We are walking in today: "Lech Acharai, Come follow me," says Yeshua
Witness root throughout the Bible: H8328 sheresh root food and water supply to plants or trees; regarding people, involving firmness or permanence
Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 17:8; Ezekiel 17:6-7, 17:9; Hosea 14:5; Amos 2:9; 1 Chronicles 7:20; Daniel 4:15, 4:23, 4:26, 11:7; Mark 11:20; Jude 1:12
What does this term 'come follow me' mean? To grasp this concept fully we have to go back to the beginning to find the culture and setting when it was used to find our all that is entailed in this phrase. The education of the Jewish children began at the age of 6 on through 10. They were taught the Torah--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. With this study these books that were memorized in the first level of education the house of the Book, or beit sefer. This was the general assembly. Once this study was completed the boys who were the best of the best would go on to the next level beit talmud the house of learning. Here the talmidim would be aged from 10-14. They would study the rest of the Hebrew scriptures and the art of answering questions with a question. This skill is not just a question for the sake of a question. But the question would contain the answer as well as show understanding of the scriptures. This is a departure for how education of children is done here, in a western mindset. Instead of having a list of facts memorized it was the process of arriving at the answer in various ways. For example if the question is what is 2 x 2? The talmidim in the beit talmud may say what is the square root of 16? In both cases the answer is 4. In the beit talmud the expectation was in the student coming to understand and even return that question with his own. Once this study was completed then the best of the best would go on to the next level--beit midrash the talmidim is about 13 to 14 years of age would go to present themselves to a rabbi to request if they could follow them. They would come up under his yolk--his ways of interpreting the Torah. If the talmidim was suitable and worthy to be selected, they were permitted to leave home and occupation to follow this rabbi. This was a great honor to the talmidim and his family. The goal of the studying throughout all of their education. This would be similar to us now a days when a young man is drafted into professional sports straight from high school for the hours of practice and focus on this physical ability. The parents swell with pride and are so proud at his accomplishment. To those who Yeshua says come follow me have a great appreciation for their desire being answered. They were found at the boats and preparing the fishing nets for they were fishermen. They had completed their study and presented themselves to a rabbi but did not make the cut. This would be devastating for that was their focus and goal for all of their youth. Even in trying to come to terms with this outcome, they go into the family business. Yet the desire is still there. How can we tell when Yeshua tells them to come, Matthew 4:18-22 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. They got up immediately and followed Him. Leaving their nets and their father in the boat to run as His offer. With this understanding that the goal of all young men is to be able to follow after a rabbi. To learn how he would interpret the Torah. Doing all that they seen him do that they would follow him that closely. All of their study and preparation was for this and for those that Yeshua called were all to ready to go and follow Him! To listen to this teaching again click here.
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