Musing – What do you want to Accomplish in 2017?

Hebraic Musing – What do you want to Accomplish in 2017?

What do you want to accomplish in life?  Since the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, let’s start January 1^st?   However, a worthwhile journey has to start with a Critical Departure.  A cross-country trip for example involves leaving the comforts and familiarity of home in order to embark on a venture to a destination with many unfamiliar things to deal with on the way.

The day we were born was a very Critical Departure from the comfort of mother’s womb. Leaving home for college or whatever… required a Critical Departure because we had to leave that which is familiar and comfortable and come out into a place where the ordinary schedules and routines of life have to be abandoned in order to deal with a new set of physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges.   Yet the act of leaving will deter many because it is usually accompanied by a range of emotions - from apprehension to terror.

A Critical Departure does involve significant risk and requires major adjustments to the way one looks at, thinks about, and engages with the world.  It means leaving something behind - at least temporarily - to go where He has called us to go.  We are led on this journey by an invisible, Divine Hand.  If we settle for where we are when God would have us go somewhere else, we deprive our lives of meaning.  We would not be following His perfect will. 

Was that a Critical Departure when you accepted Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, as your Lord and Savior?

So let’s start with this statement "Every meaningful journey in life begins with a Critical Departure.”  What can we learn from some examples of Critical Departures in the Bible?

Abraham had to leave his family to go…    Gen 12:1-2  The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;… “ NIV

Moses had at least four Critical Departures.  First was being left in a basket in the Nile river; then had to leave Egypt suddenly; then he was called by God to return with a message “Let my people go”; and then the Exodus adventure.  In fact, all the Israelites experienced a Critical Departure in Chapter 14.

Jacob had to leave home because of animosity with Esau. “Jacob left Beersheba….to Haran” Gen 28:10   But he had a new name when he returned to the Promised Land as Israel.

Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out …”   to leave the desert and cross the Jordan miraculously in order to conquer the Promised Land. Joshua 3:1-17  

Ruth, a Moabite, was living in Moab when she made a Critical Departure to go with her Step-mother Naomi to Bethlehem.  As a result, she becomes listed in the lineage of David and Our Lord

Jesus made a Critical Departure from heaven for us.  John said  “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”  John 1:9    What did Jesus give up in order to come to us in the flesh?

The day will come when each of us passes in a Critical Departure.  Are you ready?

Points to ponder

Are we caring too much about what we leave behind?
Or are we focused on what lies ahead?

What Critical Departure is God calling you to make?

Are we called to a Critical Departure by the word “Go” in Mark 16:15?

HAPPY CHANUKAH

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                       December 27, 2016

Musing – Biblical example of “How to Get Married” Part 2 of 2

Hebraic Musing – Biblical example of “How to Get Married” Part 2 of 2

The story of Abraham & his Servant & Isaac & Rebekah continues.  How many present day customs are described in this marriage story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24:1-56?   Comments in bold parenthesis are added to illustrate customs and biblical principles to consider.  Last week we explored courting; now let’s look at – The Proposal, Betrothal and Wedding.

Propose because she’s the one:  When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.  [engagement or friendship ring]. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” [asking permission from Dad to spend the night; or for hand in marriage?]. She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” … Then the man … worshiped the LORD, saying, “The Lord … has led me … to the house of my master’s relatives.”   NIV. 

She passes the “good family test” and the family approves:  “Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn”

Asking permission from bride’s father/family:  Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go [giving away the bride], and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed” [Recognizing God as the arranger]. When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD [thankfulness].

The engagement ring or symbol:  Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother [dowry?].   Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. [Engagement party?]  …

The bride still has to say “Yes” to the proposal:  Then they said, “Let’s call the girl and ask her about it.” … “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said. [bride has to say “Yes”]. So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way [to the groom’s family] …

A blessing from the family:  And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies” [family said good-bye and blessed her, prophetically!] … So the servant took Rebekah and left.

The bride goes [Down the aisle] to the waiting groom:  Now Isaac … went out to the field … as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She … asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself [not to see each other before the wedding]. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. [The Holy Spirit tells the Father He found a bride for the Son!]

The wedding:  Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah [Simply by consummating the marriage and living together in the Father’s house]. So she became his wife, and he loved her…. [Notice there is not a rabbi, priest or minister there to “officiate”?]

Points to ponder

How many customs did you identify?

Why do we cry at weddings?

“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”   Rev 19:9

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   December 20, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Sources – “Hebraic Insights” by Yosef, p.190; and “Biblical Marriage” by Yosef, p.30.

Musing – Biblical example of “How to Get Married”

Hebraic Musing – Biblical example of “How to Get Married”

or   The Story of Abraham & his Servant & Isaac & Rebekah.    Part 1 of 2

How many customs were described in the courting and marriage story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24:1-56?   Comments in parenthesis are added to illustrate customs and biblical principles to consider.  Also, how many present day customs can you identify?

The groom goes to the bride’s house:  Abraham … said to the chief servant in his household [Holy Spirit?], “I want you to swear by the LORD … that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living [don’t be unequally yoked], but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac” [an arranged marriage] … NIV. 

The selection criteria:  Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master [gifts for her]. He set out for … the town of Nahor. He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water [courting by looking for a woman at the “watering hole” sounds worldly familiar!]. Then he prayed, [prayer for wisdom before meeting a potential wife] “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I'll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” [establishing attitude and character test criteria].

The answer to prayer:  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. [a critical criteria in Hebrew/biblical culture and in God’s plan]. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.” “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking” [answered prayer and confirmation]. So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. [she’s hospitable, and a good, strong worker too!  Those wells are deep!] …

This was the “Courting” phase.  Next week let’s explore the proposal and wedding phases - part 2 of 2.

Points to ponder

How many customs did you identify?

How did the Holy Spirit manage to find an equally-yoked bride?

Who did the pursuing?   Will this be an “arranged marriage”?

“Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.”  Deut. 22:10  

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”    2 Cor. 6:14-15

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                       December 13, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Sources – “Hebraic Insights” by Yosef, p.190; and “Biblical Marriage”  by Yosef, p.30.

Musing - Playing in a Band, a parable

Hebraic Musing - Playing in a Band, a parable

My friend Johanna Hocker describes her role in a local band. Here is how she describes her role:

“I play the flute in a city band during the summers.  We play weekly concerts at the bandshell in the local park, thrilling our audiences with stirring marches, pop tunes and occasionally some really challenging pieces.  Each member of the band has a musical ‘score’ to follow.  We are obliged to follow what the music tells us; what volume to play, what notes to play, when not to play, how fast to play and what rhythm to play.  If a band member plays a wrong note or plays when the music indicates a rest, or does anything contrary to the score or the director, they will be chastised by both the other band members and the director.  If a person repeatedly goes against what is written in the music they would, no doubt be asked to leave the band.

“We have been given a ‘score’ and it is called the Bible.  It has been called, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.  Yehovah is our director and our fellow band members are the body of believers.  Society, including some who claim to be fellow believers, repeatedly tell us not to follow the score (the Bible).  They tell us to stop being legalistic and do as we please.  They tell us to stop doing what the director, our creator, wants us to do.  Imagine the cacophony in Yehovah's ears with our spiritually loud, confusing and disagreeable sounds of noise and dissonance. 

“Everyone in the band wants their fellow band members to play their instruments according to what is written in the pages of the music, but few want to live their lives according to what is written in the pages of the Bible. 

“Oh we might pick out the parts where we play a beautiful melody, like John 3:16, but then ignore the theme of Leviticus which tells us to worship Yehovah with total surrender, like an animal burnt to a crisp in a BBQ.  Band members cannot pick out which measures of music they want to play; they are bound to the music; just like believers need to be bound by the entire Bible.

“Today's denominations are like sections of the band, each one saying our music is better than yours.  Who has written the music you are playing?  Did you write a solo for yourself to be seen, heard and admired, or is your music one long rest after another as you sit back and do nothing, never even opening the Bible. 

“If you want to be in the band, the Kingdom of Yehovah, you need to read the score, the Bible; then like a good band member holding his instrument properly, using his mouth to connect with the instrument.  Then and only then will his proper fingerings according to the music’s score blend in with others to accomplish the goal, and great is their reward!

“If we are looking for a reward we must live according to the Bible, with all those seemingly complicated rhythms of the Torah and Prophets, in addition to the melodic Psalms.  We have had enough cacophony, now it is time to abandon man-made theology and focus on the timeless musical score of Yehovah.” 

Points to Ponder

Are we paying attention to the score?  Or are we adding to the cacophony?

Are we contributing to harmony in the Kingdom of God?

 “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  
         Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,."   Eph 5:19

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   December 6, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Note:  Inspired by Johanna Shager Hocker’s e-mail of Oct. 25, 2016