Ki Tavo

Parashas Ki Tavo

Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8

Please pray this prayer

before reading

Prayer

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit of Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

That the Truth of Torah may

Come forth. Amen

This is the 50^th Torah Portion of this Torah cycle. In this portion Ki Tavo, Moses tells the Yisraelites, in effect, we have a field, we have a family, we have a blessing, so do not just wake up in the morning and thank ABBA YAHVEH; that is not enough.

Do something to express your appreciation in a tangible way. Express the fruit of the spirit, or take action on gratitude will help you in the transformation of the ego that will led to more blessing.

The Sabbath of Ki Tavo teaches us to find ways to make the most of our spiritual day available to us. That the Torah contains great light. How then can we get more Light from it? When we encourage people to read the Torah, even a simple spiritual tool like appreciation can reveal new Light if we do not settle for expressing it in words, but take action to show our gratitude for the Word.

On this Sabbath of Ki Tavo, we want to tap into the consciousness of newness. As Moses was about to leave this world, he sums up all the wisdom he has been trying to teach for forty years, by saying to the people, live every moment as if it is the most important moment to be alive. This is the best of times for those who believe in Messiyah Yahushua and who keep the Commandments of Torah.

On this Shabbat, ABBA YAHVEH is asking us to use all the tools the Holy Spirit has given to us, by living fully in every moment, so we can experience a taste of immoratity.

In this chapter Moses concludes the particular teaching on the statutes which he Thought fit to be given to Yisrael, those who were in-charge at his parting from them; what follows is by way of sanction and ratification. In this chapter;

I.             Moses gives them a form of confession to be made by him that offered the basket of his first-fruits verse 1–11. 

II.           The protestation and prayer to be made after the disposal of the third year’s tithe verse 12–15. 

III.         He binds on all the precepts he had given them,

 

1. By the divine authority: "Not I, but YAHVEH thy EL has commanded thee to do these statutes’’ verse 16. 

2. By the mutual covenant between YAHVEH and them verse 17, etc.

Deu 26:1  “And it shall be, when you come into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, - Coming into the Land is an acronym for coming to maturity, we have posses, taken charge or into control of the desires of the flesh, that we have been given and bring it under subjection. In essence we have become a overcomer. The flesh is made of the dust of the earth, otherwise known as the Land. When we overcome every desire of the flesh, those flesh attributes that is our disposition, then the Holy Spirit will possess our body.

Deu 26:2 that you shall take some of the first of all the fruits of the soil which you bring from your land that יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and shall put it in a basket and go to the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell there. – A good work that was ordered to be done, is that we are to present a basket of their first-fruits to ABBA YAHVEH every year.

Besides the sheaf of first-fruits, which was offered for the whole land, on the morrow after the Passover (Lev. 23:10), every man was to bring for himself a basket of first-fruits at the feast of Pentecost, when the harvest was ended, which is therefore called the feast of first-fruits (Ex. 34:22), and is said to be kept with a tribute of free-will-offering, Deu. 16:10.

But the Yisraelites say, "The first-fruits, if not brought then, might be brought any time after, between that and winter.’’ When a man went into the field or vineyard at the time when the fruits were ripening, he was to mark that which he observed first, and to lay it aside as the first-fruits, wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates, some of each sort must be put in the same basket, with leaves between them, and presented to YAHVEH in the place which HE should choose.

Now from this Principle we may learn, to acknowledge YAHVEH as the giver of all those good things which are the support and comfort of our natural life, and therefore to serve and honor HIM with them.

To deny ourselves, from what is first ripe, and we are most fond of; those that are nice and curious expect to be served with each fruit at its first coming in. My soul desired the first ripe fruits, Micah 7:1.

When YAHVEH appointed them to be set aside for HIM, HE taught them to prefer the glorifying of HIS name before the gratifying of their own appetites and desires.

To give to YAHVEH the first and best we have, as those that believe HIM to be the first and best of beings. Those that consecrate the days of their youth, and the prime of their time, to the service and honor of YAHVEH , bring HIM their first-fruits, and with such offerings HE is well pleased. I remember the kindness of thy youth.

From the spiritual sense of the Word. As each person goes through their Torah Cycle and the fruit of the spirit is observed, The leader of the group, must present to Father יהוה  those who have made significant spiritual gain over the last year. At the Fall Feast the total spiritual growth is determine and present to our Father on the Day of Atonement, the next year growth will depends on the growth the year before.

That is why we are admonish in Matthew 13: ¹⁰And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heavens, but to them it has not been given. ¹²“For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.; 25: ²⁸‘Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ²⁹‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’;

Mark 4: ²³“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵“For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”;

Luke 8: ¹⁶“No one, when he has lit his Menorah, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷“For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸“Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Deu 26:3 “And you shall come to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I shall declare today to יהוה your Elohim that I have come to the land which יהוה swore to our fathers to give us.’ – Today we bring ourselves to Yahushua and say to Him, I have complete my sixth day of Creation, I have reach maturity, I have come into the Land “my body” and I have posses it.

We must remember that our body is made from the dust of the earth, to posses our body is to exert spiritual dominion over it, bringing it under the subjection of the Torah and the Holy spirit. This is what scripture calls picking up our Cross and following Yahushua.

This offering is a one time offering, this offering must be done only when we come into the Land, it cannot be repeated.

Deu 26:4 “And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and place it before the altar of יהוה your Elohim. – Yahushua will take the basket and present it to Father יהוה, as first fruits, first born from among men, were Yahushua is the chief of the first born sons.

Deu 26:5 “And you shall answer and say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘My father was a perishing Aramean, and he went down to Mitsrayim and sojourned there with few men. And there he became a nation, great, mighty, and numerous. – The individual should  say to EL YAHVEH my father and I was sent to earth to learn the constitution of the Heavenly Kingdom. We came here as a small Menorah and we have grown into a large Menorah.

Deu 26:6 ‘But the Mitsrites did evil to us, and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. – We had to overcome the desires and the traditions of the world system in-order for us to make it this far. The world system imposed hard pressure against us, yet by Your Mighty Hand we have made it.

Deu 26:7 ‘Then we cried out to יהוה Elohim of our fathers, and יהוה heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression. – We realize that there was no hope without El Yahushua, so we cried out to Him as our Fathers did, and You saw our affliction and our struggle as we try to build our Menorah and fulfilled Your Torah.

Deu 26:8 ‘And יהוה brought us out of Mitsrayim with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great fear and with signs and wonders. – You gave us grace to help us over come our sinful nature. You pick us up when we fall, and wash us off with the Blood and the Water that flow from Yahushua side and set us on the path to be an ovecomer, You gave us great sign and wonders along the way to guide us to the right path, we are great-full to You.

Deu 26:9 ‘And He brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” – You have brought us to our seventh day of Creation, to the seventh Heaven which you have promise us, and have given us Your Rest.

Deu 26:10 ‘And now, see, I have brought the first-fruits of the land which You, O יהוה, have given me.’ Then you shall place it before יהוה your Elohim, and bow down before יהוה your Elohim, - Now that You have establish me in you Promise Land, I have also teach someone else the pure doctrine which You have used to bring me this far, and here they are.

This are my first fruit to You my Master and My King, please accept it as a token of my appreciation to You.

Deu 26:11 and shall rejoice in all the good which יהוה your Elohim has given to you and your house, you and the Lĕwite and the stranger who is among you. - I will rejoice in all the good things You have done for me and my Assembly. Rejoicing with even the sinner who came to know You as King of the Universe.

Deu 26:12 “When you have completed tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Lĕwite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, and they have eaten within your gates and have been satisfied, - In this verse The Torah bring our attention to another Torah principle, that of tithing.

Every third year a special tithe should be taken up for the Priest, strangers and poor amount us. We must have a feast and invite all these brethren to come and celebrate with us.

Deu 26:13 then you shall say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘I have put away the set-apart portion from my house, and also have given it to the Lĕwite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Your command which You have commanded me. I have not transgressed Your commands, nor have I forgotten. – In this verse we see an indication of those who are the cream of the crop, being given to the Levites, the priesthood to be ministers, I have send them as Evangelist to the strangers, to teach the fatherless, and to the Widows, those who do not have a priest in the house to teach them Torah.

This story are more than just commands, they have a spiritual meaning behind them. When we practice these commands in the natural, it will not before long that we will see the spiritual equivalent.

We are admonish not to pick the fruit of a fruit tree the first three years, on the forth year it is Holy unto Our Lord. Meaning that three years must past before we can send a new believer out to minister, and it is only the best of the bunch we must send.

Deu 26:14 ‘I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for any unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of יהוה my Elohim, I have done according to all that You have commanded me. – In this verse we see a continuation of the story to develop mature individual. The teacher says he has not consumed any of them for his self, even when he was in morning, nor has he allowed any of them to deal in any uncleanness. He has not allowed any of them to pursue any goal that has not spiritual advantage.

This good teacher says he has followed the pattern establish from the foundation of the world which is Torah, the constitution of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Deu 26:15 ‘Look from Your set-apart dwelling place, from the Heavens, and bless Your people Yisra’ĕl and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, “a land flowing   with milk and honey.” ’- We have done what you command us to do now יהוה do what behooves you.  By blessing Your people Yisrael.

This verse is the only exception to the rule that the tpqct meaning gazing. In Scripture it denote careful examination to determine when that punishment is appropriate. But when the Hebrew people gives to the poor, the attribute of judgement is transformed into the attribute of mercy.

Deu 26:16 “Today יהוה your Elohim is commanding you to do these laws and right-rulings. And you shall guard and do them with all your heart and with all your being. – in this verse we again see an admonishment to be obedient to the commandment of יהוה, how can we then say that His Laws are nail to the Cross, when He repeatedly ask us not to break them, but since Yahushua was Crucified, we must no longer obey the laws.

Deu 26:17 “You have today caused יהוה to proclaim to be your Elohim, and to walk in HIS ways and guard HIS laws, and HIS commands, and HIS right-rulings, and to obey HIS voice. – Because Yisrael had accepted the Torah and committed itself to observe its Commandments no matter what. The nation and יהוה have a mutually exalted one to another. Yisrael distinguishes יהוה as the only true Elohim, and HE distinguished Yisrael as HIS only people.

Alternatively, we (Yisrael) caused יהוה to say that HE will always be our Elohim. Because of Yisrael’s dedication to יהוה and HIS Commandment, HE  was influenced to become their יהוה and will always help us.

Conversely, because of HIS miracles HE preformed to save and maintain us. יהוה caused us to say that we are always obligated to be HIS treasured people.

According to either interpretation, these two verses constitute mutual pledges of  allegiance between יהוה  and Yisrael.   

Deu 26:18 “And יהוה has caused you to proclaim today to be HIS people, a treasured possession, as HE has spoken to you, and to guard all HIS Commands, - One of the element of a mature believer was seen in the life of Yahushua when He says if you see me you see the Father. He was not saying that He is the Father. He was saying we are of the same spirit, the Father and I. That is also the goal of Torah to create more perfect sons, using the same standard Yahushua used, which is the Torah.

Deu 26:19 so as to set you high above all nations which HE has made, for a praise, and for a name, and for esteem, and for you to be a set-apart people to יהוה your Elohim, as HE has spoken.” -  יהוה has avouched, not only taken, but publicly owned us to be his segullah, HIS peculiar people, as HE has promised us, that is, according to the true intent and meaning of the covenant.

Now our obedience was not only the condition of this favor, and of the continuance of it (if we were not obedient, YAHVEH would disown them, and cast them off), but it was also the principal design of this favor.

He has avouched thee on purpose that You shouldest keep HIS Commandments, that we rightest have both the best directions and the best encouragements in His pure religion.’

Therefore we are elected to obedience (1 Pt. 1:2), chosen that we should be holy (Eph. 1:4), purified, a peculiar people, that we might not only do good works, but be zealous in them, Tit. 2:14.

Two things יהוה is here said to design in avouching them to be HIS peculiar people, to make us high, and, in order to do that, is to make them holy; for holiness is true honor, and the only way to everlasting honor.

Holy means to be set apart, holiness is the actions of a holy people, which is to obey the Commandments.

 To make them high above all nations. The greatest honor we are capable of in this world is to be taken into covenant with יהוה, and to live in HIS service. They should be, First, High in praise; for יהוה would accept them, which is true praise, Rom. 2:29.

Our friends would admire us, Zep. 3:19, 20. Secondly, High in name, which, some think, denotes the continuance and perpetuity of that praise, a name that shall not be cut off. Thirdly, High in honor, that is, in all the advantages of wealth and power, which would make them great above their neighbors. See Jer. 13:11.

 That we might be a holy people, separated for YAHVEH, devoted to HIM, and employed continually in his service. This EL aimed at in taking us to be his people; so that, if we did not keep his commandments, we would not received all this grace in vain.

Chapter 27

Moses having very largely and fully set before the people their duty, both to YAHVEH and one another, in general and in particular instances, having shown them plainly what is good, and what the law requires of them, and having in the close of the foregoing chapter laid them under the obligation both of the command and the covenant, he comes in this chapter to prescribe outward means.

I.                     For the helping of their memories, that they might not forget the law as a strange thing. They must write all the words of this law upon stones verse 1–10. 

II.                   For the moving of their affections, that they might not be indifferent to the law as a light thing. Whey they came into Canaan, the blessings and curses which were the sanctions of the law, were to be solemnly pronounced in the hearing of all Yisrael, who were to say Amen to them verse 11–26.

III.                 And if such a solemnity as this would not make a deep impression upon them, and affect them with the great things of YAH’S law, nothing would.

Deu 27:1  And Mosheh, with the elders of Yisra’ĕl, commanded the people, saying, “Guard all the commands which I am commanding you today. - The general theme of all spiritual leadership is to have one thing in common a goal. Moses and his entourage were one as Yahushua and the father is one. Yahushua said if you love Me keep my commandment. Therefore if we hear anyone say that the laws was nail to the cross, that is a false leader.

Deu 27:2 “And it shall be, on the day when you pass over the Yardĕn to the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and plaster them with plaster, - They went on to remind the Yisraelites that the day they cross over to Jordan, we must mark the spot with stone not made from human hands, and seal with a bond that must not be broken.

This verse is speaking of the love between believers that was cemented during the journey from Egypt.

Deu 27:3 and write on them all the Words of this Torah, when you have passed over, so that you go into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as יהוה Elohim of your fathers has spoken to you. – Moses wanted the people to know from the moment they entered the Land that our pass success and hope for the future depends on their loyalty to the Torah.

When we cross our spiritual Jordan I would be a miraculous occasion (Joshua 3), as soon as we are in the Land, we must have inscribe on our heart (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10).

Therfore, it would be clear to us that that continues obedience to the Torah could preserve us in our new home.

Deu 27:4 “And it shall be, when you have passed over the Yardĕn, that on Mount Ěyḇal you set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall plaster them with plaster, - At the entrance to our Land, a copy of the Torah should be establish. By writing the Torah on the stone was a sign or a stamp of approval on the Land.

When an inspector examine a new product, he usually put his or her stamp of approval on the product. A stone was consider an irremovable product, a part of the Land. By writing the Torah on the stone was a stamp of approval that this land is dominate by Torah. To all visitor it was a sign that from this spot onward is Holy ground, Torah dominate land.

Deu 27:5 and build an altar to יהוה your Elohim there, an altar of stones – do not use an iron tool on them. - They must set up a monument on which they must write the words of this law.

 The monument itself was to be very mean, only rough uncut stone plastered over; not polished marble or alabaster, nor brass tables, but common plaster upon stone, verse 2.

 The command is repeated verse 4, and orders are given that it be written, not very finely, to be admired by the curious, but very plainly, that he who runs may read it, Hab. 2:2.

 The Word of YAHVEH needs not to be set off by the art of man, nor embellished with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. But, the inscription was to be very great: All the words of this law, verse 3, and again, verse 8. Some understand it only of the covenant between YAHVEH and Yisrael, mentioned ch. 26:17, 18.

Let this help be set up for a witness, like that memorial of the covenant between Laban and Jacob, which was nothing but a heap of stones thrown hastily together, upon which they did eat together in token of friendship (Gen. 31:46, 47), and that stone which Joshua set up, Jos. 24:26.

Others think that the curses of the covenant in this chapter were written upon this monument, the rather because it was set up in Mount Ebal, verse 4. Others think that the whole book of Deuteronomy was written upon this monument, or at least the statutes and judgments from ch. 12 to the end of ch. 26. And it is not improbable that the heap might be so large as, taking in all the sides of it, to contain so copious an inscription, unless we will suppose (as some do) that the ten commandments only were here written, as an authentic copy of the close rolls which were laid up in the ark.

They must write this when they had gone into Canaan, and yet Moses says verse 3, "Write it that we may go in,’’ that is, "that You may go in with comfort, and assurance of success and settlement, otherwise it were well for thee not to go in at all. Write it as the conditions of thy entry, and own that You come in upon these terms and no other: since Canaan is given by promise, it must be held by obedience.

Deu 27:6 “Build the altar of יהוה your Elohim with complete stones, and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to יהוה your Elohim, - They must also set up an altar. By the words of the law which were written upon the plaster, יהוה spoke to them; by the altar, and the sacrifices offered upon it, they spoke to יהוה; and thus was communion kept up between them and יהוה. The word and prayer must go together.

Though they might not, of their own heads, set up any altar besides that at the tabernacle, yet, but the appointment of יהוה, they might upon a special occasion. Elijah built a temporary altar of twelve uncut stones, similar to this, when he brought Yisrael back to the covenant which was now made, 1 Ki. 18:31, 32.

This altar must be made of such stones as they found ready upon the field, not newly cut out of the rock, much less squared artificially: You shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them, verse 5. Messiyah, our altar, is a stone cut out of the mountain without hands (Dan. 2:34, 35), and therefore refused by the builders, as having no form or comeliness, but accepted of יהוה the Father, and made the head of the corner.

Burnt-offerings and peace-offerings must be offered upon this altar verses 6, 7, that by them they might give glory to יהוה and obtain favor. Where the law was written, an altar was set up close by it, to signify that we could not look with any comfort upon the law, being conscious to ourselves of the violation of it, if it were not for the great sacrifice by which atonement is made for sin.

The altar was set up on Mount Ebal, the mount on which those tribes stood that said Amen to the curses, to intimate that through Yahushua we are redeemed from the curse of the law.

Deu 27:7 and shall offer peace offerings, and eat there, and rejoice before יהוה your Elohim. - In the Torah the words of the law are written, with the curse annexed, which would fill us with horror and amazement if we had not in the Renewed Covenant (which is bound up with it) an altar erected close by it, which gives us everlasting consolation.  They must eat there, and rejoice before YAHVEH their EL.

Deu 27:8 “And you shall write all the Words of this Torah on the stones – plainly and well.” – We are the lively stone that Peter wrote about. I Peter 2:⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of YAHVEH, and precious, ⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to YAHVEH by Yahushua.  ⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 ⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,  ⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: All these example in Torah is to teach us a spiritual lesson, let us look beyond the story with the spirit of Understand to see how this story impact our spiritual development.

Deu 27:9 And Mosheh and the priests, the Lĕwites, spoke to all Yisra’ĕl, saying, “Be silent and hear, O Yisra’ĕl: This day you have become the people of יהוה your Elohim, - Notice that the people were not called the children of Yisrael. They were called Yisrael, for they had completed their spiritual journey, there sixth day of Creation and was on the verge of entering the rest.

They were takem out of Egypt by a strong hand, the five fold ministry, now they had finish their job, the people had reach their ultimate objective. This is the goal of every one in the five fold ministry to bring the people to their spiritual Canaan.

Deu 27:10 and you shall obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, and do His commands and His laws which I command you today. – If the Law is written on our heart which Jer 31:33; and Hebrew 8: ¹⁰“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisrael after those days, says YAHVEH: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their YAHVEH, and they shall be My people. Talks about, then it will not be difficult for us to obey the Torah.

Deu 27:11 And Mosheh commanded the people on that day, saying,

Deu 27:12 “These are to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Yardĕn: Shimʽon, and Lĕwi, and Yehuḏah, and Yissasḵar, and Yosĕph, and Binyamin. - When the law was written, to be seen and read by all men, the sanctions of it were to be published, which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with YAHVEH, they were deliberately to declare their approbation of.

This they were before directed to do (ch. 11:29, 30), and therefore the appointment here begins somewhat abruptly. There were, it seems, in Canaan, that part of it which afterwards fell to the lot of Ephraim (Yoshua’s tribe), two mountains that lay near together, with a valley between, one called Gerizim and the other Ebal.

On the sides of these two mountains, which faced one another, all the tribes were to be drawn up, six on one side and six on the other, so that in the valley, at the foot of each mountain, they came pretty near together, so near as that the priests standing between them might be heard by those that were next them on both sides.

Then when silence was proclaimed, and attention commanded, one of the priests, or perhaps more at some distance from each other, pronounced with a loud voice one of the curses here following, and all the people that stood on the side and foot of Mount Ebal (those that stood further off taking the signal from those that stood nearer and within hearing) said Amen.

Then the contrary blessing was pronounced, "Blessed is he that doth not keep the Laws,’’ and then those that stood on the side, and at the foot, of Mount Gerizim, said Amen.

This could not but affect them very much with the blessings and curses, the promises and threatening, of the law, and not only acquaint all the people with them, but teach them to apply them to themselves.

Deu 27:13 “And these are to stand on Mount Ěyḇal to curse: Re’uḇĕn, Gaḏ, and Ashĕr, and Zeḇulun, Dan, and Naphtali. - YAHVEH appointed which tribes should stand upon Mount Gerizim and which on Mount Ebal, to prevent the disputes that might have arisen if they had been left to dispose of themselves.

The six tribes that were appointed for blessing were all the children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Gal. 4:31. Levi is here put among the rest, to teach to apply to themselves the blessing and curse which they preach to others, and by faith to set their own Amen to it.

Of those tribes that were to say Amen to the blessings it is said, They stood to bless the people, but of the other, They stood to curse, not mentioning the people, as loth to suppose that any of this people whom YAHVEH had taken for HIS own should lay themselves under the curse.

Perhaps, the different mode of expression intimates that there was to be but one blessing pronounced in general upon the people of Yisrael, as a happy people, and that should ever be so, if they were obedient; and to this blessing the tribes on Mount Gerizim were to say Amen. "Happy art You, O Yisrael, and may you ever be so.’

But then the curses come in as exceptions from the general rule, and we know, the exception confirms the rule. Yisrael is a blessed people, but, if there be any particular persons even among them that do such and such things as are mentioned, let them know that they have no part nor lot in the matter, but are under a curse.

This shows how ready YAHVEH is to bestow the blessing; if any fall under the curse, they may thank themselves, they bring it upon their own heads.

 The Levites or priests, such of them as were appointed for that purpose, were to pronounce the curses as well as the blessings. They were ordained to bless (ch. 10:8), the priests did it daily, Num. 6:23.

But they must separate between the precious and the vile; they must not give that blessing promiscuously, but must declare it to whom it did not belong, lest those who had no right to it themselves should think to share in it by being in the crowd.

Ministers must teach the terrors of the law as well as the comforts of the Law; must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them to it with the threatening of a curse.

The curses are here expressed, but not the blessings; for as many as were under the law were under the curse, but it was a honor reserved for Messiyah to bless us, and so to do that for us which the law could not do, in that it was weak. In Messiyah’s sermon upon the mount, which was the true Mount Gerizim, we have blessings only, Mt. 5:3, etc.

To each of the curses the people were to say Amen. It is easy to understand the meaning of Amen to the blessings. The Yisraelites have a saying to encourage people to say Amen to the public prayers, Whosoever answereth Amen, after him that blesseth, he is as he that blesseth. But how could they say Amen to the curses?

Deu 27:14 “And the Lĕwites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Yisra’ĕl: - The procedure was the Levites elders would turn to Mount Gerizim and  call out, ‘Blessed is the man….’ And every one would answer, amen.

Then they would turn to mount Ebal and called our “Curse is the man…..”as the text is given in the Torah, and everyone would answer Amen.

Deu 27:15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved or moulded image, an abomination to יהוה, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amĕn!’ – Curse is the person who worship the works of their own effort or the works of man efforts.

Deu 27:16 ‘Cursed is he who makes light of his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the fifth commandment. The contempt of parents is a sin so heinous that it is put next to the contempt of YAHVEH himself. If a man abused his parents, either in word or deed, he fell under the sentence of the magistrate, and must be put to death, Ex. 21:15, 17.

But to set light by them in his heart was a thing which the magistrate could not take cognizance of, and therefore it is here laid under the curse of YAHVEH, who knows the heart. Those are cursed children that carry themselves scornfully and insolently towards their parents.

Deu 27:17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the eighth commandment. The curse of YAHVEH is here fastened, Upon an unjust neighbor that removes the land-marks. See ch. 19:14.

Deu 27:18 ‘Cursed is he who misleads the blind in the way.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – This would certainly apply to the Christian Teachers of today, were the blind leed the blind. One who causes a spiritually blind person to go astray, this include misleading anyone who is blind to the truth.

Upon an unjust counselor, who, when his advice is asked, maliciously or in ignorance directs his friend to that which he knows will be to his prejudice, which is making the blind to wander out of the way, under pretense of directing him in the way, than which nothing can be either more barbarous or more treacherous.

Those that seduce others from the way of YAH’S commandments, and entice them to sin, bring this curse upon themselves, which our Saviour has explained, Mt. 15:14, The blind lead the blind, and both shall fall into the ditch.

Deu 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who twists the right-ruling of the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Upon an unjust judge, that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow, whom he should protect and vindicate.

These are supposed to be poor and friendless (nothing to be got by doing them a kindness, nor any thing lost by disobliging them), and therefore judges may be tempted to side with their adversaries against right and equity; but cursed are such judges.Those who tell believers that the laws were nail to the Cross, even after we are told that YAHVEH does not change.

This also apply to giving the wrong interpretation of Torah to an un-save, and to a person who does not have a teacher “husband” to teach them.

Deu 27:20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’  - There are a bunch of other forbidden relationship, such as with one sister, brother wife, man with another man, woman with another woman.

Deu 27:21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any beast.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the seventh commandment. Incest is a cursed sin, with a sister, a father’s wife, or a mother-in-law, verses 20, 22, 23. These crimes not only exposed men to the sword of the magistrate (Lev. 20:11), but, which is more dreadful, to the wrath of YAHVEH; bestiality likewise.

Deu 27:22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – all of these are forbidden sexual relationship. A believer cannot have sex with his sister, or half sister in this case.

Deu 27:23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – another forbidden relationship is with one’s mother-in-law. If a man has two wives, the first wife son cannot have sexual relations with his mother-in-law.

All of these forbidden sexual relationship, is known a fornication. Fornication is not having sex before marriage.

The concept of marriage today is a manmade doctrine. Torah require a man to pay the bride price for a young virgin, once he get to be intimate with her, he concimate the union. A believer does not need a Pastor to sanctify their union. It is sanctify when we follow the policy prescribe by Torah. The woman that a man have sex with become his wife.

Deu 27:24 ‘Cursed is he who smites his neighbor secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the sixth commandment. Two of the worst kinds of murder are here specified: Murder unseen, when a man does not set upon his neighbor as a fair adversary, giving him an opportunity to defend himself, but smites him secretly, as by poison or otherwise, when he sees not who hurts him. See Ps. 10:8, 9. Though such secret murders may go undiscovered and unpunished, yet the curse of YAHVEH will follow them. This also include when we backstab a person by saying bad things about them to their friends.

Deu 27:25 ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent being.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Murder under colour of law, which is the greatest affront to YAHVEH, for it makes an ordinance of his to patronise the worst of villains, and the greatest wrong to our neighbour, for it ruins his honor as well as his life: cursed therefore is he that will be hired, or bribed, to accuse, or to convict, or to condemn, and so to slay, an innocent person. See Ps. 15:5.

Deu 27:26 ‘Cursed is he who does not establish the Words of this Torah.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’- The solemnity concludes with a general curse upon him that confirmeth not, or, as it might be read, that performeth not, all the words of this law to do them. By our obedience to the law we set our seal to it, and so confirm it, as by our disobedience we do what lies in us to disannul it, Ps. 119:126.

The apostle, following all the ancient versions, reads it, Cursed is every one that continues not, Gal. 3:10. Lest those who were guilty of other sins, not mentioned in this commination, should think themselves safe from the curse, this last reaches all; not only those who do the evil which the law forbids, but those also who omit the good which the law requires: to this we must all say Amen, owning ourselves under the curse, justly to have deserved it, and that we must certainly have perished for ever under it, if Messiyah had not redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us.

Chapter 28

This chapter is a very large exposition of two words in the foregoing chapter, the blessing and the curse. Those were pronounced blessed in general on those who were obedient, and the cursed on those who were disobedient.

But, because in general we are not so affecting, Moses describe in particulars, the blessing and the curse, not they are out of sight, and therefore they must be considered, the favor of YAHVEH the spring of all the blessings, and the wrath of YAHVEH the spring of all the curses), but in their streams, the sensible effects of the blessing and the curse, for they are real things and have real effects.

He describes the blessings that should come upon them if they were obedient; personal, family, and especially national, for in that capacity especially they are discribe verse 1–14.

Moses describes the curses which would come upon them if they were disobedient; such as would be, 

1. Their extreme vexation verse 15 – 44. 

2. Their utter ruin and destruction at last verse 45 – 68.

This chapter is describing the same purpose as Lev. 26, setting before the people life and death, good and evil; and the promise, in the closing of that chapter, their restoration, upon their repentance, repeated the same sentience, ch. 30.

 Therefore, as they had precept upon precept in the repetition of the law, so they had line upon line in the repetition of the promises and threatening. And these are both there and here delivered, not only as sanctions of the law, what should be conditionally, but as predictions of the event, what would be certainly, that for a while the people of Yisrael would be happy in their obedience, but that at length they would be undone by their disobedience; and therefore it is said (ch. 30:1) that all those things would come upon them, both in blessing and in curse.

Deu 28:1  “And it shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all His commands which I command you today, that יהוה your Elohim shall set you high above all nations of the earth. - The blessings are here describe before the curses, to intimate, that יהוה is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy: he has said it, and sworn, that he would much rather we would obey and live than sin and die. It is his delight to bless.

That though both the promises and the threatenings are designed to bring and hold us to our spiritual duty, yet it is better that we be allured to that which is good by a filial hope of YAH’S favor than that we be frightened to it by a servile fear of HIS wrath. That obedience pleases HIM best when it comes from a principle of delight in YAH’S goodness.

We have here in this verse the conditions upon which the blessing is promised. It is upon condition that they diligently hearken to the voice of YAHVEH, that they hear יהוה speaking to them by HIS Word, and use their utmost endeavours to acquaint themselves with HIS will, verse 13.

Upon the condition that they observe and do all HIS commandments (and in order to obedience there is need of observation) and that they keep the commandments of יהוה verse 9 and walk in HIS ways.

Not only do them once, but keep them forever; not only set out in HIS ways, but walk in them to the end. The condition that they should not go aside either to the right hand or to the left, either to superstition on the one hand, or profaneness on the other.

Particularly that they should not go after other gods verse 14, which was the sin that of all others they were most prone to, and יהוה would be most displeased with. Let them take care to keep the pure religion, both in form and in the power of it, in their families and nation, and יהוה would not fail to bless them.

Deu 28:2 “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of יהוה your Eloim: - It is promised that the providence of YAHVEH should prosper them in all their outward concerns. These blessings are said to overtake us in this verse.

Good people sometimes, under the sense of their unworthiness, are ready to fly from the blessing and to conclude that it belongs not to them, but the blessing shall find them out and follow them where ever.

Deu 28:3 “Blessed are you in the city, and blessed are you in the field. - Several things are enumerated in which YAHVEH by HIS providence would bless them: They should be safe and easy; a blessing should rest upon their persons wherever they were, in the city, or in the field,. Whether their habitation was in town or country, whether they were husbandmen or tradesmen, whether their business called them into the city or into the field, they should be preserved from the dangers and have the comforts of their condition.

Deu 28:4 “Blessed is the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your livestock – the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. – In this verse our children, our field, our cattle, our business, our profession, everythings we as believers do shall prosper.

Deu 28:5 “Blessed is your basket and your kneading bowl. – Our cupboard our kitchen our storehouse will be bless. The righteous will not beg bread.

Deu 28:6 “Blessed are you when you come in, and blessed are you when you go out. – We shall leave this world as free of sin as we came into it. This blessing should attend them in their journeys, going out and coming in. Their persons should be protected, and the affair they went about should succeed well.

Observe here, What a necessary and constant dependence we have upon Father יהוה both for the continuance and comfort of this life. We need HIM at every turn, in all the various movements of life; we cannot be safe if HE withdraw HIS protection, nor easy if HE suspend HIS favor; but, if HE bless us, go where we will it is well with us

Deu 28:7 “יהוה causes your enemies who rise against you to be smitten before your face – they come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. -  It is common for people who flee in panic to disperse and run off in all direction, discarding every semblance of military discipline.

The juxtaposition of this verse with the next, which speaks of blessed storehouse, suggest that the fleeing enemy will leave behind a wealth of supplies and provisions for the Hebrew people to take at will.

Deu 28:8 “יהוה commands the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and shall bless you in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you. - יהוה will bringthe blessing of prosperity into the land, so that merchants and investors will have no need to travel abroud to make their fortune, it will come to us.

Deu 28:9 “יהוה does establish you as a set-apart people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you observe the commands of יהוה your Elohim and walk in His ways. – If we observe. For the first time, this verse specifies the observance of the commandents whereas the previous blessings were in reward for Torah study, the following ones are in reward for performance of the other commandments. Such observance are Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpet, day of atonement and Sukkot.

Deu 28:10 “And all peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of יהוה is proclaim upon you, and they shall be afraid of you. – The pure sense of this verse, it will be natural for the nations to feel reverence for a people that is such an obvious recipient of יהוה blessing, for this Divine bounty will testify to the name that they bear upon themselves.

Each nation will have its god or set of beliefs, but all nations will come to realize one day that only יהוה is the source of all strength and blessings, even the power that they ascribe to their gods. If so, the nations that is intimately associated with the Name יהוה will inspire the awe of all the other nations. 

Deu 28:11 “And יהוה shall make you to have plenty of what is good, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land of which יהוה swore to your fathers to give you. - This intimated that even when they were rich they must not be idle, but must find some good employment or other productive things to set their hand to, and YAHVEH would own their industry, and bless the work of their hand ; for that which makes rich, and keeps so, is the blessing of YAHVEH upon the hand of the diligent, Prov. 10:4, 22.

They should have honor among their neighbours: YAHVEH thy EL will set thee on high above all nations. He made them so, by taking them into covenant with himself, ch. 26:19. And he would make them more and more so by their outward prosperity, if they would not by sin disparage themselves.

Two things should help to make them great among the nations: First, Their wealth verse 12: "You shalt lend to many nations upon interest’’ (which they were allowed to take form the neighbor.

Deu 28:12 “יהוה opens to you His good treasure, the Heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall lend to many nations, but you do not borrow. – Abundance in rain can be a curse if it falls only when it is not needed; conversely, even a small amount of precipitation at the right time can be a blessing if it falls when the crops need it most.

One of the advantage of keeping the Feast of Tabernacle, is that we will receave rain in the right seasons. Light rain to germinate the seeds, medium rain when the plants are young and heavy rain for the establish plants.

Deu 28:13 “And יהוה shall make you the head and not the tail. And you shall be only on top, and not be beneath, if you obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim, which I command you today, to guard and do. – the two term in this verse are not redundant, for it is a possible for a nation to be a head, leadership, to some, but to be a follower of others. יהוה promise that if Yisrael is worthy, it will be respected by everyone, and subservant to no one.

Deu 28:14 “And do not turn aside from any of the Words which I am commanding you today, right or left, to go after other mighty ones to serve them. – This verse teaches us that we must not add or take away from Torah, we must keep on the straight and narrow path. We must not move to the right or to the left, for if we move away from what Torah says, we will be following other gods.

So when someone worship on Sunday they are worshiping another (Sun) god. For יהוה require that we worship Him on the seventh day not the first.  

Deu 28:15 “And it shall be, if you do not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all His commands and His laws which I command you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you: - Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is always towards those who are obedient, we have now presented to us in this verse the dark-side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep YAH’S commandments, we not only fall short of the blessing promised, but we bring ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all misery as the blessing is towards our happiness.

The impartiality of this curse. It is not a curse without a cause, YAHVEH seeks not occasion to display HIS wrath against us, nor is HE quick to quarrel with us. That which is mentioned in this verse as bringing the curse is: despising YAHVEH, refusing to hearken to His voice, which speaks of the highest contempt imaginable, as if what HE said were not worth the listening, or we were not under any obligation to HIM. Disobeying Torah, not doing HIS commandments, or not diligently following them is the cause of this curse.

Deu 28:16 “Cursed are you in the city, and cursed are you in the field. - Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of יהוה follows him; wherever he is, it rests upon him. He is cursed in the city and in the field. The strong walls of the city cannot shelter him or her from it, the pleasant air of the country is no fence against these lethal steams.

Deu 28:17 “Cursed is your basket and your kneading bowl. - He is cursed verse 19 when he comes in, for the curse is upon the house of the wicked (Prov. 3:33), and he is cursed when he goes out, for he cannot leave that curse behind him, nor get rid of it, which even entered into his bowels like water and like oil into his bones. Whatever he posses is under a curse: Cursed is the ground for his sake, and all that is on it, or comes out of it, and so he is cursed from the ground, as Cain, Gen. 4:11. The basket and store are cursed.

Deu 28:18 “Cursed is the fruit of your body and the fruit of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. - All his enjoyments being forfeited by him are in a way forbidden to him, as cursed things, which he has no escape. To those whose mind and conscience are defiled, everything else is so, Tit. 1:15. They are all disillusioned to him; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of YAHVEH mixes itself with them, and he is so far from having any security of the continuance of them that, if his eyes be open, he may see them all condemned and ready to be confiscated, and with them all his joys and all his hopes gone forever.

Deu 28:19 “Cursed are you when you come in, and cursed are you when you go out. – Regardless of where the person who is disobedient to Torah goes, they will be curse.

Deu 28:20 “יהוה sends on you the curse, the confusion, and the rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the evil of your doings by which you have forsaken Me. - Whatever he does is always under a curse too. It is a curse in all that he sets his hand to, a constant disappointment, which those are subject to that set their hearts upon the world, and expect their happiness in it, and which cannot but be a constant vexation.

This curse is just the reverse of the blessing in the former part of the chapter. Therefore whatever blissing there are in the Heavens, there is not only the want of it, but the opposing to it, in hell. Isa. 65:13, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry.

Deu 28:21 “יהוה makes the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. - Many particular judgments are enumerated in this verse, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which יהוה would chastize the people of the Redeemed community for their apostasy and disobedience. These judgment are of divers kinds, for יהוה has many arrows in his quiver, four sore judgments (Eze. 14:21), and many more.

The curse are represented as very terrible things, and the descriptions of them are exceedingly discriptive and affecting, that men who knows these terrors of YAHVEH, might, if possible, be persuaded to do good. Plague that cling to the disobedient one are incurable disease or sickness. Aids for example.

Deu 28:22 “יהוה smites you with wasting disease, and with inflammation, and with burning, and with extreme heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew. And they shall pursue you until you perish. - The explanation of these judgment are given several times, that they might make a deep and lasting impressions, and to intimate that, if men persisted in their disobedience, the judgment which they thought was over, and of which they said, "Surely the bitterness of it is past,’’ would return with double force; for when יהוה judges He will overcome. Bodily diseases are here threatened, that they should be epidemical in their land. These יהוה sometimes give use for the chastisement and improvement of HIS own people.

YAHVEH, behold, he whom You lovest is sick. But here they are threatened to be brought upon HIS enemies as tokens of HIS wrath, and designed like the two edged sword to chastise for repentance or destruction for the disobedient.

 So that according to the temper of our spirits, under sickness, accordingly it is to us a blessing or a curse. But, whatever sickness may be to a particular persons, it is certain that epidemical diseases raging among a people are national judgments, and are to be accounted so.

Deu 28:23 “And your Heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you iron. - Famine, and scarcity of provisions; and this, for want of rain: Thy Heavens over thy head, that part that is over thy land, shall be as dry as brass, while the Heavens over other countries shall distil their dews; and, when the Heavens is as brass, the earth of course will be as iron, so hard and unfruitful. Instead of rain, the dust shall be blown out of the highways into the field, and spoil the little that there is of the fruits of the earth.

Deu 28:24 “יהוה makes the rain of your land like powder and dust; from the Heavens it comes down on you until you are destroyed. – The rain might fall, however like Pakistan in 2010 the monsoon rain was so intense that it destroyed the land, the infrastructure. Even the small amount of rainfall will do more harm than good. There will not be enough rain to keep dust and dirt from being whipped around by the wind. As a result, the dust and dirt will adhere to the moisture on the plants, causing them to withered. Even rain in harvest is a sign of a gurse.

Deu 28:25 “יהוה shall causes you to be defeated before your enemies – you go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall become a horror to all the reigns of the earth. - That they should be smitten before their enemies in war, who it is likely, would be the more cruel to them, when they had them at their mercy, for the severity they had used against the nations of Canaan, which their neighbours in after-ages would be apt to remember against them.

Deu 28:26 “And your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the Heavens and the beasts of the earth, with no one to frighten them away. - It would make their flight the more shameful, and the more grievous, that they might have triumphed over their enemies if they had but been faithful to their Elohim. The carcases of those that were slain in war, or died in captivity among strangers, should be meat for the fowls; and an Yisraelite, having forfeited the favor of his Elohim, should have so little humanity shown him as that no man should drive them away, so odious would YAH’S curse make him to all mankind.

Deu 28:27 “יהוה shall smite you with the boils of Mitsrayim, with tumours, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you are unable to be healed. – These are all forms of sickness include cancer “Tumours” and leprocy “Scabs”.

Deu 28:28 “יהוה shall smite you with madness and blindness and bewilderment of heart. - That they should be infatuated in all their counsels, so as not to discern their own interest, nor bring anything to pass for the public good: YAHVEH shall smite you with madness and blindness, depression and lack of spiritual goal.

Yah’s judgments can reach the minds of men to fill them with spiritual darkness and horror, as well as their bodies and estates; and those are the sorest of all judgments which make men a terror to themselves, and their own destroyers.

That which they contrived to secure themselves by should still turn to their prejudice. Therefore we often find that the allies they confided in distressed them and strengthened them not, 2 Chr. 28:20.

Deu 28:29 “And you shall be groping at noon, as a blind man gropes in darkness, and not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and plundered all the days, with no one to save you. – You will be as a terror stricken as a blind man in the dark, this is a lack of illumination. This is depression at work in the life of the believer. They will function but will never prosper.

Deu 28:30 “You become engaged to a wife, but another man does lie with her. You build a house, but do not dwell in it. You plant a vineyard, but do not use its fruit. – The bless we are supposed to enjoy will become a curse to us.

Deu 28:31 “Your ox is slaughtered before your eyes, but you do not eat of it. Your donkey is violently taken from before you, and it is not given back to you. Your sheep are given to your enemies, with no one to save them. – Our Land will be invaded by the enemy and our animals, and crops will be taken by the invading enemy for their purpose.

Deu 28:32 “Your sons and your daughters are given to another people, and your eyes look and fail for them all day long, and your hand powerless. – Our children will be taken away by the invading army as the Babylonian did with the Hebrew boys.

Deu 28:33 “A people whom you have not known eat the fruit of your land and all your labors. And you shall be only oppressed and crushed all the days. – The invades will make us work our land to support them.

Deu 28:34 “And you shall be maddened because of the sight which your eyes see. – We shall be depress by the sight of the circumstances we see around us. To complete their misery, it is threatened that they should be put quite out of the possession of their minds by all these troubles . You salt be mad for the sight of thy eyes, that is, quite bereaved of all comfort and hope, and abandoned to utter despair. Those that walk by sight, and not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when everything about them looks frightful; and their condition is woeful indeed that are mad for the sight of their eyes

Deu 28:35 “יהוה shall smites you in the knees and on the legs with evil boils of which you are unable to be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head. – These are blisters from the constant working and walk that must be done, because all the beast of burden are taken by the enemy.

Deu 28:36 “יהוה shall brings you and the sovereign whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other mighty ones, wood and stone. – Those who we have given power over our lives, we will be taken with them into captivity, were we will be slave to the world system.

Deu 28:37 “Thus you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a mockery among all the peoples to which יהוה drives you. – We will be asking where your god now, why doesn’t he save you is. We will be asking how it is a people with such great an El become like this. That their reputation among their neighbors should be quite sunk, and those that had been a name, and praise, should be astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word. Some have observed the fulfilling of this threatening in their present state; for, when we would express the most perfidious and barbarous treatment, we say, none but a Jew would have done so. Thus is sin a reproach to any people.

Deu 28:38 “You take much seed out into the field but gather little in, for the locust consumes it. – We shall plant much and reap a little; it will be consumed by the locust. They shall preach a lot, yet the fruit of the spirit will not be evident.

Deu 28:39 “You plant vineyards, and shall labor, but you neither drink of the wine nor gather, for the worm eats it. -  They will start churches, preach and teach, people but they will never bring anyone to maturity.

Deu 28:40 “You have olive trees in all your border, but do not anoint with oil, for your olives drop off. -  There churches will have lots of people, yet the people will never produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Deu 28:41 “You bring forth sons and daughters, but they are not with you, for they go into captivity. - Their sons and daughters, whom they promised themselves comfort in, should go into captivity, and they themselves at length, and their king in whom they promised themselves safety and settlement,

Deu 28:42 “Locusts possess all your trees and the fruit of your ground. – Anyone of these pestilent may come upon the person who turns away from the commandment of Father יהוה. The Locust the religious spirit will come in and contaminate the people; they will speak in Tongues yet lack the fruit of the Spirit.

Deu 28:43 “The sojourner who is among you rises higher and higher above you, but you come down lower and lower. - That those who remained should be insulted and tyrannized over by strangers. So the ten tribes were by the colonies which the king of Assyria sent to take possession of their land, 2 Ki. 17:24.

Or this may be meant of the gradual encroachments which the strangers within their gates should make upon them, so as insensibly to worm them out of their estates. We read of the fulfilling of this, Hos. 7:9, Strangers have devoured his strength. Foreigners ate the bread out of the mouths of trueborn Yisraelites, by which they were justly chastised for introducing strange gods

Deu 28:44 “He lends to you, but you do not lend to him. He is the head, and you are the tail. – You will give to the Pastor, but he will give nothing in return. He is your head and you will follow him

Deu 28:45 “And all these curses shall come upon you, and they shall pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard His commands and His laws which He commanded you. – When a believer see a consistent pattern in their lives, it is time for us to take stock of our actions, and like Davis check Torah to see if we have violate any of the commandments.

One would have thought that enough had been said to possess within us a dread of that wrath of יהוה which is revealed from Heavens against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of Believers.

But to show how deep the treasures of that wrath are and that still there is more and worse. Moses, when one would have Thought that he had concluded this dismal subject, he begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, Jer. 36:32.

It should seem that in the former part of this commandment Moses foretells their captivity in Babylon, and the calamities which introduced and attended that, by which, even after their return, they were brought to that low and poor condition which is described, verse 44.

That their enemies should be the head and they the tail: but here, in this latter part, he foretells their last destruction by the Romans and their dispersion thereupon.

The present deplorable state of the Hebrew people, and of all that have incorporated themselves with them, by embracing their religion, does so fully and exactly answer to the prediction in these verses that it serves for an incontestable proof of the truth of prophecy, and consequently of the divine authority of the scripture.

This last destruction being explain here represented a more dreadful than the former, it shows that their sin, in rejecting Messiyah and his gospel, was more heinous and more provoking to יהוה than idolatry itself, and left them more under the power of Satan; for their captivity in Babylon cured them effectually of their idolatry in seventy years’ time; but under this last destruction now for above 1600 years they continue incurably averse to Yahushua.

What is here said in general of the wrath of יהוה, which should light and lie upon them for their sins. That, if they would not be ruled by the commands of יהוה, they should certainly be ruined by his curse.

Because you didst not keep his commandments (especially that of hearing and obeying the great prophet), these curses shall come upon thee, as upon a people appointed to destruction, the generation of YAH’S wrath: and they shall be for a sign and for a wonder.

It is amazing to think that a people so long the favorites of Heavens, should be so perfectly abandoned and cast off, that a people so closely incorporated should be so universally dispersed, and yet that a people so scattered in all nations should preserve themselves distinct and not mix with any, but like Cain be fugitives and vagabonds, and yet marked to be known.

Deu 28:46 “And they shall be upon you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed, forever. – These curse is an everlasting prediction, anyone of them could fall corporately or individual on a believers life, as a testimony to them. Today we run off to the doctor with an ailment, without seek יהוה advice to see if we have broken a commandment.

Deu 28:47 “Because you did not serve יהוה your Elohim with joy and gladness of heart for all the plenty, - Here is the butt of the sin. Because we did not with joy keep יהוה commandments. Since earth is the training ground for all possible sons who desire to serve in the Kingdom of Heavens, the curses is יהוה way of saying to his disobedient sons, you are going down the wrong way, turn back, turn back these curses cries out to those who have an ear to hear let them hear and change their ways.

 Deu 28:48 you shall serve your enemies whom יהוה sends against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in need of all. And he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. – This verse describes the continuous process that will overtake us, if we are disobedient. However, the moment we change our ways, like the prodigal son, Father יהוה will come running to our aid.

When are we like the prodigal son, when are the stubborn sons going to realize that in our Father House are Blessings galore, blessing of every kind. Why then should we be destroyed for the lack of knowledge?

In this chapter we are warned repeatedly, that we cannot say we did not know. Moses will then say, did you read Deuteronomy 28

Deu 28:49 “יהוה shall brings a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you shall not understand, - This scenario is a corporate punishment, as what happen to Yisrael, with the Babylonians, Greek, and the Romans occupation.

Deu 28:50 a fierce-looking nation, which shows no regard for the elderly nor show favor to the young, - This was fulfilled in the Babylonians, the Greek and the Roman who invade Yisrael over a 500 years period.

Deu 28:51 and they shall eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed. They leave you no grain, nor new wine, nor oil, nor the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you. – All these were fulfilled when the Greek invade Yisrael 300 years before Yahushua. When the city of Yerushalayim was left virtually empty and the land uninhabited.

That the country should be laid waste, and all the fruits of it eaten up by this army of foreigners, which is the natural consequence of an invasion, especially when it is made, as that by the Romans was, for the chastisement of rebels: He shall eat the fruits of thy cattle and land, so that the inhabitants should be starved, while the invaders were fed to the full.

Deu 28:52 “And they shall besiege you at all your gates till your high and fenced walls, in which you are trusting, come down in all your land. And they shall besiege you at all your gates in all your land which יהוה your Elohim has given you. - That their cities should be besieged, and that such would be the obstinacy of the besieged, and such the vigor of the besiegers, that they would be reduced to the last extremity, and at length fall into the hands of the enemy. No place, though ever so well fortified, no, not Yerushalayim itself, though it held out long, would escape. Two of the common consequences of a long siege are here foretold:

Deu 28:53 “And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters whom יהוה your Elohim has given you, in the siege and distress in which your enemies distress you. - A miserable famine, which would prevail to such a degree that, for want of food, they should kill and eat their own children.

Deu 28:54 “The man among you who is tender, and who is very delicate, his eye is evil against his brother, against the wife of his bosom, and against the rest of his children whom he leaves behind, - Men should do so, notwithstanding their hardiness, and ability to bear hunger; and, Though obliged by the law of nature to provide for their own families, yet should refuse to give to the wife and children that were starving any of the child that was barbarously butchered.

Deu 28:55 against giving any of them the flesh of his children that he eats, because it is all that has been left to him in the siege and distress with which your enemy distresses you in all your gates. – Place in a situation even the most delicate, sympathetic, and gentle people will become cruel and selfish, even unto cannibalistic, as a result of the privations of the siege.

Deu 28:56 “The tender and the delicate woman among you, who have not tried to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and tenderness, her eye is evil against the husband of her bosom, and against her son, and against her daughter, - Nay, women, ladies of quality, notwithstanding their natural niceness about their food, and their natural affection to their children, yet, for want of food, should so far forget all humanity as to kill and eat their own children. Let us observe, by the way, how hard this fate must needs be to the tender and delicate women, and learn not to indulge ourselves in tenderness and delicacy.

Because we know not what we may be reduced to before we die; the nicer we are, the harder it will be to us to bear want, and the more danger we shall be in or sacrificing reason.

Religion, and natural affection then to protect itself, to the clamors and cravings of an unfortified and ungoverned appetite.

This prophecy was fulfilled to the letter, more than once, to the perpetual reproach of the Jewish nation: never was the like done either by Greek or barbarian, but in the siege of Samaria, a woman boiled her own son, 2 Ki. 6:28, 29.

It is spoken of as commonly done among them in the siege of Yerushalayim by the Babylonians, Lam. 4:10.

Deu 28:57 and against her seed which comes out from between her feet, and her children whom she bears, for she eats them in secret for lack of all, in the siege and distress with which your enemy distresses you in all your gates. -   This was actually accomplished during the siege of Jerusalem.

Deu 28:58 “If you do not guard to do all the Words of this Torah that are written in this book, to fear this esteemed and awesome Name, יהוה your Elohim, - If we do not respect the Name of ABBA YAHVEH and HIS Commandments that are written in this book, the Book that was place on the outside of the Ark.

Deu 28:59 then יהוה shall bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues, great and lasting plagues, and grievous and lasting sicknesses. - What is too barbarous for those to do that are abandoned of YAHVEH, Sickness is another common effect of a strait and long siege, and that is predicted here: Sore sickness, and of long continuance.

Deu 28:60 “And He shall bring back on you all the diseases of Mitsrayim, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you, - These diseases would also be on the Yisraelites wherever they live, the diseases of Egypt, leprosies, botches, and foul ulcers. If they adopt the ways of the world. As if the particular miseries here threatened were not enough, he concludes with an et cetera.

Deu 28:61 also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in the book of this Torah, יהוה does bring upon you until you are destroyed. - YAHVEH will bring upon thee every sickness, and every plague, though it be not written in the book of this law. Those that fall under the curse of YAHVEH will find that the one half was not told them of the weight and terror of that curse. When ABBA YAHVEH tells us to eat Kosher, it means that we would be protected from certain sickness. The Seven day Adventist is an example to us even today. Certain sickness is not found within their society, because of their diet.

Deu 28:62 “And you shall be left with few men, although you had become as numerous as the stars of the Heavens, because you did not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim. - That multitudes of them should perish, so that they should become few in number. It was a nation that יהוה had wonderfully increased, so that they were as the stars of Heavens for multitude; but, for their sin, they were diminished and brought low, Ps. 107:38, 39.

Deu 28:63 “And it shall be, that as יהוה rejoiced over you to do you good  and increase you, so יהוה does rejoice over you to destroy you and lay you waste. And you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. - It is computed that in the destruction of the Jewish nation by the Romans, as appears by the account Josephus gives of it, above two millions fell by the sword at several places, besides what perished by famine and pestilence; so that the whole country was laid waste and turned into a wilderness. That is a terrible word, As YAHVEH rejoiced over you to do you good, so he will rejoice over you to destroy you.

Deu 28:64 “And יהוה shall scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other mighty ones, which neither you nor your fathers have known, wood and stone. - That the remnant should be scattered throughout the nations this completes their woe: YAHVEH shall scatter thee among all people. This is remarkably fulfilled in their present dispersion, for there are Jews to be found in every countries that are possessed either by Christians or Islam, and in such numbers that it has been said, If they could unite in one common interest, they would be a very formidable body, and able to deal with the most powerful states and princes; but they abide under the power of this curse, and are so scattered that they are not able to incorporate.

Deu 28:65 “And among those nations you are to find no rest, nor have a resting place for the sole of your foot. But there יהוה shall give you a trembling heart, and failing eyes, and sorrow of being. - It is foretold that in the dispersion of the Hebrew people, They should have no religion, should have no temple, nor altar, nor priesthood, for they should serve other gods.

Some think this has been fulfilled in the force put upon the Jews in foreign countries to worship the images that are used in the Roman Catholic Church, to their great vexation.

That they should have no rest, no rest of body: The sole of their foot shall not have rest , but be continually upon the move, either in hope of gain or fear of persecution; all wandering Jews: no rest of the mind (which is much worse), but a trembling heart; no assurance of life.

Deu 28:66 “And your life shall be hanging in suspense before you, and you shall fear day and night, and not be certain of your life. – Your life will hang in the balance. In exile, you will not be sure of safety from violence. As to their live hoods, they will depend on what they can buy day by day; never being sure that the markets will not be shut down.

Deu 28:67 “In the morning you say, ‘Oh that it were evening!’ And at evening you say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear of your heart, with which you fear, and because of the sight which your eyes see. – We will be weary both of light and darkness, which are, in their turns, both welcome to a quiet mind, but to them both day and night would be a terror.

Such was once the condition of Job (Job 7:4), but to them this should be constant and perpetual; that blindness and darkness which the apostle speaks of as having happened to Yisrael, and that guilt which bowed down their back (Rom. 11:8 10), must needs occasion a constant restlessness and amazement.

Those will be a torment to themselves, and to all about them, that fear day and night and are always uneasy (Depress). Let good people strive against it, and not give way to that fear which has torment; and let wicked people not be secure in their wickedness, for their hearts cannot endure.

Nor can their hands be strong, when the terrors of YAHVEH set themselves in array against them. Those that say in the morning, O that it were evening, and in the evening, O that it were morning, show, First, A constant fret and vexation, chiding the hours for lingering and complaining of the length of every minute.

Let time be precious to us when we are in prosperity, and then it will not be so tedious to us when we are in afflictions as otherwise it would.

Secondly, a constant fright and terror, depress in the morning of the arrow that fly by day, and therefore wishing the day over; but what will this do for them? When evening comes, the trembling heart is no less apprehensive of the terror by night, Ps. 91. 5, 6.

Happy are those whose minds, being stayed on יהוה, are quiet from the fear of evil! The terror arises not only from the sight of the eyes, but from the fear of the heart, not only from real dangers, but from imaginary ones; the causes of depression, when they come to be enquired into, often prove to be only the creatures of the fancy.

Deu 28:68 “And יהוה shall bring you back to Mitsrayim in ships, by a way of which I said to you, ‘You are never to see it again.’ And there you shall be sold to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one to buy.” - In close this chapter, we see that YAHVEH threatens to leave them as he found them, in a house of bondage: YAHVEH shall bring thee into Egypt again, that is into such a miserable state as they were in when they were slaves to the Egyptians, and ruled by them with rigor.

YAHVEH had brought them out of Egypt, and had said, they shall see it no more again (ch. 17:16); but now they should be reduced to the same state of slavery that they had been in there.

To be sold to strangers would be bad enough, but much worse to be sold to their enemies. Even slaves may be valued as such, but a Jew should have so ill a name for all that is base that when he was exposed to sale no man would buy him, which would make his master that had him to sell the more severe with him.

Thirty Jews (they say) have been sold for one small piece of money, as they sold our Savior for thirty pieces.

Upon the whole matter, the accomplishment of these predictions upon the nation of Yisrael shows that Moses spoke by the Spirit of YAHVEH, who certainly foresees the ruin of believers, and gives them warning of it, that they may prevent it by a true and timely repentance, or else be left inexcusable.

Let us all therefore learn to stand in awe and not to sin. I have heard of a wicked man, who, upon reading the threatening of this chapter, was so enraged that he tore the leaf out of the Bible, as Jehoiakim cut Jeremiah’s roll; but to what purpose is it to deface a copy, while the original remains upon record in the divine counsels, by which it is unalterably determined that the wages of sin is death, whether men will hear or whether they will rebels?

Chapter 29

The first words of this chapter elucidate the contents of it, "These are the Words of the covenant’’ that is, these that follow. Here is, 

I.             A recital of YAH’S dealings with them, in order to bring them into this covenant verse 2-8. 

II.           A solemn charge to them to keep the covenant verse 9. 

III.         An abstract of the covenant itself verse 12, 13. 

IV.         A specification of the persons taken into the covenant, verse 10, 11, 14, 15.

V.           An intimation of the great design of this covenant against idolatry, in a parenthesis verse 16, 17. 

VI.         A most solemn and dreadful denunciation of the wrath of יהוה against such persons as promise themselves peace in a sinful way verse 18–28. 

VII.       The conclusion of this treaty, with a distinction between things secret and things revealed verse 29.

Deu 29:1  These are the words of the covenant which יהוה commanded Mosheh to make with the children of Yisra’ĕl in the land of Mo’aḇ, besides the covenant which He made with them in Ḥorĕḇ. - Now that Moses had largely repeated the commands which the people were to observe as their part of the covenant, and the promises and threatening which יהוה would make good (according as they behaved themselves) as part of the covenant, the whole is here summed up in a federal transaction.

The covenant was renewed here, and Moses, who as before is still the mediator of it Covenant: YAHVEH commanded Moses to make it.

Moses himself, though king in Jeshurun, could not present the covenant any other way than as יהוה gave him instructions.

It does not lay in the power of his ministers to fix the terms of the covenant; they are only to dispense the seals of it. This is said to be besides the covenant made in Horeb; for, Though the covenant was the same, yet it was a new promulgation and ratification of it.

It is probable that some now living, though not of age to be remembers, were of age now to consent for themselves to the covenant made at Horeb, and yet it is here renewed.

Those of us who make a covenanted with יהוה should take all opportunities to do it, as those that like their choice too well to change. But the far greater part were a new generation, and therefore the covenant must be made afresh with them, for it is fit that the covenant should be renewed to the descendant of the children of the covenant.

It is usual for indentures to begin with a recital; this does so, with a rehearsal of the great things יהוה had done for them.

As an encouragement to them as it is to us as believe that יהוה would indeed be to them a Elohim, for he would not have done so much for them as He is doing for us today. If he had not designed a perfect plan, to which we are all obligated to follow meticulously.

He had shown HIMSELF a YAHVEH to them, which might raise their expectations of something great and answering the vast extent and compass of that pregnant promise, that יהוה would be to them a Elohim. As an engagement upon them to be to him an obedient people, in consideration of what he had done for them.

Deu 29:2 And Mosheh called all Yisra’ĕl and said to them, “You yourselves saw all that יהוה did before your eyes in the land of Mitsrayim, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land. - For the proof of what he was trying to teach he appeals to their own eyes: You have seen all that YAHVEH did. Their own senses were incontestable evidence of the matter of fact, that יהוה had done great things for them; and then their own reason was a no less competent judge of the equity of his inference from it: Keep therefore the words of this covenant, v. 9.

Deu 29:3 “Your eyes saw the great trials, the signs, and those great wonders. - These things he specifies, to show the power and goodness of יהוה in his appearances for them. Their deliverance out of Egypt. The amazing signs and miracles by which Pharaoh was plagued and compelled to dismiss them, and Yisrael was tried (for they are called temptations) whether they would trust יהוה to secure them from, and save them by, those plagues.

Deu 29:4 “But יהוה has not given you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear, till this day. - Moses laments their stupidity: Yet YAHVEH has not given you a heart to perceive. This does not lay the blame of their senselessness, and follishness, and unbelief, upon , as if they had stood ready to receive יהוה grace and had begged for it, but he had denied them; no, but it fastens the guilt upon themselves.

Deu 29:5 “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your garments have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. - Their conduct through the wilderness for forty years. There they were led, and clad, and fed, by miracles; Though the paths of the wilderness were not only unknown but unfamiliar, yet יהוה kept them from being lost there; those very shoes which by the appointment of YAHVEH they put on in Egypt, at the Passover, when they were ready to march (Ex. 12:11), never wore out, but served them to Canaan.

Though they lived not upon bread which strengthens the heart, and wine which rejoices it, but upon manna and rock-water, yet they were men of strength and courage, mighty men, and able to go forth to war.

By these miracles they were taught to know that יהוה was EL and by these mercies that HE was their Elohim.

 The victory they had lately obtained of Sihon and Og, and that good land which they had taken possession of, verse  7, 8. Both former mercies and fresh mercies should be improved by us as inducements to obedience.

Deu 29:6 “You ate no bread and drank no wine nor strong drink, so that you might know that I am יהוה your Elohim.

Deu 29:7 “And when you came to this place, Siḥon sovereign of Ḥeshbon and Oḡ sovereign of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we smote them, - In our spiritual journey, we will come face to face with the enemy of our soul. Just like Yahushua on His spiritual journey came face to face with the Devil, Matthew 4: ¹ Then was Yahushua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. ³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If You be the Son of YAHVEH, command that these stones be made bread. ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YAHVEH. Our weapon of choice when doing battle is the Word of YAHVEH, notice that Yahushua in His battle with the Devil only used the Word, it is written.

Deu 29:8 and took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Re’uḇĕnites, and to the Gaḏites, and to half the tribe of Menashsheh. - The hearing ear, the Seeing Eye, and the understanding heart, are the gift of יהוה. All that have them have them from him. יהוה gives not only food and raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom he does not give grace.

Many enjoy the gifts who have not hearts to perceive neither the giver, nor the true intention and use of the gifts. YAH’S readiness to do us good in other things is a plain evidence that if we have not grace, that best of gifts, it is our own fault and not his; he would have gathered us and we would not.

Moses charges them to be obedient: Keep therefore, and do. We are bound in gratitude and interest, as well as duty and faithfulness, to keep the words of the covenant.

Haftarah

Isaiah 60:1-22

Isa 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the esteem of יהוה has risen upon you. - It is here promised that the gospel temple shall be very lightsome and very large.

It shall be very lightsome: Thy light has come. When the Jews returned out of captivity they had light and gladness, and joy and honor; they then were made to know EL YAHVEH and to rejoice in HIS great goodness; and upon both accounts their light came. When the Redeemer came to Zion he brought light with him, He Himself came to be a light.

Isa 60:2 “For look, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the peoples. But יהוה arises over you, and His esteem is seen upon you. - What is this light? Or who shall I say is this light, and what is its source? EL YAHVEH shall arise upon thee, the glory of the YAHVEH, shall be seen upon thee.

YAHVEH is the father and fountain of lights and it is in HIS light that we shall see all light. As far as we have the knowledge of YAHVEH in us, and the favor of YAHVEH towards us, our light has truly come.

When YAHVEH appears to us, and we have the comfort of HIS favor, then the glory of EL YAHVEH shall rises upon us as the morning light; when he appears to us, and we have the favor of HIS credit, when HE shows us some token for good and proclaims HIS favor to us, then HIS glory is seen upon us, as it was upon Yisrael in the pillar of cloud and fire.

When Messiyah arose as the sun of righteousness, and in Him the day-spring from on high visited us, then the glory of the Lord was seen upon us, the glory as of the first-begotten of the Father.

What a display there shall be to this light: Darkness shall cover the earth; but, though it is gross darkness, darkness that might be felt, like that of Egypt, that shall overspread the people, yet the Messiyanic Assembly, like Goshen, shall have light at the same time.

When the case of the nations that have not the gospel shall be very melancholy, those dark corners of the earth being full of the habitations of cruelty to poor souls, the state of the church shall be very pleasant.

What is the ultimate purpose which the rising of this glorious Menorah calls for: "Arise, shine; not only receive this light, and’’ (as the margin reads it) "be enlightened by it, but reflect this light; arise and shine with rays borrowed from it.’’ The children of light ought to shine as a Menorah in the world. If YAH’s glory be seen upon us to our honor, we ought not only with our lips, but in our lives, to return the praise of it to HIS honor, Mt. 5:16; Phil. 2:15.

It shall be very large. When the Jews were settled again in their own land, after their captivity, many of the people of the land joined themselves to them; but it does not appear that there ever were any such numerous accessions to them as would answer the fullness of this prophecy.

Therefore we must conclude that these points further, to the bringing of the Gentiles into the Messiyanic Assembly, not their flocking to one particular place, though under that type it is here described. There is no place now that is the centre of the Assembly’s unity; but the promise respects their flocking to Messiyah Yahushua, and coming by faith, and hope, and holy love, into that society which is incorporated by the charter of his gospel, and of the unity of which he only is the centre, that family which is named from him, Eph. 3:15.

The good-new Assembly is expressly called Zion and Yerushalayim, and under that notion all believers are said to come to it (Heb. 12:22. You have come unto Mount Zion, to the city of the living EL, the heavenly Yerushalayim), which serves for a key to this prophecy, Eph. 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of YAHVEH.

Isa 60:3 “And the gentiles shall come to your light¹, and sovereigns to the brightness of your rising. Isa. 60:19, 20, Rev. 21:23, 24. – What shall invite such multitudes to the Assembly: "They shall come to thy light and to the brightness of thy rising.

They shall be allured to join themselves to thee,’’

"By the light that shines upon thee,’’ the light of the glorious gospel, which the Assembly hold firm, in consequence of which they are called Menorah. This light which discovers so much of EL YAHVEH and HIS good Will to man, by which life and immortality are brought to light, this shall invite all the serious well-affected part of mankind to come and join themselves to the Messiyanic Assembly, that they may have the benefit of this Menorah to inform them concerning truth and duty.

"By the Menorah with which you shines.’’ The purity and love of the primitive Messiyanic, their heavenly-mindedness, contempt of the world, and patient sufferings, were the brightness of the church’s rising, which drew many into it. The beauty of holiness was the powerful attractive by which Yahushua HaMashiach had a willing people brought to him in the day of His power, Ps. 110:3

Isa 60:4 “Lift up your eyes all around and see: all of them have gathered, they have come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are supported on the side. - What shall invite such multitudes to the Assembly: "They shall come to thy light and to the brightness of thy rising. They shall be allured to join themselves to thee,’’

"By the light that shines in us,’’ the light of the glorious gospel, which the Mesiyahnic Assembly hold firm, in consequence of which they are called Menorah. This light which discovers so much of YAHVEH and HIS good Will to man, by which life and immortality are brought to light, this shall invite all the serious well-affected part of mankind to come and join themselves to the Assembly, that they may have the benefit of this light to inform them concerning truth and duty.

"By the light with which you shines.’’ The purity and love of the primitive Messiyanic, their heavenly-mindedness, contempt of the world, and patient sufferings, were the brightness of the Assembly’s rising, which drew many to it. The beauty of holiness was the powerful attractiveness by which Messiyah Yahushua had a willing people brought to Him in the day of his power, Ps. 110:3.

Isa 60:5 “Then you shall see and be bright, and your heart shall throb and swell, for the wealth of the sea is turned to you, the riches of the gentiles come to you. – What they shall bring with them and what advantage shall accrue to the Messiyanic Assembly by their accession to it. Those that are brought into the Assembly by the grace of YAHVEH will be sure to bring all they are worth in with them, which with themselves they will devote to the honor and service of YAHVEH and do well within their places.

The merchants shall write holiness to YAHVEH upon their merchandise and their hire, as ch. 23:18. "The abundance of the sea, either the wealth that is fetched out of the sea (the fish, the pearls) or that which is imported by sea, shall all be converted to thee and to thy use.’’ The wealth of the rich merchants shall be laid out in works of piety and charity.

The mighty men of the nations shall employ their might in the service of the Messiyanic Assembly: "The forces, or troops, of the Gentiles shall come unto thee, to guard thy coasts, strengthen thy interests, and, if occasion be, to fight thy battles.’’

The forces of the Gentiles had often been against the Assembly, but now they shall be for it; for as YAHVEH, when HE pleases, can, and, when we please HIM, will, make even our enemies to be at peace with us (Prov. 16:7), so, when Yahushua HaMashiach overcomes the strong man armed, he divides his spoils, and makes that to serve his interests which had been used against them, Lu. 11:22.

How the Messiyanic Assembly shall be affected with this increase of her numbers.

She shall be in a transport of joy upon this account: "You shall see and flow together’’ (or flow to and fro), "as in a pleasing agitation about it, surprised at it, but extremely glad of it.’’

There shall be a mixture of fear with this joy: "Thy heart shall fear, doubting whether it be lawful to go in to the uncircumcised and eat with them.’’ Peter was so impressed with this fear that he needed a vision and voice from the heavens to help him over it, Acts 10:28.

"When this fear is conquered thy heart shall be enlarged in holy love, so enlarged that You shall have room in it for all the Gentile converts; You shall not have such a narrow soul as You hast had nor affections so confined within the Jewish pale.’’ When EL YAHVEH intends the beauty and prosperity of HIS Assembly HE gives this largeness of heart and an extensive charity.

Isa 60:6 “A stream of camels cover your land, the dromedaries of Miḏyan and Ěphah; all those from Sheḇa come, bearing gold and incense, and proclaiming the praises of יהוה. – The wealth imported by land-carriage, as well as that by sea, shall be made available of and in the service of YAHVEH and the Messiyanic Assembly: The camels and dromedaries that bring gold and incense (gold to make the golden altar of and incense and sweet perfumes to burn upon it), those of Midian and Sheba, shall bring the richest commodities of their country, not to trade with, but to honor EL YAHVEH with, and not in small quantities, but camel-loads of them.

This was in part fulfilled when the wise men of the east (perhaps some of the countries here mentioned), drawn by the brightness of the star, came to Messiyah, and presented to him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Mt. 2:11.

Isa 60:7 “All the flocks of Qĕḏar are gathered to you, the rams of Neḇayoth serve you; they come up for acceptance on My altar, and I embellish My esteemed House. -  A great numbers of sacrifices shall be brought to YAH’s altar, acceptable sacrifices, and, though brought by Gentiles, they shall find acceptance. Kedar was famous for flocks, and probably the fattest rams were those of Nebaioth; these shall come up with acceptance on YAH’s altar. EL YAHVEH must be served and honored with what we have, according as he has blessed us, and with the best we have.

This was fulfilled when by the decree of Darius the governors beyond the rivers (perhaps of some of these countries) were ordered to furnish the temple at Yerushalayim with bullocks, rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offering of the EL of the Heavens, Ezra 6:9.

It had a further accomplishment, of the trust we will have, in the bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles to the Messiyanic Assembly, which is called the sacrificing or offering up of the Gentiles unto EL YAHVEH, Rom. 15:16. The flocks and rams are precious souls; for they are said to minister to the Assembly, and to come up as living sacrifices, presenting themselves to EL YAHVEH by a reasonable service on HIS altar, Rom. 12:1.

Isa 60:8 “Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? -  How YAHVEH shall be honored by the increase of the Assembly and the accession of such numbers to it.

They shall intend the honor of YAH’s name in it. When they bring their gold and incense it shall not be to show the riches of their country, nor to gain applause to themselves for piety and devotion, but to show forth the praises of EL YAHVEH, verse 6.

Our greatest services and gifts to the Assembly are not acceptable further than we have an eye to the glory of YAHVEH in them. This must be our business in our attendance on public ordinances, to give unto EL YAHVEH the glory due to HIS Name; for therefore, as these here, we are called out of darkness into light, that we should show forth the praises of him that called us, 1 Pt. 2:9.

EL YAHVEH will advance the honor of his own name by it; so he has said: I will glorify the house of MY Glory. The Messiyanic Assembly is the house of YAH’s glory, where HE manifests HIS glory to HIS people and receives that homage by which they do honor to HIM. It is for the glory of this house, and of HIM that keeps house there, both that the Gentiles shall bring their offerings to it and that they shall be accepted therein.

These converts flocking to the Messiyanic Assembly shall be greatly admired: Who are these that fly as a cloud?

How the conversion of souls is here described. It is flying to Messiyah and to His Assembly, for there we are directed; it is flying like a cloud, Though in great multitudes, so as to overspread the heavens, yet with great unanimity, all as one cloud. They shall come with speed, as a cloud flying on the wings of the wind, and come openly, and in the view of all, their very enemies beholding them (Rev. 11:12), and yet not able to hinder them.

They shall fly as doves to their windows, in great flights, many together; they fly on the wings of the harmless dove, which flies low, denoting their innocence and humility. They fly to Messiyah, to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the word and ordinances, as doves, by instinct, to their own windows, to their own home.

There they will fly for refuge and shelter when they are pursued by the birds of prey, and thither they fly for rest when they have been wandering and are weary, as Noah’s dove to the ark.

How the conversion of souls is here admired. It is spoken of with wonder and pleasure: Who are these? We have reason to wonder that so many flocks to Messiyah: when we see them all together we shall wonder whence they all came. We have reason to admire with pleasure and affection those that do flock to him: Who are these? How excellent, how amiable are they! What a pleasant sight is it to see poor souls hastening to Messiyah, with a full resolution to abide with him!

These converts flocking to the Messiyanic Assembly shall be greatly admired: Who are these that fly as a cloud?

How the conversion of souls is here described. It is flying to Messiyah and to His Messiyanic Assembly, for there we are directed; it is flying like a cloud, though in great multitudes, so as to overspread the heavens, yet with great unanimity, all as one cloud.

They shall come with speed, as a cloud flying on the wings of the wind, and come openly, and in the view of all, their very enemies beholding them (Rev. 11:12), and yet not able to hinder them.

They shall fly as doves to their windows, in great flights, many together; they fly on the wings of the harmless dove, which flies low, denoting their innocence and humility. They fly to Messiyah, to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the Word and Ordinances, as doves, by instinct, to their own windows, to their own home; there they fly for refuge and shelter when they are pursued by the birds of prey, and thither they fly for rest when they have been wandering and are weary, as Noah’s dove to the ark.

How the conversion of souls is here admired. It is spoken of with wonder and pleasure: Who are these? We have reason to wonder that so many flocks to Messiyah: when we see them all together we shall wonder whence they all came. We have reason to admire with pleasure and affection those that do flock to Him: Who are these? How excellent, how amiable are they! What a pleasant sight is it to see poor souls hastening to Yahushua HaMashiach, with a full resolution to abide with him!

Isa 60:9 “Because the coastlands wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the Name of יהוה your Elohim, and to the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, because He has adorned you. – The promises made to the Messiyanic Assembly in the foregoing verses are here repeated, ratified, and enlarged upon, designed still for the comfort and encouragement of the Jews after their return out of captivity, but certainly looking further, to the enlargement and advancement of the good-new Assembly and the abundance of spiritual blessings with which it shall be enriched.

EL YAHVEH will be very gracious and propitious to them. We must begin with that promise, because thence all the rest take rise. The sanctuary that was desolate begins to be repaired when YAHVEH causes his face to shine upon it, Dan. 9:17.

All the favor that the people of YAHVEH find with men is owing to the light of YAH’s countenance and his favor to them verse 10: "All shall now make court to thee, for in my wrath I smote thee, while You was in captivity’’ (and the sufferings of the church, especially by its corruptions, decays, and divisions, against which these promises will be its relief, are sad tokens of YAH’s displeasure), "But now in my favor have I had mercy on thee, and therefore have all this mercy in store for thee.’’

Many shall be brought into the Assembly, even from far countries: Surely the isles shall wait for me, shall welcome the good-news, and shall attend YAHVEH with their praises for it and their ready subjection to it. The ships of Tarshish, passenger transport-ships, shall lie ready to carry members from far distant regions to the Assembly, or (which is equivalent) to carry the ministers of the Messiyanic Assembly to remote parts, to preach the gospel and to bring in souls to join themselves to EL YAHVEH.

Who are brought, thy sons, that is, such as are designed to be so, those children of YAHVEH that are scattered abroad, Jn. 11:52.

What they shall bring with them. They live at such a distance that they cannot bring their flocks and their rams; but, like those who lived remote from Yerushalayim (who, when they came up to worship at the feast, because they could not bring their tithes in kind, turned them into money), they shall bring their silver and gold with them.

When we give up ourselves to EL YAHVEH we must with ourselves give up all we have to HIM. If we honor HIM with our spirits, we shall honor him with our substance.

To whom they shall devote and dedicate themselves and all they are worth. to the name of EL YAHVEH, as the MassiYah of all and the Assembly’s EL and King, even to the Holy One of Yisrael (whom Yisrael worships as a Holy One, in the beauty of holiness), because he has glorified thee.

The honor EL YAHVEH puts upon HIS Assembly and HIS people should not only engage us to honor them, but invite us to join ourselves to them. We will go with you, for YAHVEH is with you, Zec. 8:23.

Isa 60:10 “And the sons of foreigners shall build your walls, and their sovereigns serve you. For in My wrath I have smitten you, but in My delight I shall have compassion on you. – All that are about the Messiyanic business shall be made in some way or other serviceable to it. Though dominion is far from being founded in men’s grace, it is founded in YAH’s.

He that made the inferior creatures useful to man will make the nations of men useful to the Messiyanic Assembly. The earth helped the woman. All things are for your sakes.

So here, "Even the sons of strangers, that have neither knowledge of Messiyah nor kindness for thee, that have always been aliens to the commonwealth of Yisrael, even they shall build up thy wall, and their kings shall in that and other things ministers unto thee and not think it any disparagement to them to do so.’’

This was fulfilled when the king of Persia, and the governors of the provinces by his order, were aiding and assisting Nehemiah in building the wall about Yerushalayim. Rather than Yerusalem’s walls shall lie still in ruins, the sons of the stranger shall be raised up to build them.

Even those that do not belong to the Messiyanic Assembly may be a protection to it. And the greatest of men should not think it below them to minister in the Messiyanic Assembly, but rejoice that they are in a capacity, and have a heart, to do it any service.

Isa 60:11 “And your gates shall be open continually, they are not shut day or night, to bring to you the wealth of the gentiles, and their sovereigns in procession. – Those that come into the Messiyanic Assembly shall be welcome; for so spacious is the holy city that Though, YAHVEH, it is done as you hast commanded, yet still there is room. "Therefore thy gates shall be open continually, not only because you hast no reason to fear thy enemies, but because You hast reason to expect thy friends.’’

It is usual with us to leave our doors open, or leave some one ready to open them, all night, if we look for a child or a guest to come in late. Messiyah is always ready to entertain those that come to him, is never out of the way, nor can they ever come unseasonably; the gate of mercy is always open, night and day, or shall soon be opened to those that knock.

The Evangelist, the door-keepers, must be always ready to admit those that offer themselves to Yahushua HaMashiach. EL YAHVEH not only keeps a good house in HIS Assembly, but he keeps open house, that at any time, by the preaching of the word, in season and out of season, the forces of the Gentiles, and the kings or commanders of those forces, may be brought into the Messiyanic Assembly. Lift up your heads, O you gates! And let such welcome guests as these come in.

Isa 60:12 “For the nation and the reign that do not serve you shall perish, and those gentiles shall be utterly laid waste. - It is the duty of all to do what they can in their places to advance the interests of YAH’s kingdom among men.  It is at their peril if they do not; for this verse tells us, “The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish”.

Not that they must perish by the sword or by human anathemas, or as if this gave any countenance to the using of external force for the propagating of the gospel, or as if men might be compelled by penalties and punishments to come into the church; by no means.

But those who will not by faith, submit to Yahushua HaMashiach, the King of the Messiyanic Assembly, and serve Him, shall perish eternally, Ps. 2:12. Those that will not be subject to Messiyah’s golden scepter, to the government of His word and Spirit, that will not be brought under, or kept in, by the discipline of his family, shall be broken in pieces by his iron rod. Bring them forth and slay them before me, Lu. 19:27. Nations of such shall be utterly and eternally wasted, when Messiyah shall come to take vengeance on those that obey not his gospel, 2 Th. 1:8.

Isa 60:13 “The esteem of Leḇanon shall come to you, cypress, pine, and the box tree together, to embellish the place of My set-apart place. And I shall make the place of My feet esteemed. - There shall be abundance of beauty added to the ordinances of divine worship: The glory of Lebanon, the strong and stately cedars that grow there, shall come unto thee, as of old to Solomon, when he built the temple (2 Chr. 2:16), and with them shall be brought other timber, proper for the carved work thereof, which the enemy had broken down, Ps. 74:5, 6.

The temple, the place of YAH’s sanctuary, shall be not only rebuilt, but beautified. It is the place of his feet, where he rests and resides, Eze. 43:7. The ark is called his footstool, because it was under the mercy-seat, Ps. 132:7. This he will make glorious in the eyes of his people and of all their neighbors.

The glory of the latter house, to which this refers, Though in many instances inferior, was yet really greater than the glory of the former, because Messiyah came to that temple, Mal. 3:1.

It was likewise adorned with goodly stones and gifts (Lu. 21:5), to which this promise may have some reference; yet so slightly did Messiyah speak of them there that we must suppose it to have its full accomplishment in the beauties of holiness, and the graces and comforts of the Spirit, with which gospel ordinances are adorned and enriched.

Isa 60:14 “And the sons of those who afflicted you come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall bow themselves at the soles of your feet. And they shall call you: City of יהוה, Tsiyon of the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl. - The Messiyanic Assembly shall appear truly great and honorable.

 The people of the Hebrew Faith, after their return out of captivity, by degrees became more considerable, and made a better figure than one would have expected, after they had been so much reduced, and than any of the other nations recovered that had been in like manner humbled by the Chaldeans.

It is probable that many of those who had oppressed them in Babylon, when they were themselves driven out by the Persians, made their court to the Jews for shelter and supply and were willing to scrape acquaintance with them.

This prophecy is further fulfilled when those that have been enemies to the Messiyanic Assembly are wrought upon by the grace of YAHVEH to see their error, and come, and join themselves to it: "The sons of those that afflicted thee, if not they themselves, yet their children, shall crouch to thee, shall beg pardon for their folly and began interest in thy favor and admission into thy family,’’ 1 Sa. 2:36.

A promise like this is made to the Assembly of Philadelphia, Rev. 3:9. And it is intended to be,

A mortification to the proud oppressors of the Assembly, that have afflicted her, and despised her, and taken a pleasure in doing so; they shall be brought down; their spirits shall be broken, and their condition shall be so mean and miserable that they shall be glad to be obliged to those whom they have most studied to disoblige. Sooner or later EL YAHVEH will pour contempt upon those that put contempt upon HIS people.

An exaltation to the poor oppressed ones of the Assembly; and this is the honor that shall be done to them, they shall have an opportunity of doing good to those who have done evil to them and saving those alive who have afflicted and despised them.

It is a pleasure for a good man, and he accounts it an honor, to show mercy to those with whom he has found no mercy.

Yet this is not all. "They shall not only become suppliants to thee for their own interest, but they shall give honor to thee: They shall call thee, The city of YAHVEH; they shall at length be convinced that You are a favorite of heaven, and the particular care of the divine providence.’’

That city is truly great and honorable, it is strong, it is rich, it is safe, it is beautiful, it is the most desirable place that can be to live in, which is the city of YAHVEH, which he owns, in which he dwells, in which religion is uppermost. Such a one is Zion; it is the place which YAHVEH has chosen to put his name there; it is the Zion of the Holy One of Yisrael; therefore, we may be sure, it is a holy city, else the Holy One of Yisrael would never be called the patron of it.

Isa 60:15 “Instead of you being forsaken and hated, so that no one passes through you, I shall make you an everlasting excellence, a joy of many generations. -  This happy and glorious state of the Assembly is here further foretold, referring principally and ultimately to the Messiyanic Assembly and the spiritual peace of that, but under the type of that little gleam of outward peace which the Jews sometimes enjoyed after their return out of captivity.

As compared with what it had been. This made her peace and honors the more pleasant, that her condition had been much otherwise.

She had been despised, but now she should be honored. Yerushalayim had been forsaken and hated, abandoned by her friends, abhorred by her enemies; no man went through that desolate city, but declined it as a rueful spectacle; it was astonishment and a hissing. But now it shall be made an eternal Excellency, being reformed from idolatry and having recovered the tokens of YAH’s favor, and it shall be the joy of good people for many generations.

Yet considering how short Yerushalayim’s Excellency was, and how short it came of the vast compass of this promise, we must look for the full accomplishment of it in the perpetual excellencies of the gospel church, far exceeding those of the Old-Testament Assembly, and the glorious privileges and advantages of the Messiyanic Faith, which are indeed the joy of many generations. Two things are here spoken of as her Excellency and joy, in opposition to her having been forsaken and hated:

Isa 60:16 “And you shall drink dry the milk of the gentiles, and shall milk the breast of sovereigns. And you shall know that I, יהוה, your Savior and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ. – She shall find herself countenanced by her neighbors. The nations, and their kings, that are brought to embrace the Messiyanic faith, shall lay themselves out for the good of the Assembly, and maintain its interests with the tenderness and affection that the nurse shows to the child at her breasts: "You shall suck the milk of the Gentiles, not suck their blood (that is not the spirit of the gospel); You shall suck the breast of kings, who shall be to thee as nursing fathers.’’

She shall find herself countenanced by her EL: "You shall know that I YAHVEH am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, shall know it by experience; for such a salvation, such a redemption, shall be wrought out for thee as plainly discovers itself to be the work of YAHVEH, the work of a mighty one, for it is a great salvation, of the Mighty One of Jacob, for it secures the welfare of all those that are Israelites indeed.’’ They before knew YAHVEH to be their Elohim; now they know HIM to be their Savior, their Redeemer. Their Holy One now appears their Mighty One.

Isa 60:17 “Instead of bronze I bring gold, and instead of iron I bring silver, and bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. And I shall make your officers peace, and your magistrates righteousness. – She had been impoverished, but now she shall be enriched, and everything shall be changed for the better with her.

When those who were raised out of the dust are set among princes, instead of brass money in their purses they have bold, and instead of iron vessels in their houses they have silver ones, and other improvements agreeable: so much shall the spiritual glory of Messiyah’s Assembly exceed the external pomp and splendor of the Jewish economy, which had no glory in comparison with that which quite excels it, 2 Co. 3:10.

When we had baptism in the room of circumcision, the Messiyah’s supper in the room of the Passover, and a gospel ministry in the room of a Levitical priesthood, we had gold instead of brass. Sin turned gold into brass when Rehoboam made brazen shields instead of the golden ones he had pawned; but YAH’s favor, when that returns, will turn brass again into gold.

She had been oppressed by her own princes, which was sadly complained of, not only as her sin, but as her misery (ch. 59:14); but now all the grievances of that kind shall be redressed: "I will make thy officers peace; men of peace shall be made officers, and shall be indeed justices, not patrons of injustice, and justices of peace, not instruments of trouble and vexation.

They shall be peace, that is, they shall sincerely seek thy welfare and by their means You shall enjoy good.’’ They shall be peace, for they shall be righteousness; and then the peace is as a river, when the righteousness is as the waves of the sea. Even exactors, whose business it is to demand the public tribute, Though they be exact, must not be exacting, but must be just to the subject as well as to the prince, and, according to the instructions John Baptist gave to the publicans must exact no more than is appointed them, Lu. 3:13.

Isa 60:18 “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor ruin within your borders. And you shall call your walls Deliverance, and your gates Praise. - She had been insulted by her neighbors, invaded, spoiled, and plundered; but now it shall be so no more: "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land; neither the threats and triumphs of those that do violence nor the outcries and complaints of those that suffer violence shall again be heard, but every man shall peaceably enjoy his own.

There shall be no wasting nor destruction, either of persons of possessions, anywhere within thy borders; but thy walls shall be called salvation (they shall be safe, and means of safety to thee) and thy gates shall be praise, praise to thee (every one shall commend thee for the good condition they are kept in), and praise to thy EL, who strengthens the bars of thy gates,’’ Ps. 147:13. When YAH’s salvation is upon the walls it is fit that his praises should be in the gates, the places of concourse.

Isa 60:19 “No longer is the sun your light by day, nor does the moon give light to you for brightness, but יהוה shall be to you an everlasting light, and your Elohim your comeliness. – As completed in what it shall be? It should seem that in the close of this chapter we are directed to look further yet, as far forward as to the glory and happiness of heaven, under the type and figure of the flourishing state of the church on earth, which yet was never such as to come anything near to what is here foretold; and several of the images and expressions here made use of we find in the description of the new Yerushalayim, Rev. 21:23; 22:5.

As the prophets sometimes insensibly pass from the blessings of the Jewish church to the spiritual blessings of the Messiyanic Assembly, which are eternal, so sometimes they rise from the Assembly militant to the Assembly triumphant, where, and where only, all the promised peace, and joy, and honor will be in perfection.

YAHVEH shall be all in all in the happiness here promised; so he is always to true believers : The sun and the moon shall be no more thy light. YAH’s people, when they enjoy his favor, and walk in the light of his countenance, make little account of sun and moon, and the other lights of this world, but could walk comfortably in the light of the Lord Though they should withdraw their shining.

In heaven there shall be no occasion for sun or moon, for it is the inheritance of the saints in light, such light as will swallow up the light of the sun as easily as the sun does that of a candle. "Idolaters worshipped the sun and moon (which some have Thought the most ancient and plausible idolatry); but these shall be no more thy light, shall no more be idolized, but Yahushua shall be to thee a constant light, both day and night, in the night of adversity as well as in the day of prosperity.’’ Those that make YAHVEH their only light shall have HIM their all-sufficient light, their sun and shield. Thy Elohim shall be thy glory.

Isa 60:20 “No longer does your sun go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for יהוה shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. -  The happiness here promised shall know no change, period, or allay. "Thy sun shall no more go down, but it shall be eternal day, eternal sunshine, with thee; that shall not be thy sun which is sometimes eclipsed, often clouded, and, Though it shine ever so bright, ever so warm, will certainly set and leave thee in the dark, in the cold, in a few hours; but he shall be a sun, a fountain of light to thee, who is himself the Father of all lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning,’’ James 1:17.

We read of the sun’s standing still once, and not hasting to go down for the space of a day, and it was a glorious day, never was the like; but what was that to the day that shall never have a night?

If it had, it should be a light night; for neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; it shall never wane, shall never change, but be always at the full. The comforts and joys that are in heaven, the glories provided for the soul, as the light of the sun, and those prepared for the glorified body too, as the light of the moon, shall never know the least cessation or interruption; how should they when the Lord shall himself be thy everlasting light, a light which never wastes nor can ever be extinguished?

The days of thy mourning shall be ended, so as never to return; for all tears shall be wiped away, and the fountains of them, sin and affliction, dried up, so that sorrow and sighing shall flee away forever.

Isa 60:21 “And your people, all of them righteous, shall inherit the earth forever – a branch of My planting, a work of My hands, to be adorned. - Those that are entitled to this happiness, being duly prepared and qualified for it, shall never be put out of the possession of it.

Thy people, that shall inhabit this New Yerushalayim, shall all be righteous, all justified by the righteousness of the Messiyah, all sanctified by his Spirit; all that people, that Yerushalayim, must be righteous, must have that holiness without which no man shall see EL YAHVEH.

 They are all righteous, for we know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of YAHVEH. There are no people on earth that are all righteous; there is a mixture of some bad in the best societies on this side heaven; but there are no mixtures there.

They shall be all righteous, that is, they shall be entirely righteous; as there shall be none corrupt among them, so there shall be no corruption in them; the spirits of just men shall there be made perfect. And they shall be all the righteous together who shall replenish the New Yerushalayim; it is called the congregation of the righteous, Ps. 1:5.

Because they are all righteous, therefore they shall inherit the land for ever, for nothing but sin can turn them out of it. The perfection of the saints’ holiness secures the perpetuity of their happiness.

The glory of the Assembly shall redound to the honor of the Messiyanic Assembly: "They shall appear to be the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, and I will own them as such.’’

It was by the grace of YAHVEH that they were designed to this happiness; they are the branch of his planting, or of his plantations; he broke them off from the wild olive and grafted them into the good olive, transplanted them out of the field, when they were as tender branches, into his nursery, that, being now planted in his garden on earth, they might shortly be removed to his paradise in heaven.

It was by his grace likewise that they were prepared and fitted for this happiness; they are the work of his hands (Eph. 2:10), are wrought to the self-same thing, 2 Co. 5:5. It is a work of time, and, when it shall be finished, will appear a work of wonder; and God will be glorified, who began it, and carried it on; for Messiyah Yahushua will then be admired in all those that believe. YAHVEH will glorify HIMSELF in glorifying HIS chosen.

Isa 60:22 “The little shall become a Thousand, and the small one a strong nation¹. I, יהוה, shall hasten it in its time.” Footnote: ¹See 41:14, Dan. 2:34-44.- They will appear the more glorious, and YAHVEH will be the more glorified in them, if we compare what they are with what they were, the happiness they have arrived at with the smallness of their beginnings.

A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation.  The captives that returned out of Babylon strangely multiplied, and became a strong nation. The Messiyanic Assembly was a little one, a very small one at first, the number of their names was once but 120; yet it became a thousand.

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands swelled so as to fill the earth. The triumphant Assembly, and every glorified saint, will be a thousand out of a little one, a strong nation out of a small one.

The grace and peace of the saints were at first like a grain of mustard-seed, but they increase and multiply, and make a little one to become a thousand, the weak to be as David.

When they come to heaven, and look back upon the smallness of their beginning, they will wonder how they got thither. And so wonderful is all this promise that it needed the ratification with which it is closed: I YAHVEH will hasten it in his time, all that is here said relating to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the militant and triumphant Assembly, and to every particular believer.

It may seem too difficult to be brought about, and therefore may be despaired of; but the EL YAHVEH of almighty power has undertaken it: "I EL YAHVEH will do it, who can do it, and who has determined to do it.’’ It will be done by him whose power is irresistible and his purposes unalterable.

It may seem to be delayed and put off so long that we are out of hopes of it; but, as EL YAHVEH will do it, so he will hasten it, will do it with all convenient speed; Though much time may pass before it is done, no time shall be lost; he will hasten it in its time, in the proper time, in the season wherein it will be beautiful; he will do it in the time appointed by his wisdom, Though not in the time prescribed by our folly. And this is really hastening it; for, Though it seem to tarry, it does not tarry if it come in YAH’s time, for we are sure that that is the best time, which he that believes will patiently wait for.

Brit Chadasha

Matthew 13:1-23

  In this chapter, we see the:

·         The favor which Messiyah did to His countrymen in preaching the kingdom of heaven to them verse 1-2.

·         He preached to them in parables, and here gives the reason why he chose that way of instructing verse 10–17.

There are eight parables recorded in this chapter, which are designed to represent the kingdom of the heavens, the method of planting the good-news of the kingdom in the world, and of its growth and success.

The great truths and laws of the kingdom are laid down as parables or Kabbalah in the scriptures, and not without these type of teachings. 

Here is one parable to show what are the great hindrances of people’s profiting by the word of the gospel, and in how many it comes short of its end, through their own folly, and that is the parable of the four sorts of ground, delivered verse 3-9. and expounded verse 18–23.

Mat 13:1  And on that day יהושע went out of the house and sat by the sea. – We have here Yahushua preaching, and may observe,  When Yahushua preached this sermon; it was the same day that He preached the sermon in the foregoing chapter: so unwearied was he in doing good, and working the works of Him that sent him.

Messiyah was preaching both the ends of day, and by this example recommended that practice to His church; we must in the morning sow our seed, and in the evening not withhold our hand, Eccl. 11:6.

Though Messiyah had been in the morning opposed and caviled at by his enemies, disturbed and interrupted by his friends, yet he went on with his work; and in the latter part of the day, we do not find that He met with such discouragements.

Those who with courage and zeal break through difficulties in YAH’s service, will perhaps find them not so apt to recur as they fear. Resist them, and they will flee.

To whom he preached; there were great multitudes gathered together to Him, and they were the audience; we do not find that any of the scribes or Pharisees were present. They were willing to hear him when he preached in the synagogue (ch. 12:9, 14), but they thought it below them to hear a sermon by the sea-side, Though Messiyah Himself was the preacher: and truly He had better have their room than their company, for now they were absent, he went on quietly and without contradiction.

Sometimes there is most of the power of religion where there is least of the pomp of it: the poor receive the gospel. When Messiyah went to the sea-side, multitudes were presently gathered together to him. Where the king is, there is the court; where Messiyah is, there is the Assembly, Though it be by the sea-side.

Those who would grow because of the word, must be willing to follow it in all its details; when the ark shifts, shift after it. The Pharisees had been laboring, by base calumnies and suggestions, to drive the people off from following Messiyah, but they still flocked after him as much as ever.

Messiyah will be glorified in spite of all opposition; he will be followed. Where did He preach this sermon?

His meeting-place was the sea-side. He went out of the house (because there was no room for the auditory) only in the open air. It was a pity but such a Preacher should have had the most spacious, sumptuous, and convenient place to preach in, that could be devised, like one of the Roman theatres; but he was now in His state of humiliation, and in this, as in other things, He denied Himself the honors due to Him.

As He had not a house of His own to live in, so He had not a chapel of His own to preach in. By this He teaches us in the external circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences which יהוה in HIS providence a lots to us.

When Messiyah was born, He was crowded into the stable, and now to the sea-side, upon the strand, where all persons might come to him with freedom. He that was truth itself sought no corners (no adyta), as the pagan mysteries did. Wisdom cried without, Prov. 1:20 “Wisdom cried without; she uttered her voice in the streets.”; John. 13:20 ‘ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me’.

Mat 13:2 and large crowds were gathered together to Him, so that He went into a boat and sat down. And the entire crowd stood on the beach. – His pulpit was a ship; not like Ezra’s pulpit, that was made for the purpose (Neh. 8:4); but converted to this use for want of a better word.

No place was amiss for such a Preacher, whose presence dignified and consecrated any place: let not those who preach Messiyah and Him Crucified be ashamed, Though they have mean and inconvenient places to preach in. Some observe, that the people stood upon dry ground and firm ground, while the Preacher was upon the water in more hazard. Ministers are most exposed to trouble. Here was a true rostrum, a ship pulpit.

Mat 13:3 And He spoke to them much in parables, saying, “See, the sower went out to sow. - What and how He teaches His Disciples, but in the principles of Kabbalah. He spake many things unto them that are recorded, but they were all excellent and necessary things, things that are important to our spiritual development, things pertaining to the kingdom of the heavens: they were not trifles, but things of everlasting consequence, that Messiyah spoke of.

These Parables in English but Kabbalah in Hebrew, encourages us to give a more earnest heed, when Messiyah had so many things to say to us, that we did not miss any of them. What He spake was in parables. A parable sometimes signifies any wise, weighty saying that is instructive; but here in the gospels it generally signifies a continued similitude or comparison, by which spiritual or heavenly things were described in language borrowed from the things of this life. It was a way of teaching used very much, not only by the Jewish rabbin, but by the Arabians, and the other wise men of the east; and it was found very profitable, and the more so from its being pleasant.

Our Messiyah Yahushua used Kabbalistic teaching a lot, and in it condescended to the capacities of people, and lisped to them in their own language. YAHVEH had long used similitudes by His servants the prophets, Hos. 12:10, and to little purpose; now He uses similitudes by His Son; surely they will reverence him who speaks from the heavens, and of heavenly things, and yet clothes them with expressions borrowed from things earthly. See Jn. 3:12. So descending in a cloud.

We have here the general reason why Messiyah taught in “Kabbalah” parables. The disciples were a little surprised at it, for in His teaching, He had had a lot hidden within the fabric  there was much to learn about the Kingdom, and therefore they ask, Why speakest You to them in Kabbalah, “parables”?

Because they were truly desirous that the people might hear with understanding. They do not say, Why speakest to us? (they knew how to get the parables explained) but to them.

We ought to be concerned for the edification of others, as well as for our own, by the teaching of the Word; and if we gained understanding and developed spiritual strength.

Mat 13:4 “And as he sowed, some indeed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. -  In this verse we see an example of a personality been defined as wayside. This is a person who regardless of what an evangelist says to them will never get any head way. The birds in this story illustrate the evil spirit. As soon as the person is told the good-new the demons come by and say to him you are just find where you are don’t listen to him.

This birds are literal birds, which illustrate a particular mindset. There is a mindset in humanity that regardless of what you say to them it has not effect. These are the soul that have not chance to be saved, because of the hardness of their mind.

Mat 13:5 “And others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. -  In this verse we see an example of another mind. This mind at lease have some soil among the rock. The rock are certain strong hold or belief system that prevent the word from maturing. The little soil like a little knowledge of Torah, but a lot more of religion, makes this mind a rocky place. This person upon been saved, should visit the Pastor who will help them to remove those strong or hard areas in their mind.

Mat 13:6 “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered. – The sun here speaks of the daily influence of life pressure, the word that was planted will be of no effect. An example: You might tell a person that it is essential for them to keep the Sabbath, yet because of their financial situation, they would go out and sell on the Sabbath.

Justifying that they have no choise. Or it could be a Sunday worshiper who would say that Sunday is their day of worship. The hard area in this case is the religious belief. Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? Saith YAHVEH; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Mat 13:7 “And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. – in this verse we see another personality been discribe as thorn. Thorn in this spiritual sence speak of thorn in the spirit, such as depression and physological matters. Some of these thorns or circumstance such as depression, child abuss, substance abuss. Again, a visit to a good Pastor/Counselor will be able to remove these thorns from one mind. Luk 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Mat 13:8 “And others fell on good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. – Notice that the parable, the Kabalistic teaching describe the yield in three level, those in the Holy of Holies produce a hundredfold, those in the Holy place sixty, and those in the outer court thirty. Luke 13:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring  forth fruit with patience.

Mat 13:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” – He who has a spiritual ear to hear they will hear. It is not everyone who say Master, Master are His people, it  is those who does the Will of the Creator.

Mat 13:10 And the taught ones came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in “Kabbalah” parables?” - To this question Yahushua HaMashiach answers, where He tells them, Why He teached them using Kabalistic, because the things of YAHVEH were made more plain and easy to them who were willingly ignorant; and therefore the gospel would be a savor of life to some, and of death to others.

A parable, like the pillar of cloud and fire, turns a dark side towards Egyptians, which confounds them, but a light side towards Yisraelites, which comforts them, and so answers a double intention. The same light directs the eyes of some, but dazzles the eyes of others. Kabbalah teachers use the thing in the natural to teach a spiritual meaning.

Mat 13:11 And He answering, said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, but to them it has not been given. –  This reason is taught them: Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

That is, the Holy Spirit inparticular the Spirit of Understanding will enlighten the mind of those who desire to reach maturity. The disciples had knowledge, but the people had not.

You already know something of these mysteries, and need not to be instructed; but the people who have not develop the Spirit of Understanding, are ignorant, are yet but babes, and must be taught as such by plain similitudes, being yet incapable of receiving instruction in any other way: for Though they have eyes, they know not how to use them; so some.

Mat 13:12 “For whoever possesses, to him more shall be given, and he shall have overflowingly; but whoever does not possess, even what he possesses shall be taken away from him. -   The disciples were well inclined to the Understanding and knowledge of the mysteries of Kabbalah, and would search into the parables or Kabbalah, and by them would be led into a more intimate acquaintance with those mysteries. The definition of Kabbalah is how to received, but the carnal hearers does no know how to hearing, and would not be at the pains to look further, nor to ask the meaning of the parables, they would never be the wiser, and so would suffer for their remissions. Those who study Kabbalah knew how to gain spiritual wisdom from every situation.

A parable or Kabbalah is a shell that keeps good fruit for those with the Spirit of Understanding, but keeps it from the slothful. There are mysteries in the kingdom of the heavens, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: Messiyah’s incarnation, satisfaction, intercession, our justification and sanctification by union with Messiyah, and indeed the whole work of redemption, from first to last, are mysteries, which could never have been discovered, but by divine revelation (1 Co. 15:51), were already discovered buy o the disciples, and will never be fully discovered till the veil shall be rent; but the mysteriousness of gospel truth should not discourage us from, but quicken us in, our enquiries after it and searches into it.

It is graciously given to the disciples of Messiyah, those who are building their Menorah, those who are experiencing the different days of Creation, to be acquainted with these mysteries.

The Spirit of Truth is the first gift of YAHVEH, and from this Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding is developed. It was given to the Apostles, because they were constant followers and attendant of Messiyah. The more we build our Menorah the more we become like Messiyah, and the more we converse with Him, the better acquainted we shall be with the mysteries of the gospel.

 It is given to all true believers, who have an experimental understanding and knowledge of the gospel mysteries, and that is without doubt the best knowledge. A principle of grace in the heart, is that which makes men of quick understanding in the fear of YAHVEH, and in the faith of Messiyah, and so in the meaning of parables; and for want of that, Nicodemus, a master in Yisrael, talked of the new birth as a blind man.

There are those to whom this knowledge is not given, and a man can receive nothing unless it be given him from above (Jn. 3:27); and be it remembered that YAHVEH is debtor to no man; HIS grace is HIS own; HE gives or withholds it at pleasure (Rom. 11:35); the difference must be resolved into YAH’s sovereignty, as before, ch. 11:25, 26.

This reason is further illustrated by the rule YAHVEH observes in dispensing HIS gifts; HE bestows them on those who improve themselves spiritually, but takes them away from those who bury them. It is a rule among men, that they will rather entrust their money with those who have increased their estates by their industry, than with those who have diminished them by their slothfulness.

 Here is a promise to him that has, that has true grace, that has, and uses what he has; he shall have more abundance: YAH’s favours are earnests of further favours; where HE lays the foundation, HE will build upon it. Messiyah’s disciples used the knowledge they now had, and they had more abundance at the pouring out of the Spirit, Acts 2. They who enjoy the benifits of grace, shall have the increase of grace, even to an abundance in glory, Prov. 4:18. Yoseph, he will add, Gen. 30:24.

Here is a point to him that does not have understanding, that has no desire of grace, that makes no right use of the gifts and graces he has: has not root, no solid principle; that has, but uses not what he has; from him shall be taken away that which he has or seems to have. His leaves shall wither, his gifts decay; the means of grace he has, and makes no use of, shall be taken from him; YAHVEH will call in HIS talents out of their hands that are likely to become bankrupts quickly.

This reason is particularly explained, with reference to the two sorts of people Yahushua HaMashiach had to deal with.

Mat 13:13 “Because of this I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. – Some were willingly ignorant; and such were amused by the parables ; because they seeing, see not. They had shut their eyes against the clear light of Messiyah’s Kabbalah Teachings, and therefore were now left in the dark. Seeing Messiyah in person, they see not his glory, see no difference between him and another man; seeing His miracles, and hearing His teaching, they see not, they hear not with any concern or application; they understand neither.

There are many that see the gospel light, and hear the gospel sound, but it never reaches their hearts, nor has it found any place in them. The reason for this is that we have neve been taught how to build our Menorah.

This entail asking for the Spirit of Truth in our first year of been saved, pray for the Spirit of Wisdom, and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Authority, the Spirit of knowledge and the Fear of YAHVEH. Revelation 5:6 says that these are our “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of YAHVEH sent forth into all the earth.”

It is just with YAHVEH to withold the Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding from those who shut their mind againt HIS Commandments. Such that are ignorant, of who they are in Messiyah will never achieve perfection. YAH’s dealing with those who are eagar to build they Menorah, HE will magnifies HIS distinguishing grace to them.

Now in this the scripture would be fulfilled. It is quoted from Isa. 6:9, 10. The evangelical prophet that spoke most plainly of gospel grace, foretold the contempt of it, and the consequences of that contempt. It is referred to no less than six times in the renew Covenant, which intimates, that in gospel times spiritual judgments would be most common, which make least noise, but are most dreadful.

That which was spoken of the sinners in Isaiah’s time was fulfilled in those in Messiyah’s time, and it is still fulfilling everyday; for while the wicked heart of man keeps up the same sin, the righteous hand of YAHVEH inflicts the same punishment. Here is:

First. A description of sinners’ willful blindness and hardness, which is their sin. This people’s heart is waxed gross; it is fattened, so the word is; which denotes both sensuality and senselessness (Ps. 119:70); secure under the word and rod of YAHVEH, and scornful as Jeshurun, that waxed fat and kicked, Deu. 32:15. And when the heart is thus heavy, no wonder that the ears are dull of hearing; the whispers of the Spirit they hear not at all; the loud calls of the word, Though the word be nigh them, they regard not, nor are at all affected by them: they stop their ears, Ps. 58:4.

Because they are resolved to be ignorant, they shut both the learning senses; for their eyes also they have closed, resolved that they would not see light come into the world, when the Son of Righteousness arose, but they shut their windows, because they loved darkness rather than light, Jn. 3:19; 2 Pt. 3:5.

Secondly, A description of that judicial blindness, which is the just punishment of this. "By hearing, ye shall hear, and shall not understand; what means of grace you have, shall be to no purpose to you; Though, in mercy to others, they are continued, yet in judgment to you, the blessing upon them is denied.’’ The saddest condition a man can be in on this side hell is to sit under the liveliest ordinances with a dead, stupid, untouched heart, or an undeveloped Menorah. Obedient to the Word of YAHVEH help us to build our Menorah. John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that HE may abide with you forever; 17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Mat 13:14 “And in them the prophecy of Yeshayahu is completely filled, which says, ‘Hearing you shall hear and by no means understand, and seeing you shall see and by no means perceive, - To hear YAH’s word, and see his providences, and yet not to understand and perceive HIS Will, either in the one or in the other, is the greatest sin and the greatest judgment that can be. It is YAH’s work to give an understanding heart, and he often, in a way of righteous judgment, denies it to those to whom he has given the hearing ear, and the seeing eye, in vain. Does YAHVEH choose sinners’ delusions (Isa. 66:4), and bind them over to the greatest ruin, by giving them up to their own hearts’ lusts (Ps. 81:11, 12); let them alone (Hos. 4:17); my Spirit shall not always strive, Gen. 6:3.

Thirdly, The woeful effect and consequence of this; lest at any time they should see. They will not see because they will not turn; and YAHVEH says that they shall not see, because they shall not turn: lest they should be converted, and I should heal them.

Unless one listens with the Spirit of Understanding, I do not care how brilliant you are, you will not understand the Spirit of the Word.

Mat 13:15 for the heart of this people has become thickened, and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart, and turn back, and I heal them.’ – That spiritual seeing, hearing, and understanding, is necessary for Sanctification. For YAHVEH, in working grace, deals with men as men, as rational agents; HE draws with the cords of a man, changes the heart by opening his spiritual eyes by helping him to build his Menorah with the Help of the Holy Spirit, turns him from the power of Satan unto YAHVEH, by turning first from darkness to light, (Acts 26:18).

All those who are truly converted to the Kingdom, shall certainly complete building their Menorah by experiencing each day of Creation. "If they be converted I shall heal them, I shall save them:’’ so that if sinners perish, it is not to be imputed to YAHVEH, but to themselves; they foolishly expected to be healed, without being converted.

It is just with YAHVEH to deny HIS grace to those who have long and often refused the proposals of coming into HIS fullness. Hebrew 4:1. Pharaoh, for a good while, hardened his own heart (Ex. 8:15, 32), and afterwards YAHVEH hardened his heart by removing the Spirit from him, ch. 9:12; 10:20. Let us therefore fear, lest by sinning we come short of the Kingdom.

Mat 13:16 “And blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear, - Others were effectually called to be the disciples of Messiyah, and were truly desirous to be taught by the Holy Spirit; and they were instructed, and made to improve greatly in knowledge, by these parables, especially when they were expounded; and by them the things of YAHVEH were made more plain and easy, more intelligible and familiar, and more apt to be remembered.

Your eyes see, your ears hear. They saw the glory of YAHVEH in Messiyah’s person; they heard the mind of YAHVEH in Messiyah’s doctrine; they saw much, and were desirous to see more, and thereby were prepared to receive further instruction; they had opportunity for it, by being constant attendants on Messiyah, and they should have it from day to day, and grace with it.

Now this Messiyah speaks of, as a blessing; "Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; it is your glorification, and it is a happiness for which you are indebted to the peculiar favor and blessing of YAHVEH.’’ 

It is a promised blessing, that in the days of the Messiyah the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, Isa. 32:3. The eyes of the meanest believer that knows experimentally the grace of Messiyah, are more blessed than those of the greatest scholars, the greatest masters in experimental philosophy, that are strangers to YAHVEH; who, like the other gods they serve, have eyes, and see not.

Blessed are your eyes. True blessedness is entailed upon the right understanding and due improvement of the mysteries of the kingdom of YAHVEH. The hearing ear and the Seeing Eye are YAH’s work in those who are sanctified; they are the work of his grace (Prov. 20:12), and they are a blessed work, which shall be fulfilled with power, when those who now see through a glass darkly, shall see face to face.

It was to illustrate this blessedness that Messiyah said so much of the misery of those who are left in ignorance; they have eyes and see not; but blessed are your eyes.  The knowledge of Messiyah is a distinguishing favor to those who have it, and upon that account it lies under the greater obligations; see Jn. 14:22. The apostles were to teach others, and therefore were themselves blessed with the clearest discoveries of divine truth. The watchmen shall see eye to eye, Isa. 52:8.

Mat 13:17 for truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. - As a transcendent blessing, desired by, but not granted to, many prophets and righteous men. The Old-Testament saints, who had some glimpses, some glimmerings of gospel light, coveted earnestly further discoveries.

They had the types, shadows, and prophecies, of those things but longed to see the Substance, that glorious end of those things which they could not steadfastly look unto; that glorious inside of those things which they could not look into.

They desired to see the great Salvation, the Consolation of Yisrael, but did not see it, because the fullness of time was not yet come.

First, Those who know something of Messiyah cannot but covet to know more.

Secondly, The discoveries of divine grace are made, even to prophets and righteous men, but according to the dispensation they are under. Though they were the favorites of heaven, with whom YAH’s secret was, yet they have not seen the things which they desired to see, because YAHVEH had determined not to bring them to light yet; and his favors shall not anticipate his counsels. There was then, as there is still, a glory to be revealed; something in reserve that they without us should not be made perfect, Heb. 11:40.

Thirdly, For the exciting of our thankfulness, and the quickening of our diligence, it is good for us to consider what means we enjoy, and what discoveries are made to us, now under the gospel, above what they had, and enjoyed, who lived under the pre Messiyah Gospel, especially in the revelation of the atonement for sin; see what are the advantages of the post Messiyah Gospel (2 Co. 3:7, etc. Heb. 12:18); and see that our understanding or improvements be proportion able to our advantages.

Mat 13:18 “You, then, hear the parable of the sower: - We have, in these verses, one of the parables which our Savior put forth; it is that of the sower and the seed; both the parable itself, and the explanation of it.

Messiyah’s parables or Kabbalah teachings comes from common, ordinary things, not from any philosophical notions or speculations, or the unusual phenomena of nature, Though applicable enough to the matter in hand, but from the most obvious things, that are of every day’s observation, and come within the reach of the meanest capacity.

Many of them are fetched from the husbandman’s calling, as this of the sower, and that of the tears. Messiyah chose to do teach by. That spiritual things might be made more plain, and, by familiar similitude’s, might be made the more easy to slide into our understandings.

That common actions might hereby be spiritualized, and we might take occasion from those things which fall so often under our view, to meditate with delight on the things of YAHVEH; and thus, when our hands are busiest about the world, we may not only notwithstanding that, but even with the help of that, be led to have our hearts in heaven. The word of YAHVEH shall talk with us; talk familiarly with us, Prov. 6:22.

The parable of the sower is plain enough, verses 3-9. The exposition of it we have from Messiyah Himself, who knew best what His own meaning was. The disciples, when they asked, Why speaks You unto them in Kabbalah? verse 10, intimated a desire to have the parable explained for the sake of the people; nor was it any disparagement to their own knowledge to desire it for themselves. Our Messiyah Yahushua kindly took the hint, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the parable, directing His discourse to the disciples, but in the hearing of the multitude, for we have not the account of His dismissing them till verse 36. "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower; you have heard it, but let us go over it again.’’

 It is of good use, and would contribute much to our understanding the word and profiting by it, to hear over again what we have heard (Phil. 3:1); "You have heard it, but hear the interpretation of it.’’ Then only we hear the word aright, and for a good purpose, when we understand what we hear; it is no hearing at all, if it is not with the spirit of understanding, Neh. 8:2. It is YAH’s Spirit that gives the spirit of understanding, but it is our duty to ask daily for the spirit of understand, Isaiah 11:2.

Mat 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the reign, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside. -  Let us therefore compare the parable and the exposition.

The seed sown is the Torah, here called the word of the kingdom : the kingdom of the Heavens; the kingdoms of the world, compared with that, are not to be called kingdoms. The Torah is the Constitution of the Kingdom of The Heavens; it is the word of the King, and where that is, there is power. It is the constitution or a the law, by which we must conduct, ruled and governed our lives.

According to Kabbalah word is the seed sown, which seems like a dead, dry thing, but all the essence of the seed is virtual. It is a incorruptible seed (1 Pt. 1:23); it is the Word that brings forth fruit in souls, Col. 1:5, 6.

The sower that scatters the seed is our Messiyah Yahushua, or by His Evangelic ministers. The people are YAH’s husbandry, HIS tillage, so the word is; and ministers are laborers together with YAHVEH, 1 Co. 3:9 ‘For we are laborers together with YAHVEH: ye are YAH's husbandry, ye are YAH's building’. Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn; we know not where it must land. The Ministry responsibility is to faithfully sown and be sure to sow in every field. The sowing of the word is the sowing to a people in YAH’s field, the corn of his floor, Isa. 21:10.

The ground in which this seed is sown is the minds of the children of men, which are of different quality and disposition, and accordingly, the success of the word is different. The heart of man is like soil, capable of improvement, of bearing good fruit; it is pity it should lie fallow, or be like the field of the slothful, Prov. 24:30.

The soul or the Mind is the proper place for the Torah to dwell, and work, and rule in; its operation is upon conscience, it is to light the Menorah of YAHVEH. Much like when the Ten Commandments were place inside the Ark of the Covenant.

According to the day of Creation we have experience, so the word is to us: The reception depends upon the receiver. As it is with the earth; some sort of ground, take ever so much pains with it, and throw ever so good seed into it, yet it brings forth no fruit to any purpose; while the good soil brings forth plentifully: so it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters are here represented by four sorts of ground, of which three are bad, and but one good. The number of fruitless hearers is very great, even of those who heard Messiyah Himself.

Who has believed our report? It is a melancholy prospect which this parable gives us of the congregations of those who hear the gospel preached, that scarcely one in four brings forth fruit to perfection. Many are called with the common call, but in few is the eternal choice evidenced by the efficacy of that call, ch. 20:16.

Now observe the characters of these four kinds of mind. The highway ground, verse 4–10. Is the pathways through their corn-fields (ch. 12:1), and the seed that fell on them did not find a suitable area to grow, and so the birds came and picked up the seed that fell there.

First, What kind of hearers are compared to the highway ground; such as hear the word and understand it not; and it is their own fault that they do not. They take no heed to it, take no hold of it; they do not come with any design to improve spiritually, as the highway was never intended to be sown. They come before YAHVEH as HIS people come, and sit before Him and sit where HIS people sit; but it is merely for fashion-sake, to see and be seen; they mind was not what is said, it comes in at one ear and goes out at the other, and makes no impression.

Secondly, How they come to be unprofitable hearers. The wicked one that is the devil, cometh and catches away that which was sown. Such mindless, careless, trifling hearers are an easy prey to Satan; who, as he is the great murderer of souls, so he is the great thief of sermons, and will be sure to rob us of the word, if we do not ask for the Spirit of Understanding when we listen, it is the same as not taken care to keep the Word. As the birds pick up the seed that falls on the ground that is neither ploughed before nor harrowed after, so is the Word like water on a ducks back, it has no staying power.

If we break not up the fallow ground, by preparing our hearts for the word, and humbling them to it, and engaging our own attention; and if we cover not the seed afterwards, by meditation and prayer; if we give not a more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, our mind has become like the highway ground.

The devil is a sworn enemy to our profiting by the word of Torah; and none do more befriend his design than heedless hearers, who are thinking of something else, when they should be thinking of the things that belong to their peace.

That is why when the Word of YAHVEH is been read, we must stop all that we are doing and pay strict attention.

Mat 13:20 “And that sown on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, - The stony ground. Some fell upon stony places verses 5, 6, which represent a type of hearers that go further than the former, who receive some good impressions of the word, but they are not lasting.

It is possible for us to be a bit better than some, and yet not be as good as we should be; we may even go beyond our neighbors spiritually, and yet come short of the Ultimate Destination.

Now observe, concerning these hearers that are represented by the stony ground, First, How far they went. They hear the word; they turn neither their backs upon it, nor a deaf ear to it. Hearing the word, and then questioning the relevance of that Word for today, is a person with a Stony heart. 

They are quick in hearing, swift to hear, they immediately received it, forthwith it sprung up verse 5, the sooner it appeared above ground than that which was sown in the good soil, a conflict develop to risist it. Hypocrites often get the start of true Messiyanic in the shows of profession, and are often too hot to hold. They received it straightway, without trying it; swallows it without chewing, and then there can never be a good digestion. Those are most likely to hold fast that which is good, that prove all things, 1 Th. 5:21.

They receive it with joy. There are many that are very glad to go to a Torah Study, that yet it does not profit them; they may be pleased with the word, and yet no changed is seen in their behaviour or desire. The heart may melt under the word, and yet not be melted down by the word, much less moulded by it. Many taste the good word of Torah (Heb. 6:5), and say they find sweetness in it, but some human desire become a stumbling block, which it would not agree with, and so they rejected the Word.

They endure for awhile, like a violent motion, which continues as long as the impression of the force remains, but ceases when that influence has spent itself. Many endure for awhile, that do not endure to the end, and so come short of the happiness which is promised to them only that persevere (ch. 10:22); they did run well, but something hindered them, Gal. 5:7.

Secondly, How their blossom fell away, so that no fruit was brought to perfection; no more than the corn, that having no depth of earth from which to draw moisture, is scorched and withered by the heat of the sun.

The reason is, they have no root in themselves, no settled, fixed principles in their judgments, no firm resolution in their purpose, nor any rooted habits in their affections: nothing firm that will be either the strength of their profession.

It is possible there may be the green gain of a profession, where there is no root of Understanding; hardness prevails in the heart, and whatever ewswmblance there is of soil of faith, it is only on the surface; inwardly they are nothing but a heart of stone; they have nowere to establish a root, they do not have the Spirit of truth well establish in the Messiyah Name; they derive nothing from Him, they depend not on Him, or He would have send the Holy Spirit to them.

Where there is not application of faith in Messiyah, though there be a profession of it, we cannot expect any spiritual growth. Those who have no dept in faith will endure for awhile. As a ship without ballast, though she may at first out-sail the laden vessel, yet will certainly fail in stress of weather, and never make it to port.

When times of trial come, they will come to nothing. When tribulation and persecution arise because of the Word, he is offended; it is a stumbling-block in his way which he cannot get over, and so he flies off, and this is all his profession comes to.

After an spiritual principle is taught, it is usually followed by a storm of persecution, to try those who have received the Word of Torah in sincerity, and who have not. When the Torah of Messiyah’s kingdom comes to be the Torah of Messiyah’s patience (Rev. 3:10), then the trial will come to establish those, who accept it, and who does not, Rev. 1:9.

It is wisdom to prepare for such a day. When trying times come, those who have no root are soon offended; they first argue over their profession, and then quit it, they first find fault with the Word and those who keep it as been to legal, and then throw it and them off. Hence we read of the offence of the cross, Gal. 5:11.

Persecution is represented in the parable by the scorching sun verse 6; the same sun which warms and cherishes that which was well rooted, withers and burns up that which establish no root.

As the Torah of Messiyah, so the cross of Messiyah, is to some a path way unto eternal life, to others a pathway unto death: the same tribulation which drives some to apostasy and ruin, works for others a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Trials which shake some, confirm others, Phil. 1:12.

How soon they fall away, by and by; as soon rotten as they were ripe; a profession taken up without consideration is commonly let fall without it: "Lightly come, lightly go.’’

The thorny ground, some fell among thorns (which are a good guard to the corn when they are in the hedge, but a bad inmate when they are in the field); and the thorns sprung up, which intimates that they did not appear, or but little, when the corn was sown, but afterwards they proved choking to it, verse 7.

Mat 13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. -  This verse went further than the former, for it had root; and it represents the condition of those who do not cast off their fleshly profession, and yet come short of any saving benefit by it; the good they gain by the word, being insensibly overcome and overborne by the things of the world. Prosperity destroys the word in the heart, as much as persecution does; and more dangerously, because more silently: the stones spoiled the root, the thorns spoil the fruit.

Now what are these choking thorns? First, The cares of this world. Care for the Kingdom of darkness would cannot provide enough spiritual light for the seed of the spiritual wolrd to establish any roots. In Kabbalah, a story never relates to what your hear, it is always describing a principle. Every principle here on earth has a spiritual root, thorns represent sin, and are a fruit of the curse; they are good in their essence, because thorn bush does not produce an type of fruit, but a man must be well armed to deals with it (2 Sa. 23:6, 7); they are entangling, vexing, scratching, and their end is to be irritated, Heb. 6:8.

These thorns choke the good seed in an individual. Worldly cares are great hindrances to our spiritually profiting from Torah, and our proficiency in religion. They eat up that vigor of soul which should be spent in divine worship; divert us from duty, distract us in duty, and do us most mischief of all afterwards; quenching the sparks of good affections, and bursting the cords of good resolutions; those who are careful and cumbered about many things, commonly neglect the one thing that is most needful.

Mat 13:22 “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the worry of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.¹ Footnote: ¹Lk. 21:34, 2 Tim. 3:4. - The deceitfulness of riches. Those who, by their care and industry, have raised estates, and so the danger that arises from care seems to be over, and they continue hearers of the word, yet are still in a snare (Jer. 5:4, 5); it is hard for them to enter into the kingdom of the Heavens: they are apt to promise themselves that in riches which is not in them; to rely upon them, and to take an inordinate complacency in them; and this chokes the word as much as care did.

It is not so much riches, as the deceitfulness of riches that does the mischief: now they cannot be said to be deceitful to us unless we put our confidence in them, and raise our expectations from them, and then it is that they choke the good seed.

Mat 13:23 “And that sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”  - The good ground, verse 18; others fell into good ground, and it is pity but that good seed should always meet with good soil, and then there is no loss; such are good hearers of the word.

 Though there are many that receive the Word of YAHVEH, and the word of HIS grace, in vain, yet YAHVEH has a remnant by whom it is received to good purpose; for YAH’s Torah shall not return empty, Isa. 55:10, 11.

Now that, which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. By this true Messiyanic are distinguished from hypocrites, that they bring forth the fruits of righteousness; so shall ye be my disciples, Jn. 15:8. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness. Saints, in this world, are not perfectly free from the remains of sin; but happily freed from the reign of it.

The hearers represented by the good ground are,

First, Intelligent hearers; they hear Torah with the Spirit of Understanding; they understand not only the sense and meaning of the Word, but how it should affect their individual lives; they understand it as a man of business understands his  own business. YAHVEH in HIS Torah deals with men as men, in a rational way, and gains possession of the will and affections by opening the understanding: whereas Satan, who is a thief and a robber, comes not in by that door, but climbed up another way.

Secondly, Fruitful hearers are one who gains Knowledge, which is an evidence of their good understanding: which also bear fruit. Without the Spirit of Understanding there is no Spirit of Knowledge, and without walking in that Knowledge the is no walking in the Spirit of Wisdom.

When we are admonish to walk in the Spirit it is to exercise the Spirit of Wisdom. As a fruit of a tree display the nature of the parent tree. Fruit is to every seed its own body, a substantial product in the heart and life, agreeable to the seed of the word received.

We then bear fruit, when we practice according to the word; when the temper of our minds and the tenor of our lives are conformable to the gospel we have received, and we do as we are taught.

Thirdly, Not all alike fruitful; some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.  Among fruitful Messiyanic, some are more fruitful than others: where there is true grace, yet there are degrees of it; some are of greater attainments in Wisdom, knowledge and understanding than others; all Messiyah’s scholars are not in the same form. Some is in the first day of Creation, while some are in the second, or third, or forth, or fifth, or even sixth. But blessed are those who are in the seventh day. If one does not observe the seventh day as the Sabbath they cannot achieve this lofty goal.

 We should aim at the highest degree, to bring forth a hundred-fold, as Isaac’s ground did (Gen. 26:12), abounding in the work of Messiyah, Jn. 15:8. But if the ground be good, and the fruit right, the heart honest, and the life of a piece with it, those who bring forth but thirty-fold shall be graciously accepted of YAHVEH, and it will be fruit abounding to their account, for we are under grace, and not under the law.

Lastly, He closes the parable with a solemn call to attention verse 9, who hath ears to hear, let him hear. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing the word Torah. Some are for hearing sweet melody, their ears are only the daughters of music (Eccl. 12:4): there is no melody like that of the word of Torah: others are for hearing new things, (Acts 17:21); no news like that.Parashas Ki Tavo

Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8

Please pray this prayer

before reading

Prayer

In the name of Yahushua

Our Messiyah,

I pray for the Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit of Knowledge and

The Spirit of Wisdom

As I read through this Parasha

That the Truth of Torah may

Come forth. Amen

This is the 50^th Torah Portion of this Torah cycle. In this portion Ki Tavo, Moses tells the Yisraelites, in effect, we have a field, we have a family, we have a blessing, so do not just wake up in the morning and thank ABBA YAHVEH; that is not enough.

Do something to express your appreciation in a tangible way. Express the fruit of the spirit, or take action on gratitude will help you in the transformation of the ego that will led to more blessing.

The Shabbat of Ki Tavo teaches us to find ways to make the most of our spiritual day available to us. That the Torah contains great light. How then can we get more Light from it? When we encourage people to read the Torah, even a simple spiritual tool like appreciation can reveal new Light if we do not settle for expressing it in words, but take action to show our gratitude for the Word.

On this Shabbat of Ki Tavo, we want to tap into the consciousness of newness. As Moses was about to leave this world, he sums up all the wisdom he has been trying to teach for forty years, by saying to the people, live every moment as if it is the most important moment to be alive. This is the best of times for those who believe in Messiyah Yahushua and who keep the Commandmenrs of Torah.

On this Shabbat, ABBA YAHVEH is asking us to use all the tools the Holy Spirit has given to us, by living fully in every moment, so we can experience a taste of immoratity.

In this chapter Moses concludes the particular teaching on the statutes which he Thought fit to be given to Yisrael, those who were incharge at his parting from them; what follows is by way of sanction and ratification. In this chapter;

I.             Moses gives them a form of confession to be made by him that offered the basket of his first-fruits verse 1–11. 

II.           The protestation and prayer to be made after the disposal of the third year’s tithe verse 12–15. 

III.         He binds on all the precepts he had given them,

 

1. By the divine authority: "Not I, but YAHVEH thy EL has commanded thee to do these statutes’’ verse 16. 

2. By the mutual covenant between YAHVEH and them verse 17, etc.

Deu 26:1  “And it shall be, when you come into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, - Coming into the Land is an acronym for coming to maturity, we have posses, taken charge or into control of the desires of the flesh, that we have been given and bring it under subjection. In essence we have become a overcomer. The flesh is made of the dust of the earth, otherwise known as the Land. When we overcome every disere of the flesh, those flesh attributes that is our dispossision, then the Holy Spirit will possess our body.

Deu 26:2 that you shall take some of the first of all the fruits of the soil which you bring from your land that יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and shall put it in a basket and go to the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell there. – A good work that was ordered to be done, is that we are to present a basket of their first-fruits to ABBA YAHVEH every year.

Besides the sheaf of first-fruits, which was offered for the whole land, on the morrow after the passover (Lev. 23:10), every man was to bring for himself a basket of first-fruits at the feast of pentecost, when the harvest was ended, which is therefore called the feast of first-fruits (Ex. 34:22), and is said to be kept with a tribute of free-will-offering, Deu. 16:10.

But the Yisraelites say, "The first-fruits, if not brought then, might be brought any time after, between that and winter.’’ When a man went into the field or vineyard at the time when the fruits were ripening, he was to mark that which he observed first, and to lay it aside as the first-fruits, wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates, some of each sort must be put in the same basket, with leaves between them, and presented to YAHVEH in the place which HE should choose.

Now from this Principle we may learn, to acknowledge YAHVEH as the giver of all those good things which are the support and comfort of our natural life, and therefore to serve and honor HIM with them.

To deny ourselves, from what is first ripe, and we are most fond of; those that are nice and curious expect to be served with each fruit at its first coming in. My soul desired the first ripe fruits, Micah 7:1.

When YAHVEH appointed them to be set aside for HIM, HE taught them to prefer the glorifying of HIS name before the gratifying of their own appetites and desires.

To give to YAHVEH the first and best we have, as those that believe HIM to be the first and best of beings. Those that consecrate the days of their youth, and the prime of their time, to the service and honor of YAHVEH , bring HIM their first-fruits, and with such offerings HE is well pleased. I remember the kindness of thy youth.

From the spiritual sense of the Word. As each person goes through their Torah Cycle and the fruit of the spirit is observed, The leader of the group, must present to Father יהוה  those who have made significant spiritual gain over the last year. At the Fall Feast the total spiritual growth is determine and present to our Father on the Day of Atonement, the next year growth will depends on the growth the year before.

That is why we are admonish in Matthew 13: ¹⁰And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heavens, but to them it has not been given. ¹²“For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.; 25: ²⁸‘Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ²⁹‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’;

Mark 4: ²³“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵“For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”;

Luke 8: ¹⁶“No one, when he has lit his Menorah, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷“For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸“Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Deu 26:3 “And you shall come to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I shall declare today to יהוה your Elohim that I have come to the land which יהוה swore to our fathers to give us.’ – Today we bring ourselves to Yahushua and say to Him, I have complete my sixth day of Creation, I have reach maturity, I have come into the Land “my body” and I have posses it.

We must remember that our body is made from the dust of the earth, to posses our body is to excert spiritual dominion over it, bringing it under the subjection of the Torah and the Holy spirit. This is what scripture calls picking up our Cross and following Yahushua.

This offering is a one time offering, this offering must be done only when we come into the Land, it cannot be repeated.

Deu 26:4 “And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and place it before the altar of יהוה your Elohim. – Yahushua will take the basket and present it to Father יהוה, as first fruits, first born from among men, were Yahushua is the chief of the first born sons.

Deu 26:5 “And you shall answer and say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘My father was a perishing Aramean, and he went down to Mitsrayim and sojourned there with few men. And there he became a nation, great, mighty, and numerous. – The individual should  say to EL YAHVEH my father and I was sent to earth to learn the constitution of the Heavenly Kingdom. We came here as a small Menorah and we have grown into a large Menorah.

Deu 26:6 ‘But the Mitsrites did evil to us, and afflicted us, and imposed hard labour on us. – We had to overcome the desires and the traditions of the world system inorder for us to make it this far. The world system imposed hard pressure against us, yet by Your Mighty Hand we have made it.

Deu 26:7 ‘Then we cried out to יהוה Elohim of our fathers, and יהוה heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression. – We realize that there was no hope without El Yahushua, so we cried out to Him as our Fathers did, and You saw our affliction and our struggle as we try to build our Menorah and fulfilled Your Torah.

Deu 26:8 ‘And יהוה brought us out of Mitsrayim with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great fear and with signs and wonders. – You gave us grace to help us over come our sinful nature. You pick us up when we fall, and wash us off with the Blood and the Water that flow from Yahushua side and set us on the path to be an ovecomer, You gave us great sign and wonders along the way to guide us to the right path, we are greatfull to You.

Deu 26:9 ‘And He brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” – You have brought us to our seventh day of Creation, to the seventh Heaven which you have promise us, and have given us Your Rest.

Deu 26:10 ‘And now, see, I have brought the first-fruits of the land which You, O יהוה, have given me.’ Then you shall place it before יהוה your Elohim, and bow down before יהוה your Elohim, - Now that You have establish me in you Promise Land, I have also teach someone else the pure doctrine which You have used to bring me this far, and here they are.

This are my first fruit to You my Master and My King, please accept it as a token of my appreaction to You.

Deu 26:11 and shall rejoice in all the good which יהוה your Elohim has given to you and your house, you and the Lĕwite and the stranger who is among you. - I will rejoice in all the good things You have done for me and my Assembly. Rejoicing with even the sinner who came to know You as King of the Universe.

Deu 26:12 “When you have completed tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Lĕwite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, and they have eaten within your gates and have been satisfied, - In this verse The Torah bring our attention to another Torah principle, that of tithing.

Every third year a special tithe should be taken up for the Priest, strangers and poor amount us. We must have a feast and invite all these brethren to come and celebrate with us.

Deu 26:13 then you shall say before יהוה your Elohim, ‘I have put away the set-apart portion from my house, and also have given it to the Lĕwite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Your command which You have commanded me. I have not transgressed Your commands, nor have I forgotten. – In this verse we see an indication of those who are the cream of the crop, being given to the Levites, the priesthood to be ministers, I have send them as Evangelist to the strangers, to teach the fatherless, and to the Widows, those who do not have a priest in the house to teach them Torah.

This story are more than just commands, they have a spiritual meaning behind them. When we practice these commands in the natural, it will not before long that we will see the spiritual equivalent.

We are admonish not to pick the fruit of a fruit tree the first three years, on the forth year it is Holy unto Our Lord. Meaning that three years must past before we can send a new believer out to minister, and it is only the best of the bunch we must send.

Deu 26:14 ‘I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for any unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of יהוה my Elohim, I have done according to all that You have commanded me. – In this verse we see a continuation of the story to develop mature individual. The teacher says he has not consumed any of them for his self, even when he was in morning, nor has he allowed any of them to deal in any uncleanness. He has not allowed any of them to pursue any goal that has not spiritual advantage.

This good teacher says he has followed the pattern establish from the foundation of the world whish is Torah, the constitution of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Deu 26:15 ‘Look from Your set-apart dwelling place, from the Heavens, and bless Your people Yisra’ĕl and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, “a land flowing   with milk and honey.” ’- We have done what you command us to do now יהוה do what behooves you.  By blessing Your people Yisrael.

This verse is the only exception to the rule that the tpqct meaning gazing. In Scripture it denote carefull examination to determine when that punishment is appropriate. But when the Hebrew people gives to the poor, the attribute of judgement is transformed into the attribute of mercy.

Deu 26:16 “Today יהוה your Elohim is commanding you to do these laws and right-rulings. And you shall guard and do them with all your heart and with all your being. – in this verse we again see an admonishment to be obedient to the commandment of יהוה, how can we then say that His Laws are nail to the Cross, when He repeatedly ask us not to break them, but since Yahushua was Crucified, we must no longer obey the laws.

Deu 26:17 “You have today caused יהוה to proclaim to be your Elohim, and to walk in HIS ways and guard HIS laws, and HIS commands, and HIS right-rulings, and to obey HIS voice. – Because Yisrael had accepted the Torah and committed itself to observe its Commandments no matter what. The nation and יהוה have a mutually exalted one to another. Yisrael distinguishes יהוה as the only true Elohim, and HE distinguished Yisrael as HIS only people.

Alternatively, we (Yisrael) caused יהוה to say that HE will always be our Elohim. Because of Yisrael’s dedication to יהוה and HIS Commandment, HE  was influenced to become their יהוה and will always help us.

Conversely, because of HIS miracles HE proformed to save and maintain us. יהוה caused us to say that we are always obligated to be HIS treasured people.

According to either interpretation, these two verses constitute mutual pledges of  allegiance between יהוה  and Yisrael.   

Deu 26:18 “And יהוה has caused you to proclaim today to be HIS people, a treasured possession, as HE has spoken to you, and to guard all HIS Commands, - One of the element of a mature believer was seen in the life of Yahushua when He says if you see me you see the Father. He was not saying that He is the Father. He was saying we are of the same spirit, the Father and I. That is also the goal of Torah to create more perfect sons, using the same standard Yahushua used, which is the Torah.

Deu 26:19 so as to set you high above all nations which HE has made, for a praise, and for a name, and for esteem, and for you to be a set-apart people to יהוה your Elohim, as HE has spoken.” -  יהוה has avouched, not only taken, but publicly owned us to be his segullah, HIS peculiar people, as HE has promised us, that is, according to the true intent and meaning of the covenant.

Now our obedience was not only the condition of this favor, and of the continuance of it (if we were not obedient, YAHVEH would disown them, and cast them off), but it was also the principal design of this favor.

He has avouched thee on purpose that You shouldest keep HIS Commandments, that we mightest have both the best directions and the best encouragements in His pure religion.’

Therefore we are elected to obedience (1 Pt. 1:2), chosen that we should be holy (Eph. 1:4), purified, a peculiar people, that we might not only do good works, but be zealous in them, Tit. 2:14.

Two things יהוה is here said to design in avouching them to be HIS peculiar people, to make us high, and, in order to do that, is to make them holy; for holiness is true honor, and the only way to everlasting honor.

Holy means to be set apart, holiness is the actions of a holy people, which is to obey the Commandments.

 To make them high above all nations. The greatest honor we are capable of in this world is to be taken into covenant with יהוה, and to live in HIS service. They should be, First, High in praise; for יהוה would accept them, which is true praise, Rom. 2:29.

Our friends would admire us, Zep. 3:19, 20. Secondly, High in name, which, some think, denotes the continuance and perpetuity of that praise, a name that shall not be cut off. Thirdly, High in honor, that is, in all the advantages of wealth and power, which would make them great above their neighbours. See Jer. 13:11.

 That we might be a holy people, separated for YAHVEH, devoted to HIM, and employed continually in his service. This EL aimed at in taking us to be his people; so that, if we did not keep his commandments, we would not received all this grace in vain.

Chapter 27

Moses having very largely and fully set before the people their duty, both to YAHVEH and one another, in general and in particular instances, having shown them plainly what is good, and what the law requires of them, and having in the close of the foregoing chapter laid them under the obligation both of the command and the covenant, he comes in this chapter to prescribe outward means.

I.                     For the helping of their memories, that they might not forget the law as a strange thing. They must write all the words of this law upon stones verse 1–10. 

II.                   For the moving of their affections, that they might not be indifferent to the law as a light thing. Whey they came into Canaan, the blessings and curses which were the sanctions of the law, were to be solemnly pronounced in the hearing of all Yisrael, who were to say Amen to them verse 11–26.

III.                 And if such a solemnity as this would not make a deep impression upon them, and affect them with the great things of YAH’S law, nothing would.

Deu 27:1  And Mosheh, with the elders of Yisra’ĕl, commanded the people, saying, “Guard all the commands which I am commanding you today. - The general theme of all spiritual leadership is to have one thing in common a goal. Moses and his entourage were one as Yahushua and the father is one. Yahushua said if you love Me keep my commandment. Therefore if we hear anyone say that the laws was nail to the cross, that is a false leader.

Deu 27:2 “And it shall be, on the day when you pass over the Yardĕn to the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and plaster them with plaster, - They went on to remind the Yisraelites that the day they cross over to Jordan, we must mark the spor with stone not made from human hands, and seal thim with a bond that must not be broken.

This verse is speaking of the love between believers that was cemented during the journey from Egypt.

Deu 27:3 and write on them all the Words of this Torah, when you have passed over, so that you go into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as יהוה Elohim of your fathers has spoken to you. – Moses wanted the people to know from the moment they entered the Land that our pass success and hope for the future depends on their loyalty to the Torah.

When we cross our spiritual Jordan I would be a miraculous occasion (Joshua 3), as soon as we are in the Land, we must have inscribe on our heart (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10).

Therfore, it would be clear to us that that continues obedience to the Torah could preserve us in our new home.

Deu 27:4 “And it shall be, when you have passed over the Yardĕn, that on Mount Ěyḇal you set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall plaster them with plaster, - At the entrance to our Land, a copy of the Torah should be establish. By writing the Torah on the stone was a sign or a stamp of approval on the Land.

When an inspector examine a new product, he usually put his or her stamp of approval on the product. A stone was consider an unremovable product, a part of the Land. By writing the Torah on the stone was a stamp of approval that this land is dominate by Torah. To all visitor it was a sign that from this spot onward is Holy groun, Torah dominate land.

Deu 27:5 and build an altar to יהוה your Elohim there, an altar of stones – do not use an iron tool on them. - They must set up a monument on which they must write the words of this law.

 The monument itself was to be very mean, only rough unhewn stone plastered over; not polished marble or alabaster, nor brass tables, but common plaster upon stone, verse 2.

 The command is repeated verse 4, and orders are given that it be written, not very finely, to be admired by the curious, but very plainly, that he who runs may read it, Hab. 2:2.

 The Word of YAHVEH needs not to be set off by the art of man, nor embellished with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. But, the inscription was to be very great: All the words of this law, verse 3, and again, verse 8. Some understand it only of the covenant between YAHVEH and Yisrael, mentioned ch. 26:17, 18.

Let this help be set up for a witness, like that memorial of the covenant between Laban and Jacob, which was nothing but a heap of stones thrown hastily together, upon which they did eat together in token of friendship (Gen. 31:46, 47), and that stone which Joshua set up, Jos. 24:26.

Others think that the curses of the covenant in this chapter were written upon this monument, the rather because it was set up in Mount Ebal, verse 4. Others think that the whole book of Deuteronomy was written upon this monument, or at least the statutes and judgments from ch. 12 to the end of ch. 26. And it is not improbable that the heap might be so large as, taking in all the sides of it, to contain so copious an inscription, unless we will suppose (as some do) that the ten commandments only were here written, as an authentic copy of the close rolls which were laid up in the ark.

They must write this when they had gone into Canaan, and yet Moses says verse 3, "Write it that we may go in,’’ that is, "that You mayest go in with comfort, and assurance of success and settlement, otherwise it were well for thee not to go in at all. Write it as the conditions of thy entry, and own that You comest in upon these terms and no other: since Canaan is given by promise, it must be held by obedience.

Deu 27:6 “Build the altar of יהוה your Elohim with complete stones, and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to יהוה your Elohim, - They must also set up an altar. By the words of the law which were written upon the plaster, יהוה spoke to them; by the altar, and the sacrifices offered upon it, they spoke to יהוה; and thus was communion kept up between them and יהוה. The word and prayer must go together.

Though they might not, of their own heads, set up any altar besides that at the tabernacle, yet, but the appointment of יהוה, they might upon a special occasion. Elijah built a temporary altar of twelve unhewn stones, similar to this, when he brought Yisrael back to the covenant which was now made, 1 Ki. 18:31, 32.

This altar must be made of such stones as they found ready upon the field, not newly cut out of the rock, much less squared artificially: You shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them, verse 5. Messiyah, our altar, is a stone cut out of the mountain without hands (Dan. 2:34, 35), and therefore refused by the builders, as having no form or comeliness, but accepted of יהוה the Father, and made the head of the corner.

Burnt-offerings and peace-offerings must be offered upon this altar verses 6, 7, that by them they might give glory to יהוה and obtain favor. Where the law was written, an altar was set up close by it, to signify that we could not look with any comfort upon the law, being conscious to ourselves of the violation of it, if it were not for the great sacrifice by which atonement is made for sin.

The altar was set up on Mount Ebal, the mount on which those tribes stood that said Amen to the curses, to intimate that through Yahushua we are redeemed from the curse of the law.

Deu 27:7 and shall offer peace offerings, and eat there, and rejoice before יהוה your Elohim. - In the Torah the words of the law are written, with the curse annexed, which would fill us with horror and amazement if we had not in the Renewed Covenant (which is bound up with it) an altar erected close by it, which gives us everlasting consolation.  They must eat there, and rejoice before YAHVEH their EL.

Deu 27:8 “And you shall write all the Words of this Torah on the stones – plainly and well.” – We are the lively stone that Peter wrote about. I Peter 2:⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of YAHVEH, and precious, ⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to YAHVEH by Yahushua.  ⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 ⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,  ⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: All these example in Torah is to teach us a spiritual lesson, let us look beyond the story with the spirit of Understand to see how this story impact our spiritual development.

Deu 27:9 And Mosheh and the priests, the Lĕwites, spoke to all Yisra’ĕl, saying, “Be silent and hear, O Yisra’ĕl: This day you have become the people of יהוה your Elohim, - Notice that the people were not called the children of Yisrael. They were called Yisrael, for they had completed their spiritual journey, there sixth day of Creation and was on the verge of entering the rest.

They were takem out of Egypt by a strong hand, the five fold ministry, now they had finish their job, the people had reach their ultimate objective. This is the goal of every one in the five fold ministry to bring the people to their spiritual Canaan.

Deu 27:10 and you shall obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, and do His commands and His laws which I command you today. – If the Law is written on our heart which Jer 31:33; and Hebrew 8: ¹⁰“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisrael after those days, says YAHVEH: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their YAHVEH, and they shall be My people. Talks about, then it will not be difficult for us to obey the Torah.

Deu 27:11 And Mosheh commanded the people on that day, saying,

Deu 27:12 “These are to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Yardĕn: Shimʽon, and Lĕwi, and Yehuḏah, and Yissasḵar, and Yosĕph, and Binyamin. - When the law was written, to be seen and read by all men, the sanctions of it were to be published, which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with YAHVEH, they were deliberately to declare their approbation of.

This they were before directed to do (ch. 11:29, 30), and therefore the appointment here begins somewhat abruptly. There were, it seems, in Canaan, that part of it which afterwards fell to the lot of Ephraim (Yoshua’s tribe), two mountains that lay near together, with a valley between, one called Gerizim and the other Ebal.

On the sides of these two mountains, which faced one another, all the tribes were to be drawn up, six on one side and six on the other, so that in the valley, at the foot of each mountain, they came pretty near together, so near as that the priests standing between them might be heard by those that were next them on both sides.

Then when silence was proclaimed, and attention commanded, one of the priests, or perhaps more at some distance from each other, pronounced with a loud voice one of the curses here following, and all the people that stood on the side and foot of Mount Ebal (those that stood further off taking the signal from those that stood nearer and within hearing) said Amen.

Then the contrary blessing was pronounced, "Blessed is he that doth not keep the Laws,’’ and then those that stood on the side, and at the foot, of Mount Gerizim, said Amen.

This could not but affect them very much with the blessings and curses, the promises and threatenings, of the law, and not only acquaint all the people with them, but teach them to apply them to themselves.

Deu 27:13 “And these are to stand on Mount Ěyḇal to curse: Re’uḇĕn, Gaḏ, and Ashĕr, and Zeḇulun, Dan, and Naphtali. - YAHVEH appointed which tribes should stand upon Mount Gerizim and which on Mount Ebal, to prevent the disputes that might have arisen if they had been left to dispose of themselves.

The six tribes that were appointed for blessing were all the children of the free women, for to such the promise belongs, Gal. 4:31. Levi is here put among the rest, to teach to apply to themselves the blessing and curse which they preach to others, and by faith to set their own Amen to it.

Of those tribes that were to say Amen to the blessings it is said, They stood to bless the people, but of the other, They stood to curse, not mentioning the people, as loth to suppose that any of this people whom YAHVEH had taken for HIS own should lay themselves under the curse.

Perhaps, the different mode of expression intimates that there was to be but one blessing pronounced in general upon the people of Yisrael, as a happy people, and that should ever be so, if they were obedient; and to this blessing the tribes on Mount Gerizim were to say Amen. "Happy art You, O Yisrael, and mayest You ever be so.’

But then the curses come in as exceptions from the general rule, and we know, the exception confirms the rule. Yisrael is a blessed people, but, if there be any particular persons even among them that do such and such things as are mentioned, let them know that they have no part nor lot in the matter, but are under a curse.

This shows how ready YAHVEH is to bestow the blessing; if any fall under the curse, they may thank themselves, they bring it upon their own heads.

 The Levites or priests, such of them as were appointed for that purpose, were to pronounce the curses as well as the blessings. They were ordained to bless (ch. 10:8), the priests did it daily, Num. 6:23.

But they must separate between the precious and the vile; they must not give that blessing promiscuously, but must declare it to whom it did not belong, lest those who had no right to it themselves should think to share in it by being in the crowd.

Ministers must teach the terrors of the law as well as the comforts of the Law; must not only allure people to their duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them to it with the threatenings of a curse.

The curses are here expressed, but not the blessings; for as many as were under the law were under the curse, but it was a honor reserved for Messiyah to bless us, and so to do that for us which the law could not do, in that it was weak. In Messiyah’s sermon upon the mount, which was the true Mount Gerizim, we have blessings only, Mt. 5:3, etc.

To each of the curses the people were to say Amen. It is easy to understand the meaning of Amen to the blessings. The Yisraelites have a saying to encourage people to say Amen to the public prayers, Whosoever answereth Amen, after him that blesseth, he is as he that blesseth. But how could they say Amen to the curses?

Deu 27:14 “And the Lĕwites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Yisra’ĕl: - The procedure was the Levites elders would turn to Mount Gerizim and  call out, ‘Blessed is the man….’ And every one would answer, amen.

Then they would turn to mount Ebal and called our “Curse is the man…..”as the text is given in the Torah, and everyone would answer Amen.

Deu 27:15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved or moulded image, an abomination to יהוה, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amĕn!’ – Curse is the person who worship the works of their own effort or the works of man efforts.

Deu 27:16 ‘Cursed is he who makes light of his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the fifth commandment. The contempt of parents is a sin so heinous that it is put next to the contempt of YAHVEH himself. If a man abused his parents, either in word or deed, he fell under the sentence of the magistrate, and must be put to death, Ex. 21:15, 17.

But to set light by them in his heart was a thing which the magistrate could not take cognizance of, and therefore it is here laid under the curse of YAHVEH, who knows the heart. Those are cursed children that carry themselves scornfully and insolently towards their parents.

Deu 27:17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbour’s boundary.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the eighth commandment. The curse of YAHVEH is here fastened, Upon an unjust neighbour that removes the land-marks. See ch. 19:14.

Deu 27:18 ‘Cursed is he who misleads the blind in the way.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – This would certainly apply to the Christian Teachers of today, were the blind leed the blind. One who causes a spiritually blind person to go astray, this include misleading anyone who is blind to the truth.

Upon an unjust counsellor, who, when his advice is asked, maliciously or in ignorance directs his friend to that which he knows will be to his prejudice, which is making the blind to wander out of the way, under pretence of directing him in the way, than which nothing can be either more barbarous or more treacherous.

Those that seduce others from the way of YAH’S commandments, and entice them to sin, bring this curse upon themselves, which our Saviour has explained, Mt. 15:14, The blind lead the blind, and both shall fall into the ditch.

Deu 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who twists the right-ruling of the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Upon an unjust judge, that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow, whom he should protect and vindicate.

These are supposed to be poor and friendless (nothing to be got by doing them a kindness, nor any thing lost by disobliging them), and therefore judges may be tempted to side with their adversaries against right and equity; but cursed are such judges.Those who tell believers that the laws were nail to the Cross, even after we are told that YAHVEH does not change.

This also apply to giving the wrong interpretation of Torah to an unsave, and to a person who does not have a teacher “husband” to teach them.

Deu 27:20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’  - There are a bunch of other forbidden relationship, such as with one sister, brother wife, man with another man, woman with another woman.

Deu 27:21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any beast.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the seventh commandment. Incest is a cursed sin, with a sister, a father’s wife, or a mother-in-law, verses 20, 22, 23. These crimes not only exposed men to the sword of the magistrate (Lev. 20:11), but, which is more dreadful, to the wrath of YAHVEH; bestiality likewise.

Deu 27:22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – all of these are forbidden sexual relationship. A believer cannot have sex with his sister, or half sister in this case.

Deu 27:23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ – another forbidden relationship is with one’s mother-in-law. If a man has two wives, the first wife son cannot have sexual relations with his mother-in-law.

All of these forbidden sexual relationship, is known a fornication. Fornication is not having sex before marriage.

The concept of marriage today is a manmade doctrine. Torah require a man to pay the bride price for a young virgin, once he get to be intimate with her, he concimate the union. A believer does not need a Pastor to sanctify their union. It is sanctify when we follow the policy prescribe by Torah. The woman that a man have sex with become his wife.

Deu 27:24 ‘Cursed is he who smites his neighbour secretly.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Against the sixth commandment. Two of the worst kinds of murder are here specified: Murder unseen, when a man does not set upon his neighbour as a fair adversary, giving him an opportunity to defend himself, but smites him secretly, as by poison or otherwise, when he sees not who hurts him. See Ps. 10:8, 9. Though such secret murders may go undiscovered and unpunished, yet the curse of YAHVEH will follow them. This also include when we backstab a person by saying bad things about them to their friends.

Deu 27:25 ‘Cursed is he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent being.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’ - Murder under colour of law, which is the greatest affront to YAHVEH, for it makes an ordinance of his to patronise the worst of villains, and the greatest wrong to our neighbour, for it ruins his honor as well as his life: cursed therefore is he that will be hired, or bribed, to accuse, or to convict, or to condemn, and so to slay, an innocent person. See Ps. 15:5.

Deu 27:26 ‘Cursed is he who does not establish the Words of this Torah.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amĕn!’- The solemnity concludes with a general curse upon him that confirmeth not, or, as it might be read, that performeth not, all the words of this law to do them. By our obedience to the law we set our seal to it, and so confirm it, as by our disobedience we do what lies in us to disannul it, Ps. 119:126.

The apostle, following all the ancient versions, reads it, Cursed is every one that continues not, Gal. 3:10. Lest those who were guilty of other sins, not mentioned in this commination, should think themselves safe from the curse, this last reaches all; not only those who do the evil which the law forbids, but those also who omit the good which the law requires: to this we must all say Amen, owning ourselves under the curse, justly to have deserved it, and that we must certainly have perished for ever under it, if Messiyah had not redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us.

Chapter 28

This chapter is a very large exposition of two words in the foregoing chapter, the blessing and the curse. Those were pronounced blessed in general on those who were obedient, and the cursed on those who were disobedient.

But, because in general we are not so affecting, Moses describe in particulars, the blessing and the curse, not they are out of sight, and therefore they must be considered, the favor of YAHVEH the spring of all the blessings, and the wrath of YAHVEH the spring of all the curses), but in their streams, the sensible effects of the blessing and the curse, for they are real things and have real effects.

He describes the blessings that should come upon them if they were obedient; personal, family, and especially national, for in that capacity especially they are discribe verse 1–14.

Moses describes the curses which would come upon them if they were disobedient; such as would be, 

1. Their extreme vexation verse 15 – 44. 

2. Their utter ruin and destruction at last verse 45 – 68.

This chapter is describing the same purpose as Lev. 26, setting before the people life and death, good and evil; and the promise, in the closing of that chapter, their restoration, upon their repentance, repeated the same sentience, ch. 30.

 Therefore, as they had precept upon precept in the repetition of the law, so they had line upon line in the repetition of the promises and threatening. And these are both there and here delivered, not only as sanctions of the law, what should be conditionally, but as predictions of the event, what would be certainly, that for a while the people of Yisrael would be happy in their obedience, but that at length they would be undone by their disobedience; and therefore it is said (ch. 30:1) that all those things would come upon them, both in blessing and in curse.

Deu 28:1  “And it shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all His commands which I command you today, that יהוה your Elohim shall set you high above all nations of the earth. - The blessings are here describe before the curses, to intimate, that יהוה is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy: he has said it, and sworn, that he would much rather we would obey and live than sin and die. It is his delight to bless.

That though both the promises and the threatenings are designed to bring and hold us to our spiritual duty, yet it is better that we be allured to that which is good by a filial hope of YAH’S favor than that we be frightened to it by a servile fear of HIS wrath. That obedience pleases HIM best when it comes from a principle of delight in YAH’S goodness.

We have here in this verse the conditions upon which the blessing is promised. It is upon condition that they diligently hearken to the voice of YAHVEH, that they hear יהוה speaking to them by HIS Word, and use their utmost endeavours to acquaint themselves with HIS will, verse 13.

Upon the condition that they observe and do all HIS commandments (and in order to obedience there is need of observation) and that they keep the commandments of יהוה verse 9 and walk in HIS ways.

Not only do them once, but keep them forever; not only set out in HIS ways, but walk in them to the end. The condition that they should not go aside either to the right hand or to the left, either to superstition on the one hand, or profaneness on the other.

Particularly that they should not go after other gods verse 14, which was the sin that of all others they were most prone to, and יהוה would be most displeased with. Let them take care to keep the pure religion, both in form and in the power of it, in their families and nation, and יהוה would not fail to bless them.

Deu 28:2 “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of יהוה your Eloim: - It is promised that the providence of YAHVEH should prosper them in all their outward concerns. These blessings are said to overtake us in this verse.

Good people sometimes, under the sense of their unworthiness, are ready to fly from the blessing and to conclude that it belongs not to them, but the blessing shall find them out and follow them where ever.

Deu 28:3 “Blessed are you in the city, and blessed are you in the field. - Several things are enumerated in which YAHVEH by HIS providence would bless them: They should be safe and easy; a blessing should rest upon their persons wherever they were, in the city, or in the field,. Whether their habitation was in town or country, whether they were husbandmen or tradesmen, whether their business called them into the city or into the field, they should be preserved from the dangers and have the comforts of their condition.

Deu 28:4 “Blessed is the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your livestock – the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. – In this verse our children, our field, our cattle, our business, our profession, everythings we as believers do shall prosper.

Deu 28:5 “Blessed is your basket and your kneading bowl. – Our cupboard our kitchen our storehouse will be bless. The righteous will not beg bread.

Deu 28:6 “Blessed are you when you come in, and blessed are you when you go out. – We shall leave this world as free of sin as we came into it. This blessing should attend them in their journeys, going out and coming in. Their persons should be protected, and the affair they went about should succeed well.

Observe here, What a necessary and constant dependence we have upon Father יהוה both for the continuance and comfort of this life. We need HIM at every turn, in all the various movements of life; we cannot be safe if HE withdraw HIS protection, nor easy if HE suspend HIS favor; but, if HE bless us, go where we will it is well with us

Deu 28:7 “יהוה causes your enemies who rise against you to be smitten before your face – they come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. -  It is common for people who flee in panic to disperse and run off in all direction, discarding every semblance of military discipline.

The juxtaposition of this verse with the next, which speaks of blessed storehouse, suggest that the fleeing enemy will leave behind a wealth of supplies and provisions for the Hebrew people to take at will.

Deu 28:8 “יהוה commands the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and shall bless you in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you. - יהוה will bringthe blessing of prosperity into the land, so that merchants and investors will have no need to travel abroud to make their fortune, it will come to us.

Deu 28:9 “יהוה does establish you as a set-apart people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you observe the commands of יהוה your Elohim and walk in His ways. – If we observe. For the first time, this verse specifies the observance of the commandents whereas the previous blessings were in reward for Torah study, the following ones are in reward for performance of the other commandments. Such observance are Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpet, day of atonement and Sukkot.

Deu 28:10 “And all peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of יהוה is proclaim upon you, and they shall be afraid of you. – The pure sense of this verse, it will be natural for the nations to feel reverence for a people that is such an obvious recipient of יהוה blessing, for this Divine bounty will testify to the name that they bear upon themselves.

Each nation will have its god or set of beliefs, but all nations will come to realize one day that only יהוה is the source of all strength and blessings, even the power that they ascribe to their gods. If so, the nations that is intimately associated with the Name יהוה will inspire the awe of all the other nations. 

Deu 28:11 “And יהוה shall make you to have plenty of what is good, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land of which יהוה swore to your fathers to give you. - This intimated that even when they were rich they must not be idle, but must find some good employment or other productive things to set their hand to, and YAHVEH would own their industry, and bless the work of their hand ; for that which makes rich, and keeps so, is the blessing of YAHVEH upon the hand of the diligent, Prov. 10:4, 22.

They should have honor among their neighbours: YAHVEH thy EL will set thee on high above all nations. He made them so, by taking them into covenant with himself, ch. 26:19. And he would make them more and more so by their outward prosperity, if they would not by sin disparage themselves.

Two things should help to make them great among the nations: First, Their wealth verse 12: "You shalt lend to many nations upon interest’’ (which they were allowed to take form the neighbor.

Deu 28:12 “יהוה opens to you His good treasure, the Heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall lend to many nations, but you do not borrow. – Abundance in rain can be a curse if it falls only when it is not needed; conversely, even a small amount of precipitation at the right time can be a blessing if it falls when the crops need it most.

One of the advantage of keeping the Feast of Tabernacle, is that we will receave rain in the right seasons. Light rain to germinate the seeds, medium rain when the plants are young and heavy rain for the establish plants.

Deu 28:13 “And יהוה shall make you the head and not the tail. And you shall be only on top, and not be beneath, if you obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim, which I command you today, to guard and do. – the two term in this verse are not redundant, for it is a possible for a nation to be a head, leadership, to some, but to be a follower of others. יהוה promise that if Yisrael is worthy, it will be respected by everyone, and subservant to no one.

Deu 28:14 “And do not turn aside from any of the Words which I am commanding you today, right or left, to go after other mighty ones to serve them. – This verse teaches us that we must not add or take away from Torah, we must keep on the straight and narrow path. We must not move to the right or to the left, for if we move away from what Torah says, we will be following other gods.

So when someone worship on Sunday they are worshiping another (Sun) god. For יהוה require that we worship Him on the seventh day not the first.  

Deu 28:15 “And it shall be, if you do not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all His commands and His laws which I command you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you: - Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is always towards those who are obedient, we have now presented to us in this verse the dark-side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep YAH’S commandments, we not only fall short of the blessing promised, but we bring ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all misery as the blessing is towards our happiness.

The impartiality of this curse. It is not a curse without a cause, YAHVEH seeks not occasion to display HIS wrath against us, nor is HE quick to quarrel with us. That which is mentioned in this verse as bringing the curse is: despising YAHVEH, refusing to hearken to His voice, which speaks of the highest contempt imaginable, as if what HE said were not worth the listening, or we were not under any obligation to HIM. Disobeying Torah, not doing HIS commandments, or not diligently following them is the cause of this curse.

Deu 28:16 “Cursed are you in the city, and cursed are you in the field. - Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of יהוה follows him; wherever he is, it rests upon him. He is cursed in the city and in the field. The strong walls of the city cannot shelter him or her from it, the pleasant air of the country is no fence against these lethal steams.

Deu 28:17 “Cursed is your basket and your kneading bowl. - He is cursed verse 19 when he comes in, for the curse is upon the house of the wicked (Prov. 3:33), and he is cursed when he goes out, for he cannot leave that curse behind him, nor get rid of it, which even entered into his bowels like water and like oil into his bones. Whatever he posses is under a curse: Cursed is the ground for his sake, and all that is on it, or comes out of it, and so he is cursed from the ground, as Cain, Gen. 4:11. The basket and store are cursed.

Deu 28:18 “Cursed is the fruit of your body and the fruit of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. - All his enjoyments being forfeited by him are in a way forbidden to him, as cursed things, which he has no escape. To those whose mind and conscience are defiled, everything else is so, Tit. 1:15. They are all disillusioned to him; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of YAHVEH mixes itself with them, and he is so far from having any security of the continuance of them that, if his eyes be open, he may see them all condemned and ready to be confiscated, and with them all his joys and all his hopes gone forever.

Deu 28:19 “Cursed are you when you come in, and cursed are you when you go out. – Regardless of where the person who is disobedient to Torah goes, they will be curse.

Deu 28:20 “יהוה sends on you the curse, the confusion, and the rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the evil of your doings by which you have forsaken Me. - Whatever he does is always under a curse too. It is a curse in all that he sets his hand to, a constant disappointment, which those are subject to that set their hearts upon the world, and expect their happiness in it, and which cannot but be a constant vexation.

This curse is just the reverse of the blessing in the former part of the chapter. Therefore whatever blissing there are in the Heavens, there is not only the want of it, but the opposing to it, in hell. Isa. 65:13, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry.

Deu 28:21 “יהוה makes the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. - Many particular judgments are enumerated in this verse, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which יהוה would chastize the people of the Redeemed community for their apostasy and disobedience. These judgment are of divers kinds, for יהוה has many arrows in his quiver, four sore judgments (Eze. 14:21), and many more.

The curse are represented as very terrible things, and the descriptions of them are exceedingly discriptive and affecting, that men who knows these terrors of YAHVEH, might, if possible, be persuaded to do good. Plague that cling to the disobedient one are incurable disease or sickness. Aids for example.

Deu 28:22 “יהוה smites you with wasting disease, and with inflammation, and with burning, and with extreme heat, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew. And they shall pursue you until you perish. - The explanation of these judgment are given several times, that they might make a deep and lasting impressions, and to intimate that, if men persisted in their disobedience, the judgment which they thought was over, and of which they said, "Surely the bitterness of it is past,’’ would return with double force; for when יהוה judges He will overcome. Bodily diseases are here threatened, that they should be epidemical in their land. These יהוה sometimes give use for the chastisement and improvement of HIS own people.

YAHVEH, behold, he whom You lovest is sick. But here they are threatened to be brought upon HIS enemies as tokens of HIS wrath, and designed like the two edged sword to chastise for repentance or destruction for the disobedient.

 So that according to the temper of our spirits, under sickness, accordingly it is to us a blessing or a curse. But, whatever sickness may be to a particular persons, it is certain that epidemical diseases raging among a people are national judgments, and are to be accounted so.

Deu 28:23 “And your Heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you iron. - Famine, and scarcity of provisions; and this, for want of rain: Thy Heavens over thy head, that part that is over thy land, shall be as dry as brass, while the Heavens over other countries shall distil their dews; and, when the Heavens is as brass, the earth of course will be as iron, so hard and unfruitful. Instead of rain, the dust shall be blown out of the highways into the field, and spoil the little that there is of the fruits of the earth.

Deu 28:24 “יהוה makes the rain of your land like powder and dust; from the Heavens it comes down on you until you are destroyed. – The rain might fall, however like Pakistan in 2010 the monsoon rain was so intense that it destroyed the land, the infrastructure. Even the small amount of rainfall will do more harm than good. There will not be enough rain to keep dust and dirt from being whipped around by the wind. As a result, the dust and dirt will adhere to the moisture on the plants, causing them to withered. Even rain in harvest is a sign of a gurse.

Deu 28:25 “יהוה shall causes you to be defeated before your enemies – you go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall become a horror to all the reigns of the earth. - That they should be smitten before their enemies in war, who it is likely, would be the more cruel to them, when they had them at their mercy, for the severity they had used against the nations of Canaan, which their neighbours in after-ages would be apt to remember against them.

Deu 28:26 “And your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the Heavens and the beasts of the earth, with no one to frighten them away. - It would make their flight the more shameful, and the more grievous, that they might have triumphed over their enemies if they had but been faithful to their Elohim. The carcases of those that were slain in war, or died in captivity among strangers, should be meat for the fowls; and an Yisraelite, having forfeited the favor of his Elohim, should have so little humanity shown him as that no man should drive them away, so odious would YAH’S curse make him to all mankind.

Deu 28:27 “יהוה shall smite you with the boils of Mitsrayim, with tumours, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you are unable to be healed. – These are all forms of sickness include cancer “Tumours” and leprocy “Scabs”.

Deu 28:28 “יהוה shall smite you with madness and blindness and bewilderment of heart. - That they should be infatuated in all their counsels, so as not to discern their own interest, nor bring anything to pass for the public good: YAHVEH shall smite you with madness and blindness, depression and lack of spiritual goal.

Yah’s judgments can reach the minds of men to fill them with spiritual darkness and horror, as well as their bodies and estates; and those are the sorest of all judgments which make men a terror to themselves, and their own destroyers.

That which they contrived to secure themselves by should still turn to their prejudice. Therefore we often find that the allies they confided in distressed them and strengthened them not, 2 Chr. 28:20.

Deu 28:29 “And you shall be groping at noon, as a blind man gropes in darkness, and not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and plundered all the days, with no one to save you. – You will be as a terror stricken as a blind man in the dark, this is a lack of illumination. This is depression at work in the life of the believer. They will function but will never prosper.

Deu 28:30 “You become engaged to a wife, but another man does lie with her. You build a house, but do not dwell in it. You plant a vineyard, but do not use its fruit. – The bless we are supposed to enjoy will become a curse to us.

Deu 28:31 “Your ox is slaughtered before your eyes, but you do not eat of it. Your donkey is violently taken from before you, and it is not given back to you. Your sheep are given to your enemies, with no one to save them. – Our Land will be invaded by the enemy and our animals, and crops will be taken by the invading enemy for their purpose.

Deu 28:32 “Your sons and your daughters are given to another people, and your eyes look and fail for them all day long, and your hand powerless. – Our children will be taken away by the invading army as the Babylonian did with the Hebrew boys.

Deu 28:33 “A people whom you have not known eat the fruit of your land and all your labors. And you shall be only oppressed and crushed all the days. – The invades will make us work our land to support them.

Deu 28:34 “And you shall be maddened because of the sight which your eyes see. – We shall be depress by the sight of the circumstances we see around us. To complete their misery, it is threatened that they should be put quite out of the possession of their minds by all these troubles . You salt be mad for the sight of thy eyes, that is, quite bereaved of all comfort and hope, and abandoned to utter despair. Those that walk by sight, and not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when everything about them looks frightful; and their condition is woeful indeed that are mad for the sight of their eyes

Deu 28:35 “יהוה shall smites you in the knees and on the legs with evil boils of which you are unable to be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head. – These are blisters from the constant working and walk that must be done, because all the beast of burden are taken by the enemy.

Deu 28:36 “יהוה shall brings you and the sovereign whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other mighty ones, wood and stone. – Those who we have given power over our lives, we will be taken with them into captivity, were we will be slave to the world system.

Deu 28:37 “Thus you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a mockery among all the peoples to which יהוה drives you. – We will be asking where your god now, why doesn’t he save you is. We will be asking how it is a people with such great an El become like this. That their reputation among their neighbors should be quite sunk, and those that had been a name, and praise, should be astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word. Some have observed the fulfilling of this threatening in their present state; for, when we would express the most perfidious and barbarous treatment, we say, none but a Jew would have done so. Thus is sin a reproach to any people.

Deu 28:38 “You take much seed out into the field but gather little in, for the locust consumes it. – We shall plant much and reap a little; it will be consumed by the locust. They shall preach a lot, yet the fruit of the spirit will not be evident.

Deu 28:39 “You plant vineyards, and shall labor, but you neither drink of the wine nor gather, for the worm eats it. -  They will start churches, preach and teach, people but they will never bring anyone to maturity.

Deu 28:40 “You have olive trees in all your border, but do not anoint with oil, for your olives drop off. -  There churches will have lots of people, yet the people will never produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Deu 28:41 “You bring forth sons and daughters, but they are not with you, for they go into captivity. - Their sons and daughters, whom they promised themselves comfort in, should go into captivity, and they themselves at length, and their king in whom they promised themselves safety and settlement,

Deu 28:42 “Locusts possess all your trees and the fruit of your ground. – Anyone of these pestilent may come upon the person who turns away from the commandment of Father יהוה. The Locust the religious spirit will come in and contaminate the people; they will speak in Tongues yet lack the fruit of the Spirit.

Deu 28:43 “The sojourner who is among you rises higher and higher above you, but you come down lower and lower. - That those who remained should be insulted and tyrannized over by strangers. So the ten tribes were by the colonies which the king of Assyria sent to take possession of their land, 2 Ki. 17:24.

Or this may be meant of the gradual encroachments which the strangers within their gates should make upon them, so as insensibly to worm them out of their estates. We read of the fulfilling of this, Hos. 7:9, Strangers have devoured his strength. Foreigners ate the bread out of the mouths of trueborn Yisraelites, by which they were justly chastised for introducing strange gods

Deu 28:44 “He lends to you, but you do not lend to him. He is the head, and you are the tail. – You will give to the Pastor, but he will give nothing in return. He is your head and you will follow him

Deu 28:45 “And all these curses shall come upon you, and they shall pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard His commands and His laws which He commanded you. – When a believer see a consistent pattern in their lives, it is time for us to take stock of our actions, and like Davis check Torah to see if we have violate any of the commandments.

One would have thought that enough had been said to possess within us a dread of that wrath of יהוה which is revealed from Heavens against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of Believers.

But to show how deep the treasures of that wrath are and that still there is more and worse. Moses, when one would have Thought that he had concluded this dismal subject, he begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, Jer. 36:32.

It should seem that in the former part of this commandment Moses foretells their captivity in Babylon, and the calamities which introduced and attended that, by which, even after their return, they were brought to that low and poor condition which is described, verse 44.

That their enemies should be the head and they the tail: but here, in this latter part, he foretells their last destruction by the Romans and their dispersion thereupon.

The present deplorable state of the Hebrew people, and of all that have incorporated themselves with them, by embracing their religion, does so fully and exactly answer to the prediction in these verses that it serves for an incontestable proof of the truth of prophecy, and consequently of the divine authority of the scripture.

This last destruction being explain here represented a more dreadful than the former, it shows that their sin, in rejecting Messiyah and his gospel, was more heinous and more provoking to יהוה than idolatry itself, and left them more under the power of Satan; for their captivity in Babylon cured them effectually of their idolatry in seventy years’ time; but under this last destruction now for above 1600 years they continue incurably averse to Yahushua.

What is here said in general of the wrath of יהוה, which should light and lie upon them for their sins. That, if they would not be ruled by the commands of יהוה, they should certainly be ruined by his curse.

Because you didst not keep his commandments (especially that of hearing and obeying the great prophet), these curses shall come upon thee, as upon a people appointed to destruction, the generation of YAH’S wrath: and they shall be for a sign and for a wonder.

It is amazing to think that a people so long the favorites of Heavens, should be so perfectly abandoned and cast off, that a people so closely incorporated should be so universally dispersed, and yet that a people so scattered in all nations should preserve themselves distinct and not mix with any, but like Cain be fugitives and vagabonds, and yet marked to be known.

Deu 28:46 “And they shall be upon you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed, forever. – These curse is an everlasting prediction, anyone of them could fall corporately or individual on a believers life, as a testimony to them. Today we run off to the doctor with an ailment, without seek יהוה advice to see if we have broken a commandment.

Deu 28:47 “Because you did not serve יהוה your Elohim with joy and gladness of heart for all the plenty, - Here is the butt of the sin. Because we did not with joy keep יהוה commandments. Since earth is the training ground for all possible sons who desire to serve in the Kingdom of Heavens, the curses is יהוה way of saying to his disobedient sons, you are going down the wrong way, turn back, turn back these curses cries out to those who have an ear to hear let them hear and change their ways.

 Deu 28:48 you shall serve your enemies whom יהוה sends against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in need of all. And he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. – This verse describes the continuous process that will overtake us, if we are disobedient. However, the moment we change our ways, like the prodigal son, Father יהוה will come running to our aid.

When are we like the prodigal son, when are the stubborn sons going to realize that in our Father House are Blessings galore, blessing of every kind. Why then should we be destroyed for the lack of knowledge?

In this chapter we are warned repeatedly, that we cannot say we did not know. Moses will then say, did you read Deuteronomy 28

Deu 28:49 “יהוה shall brings a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you shall not understand, - This scenario is a corporate punishment, as what happen to Yisrael, with the Babylonians, Greek, and the Romans occupation.

Deu 28:50 a fierce-looking nation, which shows no regard for the elderly nor show favor to the young, - This was fulfilled in the Babylonians, the Greek and the Roman who invade Yisrael over a 500 years period.

Deu 28:51 and they shall eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed. They leave you no grain, nor new wine, nor oil, nor the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you. – All these were fulfilled when the Greek invade Yisrael 300 years before Yahushua. When the city of Yerushalayim was left virtually empty and the land uninhabited.

That the country should be laid waste, and all the fruits of it eaten up by this army of foreigners, which is the natural consequence of an invasion, especially when it is made, as that by the Romans was, for the chastisement of rebels: He shall eat the fruits of thy cattle and land, so that the inhabitants should be starved, while the invaders were fed to the full.

Deu 28:52 “And they shall besiege you at all your gates till your high and fenced walls, in which you are trusting, come down in all your land. And they shall besiege you at all your gates in all your land which יהוה your Elohim has given you. - That their cities should be besieged, and that such would be the obstinacy of the besieged, and such the vigor of the besiegers, that they would be reduced to the last extremity, and at length fall into the hands of the enemy. No place, though ever so well fortified, no, not Yerushalayim itself, though it held out long, would escape. Two of the common consequences of a long siege are here foretold:

Deu 28:53 “And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters whom יהוה your Elohim has given you, in the siege and distress in which your enemies distress you. - A miserable famine, which would prevail to such a degree that, for want of food, they should kill and eat their own children.

Deu 28:54 “The man among you who is tender, and who is very delicate, his eye is evil against his brother, against the wife of his bosom, and against the rest of his children whom he leaves behind, - Men should do so, notwithstanding their hardiness, and ability to bear hunger; and, Though obliged by the law of nature to provide for their own families, yet should refuse to give to the wife and children that were starving any of the child that was barbarously butchered.

Deu 28:55 against giving any of them the flesh of his children that he eats, because it is all that has been left to him in the siege and distress with which your enemy distresses you in all your gates. – Place in a situation even the most delicate, sympathetic, and gentle people will become cruel and selfish, even unto cannibalistic, as a result of the privations of the siege.

Deu 28:56 “The tender and the delicate woman among you, who have not tried to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and tenderness, her eye is evil against the husband of her bosom, and against her son, and against her daughter, - Nay, women, ladies of quality, notwithstanding their natural niceness about their food, and their natural affection to their children, yet, for want of food, should so far forget all humanity as to kill and eat their own children. Let us observe, by the way, how hard this fate must needs be to the tender and delicate women, and learn not to indulge ourselves in tenderness and delicacy.

Because we know not what we may be reduced to before we die; the nicer we are, the harder it will be to us to bear want, and the more danger we shall be in or sacrificing reason.

Religion, and natural affection then to protect itself, to the clamors and cravings of an unfortified and ungoverned appetite.

This prophecy was fulfilled to the letter, more than once, to the perpetual reproach of the Jewish nation: never was the like done either by Greek or barbarian, but in the siege of Samaria, a woman boiled her own son, 2 Ki. 6:28, 29.

It is spoken of as commonly done among them in the siege of Yerushalayim by the Babylonians, Lam. 4:10.

Deu 28:57 and against her seed which comes out from between her feet, and her children whom she bears, for she eats them in secret for lack of all, in the siege and distress with which your enemy distresses you in all your gates. -   This was actually accomplished during the siege of Jerusalem.

Deu 28:58 “If you do not guard to do all the Words of this Torah that are written in this book, to fear this esteemed and awesome Name, יהוה your Elohim, - If we do not respect the Name of ABBA YAHVEH and HIS Commandments that are written in this book, the Book that was place on the outside of the Ark.

Deu 28:59 then יהוה shall bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues, great and lasting plagues, and grievous and lasting sicknesses. - What is too barbarous for those to do that are abandoned of YAHVEH, Sickness is another common effect of a strait and long siege, and that is predicted here: Sore sickness, and of long continuance.

Deu 28:60 “And He shall bring back on you all the diseases of Mitsrayim, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you, - These diseases would also be on the Yisraelites wherever they live, the diseases of Egypt, leprosies, botches, and foul ulcers. If they adopt the ways of the world. As if the particular miseries here threatened were not enough, he concludes with an et cetera.

Deu 28:61 also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in the book of this Torah, יהוה does bring upon you until you are destroyed. - YAHVEH will bring upon thee every sickness, and every plague, though it be not written in the book of this law. Those that fall under the curse of YAHVEH will find that the one half was not told them of the weight and terror of that curse. When ABBA YAHVEH tells us to eat Kosher, it means that we would be protected from certain sickness. The Seven day Adventist is an example to us even today. Certain sickness is not found within their society, because of their diet.

Deu 28:62 “And you shall be left with few men, although you had become as numerous as the stars of the Heavens, because you did not obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim. - That multitudes of them should perish, so that they should become few in number. It was a nation that יהוה had wonderfully increased, so that they were as the stars of Heavens for multitude; but, for their sin, they were diminished and brought low, Ps. 107:38, 39.

Deu 28:63 “And it shall be, that as יהוה rejoiced over you to do you good  and increase you, so יהוה does rejoice over you to destroy you and lay you waste. And you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. - It is computed that in the destruction of the Jewish nation by the Romans, as appears by the account Josephus gives of it, above two millions fell by the sword at several places, besides what perished by famine and pestilence; so that the whole country was laid waste and turned into a wilderness. That is a terrible word, As YAHVEH rejoiced over you to do you good, so he will rejoice over you to destroy you.

Deu 28:64 “And יהוה shall scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other mighty ones, which neither you nor your fathers have known, wood and stone. - That the remnant should be scattered throughout the nations this completes their woe: YAHVEH shall scatter thee among all people. This is remarkably fulfilled in their present dispersion, for there are Jews to be found in every countries that are possessed either by Christians or Islam, and in such numbers that it has been said, If they could unite in one common interest, they would be a very formidable body, and able to deal with the most powerful states and princes; but they abide under the power of this curse, and are so scattered that they are not able to incorporate.

Deu 28:65 “And among those nations you are to find no rest, nor have a resting place for the sole of your foot. But there יהוה shall give you a trembling heart, and failing eyes, and sorrow of being. - It is foretold that in the dispersion of the Hebrew people, They should have no religion, should have no temple, nor altar, nor priesthood, for they should serve other gods.

Some think this has been fulfilled in the force put upon the Jews in foreign countries to worship the images that are used in the Roman Catholic Church, to their great vexation.

That they should have no rest, no rest of body: The sole of their foot shall not have rest , but be continually upon the move, either in hope of gain or fear of persecution; all wandering Jews: no rest of the mind (which is much worse), but a trembling heart; no assurance of life.

Deu 28:66 “And your life shall be hanging in suspense before you, and you shall fear day and night, and not be certain of your life. – Your life will hang in the balance. In exile, you will not be sure of safety from violence. As to their live hoods, they will depend on what they can buy day by day; never being sure that the markets will not be shut down.

Deu 28:67 “In the morning you say, ‘Oh that it were evening!’ And at evening you say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear of your heart, with which you fear, and because of the sight which your eyes see. – We will be weary both of light and darkness, which are, in their turns, both welcome to a quiet mind, but to them both day and night would be a terror.

Such was once the condition of Job (Job 7:4), but to them this should be constant and perpetual; that blindness and darkness which the apostle speaks of as having happened to Yisrael, and that guilt which bowed down their back (Rom. 11:8 10), must needs occasion a constant restlessness and amazement.

Those will be a torment to themselves, and to all about them, that fear day and night and are always uneasy (Depress). Let good people strive against it, and not give way to that fear which has torment; and let wicked people not be secure in their wickedness, for their hearts cannot endure.

Nor can their hands be strong, when the terrors of YAHVEH set themselves in array against them. Those that say in the morning, O that it were evening, and in the evening, O that it were morning, show, First, A constant fret and vexation, chiding the hours for lingering and complaining of the length of every minute.

Let time be precious to us when we are in prosperity, and then it will not be so tedious to us when we are in afflictions as otherwise it would.

Secondly, a constant fright and terror, depress in the morning of the arrow that fly by day, and therefore wishing the day over; but what will this do for them? When evening comes, the trembling heart is no less apprehensive of the terror by night, Ps. 91. 5, 6.

Happy are those whose minds, being stayed on יהוה, are quiet from the fear of evil! The terror arises not only from the sight of the eyes, but from the fear of the heart, not only from real dangers, but from imaginary ones; the causes of depression, when they come to be enquired into, often prove to be only the creatures of the fancy.

Deu 28:68 “And יהוה shall bring you back to Mitsrayim in ships, by a way of which I said to you, ‘You are never to see it again.’ And there you shall be sold to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one to buy.” - In close this chapter, we see that YAHVEH threatens to leave them as he found them, in a house of bondage: YAHVEH shall bring thee into Egypt again, that is into such a miserable state as they were in when they were slaves to the Egyptians, and ruled by them with rigor.

YAHVEH had brought them out of Egypt, and had said, they shall see it no more again (ch. 17:16); but now they should be reduced to the same state of slavery that they had been in there.

To be sold to strangers would be bad enough, but much worse to be sold to their enemies. Even slaves may be valued as such, but a Jew should have so ill a name for all that is base that when he was exposed to sale no man would buy him, which would make his master that had him to sell the more severe with him.

Thirty Jews (they say) have been sold for one small piece of money, as they sold our Savior for thirty pieces.

Upon the whole matter, the accomplishment of these predictions upon the nation of Yisrael shows that Moses spoke by the Spirit of YAHVEH, who certainly foresees the ruin of believers, and gives them warning of it, that they may prevent it by a true and timely repentance, or else be left inexcusable.

Let us all therefore learn to stand in awe and not to sin. I have heard of a wicked man, who, upon reading the threatening of this chapter, was so enraged that he tore the leaf out of the Bible, as Jehoiakim cut Jeremiah’s roll; but to what purpose is it to deface a copy, while the original remains upon record in the divine counsels, by which it is unalterably determined that the wages of sin is death, whether men will hear or whether they will rebels?

Chapter 29

The first words of this chapter elucidate the contents of it, "These are the Words of the covenant’’ that is, these that follow. Here is, 

I.             A recital of YAH’S dealings with them, in order to bring them into this covenant verse 2-8. 

II.           A solemn charge to them to keep the covenant verse 9. 

III.         An abstract of the covenant itself verse 12, 13. 

IV.         A specification of the persons taken into the covenant, verse 10, 11, 14, 15.

V.           An intimation of the great design of this covenant against idolatry, in a parenthesis verse 16, 17. 

VI.         A most solemn and dreadful denunciation of the wrath of יהוה against such persons as promise themselves peace in a sinful way verse 18–28. 

VII.       The conclusion of this treaty, with a distinction between things secret and things revealed verse 29.

Deu 29:1  These are the words of the covenant which יהוה commanded Mosheh to make with the children of Yisra’ĕl in the land of Mo’aḇ, besides the covenant which He made with them in Ḥorĕḇ. - Now that Moses had largely repeated the commands which the people were to observe as their part of the covenant, and the promises and threatening which יהוה would make good (according as they behaved themselves) as part of the covenant, the whole is here summed up in a federal transaction.

The covenant was renewed here, and Moses, who as before is still the mediator of it Covenant: YAHVEH commanded Moses to make it.

Moses himself, though king in Jeshurun, could not present the covenant any other way than as יהוה gave him instructions.

It does not lay in the power of his ministers to fix the terms of the covenant; they are only to dispense the seals of it. This is said to be besides the covenant made in Horeb; for, Though the covenant was the same, yet it was a new promulgation and ratification of it.

It is probable that some now living, though not of age to be remembers, were of age now to consent for themselves to the covenant made at Horeb, and yet it is here renewed.

Those of us who make a covenanted with יהוה should take all opportunities to do it, as those that like their choice too well to change. But the far greater part were a new generation, and therefore the covenant must be made afresh with them, for it is fit that the covenant should be renewed to the descendant of the children of the covenant.

It is usual for indentures to begin with a recital; this does so, with a rehearsal of the great things יהוה had done for them.

As an encouragement to them as it is to us as believe that יהוה would indeed be to them a Elohim, for he would not have done so much for them as He is doing for us today. If he had not designed a perfect plan, to which we are all obligated to follow meticulously.

He had shown HIMSELF a YAHVEH to them, which might raise their expectations of something great and answering the vast extent and compass of that pregnant promise, that יהוה would be to them a Elohim. As an engagement upon them to be to him an obedient people, in consideration of what he had done for them.

Deu 29:2 And Mosheh called all Yisra’ĕl and said to them, “You yourselves saw all that יהוה did before your eyes in the land of Mitsrayim, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land. - For the proof of what he was trying to teach he appeals to their own eyes: You have seen all that YAHVEH did. Their own senses were incontestable evidence of the matter of fact, that יהוה had done great things for them; and then their own reason was a no less competent judge of the equity of his inference from it: Keep therefore the words of this covenant, v. 9.

Deu 29:3 “Your eyes saw the great trials, the signs, and those great wonders. - These things he specifies, to show the power and goodness of יהוה in his appearances for them. Their deliverance out of Egypt. The amazing signs and miracles by which Pharaoh was plagued and compelled to dismiss them, and Yisrael was tried (for they are called temptations) whether they would trust יהוה to secure them from, and save them by, those plagues.

Deu 29:4 “But יהוה has not given you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear, till this day. - Moses laments their stupidity: Yet YAHVEH has not given you a heart to perceive. This does not lay the blame of their senselessness, and follishness, and unbelief, upon , as if they had stood ready to receive יהוה grace and had begged for it, but he had denied them; no, but it fastens the guilt upon themselves.

Deu 29:5 “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your garments have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. - Their conduct through the wilderness for forty years. There they were led, and clad, and fed, by miracles; Though the paths of the wilderness were not only unknown but unfamiliar, yet יהוה kept them from being lost there; those very shoes which by the appointment of YAHVEH they put on in Egypt, at the Passover, when they were ready to march (Ex. 12:11), never wore out, but served them to Canaan.

Though they lived not upon bread which strengthens the heart, and wine which rejoices it, but upon manna and rock-water, yet they were men of strength and courage, mighty men, and able to go forth to war.

By these miracles they were taught to know that יהוה was EL and by these mercies that HE was their Elohim.

 The victory they had lately obtained of Sihon and Og, and that good land which they had taken possession of, verse  7, 8. Both former mercies and fresh mercies should be improved by us as inducements to obedience.

Deu 29:6 “You ate no bread and drank no wine nor strong drink, so that you might know that I am יהוה your Elohim.

Deu 29:7 “And when you came to this place, Siḥon sovereign of Ḥeshbon and Oḡ sovereign of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we smote them, - In our spiritual journey, we will come face to face with the enemy of our soul. Just like Yahushua on His spiritual journey came face to face with the Devil, Matthew 4: ¹ Then was Yahushua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. ³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If You be the Son of YAHVEH, command that these stones be made bread. ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YAHVEH. Our weapon of choice when doing battle is the Word of YAHVEH, notice that Yahushua in His battle with the Devil only used the Word, it is written.

Deu 29:8 and took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Re’uḇĕnites, and to the Gaḏites, and to half the tribe of Menashsheh. - The hearing ear, the Seeing Eye, and the understanding heart, are the gift of יהוה. All that have them have them from him. יהוה gives not only food and raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom he does not give grace.

Many enjoy the gifts who have not hearts to perceive neither the giver, nor the true intention and use of the gifts. YAH’S readiness to do us good in other things is a plain evidence that if we have not grace, that best of gifts, it is our own fault and not his; he would have gathered us and we would not.

Moses charges them to be obedient: Keep therefore, and do. We are bound in gratitude and interest, as well as duty and faithfulness, to keep the words of the covenant.

Haftarah

Isaiah 60:1-22

Isa 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the esteem of יהוה has risen upon you. - It is here promised that the gospel temple shall be very lightsome and very large.

It shall be very lightsome: Thy light has come. When the Jews returned out of captivity they had light and gladness, and joy and honor; they then were made to know EL YAHVEH and to rejoice in HIS great goodness; and upon both accounts their light came. When the Redeemer came to Zion he brought light with him, He Himself came to be a light.

Isa 60:2 “For look, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the peoples. But יהוה arises over you, and His esteem is seen upon you. - What is this light? Or who shall I say is this light, and what is its source? EL YAHVEH shall arise upon thee, the glory of the YAHVEH, shall be seen upon thee.

YAHVEH is the father and fountain of lights and it is in HIS light that we shall see all light. As far as we have the knowledge of YAHVEH in us, and the favor of YAHVEH towards us, our light has truly come.

When YAHVEH appears to us, and we have the comfort of HIS favor, then the glory of EL YAHVEH shall rises upon us as the morning light; when he appears to us, and we have the favor of HIS credit, when HE shows us some token for good and proclaims HIS favor to us, then HIS glory is seen upon us, as it was upon Yisrael in the pillar of cloud and fire.

When Messiyah arose as the sun of righteousness, and in Him the day-spring from on high visited us, then the glory of the Lord was seen upon us, the glory as of the first-begotten of the Father.

What a display there shall be to this light: Darkness shall cover the earth; but, though it is gross darkness, darkness that might be felt, like that of Egypt, that shall overspread the people, yet the Messiyanic Assembly, like Goshen, shall have light at the same time.

When the case of the nations that have not the gospel shall be very melancholy, those dark corners of the earth being full of the habitations of cruelty to poor souls, the state of the church shall be very pleasant.

What is the ultimate purpose which the rising of this glorious Menorah calls for: "Arise, shine; not only receive this light, and’’ (as the margin reads it) "be enlightened by it, but reflect this light; arise and shine with rays borrowed from it.’’ The children of light ought to shine as a Menorah in the world. If YAH’s glory be seen upon us to our honor, we ought not only with our lips, but in our lives, to return the praise of it to HIS honor, Mt. 5:16; Phil. 2:15.

It shall be very large. When the Jews were settled again in their own land, after their captivity, many of the people of the land joined themselves to them; but it does not appear that there ever were any such numerous accessions to them as would answer the fullness of this prophecy.

Therefore we must conclude that these points further, to the bringing of the Gentiles into the Messiyanic Assembly, not their flocking to one particular place, though under that type it is here described. There is no place now that is the centre of the Assembly’s unity; but the promise respects their flocking to Messiyah Yahushua, and coming by faith, and hope, and holy love, into that society which is incorporated by the charter of his gospel, and of the unity of which he only is the centre, that family which is named from him, Eph. 3:15.

The good-new Assembly is expressly called Zion and Yerushalayim, and under that notion all believers are said to come to it (Heb. 12:22. You have come unto Mount Zion, to the city of the living EL, the heavenly Yerushalayim), which serves for a key to this prophecy, Eph. 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of YAHVEH.

Isa 60:3 “And the gentiles shall come to your light¹, and sovereigns to the brightness of your rising. Isa. 60:19, 20, Rev. 21:23, 24. – What shall invite such multitudes to the Assembly: "They shall come to thy light and to the brightness of thy rising.

They shall be allured to join themselves to thee,’’

"By the light that shines upon thee,’’ the light of the glorious gospel, which the Assembly hold firm, in consequence of which they are called Menorah. This light which discovers so much of EL YAHVEH and HIS good Will to man, by which life and immortality are brought to light, this shall invite all the serious well-affected part of mankind to come and join themselves to the Messiyanic Assembly, that they may have the benefit of this Menorah to inform them concerning truth and duty.

"By the Menorah with which you shines.’’ The purity and love of the primitive Messiyanic, their heavenly-mindedness, contempt of the world, and patient sufferings, were the brightness of the church’s rising, which drew many into it. The beauty of holiness was the powerful attractive by which Yahushua HaMashiach had a willing people brought to him in the day of His power, Ps. 110:3

Isa 60:4 “Lift up your eyes all around and see: all of them have gathered, they have come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are supported on the side. - What shall invite such multitudes to the Assembly: "They shall come to thy light and to the brightness of thy rising. They shall be allured to join themselves to thee,’’

"By the light that shines in us,’’ the light of the glorious gospel, which the Mesiyahnic Assembly hold firm, in consequence of which they are called Menorah. This light which discovers so much of YAHVEH and HIS good Will to man, by which life and immortality are brought to light, this shall invite all the serious well-affected part of mankind to come and join themselves to the Assembly, that they may have the benefit of this light to inform them concerning truth and duty.

"By the light with which you shines.’’ The purity and love of the primitive Messiyanic, their heavenly-mindedness, contempt of the world, and patient sufferings, were the brightness of the Assembly’s rising, which drew many to it. The beauty of holiness was the powerful attractiveness by which Messiyah Yahushua had a willing people brought to Him in the day of his power, Ps. 110:3.

Isa 60:5 “Then you shall see and be bright, and your heart shall throb and swell, for the wealth of the sea is turned to you, the riches of the gentiles come to you. – What they shall bring with them and what advantage shall accrue to the Messiyanic Assembly by their accession to it. Those that are brought into the Assembly by the grace of YAHVEH will be sure to bring all they are worth in with them, which with themselves they will devote to the honor and service of YAHVEH and do well within their places.

The merchants shall write holiness to YAHVEH upon their merchandise and their hire, as ch. 23:18. "The abundance of the sea, either the wealth that is fetched out of the sea (the fish, the pearls) or that which is imported by sea, shall all be converted to thee and to thy use.’’ The wealth of the rich merchants shall be laid out in works of piety and charity.

The mighty men of the nations shall employ their might in the service of the Messiyanic Assembly: "The forces, or troops, of the Gentiles shall come unto thee, to guard thy coasts, strengthen thy interests, and, if occasion be, to fight thy battles.’’

The forces of the Gentiles had often been against the Assembly, but now they shall be for it; for as YAHVEH, when HE pleases, can, and, when we please HIM, will, make even our enemies to be at peace with us (Prov. 16:7), so, when Yahushua HaMashiach overcomes the strong man armed, he divides his spoils, and makes that to serve his interests which had been used against them, Lu. 11:22.

How the Messiyanic Assembly shall be affected with this increase of her numbers.

She shall be in a transport of joy upon this account: "You shall see and flow together’’ (or flow to and fro), "as in a pleasing agitation about it, surprised at it, but extremely glad of it.’’

There shall be a mixture of fear with this joy: "Thy heart shall fear, doubting whether it be lawful to go in to the uncircumcised and eat with them.’’ Peter was so impressed with this fear that he needed a vision and voice from the heavens to help him over it, Acts 10:28.

"When this fear is conquered thy heart shall be enlarged in holy love, so enlarged that You shall have room in it for all the Gentile converts; You shall not have such a narrow soul as You hast had nor affections so confined within the Jewish pale.’’ When EL YAHVEH intends the beauty and prosperity of HIS Assembly HE gives this largeness of heart and an extensive charity.

Isa 60:6 “A stream of camels cover your land, the dromedaries of Miḏyan and Ěphah; all those from Sheḇa come, bearing gold and incense, and proclaiming the praises of יהוה. – The wealth imported by land-carriage, as well as that by sea, shall be made available of and in the service of YAHVEH and the Messiyanic Assembly: The camels and dromedaries that bring gold and incense (gold to make the golden altar of and incense and sweet perfumes to burn upon it), those of Midian and Sheba, shall bring the richest commodities of their country, not to trade with, but to honor EL YAHVEH with, and not in small quantities, but camel-loads of them.

This was in part fulfilled when the wise men of the east (perhaps some of the countries here mentioned), drawn by the brightness of the star, came to Messiyah, and presented to him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Mt. 2:11.

Isa 60:7 “All the flocks of Qĕḏar are gathered to you, the rams of Neḇayoth serve you; they come up for acceptance on My altar, and I embellish My esteemed House. -  A great numbers of sacrifices shall be brought to YAH’s altar, acceptable sacrifices, and, though brought by Gentiles, they shall find acceptance. Kedar was famous for flocks, and probably the fattest rams were those of Nebaioth; these shall come up with acceptance on YAH’s altar. EL YAHVEH must be served and honored with what we have, according as he has blessed us, and with the best we have.

This was fulfilled when by the decree of Darius the governors beyond the rivers (perhaps of some of these countries) were ordered to furnish the temple at Yerushalayim with bullocks, rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offering of the EL of the Heavens, Ezra 6:9.

It had a further accomplishment, of the trust we will have, in the bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles to the Messiyanic Assembly, which is called the sacrificing or offering up of the Gentiles unto EL YAHVEH, Rom. 15:16. The flocks and rams are precious souls; for they are said to minister to the Assembly, and to come up as living sacrifices, presenting themselves to EL YAHVEH by a reasonable service on HIS altar, Rom. 12:1.

Isa 60:8 “Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? -  How YAHVEH shall be honored by the increase of the Assembly and the accession of such numbers to it.

They shall intend the honor of YAH’s name in it. When they bring their gold and incense it shall not be to show the riches of their country, nor to gain applause to themselves for piety and devotion, but to show forth the praises of EL YAHVEH, verse 6.

Our greatest services and gifts to the Assembly are not acceptable further than we have an eye to the glory of YAHVEH in them. This must be our business in our attendance on public ordinances, to give unto EL YAHVEH the glory due to HIS Name; for therefore, as these here, we are called out of darkness into light, that we should show forth the praises of him that called us, 1 Pt. 2:9.

EL YAHVEH will advance the honor of his own name by it; so he has said: I will glorify the house of MY Glory. The Messiyanic Assembly is the house of YAH’s glory, where HE manifests HIS glory to HIS people and receives that homage by which they do honor to HIM. It is for the glory of this house, and of HIM that keeps house there, both that the Gentiles shall bring their offerings to it and that they shall be accepted therein.

These converts flocking to the Messiyanic Assembly shall be greatly admired: Who are these that fly as a cloud?

How the conversion of souls is here described. It is flying to Messiyah and to His Assembly, for there we are directed; it is flying like a cloud, Though in great multitudes, so as to overspread the heavens, yet with great unanimity, all as one cloud. They shall come with speed, as a cloud flying on the wings of the wind, and come openly, and in the view of all, their very enemies beholding them (Rev. 11:12), and yet not able to hinder them.

They shall fly as doves to their windows, in great flights, many together; they fly on the wings of the harmless dove, which flies low, denoting their innocence and humility. They fly to Messiyah, to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the word and ordinances, as doves, by instinct, to their own windows, to their own home.

There they will fly for refuge and shelter when they are pursued by the birds of prey, and thither they fly for rest when they have been wandering and are weary, as Noah’s dove to the ark.

How the conversion of souls is here admired. It is spoken of with wonder and pleasure: Who are these? We have reason to wonder that so many flocks to Messiyah: when we see them all together we shall wonder whence they all came. We have reason to admire with pleasure and affection those that do flock to him: Who are these? How excellent, how amiable are they! What a pleasant sight is it to see poor souls hastening to Messiyah, with a full resolution to abide with him!

These converts flocking to the Messiyanic Assembly shall be greatly admired: Who are these that fly as a cloud?

How the conversion of souls is here described. It is flying to Messiyah and to His Messiyanic Assembly, for there we are directed; it is flying like a cloud, though in great multitudes, so as to overspread the heavens, yet with great unanimity, all as one cloud.

They shall come with speed, as a cloud flying on the wings of the wind, and come openly, and in the view of all, their very enemies beholding them (Rev. 11:12), and yet not able to hinder them.

They shall fly as doves to their windows, in great flights, many together; they fly on the wings of the harmless dove, which flies low, denoting their innocence and humility. They fly to Messiyah, to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the Word and Ordinances, as doves, by instinct, to their own windows, to their own home; there they fly for refuge and shelter when they are pursued by the birds of prey, and thither they fly for rest when they have been wandering and are weary, as Noah’s dove to the ark.

How the conversion of souls is here admired. It is spoken of with wonder and pleasure: Who are these? We have reason to wonder that so many flocks to Messiyah: when we see them all together we shall wonder whence they all came. We have reason to admire with pleasure and affection those that do flock to Him: Who are these? How excellent, how amiable are they! What a pleasant sight is it to see poor souls hastening to Yahushua HaMashiach, with a full resolution to abide with him!

Isa 60:9 “Because the coastlands wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the Name of יהוה your Elohim, and to the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, because He has adorned you. – The promises made to the Messiyanic Assembly in the foregoing verses are here repeated, ratified, and enlarged upon, designed still for the comfort and encouragement of the Jews after their return out of captivity, but certainly looking further, to the enlargement and advancement of the good-new Assembly and the abundance of spiritual blessings with which it shall be enriched.

EL YAHVEH will be very gracious and propitious to them. We must begin with that promise, because thence all the rest take rise. The sanctuary that was desolate begins to be repaired when YAHVEH causes his face to shine upon it, Dan. 9:17.

All the favor that the people of YAHVEH find with men is owing to the light of YAH’s countenance and his favor to them verse 10: "All shall now make court to thee, for in my wrath I smote thee, while You was in captivity’’ (and the sufferings of the church, especially by its corruptions, decays, and divisions, against which these promises will be its relief, are sad tokens of YAH’s displeasure), "But now in my favor have I had mercy on thee, and therefore have all this mercy in store for thee.’’

Many shall be brought into the Assembly, even from far countries: Surely the isles shall wait for me, shall welcome the good-news, and shall attend YAHVEH with their praises for it and their ready subjection to it. The ships of Tarshish, passenger transport-ships, shall lie ready to carry members from far distant regions to the Assembly, or (which is equivalent) to carry the ministers of the Messiyanic Assembly to remote parts, to preach the gospel and to bring in souls to join themselves to EL YAHVEH.

Who are brought, thy sons, that is, such as are designed to be so, those children of YAHVEH that are scattered abroad, Jn. 11:52.

What they shall bring with them. They live at such a distance that they cannot bring their flocks and their rams; but, like those who lived remote from Yerushalayim (who, when they came up to worship at the feast, because they could not bring their tithes in kind, turned them into money), they shall bring their silver and gold with them.

When we give up ourselves to EL YAHVEH we must with ourselves give up all we have to HIM. If we honor HIM with our spirits, we shall honor him with our substance.

To whom they shall devote and dedicate themselves and all they are worth. to the name of EL YAHVEH, as the MassiYah of all and the Assembly’s EL and King, even to the Holy One of Yisrael (whom Yisrael worships as a Holy One, in the beauty of holiness), because he has glorified thee.

The honor EL YAHVEH puts upon HIS Assembly and HIS people should not only engage us to honor them, but invite us to join ourselves to them. We will go with you, for YAHVEH is with you, Zec. 8:23.

Isa 60:10 “And the sons of foreigners shall build your walls, and their sovereigns serve you. For in My wrath I have smitten you, but in My delight I shall have compassion on you. – All that are about the Messiyanic business shall be made in some way or other serviceable to it. Though dominion is far from being founded in men’s grace, it is founded in YAH’s.

He that made the inferior creatures useful to man will make the nations of men useful to the Messiyanic Assembly. The earth helped the woman. All things are for your sakes.

So here, "Even the sons of strangers, that have neither knowledge of Messiyah nor kindness for thee, that have always been aliens to the commonwealth of Yisrael, even they shall build up thy wall, and their kings shall in that and other things ministers unto thee and not think it any disparagement to them to do so.’’

This was fulfilled when the king of Persia, and the governors of the provinces by his order, were aiding and assisting Nehemiah in building the wall about Yerushalayim. Rather than Yerusalem’s walls shall lie still in ruins, the sons of the stranger shall be raised up to build them.

Even those that do not belong to the Messiyanic Assembly may be a protection to it. And the greatest of men should not think it below them to minister in the Messiyanic Assembly, but rejoice that they are in a capacity, and have a heart, to do it any service.

Isa 60:11 “And your gates shall be open continually, they are not shut day or night, to bring to you the wealth of the gentiles, and their sovereigns in procession. – Those that come into the Messiyanic Assembly shall be welcome; for so spacious is the holy city that Though, YAHVEH, it is done as you hast commanded, yet still there is room. "Therefore thy gates shall be open continually, not only because you hast no reason to fear thy enemies, but because You hast reason to expect thy friends.’’

It is usual with us to leave our doors open, or leave some one ready to open them, all night, if we look for a child or a guest to come in late. Messiyah is always ready to entertain those that come to him, is never out of the way, nor can they ever come unseasonably; the gate of mercy is always open, night and day, or shall soon be opened to those that knock.

The Evangelist, the door-keepers, must be always ready to admit those that offer themselves to Yahushua HaMashiach. EL YAHVEH not only keeps a good house in HIS Assembly, but he keeps open house, that at any time, by the preaching of the word, in season and out of season, the forces of the Gentiles, and the kings or commanders of those forces, may be brought into the Messiyanic Assembly. Lift up your heads, O you gates! And let such welcome guests as these come in.

Isa 60:12 “For the nation and the reign that do not serve you shall perish, and those gentiles shall be utterly laid waste. - It is the duty of all to do what they can in their places to advance the interests of YAH’s kingdom among men.  It is at their peril if they do not; for this verse tells us, “The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish”.

Not that they must perish by the sword or by human anathemas, or as if this gave any countenance to the using of external force for the propagating of the gospel, or as if men might be compelled by penalties and punishments to come into the church; by no means.

But those who will not by faith, submit to Yahushua HaMashiach, the King of the Messiyanic Assembly, and serve Him, shall perish eternally, Ps. 2:12. Those that will not be subject to Messiyah’s golden scepter, to the government of His word and Spirit, that will not be brought under, or kept in, by the discipline of his family, shall be broken in pieces by his iron rod. Bring them forth and slay them before me, Lu. 19:27. Nations of such shall be utterly and eternally wasted, when Messiyah shall come to take vengeance on those that obey not his gospel, 2 Th. 1:8.

Isa 60:13 “The esteem of Leḇanon shall come to you, cypress, pine, and the box tree together, to embellish the place of My set-apart place. And I shall make the place of My feet esteemed. - There shall be abundance of beauty added to the ordinances of divine worship: The glory of Lebanon, the strong and stately cedars that grow there, shall come unto thee, as of old to Solomon, when he built the temple (2 Chr. 2:16), and with them shall be brought other timber, proper for the carved work thereof, which the enemy had broken down, Ps. 74:5, 6.

The temple, the place of YAH’s sanctuary, shall be not only rebuilt, but beautified. It is the place of his feet, where he rests and resides, Eze. 43:7. The ark is called his footstool, because it was under the mercy-seat, Ps. 132:7. This he will make glorious in the eyes of his people and of all their neighbors.

The glory of the latter house, to which this refers, Though in many instances inferior, was yet really greater than the glory of the former, because Messiyah came to that temple, Mal. 3:1.

It was likewise adorned with goodly stones and gifts (Lu. 21:5), to which this promise may have some reference; yet so slightly did Messiyah speak of them there that we must suppose it to have its full accomplishment in the beauties of holiness, and the graces and comforts of the Spirit, with which gospel ordinances are adorned and enriched.

Isa 60:14 “And the sons of those who afflicted you come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall bow themselves at the soles of your feet. And they shall call you: City of יהוה, Tsiyon of the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl. - The Messiyanic Assembly shall appear truly great and honorable.

 The people of the Hebrew Faith, after their return out of captivity, by degrees became more considerable, and made a better figure than one would have expected, after they had been so much reduced, and than any of the other nations recovered that had been in like manner humbled by the Chaldeans.

It is probable that many of those who had oppressed them in Babylon, when they were themselves driven out by the Persians, made their court to the Jews for shelter and supply and were willing to scrape acquaintance with them.

This prophecy is further fulfilled when those that have been enemies to the Messiyanic Assembly are wrought upon by the grace of YAHVEH to see their error, and come, and join themselves to it: "The sons of those that afflicted thee, if not they themselves, yet their children, shall crouch to thee, shall beg pardon for their folly and began interest in thy favor and admission into thy family,’’ 1 Sa. 2:36.

A promise like this is made to the Assembly of Philadelphia, Rev. 3:9. And it is intended to be,

A mortification to the proud oppressors of the Assembly, that have afflicted her, and despised her, and taken a pleasure in doing so; they shall be brought down; their spirits shall be broken, and their condition shall be so mean and miserable that they shall be glad to be obliged to those whom they have most studied to disoblige. Sooner or later EL YAHVEH will pour contempt upon those that put contempt upon HIS people.

An exaltation to the poor oppressed ones of the Assembly; and this is the honor that shall be done to them, they shall have an opportunity of doing good to those who have done evil to them and saving those alive who have afflicted and despised them.

It is a pleasure for a good man, and he accounts it an honor, to show mercy to those with whom he has found no mercy.

Yet this is not all. "They shall not only become suppliants to thee for their own interest, but they shall give honor to thee: They shall call thee, The city of YAHVEH; they shall at length be convinced that You are a favorite of heaven, and the particular care of the divine providence.’’

That city is truly great and honorable, it is strong, it is rich, it is safe, it is beautiful, it is the most desirable place that can be to live in, which is the city of YAHVEH, which he owns, in which he dwells, in which religion is uppermost. Such a one is Zion; it is the place which YAHVEH has chosen to put his name there; it is the Zion of the Holy One of Yisrael; therefore, we may be sure, it is a holy city, else the Holy One of Yisrael would never be called the patron of it.

Isa 60:15 “Instead of you being forsaken and hated, so that no one passes through you, I shall make you an everlasting excellence, a joy of many generations. -  This happy and glorious state of the Assembly is here further foretold, referring principally and ultimately to the Messiyanic Assembly and the spiritual peace of that, but under the type of that little gleam of outward peace which the Jews sometimes enjoyed after their return out of captivity.

As compared with what it had been. This made her peace and honors the more pleasant, that her condition had been much otherwise.

She had been despised, but now she should be honored. Yerushalayim had been forsaken and hated, abandoned by her friends, abhorred by her enemies; no man went through that desolate city, but declined it as a rueful spectacle; it was astonishment and a hissing. But now it shall be made an eternal Excellency, being reformed from idolatry and having recovered the tokens of YAH’s favor, and it shall be the joy of good people for many generations.

Yet considering how short Yerushalayim’s Excellency was, and how short it came of the vast compass of this promise, we must look for the full accomplishment of it in the perpetual excellencies of the gospel church, far exceeding those of the Old-Testament Assembly, and the glorious privileges and advantages of the Messiyanic Faith, which are indeed the joy of many generations. Two things are here spoken of as her Excellency and joy, in opposition to her having been forsaken and hated:

Isa 60:16 “And you shall drink dry the milk of the gentiles, and shall milk the breast of sovereigns. And you shall know that I, יהוה, your Savior and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ. – She shall find herself countenanced by her neighbors. The nations, and their kings, that are brought to embrace the Messiyanic faith, shall lay themselves out for the good of the Assembly, and maintain its interests with the tenderness and affection that the nurse shows to the child at her breasts: "You shall suck the milk of the Gentiles, not suck their blood (that is not the spirit of the gospel); You shall suck the breast of kings, who shall be to thee as nursing fathers.’’

She shall find herself countenanced by her EL: "You shall know that I YAHVEH am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, shall know it by experience; for such a salvation, such a redemption, shall be wrought out for thee as plainly discovers itself to be the work of YAHVEH, the work of a mighty one, for it is a great salvation, of the Mighty One of Jacob, for it secures the welfare of all those that are Israelites indeed.’’ They before knew YAHVEH to be their Elohim; now they know HIM to be their Savior, their Redeemer. Their Holy One now appears their Mighty One.

Isa 60:17 “Instead of bronze I bring gold, and instead of iron I bring silver, and bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. And I shall make your officers peace, and your magistrates righteousness. – She had been impoverished, but now she shall be enriched, and everything shall be changed for the better with her.

When those who were raised out of the dust are set among princes, instead of brass money in their purses they have bold, and instead of iron vessels in their houses they have silver ones, and other improvements agreeable: so much shall the spiritual glory of Messiyah’s Assembly exceed the external pomp and splendor of the Jewish economy, which had no glory in comparison with that which quite excels it, 2 Co. 3:10.

When we had baptism in the room of circumcision, the Messiyah’s supper in the room of the Passover, and a gospel ministry in the room of a Levitical priesthood, we had gold instead of brass. Sin turned gold into brass when Rehoboam made brazen shields instead of the golden ones he had pawned; but YAH’s favor, when that returns, will turn brass again into gold.

She had been oppressed by her own princes, which was sadly complained of, not only as her sin, but as her misery (ch. 59:14); but now all the grievances of that kind shall be redressed: "I will make thy officers peace; men of peace shall be made officers, and shall be indeed justices, not patrons of injustice, and justices of peace, not instruments of trouble and vexation.

They shall be peace, that is, they shall sincerely seek thy welfare and by their means You shall enjoy good.’’ They shall be peace, for they shall be righteousness; and then the peace is as a river, when the righteousness is as the waves of the sea. Even exactors, whose business it is to demand the public tribute, Though they be exact, must not be exacting, but must be just to the subject as well as to the prince, and, according to the instructions John Baptist gave to the publicans must exact no more than is appointed them, Lu. 3:13.

Isa 60:18 “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor ruin within your borders. And you shall call your walls Deliverance, and your gates Praise. - She had been insulted by her neighbors, invaded, spoiled, and plundered; but now it shall be so no more: "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land; neither the threats and triumphs of those that do violence nor the outcries and complaints of those that suffer violence shall again be heard, but every man shall peaceably enjoy his own.

There shall be no wasting nor destruction, either of persons of possessions, anywhere within thy borders; but thy walls shall be called salvation (they shall be safe, and means of safety to thee) and thy gates shall be praise, praise to thee (every one shall commend thee for the good condition they are kept in), and praise to thy EL, who strengthens the bars of thy gates,’’ Ps. 147:13. When YAH’s salvation is upon the walls it is fit that his praises should be in the gates, the places of concourse.

Isa 60:19 “No longer is the sun your light by day, nor does the moon give light to you for brightness, but יהוה shall be to you an everlasting light, and your Elohim your comeliness. – As completed in what it shall be? It should seem that in the close of this chapter we are directed to look further yet, as far forward as to the glory and happiness of heaven, under the type and figure of the flourishing state of the church on earth, which yet was never such as to come anything near to what is here foretold; and several of the images and expressions here made use of we find in the description of the new Yerushalayim, Rev. 21:23; 22:5.

As the prophets sometimes insensibly pass from the blessings of the Jewish church to the spiritual blessings of the Messiyanic Assembly, which are eternal, so sometimes they rise from the Assembly militant to the Assembly triumphant, where, and where only, all the promised peace, and joy, and honor will be in perfection.

YAHVEH shall be all in all in the happiness here promised; so he is always to true believers : The sun and the moon shall be no more thy light. YAH’s people, when they enjoy his favor, and walk in the light of his countenance, make little account of sun and moon, and the other lights of this world, but could walk comfortably in the light of the Lord Though they should withdraw their shining.

In heaven there shall be no occasion for sun or moon, for it is the inheritance of the saints in light, such light as will swallow up the light of the sun as easily as the sun does that of a candle. "Idolaters worshipped the sun and moon (which some have Thought the most ancient and plausible idolatry); but these shall be no more thy light, shall no more be idolized, but Yahushua shall be to thee a constant light, both day and night, in the night of adversity as well as in the day of prosperity.’’ Those that make YAHVEH their only light shall have HIM their all-sufficient light, their sun and shield. Thy Elohim shall be thy glory.

Isa 60:20 “No longer does your sun go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for יהוה shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. -  The happiness here promised shall know no change, period, or allay. "Thy sun shall no more go down, but it shall be eternal day, eternal sunshine, with thee; that shall not be thy sun which is sometimes eclipsed, often clouded, and, Though it shine ever so bright, ever so warm, will certainly set and leave thee in the dark, in the cold, in a few hours; but he shall be a sun, a fountain of light to thee, who is himself the Father of all lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning,’’ James 1:17.

We read of the sun’s standing still once, and not hasting to go down for the space of a day, and it was a glorious day, never was the like; but what was that to the day that shall never have a night?

If it had, it should be a light night; for neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; it shall never wane, shall never change, but be always at the full. The comforts and joys that are in heaven, the glories provided for the soul, as the light of the sun, and those prepared for the glorified body too, as the light of the moon, shall never know the least cessation or interruption; how should they when the Lord shall himself be thy everlasting light, a light which never wastes nor can ever be extinguished?

The days of thy mourning shall be ended, so as never to return; for all tears shall be wiped away, and the fountains of them, sin and affliction, dried up, so that sorrow and sighing shall flee away forever.

Isa 60:21 “And your people, all of them righteous, shall inherit the earth forever – a branch of My planting, a work of My hands, to be adorned. - Those that are entitled to this happiness, being duly prepared and qualified for it, shall never be put out of the possession of it.

Thy people, that shall inhabit this New Yerushalayim, shall all be righteous, all justified by the righteousness of the Messiyah, all sanctified by his Spirit; all that people, that Yerushalayim, must be righteous, must have that holiness without which no man shall see EL YAHVEH.

 They are all righteous, for we know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of YAHVEH. There are no people on earth that are all righteous; there is a mixture of some bad in the best societies on this side heaven; but there are no mixtures there.

They shall be all righteous, that is, they shall be entirely righteous; as there shall be none corrupt among them, so there shall be no corruption in them; the spirits of just men shall there be made perfect. And they shall be all the righteous together who shall replenish the New Yerushalayim; it is called the congregation of the righteous, Ps. 1:5.

Because they are all righteous, therefore they shall inherit the land for ever, for nothing but sin can turn them out of it. The perfection of the saints’ holiness secures the perpetuity of their happiness.

The glory of the Assembly shall redound to the honor of the Messiyanic Assembly: "They shall appear to be the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, and I will own them as such.’’

It was by the grace of YAHVEH that they were designed to this happiness; they are the branch of his planting, or of his plantations; he broke them off from the wild olive and grafted them into the good olive, transplanted them out of the field, when they were as tender branches, into his nursery, that, being now planted in his garden on earth, they might shortly be removed to his paradise in heaven.

It was by his grace likewise that they were prepared and fitted for this happiness; they are the work of his hands (Eph. 2:10), are wrought to the self-same thing, 2 Co. 5:5. It is a work of time, and, when it shall be finished, will appear a work of wonder; and God will be glorified, who began it, and carried it on; for Messiyah Yahushua will then be admired in all those that believe. YAHVEH will glorify HIMSELF in glorifying HIS chosen.

Isa 60:22 “The little shall become a Thousand, and the small one a strong nation¹. I, יהוה, shall hasten it in its time.” Footnote: ¹See 41:14, Dan. 2:34-44.- They will appear the more glorious, and YAHVEH will be the more glorified in them, if we compare what they are with what they were, the happiness they have arrived at with the smallness of their beginnings.

A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation.  The captives that returned out of Babylon strangely multiplied, and became a strong nation. The Messiyanic Assembly was a little one, a very small one at first, the number of their names was once but 120; yet it became a thousand.

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands swelled so as to fill the earth. The triumphant Assembly, and every glorified saint, will be a thousand out of a little one, a strong nation out of a small one.

The grace and peace of the saints were at first like a grain of mustard-seed, but they increase and multiply, and make a little one to become a thousand, the weak to be as David.

When they come to heaven, and look back upon the smallness of their beginning, they will wonder how they got thither. And so wonderful is all this promise that it needed the ratification with which it is closed: I YAHVEH will hasten it in his time, all that is here said relating to the Messiyanic Assembly, to the militant and triumphant Assembly, and to every particular believer.

It may seem too difficult to be brought about, and therefore may be despaired of; but the EL YAHVEH of almighty power has undertaken it: "I EL YAHVEH will do it, who can do it, and who has determined to do it.’’ It will be done by him whose power is irresistible and his purposes unalterable.

It may seem to be delayed and put off so long that we are out of hopes of it; but, as EL YAHVEH will do it, so he will hasten it, will do it with all convenient speed; Though much time may pass before it is done, no time shall be lost; he will hasten it in its time, in the proper time, in the season wherein it will be beautiful; he will do it in the time appointed by his wisdom, Though not in the time prescribed by our folly. And this is really hastening it; for, Though it seem to tarry, it does not tarry if it come in YAH’s time, for we are sure that that is the best time, which he that believes will patiently wait for.

Brit Chadasha

Matthew 13:1-23

  In this chapter, we see the:

·         The favor which Messiyah did to His countrymen in preaching the kingdom of heaven to them verse 1-2.

·         He preached to them in parables, and here gives the reason why he chose that way of instructing verse 10–17.

There are eight parables recorded in this chapter, which are designed to represent the kingdom of the heavens, the method of planting the good-news of the kingdom in the world, and of its growth and success.

The great truths and laws of the kingdom are laid down as parables or Kabbalah in the scriptures, and not without these type of teachings. 

Here is one parable to show what are the great hindrances of people’s profiting by the word of the gospel, and in how many it comes short of its end, through their own folly, and that is the parable of the four sorts of ground, delivered verse 3-9. and expounded verse 18–23.

Mat 13:1  And on that day יהושע went out of the house and sat by the sea. – We have here Yahushua preaching, and may observe,  When Yahushua preached this sermon; it was the same day that He preached the sermon in the foregoing chapter: so unwearied was he in doing good, and working the works of Him that sent him.

Messiyah was preaching both the ends of day, and by this example recommended that practice to His church; we must in the morning sow our seed, and in the evening not withhold our hand, Eccl. 11:6.

Though Messiyah had been in the morning opposed and caviled at by his enemies, disturbed and interrupted by his friends, yet he went on with his work; and in the latter part of the day, we do not find that He met with such discouragements.

Those who with courage and zeal break through difficulties in YAH’s service, will perhaps find them not so apt to recur as they fear. Resist them, and they will flee.

To whom he preached; there were great multitudes gathered together to Him, and they were the audience; we do not find that any of the scribes or Pharisees were present. They were willing to hear him when he preached in the synagogue (ch. 12:9, 14), but they thought it below them to hear a sermon by the sea-side, Though Messiyah Himself was the preacher: and truly He had better have their room than their company, for now they were absent, he went on quietly and without contradiction.

Sometimes there is most of the power of religion where there is least of the pomp of it: the poor receive the gospel. When Messiyah went to the sea-side, multitudes were presently gathered together to him. Where the king is, there is the court; where Messiyah is, there is the Assembly, Though it be by the sea-side.

Those who would grow because of the word, must be willing to follow it in all its details; when the ark shifts, shift after it. The Pharisees had been laboring, by base calumnies and suggestions, to drive the people off from following Messiyah, but they still flocked after him as much as ever.

Messiyah will be glorified in spite of all opposition; he will be followed. Where did He preach this sermon?

His meeting-place was the sea-side. He went out of the house (because there was no room for the auditory) only in the open air. It was a pity but such a Preacher should have had the most spacious, sumptuous, and convenient place to preach in, that could be devised, like one of the Roman theatres; but he was now in His state of humiliation, and in this, as in other things, He denied Himself the honors due to Him.

As He had not a house of His own to live in, so He had not a chapel of His own to preach in. By this He teaches us in the external circumstances of worship not to covet that which is stately, but to make the best of the conveniences which יהוה in HIS providence a lots to us.

When Messiyah was born, He was crowded into the stable, and now to the sea-side, upon the strand, where all persons might come to him with freedom. He that was truth itself sought no corners (no adyta), as the pagan mysteries did. Wisdom cried without, Prov. 1:20 “Wisdom cried without; she uttered her voice in the streets.”; John. 13:20 ‘ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me’.

Mat 13:2 and large crowds were gathered together to Him, so that He went into a boat and sat down. And the entire crowd stood on the beach. – His pulpit was a ship; not like Ezra’s pulpit, that was made for the purpose (Neh. 8:4); but converted to this use for want of a better word.

No place was amiss for such a Preacher, whose presence dignified and consecrated any place: let not those who preach Messiyah and Him Crucified be ashamed, Though they have mean and inconvenient places to preach in. Some observe, that the people stood upon dry ground and firm ground, while the Preacher was upon the water in more hazard. Ministers are most exposed to trouble. Here was a true rostrum, a ship pulpit.

Mat 13:3 And He spoke to them much in parables, saying, “See, the sower went out to sow. - What and how He teaches His Disciples, but in the principles of Kabbalah. He spake many things unto them that are recorded, but they were all excellent and necessary things, things that are important to our spiritual development, things pertaining to the kingdom of the heavens: they were not trifles, but things of everlasting consequence, that Messiyah spoke of.

These Parables in English but Kabbalah in Hebrew, encourages us to give a more earnest heed, when Messiyah had so many things to say to us, that we did not miss any of them. What He spake was in parables. A parable sometimes signifies any wise, weighty saying that is instructive; but here in the gospels it generally signifies a continued similitude or comparison, by which spiritual or heavenly things were described in language borrowed from the things of this life. It was a way of teaching used very much, not only by the Jewish rabbin, but by the Arabians, and the other wise men of the east; and it was found very profitable, and the more so from its being pleasant.

Our Messiyah Yahushua used Kabbalistic teaching a lot, and in it condescended to the capacities of people, and lisped to them in their own language. YAHVEH had long used similitudes by His servants the prophets, Hos. 12:10, and to little purpose; now He uses similitudes by His Son; surely they will reverence him who speaks from the heavens, and of heavenly things, and yet clothes them with expressions borrowed from things earthly. See Jn. 3:12. So descending in a cloud.

We have here the general reason why Messiyah taught in “Kabbalah” parables. The disciples were a little surprised at it, for in His teaching, He had had a lot hidden within the fabric  there was much to learn about the Kingdom, and therefore they ask, Why speakest You to them in Kabbalah, “parables”?

Because they were truly desirous that the people might hear with understanding. They do not say, Why speakest to us? (they knew how to get the parables explained) but to them.

We ought to be concerned for the edification of others, as well as for our own, by the teaching of the Word; and if we gained understanding and developed spiritual strength.

Mat 13:4 “And as he sowed, some indeed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. -  In this verse we see an example of a personality been defined as wayside. This is a person who regardless of what an evangelist says to them will never get any head way. The birds in this story illustrate the evil spirit. As soon as the person is told the good-new the demons come by and say to him you are just find where you are don’t listen to him.

This birds are literal birds, which illustrate a particular mindset. There is a mindset in humanity that regardless of what you say to them it has not effect. These are the soul that have not chance to be saved, because of the hardness of their mind.

Mat 13:5 “And others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. -  In this verse we see an example of another mind. This mind at lease have some soil among the rock. The rock are certain strong hold or belief system that prevent the word from maturing. The little soil like a little knowledge of Torah, but a lot more of religion, makes this mind a rocky place. This person upon been saved, should visit the Pastor who will help them to remove those strong or hard areas in their mind.

Mat 13:6 “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered. – The sun here speaks of the daily influence of life pressure, the word that was planted will be of no effect. An example: You might tell a person that it is essential for them to keep the Sabbath, yet because of their financial situation, they would go out and sell on the Sabbath.

Justifying that they have no choise. Or it could be a Sunday worshiper who would say that Sunday is their day of worship. The hard area in this case is the religious belief. Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? Saith YAHVEH; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Mat 13:7 “And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. – in this verse we see another personality been discribe as thorn. Thorn in this spiritual sence speak of thorn in the spirit, such as depression and physological matters. Some of these thorns or circumstance such as depression, child abuss, substance abuss. Again, a visit to a good Pastor/Counselor will be able to remove these thorns from one mind. Luk 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Mat 13:8 “And others fell on good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. – Notice that the parable, the Kabalistic teaching describe the yield in three level, those in the Holy of Holies produce a hundredfold, those in the Holy place sixty, and those in the outer court thirty. Luke 13:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring  forth fruit with patience.

Mat 13:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” – He who has a spiritual ear to hear they will hear. It is not everyone who say Master, Master are His people, it  is those who does the Will of the Creator.

Mat 13:10 And the taught ones came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in “Kabbalah” parables?” - To this question Yahushua HaMashiach answers, where He tells them, Why He teached them using Kabalistic, because the things of YAHVEH were made more plain and easy to them who were willingly ignorant; and therefore the gospel would be a savor of life to some, and of death to others.

A parable, like the pillar of cloud and fire, turns a dark side towards Egyptians, which confounds them, but a light side towards Yisraelites, which comforts them, and so answers a double intention. The same light directs the eyes of some, but dazzles the eyes of others. Kabbalah teachers use the thing in the natural to teach a spiritual meaning.

Mat 13:11 And He answering, said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, but to them it has not been given. –  This reason is taught them: Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

That is, the Holy Spirit inparticular the Spirit of Understanding will enlighten the mind of those who desire to reach maturity. The disciples had knowledge, but the people had not.

You already know something of these mysteries, and need not to be instructed; but the people who have not develop the Spirit of Understanding, are ignorant, are yet but babes, and must be taught as such by plain similitudes, being yet incapable of receiving instruction in any other way: for Though they have eyes, they know not how to use them; so some.

Mat 13:12 “For whoever possesses, to him more shall be given, and he shall have overflowingly; but whoever does not possess, even what he possesses shall be taken away from him. -   The disciples were well inclined to the Understanding and knowledge of the mysteries of Kabbalah, and would search into the parables or Kabbalah, and by them would be led into a more intimate acquaintance with those mysteries. The definition of Kabbalah is how to received, but the carnal hearers does no know how to hearing, and would not be at the pains to look further, nor to ask the meaning of the parables, they would never be the wiser, and so would suffer for their remissions. Those who study Kabbalah knew how to gain spiritual wisdom from every situation.

A parable or Kabbalah is a shell that keeps good fruit for those with the Spirit of Understanding, but keeps it from the slothful. There are mysteries in the kingdom of the heavens, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: Messiyah’s incarnation, satisfaction, intercession, our justification and sanctification by union with Messiyah, and indeed the whole work of redemption, from first to last, are mysteries, which could never have been discovered, but by divine revelation (1 Co. 15:51), were already discovered buy o the disciples, and will never be fully discovered till the veil shall be rent; but the mysteriousness of gospel truth should not discourage us from, but quicken us in, our enquiries after it and searches into it.

It is graciously given to the disciples of Messiyah, those who are building their Menorah, those who are experiencing the different days of Creation, to be acquainted with these mysteries.

The Spirit of Truth is the first gift of YAHVEH, and from this Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding is developed. It was given to the Apostles, because they were constant followers and attendant of Messiyah. The more we build our Menorah the more we become like Messiyah, and the more we converse with Him, the better acquainted we shall be with the mysteries of the gospel.

 It is given to all true believers, who have an experimental understanding and knowledge of the gospel mysteries, and that is without doubt the best knowledge. A principle of grace in the heart, is that which makes men of quick understanding in the fear of YAHVEH, and in the faith of Messiyah, and so in the meaning of parables; and for want of that, Nicodemus, a master in Yisrael, talked of the new birth as a blind man.

There are those to whom this knowledge is not given, and a man can receive nothing unless it be given him from above (Jn. 3:27); and be it remembered that YAHVEH is debtor to no man; HIS grace is HIS own; HE gives or withholds it at pleasure (Rom. 11:35); the difference must be resolved into YAH’s sovereignty, as before, ch. 11:25, 26.

This reason is further illustrated by the rule YAHVEH observes in dispensing HIS gifts; HE bestows them on those who improve themselves spiritually, but takes them away from those who bury them. It is a rule among men, that they will rather entrust their money with those who have increased their estates by their industry, than with those who have diminished them by their slothfulness.

 Here is a promise to him that has, that has true grace, that has, and uses what he has; he shall have more abundance: YAH’s favours are earnests of further favours; where HE lays the foundation, HE will build upon it. Messiyah’s disciples used the knowledge they now had, and they had more abundance at the pouring out of the Spirit, Acts 2. They who enjoy the benifits of grace, shall have the increase of grace, even to an abundance in glory, Prov. 4:18. Yoseph, he will add, Gen. 30:24.

Here is a point to him that does not have understanding, that has no desire of grace, that makes no right use of the gifts and graces he has: has not root, no solid principle; that has, but uses not what he has; from him shall be taken away that which he has or seems to have. His leaves shall wither, his gifts decay; the means of grace he has, and makes no use of, shall be taken from him; YAHVEH will call in HIS talents out of their hands that are likely to become bankrupts quickly.

This reason is particularly explained, with reference to the two sorts of people Yahushua HaMashiach had to deal with.

Mat 13:13 “Because of this I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. – Some were willingly ignorant; and such were amused by the parables ; because they seeing, see not. They had shut their eyes against the clear light of Messiyah’s Kabbalah Teachings, and therefore were now left in the dark. Seeing Messiyah in person, they see not his glory, see no difference between him and another man; seeing His miracles, and hearing His teaching, they see not, they hear not with any concern or application; they understand neither.

There are many that see the gospel light, and hear the gospel sound, but it never reaches their hearts, nor has it found any place in them. The reason for this is that we have neve been taught how to build our Menorah.

This entail asking for the Spirit of Truth in our first year of been saved, pray for the Spirit of Wisdom, and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Authority, the Spirit of knowledge and the Fear of YAHVEH. Revelation 5:6 says that these are our “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of YAHVEH sent forth into all the earth.”

It is just with YAHVEH to withold the Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding from those who shut their mind againt HIS Commandments. Such that are ignorant, of who they are in Messiyah will never achieve perfection. YAH’s dealing with those who are eagar to build they Menorah, HE will magnifies HIS distinguishing grace to them.

Now in this the scripture would be fulfilled. It is quoted from Isa. 6:9, 10. The evangelical prophet that spoke most plainly of gospel grace, foretold the contempt of it, and the consequences of that contempt. It is referred to no less than six times in the renew Covenant, which intimates, that in gospel times spiritual judgments would be most common, which make least noise, but are most dreadful.

That which was spoken of the sinners in Isaiah’s time was fulfilled in those in Messiyah’s time, and it is still fulfilling everyday; for while the wicked heart of man keeps up the same sin, the righteous hand of YAHVEH inflicts the same punishment. Here is:

First. A description of sinners’ willful blindness and hardness, which is their sin. This people’s heart is waxed gross; it is fattened, so the word is; which denotes both sensuality and senselessness (Ps. 119:70); secure under the word and rod of YAHVEH, and scornful as Jeshurun, that waxed fat and kicked, Deu. 32:15. And when the heart is thus heavy, no wonder that the ears are dull of hearing; the whispers of the Spirit they hear not at all; the loud calls of the word, Though the word be nigh them, they regard not, nor are at all affected by them: they stop their ears, Ps. 58:4.

Because they are resolved to be ignorant, they shut both the learning senses; for their eyes also they have closed, resolved that they would not see light come into the world, when the Son of Righteousness arose, but they shut their windows, because they loved darkness rather than light, Jn. 3:19; 2 Pt. 3:5.

Secondly, A description of that judicial blindness, which is the just punishment of this. "By hearing, ye shall hear, and shall not understand; what means of grace you have, shall be to no purpose to you; Though, in mercy to others, they are continued, yet in judgment to you, the blessing upon them is denied.’’ The saddest condition a man can be in on this side hell is to sit under the liveliest ordinances with a dead, stupid, untouched heart, or an undeveloped Menorah. Obedient to the Word of YAHVEH help us to build our Menorah. John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that HE may abide with you forever; 17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Mat 13:14 “And in them the prophecy of Yeshayahu is completely filled, which says, ‘Hearing you shall hear and by no means understand, and seeing you shall see and by no means perceive, - To hear YAH’s word, and see his providences, and yet not to understand and perceive HIS Will, either in the one or in the other, is the greatest sin and the greatest judgment that can be. It is YAH’s work to give an understanding heart, and he often, in a way of righteous judgment, denies it to those to whom he has given the hearing ear, and the seeing eye, in vain. Does YAHVEH choose sinners’ delusions (Isa. 66:4), and bind them over to the greatest ruin, by giving them up to their own hearts’ lusts (Ps. 81:11, 12); let them alone (Hos. 4:17); my Spirit shall not always strive, Gen. 6:3.

Thirdly, The woeful effect and consequence of this; lest at any time they should see. They will not see because they will not turn; and YAHVEH says that they shall not see, because they shall not turn: lest they should be converted, and I should heal them.

Unless one listens with the Spirit of Understanding, I do not care how brilliant you are, you will not understand the Spirit of the Word.

Mat 13:15 for the heart of this people has become thickened, and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart, and turn back, and I heal them.’ – That spiritual seeing, hearing, and understanding, is necessary for Sanctification. For YAHVEH, in working grace, deals with men as men, as rational agents; HE draws with the cords of a man, changes the heart by opening his spiritual eyes by helping him to build his Menorah with the Help of the Holy Spirit, turns him from the power of Satan unto YAHVEH, by turning first from darkness to light, (Acts 26:18).

All those who are truly converted to the Kingdom, shall certainly complete building their Menorah by experiencing each day of Creation. "If they be converted I shall heal them, I shall save them:’’ so that if sinners perish, it is not to be imputed to YAHVEH, but to themselves; they foolishly expected to be healed, without being converted.

It is just with YAHVEH to deny HIS grace to those who have long and often refused the proposals of coming into HIS fullness. Hebrew 4:1. Pharaoh, for a good while, hardened his own heart (Ex. 8:15, 32), and afterwards YAHVEH hardened his heart by removing the Spirit from him, ch. 9:12; 10:20. Let us therefore fear, lest by sinning we come short of the Kingdom.

Mat 13:16 “And blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear, - Others were effectually called to be the disciples of Messiyah, and were truly desirous to be taught by the Holy Spirit; and they were instructed, and made to improve greatly in knowledge, by these parables, especially when they were expounded; and by them the things of YAHVEH were made more plain and easy, more intelligible and familiar, and more apt to be remembered.

Your eyes see, your ears hear. They saw the glory of YAHVEH in Messiyah’s person; they heard the mind of YAHVEH in Messiyah’s doctrine; they saw much, and were desirous to see more, and thereby were prepared to receive further instruction; they had opportunity for it, by being constant attendants on Messiyah, and they should have it from day to day, and grace with it.

Now this Messiyah speaks of, as a blessing; "Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; it is your glorification, and it is a happiness for which you are indebted to the peculiar favor and blessing of YAHVEH.’’ 

It is a promised blessing, that in the days of the Messiyah the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, Isa. 32:3. The eyes of the meanest believer that knows experimentally the grace of Messiyah, are more blessed than those of the greatest scholars, the greatest masters in experimental philosophy, that are strangers to YAHVEH; who, like the other gods they serve, have eyes, and see not.

Blessed are your eyes. True blessedness is entailed upon the right understanding and due improvement of the mysteries of the kingdom of YAHVEH. The hearing ear and the Seeing Eye are YAH’s work in those who are sanctified; they are the work of his grace (Prov. 20:12), and they are a blessed work, which shall be fulfilled with power, when those who now see through a glass darkly, shall see face to face.

It was to illustrate this blessedness that Messiyah said so much of the misery of those who are left in ignorance; they have eyes and see not; but blessed are your eyes.  The knowledge of Messiyah is a distinguishing favor to those who have it, and upon that account it lies under the greater obligations; see Jn. 14:22. The apostles were to teach others, and therefore were themselves blessed with the clearest discoveries of divine truth. The watchmen shall see eye to eye, Isa. 52:8.

Mat 13:17 for truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. - As a transcendent blessing, desired by, but not granted to, many prophets and righteous men. The Old-Testament saints, who had some glimpses, some glimmerings of gospel light, coveted earnestly further discoveries.

They had the types, shadows, and prophecies, of those things but longed to see the Substance, that glorious end of those things which they could not steadfastly look unto; that glorious inside of those things which they could not look into.

They desired to see the great Salvation, the Consolation of Yisrael, but did not see it, because the fullness of time was not yet come.

First, Those who know something of Messiyah cannot but covet to know more.

Secondly, The discoveries of divine grace are made, even to prophets and righteous men, but according to the dispensation they are under. Though they were the favorites of heaven, with whom YAH’s secret was, yet they have not seen the things which they desired to see, because YAHVEH had determined not to bring them to light yet; and his favors shall not anticipate his counsels. There was then, as there is still, a glory to be revealed; something in reserve that they without us should not be made perfect, Heb. 11:40.

Thirdly, For the exciting of our thankfulness, and the quickening of our diligence, it is good for us to consider what means we enjoy, and what discoveries are made to us, now under the gospel, above what they had, and enjoyed, who lived under the pre Messiyah Gospel, especially in the revelation of the atonement for sin; see what are the advantages of the post Messiyah Gospel (2 Co. 3:7, etc. Heb. 12:18); and see that our understanding or improvements be proportion able to our advantages.

Mat 13:18 “You, then, hear the parable of the sower: - We have, in these verses, one of the parables which our Savior put forth; it is that of the sower and the seed; both the parable itself, and the explanation of it.

Messiyah’s parables or Kabbalah teachings comes from common, ordinary things, not from any philosophical notions or speculations, or the unusual phenomena of nature, Though applicable enough to the matter in hand, but from the most obvious things, that are of every day’s observation, and come within the reach of the meanest capacity.

Many of them are fetched from the husbandman’s calling, as this of the sower, and that of the tears. Messiyah chose to do teach by. That spiritual things might be made more plain, and, by familiar similitude’s, might be made the more easy to slide into our understandings.

That common actions might hereby be spiritualized, and we might take occasion from those things which fall so often under our view, to meditate with delight on the things of YAHVEH; and thus, when our hands are busiest about the world, we may not only notwithstanding that, but even with the help of that, be led to have our hearts in heaven. The word of YAHVEH shall talk with us; talk familiarly with us, Prov. 6:22.

The parable of the sower is plain enough, verses 3-9. The exposition of it we have from Messiyah Himself, who knew best what His own meaning was. The disciples, when they asked, Why speaks You unto them in Kabbalah? verse 10, intimated a desire to have the parable explained for the sake of the people; nor was it any disparagement to their own knowledge to desire it for themselves. Our Messiyah Yahushua kindly took the hint, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the parable, directing His discourse to the disciples, but in the hearing of the multitude, for we have not the account of His dismissing them till verse 36. "Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower; you have heard it, but let us go over it again.’’

 It is of good use, and would contribute much to our understanding the word and profiting by it, to hear over again what we have heard (Phil. 3:1); "You have heard it, but hear the interpretation of it.’’ Then only we hear the word aright, and for a good purpose, when we understand what we hear; it is no hearing at all, if it is not with the spirit of understanding, Neh. 8:2. It is YAH’s Spirit that gives the spirit of understanding, but it is our duty to ask daily for the spirit of understand, Isaiah 11:2.

Mat 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the reign, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside. -  Let us therefore compare the parable and the exposition.

The seed sown is the Torah, here called the word of the kingdom : the kingdom of the Heavens; the kingdoms of the world, compared with that, are not to be called kingdoms. The Torah is the Constitution of the Kingdom of The Heavens; it is the word of the King, and where that is, there is power. It is the constitution or a the law, by which we must conduct, ruled and governed our lives.

According to Kabbalah word is the seed sown, which seems like a dead, dry thing, but all the essence of the seed is virtual. It is a incorruptible seed (1 Pt. 1:23); it is the Word that brings forth fruit in souls, Col. 1:5, 6.

The sower that scatters the seed is our Messiyah Yahushua, or by His Evangelic ministers. The people are YAH’s husbandry, HIS tillage, so the word is; and ministers are laborers together with YAHVEH, 1 Co. 3:9 ‘For we are laborers together with YAHVEH: ye are YAH's husbandry, ye are YAH's building’. Preaching to a multitude is sowing the corn; we know not where it must land. The Ministry responsibility is to faithfully sown and be sure to sow in every field. The sowing of the word is the sowing to a people in YAH’s field, the corn of his floor, Isa. 21:10.

The ground in which this seed is sown is the minds of the children of men, which are of different quality and disposition, and accordingly, the success of the word is different. The heart of man is like soil, capable of improvement, of bearing good fruit; it is pity it should lie fallow, or be like the field of the slothful, Prov. 24:30.

The soul or the Mind is the proper place for the Torah to dwell, and work, and rule in; its operation is upon conscience, it is to light the Menorah of YAHVEH. Much like when the Ten Commandments were place inside the Ark of the Covenant.

According to the day of Creation we have experience, so the word is to us: The reception depends upon the receiver. As it is with the earth; some sort of ground, take ever so much pains with it, and throw ever so good seed into it, yet it brings forth no fruit to any purpose; while the good soil brings forth plentifully: so it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters are here represented by four sorts of ground, of which three are bad, and but one good. The number of fruitless hearers is very great, even of those who heard Messiyah Himself.

Who has believed our report? It is a melancholy prospect which this parable gives us of the congregations of those who hear the gospel preached, that scarcely one in four brings forth fruit to perfection. Many are called with the common call, but in few is the eternal choice evidenced by the efficacy of that call, ch. 20:16.

Now observe the characters of these four kinds of mind. The highway ground, verse 4–10. Is the pathways through their corn-fields (ch. 12:1), and the seed that fell on them did not find a suitable area to grow, and so the birds came and picked up the seed that fell there.

First, What kind of hearers are compared to the highway ground; such as hear the word and understand it not; and it is their own fault that they do not. They take no heed to it, take no hold of it; they do not come with any design to improve spiritually, as the highway was never intended to be sown. They come before YAHVEH as HIS people come, and sit before Him and sit where HIS people sit; but it is merely for fashion-sake, to see and be seen; they mind was not what is said, it comes in at one ear and goes out at the other, and makes no impression.

Secondly, How they come to be unprofitable hearers. The wicked one that is the devil, cometh and catches away that which was sown. Such mindless, careless, trifling hearers are an easy prey to Satan; who, as he is the great murderer of souls, so he is the great thief of sermons, and will be sure to rob us of the word, if we do not ask for the Spirit of Understanding when we listen, it is the same as not taken care to keep the Word. As the birds pick up the seed that falls on the ground that is neither ploughed before nor harrowed after, so is the Word like water on a ducks back, it has no staying power.

If we break not up the fallow ground, by preparing our hearts for the word, and humbling them to it, and engaging our own attention; and if we cover not the seed afterwards, by meditation and prayer; if we give not a more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, our mind has become like the highway ground.

The devil is a sworn enemy to our profiting by the word of Torah; and none do more befriend his design than heedless hearers, who are thinking of something else, when they should be thinking of the things that belong to their peace.

That is why when the Word of YAHVEH is been read, we must stop all that we are doing and pay strict attention.

Mat 13:20 “And that sown on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, - The stony ground. Some fell upon stony places verses 5, 6, which represent a type of hearers that go further than the former, who receive some good impressions of the word, but they are not lasting.

It is possible for us to be a bit better than some, and yet not be as good as we should be; we may even go beyond our neighbors spiritually, and yet come short of the Ultimate Destination.

Now observe, concerning these hearers that are represented by the stony ground, First, How far they went. They hear the word; they turn neither their backs upon it, nor a deaf ear to it. Hearing the word, and then questioning the relevance of that Word for today, is a person with a Stony heart. 

They are quick in hearing, swift to hear, they immediately received it, forthwith it sprung up verse 5, the sooner it appeared above ground than that which was sown in the good soil, a conflict develop to risist it. Hypocrites often get the start of true Messiyanic in the shows of profession, and are often too hot to hold. They received it straightway, without trying it; swallows it without chewing, and then there can never be a good digestion. Those are most likely to hold fast that which is good, that prove all things, 1 Th. 5:21.

They receive it with joy. There are many that are very glad to go to a Torah Study, that yet it does not profit them; they may be pleased with the word, and yet no changed is seen in their behaviour or desire. The heart may melt under the word, and yet not be melted down by the word, much less moulded by it. Many taste the good word of Torah (Heb. 6:5), and say they find sweetness in it, but some human desire become a stumbling block, which it would not agree with, and so they rejected the Word.

They endure for awhile, like a violent motion, which continues as long as the impression of the force remains, but ceases when that influence has spent itself. Many endure for awhile, that do not endure to the end, and so come short of the happiness which is promised to them only that persevere (ch. 10:22); they did run well, but something hindered them, Gal. 5:7.

Secondly, How their blossom fell away, so that no fruit was brought to perfection; no more than the corn, that having no depth of earth from which to draw moisture, is scorched and withered by the heat of the sun.

The reason is, they have no root in themselves, no settled, fixed principles in their judgments, no firm resolution in their purpose, nor any rooted habits in their affections: nothing firm that will be either the strength of their profession.

It is possible there may be the green gain of a profession, where there is no root of Understanding; hardness prevails in the heart, and whatever ewswmblance there is of soil of faith, it is only on the surface; inwardly they are nothing but a heart of stone; they have nowere to establish a root, they do not have the Spirit of truth well establish in the Messiyah Name; they derive nothing from Him, they depend not on Him, or He would have send the Holy Spirit to them.

Where there is not application of faith in Messiyah, though there be a profession of it, we cannot expect any spiritual growth. Those who have no dept in faith will endure for awhile. As a ship without ballast, though she may at first out-sail the laden vessel, yet will certainly fail in stress of weather, and never make it to port.

When times of trial come, they will come to nothing. When tribulation and persecution arise because of the Word, he is offended; it is a stumbling-block in his way which he cannot get over, and so he flies off, and this is all his profession comes to.

After an spiritual principle is taught, it is usually followed by a storm of persecution, to try those who have received the Word of Torah in sincerity, and who have not. When the Torah of Messiyah’s kingdom comes to be the Torah of Messiyah’s patience (Rev. 3:10), then the trial will come to establish those, who accept it, and who does not, Rev. 1:9.

It is wisdom to prepare for such a day. When trying times come, those who have no root are soon offended; they first argue over their profession, and then quit it, they first find fault with the Word and those who keep it as been to legal, and then throw it and them off. Hence we read of the offence of the cross, Gal. 5:11.

Persecution is represented in the parable by the scorching sun verse 6; the same sun which warms and cherishes that which was well rooted, withers and burns up that which establish no root.

As the Torah of Messiyah, so the cross of Messiyah, is to some a path way unto eternal life, to others a pathway unto death: the same tribulation which drives some to apostasy and ruin, works for others a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Trials which shake some, confirm others, Phil. 1:12.

How soon they fall away, by and by; as soon rotten as they were ripe; a profession taken up without consideration is commonly let fall without it: "Lightly come, lightly go.’’

The thorny ground, some fell among thorns (which are a good guard to the corn when they are in the hedge, but a bad inmate when they are in the field); and the thorns sprung up, which intimates that they did not appear, or but little, when the corn was sown, but afterwards they proved choking to it, verse 7.

Mat 13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. -  This verse went further than the former, for it had root; and it represents the condition of those who do not cast off their fleshly profession, and yet come short of any saving benefit by it; the good they gain by the word, being insensibly overcome and overborne by the things of the world. Prosperity destroys the word in the heart, as much as persecution does; and more dangerously, because more silently: the stones spoiled the root, the thorns spoil the fruit.

Now what are these choking thorns? First, The cares of this world. Care for the Kingdom of darkness would cannot provide enough spiritual light for the seed of the spiritual wolrd to establish any roots. In Kabbalah, a story never relates to what your hear, it is always describing a principle. Every principle here on earth has a spiritual root, thorns represent sin, and are a fruit of the curse; they are good in their essence, because thorn bush does not produce an type of fruit, but a man must be well armed to deals with it (2 Sa. 23:6, 7); they are entangling, vexing, scratching, and their end is to be irritated, Heb. 6:8.

These thorns choke the good seed in an individual. Worldly cares are great hindrances to our spiritually profiting from Torah, and our proficiency in religion. They eat up that vigor of soul which should be spent in divine worship; divert us from duty, distract us in duty, and do us most mischief of all afterwards; quenching the sparks of good affections, and bursting the cords of good resolutions; those who are careful and cumbered about many things, commonly neglect the one thing that is most needful.

Mat 13:22 “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the worry of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.¹ Footnote: ¹Lk. 21:34, 2 Tim. 3:4. - The deceitfulness of riches. Those who, by their care and industry, have raised estates, and so the danger that arises from care seems to be over, and they continue hearers of the word, yet are still in a snare (Jer. 5:4, 5); it is hard for them to enter into the kingdom of the Heavens: they are apt to promise themselves that in riches which is not in them; to rely upon them, and to take an inordinate complacency in them; and this chokes the word as much as care did.

It is not so much riches, as the deceitfulness of riches that does the mischief: now they cannot be said to be deceitful to us unless we put our confidence in them, and raise our expectations from them, and then it is that they choke the good seed.

Mat 13:23 “And that sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”  - The good ground, verse 18; others fell into good ground, and it is pity but that good seed should always meet with good soil, and then there is no loss; such are good hearers of the word.

 Though there are many that receive the Word of YAHVEH, and the word of HIS grace, in vain, yet YAHVEH has a remnant by whom it is received to good purpose; for YAH’s Torah shall not return empty, Isa. 55:10, 11.

Now that, which distinguished this good ground from the rest, was, in one word, fruitfulness. By this true Messiyanic are distinguished from hypocrites, that they bring forth the fruits of righteousness; so shall ye be my disciples, Jn. 15:8. He does not say that this good ground has no stones in it, or no thorns; but there were none that prevailed to hinder its fruitfulness. Saints, in this world, are not perfectly free from the remains of sin; but happily freed from the reign of it.

The hearers represented by the good ground are,

First, Intelligent hearers; they hear Torah with the Spirit of Understanding; they understand not only the sense and meaning of the Word, but how it should affect their individual lives; they understand it as a man of business understands his  own business. YAHVEH in HIS Torah deals with men as men, in a rational way, and gains possession of the will and affections by opening the understanding: whereas Satan, who is a thief and a robber, comes not in by that door, but climbed up another way.

Secondly, Fruitful hearers are one who gains Knowledge, which is an evidence of their good understanding: which also bear fruit. Without the Spirit of Understanding there is no Spirit of Knowledge, and without walking in that Knowledge the is no walking in the Spirit of Wisdom.

When we are admonish to walk in the Spirit it is to exercise the Spirit of Wisdom. As a fruit of a tree display the nature of the parent tree. Fruit is to every seed its own body, a substantial product in the heart and life, agreeable to the seed of the word received.

We then bear fruit, when we practice according to the word; when the temper of our minds and the tenor of our lives are conformable to the gospel we have received, and we do as we are taught.

Thirdly, Not all alike fruitful; some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.  Among fruitful Messiyanic, some are more fruitful than others: where there is true grace, yet there are degrees of it; some are of greater attainments in Wisdom, knowledge and understanding than others; all Messiyah’s scholars are not in the same form. Some is in the first day of Creation, while some are in the second, or third, or forth, or fifth, or even sixth. But blessed are those who are in the seventh day. If one does not observe the seventh day as the Sabbath they cannot achieve this lofty goal.

 We should aim at the highest degree, to bring forth a hundred-fold, as Isaac’s ground did (Gen. 26:12), abounding in the work of Messiyah, Jn. 15:8. But if the ground be good, and the fruit right, the heart honest, and the life of a piece with it, those who bring forth but thirty-fold shall be graciously accepted of YAHVEH, and it will be fruit abounding to their account, for we are under grace, and not under the law.

Lastly, He closes the parable with a solemn call to attention verse 9, who hath ears to hear, let him hear. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing the word Torah. Some are for hearing sweet melody, their ears are only the daughters of music (Eccl. 12:4): there is no melody like that of the word of Torah: others are for hearing new things, (Acts 17:21); no news like that.