There's only ONE Moses

Moses views the land from Mount Nebo.

One of the saddest pictures in the Torah is that of Moses coming to the border of Israel, at the edge of the wilderness, and then dying. Although he was specifically selected by God for the task of leading the people out of slavery in Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey, Moses was not allowed to complete his mission because of his sin. His forty year journey would end in the wilderness at Shittim, in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, just opposite Jericho.

In our parashah this week Adonai tells Moses to go up on a mountain and view the land. After he sees it, he would die. Before he ascends the mountain Moses is moved, once again, to intercede for the people. This time he prays that Adonai would not leave the people leaderless, or shepherd-less. Moses loved the flock in his care. Adonai then appoints Joshua, the son of Nun, as Moses' successor. It's not a surprise that Joshua replaced Moses; but, although he would now lead the people, Joshua's role would not be identical to Moses'.

The Torah tells us that Adonai only spoke with Moses face-to-face (Ex 33:11, Nu 12:6-8). Nobody else had this privilege. In fact, before the ordinances regarding the Kohen Gadol were in place, and possibly even afterward, Moses would enter into the Holy of Holies to speak with Adonai who would meet with him from above the mercy seat (Ex 25:22). Remember, only the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on Yom Kippur, to atone for the sins of the nation. But Moses had special access to Adonai that nobody else did, not even his successor, Joshua. Regarding Joshua, the parashah says, "...he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD." (Nu 27:21) In other words, Joshua would hear from God through Eleazar, the High Priest. Joshua would be a mediator between the High Priest and the people. He would convey to the people the words from Adonai that were given through the High Priest. Although Joshua was called a prophet, he was not the Prophet (Du 18:15-18) that would come after Moses. While Joshua was a great leader, he was not equal to Moses. Joshua's main task was to see that the mission of Moses came to fruition. This is why he is exhorted to "be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded..." (Jos 1:6-9) Joshua did not add to the Torah, he followed it.

Last night as we read this passage as a family, my children already knew that Joshua was not like Moses. I was amazed at their understanding of this fact because this is not something that we've talked about before; not in our devotional time anyway. But they understood that only Moses spoke with Adonai face-to-face because only he had a special relationship with Him. Nobody had a relationship with Adonai like Moses did.

It is important to understand that Moses had a unique role in Israel's history. He was not given a specific title and/or responsibilities like Aaron, his brother the High Priest; nor was his job established as a perpetual postion. Aaron's job, on the other hand, was a position that was supposed to continue, from generation to generation, through his sons (Ex 40:12-15). Although Moses' role was not ongoing, his mission needed to be completed, hence the appointment of Joshua. Here's another important fact—since Moses and the High Priest were the only two men who could come into the presence of Almighty God in the Holy of Holies, both Moses and the position of the High Priest were types of the Messiah-to-come, Yeshua. Knowing this, it is safe for us to establish the following two points:

1. Moses, the prophet, is a type of the Prophet, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jn 6:14; Ac 3:22-23).
2. The role of the High Priest is a type of the High Priest, Yeshua HaMashiach (Heb 5:1-10).

Today, we do not have a leader like Moses and our High Priest is currently serving in the heavenly tabernacle (Heb 8:1-6). Nevertheless, it is the practice of some congregations to base their hierarchical structure of church government after the Levitical priesthood (Nu 18:1-7) or the shoftim, the judges of the cities in Israel (Du 16:18), with the Senior Pastor serving in the role of the High Priest or Moses. But remember, Moses and the High Priest were types of Yeshua, so equating the modern day position of the Senior Pastor with that of Moses and/or the High Priest would be a dangerous and potentially heretical and blasphemous stance. To equate the Senior Pastor to the shoftim is not as bad, it's just not accurate. The reason is that Torah is not the law of the land today, here in the US or in Israel; and Senior Pastor does not have the same authority in a persons life that a judge did in Biblical times. Be careful if they tell you that they do.

It has been my experience that churches that lean toward a Levitical priesthood or shoftim model of church government (also known as the Jethro model or Moses' ecclesiastical government) are authoritarian in nature and therefore, heavy-handed in their leadership style. This results in the abuse of authority over the laity, time and time again. This stance is not the position of Messianic scholars but rather the position of fringe Torah teachers.

The Biblical model for the government of Israel was for the nation in the land with a functioning Temple and priesthood. This model was never intended to be used in small church communities outside of Israel under foreign governments. Sure we may see some parallels between the Levitical priests and the church leadership and we may see some parallels between the common Israelite people and the church members; but these are only parallels; similarities. We may also find wisdom in Jethro's model of delegation for Moses because it makes sense; it's the inspired Word of God. But we need to remember, there's only one Moses and the Senior Pastor is not functioning in his role.

We are not in Israel with a functioning Temple and Levitical priesthood. We are in the Diaspora, without a Temple and without a Levitical priesthood. So how should we govern our churches? In some of Paul's epistles we can find his God-inspired, Torah-based instructions on church government that he gave to the churches in the Diaspora. If you already have a knowledge of Torah, this would be a good place to start. For a clear explanation of how to run and establish a Messianic congregation, I recommend the TorahResource course "I Will Build My Ekklesia" – An Introduction to Ecclesiology. In this important teaching, Tim Hegg explains the necessity of a plurality of leaders (elders) which was the foundation of the governmental structure in the early church.

Related Articles:

Elders, be an Example to the Flock
Set Your Heart, June 9, 2011

Who owns your Church?
Set Your Heart, July 8, 2010

"I Will Build My Ekklesia" – An Introduction to Ecclesiology
By Tim Hegg, TorahResource.com

Bet Din
By Jacqueline Shields, The Jewish Virtual Library

Synagogues, Shuls and Temples
Judaism 101



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TV Commercials without the TV

The current in-store advertisements at Walmart.

One of the reasons we stopped watching television eleven years ago was because of the commercials. Although my career, at the time, was in the advertising industry, I didn't like being bombarded with televised junk mail. Don't get me wrong, I like good commercials. I like the creative process and the thinking behind the concepts. That kind of stuff motivates me. I just didn't want it consuming a large portion of my time. I wanted less distractions in my life. One of the benefits we found in moving to Colorado was the small number of billboards on the side of the highway. Less distractions—I like it. But while I was at the store this past weekend, I realized that television commercials don't need television anymore. Commercials are now played on dedicated flatscreens that are strategically placed throughout the store. Great. Now we've got our own personal i-billboards to distract us.

Blade Runner, 1982 (Ridley Scott)
The strange Japanese advertisement on the side of a building
and later seen on the side of a blimp.

Although these in-store video advertisements have been around for a few of years now, I'm still not used to them. I usually ignore them and walk past as if they are not even there. I'd feel weird standing there watching a commercial. Wouldn't you? Actually, when I first saw one of these commercial screens, I was reminded of the commercial on the giant screen on the side of the skyscraper in the movie Blade Runner. Remember the geisha lady taking a pill and smiling into the camera? Check out the clip below. Bizarre stuff, eh? Anyway, this was one of the production details that made this futuristic world believable. The story was set in Los Angeles 2019; which is only seven years away! Although the movie was made back in 1982, the execution still holds up today. The Blade Runner screenplay was an adaption of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), by Philip K. Dick (1928-1982). If you don't know much about Philip Dick and you like sci-fi, you should check him out and check out the other films based on his works.

Eight of Philip Dick's novels or stories were made into movies. The most recent is The Adjustment Bureau (2011). Another one of Dick's story-turned-movie, Total Recall (1990), won an Academy Award for special effects. If you were to watch this movie now, the effects would seem hokey; but back in the day, they were cutting edge—I promise. Actually, a remake of Total Recall is coming out this August. I'm hoping to go see it.

Minority Report, 2002 (Steven Spielberg)
The personalized, retinal-scan powered advertisements
that seem to be all over the city.

Minority Report (2002) was a popular Philip Dick story/movie that incorporated advertising in the plot. The story is set in Washington DC, 2054, where retinal scanning technology is used by the government to monitor the population. The media also uses this technology to deliver personalized advertisements. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is a cop on the run. In the clip below, he realizes that he cannot hide in the city because of all the retinal scanners that are mounted everywhere. Big brother is watching his every move.

Anderton is trying to solve a murder mystery while simultaneously evading the police; but in order to move about the city undetected, he has to undergo an eye transplant. He needs new retinas which will provide him a new identity. In the clip below, he enters a Gap store where he learns his new identity.

Mr. Yakamoto, that's hilarious! Get it, he's not Japanese! Anyway, Minority Report is set in 2054, that's thirty-five years away. Do you think we will have this kind of technology in 2054? I mean, right now our computers let folks know what city we are in, websites track our purchases and offer suggestions the next time we visit. Our phones tell everyone where we've been and where we're at; and these are only a few of the basic tasks that simple computers can do today. Technology seems to be advancing at a faster and faster rate which effects all areas of our lives, even advertising.

It's hard to imagine that this story was first published in 1956. I know the screenwriters adapted the story to make it relevant for today; but I also know the advertising of today is much more distracting than the advertising of the 50's. It's probably true that the advertising of the future will be much more distracting than it is today. So I guess the impersonal flatscreens aren't that bad after all. I guess I can tolerate them or at least continue to ignore them. But once they start interacting with me on a personal level, I'm going to look into getting eye transplant insurance.

Related Links:

In-Store TV Still Fighting for Respect -- and Marketing Dollars
Ad Age, 2010

Does 'Minority Report' Portray a Scary Future?
ClickZ, 2002

The Philip K. Dick Website

Total Recall, 2012
Release date - August 3, 2012



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A Cure for Cabin Fever

Miryam (7), Isaac (9), and Aaron (5) exert a little energy.

I had to get these three out of the house this morning in an attempt to cure their cabin fever. They've been cooped up for about a week and needed to exert a little energy. Aaron's been wanting to show us, for the past year, that he knows how to get to the church on foot, so we thought we'd give him a shot. For a five year old kid, he's got a pretty good sense of direction. Here are some shots of our walk to the church and then back home again. Click on the photos for a larger view.

First stop, the bunch of trees down the street.
It's a great place for photos in the fall. We're a bit late.

This is a great open space to watch the sun set.
It's up on a hill; great view of the mountains.

From the top of this hill you can see downtown Denver.
Look right over Isaacs left shoulder,
you can barely make out the Denver skyline.

Here we are at the church. This is where our congregation meets.
Good job Aaron!

We took the long way home
and swung by the new 80th Street bridge.

There were some shoes in the creek.
The kids got a kick out of it.

Last stop, Mr. Mike's house to check out his bike.

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Hurt People Hurt People

Comic Book and Movie Villains are nothing more than bullies.
In The Incredibles (2004), little Buddy Pine grows up to become
the malevolent villain, Syndrome.

As part of my son's Gracie Jiu-Jitsu training, the coach will put the students in imaginary but 'real world' confrontations and then teach them how to protect themselves and get out of the situation. The common scenario he puts them in is the schoolyard bully who is trying take their lunch money by force. It's an old cliché but it's an all too real situation that children still encounter today. In the news more and more stories of bullied children are being told. Some of these children have been bullied to the point of suicide. Because of these horrific instances, anti-bullying laws are now being pushed to protect the vulnerable.

But bullying isn't only found on the playground or in grade schools. Many child bullies grow up to become adult bullies; and adult bullies can be more intimidating and more threatening than their younger counterparts. Adult bullies can be found in the workplace, in social clubs, in the neighborhood and even in the church. So, why do bullies bully?

The cute little orphan, Goob, grows up to become the menacing
Bowler Hat Guy in Disney's Meet the Robinsons (2007)

After years of reading comic books and watching movies, it has become clear to me that villains are usually nothing more than big bullies. Some villains are thieves and some are monsters but usually, they're just bullies. Villains are usually out for revenge. They want to make the people who hurt them in the past, pay and pay dearly. Their broken past and the injustices they faced, usually as a child, are the catalysts that made them a villain. In fact, Tip #2 of the Seven Tips on Creating a Fantastic Fantasy Villain, found on the Fantasy Faction website, touches on this.

To create a Lovable Villain you need to make them characters with whom readers can relate. There are ways of doing this that will help our readers empathise with the most miserable antagonist. Villains can own their own set of injustices. If they feel they are ‘hard done by’, by society, life or circumstance, they not only have an understandable reason for maladjusted behaviour, but they will have enough logic for their actions to allow the reader to have some sympathy towards their plight. From a single human frailty, such as fear, jealousy, or loneliness your villain can still generate evil but they will also have at least one character trait for a reader to relate to. Child abuse, neglect, ridicule in their early life could well influence a villain’s lack of self esteem and arouse a sense of sympathy from the reader.

To make them seem 'real' to their audience, authors and screen writers will give their villains a history that is believable; something people can relate to. Two recent, animated villains with a troubling past come to mind, Syndrome (The Incredibles, 2004) and the Bowler Hat Guy (Meet the Robinsons, 2007). In the movie clip below, Syndrome reveals the childhood rejection that made him a bitter villain.

In the next clip, the Bowler Hat Guy goes back in time and runs into himself as a child. Jump ahead to 2:06 or just watch the whole video.

These are a couple of fun, fictitious examples of how villains are made, but I think there may be some truth to them. I'm no expert on this subject but I have noticed that some people who come from broken backgrounds do end up as bullies; not all, but some. I know because I've experienced a few of these people in my life. Although I grew up in a rough neighborhood, I had a pleasant childhood. I didn't have any traumatic experiences so I cannot relate to how a person like this may feel; but I know they must be hurting. Because they are hurting, they hurt others.

Now, I have to mention that in comic books and movies, the hero usually has a past too. The hero usually comes from a broken background too; but the difference is that the hero has turned his bad experiences into something good. He becomes a fighter for justice and not a menacing villain. So, maybe bullies are not just victims of their circumstances. Maybe they do have a choice to do the right thing but they choose not to.

"People who are bullies haven't dealt with their own insecurities of low self esteem and self-worth. By controlling and manipulating and coercing they hide their own insecurities."

(from Steve Hutto's blog post Bullies In The Church?)

So, what about us, the disciples of Yeshua? If we are born again and if we've put away the sinfulness of our past and we are trying to live a godly life, why are there bullies in the church? I like what Steve Hutto says in his blog post about bullies in the church -- "People who are bullies haven't dealt with their own insecurities of low self esteem and self-worth. By controlling and manipulating and coercing they hide their own insecurities." When we are born again, there is a change that happens within us but this change does not erase our past. In fact, after we have accepted Messiah, we may still be affected by our past sins and/or the past sins done against us. This is why we have to intentionally address them. We need to accept forgiveness from God for our sins and know in our hearts that He truly has forgiven us. This will remove the guilt. Then we need to truly forgive those who have sinned against us. We need to release them to God and in doing so the anger toward them and the need to get revenge is removed. Being forgiven and forgiving others will release us from the bondage of sin. Hutto goes on to say, "The problem is that a bully doesn't trust God in the areas of his/her insecurities. They look to their own 'strengths' instead [of] acknowledging their weaknesses. Thus the power of Christ is not free to move in and through them." A disciple of Yeshua who is a bully, who has not addressed their past, will not be able to move in the fullness of the Spirit. There will always be this, their past hurts, holding them back. They will not be as effective as they could be in their job of advancing the Kingdom.

Hurt people hurt people; but forgiven people forgive people.

Related Links:
The Serial Bully
www.BullyOnline.org

Bullies In The Church?
Steve Hutto's Blog

Big Bad Bully
Psychology Today

Healing Past Hurts
www.LordsLaw.com



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Jewish Tradition and our Messianic Community

The Jewish Symbols Floor Puzzle from All Things Jewish

During our past four midrash meetings we've discussed Jewish Tradition and its place in the Messianic Community; more specifically our Messianic Community. This discussion brought up related topics that we briefly addressed but I may, however, elaborate on them in the future. The timing of our series of discussions was interesting. In the middle of the discussions a new issue of FFOZ's Messianic Journal was released. In it was an article called Halachic Authority in the Life of the Messianic Community which addresses this issue from their perspective. We didn't discuss this article as a group, and since only one person had a copy, we provided those involved an opportunity to read it. Another interesting coincidence that happened about the same time was the Ralph Messer/Eddie Long incident. We spent some time discussing this event because we found it relevant to the topic of Jewish Tradition in the Messianic Community.

The reason for the discussion was to get an idea of the feelings and thoughts that the community has toward Jewish Tradition. I've got my own thoughts and opinions but I wanted to hear what others had to say before we make any changes to our services. Most of the folks in our congregation have a Protestant/Evangelical background. I, on the other hand, have a Roman Catholic background with very little exposure to the Christian church. I was brought up in a very liturgical form of worship and most of the other folks have not.

As expected, the feelings and thoughts spanned the gamut from pro-Jewish Tradition to no-Jewish Tradition. The related topics ranged from tzitzit ties to Two-House theology. We weren't trying to come to a conclusion, we were just talking. But the final consensus was to continue to approach Jewish Tradition in the same way that we have been—one tradition at a time, weighing each tradition against Scripture and against our core beliefs and then asking ourselves if it is helpful, relevant and meaningful. It was a good exercise and helpful to find out where everyone stands. As we continue to grow, we may not have the opportunity to have intimate discussions like this again. I want to take advantage of this while I can.

We are Messianic but not Messianic Jewish. We realize that since most of us are not Jewish, we will be criticized for adopting and altering Jewish Tradition to fit our needs. We are prepared for this and after watching what happened down in Georgia, we know what not to do.

There is so much more to say about this topic. This is why tradition will be left as an ongoing conversation in our community.

Related Articles:
The place of Rabbinic Tradition in Messianic Judiasm
by Dr. Michael L. Brown, 1988

Traditions: Some Thoughts on the Place of Tradition in Torah Communities
by Tim Hegg, 2001



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Video Of The Day - 02/15/12

Little Mo likes the baby in the mirror.

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Matthew 5:11

From time to time I will receive emails with words of encouragement or heartfelt exhortations. As they pray for me, believing friends and family will send Scripture passages that they feel led to share.

A second ago, someone sent this passage to me...

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, 

and persecute you, 

and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, 

for my sake." 

KJV

That was the whole email, Matthew 5:11.

I wonder what they heard now. On second thought, I don't care. Just keep praying for me folks. I need it and I greatly appreciate it.

Hands to the plow...



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21—The Threefold 7

Margaret and I at Michaela's Bat Mitzvah, December 18, 2011.

Happy Anniversary Margaret!

I Love You!

It's hard to believe that this past Saturday was our 21st wedding anniversary. Before we were married, Margaret and I had been dating for four years; starting in the tenth grade. We were barely twenty years old when we were married. Soon after our wedding, I remember someone telling me that if we could make it past the first seven years, our marriage would have a chance. Margaret and I agree that the first seven years were the hardest. We find it curious that for the first seven years we didn't have children. We didn't plan it like this, it just happened this way. In fact, our first child was born fifteen days after our seventh anniversary. Looking back, it seems that this new life was an indication of the new life that we would soon experience in our marriage. Two years later, Margaret gave birth to our second child and this same year Margaret and I committed our lives to Yeshua. We were born again and given a new life, eternal life. Since then our marriage has become stronger and stronger.

We believe that marriage is forever and I'm sure most people do; otherwise why would traditional wedding vows include the phrase 'til death do us part?' I'm not saying that divorce doesn't happen. My point is that nobody gets married thinking they are going to divorce. If that's the case then why get married in the first place? Why go through all the trouble? Marriage is a lifetime commitment. It is a total commitment but not a perfect commitment. We give our whole life to our spouse not just part of it. But since we are human and we err, our commitment will not be a perfect one. Marriage is not something that we accomplish but something we work at. Our marriages need constant care and attention. They need to be nurtured and not neglected. We need to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect marriage because there are no perfect people.

At Front Range, we believe we are called to a multigenerational faith. This means that it is our responsibility to pass our faith on to the next generation. We are commanded to pass, to our children, the ways of God; and a strong marriage is necessary in accomplishing this task. A healthy marriage is a visual image, or representation, of the relationship that our God has with us. A dysfunctional marriage diminishes this image of God. This is why, at Front Range, it is our desire to help strengthen the marriages in our community. After Shabbat Service, on the first and third Saturdays, we hold a men's time. This is a time of strengthening and encouraging the men in the community to step up and be the men that God has called them to be -- the spiritual leaders in their homes. And then after service on the second and fourth Saturdays, we hold a women's time. This is a time of equipping and encouraging the women of the community -- young and old, single and married. Strong marriages will make healthy families and a healthy family is the proper environment to raise and disciple our children.

I thank God daily for the gift of my beautiful wife. I pray that He will continue to conform me into the man that I need to be, to lead and protect her.

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Facebook Friends and Brothers in Messiah

"I prefer face-to-face interactions or hand written sentiments"
- Paul Blart, Mall Cop (2009)

When communicating something of importance to anybody, it would do us well to adopt the views of Paul Blart (Kevin James), the protagonist of the comedy Mall Cop. When asked if he owned a mobile phone, Paul Blart responds by saying:

"I prefer face-to-face interactions or hand written sentiments."

This is my new motto. After a few bad text, email, and facebook experiences, I have decided not to engage in e-conversations if the topic is of a sensitive nature and/or if the exchange begins to go south. There is a place for electronic media in our lives today, but it should not replace face-to-face meetings.

When dealing with any sensitive issues or confronting a wayward brother or sister, avoid using text, email, or facebook. If a face-to-face meeting is possible, we should choose this method of interaction first. If meeting face-to-face is not possible, try a phone call. Nowadays everyone has access to a telephone or mobile phone; but still, there are some folks who don't feel comfortable addressing sensitive issues over the phone. As an alternative to the phone call, or if the phone call is not possible, try the good old fashioned 'hand written' (or typed) personal letter. Letters are actually a very Jewish way of communicating important information, like halakha. Consider the Apostle Paul and his method of communicating to Churches that were where many miles away. If we can't meet in person or make a phone call, a personal letter is the next best thing.

As electronic media becomes more and more a part of our daily lives, we cannot neglect our need for personal interaction. Don't mistake emails for conversations. Don't mistake facebook for your community. Don't hide behind your computer screen. Get out and socialize the old fashioned way. Spend time in person with a family member or a friend; meet for coffee, go for a walk. Spending time together is what makes the memories that build relationships. We can have thousands of facebook friends and ‘zero’ relationships. Facebook is fun, but it should not replace the personal interaction that is necessary in building relationships and community. Besides, there is no real accountability in a long distance facebook friend. There may be some opportunities to ‘plant seeds’ online, but true discipleship is best done in person, side-by-side. When Messiah said, “in the world” I don’t think He was talking about facebook.

Related Links:
Facebook Etiquette: 10 Rules for Better Socializing
PC World Magazine

How Not to Be Hated on Facebook: 10 More Rules
Time Magazine

Essential Facebook Etiquette: 10 Dos And Don’ts
Hongkiat, online tips for designers and bloggers.

Top 10 Facebook Etiquette Rules
Your Tango, a digital media company dedicated to love and relationships.

Email and texting etiquette
Stephen Crippen, Seattle based Therapist



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It's February? Already? Really?

Moses chillin' in his basket.

So the first month of the new year has already flown by. Where did it go? I was taken by surprise this morning when I realized it was February 1st. My pile of 'stuff to read' and my list of 'things to do' are still sitting there; actually, I think they've grown. But, a better indication that time if flying by is when I look at my children. They're all growing so fast and each of them are growing in their own way. I sometimes feel like there isn't enough time to properly equip them before they are adults. I feel like the time is getting away from me and they will not be ready to face this world of darkness.

Today I heard a great episode of the Focus On The Family Daily Broadcast. The guest speaker, Gary Thomas, talked about parenting as a form of worship. It is an inspiring and encouraging message for parents with children of all ages. I heard Part 2, but plan on listening Part 1 soon. Click the links below to hear them.

We have a limited amount of time to teach and influence our children. If you have young children, don't let this time get away from you. Be intentional in raising them in God's ways, putting them on His path; and don't forget to pray for them daily.

Related Links:

Embracing God's Design for Parenting (Part 1 of 2)
Focus on the Family Broadcast, 01/31/12

Embracing God's Design for Parenting (Part 2 of 2)
Focus on the Family Broadcast, 02/01/12



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