Deuteronomy 29:9-14:
"You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD (YHVH) the heads of your tribes, your elders, your officers, all the men of Israel, your children and women, the proselyte who is in the midst of your camp from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water, to pass into the covenant of YHVH your Elohim who seals with you today, in order to establish you today as a people to Him........Not with you alone do I seal this covenant, but whoever is here, standing with us today before YHVH, our God, and with whoever is NOT here with us today."
The grammar starts out plural (Atem) "you all" or in Texan "Ya'all" but Moses also uses the singular form of you. This is one of his final speeches as he gets ready to die, but before that, elects his successor (Joshua) to lead the people into the Promised Land. What is he saying here? He is saying that the covenant of God is a covenant relationship with ALL people, of ALL types, both genders, all professions, all job descriptions, Adonai does not leave anyone out. All Persons included (plural) to establish "Amekha" (people) as a singular, united people. As ONE nation.
If this speech were intended for us, (and it is) it would probably read; "You are standing today, all of you, before God, all you mayors, governors, city council members, sanitation workers, clerks, plumbers, HVAC workers, engineers, lawyers, day-laborers, etc... To enter into covenant with God.
The Mosaic covenant was based on obedience to the commandments, God's Torah, but it was also based on blood sacrifices, the blood of clean animals, whose blood "covered" sin for a year, and after Yom Kippur, for another year. All the animals sacrificed were "shadows" of "who" would come in the future to pay the price of sin, once and for all time; Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ). No wonder Paul said that the "New Covenant" was a "better" covenant, not based on the blood of animals, but on God's own blood in human form.
"standing with US today..." that might include "Elohim" who is the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. and who are those who are NOT there?
Were YOU there? I wasn't, and neither were you. We were all in the endless mind of God who had a special plan in time for all of us. NOW is our time, back then was the time for Moses.
Entering into a special relationship with God through Yeshua is for ALL people, 24-7. Back then, they looked forward to Calvary, and we look back towards the cross. God saw the faith of those who were with Moses. God sees our faith today and will see the faith of those who will follow us. There is no excuse NOT to enter into a covenant of faith. We have ALL been counted in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Deuteronomy 31: 1
"I am 120 years old today, I can no longer go out and come in..."
This speech was made on Moses' birthday, whenever that was. The Bible doesn't record exact dates for birthdays, however, we know that Moses was born for a special reason and purpose. God divided his life into 3 parts; the first 40 years, the second 40 years, and the final 40 years. The first 40 were in Egypt as a prince and probably Army commander. Then, for 40 years, he was a shepherd working for Jethro, his father-in-law, (quite a change) from commanding troops to commanding sheep. Then, the final 40 as God's chosen leader to take Israel out of Egypt and lead them to the border of the Promised Land. Imagine that, he "began" his ministry at 80 years of age, before that, he was in training.
"Going out and coming in" We might say that in those 40 years, we went "out" to the tent of meeting to intercede before his people, and he "came in" to the camp to convey God's messages. That might be one way we could look at that statement.
Yeshua "went out" from Heaven and "came into" our lives to pay the price of sin. As He left "for Heaven" again, he ordered his disciples to go into the world and preach the gospel to all nations. He has left behind leaders, rabbis, pastors, ministers, etc to do HIS Work and teach his WORD. That includes all of us.
There will be time when we will celebrate our last birthday in this world, yet continue our existence in the World to Come. Joshua (Yehoshua) or "Yeshua" took the people over the border, Yeshua will also take us over the border from planet Earth to planet Heaven, are you ready for that day?
Shalom.
Just returned back to El Salvador from a trip to Houston. I like the weather here better. Needed to get some papers for Salvadoran residency, I am here to stay. This Friday starts "Rosh HaShannah" or "Yom Teruah" the day of shofar sounding" get ready, the King is coming!
