Parasha 9: Adonai's Remedy to a Wicked Humanity

"Adonai's Remedy to a Wicked Humanity"

What is remedy? The Hebrew word for remedy is מַרְפֵּא, marpēʾ, which means remedy or cure. It is the means to address a problem or improve a challenging situation.

Let's start with Genesis 8:21b, which states, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil." Despite the flood in Noah's time, humanity persisted in wickedness rather than walk in righteousness. Adonai, who endowed man with language to communicate, witnessed how this gift was misused at the Tower of Babel, where pride led to rebellion and division among people.

During creation, Adonai used the phrase "Let us" in creating man, but at Babel, HaSatan counterfeited this through Nimrod (Genesis 10:10) and the wicked people, saying, "Come, let us make bricks" and "Come, let us build a city and a tower and make a name for ourselves." The command to multiply and fill the earth after the flood was disobeyed as people refused to scatter.

Nimrod and the people's goal in building the tower was not to glorify God but to exalt themselves and pursue idolatry, aiming to unite the world in rebellion, and they wanted to be recognized as they are and not  as the creation of God. 

In response, Adonai inspected the tower and decided to confuse their language, forcing them to scatter and creating diverse languages and cultures (Genesis 10:5). The transition from one language to many symbolizes the shift from belief in one God to the worship of multiple gods.

Babel means “confusion” and this is what Satan wants just like what he did in the garden of Eden. The Babel project creates confusion and fear. People feared to be scattered around the world and they rebelled. Until now Satan confuses people in knowing the truth of God's words so that they would rebel against God.

These are the two lessons we can learn from our Torah portion:

A. Do not be a cause of rebellion, but be a tool of unity in worshiping God. 

The name Nimrod means “rebel” and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and he was a mighty hunter and son of Cush(Genesis 10:8-9). Since his name means rebel, I believe he led the people in rebellion against God. In our time, many Nimrods appear to create and lead rebellion in different congregations, and even prophet Isaiah mentioned how Lucifer rebelled. Isaiah 14:12-15: “How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”

B.Do not be proud.

Pride can destroy our relationship with God and with people. When we exercise our pride, it means that we only think and value ourselves to the point that we are superior or above. Even King Solomon said in Proverbs 16:18-19: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to  be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

Let us remember that even God humbled Himself. Who, being in the form of God, did not consider robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men(Philippians 2:6-7).

Adonai's remedy for wicked humanity was to choose one family to enter into a covenant with. From the lineage of Shem came Nahor, then Terah, and finally Abraham (originally named Avram), meaning "The father of a multitude." Abraham was chosen to establish a covenant with Adonai, and from him, the line continued through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah—the tribe of Messiah Yeshua, Adonai's ultimate remedy for a wicked humanity. Yeshua is the only strong tower of safety and security. Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord  is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

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In the Haftarah portion, Prophet Isaiah accused Ephraim and called them drunkards. Later, he gave his attention to Judah. Also drunkenness infected even the Priest and prophet which resulted in wrong guidance of the people. They erred in wine and strong drink in vision. The question is, what hope did the nation have when leaders lost their ability to be self aware. So what's the action of Adonai? He will discipline His people using the tongue (language) of another nation, when He allowed His people into exile(Assyrian). Just like in the Torah portion, we can also see a remedy of Adonai to His people. In verse 16, Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah(Yeshua) as the Chief Cornerstone of Israel. Yeshua is the foundation or the stone which holds together the entire structure of Israel. 

 

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The Apostolic portion discusses the purpose of the gift of languages. In 1 Corinthians 12, various spiritual gifts are listed, including gift of tongues (verse 10) and the interpretation of tongues (verse 11). However, Paul clarifies that not all possess the gift of tongues. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul emphasizes that tongues without love are meaningless. Moving to chapter 14, Paul urges the believers in Corinth to be mature in understanding, drawing a parallel with Isaiah 28:11. The misuse of tongues in Corinth indicated a lack of maturity, particularly concerning their attitudes towards the gift.

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The common theme throughout our Parasha is language. In the Torah portion, the misuse of one language led to rebellion and self-exaltation. In the Haftarah portion, Adonai used a foreign (nation) language as a form of punishment for Israel. In the Apostolic portion, Paul taught the Corinthians about the proper use of the gift of languages to share the gospel.

In conclusion, despite the ongoing wickedness of humanity, Adonai provides a remedy. There's no need to construct a tower to reach Him; rather, it requires a genuine relationship with His Son, Yeshua, the ultimate remedy for humanity's wickedness.

Shabbat Shalom, 

Topher 

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Sources:

bible strong app 

creation.com

venn.org.nz

hatanakh.com

torah.org

torahresource.com

thetorah.com

thirdmill.org

bethmelekh.com

 

Parasha 8: From Noah to Yeshua

"From Noah to Yeshua"

What significance does tracing your lineage hold, and what emotions arise from discovering it?

Our Torah portion begins with the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, from whom the entire earth was populated. Now, let's take a look at Noah's transition from carpentry but this time he began to be a man of the soil and planted a vineyard. One day, Noah was tending his vineyard, consumed wine and became drunk. When he woke up, he learned of Ham's actions and, in verse 25, we note that it doesn't merely say "What Ham saw," but "what he did." Ham's sin was in seeing his father's nakedness and failing to cover him; instead, he informed his brothers. Perhaps in the ancient practice to see the nakedness of a parent was disrespectful as Leviticus 20:17 says: “If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a wicked thing. And they shall be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his guilt.” But Shem and Japeth covered the nakedness of their father, like what God did to Eve and Adam when they disobeyed His instruction.

The question is, why did Noah mention Canaan in cursing Ham? There was a traditional teaching from Origen that Canaan, Noah's son was the first one who saw the nakedness of Noah, then he reported to his father. But I believe the shift from Ham to his son Canaan has something to do with Israel's future triumph over the Canaanites. Joshua 11:6-9 says: “But the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.” 

In verse 26 to 27, Noah blesses Shem(which means “name”) and Japheth (meaning “enlarge, expansion”), choosing to bestow the blessing upon Shem due to his special relationship with the LORD, indicating a significant connection between Shem and Adonai. Japheth's blessing, in turn, hinges on his relationship with Shem.

Chapter 10 discussed the genealogies of Noah's three sons. It was Shem, Ham, and Japheth who began to repopulate the earth. There are many interesting truths from these men. According to Bible Scholars, there were 70 nations descended from them. 26 from Shem, 30 from Ham, and 14 from Japheth and the main family that is identified in this chapter is traced from Shem and his son Eber. From them came Abraham and Judah, Jesse, David and his sons Solomon and Nathan. Also from Shem that Isaac, Jacob, and Israel were born and Yeshua, the hope of all nations and Savior was Shem's descendants. 

In Genesis 3:15, the promise of ultimate deliverance from HaSatan is given through the seed of a woman, narrowing it down to the line of Shem. Each of Noah's sons and their descendants is linked with blessings and curses. In connection with territory, Japheth is blessed, while Ham is cursed to be enslaved. Shem, however, is blessed with a special connection to God.

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Our Haftarah portion revolves around the Servant and His mission to raise up the tribes of Jacob, restore the preserved ones of Israel, and be a light for the nations, as emphasized in verse 1. The identity of the Servant is questioned, but clues suggest that He is none other than Yeshua. First, the Servant speaks of being called from the womb, implying a human birth yet virgin-born, as described in Mat.1:21, where the angel tells Yosef that Miriam will give birth to a son and call Him Yeshua. Second, the Servant's mouth is compared to a sharp sword, indicating the powerful impact of the Word of God, penetrating hearts (Heb.4:12). Third, the Servant is hidden in the shadow of God's hand, just as Gal.4:4 states, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman."

It becomes apparent in verse 5 that the Servant referred to is likely Yeshua. The prophecy points to Yeshua as the one who will offer a covenant blood to reconcile Jacob to God. Yeshua came to fulfill Isaiah's words, offering Himself as a covenant for Israel's redemption and for the Gentiles. The name Yeshua means "to save," and indeed, He becomes the salvation to the ends of the earth.

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In our Apostolic portion, the One seated on the throne holds a sealed scroll in His right hand, and no one is found worthy to open it, causing John to weep. The proclamation is made that the Lion from the Tribe of Judah is the only one worthy to open the scroll. John also sees a Lamb, as though it had been slain. This dual imagery represents Yeshua, who embodies both the kingship of the Lion and the sacrificial aspect of the Lamb, being the ultimate "Pesach Lamb" who saves His people.

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Throughout our Parasha, the connection is Yeshua. In the Torah portion, Shem's blessed lineage leads to the Messiah, who becomes the hope and Savior of the world. The Haftarah portion speaks of the Servant, likely Yeshua, who brings light and redemption to Israel and the nations. In the Apostolic portion, Yeshua is depicted as both the Lion, symbolizing His kingship, and the Lamb, symbolizing His sacrificial role for our salvation.

In conclusion, Noah blessed Shem and it was through him, and on to Abraham, Judah, and David, leading all the way to Messiah Yeshua the hope and Savior of the world. 

Shabbat Shalom, 

Topher

Sources: 

bible strong app 

thebiblesays.com

thetorah.com

torahclass.com

bethemelekh.com

 

Parasha 7: The Beauty of God's Covenant with Noah

"The Beauty of God's Covenant with Noah" 

What is Covenant? What's the importance of it? 

Last Parsha, we tackled how Adonai remembered Noah after the flood. This time, Noah remembered God after going out from the ark. How? He built an altar. Noah did it as an act of worship in response to God's faithfulness in sparing him and his family and God accepted Noah's sacrifice. Chapter 8 ends with the promise of God not to engage the earth by flood again. 

After Noah emerged from the ark, he sacrificed an offering to the Lord from the animals that had been brought for this purpose. God then promised never again to curse the earth because of the wickedness of man; and never again to destroy every living, breathing creature on earth as He had done in the flood.

“ And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.” (Genesis 8:21)

Beginning in chapter 9, God repeated what He told Adam. History itself is cyclical..it repeats. Now I want to focus on the beauty of God's covenant with Noah. 

Firstly, it is a covenant initiated by God Himself, a divine act that was offered to Noah and the rest of humanity no matter how undeserving all human beings may be. God knows this and yet still, He persisted and pursued the establishment of this covenant relationship based purely on nothing but God's grace and love for all humanity. We can relate this to Phil.2:4,  “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” which urges us to consider not only our own interests but also the interests of others.

God gave His only Son Yeshua to save us because He cares for us. 

Secondly, God's covenant with Noah encompasses all living creatures, including animals. God cares for and sustains all His creation, and as stewards of the earth, we are called to treat these creatures with care, respect, and responsibility. By doing so, we honor God's creation and fulfill our role in preserving the future of our world, aligning with the integrity of our covenant with God.

Thirdly, this covenant carries a promise - God pledges never again to destroy the earth, despite humanity's inclination towards evil. This promise reveals God's unending grace and glory. As we marvel at this mighty and everlasting demonstration of His love culminating in His Son, Yeshua, we can only humble ourselves before our Creator.

Finally, God's covenant with Noah has a sign. The sign will be a "rainbow" in a cloud.  God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the (Hebrew in אֹות הבְּרִ ית ‘habrit ot (‘covenant with all people of the earth: “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13) 

A rainbow reveals God's plan for redemption. He has a plan of making things complete and new. Next is reconciliation between God and man. Then His plan for restoration. Where things are broken or dead, He restores life. Next is regeneration. When restoration takes place, there is also a new growth that occurs. Just as the earth produced new life after the flood, our hearts experience new life when we are washed and cleansed. The rainbow serves as a reflection and humble reminder of God's mercy, hope, and goodness.

So every time we see a rainbow, God is reminding us that He is a faithful God, and He gives us a fresh start. Lamentation 3:21-23 says: “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They  are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

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In our Haftarah portion, the Servant (Yeshua) will open the eyes of the blind both physically and spiritually. He will also set the captives free. Verse 6 introduces the Servant as the promise covenant, bringing salvation for the people of Israel. Yeshua's mission was to fulfill this covenant, bringing redemption and spiritual liberation to those who put their trust in Him.

Moving to verse 16, we see a profound connection between God and the actions of the Servant. God declares, "I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know; in paths that they have not known, I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them." Here, God assures His faithfulness in leading Israel out of darkness and ignorance into His marvelous light through the Servant.

This promise of redemption and freedom from blindness (spiritual darkness) is reminiscent of God's covenant with Noah in the Torah portion. Just as God remained faithful to His covenant with Noah, He reiterates His unwavering commitment to the people of Israel. Despite their wandering and straying after false gods, God's love endures, and He calls them to repent and turn back to Him through the Servant, Yeshua.

In Yeshua's ministry on Earth, we witness numerous instances where He physically healed the blind, symbolizing His ability to bring sight to those who were spiritually blind as well. By opening the eyes of the blind, He revealed the truth of God's Kingdom and His redemptive plan, inviting people to see and understand the things of God.

The promise in Isaiah 42:16 echoes the significance of the rainbow as a sign of God's covenant with Noah. Just as the rainbow served as a reminder of God's mercy and faithfulness, the actions of the Servant, Yeshua, serve as a reminder of God's promise of redemption and restoration for Israel and all of humanity.

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In Apostolic portion, Apostle Paul is exhorting Timothy to embrace hardship for the sake of God's word. Timothy was under pressure to compromise the word. His timid personality shied away from conflict and controversy. So Paul reminded Timothy to persevere. 

In our text, Paul mentioned three ways of how to endure hardship.

First, remember Yeshua who was raised from the dead. Yeshua's resurrection is the main support of the gospel. If Yeshua is not risen, our faith is worthless. So the application for Timothy and us is, during hardship, to remember Yeshua, a descendant of David in fulfillment of God's promise, who is coming back to reign. Endure hardship for His word now so that we will be on His side when He returns. 

Second, to endure hardship, remember that God's word is powerful (V.9). Paul said that the word of God is not chained. Paul contrasts his imprisonment for the sake of the gospel to the unchained power of the Word of God. 

Finally, to endure hardship, remember that God's promises are trustworthy(Vv.11-13). If we endure hardship with Yeshua now, we will be rewarded. But if we are faithless, God will still be faithful. So when we fail, we should ask forgiveness and repent knowing that He is faithful and righteous to forgive us. 

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The connection of our Parsha is about faithfulness. In Torah, God shows His faithfulness to Noah through covenant. In Haftarah, In Spite of Israel's blindness, the faithful Servant Yeshua will open their eyes and promise not to forsake them. In Apostolic, even if we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself. 

Back to my introduction...Understanding the beauty of covenant is so important. It is because the covenant provides the skeletal framework on how the whole biblical story holds together. As the story of the Bible unfolds, we see God is a covenant making, covenant keeping, and covenant fulfilling God. He establishes covenants with certain people and these covenants are the way God unfolds His redemptive plan. The covenants are the structure of the story. If we don't understand and study the covenants, we will not and cannot understand the Bible. 

Deuteronomy 7:9

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

Shabbat Shalom, 

Topher 

Sources:

biblestrongapp
ministrymagazine.org
jewelsofjudaism.com
messianicbible.com
likeananchor.com
chasingthewind.net
www.hartman.org.il