Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, March 17, 2025
Shalom,
Special Announcement: 1 Corinthians 5:8a “Therefore let us celebrate the feast!” Passover begins on Saturday night, April 12th (we begin at 6PM). The public is invited to celebrate with Shomair Yisrael at Rothchild Catering, 8807 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN.
This year we are publishing a completely revised Haggadah. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggadah Again, it will be full color and provided as a keepsake to each participant. With the early bird discount, the total cost is $35 for adults, including all the ceremonial foods and dinner. Here is the link for more details and registration. https://subsplash.com/shomairyisraelmessianicj/lb/ev/+9ymjzx8
Psalms
Psalm 26:1 – Part 3
Psalm 26:1 Of David. Vindicate me, Adonai, for I have walked in my integrity, and trusted in Adonai without wavering.
I was just about ready to move on to the next verse when I dreamed last night of writing more on this verse. Our subject verse mentions “walking in my integrity,” and now I want to write more about that. Our “spiritual walk” is to follow in the path (way) of our leader, teacher, rabbi, Yeshua. What would Yeshua do? Let’s remember what John has to say about this. We start every Torah service by quoting it, to the point of memorization.
1John 2:4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is truly made perfect. We know that we are in Him by this— 6 whoever claims to abide in Him must walk just as He walked.
Why is it even necessary to bring up as a topic for discussion? Because there are many churches and pastors today who believe and teach the lie that Grace has replaced Law. The Scripture says that’s not true. John 1:17 Torah was given through Moses; (then the KJV inserts “but”) grace and truth came through Yeshua the Messiah. Firstly, “truth” is the Word of God which is the Law. Scripture is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Because it is the truth, we believe it.
Secondly, these two parts of John 1:17 are complimentary, not contradictory. The King James Version inserted a “but” before the word “grace.” However; the “but” in the KJV is in italics, which means it is not in the original text. The translators inserted it and adding it changes the meaning of the verse.
Thirdly, Yeshua, Himself, says Grace has not replaced Law. Matthew 5:17a Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. Some teachers try to use the last part of this verse to negate the first part.… Matthew 5:17b… I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. They teach the error that Yeshua fulfilled the Law so that we don’t have to. He is our example. He fulfilled the Law so that we would know how to.
Can you live like hell and get to heaven? The question itself sounds absurd, doesn’t it? How does the Scripture answer that question? 1Corinthians 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. Some teachers use the following verses to prove it is okay to continue in sin and claim grace as “fire insurance.” But the point of the following verses is summed up here. 1Corinthians 6:18a Flee from sexual immorality!
A secular worldview might claim such talk is hate speech. Nobody should be “hating” anybody. The Bible is not hate speech, but love speech. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. We all know that verse well, but let’s not miss what follows. John 3:18 The one who believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not put his trust in the name of the one and only Ben-Elohim. To “put trust in the name” is to walk as He walked.
Father Abraham was told by God to be blameless, and so are we. Philippians 2:13 For the One working in you is God—both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you might be blameless and innocent, children of God in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. Among them you shine as lights in the world.
We are less than four weeks from the Feast of Passover, also called the season of our freedom. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! Paul comments on that too. Romans 6:18 and after you were set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. Oh teacher, righteousness is not what you say it is, it is what God says it is in His Word. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon 17-Mar-2025 17th of Adar, 5785
Ex 35:21-29 Isa 8 Pr 6 Ac 6 (Heb 12)