Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, December 2, 2021 (5 candles at sunset)
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu 02-Dec-2021 28th of Kislev, 5782 Chanukah: 4 Candles
Ge 42:19-43:15 1 Sa 17 Ps 57 Mk 12:1-27 (1 Co 15:1-28)
Nu 7:30-41, 1 Macc 7-8
There is so much passion in the Scriptures. I was taken by this phrase in the Torah reading today… Genesis 42:24a He (Joseph) turned away from them and wept. Joseph was listening to his brothers express repentance. Genesis 42:21 Then each man said to his brother, “We’re truly guilty for our brother. We saw the distress of his soul when he begged us for mercy, but we didn’t listen. That’s why this distress has come to us.”
Of course, Reuben has nothing to offer except to say, “I told you so.” Genesis 42:22 Reuben answered them and said, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy’? But you didn’t listen. Now, see how his blood is now being accounted for.”
Such passion! This is my favorite part of Scripture. Ultimately, Joseph is revealed to his brothers. It is a “picture” or “type” of the great revelation, when Yeshua will be revealed to His brothers, the Jewish people. Joseph wasn’t crying because the story has a sad ending. He was already the prince of Egypt and knew he had all power. He was crying because the repentance being expressed by his brothers touched his heart.
Yeshua is seated now at the right hand of the Father. He has all authority. The end of history is never in doubt. Yet He wept over Lazarus. (John 11:35) But Yeshua wasn’t weeping over Lazarus’ death, but that He was touched by the pain and suffering others, who loved Lazarus, were experiencing.
Yeshua raised Lazarus from the dead. John 11:43 And when He had said this, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” In our Torah portion next week, Joseph will reveal himself to his brothers and establish all of his father’s house as the best of Egypt. So too, in the short future, Yeshua will reveal Himself to all of Israel (Romans 11:26 and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer shall come out of Zion. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 27 And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”) and establish all who follow Him as the best of the kingdom of God. Yeshua, we share Your passion.
Week 49
Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
241 12/2 Monday: Hebrews 7
242 12/3 Tuesday: Hebrews 8-9
243 12/4 Wednesday: Hebrews 10
244 12/5 Thursday: Hebrews 11
245 12/6 Friday: Hebrews 12
We are nearing the end of our 4th year of the F260 chronological Bible reading plan. So the Thursday reading (4 years ago we started with Monday) is our message text for the class before the service and for the message during the service. As you can see (from the numbers above) we only have 3 weeks left in this year. Then we will switch to Fridays for our last year of this cycle.
This week we are using Hebrews 11, known as the “faith chapter,” for our text. Many of the verses of Hebrews 11 begin with the words, “by faith.” Faith gives substance to our hope. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. The Messianic rabbi who wrote the Book of Hebrews (we don’t know exactly which one) was a maestro in writing to the Hebrews the entire history of our Jewish (and biblical) forefathers and how they demonstrated faith in their walk with God.
We too need to demonstrate faith. Not blind faith, but faith in God and His promises. Something interesting about faith, we never know if we have it until it is tested. So God puts us in places where we must rely on faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. One other interesting thing about faith. The more you use it, the more you have it. At the end of 1 Corinthians, Paul slips in a verse. It is almost innocuous, subtle but quite profound. Let’s end with this today. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert! Stand firm in the faith! Be men of courage! Be strong!