Author: Daniel

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Discussions Torah

How the Messiah breathes life into ‘the walking dead’ (Leviticus 12–15)

Birth and “the walking dead,” aka lepers. The two couldn’t be more different different. The first brings life into the world, and the latter is a mark of life that is headed out of the world. Yet in human body’s sometimes gross processes of fostering the new, we see similarities with the indeed gross processes that unravel the body, making it waste away.

The Torah readings תזריע Tazria (“she will conceive,” Leviticus 12–13) and מְּצֹרָע Metzora (“leper,” Leviticus 14–15) weave a thread of Heaven’s wisdom between the realms of life and death, showing us in stark imagery how Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) indeed is making this happen: “The last enemy that will be abolished is death” (1Corinthians 15:26–27 NASB).

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Appointments With God Passover Torah Unleavened Bread

First-born identity in the Bible: Redemption or death (Lessons from Passover)

There are a lot of symbols in the Bible that God blended together for the redemption of the first-born of the womb, not only of human beings but also donkeys. They all point to the first and only born of Heaven: Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

The first part of this Bible study on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread looks into two major lessons from four types leaven. This second part focuses on important lesson of redemption of the first-born.

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Appointments With God Passover Unleavened Bread

4 types of spiritual leavening and how to avoid them (Lessons from Passover)

What is the big deal about unleavened bread during Passover time? If it was only about the practicality of eating on the go during Israel’s exodus from slavery in Mitzraim (Egypt), why does matzah show up in the offerings of God’s House, the teachings of Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) and in apostle Paul’s writings to early believers? 

The first part of this Bible study on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread looks into two major lessons of matzah.

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Discussions Torah

‘We have such a high priest’: Sacrifice of praise and a bridled tongue (Leviticus 1–5)

Why does the New Testament have such a large discussion about the Israel’s high priest and the offerings of the Tabernacle (Hebrews 4–14) in connection with Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ)? In the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called”), covering Lev. 1:1–6:7, we have the “what” and “why” the various qorbanot (“offerings” aka “sacrifices”) in the Tabernacle services that were revealed to all the children of Israel. In the next Torah reading, God reveals to the Levites and priests how the sacrifices are to be processed and presented to HaShem (the Name).

Heaven has communicated this through the Torah, Prophets and Writings: Actions matter; obedience matters; animal offerings don’t. We were designed to be close to God, in communion with Him. Obviously, the Fall made that much more difficult, but that desire is still innate within us. And this is where we learn how to come closer to HaShem.

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Discussions Torah

Do we trust the One Who heals our sicknesses? (Exodus 30:10–34:35)

“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (James 5:13–15 NASB)

Sickness is nothing new in Earth’s history. How were these instructions from Messiah Yeshua’s apostle Ya’akov (James) for anointing the sick with oil an expansion of the Torah method for consecration of Israel’s priesthood and leaders? What is the connection between prayer, trust (faith) in God, forgiveness of sin and healing of physical conditions?

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Discussions Torah

No box large enough to contain HaShem (Exodus 25:1–27:19)

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.” (Exodus 25:1–2 NASB)

Are we offering the Creator of Heaven and Earth — and by extension, those around us — the best of our time and resources? After Heaven gave the best to Earth to remove from memory sin, transgression and iniquity, in the birth, death and resurrection of the Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus the Christ).

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Discussions Torah

10 Commandments primer for modern generations (Exodus 18:1–20:23)

How do we live by every word of the Torah? In this talk covering יתרו Yitro (Jethro) in Exodus 18:1–20:23, we are reminded that God is the God of actions, not merely abstract ideas. We live by the Torah when we practice it in our day to day lives just as a basketball player consciously practices his dribbles and his 3-point-shots for hours at a time. This summary of the 10 Commandments provides practical examples of how we can apply them in our daily interactions.