"Death and life are in the hand of the tongue"

Pr 18

"Death and life are in the hand of the tongue"

Pr 18

Thought for Today: Monday October 13

When we purchase something of great value – a house, for example – we are usually required to put down a deposit to indicate our sincerity and to promise that our intentions are serious… YHVH has made some incredible Promises to us – Promises that stagger our imaginations. He has promised that we might have a relationship with Him through His Son. He has Promised never to leave us or to forsake us and to be with us always. He promised us to be in Heaven when we die… Not only is Yeshua Moshiach a sufficient “down payment” on YHVH’s Promises, He is in fact, payment in full!

Happy are those who are humble, for YHVH will share His home with them.

Happy are those who express their sorrow, for YHVH will bring His comfort to them.

Happy are those who do not demand much, for YHVH will give them the world.

Happy are those who desire to please Him, for YHVH will give them a satisfied heart.

Happy are those who show mercy to others, for YHVH will reward them with His own.

Happy are those whose hearts are pure, for YHVH will be their friend.

Happy are those who lead others to peace, for YHVH will claim them as His own children.

Happy are those who are treated wrongfully because they do what YHVH desires, for YHVH will give them heaven for their reward.

Happy are you when others insult you and persecute you and say evil against you because you are Mine.

Be glad! Be very glad! For YHVH will reward you greatly in heaven, for even the prophets were treated this way.

BIBLE STUDY --- THE SAVIOUR

BIRTH OF A KING

From Matthew 1:18-25

This is the story of Yeshua’ birth. While Mary was engaged to Joseph, and while she was still a virgin, Ruach HaKodesh became the father of her Child. When Joseph discovered that Mary was going to have a baby, he felt it proper to break their engagement. But he was a good man and did not want to bring this matter before the public for Mary’s sake. As he thought about these things, Joseph dreamed that an angel was visiting him. [You must not be afraid to become Mary’s husband,] the angel said to Joseph. [The Child in her has come from Ruach HaKodesh. She will give birth to a Son, and you will call Him Yeshua, which means Saviour, for He will save His people from their sins.] All of this happened to fulfil what Adonai said through Isaiah the prophet: [A virgin will expect a child and will give birth to a son, and he will be named Emmanuel, which means, ‘YHVH with us’.] When Joseph awoke, he did what the angel told him to do. Mary became his wife, but she remained a virgin until the Child was born. Obedient to the angel, Joseph named the Child Yeshua.

CRADLED IN A MANGER

From Luke 2:1-7

About that time, the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus gave orders for a tax census to be taken throughout his empire. This census was begun while Quirinius was governor of Syria. The emperor’s order required each person to register at his ancestral city. Since Joseph was descended from King David, he left his home in Nazareth in Galilee, and returned with Mary to Bethlehem in Judea, the childhood home of David. While they were there, it came time for Mary’s Child to be born. She gave birth to her first baby and wrapped Him in bands of cloth. Since there had been no room in the inn, she cradled Him in a manger.

THE NIGHT THE ANGELS SANG

From Luke 2:8-20

On that same night when the Child was born, shepherds watched their sheep on a nearby hillside. In a moment, an angel of YHVH appeared to them, and with it came the brightness of YHVH’s glory, illuminating everything about them. Great fear came upon the shepherds. Then the angel spoke to them: [Do not be afraid. I have Good News that will bring you great joy. Tonight, a Child was born in Bethlehem, the city of David. He is the Saviour, the Son of YHVH. This is the way you will know who He is. You will find a baby wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger.] Suddenly, the heavens were filled with angels and with their voices filled with praise: [Glory to YHVH in the highest heaven; Peace on earth to men who please Him.]

When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds urged one another, [Come! Let us go to Bethlehem and see this wonderful thing which Adonai has revealed to us.] They hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger. When they had seen the Child, they told everyone they met about Him. Those who heard were astonished. But Mary kept these things as her own precious secret, turning them over and over again in her heart.

A NAME AMONG MANY NAMES

From Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:21

After eight days, the time came for the Child to be circumcised. At that time, He was Named Yeshua, as the angel had instructed Joseph long before the Child was born.

AN OLD MAN AND A BABY

From Luke 2:22-38

At the end of forty days, it was time for Mary to make her purification offering at the temple, as required by the Law of Moses. Joseph and Mary brought the Child Yeshua to Jerusalem, to present Him to Adonai. The Law said that if a woman’s first child was a boy, he should be dedicated to Adonai. The offering that Joseph and Mary brought was a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, the offering required of a poor family. While Yeshua’ family was in the temple, an old man of Jerusalem named Simeon was there, too. Simeon was a good man who devoted himself to YHVH. He was filled with Ruach HaKodesh and looked eagerly for the Son of YHVH to come. Ruach HaKodesh had shown Simeon that he would not die until he saw YHVH’s Son. So, under the direction of Ruach HaKodesh, Simeon had come to the temple that day. When he saw Mary and Joseph come in, he took the Child Yeshua into his arms and offered his praise to YHVH: [Adonai, I am ready now to die in peace, for I have seen the One You have Promised. I have seen the Saviour whom You have sent, the Light of the World, the Glory of Israel.]

Joseph and Mary were filled with a sense of awe at the things Simeon said. Then Simeon talked with Mary. [Among our own people of Israel,] Simeon said, [He will bring forth many different responses. Some will rise to the heights of joy because of Him. Others will reject Him and thus bring about their own downfall. You will see your Child become a symbol of rejection, and you will be deeply hurt. Your Child will not leave men neutral, but will cause them to bring forth their deepest feelings for or against Him.] In the temple that day there was also a prophetess named Anna, a descendant of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman now, for she had been a widow for eighty-four years, and previously had been married seven years. Anna lived there at the temple day and night, praying and fasting and worshiping YHVH. While Simeon talked with Joseph and Mary, Anna came up to them. She began thanking YHVH and telling everyone she could that the Son of YHVH had come at last.

COMMENTARY

THE EMPEROR AND THE SHEPHERDS

Gaius Octavianus Caesar Augustus, the Caesar Augustus mentioned in the Bible, was only nineteen when he began to rule the greatest empire of the world at that time. He defeated Cleopatra and Mark Antony, unified the Roman Empire, placed himself over all military forces, and became the first emperor of the Roman Empire. But Caesar Augustus is best remembered for a rather unimportant census which he ordered, which might have been forgotten had it not brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for a night the world will never forget, a night when Yeshua was born. On that same night, some shepherds guarded temple sheep on a lonely hillside near Bethlehem. They, too, would have been forgotten had not angels appeared to them. The emperor and the shepherds, worlds apart in their power and authority, never met. But they are world famous today because they had a part in the birth of Yeshua.

BIBLE STUDY --- THE SAVIOUR

A MIRACLE CHILD IS BORN

From Luke 1:57-66

At last, the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. Her friends and neighbours were delighted with the good news, rejoicing with her because of the child and because Adonai had worked a miracle in her life. When the baby was eight days old, these people came together to circumcise him and name him. They all assumed that he would be named for his father, Zacharias, but Elizabeth insisted that he would not. [His name will be John,] she said. [But there is nobody in your family with that name,] the people said. They began to gesture to Zacharias to see what he wanted to name him. Zacharias motioned for someone to bring him a writing tablet. Then he wrote on it, [His name is John.] Of course, all the people were surprised. At that very moment, Zacharias discovered that he could talk again. He began to give thanks and praise to YHVH for all that He had done. When the friends and neighbours saw what had happened, they were amazed and afraid. Before long, the news had spread over all the hill country of Judea, and people began to wonder, [What kind of child is this, John? What will he do?] It had become obvious to them that YHVH was involved in all of these things.

THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS

From Luke 1:67-80

Zacharias, filled with Ruach HaKodesh, began to speak as a prophet. Here is what he said:

[Praise Adonai, the YHVH of Israel, for He has looked upon His people and has brought them freedom. From King David’s family, He has raised up a Deliverer. Through the words of His prophets, He has promised for ages that He would do this, to save us from our enemies, from all those who hate us. He has shown mercy to our ancestors, and remembered His promise to Abraham. He has permitted us to worship Him fearlessly, acceptable in His sight forever. And you, my little one, will be called the prophet of the Most High YHVH, for you will prepare the way for the Son of YHVH. You will help people know how to be saved from their sins through the mercy of YHVH. You will be like the coming of dawn, bringing light to those in darkness and death’s shadow and you will guide our feet to the way of peace.]

John grew to be a man, maturing in his love for YHVH and living in the wild places until he was ready for his ministry.

COMMENTARY

WRITING MATERIALS

Zacharias called for a writing tablet when he wanted to write the name of his new-born son. What he asked for was not a collection of paper sheets like those used in the modern world. Writing tablets were wooden frames enclosing a wax-covered wood panel. A sharp tool, the stylus, was used to scratch letters into the wax. Shaped much like a modern pencil, the stylus had one sharp end for writing and a blunt end for erasing. The blunt end removed the writing by smoothing the wax so it could be used again. But for important documents that should not be erased, people used more long-lasting materials than wax. Sometimes they wrote on parchment, made from specially treated leather, or on papyrus, a form of paper made from the papyrus plant. Using a split reed as a pen, they wrote permanent records in ink.