Pastor Marlon Henderson: Living the Word – From scripture to real life 1) Isaiah 6:2-3 Seraphs stood in attendance on the LORD. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly. And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy! The LORD of Hosts! The LORD’s presence fills all the earth!” 2) Proverbs 3:13-26 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who attains understanding. Her value in trade is better than silver, her yield, greater than gold. She is more precious than rubies; all of your goods cannot equal her. In her right hand is length of days, in her left, riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths, peaceful. יַּח־ץֵע ִ םי֣ איִ֭ה ִקיִזֲחַמַּל םי֣ הּ֑ ָבּ ֶכְמֹתֽ ְו ָהי֥ רָֽשֻּׁאְמ She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, and whoever holds on to her is happy. The LORD founded the earth by wisdom; the Lord established the heavens by understanding; By the LORD’s knowledge the depths burst apart, and the skies distilled dew. My child, do not lose sight of them; hold on to resourcefulness and foresight. They will give life to your spirit and grace to your throat. Then you will go your way safely and not injure your feet. When you lie down you will be unafraid; you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. You will not fear sudden terror or the disaster that comes upon the wicked, For the LORD will be your trust; the LORD will keep your feet from being caught. 3) Mishnah Avot 1:17 and 5:20-23 Shimon, his son [son of Gamliel], used to say: all my days I grew up among the sages, and I have found nothing better for a person than silence. Study is not the most important thing, but actions; whoever indulges in too many words brings about sin. Judah ben Tema said: Be strong as a leopard, and swift as an eagle, and fleet as a gazelle, and brave as a lion, to do the will of your Father who is in heaven. He used to say: the arrogant is headed for Gehinnom and the blushing for the garden of Eden. May it be the will, O Lord our God, that your city be rebuilt speedily in our days and set our portion in the studying of your Torah. He used to say: At five years of age the study of Scripture; At ten the study of Mishnah; At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of “strength”; At ninety a bent body; At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world. Ben Bag Bag said:Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein. And look into it; And become gray and old therein; And do not move away from it, for you have no better portion than it. Ben Hey Hey said: According to the labor is the reward. www.orhamidbar.org 4) Mechilta of R. Shimon b. Yochai, p.2 R. Elazar b. Arach says: Why did the Holy Praised One appear from the heights of heaven and speak with Moshe from amidst the bush? After all, the Holy Presence can speak from the crests of mountains and hilltops, from the heights of the world and from the cedars of Lebanon! But instead, (God’s Presence) lowered itself and spoke from amidst the bush and this is what Solomon meant when he said “One will be humiliated by pride, but a humble person will obtain honor” (Prov. 29:23), since one finds no tree lowlier than the bush, and so it is written, High though the Lord is, the Lord sees the lowly…” (Ps. 138:6) … R. Yosi says: Why did the Holy Praised One appear from the heights of heaven and speak with Moshe from amidst the bush? Because it is pure, in that the nations have not made it part of idolatrous worship. 5) Tikunei HaZohar 122b There is no place where God is not. www.orhamidbar.org .