The well known parable of the Prodigal Son is a drama very relatable to most people. The story includes not one, but two dysfunctional sons. The dysfunction of one son is obvious, but what of the other? There are important lessons, not only from the son who left home, but also from the son who stayed home. This parable speaks to more than we often consider. Give a listen!
In the last year I have had to learn to manage my already tight schedule more effectively. I never used to keep a calendar. For most of my life I could just remember dates, times, and events accurately. Well, obviously that changed. I started to use my Apple calendar. Still, I could not believe how long it took me to develop the habit of looking at the calendar daily. What helped me? I set alerts to remind me. When the reminder appeared on the screen, I was reminded of what I had previously agreed to, and then I fulfilled my appointment.
In the Torah portion called Noach, or Noah, after the flood, as the Lord is making covenant with Noah, He sets a reminder. As we read:
“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth” (Gen. 9:12-13).
To what end:
“When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Gen. 9:14-15).
The Bible is full of reminders. In many cases, the reminders are there for man. Reminders are placed on the doorposts of homes, upon clothing, and affixed to the body. Much like a calendar of days, these reminders keep us attentive to times, seasons, and faithful living unto the Lord. Yet, something the Lord said stands out: “I will remember my covenant.” This is not an unusual phrase in the Bible, but what does the Lord mean by it?
Does the sovereign, omniscient Lord need a reminder? Simply: of course not! Yet we do. So why does the Lord speak in this manner? Some rabbinic opinion (Rabbi Sa’adya Gaon and Rabbi Elijah Mizrahi as examples) posit that the Lord remembering refers to salvation, just as the Lord “remembered Rachel” (Gen. 30:22). Still, the Torah uses the language of man. When we read of the Lord remembering, it is not that He has forgotten, heaven forbid, but rather an idiom indicating that He is acting upon a previous event or promise. As we read in Leviticus 26:45, “But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.” When the rains come, even as devastatingly power as they can be, “the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Gen. 9:15).
There is a blessing in Judaism spoken when one sees a rainbow:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ
“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise.”
The blessing blesses the Lord who “remembers … is faithful” … and who “keeps His promise.” As it is recited, we are reminded of His covenant, of His faithfulness to His covenant and His promises. At its heart, it is a blessing of comfort, as a reminder of the faithfulness of the covenant Lord. Still, it is not only a reminder of His faithfulness, but one that reminds us to be faithful to Him as well.
The (rain)bow was set after the flood of judgment. The waywardness of humanity was so terrible that it necessitated a judgment and a renewal. As the Torah tells us, “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” (Gen. 6:5).
When we turn away from the Word of God, and the promises therein, and formulate our own tradition under the guise of biblical faithfulness, then, it seems, our hearts turn away from Him, as Messiah Yeshua/Jesus taught, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone” (Matt. 15:18-20). Said differently, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45).
When we behold the beauty of the rainbow, let the reminder, and its blessing, be not just for the Father, but also for us. He said, He promises, He fulfills; and in our lives, let us be faithful with the help of the Holy Spirit, as we read in 1 Samuel 12:24, “Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.”
Let that inspiring sight remind you of all He has done, is doing, and will do as we continue in faith.
Maranatha. Shalom.
King David, standing in faith before the revelation of King Messiah wrote, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no crookedness, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Ps. 32:1). David reveals something remarkable to us regarding repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation with the Living God: the forgiven, whose sin is covered, are renewed in the spirit, as the crookedness has been made straight.
It is likely David had Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, or the day of covering, in mind as he considered his position before the God of Israel. As we know, David did not live a spotless and blameless life. He murdered. He shed blood. He committed adultery, among other sins. Still, he understood that through the grace of atonement, as the innocent substitute is offered for the guilty, man can live a new life.
Still, the idea of a renewed life flies in the face of the philosophy that has influenced western culture for more than 2,500 years. Plato, Aristotle and other Greek philosophers believed that we are what we are, and this cannot be changed. Some are born to be heroes; others to be rulers; some to be ruled; others were born to serve, while some were born to be served. Nothing, in their estimation can change what is the natural condition of a man. A sure social philosophy for those who are on the privileged side of the equation; but the Lord disagrees with this philosophy in its entirety.
Science tells us that are a mere accidental result of non-sentient gases mixing, reacting, exploding and over the course of billions of years non-thinking, non-reasoning, non-emotive matter developed into the wonder that we call human life. In the absence of a thoughtful Creator, life being the result of chance, loses meaning and becomes a subjective drama that is meaningless as we lay helpless upon our deathbed. Are we solely what our genetic material directs us to be? Can it be that our lives, our struggles, our joys, and pain are meaningless? Are we forever who we are; hopeless to experience real and meaningful change in our lives?
The message of Yom Kippur, and this season of repentance, gives us lasting hope and the opportunity for real change. The message of Yom Kippur is not only can we change, but the Lord expects and helps us to do so. The biblical teaching of repentance is premised on notion that we can change. We may tell ourselves that we cannot, but by His grace, we can. We are not too set in our ways. We are not too old. The ability to make lasting and meaningful change is a gift from the Lord Himself.
When Moses explains the details of Yom Kippur to the children of Israel says, “For on that day he (the high priest) makes atonement for you, to cleanse you, to be clean from all your sins before the Lord” (Lev. 16:30). The act of the high priest changes us. The dirty are made clean. Those cleansed appear as new. Rabbi Dr. Joseph Hertz writes, “The name of the most sacred of Festivals is in the plural, ‘because it represents two streams of love. As soon as the desire for reconciliation has been awakened in the sinner’s soul, and wings its way Heavenward, God’s grace comes down to meet it, calming his breast with the assurance of Divine pardon and forgiveness.”
Forgiveness is the fuel for change.
Consider these changed lives:
What is the result of repentance, forgiveness and trusting faith in the promise of Messiah Yeshua?
The author of Hebrews writes, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more, shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God…let us draw near with a true heart in completeness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies washed with clean water” (Heb. 9:13-14; 10:22).
Still, what is this conscience that has been cleansed? The Greek word for conscience means to be aware, to see fully, to be informed. Our conscience therefore is the knowledge that influences us, and when we were informed by sin, we followed it. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, reminds us that either we are or have been following the broad way to destruction; but His covering will change us.
Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creature—the old matters have passed away, see, all matters have become renewed! And all matters are from God, who has restored us to grace with Himself through Yeshua the Messiah.” Why does Paul use this word ‘creature’? The Greek root here means ‘formation;’ and the idea portrayed by this word is similar to what we read in Isaiah, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
This re-formation stands in direct opposition to who we were in our sin condition. If you recall the testimony of Genesis, “And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The Hebrew word ‘inclination’ means ‘formation.’ Therefore, having been cleansed of sin, being removed as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12), gone forever, we are now free to allow the knowledge of godliness lead us in the Spirit. This change living demonstrating our change in nature.
He has freed to walk in this: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17). Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote, “We have to be free, we have no choice!” My friends, you are greater than the sum of your parts, because He has formed you, forgiven you and conformed you to the image of His Son, Yeshua/Jesus (Ro. 8:28-29).
Maranatha. Shalom.
the mountain mensch 