The Seat of Moshe

Shabbat Nachamu four of seven

Parasha:  Shoftim – Judges
Torah:  Devarim 16:18 – 21:9

Four hundred and eighty years after Torah was given, the Temple was built in Yerushalem and the process of centralizing the worship  and government began. Moshe had described part of the centralization process in this week’s lesson.  Here is what he commanded: 

6  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. 7  The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put the evil away from among you. 8 If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates: then shall you arise, and get you up into the place which Avinu Elohekah shall choose; 9  And you shall come to the priests the Levites, and to the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment: 10  And you shall do according to the sentence, which they of that place which Avinu shall choose shall show you; and you shall observe to do according to all that they inform you: 11  According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do: you shall not decline from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left. 12  And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not listen to the priest that stands to minister there before Avinu Elohekah, or to the judge, even that man shall die: and you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13  And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously. (Devarim 17:6-13)

For most of those four hundred and eighty years, Avinu provided both men and women “judges” to lead the people. At times, they were both the “High Priest” and the “King”. In the time of Sh’muel, the people rejected the “Judge Leadership System” and requested a “king”. The physical government and the religious system were separated.

When Yeshua arrived, the Priesthood was in shambles. The High Priest and his minions had become a political organization whose mission was to collect taxes for the Roman government. The “Seat of Moshe” had become an idolatrous system of Roman appointed leaders and many “Rabbis who taught a combination of a watered down Torah mixed with many myths and fables. There was no “top down” leadership only many rabbis teaching what they thought was the truth. This system is still operating today. 

Here is what Yeshua teaches:

1 Then Yeshua spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2  saying: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moshe’ seat. 3  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5  But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6  They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7  greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8  But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Meshiach, and you are all brethren. (Mt 23:1-8 )

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (Joh 16:13 )

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of Avinu leads you to repentance? (Ro 2:4 )

For us, it’s the Ruach HaKadosh who sits in “Moshe’s Seat”. We learn what Meshiach wants us to do by studying the Torah.