- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Oct 15, 2021 19:03:37 GMT -8
This Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Genesis 6:9-7:24
Haftara- Isaiah 54:1-17
D’rash: At first reading of the Haftara it’s a bit difficult to see the connection:
Isaiah 54:1 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
What has a barren woman to do with the flood? Like the lonely (barren) woman, Noach was the only moral man on the earth; a very lonely thing in the midst of the great wickedness about him. However he and his family not only survived in the midst of this evil, they thrived enough to build a great boat; an ark:
Genesis 6:14-16 (redacted) Make yourself an ark … the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, … and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.
Like the woman of our Haftara, El Tsaddik, the Righteous God’s (Is 45:21) promise of protection for His own is true:
Isaiah 54:17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication [righteousness] from me, declares the Lord.”
And Noach was a righteous man:
Genesis 6:9b Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
This is a story of redemption, as promised by Isaiah. ה ֵתּ ָבה e’thbeh the ark is only used one other place in the TNK, for the reed basket which took the infant Moshe to safety on the waters of the Nile (Ex 2). Both, while having their faults were yet righteous men who were used of God for His redemptive purposes; Noach to redeem man (and indeed all breathing creatures) and Moshe to redeem God’s people. Both are a foreshadowing of our final redeemer:
John 1:26-29 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Yochanon was practicing tevilah, ritual immersion in water. There are many instances of this in the Bible, as well as many types, representations or symbolic metaphors in the Bible. One such metaphor of tevilah occurred when the Hebrews crossed the Yarden on dry ground as the flood waters were held back:
Joshua 3:14-16a So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away,
Noach and his family underwent a type of tevilah as they passed through (over) he flood. But back to the story of the flood and God’s judgement on the world, which is typically read in angry tones. In fact, many Christian churches teach that the “God of the Old Testament” was an angry, vengeful God while the “God of the New Testament” is forgiving, kind, and full of grace. Either they are teaching a type of bi-theism, or they did not get the memo from the desk of the Almighty saying ‘I do not change.’ (Heb 1:12, 13:8; Mal 3:6).
Now, I will have to admit that, being an angry type person myself (I’m still working on it), I have been guilty of reading it in angry tones. But rereading it in light of our haftara I do not see the anger in the Almighty there. In fact, I reflect back to a sermon by an Assembly pastor years ago when he was talking about the final judgement of man:
Revelation 20:11-12,14-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. … Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
He said many believe there will be a great cheer going up at that time by the redeemed who’ve suffered at the hands of many being destroyed. His point however was there would be a great silence, broken only by the weeping of El Rachun, God of Compassion (Deu 4:31) as a great sorrow overtook Him. I can see that sorrow here as He contemplates the destruction of His creation because of the mess they’ve made of His gifts. The reading doesn’t refer to His anger, but to His regret. Going back to last week’s parashah:
Genesis 6:5-6 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
The term here translated “regretted” is עצב atsav, connoting reflection; deeply grieved, sorrowful, pained. Reading on:
Genesis 6:7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
נָחַם nâcham, here rendered “sorry” means to sigh, to be sorry, to pity, console or (reflexively) rue, repent.
While these terms can be used of anger, contextually here I get more a picture of a God deeply saddened by mankind. While the animals who “drew breath” would also be destroyed, I cannot think He’d be ‘angry’ with them. But they were created for man, and so would serve no useful purpose if man was gone. Again I see YHVH-Shalom, God is Peace (Judges 6:24) as deeply saddened by the prospect of destroying His creation.
Genesis 6:13,17 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. … For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
Nothing there about vengeance or executing judgement. Just ‘See, I’m gong to have to destroy them.’
“Yet, this declaration of divine destruction comes after humans have already destroyed the earth through their sins. Before God resolves to send the flood, the text states, “The earth was destroyed (שׁחת; shachat) before God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was destroyed (שׁחת) because all flesh had destroyed (שׁחת) its way upon the earth” (Gen 6:11-12). In sending the destructive flood, God only underscores what humans have already done to themselves; God grieves the violent “destruction” of our own making. The flood is a time of heavenly weeping, rather than wrath, and God’s blessing of humanity after the flood serves as a reminder of divine love and reconciliation.” Dr. NJ Schasser of the Israel Bible Institute.
This reading tells of God our Shofet, Judge (Ps 75:7) not only preparing to judge the world, but to save Noach:
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
favor- חֵן chên; graciousness, kindness, favor, grace.
Noach was saved by grace through faith as demonstrated by his obedience:
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Not saved BY works, however his works were a result of his great faith.
“There was only one way to be saved from destruction, and that was by entering the ark; and the ark only had one door. It is a picture of the salvation we have in Christ.” W. Wiersbe.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe [πιστεύω pisteuō, trust] also in me.”
Mekorot: Biblical quotes from the English Standard Version, unless otherwise noted; JPS Study TNK; Dr’s Eli and Schasser of the IBC; W Wiersbe; Strong’s, Vines, and BDB; Joseph Shulam; Rev. K Schaefer; my father and others.
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Genesis 8:1-9:19
Haftara- Habakuk 3:1-5; Isaiah 42:7-21
*Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
Parashah- Genesis 6:9-7:24
Haftara- Isaiah 54:1-17
D’rash: At first reading of the Haftara it’s a bit difficult to see the connection:
Isaiah 54:1 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
What has a barren woman to do with the flood? Like the lonely (barren) woman, Noach was the only moral man on the earth; a very lonely thing in the midst of the great wickedness about him. However he and his family not only survived in the midst of this evil, they thrived enough to build a great boat; an ark:
Genesis 6:14-16 (redacted) Make yourself an ark … the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, … and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.
Like the woman of our Haftara, El Tsaddik, the Righteous God’s (Is 45:21) promise of protection for His own is true:
Isaiah 54:17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication [righteousness] from me, declares the Lord.”
And Noach was a righteous man:
Genesis 6:9b Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
This is a story of redemption, as promised by Isaiah. ה ֵתּ ָבה e’thbeh the ark is only used one other place in the TNK, for the reed basket which took the infant Moshe to safety on the waters of the Nile (Ex 2). Both, while having their faults were yet righteous men who were used of God for His redemptive purposes; Noach to redeem man (and indeed all breathing creatures) and Moshe to redeem God’s people. Both are a foreshadowing of our final redeemer:
John 1:26-29 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Yochanon was practicing tevilah, ritual immersion in water. There are many instances of this in the Bible, as well as many types, representations or symbolic metaphors in the Bible. One such metaphor of tevilah occurred when the Hebrews crossed the Yarden on dry ground as the flood waters were held back:
Joshua 3:14-16a So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away,
Noach and his family underwent a type of tevilah as they passed through (over) he flood. But back to the story of the flood and God’s judgement on the world, which is typically read in angry tones. In fact, many Christian churches teach that the “God of the Old Testament” was an angry, vengeful God while the “God of the New Testament” is forgiving, kind, and full of grace. Either they are teaching a type of bi-theism, or they did not get the memo from the desk of the Almighty saying ‘I do not change.’ (Heb 1:12, 13:8; Mal 3:6).
Now, I will have to admit that, being an angry type person myself (I’m still working on it), I have been guilty of reading it in angry tones. But rereading it in light of our haftara I do not see the anger in the Almighty there. In fact, I reflect back to a sermon by an Assembly pastor years ago when he was talking about the final judgement of man:
Revelation 20:11-12,14-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. … Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
He said many believe there will be a great cheer going up at that time by the redeemed who’ve suffered at the hands of many being destroyed. His point however was there would be a great silence, broken only by the weeping of El Rachun, God of Compassion (Deu 4:31) as a great sorrow overtook Him. I can see that sorrow here as He contemplates the destruction of His creation because of the mess they’ve made of His gifts. The reading doesn’t refer to His anger, but to His regret. Going back to last week’s parashah:
Genesis 6:5-6 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
The term here translated “regretted” is עצב atsav, connoting reflection; deeply grieved, sorrowful, pained. Reading on:
Genesis 6:7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
נָחַם nâcham, here rendered “sorry” means to sigh, to be sorry, to pity, console or (reflexively) rue, repent.
While these terms can be used of anger, contextually here I get more a picture of a God deeply saddened by mankind. While the animals who “drew breath” would also be destroyed, I cannot think He’d be ‘angry’ with them. But they were created for man, and so would serve no useful purpose if man was gone. Again I see YHVH-Shalom, God is Peace (Judges 6:24) as deeply saddened by the prospect of destroying His creation.
Genesis 6:13,17 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. … For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
Nothing there about vengeance or executing judgement. Just ‘See, I’m gong to have to destroy them.’
“Yet, this declaration of divine destruction comes after humans have already destroyed the earth through their sins. Before God resolves to send the flood, the text states, “The earth was destroyed (שׁחת; shachat) before God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was destroyed (שׁחת) because all flesh had destroyed (שׁחת) its way upon the earth” (Gen 6:11-12). In sending the destructive flood, God only underscores what humans have already done to themselves; God grieves the violent “destruction” of our own making. The flood is a time of heavenly weeping, rather than wrath, and God’s blessing of humanity after the flood serves as a reminder of divine love and reconciliation.” Dr. NJ Schasser of the Israel Bible Institute.
This reading tells of God our Shofet, Judge (Ps 75:7) not only preparing to judge the world, but to save Noach:
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
favor- חֵן chên; graciousness, kindness, favor, grace.
Noach was saved by grace through faith as demonstrated by his obedience:
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Not saved BY works, however his works were a result of his great faith.
“There was only one way to be saved from destruction, and that was by entering the ark; and the ark only had one door. It is a picture of the salvation we have in Christ.” W. Wiersbe.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe [πιστεύω pisteuō, trust] also in me.”
Mekorot: Biblical quotes from the English Standard Version, unless otherwise noted; JPS Study TNK; Dr’s Eli and Schasser of the IBC; W Wiersbe; Strong’s, Vines, and BDB; Joseph Shulam; Rev. K Schaefer; my father and others.
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Genesis 8:1-9:19
Haftara- Habakuk 3:1-5; Isaiah 42:7-21
*Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
