The Hands of God - Rabbi Stuart Dauermann - 12/28/19

Today, I've got a script for me. I don't usually but today I do.

The hands of God, that's what we're talking about today every week. When we Elevate the Torah we make the Declaration I talked about earlier. This is the Torah which God placed before the children of Israel according to the word of Auto knife through the hand of Moses. But Moses was really instrument of God's purposes. When we speak of the hand of Moses, by the way, we're not speaking of his palms and his fingers in his knuckles was picking him as the agent of God's purpose in the world. Used Moses to bring Motorola to the People Israel, but the scripture also speaks of the hands of God. We we hear of the the Finger of God. Writing the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. We also remember when the Egyptian magicians cannot produce lice like Moses does they can produce life the first of the plagues that involves producing New Life they can do that. They could maybe bring up frogs out of the Nile that's different. But creating new life. They couldn't do that and they said the Pharaoh this. Is the Finger of God so we here in scripture about the hand of God about the Finger of God in the house tore up sometimes done at this time. For this power reading there's a different have told her that we do when it's not in the midst of Conecuh. We did was a special one for, go today, but normally it's from Isaiah 66 in Isaiah 66th says Heaven is my Throne. The Earth is my footstool that call Ayla Yadi assata. Ukulele my hand created all things and loves these things came with the bed so we can speak of a hand of God in in in in the creation of the world as we read in the song that says the sea is his for he made it his hands performed the dry land and today's have Torah with Naomi read so beautifully. The mighty agency of God is again emphasized what he tells the Exiles who are struggling to get the temple built. He tells them this. This is not by might. Not by power, but by my spirit says the Lord of hosts. If we claim to believe the Bible. Then we must acknowledge that there are things that have happened. There are things that do happen. Things that will happen that are purely the work of God. If we believe the Bible that all we have to believe that God does things you understand but it says it's alright to have nice views about God and about people who believe that the Jewish God is really the highest creation of the Jewish people that you was people created.

That's not it. We serve a God who himself does things if the Bible is true at all if we kind of leave the by we must acknowledge that there are things that have happened but do happen that will happen. But if you do the work of God the god of Israel does things so today, we're going to look at the hands of God and I want to examine 3/4. Just three here. First of all, we and all that is all the works of God's hands. That's thought number one phone number to we are also in the hands of God. Does he ever bring Calamity of something or to redirect on pants. That's an important question.

The needs to sink deeply into our hearts. God forbid. You should come to Ava to you and be entertained and be titillated. No, no. No, we're here to worship. God and I am here. to speak God's word to you as best I can and we should take these things very seriously if they're not true, then you're better off staying home and watching television and I'm wasting your time, but if they are true then We've got to think deeply about this. There's nothing in life that deserves deeper thought then God's word and God's will so we're also in the hands of God. Does he ever been Calamity potential something or to redirect up? Hasn't finally what does it mean for us to be the instruments of his will what does it mean for you? For you for you for all of us to be the hands of God in the world. This is not Pious pullover. This is serious business because the first one I think we take as a given that God created everything there is so we'll acknowledge that God is the god of creation. Okay?

You know.

When people have going to give you a little free be here. When did talk of the people and they say they don't believe in miracles looks like you're talking to a Jewish person and it says yeah, I don't believe in miracles. You got a problem. what a minute got a problem I said because the very first part of the first verse in the Bible says in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. If we don't believe in miracles, then we got to fill the whole power out. And it just don't play around with it. If you don't believe in miracles as in true, then you got a problem on my father. May he rest in peace did not believe in miracles. He didn't believe it all his sister did not believe in miracles. I don't know about my grand. My grandfather was a very very he's a parody of ultra-orthodox to suppose. He believes in Miracles. I don't know about my grandmother but my father and his sister did not believe in miracles, but if you don't believe in miracles you got one Are you going to throw the story of Abraham because the Bible says that Abraham and Sarah, he was a hundred and she was 90 when they gave birth to Isaac and it says specifically but she had already been through menopause. Chuck it was impossible. So

this is serious business to when we talk to Jewish people leave job at anybody the job is not to show them the we're right and they're wrong. The job is to touch their hearts and closing to seek after God and this is a good challenge 2 years in people. If they reject the miraculous you said it was too bad cuz your whole identity was a Jew is there for a fraud? And and and the Torah needs to be thrown out because the very first verse of the Torah is a lie. So we're going to look at the second questions. Does God ever bring Calamity to take the something or to redirect or pants? And what does it mean for us to be the hands of God, so Joseph's brothers believed of the Calamity was the work of God. Puts it.

Iceland today's Parsha May constitute the very first reference in Torah to this idea. What is this consciousness of God being the sort of Calamity that touches Our Lives to get our attention to change osram some way. I believe this story may be the first incident in the Bible that draws this connection. That's why I'm going up for you today. There's so much evidence that we could spend hours discussing it towed over the Bible whole book of Jobe chapter 242, which we were meeting today. The first time Joseph Brothers go down to Egypt. That was rented was so nicely but, we might point out. How was the hand of God that elevator Joseph to a position of power in Egypt and we would be right. We might point out that it was the hand of God that gave Joseph the wisdom to Institute a public welfare program in need you to save the lives of the whole Fertile Crescent are that's also true. We might point out that it was the hand of God that caused the famine to arise with Rojo's his brothers to come down to Egypt and we'd be right about that. So in this left alone, we see there's some good things. but that all the hand of God and there is some uncomfortable things that are also the hand of God bless not focus there instead notice how Joseph puts his brothers through an ordeal requiring of them, but one of them to ship him on the Simeon remains behind while the rest of them returned to come out on in order to bring back Benjamin as proof that they are not spies his what the text says again.

When this happens just noticed their conscience. They said to one another indeed. We are guilty concerning a brother and as much as we saw his heartfelt anguish when I clean it with us and we pay no heed the talk about Joseph completed with them not to throw him into the pit to die. And then they sold into Egypt that is why they come upon us noticed. They draw the connection. Is didn't listen to all our brothers anguish and now God has brought this to our doorstep. I'm Ruben spoke to them saying did I not speak to you saying do not sin against the boy, but you would not listen and his blood as well behold is being Avenged, so Later, when they're on the road we read this to today. They find their money that they had paid for the food which had to be a considerable sum of money when I'm talking about a meal with a Year's profender or maybe more. They find that money on that sex instead of doctor are ninjas where it belongs and what are they turn to one another and say what is this? But God has done to us notice. They already this early in the spiritual story of the descendants of Jacob. There's a sense in which one unexpected Calamity strikes it just light B4 hand of God now I'm going to say this again in this sermon, but I got to say it now then we can get a room. Jobs friends believe that every kind Calamity strikes you God is getting them they were wrong. Sometimes stuff just happens sometimes Calamity strikes you because you made stupid mistakes sometimes kilometers structure because people are cruel. It's not always God. Is it sometimes God? Yes. But believe me not always and I'll say it again. No, we might argue Rabbi. It wasn't a hand of God that brought them through this it was Joseph and you would be right and you'll also be wrong because God uses human agency. I just hands to accomplish as well. Remember the quotation from the Tower Service. It was God who plays the Tower of before the children of Israel, but it did it through the hands of Moses with Moses as agent and it is God who is disabling the sons of Jacob through the instrumentality of Joseph you understand? Okay. That's what I'm saying.

later in this partial When they have already returned to Canaan and then come back bringing Benjamin again, they are Isaiah returning home. The money has been hitting in their sacks again as well as a special cup that that Joseph had so what she says he did give a divination. Next to Cub very spooky in their side. Their reaction to be apprehended again recognizes the intervention of God this what they say God hasn't covered the sin of your servants Joseph. They don't know his name was Joseph.

God has them covered the scent of your servants. Here. We are where are ready to be slaves to my Lord both we and the one in those hand the gobbler was found but then they say This calamity. It's from God. So have your way? Show me see that one way the hand of God works is again that sometimes it works for being hardship of some kind as a means of causing a moral and spiritual reflection or reform and I'll transformation. Unliking it. Sometimes the God will shoot shoot accountable across your bow. This is a American metaphor. That went through ships are out there in Wartime or whatever. For ship number 1 to warm ship number two, don't get cute. Turn around and go back. They will fire a a bowl of accountable across the bow this close the messages next time it's going to be lower. And God does the same thing with us sometimes sometimes he would give us a signal. You've gotten away from me you're going the direction which is not good. You're getting cute and God loves us enough to give us a warning shot.

The hand of God is also seen in the ways in which you provide does it use Joseph could save the lives not only with the people of the area but also of the family of a kanken it was a hand of God that a little bit of Joseph and gave him the interpretation of a dream using the feed so many as Johnson will say that was brothers and next week's Parsha. This is so hot It was not you who sent me here. But God man, that's hot then Brothers put them in the pit. But he realized despite what they did. It was really God's purpose that was being fulfilled. He gets this subtle interplay between human freedom and human behavior and get gone can accomplish as well. Even through malicious brothers were trying to kill their brother. Isn't that incredible the Bible says he uses the wrath of men to praise him. God is Not defeated. He can use the most scandalous means to accomplish his Goodwill incredible master of his entire household does chapter 45 verse 8 And the partial that follows that's next week for one after that Jacob dies and the brothers are fearful. But now the old man has gone. Joseph is going to take revenge on them. How do you search them?

Fieldpiece and this is why I just absolutely Joseph. He says them although you intended me harm. God intended for good number in order to accomplish as clear as day that in fact people would be kept alive. He tells them don't be afraid. This is true forgiveness. By the way, you want to know what forgiveness is? I wrote about this on my Facebook page, but I didn't feel the connection that I just realized hear. This is what forgiveness forgiveness is relinquishing the right to take revenge when you have the power to do so. God's forgiveness Forgiveness, when is that even when you have the power or if you had the power to get even you relinquish. Write that? is forgiveness no reconciliation of something else you might forgive someone and I was writing to a woman on Facebook. Hope she didn't go to the detail, but had been grievously injured.

This is forgiveness. But reconciliation is the rebuilding a relationship that may never happen. I was talking this weekend to a relative of mine who is totally closing the door against a relative of hers. And she has very very very good reason to do it. I will eventually talk to her about forgiveness. But put away. She I don't think she wishes Revenge but reconciliation this case. Will probably never happen. That's a different thing. I don't even. Here was saying that the hand of God works in the glove of circumstance. There it is. Again the hand of God works in the glove of circumstance post for a husband. I'm for a preservation. These two aspects of God's dealings come together as one of the New Testament. We're rid of the shore on the side of that. He was at the right hand of God until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. This right hand of God in Jewish theology talks about it, but talks about the right hand of the left hand of God. The right hand of God is God's hand of Mercy.

But later in the passage we read of God's hands of judgment. Not as Mercy, but I'm children same passage Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26 weary. This River will only persistence in after having received knowledge of the truth. There is no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying Prospect of judgment and a fury of that will consume our adversaries consume of the adversaries. Anyone who was violated the law of Moses dies without Mercy on the testimony of two or three Witnesses? How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God profaned the blood of the Covenant by which they were Sanctified and outraged the spirit of Grace for we know the one who said vengeance is mine. I will repay. Who's that? That's God. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. So we've seen that the calamities of Joseph's brothers were sorry. Who the calamities were the hand of God we've seen that they were also the hand of Joseph. There is no contradiction. None, God can use Wicked people as his instrument to use the Syria. They were the Nazis of that day. They will the cruelest most vicious people. That's why you don't want to go to them and they used to Syria Isaiah chapter 10 of Syria was the god of God's anger to discipline Israel. He used these filthy people are McDonald's was cruel people as his instrument so he can accomplish his will if we just about anyone so we see Judaism speaks of the right hand and the left hand of God it speaks of mercy and judgement Jewish theology talks about the right-hand to left-hand the right hand of the metaphor for Mercy the left of judgment. Since God's justice is not flawed like human. Just Justice. These are often thought to be in tension with one another.

but still God is Not unjust there's God's judgment judgment and is God's mercy and we read about these things and Yom, Kippur and Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah. We look at the left hand of God. We think about judgment. Yom Kippur we look at the right hand of God we think of Mercy, okay. So let's see where we're going today. What shall we do with all of us?

Thank you for hanging in with me on this cuz it's a grown-up lesson and you're good. And this will do your good so that's the look I got the six ideas. I want to explore with you and then there's a couple of quotes when we're done. First of all.

You need to ask yourself one km strikes. Could it be a sign? Are you going to ask yourself that question? Is God speaking to me through this? I know some of you like my friend Richard over here Richard has got extraordinary sensitive conscience. He will believe that everything bad that happens to him as God getting to him. It's not true. You need to protect yourself from that. Those of you with all Ultra sensitive consciences you need. You need to realize that God is Not vindictive. God gave his only son to die for you. The Bible says he who spared not his son freely gave him up for his wall howling howling out with him. Freely. Give us everything. That's the kind of God we have. His lavish he's probably got his generous. He's kind. He's loving he's sacrificial. but sometimes wig cute and when we've gotten cute sometimes God will send us a little message that says.

Affordable yesterday. Sometimes I regret was by the collar and say hold it. Hold it in the wrong direction. You got to ask yourself that question. Question number two. Is is the Calamity of sign that God is trying to speak to me about something. You got to ask but you got to watch out for your own hypersensitive consciences and your own underestimation of the generosity and kindness and love of God. Because you should have died and Rose for us. We are safe in the presence of God.

We have boldness of comfort with bonus of Comfort Inn & Conference of access to our faith in him and says in Hebrews we are both as we come into God's presence not kind of crouching only I'm confident access. That's hot stuff is not right Elijah. Okay. This kid's got a great name. His name is Elijah. number two when good consequence good things come your way. Is that God's generosity. Do you think about thinking God was something happens, you know. I won't go into details, but I got a phone call this week about money. I've been praying about money. Cuz I have some expensive plans in mind and from a totally unexpected Source. I got a phone call, which if it proves true. It means quite a bit of money is coming my way that I never even knew existed anymore. So I have to ask myself is this God it is. It is I prayed I prayed about it. I prayed about it somewhere earnestly. I'm pleading Lee and then a week or so later Shazam something totally unexpected happens where you got to take the take the time to say thank you understand believe that God is working in your life and when good things happen, don't take it for granted you understand. Take the chance that maybe you're thanking God needlessly.

You know, that's a risk. That's a risk worth taking. Error on the side of thankfulness. That's not a bad idea. I got more we should be the hands of God caring for others his a quote from somebody in the 16th century Rabbi Moses a Searles. He got in Krakow Poland in 1572 is the annotative ash O'Connor roof witches of of a book which takes all of it Commandments of Torah and works out all the nitty-gritty about what it means to obey them the truth. It's a major work in Jewish thought it was one of the things you said. He said love man realize that he himself it forever seeking sustenance the hand of God injustice. God always has prayer so he should answer the prayer of the poor in other words if you accomplish asking God to be merciful to you when you show a parable about this Then you should be an angel of Mercy for other people. I'm just throw the connection. I just been trying to go to talk about money. I'm sorry serious concern over some money is coming my way. I don't know exactly how much but I'm thankful. But also when I meet a poor person who needs a buck if I turn around and say I can't be bothered on time for it. Is that good? Is that gratitude know he's right? You should have said the same thing. We need to be the hands of God caring for others. Could I hear our name? Phone number for we should care enough for others to be God's hand of a voice of warning and admonition sometimes. Your Role is not to give money enough to help somebody that way but if you see somebody who's wondering into into into dangerous ways you need to care enough about them talk to them No, of course the more intimate relationship with the person the more likely they are to listen to you. If you have a stranger you only see them once in a while and you have an opinion about them and you come up a person without any pre prior arrangement at a prior relationship. They don't have to thank you for your business and it is none of your business you first need to build a relationship even when you're right. You need to build a bridge so which you can.

Therapist Samantha therapist in the back are panthers of therapist therapist know they have to build it. They have to be relationship is trust built with the client was even though the therapist in Taiwan, right if you don't have that relationship of trust nothing happens. Okay, so Number 5 we should realize that some things are already in our hands. We need not wait for God to act first or to enlist us, you know.

We're going to have a party tonight.

If the room is a mess, do you have to wait for God to speak to you to tell you to help to pick it up? Do you need you need a voice? You need a voice from heaven?

There are many things in life that are in our hands.

Book of Nehemiah. I'm going to be a little long-winded today. Forgive me. Butterfingers important book of Nehemiah Nehemiah is the King of Persia? Are exemptions in this at this time? And he hears that Jerusalem is in Ruins. And he is devastated. He really cares near my book of Nehemiah is an incredible book about spirituality and about leadership to Great Book. And is devastated and say praise and praise and then he's standing in the presence of the king which is his job as a cub bear did to make sure the door's not being poisoned whenever I drink was ruins of the king back up there a drink from the cup. First he was security agent. End of the king notices that me and Maya is is downcast notices and ask what the problem is.

Send the city of my father's is in Ruins Exedra Exedra. What can I do for you at that point?

Damn, I had already fought through what he needed. So when the king said, how can I help you? Then? Why didn't say I'll get back to you in a week. You know what I mean, he or she already knew and he's very explicit that's competence. We don't have to wait for the voice of God. I forgot to send us a prophet or an angel for us to get down to the business of being competent capiche. Okay. All right.

Compute the capricios Italian for fish taste, okay. Okay.

Finally Judaism wisely says everything is in the hands of God, except the fear of God. That is our business. What does that mean?

It means that it's your business to walk and reference for God. That's your responsibility. Everything is in the hands of God, except the fear of God. We are responsible to walk with reference and honor and respect in the presence of God. God holds us responsible for that. Tomorrow's we got here's another quote from this Mark shortest used to be the chancellor of Joyce a logical Seminary. I found this some time ago and he was talking about the story of Joseph and he says what befalls us even the most trending of Fates without Divine intention. Play Joy that flows from love to text the hand of God and everything turning adversity into opportunity. A spark of light is embedded and every black hole the hurdles our way. So even if things are going bad for you.

the love of God is in there somewhere. The Bible says God makes everything to work together for the good of those who love him. so

may God give me

May God give my children. May God give my wife. May God give all of us. the faith to believe

in the best of times and the worst of times God is still God and God is still good. Joven talking to his wife when she says she just Curse God and die. Everything is going everything is just appeared on the ground scraping yourself with Partridge used to be a rich in it and an impressive man and I or nobody why don't you just Curse God and die and you shall receive blood from the Lord and not evil. the lord gave away blessed be the name of the Lord. There's so much more. I have to say.

I'm not prepared to say that but if this is what I'm saying is that this subject is so deep important that there's much more that could be said but not now so let's just pray.

We were talking about your hands father. Your hands which made the heavens and the Earth. Your hands was put the stars in their places. Your hands which gave us your Holy Scripture the holy Torah. Your hands which of the person if you're sure were nailed to a Roman cross? Out of love for us and for the world, we don't begin to understand that. That's what that's way beyond our pay grade. We don't understand that but help us not to forget it. Help us. to look for your hand in the glove of circumstance whether it's Pleasant circumstance or unpleasant circumstance help us to to believe that your hand could be in that glove. And help us to be willing any chance to be your hands on the world helping the less fortunate and also admonishing those who need to hear your voice better. Help us. This is such a big lesson. and understanding is so small. So by your spirit help us to go beyond on media capacities into greater fullness of your will we ask you show us name?

Okay.