Light In Torah

Good morning! Happy preparation day, the 30th day of counting towards the fruit of the vine! This week we continue our narrative that follows after the 1st generation gave up on their inheritance in the Torah portion, Chukat (Num. 19-24). There will be a lot of thoughts revealed to us in our journey regarding modern day happenings, i.e. the red heifer in Israel and the 2nd coming of our Messiah.  As we continue our thoughts on abiding in the vine (John 15:1-7) there are many applicable lessons from Balaam and his prophecy concerning the Messiah (Num. 24:17) and how we should live in an abiding relationship to the True Vine.  Strangely enough, the Torah is very cryptic concerning the Messiah. Every passage that we've examined up to this point, outside of Jacob's prophecy of Judah (Gen. 49:10), has been inferrences, not direct statements concerning  the Messiah. For the first time in the Torah, we have the Messiah directly mentioned for the world to know. Up to this point w...

Good morning! This week's Torah portion, Korach (Num. 16-18), reveals just how ugly men can get; no wonder I don't find any difficulty in seeing myself in this section...modern mankind hasn't changed. Praise God for those who are setting the standard for us to learn from! Truly, this section is a baffling story. The portion of Korach tells of the "Test of the Staffs/matte" conducted when people contested Aaron's appointment to the High Priesthood. God spoke/dabar to Moses to take a staff from each tribe, each inscribed with the name of the tribe's leader; Aaron's name was written on the Levite Tribe's staff. The sticks were placed overnight in the Holy of Holies in the Sanctuary. When they were removed the following morning, the entire nation beheld that Aaron's staff had blossomed overnight and bore fruit, demonstrating that Aaron was God's choice for High Priest. “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s...

Good morning! Earlier this week I introduced you to two groups of individuals, though not related, they were similar in their arrogance; Both groups despised leadership and the Promised Land, but one repented. The first group we looked at was Korah/Dathan/Abiram + 250 nobility (Num. 16) and the 2nd was Naaman (2 Kgs. 5). The ground opened up and swallowed our Numbers 16 boys and leprosy struck Naaman. But through humility and a change of attitude towards leadership and the Land of Israel his skin became like a baby's bottom. The stories in Scripture reveal, in a limited fashion, that leprosy really only broke out on people for their arrogance and slanderous tongues. Yet, in real life, there were huge leper colonies outside God's camp.  There's something to think about: aren't we glad that the biblical type of leprosy isn't active today :-/. However, when the plagues of Revelation activate the tormenting boils, there might be a general media and social media collapse...

Good morning! Each of us has a domain in our life that needs to be conquered, a terrain that needs to be transformed into a "holy land", so we can be a 'set apart people'. Some of us need to confront fear of what others think, numbness to the indifferences with this world, insecurity in our own skin, temptation to find satisfaction outside of Godly relationships, guilt from past failures, self-loathing, and/or shame. We must confront challenges within our own minds, our marriages, and our families. Since the challenges that lay in the restoration path are at times frightening, we are naturally tempted to believe that we are incapable of overcoming our darkness and we surrender to the obstacles; aka the giants in our land. The feeling is understandable, but if you surrender to it, it will rob you of the opportunity to liberate your life and arrive at your personal "Promised Land." The option of resignation compels you to remain stuck in a barren desert made u...

Good morning! What do you think Dathan, Abiram and Korah missed out on? With their unwillingness to 'come up' into the Promised Land (Num. 16: ), a picture of the future bride, we can make the assumption clearly that they had acknowledged their salvation from Egypt, but, and that's a very large BUT...but, they lost focus on the purpose for their salvation (Deut. 6:23-25) and didn't work out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12,13; 1 Pet. 1:3-9; Heb. 10:36-39).  Scripture teaches in an incognito way, and the Jewish tradition in an overt way, an individual can only enter the Kingdom of the Lower Garden as a little child. For Naaman, this happened when he came out of the river Jordan. His flesh was restored as a child's.  The resurrection is a transformation from a temporary body to one which is squeaky clean, like a baby's tender skin. There's definitely more to becoming like a little child, beyond a cute phraseology of endearment. And they were...

Good morning! Korach's new rebellion is not new, but a continuation of the evil report against the Land, its Covenant, and its People, especially its leaders.  Because the discontent resides in the generation, not in the contrived "problem," the rebellions will continue to arise in the wilderness.  When will we ever learn? This phenomenon is present in every generation.  Among us are those who, no matter how soundly and thoroughly they are proven wrong, persist in wrong thinking, and therefore, wrong arguments and continue to try to influence others in the negative. They may be "saved," yet chained to old ways of thinking.  It is a matter of time until they rebel against the righteous.  Seeing the holy within the natural world requires spiritual, not physical vision.  Faith, not logic. This week, in our Torah portion, Korach, we find rebellion, jealousy, insolence, and the need to make a choice - who's side are you on? Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan an...

Good morning! It's tough when people won't believe you! Could you imagine being the Creator of all and not being believed (Jn. 1:11; Num. 14:11)? The Apostolic letters of Paul tell us that everything that happened to Israel on their journey was a pattern/tupos for our journey (1 Cor. 10:6, 11; Rom. 15:4). Today, contrary to Paul's instructions, there are thousands of differing beliefs on God and how to live believing in Him. The event of traveling in the wilderness (Ex. 12-Deut. 34:12) is crucial for understanding God’s view of belief/aman.  In fact, the Scriptures refer back to this event time and again as a demonstration of what it means to not believe.  As we move into the 21st day of counting towards the first fruit of the wine, we can do ourselves a big favor by recognizing exactly what God says and what God expects in our belief/aman towards Him; which is the only way to please Him (Heb. 11:6). Travel back with me to yesterday's Torah portion , where we dissected ...

Good morning! One of the favorite verses here at the Faith Works Clinic is Matthew 7:13,14. Enter at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:13,14) There is a straight gate and there is a narrow path and there is a broad gate and an easy path (Matt. 7:13,14). Thanks Mr. Obvious :-) The practical question for the morning is, What binds/tzarot you?  What hems/tzarot you in?  Is it the fringes/Tzitzit on the hem of your garment (Num. 15:38, 39; Matt. 14:36)? Is it His yoke that's a burden, but it's light (Matt. 11:28,29; Jer. 6:16)? What makes you feel as if you have no options, no choices?  What propels you into the narrow straits/tzarot?  All of these things are tszarot/narrow or confined.  BTW, for those who have been bought with a price, they don't belong...

Good morning! Have you ever made a 'huge blunder' and, after the fact, tried desperately to redeem yourself? This weekend's Torah portion, shelach lecha/go out to yourself, is filled with adventure and dozens of questions. One of the most perplexing questions that rises within the portion is found in Numbers 14:40. The 12 spies/meraglim have gone into the land, they have brought back up an evil report against the land. Consequently, the Lord has made the ultimate decision to cut off that generation from entering into their inheritance, the Promised Land (Num. 14:20-36; Heb. 6:4-6). After the judgment from God falls, the people recognize the error of the ways, they repent, and they seek to make rectification for what they have done by attempting to carry out the original will of God, and what He called them to do (Deut. 6:23-25). But, instead, they were defeated in battle as they attempted to go up into the Land to fulfil their calling. From an outsider's point of view, ...

Good morning! "Don't leave home without it" advertised the American Express Card. In my early days as a believer, it was "Don't leave home without my Bible." Today, it's "Don't leave home without your cell phone".  Or, as my mom, of blessed memory, would say, "Don't leave home without clean underwear...Just in case you get in an accident." Today, on this 18th day of counting towards the first fruit of the wine, I won't leave home without my gifted bible, my cell phone and clean underwear :-) On top of these non-negotiable essentials, every morning before I head out the door I put on a certain piece of clothing. I've been doing it for years and though some consider it an optional piece of clothing, for me it's essential. The question that many have asked me over the years is, "Why would you wear those threads"?  In order to give a 'colorful' answer, I share with them the story of Numbers 13 and 14,...

Good morning! On this 17th day of counting towards the first fruit of the wine, I have a significant twist waiting for you. Look at the following verses and see if you can recognize a specific theme :-) Therefore he hath poured/sapak upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. (Isa. 42:25) But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and played the harlot because of thy renown, and poured/sapak out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. (Eze. 16:25) Neither did she leave her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured/sapak their whoredom upon her. (Eze. 23:8) And it shall happen afterward: I will pour/sapak My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.  Your elders shall dream dreams, your young men see visions.  And even upon male s...

Good morning! Ever since I made a trip to Idaho to work with a good friend, two winters ago, I have dreamed every night. Why, I ask myself? What was so significant about that trip that ignited the dream state inside of my mind? Maybe God was setting me up to dream like Jacob (Gen. 28:12) or Joseph (Gen. 37:5-10) or maybe He's making me double check my dreams (Deut. 13:1-5)? Or maybe all of them :-) In Joel's prophecy, he says: And it shall happen afterward: I will pour My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.  Your elders shall dream dreams/halomot ya-halomun, your young men see visions.  And even upon male slaves and slavegirls in those days will I pour out My Spirit.  (Joel 2:28) Are these dreams just a series of thoughts, images, and sensations, defragmenting my brain of disconnected and illogical thoughts in the night? Or is there more? Are they manifestations of my repressed wishes? My imagination gone wild? Whatever these are, the t...

Good morning! In yesterday's Torah portion, Behaalotecha (Num. 8-12), we highlighted what I call the 'Garden of Eden' service to the Lord, through the Levites (Num.8:26), prophecies (Num. 11:24-30) and the establishment of the greatest prophet, Moses (Num. 12:6-8). This backdrop gives a dynamic framework in comparison to the grumbling Israelites (Num. 11:1-3), the false leadership and influence of the mixed multitude/erev ra  to  stimulate false hunger for the 'enslaved past' and 'GMO' process of God's perfect food supply; the manna from heaven (Num. 11:4-9). Yesterday's zoom call: God's call for us to move forward and the emotional obstacles we have to overcome to fulfill His calling (Num. 8-12) For everything true there is a counterfeit. The latest in America is vigilante groups impersonating ICE agents; kidnapping, robbing, and who knows what else...Impersonating the truth has been going on for millennia. In the next few studies, I want to sha...