Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, July 5, 2021
Shalom,
I so appreciate both David Harwood and Raymond Finney for writing the RR on Saturday and Sunday (respectively). It gives me a Shabbaton every week. Do you know what a “Shabbaton” is? It’s a “ton” of “Shabbat.” No, really, it is defined in Judaism as “a weekend get-away that focuses on Judaism.” Some use the term interchangeably with “Sabbatical,” but in Hebrew, that is “Shmita,” the 7th year of rest. Of course, my point is that I appreciate David’s and Raymond’s spiritual insight and the Shabbat rest it provides to me.
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
This week we will have the honor of hosting Shilo Ben Hod, along with his family and worship team from Israel on Thursday, July 8th. Seating is on a first come basis. The doors will open at 6pm. Pizza will be served at 6pm in the social hall with worship beginning at 6:30 in the sanctuary. No reservations or tickets are required. Just come and share in the goodness of God with us. A love offering will be received.
We are also honored to host the Whittens this coming Shabbat. On Shabbat, July 10th, George and Baht Rivka Whitten will be ministering at Shomair during our regular Shabbat morning service. Baht Rivka is Israeli and a powerhouse worshipper. George will be ministering in the Word. Please come prayed up and ready to experience the presence of the Lord.
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Our “Study On The Red Heifer,” continued…
We are nearing the end of our series on the Red Heifer. Today’s question is, “Why does a clean man (other than the priest) put the ashes in a clean place, outside the camp?” Have you heard me say, “Yeshua is the reality of all things?” Sure you have. We have already seen that Yeshua is the reality of the Heifer (even though the Heifer is female and Yeshua is male, and notwithstanding there is another reality of the Heifer that is the body of Messiah – His Bride). It only makes sense that Yeshua would also be the reality of the clean man. And, by the way, Yeshua is also the reality of the ashes, and the reality of the clean place.
How is Yeshua the reality of the clean man? In several ways. First, Yeshua is the only clean man who ever lived. Some might say that He is the only man ever justified by works. Have you ever heard the term “grace and truth?” (John 1:14,17) Well, truth is works (it is also the law of God which is ordained works).
Secondly, Yeshua is the clean man, because He is not of the house of Aaron. Yeshua is from the tribe of Judah. The house of Aaron is from the tribe of Levi. Yet, Yeshua is also a priest. Psalm 110:4 Adonai has sworn, and will not change His mind: “You are a Kohen forever according to the order of Melechizedek .” Someone other than the priest (Yeshua) had to take the ashes and store them in a clean place outside the camp.
Why in a clean place? Holy cannot mix with profane. Ephesians 5:11 Take no part in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them—. Light and dark cannot exist at the same time in the same place. And “outside the camp” because the camp is impure. Inside the “camp” is where the sin of the golden calf took place. Hebrews 13:12 Therefore, to make the people holy through His own blood, Yeshua also suffered outside the gate. 13 So let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace. We separate ourselves from the camp of the mundane and go to Him.
Therefore; we join Him outside the camp. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, 2 focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
And this is the place He has prepared, together with Him, for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, “Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, that have not entered the heart of mankind— these things God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon 5 July 2021 25th of Tamuz, 5781
Nu 31:13-54 Ez 18-19 Neh 13 (Lk 19:1-27) Eph 6
This is one of those weeks!!! It’s a triple blessing Shabbat. Does it get any better than that? First, it is a double portion Shabbat, Matot-Masei (more on that later). A “double portion” Shabbat is always a blessing.
Secondly, we are finishing the Book of Numbers with these two portions. It is always a blessing to finish a book of the Torah (there are 5 of them). That leaves Deuteronomy. We will finish Deuteronomy on Simchat Torah after Sukkot. Sukkot begins on September 20th this year. (More on that another day.)
The third blessing is the new moon. The first of Av (the new Hebrew month is named “Av”) starts on Erev Shabbat (Friday night). The blessing would be for the Shabbat before the new month, but there is an extra blessing when the month actually starts on Shabbat. Bonus!!!
Add to that Baht Rivka only two days after Shilo Ben Hod, and there is only one conclusion, God must be up to something! And, yes, He is. He is preparing a blessing for His people in this season. Better get ready…, Yeshua is comin’.
“Matot” means staff, standard or tribe (in the plural). There is a numbering difference. What the Jewish Bible calls Numbers 3:2, the Christian Bible calls Numbers 3:1. Every tribe, like a fighting unit in the military, rally’s around their “colors” (flag, banner). Identity was very important in Biblical times. Identity is still important in our day as well. Where do you fit in? Ask the Lord. He will show you.
Masei, the second portion of this Shabbat, means “journeys.” The Shoresh means “to break camp” or “set out on a journey.” Each tribe set out in appointed order on the journey under God’s command. Everyone knew his/her place. Everyone knew his/her assignment. This is the way of the kingdom of God. No striving. No trying to fit in. No wondering or mistaken identity. Everyone in his/her place fulfilling his/her role. God is the God of order.
Week 28
Memory Verse: Psalm 101:3 No base thing will I set before my eyes. Twisted behavior I hate— it will not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart will depart from me. I will know nothing evil.
* 136 7/5 Monday: Esther 5-7
137 7/6 Tuesday: Esther 8-10
138 7/7 Wednesday: Nehemiah 1-2
139 7/8 Thursday: Nehemiah 3-4
140 7/9 Friday: Nehemiah 5-6
The question of the day: What did Haman know and when did he know it?
Answer: As our reading today begins, Haman suspects nothing. Esther 5:9 Haman went out that day happy and in good spirits. But then he is assigned the task of parading Mordechai through the city streets like royalty. Esther 6:10 The king said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the robe and the horse, just as you suggested, for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate! Do not neglect anything that you recommended.”
Haman’s friends and family took this as a bad sign… Esther 6:13b His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom you have begun your downfall, is of Jewish descent, you won’t be able to stand against him. In fact, you will certainly fall before him!” But things were moving along too quickly by then… Esther 6:14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came and hurried Haman along to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Things for Haman went from bad to worse before he really figured the full extent of his trouble. By the time he understood the trouble he was in, Haman was beyond anyone’s help. Esther 7:5 King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is the man that presumed to do this?” 6 Esther replied, “The man—the adversary and foe—is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen.
And so may it be for the enemies of God’s people in our day as well. We have THE savior, in Messiah Yeshua. May He show Himself strong and save His people Israel. Baruch HaShem. (Bless the Name).