Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, August 27, 2019 

Shalom *|FNAME|*,

Special Note:  We were honored to have Don Finto with us last Shabbat on the anniversary of Bar Mitzvah.  Don mentioned in his message about how dreams and visions of Yeshua are leading Muslims to salvation. This was the topic of Raymond Finney’s August 11 RR. Here is a link to the RR.  https://syknox.org/rabbis-reflections-sunday-august-11-2019-2/

Time for another Hebrew word.  The word is pronounced “Oat” (aleph-vav-tav).  It may be transliterated in many different ways.  It always has the same meaning, a sign or a wonder.  In the Hebrew New Testament it is the word used in 1 Corinthians 1:22 “the Jews ask for signs…”

It is Strong’s Hebrew word 226 and it is used 79 times in the Hebrew Scriptures mostly in the first two books of the Torah.  How did this get to be the word of the day?  God wants us to know His will, so He gives us signs, so we will know the way.  

The best “sign” we ever got is when Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness.  Whoever looked on it was not harmed by the plague.  Though snake bit, the poison had no ill effect on those who looked toward the snake.

This is hard to grasp.  Yeshua should never be compared to (or symbolized by) a snake.  Except, He, Who knew no sin, became sin… (2 Corinthians 5:21).  How often does God give us signs and we just simply miss what He wants to show us?  Let’s ask the question, “Is this You, Lord?”  And, be ready for the answer.  Shalom.

Week 35
Memory Verse: John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing.

171   8/26  Monday:       John 11; Matthew 21:1-13

* 172 8/27  Tuesday:      John 13

173   8/28  Wednesday: John 14-15

174   8/29  Thursday:     John 16

175   8/30  Friday:          Matthew 24:1-31

Question of the day:  Has Yeshua “washed your feet?”

Answer:  I put “washed your feet” in quotes because there is a figurative meaning I wish to apply.  Peter objected.  

John 13:6 Then He comes to Simon Peter, who says to Him, “Master, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Yeshua responded, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Yeshua answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”

That’s right, unless we allow Yeshua to wash our feet, we have no part with Him.  What does it mean to have our feet washed by Yeshua?  Yeshua is our example in all things.  He went on to explain…

John 13:12b He said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13 You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master’—and rightly you say, for I am. 14 So if I, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example—you should do for each other what I have done for you.

Please don’t miss this important principle regarding how the kingdom of God works.  We must be washed before we can wash others.  We must be followers before we can be leaders.  We must be discipled before we can disciple others.  Yeshua is our righteous example.