Rabbi’s Reflections – Sunday, October 30, 2022Shavuah Tov,
Today is travel day, and a day off for Dr. Raymond Finney. So I decided to reach back in time to April of 2019. We were just beginning to count the omer (7 weeks of counting our blessings leading up to Shavuot – Pentecost). It’s brief, enjoy the day. I put in a few pics from our safari.
Reprinted from Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, April 23, 2019 (chosen at random by my grandchildren)
Spoiler Alert: This is very disturbing. How do these Polish people view their Jews? Click here (or the other link at the bottom of this RR). The video is almost 7 minutes long, but you will get the idea after the first 10 seconds.
During the Holocaust, the Poles were worse (hard to believe, I know) to their Jews than the Germans were to theirs. 80 years later, not much has changed. The video shows how some of the people of this town chose to spend Good Friday.
Is it a surprise that Jewish people typically respond negatively, when offered the love of Yeshua? We should all mourn this witness. Let me offer this revelation. The widespread belief among Jewish people is that all non-Jews are Christians. Churched, or unchurched; protestant (of any flavor) or Roman Catholic; Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox; true followers of Yeshua or heathen non-believers; it doesn’t matter to Jewish people. As far as Jewish people are concerned, if you’re not Jewish (one of us) or one of the other major religions of the world (like Muslim, Hindu, Shinto or Buddhist), then you’re lumped into a group called Christian (one of them). Historically, Jews concluded (falsely, I might add) that Christians are responsible for the Holocaust.
Counting the Omer – Day 3
This is our week to write about the Spirit of God. We are taking the 49 days of the counting of the Omer to examine the seven Spirits of God. These are first described in Isaiah 11:2 and then further spoken of in many places in Revelation (1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6).
The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is “Ruach.” It means breath, wind, or life giving force. This first Rauch is like the granddaddy of all the other six. It is called “Rauch Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay;” usually translated “Spirit of God.”
As I’ve taught you before, these four letters form the tetragrammaton. This is the ineffable name of God. The rabbis teach it is only to be spoken by the High Priest, in the Holy of Holies (in the Temple), once a year (on Yom Kippur afternoon). That’s one man, one place, one time.
But for us, who believe the veil is torn in two, access has been granted to all of us. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near to the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)Sun 30-Oct-2022 5th of Cheshvan, 5783 Yom HaAliyahGe 12:1-13 Jos 15 Ps 15-16 Mt 11 (2 Pet 1)