Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, February 1, 2021
Shalom,
After a two week hiatus, Our Song of Songs study will be back this coming Sunday night, February 7th, beginning at our usual time of 4pm. The emphasis of this study is how the Lord develops disciples, aka His beloved.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon 1-Feb-2021 19th of Sh’vat, 5781
Ex 18:13-23 2 Ki 4 Ps 124-125 Jn 7:1-24 (1 Ti 2)
This week our Torah portion is called “Yitro,” which is Jethro’s Hebrew name. Toward the end of this week, we will read the first iteration of the 10 Commandments (the second is in Deuteronomy 5).
But today we have Jethro, who was Moses’ father-in-law offering some fatherly advice. Beginning in Exodus 18:1, Jethro drops in on Moses to see how the Exodus is going. He observes Moses judging the disputes brought to him by the people and offers this advice. Exodus 18:17 But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you’re doing is no good. 18 You will surely wear yourself out, as well as these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone, by yourself.
Moses takes his father-in-law’s advice. (Although this is part of our reading for tomorrow, I’m going to cover it today.) Exodus 18:24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 Moses chose capable men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They judged the people all the time. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
This is a principle which applies in the community of God to this day. We seek out capable men and women to minister in small groups. We refer to a small group – or a home group – by its Hebrew name, Chavurah, meaning a friendship group. My experience is this… The key to successful Chavurot (plural) is well trained Chavurah leaders. Developing successful Chavurot will be our key assignment and the best measure of our success at Shomair in 2021. We must follow the advice of Jethro if we hope to succeed. Stay tuned in for further developments.
Week 6
Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 Instead he chose to suffer mistreatment along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the disgrace of Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt—because he was looking ahead to the reward.
* 26 2/01 Monday: Genesis 48-49
27 2/02 Tuesday: Genesis 50-Exodus 1
28 2/03 Wednesday: Exodus 2-3
29 2/04 Thursday: Exodus 4-5
30 2/05 Friday: Exodus 6-7
Question of the day: There is so much within these two chapters. Which verse stands out among many great prophesies spoken by Jacob as he approaches his death?
Answer: In chapter 48, Jacob speaks blessings over Joseph’s two sons. Then in chapter 49, Jacob prophesies over his 12 sons. He has nothing particularly good to say about Reuben, Simeon or Levi. But then he begins to prophesy over Judah and his tone changes for the better. Then this one verse stands out… Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not pass from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs will come. To him will be the obedience of the peoples. The symbolic language used here must receive proper attention. A right understanding of Who Yeshua is depends on it.
That “scepter” is a tribal banner called in Hebrew a “Matah.” Jacob is prophesying that Judah will remain an autonomous tribe “until” the anointed one will come (and it did). Who is this one? Who has the staff of authority? If we miss this, it’s like the top button of a shirt, if that is off, the rest of the shirt is out of alignment. If we miss this in Genesis, the rest of the Bible is subject to misinterpretation.
So Who is this One to whom the ruler’s staff belongs? It could only be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Yeshua HaMashiach. Matthew 7:28 Now when Yeshua had finished these words, the crowds were astounded at His teaching, 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority and not as their Torah scholars. Yeshua spoke with the authority of the One to Whom the ruler’s staff belongs. Thus, fulfilling the prophesy of Jacob.
Lastly, there is this… “To him will be the obedience of the peoples.” The way the word “peoples” is used, it is a reference to all the people groups of the earth. Moses adds to this… Deuteronomy 18:15 “Adonai your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst—from your brothers. To him you must listen.” The rabbis want you to believe this is speaking of Joshua. But there is another “Joshua” whose name is similar, it’s Yeshua.