Vayechi Genesis 47
Torah Portion: Vayechi Genesis 47:28-50:26
HafTorah: I Kings 2:1-12
I Peter 1:1-19
Tonight we read the Torah section entitled Vayechi or “And he lived.” The Torah goes on to tell us that Jacob lived 147 years. The remainder of this section basically covers his death.
In my questions for the week I asked you to look back at Genesis 47:7-11 where Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was. In Hebrew it comes out more, “Wow, how old are you!” Jacob answers that he is 130 years old and his days have been few and evil. He had not lived as long as his father, Isaac or grandfather, Abraham. He died 33 years younger than Isaac and 28 years younger than Abraham. When you look at his life would you summarize his days as few and evil? G-d watched over him all the time he was with Laban. He left Israel with nothing but the clothes on his back and the staff in his hand. G-d promised to be with him and bring him back which he did. He brought him back with riches and a family. He prospered in Israel. G-d provided for him in Egypt. Again, it might be how you look at things. Rabbis see this as one of Jacob’s problems to the point his life possibly ended prematurely.
Shoftim (Judges) Deut. 16
Torah Portion: Shoftim (Judges) Deut. 16:18-21:9
HafTorah: Isaiah 51:12-52:12
Tonight I want to look at a couple of things from this week’s Torah portion. These will cover the two questions I sent out this week. I would like us to spend a few minutes looking at Deut. 20:19. In my translation it reads, “for the tree of the field is man’s food.” However in Hebrew it reads, “Man is a tree of the field.” So, what are we to make of this? How are we trees of the field? In Psalms 1:3 David compares a righteous man to a tree with fruit and leaves that don’t wither. Why? Because it is connected to its life source – water. How do we not wither and turn brown? We do it by staying connected to our life source – the living G-d who through Yeshua nourishes us daily. And as this tree bears fruit so must we. (John 15:2,6) This can only happen as we stay connected to our source. In fact the Torah says non- fruit bearing trees are to be cut down and used to lay siege to a city. In these verses of John Yeshua says the same things. So we are to be trees who reproduce good fruit, our leaves are to stay green, and our roots should be strong and deep. All of these hearken back to this verse that we looked at tonight.
Vaetchanan (And I pleaded) Deut. 3
Torah Portion: Vaetchanan (And I pleaded) Deut. 3:23-7:11
HafTorah: Isaiah 40:1-26
Matt. 23:31-39, Mark 12:28-34
In this section of scripture there are many important subjects covered: Mt. Sinai, Ten Commandments, Moses pleading with G-d to enter the Land, the Shema. But tonight I want to start with the question I sent out from Deut. 4:4, “But you who held fast to the L-rd your G-d are alive today, everyone of you.” What does it mean to “hold fast” ? In Hebrew the word is “Had-vachem” included in this word is the root for stick or glue. How do we do it? And how do we keep doing it? What happens if we don’t stay stuck to G-d?
Massei Numbers 33:1-36:13
Torah Portion: Massei Numbers 33:1-36:13
HafTorah: Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4
NT Reading: James 4:1-12
Tonight I would like to look at the verses in this week’s Torah portion from two different standpoints. This will follow closely the questions I sent out this week. Let’s start with the questions about the connections between Yeshua and the cities of refuge. In this time of history murder or the accidental death of someone at another person’s hand carried a death sentence. This sentence was carried out by the next of kin. No trial, no jury, one person was judge and jury. The Torah modified this somewhat by setting up cities of refuge where the person could flee and be protected until there could be a trial. Read Numbers 35:12. If the person was found guilty of murder then they would be punished or if not punished they would be safe from the blood avenger as long as they stayed within the city walls.
Pinchas Numbers 25
Torah Portion: Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1
HafTorah: I Kings 18:46-19:21
NT Reading: Romans 11:2-32
Tonight I want to start with a look at this section of Torah from a viewpoint of how we can spiritually relate it to Messiah. Here in Pinchas we see shadows of this spiritual connection with Messiah. First to define the Hebrew word Keenah in Numbers 25:11. Here it is translated as zeal. But it is usually translated as jealous. So Pinchas was jealous for G-d and was moved to act. Yeshua can clearly be called one who is jealous for G-d – to the point of laying down His own life for the salvation of Israel. As Pinchas turned away G-d’s wrath so does Yeshua take upon Himself the punishment or wrath of G-d for us by laying down His life for us. G-d grants Pinchas and his descendants a perpetual priesthood on this earth and Yeshua has taken His place in heaven as our eternal High Priest.
Chukat Numbers 19
Torah Portion: Chukat Numbers 19:1-22:1
HafTorah: Judges 11:1-33
Tonight I would like to look at a couple of issues that I think will help us to move forward in our understanding of G-d’s word and in our own personal spiritual growth. We will start with my question of the week. Why did Moses say in Numbers 19:1 that this is the statute of the Torah? What about this would embody the entire Torah? What can this teach us?
Beha’alotkha Numbers 8
Torah Portion: Beha’alotkha Numbers 8:1-12:16
HafTorah: Zechariah 2:10-4:7
Tonight I would first like to look at the first couple of verses in the Torah reading for this week, Numbers 8:1-4. In this we see Aaron the High Priest given the job of arranging the lamps on the Holy Menorah to illuminate the interior of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. I want us to spend a few minutes here and see what we can learn from the standpoint of Yeshua. Here the earthly Menorah radiates light in the presence of G-d. John 1:5 tell us that Yeshua is the light that shines in the darkness. He is the light that emanates from the presence of G-d. Revelations 4:5 tells us of the heavenly Menorah burning before the throne of G-d. Earlier in Revelations 1:20 the seven lamps are connected with seven congregations, and John seeing Yeshua standing among the seven lamps. In Revelations 2:1 Yeshua indentifies Himself as the one who walks among the seven lamps. In Heaven He is our High Priest. He tends the Menorah of G-d in the heavenly Temple. So, as we understand Numbers 8:1-4, we can see the spiritual connection these verses have to the Messiah. He is the light of the world.
Yeshua Is Our Hope – Metzora Leviticus 14
Torah Portion: Metzora Leviticus 14:1-15:33
HafTorah: II Kings 7:3-20
This is the second Torah Portion devoted to leprosy. Four chapters given to a disease and all the details of how to tell if a person has it and if so what to do about it and how to be declared clean. Seems odd doesn’t it – until we look at the New Testament and how leprosy was used as a sign of the Kingdom of Heaven. I sent you some verses that I think give us a good view of this. Luke 17:12-14, Matthew 10:7-8, Matthew 11:4-5 and Matthew 26:6. What can we see from all these? Cleansing of leprosy was seen as a sign that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. But why was this? Think about the disease. What did it do? It spread through the body slowly killing it and also easily spread to others. Sin also is at work in our body to bring death physically and spiritually. Leprosy separated the person from being part of the Temple worship, separated them from family and friends. Anyone who had it had to live outside the camp. Which brings me to Matthew 26:6 about Simon the leper. How can we tell he had been healed and cleansed? He lived in town and people came and went in his house. Maybe he was one who had been healed by Yeshua. Yeshua also raised Lazarus from the dead in this same town, which gives us a further insight into leprosy. It was viewed as a death sentence. The person with it had to tear his clothes, leave his head uncovered and cry, “unclean, unclean.” Sin makes us spiritually unclean and separates us from G-d. To enter into His presence we must be made clean by Messiah.
Promises of G-d – Shmini (Eight) Leviticus 9
Torah Portion: Shmini (Eight) Leviticus 9:1-11:47
HafTorah: II Samuel 6:1-7:17
Tonight I would like to continue building the spiritual picture we have been working on the last few weeks, that of the physical tabernacle and the priests being a shadow of heavenly spiritual truths. This week we see Aaron and his sons assuming their role as earthly priests and how that gives us insight into Yeshua. Remember on the mountain G-d showed Moses the heavenly tabernacle and told him to build an earthly model of what he had seen in heaven. This is mentioned in Hebrews 11:8. This same idea is expressed in many rabbinic writings. In Christian thought this shadow and copy language has been seen to diminish the earthly structure. While in Hebrew it is simply a way of comparing and contrasting the two. Each was G-d ordained and each had its unique purpose.
Entering His Sabbath – Ki Tisa (To Take) Exodus 30
Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (To Take) Exodus 30:11-34:35
HafTorah: I Kings 18:1-39
Tonight I want to start right off with the question I sent out to you. Moses takes a census of the people and as a result of this census every person age 20 and older had to pay ½ shekel for an atonement for their soul. (Exodus 30:12) How can money count as an atonement. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that only the shedding of innocent blood of an animal can atonement come. So how do we reconcile this? Another meaning for the word atonement is ransom. And if we use that word it gives us a clearer understanding of what Moses is saying here. In battle they would be shedding blood and in the Torah when you shed blood a ransom must be paid for the taking of a life.