Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Shalom,
Rabbi Trail: As many of you know, I’m marrying Jan Strous on April 4th. Last Friday morning Jan and I were in Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate her mother’s 101st birthday. Yes, Mildred Manno was born on February 21, 1919. On her 101st birthday she was active and aware of everything. She was quite proud to be celebrating her 101st birthday.
This was our first chance to meet each other. She told me several times how happy she is to have a rabbi in the family, as she gave us her blessing. That brings to mind the old joke among Jews… “Mama, I’ve decided to become a rabbi.” And Mama responds, “What kind of a profession is that for a good Jewish boy?” Apparently Grandma Manno thinks it’s just fine. End RT.
Pillar Eight: The Kingdom is Expressed in Jewish Calling – part 2
1 Corinthians 4:2 In this case, moreover, what is required of stewards is to be found trustworthy.
Many translations use the word “faithful” instead of “trustworthy.” The point is that every steward has responsibility over someone else’s property. For us, as followers of Yeshua, we are entrusted with the keys to the kingdom of God. We must be faithful in this.
What does this have to do with Jewish calling? Simply this… God is righteous and His standard of righteousness not only applies to us, but to Him as well. God is faithful over His own house.
Rabbi Trail: How am I doing? Is there any one of these statements you feel the need to push back on yet? End RT.
Here’s my point… God is faithful to all of His promises concerning Israel.
Genesis 12:2 My heart’s desire is to make you into a great nation, to bless you, to make your name great so that you may be a blessing. 3 My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Many people read that promise and think it was fulfilled in the life of Yeshua. Now that Yeshua has come (from the house of Judah), God no longer needs the Jewish people. Moreover, (those same people falsely believe) that there is no need for Jewish calling. After all, wasn’t that calling fulfilled when Yeshua came to earth?
God always gets the last word in every discussion. The same is true here.
Ezekiel 37:21 “Then say to them, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will take Bnei-Yisrael from among the nations, where they have gone. I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. 22a I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all.
Hosea 3:5 Afterwards, Bnei-Yisrael will return, and they will seek Adonai their God and David their king. Then they will turn in awe to Adonai and to His goodness in the last days.
… and many more such Scriptures. Israel has a place of distinction in the last days.
Romans 11:2a God has not rejected His people whom He knew beforehand…. 11a I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be!… 15 For if their (Israel’s) rejection leads to the reconciliation of the world, what will their (Israel’s) acceptance be but life from the dead? (And that, my friends, is the best definition of revival to be found in all of Scripture. True revival is life from the dead!) 26a and in this way all Israel will be saved, 27 And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
Here is my closing for today… Clearly, there will be Jewish people in the kingdom of God when He returns for His bride. How will we know? Because Jewish people will be recognizably Jewish?
Rabbi Trail: Recognizably Jewish how? Not just because we/they look Jewish. There is no Jewish “look.” There are Jews all over the world in every culture and we/they look like the people among whom we/they live. We will be recognizably Jewish because we will do Jewish things. We will observe practices God gave to Jewish people in Scripture.
Jeremiah 31:33 (partly quoted in Hebrews 10:16) 32 “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “I will put My Torah within them. Yes, I will write it on their heart. I will be their God and they will be My people.
Week 9
Memory Verse: Exodus 33:16 For how would it be known that I or your people have found favor in Your sight? Isn’t it because You go with us, that distinguishes us from all the people on the face of the earth?”
41 2/24 Monday: Exodus 32-33
42 2/25 Tuesday: Exodus 34-36:1
* 43 2/26 Wednesday: Exodus 40
44 2/27 Thursday: Leviticus 8-9
45 2/28 Friday: Exodus 16-17
Question of the day: One chapter today. This last chapter of Exodus is filled with instructions on setting up the Tabernacle. When it is completed, something spectacular happens…. What is it?
Answer: Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of Adonai filled the Tabernacle.
As always, we must ask, “What is the significance of that in my life?” Here is the “slam dunk” answer. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that the Ruach Elohim dwells among you?
Lord, let Your glory fill this house. We don’t need to lament the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, we need to appreciate God’s presence in our lives.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Messiah. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be from God and not from ourselves.
And that is the last word for today from the Word of God. Shalom.