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P150 Parash 46 Ekev (Because) D’Varim/ Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
Synopsis – In the Parshah of Eikev ("Because"), Moshe continues his closing address to the Children of Israel, promising them that if they will fulfill the commandments (Mitzvot) of the Torah, they will prosper in the Land they are about to conquer and settle in keeping with God's promise to their forefathers. We see the promise from Yehovah over and over throughout this parasha. We once again see the love letter from Yehovah. “He will love you, bless you and increase your numbers..” Moshe also rebukes them for their failings in their first generation as a people, recalling their worship of the Golden Calf, the rebellion of Korach, the sin of the Spies, their angering of Yehovah at Taveirah, Massah and Kivrot Hataavah (the fascinating meaning behind the names) "You have been rebellious against Yehovah," he says to them, "since the day I knew you." But he also speaks of Yehovah's forgiveness (Grace) of their sins, and the Second Tablets which God inscribed and gave to them following their repentance. Their 40 years in the desert, says Moshe to the people, during which Yehovah sustained them with daily manna (What this) from heaven, was to teach them "that man does not live on bread alone, but by the utterance of Yehovah's mouth does man live." How the Lord puts us in the desert to be chastised but also to be alone with Him. Moshe describes the land they are about to enter as "flowing with Chalav (milk) and Devash (honey)", blessed with the "Seven Kinds" (wheat and barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and dates), and the place that is the focus of Yehovah's providence of His world. He commands them to destroy the idols of the land's former masters, and to beware lest they become haughty and begin to believe that "my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth." A key passage in our Parshah is the second chapter of the Sh'ma, which repeats the fundamental mitzvot enumerated in the Sh'ma's first chapter and describes the rewards of fulfilling God's commandments and the adverse results (famine and exile) of their neglect. It is also the source of the precept of prayer and includes a reference to the resurrection of the dead in the Messianic Age.
Theme & Message –
There is an interesting scripture in chapter
7:14. We as a people would be blessed if we follow His love letter. But, if we
don’t follow the Mitzvoh that we as a people would become sterile both male and
female. This type of promise is found all through this parasha. It is truly
amazing how many times the Lord says this during these few chapters.
D’Varim/DEUTERONOMY 8
In this chapter Moshe repeats the exhortation to observe the commands of God, and urges the Israelites to it, from the consideration of the great and good things God had done for them in the wilderness, and even in those instances which were chastisements, and were of an humbling nature, and on the consideration of the blessings of the good land they were going to possess, Deu_8:7 for which blessings they are exhorted to be thankful, and are cautioned against pride of heart through them, and forgetfulness of God, and of his goodness to them while in the wilderness, and when brought into the land of Canaan, which they were to ascribe to his power and goodness, and not their own, Deu_8:10, and the chapter is concluded with a warning against idolatry, lest they perish through it as the nations before them, Deu_8:19. I. General exhortations to obedience (Deu_8:1, Deu_8:6). II. A review of the great things God had done for them in the wilderness, as a good argument for obedience (Deu_8:2-5, Deu_8:15, Deu_8:16). III. A prospect of the good land into which God would now bring them (Deu_8:7-9). IV. A necessary caution against the temptations of a prosperous condition (Deu_8:10-14, and Deu_8:17, Deu_8:18). V. A fair warning of the fatal consequences of apostasy from God (Deu_8:19, Deu_8:20).
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