Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Shalom,

This coming Sunday, February 7th, at 4pm we will resume the discipleship training as we continue our study of Song of Songs. 

The Song of Songs is a love story between the Beloved and His Bride (the Shulammite), which pictures the great union of Messiah Yeshua and His congregation (body).  In this, we learn how Yeshua trains up disciples so they themselves can, in turn, disciple others too.

Part of the study this week will be Song 7:1 (6:13), which is the only place in the Bible the Shulammite is mentioned by that name.  Song 7:1 Come back, come back, O Shulammite! Come back, come back, that we may look upon you. Why do you gaze at the Shulammite like the dance of Mahanaim?

Rabbi Trail:  Shakespeare would ask through his character Juliette, “What’s in a name?”  When she asks the question, she means names don’t really matter.  She says, “That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.”  But in the Kingdom of God (the real kingdom of love) names do matter, as we will see.  End RT.

Solomon’s Hebrew name is Sh’lomo.  You can see it has “shalom” in it.  Solomon wrote the Song of Songs.  As with all Scripture, it is an inspired revelation of the mind of God.  In referring to the “Bride” as the “Shulammite,” he is putting his name on her, which is a deep identification.  

Also, the word “Shalom” is often used with excellence to describe the presence of God.  Most people know it as “peace,” but it means so much more.  It is complete wholeness, lacking nothing.  Shalom is a time/place when/where all striving stops and there is complete rest… Shalom.  

The Shulammite is representative of all of us who follow Yeshua (the Beloved) wherever He goes.  She (and we) is (are) made complete in Him.  The whole world is striving to be satisfied (whole and perfect) because everyone knows that being born in the flesh is being born with a desire for something more.  Many search and never find the way.  The early followers of Yeshua were called followers of the way.  

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

In our subject verse, the more mature daughters of Jerusalem are calling the Shulammite to return… to return to her role as a discipler (teacher) of the way.  She has what they want.  We, ourselves have that same calling, to lead others into the presence of the King.    

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)

Wed 3-Feb-2021 21st of Sh’vat, 5781

Ex 19:1-6 2 Ki 6 Ps 128-129 Jn 8:1-30 (1 Ti 4)

In the Aliyah for today, God is making a proposition to all the children of Israel.  Exodus 19:5 Now then, if you listen closely to My voice, and keep My covenant, then you will be My own treasure from among all people, for all the earth is Mine.  This is so straightforward… keep God’s covenant, be God’s treasure.  Straightforward, yes.  Challenging, also yes.  In fact, the children of Israel were never successful in sustaining a faithful walk of keeping God’s covenant.  Contrary to dispensational theology, the covenant (God’s righteous standard) does not change, our approach to keeping it does.  This change is described in Romans 8.

Romans 8:3 For what was impossible for the Torah—since it was weakened on account of the flesh—God has done. Sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, He condemned sin in the flesh— 4 so that the requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Ruach.

This is also simple, (if I may paraphrase) “God sent His Son so the requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us.”  May we all walk worthy… Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called.  How many times have I heard (wrongly), “Yeshua kept the Law so that I don’t have to.”  Let us rather speak the truth that agrees with Scripture.  1 John 2:6 whoever claims to abide in Him must walk just as He walked.

Now that’s a proposition worthy of our dedication.  Philippians 1:27a Only live your lives in a manner worthy of the Good News of the Messiah.  

Week 6

Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 Instead he chose to suffer mistreatment along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the disgrace of Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt—because he was looking ahead to the reward.

26   2/01    Monday:         Genesis 48-49

27   2/02    Tuesday:        Genesis 50-Exodus 1

* 28 2/03    Wednesday:   Exodus 2-3 

29   2/04    Thursday:       Exodus 4-5

30   2/05    Friday:            Exodus 6-7

Question of the day:  We get our question from Miriam, Moses’ older sister… Exodus 2:7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a nurse from the Hebrews to nurse the child for you?”

Answer:  Exodus 2:8 Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Go!” So the girl went and called the child’s mother.  The Lord was making arrangements for the future deliverance of His people.  We have to believe God is doing the same thing today.  God is making arrangements.  We may not know the details, but we can have faith that He alone is making the Master’s arrangements for the fulfillment of every promise He has made.  

Psalm 33:11 The plan of Adonai stands forever, the purposes of His heart from generation to generation.