A New Year

It's now year 5769; Rosh Hashanah has come and gone last week...and another year of reading the Torah draws quickly to a close. Yom Kippur and Sukkot are quickly coming. Do I spend a whole day in mourning for my sin? I should. But thanks to the atoning work of Christ, I'm covered. I still should be sorry for my sin. Here's how Paul says I should do things: 

"Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,  by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Perhaps I should spend the day celebrating. That's probably a bit too disrespectful of me...And Sukkot is a time to celebrate the harvest and think about what's to come. I will try to post more after we talk about this tonight. 

Another year has come and gone. I can't say that my life is much different...but it has been a year of growth and study. Maybe I'll look back on this as a year of preparation. For what? I don't know. 

Good words to share

From my e-mail; a study by John Piper

“So I assume this psalm is in the Bible by God’s design and that if we listen carefully, if we watch this psalmist struggle, if we meditate on this instruction day and night, our thoughts about God and life, on the one hand, and our emotions, on the other hand, will be shaped by God. And we will become like a tree that bears fruit and whose leaves don’t wither when the drought of oppression and discouragement and turmoil comes.”

What an assumption!

The Bible's Karma

Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that
Changed the world


And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything

Grace
She's got the walk
Not on a wrapper on chalk
She's got the time to talk

She travels outside
Of karma, karma
She travels outside
Of karma

When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty
In everything
      ~~~U2, Grace from All That You Can’t Leave Behind

What a ridiculous title I have given this post...but it’s one of those irreconcilable intersections that the Bible teaches. We finished Leviticus last night in our study. It’s the second round in this study cycle...so it’s not as foreign or as distant. Of course, it was written for a particular community at a particular time. We will never really stop struggling with how that fits into our lives today.

The book ends with a promise of blessings...IF....you keep the commandments. Isn’t that karma?

Listen (From Lev 26):

3 " 'If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

  9 " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.

14 " 'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. 17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.



This is the very end of the book...so it’s important. Is that okay that we can’t reconcile this? Maybe our lives are lived at the junction of karma and grace, fully knowing that God can do whatever He wants? Last night in Bible study, we were following our notes and found an allusion to this passage from Isaiah:

Isaiah 58
True Fasting
 1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
       Raise your voice like a trumpet.
       Declare to my people their rebellion
       and to the house of Jacob their sins.
 2 For day after day they seek me out;
       they seem eager to know my ways,
       as if they were a nation that does what is right
       and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
       They ask me for just decisions
       and seem eager for God to come near them.
 3 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
       'and you have not seen it?
       Why have we humbled ourselves,
       and you have not noticed?'
       "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
       and exploit all your workers.
 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
       and in striking each other with wicked fists.
       You cannot fast as you do today
       and expect your voice to be heard on high.
 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
       only a day for a man to humble himself?
       Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
       and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
       Is that what you call a fast,
       a day acceptable to the LORD ?
 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
       to loose the chains of injustice
       and untie the cords of the yoke,
       to set the oppressed free
       and break every yoke?
 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
       and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
       when you see the naked, to clothe him,
       and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
       and your healing will quickly appear;
       then your righteousness will go before you,
       and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
       you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
       "If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
       with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
       and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
       then your light will rise in the darkness,
       and your night will become like the noonday.
 11 The LORD will guide you always;
       he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
       and will strengthen your frame.
       You will be like a well-watered garden,
       like a spring whose waters never fail.
 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
       and will raise up the age-old foundations;
       you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
       Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
 13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
       and from doing as you please on my holy day,
       if you call the Sabbath a delight
       and the LORD's holy day honorable,
       and if you honor it by not going your own way
       and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
       and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
       and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
       The mouth of the LORD has spoken.


So doesn’t this sound like we have to do things right to find blessings?

But  yet...but yet...

There is grace.

No one says it better than Bono:

[Grace] travels outside
Of karma

Here’s an interview he did:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2005/bono-0805.html

I so need to read this book.

“It's a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma.”

I’m not sure what questions to even ask any more. But this tension is so strong in the Bible. There’s grace and there’s karma (for a lack of a better term). How does this work out?

The answer, which seems like a pat answer, is Jesus. He didn’t sin yet he was punished for EVERY sin. That’s not a pat answer. That is the answer.

And so is wisdom:

“Get wisdom, get understanding;
       do not forget my words or swerve from them.
 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
       love her, and she will watch over you.
 7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
       embrace her, and she will honor you.
 9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
       and present you with a crown of splendor."

(Proverbs 4)

A Great High Priest Whose Name is Love

Parashat Hashavuah

Shemini - "Eighth"
Torah : Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Haftarah : 2 Samuel 6:1-7:17
Gospel : Luke 7-9

My efforts towards this blog, ahem, have been lacking as of late. I think it's because I've been reading at the park...away from my desk. Of course, my efforts today have been thwarted. I have been distracted and looking at other things and reading in fits and starts. That's the story of my life. :)

In this passage, we're considering the start of the priesthood. Aaron and his sons have spent seven days sequestered in preparation for the start of serving the people. Then God is made manifest to these people. Of course the connections to Jesus are manifold here (does that count as a pun? I meant it to). 

Jesus entered the priestly office after his sacrifice and his own spilled blood. Some in the early church called the day of the resurrection the eighth day (it was the day after the sabbath...the seventh day). It was Jesus' prep time for being a priest. Of course, his work is better and more full than the Aaronic priesthood. 

When Aaron raised his hands to bless the people, he was connecting God and the people. Jesus raises scarred hands to bless us. Thank you. How else can I respond to that other than to give my life to thanking Him for this. 

This passage gets us to the center of the Torah. We have this verse: "But Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up." (Lev. 10:16). And the two center words are carefully searched (darosh, darash). Those are from the root of rosh-dalitet-sin from which midrash is drawn. The center of the scriptures invites us to carefully seek. What a wonderful picture for Torah study!!!!

I'm looking forward to talking about keeping Kosher. The notes suggest that Jesus and his disciples kept Kosher. I don't doubt that...but I still want to know why God demands Kosher eating and how that applies to us today. 

This passage

Here's the Sidra we discussed:

Parashat Hashavuah


Ki Tisa "When you take"
Torah : Exodus 30:11-34:35
Haftarah : 1 Kings 18:1-39
Gospel : Mark 13-14

It seems to me this is a higher point in the narrative than even the 10 commandments ceremony. It comes after the highest high and the lowest low. God is tenderly dealing with Moses here ...and reveals more of who he is.

God's 13 attributes

Last night at Bible study, we made it through three lessons; two previous weeks of bad weather had kept us apart. It was wonderful to get back together to share our lives and what we’re learning from God’s very words in the Torah. We discussed Exodus 25-31. This is post the 10 commandments and the high point of Israel pledging to be God’s people. Right after that, a dark episode happens. They turn their energy and devotion not to their creator, but to an idol they constructed. God is not pleased, to say the least. As punishment, Moses grinds up the golden calf and makes them drink it. Not everyone survives.

It’s at this point God reveals who he really is to Moses.

Moses and God are in dialogue here in Exodus 33:

“12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
 18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

And God puts Moses in the cleft of the rock and reveals his nature.

Listen to who God is (Exodus 33):

“6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."”

God is loving and forgiving even though he is just.

And we have Jesus, our high priest, who took the punishment for us ... And connects us to God.

My favorite passage from Hebrews 10:

“18And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

God is a just and holy God, but he also loves his people. Jesus serves as the intermediary between us and God’s justice that we can’t meet. What encouraging words. Lord, help us to draw near to you and hold to this hope.

Christ and the tabernacle

It's about time that I return to posting. We've had trouble assembling the group. Jackie is in Florida and Joyce is in Arizona. Plus, the weather's been horrible and Aaron is moving. But still...we solider on. The Torah cycle continues!

Last week was an off week for us, so now we're reading:

Terumah : "Heave offering"
Torah : Exodus 25-27:19
Haftarah : 1 Kings 5:2-6:13
Gospel : Mark 10-11

Tetzaveh - "You shall command"
Torah : Exodus 27:20-30:10
Haftarah : Ezekiel 43:10-27
Gospel : Mark 12

These two sidra delve deeply into the tabernacle and the priesthood. Of course the illusions to Christ are manifold.

Tabernacle:
John 1:14...and the Word became flesh and tabernacled with us...

God instructs Moses to build a tabernacle ... a copy of what is in heaven. Why does heaven have a tabernacle? I have no idea what the answer is to that. But it's really clear that Jesus dwells with us...and he is anointed with the Spirit of God.

And God dwells in us too. The Israelites had to go to a building to worship God...and we God dwelling within us. We are the temple. Does that change how we live? It should!!

The Ark:
God also tells Moses to build the ark, the earthly throne of God. Just as God spoke to Moses from atop the ark (the mercy seat), Jesus speaks God's word to us. The angels look at the ark ... as the angels look at the throne of God in heaven.

The Menorah:
This one is clear; Jesus is the light of the world.

The veil:
When Jesus was crucified, the veil in the temple was rent; access was granted to God like never before.

In Tetzaveh, we see how Jesus is the Messiah Priest, Priest in the Order of Melchizedek, and the Intercessor.

There are many types of priests, and many types are listed in the Bible. We learn about the Egyptian priests, Melchizedek and Jethro, and the Aaronic priests. Jesus is the priest...but not in the same way that Aaron and the other cohenim are. Did you know that Aaron's turbin had the name of God engraved in God on it? It's God's authority of the priesthood. And the common people are told to bind the words of God on their hands and foreheads.

"There will no longer be any curse: and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His fame, and His name will be on their foreheads." Rev. 22:3-4

Jesus is a priest...he is a Messiah Priest, priest over the heavenly temple. And he "ever lives and pleads for me."

Again, I return to the song Before the Throne of God Above

"Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart."

An we have another thread in the tapestry of God being our God and we being His people. The Tabernacle reminds us that God dwells with us...and we're they're with him.

Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Continuing on

Terumah : תרומה : - “Heave offering”
Torah : Exodus 25:1–27:19
Haftarah : 1 Kings 5:26–6:13
Gospel : Mark 10–11

We're contining in the part of Exodus where the narrative has ground to a halt, but there is something more important going here. The Bible is not, essentially, a novel. It is a book of Salvation.

"We receive all these books and these only as holy and canonical, for the regulating, founding, and establishing of our faith."

The Belgic Confession

I am planning on reading this text...I'll see what insights are contained within the study notes and the text itself. I really want to get back to posting.

Catching up

Last week was really snowy, so we’re catching up on two lessons this week.

Parashat Hashavuah
Beshalach - “When he sent”
Torah : Exodus 13:17-17:16
Haftarah : Judges 4:4-5:31
Gospel : Mark 6

Parashat Hashavuah

Yitro - “Jethro”
Torah : Exodus 18:1-20:23 (26)
Haftarah : Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6
Gospel : Mark 7-8

We have some major things going on here...first, the Israelites cross the Red Sea---and the Egyptians don’t---and then we have the giving of the ten commandments. The desert narrative is picking up...we will spend the rest of the Torah Cycle talking about their time in the dessert. It starts out well...and there will be a lot of ups and downs to come.

No excuse...

...to be this far behind.

But here’s what we’ve been reading and discussing in the past month:

Miketz “At the End”
Gen. 41:1-47-27

Vahechi “And he lived”
Gen. 47.28-50:26

Shemot “Names”
Exodus 1:1-6:1

Ve’era “And I appeared”
Exodus 6:2-9:35

The story sure flies by 400 years of history from Joseph to Moses. It’s been so long that the new Pharaoh doesn’t remember Joseph...the man who saved the country. It’s like not remembering Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill. But in the meantime, the Hebrews remain in Egypt. They are fruitful and multiplying. But sad days are ahead.

But God is in charge of history. He is working it out to raise up a redeemer. Moses’ very survival is a miracle. The Pharaoh had ordered that all baby boys be killed. But there is something about Moses that his parents find tov “good” (perhaps this is the tov that God saw when he made the world). Because of their faithfulness, the faithfulness of Miriam, and the actions of the princess, Moses is spared. But his life of comfort quickly changes.


This passage seems odd to me:
“  23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” Exodus 2

They’ve been suffering for a long time, and we know nothing about the previous generations. But God is at work again. Did he forget them in the time being? Surely not. His timing is perfect (if only I could really embrace this truth in my life). And the story is long and amazing. He reveals his covenantal name with Moses, and he proceeds to tell the Egyptians and their gods who’s boss.

The parallels to Christ are numerous. I should pull out my notes and write them down. But I’ll have to do that later.

Shalom

Joseph

Parashat Hashavuah
Vayeshev: "And he dwelt"
Torah: Genesis 37:1-40:23
Haftarah: Amos 2:6-3:8
Gospel: Matthew 19-20

The Temptation of Joseph

I’m several weeks behind. Maybe I will have the chance to blog about this soon.

Reflecting on Jacob

Let’s see, I’m really behind on blogging Torah study. Two weeks ago, we reflected on the story of Jacob’s new name and his encounter with Esau.


Parashat Hashavuah


Vayishlach - “And he sent”
Torah : Genesis 32:4-36:43
Haphtarah : Hosea 11:7-12:12
Gospel : Matthew 17-18

Interestingly enough, the notes didn’t touch on the story of Dinah. That’s sure an embarrassing episode, but it does shed a lot of light on the character of Jacob’s sons.

And here, Jacob gets a new name. God also named Abraham “Abraham” and gave Isaac’s parents his name to give, so it makes sense that Jacob gets a new name. But he has to wrestle with God? An Angel from God? It’s so interesting that Jacob won’t let the entity go until he learns his name and gets a blessing. There is no revelation of a name, but Jacob is profoundly changed. He builds an altar and is aware of how things will be different.

He is worried about his encounter with Esau. ... But it does not go as planned. Esau does not plunder.

Well, it’s harder to reflect after all this time has past. I will hopefully update the next sidra soon.

Crumbs for the puppies

Parashat Hashavuah


Vayetze -  :”And he went out”
Torah : Genesis 28:10-32:3
Haphtarah : Hosea 12:12-14:10
Gospel : Matthew 15-16

This week, we’re reading the story of Jacob and how his family came to be.

Can you imagine what the family dynamics are life? This would even make Jerry Springer roll his eyes. Jacob marries his cousin and then her sister...plus he has kids with their maids? How quickly did he have these kids? A household with four women and a dozen children would be seriously hard to live in. Plus Jacob has to deal with father-in-law and being far away from his home. Wow...

Each of the children has a name that is a prophecy of Israel and Messiah. I don’t have my notes in front of me now, but the one that sticks out is Zebulon. His name comes from dwelling place. “And you will be our dwelling place from generation to generation...”

Actually, this is an interesting topic. I will take time to post more details on my debriefing e-mail from Bible Study.

These words from the FFOZ weekly e-mail are quite comforting to me:

“ The Ideal Family
http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/vayetze/so_jacob_went_in_to.php
Adapted from Torah Club Volume One
Unrolling the Scroll
Thought for the Week

The Wrong Place: Jacob felt like he was in the wrong place and his years were being wasted. People often find themselves in jobs, careers, homes and even family arrangements that make them feel as if they are far outside of God’s plan. The story of Jacob teaches us that God might place us in such situations specifically to bless us and work out His purposes. Jacob teaches us to be faithful wherever we find ourselves and to keep committing ourselves to the care of God. Jacob’s term of service in Laban’s household resulted in the birth of the nation of Israel.”

Lord knows I’ve felt like I’ve been wasting a lot of time with my life and waiting a whole bunch. At lunch today, I heard this Switchfoot song at lunch (In the car when I was reading my lesson for the week) that got me thinking.

“We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

Dreaming about providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we’ve been living with our eyes half open
Maybe we’re bent and broken, broken.”

And the song didn’t make me guilty for who I am in life...but it made me think about what is life...

...What is the good life?....

It’s kind of crazy, but the first think I think about is skydiving...those big, adrenaline-fueled activities. That’s surely not it. Real life is love, kindness...  

“ 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5)

“ 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1)

So, Pastor Larry also talked about lousy investments in his sermon. This is a picture from Jeremiah. God tells him to buy a field from his cousin. But this field is in enemy-occupied territory. Jeremiah will never live in this place; he will never farm it; he will never benefit from it. But he does what God says. Sometimes in our lives, we can’t see why we’re called to do what we’re called to do. Sometimes it’s for the benefit of future generations, sometimes it’s for ourselves in the future, and sometimes it’s in the great plan of God.

Are you wondering where the title comes from for this post? It’s from a story in Matthew 15 after Jesus answers the Pharisees about the disciples’ propensities to not wash their hands (in a ritual way, I’m sure).

Jesus explains it this way:

“ 7"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "”

And then the next story is a woman begging to have her daughter healed. Jesus first sends her away. (Is that because he’s cruel or does he know the response he will get? It has to be something like the latter). But the woman counters that even the dogs get the crumbs from the table. The Greek is in the diminutive...so she’s saying aren’t we worth more than a puppy that eats the leftovers? And Jesus heals the women and comments on her great faith. Then the next story, he’s feeding the 4,000.

“  32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."”

Is that how we are meant to live?

Taking the week off

My grandma’s visiting, so I’m taking this week off to spend time with her. I will try to post some thoughts when I prepare for next week.

This lesson is:

  
Parashat Hashavuah
Toldot “Generations”
Torah: Genesis 25:19-28:9
Haphtarah: Malachi 1:1-2:7
Gospel: Matthew 13-14

Isaac will pray for Rebecca because she was barren.

How will this connect to the Messiah? I am not sure and I’m too tired to speculate. So, I will write more later.



Update

Yeah...I never did prepare. Bad me!!!

Mother Sarah

This week’s reading:

Chayei Sarai

Torah Reading: Genesis 23:1-25:18
Haphtarah Reading: 1 Kings 1:1-31
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11-12


We’re looking for these titles of Messiah:

The Sent One
The Servant


Some thoughts:
This passage begins with the death of Sarah... Let’s stop and reflect: It’s with great love that Abraham buries his beloved wife. He was told to go...so he has to bargain for land. He was well esteemed by the Hittites. Ephron is willing to give him the land, but Abraham must pay for it. Isn’t amazing that Abraham is a military leader? He went into the battle already and now he’s dealing with another leader. Sarah has a place to rest (as Abraham will in short measure).

Because he’s getting older, Abraham needs a bride for his young son. He sends out Eliezer to find someone. Then the rest of the story here describes the servant’s fulfilling of this mission. He is sent...the word is shaliach, which would be apostolos in Greek. Apostle...Eliezer is an apostle for his master. That is too obvious to comment on.


Rebecca and the bride of Christ
A story of Evangelism and connections to Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Anyway...his faith is great when he stumbles upon a well and finds Rebekah, the young woman who is kind enough to offer water to camels. His faith is great in the Lord and in his master:

“ 26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives.”

And Rebekah goes...she leaves with a blessing (after an exchange of hospitality and kindness between Eleizer and the family.) What great faith our forebears had. And she marries this greiving mama’s boy.

Who....as it turns out, prefigures the Messiah.

So Rebecca prefigures the church? This is a story of Evangelism? The notes sure seem to talk about this. I’ll fill this in more later.

But the author of our study guide notes the parallels between Rebecca at the well and the Samaritan Woman. Rebecca is a young, kind virgin from the right family and the woman at the well has had five husbands and she’s from the hated class of women. Yet Jesus talks to her and tells her of his mission. (At Jacob’s well now less. That’s Rebecca’s son.)

Listen to this story of faith:

“  19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
 21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
 25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
 26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."”

And the Samaritan woman believes...and so to many others.
“  39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.
 42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."”
What wonderful messianic terms are used here.
(Chapter 25 is just messy...it talks about all of Abraham's other sons. I think the writer is more concerned with Isaac, so there’s not much ink spent of these sons).

Considering Abraham

Parashat Hashavuah


Vayera -”And he appeared”
Torah : Genesis 18:1-22:24
Haphtarah : II Kings 4:1-37
Gospel : Matthew 8-10

So, we were down to four last night, but again, the numbers did not keep us from having an amazing conversation. I’m not so sure that wasn’t one of the most transcendent conversations that I’ve ever been a part of. (That might be the most convoluted way of saying that). It was a wonderful discussion.

We had eight questions that lead us all around....we talked about the second coming of Christ, how to live from day-to-day, whether God revealed Christ to the patriarchs, and how precious these words of God are.

I didn’t know that the Jews recite the story of the binding of Isaac each day when they pray. This story is so troubling to me. If I were editing the Bible, I’d be sure to leave this one out. The only way I’ve been able to reconcile this story in the past is to say that it’s testing Abraham’s faith. But hasn’t he been proved righteous already? He got up and left .... He made the covenants with God ...waited for Isaac. So is there more to this story? Many Jews think this is the beginning of the sacrificial system.  (In fact, the binding took place on Mount Moriah...where they built the temple).

And spent a lot of time considering whether the Jews will be saved outside of the work of Christ (or through the work of Christ?) What about faithful Jews. Well...we didn’t answer that...but we got stuck in Romans 11. Listen to this:
“  25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
   "The deliverer will come from Zion;
      he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
 27And this is my covenant with them
      when I take away their sins.”

 And this is Paul’s answer to this quandary:
“33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
      How unsearchable his judgments,
      and his paths beyond tracing out!
 34"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
      Or who has been his counselor?"
 35"Who has ever given to God,
      that God should repay him?"
 36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
      To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

Amen indeed.

Go

This week’s study gets us to Abraham.

Father Abraham had many sons...but it seemed for a long time like he would have none.

We’re reading:

Lech Lecha =
Torah : Genesis 12:1-17:27
Haphtarah : Isaiah 40:27-41:16    
Gospel : Matthew 5-7

Wow...the Sermon on the Mount was amazing to read in a whole bit. It sounds so much like Deuteronomy to me. Of course, others have noticed that, but this point came glaring through ... Jesus is teaching Torah there.

On the Isaiah passage...

This is, of course, one of my favorite passages. But I haven’t looked at in context for a very long time. I love the way this is phrased:

“Why do you say, O Jacob,
       and complain, O Israel,
       "My way is hidden from the LORD;
       my cause is disregarded by my God"?
 28 Do you not know?
       Have you not heard?
       The LORD is the everlasting God,
       the Creator of the ends of the earth.
       He will not grow tired or weary,
       and his understanding no one can fathom.”

I surely don’t know any one who complains... Yeah, it’s a reminder of God’s love again. In chapter 41 we get a picture of judgment, but then God’s care for his chosen ones.

“For I am the LORD, your God,
       who takes hold of your right hand
       and says to you, Do not fear;
       I will help you.
 14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,
       O little Israel,
       for I myself will help you," declares the LORD,
       your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

And how does God chose Israel? Through Abraham.

This passage seems obscure to me...and I’m not sure why. Who is this Abraham and why did he get picked? Is it random or is there something within him that makes him special to God? Did he just happen to be at the right place at the right time? And where did he get his faith from? We hear later in the text that his father worshipped idols. How does Abraham know God? Why does he go?

The story of Melchizedek is amazing. We have this tiny picture of grace and God’s works outside of what we understand.

Abraham’s basically gone to war against other kings and then he meets this guy.

“18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
       "Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
       Creator of heaven and earth.
 20 And blessed be God Most High,
       who delivered your enemies into your hand."
      Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”

The symbolism is deep here people: Salem = peace, Melchizedek = king of righteousness (it may not even be a personal name) and then we have a picture of the sacrament and then tithes...The title of God is interesting. El Elyon?

Then we have Psalm 110:

“The LORD has sworn
       and will not change his mind:
       "You are a priest forever,
       in the order of Melchizedek."”

And the writer of Hebrews connects it to Jesus. Listen to Hebrews 6:19-20:

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

And then all of Chapter 7 is devoted to comparing Jesus to this OT figure!  

Wow...listen to the author’s reasoning here:

“ 23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Wow!

Hey...Is Sarah Abraham’s niece?

Comforting God

Reflecting on last night’s Torah Club

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ll start by saying I’m really enjoying this mix of people and questions.
The study material is really wonderful, and the questions really lead to
great conversations.

Here’s the points I want to discuss:

€Grieving God’s Heart
€Seeing the twists and turns of the narrative
€The timing of the flood

Grieving God

Frankly, it surprises me that God’s heart can be grieved. It seems to me that a God who knows the future and has great love would ever regret what’s happening. Maybe it’s because our grief is wracked with sin. We get prideful, selfish, mopey...etc. Maybe it’s not the grief that’s sinful (obviously it’s not if God grieves)...but how our broken selves deal with it. We can take away the reminder that sin is not a joke. God is seriously affected by it (so much so that Jesus incarnated and died on the cross to deal with it).

But that’s a different point. I guess I’m talking again about the Openness of God. How much is God influenced by humanity? How do prayers, humanity’s sin, the movements of history affect God’s plans?

I’m not claiming to agree with it (because you can’t deny the sovereignty of God), but here’s more details about the openness of God. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_theism

Notice that I am not answering these questions!

Noah’s name means comfort. The Hebrew root (the Nun and Het if you must know) are part of the word for comfort. It’s a play on words (ah...the lovely play of the Hebrew language)...There’s a glimmer of hope. God never does destroy all of the creation; he always saves someone. Think of Abraham lobbying for Lot, Moses for the Israelites, the prophets for the people...

That’s what we can take out of this story. Even when things are at their worst, God makes a way. He is a God of grace. It’s all over the Old Testament, people!

Another thought: What was the nature of Noah’s relationship with God? How did he learn about God? This is pre-established religion.

The Twisting Narrative

Aaron brought up an excellent point; he’s more reluctant to see the little cool things that’s happening in the Biblical narrative than in a novel. We’re really skeptical to see play on words, random connections, and cool unexpected things in the Bible. I’m not expressing it well. I just think about all the time I’ve spent dissecting novels and get all excited about the tiny details. Think of how much time I’ve spent analyzing the cool little parts of the Matrix. Why do I think it can’t be possible there are cool little details in the Bible?

Timing?

Did you know there’s a date for the flood? Genesis states “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month”. When is the second month? It’s either in the spring or in the fall. Why does that matter? Well...if it’s in the fall, it’s close to the time of Atonement (Did you know the Hebrew word for atonement and pitch (Like what they smeared on the ark) is the same?). Surely the story talks about it. But if it’s in the spring, the timing for all of this places is smack in the middle of Passover, and the time of Resurrection. Interesting.

We also talked extensively about end time stuff, but I’m tired and will blog about that later.

What a letdown...

...or the story of the flood...

This week’s reading is the sidrah about Noah (Genesis 6:9-11:32)

The haphtarah is Isaiah 54:1-55:5 and the Gospel reading is Matthew 3 and 4.

Should I admit that I find the story of Noah a letdown?

There’s something about this story that has always bothered me. And it’s this verse: ”6:6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”

So, God’s not happy with humankind? I know they’re vile and wicked (more than we are? More than Las Vegas at 3 in the morning?) He regrets that he made humans? This is the same God who loves us so much that rejoices over us with singing? The same one who sent his very own son to combat the problem of sin? The God who gathers his children like a mother hen?

And then he wants to not only wipe out humankind, but the animals and birds he created too.

Why does God want to reverse the creation?

Then there’s Noah. He found favor in God’s eyes? How? Didn’t he basically earn his salvation then? I’m not sure I’m speaking soteriologically here...I mean actual salvation from death and the flood. Or am I speaking of spiritual salvation? I don’t know!

Listen to what Isaiah says in the haphtarah:

“"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
       but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
 8 In a surge of anger
       I hid my face from you for a moment,
       but with everlasting kindness
       I will have compassion on you,"
       says the LORD your Redeemer.
 9 "To me this is like the days of Noah,
       when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
       So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
       never to rebuke you again.”

He was angry with Israel (How many times?) But yet he will spare them and show his love. I’m so confused!

I loved this story as a kid...the animals, the one brave family that was spared...but now it just seems weird. Of course, we’re running up on that intersection of love and justice. The one that makes no sense.

So, how will me see the Messiah? The notes were a bit fuzzy for me. Obviously we have one righteous man in the midst of a sinful generation. Sound like Jesus? We have the story of salvation with the ark. But I’ll have to talk more about this topic after the discussion tonight.

Reflecting on the the light

We had a great conversation that took more than two hours. I had expected to breeze through the eight questions; the notes were pretty easy to read and the questions seemed quite straight forward…of course I was very wrong, as I usually am when I approach the Torah.

The thing that surprised me this time is when Eve received her name. It’s after the fall…I wonder if she’s the mother of the living only after death enters into the picture. Is that significant? I’m sure it is.

We also talked about light. There was illumination before God created the sun and the moon. God is light. The sun and the moon are there to mark time and the seasons…and there will again be a place where God lights it all…the New Heaven and the New Earth.

This brought us to John 1. The author is weaving Hebrew and Greek ideals together. The Jewish ears would hear stuff like In the Beginning….we have seen his glory…and think of Genesis 1. The Greeks would hear about the Logos and glory and think philosophically.

John 1:14 might be the most amazing verse in the Bible (along with Gen. 1:1)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

The infinite became infinite. That is the thinking of the Aramaic word for “word” Memra. It’s a deep concept.

Then we also talked about Paul's view of Christ and the creation.

To wit from Colossians 1:

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

We also talked about Cain and Abel. That is a mind boggling story. Cain approached God with sin. But what was the sin and how was it worthy of death? (Aren't we all worthy of death?) But doesn't that seem harsh? But then we have the writer of Hebrews who says that Christ's blood speaks better than Abel's.

Hebrews 12

22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

I'm not sure what to make of this.