מ ס ע י. G-d doesn't just write history; He plans history and sees that His plan is executed.

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1 מ ס ע י MASA EI - STAGES TORAH B MIDBAR (NUMBERS) 33:1 36:13 B RIT HADASHAH YA AKOV (JAMES) 4:1-10 B MIDBAR (NUMBERS) 33:1-2 1 These are the stages in the journey of the people of Isra'el as they left the land of Egypt divided into groups ( KJV - armies, ~t' _aob.cil.) under the leadership of Moshe and Aharon. 2 Moshe recorded each of the stages of their journey by order of ADONAI; here are the starting-points of each stage: G-d doesn't just write history; He plans history and sees that His plan is executed. Why do we go through stages in our lives? The Bible Exposition Commentary Pentateuch. Why were the children of Israel referred to as army when they never had trained for battle? Remember that they previously slaves. groups ל צ ב א ת ם) KJV armies) - א Strong s #6635 ( tsava )צ ב Meaning: army, war, warfare The children of Israel were referred to as an army yet they had never had trained for battle because they previously were slaves. Why call them an army? 1

2 YA AKOV (JAMES) 4: What is causing all the quarrels ( KJV wars, Greek - po,lemoj polemos) and fights among you? Isn't it your desires battling inside you? quarrels Strongs #4171 πόλεμοι polemos {pol'-em-os} Meaning: 1) a war 2) a fight, a battle 3) a dispute, strife, quarrel Problems come from the defilement of our spirit, that is from the evil passions within us. You will never see governments or schools speaking about defilement as the source of their troubles. They talk about poverty not purity, about education not degradation, about legislation not lusts. But the Word of G-d gets to the root of our problems and tells us that defilement is the source of many problems. Analytical Bible Expositor How do our desires ( nau pleasures) battle within us? Why do people look to some magic something to change their life instead of dealing with their motives? 2 You desire things and don't have them. You kill, and you are jealous, and you still can't get them. So you fight and quarrel. The reason you don't have is that you don't pray! English versions differ over the punctuation of this verse (the original manuscripts, for the most part, had no punctuation). But the background of James s teaching strongly points to a punctuation different from what the NIV adopts. We may set it out as follows: You want something but you can t get it; so you kill. You covet and you cannot have what you want; so you quarrel and fight. This arrangement preserves the parallelism of the verse (vol. 4, p.107). Arnold, C.E., (2002) Zondervan illustrated bible backgrounds commentary, Grand Rapids, MI : Zondervan Most of Ya akov s (James ) readers most likely had never killed someone. That being the case, why did Ya akov use such strong statements? Can a person find fulfillment and joy when obtaining something by his own desires? Ref: Ecclesiastics 3:13; 5:9(10),18(19); 6:2 So you fight and quarrel (180) And now arose a sedition between the high priests and the principal men of the multitude of Jerusalem; each of whom got them a company of the boldest sort of men, and of those that loved innovations, about them, and became leaders to them; and when they 2

3 struggled together, they did it by casting reproachful words against one another, and by throwing stones also. And there was nobody to reprove them; but these disorders were done after a licentious manner in the city, as if it had no government over it. Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). (p. 536). Peabody: Hendrickson. The reason you don't have is that you don't pray! G-d promises to those who pray, not to those who fight. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997) 3 Or you pray and don't receive, because you pray with the wrong motive (Greek - kakos), that of wanting to indulge your own desires. wrong motive Strongs # 2560 kakw/j kakos {kak-oce'} Meaning: 1) miserable, to be ill 2) improperly, wrongly 3) to speak ill of, revile, one Origin: from 2556; 2556 kako,j kakos {kak-os'} Meaning: 1) of a bad nature 1a) not such as it ought to be 2) of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting 2a) base, wrong, wicked 3) troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful that of wanting to indulge your own desires The Constitution of the United States declares this portion Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Is the pursuit of happiness in conflict with the above verse? How do you overcome praying with wrong motives? 4 You unfaithful wives! Don't you know that loving the world is hating G-d? Whoever chooses to be the world's friend makes himself G-d's enemy! Ref: Yesha yahu (Isa) 54:4-6, Mattityahu (Matt) 12;39 Why does Ya akov (James) use the image of a wife here? Hint: What is competing for our love to our husband? 5 Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy? 6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says, "G-d opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace." Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks 3

4 The commentators have had great difficulty with this reference to the Tanakh. What verse is it? What does it mean? Who is the subject of it? Some say it speaks about G-d. Others say it speaks about the Holy Spirit. But according to all commentators, it is not found in Scripture. In my opinion, the spirit it refers to is not G-d s but Satan s, as in Ep 6:12. Mishlei (Pro) 3 34 The scornful He scorns, but gives grace to the humble. KJV Ephesians 6 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. NAU Galatians 5 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 7 Therefore, submit to G-d. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary (Greek - dia,boloj diabolos), and he will flee from you. Adversary dia,boloj diabolos {dee-ab'-ol-os} Meaning: 1) prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely 1a) a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer he will flee from you B'resheet (Gen) 4 7 If you are doing what is good, shouldn't you hold your head high? And if you don't do what is good, sin is crouching at the door- it wants you, but you can rule over it." Ephesians 6 11 Use all the armor and weaponry that G-d provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary. 1 Kefa (Peter) 5 9 Stand against him, firm in your trust ( nau faith), knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering. How do you take a stand against the Adversary? 4

5 8 Come close to G-d, and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded people! Z kharyah (Zech) 1 3 Therefore, tell them that ADONAI-Tzva'ot says this: '"Return to me," says ADONAI- Tzva'ot, "and I will return to you," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot. Yirmeyahu (Jer) 4 14 Wash the evil from your heart, Yerushalayim, so that you can be saved. How long will you harbor within yourselves your evil thoughts? What brings us close to G-d? Why do we need to first return to G-d before he returns to us? Ref: Luke 15:20 9 Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom! Is Ya akov (James) saying that G-d does not want us to laugh or have joy? Ref: Lamentations 5:15-16, Tehillim (Psa) 30:11(10)-13(12) 10 Humble yourselves before the L-rd, and he will lift you up. If G-d gives grace to the humble, then humbling ourselves before G-d is obviously the way to experience that grace. To humble ourselves before the Lord means to recognize our own spiritual poverty, to acknowledge consequently our desperate need of G-d s help, and to submit to his commanding will for our lives. Moo, D. J. (2000). (p. 196). Grand Rapids, TRUE HUMILITY IS NOT LOOKING DOWN ON YOURSELF BUT LOOKING UP TO THE MESSIAH. Pentz, C., (1990), The Complete book of zingers, Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 5