The chosen, the called and the desperate

Shabbat, 5 Iyar 5785 / May 3, 2025

Saturday Scriptures

Tazria (She Conceives) / Metzora (Infected One)

Torah: Parshat Tazria-Metzora, 7th Portion (Vayikra (Leviticus) 15:16-15:33)

Haftarah M’tzora: M’lakhim Bet (2 Kings) 7:3–20
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah M’tzora: Mattityahu (Matthew) 9:20–26; Mark 5:24b–34; Luke 8:42b– 48; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 13:4

WWCF Readings:

1 Chronicles 28-29; 2 Chronicles 1

Bible in A Year

Joshua 23-24; John 3:22-36; Psalm 55:12-23

Observation

In the Torah Study (Study of the Law) Leviticus records specific commands and rules for the clean and unclean groups of food, people and situations. Lepers are unclean and so is anyone who have specimen emissions from or any bodily discharge, male or female, are considered unclean, so female women are unclean during their period and after giving birth, they are not to enter the Camp of Israel for the specific number of days that they are still in their "unclean" period.

In the story of 1 Chronicles 28-29 and 2 Chronicles 1, I read about the life of Solomon and how he was chosen by GOD to be the next ruling King over GOD's people Israel and that as a boy, he had no choice but to heed to the calling of his life. His father David raised him to be the next King, charging him with everything GOD wants done in his life and Kingdom era. His era will be a time of peace and not of war he is the one to build a Temple for the LORD GOD of Israel. At the beginning of Solomon's life, he pleased GOD as he began to reign as King because he asked GOD to give him wisdom and in a dream GOD responded to his request by giving him that and even more. However, because of the pleasures and luxuries in life, Solomon didn't finish well because he probably was too relaxed and this made him complaisant not only in his way of living but in his faithfulness to GOD who called him, he totally forgot about GOD and his heart went astray to serve other gods because of his many wives. Some people can be lucky to have been born into a well to do family or to have started well in life, but many are not born into silver spoons, or even in a good family, however how we live and follow through to be able to finish well in our lives matters most to GOD than how we started. 

In the books of the Gospel, the story highlights of a woman who has been unclean because she had been bleeding for 12 years of her life. In the olden times, the lepers and sickly people considered unclean could not enter the presence of GOD and therefore they were banned from entering the Camp where the Israelites lived, they were to live outside the norm, and so they were the outcasts of the past. 

Comparing these two different and separate lives, Solomon and that of the unnamed woman who had bled for 12 years, who do you think pleased GOD more?

I would say it was the woman! For she moved and touched the heart of GOD even though she really had a bad start in her life, but Solomon though he started so well in life and with GOD, he wasn't able to finish strong. What irony do the stories go and end. That those who are chosen end up falling from grace. Those who are needy end up being chosen because they are left with no choice but to chase  GOD because they need HIM. But GOD is calling everyone in this world to be right with HIM. 

Call to Action: 

So this is my encouragement, to the lost, to the broken, to those fighting to have peace, struggling to live another day because of pain, because of depression, trying to make sense of everything and trying to make things right within themselves and with GOD: I dare you... to run after JESUS!!! YOUR desperate cry for GOD will move His heart to turn around and find you and HE will be everything that YOU ever need. HE will be your peace, your reason, your hope, your joy, your everything. HE wants to be your GOD and HE wants to be our everything, because it is through HIM, for HIM and by HIM that all things were made, and so at the end of our lives, we always come back to HIM. If your life ended today, will you be able to have conficence to face GOD? Or shy away knowing you have fallen from where you used to stand? As long as we are in the world, we are fighting many battles, and losing is not an option because GOD has called us to be more than conquerors. If you feel that you are at a losing end today, it's okay. It is in these painful realizations that GOD is calling and wooing you to come back to HIM! Don't let another day pass without seeking HIS face.

Scripture reference: Colossians 1:15-17

The Wonderful Ways of GOD - March 3, 2014

Scripture: Deuteronomy 23-25
3 No Ammonites or Moabites, or any of their descendants for ten generations, can become part of Israel, the Lord’s people. 4 This is because when you came out of Egypt, they refused to provide you with food and water. And besides, they hired Balaam[b] to put a curse on you. 5 But the Lord your God loves you, so he refused to listen to Balaam and turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing. 6 Don’t even think of signing a peace treaty with Moab or Ammon.
7 But Edomites are your relatives, and you lived as foreigners in the country of Egypt. Now you must be kind to Edomites and Egyptians 8 and let their great-grandchildren become part of Israel, the Lord’s people. - Deuteronomy 23
17 Make sure that orphans and foreigners are treated fairly. And if you lend money to a widow and want to keep something of hers to guarantee that she will pay you back, don’t take any of her clothes.
19 If you forget to bring in a stack of harvested grain, don’t go back in the field to get it. Leave it for the poor, including foreigners, orphans, and widows, and the Lord will make you successful in everything you do. - Deuteronomy -24

Message: 

The wonderful ways of GOD is just and merciful at the same time. He remembers the acts of other Nations towards His chosen people and commands His people what to do with these Nations according to His judgement. GOD is merciful to the poor and needy, HE makes sure that they are taken cared of.

Observation/Promise:

GOD is just in all His ways. He is all knowing and perfect. He knows how to take care of His people and He instructs them how to deal with their enemies and friends. When you are a child of GOD, you will never be left unaware of certain situations and not knowing what to do if you continually heed the voice of GOD everyday in your life because He always has something to tell you and His instructions for you are not just for your good, it's for the best for you and for everyone affecting you! GOD is such a merciful GOD, compassionate to the poor and needy. He instructs His people to look after them in many simple ways. When harvesting leave a little behind for the poor. GOD is teaching us to be givers so that we do not become greedy and seek gain only for ourselves. If we obey the LORD, He will surely make us successful in everything that we do.

Application/Command:

Do not let your enemies become part of you. There are certain people that GOD is willing to forgive easily like the Edomites and the Egyptians. He is willing to let them be part of His people. But there are certain people whose hearts are calloused and defiled, these are the Ammonites and Moabites. So hard are the hearts of these people, He has instructed Israel never to have to do anything with them at all. Know who these people are in your life and be sure to follow GOD's instructions according to HIS commands for this will surely keep you safe and at peace. 

Treat the orphans and widows fairly. Be kind to them. Leave something of your harvests or income to the poor. GOD has not only commanded us to give our tithe to the LORD but HE has also commanded us to leave something for the poor. Teaching us to be kind and compassionate just as HE is.