THE FIRST AND THE LAST TRUMPET

1 Corinthians 15:52

… At the last trumpet.

Paul, Yeshua’s emissary speaks to us about the ‘last blow of the shofar’ (1 Corinthians 15:52).  If there is a last blow there must also be a first. Through the passage of time, the last blow of the shofar is an echo of the first shofar blown at Horeb.

The first shofar is blown to herald the grand entrance of the King in the lives of men. The King entered the created dimension and His feet touched the mountain (Exodus 19:11). Later, He whom they saw as Hashem and who did not lay His hand on them also enjoyed a meal with the elders of Israel sitting at His feet (Exodus 24:9-11; Exodus 33:20). In the same manner, the last shofar will herald the arrival of Hashem's King whose feet will touch the mountain. He will also recline for a meal with His true followers, with those who cared not to lose their lives for Him (Zechariah 14:4; Revelations 19:7-9).

At the Exodus, while Egypt drowned and licked its wounds from the results of a series of plagues, our fathers were placed under the legislation of God’s eternal Instruction.  By these, they were to be a light to the rest nations of the world. At the last shofar, while the worlds also licks its wounds from the plagues of God’s judgments, through Instruction flowing from Jerusalem, those of the nations who remain will also be placed under the legislation of the Light of Torah, the constitution of the Word to Come (Micah 4:2).

When a man blows the shofar, he starts out strong then grows weaker as he runs out breath. It is not so with the God whose breath (in Hebrew: ruach meaning: spirit or /breath) is infinite. The mighty El-Shaddai doesn’t run out of breath as the text in Exodus tells us, As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder …(Exodus 19:19).

Looking at our sad world today, it can easily be concluded that all of its problems are the result of breaking the fundamental instruction taught at Mt Horeb. One of the sages of Israel defined that just by keeping the last of Horeb’s Ten Statements we keep all the rest of them. Indeed if we (10) do not covet the things that we do not have or even need, (1) we worship our One God and (2) are not tempted the dainties offered us by idol-worshipping; (3) we do not need to lie so we do not need to take His Name in vain by swearing falsely (Matthew 5:33-37); (4) we do not find it binding to take a day off from lucrative activities to spend it with Hashem and those created in His image such as family and friends, and (5) we have no qualms about morally and financially supporting our aged parents. The absence of covetousness also negates the need for (6) murder, (7) adultery), (8) stealing, and (9) lying. 

Thus is the legislation of the Messianic Era now and in the World to Come.

May it come soon Adon Yeshua, even in our days!

P. Gabriel Lumbroso

For a Kindle edition of my devotional UNDER THE FIG TREE, click HERE.

THE BALANCE OF A MAN

1Timothy 3:2-6 (CJB)

A congregation leader must be above reproach, he must be faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, orderly, hospitable and able to teach. He must not … get into fights; …, he must be kind and gentle. He must not be a lover of money … if a man can't manage his own household, how will he be able to care for God's Messianic Community? He must not be a new believer, because he might become puffed up with pride and thus fall under the same judgment as did the Adversary.

In Genesis 2:18, Hashem intentions towards Adam in creating Eve are either lost in translation, or in the personal bias of the translator. A more literal reading would say, "I will create someone to be 'against' him". It seems that the help man most often needs is in the form of someone who is ‘against’ him; not someone who necessarily fights him, but someone who challenges him and is a balance to him. Because of this, Judaism even advises to not trust the teaching of a Rabbi who is not married. 

A wise man will invite the counsel of his wife; she really is the one who knows him best. If he willingly listens to her, not only his life will be more harmonious, but he will make wiser decisions. But a wise woman needs to learn how to ‘fitly’ advise her husband. If she nags him or makes him feel inferior, he’ll turn off and she won’t be able to fulfill her God-given duty.  She also needs not to do it as an attempt to control him. If because of control issues, passiveness, or a lack of wisdom a wife is not able to advise her husband, she fails in her main reason for being. The same goes for a wife who fans her husband, which a woman usually does that because she wants to bask in his glory. Such a woman will be responsible for her man's downfall. A beautiful example of a married relationship in American History is that of the second president of the United States John Adams, and his wife Abigail Adams. It is even said that one time Georges Washington asked Abigail Adams' help to try to convince her husband of an important piece of diplomatic strategy.

When Roman Emperor Tiberius started commandeering the Senate, one senator protested and compared his governing body to an unheard and ignored wife. If a man, if a leader does not have a wife, he should at least be able to listen to the counsel of those wise people God put around him. It is a wise man who surrounds himself with people who are wiser than him. Paul was not married, but he worked within counsel. Though he took some liberties, he went to Jerusalem to make sure that his race was not in vain. He sought the approval of his own apostolic leaders (Galatians 2:2). 

Sad to say though, many leaders in their pride, fear, and insecurity surround themselves with passive people who adulate them, or with those who find an interest in the relationship, so they will not balance a leader or a teacher. Even if they try, they eventually will give in. The leader knows it and it will be his downfall in the sight of God if not in the sight of men.

May God give us leaders men who have a right spirit before Him; leaders whom the position of office does not corrupt with pride; true humble ministers of Hashem’s flock who only wish to serve.

LEADERSHIP IN THE KINGDOM PT 2

1Timothy 3:1

If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

Mankind is of a rebellious nature. We are small, weak, vulnerable and yet as ironic as it may seem, we strive for independence at any cost. Human history teaches us that our thirst for freedom from even God-appointed human leadership has solely been quenched by the spilling of much blood.  Mahatma Gandhi is known to have said to British officials then controlling India that every man would prefer to be run by his own bad government that the good government of others. Whereas countries do have their own right to self-determination, in theology this principle translates in that mankind prefers to be led by his own distilled spiritual errors than by the Truth taught him by a God-appointed leadership.

The Father knows that we need leadership, that’s why He inspired Jethro to advise Moses to establish a council of elders. This council was to be called the ‘Court of Judgment’ or ‘bet-din’ in Hebrew. Authority was granted to individuals to help people find answers for their everyday questions, interpreting the Torah by the Torah. This council would later become the Sanhedrin.

Just as people today refuse to answer to any human authority, it is not hard to imagine that some of the Children of Israel resented that lower court in favor of the higher court: that of Moses (Torah). It is not hard also to imagine that a charismatic council member form this lower court would draw much attention to himself thus provoking unbalanced loyalties from the people. These problems with human leadership exist today, and they certainly existed then; we see them plenty in the Bible.

This is why these needed to be men known for their integrity; men from among the people who fear God, are trustworthy; men who hate a bribe; men to whom Moses would teach the statutes and the laws of God. Moses had the charge to teach them the way in which they must walk and what they must do (Exodus 18:20-21).

The disciples of the Master used the same blue-print to establish leadership in the Messianic congregations. At a time of crisis, they also established leaders to judge petty matters within the community (Acts 6:1). Again, as in the Horeb blue-print, these men were chosen for their integrity; men of good repute and full of the Spirit and of wisdom (Acts 6:3). Also, according to the same parameters, Paul established leadership over each and every congregation. Hear his advice to Timothy on how to choose congregational leaders: an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive … dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain … their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things (1 Timothy 3:1-12).

It is also noticeable that it was the people who chose these leaders who were afterward anointed and appointed by Moses or Paul.

LEADERSHIP IN THE KINGDOM!

Acts 6:3

Look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Flabbergasted Jethro looks at Moses single-handedly dealing with every problem in the camp. He foresees problems, and even danger in that kind of leadership. Jethro conjectures that eventually people will learn to lean too heavily on Moses, and that His son-in-law will not last very long. At that rate, he will burn out quickly. Jethro, who is a spiritual leader in his own rights, suggests a lower court to be established to care for simpler cases. Moses would then share the load of leadership with others.

God’s leadership is not autocracy. In God’s Kingdom even a King has advisors, and a wise king leans on the council of his advisers as a cripple does on a cane. God’s style of government is not democracy either. The ‘will of the people’ is not supreme; the will of Hashem is! God’s government is usually made up of a leadership teamwork; a group of upright people elected by the congregation. It is to be no less than three people, so a tie vote between them is less likely. Also a man and his wife either tend to have a dominant party or they fan each other, so a couple generally does not provide a good balance for judgment. Also, no one person is perfectly well-rounded so this leadership teamwork should be composed of people exerting different views and ways of looking at things. They should also be filled with a spirit of humility so they can yield to each other’s counsel and advice.

We can see this pattern as God’s leadership all throughout the Scriptures. Even Yeshua used it. He did not keep the whole burden on Himself but established a group of disciples, who also went to preach, exhort, exorcise, and heal people. He even said that they will sit on twelve thrones judging the tribes Israel, so even Yeshua shared the responsibility of judgment. Peter and the disciples later followed that same example and asked the congregation to submit seven people that they could ordain as leaders (Acts 6:1-7). These forms of congregation leadership follow the ‘Jethro’ pattern, and if Yeshua Himself did it, why shouldn’t we?

The answers to that question are varied and can be scary. We will try to answer them in later articles. In the mean time, may God give us leaders, men and women of integrity whose sole desire is to do whatever needs to be done, either it be to step in or to step aside, that His Kingdom be established on earth as it is in Heaven.

THE GREATER PLAN

Revelations 11:15

“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of Adonai, and of his Messiah; and he shall reign for ever and ever”.

As Moses arrived at Mt Horeb with the people of God, his Father-in-law Jethro pays him a visit. Jethro is not really his name. Jethro is a title defining a societal rank. The name of Moses' father-in-law was Reuel (The shepherd of God) (Exodus 2:18).

With Reuel’s visit, we realize the greater purpose for the Exodus program. Reuel was a descendant of Abraham through his third wife Keturah (Genesis 25: 1-2). It is recorded that Abraham gave that side of his descendance what is today called Saudi Arabia to settle in. It seems that they did not continue in the faith of Abraham but adopted the paganism of the area, thus we find Jethro, a descendant of Abraham as a pagan priest of Median.

Jethro witnessed the life of Moses as a seeker. Like Abraham in Ur, Moses was not satisfied with he had learned in Egypt (Hebrews 11:8-16; 24-28). Moses was not going to put up with the magic tricks of the Egyptian priests. He wanted the real thing. He searched for Hashem with all his heart; that’s why he found Him (Jeremiah 29:13). Jethro also was a seeker. He probably knew about the God of Israel but thought He was dead, or maybe asleep.

Whichever the case this God, this Creator of Heaven and earth, was on the verge of meeting all those who seek Him for all generations to come. He was about to make such a grand entrance on the scene of World History that it would not be forgotten for generations, not even until today.

As Jethro received knowledge of all God had done to Egypt i order to free His people, he returned to the faith of his ancestor Abraham. He said, Blessed be Adonai, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that Adonai is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to Hashem; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. (Exodus 18:10-12).

A greater Exodus is coming. A time is coming when people will not say anymore, As Adonai lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but rather, Blessed be Adonai who brought back His people from all the nations where He scattered them (Exodus 16: 14-15). This will have the same effect as the first Exodus. Like Jethro, the whole world will then know that Hashem is the Lord of all the earth.

May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE WORLD TO COME!

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Five lessons did the father teach Israel even before they arrived in Horeb:

1. He who had the power to bitter Egypt's waters by turning them to blood, and thereby drive its people to thirst also had the power to provide sweet waters for his own people in the middle of the desert.

2. He who had the power to starve the richest nation in the world by destroying their crops also had power to feed his people right in the middle of the desert.

3. He who had the power to kill Egypt's cattle so that they had no more of that free meat could provide meat for his people in the middle of the desert.

4. He who destroyed Egypt's armies could also strengthen Israel's ragtag armies against mighty Amalek.

5. He who saw the affliction of Israel in Egypt gave them the gift of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a sign of our appurtenance to Hashem. It is like an expensive wedding ring. It is a gift. As a future husband is proud of the beautiful ring he has purchased for his future bride and wants to proudly display it to her ahead of time, Hashem offers the Sabbath to Israel even before the people arrive in Horeb. In a sense, Hashem is displaying His true nature and tells Israel, "You see what I can, and will do for you? I deliver you; I give you sweet waters to drink from; I feed you; I even make your men mighty warriors in order to deliver you from your enemies!" Later, as He declares His intention to wed Israel he will say to her, Moshe went up to God, and Adonai called to him from the mountain: "Here is what you are to say to the household of Ya`akov, to tell the people of Isra'el:

Exo 19:4  'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

Exo 19:5  Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine;

Exo 19:6  and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.'

While in desert, even before arriving at Horeb Hashem was giving a 'sneak preview' to the Children of Israel of what He had in mind for them. The apostle says that today we are given the 'earnest of the Spirit' (2 Corinthians 1:22 KJV). This means that today we are only given a 'ten per cent guaranty'  of what Hashem has in store for us, and that we should look forward to the full glory of His intended gift to us in the World to Come. As the people in the desert on their way to Horeb, we today enjoy a 'sneak-preview' of what is to come.

May we always refuse to look at the fake enslaving dainties of Egypt, and learn to keep our eyes focused on what Hashem does for us today, and that as a sign o the mighty glory that is to befall us in the World to Come.

May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

SHABBAT THE MASTER'S WAY!

Mark 3:4

"Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?"

The Sabbath is the most repeated ordinance in the Scriptures. Like the wearing a wedding ring informs people that we belong to someone, Sabbath observance informs our entourage that we belong to El-Shaddai. From a simple mental cognition to a strict and severe application, people have a wide array of ideas on how the Sabbath should be observed. All the aspects of the spectrum of Sabbath application are covered, sometimes even at the cost of division between family and friends. The question we need to ask ourselves is: how did Yeshua observe the Sabbath?

We are told that the evening the Master’s death was a Sabbath so his disciples went to rest according to the commandments (Luke 23:56). What Yeshua taught his disciples was a healthy respect of the Sabbath and there is nothing in the Scriptures to tell us that He broke it. Remember, Yeshua was without sin, and sin is the breaking of the Torah (Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:4).

What Yeshua did was argue with what was a harsh and burdensome application of not only the Sabbath but of the whole Torah, He Himself said ‘ My yoke is easy’ (Matthew 11:30). In Torah talk, the 'yoke' the Master referred to was the yoke of Torah application in our lives. What Yeshua was in fact saying is that His type of Torah application was easy and light not hard and oppressive, which included His application of the Sabbath. For example: for farmers, a donkey was a precious commodity in Israel so it was agreed by the religious leaders of the day that if on the Sabbath a donkey fell in a well, its masters could rescue it even though it broke some Sabbath prohibitions. Yeshua then went on to argue that the life of a man was much more precious than that of a donkey, so if it is permissible to rescue a donkey on the Sabbath, it should certainly be permissible to heal a whole man on the Sabbath day.

Yeshua was not creating a new law and application but He certainly was arguing from within the contents of the Jewish law of His day. Yeshua tried in fact to teach us that not only the saving of a life was acceptable on the Sabbath, but also the alleviating of human suffering, which is what eventually became a doctrinal point of disagreement between Him and some of the more rigid religious folks of His day.

The examples of Yeshua’s handling of the Sabbath should give us a good idea of what is biblically permissible on the Sabbath. When He asked them the rhetorical question, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill? (Mark 3:4)", Yeshua in fact reminded His audience that by their own teachings it was alright to do good on the Sabbath Day.

May we remember this principle and learn to make our Sabbath observances a blessing to us, and to those around us.

EGYPT YESTERDAY AND TODAY

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Adonai ….

After over two hundred years in Egypt, the people of Jacob who had come in for refuge from the famine were very influenced by Egyptian ways and culture. Through the plagues, in plain sight of the Egyptians and of Israel God took on each one of the main gods of Egypt to show the world His ultimate superiority over all that is called 'god'. This was a shock to Pharaoh, and a reminder to the people of Israel of the story they had heard about El-Shaddai,  the God of their ancestors.

A parallel lesson unfolds for God’s people in the fifth century B.C.E. Israel had already been invaded by Babylonian Emperor Nebuchadnezzar and the poor that were left in the Land were governed by Gedaliah’s provisional government. A plot from Amon caused Gedalliah to be killed so the people feared Babylon’s reprisals. Against Jeremiah’s strong counsel from God, the people decided to flee to Egypt for refuge. Once there, they sought Pharaoh’s protection and prayed to Egyptian gods. Nebuchadnezzar was now coming after them in Egypt, which he was going to also destroy. In the forty-sixth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, God shows that through Nebuchadnezzar, His Mighty Hand was again going to destroy the Egypt in which His children had trusted. He takes aim and mocks the futility of the gods of Egypt who are unable to do stand up and protect. He says, 'Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.' Why are your mighty ones (Egypt’s idols) face down? They do not stand because Adonai thrust them down. He made many stumble, and they fell, and they said one to another, 'Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.' Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt (and self-proclaimed god), 'Noisy one' (he is noisy but is powerless) who lets the hour go by (he is not there in time of need)' (Jeremiah 46:13-17) .

And what shall we learn from these? It seems that the Father is on a constant crusade against our hankering for the false gods of this world. No matter what He seems to do to show us His great power, we always seem to fall to the lure of the sensual and indulging gods of this world. As it was then, so it is today. 

Today again He is calling us to leave ‘Egypt’ and to never return. He is calling us away from the gods of this world, but how can we enter the ‘Land’ with an unregenerate heart?

 At a future time, the mighty El-Shaddai will return. This time He will destroy ‘Babylon’ (Revelation 17-18). He will also show His great power not only to His children but to the whole world. He will expose the vanity of mankind and bring His people from all over the world unto Him. May we be ready at that time. Let us take off from our ears the ear buds that fill us with the sounds of this generation that we may hear His call. May we then be clean from our idols, a bride without blemish consecrated unto Messiah.

REBIRTH AND BAPTISM

1 Corinthians 10:2

All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

                                                                                                             

The Children of Israel could have left Egypt, traveled directly northeastward and be in Canaan in less than a few weeks. Instead, Hashem had them make a small detour crossing the Red Sea by the Gulf of Aqaba. Were the reasons given for this detour (Exodus 13:17-18) the only real purposes?

The Israelites had just spent several generations in Egypt. They needed to be cleansed from idolatry and Egyptian culture. They needed to be reborn into Hashem’s people, and into the culture of the Kingdom of Hashem.  This is where the idea of ‘born-again’ came from: from two tractates written by Jewish sages that say that total immersion into water (baptism) is like being born again. We go into a water and stop breathing which is like being in a grave where we do not have breath anymore, and we come out resurrected a new person. The sages mention the ‘born-again’ idea mostly in regards to converts to Judaism (Yevamot 47b and 48b). They immerse in order to emerge a born-again new creature in God. This is what God had in mind in this nation-wide immersion through the Red-Sea (1 Corinthians 10:2).

When Yeshua told Nicodemus that he needed to be reborn, the modern-day ‘born-again’ Christian movement did not exist, so Yeshua was using the term according to its Talmudic value, and this is why Nicodemus answered the Master accordingly. What Nicodemus said in essence was “Why do I need to convert when I am already Jewish?” To which Yeshua basically answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). In other words, the Master reiterated John the Immerser’s message that biological descent into God’s family was not enough, but repentance into a new creature for Hashem was also needed (Matthew 3:9). The Israelites crossing the Red Sea were already Israelites, but they needed to also be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:2).

Yeshua continued answering Nicodemus with, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8). Just like the wind cannot be seen and is only perceived though its effects, so we are. The virtues of the new life that we now live, its positive influences on others, and its reflection of Hashem, are the only testimony given to others of our rebirth.

As we claim to have been reborn, as we claim to have been immersed unto Yeshua, let the effects of our rebirth be felt by others. May we live and walk in the newness of life that He has given us to be God’s children, and as the healing reflection of His spirit on our poor world.

THE SONG OF MIRIAM!

Revelations 15:3 

And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are your deeds.

 3,400 years ago the Children of Israel celebrated a great victory on the Eastern bank of the Gulf of Aqaba. Miraculously supplied with ‘bread from heaven (John 6:31)’, Pharaoh’s armies at their heels, they crossed the Sinai Desert. Later, they saw more of the majestic power of Hashem when the waters of the Red Sea stood as walls at their sides to give them passage. They then witnessed the same waters receding to swallow whole the army of their enemy dealing a deathly blow to the power that once was Egypt. The Biblical records tell us that of, all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained (Exodus 14:28). On the other side, in the Land called today Saudi Arabia then called Midian, under the leadership of Moses and Miriam the Children of Israel erupted into a song of praise that will echo through the centuries (Exodus 15). 

 Over a hundred years after the initial conquest of the Land, the song of Miriam already finds an echo. After Joshua’s death, Israel was left without central leadership. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6), so, the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor (Judges 4:2). Eventually, when Israel was ready to amend his ways, Hashem allowed Judge/prophetess Deborah and military leader Barak to muster an army to challenge Jabin. As Sisera, Jabin’s general, positions his army to intercept Israel, El-Shaadai again works in Israel’s favor. He shows His great glory and power while unleashing from the sky a torrential storm thus flooding the Kishon waterway (Judges 4). The flood waters and muddy ground rendered Sisera’s chariots helpless and vulnerable to Israel’s army. The Biblical records tell us again that ‘all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left (Judges 4:16). Again, an army trying to trap Israel was rendered helpless through a flood of waters. Like with Moses and Miriam, Barak and Deborah celebrated with a song (Judges 5). 

 Will there be another echo? 

 Zechariah tells us of another war against Israel; a war where all nations will rise against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14). At that time it is a flood of blood that will render the armies of the enemy useless (Revelations 14:20). By the Mountain of Megiddo, at the same place where Sisera’s army fell, the armies of the Anti-Messiah will gather against Jerusalem and fall. Again, not a man will be left (Revelations 16:16; Revelations 19). At that time, Miriam’s song will echo in the mouth of the Children of God of all ages, through a spontaneous eruption of praise and adoration to our mighty God (Revelations 5:9; 14:3; 15:3). May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

THE SECOND EXODUS

Luke 1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy. Through Moses, Hashem instituted that His people should remember the Passover, the great Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. In those days the Creator of the universe revealed Himself to His people in the form of a burning, but non-consuming bush; this was His He chose to show His people His great love, care, and power to redeem. At that time Hashem wrought great miracles, miracles we still talk about today, miracles which are even documented with evidence from land and sea. One of those great miracles was that as God redeemed His people, a great multitude of Gentiles cast their lot with Moses and Israel, following them to find refuge from tyrannical, doomed, and destroyed Egypt, and in the God of Israel. During His last Seder, the Master enjoined His disciples to also remember Him at the time of the Passover. For in His days the 'Consuming Fire' (Deuteronomy 4:24), also revealed Himself to His people in a 'non-consuming' manner in order to show them His great love, care, and power to redeem them not only from Rome, but from the ‘world’, from the ungodliness that is in them since the Fall. At that time Hashem wrought great miracles, miracles we still talk about today and are even documented with evidence from land and sea. One of those great miracles was that as God renewed His covenant with His people, a great multitude of Gentiles cast their lot with Yeshua and the disciples, following them to find refuge from tyrannical, doomed, and destroyed Rome, and in the God of Israel. Since the time when Rome expulsed Israel from the country God had given them, Israel sought refuge in those nations that came to know the Messiah of Israel. These nations, for the most important part oppressed them. But even before the days of the Master the prophet Jeremiah uttered the following words, "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares Adonai, when it shall no longer be said, 'As Adonai lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,' but 'As Adonai lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers (Jeremiah 16:14-15). This will be the second great Exodus, one Yeshua initiated 2,000 years ago. In those days the Creator of the universe will reveal Himself to His people through His Mashiach in order to show them His great love, care and power to redeem them from the nations that will surround them in an attempt to annihilate them. In those days, Hashem will valiantly perform again great miracles, miracles that will be documented and spoken about forever and ever over land and sea. One of those great miracles will be that as God redeems His people, a great multitude of Gentiles will also be redeemed joining Israel in finding refuge in the great Kingdom of God to come. May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

THE LORD OF THE SHABBAT

Matthew 12:8

“For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

In His encounters with the religious body of Israel, the Master often discussed the details of Torah observances and most especially those concerning the Sabbath. It is the common understanding of Christians to assume that Yeshua broke the Sabbath because as they say 'He annulled the Instructions God gave at Sinai'. The problem with that is that not only it flies in the face of His own teaching which says that, “whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments (The Torah) and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19), but it also contradict God’s injunction that  anyone who breaks the Torah not only cannot be the Messiah but is also a false prophet (Deuteronomy 18). Christian Sabbaterians also argue that Yeshua did not break the Sabbath, only the traditions of the scribes and the Pharisees, but that doesn't make sense either since the Master’s justification for His actions came from the same set of mishnaic oral tradition teachings the scribes and the Pharisees used. 

The verse, For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:8) sheds some light on the situation. Yeshua often referred to Himself using the expression ‘Son of Man’ (Daniel 7:13). A problem with that is that ‘son of man’, in Hebrew, ‘ben-adam’ also means ‘human being’ in general. In our text Yeshua seems to use the expression in a very general way. As a recognized Rabbi with disciples, it was perfectly legal for Yeshua to establish rulings on Sabbath observance. Even today in Judaism religious leaders differ in their opinions of details of commandment applications and people are free to follow their favorite rabbi. The problem was that a few certain Rabbis (not all, as many honored Yeshua as in the case of Nicodemus) simply did not agree with Yeshua.

The situation was very irritating for Yeshua’s doctrinal opponents, but they could not do anything against Him because even His justifications came from the teachings of the Talmud. What the Master taught was simple. Even though it was already understood that any issues regarding life and death superseded Torah commandments, even the Talmud agrees that it is right to do good on the Sabbath, ‘good’ in the Yeshua's teaching also meant to alleviate human suffering such as hunger and pain provoked by disease.  What we have here is typical religious legal debate.

The Apostolic texts tell us that Yeshua is ‘the brightness of His (Hashem’s) glory, and the express image of His (God’s) person (Hebrews 1:3).). What Yeshua teaches us through these encounters is that the Father in Heaven is full of mercy and compassion for His children (Exodus 34:6-7) and that the form of obedience He requires from us is not hard, rigid, and cold, but leaves room for what the Scriptures call the ‘weightier matters’ (more important) and elements of the Torah which are, ‘justice and mercy’ (Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 23:23).

As Yeshua perfectly emulated the Father so we could know His love, compassion, and mercy, may we also perfectly emulate Yeshua that the world around us may know the Father‘s love, compassion, and mercy.

EXODUS: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

Romans 11:26-27

“The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

Moses arrives in Goshen and tells Israel of God’s promises. He tells them that Hashem remembered the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and that intending to make good on them, He now calls on them to be their God and His people. The Israelites understand the message. Israel, who presently belongs to Pharaoh, the God of the world, is now being vied by another lover who says to her, "You are being abused, I will deliver you. You shall be mine now and I will take care of you”. Was Israel ready for the fight between two ‘bucks’ vying for the same female? As far they were concerned, they could be jumping from the frying pan into the fire!

The text then tells us that because of their broken spirit and the harsh slavery, the Children of Israel were not enthused at the message (Exodus 6:6-9). I like how the Hebrew text puts it. It speaks of Israel’s spiritual condition using the term, ‘ketser ruach’. The expression is an idiom for ‘despondency’. The literal meaning is ‘shortness of breath or of spirit’. They were spiritually exhausted. Their cruel bondage stole from them all strength for faith (Genesis 6:9). Hashem was going to have to do all the hard work!

How much like today. As it happened with Moses, who is also called in Judaism the ‘First Redeemer’ (thus making allusion to Messiah the Second Redeemer), we are watching the fulfillment of the promises God made to the patriarchs and the prophets concerning Israel. We have seen Him resurrect the country where Messiah is supposed to make His landing at the time they will all see Him (Zechariah 14). Just as in the times of the Exodus, Hashem today, spiritually and physically redeems Israel His people. Someone once told me, “If I were Jewish, I’d take the first plane out of exile, I’d be exited; why are they not?”

Same problem as with Moses! After 2,000 years of persecution first by the Romans, then the Catholics and the Spanish inquisition, followed by Luther’s Protestants, the Germans, Tsarist and Communist Russia, and now the Muslims who imported anti-Semitism from Europe, the Jewish people again seem spiritually exhausted on the 'Chosen People' idea. They seem to complain with Reb Tevieh (Fiddler on the Roof) “Why, why? I know, I know, because we are the ‘Chosen People … but sometimes couldn’t You chose somebody else?” Nevertheless God again saves His people with a great and mighty hand.

It is funny though. There are some who teach that because of their sins God forsook His people of old and replaced them with another: the Church. First, this doesn't add up with God's mathematics of covenant faithfulness, but also, He says that He only remembers the wickedness of fathers for three or four generations. As far I know, Hashem changes not and his covenantal promises are irrevocable (Malachi 3:6; Romans 11:29). The question is: Is our History of disobedience worse than their? And then, why would He forgive their sins but not ours? He either forgives or He doesn’t. If He forgives yours, He also forgave mine. But if he doesn’t forgive our unbelief, neither will He forgive yours! If He replaced us because of our sins, then he is also apt to replace you because of yours!

The Hebrew word ‘chesed’ translated as 'grace' means ‘covenant-keeping’. Our God is a gracious God. Unlike mankind, He keeps His covenant and His promises in spite of us. He keeps them for me, and He keeps them for you!