Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Shalom,
Yesterday I mentioned our Shomair elder retreat over the Labor Day weekend, when the Lord gave us our theme for the year, “Prepare My Bride.” Today I want to tell you more. We also heard to start our calendar year on the first day of the seventh month, Yom Teruah. Previously, we always started on January 1st. So along with that, you can see our annual overview above. Please print yourself a copy and keep it handy for future reference.
One In Messiah part 63 – Romans, part 174
Romans 11:35 Or “who has first given to Him, that it shall be repaid to him?”
I started to write on verses 34 and 35 together (since they go together), but decided against it on account of clarity. This verse is another quote from the Hebrew Scriptures. This time from Job 41:3a Who has confronted Me that I should repay? God is speaking to Job. His point is that there is nothing in heaven or on earth that did not originally belong to God.
While that is true, it is worthy of our attention that something has been taken from God that He didn’t want to lose, our willing hearts. God created everything in perfect order. However; rebellion in the Garden disrupted God’s perfect order. This requires restoration, a restoration that required God to send His only begotten Son.
Isa 7:14 Therefore Adonai Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive. When she is giving birth to a son, she will call his name Immanuel. The next two verses each say this… “he knows to refuse evil and choose good.” When Yeshua said from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30b) He was acknowledging that the end of the rebellion and beginning of the restoration of right order had both begun.
Rabbi Trail: All of this makes me wonder why God didn’t just command obedience. After all, every other animal gives perfect obedience to God, why not man also? The answer is that God gave man dominion, and free will to exercise that dominion. God wants us to love, worship and obey Him willingly. He could make us obedient, but He won’t because His desire is for relationship. This is why we have children, because we have love enough to share. God loves us and He wants us to love Him back. End RT.
What is happening during this time (between the first coming and the second coming) is what Peter referred to as “the restoration of all things.” Acts 3:21 Heaven must receive Him, until the time of the restoration of all the things that God spoke about long ago through the mouth of His holy prophets. The concept of “restoration” means to go from disorder into right order.
Rebellion in God’s presence challenges His sovereignty. If God is not obeyed immediately and without question, then He is no longer God. That would be chaos. 1Corinthians 14:33a for God is not a God of confusion, but shalom. The point is, God doesn’t owe you, me or anyone else anything. He stands alone, One God. Isaiah 42:8a “I am Adonai—that is My Name! My glory I will not give to another. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue 19 Sep 2023 4th of Tishrei, 5784
De 32:7-12 Zec 1 2 Ch 25 Rev 10 (Ac 18)