May 10, 2014 Shabbat Bible Study
©2014 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries
Exodus 15:22-16:24 – Isaiah 49:10-14 – Psalm 52 – Philippians 4:4-23
Ex.15.22-27 – There seems to be no break in the action from Israel marching out of Nuweiba /Pi-haHiroth through the Red Sea to Baal-Zephon and then on to Marah. I don’t want to make excuses for Israel, but after a 3 day trip to Etham with a 2 night rest (tops, and THAT probably so Egypt could catch up some); another couple of days to traverse the Wadi Watir to Nuweiba/Pi-haHiroth, where they pitched camp to await the Egyptians; and after a day or 2 at the Pi-haHiroth encampment, they caught sight of the Egyptian army on their flanks with the Red Sea in front, and with nowhere else to go, they were told to strike camp while the pillar of cloud/fire interposed itself between Egypt and Israel. Then Israel got to witness the Sea parting at Moshe’s gesture and standing up like set-up Jell-O fresh out of the fridge, and then, after crossing the Sea without getting even a drop of water on their sandals, to witness the Jell-O just as suddenly ‘un-set up’ and drown the entire Egyptian army – including Paroh. After witnessing all that they had to be kind of emotionally upset. Even though they had spent a few hours rejoicing in the deliverance of Y’hovah, witnessing ¼ million men drowning after all the intervening events had to take some emotional toll.
Now they had to move again and after 3 days movement, they came upon what looks like a good watering hole, but the water is not good to drink. It is ‘bitter’, which could mean it was poisoned or maybe salty. The Hebrew word is Str.
H4751 mar mar or (feminine) marah {maw-raw’}; from 4843; bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly:–+ angry, bitter(-ly, -ness), chafed, discontented, X great, heavy.
Now, Israel was carrying water with them for their own use and for their cattle. 2+ million people and all their livestock would use up a LOT of water, and I seriously doubt they could carry more than 3 days supply, so here they are 3 days out from Pi-haHiroth, running out of water and they are looking at a bunch of water that even the cattle won’t drink, like on a raft at sea – ‘water, water everywhere, but lot a drop to drink.’ That should help to set the mood the people were in, and explain how they were possibly a little ‘bitter’ in their attitude. Not an excuse, especially after the great deliverance, but would you have been any different? I probably would have been kind of angry to see enough water to satisfy the entire congregation’s need turn out to be of no use when we were on the verge of finishing what water we’d been carrying from Pi-haHiroth. By the way, we can learn something from this for our use – if your livestock won’t drink the water, you had better not either. Animals are a lot more in tune with their surroundings. They will give an early warning that there is danger or something unfamiliar around. Watch your animals and heed what they seem to be thinking – it may save your life. Y’hovah has a way of testing us to our breaking points before he sends his deliverance. He is a master of drama, as when Yacov left Yitzhak’s presence as Esau entered by a different door (Gen.27.30).
So they murmured against Moshe, who cried out to Y’hovah for help. It doesn’t say what kind of etz it was, but the rabbis say it would have made the water bitter if it had fallen into the water, and part of the miracle was that adding bitterness to bitterness made the water sweet. I think that was a flight of fancy myself, but who knows? Y’hovah has done weirder things to make a point – like making the waters of the Sea congeal like Jell-O and then un-congeal every bit as miraculously. Perhaps the bitterness of all that water being useless to them added to the bitterness of their being trapped on the beach, traversing the Sea on foot and then witnessing the entire Egyptian army drowning in the Sea was the point. Now, consider the attitude the people had just shown. Do you think they just took Moshe’s word that dropping a tree into the bitter water made it sweet? I think not. I think they probably needed to see something to convince them. Perhaps they told Moshe to drink the water first. Or perhaps the livestock smelled or otherwise sensed the difference and went to drink the water they had refused a few minutes before. Whatever it was, Israel replenished its stocks of water and prepared to move on from there to Elim. But while they had this lesson firmly in mind Y’hovah told them that if they would ‘diligently hearken’, or unhesitatingly obey, his Word by hearing, guarding and doing what he told them he would not allow any of the diseases that had plagued Egypt to plague them, and that he would heal them as he had healed the bitter waters of Marah, for he was Y’hovah Rapha, their Healer;
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Is. 53:5)
In relatively short order they left Marah and moved to Elim, probably only just over the horizon from Marah. Y’hovah is a master of drama, and this would have brought the point home quite dramatically, to anyone with eyes to see, that he had had their need of water in mind when he planned their route. Had they trusted him instead of murmuring, they would have come the their encampment in just a few more hours, and there was water aplenty there. 12 wells and 70 palm trees indicates, to me anyway, the 12 tribes of Yisrael and the 70 nations of the earth OR the 70 descendants of Jacob who went down with Ya’acov into Egypt (Ex.1.5). He was teaching them all the way through the ‘Wilderness Adventure.’ Q&C
Ex.16.1-24 – They broke camp at Elim on the 15th day of the 2nd month, exactly 1 month after they left Goshen, and moved to the wilderness of Sin. They had just replenished their water, so they didn’t have that to worry about for a couple of days. Therefore, they had to find something ELSE to complain about. Now it was the food situation. These people were like sailors; if they weren’t complaining, they weren’t happy – yes sir, a complaining sailor is a happy sailor. They were running out of stored food by now, a full month out of Egypt. Moshe also complains that he isn’t the one who brought them out here, but Y’hovah, and it is HE that they are actually murmuring against, not Aharon and himself.
Now, let me venture an educated guess here, the 15th day of the 2nd month was a weekly sabbath day. I derive this from the passage in Shemoth 16. Y’hovah told Moshe that beginning tomorrow, they were going to get a bunch of quail dropping out of the sky in the evening and bread from Y’hovah in the morning with the dew. Y’hovah gave the plan to Moshe who then told Aharon to call the congregation to attention, because Y’hovah was about to speak. The Shekinah appeared in the cloud for everyone to see and Y’hovah spoke to Moshe in everyone’s hearing. He was going to send quail this evening and bread in the morning with the dew. And it happened just as Y’hovah said it would. Notice evening and morning – the evening and the quail came first, setting the pattern for the day of the week. Then he sent the bread the next morning. On the 1st day, when the dew burned off, the bread was lying there. It was something they had never seen before, so they said ‘mahn’ – “What?!” (This was said, had I been there, in their best ‘Tim Allen’ quizzical manner.) Then when they tasted it, they grunted like Tim Allen, “ugh! ugh! ugh!” (My wife makes great manna, by the way. Quite often even SHE doesn’t know what it is, but it always tastes great – woman cooked food is always great). What the Hebrew says is Hiy mahn?! That LITERALY means “What is she?” [Hu is ‘he’; hiy is she] They were told to go out and pick up the bread every day, an omer (about 2 liters) per person per day. They were not to keep any overnight, but were not told why – a chukah, or decree of Y’hovah that doesn’t make any logical sense to us, so we are just expected to obey. Y’hovah was using the manna to teach them to obey him. Some kept some overnight and it bred worms and stank to high heaven. I don’t think it took more than one of two times and they were broken of that. They were also told to go out everyday to gather their manna, one omer per person per day – except the 6th day, when they were to gather a double portion and hold one portion overnight so they would not have to go out on the 7th day, for it was Y’hovah’s shabbat, a day given to them by Y’hovah so they could rest from their labors. When they went out on the 6th day and gathered two omers per person, keeping one until Shabbat, the manna did not breed worms nor did it stink.
So, Y’hovah gave them the pattern for reckoning the day – quail in the evening, manna in the morning so that evening and morning comprise a biblical calendar day. He also gave them the pattern to reckon the shabbat – 6 days you gather manna, the 7th day you rest from your gathering. He set apart the shabbat in at least 5 ways:
1) The manna was given in a certain quantity for 5 days;
2) The manna bred worms and stank if kept over any of the first 5 nights;
3) The manna was given and gathered in a double portion on the 6th day;
4) The manna didn’t ‘go bad’ when the double portion was gathered on the 6th day and 1 part kept over for the shabbat;
5) The manna did not arrive with the dew on the 7th day;
This may not be another way the shabbat is set apart, but the manna reappeared on the next 1st day to start the pattern over again.
5 ways the Shabbat is set apart speaks of the grace of Y’hovah. 5 is the number signoifying grace according to E W Bullinger’s Number in Scripture.
This was supposed to happen for about 1 year, but due to the 10 spies’ evil report at Kadesh Barnea the following spring, it was extended to about 40 years. And it never missed a Shabbat. Let me emphasize that THE PHASES OF THE MOON HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MARKING OFF WEEKS (Shevua)! B’reishith (Genesis) 1.14 says NOTHING about the week.
What are 2 of the greatest controversies in Messianic circles today? The reckoning of the day and the reckoning of the Shabbat are. And what pattern does Y’hovah give us in both cases, but the plain reading of the account of creation. He worked (created) for 6 days and rested the 7th. Then, while slaves in Egypt, Israel worked 7 days a week – no vacation time and no weekends off. He started with nothing, emptiness, and then created light, which darkness is the lack of, so before anything was created there was nothing – not even darkness. Scripturally and in reality, darkness does not exist – darkness is emptiness, a material lack of anything/everything including light. When Y’hovah created light, the pattern for the day of the week was set – darkness/light, evening/morning. As long as the material world exists it will always be that way and there will never be total emptiness. When Y’hovah created everything else, he set the pattern for the week/sabbath – 6 days work/7th day rest. He did some work to illustrate this to us in the wilderness – quail in the evening, manna in the morning; gather manna 6 days, rest the 7th day. It’s amazingly simple – so much so that even I get it.
So how about we stick with scripture instead of trying to do anything we can to set OURSELVES apart? How about we let Y’hovah set us apart by just obeying him and then following the patterns he’s set for us? Q&C
YeshaYahu 49.10-14 – Isaiah is applying the lesson of the Wilderness Adventure to his prophecy of the end of days. He says in v.8-9 that Y’hovah will hear us in ‘an acceptable time.’ The word ‘acceptable’ is H7522, רצון – ratzown, literally meaning delight. In this time when he delighted in us, he ‘heard’ us. That word is H6030, ענה – anah, to notice or take heed. In the next phrase in v.8 he defines the acceptable time as ‘a day of salvation’, YOM Y’SHUA. I choose to personalize that phrase as ‘in the day that Yeshua delivers us’ according to his Father’s will he will notice us and take delight in our deliverance. Whenever I see the word delight in reference to Y’hovah’s reaction to us, I think of my reaction to children taking delight in some new discovery. Their joy of discovery, especially of something that I take for granted, brings delight to my own heart. I assume that it is that way with Avinu, when we discover something in his Word that we’ve never seen before – especially if he reveals it to our hearts directly, and not through someone else, because HE taught us and we ‘got it’. It is that way to him when we see our need and call out to him for deliverance from our plight. When we accept our neediness and call out for his help, he responds with the help we need to preserve our lives and make us his witnesses to bring the message of his deliverance to those who are still in darkness and captivity. We shine Y’hovah’s light on their chains. Even when we are just living our lives in obedience and not speaking his truth from our lips, our lives and lifestyles speak to them of the liberty we have in Yeshua. He delivers us so that we can call them out of their bondage and the darkness they live in. We become, in effect, their Moshe.
Vv.10-14 – We have a message that Y’hovah will do for them what he did for Israel when he brought them out of Egypt. Not only will he deliver them miraculously, as he did Israel through the Wilderness Adventure, he will never leave them nor forsake them, as he never left Israel nor forsook them. Y’hovah provided all Israel’s needs in the Wilderness, and he promises to do the same for them (and us). As he led Israel in the wilderness, so he will lead us in our time of need. V.10 is illustrated for us in at least 3 other passages of scripture:
21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Y’hovah’s. (ObadYah 21)
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. (Rev.7.16)
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (Rev.14.1)
‘Saviours’ in ObadYah 21 is מושעים moshiiym. Stone’s Tanakh has a note, saying;
“Messiah and his colleagues (Micah 5.4 – 5.5 in English bibles) will exact retribution from the Edomites for their cruelty, and then Elohim will be recognized as the Sovereign over all the earth.”
That ‘Messiah and his colleagues’ sounds suspiciously like Rev.14.1, doesn’t it? And Rev.14.1 sounds suspiciously like Is.49.10. These ‘saviours’ look to be leading people to the land, like Moshe did, at the direction of Y’hovah. Perhaps the 144K will be the ‘pillars of cloud by day and pillars of fire by night?’ The way will look hard, as it did in the Wilderness, but Y’hovah will make us to traverse it easily. We will be moving toward the land from every direction. All creation will sing Y’hovah’s praises as he brings us home in merciful fulfillment of his Word to us, even when we are at the point of despair of his deliverance. When we get to that point, just when it looks as if he has forgotten us and left us on our own and twisting in the breeze, he will prove himself faithful. We need to stay faithful to him, even through our deaths, if necessary, believing his Word and not despairing, for he SHALL deliver us, as he goes on to tell us in v.15. Though we have forsaken and forgotten him, he will never forsake or forget us. Q&C
Ps.52 – Falling where it does in the Psalms, v.1 of this one seems to be Y’hovah speaking directly to David about the subject of Ps.51, doesn’t it? The whole BatSheva/UrYah/baby dying thing that made David so openly contrite AFTER he’d been confronted with his sin. Y’hovah seems to be asking David why he persisted in his mischief to UrYah, David knowing full well that Y’hovah would not hold him guiltless until he’d repented and confessed his sin. We know that David repented to Y’hovah, because we have it so eloquently stated in Ps.51. But I wonder if a part of his reconciliation involved apologizing to his wife, BatSheva? I tend to think so, but we have no evidence of it in scripture. I think he had to do so, because Yeshua gave us this Word in the Sermon on the Mount;
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. (Matt.5.21-26)
While Y’hovah will forgive you for your offense against him, you still have to be reconciled to your neighbor, if you have wronged him in any way. And it is definite that David sinned against BatSheva, UrYahu, Yoav, Israel and his family. It is possible that he reconciled with all of them and repented of his sins against those he’d wronged. What is incredible to me is the long-suffering of Y’hovah in that he still considered David a man who was ‘after his own heart.’ I may yet have some hope, eh?
Of course, the 1st 7/9 of the psalm is actually addressing those who turn away from Y’hovah as a matter of lifestyle and what their fate will be. Those of you who fit the description in vv.1-5, heed that ‘Selah’ at the end of the verse – Stop and think about that. If you are one who despises Y’hovah, you’d be best off thinking again and considering the curse you bring on yourself. Repent – turn FROM your own wicked ways and TO his Way of righteousness, as David did in Psalm 51, so that you can enjoy the blessings of vv.8-9.
What does it mean to wait on his name? I am not sure, but I think it has to do with the name he will give the overcomers;
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the kehalim; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth. (Rev.2:17 – Pergamos)
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my Elohim, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my Elohim, and the name of the city of my Elohim, new Y’rushalayim, which cometh down out of heaven from my Elohim: and my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the congregations. (Rev.3.12-13 – Philadelphia)
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.(Rev.14:1)
V.9 especially speaks of Rev.14.1, for it is HIS Name the psalmist awaits. Q&C
Philippians 4.4- – We were told to rejoice always in Y’hovah Yeshua. What else would we do? It is because we are in Yeshua that we have any hope, as Sha’ul told us in Eph.2;
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: the gift of Elohim: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua unto good works, which Elohim hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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 Messiah, 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 Messiah Yeshua ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Messiah. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition…
V.5 is about moderation, but not in our colloquial sense. Epieikace literally means to be absolutely like what is spoken of – in this case, Messiah Yeshua, “for Y’hovah is at hand.” Epi means over or super. Eikos means to resemble or be like. That sounds a lot like one of my favorite verses, 1Jn.2;
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Yeshua haMoshiach hatzadik: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Elohim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him – 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
What does v.6 mean to ‘be careful for nothing’? We would say, “Don’t worry abut it!” Instead, take your cares to Y’hovah in prayer and supplication. Give the cares to him and he will ‘take care’ of them for you, as Kefa agrees with Sha’ul in 1Pe.5, where speaking to elders and young men he says;
5 Yea, all be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for Elohim resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of Elohim, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
“He careth for you” doesn’t primarily mean that he likes you, which is usually how we mean it when we say we care for something – like ‘I don’t care for the texture of coconut’. Biblically, it means he handles our cares FOR us, IF we’ll release them to him and then trust him to ‘take care’ of them. The only time he’s ever NOT taken care of me when I’ve asked him to is when I have then started taking care of it myself. When we’ve given our cares to him, and I mean truly surrender them to him, the peace that comes is amazing. The more we entrust to him, the more he will prove himself to us and the more we will entrust to him because we will have peace that he will ‘take care’ of us. In all this remember that while he cares for our needs, he also tests our trust at times, as he did with Israel at Marah in this morning’s Torah Portion.
And while you are trusting him and casting your cares upon him, renew your mind with thoughts of Torah. V.8 speaks of nothing else; things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, honour and praise are all things of Y’hovah’s Instructions in Torah.
7 The Torah of Y’hovah is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of Y’hovah sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of Y’hovah right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of Y’hovah pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of Y’hovah clean, enduring forever: the judgments of Y’hovah true; righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: in keeping of them, great reward. 12 Who can understand errors? cleanse thou me from secret. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Y’hovah, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19.7-14)
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever. (Psalms 119:160)
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12) (To whom was Kefa writing this letter?)
There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. (Proverbs 12:21)
Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. (Psalms 119:140)
My Bride is lovely.
The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. (Proverbs 15:30)
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. (Psalms 112:9)
Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. (Psalms 119:164)
Do you see how Sha’ul made himself the example of an upright life to emulate? He did this in a number of places in his writing, such as;
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (I Corinthians 11:1)
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (Philippians 3:17)
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? (I Peter 3:13)
How many of us would be bold enough in our knowledge of our own walks to say this? I know MYself well enough that I could not do it. So, was this arrogance on Paul’s part, or just full surrender to Ruach and identity in Yeshua? I lean heavily toward the latter. Q&C
Vv.10-23 – Paul praised the Philippians for their provision of his needs, and their generosity, even though they were not rich in worldly goods. Vv.10-14 tell me that they had wanted to make provision for his support, but didn’t have the ability to do so. It says they were careful to care for him, which I think means they worried that they needed to do more to provide for him so he would be freed to study and teach Y’hovah’s Word. He was careful to point out that their support was NOT necessary, for Y’hovah had taught him to live both in hunger and in fullness, in need and in abundance because he was empowered by Ruach in Moshiach, but he was grateful for whatever help they provided. He went on to say in vv.15-19 that they had a history of providing his need over and over again. He was in Thessolonica for only 3 Shabbats (Acts 17.1-4), but in those 2+ weeks, Philippi’s congregation had sent at least twice for his need.
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Yehudim: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Moshiach must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that “this Yeshua, whom I preach unto you, is Moshiach.” 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. [Acts 17.1-4]
He did not desire for them to provide for him, but rejoiced at the blessing they would receive from Y’hovah for their generosity towards his work. In v.18, he likens their gifts to the prayers of the saints;
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. (Revelation 5:8)
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. (Revelation 8.3-4)
And the analogy is a good one, since it is assumed that if one is giving to a ministry’s needs he is also praying for the grace and mercy of Y’hovah to redound to that ministry so that the gift is not given in vain.
The prosperity preachers love to misuse v.19. It is not that Sha’ul hasn’t told the truth, but that the ‘Freeflow’ Dollars, Kenneth Hagens and Benny Hinns [and I am afraid it is entering the Messy world, as well] make it seem that Y’hovah is required to respond in kind; give money and he will send money, give goods and he will send goods. That is not necessarily the case. He will honour all your gifts to his use and he SHALL ensure that you receive abundantly more than you give, but if you give money or goods he may give back in some other venue. Perhaps he will open your heart and mind to greater revelation; perhaps some other spiritual blessing. And perhaps he will provide more of what it is that you gave, so you can give even more. Our attitude should be like Paul’s; “I appreciate your gifts to provide for my ministry’s need, but it is NOT necessary to me. Serving Y’hovah by serving you is my pleasure and my delight.” BTW, I agree with Sha’ul. So, if I am doing what is my pleasure and what I delight to do on Shabbat, like hosting this room, am I breaking Shabbat?
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of Y’hovah, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own pleasure, nor speaking words: 14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in Y’hovah; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Y’hovah hath spoken. (Isaiah 58:13-14)
In this case, I think I’m safe. Q&C
End of Shabbat Bible Study
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