Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, April 19, 2021
Shalom,
Every morning (5 days a week) I sit down in front of the computer and ask the Lord to give me something to share today. Today is my first day back after a long weekend, and I heard this verse…
Psalm 40:9(8) I delight to do Your will, O my God. Yes, Your Torah is within my being.”
Rabbi Trail: The TLV follows the Jewish numbering of verses which is at times different from the Christian Bible. So the (8) is there to help those not using the TLV (Tree of Life Version). It is downloadable in several places and can be purchased here. https://www.tlvbiblesociety.org/store End RT.
Let’s focus on the last Hebrew word of this verse. May’ay (Mem-Ayin-Yud) means “from within me.” It is a version of the word God speaks to Abraham in Genesis 15:4 when He tells him that his heir with come from within him.
Genesis 15:4 Then behold, the word of Adonai came to him saying, “This one will not be your heir, but in fact, one who will come from your own body will be your heir.”
This is important to us as followers of Yeshua. Obedience to God is birthed within us and comes out of us by grace. How much of God’s law do we HAVE TO DO? The answer is, “None!” Grace removes us from the demands of the law into another place. He births His Word in us. Our hearts are circumcised; our rebellious nature is changed and we become zealous to please our Father in heaven. (Psalm 42:1)
Read all of Romans 8 like it’s for the first time. Romans 8:4 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. And much more… Romans 8:7 For the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God—for it cannot. 8 So those who are in the flesh cannot please God. In verse 6, the choice is between death and life. If that weren’t enough, “shalom” is thrown in for good measure. May the shalom of God reign in our hearts. (It’s a heart “thang”)
Day 16 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 two weeks and two days of the counting of the omer.
We are continuing to count our blessings by savoring the attributes of God. Today we continue to appreciate the mercy of God. Every line of Psalm 136 (all 26 of them) ends with the same words, “For His mercy endures forever.” Let’s break it down in Hebrew.
There are 3 Hebrew words in the phrase “For His mercy endures forever.” They are “Ki L’Olam Chasdo.” “Ki” means “because” or “on account of.” In Biblical Hebrew, the prepositions are used a little differently. In Biblical Hebrew, “Ki” can (and usually does) mean “when.” Sometimes it can mean “how” or “how much.”
The second word, “L’Olam” literally means “to the universe.” This word is translated “endures forever.” It connotes eternally in space or to the whole world. Lastly, there is “Chasdo.” “Chesed” is grace or mercy, the “O” at the end of it is a contraction of “Lo” meaning “to Him” or “His.” His lovingkindness extends toward us eternally. Can we have any other response than thanksgiving? Savor that, “His mercy endures forever.”
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon19 Apr-20217th of Iyar, 5781
Le 16:25-17:7 Isa 57 Job 13 (Mt 13:31-58) 1 Jn 2
This week the Torah portion is called “Achare Mot” meaning “after (the) death.” Leviticus 16:1 Then Adonai spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they approached the presence of Adonai and died. And what did God say to Moses? Leviticus 16:2 Adonai said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holiest Place behind the curtain —before the atonement cover which is on the Ark—so that he would not die. For I will be appearing in the cloud over the atonement cover.
Lesson learned (the hard way). Aaron’s two sons died because they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. Now God is explaining the conditions required for authorized fire, and those conditions involve Yom Kippur (a particular date on the annual calendar), a particular place (the Holy of Holies), and a particular person (the High Priest).
Folks, what God did through His Son, Yeshua was to grant us all access, both Jews and Gentiles, Ephesians 2:18 for through Him we both have access to the Father by the same Ruach. No longer are we only allowed one day a year, but every day all day. That’s all the time. And not just in Jerusalem, in the Holy of Holies, but wherever you are, in every place.
What I’m writing here is summed up in these two verses… Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have boldness to enter into the Holies by the blood of Yeshua. 20 He inaugurated a new and living way for us through the curtain—that is, His flesh.
Week 17
Memory Verse: Psalm 51:10 Let me hear joy and gladness, so the bones You crushed may rejoice. 11 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 12 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 13 Do not cast me from Your presence— take not Your Ruach ha-Kodesh from me.
* 81 4/19 Monday: 2 Samuel 1; 2:1-7
82 4/20 Tuesday: 2 Samuel 3:1;5; Psalm 23
83 4/21 Wednesday: 2 Samuel 6-7
84 4/22 Thursday: Psalm 18; 2 Samuel 9
85 4/23 Friday: 2 Samuel 11-12
David laments Saul’s and Jonathan’s deaths by doing what he does, write a song for them. One of the verses of that song reads 2 Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan! Very pleasing were you to me. Wonderful was your love to me more than the love of women. What follows is what I wrote about this 2 years ago. I still like it.
Question of the day: Why does Satan always have an evil counterfeit for everything of God that is good?
Answer: Because that’s the best Satan can do. Satan’s best is a cheap imitation of God’s good reality. God has a bride, Satan has a prostitute. God has love, Satan has lust.
In God’s kingdom, men can (and should) love each other. This is not some perverted love of Satan’s homosexual counterfeit, but the ability to value one another to such a degree that we enhance God’s presence in each other’s lives. It is the love described in this verse….
2 Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan! Very pleasing were you to me. Wonderful was your love to me more than the love of women.
Don’t buy in to what Hollywood is selling; that this is some perverted love affair. It is not. Jonathan and David had a sacrificial appreciation for each other that manifested in one of the greatest true love stories ever told.
1 Samuel 18:3 Then Jonathan cut a covenant with David, because he loved him as himself.
Yeshua addressed this as the second greatest commandment when He affirmed Leviticus 19:18b love your neighbor as yourself.
May each of us know the closeness of friendship that reflects the character of God as deeply as David and Jonathan’s love for one another. We are created with this capacity. May it be fulfilled in each of us by the grace of God. In Yeshua’s name. Amen.