We talk many times about how Yeshua kept the Torah and was tempted in all ways  but without sin. One of the ways that HE walked according to the ways of our Father was in the way that he taught and portrayed honor to His mother. ” Honor your Mother and Father that your days may be long in the land . . . the only commandment with a promise . . .”   ( Exo 20:12, Eph 6:2 ) Even as He hung between heaven and earth, He portrayed honor, love and compassion for His earthly Mother.  ( John 19:26 )

As we honor our mothers this sunday we also look forward in two weeks to the celebration of The Feast of Weeks, Shavuot ( Pentecost ) . Have you ever considered that, as Fathers, we get our ‘fathering attributes’ from our heavenly Father, and Mothers receive their ‘mothering instincts’ from our heavenly Father as well. But I find it interesting that not only is Ruach ( Holy Spirit )  a separate yet inseparable part of the ‘God-head’, the hebrew word for Spirit – ruach – is a feminine-gendered word. 

Yeshua told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the ‘promise of the Father ‘ ; until they were endued with power from above. I always thought that the Messiah was the ‘promise of the Father ?  But Peter gives us some insight with his statement in Acts chapter 2. “This is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel . . .”  And that which was spoken was a ‘promise from the Father’ . . . We find that the promise is two-fold. And the time period from the fulfillment of one ( Passover ) to the giving of the other ( Pentecost ) is 50 days . . . 50 . . . Jubilee . . . the period of Restoration and the picture of Renewal. Three thousand died at Sinai because of disobedience and idolatry ( Spiritual Adultery . . . there’s that word ‘spirit’ again ) Three thousand were added to the Kingdom in Acts chapter 2 at Pentecost. This is a picture of judgement for sin yet ultimate grace that brings about ‘restoration’ . . .

As we honor our Mothers, we not only walk in obedience to our Father’s instructions, but we actually honor the Father that gave our mothers to us by obeying His instructions.

” Honor your Father and your Mother, that your days may long in the land . . .” ”  . . .the only commandment with a promise . . .”      Chag Sameach . . . Happy Mother’s Day . . . Shalom