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Post by alon on Apr 1, 2015 0:28:30 GMT -8
Last week’s HafTorah had some interesting messages in it. Start with Malachi’s name, which is Hebrew for “My Messenger”- the Messenger of YHVH. So here we have a pun on the name of the prophet and the messenger. One of the themes Malachi 3 centers around is the Messenger of the Lord.
Malachi 3:1-2 (OJB) Hineni, I will send malachi, and he shall prepare the Derech before me: and HaAdon (the L-rd [Moshiach] Zech 4:14), whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Heikhal, even the Malach HaBrit, in whom ye have chafetz (delight): hinei, He is coming, saith Hashem Tzva’os. But who may abide the Yom Bo’o (day of His coming)? Who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s eish, and like fullers’ soap:
Malachi 3:1-2 (ESV)“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
Whether this is a Messianic prophecy has been the subject of debate long before Yeshua, according to my Study TNK.
Malachi 4:5 (OJB; 3:23 TNK) Hinei, I will send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and dreadful Yom Hashem;
Malachi 4:5 (ESV) “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
These three verses have been the topic of debates about who the messenger is. Does it speak of Malachi himself as the messenger? Could the Angel of the Covenant be a literal Angel, probably a Cherub? Many believe this refers to Elijah. It could also indicate a priestly Messiah (Yeshua).
We say Yochanan the Immerser was this messenger, though when asked he said he was not Elijah. Elijah may yet have a role to play before the final advent. He certainly did fulfill the role of a messenger.
Markos 1:2-3 (OJB) Just as it has been written in Yeshayah HaNavi, HINNENI SHOLEIACH MALACHI (Behold, I send my messenger) before your face, UPINNAH DERECH LEFANAI (and he will prepare the way before me, [SHEMOT 23:20; MALACHI 3:1]), he will prepare your way. KOL KOREY BAMIDBAR (A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, TARGUM HASHIVIM YESHAYAH 40:3): Prepare the Derech Hashem (the way of the L-rd). Make his paths yashar (straight)!
Mark 1:2-3 (ESV) As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,"Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
Malachi 3:8-9 (OJB) Will a man rob G-d? Yet ye have robbed Me [Ex 20:15]. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In ma’aser (tithes) and terumah (offerings, contributions). Ye are cursed with a me’erah (curse); for ye have robbed Me, even this whole Goy (nation.)
Malachi 3:8-9 (ESV) Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me.
The term for rob used repeatedly here is kaba:
H6906 קבע qâba‛ kaw-bah' A primitive root; to cover, that is, (figuratively) defraud: - rob, spoil.
This is another pun, this time on the name Ya’akov and its negative connotations as a supplanter and defrauder.
Malachi 4:2 (OJB; 3:20 TNK) But unto you that fear My name shall the Shemesh Tzedakah (sun of righteousness) arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Malachi 4:2 (ESV) But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
“Sun of Righteousness” is a title of HaMoshiach:
Tehillim 84:11Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) For Hashem Elohim is a shemesh (sun) and a mogen (shield); Hashem will give chen and kavod; no good thing will He withhold from the holekhim b’tamim (them that walk uprightly).
Psalm 84:11 (ESV)For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
H8121 שׁמשׁ hemesh sheh'-mesh From an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by implication the east; figuratively a ray, that is, (architecturally) a notched battlement: - + east side (-ward), sun ([rising]), + west (-ward), window. See also H1053.
The rising of a “sun of righteousness” could be (is) a metaphor for a “new day,” the dawn of a new era.
Part of the prophecy of Malachi 4:2 was later fulfilled:
Mattityahu 9:20-22 (OJB) And hinei! An isha (woman) hemorrhaging twelve years approached him from behind and touched the garment of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach’s tzitzit. For she was saying to herself, If only I might touch his garment, I will receive refuah (healing). Turning and seeing her, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Chazak, bat (daughter) of me! Your emunah has brought you refuah. And the isha was healed from that hour.
Matthew 9:20-22 (ESV) And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
Malachi 4:5 (OJB; 3:23TNK) Hinei, I will send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and dreadful Yom Hashem;
Malachi 4:5 (ESV) “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Both the Jewish people and Messianic believers believe Elijah will usher in the Messianic era; Jews for the first time and Messianics the second. Any reading of the Book of Revelation should give poignancy to the term “great and dreadful Yom Hashem” (day of the Lord).
Malachi 4:6 (OJB; 3:24 TNK) And he shall turn the lev-avot to the banim, and the lev-banim to their avot, lest I come and strike the earth with cherem.
This enigmatic prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. It is one reason Jewish people do not accept Yeshua as HaMoshiach. However since we believe He is coming again Messianics and Christians have no problem either with this or with the fact Elijah has yet to return. There IS however one thing in this reading that many Christians as well as Gentile converts do have a problem with, and that is:
Malachi 3:10 (OJB) Bring ye kol hama’aser (all the tithes) into the Beis HaOtzar (House of the Treasury), that there may be teref (food) in Mine Beis [Hamikdash], and prove Me now herewith, saith Hashem Tzva’os, if I will not open you the windows of Shomayim, and pour you out a brocha, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Malachi 3:10 (ESV) Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
This is the only place I know of in the Bible where God says for us to test Him! Now, my admittedly limited experience with Jews is they are some very giving people. But growing up a Southern Baptist PK I can tell you that ain’t the norm for us Genntilzzze. But I have concluded some time ago that when God gets “in-yer-face” like in this chapter about something, I might aughta take Him seriously! I’m just sayin’ …
Dan C
Primary resource: JPS Study TNK
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Post by alon on Apr 27, 2016 11:30:55 GMT -8
Haftara for Par’shah Acharei Mot, Malachi 3 (3&4 in Christian Bibles)
[Note: this is the new haftara, however it is filed with the haftara study done last year (as is proper with this type of forum). There may be some redundancy, however it is done using more resources and a somewhat different mindset. Also there is a lot of new information here. I hope you get something out of it, as this is an extremely important haftara for Messianics. Even the study notes in my JPS TNK had a Messianic bent to them; and the notes in my Nelson Study Bible had an oddly (for Christians) pro- message.]
Malachai means “My messenger.” This is the last prophetic book in the Hebrew Bible and the last book of the Christian “Old Testament.” The time of its’ writing is in the Persian period (@433-425 BCE), long after the Second Temple was rebuilt. Sacrificial worship had resumed, with the priesthood operating for some time. It was originally addressed to the people of the Persian province of Yehud (Judah).
In a time of religious decline, Malachi encountered basically thesame religious situation as Ezrah and Nehemiah. The priests had grown careless in their ministry, and the people of course followed their bad example.
The emphasis ofMalachi’s prophetic ministry is on the Day of the Lord, the judgement of the wicked, and deliverance for a righteous remnant. The Immediate message was the sins of religious leaders and people of his day. These sins form a background for Malachai’s prophecies of certain future judgement.
Malachai asks us to look at our everyday life and our worship and see how they affect the relationship between the Lord and ourselves as well as the whole body of believers, namely Israel. We need to identify proper behavior in all matters with following . This book aims to convince us to strengthen our resolve to follow . Understood historically, written soon after the canonization of , this represents a prophetic assertion of the preeminence of over prophecy and indeed all other scripture. is our base.
Because the promised kingdom did not come as quickly as they wanted, many Jews questioned God’s love and His justice:
Malachi 1:2 (ESV) “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob.”
Malachi 2:17 (ESV) You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
The prophecyis given in the verses just before this haftara:
Malachi 3:1-3 (ESV) “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. [ Or and they will belong to the Lord]
As is common in prophetic scriptures, events from the first and second advents are not separated from each other. This causes some confusion amongst Christians and arguments from Jews as to whether Yeshua is indeed HaMoshiach.
Matthew 11:10 (ESV) This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV)The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
John 1:23 (ESV) He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
This first time the message as for repentance, but next time He comes it will be for judgement and cleansing:
Isaiah 4:4 (ESV) when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. [purging]
Revelation 6:17 (ESV) for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Malachi 4:1 (ESV) [3:19 Hebrew Bible] “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
Malachi 3:4-6 (ESV) Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
In verses 6-7 we see that because God does not change He kept His covenant and did not destroy Israel. The faithfulness of God sustains us as well, though we do not desere it any more than Israel at the time of Malachai.
Lamentations 3:22-24 (KJV) It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Next the prophet chastises the Israelites (and us) for robbing Him, not giving of our best and withholding tithes.
Malachi 3:7-12 (ESV) From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Leviticus 27:30-32 (ESV) “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord.
They brought defective sacrifices and failed to bring tithes and offerings as commanded by law. Consequently Elohim cursed their blessings:
Malachi 2:2 (ESV) If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.
We can’t out-give God, however when we withhold from Him what is His, we only rob ourselves! We steal from ourselves the blessings which should be ours in obedience and trust.
Next we have the sin of criticizing the Lord, saying “ it doesn’t pay to serve God … wickedness is our road to prosperity.”
Malachi 3:13-15 (ESV) “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”
The answer to this malicious lie is in the remembrances in verses16-18, and the coming judgements on day of the Lord (4:2-3) when wicked are certain to be punished.
In all times there is a faithful remnant who fears and obeys the Lord.
Malachi 3:16-18 (ESV) Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
God sees His people and keeps a record of their names. They are His jewels, His segulah, His special treasure. These will be spared in the final judgement of fire.
Mal 4:1 (ESV) “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
Zephaniah 1:18 (KJV) Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
On the day of the Lord’s fierce judgement on the earth the wicked will be burned like stubble, and the fire of God’s jealousy will burn. In scripture, fire is quite often associated with judgement, symbolizing the Holy wrath of God.
Fire consumed God’s enemies …
2 Kings 1:11-12 (ESV) Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!’” But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
… as well as His servants who disobeyed Him
Leviticus 10:1-2 (ESV) Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized [Or strange] fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
Hell is also compared to a lake of fire …
Revelation 20:14 (ESV) Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
… and a furnace of fire.
Matthew 13:42 (ESV) and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Yeshua spoke often of the fiery judgement awaiting those who do not trust Him:
Matthew 5:22 (ESV) But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 18:8-9 (ESV) And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Matthew 25:41 (ESV) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
He will come “in flaming fire” to judge the world:
2 Thessalonians 1:8 (ESV) in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Mal 4: 2-3 (ESV) But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.
“Sun of Righteousness” is a title for HaMoshiach. And this same Sun that burns up the lost will bring blessing to the saved:
John 1:4 (KJV) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Elijah:
Matthew 17:10-13 (ESV) And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Revelation 11:3 (ESV) And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Elijah is called to appear before each advent to call a righteous remnant from the masses of rebellion and apostacy.
Malachi 4:4-6 (ESV) “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules [Or and just decrees] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”[ The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction]
This book concludes with a warning: People are to remember the Law of Moshe and expect the coming judgements. Malachai points back to the Law and commands us to obey and be prepared for what El Rai- God Who Sees Me, was going to do; then points ahead to the ministry of Elijah.
Luke 1:16-17 (ESV) And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Spiritually fulfilled by Yochanon the Immerser at the first coming, this prophecy may yet be literally fulfilled at the second; especially if Elijah is one of the two witnesses:
Revelation 11:3-4 (ESV) And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Dan C
Resources: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, M Unger, my father and others.
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Post by alon on Apr 6, 2017 20:38:36 GMT -8
And my contribution to this week's haftara here; being bumped.
Dan
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- there are 70 faces to 
