A look into Isaiah 43:21-44:23 and Mark 11:1-12:44

[Ben Avraham]

ISAIAH 43:21-44:23

YHVH speaks through the Prophet Yeshayahu and complains that Israel has forgotten about God, they no longer bring sacrifices, but are engrossed in sin, He explains that craftsmen will use their skill to make idols, that have no value, what a waste of craftsmanship! They can take iron and make a plowshare, swords, and even an idol. Is the fault in the iron? Or in the craftsman? Iron is just a material from the ground, the craftsman can turn it into something for usefulness or idolatry.

The worker in wood can cut down trees, make perhaps a plow, a wheel, use the wood for fuel for fire, or make a wooden idol. Is it the wood’s fault? or does the fault lie with the craftsman? Even today, we can use money either to buy food for our family, pay our bills, or buy and sell drugs! Does the fault lie in the money? Or the use of it? We can use money to honor or dishonor God and those around us, the choice is ours.

What are we doing with the resources that God has given us? Everything belongs to God. He owns it all. We just use HIS resources. Someday, we will ALL be held accountable for how we have used what HE has given us "on loan" We can use what He has given to us for HIS glory and honor, or to satisfy greed and self.

God cries out to Israel; “I SHALL WIPE OUT YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS LIKE A CLOUD, AND YOUR SINS LIKE A MIST, RETURN TO ME AND I SHALL REDEEM YOU” (44:22) The promise still stands. If we “shoov” (return) to HIM, HE will save us! That's what the name "Yeshuah" means. "Salvation is of YAH"

MARK 11:1-12:44

There are several themes in these verses. Yeshua is in all of them. One theme is that when he went into the temple in Yerushalayim, he threw over the money tables and chased out the money changers, saying “My house is a House of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves” There are many synagogues and some churches that refuse to conduct business on the Sabbath or the day of worship because they are reminded of that verse. However, Yeshua called them “thieves” These money changers were exchanging foreign money such as Greek “drachmas” and Roman “Denarii” for Israel “Shekels” to buy sacrificial animals. Many times, the money changers would not honor the exchange rate, and would “cheat” the clients. If 12 Mexican pesos equaled 1 US dollar, it would be like accepting the 12 pesos and giving the person 75 cents! Perhaps these money changers were cheating in this way.

Are there ways that we are thieves? If God has set aside the Sabbath to attend HIS house, to visit with Him and show HIM due honor, are we there? be it on Shabbat or on Sunday? or both? Or are we at the park, at a ball game, or just in the "I don't want to go to church today" mode? Either way, we are "stealing" from God! Our time belongs to the LORD. Tithes and offerings also belong to Him. Let us honor the LORD with our time and with our resources, and not be thieves.

In 12:29-31 Yeshua quotes the “Shema” Hear O Israel YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is ONE (Echad) and he continues, Love Elohim with all your heart, being, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Yeshua just summed up all the 613 commandments in two verses! Because all the commandments have to do with our relationship with YHVH and our relationship with our fellow man.

That is the purpose of Bible study, to learn these commandments and put them into practice, to deepen our relationship with Messiah Yeshua to be a good witness to our fellow man, and to bring lost mankind to a saving relationship with Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ).

 

[miamited]

Hi Ben Avraham

Just passing though and felt led to offer up another comparison to Isaiah's writing and Mark's.

Isaiah 61:1 and Mark 15:34

Jesus began his ministry teaching who he was. He stood among a congregation of the synagogue in Nazereth and read Isaiah's word and then declared that today , within their very hearing, they were witnessing the fulfillment of Isaiah's words.

Then, at the end of his life he spoke a remez. He recalled before the people who were witnessing his death that in this, too, he was proclaiming who he is. "My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me?" Any teacher of the law, and likely most regular Jews, hearing that would have known what he was doing. Merely practicing the teaching method of pretty much any rabbi.

He opened his ministry to his Father's people, declaring that he was fulfilling what Isaiah had written about him. He closed his ministry to his Father's people declaring that he was fulfilling what David had written about his life.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Ben Avraham]

Thank you for your comment, Amen, great insight

 

[miamited]

Hi again Ben Avraham

Seems kind of slow here. If you're into sharing some, I can see that you do teach that Jesus was/is Yisra'el's long awaited Moshiach, I'd like to get your take on some things. Do you see the plan? The plan that God set in motion on one day of all the earth's days, when He spoke aloud and personally to Abram?

I've often been amazed at how God has blinded the eyes of Yisra'el to the Moshiach so that His mercy and grace could be taken out into the whole world. I mean, consider that one night, maybe it was cool and had light breezes with a sky clustered with trillions of stars, a host of angels declared the birth of God's Son. Yet, no one seemed to remember that some 30 years later. I mean, such an event would have had to have been the talk of the town for days. We're told that the shepherds, after telling Mary and Joseph what they had seen, went out into the town glorifying God and telling everyone about what they had seen. Nobody remembered that even 28 years later as he began his ministry.

I mean his birth was the cause of, at least, several young male babies being slaughtered at the hands of King Herod. Nobody ever remembered that this was now the man, who was born in Bethlehem, even though he was called a Nazerite, that had caused that entire massacre? And then not remember, "Oh yea, there was that night just prior a few years that a bunch of shepherds were making some ruckus about seeing angels singing in the sky. King Herod heard about it and sent guys into the town to kill all the boys under 2 years of age." Nobody remembered any of that? They remembered that Josef was his father, but not that Mary had given birth to a baby that the angels heralded his birth?

So, I ask about knowing the plan. How God was working for centuries through His People, Yisra'el to keep them separate from the other nations that they might be Holy unto Him... to work out a plan.

A plan to deliver His testimony to all of the earth!

A plan to prove that He is, through prophecy!

A plan to send a Holy Sacrifice that all those of the earth who would choose life, could have it. Have it abundantly and eternally.

All of that plan was carried out by His people. Though often stiff-necked and rebellious, God's will was fulfilled by the hands of His people Yisra'el.

May that God bless,
Ted