Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, April 2, 2021
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Fri2 April-2021 20th of Nisan, 5781 Pesach VI
Ex 13:20-22 Isa 42 Pr 31 (Mt 2) Jas 2
You may have noticed that the readings from the Torah this week are not following the regular pattern of reading through the 5 Books of Moses. Last week we ended with Leviticus 8:36 and next week we pick up with Leviticus 9:1 on Monday.
Rabbi Trail: Sunday is considered the 8th day of Pesach. There is a special Torah reading for that day also. How is it that a holiday that is clearly commanded for 7 days in Scripture is celebrated for 8 days? I’ll tell you, tradition!!! Only in the diaspora (outside of the land of Israel) is there an extra day. This is a custom based on the idea that in ancient times we were never quite sure what day it was, so 2 days are celebrated for the commanded 7th day (adding day 8) to be sure one of them is correct. Personally, I prefer to follow the Israeli calendar even outside of the land because that is the biblical command. End RT.
In our few verses today, the Lord is “Holech” (second word in verse 21) before them. “Holech” means to walk around. The command form of the same word was given to Abraham (the first word of Genesis 12:1, “Lech.” God is telling us to follow Him. I believe I heard Charles Stanley once say, “God can’t drive a parked car.”
In applying the Scriptures to our lives today, I like to go back to the question which became the title of Eitan Shishkoff’s first book, “What About Us?” Well??? What about us? Where is God leading us today? He is awakening His bride into a love relationship that will change both this world and the next.
Reminds me of the song lyrics, “Take me to a place, I’ve never been before… beyond the realm I’ve known, or things I’ve seen and heard.” After the children of Israel entered the land, God no longer provided the fire and cloud, but had them follow the Ark of the Covenant. Joshua 3:4 Yet keep a distance between you and it (the Ark) of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Don’t come near it, so you may know the way by which you should go, for you haven’t travelled this way before.”
Let’s pray: Open our ears, Lord. Allow us to hear You calling us up (Aliyah) to the high places in Messiah Yeshua. Give us courage to follow You. Take away our fears, so that we can go where we’ve never been before. You are for us and not against us. So let us walk with you in faith, saying, “Yeshua is my Lord.” Amen.
Week 14
Memory Verse: Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law— 5 to free those under law, so we might receive adoption as sons.
66 4/1 Monday: Judges 6-7
67 4/2 Tuesday: Judges 13-14
68 4/3 Wednesday: Judges 15-16
69 4/4 Thursday: Ruth 1-2
* 70 4/5 Friday: Ruth 3-4
Question of the day: Boaz wakes up in the middle of the night and is startled when he realizes he is not sleeping alone. Boaz then asks the question of the day. Ruth 3:9a “Who are you?”
Answer: Immediately Ruth answers… Ruth 3:9b “I am Ruth, your handmaid,” she answered. “Spread the corner of your garment over your handmaid, for you are a goel.”
What does she mean, “You are a goel?” What is a “goel?” This is a Hebrew word meaning redeemer or savior. Sometimes we sing, “Hine, Goalenu Chai” (Behold, our Redeemer lives). Boaz was in the lineage of Yeshua, and shortly in our Biblical narrative, Ruth would marry into it by marrying Boaz.
So, if Yeshua had his DNA tested today, they would discover He was not completely Jewish. And not just because Ruth was His ancestor. Rahab also became part of the lineage of Yeshua. And not only that, but half of Yeshua’s DNA was divine. Is that hard to believe? Why? Is it hard to believe that the creator of all life, could fulfill His promise in Jeremiah 31:21(22) How long will you waver, O backsliding daughter? For Adonai has created a new thing on earth: a woman surrounds a man. (I’m a little disappointed in the TLV translation.) Yes, God did a new thing. He “went around” a man, which is a biblical description of the virgin birth. Yeshua is the product of the virgin birth, and yes, God, Who created the whole world and everything in it, also created a man without a man. To be clear, as you will see in Galatians 4 below, Yeshua was begotten and not created.
Let’s take a moment and thank God that the lineage of Yeshua includes Jewish and non-Jewish family. The promised Jewish Messiah is the promised Messiah for the whole world.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law— 5 to free those under law, so we might receive adoption as sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God sent the Ruach of His Son into our hearts, who cries out, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son—and if a son, also an heir through God.