The Tabernacle Community

Shalom and good evening or good afternoon, depending on where you live. This week’s Torah Portion is Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

The Word of God is the divine instructions for life in communion with God. We have to remember that these laws, judgments and statutes were given in order to create a nation that serves the living God. God in His word is commanding us to maintain a holy and spiritual life in all life’s conditions. For example, the rights of a captive woman, the rights of the first-born, the responsibility of the community over the life of the individual, life of purity, a life of harmony with creation.

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive,…” Deuteronomy 21:10

From the first verse in our portion, we learn that although the promise of God is a blessing in its fullness, there will be times that you will go out to war. The Hebrew reads like this: “When you go out to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivered him into your hand…” We are to learn that in the face of things there are many enemies, but in truth, there is only one. Another thing that God is teaching the children of Israel is that the battle is already won. The verse is saying that the Lord “delivered” – it is done. The victory is ours. I believe that the same idea is expressed by Rabbi Saul (Paul) of Tarsus, when he is saying, “We are now sitting in the heavens with Christ.” The fact that the battle is already won is to motivate us to a life of purity and holiness as is commanded in the coming verses of the Portion. Ignoring God’s standards of holiness and purity by relying on the fact that we are “sitting in the heavens” is self deception that will lead to one’s destruction.

“and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife,…” 21:11

We have to remember that this commandment was given in a time when it was legitimate to treat your captives as your property and it is a revolutionary viewpoint that rape is not to be included when receiving the victory of God. The Torah is to be like a shock absorber that stops us from following our desires.

If we are following our desires we will find ourselves in a position that is described in verse 14, “And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money: you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her.” For the word “delight” the Hebrew uses the word “chefetz,” which also means “object.” Every relationship in our lives that will be motivated by lust or desire will bring us to treat our fellow man as an object, someone that we don’t want, and someone that we do not delight in. The perfect example for this kind of relationship is Amnon and Tamar. Once he fulfilled his lust, he hated her. We see these kinds of relationships that are based on the flesh in the world and in church. Spiritually, a captive woman is a woman that is bound to her flesh and soul. Women are being taken captive by men because of their intellect, looks or skills. Men are being taken captive by their own lust and the look of a woman. The consequences of these kinds of relationships are pain, separation, divorce.

“You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them: you shall certainly bring them back to your brother.” Deuteronomy 22:1

For the phrase “and hide yourself,” the Hebrew uses the word “Lehitalem” – “to ignore” which comes from the root word “olam” which means “world.” The way of the world is to ignore, to overlook or hide and the way of God is to see (re’eh) and to be delayed (ekev) for showing grace. “Re’eh” and “ekev” – “to see” and “to be delayed” are the names of the Torah Portions three and two weeks ago. The only way to follow God and his Anointed One, Yeshua, is by living a life that us motivated by forgiveness, grace, kindness, mercy. Everything of the opposite of these qualities is not of God. When these qualities are found in an individual or a group, God is being praised. We have adjusted ourselves to the standards of man while compromising on God’s standards. The true and honest disciples will always be known by their love to one another and to humanity. A faithful disciple of God is not to be judged by his money, education, social status, etc… Sacrificial love is the ultimate revelation of God through his Son.

May you be surrounded by the light of the Lord as you seek to do His will.

Ronen Shalom