Rabbi’s Reflections – Thursday, October 1, 2020
Shalom,
Rabbi Trail: Why is it that October, November and December have the latin words for 8, 9, and 10 in them when they are the 10th, 11th and 12th months? I’ll tell you because I have a lot of useless information running around inside my head. (In fact, many “Rabbi Trails” are full of it.) It’s because before 45BC the early Romans calendar had only 10 months that started in March. There was no January and February, just winter. In 45BC the Julian calendar was adopted with 12 months. If you’re still interested, here is a site with much additional information. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/julian-gregorian-switch.html As for me, I’m done. End RT.
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In preparing notes for the upcoming Song of Songs class, (this Sunday from 4-6pm, lesson 6) Jan asked me about the word used for “face” in Song 2:14. Song 2:14b …let me see your form (some translations say “face”)…. The word for see is “Ra’ah” (Resh-Aleph-Hey). The infinitive “to see” is “Li-rot.” It is used over 1300 times in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The reason I bring it up now is that the Song is poetry. In poetry, each word takes on special meaning. It cannot be read as prose. Poetry tells the story of an entire book in a few lines. The Beloved (Yeshua) is telling the Shulamite (His Bride) He wants to see her. But the word translated “form” or “face” is not the usual word for face, but the Shoresh is again “Ra’ah.” This now takes on an understanding of “seeing and being seen.”
It brings to mind… 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. God knows us, for we are made in His image. That “image” is what He sees when we are “in Him.” We are all in the process of “becoming.”
That “becoming” is our destiny… 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.
While it is good (even great) to see our destiny is to grow into Yeshua’s “fullness,” the verse has a preamble. It starts “This will continue….” What will continue? Ephesians 4:12 to equip the kedoshim for the work of service, for building up the body of Messiah. How? Ephsians 4:11 mentions what we call “the 5 fold ministry” of evangelist, teacher, prophet, pastor and apostle. More on this tomorrow.
Week 40
Memory Verse: Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, because they received the message with goodwill, searching the Scriptures each day to see whether these things were true.
196 9/28 Monday: Acts 15-16
197 9/29 Tuesday: Galatians 1-3
198 9/30 Wednesday: Galatians 4-6
* 199 10/1 Thursday: Acts 17-18:17
200 10/2 Friday: Thessalonians 1-2
Question of the Day: In the midst of tumultuous times, we find the Bereans. What distinguished those people who were from Berea?
Answer: The Bible provides the answer… Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, because they received the message with goodwill, searching the Scriptures each day to see whether these things were true.
These people from Berea were primarily from the synagogue of Berea. They were so “noble-minded” that they were a positive influence on the Greeks around them, so that even many of the Greeks believed. What made them “noble-minded?” They were willing to search the Scriptures to determine the truth of the Gospel.
This is an important and distinguishing characteristic. The Bible does have answers. We have to endeavor to find the answers. 2 Timothy 2:15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the word of truth.
Wonderful, wonderful. Let’s be like the Bereans. With blessing, Rabbi Michael.