MyTestimony

       "And He (Jesus) said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs shall follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents (ophis - snake, serpent, sly and cunning deception, artful and malicious person like Satan, the devil, hypocrite); and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mk. 16:15-18).

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled B'shallach, which means "When he let go." This title is taken from the first verse of the reading portion, Exodus 13:17: "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people go (shawlakh - send forth, send away, send out, loose, cast out, stretch out, shoot forth as a weapon, set free, let go, let depart, send/drive to pasture, send a messenger), that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines (pelisti/palas - descendants of the Egyptians who migrated to the western seacoast of Canaan, strangers/to roll in ashes and dust, to wallow, to dig a hole, to roll oneself), although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people change their minds when they see war (milhama/laham - war, battle, fight, warriors, warfare/devour or eat as food, make war, overcome, prevail, to fight, to battle), and return to Egypt."

     After the last plague of death to the first born of Egypt, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, let the people of God go (shawlakh, see above) . The LORD led His people, not by the nearest route which would take them through the land of the Philistines but led them by the longer route through the Red Sea wilderness. He did not think that they had the fortitude to face battle with the Philistines yet. The Israelites would not face the Philistines until later in time.

     After the Israelites left Egypt, they began to face continual challenges. Pharaoh decided to pursue them and trapped them by the Red Sea. They were terrified. They cried out to the LORD and said to Moses: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?...Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11-12). At that point, the LORD delivered the Israelites from the Egyptian army by dividing the waters of the Red Sea so that they could cross to the other side: "So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (v. 22, see also Ps. 78:13). The sea water was so thoroughly removed that the ground underneath the waters was not muddy but dry.

    As the Israelites were trapped before the Red Sea, Moses had promised them: "Do not be afraid. Stand still and see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-salvation (yesua - Jesus' Hebrew name, salvation, help, deliverance, welfare, victory) of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today....". (Ex. 14:13). After the LORD parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to pass through it and then released the waters of the sea in order to drown the pursuing Egyptian army, Moses and the Israelites celebrated this great miracle with a joyous song. Part of this song included: "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation (yesua - see above); He is my God, [and I will prepare Him a habitation (nava - abide, adorn, beautify, celebrate with praise)]/and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him." (Ex. 15:2).

     Immediately after this celebration, however, (*aleph-tav/Alopha and Omega)-Israel came to a place of undrinkable, bitter waters, and they complained. The LORD made the bitter waters sweet by having Moses cast a certain tree ('es - tree, gallows, carpenter) into the waters. At this place, the LORD revealed His name, "I AM the LORD who heals you." (see Ex. 15:22-26).

     Then the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-whole-assembly began to make (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-murmurings against Moses and the LORD over not having meat and bread. Then the LORD heard their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) murmurings and sent them quails for meat in the evenings and bread from heaven in the mornings. (Ex. 16:1-13). Their "murmurings" have the written Hebrew *aleph-tav before them because the murmurings were against the Messiah/Christ.  Generations later, Jesus would solve this mystery by comparing Himself to the manna bread in the wilderness, calling Himself the Bread from heaven of eternal life as the Israelites of His day murmured and complained against Him, as specifically worded in the verses from The Gospel of John. (see Jn. 6:41-43, 48-51). The exact repetition of the wording between Exodus 16 and John 6 is no coincidence.

     As believers in Jesus Messiah/Christ, when we murmur and complain about anything, who are we really murmuring against but the One who is the Lord of our lives, Jesus? Murmurings and complaints become our testimony to others of who Jesus is, or is not, in our lives.

     Psalm 78 is another portion from this week's B'shallach, "When he let go" Sabbath reading. This psalm recounts the kindness and miracles that the LORD showed to Israel even though they continually rebelled against Him and complained against Him.

     The psalmist, Asaph ('asap - "gatherer", "collector", assemble together, to gather and take away, gather the harvest, to take in, to receive into), wrote of the wonders that God did for His people to deliver them from slavery in Egypt, and afterwards, to give them the provision that they needed in the wilderness. However, Asaph wrote, His people were stubborn and rebellious and "whose spirit was not faithful to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-God." (v. 8). The psalmist said that he wrote this psalm as a testimony for future generations: "We will not hide them (referring to the sayings of old from the fathers) from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony ('edut/'ed/'ud - testimony, witness, holy rites, revelation, "the Holy Ghost saith"/prince, recorder, emphatically affirming/testify, record, surround, restore, say again and again, affirm solemnly, exhort solemnly, give warning) in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel...that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise (qum - arise, establish, stand, confirm, continue, abide, accomplish, perform, endure, prove) and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." (v. 4-7).

     The power contained in the testimony given to Israel praising the wonderful works of God kept generation after generation alive and preserved them through danger, even the danger of their own rebellion, and sorrow. As we see the Hebrew meaning connected to the word "testimony", we can see that it is powerful, inspired and appointed by the Holy Spirit.

      When Pharaoh the king of Egypt let the people go (see B'shallach and shawlakh above), he would be sending them out to encounter an eternal testimony.

     Similarly, in verses from Mark 16 shown at the top of this page, Jesus, the King of Kings, sent His believers out with a testimony, the Gospel, commanding them to take that testimony of His suffering, death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the glory of God, to every creature. It is also an eternal testimony leading the hearer to salvation and eternal life. It is a testimony so powerful that it overcomes Satan, himself: "And they overcame him (referring to the accuser of the brethren, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:11). This testimony contains the power of "salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ" (see Rev. 12:10). As the verses from Mark 16 at the top of the page tell us, miracle signs and wonders follow the believers with this testimony in their mouths.

     Rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, we have been entrusted with this amazing testimony, the Gospel, not only for our own sakes but for the sake of every creature.

     If you would like to learn more about our testimony, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have given to us the most amazing and powerful testimony to bring to future generations and to every creature! By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Lord, keep this testimony in my heart, mind and mouth, rather than the testimony of murmuring and complaining, which testifies against You. Forgive me, Lord, when my words and testimony have robbed You of glory. Let this testimony that You have given to me glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit always, as well as testifying to life, even eternal life gained for us by Christ. As the song says, "O how marvelous! O how wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!" These are the wonderful works of God. This is my testimony in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Sent

     This week's Sabbath reading portion, which begins in Genesis 32, is titled Va-yishlach, meaning "And he sent". The title is based upon the Hebrew word, salah, which means "to send [out], send [forth], sow, stretch out, loose, send a messenger, send an angel, weapon [Arabic]."

     In this Sabbath portion, Jacob sent (salah - see above) messengers (malak - angel, messenger, ambassadors, representatives, king, deputy, one sent, messenger of God, prophet, priest, teacher), and then eventually gifts, to his brother Esau as Jacob returns with his family to his homeland from Assyria. When Jacob left twenty years earlier, Esau had sought to kill him. How would Esau receive his brother's return? Jacob was afraid and distressed, and prayed to God on behalf of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people (see v. 7) with him: "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you...Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children." (Gen. 32:9-11).

     As Jacob sent (salah - see above) presents (minha - gift, tribute, present, sacrifice, offering to God, to apportion) ahead to Esau, who was coming with four hundred men, Jacob bowed before Esau seven times as they neared each other. Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, fell on his neck and kissed him. Esau questioned Jacob about the gifts that he had sent ahead, saying to Jacob, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself." Jacob answered him: "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.' So he urged him, and he took it." (Gen. 33:1-11). Jacob apportioned (see minha above) to Esau some of the increase that he had gained over his years of service to his father-in-law Laban. The blessing which Jacob brought to his brother Esau was connected to the Messiah/Christ, signified by the presence of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in written but untranslated Hebrew before the phrase "my blessing". This is the source of the divine power that delivers from death found in salah "sent".

     The gifts that Jacob had salah "sent" ahead after praying to God, had the power to calm the murderous rage of Esau, and the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) servant Jacob, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the women and his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children came out of the encounter preserved alive. 

   

      Above, Jacob compared seeing Esau with seeing the face of God. Jacob had just had a wrestling encounter with "a Man", demanding a blessing from him, at a place that Jacob would name Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Gen. 32:24-31). Jacob had also then seen his brother face to face and his life was preserved. At this time of this wrestling match with "a Man", Jacob's name was changed to "Israel", meaning "God prevails, he will rule as God, contender, soldier for God, have power, persevere, prevail, contend with, have power as a prince, set in order, be a leader, a commander, a prince, a noble." Having had this previous encounter with "the Man" and persevered against him, was God showing Jacob that he would also persevere against Esau successfully?

     From another Va-yishlach Sabbath reading portion, the LORD prophesied that He would send His messenger: "Behold, I send (salah - see above) My messenger (malak - see above), and he will prepare the way before Me, and the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like launderer's soap...He will purify the sons of (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering (minha - see above) in righteousness." (Mal. 3:1-3).

     Although three of the same words: salah, malak, minha, are used in the verses above, we are not dealing with a vengeful Esau here. We are dealing with the Holy God and the pure offering/gift due Him from His priests on behalf of His people. A Messenger will be sent by God and the purpose of the Messenger will be to purge and cleanse a negligent priesthood on the day of the LORD so that they do not perish before His face. The LORD is going to appear suddenly, and if they wish to remain alive, they had better accept the Messenger that the LORD will salah send to them.

     We see another example of the preservation power of the salah sent in Psalm 107: "Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted...and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent (salah - see above) His word (dabar - spoken, talk, speech, word, utterance, thing, decree, message, answer, commandment, promise, provision, power, portion) and healed (rapa - to heal, repaired, cure, make whole, mend by stitching, stitch together) them, and delivered (malat - save, deliver, preserve) them from their destructions (sehit - pit, pit-fall, sink down). Oh that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (Ps. 107:17-21). When God's people were about to perish because of their own wickedness, God sent His spoken Word, and they were preserved from death. We will see who this spoken Word was that was sent by God to heal His people. Jesus is described as the spoken Word (logos in Greek) of God (see Jn. 1:1-5, 14). Jesus also described Himself as having been "sent" by God in order to preserve life: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him (the Son) might be saved." (Jn. 3:17, see also Jn. 5:37-38, Jn. 6:44, Jn. 8:16 and 18). Jesus repeatedly described Himself as being sent (Greek apostello - send out, send forth, to order one to go to a place appointed) by His Father, God. He was sent to save us from destruction, in the same way as we read in the Psalm above.

     The apostle John also wrote: "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 Jn. 4:9-10).

     Again, we see that the thing or Person that is sent by the will of God is for the preservation of life. While we can immediately see without difficulty this truth in the sending of Jesus by the Father for the preservation of life, we need to also see the following mystery that was revealed by Jesus concerning us.

     Jesus sent out His disciples: "And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits...So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them." (Mk. 6:7, 12-13, see also Lk. 9:1-2, 6). Even before the cross, the disciples, being ones who were sent by divine will, brought salvation, deliverance and healing life to many.

     After the resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples: "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive/remit (aphiemi - to send away, to send forth, to bid going away, forgive, keep no longer, give up a debt) the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain (krateo - hold, keep, take hold, hold fast, get possession of, seize, to have power over) the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn. 20:21-23). In the very same way that Jesus was sent, He then sends us, as His disciples. With our being sent by divine ordinance goes the authority to bring life with the forgiveness of sins, rather than death by the retaining of sins. Jesus was sent that we might have life and that more abundantly (Jn. 10:10), and we are sent by Him with the same purpose. 

     As Jesus sent out His disciples after His resurrection, He also said of all those who believe: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will be no means hurt them; and they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mk. 16:17-18).

     Some may think that the only ones that Jesus sent were His immediate disciples. However, the New Testament makes clear that all believers in Christ are sent by Him. The apostle James wrote: "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man avails much...he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a/his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:14-20, excerpt).

     Jesus commanded us to be salt, as a preservative of truth and life, and light, as showing the way through darkness, so that men would see our works and glorify God (Mt. 5:13-16). This Sabbath's reading portion, Va-yishlach, or "And he sent", brings us into the understanding of what it means in our lives to be sent, filled with the Holy Spirit, by the will of the Father and the Son.

     

     If you would like to know more about being sent by Christ, you can pray with me: "Father in heaven, You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to become life to those who were perishing in their sins. In the same manner, Jesus sent His disciples, and those who would believe because of them, into the world to bring preservation and life through Christ to others. Help me to fulfill this purpose given to me by Jesus Christ as He sends me in His name to be salt and light. Fill me with the Holy Spirit who will guide me and teach me how to live effectively in the commission by which Christ sends me, and to prove with my life "that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

     *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.     

      

DrawNear

The sabbath reading scheduled for this week is titled Va-yiggash, meaning "and he drew near". For the third time in scripture, a severe famine has come upon the land. Both Abraham and Isaac were sustained through famine, and now Jacob and his family will be kept through a famine as well. The nature of a famine is strange. Pharaoh's dreams revealed that in a famine the abundant and healthy are devoured by the blighted and ill-favored. The prophet Joel also describes this same "devouring" by worms or locusts and grasshoppers (Joel 1:16-20 and 2:25). Jo-el makes clear that these devouring creatures are the LORD's army. In Joel, the famine comes before the day of the LORD (1:15), and the outpouring of His Spirit (2:26-27, 3:28-29), which is important to note. Another portion from this week's sabbath reading tells us that the LORD sent the famine during Joseph's time in Egypt in order to raise up Joseph: "Moreover He (God) called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all of the provision of bread. He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave. They hurt (ana - afflict, oppress, humiliate, stoop, mishandle, cry out, testify, witness) his feet (regel/ragal - feet, footstool/slander, make false statements about, defame) with fetters, he was laid (bo - bring into, enter, fall upon) in irons (barzel/birzot - iron, harshness, oppression/to pierce, holes, aperture, wounds, choice olive, "well of olives"). Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him." (Ps. 105:16-19). We can see a connection between Joseph and Jesus through the meanings of the words used to describe Joseph's slavery above. Before the return of Jesus, the Messiah, famine will play a major role in prophetic events (Mt. 24:3, 7, Rev. 6:8). In another of this sabbath's readings, one of the prophets wrote of a different kind of famine, not of food, but of the Word of the LORD: "Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord God, 'That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; They shall run to and fro seeking the Word of the LORD, but shall not find it." (Amos 8:11-12). In this case, great greed had been attached to the purchasing of food, as well as contempt for the provision of God (v. 1-2). The feasts and sabbaths of the LORD that interfered with the selling of anything and everything, including people, were also treated as an inconvenience (v. 5-6). This situation threw Israel into bitterness and mourning "...like mourning for an only son". (v. 9-10). The prophet Zechariah wrote something very similar: "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a first-born." (Zech 12:10). There was a famine for the hearing of the prophetic Word of God, as Amos wrote above, for four hundred years, which covered the period from the end of the Book of Malachi, the last book of the Tanakh, to the birth of Christ, and the announcement by the prophet of God, John the Baptist speaking of Jesus at Bethabara (meaning "House of Crossing over, passing over, passing before, passing through"): "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!...I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.' And John bore witness saying, 'I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He (the Spirit) remained upon Him....this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." (Jn. 1:28-34). The prophetic word given to a prophet of God was back after four hundred years of silence, and it was a life and history changing Word! As Christ broke the famine for the hearing of the Word of God, Joseph also broke or ameliorated the famine for bread that had spread across Egypt and Canaan. The prophecy of Amos may see a second fulfillment in the time before Christ's return. The apostles Paul and Peter wrote that in the last days before Christ's return, many will despise the hearing of the Word of God, and prefer lies and fables instead, which we are seeing now (see 2 Tim. 4:3-4, Mt. 24:23-24, 2 Pet. 2:1-2). God said in Psalm 105 above that He brings famine in order to bring forth a chosen servant, like Joseph, and also like Christ, to save the lives of His people, even a remnant. However, Joseph will not only provide for Israel during a famine, but he will seek a reconciliation with his brethren - the same brethren who despised and betrayed him, and sold his life into slavery for twenty shekels of silver. Joseph was so overcome by the sight of his brothers standing before him, as he was now the leader of Egypt under Pharaoh, that Joseph wept aloud. He said to them, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?' But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, 'Please come near to me.' So they came near. Then he said, 'I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here.; for God sent me before you to preserve (sum - set, appoint, set or make for a sign) life....And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity (seerit/sa'ar - remnant, escaped remainder of wrath/be kept alive) for you in the earth, and to save (haya/hava - save alive, be restored to life, revive from death/breathe (see Jn. 20:21-22), declare, show) your lives by a great deliverance (peleta/palit/palat - escape, escaped portion/deliver(er), to bring into safety or security, to cause to escape, slip away, deliver from danger). So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." (Gen. 45:1-8). Jesus also said that He was not sent by men but by God, His Father in heaven (Jn. 7:28-29). As Joseph told his brothers that he was sent to Egypt by God to preserve them, according to the meaning of the word (see above), this was also set to be a sign. This encounter between Joseph and his brothers, and their preservation through him, was to be a sign declaring something to all of us. We are in the Book of Genesis, or B'reshiet, "Beginning", and a beginning principle of God is being revealed through this sabbath's reading selection. Not only do we have a prophetic image of Christ in Joseph as one who "preserves, saves, and brings a great deliverance" to God's people, Israel, but we also see a prophetic reconciliation that will carry the promise of God for thousands of years, even to this present time. The title of this sabbath's reading is Va-yiggash, or "and he drew near". Upon seeing his brothers standing before him, Joseph was overcome with emotion. and said to them, "Please come near to me." (Gen. 45:4). Joseph, a leader of Egypt, had the authority and every reason to judge and condemn his brothers for their betrayal of him years before (see Gen. 37:4, 8, 18-28). However, Joseph "...fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brother's talked with him." (Gen. 45:14-15). Joseph provided food and safety for his father, Jacob, and his brothers' families in the best land in Egypt, Goshen, meaning "drawing near" (v. 10, 18). Even Pharaoh and all of his servants were pleased that "Joseph's brothers have come" (v. 16), and Pharaoh wanted to meet and speak with them, and told Joseph: "Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen..." (Gen. 47:5-6). The fact that Joseph held an almost kingly position of authority in Egypt plays a large role in the reconciliation. This beginning principle of God regarding the reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers, who despised and abused him, will have far-reaching prophetic significance concerning the joining of Israel and the half-Gentile children of Joseph under the subsequent rulership of a kingly figure, and later still, the reconciliation and restoration of Jewish and Gentile branches in the olive tree, in faith, by the Word of God. We also must remember that the Joseph/Jesus figure in our reading immediately, and with tears of joy, received back his brethren who had despised, abused and unjustly treated him. In another reading portion from this sabbath, the power and eternal significance of Joseph's reconciliation with his brothers is seen again in Ezek. 37. By the prophetic Word of God, the two separate sticks that represent Judah/Israel and Joseph/Ephraim (half-Gentile son of Joseph), are joined together in the hand of the prophet, as the LORD declared: "...and I will make them one nation...and one king shall be king over them all...nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore...but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them, and I will be their God. David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd...My servant David shall be their prince forever." (Ezek. 37:22-25). Because King David had already been dead for many centuries when this prophecy was given, the reconciling factor between Joseph and his brethren in this prophecy is the Messiah, the eternal David, the Son of David, and King forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16, 25, 29, Isa. 9:6-7, Lk. 1:30-33, Lk. 18:35-43, Lk. 19:35-38, 1 Tim. 6:14-16, Rev. 19:16), the one Shepherd and King of the one reconciled people. Paul also wrote of this miraculous but again prophetically guaranteed reconciliation between the Jewish branches and the Gentile branches into the same holy root, the Olive Tree representing the olive oil of anointing, or the Anointed One, the Messiah, Christ (Rom. 11:5, 15-18, 23-27, 29). In fact, the Word and ministry given to the Church of believers is the Ministry of Reconciliation, through Christ, between men and God, and between all creation and its creator (2 Cor. 5:17-21). We see in this Ministry given to us the ultimate manifestation of the Genesis principle of kingly preservation, salvation, great deliverance and reconciliation introduced to us in this week's sabbath reading. Finally, as we look again at the title of this week's sabbath reading portion, "and he drew near", various scriptures tell us to "draw near" to God (incl. Heb. 10:19-22, James 4:8-10, 1 Peter 2:3-4). Often, when Jesus healed and blessed, the people drew near, or came near, to Him (see Mk. 3:7-8, Mk. 10:13-15, Lk. 18:40-42). So great was His desire to draw Jerusalem near to Him in reconciliation, that Jesus wept over that city, because without that reconciliation and His preservation and deliverance into safety, terrible destruction awaited that city (Mt. 23:37-39, Lk. 19:41-44). History noted that this destruction occurred in 70 AD by the Romans. God has raised up His King and Deliverer if we will draw near to Him. If you would like to learn more about our King and Deliverer, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, I draw near to You through the preservation and reconcliation provided by Your Son, Jesus. He is the ever-reigning King over all creation. He is the Author and Finisher of all life. He, like the example provided to us by Joseph, desires above all things for His brethren to be reconciled to Him, and through Him, I am kept from destruction by His great deliverance. I pray also for the reconciliation of Judah/Israel and Joseph/Ephraim together into one, under one King and Shepherd from the line of David, and the restoration of the Jewish and the Gentile branches united together in our Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Unexpected

This is the season when we celebrate God's salvation and deliverance provided for all mankind! He sent His Son, Jesus, to come to us in the flesh, born as a baby, in order to save us, as He promised. Although it was prophesied in scripture, most people of that time missed the birth of Christ and His purpose as our salvation, because they expected God to deliver them in a different way. They expected a different kind of a Savior. They had read and studied scripture, interpreted it throughout many generations, and thought that they had an understanding of the way in which God worked. How sad it would be to miss Christ and His deliverance in our lives because we have certain expectations about why, how, when, and to whom His deliverance comes. This week's Sabbath readings bring up this same issue for me. What seems right to men concerning how God must work, does not always take into account the unexpected ways of the LORD. In previous weeks, we read that God instructed Jacob to take his whole household, and go dwell in Egypt. God assured Jacob that He would be with him: "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up (ala - "come up, offer, ascend, light, raised, arose, exalted, to be taken up") again." (Gen. 46:2-4). This promise from God also confirmed the message that Joseph had sent to his father from Egypt. As a result, Jacob took his whole household into Egypt to dwell. Abraham had other descendants in the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. They might have looked upon Jacob's leaving to go to Egypt as a fatal mistake. God's promise to Abraham and his seed was the land of Canaan, not Egypt. How could Jacob make this terrible mistake? However, Jacob had been directed by God, not men. As this Sabbath's reading, which is titled Sh'mot, or "Names", begins, all of those who went down to Egypt with Jacob are named (Ex. 1:1-5). I wonder if Jacob's sons might have thought at the time, "Our father is getting it all wrong! He is moving us all to Egypt only because he loves Joseph, and wants to be with him." Jacob died in Egypt, and Joseph and his brothers also died in Egypt. The people back in the Promised Land might, when they had heard this, said, "I told you so!". However, we know that Jacob had been directed by God. Could men have anticipated what God had in mind concerning Jacob and his descendants? While Jacob and his sons had lived in Egypt, God kept His promise and multiplied them greatly: "But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them." (v. 7). Then a new king ruled in Egypt who had no knowledge of Joseph, and all that he had done for Egypt. This king looked upon all of the Israelites in his land, and he detested and feared them. Their numbers filled him with dread and he said: "...the children of Israel are more and mightier than we." (v. 9). The king put hard bondage upon the Hebrews, under strict taskmasters (mas - a burden as causing to faint, discomfited, melt away, discouraged"), making them build cities like Raamses, meaning "child of the sun", and Pithom, meaning "city of justice". Considering these terrible circumstances which developed, why would God have commanded Jacob in such a way? We find out that the Israelites were in Egypt for more than four hundred years (Ex. 12:40), as was prophesied to Abraham generations earlier (Gen. 15:13), and a good portion of those years were spent in slavery. Yet God directed Jacob to bring his whole household to a land that would eventually enslave the remnant, Jacob's precious descendants. When the Israelites grew even more in number, regardless of their terrible bondage, Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew midwives, Shiph'rah (meaning "fair, brightness, beautiful, glisten, pleasing") and Pu'ah (meaning "splendid, to glitter, brilliancy"), to kill the Hebrew boy babies as soon as they were born (v. 16). Those babies were not born in "the land of dire straits", Egypt, because they did something to deserve it, or because they made a wrong choice, but because God ordained their birth in that land. The midwives lied to Pharaoh, and saved the Hebrew male children because they feared God (v. 17-19). Because of this, God dealt with the Hebrew midwives and blessed them. One male baby who would be miraculously saved from death was Moses, who would become the deliverer of God's people. The heavier the burden placed on God's people in Egypt, the more fruitful they were. Ultimately the Israelites were delivered miraculously out of their bondage by God with great wonders and judgments so that Israel, Egypt and the nations would know and glorify Him (Ex. 14:18, Ex. 15). God used the cruel, and lengthy enslavement of His chosen remnant for His purpose: to multiply them exceedingly, to accomplish their miraculous deliverance by His hand, and to bring the knowledge of His glory to all people. Who would have expected this? If it happened today, people might be making all sorts of assumptions about why the remnant of God was going through this, but it was for the glory of God, and the acomplishing of His plan. These descendants of Jacob were not perfect, and they would try God's patience in the wilderness. They would also experience great losses as God dealt with their (mis)understandings and expectations regarding Him. However, I thank them for the difficult role they played enduring through pain and hardship, and recording for us their triumphs and mistakes with God. The LORD revealed, however, that their deliverance from Egypt would wait until He had allowed the Canaanites, who inhabited the Promised Land, to come to the fullness of their wickedness: "But in the fourth generation they shall return here (Canaan), for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Gen. 15:16). Do we allow for the sovereign and omniscient timing of the LORD in our expectations? Even the timing of the birth of Christ was determined by God to occur "when the fullness of the time had come..." (Gal. 4:3-5). In another part of this Sabbath's reading from Isaiah, the LORD says, "...let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me...Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Isa. 27:5-6). We take hold of the LORD's strength. In another Sabbath reading portion, God deals directly with Job, as Job's expectations regarding his deliverance by God have not been met. Because Job's expectations were dashed, his faith in deliverance crumbled, and he bitterly wished that he had never been born. In Chapter 39, God revealed His plan of salvation to Job, and the spiritual warfare that ensues. This 39th chapter describes animals in the English translation, but in Hebrew, each keyword joins together to reveal the Gospel. (If you are interested in reading more about this, you can read a previous blog post titled "Revealed". You can find it in the right hand column of this page under the heading "Blog Archive": click on "2017", then "April", and then "Revealed".) In the next chapter, Chapter 40, Job was left speechless, and ashamed before God by this revelation, and God could then begin Job's deliverance. First God dealt with Job's incorrect expectations: "Would you indeed annul (parar -"break (to bits), make void, defeat, frustrate, divide, make ineffectual, violate") My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty...Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you." (Job 40:8-14, excerpt). It seems that our expectations of "who, why, what, how, where, and when" can actually limit God, and work against His perfect plan for us. The unexpected also relates to the Christmas story, and the birth of our Savior and Deliverer, Jesus. Religious experts at the time, thinking that they had an understanding of how God operated, would have stoned Mary, or at the very least shamed her and cast her out of their midst, because of her unexpected pregnancy, if God hadn't intervened with Joseph, Mary's betrothed (Mt. 1:18-21). Later, when the child was born, only a few recognized the signs of the birth, and came to see and honor the newly born King. Our expectations might question why God would put His Son in a stable, and in a manger used for animals? (Though He created the world (John 1:1-5, 14), the world had no room for Him.) Yet this is indeed what God did, and we sing about it now. Joseph, Mary's husband, was also told in a dream to take the child and mother to Egypt until God brought him word (Mt. 2:13-15). Although prophesied (Hos. 11:1), people might have asked, "Why would the child, if He was the Savior, the Messiah of Israel, go down to Egypt? That couldn't be right!" In the meantime, under the order of King Herod, the streets of Bethlehem and the surrounding area ran with the blood of young male children, as the king tried to prevent the prophesied Christ from appearing (Mt. 2:16). Of course, God knew beforehand the evil intentions of the king. Later in the life of Jesus, although it had been prophesied (Isa. 52-53-54, Psalm 22), most religious experts of the time would never have expected the Messiah to sacrifice Himself on a cross to fulfill His heavenly Father's plan. They concluded that this Man must be an evil-doer, rather than the Son of God. They felt confident that they were correct when Jesus did not "deliver Himself" from the cross as they taunted Him to do (Mt. 27:39-44). This was less than a week after throngs had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem waving palm branches and crying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!" Who would have expected such a turn of events? Expectations can be tricky when it comes to God, and how we think He should work. Even His resurrection, though spoken of often by Jesus beforehand, was a shock to His disciples. They didn't expect to find an empty tomb. The miraculous Christmas birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ were full of the unexpected to man! Perhaps this Christmas, in the middle of these trying, but prophesied times (see Mt. 24, Luke 21) full of unexpected and shocking events daily, God is looking for our surrender to Him, and to His strength, in a way that surpasses our own understanding and expectations. God's Word says that the humbling and repentance of His people will bring healing (2 Chron. 7:13-14). Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost (panteles - "completely, perfectly, utterly, full-ended"), which must certainly be beyond the limitations of our expectations. I am praying for an "uttermost" Christmas. If you would like to know more about the unexpected ways of God, you can join me in prayer: "Heavenly Father, You know everything concerning my life, and concerning all of creation. You call the stars out each night by name. You have called each one of us by name also. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to us in a remarkable and unexpected way, for our salvation from sin, and for our deliverance from death. I place my trust in Your miraculous knowledge of me, and Your plan for me. I trust You to lead and guide me by Your Holy Spirit in all things, because You know all things. I give everything having to do with me and my household into the strength of the One who saves me to the uttermost, Jesus. Forgive me, Lord, when my understanding has limited You, or Your sovereignty over my life. This Christmas and always, I want to remember that the King of Kings was miraculously born into the world in order to be born into my heart. I pray these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Songs

We can all say that there are songs that have had a large impact on our lives. There are songs that have moved millions, and affected us in important ways. There are even songs that had such a deep importance to us that these songs even helped to change society. We cannot deny that songs and music can touch our souls.
In the Church and in the temple, we understand what a strong part music and song plays in our worship. Scripture directs us to worship with songs and instruments. The Book of Revelation opens a window into the musical worship that flows through heaven. We know that Jesus sang worship songs and hymns with His disciples (Mt. 26:30), even as He knew He was about to be arrested, tried, and crucified. Music and songs have a spiritual importance in our relationship with God.
There is a very touching verse from King David in the Psalms that suggests that songs are not just a one-way activity, coming from us and going to God:
"You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround (encircle, to march or walk around, to circle about, to change, transform) me with songs of deliverance. Selah."   Psalm 32:7

David is telling us that God encircles us with songs. Can you imagine God walking around you, and singing your deliverance? This is exactly what David is telling us.
Perhaps we think that God, Himself, doesn't sing. One reason that music plays such a large role in our lives, and touches us in ways we can't explain, is because it comes from God. It touches soul and spirit, and has spiritual power. Before we are too quick to doubt God's singing ability, let's look at this passage from the prophet Zephaniah:
"Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away all your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."   Zeph. 3:14, 15, 17

When you are in a dark hour, or a frightening place, God is walking around you, singing songs of your deliverance. When you are delivered from that trouble, He sings songs of rejoicing around you. He is Awesome.

Our Father sings songs for us.

"You Are My Hiding Place"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dR0H0tAYT8

"Mighty Spirit"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu4zp6xjJAk

"My God is Awesome"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YJ4vddbJJo