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APOCALYPSE
Best of the sermons by Canadian Messianic Rabbi Ya‘aqov Farber. On
the 29th Parasha
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Vayikra/Leviticus
16:1-18:30
Vayikra {18:1} AD-NAI said to Moshe (Moses), {18:2} “Speak to bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel); tell them, ‘I am AD-NAI your G-d. {18:3} You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an (Canaan), where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. {18:4} You are to obey My rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am HaShem your G-d. {18:5} You are to observe My laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am AD-NAI’.” Following this introductory passage HaShem runs through a laundry list of abominations committed by the Mitzriyim (Egyptians), Kena‘anim (Canaanites) as well as by the rest of the pagan world. Sadly, I did not come to salvation in my youth and as a result I lived a life of promiscuity and debauchery for my first forty years. I exaggerate, I guess the first ten years of my life were my years of innocence, so we can subtract them from the forty, but all hell broke loose after that. So I must admit that I was more than a bit embarrassed and ashamed as I read through the list of sins committed by those who HaShem had judged (Mitzriyim), and those He was about to judge and disposes of their land (the Kena‘anim). Prior to my salvation I had committed many of those sins as well. What is really heartbreaking is that these sexual sins are still happening in every country of the world today, even Yisrael. In addition, in many countries a good portion of the sins we read about in this Parasha have been legalized; homosexuality being only one example. In fact, not only has homosexuality been legalized, it is being imposed on society as socially acceptable. Abortion, which can be equated to the sacrificing of children to Molech, is another sin that is legally practiced in most countries of the world and I am sure where it is not legal it is being performed illegally. Approximately 98,000 abortions were performed in Canada in 2009, according to statistics. Vayikra {18:24} “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, because all the nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them. {18:25} The land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it – the land itself will vomit out its inhabitants.” Just think about it, every conceivable sexual sin and even some that I am sure never entered the mind of G-d, are being committed throughout the world today. In fact anyone of any age can at the click of a mouse access whatever perversion they would like to experience over the internet. Do you think the world is ripe for judgement? Devarim (Deuteronomy) {9:4} “Do not think to yourself, after your G-d has pushed them out ahead of you, ‘It is to reward my righteousness that AD-NAI has brought me in to take possession of this land.’ No, it is because these nations have been so wicked that AD-NAI is driving them out ahead of you. {9:5} It is not because of your righteousness, or because your heart is so upright, that you go in to take possession of their land; but to punish the wickedness of these nations that AD-NAI your G-d is driving them out ahead of you.” All the countries of the world are ripe for judgement. We are, in fact, experiencing some of that judgement right now; the wild weather patterns, the rise of worldwide terrorism and the ever present threat of war (especially now with Russia). However, this is only the beginning, the big one, final judgement, is yet to come. Is it too late for the world to turn back to G-d? No, it is never too late to turn to G-d but the chance of a worldwide revival is becoming more and more unlikely. In fact, as G-d's judgments increase upon the earth, instead of people turning back to HaShem the Bible says they are going to curse Him. Hitgalut (Revelation) {16:21} And huge seventy-pound hailstones fell on people from the sky. But the people cursed G-d for the plague of hail, that it was such a terrible plague. What a sick and deprived people we are. Is it any wonder that we need a Saviour? COME QUICKLY L-RD YESHUA! MARANATHA !
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