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Friday, 29 October 2021
Collaborating with Jerry Miller 13

Satan's objective is to make God out to be a liar, when the real liar is Satan himself. All sin started with Satan asking a seemingly harmless question. But calling God into question is never harmless. Genesis 3:1b Did God really say, 'You must not eat from all the trees of the garden'? Of course that's not what God said at all. Genesis 2:16-17 Then Adonai Elohim commanded the man saying, "From all the trees of the garden you are most welcome to eat. But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil you must not eat. For when you eat from it, you most assuredly will die!"

Of course, this was spoken to Adam even before God created Eve. (Notwithstanding, Eve also misquotes God.) But here goes Satan calling God a liar. Genesis 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, "You most assuredly won't die!" But a death did take place. After Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they died a spiritual death.

Rabbi Trail: Ever wonder why Adam and Eve didn't know they were naked before the fall? It is because they shone with the radiance of the presence of God (like Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai). When the radiance of God's presence was removed, they saw they were naked and were ashamed. End RT.

One of the great promises of God is repeated in this week's Torah reading. Originally, God spoke it to Abraham, but here, Abraham is quoting God's promise to his servant Eliezer. Genesis 24:7b To your seed I will give this land. How much energy has Satan put into keeping that promise from being fulfilled? And yet, that promise is fulfilled in our day.

150 years ago there was no evidence this would ever be true. 150 years ago theologians had to "spiritualize away" God's promise that the promised land (Wait, what was that? The land of Israel is actually called "the promised land?") would be governed by (under the sovereign control of) Jewish people, the descendants of "Father Abraham." The promise was repeated to Isaac and then again to Jacob. So the promise is ultimately to the descendants of Jacob.

And God is not a liar. In fact, that is the answer to the age old question, "Since God can do all things, is there any thing impossible for God?" Yes, God can not lie! Even today, the United States government and United Nations (my friend Herzl calls it the "united nonsense") are taking steps to remove Jewish sovereignty from the land of Israel, the promised land.

Keep the faith. God is not mocked. The promises of God are sure. Psalm 19:10(9)b The judgments of Adonai are true and altogether righteous. One of God's judgments is that the promised land would be the inheritance of the seed of Abraham. The whole world can try to change that, but God has spoken the truth. That's it, period!

You may be asking, "What about spiritual sons?" I knew you would. The question you're asking is, "What About Us?" It's a question so ubiquitous that our friend, Eitan Shishkoff wrote his first book by that title. The inclusion of non-Jews into the promises of God is called a miracle in Scripture. There are natural branches and grafted in branches. That's the truth and in accordance with the Scriptures. And they are both anointed to bear fruit.

What is not in line with Scripture is that Gentiles are included and Jews are excluded. One new man does not mean one less Jew. God's Word is consistent with a "both-and" approach, not an "either-or" approach.

Ephesians 2:14-15 For He is our shalom, the One who made the two into one and broke down the middle wall of separation. Within His flesh He made powerless the hostility - the law code of mitzvot contained in regulations. He did this in order to create within Himself one new man from the two groups, making shalom.

Enjoy the shalom. Shabbat Shalom.

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:00am Comment Comments: 0