Parashat Mikeitz 5766/2005
EJD
The weekly reading for the week of 30 Kislev, 5766 - December 31, 2005 Parashah: Mikeitz Genesis 41:1 to 44:34; The regular Haftarah of 1 Kings 3:13 to 4:1 is replaced by Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24; Mei Kituvim: Proverbs 12:1-28; Brit Chadashah: Romans 11:1-24
Chanukah Night Seven - Seventh Candle in the evening. Happy Chanukah!
Parashah Lite Edition (Focuses on one verse or idea anywhere in the readings.)
The Bagel: Earthly quake.
"....But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2).
When the earth quakes at over 8 on the Richter scale it produces a major trauma indeed. There is a good version of this. It is the spiritual quaking of the heart. This cannot be measured by a seismograph, but is felt by others around a godly person who exhibits this characteristic. It cannot be duplicated by some kind of physical motion. There are groups that lay claim to this "quaking." The first is the Haredim (or Charedim - the trembling ones), which is a sect of orthodox Judaism that is more conservative than contemporary orthodoxy. The other class of groups are among the gentiles known historically as the Quakers and the Shakers. All of these groups are modeled after this word to "tremble."
But there are three features in this verse: humility, contriteness, and an earthly quake. Such a person is low on self and high on divine holiness. It is difficult to be this way. Our natural tendency is to be high on self and low on holiness. There are also attempts to be somewhere in between, such as high on self and on G-d.
We need to be on the same level as G-d to behold Him as He is. But either we attempt to be over G-d or we get rid of Him. We get on His level is by lowering ourselves.
This is only possible because Elohim condescended in the person of Yeshua. Yeshua suffered to make a permanent atonement on the cross. Then He ascended and is at the Father's right hand in heaven. Because He condescended and ascended the believer can be justified from sin and have eye-level access. The believer in Yeshua is said to be "in Christ" and because He is in heaven and we are in Christ, we are on level ground. We cannot boast, but contritely acknowledge that we are dust, but have a standing because of Him. This is the earthly quake that is felt around the world in a multitude of languages, peoples and cultures.
Cream Cheese: There is no need for Earthly Quake insurance, but there is assurance.
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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