Thought for Today: Tuesday January 07

Our Moshiach wanted people to see, to see far and to see truly. To get that kind of vision requires avoidance of hypocrisies and group prejudice which distort the vision and make people imagine they see things, what is not really there.

FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – B’SHALLACH:

Then Mosheh and the children of Yisra’el sang this song to YHWH, and spoke, saying, I sing to YHWH, for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!

Yah is my strength and song, and He has become my deliverance. He is my Ěl, and I praise Him – Elohim of my father, and I exalt Him.

YHWH is a man of battle, YHWH is His Name.

He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea, and his chosen officers are drowned in the Sea of Reeds.

The depths covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone.

Your right hand, O YHWH, has become great in power. Your right hand, O YHWH, has crushed the enemy.

And in the greatness of Your excellence You pulled down those who rose up against You. You sent forth Your wrath, it consumed them like stubble.

And with the wind of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up, the floods stood like a wall, the depths became stiff in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, I pursue, I overtake, I divide the spoil, my being is satisfied on them. I draw out my sword, my hand destroys them.

You did blow with Your wind, the sea covered them, they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Who is like You, O YHWH, among the mighty ones? Who is like You, great in set-apartness, awesome in praises, working wonders?

You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.

In Your mercy You led the people whom You have redeemed, in Your strength You guided them to Your set-apart dwelling.

Peoples heard, they trembled, anguish gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the chiefs of Edom were troubled, the mighty men of Mo’av, trembling grips them, all the inhabitants of Kena’an melted.

Fear and dread fell on them, by the greatness of Your arm they are as silent as a stone, until Your people pass over, O YHWH, until the people, whom You have bought, pass over.

You bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O YHWH, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the set-apart place, O YHWH, which Your hands have prepared.

YHWH reigns forever and ever.

FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – B’SHALLACH:

This is true faith through obedience:

“And on the day that the Dwelling Place was raised up, the cloud covered the Dwelling Place, the Tent of the Witness. From evening until morning it was above the Dwelling Place like the appearance of fire. Thus it was continually: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud was taken up from above the Tent, after that the children of Yisra’el would depart. And in the place where the cloud dwelt, there the children of Yisra’el would camp. At the mouth of YHWH the children of Yisra’el departed, and at the command of YHWH they camped. They remained camped as long as the cloud dwelt above the Dwelling Place. Even when the cloud lingered many days above the Dwelling Place, the children of Yisra’el guarded the Charge of YHWH, and did not depart. And so it was, when the cloud was above the Dwelling Place a few days: according to the mouth of YHWH they camped, and according to the mouth of YHWH they would depart. And so it was, when the cloud dwelt only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they departed. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they departed. Whether two days, or a new moon or a year that the cloud lingered above the Dwelling Place to dwell upon it, the children of Yisra’el camped, and did not depart. But when it was taken up, they departed. At the mouth of YHWH they camped, and at the mouth of YHWH they departed. They guarded the Charge of YHWH, at the mouth of YHWH by the hand of Moshe.”

“And it came to be, whenever the ark set out, that Moshe said, ‘Rise up, O YHWH! And let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You!’ And when it rested, he said, ‘Return, O YHWH, to the countless thousands of Yisra’el!”

“Then Yeshua said to His taught ones, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his [tent] stake, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he gains all the world, and loses his own life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Adam is going to come in the esteem of his Father with His messengers, and then He shall reward each according to his works.’”

“And passing by, he saw Lewi the son of Alphai sitting at the tax office, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And having risen he followed him. And it came to be, as he sat at the table at his house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat with Yeshua and his taught ones, for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to his taught ones, ‘Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ And hearing this, Yeshua said to them, ‘Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners.’”

“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, ‘Excellent Teacher, what shall I do to inherit everlasting life?’ So Yeshua said to him, ‘Why do you call me excellent? No one is excellent except One – Elohim. You know the commands, Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Respect your father and your mother…’ And he said, ‘All these I have watched over from my youth.’ And hearing this, Yeshua said to him, ‘Yet one you lack: Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.’ But when he heard this, he became intensely sad, for he was extremely rich. And when Yeshua saw that he became intensely sad, he said, ‘How hard it is for those who have money to enter into the Kingdom of Elohim! For it is easier for a camel to enter through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Elohim.’ And those who heard it said, ‘And who is able to be saved?’ And he said, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with Elohim.’ And Kepha said, ‘See, we have left all and followed you!’ And he said to them, ‘Amein, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of Elohim, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come everlasting life.’”

THIS WEEKEND IS SHABBATH SHYRA

Shabbath Shyra is the Shabbath on or before Tu B’shevat. It literally means “Shabbath of the Song.” It is so named because it falls on the Shabbath of parashath B’shellach, which includes Shirat Hayam, the song that the Yisraelites sang after they crossed the Yam Suf(Sea of Reeds). It opens with the words, “I will sing to YHWH, for YHWH has triumphed wondrously; horse and rider YHWH has hurled into the sea,” and ends with, “YHWH will reign forever and ever.”

The readings for this day are: Sh’moth (Exodus) 13:17-17:16.

FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – B’SHALLACH:

“And Amaleq came and fought with Yisra’el in Rephidim. And Moshe said to Yehoshua, ‘Choose for us men and go out, fight with Amaleq. Tomorrow I am stationing myself on the top of the hill with the rod of Elohim in my hand.’ And Yehoshua did as Moshe said to him, to fight with Amaleq. And Moshe, Aharon, and Chur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to be, when Moshe held up his hand, that Yisra’el prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amaleq prevailed. But Moshe’s hands were heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aharon and Chur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Yehoshua defeated Amaleq and his people with the edge of the sword. And YHWH said to Moshe, ‘Write this for a remembrance in the book and recite it in the hearing of Yehoshua, that I shall completely blot out the remembrance of Amaleq from under the heavens.’ And Moshe built an altar and called its name, YHWH Nissi, for he said, ‘Because a hand is on the throne of Yah, YHWH is to fight against Amaleq, from generation to generation.’”

FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – B’SHALLACH

“And the layer of dew went up, and see, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. And the children of Yisrael saw, and they said to each other, ‘What is he (Man Hu)?’ For they did not know what he was. And Moshe said to them, ‘It is the bread which YHWH has given you to eat.’“

“So, they said to Him, ‘What sign then would you do, so that we see and believe you? What would you do? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it has been written, “He gave them bread out of the heaven to eat.”‘ Therefore, Yeshua said to them, ‘Amein, amein, I say to you, Moshe did not give you the bread out of the heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of the heaven. For the bread of Elohim is he who comes down out of the heaven and gives life to the world.’ So, they said to him, ‘Master, give us this bread always.’ And Yeshua said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall not get hungry at all, and he who believes in me shall not get thirsty at all.’”

Ancient Coins Found in Israel from the Hasmonean Dynasty

Archaeologists and students recently discovered a treasure trove consisting of 160 ancient coins during an excavation in Israel. The discovery, which was announced by the University of Haifa on Dec. 30, was made during an excavation in the Jordan Valley. Coincidentally, archaeologists found the coins during Hanukkah. In a press release that was translated from Hebrew to English, the university explained that the artifacts date back to the Hellenistic period. The coins depict Alexander Jannaeus, who was king of Judaea from 103 B.C. to 76 B.C. Jannaeus, a Jewish leader of the Hasmonean dynasty, predated the destruction of the Second Temple, which was a major Jewish pilgrimage site and closely related to the story of Hanukkah. Pictures released by the university show the coins, which have different shapes and sizes, still retaining faint symbols.

The cache, which is believed to be the largest of its kind ever found in Israel, contains coins written in both Aramaic and Greek. Very few caches of coins minted under Alexander Jannaeus have been found by archaeologists, according to the University of Haifa. The university also said the coins were found in a "road station," or a stop for travelers along the road leading to Alexandrion, an ancient fortress. They were discovered in a room that was likely used as a kitchen. "The researchers are convinced that the site of the excavations in the Jordan Valley… is a road station that has not been known until now, on the main road that leads to the fortress of Sartaba (Alexandrion), which was built by King Yanai," the University of Haifa said in a Facebook post. The ancient rest stop where the coins were discovered also consisted of a mikveh, which is a ritual Jewish bath, and a pool or reservoir that was used to hold water.

The ancient coins were discovered during Hanukkah. "The students and the volunteer excavators in the excavation were very excited to find such an Hasmonean cache, and more during Hanukkah, and this added special significance to them… during the difficult days that pass on our people at the present time," Bar said.

Gen 14. Abram goes and saves Lot from 4 kings with 318 men. A David and Golith moment. Especially when these 4 kings just conqured 5 kings near the Jordan Valley.
Reminds me what Yeshua went through and overcomed to redeem us.
Gen 14 is good chapter. Take note the first use of the words: tithe, priest, king and Hebrew
Praise Yeshua!

It’s so cold the snow looks like blowing sand over here!

I have a lot of notes and replies to things I've kept over the years. Something that I have shared quite a bit outside of the comics is a series of questions and verses to answer those questions. Each question and answer builds on each other. I am going to do a comic for each of these questions. This is question #1.

https://thestraightandnarrow.cfw.me/comics/886

#bible #bibleverse #bibleverseimages #biblestudy #biblestudynotes #church #christian #webcomic #webcomicseries #cartoon