Luke 2:8, Shepherds living out in the fields. According to the Mishnah (a rabbinic Jewish legal-historical document from the end of the second century AD), these were no ordinary sheep or shepherds, but were shepherds who watched over sheep that were destined to become burnt offerings, peace offerings and the Passover offering for the temple service in Jerusalem (Mishnah Sheq 7:4; The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by Alfred Edersheim, pp. 132–133).
Such sheep were kept in the environs of Jerusalem including Bethlehem, which lies just five miles south of that city. These sheep were apparently kept outdoors all year round.
Presumably they were carefully watched over to keep them safe from incurring any blemish that might render them unusable for the temple service.
Imagine the spiritual and prophetic significance of heaven’s angelic messenger revealing to these shepherds the birth in Bethlehem of the spotless and sin-free Lamb of Elohim who was destined to be sacrificed from the beginning of the world (Rev 13:8; John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5). The angel announced that he was YHVH the Messiah (Isa 53:1; Christ the Lord)—the Savior (Luke 2:8 cp. Isa 53:6, 10–11). He once and for all would take away the sins of the world (Heb 10:10, 12), thus rendering their jobs as temple shepherds unnecessary.
Actually, the Torah has many purposes—blessings! The Scriptures reveal that the Torah is much more than a list of dos and don’ts as many people have been led to believe it to be.
The Torah defines what sin (1 John 3:4) and righteousness are (Ps 119:172).
The Torah shows us what YHVH expects from man (Deut 10:12–13).
The Torah convicts man of sin or lawlessness and brings us to Yeshua by way of the cross (Gal 3:24).
The Torah brings temporal and spiritual rewards; life and blessing when followed; curses when disobeyed (Deut 28; Matt 5:19).
Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship with YHVH-Yeshua and helps us to abide in Yeshua (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6).
Obeying the Torah helps us to stay spiritually pure (1 John 3:3-6).
Obeying the Torah protects us from the influence of the devil (1 John 3:8).
The Torah provides a framework for divine justice or judgment (Deut 17:11; John 12:48; Heb 4:12 cp. Rev 1:16; 2:16; 18:15, 21).
The Torah forms the basis for the jurisprudence system of civil government (Deut 17:11).
The Torah is heaven’s revelation of divine grace. It reveals how sinful man can be reconciled to a righteous Elohim; it reveals the path of redemption or salvation from slavery to sin through the idea of substitutionary sacrifice. This all points to Yeshua the Messiah, the Redeemer or Savior of the world.
The Torah reveals the concept of covenant between YHVH and man involving YHVH’s chosen people—the nation of Israel.
The Torah will guide and keep us on the path of righteousness and lead us into YHVH’s everlasting kingdom and spiritual divine family. It acts as a protective guardrail to keep us on the road leading to eternal life. It keeps man from falling into the spiritual ditches or off the spiritual cliff along the side of the road of life.
The Torah is our light in a dark world; the answer to life’s questions and dilemmas (Ps 119:99, 105; Prov 6:23).
Through Yeshua the Living Torah, the Torah helps us to become the person that YHVH wants to live with forever. It prepares us to be the spiritual bride of Yeshua (Rev 19:7–8).
Genesis 48:19, Multitude of nations. What do the Jewish sages say about this prophetic verse pertaining to the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh?
Ibn Ezra declares that many nations will descend from him, since the word many is the Hebrew word melo meaning “fullness,” and connotes abundance. The phrase literally means “and his seed will become the abundance of the nation” ([Neter; Karnei Or]; The ArtScroll Bereishis/Genesis Commentary, p. 2121)
R. Avraham b. HaRambam somewhat similarly states that the expression denotes abundant profligacy to a point that they will have to inhabit lands of other nations it is an allusion to Ephraim’s expansive territory (Ibid.).
The Radak says that this refers to the exile when the lands of others will be filled with his scattered descendants … See also Hos 7:8: “Ephraim shall be mingled among the nations. (Ibid.)
What kind of blessing was this prediction that one day his descendants—the ten tribes—would be scattered among the nations? R. Munk explains: while it is true that the dispersion was caused by the unfaithfulness and sinfulness of Ephraim’s descendants (Hos 7:8ff), Jacob’s blessing was not in vain for “they will return to God” and will have their share in the world to come (Sanhedrin 110b). And R. Eliezer adds: “Even the darkness in which the Ten Tribes were lost will one day become as radiant as the day’ (according to the version of Avos d’Rabbi Nosson 36). And in the perspective of history, did not these exiled children of the Patriarchs enlighten the nations among whom they were scattered? They did so by teaching their conquerors the fundamental ideas of the knowledge and love of God, ideals they had never forsaken. Hence they too have a messianic vocation and their Messiah the … Messiah son of Joseph (Succah 52a), also called Messiah son of Ephraim (Targum Yonasan on Exod 40:11), will play an essential role in humanity’s redemption, for he will be the precursor of the … Messiah Son of David …” (Ibid., pp. 2121–2122).
Can you better see in Jacob’s prophecies over the sons of Joseph and the resulting rabbinic interpretations of those prophecies foretelling the Messianic or Hebrew roots movement (within the Christian church) of the final days?
This movement will be instrumental in bringing the Christians (many of whom are descendants of Joseph’s sons) back to their spiritual Hebrew (or Book of Acts) roots as part of the restoration of all things before Messiah Yeshua, the Son of David, returns (Acts 3:21).
The Book of Revelation prophesies the last days Hebrew roots movement when it declares that the end-time saints will be those who have the message of the gospel or the faith and testimony of Yeshua the Messiah and who keep YHVH’s Torah-commandments (the Torah or instructions of YHVH given to Moses and Israel at Mount Sinai, Rev 12:17 and Rev 14:12).
Yeshua sent his disciples out to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 10:6; Acts 1:6–8). If you’re a disciple of Yeshua, what can you be doing to help bring in the lost scattered sheep of Israel to Yeshua?
Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker which says, “Think globally; act locally.” I don’t know what folks who place this on their cars mean by this, but maybe we could co-opt this phrase with regards to helping to gather in the lost sheep of Israel. (By the way, it is one of the goals of this blog and the ministry behind it to help to do just that.)
Please pray and ask YHVH through his Spirit to lead and guide you to be his profitable servant in helping to gather in the lost sheep of Israel.
Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.
The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day. One each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 12/23 through 12/29/2012
Genesis 47:28, The Jewish sages recognize that this final parashah (Torah portion) of Genesis chronicles Jacob’s wish to reveal to his sons prophetic understandings pertaining to Israel’s long and numerous exiles, culminating in the Final Redemption (return of Israel from her exile in “Babylon” at the end of the age prior to the return of Messiah at which time the two houses of Israel will be reunited under Messiah Son of David).
Jacob states this in Genesis 49:1 when he speaks of his prophecies relating to what will befall his sons “in the last days.” Prior to the establishment of the Messianic Age (Millennium) all Israel would go into a time of darkness, gloom and exile.
The Jewish sages teach that this idea is implicated in the fact that the Torah scroll fails to place the customary nine spaces between the last word of the previous parashah and the first word of the present one. There is only a one space gap in Hebrew letters which predicts the “closing in” of Israel as they go into exile and captivity in Egypt.
Mark 14:51,A certain young man…naked. The reason for the inclusion of this detail in the Gospel record has puzzled many commentators. For example, Matthew Henry suggests that it was added to show the barbarous nature of the Jewish gang that arrested Yeshua, and how narrow was the disciples’ escape from their hands.
Naked and Ashamed
There seems, however, to be a greater spiritual lesson to be learned from this story.
Previous to this, Yeshua, as he and his disciples were coming into the Garden of Gethsemane, admonished them to sit and pray with him (v. 32), to stay and watch (v. 34), to watch and pray so as not to fall into temptation because of the weakness of the flesh (v. 38). Instead, the disciples slept (vv. 37, 40).
Elsewhere, Yeshua instructs the elect saints of the last days to endure tribulation and spiritual apostasy to the end (Matt 24:13), and to watch vigilantly and be ready for his second coming (Matt 24:42, 44; 25:13). These warnings are in the context of his Parable of the Ten Virgins. All slept while awaiting the bridegroom’s arrival. While five were spiritually prepared, five were not. Those who were unprepared were dubbed as foolish and weren’t allowed into the wedding.
Likewise, in the end times, there will be believers who YHVH views as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked because they have grown lukewarm spiritually (Rev 3:14–17).
The point of this discussion is this: If the disciples of Yeshua (that’s you and me) fail to maintain a state of spiritual preparedness (by watching, praying, keeping oil in their spiritual lamps, enduring to the end) while awaiting his return, they, like the young man in Gethsemane and the Laodiceans in the Book of Revelation, will be found to be spiritually naked lacking robes of righteousness on the day of his return and thus unprepared to meet him (Rev 19:7–9 cp. Matt 22:2, 11–12).
With excitement, I am happy to announce the placement of my first biblical teaching video on YouTube. The subject is “Redeemed Israel — The One New Man.”
Here’s the promo on it:
Who is the “one new man” that the Apostle Paul mentions in Ephesians 2:15? As a believer in Yeshua/Jesus, do you view yourself as a Gentile, Jew, Israelite or something else? Understanding the answers to these questions will effect your spiritual destiny and your level of rewards in the Elohim’s eternal kingdom.
Okay, my first movie isn’t going to win any Academy Awards — probably won’t even get nominated 😉 — but oh well, we’re shooting for a higher prize — right? But considering that it’s my first effort, I hope you’ll indulge me a wee bit and find the blessing in this video production despite its homespun, novice qualities.
I’m teaching myself the iMovie 11 video editing program, and still have a long ways to go in mastering the fine art of video production and editing, but I’ve at least got an opening and ending with music and graphics. Throughout the video, scripture references are listed over the top of the video, along with scripture quotations inset as needed as well as other graphics. So it’s not just me talking for 45 minutes. Yikes! The video contains graphic elements to hopefully keep the subject a little more lively and interesting to the viewer and take the pressure off of my, some might say, non-photogenic mug.
The sound quality came out really nice, and considering that the video camera is my trusty iPhone 4S, the video quality is nice too.
Take a look and let me know what you think. I’m already thinking of a number of improvements to make down the road, but be patient — Rome wasn’t built… well, you know the rest of it.
The most important thing about the video is the Word of Elohim is going out. I want lives to be touched for the glory of Yeshua and the kingdom of YHVH. I have this burning passion to reach lives for Yeshua. It’s like an addiction! It’s like I was placed on this earth for this purpose and can’t help myself. (Is there a 12-step program called “Evangelists Anonymous”? Well, I wouldn’t go!) Can anyone else relate to this, or am I just one of those incurable “Bible-thumping Jesus freaks”? The thing is this: I have tasted and seen that YHVH Elohim is good and I can’t get over it. Besides, what are the alternatives to serving Elohim? Becoming a fly and cow worshipping Hindu? Or a Hare Krishna or Moslem, Satanist or witch? How about a New Age tree-hugging mother earth worshipper? I can just see myself on my face before a tree just before I pick up my chainsaw to cut it down! (For those of you who don’t know, I own a tree service!) You get the point.
Bottom line, I love YHVH with all my heart and want to help make the world a better place for him. Thank for joining me in this wonderful journey into eternity!
