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I was laid off from my full-time job late last year. After a lot of prayer, soul searching, and discussions with my wife, we have decided to operate this ministry entirely by faith in God's provision through the love of His people.  I am not paid for doing this work, and therefore I ask you to consider supporting us. If you can help, please offer a donation or purchase some of the Hebrew study materials offered here. Encouraging other web sites to link here also helps us become more visible on the web.  Above all, agree with us for the Lord's will to be done in our lives. Todah, chaverim.

        

Note:  My wife gave birth to our second child, Judah Abraham, on March 31st (Nisan 7). The LORD has graciously provided for us as Adonai Yireh (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה), "the One who sees [our need]."  We are living one day at a time by the grace and mercy of God, and I want to publicly praise Yeshua and acknowledge His faithful love in caring for my family -- despite the trials during this time. The LORD God of Israel is faithful and true! And for those of you who have sent us a word of encouragement or donation during this difficult time, please accept our heartfelt appreciation! Your chesed and prayers truly help sustain us....

יְהִי שֵׁם יְהוָה מְברָךְ - "Blessed be the Name of the Lord." 





 

March 2010 Updates
 

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Can God "Change His Mind"?



[ The following entry refers to last week's Torah portion, Ki Tisa.  Please refer to that Torah portion to find you place here. ]

03.17.10  (Nisan 1, 5770)  In Parashat Ki Tisa we read that God was so angry regarding the sin of the Golden Calf that He threatened to destroy the fledgling Jewish nation -- and even said that He wanted to make Moses into a new sort of "Abraham" (Exod. 32:10). Moses was appalled at the prospect and appealed to God's reputation in this matter.  Would not God's Name be profaned among the Egyptians if the LORD destroyed bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) after leading them out of bondage?  Moreover, what about the covenant promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (i.e., brit avot)? How could the LORD break His word to the patriarchs of Israel? Because of Moses' quick intercession, God's anger was stayed and an "opening" or opportunity was given for teshuvah (repentance).  Moses' intercession caused God to "repent" (נָחַם), or to change His intent regarding executing judgment upon the people of Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf (Exod. 32:14).

The idea that God can "repent" seems to contradict other verses in Scripture that express God's "immutability" or changelessness. For example, the Torah says, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent" (Num. 23:19), and the prophet likewise attests, "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. 3:6)?

Some linguists suggest that the root idea of the Hebrew word nacham (נָחַם) pictures God "taking a deep breath" (or even sighing) as way of expressing regret or feeling compassion in response to an offense by others... Indeed, the word for "breath" in Hebrew is ruach, and the breath of God is part of His Voice and Life... Others regard emotional expressions ascribed to God as a form of "anthropopathism," or the assigning of human feelings and emotions to God. The rationalist idea that dibra Torah k'lashon bnei adam, "the Torah speaks in the language of men," means that the authors of Scripture wrote in human language, in terms of human understanding, and we should therefore not seek to find objective truths known only to God in its pages. This is not unlike the use of metaphor and poetry in Scripture. When the Psalmist says that God is a Rock (Psalm 18:46), or that we can find refuge under the "feathers of His wings" (Psalm 91:4), we should not think that God literally is made out of a "divine mineral" or has a wingspan...

When the prophet says on behalf of the LORD, "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. 3:6), the verb translated "change" is shaniti (שָׁנִיתִי), which comes from the verb shanah (שָׁנָה) meaning "to repeat, to do again."  Indeed, the Hebrew word for "year" is shanah, referring to the cycle of the moedim or seasons (Gen. 1:14). The idea seems to be that God does not change like the fixed order of creation (i.e., the stars, the seasons, etc.), and by implication, that God is not subject to the "life cycle" of the natural order, with birth, life, and death. God "changes not" in the sense that He is not subject to the vicissitudes of physical creation, even though His relationship to creation is living and dynamic rather than passive or static.

Traditional Christian theology tends to regard God in Greek, rather than Hebrew, terms. Indeed, the word "theology" itself is Greek (not Hebrew) and refers to the "study of God" (θεός + λόγος), implying that God is an "object" that could be looked at, "analyzed," and known as a "thing" or divine "substance."  To the ancient Greeks, the idea of God is disclosed through a process of intellectual abstraction -- through "negative theology" (i.e., denying predicates of human language to the divine), and so on.  Ultimately this led to the Greek ideal of God as an "Unmoved Mover," a Unchanging Divine Mind, and so on. Insofar as the early church embraced Greek assumptions and thinking, its attempt at understanding God followed course, and even the study of the Scriptures became a kind of linguistic archaeology, where specimens (i.e., "texts") were looked at, a taxonomy was created, and the entire system was displayed as a museum for the mind...

The idea that God is "changeless" is expressed in various Church catechisms, such as this statement from the Westminster Catechism: "God is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His Being. His nature or character is immutable, that is, it has never worsened or bettered - it remains the same. God does not change, indeed, he cannot change, both in his being (ontologically) and in his will (decretally)."

How different is the picture of God we see during Moses' personal intercession on behalf of Israel, when he spoke "face to face" (i.e., panim el panim: פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים) with the LORD from the midst of the cloud. Here we see God "breathing deeply," that is, expressing regret or feeling compassion in response to the actions of His sinful people...  God is not some static object but rather a dynamic and forceful Person. Unlike the Greek philosophers who tended to regard God as little more than a "machine" (deus ex machina), a device that causes the universe to "get going," the LORD God of Israel is intensely personal, feeling, emotional, compassionate, angry, and so on.  Unlike the Greek view that regards God as "dispassionate," the Hebrew view of God is that of a Living Person, a Spoken Word, and a Fiery Breath broods that over the appearances of the physical world.

The idea that God can "repent," then, is connected with His intimate interaction with His creation, and in particular, with His people.  Still, it is an interesting question as to whether it was possible for God to have gone through with His threat and destroyed the Jewish nation, making of Moses a new sort of "Abraham." What about Jacob's prophecy that the Messiah would come from Judah (Gen. 49:10)? Indeed, how are we to understand "counterfactual" statements given in the Scriptures? When Yeshua decried the hardness of heart of the people of Capernaum, He said: "For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day" (Matt. 11:23). For this to have been a true statement (and of course it was), then it would have to correspond to something really possible, a state of affairs that could have been.  Had Yeshua gone to Sodom and done His works, the people there would have repented and the city would not have been destroyed...

Greek theology is draws much of its inspiration from the pagan philosopher Plato who taught that "truth" was a static property that pertains to propositions. This conception inevitably led to metaphysical speculations about "essences" and "universals" as something "more real" than the everyday world of particular cats, trees, and water lilies. Appearance and reality are two different things, and only by means of abstraction (from the particular to the universal) can the truth about ultimate reality be known. Hence we see Christian theologians, steeped in pagan Greek thinking, arguing about ousia, "substance," and formalizing their conception of the Godhead as "three Hypostases in one Ousia."

The Hebraic conception of truth, while not denying the importance of intellectual correspondence, seems to have a different focus. The Hebrew mind seemed less preoccupied with static and unchanging essences than with the (dynamic) formation of the character of the person (resulting in a sense of obligation to "restore" the world). Especially in relation to the LORD, to Whom the Jew must give account, the idea of truth became grounded in moments of moral decision encountered in one's life. Shall I steal? Shall I turn a blind eye to social injustice? etc.

Certain Jewish sages said that "the seal of God is truth," since the final letters of the three words that conclude the account of creation -- bara Elohim la'asot ("God created to do" [Gen. 2:3]) -- spell the word for truth (emet):



In other words, God created reality "to do" (la'asot), which has come to be interpreted by these sages as meaning that it is our responsibility, as God's creatures, to complete the "doing" of His Creation (tikkun olam). Truth is about doing, not "being"; it is centered upon the realm of duty and obligation -- our personal relationship to God -- just as it is grounded in God's mandate to us to "name" the creation.

Note that the "Seal of God" is not just a matter of sincerity. It is rather a matter of being true in the sense that you are living it, you are "one with it," you are part of it. You exist inside this truth as a passion and this truth informs all of the decisions you make in life.

The idea that we can genuinely appeal to God is central to the idea of teshvuah, or "repentance."  Abraham Heschel wrote, "No word is God's final word. Judgment, far from being absolute, is conditional.  A change in man's conduct brings about a change in God's judgment" (The Prophets, p. 194). In other words, our relationship to God is not "prewritten," and therefore we can appeal to God for mercy and grace.  Teshuvah is our appeal for God's compassion; it is the way we can relate to Him as our merciful LORD (YHVH) instead of our Judge (Elohim).  When we truly turn to the LORD we receive His compassion.

"Today is the day of salvation." If you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts and become am k'she oref (עַם־קְשֵׁה־ערֶף), a "stiff-necked people" (Heb. 4:7, Exod. 32:9). The word nacham (נחם) pictures God "taking a deep breath" (or even sighing) but it also indicates "comfort" by showing compassion (Gen. 5:29, Psalm 23:4, Isa. 12:1, 40:1, 52:9, etc.). The Breath of God is His compassion extended to you, just as Yeshua breathed His last breath on the Cross and later said to His followers, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22).

Ask the LORD to open your eyes to His Presence so that you may draw near to Him now... Shalom, chaverim.




Parashat Vayikra - ויקרא



03.15.10  (Adar 29, 5770)  The Torah portion for this week is Vayikra ("and He called"), the very first section from the book of Leviticus. Vayikra is sometimes called the "Book of Sacrifices" since it deals largely with the various offerings brought to the LORD for sacrificial purposes in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Over 40 percent of all of the Torah's commandments are found in this central book of the Scriptures.

It is an age-old Jewish custom to begin teaching young children the Torah beginning with Vayikra because they, like the sacrifices themselves, are pure. The sage known as the Kli Yakar states that this is one of the reasons why the Aleph (א) in Vayikra (ויקרא) is written very small in the scroll. Let these teachings be the beginning, like the letter Aleph, which is the beginning of the Aleph-Bet. When we humble ourselves as little children, God will reveal His truth to us.



Other sages reasoned that Moses' humility (anavah) was such that he first waited for the LORD to call him into the Mishkan (Tabernacle), despite the fact that God had previously granted him full access to His Presence. The scroll begins with an undersized Aleph as a scribal token of Moses' humility. (The Zohar states that the undersized Aleph signifies that the Tabernacle was not fully complete without the engagement of Israel.) The "spirit of the little Aleph" means that we should always exercise derech eretz -- reverence and politeness -- before the Divine Presence.


The Korban Principle



The purpose of the sacrifices was likewise to imbue a sense of humility. At each stage of the offering, the worshipper would see how the animal was slaughtered, dismembered, its blood sprinkled, and its fat burned on the altar -- all for his sake...  This is the "korban" principle of "life-for-life."  The guilty person would lean his hands upon the head of the animal (semichah) and then say viduy (confession): "I deserve to die instead of this innocent animal, but the LORD mercifully accepts the death of this innocent one in my stead." The worshipper would understand that were it not for chasdei Adonai (חֲסְדֵי יהוה) - the love of the LORD - this should have been his fate. When the LORD saw the shed blood and ascending smoke of the sacrifice, He forgave the sinner based on his faith and teshuvah (repentance). The entire sacrificial system was therefore predicated on God's love that foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Yeshua, the Son of God.

Some of the sages note that the word korban (קָרְבָּן) is often translated "sacrifice" or "offering" (the Greek LXX uses the word δῶρον, "gift"), though it derives from a root (קָרַב) that means to "draw close" or "to come near."  Offering a sacrifice in the Tabernacle (and later, at the Temple) was therefore a means of coming close to the LORD in repentance and humility...

In ancient Israel there were three "classes" within the structure of Jewish society: the Kohen, the Levite and the Israelite. The Kohen was a physical descendant of Aaron who functioned as a priest of Israel. His primary role was to offer sacrifices on behalf of other Jews (his cousin, the Levite, served as his assistant, helping to maintain the Mishkan, carry vessels, and so on). Only the Kohanim could perform avodah (priestly service) even though originally the firstborn of each family was to function as a priest of Israel. On Yom Kippur, only the High Priest of Israel could offer sacrifice on behalf of all the Jews...

The sacrifice of Yeshua as the Kohen Gadol of the better covenant was given by God the Father on behalf of all those who put their trust in his Son. The Cross of Yeshua represented the kapporet ("mercy seat") of the new covenant -- and it was there He shed his blood for our everlasting reconciliation to God. We can all draw near to God and be close to Him because of the Korban of Yeshua...  Moreoever, when the sacrifice was complete (and Yeshua died), the veil of the Temple -- the parochet that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place -- was rent asunder, thereby granting access to the "throne of grace" (θρόνος τῆς χάριτος) (Heb. 4:16). Because of the High Priestly work of Yeshua, Levitical mediators are no longer necessary (1 Tim. 2:5), and all who trust in the Messiah are called "spiritual kohanim" (1 Pet. 2:5-9). Followers of Yeshua have an altar whereof those who attempt to serve in the older system are unable to eat (Heb. 13:10).

Note that we are part of the priesthood after the order of Malki-Tzedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק), the "King of Righteousness." Yeshua is Adonai Tzidkenu - יְהוָה צִדְקֵנו - the LORD our Righteousness. We do not account ourselves worthy based on our personal merit, but solely on account of the finished avodah of Yeshua our LORD. Since we have access to the "throne of grace," and the word grace (χαρις) is related to the word joy (χαρα), we are called to offer sacrifices of praise. We are called to be Korban Chai -- Living Sacrifices -- on behalf of the ongoing ministry of our Messiah who urges all people to repent and draw near to the Father through Him.




The Month of Nisan and Passover



03.14.10  (Adar 28, 5770)  The beginning of the Biblical Year (called Rosh Chodashim) begins tomorrow after sundown. Look for the first sign of the waxing crescent later this week, chaverim.  Spring is in the air! It is time to prepare for Passover which begins in just two weeks!




Note: The commandment to sanctify the new moon of Nisan reveals that it is our responsibility to sanctify (i.e., observe) Biblical time in general. In other words, when we observe "the beginning of months," we are acknowledging that time itself is rooted in the Biblical calendar with its divinely inspired cycle of festivals (i.e., the moedim).





With only two weeks before Passover, now is the time to begin thinking about your Passover Seder.  I have created a free "Seder Guide" you can download to help you get started. Let's keep the feast, chaverim! (1 Cor. 5:7-8).




Yasher Koach to Judah!



03.11.10  (Adar 25, 5770)  Our son Judah, who was born just before Passover last year, took his first tentative steps the other day -- a real "Shehecheyanu moment" for our family.  Yasher Koach to Judah - "more power to him!" - and may it please God to help him walk with the LORD Yeshua all the days of his life! Amen.




When does Passover begin?



[ The following entry is related to this week's additional Torah reading for Sabbath ha-chodesh (Exod. 12:1-20). It is a bit "technical" since it deals with the question of whether the festival of Passover begins on Nisan 14 or Nisan 15... ]

03.11.10  (Adar 25, 5770)  It might be a bit confusing to understand exactly when Passover begins, at least from a traditional Jewish point of view. Does it begin on Nisan 14 or Nisan 15? In order to find an answer to this question, we first need to make a distinction between zman shechitat korban Pesach (the time of the slaughter of the Passover lambs) and then consider the commemoration of the holiday that was later instituted as the "Passover Seder."


The Passover in Egypt

The original sacrifice of the Passover (in Egypt) was of an unblemished male lamb that was selected on Nisan 10 and kept until the evening of the 14th, when it was sacrificed and its blood applied to the two doorposts and upper lintel of the house using a bunch of hyssop (Exod. 12:2-7, 22). The door to the house was then sealed and no one was permitted to leave until the following morning (Exod. 12:22). The blood on the doors would function as a sign for God to "pass over" the house when He descended to slay all the firstborn of Egypt later that night (Exod. 12:13). Within the sealed house - during that night (לַיְלָה) - the lamb would be roasted over a fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (Exod. 12:8). This sacred meal was to be commemorated as a feast to the LORD throughout all the generations and retold during the seder service (Exod. 12:14, 25-27). Moreover, to commemorate the haste in which the Jews were brought out of Egypt, for seven days - from the evening of Nisan 14 until the evening of Nisan 21 - only unleavened bread was to be eaten and no leaven was to be found within any of the houses (Exod. 12:17-20).


Passover at the Temple

During the time of the Temple, zman shechitat korban Pesach (the time of the slaughter of the Passover lambs) was performed during the afternoon hours of Nisan 14, in observance of the commandment: "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings (i.e., bein ha-arbayim: בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם), is the Passover for the LORD" (Lev. 23:5). Note that the time of the lamb's sacrifice is described as "bein ha-arbayim," usually translated as "between the evenings" or "between the settings."  To the sages, the "first setting" of the Sun occurred at the beginning of its descent after noon, and the "second setting" referred to sundown or twilight.  Hence "bein ha-arbayim" would mean sometime after noon but before twilight, or more simply, "the afternoon."

The sacrifice of the Passover lambs on the afternoon of Nisan 14 agrees with Jewish Oral Law and tradition. As Maimonides wrote, "It is a positive commandment to slaughter the Korban Pesach on the fourteenth of Nisan after midday" (Hilchot Korban Pesach). There is some discussion among the sages, however, as to whether the sacrifice of the korban Pesach occurred before or after the second set of tamid (daily) offerings made at the Temple (Exod. 29:38-42, Num. 28:1-8). In general, however, most of the sages agreed with Maimonides who clearly stated: "The Korban Pesach is not slaughtered until after the Tamid of the afternoon." In other words, the slaughter of the Passover lambs occurred on the late afternoon of Nisan 14.

Note that though the sacrifice of the Passover lamb occurred on the afternoon Nisan 14, the ceremonial eating of the meal, or the "seder," would begin later, just before sundown and continue throughout the night. This agrees with Exod. 12:8 which states clearly that the Passover meal was consumed during the night: "They shall eat the flesh [of the Pascal lamb] that night" (i.e., ba-lailah hazeh: בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה). And since the Jewish day begins after sundown (when three stars are visible in the night sky), the traditional Passover Seder would begin just before sundown on Nisan 14 but would continue into the new day of Nisan 15, which is also the start of the seven-day festival of chag ha-matzot (חַג הַמַּצּוֹת), the "Feast of Unleavened Bread" (Lev. 23:6).

In light of all this perhaps you can better appreciate why Jewish tradition regards "Passover" as an eight day holiday, since it links the times of the korban Pesach, the Seder meal, and the seven days of unleavened bread together as a whole.


Passover Today

Today the traditional Passover Seder begins on "Erev Pesach," meaning just before sundown on Nisan 14 and running into the first hours of Nisan 15 (outside of Israel a second seder is often held the following evening as well). The date of Passover can be somewhat confusing if you look at a Jewish calendar to see it listed simply as "Nisan 15." Again we must remember that the Jewish day begins on the night before it is listed on the calendar.  For example, if the calendar says that March 30th is Nisan 15 (i.e., Passover), then you must understand that Nisan 15 actually begins at sundown on the night before, i.e., on March 29th:



Unfortunately, most Jewish calendars refer to the previous evening as "Erev Pesach" without indicating that the first "day" of Passover spans the end of Nisan 14 and carries over to Nisan 15. 

In answer to our original question, then, (i.e., "Does Passover begin on Nisan 14 or Nisan 15?"), the answer is that while the Passover sacrifice was made on the afternoon of the 14th, the Passover Seder will span both the 14th and 15th!  I realize all this might be a bit confusing, but it's just the way the Jewish calendar works! 


Addendum

The important point in all of this, of course, is that Yeshua the is the "Lamb of God" who was sacrificed and raised from the dead according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-5). As for the precise calculations involved in all this, including the time of His early Seder with His disciples, the exact hours of His crucifixion, and so on, there are numerous questions, though I completely trust that Yeshua 100% fulfilled the types and prophecies concerning the meaning of the Passover.
 

רָאוּי הַשֶּׂה הַטָּבוּחַ לְקַבֵּל גְבוּרָה
עשֶׁר וְחָכְמָה וְכּחַ וִיקַר וְכָבוֹד וּבְרָכָה

ra'uy ha-seh ha-tavuach lekabel gevurah,
osher v'chokhmah v'koach vikar v'khavod uvracha

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and might and honor and glory and blessing! (Rev. 5:12)

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Pesach Sameach to you and your family, chaverim!




Nisan and Deliverance



[ The following entry is related to the Biblical New Year (and the month of Nisan), which begins Monday, March 15th at sundown this year. ]

03.09.10  (Adar 23, 5770)  Are you discouraged by this evil world, chaverim? Do you sometimes utter the plaintive prayer: "O Lord, I know that you will help us; but will you help us before you will help us?" When things are dark and seemingly hopeless, it is tempting to yield to passivity and even to despair, but it is precisely then that our faith must rise up and become all the more emboldened.  Faith in God's love is the victory (i.e., netzach: נֶצַח) that overcomes the world and its illusions (1 John 5:4). The LORD is our Deliverer and Kinsman Redeemer (הַגּוֹאֵל), a "very present help" in our troubles:
 

אֱלהִים לָנוּ מַחֲסֶה וָעז
עֶזְרָה בְצָרוֹת נִמְצָא מְאד
 
Elohim lanu machaseh va'oz
ezra v'tzarot nimtza me'od

God is our refuge and stronghold,
a help in troubles - very near (Psalm 46:1).

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Passover is all about the victory of God over the powers of darkness for the sake of our deliverance (יְשׁוּעָה). "Let my people go!" Indeed, the month of Nisan is Chodesh ha-Yeshuah (חדֶשׁ הַיְשׁוּעָה), the "month of the salvation," both in terms of remembering the physical deliverance from the political powers of Egypt, but more profoundly in terms of our spiritual deliverance given at Zion/Moriah through the Messiah. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, chaverim, but against hidden powers of darkness that seek to enslave us as Pharaoh did of old (Eph. 6:12). But thanks be to God who gives us the victory (netzach, salvation) through our Lord Yeshua the Mashiach (1 Cor. 15:57):
 

לְךָ יהוה הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַנֵּצַח וְהַהוֹד
כִּי־כל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ
לְךָ יהוה הַמַּמְלָכָה וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכל לְראשׁ
 
lekha Adonai ha-gedulah v'ha-gevurah, v'ha-tiferet, v'hanetzach, v'ha-hod,
ki-khol ba-shamayim u'va'aretz;
 lekha Adonai ha-mamelakhah, v'hamitnaseh lekhol l'rosh

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the beauty and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chron. 29:11)

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Passover is really a month long celebration. Over and over it is referred to as the "month of spring" (חדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב), the "month of redemption," the month of Nisan, and so on. I mentioned yesterday that the word Nisan (נִיסָן) might come from either the word nitzan (נִצָּן), meaning "bud" (Song 2:12), or the word nissim (נִסִּים) meaning "miracles," both of which suggest physical and spiritual resurrection in our lives.  Others think the word comes from the verb nus (נוּס), meaning "to flee," both in relation to Israel's flight from Egypt and Egypt's flight from Israel (i.e., when the pursuing Egyptian cavalry fled (נָסִים) before the sea closed upon them (Exod. 14:25, 27). We also see this usage in the verse: "The wicked flee (נָסוּ) when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1). The devil's power is found in the lie. If he can make you afraid, you will not think clearly. Establishing your faith in the truth will embolden you to deal with the lies and distortions that are intended to enslave you in fear.  As Yeshua said, the truth will set you free (John 8:32).

Yeshua is called the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (הָאַרְיֵה מִשֵּׁבֶט יְהוּדָה) and the "Root of David" (שׁרֶשׁ דָּוִד). Notice that the name Judah (יְהוּדָה) includes the Name YHVH (יהוה) with the insertion of the letter Dalet (ד), suggesting that this shevet (tribe) would be the "door" or "gate" into the presence of God. Yeshua the Messiah was from the tribe of Judah who described Himself as ha-sha'ar (הַשַּׁעַר) "the gate" (John 10:9). Putting our faith in Yeshua gives us bold access to the throne of God's grace so that we can find help (deliverance) in time of our need (Heb. 4:16).

In light of the conditions of this present evil world, we cry out for the Messiah to return now! We want His deliverance, just as He delivered the Jews from ancient Egypt with great signs and wonders. Most politicians, by definition, exhibit the Pharaoh-like lust to control and exploit people.  They are called "the lords of the darkness of this world" / τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου (Eph. 6:12). This is the nature of the corruption of those who crave power over others... Today, so many people live in fear because they believe the propaganda of the "princes of this age."  We must always keep in mind that reality centers on the LORD God of Israel, not in appearances and the rhetoric of political or media figures. Melo khol ha'aretz kevodo: מְלא כָל־הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדו, "the whole earth is filled with His glory (Isa. 6:3). And the LORD God of Israel cares about people's liberation from deception and tyranny. The story of the Exodus is His everlasting rebuke to all the world's dictators and should cause every politician to soberly assess their fate...  The time is coming when His judgment will fall upon all the "kings of the earth who take counsel against the LORD and against His Mashiach" (Psalm 2:2).

The world runs on a different "clock" and operates under its own set of mistaken assumptions. The "wisdom of this world" (σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου) is the prevailing cultural spirit that suppresses the reality of God's Presence and truth. Such "wisdom" is regarded as foolishness before God, and God has promised to "seize the so-called wise in their own craftiness" (1 Cor. 3:19). The life of faith, on the other hand, sees what is invisible. Faith (emunah) apprehends "the substance (ὑπόστασις) of things hoped for, the assurance (ἔλεγχος, conviction, "correction," "argument," i.e., tokhachat: תוֹכַחַת) of things not seen" (Heb 11:1). Faith "looks not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18).

Ultimately Passover is about experiencing the deliverance of God from our fears, despite the appearance of rampant wickedness in this world. During this season - and always - may He help us walk by faith (בָּאֱמוּנָה), not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). May He give you comfort and reassure you of His strong arm of deliverance at this time...




Nisan and the Biblical New Year



[ The following entry is related to the Biblical New Year (and the month of Nisan), which begins Monday, March 15th at sundown this year.. . ]

03.09.10  (Adar 23, 5770)  The Biblical New Year begins at the appearance of the first "new moon" of spring, that is, when the waxing crescent of the moon is first sighted. Biblically, this new moon is called called Rosh Chodashim (ראשׁ חֳדָשִׁים), "the head of the months," and its observance is considered the very first commandment given to Israel before the great Exodus from Egypt took place:
 

הַחדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם ראשׁ חֳדָשִׁים
רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה

 ha-chodesh hazeh lakhem rosh chodashim
rishon hu lakhem l'chodshei ha-shanah

This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months;
it shall be the first of the months of the year for you (Exod. 12:2)
 

In the Scriptures and Jewish tradition there are various names given to "this month," including the following:

1. Rosh Chodashim (ראשׁ חֳדָשִׁים), the "head of the months." The month of Nisan is counted as first for the purpose of counting the days, months, and holidays of the Hebrew calendar.
2. Chodesh Ha-Aviv (חדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב), "the month of spring," so named because it marked the time of the Exodus from Egypt (Exod. 13:3-4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1). From the verse, "Guard (שָׁמוֹר) the month of spring and make Pesach for the LORD" (Deut. 16:1), the sages inferred that an additional month (of Adar) should be inserted into the calendar when necessary to ensure that the holiday of Passover would always occur in the spring. (For more, see the Jewish Calendar pages.)
3. Chodesh Ha-rishon (חדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן), "the first month," so named because the other months are named in relation to it, similar to the days of the week in the Hebrew calendar (i.e., the first day, the second day, etc.). This is the most frequent designation of this month in Scripture. The Ramban (Nachmanides) wrote: "By counting every month from Nisan, we constantly commemorate the miracle that God performed when He took us out of slavery."
4. Chodesh HaGeulah (חדֶשׁ הַגְּאֻלָּה), "the month of the redemption." This is an inferred name from the Scriptures, since the redemption from Egypt took place during the month of Nisan. The Babylonian Talmud (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 11a) states: "In Nisan our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt and in Nisan we will be redeemed." In that sense, Nisan is also Chodesh ha-Yeshuah (חדֶשׁ הַיְשׁוּעָה), the "month of the salvation," both in terms of the physical deliverance from Egypt, but more profoundly in terms of the spiritual salvation given at Zion/Moriah through the Messiah.
   
   According to the sages, there are two orders of creation: the natural and the supernatural. The natural order of creation refers to the physical creation of the heavens and the earth, whereas the supernatural refers to spiritual re-creation, or rebirth. On the Jewish calendar, the natural order of creation is celebrated during Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Tishri 1), whereas the supernatural is celebrated on Rosh Chodashim (i.e., Nisan 1). The midrash states: "When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He established the beginning of months and years, but when He chose Ya'akov and his children for service, He established Rosh Chodesh as the month of redemption and rebirth" (Shemot Rabbah 15:11). According to the medieval Jewish sage Nachmanides (i.e., the Ramban), the Egyptian belief in the zodiac implied that God had abandoned the affairs of the natural world by consigning them under the forces of the stars and constellations. Therefore God chose the month of Nisan (the sign of the lamb) for the Passover sacrifice in order to demonstrate that Israel did not leave on account of the constellations, but because of the power of God.
5. Chodesh Nisan (חדֶשׁ נִיסָן), "the month of Nisan," the name given to the first month after the Babylonian Exile (Esther 3:7; Neh. 2:1). Some think that the word Nisan (נִיסָן) derives from a Sumerian word that means "first fruits" (indicative of aviv, or spring), though most Jewish commentators think nisan derives either from the word nissim (נִסִּים, "miracles"), suggesting a link to the miracles of the Exodus, or to the word nitzan (נִצָּן), meaning "bud" (Song 2:12). Still others suggest that Nisan comes from the verb nus (נוּס), meaning "to flee," both in relation to Israel's flight from Egypt and Egypt's flight from Israel (i.e., when the pursuing Egyptian cavalry fled (נָסִים) before the sea closed upon them (Exod. 14:25, 27).
   
   According to the sages, after the Babylonian Exile and the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled (i.e., "it will no longer be said 'as the LORD lives, who took the people of Israel out of Egypt,' rather it will be said 'as the LORD lives, who raised up and brought the people of Israel from the Northern Land' (Jer. 16:14-15), the Jews began to call the months by the names commonly used in exile as a reminder of God's faithfulness.
6. Chodesh HaMelakhim (חדֶשׁ הַמְּלָכִים), "the month of the kings." The 1st of Nisan is counted as the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings of Israel (in Exodus 12:2, the word lakhem (לָכֶם), "to you," can be rearranged to form the word melekh (מֶלֶךְ), "a king."). For instance, if a king ascended the throne just a week before the new moon of Nisan, that week would be reckoned as a year in the chronicles of Israel's kings. 
7. Chodesh Yehudah (חדֶשׁ יְהוּדָה), "the month of Judah." Jewish tradition assigns the month of Nisan to the royal tribe of Judah (יְהוּדָה), in whose merit both the Holy Temple was built and from whom the Messiah Yeshua would descend.   The tribe of Judah was divinely favored because:
1. Judah was functionally the "firstborn" son of Israel (Reuben, Shimon, and Levi had been disqualified)
2. Judah saved Joseph from death (Gen. 37:26).
3. Judah saved Tamar from death and disgrace (Gen. 38:26).
4. Judah had interceded on behalf of his father Jacob to preserve Benjamin's freedom at the cost of his own (Gen. 44:16-34). This last quality, in particular, is known as mesirat nefesh (מְסִירַת נֶפֵשׁ), "self sacrifice," and reveals Judah's role as Israel's intercessor.
5. When Jacob blessed his sons on his deathbed, he prophesied that Judah would be praised by his other brothers and ultimately be the source of the Messiah of Israel  (Gen. 49:8-10).
6. According to Jewish tradition, at the time of the Exodus from Egypt it was a descendant of Judah - Nachshon ben Aminadav (Num. 1:7) -- who initiated the parting of the Sea of Reeds by walking into the waters until the sea split (Shemot Rabbah).
7. The name Judah (יְהוּדָה) includes the Name YHVH (יהוה) with the insertion of the letter Dalet (ד), suggesting that Judah would be the "door" into the presence of God (Yeshua was from the tribe of Judah who described Himself as ha-sha'ar (הַשַּׁעַר) "the gate"(John 10:9)). The arrangement of the tribes placed Judah directly in front of the door into the Mishkan (Num. 2:3; see Bamidbar for more information).
   
   Indeed, according to Jewish tradition, the dedication and inauguration of the Mishkan also occurred on Nisan 1: "Rabbi Yossi used to say, 'When did the Inauguration of the Mishkan occur? It began on the twenty third of Adar, and concluded on the first of Nisan. And on all of the first seven days, Moshe used to set up the Mishkan and take it apart at the end of the day. On the eighth day, he set it up, and did not take it apart. And that eighth day was Shabbat, and it was the Rosh Chodesh of Nisan" (BaMidbar Rabbah).
    

Rebirth of Creation

According to the sages, there are two orders of creation: the natural and the supernatural. The natural order of creation refers to the physical creation of the heavens and the earth, whereas the supernatural refers to spiritual re-creation, or rebirth.  On the Jewish calendar, the natural order of creation is celebrated during Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Tishri 1), whereas the supernatural is celebrated on Rosh Chodashim (i.e., Nisan 1).



The midrash states: "When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He established the beginning of months and years (i.e., Rosh Hashanah), but when He chose Ya'akov and his children for service, He established Nisan as the month of redemption and rebirth" (Shemot Rabbah). According to the medieval Jewish sage Nachmanides (i.e., the Ramban), the Egyptian belief in the zodiac implied that God had abandoned the affairs of the natural world by consigning them under the forces of the stars and constellations. In response, the LORD chose the month of Nisan (the constellation of the lamb) for the Passover sacrifice in order to demonstrate that Israel did not leave on account of the influence of the stars but entirely because of the power of God....


How many "New Years Days"?

As we've seen, the Torah designates the month of Nisan (Scripturally called aviv, or "spring") as the first month of the year (Exod. 12:2). Originally, then, the Hebrew calendar was lunar and observational. When the new moon was sighted, a new month begun.  Since the Torah also identified Sukkot as "the end of the (harvest) year" (Exod. 23:16), the sages of the Mishnah later identified the Fall month of Tishri (i.e., the "seventh month") as the start of a new year.... During the Babylonian exile (6th century BC), Babylonian names for the months (i.e., Tammuz) were adopted. This might harken back to the earlier Summerian Calendar of Abraham's day...

By the time the Mishnah was compiled (200 AD), the sages had identified four new-year dates for every lunar-solar year (the modern Jewish calendar was apparently ratified by Hillel the Elder in the 3rd century AD):

1. Nisan 1 (i.e., Rosh Chodashim) marks the start of the month of the Exodus from Egypt and the beginning of Jewish national history. As such, it represents the start of the Biblical year for counting the festivals (Exod. 12:2). Note that the month of Nisan is also called Aviv since it marks the official start of spring.
2. Elul 1 marks the start of the year from the point of view of tithing cattle for Temple sacrifices. Since the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the rabbis decreed that this date should mark the time of Selichot, or preparation for repentance before Rosh Hashanah. Elul 1 marks the start of the last month of summer.
3. Tishri 1 was originally associated with the agricultural "Feast of Ingathering" at the "end of the year" (Exod. 23:16, 34:22), though after the destruction of the Second Temple, the sages decided it would mark the start of the civil year in the fall. Tishri 1 was therefore called Rosh Hashanah ("the head of the year") which begins a ten-day "trial" of humanity climaxing on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
4. Shevat 15 (i.e., Tu B'Shevat) originally marked the date for calculating the tithes of the harvest (ma'aserot) that farmers would pledge to the priests of Israel. This was the start of the year from the point of view of tithing of fruit trees. Today Tu B'Shevat represents a national Arbor Day in Israel, with tree planting ceremonies in Israel.  Unlike the other three "new years," Tu B'Shevat begins in the middle of the month, during a full moon in winter.
    

In practical terms, however, there are two "New Years" in Jewish tradition. The first occurs two weeks before Passover (Nisan 1) and the second occurs ten days before Yom Kippur (the other two "new years" are not regularly observed, except by the ultra-orthodox).  The first New Year marks the month of the redemption of the Jewish people -- and it is also the month in which Yeshua was sacrificed upon the cross at Moriah to redeem us from our sins.  The second marks the month of Israels' corporate salvation that will be fulfilled in the End of Days. Oddly enough for most Christians, "New Years Day" should be really celebrated in the spring, certainly not in "January."

All of this is in striking contrast, however, with the most widely used calendar in the world today -- the "Gregorian Calendar" -- named after Pope Gregory XIII who reigned over the Catholic Church in the 1500's. For more information about this calendar, click here.


Shabbat Hachodesh

The New Moon of Nisan is the most significant of the "new moons" of the Jewish calendar since it initiates the first month of the Biblical Calendar - and therefore represents the Biblical "New Year's Day." Of all the various Rosh Chodesh celebrations, then, Rosh Chodesh Nisan is foundational, since it presents the starting point for the cycle of the yearly festivals (mo'edim) that reveal prophetic truths about the LORD God of Israel and His beloved Son, Yeshua the Mashiach, blessed be He.

The Shabbat preceding Nisan 1 is called HaChodesh and is one of the four special Shabbatot (special Sabbaths) intended to ready oneself for the holiday of Passover (which begins two weeks later on Nisan 15). In addition to the regular Torah reading for Shabbat, Exodus 12:1-20 is read and Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 is recited as Haftarah.

Chodesh tov, chaverim!




The Gospel of Moses



[ The following entry is intended to help us get ready for Passover, which begins Monday, March 29th at sundown this year. ]

03.08.10  (Adar 22, 5770)  The Akedah (עֲקֵדָה, "binding") is the story of how Abraham was tested by God to bind his "only begotten son" (בֵּן יָחִיד) Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah -- the place of the future Temple (Gen. 22:1-18). At the very last moment, God stopped Abraham from going through with the sacrifice and provided a ram as a substitute. Abraham then named the location Adonai-Yireh (יהוה יִרְאֶה), "the LORD who sees" (from the 3p impf. of the verb ra'ah (רָאָה), "to see"). In a sense, the story of the Akedah may be understood as the "Gospel according to Moses" (Luke 24:27; John 5:46).

Although many artists have pictured Issac as a youth during the Akedah, tradition says that he was 37 years old at the time of the binding.  Isaac's age is derived from the tradition that the horror of Abraham's offering literally caused the death of his mother Sarah at age 127 (Gen. 23:1). (See the "Akedah of Sarah" for more.)

As Messianic believers, we understand the Akedah as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice the heavenly Father would give on our behalf.  Unlike Abraham, God the Father actually offered His only begotten Son (בֵּן יָחִיד) Yeshua upon Moriah in order to make salvation available to all who believe (John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:9). As Abraham himself believed: אֱלהִים יִרְאֶה־לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה / Elohim yireh-lo haseh ("God Himself will provide a lamb").

Consider how the Akedah provides a prophetic picture of the Mashiach Yeshua as the "Lamb of God" (Seh haElohim) who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Both Isaac and Yeshua were born miraculously; both were "only begotten sons"; both were to be sacrificed by their fathers at Mount Moriah; both experienced a "passion"; both willingly took up the means of his execution; both were to be resurrected on the third day (Gen. 22:5, Heb. 11:17-19); and both demonstrate that one life can be sacrificed for another – the ram for Isaac, and Yeshua for all of mankind. Indeed, Isaac is a clear picture of the Greater Seed of Abraham to come, the One who would remove the kelalah (curse) and save us from death.

Note that the first occurrence of the word love in the Scriptures (אהבה, ahavah, Gen. 22:2) refers to Abraham's love for his "only" son who was offered as a sacrifice on Moriah (the very place of the crucifixion of Yeshua) -- a clear reference to the New Testament gospel message (John 3:16). Some scholars have noted that the word ahavah comes from a two-letter root (הב) with Aleph (א) as a modifier. The root means "to give" and the Aleph  indicates first-person agency: "I" give. Love is essentially an act of sacrificial giving...  The quintessential passage of Scripture regarding love (αγαπη) in the life of a Christian is found 1 Corinthians 13: "Love seeketh not its own..." The antithesis of love is selfishness, the root of pride, fear, etc.

Both Isaac and Yeshua sacrificed their lives in obedience to their fathers' will.  Both accepted the promise of God and believed that love was stronger than death. The passion and sacrifice of Isaac was a dramatic foreshadowing of the greater passion and sacrifice of Yeshua, the beloved Son of God Himself.  The shared suffering of the Heavenly Father and Yeshua was the means by which "righteousness and peace have kissed" (Psalm 85:10), thereby restoring the children of promise to their original inheritance.



During the season of Passover, let us ask the LORD to quicken these words of John the Baptist (Yochanon haMatbil) within our hearts: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29).




Shabbat Hachodesh - שבת החדש



[ This week we have a "double portion" of Torah: parashat Vayakhel and Pekudei. Please read the Torah portions to "find your place" here. ]

03.08.10  (Adar 22, 5770)  The last Sabbath of the Biblical year is called Shabbat Hachodesh, the "Sabbath of the Month" (of Nisan).  This Sabbath is significant because it is anticipates the first new moon of the spring (Rosh Chodashim) and the coming of the Season of Redemption (i.e., Passover). We honor this time by reading an additional passage from the Torah (i.e., maftir) concerning the sanctification of the month of Nisan as the "beginning of months" and to remind ourselves of the great commandment to observe the Passover in the days ahead (Exod. 12:1-20).



Note that this year the Biblical New Year begins on Monday, March 15th at sundown.

The commandment to sanctify the new moon of Nisan reveals that it is our responsibility to sanctify (i.e., observe) Biblical time in general. In other words, when we observe "the beginning of months," we are acknowledging that time itself is rooted in the Biblical calendar with its divinely inspired cycle of festivals (i.e., the moedim).

Originally Rosh Chodashim was simply called the "first month" because it is the month of the Exodus and the other months were named in relation to it, similar to the days of the week in the Hebrew calendar (i.e., the first day, the second day...).  Later it was called "Chodesh Ha-Aviv" (חדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב), the springtime month, because the Jewish calendar is reset in the spring. So important is this month that the sage Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (Ramban) wrote regarding the commandment to observe Rosh Chodashim:

"The verses (Exod. 12:1-2) mean that this month should be counted first.  And beginning with it, should the count proceed to the second, the third, and so on, till the end of the sequence of months with the twelfth month. For the purpose that this month should be a commemoration of the Great Miracle (i.e., of our Redemption). For every time we mention the months, the Miracle will be alluded to. It is for that reason that the months do not have names in the Torah, but rather they are identified by number."
 

According to the sages, once prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled after the Babylonian Exile was complete (i.e., "it will no longer be said 'as the LORD lives, who took the people of Israel out of Egypt,' rather it will be said 'as the LORD lives, who raised up and brought the people of Israel from the Northern Land' (Jer. 16:14-15), the Jews continued to call the months by the names used in the Exile (i.e., Nisan, Iyar, etc.) as a commemoration of God's faithfulness. This also explains why these names of the months appear only in the post-Exilic books of the prophets and in the Book of Esther.

On the Biblical calendar the month of Adar (אֲדָר‎) is the last month of the year (counting from Nisan), and Shabbat Hachodesh is the last Sabbath of the year.  Adar is the month of Purim, a festive holiday which is always celebrated a month before Passover (Megillah 1:4). During both Purim and Passover we celebrate God's deliverance of His people, and therefore Adar is considered one of the happiest of the months of the Jewish year: "When Adar comes, joy is increased" (Ta'anit 29a). This year Adar began on Sunday, Feb. 14th and Purim began two weeks later, under the full moon (i.e., Saturday, Feb. 27th).  This means that Passover will begin one lunar month later, on Monday, March 29th at sundown:



Like the month of Elul in the fall (i.e., the month that precedes Rosh Hashanah [Exod. 23:16]), the month of Adar is therefore a time to make "New Year's Resolutions" and to turn away from sin before the start of the New Year of spring. 




God's "Stubborn" Love



[ The following entry relates to part of this week's Torah reading (Ki Tisa). Please read the Torah portion to "find your place" here. ]

03.05.10  (Adar 19, 5770)  In the aftermath of the grievous Sin of the Golden Calf (i.e., chet ha'egel: חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל), the LORD threatened to wipe out the Jews because they were am k'she oref (עַם־קְשֵׁה־ערֶף), a "stiff-necked people" (Exod. 32:9). Various explanations for this term have been given, including the medieval commentator Sforno's description that a "stiff necked person" is someone who mulishly refuses to "move his head" and listen to those attempting to guide and help him.  The neck, after all, is the "corridor" between the head and the heart, and having a "stiff neck" suggests an inflexible way of thinking and feeling... The rebels who enticed Aaron to create the golden calf were certainly "stiff necked" and obstinate. Despite witnessing the great miracles of the Exodus and experiencing the awesome revelation at Sinai, they obstinately insisted that Aaron make them "gods" that would return them to the "fleshpots of Egypt." Now that's some kind of chutzpah!



After calling them a "stiff-necked people," God said that He would "start over" by wiping out those who were ransomed from Egypt and making Moses' descendants into a great nation.  Moses was appalled at the prospect and first appealed to God's reputation in this matter.  Would not God's Name be profaned among the Egyptians if the LORD would destroy bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) after leading them out of bondage? Moreover, what about the covenant promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (i.e., brit avot)? How could the LORD break His word to the patriarchs of Israel? Because of Moses' quick intercession, God's anger was stayed and an "opening" or opportunity was given for teshuvah (repentance).

Moses then rushed down Sinai, tablets in hand, and saw the people dancing about the idol and engaging in debauchery.  The two tablets then became heavy and were smashed to the ground (Exod. 32:19). Moses and the Levites then punished the perpetrators and awaited direction from God.  After purging the camp of the infidels, Moses appealed to the LORD and said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin -- but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written" (Exod. 32:31-32). God then stated that only those who defy Him would be blotted out from His book, but nevertheless informed Moses to go on the journey without Him: "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey -- but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are am k'she oref (עַם־קְשֵׁה־ערֶף) - a stiff-necked people" (Exod. 33:3). The LORD continued, "Say to the Israelite people, 'You are a stiff-necked people (am k'she oref). If I were to go in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now, then, leave off your finery, and I will consider what to do to you' (Exod. 33:5).

A midrash says that Moses then gathered up the fragments of the broken tablets and put them inside his "tent of study" (note that this was not the Tabernacle since it had not yet been erected). God then instructed him to relocate his tent far outside the camp, where the Shekhinah Glory descended in plain view of the people (Exod. 33:7-9). There - in the sanctity of his private tent - the LORD spoke to Moses "face to face" (i.e., panim el panim: פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים) from the midst of the cloud.


The "Passion" of Moses

In the solitude of his tent Moses was deeply troubled, even distraught. He must have carefully reviewed everything in his life that led up to this point. Finally, in light of the recent disaster at Sinai, Moses realized he was at an utter impasse.  Would God continue His redemptive plan or was this the end of the great dream?  Therefore Moses poignantly appealed to God: "If I have found favor (grace) in your eyes, let me know your ways, that I may know you and continue in your favor" (Exod. 33:13). God responded by reassuring Moses that His Presence would be with him (alone) and that he (alone) would "enter His rest." But Moses protested: "Unless You go in the lead, do not make us leave this place. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight -- I and your people?  Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?" And the LORD said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name" (Exod. 33:15-17). Moses' successful intercession touched God's heart, causing Him to change from a mode of strict judgment (middat ha-din) to one of mercy and forgiveness (middat ha-rachamim).  This was the "gospel" moment at Sinai....

Upon hearing God's words of comfort, Moses was so overcome that he exclaimed: "Oh, let me behold Your Presence!" (Exod. 33:18), whereupon God answered, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name LORD (יהוה), and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Exod. 33:19, cp. Rom. 9:15). Note that Moses would receive the revelation of the Name when he "stands upon the Rock" (Exod. 33:21).



The LORD then instructed Moses to carve a new set of tablets and to meet him again at a place (i.e., makom: מָקוֹם) on the top of Sinai, where He would descend in the cloud to "declare His Name" (Exod. 33:17-34:7). This dramatic experience of revelation was later called middot ha-rachamim, or the revelation of the attributes of God's mercy, and was considered a divine addendum to the original covenant terms. Rabbinic tradition later incorporated the recitation of middot ha-rachamim during Yom Kippur.

What are some of these attributes? Notice first that the LORD calls himself rachum v'chanun (רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן), often translated "merciful and gracious." The noun rechem (רֶחֶם) means "womb" in Hebrew, indicating that God's compassion is like a mother's deep love for her child. The word chanun (חַנּוּן) comes from the word for grace or favor (i.e., chen: חֵן), and indicates that God is a graceful giver who is favorably disposed to help those in need.  God is compassionate and favorable to those who call upon Him.

The curious phrase erekh apayim (אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם) literally means "long of nose," an idiom used to describe someone who is patient and slow to anger, i.e., "longsuffering" (Prov. 14:29). The word chesed (חֶסֶד), is often translated as "lovingkindess" or "steadfast love," and implies devotion and fidelity. God describes Himself as rav chesed v'emet (רַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת), that is abundant in His kindness and faithful love.

It is fascinating to see that this revelation prefigures the New Covenant that was given to Israel.  Just as the first set of tablets, based as they were on the justice and holiness of God, were broken, so a second set was given based on the middot (attributes) of the LORD's mercy and grace.  Indeed, Yeshua was broken on behalf of the law but was raised again so that all who trust in Him can truly understand that God is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in stedfast love and truth" (Exod. 34:6, Psalm 86:15, 103:8).
 

The revelation of the Name YHVH (יהוה) was a "gospel" moment for Israel.... The Sin of the Golden Calf revealed that something more was needed, and that the law itself was insufficient to change the inner heart of man...

It can be argued that the revelation of the Name YHVH (יהוה) was a "gospel" moment for Israel.  The episode of the Golden Calf revealed that the Jews were unable to keep the law, even though they personally experienced the power of God's deliverance from Egypt and His ongoing care on the way to Sinai.  Despite the judgments brought upon Egypt, despite the overthrow of Pharaoh and his armies in the sea, despite the bitter waters made sweet, despite the manna from heaven, despite the miraculous well of Miriam, despite the awesome revelation at Sinai, and despite the pledge of the Israelites: kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh v'nishma, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient" (Exod. 19:8; 24:7), the Sin of the Golden Calf revealed that something more was needed, and that the law itself was insufficient to change the inner heart of man. The intercession of Moses on behalf of Israel revealed the heart of the New Covenant (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה) of the LORD, the deeper revelation of the God's character of mercy and grace. Apart from God's gracious love and compassion, the law by itself rendered only the righteous sentence of death for Israel.

As the revelation of the Name discloses, the LORD is rav chesed v'emet (רַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת), that is, abundant in His kindness and faithful love. This is demonstrated in the sacrifice of His Son for our sins (John 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21). "God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:3-4). Moses indeed entered the land of promise and once again stood with Lord in the cloud on the mountain, though this was the mountain of Zion rather than Sinai (Matt. 17:1-5). Because of the avodah (finished work) and intercession of Yeshua, now we can all find favor in God's eyes once again (for similarities between Moses and Yeshua, see "A Prophet Like Unto Moses").




It is interesting to note that immediately after the revelation of God's Name, Moses asked the LORD to return his tent to the center of the camp. "If I have gained Your favor, O LORD, pray, let the LORD go in our midst, even though this is a stiff-necked people (am k'she oref). Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!" (Exod. 34:9). In light of the newly revealed middot ha-rachamim of the LORD, Moses now referred to God's description of the people as "stiff necked" as an appeal for God's "stubborn" love for His people. What started as obstinacy or stubbornness of Israel's character could be transformed into devotion and strength, if only the LORD would "go in our midst." Indeed, with God's help the negative quality of being "stiff necked" could be transformed into the loyal determination to walk in the ways of the LORD.

Shabbat Shalom, chaverim... We ache for the soon return of Yeshua with you....




Betzalel - a Picture of Messiah



[ The following entry relates to part of this week's Torah reading (Ki Tisa). Please read the Torah portion to "find your place" here. ]

03.03.10  (Adar 17, 5770)  When Moses received Torah at Sinai, he was given visions of the Tabernacle (i.e., mishkan: מִשְׁכָּן), a tent-like structure where God's Presence (i.e., shekhinah: שְׁכִינָה) would dwell (i.e., shakhan: שָׁכַן) in the midst of the camp of Israel.  Though Moses received the "pattern" (i.e., tavnit: תַּבְנִית) of the heavenly dwelling, he was unable to create the artifacts themselves, and therefore God called Betzalel (בְּצַלְאֵל) to be the chief architect of the structure.

Betzalel was the grandson of Hur (of the tribe of Judah and ancestor of King David) who, according to Josephus (Antiquities 3:2) was the husband of Moses' sister Miriam.  This was the same Hur chosen to go with Moses and Aaron to the top of a mountain to prop up Moses' arms during Israel's first war against the Amalekites (Exod. 17:8-13).



Betzalel is clearly a type (or picture) of the Messiah Yeshua. After all, he was a man "called by name" from the tribe of Judah who was "filled with the Spirit of God" (ruach Elohim) to build the dwelling place of the LORD - an apt enough description of the Lord Yeshua Himself. Moses was said to be so astonished at Betzalel's abilities that he said Betzalel must have been "in the shadow" while he received his visions at Sinai (Betzel El Hayita - "you were indeed in the shadow, for you have the ability to create what the Holy One, blessed Be He, had commanded me"). Indeed, the name Betzalel (בְּצַלְאֵל) means "in the shadow of God" (from בְּ [in] + tzel [צֵל], "shadow" + El [אֵל], "God"). Moreover, Betzalel's chief assistant was Oholiav (אָהֳלִיאָב), a name that means "my Father's tent" (from oheli [אָהֳלִי], "my tent" and av [אָב], "father").

Betzalel was like Yeshua in that 1) he was from the kingly tribe of Judah, 2) he was a young carpenter, 3) he was unusually "filled with the Spirit of God," 4) his father's name (Uri) means "my light" (James 1:17), 4) his assistant (Oholiav) was from the tribe of Dan (i.e., דָּן, "judge," symbolizing the legal aspects of the Torah), and 5) it was he (rather than Moses) who actually built the Mishkan, which was the archetypal pattern for the spiritual Temple - see 1 Peter 2:5). As it is written in Hebrews 3:1-6:

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Yeshua, the Apostle (הַשָּׁלִיחַ) and the High Priest (הַכּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל) of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. For Yeshua has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses - as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but the Messiah is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
 

Our Purim Spiel Pictures



03.02.10  (Adar 16, 5770)  Purim Sameach - "Happy Purim," friends. On Purim we staged a family "Purim Spiel" (Purim play) over at my in-laws home and had a lot of fun.  The play opened with a "rabbi" explaining the story of Purim to his young son.  We then managed to go through the story of Esther in 18 scenes. We ended with the Jews of Shushan celebrating the new holiday of Purim.  Here are a few pictures from the event:
  

Left-to-right (top): 1. the stage curtain; 2. A rabbi explains to his son the story of Purim;
3. Queen Vashti; 4. Haman (Boo!); 5. Haman's wife Zeresh
(bottom): 1. King Ahashuerus (Xerxes); 2. Mordechai (Yeah!); 3. Queen Esther with the King;
4. Vashti and Esther; 5. The celebration of Purim - finale
 

Afterwards we ate the Yom Tov meal (in costume) and enjoyed some festive fellowship. It was a lot of fun, and we wish you could have been there! Now it's time to begin thinking seriously about Passover, which is about a month from now!




Parashat Ki Tisa - כי תשא



03.02.10  (Adar 16, 5770)  The Torah reading for this week is Ki Tisa, one of the Torah's longest. It includes the account of the terrible "Sin of the Golden Calf" (i.e., egel masekhah, עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה) and Moses' gracious intercession for Israel. After a period of teshuvah for this great transgression, the LORD called Moses back up the mountain to restore the broken relationship with Israel. There God graciously revealed the thirty-two words that have become known in Jewish tradition as the Shelosh Esrei Middot, the Thirteen Attributes of God's Mercy. This was the LORD's own definition of His character and attributes (i.e., Name) revealed to Moses after the breaking of the covenant, and therefore it foreshadows the grace of God demonstrated in the New Covenant. See the Parashah Summary for the Hebrew text and audio of this important revelation from God.

Ki Tisa begins with the statement, "each shall give (וְנָתְנוּ) a ransom (kopher) for his life to the LORD" (Exod. 30:12). The sages note that the word ve'natnu can be written backward and forward, alluding to the idea that whoever gives tzedekah (i.e., "charity") never feels the loss of giving anything away (Baba Basra). Even more: giving benevolence produces wealth; tzedakah is an investment in your spiritual future! Indeed, "tzedakah saves from death" - צְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת (Prov. 10:2). As Yeshua said, "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your heart. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). He also admonished us, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:19-21).

The love of God is like that: when we give it away, it becomes our own possession. Love is inherently something shared. The converse is also true. If we withhold from others, then eventually God will make it so that we are unable to give what we would have given had we the opportunity (Matt. 13:12). "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). In this age of prevalent economic fear, giving tzedakah is truly countercultural and faith-affirming: but the truth abides: when we give, we receive....

The midrash Yalkut Shimoni adds that God showed many great treasures to Moses. "To whom does this treasure belong?" asked Moses. "To those who give tzedakah," answered God. "And to whom does this one belong?" "To those who support orphans." And thus did God answer him regarding each treasure.  Finally, Moses came upon a certain treasure and asked, "To whom does this belong?" "This belongs to one who has no merit of his own. I give him this treasure unearned," replied God. This is referred to in the words, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious" (Exod. 33:19). God's love is given freely, even to those who are undeserving. That's the message of the Cross of Yeshua, after all. God's love and grace is poured out to those who are without merit or hope. 




Shabbat Parah - שבת פרה



03.02.10  (Adar 16, 5770)  Four special Sabbaths occur just before the start of Spring: two before Purim and two before Passover.  Collectively, these Sabbaths are called "The Four Shabbatot" and one of four additional Torah readings (called Arba Parashiyot, or the "four portions") are read on each of these Sabbaths in preparation for the holidays. The names of these Sabbaths are Shabbat Shekalim, Shabbat Zakhor, Shabbat Parah, and Shabbat HaChodesh, respectively.

The Shabbat that immediately follows Purim is called Shabbat Parah - the "Sabbath of the Cow," when the chapter of the parah adumah (פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה), or the "Red Heifer," is read following the regular Torah service (Num. 19:1-22). The early sages chose this reading for this time of the year because Jews were required to purify themselves before coming to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage festival of Passover.

The Red Heifer offering is considered a paradox to most Jewish thinkers, though it is clearly a picture of the Messiah Yeshua. The paradox is that the one who offers this sacrifice becomes ritually impure, while the sprinkling of the ashes is used to make people clean... The ritual is considered chok within the Jewish tradition, meaning that it makes no rational sense. In fact, the Talmud states that of all the taryag mitzvot (613 commandments), this is the only one that King Solomon could not fathom, since this sacrifice is the most paradoxical of all the sacrifices found in the Torah. The sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah is the fulfillment of the symbolism of the parah adumah.  Both were entirely rare and without defect (sin); both were sacrificed outside the camp; both made the one who offered the sacrifice unclean but made the one who was sprinkled by it clean; and finally, both sacrifices cleanse people for priestly service.

The parah adumah had to be a perfect specimen that was completely red, "without blemish, in which there is no defect (mum)." The rabbis interpreted "without blemish" as referring to the color, that is, without having so much as a single white or black hair. This is the only sacrifice in the Torah where the color of the animal is explicitly required. Moreover, the parah adumah was never to have had a yoke upon it, meaning that it must never have been used for any profane purposes.

Unlike all other sacrifices offered at the mizbeach (altar at the Mishkan), the parah adumah was taken outside the camp and there slaughtered before the priest (in this case, Elazar, Aaron's son), who then took some of its blood and sprinkled it seven times before the Mishkan (thereby designating it as a purification offering). [During the Second Temple period, the High Priest performed this ceremony facing the Temple while atop the Mount of Olives.] Then the red heifer would be burned in its entirety: its hide, flesh, blood, and even dung were to be burned (unlike other Levitical korbanot). Unlike other offerings, all the blood of the sacrifice was to be burned in the fire.

Hyssop, scarlet yarn, and a cedar stick would then be thrown upon the burning parah adumah (interestingly, these same items were used to cleanse from sin or tzara'at (skin disease).  In other words, the blood was assimilated into the ashes of the sacrifice, which were then gathered and mixed with water to create the "water of separation" (mei niddah) for the Israelite community. Note that the word "separation" (niddah) refers to menstrual impurity and harkens to Zechariah 13:1: "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and from niddah."

Anyone (or anything) that came into contact with a corpse (the embodiment of sin and death) was required to be purified using the mei niddah. The purification procedure took seven days, using stalks of hyssop dipped into the water and shaken over the ritually defiled person on the third day and then again on the seventh day. After the second sprinkling, the person undergoing the purification process would be immersed in a mikvah and then be unclean until the following evening.


The Uniqueness of the Sacrifice

The Parah Adumah sacrifice was entirely unique, for the following reasons:

1. It was the only sacrifice that specifically required an animal of a particular color. This animal was extremely rare and unique of its kind (in fact, Maimonides wrote, "Nine Parot Adumot were prepared from the time the Commandment was given until the destruction of the Second Temple. Moses our Teacher prepared one, Ezra prepared one and seven more were prepared until the Destruction of the Temple. The tenth will prepared by the Mashiach." (We would say "was prepared" by the Mashiach Yeshua, blessed be He.)
2. It was the only sacrifice where all the rituals were carried out outside of the camp (and later, outside the Temple precincts). That is, the "blood applications" of this sacrifice occurred in a location apart from the altar (the Talmud recounts that the High Priest performed the blood applications of the Red Heifer while gazing at the Temple and at the Holy of Holies from a mountain opposite the Temple mount).
3. It was the only sacrifice that ritually contaminated the priest who offered it, but made the one who was sprinkled by it clean.
4. It was the only sacrifice where the ashes were preserved and used (other sacrifices required the ashes be disposed outside of the camp).
    

According to Jewish tradition, this sacrifice was to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, though the Torah itself does not make this association.  The LORD Yeshua, our Mashiach, is the perfect fulfillment of the Parah Adumah, since He was completely without sin or defect (2 Cor. 5:21; John 8:46); He was sacrificed outside the camp (Heb. 13:13); He made Himself sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21); His sprinkling makes us clean (1 Pet. 1:2; Heb. 12:24; Rev. 1:5); and the "water of separation" that His sacrifice created is the means by which we are made clean from the impurity of sin (Eph. 5:25-6; Heb. 10:22).


The Haftarah for Shabbat Parah

The Haftarah read for Shabbat Parah (Ezek. 36:16-38) is ostensibly linked to the sacrifice of the Red Heifer, though on a deeper level it relates to Israel's national salvation and return to the land after the Great Tribulation period....  Despite the horrors of the worldwide Diaspora of the Jewish people and their faithlessness before the nations, God will be true to His word (see references, below) by causing the Jews to finally accept His salvation (i.e., Yeshua) and to return to the land of Israel. At that time, "all Israel will be saved," as the Apostle Paul also foretold (Rom. 11:26):

Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD (אֲדנָי יהוה): It is not for your sake, O house of Israel (בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל), that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy Name (לְשֵׁם־קָדְשִׁי) which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.  I will sanctify my great Name (קִדַּשְׁתִּי אֶת־שְׁמִי הַגָּדוֹל) which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD,' declares the Lord GOD, 'when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water (i.e., mayim tehorim: מַיִם טְהוֹרִים) on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart (i.e., lev chadash: לֵב חָדָשׁ), and a new spirit (i.e., ruach chadashah: רוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה) I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone (i.e., lev ha'even: לֵב הָאֶבֶן) from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (i.e., lev basar: לֵב בָּשָׂר). I will put my Spirit (i.e., ruchi: רוּחִי) within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes (i.e., chukkim: חֻקִּים) and be careful to obey my rules (i.e., mishpatim: מִשְׁפָּטִים). You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you (וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּי) from all your uncleanness (i.e., tumah: טֻמְאָה)... (Ezek. 36:22-29)
 

Despite the various rebukes given by the Hebrew prophets regarding Israel's disobedience -- including the repeated warning of exile from the land -- the prophets never abandoned Moses' original prophecy (Deut. 28:64, 30:3-5) that Israel would one day be fully restored in the land promised to the descendants of Abraham (e.g., Isa. 11:1-9; 12:1-3; 27:12-13; 35:1-10; 43:1-8; 60:18-21; 66:20-22; Jer. 16:14-16; 30:10-18; 31:31-37; 32:37-40; Ezek. 11:17-21; 28:25-26; 34:11-16; 37:21-25; 39:25-29; Hosea 1:10-11; 3:4-5; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:4-7; Zeph. 3: 14-20; Zech. 8:4-8; 10:11-15). Note especially that the prophet Zechariah, in the years following the return from the Babylonian captivity, speaks of a future restoration to the land (Zech. 10:8-12). This most likely refers to the regathering that will follow Yom Adonai, the great Day of the LORD, after the Great Tribulation period, when Yeshua returns to establish His kingdom in Jerusalem at the start of the Millennium.

But what about the present regathering of Israel into the land?  In Isaiah 11:11-12:6, a "second" (and worldwide) regathering of Israel is mentioned, but it begs the question of when the first regathering took place. Some have suggesting this is the return from the Babylonian Exile (c. 536 BC), though this is unlikely since this was essentially a migration from one country (Babylonia) to another (Judea). As Arnold Fructenbaum has written, "The Bible does not allow for several worldwide regatherings in unbelief; it allows for one worldwide regathering in unbelief; followed by the last one, the one in faith, which is the second one. This text (Isaiah 11:11-12:6) only permits two worldwide regatherings from the four corners of the earth. Therefore, the present Jewish State is very relevant to Bible prophecy (Fruchtenbaum, Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 102).

As Yeshua clearly taught (e.g., Matt. 24), Israel must both be regathered to her land and functioning as a nation before the Second Coming takes place.  When the modern State of Israel was born in 1948, the stage was set for the begining of the prophesied acharit ha-yamim (אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים), the "End of Days."




Our Purim Play

03.01.10  (Adar 15, 5770)  Purim Sameach - "Happy Purim," friends. Yesterday we staged our family Purim play and had a lot of fun.  Afterwards we ate the Yom Tov meal and enjoyed some festive fellowship. I hope to add some pictures later, but here is a snapshot from near the end of the play:



Note: I will update this week's Torah portion later this evening. Shalom for now, and Happy Purim!

HAPPY PURIM CHAVERIM!
 

Feb. 27th - March 1

 

February 2010 Updates

Should Christians Celebrate Purim?



[ Historically the "church" has disregarded the Book of Esther and therefore ignored the Biblical holiday of Purim.  The following topic discusses why the message of the Book of Esther -- and the holiday of Purim -- should matter to Christians. ]

02.28.10  (Adar 14, 5770)   Over the centuries, virtually no other book of the Tanakh ("Old Testament") has received more mixed reviews than the Book of Esther.  In general it may be said that the book has been well received by the Jews, but disliked by most Christian theologians and "church" leaders.  For example, the Jewish scholar Maimonides (the Rambam) praised Esther as being close in rank to that of the Torah itself: "When the Messiah comes, only Esther and the Torah will remain" (Mishneh Torah, Megillah). On the other hand, the Christian scholar Martin Luther detested the book and wished that it didn't exist at all, primarily because he thought it "Judaized" too much (Luther: Table Talk 24). Sadly, many Christian theologians have tended to agree with Luther and regard the book as unworthy of inclusion in the Bible, whereas many others do not seem to understand its message. Some Christian teachers have defamed the Book of Esther as being "a memorial to the nationalistic spirit of Judaism" (A. Weiser, Intro to OT, 1961) and even a "bloodthirsty attempt to justify ethnic pride in being a Jew" (B.W. Anderson, Esther, 1950). Others have stated that "there is not one noble character in the entire book" (L. B. Paton, The Book of Esther, 1908). Indeed, more Christian anti-Semitic statements have been made regarding the Book of Esther than any other book of the Old Testament (Moore: Esther, 1971). Do you wonder why this might be the case?


Anti-Jewish Bias in the Church

Perhaps such anti-Jewish statements have been made about the Book of Esther because many Christian theologians are essentially anti-Jewish in their thinking.... After all, the basic point of the book centers on God's providential care for ethnic Israel, and theologians such as Luther typically find this conclusion abhorrent to their theological biases.  Indeed, the Book of Esther leads inescapably to the celebration of Jewish identity and survival despite the evil plans and designs of anti-Semites, and therefore Christian theologians who believe that the church replaces Israel will tend to regard the message of the book with deep suspicion (hence some teachers openly express indifference to the existence of the modern State of Israel today). For those who understand that the church partakes of the covenantal blessings given to Israel, however, the Book of Esther is a beautiful story about God's faithful love and care for His people...

Some Christian theologians attempt to "excuse" their oversight of the Book of Esther because they find in it no obvious message for the Church. Unlike the Torah-based holidays of Passover and Shavuot (which they regard as fulfilled in the New Testament), the Book of Esther seems parochial in its focus and "disconnected" from the rest of the Scriptures.  In other words, since the Book of Esther (and therefore the holiday of Purim) celebrates the existence and perpetuity of the Jewish people, these theologians regard it to be of little consequence for Christians.  This is actually quite an astounding conclusion, however, especially since Esther is part of the Christian canon of Scripture, and the book clearly states that "these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants" (Esther 9:28). It is painfully obvious that the only way to ignore the message of the book is to deny the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.  How your church leaders regard the Book of Esther is a test case of whether or not they accept the heretical doctrine of Replacement Theology...


God's Faithfulness to Israel

Did you know that the Brit Chadashah (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה), or "new covenant," is described in only one place in the entire Old Testament?  Here is the relevant passage:

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD (יהוה), when I will make a new covenant (בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה) with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my Torah (תּוֹרָה) into their inmost being and inscribe it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, "Heed the LORD"; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall heed Me -- declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities, And remember their sins no more. (Jer. 31:31-4)
 

Many Christian theologians stop here and ignore the surrounding context of this passage, namely, the remarkable promise that ethnic Israel would continue to exist as a unique people as long as the laws of nature are in operation:

Thus saith the LORD (יהוה) who gives the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, Who stirs up the sea into roaring waves, Whose name is LORD of Hosts (יהוה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ): If these laws should ever be annulled by Me -- declares the LORD -- only then would the offspring of Israel (זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) cease to be a nation (גּוֹי) before Me for all time (כָּל־הַיָּמִים). Thus said the LORD: If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth below could be fathomed, only then would I reject all the offspring of Israel (זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) for all that they have done -- declares the LORD. (Jer. 31:35-37)
 

From this passage -- the only in the Tanakh that explicitly mentions the New Covenant of Yeshua -- it's clear that the continuation and perpetuity of the physical descendants of Israel (zera' Yisrael) is to be reckoned as sure as the very "laws of nature" that are upholding the physical universe. In other words, so long as there is a sun shining during the day and moon and stars during the night, Israel will continue to be a nation (goy) before the LORD for all time (kol-hayamim). Using another analogy, it is as likely for someone to accurately measure the extent of the heavens and earth than it is to suppose that the LORD will cast off all of the seed of Israel. Note especially the last qualifying clause of this verse, "for all they have done," indicating that the unconditional faithfulness of the LORD is not based on the conditional behavior of national Israel.

Have you seen the sun, moon or stars today?  If so, you can be assured that the ethnic nation of Israel retains a place in God's plan. The gift and the calling of God is irrevocable (Rom. 11:29).


The Christian Neglect of Esther

It is shameful that so many Christian theologians miss the point of the Book of Esther and thereby become unwitting enemies of the God of Israel. The tragic character of Haman represents the Biblical archetype of all those who refuse to acknowledge God's faithful love for the Jewish people....  Those who disregard this message are impugning the faithfulness of God.  After all, if God will not keep His covenant promises to ethnic Israel, what makes Christian theologians believe He will keep His promises to the "church"? Indeed, churches or theologians who claim that God has abandoned ethnic Israel are directly impugning the credibility of the Gospel message itself!  Yes, it's that serious of an issue...

Throughout the centuries and in various places, many have tried to destroy the Jewish people, but none has succeeded. עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי / am Yisrael chai: "The people of Israel live!" Israel is God's "super sign" that He is faithful to His covenant promises (Jer. 31:35-37). And since God keeps His promises to Israel, Christians can likewise trust that God's sovereign hand works all things together for good -- even if at times things appear bleak and desperate (Rom. 8:28).


The Scandal of Esther: "Chosenness"

The Book of Esther is all about God's faithfulness and care of the Jewish people, and by extension, for all those (among the nations) who become partakers of Israel's blessings through Yeshua the Messiah.  The "scandal" of the book turns on the "scandal of election," or the idea that God personally chooses some people -- for reasons that are entirely His alone -- to be the recipients of His covenantal love.  The Jews are called the "chosen people," am segulah, just as Christians are "chosen [εκλεγομαι] in Yeshua before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). In both cases we note God's sovereign prerogative to choose those who are in relationship with Him. Yeshua told his followers: "No one can come to me (δυναται ελθειν προς με) unless the Father who sent me drags [ἑλκύσῃ] him" (John 6:44, 6:65), and He also said "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16). God is the Initiator of the relationship; He is the Master of the Universe and "the God of the spirits of all flesh" (Num. 16:22). If there is revelation from heaven, it is Heaven's prerogative to bestow it on Heaven's own terms...

Regarding this divine prerogative, Paul reminded us of God's words to Moses: "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Rom. 9:15). He then follows this up with the statement: "So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who shows mercy" (Rom. 9:15-16). If this sounds "offensive" or "unfair," it may be that we are secretly appealing to our own supposed merit in order to find acceptance before God.  The "scandal" of the gospel is that God loves whom He loves for reasons that are His alone, and this is likewise the scandal of God's sovereign choice of ethnic Israel. In either case, God is preeminent.


Israel's Election -- and your own

Israel's election says something about your own... God called you by name -- before He created the very universe itself. "God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13). God loves you with an "everlasting love" (אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם) and with lovingkindness (i.e., chesed, חֶסֶד) draws you to Himself (Jer. 31:3). There is no fear in God's sovereign and irresistible love for your soul (1 John 4:18). "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).

It is interesting to note that the Book of Esther was "canonized" by the Jews at the Council of Yavne in AD 90, though there is little doubt that the book originated in Persia during the 4th century BC (Jewish tradition regards it as a redaction by the Great Assembly of an original text written by Mordechai). The Essene Community at Qumran appears to have rejected the book (i.e., it is the only canonical book of the Tanakh not found among the Dead Sea Scrolls), though this might be based on the book's omission of the Name of God, the fact that the Torah or the covenant is not made within its pages, or that the heroine of the book lived as an assimilated Jew during the years of exile...  In other words, the Essenes might have rejected the Book of Esther for theological reasons similar to those they made about Chanukah (i.e., because of Chanukah's connection with the corrupt Hasmonean dynasty that controlled the Second Temple).  On the other hand, Josephus (AD 37–100) clearly regarded the Book of Esther as canonical (Antiquities XI) as did the early church fathers who incorporated it into the canon of the Christian Bible.


Christians Should Observe Purim

In closing, it is evident that Christians, that is, those who love and serve the King of the Jews and who believe that the LORD God of Israel is true to His word -- should indeed recognize the value of the Book of Esther and celebrate the Biblical holiday of Purim. God does not "play dice with the universe," and we can trust in His sovereign care and plans -- both for ethnic Israel and for those who accept Yeshua as their Savior and Master. Purim is a time to celebrate that the LORD God of Israel is our Sovereign King, our Faithful Protector, our magnificent Savior.  Like the Jews of ancient Persia we were delivered by God in order to experience the joy of His love... The goal or end of salvation is abundant life filled with "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (John 10:10, 1 Pet. 1:8).


Haman and the "Anti-Christ" Spirit

Finally, it is important to remind ourselves that the world is full of various sorts of "Hamans," and some of them are even teachers and pastors in various Christian churches and schools! We must be vigilant, chaverim. Haman accused the Jews of being "different" because they refused to submit to illegitmate claims of authority: "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed" (Esther 3:8-9). The "princes of this age" -- the world's politicians and their enforcers -- are often quick to accept the lie that those who submit to the greater authority of the LORD God of Israel are to be regarded as enemies of the State....



Haman is clearly a type of Anti-Christ (lit., "replacement of Messiah") who desires to see the Jewish people exterminated once and for all. In the New Testament we know that there is soon coming one who is the embodiment of this "spirit of Haman," and of Hitler, and of all the other anti-Jewish murderers throughout the ages. This one is the "man of sin" or the Messiah of Evil (2 Thess. 2:3), who will broker peace in the Middle East and feign to be friendly to Israel, but who will ultimately betray her and seek to have her utterly destroyed.

Satan's final attempt to provide the ultimate "Final Solution" will be foiled, just as Haman's attempt was foiled. His plan will boomerang upon his own head, just as Haman's plan boomeranged upon him. And he and his children will all hang from the gallows, just as Haman and his children did.

When Yeshua returns at the end of the Great Tribulation, He will destroy the Messiah of Evil by the Word of His Power and physically deliver Israel as her rightful King and Lord. Israel's long-awaited Mashiach ben David will be clearly revealed and understood to be Mashiach ben Yosef Himself. Then, and only then, will Israel experience the true deliverance and salvation of God -- and the rejoicing of that Purim will be like none other!


Purim Sameach, Chaverim!

So Purim Sameach: "Happy Purim," friends, and may Yeshua our LORD return speedily, and in our day. Amen.

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