Today I was given the opportunity to Skype into a Bible School in London, England, and share on the topic of who God is to me. Despite a few sound issues, and me talking a little too fast, the meeting went well and God blessed it all. I was asked when it was over to share my notes with the class so that the missed parts could be filled in - and I felt inclined to share them here as well. Who knows, maybe you too are curious of who God is.
In order to talk about who God is, I think it is required that we also take a look at our response to who God is. When I begin to think on this topic, my mind automatically turns to Exodus 3. It is within this chapter that we find Moses standing before the burning bush. Yet how did Moses get to this place?
We probably all know the story, the little child in the basket floating down the Nile and washing up in the place where Pharaoh’s daughter was taking her bath. Moses’ sister, who happens to be in this private area, offers to fetch a Hebrew woman to wean the child, and forty years pass. Soon enough, Moses somehow figures out that the Hebrews are his people, and seeing injustice done, steps in and kills an Egyptian man. The next day Moses stumbles upon injustice once more, this time between two Hebrews, and again steps in. But this time he is questioned by the Hebrews, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?...(Ex 2:14a)." Knowing he had been found out, and knowing now that Pharaoh wanted to kill him (Ex 2:15), Moses flees Egypt and comes into the region of Midian.
It is here in Midian that Moses’ life starts over, both physically and spiritually. In the process of forty years, Moses weds one of the daughters of Jethro, Tzipporah, and has a child, Gershom. And in this time, the Pharaoh who wanted Moses dead has himself passed on. Moses has become a shepherd and while out with the sheep, sees something that cannot leave his attention – a bush consumed with fire, yet not burning (Ex 3-4).
Moses approaches the bush, and from it hears his named being called, “Moses! Moses!” He answers with the response, “Here I am.” From within the bush the voice of God gives him direction, explaining the calling that he is to move forward in. That calling is the deliverance of God’s people. But it wasn’t enough for Moses to hear this voice. He wanted to know who this ‘god’ was. Why? Well to answer this we must understand the culture from which Moses came.
For forty years Moses had been raised in a culture where there was a god for everything. For issues relating to the sun, one beckoned to Ra. For issues relating to fertility, one called out to Heket. If one needed help with their crops, a prayer was offered to Hathor. And if the weather just wasn’t going your way, you could petition to Seth. So with this knowledge that there was not just one god, Moses questions, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to the them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” (Ex 3:13). In all actuality, this was a valid question. And to this question God answers, “’I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’” In the Hebrew it reads, “God said further to Moshe, ‘Say this to the people of Isra’el: ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [ADONAI], the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya’akov, has sent me to you.’”
This name is so holy that it is not spoken as a name, but rather as letters in the Hebrew Bible. It is this name that we are commanded not to take in vain (Commandment 3). This name alone holds the power of God Himself. And this name, written as יהוֹה carries an unknown power that makes the devil wince and demons shrink back. As we look a little deeper at this, we can find that this name is known as the Tetragrammaton. In English, this name is written as YHWH, and is derived from the Hebrew triconsonantal root. It is mainly translated from the Hebrew in English texts as “I am what I am” or “I will be that which I am now”.
The point in all this etymology is not to bore you, but rather to help in the understanding of our text. In John 18, as Jesus was finishing His prayer in the garden, the Roman soldiers were on the move. Their mission was to find the Christ and arrest him. It is hard to say if they were unsure of what Jesus looked like, or if it was too dark and they couldn’t make his face out in the light of the torches, but either way they were asked by Jesus who they were looking for. The small army replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” As Jesus replied, “I am he,” the soldiers fell down (Jn 18:6). Notice the power of His name, such power that the crowd falls down. And this same name, was the name that Moses was to take with him to Egypt.
Now if the I AM WHO I AM, or I WILL BE ALL THAT YOU NEED ME TO BE, is a right translation of the original word used, then would God not have had to prove that He was all that they needed Him to be? Taking a look just at what Moses and the Israelites needed Him to be, I come up with a few characteristics of God.
1) They needed God to be REDEMPTION. They needed to see that God would redeem them from their slavery. And God proved this characteristic. He was their redemption, for in Exodus 12:31, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and told them, along with all the Israelites, to leave. The promise that God had given to Abraham concerning slavery and redemption (Gen 15:12-16) was coming true.
2) They needed God to be LOVE. A loving parent not only hears his child, but listens to his child. In listening to the cries of the Israelites (Ex 3:7), God proved His care and compassion; His love for them.
3) They needed God to be YOKE-BREAKING. There were occasions where Moses was granted an offer from Pharaoh to go ahead and leave (Ex 8:28, 10:8-11, 10:24), but in each of these occasions not every person or every animal belonging to the Israelites was allowed to go. This means that some remainder of the curse of slavery was still holding Israel in bondage. But God had spoken in Exodus 6:6-7 that He was a God who would not only bring them out of Egypt, but bring them out from under the yoke of slavery.
4) They needed God to be PROVISION. After leaving Egypt, the people passed over the dry ground of the Red Sea, to the oasis of Elim, and then into the Desert of Sin, before making it to the base of Mount Sinai. Food and water were hard to find in the desert, yet still God proved Himself as Jehovah Jirah, their Provider, in giving them manna, quail, and water.
5) They needed God to be DIRECTION. Proverbs 3:5-6 says to trust in the LORD with all our heart, lean not on our own understanding, acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will make our paths straight. Basically, in trusting Him, He becomes our direction. As the Israelites trusted God to lead them with the fire and cloud, they were able to find their way into the Promise Land He was taking them. In guiding them from point A to point B, He proved to be their direction.
6) They needed God to be a WARRIOR. There were battles that still had to be fought after they were released from Egypt’s hand. And God proved that He would fight for them, for even as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands, we read of a victory that came to Israel (Ex 17:8-16) over the Amalekites. Perhaps Miriam shows this character of God best when she sings, “The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name (Ex 15:3).”
7) They needed God to be POWER AND MIGHT. In the most miraculous of ways, God proved His power and might. For every Egyptian god, God proved His authority by destroying what it supposedly reigned over.
Over Hapi, the god of the Nile, God proved His power as the water was turned to blood.
Over Heket, the goddess of fertility, God proved His power by bringing a horde of frogs that Pharaoh’s men could not stop.
Over the god of the dust, Geb, God showed his power by producing an onslaught of lice when the ground was touched by the staff.
Over the god of insects, Khepri, God showed His power by sending swarms of them to infest the homes of the Egyptians.
Over the god of livestock, Hathor, God showed His power by bringing a plague of destruction over the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, and flocks, bringing on them a devastating illness.
Over the goddess of health and medicine, Isis, God showed His power by bringing on the people the plague of boils.
Over the goddess of thunder and hail, Nut, God showed His power as hail struck the fields, the people, and the animals, taking the life of all living things left in its path.
Over the god of the wind and storms, Seth, God proved His power in sending a wind that blew in with it a horde of locusts to invade Egypt. They covered the ground, ate the plants, and attacked any green thing that showed signs of life and was not already destroyed.
Over the god of the sun, Ra, God showed His power by hiding the sun from Egypt, bringing a darkness so thick that it could be felt by the people.
And finally, God proved His power as the giver and taker of life, a power that only He holds. The warning had been given to Moses that at midnight the final plague would roam Egypt, and a great cry never before heard would invade the land. True to His word, God unleashed death to the firstborn throughout all Egypt right at midnight. People and animals alike were found dead. But why? As we have seen already, God had proven Himself greater than the gods of Egypt. Still one god, or image of god, remained. The Pharaoh himself was esteemed in their culture as a god. In killing even the son of Pharaoh, God proved His might and authority over the last of the false gods.
In each area that God promised to be the I AM, or the I WILL BE, He came through. Who is God? God is Redemption, Love, Yoke-Breaking, Power, Provision, Direction, and Warrior. And these characteristics are just the tip of the iceberg when defining who God is.
Lest we should end here, though, I feel it is to our benefit to also answer the question of what is our response to who God is. Looking back at the beginning of Moses’ encounter with the burning bush, we read that from the bush a voice calls out, “Moses! Moses!” Moses answers with “Here I am.” In reading this response I am reminded of my days in elementary school where the teacher would take roll call. When my name was called, I responded with, “here.” But in truth, this is a poor translation of the word.
In Hebrew, Moses’ response is the word HINENI. Hineni is translated literally as here I am, ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey. This same word is used in Genesis 22:1 when Abraham is paused from sacrificing Isaac. It is also used in Isaiah 6:8, when Isaiah responds to the question of who will be sent. Moses heard the voice from the unconsumed bush and replied “Hineni!” Before Moses even knew who it was that called him, or what the task would be, he replied, “Here I am, ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey.”
So let’s just be honest to these next two questions. First, do we truthfully see God as the I AM; as the God who is everything we could ever need? He has proven Himself to be this, both to Moses and to us. But secondly, when He calls to us, do we in turn respond with the answer, hineni? God wants us to see Him as our everything, but He also wants us to give Him everything, and in giving Him everything we surrender whatever control we want to hold on to. If the Israelites had held on to their ways, would they ever have made it out of Egypt and into the Promise Land? Probably not. If we continue to hold on to control, will we ever make it to our Promise Land? Probably not. Maybe it is best that we, when called by God, respond that we are here, ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey, taking our places of control out of the equation so that God can truly be the I AM He longs to be in our life.
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Saturday, February 28, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
THE TORAH FOR TODAY...from portion MISHPATIM (Ex 21:1 - 24:18)
"Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them."
Exodus 21:1
This eighteenth portion of the Torah translates as judgments, beginning in Exodus 21:1 where we read, “These are the rulings (mishpatim) you are to present to them.” Three of the four chapters to follow within this section speak concerning the legal codes of the law Moses was to share with Israel, while the final chapter of this section speaks concerning the people’s response.
To understand the Law, let us take a minute to define what it is and what it is not. First, the Torah includes a total of 613 commands, ranging from topics such as prayer, work, divorce, diet, intimacy, idolatry, and leprosy, to name but a few. Breaking these commands down further, we find that 248 of the laws relate to things we should do, while 365 relate to things we should not do. And of all the laws, 261 can no longer be done as the Second Temple no longer exists, and 26 apply to those only living in Israel. This alone should give us a hint of hope.
But what is the big deal about the Law, especially if it is nothing more than a list of don’ts. In order to answer this, however, we must be honest and realize that the Law is not a list of don’ts. In truth, the Law is a list of expressions of love. Allow me to explain it this way. Parents have the ability to tell their children where they can and cannot play. I know this firsthand both in being a parent, and in being a child. Growing up, my family lived on one of the busier streets in town. It was for this reason that my parents told us to play in the backyard. There was safety in the backyard. Potential for danger waited in the front yard, be it chasing a ball into the street, being kidnapped, or a host of other things. But in the backyard there was safety within the fences.
My parents did not forbid me to play in the front because they were mean, but because they loved me. They cared enough for me to place me within safe boundaries. I could have pitched a fit and cried about their law of not playing in the front, and I am sure at times I did, but playing within the fenced off areas is where all parties found safety. And this is very much how God works in relation to the Law. Because He loves us, He has given us the fence of His law. It is not His way of keeping us from life, but rather His way of keeping us from danger. His law is love.
The term TORAH literally means instruction. In many cases, instructions are not a bad thing. As I was putting together our new entertainment center recently, I followed the instruction manual. Now even though I consider myself to be a pretty wise guy, I have to admit, in using the instruction manual I still managed to mess up at one point. Can you imagine the mess I would have made without the instructions? And can you imagine the mess we would be in without God’s instruction manual, the Torah?
So many are consumed with the passage that we are not under law, but under grace (Rom 6:14). But let us look at that verse in context. “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (NIV). The passage that we just reviewed states that sin shall not be our master. And the grace it refers to is God’s forgiveness of sin. But the verse following reads, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” Just because God forgives sin does not mean that God allows sin. And if we read on we find in verse 17, “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.” What is this form of teaching to which you and I have been entrusted? It is none other than the Torah.
Exodus 21:1
This eighteenth portion of the Torah translates as judgments, beginning in Exodus 21:1 where we read, “These are the rulings (mishpatim) you are to present to them.” Three of the four chapters to follow within this section speak concerning the legal codes of the law Moses was to share with Israel, while the final chapter of this section speaks concerning the people’s response.
To understand the Law, let us take a minute to define what it is and what it is not. First, the Torah includes a total of 613 commands, ranging from topics such as prayer, work, divorce, diet, intimacy, idolatry, and leprosy, to name but a few. Breaking these commands down further, we find that 248 of the laws relate to things we should do, while 365 relate to things we should not do. And of all the laws, 261 can no longer be done as the Second Temple no longer exists, and 26 apply to those only living in Israel. This alone should give us a hint of hope.
But what is the big deal about the Law, especially if it is nothing more than a list of don’ts. In order to answer this, however, we must be honest and realize that the Law is not a list of don’ts. In truth, the Law is a list of expressions of love. Allow me to explain it this way. Parents have the ability to tell their children where they can and cannot play. I know this firsthand both in being a parent, and in being a child. Growing up, my family lived on one of the busier streets in town. It was for this reason that my parents told us to play in the backyard. There was safety in the backyard. Potential for danger waited in the front yard, be it chasing a ball into the street, being kidnapped, or a host of other things. But in the backyard there was safety within the fences.
My parents did not forbid me to play in the front because they were mean, but because they loved me. They cared enough for me to place me within safe boundaries. I could have pitched a fit and cried about their law of not playing in the front, and I am sure at times I did, but playing within the fenced off areas is where all parties found safety. And this is very much how God works in relation to the Law. Because He loves us, He has given us the fence of His law. It is not His way of keeping us from life, but rather His way of keeping us from danger. His law is love.
The term TORAH literally means instruction. In many cases, instructions are not a bad thing. As I was putting together our new entertainment center recently, I followed the instruction manual. Now even though I consider myself to be a pretty wise guy, I have to admit, in using the instruction manual I still managed to mess up at one point. Can you imagine the mess I would have made without the instructions? And can you imagine the mess we would be in without God’s instruction manual, the Torah?
So many are consumed with the passage that we are not under law, but under grace (Rom 6:14). But let us look at that verse in context. “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (NIV). The passage that we just reviewed states that sin shall not be our master. And the grace it refers to is God’s forgiveness of sin. But the verse following reads, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” Just because God forgives sin does not mean that God allows sin. And if we read on we find in verse 17, “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.” What is this form of teaching to which you and I have been entrusted? It is none other than the Torah.
Friday, February 6, 2015
FEAR AND THE RED SEA...from portion BESHALACH (Exodus 13:17 – 17:16)
“Moshe answered the people, ‘Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today – today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! ADONAI will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!’”
Ex 14:13-14
Fear can cause us to say and do some pretty stupid things. Here, with Pharaoh facing the Israelites down at the Red Sea, the Hebrews acted in fear. In fear they blamed Moses. In fear they questioned why he brought them out, why they couldn’t have just remained slaves, and why they should die here as opposed to in Egypt. What they did not know is what we also fail to see when fear grips us. Freedom was knocking on their door, for it is God who fights for us just as He fought for them. God was their man of war, their ISYH MILCHAMAH (Ex 15:3), and He was about to prove Himself. So then, with the word of the LORD, Moses worked to calm the people’s fears by announcing that this would be the last day the Egyptians would ever be seen. “Moshe answered the people, ‘Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today – today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! ADONAI will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!’” (Ex 14:13-14). God was about to roll up His sleeves and do battle on their behalf.
Let me pose a thought here, though, perhaps maybe a challenge. The manner in which Pharaoh pursued the Israelites is a great example of how the enemy pursues us. For the Israelites, the difficulty in which they had in breaking free from Pharaoh’s slavery can be compared to the breaking free we experience from our own addictions. We make strides to break free, and perhaps see some release. Yet with each little moment of success the enemy is simply planning his chase to re-slave us. As the First Fruits of Zion's Torah Club puts it, “The devil does not willingly let go of his thralls, nor does he allow them to escape without pursuit.”
But on the flip side, the people of Israel also prove an important point that we must be weary not to mimic. Seeing Pharaoh coming, their first reaction was to complain to Moses and question why they couldn’t have just stayed slaves in Egypt. I heard this same concept shortly after I remarried and came face to face with blending a family. Life becomes set in its way as a single parent, and then the challenge of the blending comes. The typical response in these moments can be to wish you were single again, to wish you were back in Egypt again instead of trying to work through the challenges that are staring you in the face. Trust me, I know this firsthand. However, why should we consider going back to slavery when we know that true freedom, the Promise Land, is only a Red Sea away?
Within all the surrounding panic of Pharaoh closing in on the Hebrews, as well as the Hebrews blaming Moses for what looked like a bad day, God spoke to Moses. The words may not have been what Moses was expecting, but they were the words advised. “’Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two’” (Ex 14:16a). I am pretty sure they didn’t teach that miracle in Leading the Nation 101, yet still Moses obeyed. And why not, each of the other times God had told Moses or Aaron to stretch out their hand in Egypt God followed through. So once again Moses’ hand was outstretched and the waters parted.
With parted waters, the people of God walked across on dry ground. As the Torah reads, “Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and ADONAI caused the sea to go back before a strong east wind all night. He made the sea become dry land, and its water was divided in two. Then the people of Isra’el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left” (Ex 14:21-22).
The weather patterns that God had placed in front of those being delivered now, the fire and the cloud, moved from the front to the back to prevent Pharaoh and his army from pressing in further. It stationed itself to where the Egyptians were in the darkness and the Israelites were in the light. Then, with the light from the fire of God shining a path for them, they watched as a strong wind pulled back the waters, congealing them and dividing them in two walls of water. Dry ground covered the land for the nation to walk across.
The Torah speaks that Pharaoh and the Egyptians continued their pursuit, but were seen by God. To this, Moses was then commanded to reach out his hand again, now from the other side, and watch the sea return to its original form. It was God who caused the waters to split. It was God now who also allowed the chariots, horses, and cavalry to get stuck in the passage way. Wheels were broken off, stuck, and rendered useless. In even this, as with the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened while his people saw clearly that the battle was one sided. God was fighting for His people, they had no reason to fear any longer. And neither do we.
Ex 14:13-14
Fear can cause us to say and do some pretty stupid things. Here, with Pharaoh facing the Israelites down at the Red Sea, the Hebrews acted in fear. In fear they blamed Moses. In fear they questioned why he brought them out, why they couldn’t have just remained slaves, and why they should die here as opposed to in Egypt. What they did not know is what we also fail to see when fear grips us. Freedom was knocking on their door, for it is God who fights for us just as He fought for them. God was their man of war, their ISYH MILCHAMAH (Ex 15:3), and He was about to prove Himself. So then, with the word of the LORD, Moses worked to calm the people’s fears by announcing that this would be the last day the Egyptians would ever be seen. “Moshe answered the people, ‘Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today – today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! ADONAI will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!’” (Ex 14:13-14). God was about to roll up His sleeves and do battle on their behalf.
Let me pose a thought here, though, perhaps maybe a challenge. The manner in which Pharaoh pursued the Israelites is a great example of how the enemy pursues us. For the Israelites, the difficulty in which they had in breaking free from Pharaoh’s slavery can be compared to the breaking free we experience from our own addictions. We make strides to break free, and perhaps see some release. Yet with each little moment of success the enemy is simply planning his chase to re-slave us. As the First Fruits of Zion's Torah Club puts it, “The devil does not willingly let go of his thralls, nor does he allow them to escape without pursuit.”
But on the flip side, the people of Israel also prove an important point that we must be weary not to mimic. Seeing Pharaoh coming, their first reaction was to complain to Moses and question why they couldn’t have just stayed slaves in Egypt. I heard this same concept shortly after I remarried and came face to face with blending a family. Life becomes set in its way as a single parent, and then the challenge of the blending comes. The typical response in these moments can be to wish you were single again, to wish you were back in Egypt again instead of trying to work through the challenges that are staring you in the face. Trust me, I know this firsthand. However, why should we consider going back to slavery when we know that true freedom, the Promise Land, is only a Red Sea away?
Within all the surrounding panic of Pharaoh closing in on the Hebrews, as well as the Hebrews blaming Moses for what looked like a bad day, God spoke to Moses. The words may not have been what Moses was expecting, but they were the words advised. “’Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two’” (Ex 14:16a). I am pretty sure they didn’t teach that miracle in Leading the Nation 101, yet still Moses obeyed. And why not, each of the other times God had told Moses or Aaron to stretch out their hand in Egypt God followed through. So once again Moses’ hand was outstretched and the waters parted.
With parted waters, the people of God walked across on dry ground. As the Torah reads, “Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and ADONAI caused the sea to go back before a strong east wind all night. He made the sea become dry land, and its water was divided in two. Then the people of Isra’el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left” (Ex 14:21-22).
The weather patterns that God had placed in front of those being delivered now, the fire and the cloud, moved from the front to the back to prevent Pharaoh and his army from pressing in further. It stationed itself to where the Egyptians were in the darkness and the Israelites were in the light. Then, with the light from the fire of God shining a path for them, they watched as a strong wind pulled back the waters, congealing them and dividing them in two walls of water. Dry ground covered the land for the nation to walk across.
The Torah speaks that Pharaoh and the Egyptians continued their pursuit, but were seen by God. To this, Moses was then commanded to reach out his hand again, now from the other side, and watch the sea return to its original form. It was God who caused the waters to split. It was God now who also allowed the chariots, horses, and cavalry to get stuck in the passage way. Wheels were broken off, stuck, and rendered useless. In even this, as with the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened while his people saw clearly that the battle was one sided. God was fighting for His people, they had no reason to fear any longer. And neither do we.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
THE CALLING OF MOSES...from Torah portion Shemot (Ex 1:1 - 6:1)
"When the LORD saw that [Moses] had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!'
And Moses said, 'Here I am.'"
Exodus 3:4
Have you ever noticed that many of the men God called were shepherds? Think about this with me for just a moment. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all shepherds. Before David became king he too was a shepherd. And in reading Exodus 3:1 we see that Moses was tending the sheep of his father-in-law. It was during one of these times that Moses was leading the flock to the far side of the desert that he came to the mountain of God, Mount Horeb. He saw there a bush that was on fire but not consumed. With curiosity, he approached this strange sight.
Moses was being called out, not because he was any better than anyone else, not because he was holier, stronger, smarter, or more eloquent with words. Moses was being called out because he was ordinary, and God uses the ordinary. God uses the ordinary, and transforms them into the extra-ordinary. Moses didn’t see himself as anything special, and who knows that perhaps he was still dealing with the guilt of his sins while in Egypt. But his view of himself made him the perfect candidate for God to use and do something beyond his own thinking. Moses may have been just a shepherd, but God was purposing in him the ability to care for the sheep. God was using one who maybe even in some aspects had given up on himself, and He was about to use him to bring His people out of Egypt.
What beckoned Moses to the bush? Was it uncommon to think with the heat and dried up vegetation that a bush could not be on fire? Probably not in a desert. But what grabbed his attention was that the bush was on fire yet not consumed. So Moses approached the sight, as to investigate this rare occurrence.
From out of this fiery bush a voice called, “Moses, Moses.” Moses responded, perhaps with fear or timidity, “Here I am.” This response in the Hebrew is HINENI, translated literally as “Here I am, ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey.” This same word is used in Genesis 22:1 when Abraham is paused from sacrificing Isaac. It is also used in Isaiah 6:8, when Isaiah responds to the question of who will be sent. Moses heard the voice from the unconsumed bush and replied “Hineni!” With this response, the voice continued, “Don’t come any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.” I can almost picture Moses recklessly and speedily working to get his sandals off. Continuing on, the voice spoke. ”I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Notice that while God claims himself as the God of Moses’ forefathers, he also notes Himself as the God of Moses’ father, Amram, in saying He is the God of your [Moses’] father. Moses now covered his eyes as best he could, for he was standing in the presence of the one true God, and reverence for Him overtook him. God spoke, “I have seen how my people are being oppressed in Egypt and heard their cry for release from their slavemasters, because I know their pain.”
As God continued in His introduction and purpose, He called Moses out as the one who would go before Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Now I know for myself, if I was to hear these words, I would have a few questions. The first would be are you sure, and the second would be are you really sure? Maybe Moses handled it a little better than I would have in asking, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Isra’el out of Egypt?” But to this, God announced that He would be with Moses on this mission. Although that was welcomed, it didn’t answer all the questions. The Egyptians had many gods, all with their own supposed strengths. If Moses walked into this battlefield of redeeming God’s people, he needed to know more about God. To this Moses questioned, “Who should I tell them has sent me?” The answer was clear, “God said to Moses, ‘Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] has sent me to you.’ God said further to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Isra’el: ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [ADONAI], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’”
So here is the question, the pondering moment of this devotional. When God calls us, how do we answer? Do we answer with a flippant "here," as if God is taking roll call? Or do we answer with "Hineni God! I am ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey!" The rest may or may not come based on our response to His calling, but what exactly is your response?
And Moses said, 'Here I am.'"
Exodus 3:4
Have you ever noticed that many of the men God called were shepherds? Think about this with me for just a moment. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all shepherds. Before David became king he too was a shepherd. And in reading Exodus 3:1 we see that Moses was tending the sheep of his father-in-law. It was during one of these times that Moses was leading the flock to the far side of the desert that he came to the mountain of God, Mount Horeb. He saw there a bush that was on fire but not consumed. With curiosity, he approached this strange sight.
Moses was being called out, not because he was any better than anyone else, not because he was holier, stronger, smarter, or more eloquent with words. Moses was being called out because he was ordinary, and God uses the ordinary. God uses the ordinary, and transforms them into the extra-ordinary. Moses didn’t see himself as anything special, and who knows that perhaps he was still dealing with the guilt of his sins while in Egypt. But his view of himself made him the perfect candidate for God to use and do something beyond his own thinking. Moses may have been just a shepherd, but God was purposing in him the ability to care for the sheep. God was using one who maybe even in some aspects had given up on himself, and He was about to use him to bring His people out of Egypt.
What beckoned Moses to the bush? Was it uncommon to think with the heat and dried up vegetation that a bush could not be on fire? Probably not in a desert. But what grabbed his attention was that the bush was on fire yet not consumed. So Moses approached the sight, as to investigate this rare occurrence.
From out of this fiery bush a voice called, “Moses, Moses.” Moses responded, perhaps with fear or timidity, “Here I am.” This response in the Hebrew is HINENI, translated literally as “Here I am, ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey.” This same word is used in Genesis 22:1 when Abraham is paused from sacrificing Isaac. It is also used in Isaiah 6:8, when Isaiah responds to the question of who will be sent. Moses heard the voice from the unconsumed bush and replied “Hineni!” With this response, the voice continued, “Don’t come any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.” I can almost picture Moses recklessly and speedily working to get his sandals off. Continuing on, the voice spoke. ”I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Notice that while God claims himself as the God of Moses’ forefathers, he also notes Himself as the God of Moses’ father, Amram, in saying He is the God of your [Moses’] father. Moses now covered his eyes as best he could, for he was standing in the presence of the one true God, and reverence for Him overtook him. God spoke, “I have seen how my people are being oppressed in Egypt and heard their cry for release from their slavemasters, because I know their pain.”
As God continued in His introduction and purpose, He called Moses out as the one who would go before Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Now I know for myself, if I was to hear these words, I would have a few questions. The first would be are you sure, and the second would be are you really sure? Maybe Moses handled it a little better than I would have in asking, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Isra’el out of Egypt?” But to this, God announced that He would be with Moses on this mission. Although that was welcomed, it didn’t answer all the questions. The Egyptians had many gods, all with their own supposed strengths. If Moses walked into this battlefield of redeeming God’s people, he needed to know more about God. To this Moses questioned, “Who should I tell them has sent me?” The answer was clear, “God said to Moses, ‘Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] has sent me to you.’ God said further to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Isra’el: ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [ADONAI], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’”
So here is the question, the pondering moment of this devotional. When God calls us, how do we answer? Do we answer with a flippant "here," as if God is taking roll call? Or do we answer with "Hineni God! I am ready to listen, ready to respond, and ready to obey!" The rest may or may not come based on our response to His calling, but what exactly is your response?
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
VAYIGASH
“Then Ya’akov called for his sons and said, ‘Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the acharit-hayamim (last days).’”
Genesis 49:1
In Genesis 49, Jacob now calls for all his sons, and adopted sons, so that he may give his final blessings before passing away. This was a special time. This was the time when the father would give the double blessing out to the men in his clan, when he would pass the baton, and when the next generation would rise up. So with expectancy, Jacob’s sons came to his side to hear his final will and learn what would happen to them concerning the acharit-hayamim, the end of days.
While with each son a depth of their lineage can be traced and proved, I will only hit on key aspects. And so we begin with Reuben. Reuben was the firstborn son, and it was expected that he would receive the double portion. As Jacob had twelve sons, the tradition would be to split all the father’s possessions into thirteen segments in this case, and give Reuben two segments. Yet Reuben’s actions caused him to miss out on this blessing. Instead, Jacob addressed the fact of what he had done with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine and mother of Dan and Naphtali. This defilement so angered Jacob that he spoke of him being as unstable as water, poetically meaning that he lacked self-control. Let us then be warned of the dangers of sin when we recall the life of Reuben. So how did these words come to pass? In Numbers 16 it was Reuben’s tribe that joined in the rebellion of Korah the Levite, questioning the leadership of Moses and being swallowed by the earth. It was this same tribe that chose to not move forward but take land on the east side of the Jordan in Numbers 32. And it was this tribe who was sung about in Judges 5 as searching their hearts instead of engaging in the battle against Sisera. This single act of sleeping with his father’s concubine led the line of Reuben to not only miss the double portion, but live in instability. In R. H. Charles work titled, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, according to the Book of Reuben 4:6-7, Reuben states while on his deathbed, “The sin of promiscuity is the pitfall of life, separating man from God and leading on toward idolatry, because it is the deceiver of the mind and the perceptions, and leads youths down to hell before their time. For promiscuity has destroyed many. Whether a man is old, well born, rich, or poor, he brings on himself disgrace among mankind and provides [the devil] with an opportunity to cause him to stumble.”
Next Jacob addressed Simeon and Levi, stating they were brothers. This is true, as they were both also born of Leah. But in this context what is meant is that they were two peas in a pod. They were always getting in trouble together, always seen together, and always hanging around each other. They thought like brothers. It was this mutual thinking that they would not be commended for as Jacob recalled the sin of murder they performed against the men of Shechem. These partners in crime received the word of being divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel. When later they received their inheritance in the Promise Land, Simeon received pockets of arid and barren land within Judah’s piece. Additionally, the numbers of this tribe decreased in each censes from 59,300 in Numbers 1, to 22,200 in Numbers 26. The leading cause is thought to be idolatry and plague as recorded in Numbers 25. Of Levi we also read of scattering as it was the Levities who would not be given specific land, but would rather have a portion of each to live off of as instructed by God. While having certain allotments and benefits may be a plus for the Levities, the tribe of Levi never had a place all their own, nor does even still today. But anger was their downfall, and of anger Paul warns us that we accomplish the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21), and James writes that anger does not achieve God’s righteousness (Jms 1:20).
To Judah the double portion is given, while not the birthright. I Chronicles 5:2 records that while Judah became the leader, Joseph received the birthright. As was custom, along with the additional blessing came the respect of all the brothers as leader. Since this was taken from the first three brothers based on their actions, the title of leader rested on Judah and was spoken of in stating, “Your brothers will acknowledge you” (Gen 49:8). Contrasting to the words of doom spoken to the first three brothers, the words to Judah are of blessing. Judah means praise, and here he was in essence being praised. It is also where we see the shortened version Jew, also giving way to leadership as the entire race was named after him. The greatest claim to fame for Judah, however, is seen in the words of the scepter not passing from him, for it is from this line that first King David rose and later our Savior, Yeshua himself. It was in Judah that people would obey, but this fact would be seen in all his descendants for it would be a kingly line. Yet let us not overlook the final words in this blessing over Judah that speak of his robes, his eyes, and his teeth, for they too depict for us an illustration of our savior.
Zebulun would live at the seashore. Four hundred plus years later this prophecy would be seen truthful as Joshua would allot to this tribe the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. This allowed for trading routes, in which Zebulun was heavily involved, and as was also declared on them by Moses in Deuteronomy 33:19, stating they shall take the abundance of the seas and the treasures hidden in the sand. It is awesome to see, though, all the pieces come together. Jacob spoke also that the border of Zebulun’s territory would be at Sidon. When Joshua divided the land, Sidon was not included in the piece given to Zebulun. In fact, it was not theirs until the tribe of Asher was unable to defeat remaining Canaanities and the tribe of Zebulun began attacking and defeating the Canaanities. This victory allowed them the land.
Of Issachar it is said he was a strong donkey. I am not sure we would read that as a complement these days, but the truth in these words in that Issachar was valuable, as were donkeys at this time. It was the donkey that carried the burden, and it was the donkey that would later carry the Messiah. But it was said that this donkey would bend his back to the burden and submit to forced labor (Gen 49:15). The idea here is that the tribe would be one to fight for what it had, preventing evil from coming in and stealing from it. This is seen in the account of the judge Tola in Judges 10 who led for twenty-three years as a brave leader. We see this idea again in I Chronicles 7 where the tribe was said to be valiant men of might in their families and generations. They were laborious, but also invincible in war, burden bearing, and valiant. Perhaps the best compliment for this tribe comes in I Chronicles 12:32 where they were spoken of as men understanding the times, knowing what Israel must do.
The name Daniel means ‘God is my judge’. The name Dan, however, means judgment. Who was the most famous descendant of this line? None other than the judge named Samson. It was through the Danites that the Philistines would find judgment. However, the tribe of Dan also shows a heavy reverting to idolatry, thus the spoken reference to the snake in Genesis 49:17. History shows in Judges 18 that the tribe of Dan grew tired of its allotted land and went looking for some place new. Scouts found the town of Laish and decided to conquer it. Six hundred men and one Levite from Ephraim, who brought with him a graven image, marched to Laish and defeated the town with ease. They named the town Dan and set up an image for themselves. In time, Dan became the cult center for idol worship. The final words over Dan by Jacob, however, are a prayer. “I wait for your deliverance, Adonai.” The idol worship of Dan would continue until its capture and only then, when the people were humbled, would things change. In time, true salvation would be found in the Messiah, but until then Jacob would wait in prayer for his son to see the way and stand as a strong pillar. Again looking at R. H. Charles’ fictitious work, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, according to the Book of Dan 6:1-4, Dan admits, “and now fear the Lord, my children, be on guard against Satan and his spirits…The enemy is eager to trip up all who call on the Lord because he knows that on the day in which Israel trusts, the enemy’s kingdom will be brought to an end.”
Genesis 49:19 is concerning Gad, and Jacob jumps right to the point with one sentence. “Gad – a troop will troop on him, but he will troop on their heel.” This verse doesn’t seem to make sense, yet four of the six words in the Hebrew for this blessing are variants of Gad’s name. Gad means troop. So a troop will troop? Although written with the same words in English, in Hebrew it reads that a GADUWD (army) will GUWD (invade) him. In the end, however, Gad would GUWD them back. In this we piece together that Gad would be attacked but in the end would find victory. In Judges 10 we see this truth as for eighteen years the Philistines vexed the children of Israel before finally having their justice served. It was this constant state and declaration of war that kept the men of God ready with the faces of lions. Even Moses blessed the tribe of Gad, stating that they dwelled like a lion and tore the arm with the crown of the head (Dt 33:20). Although no one famous person in the Bible is shown to derive from the tribe of Gad, one main theme is. As stated in I Peter 5:8, we are to be ready at any moment for the enemy to attack us. He may indeed guwd us, but in the end we will be victorious and guwd his heel. The men of Gad acquired a warrior reputation just as the prophecy of Jacob suggested.
To Asher also Jacob is quick and to the point, stating that Asher’s food is rich, fit for a king. In saying little Jacob was stating that Asher would enjoy the rich products of the fertile land, teeming with items to sustain life, and find himself serving his food before royalty. While the sign for this tribe is a jewel, we should not also rule out that the richness may not be food, but also mining. The tribe of Asher failed to remove the Canaanite/Phoenican inhabitants once in their Promised section, though, and perhaps forewent their military capability. There is thought that based on the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 33:24, oil was present with the land of Asher, be this an idea of an oil such as olive oil or in the manner of Texas tea. In the end we read that Asher will be blessed, despite the precious form.
To finish Jacob’s list of one-liners we find Naphtali. The words from his father again are to the point, declaring Naphtali as a doe set free, bearing beautiful fawns. The term ‘doe set free’ is also translated as hind. In Psalm 18:33, David speaks of having hind’s feet when escaping his enemy. As David ran from his pursuers, so Naphtali would run from his hunters, but run also with the word of God. Beautiful fawns seem to be symbolism for beautiful words. And consider this. The region of Naphtali’s inheritance included Galilee, where in Matthew 4:13-15 Yeshua picks out a few of His disciples. Could it be that these men sharing the good news were in some way related to Naphtali’s tribe? These feet, or hind, are beautiful according to Romans 10:15, for with them comes the Good News.
The final two sons to be blessed are the sons of Rachel, with Joseph receiving the lengthier of the two. Joseph is a fruitful plant by a spring with growth climbing over the wall. What is being said here is that Joseph is fruitful, and living with excess in all he does. When evil comes it is no concern to Joseph as he has already learned to follow God. Writers have found that some words spoken over Joseph are parallel with those spoken concerning the Messiah. The first parallel is in Joseph being his father’s favorite. Other parallels consist of being sold for money, withstanding temptation, and rebirthing as Joseph was raised to life after prison while Yeshua was brought to life after the grave. Still, Jacob goes on to say that although Joseph was attacked, his bow is taut and arms are nimble because of God’s hand. In other words, the harm his brothers and Potiphar’s wife meant were for God’s glory. In verses 25-26 the word bless/blessing is found six times, showing us that God did have more in store for Joseph. And as we have already reviewed, the double portion reserved for the firstborn was split up between Judah and Joseph, giving Judah the leadership and Joseph the two spots of land for Ephraim and Manasseh. If nothing else can be learned from Joseph, let us leave with the truth that with a life of humility God is able to promote us.
Lastly, let us look at the son named Benjamin. Of this son Jacob stated he was a ravenous wolf, devouring his prey in the morning and dividing the spoil in the evening. Benjamin would go forward with the characteristic of a vicious warrior. One instance of this warrior wolf-like character is found in Judges 3. Ehud, a Benjamite, was a fearless warrior who alone assassinated Eglon the Moabite king for oppressing Israel. Other warriors would rise and carry on in the declaration made by Jacob. And finally we know of King Saul coming from the tribe of Benjamin. He too would rise up with his army to attack as a wolf those who opposed the people of God.
So now, after looking at all the sons of Jacob, you may wonder why it is so. I beg you to keep in mind that the word of God always comes to pass. These blessings and rebukes were passed from God, to Jacob, then spoken over the sons. These words held within them life or death. And each one of these words came to pass. So then, the question comes to mind. What has been spoken by God over you? His word for you will come about, and His blessing or rebuke will follow you and your line. Let it be true of us that we found favor in His eyes and as such, received His blessing
VAYIGASH...Genesis 47:28 - 50:26
Genesis 49:1
In Genesis 49, Jacob now calls for all his sons, and adopted sons, so that he may give his final blessings before passing away. This was a special time. This was the time when the father would give the double blessing out to the men in his clan, when he would pass the baton, and when the next generation would rise up. So with expectancy, Jacob’s sons came to his side to hear his final will and learn what would happen to them concerning the acharit-hayamim, the end of days.
While with each son a depth of their lineage can be traced and proved, I will only hit on key aspects. And so we begin with Reuben. Reuben was the firstborn son, and it was expected that he would receive the double portion. As Jacob had twelve sons, the tradition would be to split all the father’s possessions into thirteen segments in this case, and give Reuben two segments. Yet Reuben’s actions caused him to miss out on this blessing. Instead, Jacob addressed the fact of what he had done with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine and mother of Dan and Naphtali. This defilement so angered Jacob that he spoke of him being as unstable as water, poetically meaning that he lacked self-control. Let us then be warned of the dangers of sin when we recall the life of Reuben. So how did these words come to pass? In Numbers 16 it was Reuben’s tribe that joined in the rebellion of Korah the Levite, questioning the leadership of Moses and being swallowed by the earth. It was this same tribe that chose to not move forward but take land on the east side of the Jordan in Numbers 32. And it was this tribe who was sung about in Judges 5 as searching their hearts instead of engaging in the battle against Sisera. This single act of sleeping with his father’s concubine led the line of Reuben to not only miss the double portion, but live in instability. In R. H. Charles work titled, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, according to the Book of Reuben 4:6-7, Reuben states while on his deathbed, “The sin of promiscuity is the pitfall of life, separating man from God and leading on toward idolatry, because it is the deceiver of the mind and the perceptions, and leads youths down to hell before their time. For promiscuity has destroyed many. Whether a man is old, well born, rich, or poor, he brings on himself disgrace among mankind and provides [the devil] with an opportunity to cause him to stumble.”
Next Jacob addressed Simeon and Levi, stating they were brothers. This is true, as they were both also born of Leah. But in this context what is meant is that they were two peas in a pod. They were always getting in trouble together, always seen together, and always hanging around each other. They thought like brothers. It was this mutual thinking that they would not be commended for as Jacob recalled the sin of murder they performed against the men of Shechem. These partners in crime received the word of being divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel. When later they received their inheritance in the Promise Land, Simeon received pockets of arid and barren land within Judah’s piece. Additionally, the numbers of this tribe decreased in each censes from 59,300 in Numbers 1, to 22,200 in Numbers 26. The leading cause is thought to be idolatry and plague as recorded in Numbers 25. Of Levi we also read of scattering as it was the Levities who would not be given specific land, but would rather have a portion of each to live off of as instructed by God. While having certain allotments and benefits may be a plus for the Levities, the tribe of Levi never had a place all their own, nor does even still today. But anger was their downfall, and of anger Paul warns us that we accomplish the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21), and James writes that anger does not achieve God’s righteousness (Jms 1:20).
To Judah the double portion is given, while not the birthright. I Chronicles 5:2 records that while Judah became the leader, Joseph received the birthright. As was custom, along with the additional blessing came the respect of all the brothers as leader. Since this was taken from the first three brothers based on their actions, the title of leader rested on Judah and was spoken of in stating, “Your brothers will acknowledge you” (Gen 49:8). Contrasting to the words of doom spoken to the first three brothers, the words to Judah are of blessing. Judah means praise, and here he was in essence being praised. It is also where we see the shortened version Jew, also giving way to leadership as the entire race was named after him. The greatest claim to fame for Judah, however, is seen in the words of the scepter not passing from him, for it is from this line that first King David rose and later our Savior, Yeshua himself. It was in Judah that people would obey, but this fact would be seen in all his descendants for it would be a kingly line. Yet let us not overlook the final words in this blessing over Judah that speak of his robes, his eyes, and his teeth, for they too depict for us an illustration of our savior.
Zebulun would live at the seashore. Four hundred plus years later this prophecy would be seen truthful as Joshua would allot to this tribe the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. This allowed for trading routes, in which Zebulun was heavily involved, and as was also declared on them by Moses in Deuteronomy 33:19, stating they shall take the abundance of the seas and the treasures hidden in the sand. It is awesome to see, though, all the pieces come together. Jacob spoke also that the border of Zebulun’s territory would be at Sidon. When Joshua divided the land, Sidon was not included in the piece given to Zebulun. In fact, it was not theirs until the tribe of Asher was unable to defeat remaining Canaanities and the tribe of Zebulun began attacking and defeating the Canaanities. This victory allowed them the land.
Of Issachar it is said he was a strong donkey. I am not sure we would read that as a complement these days, but the truth in these words in that Issachar was valuable, as were donkeys at this time. It was the donkey that carried the burden, and it was the donkey that would later carry the Messiah. But it was said that this donkey would bend his back to the burden and submit to forced labor (Gen 49:15). The idea here is that the tribe would be one to fight for what it had, preventing evil from coming in and stealing from it. This is seen in the account of the judge Tola in Judges 10 who led for twenty-three years as a brave leader. We see this idea again in I Chronicles 7 where the tribe was said to be valiant men of might in their families and generations. They were laborious, but also invincible in war, burden bearing, and valiant. Perhaps the best compliment for this tribe comes in I Chronicles 12:32 where they were spoken of as men understanding the times, knowing what Israel must do.
The name Daniel means ‘God is my judge’. The name Dan, however, means judgment. Who was the most famous descendant of this line? None other than the judge named Samson. It was through the Danites that the Philistines would find judgment. However, the tribe of Dan also shows a heavy reverting to idolatry, thus the spoken reference to the snake in Genesis 49:17. History shows in Judges 18 that the tribe of Dan grew tired of its allotted land and went looking for some place new. Scouts found the town of Laish and decided to conquer it. Six hundred men and one Levite from Ephraim, who brought with him a graven image, marched to Laish and defeated the town with ease. They named the town Dan and set up an image for themselves. In time, Dan became the cult center for idol worship. The final words over Dan by Jacob, however, are a prayer. “I wait for your deliverance, Adonai.” The idol worship of Dan would continue until its capture and only then, when the people were humbled, would things change. In time, true salvation would be found in the Messiah, but until then Jacob would wait in prayer for his son to see the way and stand as a strong pillar. Again looking at R. H. Charles’ fictitious work, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, according to the Book of Dan 6:1-4, Dan admits, “and now fear the Lord, my children, be on guard against Satan and his spirits…The enemy is eager to trip up all who call on the Lord because he knows that on the day in which Israel trusts, the enemy’s kingdom will be brought to an end.”
Genesis 49:19 is concerning Gad, and Jacob jumps right to the point with one sentence. “Gad – a troop will troop on him, but he will troop on their heel.” This verse doesn’t seem to make sense, yet four of the six words in the Hebrew for this blessing are variants of Gad’s name. Gad means troop. So a troop will troop? Although written with the same words in English, in Hebrew it reads that a GADUWD (army) will GUWD (invade) him. In the end, however, Gad would GUWD them back. In this we piece together that Gad would be attacked but in the end would find victory. In Judges 10 we see this truth as for eighteen years the Philistines vexed the children of Israel before finally having their justice served. It was this constant state and declaration of war that kept the men of God ready with the faces of lions. Even Moses blessed the tribe of Gad, stating that they dwelled like a lion and tore the arm with the crown of the head (Dt 33:20). Although no one famous person in the Bible is shown to derive from the tribe of Gad, one main theme is. As stated in I Peter 5:8, we are to be ready at any moment for the enemy to attack us. He may indeed guwd us, but in the end we will be victorious and guwd his heel. The men of Gad acquired a warrior reputation just as the prophecy of Jacob suggested.
To Asher also Jacob is quick and to the point, stating that Asher’s food is rich, fit for a king. In saying little Jacob was stating that Asher would enjoy the rich products of the fertile land, teeming with items to sustain life, and find himself serving his food before royalty. While the sign for this tribe is a jewel, we should not also rule out that the richness may not be food, but also mining. The tribe of Asher failed to remove the Canaanite/Phoenican inhabitants once in their Promised section, though, and perhaps forewent their military capability. There is thought that based on the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 33:24, oil was present with the land of Asher, be this an idea of an oil such as olive oil or in the manner of Texas tea. In the end we read that Asher will be blessed, despite the precious form.
To finish Jacob’s list of one-liners we find Naphtali. The words from his father again are to the point, declaring Naphtali as a doe set free, bearing beautiful fawns. The term ‘doe set free’ is also translated as hind. In Psalm 18:33, David speaks of having hind’s feet when escaping his enemy. As David ran from his pursuers, so Naphtali would run from his hunters, but run also with the word of God. Beautiful fawns seem to be symbolism for beautiful words. And consider this. The region of Naphtali’s inheritance included Galilee, where in Matthew 4:13-15 Yeshua picks out a few of His disciples. Could it be that these men sharing the good news were in some way related to Naphtali’s tribe? These feet, or hind, are beautiful according to Romans 10:15, for with them comes the Good News.
The final two sons to be blessed are the sons of Rachel, with Joseph receiving the lengthier of the two. Joseph is a fruitful plant by a spring with growth climbing over the wall. What is being said here is that Joseph is fruitful, and living with excess in all he does. When evil comes it is no concern to Joseph as he has already learned to follow God. Writers have found that some words spoken over Joseph are parallel with those spoken concerning the Messiah. The first parallel is in Joseph being his father’s favorite. Other parallels consist of being sold for money, withstanding temptation, and rebirthing as Joseph was raised to life after prison while Yeshua was brought to life after the grave. Still, Jacob goes on to say that although Joseph was attacked, his bow is taut and arms are nimble because of God’s hand. In other words, the harm his brothers and Potiphar’s wife meant were for God’s glory. In verses 25-26 the word bless/blessing is found six times, showing us that God did have more in store for Joseph. And as we have already reviewed, the double portion reserved for the firstborn was split up between Judah and Joseph, giving Judah the leadership and Joseph the two spots of land for Ephraim and Manasseh. If nothing else can be learned from Joseph, let us leave with the truth that with a life of humility God is able to promote us.
Lastly, let us look at the son named Benjamin. Of this son Jacob stated he was a ravenous wolf, devouring his prey in the morning and dividing the spoil in the evening. Benjamin would go forward with the characteristic of a vicious warrior. One instance of this warrior wolf-like character is found in Judges 3. Ehud, a Benjamite, was a fearless warrior who alone assassinated Eglon the Moabite king for oppressing Israel. Other warriors would rise and carry on in the declaration made by Jacob. And finally we know of King Saul coming from the tribe of Benjamin. He too would rise up with his army to attack as a wolf those who opposed the people of God.
So now, after looking at all the sons of Jacob, you may wonder why it is so. I beg you to keep in mind that the word of God always comes to pass. These blessings and rebukes were passed from God, to Jacob, then spoken over the sons. These words held within them life or death. And each one of these words came to pass. So then, the question comes to mind. What has been spoken by God over you? His word for you will come about, and His blessing or rebuke will follow you and your line. Let it be true of us that we found favor in His eyes and as such, received His blessing
VAYIGASH...Genesis 47:28 - 50:26
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
HANUKKAH'S FINAL NIGHT
Tonight we celebrate the final night of Hanukkah. Over the past few days I have looked at Hanukkah as in the Bible, from Jesus celebrating it, to Daniel prophesying it. I have looked at the story itself as seen in the pages of the Maccebees. I have learned of the dreidle, and of the reason for it being an eight day celebration. Today, though, I want to share a piece I recently heard from Rabbi Curt Landry
There are eight candles placed on the menorah this final night, excluding the Shamash (servant) candle. But what if instead of looking at these candles as candles, we look a little deeper into a potential meaning of them all.
Candle 1 - This candle represents God. In Duet 6:4 we read, "Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Giving God the first place, be it in the menorah, or more importantly in our lives, is a good place to start.
Candle 2 - This candle represents Jesus. John 5:19 states that Jesus did only what He saw the Father do. We would be wise to walk in this same example and do only as we see Jesus doing, knowing that He mirrored His Father.
Candle 3 - The candle represents the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1 reminds us that the Holy Spirit fell when the disciples were all in one accord. While the disciples had to be in one accord, so also the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all had to be in one accord. This is the same concept behind the wording that the "...LORD is one." In Hebrew it would be ACHAD - the merging of many into one.
Candle 4 - Four is the new of Creation. Putting this in a practical sense, if I want to be a new creation, I have to be linked into the ACHAD, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 5 - Five is the number of Grace. I need the grace of God filling my life and making me into the new creation I want to be in the ACHAD.
Candle 6 - Six is the number of man. I am a man, sinful at best, but who finds the grace of God washing over me, transforming me from a sinful nature to the nature of the new man of whom I can only be when I am in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 7 - Seven is the number of perfection. I cannot be made perfect until first I forego my sinful, fleshly man nature, allowing God's grace to wash me and transform me into the new creation He wants me to be. And how is this possible? By being in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 8 - Eight is the new of New Beginnings. I want to find myself at a place of new beginnings. Is this possible? Yes. How? I find new beginnings when I allow God to perfect me, stripping off my sinful man, bathing me in His grace, and transforming me into the new creation He has destined for me. This, however, can only happen when I am founded, not wavering but founded, in the ACHAD.
So how about you? Are you wanting to experience a new beginning? Then this season of miracles is for you. Allow yourself to come in order like the candles, allowing God to light a new one each night. It begins with being founded in God, but it ends with Him giving you a brand new beginning.
There are eight candles placed on the menorah this final night, excluding the Shamash (servant) candle. But what if instead of looking at these candles as candles, we look a little deeper into a potential meaning of them all.
Candle 1 - This candle represents God. In Duet 6:4 we read, "Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Giving God the first place, be it in the menorah, or more importantly in our lives, is a good place to start.
Candle 2 - This candle represents Jesus. John 5:19 states that Jesus did only what He saw the Father do. We would be wise to walk in this same example and do only as we see Jesus doing, knowing that He mirrored His Father.
Candle 3 - The candle represents the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1 reminds us that the Holy Spirit fell when the disciples were all in one accord. While the disciples had to be in one accord, so also the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all had to be in one accord. This is the same concept behind the wording that the "...LORD is one." In Hebrew it would be ACHAD - the merging of many into one.
Candle 4 - Four is the new of Creation. Putting this in a practical sense, if I want to be a new creation, I have to be linked into the ACHAD, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 5 - Five is the number of Grace. I need the grace of God filling my life and making me into the new creation I want to be in the ACHAD.
Candle 6 - Six is the number of man. I am a man, sinful at best, but who finds the grace of God washing over me, transforming me from a sinful nature to the nature of the new man of whom I can only be when I am in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 7 - Seven is the number of perfection. I cannot be made perfect until first I forego my sinful, fleshly man nature, allowing God's grace to wash me and transform me into the new creation He wants me to be. And how is this possible? By being in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Candle 8 - Eight is the new of New Beginnings. I want to find myself at a place of new beginnings. Is this possible? Yes. How? I find new beginnings when I allow God to perfect me, stripping off my sinful man, bathing me in His grace, and transforming me into the new creation He has destined for me. This, however, can only happen when I am founded, not wavering but founded, in the ACHAD.
So how about you? Are you wanting to experience a new beginning? Then this season of miracles is for you. Allow yourself to come in order like the candles, allowing God to light a new one each night. It begins with being founded in God, but it ends with Him giving you a brand new beginning.
Friday, December 12, 2014
VAYESHEV
“But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn’t listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her”
Genesis 39:10
The account of Joseph begins with the giving of a coat, the jealousy of brothers, and the eventual selling of him to a caravan of Ishmaelites. The account continues in Genesis 39, where we find in verse 2 and following that the LORD blessed Joseph. So blessed was he that “…[Potifar] left all his possessions in Yosef’s care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate” (Gen 39:6a). While Potiphar was not paying attention, knowing he could trust Joseph, Potiphar’s wife was paying attention, and not in the right way. Potifar’s wife saw him as a well built desire, and a possession to be had. When Potifar’s wife confronted him and gave her offer of a one night fling, he refused (Gen 39:7-8). She, however, was resilient. Day after day she kept coming to Joseph with her offer, and day after day he kept saying no. The desire and lust for what she could not have continued to grow toward Joseph. But it was this lust that continued also to feed. “But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn’t listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her” (Gen 39:10).
What Potifar’s wife most wanted to hear was “Yes”, but what she kept hearing from Joseph was “No”. Seeing she was constantly being denied, she tried another more forceful approach. With the house fully empty, she waited for Joseph. Catching him in her trap, and catching him by the cloak, she offered again, “Come to bed with me.” No matter how many times she approached him, his answer was always the same. Leaving his cloak behind, he left her once again.
Think about it this way. A leech makes a special type of saliva which allows them to drink quickly and painlessly. As they spread this saliva over the area where they will feast, they also spread an anesthetic which stops any pain. This anesthetic then keeps the host from feeling the bite. It is common for leeches to be connected to a person for hours before they are ever noticed or realized. But a second agent is also found in the saliva, one called anticoagulant. This agent prevents the blood from clotting, which in turn becomes like a flowing waterfall of blood for the leech to drink freely from. Once filled, the leech will drop off and be filled for months.
When I think of this portion of Joseph’s life where daily he was hounded by Potiphar’s wife, I think of how she was in essence, a leech. She came to him with her saliva of anesthesia working to convince him that no one would ever know. She also came to him with her anticoagulant in the offering more and more and more, just like the waterfall of blood. But Joseph came with one item she was not expecting. He came with God on His side. In one of her attempts prior, Joseph had even replied to her advance saying, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against Adonai?” (Gen 39:9)
On this final advance made on Joseph by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph stood his ground, said “No!,” and ran out. He didn’t care about his cloak, he only cared about getting out. When Potiphar returned home, she lied to her husband and Joseph was placed in prison. But even with all that had happened already, from the bitterness of his brothers, to his being sold into slavery, to now being placed in prison for additional lies against him, Joseph saw God’s hand.
I question of us, do we have this same passion to obey? Do we have the urgency to get out? Are we too concerned with our coat instead of being concerned with getting out? Joseph could have had one night of fun, but what more would that have cost him? What is it costing us?
Genesis 39:10
The account of Joseph begins with the giving of a coat, the jealousy of brothers, and the eventual selling of him to a caravan of Ishmaelites. The account continues in Genesis 39, where we find in verse 2 and following that the LORD blessed Joseph. So blessed was he that “…[Potifar] left all his possessions in Yosef’s care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate” (Gen 39:6a). While Potiphar was not paying attention, knowing he could trust Joseph, Potiphar’s wife was paying attention, and not in the right way. Potifar’s wife saw him as a well built desire, and a possession to be had. When Potifar’s wife confronted him and gave her offer of a one night fling, he refused (Gen 39:7-8). She, however, was resilient. Day after day she kept coming to Joseph with her offer, and day after day he kept saying no. The desire and lust for what she could not have continued to grow toward Joseph. But it was this lust that continued also to feed. “But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn’t listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her” (Gen 39:10).
What Potifar’s wife most wanted to hear was “Yes”, but what she kept hearing from Joseph was “No”. Seeing she was constantly being denied, she tried another more forceful approach. With the house fully empty, she waited for Joseph. Catching him in her trap, and catching him by the cloak, she offered again, “Come to bed with me.” No matter how many times she approached him, his answer was always the same. Leaving his cloak behind, he left her once again.
Think about it this way. A leech makes a special type of saliva which allows them to drink quickly and painlessly. As they spread this saliva over the area where they will feast, they also spread an anesthetic which stops any pain. This anesthetic then keeps the host from feeling the bite. It is common for leeches to be connected to a person for hours before they are ever noticed or realized. But a second agent is also found in the saliva, one called anticoagulant. This agent prevents the blood from clotting, which in turn becomes like a flowing waterfall of blood for the leech to drink freely from. Once filled, the leech will drop off and be filled for months.
When I think of this portion of Joseph’s life where daily he was hounded by Potiphar’s wife, I think of how she was in essence, a leech. She came to him with her saliva of anesthesia working to convince him that no one would ever know. She also came to him with her anticoagulant in the offering more and more and more, just like the waterfall of blood. But Joseph came with one item she was not expecting. He came with God on His side. In one of her attempts prior, Joseph had even replied to her advance saying, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against Adonai?” (Gen 39:9)
On this final advance made on Joseph by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph stood his ground, said “No!,” and ran out. He didn’t care about his cloak, he only cared about getting out. When Potiphar returned home, she lied to her husband and Joseph was placed in prison. But even with all that had happened already, from the bitterness of his brothers, to his being sold into slavery, to now being placed in prison for additional lies against him, Joseph saw God’s hand.
I question of us, do we have this same passion to obey? Do we have the urgency to get out? Are we too concerned with our coat instead of being concerned with getting out? Joseph could have had one night of fun, but what more would that have cost him? What is it costing us?
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