PRAISE --- Part 1
TO WHOM PRAISE IS OFFERED
The Scriptures affirm that only YHVH. Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacon, is worthy of praise. Frequently, the Old Testament stresses that the praise due Him is not to be offered to other gods or to idols of any kind. There is a place for the commendation of men and women for their qualities of life and their right actions -- Proverbs 31:28-31; 1 Peter 2:14. -- Ultimately however, they should seek the praise and commendation of Elohim -- Romans 2:29 --, not the praise of other people -- Matthew 6:1-6; John 12:43, -- that others may be led to glorify Elohim for whatever good is found in them -- 5:16. -- Frequently the Bible speaks of praising “the Name” -- HaShem -- of Elohim, meaning that He is to be praised for all that He is and has revealed Himself to be. The often repeated word “Hallelujah” is simply the Hebrew equivalent of “Praise Adonai.”
BY WHOM PRAISE IS OFFERED
Elohim is praised perfectly by His angels in heaven -- Psalms 103:20; 148:2 --. They caroled their praise when Yeshua was born -- Luke 2:13-14 -- and the book of Revelation -- Revelation 7:11-12 -- speaks about their continual praise in heaven. All creation praises Elohim in the sense that it shows His greatness as Creator -- Psalm 19:1-6. -- Psalm 148 lists sun, moon and stars, fire and hail, snow, rain, wind and weather, mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, wild animals, cattle, snakes and birds -- all these -- as praising YHVH together. Heaven and earth are spoken of as involved in the praise of Elohim -- 89:5. -- In the Old Testament we read of the special role of priests and Levites -- Psalm 135:19-20 -- and of the temple singers -- 2 Chronicles 20:21 -- and of those who, like Miriam -- Exodus 15:20 -- and David -- 2 Samuel 6:14, -- led others in YHVH’s praise. But it was the duty of all Elohim’s people to praise Him; their praise was intended, moreover to lead the nations to know and to praise Him -- Psalm 67:2-3. -- The New Testament has this same emphasis -- Romans 15:7-12 -- and it stresses that YHVH’s gifts are given to His people to be used to His praise and glory -- Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14. -- The redeemed people of Elohim are appointed to show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His Marvelous Light -- 1 Peter 2:9. -- The last book of the New Testament presents the praise of Elohim in heaven, where the four living creatures -- representing all creation -- and the twenty-four elders -- representing the people of YHVH under the old and new covenants -- unite in worship, adoring the mighty Elohim who created them and the Lamb of YHVH who redeemed them -- Revelation 4-5.
WHEN GOD IS TO BE PRAISED
In the Old Testament there were times of special praise: Shabbat, new moons and festivals. In Psalm 119:164 the psalmist says he will praise Adonai seven times a day. -- Everywhere-from east to west -- praise the name of Adonai -- is the exhortation of 113:3. -- Psalm 145:1 says, I exalt You my Elohim, O Sovereign, and bless Your Name forever and ever. -- A dedication to a life of praise is expressed in -- Psalm 146:2 : While I live I praise YHVH, I sing praises to my Elohim, while I exist. -- I will sing praises to my Elohim even with my dying breath. In the New Testament likewise, there are special times of praise, but the whole of the believers life is intended to be devoted, in word and action, to the praise of Elohim.
WHERE PRAISE IS TO BE OFFERED
In the Old Testament the Temple (and thus “Tsiyon” or “Yerushalayim,” where the Temple was located) had a special place in the purpose of Elohim: His people should praise Him there. Psalm 102:21 pictures people declaring -- To claim the Name of YHVH in Tziyon, and His praise in Yerushalayim. -- People are to praise Elohim publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation (107:32), but they may also do so alone. For the whole of life is to be praise. Thus praise can come from unexpected places. Believing men and women can sing for joy as they lie on their beds (149:5). Paul and Silas can sing praises to Elohim in a Philippian prison (Acts 16:25).
HOW YHVH IS TO BE PRAISED
As there is no limit to time or place, so there is no limit to the ways in which Elohim may be praised. He may be praised with singing (Psalm 47:7), with dancing (149:3), or with instruments of music (144:9). The Psalter provides us with many songs of praise and others are scattered throughout the Old Testament. The New Testament speaks of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16) and examples of Christian songs of praise are probably to be seen in Ephesians 5:14; Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 1:17 ; and 2 Timothy 2:11-13 .
WHY YHVH IS TO BE PRAISED
Creation provides motivation for the praise of Elohim (Psalm 8:3), as does His preserving Love and Care (21:4) and the fact that He is YHVH YIREH our Provider who answers prayer (116:1). His redeeming work leads His people to worship Him (Exodus 15:1-2). Some of the psalms -- see Psalm 107 -- list many reasons why He should be praised. With the coming of Adonai Yeshua Moshiach, there is a fresh outburst of praise because our Moshiach, has come to His people (Luke 2:11). All that He did by His Life, Death and Resurrection calls for praise. But ultimately praise will be made perfect when Elohim reigns victorious over all. Thus John speaks in the book of Revelation -- Revelation 19:6: And I heard as of a voice of a great crowd, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunders saying: ‘Halleluyah! For YHVH El Shaddai, reigns!
+3
There's no gap in the Hebrew text between parashot #vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) and #vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) as between other parashot. Is it to say "This isn't the end. Keep reading." Or is the break missing to emphasize the connection between "Israel settled" in 47:27 and "Jacob lived" in 47:28?
I played in my first Chess tournament yesterday. Won my first game, lost my second two and drew my last. So not great, but not terrible.
Here is a list of Apostolic passages that I think pair well with parsha #vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26), plus links to related videos and commentary:
http://www.americantorah.com/2....021/04/25/parsha-vay
HEADS UP EVERYONE! PAY CLOSE ATTENTION: AND THEY CONTINUE TO PREPARE FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE ANTICHRIST! THIS IS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION 12:9 READ IT! Wow! They just erected this lovely dragon outside the Rockefeller Center in New York too! First the mixed animal beast and now this! Looking biblical to me! A FEW DAYS AGO THEY ERECTED THE PEACE AND SAFETY SYMBOL IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS:
Revelation 12:9
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Another common objection to keeping the Law is the Sermon on the Mount. People take this speech to mean that Yeshua is changing the terms of the Law. In the same breath they will also say He raised the bar of the Law. In how they are referencing it, both can't be right.
As mentioned in the comic "eye for an eye" in Leviticus is about recompense. The whole section there is talking about restoring what was lost, or in the case of something that can't be restored, judgement for the wrong-doer. This section of the Torah isn't giving everyone a free pass to engage in every fight that comes their way. If someone hits you, Leviticus doesn't give you a pass to hit them back. That isn't what is being said here. However, this is what Yeshua is teaching against because the Jews at the time had taken it to that level. He was correcting them on the Spirit of the Law.
Just like I have covered in a previous comic in this same sermon on adultery. Yeshua says even looking at a woman lustfully is adultery. This doesn't change committing the act being a sin. This tells us the intention of the command: that we shouldn't be the type of people to even think about doing that.
As Yeshua says: Loving God and loving others is what the Law hangs on. These commands in the Law are about just that. Sure, there is punishment laid out in some cases, but as in Yeshua's examples we don't always have to do the punishment, we can love, we can give mercy, we can give grace. Isn't that what everyone says He taught us?
http://thestraightandnarrow.cfw.me/comics/397
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