May 2016
Behar
Torah Reflections 32
Torah Portion Leviticus 25 : 1 to 26 : 2
Haftarah Portion Jeremiah 32 : 6 – 27
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
The Lord spoke to Moses with an amazing promise of blessing for the Israelites.
The LAND was to have a Sabbath rest. Imagine that. These dear people were destined to be, in effect, subsistence farmers, vinedressers, orchardists and graziers. Sure there were other skills in their community, sufficient for them to live together in harmony with clothing, shoes and other essentials for living, but their main source of wealth would be produced by what they grew in the fields.
What God was saying to these people, who had been slaves in Egypt for their whole lifetime thus far, was that they were to have a one year holiday every seven years. Incredible. But how would they survive if they took a holiday? God promised them that in the sixth year of harvest, there would be a bumper crop, sufficient to last three years.
But, this promised blessing came at a price!
In order to enjoy this blessing, the Lord required that they “observe My statutes and keep My judgements, and perform them”. The full impact of the blessing would then be available to them. The Lord continued “then the Land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safely”. Sounds too easy doesn’t it?
But there’s more. Whatever did grow of its own accord in their fields was to be freely available to their servants, guests and livestock. The principle being that they did not sow, so neither should they reap.
That Land Sabbath is known as the “shemittah year”. It is still practiced today in many parts of Israel, but not in all Israel. And the sad truth, however, is that a large majority of Israelis today do not fulfil the conditions God laid down for the full blessing to flow to them.
In addition to the “shemittah”, there was also to be a “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. That is, after every SEVEN “shemittahs”, there was to be a special year, the fiftieth year, known as “the Jubilee”. This year had even more significance for them, in that, in the event that they had chosen to sell their land rights to someone else, for whatever reason, that land would be returned to them in the year of Jubilee without cost to them. WOW !! What a blessing that was. Or would have been if the practice was ever implemented. There is no record in Scripture, or anywhere else, of that ever taking place.
So now let us learn a lesson from what we have just seen here. Just as these Israelites were promised blessing, so are we. Our church teaching is clearly focussed on the grace of God. Our salvation is wrought by our faith in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua, not by works. So none of us can do anything of ourselves to merit salvation. The Scripture even tells us that “our (self) righteousness is as filthy rags”. However, just as these Israelites in our parashah today, missed the abundant blessing God had prepared for them (by their unwillingness, or laxity, to fulfil the conditions on which God’s promise was made), so too, we miss out on the very best God has for us by our unwillingness, or laxity, in keeping the commands of God for us. Let me be clear, I am not referring here to a salvation issue, but to our receiving the abundant blessing God wants to bestow on us.
We are quite adept at deciding the reasons why God said “so and so”, As though God did not have His own reasons for so commanding what He did. We content ourselves by saying “Jesus kept all the commandments, so we do not have to”. Well, Jesus said “If you love Me you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15,23,24 and 15:10).
Our parashah ends with an exhortation not to make idols for ourselves. The reference for the Israelites was relating to carved images and pillars, which were pagan symbols of worship. There are many cultural practises in the world today where this still has relevance. In our society however, we have become skilled in setting up many other kinds of idols which come between us and the worship of God. I do not need to list them.
The final word today regards the observance of “My Sabbaths”. There are the weekly Sabbaths and the special Sabbaths we read in last week’s parashah. The festivals listed in Leviticus 23. Most of us in the ‘church’ do not even know when they occur!! They are described in Scripture as ‘everlasting’, ‘throughout your generations’, and ‘forever’.
The challenge for me this week is to understand what God is saying to ME in this passage of Scripture. I trust that you too find it just as challenging.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Emor
Torah Portion for 15th May - 21st May
Torah portion Leviticus 21:1 to 24:23
Haftarah portion Ezekiel 44 : 15-31
“Speak”
Understanding God’s times
Each week there are lessons, reminders, encouragements and even chastisements. Almighty God, in His love, wisdom and grace, speaks to each person according to ones relationship with Him.
It would be a worry if one received NOTHING from the reading of His Word !! If the reading were mechanical, even legalistic.
Leviticus 23 contains the well-known declaration of the “mo’edim”, the “appointed times” of the Lord. Within our churches today they are often perceived as ‘Jewish Festivals’, consigned to antiquity, even obsolete.
But Almighty God called them “MY FEASTS” in Leviticus 23:2. They are described as being ‘a statute forever throughout your generations’. They are festivals observed by Yeshua, by the disciples in the early church, by Paul. No-where in the Scriptures are they superseded by any other festival.
In effect, God was saying to the people “these are the times when I will be there, I want you to come and meet with me”. Once every week on Shabbat, then another seven times in the year for a stated number of days.
These Holy (set apart) Festivals were prophetically significant in the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua (Passover), as well as the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Many also see that the next set of festivals (Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles) are prophetic of the return to this earth of Yeshua.
However, in Leviticus 23:22, we have a strange looking verse which appears to have nothing at all to do with these “appointed times”. They are a repetition of the commandment in Leviticus 19:9,10. This activity of “gleaning” reminds us of Ruth, the Moabitess, a gentile who joined herself to the people of God.
In terms of timing, sitting as it does between those festivals already completed in Yeshua, and those which speak of His future return, is it possible that this verse, referring to ‘the poor and the stranger’ is talking about the time of the gentiles? Which when completed will herald the return of Yeshua?
There is, of course, a more simple explanation. That God is here reminding us all of an obligation we have as believers in Him to extend our hand to those in need.
Did you know that a principal reason for tithing was the caring for the :-
“Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat (freely) and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand, which you do.” Deut 14:29
So then, it appears that this act of caring for those in need is part and parcel of what God intended, He commanded it. IF that is an “appointed activity”, consider carefully how best to respond.
We would appear, today, to have two different ways of understanding the Scriptures. The first is to take God at His word. At best this is the view of a minority of Christians. The prevailing attitude, which most of us learned from an early age, is that God is quite flexible in His requirements of His people. We ‘do it God’s way’ when it doesn’t inconvenient us, or when that way conforms to ‘traditional’ practise.
Understanding God’s times is a responsibility we all share. Ask Him, and He will show you.
Shalom and Blessings
RS
Kedeshim
Torah Portion for 8th May - 14th May
Torah portion Leviticus 19 : 1 to 20 : 27
Haftarah portion Amos 9 : 7 – 15
“Holy people”
“Be ye holy, because I am holy”
God said “Be ye holy, because I am holy”. This is an entreaty almost universally appropriated by every believer, at least in principle if not in fact!! “Holy” has a much simpler meaning than many understand. It means “set apart”. Different even. At least different from those around us.
The negative side of “holiness” is found in Leviticus 18 : 2,3
“According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.”
You are NOT to behave as the Egyptians, amongst whom you were living for the last 400 years, and you are NOT to behave like the Canaanites, where you are going to live for the next several hundred years.
Then God shows them the positive side of “holiness”.
“You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.”
Let us now completely ignore the statement in Malachi 3 :6 (look it up). Let us take the ‘church’ teaching that declares that Yeshua kept all the “Law”, so we do not have to. It’s a tall ask, but let’s do it !
We still believe that our call is to “holiness” don’t we? (See paragraph 1 above) That is to be “set apart”. So we now only look to that which we can read in the “Brit Hadassah”, the ‘New Covenant’.
Yeshua was clear in His declaration when asked about the ‘great commandment’. See Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12 : 28-32 for His response. Note that Yeshua did nothing except quote the Torah. Then we look at the “Letter to the Gentiles” which we read in Acts 15 : 23 – 29 (noting their comment in Acts 15:21 which precedes it).
All fair-minded people will conclude that there is an overwhelming reason to believe that the “means toward holy living” are the same for the people in the days during and following Yeshua’s life, as they were for the people hearing Moses instructions in our Parashah this week. “Be ye holy, because I am holy”
The rest of the parashah goes into much detail. It deals with issues of familial morality, adultery, witchcraft, homosexuality, bestiality and general wickedness.
Some, even today, maybe especially today, have questioned the reasons why God displaced the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan in order to give it to the Israelites. Well, the answer is found in this parashah. Look at Leviticus 18:24 -27.
We may look also at the trends towards similar patterns of behaviour in the world today and ask .. “How long O Lord, how long?”
In the midst of such overt wickedness, God is still looking for a people to call His own. The Israelites have been promised that their salvation is of the Lord, for His own reasons, in His own way, and in His own timing. Gentiles are in the period of opportunity. One day, the Scriptures declare, the ‘fullness of the gentiles’ will be complete. The door WILL be closed. When that happens, a people, Jew and Gentile together will be “One New Man” in worship of Almighty God. King of the Universe. They WILL be joined together, a people called “holy, because I am holy”.
The Scriptures seem to be abundantly clear on the issue of “holiness’. It is God’s way, NOT our way. There is only ONE standard by which ‘holiness’ can be measured. Our parashah this week laid it out plain and simple for the Israelites of old.
Ask the Lord, this week, ‘Lord, what do you expect of me when you say:-‘ “Be ye holy, because I am holy”?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Acharei Mot
Torah Portion for 1st May - 7th May
Torah portion Leviticus 16 : 1 to 18 : 30
Haftarah portion 1 Samuel 20 : 18 - 42
“After the death”
Know before whom you stand
After the two week ‘break’ in the regular Torah reading schedule, for Pesach, we return to Leviticus. When we left the regular schedule we were informed about God’s instructions to the Levites in dealing with contagious diseases and the like. The practises seemed to be to ensure both ritual and physical cleanliness, ensuring both spiritual and physical well-being.
In our ‘reflection’ on the “Sh’mini” parashah a few weeks ago, we learned about the wrath of God, manifest the untimely death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons. We might have thought that would be the end of the matter. But it was not. It was as though God had ruminated on this event and had decided to make sure that Aaron didn’t make a similar error. Read what He said to Moses.
“…… the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.”
Nabad and Abihu had been presumptuous. They over-stepped the mark. We might even say that they had been over familiar with God! They had lacked respect. They did things THEIR way.
There is a good lesson for us here. The Psalmist (Psalm 111:10), I presume King Solomon, told us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” didn’t he? That fear (“yarah” in Hebrew) has the meaning of “utter reverence”, and not “being frightened of”. However, if we were to witness the power of God manifested in the manner it was shown towards Nadab and Abihu we might feel differently. There is no place for ‘familiarity’ in our relationship with Almighty God.
Many synagogues have a special cabinet, which they call “The Ark”, in which the Torah Scrolls are kept. Often, that cabinet has these Hebrew words inscribed upon them. “Da lifnei mi atta omed” It translates as:- “Know before whom you stand”
They are words which I have pasted in the front cover of my Bible.
The words “What a friend we have in Jesus” are accurate, and we sing those words with joy, but we need to remember He is our ‘friend’, He is our redeemer, NOT our “mate”. Know before whom you stand.
Our parashah continues with explicit instructions for Aaron regarding the times when he could enter the Holy Place in the Tabernacle, and also the precise way in which he should prepare himself, including the way he must dress, to meet with our Holy God. Nothing is left to chance. God is saying “this is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
In the event, God instructed Moses to tell Aaron that his entry into that Holy Place was to be just ONCE each year. That time is specified as a most solemn occasion to be remembered in perpetuity by the Israelites. Today, in Israel, it is the time when EVERYONE, religious and secular, observe a solemn time of introspection. For the ten days (known as days of awe) leading up to this special day, Jews put things right with each other. Then YOM KIPPUR, the day that Aaron was told to enter the Holy Place to make atonement for himself and the people, is a day of fasting and prayer. It is not just a story in a book. It is a day of encounter with Almighty God.
And yet what I observe is that we Christians appear to think that our way is better. I wrote last week that I considered the Christian’s separation from its Hebrew roots to be one of Satan’s greatest victories over mankind. We have been robbed of the mo’edim” “of the Lord. We are the poorer for it.
In Matthew 13 we read many parables about the “Kingdom of Heaven”. A cursory knowledge of Hebrew thought tells us that this is actually the “Kingdom of God”. That Kingdom is with us, even though the King is still to appear in Jerusalem, the capital of His Kingdom on Earth, to reign for 1000 years. Our responsibility as citizens of that Kingdom is to honour the King, in loyal obedience to His authority.
We also know that at that time we will all be part of the “One New Man”, Jew and Gentile together in harmony, worshipping the King. Hallelujah. In the meantime, as we await His appearance, we could engage ourselves in ‘practice’. But that involves obedience and compliance with His commandments!! Know before whom you stand.
Shabbat Shalom
RS