The weekly reading for the week of 24 Tisrei, 5765 - October 9, 2004 Parashah: Bereshit Genesis 1:1 to 6:8; Haftarah: Isaiah 42:1 to 43:5; Mei Kituvim: Nehemiah 9:1-38; Brit Chadashah: Matthew 12:1-50


The Bagel: Adonay as Creator. The yearly Parashah reading cycle commences with the creation of the universe. While the work of creation is done, the role of Adonay as Creator is not. The readings for this week bear out that role in its mult-faceted ways.

Torah:
Genesis 1:1 to 6:8. In the Parashat Bereshit, two chapters are devoted to the work of creation. Elohim created the heavens and the earth. In the remaining chapters we see the work of Adonay in preserving the heavens and earth. He preserved the earth from a total take-over by Satan (inferred by Genesis 1:2). He created man and woman to stop that and gave them control of the earth (Genesis 1:28). In spite of sin in the Garden, Adonay intervened to preserve the Garden from the control of sinful humanity by booting the fallen pair out of Eden (Genesis 3:24).

He preserved his creation, humanity, from the destructiveness of the Fall by providing an atonement and a promise. He promised the Coming One: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt wound his heel (Genesis 3:15 Isaac Leeser Translation^*). This One who shall come will effectively destroy the Serpent (Satan). This means the release of his captives (humanity). Adonay made provision for the consequences of our first parent's sin in the Garden by sacrificing animals. Probably, they were lambs so that Adam and Eve could be clothed (Genesis 3:21). Their most important need was clothing for their spiritual nakedness. This is something that the physical clothing portrayed in a symbolic way.

He preserved the earth from a universal human rebellion that threatened to bring the whole planet under total wickedness. His preparations of Noah for the Great Flood was the plan of deliverance. Adonay acted in these ways in His role of Creator, Maintainer, and Preserver.

Haftarah:
Isaiah 42:5 to 43:10. In the Haftarah reading, is an additional action of Adonay as Creator. The reading shows what is a common association in Scripture, which is that the Creation of Israel parallels the Creation of the universe. The first Shabbat (Sabbath) ended the creation work. Israel was mandated to preserve Shabbat as a national code of ethic. The regulation of the week makes demands on society, but its purpose was to be a testimony of G-d as Creator. This equation of Israel with the creation of the universe is clearer by comparing two readings in this week's Haftarah portion: "God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it" (Isaiah 42:5 Tanakh JPS). Here Adonay is described as the Creator of the universe. But in the next chapter Adonay is described in similar terms as the Creator of Israel: "But now thus said the LORD -- Who created you, O Jacob, Who formed you, O Israel" (Isaiah 43:1 Tanakh JPS). The creation of Israel is proof that the work of creation didn't end on the seventh day.

If G-d intended the original creation to be a vehicle of redemption reflected in the notion of the first Shabbat, then He also intended Israel to be a vehicle of redemption as well: "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness" (Isaiah 42:6-7 ESV). Israel was to be a light to the nations, but Israel didn't live up to its created role. So the text is hinting at Another, the Coming One mentioned above. G-d's promise of the return and redemption of Israel will mark the inception of the great and future era of messianic redemption.

This is seen in the introduction of the promise of Israel's redemption: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them" (Isaiah 42:9 ESV). The former things are the completed works of Adonay as Creator, Maintainer, and Preserver. These continue because Israel lived as still lives. The new things are the things of Israel's promised future.

Mei Kituvim:
Nehemiah 9:1-38. In the reading of the Kituvim, is a testimony of Adonay as Creator. The Torah scroll had just been read and the leaders began extolling Elohim. They recounted His mighty acts. Foremost of those was His role as Creator of the universe: "You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them" (Nehemiah 9:6a NLT). Then the role of Adonay as Maintainer/Sustainer was praised: "You preserve and give life to everything, and all the angels of heaven worship you" (Nehemiah 9:6b NLT). Then praise was directed towards Adonay's role in creating Israel and preserving her. They recounted the history of Israel. They also retold the story of the progressive sin of Israel/Judah that caught up with them and eventually brought the nation captive in Babylon. They concluded the time of praise by showing that Adonay had not abandoned them, but preserved them in Babylon and had brought them back to their land to rebuild the Temple. Even though their national status was like that of slaves, that is, their nation was ruled by an outside power like a master rules over a slave, yet they focused on the role of Adonay as Creator of the universe, of Israel, and now as Preserver even over the rule of Gentile dominion.

Brit Chadashah:
Matthew 12:1-50. When we get to the Brit Chadashah, the role of Adonay as Creator comes out in the miracles that Yeshua did. In the reading for this week is an account of a demon-possessed man who was both blind and dumb (unable to speak). In cryptic fashion the author describes the miracle: "Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw" (Matthew 12:22 ESV). The reaction of the people was telling: "And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David" (Matthew 12:23 ESV)? This question associated the miracle with the "M" word ("M"=Messiah) in the minds of the people. How was this so?

It was known in those days that the Rabbis used to cast out demons by first commanding the demon-possessed individual to confess the name of the demon. They invoked the name of Adonay in the issuance of that command. "In the name of Adonay, we command you to tell us the name of the demon?" was how they did this. Once the possessed person divulged the name of the unclean spirit, then the Rabbi would command in the name of Adonay for so-and-so (the name of the demon) to come out of that person.

But the man Yeshua cured was blind and mute. Yeshua didn't invoke the name of Adonay, but directly of His own person cast out the demon and cured the man. There are two messianic features here that are related to the role of Adonay as Creator. First, Yeshua had the power of the Creator to restore sight and speech to the man. Second, the Creator rules over the evil spirits as well as everything because of the right of creation. Angels and humans have to invoke the authority and power of Adonay in order for the demons to obey their orders. But Yeshua did not need to invoke the name of Adonay, because He is Adonay. He knew who possessed the man and why. He created those spirits before they rebelled. That demon had to leave based on His divine authority. Thus since the time of the Second Temple the role of Adonay as Creator has continued under the rubric of the name of Yeshua. Today, around the world people who have problems with demons find instant deliverance by the power of Yeshua's name.

Cream Cheese:
No Creator, no creation.
Know the Creator, then you will know the creation!


^* Adonay is addressing the Serpent (Satan) and informing him that One whose descent will be from the woman will strike the deadly blow (bruise or crush the head). The One in the phrase "he shall bruise thy head" is clearly masculine singular in the Hebrew Scripture: hoo yeshufkhah rosh. The verb "shuf" is a Paal or Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with a pronominal suffix of 2nd person masculine singular. Also the pronoun "hoo" preceding the verb is 3rd person masculine singlar. Both JPS translations err on their translations making both the preceding pronoun "hoo" and the verb into 3rd person plurals instead of 3rd person singulars. Thus both translations read: "they shall bruise thy head" (JPS HOLY SCRIPTURES 1917), and "They shall strike at your head" (Tanakh JPS). There is no variant reading in the extant manuscripts to justify the departure from the grammatical singular forms found in the Masoretic text.

The weekly reading for the week of 24 Tisrei, 5765 - October 9, 2004 Parashah: Bereshit Genesis 1:1 to 6:8; Haftarah: Isaiah 42:1 to 43:5; Mei Kituvim: Nehemiah 9:1-38; Brit Chadashah: Matthew 12:1-50