THIS WEEK
VAYISHLACH
TORAH : GENESIS 32:3-36:43
PROPHETS : HOSEA 11:7-12:12, OBADIAH 1:1-21
GOSPEL : MATTHEW 2:13-23
The Power of the Tongue
Did Jacob's rash words kill his beloved wife? The story of Rachel’s death teaches us an important lesson about the power of the tongue.
VAYISHLACH
The Proverbs say that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). In Rachel’s case, that appears to have been especially true.
Jacob and his family were making their way south through the land of Canaan, toward Hebron where his father Isaac still lived. While the family traveled, Rachel went into labor with her second child. She had named her previous son Joseph, meaning “May He add [another son].” God had answered her prayer, and she gave birth to a second son. Rachel suffered a severe labor. As the child was born, the midwife tried to cheer her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” Rachel knew she was dying.
Rachel died some distance from Ephrath, an older name for Bethlehem. Jacob entombed her there, beside the road and set up a sacred stone over her tomb. The story provides the etiology behind a landmark. The Torah remarks, “Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day” (Genesis 35:20).
Jewish tradition connects the tragic death of Rachel with a story from the previous Torah portion. In the previous Torah portion, we read that Rachel stole her father Laban’s household idols when Jacob and his family fled back to Canaan. Jacob did not know about the theft. When Laban overtook Jacob, he demanded the return of his household gods. Rachel was hiding them in her tent. No one knew she had them.
Jacob swore an oath to Laban, “The one with whom you find your gods shall not live” (Genesis 31:32). With those words, Jacob inadvertently spoke a curse over his beloved wife:
Though our mother Rachel was not guilty [of any of the transgressions for which someone might ordinarily die in childbirth], nevertheless, because Jacob said, “With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live,” she was punished, but her judgment was not carried out until she was in childbirth. (Midrash Lekach Tov)
The story of Rachel’s death illustrates the Master’s warning against swearing oaths. He said, “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes ‘ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil” (Matthew 5:36-37).
Rachel’s tragic and premature death sets her apart from the other six mothers. According to tradition, Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah all rest with their husbands in the Machpelah in Hebron. Rachel lies alone beside the way to Bethlehem. She appeared again, alone, mourning the exiles being led off to Babylon (Jeremiah 31:15). She raised her voice again over the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem (Matthew 2). People still visit her tomb today.
Hebrew Alefbet
What path will you walk today? Will you walk on the path that pleases man, that is entrenched in the things of this world? Are appearances more important to you than HIS Thoughts about your eternal soul? What is it that's stopping you from walking in obedience to HIS Instructions?
It's not enough to just Love Yahweh/GOD, to be Grateful for the Sacrifice of HIS Son, Yeshua/JESUS our Messiah that covers our sins. Love is an action word so your feelings of Love just aren't enough. You have to "do". The Scriptures tell us that "Faith without works is dead" and that's what your Love for HIM is if your actions don't reflect that Love.
I think, from my own experience, that fear is the main thing that gives people pause about rejecting man's ways and walking in HIS. When one is raised on traditions that go back for generations and they're taught things by their parents and their preachers that they believe to be what's in HIS Word and that's all they've ever known, it can be difficult, and scary even, to completely reject those things and see what's actually been before them their entire lives – HIS Truth. I mean...what will my family think? What will the neighbors say? We put too much store in man and not enough in HIM. We fail to realize that the only One who matters is Yahweh/GOD. HIS thoughts of our choices need to be what matters most – not man's.
Man cannot save us. Man cannot wash away our sins. Man cannot give eternal life. We are but dust – here one minute and gone the next. Abba is forever and HE never changes.
Choose Yahweh/GOD...This world is not our home – we're just passing through...Choose to walk as Yeshua/JESUS Walked...Walk as Abba instructed us in HIS Word. It's all right there at our fingertips. Open up the Book and see for yourself. It's time to Walk in HIS Truth...before you no longer have a choice.
What path will you walk today? The choice is yours...
"Make every effort to present yourself before GOD as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the Word of Truth." ~ Timotiyos Bet [2 Timothy] 2:15
#letsdothisday
#todayisnotthesabbathday
#itsthefirstdayoftheweek
#walkingashiewantsmeto
#setapartforhim
#thisworldisnotmyhome
#preachingwithmylife
#neveralone
#openupthebook
What path will you walk today? Will you walk on the path that pleases man, that is entrenched in the things of this world? Are appearances more important to you than HIS Thoughts about your eternal soul? What is it that's stopping you from walking in obedience to HIS Instructions?
It's not enough to just Love Yahweh/GOD, to be Grateful for the Sacrifice of HIS Son, Yeshua/JESUS our Messiah that covers our sins. Love is an action word so your feelings of Love just aren't enough. You have to "do". The Scriptures tell us that "Faith without works is dead" and that's what your Love for HIM is if your actions don't reflect that Love.
I think, from my own experience, that fear is the main thing that gives people pause about rejecting man's ways and walking in HIS. When one is raised on traditions that go back for generations and they're taught things by their parents and their preachers that they believe to be what's in HIS Word and that's all they've ever known, it can be difficult, and scary even, to completely reject those things and see what's actually been before them their entire lives – HIS Truth. I mean...what will my family think? What will the neighbors say? We put too much store in man and not enough in HIM. We fail to realize that the only One who matters is Yahweh/GOD. HIS thoughts of our choices need to be what matters most – not man's.
Man cannot save us. Man cannot wash away our sins. Man cannot give eternal life. We are but dust – here one minute and gone the next. Abba is forever and HE never changes.
Choose Yahweh/GOD...This world is not our home – we're just passing through...Choose to walk as Yeshua/JESUS Walked...Walk as Abba instructed us in HIS Word. It's all right there at our fingertips. Open up the Book and see for yourself. It's time to Walk in HIS Truth...before you no longer have a choice.
What path will you walk today? The choice is yours...
"Make every effort to present yourself before GOD as tried and true, as an unashamed worker cutting a straight path with the Word of Truth." ~ Timotiyos Bet [2 Timothy] 2:15
#letsdothisday
#todayisnotthesabbathday
#itsthefirstdayoftheweek
#walkingashiewantsmeto
#setapartforhim
#thisworldisnotmyhome
#preachingwithmylife
#neveralone
#openupthebook
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