Israels Greatest Rejection Awake to Israel

hebrews 13:10-14

Pondering Hebrews 13:10–14 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Yeshua also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. As we read through Hebrews, we note repetition. Each time the author repeats he adds new information to us, so here too he harks back to the sacrifice that Yeshua made (Hebrews 9:11-10:18), and adds a new thought. In Leviticus, the priest when a sin offering was made had to take the carcasses of the sacrifices outside of the camp. When the anointed priest unintentionally sinned and became aware of what he had done he had to bring a sin offering; that was to be burned outside the camp (Leviticus 4:11-12). Or if the congregation of Israel became aware of its sin the sin sacrifice had to be burned outside of the camp (Leviticus 4:21). Note in Hebrews it mentioned that the blood was brought in by the high priest, this means that the author is referring not to the general sin sacrifices of chapter 4 but once again goes back to the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) sacrifice where the carcass also had to be taken outside of the camp (Leviticus 16:27). Even though the sprinkling of the blood purified the worshipper, it seemed that the carcass of the same sacrifices defiled those in the ritual (see also Numbers 19). As such he who burned them was ritually defiled till he bathed and washed his clothes (Leviticus 16:28). And because this sacrifice represented sin, the priests could not eat any part of it. We, in contrast, serve at an altar from which we can eat (Hebrews 13:10). Yeshua is symbolised as the altar, we as the Believers in the atonement He made, have been granted the right to eat at His altar. In contrast to those who serve in the Temple; who refused the atonement Yeshua provided they have no right to eat of the new altar. The offering He provided was spoken of in John 6:47-58, where Yeshua tells the disciples He is the Bread of Life. An additional point the author makes in these verses, is “outside”, outside the camp (Leviticus 16:27) this is where the ash pit was and where the sacrifice was burned up (Mishnah Zevachim 5.2). And outside the gate, Yeshua was the sacrifice that was crucified outside the gate of the 1st century city walls of Jerusalem (John 19:7, this may well be outside of the Gennath gate Josephus Wars, 5.4.2, Edersheim Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah 2.1, paragraph 4). What was the author of Hebrews saying? First, those who continue to participate of the sacrificial system of the Temple could not share in the sacrifice of Yeshua. And second, while not even the high priest could eat of the sacrifice he made, we as believers in Yeshua have a superior offer, for we can and should eat of the spiritual food Yeshua provided for us. We can only participate when Yeshua is our Sanctifier, which He did through His own blood, not the blood of goats and bulls. Yeshua purified us and like the Day of Atonement sacrifice, Yeshua did this outside the gate. This then is where we meet our Purifier; as such we too must go outside the camp. We cannot remain inside sacrificial Temple Judaism, as religiously observant people, we are free to remain in our cultural Jewish world (Romans 14:1-12). Saying Hebrew prayers, or partaking in the Jewish holidays like Passover and Chanukah are all fine we have the principle of freedom.  Our faith though has to be Messiah-centric not based on Sacrificial or Rabbinical or Mystical Judaism. The Tanach (Older Testament) longed for the days of the Messiah and now that He has come; our faith whether expressed in Jewish or Gentile terms ought to be Yeshua centred. The author, instructs us to go outside to Him just as the Jewish leaders rejected Yeshua, so too we are called to go with Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach, simply put we are to identify with His rejection. For He was despised and rejected by men, bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows, (Isaiah 53) and “scorned by mankind and despised by the people” (Psalm 22:6). So too we will at times be insulted or badly treated for our faith in Messiah Yeshua, but when that happens we are bearing His reproach. This happened to the early disciples, and Peter warned us that it would happen: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Messiah’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Messiah, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14 Bearing His reproach is part of our suffering for Messiah, in return He will provide us with His glory revealed in us (Romans 8:16-18). In verse 14, the author recalls the words of Yeshua that Jerusalem would be turned upside-down and destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 19:41-44 and 21:20-24). As such he says we do not have a city that is here to stay, but we seek the eternal city (Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 11:10, 16, 12:22). Putting it in a nutshell, the commitment of every believer is to be to Yeshua, back then it meant the abandonment of Temple Judaism and the City of Jerusalem which was to be destroyed only a year or two later in 70 CE, today we must too make the point that our commitment is to Yeshua the Messiah and not to Rabbinic Judaism, and while like you, I love the Land of Israel and the city Jerusalem, I hope that we all with Abraham (Hebrews 11:8-10) long for the heavenly made city (Hebrews 11:16), the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-22:19). May we all identify with Yeshua and with Him bear the reproach, all the while looking to the Heavenly King who is coming soon. Shalom in Messiah Yeshua Paul © Map of Jerusalem by archaeological architect Dr. Leen Ritmeyer taken from the ESV Study Bible.

hebrews 13:20-21

Pondering Hebrews 13:20-21 20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Yeshua our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Messiah Yeshua, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. These awe-inspiring words form the benediction or the concluding statement. They form a summary of what the author of Hebrews prayed for the Messianic Jews. In this benediction he indicates seven key points that he had already raised in his letter: God of Shalom The phrase the God of peace is strangely almost absent from the rabbinical writings. The apostle Paul uses it several times (Romans 15:33; 16:20; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23), and it occurs once in the Tanach (Older Testament), in Judges 6:24 when Gideon built an altar to the LORD and called it ‘Adonai-Shalom’. Shalom is considered one of the names of Messiah (Isaiah 9:5-6), and indeed when He will come as King to Zion He will proclaim a world-wide shalom to the nations (Zechariah 9:10). Shalom is not just the absence of war, but brings with it rest and security. Shalom is found in the Aaronic benediction (Numbers 6), where God blesses us with His Shalom, and it is the blessing to the disciples after the resurrection of Messiah (John 20:19, 21, 26). In light of the later, the writer is saying that despite the troubles and hardship, if you are brought into Messiah through His blood, you have been justified by faith and will have His Shalom (Romans 5:1). Brought up Yeshua from the dead When God raised Messiah from the dead, His role as prophet came to an end and He became our sympathetic High Priest in Heaven (Hebrews 4:14-16). Messiah was the first-fruits of the first and permanent resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:23) and we, his followers, will be raised because He has been raised. As such, for believers in Yeshua, the second death (Revelation 21:8) holds no power over us at all. Yeshua is the power now of our future resurrection, according to His promise (John 11:25-26). God demonstrated that Yeshua is the Son of God (Romans 1:4) by His resurrection, and by his resurrection He becomes our justification (Romans 4:24-25), and guarantor of our future resurrection (2 Corinthians 4:14). Great Shepherd Despite the fact that we all like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25), it is His continual desire to be our Lord the Shepherd who leads us (Psalm 23). Yeshua calls Himself “the Good Shepherd” (John 10:1-18), even when we stray. His desire remains to gather us (Matthew 23:37).  He is also called the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) who wants to reward the faithful with crowns of glory that will never fade away and a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8), or the crown of life (James 1:12). The shepherd watches his flock even when they may be in tough times. David recalls this in Psalm 23 as the “valley of the shadow of death”. Yet in this psalm we see the shepherd is protected by His rod from the enemy (wolfs and bears). He brings corrections to the sheep with His staff. These are not huge sticks, as such He is near to us. This title, “the Great Shepherd,” would have been a comfort to the 1st century Jewish believers. With the up and coming destruction of Jerusalem and the troubles that flowed from that, they too needed to not fear evil. He was with them to bring comfort. Blood of the Eternal Covenant Twice before the author had mentioned the blood of the covenant (Hebrews 9:19-20, 10:22). This was based on Exodus 24:8, where Moses “took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, behold the blood of the covenant.” That was for the First Covenant (Hebrews 9:18), which was now fast becoming obsolete as it was growing old (Hebrews 8:13). This is in contrast to the New Covenant that was promised (Jeremiah 31:31-34). It was inaugurated at the last Passover Yeshua celebrated on earth (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24 & Luke 22:20) and it will find its fulfilment in the Kingdom to come (2 Samuel 23:5). In Ezekiel 37:24-26 we see some of these themes tied together. In verse 24 the LORD mentioned the One Shepherd,that is Messiah. Then in verse 26 “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever,” where Yeshua serves as our King and High Priest. He brought in the blood of the eternal covenant to the Holy of Holies in the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews chapters 8 & 9). Yeshua our Lord Yeshua as LORD was described in Hebrews 1:2-4, 3:6. Here He is OUR Lord, and therefore desires our obedience (Hebrews 5:9). In light of what He has done, bringing us to salvation (Titus 2:11) and what He will do, bringing us to glory (Hebrews 2:10), how much more should we be willing to serve Him. We should serve Him willingly and fervently. David said “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling”.  Fear here is יִרְאָה (yirah) reverence. I recommend the excellent teaching of Rabbi Dr. Baruch Korman on fear which is on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/CrXo9p-Xvx0 Equip you God, who made peace with us through the blood of the eternal covenant and the resurrection of Yeshua the Lord, does not want us to sit and warm seats. He wants us to serve Him and one another. The resurrection of Yeshua guarantees power for service (Ephesians 1:17-20). It is for the perfecting of the saints, so that in all things we can bring glory to the Lord. He equips US, not just leaders, but each of us. Together we can build up the body of Messiah (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and share the good news of Yeshua, the good and faithful shepherd. To whom be glory forever and ever, amen.  This closing benediction belongs to Yeshua the Messiah, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through whom all grace and good things come. The author had indicated that Messiah’s glory is God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3, see also James 2:1), and that when He became part of His creation He became lower than the angels, even though He is “crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:7-9). As such, we who understand who He is, ought to give Him the glory both now and forever more. By closing with the word “Amen” the writer is inviting the readers to respond and affirm all that he has said about Yeshua. As such, I hope that you too will add your Amen to it. Blessings in Yeshua the Great Shepherd Paul

Hebrew 11:21

Hebrews 11:21 “By faith Jacob…..” Jacob is much maligned in the church for being a deceiver, a cheat and dishonourable but God loves Jacob and here in Hebrews 11 he is listed as a hero in the faith. This is the man who bought the birthright (Genesis 25:29-34). Contrary to many sermons Jacob did not steal the blessing; he had bought it from Esau for a bowl of lentils and with the birthright came the Covenant promises and blessings (Genesis 27:28-29). In the Covenant to Abraham God promised three things (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15; 17): Fruitfulness, that is many children Ownership of the Promised Land Through him the world would be blessed This Covenant was passed to Isaac (Genesis 26:3) and now to Jacob. If I would give a reason why to include Jacob in the heroes of the faith I would have said: Jacob wanted the Covenant and God’s blessing (Genesis 25:29-34) God gave Jacob his prophetic dream (Genesis 28:10-22)  God blessed Jacob, even the unbelieving family recognised this (Genesis 30:30) God’s awesome promise that He will protect Jacob (Genesis 31:3) His wrestling match with God and Man (Genesis 32-33) God gave Jacob a new name, Israel (Genesis 35:10) But the writer of Hebrews does not pick any of these significant moments in Jacob’s life. Hebrews 11:21 states “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff*.” The author indicated two key actions and one is implied: blessed, worshiped and leaning. Jacob Blessed. The blessing of Joseph’s sons is written before the blessing Jacob gave to all his sons (Genesis 49). As Jacob blesses Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48:15-16), he used the Covenantal blessing, the promise God had given to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15; 17), Isaac (Genesis 26:3-4), and to Jacob (Genesis 28:3). This was part of the Covenantal blessing that is being passed on from generation to generation. Joseph, being the firstborn of Rachel, not only receives the Covenantal blessing but he also receives a double portion. In this case, the inheritance of the double portion will have to wait until they leave Egypt and become two tribes, for both Manasseh and Ephraim each received a portion in the Promised Land. This is the reason that Jacob proclaimed Manasseh and Ephraim as his own sons (Genesis 48:1-6). Jacob in a sense legally adopted Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own and so they are to inherit an equal share with Jacob’s other sons. Before this Joseph would have received one portion in the land, now his sons receive a double portion. There is a prophetic element in the blessing, Jacob, as the rightful owner of the Promised Land, crossed his arms ensuring that the blessing of the first-born did not go to Manasseh but to Ephraim (Genesis 48:12-20). And Ephraim became the largest tribe: sometimes the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel was called by that name (Isaiah 7; Jeremiah 31; Hosea 5). So Jacob foresaw that God would fulfil part of the Covenantal blessing in the two sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:1, 5, 16, 20). Jacob, being the owner of the Promised Land, and knowing from history that the time would come when God would bring the Jewish people out of Egypt back to the Land of Promise, he gave Joseph instructions to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah (Genesis 47:29-31; 50:12-14), where his parents and his grandparents had been buried. Their grave in the Promised Land still serves today as a testimony that Israel is the Promised Land, and that it was and still is the inheritance of the Jewish people. Jacob worshiped the Lord. As we read Genesis it may be hard to see where Jacob worshiped. So let me trace some of the life of Jacob, who is called the upright man (Genesis 25:27). Many translations will say “quiet man” or a “plain man”, but that is not what it means. It is Jacob who desired the Birthright and the Covenant that went with it (Genesis 25:31), and we note that Jacob anoints a pillar as an act of worship (Genesis 28:18) and vows to the Lord (Genesis 28:20-22). It is God in response who sent His angels to him as he was about to enter the Promised Land (Genesis 32:9). And when aware of the idols in his household he removed and hid them under the terebinth tree near Shechem (Genesis 35:4), showing his devotion to God. It is then that God bestows the new name ‘Israel” on him and God renews the covenant with him (Genesis 35:10-15). He sacrificed to the Lord when he came in and when he left the Promised Land (Genesis 31:54, 46:1), and once again God appears to him (Genesis 46:2-4). It should be clear that Jacob loved the Lord. Jacob leaned on his staff. This does not only indicate that Jacob was old, but also that he had stopped doing things his way. He no longer is able to rely on his own strength and cunning. It points towards Jacob wholly leaning, by faith, on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, trusting that He will fulfil all that He has promised. In Malachi 1 it says God hated Esau and loved Jacob. While Jacob did some questionable things, he came to lean wholly on Him. This did not happen with Esau who despised the covenant. Jacob leaning on his staff: I find it fascinating that Jacob, who had been a shepherd for much of his life, said: “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day” (Genesis 48:15). Literally, it reads “the God who shepherded me.” Jacob is now leaning on his staff, symbolically leaning on the Shepherd (Psalm 23). Yes, worshiping the God who will be called by his name, the God of Jacob. Summary: “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” What is the author of Hebrews saying: Jacob blessed others Jacob worshipped the Lord Jacob leaned on the top of the Shepherd’s staff, he leaned on God. Friends, is that not what we ought to do? We should bless others while we are worshiping and relying on the Lord! May Jacob, the man of faith, inspire us even today. I hope this  * Note that in Genesis 47:31 it says that “Israel bowed …. at the head of his bed” but in Hebrews 11:21 it said he was leaning on the top of his staff.  The word מטה if renderedמִּטָּֽה  (mittah) means bed if rendered מַטֶּה (matteh) signifies a staff; back in the 1st century before the common era the Hebrew speaking Jews read that Jacob was on the head of the bed, while the Greek-speaking Jews had a tradition that he was leaning on the top of his staff. This is reflected in the Septuagint, the Jewish Greek translation, and that tradition is followed here by the author of Hebrews. Blessings in Messiah Yeshua Paul

Hebrews 11:32

Pondering Hebrews 11:32 "Jephthah" Intro Everybody has heroes! Some have comic book heroes like Batman or Superman. Some have sports heroes like Don Bradman or Margaret Court. Others have political heroes like David Ben Gurion or Martin Luther King.  In the New Testament times, someone wrote a list of his heroes, the Heroes of the Faith. As we read through this chapter, we see some familiar figures from the Tanach, but we also see some odd fellows on the list. There is Abraham and Moses, who get their fair share of verses, but David is only mentioned in passing. Even Rahab, the harlot, gets more space, hmm. I wonder if the list of heroes of the faith had been compiled by you and me, who we would put in and also, what we would say about them? In light of that, I have selected one odd fellow, Jephthah, and will look closely at the background in Judges. Over the next few months, we will do some online sermons on this book, located on our YouTube channel https://tinyurl.com/BC-Video.   So who is Jephthah and why is he in this list of the heroes of the faith? Hebrews 11:32–33 (NASB) 32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, Jephthah, who by faith performed acts of righteousness. Jephthah was one of the judges in the Old Testament period of the Judges (Judges 11-12).  During this period of time, we see the nation of Israel in moral decline, though there is a Godly remnant, for at that time we also have Boaz and Ruth. Judges 11:1–3 (PC translation) 1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead was the father of Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and needy men gathered themselves about Jephthah, and they went out with him. Here was a man who was denied his inheritance and had to flee from his family. He settles not far from Gilead (see map at the end), in the Land of Tob. Most translations will say that vain men gathered around him, but the word vain can also mean empty. These men are more likely to have been like him in that they were also poor and without property. There was a war with one of the neighboring nations, Ammon. Judges 11:29a (NASB) 29 Now the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. So Jephthah, who is one of the judges, takes on the battle. Judges 11:30–31 (NASB) 30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” The Lord was upon him, and the Lord knew the vow Jephthah would make, that what or whom so ever comes from his home would become an עוֹלָֽה (olah) a burnt offering. If an animal had come out, let’s say a dog or a cat, it could not have been offered. Only a kosher/clean animal could have become a burnt offering. A dog might have been substituted for a sheep, but they could not have been offered to the Lord. Jephthah is a faithful man. He is called a mighty warrior. The Hebrew phrase גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל (gibor cha’yil) (verse 1) is also used of Boaz (Ruth 2:1) and David (1 Samuel 16:18). He made a vow “before the LORD” (verse 11), and before going into battle he reminded the pagan king of Ammon (verses 14-26) that the LORD had promised and fulfilled His promise to Israel regarding the Land. So we must remember that when he made the vow he is a believer, a member of the faithful remnant, like Boaz. Judges 11:34-36 (NASB) 34 When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.” 36 So she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the Lord; do to me as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” And so when Jephthah comes home, his daughter comes out. He informs her of the vow, and she says ok do to me as you have promised the LORD. Based on this some have thought that she became a willing sacrifice and was killed. A number of sermons claim that he did sacrifice his daughter. But child sacrifice was not practiced in Israel until the time of bad king Ahab (c. 871–852 BCE), and the even worse king, Manasseh (c. 687–643 BCE), who both worshiped other gods. There is however no evidence that this was practiced during the time of Israel of the Judges (c. 1375 - 1075 BCE). Human sacrifice was prohibited in the Torah (the Mosaic Law) (Leviticus 18:21, 20:2‐5 & Deuteronomy 12:31 & 18:10). Child sacrifice was the practice of the Ammonites who seemed to have worshiped Chemosh, the god of Moab, as well as their own god, Molech (sometimes called Milcom (1 Kings 11). Jephthah would have been familiar with their abominable practices of human sacrifice, but he also knew the Law of Moses, for when he negotiated with the Ammonites, he recalled the promises contained in God’s Word and he relied upon them. Judges 11:37–40 (NASB) 37 She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity. 39 At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she had no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel, 40 that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year. Here we have the daughter asking permission to delay the vow and mourn her virginity. What an example to us. In Psalm 15:4 God honours the person who so fears and reverences Him that he “swears to his own hurt and does not change.” His or her steadfast love for the Lord becomes clear. Don’t get me wrong. Can Holy Spirit-filled believers make foolish vows, yes! Should they fulfill their foolish vows, No! Would God have accepted a human sacrifice? The answer is NO! She mourns, not her death but her (perpetual) virginity, because she could never marry. Why could she not marry? She was to be given over to serve full‐time in the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:8 & 1 Samuel 2:22). In light of that, note verse 39 “and she had no relations with a man.” If she had died it may have mentioned that she was a virgin, but it goes further and says that she no sexual relations ever. She became a living sacrifice. Jephthah is mentioned another two times in Scripture. In 1 Samuel 12:11 Samuel, in his final speech, mentions Jephthah. He lists him among the leaders who, like himself, acted as God’s agents to deliver Israel from her enemies. And here in our passage, Hebrews 11:32, he is listed amongst the heroes of the faith. If he had committed the abominable sacrifice he would not have been commended by Samuel, nor been listed here. When we examine the time line, we note that Jephthah’s daughter was serving in the Tabernacle when Hannah brought Samuel. Being a faithful woman she may well have nurtured him and been a spiritual mother for him.   So why is Jephthah in the heroes of the faith? Our lives, like that Jephthah, may be small and insignificant; however, we can and should be encouraged by Jephthah’s life. In it we see the principle of Romans 8:28 “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” In the story the real hero is God Himself, He is magnified, His grace and His salvation. I am looking forwards to meeting these two heroes of the faith, Jephthah and his daughter, one day. Blessings in Messiah Yeshua Paul

pondering Hebrews 12:1-3

Pondering Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Yeshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. The witnesses Herod the Great built various theatres and amphitheatres throughout the land of Israel for entertainment, performances, and sports (Josephus Antiquities 15.8.1). In some of them Olympic styled games were held every five years, in honour of Caesar. In these arenas the spectators sat in rows of seats ascending from a central stage (refer the image above). The author of Hebrews now borrows the imagery of spectators and runners in a race. The author sees us being in a race and surrounding us are the spectators, “a great cloud of witnesses.” The witnesses are people who are watching the games in front of them; their eyes and ears tell them what is happening, and they are talking about what they have seen and heard. The point of Hebrews is that these witnesses are not silent. “And by faith he (Abel) still speaks, even though he is dead” (11:4). All of the heroes of faith make up these witnesses and they still speak to us today, through the pages of Scripture. I do not think that they are in heaven to cheer us on, sitting on a balcony looking down. No, they are there as an example to us on how to live our life of faith. Neither do the saints in heaven make intercession for us, but their Biblical stories are given to us as an encouragement to keep running the race of faith. The hindrance “Let us lay aside every encumbrance…” What were they and what are we to lay aside? The Word encumbrance is the word ‘weight,’ so anything that weighs us down, anything and everything that will keep us from faithfully running the race. What are the things that can so easily weigh us down? The apostle John mentions three things 1 John 2:16-17 “16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” There are two stories in the Bible where we see all three clearly. The first story is with Eve and Adam in Genesis 3:6 “6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food [lust of the flesh], and that it was a delight to the eyes [lust of the eyes], and that the tree was desirable to make one wise [the pride of life], she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” The second story is with Yeshua in Matthew 4:3-10. Here Satan came and tempted Yeshua to change stones into bread [lust of the flesh], to use His power to command angels [the pride of life] and finally to seek power (kingdom) and glory [the lust of the eyes]. Friends, we are and will all be tempted, so we ought to remember the Saints who have gone before us. Their lives are a witness to us and this is why we ought to pray for one another (James 5:16). The Sin which so easily entangles us There is one specific sin that the author keeps addressing. This is the sin of apostasy; the sin of going back into Temple Judaism. Five times he has given a warning in Hebrews. Each one was a warning not to fall away from Yeshua, by going back to Temple (sacrificial) Judaism. Hebrews 2:1-4, Danger of neglecting salvation, by drifting away. Hebrews 3:7-4:13, Danger of wilful disobedience and so developing an evil heart of unbelief. Hebrews 5:11-6:20 Danger of failing to mature and remaining babes in Messiah and missing out on the spiritual blessings promised. Hebrews 10:26-31 Danger of wilful sinning and going back to Temple (sacrificial) Judaism. Hebrews 12:25-29 Danger of being indifferent to the better sacrifice that Yeshua bought. The reason the author has been describing Yeshua in such great detail, and giving so much attention to the priesthood of Melchizedek, is in the hope that the Jewish believers would not drift away, but grow in maturity. Instead of remaining babes, he wants us to mature in the knowledge of Yeshua, who is “the greater than.” Yeshua, the author and perfecter of faith Fixing, not just glancing. We are encouraged to keep our eyes locked on Yeshua. Who started the faith in us and leads us as our captain. Having started the faith in us, He then goes on to perfect our faith. The word means completer, in that by His single sacrifice on the Cross, He completed what was lacking in us. But His ministry, for and to us, does not stop there. Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27), Yeshua is also making intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), so that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it (Philippians 1:6). Praise God. Yeshua who endured the cross, despising the shame Nobody would have regarded the cross as a joy, For the Joy set before Him… How could He see joy in such great suffering? He could by looking at the eternal perspective. Because He was the willing guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10-11), “the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many.” By His actions He brought many sons and daughters unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). He did this by taking the form of a bond-servant and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7-8). As such He endured the shame and humiliation. What seems like foolishness to us, enabled our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). As such we must speak about Messiah crucified, a stumbling block (Isaiah 28:16, 8:14, 1 Peter 2:8) to Jews and folly to Gentiles (1 Corinthians 1:23). But because He was the willing sacrifice, obedient to the Father, He now has been exalted to the right hand of the throne of God. As such we need to ponder Yeshua, who has endured hostility from me and you, yet was willing to endure such shame to bring us to into His kingdom and give us His righteousness. In light of what He has done, let us not grow weary or lose heart. Shalom in Messiah Paul

podering hebrews 12:16-17

Pondering Hebrews 12:16-17 In Hebrews 11 we met all the heroes of the faith. In chapter 12 verses 16-17 we meet the anti-hero of the faith, in the person of Esau. That there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Who is Esau? Esau עֵשָׂ֗ו (Hebrew meaning ‘hairy’) was the firstborn son of Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah who had been barren for many years became pregnant with twins and from their time together in the womb they have been in conflict with each other. Even their descendants remained in conflict with each other (Obadiah 1). Even before Esau was born a prophecy was made that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). Esau grew up as a skilled hunter like Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-9). There is a negative description of Nimrod in Jewish tradition (Targum Jonathan) “began to be mighty in sin, and to rebel before the Lord in the earth.” Jacob, in contrast, stayed home to look after the family (Genesis 25:27). This is a summary statement of the life of Esau and Jacob before Jacob fled to Laban. One day Esau returned from hunting and he was very hungry. As the firstborn, he could have gone to any tent and ask for food. But he happened to go to Jacob, who asked for the Birthright as the firstborn in exchange for a bowl of lentils. Esau despised the birthright, along with all the privileges and covenantal blessing (Genesis 25:29-34) and sold the birthright to Jacob. Basic Time Line * We do not know when Jacob bought the birthright from Esau. Personally, I suspect it was after Esau married the foreign wives, but it could have been before that.  At the age of forty Esau took two wives from the local Hittite people, Basemath and Judith, and they were a source of grief to his parents (Genesis 26:34-35). When Isaac was getting old he became near blind, and despite the prophecy about the sons (Genesis 25:23) and the sale of the birthright, he asked Esau, his favourite son, to prepare a meal, after which he would bestow the Covenantal blessing. Overhearing this promise Rebekah persuaded Jacob to deceive Isaac, and obtain the blessing. Isaac bestowed the blessing on Jacob, which included the land and it meant that Jacob would be the head of the family. While Esau had not cared for it, he now realised his mistake and asked for a blessing (Genesis 27:34). He also married Mahalath, a daughter of his uncle Ishmael (Genesis 28:9), perhaps as an appeasement to his parents who hated his Hittite wives. (Jacob flees to his uncle Laban (Genesis 28:1-5) and stays there for 14 years.) It is during that time that Esau extends the family again by marrying Adah (Hittite) and Oholibamah (Hivite) and finally he marries Basemath (Ishmaelite) (Genesis 36:2-6). Esau and the family move to Seir, south-east of the Dead Sea in modern Jordan and moved outside the Promised Land, recognising Jacob’s right to the land. Wives of Esau Esau, in sharp contrast to his father, had six wives. Some commentators try to make it three wives by claiming each had two names (Rashi), others claim four wives (Ibn Ezra & Rashbam), while others make it five (Nahmanides). Finally, some claimed he had six wives (R. Abraham Maimuni the son of Maimonides).[For more details on the rabbinical interpretation see Reuven Klein’s article “The Wives Of Esau” in the Jewish Bible Quarterly Vol. 42, No. 4, 2014 (211-220).] How many wives did Esau take? They are mentioned in Genesis 26, 28 and 36. Basemath a daughter of Elon the Hittite Genesis 26:34. Judith a daughter of Beeri the Hittite Genesis 26:34. Mahalath a daughter of Ishmael Genesis 28:8-9. Adah a daughter of Elon the Hittite, Genesis 36:2-6. Oholibamah a daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite Genesis 36:2-6. Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth Genesis 36:2-6.  A plain reading indicates six wives, including two sisters. The point of the genealogy of Genesis 36 is not to indicate new names, but to indicate that through these additional wives Esau established the nation of Edom. Immoral Note that Hebrews 12:16 describes Esau as immoral. The literal meaning is fornicator; it would indicate that besides the six wives Esau was in the habit of having sex with others. Again note the contrast, Esau’s father Isaac only had one wife, his mother Rebekah. Esau had six wives and still, that was not enough. Repentance versus Regret Esau realized that he had not only sold the birthright but also the blessing that went along with it. Now he sought to get the “blessing” back with tears, but these were not tears of repentance. There is no biblical verse that indicates that Esau repented of his godless attitude or of his disregard for the birthright. Therefore this is not true repentance, but remorse for the loss of what might have been a physical blessing to him. As such, even with tears, he was saying that he wanted the inheritance, but he was not willing to acknowledge the wrong he had done. It might be better to say Esau regretted the decision to sell the birthright but not to the point of repentance. Warren Wiersbe in his Bible Commentary Vol 1 on Genesis 27-28 (page 102) writes this: “Esau’s tears were not tears of repentance for being an ungodly man; they were tears of regret because he had lost the covenant blessing. Esau wanted the blessing but he didn’t want to be the kind of man whom God could bless!” Friends may we seek God and be like the Heroes of the Faith, and strive to be the people that God wants to bless. Shalom in Messiah Paul