Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, September 4, 2020
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Eyes on Yeshua! That’s the theme of the RRs this week. Song of Songs 1:11 Ornaments of gold we will make for you with spangles of silver. “We will make for you….” Who in the world is “We?” Must be our 3 in 1 God, Who is writing again using the royal “We.” You know, like in Genesis 1:26a Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness! Is there more evidence in the Tanach that God is 3 in 1? (You mean beside the third word in the Bible, God’s name, Elohim, which is plural?)
Consider this… Isaiah 48:16 “Draw near to Me, hear this: Since the beginning, I have not spoken in secret. From the time it existed, I was there. So now Adonai Elohim has sent Me, and His Ruach.” Right there, in one verse, we have Adonai Elohim (the Lord God), His Spirit (the Holy Spirit), and the Sent One (Who is Yeshua). That’s all three in one verse.
The point of “Eyes on Yeshua” is this, He promises to complete His work in us, when we fix our eyes on Him and His finished work. Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua.
Song of Songs 1:11 mentions gold. We all know refined gold is without impurities, precious (valuable). Pure gold will not burn in fire. It will change form from solid to liquid, but it will not burn up and turn into carbon. I think it is fair to say that gold can be ionized (changed by chemical reaction) but not oxidized (burnt in a hot oxygen fire).
This refined gold refers to the people of God, who are being purified in order to be presented to God as a chaste virgin (pure gold), His Bride. Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, or through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flame burn you.
And what about those spangles. In Hebrew they are “Nikudot” or dots. The vowel markings of the Hebrew letters (mostly dots and a few dashes) are called “Nikud.” A period at the end of a sentence is called a “Nikudah.” It marks the completion of a thought. By speaking of “spangles,” the Lord is addressing His finished work in us. Period!
Those “Nikudot” or spangles are made of silver. The silver has anti-microbial qualities. This has been known from ancient times and is why we have silverware. Before there was good antibacterial soap, there was silverware (for those who could afford it).
The symbolism is deep. The Shulamite is adorned with completeness and disease fighting character. She is complete (perfected), period, and refined in a way that she will not be burned by fire.
This brings us to another symbolic verse of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear. For the Day will show it, because it is to be revealed by fire; and the fire itself will test each one’s work—what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. Yeshua is calling His bride to build with gold and silver that He will provide by grace. This verse is about works of grace that have the purpose of conforming us into His image.
And what image is that? Yeshua is the Lamb of God (Passover sacrifice). He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the bread from heaven. There are plenty of other places in which Moses speaks of Yeshua, some of which I have written about previously. The point is that we are being conformed into His image… Ephesians 4:13 This will continue until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Ben-Elohim—to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of Messiah’s fullness.
“Eyes on Yeshua” is a call to unshakeable maturity. That is what Song of Songs is all about. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of shalom Himself make you completely holy; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 24 Faithful is the One who calls you—and He will make it happen!
Week 36
Memory Verse: Luke 23:34 But Yeshua was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then they cast lots, dividing up His clothing.
176 8/31 Monday: Matthew 24:32-51
177 9/01 Tuesday: John 17
178 9/02 Wednesday: Matthew 26:47-27:31
179 9/03 Thursday: Matthew 27:32-66; Luke 23:26-56
* 180 9/04 Friday: John 19
Question of the day: What was on the sign above Yeshua’s head when He was crucified?
Answer: There are about 100 things in this chapter on which to write. The whole chapter was very difficult for me to read. Even though He was accomplishing the work of God according to the plan of God, I am still distressed to read the details of His sacrificial death. The sign, while significant, is not the nails in His hands nor the crown of thorns on His head.
It said… John 19:19 Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek (there was no English yet, and apparently, Arabic was not yet important in Judea). The leaders tried to change the sign, but Pilot would have no part of it. John 19:21 The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.
And thus ended the first coming. The sign was meant to mock Him. But God meant it prophetically. The reality is that Yeshua will return as King of the Jews, and soon.
Revelation 1:7 “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of Him. Yes, amen!”
Bo Yeshua bo! Come Yeshua come!