeshua, we also see some tests present, similar to what is described this week in Re’eih. The Apostolic Scriptures warn about the coming of false prophets, with signs and wonders, which are again going to be used by God to test the hearts of those who have claimed faith in His Son. In His Olivet Discourse on the Last Days, Yeshua warned His Disciples about the eventual coming of false messiahs and false prophets who will arise to show great signs and wonders, saying,

“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, NRSV).

The significance of such signs and wonders will be to test the hearts of the elect. The signs and wonders will be designed to mislead, and have the capacity to seriously disrupt how Messiah followers are to be exclusively loyal to Him. Taking Yeshua’s warning to serious heart today, we should always question the motives of any minister or ministry who is actively (or exclusively) soliciting a following based on the manifestation of “signs and wonders.” Are they the genuine activity of the Holy Spirit? Are they really confirming evidences of the work of the Lord, and in helping people be set free from their sins?

Just as Re’eih says that one’s close family may be a source of temptation, Yeshua also told His Disciples that there will be division in families, because of belief in Him:

“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s foes will be those of his own household [Micah 7:6]” (Matthew 10:34-36, WMB).

In both Moses’ and Yeshua’s instructions, it is asserted how God’s people are going to be tested. False prophets will arise with signs and wonders. Families will be at odds because of loyalty to God and to His Messiah. Sadly today, the reality of circumstances on the ground is that many people actually desire to hear ear-tickling and sensational words—rather than receive instruction which can aid them in their relationship with the Lord and spiritual effectiveness. As the Apostle Paul wrote his colleague Timothy,

“For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4, WMB).

The Final Test and Choice

Within Deuteronomy the subject of prophets is seen multiple times,[1] but it is not exclusively about false prophets who would plague the Israelites. Moses would later speak of a Greater Prophet who will be raised up by God and speak definitive words which the people must heed. This Prophet will provide the ultimate test, and not heeding what He says will bring disastrous consequences:

“and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19, WMB).

The Apostle Peter knew who this Greater Prophet was, as he made a direct appeal to Deuteronomy 18:19—applying it to the ministry and work of Yeshua the Messiah:

“For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people’” (Acts 3:22-23, WMB).

Here, the test of believing in Yeshua was clearly stated. The consequences of unbelief are utter and complete ruin. Have you placed your trust in Yeshua the Messiah, the Greater Prophet? Anything else short of this, and you will have chosen poorly. Only by expressing true saving faith in the Messiah of Israel, can one also possess the wisdom and discernment to identify all of the false prophets and deceivers out there—which the world will throw at us!