For God's Word is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 WNT Recently this verse came to life for me. It's happened before.... I'll read something in the Bible and then some time later read it again, but find something wholly new and amazing that I didn't see previously. It just clicks. Does that ever happen to you? This is {part of} what it means by "the Word is ALIVE". Of course, the Word is alive! Yeshua is the Word of God (John 1:1 & 14). He is alive and has ascended to the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55, Mark 16:19, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20). Yeshua is also the physical manifestation of the Father, YHWH. Because Yeshua is the Word and alive, and the physical representation of the Father to us, He is able, through the Holy Spirit of YHWH God, and his oneness with the Father, to teach us new things. He has been given all authority on the earth! Each time we read scripture we have the opportunity to see things with bigger eyes, with more understanding through His wisdom. This week's Torah portion, Vayera, from Genesis 18-22, was this kind of *new* for me. I remember reading many times before that YHWH, I AM, appeared to Abraham often. I remember in this particular section of scripture, that Abraham stood at the door of his tent and saw three {men} coming toward him. Upon seeing them, he ran out to meet them and fell on his face in front of the LORD God of Hosts. I remember that Abraham asked them to stay, refresh themselves and converse with him, and that he then ran inside and had Sarah fix the visitors some food. Afterward, when the food was ready, Abraham brought it out and set it before the three men and they ate. Shortly two of the men went on their way (to eventually reduce Sodom and Gomorrah to rubble), however the LORD God stayed behind and talked with Abraham. We know for a fact that it was YHWH because of the conversation that is recorded in scripture. YHWH GOD revealed to Abraham that He was going to destroy the two wicked cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) , but Abraham pleaded with YHWH, as a friend, about sparing the cities if He, the LORD, found righteous ones there. Abraham counted down from 50 righteous, to 45, to eventually only 10 and inquired of the LORD YHWH about His plans. YHWH said He would indeed spare the wicked for the righteous' sake. What a fabulous interaction between Abraham and his Father, our Father! Now, what I didn't notice or know before is this: 1) The Bible says that God, YHWH, The Great I Am, the King of kings, "APPEARED BEFORE AND TALKED TO ABRAHAM". Repeat that. Wait. Doesn't the Bible also say that no man can look upon God and live. Isn't that exactly why the Israelites cried out in fear and trembling to Moses at Mt. Sinai and begged him to go up on the mount and commune with God and relay God's message to them? They were afraid! So how did this work with Abraham? Simple! The only way God physically shows Himself to us is through the physical manifestation of His Son - the Messiah, the Savior, Yeshua. However, there are those (in Judaism and other religions, who deny Yeshua's messiahship) who say that it was NOT YHWH God Who appeared to Abraham, but just an angel. The irony is that these same people named the Torah portion "He appeared". Who appeared, then? YHWH! YHWH God appeared to Abraham in physical form, as the Messiah himself! Wait. Yes, I said that correctly, but let me elaborate some. Some of the same rabbis and Judaic scholars who divided up the Torah into 54 portions for reading throughout the year, and named the portions {usually} after the first word in the section, say that YHWH did not actually appear to Abraham, but yet they names the section "He appeared". Today they say it was {just} a third angel -- but both can't be right - the scripture AND the rabbis. One of them is wrong (or lying to cover up truth). I wasn't completely sure what was right or going on, so I did some research. While I don't have a conclusive answer, here is my logic of sorts. If the Judaic authorities (who say the Torah portions are named after the first couple of words in the Torah portions, and that their Tanakh is correct and without error) admit it was YHWH God that appeared to Abraham then they have a big problem on their hands. They deny that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah (Christ) == SO they have to say it was only an angel and not YHWH God in physical form as Yeshua the Messiah or they have to go back ad revisit the Yeshua questions. They have a conundrum because the Bible, both in the New and Old Testaments says that the physical appearance of YHWH is only through His Messiah. YHWH's physical appearance is through his son and His son is none other than Yeshua. If Yeshua is the son of YHWH, then He is God, and John 1:1 and 14 are true. And THAT is the great issue for the Judaic authorities in a nutshell. he Word was made flesh and dwelt among us in Yeshua the Messiah. Rabbinical Judaism and Jews who adhere to rabbinical Judaism (instead of the Word of YHWH) have issue with that. They won't always have that issue, but right now they still do. 2) The second aha! moment had to do with Deuteronomy 14:21, Exodus 23:19, 34:26 (that being a simple comparison of the rabbinical kosher laws vs the food and dietary laws contained with in actual scripture). The same instructions are repeated three times in the Bible. It says: Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. Deuteronomy 14:21 Jewish authorities (rabbis) explain this statement about a young goat being cooked in it's mother's milk to mean that NO MEAT item can be cooked in, served with, or eaten with or NEAR any dairy item. The verses copied above DO NOT SAY THIS. This is strictly a rabbinical law, not YHWH's law. "The meat and the dairy shall not touch" is not biblical. The Bible, even in the the original languages, does not say "all meat and dairy must be separated at all times". It simply says, paraphrased, 'do not kill a young animal and then cook it in the milk of its own mother'. HOW CRUEL that would be! It isn't about keeping the meat and cheese separated, it's about ethical considerations and kindness vs cruelty. This statement is about doing that which is right and good. In the same vein, the Bible instructs us not to take the eggs from a nest while the mother bird is present (Deuteronomy 22:6), which speaks of ethical considerations, kindness, doing what is right vs cruelty. If we are to believe that we should keep all meat and dairy separate, then are we to also keep eggs products and meat separate? Is that what YHWH meant when we look at it all in context? I do not believe so, and neither do millions of Bible scholars or laymen, Jews, or gentiles followers of YHWH's laws. Apparently YHWH wanted to concretely, without-a-doubt, explain this to me; He led me next to Genesis 18:8 (pasted in several versions for clarity): He [Abraham] then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they [the Three] ate, he [Abraham] stood near them under a tree. NIV And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. KJV And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. JPS Tanahk 1917 ...and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat. YLT Then he took curds, milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it all before the men; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. CJB Full Massoretic Hebrew Text and Literal Translation of the Hebrew Tanahk, with Strong's Annotations And he took 3947 z8799 butter, 2529 and milk,2461 and the calf 1121 1241 which x834 he had dressed, 6213z8804 and set 5414 z8799 [it] before x6440 them; y6440 and hex1931 stood 5975 z8802 by x5921 them under x8478 the tree,6086 and they did eat. 398 z8799 וַיִּקַּח חֶמְאָה וְחָלָב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָראֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶםוְהוּא־עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץוַיֹּאכֵלוּ waYiQach chem'ähw'chäläv ûven-haBäqär ásheräsäh waYiTën lif'nëyhemw'hû-omëd álëyhem Tachathäëtz waYokhëlû A literal, word-for-word reading in any and every translation or ancient text says it simply: YHWH God APPEARED to Abraham. Abraham and Sarah prepared a meal of milk, curds/butter and meat for YHWH God and the two angels with Him. Abraham set the meal before the three, and YHWH God ATE the meal that Abraham and Sarah had prepared. Nothing is said about there being a problem with serving meat and dairy together. We must assume that Abraham and Sarah did not kill a young animal that day to prepare it in it's own mother's milk. That would have been against the commands. BUT they do serve GOD and the Angels milk and butter and meat TOGETHER, and the angels and GOD ATE THE MEAL. Was Abraham so bold and so arrogant to serve the God of the universe something that He forbid? No, not at all.... Abraham simply did not kill a calf or kid and boil it in its own mother's milk and then serve it. There was no need or reason to separate the meat and the dairy. This is another one of the "fences around the Torah" that the rabbis have come up with and imposed upon men. I will finish with these two verses, one from the Tanahk and one from the B'rit Hadashah: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it." Deuteronomy 4:2 and also Deuteronomy 12:32 Information taken from an online quiz; no sources reference given.
Which one of the 10 Commandments is missing from the New Testament? A. 1st B. 3rd C. 4th D. None of the above All Ten Commandments are specifically mentioned in the New Testament, some several times. Be sure to understand The words of the Messiah Himself when he said, "I did not come to abolish the Torah (law of Moses) or the Prophets, I came to fully preach, fulfill, make known, magnify abundantly {pleroo in Greek} the Torah and prophets..." Matthew 5:17-20. 1st Commandment: Matthew 4:10; John 4:24; Revelation 19:10. 2nd Commandment: Acts 15:20; 17:29; Romans 1:23-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:14; 1 John 5:21 3rd Commandment: Matthew 6:9; John 5:43; 10:25; 17:6; Romans 2:24; 1 Timothy 6:1 4th Commandment: Matthew 12:8; 24:20; Mark 1:21; 2:27-28; Luke 4:16; 23:56; Acts 13:14; 15:21; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4,11; 15:21; Colossians 2:16; Hebrews 4:4, 8-10 5th Commandment: Matthew 19:19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Ephesians 6:2-3; Colossians 3:20 6th Commandment: Matthew 5:21-22; 19:19; Romans 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; James 2:11; 1 John 3:15 7th Commandment: Matthew 5:27-28; 19:18; Romans 2:22; 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:4 8th Commandment: Matthew 19:18; Romans 2:21; 13:9; Ephesians 4:28 9th Commandment: Matthew 19:18; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 3:3; 10th Commandment: Romans 7:7; 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5. Look each of these verses up and test scripture for yourself. Our Messiah DID NOT DO AWAY with the law (of Moses) or the writings of the prophets. No, he lived and taught them and promised us that they would not pass away in any way or form until the earth passed away. See Matthew chapter 5 for more about this. YWHW keeps ALL of His promises! Correct: D How many tithes does the Bible mention and for what purpose are they given? If you had asked me this during 90% of my life, I would have said "one". That all changed when I heard a bit of something that made me think that perhaps there were at least two different tithes mentioned in the Bible. How could I be my age, have grown up in the church and STILL NOT KNOW THIS!? I was far enough along in my hebrew roots, messianic studies to know the answer to that question! I asked a few people I knew from church, but they said one also or had no idea. One of these so-called "Christians" elaborated and told me it didn't "even matter because tithes were from the Old Testament and Jesus did away with all of that junk anyway...". I admit I didn't know much about tithes at that moment, but I was (am still am) absolutely positive that if something is in the Bible, it isn't junk AND I knew that nothing had been "done away with" by Jesus or anyone else. The GOD I serve is the same yesterday, today, and forever! The dead end sent me to the internet and a few familiar sites, but it seemed no one in the Christian circles wanted to talk about this, unless it was to say "Don't worry about it, it's all been abolished anyway...". Sometimes I come across something that intrigues me, gets my attention and I really. must. know. more. This was one of those times. I know that it is the Holy Spirit in me showing me things, teaching me, leading me where I need to study or learn nest, but often I am a little dull and don't get it. This was one of those times. I let it go and moved on. However, the Spirit of the Living GOD has a plan and purpose I had not taken into consideration. For the next several days, everywhere I went, I saw the word tithes, heard talk about giving to charities and those in need, saw people in need, reaching out for help. A friend even contacted me to ask about my family's plans for Sukkot and shared what their plans were - a big, 10 day vacation, with a couple of other families, in condos on the east coast. Wow! That's expensive! Bells and whistles and sirens went off in my head! Here is what I eventually found out. My research here is not complete, but at least it's a start. There is absolutely more than one tithe mentioned in the Bible. There are three, in fact. Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, clearly states that this tithe collected for the poor was different from the other two: “Besides those two tithes, which I have already said you are to pay every year, the one for the Levites, the other for the festivals, you are to bring every third year a third tithe to be distributed to those that want [i.e., lack]; to women also that are widows, and to children that are orphans” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 4, chapter 8, section 22). 1) The first type of tithe is for the work of GOD and is holy unto Him, and to be used solely for His work. “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh. If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add a fifth part to it. All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh. He shall not search whether it is good or bad, neither shall he change it. If he changes it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.’” These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. Leviticus 27:30-34 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says Yahweh of Armies. “All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says Yahweh of Armies. Malachi 3:8-11 2) The second type of tithe is to be used for observing and celebrating the Feasts of YHWH. The tithe is given/saved to ensure that a person or family will have sufficient funds for the yearly Feasts of YHWH. You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes out of the field year by year. You shall eat before Yahweh your God, in the place which he chooses, to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. If the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set his name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose. You shall trade the money for whatever your soul desires, for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. Deuteronomy 14:22-26 3) The third type of tithe is for those who serve and work within the Temple (today that would be those who serve the body), and also for the widow, the orphan and the needy or poor. You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. Deuteronomy 14:27-29 The second tithe is how my friend and her family, and those vacationing with them, were able to afford to be able to go to the coast for over a week and relax and celebrate the Feast of Sukkot together, in a "temporary dwelling". Isn't YHWH amazing... I should not be surprised after all this time to see that He truly has thought of everything from the foundation of the earth. here is another thought via photo:
The Word of YHWH speaks to us. Through the words of scripture YHWH reveals His will, His character, and His heart for us, if we will only listen -- and then obey!! The Hebrew word that YHWH used when he said to listen or hearken is shema - קריאת שמע. In Hebrew the word has the connotation of not only hearing with the ears, but listening with the heart, mind and soul AND THEN ACTING upon what you heard. It is the whole reason Yeshua's brother, James, told us:
James 1:22 "But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says, otherwise you are only fooling yourselves. For weeks and weeks I have been reading and thinking about Yeshua's words in Matthew 5. Matthew is the FIRST BOOK of the New Testament. Really it is where the crux of the anti-Torah vs pro-Torah "argument" comes from in the Church's mind, right? They preach and teach everyone that Jesus came and abolished, or did away with, the Torah, that he nailed it all to the cross and we no longer have to concern ourselves with all those antiquated and outdated Old Testament rules that even Jesus said are too hard for anyone to follow. (Bunny trail for study: Did he really say that? Re-read it -- was he talking about the Bible or all of the traditions and man-made rules the Pharisees had added to the people?) Yeshua is quoted over and over (in all four gospels) saying the same thing. Everything that he says is clear and concise, and yet man has taken his words and screwed them up into knots, confusing themselves --- and others. Matthew 5 warns against this! Yeshua's words are often twisted to mean that he DID do away with, or abolish, the Law and Prophets. This is NOT TRUE! Read the words of Matthew yourself, in ANY version of the Bible. It does not say what we have been taught in our churches. How ANYONE can read the words that he clearly spoke and understand it in exactly the opposite way is hard to understand. Read the words again in purple below. It is IMPOSSIBLE to understand it as done away with, unless you make words mean the OPPOSITE of what they actually mean. He absolutely, specifically says, "I DID NOT COME TO ABOLISH..." Matthew 5: 17-19 “Do not think that I have come to destroy {abolish} the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy {abolish} them, but to fulfill (pleroo) them. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all [of it] takes place. Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Important note: From a word study I did last year (http://set-apart-prairie.weebly.com/word-studies.htm), I learned that the word fulfill, in verse 17, in Greek, is PLEROO. This particular Greek word means:
It does not mean to finish or abolish, or do away with! The "complete" that is meant is akin to saying that "a husband and wife complete each other". They aren't by any means done, or finished, or perfect, and they certainly don't abolish or do away with one another by being together, but together they are two parts now become one, that are a portion of a larger puzzle, and make that portion complete as they continue to work toward perfection and completion in the Savior within their marriage until ultimate completion on Judgement Day. Revelation is the LAST BOOK of the New Testament. Quoted below are a couple of verses that I do not ever remember reading before last night. TC and I went to the Casting Crowns concert yesterday evening. It was a good night all around. TC and I had a good time out together and I really enjoyed having a driver, instead of being a driver. :-) Casting Crowns' encouragement and words straight from scripture have been a blessing and light over the years that helped to keep me afloat in some very difficult and terrible times. They mean a lot to me, so I could not pass up seeing them again. During most of their songs, the lyrics flash on a giant screen (much like you see in some churches). I don't know which song it was, but something in one of them triggered a reminder that I had an email in my inbox that I hadn't read and told me I needed to read it as soon as I got home. Matthew 5 was still heavily on my mind, especially as I looked around at the hundreds and hundreds of people around me in the stadium, I wondered how many of them believed that Jesus did away with the law and the prophets? How many of them were hurting? How many of them felt like there is more to what they have been taught but they can't figure it out quite yet? Even though I was there having a good time with my son, and ready to enjoy so really great music and worship my King, I was sad. I felt heavy inside. It was making me cry. When we got home, I headed straight for my inbox. I only had to read the first two sentence: Revelation 14: 12-13 "Here is a call for the endurance (patience) of the saints, those who keep the commandments of YHWH AND the faith OF Yeshua. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in YHWH from now on'. Blessed indeed, says Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" and Revelation 22:7, 18-19 “And behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book." There you have it: Matthew = 1st book; Revelation = last book. Bam! Done! Clarity! Simplicity! Praise His Name! Now, all this scripture together: Yeshua said, "Do not think that I have come to destroy {abolish} the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy {abolish} them but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all [of it] takes place. Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [And}] here is the patient endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of YHWH and faith OF Yeshua. And I (John) heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “in order that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow after them.” “And behold, I {Yeshua} am coming quickly! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” I {Yeshua} testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, YHWH God will add to him the plagues written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, YHWH God will take away his share of the tree of life and from the holy city that are written in this book. Amen. If you wish to read more on this and dig deeper, please, fasten your seat-belt and click here: http://hethathasanear.com/index1.htm Reposted from Bibles for Israel, http://free.messianicbible.com/parasha/passover-day-dedicated-coming-messiah/ The Eighth Day of Passover, 5775 Torah Readings: Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17; Isaiah 10:32–12:6; 1 Corinthians 15:35–16:24; Revelation 2:1–7 Maftir: Numbers 28:19–25 “On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.” (Exodus 12:16) It has been a full week—seven days—of eating matzah (unleavened bread) and abstaining from all forms of leaven during Pesach (Feast of Passover). Last night, on the seventh night of Passover, some Jewish people stayed awake all night. They do this because the Israelites are believed to have crossed the Red Sea on this night of Passover. It was an all-night event that demonstrated the miraculous and awesome power of God. The Torah reading for the seventh day of Passover (Exodus 13:17–15:26) includes the recounting of the crossing of the Red Sea. Jewish people then sing the Song of Moses—the same one sung by the ancient Israelites thousands of years ago when they rejoiced over their victory in safely reaching the other side: “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: ‘I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.’” (Exodus 15:1) While Passover is now drawing to a close in Israel, the last day of Passover is just beginning in the Diaspora (Jews living outside Israel). This extra day of Passover for Jews living outside Israel was instituted by rabbinic decree from early on. One purpose may have been to raise awareness among members of the Jewish communities living outside of Israel that they could come home out of exile. Another reason, perhaps the original reason, however, for the extra day has to do with the timing of the holiday. Originally, the beginning of the month was established at the sighting of the New Moon in Jerusalem, which set the exact day of the celebration of holidays. Special messengers were dispatched from Jerusalem so that throughout Israel, as well as the Diaspora, holidays would be celebrated on the proper day. Of course, the messengers did not always arrive before the holiday, so an extra day was added to some holidays, including Passover. But in regards to time, there is another difference between the eighth day and the rest of Passover; the eighth day looks forward to a future redemption rather than back to a past redemption. From Redemption in Egypt to Final Redemption in the Messianic Era The Exodus from Egypt marked a new beginning for the Israelites—the birthing of their nation. But theirs was no ordinary nation, for when they stepped out of Egypt, they stepped into a Divine call and destiny. God Himself would guide them so that their Divine call and destiny would be fulfilled: to be a holy nation and kingdom of priests holding out to the other nations the Torah and Light of the World. Israel's nationhood was conceived with God’s personal call to Abraham. It continued to grow through Isaac and Jacob and the twelve sons that became the 12 tribes, which multiplied to great numbers in just 400 years. And finally upon the Exodus from Egypt, birthing the nation that would bring about the blessing of God to the world. Each year at Passover, we are to consider that we ourselves left Egypt those many years ago. But this looking back also points to our present. Each of us has our own personal Egypt from which we need deliverance. Still, this extra day of Passover changes the focus from the redemption of our first exile to a future, final Messianic redemption of the Jewish People. According to Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, “The two are intimately connected, the beginning and end of one process, with God in the future redemption showing wonders‘as in the days of your exodus from Egypt.’” (Micah 7:15) The Torah reading for the eighth day of Passover (Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17) reminds us that the firstborn of one’s herd belongs to God. Of course, this is connected to the sparing of the firstborn Israelites whose houses were marked with the blood of the lamb. This Parasha reading also describes the offerings that were to be brought to the Temple for seven days during Pesach. And it provides a variety of laws, including those related to tithes, the year of release (Shemitah year), the release of slaves, and a comprehensive description of the Shalosh Regalim (three pilgrimage festivals): Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)—festivals during which God requires the men of Israel to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Although the Temple does not exist today, plans have been drawn up for the creation of the Third Temple. The Temple vessels and priestly garments have also been created, and the priests are already in training. This is the Temple in which the anti-Messiah will set up the abomination of the desolation in the Last Days. It is also the Temple that Yeshua (Jesus) will return to and demonstrate once again how zealous He is for His Father's house. The Prophesied Final Redemption This Haftarah passage was specially chosen to be chanted on the last day of Passover because it contains several allusions to the redemption from Egypt. The Haftarah, from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 10:32–12:6), begins with a prediction that Assyria will be defeated. This defeat apparently occurred on Passover, according to Jewish tradition. In this Haftarah reading, Assyria is described as the rod of God’s anger in punishing Israel’s unfaithfulness. But Assyria itself will be punished because it went beyond God’s bidding by being excessively cruel to Jerusalem. (Isaiah 10:11) Furthermore, it attributed its success against Jerusalem to its own might. (Isaiah 10:12–15) Isaiah 37 describes the Assyrian army’s unsuccessful campaign against Jerusalem. In one night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 in the camp. Assyria failed to crush Jerusalem. The power of David's throne in Jerusalem continues through the Messiah; this Haftarah portion promises that a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse (King David’s father). That shoot is the Messiah, and the Spirit of the Lord, Isaiah says, will rest on Him. (Isaiah 11:1–2) This reading further states that He will reign in Israel, and the nations will seek out His counsel. The Haftarah continues with Isaiah’s message of hope that the Israelites will again be gathered together from lands of exile and return to Israel. The reading also contains the famous great vision of the Messianic Era in which both society and nature will undergo a complete transformation—a new exodus, as it were. Peace and harmony will reign supreme among all people as the Messiah governs by God’s Spirit and not through force. Isaiah offers a prophetic vision of the final redemption. He includes some of the most known and perhaps appealing images of the harmony of the soon-coming MessianicEra, as well as the return of the Jewish People to the land of Israel, which will be ruled by the Messiah. “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6) “He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12) The Jewish People Long for Their Messiah While all of Passover points to future redemption, the eighth day of Passover is distinguished by focusing on the Messianic redemption, so much so that the final meal at the end of the Eighth day is called the Feast of the Messiah. The redemption that Messiah brings will be a complete redemption in which Israel will no longer be in exile. Past redemptions are considered incomplete in Judaism because the possibility for exile remained; however, in the final redemption, all possibilities for exile will be obliterated. (Chabad) Many Christians today are unaware that the belief in the coming of the Messiah is a cardinal tenet of the Jewish faith. The Jewish People have looked for centuries for a Messianic deliverer who would bring world peace. Nationally speaking they do not yet recognize that Yeshua (Jesus) is the promised Messiah for whom they have been longing, or that He will soon be returning to Jerusalem as the King of Israel. However, the Prophet Zechariah does promise that Israel will one day recognize Yeshua as the Messiah: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (Zechariah 12:10) This is REPOSTED from over on Judah Gabriel's blog, Kineti L'Tziyon at http://tinyurl.com/oesz3q5
Shalom fine Kineti reader, and chag sameach. Here are some notes I jotted tonight for the significance of the 4 cups of Passover for Messianic believers. I hope you enjoy! -Judah Gabriel Why do we drink the 4 cups of Passover? The Jewish people have several traditions around the 4 cups. One prominent tradition is that the 4 cups correspond to the 4 “I will…” statements of Exodus 6: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will save you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people.… We take these 4 cups remembering the works of God, aspects of his saving Israel, facets of his salvation:
We also take these 4 cups in remembrance of Messiah. At Passover, Messiah commands us to “do this in remembrance of Me” – but what are we remembering about Messiah?
Cup 1: Sanctification “I will take you out” With this first cup we remember God pulling Israel out of the nations and setting them apart from the world. We remember how God took a bunch of nobody slaves and called them to be distinct from the nation they were living in. He took people that were suffering and dissolving and disappearing, he listened to their cries for help, and responded to their cries, “I will take you out!” This separate-ness,called sanctification, is why God blessed Israel but judged Egypt. This separate-ness is why God sent plagues on idolaters, but peace and safety to His people. This separateness is why God killed the firstborn of Egypt, but gave life and deliverance to his people Israel. When we drink this cup of sanctification, we remember the Messiah, who called us to the difficult and life-long path of a disciple: separate from the world, distinct from sinful people, a higher calling of discipline and obedience and service to God. We remember that Messiah has taken us out of the world, as it’s written, “Do not love the world, or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes are not of the Father, but of the world. And the world and all of these lusts are passing away. But the one that does the will of God abides forever and ever.” God has called each person in this room to live a holy life. Not one that is so like the world, that we’re indistinguishable from unbelievers. But a life marked by holiness, characterized by shalom, distinguished by obedience to God’s commandments, filled up with the fruit of the Spirit and producing good works for God and the Messiah who sanctifies us. Cup 2: Deliverance “I will save you” Have you ever experienced a difficult time in your life? Maybe you’re struggling with depression, battling addictions, barely surviving a fight-filled marriage? In such times, we call out to God for help. We’re at the end of what we can humanely do. We don’t know how else to fix the situation. “God, help me, I don’t know what else to do!” This is what the people of Israel did in Egypt. Being worked to death in a burning desert for hundreds of years, people were losing hope. At that point, all of God’s promises must have seemed ridiculous. That old promise that God would make them into a great nation must have seemed entirely laughable, a fairy tales you tell to children, but not a tangible reality. Then, God intervened. Then, God performed a divine reversal. Instead of a forgotten people dying in a desert, God puts on a show of divine power, his right arm bared for everyone to see, miracles worked one after another, judgment brought on the captors, release and favor on the captives. This was the salvation of Israel that was to be remembered for generations to come, this was the deliverance of God’s people that became etched throughout the Scriptures, ingrained even in the 10 commandments which begin, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, and delivered you from the land of slavery.” Had God not delivered them at that time, there would have been no Exodus from Egypt, no commandments given to Israel, no land of Israel, no prophets of Israel, no books of the Bible, no kings of Israel, no King David, and if not David, then no son of David, the Messiah, and if no Messiah, no disciples, no disciples, and we wouldn’t be here today. As we drink this cup of deliverance, let’s remember that God came through, he didn’t disappoint, and made good on his promise to deliver Israel. Let’s remember that God sent the Messiah, his own Son, who delivers us from sin; we no longer need to be slaves to sin, because we have repentance leading to forgiveness of sin in Yeshua’s name. We will overcome even the difficult circumstances because God will deliver us, as Messiah encouraged us saying, “Have no fear, have no fear, I have overcome the world!” Let’s remember and trust and believe that every man who puts his trust in the Lord will not be disappointed, but will see in his own life God’s complete and total deliverance. Cup 3: Redemption “I will redeem you” The idea of redemption is foreign to us in the 21st century. We might redeem a coupon code, or talk about a person’s sole redeeming quality, but we otherwise don’t deal in redemption. To redeem something is to regain it in exchange for payment. To buy back something. To repurchase or win back something. God is in the redemption business. God is called the Redeemer of Israel repeatedly in the Torah and in the psalms and in the in the prophets. In this 3rd Passover cup, the cup of redemption, we remember that God redeemed Israel from slavery, reclaiming his people for himself through what the Scriptures call an outstretched arm – God’s power on display through repeated miracles for Israel and plagues against Egypt.” This 3rd cup is the cup that our Master Yeshua also said, “This is the cup of the b’rit hachadasha (new covenant, new agreement, new deal), ratified by my blood, which is poured out for you.” This new covenant, this new deal was an agreement in which God agreed that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, spared from sin and death and judgment. Yeshua said this 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, is the cup of the new covenant, the cup of his blood poured out for humanity. His blood being poured out was what made this new deal possible. Isaiah spoke in advance of Messiah’s coming, foretelling that God’s righteous servant – the Messiah – will justify many people before God. This new deal was made possible by God laying on Messiah the guilt of humanity, that by his being beaten, bruised, and whipped, and speared, and nailed to a tree, Messiah’s shed blood will redeem mankind. This is the blood of the new covenant, the cup of redemption that we are about to drink. The book of Hebrews puts it this way: the priests in the Temple offering sacrifices and appearing before God’s presence is an earthly shadow of a heavenly reality: Messiah shedding his perfect blood, cleaning us of our sin and appearing before God on our behalf. Through Messiah’s shed blood, he took on himself the sins of many, becoming God’s Salvation and God’s Redemption. And because of this Messiah, we are all here today. Because of the merit of Messiah’s life and the pouring out of his blood, God has purchased from all nations a people for himself, a people who once were not a people. We, the billions of believers who call on the name of the God of Israel, have been redeemed by God, purchased through the precious blood of his own son, the spotless Passover lamb, to him be the glory forever! Cup 4: Restoration “I will take you as My own people” The hope we have as disciples of Yeshua is the hope promised in the Scriptures: God is restoring all things to their pristine state, turning evil on its head, rewarding the righteous, setting things straight. Are you distraught at how wicked and sinful people are today? Don’t worry, God will bring every evil act of men into judgment. Do you see confusion among secular people, in the media, and even in the church? God promises he will seal up the deceiver, cast him in the lake of fire, and Satan will no longer be able to deceive the nations. Are you ill? God has promised that when the Kingdom of Heaven arrives, disease will be taken away. Are you suffering? God will wipe every tear from your eye, remove pain and suffering. Are you old and frail? God will raise you up in the last day, give you a new immortal body, and you will reign with him from Jerusalem. In this final cup of Passover, the cup of Restoration, we remember that God kept his promise to restore Israel. It was seemingly impossible – the sons of Abraham to whom God has promised a nation and a great people had been reduced to a lowly group of slaves subject to a harsh master, a disorganized and bickering people dying through forced labor in the desert. God came through and restored the people to the glory he promised them. Abraham’s seed, the Jewish people, saw God at work, restoring his people to their honored state as kings and priests of God, making a reality his promise of a great nation through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. That nation and that people are still alive today as a testament to God’s faithfulness. It’s important we remember this restoration! In the 1800s, even many of the Jewish people forgot that God is serious about restoration. After nearly 2000 years of being a disorganized, disunited people outside of the land God promised, one of the major branches of Judaism decided God wouldn’t restore the land after all; the Jewish people would never return to the land of Israel, never again to be a nation. That branch of Judaism decided to remove from the siddur all prayers mentioning Israel, Zion, Jerusalem. The Christian world, too, discarded God’s promise of restoration, with one Vatican official writing in the early 1920s that God has “forever cursed the Jewish people to be nomads without a homeland.” But, to the surprise of even the religious, God didn’t forget his promise of restoration. On May 14th of 1948, the nation of Israel was reborn, the Jewish exile ended, the land of Israel brought forth fruit again, and the Hebrew language was restored. God is in the business of restoration, even in the modern age, yes, even in this generation. In the last 20 years, we have seen a renaissance of disciples of eshua who love the Torah, look at God’s commandments as holy and good and righteous. That you are here today, celebrating Passover on the other side of the planet from where Messiah lived, 2000 years after his day – this too is a testament to God at work, God restoring what once was and what will soon be in the Messianic Era. This final cup of Passover Yeshua our master did not drink. He said, “I will not drink of this cup until it finds its fullness in the Kingdom of Heaven”, that day when God wipes every tear from our eyes, when he takes away suffering and pain, causes death itself to die, resurrects his loved ones, all of his holy, faithful children reigning with him, bringing to earth a new earth, a new heaven and a new Jerusalem. Then Messiah’s name Immanuel – God with us will have its full meaning when God dwells with mankind and restores creation itself, making all things new. Chag sameach! In Matthew 5:17, Yeshua said He came to fulfill the law, to PLEROO the Law of God. What does that mean? In a nutshell: The Greek word PLEROO (pronounced play ro' o) means to fully preach. This means that Yeshua said that He came to fully preach the Law of YHWH GOD... if Yeshua FULLY PREACHED the Law of YHWH GOD, then perhaps we should listen to what our Messiah preached. Here are dozens of scriptures that use the exact word, G4137, that Jesus used in Matthew 5:17: Matthew 1:22, 2:15, 2:17, 2:23, 3:15, 4:14, 8:17, 12:17, 13:35, 13:48, 21:4, 23:32, 26:54, 26:56, 27:9, 27:35, Jesus (Yeshua) was stating that the Hebrew Bible should not be set aside, it still held authority. He did not come to destroy, abolish, do away with or ignore the Torah or the Prophets. He said so! He came to fully preach, to satisfy, to consumate, to render perfect the Law of YHWH GOD. "Do not think that I have come to take away the law and the writings of the prophets. No, I have not come to take them away. But I have come to do what they say must be done." Matthew 5:17 I love this translation of the words of the Messiah. He Himself says that He came to fulfill or satisfy, to do what the Law and Prophets said must be done!, not to abolish them! How much clearer can it be!? Our deeds and actions do matter. Grace is sufficient to save us -- we are all saved by the grace of YHWH. His saving us means that we will know Him and love Him and desire to honor and even obey Him. How can we obey, honor and serve Him if we believe His son came to abolish the Law He sent Him to consummate! The Holy Spirit lives in us now, in our hearts, we ARE the Temple of GOD now, so that we may walk in faith and obedience at a much deeper level than was possible before the Messiah came. We should now seek to obey (admittedly, not always successfully) the great moral and spiritual law which lies behind the Ten Commandments. It is impossible to love Yeshua fully if we do not obey Him. He said this, too. "If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 To believe that we can ignore His commandments and keep on doing what is anathema to them because we "have grace" is paramount to blasphemy and must truly grieve the heart of the King!
Proof that Yeshua/Jesus was NOT born in December!
copied from: http://therefinersfire.org/yeshuas_birthday2.htm Many Christians insist on celebrating the man-made "holiday" of Christmas, even though many of them know that our Savior was not born in December. Many have written to The Refiner's Fire with comments such as, "Who cares when He was born - we celebrate His birth in December!" Apparently they can't grasp the fact that God's commands override mankind's desire to concoct their own "holy days".... YHWH, The Creator, arranged for His Son to be born in His timing - as revealed in His Mo'edim -Biblical Feasts/Appointed Times. Yeshua has so far fulfilled on the first FOUR of the SEVEN Biblical Feasts and there are just three more to go! One of the Feasts Yeshua fulfilled was His own birthday: The first day of Sukkot - the Feast of Tabernacles, which falls in the September/October timeframe on our man-made Gregorian calendars - three months before "Christmas"! This makes Christmas a lie on many levels, especially the "Santa Claus" lie we tell our children. Most know that lying is a sin.... Please read this link about His birthday, and then consider the facts below. --Shepherds do not "abide in the fields" in December with their sheep in Israel, not 2,000 years ago and not now. It is well known that shepherds stay in shelters starting in November, with the arrival of the rainy season. --If you know what the Star of Bethlehem is (Jupiter) then you know when the Nativity was. The Magi told Herod "the time the star appeared" and Herod killed infants two years and under in response. That means the Magi were tracking the "king's star" for two years, because Herod didn't stop from killing his own children and his favorite wife, per Josephus. In fact, Josephus says that Augustus Caesar himself remarked that he would rather be one of Herod's dogs than one of his children. The only "star of kings" that Magi would have known was Jupiter. "Magi" refers to Zoroastrian priests from either Babylon or Persia (Iran or Iraq), both of which are EAST of Israel and both tracked a triple conjunction of Jupiter (the king's planet) and Saturn (the savior planet for the Jews) in Aries (the zodiac sing for Syria and Israel in their mythology). Zoroastrians had a myth that their version of Messiah, called "Saoshyant" in their scriptures, would be born "in the west, in a foreign land." When the triple conjunction, along with a comet and other things, all began in 7 BCE, they knew they had to grab the incense and go. Jupiter even went behind the sun and "died" - was invisible, for more than a year. It emerged triumphantly from behind the sun in mid 6 BCE and tracked west for 4 months, pausing over Bethlehem on Sept. 5 BCE. --As if that isn't compelling enough, remember Luke tells us Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, served 15 months in the Temple before Messiah was born. Luke gives us the name of the course: Abijah (Luke 1:5). Guess what? We know when Abijah served during this time, and when we add 15 months it comes again to Sept, 5 BCE. --Likewise we can date the first census of Qurinius as well, as Romans counted folks every 14 years and people in Egypt - like Josef and Mary - were forced to return to their ANCESTRAL HOMES to pay the tax. This is verified in the Bible; it is not open to interpretation! --Luke and John synch on the same year for the beginning of Messiah's ministry: 27 BCE. How do we know that? Forty-six years from the beginning of Herod's temple and the 15th year of Tiberius bring us to the same year. Co-regencies were counted as part of Roman rule, so Tiberius co-ruled with Augustus starting in 12 CE. Josephus says Herod began building the Temple in 19 BCE. Then Luke says Y'shua was "about 30" when he began his ministry. By this clock, he would be 30 years exactly and a few months. (No year 0 in the timeline so 4 years to 1 BCE +26 to get to Rosh hashanna = 30). |
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