Those walls will come down: Joshua and the Battle for Jericho

 Living in the Promised Land: A study in the book of Joshua

A 24-week series given in 2021

Lesson Six (Joshua Chapter 6)

To view this online as a video:  https://youtu.be/lB4Svzqb1MY

Lesson Six: Joshua fit d’battle ob Jericho

 

A.     Introduction

 Overview. [For those online, see this book overview from The Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU )

B.     Taking Jericho:

For some of us taking a territory that belongs to another seems like stealing, and probably therefore against the 8^th commandment. For others, this land is the Promised Land to Abraham and therefore to the Jewish people, and they, under Joshua, had the right to go in take this land, which rightfully is ours. In reality, it’s God’s land, and he extends his regency to others to maintain it and to dwell in it under his rubric, under his guidance, under his command. 

Maybe that’s where you are in your view of the Land we today all Israel. 

Without getting to that question just yet, and the whole idea of ‘holy war’, let’s remind ourselves of God’s word to Abraham in Genesis 15.

¹⁴ “But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. ¹⁵ “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ “Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

God is telling Abraham here that we would go to Egypt, and we will exit there with many goods. Abe, you will die and be buried when an old man. And the people of your descendants will return here (obviously saying we are going to go and return) when the ‘iniquity of the Amorite is complete.’ In other words, God was waiting until the Amorites had filled up their iniquity quotient so that he could eradicate them from his sight, and from this site. Israel would take the land after the fulness of the Amorite was a settled matter. 

Those of you who know the Newer Testament in the letter to the Romans know that the Apostle Paul used a similar sentiment when he mentioned Israel coming to faith in Yeshua, when he says, 

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶  and so all Israel will be saved;”

This idea of the fulness of the Gentiles and then the entry of Israel into salvation is fittingly seen in the conquest of the Land of Promise under Joshua. It’s not a complete action and is only representative, but that may help some of you. 

One more introductory comment, from Paul Toms in a 1977 book

“There is a final lesson in the conquest of Jericho. The real battle about which we are reading is not with the Canaanites at all. It is with God’s own people...All this blowing of trumpet, all of this numerical listings of sevens, were not really necessary to knock down a little wall. ..The real battle of Jericho was with the human heart, not with the wall of a city. God was seeking to overcome the Israelites rather than simply to overcome the Canaanites.”  (page 170)

 

Here is our outline today:

1.     We have the instructions (.1-5)

2.     The execution of the plan, day by day Days 1-6: (.6-14)

3.     Then Day 7 (.15-21)

4.     Rahab and family (.22-25)

5.     Final wrap up and Joshua exalted (.26-27)

Let’s go through this section by section:

C.     First, then we have the instructions (.1-5)

Verse 1:

  סֹגֶ֣רֶת וּמְסֻגֶּ֔רֶת

 Again, the Bible uses the doubling of a word to emphasize the strength of it, here, shut is used twice, so we read in English ‘tightly shut.’ We could say ‘seriously shut’ whilst others say the gates were shut and the bar behind the gate made it tighter yet. 

Then in English we say ‘because of the Jews’ but the Hebrew is ‘from the face of the children of Israel.’ A lot of resistance in that ‘the face of’ mention. I think of the adulteress in Proverbs 30 who “eats and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.”

An ‘in-your-face’ action if I’ve ever seen one. 

Or the men of Sodom

וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים

Who turned their panim away from there after God said he would go down and see and he would know (Genesis 18.18-21) about Sodom and Gomorrah, their turn away was a statement of resistance. 

So here in Joshua, the Jericho people heard the same reports the people had heard throughout the region and their hearts could have melted, and turned towards faith in God, but they steeled themselves against God and turned away, against the Jewish people. And their walls were strengthened. 

That makes verse 2 all the more significant.

“See” “I have given it” How does Joshua know this? Chapter 5, the captain had visited him, and he should have known, that God’s will would be accomplished. “Be strong, be courageous…everywhere you place your foot, I’ve given it to you.”

Oswald Sanders wrote in his book, “Promised Land Living” about this. “God had a triple purpose in mind. First it would test the rebellious nation’s obedience to God. Second it would deepen the fear already clutching at the hearts of the people of the land. Third, when victory came, altogether apart from military prowess or intervention, it would convince God’s people that the overthrow of Jericho was entirely a victory of faith” (page 67)

D.    Then the execution of the plan, day by day Days 1-6: (.6-14)

Joshua calls the leadership and gives them the plan, and they execute it perfectly. Daily march. Daily 7 shofars. Ark. Military men in front and rear. The people are to remain silent. That’s the plan, and that’s what happened. 

But so far, this is a failed mission. The walls of the city are intact. The people are inside with weapons at the ready. We are on the hill or in the valley, but we are not inside. The city is not yet ours. 

After each day, 1 through 6, the people marched silently, the shofars blew, but nothing more, and the people went back to camp. Imagine the beginning of the 1812 overture, slow, steady, rhythmic. Nothing boisterous or stupendous. Not yet.

 

E.     Then Day 7 (.15-21)

The culmination of the campaign happens on one day—the 7^th day. We don’t know if this is Shabbat but we do know that one of the 7 days had to be Shabbat, so this is as good a day as any to count. The day started the same as all the others. See verse 15. And imagine after round 2 or round 3 of the final day. The anticipation was massive. They’ve been en route for 40 years, remember? They came out of Egypt, they marched and sat, and marched and then through the Jordan River on dry ground and God was with them. Joshua has supplied food for them, and the manna stopped in its heavenly supply. We’ve been going out and marching every day for a week, and we are supposed to be silent now? And how much longer is this? Or as your kids would say on that road trip, “Are we there yet?”

They have marched 6 days one time each, and now it’s circumference 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12… isn’t that enough? Then we have to go around one more time. 13, almost done. OK, that’s it, right? Wait, nothing has happened! Come on Joshua, what gives? Then the signal is sent. The trumpets sound, and Joshua gives the command, “SHOUT!” “Shout for the Lord has given us the city.” I hear Tchaikovsky’s crescendo. In a heartbeat, the city walls fall. The Israelites ran ahead under instructions from General Joshua and took the city, the gold and certain commodities and destroyed most everything else. They preserved Rahab as we recall. The victory was ours. All we did was march and shout. But honestly there was much more going on. 

One thing I thought about the other day was that the song, Joshua fit da battle ob Jericho, is really not accurate. Of course, ‘fit’ is Early American black jargon for ‘fought’ but what makes that inaccurate is that God alone did the fighting. Joshua’s fight was not a military one, but a battle of faith. And he won. And the people of Israel won. It WAS a great victory, and that’s an encouragement to me in my ongoing life of faith in Sydney, and maybe it is for you as well. 

Much of your work at the office, sometimes much of your planning for a wedding or any major event, seems like it would be forever to accomplish and then, just like that, it’s over. Weeks in planning for our community seder and then in 2 short hours it was over. Your wedding took months to ready; your pre-marital counselling… months. And then the wedding and that’s it. The rest is the back side. We don’t think about that very much or very often, but it’s the whole reason for the campaign, for the outreach, for the planning in the first place. The reason for the event was for the Day 8 and beyond. 

We had to be ready for the military campaign. We had to be ready. We had to be compliant. The purpose of the fall of the walls of Jericho went beyond that moment. It was to establish the taking of the Land. Jericho was Stop #1 and a significant strategic stop on that campaign. 

F.     Rahab and family (.22-25)

The Day 8 for Rahab is well known. Joshua sent the 2 spies whom she saved back to retrieve Rahab and whoever else she had with her. Remember, Rahab is a harlot and preserving her is gutsy, full of chutzpah. This chutzpah is probably better to title ‘faith.’ She is in the genealogy of King David and thus of King Messiah as well. Remember her story? If you missed that class a few weeks back, when we studied chapter 2, please revisit that on YouTube soon. (See it here: https://youtu.be/p7fu4jS4qGY ) She carried on her faith in the God of Israel. She persisted and represented well the Kingdom of God.

G.    Final wrap up and Joshua exalted (.26-27)

The amazing story of Joshua’s victory ends with his exaltation once again. That seems to be a pattern in this book. What the people of Israel need is a man of faith who is to lead them well. Joshua who fought the battle of Jericho is a story of faith unleashed. The faith that obeyed God, the faith that was disciplined (they didn’t shout when required (Can you imagine telling 1 million Jews to walk quietly?, they did shout when required, they stayed in the camp until, etc…), and the faith that persevered. Finally, it’s the faith that shouted in victory and maybe you’ve experienced that as well. When I came to faith in Yeshua in 1971, it wasn’t exactly a shout, but it was a broadcast, I wanted everyone everywhere to hear the Good News. 

And these last 5 decades, God has made me to be a winner. Victory is ours! Not because I’m so kosher, or my deeds are so good. The reason I live in victory? He’s so great! He wants to make his name known. So, actually this is not a faith that ENDS in victory; it’s a faith that glorifies God. 

Hebrews 11 says, 

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.” (verses 30-31)

 

Invitation

Dear friends, do you have such victory today? if you have never asked Yeshua to be your Saviour, today as we keep learning from Joshua, would you choose to believe the Lord of life?   What does it mean to be strong and courageous in light of learning about Yeshua? Would you be willing to take a stand for him who took a stand and died on a Roman cross for you? Today is Good Friday, the day when Yeshua died 2,000 years ago. For most, this is a secular, unimportant day. In Australia, it’s a public holiday when people get paid without working. I guess for them payment without work makes the day ‘good.’ No, it’s good because historically, today our Messiah died. It’s good because Messiah’s death accomplished salvation for all people. 

Without that kipporah (sacrifice) we would be hopeless, but because Yeshua died in our place on Passover, as the Passover lamb, and his blood was applied to the doorposts of our hearts, we can be forgiven. 

If you’d like to receive that today, just now, join me as we pray.

Say something like this: “Father in Yeshua’s name, forgive me my sin, I was wrong to dismiss you and to disbelieve in you. I need your mercy. I deserve punishment but you are kind and merciful and I receive your grace. I repent. I receive Yeshua as my saviour and Lord. I will live because of my faith in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.

If you prayed that, please let us know of your profession by writing straightaway, won’t you?Bob@JewsforJesus.org.au We’d love to hear from you.

 

Conclusion

We are delighted you have joined us today. Please join us next week and learn with the others how you can stay on track in 2021 and beyond.   I hope to see you next week as we continue our studies in Joshua.  You will certainly see yourself in the readings and in the lessons. It will be worthwhile!  Next week we will look at chapter 7 and see what lessons we can draw for ourselves from Jericho and a man named Achan-- another major event!

Hope to see you then… until then, Shabbat shalom!

 

 

 

Bibliography

Butler, Trent C., Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7. Joshua. Word, Waco, 1983.

Davis, Dale Ralph, Joshua: No Falling Words, Christian Focus, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland, 2019.

Hess, Richard. Tyndale Commentary Complete. 

Meyer, F.B., Joshua and the Land of Promise, Christian Literature Crusade, Ft Washington PA, 1977.

Sanders, J. Oswald, Promised-Land Living, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984.

Toms, Paul, This land is your land. Gospel Light Publishing, Glendale CA, 1977.

Weirsbe, Warren. Be Strong: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs, 2010.

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D-Groups for this week

1)              Tuesday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse

2)              Monday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White

(Contact our office for zoom details)

If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?

 

The Book of Joshua:   Outline. (This is the current plan for the series)

 

I.               Entering the Land (Chapters 1-4)

a.     Chapter 1: A funeral and a promise (Leadership Lesson 1)

b.     Chapter 2: A harlot saves the day 

c.      Chapter 3: Go against the flow (Part 1)

d.     Chapter 4: Go against the flow (Part 2)

 

II.              Taking the Land (5-12)

a.     Chapter 5: Roll away iniquity: a study in sacraments 

b.     Chapter 6: Joshua fit d’battle ob Jericho

c.      Chapter 7: Getting it very wrong: Achan and his mistakes

d.     Chapter 8: Combat and Covenant

e.     Chapter 9: Common sense is not so common

f.      Chapter 10: Southern dominance

g.     Chapter 11: How not to win

h.     Chapter 12: God is faithful

 

III.             Possessing the Land (13-21)

a.     Chapter 13: Inheritance lessons

b.     Chapter 14:  For example

c.      Chapter 15: Geography lesson

d.     Chapter 16: Trends of note (Part 1)

e.     Chapter 17: Trends of note (Part 2)

f.      Chapter 18: Apportionment (Part 1)

g.     Chapter 19: Apportionment (Part 2)

h.     Chapter 20: Provisions (Part 1)

i.       Chapter 21: Provisions (Part 2)

 

IV.            Retaining the Land (22-24)

a.     Chapter 22: Can an altar alter anything?

b.     Chapter 23: Staying on edge

c.      Chapter 24: Three funerals and Renewing the covenant

 

 

What's new in the new year: A study in newness and trumpets

By Bob Mendelsohn

Given in Bondi Junction, Sydney

1 Tishri 5775 (26 September 2014)



For the audio mp3, click here

L’shana tova to each of you gathered here today in Bondi Junction as we share together in the feast of trumpets, the blowing of the shofars and the consideration of things new.

When I was a kid, we started the school year about now, so we had new clothing or at least one item which was new, and certainly some new #2 pencils and a new notepad or such. By the way notepad was a stack of papers stitched together, nothing electronic.

So I went to synagogue and it felt new, even though I had been going the entire year before, there was a ‘new beginning’ feel to the whole experience. At least for awhile. Then the sameness crept in and I began remembering why I found it a bit of a drudgery.

Now here I am 5 decades on and wondering if you have something similar going on. You might be thinking, ‘Wait, I already sang that song last year,’ or ‘Two years ago I prayed that same prayer’ or ‘When do we get to the lunch already?’

But if you will allow me, I believe Rosh Hashanah is the time in our calendar when we hope to find answers to life’s bigger questions. The questions of forgiveness and repair, of a world gone mad and gone bad, and we wonder at times aloud, and more often under our breath, if God even cares about our situations and if He can see us and see to us in 2014 or 5775. It’s a Jewish question. It’s a universal question.

We wonder if God notices the killings and beheadings. We wonder if God watches the news as much as we do with horrors in Syria and Iraq. And we worry that which is overseas and came to us one week ago in a major raid by federal police on soon-to-be terrorists might cause God to notice.

Beyond the governmental difficulties, we wonder if we will find a new or better job this year. Will we find satisfaction in relationships? There are concerns to sort out in the difficulties of life with others, with whom we are not reconciled or finding a place to live which we can actually afford.

Life gives us questions and not many answers, and then when the answers do come, they don’t seem to satisfy, so we long for something restful, something conclusive, something that will long matter into the long night.

That’s the hopelessness of the king in Ecclesiastes. Those words we read are painful to read. “All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing.”

Into that situation, Yeshua does speak, and His words found in Matthew chapter 11 ring loudly today and every day.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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.”(Matthew 11.28-30)

Here we see Yeshua teaching us that if we want conclusion, or rest, or satisfaction, we won’t find it in buying the latest iTunes Lady Gaga hit or by joining the club at the RSL. We won’t find it by purchasing the best outfit in the Fashion Festival or if our footy side wins this weekend (Go the Swans).

The activities of God and the plans of God bring conclusions; everything else brings more questions.

I speak often with people who want to philosophize, some who actually work in that field at uni. Last night over dinner, I was speaking with a long-time friend about the considerations of life. He asked, “Why do people kill each other?” The context was Iraq and ISIS. We spoke about ideology and money. It seems as though many people who don’t have much money think that money is the answer to their woes. To be fair, if you have more money, you are able to purchase more answers to life, in a courtroom or in a doctor’s surgery, or in a restaurant queue. However, money, when you have plenty doesn’t actually satisfy the longing of a soul. They talk about people who win the lottery here and there who still are unhappy and eventually divorce their mate. Some of the richest people in the world are the ones who live in depression. We don’t have to look further than Hollywood celebrities who are found in hotel rooms, having committed suicide and yet they had all the popularity and the wealth that people without, so often long.  

King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes and he wrote on this particularly: “a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.” (Eccl. 6.2) Earlier in Proverbs Solomon wrote something equally frustrating about gaining wealth, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. for wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” (Prov 23.4-5)

So it’s not really money that flies away, but the satisfaction that we think will come when we gain it all.

My friend and I last night decided that money didn’t satisfy. He gave me an example of a mafia don who lives in Sicily and who has millions, and probably billions of dollars, but who lives like a peasant. He’s over 70 years old and rakes his own leaves. He is seeking to find meaning in life, and cannot find it – not with power that he wields and not in money… The powerful man is lonely though he can have any woman and any junior respond to him in any way. The answer he seeks is not found in power or fame or riches. He’s looking for something new, and maybe you are as well. The don is looking for peace. Where might it really be?

We spoke about ISIS and they have plenty of money, but they are seeking satisfaction in conquest, and in making the world an Islamic state. You know they will not be satisfied with Syria and Iraq. They want to dominate worldwide. But that ideology is long shown as dead and their methods of conquest are so savage that even the most ardent Muslim would have a hard time agreeing with their tactics and methodology in the 21^st Century. Ideology will not bring us closer to our peace we seek. Where is that to be found?

The answer might be as close as our shofar and the blasts we heard today.

The major symbol of Rosh Hashana is more than just a primitive trumpet. During the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashana, notice there are three distinct sounds:

1.              Tekiah ― one long, straight blast

2.              Shevarim ― three medium, wailing sounds

3.              Teruah ― 9 quick blasts in short succession

I borrow some from a meditation from Rabbi Shraga Simmons of Aish and from Rabbi Paul Sall of Congregation Shuvah Yisrael, Bloomfield, Connecticut, a messianic rabbi. Simmons says,

The Tekiah Sound

“Rosh Hashana is the day of appreciating who God is. God is all-powerful, the Creator, the Supervisor. In short, God is King of the Universe.

But for many of us, the idea of a "king" conjures up images of a greedy and power-hungry despot who wants to subjugate the masses for his selfish aims.

In Jewish tradition, a king is first and foremost a servant of the people. His only concern is that the people live in happiness and harmony. His decrees and laws are only for the good of the people, not for himself. (see Maimonides, Laws of Kings 2:6)

The object of Rosh Hashana is to crown God as our King. Tekiah ― the long, straight shofar blast ― is the sound of the King's coronation.”

In the Garden of Eden, the rabbis teach that Adam's first act was to proclaim God as King. We eat a round challah today to remind ourselves of the crowning of the king as well.

Rabbi Sall a US messianic rabbi, says, “ The tekia reminds us that when we remember that the Holy One who himself laid out the heavens and the earth is sovereign over creation, we can be kept from idolatry, fear, and self-centeredness. The awareness that he sits upon the throne of the world means that we don’t have to bear the weight of that world on our own shoulders. “

Maimonides adds one important qualification: It isn't enough that God is MY King alone. If ALL humanity doesn't recognize God as King, then there is something lacking in my own relationship with God. Part of my love for the Almighty is to help guide all people to an appreciation of Him. Of course this is largely an expression of my deep caring for others. But it also affects my own sense of God's all-encompassing Kingship.

In other words, a selfish man hears the shofar and says, in a post-Enlightenment fashion, “I’m related to God the Creator.” But a biblical person always wants to bring others along to hear the shofar, to meet the Almighty, to know God. Evangelism then is a very Jewish concept and a proper response to knowing who God is and being under His lordship.

The Shevarim Sound

Rabbi Simmons says of the shevarim: When we think about the year gone by, we know deep down that we've failed to live up to our full potential. In the coming year, we yearn not to waste that opportunity ever again. The Kabbalists say that Shevarim ― three medium, wailing blasts ― is the sobbing cry of a Jewish heart ― yearning to connect, to grow, to achieve.

Rabbi Sall of Connecticut says, “The modulated wail of the shevarim sounds almost like the bleat of a suffering animal. It serves as a reminder of the suffering in the world. The world is in a state of disrepair. Despite our best efforts there is a potentially disheartening reality that the present state of the world does not seem to be improving.   Our hope therefore is not in our own efforts and abilities alone, but rather in the faithfulness of the Sovereign. “

You might be wondering why we remind ourselves of this. We know suffering. We see suffering each day. We try to dull ourselves of that suffering with drinking, with entertainment, with noise of the music in our ears and our iPads. Please don’t make me listen to suffering. Please let me escape, we cry. But the shevarim keeps us hearing. The world is broken. The world needs repair. Where is the answer? Where is there rest and peace and comfort?

The Teruah Sound

Simmons says, “On Rosh Hashana, we need to wake up and be honest and objective about our lives: Who we are, where we've been, and which direction we're headed. The Teruah sound ― 9 quick blasts in short succession ― resembles an alarm clock, arousing us from our spiritual slumber. The shofar brings clarity, alertness, and focus.”

I agree, we have to hear that alarm and repent and come clean with God. The shofar sound pierces us with sharpness and like a machine gun which doesn’t allow us to get out of the way from the next bullet, the sounds, at least one of them, will certainly affect us. Lord, you have my attention. Lord, you got me. I was wrong. I repent. I’m sorry. I apologize. Please forgive me.

But now, besides all this about my own situation, we mustn’t get away from the alarm we are to sound to the world as well. Hey, world, wake up, the Messiah has come. Hey, world, wake up, you are lost in your trespasses and sins. You are broken. The fix is nearby.

We have battles each day. Will another government official knife the prime minister Tony Abbott, like happened under Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd? Whom should we trust? There is a battle to get onto the trains. There is a battle to survive the city. There is a battle with the media. We want the truth, and they only tell their side of the story to sell more papers. This was certainly true in the Israel/Gaza conflict recently. We wonder when the battle will end.

Into all these situations Yeshua’s voice which said, “Come to me” and he would give us rest, shouts all the louder. When we don’t know where to go, Yeshua gives us a clear location in Himself. If we don’t have rest, if we are travel weary and exhausted in trying to find the meaning of life, Yeshua says, “Come to me.”

Not only a rest as in a weekend in Bali or a couple weeks in a Fijian island. He says, “I’ll give you rest for your souls.” That’s deeper than a massage can ever touch. Rest for our souls is the satisfaction of knowing Him personally.

Andrew Murray, the South African / Scottish preacher from 100 years ago, wrote many little books with devotional content, and one of my favorites was “Abide in Christ.” In that book he talks about being drawn to Yeshua and being in Him. Only in Him is there human satisfaction. He was right then, and we know that because Yeshua is right, for Murray and for you and all who are far off.

Yeshua said, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We have to admit we are worn out trying. We are done trying to be the best person in our family. We are done trying to make everyone happy at work. We are done trying to make sense of a senseless world. We need answers, and we need them now, and we want real rest. Where is that found? Yeshua says, “come to Me.”

But that’s not where it stops. Yeshua goes on to say, “Take my yoke and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble.” There is a learning process, and we have more rest to gain as we learn about Him and as Murray says, “Abide in Him.” Getting saved is great, and the greatest decision a person ever makes in life, and then we have to remain, to stick with it, to learn and to grow, and to bear fruit which remains. How do we do that? Learn together, pray together, grow together, and take Yeshua’s council, His instructions, His life in you. And what do we gain then? “You will find rest for your souls.”[1] This same point was drawn from the prophet Jeremiah but that’s for another study.

For now, let’s listen and learn. The shofar blasts away and it’s more than a tune. It’s more than a decoration to our Rosh Hashanah services. It’s life if we listen. It’s fulfillment if we have ears to hear. It’s our resting place, if we are headed in the right direction. Yeshua said, “Come to me.” That’s where our souls can honestly find rest. And there we find newness of life. There we find meaning. There in 5775 and every year we can have purpose and meaning and life abundant.

Will you come to him now?

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[1]       From the Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 11.29

The meaning of the preceding verse is now made more precise. The invitation to come to Jesus is an invitation to discipleship, that is, to follow him and his teaching. “Yoke” is a common metaphor for the law, both in Judaism (m Abot 3:5; m Ber 2:2; cf IQH 6:19) and in the NT (Acts 15:10; Gal 5:1). When Jesus invites people with the words “take my yoke upon you,” he invites them to follow his own teaching as the definitive interpretation of the law (see on 5:17–20.). The same point is stressed in the next clause, “learn from me.” As Wisdom calls to obedience of Torah (cf Sir 24:23; 6:37), so Jesus similarly calls to a discipleship of obedience to Torah but, as always in Matthew, the Torah as mediated through his teaching—hence, “my yoke” (cf 23:8, 10). The cognate verb occurs in 28:19 together with the emphasis on keeping true to the teaching of Jesus. A dimension of personal commitment to Jesus is clearly implied (Maher, 103). The reason people should take Jesus’ yoke and learn from him—note again, “from me”—is articulated in the (“because”) clause that follows: “because I am meek and humble in heart.” The words “meek,” and “humble,” are found together in Jer 26:6 and Zeph 3:2. Jesus is referred to as “meek” elsewhere in Matthew (and in the NT) only indirectly in the quotation of Zech 9:9 in 21:5, although the cognate noun “meekness” is applied to Jesus in 2 Cor 10:1. Being “meek,” Jesus is also similar to Moses (Num 12:3). (Jesus describes his disciples as “the meek” in 5:5.) The word “humble” is also applied to Jesus in the NT only here. The word “meek” and the phrase “humble in heart” appear to be essentially synonymous. The contrast here, as in the preceding and following verses, appears to be between Jesus and his primary rivals, the Pharisees. Many of the latter exhibited an extraordinary pride, loving places of honor, special titles, and in general the authority they exercised over others (see 23:5–12). This demeanor had the effect of disqualifying them as true interpreters of Torah. In contrast, despite the overwhelming significance of his person and his mission, Jesus comes meekly and humbly as a servant (cf the Servant of the Lord in Isa 42:2–3; 53:1–12) and thus shows himself to be more worthy of trust than are the Pharisees. The final clause offering rest is couched in OT language identical in wording to Jer 6:16 (except for Matthew’s aÓna¿pausin to agree with v 28, where Jeremiah has aJgnismo/n, “purification”; the MT of Jer 6:16 has margo®a{, “rest”) and close to Sir 6:28 (which, however, lacks “for yourselves”). What Yahweh promised in the Jeremiah passage, Jesus now promises to those who come to him and follow him in discipleship: he will give them rest for their souls, ie, a realization of a deep existential peace, a shalom, or sense of ultimate well-being with regard to one’s relationship to God and his commandments (cf the “rest,” of Heb 4:3–10). In light of the rejection of Jesus, it is worth noting that following the invitation in Jeremiah are the words: “But they said: ‘We will not walk in it.’” This promise of rest relates directly to what is elsewhere in the NT called “salvation."