B’CHUKKOTHAY בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י (In My Statutes) LEVITICUS 26:3 – 27:34 [end]

In My statutes

PROPHETS : JEREMIAH 16:19-17:14| GOSPEL : MATTHEW 16:20-28

TORAH:

This parashah begins with YaHVaH promising to give the Israelites huge blessings of sufficient produce and food, peace in the land, no fear, enemies running from them @ the ratio of only 5 to 100, they will be fruitful and multiply, His Sanctuary with them, His Spirit with them, He will walk among them, and He will be their God. IF, they obey and follow His commandments.

However, it goes on to many lists of punishments if they do not follow His commandments. The first list is:

  1. Suffering through panic, lesions, and fever
  2. Enemies will eat their produce
  3. His attention will be against them
  4. Struck down by their enemies
  5. Subjugation/slavery
  6. Fleeing with no pursuing enemy

If they still do not pay attention, then this comes second:

  1. He will break their pride of might
  2. Heaven like iron and the land like copper
  3. Their strength spent in vain
  4. The land will not give its produce or fruit

If they still do not pay attention, then this comes third:

  1. The wildlife will rise up and eat their children and livestock, diminishing them
  2. Roads will become desolate

If they still do not pay attention, then this comes fourth:

  1. A sword brought against them
  2. Gathering into their cities
  3. Pestilence
  4. Delivered into the hands of their enemies
  5. Bread brought back by weight and no satisfaction in eating

If they still do not pay attention, then this comes fifth: Unfortunately, all of these occurred:

  1. They will eat the flesh of their children
  2. Destroy their lofty buildings
  3. Destroy their idols and cast their carcasses upon them
  4. His Spirit will reject them
  5. Cities in ruins and sanctuaries desolate: Israel is rebuilding today, but the country was in ruins before 1948
  6. Foes dwelling in their land, though it is made desolate: the land was desolate until the Jews returned and it is productive today
  7. Scattered among the nations: living in multiple nations until World War 2
  8. Survivors will have weakness of heart in the land of their enemies: during WW 2, there was little resistance by the Jews when enemies sent them to extermination camps
  9. Be devoured in the land of their enemies: WW 2 extermination camps
  10. Remnant will disintegrate

Yet, despite all of this, YaHVaH promises this: “I will not have been revolted by them nor will I have rejected them to obliterate them, to annul My covenant with them – for I am YaHVaH, their God” (Tanach, Leviticus 26:44b), [HASHEM replaced with YaHVaH].

Chapter 27 is about how much to charge for making vows depending on sex and age of the individual, tithing, and redemption.

GOSPEL:

In this portion, we find Yeshua telling His disciples not to tell anyone He is Yeshua HaMashiyach (Jesus the Christ). He begins teaching them all that will befall Him to suffer and the cross. Yet, Peter rebukes this and says it will never happen to Yeshua. Yeshua then makes a powerful statement to His disciple: “Get thee behind me, Satan:” (KJV, Mt. 16:23b). Why say this to Peter? Because Peter wasn’t thinking about God’s plans only mans’ plans like Satan wants from us. Yeshua then challenges all His disciples to follow Him where He is going. Ironically, He knew they wouldn’t and would flee.

As with other Torah book endings, it is traditional to say “Chazak! Chazak! Venischazeik! (Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!)” at the end of reading the book.

(c) Copyright May 2024, Odon Obadyah Ministries, Inc. and Min. Donald H. Garrett

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