March 25, 2023: Haftorah - Isaiah 43:21-44:23
This week's Haftorah reading is from Isaiah 43:21-44:23. Join Dr. Jeffery Myers as he clarifies ELOHIM'S ultimate desire since the beginning of time; A people to walk in fellowship with, and who are willing to show forth His praise upon the earth!
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 Haftorah:
Lion of Judah Speaks: Haftorah Portion – Isaiah 43:21-44:23
This haftorah begins with Isaiah 43:21 that says, “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise.” This is something Elohim has always desired from the beginning of time, a people to walk and fellowship with, and show forth His praise. Elohim desired a people that was called out, separated unto Him, not unto sin. What is sad with Israel and all mankind is that no matter how blessed we are or what our Abba has given to us we are still lured away by the trappings of this world. The seasonal pleasures of sin calls to us, enticing us with its temporary sensual gratifications. So, we drift far away from our Creator! Yes, Elohim is willing to blot out those sins and forgive us of our transgressions. He wants to release us so we might return unto Him. Elohim is all about forgiveness, restoration, and empowerment to walk in His ways. We have been formed by Him and His desire according to Isaiah’s prophecy is to pour water on those who are thirsty and flood the dry ground that they may prosper. He prophesied that Elohim would pour His Ruach upon their seed and bless their offspring.
The Israelites have hidden themselves through their disobedience from the presence of Elohim. However, in His loving mercy and grace He wants them to return. This is all He wants from any of us…just return like the prodigal son and He will celebrate and receive you back as a son/daughter. Elohim doesn’t want you to remain thirsty…His Ruach desires to cover your sins, to wipe them away and pour Himself into you. He desires to invest in you by giving you His Ruach.
Elohim tells us who He is…the first and last, the revealed and the concealed. His desire is for our eyes to be opened, the blinders to be removed, the scales to fall off and for our hearing to be restored. He desires that we see and hear the knowledge of His teachings, to embrace His Torah, His ways, and to walk among them—as He did with Adam and Eve before their fall.
How can this happen? What must we do to allow Elohim to restore us? What is our responsibility? The stipulation of our redemption is to acknowledge and see our sins. In order to receive a Savior, we must acknowledge we need one. We must awaken to who we are without our Creator. For some reason, we are like the idols we worship; blind, deaf, and dumb! The very truth of Torah, of who Elohim is… is concealed. Concealed by our own desires, wants, and lusts. Isaiah 44:18-23 says, “They have not known nor understood: for He hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considered in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand? Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens; for Adonai hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for Adonai hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.”
Elohim will call Israel’s people out of their darkness and concealment into His light of His redemptive grace and presence. It is the same for us who are driven by our own darkness. Elohim can take our burden of sins and overwhelm those sins with grace. “Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more” Romans 5:20-21 proclaims. We don’t have to be a good person to come to Yeshua…none of us are good! We don’t come to Him with our righteousness, instead we come to Him with our sinfulness. Elohim promises to wipe out those sins because of His own righteousness and goodness, because of His Son Yeshua’s supreme sacrifice, and if we receive Him as savior.
Where are you in your relationship with Adonai? Is Adonai a burden to you? Does giving Him honor weary you? Elohim tells us we are missing out on something if that is the case. We are not seeing what Elohim wants us to see if we see Adonai as a burden. We have not experienced Elohim! We have experienced religion. We have experienced ritual only. We have experienced duty. But we have not experienced Adonai! When we experience Elohim, then we will want to be owned by Adonai. We will see Adonai as our Master and we will let our lives by marked by His name. We will identify ourselves with Yah’s people and worship together with them, honoring Adonai in our words and actions. When we experience Adonai there will be a radical life change! We will want to change. We will not look at the Torah of Adonai as a burden. We desire the transformation because of the grace of Elohim that we have experienced. This is the pouring out of the Ruach as our hearts are transformed by Elohim’s work of grace as we apply His Torah to our lives!
What will be the result? The result will be seen in our lives as Elohim takes our broken, damaged lives and plants us by the streams of Living Water with strength and renewal. Let me ask these questions: How different is your life now that you have experienced the grace of Elohim? How has Elohim changed your life since you have Yeshua HaMashiach as your Master? Do not stop experiencing grace! This is not a one-time act, or moment in time, never to be experienced again. Israel continually experienced the grace and mercy of Elohim every time they wandered away…and they wandered away many times like we do. The grace of Elohim changes us every day to be honoring Elohim and not ourselves. As I close, listen to how Paul explained this very picture: “For the grace of Elohim has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great Yah and Savior Yeshua HaMashiach, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all torahlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
Shabbat Shalom Mishpocha,
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Run your race in spirit and in truth! Follow the Master’s footsteps and allow the dust of His feet to cover you. Have a sweet and blessed Sabbath. Let His Ruach inhabit you on this appointed day! See you at the altar!
Shalom Aleichem