LIGHT OF MENORAH

THE STORY OF JOSEPH - lesson 4 GOD'S PARADIGM OF SALVATION OF THE WORLD As we see in lessons 1-3 Joseph is 1) hated by his brothers and 2) they are jealous or envious of Joseph and 3) the plot to kill him.  But remember the rabbis of old recognized something truly amazing.  The Lord is uses PARADIGMS or patterns, templates, or models.  It is the Lord taking a person or event that becomes a prototype (synonym for paradigm) for another person in the future or an event in the future.  The rabbis have a saying for this ... חיי האבות הם סימנים לבנים HaYay HaAvot Seemaneem Lay Baneem The Lives of the Fathers are Signs for the Sons In light of this the rabbis early on connected Joseph to the Messiah.  They said Joseph was a prototype of the Messiah.  For us that means Jesus.  And just as we will see in this podcast that Joseph is sold for 20 pieces of silver as suggested by Judah (his name in Hebrew is Yehooda), his older brother.  We also see that Jesus was betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver.  Judas’ name in Hebrew is Yehooda or Judah.  Amazing.  Over and over again as we see Joseph we see the Messiah, our Jesus.  Joseph is God's model of what a savor of the world should be like.  Joseph was born of Rachel in a miraculous birth and grew up and saved the world with the bread of the earth.  Jesus was born of Mary in a miraculous birth an saved the world with Himself and through Himself with the bread from heaven. For more resources to study this in more depth check the links below. Link 1 - a great article from the awesome website, Hebrew4Christians, focusing on one title of the Messiah the rabbis used in the time after the 3rd century A.D., "Maschiach ben Yosef," or Messiah the son of Joseph.  This has to do with the fact the rabbis recognized that the Messiah had to suffer and even die.  They also recognized that the Messiah would also be victorious as well and establish the throne of Israel in Jerusalem in the days called "The Messianic Age" or the day Messiah comes to rule and reign - https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Mashiach_ben_Yosef/mashiach_ben_yosef.html Link 2- a second article written by my lead teacher in my graduate program, Dr. Ron Mosely that discusses Joseph is a prototype of the the suffering Messiah just like David is a prototype of the conquering Messiah - https://www.academia.edu/3796976/Twice_Rejected_Mashiach_Ben_Joseph Link 3 - a link to Netivyah ministries in Jerusalem.  This is a Messianic Jewish ministry founded by Joseph Shulam, an amazing Jewish scholar who helps us reconnect to our Jewish roots of our faith.  This link is to a book written by one of their resident scholars, Elhanan ben Avraham, "Moshiach ben Yosef" (Messiah the Son Of Joseph).  I highly recommend you get this book and all the books you can buy from this ministry - https://netivyah.org/product/mashiach-ben-yoseph/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... standing in the gate of an ancient Canaanite Temple) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

We are about to study three awesome verses, Exod. 22:18-20.  All three refer to commonly accepted practices connected to the immoral and sinful pagan culture in the ancient Near East.  All three demand death sentences.  What יהוה‎ Yahvay our Lord is teaching us is His total rejection of polytheism and its associated abhorrent practices and rituals.  In essence the Lord is teaching the Hebrews then coming out of Egypt that they are to be HOLY.  Not the way the church translates holy as without sin or being righteous before God or holy being pure of heart or other ways.  The church again dismisses the Hebrew and loses the real idea as to what יהוה‎ Yahvay our Lord is getting at.  The Hebrew word used for God wanting His chosen, His elect to be holy is the word קָדֹשׁ or kadosh H6918.  It gives us the idea of being separate or ones set apart or those who are distinctly and uniquely different than others.  The Lord wants His chosen, His elect, His people to live in such a way that they are not like the pagan polytheists around them.  He wants His chosen to be His, set apart, ones who live so that all know they belong to יהוה‎ Yahvay.  We remember when He said in His word, in the Torah ... "For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy." (Lev 11:44-45) We are in His image and thus we are to exhibit those characteristics of our Father.  He is קָדֹשׁ kadosh and we are also to be קָדֹשׁ kadosh.  This idea carries us into the New Testament.  If we are to be disciples of Yeshua, talmideem of Rav Yeshua, then we are to be like Him.  Jesus said that He is not of the world and neither are we to be of the world.  We are in the world but we are separate, set apart, distinctly different, or not part of the world.  Jesus is only teaching from the only scripture they had when He was here, the Hebrew scriptures or the Old Testament and the תּוֹרָה Torah, the first five books of the Bible, considered the foundation of all of God's word in Jesus' day, when He said ... "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  (Joh 17:14-16) So as we study these verses in Exodus we see they are God's intention for them THEN and for us NOW since through the CROSS and the BLOOD of the LAMB, we have become "grafted in" to the olive tree of Israel and through Jesus have become יהוה‎ Yahvay's chosen, His elect, His sons and His daughters.   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF TORAH SCRIPTURE THAT TESTIFIES OF YESHUA WHO BEARS OUR SIN (See Exod. 34:7 and 1 Pete. 2:24) In this podcast we will learn that indeed the Torah in Hebrew testifies of Jesus just like He taught us in John's Gospel in John 5:39.  This is not apparent in English and so we miss it again!  Few will teach God's word in its historical context and check the Hebrew and not the English.  This podcast does and you'll see that the very word of God shows that the Torah testifies of Jesus in ways that are beyond powerful. One of the first things we encountered in this lesson as what is called "The 13 Attributes of the Lord" that the rabbis came up with.  See the chart below from the website www.CalledOutBelievers.org of how the verese Exod. 34:6-8 show these 13 attributes of God. Also, here's a link to an excellent article on the Jewish understanding of the 13 Attributes from "My Jewish Learning" - https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-13-attributes-of-mercy/ In Christianity we all understand sin as being intentional.  We don't say that someone who acted in error or inadvertently or by mistake, committed a sin.  Sin for Christian is intentional, done on purpose, or a deliberate action against God.  But, in the Bible there are two types of sin, UNINTENTIONAL and INTENTIONAL.  This is so clear when youstudy God's instruction on the Sin Offering in Leviticus 4.  Consider ... Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. (Lev 4:1-3) You can also read what God has to say about this in Numbers 15.   'But when you unwittingly fail and do not observe all these commandments, which the LORD has spoken to Moses, even all that the LORD has commanded you through Moses, from the day when the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations, then it shall be, if it is done unintentionally, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one bull for a burnt offering, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. (Num 15:22-24) The Sin Offering is thus only for cleansing UNINTENTIONAL sins and not sin as Christians know it, INTENTIONAL.   Jewish scholars agree that there is NO sacrifice or ritual in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, to forgive intentional sin.  There are no number of goats and sheep that can be sacrificed to erase someone's intentional sin.  Here's an awesome article that goes into this big time.  This Jewish scholarly article thus supports our Christian understanding.  What would we expect?  It supports the reason why Jesus came.  He came to die so our sins (intentional) would be atoned for and we would regain a right standing with God.  The Sinai Covenant did not have such a sacrifice.  So Jesus came and provided the WAY back to the Father and He can therefore say He came and the Sinai Covenant, as Jesus said, "It is finished."  Check out the article.  https://www.jewfaq.org/qorbanot.htm#Purposes In this lesson we focus on Exod. 34:7 where it says about God that He forgives inquity, transgression, and sin.  But, the word is not forgives but the Hebrew word NAHSAH (H5375) which has the conceptual idea of carrying a burden, bearing a load, lifiting something up, taking something away.  God is giving us an amazing picture of what forgiveness "looks like."  What is so awesome is that God, who is Jesus, since Jesus is only a face of the Lord (see lesson 75) carries our sin to a special place and to a special time.  He takes our sins to the His Cross. Shown below are links to Bible lessons I have done that go into these ideas in depth.  I list them for your reference so that you can consider studying the very words of God and enhancing your understanding that the 13 Attributes of Yahvay are all about Him, Jesus, who is God, a manifestion of the Lord. LINKS FOR LOM PODCASTS YOM KIPPUR 1ST – IT IS FINISHED AND 2ND – THE GOAT AND THE LAMB https://youtu.be/LtiB77wbNd8?si=zDi2upP9WPMh1kh5 https://youtu.be/KoI6_yUnT2w?si=ftKR9QfBLWtcGAEE TORAH IS FINISHED BY THE CROSS https://youtu.be/-FSJ0GytjSo?si=yl4PrBP1EkWUDYzO Also, check out the article I wrote from one of my classbooks.  It addresses unintentional and intentional sin, the Hebrew word NAHSAH and how it is used in God's word, and how Jesus as God, the only God,  carries our sins like bearing a heavy load to the cross. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - somewhere in the Galilee) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

AN ALTERNATIVE VIABLE BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AS THE FATHER AND GOD AS THE SON AND GOD AS THE HOLY SPIRIT.   As I mentioned in this study I did a podcast that shows Biblically the answer to the question, “Who dwells in us, the Father? The Son? The Holy Spirit?”  The answer to the question is YES!!  Shown below are the link to the podcast that are critical for Christians to understand the very words of God and the concept that God is the Father and God is the Son and God is the Spirit. 1 COR 3:16 – FATHER & SON & SPIRIT DWELL IN US https://youtu.be/hiG8QC-bHuk?si=6q7ax_82kEhZQ0x3 https://youtu.be/eZyFEL7OUD0?si=SFHLjPTrUppGibdY The word for "book" is sefer (סֵפֶר). Possessive Endings (Pronominal Suffixes) In formal and biblical Hebrew, possession is indicated by adding suffixes directly to a shifted, construct form of the noun (sifr-). Owner Hebrew Transliteration Meaning My סִפְרִי sifri my book Your (m.s.) סִפְרְךָ sifrecha your book Your (f.s.) סִפְרֵךְ sifrech your book His סִפְרוֹ sifro his book Her סִפְרָהּ sifrah her book Our סִפְרֵנוּ sifrenu our book Your (m.pl.) סִפְרְכֶם sifrechem your book Your (f.pl.) סִפְרְכֶן sifrechen your book Their (m.) סִפְרָם sifram their book Their (f.) סִפְרָן sifran their book   Modern Spoken Form In Modern Hebrew, the shel construction is preferred for everyday conversation. You use the base word ha-sefer (הַסֵּפֶר - "the book") followed by the preposition shel and a pronoun. My book: ha-sefer sheli (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלִּי) His book: ha-sefer shelo (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלּוֹ) Her book: ha-sefer shelah (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּהּ) Our book: ha-sefer shelanu (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּנוּ) Their book: ha-sefer shelahem (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם)   Plural Forms Hebrew the plural noun sefarim  (ספרים, "books") In Hebrew, possessive endings (called "pronominal suffixes") are attached directly to nouns to show ownership. For the plural noun sefarim (ספרים, "books"), possession is indicated by replacing the masculine plural ending with specialized suffixes. Possessive Endings for "Sefarim" (ספרים) When adding possessive endings, the plural word for books becomes sifrei- (סִפְרֵי) plus the suffix.    Possessor  Suffix Hebrew Form Pronunciation Translation   My י סְפָרַי sfaráy My books   Your (m. sg.) ךָ סְפָרֶיךָ sfaréykha Your books   Your (f. sg.) ךְ סְפָרַיִךְ sfaráyikh Your books   His יו סְפָרָיו sfaráv His books   Her יהָ סְפָרֶיהָ sfaréha Her books   Our נו סְפָרֵינוּ sfaréynu Our books   Your (m. pl.) כֶם סְפָרֵיכֶם sfaréykhem Your books   Your (f. pl.) כֶן סְפָרֵיכֶן sfaréykhen Your books   Their (m.) ם סְפָרֵיהֶם sfaréyhem Their books   Their (f.) ן סְפָרֵיהֶן sfaréyhen Their books   Usage Notes Modern vs. Classical: While these direct suffixes are standard in Biblical Hebrew, formal writing, and religious liturgy, everyday Modern Hebrew almost exclusively uses the preposition shel (של). For example, "my books" is usually expressed casually as hasfarim sheli (הספרים שלי) rather than sfaray. Singular vs. Plural Base: Note that sefer (singular, "book") inflects differently. When modifying plural/dual nouns in Hebrew, you will almost always see a yud (י) placed between the noun and the possessive suffix (e.g., sfaray instead of sifri).  For more detailed breakdowns and audio pronunciations, you can visit the Virtual Ulpan or the Hebrew for Christians grammar guides. Wikipedia article related to Hebrew grammar – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Hebrew_grammar Hebrew4Christians grammar section -https://hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_Six/Pronomial_Suffixes_Singular/pronomial_suffixes_singular.html Hebrew word for "face" or "presence" is panim (פָּנִים) The Hebrew word for "face" or "presence" is panim (פָּנִים). It is a grammatically plural noun that takes special, plural-like possessive endings. The primary possessive endings for panim are detailed in this structured layout:  English Meaning Hebrew Transliteration Hebrew Spelling My face panay פָּנַי Our face(s)   paneinu פְּנֵינוּ Your (m. sg.) face(s)   panecha פָּנֶיךָ Your (f. sg.) face(s)   panayich פָּנַיִךְ Your (m. pl.) face(s)   pneichem פְּנֵיכֶם Your (f. pl.) face(s)   pneichen פְּנֵיכֶן His / Its face panav פָּנָיו Her / Its face paneha פָּנֶיהָ Their (m.) face(s)   pneihem פְּנֵיהֶם Their (f.) face(s)   pneihen פְּנֵיהֶן   For a complete look at Hebrew grammar paradigms, you can reference the Hebrew for Christians Suffixes Guide -  https://hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_Six/Pronomial_Suffixes_Plural/pronomial_suffixes_plural.html The following is taken from the Wikipedia articles on the etymology (historical development) of the Latin word PERSONA and the Greek word PROSOPON that eventually became used to translate the word “PERSON.” PERSONA The word persona derives from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask.] The usage of the word dates back to the beginnings of Latin civilization. The Latin word derived from the Etruscan word "phersu," with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον (prosōpon). It is the etymology of the word "person," or "parson" in French. Latin etymologists explain that persona comes from "per/sonare" as "the mask through which (per) resounds the voice (of the actor)." PROSOPON In Ancient Greek, term prosopon originally designated one's "face" or "mask". Actors in Greek theatre-productions wore specific physical masks on stage, in order to reveal their characters and emotional states to the audience. The term prosopon had an important role in the development of theological terminology related to the Trinity and to Jesus. It was the subject of many theological debates and disputes, particularly during early centuries of Christian history. The word prosopon is most commonly used for the self-manifestation of an individual hypostasis (God is understood as one divine essence or being (ousia), but three distinct substances or forms (hypostases): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Commonly defined as persons in the church after the late 3rd century A.D.  Prosopon is the form in which hypostasis appears (prosopon meant “mask” and each form of the essence of God appears as a unique mask or appearance.  Later the word person was used for appearence or manifestation or face.  Every hypostasis has its own prosopon: face or countenance. It gives expression to the reality of the hypostasis with its powers and characteristics. Paul the Apostle uses the term when speaking of direct heart-felt apprehension of the face (prosopon) of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6): "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." THE FACES OF THE LORD My wife is brilliant.  Again and again over the years I see how God has used her to enhance the lessons I taught in class, when I led teaching tours on the trails in Israel, or now in these podcasts.  She said the alternative Biblical understanding of the Trinity I presented makes so much sense rather than God in three separate persons.  The alternative does not take away from the doctrine of the Trinity but makes it more understanding.  She states that we are made in the image of God.  As God has faces, different ways of manifesting Himself to us, so do we.  As she explained that when I, her husband, was a son to my father my "face" then was not as my "face" today; that is my manifestation of myself to the world was different 60 years ago.  I was the same JOHN, the same human being, but my "face," or my way I was seen in the world, was radically different than today.  When I was 60 and leading tours to Israel my "face" was not the same as today.  I was the same person.  I was not a separate person from myself.  I was me.  But, then at age 60, I manifested myself differently.  My wife said I had many "faces" but I was still me.  I had the face of the son of my father, I had the face of a student at St. John's Univeristy, I had anohter face as a young dad when we started adopting our kids, and I have a face today of a grandfather.  All these are "faces" or masks, if you like.  It is still me.  Who I am is constant but I have a different face at the various stages of my life. She said it seems then as we are made in His image we, like our Father, have several "faces" or ways of presenting ourselves that differ over time.  As time goes on and circumstances change, I am manifested in different ways to those who I encounter.  I am still the same person.  My essence, or my fundamental core—the unchanging spark of my consciousness, my values, and my authentic presence that persists beneath my physical form and memories and fleeting emotions - does not change and I am still me.  This is the same for God.  His essence, that which makes God God, does not change but only the way He chooses to manifest Himself to the world, to us, in one of His faces. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - taking a break from teaching somewhere in the shade in Jerusalem) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

THE STORY OF JOSEPH - lesson 3 GOD'S PARADIGM OF SALVATION OF THE WORLD In this lesson we continue on with the events in Joseph's life leading up to his brothers nearly trying to kill him.  Judah saves Joseph and the brothers decide to sell Joseph to the Midianite or Ishmaelite traders. There is a question any of us would ask if we read the story carefully.  For example check out Gen. 37:36 and Gen. 39:1.  Who sold Joseph to the Egyptians?  In one verse it says the Midianites and in the other verse it says the Ishmaelites?  What is going on?  Does this mean the Bible is a book with error and irreconcilable issues?  NOPE.  We will see the Bible actually helps us with the solution to this supposedly impossible issue. So, Joseph is 1) hated by his brothers and 2) they are jealous or envious of Joseph and 3) the plot to kill him.  But remember the rabbis of old recognized something truly amazing.  The Lord is uses PARADIGMS or patterns, templates, or models.  It is the Lord taking a person or event that becomes a prototype (synonym for paradigm) for another person in the future or an event in the future.  The rabbis have a saying for this ... חיי האבות הם סימנים לבנים HaYay HaAvot Seemaneem Lay Baneem The Lives of the Fathers are Signs for the Sons In light of this the rabbis early on connected Joseph to the Messiah.  They said Joseph was a prototype of the Messiah.  For us that means Jesus.  And just as we will see in this podcast that Joseph is 1) hated by his brothers and 2) they are jealous or envious of Joseph and 3) the plot to kill him.  We also see that Jesus was 1) hated by his brothers (fellow countrymen) and 2) they were jealous of Him and 3) they met in secret to plot how to kill Him.  Joseph is a paradigm of the coming Messiah, our Jesus.  Joseph is God's model of what a savor of the world should be like.  Joseph saved the world with the bread of the earth.  Jesus saved the world with Himself and through Himself with the bread from heaven. For more resources to study this in more depth check the links below. Link 1 - a great article from the awesome website, Hebrew4Christians, focusing on one title of the Messiah the rabbis used in the time after the 3rd century A.D., "Maschiach ben Yosef," or Messiah the son of Joseph.  This has to do with the fact the rabbis recognized that the Messiah had to suffer and even die.  They also recognized that the Messiah would also be victorious as well and establish the throne of Israel in Jerusalem in the days called "The Messianic Age" or the day Messiah comes to rule and reign - https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Mashiach_ben_Yosef/mashiach_ben_yosef.html Link 2- a second article written by my lead teacher in my graduate program, Dr. Ron Mosely that discusses Joseph is a prototype of the the suffering Messiah just like David is a prototype of the conquering Messiah - https://www.academia.edu/3796976/Twice_Rejected_Mashiach_Ben_Joseph Link 3 - a link to Netivyah ministries in Jerusalem.  This is a Messianic Jewish ministry founded by Joseph Shulam, an amazing Jewish scholar who helps us reconnect to our Jewish roots of our faith.  This link is to a book written by one of their resident scholars, Elhanan ben Avraham, "Moshiach ben Yosef" (Messiah the Son Of Joseph).  I highly recommend you get this book and all the books you can buy from this ministry - https://netivyah.org/product/mashiach-ben-yoseph/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - crossing the Nile near Luxor) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Lesson 2 - The Saga of Joseph Once again we join the rabbis of old who recognized something truly amazing is going on.  The Lord is using PARADIGMS or another way of saying the same thing is the Lord uses patterns, templates, or models.  The rabbis have a saying for this ... חיי האבות הם סימנים לבנים Kahyay HaAvot Hem Seemaneem L’Bahneem The lives of the fathers are signs for the sons In this lesson we really begin to see that Joseph is a MODEL of what it means to be the savior of the world.  It is like Joseph is wearing a mask to make himself look like someone else; Joseph "looks like" Jesus the true savior of the world.   For more resources to study this in more depth check the links below. Link 1 - an article on at least 60 ways Joseph's life and the things he went through testify of Jesus or are connections to Jesus -  https://www.onepagebiblesummary.com/pad/pad_17.php Link 2- a second article written by my lead teacher in my graduate program, Dr. Ron Mosely that discusses Joseph is a prototype of the the suffering Messiah just like David is a prototype of the conquering Messiah - https://www.academia.edu/3796976/Twice_Rejected_Mashiach_Ben_Joseph Link 3 - a link to Netivyah ministries in Jerusalem.  This is a Messianic Jewish ministry founded by Joseph Shulam, an amazing Jewish scholar who helps us reconnect to our Jewish roots of our faith.  This link is to a book written by one of their resident scholars, Elhanan ben Avraham, "Moshiach ben Yosef" (Messiah the Son Of Joseph).  I highly recommend you get this book and all the books you can buy from this ministry - https://netivyah.org/product/mashiach-ben-yoseph/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - taking a break in Petra) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

THE STORY OF JOSEPH - lesson 1 GOD'S PARADIGM OF SALVATION OF THE WORLD We have come to Genesis 39 which is the beginning of the story of Joseph of the "many colored coat."  Joseph (Yosef in Hebrew or Yosef Ben Ya'akov - Joseph the son of Jacob) was the prized and most beloved son of Jacob.  This love seemingly created a deep jealously between Joseph and his brothers that led to them nearly killing him and finally selling Joseph into slavery.  But, that's part of this awesome Bible study journey we are now to embark on.   (Below - free picture - permission to use - non commercial - accessible at FreeBibleImages.org) In this Bible study journey we will be put face to face with the Paradigms of Adonai.  A paradigm can also be described as a pattern, a template.  We might even say it relates to a the idea of a mirror image.  An example is in the first Passover where we hear of the Passover Lamb picked by each father for his family to be sacrificed the night God will send death upon all first born in Egypt.  The is a mirror image of the Passover of Messiah, our Lord who is the Lamb of God.  The lambs are not the same but they seem to mirror each other.  Paul seems to teach this when we read ... Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- things which are a mere shadow (like on being a mirror image of another - a shadow) of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.  (Col 2:16-17) Check this out in the podcast entitled, "The Mirror of Passover," at this link - https://youtu.be/ipaeu7AQZ8Y?si=2DlVO_ifvOIFP8z6  Our journey begins with this idea of God's Paradigms, His Patterns or His Templates.  Again and again Yahvay shows us that what came before shows up again and again.  The rabbis saw this early on in God's Word.  Maimonides, the great Jewish scholar of the late 12th century said ... חיי האבות הם סימנים לבנים HaYay HaAvot Seemneem Lay Baneem The Lives of the Fathers are Signs for the Sons It is like the first Passover lamb.  It was the lamb of the fathers, the Hebrews coming out of Egypt.  Its blood on the wood of the doorposts was a sign to the Lord to spare this family from His wrath He was pouring out on Egypt.  The Passover lamb was a sign for the future Lamb of God who would come and whose blood on the wood of the cross would also deliver Jew and Gentile from God's wrath for those choosing Yeshua as Lord and God and Savior.  This is a clear example of God's Paradigm.  One of many.   Another is the Jubilee year.  We read about it in Lev. 25 ... The Year of Jubilee Lev 25:8  'You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years.  Lev 25:9  'You shall then sound a ram's horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land.  Lev 25:10  'You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.  Lev 25:11  'You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines.  Lev 25:12  'For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field.  Lev 25:13  'On this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his own property.  The 50 year Jubilee also becomes part of God's Paradigms.  One scholar who deals with this extensively is the Messianic rabbi, Jonathan Cahn.  I highly recommend  you check out his books, "The Oracle" or another awesome book of his, "The Paradigm."  In these books Rabbi Jonathan Cahn details how the 50 year Jubilee is also used by God as a paradigm, a pattern or template if you will to be a sign for us now, today.  Here's his website - http://www.hopeoftheworld.org/ So let us begin our awesome journey into the life of Joseph.  He is a clear example of those words we read ... חיי האבות הם סימנים לבנים HaYay HaAvot Seemneem Lay Baneem The Lives of the Fathers are Signs for the Sons Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... on a teaching tour to Jordan - in Petra) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Some people think that the word "fornication" means sex outside of marriage. Some say that this is what it means in the Bible.  NOPE.  Sorry folks.  Fornication comes from Greek and from Hebrew that have nothing to do with sex before marriage.  God never states specifically that pre-marital sex or sex outside of marriage is a sin – even in the New Testament.  But it is  How does God teach us that sex before marriage is a sin?  How does He teach this in His Torah, His "instruction?"  How did He get this across to His chosen people, the Hebrews, coming out of Egypt?  How did God do this to His people in the 1st century A.D. when He, Yeshua HaMaschiach, Jesus the Messiah, God Himself, was here with us?  And remember, Jesus’ Bible was the Old Testament and the Old Testament never specifically says that sex before marriage is a sin.  But it is We missed it.  He did teach it.  But, once again we need to put the Bible into its historical perspective.  You will NOT get this is you simply read the Bible in English.  Once again as it was understood in Jesus' day among the great Bible teachers, study to learn and learn to do.  One needs to understand how God taught them THEN, thousands of years ago, so we can understand NOW.  Sex outside of marriage is a sin and, on top of that, it looks as if it is something God hates.  Wait till you see. Here's a number of links I promised in the podcast you many find very enlightening.   The first ones relate to articles from Jewish scholarly sources that show the Torah is silent on sex before marriage.   MY JEWISH LEARNING – https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-views-on-premarital-sex/#:~:text=When%20sex%20is%20reserved%20for,within%20the%20context%20of%20kiddushin. AISH – Orthodox Jewish Teaching Site – https://aish.com/premarital-relations/ JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY – https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/premarital-sex The second set of links show that premarital sex was common in Greece and Rome and ancient Egypt and Canaan. Link 1 - the practice of sex outside of marriage, abortion, and infanticide in ancient Greece and Rome – https://soc.history.ancient.narkive.com/DIO506S4/world-before-christ-infanticide-and-abortion-in-ancient-pagan-world Link 2 - WORLD HISTORY ENCYCLOPEDIA – https://www.worldhistory.org/article/934/love-sex-and-marriage-in-ancient-egypt/ Link 3 - THE NOT SO INNOCENTS ABROAD – https://www.thenotsoinnocentsabroad.com/blog/the-sex-lives-of-ancient-egyptians Link 4-6 – Ray Vander Laan's article on ancient pagan religion and practices – https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/fertility-cults-of-canaan https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/hellenism-center-of-the-universe https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/innocent-blood Link 7 - my research article for my master's degree in Biblical history.  The focus is on adoption in ancient Turkey (Asia Minor) but relates to infanticide in ancient Rome.  The bibliography is invaluable - https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0fg3wwbm9xohzq/Ephesus%20Adopt.pdf?dl=0 Ferret - on top of Tel Azeka in the Shephelah in Israel Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

We find again in this lesson that God comes against the law codes of the ancient Near East.  One such code is the Code of Hammurabi who was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from c. 1792 to c. 1750 BC.  His code is 282 laws written 300 years before the Exodus.  In this code any thief is to be executed.  This is seemingly regardless of the theft or the seriousness of the crime.  Just imagine that shoplifters who come in gangs to steal and rob from retail stores today would all be caught and killed in ancient Babylon.  Below you can see the Stele of Hammurabi – on this stone pillar the 282 laws of Hammurabi are engraved.  This picture is royalty free and is accessible at Wikimedia. I mentioned I’d include an article that addresses the issue of self defense for Christians.  It is a solid article and provides awesome scriptural support for its position that indeed the Lord allows for self defense.  The link is below … https://www.gotquestions.org/self-defense.html But, another article you may find as interesting addresses the question asking whether Jesus was a pacifist.  I have found that those who hold to such a belief sometimes use the commandment “thou shalt not murder” and interpret it to mean “thou shalt not kill.”  If the commandment is the later it seems easy to say then that God is against any killing – killing in war, killing in self defense, the death penalty, and on and on.  So, check out this article that discusses the question if Jesus was a pacifist.  I addressed this is more detail in the podcast relating to the commandment.  Here's the link below ... https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-47-lesson-13-exod-2013-no-murder/ One thing to keep in mind is Jesus is GOD and GOD said He never changes as we read in Mal. 3:6.  The link to the article is below … https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-pacifist.html   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0        

So when one simply reads the Bible there are verses we read and we don't understand the explosive meaning and connections there are.  We definitely should read the Bible.  No doubt about it.  But, along with simple reading of the word is to study His word.  It is one reason I am doing these podcasts - we are going deeper into our understanding and expanding our knowledge of the Lord's word.   In this podcast, lesson 82, we will study two such scriptures.  It'll be amazing to you as it was to me to learn what is really going on.   And again, it is NOT my opinion but as you will see THE VERY WORDS OF GOD as our "bread of life."  One of these verses takes us from Genesis to Revelation.  It shows us that those who are like "anti-Christ" are found in an amazing "string" of Bible characters all the way back to the days of Jacob and Esau.   Hold on - you are about to take an awesome ride from the camp of Isaac to facing the GREAT RED DRAGON.  Ready? Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - taking a break in Jerusalem leading a teaching tour) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

This is the first time God, Yahvay, in His TORAH ( תּוֹרָה - TORAH - instruction not law) through the words of Jacob where the Lord tells us to get rid of the pagan gods.  This focus of the Lord is found again and again in His Word.  For instance the Lord tells Moses and all Israel that He is not coming to destroy Egypt and its people and the Pharaoh.  NO!  He says ...  "For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments--I am the LORD." (Exo 12:12) He will execute judgments against the gods of Egypt.  Later the Lord says that the gods the Hebrews took on in Egypt were not gods but שׁדים SHEDEEM H7700, 7736- wicked & destructive spirits that are called "demons" in Greek.  We find this in Deuteronomy 32. "They sacrificed to demons (שׁדים SHEDEEM H7700, 7736) who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread."  (Deu 32:17) As one studies the Ten Commandments we read ... Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth." (Exo 20:1-4) Over and over again the Lord speaks against the pagan gods, idols, pagan practices, and idolatry.  Just like in the Ten Commandments we are to remember who God really is and then not to have any other gods before Him.   But, there are NO other gods.  The Bible is very clear on this. "See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand." (Deu 32:39) "Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none." (Isa 44:8) "I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; ... " (Isa 45:5) So all the pagan gods of Egypt, the Canaanites, Greece, and Rome are not gods by שׁדים SHEDEEM!!  These are evil spiritual entities - not devils, not fallen angels, but SHEDEEM.  God through Jacob is now telling us to put away the שׁדים SHEDEEM among us.  But have we?  It seems that the USA has turned against God in a big way.  Our "house" was a Christian house but it has been "cleaned out" of God, His Word, His Salvation, our Jesus.  Jesus warns against this. "Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation." (Mat 12:43-45) The spiritual "house" of the USA is cleaned out.  We've taken God out of our lives, our society, our government, our schools, and even many of our churches (few teach God's word our "bread of life")  Thus, it seems clear that by THE VERY WORDS OF GOD that we should see THE RETURN OF THE GODS by Jesus' own words.  And these "gods" seemingly have returned.  They are not gods but the שׁדים SHEDEEM. Check out the interviews with the Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn parts 1 and 2.  In these interviews Jonathan talks about this idea that the pagan gods have returned to America and it explains so much of the chaos, evil, death, hate, and destruction around us.  שׁדים SHEDEEM has a Hebrew root word that means "destruction."  Here's the links to these videos ... Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NagR4QAyfQA Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_axTQ5Xquvg More than this however is his commentary on the most popular movie of all time worldwide, "Barbie."  This is no "child's movie;" it is an evil adult attempt to indoctrinate young girls to the anti God culture.  It is a teaching tool for girls to reject womanhood, motherhood, and having children in Godly marriage.  It is as if an ancient evil destructive goddess has returned, a SHEDEEM, and is symbolized in this doll called Barbie. It is as if Barbie is an idol of Ishtar whose picture is below.  The picture above is of the ancient goddess, Ishtar, and is royalty free and accessible at Wikimedia. Check out the awesome and disturbing commentary on the "Barbie" movie by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn.  . The Mystery Of Barbie, Ishtar, and Smashed Babies! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKp-A6BBg-E So in God's TORAH we see over and over again the Lord's focus against pagan gods, idols and idolatry.  But, there are no other gods.  Yes.  That is true.  But not the שׁדים SHEDEEM that were behind the worship of all the pagan gods.  God knows this is REAL and this REALITY is of the utmost danger to us. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - in the midst of temple ruins at the ancient Canaanite city of Bet Shemesh) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0                

Exodus 52 Part 2 I was so amazed as I began researching and studying to prepare this podcast.  I learned that in these verses (Exod. 21:26-22:1) we are taught by the Lord of His view of the great importance of the sanctity of life.  The picture I used for this lesson is of an ox.  And in these verses the ox plays a huge role. It is how the Lord teaches us about that fact that 1) all men and women, all, no matter what race of creed are made in His image and 2) everyone is our neighbor whether a fellow Christian or a radical member of the LGBTQ+ community or a radical Muslim terrorist and 3) and to be a true follower of Rabbi Jesus one must adhere to what He teaches His talmideem (Hebrew for disciple) that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves and that includes our enemies, the ones who persecute us, the ones who hate and would kill us for our faith.  Wow!!  There is a little more to being a Christian than we are taught.  I mentioned a number of links I’d provide that would enhance your study in the podcast.  Here they are … An article from “My Jewish Learning” talking about the fact the preserving and saving a life is higher than even adhering to the laws of the Sabbath … https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/saving-a-life-pikuach-nefesh/ Next is an article from a scholarly rabbi who teaches us about the phrase “pikkuah nefesh doheh Shabbat” or saving a human life takes precedence over the Sabbath.  This might have been understood in Jesus’ day – maybe not practiced by definitely discussed.  There is NO law that says one can not provide medical treatment on the Sabbath.  It was hotly debated in Jesus’ day but no conclusions had been reached then.  Later in Judaism it was decided – it is good to heal and provide medical treatment on the Sabbath.  Jesus had entered the debate in His day and His stance was the one that finally became the law of Judaism.  For the Lord, for God, it was already His priority and it took years of the Jewish rabbis to finally get it.  Here’s the article … https://images.shulcloud.com/618/uploads/PDFs/Divrei_Torah/200506-Pikuachnefesh--SavingaLife.pdf Skip Moen is a reputable Christian scholar.  It is worth your while to make sure you connect with Skip at his website (https://skipmoen.com/) to learn more about the Jewish roots of our faith.  He wrote and article addressing the concept of healing on the Sabbath in Jesus’ day.  He brings up the great Rabbi Shammai and Rabbi Hillel.  These rabbis had a great influence on Judaism of the Second Temple in Jesus’ day.  You’ll be amazed that indeed Jesus healed on the Sabbath and never did anything wrong.  Check it out … https://skipmoen.com/2015/07/whose-halachah/ Ferret?  Who is this guy?? What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Exodus 52 Part 1 I was so amazed as I began researching and studying to prepare this podcast.  I learned that in these verses (Exod. 21:26-22:1) we are taught by the Lord of His view of the great importance of the sanctity of life.  The picture I used for this lesson is of an ox.  And in these verses the ox plays a huge role. It is how the Lord teaches us about that fact that 1) all men and women, all, no matter what race of creed are made in His image and 2) everyone is our neighbor whether a fellow Christian or a radical member of the LGBTQ+ community or a radical Muslim terrorist and 3) and to be a true follower of Rabbi Jesus one must adhere to what He teaches His talmideem (Hebrew for disciple) that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves and that includes our enemies, the ones who persecute us, the ones who hate and would kill us for our faith.  Wow!!  There is a little more to being a Christian than we are taught.  I mentioned a number of links I’d provide that would enhance your study in the podcast.  Here they are … An article from “My Jewish Learning” talking about the fact the preserving and saving a life is higher than even adhering to the laws of the Sabbath … https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/saving-a-life-pikuach-nefesh/ Next is an article from a scholarly rabbi who teaches us about the phrase “pikkuah nefesh doheh Shabbat” or saving a human life takes precedence over the Sabbath.  This might have been understood in Jesus’ day – maybe not practiced by definitely discussed.  There is NO law that says one can not provide medical treatment on the Sabbath.  It was hotly debated in Jesus’ day but no conclusions had been reached then.  Later in Judaism it was decided – it is good to heal and provide medical treatment on the Sabbath.  Jesus had entered the debate in His day and His stance was the one that finally became the law of Judaism.  For the Lord, for God, it was already His priority and it took years of the Jewish rabbis to finally get it.  Here’s the article … https://images.shulcloud.com/618/uploads/PDFs/Divrei_Torah/200506-Pikuachnefesh--SavingaLife.pdf Skip Moen is a reputable Christian scholar.  It is worth your while to make sure you connect with Skip at his website (https://skipmoen.com/) to learn more about the Jewish roots of our faith.  He wrote and article addressing the concept of healing on the Sabbath in Jesus’ day.  He brings up the great Rabbi Shammai and Rabbi Hillel.  These rabbis had a great influence on Judaism of the Second Temple in Jesus’ day.  You’ll be amazed that indeed Jesus healed on the Sabbath and never did anything wrong.  Check it out … https://skipmoen.com/2015/07/whose-halachah/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?                                                (Ferret - somewhere in northern Israel on the Jordan) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

  LESSON 51 PART 2 Link to part 1 - listen before you listen to part 2 https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/genesis-51-part1-exod-2122-fetus-is-human/ Again and again in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, God is showing that revenge, retribution, and payback is HIS and not up to us.  See Deut. 32:35, Lev. 19:18, or Psm. 94:1-2 or Isa. 35:4 and Rom. 12:19 or Heb. 10:30 and many other verses.  That is why Samson showed himself to be less than a Bible hero when Samson asked God to help him to have revenge on the Philistines … Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged (H5358 נָקַם nâqam – revenge for oneself or to punish or avenge) of the Philistines for my two eyes." Jdg 16:28 Samson wants revenge.  He wants payback.  From the Bible again and again we see this is not a characteristic of one of His heroes or heroines.  Samson is a lesson of what we are not to be as we walk our walk with the Lord. God’s updated version of “Eye for an Eye and Tooth for a Tooth,” is that litigation for a loss due to an injury, is allowed and legal, but, it must not come against His foundational laws and commandments of His covenant people. These foundational laws are the primary duty to love God and serve Him (Exod. 20:1-7 and Deut. 6:4-9) and to love one’s neighbor as himself (Lev. 19:18).  This was commonly understood in Jesus’ day as it was in the days of Moses and David and Hezekiah. But, God Himself when He was here, Jesus, said these two commandments are not basic nor are they the foundational laws of the covenant but they are THE GREATEST OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS.  The fulfillment of the Torah is love – loving the Lord and our neighbor.  Paul teaches this as well as the rabbis.  Paul said it in Gal. 5:14 and he is doing nothing more than what rabbis were also teaching in his day.  So, it seems that God sees the court and litigation as the last resort when someone purposely hurts us.  In the Mishna (Jewish law books written after the Temple was destroyed in 70 a.d.) it shows the Jewish understanding of what God intended goes far beyond the simple lex talionis – the "law of retaliation" or an eye for eye … "If someone wounds his fellow, he becomes liable to compensate the injured party for five different aspects of the injury: damage, pain, healing, loss of time from work, and insult. "In the case of damage, here is an example of how restitution is determined. Suppose someone blinded someone else's eye, cut off his hand or broke his leg. They value the injured person as if he were a slave for sale in the market, and they appraise his value before the injury and now. "Here is an example of determining the compensation for pain. Suppose someone burns another with a skewer or nail, even if only on his fingernail, where it doesn't actually produce a wound. They determine how much a man of his position would be willing to be paid to suffer that amount of pain. "For healing the indemnity is determined in this way. If someone hit another person, he must pay all the expenses of healing him. If he develops ulcers, then if they come about in consequence of the blow, he is liable; but if not, he is not liable. If the wound heals, reopens, heals and reopens again, he is liable for all the expenses. But once it has healed thoroughly, he does not remain liable to pay the expenses of healing him. "The value of time lost is estimated in this way. They consider what he would earn if he were a watchman over a cucumber field [a job requiring no special skills], for he has already been paid for the loss of his hand or foot. [In practice, this means they determine what kind of work he will be fit for when he fully recovers and evaluate the time lost by this standard.] "For insult the compensation is determined entirely in accordance with the social status of both the one who caused the indignity and the one who suffered it. If someone insults a person who is naked, blind or asleep, he is liable. But if a sleeping person causes an insult, he is not liable. Someone who falls from a roof and causes injury and insult at the same time is liable for the injury but not for the insult,... because one should not be held responsible for an indignity one did not intend to cause." (Bava Kama 8:1) I want to thank David Stern the scholar who came out with “The Jewish New Testament Commentary.”  He was the one who showed me the statements in the Mishna as we just read in the previous. Dr. Craig Keener wrote “The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament.”  His comments related to the historical context of Jesus’ words regarding and “eye for an eye” are helpful as we see that Jesus was in this case teaching ideas and concepts that man rabbis of His day did as well.  Just consider …   Mat_5:38. The “eye for an eye” and “tooth for a tooth” are part of the widespread ancient Near Eastern law of retaliation. In Israel and other cultures, this principle was enforced by a court and refers to legalized vengeance; personal vengeance was never accepted in the (the Torah) law of Moses, except as a concession for a relative’s murder (Num_35:18-21). The Old Testament (better to call them the Hebrew Scriptures) did not permit personal vengeance; David, a great warrior, recognized this principle (1Sa_25:33; 1Sa_26:10-11). Mat_5:39. The blow on the right cheek was the most grievous insult possible in the ancient world (apart from inflicting serious physical harm), and in many cultures was listed alongside the “eye for an eye” laws; both Jewish and Roman law permitted prosecution for this offense. A prophet might endure such ill treatment (1Ki_22:24; Isa_50:6). Mat_5:40. The poorest people of the Empire (e.g., most peasants in Egypt) had only an inner and outer garment, and the theft of a cloak would lead to legal recourse. Although conditions in first-century Palestine were not quite that bad, this verse could indicate divestiture of all one’s possessions, even (hyperbolically) one’s clothes, to avoid a legal dispute affecting only oneself. Jesus gives this advice in spite of the fact that, under Jewish law, a legal case to regain one’s cloak would have been foolproof: a creditor could not take a poor person’s outer cloak, which might serve as one’s only blanket at night as well as a coat (Exo_22:26-27). Mat_5:41. Roman soldiers had the legal right to impress the labor, work animal or substance of local residents (cf. Mar_15:21). Although impressment may not have happened often in Galilee, it happened elsewhere, and the fact that it could happen would be enough to raise the eyebrows of Jesus’ hearers at this example of nonresistance and even loving service to the oppressor. Finally, I wanted to share the awesome article from the Christian scholarly website, “Got Questions,: and the article on “Eye for an Eye.”  Here’s the article (accessed July 2024 at https://www.gotquestions.org/eye-for-an-eye.html) … The concept of “an eye for eye,” sometimes called jus talionis or lex talionis, is part of the Mosaic Law used in the Israelites’ justice system. The principle is that the punishment must fit the crime and there should be a just penalty for evil actions: “If there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise” (Exodus 21:23–25). Justice should be equitable; excessive harshness and excessive leniency should be avoided. We have no indication that the law of “an eye for an eye” was followed literally; there is never a biblical account of an Israelite being maimed as a result of this law. Also, before this particular law was given, God had already established a judicial system to hear cases and determine penalties (Exodus 18:13–26)—a system that would be unnecessary if God had intended a literal “eye for an eye” penalty. Although capital crimes were repaid with execution in ancient Israel, on the basis of multiple witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6), most other crimes were repaid with payment in goods—if you injured a man’s hand so that he could not work, you compensated that man for his lost wages. Besides Exodus 21, the law of “an eye for an eye” is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). Each time, the phrase is used in the context of a case being judged before a civil authority such as a judge. “An eye for an eye” was thus intended to be a guiding principle for lawgivers and judges; it was never to be used to justify vigilantism or settling grievances personally. In the New Testament, it seems the Pharisees and scribes had taken the “eye for an eye” principle and applied it to everyday personal relationships. They taught that seeking personal revenge was acceptable. If someone punched you, you could punch him back; if someone insulted you, he was fair game for your insults. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day ignored the judicial basis of the giving of that law. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus counters the common teaching of personal retaliation: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you . . .” (Matthew 5:38–39). Jesus then proceeds to reveal God’s heart concerning interpersonal relationships: “Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:39–42). In giving this “new” command, Jesus is not nullifying the Old Testament law (Matthew 5:17). Rather, He is separating the responsibility of the government (to punish evildoers justly) from the responsibility we all have on a personal level before God to love our enemies. We should not seek retribution for personal slights. We are to ignore personal insults (the meaning of “turn the other cheek”). Christians are to be willing to give more of their material goods, time, and labor than required, even if the demands upon us are unjust. We should loan to those who want to borrow, love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us (verses 43–48). Enforcing “an eye for an eye” is the magistrate’s job; forgiving our enemies is ours. We see this played out today every time a victim stands up in court to publicly forgive a convicted criminal—the forgiveness is personal and real, but the judge still justly demands that the sentence be carried out. Jesus’ limiting of the “eye for an eye” principle in no way prohibits self-defense or the forceful protection of the innocent from harm. The actions of duly appointed agents of the government, such as police officers and the military, to protect citizens and preserve the peace are not in question. Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek applies to personal relationships, not judicial policy. The principle of “an eye for an eye” is meant as a judicial policy, not as a rule for interpersonal relationships. The believer in Christ is guided by Jesus’ words to forgive. The Christian is radically different from those who follow the natural inclination to respond in kind. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

In this lesson we focus in on Gen. 34:1-7 and the story of Jacob’s daughter, Dinah (pronounced Dee nah).  The story unfolds at the ancient city of Shechem.  We are going to see some amazing connections to Jesus as these verses seem to testify of Jesus and especially His teachings.  We must remember that Jesus said … Joh 5:39  “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me …” It can be shown that it is likely He said this between 24-30 A.D. and the only Bible they had then was Jesus’ Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament.  So for His disciples then it was clear that Jesus as a rabbi of the 1st century, one who like other rabbis taught how to live out the Torah, live out the life God wants, had only the Hebrew scripture as the basis for His teachings.  Thus, it is not surprising that the Dinah story is connected to Rabbi Jesus and His teachings to them then and us now.  These connections of Jesus to the ancient city of Shechem is not just connected to Genesis 34.  This was covered in depth in a series of short 5 minute Bible study videos entitled, “Five Small Stones.”  I urge you to access these lessons and study the Bible in its geographical context and see the amazing way connections Abraham to Jesus and it all relates to events at Shechem.  Here’s the links to the videos … Five Small Stones Episode 11 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-11-gen-121-geography-and-the-bible-shechem/ Five Small Stones Episode 12 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-12-abraham-and-jacob-in-shechem-gen-126-3318/ Five Small Stones Episode 13 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-13-josh-241-geography-and-the-bible-joshua-israel/ Five Small Stones Episode 14 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-14-john-41-6-the-blessing-to-the-nations/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - just south of the Great Pyramid in Giza Egypt) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0              

Where does it say exactly in the Bible that the unborn are human?  Where does it say precisely that the fetus is human, a person?  Certainly there are verses that imply this to be true.  I use them myself when arguing the case against abortion.  But, I came across this verse, Exodus 21:22, and from the Hebrew and Hebrew grammar we will see that the Bible is clear, the Bible is precise, it is not implying anything but stating fact and that is  THE FETUS IS HUMAN This verse is not about abortion but it relates to abortion.  It helps us see that according to God's law the fetus has legal standing in the same was as the mother.   I indicated in this podcast about several links I'd provide that will only enhance your study.  Here they are ... This link is from a superb website called "Stand To Reason."  It goes into the Hebrew of Exod. 21:22 and supports the view that the fetus in the womb is a human being. https://www.str.org/w/what-exodus-21-22-says-about-abortion   From "HumanJourney.org" we study an excellent article that addresses the mistranslation of the Septuagint as related to this verse that has mislead many to say the Bible says the fetus is not fully human.  Remember, the Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint is found with many mistranslations.   https://humanjourney.org.uk/articles/exodus-21-and-abortion/   The last link if from "GotQuestions.org" and again shows this verse is uniquely special in the entire Bible including the New Testament.  All three of these articles plus the podcast itself provide an awesome argument according to God's own law that the treatment of the fetus is subject to God's legal statements.   https://www.gotquestions.org/Exodus-21-22-23-abortion.html   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

As I mentioned in the podcast I want to make sure you have solid references/resources to access to expand your study.  The first is related to treaties/covenants in the ancient near east.  I did a podcast on the Ark of the Covenant that is key to this lesson.  Here’s the link to that Bible study - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-63-exod-2510-16-the-ark-of-the-covenant/ Here are three links as regards ancient treaties/covenants. Link 1 … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablets_of_Stone Link 2 … https://biblehub.com/q/Why_stone_tablets_for_commandments.htm Link 3 … https://www.tarsus.ie/resources/Wisdom-Lit.-/ANET-PDF.pdf In this lesson I stated that Israel, also known as Jacob, entered Egypt with the family in 1876 B.C.  How did I come up with this exact year?  I didn’t come up with it but real scholars using solid archaeology give us the dates in the Bible of Exodus, the times of Joseph and his father Jacob, and even the dates when Abraham entered Canaan.  Here’s the link to the critical lesson of these dates and how we know they are real and exact … Exodus 5 Part 1 - https://youtu.be/8XHvXUSAdRY?si=rWzmXx7drVmL8eou Exodus 5 Part 2 - https://youtu.be/hgFM23lLmDo?si=Mr_Gt_ZPXkxttPk3 Who is the Egyptian goddess Ma’at?  And, she has 42 commandments.  Huh?  How is this all related to the Ten Commandments?  To expand your study check out the links below. WHO IS THIS GODDESS MA’AT?? https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/maat/ MA’AT’s COMMANDMENTS …  https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Negative_Confession/ GOTQUESTIONS.ORF – MA'AT'S LAWS AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - https://www.gotquestions.org/forty-two-precepts-of-Maat.html Shown below are the 42 commandments of Ma’at.  I made the connection to the Ten Commandments  indicated with a TC# followed by the number.  42 Negative Confessions found in the Papyrus of Ani 42 Negative Confessions (Papyrus of Ani) The negative confessions one would make after death could be individualized, that is, vary from person to person. These were the confessions found in the Papyrus of Ani. Hail, Usekh-nemmt, who comest forth from Anu, I have not committed sin. Hail, Hept-khet, who comest forth from Kher-aha, I have not committed robbery with violence. TC #8 Hail, Fenti, who comest forth from Khemenu, I have not stolen. TC #8 Hail, Am-khaibit, who comest forth from Qernet, I have not slain men and women. TC #6 Hail, Neha-her, who comest forth from Rasta, I have not stolen grain. TC #8 Hail, Ruruti, who comest forth from Heaven, I have not purloined offerings. TC #8 Hail, Arfi-em-khet, who comest forth from Suat, I have not stolen the property of God. TC #3?? Hail, Neba, who comest and goest, I have not uttered lies.TC #9 Hail, Set-qesu, who comest forth from Hensu, I have not carried away food. TC #8 Hail, Utu-nesert, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have not uttered curses. Hail, Qerrti, who comest forth from Amentet, I have not committed adultery. TC #7 Hail, Hraf-haf, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have made none to weep. Hail, Basti, who comest forth from Bast, I have not eaten the heart. Hail, Ta-retiu, who comest forth from the night, I have not attacked any man. TC #6 Hail, Unem-snef, who comest forth from the execution chamber, I am not a man of deceit. TC #9 Hail, Unem-besek, who comest forth from Mabit, I have not stolen cultivated land. TC #8 Hail, Neb-Maat, who comest forth from Maati, I have not been an eavesdropper. Hail, Tenemiu, who comest forth from Bast, I have not slandered anyone. Hail, Sertiu, who comest forth from Anu, I have not been angry without just cause. Hail, Tutu, who comest forth from Ati, I have not debauched the wife of any man. TC #7 Hail, Uamenti, who comest forth from the Khebt chamber, I have not debauched the wives of other men. Hail, Maa-antuf, who comest forth from Per-Menu, I have not polluted myself. Hail, Her-uru, who comest forth from Nehatu, I have terrorized none. Hail, Khemiu, who comest forth from Kaui, I have not transgressed the law. TC #’S 4-10 Hail, Shet-kheru, who comest forth from Urit, I have not been angry. Hail, Nekhenu, who comest forth from Heqat, I have not shut my ears to the words of truth. Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from Kenmet, I have not blasphemed. TC #3 Hail, An-hetep-f, who comest forth from Sau, I am not a man of violence. TC #6 Hail, Sera-kheru, who comest forth from Unaset, I have not been a stirrer up of strife. Hail, Neb-heru, who comest forth from Netchfet, I have not acted with undue haste. Hail, Sekhriu, who comest forth from Uten, I have not pried into other's matters. Hail, Neb-abui, who comest forth from Sauti, I have not multiplied my words in speaking. Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have wronged none, I have done no evil. Hail, Tem-Sepu, who comest forth from Tetu, I have not worked witchcraft against the king. Hail, Ari-em-ab-f, who comest forth from Tebu, I have never stopped the flow of water of a neighbor. Hail, Ahi, who comest forth from Nu, I have never raised my voice. Hail, Uatch-rekhit, who comest forth from Sau, I have not cursed God. TC #3 Hail, Neheb-ka, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not acted with arrogance. Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not stolen the bread of the gods. TC #3?? Hail, Tcheser-tep, who comest forth from the shrine, I have not carried away the khenfu cakes from the spirits of the dead. TC #8 Hail, An-af, who comest forth from Maati, I have not snatched away the bread of the child, nor treated with contempt the god of my city. TC #8 AND TC #3 Hail, Hetch-abhu, who comest forth from Ta-she, I have not slain the cattle belonging to the god. Finally I made the connection between the 3000 that died at Sinai, the Mountain of God, and the 3000 who were saved on Pentecost in Jerusalem, also the Mountain of God.  My teacher, Ray Vander Laan and others put together this awesome correlation between the Mountains of God and the Covenants.  Check it out.  THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD AT SHAVUOT AMAZING CONNECTIONS Both events occurred on mountains known as "the mountain of God." Exo 24:13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. (Ex. 24:13; Isa. 2:3). Isa 2:3 And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Both events happened on day 50. They arrived at Sinai in the third month on the very day (Ex. 19:1).  Exo 19:1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. Hebrew “on that very day” means they arrived on the third day of the third month exactly 50 days after their first Passover meal in Egypt. The feast of Shavuot is to happen on the 50th day after the weekly sabbath during Passover and Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:15-16). Both involved similar sounds and symbols, such as wind, fire, and voices (Ex. 19:16-19; Acts 2:1-3). Note that the Hebrew for "thunder" (kolot) means "voices" (Acts 2:4). Jewish tradition said that the Israelites heard God speak in 70 languages or, to translate direct from the Hebrew, God spoke in tongues! Both events involved the presence of God (Ex. 19:18,20; Acts 2:4). About 3,000 people died because of their sin when Moses received the Torah (Ex. 32:28). About 3,000 people believed (were born again into new life) when the Spirit came (Acts 2:41). At Mount Sinai, God wrote his revelation on stone tablets (Ex. 31:18). On the fulfillment of Pentecost, God wrote his law on people's hearts as he had promised He would (2 Cor. 3:3; Jer. 31:33). Torah means "teaching." The Spirit, given on Shavuot, also became the "Teacher" of the new community of Jesus' followers (John 14:26) Many Jews from all over the world heard their own language from a bunch of kids, young men and women, who only knew Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. The whole world heard the Gospel!! It was as if it was SINAI REPEATED!! Both events were times when God’s people entered a NEW covenant with the Lord. Israel became a new nation, a nation of priests, and nation that would be the light of the world (Ex. 19:6, Isa. 49:6).  And, for us, we have entered a NEW covenant with the Lord as we take the cup of Messiah in His Last Seder meal (Luke 22:20).  We too become a new people, a new nation, a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9-10).  We to are to be the light of the world (Mat.5:14, Acts 1:7-8).  But, this time, this covenant is the covenant to restore all people to Himself as our sins our totally cleansed and forgiven.  This is the final covenant for Jew and Gentile to become one flock with one shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the Messiah Jesus (John 10:14-16). On Shavuot there is a special sacrifice. Amazingly it uses two loaves of LEAVENED BREAD (Lev. 23:17). Is God giving us a picture that Jew and Gentile are a new people, a new culture, a holy nation, His two flocks coming together as ONE permeated and saturated with His Holy Spirit dwelling in us and through us? Is God helping us see that His Bible is ONE book, about ONE God, about ONE Gospel, ONE Baptism, and ONE Savor of all – Yeshua!   Who is this guy, Rev. Ferret?  (Ferret - teaching at the archaeological site of Herod's temple he built for Augustus at Omrit Israel) What's his background?  Why should we take time to listen to him?  Here's a link to check out his background - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

In this Bible study lesson we focus on Exod. 21:3-21.  Once again we come to the issue of slavery in the Bible.  As I mentioned we studied this in depth in lesson 49 parts 1 and 2.  I promised I’d give you the links to these two critically important podcasts.  Here they are … Lesson 49 part 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-49-part-1-exod-211-2-god-against-slavery-kidnapping/ Lesson 49 part 2 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-49-part-2-exod-211-2-love-your-non-hebrew-slave-as-yourself/ I also mentioned an awesome video for you to consider that relate to slavery.  The video done by Dennis Prager – only 5 minutes as -  is on the 8th commandment, “Do Not Steal.”  Once you get into the video you will see how dramatically this commandment is related to slavery.  Dennis Prager video on commandment 8 - https://www.prageru.com/video/do-not-steal Once again in this lesson I give two examples of why Bible study is critical for any true disciple of our Lord Jesus.  Do you do Bible reading?  Are you reading through the Bible in a year?  Are you following the schedule using the One Year Bible?  Great!  Don’t stop.  It is an act of “continuing in His word” as Jesus said and if we do this something happens.  Just look … "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Joh 8:31-32) But, if you just read the Bible we are in danger of missing the truth that the Lord is trying to teach us.  He spoke in Hebrew and to an audience 2000 years ago.  We need to get at what they understood and heard so as to recapture the original meaning of the very words of God.  Christians prior to the Civil War read the Bible in English.  They did not read it in Hebrew nor did they study it in its historical context.  They made a terrible translation error in that they said black people were less that human.  If this is true, then the Bible and God’s laws do not pertain to them.  As a result they kidnapped black people from Africa and sold them as slaves.  This was directly opposed to God’s word.  They did not study the word in Hebrew or in its cultural context.  If they did they’d understand that what they did was beyond terrible.  The problem is.  Few today are trained in seminaries in Biblical Hebrew or how to take the Greek and take it back to the Hebrew or are trained in understanding the Bible in its historical context.  As we will see in lesson 50 you are not going to get understanding of the very words of God unless you study along with reading.  We need both and we need both to escape, perhaps, the mistranslations and incorrect application of the very words of God in our day. There is an excellent article at a good academic and scholarly site for Christians entitled, GOTQUESTIONS.ORG.  It explains the concept of us being Bond Slaves of Jesus.  What I like about this article is this Christian scholarly website shows to understand a bond slave we need to understand and study the Hebrew of Exodus 21.  Here’s the link to the article that will add to you understanding of the very words of God. Link - https://www.gotquestions.org/bondservant.html#:~:text=Throughout%20the%20New%20Testament%2C%20the%20word%20bondservant%2C,metaphorically%20to%20someone%20absolutely%20devoted%20to%20Jesus. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

There are four goals in this series, "The Gospel According to Moses: Genesis." The first is to see how scripture testifies of Jesus that He taught in John 5:39.  At the time He taught this all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures.  So, how does the Torah testify of Jesus?  The second goal is how did the Hebrews just coming out of Egypt understand the "Books of Moses."  The third goal is to understand how Jesus' first disciples understand the words of Torah.  The fourth is how do the words of Torah make sense for us today.  In this podcast we will see how Jacob's coming to Canaan to the ancient city of Shechem testifies of Jesus, promised by God for us through Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3.  We will also see how this portion of the text of His Word helps us understand the Exodus!  Once again the Lord puts real facts and history in His book to again and again validate the veracity of His word and the truth of the events in the Bible. With respect to helping us understand the Exodus, here are several links for your further study.  These links will provide more study material on the location of Mt. Sinai. DR. WOOD (Associates for Biblical Research) – THOUGHTS ON MT. SINAI https://biblearchaeology.org/research/chronological-categories/exodus-era/4217-thoughts-on-jebel-allawz-as-the-location-of-mount-sinai SINAI WHERE?? Map study of the Exodus https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-39-exod-141-4-where-s-mt-sinai/ Another topic is how does Jacob coming to Canaan with his two wives, eleven sons, and one daughter to the ancient city of Shechem testify of Jesus?  The "Books of Moses" must relate to Jesus since the Lord inspired Paul to write ... For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4 If one knows the Greek it is better understood as ... For Messiah is the one to whom the TORAH (God' instruction) points to  for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4 From the first verse of the Bible (Gen. 1:1) to the last (Rev. 22:21) it is all about He who is to come to be the promise through Abraham for all of us, Jew and Gentile.  So, we should not be surprised that the events we will study in this podcast at the ancient city of Shechem testify of Jesus from Abraham, to Jacob, to Joshua, and to Jesus.  Shown below are links to further resources for your more complete study. SHECHEM AND GOD’S PROMISES - chapter from Rev. Ferret's class book related to the ancient city of Shechem -  https://www.dropbox.com/s/v126xqgaev4jp1j/SHECHEM%20AND%20GODS%20PROMISES.pdf?dl=0 LINKS TO 5 MINUTE VIDEOS … Geography and the Bible - Shechem and Jesus VID 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-11-gen-121-geography-and-the-bible-shechem/ VID 2 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-12-abraham-and-jacob-in-shechem-gen-126-3318/ VID 3 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-13-josh-241-geography-and-the-bible-joshua-israel/ VID 4 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-14-john-41-6-the-blessing-to-the-nations/ Lastly, I mentioned in this podcast that the word JEHOVAH is a mistranslation of the name of God.  It crept into the church in the Middle Ages as a mistake by Catholic monks translated the Hebrew Bible into Latin.  Shown below are links to scholarly resources for your further study. GOD'S NAME IS NOT JEHOVAH https://alwaysbeready.com/gods-name-jehovah-by-charlie-campbell/ https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/2610/ https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/4373/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

TRUTH NUGGET 28 Lesson 2  Part 2 Disciples and Apostles? This is lesson 2 Part 2 in this 4 part video series.  If you have not watched lesson 1 parts 1 & 2 or Lesson 2 part 1 we urge you to do so.  This lesson depends upon the content of lesson 1.  Shown below are the links for the previous lessons for your convenience. Lesson 1 Part 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-1-the-gospel-whats-that/ Lesson 1 Part 2 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-2-the-living-word-and-the-written-word/ Lesson 2 Part 1 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-2-part-1-disciples-and-apostles/   In part 2 we study His word in a deeper way.  We need to see other examples of what it was like to be a disciple of a rabbi in Jesus’ day.  Moreover, what is it like to be a disciple of Jesus!  He’s God.  How can we be like HIM?  But, then there’s disciples who are called apostles – one’s sent out.  Jesus says to us since the Father has sent Him so too Jesus sends us.  YES!!  That is being a disciple of a rabbi.  Jesus was sent so we are sent.  But, not all are sent.  Most disciples need to stay and be ready.  Whether you are a disciple who stays or one sent out, we need to be ready to do the impossible when Jesus asks. I highly recommend you also access the lessons of Ray Vander Laan at his website www.ThattheWorldMayKnow.com.  I will link you to his article on the Rabbis and Talmideem (Rabbis and Disciples).  I thank Ray so much for being my teacher and being the one who has inspired me to study this concept in a deeper and more expansive way.  Also, at his website, click LEARN and look up his AUDIO lessons and rabbis and disciples.  You will not be disappointed.  Here’s links to key places on Ray’s website. Article on Rabbi & Talmid (a must read) https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim Audio lessons (listen to all audio with the word disciple or rabbi or talmid) https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/category/Audio Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

TRUTH NUGGET 28 Lesson 2  Part 1 Disciples and Apostles? This is lesson 2 in this 4 part video series.  If you have not watched lesson 1 parts 1 & 2 we urge you to do so.  This lesson depends upon the content of lesson 1.  Shown below are the links for Lesson Part 1 and Part 2 for your convenience. Lesson 1 Part 1 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-1-the-gospel-whats-that/ Lesson 1 Part 2 – https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-2-the-living-word-and-the-written-word/ In this lesson we again put the Bible into its historical context; we reconnect to the Jewish roots of our faith.  We ask ourselves is the church made up of converts and disciples and apostles.  If so what is the difference?  Aren’t disciples ones who believe that Jesus is Lord and are saved by grace?  Are pastors then apostles?  In Jesus’ day the concept of what was a disciple and what was an apostle was clear.  We need to study what those first disciples understood.  We need to grasp what they saw and what they heard and what they experienced.  Once we do our understanding will become so enriched and expanded.  We will see what Jesus wants of them THEN and this means what He wants of us NOW.  I highly recommend you also access the lessons of Ray Vander Laan at his website www.ThattheWorldMayKnow.com.  I will link you to his article on the Rabbis and Talmideem (Rabbis and Disciples).  I thank Ray so much for being my teacher and being the one who has inspired me to study this concept in a deeper and more expansive way.  Also, at his website, click LEARN and look up his AUDIO lessons and rabbis and disciples.  You will not be disappointed.  Here’s links to key places on Ray’s website. Article on Rabbi & Talmid (a must read) https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim Audio lessons (listen to all audio with the word disciple or rabbi or talmid) https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/category/Audio Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

TRUTH NUGGET 28 LESSON 1 PART 2 If you have not watched part 1 here’s the link.  You must watch part 1 – it is the background study that gets us to the redemption of Adonai and what He needs to complete.  So please watch part 1 to understand part 2.  Link to part 1 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/truth-nugget-28-lesson-1-part-1-the-gospel-whats-that/ In part 2 we get to the gospel that would make sense to those first disciples.  For them something was not working.  It is probable that in Jesus’ day there was a debate as to how one’s INTENTIONAL sin was cleansed and forgiven.  The answer was not in the Torah, the main five books of the Bible in Jesus’ day.  That the Torah was missing something is understood by the great scholars of Judaism and the writer of the book of Hebrews, more than likely a deeply religious Jewish disciple of Jesus.  Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

TRUTH NUGGET 28 LESSON 1 PART 1 What is the Gospel?  Oh sure anyone of us can write up the definition.  But, what did it mean to the disciples - the first ones with Jesus?  Did it mean the same thing?  Again, let's study His word in its historical and cultural context.  As we do we will try and hear as the first hearers heard and saw and understood.  Then, our understanding of the word of the Lord and the gospel will be enriched.  Our minds will see the amazing foundation this gospel has once placed back into its Jewish roots. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

LESSON 49 PART 2 GOD’S NEW LAWS ON SLAVERY I mentioned in the audio lesson about a number of links I’d provide that will enhance and add to your study.  These links are shown below. Great article on slavery as found in the Bible – a must read for all of you serious about your understanding of God’s word - https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/slavery-in-judaism  Another awesome article reviewing slavery in the Bible – discussing that God was setting up conditions to eliminate slavery once and for all - https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-treatment-of-non-israelite-slaves-from-moses-to-moses Here’s a third article reviewing slavery Biblical slavery – these three articles are a great way to get a detailed view of what God’s word with His people 3400 year ago to be a witness to all the surrounding pagan nations as to who God is and His special and unique view of all men and women - https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/slavery-in-the-hebrew-bible/ In this podcast we will see how non-Hebrew slaves were to be treated by the Hebrews then, in the 15th century B.C.  For example, check out Lev. 19:18 and 34.  You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. (Lev 19:18) The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. (Lev 19:34)   Here in the Torah, God’s instruction, the Lord is telling the Hebrews 3400 years ago that 1) to love your neighbor as yourself and 2) to love the stranger as yourself (Hebrew word translated as stranger means then one living close to you, not a Hebrew, and a pagan – it does not exclude the non-Hebrew slave who is a resident stranger, non-Hebrew, living among you – slaves are included).  Thus, it is clear the Lord is telling them then and us now that the stranger among us, one who is not like us, one who is not even part of our religion, are to be loved by us as our neighbor.  We notice that slaves are included in these laws.  Why?  Because God does not say that slaves, Hebrew and non-Hebrew slaves, are excluded from these laws.  This would’ve been explosive in the ancient Near East back then when slaves were looked down upon as almost not human in some cases.  But, our God, the only God, the true God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and the God of Israel, as we shall see in this lesson, is saying to all of us that we are made in His image, plus that all men and women are equal in the eyes of the Lord, and all men and women are to be treated as if almost as if they were family.  When we sit back and stop to listen as they heard God’s word then, we see that our God is totally awesome and has given us a perspective for us today of how we as His people should treat and love others.  Jesus said it be when we read about a question He was asked in the Temple Courts …   One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' "On these two commandments depend (the Greek word translates a Hebrew word meaning “crucified.”  WOW!!  Is Jesus giving us a picture that the Written and the Living Word a day or two later were crucified together?)  the whole Law and the Prophets." (Mat 22:35-40) Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

  LESSON 49 PART 1 GOD AGAINST SLAVERY I mentioned in the audio lesson about a number of links I’d provide that will enhance and add to your study.  These links are shown below.   Article reviewing slavery in the USA leading to the Civil War - Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/african/journey-in-chains/    Article reviewing slavery in the USA leading to the Civil War - History Channel https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Article reviewing slavery in the USA leading to the Civil War - American Heritage https://www.americanheritage.com/stolen-slavery Article on child trafficking - Save the Children https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/child-trafficking-myths-vs-facts STATE DEPARTMENT OF USA – Child Trafficking https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking-about-human-trafficking/ Definition of Slavery - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/slavery_1.shtml ARTICLE ON DISCIPLESHIP IN JESUS’ DAY - Research Gate  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337860344_Discipleship_in_the_Context_of_Judaism_in_Jesus'_Time_-_Part_1/link/5e3b4700299bf1cdb9113860/download ARTICLE ON SLAVERY IN ISRAEL OF A NON-HEBREW  - Hebraic Thought https://hebraicthought.org/examining-ancient-israelite-slave-law-leviticus/ ARTICLE ON FREE WILL – WE’RE NOT SLAVES - Got Questions https://www.gotquestions.org/free-will.html ENCYCLOPEDIA BRTANNICA – what is slavery https://www.britannica.com/topic/slavery-sociology Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

LESSON 48 PART 2 In part 2 of lesson 48 we learn that the Lord implies to all Israel that they need to be in His word; they need to remember His awesomeness, His power, His absolute greatness, and that He is God and God alone, the only God who does and will judge and punish sin.  He suggests this by saying His people need to remember what the Lord showed them and what they SAW at Sinai.  God said this was to prove Himself so that Israel would remember and thus be prevented from sin and turning from the Lord. So, for us, this seems to suggest we need to emphasize His written word.  We too need to remember His awesomeness, His power, His absolute greatness, and that He is God and God alone, the only God who does and will judge and punish sin.  We need His written word to shows us the goal, the target, the whole purpose of His written word, and that is JESUS!   But, you are not going to understand this if you just read the Bible.  There is a Bible you can buy called the ONE YEAR BIBLE.  Link to the One Year Bible -  https://www.amazon.com/One-Year-Bible-NLT/dp/1414302045 and here's a link to the website where you can simply download the reading plan and use your own Bible - https://oneyearbibleonline.com/?version=51&startmmdd=0101 The reading schedule gives you scriptures to read daily.  If you follow the schedule you will read the entire Bible in one year.  This is an awesome tool.  But, just reading the Bible will NOT answer the big questions.  In the Bible there is NO scripture that says Jesus is God.  You will not find it anywhere.  Also, since all they had was the Hebrew Scriptures in Jesus' day, the Old Testament, one asks what is the GOSPEL?  What is the good news?  By reading the Bible only, again which is a very good thing, it will not give you the deeper and more expanded idea of what the gospel really is.  It is like asking where in the Bible does is say abortion is a sin?  It doesn't!  No where.  But it does!!  God said this ... "When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' "You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. "Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.  (Deu 12:29-32) God said don't do what the pagans do!  What did the pagans do?  They practiced sex outside of marriage.  It was part of their temple rituals to their gods.  God said don't do what they do.  So, God just condemned pre-marital sex!  Also, the pagans practiced abortion.  Yes, many pagan nations did child sacrifice but I am specifically talking about abortion.  The Ancient Greeks said abortion was legal.  Rome as well.  And an ancient Egyptian papyrus was found dated to the 15th century B.C., at least 100 years before the Exodus, which was a medical book.  In that medical book it specified specific techniques for abortion.  Imagine, the Hebrews were in Egypt for all those years in a culture that practiced abortion.   And, what did God say?  He said don't do what these pagans do.  They did abortion.  So, God is saying abortion is a major sin, an abomination.  You'll only get this from Bible study and not just reading the Bible.  We need both.  But you can't have one without the other. Here are two links to read about that Egyptian papyrus and that Egypt did practice abortion prior to Moses' day. Link 1 - https://muvs.org/en/topics/termination-of-pregnancy/abortion-in-antiquity-en/ Link 2 - https://ancientegyptianfacts.com/ancient-egypt-abortion.html#google_vignette Everyone in those days had gods and rituals and temples and a worldview.  Pagan religion had altars to sacrifice to their gods.  The Lord, Adonai (His name is יהוה‎ probably pronounced YAH VAY not YAH WAY since there is no "W" sound in Hebrew) probably knew that His people would want to also use altars as part of their praise and thanksgiving to Adonai.   So, the Lord gives specific directions on ho altars to be used for Him are to be built.  Amazingly archaeology gives us insights into why the Lord gave these detailed specific instructions.  Once again it has to do with all the pagan nations around the Hebrews.   Once again God is saying DON'T BE LIKE THEM and separate yourselves from them and what they do.  God's instructions for altars separates His people from the ancient pagans.  But, that is for us as well.  Paul is only being a good Torah teacher when he wrote ... Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; (Eph 5:1-7) Just as the Lord instructed His chosen so does the Lord instruct us, His chosen in Yeshua, in Messiah, in Christ, not to do what the pagans do.  It is right there in front of us.  And you do not learn this by simply reading the Bible.  Study.  Study.  Study.  May His word be absorbed by you BODY and MIND and SPIRIT since God's word is His bread of life as we read in Deut. 8:3. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - somewhere on the Nile near Luxor) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Lesson 48 Part 1 Adonai, the Lord, His name is probably pronounced Yahvay (there is NO "W" sound in Hebrew), has just completed giving the words of His Covenant (see Exod. 34:28) in Hebrew עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים Aseret HaDevarim or the Ten Statements or Words.  We know them as the Ten Commandments (NOTE: the phrase the Ten Commandments is not in the Bible only עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים Aseret HaDevarim).  It was an amazing event but the Lord now makes known to all of us that this event was beyond amazing, beyond miraculous.  It was incomprehensible.  It was beyond understanding.  There is more to this event at Mt. Sinai than we imagined.  I t had to do to what they saw the day God came to give them the words of the covenant.  What did they see?     More than that God shows us that the giving of the Ten Commandments is tied to His feast we read about in Acts 2.  It seems related to what the Hebrews SAW when God gave them the Ten Commandments.  In Acts 2 all the religious Jews, the Gentile converts to Judaism called proselytes, and other Gentiles who believed in the Jewish God and were called God Fearers, were celebrating God’s “appointed time” of Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks.  In Greek it is named Pentecost.  It is so awesome to see that the words God inspired Moses to write in Exod. 20:18-26 and the words God inspired Luke to write in Acts 2 suggest a connection between Sinai and Jerusalem.  We missed of course since few of us have had Bible studies that focus on the Jewish culture in 1446 B.C., in 30 A.D. or studies that help us understand the Greek and the Hebrew.  But, the good news is that the Lord will not let this continue.  Today He is moving to bring us tools and teachers to take us deeper into His word.  In this lesson I mentioned a number of articles that sadly discuss that many Christian churches today neglect to teach the word of God.  It is one this to read the Bible but quite another to understand it.  An example is you read the Bible and you believe that Jesus is God.  OK, the Bible never uses the phrase, “Jesus is God” or Jesus never says “I am God.”  OK, so you read the Bible.  Big deal.  You now need a teacher to help get at how the Bible shows that Jesus is God.  So, one just can’t read the Bible.  It needs to be taught.  Both are critical for all Christians.  And yet, many churches have given up on teaching the Bible.  Check out the superb articles at the links below. https://www.gotquestions.org/purpose-church.html https://albertmohler.com/2014/05/14/why-so-many-churches-hear-so-little-of-the-bible https://billmuehlenberg.com/2015/02/17/whatever-happened-to-teaching-in-the-churches/ https://versebyverseministry.org/bible-answers/my-church-doesnt-teach-the-bible Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - at the ancient temple built by Herod to honr Augustus Caesar in Omrit Israel) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

We now focus on the 10th Commandment … "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exo 20:17) Some say “covet” is the same as lust or craving or desire.  It can’t be since there is no law against craving, desire, or lust.  In this podcast Bible study we will find that COVET (the Hebrew is תחמד or Tachmod) is an obsessive mental focus on getting by whatever means something that belongs to one’s neighbor.  COVET or coveting is “forbidden thought” that if followed through results in an evil action.  There are two operatives here – thought and action.  When you take this definition it is seemingly the cause for murder, committing adultery, stealing and lying.  Jesus seems to teach this when He said … "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." (Mat 15:19-20) In Jesus’ day the word “heart” was used as a picture to represent the mind.  Jesus is saying our mind gives rise to “evil thoughts” and this seems to connect to COVET as an obsessive mental focus on getting by whatever means what we are craving or lusting.  I ended this session on the Ten Commandments by suggesting you watch the 5-minute Bible study video episode 9 in the series, “Five Small Stones.”  It is entitled “It Is Finished.”  This video is a teaching about the “missing piece” in the Sinai Covenant that is recognized by Jewish non-Christian scholars, the writer of the book of Hebrews, and Paul.  The link to this video is … https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/five-small-stones-episode-9-rom-104-it-is-finished/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - Timnah Park north of Eilat Israel)   What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link -https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

Jesus teaches His disciples that they are the BRANCHES and He is the TRUE VINE.  On top of that these branches are "clean" because of what they learned from their rabbi, Rabbi Jesus.  Clean?  You mean somehow Jesus' words gave them a bath?  Huh? He was teaching Jews in Israel about 2000 years ago.  We are so disconnected from those days that much of what Jesus taught simply escapes us.  So, if you thought you understood everything in John 15:1-11 wait till you watch this vidcast!  The church has abandoned understanding the Bible in its ancient historical and cultural context.  There are so many misconceptions that we are taught mistakenly and without the knowledge of the teacher.  It is time once again to reconnect to those days and study His word in context and grasp the original intended meaning by the Lord.  Ready?  Let's go. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... taking a break in Jerusalem) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Is it always a sin to lie?  Is there such a thing as  "white lies?"  Maybe the Lord only meant in the 9th Commandment not to lie as a witness in a court of law.  And I can't be a false witness to my neighbor.  Who is my neighbor?  Only people in my neighborhood?   Lots of questions come up on all the  עשׂרת הדברים - Asereet HaDevareem - the ten statements of the Lord. Come and join us as we study the 9th commandment.  We'll see that this commandment is the basis for a good and just society - probably what the Lord intended right from the "get go." Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - leading a teaching tour to Israel.  Standing at one of the temples Herod built to honor Augustus Caesar at Omrit Israel) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Lesson 47 Episode 15 Part 2 מאום תגנב לא Exod. 20:15 - Lo Tegnev Me’um Do not steal anything Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - teaching on the shores of the Sea of Galilee) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

     Lesson 47 Episode 15 Part 1 - no stealing!!   The 8th Commandment - Lo Tegenev - לא תגנב - No Stealing. But it doesn't specify what NOT to steal!  God did this by design. Why? Join us in the next podcast on the Ten Commandments and let the Lord take us deeper into understanding His Covenant foundation.  Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - teaching in the ruins of Chorazin) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

This is part 4 of episode 14 on the 7th Commandment - Exo 20:13  לא תרצח  Lo Tenaf - NO ADULTERY.  We focus on the question of where did God ever say that extra-marital sex is a sin? Is forbidden?  What about abortion?  In Jesus' day these are sins.  But, it is not specified in the Torah.  Check it out at this link ... https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/premarital-sex So, where is it in the Bible?  These sins were part of the pagan cultures in the ancient Near East.  It is interesting to note that God DID condemn these acts as sin and it is IN the Torah.  Where?  Come and join us as we see that the 7th Commandment is only for adultery and does NOT include all sexual immorality.  But God does teach that extramarital sex, abortion, infanticide, pedophilia, etc. is what He hates, they are abominations, and are sins.  It's there.  How did we miss it?  Once again it has to do with putting the Bible into its historical context.     Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - teaching on the northen shore of the Sea of Galilee) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

This episode provides a clear review of episodes 1 and 2.  We see that in the Ancient Near East adultery was a serious crime and it wasn't primarily about the sex.  If not about the sex outside of marriage, what's the serious nature of adultery back in the 15th century BC?  Secondly, no other pagan culture had their god or gods commanding that adultery was forbidden.  It was a man made set of laws.  But, for Israel, God, our God, the only God commands that adultery is forbidden and part of His covenant with His people.  This means that Israel will be a testimony to the world of how to live according to the Lord.  Third, why is it that a married woman in an affair with a man not her husband will be executed and her lover?  What about a married man in an affair with a woman not his wife?  This is not fair.  This is not equitable.  What's going on?   Fourth, many Christian theologians say the 7th commandment is a commandment forbidding ALL sexual impurity.  HUH?  The Bible doesn't say that.  On top of that God said not to add or subtract from His word.  This is what many Christian theologians have.  As an example, sex outside of marriage is a sin in Judaism and Christianity.  But the Bible has no statement saying it is.  What's going on?  Where does the Lord teach that pre-marital sex, homosexuality, pedophilia, bestiality, and prostitution are sins?  He does!  But how? Where? Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - teaching in the ruins of Corazin Israel) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

EXODUS LESSON 73 PART 2 I strongly urge you to listen to Lesson 73 part 1 before listening to part 2.  You’ll see how important it is to make sure you do this to get a better understanding of the questions and issues in these verses.  Here’s the link for part 1 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-73-part-1-exod-3210-18-god-cant-change-his-mind/ One major problem we'll deal with is the way the translators of the New American Standard Bible 1995 translated the Hebrew in Exod. 32:14 to come up with the phrase, “God changed His mind.”  In part 1 it is so clear that God does not change and never changes His mind.  This is a major issue and one wonders how this could’ve happened since again and again the very words of God show the truth that God does not change and never changes His mind.  Below check out the chart.  You’ll see that the NASB is the only Bible version that uses the phrase “God changed His mind.” The King James (KJV) and the Amplified Bible (AMP) and the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) translations are probably the most accurate.  The Lord repented or turned away from one thing to turn to another.  Repent in Hebrew comes from the Hebrew verb LaShuv לָשׁוּב meaning to turn around or to go back.  The Strong’s number H7725.  It is the verb that forms the Hebrew word for repentance of Teshuvah תְּשׁוּבָה.  It is not just connected to doing repentance from sin.  It could be one wants to give up smoking.  So one would turn from smoking and to turn to something else.  In other words one is doing Teshuvah תְּשׁוּבָה from smoking.  That is how the Bible uses the word and not just related to sin.  Thus, God is turning from one thing to do another.  I wrote an article on trying to get at this in a more understandable way.  Here’s the article below. Does God change His mind? How can this be?  We have two verses that contradict each other.  Consider ... Exodus 32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Exo 32:14) Malachi 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (Mal 3:6) Which is it? If God does not change then how did Moses have God change His mind and yet God says He will not.  This is not like God.  This is nuts.  I thought the Bible was in full agreement!!  Can this be explained?? Also, one reads in the very words of God that certain people will be restricted from the Assembly of God.  Deu 23:1-8  "No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD.  (2)  "No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the LORD.  (3)  "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD,  (4)  because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.  (5)  "Nevertheless, the LORD your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you.  (6)  "You shall never seek their peace or their prosperity all your days.  (7)  "You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land.  (8)  "The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD. It says that all Moabites are so restricted and yet Ruth gets in.  Why?  How?  (Listen to part 1 carefully regarding the Moabites.  No Moabite will be allowed in to the Assembly of Israel up to an including the 10th generation by God’s own words.  Wait till you see how Ruth is probably of the 11th generation when one studies the Bible in its historical context.  So, she can get in and she did!) It says that a MUMZER will not enter and Timothy is a mumzer - his mom was Jewish and his dad a pagan (Hebrew for one of illegitimate birth)!!  Timothy!!  He became a leader of the assembly of Messiah in Ephesus.  We say as Gentiles we are grafted in but the Torah says NO!!  God says it loud and clear.  What is going on?  How can both be true?  Oh sure. One is the church and one is the synagogue.  Right??  It can't be.  This is a conundrum!!  Let’s check the Hebrew of Exod. 32:14 and Mal. 3:6. Exo 32:14  וינחם H5162  יהוה H3068  על H5921  הרעה H7451  אשׁר H834  דבר H1696  לעשׂות H6213  לעמו׃ H5971  Mal 3:6  כי H3588  אני H589  יהוה H3068  לא H3808  שׁניתי H8138  ואתם H859  בני  H1121  יעקב  H3290  לא H3808  כליתם׃ H3615  In English we are reading the word “change” (as to change one's mind in Ex 32:14 - word # 5162) and change (as to someone not changing as in Mal 3:6 - word #8138).  In Exod 32:14 God "racham's" - it does NOT say He changes His mind!!  The word racham is the word that is translated as "He changed His mind."  That phrase is not even there.  A better way to say this is that God repents; God turns from one thing to another.  He REPENTS.  Moses did NOT change HIS mind.  What happened is God has set in place either punishment or a curse on those who are unrighteous.  That is His intention.  However,  equally part of HIS intention is God's other option to forgive and erase the punishment if there is true repentance.  Both options exist for God.  It is one or the other - this is His simultaneous intention and purpose.  Moses intervened for Israel and God did not change His mind.  He can't.  What God did was to turn, to repent, and allowed the other option.  Both options are in play, both are His intentions.  God has laid out those two options as part of His intentions.  Thus, He did not change at all. In Mal 3:6 the word is "shanaw."  This has the picture of "folding" one side on another.  It has the implication of duplicating.  God stays constant.  He is ONE and will remain ONE.  He is the Lord and HE does not go from one intention to another.  Like with Moses God had either punishment or forgiveness.  Both exist at once as God's intentions.  In the case of sin this is God - both exist.  He will turn from one to the other, from punishment to forgiveness if there is true teshuvah, repentance from the sin, and will not do option 1 but option 2.  God is like that.  He is always like that.  God has it all covered and these options are already in place with HIM as His intentions.  He will not do anything that is not already a part of HIMSELF.  Thus, we study Torah to know HIM deeply and intimately and to begin to understand His ways.     Finally, Moses was the greatest prophet of the Hebrew Scriptures (Deut. 34:10).  God tells Moses the following … “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deu 18:18) This is the Lord’s prediction of the future coming of His Son, Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah.  So, Jesus is a prophet like Moses; for us as disciples of Jesus we’d say Jesus is the Greatest Prophet ever.  But, we are to be disciples of Jesus or talmidim תַּלְמִידִים.  A talmid is one who is a student of a rabbi and who lives to be like his rabbi.  Check out the article entitled "Rabbi and Talmidim" at this link ... https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim Jesus says this quite clearly … “A pupil (from the Greek to the Hebrew is TALMID) is not above his teacher (from the Greek to the Hebrew is RAV or master. We say RABBI); but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” (Luk 6:40)   Thus, if we are real talmidim we are to be like Jesus.  He was given the words of His Father to proclaim and thus Jesus is a prophet.  But we are given the words of Jesus to go and proclaim.  So, we are prophets as well in that Jesus sends us to bring the word to the Ends of the Earth.  And as Moses offers prayers of intercession for Israel so Jesus offers prayers of intercession for His talmidim and the church, His Bride.  Thus, if we are truly living to be a true disciple then we to must be ones who offer prayers of intercession for the ones we meet as well.  We are to be like Him and follow Paul’s teaching when he taught that we are to be like Paul since he is like his master, his RAV, Jesus (1Cor. 11:1). Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - somewhere in the desert north of Eilat Israel) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0          

EXODUS LESSON 73 PART 1 In lesson 73 part one and part two we tackle the question, "Does God change His mind?"  As we study Exod. 32:10-18 it is clear the answer to this question is critical.  Also, Moses asks the Lord to not destroy the Hebrews.  It seems as if Moses intercessory request affects the Lord and He "changes His mind."  Or does He?   In this lesson I mention the fact that a generation in the days of Abraham and Moses and Joshua and David and most of the Old Testament is roughly 30 years.  It is not my opinion and here's a link (see below) to to support the 30 year generation.  There are many other scholarly sites that also support a 30 year generation in the Old Testament.  This is critical as we study the days of Ruth.  God said no Moabites were allowed to join the congregation of Israel.  But, Ruth, a Moabite, gets in.  Did God change His mind?  You'll see how a 30 year generation is related to help us understand this dilemma.   Link - GotQuestions.org - https://www.gotquestions.org/generation-in-the-Bible.html Another event in the Bible is the sickness of Hezekiah.   Hezekiah asked the Lord to give him more days to live.  God answered his prayer.  So, God must've changed His mind, right?  Related to this is the link below.  It discusses the question that for God's chosen, for God's elect, His people, disciples of Yeshua, that God fixes the day of our death.  Really? Check it out once again at GotQuestions.org. Link -https://www.gotquestions.org/appointed-death.html So Muslims say Allah الله is our Lord or Adonai יהוה and that our God, Adonai יהוה, is the same as Allah الله.  Really?  This is a very interesting study from the Quran and the Hebrew Scriptures.  It is clear that Allah الله is NOT the same as our Lord or Adonai יהוה.  There is only one God, one Lord, He tells us in His own words.  There is no other God but Yahvay or Adonai יהוה. Here's two links to two articles you must study.  The first shows that Allah الله states in his own words that he can change his mind.  His words show Allah الله contradicts himself when this god says he knows all things and does not change.  And the 2nd article is a paper I did awhile back that shows that Allah الله is NOT the same as our Lord or Adonai יהוה. Link 1 -https://www.calloflove.org/post/contradiction-in-the-quran-allah-changing-his-word Link 2 -https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g41mrsjrkidlzatocdhpq/The-Bible-Adonai-Allah-and-the-Quran-Who-is-Who.pdf?rlkey=m1ywwe45v4zp1n28w6qmmyhls&st=b3jdqokx&dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - somewhere in the desert north of Eilat Israel) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

  The "play" button is just above this picture - the orange circle with the white triangle.   In part 1 we learned that laws against adultery were common in the pagan cultures of the ancient near east.  The laws against adultery were not related to the sexual sin per se, but that this was detrimental to the preservation of the family and the community.  It adultery was looked upon as an attack against the the foundation of a good society.  So we should not be surprised that we see this in God's TORAH, His instruction to His people.  It is part of the commandments 6-10 all seemingly to deal with our relationship with our fellow man, the community, the society.  The uniqueness in all this is that this law if coming from Yahvay, the Lord God, and not some law of man or the state.  It is as if God is showing us the truth in the fact that adultery is a "great sin" against the community and the family.   In part 2 we went deeper.  We find that the Hebrews coming out of Egypt were the first ones to hear ... For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.  (Gen 2:24-25) The Lord is saying that marriage is between one man and one woman.  The text does not say that a man shall leave his parents and cling to his wife or wives.  The text is clear that he and his one wife become one flesh.  He is teaching that He instituted marriage; it is part of His creation.  Thus, adultery is a "great sin" against our community, against the family, and against God Himself since He "created" marriage and the family as being made up of one man and one woman.  Now we come to part 3.  We will delve into the word of the Lord that says a man having an affair with a married woman both he and she will be executed!  God declares adultery between a man and a married woman not his wife as a capital offense.  Huh?  What about a woman having an affair with a married man not her husband?  What's the difference?  What might this be all about?   Also in part 3 we will expand our study to consider sex between two a man and woman both unmarried.  In Judaism and in Christianity it is a major sin.  But the Bible has NO written law against this.  Matter of fact the word "fornication" - understood to be sex outside of marriage - will be shown NOT to be in the Bible.  No where does God say that if an unmarried man and an unmarried woman have sex willingly is this act a sin.  No where!  But it is.  How may have this come about?  It comes about from THE VERY WORDS OF GOD that address this in an unexpected way. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... on the Giza Plateau and the Pyramids) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

The "play" button is just above this picture - the orange circle with the white triangle.   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... ready to teach at the Pyramids in Giza) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

We now come to the 6th commandment … “You shall not murder.” (Exo 20:13 NASB) “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exo 20:13 KJV) “You shall not murder.” (Exo 20:13 NKJV) “Thou shalt not murder.” (Exo 20:13 Jewish Bible) So for 100’s of years many Christians have stated this commandment as not to kill.  Many Christians used the King James translation in an argument that Christians must adhere to pacifism and that Jesus was a pacifist.  But, the real Hebrew, the precise Hebrew, is not to murder.  This verse cannot be used in any argument for pacifism.  As I mentioned in the podcasts here are some awesome links to related article you may find extremely beneficial in your study. From the website GOTQUESTIONS.ORG is the article, “What is the difference between ‘you shall not murder’ and ‘you shall not kill’”? https://www.gotquestions.org/you-shall-not-kill-vs-murder.html From the website GOTQUESTIONS.ORG is the article, “What does the Bible say about self-defense?” https://www.gotquestions.org/self-defense.html From the website GOTQUESTIONS.ORG is the article, “What does the Bible say about pacifism?” https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-pacifism.html From Andrew Holt’s article, “’Thou shalt not kill’ vs. ‘Thou shalt not murder.’” https://apholt.com/2015/03/17/thou-shalt-not-kill-vs-thou-shalt-not-murder/ Etymology of the word “kill” https://www.etymonline.com/word/kill In this podcast we are dealing with murder.  This is clearly related to abortion.  As I indicated in the podcast I would provide a link to the ancient Christian document the Didache (DI DAC HEE).  Here’s the link to the complete ancient document.  Link - https://legacyicons.com/content/didache.pdf Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret ... someplace in the Jordan Vally north of Jericho) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

LESSON 12 PART 2 Join us in lesson 12 part 2.  Come and continue to delve into a study of a truly unique commandment of the Lord that He decided was critical for all Israel and us, as true disciples of Adonai Yeshua.  Our parents attain a status that no one else in the Bible can attain, ever.  It speaks volumes to us of how a good and just and Godly society itself can survive.  It focuses on mom and dad.  It is interesting that the is the only commandment with a “reward.”  Let’s look at it again. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. (Exo 20:12) Is this a reward?  Sure seems like it.  But, perhaps it is more than a reward for each us if we obey.  Perhaps it is a reason to obey this commandment?  Perhaps it is the way for preserving a righteous society and a godly nation.  When we put this in its historical context it seems like this is what’s going on.  God in His TORAH, His teaching, is teaching the world how to preserve and maintain a righteous, Godly, and just society.  It seems to make sense.   I also highly recommend the following articles.  I provide their links and they will add and enhance your study as we try and figure out how to honor our dads and moms and what this has to do with the good world and a Godly society. A Lesson from Rome https://www.thetrumpet.com/5360-a-lesson-from-rome   Does the Lord Require me to Honor Evil Parents?  https://lightfordarktimes.com/2020/04/24/does-the-lord-require-me-to-honor-evil-parents/   Must One Honor an Abusive Parent? https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/must-one-honor-an-abusive-parent/   Dennis Prager’s Video series on the Ten Commandments https://www.prageru.com/search?refinementList%5Btags%5D%5B0%5D=10%20Commandments&page=1&configure%5BhitsPerPage%5D=20   You Don’t Have to Love Your Parents (Dennis Prager) https://www.nationalreview.com/2014/12/you-dont-have-love-your-parents-dennis-prager/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0      

Lesson 12 Part 1   Did you ever stop and ask what does it mean to “honor your parents?” Honor?  Does that mean we obey them?  If we love our mom and dad is that the same as honoring them?  Or something else?  On top of that what is this doing here?  We’re dealing with an awesome event – the giving of a New Covenant by the Lord to His Chosen Ones at the mountain of God.  Just read … Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exo 34:27-28)   How are our parents connected to this?  What’s with this anyway? Join us in lesson 12 parts 1 & 2.  Come and delve into a study of a truly unique commandment of the Lord that He decided was critical for all Israel and us, as true disciples of Adonai Yeshua.  Our parents attain a status that no one else in the Bible can attain, ever.  It speaks volumes to us of how a good and just and Godly society itself can survive.  It focuses on mom and dad.    I also highly recommend the following articles.  I provided their links and they will add and enhance your study as we try and figure out how to honor our dads and moms and what this has to do with the good world and a Godly society. Does the Lord Require me to Honor Evil Parents?  https://lightfordarktimes.com/2020/04/24/does-the-lord-require-me-to-honor-evil-parents/   Must One Honor an Abusive Parent? https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/must-one-honor-an-abusive-parent/   Dennis Prager’s Video series on the Ten Commandments https://www.prageru.com/search?refinementList%5Btags%5D%5B0%5D=10%20Commandments&page=1&configure%5BhitsPerPage%5D=20   You Don’t Have to Love Your Parents (Dennis Prager) https://www.nationalreview.com/2014/12/you-dont-have-love-your-parents-dennis-prager/   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0        

Lesson 11 Part 3 The Bible was clearly meant for those the first ones to hear it.  Like the Torah.  It was meant for the Hebrews coming out of Egypt.  The New Testament was written for the first disciples like John and Mark and Matthew and Paul and Mary.  And once we understand what the "first hearers" heard and understood, we then an see how it relates to us.  God gave them His word so they understood it and passed it down to us.  The Messianic Jewish believers lived in a Jewish culture 2000 years ago and they perhaps saw things and understood things a lot differently than us.  So we will again put the Bible in its historical context.  Once again we will study His word taking in account the ancient Jewish culture of those first disciples.  When we do and study the GREEK and not the English, we find there is a compelling alternative understanding to verses that supposedly suggest Jesus changed everything.  Contemporary theologians say that these verses show that Jesus changed the Sabbath from its Biblical practice to the way the "church" does it today.  The three verses we will study are shown below taken from the NASB version.  We will study these verses in their historical context.  When we do the view that Jesus changed, God changed, is seriously challenged.   VERSE 1 - Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; (1Co 16:1-3) VERSE 2 - On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. (Act 20:7-12) VERSE 3 - I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." (Rev 1:9-11) To continue your study on the Sabbath I strongly recommend the following books and resources ... (one's with * are a must) * Kiesz, John. "A History of the Sabbath and Sunday."  The Bible Sabbath Association (January 1, 1983).  Free download at this link - http://www.truthontheweb.org/KieszHis... Nichols, J. T. “The Origin of the Hebrew Sabbath.” The Old and New Testament Student, vol. 12, no. 1, 1891, pp. 36–42. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3157542 * Hay, Malcolm. "THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIAN ANTI SEMITISM." Available at Amazon. Dr. Shumel Safrai, “The Jewish People in the First Century: Historical Geography, Political History, Social, Cultural and Religious...Vols. 1 and 2.” * Bacchiocchi, Samule.  "From Sabbath to Sunday."  (1977) Rome, Italy. Pontifical Gregorial University Press. Free download at this link - http://www.anym.org/pdf/from_Sabbath_... Encyclopedia Judaica. 1972.  Keter Publishing. Jerusalem:Israel. "Feasts and the Holidays, the Mo’edim."  https://hebrew4christians.com/Holiday... Flusser, David.  "Judaism and the Origins of Christianity." 1988.  Magness Press.  Jerusalem. Hayyim, Schauss. "The Jewish Festivals." © 1938 "The Jewish Encyclopedia."  www.jewishencyclopedia.com Levine, Lee.  2005. "The Ancient Synagogue: the First Thousand Years." 2nd Edition.  New Haven: Yale University Press. * Stern, David. Jewish New Testament Commentary.  1996.  Jewish New Testament Publications. Clarksfield:Maryland. Stern, David. The Complete Jewish Bible. 1998. Jewish New Testament * Wilson, Marvin. Our Father Abraham. 1989.  W.B. Eerdman’s. Grand Rapids:MI.  Contours of Hebrew Thought.  Finally, here's a link to a chapter of one of my books I did for my classes.  The content is based upon the sources above.  Link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdycam9yad7... A second link is related to Paul meeting in Troas on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.  Here's the link -  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rmkqxbq18k3... Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Lesson 11 Part 2 The Bible was clearly meant for those the first ones to hear it.  Like the Torah.  It was meant for the Hebrews coming out of Egypt.  The New Testament was written for the first disciples like John and Mark and Matthew and Paul and Mary.  And once we understand what the "first hearers" heard and understood, we then an see how it relates to us.  God gave them His word so they understood it and passed it down to us.  The Messianic Jewish believers lived in a Jewish culture 2000 years ago and they perhaps saw things and understood things a lot differently than us.  So we will again put the Bible in its historical context.  Once again we will study His word taking in account the ancient Jewish culture of those first disciples.  When we do and study the GREEK and not the English, we find there is a compelling alternative understanding to verses that supposedly suggest Jesus changed everything.  Contemporary theologians say that these verses show that Jesus changed the Sabbath from its Biblical practice to the way the "church" does it today.  The three verses we will study are shown below taken from the NASB version.  We will study these verses in their historical context.  When we do the view that Jesus changed, God changed, is seriously challenged.   VERSE 1 - Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; (1Co 16:1-3) VERSE 2 - On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. (Act 20:7-12) VERSE 3 - I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." (Rev 1:9-11) To continue your study on the Sabbath I strongly recommend the following books and resources ... (one's with * are a must) * Kiesz, John. "A History of the Sabbath and Sunday."  The Bible Sabbath Association (January 1, 1983).  Free download at this link - http://www.truthontheweb.org/KieszHis... Nichols, J. T. “The Origin of the Hebrew Sabbath.” The Old and New Testament Student, vol. 12, no. 1, 1891, pp. 36–42. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3157542 * Hay, Malcolm. "THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIAN ANTI SEMITISM." Available at Amazon. Dr. Shumel Safrai, “The Jewish People in the First Century: Historical Geography, Political History, Social, Cultural and Religious...Vols. 1 and 2.” * Bacchiocchi, Samule.  "From Sabbath to Sunday."  (1977) Rome, Italy. Pontifical Gregorial University Press. Free download at this link - http://www.anym.org/pdf/from_Sabbath_... Encyclopedia Judaica. 1972.  Keter Publishing. Jerusalem:Israel. "Feasts and the Holidays, the Mo’edim."  https://hebrew4christians.com/Holiday... Flusser, David.  "Judaism and the Origins of Christianity." 1988.  Magness Press.  Jerusalem. Hayyim, Schauss. "The Jewish Festivals." © 1938 "The Jewish Encyclopedia."  www.jewishencyclopedia.com Levine, Lee.  2005. "The Ancient Synagogue: the First Thousand Years." 2nd Edition.  New Haven: Yale University Press. * Stern, David. Jewish New Testament Commentary.  1996.  Jewish New Testament Publications. Clarksfield:Maryland. Stern, David. The Complete Jewish Bible. 1998. Jewish New Testament * Wilson, Marvin. Our Father Abraham. 1989.  W.B. Eerdman’s. Grand Rapids:MI.  Contours of Hebrew Thought.  Finally, here's a link to a chapter of one of my books I did for my classes.  The content is based upon the sources above.  Link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdycam9yad7... A second link is related to Paul meeting in Troas on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.  Here's the link -  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rmkqxbq18k3... Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Does the Bible, specifically the New Testament, prove that Jesus changed the practices in Second Temple Judaism?  Did Jesus do away with the old law, the TORAH, and start a new Sabbath on Sunday?  It seems that if you study the New Testament in ENGLISH and separate it from the historical and ancient cultural context, the answer would be yes.  However, the Bible was clearly meant for those first disciples like John and Mark and Matthew and Paul and Mary.  God gave them His word so they understood it and passed it down to us.  So, one might say they are the first audience.  But, they are all Jewish, even Luke.  There is a strong argument that Luke was Jewish.  It isn't conclusive but very strong.  Check it out at this link - https://www.levitt.com/essays/luke Thus, these Jewish believers lived in a Jewish culture 2000 years ago and they perhaps saw things and understood things a lot differently than us.  For on thing we have proof that the early church, those first believers, met for the Sabbath on Friday evening to Saturday evening. (Paul F. Bradshaw and Lawrence A. Hoffman, The Making of Jewish and Christian Worship (Notre Dame, 1991).  And, CHRISTIAN HISTORY, "When did the Christian church switch the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?"   Link: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/search/?query=issue%2037  ELESHA COFFMAN)   In Video 3 we will again put the Bible in its historical context.  Once again we will study His word taking in account the ancient Jewish culture of those first disciples, the first Messianic believers.  When we do and study the GREEK and not the English, we find there is a compelling alternative understanding to verses that supposedly suggest Jesus changed everything.  The three verses we will study are shown below take from the NASB version. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem;  (1Co 16:1-3) On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. (Act 20:7-12)   I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." (Rev 1:9-11) This is only a short introduction.  It is a deep and expansive subject that can not be completely addressed in a 40 to 60 minutes video.  Thus, to continue your study on the Sabbath I strongly recommend the following books and resources ...   Kiesz, John. "A History of the Sabbath and Sunday."  The Bible Sabbath Association (January 1, 1983).  Free download at this link - http://www.truthontheweb.org/KieszHistory.htm   Nichols, J. T. “The Origin of the Hebrew Sabbath.” The Old and New Testament Student, vol. 12, no. 1, 1891, pp. 36–42. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3157542   Hay, Malcolm. "THE ROOTS OF CHRISTIAN ANTI SEMITISM." Available at Amazon.   Dr. Shumel Safrai, “The Jewish People in the First Century: Historical Geography, Political History, Social, Cultural and Religious...Vols. 1 and 2.”   Bacchiocchi, Samule.  "From Sabbath to Sunday.  (1977)." Rome, Italy. Pontifical Gregorial University Press. Free download at this link - http://www.anym.org/pdf/from_Sabbath_to_Sunday_samuele_bacchiocchi.pdf   Encyclopedia Judaica. 1972.  Keter Publishing. Jerusalem:Israel.   "Feasts and the Holidays, the Mo’edim."  https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/holidays.html   Flusser, David.  "Judaism and the Origins of Christianity." 1988.  Magness Press.  Jerusalem.   Hayyim, Schauss. "The Jewish Festivals." © 1938 "The Jewish Encyclopedia."  www.jewishencyclopedia.com   Levine, Lee.  2005. "The Ancient Synagogue: the First Thousand Years." 2nd Edition.  New Haven: Yale University Press.    Stern, David. Jewish New Testament Commentary.  1996.  Jewish New Testament Publications. Clarksfield:Maryland. Stern, David. The Complete Jewish Bible. 1998. Jewish New Testament   Wilson, Marvin. Our Father Abraham. 1989.  W.B. Eerdman’s. Grand Rapids:MI.  Contours of Hebrew Thought.    Finally, here's a link to a chapter of one of my books I did for my classes.  The content is based upon the sources above.  Link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdycam9yad7ekax/e%20Lesson5..signbetweenus..2019..137..188.pdf?dl=0 A second link is related to Paul meeting in Troas on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.  Here's the link -  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rmkqxbq18k3cmeq/SABBATH%20IN%20TROAS%20AND%20REVELATION.pdf?dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

This is another awesome example of scripture that testifies of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  We will study the event of the Golden Calf and God will teach us in His TORAH, His instructions, that He had a plan for Israel.  He had an awesome purpose for His treasured possession (Exod. 19:5)  It all relates to John 3:16 and the love the Lord has for all, the whole world.  But, the Hebrews failed and chose another god, a god of gold, a bull calf.  They didn’t give up on the one true God, they just disobeyed Him in making an animal to represent the one God, the only God, יהוה Yahvay (I pronounce His name Yahvay and not Yahway since  Hebrew has no W sound so it is an error to say Yahway for His name).  Yahvay put this in His Ten Statements, His Ten Commandments, that we are not to make an image to represent the Lord.  The Hebrews  did.  And they did not follow His commands and went their own way. Once again, I brought up the likelihood that the Hebrews had assimilated into the Egyptian culture.  The Hebrews cried out in Exod. 2:23.  But, it is more than cried out.  The Hebrew word is za'aka זעק H2199 which is shriek or scream in deep anguish or terror.  On top of that the Hebrews cried out to no one!  In Exod. 2:23 they cried out - to who?  God heard them but they did not cry out, shriek in deep pain, to the Lord.  Later, at the sea before they crossed over, one they were reintroduced to the God of Abraham, we read in Exod. 14:10 that Israel cried out TO THE LORD.  We miss that.  We think they cried out to the Lord in Exod. 2:23.  That is putting words in the Bible that aren't there.  They didn't know the God of their fathers anymore.  What happened?  What's going on?  The answer - they had assimilated into the Egyptian culture.  The Bible proves it yet we missed it.  All they knew were the gods of Egypt.  It is easy to get Israel out of Egypt but it is nigh impossible to get Egypt out of Israel.   The Hebrews after hundreds of years were deeply imbedded into the Egyptian culture and ways.  Here's the link to study that the Hebrews assimilated into Egypt – https://halakhaoftheday.org/2023/03/29/from-propsperty-to-assimilationn/ Here’ a link to lesson 4 part 2 in this series where we study this idea.  It is seemingly proven from the very word of God.  Here’s the link - https://youtu.be/9tY5N0mAJ2I?si=BQ2ID2W8eVXZT1xb I did an “AI” search (artificial intelligence) of the Apis Bull in ancient Egypt.  I came up with the following.  I know a lot about the Apis Bull from my days traveling and doing research in Egypt plus my own personal study.  The “AI” material is right on.  So here it is in its entirety.  I do this just in case you want to expand your study to learn more about the Apis Bull and ancient Egypt. AI SEARCH ON THE APIS BULL – MAY 2026 The Apis bull was a sacred animal in ancient Egypt, serving as a living manifestation of the god Ptah and, during its life, a powerful symbol of the pharaoh’s vitality, strength, and divine right to rule. As a direct connection between the gods and the kingdom, the Apis bull reinforced the legitimacy of the monarch and was frequently referred to as the "strong bull" in royal inscriptions. [1, 2, 3, 4] Connection to the Pharaoh Symbol of Power: The Apis bull directly symbolized the fertility, power, and vitality of the pharaoh. "Strong Bull" Titles: Pharaohs often used titles such as "Strong Bull of His Mother" to equate themselves with the sacred animal. Ritual Union: During the Sed festival (rejuvenation ceremony), the pharaoh participated in rituals with the bull to absorb its divine power, often described as running or walking with the Apis. Divine Manifestation: The bull was considered an earthly avatar of Ptah (creator god) and, upon death, united with Osiris to become Osiris-Apis. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7] Worship and Life Selection: Priests selected the bull based on strict, specific markings, including a black coat, a white triangle on the forehead, an eagle-shaped mark on the back, and a beetle-shaped mark under the tongue. Royal Treatment: Once selected, the Apis lived in a specialized "House of Apis" in Memphis, treating the bull with the same reverence and luxury as a pharaoh. Afterlife: When the Apis died, it was mummified and buried with immense fanfare in a dedicated cemetery known as the Serapeum at Saqqara. [2, 8, 9, 10] [1] https://www.ancientegyptblog.com/?p=3313 [2] https://www.facebook.com/Egypt.Culture/posts/the-sacred-bull-apis-was-one-of-the-greatest-religious-symbols-in-ancient-egypt-/930050865826543/ [3] https://www.magellantv.com/articles/by-the-horns-of-apis-ancient-egypts-noble-bullgod [4] https://egyptatours.com/what-is-apis-bull/ [5] https://australian.museum/learn/cultures/international-collection/ancient-egyptian/bull-apis-e39829/ [6] https://templeofathena.blog/2016/08/18/god-of-the-month-club-apis-the-living-bull-god-of-egypt/ [7] https://www.livius.org/articles/religion/apis/ [8] https://www.facebook.com/Tresuresofancientegypt/posts/a-sacred-bull-apis-egypt-with-ahmed-graeco-roman-museum-of-alexandria/833234285657958/ [9] https://egypt-museum.com/cows-bulls-in-ancient-egypt/ [10] https://x.com/archeohistories/status/1939677557500293212 In this lesson the Bible supports the idea that Aaron was complicit in the event of the Golden Bull Calf.  Orthodix Jewish Rabbis, however, stick up for Aaron and try to argue he is totally innocent with regards to the Golden Bull Calf incident.  Their views are merely opinion not based upon God's word and in fact are dismissive of the word when it says that Aaron is guilty and the Lord will destroy him along with all Israel.  Their views are totally unacceptable and in great error. Aaron may not have participated in the worship of the Golden Bull Calf, but he made the molten image and thus got all Israel to sin grievously against the Lord.  That Aaron was found guilty is clear in the very words of God Himself and God wanted to destroy all Israel and AARON!!  "The LORD spoke further to me, saying, 'I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a stubborn people. 'Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' "(Deu 9:13-14) "The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him; so I also prayed for Aaron at the same time."  (Deu 9:20) Here's some links that will add to your study with regards to Aaron’s guilt in this terrible event of the Golden Bull Calf. ARTICLE ON AARON’S GUILT FROM CHABAD – AN ORTHODIX JEWISH SITE - https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/860977/jewish/Why-Did-Aaron-Make-the-Golden-Calf.htm ARTICLE ON AARON’S GUILT FROM www.GotQuestions.org - https://www.gotquestions.org/Aaron-golden-calf.html In this lesson we hear God say, "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them ..." (Exo 32:8) What is God's WAY that He wanted the Hebrews to follow?  The Hebrew word for the word WAY is derekh (דֶּרֶךְ).  It is the word used in Genesis 3 when the Lord shows the WAY back to the Garden was closed and guarded by two mighty Khrooveem (not cherubs).  The WAY to the Father was blocked.  Now in Exodus 32 God talks about His WAY, His derekh (דֶּרֶךְ) He wants the Hebrews to follow.  Later, the Lord comes to us and He says in John 14 that, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6)  So, what might he Lord be getting at?  What is the lesson?   I suggest it seems to be summed up in the first verses of Psalm 119. How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes!   (Psa 119:1-6) In TORAH the Lord gives us His intruction to live as His people, His chosen ones.  We are to liv in such a way that our lives show we are lovng the Lord God and serving Him by living as per His word, the Written Word.  But then He came to us.  Yeshua.  He is the Living Word.  In John 14 we read that Yeshua says if we are His true disciples He is in us and we in Him.  We abide together.  And as true branches of the "true vine" that is Yeshua we are to be fruitful so that our work in Yeshua keeps until the final harvest of the Vinedresser, the Father, and show ourselves to be His disciples.  We live to be His People of THE WAY,  derekh (דֶּרֶךְ). Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  (Ferret - somewhere on the Jordan River in northern Galilee) What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0  

Shavuot - Episode 7 Let’s consider those amazing connections between what happened at Sinai and during Pentecost shortly after Jesus’ ascension.  These amazing connections are pictures to us today of God's amazing power to bring us to a deeper and more enhanced understanding that the feasts of the Lord, all eight of them, are shadows of the Messiah.  Consider … Both events occurred on mountains known as "the mountain of God." Exo 24:13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. (Ex. 24:13; Isa. 2:3).  The mountain of God in the Sinai when the Lord gives the Ten Commandments. But, the mountain of God moves.  The Lord changes its location.  Consider what we read in the book of Isaiah, “And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”  (Isa 2:3 ) Or in the book of Joel we read, “Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no more.” (Joe 3:17) Then again in the book of Micah, “And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths.’ For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Mic 4:1-2) Both events happened on day 50. They arrived at Sinai in the third month on the very day (Ex. 19:1). “In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.” (Ex. 19:1) In Hebrew “on that very day” means they arrived on the third day of the third month exactly 50 days after their first Passover meal in Egypt. The feast of Shavuot is to happen on the 50th day after the weekly sabbath during Passover and Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:15-16). Both involved similar sounds and symbols, such as wind, fire, and voices (Ex. 19:16-19; Acts 2:1-3). Note that the Hebrew for "thunder" (kolot) means "voices" (Acts 2:4). Jewish tradition said that the Israelites heard God speak in 70 languages or, to translate direct from the Hebrew, God spoke in tongues! Both events involved the presence of God (Ex. 19:18,20; Acts 2:4). About 3,000 people died because of their sin when Moses received the Torah (Ex. 32:28). About 3,000 people believed (were born again into new life) when the Spirit came (Acts 2:41). At Mount Sinai, God wrote his revelation on stone tablets (Ex. 31:18). On the fulfillment of Pentecost, God wrote his law on people's hearts as he had promised He would (2 Cor. 3:3; Jer. 31:33). Torah means "teaching." The Spirit, given on Shavuot, also became the "Teacher" of the new community of Jesus' followers (John 14:26) Many Jews from all over the world heard in their own language from a bunch of kids, young men and women, who only knew Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew.  These 120 disciples of Yeshua received "power" and spoke in other language they didn't know or understand.   All the people, probably hundreds of thousands at the Temple on Shavuot, heard the Gospel!! Peter did a short five minute speech and 3000 wanted to be baptized.  It was as if it was SINAI REPEATED!! This is part of what Jesus meant when He said they’d receive “power.” Both events were times when God’s people entered a NEW covenant with the Lord. Israel became a new nation, a nation of priests, and nation that would be the light of the world (Ex. 19:6, Isa. 49:6). And, for us, we have entered a NEW covenant with the Lord as we take the cup of Messiah in His Last Seder meal (Luke 22:20). We too become a new people, a new nation, a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9-10). We to are to be the light of the world (Mat.5:14, Acts 1:7-8).  But, this time, this covenant is the covenant to restore all people to Himself as our sins our totally cleansed and forgiven. This is the final covenant for Jew and Gentile to become one flock with one shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the Messiah Jesus (John 10:14-16). The Shadow of Messiah. On Shavuot there is a special sacrifice. Amazingly it uses two loaves of LEAVENED BREAD (Lev. 23:17). Is God giving us a picture that Jew and Gentile are a new people, a new culture, a holy nation, His two flocks coming together as ONE permeated and saturated with His Holy Spirit dwelling in us and through us?  Is God helping us see that His Bible is ONE book, about ONE God, about ONE Gospel, ONE Baptism, and ONE Savor of all – Yeshua!

Today is Shavuot (Pentecost) ... by God's own word in Acts 1:8 this feast is the Power Feast of the Lord. Jesus did not say to stay in Jerusalem till you receive tongues ... Jesus did not say to stay in Jerusalem till you receive spiritual gifts ... NO!! He said stay till the Holy Spirit comes to give us POWER to go and bring HIM to the ends of the earth.

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 6 Adonai is connecting Passover to First Fruits (Bikkureem) and First Fruits to Shavuot or Pentecost.  It is so clear.  When we put these events into their historical context of 1446 B.C. or the time of the first Passover, and in 30 A.D., the probable time of Jesus' death an resurrection, ascension, and the feast of Pentecost in Acts 2, we see how the missing pieces of Pentecost are filled in.  Our understanding is again enriched and enhanced and we ask ourselves, how did we miss so much?  Why isn't Pentecost Sunday a big deal in my church?  In this lesson I hope you will become as passionate as I in terms of the fact we in the "church" need to bring back Pentecost Sunday and make it a big deal again.  It is more, much more, than what some say is the "birthday of the church."  Shavuot, its Hebrew name, is integrated into the special season, the season of God's ways of deliverance, salvation, redemption, and renewal.  Hear the words of Jesus, the Good Shepherd,  "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep (us Gentiles), which are not of this fold (Israel); I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they (Jew and Gentile) will become one flock with one shepherd." (Joh 10:14-16) This is the gathering in of His believers as one flock, one people, or one assembly - in Greek ECCLESIA which is translated as CHURCH.  The gathering of His assembly seems to begin in John 1 when two followed Jesus.  One was Andrew, Peter's brother.  More were added as Jesus came to them and said, "Come. Yes, come.  Follow me."  Shavuot is when the Lord poured out upon us POWER to be His witnesses to GO and make disciples and take God's Salvation (Yeshua - Jesus' name in Hebrew - means salvation!) and take God's Yeshua to the ends of the earth.  Our POWER day is PENTECOST.   Here are the links referenced in this lesson. Ray Vander Laan's audio lesson on Shavuot - https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/shavuot Tutorial of the feast of Shavuot presented by the Temple Institute in Jerusalem - http://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/ Rev. Ferret's lesson from his book entitled, "The Spring Feasts: the Shadows of the Messiah" - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  Ferret teaching in northern Israel at Tel Omrit What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0    

SHAVUOT - EPISODE 5 Where did the the events of Acts 2 happen?  In the upper room?  Some say it had to be since the disciples were all frightened to be jailed and persecuted like Jesus.  But, were they frightened by the time Shavuot comes around?  Remember, Jesus rises from the dead in the 1st day of the Omer (listen to lesson 1) - He rises from the dead on the feast of First Fruits, Bikkureem.  Forty days pass - over 5 weeks - and Jesus ascends to the Father.  Were those disciples cowering in the upper room for 40 days and 40 nights?  Absolutely not.  The Bible is clear and precise on this.  Moreover, on Shavuot where would be the only place to find a  large crowd of religious Jews?  Where is the ONLY place you'd find a large crowd of 3000 who wanted to be baptized after they heard Peter's sermon?  Where?   The important point of all this is just as God chose the 40th day for His Son to return (the Ascension) God also picked a precise location for the coming of the Holy Spirit ( רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh) upon the 120 disciples.  The 40th day was full of meaning if you were a Jew in 30 A.D. a disciple of Jesus witnessing the ascension.  Likewise, the location of the events in Acts 2 is chosen by God since it makes the connection of Passover to Pentecost.   Here are the links I mentioned in this podcast. Link to Rev. Ferret's article on Bikureem and First Fruits and the count of the Omer - https://www.dropbox.com/s/vca81ywpv8nu900/Article%20from%20book%20BIKKUREEM%20final.pdf?dl=0 Link to the Shavuot tutorial at the website for The Temple Institute - https://templeinstitute.org/shavuot/ Link for an article on where is Mt. Zion - https://www.seetheholyland.net/mount-zion/ Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  Ferret someplace in the Jordan Valley south of Beth Shean What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Shavuot – Episode 4 In the previous episode we established the real possibility that the Hebrews arrived on the 3rd day of the 3rd month.   If this is the case then it seems as if יהוה Yahvay, the Lord, God, lead His people to His mountain to receive a new covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, 50 days after Passover, after the first day of Unleavened Bread.  The Hebrews enter a new covenant relationship with the Lord.  This is an amazing event in that a new nation is born, a chosen people, and it's like a new beginning, a new start.  It reminds me of the Year of Jubilee - every 50 years it is the year of Jubilee. The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (Leviticus 25:23-38) and all types of bondage (vv. 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, all slaves were released, all debts were forgiven, and all property was returned to its original owners. (Like a new start) In addition, all labor was to cease for one year, and those bound by labor contracts were released from them. One of the benefits of the Jubilee was that both the land and the people were able to rest. (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022)  In this session we will see the awesome connection this has to the feast of Shavuot (Weeks) or Pentecost in Jesus' day.  Jesus rose from the dead on a Biblical feast, the feast of first fruits, the Sunday after Passover.  Then 50 days later the 120 disciples received the Holy Spirit and these 120 as the "light to the nations" spoke in tongues of the Salvation of the Lord, the "Yeshua" of יהוה Yahvay.  It was the New Covenant of the Lord at the mountain of the Lord, Jerusalem.   Peter became so inspired, he does a short sermon in Acts 2 and as a result 3000 were baptized on the 50th day, Shavuot or Pentecost.  Did he received the promised power to be the witness to the nations?  You better believe it.  So, the number 50 even takes on even more significance.  Now it seems to be related to the days of Messiah and the coming of the רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit.   The Jubilee presents a beautiful picture of the New Testament themes of redemption and forgiveness. Christ is the Redeemer who came to set free those who are slaves and prisoners to sin (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1; 3:22). The debt of sin we owe to God was paid on the cross as Jesus died on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-14), and we are forgiven the debt forever. We are no longer in bondage, no longer slaves to sin, having been freed by Christ, and we can truly enter the rest God provides as we cease laboring to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works (Hebrews 4:9-10). (Accessed at https://www.gotquestions.org/Jubilee.html July 25,2022)  God has clearly done something on purpose.  He has connected the New Covenant at His mountain, Mt. Sinai, to the New Covenant at His mountain, Jerusalem.  The giving of the Ten Commandments is intimately connected to Pentecost or Shavuot.   I taught this as a class.  Here's a link to the chapter from my class book.  If you need the bibliography email me and I will get it to you.  Link to the article from Light of Menorah on Shavuot - https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rs9dwl481eb9s1/Chapter%204%20-%20The%20Spring%20Feasts%20-%20the%20End%20of%20the%20Beginning.pdf?dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  Ferret - someplace just north of Eilat, Israel in the Wilderness What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0