Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
June 4, 2011
Numbers 4:21-23, 46-47, 49, ‘ADONAI said to Moshe, 22 "Take a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by clans and families; 23 count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting.’ ‘The census of the L'vi'im, whom Moshe, Aharon and the leaders of Isra'el enumerated by their clans and families, 47 all those between thirty and fifty years old who were part of those working to serve and working to carry loads in the tent of meeting,’ ‘According to ADONAI's order they were appointed by Moshe, each one to his specific service or work. They were also enumerated, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.’
Seven times in this portion, G-d instructed Moshe to enumerate the priests for service; He specified their service be between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Each priest served for twenty years.
Within the congregation as with the people of Israel, there is always people of different ages with different responsibilities.
Notice the different characteristics given by the Apostle Yochanan for the different generations.
1 John 2:12-14, ‘You children, I am writing you because your sins have been forgiven for his sake. 13 You fathers, I am writing you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I am writing you because you have overcome the Evil One. 14 You children, I have written you because you have known the Father. You fathers, I have written you because you have known him who has existed from the beginning. You young people, I have written you because you are strong the Word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.’
Each of us fit into one category. Where do you see yourself?
Perhaps we are not limited to one category, but we can have different aspects from all three because we have the Spirit of G-d in us.
We can be like little children with an innocence in trusting like a child. We can be strong like the young overcoming the Evil One with the Word of G-d. And we can be mature with the wisdom that comes with spiritual age, fathering or disciplining others.
1 Corinthians 4:15, ‘For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News.’
As mature believers we should all be pouring our lives into others, not just teaching them but ‘fathering’ them or discipling them.
The Hebrew words for children are ‘yeladim’, ‘banim’ for sons and ‘banot’ for daughters. ‘Narim’ are for the young (wide range of meaning). The Hebrew word for fathers is ‘avot’; and the word for daddy is ‘abba’.
When we are His children, born again by His Spirit, our hearts cry Abba Father!
Galatians 4:6, ‘Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").’
Romans 8:15,16, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!"). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God.’
We have a sense of really knowing Him and knowing we are His and experience that wonderful assurance and intimacy with Him!
Another word for father is ‘zaqen’; the root word is derived from ‘zaqan’ which means ‘elder’ of which the root Hebrew word means ‘beard’.
Yeshua began his ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23). It is also written in the Talmud that one must be at least 40 years old to be considered wise. Notice in the conversation recorded in Gospel of John, the age of 50 was used as a measure of wisdom.
John 8:55-58, ‘Now you have not known him, but I do know him; indeed, if I were to say that I don't know him, I would be a liar like you! But I do know him, and I obey his word. 56 Avraham, your father, was glad that he would see my day; then he saw it and was overjoyed." 57 "Why, you're not yet fifty years old," the Judeans replied, "and you have seen Avraham?" 58 Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!"’
G-dly wisdom is not necessarily based upon chronological age, but rather through humility, obedience and submission to our L-rd. Therefore, someone younger can actually be more wise spiritually depending upon one’s relationship and experience with the L-rd.
We all need each other to be healthy multigenerationally and intergenerationally within our congregation. In fact, Yeshua demonstrated characteristics of all three delineations described in 1 John. He had a childlike relationship with the Father (Matthew 3:17), He overcame evil like a warrior (Luke 4:4) and He is One with the Father (John 10:30 and Isaiah 9:6) and fathered disciples.
In the same way, we can exhibit these characteristics as well. But don’t get too comfortable in any one delineation. Rather, let G-d expand and grow us as we follow after Him.
Further Reading: Psalm 71, Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Luke 3:23, Hebrews 5:12-14
Monday, June 6, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Enlisted Soldiers
Rabbi Ken Alpren
May 27, 2011
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 1:1-4, ‘ADONAI spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said, 2 "Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra'el, by clans and families. Record the names of all the men 3 twenty years old and over who are subject to military service in Isra'el. You and Aharon are to enumerate them company by company. 4 Take with you from each tribe someone who is head of a clan.”’
This census was taken after the Tabernacle was constructed and delineated who would serve as well as provided for the arrangement of the tribes for battle. The priests were separated and counted in a different census and the priests were critical for having
G-d’s blessing on the army.
Those subject to military service were to trust in G-d’s blessings and His strength for winning battles.
Psalm 44:6-8, ‘For I don't rely on my bow, nor can my sword give me victory. 7 No, you saved us from our adversaries; you put to shame those who hate us. 8 We will boast in our God all day and give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)’
Likewise, we are to trust in the L-rd, not our own resources; the victory is not dependent upon us, but on Him!
Notice also that G-d identified leaders for the head of the clans. Similarly, each of us is called to leadership in some form or fashion. He will direct us into leadership and service by putting desires in our hearts that are confirmed through prayer. Don’t wait for someone else to take leadership and know that sometimes G-d is waiting on us to be the leader!
No experience or qualifications needed for leadership. Remember Moses and Gideon? Where they qualified when G-d called them? In fact, G-d receives more glory if we have no ability of our own and when His strength takes over our weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, ‘but he told me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness." Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah's power will rest upon me. 10 Yes, I am well pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties endured on behalf of the Messiah; for it is when I am weak that I am strong.”’
G-d looks at our heart and loves our faith or trust in Him!
There are several key phrases that appear in the passage when G-d instructed Moses to enumerate those for military service.
The Hebrew used when counting those for military service is ‘shi-oo et rosh’ which means to ‘lift the head of’. G-d counts people and knows every one. He numbers the fighters; those going forth to fight. When one’s head is lifted, it is easy to look into the eyes; to be counted. He is counting them and is counting on them!
Additionally, the Hebrew word ‘paqad’ is used when He is numbering the fighters. ‘Paqad’ means number, but also means visit, look after, and care for. Doesn’t He keep count of the very hairs on our head, tears we have cried and the stars in the sky? He cares individually and counts on those mature enough to do battle. Those mature enough for battle protected the nation, they contributed and worked as a unit just as the Body of Messiah is designed to do.
Many people love to fellowship with other Believers, but fellowship in the Body of Messiah is much more than enjoying social activities together! We are meant to minister to each other and those yet believing, contribute to the Body and get together for eternal purposes.
In the Numbers passage above, if the person wasn’t mature enough to fight, then he wasn’t counted. G-d counted those He could count on!
Is G-d Army a volunteer army? NO! G-d’s Army are enlisted.
2 Timothy 2:1-4, ‘So then, you, my son, be empowered by the grace that comes from the Messiah Yeshua. 2 And the things you heard from me, which were supported by many witnesses, these things commit to faithful people, such as will be competent to teach others also. 3 Accept your share in suffering disgrace as a good soldier of the Messiah Yeshua. 4 No soldier on duty gets involved with civilian affairs, since he has to please his commanding officer. ‘
What kind of soldier am I?
Fourteen times in the passage of Numbers the phrase, “all who go forth to fight” is used; in Hebrew, “kol yatsa’ tsava’”. The word ‘tsava’ is related to the word used to describe the L-rd of Hosts which is ‘ADONAI Tzevaot’. We are in warfare and their is a lot against us!
As we have a Trunity G-d; also called a Uniplural G-d, so also, we war against three main forces which are the world or social culture, the flesh or sin nature and the devil also known as Ha Satan. We fight a cultural war which is external and a carnal war which is internal.
What did Yeshua use against temptation? Clearly in Luke 4 and Matthew 4, He responds with “It is written”. He fought with the Word of G-d as should we!
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.’
The answer is to wield the Sword of the Spirit in the power of the Spirit! Many people know the Word of G-d but either don’t believe it to be true or aren’t following His direction and the power is not manifested in them. However, the power is manifested when the Holy Spirit is wielding the Word of G-d through us!
Most of the aspects of the Armor of G-d described in Ephesians 6 are defensive, however, two aspects are offensive; they are the Sword which is the Word of G-d and prayer! Be strong in G-d’s strength!
We are enlisted as G-d’s soldiers! Don’t get side tracked, detoured, or caught up in a lesser battle and don’t quit! Our real battle and focus should remain on sharing the Gospel and making disciples! And ultimately we are against the Adversary who opposes the spread of the Gospel and who is against the Word of G-d.
1 Timothy 1:18, ‘This charge, son Timothy, I put to you, in keeping with the prophecies already made about you, so that by these prophecies you may fight the good fight.’
Remember Yeshua will be returning as a Rider making war as described in Revelation 19!
Exodus 15:3, ‘ADONAI is a warrior; ADONAI is his name.’
He is returning to set up His Kingdom, as His enlisted soldiers let us focus on discipleship, His work and mission and don’t get entangled in lesser things!
Further Reading: Numbers 1:44-45, 1 Samuel 17:32-40, 44-45, Psalm 18:28-29, 31-34, 39; 144:1, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 1 Timothy 6:12, Psalm 2
May 27, 2011
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 1:1-4, ‘ADONAI spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said, 2 "Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra'el, by clans and families. Record the names of all the men 3 twenty years old and over who are subject to military service in Isra'el. You and Aharon are to enumerate them company by company. 4 Take with you from each tribe someone who is head of a clan.”’
This census was taken after the Tabernacle was constructed and delineated who would serve as well as provided for the arrangement of the tribes for battle. The priests were separated and counted in a different census and the priests were critical for having
G-d’s blessing on the army.
Those subject to military service were to trust in G-d’s blessings and His strength for winning battles.
Psalm 44:6-8, ‘For I don't rely on my bow, nor can my sword give me victory. 7 No, you saved us from our adversaries; you put to shame those who hate us. 8 We will boast in our God all day and give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)’
Likewise, we are to trust in the L-rd, not our own resources; the victory is not dependent upon us, but on Him!
Notice also that G-d identified leaders for the head of the clans. Similarly, each of us is called to leadership in some form or fashion. He will direct us into leadership and service by putting desires in our hearts that are confirmed through prayer. Don’t wait for someone else to take leadership and know that sometimes G-d is waiting on us to be the leader!
No experience or qualifications needed for leadership. Remember Moses and Gideon? Where they qualified when G-d called them? In fact, G-d receives more glory if we have no ability of our own and when His strength takes over our weaknesses.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, ‘but he told me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness." Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that the Messiah's power will rest upon me. 10 Yes, I am well pleased with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties endured on behalf of the Messiah; for it is when I am weak that I am strong.”’
G-d looks at our heart and loves our faith or trust in Him!
There are several key phrases that appear in the passage when G-d instructed Moses to enumerate those for military service.
The Hebrew used when counting those for military service is ‘shi-oo et rosh’ which means to ‘lift the head of’. G-d counts people and knows every one. He numbers the fighters; those going forth to fight. When one’s head is lifted, it is easy to look into the eyes; to be counted. He is counting them and is counting on them!
Additionally, the Hebrew word ‘paqad’ is used when He is numbering the fighters. ‘Paqad’ means number, but also means visit, look after, and care for. Doesn’t He keep count of the very hairs on our head, tears we have cried and the stars in the sky? He cares individually and counts on those mature enough to do battle. Those mature enough for battle protected the nation, they contributed and worked as a unit just as the Body of Messiah is designed to do.
Many people love to fellowship with other Believers, but fellowship in the Body of Messiah is much more than enjoying social activities together! We are meant to minister to each other and those yet believing, contribute to the Body and get together for eternal purposes.
In the Numbers passage above, if the person wasn’t mature enough to fight, then he wasn’t counted. G-d counted those He could count on!
Is G-d Army a volunteer army? NO! G-d’s Army are enlisted.
2 Timothy 2:1-4, ‘So then, you, my son, be empowered by the grace that comes from the Messiah Yeshua. 2 And the things you heard from me, which were supported by many witnesses, these things commit to faithful people, such as will be competent to teach others also. 3 Accept your share in suffering disgrace as a good soldier of the Messiah Yeshua. 4 No soldier on duty gets involved with civilian affairs, since he has to please his commanding officer. ‘
What kind of soldier am I?
Fourteen times in the passage of Numbers the phrase, “all who go forth to fight” is used; in Hebrew, “kol yatsa’ tsava’”. The word ‘tsava’ is related to the word used to describe the L-rd of Hosts which is ‘ADONAI Tzevaot’. We are in warfare and their is a lot against us!
As we have a Trunity G-d; also called a Uniplural G-d, so also, we war against three main forces which are the world or social culture, the flesh or sin nature and the devil also known as Ha Satan. We fight a cultural war which is external and a carnal war which is internal.
What did Yeshua use against temptation? Clearly in Luke 4 and Matthew 4, He responds with “It is written”. He fought with the Word of G-d as should we!
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.’
The answer is to wield the Sword of the Spirit in the power of the Spirit! Many people know the Word of G-d but either don’t believe it to be true or aren’t following His direction and the power is not manifested in them. However, the power is manifested when the Holy Spirit is wielding the Word of G-d through us!
Most of the aspects of the Armor of G-d described in Ephesians 6 are defensive, however, two aspects are offensive; they are the Sword which is the Word of G-d and prayer! Be strong in G-d’s strength!
We are enlisted as G-d’s soldiers! Don’t get side tracked, detoured, or caught up in a lesser battle and don’t quit! Our real battle and focus should remain on sharing the Gospel and making disciples! And ultimately we are against the Adversary who opposes the spread of the Gospel and who is against the Word of G-d.
1 Timothy 1:18, ‘This charge, son Timothy, I put to you, in keeping with the prophecies already made about you, so that by these prophecies you may fight the good fight.’
Remember Yeshua will be returning as a Rider making war as described in Revelation 19!
Exodus 15:3, ‘ADONAI is a warrior; ADONAI is his name.’
He is returning to set up His Kingdom, as His enlisted soldiers let us focus on discipleship, His work and mission and don’t get entangled in lesser things!
Further Reading: Numbers 1:44-45, 1 Samuel 17:32-40, 44-45, Psalm 18:28-29, 31-34, 39; 144:1, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 1 Timothy 6:12, Psalm 2
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Unbreakable Covenant
Rabbi Ken Alpren
May 21, 2011
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Leviticus 26:3-9, ‘"'If you live by my regulations, observe my mitzvot and obey them; 4 then I will provide the rain you need in its season, the land will yield its produce, and the trees in the field will yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing time will extend until the grape harvest, and your grape harvesting will extend until the time for sowing seed. You will eat as much food as you want and live securely in your land. 6 "'I will give shalom in the land -you will lie down to sleep unafraid of anyone. I will rid the land of wild animals. The sword will not go through your land. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before your sword. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand -your enemies will fall before your sword. 9 "'I will turn toward you, make you productive, increase your numbers and uphold my covenant with you.”’
We must consider the seamlessness of the Old and New Testament; realizing there are differences, and know that according to 1 Corinthians 10:11, ‘These things happened to them as prefigurative historical events, and they were written down as a warning to us who are living in the acharit-hayamim.’
Know we are in covenant with the Living G-d, and that blessings and curses depend upon our obedience!
Also, know that He will never leave us or forsake us!
Hebrews 13:5, ‘Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, "I will never fail you or abandon you."’
The L-rd knows whose are His (2 Timothy 2:19)!
John 10:2-4, ‘“But the one who goes in through the gate is the sheep's own shepherd. 3 This is the one the gate-keeper admits, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep, each one by name, and leads them out.”’
We will be disciplined and chastised, but will never be taken out of His hand and nor can we even take ourselves out of His hand!
Romans 8:38-39, ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.’
We are in safe keeping, but that doesn’t mean we should live any way we want to live and in that way, the brit’ or covenant could be good or bad; it could be glorious or disastrous for Israel as well as for us.
Did you know that the L-rd has an order by which He will deal with us; for the Jew first and then the Gentile?
Romans 2:7-11, ‘To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. 8 But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. 9 Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile; 10 but glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.’
The Hebrew word for honor is ‘kavod’ and also means weight. Kavod means honor and value but could also mean burden. There is privilege but also responsibility, prosperity and poverty, blessing and frustration, punishment and curse as well as success and disaster.
When referring to Israel, G-d says, in Amos 3:2, ‘"Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known. This is why I will punish you for all your crimes."’
Being in covenant with the L-rd is a serious matter.
Why was Israel chosen?
Genesis 12:3, ‘“I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed."’ Indeed, the L-rd has blessed us through Messiah as well as generally, through Jewish people.
We are in relationship with the one and only Living G-d and He answers our prayers!
Deuteronomy 4:7-8, ‘For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as ADONAI our God is, whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?’
In Leviticus 26 there is a 3:1 ratio of bad consequences for disobedience versus good consequences for obedience.
Our natural tendency is to turn away from Him and disobey. Four different times in the passage of Leviticus 26, He admonishes us to listen and then the bad consequences would stop. His heart is for us to turn and listen! Interestingly, in this passage the consequences get progressively worse ranging from distress, drought, invasion of wild animals, disease, siege of moral indecency, and finally, dispersion with enemies taking over the land.
Even so, our G-d does not give up on us, nor does He give up on the Israelites in Leviticus.
Leviticus 26:40-42, ‘Then they will confess their misdeeds and those of their ancestors which they committed against me in their rebellion; they will admit that they went against me. 41 At that time I will be going against them, bringing them into the lands of their enemies. But if their uncircumcised hearts will grow humble, and they are paid the punishment for their misdeeds; 42 then I will remember my covenant with Ya'akov, also my covenant with Yitz'chak and my covenant with Avraham; and I will remember the land.’
G-d’s door to restoration is always open! He won’t let us go. Can things be difficult and miserable? Yes! But He does bless us when we put Him first! The blessings can be more noticeable inwardly as expressed by Paul in Philippians 4, but G-d knows; He is familiar with the unknown, the unnamed and the unseen.
2 Corinthians 6:9, ‘unknown and famous. And we commend ourselves as God's workers headed for death, yet look! we're alive! as punished, yet not killed;’
We naturally gravitate toward those like ourselves or those who are well known or seemingly important. Even the prophet Samuel and David’s father weren’t looking for G-d to choose David, but He did choose Him.
Messiah Himself had an appearance that was not particularly outwardly attractive as expressed in Isaiah 53:2.
Let us be careful not to miss G-d because we gravitate toward being comfortable and toward those most like ourselves.
Further Reading: Psalm 89:31-38, John 15:4-8, Ephesians 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:16-17, Luke 8:18, Hebrews 12, Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 7:6-7, Ephesians 3:14, Revelation 1:13-15, Revelation 2:1, Hebrews 6:10, Psalm 139, Romans 16:8-9, Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 6:10, 1 Samuel 16
May 21, 2011
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Leviticus 26:3-9, ‘"'If you live by my regulations, observe my mitzvot and obey them; 4 then I will provide the rain you need in its season, the land will yield its produce, and the trees in the field will yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing time will extend until the grape harvest, and your grape harvesting will extend until the time for sowing seed. You will eat as much food as you want and live securely in your land. 6 "'I will give shalom in the land -you will lie down to sleep unafraid of anyone. I will rid the land of wild animals. The sword will not go through your land. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before your sword. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand -your enemies will fall before your sword. 9 "'I will turn toward you, make you productive, increase your numbers and uphold my covenant with you.”’
We must consider the seamlessness of the Old and New Testament; realizing there are differences, and know that according to 1 Corinthians 10:11, ‘These things happened to them as prefigurative historical events, and they were written down as a warning to us who are living in the acharit-hayamim.’
Know we are in covenant with the Living G-d, and that blessings and curses depend upon our obedience!
Also, know that He will never leave us or forsake us!
Hebrews 13:5, ‘Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, "I will never fail you or abandon you."’
The L-rd knows whose are His (2 Timothy 2:19)!
John 10:2-4, ‘“But the one who goes in through the gate is the sheep's own shepherd. 3 This is the one the gate-keeper admits, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep, each one by name, and leads them out.”’
We will be disciplined and chastised, but will never be taken out of His hand and nor can we even take ourselves out of His hand!
Romans 8:38-39, ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.’
We are in safe keeping, but that doesn’t mean we should live any way we want to live and in that way, the brit’ or covenant could be good or bad; it could be glorious or disastrous for Israel as well as for us.
Did you know that the L-rd has an order by which He will deal with us; for the Jew first and then the Gentile?
Romans 2:7-11, ‘To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. 8 But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. 9 Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile; 10 but glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.’
The Hebrew word for honor is ‘kavod’ and also means weight. Kavod means honor and value but could also mean burden. There is privilege but also responsibility, prosperity and poverty, blessing and frustration, punishment and curse as well as success and disaster.
When referring to Israel, G-d says, in Amos 3:2, ‘"Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known. This is why I will punish you for all your crimes."’
Being in covenant with the L-rd is a serious matter.
Why was Israel chosen?
Genesis 12:3, ‘“I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed."’ Indeed, the L-rd has blessed us through Messiah as well as generally, through Jewish people.
We are in relationship with the one and only Living G-d and He answers our prayers!
Deuteronomy 4:7-8, ‘For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as ADONAI our God is, whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?’
In Leviticus 26 there is a 3:1 ratio of bad consequences for disobedience versus good consequences for obedience.
Our natural tendency is to turn away from Him and disobey. Four different times in the passage of Leviticus 26, He admonishes us to listen and then the bad consequences would stop. His heart is for us to turn and listen! Interestingly, in this passage the consequences get progressively worse ranging from distress, drought, invasion of wild animals, disease, siege of moral indecency, and finally, dispersion with enemies taking over the land.
Even so, our G-d does not give up on us, nor does He give up on the Israelites in Leviticus.
Leviticus 26:40-42, ‘Then they will confess their misdeeds and those of their ancestors which they committed against me in their rebellion; they will admit that they went against me. 41 At that time I will be going against them, bringing them into the lands of their enemies. But if their uncircumcised hearts will grow humble, and they are paid the punishment for their misdeeds; 42 then I will remember my covenant with Ya'akov, also my covenant with Yitz'chak and my covenant with Avraham; and I will remember the land.’
G-d’s door to restoration is always open! He won’t let us go. Can things be difficult and miserable? Yes! But He does bless us when we put Him first! The blessings can be more noticeable inwardly as expressed by Paul in Philippians 4, but G-d knows; He is familiar with the unknown, the unnamed and the unseen.
2 Corinthians 6:9, ‘unknown and famous. And we commend ourselves as God's workers headed for death, yet look! we're alive! as punished, yet not killed;’
We naturally gravitate toward those like ourselves or those who are well known or seemingly important. Even the prophet Samuel and David’s father weren’t looking for G-d to choose David, but He did choose Him.
Messiah Himself had an appearance that was not particularly outwardly attractive as expressed in Isaiah 53:2.
Let us be careful not to miss G-d because we gravitate toward being comfortable and toward those most like ourselves.
Further Reading: Psalm 89:31-38, John 15:4-8, Ephesians 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:16-17, Luke 8:18, Hebrews 12, Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 7:6-7, Ephesians 3:14, Revelation 1:13-15, Revelation 2:1, Hebrews 6:10, Psalm 139, Romans 16:8-9, Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 6:10, 1 Samuel 16
Sunday, May 22, 2011
G-d's Commanded Blessing
Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 14, 2011
In the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, three times the L-rd reiterates that His people not rule over or treat each other harshly; specifically in verses 43, 46 and 53. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used in these passages is ‘perek’ which is related to the Hebrew word ‘parokhet’ used for the curtain dividing the Holy Place in the Temple from the Holies Place.
When used in Leviticus, this word means with rigor, but also may mean to suffocate or stifle. Further in verse 17 of the same chapter, the word ‘yanah’ is used.
Leviticus 25:17, ‘Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am ADONAI your God.’
The instruction here with ‘yanah’ is not to oppress or wrong one another, but to fear G-d instead.
Am I critical or judgmental with others? Do I judge and draw conclusions based on appearances?
John 7:24, ‘“Stop judging by surface appearances, and judge the right way!"’
If I am judgmental I may speak harshly about someone and drive others away from the L-rd!
Romans 14:10, 12, 13, ‘You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God's judgment seat, So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let's stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment - not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother's way.’ Instead, we are to ‘pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding’ as is written in Romans 14:19.
Rabbinical teachings have cited Leviticus 25:17 and in the context, the word ‘yanah’, that our treatment and judgment of others may cause unbearable pain especially when reminding others of past transgressions.
We need to be careful! For G-d Himself says in Jeremiah 31:34 that He will remember our sins no more, ‘No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more."’.
Our own judgements will come back to us!
Matthew 7:1-2, ‘"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 2 For the way you judge others is how you will be judged -- the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.”’.
Would I want G-d to deal with me the way I deal with others?
In Leviticus 25, the L-rd not only gave instructions on how to deal with others, He also instructed the Israelites about the observance of Sabbath for the land they were entering.
The people would naturally be concerned about how they would survive during the Sabbath year.
Leviticus 25:20, ‘"'If you ask, "If we aren't allowed to sow seed or harvest what our land produces, what are we going to eat the seventh year?"’
What is G-d’s answer?
Leviticus 25:21, ‘“then I will order my blessing on you during the sixth year, so that the land brings forth enough produce for all three years.”’
G-d orders or commands a blessing! He promises something supernatural; something that man cannot do!
Doesn’t this remind us of what Yeshua said?
Matthew 6:31-33, ‘"So don't be anxious, asking, `What will we eat?,' `What will we drink?' or `How will we be clothed?' 32 For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. 33 But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”’
The principle is that G-d honors us when we put Him first, demonstrated by the obedience of the Israelites during the Sabbath year and for us as we seek first His Kingdom knowing that He will take care of us.
Give Him our best first; not the leftovers or something that cost us nothing and He will honor it!
Proverbs 3:9, ‘Honor ADONAI with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your income.’
What about my plans? Do I pray first or do I make plans and then pray about them?
Proverbs 16:3, ‘If you entrust all you do to ADONAI, your plans will achieve success.’
Just as G-d commanded the blessing to provide for His people during the Sabbath, He does so when we forgive and live in unity with one another.
Ephesians 4:32, ‘Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.’
Look at this verse as it relates to Psalm 133, ‘A song of ascents. By David: Oh, how good, how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in harmony. 2 It is like fragrant oil on the head that runs down over the beard, over the beard of Aharon, and flows down on the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon that settles on the mountains of Tziyon. For it was there that ADONAI ordained the blessing of everlasting life.’
Unity is costly and requires humility; it requires putting our preferences and rights aside so as to love the L-rd and live together in unity.
In doing so, He commands the blessing! And what a blessing of everlasting life!
Contrast this principle with what happens when we don’t put the L-rd first as described in Haggai 1:6, ‘“You sow much but bring in little; you eat but aren't satisfied; you drink but never have enough; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who works for a living earns wages that are put in a bag full of holes.'"
If we wonder why things don’t work out or our lives are paved by obstacles, we may need to assess whether we are putting G-d first or not! We will not be free of tribulation, but our paths will be easier, better and be less stressful.
The Sabbatical year is known as Shana HaShmita and reminds us that the earth belongs to the L-rd and the Year of Jubilee is known as Shana HaYovel and reminds us that we are sojourners here on Earth.
As sojourners we are are looking toward the true Year of Jubilee or the Ultimate Yovel when we receive the fullness of His Commanded Blessing upon Yeshua’s return!
Revelation 21:3-4, ‘“I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See! God's Sh'khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away."’
Further Reading: Leviticus 25:1-5, 8-10, 20-21, Malachi 3:8-10, Hebrews 11:13, Romans 2:1, Galatians 6:7, Isaiah 58:13,14, 2 Samuel 24:24, 1 Timothy 2:1, 1 Samuel 2:30, Mark 10:28-30, Romans 8:21, Acts 3:21, Revelation 20:4, Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 11:6, 2 Peter 3:13
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 14, 2011
In the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, three times the L-rd reiterates that His people not rule over or treat each other harshly; specifically in verses 43, 46 and 53. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used in these passages is ‘perek’ which is related to the Hebrew word ‘parokhet’ used for the curtain dividing the Holy Place in the Temple from the Holies Place.
When used in Leviticus, this word means with rigor, but also may mean to suffocate or stifle. Further in verse 17 of the same chapter, the word ‘yanah’ is used.
Leviticus 25:17, ‘Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am ADONAI your God.’
The instruction here with ‘yanah’ is not to oppress or wrong one another, but to fear G-d instead.
Am I critical or judgmental with others? Do I judge and draw conclusions based on appearances?
John 7:24, ‘“Stop judging by surface appearances, and judge the right way!"’
If I am judgmental I may speak harshly about someone and drive others away from the L-rd!
Romans 14:10, 12, 13, ‘You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God's judgment seat, So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let's stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment - not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother's way.’ Instead, we are to ‘pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding’ as is written in Romans 14:19.
Rabbinical teachings have cited Leviticus 25:17 and in the context, the word ‘yanah’, that our treatment and judgment of others may cause unbearable pain especially when reminding others of past transgressions.
We need to be careful! For G-d Himself says in Jeremiah 31:34 that He will remember our sins no more, ‘No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more."’.
Our own judgements will come back to us!
Matthew 7:1-2, ‘"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 2 For the way you judge others is how you will be judged -- the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.”’.
Would I want G-d to deal with me the way I deal with others?
In Leviticus 25, the L-rd not only gave instructions on how to deal with others, He also instructed the Israelites about the observance of Sabbath for the land they were entering.
The people would naturally be concerned about how they would survive during the Sabbath year.
Leviticus 25:20, ‘"'If you ask, "If we aren't allowed to sow seed or harvest what our land produces, what are we going to eat the seventh year?"’
What is G-d’s answer?
Leviticus 25:21, ‘“then I will order my blessing on you during the sixth year, so that the land brings forth enough produce for all three years.”’
G-d orders or commands a blessing! He promises something supernatural; something that man cannot do!
Doesn’t this remind us of what Yeshua said?
Matthew 6:31-33, ‘"So don't be anxious, asking, `What will we eat?,' `What will we drink?' or `How will we be clothed?' 32 For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. 33 But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”’
The principle is that G-d honors us when we put Him first, demonstrated by the obedience of the Israelites during the Sabbath year and for us as we seek first His Kingdom knowing that He will take care of us.
Give Him our best first; not the leftovers or something that cost us nothing and He will honor it!
Proverbs 3:9, ‘Honor ADONAI with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your income.’
What about my plans? Do I pray first or do I make plans and then pray about them?
Proverbs 16:3, ‘If you entrust all you do to ADONAI, your plans will achieve success.’
Just as G-d commanded the blessing to provide for His people during the Sabbath, He does so when we forgive and live in unity with one another.
Ephesians 4:32, ‘Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.’
Look at this verse as it relates to Psalm 133, ‘A song of ascents. By David: Oh, how good, how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in harmony. 2 It is like fragrant oil on the head that runs down over the beard, over the beard of Aharon, and flows down on the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon that settles on the mountains of Tziyon. For it was there that ADONAI ordained the blessing of everlasting life.’
Unity is costly and requires humility; it requires putting our preferences and rights aside so as to love the L-rd and live together in unity.
In doing so, He commands the blessing! And what a blessing of everlasting life!
Contrast this principle with what happens when we don’t put the L-rd first as described in Haggai 1:6, ‘“You sow much but bring in little; you eat but aren't satisfied; you drink but never have enough; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who works for a living earns wages that are put in a bag full of holes.'"
If we wonder why things don’t work out or our lives are paved by obstacles, we may need to assess whether we are putting G-d first or not! We will not be free of tribulation, but our paths will be easier, better and be less stressful.
The Sabbatical year is known as Shana HaShmita and reminds us that the earth belongs to the L-rd and the Year of Jubilee is known as Shana HaYovel and reminds us that we are sojourners here on Earth.
As sojourners we are are looking toward the true Year of Jubilee or the Ultimate Yovel when we receive the fullness of His Commanded Blessing upon Yeshua’s return!
Revelation 21:3-4, ‘“I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See! God's Sh'khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away."’
Further Reading: Leviticus 25:1-5, 8-10, 20-21, Malachi 3:8-10, Hebrews 11:13, Romans 2:1, Galatians 6:7, Isaiah 58:13,14, 2 Samuel 24:24, 1 Timothy 2:1, 1 Samuel 2:30, Mark 10:28-30, Romans 8:21, Acts 3:21, Revelation 20:4, Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 11:6, 2 Peter 3:13
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Israel’s Restoration
Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 7, 2011
As we celebrate Israel’s Independence and the unrest in the Middle East, we may be wondering if the current State of Israel is permanent or not.
Amos 9:15, ‘“I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them," says ADONAI your God.’
At least seven times God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis.
The current State of Israel is indeed permanent and it is important that the Babylonian exile and return be distinguished from the current global return to Israel.
Isaiah 11:12, ‘He will hoist a banner for the Goyim, assemble the dispersed of Isra'el, and gather the scattered of Y'hudah from the four corners of the earth.’
What about Yeshua’s return? Does He return before Israel’s return to God?
Let’s explore three scenarios.
The first scenario’s order would begin with Israel’s national restoration, followed by Yeshua’s return and culminate with the revelation of Yeshua’s identity and spiritual rebirth of the people of Israel as described in Zechariah 12:10 which says, ‘and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.’
A second scenario would begin with Israel’s national restoration followed by it’s spiritual rebirth and culminate with Yeshua’s return.
Acts 3:18-21, ‘But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die. 19 "Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord's presence; and he may send the Messiah appointed in advance for you, that is, Yeshua. 21 He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything, as God said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets.’
This second scenario is quite plausible because Yeshua Himself said that His return would occur when His Jewish people would clearly be reborn demonstrated by their expression of praise for His return; which is currently occurring in Israel.
Matthew 23:39, ‘“For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of ADONAI.'"
However, let us consider a third scenario which begins with Israel’s national restoration, followed by their spiritual rebirth in part, and then Yeshua’s return which then results in a full revelation to the entire State of Israel when all Israel will be saved.
Romans 11:25-27, ‘For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov 27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . . when I take away their sins."’
Regardless of the exact timing of God’s revelation to His people, we know He will revive His people demonstrated so vividly in Ezekiel 37.
Ezekiel 37:1-3, ‘With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry! 3 He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"’
In this passage, Ezekiel is literally placed amongst skeletons; they are all around him and there are a multitude of them; withered and without moisture.
Consider at this point that the Lord Himself asked Ezekiel the question, “Human being, can these bones live?”
And Ezekiel answers, “Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!” He wasn’t going to say that is was impossible! No, he knew better and he knew that if the bones were to live, it would be through God and no other way.
What seems absolutely impossible, can be possible through Him! Notice how the Lord brings life into the bones described further in the passage. Through His Word spoken by Ezekiel which is reiterated by the passage in Romans that faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
Romans 10:17, ‘So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.’
Ezekiel 37:4-10, ‘Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say! 5 To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live. 6 I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'" 7 So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place. 8 As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'" 10 So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!’
From this portion of Scripture, a three-fold phase of spiritual rebirth is illuminated!
When Ezekiel spoke the first prophesy, the bones came together and ligaments grew and flesh appeared; there was life, but no breath indicating a first phase. They were living but without the Ruach. With the second prophesy, the Ruach came into them and they stood on their feet, acknowledged and recognized and then thirdly, they were a vast army.
The Hebrew for ‘vast army’ is written, ‘maod maod chayil gadol’ translated, ‘very very great mighty’. Chayil can mean mighty or growing mightily and ‘chayil’ can also mean anguish. We know that through pain the Lord can bring about something mighty as He is now doing. We are witnessing the Ruach of God entering the hearts of His people and they are beginning to stand!
Further Reading: Ezekiel 37:11-14, Hosea 5:15-6:6, Philippians 3:7-10, Psalm 110:1, Proverbs 30:4, Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8, Isaiah 57:15, John 10:10, Isaiah 64, Psalm 85
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
May 7, 2011
As we celebrate Israel’s Independence and the unrest in the Middle East, we may be wondering if the current State of Israel is permanent or not.
Amos 9:15, ‘“I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them," says ADONAI your God.’
At least seven times God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis.
The current State of Israel is indeed permanent and it is important that the Babylonian exile and return be distinguished from the current global return to Israel.
Isaiah 11:12, ‘He will hoist a banner for the Goyim, assemble the dispersed of Isra'el, and gather the scattered of Y'hudah from the four corners of the earth.’
What about Yeshua’s return? Does He return before Israel’s return to God?
Let’s explore three scenarios.
The first scenario’s order would begin with Israel’s national restoration, followed by Yeshua’s return and culminate with the revelation of Yeshua’s identity and spiritual rebirth of the people of Israel as described in Zechariah 12:10 which says, ‘and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced." They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.’
A second scenario would begin with Israel’s national restoration followed by it’s spiritual rebirth and culminate with Yeshua’s return.
Acts 3:18-21, ‘But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die. 19 "Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord's presence; and he may send the Messiah appointed in advance for you, that is, Yeshua. 21 He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything, as God said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets.’
This second scenario is quite plausible because Yeshua Himself said that His return would occur when His Jewish people would clearly be reborn demonstrated by their expression of praise for His return; which is currently occurring in Israel.
Matthew 23:39, ‘“For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of ADONAI.'"
However, let us consider a third scenario which begins with Israel’s national restoration, followed by their spiritual rebirth in part, and then Yeshua’s return which then results in a full revelation to the entire State of Israel when all Israel will be saved.
Romans 11:25-27, ‘For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov 27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . . when I take away their sins."’
Regardless of the exact timing of God’s revelation to His people, we know He will revive His people demonstrated so vividly in Ezekiel 37.
Ezekiel 37:1-3, ‘With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry! 3 He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"’
In this passage, Ezekiel is literally placed amongst skeletons; they are all around him and there are a multitude of them; withered and without moisture.
Consider at this point that the Lord Himself asked Ezekiel the question, “Human being, can these bones live?”
And Ezekiel answers, “Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!” He wasn’t going to say that is was impossible! No, he knew better and he knew that if the bones were to live, it would be through God and no other way.
What seems absolutely impossible, can be possible through Him! Notice how the Lord brings life into the bones described further in the passage. Through His Word spoken by Ezekiel which is reiterated by the passage in Romans that faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
Romans 10:17, ‘So trust comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through a word proclaimed about the Messiah.’
Ezekiel 37:4-10, ‘Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say! 5 To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live. 6 I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'" 7 So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place. 8 As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'" 10 So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!’
From this portion of Scripture, a three-fold phase of spiritual rebirth is illuminated!
When Ezekiel spoke the first prophesy, the bones came together and ligaments grew and flesh appeared; there was life, but no breath indicating a first phase. They were living but without the Ruach. With the second prophesy, the Ruach came into them and they stood on their feet, acknowledged and recognized and then thirdly, they were a vast army.
The Hebrew for ‘vast army’ is written, ‘maod maod chayil gadol’ translated, ‘very very great mighty’. Chayil can mean mighty or growing mightily and ‘chayil’ can also mean anguish. We know that through pain the Lord can bring about something mighty as He is now doing. We are witnessing the Ruach of God entering the hearts of His people and they are beginning to stand!
Further Reading: Ezekiel 37:11-14, Hosea 5:15-6:6, Philippians 3:7-10, Psalm 110:1, Proverbs 30:4, Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8, Isaiah 57:15, John 10:10, Isaiah 64, Psalm 85
Monday, April 25, 2011
Two Great Bible Studies
Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
April 24, 2011
After the L-rd was raised from the dead, He gave two great and amazing Bible Studies to His talmidim recorded in Luke 24.
Luke 24:1-9, “but the next day, while it was still very early, they took the spices they had prepared, went to the tomb, 2 and found the stone rolled away from the tomb! 3 On entering, they discovered that the body of the Lord Yeshua was gone! They were 4 standing there, not knowing what to think about it, when suddenly two men in dazzlingly bright clothing stood next to them. 5 Terror-stricken, they bowed down with their faces to the ground. The two men said to them, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has been raised. Remember how he told you while he was still in the Galil, 7 `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be executed on a stake as a criminal, but on the third day be raised again'?" 8 Then they remembered his words; 9 and, returning from the tomb, they told everything to the Eleven and to all the rest.”
Notice the ‘two men’ reminded the women what they had already been told by Yeshua.
1 Peter 1:12-13, “For this reason, I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you already have. 13 And I consider it right to keep stirring you up with reminders, as long as I am in the tent of this body.”
The women were faced with skepticism when they returned to tell the others. The others thought the women were full of nonsense! They weren’t trusting yet.
Even Kefa, although skeptical, ran to the tomb to see for himself and came away wondering what happened.
Meanwhile, the L-rd Yeshua Himself joined two talmidim who were walking to Amma’us.
Luke 24:13-19a, ‘That same day, two of them were going toward a village about seven miles from Yerushalayim called Amma'us, 14 and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Yeshua himself came up and walked along with them, 16 but something kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you talking about with each other as you walk along?" They stopped short, their faces downcast; 18 and one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only person staying in Yerushalayim that doesn't know the things that have been going on there the last few days?" "What things?" he asked them.’
Do you think the L-rd was being intentionally deceptive by asking, “What things?” or was He probing them in order to get them to articulate for themselves the events over the past few days as well as verbally process their thoughts?
He also did not reveal Himself. Is this deceptive or was He allowing them the freedom to speak their thoughts and express their desire for His appearing?
Even with us, He will probe our hearts and minds and make it seem as though He isn’t near when in fact He is working in His way to draw our thoughts out of us and help us see things for ourselves.
Luke 24: 19b-25, ‘They said to him, "The things about Yeshua from Natzeret. He was a prophet and proved it by the things he did and said before God and all the people. 20 Our head cohanim and our leaders handed him over, so that he could be sentenced to death and executed on a stake as a criminal. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra'el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened; 22 and this morning, some of the women astounded us. They were at the tomb early 23 and couldn't find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he's alive! 24 Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they didn't see him."
At this point the L-rd had enough of their unbelief! And then something marvelous happened. He began to open the Scriptures to them!
Luke 24:25-27, ‘He said to them, "Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn't the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?" 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.’
Even at this point they didn’t know if was Yeshua Himself speaking to them.
What verses might He have expounded with them? Perhaps Psalm 118:22-23 from the Hallel about the rejection of the Chief Cornerstone, or Isaiah 9:6 that a child would be born, or Proverbs 30:4 concerning G-d’s Son whom we would surely know, or Psalm 22 written by David describing His crucifixion, or Daniel 9:6 that we had not listened to the prophets, or Psalm 2:7 that ADONAI has a Son and wouldn’t He have expounded the great Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 12:10? Might He also included Hosea 5:15 that He would return to Heaven’s Throne and wait until they admit their guilt and seek Him?
Aren’t our own hearts burning now to have been there with them that day to walk with the L-rd and hear Him speak?
Yet as they approached their destination, Yeshua acted as though He were to continue on without them. Was He disinterested or was did He want them to pursue His staying with them and to demonstrate they wanted to learn more?
Luke 24:28-32, ‘They approached the village where they were going. He made as if he were going on farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, "Stay with us, for it's almost evening, and it's getting dark." So he went in to stay with them. 30 As he was reclining with them at the table, he took the matzah, made the b'rakhah, broke it and handed it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But he became invisible to them. 32 They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn inside us as he spoke to us on the road, opening up the Tanakh to us?"
The entire time they were together that day, Yeshua’s identity remained hidden until He took the matzah and made the b’rakhah! At that point He was completely recognizable to them; they knew it was Him!
They immediately acted!
Luke 24:33-35, ‘They got up at once, returned to Yerushalayim and found the Eleven gathered together with their friends, 34 saying, "It's true! The Lord has risen! Shim`on saw him!" 35 Then the two told what had happened on the road and how he had become known to them in the breaking of the matzah.’
And much to their surprise, Yeshua appeared again!
Luke 24, ‘They were still talking about it when -- there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, "Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet -- it is I, myself! Touch me and see -- a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see I do." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.’
After asking for some food, He began the second portion of His Bible study!
Luke 24:44-47, ‘Yeshua said to them, "This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, "Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim.’
It is at this point Yeshua ended the Bible Study with what is known as the Great Commission emphasizing that in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed into all people beginning with Jerusalem. The Greek in this passage interestingly also means that this Commission would be ‘ruled’ from Jerusalem. Remember Romans 1:16, to share the truth about repentance and forgiveness of sin in Yeshua the Jewish Messiah to the Jew first and to the nations; to both without the exclusion of either!
Sermon Notes: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
April 24, 2011
After the L-rd was raised from the dead, He gave two great and amazing Bible Studies to His talmidim recorded in Luke 24.
Luke 24:1-9, “but the next day, while it was still very early, they took the spices they had prepared, went to the tomb, 2 and found the stone rolled away from the tomb! 3 On entering, they discovered that the body of the Lord Yeshua was gone! They were 4 standing there, not knowing what to think about it, when suddenly two men in dazzlingly bright clothing stood next to them. 5 Terror-stricken, they bowed down with their faces to the ground. The two men said to them, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has been raised. Remember how he told you while he was still in the Galil, 7 `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be executed on a stake as a criminal, but on the third day be raised again'?" 8 Then they remembered his words; 9 and, returning from the tomb, they told everything to the Eleven and to all the rest.”
Notice the ‘two men’ reminded the women what they had already been told by Yeshua.
1 Peter 1:12-13, “For this reason, I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you already have. 13 And I consider it right to keep stirring you up with reminders, as long as I am in the tent of this body.”
The women were faced with skepticism when they returned to tell the others. The others thought the women were full of nonsense! They weren’t trusting yet.
Even Kefa, although skeptical, ran to the tomb to see for himself and came away wondering what happened.
Meanwhile, the L-rd Yeshua Himself joined two talmidim who were walking to Amma’us.
Luke 24:13-19a, ‘That same day, two of them were going toward a village about seven miles from Yerushalayim called Amma'us, 14 and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Yeshua himself came up and walked along with them, 16 but something kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, "What are you talking about with each other as you walk along?" They stopped short, their faces downcast; 18 and one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only person staying in Yerushalayim that doesn't know the things that have been going on there the last few days?" "What things?" he asked them.’
Do you think the L-rd was being intentionally deceptive by asking, “What things?” or was He probing them in order to get them to articulate for themselves the events over the past few days as well as verbally process their thoughts?
He also did not reveal Himself. Is this deceptive or was He allowing them the freedom to speak their thoughts and express their desire for His appearing?
Even with us, He will probe our hearts and minds and make it seem as though He isn’t near when in fact He is working in His way to draw our thoughts out of us and help us see things for ourselves.
Luke 24: 19b-25, ‘They said to him, "The things about Yeshua from Natzeret. He was a prophet and proved it by the things he did and said before God and all the people. 20 Our head cohanim and our leaders handed him over, so that he could be sentenced to death and executed on a stake as a criminal. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra'el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened; 22 and this morning, some of the women astounded us. They were at the tomb early 23 and couldn't find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he's alive! 24 Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they didn't see him."
At this point the L-rd had enough of their unbelief! And then something marvelous happened. He began to open the Scriptures to them!
Luke 24:25-27, ‘He said to them, "Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn't the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?" 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.’
Even at this point they didn’t know if was Yeshua Himself speaking to them.
What verses might He have expounded with them? Perhaps Psalm 118:22-23 from the Hallel about the rejection of the Chief Cornerstone, or Isaiah 9:6 that a child would be born, or Proverbs 30:4 concerning G-d’s Son whom we would surely know, or Psalm 22 written by David describing His crucifixion, or Daniel 9:6 that we had not listened to the prophets, or Psalm 2:7 that ADONAI has a Son and wouldn’t He have expounded the great Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 12:10? Might He also included Hosea 5:15 that He would return to Heaven’s Throne and wait until they admit their guilt and seek Him?
Aren’t our own hearts burning now to have been there with them that day to walk with the L-rd and hear Him speak?
Yet as they approached their destination, Yeshua acted as though He were to continue on without them. Was He disinterested or was did He want them to pursue His staying with them and to demonstrate they wanted to learn more?
Luke 24:28-32, ‘They approached the village where they were going. He made as if he were going on farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, "Stay with us, for it's almost evening, and it's getting dark." So he went in to stay with them. 30 As he was reclining with them at the table, he took the matzah, made the b'rakhah, broke it and handed it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But he became invisible to them. 32 They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn inside us as he spoke to us on the road, opening up the Tanakh to us?"
The entire time they were together that day, Yeshua’s identity remained hidden until He took the matzah and made the b’rakhah! At that point He was completely recognizable to them; they knew it was Him!
They immediately acted!
Luke 24:33-35, ‘They got up at once, returned to Yerushalayim and found the Eleven gathered together with their friends, 34 saying, "It's true! The Lord has risen! Shim`on saw him!" 35 Then the two told what had happened on the road and how he had become known to them in the breaking of the matzah.’
And much to their surprise, Yeshua appeared again!
Luke 24, ‘They were still talking about it when -- there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, "Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet -- it is I, myself! Touch me and see -- a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see I do." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.’
After asking for some food, He began the second portion of His Bible study!
Luke 24:44-47, ‘Yeshua said to them, "This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, "Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim.’
It is at this point Yeshua ended the Bible Study with what is known as the Great Commission emphasizing that in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed into all people beginning with Jerusalem. The Greek in this passage interestingly also means that this Commission would be ‘ruled’ from Jerusalem. Remember Romans 1:16, to share the truth about repentance and forgiveness of sin in Yeshua the Jewish Messiah to the Jew first and to the nations; to both without the exclusion of either!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Wordfulness will keep us from Worldliness
Rabbi Ken Alpren
April 15, 2011
Sermon Notes by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Leviticus 18:1-5, “ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.”
Three times in this passage the L-rd says, ‘I am ADONAI’, emphasizing the point that His instruction was for the Israelites not to imitate the Goyim but to follow Him. Our ability to follow Him starts with Him and is not based upon us or our own ability. The passage also emphasizes the He is in our past and our future; where we used to live and where we are going.
As He brings us out of one place and leads us to another, there is no guarantee that life will be any easier! The truth is we are aliens here and are just passing through.
1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you”
Where is our primary citizenship?
Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”
He is telling us not to live in our past or even our futures here on Earth, but to live in Him! He is our G-d of the past and future and the only way to be set apart here is through Him and His Word.
Wherever He is leading us here, He is with us. Look closely at Leviticus 18:3, “You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws.”
The Hebrew meaning in this verse literally means that ‘where He is coming, you are coming with me’. He leads us where He has already been. The provision for the Israelites then was G-d Word as it is for us now.
The Word of G-d keeps us and cleanses us. Yeshua exemplified this principle in John 13 when He washed His Talmidim’s feet at Pesach.
When G-d brought the Israelites from Egypt to Kena’an, He brought them from one hostile environment to another. He was with them and wanted them to be set apart and to abstain from the immorality and idolatry of these cultures.
Deuteronomy 28 explicitly details blessings for obeying the Word of G-d and being set apart as well as cursings for complying with the world. We are to be trend-setters, not culture-copiers! We are to implement G-d’s ways and be different because we are already different!
1 Corinthians 5:7-8, “Get rid of the old hametz, so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed. 8 So let us celebrate the Seder not with leftover hametz, the hametz of wickedness and evil, but with the matzah of purity and truth.”
The truth is we are already different! We will be miserable if we try to be like those around us anyway.
We are already set apart and we are set apart by His Word! John 17:17, “Set them apart for holiness by means of the truth -- your word is truth.”
Be aware that worldliness is more than our focus and fascination with outward or materials things. Worldliness begins internally with our attitude and values. Do our attitudes and values come from our culture or from the Word of G-d? If from the Word, then our thoughts are pure and our actions will result from pure hearts and minds.
What we want and where we focus our attention are our modern idols. John warned us in 1 John 5:21 to keep ourselves from idols.
So how do we keep ourselves from idols and be full of G-d’s Word rather than full of the world?
G-d is my life. Rather than living in the past or future, I am to live in Him!
How?
Colossians 3:1-3, “So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.”
Know we are in Him but we also must do as He says and therefore, be more like Him.
When Yeshua prayed for His Talmidim in John 17, He also prayed for us to set apart; sanctified through the Word. His prayer was for us to remain in the world, not be of the world, to be kept from evil while we are here and to be on a Mission with Him to that others would believe and know who Messiah really is.
Further Reading: Leviticus 17:10-11, 14, Jeremiah 10:2-3a, Ephesians 5:1-8, Hebrews 11:13; 13:14, John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26, Isaiah 40:8, Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 2:20, Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:8-11, Ephesians 4:23, 1John 2:16, Matthew 13:22, Isaiah 8:11-14, Isaiah 8:18, Deuteronomy 17:14
April 15, 2011
Sermon Notes by: Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Leviticus 18:1-5, “ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.”
Three times in this passage the L-rd says, ‘I am ADONAI’, emphasizing the point that His instruction was for the Israelites not to imitate the Goyim but to follow Him. Our ability to follow Him starts with Him and is not based upon us or our own ability. The passage also emphasizes the He is in our past and our future; where we used to live and where we are going.
As He brings us out of one place and leads us to another, there is no guarantee that life will be any easier! The truth is we are aliens here and are just passing through.
1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you”
Where is our primary citizenship?
Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.”
He is telling us not to live in our past or even our futures here on Earth, but to live in Him! He is our G-d of the past and future and the only way to be set apart here is through Him and His Word.
Wherever He is leading us here, He is with us. Look closely at Leviticus 18:3, “You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws.”
The Hebrew meaning in this verse literally means that ‘where He is coming, you are coming with me’. He leads us where He has already been. The provision for the Israelites then was G-d Word as it is for us now.
The Word of G-d keeps us and cleanses us. Yeshua exemplified this principle in John 13 when He washed His Talmidim’s feet at Pesach.
When G-d brought the Israelites from Egypt to Kena’an, He brought them from one hostile environment to another. He was with them and wanted them to be set apart and to abstain from the immorality and idolatry of these cultures.
Deuteronomy 28 explicitly details blessings for obeying the Word of G-d and being set apart as well as cursings for complying with the world. We are to be trend-setters, not culture-copiers! We are to implement G-d’s ways and be different because we are already different!
1 Corinthians 5:7-8, “Get rid of the old hametz, so that you can be a new batch of dough, because in reality you are unleavened. For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed. 8 So let us celebrate the Seder not with leftover hametz, the hametz of wickedness and evil, but with the matzah of purity and truth.”
The truth is we are already different! We will be miserable if we try to be like those around us anyway.
We are already set apart and we are set apart by His Word! John 17:17, “Set them apart for holiness by means of the truth -- your word is truth.”
Be aware that worldliness is more than our focus and fascination with outward or materials things. Worldliness begins internally with our attitude and values. Do our attitudes and values come from our culture or from the Word of G-d? If from the Word, then our thoughts are pure and our actions will result from pure hearts and minds.
What we want and where we focus our attention are our modern idols. John warned us in 1 John 5:21 to keep ourselves from idols.
So how do we keep ourselves from idols and be full of G-d’s Word rather than full of the world?
G-d is my life. Rather than living in the past or future, I am to live in Him!
How?
Colossians 3:1-3, “So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.”
Know we are in Him but we also must do as He says and therefore, be more like Him.
When Yeshua prayed for His Talmidim in John 17, He also prayed for us to set apart; sanctified through the Word. His prayer was for us to remain in the world, not be of the world, to be kept from evil while we are here and to be on a Mission with Him to that others would believe and know who Messiah really is.
Further Reading: Leviticus 17:10-11, 14, Jeremiah 10:2-3a, Ephesians 5:1-8, Hebrews 11:13; 13:14, John 15:3, Ephesians 5:26, Isaiah 40:8, Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 2:20, Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:8-11, Ephesians 4:23, 1John 2:16, Matthew 13:22, Isaiah 8:11-14, Isaiah 8:18, Deuteronomy 17:14
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