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Parasha Ki Tavo (When You Come In)
by Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber
The Scripture readings for the Shabbat of September 13/16 Elul are: Devarim/Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8; Yesha'yahu/Isaiah 60:1-22; Efesim/Ephesians 1:3-6. Work out your own Salvation with fear and Trembling Devarim {28:13} HaSHEM will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if you shall listen to the mitzvot (commandments) of HaSHEM your G-D, which I command you this day, to observe and to do [them], {28:14} and shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. {28:15} But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of HaSHEM your G-D, to observe to do all his mitzvot and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. Every year when we reach this Torah portion I cannot help but be saddened. History has proven HaShem's word to be true. Even today, with Yisrael back in haEretz (the Land) she still does not have peace; she still does not have rest. After speaking to an Israeli friend who ministers in Yisrael I was told that the greatest problem Yisrael is facing today is not the Arab homicide bombers, even though the are exacting a big toll on both life and society, rather he said that the greatest problem Yisrael is having today is suicide. Yes suicides have increased drastically in Yisrael over the past few years. The uncertainty of life, and the depressed economic situation caused by this uncertainty, has driven people to a point of despair where taking their own life seems to be the only option. Regardless of the fact that the Jewish people now have their own State, regardless of the fact that they are prospering in the financial world, they are still hated, looked upon by almost every nation with contempt, if not overtly, then certainly covertly. Who is to know what might happen next? I as a Jew, all be it a Messianic one, live constantly wondering if the next wave of slanted reporting coming from a bias CBC, BBC or CNN news agency (to name just a few), spark another wave of anti Semitic terror around the world. Yes the curses of Parasha Ki Tavo have as yet not been lifted from the Jewish people because they have not as yet wholly followed their G-d, in fact they have rejected Him and continue to reject Him. In my ministering to Jewish people I am often asked; "If there is a G-d why has He killed so many of our people, why is there no peace in Yisrael, why re we still hated around the world? The ultra-orthodox Jews claim if every Jew in the world would honour Shabbat, daven (ritually pray) three times a day, observe all the mitzvot of Torah (according to the Talmudic interpretation), HaShem would send the Mashiach (Messiah) and the curses will leave Yisrael and cleave to our enemies. It of course would not be a bad thing for every Jewish person on the earth to become observant but would that necessarily remove the curses? I am afraid not! If the ultra-orthodox were right then this would be a works salvation, which is totally contrary to HaShem's Word. Torah teaches that everlasting life with HaShem is a free gift therefore it cannot be earned by good deeds or good works, as we learn from the following Scripture: Bereshit {15:6} He (Avraham) trustd in HaSHEM; and he reckoned it to him for tz'dakeh (righteousness). Avraham was a pagan idol worshiper until one day HaShem spoke to him. What did he do to earn his righteousness according to this Scripture? Nothing, he simply believed in HaShem and was saved. Nor can everlasting life with HaShem be deserved as we also learn from Torah: Shemot {33:19} He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the Name of HaSHEM before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show chesed (mercy) on whom I will show chesed." A common question among believers and a debate which has been going on for decades centres around whether or not a person can lose their salvation. Some say once saved always saved and it doesn't matter what you do G-d will not remove His salvation from you. Others say once saved always saved but you first have to be truly saved and they use as their proof text: Pilifim/Philippians {2:12} Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I ascribe to this latter opinion. Although salvation is not earned or deserved we each, once we receive it must work at it in fear and trembling. Yisrael as well as all of Torah especially this Parasha Torah attests to that. Devarim {28:64} HaSHEM will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your avot (fathers), even wood and stone. This was a saved community that Moshe was speaking to in Parasha Ki Tavo. The Mishkan was erected, the substitutional korban (draw near/sacrificial) system was in place and the people were atoned for by faith in the shed blood of the offerings, which pre-figure the work of Mashiach Yeshua (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 53). Yet here HaShem is warning Yisrael through Moshe that if they fail to work out their salvation in fear and trembling, if they fail to walk in the way He has prescribed for them, He will send curses upon them and they will end up serving demons instead of Him. In other words they will lose their relationship with Him. Suppose you received a new car as a free gift, no strings attached. However in the glove compartment of that car is the manufactures service and maintenance manual. If you follow the manual by servicing and maintaining the car as prescribed, the manufacturer will honour the warrantee and the car will give you years of trouble free service. However if you neglect to maintain the car as prescribed by the manufacturer, the car will not function properly and the manufacturer will not honour the warrantee, you will be on your own. Torah functions in much the same way. HaShem is not only speaking to bnei Yisrael (children of Yisrael) at that time, here in Parasha Ki Tavo, He is speaking to you and I as well. Our salvation was a free gift from HaShem, but the maintenance of it depends on us.Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada. Copyright 2003
- Romans 1:16, NIV |