Parashat Lech Lecha 5766/2005
EJD
The weekly reading for the week of 10 Heshvan, 5766 - November 12, 2005 Parashah: Lech Lecha Genesis 12:1 to 17:27; Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27 to 41:16; Mei Kituvim: 2 Chronicles 14:1-15; 15:1-8; Brit Chadashah: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33: 12:1-10
Parashah Lite Edition (Focuses on one verse or idea anywhere in the readings.)
The Bagel: Shiqutz Killer.
"As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah...." (2 Chronicles 15:8).
Asa dealt a deadly blow to the Shiqutzim - the plural form for the Hebrew word that means a detestable thing or an abomination. Idols were the physical objects of his ban. Behind the idols are the hypnotizing demons. They give just enough supernaturalism to hoodwink the idol worshipper. Those who serve idols think that they are serving a god. We know from Paul's testimony and revelation that this is foolish belief: "Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that 'an idol has no real existence,' and that 'there is no God but one'" (1 Corinthians 8:4). What they serve are unclean spirits, which we call demons. They are the reason for "Shiqutz" or an abomination. The only answer is to get rid of them. Asa was an idol destroyer. He got courage to go against the popular flow of his time. It was the word of G-d from the prophet that emboldened him. May we like Abraham leave behind the land of idolatry and trek to the heavenly country where Elohim is King.
Cream Cheese: Not a star trek, but a journey to the G-d of the stars.
Unless noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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