Shalom Chaverym;
This week's parasha is: Noach - נח - “Noah” (or “comfort”)
Torah reading: B’reishyth 6:9-11:32
Haftarah reading: Yeshayahu 54:1-55:5
Ketuvym Hatalmidym reading: Matthithyahu 24:26-44
Shalom aleykhem, achym, b’shem YHWH Moshienu ~ Peace to you, my brothers, in the name of YHWH, our Savior.
Kal remes asher hu chai lakem Yireh l’aklah; keyreq eisev, nathatiy lakem et kol ~ “All moving things that have life to them shall exist to you for food; like the plant life, I have given you all of it.”
The revelation of YHWH is progressive. He gives it to us a little bit at a time, so as not to overwhelm us. It unfolds slowly, like the petals of a flower, and the events between each new revelation serve to illustrate the reasons and the need for the next.
An excellent example of this is the instructions of YHWH regarding food. In Gan Eden, Adam and Chavah were told to eat of the trees in the garden, and that all plant-life was to be food for them. No mention was made of animals, in that respect. Then, after the flood, Noach was told that animals would also be for food — any living thing that moved was to be food for the nations that he fathered — for a time. In due course, the nation of Yisrael was born and, at Mount Sinai, certain restrictions were imposed upon them alone regarding what would be permitted as food. These restrictions are to function as a sign upon the special chosen people of YHWH, who are to be set-apart for Him as a nation of priests.
Likewise, the rest of the commandments of YHWH are revealed in progression. He has not given them to mankind all at once, nor are they all applicable to every person. The first were simply: “Be fruitful and multiply,” and “Of the tree of the knowledge of excellence and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.” Next, Noach was given a few basic commands that were to apply to all of humanity. About 1,000 years later, at Mount Sinai, Moshe was given the ten great commands and over 600 others, most of which were to apply to the children of Yisrael, alone.
All these revealed instructions, restrictions, and commandments are irrevocable and binding forever, according to YHWH. Each was accompanied by a solemn covenant made between the parties involved. None has ever been replaced. Rather than new replacing old, successive revelations add to and expand upon one another, each teaching us more about our Father and Creator in heaven, and about His future plans for us with Him. This state of affairs is prophesied to remain so until the day that Messiah returns to reign on earth.
Do you even know which of the commandments of YHWH apply to you? Do you know what they are for and how to keep them? If you do, then you must know who you are before Him — either one of the greater commonwealth of Yisrael or else one of the unbelieving nations, one of His chosen people or an unsaved heathen, one who will be with Yehoshua at his coming, or one who will arise to stand judgment a thousand years later. If you do not know, you really should learn, because regardless of whether you know or not, your actions define your future — who you are now, and who you will be. There is one thing of which you may be absolutely certain: YHWH knows.
May you be blessed to know Him.
B’shalom, Ovadyah