Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Musing – What a contrast between the Transfiguration and the Crucifixion!

Hebraic Musing – What a contrast between the Transfiguration and the Crucifixion!
(Something to think about as we approach ‘Good Friday”)

Both Matthew and Mark describe the Transfiguration “Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.” Matt 17:1-3 NIV And recently there has been a lot of attention given the Crucifixion scenario. These two scenarios are critical to Christian faith; so let’s compare the Transfiguration and the Passion of Christ narratives:

· Yeshua selected those who were to be present at a private event, the Transfiguration; but at the Crucifixion, Yeshua was publically crucified at the busiest gate of Jerusalem.

· Yeshua is glorified and the truth is recognized by and revealed to a select few at the Transfiguration; but at the Cross, the Son of God is humiliated and scandalously crucified publically. The Transfiguration was a private, invitation only event; while the Cross was a public event and most everyone in the world knows of it.

· Yeshua invited His closest chosen to join Him at the Transfiguration; but it was the leadership of the Jews who forced Him the cross at Golgotha.

· Yeshua’s Transfiguration was elevated to a “high mountain”; while His Crucifixion took place at ground level, at the busy city gate.

· “His face shone like the sun” at the Transfiguration as artists typically depict the scene; but the sky darkened at the Crucifixion.

· “His clothes became as white as the light” at the Transfiguration; but at the Cross His garments were taken away from him and He hung naked.

· Elijah was at the Transfiguration; but Elijah did not come to take Jesus off the Cross. (Mk.15:36)

· Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus at the Transfiguration; but at the Cross two criminals hung beside Him, talking with Him.

· God affirms Yeshua’s Son-ship "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"; but at the Cross people denied His Son-ship and Yeshua began reciting Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?...” .

· Peter, James and John prostrated themselves “…facedown to the ground, terrified” in worship at the Transfiguration; but soldiers bowed mockingly at Yeshua’s humiliation on the Cross.

“As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." Matt 17:9. So the three disciples were sworn to secrecy. But after the crucifixion and resurrection they were to go forth and preach……!

We can find similar contrasts as we read/study the Resurrection and Ascension events as well.

Point to ponder

You knew of the Cross for years, but…
when did the significance and glory of the Transfiguration transform your life?

When were you invited to your own personal Transfiguration moment?

Have a Happy Resurrection Day! March 31, 2015

Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd
Author::                       (Hyperlinks are now available!)
Hebraic Insights                                 Re-Published – March 2015
Biblical_Marriage                               May 2012
Musings: Vol.1 – A Victorious Life     Sept.2014
Vol.2 – The Torah and New Testament Published – March 2015
Weekly e-mails Hebraic Musings   or www.InsightsByYosef.com

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Musing – A refreshing way to look at the Gift of Life!

Hebraic Musing – A refreshing way to look at the Gift of Life!

Why is it that when a new soul comes into the world, the new baby cries and we rejoice; but when a soul leaves the world, we cry while the newly departed soul is rejoicing in heaven?

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things in the world; and yet, death is an inevitable part of life. If we are granted a good and long life, inevitably we will experience the loss of loved ones along the way. How to deal with this? God gave us a hint in Deut. 14:1-2 when He spoke this admonition to us – “You are the people of Adonai your God. You are not to gash yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead, because you are a people set apart as holy for Adonai your God….” CJB

The mention of mutilation may sound strange to us now, but in ancient times, mutilation of the body was a way of mourning which God did not approve of. Why? The second part of the verse emphasizes that we are children of the Lord your God and therefore God is in effect saying “Don’t mourn; the deceased person is rejoining Me in heaven. So, take heart and know that your loved one is in a good place. When the time is right all My children will all be together again.”

I am reminded of a famous story in the Talmud which recounts how a great rabbi endured the loss of his two sons. The story goes that the two boys passed away from an illness on the Sabbath. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Beruriah, wanted to break the news to him gently. She asked her husband a question, “Someone gave me a treasure to guard for them, but now he has asked for that treasure back. Must I give it to him?” Rabbi Meir answered, “Of course you must return the treasure to its owner.” With that, Beruriah led her husband to their deceased children and explained that their true owner had come for them. Rabbi Eckstein

The funeral program for the recent service of a dear friend of ours said this under his picture –

“Borrowed from God February 3, 1927 – Returned to God March 11, 2015.”

Point to ponder

Do we cherish every moment we have with our loved ones
knowing we have to return them to God at some point?

Shalom y’all March 24, 2015

Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Musing – Some say OT laws don’t apply. Does the NT say that?

Hebraic Musing – Some say OT laws don’t apply. Does the NT say that?

I’ve heard folks quote Matt 15:11; Acts 10:14-15; Rom 14:10; Mark 7:19 as their justification for ignoring our Loving Father God’s advice to His children. Let’s look at these NT verses (all NIV):

· Matt 15:11 “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" This teaching by Jesus has nothing to do with kosher dietary law/advice. In fact, He is distinguishing between dietary and Spiritual uncleanness. Jesus was and still is kosher and would like for His followers to also be kosher diet-wise for health reason.

· Acts 10:14-15 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This message had to do with how God was telling Peter how to view the Goyim; it was not a message about food, but about how to treat Goyim – in-other-words, us non-Jews.

· Rom 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. We do not judge (CONDEMN) our brother to final judgment. But we are required to judge (DISCERN) by confronting, admonishing and condemning, if necessary, our brother’s behavior(s). We have a responsibility to discern (JUDGE) behaviors which are contrary to our Loving Father God’s advice for “A Victorious Life”?

· Mark 7:19 “…doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.") All today’s classic translations of the NT contain that parenthetical statement; except two versions – the beloved KJV and the original Greek. Mark was a good Jewish boy; he would never make that parenthetical statement! Has anti-Semitic doctrinal thinking crept in?

Many use Matt. 5:17 to argue that Jesus nullified the OT when He said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Those who rely on that verse have taken it out of context and do not continue reading what Jesus said in red letters in vs. 18 “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” And when he said “law” Jesus meant “The Torah” or Mosaic writings.

Finally – Heb. 13:8 says – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. And Jesus is “The Word” credited with writing the Torah, which our Bibles unfortunately translate to “The Law”.

Point to ponder

Maybe we need to understand which Words from Our Loving Father God
are really words of advice for “A Victorious Life”? (Book plug!)

Shalom y’all March 17, 2015

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Musing – Why do we read our Bible in reverse order?

Hebraic Musing – Why do we read our Bible in reverse order?

Do you typically read a book by starting at the end? Silly question, but on the other hand does that make us wonder why our Bible knowledge, memorized verses, Sunday messages and Bible studies focus on the New Testament. And aside from a few classic stories in the OT, all too many Christians have not read, much less studied the OT. As a result, our foundational understanding of the NT is short-changed.

If God reveals himself progressively then we cannot fully understand Jesus’ role without knowing the foundation. Do you build the second floor of a house before building the first floor, or basement, or foundation?

Does Christianity’s focus on the NT without full appreciation of the OT cause confusing doctrines? Examples:

· Promises to the nation of Israel, the Jews, become teachings about the Church replacing the Israelites/Jews.

· Sacrifices become temporary and thus obsolete pictures, of the purpose of the Cross of Jesus.

· Confusion between the symbolic natures of the Land of Israel, Heaven and Jerusalem.

· Not fully respecting the need for obedience to laws because we have grace.

The prophecies in the OT are the basis for credence in events fulfilled in the NT. History, math, geology, medicine, psychology, sociology, etc. are all studied by examining the beginnings or chronological understandings and the earliest information and then work forward building on a foundation. Even a novel needs character and plot build-up in order to understand and appreciate the climax.

With our prior knowledge of the NT, it is hard to read the OT without constantly referencing the NT either mentally or by skipping ahead. Resist that urge. Read it for what it says to the people of that time. If you do that, you will be amazed at the progressive teachings God provided for His children. Then our adoption will be even more meaningful!

Have you noticed how many footnotes in the NT reference the OT? This is despite the fact that many OT references and concepts are ‘givens’ and do not get footnoted. So…Read it in the correct sequence.

I am so glad that I found the study of the times and cultures of the OT to be so interesting during the early years of my Christian walk.

Why bother carrying around that thick, heavy Bible if we only pay attention to the last fourth?

Why do we Christians read our bible in reverse order? Could it be lack of time? Who gave us time?

Point to ponder

A Bible professor once told me –
“Don’t read the Bible to prove what you believe;
Read the Bible to see what it says.”

Shalom March 10, 2015

Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd Author:: (Hyperlinks are now available!)
“Hebraic_Insights” (revision in process);
“Biblical_Marriage”
“Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” JUST PUBLISHED – March 2015
Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings” or www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by Derek Leman -- http://www.derekleman.com/2015/02/23/read-forwards-not-backwards/http://www.derekleman.com/2015/02/23/read-forwards-not-backwards/