Who Are They?

Who Are They? 

Many conversations include this reference. ‘

They’ said this, or ‘they’ did that… etc.

We are usually referring to individuals or a group of people who are not present or to whom we are assigning blame or responsibility for actions and decisions which result in circumstances that relate to our situation. Sometimes we don’t specifically know who ‘They’ are. 

In Luke 12 Yeshua spoke a parable which included  a reference

13A man from that crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But Yeshua said to him, “Man, who has set me as a judge and a divider over you?” 15And he said to his disciples, “Beware of all greed, because life is not in the abundance of riches.” 16And he told a parable to them: “A certain rich man’s land brought him many crops.” 17“And he thought to himself and said, ‘What shall I do, for there is no place for me to gather my crops?’ “ 18“And he said, ‘I shall do this: I shall pull down my barns, and I shall build and enlarge them, and I shall gather all my produce and my goods.’ “19“And I shall say to my soul, ‘My soul, you have many goods laid up for many years, be contented, eat, drink and be merry.’ “ 20“Then God said to him, ‘Fool, in this night your soul will be required from you, and whose will these things be which you have prepared?’ “ 21“Thus is whoever lays down a treasure for himself and is not rich in God.” Primarily Yeshua/Jesus was warning the listeners about the temptations of greed. We assume the requiring of the mans soul was that he died.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Then God said to him, ‘Fool, in this night your soul will be required from you, and whose will these things be which you have prepared?’ “

Mace New Testament
but God said to him, thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee: who then shall enjoy what thou hast provided?

Worrell New Testament
But God said to him, ‘Senseless one! this night they require your soul of you; and the things you prepared, whose shall they be?’

Lamsa Bible
But God said to him, O you shortsighted, this very night your life will be demanded of you; and these things which you have prepared, to whom will they he left?

The word in Aramaic was from a semetic root word which means

to seek satisfaction or to avenge,

so did he die by their hand? Who are they in these verses?

this night they require your soul and

the things you prepared, whose shall they be?

To give a little more understanding of this question we have to look at the culture and customs practiced in the ancient Middle East.

Reading in Leviticus 25 and specifically verse 11 In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.

Hebrews did not own property in the sense that we understand it today. Instead every year by a type of lottery, land was given out to individuals and families.

Families or an individual had a good chance of reaping a good harvest and even one that produced in abundance, if they drew a lot that was good ground.

A harvest would be sparse and obviously not so plentiful, if the lot given was poor or rocky ground; and there was a real chance of starvation. There were no supermarkets to go and get supplies from. This type of ‘lottery’ made sure that everyone had an equal chance and no one got the best ground every year and got richer, nor did they continually receive the poor ground and get progressively poorer and starve to death; hence the system of Jubilee instigated by our Heavenly Father.

Interestingly today, we still refer to a piece or portion of property as a lot.

Another idiom we use is when we are speaking of a person’s ‘lot in life’, particularly if we are referring to someone who has had an easy life, or someone who has gone through many hard times.

In the ancient Biblical times, those who had drawn a lot with poor soil, were often dependent upon a neighbor who had been blessed with a good lot. These neighbors were willing and able to help them by sharing their crops until the next years’ drawing, and probably because the next year, the one with the good lot may very easily be assigned a poor lot and would have to look to his neighbor for help.

Being a good neighbor is a reflection of our Heavenly Father’s love and grace in our lives. These parables should inspire us to be better friends, family members, and help others less fortunate in our community.

Here we are reminded of the verses in Proverbs 3:28  Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it—when you have it with you. and

Provers 27:10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Also Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me… we do all these things as unto the Lord Himself.

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Hebrews 13:16. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others…

In this story, the man Messiah is describing obviously had been blessed with a good lot, but instead of offering all his extra harvest to those in need who had received the poor lot; he decided to be greedy and keep it for himself. This could have been out of fear, in case the next year he drew a poor lot, or fearful that there was a water shortage; and he may have worried that even if he received a good lot, it wouldn’t yield a good harvest. Obviously we understand from these thoughts the man was not trusting the Lord either.

It would seem that the, they, in this story would be the people who had not been able to raise a healthy crop and therefore had no harvest; which meant they were starving and who would probably kill this neighbor for his food if he wasn’t willing to share.  They would require his soul, as in seeking satisfaction or avenging themselves because of his greed and reluctance to share his blessings. Messiah was teaching an important point after the young man in the previous verse had wanted his part of an inheritance from his brother.  It is truly more blessed to give than to receive and  better to live as a community, helping one another, than to not share your good harvest of many blessings.

These days our lives are the good ground, and by His work in us we are suitable for producing a harvest. As we feed on the Word of God, we become more fertile soil that is prepared to receive a new implantation, and we will yield much fruit and in turn a harvest for the kingdom of our Heavenly Father.

Spiritually, beneath the surface, our roots are stretching deep into the soil, His Word and this ensures a strong foundation making sure we are able to withstand the tests and trials of life’s storms.

We can persevere and produce much fruit; and out of this harvest we give to those who drew a lot that did not produce this season.

As we plant the seed from our yield into others lives, we will not be subject to ‘them’, those individuals who are requiring or seeking to avenge or seek satisfaction from our souls because we are being stingy, greedy and reluctant to share our blessings with others.

Shalom, shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

When Is A Nun A Noon And It’s Not Midday?

From previous posts most readers will recognize that

a nun or noon;

different spellings are used.

is the 14th letter of the Hebrew alef-bet

and that it looks like this in the chart below.

The early paleo picture symbol meaning of this letter is that of a seedling/sprouting seed with the root coming from it

later it developed into

this modern shape below;

with an additional shaped letter for the

called noon sofeet;

and the symbol of a fish was also used.

In the 4 gospels

Yeshua/Jesus repeatedly speaks of the seed

as a picture reference in His parables.

Matt 13:23 Mark 4:1-20 Luke 8:1-15

are well known and popular scriptures, and with the reference Yeshua/ Jesus gives,

it is made clear how the seed grows and how

we have nothing to do with the process

once we sow the seed.

However how does this apply to our lives?

It tells us …

Although the man does not know how it grew

and we are just the same…

Many times we understand the concept. The parable or scene described is a great picture and then we are left to wonder how does this apply to me and how do I do it?

How does it become a reality in my life?

Many times the Sermons we hear are all very encouraging and uplifting and we feel great, only to have the feelings fade once we go home and face daily life.

The application of His Word needs to be evident if we are to mature and bring forth a harvest that is not only a good harvest; but an enduring one with eternal value.

That your fruit may remain. John 15:16

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:

John 15:16

Your fruit should remain means:

keep up the fruit you are bearing, or

continue with the fruit you are bearing and never stop,

or keep on bearing the fruit you have started bearing.

The phrase: Your fruit should remain, expresses habit.

A habit is something we do so often and regularly that it is very hard to stop.

We should feel like this regarding the work of the Lord.

The word says we are to sow seed.

God is the supplier of all seed (Nun/Noon)

He cannot supply seed to us unless we are first born again by His RuachHaKodesh/His Spirit of Holiness; and then we need to have faith to turn over our hands, so that the seed might fall to the ground and become a great harvest in our lives.

He gives to all the measure of Faith.

After that it doesn’t need our help

it’s not the seed or the one who sows that produces the crop

but the soil by itself

with no help from humans.

The Father gives the increase.

We believe that since something grows where we scattered, that it grew from our seed.

What proof is there that the seed we scattered and planted is the same seed that sprouts and grows?

First the stalk

after that the head

and after that

the full grain in the head.

The truth is that from the moment it leaves our hand and is covered with soil we do not see the seed again. We just trust that the seed we sowed is the same seed that will grow is and is the one that pushes up through the earth.

This evidence is only based on circumstances because the truth is, once the seed leaves our hands and is put in the soil we never see the seed again!

All we can do is simply trust/faith, that what we planted will actually grow.

 

We wait,

we sleep at night,

awake in the day

but how does it grow?

We just don’t know!

Our work was finished at the sowing.

This parable is a picture of the kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed on the earth.

Meaning the kingdom produces through its’ own power.

Scripture says

BY ITSELF

the soil produces a crop

but the soil by itself

with no help from any person.

For by itself the earth brings forth fruit.

The person’s work has already been done by scattering the seed on the ground.

This is all the individual does and as the days pass the seeds springs up and grows.

Another verse of this parable says the seed is the Word of God and the ground/earth are the individuals who are in the world and their reaction to the word/ seed sown once embedded in its birthing place;

and the type of ground/ is the persons life.

The ground is the world.

The sower is our Heavenly Father.

Yeshua/Jesus explained it clearly.

Life springs forth –that life comes from the soil of the earth which our Father created.

In this parable/example He says:

First, the stalk

this is describing and likening his kingdom to the support structure planted deep in the life giving soil.

There is a Godly order to everything our Heavenly Father created; everything in its time and season. Eccl.3 and Genesis 1

Yeshua/ Jesus was aware of timing and said:

My time has not yet come.

Secondly, after that the head:

which is the housing for the fruit of the crop.

The process continues, with

the third, after that the full grain in the head

Here He is giving the progress of the seed,

both as

how it is received

and then

what is produced.

Meaning, the fruit comes forth in abundance.

Here we see that in perfect time Godly order that

life gives way to fullness

and the seedling grows to maturity.

For the believer maturity is revealed by abundant fruit.

Becoming mature is to become a stable vessel fit for the Masters use.

Why is this important?

It is for Him to flow His power through us to do the works of Jesus/ the Father, the power is to make visible the works of His kingdom in visible demonstration.

This is how to apply it to ourselves we need more of His Spirit of Holiness to cleanse us and prepare us to be suitable vessels.

As it was said of Paul in

Acts 9:22 more and more power flowed through him.

(Acts 9:20) Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

How do we produce lasting fruit and what is it?

Lasting fruit is in Matt.10:8

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.

And Matt.28:19

AND The making of disciples who endure.

Making disciples is about continuing the cycle of redemption, passing on the faith that was passed to us; it starts with salvation and continues with a lifetime of growth. 

The final destiny of the seed is realized from its humble beginning/Genesis, in the sowers hand, it has reached its potential in fullness.

However it has not yet served its ultimate purpose even in its most pristine and grandest state..

Why?

Because it cannot grow anymore… the maturity has been reached….

So what is next?

The crop is ready… the harvest is ripe

The farmer, the man, sends forth the sickle and

life gives birth to death.

The crop is cut down in its prime and

now able to finally fulfill its destiny and purpose.

This is the completion of a disciples life on earth…

as we give

birth to death, our purpose here is completed,

we die physically/ temporarily

in order to live spiritually/ eternally!

It is a transition from natural to supernatural, we are harvested by His hand and translated into His eternal kingdom in the heavens.

At the point we can go no further, when we reach the point of maturity in Him, which is destined by His plan and purpose for us. He calls us to Himself and we are plucked from the earth and gathered unto Him.

Our task complete,

once we have finished our race

He takes us home.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 2Thess. 2:1

He gathers the wheat into His barn/storehouse.

Matthew 3:12

We, like the farmers seed, have been scattered on the ground; but He is calling us today to sprout and grow.

How… we don’t know!

But by itself… His spirit…

His Ruach HaKodesh

His Spirit of holiness produces a crop!

The Lord is calling us to lay down our lives

for the time is at hand

when the head will be full of grain.

The time of the harvest has come and as soon as it is in full ripeness and ready… He will come with His sickle.

We must yield ourselves and be ready to die in order to live because the time of the harvest has come and the Lord of the harvest is coming.

For He [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender shoot (plant), And like a root out of dry ground; Is 53:2

 Surely he has borne our sicknesses and suffered our pain: and we considered him stricken, smitten of God, and cast down.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. – American Standard Version Job 14:2

Just as He grew up to be cut down

so must we grow up to be cut down.

First, we are to mature to the fullest and be taken and used for his purposes.

We are to surrender to Him because

we cannot know how seeds sprout and grow..

Only He can do that in us;

and only as we surrender and yield to His Way of raising and growing us up to maturity; allowing His Ruach/Spirit to do the hidden work in us and then through us.

We must realize we are not here for ourselves, to live a nice life, we are here to be matured into fruit worthy of the kingdom of the Heavens. We’re not to focus on things and people and places of this earth because it will all pass away very soon. We must focus on Him, on fulfilling our place and purpose, to bring Him glory and to bring many sons with us from the seeds sown.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Heb.2:10

Every farmer/ gardener knows, we plant and watch and wait for the fruits and crops to be declared ready and ripe before reaping the harvest.

Wrong timing means a poor harvest;

which is why He waits for the precious fruit of the earth.

In Luke 6:37

But as soon as the crop is ready to yield itself, immediately the man sends forth the sickle because the harvest has come.

The only seed that flourished and produced any fruit

was the seed that fell into

good ground.

If we are not planted in the good ground of His Word – found in His kingdom, then we will neither grow to maturity nor produce any lasting fruit that will endure or bring glory to the Lord.

Our life will be fruitless and as Solomon said, all is Vanity – in vain, without purpose and useless.

Time to ready ourselves and let His Ruach Ha Kodesh

do the work in and through us,

making sure our lives are good ground.

 

May His true Shalom/Peace

rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.

‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa

you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..

 

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.