
Parashat Ki Tavo (When You Come)
D’varim (Deuteronomy) 26:1-29:8
Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22
And the LORD has today declared you to be His people, of unique quality, just as He promised you, and that you are to keep all His commandments; and that He will put you high above all the nations which He has made, for glory, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken.
Deuteronomy 26:18–19
God chose and called Israel, and with that calling comes a great responsibility. In this week’s portion, His Word takes us straight to the heart of His covenant with Israel. It is both inspiring and sobering. God promises blessing when we walk in His ways, but He also warns of the pain that comes when we turn from Him. Fourteen verses of blessing… fifty-four verses of warning… it’s impossible to miss how seriously God takes our obedience. And if we are honest, we can see how these words speak just as much to us today as they did to Israel on the threshold of inheriting the Land.
But Ki Tavo doesn’t begin with warnings. It begins with gratitude. Israel was commanded that when they entered the Land, they should bring the first fruits and declare:
I declare this day to the LORD your God that I have come to the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.
Deuteronomy 26:3
It’s a reminder that every blessing begins with remembering the One who gave it. Gratitude is the soil in which faith grows.
How relevant this is for us today. Israel faces war, uncertainty, and grief. Darkness often feels closer than light. Yet even in hardship, God calls us to remember, to declare His faithfulness, to anchor our lives in Him, and to reflect His glory to the nations.
This is exactly the message of the Haftarah:
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1–2
Isaiah isn’t just describing world events; he is speaking into the human heart. Fear, despair, doubt, and grief, these are the “thick darkness” many of us feel. And yet, God’s call is the same: Arise. Shine. Trust that His glory will appear.
Deuteronomy 28:10 echoes this hope:
All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall stand in awe of you.
When we live in obedience and faith, our lives become a testimony. The nations do not see perfection; they see people who, even in trial, refuse to let go of God’s promises.
Ki Tavo also warns us not to forget God when things are good:
Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, out of the abundance of all things…
Deuteronomy 28:47
God doesn’t want us to serve Him out of duty or fear, but with joyful trust in Him. Even when life is heavy, even when we don’t have all the answers, He calls us to keep trusting because His promises are true. Joyful trust isn’t pretending everything is fine; it’s leaning on the One who is faithful, even in the night.
Israel’s calling has always been to shine His light to the nations. Today, that calling is still alive. Our resilience, our faith, our ability to rise in the face of suffering, all of it becomes a living witness to God’s glory.
The nations will come to His light, Isaiah says (Isaiah 60:3). Not because life here is easy, but because in the middle of hardship, God’s people reflect something different: peace that passes understanding, strength rooted in covenant, and love that carries His heart.
This is our call, not only to survive, but to rise and shine. To live with gratitude, obedience, and joyful trust. To be a people who reflect the God who never abandons His promises.
May we stand firm in His light, so that the world will see and be drawn to Him.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran
2 Comments on “Arise! Shine His Glory!”
Moran, drogi Bracie. Twoja wierność Panu pomimo tak trudnych doświadczeń jest światłem w mroku, który ogarnie Europę. Szczególnie potrzebujemy tego głosu z Izraela i otrzymujemy go przez Twoje wiadomości regularnie. Błogosławimy i pamiętamy w modlitwie o Tobie, rodzinie i współpracownikach. Staramy się też propagować prawdziwe bieżące informacje, przeciwstawiając się tendencyjnej i sfałszowanej propagandzie. Szabat Szalom❤️
Beautiful. And a challenge to me personally. Things look so dark and I often feel like I’m in a holding pattern, just waiting for God to end this disastrous mess with messiah’s return. I find it impossible to be optimistic or upbeat about life or the future. I really have felt like I’m just surviving.