"Natural Selection - Divine Selection"By Messianic Jewish Rabbi Yacob Farber, CMY

[Mevaser]

"Natural Selection - Divine Selection"By Messianic Jewish Rabbi Yacob Farber, CMY
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat 6 Cheshvan 5764, November 1, 2003
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

This week's Reading list:
* Beresheet / Genesis 6:9 -11:32
* Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:1- 55:5
* Kefa Alef / Peter 3:18 - 22

We have all I am sure, heard the expression "natural selection." This is a term which refers to the survival of the fittest. Anyone who has ever watched National Geographic certainly, visually experienced natural selection. Beginning in Parsha Beresheet and continuing now in Parsha Noach we see the beginnings of the opposite of natural selection, we encounter "divine selection." Divine selection differs from natural selection in that natural selection is based purely on the physical and deals with physical survival whereas divine selection is based, as it appears from Parsha Beresheet and Noach on heart condition, that is being open to righteousness and having a right relationship with HaShem (literally translated His Name but used when referring to G-d). Divine selection has nothing to do with the physical and everything to do with the spiritual.

In Parsha Beresheet and creation, we find our first evidence of the Mashiach (Messiah) and of Hasatan (Satan) when HaShem separated light from darkness. After the fall of Adam, HaShem continued this theme of light and darkness, with the separation of carnal man from spiritual man. Kayin (Cain) who represents carnal man succumbed to the darkness (sin) which was crouching at his door. He was as we are told by Scripture capable of choosing what is good: Beresheet {4:7} "If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don't do well, chat'at (sin) crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it." However Kayin's choice was not to do well, as HaShem had encouraged him to do, instead he chose the road of natural selection eliminating himself from divine selection and ended up a murderer. As we follow Kayin's toldot (generations) we see the results of his choice; both murder and intrigue followed his line.

Hevel (Abel) on the other hand was obviously a righteous man, his offering to HaShem was not only appropriate, being from the herd, but it also was brought in the right spirit, with the right heart. However, as is often the case, evil took advantage of good and although Kayin eliminated his brother he did not destroy HaShem's purpose. That purpose was to establish a people, who HaShem would call His own. Through these people and the process of divine selection the Mashiach would ultimately be incarnated. Thus divine selection prevailed and HaShem gave Adam another righteous heir and through this heir, his son Seth, HaShem's divine selection process proceeded as planned: Beresheet {4:26} There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh (Enoch). Then men began to call on HaShem's Name.

Through the line of Enosh, HaShem's divine selection moves from Kenan to Mahalalel to Yared to Chanoch to Methuselah to Lemekh to Noach where our Parsha Noach begins.

Beresheet {6:9} This is the history of the generations of Noach. Noach was a tzaddik (righteous) man, blameless among the people of his time. Noach walked with G-d.

Every one of the preceding men, as we are told in Scripture, had more than one son but through divine selection HaShem always worked through His righteous remnant, as He does today. Thus we see that from among Noach's three sons only one was chosen; Shem and through Shem the line flows to Avraham(Abraham), through Avraham to Yehuda (Judah), through Yehuda to David, through David to Mashiach Yeshua. Now I know I have oversimplified the process but basically this is the way HaShem works and He continued to work the same way throughout biblical history (This prosses is called Bechira in Hebrew). Yeshua chose His twelve talmidim (disciples) and through these twelve HaShem, through divine selection has raised up His righteous remnant.

Efesim / Ephesians {1.3} Blessed be the G-d and Father of our L-rd Yeshua HaMashiach, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Mashiach: {1.4} According as He has chosen us (divine selection) in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Some people call this predestination, but it is not, this is divine selection. HaShem knew you before the foundation of the earth, He new your heart condition and He knew your choices before you ever made them, so He knew you would choose Him and His Son Yeshua. Therefore be blessed that you are part of HaShem's righteous remnant.

G-d does not have any grandchildren He only has children. In every generation and among every people HaShem has divinely selected those who He fore knew would choose Him. Were they all perfect human beings? I think we can tell from Noach and his wine incident and by the others as we look back in biblical history that they all had their flaws, just like us, but one thing they all had in common from Seth to King David and beyond, they all had a heart for G-d.

The process of divine selection that HaShem used then, He is still using now. The world is still divided into the physical and the spiritual and there are still those who are carnal and those who are spiritual and it will continue to be so until Mashiach returns.

Which one are you?

We want Mashiach Now!

****************
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber

Hallelujah to our L-rd, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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