|
Matthew 5:45 That you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven. As Eliezer arrived in Padam-Aram, he asked the God of Abraham to help him identify she who would be the next matriarch of Israel. He stopped by the municipal well expecting the chosen maiden to remove a very heavy stone from the mouth of the well, and then water his ten camels loaded with the bride price with hundred fifty gallons of water. This was a very unlikely sign but the calling was high. The chosen one needed to have the right heart, the heart of a servant. Many years later Jacob, Rebeccah’s son would stand by that same well and return the favor to the House of Laban. This time he would roll the stone from the well and water Rachel’s flocks Genesis 24:12-20; 29:1-11). The Torah teaches us the notion of measure for measure. It says, But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe (Exodus 21:23). We may tend to think that to be God’s ‘Old Testament’ modus operandi, but our Master Yeshua expected us to also live within the notion of measure for measure; He said, For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matthew 6:14). You see His idea was not for us to exact our measure like saying, ‘you did this so I’ll do that; you didn’t do this so I won’t do it either’, but rather in the sense that there is a god in heaven who on that Great Day will balance the scales. In His teaching about ‘Measure for Measure’, Yeshua affirms the teaching of some of the great luminaries of Israel who said, “Whoever refrains from exacting his measure, the heavenly courts forgives its sins (b.Rosh Hashana 17a)”. Another one also teaches that “Regarding those who are insulted but do not return an insult, those who are rebuked without replying, they are the ones who do good out of love for Gof and rejoice in their suffering …He who passes over an opportunity to retaliate has all his transgressions passed over (b.Yoma 23a)”. May we also like these great sages learn to live by our Master’s idea of measure for measure, by the Sage of all sages who said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Judge not, that you be not judged, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Here is how the Master taught us to apply measure for measure; He said, “You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you … that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven (Matthew 7:1; 6:12; 5:38-45).”
Related Articles -
Eliezer, Jacob, well, judgement,
|
