Post by Mark on Nov 5, 2008 5:00:13 GMT -8
The basic premise behind most Jewish festivals is this: "They tried to kill us. They didn’t succeed. Let’s eat." In the Jewish culture there’s something altogether spiritual about food… not just any food, either. The Jews invented jelly donuts and fried potatoe pancakes (dripping with sour cream and applesauce). There is an absolute passion for sweetness and goodness: a zest for life and pleasure in living, a celebration around the table.
Food is a basic element of life. It is a fundamental necessity. It is Jewish logic that determines, if you have to eat anyway, you might as well eat what you enjoy.
The Greek word "pinah-o" refers to that pinching feeling in the stomach when the walls feel as though they are touching each other. It is that peek of digestional excitement when bon-bons and ho-hos are paraded by you just before lunch. It captures your absolute and individually focused attention for whatever duration you are willing to invest in that subject, then hauntingly lingers in the back of the mind until satisfied, then revelled in and rehearsed emotionally over and over after having been finally executed. It is the most carnal and universally celebrated form of worship: it is utterly Jewish.
Messiah Yeshua said, "Blessed are they which fo hunger and thirst… after righteousness."
The Greek word "dih-kahyoo-son-ay" is the idea of fairness, of doing what is right, of having a solid reputation for treating all people with respect and dignity: to be trusted. In Hebrew, the word is "tzah-deek" which means just or upright. A literal translation would be "to know what is behind the door when you open it". The righteous person is trustworthy (else no one would open the door). He or she is dependable to be and do that which is understood to be consistent according to their nature: and the implication is that those things are good.
This is what is described by the Psalmist in Psalm 1:
Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:
but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
(Psalms 1:1-6)
There are few cultures where "a good name" is not valued highly and where a person of strong integrity is not honored within his community. From the Jewish perspective, there is something more. This understanding is captured easily from the first verses of Psalm 1: it is not only that he doesn’ty walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of thse scornful; but rather (or in contrast) his delight (his craving) is in the Law of the Lord. You see, not being bad doesn’t automatically make you good. It may just mean that you are lazy. Righteousness is not simply refraining from doing what you know is bad. What is inside of you remains a mystery. No one really knows what is behind the door. The righteousness that we are told will bring us blessing is found in being utterly committed to obeying the commands of Adonai, in His Word, as a non-negotiable obligation. Behind the door is truth, justice and mercy.
One expressed desire of every believer’s heart, regardless of their denomination or Church experience, is to be more like the Messiah who has saved us. Here is a characteristic that He has demonstrated flawlessly in both the extent of His obedience as well as in the example of His character (what is behind the door). He was an "open book." He was THE open Book. And to Him we can be assured to go with our cravings and desire for righteousness and find that He has all that will satisfy us. And we shall grow to be more like Him… on both sides of our door.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
(Isaiah 55:1-2)
Food is a basic element of life. It is a fundamental necessity. It is Jewish logic that determines, if you have to eat anyway, you might as well eat what you enjoy.
The Greek word "pinah-o" refers to that pinching feeling in the stomach when the walls feel as though they are touching each other. It is that peek of digestional excitement when bon-bons and ho-hos are paraded by you just before lunch. It captures your absolute and individually focused attention for whatever duration you are willing to invest in that subject, then hauntingly lingers in the back of the mind until satisfied, then revelled in and rehearsed emotionally over and over after having been finally executed. It is the most carnal and universally celebrated form of worship: it is utterly Jewish.
Messiah Yeshua said, "Blessed are they which fo hunger and thirst… after righteousness."
The Greek word "dih-kahyoo-son-ay" is the idea of fairness, of doing what is right, of having a solid reputation for treating all people with respect and dignity: to be trusted. In Hebrew, the word is "tzah-deek" which means just or upright. A literal translation would be "to know what is behind the door when you open it". The righteous person is trustworthy (else no one would open the door). He or she is dependable to be and do that which is understood to be consistent according to their nature: and the implication is that those things are good.
This is what is described by the Psalmist in Psalm 1:
Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:
but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
(Psalms 1:1-6)
There are few cultures where "a good name" is not valued highly and where a person of strong integrity is not honored within his community. From the Jewish perspective, there is something more. This understanding is captured easily from the first verses of Psalm 1: it is not only that he doesn’ty walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of thse scornful; but rather (or in contrast) his delight (his craving) is in the Law of the Lord. You see, not being bad doesn’t automatically make you good. It may just mean that you are lazy. Righteousness is not simply refraining from doing what you know is bad. What is inside of you remains a mystery. No one really knows what is behind the door. The righteousness that we are told will bring us blessing is found in being utterly committed to obeying the commands of Adonai, in His Word, as a non-negotiable obligation. Behind the door is truth, justice and mercy.
One expressed desire of every believer’s heart, regardless of their denomination or Church experience, is to be more like the Messiah who has saved us. Here is a characteristic that He has demonstrated flawlessly in both the extent of His obedience as well as in the example of His character (what is behind the door). He was an "open book." He was THE open Book. And to Him we can be assured to go with our cravings and desire for righteousness and find that He has all that will satisfy us. And we shall grow to be more like Him… on both sides of our door.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
(Isaiah 55:1-2)
