Iyyar 26, 5761 /
May 19, 2001
Iyyar 24, 5764 / May 15, 2004
Iyyar 24, 5767 / May 12, 2007
Iyyar 24, 5770 / May 8, 2010
Iyyar 24, 5773 / May 4, 2013
Iyyar 27, 5776 / June 4, 2016
Iyyar 27, 5779 / June 1, 2019
“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 forty-two days of the
Omer; it is six weeks of the Omer.”
(This
coming Tuesday – May 15, 2007)
Iyyar 27 - Omer day 42 -
is the
date that the waters of the great flood were dried off of the earth.
It is also
the date of Yeshua’s ascension into the heavens.
Vayikyu ben Noach / The Sons of Noah
SCRIPTURES should be read first
From the earlier account
of Adam, we could see the destiny of the whole world – overtaken by sin. Now,
from this account of Noah and his offspring, we can see a more detailed destiny
of each future nation.
“Noah, the man of the
earth, debased himself” (v.9:20). He became drunk, and went into the innermost
part of “her tent” (ataloh - Midrash) – referring to his wife’s tent –
and was “uncovered” therein – referring to consorting with his wife (v.9:21).
Consider that this family just came out of a time of such wholesale immorality
that the world was destroyed for it. Ham (from “heat”) means sensuous or
passionate. Rabbinic sources contain the first two following accounts of Ham’s
sin; the third is my suggestion.
1.
Ham committed incest with his mother while his father was drunk. This is based
on the definition from Leviticus 18:8 – “You shall not uncover the nakedness of
your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.”
2.
Ham castrated his father, that he should not have more sons to share the
inheritance of the earth. We know that Noah had no more sons though he lived
another 350 years.
3.
Ham opened his mother’s tent, to expose his drunken father with his mother,
making sport of them. This might explain why the other brothers went in a
dignified way to cover their parents: otherwise, seeing that they would have had
their own tents with their wives, why would they even enter (or cover) the tent
where their parents were? Besides not honoring his parents, one of Ham’s basic
sins here may have been thwarting or making light of God’s command to Noah to
“replenish the earth”. Likewise, God gave Reuben’s first-born rights to another
of Jacob’s sons, because of Reuben’s sin of “removing his father’s bed” with
Rachael. (v.49:4).
Ham
sinned, but Canaan is cursed (v.9:25)! Ham had already been blessed by God
(v.9:1), and therefore could not be cursed. Noah does not say that Canaan would
be cursed, but that he already “is”, as from aforetime – perhaps because his
character was molded by following his father.
Noah died at 950 years. Abraham saw Noah, who saw Lamech, who in turn saw Adam.
The traditions from Adam only passed through three generations to Abraham.
The
Seventy Nations (Chapter 10):
JAPETH
(Europe)
1. Gomer – (#8-10)
2. Magog
3. Madai
4. Javan – (#11-14)
5. Tubal
6. Meshech
7. Tiras |
HAM
(Africa)
15. Cush – (#19-26)
16. Mizram – (#27-33)
17. Phut
18. Canaan – (#34-44) |
SHEM
(Asia)
45. Elam
46. Asshur
47. Arphachshad – (#50-53)
48. Lud
49. Aram – (#54-70) |
|
8. Ashkenaz
9. Riphath
10. Togarmak
|
11. Elishah
12. Tarshish
13. Kittim
14. Dodanim |
19. Seba
20. Havila
21. Sabtah
22. Raamah –
23. Sabteca
24. Nimrod |
27. Ludim
28. Anamim
29. Lehabim
30. Naphtuhim
31. Patrusim
32. Casiuhim
33. Caphtorim |
34. Zidon
35. Heth
36. Jebusite
37. Amorite
38. Girgashite
39. Hivite
40. Arkite
41. Sinite
42. Avarite
43. Zemante
44. Hamathite |
50. Uz
51. Hul
52. Gether
53. Mash |
54. Shelah – |
|
55. Eber – |
|
56. Peleg
57. Joktan – |
|
25. Sheba
26. Dedan |
58. Almodad
59. Sheleph
60. Hazarmaveth
61. Jerah
62. Hadoram
63. Uzal
64. Diklah
65. Obal
66. Abimael
67. Shebah
68. Ophir
69. Havilah
70. Jobab |
|
Pelishtim
from 31 or 32 |
|
|
|
Parallels to the Seventy Nations:
The Torah was given in the
seventy languages of the seventy nations.
Seventy offerings were given at Hag Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) for the
seventy nations.
The
Great Sanhedrin had seventy judges.
Canaan (#18) was cursed as a “slave of slaves” (v.24), but that neither
means that all Canaanites would be slaves, nor that Japethites and Semites would
never be slaves. We do see that Canaanites generally have been mired in a
culture of slavery.
Before Nimrod (#24), there were no monarchs, and no wars. He became the King of
Babylon (Iraq), and then, as the “mighty hunter” of men, captured Assyria and
built great cities. He is called “the forerunner of the hypocrite who drapes
himself in robes of piety in order to deceive the masses” (R.Hirsch).
The
following is not “politically correct”, but neither is it intended to put down
or exalt any race.
“Shem” (from “name it”) means a thinking person; we see the trait of learning in
the Semitic races. Shem populated Asia. Hebrews, who are Shemites (or Semites),
are found disproportionately among inventors and discoverers, from fields of
medicine to nuclear power. Their “thinking” powers are being used to try to
disprove God’s Word, such as the creation account and results of sin. On the
other hand, it is the Hebrews who brought us the Word of God, and who are the
Torah scholars.
“Ham” (from “heat”) means sensuous or passionate, a trait for which the
dark-skinned races are known. They also tend to be from hot climates. Africa
today is being destroyed by the disease aids, from the misuse of sensuality. On
the other hand, we may see the most passion displayed in black churches.
“Japeth” (from “openness”) means seeker of beauty; this trait is apparent in the
light-skinned races. Japeth populated Europe. Japethites spend billions on
cosmetics, decorative clothes, and fancy buildings, glorifying self instead of
God. We should make the beauty of God’s worship take priority.
All
three characteristics were given to be used in the service of God (Hirsch). All
races have abused their gifts, not using them for God’s purpose and glory. We
all need repentance.
“Worthy
are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and
purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people
and nation.” – Revelation 5:9.
This contrasts to a growing teaching today, that most non-Jewish believers are
“Ephraimites” – from the ten so-called “lost tribes” of Israel.
Revelation 5 song:
I
beheld, and I heard, the voice of many angels,
Round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders;
And
the number of them was ten-thousand times ten-thousand,
And
thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:
- chorus:
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power,
Unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
And
unto the Lamb, forever, and ever,
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
- ending:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
All races, all peoples
have abused their gifts, using them for their own lusts instead of God’s glory.
Only Yeshua, the Lamb of God, is worthy. He has imputed His righteousness to us,
and our sin to himself, that we, from all nations, might worship Him.
The “tents of Shem” refer
to synagogues. The Shemites should use their gift to promote Torah study. The
Hamites should promote spirited worship. The Japethites should promote beauty in
the worship. The three attributes should be used together, not in disparity.
One might be a sectarian
fundamentalist, and use Scripture profusely to convince others of his superior
understanding. Another might be a charismatic, and dance and shout about what he
claims to have gotten direct from God. Yet another might be a catholic who
worships an unknown God in beautiful cathedrals.
But we should emulate
David: he said that studying Torah daily was more important than eating, his
heart was toward his God and he worshipped spiritedly, and he set out to
establish the most meaningful worship and the most beautiful structure on earth
for God – when he had no house of his own.
True worship must
be in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). We should love Yahweh our God
with all of our mind, with all of our heart, with all of our soul – that
includes our understanding, our purpose, and our feelings. Let us all seek that
goal.
Readings:
"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 18
Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and
Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah,
and from these the whole earth was populated.
Reader 2*
Amen 20
Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the
wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham,
the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers
outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both
their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father;
and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's
nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his
youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said, "Cursed be Canaan; a
servant of servants he shall be to his brothers." 26 He also said,
"Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. 27
"May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan
be his servant."
Reader 3*
Amen 28
Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. 29 So all
the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.10:1
Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons
of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.
Reader 4*
Amen 2
The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and
Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer
were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were
Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastlands
of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his
language, according to their families, into their nations.
Reader 5*
Amen 6
The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. 7 The sons
of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of
Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod;
he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before
Yahweh; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Yahweh."
10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh,
in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria,
and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, 12 and Resen between
Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Mizraim became the
father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim 14 and Pathrusim
and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim. 15
Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth 16 and the
Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17 and the Hivite and the
Arkite and the Sinite 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the
Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad.
19 The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward
Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim,
as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their
families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations.
Reader 6*
Amen 21
Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of
Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur
and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul
and Gether and Mash. 24 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and
Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 Two sons were born to Eber; the
name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his
brother's name was Joktan. 26 Joktan became the father of Almodad and
Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah
28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba 29 and Ophir and Havilah
and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 Now their settlement
extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east.
31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to
their languages, by their lands, according to their nations.
Reader 7*
Amen 32
These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by
their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after
the flood.
"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."
______________________
"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 49:9-13
Reader 8*
Amen 9
Saying to those who are bound, 'Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, 'Show
yourselves.' Along the roads they will feed, and their pasture will be on all
bare heights. 10 "They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the
scorching heat or sun strike them down; for He who has compassion on them will
lead them and will guide them to springs of water. 11 "I will make
all My mountains a road, and My highways will be raised up. 12
"Behold, these will come from afar; and lo, these will come from the north and
from the west, and these from the land of Sinim." 13 Shout for joy, O
heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!
For Yahweh has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.
Psalm 8
(to be sung) For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
1
O Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have
displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2 From the mouth of
infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your
adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease. 3 When I
consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which
You have ordained; 4 what is man that You take thought of him, and
the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a
little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! 6
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under
his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes
through the paths of the seas. 9 O Yahweh, our Lord, How majestic is
Your name in all the earth!
Revelation 5:1-14
Reader 9*
Amen 1
I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and
on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its
seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was
able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep
greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion
that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open
the book and its seven seals." 6 And I saw between the throne (with
the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having
seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into
all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand
of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the book, the four
living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one
holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the
saints.
Reader 10*
Amen 9
And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break
its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from
every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 "You have made them
to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the
throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was
myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud
voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom
and might and honor and glory and blessing." 13 And every created
thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea,
and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to
the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell
down and worshiped.
"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."
|