Reflections
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflections 35
Shelach (Continued)
We ended last week with the LORD having pardoned the people for Moses’ sake, but without repentance by the people themselves, they were told that they would not be allowed to enter the land of God’s promise. “And Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly.” But it was too late. The next morning they arose early and went to the top of the mountain. They could see the way to travel and decided that they would go there anyway. Moses again spoke to them. “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. Do not go up. Lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you.” Is this not yet another important lesson for us. How often do we attempt things in our own strength? Sure it might sound like a good idea, but did we check if that is what God wants. Did we pray about it? Did we wait for God’s direction? The word records that in our text today they did indeed ‘go it alone’ and were soundly defeated as Moses had warned them.
Then the LORD spoke to Moses again. “When you have come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you ..”. Followed by another detailed set of instructions about how the various offerings made to the LORD were to be made. Burnt offerings, an offering of sacrifice, freewill offerings at the time of celebration of the “mo’edim” of the LORD, were all covered in detail. But then a statement which poses many questions today. It concerns those who were to bring the offerings. “All who are native born”, most people are perfectly comfortable with. But “And if a stranger dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD, just as you do, so shall he do.” comes as a bit of a shock. But it goes on. “One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you , an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before then LORD. One law (Torah) and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.”
Now I confess to being brought to attention be reading those words. The statement is unequivocal, unambiguous, very plain, and easy to understand. At least that is how it seems to me. So why does it present such difficulty to so many of us? Well, first of all, the sacrificial system is no longer operative in our day so we couldn’t participate even if we wanted to. But the principle of participation, definitely in regard to the “mo’edim” is still with us. Some have argued that the statement only applies to those who choose to live ‘in the land’. And true enough the statement by the LORD at the beginning of chapter 15 says “When you have come into the land ..”. But the addition of “throughout your generations” later, suggests a permanency to the command too. We note that no-where in the Scriptures has God ever annulled any of the commandments. It is a matter which I brought before the LORD with an open mind and an open Bible some years ago, and received from Him the answer to my question. If you are in any doubt, I commend you to do as I did.
The fact that the sacrificial system is no longer operational, a system which allowed the people to “draw near to God”, does not mean that we have no way of similarly ”drawing near to Him” today. The reasons for the need to “draw near” remain. They are many and various. Often unintentional sin might be the reason, as is described in our text. But we need to keep “short accounts” with God. That seems to me to be the prevailing message here. But the next matter addressed is much more serious. Described as “doing anything presumptuously”. And, as “despising the word of the LORD, and breaking His commandment”. How are we to interpret that today? It is easy to think that those things are not possible, but they are, and more frequently than one would imagine. In our text, the result was to be “completely cut off”. No more chances. How sad. An example is quoted of violating the Sabbath. Most today would consider that trivial. But not our God! It falls into the category of “despising the word of God”. So easy to fall into isn’t it?
But God is gracious. He provided them with the means of reminding them continually of His word. YES, continually. “Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments (it is called a Tzitzit today, which observant Jewish men, and some women, wear under their shirt) throughout their generations and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you do not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.” Pretty simple eh! And in my personal experience very effective. I do not wear a Tzitzit. But the LORD provided me with a different memory jogger. Very effective, and it works all the time.
It is a truth that if you “train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). Many of the people who read this will have been brought up in a Christian home. As was I. But as I look back, the emphasis was primarily about attending church on a Sunday. (and I do not argue about that) It was expected that one would receive Christian teaching as a result. But churches vary considerably. Countless numbers of people have consequently fallen away. The foundation was not solid. And the Scripture quoted from Proverbs seems to apply only sometimes. Friends, the basis on which that Scripture remains true every time is when that teaching is soundly based on the infallible word of God. Taking heed to such Scriptures that we have just ‘reflected’ upon.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflections 34
Shelach (Send (men) for yourself)
The time had come when preparations were to be made for the Israelites to go in and possess the land of God’s promise to them. They were still in the Wilderness of Paran, just a few days trek from its southern border. So God instructed Moses to send trusted men with leadership qualities. One representative (excluding the Levites) of each of the twelve tribes, to assess its potential for their occupation. (note that Joseph was now represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh as tribes in their own right) The type of land. What it was capable of producing? Was it forested, hilly, flat? Was it rich land with good soil or poor, rocky, barren etc.? And the people there. Did they dwell in fortified cities or camps? Were they well fortified? How should the Israelites plan to move in? Plenty of things to be assessed as they set out on their spying trip. They were gone for 40 days, bringing back with them some samples of the fruit, and declaring that the land was indeed as God had promised, “flowing with milk and honey”.(Exodus 3:8).
If only they had left it at that!! It’s the “good news, bad news” story isn’t it? They had also seen that the cities were large and fortified (remember they had been living as slaves in Egypt, and for the past year had been in the desert). That the people there were big and strong. And they were well spread out in the whole of the land they had seen, and was made up of a number of different people groups. The result. “We cannot possibly hope to conquer the land. It’s not all that good anyway, and the people are giants! We are like grasshoppers in their sight.” What a depressing report. But Caleb, the one who represented the tribe of Judah, spoke up. “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the damage was done. The people were fearful. They wept and anguished over it all that night. Then the recriminations began. “If only we had died in Egypt! etc.” Then “let us choose another leader and go back to Egypt.” Moses and Aaron were distraught at the outbursts.
Joshua, (who had his name changed from Hoshea by Moses (Num 13:16)) the representative of the tribe of Ephraim on the spying trip, stood with Caleb. They tore their clothes in anguish. They could not believe what they were witnessing. And together they spoke up. “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a ‘land which flows with milk and honey’. Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.” But fear them they did. And the people sought to stone them both. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting. And all the people saw it.
What followed was another of those amazing conversations between the LORD and Moses. It is worthwhile reading it in its correct context. It is very difficult to imagine that Moses was actually telling God something He did not already know. I speculate here, but maybe God was ‘testing’ the wisdom of “His friend” Moses. In any event it is quite remarkable. And as it happens, God was merely delaying what He told Moses what He intended to do anyway, which was not to allow unfaithful and disobedient people from entering the promised land. He expressed His extreme displeasure “ How long will these people reject Me?” As we go through this conversation we should look for the lesson for ourselves, there is one. (it is easy to think we would not have acted as these people did, but most of us do, every day). He continued “And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?” Is that lesson beginning to register? Moses continued to argue that if God were to follow through with His anger with them and immediately ‘cut them off’’, then that would be seen by their enemies as them being abandoned by God. And furthermore, His promise to ‘bring them to the land flowing with milk and honey’ would be seen as an empty promise. Moses reminded God that “The LORD is long-suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.”
In His mercy and grace, the LORD said “I have pardoned, according to your word”. But regrettably there was more to it. The lesson for us gets clearer as the LORD continued “because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected (treated scornfully) Me see it”. At first glance, it would seem that God was giving with one hand and taking away with the other. But that is NOT the case. God pardoned (by not ‘cutting off’ immediately’) these people, for His faithful friend Moses’ sake. But seeing the heart of the people, and the deep seated scornful attitude which remained, God allowed them to continue their life to its natural end, but He could not allow them to enter the land. Repentance is an act of a personal nature. No-one can repent for someone else. And that is the lesson we need to understand.
The judgement of God on them was that for every day those spies were in the land, God would let them be “be shepherds in the wilderness’. A journey to the land of promise, that could have been done in about ten days, was now going to take 40 years. One down, thirty nine to go! But the people were not finished with their own plans even then. We’ll discover what they did next week.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 33
Beha’alotcha (continued)
Last week we ended with the Israelites making the first movement of their camp, and they were now in the Wilderness of Paran, to the west of where Eilat is today. Then the complaints began!
We need to keep in mind that there were a lot of people in that company. Six hundred thousand men of military age plus dependants. Close to two million altogether as well as their livestock. They would have been spread out over a sizeable area, and not all proceeding at the same pace. The LORD heard their various complaints, and was displeased. He sent fire around them and some who were at the fringes of the company got burned in the fire. “Moses, where are you? Help!” Can you hear their cries? Moses interceded on behalf of the people. The fire ceased. Does that give you a measure of the stature of this man? And the relationship he had with His God? It does me. But they were a mixed multitude we are told. All kinds of people. And they had different tastes and longings. The LORD was faithfully providing their daily provision of “manna” (a word which literally means ‘what is it?’) So they were not hungry, but they ‘craved’ a more varied diet, including meat and vegetables. The LORD’s anger “was greatly aroused” again. And Moses wasn’t all that happy either.
The exchange of words between the LORD and Moses is remarkable. “Why have You have laid the burden of all these people on me?” Moses asked the LORD. Then in paraphrase, the LORD said “I’ll give you help. Bring seventy men you know to have good standing with the people to the Tent of Meeting and I’ll talk to you there.” Which he did. The LORD continued “tell the people they’ll have their meat. Not for one or two days, but for a whole month. They will have meat until it comes out of their nostrils!” Moses’ response was classic. “Where am I going to get all that meat? Shall I kill all the livestock. Can I produce all the fish in the sea to feed them? There are two million of them!! Then the calm of our LORD. “Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” What followed was another miracle. First, the LORD came down in the cloud, took the Spirit that was in Moses, and placed the same Spirit upon the seventy elders who were gathered there with him. And they prophesied (I take that to mean they took the message of the LORD to the people with the same authority that Moses had). But it was a one time experience for them. And it was for a particular act of ministry. A lesson right there. We are taught that “receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit’” is a “whole of life, one time” single experience gift. “Have you been ‘Spirit filled’? is the question often asked. It is true that we can live by, and in, the Spirit. That is what God expects of us. But it requires a way of life which is ‘God centred’ to maintain. Selah.
Joshua, Moses’ assistant became alarmed when he saw two of the elders prophesying in the camp. “Moses, my lord, forbid them!” Was his cry. Moses responded “Oh, that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” Soon the whole area of the camp was filled with quail, brought in by an East wind from the LORD. We are told that he who gathered least collected 10 Homers, enough to fill a small pick-up truck!! And the people GORGED themselves. It’s called gluttony. And for that many of them died! Beware of the sin of gluttony.
Then we learn of the sin of envy and jealousy within the camp. From none other than Moses’ siblings, Miriam and Aaron! The excuse was regarding Moses’ wife, an Ethiopian woman. Evidently not Zippora the Midianite. But the truth is revealed to us in the very next verse of our text. They said “Has the LORD indeed ONLY spoken through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” In my imagination I can see the scene as the LORD hears this. Close your eyes, picture the scene. “YOU THREE, to the tabernacle of meeting, NOW.!!” When they got there, the LORD stood in the door of the tabernacle, in a cloud. WOW!! Aaron and Miriam … step forward. The LORD speaks.
“Hear now My words; if there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak to him face to face, even plainly, not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?”
The cloud left them. The LORD departed. And in an instant leprosy covered Miriam. “white as snow” we are told. Unclean. Destined to be put outside the camp. Humiliated. Broken. Aaron was dumfounded. Horror stricken. Pouring out his confession of sin and foolishness to Moses. What a scene! Then Moses in his own anguish for his sister, called out to the LORD. “PLEASE heal her, O God, I pray!” (This is the first of only three places in the Scriptures that I can find anyone being ‘prayed for’ to be healed. In every other case of healing, it was the exercise of the GIFT of healing). The LORD in His mercy answered Moses by decreeing that she should be put out of the camp for seven days before being allowed back into the fellowship of the others. We have commented a few times previously “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”. What a way to learn such a lesson. Can we learn from it too? The whole congregation learned it, because they remained in that place for the whole time Miriam was ‘outside the camp’.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 32
Beha’alotcha (When you light)
After TWELVE consecutive days, on which representatives of each of the tribes of Israel had brought identical offerings for the dedication of the altar. Silver platters filled with fine grain mixed with oil as a grain offering. Gold pans filled with incense, one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering. One kid of the goats as a sin offering. And as the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. Complete equanimity among the tribes.
Then Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with the LORD. And the voice of the LORD came to him from above the Mercy Seat which was on top of the Ark. I am continually reminded as I ‘reflect’ on these Scriptures of the meticulous detail of the LORD’S instructions in His communication with Moses. The artisans who had made the lampstand which now stood on the south side of the Holy Place had followed the instructions to the letter. But it seems that the LORD was not satisfied with the way the light was projected towards the Altar of Incence and the Table of Showbread on the north side. It needed to be turned 90 deg to be parallel with the side of the chamber! And this provides another lesson for us, if we needed it, to indicate precision in God’s instructions. Nothing sloppy, ambiguous or optional about God’s commands and statutes.
Two weeks ago, we ‘reflected’ on the fact that God had determined, following the last plague which was visited on the Egyptians, that the firstborn males of the Israelites were “consecrated to Himself “(Exodus 13), and that there was a 273 discrepancy in numbers between the firstborn males of the whole camp of Israel (22,273) and the number of Levites (22,000) who were 1 month old and above. In our text today, when the altar was dedicated for purpose, we have the account of the manner in which those Levites, (whom God had accepted in substitution for the firstborn males), were consecrated and prepared for the task of service in their tabernacle duties. They were first “ceremonially cleansed”. They were ‘sprinkled’ with water of purification. They were bodily shaved. They presented a ‘sin offering’ to the LORD, and had the whole congregation lay hands on them, before the High Priest made a ‘wave offering’ of them to the LORD. Finally, another ‘sin offering’, a ‘burnt offering’ and a ‘wave offering’. Only then did the LORD declare to the whole congregation that “They are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel.” And He declared to the whole assembly “I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” FIVE times He mentioned the whole congregation of people in that declaration. But the LORD had one more stipulation. They began their tabernacle duties at 25 years of age and retired from them at 50 years of age. No exceptions.
Exactly one year after the Israelites had left Egypt, in the Wilderness of Sinai, the Tabernacle was set up and functioning. (please note here that the events of Leviticus 9 could not have occurred before the tabernacle was functioning, indicating further that Leviticus is not a “journey” book and cannot be chronologically earlier than Numbers) The LORD instructed Moses that it was time to remember the Passover event in Egypt. It has been an annual remembrance ever since, but provision is made here for anyone who is not able to keep that remembrance on the appointed day, it is permissible not remember it one month later.
Instruction is also given about the function of the cloud that appeared over the Tabernacle when it was first set up. It would be their guide about when to move. By night that cloud had the appearance of fire. “Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the Tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up they would journey.” Two silver trumpets were made in order to warn the assembly about meetings at the Tabernacle, and to announce the setting off times of the tribes encamped on each side of the Tabernacle when the cloud moved. Just over one month after that first Passover remembrance, the cloud was taken up, and the long journey commenced, six tribes ahead of the Tabernacle and six tribes behind it. Everything in order.
Moses’ brother in law, Hobab, who evidently had been with the Israelites in Egypt, and was still with them. was invited to journey with them to the place God had promised them. A most interesting ‘side issue’ that has remained in the record of these times for our enlightenment. This one “alien” family in with a couple of million Israelites. So what? I hear. It speaks to me about the inclusiveness that God extends to those who willingly join in acceptance of, and fellowship with, God’s chosen. Moses was able to give Hobab assurance that “Whatever good the LORD will do to us, we will do to you.” Additionally to solicit from Hobab the benefits of his desert experience. Another provision of God’s grace to His chosen people. I sincerely believe that even, or perhaps especially, today, God is calling gentile believers to join with His chosen, in faith, to benefit from, and contribute to, the welfare, experience, and knowledge of Himself. It is part of His unconditional promise to Abram. “I will bless those that bless you.” There were complaints and grievances on that long journey. Moses bore the burdens and concerns of the people and interceded on their behalf. A mighty and effective leader. And God promised later, that He would raise up another such leader for the people. And He did.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 31
Naso (Take a Census)
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Their descendants were assigned the important duties of transportation of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Last week’s ‘reflection’ ended with the 2,750 members of the Kohathite family assigned the task of carrying the contents of the Most Holy Place. They were not allowed inside the Most Holy Place whilst Aaron and his sons were carefully wrapping those items, and even then those items were not to be touched by the carriers, but were borne on the special poles designed for that purpose. They had been given special dispensation from Almighty God Himself to carry out that task, which in normal circumstances would result in their being “cut off”, a death sentence, for approaching those holy things. Look at the detail given to Aaron and his sons in just preparing the items to be transported. Aaron’s son Eleazar was tasked with supervision of that most important work of the Kohathites with regard to the Most Holy Place.
Our reading this week continues with the additional census of the families of Gershon and Merari, which together numbered a further 5,830 men between the ages of 30 and 50. People who could be expected to be reliable and experienced. The total number of men assigned to transport the Tabernacle and its furnishings was 8,580 men. Aaron’s son Ithamar was given the task of supervising the work of the Gershonites, and Merariites. An extremely good lesson in delegated authority.
Moses was then entrusted with the task of instructing the people regarding a number of other issues with which God knew they would be be confronted on their long journey to the land, and certainly after they arrived there to dwell. These instructions have never been revoked, but many of them are no longer observed in society today. However, everyone who experienced the Covid-19 plague, which China introduced to the world in 2020, would be quite familiar with the first instruction mentioned in our text. “Social distancing”. But of the extreme kind. Contagious and infectious conditions were to be removed to a place outside the camp to minimise the spread of those infections. It seems to have been most effective because we have no account of any such epidemic within the ranks of the Israelites during their long journey. We know from our earlier ‘reflections’ in Leviticus that there were means by which those who recovered were able to rejoin the camp on the evidence presented to their priest. It is similar, but different, to the clinical systems which operate today.
Then came a string of misdemeanours and their remedy! I note the wording at the commencement of this part of our text “When a man or a woman commits any sin …”. There seems to be no ambiguity does there? Otherwise the word “WHEN” would have been replaced with the word “IF”. God knows the ways of men (and women). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:” said Jeremiah. “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways. According to the fruit of his doings.” That alone is well worth our pondering. But God is also gracious and loving, and in His instruction to Moses He included the path to forgiveness. And it was NOT “a once for all time” solution. In paraphrase here He said “The person who is the guilty party shall first confess the sin which he has committed. Then make restitution in full plus 20%. Then come to Me with the appropriate offering of sacrifice.” As I note the wording I perceive three important steps to getting right with God here. First to put things right with the one wronged. Second to make appropriate restitution. Third present yourself before a holy God for His forgiveness. EVERY TIME.
This Torah portion is well known for ONE important, oft quoted, section. We know it more commonly as “The Aaronic Blessing”. And a blessing it was, and is still today. In our churches now, it is very often used as a benediction or prayer. Each line being accompanied by the injunction and expectation that the Lord “MAY” do these things. But it is neither a benediction nor a prayer in the original. It is infinitely MORE than that. We remind ourselves of the circumstances in which these words were spoken. Firsly, they were spoken by their revered High Priest. A man they recognised as God’s representative in their midst. A man to whom they took their offerings of penitence. Trusted. At the same time, on a personal level, none of them knew where they were, other than it was a desert place. They did not know where they were going, except that it was a land promised to them by God hundreds of years earlier. And finally, they had no idea when they might arrive at their destination, wherever that might be!
And when Aaron was given these words to speak, he was also given the reason for speaking them. “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I WILL bless them.” The words were positive words of PROMISE. “I WILL bless them.” So that was the spirit in which they were spoken. As they made that long journey to the land of God’s promise, these words went before them.
The LORD will bless you and keep you:
The LORD will make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
The LORD will lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you His Shalom.
Consider those words carefully. Ask God what He requires of you that you too may count on them as His promise to you on your journey of faith, as they were to those Israelites on their journey to their land of God’s promise.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections "Shavuot"
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah portions Exodus 19:1 to 20:23 and Numbers 28 :26 - 31
Haftarah portion Ezekiel 1 : 1-28 and 3 : 12
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 ‘appointed time’ is fixed in relation to Pesach. Seven Sabbaths plus one day later.( In the Christian reckoning, it is called “Whitsun” and is seven weeks after Palm Sunday, but it bears no relationship at all to the ‘mo’ed’ of the Lord specified in Leviticus 23.) Some pretty exciting things happened at Shavuot, and the festival (also known as the Feast of Weeks) figures most significantly in the prophetic calendar as it relates to Yeshua.
Firstly, by Jewish calculation, and there is good evidence for it, this was the time when Moses was on the mountain communing with the Lord and receiving the instructions for righteous living, which we know as Torah. (see Exodus 19:1) That, in my view is cause enough to celebrate. The very Word of God, which is ‘sharper than any two-edged sword’, came to us at this time of the year. An immeasurable blessing. My Bible tells me that Moses spoke “all that the Lord had told him” and wrote it in a book.(Exodus 24: 3 and 7). More importantly, that was the exact time that the first covenant was sealed, when the people voluntarily agreed as they said “all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”.
Secondly, according to Acts 1, Yeshau returned to His Father 40 days after his resurrection from the grave. But He told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Just 10 days later was the festival of Shavuot. Jerusalem was overflowing with people, there for the festival from all over the known world (as it is today for the three pilgrimage festivals). Then came a sound ‘like a mighty rushing wind’. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, the One who points to Messiah, was sent to minister His blessing to those who would receive it.
The disciples, already emboldened at meeting the resurrected Lord Yeshua, were imbued with power from on high. No longer the ‘shrinking violets’ who were shattered by the death of Yeshua on that cruel Roman cross. They spoke boldly to the throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, and miracle of miracles, the foreigners present all heard these fishermen from Galilee speaking in their own several languages. It is almost impossible to imagine. But by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, over three thousand were added to the company of believers that very day. Now that surely is another reason to celebrate.
But there’s more!! Both events related above did not stop.
Today, we have the precious Holy Scriptures, written in so many of the world’s languages. The faithful Jews who were entrusted with those Scriptures have carefully preserved them for our blessing and instruction down through the ages. In the early days, meticulously copying by hand every ‘jot and tittle’. Every yod and vav.
The Holy Spirit of God is alive and well in the earth today. His role on earth is to point us to Messiah Yeshua, by any and all means possible. He brings strength to the ‘weary’, comfort to the ‘afflicted’, guidance to those who seek, and blessing to all who ask.
So if any still wonder why we should celebrate Shavuot, I trust that this ‘reflection’ will provide some answers. But there is a much greater and compelling reason. God commanded it. His promise, is included in the introductory remarks of this ‘reflection’. He will be there to meet all who come. It is a special time. It has never been revoked.
You will be blessed as you meet together and thank Him for His unspeakable gift.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 30
Bamidar (In the Wilderness)
A brief word of explanation here. The history of the children of Israel, from God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12, to their journey to and from Egypt, and the occupation of the land of God’s promise, is contained in just eleven Books in our Bible. Whilst the other 28 Books are instructional, and are written to the Israelites, they do not form part of their ‘journey’ to and in the land. Leviticus and Deuteronomy are not ‘journey’ Books, so the Book of Numbers takes up the story of their ‘journey’ where Exodus leaves off.
God instructed Moses to take a census of all the men from each tribe who were 20 years old and above. The census was obtained by each tribal head reciting the names of those in their extended families who were in that category. These were all men who were judged by God to be capable of “going to war” in defence of the whole gathering. The total number, from which the tribe of Levi was excused, was six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. Quite an army eh! But it also indicates that whilst the land was a “promise” of God to them, there would be struggles and hard work, even battles to be won, to get there. Is there a lesson here? Our journey of faith today carries with it God’s promise of eternal life. (the proverbial promised land) Yeshua told us in Matthew 10 and 24 and in Mark 13 that “He who endures to the end shall be saved.” There are many trials, temptations, and struggles before us as we journey along salvation’s road. And certainly that was true for the Israelites on their journey.
Then each of the tribes were instructed to set up their camp, under their own banner, some distance from the Tent of Meeting. Each tribe in its allotted place. Three tribes on each side so that the Tent of Meeting was right in the centre. Close by were the tribe of Levi, who were charged with responsibility of caring for, dismantling, carrying, and remounting the Tabernacle and its furniture. Instructions were given for the order in which the tribes would set off when the pillar of cloud moved to a new place. Six tribes in front, Levites carrying the Tabernacle in the centre, and six tribes to the rear. Very orderly. It is noted that the census did not include women, people under 20, or the Levites. It is reasonable therefore to conclude that the body of people involved must have been close to 2 million!!
Moses then instructed Aaron and his two remaining sons regarding their duties as priests before the LORD, and appointed the whole tribe of Levi as servants of Aaron and his sons to do the work of attending to the Tent of Meeting and its furniture. But it was made clear to Moses that God had made the tribe of Levi His own. They were effectively a ransom to God for all the firstborn of the Israelites who survived the Passover plague, the death of the firstborn, on the night the Israelites left Egypt. And now it was time to take a census of the Levites. God was keeping account. But this census included all males one month old and above. And as the census proceeded, each family of the Levites were allotted a camping place near the Tabernacle, and given instructions about their particular responsibilities for movement of specific parts of the tabernacle and its furnishings. Very detailed and orderly.
The census of Levites ordered by God, showed that 22,000 males above 1 month old were counted. These were accepted by God in part substitution for the firstborn males who were saved during the Passover plague in Egypt. They were consecrated to the LORD as a result, (Exodus 13:1,2) Then God told Moses to count the number of the whole assembly of Israelites who were firstborn males. There were 22,273 such, now consecrated to the LORD, who had not perished in the Passover plague in Egypt, Moses was commanded that a monetary amount of five shekels per person was to be given to Aaron as redemption money to make up for that 273 shortfall as compensation for not having the full number of consecrated persons to serve him in the work of the Tabernacle. The total sum (5 x 273) of 1,365 shekels was collected from the firstborn of the tribes and given to Aaron. There is a lesson here too. God gave what was His, all those consecrated to Himself, for the work in the Tabernacle. Many of us would have said “Oh! 22,000, that’s close enough.” Wouldn’t we? But God gives full measure every time. And it is quite reasonable to assume that that is what He expects of us too.
It is interesting that within Judaism still, as baby boys are circumcised on the eighth day according to God’s commandment, parents consider that these baby boys are rightfully God’s own. So they ceremonially give a five shekel coin to the Rabbi in order to ‘redeem’ that child back from God. And they are treasured as a result!
Now our reading this week concludes with another example of the meticulous way in which the Israelites were commanded to carry out their duties. The Kohath families, were assigned an important task. They were to carry the contents of the Most Holy Place as they moved from location to location following the pillar of cloud. Firstly, they were told to select only those between the ages of 30 and 50. People who could be expected to be reliable and experienced. Look at the detail given to Aaron and his sons in just preparing the items to be transported. Those assigned to this part of the transportation totalled 2,750 men. They were not allowed inside the Most Holy Place whilst Aaron and his sons were packing those items, and even then those items were not to be touched by them, but were carried on poles.
When we observe the care God takes with such instructions, we know that He wants us to take care too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 29
Behar/Behukotai (On the Mount/My statutes)
We come to the end of the commandments and judgments contained in this Book of Leviticus. Thus far they have been concerned with the daily activities and relationships within the camp of the Israelites as they prepare to journey through the wilderness towards the Land of God’s Promise to them. But now the LORD has a word for Moses about a time when that journey would come to an end and the Israelites would be dwelling in the land. They were not to know then that the journey would take another 39 years and that Moses would not actually be with them at that time.
Surprise, surprise! The first announcement regards the observance of the Sabbath! Not the weekly Sabbath this time, but a Sabbath rest for the land itself. The whole concept of land management, wherein they would be able to feed themselves and those who were the poor among them, is contained in these Torah commands (instructions for righteous living) of God. And they were quite different, even revolutionarily enlightening, compared to the practises of the nations around them at that time. (and we might note to land management practises the world over today) We already saw, in our passage last week, with the commandments of God regarding the observance of the “mo’edim” of the LORD, the directive about not harvesting the corners of the fields or gathering the gleaning from the harvest each year. These were left for the poor and the stranger among them to gather. But now God commands them, each seventh year, neither to plant crops nor to prune vineyards. But recognising that there would be produce which would grow of its own accord, none of that was to be harvested either. That was to be a part of God’s provision, without the need for anyone to work, for themselves, for the servants, for the poor, for the stranger, and for the field workers. God’s gift freely available to them for some food without any labour required to produce it. And it provided a year of rest from intensive working of the land itself. A year of recovery for the land. In Hebrew it is called a “shmitah” year.
BUT, there was another “Sabbath” to be observed too! This time it was to be a “Sabbath” of the “shmitah” years. After seven such “shmitah” years, on the “mo’ed” of Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, at the beginning of the fiftieth year, a trumpet of Jubilee was to be sounded throughout the land. It was to be a year consecrated to the LORD, and a year of proclamation of liberty to all the inhabitants of the land. No sowing or reaping of crops and vineyards (note that this Jubilee year would be the second year in a row with no harvest). Land and possessions were to be returned to the original owner in the Jubilee year. Selling price of ‘land use’ was regulated according to the number of productive years left until the next Jubilee. But the seller could also redeem the ‘land use’ by repurchasing it at a price determined by the same formula, according to the number of productive years remaining to the next Jubilee. No opportunity for extortion or ‘market forces’ in God’s economy. No interest or usury at all. “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me.”
So how did they manage to survive? “So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety.” But what about those two years that the land is neither sown nor reaped? “Then I will command MY blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for THREE years. And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the old harvest.” Plus, of course, what grows of its own accord. The lesson for us here is to note the options available to these people. In principle they are options available to us today, albeit in a different environment. God told them that if they did it His way, they would receive blessing. The blessing of protection and food. But, by inference, if they did it their own way, things would be more ‘difficult’. God expects, and requires, obedience from those who belong to Him. And there are consequences which accrue for disobedience. No surprises. Clearly spelled out for their attention. And OURS. God is a promise keeper, even promises we don’t like.
The list is long and graphic. But one which we observe to this very day, should be like a beacon demanding our attention. God promised to expel them from the land as a punishment if they wantonly disobeyed Him. It happened in 587 B.C.E., the Babylonian exile. And it happened again in 133 C.E after the Bar Kochba revolution, when the Romans expelled the Jews from the land. But those promises of expulsion came with yet another promise. It’s generational. First read in full, Leviticus 26. You’ll be surprised. “Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God; I am the LORD.”
The details of the return from Babylon is recorded in the Scriptures. The return from “all the countries to which they were dispersed” is happening before our very eyes today. It is prophecy, from this passage today, confirmed by many of the prophetic Scriptures later, which we are privileged to witness at first hand. If that does not speak to your heart about the faithfulness, the mercy, the grace, the wonder, of God, and the efficacy of the Scriptures, then I wonder what will.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 28
Emor (Speak)
The instructions God gave to Moses are specific and detailed. One cannot read Leviticus without being impressed by the detail. And this portion of Scripture begins with clear instructions to be given to the priests about potential ritual defilement through contact with the dead. It continues by describing the nature and characteristics of women who may be considered appropriate as potential wives for those of the priesthood. Then God spells out clearly why He has so commanded. “They (the priests) shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy. Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy.” Most people are aware that the word “holy” simply means “set apart”, even different, or special, in modern day language. It is also notable that, although politically incorrect today, the people who are to be anointed as priests in Scripture are invariably male!! At the same time we take note that the priest “shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes”.
In slight digression, it is worth remembering that at the time the Israelites made their covenant with God, specifically in Exodus 19:5-8 God said “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all the people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” I have often wondered why observant Jews wear a Yarmulka (kippah). Could this be the answer? And as for ‘tearing his clothes’, we touched on that in our ‘reflection’ just a few weeks ago (Torah Reflection 24)
One more observation here is that this whole passage relates to a priesthood for whom marriage is the ‘norm’. Our beloved Rabbi Sha’ul was unmarried, and, presumably, in response to some issues in the “ekklesia’ at Corinth chose to explain his position to them (1 Cor 7). It is indeed “taking a long bow” to make an inviolate doctrine out of that, especially in the light of some most unsavoury outcomes. But there is no command about priestly celibacy given in the Scriptures. Neither, as far as I know, is it expressly forbidden.
This Scripture passage is primarily known for its detailed account of the “mo’edim” of the LORD, which appear in Chapter 23. I invite you first and foremost to take careful note of how these ‘appointed times’ are unequivocally described. “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” Did you know that ‘convocation’ is described in the dictionary as “a large formal gathering of people”? And that in this context, ‘feast’ is described as an “annual religious celebration”? But in Hebrew, the word translated as ‘feast’ is ‘mo’ed’ (plural mo’edim) which means ‘appointed time’. So a more correct understanding would be “God’s own appointed times of meeting.” It begs the question, how many of us would miss an appointment with our monarch, Queen Elizabeth? Not many I suggest. But these holy weekly and annual appointments with Almighty God are largely ignored by christians all over the world!
In this passage there are EIGHT ‘feasts’ proclaimed. The first is a weekly holy convocation. The Sabbath. The other seven are annual convocations. It is regrettable that the significance of these “mo’edim” is largely lost to most of us in the christian church today, because they are each, in turn, prophetic of events in the life, death, burial, resurrection, and future return, of Yeshua, our Saviour.
Passover, is a festival of eight days duration. It starts on the fourteenth day, the time of the full moon, of the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Just as the blood of the slain lamb, put on the doorposts and lintels of the Israelites of the Egyptian captivity, became the sign of salvation for them, so the blood of our Saviour, shed for us at this precise “appointed time”, metaphorically appearing on the doorposts and lintels of our being, became the means of our salvation from the captivity of sin.
The festival of Unleavened Bread, the symbol of the sinless One, eaten for the next seven days, signifies the burial of Yeshua, taking our sin with Him. It is celebrated with a special Sabbath on the first and last days. It was during this period that our Messiah rose from that grave, having conquered sin and death.
Fifty days later, the Festival of Weeks is celebrated by bringing the grain offering before the LORD. It represents the presentation of the Firstfruits of the harvest, and is preceded (ten days earlier) by the bodily ascension of Yeshua to be with the Father, and coincides with the gift of the Comforter, The Holy Spirit, to men. It is also the ‘traditional’ time of the giving of Torah to Moses on the mountain.
There is an interesting commandment tucked in between this festival and the next three. “When you reap the harvest of your land you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” There is a long interval between the festivals already mentioned and the next three.. Some have noted that this interval provides a timely gap for the reaping of believers, not of the Jewish faith, to be brought into the fold, before Yeshua returns.
The final three festivals, Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles are , in turn, prophetically symbolic of the return of Yeshua, The Great White Throne Judgement, and the Ingathering as in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Be blessed as you study, ponder, and observe these events.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 27
Acherai Mot/Kodishim (After death/Holy)
The reading this week continues with the theme of “cleanliness” before the LORD. Two weeks ago, we read about the way in which God instilled a very strong sense of “reverential fear” in the people as He consumed the offerings on the altar with His own fire, and followed that by consuming the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who stepped out of line by attempting to share the glory. Our reading this week picks up after that event. God was, and is, intent on instilling, in His people, the understanding of His holiness. Nothing ‘unclean’, no hint of sin, no person, however sincere, is to approach Him unless made ‘clean’ in His appointed manner. That fact is ‘blindingly obvious’ as we read this portion of Scripture.
(Ah! I hear. But that was the “old testament”, Jesus did away with all that. Did He? Well, actually, Jesus did tell us when all that will end. And it will end. You can read it for yourself in Matthew 5:18. It will be “when heaven and earth pass away”. So as long as you and I are still living here, nothing of ‘God’s instructions for righteous living’ have yet passed away, have they? Or are the words of Jesus unreliable. Of course not.)
But the events, about which God now instructs Aaron, apply to a ONCE a year observance, known in Hebrew, as “Yom Kippur”. An annual ‘day of atonement’. We will reflect on this in a bit more detail next week. It is most solemnly observed universally by Jews, but completely ignored by christians! (as indeed are all the “Feasts (appointed times) of the LORD”. That is in spite of the command of God that this ‘appointed time’, be a statute FOREVER. It is also clear from this passage of Scripture that the instructions applied equally to the Israelites AND the “strangers who dwell among you.” So Aaron, the only person allowed to enter the Holiest Place in the Tabernacle, the place where God said He ‘would dwell among the people’, was instructed about the manner of his approach to God. First he was to present the blood of a bull as a sin offering, and the blood of a ram as a burnt offering. He was also to completely wash his body and change his clothes to put on special linen garments. That required a physical cleansing in addition to his spiritual cleansing. Complete cleanliness. At the same time, he was to accept from the people offerings of TWO goats. One would be chosen, by lot, ‘for the LORD’, and the other as a “scapegoat” to ‘ritually’ take away the sin of the people The detailed instructions are better read than told.
The lesson here for us however is clear, since we do not have the same procedures today, and the prophet Malachi informed us that ‘God does NOT change’, (Malachi 3:6) that God is particular about the manner of our approach to Him. Now it is true, that confessed sin is covered by the atoning blood of our Messiah, Yeshua. For that reason, it is my conclusion, that in the same way that God required both a sin offering and a burnt offering from the people then, so He requires that we too come penitently before Him, cleansed from sin (both known and unknown) each time we come to Him with our offerings of worship, praise and intercessory prayer. No exceptions.
As chapter 18 of our text opens, there is a change of subject. Moses is told to remind the people of what they had left behind in Egypt, and to look forward to where they were going, Canaan. Both countries had similar idolatrous, and immoral, ways of life. “Do not walk in their ordinances”. Full stop. God is intent on teaching His people a new, a better, a more caring way to conduct themselves. We SHOULD be able to pick up a lesson here too. When we commit ourselves to God’s way, He expects that we turn our back on the ‘ordinances’ of the life we have been saved from. But since we are NOT physically going to another land, our charter is to live in accord with His ordinances, which are made clear as we continue our study of His word. “Do not defile yourselves with their perversions”, God says. And we know very well how grossly perverse nations and institutions have become in our modern world today as rebellion against the Creator of this Universe is quite blatant, even to being taught in our schools. “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgements, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you.” Can it be any more clearly expressed?
“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” This whole Scripture passage is repetitious regarding holiness, being separate, being different, standing out, from those around us who are NOT of the kingdom of God. And there is much detail of practices to be avoided. The land of God’s promise is a land “flowing with milk and honey”. Good pasture to provide grain and food for the cattle. Good wild vegetation to provide for birds and insects. A good land. And then God returns to a familiar theme. Their own diet. “You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird , or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I. The LORD an holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.”
A number of times God returns to this theme of diet in the Scriptures. Is it possible that it might be important to Him? And yet, in our day, amongst believers, it seems to be such a contentious issue doesn’t it?. May God give us grace to understand.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 26
Tazria/Metzora (Conceived/Leprosy)
Ritual cleanliness after childbirth is a Biblical commandment. Forty days for birth of a boy, eighty days for a girl. Why? There has been much speculation as commentators have attempted to rationalise this. The truth is much simpler! Because God said so. And you will ‘scratch your head’ for a very long time before you get a better answer. And after the time God specified, whether for a boy or a girl, the resumption of attendance to her normal life of faith and obedience involved her presentation before the Priest with a burnt offering and a sin offering. The lesson. God would not permit ANY uncleanness to come before Him THEN, and He won’t permit it NOW. (even though the sacrificial system is no longer operative). It is good practice to seek God’s gracious forgiveness every time we approach Him for any reason.
The prevention of the spread of disease is extremely important for community health. (As I write this the world is grappling with Covid-19). Well, wouldn’t you know it, here in our Torah portion today, God assigned to the Priesthood the duty of disease control! And by extension, the skill and knowledge to be able to discern the difference between harmless malady, and dangerous signs of infection. The Bible defines the differences as between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. It is an example of ‘social distancing’ in the fact that the ‘unclean’ were not allowed to participate in the gatherings around the Tent of Meeting until the Priest was satisfied that infection was eliminated.
The whole portion this week concerns various ways in which ‘uncleanness’ is found within the community. It covers personal matters of disease, as well as the incidences of mould and deteriorating penetration of decay in clothing as well as housing. I was gratified to learn that losing ones hair (baldness) was not a reason for exclusion! And even more pleased to be in such good company as the prophet Elisha, no less!! But many things are included, with clear instructions how to proceed to a position of “Cleanness”. Our Bible uses the word ‘leprosy’ many times in this passage, but a more inclusive word to use is probably ‘infectous sores’ which cover a wide range of conditions.
But the fact that these people were being instructed about matters which would also be applicable to the time when they would eventually arrive in that land of God’s promise, (they were not living in houses constructed of mortar and plaster in the desert wilderness) was in itself an indication that when God provides such instruction, those instructions have application to all generations. This may well be the major lesson that we can receive out of this specific passage of Scripture.
There are two problems for us to come to terms with. The first is that in our ‘christianity’, we have, in large measure, been conditioned to see the Torah of God as obsolete. We have been taught that it has no relevance to us today. We are told that we are “under the new covenant” (which hasn’t actually been instituted on earth yet). I have even heard it preached from a pulpit that “Jesus kept the Torah so that we don’t have to”. Well some of these instructions are of an extremely practical nature. Housing mould, for example, if you have experienced it, is very difficult to remove. It cannot just be ‘washed off’. It is described in this passage as a plague. The prescriptive treatment is carefully specified here. It is practical and it is effective, even to the extreme of tearing the building down and starting again!! It is equally effective today. The second problem is in the fact that we have been completely cut off from our Hebraic roots. As a result we seem to no longer give heed to the instructions God gave to the people for correct and righteous living, We have disregarded particularly those instructions of God which our culture finds ‘inconvenient’. These are God’s instructions. They are not suggestions which we may or may not choose to follow.
It is clear from our reading of the Scriptures, that on more than one occasion, people suffering ‘leprosy’ were healed. They were changed from being ‘unclean’, and isolated from community, to becoming ‘clean’ again and re-entering society. And there is a notable difference between, for example, the healing of Naaman, the Syrian army commander, (2 Kings 5) and the healing of the faith filled ‘leper’ who presented himself to Yeshua.(Matthew 8) In the first example Naaman presented himself to Elisha the prophet with a gift of money (which Elisha quickly rejected). He was told to wash in the Jordan River seven times. But Elisha was careful not to touch Naaman, in compliance with the laws we read in this passage. And as we know, Naaman was healed. But he was not an Israelite, and he was not required to show himself to a priest for confirmation of his new “cleanness”. In contrast, Yeshua reached out to the leper and touched him (an act which would immediately render Yeshua ‘unclean’). He then instructed the cleansed leper to ‘show yourself to the Priest’ in order to verify his new state of ‘cleanness’.
There are two observations to make here. Firstly, the prophet Elisha was not a priest himself and was subject to the laws of Tazria. Which he observed. In the second case, Yeshua, whilst not functioning as a priest at that time, (later to take on Himself the title of our Great High Priest) presents a tangible example of fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53. Bearing our iniquity, ‘uncleanness’ , in His own body. Then to ensure that all that iniquity had indeed been removed, instructed the man to ‘show yourself to the priest’, in verification.
His shed blood is available to make ‘clean’ anyone who seeks it. Just like the leper in Matthew 8.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 25
Shimini (Eighth day)
After their consecration, Aaron and his sons had remained in the Tabernacle for seven days. Then, on the EIGHTH day (for interested Bible students, the topic of the ‘eighth day’ provides a most instructive and informative study) Moses announced to Aaron that the “glory of the LORD will appear to you’. But before that appearance, there would need to be a cleansing. A complete cleansing. There were sin offerings for Aaron, and sin offerings for the people. There were burnt offerings for Aaron, and burnt offerings for the people. Grain offerings for Aaron, and grain offerings for the people. A wave offering and a sacrifice of a peace offering. The only offering not made that day was a trespass offering.
There was a point during this major offering of sacrifice, that Aaron lifted his hand toward the people and blessed them. A kind on new beginning for them all. Then suddenly “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people”. Just as Moses had told them. It must have been a terrifying experience. Try, if you can, to imagine it. Standing there, at the door of the Tabernacle, being blessed by the High Priest, and then “fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar’. Those offerings Aaron had prepared as a sacrifice to the LORD, He TOOK, in the fire. An act of acceptance by Him. We can read that account now and see it in “ho hum” fashion, and as “just another of God’s miracles”. But it is NOT. This is God instilling in His people a “reverential fear” of Himself. The reverential fear of which, people, even today, should take very careful note. The awesome might and majesty of our God. The reverential fear which Solomon would later say is the “beginning of wisdom”. And of which the writer to Hebrews would comment “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. The reverential fear which, regrettably, is nowhere, or perhaps rarely, to be found in our society today. And we are the losers.
That should have been the end of it. But it wasn’t. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, were so awestruck, that they took some incense, put it in a censer, set it alight and offered that as an offering before the LORD. That was NOT part of God’s command. This demonstration of awe and might by God was His alone. The people all around were on their faces in “reverential fear”. Nadab and Abihu wanted to share in the glory of the spectacle before them. And they did. The fire which had consumed the offerings on the altar, suddenly consumed them too! I can only try to imagine Aaron, witnessing this event, mouth open, looking at the spot where moments earlier his two sons had stood. But Moses knew. He turned to Aaron and said “This is what the LORD spoke, saying. ‘by those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy (set apart); And before all the people, I (and only I) must be glorified,’”. We would do well to let that sink in. It is a lesson we must all learn if we are to be in right relationship with Almighty God. Reverential fear.
God then spoke directly to Aaron regarding his own appearances before Him when he entered the tabernacle of meeting to perform his Priestly duties. He was to be completely sober, and in clarity of mind be able to “distinguish between the holy and the unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses”. Remember, these were things they had already heard from Moses and had willingly agreed to in covenant with God. And shortly after God had spoken to Aaron, Moses had cause to address Aaron and his two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar about the fact that they had not followed the correct procedure in dealing with the sin offering of the people. It was to be eaten by them in the tabernacle, which was symbolic of them literally taking the sin of the people. Instead they had burnt it all on the altar. But Aaron concluded that the sin offering was actually for the priests themselves, so that the correct procedure had been followed. These were early days for them, and they were all learning “on the job”. Such was the care they took to carefully observe all that God had, through Moses instructed them. Another lesson.
My final ‘reflection’ on this passage notes the long list of animals, fish, and birds which were “kosher” (a word which simply means ‘proper’) food for them. These foods are mentioned again in Deuteronomy 14, And we have mention of clean and unclean animals in the story of the flood (Genesis 7). Now this is a huge issue for many christians. Often exacerbated by people who mis-quote the Scriptures of Matthew 15 and Mark 7. In these gospel accounts the issue was about eating without washing hands, and hygienic as it is, that is not a biblical commandment. Christians also generally fail to grasp that these gospel accounts were written by Jews to Jews and for Jews. The customs and practises of the Jews ensured that the clear command regarding the dietary laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were part of their culture. Built in to them over many centuries. So when the word “food” is used in Scripture it means just that. “Food” meant animals fish and birds which were ‘clean’. As well as grain crops of course. Full stop.
Even though I have a strong personal conviction that these commandments have never been abrogated, and am very comfortable with what the LORD has spoken to me in regard to that, I have also been an advocate, for a number of years, that we avoid divisive argument about this issue. If you have a personal concern about this matter, my strong recommendation is that you go before the LORD, with an open mind, and an open Bible, and ask Him to show you what you should do. If you are sincere, He WILL tell you.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Pesach 2”
Torah Reflections “Pesach 2”
Torah portion Exodus 13 : 17 - 15 : 26
Haftarah portion Numbers 28 : 16 – 25
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
We come to the last day of the celebration and remembrance of “Pesach”.
The parashah narrative begins with the statement of fact that the Pharoah had finally agreed to “let the people go”. It continues with the story of the journey of escape from Egypt, and the drowning of the pursuing Egyptian army, and it ends with the provision of “sweet water” to drink out of the bitter waters of Marah. A fascinating story.
These events are well known. Even non-Christian sceptics are familiar with the story, so we do not need to re-visit the detail. But we need to find the lessons for ourselves as the story unfolds.
Last week we focussed on the prophetic significance of the whole season of the three Pesach festivals. This week we learn of the detail of the way the event unfolded for them in practical terms. In fact, as we arrive at the very end of the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” in our study this week, we see the hand of Almighty God, and a picture of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in this parashah.
We could look at the provision of food, which rained down from Heaven each night, sufficient to satisfy each family for the whole day ahead. And that which was not eaten that day rotted before the next day! It was to be gathered and eaten FRESH each day (Miraculously, the same food lasted TWO days when the weekly Shabbat came around).
The Apostle John, in Chapter 6 from verse 32, records the words of Yeshua when He described Himself as “the Bread of Life”. He goes further by relating the “bread from Heaven” in Moses time with Himself.
“Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
It is not going too far to equate the Israelites need for a daily gathering of that bread, with our need today for a ‘daily gathering’ of the bread which Yeshua is. He taught us to pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’. I believe that this phrase has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. We need to gather our ‘bread’ DAILY, just as those Israelites did in our parashah.
We could look at the provision of water. Moses was told to strike the rock, out of which poured an abundance of clean fresh, life-giving water. Our beloved Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth used a most interesting description of this water.
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” 1 Corinthians 10 :1- 4.
Paul is suggesting here that the miracle of the provision of water from the Rock extended to that Rock actually following them around!! The plain sense of this is that it was Yeshua Himself, there with the Israelites on their journeying’s in the wilderness who sustained them with life giving water. On another occasion, when Yeshau was attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, at the time of the water libation Ceremony in the Temple He said:-
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."” John 7 : 37,38
So then, as the “mo’ed” of Pesach concludes for another year, we remind ourselves that the Passover Seder which starts the celebration of this season always ends with the participants saying “Next Year in Jerusalem”. An anticipatory statement about the coming of Messiah.
So we who are believers in Yeshau, can see the way in which this “appointed time” of Pesach not only speaks of Yeshau perfectly fulfilling His role as the ‘Lamb that was slain’, but also throughout the whole parashah we have reminders of His role in our lives as the sustainer of our life
For the believer, without Him there is no hope of life. With Him we have abundant life …. IF we choose to access it. Praise be to Him.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections Pesach 1
Torah Reflections “Pesach 1”
Torah portion Exodus 12 : 21 - 51 Numbers 28 : 16-25
Haftarah portion Joshua 5 : 2 to 6 : 1
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, known as “Pesach” (Passover), embraces THREE festivals in a period of eight days. The first of these remembers the actual day in history (the 14th day of the first month, Nisan) when the Israelites experienced the ‘salvation’ of the firstborn in their families by placing the blood of the Pesach Lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses in Egypt. The Lord ‘passed over’ their houses when He saw the blood.
It also is the exact Hebrew calendar date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The Christian celebration of Easter (replacing Passover) was formalized at the Council of Nicea in the days of the Emperor Constantine of Rome. It signalled the official separation of the “church” from its Hebrew roots. (In my view one of Satan’s major victories over mankind).
The second remembrance is known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” which occurs on the very next day, Nisan 15. (It is a High Sabbath), and it lasts seven days, and begins and ends with a special Sabbath, Note that there are always three Sabbaths during this Pesach festival. The “High Sabbath” which marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (and the Sabbath which marks the end of the festival, PLUS the normal weekly Sabbath). It is this “High Sabbath” which is the Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 before which the Jews were anxious to confine Yeshua’s body to the grave. Then the ‘normal’ weekly Sabbath occurred immediately prior to the resurrection of Yeshua. This confirms the statement of Yeshua in Luke 11:29 (as well as in Matthew and Mark) when asked for a sign. Read it. The complete lack of understanding of this fact has caused conventional church teaching to major on an incorrect “Good Friday” crucifixion story !
Unleavened Bread is eaten during the whole eight day period of the Pesach remembrance. To Jews it is a remembrance of the fact that they ate unleavened bread, (as commanded in Exodus 12:18) as they fled from Egypt on the night of Passover. Leaven is a symbol of SIN, so to believers, the Unleavened Bread also represents the sinless body of the Messiah which was buried in the grave for three days and three nights.
The third festival in this Pesach season is the “Feast of Firstfruits”. It occurs on the day AFTER the weekly Sabbath in Pesach week. (Always a SUNDAY). It signified the beginning of the Barley Harvest and was celebrated by a priest waving an ‘omer’ (a measure) of Barley in the temple in Yeshua’s day. But it was also the day on which Yeshua was resurrected from the grave. Believers refer to it as Resurrection Sunday. (but in association with Easter rather than Passover!) It signifies that Yeshua became the “Firstfruits from the dead”. (see 1 Corinthians15:23).
We should be grateful that churches worldwide (all varieties) remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua. And that they do so sincerely. But more and more, many people are realizing that our roots are inextricably founded in Judaism and the Lord’s “mo’edim” (appointed times). Those that do then focus more on Passover than Easter.
In addition to your own church fellowship, this year, take the trouble to find a fellowship of believers who celebrate Passover, and join them in that celebration. You will be enlightened, blessed and immeasurably enriched as you do.
Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday)
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 24
Tzav (Command)
A confession. The first TWO Torah portions in Leviticus deal with the FIVE different offerings which were to be made to the LORD. For the sake of clarity and convenience, I chose to deal with those offerings as a group in our ‘reflection’ last week, even though, in part, they are also covered in some detail in this week’s portion. But before that, there is an important item, which was not covered last week and to which I now refer.
“If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter - if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.” (Leviticus 5:1) So what about it? Seems quite innocuous doesn’t it? In Matthew 26, we read that Yeshua stood “on trial” before Caiaphas, and that He remained silent. In desperation and anger Caiaphas said “I put you under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” To have remained silent, Yeshua would have committed the sin referred to in Leviticus 5:1. But He remained “The Lamb without blemish”, by making that confession before his detractors. He bore appalling indignity and pain as a result. The enraged Caiaphas, “tore his clothes”. It has been observed that if these clothes were the ‘Priestly Garments”, Caiaphas immediately became disqualified from that office and could no longer perform the duty of slaying the “Passover Lamb”. But OUR Passover Lamb that year was Yeshua who offered Himself as the sacrifice for many. That is a reminder to us of how perfectly Yeshau upheld and practised Torah. Always our example.
In our portion this week we see examples of some matters which might require men to make a Trespass offering. AND make restitution to the value of 120% of the ‘damage’. We carefully note that this was a mandatory ordinance. It was, and still is. It has never been revoked. A solemn requirement, which is necessary for the functioning of an orderly society. Except, that there is no longer a place to offer such a sacrifice, which constitutes a humble act of repentance. However, we have the great privilege of having our Great High Priest before Whom we may repent, gain forgiveness, and out of a repentant heart, make appropriate restitution. As long as sin remains part of our society, the need for repentance also remains.
A lesson here. There was no provision for establishing a police force!! And what made it work was “the fear of the LORD”. And, my dear friends, when Yeshua comes to establish His rule on earth, there will again be NO police force. Why? Because we will live under a NEW covenant in “the fear of the LORD”. That new covenant cannot be taught. It will be put in our minds, and written on our hearts by God Himself. Unbreakable. And satan will not be around to cause disruption. Well may we ask “Where is the fear of the LORD today? Let that sink in. I provide a common example, which is rife in our society, even in people of faith. It is a trespass against the LORD. Cheating on pension and social security payments, including the non declaration of payments for work done by such recipients. Selah!
It is also significant that the Priests, when presented with a variety of offerings, chose to deal with them in an orderly way, appropriating priority to some over others. Their priority order was:-
Sin offering and/or Trespass offering.
Burnt offering.
Peace offering and Grain offering.
This order is symbolic of the spiritual significance of the sacrificial system. First sin was dealt with. Then the worshipper committed himself completely to God. Finally establishment of fellowship between the LORD, the Priest and the worshipper.
Leviticus 8 repeats, but in more detail, the act of consecration of Aaron as High Priest, and his sons who might one day inherit that position. They were brought before the congregation of the people at the door of the Tabernacle of meeting of the people. It was a solemn moment of consecration. Everyone present witnessed the event. There were no secret ‘deals’. Everything was witnessed by the people, and I believe, as a result, Aaron was given clear authority and status to act as mediator of the people into the future. It is worthwhile for us to again make some comparisons between this ceremony and the experience meted out to Yeshua, as He was ‘prepared’, in full sight of all the people, to become mediator between God and mankind, for all time into the future. It was humiliating. It was degrading. It was devastating for His followers. But it was NOT the end. Aaron would serve faithfully and well as the High Priest for the rest of his life. Yeshua serves well for the rest of His life, which is a life of eternity. And we are His witnesses.
The ‘ordination’ of Aaron continued, Moses anointed him with oil, and sprinkled him with some of the blood of the sacrifice. Then the portion of the sacrifice, the ram of consecration, which Moses offered was eaten at the door of the Tabernacle until it was finished, and if any remained it was burned in the fire. None of that sacrifice left the Tabernacle. Aaron became the living representative of God, interceding for the people, acknowledged by the people and serving faithfully all his days. It is not easy for us, as gentiles, to identify with the sacrificial ordinances which were commanded by God. It is culturally foreign. BUT, it is not to be ignored. There are lessons to be learned, and we will benefit as we learn from them.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 23
Vayikra ( Called )
For the next seven weeks we will ‘reflect’ on this Book of Leviticus! Last week we came to the end of Exodus. The story of the formation of the nation of Israel, and their journey to the land of God’s promise began in Genesis 12 when God called Abram. It continued through Exodus, then it takes a short break, before picking the story up again in Numbers. The Books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are largely instructional. Leviticus for the priestly group, and Deuteronomy for the people. Exodus closed when the Tabernacle was erected and fitted ready for service. Now Moses, following the instruction received on Mt Sinai, revealed detail about how God was to be served and worshipped, and how God expected them to use the Tabernacle in their walk, uprightly, before Him. There is much detail, often seemingly repetitious, quite unambiguous, easy to follow, spelling out the responsibilities of both people and Priests. It deals with the time on the journey they were undertaking, and the time when they would eventually reach the destination, the land of God’s promise.
The portion of Scripture today deals with various offerings the people might bring before the LORD, the reasons for them, and what is to happen to those offerings. There are THREE participants to these FIVE offerings. The one making the offering. The Priest who acts as an intermediary. And God, to Whom the offering is rendered. The offerings are:-
The Burnt Offering
The Grain Offering
The Peace Offering, always referred to as “sacrifice of the Peace Offering”.
The Sin Offering
The Trespass Offering
These offerings fall into TWO categories.The first THREE mentioned above are ‘voluntary’ and willingly presented. The last TWO are mandatory. The first of them comprising just the offering itself, the second one additionally involving a penalty of restitution. The actual detail is more easily read that explained, and I encourage you to do so. In this ‘reflection’ we will look at some features which provide lessons for us today, where they exist. The sacrificial system we are discussing came to an end when the Herodian Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Emperor Titus in the year 70 C.E. The Scriptures indicate that there will be yet another Temple constructed before the return of Yeshua to this earth, and that one will be desecrated by the ‘man of peace’ (the Beast) when he demands that he alone is to be worshipped there. It will be a time of dreadful persecution and even death for any who remain true to our faith.
The Burnt Offering may be of the herd (a bull) the flock (sheep or goat), or for the very poor a small bird (Dove or Pidgeon). A condition being that the animals must be ‘without blemish’. The lesson here is that we bring to God the very best we have to offer, not a ‘cast off’ or something of no further use to us. The Priest identified with that offering by placing his own hand on it before killing the animal, sprinkling the blood around the Alter, preparing it, and then Burning the whole animal (less the skin) on the Alter. The Priest had no part for himself (other than the skin). The purpose of this offering was to atone for unintentional sin in general, or an act of devotion or commitment.
The Grain Offering provided an act of devotion, or of thanksgiving for God’s bountiful provision. Also as an accompaniment to the peace offering. If it were the Priest’s own offering it was all consumed in the fire. If presented by another, only a token handful was burned and the Priest kept the rest. But it had to be consumed within the boundary of the Tabernacle.
The sacrifice of the Peace Offering was an act of devotion or for sealing a vow to God. Any animal without blemish together with a variety of breads , unleavened of course, was acceptable. The fatty portions, kidneys, lobe of the liver etc were to be burned (God’s portion). The High Priest was given the breast of the animal (a wave offering) and the right leg to the officiating Priest (a heave offering). The remainder was consumed within two days by the one making the offering.
The Sin Offering was for cleansing from unintentional sin, confession of sin, and forgiveness of sin. God’s portion was the same as the peace offering. If the offering was for the High Priest and the congregation itself, the rest of the animal was burnt outside the camp. In the rubbish dump. For other people, it was burnt on the altar and consumed by the Priests, but within the confines of the Tabernacle.
The Trespass Offering was for an unintentional event which the Priest deemed to require restitution, regarding “the Holy things of the LORD”. The Priest would asses the value of the ‘trespass’, and in addition to bringing a Ram without blemish, an amount of 120% of the assessed value was also to be paid. God again received the fatty portions as in the two previous offerings and the rest was to be eaten within the court of the Tabernacle.
Now another lesson. We need to understand that the outstanding element of this whole process was in order to ‘get right with God’. The sacrificial system provided for multiple opportunities to ‘get right with God’. They erred, they repented, they brought a sacrifice. NO, we do not any longer have to present ourselves with ‘the blood of bulls and goats’. We also acknowledge that Yeshua spilt His own blood as a ransom for our sin, ‘once for all time’, YES. But, just as in our ‘reflection’ above, there was no ‘once for all time repentance ’ for them. In our lives, there is no ‘once for all time’ repentance. In our ‘reflection’ God saw the repentant heart, and forgave them, every time. So for us, we know when we have erred. We repent. We bring our pleas before a Holy God. He accepts OUR sacrifice. The fruit of our lips. Seeking His forgiveness. His answer “It’s already paid for”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 22
Vayak’hel/Pekuda (Assembled/Accounts)
Exodus 35:1 to 40:36 Double portion this year
The portion this week starts with yet another reminder and command for the people to “remember and to observe” the Sabbath. Must be important eh? So much has been written about this down through the years which attempt to justify the change of the “seventh day” to the “first day”. This was formalised in 321 C.E. by the Emperor Constantine, and since then, the “church” has appropriated to itself the authority to make such changes to ‘festivals’ and ‘observances’ as it, in its consideration, deemed appropriate. Constantine has been categorised as wanting to put as much distance as possible between his faith (Christianity) and Judaism. He succeeded. But there is not a single shred of Scriptural evidence for such change. With the command given to Moses, were examples of practises, like work and lighting fires (presumably for cooking) which were forbidden on the Sabbath day.
Now it is true that in their enthusiasm to keep the Sabbath holy, the sages and Rabbi’s, over a long period of time, put many “hedges” and “fences” around the Sabbath which, to most protestant groups seem to be quite “over the top”. On a tour I took to Israel not many years ago, walking through the Jewish Quarter of the old city, one of our group was asked by a lady from one of the homes there if he were Gentile or Jewish. He is gentile. So she requested that he go into her home to turn on the cooker so she could prepare lunch!! A Rabbinic ruling which prohibits a Jew from ‘lighting fires’. There are many other examples which could be cited. BUT, the principle is to ensure that the commandments of God are not violated. Why? Because the penalty for non observance was death. There is the other extreme too. The view of many Christians that God’s “Law” has been made redundant by the sacrificial death of Yeshua. And that flies in the face of Yeshua’s own declaration. Read it. (Matthew 23:2-4) “ The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat (in the synagogues and Temple as teachers) Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do (because it is correct teaching), but do NOT do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Hypocritical. Good time to take stock ourselves eh! Sabbath observance?? Anything else? Evidently Yeshua was a Pharisee both in teaching and in deed. Never once did He teach that the “law” was obsolete. He was “in the beginning” right?
Then followed the command, a repeat of one given in Exodus 25, about willingly bringing offerings to the LORD. And we read “The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.” How many of our churches today would like to put this notice outside their buildings? “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done - indeed too much.” Bezalal was the chief artisan, but he too had plenty of help, and in the fullness of time, the work was completed.
There are many observations which might be made about this whole process of getting the tabernacle ready for worship of God. We will ‘reflect’ on this and see if there is a lesson for today in that process. Moses was instructed about when and in which order the many elements were to be set in place. “On the first day of the first month”, would be one year after they had left Egypt. First the Tent of meeting. The central structure containing the Holy Place, which had two ‘spaces’. In the inner ‘space’ only the ark of the Testimony. The item in which God said He would dwell among them. The message I get is PUT God first. Before everything else. Whatever He says to you .. DO. Then that space was partitioned off with a veil with access to it only through an intercessor, the High Priest. Who is our High Priest? Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.
In the outer “space” there were three items of furniture. The Table. Destined to have on it the twelve loaves of the showbread. The Bread of the Presence. Consumed by the priests. God declared that His people were to be a “kingdom of priests”. By faith we who believe and trust Him are His people. We are to ‘feed’ on that “Bread of the Presence” that we might be sustained. The Lampstand. Giving light continually in the Holy Place. The light sustained by specially made oil. In Scripture, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. We are told to “let our light so shine before men that they may see you good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) The Altar of Incense. Set immediately before the veil. Incense is a symbol of prayer and praise. That which is offered continually before our God. Our “sacrifice of praise offered continually” (Hebrews 13:15). The fruit of our lips. Then the screen which separates that Holy Place from the outer court was erected. Only priests were allowed past that screen. Then in the outer court of the Tabernacle were the Sacrificial Altar and the Bronze Laver.
But finally, I want to ‘reflect’ on the preparation of the High Priest for his task as Intercessor for the people. Read it carefully in Exodus 40:12-15. Aaron and his sons were brought before the ‘door of the tabernacle’. They were stripped and washed, publicly. Surely a humiliating experience. Then dressed in their Priestly garments ready to intercede for the people. I cannot help but draw a comparison between this and the public humiliation of our High Priest, Yeshua, as He was ‘commissioned’ for His task of representing us before the same God, He Who lived among the people, but now sits in the Throne room of heaven, where one day we will all stand before Him.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 21
Ki Tisa (When you take a Census)
The reading last week ended with the LORD instructing Moses that Aaron must make an annual “offering of atonement with the blood of the sin offering” on the altar in the Holy Place. Immediately after that, we find instructions regarding the taking of a census of the people. The census was related to the payment of a ‘half shekel’ ransom for every person over 20 years of age, as an offering to the LORD. The money so collected was “for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD , to make atonement for yourselves.” So it was, that God ensured that they had means to maintain the tabernacle of meeting and repair or replace anything that needed attention. This was a duty entrusted to the High Priest, because it was he who had intimate knowledge of anything that might need attention. Much, much later, during the Roman occupation of the land, the collection of this annual census ‘tax’, (which became known as a Temple tax) was so lucrative that the office of High Priest was compromised. It became a much sought after political appointment, totally ignoring the command, in our portion today, that that office be held by a descendant of Aaron. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” said the Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 6:10). The compromise of the priesthood (and even some Pentecostal personalities in our day) has its origin right there.
So the High Priest was commanded how to dress, how to prepare, and how to perform his service to the LORD. And he was not the only one. “See, I have called by name Bezalel (Heb: ‘In the protection of God’) the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” And Olihab of the tribe of Dan was appointed to assist him. “And all that I have commanded you they shall do.” What an assignment! So it was that the Tabernacle construction arrangements were in place.
And now, before Moses completed his 40 day sojourn on the mountain, God had one more instruction. It was not about the Tabernacle of meeting, but about the Sabbath. For the previous couple of months, God had provided the people with “manna”, that bread from heaven, and all of them were aware that on the sixth day they had to collect enough for two days. There was none available on the seventh day. God Himself was resting that day. The example was before their eyes. But now God gave Moses specific instructions regarding Sabbath observance. “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” That is worthy of our complete attention. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an annulment of that commandment. YES, it is part of the covenant the people made with the LORD, a covenant which, as a nation they broke (but not that part of it). But the commandment stands. The fact that they broke it does NOT annul it!! It remains “a sign that I am the LORD Who sanctifies you.” Selah!
Then God gave Moses the “two tablets of the Testimony written with His own finger.” Moses was on that mountain for two and half months. No mobile phone to keep in touch. It was a long time, and the people were concerned he might not return. Oooops!
Now the main reaction to the making of that golden calf is “Why on earth did they do that .. after ALL that God had done for them in the past few months. Bringing them out of Egypt and providing food and water for a start. The pillar of cloud and of fire. “ But Moses was the contact man, the connection, and he was not there. So they did the unthinkable. They created their own God. Is there a lesson there? We have the Bible, the account of God’s great dealing with His people. This ‘golden calf’ incident is part of it. We no longer have Moses to speak to us and for us. God has ordained that we have access to Him, through His word and by prayer. Our Moses if you will. His relationship with His people relies on the communication means we already have. So here are some questions. How much do we use those communication channels? And what happens when we don’t use them? I wouldn’t build a golden calf I hear myself saying. But look what God said to Ezekiel. “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?” (Ezekiel 14) Ouch!! Take time to examine yourself. Check what might be your “golden calf’, or “calves”. Trust me, this incident has many modern day applications. And if we follow the story before us we see that there are very serious consequences. Moses went before the LORD and made humble confession to Him, offering to bear the consequences himself. (That sounds a bit familiar to Christians doesn’t it?) God answered him “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”
But the LORD is merciful and gracious. Moses met with Him again on the mountain and said “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.” The Lord said “Behold I make a covenant. I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation.” And more. He spoke about leading them to the land of His promise and warned them again that when He did they should tear down the idols and high places of worship of those idols “For I, the LORD whose name is Jealous am a jealous God.” And He does not change.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 20
Tetzaveh (Will command)
The LORD instructed Moses to make the furniture and the different utensils and articles of worship necessary to complete the Tent of Meeting. I find it interesting that God had already shown Moses what these things would look like (Exodus 27:8) as Moses was on the mountain, and now He was providing the construction detail. How thorough our God is. I see a lesson here. Imagine, if you can, that Moses, having been shown these articles, decided to work from memory to instruct the artisans. What might they have ended up like? Moses would surely have put a few of his own ‘touches’ to the design don’t you think? When we were called by God to be part of His family, we had a glimpse of a new life, we were enthusiastic to follow God’s plan for us weren’t we? He gave us all detailed instructions (actually written in a Book) to show us how to proceed. How often do we refer to those instructions I wonder? How much do we rely on our memory of an experience, sometimes decades ago, to walk the path of life? How much are we “putting our own touches” to the plan God prepared for us? Is the finished article exactly what God intended for us when He called us? Moses followed the instructions to the letter!
Aaron and his four sons were given a special assignment. As part of their recognition Aaron was to have special clothes. Holy garments. Colourful and distinctive. They were ‘for glory and for beauty’. In the desert! There was them .. and God. This was not for show for anyone else. This was personal. Them .. and God. Aaron was the one tasked with presenting sacrifices, gifts, offerings, and prayers on behalf of the people directly to Almighty God. I see an awesome sight enacted here, because the people did not SEE what went on in that Holy Place. Aaron went in alone in person. They went in “by faith”. What an incredible picture that is of OUR High Priest, Yeshua, interceding before Almighty God on our behalf, in person. Our trust, “by faith”, is in Him to represent us before the Father. Unworthy as we are. But a note of caution here. Read it. They are not my words, they are words spoken by Yeshua when He walked this earth, our Great High Priest, the One representing us before His Father in heaven. Matthew 7 : 20-23.
Image taken from https://www.slideshare.net/bishop01/the-garments-of-the-high-priest
The design of the holy garments and what each element represents is worth noting. The head band of gold inscribed with the words “Holiness unto YHWH”. On his shoulders, two onyx stones set in gold, each stone engraved with six of the tribes of Israel in the order of their birth. The breastplate of Judgement, fine woven linen, artistically decorated with coloured thread and hanging on two gold chains. And on that twelve previous stones set in gold, engraved with the names of the twelve tribes. An amazing sight. Not for public gaze, but in order to present before Almighty God, the gifts, the sacrifices and prayers of the people.
Hidden inside the breastplate, the Urim and the Thummim. Stones which God instructed the High priest to use in the Judgement of the people. It is unclear how this worked, but some have speculated that they were a kind of YES and NO indication as the High priest put his hand into the breastplate to draw one out as an answer to some alternative types of Judgement. Some might wonder about it, but the High Priest didn’t. They were there for the purpose of Judgement and that is what he used.
Around the hem of the blue robe (Ephod) was a decoration of pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, with golden bells in between each of them. The bells ‘tinkled’ as the High Priest walked, so that when he was unseen in the Holy Place he could be heard as he performed his duties. Perhaps the most interesting detail was that the Ephod was of ‘one piece’ with a hole at the top that the High Priest put his head through. It was a very strong construction. We learn later (Leviticus 10) that tearing that garment was expressly forbidden. A key factor relating to Caiaphas (Matthew 26:65) as he stood in judgement of Yeshua.
There are other ordinances specified relating to the High Priest, some relating to the consumption of the sacrificial peace offerings and the weekly loaves of bread which were to be placed on the table in the Holy Place. But the final word is that of the LORD Himself. “I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God when brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.”
And friends, if we make a covenant with Him, as did the children of Israel, He will be our God too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 19
Terumah (Offering)
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.” Then followed the list of things that were acceptable to God. Do you ever wonder what the list would be today if God were to make such a request? One thing is sure, the conditions would remain the same. “Willingly given” would that condition. The Apostle Paul put it best in his second letter to the Corinthian ‘ekklesia’. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” And as we will discover in a later ‘reflection’ that is exactly what these Israelites did. But they were camping in the desert. Where did all those things come from? Ah! God had promised them that when they left Egypt they would not leave empty handed. And on the day they left He told them (Exodus 12:35,36) to ask for plenty from their Egyptian neighbours. Now we know why. God wanted to give a physical meaning to “being with them”. A tent of meeting to be set right in the centre of their camp. ‘Mishkan’ in Hebrew, a place of dwelling. A constant reminder, to them, of His presence.
The plan was not left to individual preference. The instructions were given in precise detail, and in modern times some have attempted to reconstruct this “Mishkan” using those precise plans. (I have visited two such places in Israel. One in Timnah in the desert north of Eilat, and the other in a ‘biblical garden’ at Eshel Hashomron Hotel in Samaria just outside the city of Ariel. I was surprised to note that they were markedly different in size, one from the other!!) The design is quite simple in shape. An outer court shielded from the outside by a high curtain. A tent standing within that court. And within that tent another curtain (veil) which divides that tent into two separate spaces. The materials and the dimensions are precisely defined.
The whole “Mishkan” is approximately 50m x 25m in area. But the actual size is specified in ‘cubits’. The tent which comprises the two areas of the holy place is approximately 15m x 5m. But the first item described is the “The Ark”. The ‘box’ which is the most holy receptacle, to reside in the Most Holy Place. It is ornately covered with a seat fashioned with two “winged cherubim”, one at each end, their wings extended to cover the seat itself. The whole ‘box’ designed in such a manner as to prevent anyone having to even touch it, borne on poles fixed to it through carrying rings. Both the ‘box’ and the poles overlaid with gold. It was from this “mercy seat” that “There I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two “cherubim” which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.”
Now the detailed instructions continue right to the end of this passage of Scripture. It is tempting to ‘skip over’ things, because we are never likely to have to build such a structure. But there are valuable lessons to be learned for those who wish to learn them. This is to be a place of meeting with a holy God. He is very precise about that meeting place. Nothing sloppy to be found there. Centuries later, the Holy Spirit revealed an interesting parallel to the Apostle Paul. The “Mishkan” had been replaced by a more modern and permanent structure, the Temple, which functioned in similar manner to the Tabernacle. And because we have the historical account, we know that even that Temple would be destroyed not many years later. Writing to the ‘ekklesia’ in Corinth, Paul said “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” So the question that every believer should be asking is this. If God was so precise and particular about the place where He would meet with His people, as in our passage today, and we learned in our passage last week that God does not change, do we have any reason to think that He is any less concerned now, than He was then, about His place of meeting?
Just last week, we saw how God gave the people Torah, “instructions for living righteously”. The covenant He made with them was conditional upon their adherence to those instructions. They agreed. It is comfortable to think that as gentiles we have no such commitment. Certainly no covenant was made with gentiles, so are gentiles free of any covenant responsibility? We are quite ready to see ourselves, as Christians, as the temple of the Holy Spirit aren’t we? And YES, as believers we are washed in the shed blood of Yeshua. John’s gospel, quoting Yeshua says, “IF you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Twice in Matthew's gospel and once in that of Mark, Yeshua is quoted as saying “He that endures unto the end will be saved.” Now putting all that together as I ‘reflect’ on the implications of a ‘holy place’ in which God meets with His people, I think we should be careful to order our lives in a way that ensures there is no deviation from the high standard which is expected of the meeting place which is prepared for God to talk with us.
Finally, there is to be light in the Tabernacle. It is to burn continually. Here again, not any oil will do. It had to be pure pressed olive oil. And this “shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.” There is a permanence about this meeting place. There are, in my view, both physical and metaphorical applications here. The physical is no longer with us, but Scripture is clear, it will be restored. The metaphorical, our body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, is always with us. Let us pray that God gives us wisdom to understand the conditions under which He readily take His place to speak with us.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 18
Mishpatim (Judgements)
Last week we looked at the instructions God gave to Moses ‘on the mountain’. Those instructions have NEVER been revoked. John’s gospel tells us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.” Doesn’t that say that Yeshua, “the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us,” who was One with the Father, gave us the instructions for righteous living?” Has that changed? Have the “Ten Words” changed? Those “ten words” are often seen in two dimensions. The first four having a vertical relationship .. God and man. The last six, a horizontal relationship .. man with fellow man. Has that changed? Through the prophet Malachi, God declared “I am the LORD, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) Count on it!
Now there are some, quoting Hebrews 8, who misunderstand the difference between Torah (instructions) and Covenant (agreement). There is a new (better) covenant coming. A new agreement which will be unbreakable. Not like the old, which was breakable, and was broken by the Israelites. And that NEW covenant will be made with the same people as the original covenant. In this week’s portion of Scripture, God puts a great deal, but not all, of the detail about the way He expects His covenant partners to live their lives. And that, to serve, in part, as an example and witness to the pagan nations living around them. Gentile nations. That’s us.
The detail contained in our text today makes excellent reading. It must be viewed as a contrast between living in an orderly and compassionate setting, opposed to a “survival of the fittest”, self absorbed and selfish society. These instructions are given to a people called to be a “Kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” First up it covers a situation of which we have very little contemporary knowledge. Servants and slaves, people sold into bondage. Those who are given in marriage, and the safeguards to protect their welfare. Killing, both accidental and intentional. Treatment of unruly animals. Theft of animals and property. And so on and on. Lending, sorcery, bribery, property taken as surety in a transaction, giving false evidence against another, treatment of widows and the fatherless. This is our God in action. Caring for everyone who belongs to Him. But it only works when we, who are His, live by His rules. And God is NOT to blame for those who deliberately choose not to.
But God is not only concerned with people, but with land use too. He is the originator of conservation and care for the land. And that is tied up with His instruction regarding the Sabbath. The seventh day. And for the land, the seventh year. A “Shemita” (release) year. Sabbath observation which God gave to Moses is pivotal to the health of both people and land. But, except in Israel, it is totally ignored today, to our cost. So the LORD instructed Moses about land use. BUT they weren’t even in the land. And possessed NO land. And to my mind, as I ‘reflect’ on this, I see how God was PREPARING them for the future. Just as I believe He is PREPARING believers today, for the future. It may even be considered a time to “practise”. Getting ready. It’s God’s way.
Here they are, just a few months into their journey and God is giving instruction to Moses, as to how they should conduct themselves when they become a nation living in that land of Promise. He moves on. “Three times you shall keep a feast (mo’ed) to Me in the year.” These are times when God would require the males of each household to appear before Him at His appointed time, in the place of His choosing, to bring sacrifice and offering to Him. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, the seven days immediately following Passover. The Feast of Harvest, seven weeks after Passover, at the time of the Barley harvest. And the Feast of Ingathering, in their Autumn (also known as Tabernacles). Each of these times have a prophetic significance in the life of Yeshua, and two of them have already been fulfilled. The last one, heralded by the sound of the Trumpets ten days earlier when Yeshua returns to this earth as King of kings, signifies that great ingathering of the faithful who are to be invited to the Marriage supper of the Lamb. Then another amazing promise. “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.”
But there are a few conditions. In their case they were very real, practical obstacles. “If you DO all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemy, and an adversary to your adversaries.” Should I expect God to have that relationship with me? Am I prepared to accept the conditions He put on these Israelites of old? It is often the case isn’t it? We are very happy to receive the blessing, but much less ready to accept the responsibility. As indeed did they on occasions when ‘push came to shove’. But God was also cautious to let them know that conquering the land would not be an instantaneous event. It would take time. “Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and you inherit the land.” Exodus 23:31 broadly describes the extent of that land. “Red Sea to the Sea (Mediterranean), Philistia (Gaza) and up the coast, through the desert as far as the ‘River’ (Euphrates).” That is about FOUR times the size of Israel today!! That is the promise of a covenant keeping God. Selah!
Our passage today comes to an end with the actual COVENANT . Referred to as “The Mosaic Covenant”. Moses wrote God’s instructions (Torah) in a BOOK. He called it “The Book of the Covenant”. Then he read it to the people. And they said “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” THAT IS THE COVENANT (agreement) they made.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 17
Yitro (Jethro)
It seems evident that Moses, presumably in order to give his FULL attention to the task the LORD had set him, had sent his wife and children back to Midian to be with Zipporah’s father, Jethro (earlier referred to as Reuel). News of the “exodus” had reached Jethro, so he accompanied Zipporah and her children to re-unite with Moses, after that battle with the Amalekites.
Jethro was a priest of Midian. A nomadic group, who had, many years earlier, bought Joseph from his brothers, and with whom Moses spent about 40 years. The last we hear of the Midianites is when Gideon drove them away (Judges 8:28). Interestingly, Midian was Abraham’s son, by Keturah, so there would have been a historic connection to the God of Abraham, and that comes out in Jethro’s actions. I speculate that his connection with Moses over a 40 year period would have strengthened that. In any event, the relationship was cordial and they shared fellowship in worshipping God together. Jethro also observed Moses as he dealt with his daily counsel of the people. A good lesson here. “The thing that you do is not good.” WHAT? Moses is giving himself wholeheartedly to the service of God isn’t he? But in who’s strength was he so doing? Here then is a word to the wise.
“Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws (Heb:Torah), and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.” Then Jethro told Moses he should “select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, … and let them judge the people at all times …” Moses time was to be spent in communion with God, but be available to these ‘elders’ for ‘grievous’ issues.
(Many churches today operate in a hierarchical business model, where a Pastor is the C.E.O. and the Elders, if there are any, are the Directors. That is the model Jethro is wisely counselling Moses to avoid. The model here is a multiplicity of teaching elders. Almighty God being the source of that teaching through His word. It was NOT hierarchical in structure)
“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt.” The sages have identified this as being coincident with the “mo’ed” of “The feast of weeks”, the time of the giving of Torah to Moses. Let us be clear about “Torah”. It is a word which refers to “teaching or instruction”. At it’s root it also has connection with archery, “yarah”, as in “hitting the mark”. By contrast, the Hebrew word translated “sin” is “chata”, another archery word meaning “to miss the mark”. But the “Torah” is NOT God’s covenant. It is God’s INSTRUCTION for righteous living. So what IS that covenant?
The camp of the Israelites moved on, and came to a place before a mountain. Mount Sinai. From that mountain, God called to Moses with some instructions. “Say this to the people, you have seen that I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself.” There was more. “IF you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant (which had not yet been made), then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for ALL the earth is Mine.” Moses called the elders (the teachers who had been appointed by him) and told them what had occurred. “Then all the people answered together and said ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do’.” That was the covenant made by the elders of the people. A covenant is an AGREEMENT, and this one was conditional.
What followed was a spectacular demonstration of the very presence of God on that mountain. The people had prepared themselves as God had instructed Moses, they washed themselves and their clothing, CLEAN as they stood before the mountain of God’s appearing. And they watched as Moses was called into the very presence of God. Fire and smoke. A loud trumpet blast. Warn the people. Then God said “bring Aaron with you, but no-one else.”
You shall have NO other god’s before Me
You shall not make any carved image to bow down to them.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy.
Honour your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not. Bear false witness against your neighbour.
You shall not covet your neighbour’s house, wife or possessions.
These are God’s INSTRUCTIONS. They are NOT suggestions. They form the basis of the civil, legal, and moral code of every modern Western civilisation. BUT even they are NOT the covenant. We will get to that next week! It would be rare to find anyone who does not recognise the ‘words’, often referred to as “The Ten Words”, which God spoke to Moses on that mountain. And most people would claim that they observe the generality of what is contained therein. But the fourth commandment is also almost universally ignored. The claim being that it has been substituted by another ‘day’. Friday for Muslims, Sunday for Christians. Friends there is no evidence in the Scriptures for the abrogation of ANY of those words which God spoke to Moses. It may provide an enlightening study to ponder why it is that this commandment of God, to ‘Remember’ here, and to “Observe” in Deuteronomy 5:12. is so lightly disregarded. Be blessed in your studies.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 16
Beshalach (Sent out)
So Pharaoh let the people go. Moses took the bones of Joseph with them as their forebears had promised they would. God directed the route they should go. The short route was along the coast, well north of the Red Sea. But that route involved possible conflict with the Philistines, which God said, might have been discouraging enough to cause the people to turn back. In continuation of His miraculous display of might and power, God caused a “pillar of cloud” to guide them by day, and a ”pillar of fire”, giving light, to guide them through the darkness. Eventually they came to a place where they rested, a place where they could see both the desert and the sea. Pi Hahiroth, on the eastern border of Egypt where the terrain was slightly elevated. Read the story. It gave them a good view of the advancing armies of the Pharaoh. At that sight, they had their first (of many) complaints against Moses. IN a most decisive statement of leadership and faith in God, faced, as they were, with overwhelming enemy force. Moses responded, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He WILL accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today (a very large force of armed men with chariots and horses), you shall see again no more FOREVER. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Just consider that.
Well, what followed is very well known by believers the world over. The “pillar of cloud” moved and stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians, so that the Egyptian armies could not see ahead. The “pillar of fire” went ahead of the Israelites giving light in the darkness. Then they came to the Red Sea. I do not need to add words to the text. God wrought another miracle. Summed up in the words “So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea … Not so much as one of them remained.” (Exodus 14:27,28) And the result of that was “Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” And that leaves a question for those who read the account of that miraculous event. What is MY view of the God who so miraculously saves His people in covenant keeping love? Selah!
Moses’ reaction? And that of his sister Miriam? “I will sing unto the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” If you know the song from the “Scripture in song” days of the 70’s and 80’s … sing it .. now! You will be in some pretty impressive company! We know that Moses wrote Psalm 90 and another song (Deuteronomy 32). But we also read in Revelation 15, that “seven angels, having the seven last plagues, for in them is the wrath of God is complete.” sing the “song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb.” How about that?
With the threat of the Egyptians gone, they set out across a desert. No water. Anywhere. Eventually they came to an oasis, there was water. Undrinkable. Another miracle of God. The LORD showed Moses a tree, which when cast into the water made it drinkable. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that we are looking at a LARGE group of people here, well over a million, maybe 2 million, plus their cattle. But God needed to get some commitment from the whole group, so He said “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” He then led them to a place, Elim, where there was plenty of water and some shade (but not much). “So they camped there.” At this point they were probably not much more than a couple of weeks into their travels. And they had no idea where they were going, or how long it would take. So when one is tempted to judge them harshly (and one is), try to remember their circumstances.
About a month into the journey the complaining started again. They recalled that they ate well when they were in Egypt (probably minimising some of the hardships). So the LORD told Moses how He would provide “bread from heaven” for the people, every day. Like food falling from heaven, appearing with the morning dew. And a double portion on the sixth day. This is the very first mention to the Israelites of the seventh day having something special about it! No food delivery. God was teaching His chosen people how to trust Him and learn about being special in His sight. The first steps of nationhood. Just one month after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. “So the people rested on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:30) And they still do, to this very day. So God instructed Moses to keep a”jar’”of that “bread” as a reminder in the future as to how they were sustained in the wilderness.
Two more miracles sustained them as they journeyed. As they moved along, the issue of water provision was a constant concern. In the first event, God told Moses to take some of the elders of the people as witnesses, and the staff which he had held over the waters of the Red Sea, then to strike a rock with it. Water in abundance gushed from the rock. Then later they were confronted by some hostile Amalekites. You know the story. Moses hands raised, the Israelites prevailed. Hands down, Amalekites prevailed. When the battle was won, Moses built an altar to the LORD. Jehovah Nissi. The LORD is my Banner. But that encounter also sealed the fate of the Amalekites for evermore. Perpetual conflict with the Children of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 15
Bo (Come)
In early to mid April last year (2020), I, like most others around the world was self isolating because of world health issues. It was also the time of the feast of the Passover. How remarkable! Despite the current situation, all over the world, Jewish and Christian families who see themselves ‘grafted in’ to the ‘natural olive tree’, Israel, (Romans 11:17) are telling the story of this event in the Passover Seder (the telling).
“ Go into Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I might show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s sons the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and MY signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” And friends, that is what Passover is about. That the world may know that “I AM THE LORD.” So be it.
We ended our ‘reflection’ last week after SEVEN plagues. Before the last six, Pharaoh had agreed to let the people go, and six times he broke his word. So Moses and Aaron went again to Pharaoh, reporting the words of God, and said “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me .” Following that, and Pharaoh’s obstinance, the land was plagued twice more. First with locusts and then with darkness. Again, on each occasion, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, were spared these plagues. Pharaoh’s reaction? “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” Moses’ reaction? “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.” I am reminded as I write of the occasion when Noah’s family were safely on board the “floating box”. God closed the door. I am reminded of the description of Yeshua in the letter to the church at Philadelphia (Rev 3:7) “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no-one shuts and shuts and no-one opens.” The door on Pharaoh was firmly shut, BUT there was one more plague to come, a devastating plague, the death of the firstborn. And having conveyed this message to Pharaoh, Moses left “in great anger”. However, this plague, in God’s plan, affected everyone, no exceptions. Both Egyptians and Israelites included. BUT there was ‘an escape clause’.
When our covenant keeping God visited Moses and told him His plan (Genesis 3:21) He told him that they WOULD leave Egypt, and they would NOT leave empty handed. Now back to our text. God told Moses “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he WILL let you go.” But two important actions for those who would escape the plague. First, He said “Let every man ask from his (Egyptian) neighbour and every woman from her neighbour, articles of silver and articles of gold.” And they did. More about that in a future ‘reflection’.
The second instruction was given so that it would NEVER be forgotten. It is remembered and told every year to this very day. God told Moses “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” It was to be a new beginning. So He instructed him to tell the people how they should prepare to avoid the plague. The instructions were quite precise. No misunderstanding. Everyone on the “same page”. It would be appropriate here to consider how these steps are replicated in the life of our Messiah Yeshua. Select a lamb without blemish (Yeshua rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)) on the tenth day of the month, examine it carefully (He was examined by both Jewish and Roman authorities and found blameless) to ensure it is without blemish. Then at twilight on the fourteenth day kill (sacrifice) it, roast it, and eat it together in your family. (SO Yeshua became the embodiment of that lamb, and the conditions of salvation both then and now are the same for everyone.) As God continued his instructions, the blood of the sacrificed lamb was to be painted on the doorposts and lintels of each dwelling, as a sign that those within accepted the conditions the LORD had set. It was a sign of faith.
Now take careful note. We are often told that “An Angel of Death” passed through the land. That is NOT what the Bible says. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night.” (Exodus 12:12). “For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians.” (Exodus 12:23) This, my dear friends is the judgement of the LORD. It is not delegated to anyone. It will be the same as we stand before Him in the Great White Throne judgment. (Revelation 20:11) I said earlier that there were no exceptions, Egyptian or Israelite, and I believe that because salvation is offered to ALL. But in order to receive that salvation, God needs to see the SIGN. It’s what you DO, not what you SAY.
Well, there is so much more in this portion of Scripture. One question often asked is “Are gentiles allowed to keep Passover?” Certainly it is a solemn duty of Jews to observe the festival and pass on to their offspring the mighty act of salvation wrought on that first Passover. Most gentiles (Christians) don’t even know the date when Passover occurs these days. But some do. My understanding is that gentiles are NOT obligated to keep this festival. BUT, for those who claim to be “grafted in” to the natural olive tree, which is Israel, they may partake of the richness and fatness of that experience. (Romans 11:17). If you are not sure, go before the LORD with an open mind, and an open Bible, and ask Him. It is certain that this festival is an “appointed time” (mo’ed) of the LORD. A time when He has promised blessing to those who ‘turn up’. Because He certainly will.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 14
Vayera (I appeared)
“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as ‘El Shaddai’, but by My name YHWH I was not known to them.” So what is the difference? God is ONE. There are not TWO God’s at work here. IF you study the Scriptures carefully, you will discover a subtle difference. I confess that my research is not exhaustive, but what I found was that when God ‘appeared’ to these patriarchs, it was in a dream or a vision or a time of reflective contemplation. It was a time when covenantal promises were made. But when God ‘spoke’ to these same people it was in the vein of showing His mighty hand at work. It is a fact that some of the covenant promises were not seen by these patriarchs, but those same covenantal promises were, and are, being fulfilled, even in our lifetime.
Right at the beginning of this chapter we see different words used. “And ‘Elohim’ spoke to Moses and said to him ‘I am YHWH”.” What he was about to convey to Moses, regarding his leadership of the Israelites before Pharaoh, was in covenantal terms. In paraphrase, “I will do what I am telling you and you WILL see it happen, but I want Pharaoh to understand who I am too, so he has a few lessons to learn about Me on the way.” But Moses was unprepared for such a challenge and protested that he wasn’t eloquent in speech etc. so God said that his brother Aaron would be with.him to do the talking. Then another shock. “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and he will not heed you.” Now friends, because we have the privilege of knowing the whole story, which Moses and Aaron did not, you have to try to imagine that magnitude of the task that God had set these men. The Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the land. He had enslaved the Israelites in hard labour. They were huge contributors to the economy of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron were to confront him knowing that he would refuse them their God commanded request. And HE would harden Pharaoh’s heart, making sure Pharaoh would say no!
But Moses, now 80 years old, and Aaron, three years older, went anyway. What incredible faith in their God. It is the kind of faith that God expects of ME, and ALL others who claim to belong to Him. Selah!
As we proceed with the narrative, we need to keep in mind that this whole event, ALL of it, was designed by the LORD, to bring His own people from the place where He had sent them. It was God who had made provision for Jacob’s family, a relative handful of people, to be preserved in the face of severe famine. At first they enjoyed the best the land had to offer. They were comfortable. They prospered and grew large in number. Sufficient in number we have to conclude, for the LORD to establish them as an independent nation. BUT, God had to prepare them for the rigours of independence. He raised up a Pharaoh who began to treat them as ‘foreigners’. Eventually making them slaves to himself and the Egyptian people. Second class. Unwanted. Disposable. All the ingredients which caused them “to cry out to HIM.”
(Friends, it is happening AGAIN, in our lifetime. God is making His people ‘uncomfortable’ in the countries where they have been living ‘comfortably’. In accord with His many prophetic promises, He is calling them back to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And in their thousands, they are going. Think about it please.)
Moses and Aaron, went into Pharaoh, and made the request that he allow the Israelites to leave Egypt so that they could participate in a festival of thanks to their God. “How do I know your God has sent you?” said Pharaoh, as God had told Moses he would. The first test was Aaron’s rod turning into a serpent which the “magicians” in Pharaoh’s court promptly replicated, only to see their serpents eaten by Aaron’s rod. But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard. The scene is set. Read the story , which in short form, finds a series of miraculous events taking place which have TWO outcomes. The events first, seven days later, each accompanied by the request to “Let My people go.”
1. Rivers turn to blood. Replicated by the ‘magicians’. Pharaoh says NO.
2. Plague of frogs. Replicated by the magicians, But Pharaoh agrees.
3. Plague of lice. Magicians give up. Pharaoh agrees but again refuses.
4. Plague of flies. Magicians tell Pharaoh ‘this is God’. Same response.
5. Cattle diseased. But NOT in Goshen. Same response from Pharaoh.
6. Plague of boils on Egyptians. The LORD hardens Pharaoh this time.
7. Plague of hail. Goshen excepted again. Some Egyptians recognise God’s authority in this. But same reaction from Pharaoh. His heart remains hard.
So now let us see the ‘outcome’ of these catastrophic events in Egypt, from which the Land of Goshen was spared. In the case of the Egyptians, and even in the household of Pharaoh, there were those whose hearts were NOT hardened, who recognised the hand of God, the God of the Israelites. More about them later. Importantly though, the reaction amongst the Israelites, is profound. They witnessed their God in action. This people, who had been comfortable in Egypt, but saw their circumstances change, were now ready to leave. Willingly. Enthusiastically. And under the leadership of Moses. In that united situation, God had prepared them, through trials and tribulations, to be ready to accept His authority and His leadership, the extent of which had still not been revealed to them.
The lesson for us. That is the kind of faith God expects of those who call Him LORD. But we have the advantage of knowing, from His Word, His nature, His character, and His expectation, because He has revealed Himself in His dealings with the people ‘called by His name.’ We will see how this event progresses next week.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 13
Shemot (Names)
“These are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt.”
Our reflection last week ended with the death of both Jacob and Joseph. The main narrative this week takes place approx. 150 years later. Scholars have calculated that the sojourn in Egypt lasted 215 years. (The 430 years being calculated from the time God made His promise to Abram in Genesis 12) During those 150 years the Israelites had maintained their unique identity. They had not assimilated into the general population. They were readily identified, and they were numerous. And then .. “There arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” That was a “game-changer”. It may be perfectly understandable given the time which had passed, but it also has a meaning of ‘not respecting’, in the sense of ‘its time to move on’. Whatever the word, the new king was cautious about having such a large group of unassimilated residents with a capacity to ‘rise up’ in conflict with the Egyptian authorities.
So, as time passed, in order to keep the Israelites in check, the Pharaoh devised a plan to severely oppress them with hard labour. “So the Egyptians made the Children of Israel serve with vigour.” The Israelites were forced to make their own bricks, and with those bricks to build cities for the Pharaoh. The work load was increased and the task-masters were cruel in their supervision. But then we are told “The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.” So the Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all the boy babies at birth. And when that scheme became ineffective because of the refusal of the midwives to kill the boys, the instruction was given to drown the boys in the river. It’s a truely horrible story and calls to mind a much more recent persecution of the Jewish people in the lifetime of some of us. But just as in that more recent horror, God is able to bring lasting good, fulfilling His purposes, out of the evil of men.
About 64 years after Joseph died, a baby boy was born in the house of Levi. He had an older sister called Miriam, A very well known story. Circumstances arose which saw that baby boy discovered by a daughter of Pharaoh in a basket on the river. How did the princess know Moses was a Hebrew? Genesis 17:9-12. She arranged for him, to be cared for, and eventually adopted him as her own, and called him Moses (“because I drew him up out of the water”). So Moses was brought up, from boyhood, in a situation of privilege. But he was still a Hebrew. One day much later in his life, when Moses was about 40 years old he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelites, Moses rose in defence of his compatriot, and killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand. Un-noticed he thought. Wrong. Next day he discovered that his deed of mercy was no a secret. The Pharaoh found out about it and sought to bring justice on Moses. So Moses fled the country to the safety of the land of Midian where Southern Jordan is today.
What seems like a bit of a “side trip” to the main story, we are given insight into the new life Moses gained by running away. Helping out the seven daughters of Reuel (also known as Jethro), who were shepherdesses, led to Moses meeting their father and living in that land, working as a shepherd, for the next 40 years. He married one of the daughters of Reuel, Zippora, and had two children, Gershom and Eliezer. But that was not the end. While Moses was living in that far country, the plight of the Israelites in Egypt got progressively worse. “The king who did not know Joseph” died. The bondage in which the Israelites were living was unbearable. They cried out to God. “So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.”
God miraculously visited Moses. A bush on fire but not consumed by the flames. A voice from within the flames calling his name. “I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. Moses shrank in fear. Read the words of the LORD which He spoke to Moses. “Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Wasn’t this is the same Pharaoh that sought to kill him? No. God assured him that “all the men who sought your life are dead.” Please read the story, it is compelling. But God has a bit more to say as Moses protested his unsuitability for the task. “What shall I say to the people if they ask me who sent me?” .. “I AM WHO I AM” tell them “I AM has sent me to you.” Then the shock, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.” What an assignment. Hold on, I haven’t finished. “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” Then an impossible promise. “And it shall be when you go, that you shall not go empty handed.” Read Exodus 3:22.
On his way back to Egypt, at God’s direction, Moses’ brother Aaron came to meet him,(Exodus 4: 14-16) and Moses shared with Aaron all that the Lord had told him. Together they confronted the Pharaoh with the request that he let the people go to hold a feast to their God in the wilderness. He refused, and even put more onerous work on the people. It seemed to Moses that he had brought more harm on his people as a result of their approach to Pharaoh. And our reading ends in a note of despair. But God hasn’t even started yet!!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 12
Vayechi (It came to pass)
It is important to remind readers that these ‘reflections’ are just that. They are highlights the LORD has quickened to me as I seek Holy Spirit guidance and write. There is no suggestion that these writings are a “commentary” on the Scriptures. The LORD will show you other, and possibly different, lessons as you study these passages for yourself. I pray readers will be blessed by these writings, but there is greater blessing in studying the word for oneself.
And so it is that we come to the end of the beginning. The family of Israel, now residing in the territory of Goshen in Egypt, and finding great favour with the Pharaoh and his Prime Minister, Joseph, prosper and multiply. Jacob had been in Goshen for 17 years and was nearing the end of his life. He called Joseph and made him promise that he would not be buried there, but be taken back to Canaan to be buried with his forebears.
Then “it came to pass”, that eventually, Joseph was summoned to his father’s side because he was very close to death. He took with him Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph’s two sons who were born to him before Jacob arrived in Egypt. Amazingly, but in God’s perfect plan, Jacob ‘anointed’ them as his own. They were to take their place as equal with Reuben and Simeon (and others) as heads of the tribes of Israel, in due time, in place of their father Joseph. (We note that there were 12 brothers, but in time Levi was given no land inheritance and neither was Joseph. Their land allocation was given to Manasseh and Ephraim. Future children of Joseph were not afforded such privilege). But Jacob, who was virtually blind at this time, had one more surprise for Joseph. It seems a small matter, but it was both unusual and prophetic in the circumstance. Manasseh was the firstborn, so Joseph placed him adjacent to Jacob’s right hand, and Ephraim to his left hand. In blessing the boys, Jacob crossed his hands, to place his right hand onto Ephraim.
In spite of Joseph’s attempted correction, Jacob said “I know my son, I know he (Manasseh) also shall become a people, and he also shall be great’; but truly his younger brother (Ephraim) shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” Now it is true, that about 1,000 years later, the Northern kingdom of Israel (the ten tribes) including Ephraim, were captured by the Assyrians (Shalamanezer V) and have been referred to ever since as “the lost tribes”. Some have argued, from this blessing of Jacob, that the ‘many nations’ actually includes what is known as “British Israelites”, and even America (Pilgrim fathers). But of course, such conclusion requires quite inventive thinking!
In addition to the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, the main content of our reading this week relates to the blessings which Jacob spoke to his own sons. He blessed them in the order they were born from the oldest to the youngest. Because we are privileged to have knowledge of future events, we can see how the LORD gave Jacob wisdom and insight into that future in each blessing. It has long been said that much care should be given in the words used to utter blessing over anyone. A word of caution. Do not speak presumptuously the first words that enter your mind. Ask the LORD to speak through you, that HIS words are heard, not yours.
“Gather together and hear you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” Hear and listen. They are not the same thing.
Reuben. “Unstable as water, you shall not excel” Why? Genesis 35:22. Be sure your sins will find you out.
Simeon and Levi. “Cursed be their anger, it is fierce; and their wrath for it is cruel I will divide them and scatter them in Israel.” Genesis 34:25-31.
Judah. “You are he whom your brothers shall praise; The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, .. and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” A prophetic description of the One who shall arise from Judah.
Zebulun. “Shall dwell by the sea and become a haven for ships.”
Issachar. “He saw that rest was good and the land was pleasant.”
1 Chronicles 12:32
Dan. “Dan shall judge his people.” Genesis 30:6
Gad. “A troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 30:11
Asher. “Bread from Asher shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.”
Naphtali. “Is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.”
Joseph. Well it is a LONG blessing. “Joseph is a fruitful bough … his branches run over the wall … the arms of his hands were made strong” And much more praising the attributes of the one who is seen by most as a ‘type’ of Messiah. And so he was for his family.
Benjamin. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey. And at night he shall divide the spoil.” Judges 21: 20,25
And when Jacob had completed his blessings and comments about his children, he died. His body was enbalmed, and after 70 days of mourning, Joseph and his brothers, together with a company of the house of Pharaoh, took his body to Hebron, where he was laid to rest with his wife Leah.
Joseph lived for many years after that, But before he died at the age of 110 years, he extracted from his brothers the promise to one day take his bones back to the land of his birth. His tomb, recently desecrated by some angry Palestinians, is situated in Shechem, modern day Nablus.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 11
Vayigash (Came near)
Joseph made a plan which he was sure would bring Jacob, his father, to ‘famine safe’ Egypt. He had successfully arranged for his younger blood brother, Benjamin, to be brought to Egypt. He then thought that if he could now arrange to keep Benjamin there, his father Jacob could be persuaded to come to Egypt to retrieve him. But, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who had taken Joseph to Egypt about 40 years earlier, had a better plan. And it came as a big surprise to Joseph. Judah, the brother who had organised the sale of Joseph to the Midianite traders, had seen at first hand the distress that had been caused to their father Jacob, and could not bear the thought of what the loss of Benjamin would do to him, not to mention the fact that it was Judah who had made himself guarantor for Benjamin’s safe return. So Judah made an impassioned plea to Joseph to allow Benjamin to return to his father, and he, Judah, would remain as Jacob’s slave. That impassioned plea melted Joseph’s heart.
What happened next is, I believe, prophetic of an event still future to us. Joseph cleared the room of all his advisers and officials (gentiles). Then in the intimate privacy of “family only”, he revealed himself to his brothers. It was the special Zechariah 12:10 moment for that particular family. Prophetic of the time when “.. they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an 0nly son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” There were tears, LOUD tears (so that those who had been dismissed from the room heard them). The brothers were in shock and dismay. The full revelation of their past deeds and actions would have brought deep regret and sorrow. And IF that was the end of it they would be looking for somewhere to hide I suspect. BUT, it was not the end. In “messianic” type, Joseph embraced his brothers in forgiveness. “God has been in control all the time.” he said “It was God who orchestrated events so that you can now experience the salvation He had planned for you from the beginning.” What a moment that was. And what a moment that will be!
As the narrative continued, the Pharaoh, probably in gratitude for the wisdom and leadership he had seen in Joseph, joined in the ‘moment’. As I ‘reflect’, I see this as a kind of Zechariah 8:23 moment. “In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” “Selah”. In any event, it was the time when Almighty God advanced His plan to make Israel into a nation that would belong to Himself and provide a pattern for the world to see. A pattern which is still evident to believers to this day.
The Pharaoh opened his heart with generosity. He instructed Joseph to load up carts and donkeys with provisions, changes of clothes, and money, for a return journey from Egypt to Canaan. In addition he told Joseph that when his family arrived they would be given “the best of the land” on which they could settle. What a blessing. A note and a lesson here. In eschatological ‘type’ for christians, Egypt is considered the land “from which we come’ in order to arrive ‘in the promised land’. Bad place to good place. But Genesis 12:3 is a conditional, but irrevocable promise of God. “I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you.” In our text we have a monumental example of Egypt blessing Jacob (Israel). Right at the very foundation of that nation. We cannot, in our day, see that Genesis 12:3 promise happening can we? But now look at Isaiah 19. Take time to read it all. Our God is a faithful God. Trust Him.
When the sons of Jacob returned to their father and related their experience “Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.” Another note. We say we believe in miracles don’t we? But what is our immediate reaction when we hear about them today? Jacob was confronted with a miracle here. I think it was a very human reaction. Then he saw the evidence, the carts, the donkeys, the provisions for the return journey. And his spirit revived. And there is nothing wrong with asking to see the evidence. In another place the bible implores us to “test the spirits”. That is NOT doubting God, its doubting men. (Revelation 2:2)
So began the long trek from Shechem to Egypt. The journey took them by way of Beersheva. It was the place where Jacob once lived with his father Isaac. The place from where he had set out to find his wife Rachel. He offered sacrifices to God there, and yet again, God spoke to him in a dream. “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”
So knowing that he would not return alive, Jacob with his family of seventy persons (Genesis 46:27) took the journey to re-connect with Joseph, and begin a new life, not knowing the future, trusting God s promises. Some have observed that the number did not include Jacob himself, nor Joseph and his family. Whatever, it was a relatively small number of persons with which to start a nation!! When they arrived, Pharaoh lived up to his promise, and they settled in the land of Goshen, part of the territory of Egypt which was suitable for both crops and livestock.
We have to marvel at the way our God cares for those who belong to Him, even when we sometimes don’t understand the steps on the way.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 10
Miketz (At the end)
Joseph had been unjustly imprisoned in a dungeon within the home of the captain of the guard. And, because of his diligence and hard work, was put in a position of some authority in that dungeon prison. Circumstances had arisen in which he became an interpreter of the dreams of the Pharaohs’ baker and butler who were also in that place for some reason. But in spite of Joseph’s request to them, upon their release, to bring his case before their Master, the Pharaoh, they had forgotten him.
Our ‘reflection’ this week begins two years later, by which time Joseph was 30 years old. Then the Pharaoh also had a dream, in fact two dreams, which troubled him.“The magicians” were called in, but they were unable to interpret the meaning of those dreams. It was then that the butler remembered about Joseph. To his enormous credit, when confronted by Pharaoh about his ‘gift’ as an interpreter of dreams, Joseph said “It is not in me (to interpret dreams); God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace (the interpretation).” A good lesson to learn here. How many of us would have taken the opportunity to ‘big note’ ourselves in order to curry favour with the king? Joseph is recognised by many, because of what happens later in these recorded events of history, as a ‘type’ of Messiah. His preparation for that role is clearly illustrated in the fact that he sought no glory for himself, just like our Messiah Yeshua much later, who gave ALL the glory to His heavenly Father. Truly a servant of the living God. Selah!
Now the details of the story are well known, but the key to it all is expressed by the Pharaoh when he said “Can we find such one as this , a man in whom IS the Spirit of God.” And so it was that Joseph, the prisoner, became Joseph, the Prime Minister. Such was Pharaoh’s trust in Joseph, that when he was petitioned for food by those suffering from the famine in the land, he said “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” But the famine was not confined to Egypt alone, so people from all the lands around them came to Egypt to buy grain. That included ten of Jacob’s sons. Only the youngest, Benjamin, was not required by Jacob to make the long journey.
From this point onwards, it is possible to recognise the way in which Joseph typifies the characteristics of the coming Messiah, Yeshua. And remember that these events took place some hundreds of years before the Israelites were even considered to be a separated nation, led out of Egypt, through the God appointed leadership of Moses. Now, as is the case in most allegories, the detail cannot be completely lined up. But there is enough for us to see the connection. And the first sign we have is that when the brothers turned up in front of Joseph (from his viewpoint unexpectedly), they did not recognise him at all. But why would they? He was a 17 years old boy when they sold him to the Midianite traders. They are faced now with a VERY powerful man, of about 45 years of age, well dressed, speaking a different language, totally in charge of everything and everybody in his Governor’s palace. An awesome sight for sure. A man who had the power to listen to them or to dismiss them. But he immediately recognised them. He recalled the way they had treated him when he naively shared with them his dream all those years ago.
Joseph had acquired great wisdom in the course of the last 30 or so years. That wisdom, came under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, and was responsible for his elevation to his present lofty position. So he began to search for information about his family. I try to imagine what it must have been like to have been separated from ones family for such a long time, having had such a variety of experiences, good and bad, which that family had no knowledge of, and suddenly be confronted by the very ones who were responsible for that separation. Think about it! Thus it was that he discovered that both his Dad and his younger brother were still alive. He was desperate to reconnect with them! So he devised a plan, and put them in prison for three days to think about it. Absolute power!!
The story is a very interesting read, and is quite well known, and the detail is worth reading again. But I am focussed in this ‘reflection’ on the ‘messianic’ similarities in this narrative. The brothers had presented themselves to Joseph as buyers of grain. When they arrived back to their home they had both the grain and their money in the grain sacks!! It was a salvation act .. and it was FREE. On their second visit, when they brought Benjamin with them, they tried to return the money. Joseph said “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has GIVEN you treasure in your sacks.” But that wasn’t the end of it. Joseph was now re-united with his blood brother, Benjamin, but the family was incomplete. It was necessary to bring Jacob, their father, and the rest of the family to Egypt, and to the safety of food supplies. The whole family was in need of salvation.
The scene changes a little now. And the allegory referred to earlier is not consistent with scene before us I know. The father, Jacob, is in distress because he has been separated from his beloved young son Benjamin. Joseph knows this of course and devises a plan to bring his father to the son. But in order to get the whole picture of how Joseph is a “type” of Messiah, we have to wait until next week.
I commend that you read the whole story of this event in order to appreciate, and see for yourself, how God Almighty works in unimaginable ways to save His people.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 09
Vayeshev (He commanded)
“Jacob dwelt in the land (Canaan) where his father (Isaac) was a stranger”! Sounds a bit odd to us, but what it means is that Jacob took up permanent residence where his father Isaac had lived as a visitor. Putting it another way .. Jacob came HOME!
In Genesis 36, we are given a complete genealogy of Esau. The chapter ends with the statement that “Esau was the father of the Edomites” He had left the “land where his father was a stranger” and took residency in another country. An immediate distinction between the paths these twin brothers took in their lifetime. A distinction which continues to this very day!
Jacob’s family now consisted of his wife Leah, the two ‘handmaids”, Zilpah and Bilhah, and their collective TEN sons and one daughter, as well as Joseph and Benjamin who were born to Rachel (who had died in the childbirth of Benjamin). PLUS an unspecified host of servants. As the story unfolds in this week’s portion of Scripture, please understand that the pace of the events recorded is quite rapid. It’s a bit like watching a movie in ‘fast-forward’ mode!
Rachel was the love of Jacob’s life. Joseph, her firstborn, was only 17 years old. Benjamin, still a child. That was the basis of Jacob’s ‘favouritism’. But although it is not possible to determine precise birth dates, it seems likely that Reuben, the oldest, might only have been 8 or 10 years older than Joseph. And he assumed leadership. Joseph’s prophetic dream is one of the best known stories in the Scriptures. The angst of his older siblings quite well understood. Joseph’s mistake!!?? He shared the dream with his brothers. They were angry. Angry enough to kill him. But Reuben’s leadership stalled them. So they took Joseph's fancy coat and put him in a hole in the ground. Reuben must have been distracted by some other event because he was not present when Judah, the fourth oldest, concocted the plan to sell Joseph to some passing Midianite traders (Ishmaelites). When the distraught Reuben returned they put blood on the coloured coat in pretence that Joseph had been mauled by a wild animal. And that’s what they told Jacob.
God really does “work in mysterious ways” doesn’t He? Just think for a moment how you would view this event if that was all there was to it, and the brothers had ‘got away with it’. How could anyone possibly imagine how Almighty God could fulfil His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob without knowing how this remarkable event became pivotal in God’s plan for His people (“the apple of My eye”).
A lesson for us to learn right here. IF God is our refuge and strength. IF we believe God is a promise keeping God. If we believe that God is working out His purposes in His own way. THEN in ALL circumstances of our life … YES, in ALL circumstances, We have to trust Him. Even when we think we understand, and when we KNOW we don’t.
So the young Joseph was forcibly taken to Egypt and sold into slavery in the household of the Captain of the King’s guard, Potiphar. As years rolled by, Joseph worked hard at the tasks he was assigned. He gained promotion in that household and eventually was entrusted with complete responsibility of running the place. He also seemed, at least to the wife of the Captain, to be a very handsome man. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” says the old English proverb. Thus it was that poor Joseph ended up in prison!
Another lesson. Ecclesiates 9:10 says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” It is advice I have given, both to my children and their children. Joseph certainly did and (apart from the ugly devious behaviour of Potiphar’s wife, which curiously seems to have had a significant role in the plan of God), gained great blessing as a result.
But there are some very important observations to be made about the way Joseph conducted himself. Not only did his industry, faithfulness, honesty and conduct bring significant reward to himself, but the whole household, from the Master of the house to the other servants also prospered. Joseph’s wisdom in his handling of the affairs of the house, showed in such a way that the Master of the house observed the “the LORD” was with him. Joseph’s testimony was obviously not in words alone, but in his actions. It showed.
Even so, the false accusations made against him, caused an enraged Potiphar, without enquiry apparently, to have him sent to prison. What an injustice! How could God allow such a thing to happen? Commonly used words eh? Look back a few paragraphs. God’s ways are not our ways.
Well, the portion concludes this week with Joseph still in prison … but practically running the place. “And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his (Joseph’s) doing.” Why? “Because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.” What an amazing testimony of faith in God.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 08
Vayishlach (He sent)
Jacob had concluded his non-aggression arrangement with Laban, so free of that worry, he turned his attention to another! His brother Esau. The brothers had not seen each other for twenty years, and yet Jacob somehow knew where his brother was. So he sent some men to announce that he would be returning to his own country, with much wealth and possessions, and he wanted to “make friendship” with his brother again. Guilty conscience? Sad about the past? Fearful? Tricky? We can only speculate.
At this stage, Jacob and his entourage were about 20 miles east of the Sea of Galilee, north of where Amman is today. Esau and his family were several miles south of there, somewhere in the region of where Petra is today in Southern Jordan. So when Jacob’s men returned from their mission, in paraphrase they said :- “There is good news and bad news. The good news is that Esau is so pleased that you are coming that he has decided to come to meet you half way! The bad news is that he is bringing 400 of his men with him!!” To say that that put “the shivers up” Jacob is probably an understatement. So he set about making contingency plans to survive.
Let’s look at a lesson here. Just last week we read in Genesis 28:15 that God spoke to Jacob in a dream, “behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land: for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” That was 20 years earlier. In those 20 years God had blessed Jacob with two wives (and their handmaids), eleven sons and a daughter, a countless flock of sheep etc. etc.. PLUS, He had spoken to Jacob in a dream again (Genesis 31:11-13) telling him that it was time to return to his homeland. What more could God do? So here is the lesson. Is there something that God has spoken to me? To you? Does it matter to God what time has passed since He promised to “never leave us nor forsake us”? Was it good prudence or lack of trust that caused Jacob to make these contingency plans? Are WE making contingency plans to do things “our way”? Or is our trust in God’s promises to us? When God dispersed the Israelites from the land, after many warnings, for their wanton disobedience to the covenant they had made, and rejection of Messiah Yeshua who had come to restore “the lost sheep of the House of Israel”. He had also told them that a day would come when He would restore them to that land. That restoration is happening in our generation, and it started in 1948. Our God is a promise-keeper, as we will see as we continue our ‘reflection’.
Read Genesis 32 to see how Jacob carefully planned his protective strategy for his meeting with Esau. However, Jacob, in his fear of what now might befall him, remembered the promises God had made to him all those years ago. So in humility he prayed to the God of Abraham and Isaac “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed this Jordan with my staff (and nothing else) and now I have become two companies (alluding to his great blessing of wealth and possessions). Deliver me I pray …” Then he acknowledged his fear and reminded God of His promises. God, in response, planned one more encounter with Jacob!! The day before meeting Esau, Jacob sent his whole family over the brook Jabbok and remained behind alone. Jabbok means ‘emptying’. At this point there was a ford across the river, which, because it is shallow, flows faster, as it continues and ‘empties’ itself into the River Jordan some miles away. But scholars have shared another meaning to this place. The ‘emptying’ is applied to Jacob, who that night encountered the LORD again, and ‘emptied’ himself as he ‘wrestled’ with “a MAN” until he received an assurance of the promised blessing on his life. For his trouble, Jacob received a new name and a hip joint dislocation!! But his life was changed.
Jacob’s reunion with his brother Esau went surprisingly well. Was that another example of God’s protection in answer to Jacob’s prayer? We are not told anything more about the 400 men accompanying Esau. But Jacob still remained cautious about going along with Esau’s invitation to go back to Edom with him. The result was that Esau left, with the gifts Jacob had offered him, and journeyed the 250 Km or so back to his home, whist Jacob promptly led his family about 200 Km in the other direction, to Shechem in Canaan (Nablus today). Thus God completely fulfilled the promise He had made to Jacob 20 years earlier. But there is an important detail in our text. Genesis 33: 19,20 tells us that Jacob bought and paid in full for the land on which his family settled. So just as his grandfather Abram had paid for the cave at Machpelah, and never re-sold it, so Jacob acquired the parcel of land in Shechem and it too has never been re-sold.
There is much more to be studied in this account of God’s dealings with the ‘flawed’ Jacob. As I ‘reflect’ on this passage, and the evident shortcomings in Jacob as a person, I take enormous hope and encouragement. Jacob was used by God to be the father of all the tribes of Israel, ‘flawed’ as he was. But we saw how Jacob, in fear for his life, humbled himself in prayer, then held on to that MAN as he wrestled with Him, until he received God’s blessing and guidance. Then , because we know how the story unfolds, we know that God used Jacob as part of His global promise “that in you, will all the nations of the earth be blessed.”
And that, my dear friends, is US. You and me. And finally, this thought. If He can do that in Jacob, He can do it in anyone … can’t He?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 07
Vayetze (Went out)
Last week we ended with Jacob being sent away, with Isaac’s blessing, to find himself a wife out of his own ‘family’ in Padan Aram. That was the place from which his mother Rebekah had come. Esau, on the other hand, having missed out on the ‘blessing of the firstborn’ from Isaac, in colloquial terms, ‘spat the dummy’, and married a daughter of Ishmael. The gulf between the brothers was widening. Although the main division we see in our modern world is that between Isaac and Ishmael (with their respective family groupings), Esau, it seems, rebelliously joined the Ishmaelite group and is now recognised as the father of the Edomite nation (southern Jordan today).
Isaac and his family had settled just south of Beersheva. Jacob dutifully “went out” on his journey towards Haran, today in southern Turkey, the place where Abram dwelt after leaving Ur of the Chaldeans. It was a distance of just over 1,000 Km. !!! (Imagine walking from Sydney to Brisbane or Melbourne). Jacob laid down to sleep after a long day walking, and he had a dream. There wouldn’t be many who couldn’t relate the story quite well. But there a few observations which some may not be familiar with.
First, there was a ladder between earth and heaven. Angels of God were ascending and descending. Some commentators have seen significance in that order. That they first ascended indicates that their ‘station’ was on earth, presumably doing their allotted task among men. Were they reporting on their activity? Well we don’t know, but the concept is interesting.
Second, the LORD stood at the top of the ladder and addressed Jacob. “I am the LORD God of Abraham (Jacob’s grandfather) and the God of Isaac (his father); The land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants … and in you and your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; For I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
Third, the content of God’s promise to Jacob is in almost identical terms to that which He had previously spoken to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and to Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5). It is for this reason that our God is frequently referred to as the “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”. They were uniquely privileged to receive the “land promise” directly from God Almighty. And to each of them that promise was extended to their ‘descendants’. Pass it on!!
Fourth, Jacob has gained a bit of a reputation as a ‘tough negotiator’. Not least because of the ‘birthright’ deal he did with his older brother Esau! Some have even labelled him a “bit tricky!” And here again, as we have just noted, God had made an amazing promise to Jacob. In paraphrase “I’ll be with you wherever you go and I’ll bring you back again.” It’s a promise that many Christians today hold on to as applicable to themselves. But it was not quite good enough for Jacob!! His response was to add conditions onto God’s promise. Jacob said, again in paraphrase “IF you stay with me, feed me, clothe me, look after me, and bring me back to my father’s house in peace, THEN You can be my God! AND if you do all that, of everything you give me, I’ll give a tenth back to You.”
The rest of our portion shows how God led him directly to the family of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. It begins with meeting some shepherds at the well where the sheep drank water each day. Those shepherds identified Laban’s daughter Rachel (who was a shepherdess) and so it was that Jacob later met Laban, Now, if the comment earlier about Jacob being “a bit tricky” was true, it is also true that in Laban, Jacob met his match! Please read the story to get the message! However, in spite of that, Jacob ended up with two wives, Leah and Rachel, lots of children, who would become leaders of the tribes of Israel, plenty of servants, and a large flock of sheep. But he was twenty years older than when he first met Laban!!!! Although Jacob and Laban parted in strained circumstances, the LORD also ensured that His promise to Jacob (see Genesis 31:24) remained intact.
But now we need to find the message for ourselves today from this fascinating account of Jacob’s twenty year search for his wife.
The first thing I note is that Jacob honoured his parents in undertaking the journey they had instructed him to make. It was not easy, and required patience, persistence, and hardship at times. But in so doing, he was blessed by having a life-changing encounter with the LORD. He met the wife of God’s choosing, and he became the father of the boys who headed the tribes of Israel, ‘the apple of God’s eye’.
The second thing I note is that, although his conditional acceptance of God’s promise seemed to be arrogant and presumptuous, he never-the-less kept his word to the LORD. He never forgot the faithfulness, love, and mercy of God in bringing him through those twenty difficult years.
The third thing I note is that all of us who have had an encounter with God, have received His promise to us, of never leaving us nor forsaking us. That is a priceless promise. BUT it comes with a responsibility. To order our lives in a manner which brings glory to His name. Keeping our part of the arrangement, as did Jacob. The LORD bless you as you seek to honour your covenant with the LORD.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 06
Toldot (Descendants)
God had chosen Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife, and at 40 years of age, he married her. Good start eh! But we are not told how old Rebekah was! And the Bible doesn’t tell us, simple as that. What we are told (Genesis 24:8 and 24:58) is that Rebekah willingly consented to the marriage. Speculation beyond this is unprofitable, even though the sages have postulated on this matter for centuries. It is also speculated that Rebekah was barren for the first 20 years of that marriage, and this brings us to a salient point in the story.
There is little doubt that Abraham would have shared with Isaac the promise God had made to him about his descendants being numerous! Isaac’s mother was 90 when God miraculously intervened in the matter of Isaac’s birth. Now, the very next generation is beset with the same issue. Infertility. Their marriage has not produced any children. At stake here is Isaac’s relationship with God Almighty. There is no suggestion of going down the path that Abraham and Sarah had gone, which resulted in the birth of Ishmael. Our text in Hebrew uses the word “ ‘aqar” to describe the childlessness of the marriage, and that word is equally applicable to both male and female incapacity!!
So Isaac “pleaded” with the LORD. A good lesson from our portion today. The first ‘port of call’. Perhaps a lesson Isaac had learned at the feet of his esteemed father Abraham. Much later Psalmists make many references to the quality of reliable “refuge” and “comfort” which is to be found in the LORD. And then we read “and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” Isaac was 60 years of age when Rebekah gave birth.
The rest, as they say, is history!! The story is well known, but some of the detail is not as clearly understood as it should be. The LORD clearly knew the future, which He revealed to Rebekah. Multitudes of people who identify as “Christian” today appear to not grasp the effects on our society of this seemingly simple act of the birth of twins, and the revelation God gave to Rebekah about the future for each of them. “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” There are those who see it as a prophetic announcement by the Almighty. Which it is. Others might interpret it as ‘foreknowledge’. What we all know, or should do, is that in His infinite and perfect plan, God made everlasting unconditional covenants of promise with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the younger twin). And God IS working out His purposes for the world in direct fulfilment of those covenants.
The birthright (law of succession) belonged to Esau. But chapter 25 of our text ends by telling us “Thus Esau despised his birthright.” The Hebrew word is “bazah”, it means ‘disesteem’ or ‘disregard’. And for that he paid a very high price!! But there is a bit more to this situation. Some time later, when Esau was 40 years old, he married two Hittite women, Judith and Beeri, in defiance of the wishes of Isaac and Rebekah. How do we know this? Look at Genesis 26:35. “And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah”. He later again took another ‘foreign’ wife, this time a daughter of Ishmael. Esau seemed to be very rebellious. He is recognised as the father of the Edomites. But that is a digression from our portion today.
There was a famine in the land. Just like his father before him, Isaac took his family down into Philistine country to survive. To Gerar, which borders Gaza. And just like his father before him, he too tried to pass off his wife as his sister. And again Abi-Melech, king of Gerar, just as had happened to Abraham, blessed Isaac with safely of residence. Isaac planted crops and reaped a bumper harvest, so much so that the Philistines envied him. They had stopped up the wells which Abraham had dug there. So Isaac moved further into the valley of Gerar and dug open the wells which Abraham had dug years before. That caused more quarrels about the water! So eventually, Isaac moved yet again, to about 20 miles south of Beersheva, and again dug a well. He called the place Rehoboth (meaning ‘open spaces) and said “Now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful the land”. And so they were.
Our final comment on this portion has to be about the blessing which Isaac proclaimed over Jacob. The circumstances are dubious, many would say even fraudulent. We know the story. The blessing in part said “ May God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let the peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!.” That blessing, having been proclaimed, could not be revoked.
Enter Esau. I am your firstborn, “Bless me father”. Too late. But Isaac has some words, with the same introduction, but a very different meaning, for Esau. “By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” (i.e you will put some distance between you!) And so it was.
God has provided all of us who are His, a birthright. Guard it. Honour it. Esteem it highly. Do not treat it lightly. Learn the lesson of Esau.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 05
Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah)
What an interesting title to this week’s Torah reading! The life of Sarah. The first sentence tells us that Sarah lived 127 years. And the second proclaims her death!! It is not unusual today for a funeral to be principally about remembering the life of the deceased. In Sarah’s case, apart from mentioning her in relation to her burial place, her name is not used again in the whole reading. Nothing! Of course we can all recall things about her from our previous Scripture readings. For me, perhaps the standout is the degree of faith she shared with her husband Abram. After all, she too left her home and followed the LORD’s instructions to journey to a land she did not know. But she will always be remembered as the elderly lady, unable to bear children, chosen by God to miraculously bear ONE child only. That child became the grandfather of the 12 boys who each became head of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the nation called by God to be His “special treasure” and “the apple of His eye”’
There is often speculation regarding the timing of some events in the Scripture. Rabbinic reasoning is that Sarah’s death, at the age of 127 years, is closely related to the anxiety she experienced at the Lord’s testing of Abraham with the ‘binding of Isaac’. Most people consider Isaac to have been about 12 years old at the time. But if the Rabbi’s are correct, Isaac would then have been a 37 year old man! And certainly, the sequential timing of the two events favours the Rabbinic view.
I find it interesting to look at a map of the area where events occurred in Scripture. At the same time, reference back to genealogy, specifically Genesis 10, (after Noah) in order to provide a framework to see how the names we encounter fit into the picture. But none of that alters the general thrust of the message contained in the reading today. Abraham was in Canaan, a foreigner (Hb. ‘ger’) from the ‘other side of the river’ (Euphrates) and he had developed a good relationship with his Canaanite neighbours. He needed a place to bury his beloved Sarah, so he negotiated, not for ANY burial sepulchre, but the best available. “The cave of the field of Machpelah”’. It was not cheap, but Abraham paid without bargaining. It is one of three well known places recorded in Scripture where land title was purchased from the landholder. The others being the site of Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem, and Araunah’s threshing floor in Jerusalem. They have never been sold back again!
Eventually, the “cave of the field of Machpelah” became the final resting place of the bodies of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah. (Rachel is not buried there) Later Herod built the huge wall around the ‘cave’ and over time it has become the enormous building, known as the “Tomb of the Patriarchs” which still stands on that site today. It functions mostly as a mosque, with a quite small synagogue adjacent to the main building, and Jews are allowed access to the main building on ten days each year. (On a visit to friends in Kiryat Arba on one such day, a few years ago, my late wife and I were privileged to witness the awe in which this place is held by Jews today).
We are then told that Abraham was ‘advanced in age’, and he wanted to make sure that his son, Isaac, had a wife of ‘correct lineage’! Taking up the timing issue again, it does seem a bit premature for Abraham to be caring about a wife for a 12 year old boy doesn’t it? In any event, he was concerned. In those days, “putting a hand under one’s thigh”, was considered an intimate gesture which confirmed a promise, and Abraham’s ‘governing servant’ was placed under such promise. It was a solemn oath. Little did that servant know that God had preceded him in that mission. It was a “done deal” as the words came out of Abraham’s mouth. Don’t you marvel, as I do, at God’s ways. The story is a most interesting one and worthy of your careful attention. Read it yourself. Abraham wanted all the possibilities covered. Isaac’s wife was to come from Abraham’s own family, BUT Isaac was forbidden to go there himself. Why? Because Abraham believed God. And God had said (Genesis 12:7) “To your descendants I will give this land”. At that particular time there was only ONE descendant. Isaac. And Isaac had not yet heard that promise directly from God. It was vital that he did. The whole future plan of God depended on it. And, by Abraham’s reckoning, Isaac’s wife could not possibly come from an idolatrous Canaanite family. The mixture would be wrong.
So Rebekah, a daughter of Abraham’s nephew, was the young lady who met Abraham’s servant at the watering place. What a coincidence!!! Abraham’s old servant was praying for some guidance at the well. “How am I going to know the person I am supposed to find?” I imagine him thinking. Wham! There she is standing in front of him. No short list. No choice. No ambiguity. Thank You LORD. The young Rebekah invited Abraham’s servant, who by this time was so sure that his mission was prospering, that he presented costly gifts to the young lady in thanks for her kindness. It was shortly after this that we meet Laban. Rebekah’s brother. We will meet him again later in this series. He, seeing the costly jewellery, and I suspect, having an eye for business, ‘gushed’ to offer hospitality and friendship to the new visitors. And so it was, that this story had a happy ending. Rebekah, God’s choice of a wife for Isaac, returned with Abraham’s servant.
But the elderly Abraham then re-married and produced many more children. He eventually died aged 175 and was buried, with his beloved Sarai in “the cave of Machpelah”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 04
Vayera (And He appeared)
There are three times recorded in Genesis when the LORD appeared to Abraham. This is the second of those appearances.
Abraham sat in the door of his tent in the heat of the day. The text suggests he was perhaps ‘nodding off’! When he looked up, there were three men standing looking at him. Abraham ran towards them and bowed, addressing them as “my Lord” (Adonai is actually a plural word). The text makes it clear that even though there are different words used for “God” in this encounter, the common source is of God Almighty, and His purpose was to convey the news that the promise of a natural born child, previously conveyed to Abraham, was about to be fulfilled. Sarah overheard the announcement and couldn’t avoid a chuckle! That chuckle was countered by an amazing insight, which we do well to remember, perhaps especially in our day when we consider what is happening in the world today. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Of course the answer is “NO”, but we also need to be mindful that God unfolds His plan in His own time, and not in a timeframe which we often expect because of our sincere supplication.
Again it is manifestly evident in the text that God had determined that His judgement was to be brought on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Because “their sin was very great”, AND there had been an “outcry to the LORD” against it. Was that outcry from righteous people praying for change? We can only speculate. It certainly gives enormous encouragement to us to bring before the LORD matters which we can plainly see wrong and gravely sinful in our society today doesn’t it? Then an amazing dialogue occurred.
Why was God concerned about revealing to Abraham His intention to bring judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah? The “great and mighty nation”, which God had promised Abraham would spring from his loins, was unfulfilled at this stage. (I now take a bit of licence here, and disagree if you wish. But roll forward 4000 years to the time when God (in the person of Yeshua) came and dwelt bodily amongst us, for a comparison.) Abraham was righteous, God was faced with the judgement of severely unrighteous men. And NOT for the first time. What would a righteous man make of that judgement? Abraham was representative of a future nation of ‘priests’ before God. How would they prosecute judgement when faced with rank unrighteousness? Is that unrighteousness to be tolerated, or dealt with? As I pen this ‘reflection’, that is what I perceive to be God’s motive. But I may be wrong!! In any event God entered into dialogue with Abraham .. and Abraham was honest, and generous, in his attitude. (The Bible records another account similar in nature which God had with Moses after the exodus from Egypt .. Numbers 14) The dialogue which ensued appears to see God ‘giving ground’ in the light of Abraham’s concerns about numbers. The final number of “righteous men”, in order that the community avoid the severe judgement, TEN, is the minimum number much later decreed by the Rabbinate to be sufficient (and necessary) to be a “minion” to form a Jewish synagogue congregation.
The text, Genesis 18:19, says “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” It is from that statement that I have taken my licence!
Of course, we must acknowledge that God knew exactly how many ‘righteous’ men were there, but it seems to me that He wanted to ensure that Abraham (and those considered righteous who came after him) would accept the ‘fairness’ of the judgement. (my earlier reference to 4000 years later alludes to the fact that God, in the person of Yeshua, took on human form and had no cause, then, to determine what man might think about His judgement. He had become ‘flesh’ and dwelt among them. BUT we also know that unrighteous men do, and always will, consider God’s judgements to be harsh and inappropriate!!) Whatever God’s reasons, that’s what happened. Then followed the well known account of the judgement of Sodom and Gommorah
Isaac, the son of God’s promise to Abraham, was born when Abraham was 100 years old. How precious would that have been to him? But Abraham had another son, Ishmael, born about 14 years earlier as a result of Sarai trying to ‘help God out’ in providing Abram with an heir. The enmity which developed between the mothers of those two boys, passed to the sons, and remains to this very day. The enmity runs very deep, and is unlikely to end until God again intervenes by sending His Son, Yeshua, back to this earth as the King of kings. And that is another story, an event, still future to us, which will happen as sure as night follows day.
But God had one more test for the faithful Abraham. It is impossible for any father to imagine a more daunting test. MOST fathers would fail the test upon its suggestion. “Offer your son to Me as a burnt offering”. What would you think went through Abraham’s mind at that point? Again, I take licence here, because it is impossible to know. But shock and horror would be a first guess. God knew that there was a day coming when He Himself would have to make such a sacrifice. Was there a man on the earth who would do such a thing? Well we know the story. Abraham was such a man who FULLY TRUSTED his God. Selah! What an example he is.
What God expects of us is to put our trust in Him. No more, no less.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 03
Lekh - L’kha (get yourself out of here)
Just as Noah was a man of great faith, we are now introduced to the person God anointed to be the head of the one family to whom the rest of the Scriptures relate. Dr. Marvin R. Wilson, in seeking to expound the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, wrote much about him in his outstanding volume “Our Father Abraham”. A good read for those interested in the roots of our faith.
He was Abram, son of Terah, citizen of Ur of the Chaldeans. Terah took Abram and his wife Sarai (who had no children) and Abram’s nephew, Lot, intending to travel to Canaan. But they got no further than Haran in what is today, Syria. It was there that Terah died. (Legend has it that Terah made and sold idols for a living. It is speculated that this is how Abram abandoned the family idolatry and sought a new faith. He certainly was a man who heard from God and understood what he heard.)
It is a little known fact that Noah was still alive for almost the first 60 years of Abram’s life, and the lives of Abram and Shem (Noah’s son) overlapped for over 150 years. And that provides a possible answer to the question as to how Abram knew about YHWH Elohim doesn’t it? Neither Noah nor Shem would have remained silent about their experience of God. Turn back to Genesis 9: 25-27 and understand the way the Canaanites bore the curse (Hebrew “A’rar”) which Noah placed on them. In the event, we do know that God spoke directly to Abram, and Abram not only heard God’s voice, but he was obedient to it. His destination? The cursed nation of Canaan!
Read the promises God made to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3. They are staggering in scope and content, and I can only imagine that Abram was overwhelmed at the thought. But in verse 3, the English language uses the same word, “curse”, in translation of two different Hebrew words. “A’rar” which is a ‘bitter curse’ for the first, and “Qalal”, for the second, meaning ‘treating one lightly’ or ‘treating with contempt, or disregard’.
So now we get a glimpse of things to come. Abram is sent by God to the nation which was ‘bitterly cursed’ by Noah. There he is to establish a family,(nation), blessed by God, but with the added promise of ‘bitter curse’ on anyone (nation) who treats that family of Abram lightly, or with contempt. And if there is doubt in anyone’s mind, we read in Genesis 12:6 that Abram came to the place (known today as Nablus) called Shechem, which is built in a valley. High above Shechem is the township today called. Elon Moreh. It was there, with a commanding view of the surrounding area, that God appeared to Abram, and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” (I have had the personal experience of standing on the heights of Elon Moreh. To the North, Mount Hermon. East is the Jordan and beyond. South is the Negev. And west is the Mediterranean. It is a LOT of land, substantially more than that which is called Israel today.)
So Abram travelled through the land. He eventually, due to severe drought in the land, ended up in Egypt where he had that amazing encounter with the Egyptian Pharaoh over the identity of Sarai as his wife. (Rabbinic literature also identifies Sarai as a half sister to Abram) A consequence of this encounter with the Pharaoh seems to be that Abram acquired significant wealth in terms of silver and gold besides sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and servants. Thus it was that Abram and his entourage returned to Canaan, specifically to the area near Bethel where he had earlier set up an altar of worship to God.
Some time later, Abram and his nephew Lot went their separate ways and that’s a whole new story. Read it in Genesis 13 and 14. Abram moved further south and dwelt near Hebron. Lot got into trouble with four local kings and lost his possessions, which Abram recovered and in the process met with the mysterious ‘Melchi Tzedek”, of whom much is written. (but not here!)
The remainder of our reading is pivotal to our faith as believers. It is here that we come to terms with God’s salvation plan for mankind. It is where Almighty God puts His credibility at stake, so to speak, by making that unconditional covenant promise to Abram, by which an elderly, barren woman, Abram’s wife Sarai, would give natural birth to her only son. It is a staggeringly challenging proposition. How easy it is today to take it all for granted because we know the end of the story .. BUT before it happened!! That’s a different matter. Genesis 15:6 says “And he (Abram) believed in the LORD, and He (the LORD) accounted it to him for righteousness.” Faith is counted as righteousness by Almighty God. And today, it is faith that God actually did what He promised to do which is counted as righteousness to those who believe and trust His word.
It is a measure of the enormity of what God requires of us in faith to read the account of how Sarai (and Abram) sought to give God a ‘helping hand’ in this, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old at this time. And it was another 14 years before the child of God’s promise, Isaac, was born.
Genesis 17 gives us the account of the conversation God had with Abram as He was about to fulfil His promise of providing a naturally born child to him. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah. At the same time God promised to establish His covenant with the as yet unborn Isaac, and his offspring, in perpetuity. LORD, give us faith to trust you, as did Abraham, that it may be counted as righteousness to us.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflection
Torah Reflection 02
Noach (Noah)
Such was the state of mankind, with its contempt for God, violence, anarchy, evil thinking, disharmony, corruption, ‘thoughts of the heart continually bad’. Verse 12 informs us that “God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” And that is what forms the catalyst for the events which follow.
We ended our ‘reflection’ last week with a quotation. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth”. And the very last verse of last week’s reading said “ But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD.”
Perhaps the most valuable comment of Noah in all the Scriptures is found in the very first verse of this week’s reading. “Noah walked with God.” It’s a most challenging lesson for any who read this passage. I ask myself, do I “find favour” in the eyes of the LORD? Would the people I relate to day by day know whether or not I “walk” with God? Am I “swimming against the current” (as Noah obviously was) or am I “going with the flow”? God, and ONLY God, knows.
So God told Noah to make a BIG box of gopher wood, three stories high, with compartments inside it. Now there wouldn’t be a child anywhere, who ever attended a Sunday School, who couldn’t recite to you the basics of the events which follow. But there are a few details which are worthwhile commenting upon because they have significant relationship to the future.
For example, in Chapter 7:2, we find a distinction about the numbers of animals between “clean” and “unclean”. It is the first reference to this distinction in the Scriptures. Much may be made of this, but to many people the distinction passes without comment. But in Genesis 8:20 we find that it is only the clean animals which are offered as burnt offerings to the LORD in thanksgiving for their preservation from the flood. Much later of course, when the people had ceased being ‘vegetarian’, God declared that ONLY the ‘clean’ animals were prescribed as ‘food’ for His people. (That list is documented in Deuteronomy 14 for those interested.)
Rev William Morford, in his enlightening translation of the Scriptures, “One New Man Bible”, draws attention to the Hebrew word “kopher”, translated as “pitch” in Genesis 6:14. It is a perfectly good and logical translation of that word. However, it also has a meaning ‘ransom’, even ‘atonement’ (covering). So Morford draws attention to the function of that box made of gopher wood as the means of salvation (atonement) for those who were privileged to be included as passengers in that box during those terrible days of judgement.
Then in Genesis 7:16 there is a simple phrase full of meaning. “And the LORD shut him in.” In His instruction to Noah, God specified that there should be a “pethach” in the side of the gopher wood box. That is literally an ‘opening’, a place of entry. Now I need to be careful here. Because in my mind’s eye I see an opening which is unrestricted. I presume that there were no guards preventing entry. But the only ones who actually passed through that entry opening were those who, by faith, trusted that God would perform what He had been warning that He would do for many, many years. Again, in my mind’s eye, I envisage scornful watchers, ridiculing those who did enter through that opening in the gopher wood box. And suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, so to speak, the opening was no more there! “The LORD had shut them in.” Then it began to rain!!! And in addition, “the fountains of the great deep were broken open”.
Does that present a picture to you, as it does to me, of a day still future which ONLY God knows, when the door to salvation will be closed? And then it will again (metaphorically) begin to rain!
The end of our reading contains a genealogy of the period from ‘the flood’ judgement right up to Abram. In addition to the covenant to never again ‘flood’ the earth, and its accompanying sign of the rainbow. (hasn’t that been hijacked in recent times by a quite rebellious group of people) God declared His control over the elements in saying “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.” It also contains some detail about God’s dealings and covenants with the faithful Noah, which has been ‘codified’ into what has become know as “The Noahide Laws”. Much of which now forms part and parcel of our present day legal code.
The seven ‘laws’ are:-
Not to worship idols.
Not to curse God.
To establish courts of justice.
Not to commit murder.
Not to commit adultery, bestiality, or sexual immorality.
Not to steal.
Not to eat flesh torn from a living animal.
God was totally in control of this earth then, and He is totally in control of the earth now .. in spite of what the climate alarmists tell us!!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 01
“B’reshite” (In the beginning)
“In the beginning”. O what disputes people have about this! Does it really matter when that ‘beginning’ was? What is infinitely more important is that God, our God, YHWH Elohim, was there “creating the heavens and the earth”. And the ONE sent to this earth to redeem sinful man, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, the Apostle John tells us, was there too. (John 1:1).
For those who choose to keep the Sabbath on the day appointed by God for so doing, it is carefully noted that our Creator Himself set the standard, after completing His perfect work of creation in six days, then rested of all His work on the seventh day. So here we find, very early in the Scriptures, the example of Sabbath keeping.
The account of that creative event is very well known and recorded for our information and understanding in the first two chapters of our reading. Then chapter 3 provides the account of what we know as ‘the fall of man’. In that account we become first introduced to the person of satan. Beautiful, cunning, deceitful, persuasive, attractive, friendly, tempting, invoking doubt. Since God created all animals, and there was no ‘fear’ present in that lovely garden, we can accept that the serpent was chosen by satan to convey his deceitful message. For his part in that deceit, that creature’s squirming in the dust, is the result of God’s judgement on him. The abhorrence which most people feel when confronted by a snake is also probably indicative of the untrustworthy and potentially deadly character ascribed to snakes in general.
The narrative provides enough information to show us that God had been quite clear and unambiguous in His instruction to the people He had created. “There is a garden full of food for you to eat”. They were vegetarians! “But there is one tree, the fruit of which is forbidden, because eating that fruit will cause you to die!!” Well, because we know the story, we know that they did eat that fruit, and we also know that they did not actually “die” as we know death today. So what was this death that they experienced? My thought on this is that ‘death’ caused them to be separated from their Creator. They were, in effect, cut off from all the contact they had, up until that moment experienced at the hand of their Creator, without any real understanding of what it involved and how important it was to their existence. (on a most personal level, I can attest to the devastating effect of death which caused separation from my wife of 64 years. But her death also hugely affects my ongoing life)
I have often commented on the fact that there are lessons for each one of us to learn from every encounter with the Scriptures. This may be one of them. Jealously guard and appreciate every moment you have with your spouse! Take care not be distracted by “that serpent” who may appear in all sorts of guises offering seeming attractions which God has clearly forbidden to us in His word. His instructions are not mere ‘suggestions’ !! There are consequences for disregarding those instructions.
At the commencement of this new reading cycle, which for many people is an annual series of reminders of God’s instruction for living righteously with Him and with their fellow citizens, we should briefly survey what is covered in this Torah. In essence, it is the story of one family. A family called by God for His own reasons and purposes to be a light to the nations.
Today’s reading takes us from antiquity to a point where God seemingly despaired of the disobedient and unrighteous ways of mankind. And in our reading next week we discover the tragedy which befell mankind as a result. Over the course of the next twelve months we will ‘reflect’ on the way God led and nurtured a people to have fellowship with Him and to be an example to other nations of how He expects those who know Him to order their lives. And finally, just as God provided a warning to these people of His first creation that in their disobedience in eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they would die (to Him), so a warning is provided to those with whom He had made a covenant, of the blessings which accrue from obedience and the curses which accompany disobedience.
The results of disobedience to the commands of God, for the believer, are not threats. They represent an honest appraisal, by God, to any who would take heed, of what the future will look like. On the one hand blessings, and on the other hand curses. Read the passage carefully today. Take note of what happened to the one aiding the deceit of satan. Take note of the assignment of childbearing and subservience to the man given to the disobedient woman. Take note of the life of toil and hardship in providing food assigned to the man. Take note of the change from the garden with plentiful food readily available. These are a direct result of disobedience to God’s command. These provide a timely lesson for everyone who reads the account in today’s reading.
Chapter 5 contains a genealogy of the descendants from Adam. They lived long lives and beget many children. Read the list. They all died after several hundred years. But in chapter 6, at the end of the week’s reading we find God saying “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was continually only bad … and God was grieved in His heart.” What a sad state of affairs.
Do you ever wonder what God thinks of our present generation?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
A “reflection” to end the reading cycle
A “reflection” to end the reading cycle Joshua 1:1 -18
This week sees the end of the annual reading cycle. The final parashah for the year. Moses had just died. The faithful Joshua, son of Nun, colleague of Caleb, is appointed by God to lead the new nation of Israel into the land of Promise. God had appeared to Abraham at Elon Moreh on his journey south. There, from that mountain location, Abraham was able to see the extent of the land. It was much larger than the nation we know as Israel today. To my mind it seems symbolic. Abraham shown the extent, but not the detail, of what God had promised him. And as we begin our journey into Torah again next week, a new year of readings, and a new year of discovery of what God has in store for us. It looks like a huge undertaking. But as we look, week by week, at the detail God had in store for them, and for us, we will be blessed.
God showed immense faith in Joshua. The promises of God, given at this inauguration were unequivocal, unconditional, and plain. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you (not will give you, but have given you) as I said to Moses.” It was a done deal. ‘From the Euphrates River, all the land of the Hittites, to the Mediterranean.’ The Hittites were descendants of Heth, they were an important Canaanite group, and their land was extensive. It was a Hittite, Ephron, who sold the ‘cave at Machpelah’ to Abraham as a burial place!
Now it is interesting that the Land of Promise is specified in a number of places in Scripture, (students among us, look at Genesis 15, Exodus 23, Numbers 34, Deuteronomy 11 and Ezekiel 47), so here in Joshua 1 it seems that the Lord instructed Joshua that in order to possess the land all he had to do is to set foot in it. He cannot, (i.e. will not be able to), take more than is promised. I am reminded of that injunction in the Living Bible paraphrase of Jude 20 “Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and protect you”.
However, from other Scriptures we know that the Canaanites would not simply walk off the land, they would have to be driven out, sometimes with significant loss of life. But God had not finished with His proclamation to Joshua. He went on to bolster him with many encouraging statements. They are words which are often appropriated to ourselves as a timely encouragement for the fulfilment of some perceived God given task. Perhaps we should take careful note of the relationship God had with Joshua before making overly presumptive claims for ourselves! But they are very encouraging words anyway. Just look at them. “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life” “As I was with Moses, so shall I be to you” “I will not leave you nor forsake you”
These are immensely reassuring words from Almighty God. They are words, which, to a lesser person, might engender pride and even arrogance. But not to Joshua. Because there is an over-riding clause in this encouragement. When we presumptuously appropriate these promises to ourselves, we should, but often do not, look at the condition God made for the success which Joshua was to enjoy.
“Be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do all the Torah which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go”. And if that was not enough, the Lord continued “This Book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.”
Dear friends, God is not encouraging Joshua to fight battles, to do exploits, to clear the Land of the Canaanites, to lead a great army in warfare, or even to stand before the people in judgement. This is an encouragement to Joshua to be strong and faithful to God’s Word. To have the courage to stand up to the dissenters in his midst. To put scoffers in their place, so to speak. To be strong in upholding the Torah of Moses before the people. Inevitably, that would require Joshua to be an example. Unwavering. Steadfast. Consistent. When we see such a record of God’s promises to His servants, like Joshua, are we ready to also take on board the conditions under which such promises are given?
If you doubt God’s righteous judgement in His promises, move on a few chapters and read how and why God chastised the people by defeat in the battle for Ai.
As we enter a new year of study in God’s Word, let us covenant with Him to learn the lessons which are contained therein. Let us ask God to prompt us by His Holy Spirit, to be the kind of believers, doers of His Word, that He has called us to be.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Tabernacles”
Torah Reflections “Tabernacles”
Torah portions Leviticus 22:26 to 23:44 and Numbers 29 :12 - 16
Haftarah portion Zechariah 14 : 1-21
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 a happy occasion. It lasts for seven days and begins and ends with a Sabbath rest. Following just 4 days after the most solemn remembrance of Yom Kippur it is celebrated in a very special way in Israel particularly. The festival is actually known by THREE different English names. Tabernacles, Booths and Ingathering. In Hebrew” Sukkot”.
Each family builds a kind of makeshift shelter, which they call “booths”, outside their home. It is deliberately constructed so that the roof is lightly covered with palm fronds which easily allows those inside the shelter to see the sky above. Observant Jewish families then carry on all normal family activities in and around this shelter. That includes having meals and sleeping. The purpose of these constructions is to cause the family to remember the time when their ancestors lived in this manner in their wilderness journeying’s from Egypt to the Promised Land. Naturally, there is also much storytelling and appropriate scripture reading to encourage and enlighten the experience for the children of the family.
As mentioned above, it is an especially joyful festival.
In terms of our understanding of the prophetic significance of this festival, we need to recall the teaching which accompanied the first two festivals of this season. TRUMPETS heralds the return to this Earth of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in power and great glory. Then follow 10 days of putting things right, before we remember the very solemn festival of YOM KIPPUR which is prophetic of the Great White Throne Judgement.
As the old hymn puts it “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there”. Well this festival is effectively the time for ‘roll calling’. Those who have been judged worthy at the Great White Throne Judgement are invited to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. That is consistent with the joyfulness of the occasion isn’t it? In fact, “the Bride” of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21 : 9 – 27) and there is no place for impurity within its walls. Only those cleansed by the blood of the Lamb participate in the Marriage Supper.
There is ONE more activity associated with this festival in Judaism. On the last day of the celebration is the most joyous parading of the Torah Scrolls through the Streets in Jerusalem, and I suspect, but have not personally witnessed, in other Jewish communities. This is called “Simchat Torah” (Rejoicing in the Torah). It marks the fact that the whole cycle of reading the Torah starts again for another year.
Take time to study and learn the significance of all the “mo’edim” of the Lord. They are full of rich meaning and this festival has been singled out for special mention in the millennial Kingdom. Read it for yourself in Zechariah 14 : 16 -19. It forms part of the Haftarah portion for this week.
Why is this ‘mo’ed’ singled out? For your thoughtful consideration, the first clue comes in Jeremiah 16:14,15. Probably the most memorable day in the Hebrew calendar superseded by a bigger event! Jews restored to the Land in preparation for the return of Messiah. Pesach (which includes Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits) no longer celebrated. Shavuot, traditionally the time of giving of Torah superseded by a New Covenant. Yom Teruah completed by the appearance of Yeshua as King of kings.(No third appearance expected) Yom Kippur, already completed at the White Throne Judgement. And what remains is the joyful time when Yeshua Tabernacles with us for the rest of time. It is the ONLY festival which remains when Yeshua returns to reign. Hallelujah, what a Saviour. Be part of “The great ingathering”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections "Yom Kippur"
Torah Reflections “Yom Kippur”
Torah portions Leviticus 16 : 1- 34 and Numbers 29 : 7 - 11
Haftarah portion Isaiah 57 : 14 to 58 : 14
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.
The 10 days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur are referred to as “the days of awe”. In Judaism, they are days of intraflection and reconciliation … putting things right.. putting things right with God and putting things right with those we live with and associate with on a daily basis. In fact the Scriptures clearly tell us that we cannot be right with God, and be at odds with each other (Matthew 5 : 24).
Those who have visited Israel at this time of year will know that everything stops on Yom Kippur. It is a day of fasting and reflection.( It is the reason why, in 1973, the Arab nations around Israel attacked them on that specific day. There is No Radio, No Television, No answering phones.. NOTHING goes on). The Scriptures declared that all the people have a day of solemn rest and strict Sabbath keeping. A day to “afflict your souls”.
It was the one day in every year, appointed by God, for the Chief Priest to enter the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle and the Temple when they were functioning. The whole purpose of that visit by the Chief Priest was to ensure that he himself, and the Nation of people he represented, were made right with God in preparation for the year that lay ahead.
The awesome significance of this very special day is, regrettably, totally lost to the church. In addition to its special anointing by God, being set apart from all other days as it is, there is a unique event recorded in Revelation which we should all be acutely aware of. It is the day of the WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT. It is represented for us today by the day of Atonement. It is a special day ‘to put things right’.
Revelation 20 : 11 – 15 describes that day of Judgment. It needs no comment from me. The judgement is to determine who is right with God, and who is not. It is there for everyone to read, but before you read it I caution you to read Revelation 22 : 18,19 first. Many ‘Christians’ today have never taken time to even read Revelation, let alone try to understand its message. It is a letter written by Yeshua Himself, or at least dictated by Him to John.
The climax of the whole letter, in fact the climax of the whole message of the Scriptures comes in the next festival of the Lord, the Feast of Tabernacles, which is why these “mo’edim” of the Lord are so important to celebrate, be part of, and to remember.
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
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)
It is certainly a time to watch and pray isn’t it?
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 47
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The final part of the vision John was shown relates solely to the New Jerusalem. The place of eternal abode of the faithful. That city is complete in its structure and sustainability, but it does not have a comparator in our present world.
“The pure water of life, clear as crystal, which proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb” is reminiscent of the river (Genesis 2:10) which watered the Garden of Eden when God first created the world. It is as though ‘right order’ will be restored, as God determined things should be, when He created this universe with the ‘breath of His mouth’. The tree of life is there, perpetually bearing fruit month after month. Paradise. “There shall be no more ‘curse’ there” (that word means ‘imprecation’, spoken curse, as in no more conflict) “but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.” Who would dare to speak any abomination in their presence?
Those who inhabit the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ, “shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” It is interesting to recall the encounter Moses had (Exodus 33) when he asked God “Please, show me Your glory.” God responded with the statement “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” That was then. In the future New Jerusalem, all will see Him, and live for eternity in His presence. “And they shall reign forever and ever.”
And that, it seems is the end of John’s vision. It started with that visit into the throne room of heaven, and the sealed scroll. There was no-one in heaven or on earth found worthy to open the scroll then. And it has ended with the establishment of the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ, which will live for eternity. Then the voice again “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Repeating the promise found right at the beginning. “Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Must be important eh! And suddenly the angel who had been escorting John at this late stage of the vision found John on his knees worshipping him. The angel scolded John, “See that you don’t do that.” He said, “for I am a fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”(he might have added, “and Him alone”). I find these words quite challenging. Think about the way so many of us don’t think like that. Think about the veneration and honour given today to some of the gifted teachers of the gospel. Think about the way in which the gospel writers, Paul (a veritable giant of the faith) in particular, are viewed. Some even perceive Paul’s words superior to the very words of Yeshua! Listen again to the words of this angel “See that you don’t do that, Worship God.”
But there is still a little more for us to learn here. The voice sounded again “And behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”
“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Which city? The New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ. “I, Yeshua, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the “ekklesia”, I am the Root, and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning star.”
We have already quoted the promise of blessing to those who read, who hear, and who DO, what is written in this prophecy. And the book ends with another equally faithful promise.
“And if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
No other part of the whole of Scripture has such a codicil attached to it! So we may well ask ourselves. How important does God view this book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John?
I pray you will receive the blessing of YHWH Elohim, as you read, or hear read, and do, the things which are written in this book, to the glory of God and for your own salvation blessing.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 46
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The Great White Throne judgement is completed. The lake of fire now contains the devil and his cohorts. Death and Hades are consigned to that lake too. Furthermore, anyone who does not have their name written in that Book of Life, has also joined Satan in that lake as well. The thousand year reign of Messiah Yeshua has passed. Satan’s deception is finished. In another place, the eternal home of the faithful is ready for occupation. What a picture!
John seems awestruck, not for the first time either. He who sat on the throne said “Behold I make all things new.” And followed that up with the urgent instruction to John. “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” It seems that John was so absorbed in what he was being shown, that he stopped writing, just staring in wonder at what was before him. “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. (Then, as an aside, in a kind of message for the day, as up to date as it can be, even today) I will give of the water of the fountain of life freely to him who thirsts.” That water of the fountain of life is freely available TODAY, now, as you read this ‘reflection’. But it was no longer available to those who had already been consigned to the lake of fire was it?
John was shown “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth has passed away.” And there was NO MORE SEA. The earth on which we now live is over 70% covered by the seas!! There is almost too much detail here to grasp on first reading. Some of it is in a kind of reflective recall of events which will have already passed, and some, so enlightening that one wonders how we could have got it so wrong! Ask the question of any of your Christian friends “Who is the ‘bride’ of Christ’?” A huge majority will quickly respond that ‘the church’ is the bride of Christ. Well, surprise, surprise! That is not what John saw in his vision. “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” And as this spectacle unfolds, one of the angels who had previously carried one of the seven ‘bowls of God’s wrath’ and poured it out on the earth, came and talked to John. “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife” he said. At that point, John was carried away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. A place where he could clearly see. And what did he see? “The great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.” That city is described in some detail.
It had an appearance of a very special and costly precious stone, but clear as crystal. It had high gates, twelve of them, each being named after one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was obviously square in dimension, and each side had three gates. Then we are told that the walls had twelve foundations! Each of which was named after one of the twelve ‘apostles of the Lamb’. It seems to be a remembrance of the work of the Apostles, all of whom were eventually martyred for their faith. A permanent, eternal, tribute to their faith.
Are you ready for a shock? How BIG is this New Jerusalem? The Bride of the Lamb. Well today, a “furlong”, the length of which was standardised in England about 700 years ago, is 660 feet, about 200 meters. The angel who spoke to John had a measuring line to accurately define the city size. IF that measure were the same then as it is today, the New Jerusalem would be 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles wide, and 1,500 miles high. Imagine a city extending from Adelaide to Perth, Perth to Broome, Broome to Alice Springs, and Alice Springs to Adelaide. And 1,500 miles high. Well, of course, for us it is unimaginable isn’t it? But it is BIG. And the walls! Well they are to be about 65 meters thick! Made out of gold and precious stones. Spectacular. Glorious. Unique.
But, considering the fact that the whole of the Scriptures are centred upon Jewish people, Jewish customs, Jewish heritage, Jewish future, Jewish everything! There is NO temple in the New Jerusalem. It is very important for us to distinguish the differences between the millennial kingdom of God, when Yeshua reigns on this earth, where there WILL be a temple. (The temple described in Ezekiel 40 to 48). And the New Jerusalem, where a temple is not required.. Why? “The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Worship, praise and honour will be theirs alone.
The sun and the moon will NOT be required either. Why? “For the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” There will be NO night. No darkness. So completely different to the functioning of the world we live in isn’t it? “The nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth (that is, the ones who will be in that New Jerusalem) bring their glory and honour into it.” All glory will be to God and the Lamb.
Finally, the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem. It is a BIG city, lots of room, but who will its inhabitants be? We learned earlier that “The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which IS the second death.” They are gone. Nowhere to be found anymore.
“But there shall by no means enter it (the New Jerusalem) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Friends, the Scripture could not possibly be any clearer. The ONLY qualification for having ‘eternal life’ in the New Jerusalem, is having your name written in THAT Book. NOTHING else suffices. Make all the logical exceptions that come to your mind. Not one of them will “cut the mustard”! This is why this Book of the Revelation of Yeshua, given to John is such a blessing. It spells out unequivocally, so no doubt can remain, how each of us can become inheritors of the eternal life which is offered by the sacrificial death and resurrection of our Master and Saviour, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 45
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
We ended last week with those who were blessed to participate in the first resurrection. “Over them the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him for a thousand years.”
At the end of this thousand years, for reasons that are the exclusive domain of YHWH Elohim, (don’t even try to work it out), Satan is amazingly released from the ‘bottomless pit’. Whereas he had earlier been allowed access into the heavenlies, prior to his downfall, on this release from the ‘bottomless pit’ he is confined to the earth only. And that for a specific time and purpose. We do not know how long he will be allowed, but his purpose is the same as now. “A leopard does not change his spots” says the proverb. Again Satan engages in deception. He will be allowed to go to nations that extend to the far corners of the earth. Then for reasons that are inexplicable, he presumably will find multitudes (the Bible describes the number of them “as the sands of the seashore”), who, having lived throughout the thousand year reign of Messiah Yeshua, can still be deceived into entering into battle with Him.
The description is concise, and the result conclusive. “They (those who were deceived by Satan) went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city (Jerusalem). And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” But Satan, the deceiver, has a different end. “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet (already) are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Selah. As at this time, there will be THREE identities in that lake of fire. The beast, the false prophet, and the devil. As we proceed with this ‘reflection’ we will find that there are yet more to join them! It is the final ‘cleansing’ of the earth’s population. All opposition to the reign and rule of Messiah Yeshua will finally be numbered and dealt with.
John, in his vision, was then witness to an awesome event which is to take place in the future. He saw “The Great White Throne” on which the Judge of all the earth, the Judge of all those who have inhabited the earth, sits. No-one will be able to look upon that Throne, such is the Might and Majesty of Him who sits upon it.
Look carefully at this next phase of events. It is absolutely vital that we all understand this. John said “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God.” These are NOT resurrected. They are the dead. And what did John see? The BOOKS were opened. What is that again? BOOKS? Do you mean that there is a record of MY life … written in a book? O NO!! O yes my friend, and those books are opened by the Judge. We are even told the basis of that judgment. According to the vision John saw, “the dead were judged according to their WORKS, by the things which were written in the books.”
But there is another book. It is called “The Book of Life” (sometimes referred to as “The Lambs Book of Life”). A friend of mine once described this heavenly scene in layman’s language. The picture is that of a person standing before that Throne and being asked the question by the Judge as He looked to take that person’s book from the shelf. “And who are you?” Then Yeshua steps forward and gently speaks to the Father. “He is with Me Father.” So the Judge says “Come in, well done good and faithful servant.” That is what having one’s name in the Book of Life might look like.
But there is no such comfort for others. Death and Hades gave up their dead for judgment. No advocate to stand before the holy Judge pleading the case. Alone, with the books opened. Judged according to one’s works.
The final words of this ‘reflection’ need no further comment.
“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” Thus joining the beast, the false prophet, and the devil. But that is not the last of it. “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was (also) cast into the lake of fire.”
Sounds like the end of a very bad experience doesn’t it? And it is. But it need not be. The blessing of God, given to us in this horrible description of these future events, is that there is still time for you to have your name written in that Book of Life.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 44
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
An interesting comment to begin this account of events which will bring us closer and closer to the millennial reign of Yeshua on this earth. John saw an angel coming DOWN from heaven. Have you ever wondered where ‘heaven’ actually is? Is it a place? Is it somewhere just ‘in the presence of God’? Well, of course John had been given a guided tour hadn’t he? So it must have a physical location, and now we know it is UP. And the angel who comes down is holding a large chain, and a key. This angel must be powerful, acting with the complete authority of YHWH Elohim, because he will take hold of Satan, bind him with the chain and cast him into that bottomless pit. John is here given a vision of this momentous future event. Satan bound, restrained, powerless, locked in that bottomless pit for one thousand years (or is it two thousand?). And right here we are given a glimpse of that moment when this earth becomes free from satanic influence. But this is NOT the end of Satan, it is NOT the lake of fire, into which, at this stage, the Beast and his prophet will have already been cast. That comes later. Much later.
Neither is it the end of John’s vision. Because John was then shown “thrones” with people sitting on those thrones. They were powerful people to whom “judgement was committed.” That is very high office. BUT who are the “they” sitting on those thrones? At the risk of ‘throwing a spanner into the works’ regarding the teaching of sincere Christian doctrine regarding the resurrection (otherwise known as “the rapture”), there is no support for such doctrine in this scripture! We may speculate about the identity of those who sit on those “thrones”, but that is all. My speculation was that it was the ‘martyrs’ from the ‘great tribulation’. But that cannot be because we are immediately informed that John then saw ‘the souls of those martyrs’. They were not bodily resurrected. But they lived and reigned with Yeshua Ha’Mashiach for a thousand years.
Friends, avoid the temptation to argue this point. We simply do not know. God knows. The wise among us will be content to stick with scripture. Be cautious to remember both the blessings and the curses which accompany this Book, about adding or taking away from it. The blessings declared at the beginning, and the curses clearly enunciated at the end.
What we do know however, is that those who are alive during this tumultuous period of time, which is referred to as ‘the great tribulation’, will be rewarded with privilege for their faithfulness. That is clearly stated in this passage. “They will live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.”
The very next verse in our Bible is a ‘conversation stopper’. “But the rest of the dead (have a think about that) did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” “protos anastasis” in Greek. Now you have to do some fancy word manipulation to read anything into that other than what it actually says. BUT, I hear, Paul said in his letter to the Thessalonian “ekklesia”, “The dead in Christ shall rise first etc etc.” Yes he did. But the only conflict there is related to what we have been taught that to mean. It is a comforting teaching. It teaches that the “church” is removed from the earth, and so avoids the great tribulation. But as we have just seen, there are a number of ‘saints’ beheaded for their faith in that tribulation period. Where did they come from? They are the very ones whose souls “live again and reign with Christ for a thousand years” aren’t they? Be very careful to understand the actual words used in the scriptures!
If that isn’t enough, look at what comes next. There is immense comfort in these words. “Blessed and holy (set apart) is he who has part in the first resurrection (protos anastasis). Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Here commentators are divided on this period of ‘a thousand years’. Is there ONE period of ‘a thousand years’ or are there TWO distinct periods. In the scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter does it? What does matter however, is that those of us who live today are informed about these events, The key issue, about which we should all be concerned, is that we place ourselves into that situation where “the second death has no power.” There is little we can do to avoid the first death. But there is plenty we can do to be part of the “first resurrection”. Selah.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 43
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazingjohn is shown spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
John returned to the vision of the risen Saviour, now riding on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, also riding white horses. An awesome sight for sure. The description is not as full as the one John gave us in chapter 1, but there is no doubting the Person he described. But now, His garment is “dipped in blood”. The battle is described in some detail in Ezekiel 38:18-23 and again in Zechariah 14. The major factor being the very presence of the One who Himself engages in that battle so that His garments are bloodstained.
To add to the revelation, John is shown His Name, which, he said, no-one previously knew. That name is called “The Word of God”. However, John had also told us at the commencement of his gospel account of the life of Yeshua, that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and a little later that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Could it be that John felt that he was uniquely privileged in that he was the only one previously entrusted with this knowledge?
In verse 15 he described the dominance of Yeshua in the battle. Our previous knowledge of Him on His earthly sojourn was of a man of great patience, tender, loving, gentle. Even refusing to speak in His own defence before the Chief Priest in the face of false accusations about Himself, until the High Priest ‘put Him under oath’ in Matthew 26:63. It was at that point, if He had He remained silent, He would be considered guilty as charged (albeit falsely). Look at Leviticus 5:1 for the reason He was forced to respond!
But the Yeshua John now described was very different. Now we are introduced to Yeshua, “King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.” Mighty in battle, ruling nations with a rod of iron, executing the righteous judgement of YHWH Elohim. As I write, I am reminded of the famous Hymn, written by Francis Ridley Havergal about 150 years ago.
Who is on the Lord’s side?
Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers,
Other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side?
Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side?
Who for Him will go?
Well, the truth is, that He does not seek our help in this battle. He is more than capable of defeating these oppressive foes on His own. And He surely will. And the result of that conflict provides the fulfilment of the prophetic writing of Ezekiel two and a half thousand years ago (Ezekiel 39). The feast of the birds. The Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy to the birds of that great feast day which would occur. The Lord also told him that after this great battle, the people would be ‘cleansing’ the land by burying the remnants of the dead for seven months after the battle had ended. They would need to search the land for bones left behind by the birds in order to commit them to the ground in burial.
But not everyone in opposition armies will be killed by the sword. Two persons are singled out for a different end. ‘The beast’, that man of peace who appeared seven years earlier to make the treaty with Israel. And the one identified as his ‘false prophet’, the one who deceived the people with his miraculous powers. The one who deceptively caused people to accept the ‘mark of the beast’ on their bodies. Both will be taken alive, and cast unceremoniously into the ‘lake of fire burning with brimstone’.
Yet this is still not quite the end! But it is the beginning of the end. The forces arraigned against Israel in the last days will have been defeated. It will be the end of the tribulation years. It will mark the time when “all Israel will be saved” as the Apostle Paul wrote. It marks the time when Israel will “look on Me, whom they pierced, and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son.” (Zechariah 12:10) It marks the time when “the world will know that I am the LORD.” The prophetic fulfilment of Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, has at last occurred..
So what is left? Satan is still to be dealt with, and Judgement Day, that day, still prophetically unfulfilled, Yom Kippur, lies ahead. This vision given to John leaves nothing unrevealed, but we need to ready ourselves.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 42
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
It seems that the worst is over doesn’t it? Babylon has fallen. Conquered. Destroyed. “Her smoke rises up for ever and ever”. Perpetually desolate. The hosts of heaven join in loud praise. “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honour and power belong to the Lord our God!” In the throne room of heaven, the 24 Elders and the 4 living creatures which are full of eyes, fell down in worship, adoration and praise. It will be, because we are still looking at a future situation, a triumphant, yet personally distressing few years for the faithful, as Satan and his disciples resist their inevitable end. Beginning with the appearance of ‘the man of peace’, and ending with the fall of the system we identify as ‘Babylon’.
So the proclamation from the throne of heaven saying “Praise our God, all you His servants, and those who fear Him, both small and great!” The response from the multitudes in heaven is loud and clear. “The Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
We should take a moment or so to find out who this “wife” is. Most people will quickly identify that “wife” as ‘the church’ (whatever we think that to be). That very word ‘church’ is widely misunderstood today because it has been so commonly used to describe a building on the corner of the local High Street. Additionally, there are several different groups identified with that word, even though their understanding of discipleship and servanthood varies enormously.
In the gospels, the only mention of the bride and the bridegroom in the same sentence is John the Baptizer in John 3:29. Elsewhere only the bridegroom is mentioned. By inference there has to be a bride if there is a bridegroom! Paul, writing to the Ephesian “ekklesia” about the order in families, compares a husband as head over the wife, to Christ being the head of the “ekklesia’. This is the single most quoted reason for thinking that the “ekklesia” IS the bride. However, we will see when we ‘reflect’ on Revelation 21 that John is shown "the bride, the Lamb’s wife”. It is clear, unequivocal, and described in great detail.
John is again dumbstruck in his vision of the things he was shown, so that the angel conducting him around the heavenlies had to remind him to “Write”. This is so important. “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” We know from other places in the Scriptures that there will be many disappointed folk on that day. Probably the most condemning verses in all the Scriptures are found in Matthew 7:21-23. I have pondered what they declare many times as I review my own walk with the Lord. And I respectfully encourage you to do likewise. It is that important. I especially encourage anyone interested enough in their future to come to terms with the last phrase of verse 23. What does it mean to “practice lawlessness.” Remembering that “law” is an incorrect translation of the Hebrew word “Torah” in our Bibles. Selah.
John was so impressed that he fell on his face before the angel to worship him. The angel roundly scolded him. “See that you do not do that!” Why? Then the angel said “I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy.” The angel identified himself as an equal with John. Could he have been a Jewish believer who had pre-deceased John? Well we don’t know, but what we do know is that the clear message is that God alone is to be worshipped. Not Abraham, not Moses, not Elijah, not Paul, not Peter, or John, or any other proclaimer of the good news. Not one’s favourite TV evangelist, or preacher, teacher or commentator on the Scriptures.
Before anyone accuses of excluding our Saviour and Master. Yeshua from this list, I am mindful that Yeshua, during His earthly ministry, went to great pains to express His Unity with the Father God. I am mindful that we are told that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” That says it all doesn’t it? He is the One, that inexplicable part of our God, who left His heavenly abode to identify with humanity and pay the price for our eventual redemption. To Him be glory, praise and honour. But that is honour NOT to be given, or shared, with any other on earth or in heaven.
Blessing continues as we delve more into this unique view of the heavenly realm, which John was privileged to see in his vision.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 41
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
Just like last week, we ‘reflect’ again on the fall of Babylon as we continue to look at the remainder of Revelation 18. It could be appropriate to title this passage “The great lament”. It focuses entirely on the dismay, the incredulity, the shock, and the swiftness, which the fall of Babylon will bring to the world of commerce and to those who do not heed the many warnings and opportunities to repent. The cry of those who lament can be heard “In one hour, in just one hour!” And that brings to mind the promise of God regarding the return of our Lord, brought to us by Paul writing to the Corinthian ‘ekklesia’ “In a moment, at the sound of the last trumpet, in the twinkling of an eye.” And at the risk of being charged with “adding” to the Scriptures, in my mind I hear other voices crying “Too late, too late.” But the good news for us is, that right now, it is not too late. The picture we are given is prophetic of still future events.
Last week we ended our ‘reflection’ with an image of the great harlot who rides the scarlet beast, representative of the excesses of Babylon and her wanton disregard of all things Godly, proudly proclaiming her arrogant invulnerability. “I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.” And this week, our Scripture passage opens with words which describe the prophetic vision given to John, “Therefore her plagues will come in one day – death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Completely humiliated, in one hour, for the whole world to see, and to marvel at, in reflection of the warnings of the faithful who had lost their lives in martyrdom.
‘The lament’ is the lot of those who benefited and grew rich from the excesses of “Babylon”. In some respects, that “Babylon” is all around us today. Rank commercialism, with which we are both absorbed and enamoured. It appears to dictate the idealism which is held in such high regard by so many of us in our present day world. It is in our clamour for more and more ‘stuff’. It is in the way we seem to care more about what we have, than who we are. And has little regard for where we are heading! And ‘in one hour’, as verse 19 of our text tells us ‘she is made desolate’. Gone for ever.
But that is only part of the story. That is the lament of those dispossessed of their former allegiance. The other side of the story relates to the faithful. To those who heeded the warnings. Including those who ‘came out of her’. Those who heard the alarm bells and escaped in time. Today, there is still time! The angel with the loud voice said “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her.” That sounds a bit like ‘gloating’ doesn’t it? But it is not. It is an observation of the holiness and faithfulness of God. It is God fulfilling another of His promises. What He says, He will do. Always. Perhaps not in our time scale, but in His perfect time. And as yet, we do not have that understanding. “Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.” It is as certain as night follows day.
In emphasis of this event, we are shown a picture of contrast between what is, and what will be. A glimpse of the ‘desolation’ to come.
“The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft will be found in you anymore, and the sound of the millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore.”
Then the angels give us the reason for this desolation. We need to recall that this system which is to be removed, is the system of order in this world which is presently under the control and direction of Satan. We are being shown the result of that final battle, the battle which was won in the death and resurrection of Yeshua. It is a done deal.
“For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth (because of their faith).”
It is truly a horrible picture. This whole ‘revelation’ contains detail of horrible events. So horrible that many preachers won’t touch it with a proverbial ‘barge pole’. The more is the pity, because it is God’s timely warning for those wise in the Spirit to take heed. You will receive blessing as you do.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 40
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The downfall of Babylon is announced by another mighty angel, speaking in a loud voice. Isn’t it interesting how many times this expression is used. Why does it always seem that important announcements are made with a loud voice? Is it because God wants to ensure that everyone hears? No excuse that ‘no-one told me’. In this case, the whole earth was illuminated with the glory of this angel who, we are told, also had great authority. “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird.” Now this is the announcement of the fulfilment of prophecy which was actually proclaimed hundreds of years earlier. Babylon (modern day Southern Iraq) will be one of two areas (the other being Edom, present day Southern Jordan) destined to become totally desolate in the Millennial Kingdom of Messiah Yeshua. Both Jeremiah, in chapters 50 and 51, and Isaiah 13, which describes ‘the burden against Babylon’ which the Lord showed him, in verse 20 says “It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation.” That is complete desolation! There is also reference in this ‘burden against Babylon’ to the fact that God uses the surrounding kingdoms (the ten kings who are in subjection to Anti-Christ) to turn against Babylon, as we read in last week’s ‘reflection’. The very consistency of the Scriptures should be a cause for every believer to shout praise to our God. He is worthy of our praise.
But the mighty angel, who makes the first announcement, is replaced by another who proclaims another message. “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive her plagues.” I have commented previously that I am a bit unsure about the timing of some of these matters. It is natural to see the events sequentially, but in this second announcement I am inclined to the view that this is included in this visionary prophecy, as a pre-event warning. Having been told what is going to happen, Jew and gentile believers (my people) are urged to get out whilst there is time. It also seems to me that because Babylon is both a geographic area, destined to become desolate, and also, as in our text, an image of debauchery and general sinful godlessness, this second announcement appears as a loving plea from God to everyone to make certain lifestyle changes. And that particularly applies to everyone who desires citizenship of His kingdom, regardless of one’s place of residence.
So what the Lord has shown me is that it is time for me, (others who read this ‘reflection’ must make their own appraisal) to pause, take stock, consider my position, to carefully examine myself, and to evaluate the extent to which I might have fallen under the influence of this “deceitfully attractive harlot who rides the scarlet beast”. How much of Babylon have I unwittingly absorbed into my own lifestyle? Because the angel with the loud voice says “Come out of her.” Selah.
The next part of this proclamation is not easily understood. “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” That part is easy. But it goes on “Render to her just as she rendered to you.” The plain reading is suggestive of ‘those who come out of her’ taking some vengeful action. “Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup that she has mixed, mix double for her.” There are plenty of Scriptures which warn against the people taking vengeance. But they all relate to revenge against the children of men. That is clearly specified as the domain of Almighty God. Here in this instance, we have already ‘reflected’ in the “bowl judgments” of the wrath of God being visited upon the earth. Verse 7 of our text might provide a clue. “In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow.” Anyone who has been used to adoration and acclaim, seeing themselves as ‘top dog’, so to speak, would be utterly deflated by being ignored. I do not claim authoritative perception here, but it seems to me that possibly the very act of “coming out of her”, turning around and pursuing God’s agenda, would have such effect as to provide some kind of revenge, passive as it is, for the excesses of the past.
“For she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow’.” But she does, and she will, as she is abandoned by those who formerly feted her.
All this is in the future. But it can be today as we take heed to the warnings provided through this Spirit led visionary journey of John into heaven.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 39
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
Last week we identified the characters the angel showed John when he took him into the wilderness. We ended last week as John was being given much detail of the beast (the Anti-Christ), and the meaning of the vision of the woman riding on that scarlet beast.
All the speculation in the world will not identify any of these people until the final seven years of this age unfolds. And we are not yet at that point. But the wise among us WILL know their identity when these things happen, because this is what this visionary visit into heaven is all about.
“Here is the mind that has wisdom” the angel said. In paraphrase. ‘put on your thinking cap and pay attention.’ “The seven heads (of the beast) are the seven mountains on which the woman sits.” So this fierce looking beast is representative of a geographical place (or places). And in large measure, this woman exercised control over that area(s). “There are also seven kings (rulers, emperors, dictators, men in charge).” Now here again, commentators have exercised their imagination, but we need to be clear that while this prophecy is intended for our edification, it also had to be within the scope of John’s understanding. And then John is given some information which, to the wise, should be quite clear. Referring to the territory of the kings, “five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when HE comes (the next king) he must continue a short time.” So, the seven kings now have their term of office explained. Most, if not all, people would agree that this is a reference to the various “Empires” which have been a fact of history, and would be well within John’s understanding. (Some also see them as the period of rule of specific Emperors of Rome, and thus neatly leading to the identity of the last as part of the Papacy of Rome! That popular identification declares that the present Pope Francis (2018) will in fact be the last) But actually identifying the “five fallen” is not that easy. The statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the Book of Daniel would seem to provide three candidates, FOUR if we include the “which is”. So we need to identify another TWO which have fallen.
The most general consensus considers the “five fallen” to be the reigns of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persian, and Greece. Of those, only the last three are part of Daniel’s statue. And the sixth one ‘which is” would be Rome. The seventh, who will be around ‘a short time’ (seven years) would be the Anti-Christ (also called ‘the beast’). The eighth, will come from the list we have already, and the fact that ‘he is going to perdition’, identifies him as Anti-Christ because both he and ‘the false prophet’ are destined for that end., as indeed are Satan, Death, and Hades, together with those whose names are not inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
My turn to speculate! I find myself pondering the thought relating to verse 11 of our text, that IF Anti-Christ, who will appear as the man of peace, is Satan incarnate, who presents himself as a clever, wise human being, he will be locked in the ‘bottomless pit’ for 1000 years after this ‘end of the age’ vision. Then he will be released for a short time on the earth again. Could that be the time of this eighth king? Well of course, I don’t know. Perhaps I have not gained sufficient wisdom! But what I do know is this. Everyone who takes heed to this prophetic vision of John will know, as these events occur, because the evidence will be overwhelming..
The ten horns are another ten kings. But they will not be identified until the Anti-Christ is known, because they will be ‘puppet kings’ operating under his authority. He will set them up and they will be beholden to him as a result. But their reign will be short also, but they will rule the kingdoms which will make war with “the Lamb”. There surely is not a Christian alive who isn’t acquainted with Armageddon. (I recall on my very first visit to Israel about 1976, on Mount Carmel, having Megiddo pointed out to me by my host. There in the middle of the large plain below was a huge military airfield) So the place is set, the time is set (but we do not have that information) and the result of that war is already determined. The Lamb will overcome. Triumphant again. Having already conquered death and hell, now triumphant over the hordes of Satan.
But there is one last detail. The ten kings, impotent in relation to the beast, are also part of God’s plan of judgement, Read it in verses 16-18. God uses them to bring His judgement on the harlot, she who is the representation of Babylon. That ‘great city’ which corrupted the kings of the earth.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 38
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
We have commented previously about some of the restrictions often imposed by the addition to our Bibles of the convenient Chapter and Verse divisions. We have another here. The subject matter of our ‘reflection’ today actually continues into Chapter 19 of our text, but we will use our best endeavour to try to cover the subject in stages. Many commentators have penned sincere attempts to identify the characters in a modern day idiom. Some appear logical, while others seem quite fanciful. I have read the Revelation text many times, and offer this ‘reflection’ from what the Lord has revealed to me.
It is important, I think, to specify those main characters first. When we see them clearly, we can then identify their role in future events. The whole purpose of the angel who accompanied John through this part of the revelation vision was to clarify, not to confuse. And yet many remain confused by these chapters. In order of their appearance then, we have: - The angel. The great harlot. The kings of the earth. The woman. The scarlet beast. The Lamb.
The angel is one of those who had just poured out a bowl of God’s wrath on the earth. His task now being to show John the judgement which is reserved for the person described as “the great harlot who sits on many waters.” And the “many waters” are specified as “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues.” This indicates the enormous influence which this ‘harlot’ has over the world in which we live.
The great harlot is the subject of God’s judgment. She is about to be called to account for her depraved, devious, and abominable behaviour, as a seducer of the kings of the earth and their subjects. By John’s reaction of great amazement, we might conclude that this ‘harlot’ is capable of great deception, appears to be very attractive, and is seen as a person to be marvelled at.
The woman John saw when taken into a wilderness, which is away from heaven and other city places on earth, is described in some detail. Most commentators have concluded that “the harlot” and “the woman” are the same person. She was splendidly dressed like royalty, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand, a golden cup which was filled with ‘abominations and filthiness’. On her forehead there was a name written, and by that name she is identified as representative of “Babylon”. There are over 80 references to “Babylon” in the Scriptures, which has its root in the Hebrew word ‘babel’ meaning ‘confusion’. Read the story in Genesis 11. So Babylon became synonymous with ‘sin and pride’ in the Scriptures. And it is this ‘sin and pride’, manifest in ‘the woman’ which is the focus of God’s judgement.
The scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns must look quite ferocious, but this beast is being ridden by the woman. So the picture we have is of a seductress, unafraid of this beast, which we are told was ‘full of names of blasphemy’, and seemingly in control of it, parading herself throughout the earth.
John seemed awestruck at the sight before his eyes. And as he tried to make sense of it, as he marvelled at the sight, the angel brought him back to his senses. “Why did you marvel?” he said. “Listen carefully and I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast.” Now friends, it is at this point that many commentators have exercised their own imagination to see events in history which appear to line up and fit comfortably with the explanation the angel is about to give. I urge you to exercise caution yourself in reading ‘fact’ into the speculation of the commentators. There are some things we still do not know!
The beast is not. That means in John’s day he was not in evidence. He will come out of the bottomless pit. (That is the same place from which came to locust like creatures of torment at the sounding of the fifth trumpet.) And he is headed for perdition. But ‘the beast was, and is not, and yet is’!! This is in marked contra-distinction to Almighty God “who was, and is, and is to come.” Omnipresent. And yet those without faith will marvel at the beast because the description given by the angel suggests that he once was, then was not (in evidence), and now here he is again. Like being brought back to life.
The angel has much more to say about this matter. We will ‘reflect’ more next week.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 37
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
As dreadful and devastating as were the calamities which accompanied the opening of the seven ‘seals’, and the sounding of the seven trumpets, there is yet more sorrow to be revealed. Just before the seventh trumpet sounded, heralding the triumphant proclamations of praise in the heavens, we read (Revelation 11:14) that “the second woe is past. Behold the third (and last) woe is coming quickly.” This third ‘woe’ is known as “the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
The heavenly temple was filled with “the ‘smoke’ from the glory of God and His power.” From that temple, a loud voice was heard instructing the seven angels holding the seven bowls “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” And in John’s futuristic vision they did. We are not given any detail of the sequence of the timing of this outpouring. It might be sequential over a short period of time, or it may be simultaneous. In any event it will happen in the time of God’s choosing. And John was allowed to see the effects in great detail. The sea, the land, the rivers, the sun, the throne of the beast, the River Euphrates, and the atmosphere, all were affected as the wrath of God is poured out on this planet, which has been, and still is being, corrupted under the evil influence of Satan and his hordes. It is difficult to imagine that there could be anything worse than the judgements of the ‘seals’ and the ‘trumpets’. But ‘worse’ can also mean ‘more of the same’ or a prolonging of some tragic events. And that is what appears to be the case here.
The first angel poured out his bowl upon the earth. “And a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.” Are we to imagine that only men were so afflicted? Could that be because, under God, men have responsibility to lead their families aright? Or is everyone, men, women, and children, included in the “those who worshipped the image” category? It only matters when one is part of this group. The faithful are well and truly out of this place at that time.
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. Every living creature in the sea died. One third of them had already dies at the sounding of the second trumpet. Now they all perish. No more fish to eat. But there are fish in the rivers aren’t there? Not for long.
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. They became blood. And almost in explanation, the ‘angel of the waters’ said “You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be. Because You have judged these things, for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, for it is their just due.” God has given us good things to enjoy. We have failed to recognize His gracious provision, taking everything for granted. Now it has been taken away. Another angel joined in. “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgements.” (A minister of a church I once attended was asked a question about various categories of people, who for some reason or other had not heard, or not responded to the gospel message through lack of understanding, He honestly responded that he could not answer that question, but then said, “what I do know is that when the time comes that we are acquainted with God’s response, we will say ‘Yes, that’s fair’”.) Selah!
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun so the he was given power to scorch men with fire. The reaction? Call out for mercy? No. They blasphemed the name of God who alone has power over these plagues. We are reminded of Job’s friends, who during his time of testing by Satan, told him to “curse God and die.”
The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. His kingdom was filled with darkness and severe pain. The blasphemy continued and still there was no repentance.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the River Euphrates. It dried up. Out of it came three unclean spirits, like frogs coming out of the water.
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the atmosphere. That gave rise to more thundering and lightening and the mightiest earthquake of all time. Absolute chaos.
And there was still more for John to see. We’ll ‘reflect’ on that next week.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 36
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
After the judgement of the ‘reaping’ of the ones who had ‘the mark of the beast’ engraved on their forehead or hand, another sign is shown to John. God’s wrath has not yet been fully expended. There is one more “woe” to be visited upon the earth. This was first announced just before the seventh trumpet sounded (Revelation 11:14). John saw another seven angels, each bearing a bowl, and each bowl contained a ‘plague’. These ‘plagues’ constitute the end of the wrath of God on the earth. In front of these angels was something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. Must have been a spectacular sight. Then standing on this sea of glass were myriads of martyrs, those who had prevailed against the beast by refusing his demand to be worshipped. True to their faith, they had steadfastly refused to bear his mark on their body. It cost them their life on earth, and it saved their life for eternity.
Now this raises a seriously interesting question in my mind. A classic doctrine of the ‘church’ today, as it has been for centuries, is that of a premillennial “rapture” of the saints. It is a doctrine with which I am familiar because it is what I was taught. But the doctrine goes a bit further in that it supposes that “rapture”, (a word used to describe a resurrection of the dead and a transportation of the living into the clouds) which is not a biblical word, occurs in the middle of the seven year period of the Anti-Christ. Thus it comfortingly sees the ‘church’ avoiding the ravages of the great tribulation. The question that then arises is this. If all the believers have been taken out of the tribulation world, where do those ‘faithful’, who are martyred for their faith, come from? As occasion permits, I might revisit this topic in another subsequent ‘reflection’. But there will be more to say about this when we get to Revelation 20.
So here these martyrs stand, each with a harp of gold, ready to sing praise to their redeemer. Their minds were turned to that great moment of triumph when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt on the dry seabed of the Red Sea. And now they stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. At that time Moses had led the people in his famous song of praise. “I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously.” Now the voices of these martyrs sing in like manner. They too sing the song of Moses, and then they sing the song of the Lamb. “Great and marvellous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.”
I find it interesting that whilst we are told in Scripture that there is NO temple in the coming New Jerusalem, (the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are its temple) there is a temple in heaven. And out of this heavenly temple came seven angels, clothed in pure white linen, with golden chest bands. They were met by one of the four living creatures, one of the four who seemed to be the worship leaders in the throne room of God, full of eyes, constantly saying “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” To each of the seven angels he gave a golden bowl. In those bowls was filled “with the wrath of God”. This is to be the final act of God in relation to the present world age. The third and final “woe’” of which we were warned in Revelation 11.
As the seven angels take their respective bowls of wrath, ready to deliver this final judgement, the temple of heaven was filled with smoke. Doesn’t that remind us of that mighty vision given to Isaiah when he was commissioned to take his prophetic message to the world. (Isaiah 6) The smoke was from the glory of God and from His power. And now we see that in this final act of judgement on those who bore the mark of the beast on their body, no-one in heaven is able to enter the temple there because it is filled with the “smoke” of God Himself.
The descriptions of what he saw, are provided by John, as a prophetic warning. Many people, including many who teach in our churches today, dismiss these descriptions as ‘fanciful’, because such things are too painful to contemplate. The wise among us will take heed, be prepared, and receive the blessing of eternal life.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 35
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
An amazing revelation opens our ‘reflection’ today. Firstly though, we need to understand that the chapter and verse divisions appeared only in the mid 16th century C.E.. The flow of the revelation of events to John was uninterrupted by these divisions, and so the narrative jumps directly from the mystery of the number of the name of Anti-Christ, to the vision of the one hundred and forty four thousand Jewish martyrs, complete with the name of YHWH Elohim on their foreheads. They stand there on Mount Zion with the triumphant Yeshua Ha’Mashaich, ready to serve with Him when He returns to this earth to commence His millenial reign. They were singing to the accompaniment of the music of harpists and the voice from heaven. But there is more. We now discover more detail about these Jewish martyrs. The song they were singing was a new song that no-one else could learn. Furthermore, they were virginal men. Unmarried. No commitment outside of Yeshua. Dedicated men, who had committed themselves completely to His service. They were of the first fruits of Messianic believers. Redeemed by the Lamb. Names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Righteous in His sight because their sin was forgiven. Ready to rule with Him on earth in His new Kingdom.
The sequence of events which follow is not easy to discern. The reason being that there are other passages of Scripture, notably Ezekiel 38 and 39, Daniel 9 and 12, and Zechariah 12 to 14, which make reference to the battles which occur in the last days of this age. I am of the view that there is no disharmony in the Scriptures, and I do not see any, but there is some lack of discernment in my understanding at times! In John’s vision, at this point, there are a number of angels seen flying through heaven, each with a different, but complementary, message. The first angel has the gospel message to proclaim to those left on the earth. To “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” It seems like a ‘one last chance’ message. “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of judgement has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” It is not difficult to imagine the fear, the terror even, which people would feel. It must be palpable. But fear of whom? The “beast” who demands their obeisance and worship? Probably so. Then a second angel follows. His message is one of hope. “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city.” In the Scriptures “Babylon” is invariably equated to evil. Jeremiah 51 has something to say about that. So the message of this angel is that ‘Evil has been defeated, you need have no fear if that again.’ In paraphrase here the message is “You are right to be afraid, but not of the one who takes your life, but of Him who can GIVE you life, eternal life. The Creator of heaven and earth.” To complement that message, a third angel proclaims in a loud voice so that all can hear. “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wrath of God etc.” This is followed by a voice from heaven. John seems dumbstruck at this point because he has to be prompted to write the message. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” Why? Because they too will join the band of martyrs who will reign with Him upon His return.
Then the scene takes another turn. There, on a white cloud, “One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.” Almost, as if discerning His unwillingness, a hesitancy to use the sharp sickle, delaying until he last possible moment, providing yet another moment of decision, another angel appears and said with a loud voice, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He did. And we are able to see, in that act of reaping, the fulfilment of the prophetic utterances of Isaiah 63 and Joel 3. But it is not pretty is it? It is an act of judgement in Scripture. The time of giving account. The rest of the text today deals with the great scope of that sad harvest.
It is not possible to leave this account without ‘reflecting’ on the available alternative for mankind. This whole vision, given to John, was not merely to gloat over the grizzly end for those who fall under the spell of the Anti-Christ, the beast. Countless millions will be in that category. The purpose of this revelation is to serve as a gracious, loving, warning. Yeshua, the One who opened the scroll, unlocking the ‘seals’ that we might see these future events, and all that horror, was able to do so because He gave His life in order to provide the warning. It is clearly written in Revelation 13:8. The beast has NO authority over those who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Make sure that your name is written in that Book.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 34
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The scene which John now saw in his vision, returns us to the future. The beast which he witnessed rising out of the sea is quite symbolic. He describes a horrible multi-headed creature with seven heads, on which are a blasphemous name. The picture is symbolic of the person we identify as Anti-Christ. He suddenly appears. In quite recent days, and for a number of years past, many have attached that title to well-known persons, usually with strong political connections. But, just like the creature in John’s vision, we are unlikely to have such a warning of his appearance on earth. He comes from the very pit of hell. Note carefully that John said that he would operate with complete authority from the Dragon, Satan himself. How was he wounded I ask myself? Well I speculate that would have occurred when he was ejected out of his heavenly place when he challenged the authority of God. But somehow, the deadly wound was healed. And as he exercised his authority, the people who were deceived by him (we don’t have to look very far today to see that a majority worship him, and not the living God) worshipped him. Even quite religious people, yes, people who regularly attend churches, worship him due to the deception which pervades our society. Many times under the banner of “fairness” and “equality” and other high sounding imperatives. It seems as though the ground work has already been done!
His deceptive actions, which we know from other Scriptures, also involve making a seven year peace treaty (Daniel 9:27) with Israel. In our visionary explanation today we see that he has free reign for the first half of that time, 42 months. I suspect that he will be treated with immense respect and honour, but then he will start to “ride a horse of a different colour”. We have already been acquainted of this as the seven ‘seals’ were opened. By this time he will exercise immense power and control over the world’s population. We can barely comprehend the scope of this person’s influence. He is given authority over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Absolutely incredible. John is shown that everyone will be taken in by him, EXCEPT those who have their names inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They, because they have read the book, and know the end from the beginning, because they have taken heed to the unblemished word of Almighty God, because they have taken the trouble to understand this prophetic vision of John in Revelation, will reject the demand to worship this “man of peace”. They will be martyred for their faith and will reign with Yeshua on this earth for one thousand years.
And then an accomplice appears. He looks like a lamb, and acts like a dragon. Ruthless. He is referred to later in Revelation as “the false prophet”. He is gifted with miraculous powers. Impressive. Irresistible. Persuasive. Demanding. Fearful and fearless. He commands an image to be made of the “man of peace”. In an awesome feat of powerful magic he causes that statue to speak. It is absolutely beyond human understanding. Try to imagine if you can, the spectacle confronting the people who stand in front of that statue. (I recall some years ago visiting Disneyland, going into a theatre there and seeing a statue of Abraham Lincoln, his lips moved, and the Gettysburg Address came from his image. But that was ‘smoke and mirrors stuff!! And everyone knew it.) I am firmly of the opinion that we are not in ‘smoke and mirrors’ territory with this ‘man of peace’. This will be the deceptive, destructive, power of Satan at work. I do not say that in reverence of him, but in recognition that he is a powerful adversary, not to be treated lightly.
And then, from this awe-inspiring display of power will come the demand that he be worshipped in the temple, on threat of death. Can you imagine any Jew acquiescing to that? I can’t. And so countless numbers of them will lose their lives, and from them, I believe, will come the 144,000 who will also reign with Yeshua in the millennial kingdom.
The final act will be to require everyone to bear his mark on their body. Hand or forehead. Without that mark it will not be possible to purchase food. A cashless society for which the world has been preparing for decades. More martyrs will be made in this period. It is called “enduring to the end.”
The last verse contains a mystery. The number of his name, 666. Every Hebrew letter has a numeric value. The first ten letters 1 to 10. The next ten letters 20, 30 40 etc. and the remainder 200, 300, 400. When you have worked it out, please let me know the answer.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 33
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
After the seventh trumpet was sounded, and victory was being celebrated in heaven, there was another demonstration of God’s power on earth with sounds of thunder, great hail, lightenings, and an earthquake. And in heaven, a great sign appeared. It was an unusual sign. A pregnant woman, “clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. And the woman cried out in labour as she was about to give birth.”
This is one of those places in Revelation where our human understanding gets a shock! We quite naturally read the text sequentially, expecting that this is will be an event in the chronology of the future, which is what we have just been ‘reflecting’ upon. But scholars appear united in the view that this is almost certainly a ‘flash back’ to the time when Yeshua was born, and continues in a few short sentences until His triumphant return to the throne room of heaven when He was able unlock the ‘seals’ of the scroll. So it is a parallel account of the past, the present, and the future. It is an illustration of the timelines of God in comparison to our own limitations. In effect, it is a kind of ‘scene setter’, putting the context to the whole story of God’s plan for mankind.
As the story unfolds, we are given an account of the battle which took place for supremacy. “The great dragon of our text, that serpent of old, the Devil and Satan (lots of descriptive text for him), who deceives the whole world, was cast out of heaven with his angels.” This is the battle that took place in the heavenlies when it was decided that Yeshua would come to earth to rule ‘with a rod of iron’. (sound familiar?) Now we might conclude here that the time we are now living in, and all the time for centuries past, has been an interruption to God’s original plan. An interruption caused by that battle in the heavenlies which caused Satan to be thrown out of heaven. And, at the risk of being overly simplistic, in order to get that plan ‘back on track’ it was necessary for another battle to take place here on earth. Death and Hell, the domain of Satan, had to be conquered. The victory in that battle was accomplished in the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua and His triumphant return to the throne room of heaven. And it was upon that triumphant return that He was the only one able to unlock the scroll that we might know how Satan’s role will come to an end. And that, in a proverbial ‘nutshell’ is what this Revelation vision, given to John, is really all about.
But, as we read this account of things still to take place, we see that Satan is not giving up that easily. He is putting up a strenuous fight to survive. The revelation of the events to take place to bring about his complete defeat, things which must occur to restrain him completely, are going to be utterly devastating for the earth. But then, and only then, will Yeshua return to this earth to rule for a thousand years ‘with a rod of iron’, as was the original plan. We also know that those who will rule with Him are those who continue to resist Satan to the end, those who refuse to bow down to him in worship, those who will be, and have been, martyred for their faith, together with 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes.
We can readily recognize the events of our present day as this chapter of Scripture continues. Although there is concentration on the last three and one half years, (in our text “a time and times and half a time” quoting from the prophecy of Daniel) which we identify as the great tribulation period, there is also reference to the whole of mankind, and particularly to those who through the ages have come to put their trust in Yeshua. They are the ones who have borne, and who still bear, the brunt of Satan’s attacks. And if anyone cares to think about it, we cannot escape the fact that the people group who, through the ages, have known the greatest indescribable and most continuous persecution are those who are called by God’s name, the Jews. These are people who outwardly, overtly, obviously, wear their allegiance to YHWH Elohim as a badge of honour.
Many commentators have bravely attempted to explain the imagery and detail of the descriptive language of these visions given to John. I do not claim such insight, but as I ‘reflect’ on the words I read, I trust God to provide me with the sense of what His message is for us today. I trust God to show you the message He has for you, and to bless you, as He promised He would, as you read the words of the text.
Shabat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 32
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
Revelation seals and trumpet judgments (a review)
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
Over the last few weeks we have been alerted, in our ‘reflections’, to a series of major events which are destined to occur as this present age comes to a cataclysmic close. They are events which are almost unimaginable to our humanly ordered mind. This week I choose to ‘reflect’ on them again, in the order they are presented to us in this Spirit inspired vision given to the Apostle John. There was lament in heaven because no-one was found to break open the ‘seals’. No-one to utter the dire warnings of things to come so that people on this earth may be warned and prepare themselves. Then Yeshua, our Saviour, having conquered sin and death, who was dead and is alive, returned to take His place in the very throne room of God. He is the One who opened the seals.
(The timing of the “seals” and the “trumpets” covers the period of the last seven years for this age. It seems likely that the turning point, whilst in evidence from the second and third “seals”, comes with a vengeance at the sounding of the fourth seal. This would appear to be the commencement of the final 3 ½ years, which we identify as ‘the great tribulation’. Daniel’s seventieth week.)
The first seal. A man appears on a White Horse. Friendly, compassionate, a man of peace. The man who we can all later recognize as Anti-Christ is revealed. Most of the people will be deceived by him.
The second seal. The same man appears on a Red Horse. Symbolic of a man of war. Disruptive, divisive, pitting man against his neighbour. The ‘man of peace’ is peaceful no longer. Anti-Christ begins his destructive work.
The third seal. Now he rides a Black Horse. Famine and hardship. Those not bearing his mark on their bodies denied the right to buy food. The martyrs of the tribulation begin to mount up. They will reign with the risen Lord Yeshua in the millennial kingdom on earth.
The fourth seal. See Anti-Christ now on a Pale Horse. Death is visited upon one fourth of the earth’s population. Terror reigns. Fear is the weapon used to subdue people. No-one is safe from this ‘beast’ of death.
The fifth seal. The martyrs are identified, their souls resting under the shadow of the heavenly altar. “How much longer O Lord?” is their cry. But the end is not yet. They are given robes of white, identifying their status. The full number of these martyrs still to be brought.
The sixth seal. Natural disaster wreaks more havoc on earth as the full quota of death is visited upon a wicked world. Then another seal is produced in heaven. The seal of God as the one hundred and forty four thousand of the twelve tribes are sealed for God’s purpose. Heaven rejoices in worshipful glory, but on earth complete fear and trembling.
The seventh seal. Total silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then seven angels are handed a trumpet each. At his appointed hour the trumpets will be sounded, and that will herald a new round of disaster for those remaining alive on the earth.
The first trumpet. Hail, fire and blood descends. One third of the earth’s vegetation is destroyed.
The second trumpet. Something like a burning mountain falls into the sea. One third of all sea creatures die. One third of all ships are destroyed.
The third trumpet. A great fiery like star falls to the ground. One third of the rivers are contaminated and many die from drinking the water.
The fourth trumpet. The earth is darkened as one third of the sun, the moon, and the stars are dimmed.
The fifth trumpet. Also sometimes known as the first “woe” introduces the locust like creatures rising from the ‘bottomless pit” bringing great torment to those not protected by 'the seal of God'.
The sixth trumpet. The second “woe”. One third of all mankind will be put to death during this devastating plague of fire, smoke, and brimstone.
The seventh trumpet. A victory trumpet. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord. However, there is still another “woe” to come. That is when the ‘bowls of the wrath of God’ are released. And there are seven of them before the end.
It is not comforting reading is it? But it is a solemn warning for any who know that what God says, God will do. Get yourself ready and prepared.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah portions Exodus 19:1 to 20:23 and Numbers 28 :26 - 31
Haftarah portion Ezekiel 1 : 1-28 and 3 : 12
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 ‘appointed time’ is fixed in relation to Pesach. Seven Sabbaths plus one day later.( In the Christian reckoning, it is called “Whitsun” and is seven weeks after Palm Sunday, but it bears no relationship at all to the ‘mo’ed’ of the Lord specified in Leviticus 23.) Some pretty exciting things happened at Shavuot, and the festival (also known as the Feast of Weeks) figures most significantly in the prophetic calendar as it relates to Yeshua.
Firstly, by Jewish calculation, and there is good evidence for it, this was the time when Moses was on the mountain communing with the Lord and receiving the instructions for righteous living, which we know as Torah. (see Exodus 19:1) That, in my view is cause enough to celebrate. The very Word of God, which is ‘sharper than any two-edged sword’, came to us at this time of the year. An immeasurable blessing. My Bible tells me that Moses spoke “all that the Lord had told him” and wrote it in a book.(Exodus 24: 3 and 7). More importantly, that was the exact time that the first covenant was sealed, when the people voluntarily agreed as they said “all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”.
Secondly, according to Acts 1, Yeshau returned to His Father 40 days after his resurrection from the grave. But He told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Just 10 days later was the festival of Shavuot. Jerusalem was overflowing with people, there for the festival from all over the known world (as it is today for the three pilgrimage festivals). Then came a sound ‘like a mighty rushing wind’. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, the One who points to Messiah, was sent to minister His blessing to those who would receive it.
The disciples, already emboldened at meeting the resurrected Lord Yeshua, were imbued with power from on high. No longer the ‘shrinking violets’ who were shattered by the death of Yeshua on that cruel Roman cross. They spoke boldly to the throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, and miracle of miracles, the foreigners present all heard these fishermen from Galilee speaking in their own several languages. It is almost impossible to imagine. But by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, over three thousand were added to the company of believers that very day. Now that surely is another reason to celebrate.
But there’s more!! Both events related above did not stop.
Today, we have the precious Holy Scriptures, written in so many of the world’s languages. The faithful Jews who were entrusted with those Scriptures have carefully preserved them for our blessing and instruction down through the ages. In the early days, meticulously copying by hand every ‘jot and tittle’. Every yod and vav.
The Holy Spirit of God is alive and well in the earth today. His role on earth is to point us to Messiah Yeshua, by any and all means possible. He brings strength to the ‘weary’, comfort to the ‘afflicted’, guidance to those who seek, and blessing to all who ask.
So if any still wonder why we should celebrate Shavuot, I trust that this ‘reflection’ will provide some answers. But there is a much greater and compelling reason. God commanded it. His promise, is included in the introductory remarks of this ‘reflection’. He will be there to meet all who come. It is a special time. It has never been revoked.
You will be blessed as you meet together and thank Him for His unspeakable gift.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 31
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The angel, from whom John had taken the ‘little book’ and ate it, told John that he would “prophecy again about many peoples, nations, tongues and kings.” And so it seemed that John was being prepared for that task. He was given a ‘measuring rod’ and instructed to “measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.” However, he was clearly told NOT to measure the outer court because that would be given over to the Gentiles to be trampled underfoot for three and one half years. So we should attempt here to identify to which temple this refers.
The Temple which Yeshua knew in Jerusalem, had been destroyed by the Romans about 20 years before John had this vision. We know from Daniel 9:27 that the one identified as Anti-Christ, will demand to be worshipped in a temple in Jerusalem, so we conclude that a new temple will be built before these things can occur. Ezekiel also describes a temple (Ezekiel 40 -48) which is of massive scale, and obviously not yet in existence. Scholars and others have tried to identify the relationship (if any) between these two future temples. A possible crucial clue may be found in Daniel 8:14. This declares that the temple which is “trampled underfoot for 2,300 days”, and desecrated by Anti-Christ “will be cleansed”. That means that it could again be used for proper and regular worshipful activity. In the temple described by Ezekiel, there are several square miles of outer court!! It is generally understood that this will be the temple in use during the earthly millennial reign of Messiah Yeshua. But the study of the various temples mentioned in Scripture is a subject in its own right, and other than the remarks already made, I will not attempt to cover that topic in this ‘reflection’.
We are then advised that there will be TWO witnesses who will prophecy (at this time) for 1260 days. That is very close to the three and one half years we are familiar with in relation to the great tribulation. Daniels 70th week (seven years) is divided into two 3 ½ year periods in which the “man of peace” will make a peace treaty with Israel and the Nations. Now during this time, the two witnesses will be protected to go about their task, and they will possess supernatural powers. Their prophetic pronouncements against the unrepentant on the earth will be a source of great anguish for them, and they will be severely challenged as a result. However, after the 1260 days the two witnesses will be overcome and will be killed and their bodies will be left in the streets to rot. This will be cause for much rejoicing on the earth over their demise. There will be unbridled celebration among the unrepentant.
This is not easy to understand and the reasons are somewhat obscure. Never-the less, after 3 ½ days, to the dismay and horror of these joyous celebrants, the two witnesses will be restored to life. In amazement, the people will hear a loud voice calling the two witnesses to heaven. Then without further warning, the two witnesses will be transported, in a cloud, much as Yeshua was in Acts 1, into heaven. A great earthquake will occur. Seven thousand people will die instantly, a tenth of the city will be wrecked, and then, at last, those left on the earth will recognize that God Almighty is to be praised. He is the one in control. Immediately, the angel sounded the seventh trumpet. At last. The time has come.
“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and Saviour, and He shall reign forever and ever.” The battles are won. Satan has been defeated. There is great rejoicing, praise and worship of Almighty God. He has established His authority. But there is still one more act to take place. We read about it much later in this prophetic Book of Revelation. Satan has still to meet his ultimate destiny.
At this stage however, we, whose trust is in Him, could join with the twenty four elders in their rejoicing. The events are still future, but the promise of God can be relied upon. “We give you thanks O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come. Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.”
Despite currently being in isolation, we live our lives today in relative tranquillity and comfort. It is not difficult to avoid the prospect of dealing with what we have just read. We blot it out. It is just too hard. But dear Christian friend, there are places in this world today, 2020, where similar atrocities are a way of life for believers. Join me in praying God’s mercy love, grace and Shalom to be with those so perilously challenged for their faith. Our turn might come, and sooner than we think.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 30
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
We are still in the period of the sixth trumpet sounded by an angel of God. That trumpet released four angels of Satan who were at the ready to bring great devastation, carnage, and loss of life. One third of the earth’s population slaughtered by a mighty army of two hundred million creatures who arose, like ‘locusts’, out of the ‘bottomless pit’. Those who remain on the earth are the ones who have steadfastly rejected the hand of salvation. Those who worship ‘the beast’, have taken his mark on their bodies, and are now completely in his control.
But then another angel of God appeared out of heaven. The description of this ‘mighty angel’ suggests a number of things. His task is very important in the context of the happenings which had just taken place. The rainbow on his head is indicative that his mission is a peaceful one, and his face and his feet are characteristic of the manner which has previously been descriptive of the risen Yeshua. But look! He is holding a booklet in his hand. His feet are spread so as to stand on both land and sea. His message is for all who are left. As he opened his mouth to speak, his voice was like seven thunders, and those seven thunders proclaimed a message. John quickly took up his pen to write the message, as he had been commanded to do previously, but immediately another voice came from heaven. From the reaction of the mighty angel, we may assume that voice to be the voice of Him who sits on the throne. “Do not write what you have just heard from the seven thunders.”
We can only speculate why. God is in absolute control and He had determined that the end was not to be revealed yet. But the mighty angel had been assigned a task. He had fulfilled that task. The programme of events were progressing according to plan. They still are. But God was not ready for John to reveal the next phase just yet. So He stopped him. The ‘mighty angel’ raised his hand to heaven. “Lord, do not delay any longer.” Can you hear him continue? “It is time for the seventh trumpet Lord.” The righteous had been tested and removed from the earth. The angel thought everything was ready for the mystery of God to be revealed. But God had one more thing for John to experience as he was consumed by this Spirit led vision of events to take place at the end of the age.
God spoke directly to John. “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” And He continued. “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
Wouldn’t it be good to know precisely what this means? And to have the interpretation of it clearly spelled out in our Bible? Well, yes it would. But God has not told us ‘precisely’, so we don’t know ‘precisely’ do we? And neither is there much of a clue in the text to give us a reasonable start to our investigation. Many commentators have bravely attempted an interpretation, but in all honesty, we are left to speculate if we require some explanation. It is a booklet, so it is not the Bible, which contains many books. It is not the “Lamb’s Book of Life” because that is never referred to as anything else. It is not a “NEW book of Scripture” as some have speculated (in the manner of the Book of Mormon, or the Quoran of Islam). Others, taking a cue from Revelation 9:20,21 have suggested that it is a book recording the sin of man, which appears sweet to some, but in the end goes horribly bitter in the end. Again we should take heed to the caution contained at the end of this Revelation, not to add to nor take away from, anything which is written herein. Best we leave it at that eh?
Finally, in our reading this week, the angel spoke to John about what he must do as a result of the experience he was having by being given this visionary guided tour of the heavens. “You must prophecy again about many peoples, nations, tongues and kings.” We all know that John the Apostle was a faithful prophet of God, having penned the gospel account which bears his name and had written three loving letters of encouragement to the saints on earth. His record is a good one. Certainly countless numbers of people can attest to that. One can only think that this is a statement of reference to this Book of Revelation, which might almost be considered to be all prophetic. It definitely refers to a time still future to us today, and possibly to generations still to come. The fact that we are ‘reflecting’ on it today is proof that John was faithful to the command of that angel on his visionary journey.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 29
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
Our human understanding leads us to see events in sequence as they are reported, but in this Book of Revelation, I believe that we are told of some events which are simultaneous, even though they are textually sequential. The events heralded by this fifth trumpet is one such. The ‘star’ fallen from heaven to earth is Satan himself. He is the one given the key of the ‘abyss’ (the bottomless pit). Remember the demon possessed Gadarene man? (Luke 8:38). Those demons begged Yeshua not to send them into that pit. The scene at the sounding of this fifth trumpet is at the beginning of the 42 months of the tribulation period, as, at “the end of this age”, things continue to go horribly wrong on the earth. The ‘smoke’ from the pit further darkens the scene which is already significantly dimmed at the previous trumpet call. Some, using a symbolic rather than an actual interpretation of these events, have equated this ‘darkness’ to the absence, on the earth, of the light of the righteous who have been slain because of their faith. It may even be a combination of both, but because of the dire warnings contained at the end of this Revelation, I prefer not to “add or take away” anything from the words as they appear.
From this pit there will arise ‘locusts’. There is enough of a description of these creatures to conclude that whilst their swarming and destructive behaviour may be similar, their appearance is quite different and their target is people. But the ‘faithful’ are protected from this torment by the 'seal of God', who do not yield to the ‘beast’ by having his mark on their body. They are certainly not like the locusts who plagued the Egyptians in Moses’ day (Exodus 10:14). And unlike the normal locust, who has no king (Proverbs 30:27) these are led and directed by one of Satan’s angels. This is graphically descriptive of the complete power on this earth which will be gained by Anti-Christ, ‘man of peace’, ‘the Beast’ who will deceive nations to trust him when he first appears. John was shown that these creatures have power, not to kill, but to harass, hurt, and torment men for five months. That is a very long test of endurance for those who remain ‘faithful’ to the Lord at the end of this age. The reward is eternal life in the presence of Him who sits on the throne. But the end is not yet. Two more angels have trumpets to sound!
The angel holding the sixth trumpet was summoned to his task. There are four other angels, securely bound, waiting for this call. The fact that they are ‘bound’ speaks of the fact that they are angels of Satan. But they cannot go about their task until the God appointed time. I find that so interesting. They are released to create great havoc. The word tells us that one third of the world’s population will perish at the hands of the armies commanded by these four angels. An army of two hundred million equipped and trained for slaughter. Their weapons, referred to as plagues in this passage of Scripture, are fire, smoke and brimstone. Staggering. In very broad terms that is equivalent to a world with no-one living in China and India combined!! Or perhaps a world with no-one alive in Europe, U.S.A., and Africa combined. The scale of the carnage is mind-boggling. And, my dear friends, it is written in God’s word. Treat it lightly at your peril.
The question that then remains is “Who are those who are not killed in this carnage?” Who are the two thirds that are left? The Scripture is quite unequivocal on this. One might be tempted to think of them as being the ‘favoured ones’. But that is not how they are described. They are ones who are unrepentant of their lifestyle choices. They are demon worshippers, idolaters, murderers, fornicators, adulterers, thieves, and the like. They are just like many walking our streets today. Outwardly joyful and self-confident, fulfilled, the ‘life and soul of the party’. Envied by many. But, they are destined to spend eternity in the ‘bottomless pit’ with their sin intact. A most unenviable situation brought about by wrong choices.
It is not difficult to see why many teachers shy away from the subject matter of this revelation because of the content of this exposition from John. It is horrible. It is depressing. It is avoidable and avoided because there is much else to teach. But it is also important. It is important because God wants us to know, to be prepared, to get ready, to resolve to endure to the end. It is important because it heralds life eternal …. in heaven … or in the bottomless pit. No middle ground.
And there is still another trumpet to sound! What will that bring? Be blessed as you continue to study God’s word, and we will shortly find out!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 28
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“When He opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” That, to me, is an amazing observation. Bear in mind that the whole scene in heaven up till this moment was of loud praise and worship. Everyone there was intent on offering their verbal tributes to Him who sat on the throne and to the Lamb. Then silence. And for half an hour. Wow!! That is a long time to maintain silence with such a large gathering. But, as we will see, this is the calm before the storm! It is as though, as that seventh seal was opened, everyone knew what was about to take place, and held their breath waiting for the action to commence.
There were seven angels standing before the throne, each was given a trumpet. A golden altar stood in front of the throne, and another angel, who had a golden censer, was given much incense which, together with the prayers of the saints, he offered on that altar as a sacrifice to God. The smoke of the incense ascended before God. Then the angel took fire from the altar, put it into the censer and he threw it to the earth. Then the noise and the action commenced. Loud thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. The angels with the trumpets raised them to their lips.
There is a brief description of the chaos on earth at the breaking of the sixth seal. Men hiding themselves as best they could from the carnage taking place around them. But as the angels, in turn, begin to sound their trumpets, those trumpet sounds herald new horrific waves of destruction. It is not difficult to see why some people find this passage of Scripture so confronting, even to the point of denial. The events described are beyond our imagination, and with the possible exception of the “Sodom and Gomorrah” incident in Lot’s day, there has never been anything like it. That was localised. This is on a global scale. It is terrifying. But God in His infinite love, mercy and grace, is providing this warning. It will happen. Be prepared. These events are still future to us.
When the first trumpet sounded, there was great hail and fire mingled with blood. One third of the trees were burned up and all the grass caught fire and was consumed by it. (In recent years, in Israel, the terror group Hamas has sent hundreds of incendiary kites into Southern Israel, consuming thousands of acres of fertile crop land. It is most destructive. The event described here is on a global scale) At the very least, we can imagine that can’t we?
At the sound of the second trumpet “something like a great mountain burning” (we could equate it to a VERY large blazing meteorite) plunged from space into the sea “and a third of it turned into blood” (that is a LOT of sea). One third of all sea creatures killed. A third of all ships at sea lost (that would amount to about 18,000 ships today, and some millions of shipping containers cast into the sea!!)
The third trumpet brought catastrophe to rivers and streams. Fresh water contamination on a huge scale. The word “Wormwood” is used to describe this invasion from space. It is a word associated with ‘bitterness’. This phenomenon will be responsible for the death of many who drink this contaminated water.
There is so much of God’s bountiful provision on this earth which is taken for granted, almost as of a ‘right’ by all of us living on this planet. The events which John is witnessing in this visionary visit into the heavenlies should be enough to jog all mankind out of complacency. Instead, even within our ‘churches’ there are many who teach that these declarations of the coming “day of the Lord” are fanciful and fictitious. But, my friends, just as the Lord is fulfilling prophecies before our eyes in regard to Israel today, so in these events, He has a purpose. The purposes of God are to show mankind that “I AM THE LORD” (to quote His own words). In that day, there will be no more doubting.
The fourth trumpet will bring devastating consequences. One third of the sun, moon and stars darkened. The whole of this earth is sustained by the energy emitted by the sun. The resultant devastation is truly hard to quantify. And if that weren’t enough to cause men to cry out for mercy and relief, John was then shown another angel flying around heaven shouting with a loud voice. “Woe, woe, woe o the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels which are about to sound.” Can things get any worse? Well they can, and they will. It is no wonder that people WANT to believe that these things won’t happen. But these are the words of the living God. They are a warning. There is still time to get right with God. That is the blessing offered to those who read and take careful note of the words of this prophecy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 27
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The seventh seal is not yet. But an angel appears having “the seal of the living God”. After the treachery and turmoil and chaos and death revealed by the opening of the first six seals, visited on this earth by the person who first represented himself as ‘a man of peace’, which he was not, John is now shown some real peace. Four angels appear, holding back the elements so that there was complete calm in the earth. They were charged with causing weather and climate to influence times and seasons on the earth. Then the angel holding ‘the seal of the living God’ cried out to them with a loud voice to maintain some degree of peace and tranquillity in the earth (holding back the full force of God’s wrath) because there is an important job to be concluded.
However, our understanding of these events is constrained by our human measure of time. We naturally progress through these events as though they are sequential. It is difficult for us to perceive these events as being coincidental or combined in some other order. None more so than our attempt to place the seals in some correct perspective. Scholars suggest that the revelation of the happenings described in our reading today covers a time scale which overlaps and coincides with the events between the third and sixth seal. The reason for this being that the 144,000 must come from that time, probably from the time of the fifth seal. This might explain the words of Revelation 6:11. “Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed, as they were, was completed.” And there is much more to be observed about these 144,000.
Firstly, we note that this number is to come from “all the tribes of Israel”. Now that is significant. This 144.000 are sealed by God for an express purpose as His servants in the Kingdom to come. They are all Jews. His special treasure. But as we read the list there appear to be some anomalies, hard to explain, maybe unnecessary to explain even. But we note that the tribe of Dan is not there. The tribe of Levi is there, but they were treated separately for priestly duties in former times. And the tribe of Ephraim is renamed as the tribe of Joseph. But the 144,000 were not alone. There were multitudes of others present too. People from every tribe and nation and tongue. So there will be a mixed multitude martyred in the chaos and mayhem in the last days of the anti-Christ, which we broadly identify as ‘the great tribulation’.
It is an amazing sight. John was given a preview of events still future to us today. Multitudes of people standing before God seated on the throne, and before our precious Saviour Yeshua, the Lamb slain for us, palm branches waving in our hands and shouting out aloud “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”. And as we shout our praise to Him, the elders, the four living creatures, and all the angels around the throne join in, falling on their faces before the throne in worship. Then one of the elders asked John the question “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from?” John said “You know who they are.”
The elder confirmed what John already knew too. And followed up his confirmation with the words of promise which we trust our God to perform. In many respects it is the reward of our faith. The promise for which we placed our trust in Yeshua in the first place. “He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of them will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” What a promise. On a personal note, so precious a promise for me, having so recently lost the love of my life on this earth. But it is personal for every believer.
The events John is witnessing ‘in the Spirit’, the events still future to us as I write this ‘reflection’, are amazing. But we should take note that the promises we have just read are specific to those who overcome. To those who remain faithful in the day of fiery trial. As for those who leave this earth before that happens, we will be required to stand before that throne of which we have read so much, and give account. But the good news is that those who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will receive the welcoming words “well done, good and faithful servant.” Safe for eternity.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 26
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever.” The only One qualified to open the seals of the scroll. And so it began, one by one the seals were opened. As that happened, one of the four living creatures, each with six wings, and being full of eyes spoke with a loud voice. “Come and see.” They each took turn to show John that which was revealed as the seals were broken open. And so began the revelation of the events which are to take place before the end of this present age. These events comprise “the fiery trial” from which the “ekklesia” in Philadelphia was promised protection because they had kept the Lord’s command to persevere in the hour of trouble, and did not deny their faith when persecution came. They are events which accompany “that great and terrible day of the Lord.”
The first seal revealed a man on a white horse! “He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” A man of peace. A strong man. A man trusted by people. He is revered and given great power, position, and authority to act for the people. He has a name by which he is known. The Scriptures describe him as “the Beast”, but is more commonly referred to as “the Anti-Christ.” The revelation of that person, and the timing of his appearance, marks the beginning of the end.
The second seal reveals more about this person as he parades about on his red horse. A war horse no less. A man of war. A very strong man. He is one who divides people, setting one against the other. Anarchy. The first impressions pass, the promises made as he swayed people, promises of peace under his rule and many other good things, fade quickly as he begins to reveal his true nature.
The third seal is opened. This time there is a black horse. This man of war has become a tyrant. The rider now holds in his hand some weighing scales. He seeks to profit from the chaos which he has brought about. Great famine is revealed. The price of food has sky-rocketed. In fact, in another place we find that without his special mark on one’s hand or forehead that one is not even allowed to buy food at any price. These are perilous days indeed.
At the opening of the fourth seal, the absolute horror of what takes place is truly frightening. This time, riding on a pale horse, is one called “Death, and Hades (often translated ‘Hell’ in our Bibles) followed him.” The tyrant unrestrained. This takes some getting used to! We cannot readily come to grips with the picture here. Death we know a bit about, but what is Hades? At its simplest it may be explained as the part of the death process in which body decay occurs. Neither Death nor Hades had any impact on Yeshua because even though He experienced real Death, Hades had no hold on Him. However, this fourth seal describes a time when one quarter of the earth population will be overcome by “the Beast” and his accomplices. Terrifying.
The fifth seal reveals the enormity of the carnage. Explicitly, the souls of those who were martyred for their steadfast faith cry out to the Lord, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood.” And the comforting words of the Lord as He placed a white robe on each of them. In paraphrase “Not much longer now, there some more to join you, and when that number is complete it will all be avenged.” We do not know God’s precise plan regarding those numbers, or even why there is a specific number, but God knows, and we have to be content with that. What we do know, however, is that these are the ones who will reign with Yeshua in the millennial kingdom on earth. (Revelation 20:4)
At the revelation of the sixth seal, great fear fell on all men who remained on the earth. A great earthquake, sun darkened, the moon blood red, the firmament shaken above. Those who are able seek shelter in rocks and caves. The sudden realization that THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LORD. For centuries men have been warned that this would occur. Even within the “ekklesia” (in our churches today) there are many who didn’t believe that this would be a reality. And here it is. In all its fury. God has said “ENOUGH”. It is comforting to hear preachers tell us that ‘the church’ will be ‘raptured’ before all this takes place. But, so far, I haven’t found that in my Bible. (read Revelation 20:5 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 together)
But there is more to follow. Next week we will find out what happens when the seventh seal is opened.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections Pesach 2
Torah Reflections “Pesach 2”
Torah portion Exodus 13 : 17 - 15 : 26
Haftarah portion Numbers 28 : 16 – 25
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
We come to the last day of the celebration and remembrance of “Pesach”.
The parashah narrative begins with the statement of fact that the Pharoah had finally agreed to “let the people go”. It continues with the story of the journey of escape from Egypt, and the drowning of the pursuing Egyptian army, and it ends with the provision of “sweet water” to drink out of the bitter waters of Marah. A fascinating story.
These events are well known. Even non-Christian sceptics are familiar with the story, so we do not need to re-visit the detail. But we need to find the lessons for ourselves as the story unfolds.
Last week we focussed on the prophetic significance of the whole season of the three Pesach festivals. This week we learn of the detail of the way the event unfolded for them in practical terms. In fact, as we arrive at the very end of the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” in our study this week, we see the hand of Almighty God, and a picture of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in this parashah.
We could look at the provision of food, which rained down from Heaven each night, sufficient to satisfy each family for the whole day ahead. And that which was not eaten that day rotted before the next day! It was to be gathered and eaten FRESH each day (Miraculously, the same food lasted TWO days when the weekly Shabbat came around).
The Apostle John, in Chapter 6 from verse 32, records the words of Yeshua when He described Himself as “the Bread of Life”. He goes further by relating the “bread from Heaven” in Moses time with Himself.
“Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
It is not going too far to equate the Israelites need for a daily gathering of that bread, with our need today for a ‘daily gathering’ of the bread which Yeshua is. He taught us to pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’. I believe that this phrase has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. We need to gather our ‘bread’ DAILY, just as those Israelites did in our parashah.
We could look at the provision of water. Moses was told to strike the rock, out of which poured an abundance of clean fresh, life-giving water. Our beloved Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth used a most interesting description of this water.
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” 1 Corinthians 10 : 1- 4.
Paul is suggesting here that the miracle of the provision of water from the Rock extended to that Rock actually following them around!! The plain sense of this is that it was Yeshua Himself, there with the Israelites on their journeying’s in the wilderness who sustained them with life giving water. On another occasion, when Yeshau was attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, at the time of the water libation Ceremony in the Temple He said:-
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."” John 7 : 37,38
So then, as the “mo’ed” of Pesach concludes for another year, we remind ourselves that the Passover Seder which starts the celebration of this season always ends with the participants saying “Next Year in Jerusalem”. An anticipatory statement about the coming of Messiah. So we who are believers in Yeshau, can see the way in which this “appointed time” of Pesach not only speaks of Yeshau perfectly fulfilling His role as the ‘Lamb that was slain’, but also throughout the whole parashah we have reminders of His role in our lives as the sustainer of our life
For the believer, without Him there is no hope of life. With Him we have abundant life …. IF we choose to access it. Praise be to Him.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 25
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
John, in his vision, had just witnessed the profoundly worshipful scene constantly taking place in the throne room of heaven. But at the same time a problem arose! He who sat on the throne was holding a scroll in His right hand. It obviously was a scroll waiting to be read, but it was sealed with seven seals. John was eager to know what was written on the scroll. Why else had he been taken into the throne room? A ‘mighty angel’ appeared and spoke in a loud voice. “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” Imagine John’s disappointment. He wept openly because neither in heaven nor on earth was anyone able (qualified) to break the seals, to open the scroll, and to read it. The suspense was palpable. But the question remains. Why was there no-one able to break open the seals? And the answer to that has to be because the scroll contained the details of changes which must take place at the end of this present age, in order to usher in the new age to come. The present age is under the control and influence of one (known as satan) whose authority has to be broken. Conquered. Defeated.
So because we see time the only way we are able, sequentially, I believe this part was a vision “out of time”. That is, in time before Yeshua came to this earth. Hence the agony and frustration of the sealed scroll. But then the vision moved into time that we do understand. One of the elders spoke words of great comfort to John. “Do not weep. Behold (look) the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed (over satan) to open the scroll and to loose (break open) its seven seals.”
John looked again, and there, ‘centre stage’ as it were, stood the One who has prevailed. Right in the very centre of all the glory of heaven. In the very centre of those who worshipped. “A Lamb as though it had been slain”, with Him who sat on the throne. “Seven horns, seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent with the Lamb into all the earth.” It was a truly amazing sight, worthy of closing one’s own eyes to quietly try to get a glimpse of the wonder that John beheld. And there was so much more to see, and hear, and experience. The elder who had spoken to John took the scroll out of the hand of Him who sat on the throne, then all those close to the throne, the four living creatures, the twenty four elders “each having a harp, each with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints”, sang a new song. They were joined by billions, YES billions, of angels in that new song. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!” Whatever else could possibly be added to that? It is a song of triumphant praise and thanksgiving. Our Lord Yeshua had returned to His heavenly abode! He had conquered death, and hell. He was dead, but is alive. He had accomplished the task for which He left His heavenly home for a season. The song was a clear proclamation that salvation had been secured. The days of satan’s influence were coming to an end. The age of “the Kingdom of Heaven” was about to arrive. A Kingdom of peace, a ‘new covenant’ Kingdom which Yeshua declared many times to be “at hand”. His purpose on earth was to make that possible. But before that occurs, there are other events to take place. Those events are already written on that sealed scroll. And it is about to be opened. The “ekklesia” (and we are surely included in that) have already been prepared, by what is written (or dictated) by Yeshua in the letters to them. There will be no excuses possible. No-one will be able to claim ignorance when these events unfold. Get ready.
And what John saw next is prophetic of a future day. Count on it!
“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them.” spoke. Friends this is a description of all of God’s creation. The whole Universe, and all that it contains. And what exactly did John hear? The whole of creation joins in the new song. “Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne (YHWH Elohim), and to the Lamb (Yeshua) forever and ever.” That is for eternity.
All this is given to us as a prelude to the events, as yet not revealed. The victory is assured. The battle has been won. There is no more doubt. As believers we are on the winning side! Praise be to Him who sits on the throne. BUT, there are still events to be endured, and he who endures to the end will be saved. The contents of the scroll are about to be revealed..
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections Pesach 1
Torah Reflections “Pesach 1”
Torah portion Exodus 12 : 21 - 51 Numbers 28 : 16-25
Haftarah portion Joshua 5 : 2 to 6 : 1
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
The regular sequence of Torah readings is interrupted this week because of the “mo’ed” of Pesach.
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, known as “Pesach” (Passover), embraces THREE festivals in a period of eight days. The first of these remembers the actual day in history (the 14th day of the first month, Nisan) when the Israelites experienced the ‘salvation’ of the firstborn in their families by placing the blood of the Pesach Lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses in Egypt. The Lord ‘passed over’ their houses when He saw the blood.
It also is the exact Hebrew calendar date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The Christian celebration of Easter (replacing Passover) was formalized at the Council of Nicea in the days of the Emperor Constantine of Rome. It signalled the official separation of the “church” from its Hebrew roots. (In my view one of Satan’s major victories over mankind).
The second remembrance is known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” which occurs on the very next day, Nisan 15. (It is a High Sabbath), and it lasts seven days, and begins and ends with a special Sabbath, Note that there are always three Sabbaths during this Pesach festival. The “High Sabbath” which marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (and the Sabbath which marks the end of the festival, PLUS the normal weekly Sabbath). It is this “High Sabbath” which is the Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 before which the Jews were anxious to confine Yeshua’s body to the grave. Then the ‘normal’ weekly Sabbath occurred immediately prior to the resurrection of Yeshua. This confirms the statement of Yeshua in Luke 11:29 (as well as in Matthew and Mark) when asked for a sign. Read it. The complete lack of understanding of this fact has caused conventional church teaching to major on an incorrect “Good Friday” crucifixion story !
Unleavened Bread is eaten during the whole eight day period of the Pesach remembrance. To Jews it is a remembrance of the fact that they ate unleavened bread,(as commanded in Exodus 12:18) as they fled from Egypt on the night of Passover. Leaven is a symbol of SIN, so to believers, the Unleavened Bread also represents the sinless body of the Messiah which was buried in the grave for three days and three nights.
The third festival in this Pesach season is the “Feast of Firstfruits”. It occurs on the day AFTER the weekly Sabbath in Pesach week. (Always a SUNDAY). It signified the beginning of the Barley Harvest and was celebrated by a priest waving an ‘omer’ (a measure) of Barley in the temple in Yeshua’s day. But it was also the day on which Yeshua was resurrected from the grave. Believers refer to it as Resurrection Sunday. (but in association with Easter rather than Passover!) It signifies that Yeshua became the “Firstfruits from the dead”. (see 1 Corinthians15:23).
We should be grateful that churches worldwide (all varieties) remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua. And that they do so sincerely. But more and more, many people are realizing that our roots are inextricably founded in Judaism and the Lord’s “mo’edim” (appointed times). Those that do then focus more on Passover than Easter.
Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday)
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 24
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
For the past eight weeks we have ‘reflected’ on the letters our Lord Yeshua instructed John to write to the seven “ekklesia”. In large measure, the state of these “ekklesia” may be compared to that which exists in our time. Some good things, some less so. By attending to the deficiencies noted, Yeshua encouraged these “ekklesia” to repent of wrongdoing, invite Him into their lives, and be fully prepared for what is about to be revealed to John. The corrective measures within the “ekklesia’ are essential to overcome the trials which are ahead.
John looked up and saw an open door into heaven. A voice beckoned him to enter so that he could see the things which are about to take place. The things he was shown are still future to us, so we remind ourselves that God’s timing is perfect. Never early, never late. But He has provided, within the Scriptures, signs which identify the proximity of the events foretold. But first, a description of the heavenly place. “A throne with One sat on that throne.” The One on the throne is described as having rich colouring, brilliantly multi-coloured, opaque but with red, yellow, brown, purple. The whole surrounded by a greenish rainbow. Probably better seen than described, but majestic. And around that throne were 24 other thrones. They were occupied by the 24 elders wearing white robes with gold crowns on their heads.
Can you imagine John, as I can, absolutely transfixed, mouth open, as he took in all that he was seeing? Then if that wasn’t enough there was sound, and light, and movement. Things never before witnessed by man. Lightening, thunder, voices projecting out of the central throne. It is almost too much to take in. Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. And in front of it a smooth sea of glass, as crystal, clear and bright, reflecting the majesty of all the action taking place.
We are told that the seven lamps of fire are the seven Spirits of God. Scholars have turned to the prophet Isaiah for help in identifying these seven Spirits. Isaiah 11:2,3 describes Yeshua as a “Rod from the stem of Jesse” and the Branch which will grow out of its roots. On Him will rest “the Spirit of the Lord”, and then lists six other Spirits. Wisdom, Understanding. Counsel. Might. Knowledge. And the Fear of the Lord.
Then John is shown things which most people have no idea about. Heavenly things which do not appear on this earth, and because we don’t understand them they are sometimes dismissed. But John saw them. “Four living creatures full of eyes front and back.” One was likened to a lion, another to a calf, the next like a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle. Each of them had six wings. They moved constantly in and around the throne, never resting. All the time identifying and proclaiming the One who sat on the throne.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
A constant and continuous proclamation of praise to our Creator, Who lives forever. Eternal. Without beginning and without end. And as the 24 elders hear the voices of the four living creatures, they join in. They leave their thrones which surround the main throne, fall down in worship, cast their own golden crowns before the main throne and proclaim.
“You are worthy O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
Friends, this is a mere glimpse into the very throne room of heaven. Every being in that room giving glory and honour and worship to our Creator. We do not have any description of any other in there. This is what John was shown. This is what he was instructed to write. This is just an introduction, giving us a tiny glimpse of the absolute majesty of God who commands worship, honour and praise from all he heavenly host.
He is the same God who sent Yeshua into this world to secure salvation for all who will trust in Him. If that is what the heavenly host of beings do, shouldn’t we also offer the sacrifice of praise to our God. The fruit of our lips. The Apostle Peter referring to Israel, into which we are grafted, tells us why. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 23
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The One who wrote the letters to the seven ‘churches’.
When I commenced these ‘reflections’ I had not intended to include this one. However, I have been so impacted by the revelation of Yeshua from these letters that I consider this aspect to be worthy of further ‘reflection’. It constitutes a compilation of the attributes and weaknesses in the “ekklesia” which was observed by Yeshua.
The nature and character of the Author, Yeshua.
“I am the First and the Last”
“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”
“I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”
“I hold the seven stars (the angels of the “ekklesia”) in My right hand.”
“I walk in the midst of the golden lampstands (the “ekklesia”).”
“I have the sharp two-edged sword.”
“I am the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like fine brass.”
“I have the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.”
“I am holy, and I am true. I have the key of David. I open and no-one shuts. I shut and no-one opens.”
“I am the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.”
Has there ever been a more complete description of the One who is the Only One qualified to “open the scroll and loose its seven seals”. (Rev 5:5) Each one of these descriptive salutations reveals the awesome majesty and might of our Saviour. Take time to ponder each one. Look carefully at the implication for every believer. “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” (Psalm 9:1)
There are commendations to be appreciated. “I know your works!”
“You labour patiently, and you cannot bear those who are evil. You have tested the teachers among you, and found them to be liars.”
“You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
“You don’t have wealth, but you are rich. You have exposed the fakes in your “ekklesia”.”
“You are faithful, and in the face of persecution you do not deny Me.”
“I appreciate your loving service, your faith, and your good works.”
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming.”
“He who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and I will write upon him the name of My God.”
And there are faults to be addressed.
“You have left your first love.”
“You hold the doctrine of Balaam.”
“You tolerate false teaching in the “ekklesia”.”
“You are neither hot nor cold, so I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
“Your wealth has blinded you to your true spiritual state.”
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” This written to those inside the “ekklesia”, anticipating a return to true worship and obedience.
It is my fervent hope that any who read this will take time to go through each aspect of characteristic, each commendation of service, and each fault to be addressed. It is not difficult to make generalizations of each of these things, but what is required is for each one of us, individual believers, to carefully appraise our own position before our holy God in the light of these letters. There is blessing to be received, but there is much worse ahead for any who treat the words of our Lord and Master lightly.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 22
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The letter to Laodicea. Possibly the most preached about of the seven letters contained in this book. And who is He that writes this letter? “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.” Each salutation is unique, descriptive of the One who we will one day meet in the Throne Room of heaven. But this salutation is quite direct. Our Creator. We will take very careful note.
Laodicea has been extensively excavated in the last several years to reveal a thriving metropolis thought to have had about 100,000 residents in the first century. Close by is the famous Hierapolis, spectacular with its white waterfall of salt laden water overflowing from the hot springs there. And adjacent to that is Necropolis, a large burial place, cold and dark yet interesting. Laodicea was home to a quite large hospital, specializing in treatment of eye problems. Situated on the River Lycus, and about 10 Km. away on the same side of the river, was Colossae, from where the cold drinking water was piped. So the hot therapeutic water from nearby Hierapolis on the opposite side of the river, (the white salt laden deposits on the hillside clearly visible today from Laodicea) mixed with the river water close to Loadicea to produce a lukewarm water which was unsuitable either for drinking (which hence came from Colossae) or for medical purposes. This provided the metaphor which Yeshua used to describe the state of the “ekklesia’ there. Practical and easily understood.
The wealth of the people probably emanated from the numerous visitors attracted by the reputation of the city for its medical treatment facilities. And yet they were part of an “ekklesia” of believers. I suspect that most of us could readily identify similar issues today within modern day churches. The description of such is unflattering. “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Unflattering is an understatement isn’t it? It is a shocking indictment, especially since it is addressed to those identified as believers.
Then the counsel of the Lord to make changes. “Buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be (truly) rich, and white garments (the symbol of spiritual purity) that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve (a clear reference to the medical facilities of the city in which they lived and the ready availability of the cure) that you may see.” These are the caring words of a loving Saviour. Yes, they are words of chastisement. Yes, they are words which many find hard to grasp because of self-righteousness. Yes they are obvious. But there are none as blind as those who do not wish to see. To those who are comfortable with the offerings ‘of the world’, oblivious, until told, that they are on a path which leads to death, the second death. They are words which require action, change, humility, repentance. But as the metaphor alludes, they are remedies which are close at hand and readily available to the willing. Yeshua put it better than I ever could. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
The final appeal to these dear folk in Laodicea is so often misapplied by preachers today. “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” An appeal of the evangelist to the unsaved. There is nothing wrong with inviting the unsaved to become disciples of Yeshua. It is what we are all called to do. But these words before us today are specifically addressed to believers in the “ekklesia”. To you. To me. To the person sitting in the pew in front or behind you. It is the call of Yeshua to “Let Me in.” Don’t discard or discount what He is offering us. He desires to walk with us through life’s journey. To teach us things of eternal value, as He sees us waste precious time wallowing, almost aimlessly in the mundane affairs of this world. And to what end? There is a wealth of fulfilling joy available to all who, in faith, believe, and let Him in. But just like these folk in Laodicea, our own agenda often impedes our progress in the faith.
His promise? “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door (that’s positive action) I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.” Just TRY to take that in. Ponder what is being promised here. If it doesn’t bring a tear to your eye … well it should. And all this is in order that we, the “ekklesia” of the Lord, be fully prepared for all the things which are ahead of us, which we are about to discover as the Lord Yeshua reveals them to John, and he to us.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 21
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write.” One of only two churches which did not receive a rebuke from the Lord. Known today as Alasehir, with about 50,000 inhabitants, and another 50,000 in the surrounding districts, it is about 105 Km directly east of Izmir, and just south east of Sardis. It was subject of a massive fire towards the end of the Greco Turkish war in 1922, so there is not much left from ancient times. It is famous today for its production of Sultana Raisons!
But it did have a thriving “ekklesia” there. Careful observation will reveal that the churches of Revelation are grouped, and are mentioned in that order, in an approximate clockwise circle of maybe 150 Km diameter. So what is the lesson today from this letter? The now well familiar “I know your works” is preceded by the description of the author. “He who is holy, He who is true. ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens’.” As I read this I was immediately drawn to the story of Noah and those who entered the Ark. There was a door into the Ark. And that door was eventually closed by God Himself. When those appointed to enter were inside, God closed the door. No amount of appealing to Noah could cause that door to open. But here in the ‘ekklesia’ in Philadelphia, the door was open, whatever that door represented to them, possibly the efforts of their opponents to close them down, possibly the efforts of those ‘who say they are Jews but are not’, to take over the teaching. Whatever it was, God was in control and was supporting and strengthening them. Why? “You have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
When God opens doors, no one can shut it. And at the same time, when God shuts a door, no one else can open it. Let that sink in. All the struggling and pushing, the pleading and the all the money in the world will not open a door that God has closed, nor close a door that God has opened. It is significant that this “synagogue of satan” is mentioned in close relationship to this ‘opening’ and ‘closing’ promise. Those who of this ‘synagogue’ will one day be made to recognize the faithfulness and love of those who “Keep My word, and have not denied My name.” They, (those of the synagogue of satan) will see the love of God for them, and says the Lord “they will worship before your feet.” That is a reference to a future date because it evidently did not happen in their lifetime. But there is more good news for this faithful “ekklesia”. “Because you have kept My command to persevere (to the end), I will keep you from the hour of trial which will come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
Confirmation here that there is a “day of trial” ahead. It will be visited upon the whole world. Its purpose. To discern the ‘faithful’ from the ‘unfaithful’. The real from the counterfeit. But the faithful of this “ekklesia” are to be preserved from that trial. God is just, so we may conclude perhaps that others who belong to Him and ‘persevere’ to the end will be granted similar exemption from that ‘hour of trial’. And there is more. “He who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more (safe for eternity). I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem (which IS the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:9-11)) which comes down out of heaven from My God.” Then the crown of crowns for the faithful servant of the Lord. “And I will write on him My new name.”
There is such a description here of that future day when God Himself, seated on that Great White Throne, will sit in judgement of mankind. There are those who teach that because God is merciful, kind, gentle, not willing that any should perish, He will overlook the sin and contempt of mankind. That is NOT in our Bible. Didn’t we read in Hebrews “it is appointed to man once to die, and after death the judgment.”? Well here it is again. YHWH Elohim, will require each of us to give account. Some will have “My new name” written on them said Yeshua in this letter, and some will not.
The wise, who receive the blessing promised to those who read this ‘revelation’ to John, will understand that there are conditions attached to entry to “the New Jerusalam”. The blessing is eternal life. Advance warning of the things to come. Sanctuary from the “hour of trial”.
Each letter to these seven ‘churches’ has its own message. Those who are wise will take careful note, and find eternal life.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 20
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
What an amazing introduction to this “ekklesia” in Sardis. It is difficult to imagine a more condemning accusation. Sardis, present day Sart (formerly Sartmahmut before October 2005) is situated about 75 Km south east of Thyatira and 100 Km east of Izmir. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 17 C.E. but evidently the “ekklesia’ continued to function after that. Excavations conducted in the past 50 years have uncovered many fine building from Roman times, including a Temple to Artemis, together with what is probably the most impressive of all the Synagogues which have been excavated in Turkey. The work continues.
“I know your works” said “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” Then the statement of condemnation. “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” There is nothing exceptional in the fact that Yeshua knew their works. He knows the works of us all. But that then highlights the next statement. In paraphrase, “You have managed to convince a lot of people that you have got things together, but I know that you are just putting on a show.” Is that what I am doing? Or you? Just putting on a show to impress my friends? It is a sure thing that if Yeshua knew, they also would know their own heart. Their motive in the type of actions and attitudes which were contrived to convey that impression. In their minds they thought it was working, and it probably was. But as God said to Samuel when David was chosen to be King over Israel, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” Let us never forget that.
It may be profitable to ponder the difference between “being alive” and “being dead”. It may seem obvious, but in the “ekklesia’ it could mean more than the obvious. For example, you might hear someone referring to the number of additional members, the growth rate, in conversation about different “ekklesia”. Most would consider that to be a good sign. But the more important measure of an “ekklesia” would be the spiritual growth of individuals within that “ekklesia”. Many “ekklesia” today have very attractive (bands, sound effects, visual presentation etc,) services to encourage attendance. The focus is on numbers. Often the Word of God is rarely opened and read publically. The sermon begins with a scripture text which is them used as a launching pad for whatever social issue gets the best attention. There are other elements too which comprise great activity, but no “life”. No call of sinners to repentance. No call to live righteously before a holy God. Dead. Could that have been the condition of this “ekklesia” in Sardis? All froth and no bubble?
“Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die.” In paraphrase, “You know what’s right, you’ve let that slip, don’t let that which is good die with the rest. Remember your early teaching, that which you had from the beginning, stir it up, hold on to it, repent of the things you have let go. Restore the life you once had.” Then what appears as a threat, but is really a promise. “Because if you don’t, there are no more warnings, I will come when you least expect it and ‘remove your lampstand’.” And then there is great encouragement to individuals within that, and any other, “ekklesia”. Just as Yeshua ‘knows the works’ of the “ekklesia”, He also ‘knows the works’ of the individual. There were those with ‘unsoiled garments’ in the Sardis “ekklesia”. Possibly they were frustrated by what they could see going on around them in the name of the “ekklesia”. You may be like that yourself. Well here is the good news. Remain faithful to the truth of God’s Word. Don’t compromise. Stick to what you know to be right. Why?
“You have a few names, even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” What a promise! “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Eternity with “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” That is a rock solid promise. But, by inference, there will be some who will have their names blotted out of the Book of Life. The Apostle Matthew also provided this message in his gospel account didn’t he? Look at Matthew 7:21. “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” It is often said that one can do nothing to earn one’s salvation. Quite correct too. But evidently, there are things that can be done to maintain it!!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 19
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
Notice how Yeshua changes His attributes, the description of Himself, as He writes to each of these seven “ekklesia”. To Thyatira He introduces Himself as “the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass.” The modern day name of this place is Akhisar. It is about 80 Km west of Pergamos and probably the same distance north west of Izmir. A city of about 120,000 people and noted today for its production of tobacco, olives and olive oil. But in Biblical times it was famous for its purple cloth trade, the home of Lydia, It has a history extending back 3000 years.
But now to the letter to this “ekklesia’. It is no surprise that Yeshua said “I know your works.” is it? It was a fellowship of love, service, and patience. It seems to have been a ‘warm’ fellowship. Good to be part of. There was a notable evidence of good works because that seemed to be singled out as a growth element. “The last (the latest) are more than at first.” They were doing their faith, and had learned the value of doing good works. It may even have been a cause for the growth of the fellowship. Most people are much more influenced by what a person does rather than what he/she says. Words are much easier than actions. But it wasn’t all good news. There was an ‘elephant’ in the room! The ‘elephant’ was a lady called Jezebel. (In the Hebrew language ‘Iezabele’ is also a synonym for ‘false teacher’) This lady apparently went much further.
‘Jezebel’ might have been her given name, but some commentators have voiced doubt about that. It is tempting, because of the name, to equate this person with the infamous wife of King Ahab. We know quite a bit about her, she was a scheming, influential, dominant woman and evil at that. Because of her record, the term “Jezebel spirit” has been coined to apply to such people, and particularly to those women who are married to weak men. Certainly, the activities attributed to the Thyatira Jezebel would make her a candidate for such description. And she was not oblivious to her wrongdoing, Yeshua said so, “And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.” So her behaviour was wilfully conducted. But seemingly, no-one in the “ekklesia” there did anything to bring about correction. The behaviour was tolerated in spite of their knowledge of it. Maybe it was a kind of misplaced love for her.
There is much teaching in the Scriptures about the toleration of error, both in a person and in the “ekklesia’. Test the spirits, judge the prophets, seek righteousness, even cast such unrepentant brother out, are some of the exhortations which come to mind. Why? Because there is another well know axim which is “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” And as someone once observed ‘great oaks from little acorns grow’. And in Proverbs 17 we read “The beginning of strife is like releasing water, therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.” It is all about addressing issues in a swift and timely manner. There will always be consequences for tardiness. Yeshua is very direct. “Indeed I will cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.” And there is more. “I will kill all her children with death, and all the “ekklesia” will know that I am He that searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” (that sounds like a threat doesn’t it? But it is not, it is a promise!)
But in the “ekklesia” at Thyatira there were those who were innocent of such misdemeanour. To those He said “I will put no other burden on you but hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.” What a triumphant note of promise to conclude this letter to these people.
At the beginning of this Book there was a promise of blessing to those who read and those who hear it. Of necessity, since the works of each “ekklesia” being addressed are known by Yeshua, the letters contain commendations and accusations. But the blessing for them is that they are not left in doubt about such matters. In each case there is an opportunity for repentance, restoration, and a turn around to righteous living. This is not a fairy-tale. It contains all the encouragement needed for readers today to act. To put right that which may be wrong, or unwise. Try to recognize the personal message contained in these letters, because, as ‘the Preacher’ said in Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing new under the sun”. Be blessed as you search the Scriptures for yourself.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 18
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“He who has the sharp two-edged sword” told John to write a letter to the “ekklesia” at Pergamos. A city which today, with about 100,000 people, is known as Bergama, some 100 Km north of Izmir. It is a modern city, and just outside the town, on an impressive high mound overlooking the city, to its north, is the ancient site of the Pargamos Altar. It is this high place which was identified in our text as the place where Satan dwelt. There are still ruins there, and an extremely large amphitheatre, But the main structure was taken away by the Germans in 1878, and has since been reconstructed to now stand, a magnificent display together with a number of other ancient structures, including the Ishtar Gate from Babylon, in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin, presently (2018) having a five year long renovation plan in progress.
“I know your works, and I know where you live, where Satan’s throne is.” That is not some kind of sinister threat. It is a real appreciation that this “ekklesia” was situated, in a most difficult location, right in close proximity to the place where Satan himself dwelt and was worshipped. To emphasize the appreciation of this, he continued with the fact in these extremely difficult circumstances, they held fast to their faith. We may get some idea of the difficulties they must have faced when we are also told that one of their number, Antipas by name, was martyred there for his faith. But they remained steadfast.
Never-the-less, “I have a few things against you” He said. Firstly, there are some of you who ‘followed the doctrine of Baalam’. What was that? In a nutshell, the ‘doctrine of Baalam’ was that it appears that he would do anything for a profit! There seemed to be no moral compass in Baalam. As a prophet, he took a commission from Baal to curse the Israelites. But God intervened to prevent him. When he failed to produce the curse directly, he cooked up the plan to subvert the Israelites into sexual misconduct with the women of Moab and Midian. That worked, but with disastrous consequences. In any event, that situation was apparently also present in this “ekklesia” in Pergamos, although the detail, is not available to us. What we do know is that it involved, what was to the Israelites, prohibited contact and liaison between the two groups. It may be described as an “unequal yoke”.
Two weeks ago, in our ‘reflection’ on the letter to the “ekklesia” at Ephesus, we came across this “doctrine of the Nicolaitans”. Which Yeshua hates! Here it is again. There are many suppositions about this, but the most prevalent view is that it involved the very common practise of hierarchical control. If it was prevalent then, when this letter was written, there have been over 1900 years of practice to perfect the phenomenon! The word ‘Nicolaitan’ is derived from two Greek words. “Nikao” which means ‘to conquer’, and “laos” which means ‘people’, and from which the English word ‘laity’ comes. SO, the perceived meaning of ‘the doctrine of the Nicolaitans’ is the “conquest of the people” (by those in authority). That may take many forms. The most insidious of which, today, is the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding the infallibility of ‘Il Papa’, the Pope. But they are not alone. Protestant denominations, possibly especially the Pentecostal assemblies, are rife with it. Most congregants are subdued by the exhortation to not speak against ‘the Lord’s anointed’! The more relevant exhortation would be to act as a ‘watchman’, protecting the ‘laity’ form abusive doctrinal control. Let me explain by quoting from an enlightening article I read recently on this subject (Author unknown). “That which we identify as “The Lord’s Prayer” says, in part, “let it be on earth as it is in Heaven.” In this ‘revelation’ of John he was led into the very throne room of God. There he observed 24 Elders, which we do not know much about, except that they are important. But when they hear ‘the four living creatures’ giving glory, honour, and thanks to God, they (as important as they are) fall down prostrate, worship Him and cast their crowns before the throne of God. No-one has any business claiming any position over any other person in God’s sight. It always leads to abuse.” And Yeshua hates it.
“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” says “He who has the sharp two-edged sword.” Friends, we need to take heed to these messages to the ‘churches’. Most of us are part of a ‘church’. Time is short. Shorter now than it was then. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the ‘churches’.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 17
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“Write to the angel of the “ekklesia” in Smyrna” said “the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life.” to John. There is no indication of the relative timing of these letters, but a reasonable assumption is that they flowed seamlessly from one to the next. Since 1930, the city of Smyrna has been known as Izmir, and it is today a thriving modern city. The original Smyrna dates back to antiquity (about 1100 B.C.E.) but another “Old Smyrna” developed in the 2nd century C.E under Roman rule. Both sites are still being researched and developed as tourist attractions. It was, and is, an important sea port in Western Turkey, about 80 Km north of Ephesus, with a population exceeding 3 million today. (the third largest city in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara).
So John wrote the letter as ‘dictated’ to him.
“I know your works.” A phrase common to all these “ekklesia”. It applies to every body of people who meet in the Lord’s name. Sincerity, hypocrisy, fervour (contrived or otherwise), indifference, pride, humility. Nothing is hidden from “the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life.” We all are ‘an open book’ to Him. These letters are written in the context of prophetic events about to occur as this age comes to an end, and the awesome judgment of a holy God is faced by all. It is not mere coincidence that in this ‘revelation’ the Messiah takes occasion to provide an honest assessment of the “ekklesia” so that repentance and restoration may be attended to quickly, before it is too late. How gracious is that?
The people of this “ekklesia” were struggling financially, they evidently did not have much by way of possessions, but they had a richness of faith. The reward of that faithfulness was ahead of them and these were words of great encouragement to them. But among them were those who “say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue if Satan.” Commentators have speculated widely about what this actually means. What has been revealed to me does not accord with any of those speculations, and I invite you to cautiously consider mine. One of the commandments of Torah is to care for others, to share your faith and your substance. We have just read of the poverty of these people. Is it possible that in their community there were some who had means to help the poor among them? Jews. But who regardless of their declaration of allegiance to Torah did nothing about it. Hypocrites. Jews outwardly but not in practise. And for that reason are described as belonging to ‘a synagogue of Satan.’ Selfish, uncaring, arrogant in their religiosity, proud. (Refer to James 2 : 14-18) Well that is what the Lord prompted me to think as I read this statement.
The encouragement continued. “Do not fear any of those thing you are about (in the end times) to suffer.” There will be severe testing. There will be tribulation. You will die (for your faith). But then “I will give you the crown of life.” Dear friends, what is being said here is that those who are alive when the end comes will face great challenges. This letter is written, by the Lord Yeshua Himself, to an “ekklesia” of believers. Not only is there no hint of a ‘prosperity gospel’ for them, quite the reverse, but there is the certainty of great travail because of their faith. Yeshua said (Matt 10:20, Matt 24:13 and Mark 13:13) “he that endures to the end shall be saved.” And now it comes with a promise of “the crown of life.”
I also note here in this letter that there is no mention of the ‘rapturous escape’ for this “ekklesia” from these events of the end times. It is often a comfortable teaching of the church that these events are for the wicked to face, the unsaved, the stubbornly rebellious. Well that is not what “the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life.” Is saying, is it?
But there is another promise at the end of this letter. “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Praise God for that. The writer to the Hebrews told us that “It is appointed unto man, once to die, and after that, the judgement.” Everyone in history (except Enoch and Elijah) has, or will, experience the first death. Everyone. Inescapable. For some, as for my dear wife, it was a welcome relief from suffering. There is much hurt, anguish and sometimes pain associated with this first death. But the second death is different. That also involves intense pain and discomfort because it precedes the prospect of eternity in a ‘lake of fire’. For some. But for “those who overcome”, for those who have their names inscribed in the “Lamb’s Book of Life”, there is No hurt, No pain, No anxiety. There is an eternity in the very presence of Almighty God Himself and His angels and those who we will become aquainted with as we proceed to study this revelation (the unveiling) of the Lord Yeshua to John.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 16
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“Write this to the angel of the “ekklesia” at Ephesus” John is instructed. We remind ourselves that it was at Ephesus, probably 50 years earlier, that the “ekklesia” was established by the Apostle Paul, and the young Timothy was ‘posted’ there to establish and teach the flock. Ephesus is a very old city dating back over 3000 years B.C.E. but came to some prominence about 500 B.C.E when the Greeks began to develop it as a place of worship to the fertility goddess Diana. Once a thriving seaport, centre of commerce, and from about 100 B.C.E to 100 C.E (200 years) was the acknowledged centre of the slave trade. The city became a cultural centre too, with many attractive buildings including a Library, Museum, and others now well restored and preserved for the tourist industry. The ruins of the Temple of Artimis (Dianna, the many breasted symbol of fertility) is still there attracting much attention. In my own experience I recall walking down the well restored main street, seeing (in my imagination) Paul and Timothy walking in front of me discussing matters important to the task Timothy was set.
But John sets about writing a letter. “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.” Words which may sound mysterious to the members of that “ekklesia”, but they were addressed to the angel responsible for what happened in that place and he would understand completely and communicate these matters to the body of people who were its members.
There are seven letters. One to each of the seven “ekklesia” in that region. Because we have the content of each before us we can draw comparisons and conclusions relating to each. They have similar formats, but they are different. They are personal to each “ekklesia”. However, it is noteworthy that each salutation contains a different attribute of the One who wrote the letter. But at the same time, the format is quite similar for each one. A commendation of approval, for some an accusation of shortcoming, for each some advice, an appeal and an assurance.
To this “ekklesia” in Ephesus, as indeed to all of them, there is the declaration “I know your works”. Nothing is hidden from Me says the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand. “You are patient, and you cannot bear (are intolerant to) those who are evil.” That’s a good start isn’t it? As we proceed to understand this letter we should check our own position because just as the “works” of these people are known, so are ours! “You have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.” Do you wonder how these folk were ‘tested’? I do. The test of any who speak in the name of the Lord is whether or not what they say, and what they do, accords with the word of God. God will not say anything, to anyone, which does not line up with His written word. That word is set in concrete. “The Lord told me” is a conversation stopper. But it ought not to be. It needs to be a conversation opener. “How do you know?” is a question which should follow. If we learn nothing else from this letter we should learn this. Test the spirits whether they be of God. Yeshua commends this “ekklesia” for exactly that.
“You have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” (a note of reference here. The word ‘weary’ is the same Greek word incorrectly translated ‘sick’ in James 5 causing many to misunderstand James letter on the issue of physical healing) So there are good commendations for this “ekklesia”. But then the accusation. “I have this against you, that you have left your first love (“protos agape”). We are not told specifically what this means and many commentators have speculated on a wide variety of possibilities. At the simplest level, I take it to mean something most of us experience. Cast you mind back to the time you first came to faith. The excitement, the anticipation, the enthusiasm. Is that still as strong as it was? Has it become more ‘ordinary’, more ritualistic, less exciting? That is what I think this means. Well here’s the remedy. Revisit the reasons you first repented of sin. Repent again. Catch the fire of the reality of what you have been saved for. Otherwise, says the letter, “I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent.” The lampstand provided light. That light shone brightly when the love of this “ekklesia” was evident. Losing that ‘first love’ effectively dimmed the light. And note that the lampstands “are the seven “ekklesia’”. Uncorrected, it would be removed completely!!
The comment on the Nicolaitans is not easy to fathom, and will be dealt when we look at the letter to the “ekklesia” in Pergamos.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 15
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Why? The words of this prophecy comprise the words of the risen Messiah, which God gave to Him to reveal to His servants (any who name the Name of Yeshua as Saviour) because these things must shortly take place. Then the Apostle John testified that he has faithfully written all the things that were shown to him. It is the only book in our Bible which has such a promise of blessing attached to it. One of the blessings is that those who are alive at that time will possess ‘inside information’ which will allow him/her to watch events unfold and to be prepared as they witness the coming of the end of this age. But though it won’t be pretty, there is great reward for those who endure to the end.
It is quite interesting that this Revelation (unveiling or disclosure) is addressed to the seven “ekklesia” which had been established in “Asia Minor”. (which is modern day Turkey) Interestingly, from other prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures it is not difficult to discern that this is precisely the region of the globe from whence comes the promised ‘final battle’ to overcome Israel. (i.e. from the north) It may also be significant that there are no “ekklesia” from Israel itself included, possibly because after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (which is when this was written) the Jews had been significantly dispersed. Also at the same time, even though it is difficult to determine the actual significance, the “ekklesia” being addressed would have been ‘mixed’ congregations comprising both Jews and gentiles.
Very early we have confirmation, first spoken by angels, appearing as two men in white apparel to the disciples at on the Mount of Olives (Acts 2:11) that Yeshua will return to this earth. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Why will they mourn? Isn’t this a time to rejoice? Well I think that is the time when there no longer will ‘faith’ be required to believe. Everyone, and perhaps especially those who are unbelieving Jews, will see how wrong they have been to treat their Messiah with such contempt. The sceptics, the scoffers, the indifferent, the arrogant atheistic hordes, will all gaze in amazement at the spectacle of the coming again of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is, who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Is the announcement to John as he enters the realm of Spirit led revelation. But before that day arrives, John is shown many things which will happen as that day approaches.
John said “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.” Commentators are divided about the precise meaning of this declaration. Certainly it would appear that John was in a state of elevated spirituality, however that might have come about, and was receptive to the revelation of these prophetic events which are later described in detail. No-one can accurately determine exactly what day this occurred, but all are convinced it was not a Sabbath day. Others suggest that it was a “Lordy day”. A day of contemplation with the Lord. It really has no relevance to the actual revelation does it? That which fascinates me is the description of the One who describes Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last” standing in the middle of the seven lampstands, and having seven stars in His right hand. Dressed in a full length garment with a golden band around the chest. Head and hair white like snow, and eyes like a flame of fire. Deep resonant voice. Spectacular sight and sound. Authoritative. Close your eyes and try to take it all in. Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, His face like bright sunlight. John was absolutely dumbstruck, and fell down at His feet as dead. Motionless. Then the words of comfort, laying His right hand (the one holding the seven stars) on John “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” Followed by the instructions to write everything down. In paraphrase “Don’t trust your memory, write it as you see it, the things you have already seen and the things which you are about to see.” But first the mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands.
“The seven stars are the angels of the seven “ekklesia”, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven “ekklesia”. And that is where we will go next week!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 14
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
Revelation introduction
This is a part of Scripture which is avoided by many people because of its seeming complexity. It is the only book in our Bible attributed to Yeshua Ha’mashiach Himself. Written by the Apostle John late in his life during a visionary encounter with the Holy Spirit of God. At times John is prompted, even directed, by the Lord to write what he is witnessing. One can only guess at the amazing spectacle of being so directed. What he describes is sometimes very difficult to imagine. There are quite unusual events and situations, such as have never before been encountered by mankind, to be considered, evaluated, and reckoned with. But it all comes with a promise!
The very name of this book is intriguing. The Greek text calls it “Apokalypsis Ioannou”. Translated into English it means the “unveiling” or “disclosure” or “revelation” of John. But in the very first sentence of this book, John takes all focus off himself and attributes it as “The Revelation of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.” And so it is.
It is the only book in our Bible which begins with a promise of blessing. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it.” And as indicated in that promise, it is a book which is largely prophetic of future events.
Additionally, it is the only book in our Bible which ends with a similar promise of blessing, and then contains a dire warning to those who discuss, teach, or otherwise communicate its content. Firstly the blessing. “Blessed are those who DO His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the (holy) city.” For me they are words of great comfort, because as I have ‘reflected’ on the Scriptures over the past four years (published by Zion’s Voice) the one outstanding thing with which I have been impressed is the way in which the Scriptures, over and over again, have declared and reminded us to DO the commandments of God. Secondly the warning. “For I testify to everyone who hears (I take very careful note) the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city and from the things which are written in this book.” Wow! What a warning eh!
Then we come to the content itself. In His dictation to John, Yeshua starts by writing a personal letter to the seven “ekklesia” situated in the region we now recognize as Turkey. Many have seen these “ekklesia” as representative of the ‘types’ of churches we have in our modern society. There is no doubt that they may well be representative in some respect, but the broader message in these letters is that of the intimate knowledge of our Master Yeshua with their actions, activities, attitudes, and conduct. I think that is very important. No church, or individual member of that church, should regard that lightly. There are commendations and there are accusations. None of it without His perfect knowledge. He really does know what is going on in this world of ours, and especially with those who claim to belong to Him.
Much of what we will attempt to unravel is contained in the prophetic elements of this vision of John’s. Some of the detail is unfamiliar to our present understanding. But there are a number of references to earlier writings from the major prophetic books of our Bible which give us a clue to the events which are about to happen. The focus is on the end of this present age. This present age will not pass without significant upheaval, distress and challenge. It is clear that Satan will not go ‘quietly’. There will be horrendous carnage before Satan is finally dealt with.
Having read the book through, I am unsure at this stage of the exact sequence of the events described. Some things appear to be clearly chronological, but other times it appears that some events may overlap or even be in a different order to which they are referred in the text. None of that has any effect on the events themselves, which are described in amazing detail.
It is uncertain that this book can follow the rigid structure of my previous ‘reflections’, which is chapter by chapter. From my recent reading it seems not to lend itself to that kind of rigidity. Additionally, considering the warning already referred to, I am anxious to avoid any speculative comment on what some of the unusual detail might be referring to.
The good news is that we see how things will end. Those who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life may look forward to the chapters 19 to 22 with eager anticipation. Satan will have been dealt with, as indeed are his followers, and the deceived. But there may also be some shocks in store for us too. The book does not skip lightly over detail and there is absolutely no reason for any who read the book to be surprised when the end comes. Nothing is left out.
Be blessed yourself as you read this book in anticipation of what our ‘reflective’ study reveals.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 13
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
We come to the end of the letter. The bulk of it has concerned the superiority of Messiah Yeshua over every other person and ordinance that these Messianic Jews valued. Things in heaven and things on earth. The great faith of the patriarchs and prophets are cited for emulation. The temporary sacrificial system of ‘drawing near to God’ superseded by the once for all time sacrifice of our Saviour. Yeshua, the Great High Priest seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on behalf of those who have put their trust in Him. And there is just one more step for these Messianic Jews to take. It is practical. It is lifestyle. It is community. “Let brotherly love continue.” Sounds easy but it contains much more than a suggestion!
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” (A text oft quoted to me by my late wife) What a blessing it is to be able to share one’s home and table with others. And if our experience is typical there is bountiful blessing for the hosts! And the exhortation continued. “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them.” That is something with which I cannot easily relate because in all my life I have only ever visited five prisons, and that to distribute gifts at Christmas time. I cannot even imagine what incarceration for long periods is like. But that is the exhortation to these Messianic Jews. Friends of mine, firmly committed to ‘prison ministry’ have encouraging stories to tell of that ministry. May God richly bless them for their diligence. At the other end of the scale, “Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have.” Maybe a timely word for our overly covetous society today. The ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ syndrome. It behoves each individual reader of this letter to take from it that which the Lord speaks through it. And trust me on this, for those who belong to the Lord there is always a message. Just ask the Lord to show you.
“Remember those who rule over you” is often considered to be the people in government. But that is not what the writer means here. The reference is to those in teaching roles in the “ekklesia’. Listen to them, watch them, note the outcome of the way they conduct themselves. And if I may be permitted to add a suggestion, take the trouble to check their words with the injunction of the Scriptures. Engage in edifying conversation. Be active in the application of the Scriptures to everyday life. The writer said “Yeshua Ha’mashiach is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Since we know that “He is the Word, the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, the Word that was in the beginning with God, the Word that was God.” It is perfectly safe to say that the written Word of the Scriptures must be our ultimate source of safety in what we believe. And so the writer warned them “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.” The warning is the same today. Check if what you are being asked to embrace accords with the written Word of Scripture. It is a matter of life and death.
And finally, the writer returns to sacrifices. For all the reasons laid out in this letter, everything that has been said about the superiority of Yeshua, Prophet, Great High Priest, and coming King, “by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” That is vitally important. Take time to appreciate all that has been accomplished by Yeshua on your behalf. Thank Him and praise Him for that. But that is not the end of matters. In life it is the beginning. The writer continued. “But do not forget to do good and to share (from all that has been written in this letter ask God to show you what, of yourself, you should share) for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
We are often taught that there is nothing one can do to please God! Well here it is clearly written. There is blessing in pleasing God, and many times it involves ‘putting yourself out’, even inconvenient to your own plans, the writer calls it “sacrifice”. It may better be referred to as being obedient to the call of God on one’s life. God does not ‘call’ anyone without purpose. Find out what it is for you. Read the letter again. You will be blessed.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 12
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
Last week we were reminded of the many faithful servants of the Lord who had lived their faith in their actions, all of whom were known and greatly revered by Jewish people through the ages. The writer this week starts off with another “Therefore” (having regard to all those giants of faith who have gone before us), “let us lay aside every weight (the baggage we hang on to from our past life), and the sin which so easily ensnares us (a common factor for all humanity), and let us run with endurance (that which requires stamina, determination, application and obedience) the race that is set before us.” Why? “Looking unto Yeshua, the author and finisher (complete assurance) of our faith.” He who ran the race set before Him by the Father. The record of His selfless application to the task He was set is recorded in the Scripture account of His life, death, and resurrection. And that is attested to by those who met with Him after His death on that cruel Roman cross, and witnessed His ascension into the clouds with a promise of return in like manner.
The writer is in ‘chastening’ mode as he continued this encouragement to persistence in the faith. He wrote as from the Lord. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” What son is there who hasn’t been chastened, corrected, guided, taught, and encouraged, by an earthly father? How much more then can we expect our Heavenly Father to do likewise, and that all for our own ultimate benefit. And then the writer said words which demand careful consideration. “But if you are without chastening, of which you have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” Take time to let that sink in. The writer is telling them that if the life of faith appeared easy, not much different to what it was before they became believers, they should carefully evaluate the situation. There is an important lesson here. By putting our trust, by faith, in Yeshua for our salvation, we literally ‘join another Kingdom’. We are no longer ‘of this world’ even though we are still in it. That brings many challenges and situations which were once familiar, but are no longer part of our new Kingdom. Putting it bluntly, do others, our friends, workmates, and family notice any difference in our behaviour, attitude, habits, and lifestyle? Does the reading of the word of God challenge me, or do I find it boring? Does God speak through His word, in correction, instruction, encouragement, direction and faith building? If not, it is time for a spiritual stocktake. “Therefore strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”
The writer then contrasted Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. He reminded the Messianic Jews that in time past, when God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, Moses declared that just being on that mountain terrified him. Moses trembled at the prospect of approaching YHWH Elohim. No-one else, just Moses alone, dare go near the mountain, such was the awesome holiness of the place. It was on Mount Sinai that God spoke, and wrote, the instructions for righteous living. It was on Mount Sinai that God taught Moses the way to lead the Israelites to the Land of Promise. But in absolute contrast, Mount Zion, represented by the very Son of the living God, Yeshua, is approachable by anyone who so desires, without fear, without pre-condition, without anything but a repentant heart. Mount Zion had become representative of “The Land of Promise”, the heavenly Jerusalem, in which the righteous are destined to dwell for all eternity. The Messianic Jews had made that decision. They had come in faith to the One who had the power to invite them in. The writer had spent time in the declaration of the excellence, the superiority, of Yeshua over everything else they had encountered and known, even the most revered Moses. The kingdom of heaven is established in Yeshua, Prophet, Great High Priest and King. Unshakeable, unmovable, permanent.
“Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire”. Hold fast to your faith.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 11
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
The faith chapter!!
The previous chapter ended with a warning. “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith (in His return) but if anyone draws back, (from that faith) My soul has no pleasure in him.” And the writer declares that “we (the Messianic Jews) are not of those who draw back.” Our faith is, and continues to be, in Him who died for us. And then he begins a long list of faithful people who had preceded them, pointing to the great benefits which accrued as a result of their faith.
No-one can possibly know how this world came into being. It is our own faith that convinces us to trust that “the worlds were framed by the word of God.” I always shudder when I hear some celebrity historian or anthropologist declare that ‘such and such’ happened, or was formed, ‘x billions of years ago’, where x is a small number and ‘billions’ is absolutely beyond man’s capacity to determine with any meaningful understanding. What appalling arrogance. It is ‘by faith’ that we trust the written word of God. Scholars have determined that at the time the various books of the Hebrew Bible were written, over one quarter (27%) was prophetic, it told of things which would happen in the future! I recently listened to a 2007 teaching CD by David Pawson, in which he stated that of all bible prophecy, over 85% had already been fulfilled. And the rest of the prophecies related to a time still future to us today, i.e. to the return of Messiah Yeshua to this earth. That statistic alone should provide enough to convince anyone that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is worthy of our trust. But the writer to these Messianic Jews chose events with which they were familiar from their own upbringing, things they were taught at home, events and people they ‘knew’ from their own Mum and Dad, to emphasize the efficacy of the faith to which they had committed themselves.
Most of us are also familiar with the events listed, and it is good to remind ourselves of the detail of each one, to strengthen our own faith today. The first mentioned is the relative offerings of Cain and Abel. In Genesis 4, both boys brought ‘offerings’ which were appropriate to their occupation. The simple words of the text say that God ‘respected’ Abel’s offering, but had not ‘respected’ Cain’s offering. This made Cain very angry, and as a result of his anger he killed Abel. You will search in vain for a Biblical explanation of this, but it is difficult to rationalize the killing of a brother for something beyond his control. In any event, Cain is forever cast as evil as a result. That is not the way to behave, and the record of the incident is a constant reminder of that fact.
Because of his faith, Enoch ‘pleased’ God, so much so that he did not experience death. I see that as an excellent testimony. As a young boy I always wanted to please my Dad, and as a man I seek to ‘please God’. Some say that you can do nothing for God because He has done everything for us. It is foolhardy to compare ones-self to Enoch, but the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:25 speaks of ‘God’s face shining on us’, and that is to me a sign of God’s pleasure in us. He must be pleased with our obedience to His word surely! Noah is next mentioned. How obedient was he? Scholars have determined that the Ark must have taken between 50 and 70 years to construct! As far as we know he didn’t even live on the seashore either. One can only speculate on the comments of his neighbours! Noah’s amazingly consistent faith and trust, resulted in God starting all over again with His mankind occupation of the earth. The story of Abraham is very well known, the father of the Hebrews. It is not always appreciated that Abraham and Noah were alive on this earth for about 58 years at the same time! They might even have met. Certainly Abraham would have heard of the faithfulness of Noah. There is so much written about Abraham’s faith and he is revered by all Jews especially.
But there is a most interesting comment here about these men. God had made specific promises, even covenants, with Noah and Abraham. To both men, the covenant which God made was absolutely unconditional on anything they could or should do. And each in turn trusted God implicitly for the fulfilment of those promises. But neither of them saw the complete fulfilment of those promises. They both died without seeing the end of God’s promise. In fact, we who live today have seen more evidence of God’s unfailing commitment to those promises than either Noah or Abraham ever did. Selah.
God made a solemn promises which are conveyed to us by the prophets of old, not the least being that of a new covenant to replace the one made through Moses. We trust in that promise by faith, which we are assured is guaranteed by the blood of Yeshua, but we don’t yet see it in its fullness. The writer to these Messianic Jews listed many more examples of faith in past ancestors, none of whom witnessed the greatest promise of all to them, the coming of their Messiah. But that did not prevent them from their worship of the King of this Universe. We are different today. We have witness and testimony of those who met with the risen Messiah. Who ate with Him, who talked with Him, who saw Him ascend into the heavenly place where He is today seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting His call to return to this earth.
We worship and praise YHWH Elohim who alone is worthy of our praise. And that is what the writer of this letter encourages its readers.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 10
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
“For the Torah, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually, year by year, make those who approach perfect.” So opens the reading for this week. But in my paraphrase “because if the sacrifices did make one perfect they would not need to be continued, since having been made perfect one would have no more consciousness of sin.” But the writer continued “But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.”
In the above statements, reference is made to ‘a shadow’. Shadows are cast by something real, but that shadow is not identical to reality. It is, well, just a ‘shadow’. The reality is much clearer and better. And the writer stated that the ‘shadow’ (which in this case was the sacrificial system of ‘drawing near to God’) cannot make for perfection, whereas, by implication, the reality can and does make for perfection. For most gentiles reading this there, would probably be a kind of ‘ho hum’ response to this. What is all the fuss about? We all know the sacrificial system was imperfect. And from that springs the prevailing thought that ‘everyone knows that Yeshua’s sacrifice made the old system obsolete’. But ‘everyone’ didn’t know that. This letter was written to Messianic Jews. They had become believers in Yeshua, and it is assumed today that they had willingly discontinued the sacrificial system. But had they? Well the truth is that we do not know. But what we do know is that they had all been brought up in the culture of Orthodox Judaism. As, for many centuries, had their forefathers. At least 1,500 years of practise and teaching on this matter. Reminded of it continually at Passover each year, hearing it read in the synagogues and in their homes. It was culturally ingrained in them. Our Christian communities today have little or no understanding of that. I have tried to think of a possible parallel for the Christian. Imagine being taught that the universally observed and revered festivals of Easter and Christmas (ignoring the fact that they are both unbiblical derivations of pagan festivals) were to be discontinued. No longer relevant to your Christian faith. That is possibly the nearest case of the change which the believing Jew had to contemplate. Selah.
But of course, in His infinite love, compassion, and grace towards those people called by His Name, God has removed the earthly Temple from existence. It is no longer possible for the Torah commanded sacrificial system to function anyway. But we do not know whether the writer to the Hebrews had any knowledge that the destruction of the Temple was a very close probable event, as Yeshua had prophesied, or even if it had already taken place, which is unlikely. (A close friend asked just a few days ago whether I thought that the early believers in Yeshua continued with the sacrificial system after they came to faith. I don’t know. But Paul was told by the Jerusalem Council in Acts 21 that ‘miriads’ of Jews had become believers and that ‘they were all zealous for the Torah!’ suggesting to me that they observed the commands of God to the very best of their ability. What do you think that means?)
The sacrifice which Yeshua made, taking the yolk of sinful man, overcoming death and hell by His resurrection, then taking His place, seated at the right hand of the Father as our Great High Priest (something of a stumbling block for the followers of Ellen White with her doctrine of investigative judgement following the martyrdom of Stephen!) Then for the second time in this letter the writer makes reference to the new covenant. Read it carefully in verses 16,17 and see if it refers to a present scenario or a future one. Whatever you think, the next statement is indisputable. The Messianic Jews receiving this letter, and those who read it today can avail themselves of the blessing of entry into the very presence of God through the mediation of Yeshua our Great High Priest. The ‘superiority’ of Yeshua is again the message of the writer to the Hebrews. And its message is relevant to all believers. But there is a bit of a ‘sting in the tail’ here. It is a message to those who do not take advantage of the salvation offered to believers. We do well to remind ourselves of it daily.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. By implication, without the safe accompaniment of Yeshua, our Great High Priest.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 9
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
Taking up where we left off last week, the writer makes reference to the coming obsolescence of the first Covenant. The requirements of which the people had willingly agreed, both to do and to be obedient to its specifics. Then broke it! The Book of that Covenant specified, among other things, the procedural rituals which God required for those who wished to draw near to Him with sacrificial gifts and offerings. The description in the text requires no amplification. There was a requirement for purification of the officiating priest, through the sprinkling of the ashes of a red heifer mixed with water (Numbers 19), and a blood sacrifice. That officiating priest could only go so far (or so near, to God as the Covenant document allowed). But there was also an inner chamber, referred to as the Holiest of All, in which was the Ark of the Covenant containing a golden pot of Manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant. On that Ark was the mercy seat and the cherubim of glory. It represented the place of God’s dwelling among the people. The very description paints a picture of awe, majesty, mystery and reverence. Instant death awaited any who might dare to venture presumptuously into that Holiest place. The High Priest alone was allowed there, and that only once each year on the ‘mo’ed (appointed time) of Yom Kippur, the tenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. His preparation required him to first make a blood sacrifice on his own account, and then a further blood sacrifice for the unwittingly committed sins of the people.
Now all of the foregoing was a God ordained temporary method of ‘drawing near’ to Himself until such time as He provided a permanent way of ‘drawing near’, also by blood sacrifice, but this one in perpetuity. Another sacrifice, not of bulls and goats, which required the mediation of a man appointed priest, properly cleansed and prepared, to officiate from time to time. But a sacrifice offered just once, for all time, by the One who is the Great High Priest, ‘drawing near’ to a holy God with His own blood. And as the writer to these Messianic Jews reminded them, this occurred at the time of the crucifixion of Yeshua, the moment when the thick ‘veil’ which separated the Holy Place from the Holiest Place in the Jerusalem Temple was miraculously torn apart.
The superiority of Yeshua is reinforced. Angels, Moses, Priests, and now the sacrifice itself. “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, (the purification ritual for priests of which they were both familiar and trusting) sanctifies for the purifying of flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah Yeshua, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works (the ongoing priestly sacrificial service) to serve the living God?” This was a trust and faith issue for them, as it is for us today. But there is more! “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant (first spoken of by Jeremiah) by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant.” (which they broke!) I paraphrase here “there is no testament without a testator, who must die, a situation which requires blood to be shed, for the inheritance to become available.” In this context testament and covenant are the same. Then the writer alludes to other covenantal arrangements in which there is always “blood” used to seal that covenant. “almost all things are purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission (for sin).” And so it is that Yeshua (by His death) became the guarantor, His blood the seal, by which the new covenant (with Jews) and its conditions and promises will be fulfilled. Everything that is necessary for the New Covenant to be implemented has been put in place. Yeshua is already seated at the right hand of the Father, awaiting the appointed time of His return to rule and reign in Jerusalem. Those of us who are alive today still have time to get right with a Holy God through the perfect sacrifice made by Yeshua for our salvation. But the writer to these Messianic Jews has a word of unchallenged truth and promise for all who read this letter. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement … To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 8
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
Hebrews 8 is the “main point of the things we are saying” said the writer to the Messianic Jewish community. So far, he has taken time to explain why Yeshua is superior to angels, Moses, the Aaronic priesthood, and now is seated at the “right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” I wouldn’t think there could be much more to commend Him as worthy of our praise, worship, and faithful obedience. But there is! “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices.” So Yeshua, the Great High Priest, of necessity, “also has to have something to offer.” What could that possibly be? This my dear friends is ‘the main point’. The Levitical Aaronic priesthood served as priests in the manner “as a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things.” And there is NO shadow unless there is something REAL casting that shadow is there? The Levites served in the capacity as mediators of the first covenant according to the instructions God gave to Moses, the Torah.
Now we need to get it firmly in our minds as to what that Covenant is. We are taught in our churches that the Torah IS the first Covenant. Further, that it is now obsolete. (Hebrews 8:13 is cited for that observation) But a close examination will reveal that this is not what that Scripture says. More on that at the end of this ‘reflection’. A Covenant, according to any good dictionary is an Agreement. Other words used in the same context are: contract, treaty, pact, accord, deal, pledge, promise, guarantee, undertaking, and commitment. So it can be seen that there are at least two parties to a Covenant aren’t there? Regarding the Torah, God provided Moses with the details, that’s what the Torah is. But Moses on two occasions brought the matter before the people. First, in Exodus 24:3, he told them what God had revealed to him. The people said “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” So Moses went away and wrote the words in a book. Then in Exodus 24:7 we read “Then he took the “Book of the Covenant” (which he had written) and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, (for the second time) ‘All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” That, my friends is when the Covenant was made. It’s called the Mosaic Covenant. Which they broke! It seems that the fact that this first covenant was breakable was the reason why it was described as weak.
Now the writer to the Hebrews says the Great High Priest, Yeshua, is the Mediator (negotiator, intermediary) of a better covenant, established on better promises. But before we try to understand what those “better” things are, we note what will NOT change. Some things are the same. Firstly the parties to the Covenant are the same. God Himself (the mediator being Yeshua, who is the guarantor of the new Covenant by offering His shed blood), and the House of Israel and the House of Judah. Secondly, the contents of ‘Book of the Covenant’ are the same. Thirdly it is worthy of note that there is NO gentile inclusion in either Covenant either. So that is the same. So what is different? The first Covenant relied on the willing assent of the people. The new Covenant will be “put in their minds and written on their hearts”, not written in a book. It will be an unbreakable Covenant, because it will part of the DNA of each person. “None of them shall teach his neighbour … for they shall ALL know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” Does anyone see those conditions being met in society today, even in Israel? The answer is obvious. But the good news is, as the writer to the Messianic Jews said, this new Covenant is coming, mediated by our Messiah Yeshua and guaranteed by His blood. He said so. At the last Passover Seder he shared with His disciples when He offered them the “Cup of Salvation”, the third cup of the Seder after the meal. “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins.”
So what about Hebrews 8:13? Obsolete? No. Becoming obsolete? YES. That is a future day, “not until heaven and earth pass away” (Matthew 5:18). But for now, “not one jot or tittle will pass from the Torah”, and when it does, it will be replaced by the same Torah which, unlike the first, will be unbreakable. Put your trust in the blood of Yeshua for that.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 7
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
The writer opened up with some insight into the person, Melchi Tzedek. This Priest of the Most High God who received ‘tithes’ from Abraham. There is sufficient information for commentators to speculate about this mysterious identity. The description is impressive. King of righteousness. King of peace. Without father or mother. No genealogical background. He wasn’t born. He did not die. Made like the Son of God. A perpetual priest. Could there possibly be a better description of Almighty God Himself? Well the writer doesn’t go that far, but many commentators have. It is a fact that mankind has extreme difficulty in understanding the nature of God. We are constrained by our own limited understanding, and we have an almost insatiable desire to try to think like God. But that is impossible. It would be better to just say that some things are beyond our understanding, but by faith we believe.
Drawing on the experience and role of the Levitical priesthood, the writer said that the ordinary person was required to present their tithes to the Levite. This is principally because the Tribe of Levi was not the beneficiary of a ‘land portion’ in the Promised Land (Moses and Aaron were great grandsons of Levi). The Levites were specifically called to be priestly servants in the House of the Lord (a situation which arose because this tribe was the only one which did not worship the golden calf when Moses was up the mountain hearing from God), and gave ‘blessing’ to those who came to them to present their ‘tithes and offerings’. In that capacity, the recipient of the tithe, who blessed the giver, was considered ‘better’ than the giver of the tithe. Now there is none higher to the Jews than Father Abraham. But even Abraham gave tithes to Melchi Tzedek, and was blessed by him. An indication of the relative ‘ranking’ between the two.
A quick reminder here that the writer has a purpose to demonstrate to the Messianic Jews the superiority of Yeshua over all that was before or after Him. And now the attention focuses on the Priesthood. So he asks the question. “If perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the Torah), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchi Tzedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?” Fair question. The priests always come from the Tribe of Levi. But Yeshua was of the Tribe of Judah. Moses did not say anything about priests coming from Judah. So IF a priest (in the likeness of Melchi Tzedek) arises, we know he was not called because of earthly connection. He would be according to “the power of endless life” (without beginning and without end).
Now we need to take very careful note of what follows, because it is often taught as abrogating Torah. It is NOT. We read “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law (Torah) made nothing perfect; on the other hand there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” There was a sacrificial system contained within the Torah, designed to cause adherents to “draw near to God (physically as they came to the priests in the Tabernacle or Temple) when presenting their various sacrifices and offerings. No one was made ‘perfect’ by that system. It was a system requiring repetitious obligation. The command of itself did nothing to alleviate the sin. It was in the obedience to it that the supplicant ‘drew near to God’, offering that supplicant the opportunity of repentance. We are often taught that the Torah IS the Mosaic Covenant. It is not. The Torah is the “Book of the Covenant” which sets out the terms and conditions. The ‘Covenant’ is the agreement of the people to be obedient to it.
“Yeshua has become surety of a better covenant.” There is opportunity next week, as we look at Hebrews 8, to discuss this in much greater detail. The writer continued with his summation of why Yeshua is superior in His priestly role than all the other, Levitical, priests who preceded Him as an advocate and intermediary between sinful man and YHWH Elohim. Please read it carefully yourself from verses 20 to 28. It is a clear, precise statement of why Yeshua is so qualified to be the Great High Priest in the order of Melchi Tzedek.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 6
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
We ended last week on a note of challenge. What are we doing with the faith we profess? For those wishing to ponder the facts, it is estimated that less than 2% of the folk who profess faith in Yeshua and attend a weekly service at their local church actually read their Bible on a regular or systematic basis! And a quite small fraction of those engage in meaningful study of that word. It would appear therefore that the writer to the Hebrews was well acquainted with the apparent indifference, or laziness, of believers towards the word of God when he issued that challenge. He could well have been writing his letter yesterday!
“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection.” In paraphrase he is saying “OK, enough of that, you know the elementaries even though you appear not to do much with it, so let’s get down to the real issue here.” It is a strong message. It would even be classified today as ‘politically incorrect’. The writer tells it as it is. No room for argument or discussion. He said that if a person has at one time come to faith in Yeshua, has experienced the touch of God’s Holy Spirit in their lives, have been enlightened regarding the good word of God and known the promise of God’s salvation and where that leads, and THEN abandons the grace of God which was extended to him/her, it is impossible for that person to again be renewed to repentance. That is a very heavy word. It is tantamount to saying, you’ve got ONE chance, don’t blow it, because you can only repent of sin in your life ONCE for salvation, even though the call of God may come many times. The decision is a ‘onecer’. If you choose to abandon that faith and go back, there is no second chance! The message is that if or when doubt occurs in your walk of faith, seek help. Discuss it with your elders, as James counselled in James 5:14. There is support available. But DO NOT go back. It is likened to a field, once producing good crops being turned into a neglected field bearing only thorns and thistles, which are then burned.
But that is not the end of the story. The writer encouraged the members of the “ekklesia’ reading this letter to better things. God does not abandon those who are His (but no-one is forced to remain either). He is just and righteous in His dealings with mankind. “Look to those who have gone before”, he said. The revered Abraham is singled out for special mention because of the promises God made to Him. The covenant God made with Abraham was one sided. It was God’s promise to Abraham and not Abraham’s promise to God. And God keeps His word.
One of Satan’s favourite sayings, often whispered in the ear of a believer is “DID God really say that? Can you be sure of that? You are very small in the sight of God. Nah! You’d better try to work this out for yourself, then you’ll be sure of the outcome.” Subtle, persuasive, effective. Sowing doubt and fear in the mind of a believer. But friends, what God did say to Abraham, and by extension to those who came after him “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” The many Jewish recipients of this letter were testimony to that. They had the record of God’s faithfulness in making them into a nation. At the time of writing this letter, Israel was still occupied by Jews, albeit under Roman rule. And they had been witness to the coming of Messiah Yeshua in whom the recipients of this letter fervently believed. But there was opposition. There is always opposition. That is Satan’s only hope. To sow the seeds of doubt and opposition. And as the days advance Satan gets more and more active, in desperation, that there are still people like the recipients of this letter (and you and me), who maintain our faith. And the writer of this letter has allready reinforced the superiority of Yeshua over all that has gone before. Angels, Moses, Priests and kings. And in Him, we have the preeminent God who became as a man, now occupying that unique role. Prophet, Great High Priest, King, interceding before the Father on our behalf, awaiting the time appointed by the Father when He will return, not as the babe lying in a manger, but riding on a horse, taking His place as Ruler of His Kingdom in Jerusalem, ruling with a rod of iron where the Torah will be written on the heart of a man, and put into his mind by God Himself. That’s the promise the writer gives to these Messianic Jews who might be wavering in their faith. And that is our promise too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 5
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
The writer had just introduced the position which Yeshua occupied in His great High Priestly role, interceding before the Father on their behalf. He made comparison between Yeshua, the great High Priest, and the Aaronic High Priest, whom he described as ‘appointed by men’ (even though Aaron was chosen by God for this role, as were his descendants after him). But the Aaronic High Priest was still ‘one of them’ so to speak, subject to all the frailties of humanity, giving him understanding and empathy for the people. Part of His duty included making an altar sacrifice for himself, which he did once a year on Yom Kippur, before making sacrifice for the whole people. So too Yeshua, was chosen by God, took on the flesh of humanity, understood the issues faced by humanity, and made willing sacrifice of Himself so as to make sacrifice for the people. Selah. Please take time to ponder that. It is an awesome, amazing, incomprehensible act of love and grace. Why is it so difficult to comprehend? Because God is ONE. The Son and the Father are ONE. The human mind cannot comprehend that. It is by faith alone that anyone can accept that, and in so doing be welcomed into the family of faith, joint heirs with Him who died. That, my friends, is AWESOME.
The writer then mentioned the mysterious Melchizedek. (Hb. melchi, meaning king and Hb. tzedek, meaning righteousness) Melchi Tzedek is described in Genesis 14 as “the Priest of God Most High”. Since there were no “Jews” then, he may well be described as a Priest for gentiles! In addition to that he is described as “king of Salem” (king of Peace). He also received ‘tithes’ from the spoils Abram had taken from the five kings who had captured Lot. Possibly the most important observation we can make, in relation to our study of the Hebrews text before us, is that this “Melchi Tzedek” is both Priest (to gentiles) of God Most High and king of righteousness and peace. (there are other observations made by many Bible scholars).
So, the writer to these Messianic Jews, having already established that Yeshua is superior to angels, superior to Moses, and great High Priest, higher in order than the Aaronic Priesthood, is here shown to be Priest ‘of the order of Melchi Tzedek’, King of Righteousness. Putting all that together, we see that Yeshua lived His life as a Prophet of God, and is described as Priest of both gentiles and Jews. Great High Priest no less. So He fulfils His God given role of Prophet, Priest and King. There is no other like Him. And that is the One commended by the writer as worthy of the allegiance and praise of all who turn to Him in faith. And especially to the recipients of this letter to Messianic Jewish believers.
And then the writer presents them with a challenge, an accusation even. A challenge which really should be taken to heart by every believer who has experienced the call of God on their lives and have taken the step of accepting Him by faith as their Redeemer. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Now I make the observation here that the Scripture, which we know as ‘the great commission’, in Matthew 28, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” was spoken by the risen Yeshua to His eleven remaining disciples, Jews. It is a commandment which has compounding implications. Clearly the command was to ‘make disciples of Yeshua’ not disciples of themselves. The ones who have become ‘second generation’ disciples are commanded to make ‘third generation’ disciples, and so on, but ALL with first generation commitment. Evidently, the recipients of this letter were not fulfilling that charge. We all need to reflect on this.
Perhaps that is enough for this ‘reflection’. There are many challenges in the walk of faith. This one may be the most important. Why? Because if we are true disciples of the Messiah who died for us, we will know that the ones we have the opportunity to tell (and we don’t) are destined to spend eternity in a horrible place, identified in the Scriptures as ‘the lake of fire’. Selah.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 4
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
So far, the writer of this letter has declared that Yeshua, our Saviour and High Priest, is by far superior to angels and to Moses. Both are most highly regarded in Judaism, and the recipients of this letter were Messianic Jews. He also has warned these Messianic Jews of the dangers which befall any who abandon the faith they have once embraced. And that is how our reading this week commences. The “them” referred to in verse 2 is of course the Israelites of Moses’ day, but since they had not experienced the life of the Messiah on this earth, their call was to exercise faith in the promise of His coming, (Moses was the ‘type’ of Messiah to them in that day). In the grace of God to them, Moses revealed the instructions he was given in his close walk with God. The human mind has difficulty in fully understanding the mind of God, but we may be sure that His judgments are righteous and will be seen to be fair according to the knowledge of the hearer.
In Genesis, God spoke of ‘resting on the seventh day’. Since there was no eighth day in creation, we are still in ‘the seventh day’. It is a place of God’s resting. To be there with Him, we need to be qualified to enter that ‘rest’. And so it is that the writer quoted Psalm 95, now for the third time. Those with ‘hardened hearts’ will not enter His rest. They are reminded again that there were many, in Moses day, who did not enter that rest because of disobedience. But, under the command of Joshua, those who did enter the land of promise were obedient in the task set for them, and in so doing they settled in the land. In that, they entered ‘the rest’ which God had promised them. It was a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. A ‘type’ of heaven. It is entered by obedience to the commands and will of Almighty God. “For the word of God (to which we have to be obedient) is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Do you think you can hide from God? Think again! “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to Him to whom we must give account.” Wow!
At this point, the writer uses the words “Great High Priest” to describe Yeshua. We will comment on that later in our studies, but the recipients of this letter were well familiar with the role and position of the person in the office of High Priest. He would have been a descendant of Aaron in the early days of the Israelites. Much later, in the days of the Roman occupation the office was so lucrative that it became a mercenary office of favour and graft to people not of Aaronic lineage. In some respects the position was diminished as a result. But Yeshua was not of that lineage, and neither was He a mercenary. He was of the tribe of Judah. In His role as Great High Priest, interceding before the Father on behalf of those who are His, He had the experience of living among the people as a regular citizen. The word tells us that “He was in all matters tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Well qualified to know the hearts of the people.
Because of that, the writer confidently exhorts the Messianic Jews to “come boldly to that throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In that statement he metaphorically asks the question of them ‘Why do you even think of going back to the old ways? What we have before us in Yeshua is infinitely better than all we have known before. Better than angels, better than Moses, better than the High Priest. It is such a privilege to have found such grace as is found in Yeshua.’
The whole letter is a statement of the superiority of Yeshua in every aspect of His life and sacrificial death. Speaking about Yeshua in the presence of the High Priest Caiaphas and his family, with others present after the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter declared “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The writer to the Hebrews didn’t want any of them to forget. And neither should we.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 3
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
The writer has established that Yeshua has a higher standing than angels. He also established the qualification of Yeshua as High Priest to intercede before God for mankind. And now another comparison is introduced. Moses needed no introduction to this Jewish audience. He is possibly the most revered person in Judaism after Abraham, and is cited here as a most faithful servant of the people of his day, they all knew that very well. It was Moses who God chose to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through 40 years of wilderness wanderings to the very brink of the Land of God’s Promise to them. It was Moses who taught (under God’s supernatural instruction) the people how to function as “a house” (a family, a people, a nation). But, said the writer, whilst it was the respected Moses who lead the “house”, it was Yeshua, the Messiah of God, who owned the “house”. And by the grace of God, they were part of it.
To make it abundantly clear that the writer is not merely conjuring up words of his own to influence the people, he invokes the authority of the Holy Spirit of God, in the written word of the Hebrew Scriptures (in this case quoting Psalm 95) to show them that God is righteous and just in all His ways. And He is consistent in His application of that justice. This letter is written to Jews, Messianic Jews, those who had come to faith in Yeshua. But the writer cautions them in regard to the distractions and doubts which were capable of causing them to falter in their faith. He reminded them of the history of their forefathers. A history which all Jews, right up the present day, are most familiar with because of its frequent telling, especially at Passover. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion”. There were two parts to this rebellion. Firstly, there was the instance of the report of the ‘spies’ who were sent to survey the land. The decision of the people amounted to rebellion against Moses which resulted in a 10 day journey lasting 40 years! Secondly, there were numerous occasions of rebellion during that 40 year journey, as in the instances of “the golden calf” and the grumbling about God’s provision of “manna”. The rebellion against Moses himself, by Aaron and Miriam and by the sons of Korah. These instances are part of the history of the Jews, recorded in Scripture, of which they were well aware. And then the writer reminded the people of the result of those rebellious acts. “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest”. And neither did they.
Immediately following this quotation of the Scriptures, the writer, in the clearest possible terms said “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Referring again to Psalm 95.
Because the events following the departure from Egypt were so real to the Jews, there could be no mistaking the consequential judgment of God which was visited upon those who rebelled by their lack of faith and unbelief. And the writer is telling them that God has not changed. His wrath, and His righteous judgement, is just the same in their day as it was in the days of Moses. It would be naïve in the extreme if we did not see that God still has not changed (see Malachi 3:6) and the conditions which cause Him to exercise His wrath and judgement have not changed either. Ah! I hear some say, ‘but we have Jesus and He has paid the debt for our sin’. Absolutely true. But so did the Messianic Jews receiving this letter! “To whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey (were disobedient)? To what? To His instructions for righteous living. It’s in the Book. It is written. They had the Book didn’t they? And so do we. The Book is called the Hebrew Scriptures.
Friends, the Scriptures have application for all ages, but they do not change. God’s word IS God’s word. All manner of verbal gymnastics are used to try to circumnavigate the parts of it we do not like. But that does not change God’s word. Our very salvation security is vested in Almighty God being faithful to His word.
God will bless you as you read, and study that word.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 2
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” The writer continued his theme of comparison of Yeshua with angels. There are many instances in the Hebrew Scriptures where angels were used by God to convey messages to the prophets. These messages were highly revered because they are foundational to faith in God. As this letter stated at the commencement “In time past God spoke to them by the prophets.” And they had been reminded that some, if not all the prophets were persecuted and reviled for their efforts by the people who heard the message at first hand. A prophet of God was a hazardous calling, to say the least! Luke, recording the sermon of Stephen to the Council of the Jews before he was stoned to death, wrote in Acts 7 “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One (Messiah Yeshua), of whom you have become betrayers and murderers, who have received the Torah by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” The writer of this letter to the Hebrews was not letting them off the hook so to speak. The salvation of which they were beneficiaries was bought with a hefty price, not only by Him who died on that Roman cross, but by those who brought the message to them as well.
We do well to remember this fact ourselves. We are “bought with a price” too. Our salvation is just as costly as it was for the Jewish recipients of this letter. It is the most valuable gift of God to mankind. Now “if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast (which it does) and every transgression and disobedience (of that word) received a just reward, how shall we escape (death and the lake of fire) if we neglect so great a salvation.” Evidently, the writer was intent on conveying the dire consequences which befalls any who reject the salvation of which they had been partakers. This is written to believers. Today we apply it to the unsaved don’t we? But just as Paul warned in Romans 11, branches once attached to the natural Olive Tree can be broken off through unbelief, through rejection of faith, through disobedience to God’s instructions for righteous living, through backsliding (to use a modern expression).
“God has put ALL things in subjection under the Yeshua we worship” said the writer. “But we can’t see that at present”. Why? Because Satan is still wreaking havoc in this world of ours. This situation will not continue for ever. God has a timetable which only He knows, and in the fullness of His perfect timing Yeshua will return to take His appointed place as King of kings, ruling and reigning on this same earth, in Jerusalem, which He left about 2000 years ago. Count on it. “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons (all who believe in faith) to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through (His) sufferings, for both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified (we haven’t arrived yet) are all of one (family) for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” We have confirmation in Scripture as the Apostle John wrote “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1) Quite remarkable.
Now the writer warmed to his task as he moved to one of the main messages of this whole epistle, that of Yeshua as High Priest. Still comparing Him to angels he declared that God does not “give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.” Angels do not experience death, so they are unqualified to provide the necessary blood sacrifice for sinful man to be reconciled to a holy God. Those who are the ‘seed of Abraham’ do. In this, Yeshua, by taking human form, was subject to the exact same conditions (requirement to be obedient to Torah, God’s instruction for righteous living) as those to whom He would become High Priest. In this situation He was perfect, unblemished, without spot or wrinkle. The perfect Lamb of God. Perfect to be the Priestly advocate for humankind before a holy God. And so He has become “better than the angels” who are so revered in Judaism for their role with the prophets.
The writer has emphasised the superiority and worthiness of Yeshua to command our worship and our praise. Selah.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 1
Hebraic understanding Hebrews and Revelation
A wonderful letter to Jews exalting the Name and Person of Yeshua. No-one knows the identity of the author or the time of its authorship. The most speculated names associated with this letter are Rabbi Sha’ul and Barnabas, but that matters little to the content. The author was one who had a fervent desire to see Jews come to faith in Yeshua, and just as importantly to continue in that faith in the face of opposition and discouragement. However, its content has often been portrayed by Christian teachers as abrogating the Torah. That was not its purpose, and there are great lessons for believers of every culture and background contained in its message. Again we remind ourselves that the chapter and verse convenience was not present in the original, even though we will take the chapter divisions for our study and ‘reflection’. Additionally, there is significant quotation of the Hebrew Scriptures in this letter. The source document for these quotations is the Septuagint, also known as the LXX, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and which was completed about 130 years before the birth of Yeshua. (so where those Scriptures are quoted the wording may not exactly accord with your own favourite translation!)
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” A statement of fact. The Jews were well aware of the Tanakh, (the Torah, the Nevi’im (Prophets) and the Ketuvim (Writings)), and those gentiles who had joined them in faith would also have been taught about them too. So to these authoritative Scriptures, on which the whole concept of worship of God was founded has been augmented, expanded, confirmed and established in the appearance on this earth of Messiah Yeshua. He is portrayed here as the ‘crowning glory’ of God’s revelation. The very best has been kept until His earthly appearance, and the writer then proceeded to amplify the reasons why. But before we go on let us note that He is not portrayed as superseding the earlier revelation but as being part of it. And in verification of that look at Yeshua’s own words in Matthew 5 : 19. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfil (Gr. pleroo).” (see Brit Hadashah ‘Reflections’ 03 two years ago for a more full exposition)
The Heavenly host comprises those whom God has both created and appointed, and it would seem there are ranks of authority and distinction clearly identified. Angels have special tasks appointed by the Father, sometime defined as “armies”. There are many people alive today who have a firm conviction of being visited by an angel at a specific moment in their life for the purpose of receiving a particular message from God. I can identify with that. There are Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, and Guardian Angels etc. The list may include many more, we do not know, but what we do know is that Yeshua was made ‘a little lower than the angels’ in order to secure salvation for those whose trust is in Him, and yet His place in Heaven is here described as “so much better than the angels”. The writer tells us that God did not entrust the role of Saviour to an angel, but to His own Son, He “who was in the beginning with God and then ‘took flesh’ and dwelt among us.” Selah.
Then the writer seems to say “Don’t just take my word for it, look it up for yourself.” Because he quotes a number of relevant Scriptures to verify God’s prophetic word concerning Yeshua. He asks the rhetorical question, “To which of the angels did He ever say?” Why do you think he asks this question? The reason is that angels are spoken about multiple times in the Hebrew Scriptures. They are well respected emissaries of God in those Scriptures, bringing enlightening words and direction to the prophets of God. Their authority is unquestioned within Judaism. They are integral to the whole revelation of God. Now this is an extremely important lesson for us. Don’t just take the word of some preacher on any issue UNLESS you can verify, from the Scriptures, that what you are being told is of God. That is what the writer to the Hebrews is saying here. “It is written.”
The writer could have chosen any number of Scriptures which speak of the advent of the Messiah. The whole message of the Hebrew Scriptures is of His coming. There are direct references, analogous references, clear references and hidden references. But the writer chooses just seven here. “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” Speaks of the moment in antiquity when God knew that mankind would need a Saviour. “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” Put as a question here in a manner which invites the recipients of this letter to consider what that mystical statement in David’s day means. King David had desired to build a “house for the Lord”. God refused him, but promised that after David’s days He would raise up an everlasting King. The writer points to Yeshau as the fulfilment of that promise to David.
Finally, in this discourse, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Yeshua Himself used these very words in answer to a question from the Pharisees in Matthew 22: 44. David’s words were well known to this Jewish audience. These words were never spoken to any of the host of well-respected angels. But they were reference to Him who was crucified on a Roman cross. The One in whom this audience has already professed faith. As indeed have you!
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 55
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
There is a remarkable similarity in the message of Jude, the brother of James, (exactly which James is a matter of debate and has no bearing on the message) and Peter’s second letter to the Jews of the diaspora. Jude does not claim, as Peter does, apostolic credentials, and apart from that both have almost identical introductions, and many commentators believe that these two men had close collaboration in penning their epistles. Each has some quotable ‘quotes’, and are as enlightening for the Christian church today as they were for the original recipients. Dating this epistle with accuracy is difficult, but the probability is that it was written in the mid 60’s C.E., before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Jude (Judah) opened the letter with a regular salutation and then wrote in a manner of common identification with the recipients. The letter is of a general nature to “ekklesia” in the diaspora and its content assumes that the recipients, mainly Jews, have a good understanding of the historical books of the Scriptures. There was evidently great concern about the intrusion of heretical teaching, and the apostolic writers each added their voice in condemnation of that, together with their encouragement for the believers to ‘keep the faith’. We should keep in mind that Messianic Judaism was in its relative infancy. Satan was desperate to ‘snuff it out’ as quickly as he could, because he understood then, what we see today, that this was God’s salvation gift to mankind which offered freedom from the bondage of sin and destruction in Satan’s grasp . It was a battle Satan was desperate to win, and he knew that heresy is most effective when it has an element of truth attached to it. Very subtle. But God knew that too!
The fact that it was a battle is confirmed early in this letter. “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (This was never more relevant to believers than it is today as we see attacks on our faith from so many directions, and some, dear friends, are losing their lives in the battle as they contend earnestly for the faith) Then Jude reminded the “ekklesia” of the history with which he knew they were familiar. He instanced occasions with which they were familiar to indicate how God rewarded the faithful, and pronounced terrible judgement on the unfaithful. When the Israelites were about to embark on their journey to the Land of God’s promise, they sent in spies to survey the land and assess their prospects of victory there. The result was that they chose not to ‘risk it’. They lacked faith in God’s promise to them. Forty years later, apart for Joshua and Caleb, only those under 20 years of age at that time, and those born in those 40 years were allowed to enter the land. Such was God’s judgement on them.
There are angels who chose to follow Satan rather than to keep their appointed place in heaven. They are now constrained in chains and in darkness awaiting the day of Judgement. The citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah ignored the pleas of the prophets of God to abandon their life of wanton debauchery, choosing rather the ‘pleasures’ of satanic worship. So God has made those cities an example of the fiery wrath that awaits others who choose Satan rather than faith in Himself. But then Jude gives a solemn warning to these saints in the “ekklesia”. He knows that Satan is not to be trifled with. (I get alarmed when I hear well-meaning Christians today ‘taking on Satan’ in their prayers with words like “I rebuke you”) Jude reminded the believers that even the archangel Michael in contending with Satan over the body of Moses did not challenge him directly, but rather called upon the Lord Himself to provide that rebuke. We have no need to fear Satan, but we need to recognize that we are safe from him ONLY when we are covered and protected by the blood of the Lamb. Selah.
So Jude condemns the “peddlers” of false doctrine. He reminded them that all the apostles had warned them that these things would happen in the last days. There would be mockers, there would be scoffers. There would be false teachers. It’s no different today, and if Jude considered the time to be short, as in ‘the last days’, we are closer now than they were then. (don’t be confused by ‘the last days’ because God is not constrained in counting time as we count time) We are still in ‘the last days’. And for us, as for them, Jude provided the perfect answer. I confess that I am not a great fan of ‘paraphrase’ versions of the Scriptures. However, the Living Bible has these words for verse 21 “Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and protect you.” It is a verse of Scripture I MANY times quoted to my teenage daughters as they left home to go out with friends. It is a statement of wise counsel for anyone who wishes to live righteously, in obedience to YHWH Elohim. His love is everlasting. His protection is perfect. His concern for our welfare is undiminished. But He does not force Himself on anyone. It is our choice. It was the choice of Jude’s audience, to avail themselves of that protecting love which would see them safely standing before the Great White Throne of Judgement and hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord”.
Will that be our experience? The choice, at this time. is ours to make.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections "Tabernacles"
Torah Reflections “Tabernacles”
Torah portions Leviticus 22:26 to 23:44 and
Haftarah portion Zechariah 14 : 1-21
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 a happy occasion. It lasts for seven days and begins and ends with a Sabbath rest. Following just 4 days after the most solemn remembrance of Yom Kippur it is celebrated in a very special way in Israel particularly. The festival is actually known by THREE different English names. Tabernacles, Booths and Ingathering. In Hebrew ”Sukkot”.
Each family builds a kind of makeshift shelter, which they call “booths”, outside their home. It is deliberately constructed so that the roof is lightly covered with palm fronds which easily allows those inside the shelter to see the sky above. Observant Jewish families then carry on all normal family activities in and around this shelter. That includes having meals and sleeping. The purpose of these constructions is to cause the family to remember the time when their ancestors lived in this manner in their wilderness journeying’s from Egypt to the Promised Land. Naturally, there is also much storytelling and appropriate scripture reading to encourage and enlighten the experience for the children of the family.
As mentioned above, it is an especially joyful festival.
In terms of our understanding of the prophetic significance of this festival, we need to recall the teaching which accompanied the first two festivals of this season. TRUMPETS heralds the return to this Earth of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in power and great glory. Then follow 10 days of putting things right, before we remember the very solemn festival of YOM KIPPUR which is prophetic of the Great White Throne Judgement.
As the old hymn puts it “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there”. Well this festival is effectively the time for ‘roll calling’. Those who have been judged worthy at the Great White Throne Judgement are invited to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. That is consistent with the joyfulness of the occasion isn’t it? In fact, “the Bride” of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21 : 9 – 27) and there is no place for impurity within its walls. Only those cleansed by the blood of the Lamb participate in the Marriage Supper.
There is ONE more activity associated with this festival in Judaism. On the last day of the celebration is the most joyous parading of the Torah Scrolls through the Streets in Jerusalem, and I suspect, but have not personally witnessed, in other Jewish communities. This is called “Simchat Torah” (Rejoicing in the Torah). It marks the fact that the whole cycle of reading the Torah starts again for another year.
Take time to study and learn the significance of all the “mo’edim” of the Lord. They are full of rich meaning and this festival has been singled out for special mention in the millennial Kingdom. Read it for yourself in Zechariah 14 : 16 -19. It forms part of the Haftarah portion for this week.
Why is this ‘mo’ed’ singled out? For your thoughtful consideration, the first clue comes in Jeremiah 16:14,15. Probably the most memorable day in the Hebrew calendar superseded by a bigger event! Jews restored to the Land in preparation for the return of Messiah. Pesach (which includes Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits) no longer celebrated. Shavuot, traditionally the time of giving of Torah superseded by a New Covenant. Yom Teruah completed by the appearance of Yeshua as King of kings.(No third appearance expected) Yom Kippur, already completed at the White Throne Judgement. And what remains is the joyful time when Yeshua Tabernacles with us for the rest of time. It is the ONLY festival which remains when Yeshua returns to reign. Hallelujah, what a Saviour. Be part of “The great ingathering”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 54
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
2 John 1 : 1 - 13 and 3 John 1 : 1 – 14
These two letters are quite short, and personal. Unlike the first letter, which was addressed to “ekklesia”, John writes to people whom he considers close and valued friends. There is no indication in the letters of precisely who these folk were, where they fellowshipped, the precise nature of the friendship, or even if “the Lady” and “Gaius” knew each other. We do not know where John was when he wrote these letters, nor the date of their authorship. So they have to be dealt with as they appear and take from them the lessons which are there to be learned.
“The Elder,” is John’s description of himself in both letters. That could signify both that he was of senior age, and that he considered himself to have oversight of the particular “ekklesia” where “the Elect Lady” and “Gaius” fellowshipped. Let us deal with “the Elect lady” first. As a matter of interest the word ‘elect’ may also have been translated ‘chosen’, and we are left to speculate by whom she was ‘chosen’. The obvious one is the Person of the Holy Spirit of course. This letter might be a response to a communication John had received from this person requesting counsel, and there is reason in the text to validate this. On the other hand, there is also evidence that the lady might have been hosting an “ekklesia” in her home, and this is a pastoral note encapsulating the broad message contained in John’s first general epistle. We don’t know.
The verses provide convenience, but were not put there by John! However, in those first six verses John uses the words “truth” and “love” many times. These provide the basis from which John is able to compare deception, a major concern with which he was dealing in these fledgling “ekklesias”. There is also the likelihood that this fellowship was quite small and had not yet been subjected to the attention of the false teachers which we discussed in ‘reflecting’ on John’s first epistle. Speculatively, I can see a possibility that the lady might have heard about these false teachings and wrote to John about them, so John wanted to pro-actively head this off and deal with it before it arrived. There are ‘children’ mentioned by John. They may have been the lady’s own offspring, or they may have been ‘children in the faith’, but the fact that only ‘some of them’ were ‘walking in truth’ suggests the former.
“And now I plead with you, lady, (I wonder why he didn’t use her name!) not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. This is love that we walk according to His commandments.” And immediately he launched into the fact that there were many deceivers in the world seeking to snare those who might be somewhat weak, or new, in the faith. “look to yourselves” he said, not to the ‘peddlers’ of false doctrine, “that we do not lose those things we worked for,” ( presumably referring to those who had been won to the faith and who fellowshipped with her in her home). Then, with his ‘Elders’ hat firmly showing, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine (of Christ), do not receive him into your house nor greet him.” There is some sound advice for us today as we face such antichrist doctrine in our media and in the political class, even in some churches!
There are a number of men named ‘Gaius’ in the Scriptures. One baptized by Paul (1 Cor 1 : 14), one of Macedonia (Acts 19), one of Derbe (Acts 20), and this friend of John. Two of these are noted in the Scriptures for their hospitable acts, and it is a note of trivial interest that it is said that John Bunyan, in his famous work “Pilgrims Progress”, gave the Innkeeper the name Gaius, due to that hospitable nature! In any event, some friends of John had met this Gaius whilst on a mission trip and upon their return had testified, to John, of his notably upright walk of faith, and the warmth of hospitality which he had evidently extended to them. (Isn’t that the kind of testimony to be admired and which should be coveted by all believers?) However, as John wrote to encourage Gaius for his faithfulness, he also mentioned another of the brethren, Diotrephes, who had a very different testimony. Mercifully, not every “ekklesia” had a Diotrephes in their congregation! He was one who coveted ‘position’. He must have been in a situation of leadership because he had the authority, (possibly meeting in his own home) to expel people from fellowship. He even failed to recognize John’s authority, by refusing to have his letter to the “ekklesia” read to them.
It is not difficult to imagine such a situation today, for there are many examples of folk elevated to a pastoral role, who treat that as a position of almost ‘papal like’ authoritarian anointing. That is quite unbiblical.
It is wise to consider these three epistles of John as a continuous trilogy. First is the open letter dealing with false teaching in general and a more basic entreaty to remember the call to stay with the Scriptural teaching of inclusion and obedience to the authority and commands of Almighty God. “if it does not accord with the ‘Book’, be very cautious!” And then the two more personal letters dealing with leadership and example in the confines of the smaller “ekklesia”. There is much for us to glean from John as he tries to shepherd believers to be steadfast and true to what God has revealed in the Scriptures. May it be so for each of us too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Yom Kippur”
Torah Reflections “Yom Kippur”
Torah portions Leviticus 16 : 1- 34 and Numbers 29 : 7 - 11
Haftarah portion Isaiah 57 : 14 to 58 : 14
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.
The 10 days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur are referred to as “the days of awe”. In Judaism, they are days of intraflection and reconciliation … putting things right.. putting things right with God and putting things right with those we live with and associate with on a daily basis. In fact the Scriptures clearly tell us that we cannot be right with God, and be at odds with each other (Matthew 5 : 24).
Those who have visited Israel at this time of year will know that everything stops on Yom Kippur. It is a day of fasting and reflection.( It is the reason why, in 1973, the Arab nations around Israel attacked them on that specific day. There is No Radio, No Television, No answering phones.. NOTHING goes on). The Scriptures declared that all the people have a day of solemn rest and strict Sabbath keeping. A day to “afflict your souls”.
It was the one day in every year, appointed by God, for the Chief Priest to enter the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle and the Temple when they were functioning. The whole purpose of that visit by the Chief Priest was to ensure that he himself, and the Nation of people he represented, were made right with God in preparation for the year that lay ahead.
The awesome significance of this very special day is, regrettably, totally lost to the church. In addition to its special anointing by God, being set apart from all other days as it is, there is a unique event recorded in Revelation which we should all be acutely aware of. It is the day of the WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT. It is represented for us today by the day of Atonement. It is a special day ‘to put things right’.
Revelation 20 : 11 – 15 describes that day of Judgment. It needs no comment from me. The judgement is to determine who is right with God, and who is not. It is there for everyone to read, but before you read it I caution you to read Revelation 22 : 18,19 first. Many ‘Christians’ today have never taken time to even read Revelation, let alone try to understand its message. It is a letter written by Yeshua Himself, or at least dictated by Him to John.
The climax of the whole letter, in fact the climax of the whole message of the Scriptures comes in the next festival of the Lord, the Feast of Tabernacles, which is why these “mo’edim” of the Lord are so important to celebrate, be part of, and to remember.
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 53
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.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God.” Isn’t that an amazing thought? Joint heirs with Yeshua! Mystery of mysteries. The ‘love’ here is “agape” (unconditional love). What did they (or we) do to deserve that? Nothing. Only exercise faith in Him who died for them. Faith which was counted as righteousness. Faith which caused them to live according to His standards and be obedient to His commandments. Faith which allowed them to know that their sins were forgiven. That’s what John taught us last week.
And he is teaching us a bit more this week! John told them what sin is. “Whoever commits sin also commits ‘lawlessness’ (Greek ‘anomia’), and sin IS ‘anomia’.” That word ‘anomia’ is the antonym of ‘nomos’, the Greek word used to translate the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ (teaching). Having regard to the fact that John’s target audience were Jewish believers, we see that his message to them was that “Torahlessness” (disregard, abandonment, or disobedience of Torah) was for them sin. Now that leads us a question. Most of us see the Apostolic Scriptures as pastoral teaching for the church don’t we? But John hasn’t finished yet! He continued with “Whoever abides in Him does not sin (commit Torahlessness). Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” I have made up my mind about what it means. You have to make up your mind. And what the Lord tells you to do, DO. It is incumbent on all of us to be consistent in our interpretation of the Scriptures. We are not at liberty to pick and choose between the bits that suit us and the bits that don’t.
John’s message is powerful. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” And he followed that with the exhortation for them to love one another. John used that word ‘love’ so many times in this letter and in almost every case it was the ‘agape’ word, the ‘unconditional love’ word, he used. To stay close and unconditionally supportive of each other. A huge part of his concern was for their protection from heresy which was being ‘peddled’. Evidently the heretics were presenting their wares in the name of the Spirit of God. (see ‘reflection’ No. 52 for a brief description of their beliefs) So John warned them to “test the spirits, whether they are of God.” Now there is care to be exercised here. The test is not whether we agree with their theology or interpretation. The test is “Every spirit that confesses that Yeshua Ma’shiach has come in the flesh is of God”, and that does not mean the confession of one giving mere verbal assent, it means persons whose lives show that confession in action. Words are easy aren’t they? But it’s how one lives (“in deed and in truth”) that provides the proof.
Over and over again John stressed the importance to them of their unity in love. And he became somewhat repetitious in his emphasis. He wrote, so they would have no misunderstanding, how to recognize the believer as opposed to the unbeliever, or someone on the fringe. The observation and practice of Torah was a key, in fact the principal, factor in that recognition. It cannot be under-stated. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments”. Then “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” It absolutely amazes me that such clarity can ever be misunderstood. So many times I have heard respected Bible teachers declare that the “Torah” is obsolete. “Jesus kept all the commandments so we do not have to” is a common declaration. Well, I do not know where that came from because it certainly is not in my Bible! And it was not the view of any of the Apostolic writers.
Finally, John encouraged the “ekklesia” members to make requests of Yeshua, our advocate in the Throne room of Heaven. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him (Yeshua), that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” Wow! How many times do we hear “God hasn’t answered my prayer yet.” There may well be the reason right there. The condition of certainty which John promised them was “according to His will.” Our responsibility is to seek God’s will for our lives. Then to ask Him to fulfil in us what He has purposed for us to do. Be blessed as you seek His face.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
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
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 48
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)
In my Bible today’s reading begins with the word “therefore”. That means it has relevance to what has immediately gone before it. So it would be wise to check that out. The key is in 1 Peter 1:16 and 23. “Be holy, for I am holy” and “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God.” “Therefore”, Peter said, “desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby.” Now let’s get some perspective here. This letter is written to the Jewish communities in the ‘diaspora’ (the dispersion). Specifically, Peter writes to believers, messianic Jews. What was the “word” that was to ‘be desired’ for their spiritual growth? The only “word” they had of course. The Hebrew Scriptures. Certainly they might also have read Paul’s encouraging teaching letters (which Peter thought were difficult to understand!) but they were not ‘the Scriptures’ of that time.
Peter’s expectation was that as these believing Jews, being chosen by God and precious, grew in the ‘pure milk of the word’ and then became as living stones, a holy priesthood, used in building a ‘spiritual house’ where spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Yeshua, were offered. It is difficult for gentile believers today to grasp that concept, but Jews have no difficulty with it. Offering prayers and thanks to God three times every day is still the common practise of orthodox Jews. If nothing else, it is the sacrifice of ones time to spend with God, but it is much more than that. The references in Isaiah and Psalms about ‘the chief cornerstone’, the foundation of this ‘spiritual house’, is obvious to believers today, as indeed it was to the diaspora believers. Paul wrote in Romans 11:25 about the ‘blindness in part’ of the Jew, which we believe prevents them today from understanding that Yeshua is that ‘chief cornerstone’. But I am concerned for the part we might play in obscuring His identity too! It is very well to talk about Him as the Messiah of God, but when He is presented to them as one who abolished the Torah, the very word which Peter proclaims to be the ‘pure milk of the word’, I think we are treading on extremely ‘thin ice’. And finally Peter charges them with the fact that the point at which change occurs, when ‘stumbling’ (unbelief, walking in darkness, disobedience to the word) ceases, is the point at which they become ‘the people of God’. It is absolutely no different for us. The point at which our ‘stumbling’ (unbelief, walking in darkness, disobedience to the word) ceases, we become “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.”
Peter took time to spell out the way such persons should behave in the society in which they lived. He progressed from the exhortation to live as examples, with a good reputation among our fellow citizens, to the need (in chapter 3) for exemplary conduct in our homes. The relationship between husband and wife is personal. Many husbands enthusiastically embrace Peter’s exhortation as he addressed wives. “do not let your adornment be merely outward – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” but are less enthusiastic when he addressed the husband’s responsibility. (on a personal note, I pay tribute to my own wife, who was no ‘shrinking violet’! but through a very long marriage exhibited such love and wisdom in her conduct in our home, drawing great love and respect to herself from my whole family in return) It is all brought together when Peter said “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender-hearted, be courteous, etc.”
One of the most quotable verses of Scripture came from the pen of Peter in this letter. “Sanctify Messiah as Lord (Nestle-Aland Greek text) in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (reverence).” The word ‘sanctify’ means consecrate, set apart for worship, treat with great care, value immensely. And just before this Peter quoted from the Psalms, with which I close this ‘refection’. Could it be that a person who really does “Sanctify Messiah as Lord” would not need words of his own to convey the message of salvation because his life would be living testimony of the ‘hope that is in him’? The Psalmist needs no comment from me.
“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. And His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 47
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)
Peter addressed this pastoral letter to the diaspora communities of Jewish believers in “Asia Minor”. A region we broadly identify as central Turkey today. The writing Apostles had spent about three years of their life under the close tutelage of Yeshua. Uneducated men with no religious baggage, Yeshua chose these men carefully to spread the good news of the gospel after His death and resurrection. Gentile believers today constitute a quite significant part of the fruit of their obedience to the commission with which they were charged. All of us who are “born of the Spirit” owe a great debt of gratitude to these faithful Jewish Apostles. But few of us seem to vocalize recognition of that heritage!
This letter was intended to be read by a number of “ekklesia” in the region. Very early, Peter refers to ‘various trials’ being encountered by these “ekklesia”, infering that such ‘trials’ were part and parcel of common experience. Most would understand those ‘trials’ to mean difficulties, persecutions, harassment and even personal abuse. And those ‘trials’ would be emanating both from the local populace and from unbelieving Orthodox Jewish members (also known as Judaizers). Now, to get a grip on the situation, it is helpful if we can, in some measure, personalize this experience and relate it to our situation today. Otherwise, relating to the pastoral nature of Peter’s counsel becomes difficult to comprehend. And the miracle of the Scriptures is the way they are able to span all ages and generations.
It is made more difficult today because, whereas Peter warns that these ‘trials’ are the expected ‘norm’ for believers, there are many “Apostles” (self-appointed) today deceptively proclaiming the ‘prosperity teaching’ for all believers. It is popular because it is attractive and self-serving. But it’s not in the Bible! And my dear friends, since we are told that we are not ‘of this world’, if we do not have opposition (we are told that the world is at enmity with God) we should perhaps question the nature and quality of the witness we present to those around us.
However, Peter’s message is not all gloom and doom. Quite the opposite. “you have been grieved by various trials” he said, “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory , receiving the end of your faith .. the salvation of your souls.” Does the genuineness of my faith and witness pass this test? Does yours?
He continued in the manner of both a challenge and an exhortation. With reference to their life before faith “conforming to your former lusts, as in your ignorance.” And quoting from the Torah with which the Jews would be familiar, he said “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written ‘Be holy for I am holy’.” (Leviticus 11) The question for us to address is ‘How much of that exhortation applies today?” That God is holy is beyond question. That we were conforming to our former lusts is also unquestioned, even though, arguably, the degree may be different for each individual. (it is appropriate to remember the Hebrew word “chata” (sin), which is an archery term meaning to miss the mark. Whether by one millimetre or one metre is not specified.) Missing the mark is ‘missing the mark!’ No one is exempt. So how to judge ‘holiness’ by God’s standard is the issue. The Torah is the written account of God’s instruction for righteous (holy, set apart) living. Nowhere in the Scriptures will you find that Torah has been made obsolete, and certainly not for Jews. (Did you realize that the New Covenant sign is the Torah written on our hearts and put in our minds by God Himself so that it can no longer be taught!) I would think too that those who have been ‘grafted into the natural Olive Tree’ (which is Israel according to Paul) are also privileged to benefit from such instruction. If that is the case then today we too are to “Be holy for I am holy”.
“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away. But the word of the Lord endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) Peter reminded his readers. “And this is the word, which by the gospel is preached to you.” And guess what! The ‘word’ to which Peter referred was what we call “The Old Testament”, more appropriately being The Hebrew Scriptures.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 46
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
The first observation we make is that the name ‘James’ is the anglicized version of ‘Ya’akov’, the Hebrew name of this Apostle. There are three James’ who ‘might’ be the author of this letter. One was brother of John and son of Zebedee and Salome. He is thought to have visited Spain and Portugal to encourage and preach to Jews of the diaspora there, but little else is known about him. Another is the half-brother of Yeshua, and the third was a son of Alpheus. No one knows. There is circumstantial evidence that it was one of the first two mentioned, but that matters little. It is the content which is important. The letter is written to the ‘scattered’ tribes of Israel, with a major focus being to exhort the recipients to exercise and exhibit their faith by their actions, not only with their words. For that reason, his observation of double-mindedness in those of the faith is also a theme of the letter.
It is often the case that the very convenient chapter and verse divisions in our Bible causes us to miss some of the flow of the text. It is the case here. “Come now you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. …. Indeed the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of YHWH Elohim.” It is a readily identified sin to defraud anyone, isn’t it? But this is written to believers!! So if we ignore the chapter division here it follows on immediately from James’ definition of sin with which we ended our ‘reflection’ last week. “To him that knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” It is a ‘compound sin’ if such a thing exists! Knowing what is right and not doing it, and then compounding it with fraud. One clear example of the double-mindedness, which James addresses in this letter to believers in the diaspora “ekklesia”.
The “high minded” would quickly exclaim that they would never do such a thing. But there are scores of instances, every day, when we profess one thing regarding our relationship with God and act as though God were just a remote dis-interested onlooker from outer space. That is plain double-mindedness. God has clearly spelled out His instruction for righteous living, and from that there was NO compromise then and there is NO compromise now. It’s in the BOOK!!
James uses the Prophets, men who heard the word of the Lord and spoke it without fear or favour, as examples of the sometime hardship of being faithful to ones calling. Job was another who endured severe deprivation for his faith. “Let your “yes” be yes, and let your “no” be no” James said. No prevarication, no compromise, no faltering, no deviation from the path of your life of faith. Why? Because “the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” And that is where we put our faith and trust. But James is also a realist. He knows that our humanity sometimes gets in the way of our faith. So he continued.
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing Psalms. Is anyone of you sick? (Greek “astheneo”) Let him call for the elders of the “ekklesia” etc.” Has James just introduced a new subject about physical healing here? Just out of the blue? Has he finished with double-mindedness? NO HE HASN’T. How often have we heard this passage of Scripture used as an introduction to join a line for physical healing? That is exactly what I was taught, and I expect you were too. Now this is extremely important. There is NO change of subject matter as we proceed in this letter. The theme of double-mindedness continues. And it is necessary to see why. The key is in understanding the Greek “astheneo”. And at the same time to ask yourself why did James follow this apparent interjection about “healing” by reminding these Jews in the diaspora about Elijah on Mount Carmel? It all fits together. And for me it answers a most perplexing question of why so many are not healed of sickness and ill-health by such sincere prayer by elders in our churches.
Here’s how. The word “astheneo”, translated in James 5:14 as ‘sick’, occurs 11 times in Paul’s letters. 5 times in Romans once in 1 Corinthians and 5 times in 2 Corinthians. In each case that word is correctly translated as “weak” (in faith). Additionally, in the very next verse, James 5:15 the word which is translated as “sick” is the Greek “kamno”, much better translated “faint” or “wearied”. Elijah’s encounter with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel was a battle of “double minded-ness”. “How long will you falter between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21)
So, “rightly dividing the word of truth”, there remains a consistency about James appeal to the diaspora Jews. He recognized that some would grow “weary” in the faith. He recognized the frailty of ones humanity. He knew that some would need local help and assistance to continue. So he gave them wise counsel. It is counsel that is equally applicable today. When doubt, confusion, concern, or challenging situations occur, James said “Let him call the elders of (his) “ekklesia”, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Then James gave them this promise, recognizing that such action would be the beginning of loving concern and support for the person presenting themselves to them for such prayer. “And the prayer of faith WILL save the “weary one”, and the Lord WILL raise him up.” Be blessed as you study the word of God.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 45
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
The first observation we make is that the name ‘James’ is the anglicized version of ‘Ya’akov’, the Hebrew name of this Apostle. There are three James’ who ‘might’ be the author of this letter. One was brother of John and son of Zebedee and Salome. He is thought to have visited Spain and Portugal to encourage and preach to Jews of the diaspora there, but little else is known about him. Another is the half-brother of Yeshua, and the third was a son of Alpheus. No one knows. There is circumstantial evidence that it was one of the first two mentioned, but that matters little. It is the content which is important. The letter is written to the ‘scattered’ tribes of Israel, with a major focus being to exhort the recipients to exercise and exhibit their faith by their actions, not only with their words. For that reason, his observation of double-mindedness in those of the faith is also a theme of the letter.
A little known statement opens our reading today, which has profound implications for many people, myself included! “Let not many of you become teachers (of the Scriptures) knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement.” For the last few years I have been ‘reflecting’ (and thus teaching) on the Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures. I have done so in full knowledge of the fact that I will receive stricter judgement, both from the readers of these ‘reflections’, and more importantly from YHWH Elohim. Teachers have a huge responsibility to “rightly divide the word of truth”. I confess to having little patience with those who, through lack of diligence, or for personal gain, mislead others about what the Scriptures ACTUALLY say. And regrettably there are many who, to their great shame, “peddle” the word of God in such a manner. (2 Corinthians 2:17)
To emphasize his point, James uses some everyday examples to illustrate the huge consequences of such mis-use of that small ‘member’ of our body, the tongue! He likens it to a small fire that can set a whole forest ablaze. To a tiny rudder which is able to control the direction of a huge ship. The tongue, he said, is untameable, “full of deadly poison”. That’s an awful yet accurate description of its powerful potential to do immeasurable harm and create dissent. At the same time, correctly ‘tamed’, our tongue may be used to bring blessing, comfort, encouragement and joy. A timely lesson for today. James is quick to point out the responsibility of every believer to ensure that our heart is right before our holy God so that our tongue is used to bring glory to God and news of good things, of which it is capable.
Discernment of truth is paramount. James writes to encourage those who are ‘of the faith’. He goes to some length to emphasize the characteristic which should be the evidence of that faith. “Good works” he said “is the tangible evidence of that faith.” By faith comes repentance. One needs faith to know that repentance has been accepted. (When our children were young, we required them to express sorrow for mis-deeds or poor behaviour. ‘What does “sorry” mean?’ We would ask, and then provide an answer. It means ‘I won’t do it again!’). Where is the evidence that repentance has occurred in a person? And of what has one repented? Scripture teaches that we need to repent of ‘sin’, (‘chata’ in Hebrew, an archery term, which means ‘missing the mark’), but we need to understand what that means. On this point some are confused, but the Bible is quite clear. In contradistinction to “chata” (missing the mark) is “Torah” (derived from the Hebrew word “yarah”, another archery term, meaning ‘hitting the mark’.) So clearly, the Biblical definition of ‘sin’ (from which we are to repent) is “missing the mark” and by our repentance (turning around) we “hit the mark”. By taking heed to God’s instruction (Torah) for righteous living. The evidence? A lifestyle which is different! By inference, James is teaching “No evidence, no repentance!” And my dear friends, on the authority of Scripture if there is no repentance there is no salvation! “Repentance from sin” is a bedrock, principal, teaching of John the Baptizer, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach and Rabbi Sha’ul. And to come ‘full circle’, the evidence is there for all to see, and it is manifest, not in what we say, but in the “works” we do, that is, how we live our lives.
James embarks on a kind of checklist of questions for our discernment about where we stand. “Where do wars and fights come from among you?” “Do you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” “Do you think that the Scripture says in vain ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? Then he quotes from Proverbs “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Then the practical advice of a wise counsellor. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners; and purify your hearts you double-minded.” Did you know that one of the purposes of the ancient sacrificial system was so that the penitent person would literally “draw near to God”? Sacrifices were made at the Tabernacle or Temple. The very place of God’s habitation among the people. And when the penitent ‘drew near to God’ God drew near to him. Burden lifted. Peace of mind.
Finally, in this very practical letter of encouragement to believers, James provides a concise definition of sin. It is well worth pondering. “To him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Just notice one more time believing friend. It’s not what you say, it’s what you do!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 44
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
The first observation we make is that the name ‘James’ is the anglicized version of ‘Ya’akov’, the Hebrew name of this Apostle. There are three James’ who ‘might’ be the author of this letter. One was brother of John and son of Zebedee and Salome. He is thought to have visited Spain and Portugal to encourage and preach to Jews of the diaspora there, but little else is known about him. Another is the half-brother of Yeshua, and the third was a son of Alpheus. No one knows. There is circumstantial evidence that it was one of the first two mentioned, but that matters little. It is the content which is important. The letter is written to the ‘scattered’ tribes of Israel, with a major focus being to exhort the recipients to exercise and exhibit their faith by their actions, not only with their words. For that reason, his observation of double-mindedness in those of the faith is also a theme of the letter.
The letter lacks the personal associations which are a hallmark of Paul’s writings, but James is well aware of the trials and difficulties being faced by his fellow Jews in their diaspora “ekklesia” and gets directly into the purpose of the letter. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” he said. There was no IF involved, it was WHEN. Living a life of faith will always attract the attention of others, and they are not all sympathetic. There will be trials. James said that this amounted to a test of faith, which teaches patience, which in turn strengthens that faith as one leans more and more on the Lord for comfort and support. I paraphrase here, as James said “If you are not sure how to proceed, ask God, he will provide the strength and wisdom you need to continue, but be sure to ask without doubting, because if you are unsure of God you will be like a ship in a raging sea, tossed about all over the place. Be single minded in your asking and trust God for his leading. If you are double-minded you will be confused in discernment whether or not it is God who is speaking to you!”
Everyone experiences temptation, and it comes in many different forms. Do not be fooled into thinking that temptation is from God. It is not. And because this letter of James has some focus on double-mindedness, a mixture of sorts, I think he might consider that temptation, which has its root in one’s own desires, is because the outcome of temptation springs from the fact that issues of relationship with a holy God have not been fully settled. To put it more positively, the single minded person, having settled the issue of a relationship with God, has little difficulty in deciding the course to take when temptation arises. Right and wrong are more easily distinguished. Resistance to temptation more readily dealt with. Why? Well the Apostle Paul put it well. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with that temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) One’s reliance on God provides the strength to overcome.
James exhibits “Solomonesque” wisdom in this letter. It is jam packed full of good advice. “Be doers of the word and not hearers only.” Yeshua did not have much time for the Pharisees on this account. He once told his Jewish audience (Matthew 23:3) to DO what the Pharisees say you should do (because they said all the right things) but DON’T do what they do! Could that be said of us? Most of us are good hearers, but are we DOERS of the word? Accept the challenge and ponder the thought.
Chapter 2 deals with the issue of ‘partiality’. Treating people differently because of their wealth or standing in the community. It is still a big issue for some synagogues who actually sell tickets for the best seats and duties in the (mo’edim) holiday festivals. There is always a ‘rational’ explanation, but never a good reason! That is why James deals with it head on. He heads straight for the Torah, and again he ends up making comparison between what one says one believes, and how one acts. It is easy to point a finger at the recipients of this letter and nod the head approvingly, but what does the letter say to ME, today. It’s practical. It’s relevant. It’s challenging. Or it should be!
Here is one JUST for me! “If a brother or a sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them ‘be warmed and filled’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit (them)?” In that context, James says your faith is dead. Your faith takes on life when it is accompanied by action. A good deed. “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Talk is cheap dear friends, getting one’s hands dirty is a bit different.
So to Abraham. James reminded his audience that “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness” How did that work? Well God called Abraham to leave his country and go to another. Abraham obeyed God, not only then but other times too. He acted. He was a DOER. And he was a DOER out of pure trust in what God called him to do. No-one has any doubt of Abraham’s standing before God.
And that sums up the lessons contained in our reading today. Faith is important, without faith we cannot please God, I tread on thin ice with some here, BUT there is more. Faith that stands still doesn’t get one anywhere. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” We are called by God for a purpose. That purpose can only be fulfilled as we respond, take up the challenge and DO what we have been called to do.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 43
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
My bible has the following introduction to this letter.
“Does Christian brotherly love really work, even in situations of extraordinary tension and difficulty? Will it work, for example between a prominent slave owner and one of his runaway slaves? Paul has no doubt! He writes a ‘postcard’ to Philemon, his beloved brother and fellow worker, on behalf of Onesimus – a deserter, thief, and formerly worthless slave, but now Philemon’s brother in Christ. With much tact and tenderness, Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus back with the same tenderness with which he would receive Paul himself. Any debt Onesimus owes, Paul promises to make good. Knowing Philemon, Paul is confident that brotherly love and forgiveness will carry the day.
Evidently, as Paul said in his introduction, he wrote this letter when Timothy was with him, and there was an “ekklesia” of believers which met regularly in the home of Philemon. It is interesting that the name “Philemon” means ‘affectionate’ in English, coming from the Greek root word “philema” meaning ‘to kiss’. As a matter of further interest, the name “Onesimus” means ‘beneficial’ or ‘profitable’.
There does not appear to be any issue of momentous doctrinal value in this letter, it is quite personal, direct and compassionate. But the inclusion of this letter in the cannon of Scripture demands our attention. We learn from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, that Onesimus was one of them, so the overwhelming likelihood is that Philemon was a prominent member of the “ekklesia” in Colossae (since they actually met in his home). It is also probable that this letter was written about the same time as the letter to the Colossians, early in Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.
Initially, there is the commendation of Paul for the excellent reputation and service which Philemon obviously exercised within the “ekklesia’. One might imagine that as a slave owner he was a man of some substance. He seemingly was highly regarded in that assembly. The relationship that Paul had within the various Asia Minor “ekklesia” is hinted at in verse 8. He felt that he had enough authority to command certain actions of the congregation and its individual members. However, he tactfully declined to make such demands, choosing rather to ‘appeal’ to Philemon as one with the seniority of age, but as an equal in the sight of our Lord Yeshua. Onesimus was an escaped slave (likely punishable by a disfiguring brand mark or even death) who didn’t do a very good job whilst in the household of Philemon. But who Paul declared to be returning as one who would be quite reformed, useful, and diligent in his future service. In paraphrase Paul said “I would have loved to have kept him with me so that, as a gift from you, he would be able to minister to me in my imprisonment” Then to put the legality of that right “but I couldn’t keep him without your consent and I didn’t want to presume on your generosity without your approval, so I am sending him back to you!”
“Maybe his escape was no accident” Paul said. “Could it be that there was a purpose, arranged by God Himself so that he would return to you, no longer just as a slave, but more than that, as a true brother in the faith? He is a brother in Christ to me, so how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” Then Paul puts it right on the line. “If you count me as a brother, and he is my brother, receive him as though it were me that were coming back to you!”
But that was not quite the end of it. Paul was not sure if there were any debt to pay so he generously offered to cover any such debt (even though it seems unlikely that Paul would have the financial means to cover any debt!) Then he quietly reminded Philemon that he himself was in debt for his very life to Paul, who had earlier led him to faith in Yeshua.
Now we do not have the satisfaction of knowing the end of this situation. What we do know is that Paul used his significant influence to build bridges between two brothers in the faith, albeit from exceptionally different backgrounds and personal circumstance. The natural man would conclude that such reconciliation would be improbable. But when people are united in faith, all things are possible. And that might be the lesson we should take from this brief personal letter. It deals with the fact of Paul doing the right and honourable thing in persuading Onesimus to return to his “master’ in the flesh. But he does it with incredible sensitivity giving hope, encouragement and support for a good outcome in that return. He could have said “Go back Onesimus, I will pray for you!!” And he probably did, but he went further, much further, and laid his own reputation and standing ‘on the line’ by writing that compassionate letter, and following it up, at the end of the letter by suggesting to Philemon that it wouldn’t be long before he would make another personal visit to him ensuring that he would be able to see the end result for himself.
So this concludes our ‘reflections’ on the writings of Paul. In future weeks we will ‘reflect’ on the other four Apostolic writers, James, Peter, John and Jude.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 42
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Just like Timothy, Titus too was a young man introduced to faith in Yeshua by Paul. He accompanied Paul on many of his missionary journeys, and is mentioned several times in that connection. But the purpose of this letter was to provide Titus with instruction regarding the proper functioning of the “ekklesia” over which he was charged with oversight. An unenviable assignment for such a young man.
The salutation which opens this letter is interesting in that one might have expected Paul to be quite assured of his salvation. Instead, he expresses ‘hope’ of salvation, leading to eternal life, as he faithfully continued the task of preaching the word of God in truth as he was assigned. He may well have known of the words which Yeshua spoke to His disciples recorded in Matthew 10 and 24 about the significance of “enduring to the end”. And for Paul, he had not yet completed the course! But he was well aware of the potential difficulties faced by Titus in bringing order to the various “ekklesia” in Crete, and was intent on instructing and encouraging him to fulfil that difficult task.
The appointment of ‘elders’ (people with experience of life, as in ‘seniors’) and ‘bishops’ (those charged with responsibility, as a superintendent) Paul saw as an important element to ensure the orderly conduct of each “ekklesia”. The principles are the same today, but often, the qualifications detailed by Paul in recognizing such appointments are mostly ignored, since our churches today operate ‘democratically”, by popular vote of the members. Titus was not instructed to take a vote on such appointments. He was told to observe and judge various details of such persons’ way of life and standing in the community. And there was good reason for that. In an amazing outburst about national character Paul declared that “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”. Wow! Talk about winning friends and influencing people! Do you begin to get a sense here of the enormity of the task which the young Titus was to face? The appointments of ‘elders’ and ‘bishops’ required them to exhibit a strength of character, and a standing in the community to withstand the teachings of those, ‘especially those of the circumcision’, (Jews) whose ‘mouths must be stopped’. Why? Because Paul knew that there were those within the Jewish community, who saw themselves as spiritually superior and were not shy to promote themselves, even for dishonest gain, teaching what they considered truth, when in fact they were propagating what Yeshua called ‘the traditions of men’, observing traditions and customs as the means of salvation. Paul had ‘been there, done that’ and knew it all too well. He wisely observed “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him.” It is the same today. As Yeshua spoke those words of condemnation in Matthew 7 “By their fruits (works) you shall know them.”
So Titus was instructed to ‘speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine’. To conduct himself with utmost integrity. Chapter 2 of our text is a master class instruction in dealing with every member of each family unit. Paul encouraged Titus to speak boldly, to exhort, rebuke, teach, befriend, be an example, be consistent, unwavering, and truthful, in all his associations. Only by so doing could he expect to gain their respect, support and love so as to witness spiritual growth in the “ekklesia” he was called upon to lead. Are you challenged, as I am, to consider how I would have fared in Titus’ shoes? It sounds hypothetical, but it’s not. Everyday our actions and our speech shout to all around us what we are like on the inside. Those bits that we think are hidden!
Paul’s exhortation is extremely practical. Titus was not invited to win a popularity contest. He was charged with speaking the truth in love. “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,” Remember that we too were once pretty gross! “But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” However, good works are not to be condemned as though they were filled with poison. Some Christians miss the point here. “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly” said Paul “that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” These are the good works we engage in because we are saved, NOT in order to be saved.
And to those who did not want to hear, and from those whose only interest was to engage in endless dispute, he was instructed to walk away! “Shake off the dust from your feet” (Matthew 10:14) is how Yeshua put it to His disciples. “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” Paul said.
This short letter of advice to Titus is worthy of your careful attention. Those who study it closely will be well rewarded in their walk with the Lord.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 41
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy from Rome shortly after his first letter. It seemed that Paul was concerned to encourage the young Timothy to be strong in his faith as the onerous task of leading the “ekklesia” in Ephesus took some toll on the young man’s resolve! Some had already deserted Paul (other than their names we have no other detail) but Paul calls on his own testimony of faithfulness to his ministry to bolster up this young man whom he described as his ‘son in the faith’.
The previous chapter ended with Paul exhorting Timothy to avoid ‘foolish and ignorant disputes’. To remain calm, gentle and composed, patient in his dealing with opposition. But in humility of spirit, to be firm in his correction of those who opposed him. Our reading today continues that wise counsel with the warning of the certain ‘perilous times’ ahead. Paul was right then and he is right today. Just look at the list of ‘perils’ he outlined for the young Timothy. “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money (from which comes a root of all kinds of evil), boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” Did Paul miss anything out? It is a list worthy of our close attention. Note these descriptors, so easily recognizable in our own society today. Why note them? Because these are the signs Paul said would be evident ‘in the last days’. We cannot be sure of the prevalence of these things in Timothy’s time in Ephesus, but they were there, all of them. What we can be sure of is the evidence of our own eyes as we look at today’s society. It may sound overly strong to us today, but Paul’s language is unequivocal, “from such people turn away”. And very often we don’t!!
Jannes and Jambres present another difficulty for some because there is no Scriptural record of them other than here. They are considered to be the magicians (sorcerers), who appear in extra-biblical texts, and of whom the scholarly Paul evidently had knowledge. These are the persons to whom Paul likens those who resist the truth of the Scriptures themselves. Indeed as they obviously resisted Moses! To that extent then, we can say that there are plenty of Jannes’ and Jambres’ alive and well today can’t we? Different names, but the same type of people. Get a picture here of the timeless universality of the Scriptures. Written millennia ago, but as relevant now as they were then. And if they are not, then all we read is just an interesting story book!
So Paul further encouraged Timothy to stand fast in his faith. “Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.” Do you have, as Timothy did (and as I did) an older, dedicated, trustworthy, unwavering, reliable, Christian teacher. An example to emulate, who can lead you into paths of righteousness? If not, find one! And this is the promise of God in Paul’s words “from childhood (literally in Timothy’s case, but also as a new believer for many) you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus Christ).” Did it ever occur to you that the ONLY Scriptures Paul knew and to which he was referring here is what we know as the Old Testament? And there is more, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” It is important to understand that our God, who does not change (Malachi 3:6) provided for Timothy “instructions for righteous living” in the Hebrew Scriptures, and in order to ‘seek out and save the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ sent His own Son Yeshua, so that one day He will make with those who are His ‘a new covenant’ signed and sealed (guaranteed) in the blood of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.
As we try to embrace the Hebraic understanding of Pauls writing here, take note of the charge he gave to Timothy to preach the word, convince, rebuke, exhort, with sound doctrine, as he ended this letter of encouragement. How can anyone not see the perilous state of many of our denominational church structures today in Paul’s warning to Timothy. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” When did you last hear a call to repentance from the pulpit? When Paul gave Timothy the charge to ‘preach the word’ it was “before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom”. He will re-appear as the righteous Judge. He will rule with a ‘rod of iron’. There will be no unrighteousness in His kingdom. And those who teach to ‘tickle the ears’ of their hearers will endure harsher judgement (James 3:1)
Paul himself said “I am already being poured out as a drink offering”. A reference to the wine libation which accompanied sacrifices made at the altar in the Temple. Now the sacrifice is Yeshua, and Paul saw himself in a servant appendage role to that sacrifice. I believe he was encouraging Timothy to see his own service in that light. If I correctly interpret the Hebraic understanding, then as indeed should we.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 40
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy from Rome shortly after his first letter. It seemed that Paul was concerned to encourage the young Timothy to be strong in his faith as the onerous task of leading the “ekklesia” in Ephesus took some toll on the young man’s resolve! Some had already deserted Paul (other than their names we have no other detail) but Paul calls on his own testimony of faithfulness to his ministry to bolster up this young man whom he described as his ‘son in the faith’.
The opening salutation gave a hint that Paul discerned Timothy to be in some distress. He longed to set eyes on the young man to encourage him by his presence, but his imprisonment in Rome precluded that. So he carefully and skilfully reminded Timothy of the benefits of ‘pressing on’. His childhood teaching at the hands of his mother and grandmother. His life changing encounter with Paul, as by the laying on of his hands, Paul charged him with his ministry gifting. (This practise dates from the earliest days of the Israelites. Both for imparting blessing and favour, as in Numbers 8:10 where the people laid hands on the Levites to bless them with their priestly commission, and in Numbers 27:18 wherein Moses ‘passed his leadership role’ to Joshua. And it was also used for passing a curse of death as in the case of the High Priest and the ‘scapegoat’ at Yom Kippur.) It is noteworthy that Paul warned Timothy to take great care in the laying on of hands (1Timothy 5:22). And that is a lesson for those who do such today, because it is a powerful act in God’s eyes. So Paul used that to encourage Timothy that he had been commissioned for his task, by Paul, as proxy for God, in that circumstance.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Masterly statement, as Paul expressed to Timothy that if he felt fear … of the task, of the situation, of his ability (or perceived lack of it), then that does not come from God. The situation may be difficult, even hard to see how it will work out, but that was not for Timothy, or us, to determine, because our calling, Paul said, is not according to our works, but according to the mighty power of Him who called us. Furthermore, God chose us ‘before time began’!! How amazing is that? And to back it all up, God sent His Son, Yeshua, and He, by His death and resurrection conquered death and brought to us immortality and light through the good news of the gospel. And if that’s not enough, Paul continued with the astounding fact that this same Yeshua appointed him, Paul, with the credentials to act in His Name. “I have committed myself to Him” said Paul, and “He will keep me in His care until I meet Him in Glory.” So “He will keep you too Timothy because I have laid my hands on you and blessed you, in His Name, for the task to which you are called”.
Friends, can we get a glimpse here of the certainty of the calling to which we, like Timothy, have been called. As our reading continues, Paul named ‘names’. That is all they are, just ‘names’, but those names speak to us of two different scenarios. Two ‘fell by the wayside’. Started right but gave up. Became lost. Tragic. One ‘remained faithful’. Trusting that in ‘that Day’, they will find ‘mercy from the Lord’ and hear those beautiful words “well done, good and faithful servant, enter into My Shalom”. We should all take careful note of these ‘names’, not to recall them, but to discern where we each stand. If Paul were writing these words today, which class would we be in? “Remaining faithful” to our calling is costly. It was costly for Paul, it was costly for Timothy, no ‘prosperity teaching’ from Paul here is there? (Paul actually told Timothy that ‘he must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ’) and it was costly, very costly, for Yeshua who gave Himself as ransom for us. For a reality check on ourselves just read again Matthew 7:21-23!! How can we be sure? Read John 14:15 noting the positive “will keep” which is the correct sense of the original text.
This encouraging Scripture includes one of my all-time favourite quotes. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Take time to absorb the message Paul gave Timothy here. What was the ‘word of truth’ that Timothy had? It was the “Tanakh”. (Tanakh is an acronym of the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings")—hence TaNaKh.) Many have been taught today that these Scriptures are ‘obsolete’, replaced for Christians by the Apostolic Scriptures. But, it is by the careful study and application of these very Scriptures that Paul said, and encouraged Timothy, he could be ‘approved to God’ with the condition attached that those Scriptures be ‘rightly divided’ (properly understood), valued, and applied.
Note in the above description of the word ‘Tanakh’ that ‘Torah’ means ‘teaching’. “The Lord knows those who are His” said Paul “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Surely, observance of God’s ‘teaching’ must go a long way in that direction. Especially when that ‘teaching’ is ‘rightly divided’, understood, and correctly applied. In my view, it is as we understand these Scriptures in their Hebraic context that we will better be able to ‘endure to the end’ and earn that “well done good and faithful servant”, which is the end result of our salvation.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 39
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
Paul continued his fatherly advice to the young Timothy in his role as leader of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus. He wrote about the way Timothy should relate to people of different age groups. It is sound practical advice. That he recognizes that older people, with many years of life experience probably already know things that younger people are still learning. And that he understands that, for a young man in his position, the younger women may have a capacity to misunderstand his actions as he embarks on teaching them. So Paul entreats him to show proper respect for each age group. Widows are given special mention. Those “who are real widows” is a reference to the fact that they have special needs because they have lost the support of husbands who took care of them. English translations suggests some might even claim to be widows but are not. The Torah commands that widows and orphans are to be cared for because of their particular vulnerability. There was no ‘social security department’ of Governments, so the “ekklesia” was expected to provide that security for its needy members. However, there is also the injunction that those with close relatives should be provided for by those relatives. Additionally, there is the need for sound judgment in respect of widows, who when married were both hospitable and good mothers, and might still be able to attract another husband!
It is clear that Paul had expectations that married women should be engaged in the care of their homes and their families. A full-time task for any person. It is a matter for speculation what Paul might write today to an “ekklesia” which has families with small children. It seems almost a given today that both parents continue in their pre-marriage occupations, and many times small children are handed over to complete strangers in a child-care centre for their early life training. The very time when they are so impressionable! “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” is the way Solomon expressed it in Proverbs 22. Attitudes and practices are sown into the minds of very young children by those who care for them. Selah.
Paul instructed Timothy to teach the people to care for their own family when they had the capacity to so do, and not to rely on handouts from the rest of the ‘ekkelsa”. Those who laboured in the teaching ministry were not to be neglected either, if those duties impinged on their capacity to earn their own living. Then a curious inclusion. “Use a little wine for your stomach’s sake” is open to improper interpretation. Perhaps an emphasis on the word “little” would have been in order!! But this phrase appears in the middle of advice about taking care to delve into a person’s character before offering them the blessing of fellowship. It might have been that Timothy’s frequent bouts of infirmity was being taken advantage of by some. Paul was intent on impressing the young Timothy to take care of his own health so that he could make sound judgments about those in his sphere of influence, because Paul knew full well that the world has plenty of folk capable of hiding the truth if it brought advantage to themselves.
The ‘master/servant’ situation is difficult for us to fully comprehend in our modern society, but evidently there were cases where both master and servant were believers, and therefore “brothers in the Lord”. Sometimes this situation led to dispute and argument. Paul’s advice was that Timothy withdraw from such disputes, knowing that the relationship was one of complexity which needed to be worked out between the persons involved in love and respect for each other in their roles. (My personal experience as an employer of many christians in my business life gave me insight into the way some sought to use our “brotherliness” to gain advantage. Paul said there should be no partiality, and I came to understand that perfectly!).
Finally, a comment on another widely misquoted text. How often have you heard it said that “money is the root of all evil”? I have heard it often. But what Paul actually said was that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money is an everyday necessity in the conduct of our lives. There is great blessing in sharing that which God has provided with others in need. And it is not difficult to see “love of money” as ‘money accumulation’ for its own sake. Honesty before God, and with one’s self, soon reveals intent. For some, too much money is never enough!! That is ‘the love of money’. From that, Paul said, flows a root of all kinds of evil. Not the least being selfishness and avarice. “Command those who are rich to do good .. ready to give, willing to share” is what Timothy was told to say to the “ekklesia”. Let us ask God how we can use our money wisely, and to prompt us to seek areas of need.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 38
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
“If a man desires the position of a bishop …” So Paul inadvertently opened a veritable ‘can of worms’ for religious leaders in the last 1700 years, since the Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea. The ‘church’, divorced from its Judaic roots, has conjured up a meaning which results in whole-hearted embrace of our hierarchical church structures, extending even to virtual dictatorship in some cases. Certainly it was always intended to be an exemplary position, as evidenced by the characteristics and moral standards listed for such person. But it was not a position of rank, as we understand it, but within the “ekklesia” a position of one who gives significant loving service, in humility, as a leader and teacher. Such a person, was encouraged by Paul to seek that close relationship with his Saviour and Lord in order to qualify him for such service as a true disciple of Yeshua.
There is endless discussion about Paul’s qualification list. Not many would honestly claim to fulfil them all. Often they would be mostly qualities recognized by others rather than presented by a particular individual in a job application sense. There is some ambiguity about one condition. Does “the husband of one wife” mean married only once? Or, as some hold, having only ‘one wife at a time’? Whatever it is, this formidable list means that a ‘bishop’ is a very special man indeed. Highly respected by the “ekklesia”, and carrying authority as a result. Deacons and their wives are similarly expected to have exemplary qualities. It is such a high standard, and this is for those who desire to be servants of the Lord within the “ekklesia”. So we might question why is such a standard expected? Paul provides the answer, “so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the “ekklesia” of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” That is a remarkable undertaking. Paul is saying that those of us who are believers, present ourselves to the world as representatives of YHWH Elohim , and our behaviour, even in the way we conduct our family lives, impacts on those who are unbelievers because they look at us as God’s representatives. Check the list out again and do some self-assessment! It is extremely challenging. Over and over again I see the Scriptures as prescriptive of how we should behave, what we should DO, as opposed to what we say. They provide an instruction manual of righteous living, not just a series of feel-good stories.
Timothy is warned that “some will depart from the faith and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” In every “ekklesia” there have been attacks of the enemy resulting in some falling away. And one of those attacks is to quite subtly cause misinterpretation of this very instruction of Paul’s. In Chapter 4:3 the words “to abstain from foods” are used. Most of us were taught in our churches that this is a reference to the dietary laws of the Torah weren’t we? But it is not, otherwise we believe those dietary laws are part of “the doctrines of demons” according to verse 1. As in other epistles, Paul is warning Timothy against the philosophies of the Gnostics and Ascetics, which we remember teach that abstention from some things leads to a “higher spirituality”, allowing entry into the very courts of heaven. This is the “doctrine of demons”. The Torah, as we will discover later in our study of this letter, made Timothy “wise unto salvation” being, as it is, God’s instruction for righteous living.
Finally, for this week, Paul gives Timothy practical advice, of which every believer should take careful note. Having told him to ignore any who made comment on his youthful age, he said “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” That is a good start eh? But then “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” An encouraging charge to this young man. And if we read the Scriptures as they were intended to be read, it provides an encouraging charge to all of us too.
Of all Paul’s epistles, this one probably contains the most practical instruction to believers. We know it was written to a young man setting out on his pastoral call. But it is full of practical advice for any who desire “the position of a bishop”. That high calling to the service of our God and Saviour, to which all should aspire. But in that aspiration, take careful note of the path that Paul describes. The personal qualities necessary in such aspirant. The attention and diligence required in personal behaviour. The need to diligently pursue the God-given gift within. And perhaps then to steadfastly hold to the truth of God’s revelation, seeking, in prayer, His continual guidance and direction on a daily basis. You will be blessed as you study this letter of Paul’s to the young Timothy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 37
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
Paul’s concern, affection, and care for Timothy is immediately obvious from his introductory words. “A true son in the faith”. What a tribute!
The occasion when Paul “went into Macedonia” is not clearly defined in Scripture, (some think it may have been a time when Paul was released from prison in Rome and allowed to travel) but he obviously had some communication with Timothy then, and told him to stay in Ephesus and protect the “ekklesia” from false doctrine. I speculate here that possibly things were getting difficult for the young Timothy and he may have told Paul of the problems he was facing and that a change of scenery would be appreciated! By this stage of his life, Paul was well versed, both in the Scriptures and in the heretical doctrines which had sprung up to deceive and deviate believers from true faith in Yeshua as Saviour. In large measure, the falsehoods emanated either from Judaizers, as in the “ekklesia” in Galatia, or from philosophic Gnostics, as in Colossae. It seems likely that here in Ephesus the concern came from the teachers of the philosophers, described by Paul as ‘fables and endless genealogies’.
In his excellent commentary on the “Jewish New Testament”, David Stern sees two other possibilities. Firstly a pride based Judaism which took ancestry as a source of superiority. And secondly, a trend which is not uncommon today in Messianic believers, those who attempt to endlessly search for some trace of Jewish ancestry in justification of their elation at the affinity they find in their love of God’s chosen. He goes further, and I quote. “The modern day version of giving “attention to myths” and “speculating instead of doing God’s work” is excessive concentration on God’s plan for the future, so that people foolishly focus on doomsday and neglect good deeds here and now.”
The certainty is that this letter to Timothy contains many truths which apply, not only to the situation in Ephesus then, but to the reader of this letter today, and particularly to Pastors and Teachers of “ekklesia” in the 21st century. Writing about that sincere faith, Paul concludes “from which some, having strayed have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law (God’s instruction for righteous living) understand neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.” That is straight talk indeed. There are many in our “ekklesia” today who even teach that the ‘law’ is obsolete!! Now understand this. When Paul gave these instructions to Timothy, the ONLY Scriptures available were the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms. That teaching was not obsolete then and it is not obsolete today. Paul affirms again, as he instructed Timothy out of those Hebrew Scriptures, that God’s instruction was not for the righteous, but for the sinners, of whom we are part. If there is any doubt read verses 9 and 10, wherein he specifies readily identifiable sins. Then the good news. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. Paul claimed to be chief among them!
“There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all”. No matter what the heretics and the philosophers teach. Gnostics hold that there are various beings between God and man. We remember that there was a time when Moses was the mediator between God and man. Yeshua became the promised “Prophet like Moses” in that sense.
As we continue in chapter 2, we come to Paul’s discourse on the role of women. In verse 8 he writes about men praying with uplifted hands (see Ps 63:4 and Ps 134:2) and verse 9 begins with the words “in like manner also”, which continues the theme of prayer. But mostly we concentrate our attention on the women’s dress etc. Now I believe, in the context of life in Ephesus at that time, to be a direct reference of comparison between the worshippers of God, and those women at the temple of Artimus in Ephesus (temple prostitutes no less) who were gaudily dressed to attract men’s attention! Additionally, the women in the “ekklesia” are exhorted to ‘learn in silence’. A Hebraic understanding here readily allows us to understand the priestly nature of a man’s position in his home. He was responsible then, and should be today, for the teaching and nurturing of his family in the things of God. Paul is instructing Timothy of his Pastoral role within the “ekklesia” of teaching men, many of whom would be Gentiles, in the manner and form of worship and conduct. It was Hebraic. It should be still!
The issue of women ‘teaching’ men is unpopular in our churches isn’t it? But Paul seems to be quite unequivocal in his declaration that women are not to exercise spiritual authority over men in the “ekklesia”. However, the word ‘silence’ is better translated ‘at rest’.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah portions Exodus 19:1 to 20:23 and Numbers 28 :26 - 31
Haftarah portion Ezekiel 1 : 1-28 and 3 : 12
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 ‘appointed time’ is fixed in relation to Pesach. Seven Sabbaths plus one day later. ( In the Christian reckoning, it is called “Whitsun” and is seven weeks after Palm Sunday, but it bears no relationship at all to the ‘mo’ed’ of the Lord specified in Leviticus 23.) Some pretty exciting things happened at Shavuot, and the festival (also known as the Feast of Weeks) figures most significantly in the prophetic calendar as it relates to Yeshua.
Firstly, by Jewish calculation, and there is good evidence for it, this was the time when Moses was on the mountain communing with the Lord and receiving the instructions for righteous living, which we know as Torah. (see Exodus 19:1) That, in my view is cause enough to celebrate. The very Word of God, which is ‘sharper than any two-edged sword’, came to us at this time of the year. An immeasurable blessing. My Bible tells me that Moses spoke “all that the Lord had told him” and wrote it in a book.(Exodus 24: 3 and 7). More importantly, that was the exact time that the first covenant was sealed, when the people voluntarily agreed as they said “all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”.
Secondly, according to Acts 1, Yeshua returned to His Father 40 days after his resurrection from the grave. But He told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Just 10 days later was the festival of Shavuot. Jerusalem was overflowing with people, there for the festival from all over the known world (as it is today for the three pilgrimage festivals). Then came a sound ‘like a mighty rushing wind’. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, the One who points to Messiah, was sent to minister His blessing to those who would receive it.
The disciples, already emboldened at meeting the resurrected Lord Yeshua, were imbued with power from on high. No longer the ‘shrinking violets’ who were shattered by the death of Yeshua on that cruel Roman cross. They spoke boldly to the throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, and miracle of miracles, the foreigners present all heard these fishermen from Galilee speaking in their own several languages. It is almost impossible to imagine. But by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, over three thousand were added to the company of believers that very day. Now that surely is another reason to celebrate.
But there’s more!! Both events related above did not stop.
Today, we have the precious Holy Scriptures, written in so many of the world’s languages. The faithful Jews who were entrusted with those Scriptures have carefully preserved them for our blessing and instruction down through the ages. In the early days, meticulously copying by hand every ‘jot and tittle’. Every yod and vav.
The Holy Spirit of God is alive and well in the earth today. His role on earth is to point us to Messiah Yeshua, by any and all means possible. He brings strength to the ‘weary’, comfort to the ‘afflicted’, guidance to those who seek, and blessing to all who ask.
So if any still wonder why we should celebrate Shavuot, I trust that this ‘reflection’ will provide some answers. But there is a much greater and compelling reason. God commanded it. His promise, is included in the introductory remarks of this ‘reflection’. He will be there to meet all who come. It is a special time. It has never been revoked.
You will be blessed as you meet together and thank Him for His unspeakable gift.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 36
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
2 Thessalonians 1 : 1 to 3 : 18
1 Thessalonians was one of Paul’s earliest letters, full of encouragement. It is thought to have been written about 52 C.E., probably from Corinth, following a glowing report from Timothy after his recent visit there. This “ekklesia” in Thessalonica was born (Acts 17) when Paul and Silas (Acts 16) had a vision to visit Macedonia. Because some misunderstanding arose from his first letter, Paul was constrained to write again a short time later. Today, it is a city called Salonika, of over 1 million people, it was then an important port city on the Aegean Sea.
Some commentators think that the two letters to this “ekklesia” were written by different people, because they consider that there are some contradictions about the second coming of Yeshua contained therein. This is not the case. Certainly there appeared to be some apparent misunderstanding, which Paul was quick to explain in this second letter, and to that extent we should be mindful that here we have an expansion, or more complete account, by Paul, of the events which he said would take place before Messiah Yeshua would return to this earth. As is the case with all Scripture it is quite unwise to “cherry-pick” individual verses to build a doctrine. And most of us are quite capable of, and reasonably good at, that!
If there had been telephones then, Paul might have cleared up the problem with a quick chat. But distances were substantial for the mode of transport available, and handwritten letters had to be conveyed in person from one place to another. In the intervening time frame, any misunderstanding would have had plenty of time to take root. That appears to be the case here, and also Paul addressed some issues of false teaching which had crept in to the “ekklesia”. We ‘reflected’ last week about the fact that some members had stopped working because of their conviction that Yeshua’s return was imminent. Possibly even in the next several days or so. Paul addressed that in his first letter, but obviously not well enough! The chapters and verses in our Bible today are convenient for reference but did not exist in the original! However, in chapter 1 Paul again commends this “ekklesia” for its faith walk, and encouraged them that their detractors would receive their just rewards from God Himself. Obviously, there were ‘imitators’ of Paul sowing seeds of doubt and confusion in their ranks regarding the teaching about the return of Christ. Some even holding that Christ had already returned! Paul countered this with “Let no one deceive you by any means: for that Day (of the Lord) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” Here clearly, Paul is declaring at the very least that the ‘Day of the Lord’ will come AFTER the revelation of ‘the Beast’ of Scripture, which most identify as ‘the Anti-Christ’, and that revelation will not be positive until he demands to be worshipped in the Temple. But at present there is no Temple, but there was when Paul wrote this letter. For that reason we are better placed to understand the timing of the Lord’s return than were those who lived in Paul’s day. Interestingly, this ‘anti-christ’ is also described as “the man of lawlessness”. To the extent that that is a description of someone who separates himself from Torah (which is translated as “Law” in our Bibles), the world, and even the present day church, is brim full of candidates for that role. It is also an inconvenient truth that many of our churches today see great revival coming! Well that may well be, but should that be the case, then the Lord’s return is even further away than many of us think, because Paul declares that Yeshua’s return will be preceded by a great falling away!
We take this declaration of Paul lightly at our peril. He was taught by the Lord Himself, and his words are to be carefully noted. He actually describes a situation we see today with this statement. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of truth, that they might be saved.” There is such deception abounding today. The forces of the evil one are rampant in society at large, and in many countries, including Australia, it is even against the law of the land to speak opposition (under threat of their being offended) to these evil influences in our community. Then “finally”, Paul often has a “finally” doesn’t he? And this “finally” has some real bite, because Paul seeks to crystalize all that he wanted to say when he began to write! He assumed an air of authority, and he didn’t mince his words, so please take careful note. He prayed for their deliverance from unreasonable and wicked men, then assured them that the Lord would guard them from the evil one. But there were conditions. He went into “command” mode. Space does not permit expansion here, but his words are sufficient. “Withdraw from a fellow brother who walks in a disorderly way!!” He reminded them that he provided them with the example of ‘orderliness’. With an eye on those who used the excuse of the Lord’s imminent return to stop working he said “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” How direct is that? But there was more. “Any who disregard” my word in this letter is to be ostracised.” Wow! But do not treat him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother (in love). So much for the wishy washy way some deal with issues today eh?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 35
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
1 Thessalonians 4 : 1 to 5 : 28
One of Paul’s earliest letters, full of encouragement, is thought to have been written about 52 C.E., probably from Corinth, following a glowing report from Timothy after his recent visit there. This “ekklesia” in Thessalonica was born (Acts 17) when Paul and Silas (Acts 16) had a vision to visit Macedonia. Today, it is a city called Salonika, of over 1 million people, it was then an important port city on the Aegean Sea.
An interesting start to this week’s reading. “… we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;” We all know that there is nothing that we can do to gain favour with God in relation to our salvation is there? For that reason, we have been taught, or at least I was, that “works” are somehow a bit suspect! But that is not the case in Judaism. Quite the opposite. Many wealthy people in the Jewish community rank among the world’s most generous philanthropists. Why? Because it is a solemn command of God that if it is within ones power to help any in distress it is that persons duty to do it. The Apostle James put it this way, “Therefore to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin”. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine that we could actually please God by our actions. But I have long advocated in these ‘reflections’ that not only can we please God, we should set our hearts on making it our objective! And my view is that that may be best achieved by taking heed to God’s instruction for righteous living. I think that puts a smile on the face of our gracious Heavenly Father. Paul was way ahead of me in that!
So Paul exhorts the “ekklesia” to treat their personal relationships with honour and respect. He emphasized the commandments which God gave to Moses here. “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness”. They, and we, are to be set apart from the practices which may be acceptable in the world (and certainly in our world today) but which are completely unacceptable for the believer. There should be a behavioural distinction between those who know God as their Heavenly Father and those who do not. As Paul said to the Ephesians, “we are to walk worthy of the calling to which we are called.” Our faith should be obvious. We are not to just meld into the crowd. Un-noticed. Hidden almost. The Apostle James said “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” And that is precisely the message Paul was conveying to these saints in Thessalonica. But they were not without commendation. They had a love for one another which was enviable. But it appears that they were expecting the imminent return of Yeshua, to the point where some of them had stopped working! So he had to address this issue directly, exhorting them to work diligently, leading quiet lives, so that they could continue caring for themselves and others.
Then Paul wrote about the return of the Lord. This passage of Scripture has been discussed and debated ‘ad nauseum’. It is generally considered to be a statement about what is called “the rapture”. A word which does not appear in the Bible, but most believers have a view about it. Its timing is not specified. Is it before ‘the great tribulation’? In the middle of it? Or is it at the end of it? Well friends, I do not think it helps to speculate. What we may be sure of is that Paul was certain that Yeshua will one day return to this earth, and His coming will be heralded by the sound of the Shofar. And that day will come “as a thief in the night”, which suggests it will take some by complete surprise! But Paul also says that those of us who know Him should not be in darkness, there are plenty of pointers in Scripture to allow us to be prepared. For example, there is good reason to think, in my view, that it will be at a time of celebration of the Feast of Trumpets but no-one knows which year. The critical issue of concern for us, is to ensure that our name is written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life”, so that we will be among those who are there when He does return.
This letter ends with some extremely practical advice for every “ekklesia”. Give proper consideration and esteem to those who labour with you and over you in ministry tasks. Do not tolerate unruly behaviour in your assembly. Comfort those who are fearful and uncertain. Uphold those among you who are weak and need encouragement. Exercise patience in your dealings with people. Pursue that which is good, because if it is good for you it is good for others. Pray. Let your requests be made known to God. Give careful attention to prophecies, study the Scriptures which contain those prophetic promises. Test everything you do, and everything you believe, and every wind of doctrine against the yardstick of Scripture, the rock on which our faith is founded. Abstain from everything that is evil.
This is an “ekklesia” which has started well. It has challenges of course, but considering that it had only been established a few short years, Paul was delighted with their progress in the faith. Timothy had brought a good report, and Paul was anxious to make another visit to them as soon as he could. But next week, we will see that a few years later he found it expedient to write to them again on other issues!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 34
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
1 Thessalonians 1 : 1 to 3 : 13
One of Paul’s earliest letters, full of encouragement, is thought to have been written about 52 C.E., probably from Corinth, following a glowing report from Timothy after his recent visit there. This “ekklesia” in Thessalonica was born (Acts 17) when Paul and Silas (Acts 16) had a vision to visit Macedonia. Today, it is a city called Salonika, of over 1 million people, it was then an important port city on the Aegean Sea.
Paul, Silas (a leader of the “ekklesia” in Jerusalem, Silvanus being his Roman name) and Timothy were ministering in Greece. It is not difficult to imagine the prayerful consideration these men would have given to the various “ekklesia” which had been established on their missionary journeys. Paul and Silas had a particularly difficult time in Philippi, about 100 miles to the north, and were blessed by the welcome they had received in Thessalonica as they preached the gospel message. For three Sabbaths, in the local synagogue, they proclaimed the good news of the Messiah Yeshua. As usual they had a mixed reception from the Jews, but were joined by a large number of people from the local Gentile community. It may be assumed from verse 5 that there was an outpouring of miraculous signs and wonders evident as Paul preached the word there. The result was that many people followed Paul and Silas, before being directed, by them, to Yeshua, the source of their powerful gospel message. Such was the response that the message was being spread to the whole neighbourhood, and beyond, and it excited Paul to marvel at the way God was working through them. Such deprivations as they had encountered in preaching the word along the way were considered of no consequence.
Chapter 1 ends with the triumphant declaration of the change which had taken place in the people who became this “ekklesia”, many of them came from the idolatrous worship of inanimate idols of wood and stone (which the prophet Jeremiah said could do neither harm nor good because they were lifeless!) to the worship of the God who lives. And further to wait, in their service to Him, as do we, for the return to this earth of Yeshua, the Saviour of this wicked world. But Paul knew full well that ‘the wolves’ would appear in all manner of guises to prey on these vulnerable new born lambs. So in chapter 2, verses 3 – 10, he contrasts the manner of his own teaching and conduct among them with the less honourable conduct of various ‘peddlers’ of the gospel message. We might even recognized some as still alive and well in our own society up to the present day! The main theme here is the practise of Paul to not use the gospel for personal gain, other than that which may accrue, and be assigned by God Himself, on the day of judgement, which every person who ever lived will face (Revelation 20:13). However, it was accepted practise for a visiting teacher to be afforded hospitality in the form of food and lodging, but in many cases Paul chose to work as a ‘tentmaker’ to support himself.
There was hardship endured within this “ekklesia”, and persecution too, both from local unbelievers and from those we identify as Judaizers. So Paul commended and encouraged them with a comparison between their own experience and that of their brothers in Christ in Judea. The home of the earliest believers in Yeshua. He described the Thessalonians as “imitators” of the Judean “ekklesia”. Paul’s intent being to show the sameness between the two “ekklesia”. Their experiences followed very similar paths. The text in Greek is unambiguous about this identity as “Judeans”, a description applied here to those who were believers and to those in their community who were not. But many Bible translators have regrettably substituted the word “Jew” in its place. Some translations even exaggerate the use of the word “Jew” to emphasize the opposition to the “ekklesia”. And together with the translator’s arbitrary use of a comma between verses 14 and 15 (there were no comma’s in the original Greek), has resulted in Paul being identified as anti-Semitic, and by extension anti-Torah, because the use of the word “Jew” has an all-inclusive application, especially in today’s anti-Semitic world. And it is misleading. The “ekklesia” in Thessalonica was a joy and delight to Paul. Their progress in matters of faith and practise were exemplary, as Timothy reported following his recent visit there. But Paul was aware that there would be the inevitable attacks of the enemy. He had been around long enough to see the pattern of opposition, both from Judaizers who might attempt to convert them to Judaism, in substitution for their faith in Yeshua, and from others, unconscionable teachers, who might prey on their infancy in the foundational knowledge of the history of God’s chosen. It is not unlike the situation today. Those who are ‘babes’ in the Word (either through infancy of faith or laziness in study of the Word) are vulnerable to every wind of change in doctrinal matters. Be assured that Satan knows ‘every trick in the book’ (and some more!) when it comes to distracting believers from the absolute truth of God’s Word. Paul’s prayer for this “ekklesia”, distilled in words with which chapter 3 ends “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father..” are words which every teacher of scripture should pray for his audience. I pray this blessing on your life.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 33
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
The township of Colossae no longer exists, not even the ruins! It stood (until it was destroyed in the 12th century) about 15 miles from Laodicea (of luke-warm fame), and about 100 miles inland, east of Ephesus. It is unlikely that Paul ever visited the place but he wrote because he had ‘heard of their faith’, and in order to counter influences from those of Gnostic and Ascetic persuasion.
Last week we noted that Paul dealt with certain doctrinal issues, in which he emphasized the supremacy of faith in Messiah Yeshua alone as the basis of their faith for salvation. This was set alongside the teaching of the Gnostic and Ascetic philosophies which were being introduced as behavioural options into the “ekklesia” in Colossae. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” was his message as he sought to provide them with a practical guide to righteous living. The dictionary defines “asceticism” as ‘severe self-discipline and avoiding of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons. "acts of physical asceticism."’ Paul had told them to “let no man judge you in food and drink etc”, which has erroneously been equated with the prohibition of the Torah dietary laws by many. The opposite is true. This is just one example which Paul used to encourage their “orderly walk” in matters of God honouring righteous living (Torah observance) rather than following the futile influences of the particular self-disciplinary philosophies of this world as a supposed stepping stone to ‘higher spirituality’.
Then Paul provides the real answer to ‘higher spirituality’! It is a long and extremely practical list of things to avoid and things to do. There are things we recognize in all of us (but usually in someone else!) which are covered by Paul’s list. “Put to death fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” he said. Those things should all be part of your past. But there might still be some things still lurking there, so “put off (that is do it yourself) anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Don’t lie to each other.” Paul is not philosophising here. This is straight from the shoulder stuff. He is not describing some magically appearing behavioural trait. You do it. You put off these things. This is the “new man” you claim to be. It is not specific to any type of person. Greek, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised, slave, free-man, every background. It applies universally to those who confess Christ as Lord of their life. It applies to me. It applies to you, if you are counted as one of God’s elect! Having cast off those unseemly habits, with what should they be replaced? I am greatly challenged as I write this ‘reflection’ because I see clearly that what follows is another list that is not naturally inherited, it is another list of behavioural choices that I can decide to make myself.
“Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Good start eh? But that is not the end. “Put on love, which is the bond of affection.” And when you get that all right you will know the peace of God which will rule in your hearts. Immediately following this impressive list of things to do, Paul turns to possibly the most important of relationships, because much of it takes place behind closed doors! They are relationships within families. Wives are expected, even commanded, to be submissive to husbands. In real life (Paul was never married) it is more likely to happen in a truly loving environment, which is a command that husbands are charged to engender. In another Epistle, Paul goes further. A husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the “ekklesia” and gave His life for her! It is also true that men are given a priestly role in their home. Another responsibility is to be a teacher, a guide, an example. What is NOT intended here, men, is the role of dictator. And regrettably, too often men, to their shame, are apt to see this exhortation of Paul in that light, the more is the pity.
The statement which follows this list of relationship issues is an oft quoted and highly commendable encouragement of attitude for all believers. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” And there we usually stop! But Paul isn’t finished. “But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” Now, my dear friends that is a conversation stopper. It is not a mere throw-away line of Paul’s. Read it carefully. It is a solemn promise to be taken seriously. As indeed should all of Paul’s writings when properly understood in their context of Hebraic thought. Finally, we have another pearl from our beloved Apostle Paul. Another exhortation for all of us to heed. “Walk in wisdom towards those who are outside (“the ekklesia”), redeeming (not wasting) the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt (as a sacrifice to the Lord), that you may know how you ought to answer each one (about your faith).” What good words to end our ‘reflection’ on this letter to the “ekklesia” in Colossae. Be blessed as you read it through Hebraic eyes.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 32
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
The township of Colossae no longer exists, not even the ruins! It stood (until it was destroyed in the 12th century) about 15 miles from Laodicea (of luke-warm fame), and about 100 miles inland, east of Ephesus. It is unlikely that Paul ever visited the place but he wrote because he had ‘heard of their faith’, and in order to counter influences from those of Gnostic and Ascetic persuasion.
The main focus of this Epistle is ‘Christ is the head’ of the “ekklesia”. Paul had become aware of their existence and their faith (possibly through meeting Philemon, but more likely from Epaphras, a Colossian who worked with Paul in Ephesus). In any event this “ekklesia” was on Paul’s prayer list! His prayer for this community of believers is classic in content and expression. He says “We do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …” A prayer that we would do well to copy in our intercession for others we know, and even for ourselves!
Paul then continued with the statements emphasizing the pre-eminence of Yeshua, our Lord and saviour. He is the One worthy of our adoration and worship. He is the One presented as the very image of God Himself. He is above all, through all, in all. Everything created was through Him and for Him. He was with God before creation. And it is by Him that sinful man has access to the Throne Room of Almighty God. It was important to Paul that he lay the foundation of Yeshua’s deity and pre-eminence before them because of the issues he knew they were encountering. Paul was not the ‘founding Apostle’ of this “ekklesia”. He had not had the opportunity to teach them, as he had in some other “ekklesia” in that region. And so it was that they had been influenced, according to reports received by Paul, by the heretical beliefs of Gnostics and Ascetics. They held views about multiple and competing deities, all of whom, they said, had equal claim on man’s time and worship. (That, at least is the simple explanation!).
That, of course, was not Paul’s view, and neither is it ours. So Paul then established his own authoritative credentials as the then present day representative of the gospel of Messiah Yeshua. It had been a mystery for centuries that the God of the Jew is also the God of the Gentile (pagan) who turned to Him in faith, as these “Colossians” had done. But there was to be no compromise with ‘other gods’ (as the philosophical heretics taught). Now put on your “Hebraic” hat, because what follows in Colossians 2 is taught today as a justification, (from this Jewish Rabbi Sha’ul no less) for the obsolescence of Torah commands for the church! This presents a grave misunderstanding of Paul’s actual words to this “ekklesia”. And the words are important to our understanding. Paul says “I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” Do you recall the Jerusalem Council telling Paul to demonstrate his orderly walk and keeping the ‘law’ in Acts 21:24? It’s the same order! And there is more. He continues “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ”. Friends, Paul has Gnosticism and Asceticism in his sights here, not the Torah of God.
And he gets right to the point in saying “Let no-one judge you in food and drink or regarding festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Space does not allow a fuller explanation here, but the “mo’edim” of God, His appointed times, the festivals, were presented as a shadow, a practice, a forerunner, an example, of things to come! (some of which have already been completely accomplished in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua, as has the giving of the Holy Spirit of God. The, as yet unfulfilled, “mo’edim” of Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled when Yeshua returns to rule and reign from Jerusalem).
When Paul declares “Therefore if you died with Christ, from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations -.” Now the anti-Judaic early years of Christendom (specifically since the Council of Nicea in 324 C.E.) has tied these words of Paul into the spurious argument of ‘grace v law’. But it is classic Asceticism to which he is referring. See how he continues. “These things have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, ….” This has nothing to do with Judaism, as is supposed by some, but there is enough similarity there to throw many off the track.
If we get it straight about Paul’s testimony of ‘conversion’, from Pharisaic Judaism to Messianic Judaism, it becomes clear that Paul was never an anti-Torah teacher. Why? Because he is a faithful follower of his Master, Yeshua, who is, after all, the living Torah and example to us all.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 31
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Philippi was a major city of Macedonia. Read Acts 16 for interesting detail about Paul’s first visit there. There is no mention of a synagogue in Philippi so Sabbath prayer was made at a riverside location and it was attended by some prominent local ladies. The letter was most likely written about 62 C.E., early in Paul’s Rome imprisonment to thank the “ekklesia” for their help and generous support. The central theme of the letter is the preservation of unity in the “ekklesia” through Christ alone.
Why does Paul say “for me to write the same things to you”? I venture into speculation when I conclude that he refers to things he had already written to other “ekklesia”. Specifically to the Galatians when he took issue with Judaizers, who were insistent that salvation for Gentiles could only be obtained by circumcision and works of the law. “Beware of the mutilation” he said. A clear reference to those who had submitted to circumcision, most likely Gentile proselytes in this case. but they may have been Jews (unlikely). Paul emphasized his own credentials as a Torah observant Jew who was perhaps the most ardent of Judaizers before his conversion experience, when he had revelation that salvation was by faith alone, and that being only in the risen Christ. “I have suffered the loss of all things” (that man might consider important) he said, “but count that as ‘dung’ in order to gain the excellence of the knowledge of Christ.” (my slight paraphrase) In this way, Paul contrasts his teaching of Messianic Judaism with that of the orthodox Judaizers.
The great attribute, for which he had commended this “ekklesia”, was their life of righteousness, thoughtfulness, love and caring for the poor and needy (which included himself). He was anxious that this Spirit led action would not be lost to them by their trying to substitute the ‘traditions of men’ to gain that which they already had. As he continued, he opened up a subject with which some may take issue. Many believe that salvation, once accepted by a believer, cannot be lost. But here Paul said “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach”. In his lead up to that (read his words carefully) he writes about “attaining to the resurrection of the dead” and similar expressions which indicate to me that for Paul, salvation was a continuing goal, not a ‘done deal’. We might remind ourselves here that Yeshua, on two separate occasions made reference to those “who endure to the end will be saved”. And Paul, in Romans 11 also referred to “branches being ‘cut-off’ due to their unbelief”. They are branches once attached to the natural Olive Tree, which is Israel. His warning was also to those ‘grafted in’ (Gentiles) who might also be broken off for the same reason!
If we open our “Hebraic” eyes here, we know that all Israel were saved out of Egypt after the first Passover. But not all those saved entered the Land of Promise. Further, and much later, all Israel was expelled from that Land because of laxity and disobedience to their Covenant promises. This is a matter for serious contemplation. It seems that in God’s eyes, salvation in Him is expected to result in a lifestyle of living righteously. Obedience to His commands and precepts. And we know from Revelation 20:12 that the final judgement is according to our works!
There seemed to be discord (unspecified) between two prominent women in the “ekklesia”. Last week we read how Paul implored the members to esteem others better than themselves. In that spirit, he invited them to “let your gentleness be known to all men”, assuring them that “The Lord is at hand” (to see what goes on). Then Paul quoted words which are a blessing to all who read them. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which passes understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Some mistakenly take this as a promise of God to provide anything we care to ask of Him. But note here that Paul says the promise is to give us His peace (“shalom”). It is imperative that in bringing our requests before God that we take care seek His perfect will for ourselves, for our family, for our “ekklesia”. And as if to emphasize the issue, Paul come to a “finally’. These words to this Philippian “ekklesia” should be in our mind everyday of our life. Surely a recipe for joyous and righteous living.
“Whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”
There is so much to be learned from this short epistle. Paul has written a most encouraging letter to these good folk in Philippi, and we can appropriate the blessings therein by taking heed to the counsel Paul has provided. He ends, but not boastfully, that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” and a promise to them that “my God shall supply all your need (that is not all you might want) according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.”
Be strengthened in your faith as you study this letter.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections Pesach
Torah Reflections “Pesach 2”
Torah portion Exodus 13 : 17 - 15 : 26
Haftarah portion Numbers 28 : 16 – 25
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
We come to the last day of the celebration and remembrance of “Pesach”.
The parashah narrative begins with the statement of fact that the Pharoah had finally agreed to “let the people go”. It continues with the story of the journey of escape from Egypt, and the drowning of the pursuing Egyptian army, and it ends with the provision of “sweet water” to drink out of the bitter waters of Marah. A fascinating story.
These events are well known. Even non-Christian sceptics are familiar with the story, so we do not need to re-visit the detail. But we need to find the lessons for ourselves as the story unfolds.
Last week we focussed on the prophetic significance of the whole season of the three Pesach festivals. This week we learn of the detail of the way the event unfolded for them in practical terms. In fact, as we arrive at the very end of the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” in our study this week, we see the hand of Almighty God, and a picture of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in this parashah.
We could look at the provision of food, which rained down from Heaven each night, sufficient to satisfy each family for the whole day ahead. And that which was not eaten that day rotted before the next day! It was to be gathered and eaten FRESH each day (Miraculously, the same food lasted TWO days when the weekly Shabbat came around).
The Apostle John, in Chapter 6 from verse 32, records the words of Yeshua when He described Himself as “the Bread of Life”. He goes further by relating the “bread from Heaven” in Moses time with Himself.
“Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
It is not going too far to equate the Israelites need for a daily gathering of that bread, with our need today for a ‘daily gathering’ of the bread which Yeshua is. He taught us to pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’. I believe that this phrase has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. We need to gather our ‘bread’ DAILY, just as those Israelites did in our parashah.
We could look at the provision of water. Moses was told to strike the rock, out of which poured an abundance of clean fresh, life-giving water. Our beloved Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth used a most interesting description of this water.
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ”
1 Corinthians 10 : 1- 4.
Paul is suggesting here that the miracle of the provision of water from the Rock extended to that Rock actually following them around!! The plain sense of this is that it was Yeshua Himself, there with the Israelites on their journeying’s in the wilderness who sustained them with life giving water. On another occasion, when Yeshau was attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, at the time of the water libationCeremony in the Temple He said:-
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."”
John 7 : 37,38
So then, as the “mo’ed” of Pesach concludes for another year, we remind ourselves that the Passover Seder which starts the celebration of this season always ends with the participants saying “Next Year in Jerusalem”. An anticipatory statement about the coming of Messiah. So we who are believers in Yeshau, can see the way in which this “appointed time” of Pesach not only speaks of Yeshau perfectly fulfilling His role as the ‘Lamb that was slain’, but also throughout the whole parashah we have reminders of His role in our lives as the sustainer of our life
For the believer, without Him there is no hope of life. With Him we have abundant life …. IF we choose to access it. Praise be to Him.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 30
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Philippi was a major city of Macedonia. Read Acts 16 for interesting detail about Paul’s first visit there. There is no mention of a synagogue in Philippi so Sabbath prayer was made at a riverside location and it was attended by some prominent local ladies. The letter was most likely written about 62 C.E., early in Paul’s Rome imprisonment to thank the “ekklesia” for their help and generous support. The central theme of the letter is the preservation of unity in the “ekklesia” through Christ alone.
Paul’s first recorded visit to Philippi was as a result of a vision he had in Troas. The Holy Spirit having prevented him from following his original plan to visit “Asia”. That was about the year 50 C.E. It is possible, but not recorded, that he visited them again on his third missionary trip in about 55 C.E.,on his way through Macedonia to Greece. Three months later, on his way back, he spent Pesach with this “ekklesia”, a mostly Gentile congregation. It seems that there were not enough Jewish men there to form a minion for a synagogue! So he would have had a good knowledge of the people in this “ekklesia”. He opens his letter encouragingly with “I thank my God for every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.” That would surely put them in a good frame of mind to read the rest of the letter!
We see a little later in this letter that he was prompted to write by the arrival of Epaphroditus, one of the Philippi congregants, bearing some gifts for him in his imprisonment. This thoughtfulness had a profound impact on Paul and His prayer expressed the hope that they would (continue to) have wisdom, knowledge and discernment to see those thing which are excellent, so that they would all exhibit the ‘fruits of righteousness’, which, said Paul, came through an intimate knowledge of Christ our Saviour. In their gift to him he could see their behavioural outworking of love and concern. It is a prayer that we could very easily appropriate for ourselves isn’t it? We note that one of the principal aims of Torah living, alongside “loving God with all your heart”, is to care for those who are in need. Yeshua described it (quoting Leviticus 19:18) as “loving your neighbour as yourself.” These Philippians evidently practised what they believed.
Paul then assured these Philippian benefactors that in spite of his personal discomfort of imprisonment, God was using that to embolden others to speak up, bringing salvation, even to his captors. Some others however, were intent on attempting to enrich themselves at Paul’s expense by pretending to be bearers of the “good news”. But even that brought joy to Paul, because some were hearing the word from these frauds and were still coming to faith! And friends, that situation still exists today. Praise God. Paul confessed that he had a problem. “For me to live is Christ” he said, “but to die is gain.” He clarified that by saying that for him, dying and being with the Lord was desirable because it would free him of further trouble in this life, but to continue in this life would afford him more opportunity to be of service to the Lord here, and that thought brought him great joy.
As he sought to encourage them, he exhorted them to unity of spirit, in love, caring for each other. His words should be embedded in the heart of every believer. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” What would our “ekklesia” be like if everyone had such an attitude? What would our nation be like if everyone adopted Paul’s exhortation? What would our world be like? Well the good news is that it’s coming. It will be just like that one day when everyone lives under the New Covenant. When God’s Torah is written on our hearts and put in our minds. When King Yeshua reigns in Jerusalem. And it may well be sooner than we think.
Paul used the unusual metaphor of “being poured out as a drink offering” in describing his life’s work. There was always a water libation associated with the Jewish sacrificial system, which came at the conclusion of the ceremony. We are apt to forget that at the time of Paul’s writing the Temple had not been destroyed and the sacrificial offerings were still being made in Jerusalem daily! Maybe Paul thought that he was nearing the end of his life (he actually lived another 6 or 7 years) and his service was concluding. So he promised to send his highly esteemed fellow worker, Timothy, as his emissary, to share in ministry with them. But he is also dispatching Epaphroditus, the one who had brought gifts from Philippi, not because he had failed in his task, but because the poor man had been terribly sick and was concerned that the “ekklesia” would be concerned about him. This is quite typical of the personal nature of this Epistle. It is warmly and compassionately written, showing his high esteem for this “ekklesia”. And there is more to come.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Torah Reflections Pesach
Torah Reflections “Pesach 1”
Torah portion Exodus 12 : 21 - 51 Numbers 28 : 16-25
Haftarah portion Joshua 5 : 2 to 6 : 1
Listen to the Prophets
The regular sequence of Torah readings is interrupted this week because of the “mo’ed” of Pesach.
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, known as “Pesach” (Passover), embraces THREE festivals in a period of eight days. The first of these remembers the actual day in history (the 14th day of the first month, Nisan) when the Israelites experienced the ‘salvation’ of the firstborn in their families by placing the blood of the Pesach Lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses in Egypt. The Lord ‘passed over’ their houses when He saw the blood.
It also is the exact Hebrew calendar date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The Christian celebration of Easter (replacing Passover) was formalized at the Council of Nicea in the days of the Emperor Constantine of Rome. It signalled the official separation of the “church” from its Hebrew roots. (In my view one of Satan’s major victories over mankind).
The second remembrance is known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” which occurs on the very next day, Nisan 15. (It is a High Sabbath), and it lasts seven days, and begins and ends with a special Sabbath, Note that there are always three Sabbaths during this Pesach festival. The “High Sabbath” which marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (and the Sabbath which marks the end of the festival, PLUS the normal weekly Sabbath). It is this “High Sabbath” which is the Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 before which the Jews were anxious to confine Yeshua’s body to the grave. Then the ‘normal’ weekly Sabbath occurred immediately prior to the resurrection of Yeshua. This confirms the statement of Yeshua in Luke 11:29 (as well as in Matthew and Mark) when asked for a sign. Read it. The complete lack of understanding of this fact has caused conventional church teaching to major on an incorrect “Good Friday” crucifixion story !
Unleavened Bread is eaten during the whole eight day period of the Pesach remembrance. To Jews it is a remembrance of the fact that they ate unleavened bread,(as commanded in Exodus 12:18) as they fled from Egypt on the night of Passover. Leaven is a symbol of SIN, so to believers, the Unleavened Bread also represents the sinless body of the Messiah which was buried in the grave for three days and three nights.
The third festival in this Pesach season is the “Feast of Firstfruits”. It occurs on the day AFTER the weekly Sabbath in Pesach week. (Always a SUNDAY). It signified the beginning of the Barley Harvest and was celebrated by a priest waving an ‘omer’ (a measure) of Barley in the temple in Yeshua’s day. But it was also the day on which Yeshua was resurrected from the grave. Believers refer to it as Resurrection Sunday. (but in association with Easter rather than Passover!) It signifies that Yeshua became the “Firstfruits from the dead”. (see 1 Corinthians15:23).
We should be grateful that churches worldwide (all varieties) remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua. And that they do so sincerely. But more and more, many people are realizing that our roots are inextricably founded in Judaism and the Lord’s “mo’edim” (appointed times). Those that do then focus more on Passover than Easter.
In addition to your own church fellowship, this year, take the trouble to find a fellowship of believers who celebrate Passover, and join them in that celebration. You will be enlightened, blessed and immeasurably enriched as you do.
Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday)
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 29
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Ephesus is probably the most visited Biblical site outside of Israel. It was an important sea port and commercial centre on the Eastern coast of Turkey which was thought to be home to about ¼ million people at one time. Also an important cultural centre containing Greek and Roman antiquities. Paul wrote this letter from Rome about 5 years before his death. He left Timothy there to shepherd the young “ekklesia” whilst he continued his missionary travels. Ephesus has the distinction of being addressed by the Lord Himself in the letter He dictated to John (Rev 2: 11-17). It is largely a letter of encouragement and intended for all nearby local “ekklesia”.
Paul continued his exhortation to the Ephesus “ekklesia” to act out their own part in their faith walk. “Be imitators of God .. walk in love .. get rid of all the filth in your life.” Do not be deceived by empty words because the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience! You have embarked upon serious business with God. “Walk as children of light.” All this advice and counsel is as relevant to us today as it was when Paul first wrote to the “ekklesia” in Ephesus almost 2000 years ago. Learn that there is a big difference between ‘free salvation’ and ‘no obligation salvation’. The Lord God Almighty has always expected those who are His to live in obedient accord with His standards. It’s called ‘righteous living’. And in our text today Paul is at some pains to spell that out loud and clear. He goes further, “and have NO fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them”, he says. That’s direct isn’t it?
You see, Paul is writing a pastoral letter. He is concerned for these people. It’s the type of life-giving message God gave him to preach. What sort of message do you get in your “ekklesia”? Is it a message of concern for your spiritual welfare? Or is it a ‘feel-good’ warm and fuzzy tickle? Paul gets quite personal as he continues. “Wives submit to your own husband, as to the Lord.” Now he couldn’t be more direct could he? He also had a word for husbands. “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the “ekklesia” and gave Himself for her.” What kind of love was that husbands? Even with ALL our blemishes Christ gave Himself up to be crucified on a Roman cross! Did He ask that we love Him and be obedient to Him first? NO. His loving sacrificial death was unconditional. IT is my view that such unconditional love is so special that it is worthy of our obedience. And I think that is at the heart of Paul’s exhortation to the married couple. A little later Paul described the marriage relationship as a great mystery, as is Christ’s relationship to His “ekklesia”. But Paul never did get married because for him it would have been a distraction from his service to the Lord.
Children and bond-servants are also in Paul’s sight, as are those who are masters of servants, as he continued to exhort this “ekklesia” to pursue perfection and unity in their relationships. But he finally provided an all embracing solution to them to ward off the attacks of the enemy. “Put on the whole armour of God.” It would be surprising if many of those reading this ‘reflection’ hadn’t listened to at least ONE sermon on this topic. Paul is so aware, that notwithstanding the difficulties which can arise from within the “ekklesia’, the real enemy of our faith is Satan. He is ever active where people seek to serve the Lord. Our real enemy is not the person with whom we might disagree on some point of doctrine. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness...”. So God has provided us all with a suit of armour. Regrettably though, we do not all wear it!! Or at least not all of it, and not all the time.
I need to point out again that what I write here is just a ‘reflection’, not a commentary. For that reason I commend you to get together with some Christian friend and have a close look at the armour which God provides. It will enhance your fellowship as you study God’s word together.
“Gird your waist with truth”. Do not just take what others say about the Scriptures. Study the word so as to be SURE what you believe, and why you believe it. “Put on the breastplate of righteousness”. Decide if and how you should modify your previous lifestyle to live as God has directed you. “Have your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”. See to it that you are prepared to give account of the hope of your salvation. “Take the shield of faith with you”. Be prepared, as was Yeshua when He was tempted by Satan, to recognize those faulty quotations of Scripture (a favourite of Satan) to try to bring you down. Memorize the Scriptures. Then “Take the helmet of salvation”. Wear it as a sign of your allegiance to your faith. “Have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”. In fact it is sharper than any two-edged sword of steel. And the Psalmist tells us that “God has magnified His Word above all His name.” How powerful is that? Trust me when I say that the Word of God is so important to our own spiritual growth and well-being, plus it also provides a weapon of offence against Satan’s wiles. And that is exactly what Paul has written to encourage this “ekklesia” in Ephesus, and by extension to us as well. Be blessed as you study the Scriptures and remain in His love.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 28
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Ephesus is probably the most visited Biblical site outside of Israel. It was an important sea port and commercial centre on the Eastern coast of Turkey which was thought to be home to about ¼ million people at one time. Also an important cultural centre containing Greek and Roman antiquities. Paul wrote this letter from Rome about 5 years before his death. He left Timothy there to shepherd the young “ekklesia” whilst he continued his missionary travels. Ephesus has the distinction of being addressed by the Lord Himself in the letter He dictated to John (Rev 2: 11-17). It is largely a letter of encouragement and intended for all nearby local “ekklesia”.
Having established that ‘breaking down the middle wall of separation’ had given new-found freedom for Gentiles to join “ekklesia” fellowship on equal terms with Jewish believers (see ‘reflection’ 27), Paul informed them that his appointment as the Apostle to the Gentiles when he encountered the risen Yeshua on the Damascus road (Acts 9) is part of the reason why he is imprisoned in Rome. Jew and Gentile were previously culturally and religiously separated. This new situation, something considered a mystery to earlier generations, and for which his personal role caused him much physical deprivation, is the result of the death and resurrection of Yeshua. Now, there is a very different division. Two groupings. Simply put, there are those who believe and there are those who do not. In God’s sight that is the new order. It persists today. The word “gentile’ being an all embracing word for “non-Jew”. There is a new “ekklesia” being built, with Yeshua as the Head, made up of ‘the one new man’, Jew and Gentile together in worshipful fellowship. It is an ongoing work of God.
Part of the problem many of us have in understanding Paul lies in the fact that in large measure he is a pioneer, establishing a new order of worship in a mixed congregation and in a Jewish setting at that. Whereas we have a natural tendency to visualize the situation in today’s terms, in which we see ‘the church’ as a building on the corner of the local high street. In Paul’s time ALL the Biblical background is found ONLY in the Hebrew Scriptures. Even the gospel accounts of the life of Yeshua on this earth, which we take for granted, were unpublished, except by word of mouth. It is so important for us to read Paul in the setting into which he wrote.
So he continued, asking them not to lose heart because of his tribulations as he faithfully brought the message to them. “I bow my knees to the Father” he says, “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend and know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” And he ends with the now well-known doxology. Please take time to ponder the depth of meaning in these beautifully prayerful words of Paul. “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (that is a staggering concept) according to the power that works in us (astounding).”
As Paul continued with his encouraging message into chapter 4 of our text he used words which are worthy of everyone’s deep reflection. He certainly got my attention!! “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called”. Then he qualifies “worthiness” for them, and us. “With all lowliness, and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” Wow! (Maybe you already belong to such an “ekklesia”. You are blessed indeed if you are.) “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Then to press the point of unity Paul lists a number of “Ones”. It is an impressive list. “One hope of your calling. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in you all.”
As he continued, he had a somewhat uncomfortable word for Gentiles, albeit with some encouragement to follow! Perhaps it might be too much to suggest that we could take Paul’s words as though they were written to us today, because they could well have been. To those who had already come to faith in Yeshua he said that they “should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God … because of the blindness of their heart;” The discomfort continued until he said in paraphrase “you didn’t learn those things from Christ, if you heard Him at all!” Then faith in action. Something we have to do for ourselves. “Put off your former conduct, (it does not disappear of its own accord) be renewed in the spirit of your mind, put on the new man. Be responsible for your own actions!” Further still, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”
Friends, this is very practical counsel from Paul. Note that he does NOT say, “now that you have come to Jesus all your problems will go away,” as some teach today. He says you have to work at righteousness in your own life. Why? Because the reward is immense. Your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is the freely available gift of a Holy and righteous God, but it can be very costly, as indeed Paul knew full well. Didn’t he?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 27
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Ephesus is probably the most visited Biblical site outside of Israel. It was an important sea port and commercial centre on the Eastern coast of Turkey which was thought to be home to about ¼ million people at one time. Also an important cultural centre containing Greek and Roman antiquities. Paul wrote this letter from Rome about 5 years before his death. He left Timothy there to shepherd the young “ekklesia” whilst he continued his missionary travels. Ephesus has the distinction of being addressed by the Lord Himself in the letter He dictated to John (Rev 2: 11-17). It is largely a letter of encouragement and intended for all nearby local “ekklesia”.
Paul writes in glowing terms of the faithfulness and love for others which he recognized as a characteristic of this “ekklesia” in Ephesus. That, of course, is how it should be in every “ekklesia”. Then he wrote what he had been praying for them, “that they be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Yeshua)”. I imitate Paul, as I pray for those reading these ‘reflections’, “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened”, and that you may know “what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”. Our task is to try to see the unmistakeable Hebraic nature of the Scriptures, especially the Apostolic Scriptures, recognizing that often times our former teaching, with its Greek mind-set, can easily get in our way! “The saints” Paul refers to are the faithful forefathers of the Hebrew Scriptures. The ones to whom ‘faithful obedience’ was counted as righteousness by a just and Holy God. The Ephesus “ekklesia” was a mixed congregation. Jewish believers, with a lifetime knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures would surely have better understanding than the Gentiles, coming from a pagan background, who had joined them in the faith.
But regardless of background, Paul assured them that in Yeshua they had all been made “alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world”. And how did He accomplish that? “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Every one of them, and us, being equal in God’s eyes. All have walked through the same ‘door’. And by invitation too!
Then Paul embarked on an explanation of how the two peoples, Jew and Gentile, are being made into “One new man”. And most of us have been taught, and firmly hold onto, a totally un-Hebraic interpretation of Paul’s words. We all understand that Yeshua “is our ‘shalom’, our peace.” And that “peace” is accomplished in Him as “the middle wall of partition is broken down.” This is an obvious reference to the barrier in the Jerusalem Temple Courts beyond which Gentiles were forbidden to pass. Now look carefully at the Scripture. Whilst the barrier existed, Jews were always permitted to enter the Court of the Gentiles. It was the Gentile who was ‘disadvantaged’ by the barrier. But Paul went further, describing that barrier an “enmity” separating Jew and Gentile. And further still, by calling that “enmity” as “the law of commandments”. (Note: it is worthwhile looking up the meaning of ‘enmity’ in a good dictionary).
So a huge question is raised here. How can the Torah (law of commandments) which is described by David in Psalm 19 as “perfect”, and by other prophets variously as “good, life, truth, light, the way, freedom, and by Paul himself writing in Romans 7:12 as ‘holy, and just and good’, be described as ‘enmity’? That’s the same Torah which forms the foundation of the New Covenant! It is because it was a barrier which prevented the Gentile fellowshipping with the Jew! But in Yeshua, the barrier was torn down. The ‘enmity’ was removed. Gentile became free to participate in the same Torah as the Jew. And that is precisely what the Ephesus “ekklesia” was doing. Jew and Gentile fellowshipping freely in their synagogue. But how does our un-Hebraic mind interpret this? That the Jew is free to abandon the ‘perfect’ Torah in favour of .. what? Do you see, as I do, that we seem to get it all back to front? Our interpretation has the believing Jew, already having abandoned Pharisaic Judaism in favour of Messianic Judaism, now expected to change to a ‘rudderless’ fragmented modern church. Choose one of several optional doctrines!
Paul is much clearer. Writing to the Romans, he saw the Gentile believer becoming ‘grafted in’ to the Natural Olive Tree, which is Israel. Just like the Ephesus “ekklesia”, to whom Paul says Yeshua “preached peace to you who were far off (Gentiles) and to those who were near (Jews). For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father”. He then said that we become “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God .. in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” Jew and Gentile, one new man, worshipping our Saviour Yeshua together. It is already happening, but one day, when Yeshua returns, there will be no alternative for us to argue about. All believers will have the “Torah” written on their hearts and put in their minds by God Himself. At least that’s how my Bible describes the New Covenant. And Paul knew it didn’t he?
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 26
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Please read the introduction (No. 23) for background to this Epistle
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The convenience of chapter and verse divisions in our Scriptures can sometimes cause us to miss the flow of the actual letter, which is as Paul wrote it. So it is good to read back into the previous chapter(s) to remind ourselves of the subject matter. In this case Paul had just used the quite unusual analogy of the bond-woman and the free-woman in explaining the relationship between the yoke of bondage produced in Pharisaic Judaism (the bond-woman) and salvation through the child of promise (the free-woman). Hence the opening verse this week, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”.
Now let us be clear in our thinking. This is almost invariably taught as a statement about the supposed obsolescence of Torah. It is NOT. How do we know that? Because it is inconceivable that Rabbi Sha’ul, a Torah observant Jew, disciple (imitator, copier, student, Apostle) of Yeshua, (who declared that anyone who taught against Torah would be ‘least’ in the Kingdom of Heaven), would teach such heresy. Additionally, from Paul’s own testimony before many of his accusers and judges in the Book of Acts, he many times affirms that that he had done ‘nothing against the customs of the forefathers’ (of Judaism). So what is it? It is a declaration that the free gift of salvation in Yeshua, cannot be earned, try as you might, by just keeping the man-made rules of Pharisaic Judaism.
Paul went further. He said that if anyone abandons the free gift of salvation in Yeshua and instead, attempts to rely on the man-made rules of Pharisaic Judaism for salvation, then that person “has fallen from grace”. Wow! This is serious business. Read it again! “You have been estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace.” The word is crystal clear. No ambiguity about his topic. The mystery is how some so misunderstand it.
So salvation is through the sacrificial death of Yeshua, and those who find it are called by the Holy Spirit of God to walk in that faith. Paul then encouraged the “ekklesia” to “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. Now if anyone has doubt about what this means, Paul provides a l-o-n-g list, in Galatians 5: 19-21, for any who may be so inclined, to check themselves on how much “flesh” might remain, even in those who believe they have been saved! It is Paul’s list, not mine!
Then in absolute contrast Paul described the Spirit led, very well-known list of attributes which should be exhibited in the lives of all who “walk in the Spirit”. But it may come as a surprise to many, that many Bibles continue with “against such there is no law”, or similar. The Complete Jewish Bible translates this as “Nothing in the Torah stands against such things”. The Living Bible says “and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.” So I conclude that Paul is affirming that in following God’s instructions for righteous living (Torah), a person should also exhibit the same qualities which are in the person led by the Spirit. And why not, after all, the same Spirit was in the beginning!!
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” It’s about how we live isn’t it? You want to fulfil the law of Messiah Yeshua? Then ‘bear one another’s burdens’. Look after each other. Consider what you can DO to make another person feel loved and appreciated. It’s not about legalistic observance. It is good practical advice from Paul.
Now consider how this letter started. Paul was concerned that some who had commenced a life of faith in Yeshua were being drawn away into legalistic observances in some vain attempt to appease God. He chastised them for their gullibility and ‘foolishness’. And over the course of this letter he returns to his familiar theme. Your salvation is assured by your faith in Messiah Yeshua. The New Covenant is guaranteed by His shed blood. There is nothing you can physically do to earn that salvation. BUT, there is plenty for you to do to live righteously. It is a self-motivated decision as to how you choose to live your life. “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” he said. It is not hypothetical, it’s practical.
We said at the beginning that ‘Galatians’ is often portrayed as a conflict between “law and grace”. It is nothing of the sort. It is a very practical discourse in how to live effectively AFTER one has availed oneself of God’s salvation gift. It is free. One can do nothing more to earn it. But one can follow the instructions God has given to order one’s life to be pleasing to Him, and to be fruitful within the “ekklesia” into which one is planted.
May God grant that you ‘bear much fruit’ as you study His word.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 25
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Please read the introduction (No. 23) for background to this Epistle.
“O foolish Galations!” Paul hadn’t read ‘How to win friends and influence people” had he? Forthright. Unbending. Without doubt or apology. “Who has bewitched you?” You know the truth, ‘I couldn’t have presented it any clearer’, he is saying. So tell me this. I know you have received the Spirit of faith. So how did you receive that Spirit? Was it by religiously following the instructions of the Rabbi’s? Or was it by hearing my testimony of the change that God brought about in me? And then experienced it for yourself. You have seen the miracle of lives changed in those who, by faith, have trusted in Yeshua. Did you see that because you began to follow the religious practices of the Orthodox Jews? Or because you heard the testimony of the faith of others? And then believed yourself. So why are you so easily returning to fleshly attempts to gain the salvation that you already have?
Look at the Scriptures. God knew that Gentiles would become believers too, otherwise He would not have told Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed as a result of his faith. And they are. There are infinitely more Gentile believers in Yeshua in the world than there are Jewish. So the message Paul is conveying is that, through faith, even Gentiles have already become ‘sons of Abraham’. Partakers of the covenants, by faith. But what many of us today expect is to be partakers of the covenant blessings without concern for covenant responsibilities!
“Keeping the law (Torah) for salvation’s sake is impossible.” said Paul. If one could gain salvation by keeping Torah, God would not have had to send Yeshua into this world. The Torah is the “Book of the Covenant”. The people of Israel agreed to live by it. “All that the Lord has said we will do” they said. There is nothing wrong with Torah. The Psalmist tells us that “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul”. But God gave mankind a free will. And mankind did not keep the Covenant he had made with God. (Note:- There is to be a New Covenant. One that cannot be broken. It is the same Torah. It is to be made with the same people as the first. It will not be taught. It will be written on hearts and put in minds by God Himself. And it is guaranteed by the blood of Yeshua. Unbreakable. Read its terms in Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8)
So that first Covenant was imperfect in that it was, and is, optional. But mankind also has freewill in relation to faith in Yeshua. It is only those who willingly, freely, exercise the option to accept the sacrifice of Yeshua who are saved. There is no other way! The promise to Abraham was not to “seeds” as in many, but to his “seed”, being the One who came to bear the sin of many. Namely Yeshua.
Paul reminded them, and us, that God’s promises to Abraham, which are irrevocable, relating to his “seed”, preceded the Torah instructions by 430 years, and the Torah does not supersede the promises made to Abraham. So what is the purpose of the Torah? It wasn’t for salvation. Paul describes it as a ‘tutor’ to bring us to Yeshua. It was a timely reminder of right and wrong in God’s sight, teaching us what God expects from those who are His. It still does. But when Yeshua came, he provided the perfect sacrificial Lamb, Who takes away the sin of the world. Once, for all time in the future. And we will see later, in Galations 5 how the Torah fits perfectly into the lifestyle expectation of those who are saved and experience a Spirit filled life.
Galations 4:8-11, with its reference to ‘observing days and months and years’ is mistakenly used by some to denigrate the keeping of Torah by those who are in Christ. Read it again. These words apply to the unsaved, “when you did not know God” Paul said. So they refer to pagan rituals. Paul continued “I am afraid for you, lest I have laboured in vain for you”. Did I waste my time? he is saying. Paul had worked hard and long to preach the truth to save them from paganism, in spite of his physical limitations, whatever they were. He agonised that they would consider abandoning that simple faith in Yeshua.
Paul moves to an analogy which is somewhat mysterious. That of the bond-woman and the free-woman. That mystery becomes clearer when one recognizes that Paul, in this analogy, sees the bond-woman as man’s attempt to use ‘works of Torah’ to obtain salvation, (helping God out of a problem as it were) which, in turn is analogous to the Pharisaic yoke of bondage. As opposed to the free-woman, who produced the Child of promise, through whom salvation is provided as the free gift of God to all who believe. “So then”, Paul exhorts the “ekklesia”, “we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free.” And just as Genesis 21 exhorts Abraham to ‘cast out the bondwoman’, so should they, Paul said, if they see her as a way of salvation. But that has nothing to do with abandoning Torah, God’s instruction for righteous living.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 24
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Please read the introduction (No. 23) for background to this Epistle.
As a result of Paul’s first missionary journey there were a number of “ekklesia” formed in Galatia in Central Turkey. They operated as a sect of Judaism and worshipped in the local synagogues. Each “ekklesia” became a mixed congregation of Jew and Gentile, and the Gentile members of the “ekklesia” had not been required to submit to the Abrahamic covenant sign of circumcision because salvation by faith in Yeshua does not require it. But they were under attack!
The attack they were experiencing, was orchestrated by fellow members within the same synagogue who did not accept Yeshua as the Messiah of God! These strictly Orthodox Jews stuck rigidly to the Oral Torah and the detailed rabbinic interpretation of the Torah. They had sought to ‘protect’ the Torah, placing formidable ‘hedges’ around it, which exist to this very day. The ‘hedges’ (manmade rules) were such that they were described as a heavy yoke, a burden, even impossible to comply with. One of the key characteristics of compliance, of course, was the Abrahamic covenant sign of circumcision. And they were demanding that ALL male members of their synagogue comply.
Yeshua, our Redeemer, was the perfect, Torah observant, Jew! In fact, He is described as “the living Torah”. Paul, also a Torah observant Jew, had formerly been a fervent advocate of Rabbinic Judaism. He knew all about what it involved and he had been a persecutor of those who did not adhere to the strict rabbinic letter of the “law”. Many such practices were described by Yeshua as ‘the traditions of men’. So Paul was perfectly placed to see the issues. In fact, he was almost ‘tearing his hair out’ at seeing what was happening to Gentiles who had once come to genuine faith in Yeshua, but were now being told that they had to be circumcised in order to continue fellowshipping in the synagogue.
Paul was at pains to explain, in this letter, that his commission as an Apostle was not from men. He did not actually meet Peter and the other Apostles until three years after his ‘conversion’. As a young Rabbi he had risen in the ranks of Judaism above most of his contemporaries prior to his encounter with Yeshua. It was that encounter which caused his lifestyle change in taking up the ministry of spreading the gospel message of salvation, by faith, to Gentiles. It was an amazingly successful mission too. Two of his ministry companions were Barnabas, a Jew, and Titus, a Greek. He provides some detail of the first fourteen years of his training in Apostleship, before he ventured to Jerusalem to visit the other Apostles. He made that visit because ‘false brethren’ had secretly spied (and presumably reported) on him to the Jerusalem Council, concerning the liberty (from compulsory circumcision) of the salvation which they preached in the Gentile world. (we also conclude from reading Acts 21 that they also falsely reported that Paul was teaching against the Torah of Moses! And this is the precise point of misunderstanding of this Epistle to the Galatians which many of us are still taught in our churches today) Paul was not anti-Torah, he was anti-proselytising of Gentiles into Orthodox Judaism, and he explained that even Titus, a Gentile believer and fellow teacher, was not compelled to be circumcised (as were the Gentile believers in the “ekklesia” of Galatia.)
So a division of responsibilities was recognised. Peter, the Apostle to Jews (the circumcised) and Paul the Apostle to Gentiles (the uncircumcised). But Paul had observed what he described as hypocrisy in the behaviour of other Jews, specifically Peter. It seems that Peter happily fellowshipped with Gentiles as equals in the faith (remember the story of his vision of ‘the sheet’ in Acts 10) when there were no other ‘important’ Jews around, but separated himself from his Gentile brothers in Christ when there were. Such was Peter’s fear of alienation from his Jewish friends. Now, if Peter were so concerned, just think of the pressure felt by these believers in the “ekklesia” in Galatia when faced, by friends in their synagogue who were the antagonistic Orthodox Jews. Paul understood this, but he quickly got to the real issue. No-one is justified by the ‘works of the law (Torah)’. The Temple sacrificial system was instituted by God to allow a person to ‘draw near to Him’. No-one was ‘saved’ by just going through the motions of the ‘works of the law’. For Abraham, it was his faith that counted for righteousness, and that faith was born of obedience. Trusting God. Religiously keeping Torah, as Paul did as an Orthodox Rabbi, didn’t ‘save’ him or anyone else. Rather, it is being ‘saved’ by faith in Yeshua, which calls one to obedience to the Torah (instructions for righteous living). That is living the way God intended His people to live. “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God” said Paul. It was understanding God’s purpose in providing Torah that caused Paul, by revelation, to turn his back on trying to ‘earn his salvation’ by the rigid legalism of the Pharisaic way . In its place he embraced Judaism as God intended, just like all the early believers, trusting Yeshua for his salvation, but continuing to obey God’s instructions.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 23
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Galatians …. An Introduction
Possibly the most misunderstood of Paul’s letters. He had visited this region on his first missionary journey and initiated the formation of several “ekklesia” in the region. Written in the early to mid 50’s C.E. after he received a report that these “ekklesia” were being targeted, and influenced, by some orthodox ‘Judaiasers’. Galations is NOT a “grace” v “law” treatise, as is often taught, but rather a re-statement of the truth of unmerited salvation by faith alone, but within the framework of Messianic Judaism.
Because ‘Galations’ is so greatly misunderstood through centuries of anti-Israel (or perhaps anti-Torah) interpretation of the Apostolic Scriptures in church history, I have decided to take the unusual step of providing an additional introductory ‘reflection’ to this Epistle. If you believe what most of us were taught in our churches, that Paul was converted from Judaism to Christianity (as we know it today), this will be a bit of a shock to you. The way that the ‘conversion’ of Rabbi Sha’ul in Acts 9 is viewed is pivotal to my understanding. There is ample evidence, from Paul’s own lips, in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles to verify his lifestyle as a fervent believer in Yeshua, but remaining a Torah Observant Jew right up to Acts 28:17 near the time of his death in Rome.
All the early believers in the Messiahship of Yeshua were Jewish, and they worshipped in Synagogues. They kept the “mo’edim” (appointed times) of the Lord, and they remained fervently zealous in Torah Observance (Acts 21:20). They were soon increasingly joined by Gentile believers in the diaspora, who fellowshipped in the same Synagogues, which presented a huge challenge to Jewish Orthodoxy, because the Gentiles were accepted into their fellowship without undergoing a formal conversion to Judaism as a proselyte (evidenced by circumcision). And that is the very crux of the disputes which Paul addresses comprehensively in this letter to the Galations. But to correctly interpret this letter it is imperative that one understands the ‘conversion’ experienced by Rabbi Sha’ul on the road to Damascus. He described himself as a fervent persecutor of these Jewish believers (Messianic Jews) and it was precisely to this group that he was ‘converted’. Still a Jew, still a Rabbi, still Torah Observant, but now a Messianic Jew. However, if he was NOT, then Yeshua Himself condemns him in Matthew 5:19 as being ‘the least in the Kingdom of God’. But we know that he is a giant of our faith as believers. The Jerusalem Council, in Acts 21:24, described Paul as having an “orderly walk and keeper of the Torah”. And so he was.
There is some debate about when this letter was written. Was it before or after the deliberations of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Tim Hegg, in his excellent book “The Letter Writer”, uses scholarly investigation of both Biblical and non-Biblical sources to conclude that it was written before the Jerusalem Council letter concerning Gentile believers. His main argument hinges on the fact that the Jerusalem Council letter would have cleared up some of those contentious elements which caused Paul to write this letter at all.
But even this “letter to the Gentiles” is misunderstood. Many today correctly point to the three conditions which were required of Gentile believers in order that they might share fellowship with Messianic Jews. They relate specifically to Idolatry, Dietary laws and Sexual Immorality. However, completely ignored is the very next verse in our Bibles which qualifies this limited list. “For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” The clear implication being that the rest of the Torah will be learned as they attended the regular weekly Shabbat gatherings of believers.
We will ‘reflect’ on the specifics as we study the text of Paul’s letter in coming weeks.
The major issue being faced by these Galatian “ekklesia” was the intrusion of Orthodox Jews who rejected the Messiahship of Yeshua, but had influence within the synagogues. They were insisting that Gentiles, who wished to fellowship with them should submit themselves to formal ‘conversion’ as proselytes, by circumcision and the full gammit of legalistic observances of the Oral Torah.
Paul would have none of it! And next week we begin our ‘reflections’ on the detail.
In paraphrase, to the churches of Galatia, Paul wrote: “I am an Apostle appointed by Yeshua Himself, and all the brethren who are with me send greetings in His name. He gave Himself, that we might be delivered from this present evil age and freely partake of His salvation. Let’s get that straight, because I am astounded that some of you are so readily turning away from that simple truth which I brought to you when I was with you.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 22
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
2 Corinthians 11 : 1 to 13 : 14
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthians, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
An amazing insight into the character of Paul as he writes so personally about himself, as of a parent concerned for his cherished children. He acknowledges his self-effacing imperfection, in speech and presentation, but remains fiercely protective of them. He uses the analogy of seeking, and introducing them to, the best possible marriage partner for his children. Presenting to them, and encouraging them, to accept the pure, simple, love of Yeshua. But, in love, warning them also to be mindful of the pitfalls and traps in life by which the innocent, the unwary, and the young may be seduced.
He shows concern for the fact that he placed no financial burden on the ‘ekklesia’ as he worked and taught among them, and wonders if that might be seen, because it was freely given, as having no value. I find myself considering (because there is no clue in the text itself) whether he might be comparing himself here with the ‘false apostles’ who DID charge for their service to them, hence appearing, in their falsity, to have some credibility. Such persons are still identifiable, even today. Paul’s description of such persons is quite graphic! “deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness”. The question for them, and for us, is how to recognize such falsity. The Torah provides a clear means of identification. Read Deuteronomy 13. Paul knew it well. The identifier is if the words of that ‘prophet’ have the result of taking one away from the word of God. Remember what the Psalmist told us? “For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” (Psalm 138:2) His WORD is truth and God will not say, or cause you to do or be, anything which is contrary to His word. His word says that salvation is freely available through the blood of Yeshua. Remember Peter’s sermon in Acts 4, wherein, talking about the risen Yeshua he said “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Anyone who teaches differently is a ‘false prophet’.
There is something of a mystery about Paul’s ‘man’ who was caught up into the third heaven. Many commentators believe Paul speaks of his own experience. The possibilities are left to one’s imagination, but the essence of this experience being included here, if indeed it was Paul’s own, is that he mentions it without ‘boast’. We have probably heard of people today who speak of such an experience, and in great detail! Paul rather ‘boasts’ about his infirmity! Why? Because in his infirmity, his reliance is totally in God to accomplish the ministry tasks God had given to him. We do not even know the precise nature of his infirmity. Eyesight? Speech? Stature? That ‘thorn in the flesh’, Paul sees as a messenger of Satan, keeping him humble before God and men. Interestingly, whatever was Paul’s infirmity was approved by God! Not only that, but God also declined Paul’s request for healing from it!! Now there is food for thought. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in (your) weakness.”
Paul evidently intended to visit this “ekklesia’ a third time. One of the clues to this being considered a separate letter (see introduction above) is that last week, we saw Paul encouraging them to take offerings for the other believers, which he or his emissary would collect. Here Paul says “I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours (that which you have), but you.” This statement has some very lovely parallels in our own relationship with Yeshua. He does not seek our commitment to Him for what He receives from us, but for what He imparts to us. Principally, I think, in the realm of a righteous, fulfilling, useful, productive life here on earth, and throughout eternity. What does the prophet Micah tell us about the Lord’s requirement of us? “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
That was Paul’s message to this “ekklesia”, but he was fearful that in his absence, without his continual teaching, he would find something very different. Read his concerns in verses 20,21 of chapter 12. So he exhorts them, as we ourselves need to be reminded, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” Dear friends, this is not about what we SAY we believe, it is about how we live. Paul is quite forthright in stating that the evidence of faith is in how we live. His epistle was written because the reported evidence that their errant lifestyle didn’t match the rhetoric. And it should, both for them and for us.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 21
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
2 Corinthians 9 : 1 to 10 : 18
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthians, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
Paul uses a little psychology here to encourage the “ekklesia’ in Corinth to become donors in the cause of support for other believers elsewhere. “it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians.” It is only in last week’s portion that we read of Paul ‘boasting’ about the Macedonians to the Corinthians! Paul seemed to be aware of the capacity of this ‘ekklesia’ at Corinth to share the financial burden of support for others. After all, we know that he had only recently spent three years living and working among them.
So Paul said he would send some brethren, ahead of his own proposed future visit, so that they could collect their ‘generous gift’. The psychology of Paul extends to the use of a well-known agricultural parable, one which is used extensively within the church today to extract ‘generous gifts’ from willing (and not so willing) donors. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” BUT, to his enormous credit, he follows that agricultural truism, with practical common sense. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” I confess, dear friends, to being irritated when I observe Paul’s encouraging parable used indiscriminately by modern day preachers with the implied intent that there is financial gain ahead for the giver according to the quantum of their gift. Our giving should be without such deceptive pressure.
Sadly, on TV every day, we see unscrupulous men, millionaires all, using Paul’s words to impoverish gullible, emotional, fragile, people for their own enrichment. Don’t be fooled by the emotive glib words. Ask the Lord what you should give, and to which cause. He is faithful to show you what is right for you. Paul continues “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work.”
Yes, it is good to financially support those in need, it is actually a command of God that we so do. Paul continues this theme to the end of Chapter 9 expanding on the benefits to the giver and the recipient, and brings it all to a climax with the verse that ends this chapter. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” That gift is, of course, salvation.
As Chapter 10 opens, we find a different topic. Abruptly, it seems, Paul has reverted to the subject of his time spent with them, compared to their reaction to his earlier letter, which was obviously received when he was not physically with them! Some commentators have concluded that this might even be part of a different letter (see the comment at the head of these ‘reflections’ in 2 Corinthians). So, one reading consecutively from chapter 9 into chapter 10 is challenged in trying to follow the narrative! It appears that Paul felt that his letters were more boldly stated than were his words spoken face to face. They have an advantage over us of course, because we have never been in Paul’s personal presence, so our judgement of him is taken solely from his writing. To most of us therefore, as to them, he is a spiritual giant.
We recall that initially, we discovered that his letters were written to this ‘ekklesia’ in order to address some significant, very serious, difficulty they had encountered in the fellowship of believers. Paul’s advice had caused some division. But he stood by his counsel to them. Now he tells them that although “we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.” The rules are different, because the enemy is not of the flesh. Paul’s keen sense of righteousness, in my view probably arising from his intimate knowledge of Torah, allowed him to discern the nature of the real enemy. Thus he writes that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” This is a ‘right v wrong’, ‘good v evil’ battle. It is not a ‘difference of opinion’ thing. It is a ‘who will you serve’ situation.
Paul had met the risen Messiah. He had received his commission directly from the Saviour Himself, face to face. He was ideally prepared, as a Jewish Rabbi, with a profound knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, to understand the source of the divisions which assail every ‘ekklesia’. Satan is joined in battle for the hearts of men, then and now. Paul saw that battle raging in the ‘ekklesia’ in Corinth. It’s the same ongoing battle today. But that battle is the Lord’s. It takes place ‘in the heavenlies’. Our role is to put our trust in the Lord, by prayer and supplication. As did Paul.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 20
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthians, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
“Therefore,” begins our portion this week. A word demanding careful consideration of what has preceded it. And for that, again, as last week, we need to look at the previous chapter.
As believers, Paul had assured the ‘ekklesia’ in Corinth that they had become the ‘Temple’ of the living God. (Ch 6:16). For that reason, verse 17 tells them to ‘separate themselves’ from things unclean. Now it is a whole new study to consider that statement, but trust me when I tell you that the Torah of Moses is explicit about what is unclean. It is matter of regret that many of us have been taught that because the Torah is what our Bible translates (incorrectly) as “law” (more correctly, ‘instruction’) we have been taught that “law” is obsolete for the Christian because it has been replaced by ‘grace’. But evidently that is NOT what Paul taught this ‘ekklesia’ in Corinth. And there is much more, because of the promises contained in Chapter 6: 16-18, following our introductory word “Therefore”, Paul specifies the action required of them.
This is written to a community of believers. They are already ‘saved’ so it is not a pre-condition of, but a consequence of, that salvation! “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Are you saying that we have to DO something about our salvation? I hear some ask. No, I am not saying, our beloved Apostle Paul is saying that. And I agree with him. He writes of cleanliness of the flesh and spirit. Life ‘in the Spirit’ is a life of self-control as well as a life of freedom. It is a life of responsibility as well as a life of privilege. The Psalmist got it right didn’t he? Paul knew the Psalms well.
“How can a young man cleanse his way?” he asked in Psalm 119: 9-11. “By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; O let me not wander from Your commandments. Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” It is well that we notice the part that David played in his commitment to ‘cleansing his heart’. It was the same for the ‘ekklesia’ in Corinth, and it is the same for any who read this ‘reflection’. It cannot be done by anyone else on your behalf. It’s personal. And it involves effort.
Paul knew that his first letter, dealing with sexual immorality among them had caused some disquiet. He was sorry that they were sorrowful, but not for long! “For Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” he writes. His forthright advice to them then, was consistent with the tenor of the first part of our ‘reflection’ today. His concern was to know that the lessons had been learned, and that they now understood that his counsel was in love for them, that their spiritual walk would be worthy of their calling as ‘Ambassadors for Christ’. That advice is timely for each generation of the ‘ekklesia’, even today, or perhaps especially today. As an encouragement, Paul cites the example of the grace which God, in His infinite love for them, had bestowed on the ‘ekklesia’ in Macedonia. This was a province in what we know today as Northern Greece. The main ‘ekklesia’ there were at Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. They were not wealthy, in fact they were downright poor, but they were diligent in their generous support of the ‘saints’ at Jerusalem. They saw themselves as part of the “ekklesia’ of the Lord worldwide, as well as in their local area. For this Paul commends them as an example of how believers should operate.
I am drawn again to Paul’s use of the words ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ in relation to their calling in Christ. The ‘prosperity’ about which Paul writes is a far cry from that taught in many of our mega-churches today. He commends the ‘rich’ Yeshua, who for our sakes became ‘poor’. The richness of Yeshua was in His relationship with the Father. A relationship He willing forsook in order to allow us to gain our relational richness with Father God. However, Paul also includes the exemplary role of the ‘ekklesia’ in Macedonia to share their worldly substance, by gifting, with others in need. He is careful not to imply that they should be impoverished and burdened in their giving so that others benefit disproportionally. His suggestion is that they put aside such as they can over a period of time, bit by bit, so that when one of the teaching group (Titus is mentioned specifically) visit them, their gift may be collected and distributed to those in need in other ‘ekklesia’.
The comparison with the ‘ekklesia’ in Macedonia is the yardstick by which Paul encourages the Corinthians to look. It may well provide an example for us to consider as we think of ways we might ‘bless Israel’ today through the many Christian organisations which offer material support to those in need there.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 19
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthinans, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
Because these ‘reflections’ are arbitrarily taken by chapters of Scripture, it is sometimes difficult to make sense of the strict chapter narrative. We remind ourselves that Paul did not write in chapters and verses, they were provided by Robert Estienne, (a French printer) about 1520, for the Apostolic Scriptures. So we need to re-read the end of chapter 4 to get the sense of Paul’s message here. Specifically “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Now we can understand the words with which chapter 5 begins, as Paul is contrasting our earthly (temporary) home with the heavenly (eternal) home to which all believers aspire.
It is well understood that a believer “walks by faith, not by sight”. And many preachers emphasize this to illustrate that our salvation is NOT by works. Most of us believe that. But is that the end of the story? Well some teach that “the Spirit led life” is almost a ‘do as you like’ lifestyle, because God is a loving, forgiving, gracious God. Which He is. But Paul does not say that in this passage. He says “we make it our aim, whether present (in this life) or absent (in heaven) to be well pleasing to Him.” That is a direct reference, dear friends, to the way we live our lives. It’s a doing thing. It was the burden of Paul’s writing to this “ekklesia” in Corinth. Their works, how they live their lives, is important. For those who may have doubt, refer to the Great White Throne judgement of Revelation 20. Everyone who ever lived (all of us) have an appointment there. And what are we judged on? Our faith? No. Our church attendance? No. Our tithing? No. We are judged according to our works! (which may include all of the above) And those who do not have their names written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. I think Paul is spelling it out very clearly in this passage. It was a timely warning for the “ekklesia” in Corinth, and it’s a timely warning for anyone reading this ‘reflection’.
Now here is the blessed hope for the believer. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” This is the right time to do a personal audit. We who claim to be “in Christ” should be able to see the difference between the ‘old man’ and this ‘new creation’. Check yourself out, you are the one best qualified to do that. Dare I repeat myself? The best guide to change is difference in behaviour! Attitude! Things you do! Things you say! Actions! Works! Why are these things so important? Because, Paul says, we have become “Ambassadors for Christ.” Others will judge us in that light.
Please read carefully the first ten verses of Chapter 6. Ponder them at length. Measure yourself against them. It is the prosperity gospel according to Paul! It spells out the rewards of being an “Ambassador for Christ”. He writes about ‘making many rich’, and about ‘having nothing, and yet possessing all things’. This is the prosperity gospel friends. Having ones name written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life”. Eternal life in Him. “O Corinthians!” he writes, “We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.” In paraphrase, Paul is saying ‘we have spoken the truth, in love, warts and all. Nothing hidden. And there is a bit more to come!’ We recall that Paul had written to deal with ‘issues’ within the ‘ekklesia’. Now he lays it on the line. Not only is their behaviour critical to their role as “Ambassadors for Christ”, but so is the company they keep. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” How up to date is that? It is probably the most violated of all the injunctions contained in Scripture. And we have become most inventive in our reasoning for ignoring such an injunction.
Today it is most applied in reference to marriage. And it is relevant. But Paul goes way beyond that singular application. “What communion has light with darkness?” he asks. Events in which we participate in order to be ‘sociable’, even ‘friendly’ which may be alright and proper because we are called to live in this world, but paradoxically not to be ‘part of it’. Where is the line drawn? This is where God, in His infinite love, mercy and grace to us who are believers (that new creation) has given His Holy Spirit prompted discernment. If we include Him in our participation in the events we attend, we will have no difficulty in knowing the difference between the ‘light’ and the ‘darkness’ of which Paul writes. “Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” Plenty to think about this week eh!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 18
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthians, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men.” says Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. What you are is what you declare! And that is a lesson that we all should learn. Those we come into contact with are much more influenced by our actions than by our words. Words are easy, how we live is the hard bit! But it shows the truth.
Then Paul appears to invite comparison between the “Old” and “New” covenants. “… not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” And that is how most people would interpret Paul here. BUT, as David Stern points out in his “Jewish New Testament Commentary”, care should be taken not to confuse “the letter” as referring to the “Torah” (God’s instruction for righteous living). Both Old and New Testaments include “Torah” don’t they? At least that’s what the Bible says. The difference is in the method of transmittal. “The letter” is written on tablets of stone. Those words have been subject to much abuse by well-meaning interpreters throughout the ages … and they still are. The ‘hedges’ which the Rabbis have constructed around Torah have had the effect of making it a very heavy yoke. In Jeremiah 31 we are told that it was the covenant promise to keep Torah which their forefathers broke. In contrast, the New Covenant is unbreakable. Why? Because it will be written on the heart of man and put in his mind. By whom? By God Himself, guarantied by the blood of Yeshua, and activated and lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is THIS covenant of which Paul claims to be a minister. It is ‘life-giving’ because it cannot be manipulated by men.
David describes the “Torah” as “perfect, converting the soul.” Nehemiah says that God gave the Israelites “just ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments.” Paul himself, writing to the Romans says “Therefore the Torah is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Psalm 19:7, Nehemiah 9:13 and Romans 7:12) Or read Psalm 119. How much clearer can the Scriptures be regarding the “Torah”?
Paul looks forward to the day when, that which is undoubtedly to ‘pass away’, the much broken “letter” with its capacity for manipulation, is replaced by the New Covenant. We know even today, that God’s chosen ones have a ‘veil’ which prevents them from seeing Yeshua in their reading of the Hebrew Scriptures, in spite of the many places where those Scriptures clearly look forward to His coming. And He did come! That veil is miraculously lifted from those who become believers in Him. “It is the Lord who is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Liberty to see Him and to worship Him as He desires of them.
To the “ekklesia” in Corinth, Paul then re-affirms his ministry. “We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully.” There were evidently people in his day, as there are indeed today, who handle the word of God deceitfully. Shame. There are many whose eyes were, and still are, blinded by the god of this age. Dear friends, check out the substance of what you hear preached in your own “ekklesia” week by week. If it does not accord with the word of God, exercise your responsibility to say so. Ezekiel 3 and 33 contain warnings which apply onerous charges against those of us who do not. Paul would have been very quick to speak up! He said “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Yeshua Ha’mashiach. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
There is a tranquillity about Paul. His words, in English, seem to me quite complicated, but his message is steadfast. He knows what he believes, and he knows Whom he believes. That he suffered deprivation for the sake of the gospel is abundantly clear. The “prosperity” gospel, for him, was not of this age. It was his transient sojourn on this earth, to which he was assigned a special ministry that kept him faithful to his calling. The ‘prize’, the goal towards which he fearlessly looked day by day, was to be presented, by Yeshua, His Lord, before the Father as a good and faithful servant of the King.
O that we all, could learn from this man’s example in our daily living. “looking not at the things which are seen (which are temporary), but at the things which are not seen (which are eternal).” That is Paul’s burden for the “ekklesia” in Corinth, and it is his burden for your local “ekklesia” here on this earth.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 17
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Scholars have discerned that there were at least four letters written by Paul to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. 1 Corinthians, the second written, refers to a previous letter of which there is no longer a written record (1 Cor 5:9), and 2 Corinthians contains the next two. Chapters 1-9 probably the last written, and chapters 10-13 the third written. In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his calling and character as an Apostle.
Paul had sent Titus to Corinth to encourage the “ekklesia” to remain steadfast to the teachings of Paul in the face of various false teachers who had sought to discredit Paul’s authority and qualification as an Apostle. Titus obviously had a measure of success, but there still remained some mal-contents there.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
This is personal. Paul himself is comforted by God in the report which Titus had brought him. It’s called peace of mind. The “ekklesia” is comforted by God in the knowledge that they are ‘on the right track’ with Paul’s teaching. They experience that same peace of mind. And out of that ‘comforting’ experience, others who may fall into trouble in future may be comforted, and have peace of mind, by those who have already known God’s comforting peace of mind.
But, for Paul, there is much more. He writes confidently of the comfort, in the “delivery from death” that he and Timothy had so recently experienced as they ministered in “Asia”. I never cease to be amazed at the naivety, and even the carelessness, of those who teach a “prosperity” gospel. Read Paul’s “prosperity gospel” experience which he writes about in 2 Corinthians 11 from verse 23. The very “prosperity” that Paul experienced was the faithfulness of God who delivered him, and kept him alive, through many adverse circumstances. And this is what Paul promises the “ekklesia” in Corinth. Not worldly prosperity, with accompanying health, wealth and happiness, all problems solved, no issues of the day. But rather, by faith, having assured knowledge that their sins are forgiven, their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There is no greater reward than that, in this life or the next, as they commit themselves to service in His name.
But in spite of Paul’s declaration of encouragement, he then said that he had decided not to visit them again because it would make him sorrowful! There were those among them who were already sorrowful at the directness in the message he had brought to them. They did not like the criticism and correction which Paul preached to them. None of us do! But the Holy Spirit of God is able to use such preaching for our benefit. If the message of the gospel is not challenging, bringing change and improvement, it has no value to the hearer does it? So Paul is constrained to let his message rest, and allow the Holy Spirit to convict and comfort as needed in that “ekklesia”. He did not want to repeat himself.
So Paul uses somewhat complicated language, certainly when translated into English, to explain himself. There appear to be two possible situations. Firstly that due to the ‘correction’ he had brought, there had been some evidence of penitence on the part of at least one person, but not everyone in the “ekklesia” was willing to receive such back into fellowship. Another possible interpretation of the same event would have it that there had been no evident penitence, but that some were ready to receive the person back into fellowship anyway, and others not. My perception is that either way, Paul was not anxious to involve himself further in such a matter, since he had already made himself clear in his original teaching and advice. Then Paul changed tack and drew on a most interesting analogy. By relating to the common Roman practice of a march of Triumph in honour of victors in battle. Along the route would be censors of burning incense, causing a sweet smelling aroma to pervade the area. Paul refered to the believer as such a victor, honoured by God as triumphing in Christ, allowing His fragrance to pervade the scene. But there is one difference. The same fragrance brought an aroma of death to those who are perishing (the unsaved) and an aroma of life to those being saved. There is but ONE message. It is the message Paul brought to the “ekklesia” in Corinth. To some he became the aroma of life, and to others the aroma of death.
“We are not” he says, “as so many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” Friends, there are plenty of “peddlers of the word” today, it is not difficult to know who they are by their actions, by their motives, by the way they live. Steer clear of such. They preach an “easy” gospel, but its end is destruction. Paul spoke only as the Holy Spirit directed him, but as our reading today illustrates, it certainly did not make him popular. But it was truth.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 16
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
1 Corinthians 15 : 1 to 16 : 24
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
There was some disputation in the “ekklesia” regarding the resurrection of the dead. So Paul returns to his Apostleship credentials, a defining feature of which was the fact that ALL the original Apostles had met the risen Messiah. But first he affirms that the gospel which he preached to them is the plain message that a) Messiah Yeshua lived on this earth, b) He died in redemption of man’s sin, c) He was buried in the grave, and d) by reference to Psalm 16: 10, He rose from the dead, (after three days), in perfect accord with the “sign” of His Messiahship which He gave to the Pharisees. He then listed the different times that all the Apostles met with the risen Yeshua. How comprehensive a picture is that? Then in humility for his actions prior to his conversion, he describes himself as ‘the least of the Apostles’, but an Apostle never-the-less because he too had met the risen Messiah. How different our view of him. He is a spiritual giant in our eyes. And for good reason.
Having said that, I find myself in significant agreement with the Apostle Peter, who, commenting on Paul’s writing, said “in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction”. (2 Peter 3:16). In truth, if you fail to grasp the fact that Paul remained a Torah observant Jew ALL his life, that his conversion was NOT from Judaism to Christianity (as most Christians are taught) but from Pharisaic Judaism (legalistic observance of Torah) to Messianic Judaism (a Torah observant believer in Yeshua as Messiah), you too will have problems trying to understand his teaching!
So, in relation to resurrection of the dead, Paul argues that if there is no resurrection, as some of them seemed to believe, then all preaching is in vain, because the fundamental nature of the deity of Yeshua, our Messiah, is that He conquered death and lives today seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Nothing has changed. It is the same message today. We serve and worship a RISEN Saviour. Hallelujah! It is not possible to improve on the very explanation Paul gives us in Chapter 15 : 12-26. Read it again.
But there is more! Paul writes about the time when death will give up ALL its dead. “For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed”. Here Paul refers to the “dead in Christ”, those to whom his letter to this “ekklesia’ is addressed. Now we need to be careful here, because the Scriptures teach that there are TWO deaths! The first death is the experience of all who have lived (with the notable exceptions of Enoch and Elijah). Then the first resurrection is also an experience which all will encounter. But what follows that is “the Great White Throne judgement” of Revelation 20 which in turn is followed by eternal life for those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and the second death for the remainder. That Death, and Hades, are destined, with Satan, the false Prophet and ‘the Beast’ (Antichrist) to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.
But Paul ends that warning with a joyful hope. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” And there dear friends is the message which we should take from this ‘reflection’.
Paul concludes this letter with the immensely practical exhortation to the diaspora “ekklesia” to remember their obligation to support the ‘original messengers’ of the gospel. The “saints” in Jerusalem. At the beginning of their fellowship, the very first “ekklesia” shared their substance and ‘held all things in common’. As time passed, they became persecuted and were held in contempt by the majority, and evidently fell on hard times. Paul was not shy in asking the believers in the diaspora to support them financially.
His request was that ‘on the first day of the week’, as regular practice, they set aside such as they chose to give, for the ‘saints in Jerusalem’. A Hebraic understanding of this practice indicates that they were not to give that money on the Sabbath as they met for worship, but after the Sabbath, as they met for Shabbat Havdalah (Saturday evening for us), they shared a fellowship meal (as is done to this very day in observant Jewish homes) and there added to the gift which would be transported, in due course to the Council in Jerusalem for distribution to those in need. Paul himself was the carrier of such gifts.
This letter contains ‘pastoral’ teaching which is relevant for our “ekklesia” today. But it is important to understand the practical Hebraic nature of that teaching so that we get the right message, devoid of any spiritualized analogy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 15
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
1 Corinthians 13 : 1 to 14 : 40
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
The LOVE chapter! Weddings, engagements, funerals, and sundry other emotional gatherings have all been graced by reference to, or reading of, this most amazing passage of Scripture. BUT, it has little to do with any of them! The English language is deficient in ‘single word’ translations of many foreign language words, particularly Greek, which has four words (phileo, agape, storge and eros) with different emphasis of meaning, but each of which is translated as either “love” or “charity” in English. In our reading this week, the Greek word used for LOVE is “agape”. It is a selfless unconditional love, expecting nothing in return.
Last week we ‘reflected’ upon spiritual gifts in the “ekklesia” in Corinth. Paul’s concern was to get each member to appreciate, without envy, the variety of spiritual gifts evident in others, which he said were of equal value in the corporate life and wellbeing of the whole assembly of believers. Chapter 12 ended with the declaration “And yet I show you a more excellent way”. He immediately launched into a description of the various gifts and qualified their value to the “ekklesia” by highlighting the importance of the motive and intent of the one exercising the gift. The God given ministry gifts are to be exercised with “agape”. This is the “more excellent way” to which Paul referred. And dare I add, “agape” which is expressed with humility for the fact that God Himself had chosen to distribute those gifts according to His own knowledge of the recipient.
Without “agape”, Paul said, we are just ‘pushing our own agenda’. The ‘gifts’ sound like ‘a clanging cymbal’. No tune, no harmony, no effect. Nothing. A waste of time and effort for everyone. But with “agape”, well, Paul put it much better than I ever could. Read Chapter 13, verses 4 to 13 again. Selah!
So having spelled out the manner in which all spiritual gifts are to be exercised, Paul then encouraged the members of the “ekklesia” to seek and desire spiritual gifts, so that with “agape”, one might bless and edify and support the whole “ekklesia”. The gift which Paul singles out as being of greatest benefit to the “ekklesia” is the prophetic gift. Last week we quoted David Stern’s description of this gift as “speaking on behalf of God Himself”. For that reason, one has to be super careful to ensure that one is closely attuned to God, to hear correctly, to convey the message without embellishment, and even to wait, then wait some more, asking God to confirm beyond doubt that what one speaks in prophecy IS actually a word from God. There are very severe consequences for those who speak to the “ekklesia” presumptuously, that is, saying ‘thus says the Lord’ when the Lord has said no such thing. (Please friend, trust me on this, there are MANY false prophets alive and well strutting their own agenda within the organisation of our modern day churches. They WILL get their reward. We are told to test the prophets (1 John 4:1)).
There is significant dispute in the ‘church’ of today about the gift of tongues. It is quite unproductive to enter into that controversy, because those who do are usually well entrenched in their own views on this subject, and each side is most resistive to change! What we can say is that Paul had no such reservation. And using David Stern’s description of tongues being “a language not learned” covers both sides with equanimity. Paul clearly said that as a “gift” from God, it was used as a witness to unbelievers. Clearly, an unbelieving visitor from Mongolia, hearing a word spoken in his own language by an American in America would be a powerful witness. But Americans in the same audience would be mystified, unless there was someone present who could interpret that word to them. But a prophetic word to the same audience would produce an exactly opposite reaction. Enlightenment for the American and mystery to the unbelieving visitor. Additionally, persons speaking in “glossolalia”, an undefined utterance, also speak mystery to both believer and unbeliever alike when there is no-one present to interpret that which is spoken.
Paul also defines a simple form of expression which edifies the “ekklesia”. “Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” There are still some assemblies that practise this. I write from personal experience. But for the most part it is a blessing regrettably forsaken by the church of today. So the God given gifts of prophecy, teaching, and tongues which are present in every “ekklesia”, have no room for expression due to our strict ‘order of service’ routines when we meet.
“Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 14
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
1 Corinthians 11 : 1 to 12 : 31
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”. How clear is that? Yeshua, during His earthly sojourn was extremely careful to keep Torah. He was the perfect Lamb of God. Paul was far from perfect, by his own admission, and yet he “imitated Christ”. He did everything he could to walk uprightly before God and before men. He kept Torah. As should we! In fact Paul immediately commends the “ekklesia” in Corinth for “keeping the traditions just as I delivered them to you”. You won’t hear that preached in any church today. But we are looking at what the Scriptures actually say here, not what has been taught by others.
The hierarchy within a home where Yeshua is worshipped as Lord is the next subject. For all sorts of reasons, few homes actually formally observe Paul’s teaching here. Even worse, where it is observed, men tend to use this teaching as excuse to become dictators in that environment, rather than to be the “priest” as mediator for his family, in love. The wearing of head covering is still meticulously observed in Orthodox Jewish homes as a symbol of spiritual covering which the woman enjoys from her husband. Other cultures also observe this custom, but for differing reasons.
Then Paul delivers the ‘punch line’!! In paraphrase he says “that’s how things should be, but it is not. You’ve got problems which need to be addressed. You’ve set up preferential factions in your “ekklesia”. You are using the celebration of “communion” as an excuse for a party where those of preference are gorging themselves and getting drunk. That is NOT what I taught you.” Then he goes through the ordinance which was instituted during the last Passover Seder Yeshua shared with His disciples on earth. As I ‘reflect’ on this, it is clear to me (but less so to others) that Passover is an annual remembrance of the salvation of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. In His instruction to them at that table, Yeshua said that the wine represented His blood which He was about to shed on Calvary’s cross for the salvation of many. That blood was the symbol, and guarantee, of the New Covenant which is yet to be made with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. It remains an annual celebration for Jews, but we Gentiles have interpreted “as often as you drink it” to mean “drink it as often as you choose” rather than the continuation of the annual “mo’ed” of Passover in which the emphasis is extended from just the salvation from Egypt, to also include the remembrance of His sacrificial death. In any event, it is imperative that all who participate in that remembrance do so in the right attitude. It was never intended to be ‘the party’ which the “ekklesia” in Corinth made it to be.
Then Paul addresses the subject of “spiritual gifts”. Right up front Paul declares that there are a variety of “gifts” manifest in the “ekklesia”. It is an inclusive statement. It is applicable to any “ekklesia” meeting together to worship and honour God. But ALL these gifts are exercised, in God’s name, by the power of the same Holy Spirit of God. The variety of gifts which may be present in a specific “ekklesia” are given, by the Holy Spirit, for the benefit of the whole assembly. Paul is careful not to assign merit to one gift over another. He likens this distribution of gifts as typical of a human body. The different parts, limbs, organs etc. function in ways very different from each other, but ALL for the wellbeing of the whole. There is no jealousy between the various body parts on account of function. It should be the same within a multi-gifted “ekklesia”.
Then in some degree of contrast, Paul provides a list of “appointments”, we know them as “ministries”, which are present within the “ekklesia”. David Stern, in his excellent commentary on “The Jewish New Testament” (page 480) has expanded these “ministries” to show their function. I quote. 1. Apostles (emissaries) proclaimants of the gospel to form new “ekklesia”. 2. Prophets, those chosen to speak for God in an “ekklesia”. 3. Teachers, charged with the task of deepening the believer’s knowledge of God’s truth. 4. Workers of miracles. 5. Those with healing gifts. 6. Helpers. 7. Administrators. 8. Those who speak in languages which they have not learned. I do not believe this list to be exhaustive. There are gifts (which Paul mentions in other Epistles) which have significant benefit to the “ekklesia”, such as Pastoral gifts. However, even though Paul takes care to have each gift, and the person exercising it, viewed with equal standing, he then counsels the whole assembly to “earnestly desire the best gifts”, which he later identifies as “prophecy” (speaking for God).
BUT, dear friend, before one launches out in “prophecy”, one would be well advised to read carefully Deuteronomy 13 and Ezekiel 13 : 4-16. There are significant penalties awaiting the person who misleads the “ekklesia” with words, attributed to God, which He did not authorize. Be extremely careful in this area of ministry.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 13
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
1 Corinthians 9 : 1 to 10 : 33
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
Paul now establishes his credentials as an Apostle chosen by the Lord. It is a fact that everyone we know as an Apostle, in the Scriptures, had seen the risen Yeshua face to face. They all lived as men of great faith for sure, but it was faith strengthened in the knowledge that the Yeshua with whom they had spent three years, learning, observing, following and ministering, was now ascended into heaven, and that He had told them that He would return to the same spot, on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem from where they had witnessed His departure into the clouds. Paul’s encounter was different, in that he was met by Yeshua in exceptional circumstances, whilst on his way to persecute believers. That story is well known (Acts 9). But it was still a face to face encounter. So that would appear to be the Biblical qualification of an Apostle. Their mission was to build the foundation of the “ekklesia”, of which Yeshua was the chief cornerstone.
The “ekklesia” in Corinth was of special significance to Paul in that he saw them as ‘the seal of my apostleship in the Lord’. Their very existence authenticated his apostleship. But he wanted to emphasize the fact that, even though he might be entitled to ‘a living’ whist he was with them, he was careful not to be seen, in any way, to be profiting from his teaching and counsel to them. Paul was truly living a life of faith, trusting God to make provision for him. (a bit different today when MOST teachers of the Scriptures expect to be paid and to earn a living from their teaching gift, (which has Scriptural merit), but not exactly founded in trust in God for His provision, as Paul did). Paul says his reward was seeing them come to faith in Messiah Yeshua.
Then Paul puts on a “chameleon like” presence. Almost deceptive in expression, in that he declares himself to be changeable depending on the company he keeps! But that is NOT what Paul is actually saying, even though his words appear quite ‘clumsy’ in English. There is an interaction on the Greek “upo nomos” (‘under the law’). To the extent that “nomos” is a Greek interpretation of the Hebrew word “Torah”, he is talking about Jews. But adding the Greek word “upo” ‘under’, changes the sense into a legalistic type observance, wherein “upo” signifies the heavy yoke with which Paul was all too familiar … “Pharisaic Judaism”, with its protective ‘fences’ making Torah observance burdensome. In contrast, his use of the descriptive “those who are without law”, refers to Gentiles. They do not have the same ‘burden’, but the message is the same to both groups. It involves a move to be “under law towards Messiah Yeshua”. He became the living Torah, and that is what He taught during His sojourn here on earth. We are to be like Him.
The continuing theme of avoiding food offered to idols is pursued in chapter 10. Paul is unequivocal about that. However attractive some things may appear to us, he says “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that which you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” However, as he continues, telling them to “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market”, some have incorrectly concluded that Paul was here championing the end of the Torah dietary instructions. But NO, bearing in mind that Paul, in this pastoral letter is addressing leaders of the “ekklesia”, a Messianic assembly of worshipping people, there is no way Paul would do that. It would be counter to all that Yeshua taught about righteous living wouldn’t it? Is Paul here holding his hand up to be “least in the Kingdom of Heaven”? (Matthew 5:19) I am SURE he is not.
His advice to them is, when invited to dinner by an unbelieving friend, to eat what is put before them UNLESS the host openly declares that food to have been offered to idols. Then, refusal to partake of that food will become a clear point of witness to that unbelieving friend of the change which has taken place in the life of the believing guest.
As an extension of this, Paul is advising the “ekklesia” to avoid giving offence to anyone. Live peaceably with your neighbour. Your words and your conduct WILL BE a witness to them. The question which always arises of course is whether that witness is for good. He might have also added here: -
“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good WORKS, and glorify your Father in Heaven”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 12
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
Evidently, the leaders in the “ekklesia” had written to Paul with some pertinent questions. In response, Paul clearly exhibited the Judaism which many are taught today that he abandoned when he met Yeshua on the road to Damascus. He didn’t! Come to terms with that fact, and you will begin to understand Paul’s writings. Otherwise much of his writing seem to be contradictary to the words of Yeshua. But they are not!
“It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” This is another one of the ‘hedges’ the Rabbinate put around the Torah! And it has merit. Just as Yeshua taught that murder begins with anger, and adultery begins with a lustful look (see Matthew 5 for the full teaching), so Paul is teaching that just to touch a woman who is not ones wife is the first step to a closer, unlawful, relationship. This is precisely what is practised today in Orthodox Judaism. It is a matter which is ‘laughed to scorn’ by some in our broader society today. But Paul was concerned to teach truth about sanctity in marriage. About faithfulness in marriage. About permanence of marriage. And about the quite limited reasons for divorce when one of the marriage partners becomes a believer whilst the other does not. The onus is on the believing partner to uphold marriage sanctity unless and until the unbelieving one voluntarily departs from the marriage. Paul would later write, in his second letter (chapter 6) to this “ekklesia” that believers should not be “unequally yoked with unbelievers”, which is an additional extension of Paul’s conviction about the sanctity of marriage.
There are many appealing modern day arguments put against Paul’s teaching here, but most people reading this will know that Paul was led by the Holy Spirit in his teaching. And one thing is very sure. Conditions and circumstances may be quite variable, but human nature was the same then as it is today. Should we not say then, as the Israelites of old once said? “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”. Selah. And thereby we see the extent to which the Hebraic message is ignored in our society today, and quite significantly so in the “ekklesia”.
Now Paul moves into uncharted territory for him. Whether a person should marry or not. Specifically he is answering a question about young women in the “ekklesia”. He declared that he has no commandment from the Lord on this issue, but he has an opinion! “What was your situation when you were called into service of the Lord?” He asks. Then in an expansive and verbose response, he opines that married women are, of necessity, taken up with the affairs of the home, whilst the unmarried are not, and therefore free to give more time to the Lord’s service. Paul himself was unmarried. For him it was a happy state in that his service for the Lord was unhindered by domestic responsibility. He considered this to be ideal, and says so, but he does not detract from the state of others who, for whatever reason, find marriage to be equally fulfilling. How else, you may ask, could mankind adhere to the commandment of the Lord to be fruitful and multiply?
The “ekklesia” in Corinth was largely comprised of redeemed Gentiles. They had come out of paganism and idol worship. So they posed the question about consuming foods which had been offered to idols. They obviously could see no harm in that since they had not personally made the sacrifice. Paul appears to be somewhat ambivalent about this, except in one detail. Believers, he says, with the knowledge that our God is above all gods, and that idols are “nothing” (read Jeremiah 10), know that ‘food does not commend us to God’, in that we are no better if we do eat, and no worse if we don’t. But our consumption of this food, can be a potential stumbling block to those who are “weaker” in the faith, especially when such food is consumed in an idol’s temple! For that reason, Paul says, he would abstain from any such food, or anything else which has the potential to cause a weaker brother to stumble in faith, and be lost to our Messiah. It is also significant that this letter was written about 6 years after the decision of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) regarding Torah teaching for Gentiles new to faith in Yeshua. So it is a little surprising that Paul did not make reference to that in his letter to this “ekklesia” in Corinth at this particular time. He does so later in the letter. As we read the teachings of Paul, it is important to bear two things in mind. Firstly, as always with Scripture, take note of the context in which the teaching is given. Secondly, it is the unique characteristic of the Scriptures that they have a universality of application. For that reason we should be careful always to ask the Lord to reveal to us that which He intends us to learn from each passage of Scripture we read.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 11
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
The first four chapters of this letter dealt with some ‘contentions’ in the ranks which resulted from groups following different personalities within the “ekklesia” in Corinth. Chapter 5 opens with a serious report of sexual misdemeanour. Such a situation that was not even named in Gentile paganism, from which the recipients of this epistle had come. The offence was grave in nature, and Paul was concerned about it. (It seems that Paul had previously written to them about this (1 Cor 5:9) but copies of that letter no longer exist.) However, for him, even more alarming was the fact that it appeared to be tolerated by the leadership of the “ekklesia”, with little evidence of corrective action being taken. It seems that the offender appeared unrepentant and chose to continue in his immoral relationship whilst maintaining his position in the “ekklesia”.
Paul said that he had already considered the reports of the situation from afar and had judged the person guilty of the said misconduct. To many, this judgement might be seen to be harsh and extreme. ‘Gather the “ekklesia” together, consider me to be present with you in the Spirit, and ‘deliver such a one to Satan’”‘, was his instruction to them. Can that be right? Well that’s exactly what Paul said. But what does it mean? Each believer in the “ekklesia” was, by consent, under the protection of the Holy Spirit. By faith, each had agreed to live by the principles and ordinances prescribed by God. It is no different today. Those who voluntarily ‘join’ a church (“ekklesia”) agree to uphold the standards and the doctrines of that “ekklesia”. In principle it is a safe place where members care for and support each other. It is part of what we think of as the Kingdom of God. The ‘world’ is a very different ‘kingdom’. It is a kingdom where Satan has free reign. If anyone doubts this, just look around you. Listen to the news broadcasts or read your newspapers.
So to be “delivered to Satan”, was to be cut off from the “ekklesia”. To be outside the safety of the Kingdom of God. Then to emphasise the need for such drastic judgement Paul uses an example from ‘Pesach’, the God ‘appointed time’ (mo’ed) of remembrance (originally of the salvation of the Israelites from Egypt) but also, for us today, of the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua. (The context indicates that this festival was about to take place, and was celebrated by this Gentile “ekklesia” in Corinth). One of God’s instructions regarding preparation for this remembrance was to clean out all the ‘leaven’ (metaphor for sin) from their homes. Then the day after Pesach, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew Calendar, the Feast of Unleavened bread commences, wherein no food containing leaven was to be eaten for eight days. This is prophetic of the sinless life of Yeshua. It is a culinary fact that even a small amount of leaven in dough, leavens the whole. The analogy is immediately obvious. To make it abundantly clear, Paul then drew a distinction between the morality of those who remain in the ‘kingdom of this world’, and those who become part of the “ekklesia”. There are distinctly different standards for the latter. Those joined to the “ekklesia” were expected to live according to God’s instructions for righteous living. The biblical word for this is “Torah”. And in Corinth they were mostly a gentile “ekklesia”!
In Chapter 6, Paul opens the subject of judgement within the “ekklesia”. His instruction to them is precisely along the lines of that contained in Matthew 18. It is regrettable that a lack of Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures, has meant that we completely ignore, by misunderstanding, both the instruction of Matthew 18 and this direct chastisement of Paul to the Corinthians in our dealing with disorder within the modern day “ekklesia”. Is it any wonder that divisive elements within the “ekklesia” flourish and grow to the detriment of the whole? We seem sometimes to function as though God doesn’t even exist! Which is the essence of Paul’s letter of guidance to this “ekklesia” in Corinth.
One of the elements which diminishes the testimony of the “ekklesia” in our day is the well documented cover up of sexual sin within some of the church organizations of all denominations. The treasurer runs off with the church organist! The Sunday School teacher has an addiction to pornography! The pastor acts like a business C.E.O.! A dictator. Etc. Etc.
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit … for you are bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”. said Paul. His letter to the Corinthians is very practical. We need to understand it within its original Hebraic intent, unsanitized by the ‘spiritualization’ of the words. He says what he means and he means what he says.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 10
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
In this week’s reading Paul opens up with a broadside against the evident ‘contention’, regarding certain aspects of doctrine, or perhaps doctrinal emphasis, which had emerged within the “ekklesia” in Corinth. He says that the ‘contention’ between them is indicative of the behaviour of ‘natural men’ rather than that of ‘spiritual men’. He opines that clinging to the views of just one of the messengers, whomsoever that may have been, is what caused division and discord, to the detriment of the true and complete message of the One who is the Master of them all. Each of those messengers are part of God’s whole. Each one of them is chosen by God for a ministry purpose. But none of them has a monopoly on truth. That is the domain of God alone.
It is a lesson that we should all learn. Paul said that during the time he was with them, he laid the foundation on which the “ekklesia” should be built. He used the analogy of a construction site. The foundation stood foursquare on the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Yeshua. It is the faith which individual believers find in His sacrificial sojourn on this earth which changes men from ‘natural men’ into ‘spiritual men’. Men who are then suitable for use in the building itself. Men who become part and parcel of the dwelling place of God Himself. The “ekklesia”. It is not a building made with hands. But there are many, all of them ‘spiritual men’, who are called to partake in the building process. The intent was to build something beautiful, showing the glory of God, but the ‘contention’ in the “ekklesia” in Corinth was causing it to become an ‘ugly’ building. Can we learn the lesson contained in this analogy?
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwell in you?” That alone is enough for anyone to digest. But Paul continues with a most frightening truth. “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” Selah. Interestingly, I suggest, this may be applied on two levels. Firstly on an individual level, each person bearing responsibility to act and live in a manner which does not ‘defile’ his/her own temple, but also on a corporate level being applied to the “ekklesia”, wherein the actions and lifestyle of an individual causes ‘defilement’ of the whole.
Follow Paul’s line of thinking carefully here please. It is a particularly difficult thought process for us to follow because we have learned to accept Paul as an authoritative teacher, (which he is) chosen for the specific task of bringing Gentiles to faith. As we move to chapter 4 Paul emphasizes his role as a servant and steward of Yeshua, as indeed are we all who confess Him to be our Lord and Master. But using himself as the example, Paul declares that he has no knowledge of his own failings or weaknesses (other than physical ones) as a servant. So he presents himself with authority. But that alone, he says, does not justify him or make him right. For that reason, he argues, a man cannot judge himself. The ultimate judge of all is the Lord, and He chose all the teachers they were variously following! So when the brethren in Corinth made choices between different teachers, they were judging one as superior. So who are they to decide between them … and then to divide their “ekklesia” loyalties to reflect their choices.
Now today, I suspect that we are all as guilty as these brethren in Corinth because we all make similar choices in a denominational sense. But the real test we should apply in our circumstance is the degree to which the Word of God is faithfully upheld and preached. It surely would have been much more straightforward if Gentile believers in Yeshua (all zealous for the Torah as in Acts 21) had not been detached from the Hebrew roots of our faith. The division then would have remained as it was for the first believers. A choice between Messianic Judaism and Pharisaic Judaism (which Yeshua called the ‘traditions of men’).
At the end of his ‘broadside’, Paul comes out clearly with the solution. He acquaints them with the deprivations which he had endured for the sake of the gospel to bring them to faith. Read verses 11 -13. They don’t read much like prosperity teaching do they!? “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children (in the faith) to warn you.” So what is the solution? “Therefore I urge you, imitate me”. This might come over as rather boastful on Paul’s part. However, Paul had received a personal ‘one on one’ encounter with the risen Saviour. (Acts 9) That encounter resulted in a personal charge and command from God Himself. And the deprivations he described were counted worthwhile to bring them to faith. Mercifully most of us know nothing about that.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 9
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey, in about 52 C.E., and stayed there for 18 months. The letters to the “ekklesia” in Corinth were most likely written from Ephesus about 5 years later. They are pastoral in nature.
The authorship of these letters is established right up front, as are the intended recipients. Then immediately following the greetings and the niceties, Paul declared the reason for his writing to them. “There are contentions among you!”
Principal among these contentions was the supposed loyalty of various groups to their perception of differing doctrinal emphases of biblical teachers of whom they had knowledge. Such differences are also prevalent in our church denominations today, albeit with other more contemporary teachers being named! But the message of Paul then, is the same message he delivers today through his Pastoral letters. “Take your eye off the messenger, and concentrate on the message. We are who we are, in Him, because it was Messiah Yeshua who paid the price of our salvation”. That is the simple paraphrase of Paul’s declaration. It is Yeshua who is the message, it is Yeshua who is the power of God and it is Yeshua who is the wisdom of God. “To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness”.
Evidently, we conclude from Paul’s writing, the “ekklesia” was made up of mostly ‘ordinary’ people. Paul could not readily identify (according to the measure of this world) many ‘wise’, or ‘mighty’ or ‘noble’ members of the “ekklesia” in Corinth. So Paul encouraged them with the thought that they were chosen by God for who they are. Even for their ordinariness, so as to put to shame others who might consider themselves of higher degree. It is a high calling, chosen to be of service to the Creator of the Universe, for His own purposes. Bask in that dear friends, if you will, because it is the same calling that God has placed on you and me. To give credence to his words Paul then identified himself with that same group. “I did not come to you with excellence of speech or of wisdom” said Paul. “No”, he continued, “I came in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching was not with eloquent words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”.
For one claiming to not be wise, it seems to me that he exhibits great wisdom right there! But we MUST conclude that that is precisely the wisdom of God demonstrated in a life totally committed to Him, as Paul certainly was. As he continued in his epistle we see that wisdom shining brightly through the lines of the written word. And Paul lays claim to that wisdom as he proceeds. It is, he says, “the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory”. It is a mystery. It is wisdom made available to him. It is wisdom made available to us. There is no magic formula, but there is a condition! We need to take careful observation of the type of committed life Paul led, in order to gain some insight into what that condition might be. “Selah”.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him”.
The attributes and gifts, the characteristics, the wisdom, which we both recognize and admire in those we know who love the Lord, do not come by accident. More likely, through many hours of ‘walking’ with the Lord, in prayer, in reading and studying His word, in keeping company with those of like mind, the Holy Spirit of God reveals Himself and implants His special gifts (Galations 5:22) into the life of those who are His.
Paul reminded the members of the “ekklesia” in Corinth, who had ‘contention’ in their ranks, that the wisdom of God is imparted by His Holy Spirit to those who are His. The Holy Spirit does not speak of one doctrine to one and a different doctrine to another. Just as there is one Redeemer, Yeshua, there is one Holy Spirit, and in Him is consistency and truth. Then comes the proof. The test. The evidence. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them for they are spiritually discerned.” In practical terms then, where ‘contention’ prevails within the “ekklesia”, it is evidence of the operation of the ‘natural man’, and it is certain that the Holy Spirit is absent.
There is no evidence in this epistle, thus far, that there were any Jews in this “ekklesia”. For that reason Paul is not able to draw on his own wide knowledge of Torah as a foundation to emphasize the Hebraic way of dealing with the ‘contention’ within this “ekklesia”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 8
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
Paul now turns to the practicalities of Jew and Gentile living in harmony within the “ekklesia” in Rome. There are very good lessons for us today in this teaching. Firstly the recognition that, just as in every community of believers today, there are people at different stages of their walk with the Lord. It may well have been more marked in the Rome “ekklesia” because it was such a mixed congregation of Jew and Gentile coming from vastly different cultural backgrounds. But we must also be cautious in our interpretation. “For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.” Tempting as it is to see this as a statement regarding the Torah dietary commandments, it is no such thing. And it is certainly not about the dietary laws being abrogated. So what is it? It is all about the judgement of other people’s enlightenment or otherwise. I write from personal experience. Several years ago, the Lord showed me the path I should take in regard to Deuteronomy 14 dietary instructions. But the Lord also showed me that what He spoke to me, He spoke to me for me, not for anyone else, not even for my wife!
Paul makes this perfectly clear as he continues in saying “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.” (If you are concerned about your own position in relation to the Biblical dietary laws, ask the Lord. He WILL show you. And what He shows you, be careful to do.) That is the message of Paul. “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God”. It’s personal. But he continues with the very practical advice about harmony in the “ekklesia”. “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak”. There surely cannot be more sound advice anywhere. It is within the capacity of every one of us to be considerate and understanding, in love, of one another. Paul is asking these brothers in the Lord to “step up” and put aside such differences as may exist so that they can worship the Lord in harmony together. I am reminded of one of Solomon’s many lovely proverbs. “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts” Proverbs 17:14.
Then Paul promised them that he would one day visit them in Rome. He could not have contemplated that his proposed visit would be forcibly accompanied by Roman chains! His plan was to visit Spain and to call into Rome on the way there. But he doesn’t miss the opportunity of again reminding the Gentile element of the “ekklesia” of their responsibility towards the Jews. A lesson we might take to heart, as indeed do the faithful ladies who are members of the Zion’s Voice prayer group. Paul says that at the time of his writing he was about to go to Jerusalem bearing monetary gifts for the saints there. Jewish saints, those who had put their faith and trust in Yeshua. “For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.” In Christian churches today Paul is revered for his teaching. But there are not very many Gentile congregations who give any attention at all to this particular exhortation of Paul’s.
Paul’s journeys are more fully covered in the Acts of the Apostles. He asks the “ekklesia” in Rome to join him in prayer for his safety when he returned (with the monetary gifts from the Macedonians) to Judea. The Jewish community there was split, as today, between those who believe in Yeshua (and we are told in Acts 21 that at that time they were counted in their tens of thousands) and those who continued in Pharisaic Judaism in opposition to Yeshua. It was this latter group who eventually facilitated Paul’s return to Rome in chains! And it was only the providence of God which preserved Paul’s life to make that journey!
In concluding these ‘reflections’ on the Epistle of Paul to the “ekklesia” at Rome, it is noteworthy that Paul ended his letter with a number of commendations. People for whom Paul had gained respect through fellowship in various places on his journeys. Many of these friends in the faith were Gentile believers. Notwithstanding the fact that Paul had spent much of his letter promoting harmonious fellowship between Gentiles and Jews, he also could see that as the “ekklesia” grew, there would be some which would have Gentile leadership. Perhaps, the pivotal part of his epistle was therefore in Chapter 11 in which he emphasized the need for Gentile believers to appreciate and value the very roots of their faith which lie squarely in the teaching and example set by the first believers. All Jewish, with insight of, and love for, the Torah of Moses. How quickly we forget!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 7
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
For some, Romans 9 to 11 is thought of as an interruption to the flow of Paul’s teaching, and that he picks up again in Romans 12 where he left off in Romans 8. But, we know that Paul did not write the convenient chapter and verse divisions that we have in our Bible today. They came just a few short centuries ago. Stephen Langton, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, provided the chapter divisions in 1227. Then the French printer Robert Estienne added the verse divisions in 1551.
Romans 11 contains a stinging rebuke to Gentiles who misunderstand the importance God places in Israel, His chosen. Through the ‘stumbling’ of the Jew, salvation came to Gentiles, but “God did not forsake Israel”, Paul tells us. Then chapter 12 begins with a “therefore”. That always signifies the need to take note of that which precedes it, doesn’t it? So the narrative flows as Paul, firstly addressing the Gentile, but shortly joining in the whole “ekklesia” of Jew and Gentile together, moves to teach the necessity of harmonious interaction between them within the fellowship.
His analogy of ‘presenting our body a living sacrifice’ seems dramatic, but it perfectly fits the example of Yeshua, who is the central theme and focus of Paul’s exhortation to all who will listen, even today. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” is the instruction Paul gives to this “ekklesia”. The leader of a large church organisation in Australia, a few years ago, encouraged his congregation ‘to find the best the world has to offer and bring it into the church’. That seems at odds with Paul’s exhortation doesn’t it? We are encouraged to ‘renew our minds’, ‘to be transformed’ from what we were to what we have become in Yeshua our saviour.
Within any “ekklesia” of God worshippers there are many diverse and valuable gifts and talents. Not all members have the same attributes, but all members have equal attributes before God. It is our capacity to ‘corporatize’ everything today that attributes rank and status within the body of believers. None more so today than attaching the words ‘senior’ and ‘chief’ to otherwise humble God given gifts and ministries which He has set within an “ekklesia” for the benefit of the whole. Read the list Paul has presented for the edification of the “ekklesia” in Rome from verses 4 to 18 of chapter 12. It is just as applicable today as it was 2000 years ago.
Then Paul’s exhorts ‘every soul’ to be subject to governing authority. This is considered by commentators to be the civil authority of the nation. And there is ample evidence for this interpretation in the text. But we all know that such authority is capable of, and susceptible to, all manner of corrupt and devious behaviour. Never-the-less Paul says that those in the “ekklesia”, which includes all of us who are believers in Yeshua, should order their lives in a manner which is above reproach. Sounds like a tall order because of our humanity doesn’t it? But that is the standard we are set. “Pay your taxes, yes GST as well”, “Don’t cheat the government”, “Don’t claim expenses you haven’t incurred”. Does that sound familiar? At the same time, we know that there are occasions when disputes arise between the brethren. I refer you to Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 6 for guidance there. It is noteworthy that in Judaism, two or three highly esteemed members of a synagogue community are appointed to make up a “Beit Din” (House of judgment) to arbitrate at such times. When we understand the Hebraic nature of the Scriptures we see that they are the “two or three gathered in My name” of Matthew 18. But Christianity has no such equivalent.
Finally, in further emphasis of the Hebraic nature of Paul’s exhortation, please note again the frequent reference to the Hebrew Scriptures in this passage. Quoting from the Exodus announcement by Moses of the “Ten Commandments”, (which are overwhelmingly accepted as the very basis and foundation of modern day Western Cultures), Paul sums up these main relational commandments into the single commandment found in Leviticus 19:18, which was also quoted by Yeshua in Matthew 22 as like the greatest commandment, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. Now it is possible to dismiss this as a kind of ‘motherhood’ statement which we all know. But, dear friends, it is worthy of our long and careful consideration. Or as the Psalmist would say …. Selah.
“Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly ..”
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 6
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
It would be an extreme rarity to hear an exposition on this chapter of Romans in a Christian church today! It is far too challenging for most. We remind ourselves that this whole letter was written by Paul to an “ekklesia” with relational issues between the Jew and Gentile members of that “ekkelsia”. (Not too different to today eh!) And to again use David Pawson’s summary, in chapter 9 we saw Israel chosen by God. In chapter 10, their rejection of that calling. And now, in chapter 11 we find Paul reminding us that God will keep His covenant with them and restore Israel to the place He has reserved for them. That situation is still future to us today, but we see the signs of it happening as God is orchestrating the return of Jews to Israel, in increasing numbers, from all countries to which they were scattered. We live in a time of great privilege to witness prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes. Prophecies that were entrusted to men, anointed by God to bear His message over 2,500 years ago.
In emphasis of the relationship God has with Israel Paul asks: - “Has God cast away His people?” Then a resounding “Certainly not!” And then he explains some of the history of the Jews, quoting extensively from the Hebrew Scriptures, to indicate that they had in fact ‘stumbled’. “..Have they stumbled that they should fall?” he asks. Again the emphatic “Certainly not!” An amazing revelation follows. God has used the “stumbling” of the Jews to bring salvation to the Gentiles. And that for the specific purpose, “to provoke them to jealousy”. And in that “ekklesia” in Rome it may well have been the case. But in our day, in the 21st century, there has been a complete reversal, and it is not difficult to understand why. No longer is the Jew “provoked to jealousy” by the salvation of the Gentile believer. Why? Because for many centuries the Gentile believer has presented Messiah Yeshua (the Christian Jesus) as a false prophet. One who overtly seeks to take the Jew away from the word of God as declared in the Torah. That is a serious charge, because it represents a complete failure to fulfil the purposes of God. Paul says “If their being cast away is the reconciling of the world”, which it is, “what will their acceptance (reconciliation) be, but life from the dead?” Do not be tempted to minimize this failure on the part of Gentile believers. We have disguised the Jewish Messiah so that He is unrecognizable to the Jew. (the same as Joseph was unrecognizable to his brothers in Egypt)
Then another shock! I was brought up to believe that once one is saved one is always saved. One cannot become “unsaved”. But that is not what Paul teaches this Rome “ekklesia” is it? There is good news and bad news here. Firstly, Israel is likened to a ‘natural Olive Tree’. Branches of that tree were ‘broken off’ (by God) because of unbelief. Other branches, Gentile branches, were grafted into that natural Olive Tree (as in the “ekklesia” in Rome). That’s the good news. But Paul offers a stern warning, of which all Gentile believers should take careful note. “Do not boast against the branches .. remember that you do not support the root (Israel) but the root supports you.” Then comes the bad news. “If God did not spare the natural branches (because of unbelief) He may not spare you either (for the same reason).”
Paul then gets to the main point of his discourse. “if they do not continue in unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them in again.” They can be restored. And there are other places in the Scriptures which confirm that this is what WILL happen. Notably, Paul quotes from Isaiah, (but it is also written in Jeremiah and Ezekiel) “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” In case you missed it, this is one of the major elements of the New Covenant which God will make with the House of Israel and the House of Judah as recorded in Jeremiah 31 and repeated Hebrews 8. Israel’s future is secured by the blood of Yeshua. But then, in the Rome “ekklesia”, and today in our modern world, many are still in semi darkness, with a God made veil over their eyes.
“Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!”
It is my prayer that all who read this ‘reflection’ will come to recognize, as Paul taught this “ekklesia” in Rome, that Israel, and the people of Israel, are precious to God. And what is precious to God we should be very careful to acknowledge and support. For centuries we have been taught that the Jew has to conform to “our way”. God sees it very differently. Do not boast against the branches. Become a branch.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 5
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
The next three chapters of Paul’s letter to the “ekklesia” in Rome have caused both mystery (to some) and enlightenment (to others) in modern day theological understanding. To the first group, these chapters appear to be ‘out of context’ with the rest of the letter. To the second group they become the actual climax of the letter. The purpose for which Paul wrote the letter in fact. The unequivocal focus of these chapters is Israel. David Pawson, in his quite exhaustive series of sermons on these chapters has coined the following description. “Chapter 9 .. Israel chosen .. Calvinism. Chapter 10 .. Israel stubborn .. Replacement Theology. Chapter 11 .. Israel saved .. Zionism.” A careful ‘reflection’ on these chapters causes me to agree, with very minor reservation, with that summation by David Pawson.
Paul pours out his heart here. “I tell you the truth in Christ, I am not lying … I have continual grief in my heart … for my brethren (Jews) … for they are not all Israel who are of Israel”. Sounds a bit puzzling eh! But Paul is here looking at his own past. Once blinded by the demands of Pharisaic Judaism with its multiple hedges around the Torah, causing men to fruitlessly strive for perfection and then to judge harshly those of different persuasion, particularly those Jews who had found faith in Yeshua. So Paul writes from his own experience, pointing out the inherent error in trusting Torah observance as a means of attaining salvation. It never was intended for such, and it never will be. Salvation by faith, amply demonstrated in the life of Abraham, is the salvation freely available to all, Jew and Gentile alike. And as a corollary of that, many Jews and many Gentiles are NOT the “children of God”, described here by Paul as simply “Israel” (God’s chosen).
As Paul continues, we note that he often uses the Hebrew Scriptures to validate his argument. Hosea, Isaiah, Nahum, the Psalmist and the Torah of Moses all get a mention. In so doing, he stresses the importance of the instructions contained in the Scriptures in his determination of those who are the real chosen of God. In summary of this Paul quotes Exodus 33:19 in which God says through Moses “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion”. And then anticipating a “that’s not fair” response, Paul uses the illustration of the potter. The potter can decide whatever he chooses to make out of a lump of clay, and that which he chooses to make has absolutely no say in the matter. The major point here is that God has made some Jew (who may or may not come to Him in faith), and some Gentile (who may or may not come to Him in faith). Those who do, Paul refers to as the “Israel of God”. The saved ones. His special treasure. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich (in mercy) to all who call on Him.”
One of the “stumbling blocks” here is Paul’s statement in Chapter 10, verse 4. “For Christ is the end of the Torah for righteousness to everyone who believes”. Understood by many to spell the obsolescence of Torah. Key to understanding Paul here is to observe his own lifestyle choices, He many times declared his Torah observances, which are well illustrated in his statement, made to a Jewish audience, in Acts 28:17, just a short while before his death in Rome, “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers,”. He himself, being Torah observant all his life, is most unlikely to teach against Torah. David Stern got it right, I believe, when he translated this verse “For Christ is the GOAL (the aim, the purpose, as in ‘end’) of the Torah.” Yeshua became the living Torah, didn’t He? God’s instruction for righteous living in human form. Our example of perfect righteousness.
Another of Paul’s true statements, which, in my view, is incomplete because it stops short of the consequential outcome it provokes, is the classic description of salvation. Romans 10:9. “..if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Now it is absolutely true that no-one can add anything to that to further ones salvation. It is complete. A done deal. However, it reads as a somewhat academic process of the mind. No-where in this letter does Paul mention repentance. After all he is writing to believers isn’t he?. But I believe that the “confession” which Paul talks about is a consequence of unstated repentance. And it is that repentance which gives birth to a change in behaviour. That would certainly be true of a person moving from paganism to believer. So saying the words alone, which is often the call from church pulpits, should of necessity also involve a change to “righteous living”, and all that that implies. Selah!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 4
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
As chapter 7 opens, we find Paul had the arrogant Jewish believers in his sights as he tried to explain the place that Torah observance plays in the faith life of a believer. His reasoning is not easy to follow, and he goes through a number of steps to arrive at his conclusion. He likens it to the position of a married woman, who is bound to her husband as long as he is alive. If she takes another man, then she commits adultery. But when her husband dies, she is perfectly free to take another husband without the stigma of adultery being attached to that relationship. That much is perfectly clear!
So, Paul explains, the Jewish man is bound to the Torah (like a wife to a husband) as long as he lives. (And in many cases that was a legalistic relationship steeped in Pharisaic Judaism). But, when that man becomes a believer in Yeshua, it is as though that wife (the legalism of Pharisaic Judaism) had died, and he is now perfectly free to take another ‘wife’ (Yeshua who died for us) without the stigma of unfaithfulness to the Torah (which was the actual first wife). Now, dear friends, be careful not to read this chapter in isolation from the rest of the letter. Let us remind ourselves that when Paul wrote this letter, it did not have the chapter and verse partitions that we see in our Bible today. It was one continuous teaching, and just a few sentences earlier (in chapter 6) Paul had told them that, by faith, they had willingly become “slaves of righteousness”. The ‘righteousness’ which is the instruction of God to all who are His, and which He gave to Moses for the people to reside together in harmony.
How do I come to this conclusion? Because Paul stated unequivocally, in verse 12, “The Torah is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good”. And nowhere in all the Scriptures did Yeshua, or Paul, or indeed anyone else nullify or denigrate the observance of Torah. On the contrary, they ALL zealously observed the Torah. But what they all condemned was the legalistic observances of Pharisaic Judaism, which Yeshua termed “the traditions of men”. And that, my friends, is the ‘law’ which kills!! Paul continues, “So then, with the mind I myself serve the Torah of God, but with the flesh the ‘law’ of sin.” And doesn’t that describe the condition of most of us?
Romans 8 is considered to be one of those great liberating teachings of the apostle Paul. “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. It is a statement of truth. He who knew NO sin, became sin for us. The sin which condemns us was borne in His body on the cross in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven making intercession on our behalf. Wonderfully liberating truths. “The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”. Hallellujah! Thankyou Lord. It is an amazing passage of Scripture. But is it true?
Well, the answer to that question is a very personal one isn’t it? It certainly can be true for everyone who, in faith, has trust in the redemptive work of Yeshua. Our “greek” mindset has been taught that it is only a matter of verbal assent to the concept that Yeshua died for us. But the Hebraic mindset tells us that (as the Apostle James told us) “faith without works is dead”. Unless that faith has made us “slaves to righteousness”, and all that that means, then we are “a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal”. All froth and no substance.
All too often, the “led by the Spirit” culture is interpreted as a “live as you please” licence. Certainly there is freedom in the Spirit of God, but it is not a freedom to ignore God’s call to righteousness. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. Note that there are TWO spirits here, the Holy Spirit and our spirit. We must take care, in honesty, to determine which “spirit” is leading us. One of the main witnesses to our personal state is to honestly ask ourselves how much time we spend with God, in reading His word and in prayer.
Paul gives the “ekklesia” in Rome a wonderful promise, which I sincerely believe is appropriate to every believer. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.” Just check out the conditions contained in this promise with me. Firstly “all things”, secondly “those who love God” and lastly “called according to His purpose”. I am sure that Paul was confident that the recipients of his letter to that “ekklesia” in Rome would check out their hearts to determine where they stood in relationship to a holy God. We should surely do the same.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 3
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E
“Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” says Paul. So having already established that Jew and Gentile are equal before God, (and knowing that there were difficulties between these two groups in the “ekklesia” at Rome), Paul reminded them that it is because of their faith that they enjoy peace with a holy God. That is why, he says, they should glory in the tribulations which beset them. Their ‘tribulations’ produce perseverance, character and hope. And even before they came to faith, Christ died for them to demonstrate His great love for them. Paul is saying that in response to the great love they have all received from God, as equals, they should then live harmoniously together (within the “ekklesia”), appreciating that they are all equal beneficiaries of God’s great love for them all, and they should extend that same love to each other..
Now, dear friends, out of this discourse there are many lessons for us today. The situation in the Rome “ekklesia”, with disputation amongst the brethren, is in evidence many times over throughout the Christian denominational scene in our modern world today. And that is Gentile believer to Gentile believer. To add a Hebraic dimension to this, when we include the Jewish people in the mix, the animosity is even more stark. In Rome, as in other diaspora “ekklesia”, it was the Jewish believers who were ‘bringing the light’. Paul, the Rabbi Sha’ul, being the chief evangelist! The worship of God mostly, if not always, took place in Jewish Synagogues. The Gentile believers were privileged to belong. Well may we ask how did that get turned on its head? The answer lies in the centuries of wanton neglect, by Christians, of the Hebraic roots of our faith.
As we come to the end of chapter 5 and begin chapter 6, Paul emphasizes the fact that when God gave us Torah (His instructions for living righteously) it became obvious that ‘mankind’ was aware of ‘chata’, sin, ‘missing the mark’. But in His love, mercy and abundant grace, God provided the way back to Himself. A way of ‘drawing near’ to Him, through sacrifices, which culminated in the once for all time sacrificial death of Yeshua. Grace is ‘unmerited favour’. So Paul asks “Should we continue in ‘chata’ that grace may abound?” Then the resounding “Certainly not!” Why? He gives us this astounding revelation. By the power of Almighty God, Yeshua was raised from the dead and moved from life to LIFE, a new life with the Father. And Paul declares here that the same power which raised Yeshua from the dead can change believers from life to LIFE, newness of life, living in praise to God and free from the binding shackles of sin. Life, which in the circumstances of the “ekklesia” in Rome would allow them to live together in harmony.
“Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin” he says, “but present yourselves to God being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God”. How clear is that? Then Paul follows this with the often quoted, but misinterpreted, ‘eight words at the end of a sentence!’. NOT just “for you are not under law but under grace”. BUT, “Sin shall not have dominion over you, (where sin is ‘the master’ and that master has to be obeyed) for you are not under law (that law of sin and death) but under grace (which comes from a very different master)”. You are free to live without sin in your life. Then using the human example of servitude, wherein a person has an obligation to do whatever their master instructs, he says “You used to be slaves to sin, but now you have become slaves of righteousness!”
Paul then, using many words, in emphasis of the point he has been making, embarked on the rewards of behaviour. We are often times prone to think that once we are saved we are ‘under grace’ and our behaviour has no bearing on our destiny. And it is certainly true that the ‘grace of God’, extended to us in the form of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua, provides His unmerited gift of salvation to all who, in faith, believe. However, as Paul has stated clearly in this reading, our newly found faith DOES (or should) have a behavioural impact. Our “slavemaster” has changed! No longer do we engage in matters which are displeasing to a holy God, but now we direct our efforts in righteous living. For most of us that is a complete change in behaviour.
So Paul concludes “For the wages (that which we are paid for the work we DO) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Moses put two alternatives to the Children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19. Paul has put them to the “ekklesia’ in Rome. This ‘reflection’ offers them to you today. Choose LIFE.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 2
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
We remind ourselves that the main purpose of this letter was to “mend some fences” which had arisen between the Gentile and Jewish members of the “ekklesia” in Rome. Paul had not previously visited Rome, and most probably got his information from Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth. In our ‘reflection’ last week we saw that Paul laid out the ‘ground rules’ concerning unrighteousness which was a characteristic of both the formerly pagan Gentile, and the boastful Jewish, members of that “ekklesia”. They were the same in the sight of a holy God.
“What advantage then has the Jew?” he writes. Now, bearing in mind that Paul, as a fervent Pharisaic Jew, had spent his early years of adulthood mercilessly persecuting the believers in Yeshua, but that following his miraculous encounter with Yeshua on the Damascus Road he had become an equally fervent believer in Him, never-the-less he remained a faithful Torah observant Jew ALL his life. So he knew what he was talking about. He highlighted the fact that, through the Jews, God had made known His written word. They alone had been entrusted with the task of “being a light to the Nations”. The fact that some of them believed and some did not, did not in any way invalidate God’s uncompromising faithfulness to the Jew, with whom He had made some irrevocable and unconditional covenants.
Paul continued, and I paraphrase here, “does that mean that Jews cannot sin? Of course not, and to that extent they are in the same category as all mankind in God’s eyes. Sin of the Jews is the same as sin of the Gentiles. So why did God give them the Torah? Because they are a chosen people of God and by the Torah they know what is right and what is wrong in God’s eyes, and so they have an acute awareness of God’s requirement for righteous living.” Then he continued, “The righteousness of God, apart from the Torah is revealed (in the Scriptures) being witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets”. Speaking here of the abundant grace of God who imputes righteousness to all who come to Him in faith, trusting in the redemptive work of Yeshua. Then expressing the universality of the unrighteousness of mankind, both Jew and Gentile, we have one of the most quoted verses of Scripture in all our Bible, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. No exceptions. None.
As Paul continued to stress the fact that Jew and Gentile are equal in God’s eyes, he makes TWO statements which are pivotal to the Hebraic understanding of the teaching of Paul. First he says “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the Torah”. Then to avoid any possible misunderstanding, he says “Do we then make void the Torah through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Torah”. In the simplest possible way he is expressing that our very faith in Him who saves us, also makes us zealous for God’s instructions for righteous living. And that is exactly what it did for the early believers in Yeshua (Acts 21:20). It is a matter of regret that most of us in this ‘church age’ have been taught quite the opposite, that our faith makes Torah obsolete. How sad.
In Chapter 4 of our reading this week, Paul embarked on a history lesson for the Gentile believers in Rome. Paul had never met these folk. He wasn’t sure what they had been taught and what not. So he starts at the very beginning, building a foundation on which faith in Yeshua would firmly stand. The same foundation on which the Jewish believers stood. Abraham exhibited a quality of faith which God counted to him as righteousness. We do not know how that happened. We do not know much about Abraham before this encounter. (Legend has it that Abraham’s father, Terah, was an ‘idol maker’, and over time Abraham came to see the futility which there was in the worship of idols. There are some quite humorous stories told about this!) What we do know is that Abraham was obedient to God’s call and was chosen by Him to be the father of a people described in God’s Word as His Special Treasure.
Eventually, God instructed Abraham about ‘circumcision’, which is the covenant sign of those who are descended from Abraham, and which, it seems, became a matter of ‘boasting’ by the Jews in the Rome “ekklesia’. But Paul was at pains to emphasise that God did not call Abraham because he was circumcised, but caused him to be circumcised as a sign of his faith. It was Abraham’s faith, whilst still a Gentile, which was counted for righteousness, not his circumcision. And Paul is teaching here that what God did for Abraham He can do for any other Gentile who has faith in Him. Righteousness is imputed to us because of our faith.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections 1
Brit Hadashah Reflections 1
Hebraic understanding of the teaching letters of the Apostles
Considered to have been written from Corinth in about 56-57 C.E.
As we enter another year of study, we take a look at the letters written to the diaspora “ekklesia”. The objective being to attempt to bring to a 21st century Christian the Hebraic understanding of those letters as the early believers in Yeshua would have viewed them.
The letter to the Romans is unique. It was written, by the Apostle Paul, to a group of people who, as far as we know, had not previously been visited by any of the writing Apostles. It also has the distinction of being written to “break down some barriers” which had arisen between two distinctly different groups of believers. On one hand, Gentiles. On the other, Jews.
About 54 C.E. the Emperor Claudius (Acts 18:2) had expelled the Jews from Rome. A few years later the Emperor Nero had invited them back! But the situation had changed. Evidently, the Jews who had settled in Rome much earli