It is customary for religiously practicing Jews to read from an annual cycle of weekly Old Testament readings called Torah Portions. This is said to be the same reading schedule that was taught every Sabbath in the Synagogues during the times of Jesus in the first century.

As Christians exploring the Torah portion cycle we must maintain a balance of including the Old Testament, the prophets, and the gospels in our weekly bible study.

Torah Portion Name and Readings-

Vezot Ha’Bracha are the Hebrew words for “now this”, this is the name for the weekly Torah Portion reading for the Book of Deuteronomy starting in chapter 33 verse 1 and going through chapter 34 and verse 12.

Prophets and New Testament-

It is also important to point out that along with the Torah portion readings and teachings, there are what are called Haftarah portions which are readings from the Bible in the books of the prophets. This week’s haftarah readings come from the book of Joshua in chapter 1 verse 1 through verse 18.

The gospel readings incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of Acts in chapter 1 with verses 1 through 14.

Torah Portion Overview-

This Torah portion we get a special name for Israel, “Jeshurun” which is a name for Israel that is related to the word “ysr” to be upright and probably means “upright one”. For more information on this see the entry for “יְשֻׁרוּן,” in the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. (See also Isaiah 44:2.)

Deuteronomy 33:5 (ESV)

“Thus the LORD became king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.”

Yahweh then is seen as the King of Israel! This is very important to understand that ever since Moses Yahweh was seen as their king. Israel was not to be like the other nations, who had a man as king, but God was to be their king. This is why when the people asked Samuel for a king The Lord told Samuel that they were rejecting Him as king.

1 Samuel 8:4-7 (ESV)

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”

Yet even though the people rejected God as their king the prophets still understood that Yahweh was their king.

Isaiah 43:15 (ESV) (see also Isaiah 6:5, 33:22, 44:6, Jeremiah 8:19, 48:15, 51:57, Zephaniah 3:15, Malachi 1:14)

“I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

Yet they did have a king, David and His descendants who were promised to reign over Israel forever.

2 Samuel 7:16 (ESV)

“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

Yet Jerusalem was conquered as well as its king, the descendant of David. And yet we see that a promise was given of a king to come, who would be a descendant of David.

Isaiah 32:1 (ESV) (see also Jeremiah 30:9)

“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.”

Jeremiah 23:5-6 (ESV) (see also Ezekiel 37:24-28, Hosea 3:4-5)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’”

This king would reign forever and He would not be conquered and His dominion would not be removed.

Daniel 7:13-14 (ESV)

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Remember that the term “ coming with the clouds” was a statement of divinity, usually used for Baal. Thus Daniel is describing a divine figure who will reign as king! This king, it was prophesied would be Yahweh.

Isaiah 33:22 (ESV)

“For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.”

Ezekiel 20:33-38 (ESV)

“As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD. I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

This king would be born a child destined to rule Israel and the nations!

Zechariah 14:16-17 (ESV)

“Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them.”

And so the King of Israel was born into the world.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

Matthew 2:2 (ESV)

“saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Yeshua, Jesus Christ, He is this King!!

Luke 19:38 (ESV)

“saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

John 12:13 (ESV) (see also Zechariah 9:9)

“So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

Matthew 27:11 (ESV)

“Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”

Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-

• Deuteronomy 33:1 The blessing of Moses on the Tribes except Simeon

• Deuteronomy 34:1 Moses dies

Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-

• Joshua 1:1 Appointment of Joshua to conquer the land

• Joshua 1:10 The people prepare to conquer and will follow Joshua

Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-

• Acts 1:1 Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit

• Acts 1:9 Jesus ascends to heaven and is promised to return

• Acts 1:12 The disciples gather to pray

Bibliography

• Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 450.

• M. J. Mulder, “יְשֻׁרוּן,” Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990) 472–475.

To Watch an overview of this week’s Torah Portion CLICK HERE