Behar Bechukkotai (On Mount- By my regulations)
May 8 2010 24 Iyyar dk 5770 Vayikra (Lev) 25:1-27:34
As much as G-d loves us, there are consequences for our disobedience. He is the G-d of all creation but since He is the one who has chosen us, fairness does not apply when it comes to how we think we are being treated. The world thinks that it is more humane than G-d in its treatment of the so-called under-dog especially in these days of enlightenment. Contrary to how enlightened we think we are, we are living in perilous, apocalyptic times which can be compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. One part of this portion speaks of both the shemittah hums or the sabbatical year of the land, every 7th year and the Yovel lbvy, the jubilee which our sages say point to the final redemption of the earth. In Romans 8: 19 Rav Shaul describes the earth now as groaning waiting for the return of the Messiah which he himself believed would happen in his very near future. However, man’s timing is not G-d’s timing. One day is like one thousand years to G-d. Yeshua himself clearly told us that no man knows the day in hich he would return nor were we to try to figure it out. He wanted us to live by G-d’s Promises, not our own and not to rely on ourselves but upon G-d.
The portion also speaks of the Yovel lbvy which for us is the Shabbat of Shabbats looking to the time of total rest for the world. However the sad thing is that Christianity teaches that the Shabbat is no longer necessary to keep thus robbing their followers of Biblical Truth. At the same time Judaism agrees with them teaching that the Gentiles do not have to keep Shabbat at all. No one has the right to change the Word of G-d for in so doing the Truth is destroyed bringing harm only to ourselves (Devarim 4:2).
Vayikra 26 clearly speaks of the penalty for such disobedience but it is primarily directed to those whom G-d loves and has chosen in the same way that a father disciplines his own children whom he loves. However often the ones who are being punished watch those who seem to go unpunished in this life and cry out “that’s not fair”. Yet G-d knows that they do not belong to Him and it seems that they have their rewards here in this lifetime, while those whom He has chosen and disciplined will reap the rewards for eternity.
In Chapter 25:19-22, G-d is telling us to trust Him. This is the essence of the Shemittah hums in which we needed to allow the land to lie fallow in the 7th year. G-d would provide in the 6th year enough crops to last three years. In the 8th year we could plant and we would then harvest again in the 9th year. That would take a lot of faith on the part of the people.
According to our sages the yovel has a strong relationship with messianic times pointing to the renovation of the earth. Yet what are these messianic times? We have always heard that when Messiah comes (for the first time) everything would be honky dorey, yet that is not what the Scriptures teach. Messiah would bring us more revelation and participation of G-d in our lives even through trials and tribulation. Total redemption can come only from G-d and not man; we ourselves cannot obtain it. We are awaiting his second coming and final tikkun olam or reparation of the world.
We were never allowed to sell the land of Israel. It didn’t belong to us, only to G-d. We were punished because we didn’t observe the Shabbat year of the land for 490 years and were sent to Babylon so that the land could have its rest. This is a clear picture of our life which also belongs to G-d. It is not ours. We need to let go the control of our life and allow Him to take care of us in the same way as He did with the land. It is always a matter of trust. The more we hold onto control, the more we will struggle with our life.
Think about how you are trying to control your own life. Nothing belongs to us; not our time, not our health, not our possessions,they all belong to G-d. We cannot be the center of our life, G-d is the center. Anything short of this is idolatry, self-serving instead of serving G-d.
Perhaps it is now the time to examine your life and ask G-d to show you where you need to change direction in your life (Tehilim 139:23-24). Is G-d calling you to do that today?
May G-d add blessings to His Word!