Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Finally, let’s get back to the 7 Spirits of God (Isaiah 11:2). Working backward, the third from the last is the next one we will examine. Just to review them, the first stands alone (that’s why I’m working backward, because I want to study it last). Then there are 3 sets of 2. The middle set of 2 is counsel (Aytzah) and might (Gevurah). That means “might” is 3rd from the end.
A “Gever” is a strong young man. My image of a “Gever” is a young 17 year old with less than 2% body fat. He could play tennis all day and never get tired. One thing a “Gever” has is stamina.
Some people think our worship services are too long. We labor to get into His presence. Why should we be in a hurry to move on to anything else? Hopefully, God is speaking to His people. We need to listen. To listen effectively, we need to soak in His words. You can’t rush “soaking.” Ask any bathtub.
All that to say, God gives us stamina through His Spirit of “Gevurah.” Both old and young must receive the Spirit of Gevurah. Jeremiah 31 is a remarkable (arguably the most remarkable) chapter in the Bible. In verse 12(13) we find both old and young men dancing together. The Spirit of strength on both young and old allows them to dance together.
Not to have the Spirit of Gevurah is to be surviving (trying to thrive) by our own strength. But our own strength will fail us. Our own strength is spoken of as chariots and horses, but real strength is in the name of Adonai our God.
Psalm 20:7(6) Now I know that Adonai saves His anointed (mashiach). He answers him from His holy heaven with saving strength of His right hand. 8 Some have chariots, some have horses, but we remember the Name of Adonai our God.
Week 1
Memory Verse: Genesis 1:27 God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.
1 12/30 Monday: Genesis 1-2
* 2 12/31 Tuesday: Genesis 3-4
3 1/1 Wednesday: Genesis 6-7
4 1/2 Thursday: Genesis 8-9
5 1/3 Friday: Job 1-2
Question of the day: God asks the question of the day in Genesis 4:6 (originally asked to Cain) “Why are you angry?”
Answer: Everything in the Bible is designed for us to internalize it. We must act as if God is asking us, “Why are you angry?” For some of us who are angry, it’s a good question right now. For those of us who are not currently angry, consider it a question for the time in the future when you will be angry.
This question is a prelude to the comment “sin is crouching at the door” and just two verses before Cain murders Abel. Ephesians 4:26a “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Cain never deals with the truth. He is angry because his offering to the Lord is not accepted while his brother, Abel’s offering is.
Psychology offers many possible reasons for anger. Maybe we lack maturity. Maybe our expectations have not been met. Maybe we are angry over things we don’t control.
Rabbi Trail: For me it’s all those other drivers out there. Everyone should be very glad my car comes with a horn and not a machine gun. As bad as I am, I used to be worse. This verse is true (so are they all)… Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. End RT.
The godly response to anger is to turn our eyes to Yeshua. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, 2a focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith.
Let’s keep our focus on Yeshua and avoid anger over what amounts to distractions. So, as Paul Harvey (if you’re under 40, I know, “Who is he?”) used to say, “Good day.”