Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, May 25, 2020
Shalom,
Counting the Omer – Day 44
Here is the proper blessing to be said each day. This is how Jewish people fulfill the command to count.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is six weeks and two days of the counting of the Omer.
Today we begin writing about the longing to make a deep and lasting impact. We all want our lives to count for something. Another way to say this is that we long to leave this world better than we found it. My generation (late 60’s and early 70’s) was known for its quest for reality. Hence, the rise of the Jesus movement (Jesus freaks) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_freak There is no greater reality than a relationship with Yeshua HaMashiach, for He is the reality of all things.
Rabbi Trail: I did not participate in the Jesus movement, although a lot of Jewish people did. I received the Lord near the end of 1982 after being told about the plan for salvation by Messianic Jewish and Christians people who I met through being associated with the Amway business. My story is discoverable at https://syknox.org/our-leaders/. End RT.
We all long to have lives of relevance. Here the Bible calls it “abundant life.” John 10:10b I (Yeshua) have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly! Let’s consider what “abundantly” means. Strongs G4053 offers these usages, “more, greater, excessive, abundant, exceedingly, vehemently.” Here are a few more from other sources, “beyond measure, that which is beyond, distinguished excellence and finally, preeminence.” Which takes us to Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…. 18 He is the head of the body, His community. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead— so that He might come to have first place in all things.
All the longings are imparted to us as we are created in His image and likeness. Our life is forever changed in Yeshua. We are changed through His anointing. 1 John 2:20a But you have an anointing from the Holy One. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. We are no longer slaves (to sin), but free in Messiah Yeshua (Galatians 5:1). Which leads us to… Ephesians 4:23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self—created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
More on this tomorrow…
Week 22
Memory Verse: Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life. Abundance of joys are in Your presence, eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
* 106 5/25 Monday: Jonah 1-2
107 5/26 Tuesday: Jonah 3-4
108 5/27 Wednesday: Hosea 1-3
109 5/28 Thursday: Amos 1:1; 9
110 5/29 Friday: Joel 1-3
Question of the day: Have you ever wanted to flee from the presence of Adonai? Jonah did. Men (and women) have been trying to hide from God since the beginning of history. But one thing that is true is that it is impossible to do the impossible. We cannot hide from God.
I still haven’t written the question of the day. So here goes… What was the last thing Jonah prayed before the fish vomited him onto dry land?
Answer: Jonah 2:10(9)b “Salvation is from Adonai.” Jonah was covered up in the sea and swallowed by a big fish. He was out of options. All he had left was prayer. Funny, that’s our only option too, it’s just likely we haven’t figured it out yet.
Another way to say “Salvation is from Adonai” is “Yeshua is from Adonai.” That works too. And it leads me to something I would like to write before closing today. Many Jewish people have not believed Yeshua is the Messiah because they believe the true Messiah will make Jewish people more Torah observant, and from their perspective Yeshua didn’t do that.
There are many parts to the problem I just presented. The Messiah will turn the hearts of Jewish people toward God and His Torah. That’s the prophesy of Jeremiah 31:32 “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “I will put My Torah within them. Yes, I will write it on their heart. I will be their God and they will be My people. And Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover I will give you a new heart. I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the stony heart from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Ruach within you. Then I will cause you to walk in My laws, so you will keep My rulings and do them. But this IS the message of Yeshua. Many times and many places the message is the same… John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” If people have not quite gotten that right, do we blame the messenger?
Both the message and the messenger are correct. Yeshua is the Messiah! That people sin points out to us the need for grace. Let’s give Paul the last word today. Repeat after me… Philippians 2:9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue profess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord— to the glory of God the Father.