Disciples of Jesus Christs’ Memorial Parsha: Shoftim in Deuteronomy 18

August 19, 2010

Welcome to the Disciples of Jesus Christ’s Memorial Parsha of Shoftim, as we read in the book of Deuteronomy, one of five book of Moses. Parsha Shoftim is in Deuteronomy 16 through Deuteronomy 21. The Haphtarah may be read from Isaiah 51 through Isaiah 52.

Video, Tremaine Hawkins, “I still I want you.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6OD-xROD-c.

We continue into Chapter Sixteen from the book of Deuteronomy, and Moses is commanding that the people would choose a judge. The idea of choosing a judge had been brought up in the Parsha Yitro (Jethro, the father of Zipphorah, the wife of Moses). (Exodus 18:13-16). However, Memorial Parsha Moses again commanded that the people choose able judges to lead the people. In this Parsha, Shoftim, Moses commands that the people ¹⁸ Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. ¹⁹ Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. ²⁰ Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 16:18-20).

Video, Mary Did you know, slide presentation, featuring Clay Aiken, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUovryDh80

In Chapter Seventeen, in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses commands that you shall not offer any animal as a sacrifice to the LORD Thy God that has a blemish. (Deuteronomy 17:1 and Leviticus 22:20).

Next Moses commands that there shall be two witnesses to diligently determine if you have gone after the other gods to worship, transgressing the covenant of the LORD Thy God, is evil in his sight. Then you shall use the witness of the third person to put the person to death. And purge the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 17:2-7; Deuteronomy 11:29; 27:12-13). However in the book of Judges, Abimelech went to his Mothers clans in Shechem. Abimelech had decided that he should sway the people to let him rule over the people. (Judges 9:1). However, another generation rose that knew not the LORD God. Nevertheless, Jotham stood and prophesied on Mount Gerizim that one day the people would desire more than a judge, but a King. Meanwhile the people had forsook the LORD Thy God judges 11.

Much later, Jotham speaks in a parable about the people one day desiring a King, as he spoke to the people that had revolted against his paternal clan. Then he asked the people to look presumptuously at the behavior toward Jerub-Baal. He is saying that there will be fire to consume you (the trees) so strong that a large forest would be consumed, like the trees of Lebanon, and thorn bush’s. (Judges 9:7-20). This is the story of God avenging the blood of the crime against Jerub-Baal on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, because they dealt treacherously with the people. Therefore, God sent an evil spirit between them; and the divisive spirit (Gaal, the son of Ebed) caused some to serve Shechem’s father, Hamor or Abimelech which is the son of Jerub-Baal. (Judges 9:30-41).

The people were repeatedly attacked by the company of Abimelech in city of Shechem, captured and destroyed the city and then salt was poured all over the streets; which meant a person worth was in the meaning of salt, scattered throughout the city – nothing. (Judges 9:42-45). Next, Abimelech went to a city name Thebez and besieged that city, then captured it, after he had lit a fire in the temple of El-Berith, and about one-thousand men and women died. (Judges 9:46-49). Abimelech, went into a tower, a stronghold for all the people of the city, stormed it to set on fire, but he was killed Abimelech was a lot like King Saul, the first anointed King over Israel he did not want anyone to think that a woman had killed him (Judges 9:50 and 1 Samuel 16:1). Whereas Saul didn’t want to be a Prisoner of War. (1 Samuel 31:1-6). However, King David, the branch of Jess was told by the Amelakite that he thrust Saul (the Lord’s Anointed) and did not die, and David then tore his clothes and fasted for the people of the LORD Thy God, and the house of Israel.

Since there were no righteous judges’ in the territory of Gideon, and Manasseh and Ehud would eventually clash on this endeavor because Ehud moved on the spirit of God and passed over the territories in the next chapter of the book of Judges (Judges 12). The Spirit of God, works grace, and Apostle Paul said, in Romans 8:9, “⁹You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact^(Q) the Spirit of God dwells in you.^(R) Anyone who does not have^(S) the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” God had recompensed the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father’s seventy sons. God also made the Shechem pay for all their wickedness. The curse of Jotham, son of Jerub-Baal came on them. Nevertheless, the art of warfare was important as technology in warfare is today, because warfare is a very important component in setting the battle in array. Yet, looking at the sixteenth person die in the apartment complex, I am thinking that my godly life doesn’t make a difference, yet I know that I am not perfect. I live out my life in the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ. No matter how bad things you can live a triumphant life. Most importantly you may still try to gain inner peace, know the word of God; and know the hour – to determine your will of God. Remember Jesus died for the church, bless the House of David and bless the House of Aaron. (Psalm 118:1-4).

In closing, Peter, like myself also a descendant of Aaron healed a crippled beggar at Solomon’s colonade, at the Beautiful gate of the temple courts (Acts 3:2-8; and Acts 4:1-12). Then there was Stephen the first Bishop of the church was brought before the Sanhedrin. Stephen started with the gospel in the covenant of Abraham through circumcision. He was careful not to forget that Moses passed an angel in the flames of a burning bush. Moses heard the voice of the LORD, the God of your fathers. He preached that the people resist the Holy Ghost. (Acts 7:52-53). The Apostle Stephen said, ⁵¹^(CV) “You stiff-necked people,^(CW) uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.^(CX) As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²^(CY) Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of^(CZ) the Righteous One,^(DA) whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³you who received the law^(DB) as delivered by angels and^(DC) did not keep it.”

Video, Draw me Close to you, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLNL49TFC_8.

Deuteronomy 17:14-17 – The King

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you shall choose a king from among your own brothers. The King shall not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” The King shall not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

The instruction given here by Moses command is very important because this was the fall of a nation, too many wives, too many horses, and depending on Egypt for horses, instead of giving Assyria tribute. And so there were many factors that can lead you to stray, from the covenant and God’s word. (Exodus 34:16 and 2nd Samuel 3:2-5). As you can see with the extensive DNA research provided, my family also answered to their Clan chiefs, even when a descendant of the Aaron rose to chiefdom. So the commandment of Moses was adhered – throughout the Ulster region until our family was forced to leave Ireland-Scotland.

http://dna-project.clan-donald-usa.org/DNAmain3.htm As a matter of fact, leadership is very important in the structure of a community, just as important as a family.

1 Kings 6:1 Solomon Builds the Temple

¹ In the four hundred and eightieth ^[a] year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD. Footnotes:

1 Kings 6:1 Hebrew; Septuagint four hundred and fortieth

1 Kings 7:1-2 Solomon Builds His Palace ¹ It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. ² He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high, ^[a] with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams.

1 Kings 11:1,11,31 – Solomon’s Wives

¹ King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.
¹¹Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you,^(A) I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

Cross references:

1 Kings 11:11 : 1 Kings 11:31; 1 Kings 12:15, 16

³¹And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Behold,^(A) I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes

Cross references:

1 Kings 11:31 : 1 Kings 11:11-13

2 Chronicles 12:13¹³ King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.

Nehemiah 13:26²⁶ Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.

1^st Kings 12:1-4: Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam

¹ Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had gone there to make him king. ² When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from ^[a] Egypt. ³ So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: ⁴ “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lightens the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”