Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Shalom,
I received an email yesterday. The question in the email was essentially, why does God allow women to be abused in the Bible. In particular, Absalom’s abuse of his father’s concubines came into question. I wanted you all to read my response.
I got your email and have a response. Please read what I’m writing carefully as these things are not easily understood. First, I want to ask you a question back (then I’ll answer my own question). Why not go further and ask why God allows any pain, suffering, and injustice, Slavery (of any kind) is unjust. Murder is sin, causes pain and suffering both of the victims and the survivors. Why does God allow any of it?
My Answer: This is all the result of rebellion, It started with the rebellion of Satan and continued into the earth when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to be like God. Rebellion was not God’s choice, but He allowed it for our greater good. God is not a bad administrator, Satan is. God is allowing all of the aforementioned calamities so that we will know for sure what a bad administrator Satan is.
Here is a scripture to consider… Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan—and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He also threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed. After these things, he must be released for a short while.
Satan is locked for 1,000 years while Yeshua establishes His government on the earth. During that 1,000 years there will be no pain, suffering, or death. Revelation 21:3 I also heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He shall tabernacle among them. They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them and be their God. 4 He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away.”
What we are suffering in these 6,000 years since Adam’s sin and the joy of the coming 1,000 years of Yeshua’s reign is designed to awaken us how much better things are “under God’s authority.” Then, we just read back at the end of Revelation 20:3 “he (Satan) must be released for a short while.” This is the key. Satan is released so God will know who is going to follow him (after all the pain and suffering that has taken place since the dawn of time there will still be people who will choose Satan’s administration of evil over God’s administration of love). Then those who choose to follow Satan will be burned up and Satan himself will be tortured eternally in the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:9b but fire fell from heaven and consumed them.10a And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone.
I hope this helps answer the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Rest assured, God is in control. He has a plan, and His plan is perfect. The choice is yours (see the following). Blessings, Rabbi Michael.
Day 11 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is one week and four days of the counting of the omer.
Can you believe that tomorrow we will be about 25% through the counting of the Omer? I’ve been writing to you about the attributes of God inspired by the writings of A.W. Tozer. First I wrote about the greatness of God, then about His goodness. Now I want to write about His justice.
There are those (like the motivation for the question above) who want to ascribe the injustices of this world to God. After all, (they say) since He is God, He could put a stop to it at any time. As I explained above, what we see as injustice is not from God (Who is only just), but from the adversary.
Today, everything in the “woke” agenda is about their definition of equality. There is no such thing as “woke equality.” They are chasing a vapor. The moment things become equal, they become unequal. Everyone doesn’t need the same thing at the same time. People are different and their needs are different. Even one person’s need is not the same from one day to the next. Only God can provide justice.
Rabbi Trail: And the last place to look for justice is in a court of law. (I’m not being cynical here.) If a murderer is convicted and sentenced to life in prison, how is that justice for one who took a life? End RT.
My rabbi, Dan Juster, defines justice as achieving a God-given destiny. God’s love is perfect (never short, never late, never absent). Psalm 19:8 The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy, making the simple wise. God gave us the Torah to lead us to Messiah. Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Torah became our guardian to lead us to Messiah, so that we might be made right based on trusting. And Messiah Yeshua is the perfect expression of love. 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.
God has a purpose for you… Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares Adonai, “plans for shalom and not calamity—to give you a future and a hope.
Let’s have faith in a just God and stop expecting justice from the administration of this world. Micah 6:8 He has told you, humanity, what is good, and what Adonai is seeking from you: Only to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Wed14 Apr-20212nd of Iyar, 5781 Yom HaZikaron
Le 13:55-14:20 Isa 51 Job 9 (Mt 11) 2 Pet 1
I’m sensing a theme today… Isaiah 51:4 “Pay attention to Me, My people, give ear to Me, My nation. For Torah will go out from Me, My justice as a light to the peoples.”
Isaiah is a summary of the entire Bible. The 66 chapters in Isaiah match the 66 books in the Bible. So chapter 51 matches Colossians. And, what do we read in Colossians? Colossians 3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised up with Messiah, keep seeking the things above—where Messiah is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God. 4 When Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him, in glory!
Week 16
Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 4:17a But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be proclaimed in full measure,…
76 4/12 Monday: 1 Samuel 17-18
77 4/13 Tuesday: 1 Samuel 19-20
* 78 4/14 Wednesday: 1 Samuel 21-22
79 4/15 Thursday: Psalm 22; 1 Samuel 24-25:1
80. 4/16 Friday: 1 Samuel 28; 31
Question of the day: One of my favorite questions in the Bible is asked in the last verse of 1 Samuel 21 by King Achish of Gath… 1 Samuel 21:16a Do I have a shortage of crazy people that you’ve brought this fellow to go crazy on me?
David was acting crazy so he wouldn’t be kept captive or be considered a threat. David is running to save his life. He is running from his father-in-law, Saul, the first King of Israel. Like a lot of supreme rulers, Saul was out of control. He even ordered the murder of 85 priests plus all of their families including the children.
David already knew something we tend to forget… the King is sovereign. This means whatever the king says has to be carried out immediately and without question (and without exception). That is the meaning of sovereign. The minute a sovereign ruler is disobeyed in any way at any time, by anyone, the sovereign is no longer sovereign.
Saul had ordered David’s death, so this was only going to end one of two ways, David would die (as the King had ordered) or Saul was going to die (but David wasn’t going to kill the anointed King). David ran from Saul for seven years. That he survived and became King of Israel himself is one of the greatest miracles in the Bible. But no less miraculous, is this truth: that any of us survive what remains of the earthly administration of the evil one, to become children of the living God. Be blessed. R. Michael.