Water, Wine and a Wedding Feast

Following Yeshua’s 40 days in the wilderness, He returned to the place across the Jordan river where John was still preaching and baptizing the people of Judea and surrounding areas who had come to hear John’s message of repentance and return to the Torah of God.  While speaking and teaching his many disciples, John saw Yeshua approaching, and made a special announcement.  John was pointing out someone in the crowd.  Were his disciples straining to see who it might be that John called “the Lamb of God?”  Yeshua was certainly not the blue eyed, fair haired individual depicted in numerous paintings and such that permeate our culture today.  Yeshua would have looked gaunt and weathered after forty days of fasting in the wilderness. Yeshua did not, as yet, have an entourage of disciples and there was nothing to distinguish Him from the rest of the crowd.  But John recognized Him and understood that the world was about to change.

We Have Found the Messiah!

Before Yeshua began His ministry, He observed two important rituals. They were being baptized by John and being subjected to temptation by Satan, the adversary. What is the significance of these two events? Matthew has meticulously introduced Yeshua as the Son of David and the rightful heir to his throne, how do these two events reinforce Yeshua’s kingship and inaugurate His ministry? How do these events confirm that Yeshua is the Messiah and the Son of God?

Make Straight in the Desert A Highway for our God

The Bible tells us that Yeshua’s family fled to Egypt to escape certain death by order of King Herod. When they returned from Egypt they settled in Galilee instead of Bethlehem because they feared Herod’s son Archelaus, the new ruler of that region. What role did the political situation play in setting up the coming of the Messiah? In particular, did the corruption of the government and religious leadership die with Herod? The land of Israel, Judea, and Samaria were still under the watchful eye and control of Rome. Herod the great left three of his sons portions of his kingdom, but were they any less corrupt than their father?

 

Out of Egypt I Have Called My Son

After Yeshua’s birth, His family stayed in Bethlehem for up to two years. A visit from a group of Magi, or wise men, set off a renewed effort from Herod to eliminate any possible threat to his rule over Judea. Once Herod found about Yeshua, they had no choice but to flee from Herod. After the Magi found and visited Yeshua in Bethlehem, Joseph took his family to Egypt. What is the significance of including this event in the Bible? Why did God send Joseph and his family to Egypt?

For My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation

It is entirely appropriate that this week’s Torah portion is titled “Vayera” which means “And He Appeared.” As we have been following the life and time of our Master Yeshua, we now come to the time of His birth; His appearing! Luke records that Joseph and Mary head off to Bethlehem, the ancestral home of Joseph’s family. Why would they travel to Bethlehem from Nazareth? Why travel so late in Mary’s pregnancy? Given the cultural norms of the day, Mary’s unexpected pregnancy during the time of her betrothal to Joseph would have caused somewhat of a scandal in Nazareth among family and friends. Because of the appearance of the angel Gabriel to both Mary and Joseph, they both knew the true identity and mission of the child Mary carried. Did they fully understand the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah? Or was this move to Bethlehem for another purpose?