The Rebellion of Israel in Egypt

Posted on 03/17/2015 by Messyanic

According to Ezekiel 20, Ezekiel received the following word from YHVH regarding the rebellion of Israel while they were still in Egypt:

[A]nd say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands.

And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. (Ezekiel 20:5-10 ESV)

I’ve always wondered where this event was recorded because it is not listed in Exodus.  Continue reading →

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Shepherds and Herdsmen

Posted on 03/11/2015 by Messyanic

bethsheepHave you ever noticed all the references in the Bible to shepherds and sheep?

The Hebrew word most often translated as “shepherd(s)” in the KJV is “ra’ah” (H7462) and means “to pasture, tend, graze, feed” according to Brown Driver Briggs. While it is only translated as “shepherd” or “shepherds” a total of 61 times, the word “ra-ah” appears almost 3 times as often (172).

The first mention appears in Genesis 4, addressing the occupation of Abel, the younger brother of Cain, who was a “ra’ah” of sheep:

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper (H7462 “ra’ah”) of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. (Genesis 4:1-2 ESV)

The next mention addresses the occupation of Abram’s household and his nephew Lot’s household…

(Genesis 13:7-8 ESV) and there was strife between the herdsmen (H7462 “ra’ah”) of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen (H7462 “ra’ah”) of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen (H7462 “ra’ah”) and my herdsmen (H7462 “ra’ah”), for we are kinsmen.

But in this case these are not necessarily sheep that they are pasturing, tending, grazing and feeding, but more specifically cattle or other form of livestock.

So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold…And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. (Genesis 13:1-2, 5-7 ESV) 

Continue reading →

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The Son of God vs. God, the Son

Posted on 03/10/2015 by Messyanic

trinityThere is a teaching of man, commonly referred to as the Trinity Doctrine that says God is one, in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost/Spirit. This is a fundamental tenet in Christianity. As a result, many believe that Jesus is God, but what does the Bible say?

Below is a list of every verse in the New Testament that includes the Greek words for “son” (G5207 “uihos”) and “God” (G2316 “theos”). Notice, that Jesus is never referred to as “God, the son”, but is consistently referred to as “the Son of God”. (Also note that there are other “sons of God” mentioned as well.)

See for yourself.  Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, YHVH Elohim/God | 9 Comments

If You Don’t Work, You Don’t Eat

Posted on 02/25/2015 by Messyanic

Paul writes in his second letter to the Thessalonians…

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 ESV)

I have always attributed the notion to not eating with not working within the context of this passage, relating to idleness. But the more I study, seeking to understand how to walk according to the ways of the Creator, the more I discover this notion is fundamental to the existence of mankind.

Working for Food

Genesis 1:26-30 tells us…

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them.

And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

tomatoes-dirty-handsAnd God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

From the very beginning of creation it was established that the seed-bearing plants and fruit-bearing trees were meant to feed mankind.  Continue reading →

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Kings in the Line of Judah

Posted on 01/30/2015 by Messyanic

Did you know the genealogy given in Matthew, from David to the exile, is not entirely accurate?

For some time now I have known the countings of 14 generations was off somehow, but I was not too clear as to how. However, I just discovered a few days ago that there are three whole generations missing between Joram and Uzziah, which I find very curious.

I’d like to share what I’ve found concerning this, giving Scriptural backup (typed in dark red), with the hope that those who read this will do their own homework and study this matter out for themselves. If I am found to be in error, I would sincerely appreciate correction. I understand that I have not arrived, but this is a snapshot of where I am at the time of this writing. Check this out.

Continue reading →

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Where Is Your Father?

Posted on 12/25/2014 by Messyanic

In John 8:12-59, a discussion ensues over who the Father of Jesus/Yeshua is.  I believe there are a total of four “fathers” being referenced in this passage:

1. The Father, which art in heaven, who the Jews claimed to be their God
2. Jesus’ earthly, biological father
3. The Jews’ earthly, biological father: Abraham
4. The father of lies, the devil

Let’s look at the passage and break down each of these fathers as they are mentioned.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”

Yeshua made a claim here and the Pharisees claimed that he was bearing witness about himself and they considered his testimony not true.

Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father (1) who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father (1) who sent me bears witness about me.”

Yeshua claims what he says is true because he knows where he came from and where he’s going. I believe he understood his purpose. But then, addressing the law, he indicates that he has a second witness concerning himself. This second witness is the Heavenly Father (1).

They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father (2)?”

When the Pharisees posed this question, I believe they thought Yeshua was speaking of his earthly father (2), so they asked where this earthly father was, this second witness required by law.  Continue reading →

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When a Man Knows a Woman

Posted on 12/18/2014 by Messyanic

According to Scripture, what happens when a man knows a woman, and what part does the LORD (YHVH) God play in it all?

Adam

(Genesis 4:1 ESV) Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.”

(Genesis 4:25 ESV) And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 

Cain

(Genesis 4:17 ESV) Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

Continue reading →

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O Holy Night!?

Posted on 12/17/2014 by Messyanic

shepherdold_smallAnd there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock, and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.

And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people– because there was born to you to-day a Saviour–who is Christ the Lord–in the city of David, and this is to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.’

And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, `Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men–good will.’ And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, `We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.’

And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger, and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child. (Luke 2:8-17 YLT)

I bet the actual birth of the child took place in the Light of DAY as opposed to the Darkness of NIGHT.  Continue reading →

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Christ – The Priesthood and The Kingship

Posted on 12/15/2014 by Messyanic

The Greek word “Christos” (G5547), translated as “Christ”, and the Hebrew word “Mashiyach” (H4899), translated as “Messiah” in English, both mean, “Anointed”.

Looking back in the Old Testament (Tanakh), we see there are two particular offices that are clearly anointed: the Priesthood and the Kingship.

The LORD (YHVH) makes covenants with two particular clans concerning these offices: the house of Levi for priesthood, and the house of David for kingship.

The Priesthood

“Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. (Exodus 29:1-9 ESV)

The Kingship

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.‘” (2 Samuel 7:8-16 ESV)

These offices are clearly established to continue through the seed of man: through the line of Aaron for the priesthood and through the line of David for the kingship. YHVH specifically chose them, selected from among their brothers.  Continue reading →

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To Fill, Fill Up or Fulfill

Posted on 11/15/2014 by Messyanic

(Genesis 1:22 Brenton) And God blessed them saying, Increase and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the creatures that fly be multiplied on the earth.

We’re told in Genesis 1:22 that God blessed the sea creatures telling them to increase and multiply and fill the waters in the sea. This is the first mention of the Greek word “pleroo” (G4137) in the Septuagint translated as “fill”. Its Hebrew counterpart in the Masoretic Text is the word “malê” (H4390).

These words (“pleroo” and “malê”) are used throughout the Greek Septuagint and Hebrew Tanakh, respectively and the typical translations are “fill, fill up or fulfill”.

I have found that the use of certain words in English can really make a difference in how we view the message of the text.  Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, What About? verses | 3 Comments