Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, February 7, 2025
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Joshua Aaron and Aaron Shust (again) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuGJ8LoaUSk
Psalms
Psalm 24:9,10 – Part 8
Psalm 24:9 Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, you everlasting doors: that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory?” Adonai-Tzva’ot—He is the King of glory! Selah
Well, well, well… Psalm 24, verses 7 and 8 are essentially repeated to form verses 9 and 10, which ends the Psalm. However; there are some differences, and they are significant. Verses 7 and 9 are identical. The differences are found between verses 8 and 10.
There is a Hebrew term used in both verses 7 and 9, “Pit’khey Olam” meaning “eternal openings or doors.” Of course, we know King Yeshua will reign “forever and ever.” Exodus 15:18 Adonai will reign forever and ever! (In transliterated Hebrew, “Yehovah(YHVH) Yimloch L’olam Va’ed.”
Rabbi Trail: Did you ever see that phrase in the Bible? It appears quite often, “forever and ever.” (This is truly a “Rabbi Trail” as our subject verse only says “Olam,” “forever.”) Have you wondered why it says forever and ever? What is longer than “forever?” The answer is “forever and ever.”
The Hebrew gives us the answer, “L’olam Va’ed.” “L’” is a preposition (to, for, or until). “Olam” is eternity in space, the universe or world. “Va” means “and.” “Ed” means a point in time that continues without end. Together they effectively communicate forever in space and forever in time. When we think about it, it is a perfect fit. Forever in space (which is how we measure time) and forever in time itself. It truly is the space-time continuum.
The three dimensions of space (width, height, and depth) are fused with the one dimension of time to form one, four dimensional continuum. Paul mentioned all four in Ephesians 3. Ephesians 3:17 …so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to grasp with all the kedoshim what is the (1) width and (2) length and (3) height and (4) depth, 19 and to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled up with all the fullness of God.
That fourth dimension is the spiritual dimension of God that makes all the difference in this physical world. Without that fourth dimension, all we get is what we experience physically. Scientists define physical life as the ability to react to physical stimulus. Then to be spiritually alive, we must react to spiritual stimuli. God is calling His people to be spiritually alive in Him. Respond to His voice.
Isaiah 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way, walk in it. When you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.”
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me.
End RT.
This prophetic Psalm is announcing the coronation of the “King of glory,” mentioned 5 times in these 4 verses. In verse 8, He is “mighty in battle,” while in verse 10, He is the “Lord of hosts.” The Psalm ends with the victory completed. The battle is complete and the Lord is still the Lord of hosts, “Yehovah(YHVH) Tz’va’ot.” No longer are we asking, “Who is this?” Rather, we are we are saying straightforwardly, “He is the King of glory!” Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Fri 7-Feb-2025 9th of Sh’vat, 5785
Ex 16:11-36 1 Ki 18 Ps 119:49-72 Jn 2 (1 Th 2)