Hebrews 11:17-18

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."

Here is a conversation I often have with my Bible student, “Do you believe in Yeshua the Messiah?” When they reply positively I then say, “That means that you believe in a man who resurrected from the dead” I then say. Do you really believe that God can resurrect someone from the dead?” They say yes a bit less self-assured. I then ask, “What then if today God would say to you, “I want to use you for a little skit that will teach the generations to come about resurrection. Take your little sister, put her on a table, stab her with a knife and burn her. Don’t worry because I will resurrect her right away. You do believe I can resurrect her right?”” There is usually a silence among the students then I ask again, ‘Do you believe in the bodily resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah? After all, you bank your whole faith system on that very fact!”

Much ink has been shed about God asking Abraham to sacrifice His favorite son Isaac. Most of what is written denotes of the extreme love of Abraham had for God, love that gave him the strength to sacrifice the most precious thing he owned: his precious son Isaac. This story is usually offered to encourage people of whom God seems to require great loss or sacrifice. There is a problem with this idea though, because human sacrifice is not acceptable to God. The Father defined what He wanted as offering and humans are off the list. They are actually forbidden, non-kosher, not fit for offering. That’s the whole idea; that’s why we need the blood mediation of a fit animal. Abraham also knew that one of the main differences between the God heaven and earth and the idols of his days, is that God abhorred human sacrifice.

What Adonai was asking of Abraham was not a proof of his love by giving up Isaac, but a proof of his faith by believing in resurrection. When he went up the mountain Abraham said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you (Genesis 22:5)." The Hebrew there is specific; it says, “We will come again to you.” The author of the Book of Hebrews tells us that Abraham considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:19). (The Greek for ‘figuratively speaking’ says: ‘as in a parable’; referring to an ancient Hebrew parable on the potential death and resurrection of Isaac).

In this case, Abraham, the father of all believers in the Messiah, of Jews and non-Jews, believed in God in the same way that we do now: through believing in a non-human mediated resurrection.

Hebrews 13:2

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

It is very common in hot countries for people to take a break from work around noon. Due to the heat, they break at twelve and sometimes do not work again until mid-afternoon. In the case of Genesis 18, Abraham was not taking a mid-day nap due to the heat of the day, he was convalescing from undergoing circumcision (Genesis 17). The fever lasted three days. The highest being the third day (Genesis 34:25), the first verse therefore of Genesis eighteen could infer that this was the third day of Abraham’s fever.

While Abraham was convalescing, the Torah tells us that Adonai came to visit him (Genesis 18:1). The Master Himself came to check on Abraham. This verse is the true origins of the apostle’s injunctions to visit the sick. Discipleship is to want to be like your Master. If the Master therefore took the time to visit Abraham when he was sick, we should also practice the visiting of the ill.

This visit resulted in several tests. 1: Hospitality. The hospitality of Abraham was legendary. His table was like no other. To be at the table of Abraham was like being at the table of the Lord. When we receive brethren in our home’s to share with us, we should also do our best to honor them. The meal that Abraham served was composed of dairy and meat; a full meal worthy of a King. Did Abraham know who he was serving? All the text tells us after the verse’s beginning narrative is that Abraham saw three men, strangers in the plain of Mamreh. Even the Book of Hebrew seems to indicate that Abraham didn’t have a clue at first (Hebrews 13:2). We should always share our best with stranger and consider it a high honor to host the Saints, those for whom our Master died. 2: Belief: Adonai had a message for Abraham. When Sarah (89 years old) heard that she would give birth, she laughed a cynical laugh for which the angel reproved her. Abraham did not as he had already gone through that a few days before (Genesis 17). Similarly we should learn not to laugh at the impossible doings of God. The Talmud compares Sarah to Jerusalem. If He is able to take an old woman, rejuvenate her and make her fruitful throughout generations, Adonai is also able a broken down seemingly barren city such as Jerusalem and resurrect her to be a blessing to all forever after. 3: Motives: How was Abraham going to use his new standing with God. Since Adonai and Him were now covenanted together, Abraham right away used his new assets as a blessing towards the incredulous world around him, not without motive thoug. He pleaded for the sparing of Sodom and Gomorrah just for the sake of saving Lot his wayward nephew. How do we use our covenanted standing with the Master. Are our prayers a repetition of ‘gimme’s’, or are our eyes turned toward those in need.

I think Abraham passed the test. Would we?

2Corinthians 7:10

… For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret …

At the time of Jechonias, the last Davidic king to ever sit on the throne of Jerusalem, we find the following words in an oracle pronounced by the prophet Jeremiah: Thus says Adonai: "Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah" (Jeremiah 22:30). These words are troubling because according to the prophets Samuel and Nathan, the lineage of David was to be never-ending culminating to the Messiah. If this Davidic king was to remain childless the hope of Israel was gone and with it the hope of the world.

As we continue looking into the Davidic genealogy, we realize that Jechonias has a son, Salathiel who dies. Pediaiah, the brother of Salathiel fulfills the levirate law and marries his brother’s widow thus raising seed to him in Zerubabel whom God chooses to continue the Davidic line (Haggai 2:23). It is then fair to ask the question: did God reverse Jechonias’ curse? But we also should ask another question: Did God annul the blessing on the Davidic line and the world because of the iniquity of one? These are very serious question imbedded in the reading of the genealogies.

It would not be the first time that because of our unfaithfulness towards our covenant made with Him God would decide to annul the whole thing. We have seen it happen in the Sinai desert. One thing we learn from our dear Hashem is that ‘though we are faithless, He remains faithful’: Blessed be His Name. Jewish sages knew that so in Talmudic literature they conclude that Jechonias repented while in exile, thus even though his son died, God reversed the curse through the accepted Toratic principle of levirate marriage. The repentance of Jechonias cannot be documented but what this shows us is that the people of Israel looked at God as a One of mercy who reverses the fruits of our disobedience because of our repentance. Repentance therefore becomes essential to renewal and fulfillment of God’s promises.

Come to think of it, it is not the first time that the levirate law comes to the rescue of the covenantal lineage. It happened with Judah and Tamar, Boaz and Ruth, and in the immediate family of the Master Himself (Julius Africanus).

The Davidic Messianic line is filled with people of disrepute who desperately needed absolution and renewal through sincere and true repentance. So when you feel that you’ve really blown it this time and that there is no hope left for you, look at whom God chose; look at the descendance of Messiah and know that Hashem is a God who rewards true and sincere repentance. David, more than anyone else knew it. He was destined to death because of murder and adultery, so he said, If you, O Adonai, should mark iniquities, O Adonai, who could stand (Psalms 130:3)?

Matthew 6:12

… and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

We have all been plagued by the media feeling responsible to expose celebrity’s indiscretions. It used to be that adultery was a career-killer for high-ranking politicians or media-idols but now, like Thomas Beckett’s King, it seems that all they have to do is to go under the lash of a self-humiliating public apology and they can go on with their merry life under the simple reprimand of the shaking of a finger. We see them all rebounding either in other public fields or even in politics like nothing ever happened. The idea of course is that technically no-one can really shake a finger of accusation at them because everybody does it and those who don’t dream to. Non-religious people don’t care and religious people believe that they are forgiven as soon as they say ‘sorry’, but really how does forgiveness work? Actually I’d like dare ask the question: is there such a thing as pure forgiveness from God?

I know that Scriptures in both Hebraic and Apostolic texts exhort us to forgive, but let’s look at this a little closer. The Scriptures compare sin with the idea of a debt. When we sin we owe one to God just like when we break traffic rule we owe one to the city. In the wilderness, God forgave the Children of Israel for the spiritually adulterous sin of the golden calf, but it wasn’t without Moses’ offering his life in exchange. The people were forgiven by God by virtue of Moses. Moses forgave them and in doing so he lay down his life. A price had to be paid; a ransom had to given (Exodus 32-34).

To forgive someone, is never free. It is always at the cost of someone ‘swallowing’ their pride and the psychological, emotional or financial price of the sin. You don’t pay for it so it may seem free to you, but in reality it is because somebody else does. God is a God of justice. Justice requires for the price to be paid, by us or by somebody else. When God forgives us, it is solely by virtue of Messiah’s payment!

I heard this politician insert in his apology: “I hope my family forgives me and that people forgive me. I know also that God already forgave me.” This politician continues now to live the same life he did before enjoying everybody’s forgiveness. Is that what the Master died for: to allow us the so-called freedom of sinful indulgence without payment? To dance to the proverbial fiddler and never pay?

Good leadership dictates that a law that is not enforced is not a law. How then do we expect people to be obedient to God’s Word when we tell them that their sins are automatically forgiven but they are not expected to change their lives in repentance? It is a travesty of God’s justice.

A mother one time was so frustrated with her disobedient little boy that she said to him. OK; each time you disobey and are mean to me I will have you slap my hand. The boy enjoyed it for little while but he loved his mother; he didn’t want to continue slapping her.. Do we love Messiah enough to stop ‘slapping’ Him?

Romans 2:29

But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

When it was time for God to honor and bless Abraham, God made a covenant with him. This covenant took the form of a legal contract of partnership (Genesis 15) where God and Abraham became venture partners each one having responsibilities towards each other. The culture of the day required that contracts between parties be ‘signed’ through some sort of blood producing cut in the flesh that would then become an outward sign of this new relationship. The idea was is that since this new contract made you a new person with new assets, liabilities, strengths, weaknesses and responsibilities, that societal change needed to be visible and therefore applied to your flesh. You needed to actually become a new person by altering your body in some way. The cutting alteration required by God of Abraham was that of circumcision. The terms of the contract God makes with us is His Word, that’s why the Hebrew word for circumcision is: brit-milah: the Covenant of the Word.

According the Hebrew Scriptures, it wasn’t enough to be circumcised in the body. We needed also to be circumcised of the heart with new desires and appetites (Deuteronomy 10:16); our ears also with a new pure sense of hearing which also means obeying. When gentiles joined the local synagogues in first century Asia Minor, Paul made sure that people did not put so much attention on the physical part of their new life, but rather that their heart was right as he said, For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation (Galatians 6:15). Paul was teaching them in essence that whereas the works were good, they were not enough to justify a change of heart; that it would be better that the works be motivated by the change of heart.

Today we have the opposite problem. People feel that they can have a change of heart without involving any change of behavior. God must of course do His part of protecting, supplying, loving and mostly of forgiving while we seem to not want to take upon ourselves any term of the contract that would cramp our lifestyle.

Anyone who comes to Yeshua becomes a new creature. Paul, a perfect rabbi was also a perfect disciple who wanted so much to be like his Master. He made sure to receive in his body the marks of the cost of true discipleship to the Master. He did not try to shirk away from them. Can people see the marks of your covenant with Him in your flesh? Is your life a living testimony of a life change that reflects that you belong to God? Do you carry the marks, the cuts of Yeshua not only in your heart but also in your body?

Hebrews 11:9-10

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

We are on a journey. We presently live as strangers in a world that will eventually be under our ruling. Until that day we must not lose the vision. Oh how easy it is in the constant uncertainly of the roaming to want to settle down somewhere, anywhere, before the full vision of God is accomplished in our lives!

Both Lot and Abraham prospered. They increased so much that the Land could not bear them the Text says. Their servants quarreled. This is the test that results from prosperity. Prosperity brings with it discontent and an ungodly sense of justice and fairness. Along with it we count; we become concerned about numbers and lose the original vision, mostly the sense that people are more important than numbers.. That’s what happened to Lot as he was lured by the prosperous life of the city folks in the area of Sodom. He was tempted by their dainties. Little did he know that as in the case of this generation, Sodom’s false sense of security was about to be shaken; its days were counted.

Abraham on the other hand kept the heavenly vision. He was not at home in this world; he had already found the prosperity of his former worldly station lacking. He therefore went out to look for the true riches that come with desiring the Kingdom of Hashem. The king of Sodom even tried to reward Abraham, but again Abraham made the right choice and turned Himself towards the true King: Melchizedec: the King of Salem: the King of Jerusalem.

May we as we hear His voice today, learn to turn away from the call of this world’s false wealth. May we reject its adulterated sense of justice and fairness where gains and numbers are more important than people. May we turn our heads instead towards the obedience of the true king who owns the true wealth of the true Kingdom that will last forever.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Do you hear the Voice? Do you hear the call? How many times does Hashem call us to a place to be Him but we don’t go?

He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). To be with Him He requires a total abandonment of everything else. He requires that we completely strip ourselves of our personal attempts at righteousness, protection, security, and sustenance. He wants us to lie bare and prostrated before Him down to our utmost vulnerable point because without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Where is Hashem taking you today? Has He asked you like Abraham to, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)? Has He asked you to leave the comfortable place of familiar surroundings, to venture out from the comfort zone of familiar beliefs and into the unknown?

In this day of fundamental changes in the society of man, in this time of economic, political and societal international upheavals we may feel the rug pulled off from under us. We may feel insecure and uncomfortable. For the person lacking faith it is a test for the one in faith has been already tested, it is a joy. The world is going to a place we are not familiar with and God forbid that we should become at ease with the direction it is taking.

It is now high time for us to do like Abraham and hear the call of Hashem’s Voice, For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work (Psalms 95:7-9). .

Let us with Abraham let go of our comfort zone and walk in the new dimensions of faith He leads to. Who knows, it may take us to the Promised Land!

Matthew 5:21-22

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.

Paul, Yeshua’s apostle teaches us that the reward of sin is death (Romans 3:23). Furthermore John, another apostle teaches that sin is the breaking of the Commandment (1 John 3:4). Yeshua Himself was against even the relaxing of the commandments (Matthew 5:19), and challenged us to be even more righteous than His very conservative brothers (Matthew 5:20), but how that possible?

Because the breaking of the Torah was so dangerous, the teachers of Israel decided to make fences around Its Commandments. The idea was to proclaim the interdict in a way that it made it impossible to break it. It’s like having an important meeting start at six thirty, but being aware of people’s procrastinating nature, you declare it at six o’clock. There is nothing wrong with that. It’s called wisdom. We do it all the time especially with children like “don’t go in the kitchen” when what we don’t want them to do is touch the knives..

After their return of Babylon, the sages of Israel finally understood that they had gone to exile because of their breaking of the commandments. They realized that it wasn’t very fun to go to exile, so they adopted a principle to make ‘fences’ around the commandments in order to make it more difficult to break them. We must remember that the responsibility of the elders of the Hebrew nation was very great. People did not have Scripture scrolls around their homes in these days. The teachers were the means by which people could even know what the commandment is.

God allowed Cain the first murderer to live. Because of that, when Lamech (Cain’s great-grand-son) also committed murder he thought that he should get away with it (Genesis 4:23-24). Eventually at the time of the flood the Father made it a universal law that murder warranted the death penalty (Genesis 9:6). The idea was that to kill a man was to kill something made in the image of the almighty. It’s like killing your son: you will want revenge for his shed blood. Through Moses, the Father reiterated His position about murder (Numbers 35:30-31) and finally Yeshua taught us that the ‘fence’ against the sin of murder was to stop it at anger (Matthew 5:21-22).

When we kill unlawfully, we actually commit murder against ourselves. If the law doesn’t catch us, the true Avenger of blood does. God is a God of justice and mercy: justice for the offender and mercy for the offended.

I told my students one time: how would you feel if you lived in a world where you never had to worry about people lying, killing, stealing, hating and all the likes? They said, “It would be like Heaven!”, to which I responded, “we can have it, by just deciding to obey the Ten Statements written on stone by the finger of God Himself at Mt Sinai. By the way; why don’t we?

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

I n Hebrew the word for ‘baptism’ is: mikvah. The etymological meaning of ‘Mikvah’ is: gathering, as in the gathering of waters.

In the days of Noah, The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart (Genesis 6:5-6).

Our sorry Father could have also opted to destroy the earth, but somehow, He opted instead to try to fix it. I lived ten years in S.E. Asia. Upon my arrival in the U.S.A., I was sharing with a friend about the miserable state of many places in India. My friend reacted by saying, ‘They just need to blow it up and start again!’ The Father could have done the same thing with the world, to ‘blow it up and start again,’ but no; somehow He wanted to give us a chance. He instead opted to try to fix us, and this fixing took the form of a planet-wide mikvah, or ‘baptism’.

The idea of being born-again is vividly portrayed in our Scriptures. .The first one is of course that of the flood. The narrative of the sixth chapter of the Book of Genesis tells us that the earth had become polluted by angels who renounced their heavenly station in order to settle down on earth with women. In the process they taught mankind a knowledge they were not supposed to have and thus the earth became polluted with violence and wickedness. The Father then proceeded to gather all the waters of the planet and clean humanity. In the process of this worldwide ‘bath’, God rid the earth of the bad elements and through Noah and his family gave a chance for humanity to continue.

Later, God wanted to separate for Himself a people through whom He would redeem the world. He brought them out of Egypt all the way to the Eastern arm of the Red Sea. He needed them to go through a ‘mikvah/baptism (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). As they did, they shed behind them their Egyptian culture to re-emerge on the other side a new people, a new nation, a new culture: God’s people and nation. Before entering the Promised Land, the Red Sea scenario was repeated, through the Jordan River this time. This place of the Jordan River became the place where later John the Immerser would mikvah people unto repentance. People would have to cross the Jordan out of the Land to meet John, mikvah, and re-enter the Land as born-again creatures.

Friends; the message is clear. Unless we have shed behind ourselves the evil spirits that push us to evil, the ‘Egyptian’ culture that keeps us in idolatry and the doubtful disobedient behavior that keeps us in the desert, we cannot enter the Promised we cannot call ourselves: born-again. The proof of mikvah, baptism, or of being born-again, is the evidence of a new creature ruled by the Torah of God.

Luke 1:38

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

Whenever we want to describe a certain principle or event in a very quick manner, we often use a famous expression like: Life is like a box of chocolates …. Because the hearer is familiar with the origins of that line, he understands exactly what we mean. This principle is fundamental to understanding the intent in the statement of Bible characters. A careful attention to Biblical terminologies reveals the intense connections between the Hebrew and the Apostolic Scriptures.

In our passage in Luke, Mary proclaims that she is ‘the servant of the Lord’. Was she using a terminology revealing a deeper dimension in her words? Ruth was another young girl who used the servant terminology at a very opportune time. When she came to Boaz on the threshing floor she said to him, "I am Ruth, your servant (Ruth 3:9). What is the connection between Ruth and Miriam, the mother of Yeshua?

Ruth and Miriam were both maiden. In his recollection of events, Matthew uses a prophecy originally uttered by Isaiah (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). The original Hebrew text of the Isaiah prophecy actually uses the Hebrew word for maiden or young woman, not virgin. The prophecy still applies to Miriam as Matthew used it but we are left to wonder if our English translator didn’t push the concept a bit too much to make a point. In an Hebraic reading though, Isaiah was referring to a young woman, not a virgin.

Jewish literature and teachings, which are what Miriam would have been familiar with, proclaim that Ruth was ‘barren’ and having miraculously conceived. The sages use the text, “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her and the Lord gave her conception (Ruth 4:13) to show that she had no womb but God miraculously gave her one. The idea is that since Ruth was a gentile, she was barren as far as bearing seed for Israel, but God gave her a womb through her marriage with Boaz. This becomes all the more interesting when we realize that through these events, Ruth became related to Yeshua. The story of Ruth also contains a Messianic interpretation where Boaz foreshadows Yeshua, the Messianic redeemer who would someday redeem the land and people of Israel from dispersion, as well as bring in gentiles into Covenant life.

Miriam therefore saw herself like Ruth for whom a conception miracle had been performed, whom also became part of a great inheritance for both Israel and the gentiles. This certainly came true in the birth of Yeshua.

May we learn when our name is called by the Almighty for great and greater things, to do like these two great women of faith Ruth and Miriam and say, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word."

Luke 1:18

"How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

For centuries Israel understood through Toratic Scriptures that a Redeemer would someday come and rule supreme on the earth, governing the world by God’s Word. This coming Savior was the only hope of final lasting independence for the tiny Jewish nation. O how many have come that were thought to be the One; so many that it procured cynicism on the part of the people of Israel.

As he was serving his course at the Temple (Luke 1:5), Zechariah had an encounter with an angel. Angels did not necessarily appear as a flying entity or as an ethereal light. In the case of Abraham and Lot they appeared as people who could be hosted for a meal. No one but the serving priest was supposed to be in the Holy, the first room of the Tabernacle, so it was quite a surprise to Zechariah not only to have company there, but also to hear an oracle telling him that both he and his wife would conceive in their old age. He also received instructions concerning the coming child. Luke’s narrative tells us that Zechariah doubts the angel who therefore punishes him with muteness.

Throughout the whole Biblical narratives, God has always made a point to draw attention to certain individuals by making their birth the result of barrenness. Such was the case for many patriarchs, judges and prophets. First temple Judaism even considered that the Messiah would come from a young maiden who had not yet been with a man. Because of Torah though, Jews were trained to try the spirits demanding a sign to confirm prophecy even from angels. To ask for a sign was not a bad thing, it was the norm in testing prophecy (Deuteronomy 13), and I think we may do well to do a bit more of that today!. God Himself provided signs to help prove His points to people. The fact that Zechariah was not punished for asking for a sign, but for incredulity, and Gabriel being the angel of judgment didn’t seem to appreciate that. This attitude of incredulity was even pointed out by Yeshua later (Matthew 12:29). Notice the Yeshua did give the people a sign, the sign, which was the story of Jonah, a foreshadow of Yeshua’s death and resurrection.

Even today, as His return seems to be lingering, it is easy for us to become incredulous. Yeshua gave us signs where with to identify His return (Matthew 24), the biggest one of course being the restoration of the State of Israel. As we see them fulfilled today, let us not be incredulous, but we should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." … But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (1 Peter 3:2-9); and we are thankful for His patience in waiting for us!

John 1:4-5,9

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

The first creation mentioned in the Book of Genesis is the primeval light. The Hebrew gives two different words for ‘light’ in the Book of Genesis, ‘or’ in verse three referring to the primeval Light of the beginning of creation, and ‘mah’or’ referring to the two lights in the firmament in verse fourteen.

The primeval light was the beginning of God’s creation. Without it nothing was created that was created. The word ‘beginning’ in Hebrew comes from the word ‘rosh’, or ‘head’. In Hebraic understanding, the beginning is the head like the engine is the head of a train. It leads the rest and without it no one goes anywhere. It works also with the idea of the head of a snake that pulls the rest of his body. Yeshua introduced Himself to the Laodicean congregation as the ‘beginning of God’s creation’ Revelations 3:14), the ‘head’ without which nothing else moves.

John’s introduction of Yeshua mirrors the Genesis’ account of creation. Whereas the ‘Word’ referred to by the Aramaic ‘Memrah’ in Jewish literature, existed with the Almighty as His Executive Agent, It revealed itself at the beginning, or the ‘head’ of creation as the Light, the Light by which everything else would be done. How fitting this is with the account of John who from His studies under the sages of Israel had understood what they said by the Talmudic statement, “God said ‘let there be Light,’ to reveal that God will ultimately illuminate Israel with the Light of Messiah”.

This was John’s hinted message embedded in the format of his introduction. He was mirroring the text of the first chapter of Genesis. John wanted to reveal that Yeshua was the incarnation of that Messianic primeval Light. God revealed the Light in the very beginning of creation; He revealed a light provoked phenomenon at another beginning through Noah’s rainbow, and finally revealed It as a human 2,000 years ago fulfilling the promise made in Mt. Sinai that God will come live among His people (Exodus 25:8).

As we try to do things in our own effort, as we attempt to lift ourselves up by our own boot straps by trying to change our environment, may we learn to realize that nothing is done without the Light of Messiah; He is the ‘Beginning’, the ‘Head’ without which nothing else is done; by Him and by Him only can anything be done. He pulls and as we yield to His command we let ourselves be pulled. May we learn to be fully satisfied simply basking in the Light of His greatness and beauty, solely obeying His commands. Who knows if we do, it may actually change the world to the better!

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Here is John’s prelude to his accounts of the life of Yeshua. He starts the chronicle not with ‘Once upon a time … ‘, but rather in the same manner and wording as the chronicles of creation with the words: ‘In the beginning … ‘. The Genesis account tells us of creation in the following terms: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2).

The consistency of the imagery is perfect. In the beginning, when the earth was without form, the spirit of God hovered over the face of the earth. About fifteen hundred years later, at the time of another beginning, we see a repetition of this imagery when Noah’s dove hovers upon the face of the water. At first she could find nothing where to rest her feet. The spirit of God always looks for someone, a host to rest upon. Unlike the raven who did not come back, the dove couldn’t just rest and feed on dead corpses. It did not agree with death and corruption. At the opportune time though, she found the olive tree and brought back a torn branch to Noah.

At the time of another beginning when the world was in the confusion of the ‘Pax Romana’ enforced peace, there was another primeval beginning. In John’s latter days, Yeshua introduced Himself to him as the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14), so at the beginning of the ministry of our Master, the Spirit of God also came over Him like a dove as He emerged out of the water (Matthew 3:16); a beautiful fulfillment of Isaiah’s Messianic prophetic words, And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him (Isaiah 11:2).

The Holy Spirit’s dove rested upon He who is called the Branch (Zechariah 6:12), the ‘Torn Branch’ of the olive tree of Israel. Through Him the nations learn to praise the God of Israel as the rest of Isaiah’s oracle says, 'In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. In that day Adonai will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations … (Isaiah 11:10-12).'

John1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Yesterday was the day after the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles. That day is called in Hebrew ‘Simchat Torah’; ‘Simcha’ means: joy, ‘Torah’ means: Teaching/Instruction, capitalized as to refer to: God’s Teaching and Instruction. Translated into English, this day could be called: ‘The Rejoicing of the Teaching’.

Isn’t it strange to give a human virtue to something that is not biologically human? O my friend, come with me and look a little deeper. There is a tradition in Judaism that on the twenty-third day of the month of Tishrei, in synagogues around the world the Torah scrolls are taken out of their cabinets and put in the arms of congregant. On that day, you will see otherwise austere rabbis laugh, and dance holding the Torah scroll in their arms. People will have a great party surrounding the ‘dancing of the Torah’. What is this party and dancing of the Torah all about?

Upon returning to Jerusalem from Babylon, Ezra understood that the country went to exile because of their disobedience to God’s commands. He then felt concerned for people to be more exposed to the Torah so he established a national reading schedule. This schedule took the people of Israel through weekly sections that completed the whole Torah in a year’s time. The twenty-third of Tishrei in the day when this schedule is completed and Torah scrolls are rolled back to their beginnings to start a new cycle in the following week.

On that day, the Torah rejoices that It has been read and studied through for a whole year. The Torah is now looking forward to teach God’s people again for another reading cycle. The Torah wants to dance, laugh, and rejoice but It has no mouth, no legs and no arms, like the old joke says, ‘Why didn’t the ghost go to the dance? (Answer singing the familiar song): ‘I ain’t got no-body …’ The Torah wants to dance, but It has no body.

On Simchat Torah, we take the Torah in our arms and we become the singing and rejoicing mouth, the dancing legs and the waving arms of the Torah. In essence, we become an incarnation of the Torah to allow It to rejoice in us and through us.

This application of rejoicing in the Torah shows that Jewish sages understood the idea of the Torah incarnated in us as Jeremiah taught it (Jeremiah 31:31-40). All the more, it shows that they understood the idea that the Messiah would be a Son of Man (in Hebrew: Son of Adam) who would be the Incarnation of the Torah, of the Commandments of God spoken at Mt Sinai.

Yeshua, the son of Joseph and Miriam was truly the Son of Adam who became the incarnation of the Torah.

Luke 24:50

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.

In all things Yeshua was a ‘prophet’ like Moses. Before ascending the mountain where God would bury him, Moses blessed the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 33:1); he offers a personal blessing for each one of the tribes. In the same manner, before ascending to the Father Yeshua lifted up His hands and blessed His disciples. We do not know what He said but the language of the text gives a clue.

In the Book of Numbers God gives instructions on how His people should be blessed. Aaron and the Levites (Moses was also a Levite) were to lift their two hands up in the air in the form of the Hebrew letter ‘Shin’ to represent one of the Names of God: El Shaddai and they were to say, the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:23-26). In Mishnaic writings, this became known as the Aaronic blessing, but also, the blessing of the ‘lifting of the Hands’. So every time the Bible text mentions that the priests lifted up their hands to bless the people, we know what they did and said. It is therefore very likely that this is also the very blessing wherewith Yeshua blessed His disciples as He lifted up His hands before ascending to His Father.

We are used to mean ‘LORD’ as Yeshua, but in the Hebrew text, the word used is the tetragrammaton signifying the Name of God. Therefore when Yeshua prayed this prayer, He was praying for God to bless and keep us, for God to shine upon us, for God to be gracious unto us, to lift His countenance upon us, and give us peace. This is really the whole reason why Messiah came: to put us back in good standing with the Father through the agency of His righteousness. The Aaronic blessing therefore can only be fulfilled through the agency of Messiah. When we pray it on people we pray that they find Messiah.

As it is now, so it was then. From creation’s days, the Messiah has been the Father’s Executive Agent (John 1:1-3). Even before the days when He came ‘to tabernacle/ to sukkah’ with us (John 1:14) the Messiah was alive, well and active. It is He who appeared to Abram in the Plain of Mamre; He that spoke to Moses on the Mount; He who fought with Jacob; who appeared to many people and did mighty acts even before the time of His sojourn on earth. Forever and always, He has been the radiance of the glory of God and(H) the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3).

As Messiah prays this blessing over us before ascending to His Father just as Moses did unto the Children of Israel before he left them, may we receive the imprint of Messiah; may we be formed and conformed according to His will by the work of His righteousness. May we be yielded clay that we may become like Him.

Luke 2:21

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Yeshua.

We are now drawing to the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The traditional guest to receive in our midst on this day is Messiah. A Messianic tradition holds that this eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles is the day of Yeshua’s circumcision (Luke 2:21).

Ritual circumcision is an outward sign of belonging to God’s people. One of the ideas of circumcision is make an outward sign in our flesh of our belonging to God. We alter our body in order to litterally become a new creature. This is quite an idea. People couldn’t say that they were believers in the God of Heaven in a solely ethereal fashion. They couldn’t just quote a statement of faith. They had to show a sign in their flesh that proved and showed that they were a different person from the rest of the world.

In his letters to the Messianic congregation in Diaspora, Paul told the gentiles that joined themselves to the Jewish Messianic movement that Yeshua was the circumcision that allowed them to enter the covenant of Israel, that they joined God through the circumcision of Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah. Paul did not enforced physical circumcision on these gentiles who turned to the God of Israel through Yeshua, but he did nevertheless expect the proof of their commitment through an outward change of lifestyle. They could not get away by just quoting an ethereal creed as a proof of their faith. It had to show in the fact that they drew away from their idolatrous lifestyles. In first century ethics, to turn away from idols unto the God of Israel was as dangerous as today a Muslim becoming a Christian. Paul made no mention of these things to Jewish believers on Messiah. He didn’t need to as there was no issue to address since Jews already circumcised their children on the eighth day.

Jewish traditional circumcisions are usually followed by festivities among relatives and friends. When after her purification Miriam came to present her first-born to God in the Temple, an old man called Simeon, took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:28-32). On this day therefore of Yeshua’s circumcision, on this day that His flesh enters the Covenant of Israel as a Jew, it is not incumbent for just Jews to rejoice, but on the whole world as Simeon said that He will be a light for revelation to the gentiles. Yeshua is the Jew mentioned by the prophet Zechariah of whom the nation grab the side fringes because they heard that God was with Him (Zechariah 8:23).

Hear O nations this lone baby cry in the Temple. Hear O nations the groaning of He who brings all people into Covenant with the Almighty. From the very beginning of His life the cut in His body, the drawing of His blood, these signs in His flesh are His invitation at the table of the Almighty. Will you come to Him? Will you change your lives and your habits so you can be found sitting at the table of the God of Israel? Will you follow Him, live like Him, and be found worthy of the high calling whereby He has called you?

Revelations 5:5

“And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."

King David is our penultimate guest for this season of Tabernacles. The ruddy looking David became the standard by which all ensuing Judean king would be measured.

King David finished the job started by Joshua. He is the one who finally completed the conquest of the Land, subjugated Israel’s neighbors, brought Jerusalem under Jewish control and got rid of idolatry. These were his greatest accomplishments along with planning and financing the building of the Temple, and organizing its priesthood and liturgy.

A careful study of David’s life teaches us about Messiah. As Yeshua, David was despised by his older brothers; when Samuel visited Father Jesse in search for a King, David was even passed up. His brothers shamed him for his indignation about Goliath’s challenged until the young shepherd boy showed them that the spirit of Hashem was with him. After he killed Israel’s main enemy, David had to flee the country, even spend time living with the gentile Philistines until such a day when he made a triumphal entry in Jerusalem. He also orchestrated the bringing of the Ark to Jerusalem. All this speaks to us about Messiah who after slaying the devil fled the scene and even until today lives in exile alongside with His people even though they ignore Him. One day He will make a triumphal entry in Jerusalem where he will rebuild the temple. The ensuing period will be one resembling the Solomonic era. Israel will live in peace and prosperity and all the nations of the earth will come to bring it their glory as well as to hear the Words of God. The prophet Zachariah tells us that at that time, all the nations will be required to come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, and that under the threat of impending drought (Zechariah 14:16-19)!

David has been accused of having been a lenient father, that he didn’t discipline his sons and therefore brought trouble to Israel. It could be so, but one must not forget that when he started making a family, the prophet Nathan gave David a prophecy. This prophecy stated that David’s son would build the Temple and become the Messiah. How did he know which son? To kill one of his sons could have been disastrous and thwarted God’s plan. David felt responsible for his family, for the Jerusalem that God had given him, but also for the glorious future of the Jewish nation and its Messianic role of teaching about the one true God to the world.

Solomon may have built a temporary temple, but Yeshua, David’s Messianic son is now building the final Messianic Temple. He is doing it the same way He did it before. First He gathers His congregation out of Egypt, brings to His Place, then builds the Temple. For over 2,000 years now Messiah has been gathering a congregation of Jews and gentiles to eventually bring them unto His Place: Jerusalem, and at the end of this Messianic era, He will rebuild the Jerusalem Temple which will then truly become a House of Prayer for the whole world. May come speedily even in our days!

Hebrews 5:4

And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

Aaron and Moses may have been brothers but they each had a very different childhood. Aaron was raised by father Amram and mother Jochebed, who was also Amram’s aunt (Exodus 6:20). Aaron escaped Pharaoh’s edict by little and learned to live as a slave making bricks in the hot sun for Pharaoh’s building projects. Moses was raised in the cool shade of Pharaoh’s palace; he was educated, and became an army officer and a skillful international diplomat.

Through the story of Moses’ and Aaron we are given the definition of a prophet. Moses felt inadequate to speak to the people of God, so Hashem said of Moses’ brother, He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him (Exodus 4:16). Aaron’s job was to be Moses’ mouth not only to Hashem’s children, but also to the incredulous world of his day, And the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet (Exodus 7:1). According to these statements, the definition of a prophet: is someone who has the ability to effectively communicate God’s messages to a desired audience.

Later Aaron was given another function to execute for the people of Hashem. He became High-Priest. As a High-Priest, he continued his function as Moses’ mouth-piece and executive, but people came to him to find the will of God, which Aaron communicated through the use of the Urim and Thummim. These were the stones on Aaron’s breastplate by which he judged Israel, And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly (Exodus 28:30). When Aaron was speaking by the Spirit the right one lit. For the Hebrews, prophecy was a very pragmatic matter. The Children of Israel didn’t always obey the Word they heard, but there was very little doubt as to who said it.

As a High-Priest, Aaron led the priest-hood. The priesthood dealt with the sins of Israel. Though punishments and restitutions were to be executed as a result of sinful acts, offerings also had to be brought to the Temple for the restitution of fellowship with Adonai which was broken because of sin. The sinful person killed the animal, not the priest. The priest only brought the blood to the altar. Once a year also, Aaron the High-Priest brought an offering for the whole nation on Israel in the Holy of Holies. In a certain sense, the function of the priesthood served to remind us of our sinful state; it convicted of sin. In talmudic wrtings, Aaron is also known the peacemaker (Psalms 133).

Aaron’s role was therefore that of a communication medium between us and Hashem, one that also reminded us of our sin. How like the Ruach-HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit Aaron was!

Hebrews 11:24-25

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Oh for the wonders of Hashem’s Words of Torah inscribed in Heaven from before the foundations of the earth! See how, as in an unbreakable code, Hashem wrote the plan of redemption in the very lives of our fathers. What an illustration of the Torah incarnate! Jacob told us of Israel, Joseph of the first coming of Messiah. Hear now, the story continues in the life of Moses.

At Moses’ birth, an Egyptian Wiseman warned Pharaoh that a male child was born to the Hebrews, one who would deliver them from Egyptian slavery. Pharaoh responded to the threat by ruling that all male Hebrew newborns should be thrown into the Nile River. Moses found refuge from certain death by hiding in ‘Egypt’, actually in the very heart of it: in Pharaoh’s palace. As a young man, Moses tried to deliver his people, but his leadership was not recognized by the then elders of Israel. He fled, disappeared from the scene for forty years, to eventually come back in power and glory to not only save his people, but also to answer Pharaoh’s question: "Who is Adonai, that I should obey his voice (Exodus 5:2)”.

Can you see? Can you see that Yeshua who was born under the menacing deadly threats of unbelievers, He who had to flee to preserve His very survival, who seemingly failed in rescuing His people, that very Yeshua will return to succeed this time, and also to give a mighty powerful answer to the incredulous world who asks: "Who is Adonai, that I should obey his voice (Exodus 5:2)”.
In the Book of Revelations John, the beloved disciple gives us a vivid description of this time of the ‘Return of the Master.’ He describes plagues and destructions similar to the ones inflicted upon Egypt 3,400 years ago. He speaks of rapture of God’s children unto the Presence of Hashem, and of their eventual arrival in Land of Promise.

"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation” (Acts 13:26):let there be no mistake: the Word written in Heaven and in the life of the patriarchs of our faith, the Word that was indelible concerning the past, is indelible also concerning the present and … the future!

Genesis 45:4

And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.”

Just as the life of Jacob merges with the destiny of Israel, the life of Joseph, Jacob’s son, merges with that of Yeshua.

Joseph was born of a barren womb and His brothers rejected his God-appointed leadership over them. At the time appointed, because of jealousy they threw him in a pit where according to Jewish literature Joseph stayed three days and three nights. Later, They sold him for the price of a slave and brought the blood of a goat to his father as a substitute to his own. Joseph then spent time in a prison where he became steward, to eventually rule over the entire gentile world.

Doesn’t that tell us of the story of Yeshua who: was born of a barren womb, whose God-appointed leadership was rejected by his brothers because of jealousy;; who spent three days and three nights in a pit; was sold for the price of a slave, spent time in the prison ministering to the disobedient spirits and who later became the ruler over most the gentile world?

Since the life story of Joseph tell us of the beginning of Yeshua’s life, could the end of it reveal to us the future? Wise King Solomon did say, What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

We must not fail to mention that not all of Joseph’s brothers were against him. Benjamin was still at Jacob’s side and was not part of the plot against his brother. Benjamin loved and believed in his big brother Joseph!

When Egypt faced a famine so dire that it threatened the very life of the empire, God raised Joseph to save Egypt. Egyptians looked to Joseph as he who saved then from famine. Canaan also suffered so Joseph’s brothers came to buy grain from the Egyptian Viceroy, who of course was Joseph. The brothers didn’t recognize their brothers. Joseph looked, acted and spoke like an Egyptian. Joseph recognized his brothers and proceeded to test tehm to see if their heart was changed. He tested them by creating a situation where Benjamin would be enslaved. At that moment, Judah offered his own self as ransom for the life of Benjamin which showed Joseph the change of heart. Whereas before, they gave their brother to save their lives, now they were ready to give their lives to save their brother. This is the time when Joseph revealed himself to them and said:”I am your brother: Joseph!”

What does this tell us? Who is Benjamin today? Would he be the Jew who did not reject and sale Yeshua? Will then there be a time in the soon future when God will test ‘Judah’ with ‘Benjamin’? In present-day Israel the conflict between Orthodox and Messianic Jews is fierce. It is a 2,000 year old conflict. Will Judah pass the test so that eventually, Yeshua reveals Himself to them and say: “I am your brother: Yeshua!” The Hebrew Scriptures say he does. May it come quickly, even in our day!

Genesis 32:28

"Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."

Jacob has been honored in so many ways. The name given to him became the very name by which God would later be identified: the God of Israel.

As his latter name indicates, the life of Jacob merges with the destiny of the country of Israel. His very birth springs out of potential annihilation and all throughout his lifetime, he has to contend to inherit and keep what God has rightfully given him. Later on, under the threats of his brother Esau, Jacob leaves his birth place of Canaan for Babylon, where he is employed by his uncle to watch his flocks. He marries the two daughters of the uncle and secretly leaves twenty-one years later to return to Canaan. As Jacob arrives, he is met by an angelic host before hearing of his brother who stills seeks his life. It is then that a mysterious powerful ‘messenger’ meets Jacob, changes his name and thereby his heart (Genesis 32).

How is it possible not to see the birth of the nation of Israel in Jacob’s life’s story: sprung out of Egyptian slavery and persecution; pursued by Pharaoh; fought by the Amalekites and throughout their history struggled to preserve their independence and autonomy, only be found expelled from their country for not twenty-one years, but so far, twenty-one centuries. Now Israel is returning to its land where Esau meets and wants to kill him. This battle will end in a bloody war with all the countries in the world gathered against Israel (Zechariah 12). At that time the Messiah, God’s Messianic Messenger will return and …

The rest of Jacob’s story tells us the end from the beginning. Jacob’s Messianic Messenger fights against him and Jacob prevails. Jacob does not let Him go; he hangs on to Messiah at any cost until he gets the blessing causing him a deep wound in his thigh. When Jacob now Israel meets Esau, they make up and Israel enters Canaan, the land of his future, the land promised to his grand-father Abraham.

In the distance, we can already hear the Messenger, the galloping hooves of his horse. He comes in greatness and strength from Bozrah in a garment dipped in blood (Isaiah 63:1). He will fight, wound and bless Israel, change his heart as that of his brother, and carry him to his country with an angelic welcoming committee.

That my friend, is Messiah’s roadmap to peace in the Middle-East. May it come soon, even in our days!

Hebrews 11:19

He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Of all the patriarchs Isaac may be the most mysterious. It is a miracle that he even lived at all. He was born out of time from a sterile womb; his life was challenged by his step mother, by his step brother; and if that was not enough, God asked for his life. The big question though is: what happened to him after Mt. Moriah?

When he goes to Mt. Moriah, the text constantly reminds us of Isaac’s presence alongside Abraham. Abraham even mentions to the servants waiting at the foot of the mountain, that he and the lad will return to them. But after the offering scene, all we are told is that Abraham returned to the servant and went to live in Beersheba (Genesis 22:19). But what happened to Isaac? We do not hear of him until Abraham decides to marry his son off over twenty years later (Genesis 24:3; 25:20), and then when Rebecca falls off her camel when she sees him (Genesis 24:64: I know that some Bibles write that she ‘dismounted’ her camel, but the Hebrew says ‘fall’).

Many Jewish sages have pondered the question and came up with various answers and parables about it. Here is what I find to be the most amazing ones. The hope of every Jewish father is for his son to become a Torah scholar, so a jewsih scholar supposed that Abraham may have sent Isaac to learn at the feet of Melchizedec, or even went to Heaven to learn at the feet of Messiah. Of all of them, I like the one about Isaac going to learn at the feet of Messiah in Heaven. The parable tells us that at the offering scene, Isaac did die but revived right away and went to Heaven to learn Torah. He would only return later to marry the bride brought to him from Babylon, by Eliezer (the name means: my God is my help), Abraham’s servant.

In Jewish literature, Isaac is often represented as a foreshadow of Messiah. We see it each year in the Passover Afikomen. Paul must have known about the parable of this old rabbi because he said: He (Abraham) considered that God was able even to raise him (Isaac) from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:19). The Greek text from which this verse is taken doesn’t say ‘figuratively speaking’ but, ‘as in a parable’. Abraham must have had mixed feelings; he knew his son was a ‘goner’, but he still told the people at the foot of the mountain that he would return with him.

What sounds amazing to me is that as a foreshadow of Messiah, the picture in this parable fits perfectly. Hasn’t Messiah died on the wood, resurrected right away, disappeared from the scene as He went to the Father, and he will return solely to marry His Bride brought to Him from Babylon (this world) by the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit/ God’s Helper)?

Wasn’t the old rabbi who figured that out from the question: ‘What happened to Isaac?’ on to something?

Hebrews 13:2

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

There is a tradition of hospitality for the Feast of Tabernacles. The idea is to entertain a distinguished guest each night of the Festival. These guests include in order: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses Aaron, King David and Messiah. Of course, the patriarchs do not actually physically come in the sukkah, but their presence is invited through reading, talking and learning about them.

Hospitality was a fundamental virtue to workings of M.E. society in the days of the patriarch Abraham. When a guest was in your house, he was under your wings and protection. If an enemy came to hurt him, you were to use all your resources to protect your visitor; no matter what the cost, your company could find total sanctuary in your house.. A very good example of that is found in the story of Lot even offering his daughters to the sodomites in order to protect his angelic guests.

In traditional writings, Abraham is the standard for hospitality. To be invited to the table and tent of Abraham was a great honor. He would treat you to the best of his flock as if you were a dignitary. Tradition describes that the patriarch would send his servant Eliezer to the highways and byways (and we are talking great distances in the desert) to compel people to honor him by finding restoration and rest in his tent. Again, in M.E. tradition, guests didn’t just stay for a cup of coffee and cookies to quickly be on their way. They got their feet washed, maybe stayed several days at the host’s expense while they, their host and their animals were tended to. Aside from Melchizedek, Abraham seemed to have been one of the rare persons acquainted with the God who made Heaven and earth. This act of hospitality from Abraham was his outreach program in the midst of an idolatrous world. He would invite people and treat them like God would. Abraham wanted to show people God’s favor!

Come to think of it, as we invite Abraham to our sukkah for this first day of tabernacles, we also have all been invited to his table. The tent of Abraham represents God’s favor and an invitation to come to the Messiah, his descendant. Abraham was God’s representative and prophet, and through him, all the families of the earth are blessed (Genesis 28:14). The whole world is blessed as they come to the table of Abraham to have a taste of the World to Come, of the marvelous things God has prepared for those who put their trust in Him through His Messiah. That is why in the synagogues of Paul’s day, those of the gentiles who joined themselves to the God Israel were called ‘those of the family of Abraham’ (Acts 13:26).

May those that meet us on our daily path, may those who get to know us as the Children and representatives of the Almighty Creator of Heaven and earth also find in us, and through us, the bounty, beauty, and restoration Messiah would give them. May all those who come in touch with us get a taste, however small, of the World to Come, of what God has prepared for them. Like with Abraham, may this be our witness in this sad world of darkness.

Revelations 20:5

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.

This is the first resurrection.

Following the logical flow of the text, since those who first resurrect are those who refused to receive the mark of the beast, those ‘did not come to life’ are those who received it. Much is speculated about this mark. We may not at present be sure of its form, but we know its function. In biblical terms the head, especially the forehead represents the will; the hands represent the actions birthed by the will. That is why Jews put these little prayer boxes with a Scripture scroll inside of them when they pray: to remind them of what should be the focus and direction of both their thoughts and their actions. The devil will also try to control our thoughts and actions by attempting to place his mark on our foreheads and hands, and in the sight of God, that is death.

We are used to think of death as a permanent state. But in this verse the dead await resurrection in order to go to their reward, good or bad. We are obviously then talking here about more than biological death, something different than the mere corruption of the body. There are people who are alive and yet who are more dead than the dead; while there are those who are dead, but who are more alive than those still in the body (Matthew 22:32)!

What is then a life that is more substantial than this present state? And what is a death more empty and void than the mere corruption of the body? King David put it in these wonderful words:’ I shall dwell in the house of Adonai forever’ (Psalms 23: 6). In other words, presence with God is life more alive than this life, but absence from God is more mortal than mere body corruption.

As long as we are alive, the candle, however small at times, of the life of God lives in us. Its light is manifest in our hearts via the twinges of our conscience. To others, it is manifest in either strength or weakness according to our obedience of Messiah’s commandments. When we die, that candle is extinguished, but then, until the time of resurrection to judgment, we come to either more than life, what Yeshua called: the bosom of Abraham, or to less than death: the she’ol.

We must take this life more seriously. The good, the bad and the ugly of this life do follow us in the World to Come. We may then shed many tears of regret; Messiah will surely wipe them, but that doesn’t mean that we will not still have to learn the substance of the lesson from the disobedience that caused these tears.

If we are truly sealed with the mark of the Messiah, let us make sure that in each day of this life, both our will and hands are synchronized with those of our Master. Then and only then will the prayer: ‘Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!’ be answered!

Revelations 20:4-6

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

About this time of future restoration and reorganization of the world, Paul, our Master’s apostle also specified, Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life (1 Corinthians 6:3)!

We are not given too many details about this judging of angels (and the secret things belong to God said Moses); we are simply told in that and other passages that at the time when Messiah will physically reign on earth the faithful will share in His exaltation and judging of the universe which therefore implies judging angels. The idea of mankind judging angels birthed from the Book of Enoch, which was a very widespread Jewish writing from the 1st century C.E., a book the early believers seem to have been familiar with.

What we are told though, (and the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever Moses also said (Deuteronomy 29:29)), is that if we are to judge angels in the future, we should today be able to judge earthly disputes between ourselves. In essence, our training for judging angels tomorrow starts today with learning to maturely take care of our own issues between oursleves.

The problem is that today, as with many other things, we are not encouraged to manage our issues and disagreements by ourselves. We go to the police, we get a lawyer, or worst, a psychologist! As far as I can understand from his epistles, to Paul the fact that those who called themselves by the name of Yeshua could not manage their own problems themselves was a disgrace and a bad testimony of Messiah’s congregation in front of the non-believers. He said that it would be more valuable to be defrauded that to be such a poor testimony in front of others (1 Corinthians 6:7).

It is high time that we take control of our lives; that we take responsibility of our affairs. We, as Messianic congregations, must organize ourselves into a coherent movement that is self sufficient in every way including self-legislated just as the Hebrew nation was taught to be by Moses in ancient times. Then and only then, we will ever be able to fulfill our destiny of entering the Promised Land of His divine will, and be an example to all nations of life under the rulership of Messiah.

Revelations 20:1-3

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

I heard it said once, ‘When you kick sin out, don’t leave a forwarding address!’

At the time of His coming, Yeshua, the Messiah-King will rule on earth. The Adversary will be under control and therefore, the evil inclination that causes us so much trouble will be greatly diminished. Living by God’s commandments and avoiding sin will be easier then. But at the end of these 1,000 years of relief from the Adversary’s work, Satan will be released. At that time, he will again be allowed to tempt us as he is today.

We must ask ourselves, The Messiah may rule the earth then, but does He rule my heart now? Is He my King today? During the High Holidays, we go through deep introspection, we confess our sins and we deny ourselves on the Day of Atonement. But what happens after that? Is it life as usual? He may have done the atoning work, he may ‘cover’ for our ‘credit card’ debt to the Father, but there is a chilly warning for going back into the works of darkness after Messiah did the hard work of cleaning us up. The writer of the book of Hebrew puts it in these following words, For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries (Hebrews 10:26-27).

As we prepare for the next Festival on our calendar we are told to look back at the time of our sojourn in the desert, at the time when we lived in sukkhas, in temporary flimsy shelters totally vulnerable and dependent on the Father’s mercy. This Festival should also speak to us about our temporal situation on this earth, looking forward to the time when we will enter what John called New Jerusalem, the Tabernacle of God with men. (Revelations 21-22). In that place nothing shall hurt nor destroy; sin death and corruption will not be allowed.

In preparation for that day, we need to learn today to stay away from sin. Like Joseph of old, flee temptation when it comes, even leaving our coat behind when temptation tries to hold onto us. That is our work to do and the idea behind the apostles words to, ‘work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).’

May it be good in Your eyes!

Should believers in Yeshua fast on Yom Kippur by Patrick Gabriel Lumbroso in Beith Hallel

YOM KIPPUR 2010, with Patrick Gabriel Lumbroso from Messianic House of Praise on Vimeo.

Matthew 25:1-7

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

Behold the night is far advanced. It has been a long wait and drowsiness has taken hold of the congregations. The Master is getting ready to come with the Bride, and the ten virgins, friends of the bride are expected to stay awake with the bride to serve and help her. But just like the disciples on the Mt of Olives, their eyes are heavy (Matthew 26:43). Will we watch one hour with Him? Will we stand guard, watch and pray?

On the eve of the manifestation of His Messianic nature Yeshua asked his disciples to watch with him, to stand guard in prayer denying themselves of the sleep they so needed. Even today, as we await His manifestation in the world, as we await for the time of the wedding ceremony we are to watch, pray and stand guard. Are our eyes heavy? Can we deny ourselves waiting even though we do not know at which hour he is coming?

A sudden cry pierces the night, ‘The bridegroom is coming, the Bridegroom is coming!’. See him majestically riding on a white horse. He is coming for the Bride and the friends of the bride rise from their drowsiness to fix their lamps. They make sure that it burns clear bright and without smoke: they must trim their wicks. Even so, there comes the time (and even we hear the sound in the horizons); there will be a shout in the heavens, ‘The Bridegroom is coming, the Bridegroom is coming!”. Let us rise from sleep. Let us shake our drowsiness. Awake, awake Isaiah says (Isaiah 52:1,9).

It is time now for us to rise from our sleepiness and appear before the king of the universe. He comes to take the bride and to bring His people to the greatest party ever thrown. He has sent his servants to cry in the streets, in the highways and byways compelling people to come in. He has sent white robes to each one to wear at the feast.

Let us now be ready, trim our wick so the light of our love through our keeping of His commandments shine bright and unequivocally, distinctly and without smoke. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Matthew 24:48-51

But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Those of us who acknowledge Yeshua as our Master and Rabbi have been given both assignments and responsibilities over His heritage. We are expected to behave as shepherds and responsible leaders over His flock. He left us in charge while He is gone on a journey, but at the time appointed our Master will return. At that time we will sit down with Him for an audit. He will look at what He left us with and require the increase. If there is no increase He will examine the situation and demand an explanation. This is the time when the priorities of our lives will be examined and evaluated.

We all mean to do good and I doubt if any person reading this actually beats his fellow servants or drinks with the drunkards. On the other hand, we can all admit to neglecting our responsibilities by just being selfish, self-motivated, negligent, and over-concerned with our personal pleasure, entertainment and comfort.

As we prepare for rehearsing the Day of the Lord through the Festival of Yom Kippur, we may need to do a little self-auditing. There are several questions we can ask ourselves that can help put us back in perspective: What does Yeshua expect of me? Have I been fulfilling His will and wishes for my life? If not, why? Where am I in my relationship with His family, my brothers and sisters? Are there any sour relationships that I need to sweeten? Would I want Him to ask me the question: ‘why is your relationship with so and so in such a state of negativity?’ Are there people I am responsible for in ether my social or biological entourage, people I am expected to look after? Am I fulfilling my responsibilities with them? If not, why?

James the apostle exhorts us in this way: ‘For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.’ James’ mirror is the Scriptures that project for us the perfect standard expected of us. It is a bit like the evil witch’s mirror in the fairy tale Snow White. We are meant to look in it and compare our lives with the beauty of His Words. The idea is for It to point out our blemishes so we can fix them through repentance and prayer. Sad to say though, like in the story, some of us use it to retaliate against anything that challenges our innate self-righteous spirit. The apostle then continues and says, ‘But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:23-25).

Amen!

Matthew 24:45-47

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.”

Since the days of John the Immerser we have been told, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ “At hand’, means easily reachable. Isn’t it strange that more than 2,000 years have passed and the Kingdom has not been established on the earth yet?

Every generation learns that ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand’. In fact, many generations have been convinced that they were going to see the return of Adon Yeshua in their days, but it did not happen. In a way, it is right that it should be so; if not, how would we feel the necessity to ready ourselves for that Day? And even more important, how would we feel the urgency to teach our children about it? If we did not in every generation apprehend the return of Yeshua ‘at hand’, within two generations the whole message would be lost.

Each year during the High Holidays we rehearse this return of our Master; we look forward to His judgment, His vindication, and final take-over of the kingdoms of this world. He will then usher us into 1,000 years of restoration. All wrong will be made right, day will conquer the night. The lost will be restored, injustice rectified. In the glory of His ruling majesty, as Solomon of old, the great King will listen to our pleas, wipe our tears away, vindicate the souls of those persecuted for righteousness’ sake and challenge those who destroy the earth. May it be soon Abba, even in our days!

PRAYER:

May we be ready for that great Day! May we be at that time found doing those which pertain to Your will, not in lip service only, but from the heart living a life that reflects unswerving love and dedication to Your Commandments. May we be found worthy of the title of disciple: one who emulates his Master.

How To: "Soul Accounting" in 5 Steps

Rosh Hashanah is about coming in the presence of the King of the universe for an evaluation of our lives.

We are taught that Yeshua takes our sins upon Himself and it is true. On the other hand, the apostle tells us that we are ‘work out our salvation with fear and trembling’.

I agree that Yeshua takes from us the sins that we know and even the ‘secret faults’ as David called them. Some sins we don’t know because we haven’t grown to know them, but some sins we don’t know because we don’t want to know or we are not even searching.

We should make an effort sometimes to acknowledge our sin to ourselves by seeking deeper into our hearts and being using more aggressive in the matter.

How can we be better people if we don’t know how to fix it, and no it doesn’t just happen by the stroke of the magic wand of the Holy Spirit. We have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Such a soul searching (cheshbon hanefesh), such work takes time, and many a businessman shuts down his operations for a day in order to draw up his yearly report.

What is a good way to appropriately quantify soul-searching?

Mathematics wouldn’t help us. Mathematics deals with dry numbers, whereas an "accounting of the soul," as suggested by its name, deals with matters of the heart and soul.

A Chassidic Rabbi one day gave a relevant parallel to the cheshbon hanefesh: the account and balance sheet every business creates yearly.

Now, any businessman knows that without a balance sheet he has no way of knowing whether his business drew profits or losses. The fact that a store is full of shoppers doesn't say anything; people may come to browse and compare prices, but do not make purchases. Only when the owner draws up a proper balance sheet does he know whether his business is profitable and the year successful.

We, too, can be busy from morning to night, but once a year, we need to take time off to contemplate our most important "business"—that is, our service of our Creator.

Have we progressed towards this goal in the past year? Have we improved our relationship with God? Have we become better people, better Children of God, better examples of Him to others?

Here is a practical guide for conducting a cheshbon hanefesh. It may take some time, there's no need to complete it in one day.

Step One:
Draw two large squares on a paper. Title the first one: "Me and God"; the second: "Me and My Fellows."

Step Two:
In the "Me and God" category, write down the various spiritual commendments you observe, those you are aware of in your heart, those you are responsible to know. Next to each of these, write down whether this is an area in which you incurred a profit or loss in the past year.

Keep in mind that identical balance sheets can indicate a profit for one person and a loss for another. For example, a man who began to keep Shabbat this year who writes, "I kept Shabbat almost every week" has shown a profit; for someone who has done it since the age of 13, it is considered a loss.

Step Three:
In the "Me and My Fellows" section, write down all your notable relationships—e.g., your children, spouse, parents, friends, work buddies, and acquaintances. Here, too, write down next to each one whether you became closer to these people, distanced yourself, or did things you'd have been better off not doing...

Step Four:
The next two steps are the most important ones; without them, all the time invested in this accounting goes down the drain.

Take the "losses" of the year, and turn them into profits. Ask yourself, how can I be a better parent? How can I ensure that I keep Shabbat weekly? How can I improve the atmosphere in my home? How can I devote more time to Torah study? And should I be expanding my ‘business’? Are there other areas that don't even yet exist on my balance sheet that I should explore? A new commandment? A new relationship?

Step Five:
Until now, all the reckoning has been relatively quantifiable, and as such not so difficult. This step takes it to another level altogether.

Now it's time to look beyond all the individual behaviors, and analyze the patterns. Or to put it differently, to look at the inner soul workings that caused all the profits and losses.

• Why are you failing in certain areas?

• What is your perspective on life?

• How important to you are your relationships?

• Do you have a deep-seated commitment to fulfill your spiritual calling in life?

Once you have a better picture of who you are now, and who you'd like to be, then come the High Holidays you are ready to get under the covering and make the necessary changes and commitments.

You can become a different person.

Today's devotion Acts 24:14-16

Acts 24:14-16 (E.S.V).

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Hear these words spoken by Yeshua’s apostle Paul, several years after his encounter with the Master: I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Torah (my edition) and written in the Prophets. In other words, Paul’s defense against the High-Priest’s accusations of sedition and profanation was that he never swayed from practicing Judaism; that he believed and practiced the commandments written in the Pentateuch, as well as the teachings of the prophets, which in Jewish understanding is everything else except the poetry books.

Judaism is not a creed; it is a way of life. It is not something that can be practiced without it showing on the outside. The High-Priest knew it and couldn’t refute Paul’s confession; that is why he had to add accusations of seditions to the package of accusatory evidence against Paul. Ananias knew that the Roman governor couldn’t care less about religious squabbles, but disturbing the peace of the Empire was a very serious offense, especially in Jerusalem.

Paul proclaimed his innocence by insisting that he always took pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. In the mouth of Paul, what did this mean? It means that he kept his conscience clear of offenses in front of God and man simply by his sincere efforts to serve God by obeying his commandments. By bringing these facts to the fore, he hoped to close the mouth of his accusers.

The Accuser is always in front of us, accusing us of evil not to the Roman emperor, but to the King Creator of the universe. It is one thing to be accused of an evil that we have done, and we all have done plenty, but this we can do to close the mouth of the Adversary: we can strive to take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man: before God, by obeying His commandments, and before men by submitting to the ordinances of earthly authority; to strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

There are times when we may feel that man’s command goes against God’s command, but I have observed that it is very often our personal tangential application of both which creates the conflict, which then becomes striving for conflict, not for peace.

Let’s take the stand and today make the resolution to follow in the footsteps of the apostle; to for peace.

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