August 20, 2022: Haftarah – Isaiah 49:14–51:3

This week’s Haftarah portion is Isaiah 49:14–51:3. Listen in as Dr. Jeffrey Myers discusses what it means to be "graven into the palm of Hashem's hands."

Follow along in the AUDIO PODCAST, by clicking on the play button below, and reading along with the notes, as you listen to today's Haftarah:

Lion of Judah Speaks: Haftarah Portion – Isaiah 49:14–51:3

We will focus on Isaiah 49:16, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Adonai has given us so many promises with multiple facets, when one is revealed, you unfold another, and another, almost without end. His words are like trees of the New Jerusalem which bear twelve manners of fruits, and yield their fruit every month, for the healing of the nations. These promises are not cast away; like a woman who certainly doesn’t forget her nursing child. Israel will return to their land, and accept Messiah, the Prince whom they have so long rejected. However, the seed of Abraham belongs to the elect of Yah, those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life for whom Yeshua shed His blood. Yah’s favor rests on every member of the Body who has access to the promises of Yah.

Let’s look at the above verse and the first word. “Behold”. The word “Behold” is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. It is an ancient sign, signifying that there are rich treasures within this understanding. A part of the wonder in the word “Behold” is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, “Adonai hath forsaken me, and my Yah hath forgotten me.” Yet Yah says, “How can I have forgotten thee, when I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands? How can it be? How darest thou doubt my constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon my very flesh?” Adonai keeps His promise a thousandth times, and yet when the next trial hits we doubt Him. Adonai never fails, he is never a dry well; He is never like a setting sun or a passing meteor, or a melting vapor, and yet we are filled with anxiety, suspicions, fears, as if our Yah were fickle and untrue. Yah’s promises are true, His Word is sure!

However, how can Yah be so faithful to such a faithless people, especially when He is provoked by our doubting, and yet He is true. So, where Yah sets a “Behold” you can depend upon it, you can trust Him.

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms on My hands.” Our Father is pleased to engrave us, as a memorial, upon His hands. Yeshua said, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” No one can write upon the hands of Yah but Yah Himself. Neither our merits, prayers, repentance, nor faith, can write our names there, nor by blind chance but unprompted by anything except the spontaneous and omnipotent love of His own heart, He writes the names of His people upon His hands. How dependent are we upon our Father then? “I have graven thee”, this should make us leap for joy! Adonai has done it, there is no mistake about it. This is enough to cause us to shout and dance with great adoration to our Father. He has graven us, not I will, nor yet, it is a thing of the past, they (we) are graven upon His palms from everlasting to everlasting. He is Yah, from everlasting to everlasting and He is the same, and our names are written on His hands!

However, it is more than our names, it says, “I have graven thee—you. Your image, your circumstances, sin, temptations, weakness, wants, works; He has graven us, everything about us, he sees all of us! Our Almighty knows you better than you know yourself, He knows who you are and has put it all there. We are on His palms, not just one hand but both, we are never forgotten, the right hand of blessing, and upon the left-hand of justice. Adonai’s remembrance of His people is constant. In Solomon’s Song we read, “Set me as a seal upon they hand.” Adonai’s eye is always upon us! Our remembrance of Yah is intermittent; we think of Him in the morning, we try to think of Him now, and tonight; these are only times and seasons of remembrance, but Yah, Halleluyah, never ceases to think on you. He is not confined to thinking of one thing, or working out one problem at a time. He is many-handed, many eyed Yah; He does all things, and meditates upon all things, and works all things at the same time; so, He is never called away from remembering us. No second person ever comes in to become a rival in His affection towards you. You are fast united to your Great Husband, Yeshua, and no other lover can steal His heart; but Yeshua, having chosen you, does not suffer a rival to come. You are His beloved, His Bride, the wonder of His heart and He has Himself said, “Mine eye and My heart are toward thee continually.” Every moment of every day, every day of every month, and every month of every year, Adonai continually thinks about you, if you are one of His!

You cannot, nor any person, erase what is written on Yah’s hands. “No man can pluck you out of the Father’s hands”, we are in His hands…why? Because we are graven in His hands!

Lift up your head…Yah remembers us! We are in His perfect love—fire cannot destroy us, floods cannot drown us, storms cannot destroy us—we are always before His face—we are in His hands! There is no need to worry, to fret, to be in despair…Yah cannot forget us, He never leaves us, we are always before Him. This should make us praise Him! This should turn our morning into dancing; sorrow into joy; doubt into faith. To believe is to trust, and if we confidently trust Him, just as a child trust the arms of their mother, we will find He will never fail or prove Himself untrue.

May you know Him and the sweetness of His Presence. So, no matter what you are going through, no matter what you are experiencing—He’s got the whole world in His hands, but better yet, He has graven you in the palms of His hands…he will never forget you! On this Sabbath day…don’t forget Him!

Shabbat Shalom Mishpocha

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This is the day Adonai has made so let us rejoice and be glad in it! Enjoy your holy convocation and see you at the altar!