10th Month: Tevet 5784 (Dec 2023-Jan 2024)
Parashah Project (Genesis 41-Exodus 6:1); Hebrew Treasure (Gimel from Psalm 119:17-24)
This is the third monthly newsletter in our new format. We are now in the month of Tevet (טֵבֵת)! This is the 10th month on the Biblical calendar. This month includes the final three portions in the book of Genesis (#10-12) and the first of 11 portions in the book of Exodus.
The Torah story picks up in the dramatic and pivotal moment when, after being seemingly abandoned in a dark dungeon, Joseph gets miraculously liberated and elevated to fulfill ancient dreams. This happens “at the end” of two full years of agonizing days sitting in prison, wrestling with God. The drama of this moment of reversal in Joseph’s life is followed in the next portion by Judah’s messiah-like self-sacrifice when “he draws near” to offer his own life to save his brother and honor their father. Judah is moved by God’s love to serve and save his family. The final portion of Genesis describes how “Jacob lived” out his remaining days in Egypt and blessed his children and grandchildren. The last portion for this month begins the book of Exodus with the “names” of this pioneering family that God chose to be a beachhead to reach the families of the world with His restoring and redeeming covenant love. YOU are now part of that family as a Jewish descendent (natural branch) or grafted in Gentile by the blood bought adoption power of King Yeshua (Jesus)! I encourage you to dig into the Word over these next four weeks and take up your place in God’s unfolding story to restore all things under His loving and righteous reign.
12/16/23 – MIKETZ (מִקֵּץ) “At the End”
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for MIKETZ.
Torah: Genesis 41:1-44:17
Prophets: 1 Kings 3:15-4:1
Apostles: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
12/23/23 – VAYIGASH (וַיִּגַּשׁ) “And He Drew Near”
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for VAYIGASH.
Torah: Genesis 44:18-47:27
Prophets: Ezekiel 37:15-28
Apostles: Luke 6:12-16
12/30/23 – VAY'CHI (וַיְחִי) “And He Lived”
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for VAY'CHI.
Torah: Genesis 47:28-50:26
Prophets: 1 Kings 2:1-12
Apostles: Mathew 28:16-20
1/6/24 – SH'MOT (שְׁמוֹת) “Names”
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for SH'MOT.
Torah: Exodus 1:1-6:1
Prophets: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 (Isa. 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23)
Apostles: 1 Cor 14:13-25
This is the third installment of Hebrew Treasure from Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible. Each month I will be mining nuggets of gold from the original Hebrew and my goal is to make the riches of God’s Word more accessible to you—even if you don’t know any Hebrew!
17. Deal bountifully with your servant,
that I may live and keep your word.
18. Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19. I am a sojourner on the earth;
hide not your commandments from me!
20. My soul is consumed with longing
for your rules at all times.
21. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
who wander from your commandments.
22. Take away from me scorn and contempt,
for I have kept your testimonies.
23. Even though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24. Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
REMOVING THE VEIL
As a prayer, this stanza is the antidote for spiritual blindness. The word Gal (גַּל) means “to uncover or remove” and begins with the Hebrew letter gimel (ג). The word appears twice in this stanza as the root of the first word in verses 18 (“open my eyes”) and 22 (“Take away from me scorn and contempt”). The writer is using this word gal to cry out to God for an unveiling of his own eyes (v. 18) and for vindication from the attack of others (v. 22). In verse 18, some translations define “open” as “unveil.”
The Apostle Paul describes the spiritual opening of eyes by unveiling them in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. Specifically, he speaks of unveiling eyes through the Holy Spirit’s power to take the seed of faith — faith required to turn and fully surrender to the Lord — and to create a person who radiates the glory of God. Similarly in Romans 11, Paul exhorts believers to pray for an unveiling of Jewish eyes to behold their Messiah (although Paul strongly cautions us not to be arrogant towards Jewish people who don’t yet know Jesus), and he warns against ignorance of God’s ultimate plans for Jewish restoration and the restoration of all things. With unveiled and spiritually open eyes of faith, you can see and savor Jesus to follow Him wholeheartedly – even as He fully sees and loves you (1 Cor. 13:12)! Try using these God-breathed words to cry out daily to Him to remove the veil from your eyes so you can better behold His Beloved Son; He is the ultimate “wondrous thing" (v. 18)!
Hebrew Treasure excerpt written by Thomas Boehm.
From The Psalm 119 Journey by Steve Allen, ©2022.
Used with permission.
Shabbat Shalom!
Thomas