Divine Purpose - Part 1

February 28, 2016

Divine Purpose

Video Teaching

Study Notes and Slides

Introduction: In our former teaching we have seen how through NechemYAH Yerushalayim was rebuilt and the people restored so they would once again bring forth his Torah and live according to his design. We saw how Yerushalayim was a picture of the believer who needs rebuilding through the work of the Holy Spirit. Though to live according to his Covenant is absolutely vital it still does not totally complete YAHWEH’s purpose that goes beyond returning to him for Yisrael which was the reason for the restoration of Yisrael. The re-establishment of Yisrael however made it possible for Yerushalayim to be the centre of the religious life for all Yisrael but more importantly it also made it possible for Yahshua to be born into a place where worship of Yahweh’s & obedience to his Torah would be well established:

Setting the Stage:

To begin to understand how Yahweh was working we need to go back to Mitsrayim (Egypt) where the Yisraelites were slaves and through Mosheh (Moses) the servant of YHWH they were set free from that slavery. The plagues of Mitsrayim were more than just a means to apply pressure on Pharaoh to let the children of Yisrael go but rather as the Mitsrites (The Egyptians) had many Elohim (Gods) the plagues were a confrontation to demonstrate who is the true Elohim of the Heavens & the Earth therefore after this great confrontation we see many Mitsrites (Egyptians) accompanying the Yisraelites when they leave their captivity to follow Mosheh (Moses).

The Plagues of Mitsrayim (Egypt) therefore brought a revelation to all, that YAHWEH was above and greater than all the false Elohim of Mitsrayim. This was to establish all Yisrael as a people set apart for YAHWEH to serve him:

Slide 2

We can see from these verses that Yisrael as a whole was to be a witness to the nations of the greatness of Yahweh there Elohim. If the people would only guard his covenant they would be highly blessed and Yahweh would be highly esteemed throughout the Nations but we also know that Yisrael were prone to failure and easily seduced to waver in their opinion and Yahweh was constantly reminding them of their obligation & calling them to Teshuvah (to return) through the various Prophets:

When Yahshua began his Ministry and came to his home town Netsareth a confrontation with his people arose and he chastises them with an unusual quote:

Slide 3

The question arises from these verses that the thought that a Prophet would be used to bring blessing to the Goyim (Gentiles)over one of their own so infuriated them that they were filled with wrath but why was this. They believed that they were the set-apart Nation lifted above all others but they had misunderstood their calling, so to endeavour to understand Yahweh’s purpose through Yisrael we will look at the story of Na’aman the Leper to see what happens when Yisrael or us for that matter fails to fulfil the purpose of Yahweh which finds its conclusion as revealed in the following:

YeshiYAHU (Isaiah)11:9b for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of YAHWEH
as the waters cover the sea.

This is therefore the true calling for all faithful Yisraelites, to fill the Earth with the knowledge of YAHWEH the only true Elohim. If we look to Yisrael we find that rather than being a nation dedicated to spreading the knowledge of YAHWEH they rather isolated themselves or even worse rather than influencing those around them with the Torah of righteousness that came direct from the hand of YAHWEH they were influenced by those Nations surrounding them. One thing we know is that YAHWEH has never ceased being committed to the lost sheep of the house of Yisrael.

When we read the book of Yonah (Jonah) we often wonder why Yonah would be sent to the wicked city of Nineveh to preach and his reaction to the call was a typical response that Yahudim would make but what he did not understand was that this call was also to the lost sheep of the house of Yisrael though the other Nations would be blessed by him as well. To understand this you only need to go to the book of Tobit which is part of the Appocrypha which states as follows:

Slide 4

We know that YAHWEH in no way is obligated to the Nations since he only has a Covenant with Yisrael but out of his great mercy & compassion allows the Nations to be grafted into Yisrael through faith.

With this Mindset we are now going to look at the story of Na’aman the Aramean (Syrian).

Understanding the Story of Naaman:

Based on the failure of Yisrael to bring the knowledge of Yahweh before the Nations we find Yahweh doing a new thing among the Nations. There are a number of points that we can establish to see the wonderful workings of YAHWEH in this text:

Yahweh’s involvement with unbelievers:

Amazingly before any of us came to the faith YAHWEH Elohim of all creation was already working on our case because none would or could come to him without him but we need to look not just at the small picture but at the larger picture as well.

Slide 5

When we read this we often just focus on the fact that he had Leprosy and came for healing but more importantly I want us to see that YHWH through Naaman was doing a great thing.

We read that this man was commander of the Army. He was a great man that had won many victories. What however is strange is that these victories were given him by YHWH Elohim of Yisrael (the Lord.)

Indeed one of these victories is found to be a Prophetic fulfilment of the words of Eliyahu (Elijah) to Ahab the evil king in which a stray arrow kills Ahab. In a sense he was a servant of YAHWEH though he had no knowledge or belief in YAHWEH.

Question: Why would YHWH Elohim of Yisrael (the Lord) give Syria all these victories through a man who neither knew YHWH the Elohim of Yisrael (the Lord) nor worshipped him? Also why would YHWH (the Lord) give victories to a known enemy of Yisrael? From this small statement we begin to see a broader picture like that of a Divine jigsaw puzzle for when seen as a small individual piece it may be very difficult to see the grander picture. This brings us back to the promise to Abram where YHWH said in:

Slide 6

In truth YHWH had never neglected his plan to bring his name to the Nations of the World but when Yisrael failed to be the light in the darkness, the carrier of his message to the World he then worked through other means. Today he is using us the called ones to bring the Besorah (Good News) Message of returning to the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac (Yitschak) & Jacob (Ya’acov) through Yahshua but when we forget to go to people with that message he is able to bring people to us.

We see that clearly expressed in the Book of Acts. It was about 7 years after the Resurrection of Yahshua but Kepha (Peter) and the disciples had completely failed to bring the saving message to the Gentiles. Through Cornelius YHWH was calling Kepha (Peter) to go to the Gentiles even though at that time the thought in Yisrael was as stated in:

Slide 7

Through the Rabbinic Laws the Yahudim had distanced themselves from all people thereby making there call void so Elohim through a gentile was bringing the call to the Nations to the called ones through Kepha (Peter) which was a mighty challenge even for him as we read in:

Slide 8

In the Story of Na’aman however we see Elohim working mightily to make him a highly respected man in his Nation but Elohim also used his Leprosy to produce within him a great need that would need Divine aid that none of his victories or his position of honour could solve.

Bad things happen for a Reason

Slide 9

Now we find a young girl who had been taken captive on a raid from the land of Yisrael. Just think, this girl had been brutally taken from her beloved family, removed from all she loved, separated from her beloved land and the place where the Temple of YHWH was only to work as a slave to an enemy of her people. Surely if you were in her situation you might harbour thoughts of malice & hate. What we see here is the opposite. This slave girl saw an opportunity given to her to demonstrate that her Elohim would work a mighty miracle through the Prophet. When we face some difficult times when our lives are thrown into total Chaos will we see our trouble as YHWH our Elohim working to use us to bring his name to those who do not yet know him. The challenge for us is to see like this slave girl that YHWH our Elohim is at work in all our troubles to spread his name & he is giving us the joy of being part of his Divine plan. This girl had no doubt that if her Master went to the Prophet then he would be totally healed. Have we got this sort of faith that believes that despite our situation something much bigger is at stake and do we place the knowledge of Elohim above our troubles to bring him Honour. If we do we will look for opportunities to present our Elohim who will not fail to demonstrate he is still the same today as he was yesterday!

The Wrong Response

Slide 10

When the King received the letter from the King of Aram all he could see was failure & impossibility. It is often how YHWH works in our lives too! We are faced with financial bankruptcy or a bad health report but these come to us not to defeat us but to challenge us to believe in the Elohim we serve and to cause us to step out of the shadows and into his light taking hold of his word & trusting that he is able. This King could not see that this was his greatest opportunity to display the Elohim that he ruled under & he fell into fear the same trap that many believers fall into instead of remembering:

Proverbs 4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

Have you faced an insurmountable difficulty that makes your sense world collapse in fear? This King thought this was a trap that would see him lose his Kingdom & his life. He thought his enemy who had through Naaman won many battles now wanted to destroy him. His faith world was that small and his confession was so negative that it brought him to the place of overwhelming grief.

What happens where there is a man of Faith

YAHWEH was not fazed by the unbelief of the King because he had a man of faith in Israel who did not hesitate to believe that his Elohim was able.

Slide 11

What great faith Elisha had! He believed that the opportunity to show the power of YAHWEH rested with him. He knew the Elohim of Israel & he was willing to act on that faith. If the people of YAHWEH today would have that kind of confidence in Him what amazing miracles would we see? When you hear that someone has a debilitating disease would you say as Elisha did: tell the man who has need of a healing to come to me & then he will know that YAHWEH lives & that I am his.

Do we really believe that the Word is truth when it tells us that these signs will follow those who believe as we read in the following:

Slide 12

Though the Kings confession was “am I Elohim” he did not for one second think that this was an opportunity given him by Elohim but apart from that he had totally forgotten or totally neglected that Elisha was a Prophet anointed by YAHWEH. So often even leaders forget not only that YAH is able but also that YAH through the RUACH Ha Qodesh (the Holy Spirit) gives gifts to the Body of Machiach (Christ). Some with this gift and some with that gift because the Body is not a one man show, that the Honour & Esteem would go to YAHWEH. This King made that mistake! He could not believe that the Elohim of Yisrael had totally orchestrated the whole event that his name would resound even among Israel’s enemies. This king thought that if he could not solve the problem then no one could. Unfortunately many leaders think just like this King. They think that if I have not seen such a miracle then it simply will not happen instead of allowing the RUACH Ha Qodesh (The Holy Spirit) to move through anyone in the Assembly. Fortunately at the beckoning of Elisha the King responded & sent Na’maan to Elisha.

Slide 13

Conclusion

As vital as building Character & understanding Torah is in our life the result of our love for YAHWEH & Yahshua must be that it stirs up our desire to fill the Earth with the Knowledge of YAHWEH. Our call is both an inward & outward call since in the process of bringing truth to the World we are fulfilling the call of YAHWEH which is to sift out of the Nations the lost children of Yisrael who have been scattered through the Nations.

There is an interesting fact that it was the Netzarim (the Nazarenes) that brought the good news to the world in the 1st Century but the concept of Divine Providence tells us that everything stems from the hand of the Creator so is it possible that Elohim used Christianity as a temporary vehicle to bring the knowledge of Salvation in Yahshua or Jesus to the World but in these last days what began with the Nazarenes will also end with the faith of the Nazarenes. To non- Jews Christianity was a way to draw nearer to the creator so it became like a half-way house until the full truth is revealed so we know that our roll is ordained by YAHWEH and as was said to Esther “you were born for a time like this” to bring in the scattered Children of Yisrael & those whose heart YAHWEH touches, that they return to the Covenant as well as come to the faith in Yahshua Ha Machiach (The Messiah). Amein.

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Tefillah "The Role of the Hebrew Language in Prayer"

February 12, 2016

The Role of Hebrew Language in Prayer

This week I want to focus on the role of the Hebrew language in prayer.

The fourth century "church father" Epiphanius gives a detailed description of the early Netsarim in his seminal treaties on various heresies called Panarion (Greek: Πανάριον, "Medicine Chest"), to which 16th-century Latin translations gave the name Adversus Haereses (Latin: "Against Heresies") and he touches on more than several unique observances that characterise Netsarim from Christians (Slide).

But these sectarians... did not call themselves Christians—but "Nazarenes,"... However they are simply complete Jews. They use not only the New Testament but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do... They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion-- except for their belief in Messiah, if you please! For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead and the divine creation of all things, and declare that G-d is one, and that his son is Y'shua the Messiah. They are trained to a nicety in Hebrew. For among them the entire Law, the Prophets, and the...Writings... are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by the Jews. They are different from the Jews, and different from Christians, only in the following: They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Messiah; but since they are still fettered by the Law—circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest-- they are not in accord with Christians.... they are nothing but Jews.... (Epiphanius; Panarion 29)

Note that in this extract he points out that these sectarians as he called them were trained to a nicety in Hebrew. This is interesting, because many of those embracing the faith where either Jews of which Hebrew was not their first language and many who were complete foreigners embracing both the Covenant and the Testimony of King Messiah Yahshua according to Isaiah 8:20.

“To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. (Isaiah 8:20)”

Apart from a range of other interesting facts we see from this extract that Hebrew was taught and learned by early Netsarim who were not familiar with the language of the TaNaK.

(Slide) The Talmud states that it is permissible to pray in any language that you can understand; however, traditional Judaism has always stressed the importance of praying in Hebrew. A traditional Chasidic story speaks glowingly of the prayer of an uneducated Jew who wanted to pray but did not speak Hebrew. The man began to recite the only Hebrew he knew: the aleph bet. He recited it over and over again, until a rabbi asked what he was doing. The man told the rabbi, "The Holy One, Blessed is He, knows what is in my heart. I will give Him the letters, and He can put the words together."

(Slide) Today, more and more liberal movements are increasingly recognizing the value of Hebrew prayer. Many years ago, you would never have heard a word of Hebrew in a Reform synagogue. Today, the standard Reform prayer book contains many standard prayers in Hebrew, generally followed by an English translation.

There are many good reasons for praying in Hebrew: It provides a unique link to Jews and other Netsarim all over the world, because it is the language in which the covenant with Elohim was formed and it expresses our desire not to change that which Yahweh has set in motion.

An individual expresses himself most proficiently in his own native tongue and it is therefore considered perfectly legitimate in Judaism to pray in one’s own language insofar as prayer is an act of individual connection and communication with Elohim. The use of Hebrew in prayer moves this act beyond just an INDIVIDUAL connection.

(Slide) A Jew or Netsari when praying is supposed to be taking part in the prayers of the entire people of Israel. So, as we looked at last week, a Torah observant individual prays three times a day, using the same words in the same language, becoming unified in the global chorus of continual prayer that moves across the whole globe. Usually after the Amidah or Netsarim Amidah, personal prayers are entered into and put in the individual’s own language.

On a Kabbalistic level, it is good to pray in Hebrew because Hebrew words are infused with spiritual power, stemming from the idea that Yahweh created the universe by speaking ('Let there be light', etc.)--in Hebrew.

Two of the most important reasons to learn to pray in Hebrew is that it joins and attunes a person to the chorus of bodily prayer, not only as it happens around the globe, but in the heavenly realms as well. And secondly it is the language of creation and of a purely Torah centred mindset.

Any language other than Hebrew is laden down with the connotations of that language's culture and religion. When you translate a Hebrew word, you lose subtle shadings of Jewish ideas and add ideas that are foreign to the Torah. Only in Hebrew can the pure essence of Torah thought be preserved and properly understood.

(Slide) For example, the English word "commandment" connotes an order imposed upon us by a stern and punishing Elohim, while the Hebrew word mitzvah, meaning ‘love deed’ implies an honour and privilege given to us, a responsibility that we undertook as part of the covenant we made with Yahweh, a good deed, a love deed that we are eager to perform.

The English word most commonly used to describe the Hebrew word mitzvah is ‘commandment,’ however this translation suggests a stern punishing, almost militant Elohim. A ‘command’ is a military term.

The feminine noun mitzvah (מִצְוָה) occurs over 180 times in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible. The first use is in Genesis 26:5 where Yahweh says to Avraham "obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments (מִצְוֹתַי mitzvotai), my statutes, and my laws".

The mitzvot are not commands, or rules and regulations, they are lovingly emplaced directives or landmarks that we look for to guide us.

Learning Lashon Kodesh

For many newly birthed Nazarenes Israelites the Hebrew language looms back at them from the page of their congregation’s Torah scroll like a daunting mystery. Many times I have looked at its fiery shaped letters in utter amazement at how so much meaning and detail can be drawn from such simple yet passionate strokes. Looking carefully at it, even without knowledge of its meaning, can be rewarding as one notices that each individual letter is crowned with its own kippah.

Believers shouldn’t be afraid to learn a bit of Hebrew. Excuses like, “It’s not a salvation issue” or “I’m too old” shatter on rocks for the mind of one who is insatiable for pursuing the original intent of the words of his heavenly Father. Developing an intense desire to do something can be implemented at any age. Last week we looked briefly, at Rabbi Akiva, a former gentile who became one of the most influential commentators on the Torah. Many Jews know the story of how he didn’t start studying Torah until he was forty years of age. How did he make such a huge leap at the age of 40?

(Slide) Akiva was tending flock in the hills of Judah. He became thirsty and went to his favourite brook in the hills to take a drink. As he was drawing the crystal clear water in his palm and putting it to his mouth, something caught his eye. He saw drops of water falling on a huge stone – drip, drop – and directly where the drops were falling there was a deep hole in the stone. Akiva was fascinated. He gazed at the drops and at the stone.

“What mighty power there is in a drop of water,” thought the shepherd. “Could my stony heart ever be softened up that way?”

“Hello, Akiva! What are you gazing at?” It was Rachel, his master’s daughter. She was wise and kind and fair.

“Look what the little drops of water did to the rock,” Akiva exclaimed. “Do you think there is hope for me? Suppose I began to study the Torah, little by little, drop by drop. Do you think my stony heart would soften up?”

“O yes! Akiva. If you persevere, if you keep it up as these drops of water.”

But I am forty years old! Is it not too late to start?”

“O no, Akiva. It is never too late. If you promise to learn our holy Torah, I know you will not be ignorant for long.”

The shepherd gazed at the drops of water for a long time, and then his mind was made up.

And this is how Akiva the shepherd became the great Rabbi Akiva, the greatest and wisest scholar and teacher of his day, who had 24 thousand pupils! He often told them that it was a drop of water that changed his life.

(Slide) A casual reading of Jeremiah 8:8 should be enough to motivate anyone to not take any English translation as a flawless rendering of the original script. The Torah and the entire TaNaK, including most of the ensuing prayers were written in Hebrew. As the saying goes, "there is no such thing as an accurate translation." Even the best translation cannot convey the entire intent of the original.

(Slide) "A translation of the biblical text is a translator's "interpretation" of the text. The translator's beliefs will often influence how the text will be translated and anyone using his translation is seeing it through his eyes rather than the original authors. Only by studying the original language of the Bible can one see the text in its original state." – Learn to Read Biblical Hebrew (Jeff A. Benner)

When one prays in Hebrew, he is assured that he is praying exactly as our prophets and sages intended it.

Approaching Hebrew

A believer who is foreign to the Hebrew language should try and view it as a unique and exquisite code or cipher that contains depths of profound meaning that will unlock a great treasure of understanding. No believer should view it as a redundant language of gobbledygook that is pointless to learn. Viewing Hebrew as a code should stir the heart of the inquisitive child within and spark the same interest as a child who tries feverishly to break the riddle on his secret Batman decoder ring.

(Slide) Here’s something you can do if you have a Strong’s Concordance and/or Internet access. As a new Torah Portion rolls round for the week find some time and have a look at the first couple of verses for that parashah. Note down a few major translators’ versions of the same verses and go back and look at each Hebrew word. You’ll soon find words within words that amplify meaning to the verse. Sometimes you’ll even see a direct link within one verse to another that is hidden in the translated English. Write the Hebrew words in sequence as you source them and compare them to a popular translation. Along the way you just might pick up a bit of Hebrew to boot whilst studying the week’s parashah at the same time. Keep a record of this as you study a few verses each week and when the next year roles round pick up where you left off with a couple more verses. Before long you’ll have translated quite a bit of the Scriptures yourself.