Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, September 18, 2023
Shalom,
Over Labor Day weekend the elders of Shomair gathered to hear from the Lord concerning His purposes for the next year which began this past Shabbat with the Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah) celebration. As we were waiting in listening prayer two weeks ago, we heard a confirmed word from the Lord. This is to be a year of preparing the Bride of Messiah. With that in mind, read on to see where this RR goes.
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One In Messiah part 62 – Romans, part 173
Romans 11:34 For “who has known the mind of Adonai, or who has been His counselor?”
See those quotation marks? They are marking a quote from Isaiah 40:13. In these last few verses of Romans 11, Paul is concluding his three chapter treatise on the value of (what we call today) Messianic Judaism. And, he’s doing it with the passion and zeal you would expect for such a lofty subject.
The quote is really two questions. In the first part… “Who has known the mind of Adonai?” Answer: nobody ever. In Hebrew it says, “Mi Takan” which does not really mean “who has known…,” but rather means, “who has measured (or weighed out, or marked off) the ‘Ruach Adonai?’” What’s this, the Hebrew is “Ruach,” which is not “mind,” but “Spirit?” So a better translation of the first part is, “Who has measured the Spirit of Adonai?” Still, the answer is, “Nobody ever.”
The second question translation is, “Who has been His counselor?” In Hebrew, “V’ish Atzato Yodi’enu,” meaning “And (which) man (is) His counselor (or advisor) to know Him?” When we see the word for “know” in the Bible (Yodea), it always indicates an intimate “knowing,” as in Genesis 4:1a And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived. (KJV) Again, the answer is: nobody ever.
It’s easy in this word study to lose the context of what is being communicated. Paul is at the end of his discourse on the value of including both Jewish and Gentile people in the family of Yeshua followers (Romans 9, 10, and 11) as he summarizes his thoughts on the beauty of one God with one people, made up of both Jews and Gentiles.
All this time (the period from the first coming until the second coming) God is preparing a bride for the Messiah, His very own people, who will treasure their relationship with Him. The point of this verse is that God is going to do it His way, without any advice from any of us.
Revelation 21:9 Then came one of the seven angels holding the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 Then… he showed me Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. There were 12 gates (named for each of the tribes) and 12 foundations in the wall (named for each of the Apostle).
The Apostles are New Covenant foundations. The “mystery” is the inclusion of Gentiles. Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are joint heirs and fellow members of the same body and co-sharers of the promise in Messiah Yeshua through the Good News. Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.
Bo Yeshua bo! (Come Yeshua come!)
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon 18 Sep 2023 3rd of Tishrei, 5784 Fast of Gedaliah
De 32:1-6 Hag 1-2 2 Ch 24 Rev 9:13-21 (Ac 17)
Ex 32:11-14; 34:1-10; Isa 55:6-56:8 (afternoon)