"Thus saith Yahweh, Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the wickedness of your works."

Je 21

Shalom Torah Family.
I got a question. Please answer me in detail.

Q: Was the last supper a Passover Meal?

Thought for Today: Monday April 10:

Adonai Elohiym, put Your Word on my tongue and Your praise on my lips today and help me reach out to the people around me. From the youngest to the oldest, there is something we all can do and help us realize that real education should educate us out of self into something far finer – into a selflessness which links us all together, amen.

SERIES L --- THE NATION DIVIDES --- LESSON 19

WAR

ABIJAH’S WAR WITH JEROBOAM

From 1 Kings 14:18, 19; 15:1-5; 2 Chronicles 12:16; 13:1-22; 14:1

After the death of Rehoboam, his son Abijah became the new king of Judah. [He should not be confused with Jeroboam’s son who had died, whose name also was Abijah or with the prophet Ahijah, whose name was similar.] This man was the son of a woman named Michaiah, who was the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. He ruled for only three years, beginning with the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. Shortly after Abijah became king, he and Jeroboam went to war. Judah led by Abijah had only four hundred thousand troops. Israel, led by Jeroboam, had twice that number. When King Abijah and his forces arrived at Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim, he stood on the top of a mountain and called down to Jeroboam and the army of Israel. [Listen to me, Jeroboam and the army of Israel!] he called. [Don’t you understand that Adonai YHVH of Israel promised David that he and his descendants would rule over Israel forever? Jeroboam the son of Nebat was a former servant of king Solomon and he rebelled against his master. Not only that, but a band of worthless fellows gathered around him and they became traitors to Solomon’s son King Rehoboam when he was still young and unable to stand up to them. Even though your army is twice the size of ours, do you hope to use human strength against Adonai’s Kingdom which is led by a descendant of David? Remember! You have those golden calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods and you have driven out Adonai’s priests and the Levites and have chosen as your priests anyone who could bring a young bull and seven rams to consecrate himself, anyone can become a priest of your worthless gods. But we have Adonai as our YHVH, for we have not turned away from Him. Our priests are Aaron’s descendants; they serve Adonai and the Levites help them with their work. Every morning they burn offerings to Adonai with incense and they keep the sacred Bread of the Presence on the table at the temple. Every night the golden lamp stand is lighted, for we try to follow exactly what Adonai told us to do. While you have turned away from Adonai, He is with us as our leader. Thus, when our priests sound the alarm for us to go into battle against you, do not fight against Adonai YHVH of your ancestors, for you cannot win.] While Abijah was talking, Jeroboam sent part of his troops behind the army of Judah, hoping to ambush them from the rear. When Judah’s forces looked, they saw men in front of them and behind them. They begged Adonai to help them as the priests blew the trumpets, giving the signal to attack. The men of Judah gave a great shout and YHVH gave them a great victory against King Jeroboam and the army of Israel, leaving about five hundred thousand casualties. The people of Judah won the victory because they trusted YHVH to help them. They pursued Jeroboam’s troops and even captured several of his cities, including Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron and some of the villages surrounding these cities. Jeroboam was never strong again during the reign of Abijah and he eventually died. His other deeds are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. After Jeroboam died, his son Nadab reigned as king of Israel in his place. Jeroboam reigned a total of twenty-two years. King Abijah of Judah was strong for a while. He married fourteen wives and through them had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. But he soon turned away from Adonai and followed the evil practices of his father Rehoboam instead of following his great-grandfather David’s example. Yet for the sake of David and Jerusalem, Adonai permitted him to continue to rule in Jerusalem and for his son to become king after him. Adonai did all of this because David had always tried to please Him, except for the incident with Uriah the Hittite. At the end of his three-year reign, Abijah died and was buried with his ancestors. The rest of the deeds of his life are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer.

COMMENTARY

THE KINGS OF ISRAEL: HOW LONG DID THEY RULE?

The kings of Israel ruled from seven days to forty-one years. Since they were all bad kings, the length of their reign did not seem to be connected to their faithfulness to YHVH, as with the kings of Judah. Also, the kings of Israel were mostly not descended from previous kings, as were many of the kings of Judah.

"The Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and which obey not unto the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ"

2Th 1

{For a Resurrection Day post, here is something I posted on Quora, in response to a question some have about Abraham's testing.}

Q: "Do you think that Abraham was acting morally when he was willing to sacrifice his son because God ordered him to do it? Should he have refused to obey God's command?"

A: The reason it is wrong to murder someone (or steal from them etc.) is because man is made in the image of God: all sin is a form of blasphemy.

This is why a loving God allows death and suffering and sin. It is the same as a man allowing himself to be robbed. It is sin for us to rise up against the image of God and dishonour it. It is equally wrong for us to speak against God, accusing him of dishonouring himself if he destroys his own image for his own greater glory.

To reject a direct command of God, or to charge him with unrighteousness, is just as unnatural and violent as destroying his image in one of his innocent children.
Another thing to realise about God being the Creator:
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” - Hebrews 11
So here it says that since Abraham knew God would multiply his seed through Isaac, he concluded that God would raise him from the dead. As Job said, “Yahweh gave, and Yahweh hath taken away.” It is he who gave all life, it would be foolish to question when he takes it back.

If God sees fit to suffer a grievance for his own greater glory, it is not for us to tell him how he should be honoured.
“And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of Yahweh, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.” - 1 Kings 20

{To this I would add that some similarly question whether it was moral for God to require the death he suffered on the cross - since they term it as the Father requiring it of the Son, it would be good to first point out that they are one, thus it is something God took on himself, again, a man allowing himself to suffer; who is to condemn him for this? As if we are to teach God how he should seek his greater glory.}

2023/04/09 #resurrectionday

A long forgotten movie in my menu...popcorns ready....