Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Shalom,

The Upper Room Discourse (part 89 of ???)

John 17:22 The glory that You have given to Me I have given to them, that they may be one just as We are one—

This is the third time I’m writing an RR about this subject verse.  Side Note: We may be headed for 100 parts (daily devotionals) on the Upper Room Discourse.  These RR devotionals are like children, you shouldn’t have favorites.  That said, I really liked the one yesterday.  And I have a feeling that I’m going to like the one today, so let’s get started.

Rabbi Trail:  I love it when the Lord wakes me up with thoughts of the next RR.  That happened today, as I was meditating on the subject of “glory” from yesterday.  I debated – with myself – over putting “glory” in quotes.  It really isn’t needed, but I wanted to set it apart, so that no one would think the subject was glorious and not glory itself. End RT.

The beauty of analysis (of any subject) is in taking a 360 degree look.  You know, examine the subject from every angle.  One of those “angles” is the opposite view.  Then our question today is, “What would life be like if God had not given Yeshua glory that He then gave to us?”  Said another way, “What if God’s glory was not there to bind us together?”

Yesterday, we discussed the Hebrew word for glory, “Kavod.”  Also, in Hebrew, we can reverse a word’s meaning by putting the prefix “E” in front of it.  So “Ef’shar” (meaning possible) becomes “E (say the long “E”) Ef’shar” (meaning impossible).  Consequently, “Kovod” (glory) becomes “E-Kavod” (without glory).  You may know this word as Ichabod. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichabod

Ichabod got his name from his mother because he was born on the day that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and both Eli the priest and his son (her husband), Phinehas, died.  1 Samuel 4:21 Then she named the child Ichabod saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.  Truly, the glory had departed from Israel.  1 Samuel 4:22 So she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken!”

Israel had sinned against God.  They thought the Ark of the Covenant would save them.  1 Samuel 2:12 Now Eli’s sons were worthless men; they did not acknowledge Adonai. And Eli continued to allow them to minister in the error of their ways.  Ultimately, the glory departed.

Have we learned nothing?  This describes the situation of much of the professed body of Messiah today.  Isaiah 5:20 Oy to those who call evil good and good evil, who present darkness as light and light as darkness, who present bitter as sweet, and sweet as bitter!… 25a Therefore Adonai’s anger is kindled against His people.

Spoiler Alert: If you are in the habit of reading the RR to young children, you may wish to skip to the place where I end the “Spoiler Alert.”

Specifically, (and I know this will make proponents of liberal theology sick, which is my intention) we cannot call good what God calls an abomination.  Leviticus 18:22 “You are not to lie with a man, as with a woman—that is an abomination.” That’s clear enough, but the same thought is taught repeatedly in Scripture.  Paul even identifies thinking this behavior will go unpunished as deception.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, those who practice homosexuality, 10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.

It is bad enough the world is full of sin.  The shame is that those who claim to follow Yeshua are embracing this sinful lifestyle, in the name of “love,” as if it is acceptable.  The demand to compromise is knocking at the door.  We must not “open the door” to compromise.

End the “Spoiler Alert.”

God wants to give us His glory.  To receive it, we must follow Him.  Those who follow Him are set free from sin.  Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? 2 May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it?… 11 So also continually count yourselves both dead to sin and alive to God in Messiah Yeshua. 12 Therefore do not let sin rule in your mortal body so that you obey its desires…. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!… 22 But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life.

To be set free from sin is to come into an inheritance of the glory of God in His presence.  Choose wisely my friends.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Wed 07-Dec-2022 13th of Kislev, 5783
Ge 33:6-20 1 Sa 14 Ps 56-57 Mk 10:1-31 (1 Co 7:1-24)

Week 50
Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:1 Therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Messiah Yeshua. 2 And what you have heard from me among many witnesses, entrust to faithful people who will be capable to teach others also.

246   12/5  Monday:        1 Timothy 1-3
247   12/6  Tuesday:       1 Timothy 4-6
248   12/7  Wednesday:  2 Timothy 1-2
249   12/8  Thursday:      2 Timothy 3-4
250   12/9  Friday:           1 Peter 1-2