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Sivan 23, 5764 / June 12, 2004
Sivan 23, 5767 / June 9, 2007
Sivan 23, 5770 / June 5, 2010
Sivan 23, 5773 / June 1, 2013
Sivan 26, 5776 / July 2, 2016
Sivan 26, 5779 / June 29, 2019
B'mecheza / In a Vision to Say
SCRIPTURES should be read first
Genesis 15
(V.1-5) Avram had just returned from defeating
four armies. God promised to be his shield: he need not fear reprisal from his
enemies. God also promised him great reward: now, reward is wages. Avram had
acted in Yahweh’s Name, eliminating fomenters of terror, and was to be rewarded.
Then Avram replied, “O Adonai Yahweh” – my
Master, the Gracious One. This is the first recorded time anyone called God “Adonai”
– Lord or Master.
And Avram had a question: If he received a
reward, who would inherit it? He had no children; would his servant be his heir?
And God responded: no, Avram would have innumerable children (offspring).
(V.6) Avram trusted God – took Him at His Word,
and that was accounted to Avram for righteousness. This imputed righteousness
was not part of the wages for Avram’s work; it was a gift from his Gracious God.
Avram had shown faith in God when he went after the four armies, and greater
faith when he trusted Yahweh’s Word for the supernatural concerning having
children though he and his wife were beyond childbearing. (Avram knew Noah, who
had children at 500! Avram was 75, and Sarai was 65, but they never had the
natural ability to bear children.)
When Avram’s seed (which we are by faith) are
obedient, they are like stars (v.5) – above earthly powers. But when they are
disobedient, they are like dust of the earth (v.13:16, 28:14) – to be trampled (Megillah
16a).
(V.11) When the animals to symbolize the Covenant
were laid out, birds of prey descended upon them, but Avram drove them away.
When evil spirits / nations try to nullify the Covenant, such as by taking the
Promised Land, the Covenant will remain. (The subject of taking the Land is
large in the news today.)
(V.13) God foretold to Avram that his seed would
be slaves in a foreign land (Egypt) for four-hundred years, but then they would
be freed and have great wealth. The four-hundred years is calculated beginning
thirty years later, when Isaac was born. Isaac never had the permanent home or
position that his father had, and his offspring were considered aliens, even in
the time they spent in the Land. The actual time in Egypt was 210 years, with
the last 116 spent in the prophesied servitude, and the final 86 in harsh
oppression.
(V.16) In the fourth (dor)
period – four generations after the Egyptian exile, the Canaanite nations
would be expelled, their ‘cup of iniquity’ being full. In the fourth (dor)
period – four millenniums after the Egyptian exile, there will be an even
greater fulfillment of this prophecy: in the final war, which begins just before
the Millennial Sabbath of peace, and culminates afterward – when the nations
from Babel will have their ‘cup is filled to the double’ (Revelation 18:6) –
they will be permanently expelled.
Around the beginning of the
seventh millennium – the Great Sabbath – Israel (believers) who have died will
be resurrected and with Yeshua will reign on this earth for a thousand years
(Rev 20:4-5).
An ancient Hebrew understanding
is that we will be resurrected at Jerusalem; this is why “Jews” want to be
buried close to the Temple mount – so that they will be first there at the
resurrection. (I present this only as an interesting view.)
With most of earth’s population
being killed prior to the Great Sabbath, there still may be more than a billion
people remaining alive – most being unbelievers. My understanding is that
believers will reign – with Messiah – over these unbelievers. Does this mean we
will rule from Jerusalem – which would imply an exodus? What part of earth will
various peoples inhabit? Lots of questions!
Jeremiah 16:
14 "Therefore
behold, days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when it will no longer be said, 'As
Yahweh lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,'
15 but, 'As Yahweh lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land
of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.' For I will
restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. 16
"Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen," declares Yahweh, "and they will
fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt
them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks.
Jeremiah 23:
2 Therefore thus
says Yahweh God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people:
"You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to
them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds," declares
Yahweh. 3 "Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of
all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture,
and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 "I will also raise up
shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any
longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares Yahweh. 5
"Behold, the days are coming," declares Yahweh, "When I will raise up for David
a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and
righteousness in the land. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, and
Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called,
'Yahweh our righteousness.' 7 Therefore behold, the days are
coming," declares Yahweh, "when they will no longer say, 'As Yahweh lives, who
brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' 8 but, 'As
Yahweh lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of
Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.'
Then they will live on their own soil."
The theme of the Seventh Day
of Unleavened Breads is: after God delivers His people, the wicked try to
take them back, but then God destroys the wicked. This happened at the Passover
in Egypt, and it will happen in this world’s last millennial day.
On this date the Israelites came
to the Red Sea, and the Egyptian army caught up to them. The people greatly
feared, but Moses said, “Stand still and see Yeshua Yahweh” (the Salvation of
Yahweh).
“But Moses said to the
people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of Yahweh which He will
accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will
never see them again forever’ ” – Exodus 14:13.
On this Seventh Day, Israel
entered the Red Sea miqvah – baptismal water (on dry ground), and came up the
other side, but the Egyptian army was drowned.
“For I do not want you to be
unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed
through the sea; 2 and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and
in the sea.” Corinthians 10:1-2.
This
day is known as "The
Day of Faith." The Talmud teaches that, at the Red Sea, some had faith to jump
off the banks before the waters parted and landed on dried seabed, while others
entered after seeing the parted waters. All had greater faith after crossing and
seeing the Egyptians killed (Exodus 14:31).
Three
kinds of faith are distinguished in the Hebrew Bible:
· Emunah b'moach
- Intellectual faith (belief in a fact or historical event - such as Yeshua's
crucifixion).
· Emunah b'lev -
Faith of the heart (trusting one's safety or security to something - such as
salvation by Yeshua's work).
· Emunah b'evarim
- Faith that encompasses one's entire being (the controlling factor of one's
thoughts and activities).
The final deliverance:
Yeshua will reign on this earth, with those whom He has delivered, for a
thousand years.
“Then I saw thrones, and they
sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who
had been beheaded because of their testimony of Yeshua and because of the word
of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not
received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and
reigned with Messiah for a thousand years” – Revelation 20:4.
At the end of the Sabbath
Millennium, the armies of the world will gather for “the final solution” – to
destroy the Holy City, but fire from heaven will destroy them.
“When the thousand years are
completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come
out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and
Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand
of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth
and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down
from heaven and devoured them” – Revelation 20:7-9.
David sums up the end in Psalm 11:6-7
Upon the wicked He will rain
snares; fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
For Yahweh is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His
face.
Romans 4
(V.1) What
then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has
found?
Abraham lived almost two-thousand
years before Yeshua was born. But Abraham is used as a prime example of how we
are saved: there has been no change in the method of salvation from sin!
(V.2) For
if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not
before God.
If we are good enough to merit
eternal life, then we are better than others, and have basis for boasting before
men. If we have done something that is required to compensate for our sin, then
we have done something to boast about. If we have faith that is of our own
doing, we have something to brag about before men!
(V.4) Now to the one who works,
his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. When one works,
wages are his due: wages are not a favor. But for any of us, to earn eternal
life is well beyond possibility.
(V.3,5)
What does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to
him as righteousness."
To the one who does not work, but
believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as
righteousness,
For an unrighteous man to be
accounted righteous is an unearned favor from God – grace. When we display the
faith that is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8), then we are reckoned righteous.
David lived almost one-thousand
years before Yeshua’s birth. He described then how one was saved.
(V.6-8)
Just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons
righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been
forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin Yahweh
will not take into account."
Paul goes on to explain to Romans
that this blessing is not only for Hebrews, but also for gentiles. Circumcision
is not a prior requirement, but a symbol after the fact.
(V.9-13) Is this blessing then
upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say, "Faith was
reckoned to Abraham as righteousness."
How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while
circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision,
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so
that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that
righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those
who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow
in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while
uncircumcised. For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be
heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of
faith.
Isaiah 1 may
need a word of explanation, as it is often misused.
Yahweh says (v.11-13), “I have had enough of
burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle; and I take no pleasure in the
blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires
of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
incense is an abomination to Me.”
There is no offering for intentional sin. When
people intentionally live in sin, these offerings for unintentional sin are
worthless! They are a farce! They are not being brought to fulfill God’s
intended purpose of leading the guilty out of sin. If people today studied the
Biblical offerings, they would not misconstrue this to say that God had changed
His mind about offerings.
God says (v.14), “I hate your new moon
festivals and your appointed feasts”. God is not saying that He hates “His”
appointed feasts, but those which the people have corrupted. This does not
represent a change in God’s “eternal” feasts.
God says (v.15), “So
when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes,
even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.” Does this mean that
God no longer desires for us to pray? He says what it means! (V.16-17) “Wash
yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend
the orphan, plead for the widow.” When we seek His righteousness, then our
offerings, our feasts, and our prayers, will be acceptable. This is all about
the righteousness which is of faith. “Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”
(Matthew 5:6).
Readings:
"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
1
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Avram in a vision, saying, "Do not
fear, Avram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." 2
Avram said, "O Lord Yahweh, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the
heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Avram said, "Since
You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir."
Reader 2* Amen
4
Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "This man will not be your
heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."
5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and
count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall
your descendants be." 6 Then he believed in Yahweh; and He reckoned
it to him as righteousness.
Reader 3* Amen
7
And He said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to
give you this land to possess it." 8 He said, "O Lord Yahweh, how may
I know that I will possess it?" 9 So He said to him, "Bring Me a
three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old
ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
Reader 4* Amen
10
Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half
opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of
prey came down upon the carcasses, and Avram drove them away. 12 Now
when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram; and behold, terror
and great darkness fell upon him.
Reader 5* Amen
13
God said to Avram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in
a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four
hundred years. 14 "But I will also judge the nation whom they will
serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 "As
for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old
age.
Reader 6* Amen
16
"Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the
Amorite is not yet complete." 17 It came about when the sun had set,
that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming
torch which passed between these pieces.
Reader 7* Amen
18
On that day Yahweh made a covenant with Avram, saying, "To your descendants I
have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the
river Euphrates: 19 the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite
20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21
and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite."
"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."
Zephaniah 3:1-19
Reader 8* Amen
1
Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city! 2 She
heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in Yahweh, she
did not draw near to her God. 3 Her princes within her are roaring
lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they leave nothing for the morning.
4 Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have
profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. 5 Yahweh
is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His
justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame. 6
"I have cut off nations; their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their
streets desolate, with no one passing by; their cities are laid waste, without a
man, without an inhabitant. 7 "I said, 'Surely you will revere Me,
accept instruction.' So her dwelling will not be cut off according to all that I
have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
Reader 9* Amen
8
"Therefore wait for Me," declares Yahweh, "For the day when I rise up as a
witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour
out on them My indignation, all My burning anger; for all the earth will be
devoured by the fire of My zeal. 9
"For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on
the name of Yahweh, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder. 10 "From
beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, will bring My
offerings. 11 "In that day you will feel no shame because of all your
deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; for then I will remove from your
midst your proud, exulting ones, and you will never again be haughty on My holy
mountain. 12 "But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people,
and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh. 13 "The remnant of
Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found
in their mouths; for they will feed and lie down with no one to make them
tremble."
Reader 10* Amen
14
Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult
with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 Yahweh has taken
away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of
Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst; you will fear disaster no more. 16
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; do not let
your hands fall limp. 17 "Yahweh your God is in your midst, a
victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His
love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. 18 "I will gather
those who grieve about the appointed feasts – they came from you, O Zion; the
reproach of exile is a burden on them. 19 "Behold, I am going to deal
at that time with all your oppressors, I will save the lame and gather the
outcast, and I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth.
Isaiah 1:1-17
Reader 11* Amen
1
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he
saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; for Yahweh speaks, "Sons I have
reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me. 3 "An ox
knows its owner, and a donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not know, My
people do not understand." 4 Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down
with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have
abandoned Yahweh, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned
away from Him. 5 Where will you be stricken again, as you continue in
your rebellion? The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. 6
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing sound in it, only
bruises, welts and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with
oil. 7 Your land is desolate, your cities are burned with fire, your
fields – strangers are devouring them in your presence; it is desolation, as
overthrown by strangers. 8 The daughter of Zion is left like a
shelter in a vineyard, like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a
besieged city. 9 Unless Yahweh of hosts had left us a few survivors,
we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah.
Reader 12* Amen
10
Hear the word of Yahweh, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our
God, you people of Gomorrah. 11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices
to Me?" Says Yahweh. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat
of fed cattle; and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.
12 "When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this
trampling of My courts? 13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies
– I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 "I hate your
new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me; I
am weary of bearing them. 15 "So when you spread out your hands in
prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I
will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 "Wash
yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the
ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Psalm 11
(to be sung) For
the choir director. A Psalm of David.
1
In Yahweh I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your
mountain; 2 for, behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready
their arrow upon the string to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. 3
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" 4
Yahweh is in His Holy Temple; Yahweh’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His
eyelids test the sons of men. 5 Yahweh tests the righteous and the
wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates. 6 Upon the
wicked He will rain snares; fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the
portion of their cup. 7 For Yahweh is righteous, He loves
righteousness; the upright will behold His face.
Romans 4:1-13
Reader 13* Amen
1
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has
found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to
boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say?
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 4
Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is
due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just
as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits
righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blesses are those whose lawless
deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. 8
"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account."
Reader 14* Amen
9
Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we
say, "Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness." 10 How then
was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while
circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while
uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being
circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the
father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who
also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while
uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants
that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the
righteousness of faith.
"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."
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