Nitzavim: The Nearness of God’s Word and the Call to Life in Messiah

The Exodus of the Twelve Tribes by Antoine Caron.

This week’s parashah, Nitzavim, begins with a powerful image: “You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD your God.” Not only the leaders or the learned, but men and women, children and strangers, from the most honored elder to the one who carries water. In this single verse, Moses paints a picture of spiritual unity that became part of Jewish history. Israel stands before God not as individuals lost in a crowd, but as one people bound by His word.

Moshe does not hide anything from his people. He speaks of exile, of devastation, of the Land lying desolate if the people abandon God’s covenant, but he doesn't end the story with judgment. Even in dispersion, at the ends of the heavens, God promises to gather His people back. He pledges restoration, return, and renewal. The heart of Israel, once hardened, will be circumcised by God Himself so that one day, they may love Him perfectly. In this, the Torah presents a prophecy of redemption, an unbreakable promise that God Himself will be in charge of this impossible task.

Then Moshe declares one of the most remarkable truths in all of Scripture: “It is not in heaven, it is not across the sea, but very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” The instructions we read in the Torah are not an unreachable mystery, but a living practice. Obedience is not beyond human capacity. It is woven into God's calling to Israel and to mankind. The choice, then, becomes clear. Life or death. Blessing or curse. To love God, to walk in His ways, to cling to Him, that is life. To turn away is death.

As Messianic believers, we read these words and understand their depth. Yeshua, our Messiah, came to embody this nearness. The Davar (Word) was made flesh and dwelt among us. In Him, Torah is not distant but alive, written on our hearts by the Spirit. And the call remains: choose life, walk in His ways, love the LORD with all your heart. To stand with Israel today is to recognize God’s unfolding covenant that continues to shape history, a covenant brought to fullness in the Messiah.

As we enter these Days of Awe between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, may we hear the voice of Moses in a new way. The voice of God's prophets, and mainly the voice of Yeshua, calls us to stand before God, united, confidently, standing firm as His People, under His covenant. The question for us today is the same as it was on the plains of Moab: Will you choose life?