Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Shalom,
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue 8 June-2021 28th of Sivan, 5781
Nu 16:20-17:8 Jer 37 Da 12 (Lk 2:1-21) 2 Co 2
In our reading today, we read how the rebellion continues after the households of Dathan, Abiram, and Korach (for whom the rebellion was named) were swallowed up by the earth, along with all their families. Then the people respond in both a curious and wrong way. Numbers 16:41 The next day, the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You killed Adonai’s people!”
God chose the children of Israel as His own treasure. The Torah portion for this week is about their rebellion. God and Moses are in a “push-pull” relationship regarding how to appropriately minister to these former slaves. Today we read of God being ready to “give up and start over.” Numbers 16:45a “Get away from among this assembly so that I may immediately consume them!”
It has been said that it was easier to get the children of Israel out of Egypt than it was to get Egypt out of the children of Israel. Moses has to intercede on behalf of his community. Numbers 16:45b So they fell on their faces.
Yesterday, we read how God told Moses to rise up and he fell down. Today, God tells him to “get away” and again, he falls down. In between these two episodes, the people accuse Moses of being too proud and again, he falls down. Yesterday the lesson was on humility. The lesson continues today.
Jacob 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of Adonai, and He shall lift you up.
Humility is the treasure of heaven. It is counter-intuitive. You would think, to be up, you have to be up. But in God’s kingdom, to be up, you have to be down. 1 Corinthians 1:27 Yet God chose the foolish things of the world so He might put to shame the wise; and God chose the weak things of the world so He might put to shame the strong; 28 and God chose the lowly and despised things of the world, the things that are as nothing, so He might bring to nothing the things that are— 29 so that no human might boast before God.
One last word… when we read about pulling down “every high minded thing,” think pride. 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the tearing down of strongholds. We are tearing down false arguments 5a and every high-minded thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Week 24
Memory Verse: Jeremiah 1:15 Behold! I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “So they will come and each will set up his throne at the entry of the gates of Jerusalem, against all her surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah.
116 6/10 Monday: 2 Kings 17-18
* 117 6/11 Tuesday: 2 Kings 19-21
118 6/12 Wednesday: 2 Kings 22-23
119 6/13 Thursday: Jeremiah 1-3:5
120 6/14 Friday: Jeremiah 25; 29
Question of the day: Two days in a row I have read the chapters of 2 Kings without being inspired to write. Here is what I wrote 2 years ago on this section…. This is very difficult. There is little to make us glad or inspired in these 3 chapters. One king after another led the people away from God. The sole exception is Hezekiah. What did God do to bless Hezekiah?
Answer: Hezekiah was sick. Isaiah told him to get his affairs in order because he was going to die. Just as he was leaving Hezekiah in tears, Isaiah received another word from the Lord that Hezekiah was going to be healed and live another 15 years.
2 Kings 21:6 Then I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city for My own sake, and for My servant David’s sake.’” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” So they took one and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
I want to thank God for His healing power. Asher Intrater taught us that God heals the body so that we will believe He can and will heal our spirit. Hezekiah called upon God based on his own obedience. We (followers of Yeshua) call upon God based on Yeshua’s obedience and God’s love for His own Son. And let us all say (V’Emru), Amen (Oh-mayne).