Archive for June, 2007

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Genesis 1:1-2:3 — Back to the Future

June 11, 2007

   In a prayer of Moses from Psalms 90:4 we hear “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past…” Some believe that God’s literal six day creation and His seventh day Sabbath foreshadow a literal seven thousand year period of time for mankind on earth.  Could they be wrong?  Sure. But it is interesting to note that when speaking of the end times Peter gave us an intriguing word of advice saying…“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2Peter 3:8)  Sojust for fun let’s look at each day and compare it to the corresponding thousand year period of earth history. 

First Day –“And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”  (Genesis 1:4) 

During the first “day” (thousand years) we see sin enter the world thru Adam. Because of this sin, God removes Adam and Eve from the garden along with access to the tree of life. It would seem that during this first “day” God indeed had to separate light from darkness.  It is also interesting to note that Adam was told in Genesis 2:17 that “in the day” he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would surely die, yet we know that Adam lived to be 930 years old. (Gen 5:5)  However if we heed Peter’s words…we find that indeed Adam did die in the “day” in which he ate from the forbidden tree. 

Second Day–Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”  Genesis 1:6   

The second day is all about waters being separated. Evidently, before God created this “firmament” called heaven, the waters of heaven were mingled together with the waters of earth.  Curiously, the most notable event during the second 1000 year “day” of earth history, involved Noah and the flood.  The Bible teaches that the flood occurred when God broke up the fountains of the great deep and opened the “windows of heaven.” (Genesis 7:11) Once again we find the waters of heaven and the waters of earth all in one place and once again, only God can separate them bringing an end to the flood which He does. “The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.” Genesis 8:2 

Third Day—“Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth;” Genesis 1:11

 In the third “day” of earth we see Abraham take center stage. God tells Abraham in Genesis 17:6I will make you exceedingly fruitful…” As well, He says of Abraham in Genesis 22:18 that “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”  

Fourth Day—“Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens…God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night” Genesis 1:14-17   

The moon and stars shine their light down onto a dark world making it possible for us to see even in the middle of the night.  So too, the prophets were sent to shine the light of truth into a dark world.  They not only exposed the sins of the people…they illuminated the way back to God thru repentance and a return to His Torah.  

 Fifth Day—“Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures”. Genesis 1:20  

How fitting it is that the fifth day of creation is all about water and life. During this same “day” Messiah would come to earth offering life to all who are thirsty.  In John 7::37 we hear Yeshua cry out to all at the Feast of Tabernacles “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”.  Praise Him! 

Sixth Day—“Let Us make man in Our image…Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it…”Genesis 1:26-28  

During this sixth “day” it is obvious that indeed mankind has been fruitful. The last thousand years have seen a population explosion that can easily be described as “filling the earth”. Daniel by the way, was shown that “many” would run to and fro and that knowledge would increase in last days. (Daniel 12:4)  

 Seventh Day—And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” Genesis 2:2 

 The day we long for! We read in the book of the Revelation that when Messiah returns He will bind up Satan, establish His Kingdom here on earth for a thousand years  ruling and reigning, bringing a “day” of rest. (Revelation 20:1-6) Are you ready for this Sabbath rest? Have you entered into the rest that can only be found in Messiah Yeshua?   

The Eighth day—What then? What about after the thousand year reign of Messiah? 

In the Bible the number eight is usually thought to point to a “new beginning.” or “cleansing.”  For example we know that there were eight people in the ark when God destroyed the earth with the flood to begin again with Noah. With that in mind listen to John describe our future immediately following the seven “days” or seven thousand years of earth history. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea…And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” “Behold I make all things new.”  Revelation 21:1, 4, 5    

Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done,” Isaiah 46:9-10

Tim’s Torah Take –Seeds of Restoration            www.seedsofrestoration.wordpress.com     

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Departure from Sinai– Numbers 10:11-13

June 10, 2007

Numbers 10:11-13 Departure from Sinai  For more than a year now the children of Israel have been dwelling with their God in the Wilderness of Sinai.  During this time they have come to know Him more intimately as a God who is faithful to keep His word, a God who is able to both deliver them and sustain them. After having delivered them from their cruel bondage in Egypt with His mighty outstretched arm, He has been providing their every need as they live together in the wilderness.  Does Israel need water? No problem.  What about food? No problem…it’s taken care of.  All that is required to sustain life for Israel is abundantly provided.  They have also come to know Him as a very jealous God. In Exodus 34:14 He declared… “for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  With the golden calf incident fresh in their memory, it had become very clear that God was indeed serious when He had said “I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.”  Any wife knows that a good husband is willing to fight to protect his wife and family.  He is willing to work to provide for their needs.  He is both loving and jealous and…just as God delivered the instructions of Torah to His people so too does a loving husband and father give good instructions to his family out of a great love with a desire to see them do well. In the end, when it comes right down to it…a good husband and father loves them enough to lay down his life willingly for theirs.  No questions asked.  God will continue to show Himself to be the perfect husband for His Israel. 

Much has been written detailing the amazing similarities between God’s relationship with us as His people Israel, and the marriage relationship of a husband and wife. Beginning with His words of declaration for us as mentioned above, to the “ketubah” or “marriage contract” He offered us in the form of the Torah.  To which by the way, the children of Israel clearly said “I do” in Exodus 19:8.Even the cloud (Exodus 19:16) which settled over the mountain is likened to a canopy often used in a Jewish wedding ceremony.  What about the ring as a sign of the never ending love between husband and wife?” you might ask. “Where do we find that in this story?” Look again… “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever…” Exodus 31:13, 17 

A short while back while studying some of these things, I noticed the following Torah instruction given in Deuteronomy 24 verse 5.  It says… “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business, he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”  What a great instruction. Doesn’t it make since that a new husband and wife would have some time to get to know one another without being burdened by war and all the other things that will soon enough face them as marriage partners? God actually commands a honeymoon! Now, I had skimmed over this instruction previously…but this time something changed.  I stopped and asked myself the question…”If we are as His bride…surely this is a commandment that God would keep or “fulfill.”  With a little digging, God provided the answer Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the testimony.  And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran.  So they started out for the first time according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses. Numbers 10:11-13  

Tim’s Torah Take –Seeds of Restoration