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Nisan 19, 5764 / April 10, 2004
Nisan 19, 5767 / April 7, 2007
Nisan 19, 5770 / April 3, 2010
Nisan 19, 5773 / Mar 30, 2013
Nisan 15, 5776 / April 23, 2016
Nisan 15, 5779 / April 20, 2019
Hen haAdam / Behold the Man
SCRIPTURES (should be read first)
Last Monday evening (2013) we celebrated the Seder of the Passover
Lamb, marking the beginning of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Breads. We
performed the ordinances picturing Yeshua’s crucifixion.
Last Tuesday evening was the time to reap the first ephah (bushel) of the
best of the new barley crop. On Wednesday morning, an omer (tithe of an
ephah) of fine flour from that first bushel would be mixed with olive
oil, and waved with a lamb before Yahweh. That would be the first of fifty days
of counting the Omer.
“Until
the day after the seventh week you shall count, fifty days” – Leviticus
23:16.
On
this Sabbath we say:
“Blessed
are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,
Who has sanctified us by His Word, and instructed us to count the Omer.
Today is four days of the Omer.”
The Seventh Day of
Unleavened Breads (this coming Monday in 2007) is a Holy Day (Exodus 12:16;
Leviticus 23:8; Numbers 28:25). It is known as “The Day of Faith.”
It is the anniversary of Noah and his family
being saved by faith when the rest of the world were drowned in the Great Flood.
It is the day Israel was saved by faith when the
Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:31).
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(V.3:22) “Behold, the man has become unique among the terrestrial ones,
discerning good and evil.” Now, lest he live forever in a state of pursuing
self-gratification, God banished him from Paradise where he could eat of the
Tree of Life. Man was created to glorify Yahweh, Who says, “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another”
(Isaiah 42:8).
(V.4:1) “Heva (Eve) conceived and gave birth to Ka-yeen
(Cain).” There are three possible translations of her statement:
(1)
Eve
said, “I have gotten a manchild with Yahweh.” Adam and Eve were created
without man’s participation, but Cain was created through a partnership of God
and man.
(2)
Eve
said, “I have gotten a manchild for Yahweh.” Cain was brought forth for
the purpose of worshipping Yahweh. She could have seen this as atonement for her
part in bringing death upon Adam, who now would not always be around to worship
God.
(3)
Eve
said, “I have gotten a manchild – Yahweh.” Eve was expecting Cain to be
the Messiah promised in Genesis 3:15.
Then Eve gave birth to Hevel (Abel).
Abel was a keeper of flocks, for milk and wool. Cain was a tiller of the ground,
for grain.
Abel brought the first-born of his flock (this is spring time). Abel brought the
proper Passover offering, showing his faith in the promised redeemer. God showed
His acceptance; perhaps by sending His fire to consume the offering (meat was
not yet given to eat).
At
the end of growing time, Cain brought “fruit of the ground”; he did not bring
the best from the first of the harvest. God did not accept it. Grain offerings
must be the first and finest, and are only acceptable from a redeemed one.
Because Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was not accepted, Cain burned
– he was very angry and his countenance fell. Then Yahweh said to Cain, “If
you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well,
sin is crouching at the door; and its desire (one of the four
desires) is to rule over you, but you must rule over it.” Sin desires to
rule over us, but we are commanded to overcome sin – by the blood of the Lamb!
(Romans 12:21, 1 John 4:4, Revelation 12:11)
These are known as The Four Desires, because they represent the four
places in Scripture where the word teshukah (desire) is used:
(1)
Woman desires to rule over man (Genesis 3:16), but man is commanded to rule with
love.
(2)
Sin desires to rule over us (Genesis 4:7), but we are commanded to overcome it.
(3)
The rain desires to flood the earth (Psalm 65:10), but God restrains it.
(4)
Messiah desires His bride (Song of Solomon 7:10).
(V.8) Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then Yahweh said to
Cain, . . . “And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its
mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you cultivate the
ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you; you shall be a vagrant
and a wanderer on the earth.” And Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is too
great to bear! Behold, Thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground;
and from Thy face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a vagrant and a
wanderer on the earth, and it will come about that whoever finds me will kill
me.” So Yahweh said to him, “As for the killing of Cain, this vengeance will be
twice of the seventh generation.” And Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain,
lest anyone finding him should slay him before his time.
(nNumbers represent generations.)
2Cain fathered 3Enoch, Enoch fathered 4Irad,
Irad fathered 5(Me-chu-Ya-el) Mehujael, Mehujael fathered
6Methushael, and Methushael fathered 7Lamech. Lamech took
two wives: Adah, and Zillah (Tzillah). 22 Zillah, gave birth to 8Tubal-cain
(Tuval-Kayeen – You will be brought with Cain {to death}).
Following is an ancient Hebrew understanding of the passage.
(V.23) And Lamech said to his wives, “listen to my cry of sorrow, you wives of
Lamech, give heed to my tale of woe, for have I killed a man by my wound, (I
have actually wounded myself, since my victim was my father {seventh
generation}); and have I killed a boy by my bruise?” (I have actually bruised
myself, since my victim was my son {and the seventh generation after Cain}.
Tuval-cain is not shown to have any descendents. Abel would thus be avenged
“twice of the seventh generation”.) “If vengeance upon Cain is sevenfold (by
spending seven generations cursed and on death row), then upon Lamech
seventy-sevenfold” – Lamech lived 777 years, until just before the great flood.
Yeshua will be avenged
twice in the seventh millennium, in the Erev Shabbat (great tribulation) and the
Havdallah (battle of HarMegiddo) of the Great Sabbath.
(V.25) And Adam knew his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him
2Seth, for, she said, "God has appointed me another offspring in
place of Abel; for Cain killed him." And to Seth, to him also a son was born;
and he called his name 3Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name
of Yahweh – see Haftarah (Isaiah 42:8). The sons of God – the righteous line of
Seth, as the Melchisedek priesthood (the priesthood of the firstborn which was
later replaced by the Levitical priesthood {Num 3:12}), led people to call upon
the name Yahweh during this early time of idolatry. As David said, “I
was crying to Yahweh with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain.
Selah” (Psalm 3:4).
The
priesthood of the firstborn began with Adam. Cain lost the right to the position
through sin, and Seth followed. After Noah, Shem held the priesthood. Esau, the
eldest, lost the right to Jacob. In Moses’ time, after 2500 years, God took
Levites, instead of the firstborn, to be His priests – to represent
righteousness to the world, to lead men to Messiah.
Sin
progresses in men. It begins in private, when there is still a sense of right
and wrong. When it becomes more public, the sense of shame is lost. Then immoral
behavior becomes accepted, and even promoted. We can easily see that today – in
dishonesty, and in sexual immorality. By the third generation from Adam, men
began to use Yahweh’s Name profanely.
Romans
Paul tells us that the Law speaks to make the whole world accountable to God! It
is to shut every mouth! It is to bring the knowledge of sin to every person –
and Paul is talking to Gentiles.
Then the righteousness that comes from God, through Yeshua the Messiah, is made
known, even being testified to by the Torah and Prophets. And, as David says, “Salvation
belongs to Yahweh; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah”
(Psalm 3:8).
Paul goes on to explain that no one can be saved by the works of the Law. No one
has ever had sins removed by animal sacrifices. No one has ever attained
righteous standing before an Holy God by his own works of righteousness, for
these works have no such value (“they are as filthy rags”).
Both Hebrew and Gentile can be saved from sin only by the sacrifice of Yeshua,
through faith.
We
need to get over the common idea that there are different rules for different
people or different times. The Law was for the whole world, for all time, to
define and convict of sin; the Hebrews were to be lights to the world, to convey
God’s message.
There has never been any remedy for anyone’s sin, except Yeshua’s sacrifice. The
old-time Passover offerings were pictures to show faith in the promised
redeemer, and future offerings will be to show faith the Redeemer’s past work –
a memorial. The Feasts are ordinances, which, by definition, picture spiritual
truths (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Readings
(These are the readings for week of
Unleavened Breads.)
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who chose us from among all peoples by
giving us Your Torah.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
Reader 1*
Amen 22
Then Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good
and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever "-- 23 therefore Yahweh God sent him
out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.
24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He
stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to
guard the way to the tree of life.
Reader 2*
Amen 4:1
Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to
Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of Yahweh." 2
And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks,
but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about in the course
of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground.
4 And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of
their fat portions.
Reader 3*
Amen And Yahweh
had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his
offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will not your countenance be
lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its
desire is for you, but you must master it." 8 And Cain told Abel his
brother.
Reader 4*
Amen And it
came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his
brother and killed him. 9 Then Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel
your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 10
And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to
Me from the ground. 11 "And now you are cursed from the ground, which
has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12
"When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you;
you shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth." 13 And Cain said
to Yahweh, "My punishment is too great to bear! 14 "Behold, Thou hast
driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Thy face I shall be
hidden, and I shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will come
about that whoever finds me will kill me." 15 So Yahweh said to him,
"Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." And
Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him.
Reader 5*
Amen 16
Then Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh, and settled in the land of Nod,
east of Eden. 17 And Cain had relations with his wife and she
conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of
the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born
Irad; and Irad became the father of Mehujael; and Mehujael became the father of
Methushael; and Methushael became the father of Lamech.
Reader 6*
Amen 19
And Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name
of the other, Zillah. 20 And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the
father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 And his
brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and
pipe. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger
of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 And Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, Listen to my
voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for
wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged
sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
Reader 7*
Amen 25
And Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and
named him Seth, for, she said, "God has appointed me another offspring in place
of Abel; for Cain killed him." 26 And to Seth, to him also a son was
born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of
Yahweh.
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who in giving us Yeshua, the Living
Torah, has planted everlasting life in our midst.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
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"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who selected good prophets, delighting
in their words which were spoken truthfully.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who chose the
Torah, Your servant Moses, Your people Israel,
and the prophets of truth and
righteousness."
Isaiah 42:8
Reader 8*
Amen
"I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not
give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.
Psalm 3
(To be sung) A Psalm of David, when he fled
from Absalom his son.
O Yahweh, how my
adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are
saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. 3
But You, O Yahweh, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my
head. 4 I was crying to Yahweh with my voice, and He answered me from
His holy mountain. Selah. 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for Yahweh
sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who
have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Yahweh; save
me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have
shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to Yahweh;
Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.
Romans 3:1-24
Reader 9*
Amen 1
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2
Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles
of God. 3 What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not
nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! Rather,
let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "That
You might be justified in Your words, and might prevail when You art judged."
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God,
what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am
speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise how will
God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie the truth of God
abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8
And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we
say), "Let us do evil that good may come "? Their condemnation is just.
Reader 10*
Amen 9
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that
both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, "There
is none righteous, not even one; 11 there is none who understands,
there is none who seeks for God; 12 all have turned aside, together
they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.
13 Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep
deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; 14 whose mouth is
full of cursing and bitterness; 15 their feet are swift to shed
blood, 16 destruction and misery are in their paths, 17
and the path of peace have they not known. 18 There is no fear of God
before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it
speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all
the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of
the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the
knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of
God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22
even the righteousness of God through faith in Yeshua the Messiah for all those
who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His
grace through the redemption which is in Messiah Yeshua;
"Blessed are You, Yahweh
our God, King of the Universe,
Rock of Ages, righteous
throughout all generations.
You are the faithful God,
promising and then performing, speaking and then fulfilling,
for all Your words are true
and righteous.
Faithful are You, Yahweh
our God, and faithful are Your words,
for no word of Yours shall
remain unfulfilled;
You are a faithful and
merciful God and King.
Blessed are You, Yahweh our
God, Who are faithful in fulfilling all Your words."
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