Zion's Voice

Haftarah reflections 48

Torah portion            Deuteronomy 21:10 to 25:19

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 54: 1 – 10

Listen to the Prophets

Our parashah this week comprises the fifth of seven consolations, or ‘comforts’ which Isaiah speaks to the Israelites. But it starts with a most unusual expression. “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne!” That is probably the last thing you would expect of someone who was unable to bear children, especially since that was the principal reason fpr women to marry. “Be fruitful and multiply” was God’s command.

The metaphor is not lost on these people. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Samson’s mother, Ruth (according to rabbinic interpretation), Hannah, and the Shunamite woman of 2 Kings 4, were all ‘barren’ until the Lord miraculously healed their barrenness. Their firstborn offspring were all used by God to bring great blessing.

“For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman” says the Lord.

But Isaiah is speaking here of Jerusalem of course. The Jerusalem of the Messianic age no less, when her sons will be returned to her glory. Although once thronging with people, the city is now seemingly desolate. It had seen ‘better days’. There was an emptiness. Isaiah likens it to the emptiness of a widow, or a woman without children. Jeremiah spoke about the same thing in Lamentations 1:1-4.

“How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow is she, who was great among the nations!  … She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears are on her cheeks; … She has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; …. No-one comes to her set feasts, …. And she is in bitterness”

Then the Lord shows Isaiah a very different scene. One of which He speaks encouragement and of joyful expansion. The city will be restored to its former glory, and more.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes, for you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited”.

The history of the Israelites has been ‘chequered’, to say the least. God refers (in verse 4) to the times of shame which Israel brought upon itself when in its youth, and to times of His disappointment and frustration which caused God to allow them to stray as they got ‘older’. Any student of Israelite history will know that during the period of the “kings”, when the nation was divided, the North had 19 kings, not one of them followed God’s instructions. They were eventually taken captive by the Assyrians. The South had only 8 kings out of 20 who were described as ‘good’ kings, in that they followed the instructions of God. The nation prospered under the good kings, but was plundered by their enemies under the bad kings. The choice was always theirs, as indeed it is ours today, to follow God’s way, or to go their own way. But this expansion of the city is in preparation for when the King of Righteousness will reign. Not a choice of the people, in God’s perfect time, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach will return to the city to reign and rule from Jerusalem.

“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but in great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you says the Lord, your Redeemer”.

I believe that the gathering of the Jews from every corner of the globe in our day, today, heralds the commencement of the ingathering of which Isaiah spoke. We remind ourselves that the prophet Ezekiel told us of this same ingathering (Ezekiel 36) but God revealed to Ezekiel that it was not for their sakes that these folk would be regathered to the Land, but for “My Holy Name’s sake, that the world may know that I am the Lord.”

But there is more. It heralds the time (Isaiah 40) when Israel’s “iniquity is pardoned”. It heralds the time when God will put a new spirit within the people (Ezekiel 36:26,27). It describes the time when God will make His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Is it any wonder then, that God said “Sing O barren!”. What a day of rejoicing that will be.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah reflections 47

Torah portion             Deuteronomy 16:18 to 21:9

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

Listen to the Prophets

The first ‘consolation’ prophecy in this series opened with the words “Comfort, yes comfort My people”. In the fourth of these seven words of ‘consolation’ brought by Isaiah, which is our parashah study this week, the Lord plainly declares that it is He Himself who is the ‘Comforter’.

In the midst of all their desolation and harassment, God says “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and the son of a man who will be made like grass”.

This is a ‘comfort’ for all who believe. Isaiah is making a prophetic announcement which is still to come. It is a prophecy about the Messianic Kingdom. Regardless of the circumstance we may see in the world of today, widespread apathy, Islam in rampant militancy and murderous hatred, erosion of morality both in the populace and globally in the political class. We are being reminded here that these matters are in the hands of mere men. Men will die. Sons of men will fade like grass fades. Our God is in control, nothing is out of His control, and He will bring the change that is necessary, but in His own perfect timing.

But the prophet reminds us too that the calamitous situation which Jerusalem then experienced, (and which we see happening in our fallen world today) was because of their disregard of God’s instructions. “You have drunk of the cup of trembling” he says “and drained it out”. In paraphrase, he goes on to tell them that they have lost direction, they have no-one to guide them. He asks the questions “Who will be sorry for you?” and “By whom will I comfort you?” They are hard questions, because the prophet was perfectly aware of the plight they were in, and that their plight would continue.

The questions are the same for us today. The arrogant disregard shown by the vast majority of nations and individuals to the commands of a Holy God is appalling. Even nations which are basically, but nominally, Christian, show scant regard for the authority of the Scriptures which is the ‘guide book’ of Christian living. The boundaries of secularism are extending beyond belief. God is treated like some fairy tale Santa Claus who is there to do our bidding. And to be blamed for every catastrophe that man is powerless to prevent.

But there is good news.

There will be change. Jerusalem will be a praise in the world again. “Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!”  In paraphrase again, the Lord says that when He allowed them to experience the calamity of dispersion, He did not sell them. They were not traded off for anything or anyone else. So He does not have to buy them back, they are His to restore at any time of His choosing. And when He does, they will again be free to worship Him as he has instructed them. “For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you”, He says.

This raises a question about Gentiles, doesn’t it?  Lamentations 1:10 tells us “For she has seen the nations enter the sanctuary. Those whom You commanded not to enter Your assembly”. And Ezekiel 44:9, speaking about the Temple in the Messianic Age says “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary”. Well, the Apostle Paul comes to the rescue here. He teaches in Colossians 2:11 that Gentile believers are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands. And in Romans 2:26 that the uncircumcised man who keeps the requirements of Torah, then his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision. In Revelation 21 and 22 we read of the salvation of those whose names are written in the Book of Life. That includes many Gentile believers of course. It is the time when Jew and Gentile will be One New Man before the Lord. The One New Man who will worship before the Throne in the Messianic Kingdom to come. Hallelujah!

“For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all he ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God”

What greater ‘comfort’ could there be than that. Blessed be His name.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah reflections 46

Torah portion             Deuteronomy 11:26 to 16:17

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 66:1 - 24

 Listen to the Prophets

“Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word.” There may be people today who ‘tremble at His word’ but I am not privy to anyone’s innermost thoughts, and I have never actually witnessed anyone ‘tremble at His word’. Have you?

It is certainly true that Isaiah was addressing a people who, in the most part, did not ‘tremble at His word’. The whole thrust of Isaiah’s prophecy was to give warning to the people of Judea because of their indifference to God’s word. But it was not always so. There was much trembling when God led the people out of Egypt and through their wilderness wandering. The ones who ‘trembled at God’s word’ in Isaiah’s day were described as ‘poor and of a contrite spirit’. They are the ones who would be comforted then, and they are ones who will receive comfort from this prophetic parashah today.

That “trembling” can only result from a deep and abiding respect for God’s word. A faith in God’s word which understands that God says what He means and means what He says.

The Temple in Jerusalem was in poor state of repair. Neglected by the very people who actually received money to maintain it. The parashah opens with the question “Where is the house that you will build Me?” In his exhaustive study “The Footsteps of the Messiah”, Fruchtenbaum sees this as a reference to a temple yet to be built, not Solomon’s Temple, which already existed, and not the Temple described in Ezekiel 40-48 either. His argument is based on the words in verses 3 and 4 of this parashah, which indicates that God wanted nothing to do with this particular temple, (which Fruchtenbaum identifies as the ‘tribulation’ temple in which ‘the Beast’ of Revelation will demand to be worshipped) whereas God had both commissioned and designed the ‘place where He was to be worshipped”.

So having rebuked the hearers for their neglect and indifference, even their propensity to worship ‘other gods’ in idolatry, (words which sadly, framed slightly differently, may well be applied to many ‘christian’ followers today). Isaiah goes on to speak his final encouraging words of prophecy. And they are words which foresee a time still future to us today.

Talking about Jerusalem, “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her all you who love her” for “I will extend peace to her like a river.”  Jerusalem today is a busy vibrant city, but it does not enjoy the kind of peace referred to by the prophet. It is a peace which will be preceded by the Lord “rendering His anger with fury .. by fire and by sword”.  It follows the time when ‘the Beast’ (known to most as the Anti-Christ) will demand worship in the temple, and when pigs will be offered there as a sacrifice. ‘Unclean’ animals offered in sacrifice in the temple, what an abomination to the Lord that will be.

But that is when God will enter into judgement with the nations that come against Israel, and the carnage will be staggering in its proportion. The birds will be called to clean up the mess! (Revelation 19:21)  It is, in my view, most likely the time when the 144,000 righteous (Revelation 7) who were ‘sealed’ in the tribulation period, will be revealed. It is certainly the time when the indifferent hordes of men of all the nations will have a reality check.

It is also the time when, according to my study of the Scriptures on this subject, God will make that New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. The covenant, sealed with the precious blood of Yeshua  of which we presently have a foretaste. A covenant which no man can break. A covenant put in the mind of man and written on his heart.

It is the time when Israel will have the veil lifted from their eyes.

It is the time when once again men will “tremble at His word”. A time when the Scriptures tell us He will rule with a rod of iron. But it is a time when men will rejoice before the Lord for His unspeakable gift of life and salvation.

“And it shall come to pass that from one New moon to another, and from one Shabbat to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me” says the Lord.

The Lord revealed all this to Isaiah almost 3,000 years ago. Thankyou Isaiah for your faithful record of God’s revelation to you

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah reflections 45

Torah portion             Deuteronomy 7:12 to 11:25

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 49:14 - 51:3

Listen to the Prophets

“The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.” An anxious cry if ever there was one! Read in isolation from the rest of the book, this would indeed be a cry of desperation. Isaiah has a message of warnings and chastisement for the Judeans. That message has been delivered, and now he turns to the ‘comforts’. In response to their feelings of despair, as illustrated by the opening statement, Isaiah continues with the rhetorical question “Can a woman forget her nursing child?”

Is there a closer bond known to man than that of a woman and her child? It would be a most unusual relationship to contemplate. It is possible for women to become estranged from their children. But the prophet does not even countenance such a possibility. When Almighty God made His covenant promises to the Israelites in the desert, they were irrevocable on His part. He is a covenant keeping God. However, although the Israelites broke their covenant, many times, God reiterates here the permanency of His commitment to them.

“I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands” He says. You have become part of Me. I will restore you.

Over and over in these passages of ‘comfort and consolation’ God is reassuring the Israelites that there is a glorious day to come. A day when their enemies will be vanquished. Jerusalem will be filled with the people of God. The waste places will be made whole. But how is this to be accomplished? Where will they come from? The Lord responds:

“Behold I will lift up My hand to the nations. And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders … They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, … Then you will know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”

If that were not enough, so strong is God’s commitment to restore Israel, He gives perhaps the greatest ‘comfort’ possible. “For I will contend with him who contends with you.”  And in another statement of absolute clarity, “All flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

They are statements which say “Game, set, and match”.

It is amazing that those, I should say some of those, who worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the author of those quotations above, still have reservation about God’s intent regarding the future of Israel. We all know that Israel is far from perfect, God knew it better than any. But, dear friends, as I ‘reflect’ on this parashah this week, I see that it really is NOT about Israel. Sure Israel is the subject, BUT it is about God and His covenantal promise to Israel.

We might all draw comfort and a reassuring lesson from this parashah. As it continues, there is an exhortation to all who believe.

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn.”  

It is not uncommon, in fact, any person can go through times of difficulty in life. Even times of doubt and questioning. I can verify that from personal experience. The important issue is, even when doubt arises, to know how to get answers to that doubt. This parashah is one such place. God had experienced the most disappointing responses from His chosen ones for centuries. There was a time, early in their desert wandering, when Moses had to plead with God not to ‘give up on them”.  True, He spoke to them in chastisement many times through the prophets, but always returned to the remembrance of His covenant responsibility.

Our security may be found in that covenant responsibility. Those, who by faith, have trusted in the power of the resurrected Messiah to forgive our sin, have received the Salvation which is promised. We have been ‘grafted in’ to that natural Olive Tree, which is Israel, and are included in the covenant promises which God has made with Israel. Praise God.

Covenant promises come with covenant responsibilities, don’t they?

God will bless you as you seek Him to find out what that responsibility entails. It is not hidden, it is written in His Book. Be blessed as you discover truth from His word. His promise is that His Word always accomplishes that for which it was sent.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah reflections 44 

Torah portion             Deuteronomy 3:23 to 7:11

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 40: 1-26      

 Listen to the Prophets

The Haftarah studies in Isaiah, which commenced last week, continue for the next seven weeks. Chapter and verse additions are a relatively modern convenience, and it has been observed that the 66 chapters of Isaiah appear to mirror the structure of our complete Bible, which has 66 books. The Hebrew Scriptures have 39 books, the Apostolic Scriptures 27, and Isaiah seems to have messages which appear to follow that kind of division. Our parashah today, Isaiah 40, begins a succession of, what are called, ‘comfort’ chapters. It certainly has the Messianic tone with which the Apostolic Scriptures commence..

“’Comfort, yes comfort My people’ says your God.”  Many Christian organizations working in Israel today use these words as a command of God to provide material assistance to those in need in the land. A noble work, and certainly well received by the needy there, and a work which has verifying authority in other Scriptures. But that is not the primary message of this exhortation of Isaiah. God has instructed Isaiah to “speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”  That is the message of comfort which Israel receives from Isaiah. And it is a message which has its fulfilment in the coming of Messiah.

Prophetic Scripture often has multiple fulfilment, and that is true of our parashah today. Messiah Yeshua came to this earth almost 700 years after this prophecy was given. History records that many tens of thousands of Jews came to faith in the first century c.e. (Acts 21). John the baptizer was that ‘voice crying in the wilderness’ of verse 3, and he was definitely one who said to the cities of Judah “Behold your God!” But this prophecy has elements which have yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah sees the time when “her iniquity is pardoned” completely. That could not be the case, when in the second century, Israel was completely banished from the Land of Israel by the Romans. That could not be the case when history records the pogroms and mistreatment Jews received at the hands of many nations to which they fled. And often, during the period known as ‘the inquisition’ given the option of abandoning their faith or being put to death. Being banished from Britain in 1290 by King Edward 1, a ban which remained until Oliver Cromwell in 1665. Banished from Spain in 1492, one day before ‘tisha b’av’, by Ferdinand and Isabella. Six million Jews put to death in the holocaust. If that does not constitute receiving “double for all her sins”, I am at a loss to explain it.

The prophet continues, “Behold the Lord God shall come with a strong hand”. One of the reasons many Jews could not see Yeshua as Messiah was that they did not see Him as the ‘strong man’ Messiah they expected, and still expect. They were, at that time, looking for a Messiah who would overthrow the tyrannical Roman rule to which they were subject. Isaiah describes such a Messiah in this parashah. All powerful, all mighty, all conquering, all caring, all protecting, all forgiving.

In praise of Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, the prophet writes eloquently “To whom then will you liken God?” Then in comparison to the most skilled artisans they could imagine, he describes, in simple language, the attributes of the One who is their redeemer.

“It is He who sits above the circle of the earth.”

“Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created all these things’”

It is He who created all things, He who put all things in right order, He who has the power of life and death, it is He, and He alone, who has the power to ‘pardon iniquity’.

What greater comfort can anyone receive than to know that one is pardoned of all iniquity? To have the barrier to communion with a Holy God swept away, cast into the depths of the sea, forgotten, as though that iniquity never existed.  There is NO greater comfort.

Isaiah is describing the conditions which are the hallmark of “The New Covenant”. He sees the time when men will live righteously before our Holy Creator, and with each other. “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” says Jeremiah 31:34

It is the time when Messiah Yeshua returns to rule and reign in Jerusalem. It is the time, of which, the Apostle Paul declares “All Israel will be saved”. It is the time when Israel will recognize Him, with eyes now opened.  And it is a time of joy for all Gentiles who are ‘grafted in’ to that ‘natural Olive Tree’, which is Israel.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah reflections 43

Torah portion                  Deuteronomy 1:1 to 3:22

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 1: 1-27 

Listen to the Prophets

Isaiah was from a respected family. He grew up in Jerusalem, and in addition to being well educated, was both familiar and maintained contact with, the royal court.

Isaiah’s prophetic writings extend for about 60 years from 740 b.c.e. He wrote at a time of great testing for his fellow Judeans. And Israel, their ‘cousins’ and Northern neighbours, were in desperate trouble due to idolatry and their wanton disregard of their covenantal responsibilities.

Our parashah opens with a tirade of judgment against Judah. There is not a comforting word on his lips. (well, perhaps one!) His education and his royal contacts ensured that he was well versed in the situation in the broader community in which he lived. He was certainly aware of the calamity about to visit Israel in the form of their Assyrian enemies. He also knew, from God, why these things were happening, and was commissioned by God to bring the warning voice to his own people, Judah.

The Temple which Solomon had built was now about 200 years old and was being seriously neglected. It was as though no-one cared. The priests were slack in their responsibilities, both to the people and to their care for the Temple. There was an outward appearance of ‘religiosity’ but inwardly they were self-seeking and neglectful. Then God visited Isaiah with a remarkable vision. He saw it all clearly. The light of God’s Spirit shone in to the dark corners of their life. Everything was exposed. God spoke, and still speaks, powerfully through this faithful man Isaiah.

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” And more, “When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood.”

Such devastating condemnation from the Lord God Himself.

“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away your evil doings from before My eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow”.

Then, for any with a modicum of decency, the words which may bring comfort. These words could be spoken by the Apostle Paul in the course of his evangelical missions to the Gentile nations, three quarters of a century later, but they were penned by Isaiah.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

 “But if you refuse and rebel ………”

The message contained in this Scripture for us today?

God was inviting His chosen ones to review their lifestyle. Over many years, they had slipped into bad practices. There was a lackadaisical familiarity to their pretence at worship. O, they turned up alright, they brought the sacrifices, even going through the motions of praying. So what was the problem? They had lost sight of the basics of God’s intent when He gave them those instructions on how to live righteously with each other and before Him. They were selfish and self-centred, even self-seeking. They lacked sincerity in their worship. God saw it as a sham.

Their attitudes had become a barrier to communion with a Holy God. Is it possible that we may be similarly found wanting? The call of God, through the prophet is as relevant today as it was then. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

It is a precious characteristic of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that He does not cast us away. We may choose to leave Him, but He does not leave us. He gives us opportunity, as He did these Israelites in Isaiah’s day, to turn around so as once again to head in the right direction.

Moses said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life”

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah Reflections   42

Torah portion           Numbers 30 : 1 to 36 : 13

Haftarah portion     Jeremiah 2 : 4 – 28   and 3 : 4

(Two Torah portions are read together)

Listen to the Prophets

Last week, we ‘reflected’ on the clear call of God on the youthful Jeremiah. His calling was to be bold and outspoken in the things that God promised to show him. His boldness was born of the faith that God would protect him from those who would come against him.

It is immediately evident from this week’s parashah that Jeremiah had listened intently to the Lord! His message could not be clearer.

Tell them this, says the Lord (my paraphrase) “I remember you when you were a young nation. In your wilderness journey you relied on Me totally, I fed you, gave you water to drink. You were completely set apart (holy) to Me. Anyone who tried to hinder you I visited disaster upon them”.

The pain is palpable in the expression of disappointment as the Lord continues. As I read these words, I cannot avoid putting myself in the position of the hearers, because I too am one of the hearers. God caused Jeremiah to charge them with idolatry. There could be no worse charge. Commandment number one. “You shall have no other gods before Me”.

(I had an extremely personal encounter with God in 1999, when, for about 4 weeks, I was unable to walk and was confined to a hospital bed. It is too long a story to relate here, but I felt a compulsion to read Ezekiel. Eventually I got to Chapter 14. It was then that I had a conversation with God that changed my life. And it was all about idolatry.)

God hates idolatry. It is an abomination to Him. It was an abomination in the days of Jeremiah, and it’s an abomination today. An idol is anything, anyone, any place, any activity that hinders ones relationship with God (or takes time away from that relationship). That which one allows into one’s home, through the medium of television, or the internet, or books and magazines, can be idolatry. The simple test is to consider the time one gives to any of these activities, and compare that to the time that same person gives to communion with God. Because, where your treasure (and time) is, your heart will be also.

I wonder what words Jeremiah might use today, in our world, if God charged him with bringing the same message to us as he took to the Israelites. If one is diligent in the study of this parashah, one might actually find out!!

Try, if you can, to imagine the words of Jeremiah being addressed to us today. Instead of the violations of the idolatry of the Israelites, think of the modern equivalent, whatever that might be (the Lord will show you).

We have been brought into fellowship with Almighty God through faith in Yeshua, who gave His life for us. In so doing, the Lord “has brought us into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness”. God surely has every reason to expect that we would then, not only be grateful, but would live our lives in honour of Him, and in accord with His precepts.

The first group of people to come under scrutiny are those who have authority. In our parashah it was the priests, followed closely by those who are teachers. Then rulers and prophets.

I dare to suggest here, that in our society today, the primary priestly responsibility belongs to men. Men who have families. Men are charged by God to lead their families, to set an example for wives and children. To be leaders in their own homes. (It is my observation that this is the pattern which is prevalent in God fearing Jewish families today.)

Next are the teachers. In our “modern day church age” that onus of responsibility has largely been abdicated by “the home priests” in favour of the professional pastor. It is a regrettable fact that many church pastors are inadequately versed in the fundamentals of God’s Torah.(teaching) And very few even realize it. Consequently, they can only teach what they themselves have been taught, and we, the laity, are given an extremely narrow version of the truth of God’s word. The word written about the teachers is “those that handle the law did not know Me”. That, my dear friends, is a heavy charge.

But there is even more.

It is imperative, if you are to get all that God intends for you out of this parashah, that you read it completely for yourself. But be warned, it contains words of strong rebuke for those of us who, having been given the privilege of entering this walk of faith with the Lord, have allowed “idols” to get in the way of our fellowship with Him.

Our parashah ends with a plea from God Himself.

“Will you not from this time cry to Me, ‘My Father, You are the guide of my youth’?”

Enjoy the fellowship with Him that began when you were first called into His family.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah Reflections   41

Torah portion           Numbers 25 : 10 to 29 : 40

Haftarah portion     Jeremiah 1 : 1  to 2 : 3

Listen to the Prophets

The timeframe of the prophecies of Jeremiah are precisely noted in the life of the Israelites. It was a most turbulent time for them, spanning a period of about forty years up to the actual conquest of Jerusalem by king Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah spoke prophetic warnings against Judah for about twenty years before the Lord instructed him to write on a scroll the words which He had given Jeremiah, so that they could be read out to the people in the Temple on a special day of fasting that had been set aside for the people. It is an interesting story, and you can read about it in Jeremiah 36. The end result of this was that king Jehoiakim burned the scroll which Jeremiah had written! (actually he dictated it to Baruch, his scribe) So God had Jeremiah write another scroll, to which he added some similar words of condemnation.

If you wonder, as I do, why Jeremiah was so bold in his behaviour to the king of the Land, the answer is to be found in our parashah today.

Jeremiah was a quite young man when God called him to his prophetic ministry. So young in fact, that Jeremiah at first objected on the grounds that he didn’t have enough experience to do the job God wanted done. But God knew His man. He spoke clearly to Jeremiah in assurance of support.

“Do not say ‘I am a youth’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you”, says the Lord.

Then we are told that the Lord put forth His hand and touched Jeremiah’s mouth, and said further, in part:-“See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms”. And that is why Jeremiah was able to carry out his almost thankless task of bearing many dire warning messages to his fellow Judeans, including the king.

But the Lord wanted to show Jeremiah some detail of events about to unfold, in order to cement the picture in his mind, as he set about his appointed task. So Jeremiah was given two visions. The first that of an almond tree, and the second that of a ‘boiling’ pot. The almond tree is the first to blossom in the spring in Israel, so this vision spoke of a time very close at hand. The second, the boiling pot, spoke of confusion and turmoil, and it was noteworthy that in the vision this pot was facing ‘away from the north’. That is, that it was trying to get away from the source of the turmoil, which would come from the north.

There is no question that this vision was for the time in which Jeremiah lived, (the siege, and capture, of Jerusalem by the Babylonians is the event foretold) but it also has an application, borne out by other scriptures, of a time still future to us.

In our parashah today, Jeremiah was being prepared to speak to his fellow Judeans about impending calamity, as a direct result of their forsaking the covenant which had been made by their fathers, and verified many times in their history whenever they had called on God to get them out of a scrape with their neighbours. The main failing seemed to be their descent into idolatrous worship.

Now here is a valuable lesson for us today.

God had already promised Jeremiah that He would be with him in all his encounters with the people. But now God goes a step further, and tells Jeremiah that when he takes the message of warning to the people, not only will they not listen to him, but they will ‘fight against him’.

One would have to be VERY sure of one’s relationship with the Lord to proceed with such a message wouldn’t one? Evidently, Jeremiah was super confident in his calling.

God assured Jeremiah that he would be absolutely “fireproof” in the face of the people. Look at the words God uses to describe the absolute imperviousness of Jeremiah to the attacks of those who come against him and why he should go with great confidence.

“Do not be dismayed before their faces (be bold and resolute) … For behold I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land- against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land”.

When we are called upon to speak in God’s Name, to ‘give a reason for the hope that is within us’, we should take example from the words God used to Jeremiah. We should speak boldly and with resolution, being assured that we are messengers of the King. In the face of concerted attacks on our heritage and lifestyle, our message in today’s world is both timely and necessary.

Most importantly, we should all be asking God, through the agency of His precious Holy Spirit, to guard us, keep us, fill us, and use us, according to His perfect will and purpose.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah Reflections   40

Torah portion           Numbers 22 : 2 to 25 : 9

Haftarah portion     Micah 5 : 7  to 6 : 8

Listen to the Prophets

Micah, a so called “minor” prophet, had some amazing insights from God. He was given the task of warning the tribes of the South and the North to mend their ways or face the wrath of God. He tells us that he prophesied “in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah”. That indicates that he probably witnessed the fulfilment of his prophetic utterances in regard to Israel in the North, but not Judea in the South.

The really amazing thing about this prophecy is that even though there was an immediacy about it concerning the people amongst whom he lived and worked, there was also a future element, which we are yet to experience, but the signs of which are all around us.

And in the detail there are lessons for us today.

Our parashah today begins with such an announcement. “The remnant of Jacob” is certainly “among the Gentiles and in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass,” even to this very day. But there is also the immediacy in the fact that they were at that time moving around the various kingdoms of gentiles around them in conquering mode. They took with them both the blessing of their enlightenment to Almighty God and His ways, but also the harshness of a conquering invader.

However, Micah warns that all is not well with them. God’s intent was that they would be a light to the Nations. As we read the end of Micah 5 we see that they had absorbed many of the acts of pagan worship, which they were supposed to tear down. It seems (verses 10,11) that they were flushed with their own importance. They were reliant on military superiority (horses and chariots) for their successes, whereas God’s intent was that He would be their source of strength, and that fact would be obvious to the nations around them.

Do you see the parallels in society today? Even in our own lives?  Isaiah put it well :-  

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!” Isaiah 31:1

Many of us think we are pretty good at working things out for ourselves, neglecting the fact that God tells us He is a very present help in trouble. Read Psalm 46 and be encouraged.

Because we have the historical account of the events at that time and beyond, we are able to see how things actually turned out for these Israelites. These scriptures are here for a purpose, that we might know God in all His fullness. We see how He was so patient in sending prophet after prophet to warn and plead with them. These are not just ‘hints’ at the problems, they are bare facts of their failings. But before we get too carried away with their failings, we might take a moment to privately review our own position.

These prophets are still speaking today. We just have to read what they say and ask God to speak to us through their words. And He will.

Our parashah today ends with God calling the people to a very special court of justice. The people of Israel are on trial. God is the complainant. He calls the mountains and the hills together to form the jury. In verses 3 to 5 God lays out the charge as He tries to get Israel to let Him know how He has failed them. Of course, there is no failing in God’s part, and the people are guilty as charged.

The sentence is pronounced, probably the most quoted scripture in Micah’s prophecy.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

To understand the context properly, we need to read the full ‘charge sheet’ God had against Israel. Look back to Chapter 3 : 9 to 11. Micah tells them that ‘they abhor justice’ (they are to do justly) and ‘they judge for a bribe’ (they are to love mercy) and they proudly say “the Lord is among us so no harm can come to us” (they are to walk humbly with their God).

What a wonderful lesson this parashah can be for us today. We all have asked at one time or another what does the Lord require of us. Thank you Micah, for providing us with the answer.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Haftarah Reflections   39

Torah portion           Numbers 19 : 1 to 22 : 1

Haftarah portion     Judges 11 : 1 - 33

Listen to the Prophets

Imagine, if you can, the period of time from the days of Martin Luther to today. Think of some of the amazing things that have happened in those years. Then try to imagine what might be included in an abbreviated history of that period. You may be sure that everything which would be included was both momentous and important.

After the Israelites began to occupy the Land of Promise, they were led by a succession of people who were known as “judges”, righteous living, honourable people, who feared God and kept His statutes. In all, the books of Joshua, Judges and the first part of 1 Samuel, occupy a time frame of about 450 years (approximately the same time as from Martin Luther to today). They recount illuminating events of history, and they are there for our example and edification. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. (1 Timothy 3:16).

So as we look at the haftarah parashah today, be assured that this unusual story has important lessons for us to learn.

Jephthah was an outcast. His family resided in Gilead. This was what we today know as Jordan, just to the south of Syria. The circumstances of Jephthah’s birth, caused angst with his half-brothers, and even though Jephthah is described as a ‘mighty man of valour’, (read pretty tough) he chose to leave the family home rather than continue a squabble with his siblings.

He moved to the “land of Tob” (no-one knows the precise location of Tob, but it must have been close to a trade route and not very far from Gilead). There he befriended some “worthless men” and headed up a gang of thieves (bandits). We also know from later revelation in our parashah, that he had a degree of familiarity with the Ammonites (next door neighbours to the Gileadites).

For what seems the umpteenth time, the Israelites again lost sight of the covenant they had made with Almighty God and were serving the gods of the Baals and Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. And for that, they paid a terrible price.

God has allowed each of us the opportunity to serve Him, but always under His conditions. He also allows us to exercise ‘freewill’ to go our own way, and we often do, just like the Israelites in our parashah. The lesson from this story of Jephthah is that there is a price to pay. In their case, they were harassed by the Ammonites for another eighteen years. Left to their own devices they floundered, had trouble they couldn’t even imagine, until they again turned back to the Lord for help.

We may all have a personal story to recount of times when, having started out with good resolve to live righteously, we turned our back on God, at first slowly, a bit at a time, a compromise here, a compromise there, and before we knew it we were living in a ‘different kingdom’.

There is no doubting that God was angry with the Israelites. And yet, His mercy towards them knows no bounds. That, my dear friends is the nature and character of the God we serve. Do you remember the old hymn we used to sing:-

“His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men,
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.”

That hymn speaks of the love of God towards us who believe. But it doesn’t stop God’s disappointment and even anger at our behaviour when we forget the promises we made when we came to faith in Him.

Jephthah was invited back from his life of crime to lead the people against the Ammonites. He tried to reason with them. He tried to appeal to their sense of fairness. Nothing influenced a change in their behaviour towards the Israelites. We are not told what sort of an army Jephthah assembled, but we do know that the Spirit of God was with him, and the army of the Ammonites was defeated.

But even that is not the end of the story.

Jephthah made a promise to God. Read the account for yourself in (Judges 11: 30-35). It is very difficult for us to understand that part of the story, but the vow was made by Jephthah, not by God. Because he was a man of honour he kept his word.

One more ‘reflection’ regarding Jephthah. Read again the beginning of our parashah. What an unlikely person God used to rescue His chosen ones from unfaithfulness and chaos. Does it occur to you, as it does to me, that if God is able to use an outcast who gave his life to crime, He can use anyone He chooses. You see “man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart”.

Shabbat Shalom

RS