Reflections
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 03
J O N A H
Can anyone imagine what Jonah must have thought when he found himself back on dry land? Did he even know exactly where he was? Questions questions. And we will never know the answers.
What we do know is that Jonah had an experience he would never forget, and God had an important mission for him to accomplish. So “the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, (archeologists have determined that it covered an area of about 8 sq. km. and God said it had a population of over 120,000 people) and preach to it the message that I tell you’”.
This is an artistic (Austen Henry Layard 1853) impression of what that city might have looked like on the banks of the Tigris river at that time. The city was said to be devoted to “the goddess Ishtar of Nineveh’” and was later mostly abandoned by the 12th century CE. The Islamic State (ISIS) bulldozed the site during their occupation of Mosul between 2014 and 2017 causing considerable damage to the ancient monuments there in their arrogant, brutal, and futile attempts to rewrite history.
We already know that God had earlier told Jonah to “cry out against it. For their wickedness has come up before Me”. And we also know that God had said that He would tell Jonah what to say to them. I speculate that Jonah 3:3 possibly indicates that Jonah first had a reconnaissance walk around that “great city” (three days) to find good places to stand and preach. One can only imagine that the Spirit of God was so powerfully evident in Jonah that he immediately had the attention of his audience wherever he proclaimed “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” It is amazing to me that the reaction to those words was “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them”. In my minds eye, I can only think that there must have been more to the message than that surely. How many times in our own lifetime have we heard such doomsday proclamations without even a momentary ripple of reaction from people who hear such. That is why this as much more of a “God message” even though Jonah was the messenger. Cast your mind back to the time you had that personal encounter with God. The time when you came to faith in Yeshua. (In my case the messenger was Billy Graham, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that what he proclaimed was directly from the Holy Spirit of God to me.) However that may have occurred, it is (usually) the Holy Spirit of God operating through some human agency, or directly through His written word, or even a dream or vision which God uses to get your attention. Everyone who gets such a call makes a response, “Yes” or “No”. No middle ground. The people of Nineveh responded in such a manner that their king became aware (presumably he did not hear Jonah’s message personally) of the situation and also responded likewise. He ordered the people to fast and “let man and beast be covered in sackcloth (a sign of mourning and repentance), and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.” And they did.
“Then God saw their works, (note this was not what they said, but what they DID) that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” Wouldn’t it be a lovely story if it ended ‘And Jonah was delighted!’ Jonah had tried to avoid this mission. He had been thrown out of a boat. He spent three days and nights in a fish’s belly. He did what God asked of him. He risked his life to even go to that place of evil and violence. He told the people of Nineveh they would be ‘overthrown’. And all that was true. But he was angry. “It is better for me to die than to live”. It was all about Jonah.
There are some extremely important lessons for us in this story of Nineveh and Jonah. The gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, both record declarations by Yeshua about Himself regarding those who seek ‘signs’, of his deity and His person. “No sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah” He said. Keep in mind that these signs are intended for the primary audience, the Jews. But believing gentiles may also find appropriate ‘signs’. The first and most obvious is in Matthew’s account. It refers to the 3 days and 3 nights Jonah was in the belly of the fish, and Yeshua being in the grave after His cruel death on a Roman cross. (making the Easter crucifixion timing look unlikely, a major stumbling block for Jews). It is a sign we ‘christians’ have difficulty explaining. The broader message of the sign of Jonah was in the anger of Jonah when God showed love and mercy to the people of Nineveh, Gentiles no less. It is just like the anger of the Pharisees and Saduccees when fellow Jews declared their faith in Yeshua. Even today. Luke makes a broader evaluation of the “sign of the prophet Jonah”. It is the message of compassion, mercy and grace of God to those who heed His word, turn from their wicked ways and seek His forgiveness. Thankyou LORD.
Be blessed as you consider for yourself the lessons God has for you in “the sign of the prophet Jonah”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Image Reference: Artist's impression of Assyrian palaces from The Monuments of Nineveh by Sir Austen Henry Layard, 1853
REFLECTIONS ON THE WRITING PROPHETS
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 02
J O N A H
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before ME”.
Jonah lived in a small village about 3 Km from Nazareth, about 1000 Km west of Nineveh. Jonah, man of God’s choosing, packed his bag, and went in the opposite direction to Joppa, a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea about 300 Km west of Nazareth, Joppa is about where the word “Palestine” ends, on the map. But even Joppa wasn’t Jonah’s intended destination. He bought a ticket for a sea voyage to Spain!! Nineveh is where the modern city of Mosul is today in North East Iraq on the River Tigris.
The question that intrigues me is Why did God send Jonah to Nineveh? And, apart from the amazing outcome, (which is good enough reason in itself) there does not seem to be any other logical reason for that assignment. And that is exactly what Jonah thought too! Nineveh was a ‘large’ city in hostile Assyria. Less than 40 years later, it was those very people (the Assyrians) who invaded, and took captive the principal citizens of that northern kingdom of Israel where Jonah lived. But regardless of that, there are significant lessons for us to learn from this fascinating story. The prophetic books of Scripture are mostly regarding God’s message to the people called by His name, Israelites. Those prophecies contain warnings and promises in relation to their behaviour and lifestyle. This one is about the wickedness of the enemies of those people. There is another reason why this story is important for us. Yeshua, when asked by the Pharisees and Sadducees for a sign about Himself from heaven, said there would be “no sign given to them except the sign of the prophet Jonah”. (Matthew 16:4) So we have to look for the lessons in that “sign”.
“The word of the LORD came to Jonah”. We are not told how that came about, but Jonah was sure what that word was, because “Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD”. He was obviously very scared to engage in that assignment. Try to imagine what modern equivalent might be considered comparable. Perhaps being told to go to Mecca during ‘The Hajj” and preach the gospel to the pilgrims there? Whatever, Jonah boarded the ship, going in the opposite direction, and breathed a sigh of relief. Until the storm came and threatened the lives of those on board. It is a graphic story requiring little imagination. As the storm grew in intensity, through their own processes they discovered that Jonah was the probable cause “For the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them”. And at Jonah’s suggestion, he was thrown overboard. Immediately, just as he had told the sailors it would, “the sea ceased from its raging”. The result of that perilous event was “Then the men (sailors) feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows”. A direct result of Jonah making a confession of faith, in spite of his attempt to disobey God’s instruction. God’s purposes will not be obstructed by anyone, but they may be delayed. God’s time and man’s time are not the same. God is timeless.
“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights”. Jonah was as good as dead. No chance. Finished. In great despair Jonah cried out to the LORD. Who wouldn’t ?
Is this the “sign” that Yeshua spoke about to those Pharisees and Saducees? “Three days and three nights” sounds quite compelling. It certainly knocks a big hole in an “Easter” crucifixion. It also speaks volumes about the hopelessness of anyone consigned to “Sheol” (the world of the dead). Jonah himself, in his plea to the LORD said “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried”. He continued “I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple”. It mirrors the experience of Yeshua at the hands of His Roman executioners. One of His exclamations from that Roman cross was “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me.” A cry of sheer desperation. There is a compelling lesson for all of us right here. How many of us, armed as we are with full knowledge of God’s call on our lives, as Jonah was in his day, and much later as the Apostle Peter was in Matthew 16 when asked “Who do you say that I am ?”, choose a path of disobedience to the call of God.
“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple.” Is that the cry that we as believers should be making to the LORD? There are very few of us who do not, from time to time, need to be reminded of the purpose for which God called us to Himself. Jonah, out of desperation, called upon the LORD to have mercy on him. “So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land”. And so it was that Jonah was able to again hear that call of God, and fulfil the assignment to which God had called him. May that be our experience too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Image Reference: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Reflections on the Writing Prophets
‘Reflections’ on the Writing Prophets 01
The Minor Prophets - Chronology
Background
After the death of Solomon about 930 BCE the nation of Israel became divided. (1 Kings 12) Ten tribes in the northern part, united under king Jeroboam 1 to form that which continued as “Israel”. Over the next 200 years, they had a succession of 19 kings, every one of which the Bible describes as a “Bad” king, because they continued to “do evil in the sight of the LORD” with idolatry. Two tribes under king Rehoboam, took the name “Judah” (the major tribe). Over the next 330 years they had a succession of 20 kings, of which only 8 are described as “Good” kings in that they followed the ways the LORD had prescribed for the people. The other 12 were just like the northern kings.
Keen Bible students will know that Almighty God told the Prophet Jeremiah that there is a New Covenant coming. That new and unbreakable covenant will be made with “The House of Israel” and the “House of Judah”. Guaranteed. When it is made, those “houses” will, once again be a united kingdom, reigned over by King Yeshua in whose blood the covenant is already sealed. And it will be ruled with ‘a rod of iron’.
During the times of the divided kingdoms, (1 Kings 12) the LORD raised up many prophets to pronounce warnings to the people in an attempt to get them to live as He had prescribed. Perhaps the best known are Elijah and Elisha. Their ministry and record of their exploits is recorded in the Books of the Kings, but they did not write books which bear their name. But 16 of those prophets were “writing prophets’. It is the length of their writing which has resulted in them being described as “Major” and “Minor”. But they are of equal importance in respect of the tasks God gave them to do. The ultimate sanction of God for continued disobedience was banishment from the land. And in the event, our Bible records that “Israel” was removed from the land in 722 BCE, and “Judah” in 586 BCE.
This series of ‘reflections’ is focussed on the writings of those prophets who are described as “Minor”. It is my choice to look at each one in the chronological sequence of their writing, rather than the order in which those writings appear in our Bible today. Each of these prophets has a clear message for its intended audience. But as is always the case in the study the Scriptures, there is also a message for those who read these words today. God said to Isaiah “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it”. (Isaiah 55:11)
There are 12 “Minor” Writing Prophets (approx dates)
Jonah. One of the better known of the Minor prophets because he spent time in the belly of a big fish! But there is more to Jonah than that. Wrote about 760 BCE when Jeroboam 2 reigned in Israel (2 Kings 14:25)
Amos. The sheep breeder from Tekoa, south of Bethlehem. Wrote when Uzziah was king in Judah, and Jeroboam 2 was king in Israel. About 760 BCE
Hosea. The prophet who married a prostitute! Ministry began about 755 BCE and spanned the reigns of both Uzziah and Hezekiah in Judah and Jeroboam 2 and possibly Hoshea in Israel. Isaiah was also ministering during this time.
Micah. Not much is known about this prophet except that he prophesied about 730 BCE, during Isaiah’s time, and addressed the woes of both Israel and Judah. Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah ruled in Judah during his lifetime.
Nahum. Hard to date. About 660 to 612 BCE. Nineveh was in trouble with the LORD again. Amon and Josiah were kings of Judah. Jeremiah’s ministry just beginning.
Zephaniah. About 612 BCE. Josiah was king of Judah. Very close to the time when the Babylonian exile of Judah began. The days now very short
Habakkuk. Jehoahaz was king of Judah, even though he had two older brothers. The peoples choice, not God’s. About 605 BCE, the year that Daniel was taken captive into Babylon. Jeremiah was still ministering.
Obadiah. About 586 BCE. The major Babylonian exile began. Prophecy against. Edom
Haggai. Prophet to Zerubbabel who led the return from Babylon to Jerusalem. 520 BCE
Zechariah. 520 BCE. Prophecy of encouragement to the returning Judeans.
Malachi. About 430 BCE. Ministers God’s love to the Jews, and encouragement to continue to walk in His ways, pointing out the foolishness of neglecting God’s ways.
Joel. Another timing mystery. Thought to be around 400 BCE, but could be much earlier when Joash was king of Judah. But probably after Nehemiah was governor of Judah. The power of God is emphasised in natural disaster, and is very much seen as a prophet for today!
So that is a brief outline of where we will be looking, as well as Ezekiel and Daniel, for inspiration in our walk with God in this coming series of ‘reflections’. In many respects these are unfamiliar Scriptures to most believers today. But we may be assured that as we search those Scriptures, God has challenge and blessing in store for us.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 51
V’zot Hab’rakhah (This is the blessing)
Moses died on Mount Nebo on the east side of the Jordan River. No-one knows where he was buried., except that it was in “a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor”. But before he died he blessed 11 of the 12 tribes of Israel. That blessing started with a general pronouncement about the LORD’s relationship to the whole congregation, and their acceptance of His authority.
In the map showing the land division among the twelve tribes, we note that Levi did not receive land, because the Levites were spread throughout the other tribes as priests, but had 48 cities to live in. Joseph was represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. And Simeon’s land is totally within the boundaries of Judah. Some have offered plausible, but speculative, theories about the reasons why Simeon is not mentioned in Moses’ blessings, but we simply do not know why that is.
The map shows that the original tribal allotment includes territory of modern day Jordan. That land was included in the 1921 “Balfour Declaration” as land set aside for the modern State of Israel, to which the ‘League of Nations’ agreed.
The tribal names of the sons of Jacob remain, even though those men were long dead and had been succeeded by their descendants when the land divisions were allotted. The pronouncement of his blessing of these tribes does not follow any recognisable order, even though Reuben, the oldest, was first mentioned. He was also the first to have a land allotment. The blessing of the Reubenites was in a form of prayer that they would survive in the land (on the east of the Jordan River) and grow strong in number.
Judah seemed to be destined for leadership as Moses prayed blessing on them. “Let his hands be sufficient for him, and may You be a help against his enemies.” We know that about 300 years later, after the death of King Solomon, that Judah gave its name to the southern kingdom which comprised the tribes of Judah (with Simeon) and Benjamin.
Levi, the tribe of priests, was to be scattered among the other tribes as they fulfilled their priestly duties. They provided, among other things, a judicial function. “Let your Thummim and your Urim be with your Holy one (the High Priest)”. These are objects, within the breastplate of the High Priest’s garment, through which God, by selection of the High Priest, confirmed His will and judgment on specific matters to the High Priest. Moses continued “For they have observed Your word and kept Your covenant. They shall teach Jacob Your judgements, and Israel Your Torah”. Moses also prayed for God’s physical protection of the Levites.
For Benjamin, who was allotted territory which included Jerusalem, Moses prayed for their safety and peace.
Joseph, now represented by tribes which carried the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, held a special place among his brothers. Moses asked for material prosperity and military might, recognising the depravation which he had earlier suffered in slavery in Egypt. But Ephraim would be militarily stronger than Manasseh, his older brother.(Genesis 48:20)
For Zebulun and Issachar, even though they eventually had landlocked territory, Moses prayed for blessing, particularly though trade in fishing!
Gad had a large territory east of the River Jordan, but was mighty in battle against the Canaanites.
Regarding Dan, Moses saw great military strength. They were the tribe that became discontent with their allotted territory and moved further north, as far as the border with Lebanon.
Naphtali, Moses prayed, would be favoured and blessed by the LORD.
Asher was seen as a tribe who would be blessed and favoured by his brothers. “As your days, so shall your strength be”, Moses prayed.
And finally, Moses prayed for them as a nation. “Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places.”
Moses was well aware that he was about to die. It was no surprise to him. God had called him to lead the people when he was 80. He was now 120. And I believe he died peacefully and entered the presence of the LORD his God. And the people mourned for him for 30 days. “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” **
Then, the faithful Joshua, Moses assistant, who was “full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him”, took charge of the situation. And the children of Israel ‘heeded him’.
Shalom
RS
**BREAKING NEWS:- Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call His name YESHUA, for He will save His people from their sins”.
Image attribution: By 12 tribus de Israel.svg: Translated by Kordas12 staemme israels heb.svg: by user:יוסי12 staemme israels.png: by user:Janzderivative work Richardprins (talk) - 12 tribus de Israel.svg12 staemme israels heb.svg12 staemme israels.png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10865624
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 50
Ha’azinu (Listen)
Moses sang the song that God had taught him. And then he died. Well, soon afterwards anyway. There are three major songs in our Bible attributed to Moses. This one, one in Exodus 15 and Psalm 90. He might well have written Psalm 91 as well, but that is not clearly identified as such. And we find out in Revelation 15 that the angels who are given the task of pouring out the last seven plagues the earth also will sing this song of Moses. (they may well be singing it already)
It is a God honouring song, imploring the hearers to “Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice. Righteous and upright is He”. The hearers were about to go into the land God had promised them. The same promise had been made to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Now they were on the threshold, waiting. They knew it would not be easy. There were battles to be fought, and won. There would be resistance and they had no idea of what obstacles they might face. But we saw in our ‘reflection’ last week, that they were told by Moses that God would go before them. That Joshua would lead them, and they were to be “strong and of good courage’. If we are looking for lessons for ourselves, we have one right there. Our God does not change. “Ascribe greatness to Him.” “His work is perfect.” He is righteous and upright”. “He does not lie”. And He goes before us.
We remind ourselves that, as we discovered in our ‘reflection’ last week, God taught Moses this song for a purpose. He knew that they would break their covenant and turn to ‘other gods’. He also knew that they would not forget this song, which Moses taught them before they entered the land. It was to be a reminder and a witness to the people of Israel of all that God had accomplished in and for them. The song contains words of candour which will touch the heart of anyone with a glimmer of a conscience. “They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish; A perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the LORD O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?” Can anyone else see, as I can, the blindingly obvious parallel with our own situation today? This song is a timeless reminder of the love and grace which God has for those who are His. It is cutting in its clarity.
Nothing is done or said by innuendo or clever construction of words to bring thoughts of the past to mind. This song is direct and persuasive. Amazingly it covers what is for the people of that day, the past, the present, and the future. Concerning the past “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations”. God has provided the record of the past. It is written that all who read it might judge. Even though the people of that day did not have the volume of the written word as we do today, they had the history of the Patriarchs, their forefathers.“He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye”. This was very modern history for these folk. Then the present, or at least seeing the very near days ahead “They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God. … of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and forgotten the God who fathered you.” These are words which would bring shame on any reasonable person. Such ingratitude is palpable.
This song also has words for a future generation of Israelites. Things that were near at hand for them and some which are still being fulfilled today. “How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them? For their rock is not like our Rock”. And “Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me”. (It is not difficult to put this into a very modern scene, as Israel today is surrounded by enemies, and has been ever since its modern resurrection in 1948. Consider how many times Israel has, and continues to, prevail against seemingly almost insurmountable superior numerical force) God then introduced a most unlikely weapon in His armoury. “I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation”. (Romans 11”11?) And in a kind of lament there is an appeal that they might acquire wisdom. “Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” And in a triumphant finale, the song comes to a victorious end. “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people’” This is a most direct ‘instruction’ and promise of God to gentiles. We are told to partake with God’s chosen, even when they have fallen into the chastisement of God for their covenant failure. Their restoration, and God’s provident atonement is assured by Him. It is such a tragedy that many believing gentiles today are so derisory in their comment and actions regarding Israel.
The sad end to our ‘reflection’. God told Moses “Go up this mountain, Mount Nebo … view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; and die on that mountain and be gathered to your people .. you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there”. But good news for the people was that God had already promised to raise up another prophet like Moses for the people (Deuteronomy 15).
But we still have one week left for Moses to bless the people he had led for the last 40 years.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 49
Vayelech (And (Moses) went)
Possibly the most enlightening, and yet the most disappointing speech ever made. Enlightening in its encouragement and optimism. Disappointing in its prophetic truth. A sad start as Moses said “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’”. We know that Moses was not in any way incapacitated (Deuteronomy 34:7), so the reference to “going out and coming in” is a statement of knowledge that his leadership duties were at an end, because that’s what God had told him. Then the encouragement. “The LORD your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy those nations from before you, and you shall disposes them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the LORD has said.” The words which follow have been used as an encouragement to believers ever since. They are words appropriated by people of faith in a most personal way, and rightly so. But it is often forgotten that all the blessings and promises which God made to these Israelites were conditional upon their adherence and obedience to His commandments. That is an important lesson for any who personally take this encouraging Scripture as God’s promise to them. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
But there was more to do. The Book of the Covenant, the Torah (God’s instruction for righteous living) was given to the Levites, the priests, and they were charged with a very solemn and interesting duty. We ‘reflected’ on the “Shmitah” year in “Torah Reflection 29” of this series. To this observance, the Levites were charged with another responsibility. At the time of the Feast of Tabernacles in “Shmitah” year, “Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this Torah, and their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross Jordan to possess.” Every seven years the people were to be officially, ceremonially, and dutifully reminded of what God expected of them. Those over seven would hear it more than once! It was to be an ongoing ritual. Did you notice in those instructions that “the stranger within your gates” was also charged with “learning the fear of the LORD”? And “to carefully observe all the words of this Torah”? Selah.
As gentiles, we are at some disadvantage in not having been taught some of these fundamental precepts. Moses had told them that each year God provided “appointed times”, ‘mo’edim’ in Hebrew, for His people to meet with Him. At the remembrance of His Passover, all over the world, wherever they live, Jewish parents recall His dealings with them, teach their children the history of that miraculous escape from slavery in Egypt, right up to this very point in our ‘reflection’ today, and beyond. And now Moses added the Feast of Tabernacles, every seventh year, as a time for reading the Torah to the whole congregation of the people. We who are “strangers within their gates”, are privileged to join in that memorial time if we so wish, but not many of us do. They are times of encouragement, uplift, and optimism, when we regularly recall the greatness and the reliability of our unchanging God. Learning what He requires of those who seek His blessing.
Moses took Joshua to the Tent of Meeting to be inaugurated as leader by the LORD in the sight of the whole congregation of Israel. (He had been anointed for that task (Numbers 27:18-23) but unlike Moses, who received instructions directly from God, Joshua was instructed through the “Urim” of the High Priest.) It was then that God appeared in the cloud above the door of the Tabernacle and gave Moses the disappointing news to which I referred at the commencement of this ‘reflection’. God told Moses that when the people lived in the land they were about to inherit, they would ‘play the harlot’ with the gods of the foreigners of that land. And even worse perhaps (or was it the same thing) “they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.” But disappointing as it is, it also speaks volumes about God’s love and grace towards these Israelites. Because in spite of this foreknowledge, He still allowed them to proceed as He had promised. But not without anger. We can probably all identify with the disappointment and even the sense of betrayal we feel when someone we love does something contrary to that which we thought was agreed. But we act without the foreknowledge that God had. The word “covenant” is not usually used in our everyday language today, but that is what a solemn agreement really is. A child does something against what was promised. A man does not do what he said he would do. A woman does things she promised not to do. Often, with the disappointment, comes anger.
God told Moses that many terrible things would happen to those people that He loved when they no longer enjoyed the safety of His presence among them due to their breaking of their covenant with Him. But even that was not to be the end. God told Moses that He would give him a song to teach the people. So He did. Moses wrote the song that very day and taught it to the children of Israel. God said “Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants.”
Then Moses called together the elders of the tribes and their appointed officers to tell them what would happen. The song Moses taught them would be a constant reminder to them. We will look at it next week.
Shabbat Shalom.
RS
Torah Reflections “Tabernacles”
Torah Reflections “Tabernacles”
Torah portions Leviticus 22:26 to 23:44 and Numbers 29:12 - 16
Haftarah portion Zechariah 14 : 1-21
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 have the commandments about annual observances of the “mo’edim”. (The Hebrew word for “appointed times”, which in turn is usually translated into English as “feasts”). These are times when God specified He would meet with His chosen ones.
Today, they are most often referred to as “Jewish Feasts”. That correctly describes the fact that they are observances remembered by Jews. But it is an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures.
When God gave these instructions to Moses, He carefully worded these ‘appointed times’ (mo’edim) as MY ‘mo’edim’. They may be characterized as times when God says, in effect, “I will be there to meet with you on these specific occasions”. Those who choose not to attend miss an opportunity of blessing through meeting with Him at His invitation.
This festival is a happy occasion. It lasts for seven days and begins and ends with a Sabbath rest. Following just 4 days after the most solemn remembrance of Yom Kippur it is celebrated in a very special way in Israel particularly. The festival is actually known by THREE different English names. Tabernacles, Booths and Ingathering. In Hebrew ”Sukkot”.
Each family builds a kind of makeshift shelter, which they call “booths”, outside their home. It is deliberately constructed so that the roof is lightly covered with palm fronds which easily allows those inside the shelter to see the sky above. Observant Jewish families then carry on all normal family activities in and around this shelter. That includes having meals and sleeping. The purpose of these constructions is to cause the family to remember the time when their ancestors lived in this manner in their wilderness journeying’s from Egypt to the Promised Land. Naturally, there is also much storytelling and appropriate scripture reading to encourage and enlighten the experience for the children of the family.
As mentioned above, it is an especially joyful festival.
In terms of our understanding of the prophetic significance of this festival, we need to recall the teaching which accompanied the first two festivals of this season. TRUMPETS heralds the return to this Earth of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in power and great glory. Then follow 10 days of putting things right, before we remember the very solemn festival of YOM KIPPUR which is prophetic of the Great White Throne Judgement.
As the old hymn puts it “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there”. Well this festival is effectively the time for ‘roll calling’. Those who have been judged worthy at the Great White Throne Judgement are invited to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. That is consistent with the joyfulness of the occasion isn’t it? In fact, “the Bride” of the Lamb is the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21 : 9 – 27) and there is no place for impurity within its walls. Only those cleansed by the blood of the Lamb participate in the Marriage Supper.
There is ONE more activity associated with this festival in Judaism. On the last day of the celebration is the most joyous parading of the Torah Scrolls through the Streets in Jerusalem, and I suspect, but have not personally witnessed, in other Jewish communities. This is called “Simchat Torah” (Rejoicing in the Torah). It marks the fact that the whole cycle of reading the Torah starts again for another year.
Take time to study and learn the significance of all the “mo’edim” of the Lord. They are full of rich meaning and this festival has been singled out for special mention in the millennial Kingdom. Read it for yourself in Zechariah 14 : 16 -19. It forms part of the Haftarah portion for this week.
Why is this ‘mo’ed’ singled out? For your thoughtful consideration, the first clue comes in Jeremiah 16:14,15. Probably the most memorable day in the Hebrew calendar superseded by a bigger event! Jews restored to the Land in preparation for the return of Messiah. Pesach (which includes Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits) no longer celebrated. Shavuot, traditionally the time of giving of Torah superseded by a New Covenant. Yom Teruah completed by the appearance of Yeshua as King of kings.(No third appearance expected) Yom Kippur, already completed at the White Throne Judgement. And what remains is the joyful time when Yeshua Tabernacles with us for the rest of time. It is the ONLY festival which remains when Yeshua returns to reign. Hallelujah, what a Saviour. Be part of “The great ingathering”.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 48
Nitzvahim (Enter covenant)
“Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.” This statement by Moses immediately follows the chapters in our Bible which specify the blessings and curses, which are presented as possible alternative outcomes for the people. Their choice. Much earlier, as they were about to begin the journey, the people had assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai and made their covenant. “All that the LORD has said, we will do, and be obedient” they declared. Many of those people had now died. Those assembled on this day as Moses spoke, were under twenty years of age at the time when their fathers stood at the foot of Mount Sinai. They had all learned much about the LORD’s dealings with them in the past 40 years and now was the time for them to make their commitment, their covenant, with God.
There is an immensely important lesson here. The terms of the covenant are contained in “The Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7) But that “Book” is NOT the covenant. The “Covenant” is an agreement. An agreement between parties to that Covenant. Almighty God is ONE of the parties. The people to whom Moses read the terms of the covenant in Exodus 24:7 were the other ‘party’ to that original covenant. Those over twenty had died on the journey. In our passage of Scripture this week, Moses offered the establishment of the same covenant with the new generation of Israelites. God has not changed, but the people have. Moses had spelled out the alternatives of obedience and disobedience. Moses can do no more. The choice is theirs to make. But now we may observe a relatively small but important difference. Speaking as from the LORD Himself “I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, but with him who stands with us today before the LORD our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today … so that there may not be among you man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God”. It is an open covenant. God remains the initiator on one side of that covenant. Steadfast, true, unchanging. And on the other side, anyone who willingly agrees to do, and be obedient to, the terms of the “Book of the Covenant”.
God expected the people that He was leading into the land He promised them, to live according to His standards of righteousness. They were expected to be very different, in behaviour and worship, to the people they were to replace in the land of Canaan and the nations around them. A special people who would be an example to those around them. A witness and testimony to the God they served. But the LORD knew that they would be subject to all the pressures and wiles of the evil one, and that ultimately they would break the covenant which was set before them, and to which they willingly agreed. So it was that Moses wrote, in that same passage of Scripture, that because of their failure, a day would dawn when they would be dispersed from the land that they had not, at that stage, even entered. Then this. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us, and to our children forever, that we may do all the things of this Torah.” How good is that? Put very simply, I believe what Moses said 3,500 years ago was, these things are written for our understanding. Revealing Who God is. How He wants us to act and live, in righteousness (even spelling out what happens when people fail), so that we might learn, and not fall into the same error.
If that were the end of Moses’ revelation it would be rather sad. But it is not. Because Moses continued, revealing the prophecy which is being fulfilled in our lifetime. Even now, as we read this ‘reflection’. Reading the history, we can plainly see that our Bible records THREE major dispersions from the land. The first, in 722 BCE, when Shalmanezer V, king of Assyria took captive the people of Israel (the ten tribes of the northern kingdom). There is no record in our Bible of their restoration to their land. Then there was the Babylonian captivity about 586 BCE. There is much recorded in the Scriptures about that restoration, led by Zerubbabel and others about 70 years later. And finally, the great dispersion, about 133 AD after the Bar-Kochba uprising. It is the conclusion of this last event, identified as taking place just as the nineteenth century came to an end, (about 1890) under the visionary leadership of Theodore Hertzl, which most readily fits the scene referred to in our reading today. “.. that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.” Now we need to understand that this is still ‘a work in progress’. The events under the leadership of Adolph Hitler provided a major stimulus to Jewish people to return to the land after 1947. But (in 2021) there are still as many Jews living outside Israel as there are within Israel. Never-the-less, the word of the LORD is “Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.” And furthermore, a future event. “And the LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you will again obey the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command you today.”
An arrogant and self centred world operates without regard to the word of God so clearly stated. We have the immense privilege today of knowing the ‘end of the book’. But even some who call themselves ‘christian’ seem unaware of the role God has for those He has called by His name. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from every nation shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you’”. (Zechariah 8:23) The wise will not wait until then!
Shabbat Shalom
RS
TORAH REFLECTIONS “Yom Kippur”
Torah Reflections “Yom Kippur”
Torah portions Leviticus 16 : 1- 34 and Numbers 29 : 7 - 11
Haftarah portion Isaiah 57 : 14 to 58 : 14
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 have the commandments about annual observances of the “mo’edim”. (The Hebrew word for “appointed times”, which in turn is usually translated into English as “feasts”). These are times when God specified He would meet with His chosen ones.
Today, they are most often referred to as “Jewish Feasts”. That correctly describes the fact that they are observances remembered by Jews. But it is an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures.
When God gave these instructions to Moses, He carefully worded these ‘appointed times’ (mo’edim) as MY ‘mo’edim’. They may be characterized as times when God says, in effect, “I will be there to meet with you on these specific occasions”. Those who choose not to attend miss an opportunity of blessing through meeting with Him at His invitation.
The 10 days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur are referred to as “the days of awe”. In Judaism, they are days of intraflection and reconciliation … putting things right.. putting things right with God and putting things right with those we live with and associate with on a daily basis. In fact the Scriptures clearly tell us that we cannot be right with God, and be at odds with each other (Matthew 5 : 24).
Those who have visited Israel at this time of year will know that everything stops on Yom Kippur. It is a day of fasting and reflection.( It is the reason why, in 1973, the Arab nations around Israel attacked them on that specific day. There is No Radio, No Television, No answering phones.. NOTHING goes on). The Scriptures declared that all the people have a day of solemn rest and strict Sabbath keeping. A day to “afflict your souls”.
It was the one day in every year, appointed by God, for the Chief Priest to enter the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle and the Temple when they were functioning. The whole purpose of that visit by the Chief Priest was to ensure that he himself, and the Nation of people he represented, were made right with God in preparation for the year that lay ahead.
The awesome significance of this very special day is, regrettably, totally lost to the church. In addition to its special anointing by God, being set apart from all other days as it is, there is a unique event recorded in Revelation which we should all be acutely aware of. It is the day of the WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT. It is represented for us today by the day of Atonement. It is a special day ‘to put things right’.
Revelation 20 : 11 – 15 describes that day of Judgment. It needs no comment from me. The judgement is to determine who is right with God, and who is not. It is there for everyone to read, but before you read it I caution you to read Revelation 22 : 18,19 first. Many ‘Christians’ today have never taken time to even read Revelation, let alone try to understand its message. It is a letter written by Yeshua Himself, or at least dictated by Him to John.
The climax of the whole letter, in fact the climax of the whole message of the Scriptures comes in the next festival of the Lord, the Feast of Tabernacles, which is why these “mo’edim” of the Lord are so important to celebrate, be part of, and to remember.
I am saddened that the modern Christian church, which is largely ignorant of the “mo’edim” of the Lord, has missed a blessing which God intended us to enjoy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections
Torah Reflection 47
Ki Tavo (When you have come)
Moses emphasised again the importance of the “tithe” when the people take up residence in the land of God’s promise to them. This gives us a clear and unambiguous view of the importance of this act of “tithing” in God’s economy. But we need to understand exactly what that means. We know from Malachi 3:8 that failure to “tithe” appropriately is considered by God to be ‘robbery’. Does anyone seriously contemplate robbing God? Of course not. But that indicates the substantial difference between a “God view” and a “man view” of the same situation. From a human perspective, we might categorise the failure to ‘tithe’ as forgetfulness, or if we are honest enough, as neglect. But not robbery. However, there is a bit more to this than meets the eye.
What is God’s view? He made a covenant with His people to care for them. Rich and poor alike. No respecter of persons. The covenant which the people readily agreed to keep was, “All that the LORD has said, we will do, and be obedient.” (Exodus 24:7) God then, had the right to expect that the people would perform that to which they had agreed. It was by this means that God would be able to fully keep His covenant promise to the people. Offering the “tithe” involved presenting one tenth of the produce of the land every third year to the LORD, so that those who were impoverished could be fed without begging. God gave them that provision as a right to them. It is, after all, the LORD’s portion to give isn’t it? But if there was a deficiency, because the producers did not properly “tithe” the increase which God had given them, then God WAS robbed, and the poor had insufficient as a consequence. What does that mean for us today? What is the lesson we might take from this situation? Malachi 3:10 is so wantonly and deceitfully misapplied in many places today. It really is robbing God. And it is not the ones providing the “tithe” who are at fault. God’s intention was that the “tithe” be used to feed the poor and the disadvantaged. It surely was not to allow some of us to grow wealthy and build big churches, as the impoverished go hungry. This passage of Scripture might cause some to reconsider how ones personal “tithe” should be applied and distributed.
Moses continued his talk to the people “Keep all the commandments which I command you today”. First thing, when they get possession of the land they were to go to Shechem (modern day Nablus) in Samaria. They were to write the commandments of Torah on large whitewashed stones and set them up on nearby Mount Ebal. An altar was to be built and offerings made to the LORD. Close by is Mount Gerazim. The priests were to move among the people declaring what Moses commanded. “Take heed and listen, O Israel; This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today”. After that the people were to be divided by tribal groups. Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar. Joseph and Benjamin were to stand on Mount Gerazim. These were to speak blessing on all the people present. Then on Mount Ebal, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali were to stand. This group were to warn of the curses which the people would encounter if they engaged in any of the sins which were spoken by them. To each of these sins, declared in a loud voice to the whole congregation, the people were required to acknowledge by saying “Amen” (so be it). Read the list in Deuteronomy 27:14-27.
The good news is contained in chapter 28 of our text. “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God”. The recital of these blessings (verses 1-14) is a promise of God which indicated His wish for the people to live in peace and prosperity as the world’s leading nation. An example for other nations to see and aspire to be like. A nation which I imagine will be just like that which will be reigned over by Messiah Yeshua when He returns to this earth. “The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them”.
The exact opposite would follow if they did not do as the LORD commanded Moses to tell them. There are many and varied curses mentioned, which you should read for yourself. I note that in all this long list, the Hebrew word used is “a’rar” (bitterly curse). It is certainly not a light thing. And because we know the events which subsequently occurred, we are able to make judgement and observation of these curses from the well known historical happenings to these people and their descendants throughout many generations. Not only from the Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and the Kings, but also from more recent events within our own memory and even up to the present day, as the LORD has begun to regather His people back to their land.
As this ‘reflection’ draws to its close, it has to be on a note of caution. These writings of Moses were documented so that generations which follow should have understanding of the nature and character of our God. That includes any who, like us, claim faith in and allegiance to their God. Moses has been almost monotonous in his declaration of the need for them to observe and do what God has commanded. In Deuteronomy 28:64 they were told the unthinkable. Read it. And it is only now that that event is being reversed before our eyes. God says what He means, and He means what He says.
Shabbat Shalom
RS