Mark of Belief

Devarim | דברים | "Words"

Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22

Prophets: Isaiah 1:1-27

Brit Hadasha: Mark 14:1-16; John 15:1-11; Hebrews 3:7 - 4:11; 1 Timothy 3:1-7

08.02.2025

Introduction – A New Beginning in Deuteronomy

The Mark of Belief

This week’s Torah portion brings us into the book of Deuteronomy. In Hebrew, Devarim —

“These are the words.” And that’s exactly what it is: the last words, the farewell speech, the

“last will and testament” of Moses to the people of Israel.

Think about it: 40 years of wandering. 40 years of rebellion, repentance, and lessons. And

now Moses stands at the edge of the Jordan, unable to enter himself, but leaving the people with final instructions. It’s not just a recap. It’s a charge. It’s a plea. It’s a final heart cry: Do not repeat the mistakes of your fathers. Believe the Lord, obey His ways, and live.

And isn’t it fitting that this very book, Deuteronomy, begins with a New Moon address? We just studied the New Moon last week — the importance of marking time by God’s rhythms, not the world’s. And today, as we step into this book, the Spirit is calling us to align our hearts not just with the calendar, but with belief itself.

Because at the heart of this parsha, and at the heart of Deuteronomy, is this theme: Will

you believe the Lord? Or will you harden your heart and die in unbelief?

The Sin of Unbelief – Deuteronomy 1:26–33

Let’s read together:

“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God;

and you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.’ … Yet in this thing you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you the way you should go.” (Deut. 1:26–27, 32–33)

What a tragic testimony! After all the miracles — the plagues in Egypt, the Red Sea parting, the manna falling every morning, water from the rock, the cloud of glory, the fire of His presence —literally manna, miracles and manifestations, and yet they still did not believe.

I want to think I would be different. I want to believe that if I saw the Red Sea split, if I saw

Pharaoh’s army drowned, if I ate manna with my own hands, surely I would never doubt.

But the truth? We are just as human. We are just as prone to fear, grumbling, and rebellion as they were. And the fruit of unbelief is always the same: death in the wilderness, never entering the promise.

The Warning of Hebrews 3–4

This is why the New Testament picks up this exact theme. Turn with me to Hebrews 3:

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts

as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put Me to the test and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known My ways.’ As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Heb. 3:7–11)

Do you see it? The writer of Hebrews takes us right back to Deuteronomy. Right back to the wilderness. And he says: Don’t make the same mistake. Don’t harden your heart. Don’t let sin lead you into unbelief.

Because unbelief is not just doubt. Unbelief is sin. And sin leads to death.

But listen to the promise in Hebrews 4:

“For we who have believed DO enter that rest… For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.’ … There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Heb. 4:3–4, 9–10)

Lightbulb moment! The writer of Hebrews says: Those who believe enter rest. And he

points us directly to the Sabbath day.

The Criticality of Sabbath Rest

This is where it gets real. The Sabbath is not optional. It is not “Old Covenant.” It is the

mark of belief. It is the seal that you trust Him enough to rest.

Think about it: The very first thing God sanctified after creation was the seventh day

(Genesis 2:2–3). Before there was sin, before there was Israel, before there was a covenant,

there was the Sabbath. It is older than Moses and Methuselah. It is older than the Law. It is woven into creation itself.

And God commanded it over and over:

• “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy… the seventh day is the Sabbath of the

LORD your God.” (Exodus 20:8–10)

• “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares

the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to

another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down

before me,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 66:22-23)

• And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink

offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities

of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and

the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of

Israel. (Ezekiel 45:17)

“It is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know

that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” (Exodus 31:13)

• 9It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law

of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of

Egypt. 10Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after

year.… Ex 13:9 (Passover, which includes 2 Sabbaths)

Do you see it? The Sabbath is His mark. It is His covenant seal on His people.

We worry so much about the mark of the beast — and rightly so. But what about the mark

of God? What about His sign, His seal? Could it be that the true dividing line will not just be what we reject, but what we embrace?

When you keep Shabbat, you are saying: I believe. I trust His Word. I rest in His work, not

mine. I wear His mark.If you knew nothing about the bible and I told you that God had a mark, and it was in large part keeping Sabbath, and that there was an “Anti”-Christ, a lawless one, what would you guess his mark to be? Perhaps breaking Sabbath?

As part of keeping Sabbath, believers do not buy or sell on Shabbat. Have you ever

considered why the mark of the beast also has to do with buying and selling?

Just food for thought.

But as we prepare for end times, as we prepare our hearts for His return, let’s prepare as a

Bride. And be found faithful, wearing the sign of our Husband.

Sin, Unbelief, and Missing the Promise

Deuteronomy shows us: sin leads to unbelief, and unbelief leads to death in the

wilderness. Hebrews warns us: don’t harden your heart. Don’t provoke Him as they did.

Don’t fall short of the promise.

But here’s the good news: we who do believe, do enter His rest. And part of that rest is

tangible, physical, every single week — the Sabbath.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed, That I would see the goodness of the Lord

In the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

Here is the better news: we who do believe, do enter His rest. And part of that rest is not

just a day off. It is a prophetic rehearsal of the Kingdom to come.

Every week we declare: I believe in the promise. I believe in Messiah’s return. I believe in a

promised land, where the curse of the original sin is forever broken. I believe in the eternal rest of the New Jerusalem.

God’s Roadmap – Creation, Tabernacle, New Jerusalem

Let’s step back and see the big picture. The Bible is a roadmap.

• In the beginning: God created a paradise, and said I will dwell with you in paradise.

Just follow these instructions so I can stay in your presence. I want to be with you. I

love you. If you love me, follow these instructions. But they disobeyed, and were

cast out of His presence.

• At Sinai: The Israelites were told to build a tent of meeting. God said I’ll come down

to tabernacle with you, just follow these instructions so I can stay in your presence.

I want to be with you. I love you. If you love me, follow these instructions. But they

disobeyed, and were cast out of His presence.

• Temples: Again, God came down to have a dwelling place among His people. He

said, I want to be with you. I love you. If you love Me, follow these instructions. But

they disobeyed, and the temples were destroyed.

• Today: God says, I will bring heaven down to earth. I will dwell with you in the New

Jerusalem. Just follow these instructions so I can stay in your presence. I want to be

with you. I love you. If you love Me, follow these instructions.

And what is one of the core instructions? “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

This is not hard. This is not complicated. But it does require faith to trust Him.

Trust in Him to feed us. Trust in Him to provide. Trust in Him to know better when we do.

Even when it doesn’t make sense to our eyes or our logic, we’ll be better off to learn to trust

Him now.

Application – Where Do We Stand?

So the question is: Will we repeat the mistakes of the past? Will we murmur in unbelief,

grumble against His Word, and die in the wilderness? Or will we believe? Will we enter His rest? Will we wear His mark?

• Are we willing to leave Egypt — the ways of the world — behind?

• Are we willing to submit to His kingship and husband authority?

• Or will we harden our hearts, scoff at His promises, and settle for what looks good

but leads to death? Beloved, this is not just theory. This is life and death. This is blessing and cursing. This is Deuteronomy. This is the difference between entering the Kingdom and being left in the wilderness.

Closing – Bridging to the 9th of Av - A Call to Weeping and Return

And here is where it all comes together.

Because tonight begins the 9th of Av, a tragic day known throughout Jewish history as

Tisha B’Av. And what was the root of that day of tragedy? The unbelief of the spies. They

looked at giants instead of promises. They feared men instead of trusting God. They trusted their eyes, their own logic, more than the word of God.

And God said: You will not enter My rest.

May it not be so with us. As we enter Tisha B’Av, let us fast, let us mourn, let us repent. But

more than that, let us believe. Let us enter His rest. Let us keep His Sabbath as a mark

upon us, declaring: We will not die in the wilderness. We will not harden our hearts. We will walk in faith. We will enter the promise.

Because Yeshua is coming. Heaven is coming down. And only those marked by His

covenant, by His rest, will enter into the eternal Shabbat of the Kingdom.

But tonight, our Jewish brothers and sisters will be fasting, mourning, and remembering the tragedies that befell Israel on this very date through the generations. It is called “the fast of the fifth month” (Zechariah 7:3–5; 8:19), and it has become synonymous with destruction, judgment, and the deep sorrow of a people called to be holy but so often found turning away.

Why should we care? Why should we join in?

This is not about empty ritual. This is about humbling ourselves, remembering the cost of

rebellion, and drawing nearer to Yeshua our Messiah who bore our sorrows. If we fail to

learn from the past, we repeat it. But if we humble ourselves, fast, and return to the Lord,

He promises to turn our fasting into joy (Zechariah 8:19).

Why We Fast on the 9th of Av

Throughout Scripture, fasting is linked to mourning, repentance, and turning our hearts

back to God (Joel 2:12–13, Isaiah 58:5–7). The 9th of Av is the darkest day in Israel’s

calendar because so many calamities fell upon this day:

• The ten spies brought back their evil report, and Israel refused to enter the Promised

Land (Numbers 13–14).

• The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:8–10).

• The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

• The Jews were expelled from England in 1290 and from Spain in 1492—both decrees

falling on this same date.

• Even in modern history, tragedies like the beginning of World War I (which set the

stage for the Holocaust) are tied to this day.

Coincidence is not a kosher word, but let me be clear. This is not coincidence. This is

covenant. The Lord appointed this day as a witness. Every year it calls His people to

remember what disobedience and unbelief cost. Fasting on the 9th of Av is not about

earning righteousness—it is about identifying with the grief of God’s people, mourning sin, and longing for restoration with God.

How We Can Observe the 9th of Av

We fast because it humbles the flesh and brings our spirit into alignment with God’s Spirit. The psalmist said, “I humbled my soul with fasting” (Psalm 35:13).

On Tisha B’Av, the Jewish people sit on the floor or low stools, recite the Book of

Lamentations, and refrain from pleasure—no eating, drinking, bathing, or luxury. The

synagogue readings are mournful and filled with the cry of “Eicha—How?!” from the

prophet Jeremiah.

For us as followers of Yeshua, we may not keep all rabbinic traditions, but we can and

should:

• Fast from food and drink from sundown to sundown.

• Read Lamentations, Psalms of lament (Psalm 79, 137), and Yeshua’s words about

Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44; Matthew 23:37–39).

• Pray for Israel—for the veil to be lifted, for the Jewish people to see Messiah Yeshua.

• Mourn our own sin and the sins of our nation.

• Long for the return of Messiah, who alone will turn mourning into dancing.

Why Should We Observe the 9th of Av?

You may ask: But isn’t this a “Jewish” fast day? Why should we care? Because we are

grafted in (Romans 11:17–24). Their story is our story. Their covenant failures warn us. Paul

said these things happened “as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as

they also craved” (1 Corinthians 10:6).The 9th of Av is a living reminder of the dangers of unbelief. The Israelites wept that night in unbelief after the spies’ report (Numbers 14:1). God declared: “You wept in vain. I will give you a weeping for generations” (Talmud Ta’anit 29a records this tradition). That day became sealed in history as a day of weeping.

Beloved, let us not be like them. Hebrews warns us: “Take care, brethren, that there not be

in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Hebrews

3:12).

When we fast on the 9th of Av, we are not bound by Jewish tradition—we are drawn by the

Spirit to biblical humility. We acknowledge that rebellion destroys, that unbelief cancels

promise, and that sin leads to exile. And we set our eyes on Yeshua, who bore the exile of

our souls and made the way back to God.

So how is this fast biblical, if it is not an explicit commandment?

• Zechariah 7:3–5 – Should we mourn in the fifth month as we have done for so many

years?

The Lord replies, asking whether the fasts were truly unto Him.

• Zechariah 8:19 – The fast of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will one day

become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts when the people love truth and peace.

• Lamentations 1:1 – “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!”

• Numbers 14:1–4 – The people wept that night in unbelief, rejecting the Promised

Land.

• Matthew 23:37–39 – Yeshua wept over Jerusalem: “How often I wanted to gather

your children together…but you were unwilling.”

Yeshua’s lament over Jerusalem ties directly to the sorrow of Lamentations. Like

Jeremiah, He wept over a city unwilling to repent. The same heart of God that

grieved in Jeremiah is seen in Yeshua.

• Luke 19:41–44 – Yeshua saw the city and wept over it, knowing the destruction that

would come.

Yeshua’s prophecy of the Temple’s destruction finds historical fulfillment in the 9th

of Av destruction of 70 AD. The weeping of Jeremiah and the prophecies of judgment

came true again in Yeshua’s day.A Call to the Church

Church, this is not about being “Jewish.” This is about being faithful. Yahweh is giving us an invitation to weep with those who weep, to humble ourselves, and to cry out for mercy. This is about preparing our hearts for the return of Yeshua.

We fast not to impress God or fill ourself up with pride, but to empty ourselves. We mourn

not because we are hopeless but because we long for His kingdom. The 9th of Av reminds

us of the cost of sin, but also of the hope of restoration.

One day, Zechariah’s prophecy will be fulfilled: the fast of the fifth month will turn into joy.

But until that day, let us join our Jewish brothers and sisters in fasting—not out of ritual, but out of longing, and out of unity.

Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). Let us ask God to keep our own hearts soft and believing, lest we fall into the same unbelief. And let us fix our eyes on Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith, who will return and wipe away every tear.

So tonight, at sundown, as we enter the 9th of Av, if you will, let us humble ourselves with

fasting, mourning, and prayer. Let us remember the tragedies of unbelief and rebellion. Let us align ourselves with the heart of God, who longs for His people to return. And let us

prepare our hearts for the day when mourning will be turned into joy, when Yeshua will

return, and when Jerusalem will finally know peace.

“Return to Me, declares the LORD of hosts, that I may return to you” (Zechariah 1:3).

Traditional Scriptures Read on the 9th of Av (Tisha B’Av)

1. Megillat Eicha (Book of Lamentations)

• Read in full, often by candlelight, sitting on the floor in mourning.

• Jeremiah’s laments over the First Temple’s destruction.

• Themes: sin, judgment, sorrow, exile, and hope for mercy.

2. Selections from the Prophets (Haftarah portions)

• Jeremiah 8:13–9:23 – “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?”

Mourning over Israel’s stubbornness and judgment.

• Jeremiah 14:1–22 – Drought, famine, and the people’s cry for mercy.

• Jeremiah 16:19–17:14 – Warning of idolatry and misplaced trust.

• Jeremiah 8:13–9:23 (repeated in some communities) – Prophecy of Jerusalem’s

destruction.

3. Torah Readings

• Deuteronomy 4:25–40 – Warning: if Israel makes idols, they will perish from the

land, but if they repent, God will restore them.

• Numbers 13–14 (the spies’ evil report) – Some communities tie this to Tisha B’Av, as

tradition holds that the Israelites’ weeping in unbelief set this day apart for future

weeping (Numbers 14:1).

4. Psalms

• Psalm 79 – “O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance…” (destruction of the

Temple).

• Psalm 137 – “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept…” (longing for Jerusalem).

• Psalm 22 – A lament that also prophetically points to Messiah.

Messianic/Believer’s Fulfillment Layer

Here’s where you can bridge the traditional readings with Yeshua:

1. Matthew 23:37–39

• Yeshua’s lament over Jerusalem ties directly to the sorrow of Lamentations.

• Like Jeremiah, He wept over a city unwilling to repent.

• Teaching Point: The same heart of God that grieved in Jeremiah is seen in Yeshua.

2. Luke 19:41–44

• Yeshua’s prophecy of the Temple’s destruction finds historical fulfillment in the 9th

of Av destruction of 70 AD.

• Teaching Point: The weeping of Jeremiah and the prophecies of judgment came true

again in Yeshua’s day.

3. Hebrews 3–4 (esp. Hebrews 3:12–19)

• Connects to Numbers 13–14: Israel’s unbelief kept them from entering the Promised

Land.

• Teaching Point: The “evil report” of the spies and the unbelief of that generation are

warnings for us as believers today.

4. Revelation 21:1–4

• While Tisha B’Av is about mourning, we end in hope: a day is coming when there will

be no more tears, no more destruction.

• Teaching Point: Yeshua will turn the fasts of the fifth month into joy (Zechariah 8:19).

The Bible contains several scriptures that emphasize the prohibition of buying and selling on the Sabbath, highlighting its sanctity and the importance of rest.

Key Scriptures

Exodus 20:8-11: This passage is part of the Fourth Commandment, which instructs

believers to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. It states that no work should be

done on this day, implying that buying and selling, which involve work, are also prohibited:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work…”.

Nehemiah 10:31: This verse explicitly states that the people of Israel vowed not to buy from merchants on the Sabbath:

“When the peoples of the land bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day…”.

Amos 8:5: The prophet Amos condemns those who eagerly await the end of the Sabbath to

resume their buying and selling, indicating a disregard for the day’s sanctity:

“When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may

trade wheat?”.

Isaiah 58:13-14: This passage encourages honoring the Sabbath by refraining from

personal pleasures and work, which includes buying and selling:

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable…”.

Jeremiah 17:21-22: The Lord instructs the people not to carry burdens or do any work on

the Sabbath, reinforcing the idea that commercial activities are forbidden:

“Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the

gates of Jerusalem…”.