We must be trained to receive the Word of God. It’s a lifetime endeavor and not one for the faint-hearted. The ground of our thinking must be tilled, the fallow ground turned over and exposed to the elements, and weeds must be removed. We must learn to understand the Word, trust the Word, and then use the Word until it becomes our daily sustenance–that from which we take our nourishment to live, to thrive–what we need to survive. We must pursue the Word of God until we pant for it as the deer pants for the water brook.
Then and only then can we increase in comprehension and retention. Only then can we live as though it were (because it is) the Words of the One True and Living God who desires relationship with us. The study of God’s Word requires a submitted heart and mind to flourish under its instruction as God intended.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Midrash, according to Dictionary.com is “an early Jewish interpretation of or commentary on a Biblical text, clarifying or expounding a point of law or developing or illustrating a moral principle.” It can be understood as an intensification of Torah and the prophets.
If we examine the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus), we can see that Yeshua did not cancel or nullify the law by His teaching, rather He intensified Torah by His midrashic interpretation. For an example, we can look to Matthew 5:21-22 where Yeshua says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” We see Yeshua is taking the Torah (Exodus 20:13) and making application with intensification. Other examples can be found in Matthew 5:27, 33, 38 and 43.
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) where Yeshua ministered.
Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God’s upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua. Philippians 3:13-14 CJB
I love that he calls them brothers. Despite having just finished giving his credentials in Judaism to them, he reflects his renewed priorities in Messiah Yeshua. He doesn’t think of them as talmadim (disciples) as a Rabbi would, but rather he calls them (us) brothers–suggesting an equality unheard of in his culture and religious system prior to his meeting Yeshua the Messiah on the road to Damascus.
He gives us three things in this short passage that are worthy of comment and meditation:
Forgetting what is behind me In making this statement, Paul is telling us that his past is no longer going to be in the center of his thoughts and focus. This is important to think on for a moment. Our past grows in size and importance often as we age. It can loom as a great disappointment–failed relationships, failure in career, failure in faith and pleasing God. It can also loom large a great point of success as it did with Paul. He lists in Philippians 3:5-6, his claims to religious fame–these are things of considerable importance in Jewish culture. We may also have great accomplishments in career, academia or even in religious circles. What Paul is saying is to work on forgetting those things, both good and bad, and move forward with God. It is true that our past forms us, it carves us and imprints on us–but Paul is letting us know that it is not the end of the story in our relationship with God. He is telling us to work to forget what came before and who we were before we met the Messiah and live with God in the now by the power of the Spirit. (Galatians 2:20)
Straining forward toward what lies ahead The verb “straining” is a strong action verb. It suggests intentionality and going beyond oneself, going beyond one’s current location. We are not to be pew-sitters or Youtube watchers only, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling–get out of our chairs, get out of our houses, get out of our normal routine, seek the kingdom of God. To strain for what lies ahead means to be longing for God’s coming kingdom as well as for opportunities to share the love God, the beauty of His majesty, the comfort of His close presence. Straining implies I am making an effort to see God’s kingdom come. Life with Adonai is not a spectator sport.
Keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize To keep pursuing requires steadfastness, determination and diligence. We must decide to follow Yeshua as the example of righteous living. We must continue steadfastly and with determination in Adonai’s commands, and we must use diligence to follow the dictates of Torah–the instructions for righteous living.
What is the goal? The goal is to live righteous lives as true witnesses of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–Adonai. The goal is to keep Torah by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must be the witnesses that God’s word is true and that His ways are pure and holy. This life of righteousness will impact the world around us–it will show us to be different. It will cause us to stand out, which is exactly what it was intended to do. “Be holy as I am holy,” says the Lord God Almighty.
What is the prize? Eternal life with God. To rule and reign with Yeshua. To be forever in the presence of Adonai–never separated from Him. Eternally His.
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Read Micah Chapter 7 1. What is God lamenting in Micah 7:1-4?
2. What warnings are given in Micah 7:5-6?
3. Copy Micah 7:7 here. Mediate on this. Record your thoughts and impressions.
4. What does the prophet say of the Lord in Micah 7:8?
5. What do you learn of God from Micah 7:9?
6. What is the prophecy given in Micah 7:11-13?
7. What is promised to Israel in Micah 7:14-20?
8. Copy Micah 7:18-20 here. Meditate on this. Record your thoughts and impressions.
9. What application can you make from the Book of Micah?
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Read Micah Chapter 6 1. What is the Lord testifying about Israel in Micah 6:1-5?
2. What does God say He did for Israel in Micah 6:4?
3. Review Numbers chapter 22. Who were Balak and Balaam? How did they figure into the history of Israel?
4. Copy Micah 6:8 here. Mediate on this. Record your thoughts and impressions.
5. What accusation(s) does God make against Israel in Micah 6:9-12?
6. What does God promise in Micah 6:13-16?
7. Who is Omri?
8. What were the works of Ahab’s house?
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Read Micah Chapter 5 1. Copy Micah 5:2. Meditate on this. Record your thoughts and impressions.
2. Read Matthew 2:1-12. How does this prophecy of Micah relate to the New Testament passage in Matthew. Why is it important?
3. Why would God have had Messiah to come to Bethlehem?
4. What do you learn of Messiah from Micah 5:3-5?
5. What prophecy is given against Assyria in Micah 5:5-6?
6. What does God say of the remnant of Jacob in Micah 5:7-9?
7. What does God promise in Micah 5:10-15?
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Read Micah Chapter 4 1. What prophecy is given in Micah 4:1 regarding God’s house?
2 Who will come according to Micah 4:2?
3. From where will the law go out?
4. Copy Micah 4:3. Meditate on this. Record your thoughts and impressions.
5. What will happen according to Micah 4:4-5?
6. What does God promise in Micah 4:6-8?
7. Where must the people go according to Micah 4:9-10?
8. What promise does God make at the end of Micah 4:10?
9. What is to happen to the nations who gathered against God’s people according to Micah 4:11-13?
It is our desire to help you grow in your knowledge of Adonai and His Word. If you are looking for additional information and/or materials, please visit our website at RootedinHisWord.org and our Facebook page.
Rooted and Grounded 