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Commentary - Year 1 Sabbath 3

Genesis 3:24-4:26   -   Isaiah 42:8   -   Psalm 3   -   Romans 3:1-24
 

 

Nisan 19, 5764 / April 10, 2004

Nisan 19, 5767 / April   7, 2007 

Nisan 19, 5770 / April   3, 2010 

Nisan 19, 5773 /  Mar  30, 2013

Nisan 15, 5776 / April 23, 2016

Nisan 15, 5779 / April 20, 2019

 

Hen haAdam / Behold the Man    SCRIPTURES (should be read first)

 

Last Monday evening (2013) we celebrated the Seder of the Passover Lamb, marking the beginning of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Breads. We performed the ordinances picturing Yeshua’s crucifixion.

 

Last Tuesday evening was the time to reap the first ephah (bushel) of the best of the new barley crop. On Wednesday morning, an omer (tithe of an ephah) of fine flour from that first bushel would be mixed with olive oil, and waved with a lamb before Yahweh. That would be the first of fifty days of counting the Omer.

Until the day after the seventh week you shall count, fifty days” – Leviticus 23:16.

 

On this Sabbath we say:

Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who has sanctified us by His Word, and instructed us to count the Omer.

Today is four days of the Omer.”

 

The Seventh Day of Unleavened Breads (this coming Monday in 2007) is a Holy Day (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:8; Numbers 28:25). It is known as “The Day of Faith.”

It is the anniversary of Noah and his family being saved by faith when the rest of the world were drowned in the Great Flood.

It is the day Israel was saved by faith when the Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:31).

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(V.3:22) “Behold, the man has become unique among the terrestrial ones, discerning good and evil.” Now, lest he live forever in a state of pursuing self-gratification, God banished him from Paradise where he could eat of the Tree of Life. Man was created to glorify Yahweh, Who says, “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8).

 

(V.4:1) “Heva (Eve) conceived and gave birth to Ka-yeen (Cain).” There are three possible translations of her statement:

(1)     Eve said, “I have gotten a manchild with Yahweh.” Adam and Eve were created without man’s participation, but Cain was created through a partnership of God and man.

(2)     Eve said, “I have gotten a manchild for Yahweh.” Cain was brought forth for the purpose of worshipping Yahweh. She could have seen this as atonement for her part in bringing death upon Adam, who now would not always be around to worship God.

(3)     Eve said, “I have gotten a manchild – Yahweh.” Eve was expecting Cain to be the Messiah promised in Genesis 3:15.

 

Then Eve gave birth to Hevel (Abel).

 

Abel was a keeper of flocks, for milk and wool. Cain was a tiller of the ground, for grain.

 

Abel brought the first-born of his flock (this is spring time). Abel brought the proper Passover offering, showing his faith in the promised redeemer. God showed His acceptance; perhaps by sending His fire to consume the offering (meat was not yet given to eat).

 

At the end of growing time, Cain brought “fruit of the ground”; he did not bring the best from the first of the harvest. God did not accept it. Grain offerings must be the first and finest, and are only acceptable from a redeemed one.

 

Because Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was not accepted, Cain burned – he was very angry and his countenance fell. Then Yahweh said to Cain, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire (one of the four desires) is to rule over you, but you must rule over it.” Sin desires to rule over us, but we are commanded to overcome sin – by the blood of the Lamb! (Romans 12:21, 1 John 4:4, Revelation 12:11)

 

These are known as The Four Desires, because they represent the four places in Scripture where the word teshukah (desire) is used:

(1) Woman desires to rule over man (Genesis 3:16), but man is commanded to rule with love.

(2) Sin desires to rule over us (Genesis 4:7), but we are commanded to overcome it.

(3) The rain desires to flood the earth (Psalm 65:10), but God restrains it.

(4) Messiah desires His bride (Song of Solomon 7:10).

 

(V.8) Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then Yahweh said to Cain, . . . “And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you; you shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” And Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is too great to bear! Behold, Thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Thy face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will come about that whoever finds me will kill me.” So Yahweh said to him, “As for the killing of Cain, this vengeance will be twice of the seventh generation.” And Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him before his time.

 

(nNumbers represent generations.) 2Cain fathered 3Enoch, Enoch fathered 4Irad, Irad fathered 5(Me-chu-Ya-el) Mehujael, Mehujael fathered 6Methushael, and Methushael fathered 7Lamech. Lamech took two wives: Adah, and Zillah (Tzillah). 22 Zillah, gave birth to 8Tubal-cain (Tuval-Kayeen – You will be brought with Cain {to death}).

Following is an ancient Hebrew understanding of the passage. (V.23) And Lamech said to his wives, “listen to my cry of sorrow, you wives of Lamech, give heed to my tale of woe, for have I killed a man by my wound, (I have actually wounded myself, since my victim was my father {seventh generation}); and have I killed a boy by my bruise?” (I have actually bruised myself, since my victim was my son {and the seventh generation after Cain}. Tuval-cain is not shown to have any descendents. Abel would thus be avenged “twice of the seventh generation”.) “If vengeance upon Cain is sevenfold (by spending seven generations cursed and on death row), then upon Lamech seventy-sevenfold” – Lamech lived 777 years, until just before the great flood.

 

Yeshua will be avenged twice in the seventh millennium, in the Erev Shabbat (great tribulation) and the Havdallah (battle of HarMegiddo) of the Great Sabbath.

 

(V.25) And Adam knew his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him 2Seth, for, she said, "God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel; for Cain killed him." And to Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name 3Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Yahweh – see Haftarah (Isaiah 42:8). The sons of God – the righteous line of Seth, as the Melchisedek priesthood (the priesthood of the firstborn which was later replaced by the Levitical priesthood {Num 3:12}), led people to call upon the name Yahweh during this early time of idolatry. As David said, “I was crying to Yahweh with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah” (Psalm 3:4).

 

The priesthood of the firstborn began with Adam. Cain lost the right to the position through sin, and Seth followed. After Noah, Shem held the priesthood. Esau, the eldest, lost the right to Jacob. In Moses’ time, after 2500 years, God took Levites, instead of the firstborn, to be His priests – to represent righteousness to the world, to lead men to Messiah.

 

Sin progresses in men. It begins in private, when there is still a sense of right and wrong. When it becomes more public, the sense of shame is lost. Then immoral behavior becomes accepted, and even promoted. We can easily see that today – in dishonesty, and in sexual immorality. By the third generation from Adam, men began to use Yahweh’s Name profanely.

 

Romans

Paul tells us that the Law speaks to make the whole world accountable to God! It is to shut every mouth! It is to bring the knowledge of sin to every person – and Paul is talking to Gentiles.

 

Then the righteousness that comes from God, through Yeshua the Messiah, is made known, even being testified to by the Torah and Prophets. And, as David says, “Salvation belongs to Yahweh; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah” (Psalm 3:8).

 

Paul goes on to explain that no one can be saved by the works of the Law. No one has ever had sins removed by animal sacrifices. No one has ever attained righteous standing before an Holy God by his own works of righteousness, for these works have no such value (“they are as filthy rags”).

 

Both Hebrew and Gentile can be saved from sin only by the sacrifice of Yeshua, through faith.

 

We need to get over the common idea that there are different rules for different people or different times. The Law was for the whole world, for all time, to define and convict of sin; the Hebrews were to be lights to the world, to convey God’s message.

 

There has never been any remedy for anyone’s sin, except Yeshua’s sacrifice. The old-time Passover offerings were pictures to show faith in the promised redeemer, and future offerings will be to show faith the Redeemer’s past work – a memorial. The Feasts are ordinances, which, by definition, picture spiritual truths (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Readings  (These are the readings for week of Unleavened Breads.)

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who chose us from among all peoples by giving us Your Torah.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the Torah."

 

Reader 1* Amen 22 Then Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever "-- 23 therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.

 

Reader 2* Amen 4:1 Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of Yahweh." 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground. 4 And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions.

 

Reader 3* Amen And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 And Cain told Abel his brother.

 

Reader 4* Amen And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 9 Then Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 10 And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 "And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 "When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you; you shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth." 13 And Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is too great to bear! 14 "Behold, Thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Thy face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will come about that whoever finds me will kill me." 15 So Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." And Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him.

 

Reader 5* Amen 16 Then Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 And Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad; and Irad became the father of Mehujael; and Mehujael became the father of Methushael; and Methushael became the father of Lamech.

 

Reader 6* Amen 19 And Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 And Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

 

Reader 7* Amen 25 And Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, "God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel; for Cain killed him." 26 And to Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Yahweh.

  

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who in giving us Yeshua, the Living Torah, has planted everlasting life in our midst.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the Torah."

______________________

 

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who selected good prophets, delighting in their words which were spoken truthfully.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who chose the Torah, Your servant Moses, Your people Israel,

and the prophets of truth and righteousness."

 

Isaiah 42:8

Reader 8* Amen "I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.

 

Psalm 3  (To be sung) A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

O Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. 3 But You, O Yahweh, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. 4 I was crying to Yahweh with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for Yahweh sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Yahweh; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to Yahweh; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.

 

Romans 3:1-24

Reader 9* Amen 1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "That You might be justified in Your words, and might prevail when You art judged." 5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come "? Their condemnation is just.

 

Reader 10* Amen 9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; 11 there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; 12 all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; 14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; 15 their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 and the path of peace have they not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Yeshua the Messiah for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Messiah Yeshua;

 

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Rock of Ages, righteous throughout all generations.

You are the faithful God, promising and then performing, speaking and then fulfilling,

for all Your words are true and righteous.

Faithful are You, Yahweh our God, and faithful are Your words,

for no word of Yours shall remain unfulfilled;

You are a faithful and merciful God and King.

Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, Who are faithful in fulfilling all Your words."


© 2004  Beikvot HaMashiach
(Followers of the Messiah)