
Discussion on themes of Purim - "all things work together for the good of those who love God" [15:47m]:
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One common smear against God in recent times is that He is “an absentee landlord” or “a blind watchmaker” Who may have set everything in motion but now doesn’t care or doesn’t get involved. Many then blame Him for the evil and suffering that goes on in the world, particularly to those who it appears to us don’t deserve it, such as a dying family member or a starving child. A common slight against the book of Esther is that it doesn’t directly mention the name of the LORD, as the other books of the Bible do. However, the clear totality of the account is that He is very much at work in making evil plans turn back upon themselves to bring the promise of a blessing for the whole world — Messiah — through Abraham’s descendants. This would happen, even when the promise seemed to have been abandoned along with the people of Israel in [...]

An interactive dramatic reading of the book of Esther [28:34m]:
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Haman tries to convince the king to honor him. (Tammy photo)
Hallel Fellowship celebrated Purim with a fun take on the deadly serious account of the thwarted genocide of the Yehudim (Jews) living in exile in Persia in the fifth century B.C.E.
To follow along with the recorded drama, download Tammy’s condensation of the book [...]
Reading John 1:1-14 and chapters 9-10 shows a connection in Messiah Yeshua between the imagery of light and God dwelling among mankind and the festivals of Tabernacles (Sukkot) and Dedication (Chanukah, a.k.a. [...]

Introduction to Chanukah [71:36m]:
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The story of Chanukah began before Judas Maccabee killed his first Greek, and the culmination didn’t end with him. The events were no surprise to God either. He told the prophet Haggai something spectacular would happen in His temple during the time we now call Chanukah. Today’s talk starts all the way to the days of Darius the Mede and touches us in the 21st [...]

Discussion of the Eighth Day [51:55m]:
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The Eighth Day (called Shemini Atzeret in Hebrew) after the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot) is celebrated as a wedding banquet. It looks forward to a time when there will be a celebration of the wedding of the people of God and Messiah, the Lamb. To be ready, we need to admit how unready those God is calling to that banquet are until God cleans us [...]

Discussion of the wedding feast of the Eighth Day [30:17m]:
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The Eighth Day after the seven days of Sukkot is celebrated as a wedding banquet. It looks forward to a time when there will be a celebration of the wedding of the people of God and Messiah, the Lamb. To be ready, we need to admit how unready those God is calling to that banquet are until God cleans us [...]

Discussion of Shabbat and the first two angels' messages of Revelation 14:
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The Shabbat of the seventh day of each week is a memorial that God is the Creator [Gen. 2:2–3; Ex. 20:11] and Redeemer from bondage [Deut. 5:15] and Sanctifier [Exod. 31:13–15], or the One Who sets apart His people from the ignorant or rebellious world. One of the great last messages to the whole world is to “worship Him Who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” Yet today, most children are learning — in school and/or from popular culture — to doubt God because His people are increasingly more afraid of appearing intellectually backward by accepting His testimony of being the Creator than being strong and standing by the only testimony that makes intellectualism [...]