Shevat 4, 5785; from sunset February 1, 2025, to sunset February 2, 2025
(The fourth day of the eleventh month)
This is the name “Mosheh” (מֺשֶׁה – Moses) as seen in the Dead Sea Scrolls, written over two thousand years ago.
Moses Repeats the Torah
We’re continuing our look at Moses’ last words to Israel before his death. Today we’re reading Deuteronomy chapter 3, where Moses continues to recap the journey of the children of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land. Today, he brings to mind the victories given them by the LORD over the inhabitants of the land. These were the “giants” that had so petrified the people after God had delivered them from Egypt. Chapter three finishes out with Moses’ plea to God to let him enter the Promised Land.
Historical Prologue
“Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan; and Og king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the LORD said to me, `Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’
“So the LORD our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan, with all his people, and we attacked him until he had no survivors remaining. And we took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides a great many rural towns. And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city. But all the livestock and the spoil of the cities we took as booty for ourselves.
“And at that time we took the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon (the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir), all the cities of the plain, all Gilead, and all Bashan, as far as Salcah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
“For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.
“And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, and half the mountains of Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites. The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. (All the region of Argob, with all Bashan, was called the land of the giants. Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and called Bashan after his own name, Havoth Jair, to this day.)
“Also I gave Gilead to Machir. And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave from Gilead as far as the River Arnon, the middle of the river as the border, as far as the River Jabbok, the border of the people of Ammon; the plain also, with the Jordan as the border, from Chinnereth as far as the east side of the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), below the slopes of Pisgah.
“Then I commanded you at that time, saying: `The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All you men of valor shall cross over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel. But your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall stay in your cities which I have given you, until the LORD has given rest to your brethren as to you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God is giving them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.’
“And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, `Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms through which you pass. You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.’
So the children of Israel see that the LORD has fought for them. He has taken care of the “giants” that came up against them…those who would not let Israel even pass through the land. Now, the LORD has destroyed them and has let Israel possess their land and livestock. They are getting ready to cross over the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. These were the very giants that had frightened them so after the spies had returned from scouting out the land decades before. Now, a new generation is taking up the fight; believing the LORD their God when He says, “I am with you.”
Moses’ Plea
“Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying: `O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’
“But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: `Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.’
“So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.” – Deuteronomy 3 (NKJ)
If you think about it, Moses’ words above are amazing, “You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand.” With everything that Moses has seen and experienced, God has only just begun to show His greatness.
The burning bush. Aaron’s staff turning into a snake. The plagues that struck Egypt. The destroyer passing over the houses of those who had placed the blood of the lamb on the doorpost and lintels. The plunder of the Egyptians. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The pursuit of Israel by Pharaoh’s army where God provides a miraculous nighttime escape by splitting the sea and letting them cross on dry land. Watching their enemies drown in that same path, as God made the sea cover them. The miraculous provision of water, quails, and manna in the wilderness. God’s “proposal” to Israel at Mount Sinai – “I choose you to be My people.” His words thundering out the Ten Commandments. His forgiveness after the sin of the golden calf. The reinstatement of the covenant. The promise to dwell with them and the instructions for building the Tabernacle. The day when God descended upon that Tabernacle, taking up residence in the Holy of Holies. Their clothing and shoes not wearing out.
After all this, Moses knows that God is not done yet. There is more greatness to come and Moses desperately wants to be there for it. But the honor of leading Israel into the Promised Land has been reserved for Joshua.
Joshua’s name means “The LORD Will Save.” In First Fruits of Zion’s Torah Club series (Shadows of the Messiah), they comment on why Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. It goes something like this: Moses is associated with the Torah, he is known as the “Law Giver;” yet he was not able to enter the Promised Land. This teaches us that the Torah may bring you up to the edge of the Promised Land, but only “The LORD Will Save” you. Joshua’s name in Hebrew is pronounced like “Yehoshua.” The name of our Messiah, Jesus, is “Yeshua” in Hebrew. His name means, “Salvation.” It’s a shortened form of Yehoshua. So, even though it’s good and right to follow the Torah of the LORD, doing so will not be enough for you to enter the “Promised Land.” Only Yeshua can save you.
To read all of our posts on the book of Deuteronomy, click on the image above.
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