deuteronomy 33:1-34:12, parashah vezot haberakhah (and this is the blessing)

I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)

Today is the 51st Sabbath of the annual Torah cycle. The Torah reading (parashah) is Vezot Haberakhah (And this is the blessing), Deu 33:1-34:12.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions given by the Holy Spirit, are:

Deu 33:1-6 s The giving of the Torah + the blessing on Reuben
Deu 33:7 p The blessing on Judah
Deu 33:8-11 s The blessing on Levi
Deu 33:12 s The blessing on Benjamin
Deu 33:13-17 s The blessing on Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh)
Deu 33:18-19 s The blessing on Zebulun and Issachar
Deu 33:20-21 s The blessing on Gad
Deu 33:22-23 s The blessing on Dan and Naphtali
Deu 33:24-29 s The blessing on Asher + the excellency of God
Deu 34:1-12 p The death of Moses the servant of the Lord + Joshua and a prophet like Moses

The first weak paragraph contains a Messianic prophecy in the central axis:

Deu 33:1-6 s
1a) Deu 33:1, The blessing on the children of Israel;
1b) Deu 33:2a, Yehovah God came from Sinai with ten thousand holy ones with Him;
1c) Deu 33:2b, From His right hand came a royal mandate given with fire for them;
central axis) Deu 33:3, “Yes, He loves the people – all His saints; they are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet to receive Your words;”
2c) Deu 33:4, Moses commanded a torah for us, a heritage of the congregation of Jacob;
2b) Deu 33:5, Yehovah God is King in Jeshurun, the assembled leaders and tribes of Israel;
2a) Deu 33:6, The blessing on Reuben.

When did His people Israel sit at His feet to receive His words? Mat 5:1-2, Luk 10:39. This central axis prophesying of the gracious words which would proceed from His mouth (Luk 4:22), that His people would receive, is surrounded by the C pair, the giving of the Torah from Mt. Sinai. That is enclosed by the B pair, the declaration of the greatness and majesty of God has King.

Notice: because He is King, He has the responsibility to command His Torah. And because He is Abba Father who loves His people, His Torah, given with fire, put on flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. His Law is the Law of Love. And that Love hung on the cross for us, in our place.

Now the blessing on the twelve tribes also forms its own chiastic structure, leaving the strong paragraph of Deu 34:1-12 hanging as a loose end. You know how much I love loose ends in Torah (not)! They are there to set up puzzles, so that we will dig a little deeper. This is the chaistic structure which was uncovered:

Deu 31:1-34:12
1a) Deu 31:1, Moses spoke these words to all Israel;
1b) Deu 31:2-30 s+s+p, Moses 120 years old + not crossing over + Joshua inaugurated;
1c) Deu 32:1-43 p, The song of Moses;
1d) Deu 32:44-45, Moses spoke to all Israel;
central axis) Deu 32:46-47 p, Set your heart on all these words, because it is your life;
2d) Deu 32:48-52 p, YHVH spoke to Moses;
2c) Deu 33:1-29 s+p+sx7, The blessing of Moses;
2b) Deu 34:1-9, Moses did not cross over + 120 years old + Joshua succeeded;
2a) Deu 34:10-12 p, A prophet like Moses in all Israel.

The Word which Moses spoke is the Word of YHVH. This Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, full of grace and truth (Joh 1:14). This Word is the Prophet like Moses in all of Israel. Set your heart on this Word, because He is your life.