Shabbat Bible Study for 28 Sept. 2019

©2019 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries

Year 1 Sabbath 26

Genesis 27:30-28:9   –   Micah 1:1, 5:7-13   –   Psalm 23   –   Romans 10:20-11:36

Links:

Gen.27.30 – – Last week saw Jacob ‘stealing’ the blessing of the firstborn, which birthright he’s purchased from Esav a few weeks back. This week we see Esav crying over what was of no consequence to him just a few days or weeks before – that very birthright and the attending blessing. No sooner did the door swing shut behind Ya’acov’s scurrying feet than Red appears to present his father his flesh food. It’s almost as if Jake’s trailing heal was just leaving the room as Red’s leading toe entered it. 

I don’t think Ya’acov deceived Yitzhak so much as Izzy wanted Jake to have the birthright and the blessing instead of Esav. I know it SAYS that Ya’acov deceived him, but I see at least 3 hints that Yitzhak was no more pleased with Esav’s unrighteousness than was Rivkah and knew that giving the blessing to Esav was not in Y’hovah’s will. 1) In 26.35 Yitz and Rivkah are grieved in their minds over the Hittite wives of Esav. 2) In 27.6 Rivkah sprung the plot on Ya’acov. She has made her displeasure at Esav’s behavior and choice of wives known to Yitzhak more than once (26.35 and 27.46, at least). And her grief was grief to him. Remember that the plot was Rivkah’s idea, not Ya’acov’s. In effect, Ya’acov honoured his mother by following the plan. 3) There is no curse pronounced or any other detrimental stuff said of Ya’acov – only what COULD be seen as ‘6’ covering statements to Esav by his abba. 

I really think Yitzhak entered into the plot with Rivkah – maybe it was a plan they had devised shortly after Ya’acov purchased the birthright, but I think it was definitely done after Esav married the Hittite women. This is a foreshadowing, at least the third in scripture, of the more righteous younger brother getting the blessing over the elder brother in direct contravention of the world’s customs. Abel was favored instead of the elder brother Cain; Shem was favored over elder brother Yapheth; Yitzhak was favored over elder brother Ishmael, and now Ya’acov is blessed over elder brother Esav. Ya’acov will go on and bless his younger GRANDson over his elder grandson AND his own firstborn, Reuben. David favors Shlomo over Absalom and AdoniYah.

In his reply to Esav, Yitzhak lets him know why he lost the blessing in a backhanded way. Izzy asked who this was, and when Esav answered, he ‘trembled’. Trembled comes from H2729, charad, meaning to ‘shudder with terror’. Esav frightened his abba. Esav was a bloody man, as is implied by his nickname, Edom. He would have had no qualms about killing his abba and ima to make it easier to kill Jake. Izzy feigned surprise, “Who-O-O?! I’ve given the blessing and cannot take it back.” Esav wanted the rights of the bachor without the responsibilities that come with it. Sounds like a large portion of the population of the world today, doesn’t it?

B’reishith 28.1-9 – From next week’s Torah notes:

“Background on Jacob’s ladder. 

Jacob has purchased the birthright from Esav for ‘a mess of pottage’ (25.34) and then seemingly received the firstborn blessing by subtilty right out from under Esav’s nose. Esav is ticked and ready to kill Jacob, ticked to the point that his parents fear for their lives because of his anger (27.33). But once Jacob is sent away to find a wife there isn’t much he can do about his anger except be as annoying to his parents as he can be, so he marries a daughter of Ishmael named Machalath. 

Her name is from the root chalah, meaning sickness. The ending of her name is plural, so her name, if my pigeon-Hebrew is correct, means “from sicknesses” (the mem prefix denoting a shortened form of min – ‘from’). So, the man of blood (Edom) married a woman who was borne of sicknesses to spite his parents, who wanted their firstborn to marry a woman who was NOT Canaanite. I think Esav’s marrying the Canaanitish Hittite women (26.35) made it easier for Yitzhak to let Esav go and confer the birthright blessing on Jacob. 

I think it was only AFTER Esav had despised his birthright and married the Hittite women that the parental conspiracy was entered that Jacob would also receive the blessing. IOW – and this is very different from anything I’ve ever heard on the subject – I do not believe Yacov deceived Yitzhak. I think Yitzhak and Rivkah planned it to look that way for fear of what Esav would do if they just blessed Yacov (27.33). The Hebrew in 27.33 seems explicit – v’yecherad Yitzhak charadah g’dolah ad m’od – “and feared Yitzhak terrified very greatly”. I think it’s possible that Jacob was the one who was deceived in ch.27 and that Yitzy and Rivkah planned the whole thing. I COULD be wrong … But I think not. Remember that scripture tells us that Rivkah suggested the plan to Yacov, who objected that his father would suspect something, and Rivkah already had an answer for him – skin of the kids on his hands and neck AND that Yitzy knew Yacov’s voice, but allowed him to give him the kid and blessed him. This line of reasoning, that the subtilty was on Yitzhak and Rivkah’s part and that it provided ‘plausible deniability’ for them with Esav, is purely speculation on my part as I connect the dots that seem to stand out to me. 

Once again, there is no inkling of any rebuke for Ya’acov from Yitzhak or Rivkah over his subtilty and deceit. Indeed, Yitzhak blessed Ya’acov again and commanded him to go to Charan and Laban’s house to take a wife of their kindred. And it is only after Ya’acov is sent away in shalom from his father that Esav decided to marry an Ishmaelite woman, as if to rub his parent’s faces in it. Esav did NOT honor his parents, and his actions indicate his despite of them, at least in this case. Q&C

Micah 1:1, 5:7-13 – The reference to 1.1 is just a reference to give us the context of the entire book of Micah. The salient passage is actually 5.7-13. The context for this chapter is set in the last 1/2 of ch.4:

6 In that day, saith Y’hovah, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and Y’hovah shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. 8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there Y’hovah shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. 11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. 12 But they know not the thoughts of Y’hovah, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. 13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto Y’hovah, and their substance unto the Master of the whole earth.

In ch.4, the daughter of Zion is being called out of Babylon to the land (I think for the last battle of this ‘age’ of the earth). In 5.1, the daughter of troops [DoT], whom I think refers to the NWO armies, is being called out to physically attack what they can see of the daughter of Zion. I think that the DoT smite the judge of Israel on the cheek [a challenge to a duel?] by attacking the political nation of Israel. The future, and perhaps the ultimate, fulfillment of Mic.5.2 is, in this line of thinking, the return of Mashiyach, born in Bethlehem in time, to take up the challenge. She who is in travail in v.3 is whom we know as political Israel. The ‘remnant’ that will return is believers of all stripes at the return of Mashiyach 

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yeshua will Elohim bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of Y’hovah, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of Yeshua shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep. 16 For Yeshua himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Mashiyach shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Master. [1Thes.4.13ff], 

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of Elohim. 14 And the armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El Elyon. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND MASTER OF MASTERS. [Rev.19.11-16],

all of which takes place in answer to the political nation’s call to Y’hovah for deliverance, when their backs are up against it and they see no other way out, “Hosheanu!”; “Deliver us NOW!” In answer to that call, Mashiyach will stop the advancing NWO armies and send his armies to wipe out their base of power in ‘Assyria’, which had its capitol in Nineveh in modern day Iran [across the Tigris River from modern day Mosul, Iraq]. 

All of that sets the context of our haftarah passage. The time is Armageddon and the Kingdom ‘Age’ that follows it. The remnant [we certainly hope that means US] is all over the world, as the dew, the showers of rain and all the general blessings that Y’hovah sends to the unjust as well as to the just. The resurrected remnant doesn’t wait for any man, but for Y’hovah Yeshua. That remnant is placed throughout the earth, among the non-believing people, I think to be the rulers over them and the judges and enforcers of Y’hovah’s Torah during his Millennial Kingdom, in keeping with Yeshua’s parables in Mat.25. When one of the remnant judges and enforces, noone can withstand his judgment, which will be based in Y’hovah’s Torah and not in any man’s tradition or thinking. There will be some rebellion against the rod of Mashiyach, that rod being his remnant, but no rebellion will prevail. All battle gear that remains after Armageddon will be destroyed. There will be no fortress cities, no walls for defense, as there will be a universal peace imposed from Jerusalem through the remnant that rules in the field. All worship of false gods will be forcibly ended; no idols, divining or witchcraft of any kind will be tolerated. And Mashiyach’s remnant viceroys will be the local rods of iron wielded by Mashiyach. The unbelievers who will learn to keep Torah, while hating every minute of it, will be so ripe for haSatan’s release at the end of the Kingdom ‘Age’ that they will jump at the last chance they’ll have to 

set themselves, and … take counsel together, against Y’hovah, and against his anointed, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (Ps.2.2b-3)

They will be the ultimate fulfillment of Eze.38-39 and Rev.20’s Gog uMagog rebellion. Q&C

Psalm 23 – The psalm fits our Torah portion today as it applies to Ya’acov’s blessing from Yitzhak in 28.1-7. As we will begin to see next week, Yitzhak will be oppressed in some ways by Lavan, but he will ultimately prevail, even as Yitzhak said in his blessing and instruction. The psalm also fits our haftarah portion as it references the remnant’s everlasting life and complete lack of any fear in its ministry during the millennium. 

Romans 10:20-11:36 – What follows is from my book, Romans, an Hebraic Perspective ©2006-2011, 2019 by yours truly. 

Vv.19-21 – Who is the foolish nation? First of all, what is a fool in biblical parlance? Ps.14.1 and 53.1 say respectively

The fool hath said in his heart, no Elohim. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, none that doeth good. 

Abominable works = disobedience.

1 The fool hath said in his heart, no Elohim. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: none that doeth good. 

Iniquity = Torahlessness.

So, a fool is a god unto himself. He thinks there is no ‘higher power’ to which he will answer. So a foolish nation is one that believes IT answers to no one. Sounds like – US! Who do you suppose those who are no people could be speaking of? Hos.1.8-9 says

8 Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9 Then said Elohim, Call his name Lo-Ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your Elohim.

Hosea is written specifically to the northern 10 tribes of Israel who were carried afar off and assimilated into the nations of the earth. They eventually migrated all over the known world, and remember that the whole world was known to the sons of Jacob. SO! A foolish nation who is not a people will provoke the Yehudim to jealousy. Who would that be? 

It had been Yehudah’s and Israel’s job to follow Y’hovah and receive his blessings so they could provoke the nations to jealousy. Israel went after other gods and was divorced from Y’hovah (Jer.3.8) and sent into exile ‘afar off’ (Eph.2.11ff), but Yehudah also went after other gods but was NOT divorced and a believing remnant was kept ‘nigh’. But even the believing remnant went astray. They kept fealty to Y’hovah’s Torah, but they also trusted the ‘Oral Torah’ – and some trusted ‘oral torah’ more than Y’hovah’s written Torah. These were nigh, but not on Derech Hashem, the way of Y’hovah. Now look at

11 Wherefore remember, that ye in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Mashiyach, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world: 13 But now in Mashiyach Yeshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Mashiyach. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, the [traditional] law of commandments in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto Elohim in one body by the tree, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Ruach unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of Elohim; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yeshua Mashiyach himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Master: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of Elohim through the Ruach. [Eph.2.11-22]

In v.20, Sha’ul tells us that in 65.1 Isaiah was speaking about US, gentiles after the flesh and in v.21 he says that in 65.2 Isaiah is speaking about the Yehudim, Israel after the flesh.

I am sought of them that asked not for me ; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. (That’s us, Israel) 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people (That’s Yehudah), which walketh in a way not good, after their own thoughts; [Is.65.1-2]

That sounds like Hosea 1.10, where Y’hovah says he will call those who are NOT his people ‘My people’, and those who have not obtained mercy, He will call ‘Mercy’. And Paul has shown us in Eph.2 that Yeshua’s purpose was to call gentile Israel to himself after their 750-year exile and to call Yehudah away from the siding they’d gotten themselves onto. 

The Yehudim got themselves all puffed up with their position in Y’hovah’s kingdom plan. When they refused to listen to their Creator when he came to speak to them pan’yim l’pan’yim, face to face, he left them to their prideful attitude – but he did not forsake them. He left them a faithful remnant, as he always had, who trusted him and not their own wisdom. Then he set about to fulfill his promise to ‘provoke to jealousy by a nation not called by his Name’; gentile descendants of the 10 northern tribes and some mixt multitude gentiles. Now the believers in Yeshua have been made the head and not the tail (Dt.28.44), instead of Yehudah. 

We do not have to do the will of Y’hovah. We can do our own thing. We have free will. But, if we do our own thing, we get to be the tail and not the head, the debtor instead of the lender. To quote Mel Brooks from The History of the World, Pt.1, “It’s good to be King!” 

However, we need to be careful not to do what Yehudah did in pride of our being made partakers of the Commonwealth of Israel and graffed into the root of Y’hovah Yeshua. It is the Commonwealth of YISRAEL, not of the gentiles. The root is Yeshua, but the olive tree is YISRAEL. We’ll look at this in greater detail in ch.11 Q&C

Romans 11

11.1-5 – Chapter 11 culminates the problem Yehudah has had with pride and also reveals more fully the problem the gentile Church has in thinking that because the majority of Yehudah has rejected Mashiyach Yeshua that Elohim has rejected Yehudah and replaced them with another people who can disregard his Torah. Sha’ul puts an end to that foolishness right at the start. In fact he issues a warning to those thinking this way.

Vv.1-4 – Has Elohim cast away his people? WhatayaNutz? He has NOT cast them away. That’s a pretty definitive rebuke of replacement theology straight from the pen of Paul. He makes the argument that a prophet as great as EliYahu made the same mistake in thinking that he was alone in Israel, that Elohim had rejected them for rejecting him. But Y’hovah knew there were 7000 men in Israel (as opposed to Yehudah) who had not bowed the knee to Ba’al. The Hebrew in 1Ki.19.9-10 says that ‘d’var Y’hovah’, the Word of Y’hovah – Yeshua haMashiyach, came to Eliyahu and he called him Mari, or my Master. EliYahu recognized ‘d’var Y’hovah’ as his Master.  But EliYahu was projecting his own reaction against Israel on Y’hovah, who isn’t like humans. If Y’hovah didn’t keep his promise to Israel, how could anyone ever trust him again? No way Y’hovah can ever break a promise. Even when the majority of Israel is in sin, Elohim doesn’t break his promise to their fathers. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So is his Word, which he esteems above his very Name (Ps.138.2). 

V.5 – Elohim ALWAYS keeps a remnant true to him and to the faith once delivered to the saints. It is the Torah of liberty that he gave to his people so they could know when they strayed from Derech Hashem, the Way of Y’hovah, by examining ourselves against it. Torah IS the faith of Yeshua that was once delivered to the saints (Jd.3). Jms.1.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect Torah of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Jms.1.25 from the Aramaic/English New Testament says this:

But everyone that looks into the perfect Torah of Liberty and lives fully in it, is not a hearer of something to be forgotten, but a doer of the things; and he will be blessed in his work.

Isn’t that ‘works righteousness’? Do you see anything there about justification by works? I don’t. I see that if we live fully in the perfect Torah of Liberty, we will be blessed in our work, which is in context, Torah. Do you want to be blessed? Walk according to Torah as Y’hovah empowers you. It is not far from you, nor is it too difficult for you. Dt.30.

8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of Y’hovah, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And Y’hovah Elohecha will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for Y’hovah will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: (there are the blessings, folks) 10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Y’hovah Elohecha, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto Y’hovah Elohecha with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

What did Y’hovah say? It’s not too hard, it isn’t hidden from us, and it isn’t on another planet. Torah is in our hearts and mouths. Hey, does that sound like the New Covenant to you? Does to me. Maybe the New Covenant ain’t all that new. Or maybe our traditions have taught us some stuff that ain’t so. Or maybe it just isn’t very different from the Old? Obedience to Y’hovah’s Torah follows justification by his grace through the faith of Yeshua, ‘like the fragrance after a rain’. Q&C

Vv.6-10 – Not rhetorical – When has works ever made anyone elect of Y’hovah? When Paul speaks of works being one thing and grace being another, he is not speaking of the Torah given by the grace of Elohim and written by the hand of Moshe, but the one handed down by word of mouth as if from Moshe – Oral Torah. If election is by grace it can’t be by works, otherwise grace is not grace. If election is by works it can’t be by grace, otherwise works are not works. 

 

So who are the elect? Whosoever trusts in the finished, atoning work of Y’hovah Yeshua whether Jew, Ephraimite or full gentile AND whether or not they’ve ever heard the Name Yeshua are elect. Election alone does not confer justification unto life. 

2Pe.1. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yeshua haMashiyach. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Y’hovah and Saviour, Yeshua haMashiyach. [2Pe.1.5-11]

What is diligence? Diligence is close attention to something we do; careful, persistent work. Peter tells us twice to give diligence to our calling and election. Even some rabbis taught, before Yeshua’s walk on earth in the flesh, that Mashiyach was the suffering servant of Is.53. Many still do. Those who do today, but who do not accept that Yeshua is the Mashiyach, are some of those who will be graffed into the root and olive tree in the not very distant future. We’ll discuss in the next segment why they do not accept Yeshua now, but will soon. They lack only the knowledge that Yeshua is Mashiyach. They are elect of Elohim to justification without works. The rabbis who know that Is.53 refers to Mashiyach have not done due diligence to make their election sure. They need only one little push in the right direction. Many in the church have also not done due diligence to make their calling and election sure in that they live negligently, don’t walk godly, after the truths of scripture. They believe, but do not follow Yeshua in their life’s walk. They need only one little push in the right direction. The elect who have done due diligence are Yisrael. Those who were blinded or negligent, whether Jew, Ephraimite or full gentile, are Israel. 

It is Elohim who gave them a ‘sleepy’ spirit. We see them in all denominations of Judeo-Xianity. Those who just trust what the pastor says because he went to Cemetery and he’s a snappy dresser, or who trust their rabbi because he went to Yeshiva and looks good in his pe’ot and tefillin are the ‘sleepers’. The rabbis and pastors spout the same old junk they’ve had passed down to them by their rabbis and pastors for 18-30 centuries. But they don’t ever get a personal revelation that agrees with scripture during their personal study – especially not one that might get them fired for teaching things unpopular or uncomfortable with the congregants, though they may get a new-to-them thought that fits with the traditions of their elders. They keep on parroting what they’ve been taught to their congregations. “Polly want a crack-ER! AW-W-K! All Yehudim were discarded! AW-W-K! Rambam says! AW-W-K! We’re not under the law-AW-W!” Never mind what scripture says. Don’t make waves. Fit in. Receive your colleague’s approbation and your paycheck. Who needs to be blessed of Y’hovah, anyway?

To what table do you suppose David was referring in v.9? I think it really refers to their spiritual table, the one from which they should be receiving and on which they should be serving manna from heaven, but they treat it as a common thing, like the kitchen table at home. They are gospel peddlers, not gospel spreaders or men who are concerned for the spiritual welfare of their kahal – their church. They are after their own gain. Their god is their belly. This describes MOST of the people in pulpits or bemas today, unfortunately. They have a job from Elohim as watchmen on the wall and shepherds of the sheep, but they are unable to discern things of the Ruach of Y’hovah. Their ‘eyes are darkened’ speaks of inability to see the deep things of Elohim. Yeshua spoke in parables, or dark sayings (Ps.78.2, Prov.1.6). Parables teach deep spiritual truths, when applied or interpreted correctly. The non-elect don’t really understand parables, and they see little if anything beyond what’s written on the page. They are unable to see connections between biblical prophecies and their modern applications and fulfillments. Q&C

V.11-12 – The main background point to the rest of this chapter, actually the rest of the epistle, is Paul’s ministry (v.13, I magnify mine office). He is making the point to the Yehudim that his message is true, and in order to do that he has to show that Yeshua fulfilled their eschatological expectations. What were the Yehudim expecting of Mashiyach? How would they know who he was when he appeared? We’ve discussed it briefly before. The main reason they reject Yeshua as Mashiyach is that he did not regather the 10 tribes of Israel to Yehudah and make them one flock. Ezek.34 is all about Y’hovah bringing the lost sheep home, and he uses LOTS of metaphors to make the case. Many rabbis even teach that Mashiyach is the one who brings the lost sheep home, and that David is a metaphor for Mashiyach in 

22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I Y’hovah will be Elohechem, and my servant David a prince among them; I Y’hovah have spoken it . Ez.34.22-24. 

Also in Ezek.37.15ff we see the 2 sticks metaphor for Yehudah and Ephraim, and again in v.24 David is the one shepherd of the united flock. When Yeshua, who EVERYONE knew was a son of David, did not physically regather Ephraim from the nations, the Yehudim rejected him. He didn’t fit their expectations, as they interpreted Torah and the Prophets. Was their eschatology incorrect? Or did they apply it out of time? Or did Y’hovah have a slightly different plan than they had educed from scripture? From our perspective, we can see the 2 comings of Mashiyach as separate in manner, but with the same purpose – to recall Ephraim to follow in the Way of Y’hovah, first spiritually (ben Yosef) and then physically (ben David). 

Have the Yehudim stumbled that they should fall? WhatayaNutz? To stumble is not to necessarily fall. I stumbled the other day on my trip to my house, but I did not fall. Even though the Israel who has not been elected (yet) fit all the things spoken of in vv.7-10, they have NOT been discarded by Y’hovah. They may be tripping themselves and others in their quest for more ‘stuff’, but he has not given up on them altogether. Y’hovah is using his election of Yisrael to make his people Israel jealous and desirous of the fellowship we have with him. There are 2 words translated ‘fall’ in v.11, pipto and paraptoma in the order of use. Pipto = to fall down. Paraptoma = to fall aside. Pipto suggests a permanent fall, never to arise, while paraptoma suggests being put on a siding for a time to make room for another train to pass. If Y’hovah’s moving Israel to a siding brings richness to the world, how much more will he bring riches by their fullness? When unbelieving Israel stops trusting the Edomite nations of the world for her security and calls on Y’hovah for deliverance (Y’hovah Yeshuatenu [OUR deliverance]), they will see once again his provision and protection and believe on Yeshua haMashiyach, for it will be he who is the answer to their sincere call for deliverance. Q&C

Vv.13-16 – Why does Sha’ul single out the gentiles in v.13? It is they who were causing division in the Roman church over who should be in leadership. Already rearing its ugly head was anti-Semitism, probably as a result of decades of preferential treatment of the Yehudim in Rome due to their religion and culture pre-dating Rome’s establishment. From our background material (pg.3 of this work):

By the time of Yeshua and Paul, the land of Israel (Judea and Samaria) had been part of the Roman Empire for several decades. The first emperor, Julius Caesar, granted rights to Jewish communities because their ancestral laws predated Rome. Yehudim had legal privileges as a collegia (defined by Roman law as religious & legal entities), giving them the right to assemble, have common meals and property, govern and tax themselves, and enforce their own discipline. 

All of this authority was placed under the auspices of the Synagogue and its legal body, the Sanhedrin. The Yehudim were also given exemption from military service and emperor worship. They were the only non-pagan religious group in the Roman Empire to have these rights. Under Roman law, no new religions were allowed and all other religious societies (other than Judaism) were forbidden by Caesar to have presence in the city of Rome. All of these factors led to much resentment and the formation of a social anti-Jewish sentiment among the population (from The Mystery of Romans by Mark Nanos).

To ‘provoke to emulation’ is from the word parazeloo, to stimulate alongside, excite to rivalry. Paul travels on the main track and gets right alongside Israel on the siding to REALLY provoke jealousy of his standing in Y’hovah for the purpose of reconciling them to him. He, as apostle to the Gentiles, is performing the office that is Israel’s – it is Israel’s calling from Y’hovah to be a light to the Gentiles, to bring them out of darkness into his marvelous light (2.19, 1Pe.2.9). V.15 says that they are cast away, but v.2 says they are not. The KJV translators didn’t use a contextual approach on this verse or they would not have entered so obvious a paradox only a few verses apart. They are not thrown out, but cut off and let lay, awaiting the time that they can be graffed back in. The word apobole, broken down, means to lay aside. Israel was laid aside to make room for Yisrael from both houses and to then be engrafted again at a later date.

V.16 speaks of the firstfruit. Who is or are the firstfruits of Y’hovah? Yisrael! 

Jer.2.2, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Y’hovah; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. 3 Israel was holiness unto Y’hovah, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith Y’hovah.

Let’s not forget the 144K, a part of Yisrael who are also the firstfruits of Y’hovah.

Rev.14.1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred forty four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, the firstfruits unto Elohim and to the Lamb.

But the ultimate firstfruits of Y’hovah is Yeshua.

1Cor.15.20 But now is Mashiyach risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man death, by man also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Mashiyach shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Mashiyach the firstfruits; afterward they that are Mashiyach’s at his coming. 

The reference to the firstfruit and the lump has to do with the firstfruits offering in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) on the Feast of Shavuoth (Pentecost). The offering was of leavened bread, yet it was set apart unto Y’hovah, as are the 144K. In v.16, the firstfruits are likened to the root, each being set-apart and thus setting apart that which is a part of it. The firstfruits sets apart the whole lump as the root sets apart the branches attached thereto. This starts the branches analogy. Please note that association with that which is set-apart makes the associate set-apart. IOW, if we are in Mashiyach, we are set-apart unto Y’hovah. Mashiyach cannot be separated from Yisrael. They are echad – unity. Q&C

Vv.17-18 – Rav Sha’ul uses a metaphor of an olive tree to make his point that the firstfruit is the faith once delivered to the saints, which is trust in and obedience to Y’hovah’s Word, which has now been revealed as Yeshua. The lump/root represents the faithful remnant of Yeshua, whether Jew or Gentile, or Yeshua himself. The Unbroken branches are the natural followers of Yeshua (Yehudim) and those engrafted into the faith from among the gentiles. The broken branches are those hardened of Israel who has yet to accept Yeshua as Mashiyach.

V.16 doesn’t make a distinction between the branches. If the root is set-apart, so are the branches. V.17 begins the olive branch metaphor. Branches are broken off and let lie, but they are still set-apart against the day they awaken and are softened and are circumcised in their hearts and the veil is removed from their eyes. For now, they suffer for the sake of Y’hovah’s Name, which they still carry and revere. 

If we who are of a wild (uncultivated and uncared for) tree can be graffed into the natural (cultivated) tree, we ought not boast about it, as if it’s something we’ve done or merited. It is the gracious provision of Y’hovah that we are made worthy to be engrafted into the natural tree. 

What are the characteristics of the ‘wild (uncultivated) olive tree’? The wild olive tree produced nothing. It was uncultivated and unpruned. If it produced any fruit, it was stunted, useless for oil or eating. The Gentiles in Mashiyach needed to see that their place in Mashiyach was by the grace of Y’hovah and nothing else. 

Eph.2.11 Wherefore remember, that ye, in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Mashiyach, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world: 13 But now in Mashiyach Yeshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Mashiyach.

‘Far off’ can be likened to being in the wild olive tree, and ‘nigh’ can be likened to being engrafted into the cultivated tree. 

The olive tree was also a symbol of the Greco/Roman culture. Cited from Wikipedia [it’s GOT to be true!]:

The olive tree is frequently mentioned in religious texts such as the Bible, the Qur’an and the Book of Mormon, and is one of the symbols of the Greek goddess Athena… Its oil was used as a rub for the body and hair as well as to fuel the perpetual Olympic flame, and its leaves were fashioned into wreaths for the Olympic victors.

Paul here likened the pagan culture to one left to grow wild by the same Y’hovah, who had cultivated, fertilized and pruned Avraham’s seed for 2000 years. Now he is taking unpruned branches from the pagan culture and graffing them into the tree he has been caring for since his first promise to the patriarchs. If that ain’t grace, I don’t know what is. Now that they are a part of the natural tree, they will be pruned and cared for. Pruning is not pleasant to the tree, but it helps the tree to produce more and better fruit.

So how can anyone boast of his recent engrafting against those whom Y’hovah has been cultivating for 2000 years? Seems a bit arrogant to me, and to Sha’ul, as well. Some Gentiles incorrectly believed (and believe), that because the Yehudim had rejected Mashiyach, Y’hovah had rejected them. But ‘the gifts and calling of Y’hovah are without repentance’ (v.29). Y’hovah NEVER repents of a call made or a gift given. He’ll test our faithfulness. He’ll send trials to see how we’ll respond in relation to his gifts and calling. That’s called pruning. But he will NEVER repent of having gifted or called you or me. Q&C

Vv.19-24 Sha’ul anticipates their argument and cuts it off. Follows a ‘Mark Paraphrase’: “Well, you just said they were broken off to make room for me.” “That is well”, he replies, “They have been put on a siding due to unbelief, while you stand in your faith. But don’t let that knowledge puff you up to thinking you are better than them. You ought to tremble. If Elohim has broken off the natural branches from the tree he’s been cultivating for over 1500 years (at the time he wrote Romans) to make room for you, on whom he’s not given all that effort, what makes you think he won’t break you off to make room for them, if they repent and you turn your back on him?” In Rev.2, Yeshua says very much the same thing to the church at Ephesus as he calls them to repentance:

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

First Works? I think it’s talking about Torah, sans Talmud and traditions.

There are 2000 yr. old olive trees. They grow until they die or are cut down. So he can graff them in right alongside us. There’s plenty of room. So don’t get haughty about your engrafting into the olive tree and their shunting to a siding. They will ‘take’ a lot easier than you did, for they are the natural branches. And even in their unbelief, they can teach us wonderful things of Y’hovah that Yeshua and Paul knew, but that we have lost in our arrogant attitude relative to them. 

Remember our discussion of the Sephiroth tree a while back? The rabbis had/have this idea of a tree with the ‘ayn soph’ – ‘the One who is unknowable’ or, literally, ‘without end’ – above it, energizing it and directing it. The Sephiroth tree is an attempt to understand and explain Y’hovah Elohim in his various aspects or emanations. In the Sephiroth, these emanations are in groups of 3 and on 3 levels between the Kingdom on earth and the ayn soph. Paul makes a reference to the center level of this Sephiroth tree when he says, “Behold the goodness and the severity of Elohim”. Superimposed on the tree is a representation of a man standing on the earthly Kingdom (Y’hovah’s Bride, the earth is his footstool, Is.66.1) with his arms outstretched, his right hand (Y’hovah’s grace) resting on the emanation of mercy/goodness and his left hand (Y’hovah’s justice) resting on the emanation of his severity/judgment. (It looks kind of like a man crucified on a tree.)

That center level has the goodness/mercy of Y’hovah on the right hand side of the tree (as we look at a representation of the tree it is on our left), while the severity/judgment of Elohim is on the left side of the tree. These are joined in the center of the tree in the beauty of Y’hovah Elohenu’s Holiness. The beauty of Y’hovah Elohenu is also the center of the man’s body – his heart. This is a good graphic illustration of the heart of Y’hovah Yeshua, who is the outworking of Y’hovah Avinu’s mercy and goodness, but has also been given the power to judge the earth with severity and righteous judgment. Now, the rabbis won’t make that connection – YET. But many of them will, and soon. Right now, they are receiving his severity and judgment. But remember that judgment doesn’t always end in condemnation – it often ends, as in our cases, with acquittal. That is his mercy and goodness. 

Paul is telling us in ch.11 that kol Yisrael will be acquitted after they are judged in righteousness. When their suffering moves them to repentance and they call out for Y’hovah’s deliverance, he shall deliver them. And their deliverer will be Yeshua, whom they will recognize immediately and welcome with the Words, “Baruch haba b’Shem Y’hovah! – Blessed is he who comes in the Name of Y’hovah”, echoing the crowds that greeted him as he rode into Jerusalem on the foal of an ass:

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Y’hovah; Hosanna in the highest. (Matthew 21:9)

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Y’hovah: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Y’hovah: Hosanna in the highest. (Mark 11:9, 10).

“Hosanna” = Hebrew, Hosheanu!, which means “Deliver/Save us NOW!” Q&C

V.25a – To keep the Gentiles from being all puffed up in their engrafted position in Mashiyach, Paul is revealing a ‘mystery’ to the Gentile believers in Rome. ‘Mystery’ is from Strong’s 

#3466 musterion, moos-tay’-ree-on, from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or “mystery” (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites): –mystery.” 

Now, I don’t think this is saying that Paul was initiated into a secret society, like Freemasonry or Skull and Bones. It means this is one of those deep things of Elohim that he speaks about in I Cor.2:10:

But Elohim hath revealed them unto us by his Ruach: for the Ruach searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of Elohim.

We have discussed briefly before the rabbinic doctrine of PaRDeS, which says that there are 4 levels of understanding of the scriptures. 

The first level is the pashat, which is the concrete, literal, exactly what’s written on the page understanding. Pashat is the bedrock on which all the other understandings lie. If any understanding or interpretation of the verse or passage contradicts the pashat, it is invalid. This is, generally speaking, the Baptistic understanding – if it isn’t written out in black and white it’s not scriptural truth, and no matter how much you try to expand their scope of understanding, they will resist it, usually by denouncing you as an heretic. This I know from personal experience.

The second level of understanding is remez, which is a hint at the deep things of Y’hovah. The words on the page often allude to something much deeper or hidden. It is a hint at the ‘deep things of Elohim’. We have seen a bunch of these in Romans already. In Rom.1.18ff, we see that the creation itself is a hint at the existence of the ayn soph, ‘the one who is unknowable’- he who is literally ‘without end’; we spoke of a few minutes ago. Every time Paul speaks of one of the emanations or characteristics of the ayn soph he is giving a hint at understanding him. To many, these emanations are themselves very deep concepts, but in reality they are hints at the deepest of all the deep things of Elohim – Himself. 

The third level of understanding is the D’rash, which is the personal life application of the verse or passage. This is where the Ruach, the Ruach of Y’hovah, gives us the ability to apply the truth to ourselves or to those whom we counsel. Paul often does this, as well. 1Cor.5 comes to mind, where he counsels the elders at Corinth to put the man out of the kahal who is having carnal knowledge with his father’s wife. This is an application of a commandment of Torah, which was seen as an action of Ya’akov when he removed the birthright from Reuven who had gone in to Bilhah, his father’s concubine and his brother’s mother. Our sin affects ALL of our descendants, as happened to Reuven. He was held responsible for his own sin, but the consequence of that sin passed on to his seed as well. When we compare scripture with scripture like that and see how it applies to us or those around us we have engaged in midrash, expounding on the meaning of scripture. A good sermon is always a good midrash. Mi = with, d’rash = application. Often, expounding on scripture will reveal the fourth level of understanding.

The fourth level of understanding is sod, which is the hidden meaning – the mystery. This is where Paul is going in our passage. There is, for example, nowhere in Tanakh that states plainly that Mashiyach must suffer before men, be crucified and die for the sins of the world. It’s hinted at in remez, but never stated plainly. However, many rabbis BEFORE Yeshua’s appearing believed that was in fact how the nation would be delivered from sin and into the olam haba – the world to come. They always saw Mashiyach as a national deliverer, not a personal Saviour. Yeshua’s own talmidim didn’t get it, even AFTER the 40 day Yeshiva with the risen Mashiyach before his ascension. Look at Lk.24.13-35 [Emmaus Road discourse] and zero in on: 

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Mashiyach to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moshe and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Notice that he ‘expounded’, he applied one prophetic scripture and its meaning to another prophetic scripture and its meaning and arrived at a conclusion that Mashiyach was certainly spoken of in Tanakh, it just was not understood BEFORE his crucifixion and resurrection. Often a sod teaching is not understood until AFTER the deeply covered prophecy has already occurred. Once it is shown to a person, who knows the pashat of the prophet, how Y’hovah made all things work together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose, he flattens his forehead and says, “How could I have missed it?” He missed it because he needed an event to happen to supply the insight. OR we need to be in intimate communication with our Creator (but even then it is not a ‘done deal’ – we need to be open to the truth he is revealing). But even after the 40-day yeshiva with their Creator and risen Saviour, they were STILL asking if he would restore the Kingdom now! (Acts 1.6) They were looking for Israel’s national redemption right then, not the personal redemption of everyone who believes. Q&C

V.25.b – “Blindness in part” means their blindness is not total. Yehuda had become myopic, not totally blind. They could still see deep truths of scripture, even of the nature of Elohim, but the rabbis were given over to blindness concerning the person and work of Mashiyach. The Yehudim – the leaders of the Hebrew religion – would not accept that Yeshua was Mashiyach ben Yoseph, especially knowing that he ‘was of the house and lineage of David’ (Lk.2.4). What they failed to see was the mystery that Paul is revealing in this passage, that in order to bring the 10 tribes out of bondage Mashiyach had to fulfill the office of the son of Yoseph, which was to bring them back to the faith once delivered to the saints. He did this by placing Yehudah on a siding for the time being while he brought in the multitude of Nations, the melo hagoyim and the fullness of the gentiles.

In Gen.48, Ya’akov told Yoseph that Ephraim would be greater than his older bro (a theme in scripture – the younger being greater in faith and practice than the elder – as we aw in the Torah passage today) and that his seed would become a ‘multitude of nations’. The Hebrew phrase here is ‘melo hagoyim’, which also can be translated, ‘fullness of the gentiles’. Melo is the Strong’s 

#4393 mlo’ mel-o’ rarely mlowf {mel-o’}; or mlow (Ezekiel 41:8), {mel-o’}; from 4390; fulness (literally or figuratively): –X all along, X all that is (there-) in, fill, (X that whereof…was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude. see HEBREW for 04390 mala מלא, ‘to fill to abundance’.

#4390 male’ maw-lay’ or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law’}; a primitive root, to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively): –accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X draw, give in, go) full (-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, + have wholly.

M’lo is only translated ‘multitude’ one other time, in Is.31:

3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not Elohim; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When Y’hovah shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. 4 For thus hath Y’hovah spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall Y’hovah Tzavaoth come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

The shepherds he is speaking of there are the generals of the troops coming against Y’hovah Yeshua at Armageddon. The lion and the young lion both speak of Mashiyach, who is not afraid of the ‘fullness of shepherds’, or all the generals of the NWO, ‘called forth against him’. 

So, comparing scripture with scripture, the multitude of nations and the fullness of the gentiles coming in must mean all the gentiles called forth TO him. That’s Ephraim. And that is the message and the ministry of Mashiyach ben Yoseph. Mashiyach ben Yoseph has been calling forth the melo hagoyim ever since his rejection by the Iuaidoi Yehudim; the leaders of the religion in J’lem. When they have all responded to the call, either positively or negatively, he will set up, as Mashiyach ben David, the Kingdom that his talmidim and the entire nation of Yehuda were looking for. 

The word male is only translated once as multitude in Jer.12.6. In that passage, their leaders have called all the multitude of the NWO nations to ‘weary’ Y’hovah’s people. 

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and in the land of peace, thou trustedst, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Yarden? 6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude (male) after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee. 

I think this prophecy is warning Israel and Yehudah to not trust the ‘land of peace’, for that nation will turn against Israel in the end of days. I think this speaks of the United States. The US will weary Israel. The US is largely made up of descendants of the 10 tribes, especially Ephraim and Menasheh, Yehudah’s brothers and the firstborn of Jacob, according to Gen.48. The US will call ‘the multitude’ (male), the NWO armies, against the land of Israel in what may be the prophecy of Ezek.38-39 coming to pass. This is coming soon to Y’hovah’s people living in the political nation of Israel. Do you think they’ll listen to this prophecy? Not until they come to the end of themselves and realize their need for Y’hovah’s deliverance from the hole they’ve dug themselves. I think this may be coming to pass very soon. When they call on his Name, he will respond with his Deliverance. Their blindness will end when they ‘look upon him whom they have pierced’ (Zech.12.10). Q&C

V.26-27 – Notice that AFTER the fullness of the Gentiles come in, all Yisrael is saved. Juxtapose this verse with Eph.2.11-18 and our passage above, vv.13-24. All Yisrael includes all believers of all time, every person who has placed his trust in the Name of Y’hovah to deliver him from his bondage to sin and exile. This statement, ‘kol Yisrael y’shuato’ could not have been true until the melo hagoyim was brought in. 

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when Y’hovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (Psalms 14:7)

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When Elohim bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (Psalms 53:6)

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Y’hovah, to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of Y’hovah out of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of Y’hovah Tzavaoth shall do this. (Isaiah 37:32)

Y’hovah also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Y’hovah will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel 3:16) 

Ha Tikvah, The Hope, is Israel’s national anthem. The hope of Yisrael is the ingathering of the exiles that will be accomplished by Mashiyach Yeshua. THAT is the blessed hope; the glorious appearing of Mashiyach bringing in his sheaves with him. Guess who the sheaves are. Ps.126 says the sheaves are those whose captivity Y’hovah has turned to liberty. Yehudim and Gentiles in Mashiyach = chol Yisrael, the saved from exile and slavery.

V.27 is a continuation of v.26; Paul has added to the passage he quoted. Is.59:

20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Y’hovah. 21 As for me, this my covenant with them, saith the Y’hovah; My spirit that upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith Y’hovah, from henceforth and for ever.

Paul quotes v.20-21a, then adds “when I shall take away their sins.” When will he take away their sins? That’s not rhetorical. When will Y’hovah take away Yisrael’s sins? Has he done so, already? Spiritually and metaphorically, he has. But in our experience we know this is yet to be fully accomplished in us (though it should be more real in our lives daily). So when will he take away our sins? 

Look at the rest of Is.59.21. When will Y’hovah’s word be ever present on our lips, as well as on the lips of our children and grandchildren? When he takes away our sins. When he expunges sin from us in the resurrection. Our seed and our seed’s seed can only be spiritual or metaphorical today, as is our part in Avraham’s covenant (Gal.3), but in eternity, on the new earth and in the new heavens, it will also be physical reality, when both we and our faithful literal, as well as our spiritual, offspring will both have his Ruach and have his Word forever on their lips.

In effect, Paul has taken the covenant with Yisrael, that he would not remove his Word from Isaiah or his seed forever and applied that promise to all Yisrael – His Ruach will be upon ALL Yisrael, not just Yeshayahu. Y’hovah’s Words will be on our lips, and those of our children and their children; and their children and their children; ad infinitum – forever. The timing is in the millennial Kingdom and in eternity beyond, when the New Covenant with both the houses of Israel and Yehudah will be fully accomplished. This can ONLY be after he has drawn the lost and scattered sheep of the house of Israel out of the nations.  Q&C

Vv28-32 – Paul is still speaking about the Yehudim to the Gentiles in Rome. He is still giving instruction to the Gentiles who have come to the faith of Yeshua directly from paganism, and admonishing them for their attitude of superiority over the Yehudim. He’s already told them to fear, lest any of them be cut off from Y’hovah’s fellowship due to unbelief, even as many from Yehudah have been. These are made enemies so the wild branch Gentiles could be graffed into the cultivated tree. But they are NOT forsaken. They can be graffed back in, for they are STILL elect and beloved of Y’hovah for their father’s sake, for the gifts (the promises given to Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya’acov) and the calling (of Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya’acov) of Y’hovah are without repentance. Y’hovah has not ‘recalled the call’ to chol Yisrael. All those who heed it will be graffed in. Notice that they ARE beloved for the father’s sake is present tense. Not ‘will be’ or ‘were’, but ‘are’. This goes to the attitude of the Gentile believers in Rome (and America as well).

He recalls to the minds of the Gentiles that, even as THEY were once without Elohim in the world system but have now obtained mercy, so it shall be with Yehudah. He has ‘concluded’ Yehudah in unbelief in Mashiyach. ‘Concluded’ does not mean that this is the final conclusion to the story of Yehuda. ‘Concluded’ is from Greek sugkleio, to ‘close together’. Have you ever wondered why it is that orthodox Yehudim have always lived in closed communities? Many think the root is anti-Semitism or Israel’s self-segregation; that the Gentiles didn’t want them to live among them or that they didn’t want to live among the gentiles, but this verse shows us that those are symptoms, not causes. The cause is Y’hovah’s sugkleio, HE has ‘closed them together’ so that he may more easily graff them back into the natural tree when they call on him for his deliverance. This has been a two-edged sword, for Yehudah has suffered much persecution, and it was easier for the persecutors due to that segregation. But the persecution was not so much a punishment for their unbelief as protection for their partial faithfulness. I think persecution is a vindictive, satanic act because of their position in Y’hovah’s plan and their obstinate adherence to their faith in his promises. Persecution of Xians will be for the same purposes; those who CLAIM they are Xian, but do not live like they claim, will not suffer persecution like those who do.

Sha’ul concludes the chapter with an insight into the very nature of Elohim and a benediction on Y’hovah. When Paul speaks of the ‘depth of the wisdom and knowledge of Elohim’, he is realizing for himself just how much Y’hovah loves his people Yisrael, regardless the ‘house’ they are from. I think that he recognized that what he has just explained is from the Ruach of Y’hovah, but didn’t fully comprehend it himself until just then and was in awe of Y’hovah’s mercy as he grasped the gracious implications. 

Paul uses the Pharisee’s tool of Midrash again to make the point of the incomprehensible nature of Elohim. He takes 2 seemingly unrelated speeches from the book of Job and jams them together:

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: (Job 5:9)

This is Eliphaz speaking to Job. 

Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10)

This is Job answering Bildad. 

The ‘wisdom’ of the Almighty, as we see in the illustration of the Tree of Sephiroth, is the primary attribute of the Father. When this attribute is combined with the primary attribute of Ruach haKodesh, which is the understanding of the Almighty, the result is the primary attribute of the Son, knowledge of the Almighty. This is not only the knowledge possessed by Y’hovah, but to know him intimately. Yeshua said;

O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. (John 17:25)

The more one knows the Father, the more like Yeshua he is and the greater the reward he receives. Conversely those who do not know Y’hovah receive his wrath.

Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. (Psalms 79:6)

The world has not known the Father; the heathen have not known the Father. Those people and kingdoms that know not Avinu receive his wrath. So, who HAS known the mind of Avinu? Mashiyach is the wisdom of Y’hovah. Who has been his counselor? Mashiyach works in the power of the Ruach haKodesh, so Mashiyach is the Understanding of Y’hovah. Mashiyach Yeshua is the perfect embodiment of the mind of Y’hovah. And elsewhere (1Cor.2.16) we are told that we have the mind of Mashiyach. Q&C

End of Shabbat Bible Study.