Deuteronomy 11:13, If you will hearken. In the Hebrew, this phrase literally reads, “If hearken, you will hearken….” Rashi interprets the double usage of this verb to mean, “If [you] listen to the old, you will listen to the new” meaning that if one listens to what one has already learned by taking care to review and understand it, one will gain new insights or fresh insights into the Torah (The ArtScroll Sapirstein Edition Rashi—Devarim, p. 110; The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 995).
What does this teach us about studying YHVH’s Word consistently and regularly? YHVH gave the Israelites fresh (not stale) manna every day and watered the land of Israel with the early and latter rains so that it would be fruitful without the need of man-made irrigation systems.
Manna and rain both came from heaven and are used as figures of speech Hebraically to represent Torah-truth. Is your life being renewed regularly with fresh revelation and insights into the Word of YHVH, into his very heart and character? Does this not refresh, nourish and sustain the ground of your life so that it yields an abundant spiritual crop of joy, shalom, intimacy with the Father and anointing? Is your life a place of fresh manna and constant rain, or a place of stale bread and drought? If so, what changes do you need to make in your life to change this situation?
Natan,
Your cover picture of stale bread is also illustrative of New vs. Old Covenant (Yeshua-bread of life vs. manna from heaven) and reminds one that the purpose of the Decalogue (duty to God and duty to fellow Man) was to illustrate how we would live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (or as you say, set-apart Spirit!) through belief in Yeshua’s redeeming death!
By the way, in both OT and NT, bread is meant as a metaphor for “spiritual food”!
Other purpose (of Decalogue) is to define sinful behavior and motivate us to seek Yeshua – Messiah (OT), as revealed by Paul in NT (e.g. “guardian”.)
That is why both Old and New are two different aspects of the same covenant! (in my view!).
Decalogue’s Purpose In OT – to define sinful behavior and lead us to seek Messiah (Yeshua): Applies to OLD MAN
Decalogue’s Purpose in NT – to love God and love our fellow Man as ourself (Holy Spirit enables): Applies to NEW MAN
Just to be clear – my thought is that the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) define God’s covenant with corporate Man in two parts – first 4 commandments are our duty to God, last 6 commandments are our duty to fellow Man.
The Old Covenant is Man’s attempt to meet these duties by his mortal means and doomed to failure.
The New Covenant meets these duties as God lives in us (via His spirit!) through belief in Yeshua.