The Pregnancy Angel

I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. "I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out--those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment. – John 5:24-29 HCSB

There is an ancient fable found in the Talmud that describes an angel who is in charge of pregnancy. According to the account[1], the angel takes a drop of semen from which the child will be conceived, sets it before Yahweh Kadosh, and asks “Elah Sh’maya V’Arah, God of Heaven and Earth, this drop – what is its destiny? Will the person who develops from it be mighty or weak, intelligent or foolish, wealthy or poor?” The angel does not inquire whether the person will be wicked or righteous, however, because that will not be determined by God but by the coming human.

God has given us the ability to willingly choose our eternal fate. We can choose to align ourselves with His will, following, trusting and conforming ourselves to His Son, or we can choose to go against His good and perfect will. Aligning ourselves with the Maker of the Universe orients us in the same direction as the universe’s principles and allows for a good ending. Orienting ourselves with the Liar, Lucifer, may grant us a temporary reprieve from the complexities of further moral decisions, but will in the end bring about our demise.

You could think of it like this: imagine you stand at the edge of a great cliff. You decide that you don’t like the law of gravity. It impinges upon your free will. It is keeping you from achieving your full flight potential. So you decide to rebel against that Law. You step off the edge of the cliff. For a few moments you are going to be rewarded for your decision. You will get a sense of liberated flight. You will feel the wind whipping through your hair and an excited fluttering in your heart. Ah, but the end…it will come suddenly and without any return.

We may not choose our bodies or our circumstances but we do choose our souls. Those who choose to follow the Master will find themselves resurrected to life. Those who choose not to – choose eternal damnation.

[1] Niddah 16b

Seven Deadly Virtues

Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. And He was openly talking about this. So Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan, because you're not thinking about God's concerns, but man's!" – Mark 8:31-33 HCSB

In our war on the yetzer hara, the negative impulse, which most Christians identify as the sin nature, we usually focus on the seven big bad sins. We watch out for lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Christianity has developed these particular sins into a “who’s who” of carnality as though they were in some way worse than any other sin.

Christian thinkers have also developed a list of seven holy virtues, one virtue as the polar opposite of each vice. They are: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, forgiveness, kindness and humility.

Sometimes, strength of character involves subduing even one’s yetzer hatov, or good inclinations. A man’s post-operative and feverish mother once begged him, with tears in her eyes, for a small drink of water. He refused. He refused because the surgeon had absolutely forbidden her to consume anything by mouth. Had he yielded to his naturally kind inclination to comfort his mother, he might have killed her.

As the Master described His coming rejection, torture and death, Peter listened with deep concern. He loved Yeshua and did not want this fate to befall him. Out of kindness and sympathy Peter tried to get his Master to stop saying these terrible things. Perhaps he thought that by repeating them, Yeshua would create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Regardless of his reasoning – we can be sure that Peter’s desire and inclination was driven by loyalty.

In this case, that loyalty became a sin. It was wrong for Peter to feel as he did. He was sinning by not acquiescing to God’s will. That is, after all, the underlying foundation of all sin is it not? Didn’t Adam and Eve think they knew better than God? Didn’t Moses think he knew better than God when he argued “Please! Send someone else – someone who doesn’t stutter!” Didn’t King Saul think he knew better when he failed to wait for Samuel and offered the sacrifice himself? Didn’t David think he was doing “the right thing” when he attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem by ox cart?

Forgiveness is a virtue until we choose to forgive what God does not. Kindness is a virtue until is fails to properly deal with sin. Humility is wonderful until it causes us to doubt God’s ability to use us and leads us to hesitate to follow His leading.

In our war on the yetzer hara, the tzaddikim must also be alert to the dangers of too much virtue.

Redirection

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God's church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who from my mother's womb set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone…I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; they simply kept hearing: "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God because of me. – Galatians 1:13-16, 22-24 HCSB

Two Marines stood facing each other in the center of a soccer field. John was huge, muscular and very angry. Michael was small, half the other man’s size. The night before, John had caused one of Michael’s squad mates to get in trouble with the MPs. Now, as Michael rebuked him, John’s burly face grew red with fury.

He charged the little man, but at the very last second, Michael pivoted slightly as he planted one foot on the aggressor’s ankle and lightly pulled on John’s wrist. The big man fell, all his weight and speed suddenly working against him. He landed doing a face plant that covered him in dirt and grass while scraping the side of his face.

John lost all control as he surged back to his feet, spinning around to find his nemesis. He was so angry now that he wasn’t even thinking! He charged Michael a second time – this time managing to grab Michael’s jacket. But Michael simple yielded. He grabbed John’s jacket, fell back under the muscular man’s momentum and rolled on his back while planting a foot on John’s hip bone. John flew through the air with his arms wildly flailing and landed with a thud. Needless to say, the fight did not continue.

Redirection is a critical principle in Jiu-jitsu. Rather than oppose force with force, one should yield to the inevitable but redirect it into more useful purposes. There is a similar principle in the spiritual world that can be considered “spiritual jiu-jitsu.”

Our genes, our character, our temperament and our spiritual gifts together form a blend that provides us with a unique quality. This quality has strengths and weaknesses. Each of us is born with certain sinful predispositions. Some desire recognition. Some are by nature aggressive. But each of these things can be redirected into more useful avenues. We need to channel our negative inclinations into activities that benefit society.

For example, a person with a strong need to be admired could become a philanthropist. A person who is naturally aggressive could strive to be a heroic patriot. The trick is to not excuse the darkness in us, but redirect it into the service of God and Humanity.

Potential

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, so understand that those who have faith are Abraham's sons. Now the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed in you. So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith. - Galatians 3:6-9 HCSB

There are many things that I cannot be. I cannot be a kohen (a Levitical priest) because that singular privilege is reserved for those who are descendents of Levi. I may be a priest[1], but not a Levite.

I may not be gifted with Nehemiah’s or Moses’ leadership qualities. They received their genetic predispositions from the Giver of Good Gifts and it is not up to me to question His judgment. As the Lord said to Isaiah, “Woe to the one who argues with his Maker- one clay pot among many. Does clay say to the one forming it: What are you making?”[2]

This also applies to intelligence and natural insight. All men receive insight from God,[3] but God may not choose to show me the same things He revealed to Daniel or Paul. All I can do is rejoice for my brothers who have been so gifted and listen to what God has allowed them to share with me.

So, I cannot be a Levite. I do not necessarily have the same degree of giftedness that others may have. I do however have this – I can become a tzaddik. I can become as much a blessing as our spiritual ancestor Abraham was.

There have not always been Jews around. Abram was not a Jew. He was from Ur of the Chaldees[4], making him a Mesopotamian.[5] It was only after Elohim got hold of him that Abram became a Hebrew.[6] The reason that we all look back with such great respect to this man is that he exercised simple faith in what God told him. As a result, all the nations of the world have been blessed.

We too have the same opportunity. We can exercise simple faith in what God has told us in His Word, allowing Yahweh M’kadesh to make us holy and righteous. Beyond this imputed righteousness, however, we can become a blessing to the whole world. We can do greater works that our Master.[7] We can bring the Good News to the whole world.[8]

Too often we waste time whining about all the things that we cannot do. Those who are not intellectually gifted wish they were. Those who cannot sing wish they could. Those who are physically handicapped wish they were whole. We cannot argue with our Maker in these matters. We must learn to be content with whatever condition He has chosen to grant us.[9]

Yet, in regards to righteousness and faith, each of us may potentially be as great as Abraham. Each may strive for greatness with Yah’s blessing.

[1] 1 Peter 2:9
[2] Isaiah 45:9
[3] Romans 1:18-20
[4] Genesis 11:31
[5] Acts 7:2
[6] Genesis 14:13
[7] John 14:12
[8] Matthew 28:19-20
[9] Philippians 4:11

Free Will

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. – Mark 16:16 HCSB

Clarence Darrow, a famous criminal defense lawyer and religious skeptic, once said, “All people are products of two things, and two things only: their heredity and environment. And they act in exact accord with the heredity which they took from all the past, and for which they are in no wise responsible, and the environment…We all act from the same way.”[1]

All ideas have consequences and Mr. Darrow’s led him to believe that a man had no free will. He carried this idea so far as to oppose the punishment of criminals. He did not think it was right to kill murderers, for how could we punish them for something over which they may exert no control?

This thought is in direct contrast to God’s. Out of His desire to have someone love Him freely and of their own accord, He voluntarily limited His control over us and granted Humanity free will.

Over and over, He claimed that we had not only the ability but also the responsibility to choose wisely. We are to choose between life and death, between good and evil.[2] We are to choose to love Him and to demonstrate that love by keeping His commandments.[3] We are to choose to abide with Him (which means to maintain a right relationship or d’vekut with Him).[4] We are to choose to act ethically[5] and in accordance with the rules or righteousness.[6] We are to choose to fight and keep on fighting for the Kingdom until we die or until the Master returns.[7]

If we did not have a free will to choose, then God would not be justified in His anger against us. But it is precisely because He planted truth deep in our souls and we have willfully suppressed that truth that He has every right to not only treat us as He wishes but to be angry![8]

The concept of Humanity’s free will is absolutely central to the belief system of the tzaddikim. We believe that all other doctrines: that of sin, salvation, practical holiness, heaven, hell, punishment and reward – all hinge upon the idea that man can and should choose to behave.

When El Boreh created the universe, He did something special with the first man. He breathed “neshamah ch’ay”, literally the “breath or spirit of life”, into Humanity. This singular privilege and responsibility was not extended to any animal but was solely gifted upon Humanity. It’s what makes us stand out. This distinction in some way makes us like God. We, like Him, are free agents able to act according to our wills. This is both our greatest strength and our greatest source of pain.

Many people went to the infamous death camps of WW II. Some chose to go through their last days comforting others and giving away their last piece of bread. Yet, others chose to cooperate with the Nazis. We stand or fall – but we choose which.

[1] From Safire, Lend Me Your Ears, 327-335
[2] Deuteronomy 30:15-19
[3] John 14:15
[4] John 15:7
[5] Romans 2:10
[6] 1 Corinthians 9:24
[7] 1 Timothy 6:12
[8] Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 1:18-20

Abraham’s Children

His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him…He has helped His servant Israel, mindful of His mercy, just as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever. – Luke 1:50, 54-55 HCSB

A rich man had a son who was the apple of his eye and was a good, obedient child. Because the rich man had a lot of love to share, he adopted two daughters as well.

The first adopted daughter, in spite of the father’s best efforts, became rebellious. She forgot her humble beginnings. She forgot how terrible her circumstances were before she was adopted. She proudly began to think that all of her present amenities were her due.

Finally, this daughter became so jealous and hateful that she lashed out against the rich man’s biological son, trying to kill him. Naturally, the rich man could not allow this to continue. Though he loved this rebel greatly and wanted nothing more than a close relationship with her, the father was forced to cast out this ungrateful child.

The second daughter was adopted after the first daughter’s rebellion and knew of the first adopted child’s downfall. Though she made many mistakes and cost the father much grief, this second daughter retained a humble spirit and was, thus, always salvageable.

Hopefully, by now my simple parable is clear. The rich man is God. The biological son is Yeshua ben Adonai, our Master. The first adoptive daughter is Israel and the second is the Church.

Israel’s mistake was forgetting that they were adoptive children. They came to the mistaken belief that they were biological children. “We are descendants of Abraham,” they said, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone!”[1] They went so far as to actually claim “We weren’t born of sexual immorality. We have one Father – God.”[2]

They forgot their origins. God told them, “Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your birth, your umbilical cord wasn't cut on the day you were born, and you weren't washed clean with water. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one cared [enough] about you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. But you were thrown out into the open field because you were despised on the day you were born. I passed by you and saw you lying in your blood, and I said to you [as you lay] in your blood: Live!”[3]

All of us are adoptive children. All those who fear Hashem can be reborn into His family.[4] Because we live in His house, we can all claim kinship with Abraham. All those who fear God are Jews, Abraham’s children.[5] Even greater, we are God’s children. But let’s never forget our origins.[6] Let show our Father how grateful we are by obeying Him.[7]

[1] John 8:33
[2] John 8:41
[3] Ezekiel 16:3b-6a HCSB
[4] John 1:12-13; Acts 13:26
[5] Romans 2:29; 4:12-16; 11:17-25; Ephesians 2:11-22
[6] Revelation 2:5
[7] John 14:15

Ch’esed – Kindness

Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive. – Colossians 3:12-13 HCSB

A righteous young man was studying diligently at a Bible school. His mentor was very pleased with this student because he seemed to bring a passion for Yah in all he did. With time, however, the mentor noticed that his prize pupil was sometimes late for chapel. Sometimes, he didn’t show up at all!

The mentor decided to investigate so he approached the young man and enquired, “I’m surprised that you have begun arriving late to prayers. What would your parents think?”

The student replied, “I would love to always be on time, but I know a woman who has several children. Each morning as I am about to leave for prayers, I hear the children crying. One needs a bottle, another needs to be sent off to school and the last needs to changed. There is no one else to help this woman, so I must do it myself. At times, I barely make it to prayers. Sometimes, I cannot make it at all, so I go to a later chapel service.”

The mentor was surprised and touched by the young man’s obvious grasp of the need to perform the mitzvah of ch’esed (kindness). He asked, “Who is this woman? Is she widowed or divorced? I would also like to help her out.”

The young man then exclaimed, “Oh no! God forbid! The woman is my wife!”

Ch’esed begins at home. Kindness is one of those traits that obviously must be extended toward every person, but it takes a lot of practice and the best place to practice kindness is at home where it is sometimes the most difficult to do.

We get so comfortable with our loved ones that we will often behave atrociously toward them. We will say and do things to our spouses that we would never dream of doing to a stranger. But this is exactly the opposite of the Lord’s will.

God said that ch’esed must be put on, rather like a cloak. This holy garment is composed of many colors, much like Joseph’s coat. God’s chosen ones must put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness. All these elements form one thing – ch’esed.

There is a progression here: empathy leads to kindness. Empathetic kindness leads to humility which causes us to be gentle. Gentleness is expressed in our patient willingness to forgive the foibles of others.

What we need to note, however, is the fact that kindness is the first outward sign of inward compassion. Without kind acts, all else fails and we can safely assume that the love of God does not exist in our hearts.[1]

[1] 1 John 3:17

God’s Mountain Men

Lord, who can dwell in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain? The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart - who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor, who despises the one rejected by the Lord, but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his word whatever the cost, who does not lend his money at interest or take a bribe against the innocent - the one who does these things will never be moved. – Psalm 15 HCSB

Once I adopted my children, they were mine, all mine. As soon as those papers were signed by a judge, my five became just as much mine as if we shared genetic material. If someone wants to take them from me, it will have to be over my dead body. Whether they grow up to be tzaddikim or unrighteous men and women, they will always bear my name and I will always love them.

That doesn’t mean that I always like them, however. Sometimes they do things that irritate the daylights out of me. They pick their scabs (among other things), ruin clothes, and are periodically loud and obnoxious. They also scare me when they don’t think!

Worse, sometimes they do things that I absolutely hate. They are, from time to time, rebellious and disobedient. They have learned that the quickest way to Dad’s bad side is to show disrespect for their mother!

If they do these things, they remain my children but our relationship suffers for it. I will never stop loving them, but we may not always be as close because relational intimacy depends on mutual submission.

What David is talking about here is not yeshua (salvation) but d’vekut (relationship). Notice that God’s requirements for d’vekut all involve ethical behavior. In order to draw and remain close to their Father, God’s children must:

-Live blameless, honest lives
-Practice righteousness, honing it like a craft
-Acknowledge truth even to themselves
-Be completely honest and transparent
-Do no harm
-Hate the things God hates
-Honor and elevate the tzaddikim
-Stand by their word regardless of personal disadvantage
-Never lend money at extortionate rates
-Never be swayed by bribes, whether it takes the form of money, flattery or popular opinion

Those who do these things out of a loving reverence for Elohim will soon discover an intimacy with Him that they never knew before. Their lives will be stable even in the midst of circumstantial storms. They will live on the mountain with God. They will be God’s mountain men.

Does God Like Mushrooms on His Pizza?

I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. You also possess endurance and have tolerated many things because of My name, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. Yet you do have this: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. – Revelation 2:2-6 HCSB

When you first fall in love, one of your priorities is finding out everything you can about the likes and dislikes of the object of your affections. What is her favorite color? What perfume does she like? Does she like big parties or small private affairs? It becomes crucial to know all these details because you are trying to attract her, and you don’t want to do anything that might cause her to have second thoughts about you.

If you want to get a good idea of what your loved one likes and dislikes, nothing works better than getting good intel from their family and friends. If you want to get a good idea of what God likes and dislikes, nothing is better than checking out what His prophets have rebuked His people for.

With the exception of idolatry, His rebukes have consistently been about unethical behavior. He hates oppression of the poor.[1] He hates it when we pervert justice.[2] Disregarding others’ property rights[3] the acceptance of bribes,[4] dishonest behavior,[5] swearing falsely,[6] adultery,[7] murder and theft,[8] lying,[9] and not paying workers a living wage[10] all make the list. As a matter of fact, there is good reason to believe that He even hates idolatry so much because of the resulting unethical behavior![11]

Obviously, simply behaving ethically cannot save us[12]. The Ephesian congregation mentioned in the opening verses practiced good works, endured persecution faithfully and did not tolerate evil, but it was their devotion to Christ that was lacking. It’s not enough to do the dishes, take out the trash and get your clothes in the laundry hamper. These good and necessary habits must be motivated by true love.

Jesus said the Ephesians did have one redeeming factor working for them. They figured out what He hated and started hating it too. Unfortunately, many Christians today try to see how close to the edge of sin they can get without getting too badly singed. They believe God should adjust to their tastes instead of the other way around. By doing this, they are demonstrating an appalling lack of love for God.

Go through the Bible and determine God’s likes and dislikes. Then present your life as a living sacrifice to Him[13]– but first be sure to pick out all the “mushrooms.”

[1] Amos 2:7
[2] Amos 5:7
[3] Micah 2:2
[4] Micah 3:11
[5] Micah 6:10-11
[6] Jeremiah 5:2
[7] Jeremiah 5:8
[8] Jeremiah 7:9
[9] Jeremiah 9:4
[10] Jeremiah 22:13
[11] Jeremiah 7:31
[12] Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:6
[13] Romans 12:1-2

Wall Street Tactics

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: "The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you. But don't do what they do, because they don't do what they say. They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people's shoulders, but they themselves aren't willing to lift a finger to move them. They do everything to be observed by others… - Matthew 23:1-5a HCSB

Like the grand gurus of fashion in Paris, the titans of industry also periodically get caught up in a craze. Some new management theory becomes the latest commercial version of the yo-yoing hem height.

They give the latest fad strange names like reengineering, the hedgehog principle, Six Sigma, MBO (management by objective), or TQM (total quality management). As the fashion world seeks to fascinate and titillate, the business community seeks to improve quality, productivity and profitability.

In their fervor to find the magic button that will guarantee their (already ludicrous) short-term profits, they so emphasize the role of structures and systems that they forget that what truly counts in the long run is personal integrity, passion for the mission, quality, loyalty and balance.

Unfortunately, churches and denominations are not immune to such stupidity. Being human unfortunately renders the tzaddikim just as vulnerable to the tendency to oversimplify. We are just as prone to what is at heart, laziness. Rather than be consistently obedient, we would rather simply seek the latest book, prayer or charismatic preacher. Rather than consistently give of ourselves, we would rather seek a church experience that gives to us. Rather than take care of our poor, we would rather find a Federal program that will take care of them for us.

Churches, being hierarchical by nature, are particularly vulnerable to the appeal of structures and systems. Observe if you will the layers of foolish and contradictory obfuscations that characterize the practices of our oldest denominations.

We pastors read a book and jump on the band wagon. We attend a conference and get hyped up about the latest technique. We listen to the inspiring words of uber-pastors of mega churches and all go “OOOH! AAAH!”

We must remember that our goal is not to streamline. Our purpose is not to manage. Our purpose is not to fill our parishioners’ lives with more busy work just so we can say, “Look! See how successful I am? Look at all the programs!”

Our goal is to get our parishioners to conform to the image of Christ. Our purpose is to feed them, strengthen them, get them pointed in the right direction and send them on their way to further build the kingdom.

We need to be very cautious of using Wall Street tactics to further the Kingdom. What works in an environment of greed will not necessarily produce lives marked by humility, service and gratitude.

The Point of It All

Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides Me. – Exodus 20:1-3 HCSB

Elohim did a phenomenal job liberating His people out of slavery and bringing them to a place of safety. They had witnessed miracles and were at this time faced with God’s awesome power. They saw smoke and lightning; heard thunder and trumpets and could feel the mountain thrumming with the very presence of God beneath their feet. Naturally, they trembled and were afraid to approach this frightening vision.[1]

“You speak to us, and we will listen,“ they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”[2] Afraid they would die? Hadn’t the same threatening God just miraculously delivered them out of Egypt without a hair harmed on their heads? Hadn’t He rescued them from the pursuing army? Wasn’t He already feeding and watering them? If God had wanted them dead, He could have just left them to the slavers’ partial birth abortionists.[3] The job would have been done within a generation.

The people let their wrong theology drive them to wrong conclusions and behavior. They thought that just because God was scary, that He would harm them without cause. Listen - God IS scary. But He wants to be OUR scary God. When we fail to accept that God is big, scary and powerful but loves us, we misconstrue His intent.

God decided to make His wishes clear and gave them what we now call the Ten Commandments. The first four verses deal with loving and honoring God. Then the next seven verses tell us how to treat each other. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus summed it all up with the same division? Love God, love your neighbor?[4]

Notice something else with me: where are all the sacrifices? Do you notice that He didn’t list the Passover, circumcision, waving wands or burning candles? The evidence is overwhelming. What God wants most out of His people is moral behavior driven by a sacred love of God.

It was always this way. From the very beginning, we were created in His image.[5] We are thus capable of knowing good from evil.[6] God made us capable of distinguishing right from wrong and gave us the will to choose. He also empowered us to act upon our decisions. But we cannot forget that with power comes commensurate responsibility and accountability. We must live our lives with that accounting in mind.

To do anything else is to replace Him with a false god. The god may be our own will or it may be our false image of the real God. But God expects us to live moral, ethical lives that are firmly grounded in love. That is the point of the Decalogue. This is how we serve Him.

[1] Exodus 20:18
[2] Exodus 20:19 HCSB
[3] Exodus 1:15-22
[4] Matthew 22:36-40
[5] Genesis 1:27
[6] Genesis 3:5, 22

Obedience Opens Our Mouths

Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth was completed, and she bore a son. Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zachariah, after his father. But his mother responded, "No! He will be called John." Then they said to her, "None of your relatives has that name." So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: And they were all amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. – Luke 1:57-64 HCSB

Would you take boxing lessons from a fighter who was 0 and 26? Would you ask for landscaping advice from a person whose yard looks like Chernobyl during a mudslide?

So why do so many people think we should believe their claims to Christianity when their lives are characterized by disobedience? Didn’t Jesus teach that it was by our fruit that we are identified?[1]

Zachariah had received a message from God but failed to believe it.[2] As we have seen elsewhere, hearing and heeding God’s call[3] is the very essence of being blessed.[4] It was not until God’s Word was accomplished and Zachariah obeyed the call that his mouth was opened and he could praise God.

Lack of faith and worse, outright disobedience, stamps out our ability to effectively witness. How can we claim to be Yahweh’s children when we do not enjoy family reunions?[5] Who is going to believe our witness to the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit’s power when we live in continuing sin? Our protestations concerning our love for God will fall on deaf ears if we fail to love other humans.[6]

I once knew a man who claimed to be able to put a great car together. He was a “backyard mechanic” who drove a beat up old rust bucket that only worked half the time. That car spent more time at Autozone than the store’s manager did!

I now have a friend who makes few claims as to his abilities but who has built cars that have appeared in Hot Rod Magazine. Some of his sheet metal work is so well respected that men line up to buy his cars as collector’s items! Who do you think I go to if I need to ask for advice on my car?

Stop merely claiming to be His child and start demonstrating it: attend church, read and obey your Bible, pray for others both privately and publicly, care for and serve your spouse, work hard so that you have enough money left over to give to the poor, be humble and consider others as better than yourself. Then open your mouth and start praising God.

[1] Matthew 7:16, 20; Luke 6:44; Ephesians 5:9
[2] Luke 1:5-25
[3] Luke 1:38
[4] Luke 1:45
[5] Hebrews 10:25
[6] 1 John 4:20

No Action Need be Taken

Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them--this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12 HCSB

Sometimes in large companies, memos are passed around describing action that is being taken or rules that must be considered by various departments. Whether or not they are applicable, all departments receive these memos and so a note is usually attached that says “No action need be taken.”

God’s central demand on humanity (in regards to behavior) is to act ethically. There is a pernicious tendency to think that as long as we get all our ritualistic t’s crossed and our religious i’s dotted, our illicit behavior between worship services will be forgiven.

It’s as though ritual observance, such as saying certain “sinner’s prayers”, getting baptized or belonging to a local church, supersedes basic ethics. I’m beginning to think Christians read through the Bible, see all the ethical teaching there, focus instead on a misunderstanding of grace and think “No action need be taken.”

Jesus summed up all the law into, “Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all you heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. No other commandment is greater than these.”[1]

In other words, all of the laws that Yahweh Shaphat gave on Mount Sinai, and all the teaching that He passed on through Moses and the prophets over a period of two thousand years or more could be summed up in a godly fear resulting in ethical behavior.

In today’s passage, Jesus summed it up even more concisely by rewording a principle that exists in most human cultures. Hillel once stated it as, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” But where Hillel stated the negative aspect, so that it would limit the damage inflicted by one human on another, Jesus went into the positive aspect. It was not enough to simply “do no harm.” We must be positive forces for good within our spheres of influence.

What we would want done to ourselves, we must do for others. If we would like sound advice, we must be sure that the advice we give others is wise and in no way self-seeking.[2] If we would want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, then we must (as much as possible) think well of them.[3]

This is all the Law. All the rest is commentary. Thankfully, our salvation does not depend on our consistent application of ethics for we would all be lost.[4] Yet ethics do sum up God’s requirements as to our behavior. Action most definitely must be taken.

[1] Harmony of Mark 12:28-34 and Matthew 22:34-40
[2] Proverbs 10:21
[3] 1 Corinthians 13:7
[4] Romans 3:10

When to Stop Studying

In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs. The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth. The sayings of the wise are like goads, and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails. The sayings are given by one Shepherd. But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body. – Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 HCSB

There once was an intelligent, gifted young man who went to college. He studied hard – harder than anyone else. He didn’t party; didn’t date; in fact, he rarely appeared out of his room except when attending class or going to work. Even his job was at a library!

Naturally, he got good grades and graduated early with honors. But he didn’t go anywhere. He simply signed up for another course of study. Having already done all his basic classes, within two years he finished that too. Yet still he went nowhere – did nothing.

That young man became a middle aged man and continued studying. He piled degree upon degree, academic honor upon academic honor, but he never really produced anything. He never interacted with people. He never married. He never had kids.

Finally, he died in his room – at his desk. His funeral was short and poorly attended. The longest part of the service was when the minister read off his degrees.

There are two Hebrew words for study: “lahag” and “midrash”. The tzaddikim (followers of righteousness) are to be renowned for their study habits. After all, our Master IS called the Word[1] and our walk is disciplined according to a Book.[2]

The Teacher taught people, studied hard and sought to find truth so this passage is not encouraging us to have poor study habits. It is trying to warn us of the dangers of “lahag” which is obsessive study motivated by greed or narcissism.

People study for all kinds of bad reasons.[3] Some study so that others will look up to and follow them. They are practicing “lahag” out of narcissism. Some study so that they can get the knowledge they need to make piles of money. They are driven by greed. Others use study as a way to escape life or to avoid action. As long as they can keep studying the matter, they can make themselves believe that it’s not yet time to obey.

Midrash, however, is completely different. It is motivated by humility and love. The good student recognizes his weakness and longs to be better than he is in order to please his Master and better serve others because he loves them.

So as soon as you are no longer driven to study by love or the humble realization that you need to improve or change yourself – stop. You are in danger of lahag.[4] Stop studying and start doing.[5]

[1] John 1:1
[2] Psalm 119:1-3; 2 Peter 2:1
[3] Romans 16:17; 2 Timothy 3:5-7
[4] James 3:14-18
[5] Matthew 7:21-24

Midrash – Devotion to Study

He said to them, "O how unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! Didn't the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. – Luke 24:25-27 HCSB

The disciples knew the Scriptures, yet missed the Messiah. Jesus showed them His presence in the entire Old Testament. Understanding the fundamentals of what passes for Christianity today is fairly straightforward. Memorize a certain series of dogmatic statements, give intellectual assent to them, and “Voila!” you’re in.

Understanding the fundamentals of Tzedekah is a different matter. Tzedekah is not about your mind, but your heart and a real change of heart inevitably results in changed behavior.

That is why the tzaddikim spend large amounts of time meditating on the practical application of the Scriptures to their lives. We want to try out the new-found life-changing power the Holy Spirit has granted us.[1] We also want to demonstrate to God and others that a real change has taken place in our hearts – that we do not have dead faith.[2]

It is necessary to show that we have repented of our sins and turned to God to be forgiven.[3] Conversion is not a private matter and should result in a changed ethical behavior easily observed by others.

According to John, we should actively seek out and care for the needy; work in the government to bring about social change; pay our taxes; continue working but not be greedy; obey the government; serve in the military if need be; do not cheat, lie or abuse our power; and be content with what God has given us.

Knowing what is appropriate behavior, however, is not a simple matter and can require a lifetime of study. American president Lyndon Johnson once said, “A president’s hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.”

The tzaddikim, therefore, make midrash, “devotion to study”, a major discipline in their lives. Our churches are to be “beit midrash”, or houses of study. We study in order to make sure that we are the best workers we can be, that we are approved by our Master, and that we have a proper understanding of the Scriptures.[4] We must ensure that we are passing on the kabalah we received in the form of wholesome masoret to the next generation of believers.[5]

Immanuel Kant, an otherwise intelligent man, argued on moral grounds that one must never lie, even to a murderer who asks the location of his intended victim. But the tzaddikim know that Elohay Mishpat does at times allow them to lie in order to save a life.[6] In fact, He honors those who so value life.

Such issues are sometimes difficult to resolve and only a person dedicated to midrash will be able to tease apart the complex nuances life can bring.


[1] Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:12
[2] James 2:14-18
[3] Mark 1:2-8; Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-18
[4] 2 Timothy 2:15
[5] 2 Timothy 2:2
[6] Joshua 2:1-16

Josef

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that He may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His loyal followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity-every good path. – Proverbs 2:6-9 HCSB

Josef was the eldest of three sons of a wealthy industrialist. Josef was always a serious and obedient young man. He studied hard, made good grades and easily graduated from high school. He was never a problem kid. He didn’t smoke, drink, cuss or raise Cain. He hung out with all the right kids and stood when a lady entered the room.

He went on to study medicine and anthropology at a respected university where he earned a doctorate in anthropology. After a suitable internship at yet another university, he also earned a doctorate in medicine.

Josef was a patriot and decided to join the military. He wanted to be just a regular grunt but was unable to make the cut, so he dropped out with a medical chit. However, soon his country was at war and he received a call to join the reserve medical corps.

Josef was not the kind to take a posh job in the back, so he quickly made his way to the very front of the war. He was wounded and pronounced medically unfit for combat. He was promoted to the rank of captain and received numerous medals for his service.

His country was still at war and Josef remained a patriot, so he sought another way to serve. He ended up in the unenviable job of dealing with prisoners of war where he took over for another doctor as the prison physician.

It was during the following 21 months that Josef gained notoriety because Josef was Josef Mengele, the infamous Death Angel. The POW camp at which he served was Auschwitz.

Here, Josef turned the medical training he received into a nightmarish curse. With a simple flick of the wrist, he condemned thousands to death in gas chambers. He personally shot a woman who fought to remain with her daughter. In a fit of rage, he then shot her daughter along with all the remaining prisoners who had just been unloaded from her cattle car.

The purpose of wisdom is to bring about good deeds. The goal of wisdom - perhaps the main goal - is to enable us to discover the means to apply our God-given intelligence, talent and creativity in loving our neighbor as our self.

When a smart person uses these resources to do something God opposes, he not only harms others but is, in a way, making God complicit in his crimes. I assure you, God will not put up with it.

For decades, Josef escaped an international search but one day he had a stroke while swimming and drowned before help could arrive.

It’s Not All Harps and Cream Cheese

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. – Revelation 21:1-4 HCSB

I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to funerals and heard ministers tell those gathered that their dead loved one was in a place where there are no more tears. That is an absolutely wrong and very harmful thing to say.

Dead saints are aware of what is transpiring on earth.[1] All the dead are awaiting judgment.[2] Everyone – whether righteous or wicked - will face a throne and have to bow and confess that Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of the Universe.[3] Both the living and the dead will be brought before Christ to be judged.[4] Their social status will be irrelevant when faced by God Almighty. Kings, princes, freemen and slaves will all be equal at that time.[5] Even the fallen angels, as mighty as they are, will be forced to come and acknowledge Christ’s sovereignty.[6] Our every action, word and thought will be made public and judged as to its worth.[7]

There will be two “seats” or times of judgment. The first one[8] is called the “Bema Seat” and is a time of judgment for the saved. At that seat, what we did with the resources God gave us and not the question of our salvation will be considered. God will reward us based on our faithful service.[9]

The second “seat” is called the “Great White Throne of Judgment.”[10] It will take place after the millennial reign of Christ. The doom of those who appear before this seat is a foregone conclusion. Since they did not accept Christ’s sovereignty in this life, their names have been blotted out of the Book of Life.[11]

It is actually not until after this Great White Throne judgment takes place that the old universe is destroyed and a new universe is created. And it is not until then that God will wipe away all our tears.[12]

This message is an important part of the Good News.[13] We must teach our children that there will be an accounting for everything we do. Hopefully this will engender a godly fear that will lead to a godly life.[14]


[1] Hebrews 12:1; Revelation 6:9-11
[2] Hebrews 9:27
[3] Ecclesiastes 3:17; Romans 14:10-12; Hebrews 9:27; Jude 1:14-15
[4] Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5
[5] Revelation 6:15-16
[6] 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6
[7] Mark 4:22; 2 Corinthians 5:10
[8] 1 Peter 4:17
[9] Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
[10] Revelation 20:7-15
[11] Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 20:12-15; 21:27
[12] 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1-4
[13] Acts 17:30-31
[14] 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

Small Town Boy

When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. – Luke 2:39 HCSB

The village of Nazareth sat inside a bowl-shaped depression on the top of the “Nazareth Ridge” some thirteen hundred feet above sea level. It was off these cliffs that the villagers would later try to toss Jesus to His death.[1] It was somewhat isolated, being sixteen miles west of the Sea of Galilee and four miles southeast of the more cosmopolitan city of Sepphoris.

The Nazareth Ridge was a small chalk ridge with a single water source that was a short walk away from the village. The village was unwalled and unprotected because there was nothing worth conquering or stealing. Many of the homes were simply small caves whose fronts had been walled up. It was so poor and unassuming that Nathaniel said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”[2]

Though Galilee, unlike Judea, usually got plenty of rainfall and always had good crops and plenty of pasture, Nazareth remained only a small agricultural village with a population of about 120-150. In fact, when Joseph returned with Mary and Jesus, there was probably a lot of rejoicing. Many of the people were related to Mary and not a lot of young people returned to Nazareth after leaving for “the big city.” Jesus described the villagers as “his own relatives…his own household.”[3]

Nazareth was already two thousand years old before Jesus moved there. From their doorsteps, the villagers could see Cana, Mount Tabor, the Hill of Moreh and Mount Carmel. They could point out the history of Deborah and Barak, Gideon, Elijah and Elisha to their children as they worked.

Though Tiglath-Pileser II had made Galilee’s population predominantly Gentile[4] after his 733 BC conquest, John Hyrcanus had forced many of the Gentiles to convert to Judaism. Throughout the ebb and flow, Nazareth remained stubbornly Jewish.

Later, Jesus returned to Nazareth as the home-town boy who’d become the renowned rabbi.[5] Some of the old biddies probably preferred to use the term “infamous” as they nodded meaningfully over their vegetables. Though many of his friends and family had witnessed His miracles elsewhere, Jesus sadly marveled at their unbelief.[6]

Their problem was not what He did but who He claimed to be. They could never wrap their minds around the fact that little Jesus, who used to be constantly underfoot, now claimed to be the Messiah, Israel’s Consolation, God Incarnate.

The unsaved families of tzaddikim often seem to prefer that we remain as we always were. They would rather we be drunk, high, philandering and worthless than tzedekah. It’s bad enough when we claim imputed holiness, but when we attempt practical holiness…well, now we’ve gone too far!

Our Master knows exactly what that’s like. He knows how hard it is to overcome our background, our relations and friends. Yet He calls us on; on to tzedekah and d’vekut. Will you remain in Nazareth?


[1] Luke 4:28-30
[2] John 1:46
[3] Mark 6:4
[4] Isaiah 9:1
[5] Matthew 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6
[6] Mark 6:1

Sinless

When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named JESUS--the name given by the angel before He was conceived. And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male will be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons). – Luke 2:21-24 HCSB

Wise men rarely claim to be wise. Knowledgeable teachers often complain about their lack of understanding of their subject matter. Tzaddikim strive for, but do not profess sinlessness.

In fact, the more righteous the person, the more sensitive they are to their many small flaws. A

fat person is happy that they can make it around the block. An athlete complains when they run the mile a second slower than Olympic time!

Mary never claimed to be sinless. She claimed to be God’s slave.[1] She claimed her God-given authority over her Son as He grew up.[2] She lay claim to his care.[3] But she also admitted her sinfulness by making this sacrifice.

Mary and Joseph offered a sacrifice that according to the Law was made in order to acknowledge one’s sin and indebtedness to God.[4] To claim sinlessness on her behalf is to directly contradict the scripture that says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”[5]

Mary would never have claimed to be greater than her illustrious ancestor David who said, “Indeed, I was guilty [when I] was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.”[6] He also came to the tremendous realization that if the Lord were to keep tally of our sins, none of us would survive.[7] After all, who can say “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin?”[8]

Am I trying to denigrate Mary? Not at all. The Scriptures are clear in that she had found favor in the Lord’s eyes.[9] But so did Noah[10] and David.[11] Are we going to claim sinless perfection for them, too?

The point is first, that we must understand that there is only one Good, and that is God.[12] There is only one person who was tempted by sin without succumbing and that is the Son of God.[13] All the rest of us have failed that crucial test and need a Savior.[14]

Second, we must never so lionize a person that we grant them characteristics that may rightly only be ascribed to God. Doing so causes us to be guilty of idolatry.

We are to love and appreciate our spiritual leaders,[15] but we must keep in mind their inherent sinfulness, not following them beyond the Scriptures and placing protective barriers around them to ensure they do not fall - or at least if they do that they fall alone.

[1] Luke 1:38
[2] Luke 2:48, 51
[3] John 2:3-5;
[4] Leviticus 5:11; 12:8
[5] Romans 3:23
[6] Psalm 51:5
[7] Psalm 130:3
[8] Proverbs 20:9
[9] Luke 1:30
[10] Genesis 6:8
[11] 1 Kings 15:5 cp Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 13:14; Psalm 89:20
[12] Luke 18:19
[13] Hebrews 4:15
[14] 1 John 1:8-2:2
[15] Hebrews 13:17

The Measure of a Good Man

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. So Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit… When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did as the Lord's angel had commanded him. He took his wife home – Matthew 1:18-20, 24 HCSB

A measure of a good man is not only his understanding of the value of a good reputation, but also his willingness to sacrifice his own for the right cause.

Joseph, impelled by a dream that many of us would have simply ascribed to too much late night coffee, agreed to take on a great burden. Not only would he raise someone else’s child, (something that many adoptive parents do gladly) but he would do so with everyone thinking he had sinned.

The Scriptures say that Joseph was a tzaddik. Some in-laws of his were also described as tzaddiks because they lived “without blame according to all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.”[1] And like all good tzaddikim, he was concerned about appearances.[2] He didn’t want to disgrace Mary publicly and was prepared to demonstrate mercy in a practical manner, but God intervened and asked Joseph to also sacrifice his reputation for the cause of Mercy.

We know that everyone thought that Joseph and Mary had been indiscreet because the Pharisees later accused Jesus of being a bastard. “We weren’t born of sexual immorality…”[3] they exclaimed – suggesting that He was.

Joseph quietly led his life, raising God’s Son and allowing everyone to think poorly of himself so that this exasperatingly perfect child would have a good home. It was not always easy. Even Jesus was difficult at times. He once failed to make His ride home and was gone for days without an apology.[4] What do you think the other parents said behind Joseph and Mary’s back that time?

It has never been Jesus’ goal to make our lives easy or comfortable.[5] Because of His divinity, He will always be difficult and demanding. He may ask us, as He has most of His prophets, to lead tough, thankless and unrecognized lives.

Another tzaddik nailed the issue on the head when some friends of his were concerned about his reputation. "Rabbi,” they said, “the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing--and everyone is flocking to Him."[6] John the Baptist’s reply should be taken to all our hearts:

“He must increase, but I must decrease."[7]

[1] Luke 1:6
[2] 1 Timothy 3:7
[3] John 8:41
[4] Luke 2:41-50
[5] Matthew 10:34
[6] John 3:26
[7] John 3:30

Next Year

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel's consolation, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation… - Luke 2:25-30 HCSB

“Le-shanah ha-ba’a b'Yerushalayim!” “Next year in Jerusalem!” For centuries the Jewish people have made this hopeful cry. Through the Diaspora, the pogroms, the Holocaust, Stalin, the British and Arab persecution…all over the world Jews have prayed this prayer: “Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, Blessed are you Adonai our God and ruler of this world. Let me be in the Holy City this time next year.”

Simeon would have understood this desire. Sometimes it is possible to live too long. A man should not outlive his own children. I hope that Adonai will allow my children to bury me someday. But Simeon had this seed of hope within himself: Hashem had revealed that Simeon would see “Israel’s Consolation”, the Messiah before he died.

So year after year, he lived in Jerusalem. Month after month, he stayed near the temple complex waiting to see the Glory of Israel. Finally, after many decades of patient waiting, Simeon woke one morning, feeling driven like never before to go to the temple. He hurried through his morning ablutions, devotions and a light breakfast. He felt so much pressure to get there that he probably arrived nearly out of breath.

And what did he see? Was there a long parade with great fanfare? No, there was only a young, poverty stricken couple with a baby. They looked as though they had been sleeping in a barn! His ancient eyes nearly passed over them. But the Holy Spirit made his gaze pause, look again and linger a moment on that young child.

We all have different things we’d like to do. We may have a desire to visit a tropical island, go on a cruise, hang-glide or travel to space. Elohim not only allows but encourages us to dream and have ambitions. But we must remember the fragility of life.

This time next year – where will you be? Will you even be alive? This time next year your family may be mourning your unexpected demise. Before that happens, make sure that you get a glimpse of Salvation. Make sure that you see your Lord the Messiah and make Him your own. Before you die, be sure that you have embraced Israel’s Consolation.

Three Rules for Long Life

Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. – Exodus 20:12 HCSB

A long-standing legend has circulated among middle-eastern and western cultures since around the third century of a mystical Fountain of Youth. It probably originated in a collection of fables, poems and tall tales called the Alexander Romance. In this fantastic work, Alexander the Great crossed the Land of Darkness and discovered this fabled spring. The tale was popular among the Spanish Moors and probably spawned Ponce de Leon’s search for the Fountain during his explorations of Florida in 1513.

Humanity has always been fascinated by the possibility of discovering a one-size fits all, cures-all pill that will grant its intrepid discoverer with longevity. I call it the Shortcut Con. The Shortcut Con’s premise is that you don’t have to work. You just need to be lucky. Isn’t that the basis of the very first temptation? Didn’t the Devil tempt Eve with “Hey! Eat this piece of fruit and you will suddenly be like God”?[1]

God actually has given us three principles that He promises will, short of an accidental death, lengthen our lifespan. The first rule says “Honor your parents and you will be granted long life.”

The second rule says that if you come across a bird's nest with chicks or eggs, either in a tree or on the ground along the road, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or eggs, you must not take the mother along with the young. You may take the young for yourself, but be sure to let the mother go free, so that you may prosper and live long.[2] Odd, I know, but I’ll explain it in a second.

The third rule states that you must have a full and honest weight, a full and honest dry measure, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.[3] Again, you may be scratching your head, but bear with me.

Humanity has always felt that if we could just find a special piece of fruit, or dip in a particularly lovely spring, or take a little blue pill – we could be forever young. Ridiculous, I know! But it keeps cropping up!

In contrast, God says, “The secret to long life consists of respect, environmental stewardship and integrity.” It’s not as flashy as a pond surrounded by beautiful Amazon warrior princesses but it comes with an impeccable guarantee.

Show respect and you will get the best advice and help from others. Take care of your environment and you probably won’t die of cancer or global warming. Live a life marked by integrity and you won’t end up in jail with a guy named Bubba or with a terrible disease. Simple, straightforward, no-nonsense advice from the One who made us.


[1] Genesis 3:4
[2] Deuteronomy 22:6-7 HCSB
[3] Deuteronomy 25:15 HCSB