The Earth: Letting the Bible Define Itself

Posted on 07/02/2015 by Messyanic
bluemarblewest

“The Blue Marble”

According to Google, the word “earth” is defined as:

1. the planet on which we live; the world.
2. the substance of the land surface; soil.

When you Google “Images” of earth, you see all sorts of pictures of a globe, a ball which includes both land and seas. Most, if not all, are not even true photographs of the land we live on. The picture to the right is not a real photo, but rather just a composite image.

It seems that the predominant view in our culture is that the primary definition of earth includes both land and seas, and that it is orbiting the sun in space.

However, the Bible paints a different picture.  Continue reading →

Posted in 3-Land and Seas | 2 Comments

Relevance

Posted on 05/11/2015 by Messyanic

According to Google…

“Relevance is simply the noun form of the adjective ‘relevant,’ which means ‘important to the matter at hand.’ Artists and politicians are always worried about their relevance. If they are no longer relevant, they may not keep their job.”
relevance – Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com
www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/relevance

In my journey, I’ve come to find the following to be true…

two paths-5Once you begin to go down a path others aren’t willing to tread, you become somewhat irrelevant to them.

And when this path veers from their belief structure’s foundation then you can become completely irrelevant to them.

However, in time, I believe that should these people ever find themselves in the position of traversing that once forbidden path, you suddenly become the most relevant person they know. And more so, because you’ve gone before them, you can help guide them around pitfalls and be an encouragement to them, because they can see that they are not alone in that leg of their journey.

trail blaze

Photos by Jay Merrill. Published at collegian.com

 

Continue reading →

Posted in Encouragement / Advice | 3 Comments

Does the Sun Really Go Down?

Posted on 04/30/2015 by Messyanic

waterysunsetIn my studies of the sun, I have found that although most English translations refer to the sun setting or going down, the Hebrew tells a different story.

(Genesis 15:12 ESV) As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

(Genesis 15:17 ESV) When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

(Genesis 28:11 ESV) And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep.

The Hebrew word translated in these passages as “going down”, “gone down” and “set” is “bo” (H935). According to Brown Driver Briggs it is a primitive root that means, “to go in, enter, come, go, come in”. Notice this definition makes no mention of a downward direction.

“Bo” is used over 2,500 times in the Tanakh/OT, and in only about 23 verses particularly in conjunction with the sun (H8121 “shemesh”). In all the verses where it is used directly with “shemesh” it is typically translated in the ESV as one of the three ways shown above.

(See Exodus 17:12; 22:26; Leviticus 22:7; Deuteronomy 16:6; 23:11; 24:13,15; Joshua 8:29; 10:27; Judges 14:18; 19:14; 2 Samuel 2:24; 3:35; 1 Kings 22:36; 2 Chronicles 18:34; Isaiah 60:20; Jeremiah 15:9; Amos 8:9; Micah 3:6)

However, when looking at the use of the word in all of the other verses (over 2,200 of them), I don’t see it ever translated as that. Here is just a sampling of the many uses of the word elsewhere:  Continue reading →

Posted in 4-Sun Moon & Stars | 3 Comments

Let There Be A Firmament

Posted on 04/29/2015 by Messyanic

ClearBlueSkyAnd God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

And God called the firmament Heaven.

H7549
רקיע
râqı̂ya‛
BDB Definition:
1) extended surface (solid), expanse, firmament
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H7554

H7554
רקע
râqa‛
BDB Definition:
1) to beat, stamp, beat out, spread out, stretch
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:14-18 ASV) 
Continue reading →

Posted in 2-Heaven | Leave a comment

The Earth and Seas as a Globe Just Doesn’t Add Up

Posted on 04/25/2015 by Messyanic

sphere_700We have been fed from early childhood the notion that the earth (& seas) is a globe, without any real physical evidence.

Nobody *discovered* the earth to be spherical. It was just arbitrarily decided and ultimately rammed down our throats.

The notion was conceived in the minds of men…Greek philosophers.

Later the notion was thrown into the mix of mathematical models and the “heliocentric model” came to light, stating the earth is a spinning ball revolving around the sun. Again, with no real physical evidence to suggest such an idea.

After much resistance, from the *Bible-believing community* I might add, this notion was finally accepted as a reasonable scientific theory. But over time it somehow transitioned from being a scientific theory to a scientific fact without any real physical *conclusive* evidence.  Continue reading →

Posted in 3-Land and Seas, Walking in the Ways of the Creator | 2 Comments

At Odds with Modern Science

Posted on 04/17/2015 by Messyanic

Origins-2I contend that what the Bible teaches concerning the heavens, earth, sun, moon and stars and what we experience in our daily (and nightly) lives are at odds with what the world of modern science would have us believe.

The Heavens and the Earth

We read in Genesis 1 that a firmament, a firm, stamped out expanse, which is called the “heavens”, was made to separate between the waters under it and the waters above it. Then the waters under this firmament were gathered together and dryness appeared. This dryness is called earth and the gathered waters are called seas. And when we stand on the earth near any shoreline and look up, we see the heavens are above the earth and seas.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:6-10 ESV)

Yet modern science would have us believe that the “earth” is comprised of both land and seas in the shape of a ball, moving about within the heavens, without any substantial physical evidence.

Continue reading →

Posted in 2-Heaven, 3-Land and Seas, 4-Sun Moon & Stars, Creation | 6 Comments

By Strength of Hand YHVH Brought You Out

Posted on 03/28/2015 by Messyanic

father-and-sonAnd the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.

This day came ye out in the month Abib. (Exodus 13:1-4 KJV)

The day on which this was spoken was the 15th day of the 1st month of the year, following the Pass Over event when the plague of death to the firstborn hit Egypt and all those residing in homes marked with the blood of the Passover lamb were spared.

The plague of death was the last in a series of many signs and wonders that YHVH performed when Pharaoh continually refused to let YHVH’s people go to serve Him.

When we look back before all these things took place, we see YHVH identified Israel as His firstborn son and foretold what would come to pass if Pharaoh refused to let him go.  Continue reading →

Posted in Feast of Unleavened Bread | Leave a comment

The Passover Timeline

Posted on 03/27/2015 by Messyanic

the-passover-instituted-by-cf-vosUnderstanding the timing of the Passover can be very confusing considering the different mindsets surrounding timekeeping, religious tradition and the teachings of man.

According to the world’s standard, a Day is a 24-hour period that begins at midnight, when the clock strikes 12 in the middle of the night and continues until the next night.

In mainstream Judaism and most Hebraic circles, a Day is also a 24-hour period reckoned from evening to evening, when the sun goes down to the next sundown.

But according to the Bible, a Day is separate from the Night. After the Creator made the heavens, earth and seas, He placed the sun, moon and stars in the heavens for the express purpose to separate between Day and Night.

Religious Tradition

Since the reckoning of a day in mainstream Judaism is evening to evening, and the world’s standard of timekeeping recognizes the day begins in the middle of the night, it can be difficult to wrap your mind around when to keep the Passover.

But then there are religious traditions that have been handed down through Judaism that are not found in the Bible, such as the Seder, which also make it difficult.

Teachings of Man

Compounding the problem is the New Testament writings, which seem to portray conflicting testimony surrounding the timing of the Passover. Then, there’s also the nature of Jesus/Yeshua’s last supper in question and a supposed discrepancy surrounding his time in the grave.

But if we take the understanding of what the Bible says concerning Day and Night, that they are separate from each other, and we consider the actual Pass Over event found in Exodus 12, the Passover Timeline is very simple to understand.

Let’s walk through the initial event together.  Continue reading →

Posted in 1-Day and Night, Passover - Pesach | 4 Comments

Let Them Be…For Seasons

Posted on 03/24/2015 by Messyanic

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:14-15 ESV)

The word translated as “seasons” in the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) is “moedim” (H4150), which means “appointed times”.  Continue reading →

Posted in 4-Sun Moon & Stars | 7 Comments

And Let Them Be For Signs

Posted on 03/21/2015 by Messyanic

cool-photo-sun-moon-starsAnd God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:14-15 ESV)

The Hebrew word (in the singular) translated as “signs” in this verse is “oth” (H226) and appears 79 times in the Tanakh (OT). It simply means “sign” or “signal” as in the sense of “appearing”. There are many examples in the Tanakh as to what an “oth” is.

  • YHVH put an “oth” on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him (Gen 4:15).
  • There are numerous “oth”s of covenants mentioned throughout the Torah: the bow in the clouds (Gen 9:12-13), circumcision (Gen 17:11), and the Sabbath day (Ex 31:13).
  • YHVH bringing the children of Israel to Mt Horeb was an “oth” to Moses (Ex 3:12).
  • YHYH told Moses to perform certain “oth”s before the children of Israel so they would believe him (Ex 4). And the wonders performed by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh and the people of Egypt were considered “oth”s (Ex 7,8,10).
  • The blood of the Passover Lamb on the doorposts acted as an “oth” to avert death (Ex 12), and the unleavened bread that is to be eaten for seven days serves as an “oth” (Ex 13).

These are all examples of signals, things that are seen. And these are just a sample of its use throughout Scripture.

Many turn to Genesis 1:14 to justify looking to the lights in the heavens for either a gospel message of some sort, or an omen of things to come. But is this consistent with the entirety of Scripture? Is this something that we ought to be using them for?  Continue reading →

Posted in 4-Sun Moon & Stars | 3 Comments