The Law of the Tongue in Num 30.1-16: How It Relates to 1 Cor 11.1-16 (the husband is her head of influence), 1 Cor 14.34 (women keep silent), and 1 Tim 2.11-15 (I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man)


Num 30.1-16 covers the rules concerning vows, and this portion is known as the “Law of the Tongue” (Jam 3.6, 4.13, 5.12; Matt 5.37) and it is about the power of the spoken word. In Num 30.1 we learn that Moses speaks to the heads of the tribes (Matot). This will be based on the nomadic tradition about tribal customs and order. He is not talking to the Kohanim (priests) or the “sons of Israel.” This is the only portion given to the heads of the nation. A congregation is made up of many families, or tribes, and this alludes to a father over his family. Matot goes to the heart of vows and matot also means “staff or rod.” Each head of a tribe or family had a staff to signify his authority covering that family.

A “vow” is something that is dedicated to God. In Hebrew it is the word “neder.” An “oath” is something that obligates us and in Hebrew that is the word “shevuah” and its root means “seven.” When we make a vow we change reality. Moses knows the lesson of word power (Num 20.6-13). Now, we speak in one three time periods in everything we say. Those periods are past, present and future. God’s seal is truth, in Hebrew “emet.” This word is spelled with an aleph, mem and tav. Aleph speaks of the past, mem speaks of the present/transition and tav speaks of the future.  The instruction in this chapter has everything to do with 1 Cor 11.1-16, 14.34 and 1 Tim 2.11-15. With that said, let’s look at Num 30 verse by verse with a commentary to get a context.

v 1…Then Moses spoke to the heads (rosh) of the tribes (matot) of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which the Lord has commanded.

v 2…If a man makes a vow (neder meaning to dedicate a specific object or creature to the Lord) to the Lord, or he takes an oath (“shavah shevuah”; root is “seven”) to bind himself with a binding obligation (bond), he shall not violate his word (this tells us the God will hold us to our word); he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

v 3…And also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth,

v 4…and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then her vows shall stand, and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand.

v 5…But if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand, and the Lord will forgive her because her father had forbidden her (v 5-15 will talk about her father or her husband and how they can allow or annul her vow.  This is a very interesting instruction and a tender area in this day and time; how do we deal with a woman in our home and authority; most men don’t know what to do with it.  What does the Lord say?  We argue about it. 1 Cor 14.34 says, “Let the women (wives) keep silent in the congregations, for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves just as the Law says.”  We want to look at what “just as the Law says” because Paul is directly referring to this chapter.  There are two reasons why this subject is never taught.  First, it is about women.  Second, it says “Just as the Law says” and people don’t know what it says on this subject, nor do they want to know.  What does the Torah say?  We just read it.  The father or the husband, as we shall see, has the authority in the him.  He is her head of influence when she speaks a vow according to 1 Cor 11.1-16.  He is the “matot” or staff for that family.  He shall decide if such oaths or proclamations are going to be made and approved by him.  No one can speak for a tribe unless the head says it is allowed).

v 6…However, if she should marry while under her vows or the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself ( before she got married),

v 7…and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand (she can speak for the family if the husband agrees.  But if he hears the vow or rash statement she makes, he has the authority to reverse what she says.  If a daughter or a wife wants to commit the family to a task, the husband just like in the tribes can decide otherwise.  But when he hears it and says nothing, it is confirmed and you can’t go back.  Silence is consent in regard to this instruction)

v 8…But if on the day her husband hears of it he forbids her, then he shall annul her vow which she is is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she has bound herself, and the Lord will forgive her.

v 9…But the vow of the widow or of a divorced woman, everything which she has bound herself, shall stand against her (no head of influence so they are in force).

v 10…However, if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an obligation with an oath (before he died or was divorced),

v 11…and her husband heard it and said nothing to her and did not forbid her (before he died or was divorced), then all her vows shall stand, and every obligation which she has bound herself shall stand.

v 12…But if her husband indeed annuls them on the day he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the obligation of hers shall not stand; her husband has annulled them, and the Lord will forgive her.

v 13…Every vow and every binding oath to humble humble herself, her husband may conform it or her husband may annul it (Hebrew “annul” is “peram” and it has the same root as “purim”-Est 9.24-26; Haman made a vow to exterminate the Jews and Esther moved in to annul it).

v 14…But if her husband indeed says nothing to her from day to day, then he causes all her vows to stand, or her obligations which are on her; he has let them stand, because he has said nothing to her on the day he heard them.

v 15…But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them (not at the time he heard them, but some time afterward), then he shall bear her guilt (be held accountable for the breach).”

v 16…These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, as between a man and his wife, or between a father and his daughter while she is in her youth in her father’s house (So how does all this apply spiritually?  We have already looked at 1 Cor 14.34 and 1 Cor 11.1-16 in an assembly, but how does this apply spiritually.  We were in our father’s house, the world, and subject to the will and whims of the nations.  It seems like it is really impossible to fulfill the will of God and it can appear that God has no “say” with us.  But, as we turn our hearts toward God, the power of the nation over us is weakened. The last stage is when we leave the father’s house, the world, to live as the wife of the Messiah who has full rights over us.  Then the world will lose all influence over us, and we are now under God’s authority.  The world today is not going to like this, but the man is the leader of the family, and many families make up the Kahal (assembly).  How far reaching is this?  We communicate with the mouth.  We have already mentioned that God is the seal of truth (emet).  We speak in one of three time periods everytime we speak.  The “past” is where most speak from.  We do this when we argue, complain, confuse, explain, clarify, comment, defend, demonstrate, decide, discuss, justify, show, teach or expound.  The “present” is when something is changed or something is accomplished, or a transition.  The “future” is where a vow comes in.  It is a declaration to do something or consecrate something to the Lord.  It is a declaration or an oath.  From this point on, into the future, a new reality has been created.  This reality is not only for us, but for those around us.  We are modifying a part of the creation of God.  There is rabbinic teaching from Rabbi Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher, that says, “Go get the best meat at the market.”  So the student brought a tongue.  Then he said, “Go get the worst meat at the market.”  And the student also brought a tongue.  This teaches that there is nothing better than a good tongue, and nothing worse than an evil tongue.  Vows are words, the very same thing God used to create the universe.  Now we are in his realm and if you are going to use words to create realities around you, you are going to do it God’s way with his rules.  There is nothing in the Torah that says a woman cannot teach, prophesy or speak in a congregation.  The Scriptures are full of women who did (Miriam, Deborah, Huldah-MIc 6.4; Judges 4; 2 Kings 22.14-20; 2 Chr 34.22-28).  In an assembly, these principles operate, and there should be no repression on who serves, as long as she is not usurping the authority of her father or husband.  This understanding will give us a better understanding of controversial verses like 1 Cor 14.34-35 and 1 Tim 2.11-15. You can see the meaning of these verses on this website by going to these books.  When you understand that “woman” or “women” in these verses are referring to a “wife” or “wives” it makes better sense, in light of Num 30.  Paul is not saying a wife cannot speak in a congregation, but they were not to do it in spite of their husbands, their head of influence according to 1 Cor 11.  Women and wives were prophets, teachers, evangelists and apostles.  They could do whatever the Lord wanted them to do, but they could not usurp the authority of their fathers or husbands “just as the Torah says” in Num 30.  Now, there are leaders or husbands who will exercise their authority, so that must be understood.  It is right and proper for them to do so.  However, they can only do it on the day they hear it.  They do not need permission on the day the leadership of a congregation hears it, they can take action according to the instruction.  Yeshua first appeared to a woman because she believed, and he sent her as an apostle and an evangelist to the others.  There is nothing wrong with a woman serving in an assembly, but do it according to what the Torah says.  James says the tongue is like a rudder and it can turn a ship.  The right word at the right time can turn a person from being lost to the Lord. Our tongue can turn us, so we need to be careful about what we say.  There is a fine line between a promise and a vow.   A boast is is an improper vow.  There is a difference between, “I need to get gas tomorrow” and “I am going to get gas tomorrow.”  We can say it, but we have no authority to make it happen (the car breaks down, a storm hits, etc).  We should not make rash statements, which is a meaningless vow.  Let our yes be yes, and our no be no.  Stay in the present tense by saying, “As the Lord wills” -Jam 4.13-17).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament, Uncategorized

Did Yehovah say, “For I hate divorce” in Mal 2.16?

This is another mistranslated passage that we will try to unravel. The reality is, Mal 2.16 is a verse that endorses divorce under certain circumstances. It does not prohibit a divorce, but instructs a treacherous husband to divorce his wife. This is consistent with other passages in Scripture that allow and even recommend a divorce (Deut 21.14, 24.1-4; Matt 19.9; 1 Cor 7.15). Mal 2.16 commands a treacherous husband to let his wife go, and commands him to compensate her for what he has done to her. The Tanak upholds the rights of an abused wife and it is consistent with Paul’s instructions in 1 Cor 7.15. So, let’s look at the whole context of Mal 2.16 to get the idea of what is being communicated.

In Mal 2.13 it says, “And this is another thing that you do: you (compel the wives who have been wronged to) cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with groaning, so that he (God) no longer regards the food offering (minchah) or accepts it with favor from your hand (the divorced lawful wives come to the Temple and weep because of the injury and damage done to them, and Yehovah rejects the husband’s lawful korbanot-no blessing).”

Then Mal 2.14 says, “Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth (God witnessed their acts and she was the love of his young life), against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion (and shared joy and pain with you) and the wife of your covenant (unscriptural divorce was prevalent at the time).”

Mal 2.15 continues to say, “And not one did so who still had a remnant of the spirit (in other words, no one who had any sense of right and wrong would have done this). And what of the one (the well-known one; Abraham, who put away Hagar; he is rebutting their appeal to Abraham’s conduct with Hagar)? He sought the seed of God (Abraham did it because he sought to obtain the seed promised to him by God, so he put Hagar away because God promised to give him an heir, not with Ishmael, but through Sarah in Isaac; Abraham was also acting on the word of Yehovah). Take heed then, to your spirit (your attitude), and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.”

Now we come to the verse in question. Mal 2.16 says in many translations, “For I hate divorce” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong” says the Lord of hosts (but this is a mistranslation; the Hebrew says, “For he (the husband) covered his garment with violence hated divorce.” The Hebrew word for divorce here is “shalach” meaning “to send her out, let her go, release, set her free.” This is the same word used in Exo 5.1 when Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go (send my people out).” Malachi’s usage here is alluding to Exodus where we have the “oppressive husband” Pharaoh being told to “send out or away, release, let go” the “oppressed wife” Israel. But how did the treacherous husband in our verse do that? He may have been messing around and didn’t want a divorce, or he married another woman, or he left her without a divorce, leaving her without the ability to get divorced and remarry, making her an “agunah” meaning “chained or an anchored woman.” The meaning here is, if he hates her, put her away.

Myles Coverdale wrote the first complete printed translation of the Bible in English in 1535. His translation of Mal 2.16 was incorporated into the Matthew Bible, and then brought into the Great Bible. The Matthew Bible of 1537 says, “If thou hatest her, put her away. ” The Great Bible of 1539 says, “If thou hatest her, put her away.” The Geneva Bible of 1560 says, “If thou hatest her, put her way.” The Bishop’s Bible of 1568-72 says, “If thou hatest her, put her away”; see the article called, “If a Man Hates His Wife He Should Set Her Free From the Marriage. That’s What Malachi 2.16 Says” by Barbara Roberts at cryingoutforjustice.blog; see also Hebrew Voices #216, “Does God Command Divorce? Part 1”, Nehemiah’s Wall; Deut 24.1-4; Exo 21.10 are two verseswhere God allows divorce in the Tanak, and 1 Cor 7.15 is where Paul allows it based on these two verses). “So take heed to your spirit (attitude), that you do not deal treacherously (with the wife of your youth).”

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament, Uncategorized

Who Were the Sons of God in Gen 6.2?

Let’s look at the phrase, “sons of God (benei elohim)” that we see in Gen 6.2 and try to gain some understanding and its meaning. We know that this term can refer to Adam, angels, believers and the kings of Israel starting with Solomon. We know the term is not talking about Adam, nor is it talking about angels because angels cannot have sexual relations with humans, just on the DNA problem alone. It can’t mean the kings of Israel because they did not exist at this time. Believers can be a possibility, but there is another viable meaning to it. So let’s first look at the possiblity that these were believers.

Quoting from the book, “The Temple Revealed in Noah’s Ark: From Chaos to Order”, p.10, by Dinah Dye, “Covenants were made between two parties in order to join their identities. YHVH’s covenant promise to Israel means Israel received the land as an inheritance along with a promise that a descendant would forever sit on the throne-2 Sam 7.16. This covenant was confirmed through the exchange of names, such as the God of Israel and the children of YHVH.” In other words, the term “sons of God” shows that there has been a covenant cut, such as the Adamic Covenant by this time, between God and believing man, and there has been an exchange of names. As we have mentioned before, this term can also be referring to angels as in Job 1.6, Adam as in Luke 28.5-7, Solomon and the later kings in 1Chr 28.5-7. In this case, these would be believers who had the true knowledge of God passed down to them by the previous believing generations in Gen 5 and have entered into a covenant with Yehovah, as seen in Rom 8.14. The meaning is determined by context. This term never refers to fallen angels, and this may be referring to the line of Seth, who began to call on the name of Yehovah in Gen 4.25-26. These sons of God saw that the daughters of men (unbelievers who had no covenant with God) were beautiful and they took wives to themselves (unequally yoked) whomever they chose (like in Judges 3.6-7).

Now, let’s look at another possible meaning from another perspective. This view is interesting and has some merit. We will paraphrase this view, for the sake of expediency, from the same book mentioned above by Dinah Dye, pp. 74-77. Dye writes that the sons of god were the kings, rulers, princes, and noblemen elite pre-flood and were seen as divine beings, and even took the title “sons of god” just like the kings after the flood who regarded themselves as deities, like Pharaoh, the Greek kings and the Roman emperors for instance, but not limited to the Egyptians, Greeks and the Romans. Many kingdoms over the centuries believed the same thing. These kings/sons of god were royalty and ruled city-states. They were born into a world of royal bloodlines and the elite, and were considered men of renown, or givorim. As a result, the world was ruled by these men of renown, and they had talent, skill, and dominion over the rest, believing they were a royal priesthood and offspring of their god.

So, these sons of god, the ruling elite, married their inferiors, the daughters of men, and produced “Nephilim” or fallen ones, meaning those who had fallen from the truth of God and were masters of violence and corruption. These kings would have many children through their “harem” to solidify their dynasties. The harem would include wives, concubines, daughters of foreign kings, female servants of another king who lost in battle, and so on. Some were raised to be noble ladies who were given to other kings and nobility. The belief was that these daughters of men in the harem would marry aristocracy, who were compared to the “sons of god” or the royal kings marrying the “daughters of mortal men.” As a result, these dynasties of the sons of god, the givorim, produced children and became corrupt and filled with violence, and headed for destruction.

Therefore, we do not believe that the sons of God mentioned in this verse are fallen angels having sexual relations with women. Even Yeshua said in Matt 22.30, “For in the resurrection they (believers) neither marry nor are given in marriage, but as are the angels of God in heaven (who do not reproduce).” Then we have the DNA issue, which makes sexual relations between angels and humans impossible because God designed all his creation to multiply “after their kind” in Gen 1. This myth is still quite popular today, and no one should ever consider this view as anything other than a fairy tale, based on the evidence presented above.

We would like to quote again from the book by Dinah Dye mentioned above, p. 79, where we have some very important concepts brought out that will give us more insight into this question. We quote it because it is very concise and one of the best ways to explain what is happening. Dye says, “After the flood, kingship was again lowered from heaven. The Bible declares Nimrod a mighty hunter, a Gibborim in the land (Gen 10.8-10), who made a great name for himself. Nimrod, of the line of Ham, ruled over great cities of the Land of Shinar: Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh. The cultural and political milieu of the pre-flood era had returned, and the Gibborim continued using the same tactics in exercising political power. They enslaved their subjects, took control of the region, and again resorted to violence in the pursuit of power. These rulers rejected YHVH’s sovereignty, until at the Tower of Babel, the world was ripe for judgment. Kingship is a central theme in the Bible, and the Bible often presents the failures of human kings. We might ask how the Kingdom of God can manifest itself on the earth through human agency in building a foundation of righteousness and justice for the people. Deuteronomy instructs that the king was not to be like the Gibborim who filled the earth with violence and corruption. The king was not to commit injustice against the weak and powerless. The king was to judge rightly while breaking the back of those who oppressed his people (Kline 1962: 203). The king was not to multiply wives unto himself, nor horses, nor silver and gold (Deut 17.14-17). For Israel and the world, kingship would reach its pinnacle only under the sovereignty of YHVH who sent his heir, Yeshua the Messiah, Son of God, to remove chaos, restore order, and renew the cosmos.”

In other words, the kings of Israel, called sons of God in 1 Chr 17.11-14, 22.10, 28.5-7, were instructed to be the opposite of the pre-flood “sons of God” who ruled the earth with violence, corruption, polygamy, and oppression, who ruled the weak, the helpless, the poor, widows and orphans by force. They were not to rely on military power to pursue their power, but to submit themselves to the sovereignty of God in all their policies, and to administer the justice of Yehovah in an impartial way. In this they would remove the chaos and disorder that was prevalent in the days before the flood, and after. However, these goals will only be reached in its fullness with the coming of Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of God.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

Moses, the Staff, the Rock, and the Battle with the Amalekites-A Type of the Crucifixion-Exo 17.1-16

In this portion of Scripture, we have a Moses striking the rock at Horeb, and a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites, the perpetual enemy of the people of God. In these stories, we have a picture of what Yeshua will accomplish at the cross in what is called the Second Redemption. The Scriptures teach us about Yeshua and his work of redemption (Psa 40.7; Luke 24.27; John 5.39-47).

Moses is the Shaliah (“apostle” or “sent one”) of the First Redemption, and as they move to Mount Sinai, Israel becomes thirsty and needs water. Yehovah tells Moses to take his staff (a staff is a dead branch and alludes to Yeshua-Zech 6.12-13) and strike the rock (the rock is another name for the Messiah) at Horeb, and living water would come forth, and the people could drink. This is a picture of the crucifixion where Yeshua was struck, and by his death, living water is provided, which will save his people.

After this, Amalek came and will fight against Israel. Amalek is a picture of Ha Satan and the flesh, and the Amalekites want to stop them so they can plunder this group of slaves from Egypt. They will meet at Rephidim, which means “lax”, and this teaches us that when we are lax spiritually, the enemy will confront us as we move to hear the word of God from Sinai and walk in it.

So Moses, the shaliach of the First Redemption, tells Joshua to choose men who will go and fight Amalek. He tells Joshua that he will station himself on top of a hill with the staff of God in his hand, and that will be a sign for Yehovah to bring his power of deliverance and power (Exo 4.1-9). Remember, there is a concept in Scripture that teaches us that on the top of a hill or mountain is where the earth meets the heavens, thus connecting us to the Lord. That is why Yeshua went to mountains to pray and why the Temple was built on Mount Moriah.

So Joshua did as Moses requested, and he fought against Amalek, and Moses, Aaron (light-bringer), and Hur (liberty), went to the top of the hill near the battle. As a result, when Moses held his hands up with the staff in his hands like a banner in prayer, like at the crucifixion of Yeshua, Israel prevailed. But when he let down his hands, Amalek prevailed.

But the hands of Moses were heavy as time went on, so they took a stone (a type of the Messiah in Scripture) and put it under Moses so he could sit on it. Then Aaron and Hur could support his hands as he raised the staff, one on one side, and the other on the other side. As a result, the hands of Moses were steady until sunset. This alludes to Yeshua’s hands that were outstretched on the cross between two people, which brought salvation to the people.

So Joshua, another type of Yeshua in this story, and had the same name, overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword, a type of the word of God (Heb 4.12). Joshua’s victory foretells the victory of Yeshua over Ha Satan at Golgotha. Moses was then instructed by Yehovah to write this story down in a scroll as a memorial and recite it to Joshua that Yehovah will utterly blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven (for an unprovoked attack on Israel-Deut 25.17-19) This was partially fulfilled under Saul, but the ultimate blow will come with Mordechai and Esther literally. Spiritually, the ultimate end of Ha Satan and his followers will come at the hands of another Joshua named Yeshua, whose end was sealed with the death and resurrection of Yeshua.

Then Moses built an altar and named it, “Yehovah Nissi,” meaning “The Lord is my Banner (Isa 11.10, 13.2)” and he said, “A hand (another name for the Messiah) is on the throne, war is to Yehovah (or Yehovah will have war) with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

Judah and Tamar: An Eschatological Picture-Gen 38

Gen 38.1-30 will give us an eschatological picture of Yochanon Ha Matvil (John the Immerser) and Yeshua the Messiah. Judah has a son named Er married to Tamar, and he dies, leaving Tamar a widow. Judah’s next son Onan refuses to raise up offspring for Tamar, and he dies. Judah’s next son Shelah is too young to give to Tamar, but Judah never intends to give him to her anyway. So Tamar remains a widow. After about a year Judah’s wife dies, and after a period of mourning, Judah is going to go to his sheepshearers in Timnah, with his friend Hirah.

Tamar is told that Judah is going to Timnah, so she devises a plan. She removes her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat at the crossroad of Enaim on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah had grown up and Judah had no intention of giving him to her to raise up offspring. So, Judah doesn’t know it, but he is going to perform the “Yevom” or Levirate Marriage.

When Judah sees her he thinks she is a harlot because she had covered her face and did not recognize her. So he goes over to her and asks for her services. In return, she will get a kid from the flock. So she agrees, and Judah goes into her. Judah leaves his signet ring on a cord, and his staff as a pledge until he returns with the kid. Then she arose and departed and put on her widow’s garments, and when Judah sent the kid to her by his friend to her, he could not find her.

Three months goes by and Tamar has conceived and showing, that Judah was told that Tamar has played the harlot because she was regarded as engaged to Shelah and was now seen as an unfaithful wife. Judah has her judged and she is going to be put to death. But Tamar shows the signet ring on a cord, and the staff of Judah, and says whoever owns these is the father. Judah says that she is more righteous than he is because he did not give his son Shelah to her to raise up descendants for her dead husband Er. Now, here is the eschatological picture.

And when it came about at the time she was giving birth that there were twins. In Gen 25.24 with Jacob and Esau, the word “twins” is spelled defectively in Hebrew, but here with full letters because both will prove to be righteous, and one will be the ancestor of Yeshua. While she was giving birth, one put his hand out and the midwife took the hand and tied a scarlet thread, a type of the blood), on his hand saying, “This one came out first.”

But it came about as he drew his hand back, his brother came out. The midwife said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Peretz, which is related to the word, “poretz” meaning a breachmaker. Adam’s sin caused a breach, so he is a picture of Elijah/John the Immerser who will come and open up a breach, or door, before the Messiah comes, removong the stones that hinder repentance (Isa 40.3; 62.10; Mic 2.12-13).

Afterward, his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was named Zerach, meaning “dawning or rising (Mal 4.2; Luke 1.78, 2.34).” This word is related to “zeroach” meaning “arm” and these are terms for the Messiah. So what we have eschatologically is this. Adam’s sin caused a breach of sin, but the second Adam came and brought salvation. The name Zerach is related to “zeroah” meaning “arm” in Isa 53.1 where it says, “Who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm (zeroach) of the Lord been revealed.” So, “zeroach” is a term for the Messiah. Adam’s sin caused a breach, and the birth of Peretz alludes to John the Immerser. But then Yeshua the Messiah came with his own blood, seen as the scarlet thread on Zerach, and will bring redemption. This story tells us that the breachmaker “poretz” comes first and makes a path for the coming of the “zeroach” of the Lord who is the Messiah.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak

The Akedah-The Binding of the Sacrifice and the Prophetic Implications in Gen 22

Gen 22.1-19 contains what is called the Akedah, or “the binding of the sacrifice.” It is the most important chapter in Jewish thought, and has one of the most glaring pictures of the death and resurrection of the Yeshua the Messiah, and alludes to the catching away of the believer/bride in conjunction with Gen 24.62. Abraham will be a type of the Father and Isaac a type of Yeshua. In Jewish thought, the most important verse is Zech 14.9, the most important passage is Deut 6.4-9, and the most important book is Leviticus. God is going to test or examine Abraham, not because God did not know what Abraham was going to do, but Abraham did not know what he was going to do.

God is going ask Abraham to take his son, his only son (of the promise, his unique son of status) Isaac to the land of Moriah (meaning “Yah is teacher” in the area of Jerusalem, where God would direct david and Solomon to build the Temple) and offer him as a Korban Olah on one of the mountains God was going to show him. This was most likely the future Temple Mount, where Yeshua would bo offered just north of the altar (2 Chr 3.1).

So Abraham rose early and saddled his donkey with Isaac and two young men with him, and went to the place God had told him. On the third day (a very eschatological term) Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance looking north. He saw the three valleys at Jerusalem that formed the Hebrew letter “Shin” (sh sound), which is symbolic of several titles for Yehovah, Like “Shaddai” and “Shalom.” Abraham said to the young men to stay with the donkey and he and Isaac will go “yonder” and worship, and come back them. Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead (Heb 11.19).

So Abraham took the wood for the offering land laid it upon the shoulders of Isaac, like Yeshua carried his cross. He also took fire and a knife, and they both went on together (Hebrew “yakdav” meaning together in purpose; this shows the Father’s part at the cross). Jewish traditions says Isaac was around thirty-seven years old; Isaac and Yeshua were in their 30’s for sure, and able to resist Abraham if he wanted to, but he knew what his father had asked of him and he willingly submitted.

They came to the place of which God told him, and Abraham built an altar there , and arranged the wood. He then bound Isaac so he wouldn’t flinch. If Isaac did flinch, and Abraham cut his arm or some other place, he would not have been “without blemish.” He then laid him on the top of the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham (said twice to prevent him from going any further, and to signify this was going to be repeated in the future. Abraham heard the voice and sais, “Here I am (hinayni).” And he said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad and do nothing to him, for I know (in the sense of having it made known) that your fear God (revere him in awe), since you have not withheld your son, your only son (of promise), from me.”

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked and behind him, the Hebrew “achar” and can mean “westward.” If this was where the Temple would be built, Abraham’s altar was where the future Temple altar would be, and west of that would be where the future Holy of Holies would be. Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, so the ram was wearing thorns on his head , like Yeshua. These two horns were seen in Jewish eschatology as the “first trump” at Shavuot, the betrothal of Israel. The other horn was seen as the “last trump” of Rosh Ha Shannah, the full marriage. Paul will use this term “last trump” in 1 Cor 15.52 when talking about the catching away of the believer on Rosh Ha Shannah. So Abrahm took the ram and offered him for a korban olah in place of his son.

And Abraham called the name of that place “Yehovah Yireh” or “Yehovah will see. Yehovah will see the Temple and the sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah on that mount. In the mount of the Lord it (the redemption will be accomplished in Yeshua) will be seen. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven saying that the Yehovah has sworn that because Abraham has done this thing and has not withheld Isaac, that he would greatly bless him and will multiply his seed as the stars of heaven, and the sands of the seashore. His descendants would possess the gate of civil government, jurisdiction, and dominion over their enemies. And “in your seed” who is the Messiah and all those “in him” the nations of the earth will be blessed.

So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba and lived there. Now, the average reader concludes that Isaac also came down, but that is not what the verse says. Isaac will not be seen again until Gen 24.4 talking about a bride, and 24.62 when he meets his bride Rebekah. Eschatologically what we have here is a picture of the death, resurrection and the marriage of Messiah. The “son” is sacrificed by the “father” on Mount Moriah. The “father” believes the son will be resurrected according to Heb 11.17-19. The “son “disappears” until he is seen by his bride who is being brought to him, and he is united with her.

This scenario can also be seen in John 1.19 through 2.1. Day one is v 19 where John says he is not the Messiah, day two is v 29 where John declares that Yeshua is the servant/lamb of God; day three is v 35 where John refers two of his talmidim to Yeshua as he walked by, and day four is v 43 where Philip says they have found the Messiah, and Yeshua declares that they will see heaven opened and the angels descending and descending upon the son of man. This is an allusion to Gen 22 and Gen 28 with Jacob’s ladder. Then it says in John 2.1 “on the third day” (four plus three is seven), Iike Abraham in Gen 22.4, there was a wedding in Cana. Yeshua “disappears” for two days and is now seen at a wedding in Cana (like Isaac and his bride) on the seventh day. This would be an allusion to the wedding of the Messiah in heaven after the believers are caught up to heaven in what is called the Natzal, or gathering, on Rosh Ha Shannah, year 6001, the beginning of the seventh day of the seven thousand year plan of God.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

The Riddle of the Messiah-A Lesson in Biblical Thought

Many believers today suffer from what is called the “Lullaby Effect.” This is the condition where people just repeat words they hear without looking at what they are saying. For instance, we sing a song called, “Rockabye Baby” to a child without really looking at the words. But the song is about a baby in a tree top who gets knocked to the ground by the wind. What kind of a song is that to sing to a child! It’s because we don’t look at the words. Spiritually, we do the same thing with the Scriptures, concepts, idioms, and phrases found there. We just repeat what everyone else says without really checking it out. That is the “Lullabye Effect.”

We are going to present an example of this. It is designed to expose the reader to other meanings of the statements and teach them to expand their spiritual horizons when interpreting spiritual concepts found in the Scriptures. This was a big lesson for us years ago, helping us realize that we need to expand how we see things. We first learned this from a book called, “Will the Real Jesus Please Stand?” by Vendyl Jones, Institute of Judaic-Christian Research, published in 1983. We are going to give you seven riddles and we want you to have the answer in mind as we move along. The answer is very simple so you don’t have to be a genius to figure it out. At the end, we will give the answer that we had in mind, too. The end result should be to help you look at things a little differently and discern the words, and expand your outlook. Once you have learned the lesson, you can use it to discern other Scriptures and concepts as well.

Our thoughts are like trees in a secret garden, and on each tree there are leaves, and these leaves are words that are blown by the wind (ruach). As a result, they can utter a myriad of meanings.

1. I am thinking of someone in history who left an indelible imprint on mankind. Without a biological miracle in the womb of his mother, his birth would have been impossible.

2. As an infant, he was called the son of God.

3. He was taken to Egypt to preserve his life.

4. He returned to the land of Israel and was hated by all those around him. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrow, acquainted with grief.

5. He was hated so greatly that he was executed by the Romans.

6. The third day he will come back to life.

7. He will never die again.

Now, if you were thinking I was talking about Yeshua, you were wrong, but Yeshua brought Israel’s meaning to its fullest depth. However, “I am thinking” (see # 1) about Israel in these riddles. So let’s look at these again with Israel in mind.

1. I am thinking of someone in history who left an indelible imprint on mankind (there is no question that Israel has left the greatest imprint on the world than any other nation; even Mark Twain in 1899 said it in an essay called, “Concerning the Jews”). Without a biological miracle in the womb of his mother (Sarah and Isaac-Gen 18.1-15), his birth would have been impossible (Gen 18.14).

2. As an infant he was called the son of God (Exo 4.22).

3. He was taken to Egypt to preserve life (Joseph sent there at first to preserve life-Gen 45.5; when there were only 70 people, Jacob was told to go to Egypt in Gen 46.1-4 during a famine).

4. He returned to the land of Israel and was hated by all those around him (the Canaanites; Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Palestinians, Iranians, Syrians etc). He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief.

5. He was hated so greatly that he was executed by the Romans (Josephus said the Romans crucified so many people that they ran out of wood; there were so many slaves that they were bought very cheaply; over a million were killed; Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed; the gold taken from the Temple was used to build the Roman Coliseum and the Arch of Titus).

6. The third day he will come back to life (Hos 5.11 through 6.3; Ezek 37.1-28).

7. He will never die again (Ezek 37.1-28; Ezek 40 through 48; Jer 30.10-11, 31.31-37; Rom 11.25-26).

All of this has been a fun lesson, and given to help illustrate the importance of expanding your perspective when looking at the Scriptures, and looking at the words and their meanings, and not be subject to the Lullabye Effect. If you do this, it will give you much more insight and meaning than you have ever had before.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, Tying into the New Testament

The Concept of “A Thief in the Night.”

In 1 Thes 5.1-5 we read, “Now as to the times (moedim, festivals) and the seasons (zemanim or the festival seasons like Passover to Shavuot, or Passover to Sheini Atzeret; the Yamim Noraim of the ten days of awe between Rosh Ha Shannah and Yom Kippur, tec), brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well (Paul had taught them the biblical eschatology concerning the festivals and the coming of the Lord) that the day of the Lord (can mean Rosh Ha Shannah or the Atid Lavo) will come (not might) just like a thief in the night. While they (the unbelievers) are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly (the unbeliever because they were not ready) like birth-pains (the biblical term for the Tribulation Period) upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness (they in the “daytime” and aware of what is happening), that that day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness.”

Rev 3.3 says, “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard (in regards to true Torah teaching like the Thessalonians) and keep it (a doer of the word), and repent (meaning to change your mind in response to the truth). If therefore you will not wake up (be spiritually on the alert), I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you (notice that he does not come as a thief to those who have repented and are “awake”-1 Thes 5.4-5).”

Now the statement “a thief in the night” relates to the Torah command about a thief in Exo 22.1-3 where it says, “But if a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. If the thief is caught breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. But if the sun has risen on him there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.”

In other words, if a thief is found breaking in during the day and is struck down, the owner will be guilty because he could have assessed the threat, saw if he had a weapon or not, or called on others to help, and prevented it. On the other hand, if the thief comes at night and is struck down, and the owner could not assess because he was asleep, or it was dark, then the owner is not guilty and it is considered self-defense.

Eschatologically, Yeshua came the first time during the daylight, openly and in public (Matt 26.55), and he was assessed as a criminal and struck down without justice. They could see him and knew exactly who he was and what he was doing. However, during his second coming he will come as a thief in the night and people will not be able to assess him because he will come quickly and unexpectedly to those who are asleep spiritually, and they will not be ready because it is too late and they did not know the times and the seasons. They will not be able to strike him down again.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Prophecy/Eschatology

The Concept of a “New Song” in the Scriptures

Psa 96.1 says, “Sing to the Lord (Yehovah) a new song” and this term means a song is renewed and adapted for the occasion, and it tells us that Yehovah deserves to be worshiped and honored. But to “sing a new song” is also an eschatological term. The words “new song” is “shir chadash” here and it is masculine. Ordinarily “new song” is “shirah chadash” and it is feminine. It is the masaculine “shir chadash” here because it means the Messiah has come. This psalm is recited on the Sabbath, which is a picture of the Day of the Lord, the Sabbath of God, the Atid Lavo, and the Millenium, so it is also an idiom for the Messianic Kingdom for that reason.

Today we have an eight note scale. The Kinnor is a lyre with 10 strings for a ten note scale. The Sea of Galilee is shaped like a harp so it is called Kinneret. In Hebrew thought, the “new song” is a song that the Messiah will teach us, and that is exactly what Rev 14.3 says, and it will have the extra two scales, or notes.

The word “ruach” in Hebrew means “wind or spirit.” The Nevel is a harp and the Kinnor is is a lyre, and both of them can be played by the wind. The Nevel has 22 strings and this alludes to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, which makes up the Word of God. The Word of God is “played” on our hearts, which alludes to the harp, by the Ruach Ha Kodesh-Psa 33.3. That is why Yeshua did so much teaching around the Sea of Galilee, the “harp” lake.

The Exodus from Egypt is called the First Redemption, or the Egyptian Redemption, and they sang a song in Exo 15.1-18. The coming of Yeshua is called the Second Redemption, or the Messianic Redemption, and we will sing a “new song” (Psa 149.1). As a result, this term is associated with the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom (Isa 42.10-13).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

Will We See Our Beloved Pets Again in the Olam Haba?

This is a question that many people as believers have struggled with when they have lost a pet that they loved due to an accident, old age, or sickness. We will give our opinion on this, but we certainly do not have the last word on this, but these concepts have helped us through the trying times of losing a beloved pet. We are going to use as a text Psa 104.27-30 to try and bring out the concept that we believe we will see our beloved pets again.

Psa 104.27-30 says, “They (the animals) all wait for thee (is dependent), to give them food in due season (for him to give them their food in his timing). Thou dost give to them, they gather it up (what he provides); thou dost open thy hand, they are satisfied with good. Thou dost hide thy face, they are dismayed (depressed and terrified when food is scarce); thou dost take away their spirit (gathers it in) and they expire (die-Ecc 3.20), and return to dust. Thou dost send forth thy spirit, and they (the “they” of v 27 which includes the animals just talked about in v 18-26 of this psalm) will be created (to be born), and thou (God) dost renew (Hebrew “chadash” meaning to renew, repair and restore; the same word used in “new” covenant-Strong’s #2318) the face of the ground (God brings the old decayed bodies to the surface of the earth, and there he will renew them (see the book “Tehillim” by Mesorah Publications, comments on v Psa 104.30, p. 1266).” So, here is the thought that we would like to explore in these verses, and brings up the question about whether our beloved pets could be with us in the Olam Haba if we ask the Lord for that to happen.

Now, the Bible does not say explicitly that they will, but it doesn’t say won’t either. We know that animals are a part of the Kingdom of God on earth based on Isa 65.25. Rom 8.21-23 says, “that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation (including the animals) groans (presently in the old world called the Olam Ha Zeh) and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this but also ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

Yeshua came and brought the redemption, which included man and the creation. Those redeemed must be some of the same people who suffered in the old world called the Olam Ha Zeh. Likewise, some of the animals redeemed must be the same animals that suffered in the old world. We know that not all men will be redeemed, and likewise, not all animals will be redeemed, but some of them will be. As goes man, so goes the animals.

We believe that at least some of the animals who suffered in this old world due to the sin of man, and not because of their own sin, must be made whole in the new earth called the Olam Haba, or the term “redeemed” loses its meaning. God’s blessings on the righteous in the Scriptures include the blessings not only on their children but on the offspring of their animals as well-Deut 7.13-14, 28.1-4. All flesh will see the salvation of God, including animals – Luke 3.6.

The “they” in v 29 seems to refer to those who died and returned to dust. The same “they” who died are the “they” who are renewed, restored, or repaired in v 30. Suppose it would please us to have a beloved pet that suffered under the curse because of the sin of man, and not for anything they did, restored to us in the Olam Haba. Wouldn’t that be sufficient reason alone to have the Lord restore or renew them to us as part of the redemption if it would make us happy in the Kingdom of God? If that is true, then as believers, we can just ask the Lord to restore our beloved pets back to us and leave it in his hands. Just the thought can give us tremendous comfort during such times, and with God, anything is possible!

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

The Concept of a Doorman in the Scriptures

Psa 84.10 says, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (outside). I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” We can see in this verse an allusion to the concept that a day is like a thousand in Jewish eschatology-Psa 90.4; 2 Pet 3.8. The writer would rather stand at the threshold of the Temple as a doorman/doorkeeper than dwell in the tents of the rashim, or wicked. So, let’s briefly develop the concept of a “doorman.”

We know that we are commanded to study the Temple and everything associated with it in Ezek 43.10-12. The Temple had chambers with doors. The phrase “the heavens were opened” or “the heavens were rent/torn” is an expression that relates to the Temple building. The Paroket or veil that was in front of the Temple building that everyone could see had an embroidery of the “universe” or heavens on it. Josephus, who saw the Temple, in Wars of the Jews, Book 5, Chapter 4.4 says this, “but then this house, as it was divided into two parts, the inner part was lower in appearance of the outer, had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; but before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified by fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the (twelve) signs, representing living creatures.”

To open this veil was seen as “opening”, or “rending” the heavens, exposing the Ha Kodesh or Holy Place and everything that was in that room to teach us about Yehovah and the Messiah. The custom was to pull this veil back at the festivals to “reveal or open the heavens” to the people. This was the veil that was “torn” at the time of Yeshua’s death, meaning there would now be a deeper revelation coming concerning the Messiah and the Redemption-Matt 27.51.

The “heavens were opened” when Yeshua was immersed at the beginning of his ministry in Mark 1.9-10, and “the veil (heavens) was torn” at the end of his ministry. The word for “opened” and “torn” is the same word in Greek, “schizo” (#4977 in Strong’s concordance). The Greek word “apokalypsis” where the word “revelation” comes from means an “unveiling” or the “pulling back of the veil.”

Spiritually, to stand at the threshold of the house of God means to be a doorman who can open up the deep revelations of God found in the Scriptures to the people.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, The Temple, Tying into the New Testament

Some Miss the Point of the Sacrificial System

There are many people today that do not understand the reasons for the sacrificial ceremonial system set up by Yehovah in the Scriptures. We are going to look and see how many in Israel missed the point anciently, and then we will touch on how many miss the point today. There will be two aspects that are involved with the “korbanot” or sacrifices in the Temple, the external and the internal. We are going to talk about both.

In Psa 50.8-15 we learn that God was not going to reprove the people about their sacrifices and ceremonies, because he gave them and they were continually before him. He is not addressing the external worship of the korbanot, they were doing them.

He is not going to take any animal out of their house or folds because every beast belongs to the Lord (Psa 24.1; Matt 6.26). He knows every bird and everything that moves in the field. If Yehovah was hungry, he would not tell the people because the world belonged to him, and he did not need to ask them for anything to satisfy himself, he does not eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of male goats.

He says to offer to God (along with the external worship of the sacrificial system) a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High with the right attitude of heart, faith, love, obedience and repentance. Then they could call upon him in the day of trouble and he would rescue them, and they would honor him.

The idea in these verses are not new. Isa 1.1-31 and Psa 51.15-19 talks about the same thing. The idea is this. The sacrificial system would appear brutal unless it is administered in an almost perfect religious environment. The people were missing the point, as people miss the point today. It is not the keeping of the Torah ceremonies that was the issue here, but what the people were putting into it. God looks at our desire to keep the Torah, not on our ability to keep every point of it perfectly.

The people in these verses did not have the heart, the essence, of what the commandment as even there for! The issue is this: the mundane performance of the Torah commands that were void of their deeper concerns of love, mercy, justice, obedience, and kindness towards God and man, was not what Yehovah required. The story Yeshua gave about the Good Samaritan clearly teaches this concept. Yehovah required the korbanot ceremonies along with a contrite heart. Without that, the sacrifices were a waste of time and that is why two Temples were destroyed. Whenever there are verses that seem to say that the Lord is against the sacrificial system, he is not, because they come from him, they are his ceremonies. The issue in whatever verse you come across is obedience and the condition of the heart intentions of the worshiper. Saul did not obey the Lord and offered korbanot, but Saul was to wait for Samuel. Samuel told him to obey is better than sacrifice because Saul had the wrong heart.

False teaching today says that “Jesus” came and because he died on the cross, the Temple and all the sacrifices were done away with. But Heb 9.9 says that the sacrifices are (present tense) a symbol for the present time, or the Olam Ha Zeh. For a proper understanding of Heb 9.1-28 we refer you to our study of the book of Hebrews on this website. The korbanot only sanctified the flesh because they were ceremonies, they did not save a person. Baptisms (plural because there are many types) are ceremonies, but we do them and they are for the sanctifying of the flesh or an object, they cannot save us or perfect our spirit/conscience. The Torah is full of ceremonies but they will not save us if we do them. That is why the death of Yeshua on the cross did not do away with the korbanot, because the korbanot could not take away sin, they were ceremonies that taught about the redemption. Yeshua offered animal sacrifices, Paul and the first-century believers offered animal sacrifices 30 years after Yeshua’s resurrection (Acts 21.15-26, 24.17). When Yeshua returns the korbanot ceremonies will be offered again in the Messianic Temple described in Ezekiel 40 through 48. Zech 14.16-21 says that people will come to Jerusalem to keep the festival of Sukkot, and if a nation does not come to Jerusalem, there will be no rain and there will be a plague. We do not offer sacrifices today because there is no Temple, no priesthood, and no holy vessels. But all that will change.

The issue with offering korbanot, and with keeping any commandment, is the heart and intentions of the person who is making the offering. The external conditions must line up with the proper internal conditions of the heart. When Yehovah spoke out in the Scriptures about their offerings, it was because their hearts were wrong. False teachings about the Torah and its role in the life of a believer has plagued people for thousands of years and it has infected the true interpretations of the words of Yeshua in the Gospels, the teachings of Paul, and all the writers of the Brit Chadasha.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, The Temple, Tying into the New Testament

What Does The Scripture Mean When It Says That One Is Delivered Over To Satan?

There are several Scriptures that refer to this in the Brit Chadasha, but the concept is also found in the Tanak. ! Cor 5. 5 says, “To deliver such a one unto Satan (meaning adversary) for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua.” This can also be seen in 1 Tim. 1.20 where it says, “Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.” To deliver over to Satan is a Hebrew idiom that means one is going to undergo what is called “karet” or a cutting off from congregational fellowship. This practice is based on the practice as seen in the Torah in Exo 12.19; Lev 7.21, 20.17; Num 15.30-31, and many other places. Yeshua said that when a demon goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, which is the wilderness, seeking rest but does not find it (Matt 12.43). When Israel left Egypt this meant one would be put out of the camp of Israel and put into the wilderness. This meant they were now in the domain of Satan and the demons, and person was going to suffer for their own devices and even face death. In Num 15.15 we have the story of Miriam who gossiped against her brother Moses. She contracted leprosy from Yehovah and was put out of the camp for seven days, or into the wilderness domain of Satan. Moses and the camp did not move until she was restored.

So, in 1 Cor 5.5 there was one who was having a sexual relationship with his father’s wife, and he was put out of the assembly into the “wilderness” of the world, or into Satan’s domain. Later we find out this worked, the man repented, and it seems that he was restored into the assembly in 2 Cor 2.1-8. God uses Satan to accomplish a work in line with God’s plans. In 1 Tim 1.20 we have two individuals who Paul turned over to “karet” and they were cut off from the benefits of the assembly and being put into the domain of Satan, which is the world. Matt 16.23 refers to Satan’s influence on Peter and how it was not in line with what the Lord wanted for Yeshua. In 1 Chron 24.1 Satan is used by the Lord to count Israel and God’s anger rested on David in 2 Sam 24.1. Rom 1.26 tells us that God gives people over to their passions. So, it is clear that being “delivered over to Satan ” means to be cut off from the benefits of an assembly, and it is an idiom for the practice called “karet” or a “cutting off.”

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

David the Shepherd-Psalm 23

This psalm is one of the most popular portions of Scripture, and David recalls his life as a shepherd during one of his trials and some Jewish scholars believe he wrote this when he was a fugitive from King Saul and his army. He may have been hiding in a dry, desolate forest called “Yair Charet” or the “Forest of Hereth” (1 Sam 22.5). Yehovah did not forsake David and he wrote this song that would not only give himself comfort, but this psalm would be a comfort to untold millions through the ages who were poor, facing possible death in war, widows, orphans, prisoners, and anyone in distress. The psalm begins with “A Song of David” and we are going to look at this psalm through the eyes of a shepherd warrior. We will be using as a source and drawing out concepts and principles out of a book called, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller, Zondervan Publishing House. We will highlight his thoughts on this psalm because he was a shepherd has some great insights, that will help us understand what David the shepherd was trying to say. We recommend that if you want a detailed look at this psalm through the eyes of a shepherd you purchase this book.

v 1…Yehovah is my shepherd (Keller says that David is going to speak as if he is one of the sheep in the care of Yehovah, the good shepherd. David knows that being under the care of Yehovah is to his advantage, and he doesn’t have the conflict other sheep do under Ha Satan’s “management.” Like many animals, sheep don’t take care of themselves so we need to ask ourselves, “Do I belong to the Lord? Do I recognize he has all rights over me and can tell me what to eat, where to go, how to worship?” David knows that Yehovah has given him safety and care and he is committed to him. Yeshua declared that he was the shepherd in this psalm in John 10.11. But, who is he exactly? We like to throw out concepts, but do we really know what we are talking about? Is he really the creator of all things, even the Torah, the Sabbath, the kosher laws, animal sacrifices, and true worship in the Temple? Is he really full of wisdom and right in all he does? Does he really care for his creation? Does he really control all things? David knew that the life of a flock of sheep totally depends on what kind of shepherd they have, what kind of person he really is. Some shepherds were caring and willing to defend his sheep. These sheep would be content and be healthy. On the other hand, some shepherds were just hired to do a job, a hireling, and were not going to put themselves out much for the sheep, especially if it got dangerous. The life of sheep totally depends on what kind of shepherd they have. If Yehovah is our shepherd, we should know who he is-Jer 9.23-24. He knew us before we were born – Eph 1.4, and he made provisions for our salvation before the world was. He wanted us under his care and David seems proud to say that Yehovah is his shepherd, he is almost bragging about it), I shall not want (Keller relates that David says this because the Lord is an expert at taking care of him and he does not need anything. He is not talking about physical or material needs only here. The welfare of the sheep depends on the skill and protection of the shepherd, and David knows he has a good one. Spiritually, whoever manages our lives makes all the difference. Ha Satan is a bad shepherd and his “flock” has many “wants” and “needs” and his sheep feeds on lies, distortions, false doctrine, and deception. You could say his pastures are deadly. As we look at David’s life, he had many physical “wants” when he was running from Saul, Absalom, the Philistines, and others. He was hungry, thirsty, no shelter, and tired. Believers are foolish to think that we will never have lack or needs. Physical prosperity is not necessarily a mark of God’s blessings-Rev 3.17. What David is saying here is referring to something else. David or the believer shall not be in need of expert care and management from Yehovah. But, on the other hand, a “hireling” shepherd can be deaf to the sheep under his care. They won’t be concerned about the welfare of their flock, and they will not take care of the pastureland either. He will not spend time with the sheep and just let them scrounge around for themselves to find food, a type of the truth of Scripture. Predators will hunt them down and robbers will steal them and abuse them. This flock will have poor pasture land, full of dead grass, weeds, and things that will harm them. In the winter, they will not have enough good feed to sustain them. Adequate shelters from the wind and the cold will be non-existent, and they will be seen shivering in the cold, tired, hungry, and cold. They will have polluted water to drink, with all the parasites that go along with that. The lack of salt and trace minerals will also cause them to be sick. This is because the bad shepherd just doesn’t care. These sheep will want green grass and good water, but won’t get it. If they are wounded, bruised, diseased, and full of parasites inside and out, they won’t get any help. Ha Satan laughs at the life of all those poor, sick, and uncared-for sheep all around us. We all know people who are rich and have the world at their disposal on the outside, but inside they are poor and without happiness. Conversely, we all know people who don’t have much of what this world has to offer but are of happy, and joyous. What David is talking about here is contentment and satisfaction. David is saying he is content with how the Lord manages him, and nothing is too hard for his shepherd when it comes to taking care of his flock. Yehovah will stop at nothing to manage his sheep correctly and provide them with good food, water, and healthy benefits. But, many believers are not content with God’s control. The story of the “Machloket” (controversy) of Korah is a major example of that. Keller says that ewe sheep that are not content with their state will try to break free and get out of a fence. She will even teach the younger lambs to do the same thing. To save the rest of the sheep, she will need to be removed like Korah was. She is like the person who is never satisfied and will never be able to say, “I shall not want.” Contentment is the sign of a person who has put all their trust into the hands of Yehovah and is satisfied with the way he is being led and managed -1 Pet 5.7).

v 2…He makes me lie down in green pastures (this is very significant; Keller says there are four things that a sheep needs in order to lie down. They must be unafraid, no contention with other sheep, not bothered by insects or parasites, and they must not be hungry. This is also true with people. A person who is full of fear cannot rest and this fear will control them day and night. It will come with unseen events, tensions between others and irritations, and they must have their needs met), He leads me beside quiet waters ( the word for quiet is the Hebrew “Menuchah” and it means a tranquil rest, a matrimonial rest -Isa 11.10. A good shepherd knows where the best water is, and where the turbulent water is. Water is life to a flock of sheep, but getting “quiet” waters is not easy. Watering places can be made and the sheep can be led down to where these waters are. The shepherd may need to use his hands to help water his thirsty flock. Water can also come down from the rain and settle on the grass. Many don’t know this, but sheep can go for a long time without drinking, especially if the weather is not too hot. Water can also come from ponds and streams and it is important for the shepherd to know where the good watering places are. Spiritually, water is a type of the Word of God in the Scriptures-Eph 5.26, and the people who drink in the Tanak, Gospels, and Epistles every day are more likely to be more balanced and able to handle the pressures of the day-Isa 8.20. But many believers don’t do that. They try to quench their thirst with money, jobs, family, and entertainment. But after all that is over they are still thirsty. People turn to drugs because it is easy, but the deep wells of God are hard to dig and it takes time. We may go through afflictions by the leading of God, but even those times are for our own benefit. But people don’t want to be led of God, they want to stop and drink from filthy pools of water instead of the clean waters of the Word of God).

v 3…He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (on his behalf, on account of what he has said; remember, David is speaking like a sheep who is in the care of a good shepherd, but even David or sheep can be depressed and feeling “down”-Psa 42.11. Hope in Jewish thought is not like it is understood by many. It is not a “wish.” It is a “sure thing” based on God’s word; Keller says a “cast down” sheep is when a sheep turns over on his back and they can’t get back on their feet. They will just lie there and try to get up, but can’t. If the shepherd does not come along and get that sheep back on their feet they will die. So when the shepherd counts his sheep and one is missing, he must get out there to find it because it is in trouble and may be “cast down.” So, how does this happen? If a shepherd has fat sheep or one with a long fleece, it will lie down in a groove to relax, but the body shifts and then settles in. Their feet can’t touch the ground and they will panic and this only makes things worse. They will lie there, feet up in the air and the gases in their bellies begin to take over. It expands and blood circulation is cut off to the legs. If they are not put back on their feet, within hours or days, depending on the weather, they will be dead. This is the story behind the parable of the good shepherd who goes out to find one of his missing sheep in Matt 18.12-14. Yehovah is like that shepherd who goes out to find one who is missing. He wants us to stand up on our own two feet. He has compassion for his people who are “cast down” emotionally or physically and he wants to restore us like he did with David. We tend to be like sheep and we want to find a nice, comfortable spot to lie down. But when we do that we could be heading for trouble, because we don’t want to go out on a limb and be uncomfortable for the things of God and the Torah. We don’t want to stand up for the Torah, or the Sabbath, that is too hard. And just when we think we have reached success and acceptance in the world, that is when we are in the most danger. Sheep can be cast down because they have too much wool. This symbolizes the person who has accumulated much in this world, but these possessions can weigh us down, too. Sheep can be overweight and become cast down. They are eating a rich diet and this is not healthy. This must be corrected or it could lead to disaster. Spiritually, Rev 3.17 addresses this and it says that riches can be a sign that we are in danger. Worldly possessions and wealth is not a sign that you are spiritually well off. Just like a shepherd who must cut off the wool of his sheep, or put his sheep on a diet, Yehovah may do the same with us. At the time it may seem terrible but it can keep us from being a cast down sheep. Yehovah will lead us in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Sheep are like people and are creatures who can get into “ruts” by doing the same thing over and over. Pastureland can be over-grazed and become ruined. In the 1800’s, the cattle people did not like the sheep people because the flocks would come in and ruin the pastures and follow the same paths until it was nothing but ruts. Sheep cannot take care of themselves. They need to be managed and given direction. If you leave them alone there will be nothing but disaster. If an owner just buys sheep and leaves them alone, there will be trouble. Trails will become valleys and erosion on the hills can cause a whole field to be useless. All this happens because the sheep were left to themselves. They will eat the grass until the roots are gone, and this causes the land to be nothing but dirt. David knew all of this and he kept his sheep moving. He would take them from place to place so that the land was not overgrazed. This will also keep the trails from turning to deep ruts. Spiritually, we go on our path through life and do things over and over again, and we get into “ruts.” We end up like the sheep who go over the same ground and trails and we end up on barren land. On the other hand, Yeshua wants us to follow his leading and he will lead us on the paths of righteousness, which is the Torah. The early believers in the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles were Jewish and they were Torah observant, and the sect was called “The Way” or “Ha Derek.” This path is only for those who are not stubborn, arrogant, or selfish. Those attributes lead to destruction, not righteousness. Yeshua wants us to follow him, so let him lead. He wants us to walk with him. Being one who is not a follower and insisting on his way only has no place in the Kingdom of God. David said in Psa 19.8, “The Torah of Yehovah is perfect, it restores the soul”).

v 4…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (harm), for thou art with me (Keller says Psa 23.1-3 has David, like a sheep, boasting about his shepherd. Psa 23.4-6 has David, or the sheep, talking directly to his shepherd. This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. This describes a place of danger and David may have had his experiences in the desert in mind. But David was a shepherd and this also carries the meaning of a shepherd taking his sheep to the mountain grazing areas, but he must pass through some valleys to get there. These mountain pastures are very rich. The trip to these mountain grazing areas goes through these valleys and they very dangerous because there are predators hiding in the rocks and crevices. Sudden rain and snow storms can also come out of nowhere that can send a lot of water through these valleys, causing floods, mudslides, and avalanches. These all can cause trouble for the flock. If a sudden snow storm comes up, the sheep can get wet and with the freezing temperatures, it can kill them. But a good shepherd is prepared for all this and will use his skills to protect his flock. So the sheep respond, “I will fear no harm because you (the shepherd) are with me.” Spiritually, we will all go through valleys but we must remember that our shepherd is with us and taking us to higher ground to a rich feeding ground and good water. Believers want the mountain top experiences but they do not want to go through the valleys. But you can’t get to the higher places without the valleys. Yeshua said he would be with us and never turn and leave us alone, that would be a bad shepherd, so we should fear no harm as well. Our past experiences with Yehovah should give us confidence, the meaning of faith, and we can go into the dark valleys in our lives without fear. When the other sheep see our confidence, it should encourage them also); thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (A shepherd in the field carries very little equipment. In ancient times they carried a rod and a staff, like Moses did. A rod is a short “club” that is made out of a very hard wood. He will learn how to throw it at a high rate of speed and be very accurate. It can also be used in discipline. They will throw it a sheep who is misbehaving or wandering away. They may be getting close to a cliff or rushing water. The “rod” is also used to examine and count the sheep. This is called “coming under the rod” in Ezek 20.37. It will push wool to the side to examine wounds or other problems. It was always good to examine his sheep. The Torah is a “rod” and Yehovah uses the Torah to examine us-Psa 139.23-24. We won’t be able to “pull the wool over the eyes of the Lord.” Another way the rod is used is for protection. The shepherd must protect himself and his sheep from predators, or pushing brush aside to look for snakes or other “critters.” The rod will never leave the hand of a good shepherd. Now we come to the staff. It is the main symbol of a shepherd, as we have all seen. No other job uses a shepherd’s staff. It is a symbol of authority, discipline, and defense. A staff also speaks of salvation, rescue, and comfort because it is long and slender, with a “hook” on the end. The shepherd will carefully pick it out, shape I,t and cut it to fit his needs. If the rod speaks of the Torah, the staff speaks of the Prophets under the inspiration of the Ruach Ha Kodesh. He consoles, comforts, and shows us his correction. A staff can be used to gently lift a lamb and place it with its mother. He does not want to put his scent on the lamb or its mother may reject it. The shepherd can also use it to draw a sheep over to himself. He can use it to guide or simply lay it against the side of a sheep to let it know he is there. But the staff is also used to lift sheep out of the water, or to get them out of thorn bushes and other dangerous spots).

v 5…Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows” (So, Keller breaks down this verse piece by piece. In this verse, remember the sheep are coming to their summer pastures in the high country. The Spanish word “Mesa” means “table” and that is where they are going here. A “table” is a good pasturing area. The shepherd must go ahead of the sheep to “prepare the table” for his flock. He will put minerals in certain areas and will decide where they are going to camp so that they can have the best grass. He will check the area to see where the grass grows best and see if there are any poisonous weeds; and if there are, he will get rid of them. David was thinking about all of this when he wrote these words. The shepherd must also keep an eye on predators like bears, lions, coyotes, and snakes in the area. Many times while hiking in Colorado we have seen cougar tracks, coyotes, and other predators. When we are in the mountains, we know that somewhere up in the rocks these predators are watching us, especially if the dogs are with us. They are looking for any opportunity to attack. Sometimes shepherds will say that they will find wounded and mutilated sheep, but never saw a coyote or a cougar do it. The damage is done before the shepherd could react. Only an alert shepherd can head off an attack, knowing they are watching. This is a picture of Yeshua as our shepherd. He knows we are just flesh and we will put anything into our mouths, not knowing it is bad for us, so he will remove these things from us. He also knows every trick of the Devil, who is a lion seeking to attack us. Many believers don’t take this roaring lion seriously enough, but the evidence of his attacks are everywhere. That is why we should stay close to our shepherd at all times by prayer, observing the Torah and study. A good shepherd will also clean out the water sources of debris before they can drink. In all things, the shepherd goes ahead to take care of anything that might harm his sheep before they even get to the good pasture. Spiritually, Yeshua has gone ahead of us to prepare every situation we come to for our benefit. He knows us and he knows what we need, and for the most part, we will never really know everything he has done for us. But what we can do is rest and have confidence in him and realize that his very presence is for our own benefit. Ha Satan is a predator and he will overtake us. Our lives have mountains, obstacles and deep valleys to go through, or over, and not everything is going to be peaceful. The predator can still attack, or we will eat poisonous doctrine from false teachers who are likened to wolves. Massive storms will afflict us, but we must remember that our shepherd is still there. To “anoint” the head of sheep is a practice that goes back centuries. In the summer, there will be flies. When watching programs about an Alaskan summer, you will see the people and animals being attacked by flies and everyone is swatting them away. The people even wear headgear with nets and the people are constantly swatting these bugs away. They can cause much affliction among the flock who cannot take such precautions. It can cause sheep to be very disquieted and if not dealt with, they will be in distress. The nose fly will come around the head and they can get into the nose. If eggs are hatched in the nasal membrane the worms can burrow into the flesh causing swelling and irritation. The sheep will try to get relief and beat their heads on rocks, trees, and the dirt. They could also kill themselves in a rush to get relief. They will panic and run. But a good shepherd knows what to do. Keller says they will take linseed oil, sulphur and tar and smear it around the head and nose. Once this is done, the sheep cease being distressed, and their frustration level drops. But this needs to be done over and over again in order to get relief. As a flock, this can take a lot of time but the shepherd knows they are being helped and their demeanor will change to being less stressed. Spiritually, the name “Baal Zebub” means “lord of the flies” and is a term for Ha Satan; when the “flies” in this life begin to bother us, the Ruach Ha Kodesh will bring us relief. We need to have our head anointed with the oil of contentment and quietness daily. People and circumstances can annoy us to the point we become agitated, but Yehovah will be there to help us. We all get irritable and our flesh can flare up, but our shepherd will bring us relief. Another problem sheep have is scabs. It is a disease that is common with sheep. Tiny microscopic parasites will infect the sheep and this can be passed on to the others. Sheep rub their heads together to be friendly, but that is how the infection spreads. When a sheep that was designated as a korban, a sacrifice in the Temple, came, it was to be without spot or blemish, which included not having scabs. To control this, linseed oil, suphur, and other ingredients was used, and David may have used olive oil mixed with other spices to deal with this in his sheep. Spiritually, we can have a “scab” which is false doctrines practices, and ideas. We have contact with others to be friendly (rub our heads together) and these false ideas can spread even to one who has healthy doctrine, causing much damage in the flock of God. False teachings can shape our thoughts and desires and we can become contaminated by contact with others. But, we need to avoid such people. We need to fellowship with people who believe in Yeshua and want to follow the Torah as much as we can. By doing this, we will not be contaminated with the ideas of the world, false doctrine and Replacement Theology. Keller says the summer is also the time for reproduction, and great battles can happen between the rams over the females. They will “butt heads” and hit each other with tremendous force, causing a horrible sound. The shepherd will smear grease on the heads of the rams so that when they hit each other, their heads will just glide off each other. In the faith, people are like that. We will “butt heads” over doctrine and other emotional issues causing much damage. That is when we need the Ruach to come in and change us. We need to see how vain all this is and to be content with whatever comes our way. Yes, we must inform others about the Torah and the Messiah, but our job is not to convince them. If they don’t listen, we don’t need to take it personally. Give them to Yehovah. Yeshua said in Matt 15.14, “Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Eventually, summertime ends and it starts to get colder, which means the weather is changing, and snow and blizzards are coming. These storms can come up suddenly also. We have experienced this in the mountains of Colorado several times. You are driving along and all of a sudden you are in the middle of a major snowstorm. We even got a flat tire one time in the middle of a blizzard. When we left it was fine. Once through the blizzard, it was sunny again. A shepherd and his sheep will go through this cold weather together. Keller says a shepherd will carry with him a mixture of wine or brandy, with some water. Whenever the sheep, especially a lamb, gets cold they would pour a little down their throats. Immediately, the lambs would become energized again. But in order to do this, the shepherd had to be in the weather with them. David shared his wine with his sheep and was aware of any change in the weather or coming storms in the life of his flock. Yeshua shared the wine of his blood with us, and we became born again and energized. He is like the Good Samaritan who poured in the “oil and the wine” to help us heal (Luke 10.34).

v 6…Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (All of the care we have briefly talked about is summed up in this verse. Keller relates that David knows that whatever has happened to him, or will happen, goodness and mercy will follow. That is the advantage of having Yehovah as his shepherd. Do we feel this way about our shepherd? How do we react when life takes a turn we didn’t see coming? Do we really believe Yehovah is in control? As the good shepherd, he does not give up on us, so goodness and mercy will also follow us. Keller says that sheep who are mismanaged can ruin good pasture land, but if they are managed correctly these sheep can be a great advantage to these fields. Sheep manure is very balanced and when scattered can be very healthy for a field. Anciently, sheep were called “golden” because they were a benefit for the fields. Their manure was healthy because they often ate other plants, not just grass. They would rest on the high places and this caused those areas to prosper as well. Spiritually, what we leave behind should be a blessing to others, too. Do we leave behind the truth or false doctrine? Nobody is going to live a perfect life, and we all experience bad things that we probably caused, but we also can “deposit” the things that can prosper the land also. We learn that David is so satisfied with his shepherd that he does not want anything to change. Yehovah loves his flock and his flock loves him back. They do not want to be separated from each other. The word “house” in this verse has a deeper meaning. The first word in the Torah is “B’reshit” and the first letter of that word is written with an enlarged “Beit” which means “house.” At creation, God was not only creating a physical universe, but he was creating and building a “house.” David had a good life and was satisfied with his shepherd and he wanted to be in that “house” forever. What David is talking about is the “home” ranch where the shepherd lives. Remember, David is writing this psalm from a sheep’s perspective. This psalm goes over a whole year in the life of the flock, and now he is back home again. Yehovah has taken the sheep from the good feeding grounds and waters of the home pastures, up through the valleys and passes to the high mountains for the summer, and where it is much cooler. As fall comes, the weather changes as we all know and the sheep are led back down to the home ranch again for the winter. They have come full circle and are safe. David seems to be boasting about the last year and how he has made it safely back to the home of his shepherd. He has been protected from all predators and life challenging situations because his shepherd is wise, skilled and knows what he is doing. That is all any sheep can ask. We should feel this way about our shepherd and boast about how great he is. We should tell others about all the situations we have been through unharmed because the shepherd has taken care of us. But, not everyone is part of this flock Many people are being managed by a heartless shepherd called Ha Satan. They are left alone to fend for themselves. They are left out in the cold, freezing with their backs to the wind because they have no shelter. They are neglected, hungry and sick. They are tormented by insects and cannot rest, hunted by wolves and other predators. They are sheep with little hope and they try to escape under the fences to get to better feeding grounds on the pasture of the good shepherd. When they do, they eat so much that they cannot even stand up and will lie down under a tree, but their digestive system can kill them because they are not used to such a rich diet. If the heartless shepherd finds them like that, he has been known to take a knife and slit their throats because he doesn’t care. They left the pasture and will do it again, so he just gets rid of them. This is what Ha Satan does. These sheep tried to get good feed on their own, but they did not belong in that pasture and didn’t know the good shepherd. The world is like a ranch where the shepherd doesn’t care for the sheep. Ha Satan is a heartless owner and he has impoverished sheep under his management. These sheep long for a better life but can’t escape. Yeshua is the door to the life David is talking about in John 10.9. He is the good shepherd and he cares for his sheep, unlike the heartless shepherd. Zech 11.17 says, “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” There is a big difference between the sheep under the care of Yehovah in Jer 3.14-15 and the sheep under the mismanagement of the evil shepherd in Jer 23.2. The phrase, “house of the Lord” is also an idiom referring to the Kingdom of God and to the Olam Haba, or “the world to come.” The sheep of Yehovah know that they will dwell in the house of the Lord forever).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament, Uncategorized

Why Are There So Many Religions?

This answer will be short and to the point. There are only two religions in the world, God’s instruction in the Torah given to the Jewish people in the wilderness, and everyone else’s. In truth, there is only one religion: the one God gave at Mount Sinai. The Scriptures testify to that fact through its historical accuracy and prophetic utterances. We are not to add to this word; like some “religions” do, nor are we to detract from that word, as other belief systems do (Deut 4.2; 1 Cor 4.6; Rev 22.18-19). The Torah is to be obeyed as it applies to everyone (Num 15.14-16; Ecc 12.13;1 Cor 7.17-19). There is but one faith delivered to the saints, the true believers in Yehovah and his Messiah. The book of Jude was written to combat the heresy that the Torah is no longer valid, and is very similar to Second Peter. It was written to encourage believers to fight against false prophets and the teachers of false doctrine. Jude 3 says, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once (this was written in the first century, so it is past tense here; this faith had already been given at Sinai to Moses in what is called the Torah/Law) for all delivered to the saints.” Since this was written before Christianity, this “faith” cannot be Christianity. Every other religion is false if it is different than what is found in the Law of Moses, and it is just that simple. We should not be focusing on all the counterfeit religions out there, but focusing on the Torah and how it applies to a Torah-based believer in Yeshua. People do not want to follow the Lord and this mindset goes all the way back to Genesis. Because of that civilizations who did not follow the truth invented their own beliefs systems to suit themselves, their own plans, and to maintain control over their people, or for a variety of other reasons.

Posted in All Teachings, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

What Scriptures Are Being Referred To By Matthew When He Says, “He Shall Be Called A Nazarene?”

Matthew says in Matt 2.23 that there are Scriptures that say Yeshua will be called a Nazarene, but the problem is, there are no Scriptures that say this. Was Matthew wrong? Is this an obvious contradiction? Could this be used by unbelievers to show that the Bible is wrong? There is a simple answer to these questions and that is what we will briefly go over.

Matthew says that Yeshua moved to Nazareth so that the Scriptures could be fulfilled, in that, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” The only Scriptures Matthew could be referring to is the Tanach (the “old Testament”), and the Tanach never predicted this. So what is happening here?

The term “Nazarene” became an idiom in the first century for one who was despised. The people in the north and Galilee were looked down on as being “illiterate and uneducated ” (Acts 4.13). This alludes to the fact that they were not educated in any of the rabbinical schools in the south. The Temple and many Jewish sects were located there and it seems they thought the people in the north were “hicks” because they were farmers, fishermen, carpenters, stone masons and worked with their hands. Even their spoken Hebrew was different (Matt 26.73).

When Philip came to Nathanael and told him that, “We have found him whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”, Nathanael responded with, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth (John 1.43-46)?”

So, when Matthew uses “Nazarene” in Matt 2.23, he is meaning a “despised one” based on several Scriptures. Isa 49.1-26 tells us about the physical manifestation of the Messiah, and Isa 49.7 specifically says, “Thus says the Lord, the redeemer of Israel, its Holy One, to the despised one, to the one abhorred by the nation” and it goes on as a clear reference to the Messiah. Isa 53.3 says Yeshua was despised and forsaken of men. Isa 60.14 talks about israel, a type of the Messiah, being despised. Psa 22.6 is talking about David, but it alludes to the fact that Yeshua was despised by the people.

So, Matthew uses “Nazarene” as an idiom for one despised, and the Scriptures he refers to are some of the Scriptures we have just mentioned. So there is no contradiction here.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

A Camel and The Eye of a Needle

Matt 19.23-24 talks about a camel going through an “eye of a needle.” There is no historical evidence that the “eye of a needle” is a gate in the ancient city of Jerusalem, and that was what Yeshua was referring to in this verse. But, repetition of this idea has given it “dogmatic” status in some circles. As the story goes in Scripture, Yeshua tells a man to give up his riches and follow him. The man becomes grieved because he was rich and decides not to follow Yeshua, prompting Yeshua to say that it is “hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” and that it is “easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Now there are several things going on here. This verse is very similar to an old Jewish proverb. There is a midrash, which is a teaching or an interpretation, on the Song of Songs that says, “The Holy One said, ‘Open for me a door as big as a needle’s eye and I will open for you a door which may enter tents and camels (article by Marc Herbst, Manhassetlutheran.org).’ ” This saying shows God’s willingness and ability to accomplish his work in a person.

Some have suggested that if Yeshua was speaking Aramaic, the word “camel” is “g’amlah” and can mean camel or rope, and rope would make more sense than a camel. In Greek camel is “kamelon” and rope is “kamilon.” So, rope or cord is an alternative reading. Either way, the message is the same. In a proverb, Yeshua is saying that it is hard, but not impossible, for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven because it is the work of the Lord. Remember, he is not necessarily talking about salvation alone when he talks about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is God’s rule in your life and it is hard for a rich man to totally give himself to what the Lord may want him to do because he is distracted by too many things. The parable of the sower and the seed in Matt 13.18-23 tells us about the one who hears the word, but the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful. This is the idea Yeshua is getting at in this proverbial saying about camels and the eye of a needle, and it is very unlikely that he is referring to a particular gate in the walled city of Jerusalem

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

Does Genesis 1 Teach a “Pre-Adamic” Race Or “Gap Theory?”

Some people believe there is a “gap” of time between Gen 1.1 and 1.2. They say that there was an original creation, ruled over by “Lucifer” and he fell, resulting in the earth becoming “formless and void.” This pre-Adamic earth was also inhabited by a race of people but they were all destroyed. That is the basis for this myth, and that is exactly what it is. This “theory” was an attempt to reconcile the creation account with long periods of time put forth in the theory of Evolution called “Theistic Evolution”, if you want an official name for it. Evolution itself is a totally unscientific theory that violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This gap theory would have us believe that Adam was walking around on top of a giant, fossilized graveyard.

This theory is also unscriptural because Paul said in Rom 5.12 and 8.20-22 that man’s sin brought about death in the world, even of animals (1 Cor 15.21). Over 800 billion skeletons exist in the Karroo formation in South Africa alone. This theory is also unnecessary because the most natural interpretation of Genesis 1.2 is to take it at face value, without adding to or subtracting from it. But proponents of this theory will say, “Formless and void speaks of judgment” and will quote Jer 4.23 and Isa 45.18. However, in other passages, “formless and void” just means unformed and unfilled and hasn’t been worked yet, and just means “space” (Job 28.7; Deut 32.10). They will also say “was” in Gen 1.2 should be translated “became.” However, the Hebrew verb “hayetha” is found 264 times in the Tanach, and 258 times it was translated as “was.” The Hebrew verb of being for “became” is “haphek.”

Proponents will then try to say that there is a difference between “bara” (created in 1.1), and “asah” (made in 1.7). However, these verbs are used synonymously: “God created (bara)” in 1.21, and “God made (asah)” in 1.25.” “Let us make man” (asah) in 1.26, and “so God created (bara)” in 1.27. IT will be pointed out by some that “darkness” indicates judgment in 1.2. However, darkness here is simply the absence of light and is sometimes spoken of as “good” (Psa 104.20, 24). Lastly, they will say that “fill” in 1.28 shoulod be “replenish” to inidicate that the world was once “filled.” The Hebrew word “male or mala” almost always means to simply to “fill” (Exo 40.34; 1 Kings 18.33; Psa 107.9).

So, there isn’t much to this theory and it isn’t even defensible. When Yeshua refers to “the beginning” in Matt 19.8, he means with the creation of Adam and Eve. The Torah means what it says, and there is no gap between Gen 1.1 and 1.2.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord

What Is The “Mark of The Beast?”

The “mark of the beast” is mentioned in Rev 13.16-18 where it says, “he (the False Prophet) causes all (meaning many of) the small and the great, rich and the poor, and the free men and slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand (action), or on their foreheads (intellect), and that no one would be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of man and his number is 6,6,6.”

Many have the belief that this will be some mark, tatoo or biochip that will be placed on or under the skin in the right hand or forehead and this will allow financial transactions to take place. To get this “mark” you must accept the False Messiah. The Scriptures says that anyone who does this will suffer eternal damnation (Rev 14.9-10). On the other hand, there are those who believe that this mark is “spiritual” in that God marks those who are his and those who are not. There are several verses that seem to support this view. In Ezek 9.4 God tells his “executioners” (probably angels) to go through the city of Jerusalem and put a “mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” He then tells them to slay everyone who does not have the “mark”, starting with the elders of the people. No particular mark is specified and it could not be seen by anyone with the natural eye, but the angels knew knew who they were.

In Rev 14.1 it says that the 144,000 will have God’s name and the name of the Messiah “written on their foreheads.” So, here are two examples where believers are “marked” by God in their foreheads because they are Torah observant and follow Yehovah. This is not a physical mark, but spiritual. Now the forehead was used to indicate comprehension or a mental assent to something. With true believers, it was to indicate that they had a Torah-based faith in Yeshua and had a desire to follow him in their actions. Psa 37.37 it says that we should “mark the blameless man and behold the upright.” But, Rom 16.17 says we are to “mark those who cause division” or in other words, take notice of them.

There are many other verses which convey the same concept. In Rev 13 it seems to indicate that unbelievers will be “marked” by their anti-Torah behavior. It “marks” those who do not have a Torah-based faith in Yeshua and they have a comprehension or a mental assent to follow the False Messiah, who will be “the man of lawlessness.” Now, lawlessness means he will be against the Torah, or “Torah-less.”

On the other hand, the 144,00 have God’s name on their foreheads, and in Hebrew thought, the letter “Shin” stands for the Lord. It is the first letter in the word “Shaddai” and “Shalom”, both names/titles for Yehovah. The letter shin is also the first letter in the name “Satan” in Hebrew. This letter has three heads to it when it is written. In Rev 13.18 it says this “mark of the beast” is his name or number and that number is 6,6,6. The number six in Hebrew is the letter “Vav” and it looks like a nail, or a peg, or an upright snake ready to strike. The number six is also the number of man, and the three sixes would look like three vavs in Hebrew, with three heads. If you put the three vavs together (the number of the beast and man) you can make it look like the letter shin (symbolic of God’s name/title). In other words, unless you have understanding from God, you could be deceived into thinking that you are following the Messiah, when in fact you are following the False Messiah. That, we believe, is the idea being conveyed her in Revelation.

It is possible that the mark of the beast has more to do with who you follow with your mental assent, comprehension, and actions, in line with the anti-Torah teachings of the False Prophet, a religious teacher, in regards to who the False Messiah is and those who follow him. It is also possible that this mark is a physical mark, but it doesn’t have to be, as we have shown. Part of the deception is to get people looking for a physical mark when, in reality, they already have the mark by what they believe, comprehend mentally, and what they do by their actions.

It also says in Revelation that you won’t be able to buy or sell without the mark. This makes people assume that it must be a physical mark or this would not be possible. However, nations have been able to control buying and selling without computers or being connected to “the grid” for centuries. Rome, Spain, and England did it. The United States did it with blue laws and rationing. The Nazis did it by marking Jewish stores, vendors, and the clothing of Jews and other undesirables, warning the German citizens not to have commerce with them. In a recent example, there were people who lost their livelihood because they refused to take a Covid vaccination. If one has a Torah observant lifestyle, they will be “marked” by their actions. If one doesn’t buy or sell on the Sabbath it will become known very quickly, especially in an atmosphere of persecution which will be the norm in the kingdom of the False Messiah (Rev 12.17; Dan 7.25).

Another point needs to brought out here. The False Messiah will not control the whole world nor will he control the economy of the world with this mark. This mark will only be imposed on those under his control. There will be many nations who will oppose the False Messiah and make war with him during the Birth-pains (tribulation), such as Russia (Ezek 38 and 39). In addition, Edom, Moab, and the foremost of the sons of Ammon will be rescued out of his hand. The kings of the east, and the kings of the north will disturb him (Dan 11.41-44). This seems to indicate that this “mark” is not worldwide and seems to be confined to Europe and the area ruled by the False Messiah for the most part.

There is much more on this subject, but these concepts should give you some other things to consider and investigate as far as the mark of the beast is concerned, and it may not be what has been traditionally taught. Remember, a “delusion” is when you believe something that isn’t true, and an “illusion” is seeing something when in fact it isn’t there. Both could be at play here and it is all a part of the great deception and illusion of the last days. The only way to be delivered from this is to have the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of God, and walking in a Torah-based faith in Yeshua.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

I Have A Question VI

Q. In Genesis it says that Cain dwelt in the “land of Nod.” What or where is that?

A. The word “Nod” means to “move to and fro” and “to wander.” It simply describes what happened to Cain as he wandered and went east of Eden.

Q. The Bible says that the Law was given to Israel at Mount Sinai. Does that include non-Jews?

A. Yes it does. Among the children of Israelites that day at Sinai was a “mixed multitude” who were included in the camp of Israel, which was made up of three camps called Israel, Judah, and the nations (Isa 11.11-12). He didn’t tell the non-Jews to stay at their tents and only the Israelites were to come to the mountain. All were included. The Torah was given to the native, the alien, and the sojourner among them. Each group was to obey the Torah as it applied to them (1 Cor 7.17-19). The redemption from Egypt is called the First Redemption and it was not only for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but for anyone who chose to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Second Redemption is described in Num 11.11-12 and it will include the same three groups. Moses said in the book of Deuteronomy that the Torah was not only for those standing there, but for those not standing there (future descendants, future non-Jews-Deut 29.14-15). Paul states in 1 Cor 10.1-4 “that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.” He is saying “our” because non-Jewish believers like the Corinthians have the same heritage as the Jewish people (Eph 2.11-22). Num 15.14-16 says that if a non-Jew chose to follow the God of Israel, there was to be one law for both Jew and non-Jew. Each group was to follow the Torah as it applied to them.

Q. Didn’t Yeshua fulfill the Law and now it has passed away?

A. Yeshua said “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets; but to fulfill it (Matt 5.17-18). People not only think he came to do away with the law, they even teach it to others! To “fulfill” means to “give meaning to it, to have it realized.” When someone keeps the Sabbath, he has fulfilled the Law. But that doesn’t mean he never has to keep the sabbath again. When somone doesn’t steal, lie when they had a chance doesn’t mean he can now steal and lie! He also said heaven and earth will pass away before the Torah ever did. Well, heaven and earth are still here and so is the Torah. If you look at his statement here, he included the prophets. If the Law has been done away with, then so have the prophets, so we need to stop studying the prophets and bible prophecy because they have also been fulfilled. Anyone with any common sense knows that there is a lot of unfulfilled prophecy, so by reason we know that the Law has not been done away with either. You can’t do away with one part of his statement, and then keep the other part. Either both are still active, or they are not. One of the reason the Jews do not accept Yeshua is that they say he didn’t fulfill all the prophecies. Therefore, the Torah cannot pass away until all the prophecies are fulfilled, and heaven and earth pass away.

Q. Isn’t it impossible to keep the Torah?

A. No, Yeshua kept it and commanded his followers to do the same. He would not have told us to do something if it is impossible. So, let’s define what “keep” means. To “keep and observe” means “to incorporate all the things of God into our lives, and to stay true to the pattern or blueprint, or “tavnit” (Exo 25.9) God has shown for a specific thing to be done, at a specific time, at a specific place, by specific people.” We have grace and forgiveness because we follow our old spouse (old nature) instead of our new spouse (new nature with Yeshua). We have the power of the Ruach Ha Kodesh also. A question is usually asked, “But how can I keep all the commandments that apply to me?” And the answer is, “One at a time.” Yeshua has invited us to walk with him and “take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matt 11.29-30; 1 John 5.3).” The Torah tells us that sin is the transgression of the Law (1 John 3.4), and by the Law is the knowledge of sin (Rom 3.20). But by grace we have been saved through faith (Eph 2.8), and do we make void the Law through faith. God forbid: yes, we establish the Law (Rom 3.31). If a person believes the Law has been done away with, how do they know what sin is, and if you have sinned? Many go to the Torah to get a sinner to “repent”, and then they tell him they don’t need to follow the Law anymore, causing them to go and sin even more! The Torah does not contradict faith, it establishes it. If one says he has faith, he then demonstrates that faith by keeping the Torah (Jam 2.14-26). On the other hand, if you do not keep the Law, your faith is dead (not established according to Rom 3.31). The Lord then calls you “lawless” or as another version puts it, a “worker of iniquity (as defined by the Torah).” Lawless means “without Torah, Torah-less” and in Greek the word is “Anomos” (“a” as a prefix before “nomos” in Greek means “no law or lawless.” Nomos is the Greek word used for Torah).

Q. Hasn’t the New Testament replaced the Old Testament, and the Law has no authority over a believer today except as history?

A. This is a common misconception, but a misconception nevertheless. This concept is taught in many churches, and the synagogues do not see any validity to the New Testament either. The covenants of God cannot “replace” other covenants and cause the previous ones to “disappear.” In truth, the covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David are still valid. Christianity only tries to make the one with Moses go away because they don’t like it or keep it. The Tanak (old testament) reveals these covenants. It is the one with Moses that Christian teachers have an issue with, and want to dispute it. The New Testament writers got in on this question when it comes to written Scripture. Paul said, “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (the Torah defines righteous behavior); that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (the term “good work” is “mitzvah” and a word for the commandments-2 Tim 3.16-17). The only scripture available at the time that Paul could have been talking about here is the Tanak. The term “new” as in New Testament does not mean what many teachers say it means. They use it to convey the false teaching that the new testament replaces the “old” testament. However, the term “new” is the Hebrew “chadash” and it means “refreshing, renewed, restored.” A related word from the same root is “chodesh” and is used for the term “new moon.” Another way of saying this is “born again”, which is also a Jewish term relating to the new moon every month. Now, everyone knows that there is not a brand new moon every month, but it is renewed, refreshed, restored every month so time can be marked (Gen 1.14). In the same way, the “renewed, restored, refreshed” covenant is referred to in Jer 31.31-34 and it is a renewal of the one previously given at Sinai with Moses. An “amended” covenant is another way to look at it. Jeremiah says that the covenant was made with Judah and Israel because the first covenant at Sinai was made with Judah and Israel, and they disobeyed it. You can’t “renew, restore, or refresh” a covenant with people who did not have the covenant to begin with (for example, Christianity teaches that the “new covenant” belongs to the “church”). You can only renew, restore, refresh a covenant with people who had it to begin with (Judah and Israel). Heb 8.9 quotes Jer 31 and says the problem wasn’t the Torah, it was the people (‘for finding fault with them”). So God is going to renew, restore, refresh the covenant with Israel and Judah, but it is going to be better because he is going to write the Torah on the hearts of the people, meaning he is going to give them a desire and intention to keep the Torah. What is going to be different about the restored covenant is not the laws/commandments, but where those laws are written. That is why the word “new” was used. It is renewed, refreshed, restored in the hearts, desires, intentions of the people. They will want to keep the commandments. If you don’t have a desire to keep the commandments, it might be because they are not written on your heart and you have no genuine born again experience with the Lord, and he does not know you in a redemptive way. Matt 7.21-23 and 1 John 2.3-4 describes those in this situation.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, Questions, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament