The Best

Sermon by Rabbi Ken Alpren Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D. July 21, 2012 Numbers 32:1-2, ‘The descendants of Re'uven and the descendants of Gad had vast quantities of livestock. When they saw that the land of Ya'zer and the land of Gil'ad were good for livestock, 2 the descendants of Gad and of Re'uven came and spoke to Moshe, El'azar the cohen and the community leaders.’ They were influenced by beauty of the land and the fertility of the soil. They made the decision based upon the apparent image of how the land would serve them verses what the L-rd had for them. This is a case of choosing by sight rather than having faith. This same tendency was first demonstrated in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6, ‘When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate.’ Their focus was on their livestock even before their own families. Numbers 32:4-5, ‘The country that ADONAI conquered before the community of Isra'el, is livestock country; and your servants have livestock. 5 If you regard us favorably," they went on, "let this land be given to your servants as their possession; and don't have us cross the Yarden."’ They requested to stay on the east side of the Yarden which angered Moshe. He compares their behavior to their ancestors who discouraged the Israelites from taking the Promised Land initially. Numbers 32:7-9, ‘Besides, why are you trying to discourage the people of Isra'el from crossing into the land ADONAI gave them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-Barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Eshkol Valley and saw the land, they disheartened the people of Isra'el, so that they wouldn't enter the land ADONAI had given them.’ They persisted in their argument with Moshe and rationalized away G-d’s will. Numbers 32:16-19, ‘But they came up to him and said, "Here we will build enclosures for our livestock and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will be armed and ready for action to march at the head of the people of Isra'el, until we have brought them to their place. Our little ones will stay in the fortified cities here because of the people now living in the land. 18 However, we will not return to our own homes until every man in Isra'el has taken possession of his land for inheritance. 19 We will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Yarden, westward; because our inheritance has fallen to us on this side of the Yarden, eastward."’ West of the Yarden was supposed to be jointly inherited by all twelve tribes, but they did not want to wait for that inheritance, they wanted their inheritance now. Moshe cautiously accepts their appeal but with a warning emphasizing they will ‘reap what they sow.’ Numbers 32:23, ‘But if you will not do this, then you have sinned against ADONAI, and you must understand that your sin will find you out.’ Is there a permissive will versus a perfect will of G-d? Romans 12:1-2, ‘I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical "Temple worship" for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.’ Is there a ‘plan A’ which is G-d’s best, ‘plan B’ which is adequate or ‘plan C’ which is the worst? Do we let G-d choose for us or do we choose for G-d? Do I prematurely insist on my own will or am I willing to let G-d and trust in His timing? Psalms 47:4, ‘He chooses our heritage for us, the pride of Ya'akov, whom he loves.’ The pastures were greener east of the Yarden. Their choice based upon appearance symbolizes the choosing of material versus spiritual and riches over relationships and human performance over divine preeminence. When the decision was made to approach Moshe to take possession of the land east of the Yarden, whose interest were they looking out for? Were they not concerned with their own welfare versus the welfare of the community. Moshe conceded. Does G-d acquiesce to our plans? If we insist, will He compromise or even comply? Psalms 37:23-24, ‘ADONAI directs a person's steps, and he delights in his way. 24 He may stumble, but he won't fall headlong, for ADONAI holds him by the hand.’ Notice that even as ADONAI directs our steps, we may stumble! Although Moshe conceded, it was not what G-d really wanted for them and sometimes He acts upon our persistence similarly and allows us to have something we desire outside His perfect will even though it is not what He really wants for us. Consequently, the tribes of Re’uven, Gad and the half-tribe of M’nasheh were the first to be taken into captivity; they were influenced by the nations into idolatry. 1 Chronicles 5:26, ‘So the God of Isra'el stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Ashur and the spirit of Tilgat-Piln'eser king of Ashur; and he carried them away as captives - the Re'uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M'nasheh - and brought them to Halach, Havor, Hara and to the Gozan River, where they are to this day.’ Galatians 6:7-8, ‘Don't delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life.’ Be careful about insisting on my own way with G-d! We don’t want to miss G-d’s best! Even so, He can turn our past for good and if we have blown it, He can turn it around. But we then must trust Him and wait for Him! Psalms 37:34, ‘Put your hope in ADONAI, keep to his way, and he will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.’ We want His best for us so let us put our hand in His and allow His heart to be poured in us! Further Reading: Philippians 2:4-5, 1 John 2:15-17, Isaiah 42:16, Romans 8:28, Ephesians 3:11, Judges 5:16-17

First Love

Sermon by Rabbi Ken Alpren Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D. July 14, 2012 Numbers 25:10-13, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe, 11 "Pinchas the son of El'azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra'el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn't destroy them in my own zeal. 12 Therefore say, 'I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.'This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra'el."’ Pinchas was a champion! He acted on behalf of the L-rd and was an example not to be passive but to be active! We see in events and circumstances of Pinchas’ intervention, how the enemy was unable to defeat the Israelites from without, so the plan was to defeat them from within! The Israelites were intermarrying, committing apostasy and partaking in idolatry. This same seduction occurs with believers when we depart from G-d. We are rendered weak and harmless by Satan. We have no power in prayer and we don’t see miracles. What did Pinchas do? Numbers 25:5-9, ‘Moshe said to the judges of Isra'el, "Each of you is to put to death those in his tribe who have joined themselves to Ba'al-P'or." 6 Just then, in the sight of Moshe and the whole community of Isra'el, as they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting, a man from Isra'el came by, bringing to his family a woman from Midyan. 7 When Pinchas the son of El'azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, saw it, he got up from the middle of the crowd, took a spear in his hand, 8 and pursued the man from Isra'el right into the inner part of the tent, where he thrust his spear through both of them -the man from Isra'el and the woman through her stomach. Thus was the plague among the people of Isra'el stopped; 9 nevertheless, 24,000 died in the plague.’ Pinchas impaled the couple and the plague stopped! Pinchas made atonement for the children of Israel. Numbers 25:12-13, ‘Therefore say, 'I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.'This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra'el."’ G-d made a b’rit shalom and an everlasting priesthood through Pinchas. G-d fulfilled His promise until the tyranny of Herod. The Hebrew word for zealous in this passage is ‘kana’ which means jealousy, zeal, envy, strong emotion, fervor, excited, and passion. G-d is zealous for us. Are we zealous for Him? 2 Corinthians 11:2, ‘For I am jealous for you with God's kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah.’ 1 Corinthians 6:17, ‘but the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.’ Song of Songs 7:10, ‘I belong to my darling, and his desire is for me.’ We are married to the L-rd and He is zealous for us! When we are unfaithful, we are ripping apart ourselves from the L-rd. Israel had joined herself to idols as recorded in Numbers. What am I intimate with? What is the fruit of my idolatry? Don’t allow the enemy to render us weak and harmless in the L-rd? How do I spend my time? Do I turn on the television or read the Bible? Do I gossip about others or reach out to them in G-d’s love? Do I talk or do I take action? Do I worry or do I pray and praise in my circumstances? Do I put G-d second or first? Do I give Him my first fruits? Where is the love for Him that I had at first? Revelation 2:4, ‘But I have this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.’ What do I want to be doing INSTEAD of being with the L-rd? 1 John 2:15-17, ‘Do not love the world or the things of the world. If someone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in him; 16 because all the things of the world - the desires of the old nature, the desires of the eyes, and the pretensions of life - are not from the Father but from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, along with its desires. But whoever does God's will remains forever.’ Am I cynical or sarcastic? Could be a sign of sickness and my need for restoration in the L-rd. Jeremiah 2:2-3, ‘"Go and shout in the ears of Yerushalayim that this is what ADONAI says: 'I remember your devotion when you were young; how, as a bride, you loved me; how you followed me through the desert, through a land not sown. 3 "'Isra'el is set aside for ADONAI, the first fruits of his harvest; all who devour him will incur guilt; evil will befall them," says ADONAI.’ Am I attached to an idol? Get rid of it and return to the L-rd! G-d wants intimacy with us and He loves us and wants us to be close to Him. Am I zealous for G-d? Yeshua was furious when He found animals being sold and money exchanged in the Temple. John 2:15-17, ‘He made a whip from cords and drove them all out of the Temple grounds, the sheep and cattle as well. He knocked over the money-changers' tables, scattering their coins; 16 and to the pigeon-sellers he said, "Get these things out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market?" 17 (His talmidim later recalled that the Tanakh says, "Zeal for your house will devour me." )’ Yeshua had zeal! He is our example. 1 Peter 2:21, ‘Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps.’ With zeal and obedience His pleased the Father. John 4:34, ‘Yeshua said to them, "My food is to do what the one who sent me wants and to bring his work to completion.’ Do we have zeal for the L-rd like Ruth? Ruth 1:16-17, ‘But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May ADONAI bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me."’ What about the zeal David had? Psalm 27:4, ‘Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple.’ Remember our First Love!!! That is where our zeal should be placed. 1 John 4:10, ‘Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins.’ Further Reading: Psalm 106:28-31, James 4:5, Song of Songs 8:6-7, 4:7, 2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 3:10, 2:5, John 1:14, Isaiah 9:6, 7:14, Acts 17:11, Psalm 73:25