Wednesday, 8 Tevet 5784 / December 20, 2023
Day 354 Readings
Torah: Parshat Vayigash, 4th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 45:28-46:7
Genesis 45
New American Standard Bible 1995
28 Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
Genesis 46
Jacob Moves to Egypt
1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel [a]in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will [b]close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They took their livestock and their property, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his [c]descendants with him: 7 his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and all his [d]descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
Bible Study Together
1 Chronicles 14:1-2
New American Standard Bible 1995
David’s Family Enlarged
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons and carpenters, to build a house for him. 2 And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted, for the sake of His people Israel.
2 Samuel 6:1-11
New American Standard Bible 1995
Peril in Moving the Ark
1 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to [a]Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is [b]enthroned above the cherubim. 3 They [c]placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of [d]fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.
6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7 And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for [e]his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 David became angry because [f]of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, and that place is called [g]Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 So David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 And David was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 Thus the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
1 Chronicles 13
New American Standard Bible 1995
Peril in Transporting the Ark
14 Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had.
Luke 18
New American Standard Bible 1995
Parables on Prayer
15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Knitted
"Knitted” is an interesting term to describe us being formed in our mother’s womb. One definition may explain why this is so: “to become closely and intimately united.” Anyone that has observed a mother knit a piece of material can see the grace of her movements as the needles weave in and out of the yarn. The yarn intertwines in such a way that the end product is a creation to behold. The recipient of this created piece will acknowledge that it was created with loving care and skill. Our soul knows that Our Heavenly Father has created us special and unique. We were designed to be closely and intimately united with Him.
Prayer: I am so grateful Lord for Your love and tender mercies towards me. You have created me so special and I desire to become closely and intimately united with You. Help my soul to know You and rejoice in Your love for me. I pray in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Scripture
Haggai 1
New American Standard Bible 1995
Haggai Begins Temple Building
1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of [a]hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”’” 3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “[b]Consider your ways! 6 You have sown much, but [c]harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is [d]not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “[e]Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the [f]mountains, bring wood and rebuild the [g]temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld [h]its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of [i]your hands.”
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people [j]showed reverence for the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke [k]by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.
Haggai 2
The Builders Encouraged
1 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying, 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this [l]temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not [m]seem to you like nothing [n]in comparison? 4 But now [o]take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘As for the [p]promise which I [q]made you when you came out of Egypt, [r]My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more [s]in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations; and [t]they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
10 On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests for a [u]ruling: 12 If a man carries holy meat in the [v]fold of his garment, and touches bread with [w]this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a [x]corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai said, “‘So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. 15 But now, do [y]consider from this day [z]onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, 16 [aa]from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty [ab]measures, there would be only twenty. 17 I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; [ac]yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. 18 ‘Do [ad]consider from this day [ae]onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, [af]consider: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’”
20 Then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the [ag]nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.’ 23 ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a [ah]signet ring, for I have chosen you,’” declares the Lord of hosts.
Revelation 11
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Two Witnesses
1 Then there was given me a [a]measuring rod like a staff; [b]and someone said, “Get up and measure the [c]temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 [d]Leave out the court which is outside the [e]temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which [f]mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead [g]bodies for three and a half days, and [h]will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; [i]seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet—Christ’s Reign Foreseen
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His [j]Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to [k]reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the [l]saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 And the [m]temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His [n]temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great [o]hailstorm.
Psalm 139
New American Standard Bible 1995
God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.2 You know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I rise up;You understand my thought from afar.3 You [c]scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down,And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.4 [e]Even before there is a word on my tongue,Behold, O Lord, You know it all.5 You have enclosed me behind and before,And laid Your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, You are there.9 If I take the wings of the dawn,If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,10 Even there Your hand will lead me,And Your right hand will lay hold of me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will [g]overwhelm me,And the light around me will be night,”12 Even the darkness is not dark [h]to You,And the night is as bright as the day.Darkness and light are alike to You.
13 For You formed my [i]inward parts;You wove me in my mother’s womb.14 I will give thanks to You, for [j]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Wonderful are Your works,And my soul knows it very well.15 My [k]frame was not hidden from You,When I was made in secret,And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;And in Your book were all writtenThe days that were ordained for me,When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!How vast is the sum of them!18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.When I awake, I am still with You.
19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God;Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.20 For they speak [l]against You wickedly,And Your enemies [m]take Your name in vain.21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;They have become my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any [n]hurtful way in me,And lead me in the everlasting way.
Footnotes
Proverbs 30:11-14
New American Standard Bible 1995
11 There is a [a]kind of man who curses his fatherAnd does not bless his mother.12 There is a [b]kind who is pure in his own eyes,Yet is not washed from his filthiness.13 There is a [c]kind—oh how lofty are his eyes!And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.14 There is a [d]kind of man whose teeth are like swordsAnd his jaw teeth like knives,To devour the afflicted from the earthAnd the needy from among men.
Dear AVI,
Blessed are YOU ELOHIM Adonai YESHUA GOD, My Salvation. Thank YOU for this day and the succesful events that took place even with its tragedy of losing a colleague at the work place. Let YOUR Kingdom come and YOUR Will be done unto Stephen and I and our families and loves ones here on earth as it is in heaven. I ask YOU Today LORD, remove my love for Stephen, do not allow me to chase him anymore but let him love me more than I love him. Please GOD do not allow me to lose my dignity and self-worth just because I love someone but do not allow me to abuse myself by loving someone who does not show the same or greater love for me than me with him, because it's not fair, and I am suffering with loving someone who doesn't love me. I need YOU Adonai, help me. Take away my love for Stephen in my heart, in YESHUA Name, and let him love me greatly instead. I pray O GOD, show me signs this week because I lose heart everyday when I think about how helpless I am because I love him. Let him love you more than his mother or me, encounter them in their homes, and fill them with YOUR love and bring them to church so that they worship YOU in Spirit and in Truth with our fellow bretheren. Let Stephen fall so deeply in love with YOU and with me I pray all this in YESHUA Name, let his mother love me, let my parents love him and let my siblings revere and accept him and admire him. Bless our meeting this week with Jr and Gaily and I pray that YOU will do a miracle for me on December 22 after our meeting. I ask that YOU quicken the events and make us one I pray that he will dream of me so strongly every night and his Ma Benita too, that I am his wife the One YOU have chosen for them to love and care for and be one with. May all our lives and stories bring honor and glory to YOU O KING JESUS!
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!