Re’eih
See
“Seeing is Believing”
Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Isaiah 54:11-55:5
excerpted from TorahScope, Volume III
As the reiteration of the words received—and the tests, trials, and tribulations experienced during the desert sojourn of the Israelites to the Promised Land continues—this week’s Torah portion, entitled Re’eih (see, look, or behold), focuses in on a number of visible signs, which the people were expected to do after crossing the Jordan River. Interestingly, when many readers think about the instructions given to Israel over the years by the Holy One, the watchword which often comes to mind is the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). The emphasis is on the auditory sense and the command to listen intently to His voice, with both ears and the promptings of the Spirit, in order to do all which the Creator commands. However, as our parashah commences, the exclamation to see, look, or behold, directs one’s attention away from hearing the voice of the Lord or His Spirit’s promptings, to what not only the eyes see—but how the visible testimony of Israel, to the world by its physical actions, will be a witness how it is indeed a nation chosen for a unique role among the nations of the world (Exodus 19:6).
After all, hearing sounds provides warnings even in the dark of the night, and can certainly be used to specifically clarify instructions—as the inner thoughts of a person seek out answers to the questions brought to mind by the voice of God, either spoken or written. However, with the innate understanding that “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Ecclesiastes 1:8, WMB), the speed of light enables the eye gates to absorb an incredible amount of information simultaneously, while maintaining vision, both near and far. So, our Torah reading may be said to address many of the visible signs which Israel was commanded to perform, in order to be a testimony to others—so that the other nations of the world would see the magnificence of God’s chosen people, and be drawn to emulate them and revere their God.
It is recorded that during the time period which describes the Creation, that God spoke the created order into being with the proclamation, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Then, after speaking into existence the various aspects of the universe, it was actually Him seeing the results of His formations, which ultimately prompted Him to declare the goodness of what was formed. He was even extremely pleased with the crown of His Creation, the human being, who He made to have dominion over the Earth:
“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;’ and it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day” (Genesis 1:27-31, WMB).
Seeing is one of the primary physical senses which our Maker has—and continues to use—to get the attention of all who have not only eyes to see, but ears to hear. So, let us truly see what our Torah reading focuses on this week.
By placing yourself back in the time of the crossing, you should understand that the way people communicated in the Ancient Near East, was significantly different than it is today (especially with all of the modern technological communication devices and conveniences we have). Being able to visibly observe great distances from the top of mountains and other high places, with merely the human eye, was why watchers and sentinels were placed on walls or peaks, for communicating warnings and/or helping to pass on information between towns and communities.
Because Israel was on the verge of entering into hostile territory, which had a variety of Canaanites worshipping other gods—God, once again, reminded His people about their choice of either blessings or curses from Him. In order to visibly and physically demonstrate what He was telling them, the Lord would require a literal demonstration of blessing on Mount Gerizim and cursing on Mount Ebal, as will be further described in Deuteronomy 27. These actions were not only for the benefit of the Israelites, but also for all the distant observers who were monitoring the progress of Israel as they came into Canaan (on a similar ancient path taken by Abraham on his initial journey, and also repeated by Jacob and his sons when returning from Padan Haran to the territory near the oaks of Moreh, overlooking ancient Shechem):
“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. It shall happen, when the LORD your God brings you into the land that you go to possess, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal. Aren’t they beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the Arabah near Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it. You shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you today” (Deuteronomy 11:26-32, WMB).
Of course, settling initially near Moreh, in order to pronounce the blessings and curses on the designated mountains, was likely a subtle reminder of the sins committed by the sons of Jacob/Israel led by Simeon and Levi, when they slaughtered the men of Shechem, after the Shechemites had agreed to the Abrahamic stipulation requiring the rite of circumcision (Genesis 34). In modern times today, Palestinian Nablus is an Arab stronghold which houses a desecrated synagogue, which is considered to be the burial site of Jacob’s favored son Joseph. Whether you are a Messianic Jewish Believer who may be considering aliyah to the Promised Land, or a non-Jewish Believer who looks at these messages typologically—the point to be taken is that past events do reverberate, when the people of God prepare to move into what He has intended for them!
After the rituals associated with Mounts Gerizim and Ebal were completed, the Israelites were reminded about the requirement to observe God’s statutes and judgments, while utterly destroying the worship places of the pagan nations. But it is also stated that the Almighty was going to establish a specific place on Earth to dwell among the tribes, by placing His authoritative Name over what would eventually become Jerusalem—intended to be a sign to the nations forever:
“These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess all the days that you live on the earth. You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. You shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You shall cut down the engraved images of their gods. You shall destroy their name out of that place. You shall not do so to the LORD your God. But to the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, you shall seek his habitation, and you shall come there” (Deuteronomy 12:1-5, WMB).
It was critical that Israel did not pick up some of the customs, traditions, and even habits of the indigenous populations—and perhaps because of this the definite prohibition against consuming blood was proclaimed. There is something very holy about the blood of animals, because in this statement it is declared that the life-force of the animal is in the blood itself, and that it would be doing wrong in the sight of the Lord to consume blood. But it was not just the prohibition against eating the blood of animals which was to be avoided—but most especially the even more abominable practice of sacrificing children to Molech, and offering infants as sacrifices to be consumed by fire:
“Only be sure that you don’t eat the blood; for the blood is the life. You shall not eat the life with the meat. You shall not eat it. You shall pour it out on the earth like water. You shall not eat it, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do that which is right in the LORD’s eyes. Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take and go to the place which the LORD shall choose. You shall offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the LORD your God’s altar. The blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the LORD your God’s altar, and you shall eat the meat. Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the LORD your God’s eyes. When the LORD your God cuts off the nations from before you where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, be careful that you are not ensnared to follow them after they are destroyed from before you, and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.’ You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abomination to the LORD, which he hates, they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12:23-32, WMB).
Of course, one of the primary problems which the Israelites were going to have to address upon occupying the Promised Land—beyond the eradication of the existing cultures—is summed up in Deuteronomy ch. 13, not by something as blatantly obvious as child sacrifice. Instead, a great warning was issued against some false teaching and guidance, coming from within the community of Israel, by false prophets or dreamers, who would actually be permitted to perform signs and wonders. What we learn, is that the Lord would use these different people, who were doubtlessly carried away with their own thoughts or perhaps influenced by the Adversary—to test His people, and to determine whether or not they loved Him with all their hearts and soul:
“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 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. 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; 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 13:1-11, WMB).
If the Israelites were able to pass the tests and discern the intentions of the false teachers—who may have even been their close relatives—the punishment was swift and severe, and a definite sign to the pagan nations watching, that Israel was not to be swayed from their mission received from their God. But most especially among the Israelites, everyone would most assuredly understand that capital punishment, for a justifiable cause, could create a stir among people, and would hopefully generate some genuine fear in their hearts.
Without going into much detail from what can be seen in Deuteronomy ch. 14, regarding the clean and unclean meats determined by the Creator—suffice it to say, there is every reason to obey these instructions not only for good health, but most critically to obey and follow the Lord. For, as He says, “You shall not eat any abominable thing” (Deuteronomy 14:3, WMB).
Obviously, the sign, of maintaining a kosher diet, would be something to set Israel apart not only in ancient times, but for those who follow the Torah today. For non-Jewish Believers who have entered into the Messianic movement and have embraced a lifestyle of Torah obedience, the issue of kosher eating has no doubt raised eyebrows, if not derisive comments coming from family, friends, or acquaintances, about what are thought to be eating peculiarities. But beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Biblical diet is definitely a visible sign to others, and in many cases, even affords an opportunity to teach on the ways of God from His Word. It might be hard to consider this, but there are people today who do not think that God has the right to actually tell them what they can and cannot ingest into their bodies.
Another sign witnessed in Re’eih, particularly to the heathen and/or pagan nations contemporary to Ancient Israel, is the concept of tithing a portion from the produce of the ground or the flock’s multiplication. This widely goes back in time to the place where Abraham actually tithed a portion of the booty, recovered from the battles associated with the rescue of Lot from the kings who had abducted him, many of his possessions, and others:
“He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people. The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth. Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Abram gave him a tenth of all. The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.’ Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, “I have made Abram rich.” I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion’” (Genesis 14:16-24, WMB).
Note the example of tithing, to those performing the function of priesthood. Also note the pattern established, when it was understood how Melchizedek (whose name means “king of righteousness”) was actually the high priest over Salem, the forerunning community which eventually became Jebus (Judges 19:10), and then Jerusalem:
“You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes out of the field year by year. You shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place which he chooses to cause his name to dwell, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. If the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it because the place which the LORD your God shall choose to set his name there is too far from you, when the LORD your God blesses you, then you shall turn it into money, bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose. You shall trade the money for whatever your soul desires: for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you. You shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do” (Deuteronomy 14:22-29, WMB).
A connection is established, between tithing and doing so at the place of the Lord’s choosing—but also understand that part of the responsibility of Israel was to take care of the widows, orphans, and sojourners in their midst. By physically taking care of those with different challenges, the visible and recognizable testimony to other nations, could definitely be used by God to demonstrate that His chosen people were given wise and beneficial instructions!
Another sign, the Sabbatical year, was also intended to set Israel apart. The Ancient Israelites were given an economic plan which was designed to keep people out of debt, and inculcate the principle that it was important to not borrow, but to instead depend upon the Lord for His provision, as a result of working in some capacity. Generosity to those within the community was also required:
“At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts. This is the way it shall be done: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not require payment from his neighbor and his brother, because the LORD’s release has been proclaimed. Of a foreigner you may require it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release. However there will be no poor with you (for the LORD will surely bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess) if only you diligently listen to the LORD your God’s voice, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you today. For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. You will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks” (Deuteronomy 15:1-8, WMB).
This classic display of charity, was not only intended to be a hallmark for the Ancient Israelites, but continues down to today, among generous Believers who not only faithfully tithe to those who serve them spiritually—but also keep some money available for emergencies to help out those in need.
Finally, as our Torah portion comes to a close, the appointed times of the Lord (mainly stated in Leviticus 23) are restated. These were to be definite signs, visible to the surrounding nations, watching the Israelites enter into the Land promised to them by God:
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God; for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. You shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. You shall eat no leavened bread with it. You shall eat unleavened bread with it seven days, even the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste) that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. No yeast shall be seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the meat, which you sacrifice the first day at evening, remain all night until the morning. You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you; but at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came out of Egypt. You shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God chooses. In the morning you shall return to your tents. Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God. You shall do no work. You shall count for yourselves seven weeks. From the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you shall begin to count seven weeks. You shall keep the feast of weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a free will offering of your hand, which you shall give according to how the LORD your God blesses you. You shall rejoice before the LORD your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, in the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. You shall observe and do these statutes. You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. You shall keep a feast to the LORD your God seven days in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful. Three times in a year all of your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which he chooses: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the LORD your God’s blessing which he has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:1-17, WMB).
As we each contemplate this week’s Torah reading, and note all of the visible signs which the Holy One required of Israel—not only for its own good, but as a witness to the nations they would displace—may we reflect on just how we are personally or corporately maintaining our walk with Him, so that we might point others to the goodness and mercy of God!
In His teachings, Yeshua the Messiah certainly required His followers to demonstrate the love and goodness of the Father—as they were to be regarded as both the salt of the Earth, and the light of the world:
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16, WMB).
As the expression goes: seeing is believing. But, rather than just being a distant observer of what others are doing, perhaps you should personally reflect on just how “salty” you are, and whether the light you cast is truly reflecting the love of the Messiah (or something other than Him.) A personal assessment of where you stand individually with the Holy One of Israel, is good for the soul! Spending time daily, seeking Him with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength—in order to hear His voice or see His hand move in different ways around us—is a blessing which should result in a more intimate communion with Him.
May the Lord give each of us the eyes to see and the ears to hear what He is doing in this hour, as His plan for His people and for the world continues to move forward. To Him be all the glory! May our seeing not only result in belief, but by faith may we ably serve Him in all which we think, say, and do!
