Ekev: Consequence — עֵקֶב

Thoughts on Torah for Last Week.
 
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Deuteronomy 3-7
In this parsha, Moses prophesies that the Gentiles will see the wisdom and understanding that is in the Law that God is giving the children of Israel.  – Deu 4:6-8.  This week we will see how this utterance by Moses has been fulfilled in a dramatic latter-day way.  But first let’s review the mitzot/commandments in these chapters, go to Part 15 at time mark 33:55 minute – HERE:

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Moses' Prophecy
Here is that prophecy spoken by Moses and recorded at Deuteronomy 4:6-8:
"Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?"

So this prophecy is saying that at some point the Gentile Nations will see the wisdom and understanding that is in the Law.  This prophecy can be directly connected to the concept of the "Fullness of the Gentiles" in the last days.


The Fullness of the Gentiles
The phrase “Fullness of the Gentiles” first appears in the Torah when Jacob blesses Ephraim – Genesis 48:19.  This fullness is fulfilled in the last days in the three following ways:
 
                                     Ephraim's seed is mingled among the Gentile Nations.
                         These mingled Gentile Nations embrace the wisdom of the Torah.
                        These mingled Gentile Nations become a Endtime Covenant People.
 
We know that the mingled Gentile Nations become a latter-day covenant people, because when the Jews rejected Yeshua, then the Gospel is taken to the Nations, who have the mingled seed of Ephraim and who embrace the wisdom of the Torah.  Isaiah alludes to this when he prophesies of a latter-day bride whom Jehovah “marries” but then casts off when they break His covenant.  Dr. Gileadi comments:
 
In reality, God marries two wives: (1) an end-time wife, who turns adulterous, who is the one cast off; [Gentile Nations who reject Him] and (2) his first wife, whom he remarries [re-establishes/renews His covenant with the first wife]: “‘Sing, O barren woman who did not give birth; break into jubilant song, you who were not in labor: the children of the deserted wife shall outnumber those of the espoused,’ says Jehovah. . . . ‘Jehovah calls you back as a spouse forsaken and forlorn, a wife married in youth only to be rejected,’ says your God. ‘I forsook you indeed momentarily, but with loving compassion I will gather you up. In a fleeting surge of anger I hid my face from you, but with everlasting charity I will have compassion on you’” (Isaiah 54:1, 6–8). - Avraham Gileadi, PhD
 
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The Endtime Bride-Wife of Jehovah
We might ask ourselves who is this Gentile Endtime wife of Jehovah. Consider this video teaching by Lord Rabbi Sacks.

America's Covenant with God
I think from the video teaching by Rabbi Sacks that we can safely say that America is the most likely candidate for fulfilling this prophecy by Moses.  The American idea, according to Rabbi Sacks, is based in Sefer Devarim/Deuteronomy - the wisdom of the Torah.  Moreover, America's Declaration of Independence is America's covenanting document with God.  Consider the beginning of the second paragraph:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
 
These words from the Declaration of Independence is bringing into existence a covenant with God - this is covenanting language - and I think Rabbi Sacks would agree that these words would not exist without Sefer Devarim.

Among the governing principles that the Founders of America borrowed from the Torah include:

Separation of Powers
Representative Government
A Common Militia
Personal Morality to maintain Freedom
A Bottom Up flow of Power

Daniel Elazar, PhD

Consider this article from Dr. Elazar:



​Covenant and the American Founding

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America Breaks Her Covenant with God
In Dr. Gileadi's analysis of Jehovah's two wives, we see that the Endtime wife breaks her covenant with God whom God then casts off and remarries His first wife - ethnic Israel.  So we have this kind of a sequence:

Jehovah marries a First Wife Ancient Israel ​Israel breaks her covenant with God

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Jehovah marries an Endtime Wife Gentile Nations Gentile Nations breaks her covenant with God

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Jehovah remarries a First Wife Ethnic Israel

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Hebrew Study

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Isaiah Chapter 44
Jehovah’s Endtime servant resembles Moses and Cyrus in dissuading people from idols and rebuilding the temple.

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Resource Links for this Week's Portion

TORAH: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
GOSPELS: Matthew 16:13-20

Listen and Read the Portion
First Fruits of Zion

Torah Pearls with Nehemia Gordon

HAFTARAH: Isaiah Chapter 45

Commentary with Avraham Gileadi, PhD