"The Anchor Holds In Spite of the Storm"
Pastor: Gaylen Jones
Sunday Service 10:30 A.M.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study and Prayer 7:00 P.M.
PO Box 1926
Clute, Texas 77531
[Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:1-13; Mathew 28:18-20; I Corinthians 10:1-33]
Pastor: Gaylen Jones
Sunday Service 10:30 A.M.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study and Prayer 7:00 P.M.
PO Box 1926
Clute, Texas 77531
[Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:1-13; Mathew 28:18-20; I Corinthians 10:1-33]
An Anchor, when properly placed, holds a marine vessel securely in one location and keeps it from drifting away from the captain’s desired position. Under the teachings of the Holy Spirit of God, what in Hebrew is called the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), the Five books of Moses serve us as an Anchor to keep us from drifting away from God's good, acceptable and perfect will for our lives.
(Romans 1:1-17; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-8; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:1-13
At the Anchor, we have come to the understanding, that the daily study of these books, along with the rest of the Scriptures, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the way God promised and systematically does place His Word (the oracles of God – see Romans 3:1) in our minds according to the covenant promise. As we go about practicing what He says for us to do, and not practicing what he says for us not to do, these same words become attached or grafted into our hearts. We discover that as we hear and practice doing what we hear [The shema of God - Mark 28:28:34, James 1:21-25), He becomes more and more pleased with what He does through us. Therefore to Him (יהוה) , LORD, YHVH, Yahveh, Jehovah be all the glory for the things He is doing.) As followers of Jesus the Christ (Hebrew – Yehshua Ha Mashiach), our desire is to regard the Law of God (the Torah) in the same way Jesus (Yeshua) did; when he was here. And learn to teach the same specific instructions that his disciples received from him. To continue to practice the same works that he taught them, until he returns. [I John 2:1-16] His disciples were commanded to go into all nations and make disciples. Jesus/Yeshua did not say go into all the nations and make Christians and build churches. Jesus/Yehshua said; "go and make Disciples, teaching them to do what so ever I have commanded you to do." (Mitzvot = "good works")
(Romans 1:1-17; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-8; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:1-13
At the Anchor, we have come to the understanding, that the daily study of these books, along with the rest of the Scriptures, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the way God promised and systematically does place His Word (the oracles of God – see Romans 3:1) in our minds according to the covenant promise. As we go about practicing what He says for us to do, and not practicing what he says for us not to do, these same words become attached or grafted into our hearts. We discover that as we hear and practice doing what we hear [The shema of God - Mark 28:28:34, James 1:21-25), He becomes more and more pleased with what He does through us. Therefore to Him (יהוה) , LORD, YHVH, Yahveh, Jehovah be all the glory for the things He is doing.) As followers of Jesus the Christ (Hebrew – Yehshua Ha Mashiach), our desire is to regard the Law of God (the Torah) in the same way Jesus (Yeshua) did; when he was here. And learn to teach the same specific instructions that his disciples received from him. To continue to practice the same works that he taught them, until he returns. [I John 2:1-16] His disciples were commanded to go into all nations and make disciples. Jesus/Yeshua did not say go into all the nations and make Christians and build churches. Jesus/Yehshua said; "go and make Disciples, teaching them to do what so ever I have commanded you to do." (Mitzvot = "good works")
|
B'reisheet (Genesis)
chayei Sarah 23:1-25:18 |
Meaning
life of Sarah |
Day One
16th day of 8th Month 5784 17 November 2024 
|
Haftara
1 Kings 1:1-31 |
B'rit Hadashah
John 4:3-14 |
1 Our Father, we receive Your Words and hide Your commandments with us; 2 we incline our ear unto wisdom, and apply our hearts to understanding; 3 We cry after knowledge and lift up our voices for understanding; 4 we seek it as silver; and search for it as for hidden treasures; 5 We declare that we shall understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Declaration of Proverbs 2:1-5
Modeh Ani (ּמודה אני)
Pronounced moe-DEH ah-NEE, this Hebrew phrase literally means "I give thanks" and refers to the prayer traditionally recited upon awaking in the morning.
Pronounced moe-DEH ah-NEE, this Hebrew phrase literally means "I give thanks" and refers to the prayer traditionally recited upon awaking in the morning.
Genesis 23:1-20 (NASB)1
1 Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 Then Abraham rose from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, 4 "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight." 5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6 "Hear us, my lord, you are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead." 7 So Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. 8 And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your wish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and approach Ephron the son of Zohar for me, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in your presence for a burial site." 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11 "No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead." 12 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13 He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there." 14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead." 16 Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard. 17 So Ephron's field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over 18 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that is in it, were deeded over to Abraham for a burial site by the sons of Heth.
This weekend I discovered just how well our wood stove functions for us. Richard realized that he forgot to clean the pipes before starting it up this season and he proceeded to do so on that sixth day of the week. A part of that pipe almost disintegrated in his hands! So, it was needed to purchase the new part the next day and he got it put together by Saturday evening. The wood stove is once again in service and is certainly working very well. I missed it! We also discovered how the new propane fueled furnace works. In the mobile that isn't a mobile here (no wheels, no tires, no tongue), the furnace is much louder than in a house. I suppose it's because they don't usually have basements under these types of housing. I can't shut the bedroom door to muffle the sound of that blower at night because the dog lays across the doorway most of the night. But now that the stove is in operation once again, we're back in the routine. Several hours of wood stove first thing in the morning and then after four in the afternoon heats this little palace just enough to keep the furnace from kicking in often!
The world is still revolving and it's comforting that there were no riots in USA because of the election. There was a lot of scuttlebutt from the opposition prior to November 5, predicting riots if Donald Trump were to be elected again as President. There was some vitriolic rhetoric from some Democrats and television personalities but they were just exposing their ignorance and very poor taste. Those late night show hosts are a bane on the landscape. The harpies on The View at midday can be as bad if not worse. Some of the sample clips I've seen make me so happy we don't have regular television! We pick up most of our 'news' from Telegram and many alternate sources because the mainstream media is not news, but merely 'propaganda' only.
There's still many folks posting on social media about the goings-on in North Carolina and East Tennessee. The body count that they report, is much higher than mainstream media are saying. They figure, as of this weekend, that as many folks died in the flood as did on September 11, 2001. There's still pockets in the mountains that still have not been accessible and the safety and or whereabouts of those people is unknown more than a month after the deluge. I feel even more sympathy because the weather has turned cold for the folks living in tents because their homes were destroyed. (And here I was annoyed because the new propane furnace is loud! I have nothing to be annoyed about!)
Israel is still cleaning out the nests of Hezbollah in Lebanon. They've had many soldiers killed in action but they keep on, keeping on. Another of the Hezbollah leaders was eliminated over the weekend. The entire country of Israel remains under attack by missiles and drones but don't you know, that the God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps and many of the hits have fallen with minimal damage and low casualties and fatalities. The defense system that operates in Israel is like none in the entire world. At the same time, it's a shame that any country on this planet must have such a system of defense. They're actually living on the same standard as London, England in the Blitz of World War 2. On a daily basis, if they hear sirens, and/or receive the text messages on their phones, they need to enter their safe rooms or the bomb shelters nearby.
As we return to the Torah of the day, we find that shortly after Isaac was brought up to the mountain as an offering, Sarah dies. Then, in the usual arrangements after death, a momentous event is hidden in history but is recorded in the Bible. Abraham must find a place to inter the body of Sarah and he buys a plot of land nearby Hebron from a local owner named Ephron, of the “sons of Heth”. These sons of “Heth” were the ancestors of the people who became known as the Hittites. They were sons of Canaan, son of Ham.
15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. Genesis 10:15-18.
There is a time of dickering over the land. The “sons of Heth” want to give the land away to Abraham, but Abraham doesn't want that. He wants to buy it outright, or not at all. This sounds like Abraham. Remember when he brought back all the hostages and booty that were retrieved from the attackers in Genesis chapter fourteen? He said he didn't want but the victuals for the men who had served with him.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. Genesis 14:22-24.
We might be pretty sure that Abraham wasn't going to take any land as a gift, otherwise the gift could sometime, in the future, surely be taken back or it be posted as “off limits” to Abraham and his descendants. As it is, even now, the graves that are there in that same 'cave of Macphelah', are marked and covered by a huge edifice, but the graves themselves have no access. Abraham bought the land so that nobody could say that they “gave it” to him. The deed that he was given is a witness that he bought it and there is no question regarding it.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth. Genesis 23:19-20.
The name given to this week’s Torah readings is “Chayei Sarah” or “the life of Sarah”. Sarah is honored as the Bible records her name, her age and her burial and yet how paradoxical that this should be so. Everything in this week’s readings occurs after her death! And yet, it is the Hebrew way to believe that in a most singular manner, after one’s death, one's memory still lives on. Those of us who have lost our own mothers or dear childhood care-givers to death would probably agree that to espouse this notion of a person “living on” is not just a Hebrew affectation. We know that in a wondrous way, even though they are no longer here in a physical sense, we feel their presence on totally different levels. Otherwise, why is it that thirty-nine years after my own mother’s death, periodically I’ll see those laughing babies in a clip on social media and think, Mom would love this one! She always loved to see babies and the expressions on their little faces. It is not difficult to believe that the family of Sarah would feel these same connections and perhaps it was not planned as a paradox, so much as an honor heaped upon Sarah because her life meant so much to her family.
The Cave of Machpelah means “double caves” and it is tradition that Adam and Eve are buried there. It is fact that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah are buried there as well. There has been a Moslem Mosque built over this site now, and Jewish worship is restricted to certain days of the year. This weekend, however, it is open to Jewish worshipers who will be reading chayei Sarah, and celebrating her life by visiting her last resting place. Sarah's memory lives on, while yet dead for all this time.
We will speculate for a long time whether the death of Sarah was actually premature. Rabbinic accounts tell us that the news of the ‘almost’ sacrifice got to her skewed and she understood that Isaac was dead. The fact that her beloved husband took the life of her son for some unknown reason may have been the catalyst of stopping her heart—precious Yitzhak (Isaac) was dead and with him the hope of all those grandbabies—why should one live if one had to carry that emotional burden? However this occurred, is rather moot. We actually have no idea how it went but the important thing to take away is that Isaac had to have been a willing participant in that offering. How could a thirty-seven year old man lay still as a human sacrifice if he wasn't willing? He wasn't a lad of twelve. He was a man. (Sarah died at 127 years and she had Isaac at 90 years of age. This makes Isaac 37 at her death. How is it that we were always 'taught' that he was “about twelve” when his father brought him for the offering? We were never actually taught the math and we've been all the worse for it! All those Sunday School lessons with the pictures of a twelve year old are not factual!) This begs the question: Of what sort of man was Isaac? Did he have the faith of his father? But his willingness meant more than we'll ever know!
The world is still revolving and it's comforting that there were no riots in USA because of the election. There was a lot of scuttlebutt from the opposition prior to November 5, predicting riots if Donald Trump were to be elected again as President. There was some vitriolic rhetoric from some Democrats and television personalities but they were just exposing their ignorance and very poor taste. Those late night show hosts are a bane on the landscape. The harpies on The View at midday can be as bad if not worse. Some of the sample clips I've seen make me so happy we don't have regular television! We pick up most of our 'news' from Telegram and many alternate sources because the mainstream media is not news, but merely 'propaganda' only.
There's still many folks posting on social media about the goings-on in North Carolina and East Tennessee. The body count that they report, is much higher than mainstream media are saying. They figure, as of this weekend, that as many folks died in the flood as did on September 11, 2001. There's still pockets in the mountains that still have not been accessible and the safety and or whereabouts of those people is unknown more than a month after the deluge. I feel even more sympathy because the weather has turned cold for the folks living in tents because their homes were destroyed. (And here I was annoyed because the new propane furnace is loud! I have nothing to be annoyed about!)
Israel is still cleaning out the nests of Hezbollah in Lebanon. They've had many soldiers killed in action but they keep on, keeping on. Another of the Hezbollah leaders was eliminated over the weekend. The entire country of Israel remains under attack by missiles and drones but don't you know, that the God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps and many of the hits have fallen with minimal damage and low casualties and fatalities. The defense system that operates in Israel is like none in the entire world. At the same time, it's a shame that any country on this planet must have such a system of defense. They're actually living on the same standard as London, England in the Blitz of World War 2. On a daily basis, if they hear sirens, and/or receive the text messages on their phones, they need to enter their safe rooms or the bomb shelters nearby.
As we return to the Torah of the day, we find that shortly after Isaac was brought up to the mountain as an offering, Sarah dies. Then, in the usual arrangements after death, a momentous event is hidden in history but is recorded in the Bible. Abraham must find a place to inter the body of Sarah and he buys a plot of land nearby Hebron from a local owner named Ephron, of the “sons of Heth”. These sons of “Heth” were the ancestors of the people who became known as the Hittites. They were sons of Canaan, son of Ham.
15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. Genesis 10:15-18.
There is a time of dickering over the land. The “sons of Heth” want to give the land away to Abraham, but Abraham doesn't want that. He wants to buy it outright, or not at all. This sounds like Abraham. Remember when he brought back all the hostages and booty that were retrieved from the attackers in Genesis chapter fourteen? He said he didn't want but the victuals for the men who had served with him.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. Genesis 14:22-24.
We might be pretty sure that Abraham wasn't going to take any land as a gift, otherwise the gift could sometime, in the future, surely be taken back or it be posted as “off limits” to Abraham and his descendants. As it is, even now, the graves that are there in that same 'cave of Macphelah', are marked and covered by a huge edifice, but the graves themselves have no access. Abraham bought the land so that nobody could say that they “gave it” to him. The deed that he was given is a witness that he bought it and there is no question regarding it.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth. Genesis 23:19-20.
The name given to this week’s Torah readings is “Chayei Sarah” or “the life of Sarah”. Sarah is honored as the Bible records her name, her age and her burial and yet how paradoxical that this should be so. Everything in this week’s readings occurs after her death! And yet, it is the Hebrew way to believe that in a most singular manner, after one’s death, one's memory still lives on. Those of us who have lost our own mothers or dear childhood care-givers to death would probably agree that to espouse this notion of a person “living on” is not just a Hebrew affectation. We know that in a wondrous way, even though they are no longer here in a physical sense, we feel their presence on totally different levels. Otherwise, why is it that thirty-nine years after my own mother’s death, periodically I’ll see those laughing babies in a clip on social media and think, Mom would love this one! She always loved to see babies and the expressions on their little faces. It is not difficult to believe that the family of Sarah would feel these same connections and perhaps it was not planned as a paradox, so much as an honor heaped upon Sarah because her life meant so much to her family.
The Cave of Machpelah means “double caves” and it is tradition that Adam and Eve are buried there. It is fact that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah are buried there as well. There has been a Moslem Mosque built over this site now, and Jewish worship is restricted to certain days of the year. This weekend, however, it is open to Jewish worshipers who will be reading chayei Sarah, and celebrating her life by visiting her last resting place. Sarah's memory lives on, while yet dead for all this time.
We will speculate for a long time whether the death of Sarah was actually premature. Rabbinic accounts tell us that the news of the ‘almost’ sacrifice got to her skewed and she understood that Isaac was dead. The fact that her beloved husband took the life of her son for some unknown reason may have been the catalyst of stopping her heart—precious Yitzhak (Isaac) was dead and with him the hope of all those grandbabies—why should one live if one had to carry that emotional burden? However this occurred, is rather moot. We actually have no idea how it went but the important thing to take away is that Isaac had to have been a willing participant in that offering. How could a thirty-seven year old man lay still as a human sacrifice if he wasn't willing? He wasn't a lad of twelve. He was a man. (Sarah died at 127 years and she had Isaac at 90 years of age. This makes Isaac 37 at her death. How is it that we were always 'taught' that he was “about twelve” when his father brought him for the offering? We were never actually taught the math and we've been all the worse for it! All those Sunday School lessons with the pictures of a twelve year old are not factual!) This begs the question: Of what sort of man was Isaac? Did he have the faith of his father? But his willingness meant more than we'll ever know!
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-18.
1 NASB www.lockman.org for daily reading and KJV in commentary unless otherwise stated.
Tombs of the Patriarchs « See The Holy Land
Tombs of the Patriarchs « See The Holy Land
Daily Torah Bites ©
anne@anchorchurchsurfside.com
Ten Commandments
1
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
6
13 Thou shalt not kill.
7
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8
15 Thou shalt not steal.
9
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10
16 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.