Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, April 16, 2022
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Pesach *|FNAME|*,
Growing in Love for God 12
by David Harwood
I find that considering God’s glory and humility can be edifying. Our last meditation contained this verse:
But we have this treasure in jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7a TLV)
Frankly, His determination to dwell within humans is a manifestation of humility. Right now, pre-glorification, we are described like this:
who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body (Philippians 3:21a NET)
Consider these words, “our humble bodies.” The phrase is variously translated, “our humble condition (HCSB),” “body of our humble state (NAU),” “body of our humiliation (YLT),” “humble body (TLV).”
Who, what type of being, feels at home in a humble dwelling? Young’s Literal Translation translates it as the “body of our humiliation.” Why would anyone want to dwell there? In fact, many religions and philosophies tend to look at the flesh as a place of incarceration. Yet, it is written of the Messiah:
So when Messiah comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. (Hebrews 10:5 TLV)
The Son chose to dwell amongst us as flesh. God chose a body for His Son.
And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 TLV)
People generally choose to live in the best house they can afford (or barely afford) in the best neighborhood they find. Look where God wanted to live. It is not the best house available to Him. He chose a body subject to weakness, limited in power, mortal. He became accessible and vulnerable.
He came to be with those He loved. Only someone who was in love would make that choice.
It’s as if a well-to-do person said, “They can’t afford to live near me, but I can go and live in their neighborhood with them.” God came to live in our neighborhood.
This may not amaze us every time we consider it, but at the least we can always assent to this being remarkable.
At least the Lord Yeshua’s body was innocent, righteous, holy and undefiled. The dwelling might be humble, but Father’s goodness found a place that was completely complementary to His own holiness. If it was a poor, humble neighborhood, at least it was clean and in good repair.
What about us? He dwells in us.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7a TLV)
It is this humility that draws me to Him. His lowliness, and identification with us, gives me the confidence to confide in Him. طريقة لعب الاونو
Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 TLV)
“But wait!,” one might say, “Yeshua is now glorified.” That is true. Yeshua’s mode of existence has changed, but His heart toward us hasn’t. In addition, by His Ruach ha-Kodesh, God is residing in humble human flesh.
Sometimes we see through words. Let’s behold the glorious One together.
God was worshiped and proclaimed to be higher than the highest spiritual realm. سن اجويرو David wrote that His glory is beyond anything measurable on this earth.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. لعبة الدومينو المصرية Let Your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:11 TLV)
Moses exclaimed:
Who is like You, Adonai, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:12 TLV)
The Scriptures describe various aspects of spiritual existence. They detail numerous types of creatures. These include principalities and powers over nations and nature.
Nothing, and none of them, compares to Him. Nothing, no-being, rivals Him.
There is a heavenly existence that in and of itself is glorious. Yet, it is a created existence. As such, every aspect of created existence is so way beneath His glory that it is written that the Creator must humble Himself to even notice us.
Who is like Adonai our God, enthroned on high, who brings Himself down to look upon heaven and upon earth? (Psalm 113:5-6 TLV)
He humbles Himself?
Yes, the Hebrew suggests that He abases Himself to see what He made. Nobody humbles Him. He humbles Himself. This is the ongoing attitude and posture of our Creator.
He created everything that came into being. Of necessity, He must live on a whole other plane. But look at what captures His attention:
For though Adonai is exalted, yet He looks upon the lowly (Psalm 138:6a TLV)
The lowly capture His attention. He takes notice of us.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 16-Apr-2022 15th of Nisan, 5782 Pesach I
Ex 12:48-51 Nu 28:16-25 Jos 5:2-6:1 1 Pe 2:18-25