Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, September 26, 2019
(Early) Shabbat Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Rosh Hashana is very misunderstood. The spring Feasts of the Lord memorialize historical events. The fall Feasts of the Lord memorialize future events. We naturally relate to history better than we do to the future. Historical perspective is easier to comprehend than prophetic perspective.
The sounding of the shofar has many purposes. First and foremost, the voice of God is likened throughout Scripture to the sound of the shofar. (Revelation 1:10 and 4:1). Primarily, the shofar announces the coronation of THE KING. The shofar also calls us to battle and thirdly, the shofar sounds an alarm to wake us from sleep.
A friend shared these Scriptures as reminders of the reality of this season…. 1 Thessalonians 4:13Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, so with Him God will also bring those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua. 15 For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air—and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility , and this mortal must put on immortality.
Psalm 98:4 Shout joyfully to Adonai, all the earth. Break forth, sing for joy, and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to Adonai with the harp, with the harp and a voice of melody. 6 With trumpets and sound of the shofar blast a sound before the King, Adonai.
Daniel 7:13 “I was watching in the night visions. Behold, One like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days, and was brought into His presence. 14 Dominion, glory and sovereignty were given to Him that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will never pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.
Week 39
Memory Verse: Jacob 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
191 9/23 Monday: Acts 10-11
192 9/24 Tuesday: Acts 12
193 9/25 Wednesday: Acts 13-14
194 9/26 Thursday: Jacob 1-2
195 9/27 Friday: Jacob 3-5
Question of the day: 3 Chapters today… As I mentioned yesterday (and told you why this is so), the book of James was originally known as Jacob. This book was the least likely to be canonized. Many of those in authority thought the book places too much emphasis on works.
What part of your body can get you in to a lot of trouble in a hurry?
Answer: The Bible speaks of the tongue as a small body part that has abundant power for both good and evil.
Jacob 3:5 So also the tongue is a small member—yet it boasts of great things. See how so small a fire sets a blaze so great a forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of evil placed among our body parts. It pollutes the whole body and sets on fire the course of life—and is set on fire by Gehenna.
The easiest way to get into trouble is to say something. Words have power. God’s spoke the world into existence. Of course, God is so powerful He didn’t have to speak to bring man to life, He only had to breathe.
Genesis 2:7 Then Adonai Elohim formed the man out of the dust from the ground and He breathed into his nostrils a breath of life—so the man became a living being.
In this season of repentance, let’s purpose to avoid speaking ourselves into trouble. There it is… my first new years resolution.