Musing – Who Is the “Son of man”?

Hebraic Musing – Who Is the “Son of man”?

We find the reference to Yeshua as the “Son of man” throughout the Bible; 82 times in the gospels alone!  But why is that expression used?  What does it mean?  I’ve often wondered for years about that choice of words. We find the answer hidden in the middle of the book of Daniel. 

In a vision, Daniel saw someone like a “son of man.”  In other words, what he saw could best be defined as a person, the “son of a man”.  The book of Daniel was fresh in the minds of the Jewish people and Gospel writers of the first century.  The people remembered well the 70 years in Babylon and the return to The Land where the Temple and city walls were rebuilt despite those who opposed it.  The workers had a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other.  Daniel never returned, but his writings did. 

So what passage did they hear and remember?   "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”    Dan 7:13-14   NIV

When these people heard Yeshua identify Himself as the “Son of man”, they immediately associated Him with "the Ancient of Days", Yehovah, and given a Kingdom destined to “not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”  I don't think we can even imagine the degree of power Yeshua had, has and will have.  Yet they saw Yeshua full of love and compassion as He walked through the land healing the sick and feeding thousands.  

One day we will see Him and serve Him.  After all, “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed”

While ordinary men are referred to as “son of man”, the references to Jesus are all “Son of man”.

 Points to ponder

The apostles and disciples recognized Yeshua as the “Son of man”, do we?

Can we fully appreciate the authority, power, glory and dominion
Yeshua had, has and will have over an everlasting kingdom?

Is it difficult to see our Lord God as having been a man before the birth of Jesus?

“Who is like you —  majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exod. 15:11 

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               September 26, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note:  Inspired by Johanna Shager Hocker’s e-mail “Son of Man” – Aug. 20, 2017

Musing – How Did the Greatest Teacher Teach Us Teachers?

Hebraic Musing – How Did the Greatest Teacher Teach Us Teachers?

I picked up an Elmer Towns book “What every Sunday School Teacher should Know” and opened by chance to chapter 11, of 24, entitled “Students Learn when they Talk.”  That makes sense to me because student participation has always been my goal in Bible studies.  How can we talk or witness in and to the outside world if we don’t practice talking about the Bible amongst our peers in church?  Glancing at more chapter titles, I quickly recognized that Jesus used many of the same principles that the author recommended that Sunday School teachers should use.  Here are examples from selected chapters:

4. Students Learn Differently – Jesus’ apostles came from many different backgrounds and He had different approaches and situational lessons for each.

6. Effective Teaching Begins on Your Knees – How many times did Jesus go off to talk to His Father before proceeding for the day?

7. Your Actions Speak Louder Than Words – How many public miracles did Jesus perform; touching people with needs; giving time and eventually His life to complete His mission?

8. One Thing Is Really Important – Jesus was focused on one message in His three years of ministry – getting people to recognize Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

9. You Can’t Lead Your Class Until You Know Where You’re Going – Jesus knew what He had to accomplish before He could leave.  And He knew the cost!  And He paid the price!

11. Students Learn when they Talk (and when they ask questions) – Jesus asked Peter a question and “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’" Matt 16:16   And "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?" Mark 2:18

12. Sometimes Teaching is Lecturing –We remember Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount”!

13. Students Like a Good Story – No wonder Jesus used so many parables!  And the OT contains a lot of interesting and memorable stories about real people.

14. Students Learn by Looking – “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”  Matt 6:26  And "Look at the fig tree…”  Luke 21:29

15. Students Learn Best by Doing – “he sent them out two by two and gave them authority…” Mark 6:7

16. Teaching Builds on What Students Already Know – His apostles already knew the OT well!

18. In One Minute You Can Influence a Life – Phillip brought Nathaniel to Jesus.  Almost immediately Nathaniel said "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." From John 1:47-49

24. Growing a Class Comes Through Friendship Evangelism – His apostles were friends, and even as Judas was betraying Him, Jesus addressed him as “Friend”.  "Friend, do what you came for." Matt 26:50  And we enjoy singing ♫  What a friend we have in Jesus… ♫

Jesus is, was and will always be the GREAT TEACHER.  How has He taught us to teach?

 Points to ponder

Is Sunday School the only time teaching takes place?

Are we teaching when sharing Jesus with our neighbors?

How do each of these approaches to teaching apply when witnessing?

“Preach the Word; be prepared…” 2 Tim 4:2  (and use words if necessary)

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               September 19, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing –Who are the Arrogant, Ignorant and Apathetic?

Hebraic Musing –Who are the Arrogant, Ignorant and Apathetic?

Too many people are Arrogant about God as well as Ignorant; and thus have a great deal of Apathy.

Q. Who are the arrogant?  A. Those who make judgements about who God is and what He should be.  Have you met people who tell you how God should judge?  And that God does not have a right to judge them.

Q. Who are the ignorant? A. Those who preach that the OT God is an angry God; and the NT God is a God of love.  Did God change?  And have you heard people expressing opinions about what the Bible says, but they’ve not read the Bible, much less studied it?  Do they use quotes out of context?  They preach but are not willing to debate for fear of being confronted with facts.  Is this ignorance fed by arrogance?

Q. Who are the apathetic?  A. Those who have not experienced “Lordship salvation.”  They feel “Sunday is the Lord’s day, the rest of the week is mine.”  Maybe not that blatant, but Jesus is clearly not their Lord.

While it is easy to accuse movements and people outside the church, the greatest threats to our faith are these attitudes within Christianity and our churches.  These attributes described the Israelite nation about 400 BC; thus the Lord severely accused His people on seven counts through His prophet Malachi:

1.   They didn’t recognize God’s love because of His discipline. Mal.1:2  "I have loved you," says the Lord.  "But you ask, 'How have you loved us?” They feel Edomites are not cursed, or “hated”, as promised, forgetting or not recognizing the long-term blessings coming to Abe, Ike and Jake and their descendants.
(Do we find ourselves looking for instant gratification/blessing?  Count your blessings!)

2.   They showed contempt, not offering the best.   How?  God’s charge - "You place defiled food on my altar…crippled, diseased… Try offering them to your governor” Mal. 1:7-8   God challenges His people to give the First, Healthiest and Best.  And do it cheerfully!  Are we a Servant of God?
(Do we put into the offering bucket the biggest bill or the smallest bill in our wallet?)

3.   Prayers are no longer answered.  “You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.” Mal. 2:14  God gave to us His perfect plan in Genesis 2.
(How well is the marriage covenant honored today?  God is #1 and wife is #2.  All else is after #1&2.)

4.   You don’t trust Me.  “You have wearied the Lord with your words. … By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them.’" Mal. 2:17  “Vengeance is mine says the Lord.” 
(Do we really trust God’s judgement?  They forgot they cannot withstand God’s judgement either!)

5.   You need to return to Me.  Have we been disobedient?  “…you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," Mal. 3:7  Is arrogance holding us back?
(How far have we strayed from Torah?   Is our home, our church and/or our nation straying?)

6.   You have robbed me.  "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — … Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, …Test me in this,…and see if I will not throw open the floodgates.” Mal. 3:8-10   The tithe is a percentage, fair to rich and poor.
(The only time God tells us to “Test me”!!!)

7.   You envy the wicked.  “You have said, 'It is futile to serve God.’   What did we gain by carrying out his requirements …?  But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper…” Mal. 3:14-15 
(Are we bothered when we hear that the Arrogant, Ignorant and Apathetic seem to be blessed?)

Some would argue that the book of Malachi was addressed to the priests.  “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, … a people belonging to God” 1 Pet. 2:9   Maybe we need to read Malachi again!?!?

 Points to ponder

An apathetic believer – Can there be such a person?  (Oxymoron?)

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” Mal. 4:2

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               September 12, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note - Inspired by Pastor Chris Cooper’s Sept.3, 2017 message entitled “Arrogance, Ignorance and Apathy”

Musing – What Makes the Torah Easy and Fun to Read?

Hebraic Musing – What Makes the Torah Easy and Fun to Read?

Why do we like drama, sci-fi, and mystery thriller stories, books and movies?  They share a common theme – tension.  We even watch sport events and chase scenes because we tensely anticipate an ending wondering how will the hero or good guys come out of this one?  Who will win?  How will this end?

Do you remember the first time you read about Abraham taking his promised son, Isaac, up the mountain to sacrifice him?  Without reading or knowing ahead, there is a buildup of tension.  Forget how it ends for a moment, just read the buildup – “Then God said (to Abraham), ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’  Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.” Gen 22:2-3 NIV    Feel the tension?  You can’t stop reading yet!!!  How will the hero get out of this one?  We know they both have to, but how?  (Good reading!)

How many more tension building situations do the various biblical characters find themselves facing?  Here’s just a sampling of problems our OT heroes encountered:  How many more have you found?

·         God sees His people building a tower to heaven.

·         Abraham develops a plan of his own and goes into his wife’s servant…

·         Moses kills an Egyptian and gets found out!    And has to flee…to where?

·         Israelites fleeing from Pharaoh find the Red Sea is blocking their flight!

·         David takes on a glistening, taunting giant!

·         David is attracted to a bathing beauty and starts an inappropriate relationship…

Classic story-writing style puts the hero in trouble with no obvious way out and we watch him/her squirm.  We long to see the hero, the good guy, find the way out, solve the problem, escape, outrun the bad guys and find the surprise solution.  Most of all we heave a sigh of relief when life returns to normal for the hero as the situation is resolved, especially when resolved in their favor and they receive a bonus blessing in the end. 

Personal application – Do we find ourselves personally relating to these Bible characters and their experiences, temptations and challenges they face?  Can we see ourselves going through very parallel challenges in our lives?  Just like God’s biblical peoples, we go through times and seasons of vacillating between worship, sinning, trying to atone, idol-worshipping, lusting, re-dedicating, searching for forgiveness, etc.   That’s life!

There is an over-arching theme of the Bible.  We cannot nor dare not stop reading at the end of the OT while we are fully convinced of a need for a final and complete solution to the tension of un-fulfillment in our lives.  Therefore the need for the NT!

Happy ending – Life is full of tensions, but ♫When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,… When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. ♫

 Points to ponder

When reading the Bible, how often do you personally relate to the saga being depicted?

How does the over-arching saga of the Bible end?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  Ps 119:105

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               September 2, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Note – Inspired by Athol Dickson’s “The Gospel according to Moses” – p. 86 topic