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03-27-2006, 2:49 AM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Va'era Parasha Thoughts, Studies, and Comments The goal of this section is to get everybody's studies, thoughts, and opinions on anything in the weeks parasha. This includes, word studies, thoughts on verses, history, related subjects, and anything that may help us to understand this Torah Portion. Even if it's just an observation on the smallest part, it can help others who may not have seen it that way. The goal is then as we visit the parasha (Torah Portion) each year we will create a collection of studies and thoughts on this portion and everyone will benefit by having a broader view of the portion. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

03-27-2006, 2:55 AM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Va'era Parasha 2005-6 Message Lovingneighbor The Way For Parasha Va'era By Lovingneighbor 1-28-2006 Shalom, This weeks parasha expands the story of Moshe and his main work he does with Pharoah to bring the children of Yisrael out of Egypt. This parasha is layed out in a particular manner it starts with an overview of the process and then goes into geneologies and ends in the examples made to pharoah and the children of Yisrael. In this study I want to highlight a portion of the text I believe to encompass the Way, or process I think the Father is going to take us on. We will examine how Ex 6:6 outlines this process and can be applied during passover in the 4 cups. Though there are multiple ways of understanding the 4 cups I will give my interpretation. Each person should of course study these things out for themselves. So lets begin with Ex 6:6-7 Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Yisrael, I am YHWH, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am YHWH your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Above is a 4 step process we are engaged in as part of Yisrael. The first step is be brought out. Lets look at this in the context of Moshe. His name means drawn out. He is the pivotal role in this phase of Yisrael's walk with God. This can be a long process starting with God calling to you. Will you listen if you will he will be faithful and bring you out of Egypt with mighty works and signs. Many of us have experienced this in our own stories of how God actually called us and brought us out of the world. The signs and wonders we experienced in our change are stories we will continue to share with our children and those around us. In this parasha we see this happening. it wasn't an all at once thing. Your would think that people would have just jumped at the comunication of God through Moshe. This was not the case entirely. Neither Pharoah, who is a model of Satan as the ruler of the world Eze 29:3 "Thus saith YHWH Elohim; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon",nor Yisrael made this an easy process. Pharoah didn't want to let them go, and they were so used to living under his rule, that it was a slow process for them. They rejected the realization of what Moshe was doing would cause Pharoah to come against them. We all have stories of this in our coming out of the world. This is likened to the blood on the doorposts. A salvation event when Yisrael, and any stranger willing to obey God belived in God and applied the blood of the lamb on their house, marking themselves as one of God's. They were saved from the angel of death as a result. and punishment given to those who would not join themselves to God. Second, is now that they came out of the world system"ruled by sin", YHWH had to get the World out of Yisrael. You can take Yisrael out of Egypt, but the hard part is taking Egypt out of Yisrael. This happens in the wilderness. The first step to this process is the giving of the commandments. like the lamp it needs to have 2 more things to produce light. It needs oil and fire. That is as prov. 6:23 says " For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:" Oil can be a model of the right spirit, and fire is a model of testing. So we see Israel gets the commandments(the lamp) and as we see in the wilderness their spirit towards it was tested. Many were consumed in the wilderness, but some were not consumed as the burning bush. This is the process I believe we are in now trying to rid Egypt(sin) out of us. This is known as the process of sanctification. If we will keep his commandments in spirit and truth(meaning by two witnesses)Deut 19:15" at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established." then they shal be redeemed. Third is them being redeemed. This meaning is one of being bought back into the family, ransomed. after all the testing and sanctification and lessons learned from coming out of Egypt and watching the punishment given to those not obeying God. Then the Wheat and tares scenario where they still needed to be weeded out of Yisrael. Then those who went through this process can be redeemed. the price paid was the sacrifice of the wicked for the righteous to show and train his children the difference of good and evil. He says he gave Egypt as a ransom for Israel. Isa 43:3 For I am YHWH thy God, the Holy One of Yisrael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Kush and Seva for thee. Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Isa 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; This answers the old question of why does God allow evil to exist.I believe it is to teach his children the difference of good and evil and why they should choose good. Fourth to Take You to Himself. This is the essential chosen people. He did not take all who came out of Egypt to himself to dwell in the promised land. As it says many are called FEW are chosen. This is the greatest step and one we should all desire. It represents entering into the kingdom. Dwelling with the Father, Holy Spirit, and Son. This is true Life, and true light. This is the goal. These 4 phases can be equated to the 4 cups of wine drank at Passover(Pesach). As reminders of Yisrael and ourselves. This is why some don't drink the 4th cup in anticipation of the coming kingdom. whatever your halacha, remember these things are reminders of what Has happened, what Is happening, and what Will happen to us and Israel. We will watch Yisrael go through thses 4 phases and I beleive the whole Bible is witness to this 4 phase process. Inspiring us to learn and understand our place in this book of life. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

09-18-2007, 12:05 AM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Va'era Parasha 2006-7 Listen and See Message Lovingneighbor Listen and See For Parasha Va'era By Lovingneighbor 1-20-2007 This weeks Parasha is in the book of Exodus also called Shemot, and is called Va'era which means 'And I appeared'. In this weeks parasha: YHWH tells Moshe the 4 part plan for Yisra'el YHWH sends Moshe to Pharaoh but Moshe said if Yisra'el won't listen why should Pharaoh The heads of the Children of Yisra'el YHWH told Moshe he shall be a Elohim to Pharaoh and Aharon shall be his prophet YHWH says Pharaoh shall not hearken to you and I will lay my hand upon Egypt Moshe and Aharon went ot Pharaoh and cast their rod and it became a serpent but He would not listen to them Pharaoh wouldn't let the people go so Moshe turned the river to blood but Pharaoh's men did also Moshe spread his rod over the river to bring forth frogs because Pharaoh wouldn't let them go Pharaoh's men also brought frogs but Pharaoh saaid he would let them go if Moshe took them away Pharaoh didn't let them go so Moshe brought forth lice from the dust Pharoah's men could not do the same yet Pharaoh wouldn't listen so Moshe brought forth swarms Pharaoh said he would let them go if Moshe removed the swarms but afterward he didn't let them go Moshe told Pharaoh because he wouldn't let them go YHWH's hand would come upon his beasts with pestilence Pharaoh didn't let them go so Moshe sprinkled ashes in the air and they brought forth boils on man and beast Moshe told Pharaoh because he wouldn't let them go YHWH would bring all His plagues on Pharaoh Moshe tells Pharaoh there will come a fierce hail and to bring in all his servants and animal Pharaoh repented and asked for Moshe to stop the hail and he did but he wouldn't let them go Haftarah - YHWH used Egypt to teach Yisra'el but will punish them In this weeks parasha we see the common theme of listening and seeing. The Hebrew word used here is Shema Spelled Shin. mem. ayin which in the ancient Hebrew is press ,the waters, to know. This paints and interesting picture in that the waters are like the people and they are later to be divided. Yisra'el seperated from Egypt, but the way a human ear works is also interesting. The vibration enters the ear and is focused in the ear canal to vibrate on the ear drum and that vibrates some small bones in our ear which affects the fluid in our inner ear which moves small hairs in our inner air that is transmitted into signals to the brain. This whole process is pressing the waters to know. It's moving the fluid to be interpreted by the brain. The problem with Yisra'el is they won't listen to Elohim so why would Pharoah. This speaks to one of the problems of Yisra'el among the nations they can't hear Elohim. This is like reading the torah. It's getting the information coming in. Once it enters in only then can you know it and translate it in your brain. If nothing is entering in you can't translate it. So listening starts with just receiving the word. Yisra'el wouldn't do this. An doing this first had to happen before Moshe could make Pharoah let them go. Pharoah wouldn't let Yisra'el go and It took alot of plagues before he would hear what was being said. Yisra'el is the same way in many respects. They went into the wilderness and will go through many plagues and tests before they will learn to hear Elohim. The funny thing is that it is said to Yisra'el that they have seen all these things, yet how many of them didn't hear the word. Hearing is about interpreting the vibration or movement of the spirit or wind, just like in the beginning the Spirit of Elohim vibrated upon the waters. What was this and was it speech. Was it vibration on the fluid of the earth. What was spoken? The other main sense is seeing and it is about interpreting light. The third is smell interpreting what is in the ruach or wind. The other taste interpreting physical things in your mouth. The head is full of sensory percievers and then the brain interprets it. The basic operation then is one of gathering information and interpreting and rightly dividing it. This is why many times studing the word of Elohim is likened to the senses like hearing or having eyes to see. So this means that we must make sure to put the word of Elohim in and also learn to correctly translate the meaning. This adds up to studying. People ignore Elohim until they need Him. See they are dull of hearing. His people and the world. But he difference in this story is he heard their cry and yet they didn't hear His cry for them to obey. Pharoah wouldn't listen until he had to. Yisra'el is just as bad. Over and over they wouldn't listen in the wilderness until people started dying r plagues came on them. Please Yisra'el shema. Don't make Elohim show you how to Shema by Him shemaing to your cry after your punished. If it isn't for His listening or shemaing we would stay in our punishment. Lets learn from Him how valuable listening is. If we would do it we wouldn't be begging Him to listen to our cries for help. Listening is the fundamental lesson in this parasha and one way or another you'll listen. Like the sound of the shofar exceedingly great getting louder and louder until you think your going to die. Finally you listen. Let's respond to His voice and study his word so we don't have to learn the hard way the value of listening. Shalom! A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

01-05-2008, 1:48 PM LovingNeighbor Joined on 02-10-2006 Washington Posts 397 Va'era Parasha 2007-8 Message Lovingneighbor If Yisra'el Won't Listen For Parasha Va'era By Lovingneighbor 1-5-2008 This weeks Parasha is in the book of Exodus also called Shemot, and is called Va'era which means 'And I appeared'. In this weeks parasha: - YHWH tells Moshe the 4 part plan for Yisra'el - YHWH sends Moshe to Par'oh but Moshe said if Yisra'el won't listen why should Par'oh - The heads of the Children of Yisra'el - YHWH told Moshe he shall be a Elohim to Par'oh and Aharon shall be his prophet - YHWH says Par'oh shall not hearken to you and I will lay my hand upon Egypt - Moshe and Aharon went ot Par'oh and cast their rod and it became a serpent but He would not listen to them - Par'oh wouldn't let the people go so Moshe turned the river to blood but Par'oh's men did also - Moshe spread his rod over the river to bring forth frogs because Par'oh wouldn't let them go - Par'oh's men also brought frogs but Par'oh saaid he would let them go if Moshe took them away - Par'oh didn't let them go so Moshe brought forth lice from the dust - Par'oh's men could not do the same yet Par'oh wouldn't listen so Moshe brought forth swarms - Par'oh said he would let them go if Moshe removed the swarms but afterward he didn't let them go - Moshe told Par'oh because he wouldn't let them go YHWH's hand would come upon his beasts with pestilence - Par'oh didn't let them go so Moshe sprinkled ashes in the air and they brought forth boils on man and beast - Moshe told Par'oh because he wouldn't let them go YHWH would bring all His plagues on Par'oh - Moshe tells Par'oh there will come a fierce hail and to bring in all his servants and animal - Par'oh repented and asked for Moshe to stop the hail and he did but he wouldn't let them go - Haftarah - YHWH used Egypt to teach Yisra'el but will punish them In this weeks parasha we hear a profound statement from Moshe. He first went to Yisra'el to tell them what YHWH wanted and then he is told to go to Par'oh and tell him and his response is profound. He says: Exo 6:12 And Moshe spoke before YHWH, saying, Behold, the children of Yisra'el will not Shema (hearken) ; how then shall Pharaoh shema (hearken), who am of uncircumcised lips? This gets to the core of the issue, that the problem with bringing the Children out of Egypt starts with the children wanting to come out of Egypt. We will see later that Par'oh models Yisra'el in his rebellion to YHWH and Moshe just as Yisra'el will do all along the way. Many of them are like Par'oh and I venture to say there are many of his children among Yisra'el like the wheat and tares. Par'oh said he knows not YHWH, and why should he listen to Him. And yet Yisra'el also doesn't really know Him and does not listen to Him. Recently I spoke with some people who were keeping the sabbath and not the holy days. They were seventhday adventists. I told them that I found it interesting that their same arguments for the validity for shabbat were good for the holy days also but they would say in one breath that even if you lost your job you should keep the sabbath and Elohim would provide and then when talking about the holy days they said how could you take off a whole week you would lose your job. See this is just an example of how we choose whether we will listen to the commandments or not. They went on to discuss that the ten comandments are the moral law and never go away, but the other commandments didn't count anymore. They were picking what they wanted tolisten to in my opinion. They also in my opinion know not YHWH or His son because if they knew him they would know he kept and taught all of the Torah or law and as he will not tolerate lawlessness. So it seems they fit the pattern here of really not knowing YHWH and wanting me to prove why they should listen to Him. This is a dangerous road to go down because like Par'oh the result was that you would simply be used to show others what not to do. We all have choices to make and how can Yisra'el be of any use to others if they themselves won't listen to Moshe. Moshe was sent first to the people. YHWH didn't himself go to the people he sent someone first. He repeats the pattern. It reminds me of parenting when you give a warning, and then if you have to get up because they are not listening you know there is going to be a punishment. There is always a punishment for not listening or paying attention. Exo 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. From the beginning even Moshe knew they would not listen to him. They need signs and wonder before they will listen. But this follows them through most of their life. One of the great sins of Yisra'el is they won't listen to the words YHWH has spoken. Here is an example of what will happen to them for not listening to what YHWH has already said. Lev 26:13 I am YHWH your Elohim, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright. Lev 26:14 But if you will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; Lev 26:15 And if you shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that you will not do all my commandments, but that you break my covenant: Lev 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. Lev 26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and you shall flee when none pursueth you. Lev 26:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. Lev 26:19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as copper: Lev 26:20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. Lev 26:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. Lev 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate. Lev 26:23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Lev 26:24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. Lev 26:25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. Lev 26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. Lev 26:27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Lev 26:28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. Lev 26:29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. Lev 26:30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. Lev 26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. Lev 26:32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. Lev 26:33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. Lev 26:34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. Lev 26:35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. Lev 26:36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. Lev 26:37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. Lev 26:38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. Lev 26:39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. So what are people doing today who pick and choose what parts of the Torah they think apply to them or that they feel they need to listen to, they are not listening to all the words YHWH has spoken to do them. They even try and say that YHWH does not require those things of them. Deu 10:12 And now, Yisra'el, what does YHWH your Elohim require of you, but to fear YHWH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve YHWH your Elohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul, Notice it says all his ways, and this verse is also the verse Mashiach quotes in the new testament as the greatest commandment Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Mat 22:37 Yahushua said unto him, You shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. So people in religion will claim whatever they are doing is all that YHWH wants them to be doing. This is being right in your own eyes. There are two reasons people won't listen, one is they don't want to listen and the second is because they think they already know. This can be summed up as rebellion and pride Deu 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of YHWH your Elohim, that it may be there for a witness against thee. Deu 31:27 For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against YHWH; and how much more after my death? Moshe addresses these two traits as two traits of Yisra'el from their beginning to his end. They have been rebellious and stiff necked or prideful. The torah will be a witness against them two these two traits in how they keep the law. They will not Shema and neither will Par'oh. If you don't think this is about you, then you are proud, and if you know it's about you and won't hear it, then you are rebellious. The best part of the plan of YHWH won't happen until Yisra'el shema's and listens to all the words of Moshe and the Torah. Shalom. A disciple should diligently search for the truth and humbly deny and reconsider it's possession.    Report

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