Tag: grace

Shelach L’Kha (Send on Your Behalf) B’midbar/Numbers 13:1-15:41

Shelach L’Kha(Send on Your Behalf)B’midbar/Numbers 13:1-15:41
Haftorah Reading: Joshua 2:1-24
 
Today, we again have a very important Torah portion to look at. It has much to teach us, some points will take some digging on our part to discover answers. Some will require a look at the words in Hebrew and other verses will appear to be in conflict by the wording.
 
For example, in Numbers 13:1-2 we read, “The L-rd said to Moshe, send some men to explore the land of Canaan.” Then in Deut. 1:22 we read that the people came to Moshe and asked him to send men to explore the land. This leaves us with a question. Who told Moshe to send the men into the land? In our portion today in Numbers 13, we can bring clarity by looking at the wording in Hebrew. Numbers 13:2 can be translated as, “Send for yourself,” or do what seems right in your own eyes. G-d was saying to Moshe, after the visit of the people, you make this decision as the leader of the people. This gives us more harmony between the two accounts. I bring this out to show us there is harmony in G-d’s word. But sometimes it takes a little effort or digging to find answers.

Naso (Take) Num/B’midbar 4:21-7:89

 Naso (Take) Numbers/B’midbar 4:21-7:89

Haftorah Reading: Judges 13:2-25

Messianic Scripture  John 7:53-8:11, Acts 21:17-32

This week we read the portion named Naso. When you read this portion you will find it filled with details of the gifts brought by each family head. However, buried in these details we read the verses laying out a prayer. This prayer was given by G-d to Moshe to be used by the priests to speak over the people. This is what I want us to spend our time on today. The verses are found in Numbers 6:22-27.

Mishpatim (Judgements) Sh’mot/Ex. 21:1-24:18

Torah Portion: Mishpatim (Judgements) Sh’mot/Ex. 21:1-24:18

Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 34:8-22; 33:25-26

Today we read and study together the Torah portion Judgements.  This is usually not one of the most gripping portions we read during the year. In this portion we read more than fifty laws covering a wide range of subjects. I would like for you to consider how we as believers in Yeshua consider the issue of laws found throughout the scripture. Have you ever heard, “Why study all these laws, we as believers are under grace now. Laws are the opposite of grace. Since we are believers in Yeshua there is no reason for us to be concerned with all these laws we read in the Torah.”

Tol’dot (History) Gen 25:19-28:9

Torah Portion: Tol’dot (History) B’Resheet (Gen.) 25:19-28:9

HafTorah: Malachi 1:1-2:7

Today as Israel stands on the brink of a ground war in Gaza, the head Rabbi blessed the troops with part of this verse Zech 12:10, “I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication…”. We surely pray with him for G-d’s grace and supplications for each one of Israel’s soldiers as well as each citizen. I would like us to read the entire verse and pray the last half of the verse also. I would pray that they will look on the One they have rejected and will mourn for Him as one mourns for His only son. We must stand in the gap now for G-d’s people and pray for an opening of their eyes that their hearts would melt and this will draw them to G-d through Yeshua. Please intercede everyday for them that during this war G-d will be merciful toward them and bring them to Him.

Ki Tisa (When You Take) Shemot (Exodus) 30

Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take) Shemot (Exodus) 30:11-34:35

HafTorah: I Kings 18:1-39

New Testament: Luke 11:14-20, Acts 7:35-8:1, I Cor. 10:1-13, II Cor. 3:1-18

This portion of scripture is full of verses to guide us in our lives. We will cover a few which I pray will guide us along the way. To start lets look at Shemot 30:18 where we are told of the bronze laver. What is a laver? It is basically a water container with faucets around it for washing. It was put between the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the altar. Here the priests, on their way to the altar, would stop to wash their feet and hands before approaching the altar. Why would they do this? Part of their daily ritual was to bathe in the mikvah to cleanse themselves. So why would they have to stop again to rewash their feet and hands? Yeshua gives us a clue in John 13:8 where He tells Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in Me.” In the next verse Peter responds with asking Yeshua to wash not only his feet but also his head and hands. Yeshua’s answer to this gives us our answer.

Balak Numbers 22

Weekly Torah Section: Balak Numbers 22:2-25:9, HafTorah Micah 5:1-6:8

Micah was a prophet from the flat country in Judea and prophesied for over half a century. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea. He prophesied during the reign of three Judean kings, the last being Hezekiah. Jeremiah refers to Micah in Jeremiah 26:18-19. In Micah 5:1-5 he speaks of the coming Messianic age, where the Messiah will be born, about  his role as the Good Shepherd and the one who brings peace. I want us to look mainly at verse 8 in chapter 6. What does the L-rd require of us? He requires us to “do justice,” “love kindness” and to “walk humbly with G-d.”