Post by Mark on Dec 1, 2007 7:22:19 GMT -8
Last week I found myself focused on the evidences we have that Adonai speaks to us in our present world. Ours is not a religion or faith based solely upon the personal experiences of our ancestors. Our walk with Adonai is as relevant and personal as it was with Adam, as he walked with Adonai Elohim.
There is a reason that Messiah Yeshua often refers to Adonai as "My Father" and "your Father." That relationship is seen modeled in the lives of the patriarchs, as how fathers and sons related (both with positive examples and negative ones). The relationship between Israel and his son Joseph are particularly relevant in are attempt to understand the love between Adonai Elohim and His children (us); or particularly, the relationship shared between Adonai and His Son on this earth, Messiah Yeshua. It is important to recognize this relationship as a type of foreshadowing the Messianic agenda of our Father God, as He sent His son to us, His brethren, in the field. Yet, it is equally important for us to understand that Messiah's position, as Joseph's example, is to encourage us in our obedient walk of faith.
Israel called to his son Joseph. We know from the order of the text that Israel was going to send Joseph to check on his brothers before he gave the instruction. We can assume from this that Joseph had a pretty good idea what the meeting was about as well. Joseph didn't have that great of a relationship with his brothers. Being sent off alone to "check up on them" was not a very healthy proposition. "Dad, can't I take a long a few servants... a few really big servants who like me?" Yet, his response to Israel, his father is not a promotion of his own agenda, nor manipulating his circumstances. He comes to his father with a simple and elegant phrase that identifies his character and position. He says to his father, "Hineni" translated, "Here am I."
This phrase, Hineni, had a rich and passionate heritage, even by then: a heritage which would continue throughout the Hebrew Scriptures as a declaration of one's total submission to the instruction which one is prepared to receive. When Abraham and Isaac were walking to the mountain with the fire and the lamb, Isaac said, "Um... Dad?" and Abraham responded, "Hineni." "Son, you have my complete and undivided attention." When Isaac is bound to the altar and Abraham is poised to slay him, the angel cries out, "Abraham, Abraham." And Abraham responds, "Hineni." When Isaac was old and he summoned his son Esau to receive the blessing, Esau's response was, "Hineni." When Jacob came in disguise to feed Isaac with savory meat, he said, My Father," and Isaac responded, "Hineni." When the angel of God spoke to Jacob in a dream, Jacob answered, "Hineni." When Adonai spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses responded, "Hineni". When Adonai called to little Samuel in the middle of the night, Samuel woke his master over and over saying, "Hineni." In Isaiah, when Adonai calls to his servants in the heavenly places, Isaiah calls to Him, "Hineni, send me."
The phrase , or word, Hineni is something we should grab onto in our understanding of relationship. It is to take a child's hands and place them on the sides of our face, so that we are nose to nose and eye to eye and say, "You have my complete and undivided attention." Last week I mentioned that we should become familiar with the idea that Adonai wishes to speak with us, today. We need to be prepared to listen. We need to make Hineni the central element of our daily prayer.
If there is a fault that I see commonly in the Messianic community that is worth our scrutiny, it is that we begin to learn some common obediences to
, we plateau in our relationship with Adonai, often replacing substance with form. The Judaic traditions and liturgy are extremely important in learning a proper and contextual obedience to the Scriptures. Yet, as we learn the prayers, as we practice biblical habits, we must not forget why we have chosen this journey and Who it is to whom we are seeking to grow closer. We easily turn our backs on Adonai so that we can revel in how much more obedient and godly and relevant we are than our Christian brothers, rather than continuing to focus on Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. Messiah said, when you start this journey, don't turn your back to look behind you. How far you've come and what (or who) you've left behind is not to be your focus...it tastes of salt.
Hineni, My Lord, Hineni.
There is a reason that Messiah Yeshua often refers to Adonai as "My Father" and "your Father." That relationship is seen modeled in the lives of the patriarchs, as how fathers and sons related (both with positive examples and negative ones). The relationship between Israel and his son Joseph are particularly relevant in are attempt to understand the love between Adonai Elohim and His children (us); or particularly, the relationship shared between Adonai and His Son on this earth, Messiah Yeshua. It is important to recognize this relationship as a type of foreshadowing the Messianic agenda of our Father God, as He sent His son to us, His brethren, in the field. Yet, it is equally important for us to understand that Messiah's position, as Joseph's example, is to encourage us in our obedient walk of faith.
Israel called to his son Joseph. We know from the order of the text that Israel was going to send Joseph to check on his brothers before he gave the instruction. We can assume from this that Joseph had a pretty good idea what the meeting was about as well. Joseph didn't have that great of a relationship with his brothers. Being sent off alone to "check up on them" was not a very healthy proposition. "Dad, can't I take a long a few servants... a few really big servants who like me?" Yet, his response to Israel, his father is not a promotion of his own agenda, nor manipulating his circumstances. He comes to his father with a simple and elegant phrase that identifies his character and position. He says to his father, "Hineni" translated, "Here am I."
This phrase, Hineni, had a rich and passionate heritage, even by then: a heritage which would continue throughout the Hebrew Scriptures as a declaration of one's total submission to the instruction which one is prepared to receive. When Abraham and Isaac were walking to the mountain with the fire and the lamb, Isaac said, "Um... Dad?" and Abraham responded, "Hineni." "Son, you have my complete and undivided attention." When Isaac is bound to the altar and Abraham is poised to slay him, the angel cries out, "Abraham, Abraham." And Abraham responds, "Hineni." When Isaac was old and he summoned his son Esau to receive the blessing, Esau's response was, "Hineni." When Jacob came in disguise to feed Isaac with savory meat, he said, My Father," and Isaac responded, "Hineni." When the angel of God spoke to Jacob in a dream, Jacob answered, "Hineni." When Adonai spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses responded, "Hineni". When Adonai called to little Samuel in the middle of the night, Samuel woke his master over and over saying, "Hineni." In Isaiah, when Adonai calls to his servants in the heavenly places, Isaiah calls to Him, "Hineni, send me."
The phrase , or word, Hineni is something we should grab onto in our understanding of relationship. It is to take a child's hands and place them on the sides of our face, so that we are nose to nose and eye to eye and say, "You have my complete and undivided attention." Last week I mentioned that we should become familiar with the idea that Adonai wishes to speak with us, today. We need to be prepared to listen. We need to make Hineni the central element of our daily prayer.
If there is a fault that I see commonly in the Messianic community that is worth our scrutiny, it is that we begin to learn some common obediences to
, we plateau in our relationship with Adonai, often replacing substance with form. The Judaic traditions and liturgy are extremely important in learning a proper and contextual obedience to the Scriptures. Yet, as we learn the prayers, as we practice biblical habits, we must not forget why we have chosen this journey and Who it is to whom we are seeking to grow closer. We easily turn our backs on Adonai so that we can revel in how much more obedient and godly and relevant we are than our Christian brothers, rather than continuing to focus on Him who is the author and finisher of our faith. Messiah said, when you start this journey, don't turn your back to look behind you. How far you've come and what (or who) you've left behind is not to be your focus...it tastes of salt. Hineni, My Lord, Hineni.
