Zion's Voice

Torah Reflections   M3  

Torah portions           Exodus 19:1 to 20:23  and Numbers 28 :26 - 31

Haftarah portion      Ezekiel 1 : 1-28 and 3 : 12

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 ‘appointed time’ is fixed in relation to Pesach. Seven Sabbaths plus one day later.( In the Christian reckoning, it is called “Whitsun” and is seven weeks after Palm Sunday, but it bears no relationship at all to the ‘mo’ed’ of the Lord specified in Leviticus 23.) Some pretty exciting things happened at Shavuot, and the festival (also known as the Feast of Weeks) figures most significantly in the prophetic calendar as it relates to Yeshua.

Firstly, by Jewish calculation, and there is good evidence for it, this was the time when Moses was on the mountain communing with the Lord and receiving the instructions for righteous living, which we know as Torah. (see Exodus 19:1)  That, in my view is cause enough to celebrate. The very Word of God, which is ‘sharper than any two-edged sword’, came to us at this time of the year. An immeasurable blessing. My Bible tells me that Moses spoke “all that the Lord had told him” and wrote it in a book.(Exodus 24: 3 and 7). More importantly, that was the exact time that the first covenant was sealed, when the people voluntarily agreed as they said “all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”.

Secondly, according to Acts 1, Yeshau returned to His Father 40 days after his resurrection from the grave. But He told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Just 10 days later was the festival of Shavuot. Jerusalem was overflowing with people, there for the festival from all over the known world (as it is today for the three pilgrimage festivals). Then came a sound ‘like a mighty rushing wind’. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, the One who points to Messiah, was sent to minister His blessing to those who would receive it.

The disciples, already emboldened at meeting the resurrected Lord Yeshua, were imbued with power from on high. No longer the ‘shrinking violets’ who were shattered by the death of Yeshua on that cruel Roman cross. They spoke boldly to the throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, and miracle of miracles, the foreigners present all heard these fishermen from Galilee speaking in their own several languages. It is almost impossible to imagine. But by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, over three thousand were added to the company of believers that very day. Now that surely is another reason to celebrate.

But there’s more!!   Both events related above did not stop.

Today, we have the precious Holy Scriptures, written in so many of the world’s languages. The faithful Jews who were entrusted with those Scriptures have carefully preserved them for our blessing and instruction down through the ages. In the early days, meticulously copying by hand every ‘jot and tittle’. Every yod and vav.

The Holy Spirit of God is alive and well in the earth today. His role on earth is to point us to Messiah Yeshua, by any and all means possible. He brings strength to the ‘weary’, comfort to the ‘afflicted’, guidance to those who seek, and blessing to all who ask.

So if any still wonder why we should celebrate Shavuot, I trust that this ‘reflection’ will provide some answers. But there is a much greater and compelling reason. God commanded it. His promise, is included in the introductory remarks of this ‘reflection’. He will be there to meet all who come. It is a special time. It has never been revoked.

You will be blessed as you meet together and thank Him for His unspeakable gift.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Reflections    34        

Torah Portion                   Numbers  1 : 1  to  4 : 20

Haftarah Portion           Hosea 1 : 10 – 20

The Torah of YHWH given to Moses

The events described in our parashah today take place almost exactly one year after the Israelites had left the land of Egypt. The Exodus account ended with the instruction for the Israelites to move when the ‘cloud’ moved, and to rest when the ‘cloud’ stood still.

The whole chronology of the Israelites is contained in just eleven books of the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Torah (first five books) Leviticus and Deuteronomy are books of instruction, rather than books of travel. So following our ‘reflections’ in Leviticus, we return to the travelogue of these Israelites. For good orders sake, it was deemed necessary that these people, probably exceeding two million in number, be properly organised for their long journey (even though they had no idea how long it would be). So the parashah begins with the numbering of people by family groups. From this numbering the whole assembly was designated a place to pitch their tents, in approximate equal number and in order, on each side of the Tabernacle. When the ‘cloud’ moved, the people would strike camp, again in designated order, and follow the ‘cloud’ to the next stopping place.

(It is worthy of our effort to try to imagine the spectacle of this. It is the equivalent of the whole population of Brisbane moving, in order, at the same time. Amazing. If that weren’t enough, try to picture the same group having food and water provided each day!  … for forty years!!)

What an awesome God we serve.

The Levites were in a special category. A year earlier, they were the ones who stood by Moses, declaring themselves to be on the Lord’s side, at the time of the idolatry with the ‘golden calf’. (Exodus 32) As an aside to this event, we are also informed that God keeps a ‘book’. It would appear that in this .book’ everyone’s name is recorded, because God says to Moses that “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book”. Evidently, there were plenty of people whose names were blotted out at the ‘golden calf’ incident.

But there is much more. The Levites were accepted by God as a substitute for the ‘firstborn’. That is a very special role. We note that there is much evidence in the Scriptures of the pagan practice of human sacrifice. In particular, the firstborn son, the natural heir of his father, was sacrificed to Moloch, a Canaanite god. (Anyone interested in this can look up Moloch in Wikepedia). The main point here being that YHWH had eliminated that practice from the Israelites by demanding that the firstborn belong to Him, (Exodus 13:2 and 14) dedicated to His service, and most definitely not to be sacrificed in the fire.

So then, already having possession of the firstborn (males), God then told Moses that He would accept the Levites as a substitute into His service, one Levite for one firstborn.  Demonstrating His insistence on absolute justice, “near enough is definitely not good enough” for God, it was discovered in the numbering of the Levites, that they were 273 short of the right number. Those 273 were then purchased for money, and the money was given to Aaron to be used in the Lord’s service. This practice of ‘redemption of the firstborn’ is still practiced today in Jewish society.

What lessons are there for us today in this parashah?

Firstly, we note that God is precise in His dealings with the people. We have noted many times in our ‘reflections’ that we serve a God who does not change. His particularity continues. There is no ambiguity in His instructions. He says what He means and He means what He says. His instructions are not open to individual interpretation. When I was a young boy, there was an older man in our congregation who often quoted these words .. “God said it, I believe it, that settles it”. It appears to me that in many of our churches today, we are prone to live a different version of that saying. Perhaps “God said it, I’ll have a think about it, and if it is convenient, I'll go along with it.” There seems to be scant regard for the ongoing validity of the Hebrew Scriptures, even though they were the ONLY Scriptures available to the early believers and the writers of the Apostolic Scriptures.

In the course of my weekly ‘reflection’ on the Scriptures, in an orderly manner, I have learned that God is wonderfully consistent. I have learned that God’s instructions are always attuned towards benefit for those who are His. He has our very best interest at heart.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Reflections    33         

Torah Portion                   Leviticus 26 : 3  to  27 : 34

Haftarah Portion           Jeremiah 16 : 19 – 17 : 14

The Torah of YHWH given to Moses

When we started our ‘reflections’ in Leviticus, I said this was the place where “new year’s resolutions” founder!!!

Well this week we come to the final ‘reflection’ in Leviticus. And what an amazing message God has given us this week. Reward for our perseverance perhaps!

This week’s parashah strongly emphasises the blessings which accrue to those who faithfully commit to the will of God. The words are directed to the Israelites of course, but to the extent that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” as the Apostle Paul wrote to the young Timothy, there are valuable lessons available to us in this week’s parashah.

It starts with the condition God requires, in verse 3. “IF you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and perform them”                           Everything which follows hinges on that condition. How often do we hear the words “Why does God allow ‘so and so’ to happen?’ That is usually followed, by those who have no allegiance to Him, with the words “God is supposed to be a God of love isn’t He?” What is missing from these questions is the understanding of the condition God made for His provision of abundant blessing. Sadly, even Christians sometimes appear not to understand that God is not some gigantic Department Store where one can go and make selections to satisfy ones selfish wants and desires. Our prayer to Him can often sound like a daily shopping list!

His promises are trustworthy. He is a covenant keeping God. He is faithful and true. But He is not to be trifled with. We are blessed by Him on His terms, not ours.

Look carefully at the promises He gave in verses 9 and 12. “I will look on you favourably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you.” “I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be My people”. It could not be clearer. Now we should also take note that right at the end of Leviticus, the last verse in fact, declares that these commandments were spoken by the Lord to Moses on the mountain, that is, in the third month after they left Egypt. In Exodus 24 :7 we have the record of the covenant agreement, wherein the Israelites said “All that the Lord has said, we will do, and be obedient.” It could not be clearer.

But God knows the human heart. He knows our propensity to want to do things our way. So He issues a warning. Having given the wonderful promise of His protection and provision when we do things His way, He tells us what will happen when we go our own way. It is not comfortable reading. And as I read this account in our parashah today, because we have the advantage of living hundreds of years later, and have the record of history, I could readily identify how true this description was of events which unfolded in the life of the Israelites down through the centuries. And that because of their neglect of their covenant commitment.

What is our covenant commitment?

How many times have you heard Christians declare that “we are not under law but under grace”? Those eight words appear at the end of a sentence. Very few Christians can tell you where that sentence appears in the Scriptures, and even fewer can recite the whole sentence. And yet those words have become “doctrine” to many. A doctrine which says that Christians no longer need to take heed of God’s commands. How sad.

Our covenant commitment is to become disciples of Yeshua. The Yeshua who is “the Word”, who was in the beginning with God and who was God. The Yeshua who became flesh and dwelt among us. The Yeshua who said that if we love Him we would keep His commandments. Furthermore, our commission is to make other disciples of Him. A disciple is one who imitates his Master.

Our parashah today is, sadly, a prophetic statement of the whole history of Israel. It is a history which flowed from neglect of their covenant commitment. But the good news in this parashah is that we can learn from the mistakes of others. The promises of blessing, resulting from obedient worship, are amazing. The message of Scripture is wonderfully consistent. As we study Torah we have a reminder every week. What a privilege we share.

“Be diligent to show yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.  2 Timothy 2:15

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Reflections    32     

Torah Portion                   Leviticus 25 : 1  to  26 : 2

Haftarah Portion           Jeremiah 32 : 6 – 27

The Torah of YHWH given to Moses

The Lord spoke to Moses with an amazing promise of blessing for the Israelites.

The LAND was to have a Sabbath rest. Imagine that. These dear people were destined to be, in effect, subsistence farmers, vinedressers, orchardists and graziers. Sure there were other skills in their community, sufficient for them to live together in harmony with clothing, shoes and other essentials for living, but their main source of wealth would be produced by what they grew in the fields.

What God was saying to these people, who had been slaves in Egypt for their whole lifetime thus far, was that they were to have a one year holiday every seven years. Incredible. But how would they survive if they took a holiday? God promised them that in the sixth year of harvest, there would be a bumper crop, sufficient to last three years.

But, this promised blessing came at a price!

In order to enjoy this blessing, the Lord required that they “observe My statutes and keep My judgements, and perform them”. The full impact of the blessing would then be available to them. The Lord continued “then the Land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safely”. Sounds too easy doesn’t it?

But there’s more. Whatever did grow of its own accord in their fields was to be freely available to their servants, guests and livestock. The principle being that they did not sow, so neither should they reap.

That Land Sabbath is known as the “shemittah year”. It is still practiced today in many parts of Israel, but not in all Israel. And the sad truth, however, is that a large majority of Israelis today do not fulfil the conditions God laid down for the full blessing to flow to them.

In addition to the “shemittah”, there was also to be a “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. That is, after every SEVEN “shemittahs”, there was to be a special year, the fiftieth year, known as “the Jubilee”. This year had even more significance for them, in that, in the event that they had chosen to sell their land rights to someone else, for whatever reason, that land would be returned to them in the year of Jubilee without cost to them. WOW !! What a blessing that was. Or would have been if the practice was ever implemented. There is no record in Scripture, or anywhere else, of that ever taking place.

So now let us learn a lesson from what we have just seen here. Just as these Israelites were promised blessing, so are we. Our church teaching is clearly focussed on the grace of God. Our salvation is wrought by our faith in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua, not by works. So none of us can do anything of ourselves to merit salvation. The Scripture even tells us that “our (self) righteousness is as filthy rags”. However, just as these Israelites in our parashah today, missed the abundant blessing God had prepared for them (by their unwillingness, or laxity, to fulfil the conditions on which God’s promise was made), so too, we miss out on the very best God has for us by our unwillingness, or laxity, in keeping the commands of God for us. Let me be clear, I am not referring here to a salvation issue, but to our receiving the abundant blessing God wants to bestow on us.

We are quite adept at deciding the reasons why God said “so and so”, As though God did not have His own reasons for so commanding what He did. We content ourselves by saying “Jesus kept all the commandments, so we do not have to”. Well, Jesus said “If you love Me you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15,23,24 and 15:10).

Our parashah ends with an exhortation not to make idols for ourselves. The reference for the Israelites was relating to carved images and pillars, which were pagan symbols of worship. There are many cultural practises in the world today where this still has relevance. In our society however, we have become skilled in setting up many other kinds of idols which come between us and the worship of God. I do not need to list them.

The final word today regards the observance of “My Sabbaths”. There are the weekly Sabbaths and the special Sabbaths we read in last week’s parashah. The festivals listed in Leviticus 23. Most of us in the ‘church’ do not even know when they occur!! They are described in Scripture as ‘everlasting’, ‘throughout your generations’, and ‘forever’.

The challenge for me this week is to understand what God is saying to ME in this passage of Scripture. I trust that you too find it just as challenging.                   

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  15th May -  21st May

Torah portion            Leviticus 21:1 to 24:23

Haftarah portion     Ezekiel 44 : 15-31

“Speak”

Understanding God’s times

Each week there are lessons, reminders, encouragements and even chastisements. Almighty God, in His love, wisdom and grace, speaks to each person according to ones relationship with Him.

It would be a worry if one received NOTHING from the reading of His Word !!  If the reading were mechanical, even legalistic.

Leviticus 23 contains the well-known declaration of the “mo’edim”, the “appointed times” of the Lord. Within our churches today they are often perceived as ‘Jewish Festivals’, consigned to antiquity, even obsolete.

But Almighty God called them “MY FEASTS” in Leviticus 23:2. They are described as being ‘a statute forever throughout your generations’. They are festivals observed by Yeshua, by the disciples in the early church, by Paul. No-where in the Scriptures are they superseded by any other festival.

In effect, God was saying to the people “these are the times when I will be there, I want you to come and meet with me”. Once every week on Shabbat, then another seven times in the year for a stated number of days.

These Holy (set apart) Festivals were prophetically significant in the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua (Passover), as well as the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Many also see that the next set of festivals (Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles) are prophetic of the return to this earth of Yeshua.

However, in Leviticus 23:22, we have a strange looking verse which appears to have nothing at all to do with these “appointed times”. They are a repetition of the commandment in Leviticus 19:9,10. This activity of “gleaning” reminds us of Ruth, the Moabitess, a gentile who joined herself to the people of God.

In terms of timing, sitting as it does between those festivals already completed in Yeshua, and those which speak of His future return, is it possible that this verse, referring to ‘the poor and the stranger’ is talking about the time of the gentiles? Which when completed will herald the return of Yeshua?

There is, of course, a more simple explanation. That God is here reminding us all of an obligation we have as believers in Him to extend our hand to those in need.

Did you know that a principal reason for tithing was the caring for the :-

“Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat (freely) and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand, which you do.” Deut 14:29

So then, it appears that this act of caring for those in need is part and parcel of what God intended, He commanded it. IF that is an “appointed activity”, consider carefully how best to respond.

We would appear, today, to have two different ways of understanding the Scriptures. The first is to take God at His word. At best this is the view of a minority of Christians. The prevailing attitude, which most of us learned from an early age, is that God is quite flexible in His requirements of His people. We ‘do it God’s way’ when it doesn’t inconvenient us, or when that way conforms to ‘traditional’ practise.

Understanding God’s times is a responsibility we all share. Ask Him, and He will show you.                        

Shalom and Blessings

RS

Torah Portion for  8th May -  14th May

Torah portion           Leviticus 19 : 1  to  20 : 27

Haftarah portion     Amos 9 : 7 – 15

“Holy people”

“Be ye holy, because I am holy”

God said “Be ye holy, because I am holy”.  This is an entreaty almost universally appropriated by every believer, at least in principle if not in fact!!  “Holy” has a much simpler meaning than many understand. It means “set apart”. Different even. At least different from those around us.

The negative side of “holiness” is found in Leviticus 18 : 2,3

“According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.”

You are NOT to behave as the Egyptians, amongst whom you were living for the last 400 years, and you are NOT to behave like the Canaanites, where you are going to live for the next several hundred years.

Then God shows them the positive side of “holiness”.

“You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.”

Let us now completely ignore the statement in Malachi 3 :6 (look it up). Let us take the ‘church’ teaching that declares that Yeshua kept all the “Law”, so we do not have to. It’s a tall ask, but let’s do it !

We still believe that our call is to “holiness” don’t we? (See paragraph 1 above) That is to be “set apart”. So we now only look to that which we can read in the “Brit Hadassah”, the ‘New Covenant’.

Yeshua was clear in His declaration when asked about the ‘great commandment’.  See Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12 : 28-32 for His response. Note that Yeshua did nothing except quote the Torah. Then we look at the “Letter to the Gentiles” which we read in Acts 15 : 23 – 29 (noting their comment in Acts 15:21 which precedes it).

All fair-minded people will conclude that there is an overwhelming reason to believe that the “means toward holy living” are the same for the people in the days during and following Yeshua’s life, as they were for the people hearing Moses instructions in our Parashah this week. “Be ye holy, because I am holy”

The rest of the parashah goes into much detail. It deals with issues of familial morality, adultery, witchcraft, homosexuality, bestiality and general wickedness.

Some, even today, maybe especially today, have questioned the reasons why God displaced the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan in order to give it to the Israelites. Well, the answer is found in this parashah. Look at Leviticus 18:24 -27.

We may look also at the trends towards similar patterns of behaviour in the world today and ask .. “How long O Lord, how long?”

In the midst of such overt wickedness, God is still looking for a people to call His own. The Israelites have been promised that their salvation is of the Lord, for His own reasons, in His own way, and in His own timing. Gentiles are in the period of opportunity. One day, the Scriptures declare, the ‘fullness of the gentiles’ will be complete. The door WILL be closed. When that happens, a people, Jew and Gentile together will be “One New Man” in worship of Almighty God. King of the Universe. They WILL be joined together, a people called “holy, because I am holy”.

The Scriptures seem to be abundantly clear on the issue of “holiness’. It is God’s way, NOT our way. There is only ONE standard by which ‘holiness’ can be measured. Our parashah this week laid it out plain and simple for the Israelites of old.

Ask the Lord, this week, ‘Lord, what do you expect of me when you say:-‘ “Be ye holy, because I am holy”?

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  1st May - 7th May

Torah portion             Leviticus 16 : 1  to  18 : 30

Haftarah portion     1 Samuel 20 : 18 - 42

“After the death”

Know before whom you stand

After the two week ‘break’ in the regular Torah reading schedule, for Pesach, we return to Leviticus. When we left the regular schedule we were informed about God’s instructions to the Levites in dealing with contagious diseases and the like. The practises seemed to be to ensure both ritual and physical cleanliness, ensuring both spiritual and physical well-being.

In our ‘reflection’ on the “Sh’mini” parashah a few weeks ago, we learned about the wrath of God, manifest the untimely death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons. We might have thought that would be the end of the matter. But it was not. It was as though God had ruminated on this event and had decided to make sure that Aaron didn’t make a similar error. Read what He said to Moses.

“…… the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.”

Nabad and Abihu had been presumptuous. They over-stepped the mark. We might even say that they had been over familiar with God! They had lacked respect. They did things THEIR way.

There is a good lesson for us here. The Psalmist (Psalm 111:10), I presume King Solomon, told us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” didn’t he?  That fear (“yarah” in Hebrew) has the meaning of “utter reverence”, and not “being frightened of”. However, if we were to witness the power of God manifested in the manner it was shown towards Nadab and Abihu we might feel differently. There is no place for ‘familiarity’ in our relationship with Almighty God.

Many synagogues have a special cabinet, which they call “The Ark”, in which the Torah Scrolls are kept. Often, that cabinet has these Hebrew words inscribed upon them. “Da lifnei mi atta omed”  It translates as:-     “Know before whom you stand”

They are words which I have pasted in the front cover of my Bible.

The words “What a friend we have in Jesus” are accurate, and we sing those words with joy, but we need to remember He is our ‘friend’, He is our redeemer, NOT our “mate”. Know before whom you stand.

Our parashah continues with explicit instructions for Aaron regarding the times when he could enter the Holy Place in the Tabernacle, and also the precise way in which he should prepare himself, including the way he must dress, to meet with our Holy God. Nothing is left to chance. God is saying “this is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).

In the event, God instructed Moses to tell Aaron that his entry into that Holy Place was to be just ONCE each year. That time is specified as a most solemn occasion to be remembered in perpetuity by the Israelites. Today, in Israel, it is the time when EVERYONE, religious and secular, observe a solemn time of introspection. For the ten days (known as days of awe) leading up to this special day, Jews put things right with each other. Then YOM KIPPUR, the day that Aaron was told to enter the Holy Place to make atonement for himself and the people, is a day of fasting and prayer. It is not just a story in a book. It is a day of encounter with Almighty God.

And yet what I observe is that we Christians appear to think that our way is better. I wrote last week that I considered the Christian’s separation from its Hebrew roots to be one of Satan’s greatest victories over mankind. We have been robbed of the mo’edim” “of the Lord. We are the poorer for it.

In Matthew 13 we read many parables about the “Kingdom of Heaven”. A cursory knowledge of Hebrew thought tells us that this is actually the “Kingdom of God”. That Kingdom is with us, even though the King is still to appear in Jerusalem, the capital of His Kingdom on Earth, to reign for 1000 years. Our responsibility as citizens of that Kingdom is to honour the King, in loyal obedience to His authority.

We also know that at that time we will all be part of the “One New Man”, Jew and Gentile together in harmony, worshipping the King. Hallelujah. In the meantime, as we await His appearance, we could engage ourselves in ‘practice’. But that involves obedience and compliance with His commandments!!   Know before whom you stand.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  24th April - 30th April

Torah portion                Exodus 13 : 17  - 15 : 26

Haftarah portion        Numbers  28 : 16 – 25

“Passover”

Abundant life

We come to the last day of the celebration and remembrance of “Pesach”.

The parashah narrative begins with the statement of fact that the Pharoah had finally agreed to “let the people go”. It continues with the story of the journey of escape from Egypt, and the drowning of the pursuing Egyptian army, and it ends with the provision of “sweet water” to drink out of the bitter waters of Marah. A fascinating story.

These events are well known. Even non-Christian sceptics are familiar with the story, so we do not need to re-visit the detail. But we need to find the lessons for ourselves as the story unfolds.

Last week we focussed on the prophetic significance of the whole season of the three Pesach festivals. This week we learn of the detail of the way the event unfolded for them in practical terms. In fact, as we arrive at the very end of the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” in our study this week, we see the hand of Almighty God, and a picture of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in this parashah.

We could look at the provision of food, which rained down from Heaven each night, sufficient to satisfy each family for the whole day ahead. And that which was not eaten that day rotted before the next day! It was to be gathered and eaten FRESH each day (Miraculously, the same food lasted TWO days when the weekly Shabbat came around).

The Apostle John, in Chapter 6 from verse 32, records the words of Yeshua when He described Himself as “the Bread of Life”. He goes further by relating the “bread from Heaven” in Moses time with Himself.

“Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

It is not going too far to equate the Israelites need for a daily gathering of that bread, with our need today for a ‘daily gathering’ of the bread which Yeshua is. He taught us to pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’. I believe that this phrase has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. We need to gather our ‘bread’ DAILY, just as those Israelites did in our parashah.

We could look at the provision of water. Moses was told to strike the rock, out of which poured an abundance of clean fresh, life-giving water. Our beloved Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth used a most interesting description of this water.

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food,  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ”    1 Corinthians 10 : 1- 4.

Paul is suggesting here that the miracle of the provision of water from the Rock extended to that Rock actually following them around!! The plain sense of this is that it was Yeshua Himself, there with the Israelites on their journeying’s in the wilderness who sustained them with life giving water. On another occasion, when Yeshau was attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, at the time of the water libation Ceremony in the Temple He said:-

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."”  John 7 : 37,38

So then, as the “mo’ed” of Pesach concludes for another year, we remind ourselves that the Passover Seder which starts the celebration of this season always ends with the participants saying “Next Year in Jerusalem”. An anticipatory statement about the coming of Messiah. So we who are believers in Yeshau, can see the way in which this “appointed time” of Pesach not only speaks of Yeshau perfectly fulfilling His role as the ‘Lamb that was slain’, but also throughout the whole parashah we have reminders of His role in our lives as the sustainer of our life

For the believer, without Him there is no hope of life. With Him we have abundant life …. IF we choose to access it.  Praise be to Him.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  17th April - 23rd April

Torah portion      Exodus 12 : 21 - 51 

Numbers 28 : 16-25                                                                                                      

Haftarah portion     Joshua  5 : 2  to  6 : 1

“Passover”

Chag Sameach

The regular sequence of Torah readings is interrupted this week because of the “mo’ed” of Pesach.

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, known as “Pesach” (Passover), embraces THREE festivals in a period of eight days. The first of these remembers the actual day in history (the 14th day of the first month, Nisan) when the Israelites experienced the ‘salvation’ of the firstborn in their families by placing the blood of the Pesach Lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses in Egypt. The Lord ‘passed over’ their houses when He saw the blood.

It also is the exact Hebrew calendar date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The Christian celebration of Easter (replacing Passover) was formalized at the Council of Nicea in the days of the Emperor Constantine of Rome. It signalled the official separation of the “church” from its Hebrew roots. (In my view one of Satan’s major victories over mankind).

The second remembrance is known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” which occurs on the very next day, Nisan 15. (It is a High Sabbath), and it lasts seven days, and begins and ends with a special Sabbath,  Note that there are always three Sabbaths during this Pesach festival.  The “High Sabbath” which marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (and the Sabbath which marks the end of the festival, PLUS the normal weekly Sabbath). It is this “High Sabbath” which is the Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 before which the Jews were anxious to confine Yeshua’s body to the grave. Then the ‘normal’ weekly Sabbath occurred immediately prior to the resurrection of Yeshua. This confirms the statement of Yeshua in Luke 11:29 (as well as in Matthew and Mark) when asked for a sign. Read it. The complete lack of understanding of this fact has caused conventional church teaching to major on an incorrect “Good Friday” crucifixion story !

Unleavened Bread is eaten during the whole eight day period of the Pesach remembrance. To Jews it is a remembrance of the fact that they ate unleavened bread,(as commanded in Exodus 12:18) as they fled from Egypt on the night of Passover. Leaven is a symbol of SIN, so to believers, the Unleavened Bread also represents the sinless body of the Messiah which was buried in the grave for three days and three nights.

The third festival in this Pesach season is the “Feast of Firstfruits”. It occurs on the day AFTER the weekly Sabbath in Pesach week. (Always a SUNDAY). It signified the beginning of the Barley Harvest and was celebrated by a priest waving an ‘omer’ (a measure) of Barley in the temple in Yeshua’s day. But it was also the day on which Yeshua was resurrected from the grave. Believers refer to it as Resurrection Sunday. (but in association with Easter rather than Passover!) It signifies that Yeshua became the “Firstfruits from the dead”.  (see 1 Corinthians15:23).

We should be grateful that churches worldwide (all varieties) remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua.  And that they do so sincerely. But more and more, many people are realizing that our roots are inextricably founded in Judaism and the Lord’s “mo’edim” (appointed times). Those that do then focus more on Passover than Easter.

In addition to your own church fellowship, this year, take the trouble to find a fellowship of believers who celebrate Passover, (I assure you the dates will not clash with Easter!) and join them in that celebration. You will be enlightened, blessed and immeasurably enriched as you do.

Chag Sameach   (Happy Holiday)

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  10th April - 16th April

Torah portion            Leviticus 14 : 1  to  15 : 33

Haftarah portion     Malachi 3 : 4 – 24

"The leper”

A light to our path

Following the healing of the leper, described in Matthew 8, Yeshua told him to follow Moses’ instructions. Our parashah this week begins with those instructions, which included making an offering to the Lord for the restoration of fellowship following the healing.

The leprous condition is equated to sin. It is a sign of “uncleanness”. It has to be dealt with. No half measures, complete eradication. And until that point, the leprous person had to be segregated from fellowship, outside the camp. Restoration of fellowship involved blood sacrifice (as well as some other ritual practices). We might argue that the terms seem harsh, or even incomprehensible to us. But God is God. He specified the conditions then, and He specifies the conditions today!

It is analogous to our situation as sinners before the Lord. Our sin separates us from fellowship with Almighty God. We cannot assume that fellowship on our terms, much as we might try. He has provided the means. Our part is to follow God’s way, which also involves the blood sacrifice.

In practical terms, as we read through the parashah this week, these instructions make a lot of sense in that they are designed to contain the natural spread of disease and “uncleanness”. The whole parashah deals with the “uncleanness” of body and property. I find myself reluctant to over spiritualize this passage, but it is important to find the practical lesson for us today.

The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy (2 Timothy 3 :16,17) said:-

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

With the passage of time, and the enormous change in both lifestyle and living standards, these instructions seem archaic. However, we know that they are there, in part, that we might understand the nature and character of Almighty God.

Our God is a caring God. He is EL SHADDAI (Almighty God). He is YHWH-RAPHE (God who heals). It is not His wish that any should go astray. His instructions are given for our benefit and delight. Remember the words of King David in Psalm 119 : 104–108 :-

“Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your  word. Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and  teach me Your judgments”.

David accepted that during his life, he would, and did, encounter affliction. We are no different. What makes the real difference is how we deal with that affliction. Most of us have encountered people who seem to have endured incredible affliction. We marvel at the peace and tranquillity of spirit which they portray. Almost invariably we find that they are people who have a close walk with God.

A few weeks ago, I speculated that Leviticus would be the place where "New Year resolutions” terminated!! Those who set out to read the Scriptures from Genesis to “Maps” in one year meet a hurdle in Leviticus. It is a difficult book to read without getting ‘bogged down’ in detail. It does not flow easily in the modern context, and we need to constantly remind ourselves that it is an ‘instruction manual’ for the Priesthood. (the Levites).

BUT it IS still the Word of God. It IS there for our instruction in righteousness. I commend you to persevere. There are blessings abundant for those who "endure to the end”.

May I respectfully request of those who regularly read these 'reflections' to please share with us any insight God might illuminate to you as you study this passage. We will all be the wiser for the sharing!!

God’s word is a light to our path

Shabbat Shalom

RS