Author: Jeff

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Why Heaven wants us to master servanthood (Exodus 21)

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28)

“(T)he Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 NASB). While some see the instructions in the Torah about relationships between masters and slaves as proof of no transcendent Source for the text, others see the context as part of a “poison pill” that Heaven put in the human heart sickness that seeks subjugation of others deemed weaker or powerless.

That’s the surprising lesson we learn from the Torah portion מִּשְׁפָּטִים Mishpatim (Exodus 21–24) and companion passages on the wrong treatment (Jeremiah 34:8–22) and right treatment (Philemon 1–22) of those who are at our mercy.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Don’t leave your heart in Egypt: Faith to move forward to freedom (Exodus 17; 1Corinthians 10)

Don't leave your heart in Egypt: Faith to move forward to freedom (Exodus 17; 1Corinthians 10)

1Corinthians 10 was the apostle Paul’s midrash on Israel’s history, detailing how division arose among the children of Israel during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

In the Torah reading בְּשַׁלַּח Beshalach (“when he sent,” Ex. 13:17–17:16), we see that it didn’t take Israel very long to forget all of the miracles that God had rendered on their behalf for their freedom and struck out in anger against Moses and Aaron. These lessons can teach us how to trust our Deliverer, Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) and follow Him to true rest for our restless souls.

Categories
Discussions Torah

Leggo my ego: Egypt’s plagues show us how God tries to save the world from itself (Exodus 10–13)

Leggo my ego: Egypt's plagues show us how God tries to save the world from itself (Exodus 10-13)

Pride can lead us to overlook danger signs in our behavior or the things we have invested ourselves in. Pride can prevent us from turning back — repenting — from a foolhardy pursuit. One of the key lessons in the Torah section בוא Bo (“come,” Exodus 10:1–13:16) is that humility — like that lived out by the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt who entrusted ancient Egypt to the God of Yosef (Joseph) — opens one’s eyes to help, particularly help from Heaven.

Conversely, the malicious arrogance of the Pharaoh who didn’t know the God of Yosef and Moshe (Moses) led to the humbling of his nation by that God of the people that Pharaoh had humbled.

How much more will our humility before the Ultimate Help from Heaven, Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ) free us from the chains of which we may be oblivious.

Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings Tabernacles Torah

‘You will call His name Immanuel’: Heaven’s desire has always been to be with us

'You will call his name Immanuel': Heaven's desire has always been to be with us (Exodus 3; Isaiah 7-12)

At Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles), we celebrate Heaven’s work to heal the breach between the God and humanity, so that once again, the Creator can live with His creation. And one of the most enduring and repeated reassurances the Holy One is Immanu El — God with us.

In the Torah reading שמות Shemot (“names,” Exodus 1:1–6:1), we see Heaven’s revelation of “the Name,” translated as “I am” or “I will be.” But in this passage, we also see a foreshadowing of the “name above all names”: God With Us. This study explores the “now and not yet” prophecies of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) in the “Book of Immanuel” (Isaiah 7–12).

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

How we can join in on Heaven’s blessings for the world (Joshua 14:6–15; Matthew 10)

How we can join in on Heaven's blessing for the world (Joshua 14:5-16; Matthew 10)

The account in the Torah reading ויגש Vayigash (“he approached,” Genesis 44:18–47:27) of Yosef’s (Joseph) accusing his brothers of being “spies” on Mitzraim (Egypt) can seem like ancient geopolitical intrigue or toxic sibling rivalry.

But when compared with parallel passages in Ezekiel 37, Joshua 14 and Matthew 10, we may start to see a pattern: Israel’s role on Earth is as Heaven’s delegate-spy-ambassador to bless and restore humankind. And Yeshua (Jesus) is the quintessential Son of God and Son of David is the ultimate Anointed One sent from Heaven in that role.

Categories
Discussions Prophets and Writings

Why some yearn for a close encounter with Heaven, while others fear (Amos 2–3)

Why some yearn for a close encounter with Heaven while others fear (Amos 2-3)

In the Torah reading וַיֵּשֶׁב Vayeshev (Genesis 37–40), the salacious downward spiral of Yehudah (Judah) is sharply contrasted with the upward rise of Yosef (Joseph). That’s despite Yosef’s brothers’ having betrayed him.

The parallel passage to Vayeshev (Amos 2:6–3:8) reveals how morality can go down a slippery slope to depravity if nothing stops it. Yosef was a living prophecy of the ultimate Favored Son of Israel — Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) — Who would be rejected but effectively stop the moral slide of the nation and the world.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

All-in bets on the Kingdom of God last a lifetime

Going all-in for the Kingdom of God

The “easy days” of being a believer in God through Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) are fast coming to an end in Western nations. But in this accelerating shift, the people of God are learning what those in repressive areas today and in centuries past have clinged to in dark times: The “death” of the old way of life helps one remain standing as comfort and security crumble around.

These are some of the key lessons in this study of the Torah passage ויצא Vayetze/Vayetzei (“he went out,” Gen. 28:10–32:2).