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Parsha Page
Torah, Genesis 5:1 - 6:8
This is the record of Adam’s line. – When God created man, He made him in the
likeness of God; male and female He created them. And when they were created, He
blessed them and called them Man. – When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot a
son in his likeness after his image, and he named him Seth. After the birth of
Seth, Adam lived 800 years and begot sons and daughters. All the days that Adam
lived came to 930 years; then he died.
Chapter 5 outlines the genealogy of the descendants of Adam and Eve through
Noah, Shem, Ham and Japtheh. There were 10 generations from Adam to Noah, with
many of the names sounding much like the genealogy listed in Genesis 4:17-26.
All of the surviving remnants of men on the earth were to be from the line of
Seth, with all of the descendants of Cain being destroyed. The seventh in line
from Seth is Enoch, who lives 365 years. We are told in verse 24 that “Enoch
walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him.” Rashi interprets this
to mean that God saw Enoch as righteous, yet he could be turned to evil. To
prevent him from doing evil, God caused him to die prematurely. It is possible,
but not stated, that, like Elijah, Enoch did not experience an earthly death.
Noah did not have children until he was 500 years old, even though the men of
the prior generations had children as youngsters, ranging from 70 to 180 years
old. This late fatherhood may have been so the children were young enough to not
be judged for evil deeds when the flood came. The sons are listed as Shem, Ham,
and Japheth. Japheth is the oldest, so he would normally be listed first.
However, Shem is first to indicate his position as the one from whom Avraham
will descend.
Chapter 6 begins with statements that are difficult to understand, describing
divine beings (perhaps malakhim (angels)) or others in authority from Adonoi,
having children with women. This creates the race of Nephilim, giants and great
warriors of old. Then we see the people become increasingly evil. In verse 7 we hear Adonoi say, "I will
blot out from the earth the men whom I created – men together with beasts,
creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.”
But always, God has a plan for redemption.
We read the beginning of that plan in verse 8 "But Noah found favor with the
Lord.” Qeriath, Isaiah 29:18-24
Yeshiyahu is giving three poems that all describe why Jerusalem deserves
punishment, but actually predict salvation. The people were acting proudly, as
if they could hide their plans from Adonoi. The humble amongst them will not be
disciplined directly, but the tyrants will be punished and wiped out. During
this punishment, the righteous also suffer along with the evil ones, through
military attack, siege and exile. But as always, the reading ends in words of
comfort, showing Jacob and his children redeemed by God and praising His Name. Da'ath, Romans 1:18-32
Rav Shaul is writing to the Messianic Jews in Rome concerning the Good News, the
Gospel of Yeshua that is given to us by the grace of Adonoi. He does not want
anyone to be ignorant of the whole truth that has been given through Yeshua. The
wrath of HaShem will be shown to all who turn from Him, because the truth that
Adonai is our Creator and Sustainer has been revealed through His creation.
Those who reject this truth are unwise, and are guilty of idolatry as they
worship the creation rather than the Creator. This also leads to unlceaness and
sin through the lustful desires of their hearts. They know these guilty
pleasures make them worthy of death, but they continue to perform many sinful
acts, which will cause God to give them up to their vile afflictions. Igarath, Hebrews 3:1-11
The writer of Hebrews begins this chapter reminding us of the
faithfulness of Yeshua, which is greater than the faithfulness even of Moshe,
which results in more glory to Yeshua. Then follows an admonition by the Ruach
HaKodesh, to not harden our hearts as Isra'el did when they continually put God
to the test, and remained in the wilderness forty years. Who was it that Adonai
did not allow to enter His rest, the Promised Land? Those who did not trust Him, whose heart had been deceived by
sin. They could not enter because
of their lack of trust. We are all commanded to continually exhort one another,
so none of us will harden our hearts through the deceit of sin. Those of us who have heard the Gospel, and receive it with trust are those that enter God's rest. In chapter 4 verse 4 the writer quotes Genesis 2:2 "And God rested on the seventh day from all Hi |
Shalom