Choose Life!

Lady Wisdom & Lady Folly

Weekly D'rash on Parshat Behar-Bechukotai

What a “Wondrous Wisdom Weekend” we had with Dr. Ellie Paley. We learned that wisdom is found when we choose the way of Adonai that is rooted in the creation order of God. Just as there is an order of nature and an order of the sun, moon, and stars, God created humanity to live within a certain way of life. This means to choose what God has prescribed over any other choice regardless of cultural acceptability, convenience, pleasure, economic advantage, or any other reason. As we learned, it all began in the Garden of Eden when humanity was faced with the choice of living in the way of the Lord or eating from the forbidden tree. Humanity (Adam and Eve) forfeited an abundant life with all the blessings that God desired by making the foolish choice of eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Dr. Paley walked us through the Scriptures and demonstrated how the choice of obedience to God was always the wise choice—even if the blessings were not immediately evident.

Our Torah portion today brings us to the end of Leviticus which contains a proverbial completion to the laws of Exodus and Leviticus. We read that choosing the way of the Lord will ultimately bring a pouring out of the blessings of God that he promised from the beginning. This is wisdom. Wisdom leads to life and foolishness leads to death. Wisdom leads to a full life of satisfaction, and while no one can escape hardships in this life, foolishness leads to complications and difficulties that could have been averted. Wisdom points to Yeshua and foolishness points away from Yeshua.

Leviticus chapter 26 should be read like the Book of Proverbs. These are not promises, but rather proverbial statements that communicate that life is better when we choose the wise way of the Lord, and that there will be a day when all of these blessings will be poured out. It will be the day when the world walks in the wisdom of God. Today the world is in darkness and foolishness. When we embrace the Messiah, who is called the wisdom of God in 1 Cor. 1:24, we walk in His wisdom by making choices that demonstrate our allegiance to him—even if that is not in step with the culture.

In Leviticus 26:1–13, we read examples of making right choices. The results are a description of the World To Come. This is similar to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–10. You are on the right road if you make wise choices. Making these kinds of choices will lead to a life of blessing that looks forward to the Messianic Age. See Matt. 7:24–27 for Yeshua’s description of wise and foolish choices.

If you read the verses carefully, certain words jump out that remind us of several previous passages: fruitful and multiply (26:9), dwell among you (26:11), walk among you (26:12), I will be your God and you shall be my people (26:12). These words and concepts are first found in Genesis 1:28 and 3:8 which describe the Garden of Eden. They are also found in Exodus 6:7 and 25:8 which promise a restoration of relationship like the Garden of Eden. The combination of these words and phrases emphasizes that the goal of Torah is to bring restoration to the world. This is a restoration that is new and better than it could have ever been. It is a World to Come!

When Yeshua came, he began the process of “new creation” in his death and resurrection. He removed the barrier of sin, and His resurrection is the beginning of a physical new world. His resurrection body is indestructible. He is not resuscitating the world, but creating an everlasting world! Right now, he is continuing that work through all of us who are identified with him. Hopefully, we view our walk with the Lord and the way we live as more than a series of obedient acts. Walking in the "way of the Lord” (i.e., walking in wise choices) cultivates intimacy with God, builds relationships, and creates a vision of the future. It creates a way of life that allows us to experience a taste of New Eden even now in this world.

Leviticus 26:11–12 says, “I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.” As we live the Torah way of life—again, making wise choices—we will indeed experience the presence of God in every moment. Yeshua is the Word made flesh. When we walk in his ways, we really do experience the assurance and confidence of his ever presence. His ways include developing personal disciplines that cultivate personal relationships, as well as living the right way according to ethics and morals. But there is more to it than our own assurance and confidence. The way we live is the way in which God is creating a new world. Have you ever viewed your life as making that kind of difference? As we live out God's way of life, we could say that we are moving the agenda of God forward. Realize that you are making a difference in the world even if it does not look like it.

Think of the life of Yeshua himself. It certainly did not look like he was making a difference, but of course he inaugurated a transformation of the world! The easy choice for him would have been to evade death. The wise choice was to suffer. You are seated in heavenly places with the Messiah. You have been redeemed and play a significant role in this world. As we read in Lev. 26:13, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.” In other words, do not walk like a slave of the enemy, but rather realize that the yoke has been broken and you belong to God. Stand up tall and have the confidence to know that he has empowered you to make a difference. As Moses said: “Choose life!”

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard