How Can Jesus Be Perfect If He’s Begotten of Joseph?

Posted on 03/20/2021 by Messyanic

In a recent post on the Facebook Group, Intense Biblical Discussions, someone asked in response to those, like myself, who claim Joseph to be the biological father of Jesus, How do 2 imperfect people produce perfect offspring?

To which I responded, What is considered perfect offspring?

The poster’s initial response was, without sin..1 peter 2: 22.

My reply:

Consider the context…
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24)

Peter said Christ left an example that others should follow in his footsteps, and then immediately starts with “who did no sin”, with the expectation that others could follow in his footsteps by likewise doing no sin.

Peter is not claiming that Christ never sinned a day in his life — he couldn’t possibly have known that. However, during the time of Jesus’ public ministry as a grown man after his water baptism for the remission of sins, while Peter followed him, Peter could have seen that Jesus did no sin. As we all should do, upon our decision to be washed clean of our sins — to do no sin, going forward.

His response:

hebrews 4: 15..1 john 3: 5.. 2 corinthians 5: 21..if he was born in sin , when did he become perfect, as the posted scriptures claim…?

Let’s look at these passages.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1 John 3:4-5 KJV

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

Now, I would love to address each of these passages in their proper context, and may do so in the future, but for now, to stay on point, my reply to the exchange at hand was this:

Who wrote the letter to the Hebrews, the enumerated letters of John & the letters to the Corinthians, and did these authors know all the choices Jesus ever made in his lifetime? Do they know what he was like during his adolescence & early twenties — each and every choice he ever made? I daresay not.

They likely only knew of him from the time he became publicly known, sometime after his water baptism, which was for “the remission of sins”. (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1)

When did Jesus become “perfect”, you ask, within the context of sin? It appears to have been when he decided to become washed clean of all wrongdoings (aka sin), and proceeded to walk in righteousness, according to the Spirit of God.

This is something we all can do, despite who our parents are. We all can be made perfect — we can be perfected when we choose to do that which is right and reject that which is wrong.

An Example from Old

If it were impossible for imperfect people to produce a perfect offspring, then why would God have told Abram so long ago, himself, to be perfect?

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Genesis 17:1 KJV

And this was said after a lifetime of 99 years.

Many generations later, Moses proclaimed to the next generation of the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt, who were considered to be a corporate son of God, at the end of their 40-year journey in the wilderness, having been schooled in the ways of their Creator God…

When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 KJV

The expectation was that people could be made perfect in the midst of their life. They didn’t need to be physically born perfect. Rather, it was a personal choice to be perfect.

And in this second example, the choice came following a rescue mission from a place of bondage, and on the cusp of being ushered into a land of promise.

Further Examples

Later in the history of the children of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, King David said to his physical son, who was thought to be the spiritual Son of God…

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 

1 Chronicles 28:9 KJV

And Solomon passed the following words, particularly relating to being perfect, on to the congregation of Israel at the dedication of the house, which he built for YHVH’s name, God, his Father:

And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.

And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

1 Kings 8:54-61

Solomon knew what was needed to be perfect with God — to walk in God’s statutes & to keep God’s commandments. And although in his latter years, Solomon personally strayed from God’s instruction, the expectation remained in the hearts & minds of men, that those who chose to be made perfect, could be.

Then, in the first century of the common era, Jesus/Yeshua, another physical son of David and proclaimed spiritual Son of God, spoke the following words to his disciples when he gave his sermon on the mount…

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48 KJV

Jesus/Yeshua demonstrated what it was like to be perfect — to know no sin — from the time he was washed clean for the remission of sins until his physical dying day. He set before us an example as to how it can be done, despite our physical parentage.

We all, sons & daughters of men, can be perfect as well, when we choose to sin no more & walk in the ways of our heavenly Father, the Creator God.

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine | 2 Comments

Who is the God of the Bible?

Posted on 03/10/2021 by Messyanic

God is typically painted in a religious light, meaning He is usually defined by those who worship & serve Him.

For example, the “God” of Israel, or more specifically, the God “of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob”, is defined for us primarily by the Old Testament or the Tanakh, written by men who worshipped & sought to serve Him.

But then, the God “of the Jews” is further defined by the traditions of the elders and rabbinical teachings, in the religion called “Judaism”.

And in the view “of the believers of Jesus Christ”, God is defined further still through the writings of the New Testament, coupled with the traditions & teachings of the Church, in the religion called “Christianity”.

For the past decade (& then some), I spent a huge part of my life trying to understand who the God of the Bible was, apart from all the traditions & teachings of man, be they either Jewish or Christian in nature by studying the Bible more intently.

I found my greatest insight to who that God was, when I turned my attention to the early chapters of Genesis, before Abraham ever came on the scene, and coupled this course of textual study with my personal observations of the natural world.

This is where I draw my understanding of who God is.

In the beginning God created shaped the heaven loft and the earth land.

Genesis 1:1 [revision mine]

God is the Maker of the natural world and the Source of all life. His handiwork is all around us for all to see, and His established Natural Law & Order is universal for all to experience its justice.

This is the God I worship and serve.

Posted in Creation, Walking in the Ways of the Creator, YHVH Elohim/God | Leave a comment

Matthew 1, Isaiah 7 and Emmanuel

Posted on 03/01/2021 by Messyanic

Immediately preceding the quote of Isaiah 7:14 in the first chapter of Matthew, the author relays the words of the messenger to Joseph saying,

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Most understand the author’s mention of “she shall bring forth a son” and the fact that the child shall be called a name as being the spark that ignites the reference to the words in Isaiah 7:14.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:23

I agree, but I don’t believe the author’s intent was to highlight the sexual behavioral status of the “she” in his story or to suggest the son that was being brought forth was going to be God in the flesh.

Rather, I believe, the author’s reference to Isaiah 7:14 was meant to be more about God’s doing in that modern age than about any single person living at that time, be it the mom who was pregnant, or the son being formed in her womb, in this snippet of storytelling.

Why do I believe this? Consider the focus of Matthew’s quote of Isaiah 7:14.

Many hone in on the word “virgin” in the passage quoted by Matthew, however is that where the author wanted his reader to focus?

The author never uses that word to describe Mary, although she likely was a virgin, having been espoused to Joseph, before they came together. Given the lack of its usage, that description appears to be irrelevant to the message at hand.

What is the message at hand? This half of the chapter starts out:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:…

Matthew 1:18a

However, when we read the verses that follow this introduction through to the end of the chapter, there is no physical birth story told. We’re just told in the last verse that it happened. What we are told is a story surrounding the naming of that child.

Before I go further, let me review the beginning of the chapter.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:1

In the first half of this chapter, the author lays out a physical genealogy tying Jesus, who is called Christ (verse 16) back to Abraham, by way of David the King (verse 6), and he does so through Joseph. That is the foundation for the second half of the chapter.

Furthermore, the author highlights three specific points in the course of those generations, with a clear recap in Matthew 1:17. I believe this is foundational to the second half of the chapter as well.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew 1:17

Now, when the author quotes from Isaiah in Matthew 1:23, he hones in on the word “Emmanuel“, by explaining to his reader its interpretation: “God with us“.

It seems that this is the most relevant portion of Isaiah’s words to the overall message of the entire chapter being conveyed by the author to his audience.

God with us.

The question is, Who is “us” and how is He “with” them?

To answer this, one needs to be familiar with the historical events found in the Old Testament. But not only that, he/she also needs to be familiar with the promises made by God to His people, and more specifically to men, regarding their physical seed.

To answer the who is “us” portion, one need simply look to see to whom the sign in Isaiah 7 was given.

And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:13-14

With that, and the fact that this story in Matthew pertains to Joseph, who was of the house of David, I think that connection is pretty clear.

To answer the how is He “with” them takes a bit more explanation for those who might not be familiar with the Old Testament.

Here’s a brief overview (although I encourage one and all to read & study the entire Old Testament for themselves to glean all that they can).

God Makes a Promise to Abraham

Abraham was promised by God that kings would come from his loins.

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

Genesis 17:4-6

Jacob Speaks a Word over his son, Judah

It was foretold that Judah would be a savior of some kind and his father’s brothers would bow down to him.

Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Genesis 49:8-10

God’s Promise to Abraham is Kept

David, the son of Jesse, was anointed by Samuel to become king while Saul was still on the throne.

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

1 Samuel 16:1

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.

1 Samuel 16:13a

Later, after Saul died, David became king, and he was used to save God’s people from their enemies.

Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

2 Samuel 3:18

God Makes a Promise to David

When David had it in his mind to build God a house of cedar, God had it in his mind to build David a house, and his physical seed would have a kingdom, with his throne established forever.

Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

2 Samuel 7:8-16

And there was a successions of sons of David who reigned as king on his throne. Although, his immediate son, Solomon, did not follow in his father’s footsteps — he departed from the ways of God.

And as a result the kingdom of Israel was rent in two. The larger portion (the northern kingdom of Israel) was handed over to a servant of Solomon, Jeroboam, to rule in the next generation, while Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, continued the royal succession of his father David.

Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.

1 Kings 11:11-13

God Reassures His Promise to David will be Kept

During the time surrounding the carrying away to Babylon (which remember, Matthew references earlier in his 1st chapter), David ceased to have a son sitting on his throne. But a prophecy was made concerning David’s lineage by Jeremiah:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

This is one of the reasons why the house of Judah in the first century were anticipating a Messiah figure (“horn of salvation”) to come out of the house of David, and save them from their enemies, which they knew had come against them due to their sins.

FLASHBACK: Evidence that God is a Keeper of Promises

Now, flashback to the time when Isaiah’s words quoted by Matthew were spoken, prior to the carrying away to Babylon — it was during the reign of King Ahaz (the generation mentioned in Matthew 1:9), when David still had a son on the throne.

There was a conspiracy between the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria against the kingdom of Judah, where it was feared that the king seated on David’s throne would be overthrown, breaking the promise God made with David concerning the perpetual reign of his seed.

And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field; And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

Isaiah 7:1-7

But God said that which the house of David (King Ahaz) feared would not come to pass, rather something else would happen — the shattering of the northern kingdom (Ephraim).

For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

Isaiah 7:8

God followed up those words by giving a sign to them at that point, which would be called “Emmanuel”, and then he explained in greater detail what would come to pass — essentially, the Assyrian invasion of the north, and David’s throne would remain intact.

And history tells us that is what happened.

FASTFORWARD to Joseph’s Day

Matthew knew all of this, and his intended audience knew all this.

So, when Matthew referred to the words of Isaiah, particularly drawing attention to the name of the sign, Emmanuel, on the heels of relaying the explanation for the name of the child Joseph’s wife would bear to him, and the fact that God was raising up a righteous branch to David at that time, one who would save his people from their sins, I believe the author saw this action to be a further demonstration that God was still with the house of David.

Therefore, the bottom line is this…

God Keeps His Promises

The author demonstrated that God was still with the house of David (and the greater house of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob), by communicating to his audience in this chapter that:

Mary and Joseph evidently came together (Joseph physically sowed his physical seed in her), and the author states that she was found with child of holy spirit (demonstrating she physically conceived).

(I know Virgin Birth doctrinal advocates will argue this point until they’re blue in the face, claiming the Holy Spirit made her pregnant, not Joseph. But, the Natural Order established by the Creator God makes it that women can only get pregnant after having been inseminated with the seed of a man & with the help of God imparting a living spirit. Besides, the author already said in verse 16 that Jesus was physically begotten of Joseph & Mary.)

Furthermore, God sowed a word (a kind of seed) into the heart/mind of Joseph concerning his physical son that was soon to be born. Joseph laid hold of that seed when he believed the word that was told him (a kind of conception), and he brought it forth (a kind of birth) when Joseph did what was told of him.

The author of Matthew said from the beginning this son was called “Christ” (which interpreted is, the Anointed). And then, he relayed the message of the messenger to Joseph, saying this son would save his people (first the house of Judah, then the whole house of Israel/Jacob) from their sins, therefore Joseph was to call this son’s name “Jesus” (or Ye’shua). (This name interpreted is YHVH is Salvation.)

Joseph named the child as he was told after Mary physically brought him forth. Thus, the birth of Jesus Christ (in more ways than one).

Posted in David the King, Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine, YHVH Elohim/God | Leave a comment

Joseph is the Star of Matthew 1

Posted on 03/01/2021 by Messyanic

Modern Christianity makes Mary, who they identify as the Virgin Mary, the star of Matthew 1.

However, while Mary may have been a leading lady of all the other females mentioned in that chapter, she is only a supporting figure to the star of that chapter, which to any objective viewer is Joseph.

Mary is simply described to the reader.

However, it is Joseph’s genealogy that is being laid out in verses 2-16, not Mary’s.

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:16

And it is a scene from Joseph’s life that is being highlighted — his thoughts expressed, his visitation from the angel revealed, and his actions taken when he wakes up.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: [For] his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with child of holy spirit. 

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of holy spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:18-21

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 1:24-25

Matthew 1 is not about a mystical “virgin” conception/birth. It’s an explanation of how God keeps His promises to His people — promises made to men concerning their physical seed, all pointing toward the “Anointed” of God, called “Jesus/Ye’shua”.

This Anointed, Jesus/Yeshua, is the star of the whole book of Matthew (emulating the source of all Light, our Creator God). Mary (as a character in this book) is simply the vessel through whom the Anointed came.

Mary certainly matters in the part she played in life, but in the story this author conveys in chapter one (& even chapter two), Joseph gets the higher billing, since it is he the author chose to highlight revealing all the messages conveyed & actions taken through him.

Joseph is the link to the promises made to men & kept by God, that the Enemy of God sought to remove when he sowed the seed of deception of the Virgin Birth Doctrine. But the Truth is there for all who have eyes to see.

There is no virgin birth in the New Testament.

Posted in David the King, Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine | 4 Comments

Obedience & the Authority of Men

Posted on 12/13/2020 by Messyanic

The idea that obedience to all authority is automatically deemed righteous is disturbing to me because it relinquishes the responsibility for each person from having to discern right from wrong and choosing to do that which is right — instead, he/she just simply obeys and passes the buck of responsibility for discernment to someone else.

When it’s a matter of obeying God, the Maker of us all, who knows & understands all, being supreme in all wisdom and established the order by which righteousness is determined, then by all means we are to obey Him.

But when it comes to obeying men, who are not always righteous in their behavior, and who do not know & understand all and thereby do not always reflect sound judgment, that is a whole different ballgame.

History demonstrates for us what happens when people blindly obey orders from those in authority. It does not go well when those in authority are wicked.

Our moral duty is to do what is right if mankind expects to live long on the land, and that standard is set by the Creator who established the Natural Law & Order of this world, which He made for us all to inhabit.

It is a falsehood from the Enemy of our souls to equate blind obedience towards man with righteousness. It leads to having men, who may otherwise behave rightly, be used as a tool for wickedness in the hands of wicked men.

Please do not blindly obey any authority of man. Discern right from wrong. Do that which is right. Reject that which is wrong.

Posted in Encouragement / Advice | 1 Comment

Homesteading: Living in the Kingdom of God

Posted on 11/28/2020 by Messyanic

For several years the Kingdom of God has been heavy on my mind, and I have struggled with how to present my thoughts on what that entails in the here and now at this website.

But the bottom line is I believe the Kingdom of God is the Heaven and the Land. And mankind has been designated to live on the land.

Lately, homesteading has primarily been on my mind. Especially, given all that is happening in the man-made world, which I commonly refer to as the System, these days.

I’ve found myself retreating even further from the System, having recently paid off our home mortgage, and embracing more fully our homesteading life.

The last bit of fall color for the season.

I think the world needs more homesteaders — not farmers or simply gardeners, but full-fledged homesteaders. I believe this is what we were made to be, operating in the world made by our Creator.

Homesteaders are people who utilize the beasts of the field, birds of the air, and that which creeps along the ground, in conjunction with all the freely available natural resources to them, to help provide for and sustain themselves on the land they inhabit.

Their purpose is not to yield a profit, although they may have some sort of cottage industry to help obtain things they do not produce for themselves. Their purpose is to simply live — and live well.

Our cows “mow our lawns” for us and bring fertility to the soil everywhere they roam.
Our goats help clear the brush for us, making the property enjoyable to walk through.
Our ducks & chickens (not pictured here) help manage the unwanted pests, aerate the meadow muffins (aka cow pies) bringing their own fertility to the soil and provide wonderful entertainment for onlookers.

Learning how to homestead, and doing it well, offers a kind of satisfaction no other occupation can provide.

Along with the natural cycle of day & night, there are seasons of sowing & reaping and kidding & culling throughout the year that all need to be managed properly in order to sustain life throughout the year. (I’m still in the early stages of learning how to manage it all.)

Our developing food forest in the fall.

Homesteading is hard work for sure, but it is immensely rewarding, because you are able to exercise your free will every moment of the day, collaborating with the Creator all throughout it, seeking to understand His world and how best to operate within it.

Pine cones & pine needles
My favorite place of rest and solitude.

And at the end of each day in which we continually enjoy the fruits of our labor, we have so much to be grateful for, knowing who our Source is, the Creator God.

To God be the glory for all that He has given us.

And when we lay our heads down at night, we can enjoy peaceful rest having served the purpose for which we are intended.

Heaven on earth: A view of the heavens reflected in our pond.

I particularly enjoy the fall season with all its blaze of color and crisp, cool nights, but every season carries its own splendor and points of pleasure.

Looking back over the spring & summer of 2020, when the world as most have known it has gone completely haywire, I’m eternally grateful for the life my husband and I’ve been given, the blessings of fertility and dominion we enjoy, and the opportunity to live in this age of the Kingdom of God.

Posted in Walking in the Ways of the Creator | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Keeping the Feasts of the LORD (YHVH)

Posted on 10/05/2020 by Messyanic

Are we supposed to keep the feasts today?

There are many who have turned their attention back to Torah in the past decade, who seem to think we, as God’s people, are supposed to be keeping the feasts as outlined in Leviticus 23 in the modern age (post 70 AD).

I was one who turned my attention toward them over a decade ago, and even participated in a cross-country journey with my family to a Northwest Sukkot celebration in 2010. but as I continued to study Torah, I realized these appointed times were given within a particular context and needed to be kept in that context.

The “holy convocations” or “sacred assemblies” referenced in Leviticus 23 are nestled within instructions specifically given concerning service related to the tabernacle.

Yes, the appointed times outlined in Leviticus 23 are identified as YHVH’s feasts, and repeatedly the text states that these are forever statutes in their generations. However, “forever” (“olam”) doesn’t mean until the end of all time; it means for a long time where the end is not in sight.

In the first century of the common era, Yeshua, son of Joseph, of David, came on the scene — he was identified as the “Son” of God and the “Anointed” (Messiah) of God; He was understood to be the “Prophet like unto Moses” by his disciples, and the people were expected to heed his words as demonstrated in Deuteronomy 18.

Yeshua did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but rather to fill them up. He used what was written in the Law & the Prophets to teach life lessons that were there all along, but somehow concealed to the masses. He “opened their eyes”, so to speak, to that which was being taught throughout the children of Israel’s history, to include what was established in Torah.

Yeshua taught on the Kingdom of God, as he began to build a house for YHVH’s name, and he taught the people to do the will of his heavenly Father.

This “house” he began, however, was not a physical structure (temple) as was in the heart of David to build for YHVH, which Solomon eventually did build. It was a spiritual house made up of people, and Yeshua was the chief cornerstone.

And the house was intended to be a “house of prayer” with the fruit of one’s lips being offered up, lives being set apart & entirely spent in service to the Most High God, where right-rulings were being made as burdens were being carried for one another.

It was never intended to be a slaughterhouse flowing with the blood of bulls & goats or a place of judgment &/or condemnation with heavy burdens being laid upon the people.

The physical house of God (temple) was utterly destroyed as foretold by Yeshua would come to pass, when he said not one stone would be left upon another. And it seems that the intent was for it to never be rebuilt.

With that destruction came the end to the Levitical priesthood and their order of service, along with all the statutes established pertaining to that physical structure. No more physical offerings were to be made on physical altars — whether they be burning incense or slaughtering flesh. No more priestly garments or festival gatherings with their accompanying burnt offerings.

That age is past: the temple era, and a new one was ushered in with the Messiah. In the days of Abraham, Moses & even David & Daniel, the Messianic age was far off — beyond what those at that time could see in the natural, but there was an expectation of it in their spirit.

What does this mean regarding the Old Testament — regarding the Law and the Prophets? Are these writings antiquated, deserving to be put on a shelf and forgotten? Are the customs meant to be swept under the rug and never attended to going forward?

Or are these things to be used as a teaching tool — to help us understand the true nature and intent of God’s kingdom in the light of Messiah’s teachings?

Ten years ago I came to the realization that I grew up in a religious system that had become corrupted over time. There were taboo questions, which left unanswered & controversial subjects, which could not be reasonably explained by those in positions of authority.

I realized I had a foundation established for me in Christendom, which for me was void of a clear understanding of the Old Testament. This compelled me to study out the Old Testament for myself. But I realized I needed to consider it without the baggage of the doctrines of man, so I ceased listening to all religious teachings and participating in all religious traditions &/or ceremonies.

My objective was to learn — to seek knowledge & understanding, and thereby, to hopefully grow in wisdom.

Over the course of time I found myself revisiting the New Testament writings and consulting a few non-canonical writings from the first century or earlier in order to gain contextual insight. I am still in this stage of learning, and I’m beginning to see things more clearly than ever before.

Regarding “the feasts“, I believe they are significant in helping bring a foundation for understanding the teachings of Yeshua, but they need to be understood properly.

I don’t believe they can be “kept” as prescribed in Torah because Torah prescribed elements that are no longer in play in this age, but I do believe they ought to be taught.

The feasts, along with the whole sacrificial system, to include the priestly order, and its accompanying statutes, ought to be taught in such a way that a proper understanding of our Maker’s intent for mankind can be obtained: both for His set apart people and for those of the nations that surround them.

So, do we “keep” the feasts? I say, guard what Torah teaches concerning them, and with the light of Yeshua’s teachings, we can live the lessons gleaned from them. And in this way, we can be pleasing in the sight of YHVH.

Posted in Appointed Times of YHVH | 2 Comments

I’m Back!

Posted on 07/08/2020 by Messyanic

After several years of silence on here, I’ve decided to re-enter the blogosphere to share what I’ve come to learn to date.

So many times I’ve thought to come back on here to share my studies with you, but I found it to be very daunting. Where do I even begin?

I have so much to say, but the teacher & editor in me wanted to lay it out in an orderly fashion, line upon line, precept upon precept, and then present a polished product for you, as I have tried to do in the past. But I just don’t have the time to do that anymore.

Study the Bible Yourself and Own It

My primary desire is to encourage you to study the Bible yourselves. Learn firsthand what it says, not only for your own understanding, but also so that you can better discern when others speak or teach on anything Bible-related. You will be able to hold others accountable and even share what you have learned through your own personal journey — reproducing after like kind.

A few years ago, I created a Bible Study workbook entitled Genesis 101: The Week of Creation, covering Genesis 1:1-2:3. The intent was to demonstrate how I study the Bible, using the best place I believe is to start: In the Beginning.

While hosting a preliminary class online over the course of many weeks and going through the workbook as a student myself, I sought & heeded feedback from my fellow Bible students and made improvements to the workbook each week.

By the time the class was over, the last week’s lessons had morphed so much from the first week’s that I felt the need to re-vamp the whole thing. This was an overwhelming task, given my tendency to want to polish everything every step of the way.

Needless to say, I did not complete all that I wanted in that project, but I managed to break down the Week of Creation into two parts and completed the revision of the first part. I’m presently hosting an in-person class of this first part with a whole new set of students.

This initial part consists of In the Beginning to the Third Day (Genesis 1:1-13), and I believe it achieves my mission of both demonstrating how I study the Bible and laying out a strong foundation for the rest of the Bible, which for many is shaky.

This Bible Study Workbook is freely available online in weekly segments as a downloadable .pdf. I hope you’ll take advantage of it, if you haven’t already.

While I may offer the second part, Day Four to the Seventh Day Sabbath, sometime in the future, it is not high on my priority list at this point. However, anyone who goes through the first workbook will understand my method and be equipped to carry forward the same study techniques on their own with the rest of the Bible, should they desire to do so.

Aside from this, I have had some things clarified for me over the past two years that had been rather fuzzy to me before, particularly the subject of The Kingdom of God.

What I’ve Found on the Kingdom of God

There are many who speak on the Kingdom of God, but not through my current paradigm.

Given all that has been transpiring in our world the past four months, and more specifically here in America, I have felt compelled to get my understanding on this subject out in some form or fashion, and here is where I’m going to do it.

A New Format

It’s going to look a bit different around here, but the articles I’ve written in the past will remain in the archives if you’d like to see some of what led me to where I’m at today.

The main difference is likely going to be my style of writing and the lengths of my posts. (Hopefully, I will be able to do some audio and video as well, but we’ll see about that.) Time is of the essence, and if the editor in me will just be quiet and let me share what’s on my mind each day, you will hear more from me on a regular basis.

It may not be pretty, with pictures to go along with each post, but it will be real and substantial.

I will do my best to include Scriptures to help you see where I’m getting my ideas from, but I can’t promise that I will have the time to do it every time. (You all have Bibles and plenty of Bible tools at your disposal online — I trust if you are reading this blog you are a student of the Bible yourself and know how to dig into it.)

I remain open to feedback as I still consider myself a student in this life, ever seeking to align myself with the Truth, obtaining knowledge & understanding, and growing in wisdom. Please, share your thoughts & questions with me– they are not only welcomed, but encouraged. Your input helps me more than you may ever know. 😉

Talk to you soon!

Posted in 1-Day and Night, 2-Heaven, 3-Grass, Seed-Yielding Herbs, Fruit Trees, 3-Land and Seas, Bible Academy, Creation, Kingdom of God, Walking in the Ways of the Creator | Leave a comment

GENESIS 101-7 Seed-bearing Herbs & Fruit Trees Reproducing After Like Kind

Posted on 08/17/2018 by Messyanic

And God said, Let the earth [land] bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth [land]:
and it was so.
And the earth [land] brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were
[And there was evening and there was morning] – the third day.
(Genesis 1:11-13 KJV [revisions mine])

From Session 7 of the GENESIS 101 Bible Study workbook

Hebrew Vocabulary Words*

  • DASHA’ (H1876) – verb. to sprout shoot, grow green
  • DESHE’ (H1877) – noun. grass, new grass, green herb, vegetation, young
  • ‘ESEB (H6212) – noun. herb, herbage, grass, green plants
  • ZARA’ (H2232) – verb. to sow, scatter seed
  • ZERA’ (H2233) – noun. seed, sowing, offspring
  • PERIY (H6529) – noun. fruit
  • ‘ETS (H6086) – noun. tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
  • MIYN (H4327) – noun. kind, sometimes a species (usually of animals)
  • YATSA’ (H3318) – verb. to go out, come out, exit, go forth
  • SHELIYSHIY (H7992) – adjective. third, one third, third part, third time

*Definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew-English Lexicon.

Suggested Discussion Starters

For those going through the workbook, let’s hear from you.

  1. Share an Aha! moment (something new you learned) from this session.
  2. Share something you’d like to explore further that was sparked through this session.

Feel free to share any other thoughts you might have below regarding Session 7 featuring Genesis 1:11-13 – Seed-bearing Herbs and Fruit Trees, Reproducing After Like Kind.

See all the session overviews for GENESIS 101.

Posted in 3-Grass, Seed-Yielding Herbs, Fruit Trees, Bible Academy, Creation | Leave a comment

GENESIS 101-6 The Dry Land & Gathering of Water Called Earth and Seas

Posted on 08/10/2018 by Messyanic

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place,
and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth [Land];
and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas:
and God saw that it was good.
(Genesis 1:9-10 KJV [revision mine])

From Session 6 of the GENESIS 101 Bible Study workbook

Hebrew Vocabulary Words*

  • QAVAH (H6960) – verb. 1) to wait, look for, hope, expect; 2) to collect, bind together
  • L’E/EL (H413) – preposition. to, toward, unto (of motion)
  • MAQOM/MEQOMAH (H4725) – noun. standing place, place
  • YABBASAH (H3004) – noun. dry land, dry ground
  • MIQVEH (H4723) – noun. 1) hope; 2) collection, collected mass
  • YAM (H3220) – noun. sea

*Definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew-English Lexicon.

Suggested Discussion Starters

For those going through the workbook, let’s hear from you.

  1. Share an Aha! moment (something new you learned) from this session.
  2. Share something you’d like to explore further that was sparked through this session.

Feel free to share any other thoughts you might have below regarding Session 6 featuring Genesis 1:9-10 – The Dry Land and Gathering of Water Called Earth & Seas.

See all the session overviews for GENESIS 101.

Posted in 3-Land and Seas, Bible Academy, Creation | Leave a comment