8.24.26 – Shema, Part 1

It is day two of the week, and so much is going on physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Questions about faith, how to walk, where to walk, and when to walk are among the biggest questions for those who truly desire to hear and obey His voice.

In Ki Tavo ("when you come in"), there is an interesting statement made by Moses. He tells the Israelites that on this particular day, they have become the people of God. Today, many denominations and spiritual circles ask the same question, and depending on your background—or foreground—your answer is often shaped by tradition. But this Torah portion makes it clear, and it confirms what is written in the New Testament writings: what actually makes Israel—whether natural or grafted in—the people of God (Rom. 11).

Right away, based on the text, we see that it is not genetics. The people in this passage are already connected to the bloodline of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—long before this day when Elazar and the Levites speak to them. And yet the Torah declares to them that on this day, there on the plains of Moab, they have become the people of God.

Likewise, what makes Israel—natural or grafted—the people of God is not circumcision. For some, this thought is scandalous and wrecks their theology. But if we look carefully, we find that most of the people standing before Moses had not been circumcised. In fact, every one of them born during the thirty-eight and a half years in the wilderness would not experience circumcision until they crossed the Jordan and prepared to enter the land (Josh. 5:5).

If circumcision were the defining factor that made someone part of God's people, then Yahweh would have said in Joshua 5, after the people were circumcised, "Today you have become the people of God." But Joshua 5:9 does not say that. Circumcision is certainly a covenant act with deep spiritual significance—it rolled away their shame and reproach—but as Paul wrote in Galatians, it is not what makes you "Israel."

So, if being born naturally is not what makes one part of God's people, and circumcision is not either—then what does?

Our Torah portion tells us. In Deuteronomy 27:9, Moses, the Levites, and the priests declare to the people: "Today you have become the people of God." The question remains: What did they do to receive that title?

The answer is found in the previous passage. In Deuteronomy 26:16–19, Moses tells us that on this day (ha-yom hazeh), the Lord God has enjoined (tzavah) you to do these statutes and ordinances. You are to keep (shmar) and do (asah) them with all your heart and all your soul. You have declared the Lord this day to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments (mitzvoth), His ordinances, and listen (sham) to His voice.

If anyone today made a statement like that—that this is what makes you the people of God—they would be accused of promoting a works-based salvation. Nevertheless, this is what Scripture says. It is radical, for sure. The Torah is quite clear: the defining characteristic of God's people—what makes them "His"—is their willingness to listen to His voice, to guard and treasure His words, and to creatively do His just rulings (mishpatim) and His statutes (chukot), whether we fully understand them or not.

As strange as this may sound in our New Covenant world, Deuteronomy 6:4–9 still reigns supreme, just as Yeshua reaffirmed in Mark 12:28–31. We affectionately know this as the Shema.

Everything we need to know about covenant life flows from that. It was so for Adam (Gen. 2:16; 3:15). It was so for Noah (Gen. 6:13ff; 8:15–21; 9:21ff). It was so for Abraham (Gen. 12; 13:14ff; 15; 17; 21; 22). It was so for Isaac (Gen. 26:23ff). It was so for Jacob (Gen. 28:13ff; 32:27ff; 35; 46:2ff). It was so for Moses (Ex. 3). And He has made it clear for us as well.

Let us explore this idea of shema a little more, since it is such an important topic. When we think of "listen," we usually mean, "I heard you." But the biblical perspective is far richer.

More tomorrow.

Shalom!
Alan

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