The Cycle of Life

Intro: Rebirth? What is it? When I think of Rebirth or being "born again", I somehow understand "deep within" that it means becoming new..., and while being new you are somehow the same person. It kind-of gets confusing from there; therefore, I will not break your brains about defining Rebirth with words. Instead, I will try to explain in this series what I mean by it through real life experiences.

Life is full of Surpises! Many great ones and many that seem not so great. We have so many things coming up showing that G-d is definitley doing sometihng new, but in attaining this "new-ness", the sturggle follows along. However, all in all, these moments satisfy what it means to live. Yet, nothing beats out living life abundantly. A Scripture that comes to mind is when Jacob is brought to life after hearing about his son Joseph being alive. In reaching Egypt to be reconciled to Joseph, Joseph brings Jacob to Pharoah. Pharoah then asks Jacob, "How many days are the years of your life?”, and Jacob Replies, "Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. Moreover, the days of the years of my life have not attained the days of the years of the lives of my fathers, in the days of their sojourn" (Genesis 47).

"Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. Moreover, the days of the years of my life have not attained the days of the years of the lives of my fathers, in the days of their sojourn (Genesis 47)."

I thought this was interesting, because during this last year I have witnessed New Birth's just as I have witnessed Death's. In this, there has been a rollercoaster of emotions and battles in the fight between the Spirit and the flesh. G-d knows what we are dealing with, but do we? Jacob in this scripture knows who he is and the struggle that people have - each to their own. However, as time continues to decrease, there is a light and hope that not many really see in Jacob's Word's. Living in this generation, it seems that people have been going through life much faster. It is as if G-d cutting the days of man to 120 were not enough. Some are proclaiming the Messiah out of envy and strife, but others out of good will. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. The former proclaim Messiah not sincerely, but out of selfishness—expecting to stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment.

This brings me to a very difficult question, How long would you want to live? I have moments when I feel great that I ask G-d, please take me to 120 that I may fulfill the days of my life. There are other days where I ask the L-rd, because of all this evil, please come and save now. I want you to be aware that I am in no way regretting my own life, rather, my life being so precious to G-d I ask that He redeems me from this great evil. So in a way Jacob speaks to Pharaoh in a very similar way. Jacob speak that His days were few and evil, and the days he lived are nothing close to what his fathers lived out. Following this we read in scripture what Jacob then did, "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from Pharaoh’s presence."

"And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from Pharaoh’s presence."

I find this so profound, because after all this struggle and not having experience the time that Jacob's father's have had, Jacob was able to bless Pharaoh. At that moment, I thought to myself, what great wisdom did Jacob have. After being transformed by the renewing of his mind, Jacob was able to come to the understanding of what it means to be Reborn. Being Reborn allowed Jacob to see that everything he had gone through was in order for G-d to establish His W-rd/Blessing in Jacob's life as was done in the lives of his fathers. What makes it so profound is that Jacob did not have to live out the years of his fathers, rather, in this short time given to live, G-d is still faithful in His W-rd to give His servant all he needs to see who G-d is, and He is very good indeed. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the Good News.

So back to present day life. Technology has never been as advanced as it has been before the 1990's. Ofcourse, I can only tell through the books I read since I was born in the mid 1990's, but being able to see how far we've gone doesn't surprise me like it surprises those older than me. But because of the challenges that the older folk's face, I am able to work my way around that, and get to the parts that would benefit me faster and those ahead of me. Of-course, that is not the case all the time, but it sure is most of the time. In the cycle of life we see one generation impart so much information to the next, and the information continues to grow in the next generation as we begin to lose grasp. Though life begins to throw these turns, we look back at our fathers or the things that might seem dead to us (like an old mp3 player), and say, I remember those great and marvelous things that I beheld. Now this I pray, that your love might overflow still more and more in knowledge and depth of discernment, in order to approve what is excellent—so that in the Day of Messiah you may be sincere and blameless, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Yeshua the Messiah, to the glory and praise of God.

In celebrating the lives that have gone to a deep rest, I have seen the photos that played in the person's life. And all that comes to my mind were the word's of Jacob to Pharaoh. His words were made to show that though chosen by G-d only G-d can bring back to life, only G-d can bring a dead man back to his dead child and spring life at their reunion. Only G-d can resurrect the dead, yet it forces us to see death before we can see life. "Amen, amen I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it forever (John 12:24-25)." It was as if the life of Jacob finally began to reach the life of his father's sourjouning without having to go through the fullness of years his fathers went through. This Rebirth was more than being able to see the reconciolation with his son, but this was a reconcilation of two nations (Israel and Egypt) who were seperated but brought together to fulfill the vision that was given by G-d. 

"Amen,amenI tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it forever (John 12:24-25)."

"I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua.Now this I pray, that your love might overflow still more and more in knowledge and depth of discernment, in order to approve what is excellent—so that in the Day of Messiah you may be sincere and blameless, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Yeshua the Messiah, to the glory and praise of God. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the Good News.Some are proclaiming the Messiah out of envy and strife, but others out of good will. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. The former proclaim Messiah not sincerely, but out of selfishness—expecting to stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment. For to me, to live is Messiah and to die is gain.But if to live on in the body means fruit from my work, what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two—having a desire to leave and be with Messiah, which is far better; yet for your sake, to remain in the body is more necessary.Only live your lives in a manner worthy of the Good News of the Messiah.For to you was granted for Messiah’s sake not only to trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake— experiencing the same struggle you saw in me and now you are hearing in me."