Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Have you ever found yourself thinking, if God really loves me, why did he allow this to happen to me? We don't usually question whether God can help us. We question whether he truly has our best interests at heart. Israel had seen miracles, walk through the sea and witness God's presence every day for 40 years. Yet in this week's Torah reading, Moses says they still didn't believe in him. Not because they doubted his power, but because they questioned, questioned his heart. And that silent doubt shaped the destiny of an entire generation. And it may be shaping yours as well. Discover why in this week's five minute tour.
[00:00:42] Shalom and Blessings from Shalom Macon, the place where disciples of Yeshua learn, connect and grow. I'm Darin and before getting into the five minutes of my five minute tour commentary, let's cover a few quick facts and about this week's Torah portion. This week we are studying the 44th Torah portion and the first portion of the Book of Deuteronomy. We are in the portion of Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1 3:22 and here are the three things that you need to know about it. Number one 40 years in review Lessons from the Wilderness Devarim opens with Moses looking back over Israel's 40 year journey through the wilderness. He recounts their victories, their failures, and God's unwavering faithfulness. Not simply to retell history, but to prepare a new generation for the future. The wilderness had shaped them, but one question remained. Would they carry the same fear, stubbornness and rebellion into the Promised Land? Or would they finally become the people God had been forming all along? Number two Hidden in plain sight the Code of Rebuke Devarim begins with what seems like a simple list of place names. But many of these locations don't appear anywhere else in scripture, and the sages suggest that these aren't locations at all. Instead, they're subtle reminders of Israel's past failures, the golden calf, their complaints, their rebellions. Rather than publicly embarrassing the people, Moses weaves his rebuke into these carefully chosen references, preserving their dignity while still calling them to repentance. It's a powerful reminder that correction is most effective when it's spoken with both truth and compassion. And number three, the covenant renewed, Preparing the next generation. Devarim isn't merely a history lesson. It's a covenant renewal. The generation that stood trembling at Mount Sinai has nearly passed away. Now Moses speaks to their children, calling them to embrace that very same covenant. Faith isn't something they can inherit, just like family heirlooms it must become their own. The same is true for every generation. Our calling is not simply to preserve the faith, but to pass it on in such a way that our children make it their own. I have some exciting news to share. My newest book, Lost in Prayer, is expected to be released in just a few weeks on August 4th. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the sudur, wonder why Jewish prayer is structured the way it is, or long to experience a deeper connection with God through prayer, this book is for you. Lost in Prayer is a practical, messianic guide designed to help you navigate the prayers, understand their meaning, and discover the beauty that has drawn generations of worshipers into God's presence. While you're waiting for its release, I'd love to invite you to check out one of my other books. And whether it's the Four Responsibilities of a Disciple, the Spirit of the Law, cup of Redemption, eight Lights, or one of my Five Minute Torah books, I hope they encourage you as you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord. This week's Torah commentary is called Faith and Disbelief and comes from my book, Five Minute Torah, Volume one. In our Torah portion this week, Moses begins by giving a brief overview of the last 40 years of the Children of Israel's journey in the wilderness. One of the first events he brings to their attention is the evil report about the land and how that report put fear into their hearts, keeping them from entering the land as the Lord intended. He makes a point to remind them that because of this one event, all of God's plans for them were put on hold and they had been suffering the consequences of this for the last 40 years. Then I said to you, do not be in dread or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt, before your eyes and in the wilderness where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you as a man carries his son, or all the way that you went until you came to this place. Yet in spite of this word, you did not believe in the Lord your God. Deuteronomy, chapter 1, verses 29 through 32 in this rebuke he says that the children of Israel did not believe in the Lord your God.
[00:04:34] What did Moses mean when he said that they did not believe in God? Does it mean they didn't believe in his existence? How could they not? They had seen his miracles, his signs and his wonders. They had seen his deliverance firsthand. So what did Moses mean? If we backtrack a few verses, we will Find the real issue at hand. Moses reminds them how they initially responded when they received the instruction to enter the land. They said, because the Lord hated us, he has brought us out of the land of Egypt. This is Deuteronomy 1:27. Because he hated them. Yes, their disbelief in God wasn't about whether or not they believed in his existence or or if he had the ability to do miracles on their behalf. Their disbelief was rooted in their own doubt of God's love for them. Sure, he could do incredible things, but why didn't he just remove all the obstacles and teleport them into the promised land? Why did they still have to fight and toil and labor if God really loved them? This is one aspect of their disbelief. Let's look at another. The Hebrew root behind this word believe is emunah. This is the same word we translate as faith. But let's look at its very first use in the Bible to discover something interesting. When Israel was battling against Amalek, the position of Moses Hands was important to their victory. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. And whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands grew weary. So they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it hold while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun and Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Exodus 17:11 13 when it said Moses Hands were steady. The original word here is emunah. In other words, Moses Hands remained faithful and true. They did not waver due to the assistance of Aharon and Hur. Moses sayings remained true the entire day throughout the course of the battle. They could be trusted. To not fail to have emunah in someone or something is to place a confiding trust in them, so much so that you are devoted to them. Despite the challenges that may arise along the journey of life. In a relationship, that means both trust and devotion are central. When one of these components is missing, the relationship will crumble. One person may have trust in God, but not faithfulness. Another may have faithfulness but not trust. Both of these scenarios, however, lack true faith. True biblical faith is expressed through both trust and faithfulness. When we apply this to our relationship with God, we must ask ourselves if we are expressing both of these qualities, if we are lacking either one, that our faith in him is also lacking. As Moses prepares a new generation to enter the Promised Land, he reminds them that following God has never been about mere belief. It's always been about covenantal faithfulness. That's the heart of devaring, helping a new generation understand who they are and what God has called them to become. And speaking of calling, God doesn't give everyone the same responsibilities. If you missed last week's episode, you definitely want to watch it. Next. We tackled one of the most controversial questions in the New Testament. Why did Paul circumcise Timothy but not Titus? The answer may surprise you, and it has implications that reach far beyond those two men. You can check it out right here.
