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"Midrash" is a Hebrew term which means "to inquire: search out". It involves looking for something that is hidden. Most people understand that God is kind, forgiving, merciful, long suffering and just. He loves those who repent of their ways and return to His Way, though He often must wait patiently as many, who scorn His judgment, go on their own way to salvation. Those who follow their own light, ignoring God, are like men who wander at night into the wilderness, to their own destruction, finding themselves lost and caught midst the yawning pits and thorns.
Even those who claim to believe in God doubt He has reason or knowledge greater than theirs. So these are a few morsels to show some of that knowledge, with the hope that those who see this epiphany will endeavor to inquire into it more.
This epiphany, of course, is part of the larger whole on Maravot's_welcome.html. Those interested in more detail on God's merciful nature might wish to go on to the Light.html or our work, The Acceptable Day of the Lord , and branch out from there. We begin with an interesting commentary from the Midrash:
Midrash, Numbers 2 : Numbers 5.11; Sifre Numbers 7, 10 AND PLACE UPON HER HANDS (Num. 5.18) Abba Hanin says in the name of R. Eliezer, "...in order to weary her so that she will recant. This is a matter of logic: If God is so considerate of those who defy His will, how much more will He be considerate of those who perform His will."
It is noteworthy that the first name of God mentioned in the Book of Genesis is Elohim. Elohim has two connotations in Hebrew: it means gods and is also the word for judges . To understand this term, which in the King James and Masoretic Bibles is spelled GOD (God = EL), it is worthwhile reading how David viewed Him:
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Psalm 82.1 GOD standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
82.2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
82.3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
82.4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
82.5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
82.6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
82.7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
82.8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.Psalm 67.4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
67.5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
67.7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
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Psalm 76.4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
76.5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.
76.6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
76.7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
76.8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
76.9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
76.11 Vow, and pray unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
76.12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.
72.1 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
72.4 he shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
72.5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
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72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
72.7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
72.8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
72.9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
72.10 The kings of Tärshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
72.11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
72.12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
72.13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
72.14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
72.15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
72.16 His name shall endure forever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
72.17 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
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72.17 And blessed be his glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
72.18 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Those who fear God, knowing that they might be a cause of his wrath, are urged in the scriptures to plea for mercy, for God is merciful and his mercy, it is said, over-rides his justice. The following is a view of his mercy:
Midrash Numbers 1 , Numbers 27.12; Sifre N. 134, 179..If Moses, the wisest of the wise, the greatest of the great, the father of prophets, knowing that a decree had been made against him, nevertheless did not refrain from asking for mercy, certainly others should not! As it is said I PLEADED WITH THE LORD AT THAT TIME (Deut. 3.23) with all manner of supplications.
..With justice did you created the world..
AND YOUR MIGHTY HAND (Deut. 3.24). This refers to your right hand which is proffered to every person in the world, as it is said, YOUR RIGHT HAND, O LORD, GLORIOUS IN POWER, YOUR RIGHT HAND, O LORD, SHATTERS THE FOE! (Ex. 15.6) and it says, BUT YOUR RIGHT HAND, YOUR ARM, AND YOUR GOODWILL, FOR YOU FAVORED THEM (Ps. 44.4) and BY MYSELF HAVE I SWORN, FROM MY MOUTH HAS ISSUED TRUTH, A WORD THAT SHALL NOT TURN BACK: TO ME EVERY KNEE SHALL BEND, EVERY TONGUE SHALL SWEAR LOYALTY (Isa. 45.23).
MIGHTY (Deut. 3.24) in that you overcome the Quality of Justice with the Quality of Mercy, as it is said, WHO IS A GOD LIKE YOU, FORGIVING INIQUITY AND REMITTING TRANSGRESSION; WHO HAS NOT MAINTAINED HIS WRATH FOREVER AGAINST THE REMNANT OF HIS OWN PEOPLE, BECAUSE HE LOVES GRACIOUSNESS! HE WILL TAKE US BACK IN LOVE; HE WILL COVER UP OUR INIQUITIES, YOU WILL HURL ALL OUR SINS INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. YOU WILL KEEP FAITH WITH JACOB (Micah 7.18-20).
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WHAT GOD IS THERE IN HEAVEN OR ON EARTH (Deut. 3.24). For the nature of God is not like the nature of human beings [nature in Hebrew is spelled the same as the word for word in Hebrew; ed. note]. With human beings, if one is greater than another he can overrule the decrees of the other. But with you--who can do so? Thus it says HE IS ONE; WHO CAN DISSUADE HIM? WHATEVER HE DESIRES, HE DOES (Job 23.13).
A factor in God's judgment relates to his view of why He created man. It is explained in Genesis:
Genesis 2.5 [after the six days of creation]..and there was not a man to till the ground.
2.6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
2.7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
2.8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
2.9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
2.15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
There you have it. The reason man was created is because God looked upon his creation and saw that there was no man to dress it and to keep it. So he created man to do that. In the scriptures is the view that in God's judgment there are blessings and curses.
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Essentially there is a curse laid against the violation of each blessing. For instance, with regard to the blessing upon man to dress and keep this garden in which he lives, there is a curse reported as follows:
Rev. 11.16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,
11.17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
11.18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;
and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Now men over the world are preoccupied with destroying the earth, and thus, on this one point of justice promised to the earth, men are in default. What is God to do knowing what both you and I can measure?
The answer to this is to plead with man to return and walk in His Ways. As it is said:
Midrash, Deuteronomy 10 , Deuteronomy 11.22, Sifre D.49, 114 WALKING IN ALL HIS WAYS (Deut. 11.22). This refers to the ways of God: THE LORD! THE LORD!--A GOD COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS (Ex. 34-6). It says BUT EVERYONE WHO IS CALLED BY THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL ESCAPE (Joel 3.5). Now how is it possible for a person to be called by the Name of God? Rather--
as God is called "compassionate," so should you be compassionate;
as the Holy One is called "gracious," so should you be gracious--as it is said, THE LORD IS GRACIOUS (hanun) AND COMPASSIONATE (Ps. 145.8) and grants His favors freely (hinam);
as God is called "righteous," as it is said, FOR THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS; HE LOVES RIGHTEOUS DEEDS (Ps. 11.7)--so should you be righteous.
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As God is called "kind", as it is said, FOR I AM KIND--DECLARES THE LORD (Jer. 3.12)--so should you be kind;
therefore it says BUT EVERYONE WHO IS CALLED BY THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL ESCAPE (Joel 3.5) and EVERYONE THAT IS CALLED BY MY NAME (Isa. 43.7) and THE LORD MADE EVERYTHING FOR HIS PURPOSE (Prov. 16.4).
AND HOLDING FAST TO HIM (Deut. 11.22). How is it possible for a person to ascend on high and hold fast to fire? For is it not said elsewhere FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE (Deut. 4.24) AND HIS THRONE WAS TONGUES OF FLAME: ITS WHEELS WERE BLAZING FIRE (Dan. 7.9)? Rather--hold fast to the Sages and their disciples and I will consider it as if you had ascended on high and received [the Torah] there--and not as if you had ascended and received it in peace but as if you had done battle to receive it. Thus it says, YOU ASCENDED ON HIGH, HAVING TAKEN CAPTIVES (Ps. 68.19).
How is this done?
There is first this threat repeated among the prophets:
Isaiah 24.1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
24.2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
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24.3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
24.4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
24.5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
24.6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
24.17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
24.18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
24.19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
24.20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
24.22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
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24.23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
26.9...For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
28.9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.
28.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
28.11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
28.12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
28.13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
28.22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
28.23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
28.24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
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28.25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?
28.26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
28.27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
It is worthwhile to consider that in the description of the Judge His mouth emits reproach against the nations, with the rod of his mouth (Isaiah 11.8) which is also compared to fire, as noted above, and a sword (Rev. 19.15). But it is easily understood as follows:
Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
6.9 The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it...shall I count them [the wicked] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
How is God to judge this wicked generation which was prophesied by the prophets?
Behold the wonders of the heavens, how they resemble wonders upon the earth! How fragile is man to test the nature of heaven.
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Elohim sits in council and passes judgment. When he judges in council, the sentence cannot be revoked. Behold, he glories in recreating things, just as you see in the opening image. And when he creates a new heaven, as you see in the opening image, be wary that he has the knowledge that he is also destroying the old. And this, as you can also see in the opening image-- keeping in mind also your direct experience with regard to the String of Pearls of the Shoemaker-Levy comet--that it can occur suddenly on any day.
Paying attention to the matters discussed here and elsewhere on Maravot's website should lead to the mitigation of his wrath in that regard.
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