Rabbi’s Reflections -Thursday, September 23, 2021
Shalom,
The Equip – Day 12: https://gatesofzion.net/blog-articles/jb-bernstein/the-equip-series-40-consecutive-days-of-equipping-in-jewish-evangelism/the-equip-series-day-12-true-faith-is-not-religion/29
Finally, I have something to write today. I’m actually writing this on the first day of Sukkot. Earlier today I received a message from the Lord and I’m burning to share it with you.
We are commanded to empty ourselves on Sukkot and live in a Sukkah for 7 days. A Sukkah is a booth, a temporary hut. It is a command of God… Leviticus 23:42 “You are to live in sukkot for seven days. All the native-born in Israel are to live in sukkot, 43 so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Adonai your God.”
To “dwell” is from the Hebrew word “Shabbat.” It means to live in safety and security, at rest, not working to provide for yourself for any of life’s essentials. Have you seen a Sukkah? It is anything but a place of safety and security. The primary reason we have a house is to keep unwanted intruders and weather out. A Sukkah provides neither. How like God for Him to command that we be in a place where we must depend on Him for everything.
So many things in the Kingdom of God are upside down like that. Need a proof-text? 2 Corinthians 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may dwell in me. 10 For Messiah’s sake, then, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For that matter, consider the beatitudes… blessed are the _____, for they shall _______. And the summary statement? Matthew 5:12a Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great! When we are at our worst, God is at His best in us. We are never closer to God than when we are in the midst of a trial.
Get alone with God this week, “Bamid’bar” (in the desert), and God will “Daber” (speak). The housing of His provision in the desert place is exactly that place that offers no protection at all, a Sukkah. The Sukkah demands that we depend on God. Philippians 4:19 My God will fulfill every need of yours according to the riches of His glory in Messiah Yeshua. He did it for the children of Israel for 40 years and He’ll do it for you. That’s His promise.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Thu 23 Sep 2021 17th of Tishrei, 5782 Sukkot III
Ex 33:20-23Nu 29:17-22Zec 12-13
2 Ch 33 (Ac 25) Rev 19
Week 39
Memory Verse: Jacob 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
191 9/20 Monday: Acts 10-11
192 9/21 Tuesday: Acts 12
193 9/22 Wednesday: Acts 13-14
194 9/23 Thursday: Jacob 1-2
195 9/24 Friday: Jacob 3-5