Musing – Who decides if we are ‘clean’ enough?

Hebraic Musing – Who decides if we are ‘clean’ enough?
May 29, 2012

I found this passage nested as #1,373 among 5,529 “Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim & Kabbalah.” (Rabbinic writings)  Before a priest could be admitted into active service in the Temple he had to undergo bodily inspection at the hands of the syndicate of the Sanhedrin. If they found the least defect in his body, even a mole with hair upon it, he was ordered to dress in black and be dismissed; but if he was perfectly free from blemish, he was arrayed in white, and at once introduced to his brother priests and official duties. 

A number of questions popped into mind:

1.      Does this apply to me?  Peter called me a member of the royal priesthood’ in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,…”

2.      Since when does man decide who is a priest and who is not?  Who is welcome to serve and who is not? How does this reconcile with Acts 10 and Peter’s having to ‘learn to not call a fellow man unclean’.  On the other hand Paul tells us in 1 cor. 5:12-13  What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside.

3.      Who of us would qualify to be dressed in white under these rules? Without the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua HaMashiach we would all be wearing black.

4.      Does this confirm our belief that only those dressed in the right wedding garments, white linen, will live in heaven with our God who cannot be in the presence of uncleanness resulting from sin?  (Or is it that sin cannot be in the presence of God?)

5.      Could the Christian’s Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) be the day they accepted Christ as their Savior?  Lev.16:30 … because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.

So, to me this confirms that while the Rabbis were trying to understand God and trying to define and apply Torah guidelines, they definitely understood the need to be clean and holy before Almighty God. Thus, the need for a savior was paramount in their minds, like Yeshua HaMashiach that we know.

Point to ponder

How can we be clean in God’s sight?

Are we responsible for inspecting, repenting and cleaning ourselves?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Author “Biblical Marriage” (to be published in June 2012)

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  to be added to distribution -- Yosef1@cox.net
www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing – What is meant by ‘E-Generation’?

Hebraic Musing – What is meant by ‘E-Generation’?
          May 22, 2012

I have heard the term ‘E-generation’ bantered about and will propose three possible meanings.

1. ELECTRONIC – Today’s youth especially possess a knowledge of computers, iPads, iPods, cell phones, Roku, Wii, Play-stations, Blogging, texting, etc. that has their grandparents scratching their heads. And those with these Electronic gadgets are so wrapped up in using, playing, texting and gaming that they are (a) oblivious to the world around them, (b) not hearing their name being called [we used to call that ‘selective hearing’] and (c) even trying to use these devices while driving! The only Electricity understood in biblical times was lightning from Mother Nature, and sometimes attributed to Father God.  ‘Lightning’ is mentioned 46 times in the NIV and typically a form of communication from God, not Hollywood.

2. ENTERTAINMENT – Authors/developers of Hollywood productions, Apps and Video Games create captivating presentations that capture imaginations and implant powerful images in our heads by using Electronics to indelibly imprint memorable images in our brain. They utilize graphics that were here-to-fore not available. This encourages us to focus on the Entertainment world instead of the real world and/or the Spiritual world.  Hmmm…In biblical times one can picture the family gathered around the campfire together, without radio, TV or other entertainment media. They were either gazing at constellations or honoring the elders of the community by listening to stories of God’s deliverance or studying/learning the Torah. The first textbook in American education was the Bible, followed by Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, which uses the Bible to put words into context. In my book Hebraic Insights, #79 “What if you only had one book to read?” I point out that the Bible has a variety of genres –intrigue, history, wars & battles, gore, love, self-help and education to name a few.  But they are not as juicy as the Hollywood fiction – if juicy is what floats your boat. When I was young we only had radio and its primary purpose was to keep informed of the news, and some wholesome fiction. How much news is garnered by people today; and how can news and Education compare with the enhance appeal of today’s Entertainment?

3. ENTITLEMENT – It seems the younger generation was born with a silver spoon in their mouths and with big government support to facilitate ‘not working’. At the same time debt became the most marketed product since the 1970’s. Credit cards, student loans, auto loans, 100+% home mortgages and National Debt  provide us the opportunity to live in the ‘now zone’ while we avoid the future consequences of our actions. I hear Corporations have had to conduct indoctrination programs to get recently hired college graduates to understand that they are expected to pay their way in the company; not Entitled to a paycheck just because they live in America. If Wall Street Occupiers spent time in other countries, they might not feel so Entitled to whatever they feel Entitled to.

So what does ‘E-generation’ mean? Each E opens up topics, issues and reactions of its own.  Consider Jeanna’s response below.  What do you think?

Points to ponder

Are the three “E’s” inter-related?

Are we using the three “E’s” to draw closer to God?

Shalom Aleichem,

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Author “Biblical Marriage” (to be published in June 2012)

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”   Contact Yosef1@cox.net to be added to distribution.

Response from Jeanna, a home-schooler and missionary extraordinaire ministering in Honduras:
Even more important is what is NOT represented in the E-generation trends. Unfortunately, EDUCATION is not represented on the list of “E’s” – once again a tactic to weaken this generation. The three areas above are also eating away at the purpose we were given life – Relationship, first with God and second with others. The weakening of mankind is setting us up for the Great Awakening and ushering in His Kingdom.   
     Scary? – Yes.   Exciting? – Even more so.   Sobering? – Beyond words!    Are you AWAKE?

Hebraic Musing – Do young people know how a healthy Christian family functions?
          May 15, 2012

The May 3, 2012 Barna Group report[1] explored the degree to which Christian youth leaders expose teenagers to healthy Christian families as part of the youth ministry strategy. They concluded “most youth leaders view this as important but do not see this as a primary part of their task.”

Unfortunately, youth leaders and pastors are quick to point out that there are too few strong traditional families in their churches to provide effective models. We now have multiple generations of adults raised in broken homes; thus even the most well-intentioned parent(s) cannot give to their children what they do not have. There are fewer traditional families today than ever that have not been affected by divorce, single parenting or other significant challenges. It is estimated that less than 10%, or as low as 5%, of school age children go home to their original parents.

As I am getting ready to publish my next book “Biblical Marriage” the need for the book becomes abundantly clear.  BTW, the word ‘family’ appears 179 times in the NIV; and ‘divorce’ appears 20 times, always in a ‘do not’ or ‘God hates’ context. So the concept of family life being taught and instilled in the youth in biblical times was a given. On the other hand, the Bible provides a few examples of broken home problems and the resultant generational curses: (a) the expulsion of Hagar and her son Ishmael and (b) David’s rejection of Absalom.

My son Joseph and his wife Jeanna and their children have worked for 7 years as missionaries at a school of 600 students called Plan Escalon in Honduras. The school brings in poor students from the mountain villages and teaches them trades, leads then to salvation and provides a basic Christian education. Joseph, Jeanna and family work hard at maintaining the facilities, caring for medical needs, teaching, counseling, etc. etc.  But in my visits to the school I have observed them providing the students with something that I’ve never heard formally mentioned. The students observe a husband and wife and five children functioning as a traditional Christian family. Very, very few of the students have ever seen that example in their home or in their villages.

Points to ponder

Do you know a youth leader that needs encouragement
to teach and expose their youth to Christian Family values and examples?

Who are the Christian Families that can be held up and used as examples?

How would you interview a Christian husband and wife in front of the youth?

I wish I had more answers.  What are your thoughts? 

Shalom

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Author “Biblical Marriage” (to be published in June 2012)

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  to be added to distribution -- Yosef1@cox.net
www.InsightsByYosef.com  Post blogs on www.InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

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[1] http://www.barna.org/teens-next-gen-articles/565-research-examines-the-role-of-healthy-families-in-youth-ministry

Musing – Do people really want to hear? Or ‘The Normalcy Bias’

Hebraic Musing – Do people really want to hear?   Or ‘The Normalcy Bias’

Awhile back we mused on the blessing that we can bestow by ‘listening’. The key question was “Does a friend talk or listen?”  We learned that the challenge is to listen more and talk less; but the flip side of that musing is dealing with people who do not want to hear?  God explained to Isaiah that he was dealing with an obstinate nation, obstinate people who did not want to hear.

Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, …  Then God reveals the nature of these obstinate people as Isaiah describes them in chapt.30, v.8  “Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness. These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction. They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.”

In summary, people in Isaiah’s time, and maybe some in our time, are saying ‘Write pleasant things and stop telling us what God might be trying to say.’ When a person first hears unsettling prophetic words, they tend to set it aside or explain it away. But after the words are written down, they might look at it again and hopefully the Spirit of God begins to beckon.

Similarly as WWII began in Germany the Jews knew full well they were in trouble and there was adequate warning, but ‘The Normalcy Bias’ set in. Definition - ‘The Normalcy Bias’ refers to a mental state people enter when facing a disaster. It causes people to underestimate both the possibility of a disaster occurring and its possible effects. This often results in situations where people fail to adequately prepare for a disaster,… the assumption is that since a disaster never has occurred then it never will occur. It also results in the inability of people to cope with a disaster once it occurs. People with a normalcy bias have difficulties reacting to something they have not experienced before. People also tend to interpret warnings in the most optimistic way possible, seizing on any ambiguities to infer a less serious situation.[1]

Points to ponder

I wonder how often the watchman wept
as he realized the people ignored the alarm?

Could our nation be suffering from ‘The Normalcy Bias’?

Yosef    a.k.a. Joe Brusherd                                                 May 8, 2012

Author of book “Hebraic Insights – messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christianity”

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings” blogging at InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

Yosef1@cox.net     www.InsightsByYosef.com

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[1] Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia