How can people bind God’s Word on their hands, put it as a memorial between their eyes, and write it on the gates and doorposts of their houses (see Exod. 13:9; Deut. 6:8, 9)? From these commandments, several Jewish customs emerged. The first was the creation of a Tefillin, also called a phylactery, or a small, square black box with a long, flowing leather strap. The box contains four compartments with four Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, Exodus 13:1-10, and Exodus 13:11-16. These verses are writ- ten by a scribe on a small kosher parchment with a special black ink.
The Tefillin have two boxes, each attached to the black leather straps: one is attached around the bicep about heart level and the other is attached above the forehead, but not lower than the hairline. The straps then wind around the fingers and around the arm. Two blessings are repeated as the Tefillin are placed on the bicep and the forehead. Most young Jewish men begin wearing the Tefillin just prior to their thirteenth birthday.
During the time of Christ, Torah-observant Jews wore phylacteries. Jesus, being Jewish and being raised in the synagogue, would have worn the phylactery. However, He rebuked certain Pharisees for enlarging the boxes to make themselves appear more spiritual than others and to be seen of men (see Matt. 23:5).
OCTOBER 12, 2021 Exodus 25:9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. We understand from Scripture that Moses received the pattern of the Sanctuary when he ascended the mountain to confer with the Almighty. So then, if he […]
The sacred name of God, called the tetragramma- ton, is spelled with four Hebrew letters: yod, hei, vav, and hei. When God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, He inserts the Hebrew letter hei from His divine name into Abram’s name. Hei is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the biblical number five represents grace. The letter hei also has a strong breathing sound, representing the sound of life when it is pronounced.
God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah, inserting the second hei of His sacred name into Sarah’s name (see Gen. 17:15). Thus, after God inserts the two letters of His divine name, one into Abraham’s name and the other into Sarah’s, God gives new “life” to Sarah and Abraham, making them fruitful and giving them their son of promise.
WHERE HAS TIME GONE? On April 2, 1982, I walked down the aisle at the Church of God in Northport, Alabama dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown to join in holy matrimony with a 145-pound, bushy, black-haired young preacher who had won my heart. We had no idea where this journey would carry us, […]
OCTOBER 11, 2021 Exodus 25:8 “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” From the beginning, God’s intentions toward mankind have been clear — He has always wanted to be in a close, intimate relationship with His most beloved creation. We see this expressed in and through the garden. If you consider […]
OCTOBER 10, 2021 Exodus 25:1-2 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.” Anyone who grew up in church or who has spent any time in church knows what an “offering” is — it’s giving […]
OCTOBER 9, 2021 Exodus 24:16-17 Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children […]
OCTOBER 8, 2021 Exodus 24:13-15 So, Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.” Then Moses went up into the […]
OCTOBER 7, 2021 Exodus 24:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.” Have you ever noticed that mankind is always being summoned to “come up” or directed to […]
