24 Cheshvan 5782
30 October 2021
163 days after 1335 May 20
Shabbat Shalom!
Ang Sabado nga bahin karon gitawag ug Kinabuhi ni Sarah
Parasha Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah): Leaving a Legacy of Radical Faith
Chayei Sarah (Life of Sarah)5782 Genesis 23:1–25:18; 1 Kings 1:1–31; 1 Peter 3:1–7
“And the life of Sarah [Chayei Sarah חַיֵּי שָׂרָה] was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.” (Genesis 23:1)
Although the title of this week’s Parasha, Chayei Sarah (חַיֵּי שָׂרָה), means Life of Sarah, it initially focuses on her death. This corresponds with the Judaic thought that it is the awareness of death that gives more meaning to life.
TORAH Reading: Genesis 23:1–25:18
Genesis 23 - The death and Burial of Sarah
Genesis 24 - A Mother's prayer answered: How GOD raised up another women of faith in Rebecah to be the chosen bride for Isaac
Genesis 25 - The Life and Burial of Abraham and Ishmael Haftarah Hayyei-Sarah: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 1:1–31
1 Kings 1 Complete Jewish Bible 1 King David grew old, the years took their toll, and he couldn’t get warm even when they covered him with bedclothes. 2 His servants said to him, “Let us try to find a young virgin for my lord the king. She can wait on the king and be a companion for him, and she can lie next to you, so that my lord the king will get some heat.” 3 After looking through all of Isra’el’s territory for a beautiful girl, they found Avishag the Shunamit and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful and became a companion for the king. She took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. 5 Adoniyah the son of Haggit was beginning to claim that he would be king; to this end he organized chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 (His father had never in his life confronted him by asking, “Why are you behaving this way?” Moreover, he was a very handsome man; he was born next after Avshalom.) 7 He conferred with Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah and Evyatar the cohen; and they both supported Adoniyah. 8 But Tzadok the cohen, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, Natan the prophet, Shim‘i, Re‘i and David’s elite guard were not on Adoniyah’s side. 9 One day Adoniyah killed sheep, oxen and fattened calves at the Stone of Zochelet, by ‘Ein-Rogel. He summoned all his brothers the king’s sons, and all the men of Y’hudah the king’s servants; 10 but he did not summon Natan the prophet, B’nayah, the elite guard or Shlomo his brother. 11 Natan went to Bat-Sheva the mother of Shlomo and said, “Haven’t you heard that Adoniyah the son of Haggit has become king without the knowledge of David our lord? 12 Now, come, please let me give you advice, so that you can save both your own life and that of your son Shlomo. 13 Go, get in to see King David, and say to him, ‘My lord, king, didn’t you swear to your servant, “Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why is Adoniyah king?’ 14 Right then, while you are still talking with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm what you are saying.” 15 Bat-Sheva went in to the king in his room. (The king was very old; Avishag the Shunamit was in attendance on the king.) 16 Bat-Sheva bowed, prostrating herself to the king. The king asked, “What do you want?” 17 She answered him, “My lord, you swore by Adonai your God to your servant, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, here is Adoniyah ruling as king; and you, my lord the king, don’t know anything about it. 19 He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo’av the commander of the army; but he didn’t summon Shlomo your servant. 20 As for you, my lord the king, all Isra’el is watching you; they are waiting for you to tell them who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 If you don’t, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals.” 22 Right then, while she was still talking with the king, Natan the prophet entered. 23 They told the king, “Natan the prophet is here.” After coming into the king’s presence, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24 Natan said, “My lord king, did you say, ‘Adoniyah is to be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 25 For he has gone down today and killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Evyatar the cohen; right now they are eating and drinking in his presence and proclaiming, ‘Long live King Adoniyah!’ 26 But he didn’t summon me your servant, or Tzadok the cohen, or B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada or your servant Shlomo. 27 Is this authorized by my lord the king without your having told your servant who would sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” 28 King David answered by saying, “Summon Bat-Sheva to me.” She entered the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29 Then the king swore an oath: “As Adonai lives, who has delivered me from all adversity, 30 as I swore to you by Adonai the God of Isra’el, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do today.” 31 Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”
1 Peter 3:1-7
New King James Version
Submission to Husbands
1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
A Word to Husbands
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Why every godly woman should all learn from the Life of Sarah: Sarah, mother of many nations, the wife of Abraham whom GOD was pleased with because of his faith in GOD. What made Sarah pleasing to GOD? Was it because she had faith as great as Abraham??? Nope, because she even laughed at GOD's promise of her giving birth at such an old age. Sarah is blessed by GOD not because she had faith as great as Abraham, but because she was a submissive wife to Abraham even calling him her lord. She did fail GOD along the way when she suggested Abraham sleep with her maid servant Hagar so that GOD could fulfill HIS promise. In doing this, she truly lacked faith, but her small faith did not disqualify her from receiving GOD's Promise. What made her pleasing to GOD was her being a submissive and respectful wife to her husband Abraham - the man who pleased GOD. Today We only address one Being as our Lord and that is none other than the Son of GOD - the LORD JESUS who died for us, that is why we give back our life to HIM calling HIM our LORD. But who can find a woman who would respect and submit to her husband enough to call him her Lord??? The modern 21st century woman takes great strength in being the "independent woman" of today. But this modern way of thinking is exactly opposed to what GOD has been teaching HIS children in HIS Holy Word.
1 Corinthians 11
New King James Version
Worship and the Lord’s Supper
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Head Coverings
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
1 Corinthians 11 is a teaching emphasizing the godly attitude of a woman in relation to a man and a man in relation to a woman. Apostle Paul writes here the explanation or reason why women ought to cover their heads in places of worship but the explanation itself emphasizes the order of GOD in the setting of family unit, church and society and how women ought to treat and respect men in society. Try not to focus on the physical head covering, but focus why Paul instructs women to be covered - under the submission of a man. If you are unmarried, you are to submit and obey your father, if you are married you are to submit and respect your husband. Batsheba bowed low before King David when she entered his presence. This is a sign of her submission and respect for her husband David. Batsheba had the highest respect for David, not just because he is the King since she is Queen herself, but because she is a submissive and obedient child of GOD.
Why do we all need to learn from the life of Sarah, and all the beautiful women of the Bible such as Hanah, Batsheba and even Mary the human mother of KING JESUS? Because these women, when they agreed to go where GOD is leading them, endured the hardship of the difficult road they had to go through in their lives for the sake of GOD, their endurance proved that they trusted GOD and their faith resulted in their submission to GOD and therefore they were able to submit to their husbands even though at one point they were very angry at their husbands for their failures. All men fail, for we are but flesh, but a woman of godly character will endure suffering even though they did not deserve go through such suffering because even as JESUS endured the cross, their love for GOD enables them to endure any hardship that GOD allows them to go through. Every man and women of GOD who received GOD's promised were tested and proven by GOD Himself and because they persevered in their trials, they pleased GOD thus they were able to receive the promise and witness the power of GOD through the miraculous births of their children.
GOD has been teaching me this lesson of perseverance every time that I complained to my husband of the suffering that I was enduring for GOD. I was a woman of weak character, every time I was tested and suffered in the difficulty, I wanted to die, I prayed like Job "It would have been better for me if I had died in my mothers womb" or Elijah “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”. But every time I complained, my husband knew exactly what to say for me to keep holding on to GOD even though I was about to surrender and give up. His wisdom spoke sense into my beat up and tired Soul. And from there I understood what GOD was trying to do with me and what the devil wanted me to do. Sometimes, because of the difficulty, we begin to believe the lies of the enemy that GOD has abandoned us and that HE doesn't care, but through the wisdom of our husbands and fathers, if we only learn how to listen, then we would have endured to see the Promise of GOD and HIS faithfulness be made complete in our lives.
"Despair is the way of the devil but perseverance and perseverance is the way of GOD" - MHY
Psalm 119
Complete Jewish Bible
א (Alef)
1 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
3 They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
4 You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
5 May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
6 Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
7 I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
8 I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!
Proverbs 16
New King James Version
Wisdom Is Better Than Gold
1 The preparations[a] of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.
3 Commit[b] your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.
4 The Lord has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of [c]doom.
5 Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join [d]forces, none will go unpunished.
6 In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.
9 A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
10 Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11 Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His [e]work.
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Hayyei-Sarah: Mattityahu (Matthew) 8:19–22; 27:3–10; Luke 9:57–62
Matthew 8:19-22 New King James Version 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Luke 9:57-62 New King James Version The Cost of Discipleship 57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Philippians 4 RV
Pp 4:4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Pp 4:5Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Pp 4:6In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Pp 4:7And the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Pp 4:8Finally, brothers, what things are true, what things are dignified, what things are righteous, what things are pure, what things are lovely, what things are well spoken of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things.
Truthfully Yours,
Maryiam Yiska
A Dance for the lovely daughters of Sarah
Comments