Rabbi’s Reflections – Sunday, January 5, 2025
Shavuah Tov,
Psalms
Psalm 22:26 – Part 22
Psalm 22:26 From You is my praise in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows before those who fear Him.
The previous verse ended with God hearing the cries of the Lowly One. God doesn’t passively hear. When God hears, He is compelled by His own principles to act. Here is support from both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.
Psalm 66:17a I cried out to Him with my mouth… 19 But surely God has heard. He has listened to my voice in prayer. 20 Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His lovingkindness from me.
1John 5:14 Now this is the confidence we have before Him—that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have the requests we have asked from Him.
Here in our verse today, we have the result of yesterday’s verse, God hears the cries of the Lowly One. The result is praise which comes from God in the great assembly. In English, when God answers prayer we call this a “praise report.”
Let’s talk… My sad confession is that for many years, while I was in business, Christians had the worst reputation among business people for cheating. This ought not to be. Too often I heard things like, “There’s grace for that,” to excuse cheating or lying.
Here, I want us to build a progression of logical thoughts. First thought, God keeps His promises. Does anyone want to argue with that, or are we all willing to accept it? Hearing no objection, let’s move on. Second thought, God holds Himself to the same standard of righteousness as He holds us. It is impossible for God to lie. True? True! Now the third and final thought… God expects that we, His people, will not lie (we must keep our promises), and if we do lie, it is sin. Part of being made in His image is that our character will conform to His. If we belong to Him, we must tell the truth.
To tell the truth means that your word is your commitment to do what you say. Deuteronomy 23:22 “When you make a vow to Adonai your God, you are not to delay to make good on it—for Adonai your God will certainly require it of you, and you would have sin on you.
The first followers of Yeshua were called “followers of the way.” His way is the way of truth, honesty and keeping commitments. (Anyone feeling guilty yet? There is always room for repentance.) Let’s give Yeshua the last word today. Matthew 5:37 “But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’—anything more than this is from the evil one.” Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun 05-Jan-2025 5th of Tevet, 5785
Ge 47:28- 48:9 2 Sa 10-11 Ps 82-83 Lk 7 (2 Co 6)