This week’s portion called Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25).
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Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25)
During this past year, our Torah study group has been studying the Minor Prophets. One of the things we have seen is how the prophets build on the Torah, and on the book of Deuteronomy in particular.
In reading this week’s Torah portion, which includes most of Deut 7-11, we see Moses continuing to instruct the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Moses uses both encouragement—letting the people know that God is with them—and admonition—cautioning them about the consequences of disobedience to the covenant.
The prophets follow in Moses’ footsteps, again using an appropriate combination of encouragement and admonition. Hosea uses more admonition, because the house of Israel would soon be conquered by the Assyrians. On the other hand, Zechariah employs more encouragement in working with a struggling remnant of Israel that has returned to the land from exile in Babylon.
The prophets repeat a number of powerful images from the Torah. Here is one example. At the beginning of Deut 9, Moses says, “Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God.’’
Moses compares God to a fire. So does the book of Zechariah about 900 years later. When the first exiles returned from Babylon, they found Jerusalem in ruins. But in a vision, an angel tells Zechariah, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst. ”
Ultimately, the angel says, there will be so many people and animals in Jerusalem that city walls will not be able to contain them. And Jerusalem will not need walls anyway, because God will be like a “wall of fire” around the city. This is even a major upgrade over Iron Dome!
This imagery reminds us of the pillar of cloud and fire that guided Israel through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Zechariah’s vision shows that God would continue to guide and protect his people, then and on into the future. It was an encouraging vision for the returning exiles, and it is still encouraging today. Thanks be to God!
Psalm 125: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!
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