September 2019
Torah Reflections "Yom Teruah”
Torah Reflections “Yom Teruah”
Torah portions Genesis 21:1-34 Numbers 29:1-6
Haftarah portion 1 Samuel 1:1 to 2:10
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 have the commandments about annual observances of the “mo’edim”. (The Hebrew word for “appointed times”, which in turn is usually translated into English as “feasts”). These are times when God specified He would meet with His chosen ones.
Today, they are most often referred to as “Jewish Feasts”. That correctly describes the fact that they are observances remembered by Jews. But it is an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures.
When God gave these instructions to Moses, He carefully worded these ‘appointed times’ (mo’edim) as MY ‘mo’edim’. They may be characterized as times when God says, in effect, “I will be there to meet with you on these specific occasions”. Those who choose not to attend miss an opportunity of blessing through meeting with Him at His invitation.
This festival is known as “The Feast of Trumpets”, because God ordained that it was to be heralded by the blowing of trumpets, it is known as “Rosh Hashanah” because it brings in the civic New Year in the Hebrew calendar. It is a Sabbath, a Holy convocation, a day of rest. It is the first of a series of THREE festivals which closely follow each other at this season of the year.
Many, like me, believe that it is prophetic of the time of the Lord’s return, and there are good Biblical reasons for this. Others will say ‘no man knows the day nor the hour”, but an elementary knowledge of Judaic biblical history easily explains this. In Israel, even today, the beginning and end of festivals (Numbers 10:10) relies on the observance of TWO stars in the sky by TWO witnesses (and that is normally announced by the blowing of shofars). The appearance of the New Moon heralds the beginning of a new month, again reliant on TWO witnesses. There are a number of good reasons why these observances could be one day or the next. “No man knows the day”. The presence of cloud will affect the precise timing of the first appearance of stars, “no man knows the hour”.
The most compelling reason is however because it is consistent with the evidential significance of the first FOUR ‘mo’edim’. Pesach, Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits are perfectly fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. Shavu’ot, the traditional time of the giving of Torah to Moses on the mountain, is also the time of the giving of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem a mere 10 days after the ascension of Yeshua into Glory.
The Scriptures reveal that Yeshua will return with the sound of trumpets. (Matthew 24:30,31 1Corinthians 15:52 1Thessalonians 4:16)
The Feast of Trumpets marks the beginning of a period of 10 days of preparation for the next solemn appointed time, the Day of Atonement. It is enlightening to read Revelation 18, 19 and 20 in conjunction with the reflection on these last three festivals. That passage of Scripture appears to fill in some detail of things to take place upon the return of Yeshua when He comes, not as the Lamb to be slain, but as King of kings and Lord of Lords in order to put into place the millennial Kingdom of God.
In concluding this reflection, please consider this thought. When God instituted the ‘mo’ed’ of the Feast of Trumpets, He could have had in mind not only the annual introduction of a New Year in the Hebrew calendar, but also the New Year which marks the commencement of Yeshua’s everlasting Kingdom.
I am saddened that the modern Christian church, which is largely ignorant of the “mo’edim” of the Lord, has missed a blessing which God intended us to enjoy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 52
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Commentators consider there to be two possible authors of the epistles carrying the name JOHN. Firstly, the same person who wrote the Gospel by that name, and secondly a member of an “ekklesia’ called John the Elder, because of the use of that title in them. There is no positive identification in the letters but most scholars believe the Apostle John to be the author. It is also considered that these letters were written whilst John was centred in Ephesus after the dispersion following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Timothy is not mentioned so he had most likely left Ephesus before John arrived. Like other apostolic epistles the purpose of the letter was to encourage believers to hold their faith in the face of much errant teaching. It is also difficult to accurately time these letters, but a date around 80 C.E. is thought likely.
The letter’s opening “That which was from the beginning.” resonates with the beginning of the Gospel of John, and identifies the subject as Yeshua. “Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled.” speaks of one who was present after the resurrection, further pointing to the Apostle John as the author. It was faith in the risen Saviour which was the whole basis of the establishment of the “ekklesia” of believers. Without confidence in that reality, the whole purpose of their fellowship would be destroyed. Who better to know than an eye witness? The author of this letter is such a one. However, there were a number of people teaching a variety of heresies. Gnosticism (the spirit is completely good and matter is completely evil), Docetism (that Yeshua did not actually have a human body, he only appeared to do so, and therefore he did not suffer pain and agony on the cross), and Cerinthianism (that Yeshua was the spirit that descended on a particular unidentified man at his baptism and left that man just before his crucifixion). It is obvious that these ‘isms’ all speak of man’s attempt to rationalize the greatest mystery of all time. That a merciful and loving YHWH Elohim could take human form in order to provide an acceptable offering for sin (His own Son) so that mankind and God could be reconciled in fellowship. It remains a mystery which requires faith to accept. Like the faith of Abraham, which our merciful God counted as righteousness. And right up to this day God counts our faith as righteousness. Selah.
“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth.” “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So John puts it right ‘on the line’. In clear words, there is a barrier (called sin) between sinful man and a holy God. God has provided the means by which that barrier may be removed and both He and you will know when that has happened because you will walk in the light of His word not in darkness as in former times. And you will be happy about it!
That does not mean that we become ‘perfect’. Only One is perfect. The rest of us are still prone to fall, but by the choices we make, we remind ourselves constantly, by the working of the Holy Spirit, of our relationship with God. And when we become conscious of sin in our lives, we have an advocate before the Father to intercede on our behalf. It is not automatic. It requires confession and repentance. Then forgiveness is assured. John moves into an area of challenge for us as he continues with this theme. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says ‘I know Him’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know we are in Him.” In my mind there are some important questions arising from that. Firstly what is there that is not perfectly clear to any fair-minded reader? Then, having consideration to the timing of this letter, where are we likely to find those commandments which John writes about? And lastly, where do we find that those commandments have been annulled?
Ah! Thankfully John answers those questions himself. “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.” Can that be made any clearer? Resoundingly NO. So we are left to ponder why many modern day teachers say that the OLD has been made obsolete? It is when the Scriptures are read for oneself that the truth is not hidden. And that my dear reader is exactly what John is teaching here to ensure the “ekklesia” of God steers clear of heresy. It is the same today. Read it yourself. Do not rely on the bias of others who have been poorly informed.
Then amazingly, John says he IS writing them a NEW commandment! Best you read it for yourself. It is in 1 John 2: 8 – 17. A final warning appears after that. “Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.” How are these antichrists recognized? “He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” The false teachers who were seeking to scatter the ‘flock’ are antichrist. The believer who abandons his faith is antichrist. Those who say they know God but do not believe His word are antichrist. Let us be careful not to fall into that category.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 51
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Peter needs little introduction! A giant of the faith. Bold, flawed, loyal, boisterous, impetuous, enthusiastic, spokesman, obedient to his calling. He was a leader to be admired and a study of his life is rewarding. A fervent Torah observant Jewish believer who met face to face with the resurrected Messiah, with a strong desire to see followers of Yeshua live lives worthy of their calling. This letter was probably written from Rome in the late 60’s C.E.. There is a remarkable likeness in both style and content between this letter and the one written by Jude. Both are concerned with the false doctrine being ‘peddled’ within the “ekklesia”.
Peter went right back to the beginning of man’s time on earth to draw comparison with events of his day. In the ‘last days’ scoffers will abound. We could say the same today couldn’t we? Little acknowledgement of, and no respect for, the King of this Universe. “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” He said, and “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually … and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6) But the very practical Peter saw that men had been looking at signs of the end times for centuries. We still are. “Where is the promise of His coming” he said.
Then he reminded himself, and the readers of his letter, that God does not see time as we see time. It is a common trait of mankind to limit God to our own understanding. We can’t help it. It is all we know. But as Peter went on to say, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” I do not think that Peter had a specific timeline in mind when he wrote that. Some have made much of the literality of the ‘day’ and the ‘thousand years’. I am inclined to the view that with God, each of those time measures, which mean so much to mankind, are just words to God. His timing is perfect, never early, and never late. At the moment of His choosing He sent Messiah Yeshua into this earthly kingdom, and at the moment of His choosing this age will come to an end. And only He knows the date. We are not to fret about that, but are required, in the time of our sojourn on this earth, to live our lives honourably and to His glory. Which is the message Peter is seeking to impart in this letter.
He emphasized this by telling the ‘ekklesia’ that “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” But those who have the opportunity to repent should do so while are able, because “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” Now, dear friends that is as clear a statement of the end of time as you will ever read. And you know that just as the thief never makes an appointment to rob your house, so will the end come, without further warning. For those who are alive at that time and not ready it will be too late. For those reading this ‘reflection’ there is yet time! “Therefore beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”
Now the only time Peter makes reference to Paul in this letter comes next. He said that Paul had also written in similar vein to this, but that Paul was sometimes hard to understand. I have pondered this long and hard. I must confess that in my ‘reflections’ on the writings of Paul, there were times when I had difficulty in following his thread. In part because Paul wrote some extremely long sentences, with little or no punctuation. I am quite sure that Paul wrote in a manner that was culturally understood by the recipients, and yet he was a bit of an enigma. An orthodox Jewish Rabbi speaking to a largely gentile audience. And with exceptional clarity, purpose, and success at that. It was the Jewish audience to whom Peter is writing, who had the difficulty. Our difficulty, as gentiles, with Paul’s writings today are for a different reason.
To understand Paul in our Christianised culture we need to get firmly in our minds that although he was the Apostle to the Gentiles, he never abandoned his Jewish orthodoxy. NEVER. If you are able to grasp that it will completely change the clarity of his writings. Most of us have been taught to see him in the light of Torah abandonment. (please look at last year’s ‘reflection’ number 44 on Acts 9 for more information) For your own study, put your prejudice on the shelf for a moment, then starting at Acts 9 right through to Acts 28 look at Paul’s own testimony as he suffered many trials at the hands of his Roman captors and the Orthodox Jewish community which he had left. You will find that there is absolutely NO evidence that he ever abandoned his Judaism. Quite the contrary. He took pride in it!
Peter wanted the “ekklesia’ to be well grounded in the pure word of God so that they did not fall prey to false teachers. The only way to know the word is to read and study it yourself. Be a “Berean” (Acts 17). Don’t take others word for it. Check it for yourself and enjoy the experience.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 50
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Peter needs little introduction! A giant of the faith. Bold, flawed, loyal, boisterous, impetuous, enthusiastic, spokesman, obedient to his calling. He was a leader to be admired and a study of his life is rewarding. A fervent Torah observant Jewish believer who met face to face with the resurrected Messiah, with a strong desire to see followers of Yeshua live lives worthy of their calling. This letter was probably written from Rome in the late 60’s C.E.. There is a remarkable likeness in both style and content between this letter and the one written by Jude. Both are concerned with the false doctrine being ‘peddled’ within the “ekklesia”.
Peter opened, as in his first letter, by describing himself as an apostle of Yeshua, but this time adding his role as ‘bondservant’, which in itself is a high calling of the Lord. Even though it is not specifically stated, it is generally assumed that he wrote to the same audience as in his first letter, because that message was written by Jews, to Jews, the diaspora Jews in Asia Minor. His concern then was the intrusion of outside influence upon the new believers in the “ekklesia”. Now there was the ‘peddling’ of false doctrine from inside to be dealt with. Such ‘peddling’ has continued throughout the ages but I cannot help but observe that we appear to be less concerned today with such matters, being nicely settled, as we are, inside our own preferred fellowship. Perhaps we are more tolerant. It is undoubtedly the case that the multiplicity of denominational variants in our global church structures however, provides fertile ground for the dissemination of all kinds of potential heresy, largely by an over emphasis of some small element of doctrine, to the detriment of a complete Biblical gospel. Why? Largely, I think, because there is little appreciation that the gospel message was written by Jews, to Jews, and in a Jewish context, and most denominational fellowships today are woefully devoid of any Hebraic understanding of the gospel message.
Peter is forthright in his message. Obviously, the believers to whom he addressed the letter had come to faith in Yeshua, through whom they had knowledge of God. In a progressive walk in the life of faith Peter exhorts them to “add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” That is a most impressive list of additions to faith!! Selah. Take time to ponder each one. ‘Virtue’ is a word not in common use today. It means ‘moral excellence” and there are many synonyms, such as ‘decency’ and even ‘righteousness’. Peter is saying, to all who will listen, work on your behaviour. Let your faith SHOW in how you act. Then add ‘knowledge’. Where does that come from? Well, in the context of Peter’s letter it comes from the word of God and those who teach it. In their case, of course, that not only includes the Torah, but also the teaching of the apostles as in this letter. ‘Self-control’ comes from that ‘knowledge’. The instructions for righteous living (Torah) provide the boundaries in which self-control is to be exercised. At the end of this progression Peter uses the word ‘love’. Here he uses the Greek “agape” (unconditional love). (John 21 records the “do you love Me?” encounter between Peter and Yeshua. In the first two questions Yeshua used “agape” for ‘love’ and Peter responded with “phileo” (friendship love)) Peter was careful in this letter in his choice of words. It is “agape” (unconditional love) which is the pinnacle of our ‘faith walk’. And it is also the beginning of it, the unconditional love which took our Saviour Yeshua to His sacrificial death on that Roman cross. Selah.
Having laid that solid foundation of personal commitment to a life of faith which leads to “agape” love for the whole “ekklesia” individually and also corporately, Peter then ventures into the realm of prophecy and especially prophetic interpretation. Friends, this is a veritable ‘minefield’ in our own church experience today. There were false prophets operating in the ranks of the “ekklesia” in Peter’s day, and there are false prophets operating in our churches today. So how are they to be recognized? “Thus says the Lord” is many times an abrupt conversation stopper. As is “The Lord told me”. However, Peter specifies here “prophecy of Scripture”. That which has already been proclaimed by holy men of God and is written in the Book! Those prophecies are not for ‘private’ interpretation. It seems to me that the counsel of Peter here is that there were people in the “ekklesia” who were incorrectly teaching out of the prophetic writings of Scripture. Most likely about the person of Messiah Yeshua. Others believe this refers to current (new) prophetic utterance in the church, Paul has a word to say on that in 1 Corinthians 14. Such prophecy should be confirmed by ‘two or three’ and the rest should make judgement. And that is a really good principle for understanding all prophecy anyway.
I exhort readers of this ‘reflection’ to carefully read Chapter 2. It hardly requires comment. The characteristics and motives of false prophets are clearly identified. And the chapter ends with a solemn warning to those who engage in false prophecy, wittingly or otherwise. “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 49
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Peter needs little introduction! A giant of the faith. Bold, flawed, loyal, boisterous, impetuous, enthusiastic, spokesman, obedient to his calling. He was a leader to be admired and a study of his life is rewarding. A fervent Torah observant Jewish believer who met face to face with the resurrected Messiah, with a strong desire to see followers of Yeshua live lives worthy of their calling. This letter was probably written from Rome in the mid 60’s C.E. and it remains something of a mystery that Peter does not mention the Apostle Paul in his letters, other than to comment on the difficulty in understanding his letters! (2 Peter 3:15, 16)
Again our passage starts with a “therefore”. This time the reference is to the statement “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” So Peter said that the believers should arm themselves with the same mind. “Therefore” the sins of the flesh need no longer have sway in our life. That bias has been broken. There is now a new way. The life of freedom from the bondage of sinful lusts. Freedom and assistance to live a life controlled by the Spirit of God. Peter is quite ferocious in his condemnation of the ‘gentile’ lifestyle which had evidently become part and parcel of the diaspora Jews way of life in their new location far away from Israel. (when as an 18 year old I was conscripted into the Airforce, my wise old Sunday School teacher counselled me to ‘nail your colours to the mast’. You have been saved from sin, he said, so let them know where you stand. I did and it wasn’t easy at first, but every day my co-conscripts found ways to remind me of Who and what I represented in that place! And that made it easier because there was no going back) It is easy to adopt the ways of the crowd, the locals, the people you rub shoulders with every day. But Peter had a word for those too. “They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Our God is righteous in all His ways and He will judge by His standards, not ours!
Knowing that the road would not be easy, Peter encouraged the “ekklesia” to be kindly and hospitable towards each other. Supporting each other through the tests and trials he was certain they would face. Peter was not a ‘prosperity teacher’ was he? “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” Selah. This is a principle expounded many times in the Scriptures. Yeshua Himself was confronted by many who challenged His teaching. Paul certainly knew the same rejection. Few of us today face the loss of our life for our faith as they both did. Why do we think that we are exempt from opposition? Only by having a blurred witness, a foot in both camps so to speak. It is costly, and rewarding, to live our faith. If it is ‘easy’, a check of our lifestyle would be in order. Which is exactly what Peter was saying to these diaspora Jews.
Then Peter turned his attention to those in leadership in the “ekklesia’. He writes with passion about the roles of both leaders and congregants. There is no hierarchy. There is recognition of elders as teachers and counsellors to the “ekklesia”. Encouraged to willingly accept their ministry calling, not by ‘lording’ it over the people but by living the example. How in the wide world, I ask myself, did the Catholic church get it so wrong in the early years of the gentile inclusion? And how, after centuries of experience of that do we manage to perpetuate such wrong in our “ekklesia” today? I wonder sometimes if God (proverbially) ‘scratches His head’ in amazement at our modern church performance. Many pastors, blessed with God given ministry gifts, called to be servants to the “ekklesia”, are elevated by the addition of the unbiblical superior descriptors “chief”, “senior” etc. to their roles. Look at Peter’s exhortation to the “ekklesia” here as he takes up the same theme Paul did in his letter to the Ephesian “ekklesia”. “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility; for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
We should not be surprised that Peter draws this letter to a close by again emphasizing the need for vigilance. As a true shepherd of the flock, he is at pains to warn them of the dangers which are present in almost every walk of life. The adversary is still alive and well today, maybe even more active. Satan obviously failed in his attempts to quell the plan of God in those early days to share loving communion with those who are His. Otherwise we would not be enjoying our spiritual freedom today. But the warning is still relevant for us. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” There is no place for complacency. Be blessed as you continue to read, study, and live God’s word, for great is your reward in heaven.
Shabbat Shalom
RS