an apostle’s farewell letter, Day of Pentecost 2018, Shavuot

“You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; 20 how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:18-35)

Paul had to say goodbye to the elders of Ephesian church because he knew he would not see them again. But he decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible. on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 20:16)

I received this above message which highlighted the Day of the Pentecost. This year it will be on 20th May (49 days after Easter). What is its significance? What is going to happen this Pentecost? Why am I led to read this passage about the Apostle Paul’s farewell speech and his hurrying to Jerusalem before that Day? Incidentally, the Jewish Shavuot 2018 will begin in the evening of Saturday, 19 May and ends in the evening of Monday, 21 May. Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) is celebrated the seventh week after Passover.

Note: This coming Pentecost is the 70th year of the birth of the present Israel nation. Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948.
“Israel signed their Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. The Declaration states that the British Mandate governing Palestine would remain in effect until midnight (May 15), and at that time the interim government of Israel would begin to rule. So the first “official” day of statehood for Israel was Saturday May 15, 1948. Mr. Camping stated this was the day of Pentecost. Pentecost day began on the evening of May 15th.” (Quoted from :http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/numbers/israel.html)

Bible verses
Deuteronomy 16:16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.

Acts 2:1 [ Coming of the Holy Spirit ] When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.

1 Corinthians 16:8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.

a new message for Yom Kippur 2016 meditation (2): according to Torah

Romans 2 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

God’s Judgment on Unrighteousness

2 Therefore you are without excuse, O man—every one of you who is judging. For by whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. ^a]”>[a] 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who practice such things is based on truth. ³ But you, O man—judging those practicing such things yet doing the same—do you suppose that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you belittle the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience—not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

⁵ But by your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. ^b]”>[b] 6 He will pay back each person according to his deeds. ^c]”>[c] 7 To those who by perseverance in doing good are seeking glory, honor, and immortality—eternal life. ⁸ But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—wrath and fury. ⁹ There will be trouble and hardship for every human soul that does evil—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁰ But there will be glory, honor, and shalom to everyone who does good—to the Jew first and also to the Greek.¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.^d]”>[d]

¹² For all who have sinned outside of Torah will also perish outside of Torah, and all who have sinned according to Torah will be judged by Torah. ¹³ For it is not the hearers of Torahwho are righteous before God; rather, it is the doers of Torah who will be justified.¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the Torah, do by nature the things of the Torah, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the Torah. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the Torah is written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts switching between accusing or defending them ¹⁶ on the day when God judges the secrets of men according to my Good News through Messiah Yeshua.

Jewish People Fall Short Too

¹⁷ But if you call yourself Jewish and rely upon the Torah and boast in God ¹⁸ and know His will and determine what matters because you are instructed from the Torah— ¹⁹ and you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰ a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Torah the embodiment of knowledge and the truth—

²¹ you then who teach another, do you not teach yourself?
You who preach not to steal, do you steal?
²² You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who detest idols, do you rob temples?
²³ You who take pride in the Torah,
through your violation of the Torah, do you dishonor God?
²⁴ For as it is written, “the name of God is slandered among the nations because of you.”^e]”>[e]

²⁵ Circumcision is indeed worthwhile if you keep the Torah; but if you break the Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ^{f]”>[f] 26} Therefore, if the uncircumcised keeps the righteous decrees of the Torah, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? ^g]”>[g]27 Indeed, the one not circumcised physically who fulfills the Torah will judge you^h]”>[h] who—even with the written code^i]”>[i] and circumcision—break the Torah.²⁸ For one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something visible in the flesh. ²⁹ Rather, the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—in Spirit not in letter. His praise is not from men, but from God.^j]”>[j]

Footnotes:

a)   Romans 2:2 cf. 2 Sam. 12:5-7; Matt. 7:1-2.

b)   Romans 2:6 cf. Deut. 32:34-35.

c)   Romans 2:7 cf. Ps. 62:12, Prov. 24:12, Matt. 16:27, 2 Cor. 5:10, Col. 3:25, 2 Tim. 4:14, 1 Pet. 1:17, Rev. 2:23.

d)   Romans 2:11 cf. Deut. 10:17.

e)   Romans 2:24 Isa. 52:5b(LXX).

f)   Romans 2:26 cf. Jer. 9:24-26.

g)   Romans 2:27 cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4.

h)   Romans 2:27 cf. Matt. 12:41-42; 19:28; Lk. 11:31; 22:30.

i)   Romans 2:27 Lit. letter.

j)   Romans 2:29 cf. Gen. 29:35; 49:8.

John 2 Tree of Life Version (TLV) Water to Wine 2 On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in the Galilee. Yeshua’s mother was there,2 and Yeshua and His disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Yeshua’s mother said to Him, “They don’t have any wine!” 4 Yeshua said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with you and Me? My hour hasn’t come yet.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone jars, used for the Jewish ritual of purification, each holding two to three measures. a]”>[a] 7 Yeshua said to them, “Fill the jars with water!” So they filled them up to the top. 8 Then He said to them, “Take some water out, and give it to the headwaiter.” And they brought it. 9 Now the headwaiter did not know where it had come from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. As the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, he calls the bridegroom 10 and says to him, “Everyone brings out the good wine first, and whenever they are drunk, then the worse. But you’ve reserved the good wine until now!” 11 Yeshua did this, the first of the signs, in Cana of the Galilee—He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. Yeshua Purges the Temple 12 After this Yeshua went down to Capernaum with His mother, brothers,b]”>[b] and disciples, and they stayed there a few days. 13 The Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple, He found the merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves; also the moneychangers sitting there. 15 Then He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and oxen. He dumped out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. 16 To those selling doves, He said, “Get these things out of here! Stop making My Father’s house a marketplace!”17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for your House will consume Me!”c]”>[c] 18 The Judean leaders responded, “What sign do You show us, since You are doing these things?” 19 “Destroy this Temple,” Yeshua answered them, “and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Judean leaders then said to Him, “Forty-six years this Temple was being built, and You will raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was talking about the temple of His body. 22 So after He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He was talking about this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Yeshua had spoken. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem for the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, seeing the signs He was doing. 24 But Yeshua did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, for He knew what was in man. Footnotes: a)   John 2:7 About 20-25 gallons; 1 measure is about 9 gallons. b)   John 2:12 Some mss. say brethren. c)   John 2:17 Ps. 69:10(9). Tree of Life Version (TLV)Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.

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