Jesus, the Jewish Messiah - Part 5

Torah Portions from the book of D'varim (Deuteronomy)

Here is finalized the portion by portion study of Y'shua as the Messiah as foretold and foreshadowed in the Torah, beginning with the first portion from the book of Deuteronomy, called D'varim. As with the previous pages, now that it is finished, I have reversed the order so the portions may be read from top to bottom.

For the previous pages, click on these links:

 “At that time I commanded Joshua: "You have seen with your own eyes all that the L-RD your G-d has done to these two kings. The L-RD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. Do not be afraid of them; the L-RD your G-d himself will fight for you."” (3:21-22)

The book of Deuteronomy mostly records Moshe’s words to the people for the last time before he left them at Mt. Nebo, after which the nation crossed the Jordan into the Holy Land.   He reassured them that G-d would give them the victory over the 7 tribes in Palestine by reminding them of all that G-d had done for them bringing them out of Egypt and watching over them during their sojourn in the wilderness. 
Though Moshe’s words encompass about 33 chapters, they are reminiscent of Y’shua’s few last words to his disciples before he ascended to heaven, about 10 days before the Holy Spirit came upon them.  I was struck by the parallel of these two moments in history.  Moshe spoke to the people to remind them they belonged to G-d and that G-d would continue to be with them and be their strength despite that Moshe himself would no longer be with them.  He reminded them in 1:14-17 that he had appointed judges to act in his place.  This was a way to reassure them that though he would not be with them physically, his authority and presence of spirit would live among them through Y’hoshua (Joshua) and those other men.  Y’shua reassured the disciples in the same way:

“So when they met together, they asked him, "L-rd, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1: 6-8)

Whenever we gather together in his name, we need to remember that Y’shua promised he is in our midst.  Further, we need to remember that as his disciples we are his presence in the world.  As Moshe appointed the judges to be his presence among Israel, so Y’shua has appointed us as disciples to be his presence among the nations. 
Partaking of the L-rd’s Supper reminds us of this: In ancient Jewish tradition, when a man wanted to marry a woman, he and his father made the proposal to her parents.  If the parents found the young man acceptable and agreed to the bride price the young man’s father offered, they would hold a supper with the visiting men.  During that meal, the man would offer a cup of wine to the woman he wished to become his bride.  By drinking from that cup, she signaled her acceptance and they became engaged officially. 
At the Last Supper, Y’shua offered his disciples the cup as the new covenant in his blood.  By accepting that cup in baptism, we, too, become the bride of Christ.  The scripture says, “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”  As the bride of Christ and his disciples, we have become his flesh and blood.  It is our purpose to be his loving presence to all those around us.  When we eat the bread, his flesh, and drink the cup, his blood, let them remind us not only of his sacrifice, but of his reassuring words that his Spirit is within us and we are his physical presence to the world that needs him.

Shema, Y’Israel, Ad-nai El-heinu, Ad-nai echad (Hear, O Israel, the L-rd your G-d, the L-rd is one).
Included in this Parashah is the Shema, possibly the most well-known “credo” of the Jewish faith. And in it, the Messiah is present.
The concept of G-d the Father and G-d the Son has been a stumbling block to Jews from the time Christ first appeared and, indeed, it is a hard concept for any of us to understand. However, long before Y’shua came, there were signs of G-d’s multiplicity in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The very word ‘echad,’ actually has an implication of multiplicity itself, ‘yachad’ being the simpler form of ‘one’ in Hebrew. While both words mean “one,” ‘echad’ would be used in the case of describing one bunch of grapes or one pack of mules, while ‘yachad’ would be used to describe one individual grape or one individual mule. So the idea of multiplicity of personality in the One and only G-d is implied in the statement. It is important to realize, however, that translating the passage to say, “The L-rds, your g-ds are united” would be a completely inaccurate rendering. The verbiage is singular, not plural, and the word ‘echad’ does not mean ‘unison’, it means ‘one’ as in singular.
The idea of Y’shua being a facet of G-d did not imply that G-d is not one, but was an extension of this precept already pointed out in the Tanakh. The Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit presented to us in the Gospels is not a new idea, but is implied in the Hebrew Scriptures as well.
The Temple Menorah also spoke of the multiplicity of the L-rd. The unique structure of the Menorah that stood in the Temple caused it to concentrate its light forward, as from a single source, with all the candles or lamps shining forth together as one. This had a spiritual meaning, moreso than any practical use.
According to the Mishnah, the Menorah represents the seven-fold Spirit of G-d. The 7 sefirot (radiances) of G-d’s Spirit are: ‘chesed’—loving kindness; ‘gevurah’—might, contained strength; ‘tefirat’—beauty, mercy, compassion; ‘netzach’—victory, triumph, eternity; ‘hod’—glory, splendor; ‘yesod’—foundation, strength; and ‘malkut’—manifestation, kingdom.
The 7-fold Spirit of G-d is also represented in the seven weeks (49 days—7x7) of Shavu’ot; and the ‘counting of the Omer’ from Peshach (Passover) to Shavuot (Pentecost) as commanded in Lev. 23 and Deut. 16 reminds us of this fullness of his nature. The seven items in the lulav that are waved during certain of the Feasts also remind us of us his seven-fold nature: The four species represented in the lulav are an etrog (a citrus fruit similar to a lemon native to Israel; in English it is called a “citron”), a palm branch (in Hebrew, “lulav”), two willow branches (“aravot”) and three myrtle branches (“hadassim”). The six branches are bound together and referred to collectively as the lulav, because the palm branch is by far the largest part. The etrog usually (though not always) is held in the other hand. Nowhere in the New Testament did Y’shua or the apostles ever find fault or criticize that ancient ritual!

 “Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today. If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the L-RD your G-d will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.”  (7:11-12)
The sages comment on this passage that when all of Israel’s actions are for the sake of Heaven, and they yearn to fulfill the commandments for His sake rather than for the sake of their own welfare, then even the mundane matters of this world acquire holiness.
Y’shua echoed these words of Moshe, but gave us an even more profound statement: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (Gospel of John 15:7-8).”
The certainty of the promise of “ask whatever you wish and it will be given you” has been debated often throughout Christian history, but often the point has been missed.  If we compare the promise with the words of the sages, we can see Y’shua’s point more clearly: if we remain in him and his words (his holy words!) remain in us, then we will desire what he desires.  “Whatever we ask” will be given to us because what we ask will be for his sake and the sake of Heaven rather than for own sake.  If we beseech G-d for our own glory or even for our own peace of mind, the promise does not hold because we our remaining in ourselves rather than in him.  While there is nothing wrong intrinsically in seeking our peace of mind, Y’shua wants us to change our priorities and be more concerned about being his servant and presence in the world, about seeing his will done and his word furthered in the world that needs it.  When we truly replace our desires with his, replace our presence with his, and become his Shekinah, , then we attain the spiritual height to which Y’shua’s points us.  Then, indeed, whatever we ask will be granted because whatever we ask is his will already, that the kingdom be furthered through us. 
“And now, O Israel, what does the L-RD your G-d ask of you but to fear the L-RD your G-d, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the L-RD your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the L-RD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (10:12-13)
Once we have internalized the proper level of fear and love of G-d, all the commandments follow.  It is not a burden to us to live as he asked us when we abandon our spirit of selfishness and have taken on his Spirit, making clinging to him the very purpose of our lives.  Moshe wanted the nation to realize that the secret to living a spiritual life was to begin with a squarely centered fear of G-d.  From this, true love for the L-rd grows as we realize the amazing gift such a supreme power has given us.  Then, true spirituality blooms as we truly appreciate what the L-rd is and what he can do in us.
The revered rabbi Hillel said that the entirety of the Jewish living was summed up in one all-important aim: devekus, which means clinging to G-d.  Hillel said that the aim of one’s life should be to ensure that one does not do anything that could disturb or impede his relationship with his Creator.  All the affirmative commandments bring us closer to that goal, while all the prohibitions distance us from the carnality that drives a wedge between us and   G-d.  Hillel said that the entirety of the Toarh was summoned up in the Shema: to love the L-rd with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  The rest, he said, is just commentary.
Y’shua called the Shema the “greatest commandment” and as the Messiah, Y’shua is the embodiment and fulfillment of that commandment.  It is because of his sacrifice that we are able truly to cling to G-d.  Without him, we could only hope to draw somewhat near to G-d, but thanks (and praise!) to the blood of Y’shua, we are able to take him into our hearts and become a living Holy of Holies in which he dwells and shines forth to the nations, calling them to enter into his presence as well.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Gospel of Matthew 11:28-30).”

One of the more disturbing sets of commandments occurs in this passage.  In chapter 13, the people are told explicitly to root out and completely destroy not only a prophet who entices them to worship other g-ds, but also their own brother, son, daughter, wife, and/or closest friend if they do the same.  Further, they are told to go so far as to destroy an entire town among the nation of Israel rather than allow the idolatry to continue.  These commands seem to fly in the face of compassion, loyalty, respect for others, respect for elders, even respect for the sanctity of human life.  Yet a deeper look reveals that the motivating factor is that G-d wants us to keep him foremost in our minds in all the things we do, keep him as the focus of our lives and the highest importance of all.  In fact, the very virtues of compassion, loyalty, and respect are meaningless unless they come from a proper sense of fear and love of G-d.  To become separated from him is direr than any perceived sense of “betraying” any virtues, for without him we have no virtues at all.
Y’shua said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple.  And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Gospel of Luke 14:26-27).”  Y’shua speaks with the same sense of devotion to G-d and his will as Moshe did in the verses from Deuteronomy: we must not allow ANYTHING to separate us from the love of G-d, no matter how dear it may be to us.  That is why Y’shua said, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life maimed than woith two hands to go into G’henna (hell) where the fire never goes out.  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into G‘henna.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of G-d with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into G’henna where ‘the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ - Gospel of Mark 9:43-48 (quoting Isaiah 66:24).
Again, we see the Messiah in his ministry through the words in Deuteronomy.  Indeed, Y’shua told us, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household (quoting Micah 7:6).”  Matthew goes on to record the same statement recorded in the Gospel of Mark, but he rewords it to make Y’shua’s point clearer (in his mind, anyway): “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Gospel of Matthew 10:34-39).”

Chapter 14 further illustrates the reason for this seemingly extreme stance: “You are children of YHVH your G-d.”  This is the crux of the biscuit.  The Mishnah states, “You are my sons, says G-d, when you accept my behests.” - Mishnah, Deuteronomy Rabbah 7.  In this chapter, Moshe tells the nation they are forbidden to participate in self-mutilation over deceased relatives (a common practice among pagan nations at that time).  The reason is two-fold.  First, as his children, G-d must be more important to us than any earthly ties, and second, we should never look on death as a moment of total devastation because he is always with us (“even to the end of the age - Gospel of Matthew 28:20”) and has conquered death through the victory of the Resurrection.  No longer need we see death as an all-encompassing, devastating end, but instead can look beyond it to eternal joy in his presence.

In chapter 16, Moshe reminds the people to keep the Pashas (Passover), the Feast of Weeks - Shavu’ot (Pentecost), and the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles).  As mentioned in earlier parashot commentaries, Y’shua is present and explicit in each of these festivals.  In this passage, Moshe gives the commandment that they must not “sacrifice the Passover in any town the L-rd your G-d gives you, but only in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his name. (16: 5-6).”
While in other places, Moshe tells the people they may exchange their sacrifices for silver and bring the money to buy a sacrifice at the Temple, Passover is not allowed the same exception.  The sacrifice is to be brought to Jerusalem and made there only.  This is extremely significant since it is in Jerusalem where the Messiah would be sacrificed as the perfect Passover Lamb. 
In verse 8, the unleavened bread is called L’chem ‘Oni, the bread of affliction.  Eating the matzah reminded the nation of their common affliction under Egypt, but it also looked forward to the affliction visited on the body of the Messiah.   And just as the bread was without chemetz (yeast) - and the people were commanded to remove all yeast from their homes during Passover -  so was the body of Y’shua without sin.  It is our common affliction that we remember when we eat the bread of his presence in the Supper, remembering his affliction on the cross suffered on our behalf. 
Yet as the matzah is the bread of affliction, the sages point out it is also the bread of salvation, since it is so close in sound and spelling to mitzvah (commandment), the doing of which is counted as a blessing upon the doer.  The body of the Messiah also was the ultimate blessing to us, providing our salvation, reconciling to G-d all those who love him more than their own life and take his Spirit into their heart. 

In this portion, Moshe related the ordinances concerning the appointing of judges, proper offering of certain sacrifices, rules concerning priests, and advice on the selection of and the fitting conduct of a king.  Each of these ordinances foreshadow the Messiah, both in purpose and in the ministry he led while on earth.
“Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the L-rd your G-d is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly,” (16:18)  While the nation needed to appoint judges for earthly matters, the Messiah has been appointed supreme judge of the world. “For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.  He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” - Gospel of John 5:22-33.
“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom G-d appointed as judge of the living and the dead” - Acts of the Apostles 10:42.
Yet the Messiah’s judgment is fair and compassionate as the judges were ordered to be.  In fact, the aim of his judgment is not condemnation, but salvation.  “As for the person who hears my words, but does not keep the, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.  There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” - Gospel of John 12:47-48.
How much more fairly could the Messiah judge the people than to let their own actions be judged by the words he gave us to follow?  It is well spoken that he comes to save the world rather than condemn it, for it is by the very words of the good news of salvation that those who reject are condemned.  They only condemn themselves because they do not accept the salvation he freely offers them.  If we embrace him, we take his salvation onto ourselves, but if we do not heed the call, we leave ourselves in a state of condemnation.

“Do not sacrifice to the L-rd your G-d an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.” (17:1). 
Much as the people were commanded to keep their words holy, so too were they commanded to keep the sacrifices holy without blemish because those sacrifices looked forward to the perfection of the spotless Lamb of G-d who was to come to be offered as the perfect sacrifice for the world.  While the blood of oxen and sheep could not take away sin by themselves, his blood atones for every sin once and forever, so we are presented before G-d as without blemish through his perfection.
“For you were alienated from G-d and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” - Colossians 1:21-22.

“They (the priests) shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the L-RD is their inheritance, as he promised them.” (18:2)
As the people were told the priests had no inheritance except the L-rd, so did the Messiah live in the same manner.  “If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the L-RD will choose, he may minister in the name of the L-RD his G-d like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the L-RD.” (18:6-7).  Y’shua moved among the people, preaching the good news of the kingdom, making his meager living from the offerings of those who of his followers who could afford to give him anything.  He had “no place to lay his head,” yet he moved about among the Holy Land proclaiming the righteousness of G-d and the imminent arrival of his kingdom upon those who chose to accept him.

A few verses down, Moshe relates to the people the ways in which a king should conduct himself.  These ways, too, speak of the life of Y’shua.  Moshe says that the king should not “take many horses for himself” nor “take many wives” nor “accumulate large amounts of gold and silver.”  While it cannot be said even of the “great kings of Israel, David and Shlomo (Solomon), followed these commands, much less the largely corrupt kings who followed them, Y’shua was the embodiment of them as the king who “had no place to lay his head (Gospel of Matthew 8:20/Gospel of Luke 9:58).”  Further, the commandment said that the king “must not make the people return to Egypt to get more of them (horses), for the L-RD has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’” (7:16)  This sentence also points to the Messiah, for as the people were brought out of their bondage to Egypt to be reconciled to G-d in his Holy Land as his people, so has the Messiah brought his people out of bondage to sin to reconcile us to G-d to be his holy people that will live with him for eternity.  As the nation were not to return to Egypt, so we are commanded to consider ourselves dead to our former life and not return there again.  “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to G-d in Christ Jesus.  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to G-d as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.” - Romans 6:11-13.

“The L-rd your G-d will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.  You must listen to him.” (18:15)  While on the surface, this statement might seem merely to imply that the L-rd would appoint someone over the people to be their chief leader in Eretz Y’Israel as Moshe had been their leader through the sojourn to that land, the sages see the verse otherwise.  Iot must be noted that during the time of the judges, only two of them were prophets: Deborah and Sh’muel (Samuel).  Among the many kings of Israel and Judah, not one was considered a prophet (with the possible argument for David, though most Jewish and Christian scholars would reject that argument).  However, the Talmud proclaims, “Never was there another prophet like Moshe” in the rest of the history of Israel, either in the time recorded by the books of the Tanakh nor thereafter.  Thus, Moshe’s statement cam to be regarded as a Messianic prophecy. 
It is apparent that the leaders and the people of Judea were looking for that prophet at the time Y’shua came, for when the Pharisees questioned John the Baptist about his authority, they asked him, “Are you that prophet?”  They wanted to know if he considered himself to be the prophet of whom Moshe had foretold them.  John answered them that he was not, but quoted Isaiah 40:3, telling them that he was “the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the L-rd.’”  When questioned further, he responded, “I baptize you with water, but among you stands one you do not know.  He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” - Gospel of John 1:26-27.
Of course, we know that one was Y’shua and he was “that prophet” like Moshe.  His actions mirrored many of things Moshe had done and G-d had so designed it so that in time the nation would be able to recognize that he was the one of whom Moshe spoke.  Both were hidden in Egypt during a time of slaughter of children, both led a “band of 12”: Y’shua having 12 inner disciples as Moshe had led the 12 tribes, G-d spoke directly through Moshe and he spoke directly through Y’shua, the scriptures describe each of them (and no one else) as having “radiant faces”, each of them fasted 40 days before delivering the word of G-d to the people, each fed the people with miraculous bread, each worked miracles that no one else could perform, each died on a hill, and each knew beforehand when he would die.
Y’shua was open about being “that prophet” for anyone who had the eyes to see and the ears to hear. He was indeed Prophet, Priest, and King as well as the perfect Lamb of G-d who takes the sins of the world, offered to redeem us as his people to radiate his glory and be with in the eternal Holy Land of the presence of G-d.

 “If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under G-d's curse. You must not desecrate the land the  L-RD your G-d is giving you as an inheritance.” (21:22-23)

In this Parashah, we find the ordinance cited by the Jewish leaders when they requested Pilate remove the three men from the crosses before nightfall.  This idea that a man hung on a tree is cursed is one reason Muhammad insisted that “the great prophet Isa (Jesus)” did not die on the cross.  Though he did not cite the Torah in writing the Qur’an, he could not come to grips with the idea that Allah would allow one of his great servants to suffer such a fate, and so denied that it happened.   Exactly how that worked is a matter of debate among Muslim scholars because the Qur’an does not clear what Muhammad thought actually happened. 
The truth, however, is that being “under G-d’s curse” makes the power and beauty of the cross that much more incredible, for it shows us the extreme length to which G-d went to redeem us to himself.  He was willing to become accursed on a tree in our place so that we might escape suffering the curse of eternal death and separation from him.  “G-d made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of G-d (2 Corinthians 5:21).”
Because of that amazing gift of making himself cursed for us, he freed us from our lawlessness and self-aggrandizing sinful nature to become his righteousness on earth. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2: 24).”
Further, this ordinance “set the table” for the Resurrection.  Since Y’shua said he was to rise on the third day, being buried Friday evening made the timing right so that he would rise on the day of First Fruits (celebrated on the first day after the Shabbat during Passover).  This was done “to fulfill all righteousness” as he had told John the Baptist when he was baptized by him.  Y’shua was the P’shach Lamb, even to the point of being hung on the cross at the hour of the morning sacrifice at the Temple and dying at the hour of the evening Temple sacrifice.  He was raised on the day of First Fruits as the first fruits of the Resurrection.  Though they did not understand what they were setting in motion, the insistence of the Jewish council to uphold this ordinance saw to it that it was fulfilled: the Land was not desecrated; in fact, the Holy Land received its ultimate blessing of the Resurrection of the Messiah and the arrival of the Kingdom of G-d on earth.

“If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the L-RD. Do not bring sin upon the land the L-RD your G-d is giving you as an inheritance.” (24:1-4)
This ordinance, which speaks of the proper etiquette concerning a divorced couple (not to remarry after the former wife has married another man) foreshadows the relationship between the Messiah and his bride, the church.  Unfortunately, this foreshadowing is not a positive one, but it is profound nonetheless. 
The words of Paul:  “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of G-d and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of G-d all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of G-d. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned (Letter to the Hebrews 6:4-8).”
Paul tells us that like the woman who was put away because of indecency, the disciple who has turned away from G-d and driven the Holy Spirit out of his heart in favor of his own interests, has defiled himself, making himself detestable to the L-rd, and may not be “re-wed” to Christ again.  This matter is not a failing of G-d or the Messiah, but a condition of the heart of the fallen brother.  This is not to say that a brother who is waning cannot be turned back to the path of righteousness; rather, it is to say that someone who has removed the Holy Spirit completely from their heart and replaced it with his own evil selfish desires has defiled himself to the point that he no longer can accept Y’shua as his Savior anymore.  This is not a limiting of G-d’s grace, but a reality of the human condition.  Once a person has reached that level of cynicism, they become unreachable because they have no opening left in their heart.  Much like the people in his hometown of Nazareth who denounced Y’shua, he has not a hint of faith left in him, and the L-rd can work no miracles in him because the former disciple will not open his heart to him.  His cynicism and self-idolatry has put him beyond the reach of G-d.  Heaven forbid any of us should ever reach such a terrible fate.  In the words of the great old hymn: “L-rd, let me never, never outlive my love for thee.”

“When you have entered the land the L-RD your G-d is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the L-RD your G-d is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the L-RD your G-d will choose as a dwelling for his Name and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the L-RD your G-d that I have come to the land the L-RD swore to our forefathers to give us." The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the L-RD your G-d. Then you shall declare before the L-RD your G-d: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. Then we cried out to the L-RD, the G-d of our fathers, and the L-RD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the L-RD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, O L-RD, have given me." Place the basket before the L-RD your G-d and bow down before him. And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the L-RD your G-d has given to you and your household.” (26:1-11)

We mentioned in last week’s portion commentary how the Messiah was resurrected on the day of First Fruits. In this portion, we see the people commanded again to bring that offering to the Temple and remember all the L-rd had done for them. G-d had given the Israelites the first fruits of the kingdom by making them his separated, holy people to be a light unto the Gentiles. As Y’shua was the first fruits of the Resurrection offering the whole world the chance to become G-d’s people unto eternity, we are asked to give our first fruits to him as the Jewish did, not just from a standpoint of monetary matters (though that certainly is important), but more importantly of our whole selves.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of G-d's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to G-d—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what G-d's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Letter to the Romans 12:1-2).”
We do this by transforming our very natures, replacing our selfish and strafing desires with his nature of love and kindness.
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin"[Psalm 4:4]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of G-d, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ G-d forgave you (Ephesians 4:25-32).”
We can give first fruits daily by putting our relationship with G-d before all other concerns. One easy way to do this is to pray before every occasion, be it work, meals, sleep, play, or what have you. In this way, we are giving the first part of our time to G-d and depriving ourselves, however momentarily, of earthly matters to take that moment to converse with him. Looking through the Gospel accounts, it is easy to notice that Y’shua prayed (sometimes for hours!) before every main action he took. As his disciples, we wish to be more like our rabbi, and this is one of the most self-helpful ways we can do so. In the end, having a strong prayer life is to our great benefit, though it may seem a sacrifice at times. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is G-d‘s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).”

“When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the L-RD your G-d disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the L-RD your G-d and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the L-RD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the L-RD your G-d will gather you and bring you back.” (30:1-4)
Among the many expectations of the Messiah the Jewish people expected him to perform was to return the diaspora (the lost 10 tribes) to the nation. The prophecies in Isaiah 11:10-16, Jeremiah 23:1-8 and 31:1-14, Ezekiel 11:13-20, and Micah 2:12-13 all attest to this.
But where are the Diaspora? From the verses, we see they are scattered to the far ends of the known world. This is a vital aspect of what the Jews expect from the Messiah, so we must ask how the Messiah will be able to return the “remnant left of his people” to the kingdom of Israel? Not only had they been scattered to the far corners of the world, but they also had been assimilated into the cultures and peoples where they had been scattered. Their descendants were not hiding out in some remote jungle or cavern somewhere awaiting to be recalled, their descendants had become Gentiles. Because of this, the only way for the Messiah to bring the descendants of the Diaspora back into the
kingdom of G-d was to bring salvation to the Gentiles, else he could not fulfill the prophecies concerning their return! However, I must also state that I believe the Diaspora extends beyond those who have Jewish blood in their ancestry. The Diaspora extends to all of the sons of Adam. John the Baptist and Paul make the argument clear:
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, G-d is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Gospel of Matthew 3:7-10).”
Paul furthers this idea in his letter to the Galatians:“Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Thus Abraham “believed G-d, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” So you see that it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, forseeing that G-d would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith (Galatians 3:5-9).”
In Luke 13, Y’shua is asked, “are those who are to be saved few in number?” Y’shua answers this question by again reiterating that those who wish to be in the kingdom must keep striving and not sit back and decide they are already saved simply because they are biologically children of Abraham:
“Once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and when you begin to stand outside and knock, saying, ‘L-rd, open to us,’ he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in your presence and you taught in our streets.’ He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me all you who are workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there, when you will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of G-d and yourselves cast out. And they will come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and take their places at table in the kingdom of G-d. And—look you—there are those who are last who will be first, and there are those
who are first who will be last (Gospel of Luke 13: 25-30).”
He further reiterates the point with a parable, recorded in Luke 14:15-24, that the L-rd has set the banquet (a very well known picture to the Jewish mind), but those who were invited ignored the invitation, so the invitation has bent sent to the poor, lame, blind, and maimed in the streets to come and take their place.
This principle is again stated in Matthew 7:15-23 and 25: 31-46. All men are the lost people of G-d, lost from the time of Adam, and Y’shua haMoshiach (Jesus Christ) came to reclaim all men who will place their faith in G-d, and do the work of his kingdom, thus becoming the true sons of Abraham, and it is those who do the work of the kingdom who shall be given the reward of the kingdom.

“The L-RD your G-d himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the L-RD said.” (31:3)
“Crossing the Jordan River” has long been a euphemism for entering the kingdom of heaven. Sometimes it is used in reference to baptism, other times in reference in to entering G-d’s presence in the afterlife. In both cases, Y’shua has crossed over before us, defeating the enemy for us (death, Satan, and sin), and making way for us to possess the Holy Land of the kingdom that he has prepared for us. I must point out here that Y’shua is the Aramaic version of the Hebrew name Y’hoshua. Thus, the verse that applied to the specific event of G-d and Y’hoshua leading the Israelite nation from the wilderness into the Promised Land by “crossing over ahead of them” also applies specifically to G-d Y’shua leading us from the wilderness of of sin and death into the Promised Land of the new kingdom and eternal life in his presence.
“"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of G-d and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned (Gospel of John 5:24-29).”

"Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. 20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. 21 And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath." (31:19-21)
While the verses here seem harsh, we must notice what the L-rd has done in his mercy and love. Already knowing that his people would turn away from him, he gave them a song that they would learn from early childhood so the words would be imbedded in their minds. When the times came that the nations had turned from him and he allowed calamaties to to befall them so they might see the error of turning from them, they would be able to reflect upon the words of the song Moshe had taught them and so reject their evil inclinations and return again to the G-d of their fathers.
“Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign L-RD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?” - Ezekiel 33:11
G-d did not wish his people to be destroyed by their wickedness, so he gave them the song to etch on their minds so they would repent and embrace him again for all that he is and has done for them. How much more can we see how he has accomplished that by sending his Messiah into the world to die for us, who, “like sheep, had gone astray.”
“For G-d so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For G-d did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (Gospel of John 3:16-17).”
Like the nation of Israel, all of us have rebelled against G-d and committed idolatry by placing ourselves on the throne of our lives. G-d knows our hearts and minds, he knows our inclinations, he knows what we need to overcome our base natures. We need the Messiah, for we cannot do it on our own. He set the path for us to follow and sent us the Messiah to be the living word guiding us to that path.
Y’shua warned his disciples that everyone needed to repent and find their way to G-d instead of following their own desires. The same fate awaits everyone who does not reject the idolatry of self-dependence and turn to G-d, making him the king of our life:
“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish (Gospel of Luke 13:1-5).”
Yet, he also gave us words of comfort, reminding us as Ezekiel did, that G-d does not desire the destruction of the wicked, but wants their redemption instead.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the L-rd a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The L-rd is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the L-rd will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare (2 Peter 3:8-10).”
As the Israelite nation were commanded to learn and memorize the song of Moshe and the words of the Torah, we need to take his word into our hearts and minds, so that it will influence our every action in life, making us more like him as he perfects us through his Spirit.
“My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.” - Proverbs 3:1-4

“Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.” (32:2)
The ancient Jewish sages pointed to this verse and noted that the words of the Torah nourish our souls like the dew and rain nourish the grass.  They note the depths of the truth of this concept are illuminated by Moshe’s song.
They “descend like dew” on the newborn believer and the children who would be washed away if confronted with some of the weightier matters of spirituality.  The simple understanding of G-d’s words is a joy and comfort, tenderly nursing the young and growing their roots in the faith. 
They are “like showers on new grass” soaking the budding believer with the words of life as he absorbs the fuller meaning of the beauty and nature of his G-d through study of his Word.
They are “like abundant rain on tender plants” drenching the more mature, yet still fragile believers, filling them fully until the word flows forth from them to water the area around them with the beauty of his truth.  The Word, the Messiah, the Living Water fills us to overflowing and out of that abundance pours forth the Spirit of his love and grace to reach those in the world around us who do not know him.  Thus, his teaching makes us part of the blessing to all nations as we grow in his Word.
“37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as[c] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him [Isaiah 58:11]." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified (Gospel of John 7:37-39).”

“Rejoice, O nations, with his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
and make atonement for his land and people.” (32:43)

This seems an odd statement, fo why should other nations rejoice that the L-rd avenges Israel?  Aren’t other nations likely to be the enemy in question?  We need only go back to the promise given to Abraham to see the reason and understand the whisper of the Messiah “between the lines” of Moshe’s song:
“I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." - Genesis 22:17-18 (also see Gen. 18:18, 26:4-5, and Psalm 72:17)
All nations shall rejoice that G-d kept his people Israel and avenged them because it is through them that G-d brought the Messiah into the world, blessing every nation and every people with the gift of salvation for any who will accept his gift.  There is no greater reason in all the earth to rejoice than the gift of the Messiah who makes atonement for the Land and for all of G-d’s people.
Paul cites the prophecy in his letter to the Galatians and tells us that all who accept the blessing of the Messiah have become the spiritual children of Abraham, no matter from which nation they have sprung physically.
“Consider Abraham: "He believed G-d, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  The Scripture foresaw that G-d would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” - Letter to the Galatians 3:6-9
Through the Messiah all the nations become the Holy People of G-d and receive the blessing given through Abraham, giving us yet an even deeper reason for the joy he told the nations to express for his fealty to Israel.

“When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.  They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (32:45-47)
Again, the theme of the Word of Life, the Messiah appears.  The words of the song - and of the Torah - Moshe gave the people were “not just idle words for [them] - they are [their] life.”  As expressed in earlier portions, the words are made holy because of the Holy Word who is with G-d and who is G-d, who was made flesh to dwell among us and die for our sins.  It is by the Word that we shall live eternally in the Promised Land of his presence which he has given us this day through the gift of the Messiah’s death, burial, and Resurrection.

Unlike the other portions, the final Parashah of the Torah traditionally is read on Simchat Torah, the final night of the Sukkot festival.  During Simchat Torah, the congregation removes the Torah scrolls from the Ark and march or dance around the dais carrying the scrolls on their shoulders while singing various traditional hymns in celebration of the gift of the word of G-d.  In many congregations, candy is given to the children to remind them of the sweetness of G-d’s word.  The children also carry smaller Torah scrolls (or sometimes facsimiles they have made in class) around with the adults.
I cannot witness a Simchat Torah service without thinking of the Triumphal entry of Y’shua into the city of Jerusalem.  “The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the L-rd [Psalm 118:26]!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"
The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer [Isaiah 56:7],' but you are making it a 'den of robbers [Jeremiah 7:11].'"
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.
"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise' [Psalm 8:2]?"” - Gospel of Matthew 21:6-16 (see also Gospel of Mark 11 and Gospel of John 12)
Just as the people march, dance, and sing around the dais celebrating the Holy Word of G-d in the Torah, so did the people of Jerusalem dance and sing around the Living Word of G-d as he entered into the city of Jerusalem.

Fittingly, this final portion of the Torah, which in totality is a blessing, records the final blessing of Moshe to the nation of Israel before he left them.  Several sections of the blessing reverberate with echoes of the Messiah.
“Surely it is you who love the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction,
the law that Moses gave us,
the possession of the assembly of Jacob.” (33:3-4)
Many are the references of Israelites coming to the feet of Y’shua to bow or receive healing and instruction: Gospel of Matthew 15:30-31; Gospel of Mark 5:22-23, 33-34, 7:25-26; Gospel of Luke 7:37-46, 8:34-35, 41-42, 47-48, 10:38-39, 17:15-16, Gospel of John 11:2, 32, 12:3 and the Revelation of John 1:12-17.  The psalms tell us “he has put everything under his feet” (Psalm 8:6), which Paul quotes more than once in reference to the Son of Man.  Further, Paul tells us plainly that “G-d placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ephesians 1:22-23).”  Y’shua gave instruction to his disciples and all those who came and knelt by his feet to receive it.  He still does the same for all who come to him.  And he teaches us the full Law of G-d, for he is the glorious fulfillment of it.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” - Gospel of Matthew 5:17-18.

“He was king over Jeshurun [the Holy One, meaning Israel]
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.” (33:5)

“The L-RD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one L-RD, and his name the only name.” - Zechariah 14:9.  In the rabbinical literature, this idea of the kingship of G-d over his people has a dual meaning: present and future.  Obviously in Zechariah, the prophet speaks of a future kingship, and the sages also attribute a future kingship to Moshe’s words as well as the moment at Mount Sinai to which Moshe alluded.  Basically, the rabbis said that G-d becomes and reigns as king over the nation only when the tribes are together and the heads of the people are assembled.  If the earthly kingdom is removed, the possibility of the Divine Presence in the midst of the nation is removed as well.  With this thought in mind, let’s look at the Gospel of Matthew:
“Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward and declared, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of G-d and rebuild it in three days.' "
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living G-d: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of G-d."
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven [paraphrase of Daniel 7:13]." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.” - Gospel of Matthew 26:57-65
Notice that the Sanhedrin, the leaders of the people, had assembled to accuse Y’shua.  Remember, also, that this is P’shach (Passover), the time that every Jewish family was commanded to make the trip to Jerusalem to sacrifice their own lamb.  In the midst of the nation being together and the leaders assembled, Y’shua was proclaimed King (albeit as an accusation rather than in celebration) and he established the kingdom of G-d in our hearts forever through his death and resurrection.  Caiaphas, the High Priest, had prophesied that “Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of G-d, to bring them together and make them one (Gospel of John 11: 51-52).”  He apparently did not understand the prophesy, but he saw to its fulfillment as well as the fulfillment of Moshe’s words about the kingdom, and unwittingly brought the full kingdom of G-d into fruition by sending Y’shua before Pilate to be condemned. 
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our G-d,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our G-d day and night,
has been hurled down.
They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short."” - Revelation of John 12: 10-12

“In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;
such are the thousands of Manasseh."” (33:17)
This blessing is given to Yoseph, not Yehudah, yet the image still has/had Messianic implications to the Jewish people.  The same image is seen again in the apocryphal book of 1 Enoch, which was written in Aramaic and is dated by most scholars to the 1st or 2nd century B.C.
“And I saw that a white bull was born, and his horns were large, and all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven feared him and petitioned him at all times.  And I saw until all their generation was changed, and they all became white bulls, and the first one of them became the word [or the lamb], and that word [or lamb] became a great animal, and had on its head large black horns; and the L-rd of the sheep rejoiced over them and over all the bulls.” - 1 Enoch 09: 37-38.
While the book of Enoch certainly is not considered inspired scripture, but obviously this passage is based off the image from Deuteronomy.  The passage features a white bull and a nagar or nalar, which in Aramaic can mean “word,” “matter,” “something,” or “thing” (in Hebrew it is a verb meaning to stretch out). Some scholars dispute that the word appears only in error, feeling it was a mistake in copying from the original that they feel was “telyah“, the Aramaic word meaning lamb (the Hebrew word, telah, is the same minus the yod and also is one of the Hebrew words for lamb).  In either case, the correlation to Y’shua is obvious.  As this blessing was attributed to Yoseph (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh), Christian scholars hold that Y’shua’s adoptive father Yoseph is the tie-in fulfilling this image as prophesy. 
The passage from Enoch compares to Deuteronomy where the two oxen represent an anticipated Yoseph/Y’hoshuah deliverer, on the one hand servile and destined to sacrificial death and on the other hand as free and reigning.  The image in Enoch obviously draws from the Deuteronomy image, thus it also describes the expected Yoseph/Y’hoshuah deliverer destined to become something greater and change the whole of the nation into his own image (they all became white bulls).  This imagery seems to depict the coming of the Holy Spirit into the hearts of Y’shua’s disciples, who strive to become like him. 
In the letter to the Hebrews, the author (Paul?) makes the comparison of the annual sacrifice of “bulls and goats” to the one-time sacrifice of Y’shua, the Lamb of G-d,  showing that he is the fulfillment of those sacrifices, which were only “shadows of the reality to come”:
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, O G-d.' "[Psalm 40:6-8] First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10: 1-10.

"There is no one like the G-d of Jeshurun,
who rides on the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.
The eternal G-d is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemy before you,
saying, 'Destroy him!'
So Israel will live in safety alone;
Jacob's spring is secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.
Blessed are you, O Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the L-RD ?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will trample down their high places." (33:26-29)
As the “grafted in branch” of G-d’s Holy People, the church receives this blessing from Moshe.  Certainly there is no G-d like him and he holds us protectively under his arm and has defeated our enemies: Satan, our own sin, and death.  Through Y’shua, he has driven them out before us and they cower before his presence.  By his sacrifice, he has made us secure in the eternal Promised Land of Heaven that is to come, a land offered to us by the “grain” (bread) of his body and the “new wine” of his blood.

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the L-RD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the L-RD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land.” (34:10)
In the ‘postlude’ of Deuteronomy, obviously written later than the rest of the book, the statement is made that no prophet has arisen like Moshe since then, a point we discussed in Parashah Shof’tim.  Moshe had promised that a prophet like him would arise from the people, yet none had and the expectation that the prophet Moshe mentioned would be the Messiah became well-rooted in Jewish belief - and continues to today.  As discussed in that portion, Y’shua was that man, knowing he L-rd face-to-face as Moshe did, performing miraculous signs and wonders such as had not been seen since the time of Moshe.  It was to this expectation that Y’shua spoke when he told the people: "Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father (Gospel of John 10:37-38, see also 14:11)."  They knew that the Messiah would perform miracles that no one else could perform and Y’shua did so many times before them, despite the unbelief of so many.  Those who chose to be his disciples understood the relevance of the miracles and what things Y’shua was fulfilling.  Though they expected different things from the Messiah than he was delivering, they understood that he was the new Moshe come to establish the promised kingdom of G-d.  Today, he is still that prophet, that priest, that king, leading all of his disciples into the eternal kingdom of G-d’s presence.  Follow the Messiah!!!  Chazach!  Chazach!  V’nit Chazek!