Ozarks Hebrew Heritage Celebrating the Hebrew Roots of our Faith

Parashah #2 ~ Noah / Noach
Torah: B’resheet/Genesis 6:9~11:32
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu/Isaiah 54:1~55:5
B’rit Hadashah: Mattityahu/Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 17:26-37
Acts 2:1-16; Kefa Aleph/1st Peter 3:18-22; Kefa Bet/2nd Peter 2:5

Writer’s note: I have learned most Christian commentators and Rabbis agree the complete plan of HaShem is in Torah and specifically in (say-fer B’reh-sheet) Sefer B’resheet/Book of Genesis. Most readers of scripture have not been taught to look for the Heavenly Father’s plan and consequently miss what they are not looking for. With what is happening in the world, it is time for us to really pay attention!!!

I love Torah Study!!! This is SO much fun . . . there is ALWAYS something new and exciting!!! I learn something new every year!!! Can you tell I’m wired?!?!?!? I have to repeat myself from last week. There is no way to cover everything in all 6 of these chapters!

Noach/Noah means restful or comforter. B’resheet/Genesis 5:29, speaking of Noach, says “This one will comfort us in our labor . . .” The Hebrew word (men-ah-kehm) menachem מנחם means comforter. In Yochanan/John 14:16, Yeshua tells his (tahl-meh-deem) talmidim/disciples the Father will send them another Comforter/Menachem, which, to me, implies Yeshua was their Comforter at the time. If Yeshua was/is our Comforter, then Noach is a foreshadow of Yeshua! Who says shadows of Yeshua can’t be found in the original covenant? Even the Sages agree Menachem/Comforter is one of the names of Messiah.

CHAPTER 6

As we begin this section of Torah, Rabbi Ya’akov Youlus, of blessed memory, reminds us the Torah is an educational book; not just a book which tells us what happened with nice stories and dramas. Every word in the Torah is to teach us something and bring us closer to The Almighty.

Verse 9 says Noach/Noah was a just/righteous man and perfect in his generations. The word used for pious/just or righteous in Hebrew is (tzahd-deek) tzaddick. Today, a tzaddick is a person who is very close to The Holy One. The root word (tzeh-dehk) tzedeck means a person who does the right thing. The other word, (tah-meem) tamim means perfect, and is sometimes translated as simple. This, too, has a positive connotation and is translated to mean upright, someone with integrity, who believes and puts his full trust in The Creator.

“Yehovah said to Noach, ‘The end of all living beings has come before me, for because of them the earth is filled with violence.” (verse 13) Did you know the Hebrew word for violence is hamas? Hmmmm!!!!

The Complete Jewish Bible translation, in verse 14 says, “Make yourself an ark of gofer-wood; you are to make the ark with rooms and cover it with pitch both outside and inside.” I have been told “gofer-wood” is equivalent to white oak and pound for pound is stronger than steel. Additionally, “pitch” is a tarry substance which is water proof.

Of course, we all know up to this point, there had been no rain SO when Noach, 500 years old, began building this monstrosity of an ark, I’m sure he was greatly ridiculed. Stop and think about the size of this structure. It would be a massive undertaking even today. Let’ see, the dimensions, according to verse 15, are 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. If there are others like me who need some kind of visual aid to comprehend these figures, think about it this way. The length would be one and one-half times the length of a football field or half the length of an aircraft carrier. The width would be approximately one-fourth as long as a football field is long and the height would be equal to fifteen yards. That is one massive structure! As a matter of fact, it is 1,518,750 cubic feet which is equivalent to 101,000 square feet. I have been told this structure would be comparable to 522 box cars and would have been able to accommo-date 10 large homes on each deck!!!

One more thing . . . the length to width ratio stated above is equal to 6 to 1 and it is my understanding that ratio is MOST stable, according to “modern science”. Awesome!!!

The Complete Jewish Bible translates verse 16 as “You are to make an opening for daylight in the ark eighteen inches below its roof.” Once again, it appears there are not a lot of porthole windows in the ark as many pictures show but only one window. We are not told the dimensions of this window but I thought it interesting it was eighteen inches below the roof. In Hebrew, eighteen is the numerical equivalent to the word (Khigh) Chai which means Life. To me, this parallels Yeshua who is the “light of the world” which brings us Life! Also, verse 16 says, “. . . build it with lower, second and third decks”. Could this be a picture for us of the triune being of the Holy One of Israel? There are three parts but they are (eh-kahd) echad/one.

Just for the record, I personally believe Noah’s ark was “shoe-box” shaped, not the “boat” type structure we see in pictures. When you stop to think about it . . . this is a fore-shadow of the Ark of the Covenant which is also shaped like a “shoe-box”!!!

Did anyone count the number of people who would be saved during the coming desolation? Verse 18 tells us there was Noach, his wife, their three sons and the wives of their sons. That would be eight. Isn’t it interesting, in scripture, eight is the number of new beginnings?!

When we were growing up, whether we were involved in church or not, we all heard about Noah and the ark. And (verse 20) we heard there were two animals of each kind on the ark, one male and one female, which were to be used to repopulate the world after the flood. This is the reason they, according to scripture, were to be kept alive. However, it’s important to hear “the rest of the story”, as Paul Harvey would say! The “rest of the story” follows in Chapter 7.

One more thing, all kinds of food was to be collected for Noach, his family AND the animals. So, not only were there people and animals on board, there was an ample storage of food for each and every person and animal to last for over a year.

I believe B’resheet/Genesis is a blueprint for the rest of scripture and for our lives! Consider this . . . many of us have been taught about the “rapture” and how the believers are going to be “poofed” outta here when the going gets rough. And, I can assure you, I was on that band wagon for several years before I got a firm grasp of this blueprint. Reconsider this story about Noach and his family. There were others on the earth at the time. I choose to believe Noach was an evangelist, so to speak. I believe he was telling any who would listen their ways were unpleasing to The Holy One. None listened, except his family. Noach and his family didn’t escape the flood. We know it killed everything not on the ark BUT The Almighty was WITH Noach and his family during it. In these last days, those who endure to the end will be those who keep the commands of God (i.e. Torah) and have the testimony of Yeshua/Jesus, according to the latter part of Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12. I am also reminded of scripture . . .

• Matthew 24:37 “And as were the days of Noah . . .”
• Luke 17:26 “And as it came to pass in the days of Noah . . . .”

Since the “taking away” is compared to the flood taking away people in judgment, the “taking away” refers to people being taken in judgment and not a rapture. Yeshua’s talmidim/disciples asked, “Where [will they be taken] Master?” He answered, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” Therefore, we should understand those “left behind” as the righteous, not those taken away. Let’s not be blindsided by the man-made theology of popular books instead of adhering to the Holy Word of The Holy One. Give heed to The Word of the Lord.

CHAPTER 7

In verses 2 & 3, we learn there were to be seven pair of “clean” animals and birds, and one pair of “unclean” animals. However, in 6:19 it said two animals, one male and one female of each kind of living being. The scripture says in each account Noach did all Yehovah ordered him to do. But I do wonder about the discrepancy, don’t you? Oh my gosh!!! It just dawned on me, 7 pair and one pair makes a total of 8 pair of “clean” animals, another symbol of “new begin-nings”! I have another question . . . how did Noach know which animals were “clean” and which were “unclean”? Since we know “Noach walked with God” can’t you just envision them walking and Noach reaching out, like a child, to touch something. Imagine Abba Father, saying gently, “don’t touch, it’s not clean.” That’s how I think he knew what was and was not clean. Another thought is this: Initially, The Creator walked with Adam and Eve in (Gahn) Gan Eden. It seems He taught them and their children Torah! Otherwise, how would Cain and Abel have known about sacrifices?

The Almighty tells Noach, now 600 years old, in 7 more days, it will rain 40 days and 40 nights (verse 4). Forty is the number of testing or trial, which explains the 40 years in the wilderness experienced by B’nei Isra’el/Children of Israel and the 40 days Yeshua was in the wilderness as well.

Verse 11 says “on the seventeenth day of the second month . . . the windows of the sky were opened.” So, which “second month” was this? According to the Hebrew calendar, the Biblical/Sacred second month would be Iyar (April-May) BUT the civil or agricultural month would be Cheshvan (October/November). I’m inclined to believe it was this very time of the year!!! Sometimes, Cheshvan is known as Mar-Cheshvan. In Hebrew, mar means bitter. Since Cheshvan has no festival days, it is considered “bitter”. Mar also means drop of water. This is the month the rains begin in Eretz Yisrael/the Land of Israel.

So Noach, his family, the animals and food enter the ark (verses 13-16) and Noach closed the door. NOT!!! Sometimes, we don’t pay attention to what we read. “. . . and Yehovah shut him inside.” I find this interesting and for the life of me could find NO commentaries addressing the matter. I believe this was both a divine act of mercy for Noach and a divine act of judgment on mankind. The Creator loves His children and desires to commune with them so much He wanted to be sure they were safely “tucked away” until the chaos was over. So He shut the door securely and was WITH them in the storm.

As I read these verses (17-23) about the water covering the earth and everything being wiped out, I thought . . . the very thing bringing devastation to the world was the very thing which was delivering Noach and his family to “newness”. Also, in (Mish-lee) Mishlei/Proverbs 12:7, there is an interesting correlation. “Once the wicked are down, it’s the end of them; but the house of the upright endures.”

In the Hebrew mindset (tik-koon oh-lahm) tikkun olamתקון עולם) ) / fixing/repairing the world is an important concept. The world was (is) broken and needs to be fixed. Whenever we apply our efforts to doing good, by alleviating human suffering, standing up for justice, making peace in the midst of strife and choosing to do right instead of wrong, we are “fixing/repairing” the world. As we make the world a better, more godly place, we are restoring it to The Almighty’s original intent.

A few years ago someone mentioned (I think it was Brother Lynn) when the earth was brought forth, it broke water, in essence, there was a mikveh/water baptism. Here again, we are seeing another mikveh, representing a “new start”. I thought about the birth of a child being another mikveh, the breaking of water, when it is born. Traditionally, any time Hebrew people begin a new phase of their life (i.e. a new job, engagement, marriage, birth of child, etc.) they have a mikveh. I’m thinkin’ they have learned something important over the years. And, on top of that, it appears to be Biblical!

CHAPTER 8

The latter part of verse 2 says “. . . It was after 150 days that the water went down.” If we estimate approximately 30 days per month, it would be equivalent to five months, five being the scriptural number of grace. Then in verse 4, “On the seventeenth of the seventh month (Nisan) the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” Although common interpretation says “Mount Ararat”, we see the scripture actually indicates it came to rest within the mountain range talked about. In the future, there is something special which takes place during the month of Nisan. Do you know/remember what it is? The 17th of Nisan falls right after Pesach/Passover. It is during this time the Children of Israel were delivered from Pharaoh and it is during this time when Yeshua became our Passover Lamb. Actually, it is believed Yeshua ascended from the grave on the 17th of Nisan. All of these are days of deliverance!!! And the 1+7 (from the 17th) equal eight which is the scriptural number for new beginnings!!! It’s all over the place!

Brother Lynn Greuter had this to share as well . . .

“Not only did the ark rest on this date & Yeshua raise up early on this date there are
other significant occurrences as well. 2nd Chronicles 29:1-3, Hezekiah who is a type
of Messiah began a task in the 1st month of his reign in his first year. Verses 17-19,
all work was done, all was prepared and ready on the 16th. Verse 20, “Then Hezekiah
rose early and ascended to the Temple” on the 17th day of Nissan. It was Hezekiah
who instituted reform, repair, & restoration to the God of Yisrael & His Temple.
Sounds a lot like Yeshua to me, both on a personal level as well as the end of days
when Messiah returns & restores true worship after the false messiah has desecrated
the Temple. And like Hezekiah in those days it will be as verse 36 says “in rejoicing
by the King and all his people for it will be done suddenly” Also in Esther 3:12,
Esther’s fast begins on 13th day of Nissan. The promotion of Mordecia “early in the
morning” of the 17th of Nissan, followed by the death of Haman (booo) on the very
same day. Not to mention the Hebrew slaves crossed the Red Sea on this very same
date. Hmmmm!!!! This seems to be a pretty significant date, all of them pointing to
the redeeming work of the Holy One of Israel, the One Who was ,Who is and Who is
to come & Who changes not. And on this very date (17th Nissan) Yeshua walked down
a road called Emmaus beginning at “Moses” and all the prophets expounded the things
concerning Him.” (Thanks Brother Lynn)

The water continued to go down until the tenth month, Tammuz. The number ten represents trial and testing but it also represents law, order and government. Furthermore, it was an eight month time span, again, the number eight, for new beginnings. Let’s see, eight people, eight pair of clean animals, eight months; surely it was a time of new beginnings!!!

Verses 6-9, after 40 days Noach opened the window, sent out a raven which flew back and forth until the water dried up. This part, for whatever reason, reminded me of how the enemy roams to and fro over the earth, seeking whom he may devour. Maybe it’s because the raven is an unclean bird; maybe it’s because it is black and I associate it with “darkness”. Then I read an article indicating the raven is often a symbol of unclean spirits.

Afterwards, Noach sent out a dove but she returned because there was no dry land. (Yes, I do believe this can be paralleled with the dove of the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit but that’s another teaching!!!) Then verse 10 says “He waited another seven days, which would indicate an initial seven days, making a total of fourteen days. Fourteen is the number of Passover, salvation and deliverance. Isn’t that interesting!?!?!?! Verses 11-12, the dove returns with an olive leaf in her mouth. Then Noach waits another seven days, sends out the dove and she doesn’t return. Now I have the number 21! Twenty is the number of maturity, completion and attainment and (eh-kahd) echad/one is the number of The Creator as well as the number of unity.

By my calculations, approximately one year after they entered the ark . . . ; actually, according to a chart in the Artscroll Tanakh, prepared by Rabbi Eliezer, after one year and ten days, Noach and his family leave the ark and according to verse 20, build an altar to The Holy One and offer burnt offerings to Him. Now we know why they needed so many “clean” animals on the ark . . . ‘cause there wouldn’t be any available when they got off the ark!!! The Almighty smelled the sweet aroma and said He would never destroy ALL living things again.

CHAPTER 9

In Adam’s day, we were given every seed bearing and fruit bearing plant from which we could eat. (B’resheet/Genesis 1:29) Now, in verses 3 & 4, The Creator gives us “every moving thing that lives will be food for you . . .” “. . . only flesh with its life, which is blood, you are not to eat.”

Then in verse 6, I believe, we have “first mention” of capital punishment “whoever sheds human blood, by a human being will his own blood be shed . . .”

In verses 8-17 The Holy One establishes His rainbow as an everlasting covenant between Himself and every living creature on the earth. The Hebrew used here, (B’reet Oh-lahm) B’rit Olam, is literally translated as world covenant, however, it can also mean eternal covenant.

I found the following information in Rose Crownover’s booklet, “Symbolic Meanings of Colors”. The Hebrew word used to describe the rainbow is (keh-sheht) qeshet which literally means “in the original sense of bending: a bow.” A rainbow is created as sunlight passes through raindrops. There are seven colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Seven is the number of completeness or perfection.

• Red is symbolic of: life, sacrifice, salvation, fire, courage & warfare
• Orange is symbolic of: strength, endurance & warning
• Yellow is symbolic of: the Glory of God, refining process, kingship & ruling, wisdom,
knowledge & truth
• Green is symbolic of: new life, fresh, flourishing & vigorous, healing, hope, peace &
victory
• Blue is symbolic of: heaven, water, priesthood, integrity, fidelity & loyalty
• Purple (indigo & violet are variations of) is symbolic of: kingship & royalty

The Sages teach when one sees a (keh-sheht) qeshet/rainbow the following blessing is to be spoken. “Blessed are you, Yehovah, our God, King of the universe, Who remembers His covenant, is trustworthy in His covenant, and fulfills His word.”

Rabbi Ya’akov Youlus, of blessed memory, has some interesting comments with regard to verses 18-22 and I quote:

“. . . The children of Noah were Shem, Ham and Japheth and that Ham was the
father of Canaan. The question is why does the Torah have to tell us that those
who came out from the ark were the children of Noah and then mention their names
again? Even more, why is it so important to know that Ham is the father of Canaan?
We need to understand the usage of the term ‘Canaan’ in the Torah. Canaan plays an
important role in contrasting the role of Israel from the nations of the world. Canaan
is used as an ‘opposite role model’. Israel is called forth by G~d to be a ‘light to the
nations’ and Canaan is the model of the exact opposite.”

Verses 20-23 tell us Noach was the first to plant a vineyard. The first harvest must have been quite potent because he drank the wine, got drunk, and “lay uncovered in his tent.” There is SO much information in these four verses, both spoken and unspoken. Supposedly, his youngest son,(Kahm) Cham/Ham saw his father’s exposure. I’m not so sure Ham was the youngest son; in fact, it seems he was the middle child. According to the previous genealogy, Ham is listed as the second son. One commentary indicates Ham was small in stature, therefore a small son rather than youngest son. Another thought . . . in that time and culture, those living in the same household were considered sons so perhaps it was really Noach’s grandson, Kena’an/Canaan, the “youngest son” who saw Noach uncovered. Some of the Sages indicate either Canaan or his father, Ham, had a homosexual experience with Noach, while others believe one or the other castrated Noach. Regardless of who did what, why didn’t Ham just do the right thing, cover up his dad, and go about his own business? Instead, he leaves his dad layin’ there and trots off to tell his brothers. Don’t tell me it was because he didn’t know what to do. He was old enough to already have a son, Kena’an/Canaan!!! So Shem (Hebrew for name) and Yefet/Japheth take a cloak, put it over their shoulders, walk into the tent backwards, so as not to see Noach’s nakedness and cover him.

Noach awakes (verses 24-27) and scripture says he “knew” what his youngest son had done to him so he places a curse on Ham’s son, Canaan, causing him to be a servant of servants. This scripture was used by the Europeans to justify making slaves of the African people. Neverthe-less, from each of the three sons, the entire world was populated, because they were the sons of Noach. It is reported that . . . Asia was taken by Shem; Africa by Cham/Ham; and Europe by Yefet/Japheth.

“In all, Noach lived 950 years, then he died.” (verse 29) Using Hebrew gematria, 950 reduces to 14 (9+5+0) which is indicative of deliverance, salvation and a double portion of spiritual
perfection (2×7). Reducing 14 to 5, we know, is the number of grace. Wow! I find all of those numerical meanings applicable to Noach!

CHAPTER 10

This entire chapter gives the genealogy of Noach; sons, grandsons, and great grandsons.

I haven’t studied this out yet but right away, in verse 3, I noticed one of Yefet/Japheth’s sons, Gomer, has a son named Ashkenaz (ahsh-ken-ahz). Apparently, this would be the line of descendants from which we have the Ashkenazic Hebrews. We know they are primarily the European Hebrew people, which falls in line with the information we learned above!

In verses 6-10, we learn one of Ham’s sons, Kush, fathered Nimrod. It was said Nimrod was the first on earth to be a mighty man. Verse 9 says “He was a mighty hunter before Yehovah . . .” Actually, the Hebrew indicates Nimrod was a mighty hunter against The Almighty. Perhaps this sheds light on the heritage of the “hunters” Abba will use to drive the Northern Kingdom descendants back to The Land in the end times. (See Yirme’yahu/Jeremiah 16:16) However, according to the Stone Edition of the Artscroll Chumash commentary, Nimrod was NOT a righteous man. He ensnared men with his words and incited them to rebel against Adonai. As Rabbi Hirsh explains, “Nimrod was a forerunner of the hypocrite who drapes himself in robes of piety in order to deceive the masses.” Other commentaries call him the first anti-christ figure in scripture. (Is this not an appropriate description of the soon coming anti-christ? AND does this not remind us of one of our national leaders?!)

Before Nimrod there were neither wars nor reigning monarchs. Nimrod subjugated the Babylonians until they crowned him (verse 10), after which he went to Assyria and built great cities (Ramban). His first conquest, which laid the basis for his subsequent empire-building, was (Mig-dahl Bahv-el) Migdal Bavel/Tower of Babel, which became the center of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire. It was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.

As some of us are aware, Babylon was the source of . . .
*Humanism *Self-exaltation *Lewd sexual religious practices

Additionally, he founded the city of Nineveh. It is reported he conceived Migdal Bavel/Tower of Babel as an effort to out-smart G~d by building a tower too high for rising waters, should G~d change His mind not to drown the world again. Apparently, Nimrod was not aware our G~d cannot and does not lie!!!!

CHAPTER 11

Up to this point (verse 1) the entire earth used the same language, the same words. I believe The Holy One didn’t mind their progressive thinking concerning the building of the tower. It seems His reason for confusing their language lies in verse 4 which says in part “. . . so we can ‘make a name for ourselves’ and not be scattered all over the earth.” Self-elevation is a stench in the nostrils of our Creator. In fact, this defines idolatry. In addition, He told Noach and his family to “be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.” One cannot fill the earth by staying in one place. Consequently, (verse 9) Yah confused their language and scattered them all over the earth.

The genealogy of Shem, which means name in Hebrew, is quite lengthy. There were eight (new beginnings) generations from Shem to Terach, who was the father of Avram. Avram took a wife, Sarai, who was barren, and along with other members of their family, they left Ur of the (Kahs-deem) Kasdim/Chaldees to go to Kena’an/Canaan. However, they stopped short and stayed in (Hah-rahn) Haran, (modern day Southern Turkey) a city named after Terach’s deceased son. (verses 10-32)

The purpose of history is to teach us so we do not repeat the mistakes of those who have gone before us. The truth is we have not learned from those who preceded us and are doomed to repeat their mistakes. The Bible is not only the Word of God, it is a history book showing what came before and what will come later. As many strive to create a one world government we are returning from whence we came. Hebrew or Jewish thought is not linear or a thought process that runs from point A to point Z. Hebrew/Jewish thought is circular and runs from point A to point A. My purpose in bringing this to your attention is to show you we are not going forward but also back to where we came from. The Bible says, “In the beginning . . .” We are going back to the beginning whether we like it or not. Yesha’yahu/Isaiah 46:10 tells us our Heavenly Father declares the end from the beginning! We need to study the beginning so we will not be caught unaware!

Noah / Noach
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu/Isaiah 54:1~55:5

In this week’s Parashah Yehovah promises to never again destroy the world with another flood. According to our Haftarah, Yah promises to never again exile the B’nei Yishra’el/Children of Israel after the redemption from the current exile.

Yeshayahu/Isaiah says the exile, in reality, is Isra’el’s preservation. Like a mother left lonely and grieving, Israel will be comforted when the exile has achieved its task of purification. Her children will return to her. Living in these last days, we see this prophecy coming to pass before our very eyes as more and more people from the House of Judah are making (ah-lee-yah) aliyah/returning to HaAretz/The Land. In addition, there are many from the House of Israel who are awakening to their heritage but they are not permitted to return yet. (Yechezk’el / Ezekiel 4:5-6 but that’s another teaching!)

This is a passage which shows the doctrine of replacement theology is NOT scriptural. First, The Almighty is advising Israel (both houses) and calling it His bride (54:5). Next (54:7-8), He says He was angry but in the end (times) He will make the final covenant of peace with Israel. Finally, the passage (54:14) states this will occur with the establishment of righteousness (also end times). This parallels Daniel 9:24 and comes at the end of the 70 weeks or Shavuah.

Although it is not a “designated Haftarah” for this Parashah, I highly recommend reading Yechizk’el/Ezekiel 14:12-23. It is quite pertinent concerning Noach/Noah, Dani’el/Daniel and Iyov/Job and Yah’s four dreadful judgments – sword, famine, wild animals, plagues – to eliminate both humans and animals; there will still be a remnant left to be brought out. I believe very strongly the remnant left will be those who walk and talk Torah and have a testimony of Yeshua. (See Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12)

Noah / Noach 
B’rit Hadashah: Mattityahu/Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 17:26-37
Acts 2:1-16; Kefa Aleph/1st Peter 3:18-22; Kefa Bet/2nd Peter 2:5

Praise Yah!!! I have often been uncomfortable with the “rapture” teaching I had heard and been taught before beginning my Torah Pursuant Walk. I have finally found I might not be so totally off base, after all!!

Mattityahu/Matthew 24:36-44 Yeshua compares the generation of Noach to the generation who will witness His return. When He returns, He comes to usher in a day of judgment. The Day of Judgment is likened to the flood, Yeshua tells us just as in Noach’s days, the generation of His return will ignore the warnings leading up to the big event. Life will be going on as normal, when catastrophe strikes.

Just as Yah didn’t “rapture” Noah from the flood, He did provide a way of escape and He was WITH Noah during his trial. (And I can think of other instances as well . . . like Daniel in the lion’s den; three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, etc, etc.) Just as in Noah’s days, the generation of Yeshua’s return will ignore the warnings leading up to the big event. Life will continue as normal; then catastrophe will strike! Yeshua goes on to speak about those who will be taken away and those who will be left behind:

“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
Mattityahu/Matthew 24:40-41

According to First Fruits of Zion, “these verses are often interpreted to mean when Yeshua comes, the one taken will be whisked away to meet Him in the sky. Since the one left working in the field is not a believer, he will be left behind. The one left grinding at the mill also not a believer will also left behind. However, the one “taken away” in the Matthew 24 passage is not ‘raptured up’, as is popularly taught. Just as the flood came and took people away in judgment, the ‘taking away’ in Matthew 24:40-41 refers to people being taken in judgment.

Luke 17:26-37 Yeshua makes this explicitly clear in a parallel passage in Luke 17 when His disciples ask about the ones taken away. “Where [will they be taken], Lord?” they asked and He answered, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” (Luke 17:37)

Acts 2:1-16 According to David Stern’s Jewish New Testament Commentary, “The miraculous event (verses 4-13) accomplished through the Holy Spirit amounts to a reversal of Babel (B’resheet/Genesis 11:1-9).” Back then Yah confounded the language of the people misusing their unity for sinful purposes (the English word “babble” comes directly from the Hebrew). In these verses, Yah enabled people separated by their different languages to understand each other praising God, which is the proper use of unity. Also, this scripture is clear. They were not experiencing “speaking in tongues”. According to verse 11 they were hearing their own dialects or languages.

Kefa Aleph/1st Peter 3:18-22 As mentioned in our Torah portion, these verses confirm “in the days of Noach”, the water which drowned most of humanity was the same water by which a few (eight to be exact) were delivered. According to(Rahv Shah-ool) Rav Sha’ul / Rabbi Paul, the water of the Red Sea prefigured immersion also. Not for the purpose of physical removal of dirt from the body but the spiritual transaction which accompanies the physical event.

Consequently, (Kay-fah) Kefa/Peter compares the believers with Noach and his family:

• both being righteous minorities persecuted by wicked neighbors and
• both being delivered from the forces of darkness through trusting in The Holy One and obeying Him.

Kefa Bet/2nd Peter 2:5 “In Yeshua’s teaching, those ‘taken away’ correspond to those who perished in the flood. The corpses of those who perished in the flood became food for the scavenging birds, such as the raven, which was released from the ark. So, too, when Messiah comes, the wicked will be slain and left as food for birds. Thus we should understand those who will be ‘left behind’ in the Matthew 24 passage are the righteous. They can be compared to Noah and his seven family members who survived the flood, as Peter says, “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly.” (2 Peter 2:9) The thrust of the passage is we must stay vigilant in our wait for Messiah. We must not be like the complacent generation of Noah which was caught unawares, for Messiah will come suddenly, like a thief in the night. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42) This falls in line with Yom Teruah (Day of the Trumpet Blast / Feast of Trumpets) which also is a day no one knows until the sighting of the new moon (known as (Roe-sh) Rosh (Koh-desh) Chodesh in Hebrew)

Our corresponding Psalm for this Torah portion is: Psalm 29

Next Week’s Lesson: Parashah #3
Lekh L’kha ~ Get yourself out
Torah: B’resheet/Genesis 12:1~17:27
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu/Isaiah 40:27-41:16
B’rit Hadashah: Acts 7:1-8; Romans 3:19-5:6; Galatians 3:15-18;
Galatians 5:1-6; Colossians 2:11-15; Ivrim/Hebrews 7:1-19; Ivrim/Hebrews 11:8-12

Shavuah tov (have a good week)!!!

Who fills his mind with Torah clears it of fear and folly.
Rabbi Chanina Sgan HaKohanim

Organize yourselves into classes for the study of Torah,
since it can best be acquired in association with others.
Talmud: Berkot 63b

A cute story follows. If it’s a repeat for you, please forgive. Enjoy!!!

NOAH & THE ARK ~ TODAY

It is the year 2010 and Noah lives in the United States. The Lord speaks to Noah and says, “In one year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all is destroyed. But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on the earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark.”

In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark. Fearful and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark.

“Remember,” said the Lord, “You must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year.”

Exactly one year later, a fierce storm cloud covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. “Noah,” He shouted, “where is the Ark?”

Lord, please forgive me!” cried Noah. “I did my best, but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans.

Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices. Then my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission.

I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl. I finally convinced the U.S. Forest Service that I needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won’t let me catch any owls. So, no owls.

The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union. Now I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard.

Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn’t take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the universe.

Then the Army Corps of Engineers demanded a map of the proposed new flood plan. I sent them a globe.

Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard!

The IRS has seized my assets, claiming that I’m building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes. I just got a notice from the state that I owe them some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a “recreational water craft.”

Finally, the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore, unconstitutional. I really don’t think I can finish the Ark for another 5 or 6 years!” Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began the calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully.

“You mean you are not going to destroy the earth, Lord.

“No,” said the Lord sadly. “I don’t have to. The government already has.”