So The Hebrews Were Now Called Israelites…

When did Israel become a Jewish Nation? Where is that covenant? I’m still looking. What scripture of the prophets is that found in? Did the Angel of The Lord say to Jacob, today you shall be called a Jew? I thought the name was Israel? What was the covenant God gave to Abraham?

I’m just asking the questions some others are starting to ask. And sticking with the scriptures written in the Word of God. That’s all, while loving the new discoveries being found in the Holy Land. This Sunday with all the shaking taking place to the north, south, east and west… I felt led to talk about the first Israelites going into the promised land. Moses gave them the law and the curses and blessings as it says in Deuteronomy 27:9 KJV “And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.”

He also spoke of a west side and an east side of the Jordan. Deuteronomy 27: ¹¹ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,¹² These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: ¹³ And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.” Do you know what this all meant? To be honest, I didn’t so that is what got me to this searching for this day.

Today I will be using the Jewish Bible, because the words are closest to those used in Hebrew. The King James Bible has the same message… only with different spellings and a flare of Shakespeare. I have made some interjections that are in italics and in brackets. You can study it in whatever translation you choose.

I recently found that they discovered the original site of the Altar of Joshua on Mt. Ebal and also found they have decided to build a highway and destroyed a piece of it.

I found this video below very interesting and filled with a lot of truths. It certainly tied into many things I have studied and opened up things I had not known.

So, I went to Deuteronomy Chapter 27 and read it.

Deuteronomy 27 (Complete Jewish Bible)

27 (iv) Then Moshe and all the leaders of Isra’el gave orders to the people. They said, “Observe all the mitzvot I am giving you today. ² When you cross the Yarden to the land Adonai your God is giving you, you are to set up large stones, put plaster on them, ³ and, after crossing over, write this Torah on them, every word — so that you can enter the land Adonai your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Adonai, the God of your ancestors, promised you. ⁴ When you have crossed the Yarden, you are to set up these stones, as I am ordering you today, on Mount ‘Eival; and put plaster on them. ⁵ There you are to erect an altar to Adonai your God, an altar made of stones. You are not to use any iron tool on them, ⁶ but are to build the altar of Adonai your God of uncut stones; and you are to offer burnt offerings on it to Adonai your God. ⁷ Also you are to sacrifice peace offerings, eat there and be joyful in the presence of Adonai your God. ⁸ You are to write on the stones all the words of this Torah very clearly.”

⁹ Next Moshe and the cohanim, who are L’vi’im, spoke to all Isra’el. They said, “Be quiet; and listen, Isra’el! Today you have become the people of Adonai your God. ¹⁰ Therefore you are to listen to what Adonai your God says and obey his mitzvot and laws, which I am giving you today.”

(v) ¹¹ That same day Moshe commissioned the people as follows: ¹² “These are the ones who are to stand on Mount G’rizim and bless the people after you have crossed the Yarden: Shim‘on, Levi, Y’hudah, Yissakhar, Yosef and Binyamin; ¹³ while these are to stand on Mount ‘Eival for the curse: Re’uven, Gad, Asher, Z’vulun, Dan and Naftali. ¹⁴ The L’vi’im, speaking loudly, will proclaim to every man of Isra’el:

15 A curse on anyone who makes a carved or metal image, something Adonai detests, the handiwork of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret!’ All the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’

¹⁶ “‘A curse on anyone who dishonors his father or mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ¹⁷ “‘A curse on anyone who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ¹⁸ “‘A curse on anyone who causes a blind person to lose his way on the road.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ¹⁹ “‘A curse on anyone who interferes with justice for the foreigner, orphan or widow.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’

²⁰ “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his father’s wife, because he has violated his father’s rights.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ²¹ “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with any kind of animal.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ²² “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his sister, no matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ²³ “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’

²⁴ “‘A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ²⁵ “‘A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ ²⁶ “‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’

That day they became the people of Adonai their God. They were all made aware of the blessings and curses and the dividing of the lands. We go forward and read in Joshua Chapter 6, and see Joshua follows the orders of God and they receive a victory at the battle in Jericho. We also see some Israelites who did not follow the laws of Adonai and were tempted to do take what was not theirs to take. And how they were all tried to do according to what was written for them in the laws of Adonai.

Joshua Chapter 6:15-27

¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up early, at sunrise, and went around the city in the same way seven times. That was the only day they encircled the city seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time, when the cohanim blew on their shofars, Y’hoshua said to the people, “Shout! because Adonai has given you the city! ¹⁷ But the city and everything in it is to be set aside for Adonai and therefore to be destroyed completely; only Rachav the prostitute is to be spared, she and everyone with her in her house, because she hid the messengers we sent. ¹⁸ So you, keep clear of everything reserved for destruction. If you bring a curse on yourselves by taking anything set aside to be destroyed, you will bring a curse on the whole camp of Isra’el and cause great distress there. ¹⁹ All the silver and gold, and all the brass and iron utensils are to be separated out for Adonai and added to the treasury of Adonai.”

²⁰ So the people shouted, with the shofars blowing. When the people heard the sound of the shofars, the people let out a great shout; and the wall fell down flat; so that the people went up into the city, each one straight ahead of him; and they captured the city. ²¹ They completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword — men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

²² Y’hoshua said to the two men who had reconnoitered the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out with all that she has, as you swore to her.” ²³ The young men, the spies, went in and brought out Rachav with her father, mother, brothers and all she had; they brought out all her relatives and put them safely outside the camp of Isra’el.

²⁴ Then they burned the city to ashes with everything in it, except for the silver, the gold and the brass and iron utensils, which they put in the treasury of the house of Adonai. ²⁵ But Y’hoshua spared Rachav the prostitute, her father’s household and everything she had; and she has continued living with Isra’el from then until now; because she hid the messengers Y’hoshua had sent to reconnoiter Yericho. ²⁶ Y’hoshua then made the people take this oath: “A curse before Adonai on anyone who rises up and rebuilds this city of Yericho: he will lay its foundation with the loss of his firstborn son and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son.” ²⁷ So Adonai was with Y’hoshua, and people heard about him throughout the land.

In Joshua Chapter 7 after the victory in Jericho, we see how the law was put into action, along with events that show some of the lack of Judgement made and how God turned it around. Always take a matter before the Lord and never get so confident that you think you can battle without God… and never trust someone without taking the matter before the Lord, or you most likely will be deceived.

Joshua Chapter 7

² Y’hoshua sent men from Yericho to ‘Ai, which is next to Beit-Aven, east of Beit-El, telling them to go up and spy out the land. So the men went up, reconnoitered ‘Ai, ³ returned to Y’hoshua and told him, “Don’t have all the people go up; but let perhaps two or three thousand men go up and attack ‘Ai. There’s no point in making all the people exert themselves to get there, because there are only a few of them.” ⁴ So from the people about three thousand men went up there, but they were routed by the men of ‘Ai. ⁵ The men of ‘Ai killed some thirty-six of them and chased them from before their gate all the way to Sh’varim, attacking them on the descent. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water.

⁶ Y’hoshua tore his clothes and fell to his face on the ground before the ark of Adonai until evening, he and the leaders of Isra’el, and they put dust on their heads. ⁷ Y’hoshua said, “Oh, Adonai Elohim! Why did you take the trouble to bring this people across the Yarden if you meant to hand us over to the Emori and have us perish? We should have been satisfied to live on the other side of the Yarden! ⁸ Oh, Adonai! What can I say, after Isra’el has turned their backs and retreated before their enemies? ⁹ For when the Kena‘ani and the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe us off the face of the earth. What will you do then to save the honor of your great name?”

(And of course… why did Joshua take it up with God like God did the deception? God let him know what was what and reminded him of the law. It sure looks like Joshua and the Israelites were learning a big lesson. Read and ponder what God said and how that relates throughout history and is yet in the teachings of Jesus, and applies to us to this very day. Jesus says we shall reap what we sow.)

¹⁰ Adonai said to Y’hoshua, “Stand up! Why are you lying there face down? ¹¹ Isra’el has sinned. Yes, they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them. They have taken some of what was to have been set aside for destruction. They have stolen it, lied about it and put it with their own things. (You cannot hide from God who sees all things!)

¹² This is why the people of Isra’el cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs on their enemies, because they have come under a curse. I won’t be with you any more unless you destroy the things meant for destruction that you have with you. 

(God will not bless those who go against his covenant. He will stand behind the curses he has written for those who go against what He has said for His people to do. Does that still hold true to this day? Do you think he changed his mind on how he felt about his commandments? When the Lord was asked which commandment was the greatest, he said for us to Love God with all our heart, mind, strength and soul and to love our neighbor as ourselves….and in doing those two we shall have kept ALL THE COMMANDMENTS. The commandments of God still stand, and the covenant God has made with His people still stand unconditionally. These are promises from God and God keeps all of his promises. The Lord fulfilled the words of the prophets, he did not change them.

No one can trick God. We are still in a battle between good and evil and God is still the one in control of all things. We do well to read the curses and blessings to a nation called by God’s name and heed them.)

¹³ So get up, consecrate the people, and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for here is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: “Isra’el, you have things under the curse of destruction among you; and you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the things that were to have been destroyed from among you.” ¹⁴ Therefore, tomorrow morning you are to come forward, one tribe at a time; the tribe Adonai takes is to come forward, one family at a time; the family Adonai takes is to come forward, one household at a time; and the household Adonai takes is to come forward, one person at a time. ¹⁵ The person who is caught with things in his possession that were reserved for destruction is to be burned to ashes, he and everything he has, because he has violated the covenant of Adonai and has committed a shameful deed in Isra’el.’”

¹⁶ So Y’hoshua got up early in the morning and had Isra’el come forward, one tribe at a time; and the tribe of Y’hudah was taken. ¹⁷ He had the families of Y’hudah come forward and took the family of the Zarchi. He had the Zarchi family come forward by household leaders, and Zavdi was taken. ¹⁸ He had his household come forward, one person at a time; and ‘Akhan the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y’hudah, was taken.

¹⁹ Y’hoshua said to ‘Akhan, “My son, swear to Adonai, the God of Isra’el, that you will tell the truth and confess to him. Tell me, now, what did you do? Don’t hide anything from me.” ²⁰ ‘Akhan answered Y’hoshua, “It is true: I have sinned against Adonai, the God of Isra’el. Here is exactly what I did: ²¹ when I saw there with the spoil a beautiful robe from Shin‘ar, five pounds of silver shekels and a one-and-a-quarter-pound wedge of gold, I really wanted them. So I took them. You will find them hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” ²² Y’hoshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent. It was all there, hidden in his tent, including the silver underneath. ²³ They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Y’hoshua and all the people of Isra’el, and put them down before Adonai.

²⁴ Y’hoshua, together with all Isra’el, took ‘Akhan, the son of Zerach, with the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything he had, and brought them up to the Akhor Valley. ²⁵ Y’hoshua said, “Why have you brought trouble on us? Today Adonai will bring trouble on you!” Then all Isra’el stoned him to death; they burned them to ashes and stoned them. ²⁶ Over him they piled a great mound of stones, which is there to this day. Finally Adonai turned away from his fierce anger. And this is why that place is called the Valley of Akhor [trouble] to this day.

(So why does anyone who knows the Word of God even dare to think they can go against Him and not be found out? They can’t, they just can’t.)

Joshua Chapter 8 explains God ordered the altar to be made from stones uncut. The stones on the altar of God were not to be cut with an iron tool because iron was used to make weapons of war. For the altar was sacred to God. The altar was for peace offerings. This reminded me of the Statue in Daniel where the stone uncut by human hands strikes the feet and toes made of Iron and Clay, because Iron and Clay do not mix. Amen!!

Joshua Chapter 8:30 – 35    

³⁰ Then Y’hoshua built an altar to Adonai, the God of Isra’el, on Mount ‘Eival, ³¹ as Moshe the servant of Adonai had ordered the people of Isra’el to do (this is written in the book of the Torah of Moshe), an altar of uncut stones that no one had touched with an iron tool. On it they offered burnt offerings to Adonai and sacrificed peace offerings. ³² He wrote there on the stones a copy of the Torah of Moshe, inscribing it in the presence of the people of Isra’el. ³³ Then all Isra’el, including their leaders, officials and judges, stood on either side of the ark in front of the cohanim, who were L’vi’im and who carried the ark for the covenant of Adonai. The foreigners were there along with the citizens. Half of the people were in front of Mount G’rizim and half of them in front of Mount ‘Eival, as Moshe the servant of Adonai had ordered them earlier in connection with blessing the people of Isra’el. ³⁴ After this, he read all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, according to everything written in the book of the Torah. ³⁵ There was not a word of everything Moshe had ordered that Y’hoshua did not read before all Isra’el assembled, including the women, the little ones and the foreigners living with them.

Joshua Chapter 9 tells us of the plans of the enemies infiltration but they were caught…1When all the kings on the west side of the Yarden in the hills, in the Sh’felah and all along the shore of the Great Sea that fronts the L’vanon — the Hitti, Emori, Kena‘ani, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi — heard what had happened, ² they joined forces to fight together against Y’hoshua and Isra’el. ³ But when the inhabitants of Giv‘ah heard what Y’hoshua had done to Yericho and ‘Ai, ⁴ they developed a clever deception: they made themselves look as if they had been on a long journey by putting old sacks on their donkeys and taking used wineskins that had burst and been mended back together. ⁵ They put old, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes; and took as provisions nothing but dried-up bread that was crumbling to pieces. ⁶ Then they went to Y’hoshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Isra’el, “We have come from a country far away. Now, make a covenant with us.” 

⁷ The men of Isra’el said to the Hivi, “How do we know that you don’t live here among us? If you do, we don’t want to make a covenant with you.” ⁸ But they answered Y’hoshua, “We are your servants.” Y’hoshua asked, “Who are you, and where do you come from?” ⁹ They answered him, “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the reputation of Adonai your God. We have heard reports about him — everything he did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and everything he did to the two kings of the Emori across the Yarden, Sichon king of Heshbon and ‘Og king of Bashan at ‘Ashtarot. ¹¹ So our leaders and all the people living in our country said to us, “Take provisions with you for the journey, go to meet them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.’ ¹² Here is the bread which we took for our provisions. It was still warm when we took it out of our homes the day we left to come to you. Now look at it! It’s dry and turned to crumbs! ¹³ And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, now they’re torn. Likewise, these clothes of ours and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.”

¹⁴ The men sampled some of their food but didn’t seek the advice of Adonai, ¹⁵ so Y’hoshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to spare their lives, and the leading officials of the community swore to them. ¹⁶ But three days later, after they had made the covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, that they lived there with them.

(Here we have even Joshua who was tricked by the wolves in servants clothes. These of the enemy were infiltrating by pretending to be one of them. They were tricked, because the scripture says they did not seek the advice of Adonai! They did not take the matter to God. They relied on their own intellect and were deceived. How can we relate to this today?)

¹⁷ The people of Isra’el traveled and arrived at their cities on the third day. Their cities were Giv‘on, K’firah, Be’erot and Kiryat-Ye‘arim. ¹⁸ The people of Isra’el did not attack them, because the leading officials of the community had sworn to them by Adonai, the God of Isra’el; but all the community grumbled against the leaders. ¹⁹ However, the leaders replied to the whole community, “We have sworn to them by Adonai, the God of Isra’el; so we can’t touch them. ²⁰ Here is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that God’s anger will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them. ²¹ Yes, let them live,” the leaders continued, “but let them chop wood and draw water for the whole community.” This is what the leaders said.

(So they swore an oath to the ones who lied and deceived them, and had to honor that? But, in honoring the oath that they could live among them, they put them in a form of bondage instead. What do we have to learn from this?)

We are yet in a world run by Satan and his demonic evil spirits. We must pray unceasing and ask God what we are to do with each day we are blessed to have. God sent all who believe the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, protect, give discernment and wisdom and to comfort us. We are not left as orphans. When we find ourselves in the midst of our own wrong decisions… and or under attack by no fault of our own, we need to pray more than we ever have, and we need to ask the Lord what we are to do and how. There is no one without sin in the flesh, we all fall short and sometimes simply because we trusted those who were not trustworthy. We are in this world and Jesus said the world hated me therefore it shall hate you….

John 15:12- 27

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. ¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. ²³ He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. ²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: ²⁷ And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Stay Strong and Keep on Pressing into the Kingdom of God! Press, press, press!

Dianne